[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 126 (Tuesday, October 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S9655]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             SENATE AGENDA

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, there are a lot of rumors about where we 
are going in the next few days we have remaining, basically the rest of 
this week and I presume next week, as to what is going to be done. 
There is talk about pulling homeland defense. I hope that is not the 
case. Of all the issues we have before us, certainly that has to be one 
of the most important.
  There is talk of bringing all the kind of politically oriented issues 
to the floor, knowing they will not pass, but to be able to say we 
tried. I don't think that is the best way to govern. It seems to me we 
have to make some priorities. We have a shortage of time. We have to 
decide what are the most important things that need to be done during 
that time. It seems to me they are fairly clear.
  I hope we will address those things. Homeland defense has been on the 
floor for 4 weeks now. It is one that, obviously, is necessary. I don't 
think there is a soul here who believes we ought not to be doing that. 
We have argued about governmental employee unions. Certainly, the 
highest priority of this administration, and I think for the Congress, 
would be to put into place a homeland defense program, which we have 
before us.
  The Iraq resolution apparently is coming to the floor, hopefully 
tomorrow, to be discussed a rather short time. It is very obvious that 
needs to be done.
  We have passed no appropriations this year. We are supposed to have 
been finished with appropriations. Today, we start a new fiscal year--
without the passage of any appropriations bills. Obviously, we plan to 
go with a continuing resolution for most of them, but we cannot do that 
for Defense or military construction. We have to decide those as 
priorities. Then we have to have a continuing resolution to carry on 
Government operations until sometime in the future--whether it is a 
November return, December, January or February, whatever. That has to 
be done and, I hope, in a clean way that allows us to move forward with 
attaching a great many things to it.
  So that is where we are. Certainly, we are all aware of the necessity 
of accomplishing those things in a reasonably short time we have in 
which to do that. So I urge the leadership and all of us to try to 
decide how we handle those things and do them as quickly as we can, so 
we will be able to leave here when the time comes. These things must be 
done in the meantime.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Iowa is 
recognized.

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