[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 29, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S5499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                PROGRAM

  Mr. McCONNELL. For the information of all Senators, following morning 
business, the Senate will take up S. 196, the digital and wireless 
technology bill. Under the agreement, the Senate will vote on the 
measure at approximately 12 noon.
  Upon the disposition of that bill, the Senate will resume 
consideration of the Owen nomination. The majority leader has asked me 
to announce that while he regrets being forced to file cloture on this 
important appeals court nomination, he believes it is vital that the 
Senate fulfill its advise and consent responsibility. With that being 
said, I inform my colleagues that the cloture vote on the Owen 
nomination will occur Thursday morning, and Members will be notified 
when the vote is scheduled.
  I also announce to my colleagues that the majority leader is working 
with the Democratic leader to clear several items for floor action. The 
items under discussion include the State Department authorization bill, 
the bioshield bill, the FISA legislation, and several judicial 
nominations. Therefore, Members should anticipate additional votes 
during tomorrow's session.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, there was some discussion on the floor today 
that the minority would move to the nomination of Prado tomorrow. That 
is a debatable motion when we are in executive session. We have been in 
contact with the majority. In fact, the distinguished majority whip and 
I have been talking all afternoon to try to work something out. We 
understand the difficulty of our doing what we have said we would 
likely do. We acknowledge it is better that the majority sets the 
schedule. But there are times when we have to try to protect our 
rights.
  I am the one who said I would do this at the first opportunity. I am 
not going to do that tomorrow until the ability we have to work out a 
fair proposal on a number of circuit court judges is exhausted. We were 
very close to doing something on that tonight. I am confident the 
distinguished Senator from Kentucky and I can work something out 
tomorrow, with the consent of both of our caucuses.
  So I just want to put everyone on notice that I am not going to move 
to Prado tomorrow and that we are going to try to work things out on 
our own, and that would be the most expeditious and, I am sure, best 
way to go. I am confident and hopeful we can do that.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I just add that the Senator from Nevada 
and I spent some considerable amount of time this afternoon trying to 
clear some additional votes for nominees for the circuit court, and we 
are going to continue that effort tomorrow in the hopes of reaching an 
agreement to dispose of some of these nominations that are going to be 
allowed to be voted on, on an up-or-down basis. We will continue that 
effort in the morning.

                          ____________________