[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 64 (Thursday, May 1, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S5692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  AUTHORIZATION FOR COMMITTEE TO FILE

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the 
Senate's adjournment, the Commerce Committee have from 10 a.m. until 12 
noon on Friday, May 2, to file S. 824, the FAA reauthorization bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REID. Would the distinguished majority whip yield?
  Mr. McCONNELL. I yield.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have completed a number of unanimous 
consent requests this evening. A number of them--about 10 in number--
deal with various positions that have been confirmed by the Senate this 
evening. These we read off by virtue of numbers. We do this almost 
every night, but I think sometimes we fail to realize these are real 
people and they are more than just numbers. The people on this list 
that we have read off today, they will have celebrations tonight. These 
are extremely important days in the life of every one of these people 
whose names we have read off today.

  I think it does us good to once in a while just pause and recognize 
that the things we do here deal with more than just numbers. I ask we 
all once in a while stop and join in the celebration of these victories 
that these people have.
  It is difficult, with the present situation--present situation? I 
think it has been going on for 20 years, how difficult it is to get 
nominations that the President sends to us, Democrat or Republican. The 
process is not very good.
  We are now into the second year of this administration and we are 
just getting approved people he submitted earlier--some of whom he 
didn't submit earlier--just because the process is so slow. I hope 
someday a bipartisan commission or some organization can be set up so 
we can do this separate and apart from the situation that involves the 
judiciary. But just on nominations that come from the President, we 
need a system that works much better, more quickly than what we have.
  I don't want to prolong the point other than to say congratulations 
to all these people who have been approved tonight.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, let me say to my friend, the assistant 
Democratic leader, his points are well made both on the congratulations 
that are certainly due these individuals who have been confirmed 
tonight and on the need to improve the process by which we get 
individuals confirmed here in the Senate. I must say, without the able 
and effective assistance of the assistant Democratic leader, we would 
not have been able to clear some of these nominations tonight. I thank 
him for his perseverance in making that possible.

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