[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 6, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S5791]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--CALENDAR NO. 53

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that, at a time 
determined by the majority leader, after consultation with the 
Democratic leader, the Senate proceed to the consideration of calendar 
No. 53, the bioshield bill. I further ask consent that the only 
amendments, other than the committee amendment, be the following: a 
Gregg-Kennedy substitute, and a Byrd amendment regarding mandatory 
spending. I further ask consent that there be 2 hours for general 
debate and 1 hour on each amendment to be equally divided in the usual 
form. I further ask consent that following the disposition of the above 
amendments and the use or yielding back of debate time, the bill be 
read a third time, and the Senate then proceed to a vote on passage of 
the bill, with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I will object 
to this in just a minute, but I do want to spread across the record of 
the Senate that Senator Byrd and other Members of the Senate of the 
majority believe this sets up an entitlement.
  Senator Byrd believes there should be an annual appropriation for 
this matter, this should not be an entitlement. As I have indicated, 
there are people on the other side of the aisle who also acknowledge 
this is the way things should be done.
  We hope there can be some agreement. In the interim, until something 
is worked out, I object on behalf of Senator Byrd.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I must say, Mr. President, on this side of the aisle 
we have cleared this request, so there are no longer any problems over 
here. I know the senior Senator from West Virginia was hoping to work 
out some language on the mandatory spending provision. The chairman and 
the ranking member, I believe, are prepared to allow a vote on Senator 
Byrd's amendment, and that vote has been incorporated into this 
request. Therefore, I hope we can get this consent request worked out 
in the next day or so.
  This bill is absolutely vital in that it provides for biomedical 
countermeasure research and development. We need to move forward on 
this bill. We really encourage the other side to understand the 
seriousness of this legislation, the importance of moving it forward.

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