[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 14, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S6147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning the Senate will begin 
consideration of the jobs and economic growth package which was 
reported by the Finance Committee. Under the agreement reached 
yesterday, there are 14 hours remaining for consideration of the bill.
  I again ask that all Senators who intend to offer amendments contact 
the chairman and ranking member of the committee to facilitate their 
structuring of consideration of this bill for today and tomorrow 
morning.
  As I indicated last night in closing, I expect a very busy day today 
and, indeed, a busy day tomorrow and on Friday. We will have a busy day 
and likely a busy night tonight as we address this important jobs and 
economic growth package.
  When we complete this measure tomorrow, we will proceed directly to 
the bipartisan global HIV/AIDS bill. The Senate will complete both of 
these important issues this week. A number of Senators do have 
engagements planned Saturday, a number of commencement addresses and 
interaction with their constituents, so we will not be in on Saturday, 
but we will likely be voting late into Friday. I urge them to make 
appropriate arrangements but to be here Friday. We will clearly be 
voting through tomorrow as well.
  Mr. President, I made a few statements yesterday on the fact that 
this HIV/AIDS bill will be addressed this week. The focus today and 
much of tomorrow will be on the jobs and economic growth package. I 
hope we can go to the HIV/AIDS bill tomorrow afternoon. This virus, 
HIV/AIDS, casts a shadow of death that reaches across oceans; it knows 
no borders, and it is sweeping across continents. It goes to remote 
villages and countries all across the globe. It has killed 23 million 
people, and 42 million people are living with this virus. Of those 42 
million people, most don't know they have the virus. Another 60 million 
people will likely die of HIV/AIDS by 2020.
  We have an opportunity to reverse this moral, this humanitarian 
tragedy. The work has been done by the House of Representatives, by the 
President of the United States, and now it is up to this body. As I 
have mentioned before, history will judge whether America has led in 
the fight against HIV/AIDS, which has caused the greatest destruction 
in human life in recorded history, and whether we stood up in a timely 
fashion and performed heroic rescues. President Bush opened the door to 
that possibility, the House acted, and we will act this week to pass 
legislation and get this program established without further delay.

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