[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 74 (Monday, May 19, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6571-S6572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE


                           Order of Procedure

  Mr. FRIST. This afternoon, the Senate will be in a period of morning 
business until 2:30 p.m. At 2:30 the Senate will begin consideration of 
the Department of Defense authorization bill. Under the order, 
amendments will not be in order to the bill until 5:30 today. Under the 
previous order, our first rollcall vote is scheduled for 5:30 this 
afternoon, but due to a number of meetings, I ask unanimous consent 
that the vote on the confirmation of the nomination of S. Maurice 
Hicks, Jr., to be a United States District Judge for the Western 
District of Louisiana be moved until 5 p.m. today.
  Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, we have a number of speakers 
here now: Senator Conrad wants to speak for 15 minutes, Senator Dorgan 
for 15 minutes, and Senator Hagel is in the Chamber and wishes to speak 
for 5 minutes. Could we extend morning business for 15 minutes equally 
divided?
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I am happy to extend it for 15 minutes. I 
have very few remarks to make, and then we will have the Senator go 
first.
  Mr. REID. That should cover the time.
  I ask that Senator Conrad be recognized for 15 minutes, Senator 
Dorgan for 10 minutes, and Senator Hagel for 5 minutes; you go first, 
then Senator Conrad, and then Senator Hagel.
  Mr. FRIST. My remarks are going to be for 3 minutes; if I could have 
Senator Hagel go first and then follow with----
  Mr. REID. If he is speaking a short time, that will be fair.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Is there objection to moving the time for a vote?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. FRIST. Let me clarify, or add to that, because we are moving the 
time up. I understand a lot of people will be coming back this 
afternoon. Since we initially scheduled it for 5:30, we will extend 
that voting to, say, 6 p.m. So we will begin voting at 5 p.m. today, 
and the vote will be held open until 6 p.m. today since this is a 
change from Friday.
  Following that vote, Members may offer amendments to the DOD 
authorization bill. The two managers will be encouraging any Senator 
who intends to offer an amendment to stay around after the vote to 
offer and debate their amendment. Any votes ordered on amendments that 
are debated this evening will be postponed to begin tomorrow morning. 
It is my hope that we will be able to complete Senate action on this 
bill early this week.

[[Page S6572]]

  This week, the Senate will also consider the debt limit extension 
legislation. We have an agreement for a limitation of amendments to 
that bill, although it is still my hope that the list of amendments can 
be pared down and we can pass that bill in a quick period of time.
  Finally, I add that last week the Senate passed the jobs and economic 
growth package. At this point, it is unclear at what time the Houses 
can complete working out the differences. It is my hope to complete 
that prior to the Memorial Day recess. People have been meeting over 
the weekend, today, and will be meeting tonight. I will keep my 
colleagues posted. My intent is to complete that package before the 
Memorial Day recess. The language has to be worked out between both 
Houses. We will be talking about that as we go forward.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, before the majority leader leaves the floor, 
regarding the debt limit, we have entered into an agreement in good 
faith with the majority. However, I think we should expect this will 
take a day. I worked with Senator McConnell last week. We had it down 
to a finite number of amendments. That did not work out. We have a 
Memorial Day recess with people giving graduation speeches and Memorial 
Day speeches, and we are going to get jammed toward the end of this 
week, as we do before a recess period. We are happy to work, but I 
don't think we can plan on finishing this bill in a couple of hours.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I appreciate the comments of the assistant 
minority leader. I am hopeful we can pare down the number of 
amendments, but I understand from their perspective it will take more 
than a couple of hours. In that regard, the exact timing will be 
discussed as to when we actually bring that to the floor. It will be 
completed this week.
  In a few moments I will talk about bioshield, as well, that I would 
like to complete this week. But absolutely for sure, DOD we are looking 
to complete, we will address the debt ceiling this week--we have to 
address it this week--and we will address, hopefully, the jobs and 
economic growth package in its final form as well as bioshield.
  Putting that together will be, again, a very long week. People 
absolutely must plan to be here on Friday, voting on Friday before we 
begin the recess.

                          ____________________