[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 150 (Thursday, October 23, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13067-S13068]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning the Senate will conduct an 
hour of morning business with the first 30 minutes under the control of 
the Democratic leader and the second 30 minutes under the control of 
Senator Hutchison or her designee. Following morning business, the 
Senate will then begin consideration of H.R. 2989, the Transportation, 
Treasury, and general government appropriations bill. I have had some 
discussions with the Democratic leadership regarding some of the 
possible amendments. I will be talking to Senator Shelby, who will be 
managing that bill, regarding his expectations. We do anticipate 
amendments over the course of today's session. Rollcall votes will 
occur. We are willing to remain in session into the evening, if 
necessary, to complete the bill today or tonight.
  The Transportation appropriations bill is one of the six remaining 
appropriations bills the Senate must consider before we adjourn this 
year. It will continue to take a great deal of cooperation on both 
sides of the aisle to complete action on these bills in a timely 
fashion. I hope we can work together. I am confident we will be able to 
work together in this fashion so that we can complete these bills in an 
expedited way.
  On another matter, last week, by a large bipartisan vote, the 
Environment and Public Works Committee reported the nomination of Mike 
Leavitt to Administrator of the EPA. Chairman Inhofe came to the floor 
yesterday to try to reach an agreement to debate the nomination and 
then proceed to a vote. There was an objection from my Democratic 
colleagues. I have read that several Democratic Senators have placed a 
hold on the nomination, and I therefore want to put the Senate on 
notice: This nomination is for the Cabinet of the President of the 
United States. I believe it is irresponsible to allow a vacancy to 
continue in that position. That position clearly speaks to very 
important concerns that are before the American people.
  Thus, we will move forward on this nomination. If it is necessary, I 
will file cloture to allow the Senate to work its will on this nominee. 
If Senators want to vote against the nomination, we will give them that 
opportunity. They will have that opportunity. Therefore, if we are 
unable to consider this nomination under some sort of reasonable time 
limitation, I will move to proceed to its consideration and file the 
necessary motion.
  I thank my colleagues and I hope all Members will reconsider the 
objections they have put forward.
  Each morning, I comment on a range of bills that we will address 
before we adjourn. We made real headway with the anti-spam legislation 
yesterday, coming back to appropriations shortly this morning. We still 
have fair credit reporting on which we are making progress, but we need 
to get that to the floor. I think we will be able to do that under a 
short time agreement. We have the issue surrounding the CARE Act which 
I mentioned when we closed last night. We have the Internet moratorium 
which we need to address this week or next week. I am confident we will 
be able to do so.

[[Page S13068]]

  There is another bill at the desk I hope we can work on over the 
course of today or tomorrow, the Syria Accountability Act. Another 
issue we have been working on in a bipartisan way and I want to address 
before we adjourn is the issue of gun liability.
  One final comment has to do with an entirely different issue, and 
that is the progress being made in Sudan. Secretary Powell has made 
statements, after a recent visit there, that real progress is being 
made in terms of peace in a country that has been in a civil war for 
the last 20 years. Over 2 million people have died in Sudan, and over 5 
million people have been displaced from their homes as a product of 
this civil war.

  I go to southern Sudan each year as part of medical mission works. I 
was just there about 5 or 6 weeks ago. I want to share my optimistic 
view, based on that recent visit working in hospitals and with patients 
and with civilians in southern Sudan, that this peace act is making 
real progress. I think the United States has played a major role in 
facilitating the process.

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