[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 153 (Tuesday, October 28, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S13419]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--H.R. 2800

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate resumes 
consideration of the foreign operations appropriations bill on 
Wednesday, tomorrow, Senator Dorgan be immediately recognized in order 
to offer an amendment related to the September 11 commission. I further 
ask unanimous consent that there be 40 minutes equally divided in 
relation to the amendment and that at the expiration of time I or my 
designee be recognized in order to make a point of order against the 
amendment; further, that Senator Dorgan then be recognized in order to 
move to suspend rule XVI with respect to his amendment. I finally ask 
unanimous consent that the Senate then proceed immediately to a vote on 
the motion to suspend. I also ask consent that following that vote the 
Senate then proceed to consideration of H.R. 1904, the Healthy Forests 
legislation.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, I, along with Senator Leahy 
and others on this side, are terribly disappointed that the action on 
the Dorgan amendment tomorrow will bring to a close, at least at this 
stage, further action on this most important appropriations bill. My 
memory could be wrong, but not too wrong, that in the past we have 
moved through this bill pretty quickly. The Senator from Kentucky has 
been involved in this for a long time, as either the ranking member or 
chairman of this subcommittee. I think he and Senator Leahy, who has 
been involved with this for many years, have done an outstanding job.
  There is one issue that has held this up and that is getting more 
money for global AIDS. The President supports this effort to get more 
money for global AIDS, and I am disappointed he and his people have not 
weighed in more on this, although knowing the Senator who is wanting to 
slow this down, does not want this to move forward, I am not sure what 
good it would do for anyone to talk to him knowing what an advocate he 
is and how strongly he feels about things.
  The point I am making is I think we should have a vote on this, 
whatever it takes, and move on. On this side, I think everyone would 
have to acknowledge we have cooperated on these appropriations bills, 
but we cannot go to other appropriations bills when we have an 
appropriations bill that is on the floor and somebody finds a tough 
vote. It is not right. We in good faith have had our Members not offer 
various amendments. We have been very discrete in the amendments we 
have offered, and I would hope the night will bring more understanding 
to this most important issue of global AIDS.
  It is not going to go away. It will appear on this bill or some other 
bill. I know my friend from Kentucky has worked very hard for hours 
today trying to move forward. This is his bill. Again, I express my 
concern and disappointment but have no objection to the unanimous 
consent agreement that has been suggested.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The 
unanimous consent request is agreed to.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, if I may state briefly on the issue of 
funding of global AIDS, I think it is important to remind our 
colleagues it was the President who recommended $15 billion over 5 
years to attack this global public health crisis. Even without enacting 
amendments that go above the budget, the $2 billion that is in this 
appropriations bill and another appropriations bill that has already 
cleared the Senate--between the two bills, $2 billion--provides for the 
administration, even if we are unable through this process at some 
point this year to provide additional appropriations, to spend all the 
money that the administration feels it can usefully spend in the first 
year of the 5-year commitment. This Senator has no doubt that the full 
$15 billion over 5 years will be appropriated to address this huge 
public health crisis.

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