[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 154 (Wednesday, October 29, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13423-S13424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today there will be a period of morning 
business until 10 a.m. Following morning business, the Senate will 
resume consideration of the Foreign Operations appropriations measure. 
Under the order from last night, Senator Dorgan will be recognized to 
offer an amendment relating to 9/11 in which there will be 40 minutes 
of debate. The procedural vote with respect to the Dorgan amendment is 
therefore expected at approximately 10:45 this morning.
  Following that vote, we will begin consideration of the Healthy 
Forests bill. Senator Cochran had hoped, and we tried on several 
occasions, to reach an understanding that the bill will be open for 
relevant amendments. We were unable to reach a formal agreement for 
that, but I do hope we will debate amendments that are related to 
Healthy Forests and the Healthy Forests initiative. We all recognize 
the tragedy and the suffering and misery that surrounds the wildfires 
currently raging in California. I do think it would be unfortunate and 
irresponsible in many ways for this to be delayed or not to stay on the 
issues related to the underlying bill. We will have votes throughout 
today as we make progress on that bill. There is a clear urgency to 
finish that bill this week.
  We will be looking also to execute the order with respect to the 
climate change bill. That agreement from July 31 allowed for 6 hours of 
debate. I will be working with principals on both sides of this bill in 
an effort to begin that debate during today's session.
  There are a number of other issues that we are currently working on, 
including the Internet tax, which has an expiration date surrounding 
the issue this Friday night. We continue to talk to the interested 
parties to bring that to some conclusion before Friday. We have the 
issue of gun liability. We are discussing on both sides of the aisle as 
to when we might address that--not this week but possibly the following 
week.
  On nominations, a cloture motion had been filed on the nomination of 
Charles Pickering to be a United States circuit judge for the Fifth 
Circuit. That vote will occur on Thursday. Again, we will be working in 
good faith to finish these measures. I thank everyone for their 
attention and cooperation in these matters. We do want to finish in a 
timely fashion and be able to leave for the recess period. There is a 
lot to accomplish. I think we are on track to do just that.
  Mrs. BOXER. Will the leader yield for a quick question about the 
schedule?
  I thank you for your comments about the tragedy in California. I was 
wondering whether it would be possible, when we take up the Healthy 
Forests bill, to complete work on that without interruption simply 
because it would send a signal of hope in terms of how we are going to 
deal with the communities close to forests. It is a very important 
piece of legislation.
  Would that be possible? Could I get the Senator's commitment on that?
  Mr. FRIST. We will certainly consider that and work very hard.
  As my colleagues know, we are adjusting the schedule and interrupting 
the appropriations bills quite appropriately to address this issue, 
which reflects the joint priority in responding in large part to the 
immediacy of that response to the fires that are underway.

  As I mentioned, the main obligation on both sides of the aisle is to 
address the issue of the climate change bill and the agreement from 
July 31. My intention is to stay on Healthy Forests and work 
aggressively. But we have to ask for cooperation on both sides of the 
aisle.
  I would like to finish Healthy Forests as soon as possible, 
absolutely finish it this week. It will take focus to stay on that bill 
and on relevant amendments as we have been requesting.
  Mrs. BOXER. If I could make----
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Will the Senator address the Chair, 
please.
  Mrs. BOXER. Through the Chair, I would like to address another 
question to the leader.

[[Page S13424]]

  Thank you very much, Mr. President.
  I just wanted to say that as far as I am concerned we will work with 
you to ask Senators on our side if we could have time agreements on 
amendments on Healthy Forests. We need to give a message of hope to 
people that their communities will have more help than they had in the 
past.
  I thank you very much for your expressions here in the hope we can 
work together and get through that bill and move on to the global 
warming bill which, of course, is very important in its own right.

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