[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 21, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S61]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The minority leader is recognized.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I look forward to having further 
discussions with the majority leader with regard to taking the next 
legislative step with regard to the Omnibus bill. I am sure we will be 
able to reach some understanding as to how we might complete our work 
on this legislation.
  I do think it is important, as we said yesterday, for the Senate to 
focus its attention on some of the issues we cited yesterday as real 
policy concerns. There were procedural concerns about how we got here, 
but the policy concerns are the ones that can be addressed and can be 
fixed. If we are not able to fix them in this legislation, I certainly 
want to assure my colleagues we will look for other vehicles and other 
ways to address each of these issues over the course of the next 
several weeks and months.
  I will have more to say about that later in the day, but I will 
certainly work with our majority leader in addressing the schedule and 
providing options for ways in which we can complete our work on this 
bill perhaps this week.
  I urge colleagues to recognize the opportunity the day presents to 
discuss some of these issues. I know there are many on our side who 
intend to do that. The time is equally divided. We certainly intend to 
use the time that will be allocated to this side throughout the day to 
discuss many of these issues.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, while the two leaders are here--I have not 
had an opportunity to discuss this with either of them--floor staff has 
indicated when the majority leader finishes his statement Senator 
Dorgan is here wishing to speak. Following that, Senator Reed of Rhode 
Island would like to speak, and then Senator Boxer. We understand if 
there are Republicans, we will alternate, but I wanted to give them the 
roll of those who indicated they would like to come prior to Senator 
Byrd and Senator McCain speaking this afternoon.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, we can talk during the speeches, but my 
understanding is we will alternate back and forth.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Yes.
  Mr. FRIST. I will make a stronger statement probably for 30 minutes, 
and after that we can alternate back and forth.

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