[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 88 (Wednesday, June 23, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S7203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning we resume consideration of the 
Defense authorization bill. The agreement last night provides for 
debate on five amendments prior to the votes in relation to those 
amendments. Those amendments are the Corzine amendment on Reserve 
retirement, the McConnell amendment and Kennedy amendment on an Iraq 
report, the Reed amendment on missile defense, and the Byrd amendment 
on troop cap.
  If all debate time on these amendments is used, we will proceed to a 
series of votes at approximately 11:15 this morning. I had originally 
hoped and expected we would be voting on final passage of the Defense 
bill this morning. Unfortunately, we have not been able to reach an 
agreement providing for the Senate to complete the bill. Therefore, 
last night I filed a cloture motion in the event we don't complete the 
bill. Our intention is to complete the bill this afternoon.
  If we are unable to complete the Defense bill, that cloture vote 
would occur tomorrow. This is the fourth week of consideration of the 
Defense authorization, and it is time for us to finish the bill. I 
think we are proceeding along those lines.
  I remind my colleagues that if a cloture vote occurs and the Senate 
votes cloture, germane amendments will still be in order in addition to 
an additional 30 hours of debate. It is vitally important that we 
consider the Defense appropriations bill this week, which will ensure 
our troops have the appropriate resources available to them. We need to 
begin this appropriations process, and I will be seeking an agreement 
on the Defense appropriations bill this week before the recess.
  I add we will have additional judicial nominations today and into the 
evening, if necessary. We need to have those votes. We still have nine 
nominees who are to be considered on the floor and voted upon. These 
unanimous votes clearly will consume valuable Senate time and it may be 
necessary to have these votes into the evening to ensure we process 
these judicial nominations.
  Finally, we have an additional 23 ambassadorships and U.N. 
Representatives which are now available on the calendar. Included on 
this list is the nomination of one of our former colleagues, Jack 
Danforth, to be our Ambassador to the U.N. These are vitally important 
nominations to act on. We need to do that expeditiously. We have had a 
blanket objection to executive nominations, but I believe these 
diplomatic nominations should not be held up for unrelated issues.
  I have heard there may be debate necessary on the Danforth 
nomination. I hope we can look at a reasonable amount of time, or we 
will be here late at night, or we will have to delay the start of the 
recess in order to vote on these important nominations.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Will the leader yield for a question?
  Mr. FRIST. Yes.

                          ____________________