[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 59 (Monday, May 9, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4611-S4612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today we will shortly resume consideration 
of the highway bill. There are a couple of Members desiring to speak on 
other subjects prior to going back to the highway legislation, and we 
will accommodate those statements. I will have a brief statement. The 
Democrat leader has a statement, as well.
  Chairman Inhofe will be managing the highway bill today. As we 
announced prior to the recess, we expect a vote this evening at 
approximately 5:30 p.m. That vote will be in relation to an amendment 
on the highway bill. Several Senators have indicated they would be 
available today to offer amendments. We hope to schedule one of those 
for a vote this evening.
  We are now beginning our second week of work on the highway bill. The 
managers have patiently waited for Members to come to the Senate to 
offer their amendments. I am concerned about the pace of the bill. We 
need to finish the bill this week. I put our colleagues on notice that 
we will use cloture if necessary to bring this bill to conclusion.
  Having said that, be prepared for full sessions to consider and 
dispose of highway amendments over the next few days. As I think about 
it, I want to make it clear to our Members, we will be voting 
throughout this week, including Friday.
  With respect to the emergency supplemental appropriations bill, that 
should now be at the desk. Our expectation is to begin debate on that 
conference report this evening. I hope any Member who wants to speak 
will stay this evening for debate in order to schedule a vote on the 
emergency supplemental appropriations conference report sometime 
tomorrow, hopefully early tomorrow. I will be consulting further with 
the Democrat leader on the exact timing but, again, we want to vote as 
early as possible on Tuesday so we can get back to the highway bill.
  I thank our colleagues in advance for their help on these two 
important measures.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, if I could make a brief comment on the 
highway bill: I agree with the distinguished leader that we need to 
move forward on this bill. I have been advised over the last several 
days, and had a couple calls this morning, that they are having 
problems with the transit section of the bill. Senators Shelby and 
Sarbanes want a little different formula than is in the bill. They are 
working on that now as we speak. I hope they can get that worked out. A 
significant amount of work has gone into the bill not only by members 
of the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Banking 
Committee, which has jurisdiction over transit, but also by the Finance 
Committee. It is a very complicated bill.
  I underscore what the distinguished Republican leader said. It is my 
understanding that Senators Baucus and Grassley are going to lay down 
an amendment today. I hope everyone would offer their amendments on 
this bill. I have had a lot of comments from

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Members saying they have concerns about what is in the bill. This is an 
opportunity to lay down the amendments. We have been told by the 
distinguished Republican leader today that if there is no progress on 
this bill he is going to file cloture. This is the highway bill. This 
is not a bill where cloture will not be invoked. There is wide-ranging 
support for this bill.
  I hope everyone follows the admonition the Republican leader just 
gave and be ready with amendments because, if we wind up waiting much 
longer, we will not have an opportunity to do that.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader.

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