[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 110 (Wednesday, September 7, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S9738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  PERMITTING SOLICITATION OF DONATIONS

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to consideration of S. Res. 235, which was submitted earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 235) to permit the solicitation of 
     donations in Senate buildings for the relief of victims of 
     Hurricane Katrina.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, the ranking member of the Senate Rules 
Committee, Senator Dodd, and 47 other Senators and I today submitted a 
resolution that would allow Senators and Senate staff to make donations 
of food, clothing, medical supplies, and other needed materials for 
victims of Hurricane Katrina.
  Current Senate regulations prohibit any soliciting within Senate 
buildings. This resolution suspends these regulations for noncash 
solicitations among the Senate family. It is my hope this resolution 
will demonstrate the generosity of Senators and staff and will help 
ease the suffering of the millions of people along the Gulf whose lives 
have been devastated by this unprecedented disaster.
  But I think we can do more at this time of crisis. I believe Senators 
should be able to use Senate facilities to encourage all of our 
constituents and friends to donate to charities that are working 24 
hours a day to help alleviate the suffering caused by the hurricane, 
and I intend to introduce legislation that will facilitate that effort.
  This is a modest effort at time of great suffering. We need to do 
more right now and not allow inflexible rules to prevent us from 
helping our citizens at a time of crisis.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 235) was agreed to, as follows:

                              S. Res. 235

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SOLICITATION FOR HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF.

       Notwithstanding any other provision of the rules or 
     regulations of the Senate--
       (1) a Senator or employee of the Senate may solicit another 
     Senator or employee of the Senate within Senate buildings for 
     nonmonetary donations for the relief of victims of Hurricane 
     Katrina; and
       (2) a Senator or employee of the Senate may work with a 
     nonprofit organization with respect to the delivery of 
     donations described in paragraph (1).

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