[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 21, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S14221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ORDER OF PROCEDURE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the next hour, we will spend in our 
precloture period before proceeding to the cloture vote on the Defense 
appropriations bill. I believe the Democrat leader spelled out how that 
time will be used.
  At this point, I ask unanimous consent that the time on our side be 
divided as follows: Senator Murkowski, 5 minutes; Senator Cochran, 2 
minutes; Senator Lott, 3 minutes; Senator Domenici, 5 minutes; Senator 
Gregg, 5 minutes; Senator Stevens be given the last 5 minutes of the 
debate; and 5 minutes to be designated by Senator Stevens.
  The VICE PRESIDENT. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I thank colleagues for their cooperation 
during the consideration of budget reconciliation. I especially thank 
the staffs on both sides, who spent several sleepless nights working on 
this matter. I very much thank my staff director, Mary Naylor, and all 
of my staff for their extraordinary effort.
  I also salute my colleague, the chairman of the Committee on the 
Budget, for his professionalism as we considered the matter. Special 
thanks to his staff, as well. I know this has been an extraordinarily 
trying period. We appreciate so much the effort and work they put into 
it.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from New Hampshire.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I join the Senator from North Dakota in 
especially thanking our staffs, most of whom have not slept for a 
series of nights. They have done an exceptional job, led by Scott Gudes 
on our side and, obviously, Mary on the Democrat side. We have staff 
who put in huge hours to make us look effective and efficient around 
here, and they do an extraordinary job on our behalf.
  I also thank the Senator from North Dakota. This bill has reappeared 
in the Senate sort of like Haley's Comet: it comes through about every 
3 months as we try to deal with it and move forward in the 
reconciliation budget process. In each instance, the Senator from North 
Dakota has been extraordinarily professional, has moved forward in what 
I consider to be the tradition of this Senate, which is comity and 
cooperation, in order to make the Senate accomplish its business. I 
only wish he had more charts.

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