[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 10 (Wednesday, February 1, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S461]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                PROGRAM

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today the Senate did begin consideration of 
the House version of the tax relief bill that this body passed last 
November. We now have 7 hours remaining under the statutory time limit 
for this piece of legislation. We began with 20 hours and now have 7 
hours remaining.
  Tomorrow, we will continue debate on this important bill. At this 
point I expect further debate tomorrow morning until all time has 
expired. As all Senators are aware, once all time expires Senators may 
offer amendments, and therefore a series of stacked votes over the 
course of tomorrow afternoon is to be expected. Senators should expect 
a busy afternoon, and I ask Members to remain close to the Chamber 
tomorrow while these amendments are considered to this tax 
reconciliation bill. We don't know exactly how many amendments that 
will be, but once those amendments start we will go straight through 
those amendments until completion, whether that be tomorrow night or on 
Friday. We will finish the bill this week and it is possible we could 
finish it tomorrow night if we have good cooperation from both sides of 
the aisle on this legislation. But if not, we will go into Friday to 
complete the bill.
  Progress was good today. There was a lot of discussion over the 
course of the day. We have a lot of people who said they wished to 
offer amendments and I do hope that they would reconsider and make 
sure, if the amendment is to be offered, it is a substantive amendment, 
important to the tax reconciliation bill and, if not, not offer the 
amendment. Thus we could get through this tomorrow night.

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