[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 11 (Thursday, February 2, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S465-S466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, this morning we will resume debate on 
the House-passed tax reconciliation bill. I would like to observe that 
yesterday and today, up until the time we pass the tax reconciliation 
bill, we are actually engaging in an utterly futile activity that 
should have been avoided by the simple act of granting consent. In 
effect, the minority, in apparently a display of pique, wants to make 
the Senate, in effect, do again a bill it already did in December.
  I am not opposed to dilatory tactics when they are not pointless. I 
have been in the minority in this body and have been a proud guardian 
of gridlock from time to time when there was a point to it, when we 
were actually trying to defeat a measure. But it seems to me to some 
extent it demeans the institution and grates on the nerves of everyone 
when common courtesy of granting consent is not offered.
  Nevertheless, yesterday and today, we will plod through a bill that 
we did about 5 weeks ago one more time; at the end, with the same 
result.
  Let me report that at this point there are 7 hours remaining for that 
debate, although we do not believe all of that time will be necessary. 
At some point early this afternoon, we expect on this side to yield 
back time, and we would begin voting. The so-called vote-arama will be 
a series of consecutive votes on amendments to the bill which will 
eventually lead to passage. We hope it is not a lengthy voting series 
because that will simply inconvenience all Members on both sides of the 
aisle. However, that is up to the Members of

[[Page S466]]

this body as to how many amendments they choose to offer.
  In any event, the majority leader has stated that we will stay on the 
bill until we complete it this week. I encourage Senators to stay close 
to the Chamber once the voting sequence begins because, as we all 
recall, there is not much time between those votes.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________