[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 17, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S631]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, this morning the Senate will be in a period 
of morning business for 1 hour, the first half controlled by the 
Republicans, the second half under the majority's control. Following 
morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the ethics 
bill, S. 1. Last night, the Senate invoked cloture on an amendment 
strengthening the gift and travel restrictions. I understand that 
several second-degree amendments to the amendment are now pending. It 
is my understanding there are four. I anticipate that we will be in a 
position to dispose of any germane second-degree amendments later today 
and then we will dispose of the underlying amendment. Once the Senate 
has concluded action on the gift travel amendment and any amendments in 
relation thereto, there will be a cloture vote on the substitute 
amendment on which cloture was filed last Friday.
  I said yesterday, and I say today, we are going to work through this 
bill as quickly as we can. We were able to get through the first part 
of the ethics legislation in good fashion. It is my understanding, once 
we move to the substitute, if cloture is invoked on that, there are 
about 24 amendments that are germane as of last night. There were a few 
other amendments filed. I don't know if they are germane. I have been 
told by staff that 30, 40 percent of those amendments Senators Bennett 
and Feinstein will agree to accept. The others we will take a look at 
and see if they are campaign finance related and try to work through 
them the best we can. I am also in contact with my distinguished 
colleague, the Republican leader, to see if he feels that there are 
other amendments we need to vote on, and we are working on that. Even 
if they are not germane, if the distinguished minority leader and I 
have some belief that they will help movement of this bill, I would be 
happy to work with him in that regard.
  We are going to be in recess today for our respective party 
conferences from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. If we need to use the whole 30 
hours, it would be about 10:30 tonight before we could dispose of the 
amendment--something like that.

                          ____________________