[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 35 (Thursday, March 1, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2437-S2438]
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 60 minutes, the first half under the control of 
the Republicans, the second half under the control of the majority. 
Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S. 
4. I announced last night that there would be a Democrat ready to offer 
an amendment. I am told this morning that individual called and said 
they are not ready now. We have a Bingaman amendment pending, and I 
understand there may be a second degree filed to that. If that is the 
case, I hope they will do that. I know Senator Schumer will be 
available to offer an amendment after lunch, 1 p.m. or thereabouts.
  I say this to my distinguished Republican colleague, Senator 
McConnell: I don't think it is fair to everybody to have such a 
schedule that is kind of up in the air. I think tomorrow we are going 
to finish around noon. Nobody seems to be anxious to offer amendments. 
It is unfair to everybody else to be kind of standing around waiting 
for something to happen. We will stay in session tomorrow after that, 
if necessary, for people to offer amendments. As I indicated, we can 
have some stacked votes when we come in Monday evening.
  The Republican leader and I have spoken. I don't want to have to file 
cloture on this bill, but Democrats and Republicans should understand 
that we can't stand around and think we are going to legislate the last 
few hours of next week. We cannot do that.
  I say to people on my side of the aisle and those on the other side 
of the aisle, if they have amendments, offer them. I appreciate the 
amendments that have been offered in relation to this legislation. This 
is important legislation. There are still some controversial things 
that have to be decided. Waiting around is not going to do the trick. 
It is my understanding the Republican manager of the bill has been 
working with the administration on REAL ID. According to news reports 
this morning, the administration is going to offer some relief, and the 
managers of the bill and those who are concerned about REAL ID will 
have to decide if that is enough.
  I simply say that I wanted to have a lot done today, a lot done 
tomorrow, but I don't think it is fair to everybody when there doesn't 
appear to be a lot of interest. We on our side have hotlined Members to 
find out who has amendments to offer. There are a few amendments 
Senators have requested to put in line for offering themselves. We are 
certainly able to do that. But that line has to start someplace.
  We are going to finish this bill next week.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Will the majority leader yield for an observation on 
that point?
  Mr. REID. I am happy to yield.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I think it is a problem on both sides of the aisle. I 
agree with the majority leader, we need to get going. I will give an 
example, what happened yesterday. Senator DeMint came down shortly 
after noon

[[Page S2438]]

to offer his amendment, was prepared to accept a short time agreement, 
so we could have had a vote early in the afternoon. But in that 
particular instance, the problem was on the side of my good friend, the 
majority leader. We were unable to get a time agreement on Senator 
DeMint's amendment until almost the end of the afternoon because there 
was someone on that side of the aisle who wanted to offer a side-by-
side. This has been sort of a bipartisan problem both the majority 
leader and myself have in getting this legislation going and getting 
votes up and handled. Yesterday, the dilemma was basically on his side. 
On our side, our hands are not entirely clean, either. We are trying to 
get amendments up.

  I happen to agree with the majority leader, we ought to have a full 
day with plenty of amendments. We are working hard to get that done on 
our side.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I repeat, I have had a number of people come 
to me and say: You have announced there are going to be votes Friday 
afternoon. We are not having votes Wednesday afternoon; why worry about 
Friday afternoon?
  I say to everyone, if they have things to do this weekend--and I am 
sure they do--we are going to be out of here around noon tomorrow as 
far as votes. I leave the door open. If Members want to offer 
amendments, they can still come and do so. The managers will be here, 
if necessary, until sundown tomorrow night, when Chairman Lieberman's 
Sabbath begins.
  We want to move forward. For the information of Members, today at 3 
p.m., the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pace, will be 
in 407 to brief Members who wish to be briefed.

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