[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 16, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12885-S12886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we are going to be in a period of morning 
business for an hour. The time will be equally divided and controlled. 
The Republicans have the first half. We have the second half. Following 
morning business, Senators Mikulski and Shelby, as managers of the 
bill, will resume consideration of H.R. 3093, the Departments of 
Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act.
  Last night, I indicated we would work and complete this bill, either 
tonight or in the morning--and by ``in the morning,'' I mean after 
midnight. We are going to work until we complete this bill, if, in 
fact, it is ever going to be completed. I am not filing cloture on the 
legislation. We have a finite number of amendments, and we are going to 
work through these amendments.
  As I indicated last night, we have had good cooperation from the 
minority on our appropriations bills, and I hope that continues. I am 
confident it will. But if anyone who is mischievous thinks they will 
stop us from voting tonight, we will have votes. I do not need to be 
voting on these matters of this bill. If people think they can stop us 
from voting, we will have votes. Even if we have to instruct the 
Sergeant at Arms or do whatever is necessary, we are going to have 
votes tonight, unless this bill moves forward more quickly than some 
have said.
  We need to complete this legislation. We have things that are so very 
important. The President yesterday said he wants appropriations bills. 
We cannot do the appropriations bills unless we have cooperation from 
Democrats and Republicans. Right now, we have 29 amendments that are 
here that Republicans want to deal with. There are eight Democratic 
amendments. We want to get this bill done. We need to do Labor-HHS, 
and, hopefully, by that time we can have something ready to send to the 
President--any one of the six bills we would have passed. I think it is 
important we get this process done. The President said he wants to veto 
a bill. We will send him one he wants to veto if, in fact, that is what 
he wants to do. Hopefully, that may not be the case. But if it is, that 
is where we have to start with him. So there are going to be votes. 
There probably will be votes before our 12:30 mandated recess time.
  There are other items we need to work on. For example, one reason we 
need to finish this bill and the Labor-HHS bill is the manager of the 
farm bill is Harkin from Iowa, and we have to have him free so he can 
do the markup of the farm bill next week--a very important piece of 
legislation. In the Democratic caucus--I do not know of the Republican 
caucus--more than half of the Democrats are vitally interested in the 
farm bill because it affects their States. We have to do a farm bill. 
We have not done one in 5 years. I think it would be negligent on our 
part to leave here without doing a farm bill.
  There are many important issues. There are people who want to change

[[Page S12886]]

the standard farm bill we have done in years past. This is what 
legislating is all about. It is extremely important we work toward 
completing this legislation. So that is why we have the press we are 
having now.
  I would also say, after we finish this week, we only have 4 weeks 
left until Thanksgiving, and then we have 2 weeks we will be out for 
Thanksgiving, and then, if we come back, we are going to have only 3 
weeks before Christmas. We have a lot to do. I will not go through the 
list of what we are obligated to do, but it is a lot of stuff. I hope 
everyone would understand that and be thoughtful and considerate of 
others.

  We may have to work some late nights. We may have to work some 
weekends. We have been very fortunate this whole year. We talked about 
working weekends a lot, and we have not had to do it except on a couple 
of occasions. The reason we have not had to do it more is because of 
the press of the weekend coming upon us we get our work done. That may 
be the case this week. I hope so. But if not, everyone should 
understand, if they have obligations at home, they better have some 
alternatives or consider missing some votes.

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