[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 194 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15828-S15829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--H.R. 2764

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate 
begins consideration of the message from the House on H.R. 2764, the 
Foreign Operations bill, there be 1 hour for debate equally divided 
between the two leaders or their designees on invoking cloture on the 
motion to concur in the House amendments; that the Senate vote on that 
cloture motion upon the use or yielding back of that time; that the 
mandatory live quorum be waived; that if cloture is not invoked, the 
Senate then proceed to amendment No. 2 of the House; that Senator 
McConnell be recognized to offer a motion to concur in that amendment, 
with an amendment; that Senator Feingold then be immediately recognized 
to offer an amendment to that motion; that there be 1 hour for debate 
equally divided in the usual form in relation to Senator Feingold's 
amendment; that if his amendment does not attain 60 votes in the 
affirmative, it be withdrawn; that upon the disposition of his 
amendment, Senator Levin be recognized to offer his amendment to the 
motion; that there be 1 hour for debate equally divided on his 
amendment prior to a vote on his amendment; that if it does not attain 
60 votes, it be withdrawn and the Senate immediately, without any 
intervening action, vote on Senator McConnell's motion to concur; that 
if his motion does not attain 60 votes in the affirmative, it be 
withdrawn; that upon the disposition of House amendment No. 2, the 
Senate proceed to House amendment No. 1; that Senator Reid then be 
recognized to move to concur in the amendment of the House, with an 
amendment containing the text of the House-passed AMT bill, H.R. 4351; 
that there be 1 hour for debate on his motion equally divided between 
the two leaders or their designees; that upon the conclusion of that 
time, the Senate vote on the motion; that if the motion does not attain 
60 votes in the affirmative, it be withdrawn; that if it is withdrawn, 
Senator Reid then be recognized to offer a motion to concur in the 
House amendment; that there be 2 hours for debate equally divided 
between the two leaders on that motion; that no other motions to concur 
or amendments be in order prior to the disposition of Senator Reid's 
motions to concur.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Republican leader.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, with regard to the 2 hours so 
designated for the AMT debate, I request the opportunity to modify: 
that Senator Isakson have 5 minutes, Senator Chambliss have 5 minutes, 
Senator DeMint have 15 minutes, Senator Enzi have 5 minutes, Senator 
Grassley have 15 minutes, and Senator Cochran have 15 minutes--that is 
for the final vote, Mr. President, not the AMT vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the request, as 
modified?
  Hearing none, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, speaking on behalf of--and Senator McConnell 
certainly can speak on behalf of himself--I appreciate the cooperation 
of everyone. These are very difficult issues, and there is a lot of 
work we have not done. But that is the way it always is at the end of a 
session like this. So I appreciate everyone's cooperation. I hope no 
one has been offended with my being a little pushier than usual, but I 
had a little pushing on my side anyway, pushing me to get this done. 
Everyone has a lot to do.
  We have one Senator who needs to get things done tonight. She has a 
sick daughter. She has to go home. We have a lot of issues we need to 
address.
  So we will now hear from Senator Reed and Senator Brown, and then we 
will be on the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.

[[Page S15829]]

  Mr. REED. Thank you, Mr. President. First, let me thank the majority 
leader for arranging this time.

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