[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 21, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S4559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, following the use of leader time, there will 
be a period of morning business until 12 noon, with Senators permitted 
to speak for up to 10 minutes each, with the majority controlling the 
first 30 minutes and the Republicans the next 30 minutes. The time from 
11 a.m. until 12 noon today is reserved for tributes to former 
President Lyndon B. Johnson, commemorating the centennial of his birth. 
This afternoon, we expect to resume consideration of the House message 
with respect to the emergency supplemental appropriations bill. The 
speaking order during the time reserved for LBJ tributes will alternate 
between the majority and the minority.
  As a reminder, cloture was filed last night on amendment No. 4803 
related to domestic funding. Under rule XXII, the filing deadline for 
second-degree amendments is 1 hour prior to the cloture vote tomorrow.
  Mr. President, we have second readings. But before getting to that, 
we also are trying to work out a time agreement, even today. Under the 
rule, the budget cannot be brought up until tomorrow afternoon at about 
4 o'clock. But we can, by unanimous consent, move it to today. If we 
can work something out with the Republicans today, we will do that.
  Last night, Senator Conrad said he was going to confer with Senator 
Judd Gregg, the ranking member of that committee, to see if there is a 
way we can move to that and shorten the hours. Statutorily, it is a 10-
hour time limit. If we start on that tomorrow, the 10 hours would run 
into the next day.
  We know Senator Inouye and Senator Stevens are not going to be here 
Friday. They are going to Senator Inouye's wedding. Senator Inouye is 
getting married. Senator Stevens is his best man. So we need to try to 
finish that before Friday morning.
  In addition to that, we have the veto override on the farm bill we 
need to complete. Now, on that there is no time limit. People can talk 
however long they want. I would hope we would not have to spend a lot 
of time on that bill. That bill has been debated about as much as 
anything needs to be debated. It had 81 votes when it left this 
Chamber. We would hope everyone would recognize we need to dispose of 
this as quickly as possible. I hope we can get those two matters going.
  I have also made a suggestion to the Republican leader--I spoke to 
the floor staff last night, together with my floor staff--and there 
will be a decision made by the majority and the Republicans, through 
Senator McConnell and me, today to see if we can arrive at some way to 
proceed reasonably to this emergency supplemental.

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