[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 20 (Monday, February 2, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1235-S1236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will 
turn to consideration of H.R. 1, the Economic Recovery Act of 2009.
  At 3:15 p.m. today, the Senate will proceed to executive session to 
consider the nomination of Eric Holder to be United States Attorney 
General. The time until 6:15 p.m. will be equally divided and 
controlled between Senator Leahy and Senator Specter or their 
designees. At 6:15 p.m. the Senate will vote on the Holder 
confirmation.
  This week, Senators should expect long days with votes on numerous 
amendments as the Senate considers the economic recovery legislation.
  I am going to make a few remarks on the Attorney General nomination, 
but let me say this. Senators Baucus and Inouye are going to be 
managing the bill, because it is equally divided between appropriations 
matters and finance matters. We are going to work, starting today, with 
them making statements--and I haven't finalized this with the 
Republican leader yet--but I think for tonight it will be debate only, 
after the Holder nomination, and then tomorrow we will move to 
amendments.
  We are going to have as many amendments as people feel are 
appropriate on this legislation, without any prejudgment as to what 
amendments are good or bad. I have worked something out so that on 
Wednesday Senator Inouye has agreed to be here at the time when we are 
at our annual retreat, which is right close to Capitol Hill. We will 
come in about 10:30 and that will be over about 3 p.m., in the 
afternoon, but there is no reason why the Republicans can't offer 
amendments on Wednesday. So we should be able to move this along quite 
well.
  We will try to be as understanding of everyone's schedules, 
especially the committees, so that, if necessary, we will try to stack 
some votes. I say to my distinguished Republican colleague that we are 
willing to have a number of amendments pending at a given time; we just 
have to be careful that we don't get so many pending it is 
unmanageable. But we will be happy to work on this.
  Before I say anything about the Attorney General nomination, I wish 
to ask my friend if he has anything to say about the schedule.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I say to my friend the majority leader that the two 
managers on this side will be Senators Cochran and Grassley, of the two 
relevant committees.
  I appreciate very much the thought about Wednesday. My Members are 
anxious to offer amendments, and that gives us an opportunity to do 
that during the day on Wednesday, even though your conference is tied 
up. It would be my hope that we could vote Wednesday night and process 
amendments. This is such a big week, and such an important measure, as 
we all know, that I have told my Members--and I hope it is the case--
that after tonight, all bets are off in terms of working in the 
evening, and my Members are expecting that to happen. I ask my friend 
the majority leader if it is his view that is the way we will operate 
this week?
  Mr. REID. Yes. We should tomorrow have a very long, hard day, and 
Wednesday, even though there are a few hours that a lot of Democrats

[[Page S1236]]

won't be in and we won't be able to have votes, in the evening we can 
have as many votes as we need. There is no reason we can't work into 
the night and then come back on Thursday.
  There are some important things going on this weekend, and the 
Republican leader and I have talked about that. We will be as 
understanding as we can of everybody's schedule, but I do remind 
everyone that the Presidents Day recess is coming up. We have been here 
6 weeks, and we not only have obligations here but we have obligations 
at home. There is work we have to do at home, but we are not going to 
be able to do that important work until we finish this economic 
recovery legislation. So we are going to be as thoughtful and as 
considerate on both sides as necessary.
  I have to say, Mr. President, as far as the managers of this 
legislation, we are in the majority at this time, but it wasn't long 
ago that Senator Cochran and Senator Grassley were chairmen of those 
committees. These are four of the most respected, knowledgeable, and 
experienced managers we could have, the four people we have mentioned--
Inouye, Baucus, Specter, and Cochran. So there is no reason that these 
people, with the experience they have, can't help us move through this 
legislation.
  Mr. McCONNELL. May I ask the majority leader one other question?
  I have a very short statement, unrelated to the Holder nomination, if 
the majority leader wouldn't mind.
  Mr. REID. I would be happy to have the Senator do that.

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