[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 70 (Thursday, May 7, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5249-S5250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. REID. Following remarks of the leaders--I understand that the 
Republican leader will be a little bit late getting here; he had a 
meeting that is taking more time than he expected--there will be a 
period of morning business until 10:30, with the time equally divided 
and controlled between the two leaders or their designees. The majority 
will control the first half and the Republicans will control the second 
half.
  Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of 
S. 454, the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act.
  Last night we were able to reach an agreement to limit the number of 
first-degree amendments to the bill. We hope to vote on the remaining 
amendments and on passage of the bill today. I am confident there will 
be votes throughout the day.
  Last night cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to the credit 
card legislation. After having done that, I received a call from the 
chairman of the committee, Chairman Dodd. He and Senator Shelby have 
worked out language on the credit card legislation which would make it 
easier to proceed.
  I am confident we will not have to have that vote tomorrow to invoke 
cloture on a motion to proceed, or at least I hope not.
  The work done by Senators Levin and McCain is exemplary. This is a 
complicated piece of legislation. They worked on it together. They 
worked with the White House, they worked with the minority staff, the 
majority staff, and they were able to get this agreement with exemplary 
work. I commend and applaud both of these fine Senators for allowing us 
to move to this extremely important legislation. As we heard from the 
opening statements of Senators Levin and McCain, huge amounts of money 
have been wasted in years past. We all want to do the very best we can 
for the Pentagon and the U.S. military, but we

[[Page S5250]]

have to be able to tell the American people that we are being as frugal 
as necessary. And this legislation will allow us to have the strongest 
military in the world, as has been the case in the past many years, but 
also to have one that is not wasting money.
  So we, as I said, appreciate the work done by Senators Levin and 
McCain.

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