[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 30, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9943-S9944]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will be 
in morning business for 1 hour; Republicans will control the first 30 
minutes and the majority will control the next 30 minutes. Following 
that morning business, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of 
the conference report to accompany H.R. 2918, the Legislative Branch 
appropriations bill and the continuing resolution, with the time until 
4:30 equally divided and controlled between Senators Nelson of Nebraska 
and Murkowski. Senators should expect a series of three rollcall votes. 
We hope there could even be more than that, to begin about 4:30 this 
afternoon.
  The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15 to allow for our weekly 
caucus luncheons.
  I am sure Republican luncheons are packed with a lot of discussion. I 
know I had a meeting earlier this morning with a number of Senators, 
and we have a lot to talk about. We have the health care bill. We have 
to talk about energy, which is something we need to do. Regulation 
reform, we are going to talk about that at our caucus. And we are going 
to spend a little bit of time on Afghanistan.
  That brings us to the point that this afternoon there is going to be 
a Members-only, classified briefing at 5:30 with GEN Jim Jones, the 
National Security Adviser to the President. The issue of dealing with 
Afghanistan has heated up. That is going to be there--perhaps on this 
bill that is before us, if not shortly thereafter--as to what we are 
going to do on Afghanistan.

[[Page S9944]]

  Briefly, on health care, the committee is making progress. I am happy 
about that. I would say that under the Republicans' plan, insurance 
companies can deny coverage for a preexisting condition, because you 
are getting older or because you are a woman. Under their plan, 
insurance companies can take away your coverage when you need it the 
most.
  Under our plan, if you like what you have, you can keep it; but if 
you don't, there will be affordable choices for you that cannot be 
taken way. We will protect Medicare, will not raise taxes on the middle 
class, and we are not going to add any money to the deficit.
  Mr. President, I have been reminded to announce to the Senate--I 
talked to the Republican leader about this last week--Columbus Day is 
fast approaching. It is the week after next. With all the things going 
on here, it would not be right for us to take that week off.
  What we are going to do, as I have explained to the Republican leader 
last week, we will be off that Monday--which is the holiday, Columbus 
Day--and the following Friday. To make it as convenient as we can for 
everyone, on Tuesday we will be in session and have a vote late that 
afternoon. I know that is inconvenient for others because we had 
indicated there would be that recess.
  It is a long period of time, as I have announced on the Senate floor, 
11 weeks from the time we started this work period until Thanksgiving. 
That is a long time when a number of us have families at home, and the 
work we want to try to do during the week rather than just on weekends. 
So I apologize to everyone.
  Mr. McCONNELL. If the majority leader will yield, which Tuesday was 
the leader referring to?
  Mr. REID. Tuesday after Columbus Day. It is October 13.
  Mr. McCONNELL. We will be in. There would be a vote at what point on 
that Tuesday?
  Mr. REID. We will vote at 5, 5:30. OK?
  As I have indicated, I apologize to everyone for not being able to 
have that whole week off, but I think with health care, which is 
beginning to firm up, it would not be right for us to be gone that 
week. I think we should be able to start our health care work that week 
in the Senate.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Republican leader is 
recognized.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Let me reiterate further for the Members on this side 
of the aisle, what the leader indicated is, the week that includes 
Columbus Day, which is on a Monday, we will have Monday and Friday of 
that week off, and he has indicated the first vote will be on the 
Tuesday after Columbus Day, late in the afternoon.

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