[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 156 (Thursday, December 2, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8391-S8392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2010

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask the Chair to lay before the Senate a 
message from the House with respect to H.R. 4853.
  The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate a message from the House 
as follows:

                               H.R. 4853

       Resolved, That the House agree to the amendment of the 
     Senate to the bill (H.R. 4853) entitled ``An Act to amend the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and 
     expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, 
     to amend title 49, United States Code, to extend 
     authorizations for the airport improvement program, and for 
     other purposes.'', with a house amendment to the Senate 
     amendment.


                Motion to Concur with Amendment No. 4727

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to concur in the House amendment to 
the Senate amendment to H.R. 4853 with an amendment which is at the 
desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] moves to concur in the 
     House amendment to the Senate amendment with an amendment 
     numbered 4727.

  (The amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of 
Amendments.'')
  Mr. REID. On that I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.


                             Cloture Motion

  Mr. REID. I have a cloture motion which is at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the clerk will report 
the motion to invoke cloture.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     hereby move to bring to a close debate on the motion to 
     concur in the House amendment to H.R. 4853, the Airport and 
     Airway Extension Act of 2010, with an amendment No. 4727.
         Harry Reid, Charles E. Schumer, Benjamin L. Cardin, 
           Barbara Boxer, Al Franken, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark R. 
           Warner, Debbie Stabenow, Sheldon Whitehouse, Mark 
           Udall, Tom Udall, Byron L. Dorgan, Patty Murray, Robert 
           P. Casey, Jr., Patrick J. Leahy, Tom Harkin, Jeff 
           Merkley.


                Amendment No. 4728 to Amendment No. 4727

  Mr. REID. I have a second degree amendment at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for Mr. Schumer, Ms. 
     Stabenow, and Mr. Menendez, proposes an amendment numbered 
     4728 to amendment No. 4727.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of 
Amendments.'')


                             Cloture Motion

  Mr. REID. I have a cloture motion at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the clerk will report 
the motion to invoke cloture.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     hereby move to bring to a close debate on the second-degree 
     amendment No. 4728.
         Harry Reid, Charles E. Schumer, Benjamin L. Cardin, 
           Barbara Boxer, Al Franken, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark R. 
           Warner, Debbie Stabenow, Sheldon Whitehouse, Mark 
           Udall, Tom Udall, Robert P. Casey, Jr., Frank R. 
           Lautenberg, Dianne Feinstein, Mark L. Pryor, Richard J. 
           Durbin.

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorums required 
under rule XXII be waived.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                Motion to Refer with Amendment No. 4729

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a motion to refer with instructions 
at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] moves to refer the House 
     message to the Senate Committee on Finance with instructions 
     to report back forthwith, with the following amendment:

       At the end, add the following:
       The Senate Finance Committee is requested to study the 
     impact of any delay in extending tax cuts to middle income 
     Americans with incomes up to $250,000.

  Mr. REID. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.


                Amendment No. 4730 to Amendment No. 4729

  Mr. REID. I have an amendment to my instructions at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] proposes an amendment 
     numbered 4730 to amendment No. 4729.

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       At the end, insert the following:
       ``including specific information on the impact of the delay 
     in extending the tax cuts.''

  Mr. REID. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.


                Amendment No. 4731 to Amendment No. 4730

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, there is a second-degree amendment at the 
desk that I ask be reported.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] proposes an amendment 
     numbered 4731 to amendment No. 4730.

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       At the end, insert the following:
       ``and include statistics which reflect regional 
     differences''

  Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have worked hard today trying to be at a 
point where we could be further down the road than we are. I know the 
Republican leader has worked hard to try to get to a point where we 
could have the four amendments that people are talking about all around 
this city.
  We were not able to do that because of at least one Republican who 
held that up. Senator McConnell has given this a valiant try and I have 
been in the position he is in and I understand that. I certainly do not 
criticize him.
  I would hope everyone understands we are going to have to have some 
votes Saturday. We are going to wind up having, right now, two cloture 
votes. We may not have any more. We

[[Page S8392]]

may not be able to work out anything with the minority. But everyone 
should be aware that could happen. We are satisfied, if the minority 
does not want those other two amendments, then we will just go ahead as 
we are scheduled now under the rules of the Senate.
  We are going to have to be here on Saturday. We have so many things 
to do, as everyone knows, and we have been trying to work through some 
of that this week and have not gotten through nearly as much as we 
wanted.
  I am, however, disappointed we have not been able to do more. I 
received a letter from all the Republicans yesterday saying: We are not 
going to allow you to do anything legislative until we get the tax cuts 
resolved and funding the government.
  Well, we are not only not getting legislative things done now, now 
they are not letting us do the tax cuts and funding the government. So 
we are going to try to work our way through this. We have a lot to do. 
We have to work together, and I intend to be as cooperative as I can. 
My caucus, even though we have very strong feelings, recognized we are 
trying to do what is good for this country, but we cannot do them 
alone. I apologize for not having more definition early on, but we did 
the best we could.
  So tomorrow we are going to be in session and there will be time for 
people to give some speeches and do the things they need to do. Be 
prepared for Saturday. As to what time Saturday, we do not know. Under 
the rule, it is 1 hour after we come in. If we can work out something 
different than that, we will do it.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The assistant majority leader is recognized.

                          ____________________