[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4364-S4365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Appropriations

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there be 2 
minutes equally divided prior to the next rollcall vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, this motion is the first procedural vote 
to consider an appropriations package containing the fiscal year 2024 
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and 
Transportation and Housing appropriations bills.

[[Page S4365]]

  In order for us to consider amendments to these bills, we have to get 
on the bills; and that is what this vote is all about. These bills were 
reported unanimously, all three of them, by the Senate Appropriations 
Committee, and I urge my colleagues to vote yes on proceeding to the 
bills and then we can have a robust amendment process.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
  Mrs. MURRAY. I echo the words of Vice Chair Collins and thank her for 
her tremendous work on this.
  A lot of work has gone into these bills. All three of them were 
reported unanimously out of our committee after a tremendous amount of 
work. To finish that work and to allow all the Senate to speak, we need 
to vote yes to get on this bill.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote.

                          ____________________