[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 29490]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                                PROGRAM

  Mr. GRASSLEY. For the information of all Senators, the Senate will 
convene on Friday for a pro forma session only. No business will be 
transacted on Friday.
  On Tuesday, the Senate will convene and begin processing the 
appropriations items and various conference reports received from the 
House.
  On Wednesday morning, the Senate will conduct a rollcall vote in 
relation to the agricultural amendment by Senator Wellstone. Additional 
votes can be anticipated in an effort to complete the first session of 
the 106th Congress. Therefore, Senators should adjust their schedules 
for the possibility of votes throughout the day and into the evening on 
Wednesday.
  I appreciate the patience and cooperation of our colleagues as we 
attempt to complete the appropriations process and end the first 
session of the 106th Congress.
  Mr. LEAHY. If the Senator will yield for a moment?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I commend the distinguished acting majority 
leader for the number of nominations that have been cleared. I hope my 
side of the aisle will work with the majority leader to clear some more 
before we go out, especially among the judges. We have a number that 
have been pending and are noncontroversial and should be cleared.
  I also hope that on Wednesday we will go to the conference report on 
the satellite bill. It passed the House, I think, 411-8, which shows 
the enormous support it has. I hope we get it out of here; otherwise, 
we run the risk of hundreds of thousands of satellite dishes and TV 
sets around this country going black on a number of their channels on 
December 31. This has enormous importance.
  As I said, the House passed it 411-8. They are showing more unanimity 
than on just about anything they have done this year. We passed it, I 
believe, unanimously. That, and the attendant Hatch-Leahy patent bill--
which I think is extremely important--I hope we get through before we 
go out.
  I mention that, but I also did want to commend the Senator from Iowa, 
both in his capacity as the Senator from Iowa and in his capacity as 
acting leader, for the number of nominations that have gone through. I 
hope my side of the aisle will be as diligent in clearing the rest.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, in response to what the Senator from 
Vermont said, obviously I am in no position to speak for our majority 
leader or assistant majority leader on some of the things he said. But 
I do share his view, especially coming from a rural State, as the 
Senator from Vermont does, that there is very much benefit for our 
rural constituents in that satellite viewers legislation. I, too, would 
like to see it pass.
  I can say again, not for the leader but for myself, I have observed a 
lot of contact between important Senators around here on that issue. 
There is a real effort being made to find a solution so that can be 
passed so on December 31 what you said would happen, and what would 
actually happen if the bill does not pass will not in fact happen.
  Mr. President, 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. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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