[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12627]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                            MORNING BUSINESS

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask consent there be a period for the 
transition of routine morning business, with Senators permitted to 
speak for up to 10 minutes each.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Reserving the right to object, let me say the whole 
idea, obviously, behind this amendment or any other amendments would be 
simply to address what I think we all recognize is an important issue--
the Social Security lockbox. The only reason Democrats have been voting 
against cloture is simply because we have been ``locked out'' of our 
opportunity to offer amendments, such as an amendment which would 
provide for the Medicare lockbox as well as Social Security.
  I am disappointed in our inability to lay an amendment down tonight. 
I think we can accommodate our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. 
We would agree to a limited number of amendments. I think we could 
dispose of this legislation with that kind of an agreement. I hope to 
talk with the majority leader at some point before the cloture vote to 
see if we can't find a way to have an agreement procedurally that would 
preclude the need for a cloture vote.
  I will not object to this request.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. I thank Senator Daschle for his explanation and I 
appreciate his courtesy. I am very much committed to the concept of 
making it difficult for Social Security funds to be used for any 
purpose other than Social Security.
  I want to get to a direct vote. I know there are other amendments 
Senator Daschle or others would like to offer, and I will discuss it 
with him and see if we can't find a way to do that before this week is 
out.
  With that, I yield the floor.

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