[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16286]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 16286]]

 NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA--MOTION 
                               TO PROCEED

  Mr. LOTT. So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 575, H.R. 4444, 
regarding normal trade relations with the People's Republic of China.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. Objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. LOTT. I am sorry there is objection just to proceeding to the 
bill. But I know that Senator Reid is objecting on behalf of others who 
do not want us to proceed to it. I hope we can get to a vote on Friday; 
and then when we come back in September this will be an issue we can go 
to soon rather than later in the month.


                             Cloture Motion

  I move to proceed to the bill. So I make that motion to proceed at 
this time, and I send a cloture motion to the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The assistant 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, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the motion to 
     proceed to calendar No. 575, H.R. 4444, a bill to authorize 
     extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade 
     relations treatment) to the People's Republic of China:
         Trent Lott, Pat Roberts, Larry E. Craig, Christopher 
           Bond, Chuck Grassley, Ted Stevens, Connie Mack, Orin 
           Hatch, Frank H. Murkowski, Wayne Allard, Kay Bailey 
           Hutchinson, Don Nickles, Bill Roth, Michael Crapo, 
           Slade Gorton, and Craig Thomas.

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, this cloture vote will occur on Friday, 
unless consent can be granted to conduct the vote earlier or we are in 
a postcloture situation on the Treasury-Postal Service appropriations 
bill. There is opposition, obviously, to this motion to proceed. But I 
still think that adequate time can be used for discussion. I know there 
are a number of Senators who would like to see this vote occur on 
Thursday instead of Friday. I am willing to accommodate that. But if 
that cannot be worked out, then we will have the vote on Friday. If we 
are in a postcloture situation, the vote could be postponed for some 
time. But I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum be waived.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. I now withdraw the motion to proceed. I believe I have that 
right.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has that right.
  The motion is withdrawn.
  Mr. LOTT. In conclusion, while we seek Utopia in dealing with these 
appropriations bills, the promised land of how we can work together to 
do the people's business, which we are not doing right now, at least in 
the case of this bill, I believe we will have broad bipartisan support 
for the China PNTR bill. I might add, there is going to be some 
bipartisan opposition, too.
  So as we get into the substance of this--which I would rather be 
getting into rather than having to once again file cloture on a motion 
to proceed--I think we will have a good debate. I think it is going to 
serve the Senate well. I think it will serve the American people well. 
I believe when we do finally get to a vote, it will pass--and probably 
should. But there are a lot of serious questions still involved in how 
we are going to deal with China. So I look forward to this discussion.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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