[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 17497-17498]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 3615

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 525, H.R. 3615, the Rural 
Local Broadcast Signal Act and the Senate then proceed to its immediate 
consideration.
  I further ask consent that all after the enacting clause be stricken 
and the text of S. 2097 as passed be inserted in lieu thereof. I 
further ask consent that the bill then be read the third time and 
passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, the Senate 
insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House, and the 
Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate on 
this legislation.
  Just so everybody in the Senate will understand, this is the rural 
local satellite bill. Most of us refer to it as the satellite bill. It 
is the bill that was developed as a result of an agreement last year to 
make sure that there was some way for these loans to be available so 
satellites could be put up in space, where those of us in rural States, 
smaller communities, would have access to these satellites with dishes, 
just like the cities have. This is an effort to keep that commitment.

[[Page 17498]]

  I know Senator Burns has worked very hard on this matter. I think 
Senator Baucus had a part in it. A number of Senators have worked on 
it. I thought this morning at 11:30 we had it cleared. I understand 
there was some concern that maybe we would use this bill as a vehicle 
for some other specific bill or bills. This is too urgent. It is too 
important to my State and other States such as mine to not get it done. 
So there will not be any extraneous matter added to this bill. This 
bill will come out of conference clean. If any Senator has any 
reservations about that, if that is why there is an objection, if there 
is one, I assure the Senators and the leadership that that is not going 
to be the way it works.
  I ask unanimous consent that we be able to take that legislation up 
under the request I made.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. On behalf of Senator Leahy, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.

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