[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 20039]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--S. 2015

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, with regard to the Stem Cell Research Act of 
2000, Senator Specter has been very energetic in pursuing the 
opportunity to offer this legislation.
  As I had agreed earlier, I now ask unanimous consent that 
notwithstanding rule XXII, the HELP Committee be discharged from 
further consideration of S. 2015, and the Senate proceed to its 
immediate consideration under the following terms: 3 hours on the bill 
to be equally divided in the usual form; that there be up to one 
relevant amendment in order for each leader, that they be offered in 
the first degree, limited to 1 hour equally divided and not subject to 
any second-degree amendments; that no motions to commit or recommit be 
in order.
  I further ask unanimous consent that following the conclusion or use 
of the debate time and the disposition of the above-described 
amendments, the bill be advanced to third reading and a vote occur on 
passage of the bill, as amended, if amended, all without any 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, I have a 
number of questions under my reservation. First of all, we were of the 
understanding that this unanimous consent that was proposed had not 
been cleared on the majority leader's side earlier today.
  Mr. LOTT. There very well could be objections on this side, too.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. I will object to this proposal.
  Mr. LOTT. I think there are objections on both sides to this, but I 
made a commitment to do everything I could to try to get this issue to 
be considered by the full Senate. Senator Specter feels very strongly 
about it, is committed to it, and has been reasonable in waiting for an 
opportunity to offer it. I know there are objections to it on both 
sides, and there is no question that there is objection on this side. I 
felt constrained to make this effort. It is a serious effort.
  Mr. REID. If I may say to the leader, Senator Specter has spoken to 
me. I know how intensely he feels about the issue. I said the same 
thing to him that the leader has said, that I would do everything I 
could to get this worked out. Whoever is not allowing it to be cleared, 
it is not being cleared now.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. BROWNBACK. I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. LOTT. I yield the floor, Mr. President.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senator from 
Alabama is recognized.

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