[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18695]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                              PRIORITIZING

  Mr. THOMAS. Madam President, I say to my friend from Nevada, all 
Members are anxious to move forward with this airport security bill. 
Unfortunately, the impediment basically has been the threat to bring up 
amendments that are unrelated. This ought to be held to moving that. 
There will be a conference going on designed to come to an agreement 
with regard to this bill. Hopefully, we will be back on the floor with 
it today.
  I am pleased to hear the Judiciary Committee is finally moving on the 
judges. We have a total of 6 that have been confirmed. There are 107 
vacancies; that is a 12\1/2\-percent vacancy. The total of nominees not 
yet dealt with is almost 50, 49. We certainly have an obligation to 
move forward on that issue.
  I hope as we are working through all the items that are of such 
priority that we can set some priorities and take those that obviously 
are most important, those that deal with terrorism, those that deal 
with security. They have to be the highest priority. Those that deal 
with the economy have to be priorities. And of course we have to do our 
normal duties. I have been talking about this for several weeks. We 
have not moved very quickly.
  Hopefully we will be able to come back to this bill very soon today.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. KERRY. Madam President, we are in morning business; is that 
correct?
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator is correct.
  Mr. KERRY. I ask unanimous consent I be permitted to proceed for such 
time as I may consume.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.




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