[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 687]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, as the Chair announced, we will be in a 
period of morning business until 11:30, at which time we will have a 
cloture vote. At that time, we will vote on the economic recovery act. 
If cloture is not invoked, the Senate will immediately vote on cloture 
on the Grassley amendment. Additional rollcall votes, of course, are 
possible throughout the day.
  Following the cloture votes, if cloture is not invoked, I have been 
directed by the majority leader to inform everyone that he is going to 
ask unanimous consent that we move forward today on the additional 13 
weeks of unemployment insurance, something we have been trying to do 
for months now. We asked for that in the closing hours of the last 
session of the Senate before the Christmas recess. That was not 
accepted by the minority. I hope they will follow the example of the 
majority leader and not strip everything out of his economic stimulus 
package, and certainly let us not leave out of consideration these 
people who are so desperately in need of these additional weeks.
  During the first Bush administration, we extended unemployment 
benefits on five separate occasions because of economic downturns. We 
have done that routinely in the past. It should not have taken this 
long. There are a significant number of people whose unemployment 
benefits have expired. We have a number of people who won't be able to 
collect unemployment benefits. It is really too bad that people have 
fallen through the cracks who have gone from welfare to work and who do 
not meet the requirements statutorily. They certainly should be 
included, and I hope some consideration will be given them also.
  Again, the majority leader will, after the cloture votes, ask 
unanimous consent that there be 13 additional weeks of unemployment 
insurance extended to those people who so desperately need it.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Colorado.
  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I understand that I have 5 minutes.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator may take up to 10 
minutes under the order.

                          ____________________