[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13737]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 3210

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I indicated last Thursday that I would 
return with a unanimous consent request dealing with appointing 
conferees to the terrorism insurance bill. We fought for weeks to get 
to the bill. We finally got to the bill, and we passed it. Now we have 
been working for weeks to try to get a conference.
  The President said this bill is important. He said: You have to do 
something on this bill. We finally passed something. Now we cannot get 
a conference. This all appears foolish.
  Some will remember that Senator Daschle said he wanted the ratio on 
the conference committee to be 3 to 2. The minority said make it 4 to 
3. Senator Daschle said, OK, we will make it 4 to 3--so we could get it 
to conference. Still no conference. The last I heard, there were two 
people who wanted the third slot, so they are fighting over that. I 
don't know what the reason is. It is very important that we move on 
with this legislation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate 
consideration of Calendar No. 252, H.R. 3210, the terrorism insurance 
bill; that all after the enacting clause be stricken and the text of S. 
2600, as passed in the Senate, be inserted in lieu thereof; the bill, 
as amended, be read the third time and passed, and the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table; that the Senate insist on its 
amendment, request a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes 
of the two Houses, and the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on 
the part of the Senate, with a ratio of 4 to 3, all without intervening 
action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I object on behalf of the leadership.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, as I said, I will place this in my desk, and 
I will be back tomorrow to do it again.
  This legislation is not good for the country. I hope that we can have 
cooler heads prevail and that we can go ahead with the conference. I 
understand the House is going out for the summer recess this Friday. If 
the President wants this by the August recess, he had better get to it 
and ask those folks to allow us to proceed with a conference.

                          ____________________