[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3260-3261]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--H.R. 2356

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, we have been working with colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle with regard to the campaign finance reform 
bill. I am now in a position to announce that we are able to reach a 
unanimous consent agreement on the motion to proceed to the campaign 
finance reform bill.
  So I ask unanimous consent that, at 3 p.m., Monday, March 18, the 
Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 318, H.R. 2356, the 
campaign finance reform legislation, and that the cloture vote on the 
motion to proceed be vitiated.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is 
so ordered.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, we will continue to take this matter one 
step at a time. We are encouraging Senators to express themselves on 
campaign finance reform tomorrow, or on energy tomorrow. My hope is 
that the Senator from Arizona, Mr. Kyl, and other Senators who wish to 
be heard on their amendments, will offer them tomorrow, will debate 
them tomorrow, will make sure that we use the day we have available to 
us tomorrow to move the legislative process along. That is also true on 
Monday. We will come in at 3. We encourage Senators to offer amendments 
on the campaign finance reform bill on Monday. We will have further 
discussions, of course, with our colleagues with regard to the campaign 
finance reform bill. I will say, if there are amendments to be offered, 
we will have debate and further consideration of those amendments on 
Monday and Tuesday.
  It would be my expectation to file cloture on the bill for a cloture 
vote on Wednesday, as we currently expect it. That would then require 
the vote, as I have said on many occasions, no later than Friday, which 
would accommodate our schedule for the balance of next week.
  I have said, and will repeat, if there is a way we can resolve 
whatever other outstanding procedural questions between now and Monday, 
or between now and Wednesday, I am certainly more than ready to do so. 
But I appreciate at least this progress. We will have more to say 
beginning Monday.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Will the majority leader yield for a question?
  Mr. DASCHLE. I will be happy to yield.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Assuming, Mr. President, the schedule of campaign 
finance being resolved Wednesday, is it the majority leader's 
intention, then, to go back to energy?
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, the Senator is correct. My hope is we can 
finish this bill sometime soon. It would be my desire to continue to 
work on it until we do so, with the exception, of course, of the 
campaign finance reform bill.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. And, Mr. President, recognizing that may be extended, 
I gather the agreement is still under consideration, but if it is 
prolonged, do you intend to proceed and conclude campaign finance and 
then ultimately go back to energy?
  Mr. DASCHLE. The Senator is correct.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. I thank the Chair. I thank the leader.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence 
of a quorum.

[[Page 3261]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________