[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 496]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             MAKING MAJORITY PARTY APPOINTMENTS--Continued

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I will take just a very brief moment to 
update our Members as to where we are in our recent discussions. We 
have spent most of today, while debate has been underway, continuing 
discussions in terms of the committee resolution. Pending on the floor 
is that resolution making the majority party appointments for the 108th 
Congress. A number of the issues have been raised, both on the floor as 
well as between the leaders, and we have made tremendous progress. We 
have, over the course of the day, resolved many of the concerns that 
have been raised. I believe we are very close to working out an 
agreement that will let us adopt the respective committee resolution--
and very quickly begin work on the appropriations bill.
  My hope is that over the course of this evening and in the morning, 
the last of these issues will have been worked through and we can 
achieve the objective of organizing the committees.
  I will say that as a backstop, or a preventive measure, I am 
compelled tonight to file cloture on the resolution in the event--
again, this is not anticipated at all because of the great progress 
that has been made--in the event that we are unable to reach an 
agreement on the committee resolution. Again, I am very hopeful that 
early tomorrow we will be ready to pass the respective party 
resolutions and begin the appropriations process.


                             Cloture Motion

  Mr. FRIST. I send a cloture motion to the desk to S. Res. 18 making 
majority party appointments for the 108th Congress.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on S. Res. 18, a 
     resolution making majority appointments to committees.
         Bill Frist, Mitch McConnell, Ted Stevens, Kay Bailey 
           Hutchison, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Larry E. Craig, 
           Conrad R. Burns, Orrin Hatch, Norm Coleman, Pete 
           Domenici, Pat Roberts, R.F. Bennett, Michael B. Enzi, 
           George Allen, James Talent, Gordon Smith, James M. 
           Inhofe, Richard Shelby, John W. Warner, Jim Bunning, 
           Chuck Grassley, John Ensign, Rick Santorum, Lincoln 
           Chafee, George V. Voinovich, Jeff Sessions, C.S. Bond, 
           Susan Collins, Mike DeWine, Thad Cochran, Olympia J. 
           Snowe, John McCain, Peter Fitzgerald, Sam Brownback, 
           Lindsey Graham, John E. Sununu, Jon Kyl, Lamar 
           Alexander, Elizabeth Dole, John Cornyn, Craig Thomas, 
           Judd Gregg, Don Nickles, Richard G. Lugar, Trent Lott, 
           Wayne Allard, Lisa Murkowski, Saxby Chambliss, Arlen 
           Specter, Chuck Hagel, Mike Crapo.

  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum under 
rule XXII be waived.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REID. Will the majority leader yield?
  Mr. FRIST. I yield.
  Mr. REID. I say, through the Presiding Officer, to the majority 
leader, there have been a lot of speeches on the floor today. People 
said what they said. I think everything has been said, but not quite 
everyone has said it.
  I feel good about the progress that has been made. However, I say to 
the majority leader, you and Senator Daschle are really close to being 
able to work something out. This is where it really gets hard. This is 
where you and Senator Daschle really have to show your leadership. I am 
confident that will happen. It would be good for the institution if we 
could get this done. We could move on, as the leader knows, to the 
appropriations bills which need to be done.
  In spite of the threatening nature of the speeches on both sides 
today, tomorrow will be a better day. I am hopeful and very confident, 
and so is Senator Daschle, that we can work this out. I express to the 
majority leader my wishes for a productive final half yard to the goal 
line.
  Mr. FRIST. Again, progress has been made. I appreciate the comments. 
I expect continuing progress to be made such that tomorrow we will have 
a very successful day in progressing the agenda that the American 
people expect.

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