[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20380]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--S. 3

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at a time to 
be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with the 
Democratic leader, the Senate proceed to the House message with respect 
to S. 3, the partial-birth abortion bill, and that it be considered 
under the following limitations:
  That the only motion in order be a motion to disagree to the House 
amendment to the Senate bill; that there be 8 hours of debate with 
respect to that motion, with the time equally divided and controlled 
between the majority and Democratic leaders or their designees; that 
upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote on 
the motion to disagree; that upon disposition of that motion, the 
Senate agree to the request for a conference, and that the Chair be 
authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate with a ratio 
of 3-to-2, without further intervening action or debate.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, reserving the right to object. I ask the 
majority leader this through the Chair: Senator Boxer has asked that 
she be in charge of this 8 hours of debate, which the Democratic leader 
certainly has agreed to. We would like some commitment from the 
majority leader that these 8 hours won't start in the middle of the 
night sometime and that she will be able to use her 8 hours at a 
reasonable time, during the day or early evening. We hope the majority 
leader could give us that assurance.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, indeed it is in the unanimous consent 
request that a time will be determined by the majority leader in 
consultation with the Democratic leader. It will not be in the middle 
of the night. We will find a mutually appropriate time.
  Mr. REID. I have no objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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