[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 20520-20521]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

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                           EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
immediately proceed to executive session and to consecutive votes on 
the following nominations on today's Executive Calendar: Calendar Nos. 
305, 306, 307, 314, and 315. I further ask unanimous consent that 
following the votes, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, 
the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the 
Senate then return to legislative session.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. LOTT. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, I would like 
to inquire of the leader, does that mean we would then have five 
consecutive votes on the five district judges?
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the unanimous consent does mean that we 
will have five consecutive votes on the district judges.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, could I ask unanimous consent that the 
request be amended to the effect that we have a recorded vote on the 
first judge and the next four be by voice vote?
  Mr. LEAHY. I object.
  Mr. LOTT. Could I propose that the request be amended so that we 
would have a recorded vote on the first three and count that as one, 
and that the last two be on voice vote?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the majority leader so modify the 
request?
  Mr. LEAHY. Reserving the right to object, could the distinguished 
Senator from Mississippi, my good friend, repeat that? I am not sure I 
understood.
  Mr. LOTT. I was proposing the first vote would be en bloc on the 
first three judges and that the final two be by voice vote.
  Mr. LEAHY. So the first vote would count for three.
  Mr. LOTT. The first vote would count for three.
  Mr. LEAHY. I have no objection.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. LOTT. Could I ask if the leader would consider a modification--
with apologies to all because I know we would all like to wrap this 
up--that we have the first two votes be recorded votes of 10 minutes 
and the final three be voice votes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the majority leader so modify his 
unanimous consent request?
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the majority leader does so modify. 
Calendar No. 305 would be a 10-minute vote; 306 would be a ten-minute 
vote, and the remaining three, 307, 314, and 315 would be en bloc and a 
voice vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. LEAHY. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, I have 
discussed this with the distinguished Senator from Mississippi. I have 
not heard any request from any of the members of the Judiciary 
Committee, chairmen or otherwise, on this. I have heard a number of 
members on the other side of the Judiciary Committee attack people on 
this side for not allowing judges to go through. This will make 145 of 
President Bush's judges going through. I was concerned because we have 
done so many by voice vote that my friends on the other side of the 
aisle have been so critical of this side for not allowing judges to go 
through. They may not have realized they were going through because we 
have voice-voted so many.
  Because my good friend from Mississippi has asked me this as a 
personal matter, I have no objection to the request of the majority 
leader.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the request? Without 
objection, it is so ordered.

[[Page 20521]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, once we conclude action on the judges, we 
will be finished voting for the evening. Those Members who want to 
speak on the supplemental appropriations bill will have the opportunity 
to do so. I understand that bill will be passed by voice vote. We will 
be in session tomorrow to clear any remaining legislative or executive 
items. Following Friday's session, the Senate will adjourn for the 
August recess until Tuesday, September 2. No rollcall votes will occur 
that day, and I will have more to say about the schedule when we return 
tomorrow.

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