[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 24172]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           CHARITABLE CHOICE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in April of this year the Senate passed, 
with an overwhelming vote of 95 to 5, a bill called the charitable 
choice bill. It is obviously bipartisan legislation that was shepherded 
through this body by Senator Santorum, and a lot of work, over a long 
period of time, has been put into the efforts for passage of this 
legislation.
  Two weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed its version, H.R. 
7, by a vote--again, it was overwhelming--of 408 to 13.
  The regular process of the House and the Senate is that the bill will 
proceed to a conference on the differences between these two bills. 
Unfortunately, it is my understanding that we will be unable to reach 
an agreement today, this afternoon, before adjourning to go on break, 
to appointment conferees on the part of the Senate.
  There is, simply put, an objection on the other side of the aisle, 
and with so many Members who have left for the day, I will not ask for 
a formal consent agreement. But clearly, I am disappointed that we were 
unable to take the next logical regular order step in finishing this 
bill. I do hope we can clear this agreement with my Democratic 
colleagues just as soon as we return from this nonlegislative period.
  Another disappointment for me, as we prepare to adjourn, has to do 
with the partial-birth abortion ban bill--disappointment that we are 
not able to progress with the legislative process until we get back. 
When we do return, I will seek an agreement for the consideration of 
the conference report to accompany S. 3, the partial-birth abortion ban 
bill. In fact, it is S. 3 which shows the priority of this body toward 
this important legislation.
  Yesterday the House of Representatives passed the conference report, 
and as soon as we get back, we will be scheduling it for consideration. 
The bill passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 64 to 33. With the 
conference complete and with the House having passed the agreement, it 
is imperative that the Senate consider this measure in short order so 
the President can sign this legislation into law.
  As I watched yesterday with the House completing their 
responsibilities on this legislation, I was hopeful that we could do 
that, pass it today. Why? Because this is a bill that I believe will 
save lives. It is a ban on a procedure that offends the sensibilities 
of almost all Americans, a procedure that the will of this Congress 
said to ban, and a bill the President will sign. Yet we will not be 
able to, at this juncture, consider it until we get back.
  I know discussions have begun on both sides of the aisle as to how 
much debate time will be needed. I encourage members to move quickly on 
what we expect to be the final action--the final action--on this 
important priority. I will speak directly to the issue as soon as we 
return, but I wanted to put my colleagues on notice that we will be 
moving forward and will be scheduling this conference report for Senate 
action as soon as we possibly can.

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