[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 28345]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, today we will begin consideration of 
the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill. Several Members have 
indicated they are prepared to offer amendments during today's session. 
Senators should expect rollcall votes to occur this afternoon. It is 
hoped that we can make substantial progress on the bill today. As a 
reminder, the Senate will be in session tomorrow. There is a lot of 
important work remaining before we adjourn for the year.
  In addition to the appropriations bills, there is the Military 
Construction appropriations conference report, and also the Department 
of Defense authorization conference report is available and will need 
to be disposed of early this week.
  Also, as a reminder, we have a short time agreement with respect to 
the Syria Accountability Act. We will be scheduling that matter quickly 
as well.
  Mr. McCAIN. Will the Senator from Kentucky yield?
  Mr. McCONNELL. Yes, I yield.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, my colleagues may be wondering what 
happened on the Internet tax moratorium bill. I wish to make a couple 
of comments. There was significant disagreement over a variety of 
issues on both sides of the aisle concerning various provisions of S. 
150, the Internet tax moratorium bill. It is now narrowed down to one 
final difference--the rest are negotiable or have been negotiated--and 
that is the definition of ``Internet access.'' It sounds pretty 
technical and a bit arcane, but it is really the vital aspect of this 
issue.
  I think both opponents and supporters of the Internet tax moratorium 
will agree to some kind of moratorium, but the question of the 
definition of Internet access, particularly as it has been affected by 
the development of new technologies that now apply to the Internet, has 
complicated the issue. Intense negotiations are going on, on both 
sides. I think there is a recognition on both sides that we need to act 
on the issue of the Internet tax moratorium. I will be actively engaged 
in those negotiations, and I hope that absolutely before we leave for 
the Christmas break, we will have this issue resolved and voted on by 
the Senate.
  I thank my friend from Kentucky.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Arizona, the 
chairman of the Commerce Committee, for his tireless efforts to get 
this important piece of legislation through the Senate. I wish him 
well. We really must achieve something in that area before we leave for 
this year.
  Mr. President, I am going to ask for a few moments to address the 
Senate as in morning business. I don't know whether the Senator from 
Nevada would like to make a couple of observations prior to that time.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, simply when the Senator completes his 
statement, I am going to manage the bill for a while until Senator 
Hollings arrives. I wanted to let everybody know that.

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