[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 28527]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 7

  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the 
immediate consideration of H.R. 7, the Charitable Giving bill. I 
further ask unanimous consent that all after the enacting clause be 
stricken; that the Snowe amendment and the Grassley-Baucus amendment 
which are at the desk be agreed to en bloc; that the substitute 
amendment which is the text of S. 476, the Senate-passed version of the 
Charitable Giving bill as amended by the Snowe and Grassley and Baucus 
amendments, be agreed to; that the bill as amended be read a third time 
and passed; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; 
further, that the Senate insist upon its amendments and request a 
conference with the House; and lastly, that the Chair be authorized to 
appoint conferees with the ratio of 3 to 2; and that any statements 
relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, we have heard 
a lot on our side about the CARE Act. Let me say we are strongly 
committed to it. We have worked with the majority on a bipartisan basis 
to avoid the policy disagreements and pass a bill that increases the 
resources desperately needed by the charitable community.
  We strongly support the vital funding for the Social Services Block 
Grant. The Senate bill restores the Social Services Block Grant to full 
funding of $2.8 billion. However, the House provides no such provision.
  These grants are used to fund a range of social services, with 
recipients ranging from children in need of day care or protective 
services, to elderly or disabled individuals in need of home-delivered 
meals.
  These funds today are urgently needed. We have heard from 
organizations across the country and across the political spectrum that 
tell us how important this money is, including: America needs a 
powerful mobilization of civic energies and a substantial increase in 
resources, public and private, to confront widespread poverty and 
social problems. We also need closer and more effective collaboration 
between the Government and this country's community organizations.
  It is because of our strong commitment to this funding and our 
concern about what has been happening in conferences that we are here 
today. Democrats believe that through prompt passage of the reconciled 
CARE and Charitable Giving Acts, Congress will provide the leadership 
to translate these concerns to action.
  Therefore, Mr. President, I ask consent that the leader would modify 
his request to provide for all the provisions of his request, except 
the portion on going to conference. We stand ready now to pass this 
bill and send it to the House, just as we have done on several bills in 
the past week--for example, the military tax bill. Just today we 
amended and passed the Syrian Accountability Act. It is not unusual for 
the Senate to send a measure to the House with an amendment, just as we 
are now suggesting with respect to H.R. 7.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the majority leader modify his request?
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I object to the proposed modification.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard with respect to the 
proposed modification.
  Mr. REID. I object to the leader's request.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard to the unanimous consent 
request.

                          ____________________