[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6346]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2003

  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the 
Senate completes its business today it stand in adjournment until 9:30 
a.m., Tuesday, March 18; I further ask that following the prayer and 
the pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of 
proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be 
reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate resume 
consideration of S. Con. Res. 23, the concurrent budget resolution; 
provided further that there be 20\1/2\ hours remaining under the 
control of the chairman of the Budget Committee and 21\1/2\ hours 
remaining under the control of the ranking member.
  I further ask unanimous consent that at 12 noon, the Senate return to 
executive session and immediately proceed to the cloture vote on the 
Estrada nomination, provided that, regardless of the outcome, following 
the vote the Senate return to legislative session and resume 
consideration of S. Con. Res. 23.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. I say, through the Chair to my friend, the distinguished 
chairman of the Budget Committee, I appreciate very much the 
cooperation shown to this point on this very difficult matter. This is 
going to be an extremely busy week, with the President making his 
speech tonight in less than an hour and this country engaged in so many 
different things. This budget is extremely important. It is going to 
take the cooperation of both sides to come up with something that is 
not--I do not want to say an embarrassment. I do not mean that. The 
rules allow the Senate not to look at its best when we have 50, 60 
votes at the end of all of this. I have spoken to our leader. I have 
spoken to the chairman of the Budget Committee. I have spoken to 
Senator Conrad. We are going to do our very best to work out a program 
where we will make it so that we have the opportunity to offer our 
amendments and hopefully not have the marathon that we normally have at 
the end of a bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is 
so ordered.
  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I thank my friend and colleague. This 
week will be a challenging week, to say the least. I look forward to 
working with him, and I would very much like to have an orderly 
consideration of the budget, the resolution, and the amendments in the 
process and avoid the so-called vote-arama that in years past we have 
found ourselves in with a lot of very important votes, with very little 
time for consideration. I do not think it makes the Senate look very 
good.

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