[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20680]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning we will have a short period of 
morning business until 9:45 a.m. At 9:45 we will proceed to the vote on 
a motion to invoke cloture on the intelligence reform bill. If cloture 
is invoked, many of the pending amendments would fall as a result of a 
germaneness requirement under rule XXII. It is then hoped we will 
continue to process those germane amendments as we move toward final 
passage of the bill. It is my hope that cloture will be invoked and we 
can finish the bill either tonight or early tomorrow morning. The 
cloture rule, as Senators know, provides for a maximum of 30 hours. 
Hopefully all the time may not be necessary. Over the course of the 
morning, as various amendments are looked at, examined, and discussed, 
we will have a much better feel as to when we can bring closure to the 
bill.
  I remind everybody that upon conclusion of this legislation, the 
Senate will turn to the other arm of intelligence reform, and that is 
the internal intelligence reform that has been put forth by our 
distinguished majority and minority whips who have been working with a 
task force of 22 Senators, appointed by Senator Daschle and myself, to 
address this significant reform within our own body.
  Our scheduling is compressed more and more as we move closer to 
Friday. It will take the cooperation of all Senators to finish our work 
before adjourning. We have these two important arms of intelligence 
reform that we will address. There is other legislation that is in 
conference right now and progress is being made on the FSC/ETI 
manufacturing jobs bill. Of course, they will be meeting over the 
course of today as well. We have Homeland Security appropriations which 
is in conference, and I understand steady progress is being made.
  Our goal is to adjourn on October 8, but all of this important 
business must be addressed before then. A lot of people are asking, is 
October 8 firm? In my mind, October 8 is the goal for us to complete 
our business, and we can complete our business if we continue the very 
good work by the managers on this bill, by the task force that is 
overseeing the development of the recommendations for our internal 
reform, and the conferences which I mentioned.
  I thank Members for their cooperation, for working together in a 
bipartisan way on very important legislation, most of which addresses 
the safety and security of the American people.

                          ____________________