[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 594]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning we will have a 60-minute 
period for morning business to allow Senators to make statements. 
Following that 1-hour period, the Senate will proceed to executive 
session for the consideration of the nomination of Condoleezza Rice to 
be Secretary of State. Chairman Lugar will be here to manage the debate 
time on our side of the aisle. The order does provide for up to 9 hours 
of debate during today's session. I am not sure if all of that debate 
time will be necessary, but we do want to give every Senator the 
opportunity to speak if they so wish. We will remain in session until 
that debate is used or yielded back over the course of the afternoon or 
into the evening.
  Tomorrow morning, for the information of our colleagues, the consent 
agreement allows for 40 minutes of closing remarks, and I now ask 
unanimous consent that the time, 60 minutes, be equally divided prior 
to the vote on the nomination. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous 
consent for that 60 minutes at this juncture.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. FRIST. I expect that tomorrow morning we would begin that final 
debate on the Rice nomination immediately upon convening. I will be 
talking with the Democratic leadership, but I would like to convene and 
go straight to that debate.
  I would also add that the Nicholson nomination for Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs was reported yesterday. We will be asking for a short 
time agreement on that nomination. As I mentioned yesterday, as the 
nominations do come from committee, we do want to consider them as soon 
as possible on the floor of the Senate.
  Lastly, I remind my colleagues there will be additional nominations 
this week, and although this week will be a shorter week--we will be in 
session today and tomorrow--we will be seeking agreements over the 
course of this afternoon and tomorrow to proceed on these other 
nominations.
  Mr. President I have a brief opening statement, but I would like to 
turn to the assistant Democratic leader.

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