[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21651]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am disturbed that we are delayed in 
taking up the Defense appropriations bill for 2006. It has been a 
problem. We have to wait for the authorization bill to come before the 
Senate. I have asked the leader for permission to take up this bill, 
along with my colleague from Hawaii, and bring the Defense 
appropriations bill for 2006 before the Senate today. I understand that 
has been objected to on some procedural ground.
  It is my intention to make the statement I would make if the bill 
were before us. I will later ask that it be printed in the Record when 
the bill is laid before us.
  I think the Senate should be using this time. We had intended to have 
votes today and tomorrow. We will not have votes Monday and Tuesday, 
but the bill will be before the Senate Monday and Tuesday.
  We tried our best to work with the Armed Services Committee on their 
authorization bill, and we have a dispute between our subcommittee and 
the Intelligence Committee. That dispute pertains to a matter that 
should not be discussed on the floor. It is one we thought we had 
worked out by virtue of a compromise provision we put into this Defense 
appropriations bill, and I hope the members of the Intelligence 
Committee will recognize that as such.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak up to 10 
minutes as if in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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