[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 22446]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                SCHEDULE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in just a few moments, we will resume 
negotiations on the Defense appropriations bill. Last night, we worked 
well into the evening and were able to make relative progress on the 
bill. The Senate voted overwhelmingly last night to invoke cloture. 
Therefore, today we will be proceeding with amendments that qualify 
under rule XXII.
  I thank Members for their patience last night during our series of 
stacked votes. I particularly thank those Members--especially Senators 
Stevens and Inouye--who have worked so aggressively on the bill and who 
over the course of the day will continue to try to clear amendments on 
both sides of the aisle. We will have votes over the course of the day 
on those amendments.
  We can and should push forward on this bill today and tonight and try 
to finish the bill. If necessary, we will be here tomorrow to complete 
our work for the week. There are a number of other issues that are 
currently being discussed, debated, and talked about, including the 
homeland security conference report as well as pensions legislation, 
which I have mentioned regularly.
  I hope we will be able to proceed with the cooperation of all 
Senators over the course of the day as we seek final passage of the 
Defense appropriations bill. The time does expire early in the morning 
tomorrow. Thus, we should work toward completing that bill this 
afternoon and this evening.

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