[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3292-3293]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will be a 
period for the transaction of morning business from 11:30 a.m. until 
1:30 p.m.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that during the 
period of morning business it be deemed the clock is running on the 
budget bill, and the time will be charged equally.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, we urge our colleagues who want to make a 
statement on the budget, this is the time where they could come and do 
that. We are going to be working very hard. The chairman and I are 
trying to develop a plan that would give people certainty and that we 
would have time agreements to shorten the amount of time on each 
amendment so we could get more amendments concluded before we begin the 
vote-arama. I think that would dramatically improve the quality of the 
debate. I think it would improve the quality of experience for Members 
of this body.
  The chairman and I have talked about this. Perhaps he would want to 
comment on what we are trying to do as well, so we alert colleagues and 
their staff that we are going to be coming to them with relatively 
short time agreements on amendments with a certainty of schedule so 
that we try to get our business conducted to the extent we can before 
we begin the vote-arama.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Acting as the Presiding Officer and as a 
Member of the Senate, the Senator from Ohio objects.
  Objection is heard.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that as time is 
running during morning business, the next hour and half also be running 
against the budget bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio does not object.
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. GREGG. I thank the Senator for his courtesy.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is more than welcome.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I understand that will be equally divided.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.

[[Page 3293]]


  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Thomas). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up 
to 15 minutes in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Maine is recognized.
  Ms. COLLINS. I thank the Chair.
  (The remarks of Ms. COLLINS pertaining to the introduction of S. 2400 
are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Allen). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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