[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17288]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 4 AND H.R. 1

  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I would like to propound a unanimous consent 
request, please.
  I ask unanimous consent that it not be in order for the Senate to 
consider any conference report on the 9/11 Commission legislation; that 
is, H.R. 1 and S. 4, that compromises the security of America's 
transportation system by eliminating the flexibility given to the 
Transportation Security Administration to manage its employees to most 
effectively counter terrorist threats against Americans.
  Before the Chair responds, if I could just make a very brief 
statement.
  The President has clearly said he will veto any measure that makes 
collective bargaining rights for airport screeners a higher priority 
than protecting our national security and defeating terrorists. Passing 
a conference report that includes such a provision would be an exercise 
in futility and a waste of time, as the legislation would certainly be 
vetoed. We should be working to write a conference report that we know 
can be signed into law so we can enhance our national security and 
better protect the American people from the terrorists we know are 
plotting every day to harm us.
  Mr. President, I renew my request that it not be in order for the 
Senate to consider any conference report on the 9/11 Commission 
legislation that compromises our national security by eliminating the 
critical personnel management flexibility given to the Transportation 
Security Administration to enable it to respond to terrorist threats.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? The majority leader is 
recognized.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I very much appreciate the minority coming 
forward and outlining their objections to the 9/11 bill. It seems 
pretty clear that the objection deals with collective bargaining, which 
is in the Senate-passed version of the bill. I appreciate very much 
that being on the record.
  It seems, that being the case, we at least know what we are dealing 
with. It appears if that weren't in the bill--but it is in the bill--we 
could go to conference.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. KYL. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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