[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15393]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  Mr. REID. Madam President, as if in executive session, I ask 
unanimous consent that on Thursday, July 17, that is today, at a time 
to be determined by the majority leader, following consultation with 
the Republican leader, the Senate proceed to executive session and 
consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 687 and 688; that 
there be 60 minutes of debate to run concurrently on both nominations, 
with the time equally divided and controlled between Senator Leahy and 
Senator Specter or their designees, with Senator Schumer controlling 
the chairman's time; that upon the use or yielding back of that time, 
the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of Calendar No. 687; that 
upon the confirmation of Calendar No. 687, the Senate then proceed to 
vote on confirmation of Calendar No. 688; that upon confirmation of the 
nominations, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, en bloc, 
the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, there be 
no further motions in order, and the Senate resume legislative session.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection?
  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, reserving the right to object, the 
ranking member, Senator Specter, wishes a block of time for Senators to 
speak. He would agree if the distinguished majority leader would agree 
to modify his unanimous-consent request. Senator Specter would agree to 
debate from noon to 3:00 today with the votes to follow.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I am not going to agree to that 
modification; I will tell you why.
  Mr. CORNYN. I object.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, the hue and cry of the Republicans is that 
we do more judges. We wanted to do more judges. I say to my friend, the 
ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, we have lots of time on the 
floor. The American public sees it all the time, where we are in quorum 
calls. Anytime we are in a quorum call, with rare exception, Senators 
can come and ask that it be called off and proceed to speak for as long 
as they want.
  We have a number of things we need to do today. There is going to be 
a conversation on energy. And I recognize there are some problems with 
the economy. Housing is a difficult problem. Energy is a difficult 
problem, as are gas prices and global warming, education. But I am 
telling you, I cannot ever remember going home and someone coming up to 
me and saying: Could you guys do some more judges? We need to take care 
of this judges problem.
  As Senator Lott said when he was the majority leader, and I am 
repeating my friend Senator Lott's statement: Frankly, judges are not a 
big issue as it relates to the other problems we are facing here in 
America today.
  So I say, if the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee wants to 
come and talk for 3 hours, he can do it on his own time. There is lots 
of time here. We have made an offer giving reasonable time to confirm 
two judges, and we are happy to do that. An hour is certainly more time 
than is normally taken. And if Senator Specter wants to come and talk 
about the plight of the American judiciary system, he can do that, but 
I wish to get these two judges approved.
  If they are not going to agree to that, we are not going to do the 
judges. It is the Republicans' call.

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