[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Pages 25630-25631]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 3548

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, again, the two consent agreements have 
a universe of six amendments on my friend's side and eight on our side. 
We are willing to agree to short time agreements on each amendment. I 
am fairly confident in saying it would not take much more floor time, 
if any, to pursue the underlying bill, which almost everyone supports, 
in a form that

[[Page 25631]]

would encompass the opportunity to offer eight amendments.
  With that, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to 
immediate consideration of H.R. 3548, which was received from the 
House, and that the following amendments be the only amendments in 
order:
  Reid-Baucus substitute; Baucus side-by-side amendment for housing tax 
credit; Isakson-Dodd, home buyer tax credit; Johanns, alternative 
substitute; Vitter, ACORN; Bennett-Thune, TARP sunset; Corker-Warner, 
TARP; Sessions, E-Verify; Bunning, operating losses.
  I further ask unanimous consent that following the disposition of the 
above-listed amendments, the bill, as amended, be read the third time, 
and the Senate proceed to a vote on passage.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, frankly, I think it is 
unfortunate that we could not just vote on extending the unemployment 
benefits for the masses in our country who are out of work and are 
desperate. There are thousands and thousands of people who are waiting 
for us to get something done.
  The issues that are brought up are issues we can deal with, but it 
should not be at the expense of wasting all this time. We have been 
trying to get this done--the unemployment extension--for weeks. With 
each day that goes by more people in America have less money. If we 
want to talk about stimulating the economy, try giving a check to 
somebody who is out of work. They spend that money.
  I will continue to try to be fair and reasonable with the 
Republicans, who are so bound and determined to slow us up on 
everything, including checks for people who are desperate for work. I 
hope we don't come to a point where we have to just vote on extending 
unemployment benefits. That would be unfortunate. The proposals they 
have made are unnecessary, but I am trying to go above and beyond what 
is fair. We are willing to step way in the other direction just to move 
things along. But to vote on immigration matters and on ACORN, which we 
have done so many times, is only dilatory.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, as my good friend, the majority leader, 
knows, the easiest way to move it along is with a time agreement, as 
opposed to going through the normal processes in the Senate. I have a 
feeling the majority leader wants to object to my consent.
  Mr. REID. I object.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the reason for having a consent 
agreement is to expedite the process, do it more quickly. We have two 
competing consent agreements: one with six amendments and one with 
eight. Either one would move the process along. We will continue to 
talk about it and, hopefully, we can get this worked out in a way that 
is mutually satisfactory.

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