[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5188]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--S.J. RES. 36

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, another important issue: I ask unanimous 
consent that at 2 p.m., on Monday, April 23, the Republican leader or 
his designee be recognized to move to proceed to the consideration of 
S.J. Res. 36, a joint resolution disapproving a rule submitted by the 
National Labor Relations Board relating to representation election 
procedures; that there be up to 4 hours of debate on the motion to 
proceed, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two 
leaders or their designees; further, that the first 2 hours of debate, 
equally divided, occur from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, April 23, and the 
final 2 hours of debate, equally divided, occur from 10:30 a.m. to 
12:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 24; that at 2:15 p.m., Tuesday, April 24, 
the Senate proceed to vote on the adoption of the motion to proceed; 
that if the motion is successful, then the time for debate with respect 
to the joint resolution be equally divided between the two leaders or 
their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the joint 
resolution be read a third time and the Senate proceed to vote on 
passage of the joint resolution; finally, all other provisions of the 
statute governing consideration of the joint resolution remain in 
effect.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.


                   DISCHARGE OF FURTHER CONSIDERATION

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with chapter 8 
     of title 5, United States Code, hereby direct that the Senate 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be 
     discharged of further consideration of S.J. Res. 36, a 
     resolution on providing for congressional disapproval of a 
     rule submitted by the National Labor Relations Board relating 
     to representation election procedures, and further, that the 
     resolution be immediately placed upon the Legislative 
     Calendar under General Orders.
         Michael B. Enzi, Thad Cochran, Roy Blunt, Bob Corker, 
           John Boozman, Kelly Ayotte, Marco Rubio, Olympia Snowe, 
           Lamar Alexander, Rob Portman, Orrin Hatch, Jerry Moran, 
           John Hoeven, John Cornyn, Mike Crapo, Jeff Sessions, 
           Patrick Toomey, Jim DeMint, Tom Coburn, David Vitter, 
           Ron Johnson, Lindsey Graham, Saxby Chambliss, Richard 
           Burr, Johnny Isakson, John Thune, Michael Lee, Chuck 
           Grassley, Roger F. Wicker, Richard G. Lugar.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut.
  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I want to thank Senator Reid, and, of 
course, thank Senator Collins. We have again worked very closely 
together. I thank the staff on both sides who worked very hard, and I 
thank all of our colleagues.
  I know it took a lot of effort, because people have strong opinions 
about the crisis in the Postal Service of the United States, but we 
have ended with a process here that will allow a discussion and votes 
on a wide range of amendments on both sides. I would say based on the 
knowledge we have of this list that not all of these amendments listed 
will actually require rollcall votes.
  We will be working over the weekend trying to see if we can find 
common ground, accept some of these amendments or modify them. But 
bottom line, this consent agreement, though we are not there yet, gives 
me great hope that the Senate is going to prove that we are capable of 
taking on a crisis situation which the post office is in, losing $13 
billion plus over the last 2 years. If we do not do anything, it is 
only going to get worse and a lot of people are going to lose their 
jobs and a lot of people who depend on the mail are not going to get it 
in the same way.
  This is a bill that will provide an orderly reform that will keep the 
post office not only alive but change it so it can survive throughout 
the 21st century.
  Senator Collins and I will be here at noon on Monday to debate any of 
the amendments people want to come to debate. I believe I am speaking 
for both of us in saying--I know I am--that after the votes Monday 
afternoon unrelated to this matter, we are prepared to remain here into 
the evening to continue debating amendments before the actual votes 
occur on Tuesday afternoon.
  Again, I thank everyone involved, particularly Senator Collins.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I want to echo the thanks to everyone who 
was involved in formulating this very extensive unanimous consent 
agreement. We have been working extremely hard the last couple of days 
to make sure we were being fair to all Members on a bill on which there 
are diverse opinions, on an issue that is so important and that is how 
do we save an essential American institution, the U.S. Postal Service.
  I too want to thank our two leaders, Senator Reid and Senator 
McConnell, and my dear friend and chairman of the Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Lieberman, as well as our 
staffs and our floor staff who have put in so many hours.
  I want to reiterate that Senator Lieberman and I will be available to 
negotiate--our staffs will as well--and to debate these issues. We will 
be available over the weekend and tomorrow, and then on Monday to begin 
the debate on the amendments. But, again, I want to thank everyone 
involved. I think this is how the Senate should operate. It took a lot 
of work to get here, but no one gave up. Everyone kept working away.
  I believe we have come up with a very fair agreement to allow us to 
proceed on a bill of great significance. I want to thank everyone 
involved.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader is recognized.

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