Robert Bennett

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Schumer.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BENNETT. I thank the distinguished Senator from Maine for bringing this issue to my attention. It is evident that the funding used for Maine's Cooperative Beaver Management Program has been used wisely. I expect APHIS to continue its cooperative wildlife agreements with the funding provided by the fiscal year 2004 Agriculture appropriations bill, and I will work in conference to see that these funds continue to be available for the State of Maine. Improving Emergency Communications Systems

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask for a voice vote.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask for a voice vote.

Mr. BENNETT. I would be happy to yield.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Craig.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, in recognition that this is the last one of this stack, I ask for a voice vote.

Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senators Grassley and Dorgan and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BENNETT. All right. There is objection. Therefore, I do not pursue that. I suggest to the Senator from Illinois this might be a good time to hear from him.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, the chairman of the Budget Committee is anxious to come over to develop the issue of the budget point of order for emergency designation with respect to the amendment offered by Senator Dayton. As he has indicated, it is $6.3 billion, and there is no offset in the bill. Our bill is $1 billion below last year's fiscal year 302(b) allocation, and therefore this is obviously a very significant number. Until the Senator from Oklahoma, the chairman of the Budget Committee, has an opportunity to be here to review this matter with us, I would be willing to allow the Senator from New Mexico to begin the description of his amendment because I understand he would like to get that done. He has a timeframe tonight. And we could view the possibility of voting on both amendments at some point when the debate on both amendments has subsided rather than keeping the time tied up in a quorum call. With recognition of the pressures the Senator from New Mexico is under, I would like to perhaps move ahead on both of those amendments on a double track situation.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I call up an amendment which is at the desk on behalf of Senator Durbin.

Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Levin and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, this amendment prohibits APHIS from requiring affected States to match emergency funding provided by the Federal Government. Many States are currently experiencing their own fiscal problems and may not have sufficient funds to provide a match. If a State is unable to provide matching funds, Federal funds would not be released to address the emergency situation under this proposed rule. I ask for a voice vote.

Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Kohl and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, this amendment would expand the boundaries of the Arrostook Empowerment Zone in the State of Maine and the Griggs-Steele Empowerment Zone in the State of North Dakota to encompass the remaining area of the respective counties not currently included in the empowerment zone designation. I ask for a voice vote.

Mr. BENNETT. This amendment adds the State of Utah to the list of States in which a processing worker demonstration pilot project is to be initiated. I ask for a voice vote.

Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, this technical amendment clarifies the statutory authority for special assistance to the nuclear affected islands. I ask for a voice vote.

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. For the information of all Senators, tomorrow, following morning business, there will be 60 minutes for debate prior to the cloture vote on the Pryor nomination. If cloture is not invoked on the nomination, the Senate is expected to resume consideration of H.R. 2673, the Agriculture appropriations bill. It is hoped that we can finish that bill at an early hour during tomorrow's session, and therefore Senators should expect a very busy day tomorrow with rollcall votes occurring throughout.

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, and any statements thereon be printed in the Record.

Mr. BENNETT

Mr. BENNETT. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 310, H.R. 1442.