Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, a modification has been sent to the desk.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I first thank very sincerely the distinguished Senator from West Virginia for his good help and assistance, his guidance and his leadership in the development and passage of this bill. We have been called upon, as he points out, to provide emergency supplemental funding for war costs, providing the Department of Defense and the Department of State with funding in accounts that have been devoted to that cause and that effort. It is very important to the protection of the security interests of the people of the United States. So this is an important measure we are taking up today and moving to final passage. Under the order that was entered last evening, there would be 10 minutes allocated to the Senator from West Virginia and to this Senator, and then there would be consecutive votes on or in relation to two amendments, one which is being offered by the Senator from South Dakota, Mr. Thune, the other by the Senator from Louisiana, Mr. Vitter, as modified, without intervening action or debate, and that following those votes, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to a vote on passage of the bill without intervening action or debate. So the order provides for no debate today but just votes on the final two amendments that have been held for votes now. There have been several other amendments which have been cleared, but I am going to ask unanimous consent that each Senator who has an amendment that has not been considered--Senator Thune and Senator Vitter--be given 2 minutes each to describe their amendments and that the managers of the bill likewise be given 2 minutes each on each amendment, if comments are needed, by the managers of the bill.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to call up and consider amendment No. 3819 on behalf of Mr. Vitter regarding fishery finance program loans.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator from Washington for her kind remarks and for her leadership and assistance in getting this bill prepared by our committee, and for handling the duties of managing the bill on the floor of the Senate. Senator Byrd, of course, the senior Democrat on the committee, has been an inspiration to me and a true leader in every sense of the word in our committee and in the Senate for a long time. He continues to be a very important friend to me. I am very grateful for that friendship. I join Senator Murray in commending our staff. But, first of all, I think I should mention my appreciation for the majority leader, Bill Frist; and Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, for giving us the latitude and the authority to manage this bill on the floor of the Senate for the Committee on Appropriations to help ensure that every Senator had an opportunity to speak and offer amendments, to be a part of the passage of this bill in every sense of the word. We appreciate the leaders giving us that authority and for not trying to manage the bill from their offices. I really appreciate that. Also, I have to commend the staff members on our side: Keith Kennedy, staff director, who has been working in the Senate for the Appropriations Committee for a good many years. He has a lot of experience. He is a person of great integrity, and I am very fortunate that he has agreed to serve as staff director of this committee and continue to provide guidance and supervision for all of the members of the staff of the Committee on Appropriations. We are very proud of all of the staff. Those who have been particularly helpful to me during the handling of this bill, in addition to Keith, include Clayton Heil, our counsel for the committee, who has been on the floor of the Senate for much of the handling of the bill; Les Spivey, who is also a member of the full committee staff, he does a good job as well. I guess you could say he is our token Mississippian who is on the first team of the committee staff. Terry Sauvain has been someone with whom I have enjoyed working for a number of years. He has worked closely with Senator Byrd for a good many years. We appreciate Terry's continued good assistance, particularly in the handling of this bill. Chuck Keiffer and Peter Rogoff--Peter works for Senator Murray on the committee staff and has a lot of experience. He has been very helpful to us as we have managed this bill in the Senate. I thank David Schiappa, Laura Dove, and Jodie Hernandez. They have been at the desk keeping up with all of the amendments, colloquies, and order of business, and keeping people advised through cloakroom telephones and answering Member's questions when they come onto the Senate floor. They go to that spot and ask for the pending business or what the order of amendments may be. They have been absolutely professional and diligent and helpful in every way. On the Democratic side, I thank Marty Paone and Lula Davis for helping to keep up with things for the Democrats and helping to provide advice and counsel to all of us who have been involved in the handling of this bill. We are deeply grateful for their assistance.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN. Have the yeas and nays been ordered, Mr. President?

Mr. COCHRAN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. amendment no. 3704

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. salmon spawning

Mr. COCHRAN. The Senator is certainly right that these are very difficult budgetary times. Funds for nondefense discretionary programs are particularly constrained, while the demand for those funds has not slackened one bit. Having said that, I appreciate the Senator acquainting me with the challenges facing fishing communities on the Oregon coast, and I will work with him and the subcommittee Chairman Shelby and try to identify an appropriate federal response for affected communities.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to call up and consider amendment No. 3761 on behalf of Mr. Baucus regarding transportation contract authority.

Mr. COCHRAN. I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, a modification has been sent to the desk.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN. I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. COCHRAN. I ask unanimous consent that Senator Burns be added as a cosponsor of that amendment.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to call up and consider amendment No. 3729 on behalf of Mr. Chafee regarding Fox Point Hurricane Barrier, RI.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to call up and consider amendment No. 3592 on behalf of Mr. Reed regarding Fox Point Hurricane Barrier, RI.

Mr. COCHRAN. I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, what is the regular order?

Mr. COCHRAN. I suggest the absence of a quorum.