Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. All the amendments that I read?

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

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, this amendment has been cleared on both sides, and we urge its adoption.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3823 on behalf of Mr. Leahy regarding Colombia.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I make a point of order en bloc against a list of amendments on the grounds that they are not germane under rule XXII. The amendments are as follows: Warner amendment No. 3620; Vitter amendment No. 3628, as modified; Wyden amendment No. 3665; Santorum amendment No. 3640, as modified; Salazar amendment No. 3645; Vitter amendment No. 3668; Obama amendment No. 3693; Obama amendment No. 3694; Obama amendment No. 3695; Obama amendment No. 3697; Menendez amendment No. 3675; Conrad amendment No. 3715; Levin amendment No. 3710; Schumer amendment No. 3723; Schumer amendment No. 3724; Cornyn amendment No. 3722; Cornyn amendment No. 3672; Byrd amendment No. 3708; Landrieu amendment No. 3750; and Landrieu amendment No. 3752.

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, reserving the right to object, I do so only for the purpose of checking to be sure that this is an amendment that has not been made out of order because of the invocation of cloture by the Senate.

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

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

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I raise a point of order against these amendments, that they are not germane under rule XXII.

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

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am advised that the Senator from Arizona also wants to speak to the amendment that has just been offered. So unless there is someone else who seeks recognition at this time, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN. My reading is that it transfers money from a foreign economic assistance account to one that provides disaster assistance for damages sustained in Guatemala as a result of a hurricane-- Hurricane Stan I think was the name of it.

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

Mr. COCHRAN. No, it is not. If the Senator will yield, as I understand it, it shifts funds from a foreign economic assistance account to an account to provide disaster assistance in Guatemala for damages and expenses sustained in a hurricane.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the Senator is correct. It is the intention the pending amendment be set aside so we can consider Kennedy amendment No. 3688, as modified, upon which the yeas and nays have been ordered. I ask unanimous consent that the Senator from Massachusetts be recognized until the hour of 12 o'clock, at which time we will have a vote.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I have been advised that the Senator from Arizona, Mr. McCain, wants to speak on the amendment and is on his way to the floor to do so. So awaiting his arrival, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN. I move to reconsider the vote.

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

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, if the Senator will yield, we understand the meeting with Senators and the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense is still going on. We are advised that a good time for the vote on the McCain amendment would be about 3:30. You are getting wound up.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3657 on behalf of Senator Leahy and others regarding international disaster and famine assistance and hurricane relief.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, we continue to make good progress. We hope to complete action either this evening or tomorrow on the bill. It could be, in consultation with the leader, possible to complete action on the bill today and have a vote on final passage tomorrow if we are going to go a little late this evening, but we don't anticipate a late evening. We hope to be able to adjourn at a reasonable hour. With the cooperation of Senators, we can do that. We have cloture, which has been invoked, which limits amendments for consideration to germane amendments. We have entered into colloquies and we think some of these amendments are going to be withdrawn. We hope if Senators have an intention of disposing of their amendments, if they want a vote, now is a good time to come to the floor and make that request known. We can dispose of those amendments. We urge the cooperation of Senators, and if we get to some point, we may offer amendments for Senators, if they are in order and pending and have not yet been called up. As a matter of notice, we intend to press ahead and complete action on the bill within a reasonable time. And we will, with the cooperation of all Senators. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

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

Mr. COCHRAN. I think we are ready to proceed to agree to that on a voice vote.