Kent Conrad

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, will the Senator withhold for one moment?

Mr. CONRAD. Reserving the right to object, I would say to Senators who are in the back of the Chamber, who are most interested in this question, this is a good time to hear what is being done to correct what occurred previously. What occurred previously was, under the rule, all time had to expire on the first-degree amendment before a second- degree amendment could be offered. Under the interpretation of the Chair, that included the 2 minutes of debate on the first-degree amendment. Now what we are doing is modifying that through unanimous consent agreement so if someone offers a second degree, they have to offer it before the 2 minutes of debate on the first degree. Then we will be able to have 2 minutes of debate on the second degree, a vote on the second degree. Then, in consideration of the first degree, we will be able to have the 2 minutes of debate in conjunction with it. For the interest of our colleagues, that is what is being done. We should take this moment, as well, to say to our colleagues, we have 35 amendments filed. That would take 12 hours of straight voting. We have to end today at 6 o'clock, which would mean we would be in tomorrow for at least 4 hours. I ask our colleagues to show restraint on calling up amendments that have been filed. We have had a good debate on this matter. It has been an absolutely fair debate in terms of how we have been treated with respect to amendments being offered. We really don't need to have 35 amendments offered to this measure. I urge my colleagues to show restraint. I will not object.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, I move to waive the applicable section of the act for the consideration of the pending amendment. I ask for the yeas and nays, and I ask my colleagues to support this budget discipline.

Mr. CONRAD. Could we have order, Madam President.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, the best argument made for my amendment, which is to restore fiscal responsibility, is the argument made by the chairman of the Budget Committee in 2002. Here is what he said: The second budget discipline, which is pay-go, essentially says if you are going to add a new entitlement program, or you are going to cut taxes, you must offset that event so that it becomes a budget neutral event. If we don't do this, if we don't put back in place caps and pay-go, we will have no budget discipline, and as a result we will dramatically aggravate the deficit, which, of course, impacts a lot of important issues but especially impacts Social Security. The budget chairman was right then. It is the right position now. Support the restoration of the budget discipline of pay-go.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Biden be added as a cosponsor.

Mr. CONRAD. Could we also put in order my amendment?

Mr. CONRAD. Reserving the right to object.

Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, the amendment of the Senator from Oklahoma would freeze spending on veterans, on homeland security, on education, on National Institutes of Health, not just for 1 year but permanently--permanently. Permanently is a long time. The only way you get around it is a supermajority vote of 67 votes in the Senate. I urge colleagues to oppose the amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. The Senate is not in order. The Senator deserves a chance to be heard.

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

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I direct my colleagues' attention to the Cantwell amendment and indicate that we are now trying to make an analysis of where we are with respect to the funding of the bill, where we are with respect to the requirements the Senate is under under reconciliation, to make certain that all of this fits together. That is the reason for the delay at this moment, to make certain that the numbers work correctly. With that, we will go to the Cantwell amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, the next amendment in order is the Schumer amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask the Chair of the committee if it would be appropriate now to go to the Cantwell amendment?

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. Mr President, the fiscal year 2006 Agriculture appropriations conference report was written under some very difficult spending constraints compared to the needs of U.S. agriculture. Because the bill contains many positive elements for North Dakota agriculture, I intend to vote for its passage. However, I am deeply concerned that the appropriators have again adopted a delay in the implementation of the mandatory country-of-origin labeling for U.S. agricultural products. This provision is broadly supported by U.S. farmers and livestock producers who wish to be able to differentiate their products in the marketplace. It is also supported by our consumers who desire to know where their food is produced. It is unfortunate the conference failed to represent those interests.

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. I thank the Chair.

Mr. CONRAD. So it would depend on the Senator from Washington and the Senator from Alaska to relinquish time for the purposes of considering the Talent-Wyden amendment; is that correct?

Mr. CONRAD. So the time for the Talent amendment or the Talent-Wyden amendment or the Wyden-Talent amendment would be controlled by the two sides who still have time remaining; is that correct?

Mr. CONRAD. Right. Mr. President, what is the time remaining on both sides at this point?

Mr. CONRAD. No, I don't think that is correct. I think the Talent agreement was to be within the time to noon, to be considered within that time. Is that correct?

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, in terms of the time remaining, I think the Senator from Washington, as I hear her question, is wondering about the disposition of the Talent-Wyden amendment or the Wyden-Talent amendment, however it is, that was previously reserved in the unanimous consent agreement; was it not?

Mr. CONRAD. Without jeopardizing her right to the floor, might I make a parliamentary inquiry?

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, might I inquire of the Chair, does the Senator from Washington have the floor?

Mr. CONRAD. I thank the Senator from Washington for her courtesy in allowing us to proceed and interrupting her statement.

Mr. CONRAD. And any others as well.