Kent Conrad

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. We support the amendment, as modified, on this side as well.

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

Mr. CONRAD. We agree, Mr. President, that it is budget neutral.

Mr. CONRAD. We support this amendment on this side as well.

Mr. CONRAD. The Senator may well have. As the Senator from New Mexico knows, we are dealing with a large number of amendments. We just do not have it in the stack of amendments.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, we do not have a copy of this amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. This is an amendment that deals with Indian health and is strongly supported on this side.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I, too, want to be listed as an original cosponsor of the amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 325

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, we strongly support the amendment on this side.

Mr. CONRAD. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 219

Mr. CONRAD. We support the amendment on this side.

Mr. CONRAD. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 328, As Modified

Mr. CONRAD. No objection on this side.

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, the chairman of the committee describes it very well. We have worked through a lot of amendments. We still have some outstanding that will require some additional staff time. Also, we need to do a careful analysis of where we are in terms of spending, where we are on a year-by-year basis. This additional time will help us do that final analysis so Senators, when we are voting on a final package, will have a very accurate picture of where we are in terms of the tax cut, in terms of spending, and in terms of debt reduction. We hope we can take this time and then come back and finish our business expeditiously.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, the Senator describes correctly what happened last night. This is a Grassley-Kennedy amendment. It has been cleared on both sides. We ask again the support of our colleagues. It was a technical glitch last night that has been corrected. Amendment No. 237, As Modified

Mr. CONRAD. On this side we agree and support all of those amendments en bloc and ask our colleagues' support.

Mr. CONRAD. Let me go back to the chairman for the next amendment that would be in this en bloc group.

Mr. CONRAD. We would be willing to do them en bloc as well.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, could we have order in the Chamber?

Mr. CONRAD. We have no objection to Smith amendment No. 217. Amendment No. 217

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. I am pleased to say the amendment of the Senator from Minnesota was actually scheduled for last night for a vote and it was held over because of a parliamentary situation that developed last evening. So I am not making this request of the Senator from Minnesota. He has been patient. He has been one who has cooperated and dropped amendments, which we appreciate very much. I thank the Chair and yield the floor. Does the chairman wish we go to a quorum call or go to the vote?

Mr. CONRAD. I am happy to yield.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, we have looked at the amendments overnight. We still have 42 amendments pending. Between the two sides we have 42 amendments pending. That does not count the leadership wrap- up amendments or the debate on those amendments. So realistically we would be talking about 16 hours of straight voting unless we are able to find some give in the good hearts of our colleagues. I am going to turn to my side of the aisle and urge colleagues on my side to please relent in the interest of getting the business of the Senate done on this budget resolution. Senator Reid and I have gone to our colleagues and asked them to please refrain from pushing their amendment to a vote. We understand every Senator has a right to take his or her amendment to a vote, but if everyone insists on their absolute right, we are going to be here 16 hours. Truthfully, it would probably be more than that because we have not been able to do three votes an hour. That is the reality of the situation we confront. We urge our colleagues to try to work with us as the morning proceeds and to reduce amendments.

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, it should sober us up to understand that if we don't show some restraint and self-discipline, we face 50 hours of straight voting. That is the harsh reality of what confronts us tonight--50 straight hours of voting every 10 minutes. That is not a good process. It is not credible. And it can't be allowed to happen. We have to simply say to Members that they cannot expect to have each and every one of these amendments voted on. We will join in resisting amendments that are not practical, that are not fiscally responsible, and others that are just sense-of-the-Senate amendments. We hope that message goes out very clearly. We ask leaders, if they could, to rivet that point to our colleagues.