Kent Conrad

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. Mr President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 2, 2009, at 10 a.m.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 2, 2009, at 9 a.m.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, to conduct an executive business meeting on Thursday, April 2, 2009, at 10 a.m. in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate today, April 2, 2009.

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. I apologize for this interruption, but I have to go to another committee to introduce someone who is up for a nomination. So I needed to do it at this moment to make certain there is a good flow. I thank the Senator very much.

Mr. CONRAD. If I were to raise a point of order that the amendment is not germane for the reason we have discussed, and I were to lose that point of order, would the resolution be at risk in terms of its privileged status?

Mr. CONRAD. So let's be very clear. If I raise--first of all, I have to raise a point of order or the privileged status of the resolution is at risk; is that correct?

Mr. CONRAD. If I lose the point of order, the privileged status of the resolution is at risk?

Mr. CONRAD. Wait. I have the floor. I would ask the Senator from Nevada if it would not be possible for us to work together on alternative language that would capture the intent of the Senator from Nevada but that would not put the budget resolution at risk.

Mr. CONRAD. I thank the Chair. I thank the Parliamentarian. Mr. President, we have Senator Lincoln who will be on her way momentarily, and I note the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senator from Idaho have an additional 3 minutes, that I have an additional minute on this matter, and then--what is the next order of business?

Mr. CONRAD. OK. I think we have been trying to go back and forth. Senator Tester, I see, is here. How much time does the Senator seek?

Mr. CONRAD. OK. Would it be OK if we ask for 7 minutes?

Mr. CONRAD. Seven minutes for the Senator from Montana, and then who is up next, Senator Bunning?

Mr. CONRAD. And will the Senator want to offer an amendment?

Mr. CONRAD. The Senator deserves a special place. What a good example for other colleagues. So we go to Senator Bunning, then, for 15 minutes after Senator Tester. Is Senator Ensign seeking time?

Mr. CONRAD. We have Senator Reed coming at 1:45. He would be next for how long? Well, maybe we could allocate 10 minutes to Senator Reed, and then Senator Ensign, how much time?

Mr. CONRAD. We have not seen the amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. If we could then do Senator Ensign for 10 minutes.

Mr. CONRAD. Yes. Is that acceptable?

Mr. CONRAD. Well, they have another Senator coming. The problem is, we have now allocated time that is going to go way past what is in this consent agreement. If Senator Ensign just called up his amendment, would that be----

Mr. CONRAD. OK. Let's go then in the order we had. Senator Crapo had a couple of more minutes, and then I would take some time and then we would go back to Senator Tester and then to Senator Bunning.

Mr. CONRAD. If you would just call it up. Amendment No. 805

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I would refine my request to have the Whitehouse-Boxer amendment that is a side by side to Johanns be voted on first, and then Johanns amendment No. 735.

Mr. CONRAD. Senator Kyl's amendment is awaiting a side by side from Senator Baucus.