Kent Conrad

Mr. CONRAD

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, the alternative minimum tax will affect an additional 20 million families if it is not dealt with. In the budget resolution, we have a 1-year patch to prevent additional families from being hit. This is at a cost of some $62 billion. For the outyears, we are providing in this amendment for a reserve fund that is fully offset so it does not add to the deficit and debt. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, the Specter amendment puts it on the debt. The Conrad amendment is offset and paid for. I urge colleagues to vote for the Conrad amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. That is the observation I was going to make; we had time remaining on our side.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CONRAD. The amendment that has just passed has dealt with this issue and done it in a deficit-neutral way. The Specter amendment, as he correctly describes, would not be paid for, would not be offset, but would simply add to the debt $185 billion and would mean this budget would not be in balance for any one of the 5 years. I urge my colleagues to reject the Specter amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, we now go to the Salazar amendment No. 4196. I see the Senator from Colorado in the Chamber.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CONRAD. In regular order, is my amendment next?

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, the alternative I have offered would provide for a reserve fund that would allow the repeal of the 1993 tax increase on Social Security benefits in a way that would protect Social Security and Medicare and not increase the deficit or the debt over the period of the resolution. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote and move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 4192, as Modified

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, there are real cuts, the Senator is right about that. This would cut, across the board by $21 billion, education, veterans' health, homeland security, law enforcement. If you want to do that, vote for the Bunning amendment. I urge my colleagues to oppose it.

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

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the previous vote.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, the next amendment is an amendment by Senator Dorgan; then there would be a side by side to Senator Alexander's energy reserve amendment; then the Senator Alexander amendment; then the Senator Kennedy amendment; followed by Senator Sununu; followed by Senator Lincoln; followed by Senator Alexander; a side by side to Alexander; then Alexander; then Menendez; then Sessions; then Cornyn; then Pryor; then Allard. That is the regular order previously entered, for the notice of Senators. We would note that none of them are subject to second degrees. We will make that request. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that none of these amendments be subject to second degrees.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, that takes us to the Dorgan amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I would ask if both Senators would be willing to take voice votes on these two amendments?

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, can we go to consideration of the Kerry amendment?

Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I will give a moment to the Senator to collect herself and indicate that we are making very good progress. We have a long way to go. We thank colleagues for being so cooperative, but I do indicate that if we have any hope of getting done tonight, even late tonight, it is going to take forbearance on the part of colleagues because we have probably 45, even 50 amendments still pending. That means at three an hour--my colleagues can do the math--we will be well into tomorrow. I ask colleagues, if there is an ability to withhold amendments on this vehicle for another vehicle, that would certainly be helpful.

Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, that takes us to the Kennedy amendment, which is a side-by-side to the Alexander amendment.

Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, we have no objection to the amendment of the Senator from New Hampshire.

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