Christopher Dodd

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a meeting during the session of the Senate on May 19, 2010, at 2:30 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate to conduct a hearing on May 19, 2010, at 9:30 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 19, 2010, at 10 a.m., to hold a hearing entitled ``After the Earthquake: Empowering Haiti to Rebuild Better.''

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 19, 2010, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``The History and Lessons of START.''

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 19, 2010, at 10 a.m., in room SD-266 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Renewing America's Commitment to the Refugee Convention: The Refugee Protection Act of 2010.''

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 19, 2010, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Examining the Filibuster: The Filibuster Today and Its Consequences.''

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 19, 2010, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Confirmation Hearing of Marie Annettee Collins Johns to be the Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration.''

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 19, 2010, at 11 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``The SBA Disaster Assistance Program and the Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Small Businesses.''

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 19, 2010. The Committee will meet in room 418 of the Russell Senate Office Building beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on National Parks be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a hearing on on May 19, 2010, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 364, S. 920.

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee- reported substitute amendment be considered; that a Carper-Collins amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; that the committee substitute, as amended, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 535, submitted earlier today.

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, that was my resolution, so I am glad it passed unanimously.

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, tomorrow, His Excellency Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, the President of Mexico, will address a joint meeting of Congress from the Hall of the House of Representatives. Senators are invited to attend the joint meeting. The Senate will gather in the Chamber at 10:30 a.m. and depart at 10:40 a.m. to proceed as a body to the Hall of the House. Under a previous order, the cloture vote on the Dodd-Lincoln substitute amendment will occur at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow. Votes in relation to amendments prior to the cloture vote are possible.

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that at 2 p.m. today, the Senate consider the Snowe amendment No. 3883 and a Landrieu side-by-side, No. 4075, and that they be debated concurrently for a total of 30 minutes, with the time equally divided and controlled in the usual form; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the Landrieu amendment No. 4075, to be followed by a vote in relation to the Snowe amendment No. 3883; that no amendment be in order to either amendment prior to a vote; that upon disposition of these amendments, the Senate then resume the Whitehouse amendment No. 3746, as modified, and there be 2 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled with respect to the amendment; that upon the use of time, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the amendment, with the amendment subject to an affirmative 60-vote threshold, and that if the amendment achieves the threshold, it be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that if it does not achieve that threshold, then it be withdrawn; that no amendment be in order to the Whitehouse amendment; that upon disposition of the Whitehouse amendment, Senator Vitter be recognized to call up his amendment No. 4003, which is in order to be called up per a previous order; that once the amendment is pending, it be modified with the language of the Pryor amendment No. 4087, and that as modified the amendment be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that once this agreement is entered, Senator Barrasso be recognized to speak in morning business, with no amendments or motions in order during this period; that the cloture vote be delayed until disposition of the above-mentioned amendments; and that upon the conclusion of Senator Barrasso's remarks, the Senate stand in recess until 2 p.m.

Mr. DODD

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

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now resume consideration of the Whitehouse amendment No. 3746 and that the amendment be further modified with the changes at the desk; that it also be in order for the Ensign amendment to be considered; that they be debated for a total of 10 minutes, with time equally divided and controlled between Senators Whitehouse and Ensign or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the Whitehouse amendment, to be followed by a vote in relation to the Ensign amendment; that each of these amendments be subject to an affirmative 60-vote threshold; that if they achieve that threshold, then they be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that if they do not achieve that threshold, then they be withdrawn; further, that prior to the second vote, there be 4 minutes of debate, divided as specified above, and the second vote be limited to 10 minutes.

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period for the transaction of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 534, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 20; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate resume consideration of S. 3217, Wall Street reform; further, that the filing deadline for second-degree amendments be 1:30 p.m.; the mandatory quorum with respect to the substitute amendment No. 3739 and S. 3217 be waived. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate recess from 10:40 a.m. to 12 noon to allow for a joint meeting of Congress.

Mr. DODD

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, in a minute I will note the absence of a quorum, but we are working on a consent agreement that would schedule two votes after the weekly caucus conference lunches. We will possibly be able to do that. We are trying to get that written up. As soon as we get it written up, I will present it. But I see my colleague from Texas is ready to speak, so I will yield the floor and let her go ahead.