Robert Dole

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. I would ask unanimous consent to proceed for 30 seconds.

Mr. DOLE. Did we order the yeas and nays on all the amendments?

Mr. DOLE. Right. We are going to go down--that is right, yes.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me indicate that we have addressed this concern, and I think as Senator Chafee pointed out, if we really want to find the best provision, we ought to compare the two. We may not vote on the Pryor amendment tonight. I will decide how many amendments we vote on this evening. So we will have an opportunity to look at the language in both. If you are looking for a political vote, we can have the political vote, but if you are looking for the best provision--it was worked out with Senator Cohen, Senator Snowe, Senator Chafee, and others on this side of the aisle. We think it is a pretty good provision. So I hope if we are interested in getting the best provision in the bill, we will do as Senator Domenici suggested: Wait until morning, have a vote, find out which is the superior provision, and then vote accordingly.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, this will be an 8-minute vote.

Mr. DOLE. Then we go to tier three.

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. I ask unanimous consent that I may use a portion of that leader time without it being charged against either side.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, has leader time been reserved?

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. Let me explain to our colleague where we go after the voting sequence that will occur after 10 minutes of debate by Senator Kassebaum or her designee. Republicans will be entitled to offer the next three amendments in a row as a result of a previous agreement. Then each side will alternate until the remaining amendments, limited to 10 minutes each, have been debated. The Senate will then begin voting on those debated amendments, and then begin voting on all amendments Members are going to offer which would have no debate time. We would just offer it. There will be a little explanation. It will be the majority leader's intention to keep the Senate in until approximately midnight tonight and resume the voting sequence until concluded on Friday. We could vary a little bit either way this evening depending on how much progress we make. And I have discussed this with the Democratic leader. It is our hope that we could finish voting and have final passage by midafternoon tomorrow. That will depend, of course, on whether Members on the other side feel compelled to continue to offer amendment after amendment after amendment when all time has expired. But that will be determined later. And I thank the Democratic leader for his cooperation. I will be happy to yield to the Senator from South Dakota.

Mr. DOLE. I further ask unanimous consent that the next 10 Republican amendments and the next 10 Democratic amendments be limited to 10 minutes equally divided in the usual form, with no amendments in order to any of the next 20 amendments offered.

Mr. DOLE. I further ask that Senator Kassebaum or her designee now be recognized to offer a first-degree amendment concerning education and the time be limited to 10 minutes equally divided in the usual form, with no amendments in order to the amendment, and the vote occur immediately following the vote on or in relation to the Kennedy amendment in the voting sequence.

Mr. DOLE. I have been informed by Senator Daschle, the Democratic leader, that they will limit their amendments that they will offer after all time has expired, and with that commitment I now ask unanimous consent that all first-degree amendments pending to motions to recommit and all pending second-degree amendments be withdrawn.

Mr. DOLE. This will leave the following issues that need to be disposed of by rollcall votes that have been debated yesterday and up to this point today: The Rockefeller motion concerning Medicare, followed by the Abraham amendment concerning Medicare fraud, and the Bradley motion concerning EITC; the Graham, of Florida, motion concerning Medicaid; Kennedy amendment concerning education; Bumpers motion concerning deficit reduction; Baucus motion concerning rural restoration. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that all votes in this sequence after the first vote be limited to 10 minutes in length, with 2 minutes for explanation between each vote to be equally divided in the usual form.

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

Mr. DOLE

Mr. DOLE. I ask unanimous consent that we have an hour on each side on the motion to recommit.

Mr. DOLE. On each side?

Mr. DOLE. That would, in effect, take care of your so-called tier 1 amendments.

Mr. DOLE. I do not disagree with the Senator. But I think until we have an agreement, it probably would not work, because we would be forced, in effect, to offer amendments and may not want to offer amendments. We will keep that in mind. I think you are right, we ought to have the amendment and second degree, and then vote. I think while we are trying to work this out--well, we should know by 1 o'clock tomorrow.

Mr. DOLE. The majority whip is working on a list and when it is available, we can do that. I think the majority whip is working on that list as I speak. Is there any objection?

Mr. DOLE. I make that request. Is there any objection to my request?

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

Mr. DOLE. No. Keep counting.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me sort of outline here what we have agreed to do. I want to thank the Democratic leader and the Senator from New Mexico and others who have been working on this, along with the Senator from Kentucky, Senator Ford. As I understand it, we have laid aside the Rockefeller Medicare amendment and the Brown amendment to Rockefeller. The Abraham amendment is pending, and that will be second-degreed by Senator Harkin. After that debate, that will be laid aside, and then the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Bradley] will offer a motion to recommit EITC, and Republicans will offer a first-degree amendment. Following that, we will recess for the night, leaving approximately 8 hours remaining. Then tomorrow morning, the Senator from New Jersey will have an additional 20 minutes or 30 minutes starting at 9 o'clock on the EITC.

Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, the pending business is what?

Mr. DOLE. It is my understanding that the ranking member, Senator Exon, is now prepared to offer the Medicare amendment. We have not yet reached an overall agreement. So I cannot say it will not be second- degreed, or whatever. At least we can start on that amendment. I guess it is a motion to recommit. I did not see the leader on the floor. I think we can start on that. That would give us some time to start talking back and forth.