Pete Domenici

Mr. DOMENICI

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

Mr. DOMENICI. Senator, that isn't true. Just a while ago we agreed to a unanimous consent that they would be side-by-side amendments. That is not a second-degree amendment.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask the distinguished ranking member if we could let Senator Corzine have the first vote.

Mr. DOMENICI. That means they will have an amount of time to debate between them. It should be 2 minutes. It was going to be 1. Then we will be able to vote on the two amendments side by side.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I understand the situation is such that Senator Murkowski wants to offer a second degree. But I understand that we want to handle that as we have handled other second-degree amendments. Is that correct?

Mr. DOMENICI. I thank the Chair.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, we have the concurrence of the distinguished Senator from Tennessee and the ranking member of our committee that we set this amendment aside temporarily. I ask unanimous consent that be the status of the amendment.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I have done my best. I talked to Senators. He has requested a rollcall vote since early this afternoon. He told me about it. We can waste more time talking about why he should not get it than to go ahead and have the vote. Then we will get on to the next one and do everything we can to avoid it.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, the Senator can take his minute, but I wonder if we need a rollcall vote. We are willing to accept it.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. DOMENICI. May we have order. Amendment No. 216

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I had understood from the distinguished Senator who offered the next amendment there was no need to have a rollcall vote on it.

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

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, deficit reduction was the issue then; surpluses are the issue today. But the real issue is whether or not we are going to consider and give the American people a tax break. The issue is whether the President of the United States is going to have his proposals considered by a committee and then voted on by the Senate, instead of being whittled away by time and by the consumption of all types of amendments and all types of dilatory tactics. Last, without question, we have tried by unanimous consent--we have offered unanimous consent approaches--so we would not have to do reconciliation. We cannot get that done. When that cannot be done, we have to do this one, or we will not get a tax cut for the American people. That is the issue. The rest is talk. The issue tonight is, will we or will we not have a tax cut for the American people? I yield whatever time I have and ask for the yeas and nays on the Domenici amendment.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 5, 2001 at 4:15 p.m. to hold a business meeting.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I understand that H.R. 8, which was just received from the House, is at the desk, and I now ask for its first reading.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask for its second reading and object to my own request on behalf of my colleagues.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 67, submitted earlier by Senators Helms and Edwards.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 31, S. 700.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, Senator Hatch has an amendment at the desk for himself and others. I ask for its consideration.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar No. 36, William Taft, IV; Calendar No. 37, Argeo Paul Cellucci; and nominations on the Secretary's desk in the Foreign Service. I further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be confirmed en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then return to legislative session.