J. Exon

Mr. EXON

Mr. EXON. I ask unanimous consent that the unanimous-consent request not be charged to either side. In order to try to accommodate as many people as possible we are trying to shrink down this time. I ask unanimous consent that, rather than one-half hour of time on this amendment, it be reduced by 5 minutes each to 25 minutes per side.

Mr. EXON. Will the Senator yield for a second for a unanimous-consent request?

Mr. EXON. So I hope the Chair could recognize the Senator from Arkansas, following 1\1/2\ minutes that I would like to yield at this time to the Senator from Vermont.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, as I understand it we are now prepared to go to the next item that will be offered by the Senator from Arkansas with 30 minutes equally divided; is that correct?

Mr. EXON. I will yield 30 seconds to the Senator from Maryland.

Mr. EXON. I am sorry. Another 30 seconds. I am trying to conserve time on this side.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Massachusetts for his excellent presentation, and I agree with his remarks. I agree with his conclusion. I hope we can move in an expeditious fashion. I yield 8 minutes off the bill to my colleague from North Dakota.

Mr. EXON. I yield.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, if I could answer briefly the Senator's question. It is a good one. We have been trying to work on this since yesterday afternoon. It appears we are very close to agreement that allows us to start voting up or down on these amendments sometime early this afternoon and very late into the evening.

Mr. EXON

Mr. EXON. I thank the Chair. I hope at this time the Chair could recognize the Senator from Massachusetts. Mr. KENNEDY addressed the Chair.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, after conversation with several Senators, including my distinguished colleague from Michigan, I think we have general agreement now that we will, under the previous order, move to the next order of business, which is the so-called education amendment. The time under that amendment will be controlled by the Senator from Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy, who I think is ready to offer the amendment. In the interest of conserving time--we have had a general agreement--and I ask unanimous consent at this time that instead of the 2 hours, 1 hour each side, on the education amendment, that the time be reduced to 90 minutes or 45 minutes per side. I propose that as a unanimous consent request.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I congratulate the excellent statement and arguments that have been made by my distinguished colleague from Florida on the matter at hand. I believe we are about ready to come down to the end of this and go on to the education amendment. But before we proceed, I wish to yield 1 minute to the Senator from Connecticut.

Mr. EXON

Mr. EXON. Under the usual procedures, there is 1 hour under the control of the minority. I have just yielded that 1 hour to the Senator from Florida, and, of course, there is also 1 hour for the Senator from Georgia.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, we can then proceed at this time in the usual fashion. I am pleased to yield 1 hour off the bill of time to be controlled by the Senator from Florida who wishes to address the matter, and I hope the Chair will recognize the Senator from Florida at this time.

Mr. EXON. Since Senator Nickles is not here, in order to conserve time, could we temporarily set that aside and allow the Senator from Florida to proceed with his presentation?

Mr. EXON. I thank my colleague.

Mr. EXON. Then we would go to the Medicaid amendment.

Mr. EXON

Mr. EXON. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Bradley Motion to Commit

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I understand that the Bradley motion is next. I would appreciate, if possible, the Chair recognizing the Senator from New Jersey for the purpose of a 1-minute statement.

Mr. EXON. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 2959

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I understand the next vote is on the Kennedy amendment. Have the yeas and nays been ordered?

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

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, the Senate is not in order.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the motion was agreed to.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished Senator from Illinois, Senator Simon.