J. Exon

Mr. EXON

Mr. EXON. We are prepared for the vote. I asked for the yeas and nays.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, this a sense of the Congress that no Member of Congress may use campaign funds to defend against sexual harassment lawsuits. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. EXON

Mr. EXON. I had made a suggestion along those lines that I think Senator Byrd outlined, and maybe even to speed things up, we can cut the votes to 5 minutes.

Mr. EXON. Of course, that is up to the leader. I certainly say that I have suggested to Senator Daschle and to the chairman of the Budget Committee--and maybe it has not reached you--that possibly we can cut down some of those at some time. I hope we can work out something to cut down the time that has to be taken for all those votes.

Mr. EXON. As I understand it, the Senator will send the amendment to the desk for later consideration.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I have an additional speaker that I would be glad to yield to at this time.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the Senator from Ohio, followed by 2 minutes to the Senator from Virginia, followed by 2 minutes to the Senator from Connecticut.

Mr. EXON. I will simply advise the Senator, possibly could we take care of the matters that have been agreed to now? I have one Senator who asked to have 3\1/2\ minutes. I have the 3\1/2\ minutes remaining, but now I do not have the Senator. I would like to give the remainder to him. Maybe the Senator from New Mexico has some time to give me for closing matters. If not, may we take care of those matters agreed to? Amendment No. 1145

Mr. EXON. It has been agreed to on both sides.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, it seems to me that the Senator from Vermont, with all due respect, is trying to step ahead of several other Senators whom we have made commitments to. I would ask the Senator to withdraw that request.

Mr. EXON. Reserving the right to object, and I do not intend to object, I would just say, for purposes of clarification, two things. With regard to the Snowe amendment, could we insert in the language ``the Snowe amendment, as amended, if amended''?

Mr. EXON. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 1146 (Purpose: To express the sense of the Senate regarding the establishment of a nonpartisan advisory commission on budgeting and accounting)

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, before that, I will make one statement that I think may be helpful. Certainly, we would enter into a unanimous- consent agreement on this side that the reading of the amendments would not be in order. We are not going to be dilatory about this. We think that for everybody that wants a vote on their amendment--and it has been customary to have that in this body--there would be no reason to do that.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, reserving the right to object.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, I move to waive the act for the consideration of the pending amendment. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. EXON. I appreciate the accommodation, and I think there has been accommodation on both sides.

Mr. EXON. I believe the time rests with the minority. Is that correct?

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

Mr. EXON. Reserving the right to object. The minority leader is here. Are you also going to agree that with an 8-minute vote, there will be an explanation of some type before each vote, or not?

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I yield the remaining 3\1/2\ minutes of the time to the final Senator to debate the issue, as of now at least, my colleague from New Jersey.

Mr. EXON. I would like our leader to give you his feelings.

Mr. EXON. Have you done that?

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I would ask my chairman of the committee if it would be in order for me at this time to yield 10 minutes off the bill in opposition to the Snowe amendment to the Senator from Massachusetts?

Mr. EXON

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, this amendment, using a $170 billion bonus surplus, gives $15 billion to the Agriculture Committee. The rest can still be used for tax cuts.

Mr. EXON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.