Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, before closing, I am going to make a brief comment--and there will be a lot more to say later in the year--on my friend and colleague Chairman Bill Thomas in the House of Representatives. He has an old saying: ``I came here to make law.'' Well, when he retires at the end of his 14th term serving the 22nd District of California, Chairman Thomas will be able to look back on an illustrious public career that not only made law but made history. Bill Thomas is smart. He is tenacious. He is steeped in the traditions of the House. He knows an awful lot about the traditions in the Senate as well. He has worked hard for over 25 years to deliver meaningful solutions to the American people. As chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, the chairman has authored and managed some of the most significant legislation to come before the House. His skillful leadership has led to major victories in reducing trade barriers, cutting taxes, stimulating the economy, and protecting the interests of all Americans. During the Medicare modernization debate, I spent 6 months in the chairman's Capitol office hammering out intricate, complex, tough, challenging policy details. I think it is fair to say that in those 6 months I had more than my lifetime's share of pistachios, which he always had sitting on that table and which habitually you could not help but dive into, as we talked about those many issues. A former political science professor, he is known on both sides of the aisle for his keen intellect and also his political savvy. He is known for what has been called his ``singular personality.'' Over the years, he has been, at times, passionate; he has been emotional; he has been outspoken; he has been headstrong--all qualities that have propelled him even beyond the national stage. He leaves behind a huge legacy, a storied legacy. And his presence will be missed when he retires. Back in 1995, Chairman Bill Thomas told the Los Angeles Times: People say I'm not as touchy feely as I should be. But I never ran for the job to be touchy feely. I salute the chairman for his commitment to principle and his unflagging service to his country. I wish him and his lovely wife Sharon all the best as they embark on the journey ahead. I had the opportunity to meet with him at the end of last week, and we talked about the future, we talked about the short-term future. He made it very clear he has a lot to do over the next several months right here in the Congress.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the Senate now proceed to consideration of S. Res. 391, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this resolution concerns a civil action filed by a former employee of the Architect of the Capitol against an employee of the Senate along with various employees of the Architect of the Capitol and a Capitol Police Officer. The plaintiff in the case claims that the defendants conspired to retaliate against him in his employment because he had tried to report misconduct in the operations of the Architect of the Capitol. The plaintiff seeks damages from the defendants in this case for allegedly violating his constitutional rights. The claims against the Senate employee, whose involvement in this suit arises solely out of her oversight role as a staff member on the Appropriations Committee, are subject to dismissal on numerous legal grounds, including failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, and legislative and qualified immunity from suit. This resolution authorizes the Senate Legal Counsel to represent the Senate employee in this case and to move to dismiss the claims against her.

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today the Senate began debate on the lobbying reform package which we will continue to consider over this week. Tomorrow morning, shortly before 11, we will have a cloture vote on the LIHEAP bill. We expect to invoke cloture, and I hope that if cloture is invoked, we can work out an agreement to finish that bill in short order. That will allow us to return to the lobbying reform measure tomorrow and hopefully make good progress on that measure. I anticipate the Senate will stand in recess to accommodate the weekly policy luncheons tomorrow, and we will lock in that order tomorrow. Members are reminded that we have a full week ahead and to plan their schedules accordingly.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, March 7. I further ask consent that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved, and the Senate then resume consideration of S. 2320, the LIHEAP funding bill, for 1 hour of debate equally divided between Senators Snowe and Ensign or their designees; further that following that time, the Senate proceed to a vote on the motion to invoke cloture, as under the previous order.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I take that. But let's move on to pensions. This is getting old, and it is almost childish in terms of us not getting to conference. People are going to be hurt again.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the live quorum be waived and that this vote occur on Tuesday, March 7, following the period for morning business and a 1-hour period of equally-divided debate on LIHEAP.

Mr. FRIST. For schedule purposes, we now have up to three votes scheduled for Monday on three U.S. district judges, as well as the cloture vote on LIHEAP which will occur Tuesday morning, sometime prior to the policy meetings. I expect that today will be a relatively short session. If Senators do wish to come to the floor to speak, they should do so as soon as possible this morning. I yield the floor. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask the Democratic leader to stay on the floor just so we can discuss some of these issues. And I apologize for not being here. I was in my office, and so I don't know exactly what issues he talked about. But I am fascinated by the comments on stem cells and would love to talk further about stem cells in terms of both the power and the potential for stem cells to cure, something I have spent a lot of time with and know something about. But if the implication was made that for some reason the issues surrounding life, surrounding cures, surrounding healing are any less important to this side than the other side of the aisle, I think it is disingenuous to say. I say to the Democratic leader, on stem cells--he knows I am a great advocate for the potential and promise for embryonic stem cells, the practical application; where I have run a transplant center, where tens of thousands of people have benefited from the procedures of adult stem cells, mainly bone marrow transplants--I hope he does not question my commitment to healing, to addressing that this year. He knows it was the other side of the aisle that refused the unanimous consent request last year in July where we would take up four different stem cell bills. And, again, I was not on the floor, but I would ask the Democratic leader what point he was trying to make in terms of stem cells?

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, so we can make it clearly understood--and I apologize for not being on the floor--the Democratic leader understands and has agreed to the fact that we are going to address stem cells as early as we possibly can this year, that that is a commitment that was made after the unanimous consent request was not accepted from the other side to address it last July, that that commitment is there in working together to address this important issue.

Mr. FRIST. Bipartisan, working together.

Mr. FRIST. But things such as asbestos, you can't deny that there are patients with mesothelioma and clinical diseases today who are being hurt by the system and that that is not an important issue from a humanitarian standpoint, from a healing standpoint, for people who are suffering from disease right now, dying from lung cancer today who are not getting adequate compensation or appropriate compensation in a timely way. You don't mean to imply that we should not be addressing this asbestos crisis that is out there that also has a huge healing humanitarian component to it?

Mr. FRIST. Then, on pensions, my staff said that you mentioned pensions, perhaps trying to stack the issues for downtown interests, the majority decided to play games. What are you even implying? We finished this bill on November 15 on this floor. We completed it. The House finished it a month later. We have been waiting to go to conference now for I guess 3 months. My distinguished colleague knows it is the majority that ultimately sets the ratios. The ratio has been crystal clear for weeks now, and now the argument seems to be shifting that there are outside interests dictating all this, when I have been crystal clear for weeks now on what those ratios will be. What is the implication, that there is somebody outside dictating what we are doing?

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment at the desk, which is the text of S. 1783 as passed by the Senate, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and the Senate insist upon its amendment and request a conference with the House, and the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees at a ratio of 9 to 7.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Chair now lay before the Senate the House message to accompany S. 1777. The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message:

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate concur in the House amendment, the motion to reconsider be laid on the able, and any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4107 and H.R. 4295 en bloc.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bills be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 389, which was submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning we will be returning briefly to the LIHEAP bill sponsored by Senator Snowe. No rollcall votes will occur today, although Senators may come to the floor to address the LIHEAP issue. In a moment I will file cloture on the bill. That cloture vote will occur on Tuesday under the provisions of rule XXII. I remind everyone that last night I scheduled votes on three district judges to occur at 5:30 on Monday. We will also begin debate on the lobbying reform bill early next week. The Rules Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have completed their work on lobbying reform and therefore we will be ready next week for full Senate consideration. I believe we can finish the LIHEAP measure and the lobbying reform bill next week. This will take full days of session and a lot of cooperation on both sides of the aisle. I do hope that we can stay on track and give the appropriate attention to both of these measures and conclude by the end of the week.