Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed; the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 463.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.J. Res. 57.

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the joint resolution be considered read a third time and passed; the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and any statements relating to the joint resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions at the desk be discharged from their respective committees and the Senate proceed to their consideration, en bloc.

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the amendments at the desk be agreed to; the resolutions, as amended, if amended, be agreed to; the preambles, as amended, if amended, be agreed to; the title amendment, where applicable, be agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 455 through S. Res. 462, which were introduced earlier today, en bloc.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I am happy to consider it, as we have been considering it this morning, last night, and yesterday. We will continue to work with the Senator. There are no commitments to be made at this point because there are objections.

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed; the preambles be agreed to; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, en bloc.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I welcome everybody this morning. It is unusual to have to meet on a Sunday, but in order to complete the Nation's business, we are doing just that. I know that it has interrupted a number of people's schedules, but we are forced to do so in order to complete business which does affect the safety and security of the American people. This morning, we will continue debate on the conference report to accompany the FSC, or JOBS bill. We have controlled debate time until the cloture vote, which will occur at 1 p.m. today. If Senators desire to debate the conference report prior to that cloture vote, there will be a limited amount of time and therefore they should notify us early this morning of their request. We hope and expect cloture to be invoked at 1 today. If invoked, we would hope the Senate would then act expeditiously on the conference report. As a reminder, not that many hours ago but when we closed last night, I filed cloture motions on the two conference reports to accompany the Military Construction appropriations bill and the Homeland Security appropriations bill. As I said last night, I regret having to file those cloture motions. However, there was an objection from the other side of the aisle. I understand the Homeland Security appropriations bill passed unanimously in the House of Representatives. I know of absolutely no issues in that conference report to cause this delay. Therefore, once again, I ask my colleagues to take that into consideration so we can proceed on this very important Homeland Security appropriations bill. That is money to be invested in our security and safety and it is time for us to act. It is unfortunate that because of the action on the other side of the aisle we are holding up money that will be used to further secure this country. Having said that, I hope the Members on the other side will rethink this objection and allow us to proceed. I further hope that we can get the disaster package passed in short order as well. It is time to pass this package. We are talking about money to respond to emergencies, to drought, to hurricanes. We are ready to deliver all of that money if we can remove the objections from the other side of the aisle. Again, I remind my colleagues that the vote will occur at 1 on the cloture motion on FSC/ETI.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the previous order be modified so that on Monday, Senator Boxer be recognized for up to 30 minutes, and that at that time the sense-of-the-Senate resolution submitted by Senator Boxer, which is currently at the desk, be considered and adopted, with the motion to reconsider laid upon the table.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Through the Chair, that would be for tonight?

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on Monday, October 11. I further ask 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 resume consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 4520, the FSC/ ETI JOBS bill; and the time until 12 be divided as follows: Senator Boxer, 15 minutes; Senator Landrieu, 30 minutes; Senator Baucus or his designee, 15 minutes; Senator Grassley or his designee, 60 minutes.

Mr. FRIST. I will do that shortly.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I do again want to emphasize what the distinguished assistant minority leader has said. What the American people see and what our colleagues see on the floor is a tiny portion of what is going on, whether it is the pages, law enforcement, Capitol Police, and the hundreds of staff people who are here to make this operation work, from early this morning until late tonight, and they will actually be here well after we close down. So we do want to express our appreciation, especially on this weekend when it is not totally unprecedented, but it is very unusual.

Mr. FRIST. Tomorrow, the Senate will resume consideration of the FSC/ ETI JOBS conference report. Under the previous order, at 12 we will proceed to a vote on adoption of that conference report. That will be a rollcall vote. Following that vote, the order provides for us to dispose of the Military Construction appropriations bill and the Homeland Security appropriations bill and a number of other housekeeping measures. As we indicated earlier, those will be completed without rollcall votes. Therefore, for scheduling purposes we will have one rollcall vote at 12, and that should conclude our voting. Again, I thank Members for their participation over this weekend. We had a very full day yesterday and a very, very full day today. I do appreciate the cooperation of everyone. It was a real inconvenience to people's schedules, but it has allowed us to reach conclusion at a much earlier time than we would otherwise.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on the bill (S. 643) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with the University of New Mexico, to construct and occupy a portion of the Hibben Center for Archaeological Research at the University of New Mexico. The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, finally, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order, following up to 20 minutes to be used in morning business by our colleague from the great State of Missouri.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on the bill (S. 144) to require the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to provide assistance through States to eligible weed management entities to control or eradicate harmful, nonnative weeds on public and private land. The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur in the House amendment to both bills, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, en bloc, and that any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of H.R. 3391, H.R. 3479, H.R. 4593, H.R. 4827, H.R. 1630, and H.R. 4579 which are at the desk.

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the amendments at the desk be agreed to, the bills, as amended, if amended, be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, and any statements relating to the bills be printed in the Record.