Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. For the information of all Senators, on Monday, following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the Homeland Security appropriations bill. The chairman and ranking member will be here on Monday to work through the remaining amendments. There are currently four amendments pending. Additional amendments will be offered on Monday. Under the previous order, we will vote in relation to the Schumer HAZMAT truck amendment at 5:30 p.m. Any other votes ordered during Monday's session will be stacked to occur immediately after the vote in relation to the Schumer amendment. Therefore, Senators should expect more than one vote on Monday afternoon. Again, I remind my colleagues that next week the Rosh Hashanah holiday begins Wednesday. It is imperative that we finish the bill prior to that time. Senators should expect busy days during next week with numerous rollcall votes. Finally, I thank every one for their hard work this week. Earlier this week we were able to expedite and pass an emergency supplemental appropriations bill to help fund FEMA's efforts in Florida. Last night we passed S. 1368 relating to awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Coretta Scott King. Chairman McCain secured passage of H.R. 361, the Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act. Yesterday the Senate passed S. Res. 421, which condemned the terrorist attack in Beslan, Russia, and sent condolences, on behalf of the leaders and the U.S. Senate, to the families of those victims. Earlier this week we confirmed three additional district judges, and I hope we will continue that pattern of considering judicial nominations before we conclude our work this year. Finally, on a personal note, our colleague, Senator Smith of Oregon, who is occupying the chair now, was on the floor of the Senate last night to ensure that the Senate passed S. 2634, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which the Democratic leader, our leadership, and both sides of the aisle joined together to unanimously support.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, thank you. I think the progress has been made, and I will also state while the Democratic leader is here, we are making real progress on intelligence reform, both recommendations in terms of the relationship with the executive branch as well as internal organization and reorganization and potential reform there. A lot of people do not see that much is going on, but we are working throughout the day, each and every day, on what we both have mentioned this morning is very important business that we need to act on before we complete the session. At this juncture I think we will turn to the chairman.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, we will resume consideration of the Homeland Security appropriations bill directly. As I indicated last night, the chairman and ranking member have made substantial progress on the bill. We will continue that progress over the course of today. As we announced yesterday, there will be no rollcall votes during today's session. We do expect amendments to be offered. That will begin shortly--during consideration of the bill this morning. I understand we have some cleared amendments that we may dispose of shortly. I will defer to the chairman for an update. We can begin that process shortly. Any votes that may be ordered on the pending amendments will be ordered to occur on Monday. Senators should expect more than one rollcall vote during Monday's session. We will say more about the timing of these votes before we close later today. Again, our goal is to complete this bill on Tuesday or early Wednesday morning. This will require the cooperation of all Senators as we move toward completion of this important legislation. We have made real progress and we will continue to make real progress over the course of the day.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask for its consideration.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this is an amendment worked out in a bipartisan manner with the chairman and the ranking member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee and the ranking member of the Finance Committee. I thank Senators Cochran, Byrd, and Baucus for their cooperation. This is an amendment that is cosponsored by Senators Byrd, Cochran, Specter, Murkowski, Voinovich, DeWine, Burns, Clinton, Mikulski, and Murray. It is a very simple amendment but an important amendment to provide a small amount of additional resources for some critical areas in our war against terrorism here at home. The Baucus amendment extends custom user fees that will expire next March. He extends the fee for 3 months. This extension increases the offsetting receipts in the Federal budget by $370 million during that period of time. Senator Baucus uses these additional resources to increase funds for a northern border protection program. Senator Burns is also a cosponsor of that amendment. However, the Baucus-Burns amendment allocates $200 million of resources for this activity, leaving approximately $170 million in additional resources to fund other homeland security programs. Working with Senators on both sides of the aisle, Senator Byrd and I have crafted a second-degree amendment that further targets this additional $170 million in funds as follows: An additional $50 million for firefighters--Senator Murkowski and other Senators have been supporters of finding additional funds for our dedicated firefighters; an additional $50 million for Federal air marshals; $50 million for 501(c) nonprofit organizations that the Secretary of Homeland Security determines to be at risk of terrorist attacks--I, along with Senators Specter, Byrd, and Mikulski, have focused on the need to provide assistance to these soft targets as churches, synagogues, mosques, and various nongovernmental organizations that can fall prey to terrorists are at risk--and an additional $20 million to emergency management performance grants. This is a program strongly supported on both sides of the aisle--on our side, championed by Senator Voinovich--to meet the needs of our State and local governments. I believe the amendment has been cleared on both sides. I appreciate once again the cooperation of all involved in finding a way to provide additional resources to this important bill without violating the Budget Act or adding to the Federal deficit. Again, these amendments have been worked out on both sides of the aisle, and I urge their adoption.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, earlier this morning, Chairman Cochran offered on my behalf a bipartisan amendment that was adopted. Combined with the second degree bipartisan amendment I offered to Senator Baucus's amendment, we have provided almost $700 million in additional funds in this bill to enhance programs for our domestic security. We did this without increasing the Federal deficit, because the increased spending was offset with the extension until September 2005 an expiring custom user fee. That extension raised nearly $700 million. Let me be the first to acknowledge that this offset is included in other legislation that is in various conferences such as the FSC bill and the highway bill. But until legislation is enacted to truly extend this provision, it remains a real offset. Final legislation will sort out the use of this offset before it becomes law. The amendment I offered and cosponsored by Senator Cochran, Byrd and Voinovich provided increased resources for critical areas of homeland security: An additional $120 million for Customs and Border Protection, Salaries and Expenses. Some of these funds will be used to provide for radiation detection devices, additional border inspectors and border patrol agents; an additional $80 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to provide additional investigation personnel and additional detention facilities; an additional $81 million for rail and transit security grants; and an additional $36 million for State and Local Governments' emergency management performance grants. Again I thank all of my colleagues who worked on this amendment and appreciate the cooperation of Senator Byrd in finding a responsible approach to increased homeland security funding while not adding to the Federal deficit this next year.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 2 p.m. on Monday, September 13. 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 then begin a period of morning business for debate only until 3:30, with Senators to speak for up to 10 minutes; provided further that the Senate then resume consideration of Calendar No. 588, H.R. 4567, the Homeland Security appropriations bill. I further ask unanimous consent that at 5:30 p.m., the Senate proceed to a vote in relation to Schumer amendment No. 3615, as modified, with no amendments to the amendment in order prior to the vote.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Yes. It is something we have been working on back and forth for the last 24 hours, and that is the intention. We will try to get that early on Monday; we still have that goal for amendments to be filed. That is the intention. Because of various schedules today and the managers leaving at certain times, we didn't have everybody here to agree upon that, but that is the intention. When we come in early Monday, hopefully we can get that consent. I think both sides of the aisle agree that is the objective.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to continue its markup on Thursday, September 9, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 226. The agenda is attached. Agenda I. Nominations: Claude A. Allen, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit; David E. Nahmias, of Georgia, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia; Ricardo H. Hinojosa, to be Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission; Michael O'Neill, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission; Ruben Castillo, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission; William Sanchez, to be Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practice. II. Legislation: S. 1635, L-1 Visa (Intracompany Transferee) Reform Act of 2003, Chambliss; S. 1700, Advancing Justice through DNA Technology Act of 2003, Hatch, Biden, Specter, Leahy, DeWine, Feinstein, Kennedy, Schumer, Durbin, Kohl, Edwards; S. 2396, Federal Courts Improvement Act of 2004, Hatch, Leahy, Chambliss, Durbin, Schumer; H.R. 1417, To amend title l17, United States Code, to replace copyright arbitration royalty panels with Copyright Royalty Judges Act of 2003, Smith-TX, Berman-CA, Conyers-MI; S. 2204, A bill to provide criminal penalties for false information and hoaxes relating to terrorism Act of 2004, Hatch, Schumer, Cornyn, Feinstein; S. 1860, A bill to reauthorize the Office of National Drug Control Policy Act of 2003, Hatch, Biden, Grassley; S. ___ Department of Justice reauthorization bill; S. 2195, A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify the definition of anabolic steroids and to provide for research and education activities relating to steroids and steroid precursors Act of 2004, Biden, Hatch, Grassley, Feinstein; S.J. Res. 23, A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing for the event that one- fourth of the members of either the House of Representatives or the Senate are killed or incapacitated Act of 2003, Cornyn, Chambliss.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 9, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., in open session to receive testimony on the Investigation of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade at Abu Ghraib Prison, Iraq.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 9, 2004, at 2:30 p.m., in open session to receive testimony on the report of the independent panel to review Department of Defense Detention Operations.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning following my remarks, which will be brief, and any comments from the Democratic leader, we will have a 60-minute period for morning business, with the first 30 minutes under the control of the majority, and the last 30 minutes under the control of the Democratic side. At the conclusion of morning business, we will resume consideration of the Homeland Security appropriations bill. Last night, we were able to reach an agreement which limits amendments to the bill, and although the list is much longer than we would like, I am hopeful many of the listed amendments will not be offered. As we continue discussion among ourselves and between both sides of the aisle, hopefully many of those amendments can be either addressed in another way or will not be offered at this point in time. It is imperative for us in this body to stay focused on the safety and security of the American people, and this bill demonstrates that. We have worked very well together thus far. I want to share with my colleagues the importance of staying focused on this bill. Let's move on with the amendments--we are on the amendments--and debate them in an expeditious way so we can finish this bill. I previously stated we should finish the bill this week. Given the list of amendments which have appeared, we will, in all likelihood, go over into next week. We absolutely must have as our goal and make it reality of finishing the bill in the early part of next week or prior to the Rosh Hashanah holiday. I know Members' schedules are fluid, especially at this time of year when people have so many demands back in their home States, as well as here. The schedules are challenging, but I ask everybody to work with the Democratic leader and myself in terms of the scheduling so we can have real movement on these bills and bring them to completion in as expeditious a way as possible. On Fridays and Mondays, we will be in discussion to let people know exactly what the voting schedules will be. In large part, it depends on how much participation we get during the course of the day today and tonight and a day like yesterday. If everybody can help us, I think we will be able to complete this bill in an expeditious way with respect to everybody's schedules. We will have a full day today and this evening, I would suspect, as we continue to make progress on the bill.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I very briefly want to speak to a meeting that the leadership, not just elected leadership but leadership and interested parties, both Democrats and Republicans, had yesterday with the President of the United States, with the Senate and House represented. It was a very good meeting. The focus of that meeting was to discuss the President's views, his plans to reform the intelligence community. The focus of this body for a long time, but very specifically since the 9/11 Commission report recommendations were made, has been on the safety and security of the American people as it is reflected in the 9/11 Commission report and our study of that report. Between the House and the Senate, over 20 different hearings were held during August. I thank our colleagues for working very hard in collecting information and assessing people's ideas and thoughts from experts from around the world--from around the country and around the world--on the recommendations that were made by the 9/11 Commission. Our meeting yesterday was another step at the committee level and on the floor of the Senate, as we are on the Homeland Security bill and as we address other bills, and in meetings such as at the White House. There is a real bipartisan commitment to making progress, not a knee- jerk reaction but progress on intelligence reform. The President discussed with us his plan to complete the reorganization of the executive branch, consistent with those recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. He asked for our support. He says he does expect legislation, recognizing that once we leave in October, we will have November and January when we are not in session, and it is important for this reorganization to take place. I think there was clear support for what the President presented yesterday, a general consensus that we need to continue to move forward. As I outlined on Tuesday, and as the Democratic leader and I outlined prior to the recess, immediately after the 9/11 Commission report, we have two arms in this body addressing the recommendations. First, in no particular order, but to look outside this body, what is going on in the executive branch, and that has been delegated to the appropriate committee of jurisdiction, the Governmental Affairs Committee, under the very able leadership of Senator Collins and Senator Lieberman. They worked through August diligently collecting information on this assignment. There are many committees of jurisdiction, and those committees have participated with the Governmental Affairs Committee. They will likely mark up specific legislation the week of September 20, and then that bill will be brought to the floor the following week. The only reason I am that specific about days is to share with our colleagues the sense of urgency and the sense that we do not have that many legislative days. What is in that bill specifically and how far it goes is really up to that committee, taking the very best from all of the committees and all of our colleagues in the Senate, as well as the advice of outside experts. That is one arm. The other arm addresses the internal reform that really applies to two very important of the 41 recommendations by the 9/11 Commission, and that the Democratic leader and I have delegated to a task force that has been appointed to collect information and to discuss that information and to advise us how best to proceed. Our majority and minority whips, Senator McConnell and Senator Reid, are representing the chairs of that task force; that is, to look at the best way the Senate should be organized in this newly transformed world, internal organization, committees, new committees, changing jurisdiction. It is a tough issue because in each case it involves a change where somebody has to give up something or, in their mind, they are giving up something. The good thing about it is it is going to be bipartisan, working together. We are talking about the safety and security of the American people, and when people say this sort of task cannot be done in a highly charged political environment with Presidential races and races in this body, when it comes down to the safety and security of the American people and the appropriate oversight of the intelligence upon which that safety and security is protected, partisanship gets put aside. We are on a very tight schedule. There is a lot to be discussed, a lot to be debated. I am confident that with the focus and with the bipartisan effort we will get this done. Quickly, and it has been covered a little bit in the press today, the President's plan calls for a number of substantial changes. First and foremost is the appointment of the national intelligence director-- people are now getting comfortable with this--the ``NID,'' which is the national intelligence director. As the President described, the post would be as follows: The new director would be appointed by and report to the President, to be confirmed by the Senate. He or she will act as the principal adviser to the President. He or she would not be located in the Executive Office of the President or serve as a member of the President's Cabinet. The real news, if one looks at the headlines and the interpretation of what the President says, is this full budget authority by the national intelligence director. That director would be responsible for developing objectives and guidance for the intelligence community to ensure the timely and effective collection, analysis, processing, and dissemination of national intelligence for the country; of determining and establishing requirements and priorities for intelligence collection; of establishing intelligence analysis and production priorities for the intelligence community, and directing the national counterterrorism center. The NID would have full budget authority over the national foreign intelligence program appropriation and would have the necessary authority to carry out reforms we agree are so crucial to our Nation's security. There are a lot more details and these details will be coming forward over the next several days, but this short description gives a general outline of the direction the President has requested that we move. The purpose of creating this new post is to improve how we collect data, analyze data, and how we act upon intelligence data across agencies in order to strengthen America's defenses and stop terrorism before it ever hits. This will make us safer abroad and I believe it will clearly make us safer and more secure at home. I commend the President for his decisive leadership in this regard. He is committed to protecting the American people. As the President pointed out yesterday, many of the reforms suggested by the 9/11 Commission report had been and were being addressed by the administration. Mention was made yesterday that the administration had addressed 36 of the Commission's 41 recommendations. I look forward to working with leaders on both sides of the aisle and with both Chambers of Congress. It is going to take a lot of coordination working in the House, the Senate, and the administration. We do not have very much time. We have 22 legislative days remaining in this body, but I know there is bipartisan agreement on the security of the United States and that agreement means we cannot wait and push this off until sometime in the future. How much is addressed and what the specifics are has not yet been determined, and that is what is being worked on at the committee level and at the task force level right now. Protecting our fellow Americans from attack is the Government's highest duty. From the Oval Office to the Capitol steps, we are working hard to move America forward and to win this war on terror. That will very much be the focus of the Senate for the next 22 days, the security and safety of the American people.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I am hopeful that the House will appoint its conferees to the FSC/ETI JOBS conference so we can start producing this important conference report which affects manufacturing jobs throughout America. I am optimistic that when the conference report is finished, it will include this very important provision on State sales tax deductibility. I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning with my opening statement, I noted that most of the next 22 days on the floor of the Senate will focus on the safety and security of the American people. In addition, at the conference level, there are a number of other issues being discussed--like the FSC/ETI JOBS bills and the transportation bill for example. I want to speak to the FSC/ETI JOBS bill very briefly. There is a provision in that bill that is very important to families and workers all across Tennessee. It has to do with the deductibility of sales tax. Senator Hutchison, Congressman Brady and Congresswoman Blackburn have all worked tirelessly on this issue. The majority leader in the House, Congressman DeLay, has as well. I thank them all for their continued leadership. And I appreciate all they have done to see that State sales tax deductibility was included in the House version of the JOBS bill. I have heard from countless Tennesseans about their adamant desire to be able to deduct sales tax from their Federal income tax. Again and again it comes back to a matter of equity and fairness. Mr. Henry Branch from Goodlettsville, TN wrote to me, Senator Alexander and Congressman Jim Cooper with his one request. His words: I hold that sales tax deductibility should be very seriously considered since continuation of the current status penalizes citizens of all states not having a broad-based income tax. I simply ask that all of you work together to remove the inequity. A matter of equity. Mr. James Griggs from Nashville writes: I cannot conceive of a single reason why states that use a different type of tax system should be punished for it. It seems to me to be a clever ploy to force states into using income taxes instead, a position I strongly stand against. In my opinion, citizens should be able to deduct any kind of tax they pay. A matter of fairness. Mr. Robert McCulloch from Knoxville writes: Having just completed my Federal income tax return for 2003, I am once again reminded how unfairly treated are the good citizens of Tennessee. As all of these fine Tennesseans point out, enactment of this provision will restore a measure of fairness to the Tax Code that existed up until 1986, but was lost at that point in time. The current Federal Tax Code unfairly encourages States to impose an income tax because part of that cost is borne by the national Treasury. This is wrong. The Federal Government should be neutral on how States decide to raise revenue. States should be able to decide for themselves without the intrusion of Federal tax policy. We must restore equity and fairness to the system. It also is consistent with the principles of fairness to all taxpayers. Deductibility for State sales taxes was eliminated in 1986, but deductibility for State income taxes was retained. It is long past time to fix this fundamentally unfair and counterproductive result. If someone at any time wants to debate whether the Federal Tax Code should allow a deduction for any State and local taxes, whether it is a sales tax or an income tax, be that as it may, that debate could take place. But there is no principled reason why sales taxes should be denied a deduction that is applicable to income taxes. Equally important, including the deductibility of sales tax will also provide a direct boost to consumers and to our economy. For example, in Tennessee alone, almost one-quarter of all taxpayers would receive an average benefit of $470 each. Citizens in States such as Texas, South Dakota and Tennessee could use that money to buy school supplies, to invest in their businesses, to make a downpayment for a car, to pay off some of those credit card bills. This provision takes relatively little from the Federal Treasury but monumentally changes the lives and livelihoods of the 54 million Americans living in States that have chosen not to impose an income tax.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in this body, occasionally we have such moments we share as colleagues, and they are probably more rare than any of us would like. The rarity is really centering around what we have heard, and that is a juxtaposition, a coming together of probably the deepest pain and sorrow and sadness with a real celebration, manifested in part by the birthday of Garrett Lee Smith, but also the celebration and accomplishment that can only be accomplished on the floor of the Senate, working with the House, working with the President of the United States, where a piece of legislation is passed and you know it is going to affect scores of lives, hundreds of lives, and directly and indirectly thousands of lives of people we will never see, faces we will never see, but who will be touched in a way that is most powerful, and that is allowing them to lead fulfilling lives and not be captured by tragedy which, without this legislation, unfortunately today, where we are, would occur. It is that oneness of humanity, of the ups and the downs, but the goodness that comes out of it that this bill represents. The comments by both Senator Smith and Senator DeWine reflect it so well. Senator Smith thanked so many of the people. I think it is very useful to do because it allows them to be thanked, but more importantly for others to see how hard it is, even with legislation that we know will save lives and do good, to pass legislation in this body and in the House. It takes a lot of people working together, unselfishly, to produce a beautiful product such as has been passed minutes ago. The act itself reaches out to a population we know is going through the most dynamic changes at any stage in life, as the population travels through adolescence, meeting changes and challenges, leaving certain securities and insecurities of their past and being struck day in and day out. And up until passage of this bill, there was simply not help there, or it was not there when somebody reached out. The wonderful thing this bill does, through referral networks, through programs to raise awareness of teen suicide and youth suicide, until we have a program that trains faculty and others to respond when a student does reach out, things will simply not change. That is what this bill does. I want to in particular say thank you to our colleague Senator Gordon Smith. This is painful. This is a real triumph, which is the celebratory part, but it is a difficult moment for him, for Sharon, for his family. As he mentioned, it has been a year and a day ago since the death of his son Garrett. But since that time, working through the grief and the sorrow and the sadness and the loss that can't even be described in words, he and Sharon have consistently and eloquently and passionately spoken about not their own needs but the needs for others, others who they don't know but who they know exist, both today and tomorrow, those who suffer in some shape or form from some type of mental illness. No one can bring back a life that has been lost, but as those of us who have worked with our colleague Senator Smith and who have watched and who have observed, he has helped teach us that through this process lives can be saved. It touches home to many of us. This particular bill addresses this sort of youth suicide, teen suicide. And those of us who have kids that age--my three boys are 18, 19, and 21 years of age--as Senator Smith mentioned, in that age group, suicide is the third leading cause of death. Thirty thousand people die each year as a result of suicide. That is one person every 17 minutes. Suicide has touched Senator Smith and his family personally, other Members of this body. You don't realize how many people it touches, as we have discussed before, until something tragic like this happens. But it touches people throughout this body, indeed throughout the country. This legislation helps turn those tragedies into direct assistance to the benefit of others. This bill addresses suicide when it occurs at the most tragic time of one's life. That is in those years where one is leaving, going through the teen years and adolescence and moving on to those years of the prime of their life. We know, though, that with help and response, prevention occurs and lives are saved. There are early detection, early prevention strategies, all of which this bill allows for the first time in legislation to come alive. That is what the legislation is all about. It is about helping those who are at risk, who may or may not show symptoms or signs, but it helps bring those to the surface with an appropriate response that will change the course that has been so tragic in so many people's lives. In closing, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act is a fitting tribute to Garrett Smith and the love his family has for him. Senator Smith has fought for its passage not only as a Senator but as a caring father. It has passed this body unanimously, exactly as it should have. I yield the floor, celebrating and in closing saying, happy birthday, Garrett Lee Smith.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. For the information of all Senators, tomorrow before we proceed to our regular business the Senate will observe a moment of silence in further remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001. The anniversary of those tragic events is not tomorrow, but on Saturday when the Senate will be out of session. Therefore, we will remember the anniversary during tomorrow's session. I therefore ask unanimous consent that immediately following the prayer and the pledge tomorrow, the Senate then observe a moment of silence to further remember the events of September 11.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. 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.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Following those remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the Homeland Security appropriations bill. There will be no rollcall votes tomorrow; however, a number of Senators will be here to offer and debate their amendments. I do encourage all Senators who wish to offer amendments tomorrow to contact the bill managers as soon as possible. It is our intention to complete action on this bill early next week, and rollcall votes will occur on Monday afternoon. We will have more to say about next week's schedule tomorrow.

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 that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Commerce Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 361 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.