Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I believe that following the cloture, if cloture is not invoked on the Martinez amendment tomorrow, we will follow that immediately with a cloture vote on the bill itself, the border security bill.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the problem with tomorrow is, we will be in the exact same situation. If cloture is not invoked, we will have one amendment up. We will be exactly where we are now, with your ability to do what you have done, what the Democratic side has done, for the last week and a half, and that is not to allow amendments to come forward and continue to block and obstruct. That is the problem, that we can't come to an agreement on a package. And we have tried to bring it up with a group of amendments, say 20 amendments. We have tried to say let's take one amendment at a time. And the problem is that process is being thwarted, whatever technique we try. I will not support cloture tomorrow and I don't think our side of the aisle will support cloture tomorrow because it denies our Members the right to offer their amendments and debate them.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture motions with respect to executive calendar Nos. 239 and 310 be vitiated; provided further that the Senate immediately proceed to their consideration en bloc. I further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be confirmed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate return to legislative session.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Armed Services Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Con. Res. 85 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

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 concurrent resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4979 received from the House.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read the 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

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 437, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 8:30 a.m, Friday, April 7. I further ask unanimous 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 resume consideration of S. 2454, the border security bill, with 1 hour of debate equally divided between the managers or their designees prior to the cloture vote. I further ask unanimous consent that the Senate then proceed to a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to commit, as under the previous order. Further, I ask unanimous consent that with respect to cloture motions filed yesterday on the motion to commit and the underlying bill, that the mandatory quorums under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, as in executive session with respect to the cloture motions filed yesterday on nominations, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, following the 1 hour tomorrow for closing remarks, the Democratic leader and I will make statements prior to the cloture vote on the motion to commit. The vote will therefore occur at approximately 9:45 in the morning. If cloture is not invoked, we will proceed to a cloture vote on the underlying bill. We also have two remaining cloture votes scheduled on nominations, although we are hopeful we can work out an agreement for a vote on one of those nominations. Senators can expect a busy and full day.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I come to the floor, and I am broadly supported by our caucus, because we come to a moment in time where people are looking at the Senate, America is looking at the Senate, and asking: Why? Why are we at a point where we are addressed with a problem that is not insurmountable--seemingly insurmountable at times but a problem which can be addressed, which addresses the issues that are so fundamental to our country--issues of national security, issues of fairness, issues of compassion--challenges that if not addressed will continue to grow, thereby threatening the security of the American people, who are watching. Republicans are here--we see it right here on the floor right now-- and we have been here since last Wednesday on a bill doing what the American people expect; that is, identifying a problem, discussing a problem, putting together amendments in order to take a bill to the floor and, therefore, improve a bill. And yet we are being denied that basic opportunity. Right this very moment, we are here to address a national problem, a problem that is pressing. It impacts every American listening. I mentioned the word ``fairness'' because it is basically a matter of fairness--of fairness to a group of people, the 12 million undocumented people here in this country today, who, yes, came here illegally, but who are listening and watching right now and asking that question, Will my plight be addressed and addressed appropriately? It has to do with fairness to the Senate, where each of us came here probably for different reasons, but to participate in governing and moving America forward to a future that we know will be safer, that will be healthier, that will be more prosperous; and fairness for our constituents, who are scratching their heads right now, at first maybe saying, well, there it is, the Senate, once again, not able to address problems, but then, after a moment, saying that is wrong; those are the people who are sent to Washington to represent us, to address the toughest, most fundamental problems that are out there today, and that is our secureness, our security, to address issues that affect internal enforcement of the laws of the land, a nation of laws, and, yes, a nation that has captured the richness of our immigrants. Twelve million people are living in the shadows. I would argue that today our Democratic colleagues are living in the shadows by not standing up and addressing the problems, the challenges, the opportunities that have been identified. The minority refuses to vote. They refuse to give us simple votes, up-or-down votes, on issues we can debate on the floor, that we are ready to debate. The other side of the aisle is refusing to govern. That is why we came to the Senate. They refuse to come to the table to even attempt to address the problem. They are willing to let these 12 million people continue to struggle. They are willing to let our national security, by not addressing the problem, be compromised. They are willing to let our health care, our education, and our immigration system be crippled. I come to the floor to make the statement that the immigration system is broken, and yet the Democrats today do not have the courage to address the problem, to fix the problem. They show a lack of courage, I think, conviction, and leadership to fix the problem. You fix the problem by doing something, not coming with a solution and saying: This is it; take it or leave it. It is to allow us to have an amendment proposed, to debate that amendment, and then to vote on that amendment. What happens, then, when we take an issue that is totally nonpartisan--it is not a red State, blue State, liberal, conservative, Democratic or Republican issue--and all of a sudden politics gets injected into it? Thus I ask the other side of the aisle to please put the politics aside and allow this body--100 individuals--to cast votes, take up amendments and vote on them. There have been a lot of media reports saying that caucuses are fractured--our caucus is fractured and the Democratic caucus is fractured. I think that in many ways can be overplayed, but it does reflect the fact--not the fracturing but the diversity of ideas, good ideas, that need to come to the floor and be debated in order to solve these huge problems that are out there: on the border, first and foremost; interior enforcement at the workplace; the temporary workers, the 12 million people. We have ideas right here. There are 50 different people with a bunch of ideas, yet not one is being allowed to come to the floor, lay down their amendment, have the manager take up the amendment, debate it, and then vote on that amendment. And we are not going to all agree. That is what the Senate is all about: to debate, to deliberate, to discuss, and then to act. I think our side has shown our courage to come forth and address a problem. There are not clear-cut answers and not answers everybody is going to agree with. But by working together--not Republican and Democrat, but by working together, each of us operating with our own convictions, allowed to vote with our own convictions, we can move this process forward. It comes back to fairness again. It is the fairness for each of us. It is the fairness for the 12 million. It is the fairness for the immigrants who want to come to this country, yes, legally so they will have a clearly defined system. I want to thank the members of my caucus for coming to the table. It is a tough issue, the whole immigration issue. It is a broken system. It demands to be fixed. They are ready to fix it, but right now the other side of the aisle is not allowing us. Without fail, all of our people have come forward with good ideas. We do not all agree with each other--but to work together in a constructive way, bringing out the very best of this body, when, I would argue, over the last 24 hours we have seen the absolute worst. I do believe the American people deserve better. And again, as I opened, I said the American people have to be scratching their head. Now I used to say this is another insufferable attempt of the other side to block, to obstruct, to postpone, to delay, but now I think it is beyond that. We know the American people care passionately about this issue. It is time for us to come together--not Republican versus Democrat--and allow these amendments, in an orderly way, determined by the managers, to be debated and voted upon so we can move this country forward, where we know if we act we will be safer, we will give hope where there is no hope today, we will respond with compassion, because I have confidence in the system itself.

Mr. FRIST. I am happy to yield to the distinguished Senator from Pennsylvania.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, that is correct. At this moment in time, you would not. If we were allowed to go ahead on the amendments, and once we start disposing of the amendments, this is something that would be in order.

Mr. FRIST. I now ask for the yeas and nays on the motion.

Mr. FRIST. I send a first-degree amendment to the desk.

Mr. FRIST. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. FRIST. I send a second-degree amendment to the desk.

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

Mr. FRIST. I send a cloture motion to the desk on the pending motion to commit.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the point is well made. Cloture Motion I send a cloture motion to the underlying bill to the desk.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST

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