Judd Gregg

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. I ask unanimous consent for a voice vote.

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

Mr. GREGG. I ask unanimous consent that the only amendments remaining in order be two by Senator Reed, one by Senator Lieberman, one by Senator Santorum, and one by Senator Snowe.

Mr. GREGG. The game plan is to go to the Santorum or Baucus amendment. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that votes on this and all further amendments be 10 minutes.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I am sure this amendment is well- intentioned, as are all amendments from the Senator from New Jersey, but essentially it creates an unnecessary level of paperwork for the enrollee in the plan, and in addition, as a practical matter, it enters into a portion of the Medicare trust fund which we have not addressed in this reconciliation bill, which is the Part D section of the trust fund, that being the new drug program the theory being that program should be allowed to get rolling before it gets amended. There are a number of regulations coming out from CMS relative to making sure the beneficiaries are adequately protected under their plan, and I believe they pick up the issues that are raised by the Senator from New Jersey. That being said, I make a point of order that the pending amendment is not germane to the measure now before the Senate, and I raise that point of order under section 305 of the Budget Act.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I would simply announce that this is a 10- minute vote and it will be 10.

Mr. GREGG. For the information of the Senate, we are now off of the original list, having completed that. So we are into a period where, between myself and the Senator from North Dakota, we have organized a series of amendments to come forward. These will continue to be 10- minute votes, and they are going to be hard 10 minutes. That means that at the end of 10 minutes, I am going to ask the vote to be closed. Secondly, I ask unanimous consent that for all amendments which are brought forward from here on, there be 2 minutes equally divided between the proponent and the opponent.

Mr. GREGG. Of course, we may actually get a voice vote in here, hopefully.

Mr. GREGG. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 2360

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, the Senator from Iowa has been kind enough to represent that he will accept a voice vote on this. I move that we proceed to a voice vote.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, the next amendment is the Lott amendment, the Amtrak amendment.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, the next item of business will be Senator Byrd's amendment.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask for a voice vote.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I want to point out for the edification of our colleagues that we still have a lot of amendments to go. The estimate is in the high teens or potentially low twenties. At the pace we are going, we are not going to get them all done today, and we are going to be here on Friday. I ask, Mr. President, if we can be advised as to how long the last three votes have taken. If we could hear from the clerks, approximately how long? We do not have to be precise. How long have the votes taken?

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, CMS has a plan in place, and 6 months ago CMS introduced a strategy for transitioning dual eligibles from Medicaid to Medicare which lays out in great detail the steps CMS will take to ensure the continuity of coverage of this valuable group of beneficiaries. Therefore, the leadership of the Finance Committee strongly opposes this amendment. I make a point of order that the pending amendment is not germane to the measure now before the Senate, and I raise a point of order under section 305 of the Budget Act.

Mr. GREGG. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, the next item is the Harkin amendment, a sense of the Senate. I ask unanimous consent that we have 2 minutes equally divided on this amendment.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the following amendments, which are acceptable to both sides, upon being sent to the desk, be agreed to, en bloc, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I yield to the Senator from Georgia.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Byrd amendment, which was to be the next amendment, be moved to be after the Landrieu amendment.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I would like to second the request of the Senator from North Dakota. I think it is a very appropriate statement. Amendment No. 2359