Kay Hutchison

Mrs. HUTCHISON

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Durbin and ask for its consideration.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I urge its adoption.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Durbin and Senator Murray and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I urge its adoption.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I urge its adoption.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Salazar be added as the original cosponsor of the Feingold amendment that was just passed by consent.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I urge its adoption.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Thank you, Mr. President. I certainly appreciate the comments of my ranking member, Senator Feinstein, with whom I have worked very closely on this bill. We have tried to accommodate every Member to the best of our ability with the priorities that many Members are concerned about--certain areas of the Veterans' Administration particularly. I think we have addressed those concerns in a responsible way. I think it is very important to pass this bill because we have stayed within our budget allocation. We will be coming in later, I am sure, with some supplemental health for veterans facilities that have been in the hurricane-affected areas of our country, but I hope we will be able to defeat the Akaka amendment, which would skew the cap on the bill, and then go to final passage. I think it is a bill everyone can support. It certainly goes further in terms of meeting our veterans' needs than any veterans bill has ever done, including the supplemental $3.2 billion, because the Secretary of Veterans Affairs came to us and said our models are wrong, we need more money, and we have supplied that money on a bipartisan basis. I recommend this to my colleagues.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I am happy to yield.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, which amendment is pending? Vote on Amendment No. 1852

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mrs. HUTCHISON

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, September 22, 2005, at 9 a.m., to hold a hearing on nominations.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 22, 2005, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on ``Examining the Financial Services Industry's Responsibilities and Role in Preventing Identity Theft and Protecting Sensitive Financial Information.''

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Thursday, September 22, 2005, at 10 a.m., on Communications in a Disaster, in SD-562.

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet on Thursday, September 22, 2005, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing on the following pending nominations: Environmental Protection Agency, George M. Gray, of Massachusetts, to be an assistant administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Edward McGaffigan, Jr., of Virginia, to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the term of 5 years expiring June 30, 2010. Department of the Interior, H. Dale Hall, of New Mexico, to be director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Environmental Protection Agency, Lyons Gray, of North Carolina, to be chief financial officer, Environmental Protection Agency. Department of Commerce, Santanu K. Baruah, of Oregon, to be assistant secretary of Commerce for Economic Development.