Trent Lott

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order, following the remarks of Senator Kennedy.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the Record remain open until 3 p.m. for the introduction of legislation and submission of statements today.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, in conjunction with the previous consent, Wednesday the Senate will be in a period of morning business from 12 noon to 12:30 p.m. Following morning business, the Senate may consider and complete final action on the following items, all in an effort to adjourn the first session of the 105th Congress. Those items include: Additional motions if necessary with respect to the omnibus appropriations bill; the adoption-foster care legislation; and any legislative or Executive Calendar items cleared for action. As previously announced, no rollcall votes will occur during Wednesday's session of the Senate, with sufficient notice being given to Senators if votes are necessary on Thursday, November 13. So we could have a vote on an omnibus appropriations bill or it could be that we would have to have votes on the separate appropriations bills, and that could be as many as three. It will just depend on how negotiations go between House and Senate conferees and the leadership over the next couple days. Senators will be notified as soon as a decision is made concerning possible votes on Thursday. The Senate will not be in session on Tuesday of this week in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, before I close, I do want to acknowledge the good work that was done on the ISTEA highway and transportation infrastructure bill. A number of Senators and Members of Congress worked on this legislation and did a very good job--of course, Senator Chafee, the chair of the committee; Senator Baucus, the ranking member; Senator Warner; Senator Bond; and others. Also, I want to thank their staffs for the work that they did well into the night last night. I know their names have already been mentioned, but I just want to add my commendations because I know that they really worked hard to get an agreement. Of course, this was just a preliminary bout of what will be a major fight next year in getting the big long-term bill done.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee amendment be agreed to.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1517, introduced earlier today by Senators Abraham and Kennedy.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be deemed read a third time and passed; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that any statements relating to the bill appear at the appropriate place in the Record.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, with regard to the Executive Calendar, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations on the Executive Calendar: No. 275, 392, 410, 412, and 427, and all nominations on the Secretary's desk in the Foreign Service. I further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be confirmed; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that any statements relating to the nominations appear at the appropriate place in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; and that the Senate then return to legislative session.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I move that the Senate concur in the amendments of the House.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee amendments be agreed to; that the bill be considered read a third time and passed; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that any statements relating to the bill appear at the appropriate place in the Record.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 285, H.R. 1658.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 276, H.R. 2366.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that any statements relating to the bill appear at the appropriate place in the Record.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that any statements relating thereto be placed at the appropriate place in the Record.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 2813 now at the desk.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on the bill (S. 714) to extend and improve the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Pilot Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to extend certain authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to services for homeless veterans, to extend certain other authorities of the Secretary, and for other purposes. The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 714) entitled ``An Act to extend and improve the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Pilot Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to extend certain authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to services for homeless veterans, to extend certain other authorities of the Secretary, and for other purposes.'', do pass with the following amendments: Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I move that the Senate concur in the amendments of the House.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on (S. 923) to deny veterans benefits to persons convicted of Federal capital offenses. The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 923) entitled ``An Act to deny veterans benefits to persons convicted of Federal capital offenses.'', do pass with the following amendments: Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1840 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I ask unanimous consent the bill be considered 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. LOTT. I ask unanimous consent that the Veterans Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1090, and, further, the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I ask unanimous consent the amendment be considered as read and agreed to.

Mr. LOTT. I understand Senator Kyl has an amendment at the desk. I ask for its consideration.

Mr. LOTT. I ask consent that the amendment be considered as read and agreed to.

Mr. LOTT. Senator Hatch has an amendment at the desk. I ask for its consideration.