Barbara Mikulski

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that we proceed to vote on the following amendments en bloc: Cardin No. 3393; Grassley No. 3348; Feinstein No. 3421, as modified; Harkin No. 3426; Landrieu No. 3415; Leahy No. 3403; Coburn No. 3369; and division I of Coburn No. 3370.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, it is my understanding the Senator from Arizona, Mr. McCain, no longer wishes to offer amendment No. 3384. Senator Bingaman of New Mexico is in line to offer the next amendment in order under the agreement, and I see he is here now to call up his amendment. Now we will proceed to debating amendments where there was more extensive time asked. But I ask Members not to leave the Chamber. These are 4 minutes of debate, 10 minutes of debate. If we all stick together, for a change, we can all move this bill in a way we can be proud of. I yield the floor.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I urge the amendment be adopted by voice vote.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, the Senator from Oklahoma, Mr. Coburn, has asked that he have a chance to get his own paperwork together because he has extensive remarks. I am going to ask unanimous consent that the Coburn amendments be temporarily laid aside until he is able to return to the floor, and we will move to Tester and then return to Coburn. I believe the minority concurs, before I make my request?

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Coburn amendments Nos. 3368, 3370, 3371, and 3382 be temporarily laid aside and that the Senate proceed to Tester amendment No. 3350.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I thank the Chair. Amendment No. 3350

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 1 minute on the Tester amendment withdrawal.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Montana for withdrawing his amendment. We are mindful of the issue of fires facing western Senators. We look forward to working with Senator Tester and other colleagues affected to really deal with this problem in a sensible way that meets the needs of local communities and our serious budgetary constraints. Mr. President, I also urge a return to regular order and ask that we move our amendments as expeditiously as we can and stick to 15-minute votes so we can get as much done as we can before we adjourn for lunch and visits to the White House. I wish to thank the minority for their excellent cooperation in doing what we have done already. Amendment No. 3368

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, first, I would like to bring something to the attention of the Senator from Oklahoma. First, the Senator got a decimal point wrong. I feel amused correcting the Senator from Oklahoma on numbers. But if we read his amendment, it is .50, which makes it half a mile rather than 50 miles. So that is 49.5 off. But before the Senator asks consent to correct that, whether it is half a mile or 50 miles, I oppose the Senator's amendment because this amendment tries to steer fisheries disaster funding for communities only affected by citing the Stafford Act. Limiting it to half a mile or 50 miles, fish swim big distances, as do crabs, as do lobsters, and particularly those big king crabs. Under the Senator's amendment, by talking about the Stafford Act, it actually has no bearing on fisheries. Fisheries disasters are declared by the Secretary of Commerce according to the Federal fisheries and commerce laws at the request of Governors. Fisheries disasters are unanticipated. Under this amendment, all federally declared disaster areas would miss out on much needed financial help. I urge a ``no'' vote on the Coburn amendment.

Ms. MIKULSKI. If I might discuss with the leader and get the consent of the minority, the Senator from Oklahoma has a series of amendments. I wonder if we could debate the next amendment now, which is the Feinstein amendment, and then have two stacked votes or if the Senator just wants to follow regular order.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I ask unanimous consent that the vote on Coburn No. 3372 be laid aside, that the Senator be allowed to speak on amendment No. 3371, and then following that, we dispose of the Senator's amendment and we have two votes at the same time.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I object.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I just want to say to the Senator from Oklahoma, there does seem to be a dispute in the printing. But whatever it is, we are going to get it straight. We are going to work with the Senator and function with maximum courtesy here. If we could know whether we are taking about half a mile or 50 miles-- Mr. President, I ask the clerk to clarify, is it half a mile or 50 miles?

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate reconvenes at 2 p.m., we debate the next two Coburn amendments in order and that upon the use or yielding back of time on those amendments, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the Coburn amendments, with all provisions of the previous order remaining in effect.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, simply what this means is this--and I am really asking for Senators to pay attention because they are very keenly interested in the schedule. I thank the distinguished Senator from Mississippi, Mr. Cochran, for working on the expeditious disposition of our amendments. Senators should be aware that after 2 p.m., they should be in the Chamber to vote on these amendments. These are 10-minute votes, and we do not intend to hold the votes beyond the time. The leadership on both sides of the aisle will be going to the White House to discuss the really critical, crucial matters before the Nation. They must go to the White House, but they will want to exercise their vote. So let's cooperate with the leadership. At 2 o'clock, Senator Coburn will make his debate. We will have an orderly, crisp rebuttal. Then we will go right to those votes, and then the leadership will be able to leave for the White House. Remember, we have to have that first vote done in a timely way so that both Senator Reid and Senator McConnell can leave to have the designated meeting with President Obama.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, let's go with the yeas and nays.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I oppose Coburn amendment No. 3383 striking the provisions in the underlying bill. We did a voice vote this morning on Feinstein amendment No. 4421 that fixes the problem. I understand the concerns the Senator has. I yield time to the Senator from California to explain how she fixed the amendment and why we should defeat the Coburn amendment.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, this will give Senators an idea about the order for the next hour or so. I ask unanimous consent that the debate time on the Rand Paul, John McCain, and Lee amendments occur between now and 3:30 p.m.; that at 4 p.m., the Senate resume votes in relation to the amendments as listed in the previous order; that there be 2 minutes equally divided prior to each vote; and all other provisions of the previous order remain in effect.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, with this agreement, we will be ready to resume our stacked series of votes on this bill at 4 p.m. I just want to alert my colleagues, with the concurrence on the other side of the aisle, there will only be 2 minutes equally divided prior to each vote, so Senators need to remain in and around the Chamber so we can complete action on this legislation. If we can keep the amendments to the time agreement that is usual and customary, we will be able to conclude--our time this evening could be spent because the votes go on too long--so if we can follow regular order, the way we have been doing, I think we will be able to move all our amendments. I want to thank Senators Paul, McCain, and Lee, who are ready to offer their amendments now.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, is there any time remaining in opposition to the Paul amendment?

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 1 minute.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I would like to thank the Senator from South Carolina for his remarks. He summarizes what we on both sides of the aisle would say about this compelling national security interest. I also wish to bring to my colleagues' attention--the Senator from Kentucky reduces the bill from $60 billion to $9 billion. Not only is it a disaster for our foreign aid, but it is a disaster for America. Remember, disaster assistance is aid to American people. So cutting out $51 billion and then poking in the eye of treasured allies that you are reducing by $50 billion--that is aid to America. Hey, I am for aid to America, and that is why spending and working with treasured allies, their security, and also stamping out things such as malaria and blindness are the things for which we are well known. Mr. President, I yield the floor. Mr. President, what is the regular order here?

Ms. MIKULSKI. Is there any time remaining for the Paul amendment?

Ms. MIKULSKI. So we have concluded Paul amendment No. 3410. Mr. President, what is the parliamentary situation in time on Paul amendment No. 3376, Davis-Bacon?

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, with all time having expired, I believe the order requires that these amendments then be set aside to be part of a set of stacked votes at 4 o'clock; is that correct?