Patty Murray

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, the next amendment in order is the Grassley amendment No. 1415. I have told the Senator we are willing to take it on a voice vote if he wants to offer it. I call up amendment No. 1415.

Mrs. MURRAY. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning Program

Mrs. MURRAY. And I will yield back time.

Mrs. MURRAY. I welcome a colloquy with my distinguished colleague. Mr. Menendez. I thank the Senator. I have constituents back in my home State of New Jersey who have highlighted a concern with a current FEMA solicitation for their Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning Program. I am concerned that this solicitation shuts out both small and medium sized businesses. After Hurricane Katrina, FEMA was, rightly so, criticized for issuing sole-source contracts to three very large companies. We need to be sure this pattern is not repeating itself. I agree that updating the Nation's flood map is critical to managing and reducing the Nation's flood risk, but operating the program to benefit taxpayers by utilizing local, highly qualified businesses, I am sure, will produce the best results for the region, the State, and the country as well. In addition, I believe that taking local companies, with over a decade of experience and a track record of success, out of regional Indefinite Quantity and Indefinite Delivery contract work is counterproductive and has the potential to cost the taxpayers more money while providing an inferior product.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, 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. Amendment No. 1415

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, with that, we are ready to vote on the Vitter amendment.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following amendments be the only amendments remaining in order to the Byrd substitute amendment No. 1373 and H.R. 2892, and that at 8:25 p.m. the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the amendments in the order listed; that prior to each vote, there be 2 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled in the usual form; that no other amendments be in order; further, that upon disposition of the Vitter amendment No. 1467, the Dodd amendment No. 1458, as amended, if amended, be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that after the first vote in the sequence, the vote time be limited to 10 minutes each. The amendments in order are Vitter amendment No. 1467, Dodd amendment No. 1458, Coburn amendment No. 1433, Murray amendment No. 1468, Coburn amendment No. 1434, Grassley amendment No. 1415, and Sanders amendment No. 1430; that upon disposition of the listed amendments, the substitute amendment, as amended, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill; that upon passage, the Senate insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses, and that the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate and that members of the subcommittee be appointed as conferees; further, that if a budget point of order or any other point of order is raised and sustained, then it be in order for the majority manager to offer another substitute amendment minus any offending provision, but including any amendments which had been agreed to, and that no further amendments be in order; that the substitute amendment, as amended, if amended, be agreed to, and the remaining provisions beyond adoption of the substitute remaining in effect; and further, that the cloture motions be withdrawn.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mrs. MURRAY. So 28 times in the last 10 years there has been a major disaster that has been responded to, whether it is a fire in the park, on the Federal land, or a border issue or whatever, so this is not just about Whitefish, am I correct?

Mrs. MURRAY. It is about the entire region and the ability for all the different agencies to respond, is that correct?

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

Mrs. MURRAY. Has all the time been used on this amendment?

Mrs. MURRAY. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. MURRAY

Mr. MURRAY. That clarifies the importance for this emergency center. I thank the Senator.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, we are now moving to final passage on the Homeland Security Appropriations bill. I thank all our Senators, especially Senator Voinovich, for his cooperation. I want to thank all our staff members, and I will submit their names for the Record. I thank everyone for helping us move this bill forward.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Hatch amendment, No. 1428, as modified, be agreed to.

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

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to consider a managers' package.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, in a moment I will send a managers' package to the desk. We are waiting for one quick decision. Hopefully, in a moment, I will be sending a managers' package to the desk with a number of amendments that have been worked out on both sides. We hope to adopt that package. I know Members have been waiting to get to votes. We have several Senators who require votes on their amendments. We hope to start that fairly shortly, as soon as this package is adopted. Amendments Nos. 1401; 1447; 1457; 1463, as Modified; 1456; 1454, as Modified; 1466, as Modified; 1465; and 1464, as Modified, to Amendment No. 1373 So, Mr. President, I send to the desk a managers' package, and I ask unanimous consent that the amendments be considered, and modified, as indicated, where indicated, and agreed to en bloc; and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc; that the consideration of these amendments appear separately in the Record, and any statements relating to their consideration be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety of the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 9, 2009, at 10 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Office Building.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. As the majority leader announced earlier tonight, there will be no rollcall votes tomorrow. The next vote is expected to occur around 5:30 p.m. on Monday.