Patty Murray

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. I thank the Senator from Massachusetts for his discussion of the current pending DeMint amendment. It seems to me it is our responsibility to make sure our people who are working on these critically important infrastructure improvements are paid a prevailing wage and given the opportunity to care for their families as they care for all of us. Mr. President, at this point we yield back all of our time.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, how much time remains?

Mrs. MURRAY. Was there an objection?

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

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

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate insist on its amendment, request a conference on the disagreeing votes, and that the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, we are moving rapidly toward final passage on this critically important infrastructure bill. I thank all of our Senators for working with us in a very constricted timetable to get this very important bill to this point today. I especially thank Senator Bond, his staff, and my staff. I will thank them more after passage of the bill. But I particularly thank Senator Bond for his work on his side of the aisle for putting together this very important bill. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate insist on its amendment, request a conference on the disagreeing votes, and that the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees.

Mrs. MURRAY

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, this amendment has been cleared on both sides.

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

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 I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

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

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 317 which was submitted earlier today.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, as the majority leader has said, we are going to return to the Iraq debate within a few days. We are trying to work our way through a very difficult Transportation bill today and, therefore, I object.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, there are a number of Senators who want to speak to the pending amendment by the Senator from Texas. The Senator from Minnesota has been waiting for some time. I ask unanimous consent to temporarily set aside the amendment of the Senator from Texas in order for the Senator from Minnesota to send her amendment to the desk and to speak for a couple of minutes and then to return to the amendment of the Senator from Texas.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 9 a.m., Wednesday, September 12, 2007; that on Wednesday, following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired and the time for the two leaders reserved for their use later in the day; that the Senate then resume consideration of H.R. 3074, the Transportation Appropriations Act as provided for under a previous order; and that the first vote in sequence be with respect to the DeMint amendment.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, if there is no further business today, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 954 and that the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 316, submitted earlier today.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 11, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed business meeting.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 11, at 2 p.m. in open session to receive testimony on the situation in Iraq and progress made by the Government of Iraq in meeting benchmarks.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 11, 2007, at 10 a.m., in room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to hear testimony on the ``U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement.''