Harry Reid

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask that following Senator McConnell's remarks, the time until 1 p.m. be equally divided, with the two leaders controlling the time.

Mr. REID. He can use whatever time he needs from us.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I would ask if it is in order for me to ask unanimous consent to yield back the remainder of our time and start the vote.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that be the case. I renew my unanimous consent request.

Mr. REID. Madam President, we now start 30 hours. I would hope we can yield back the vast majority of that time. I have no problem with Senators being allowed to speak under what the rules are postcloture. But I would hope we can expedite this. We have a lot to do. We should get there as quickly as we can. As I have indicated before, every hour that we delay is an hour closer to shutting down the government. There were all kinds of articles written today about the disaster of that. Closing the government will hurt our gross domestic product by tens of billions of dollars just like that. This is leading up to the real battle we have of raising the debt ceiling; that is, to have the government pay its bills which we have already incurred. So I hope everyone would keep that in mind. Again, as I said at some length earlier, we have wasted enough time of the American people the last few months. Let's start moving forward and get things done rather than just stalling, stalling. Everything is a big slow walk. We have to get past that.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the motion to proceed.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. REID. On the amendment just reported, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, in relation to that, I have a motion to commit H.J. Res. 59 with instructions, which are at the desk.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, on that I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have an amendment to the instructions at the desk.

Mr. REID. On that, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now have a second-degree amendment at the desk.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a cloture motion at the desk. I ask the clerk to report it, if the Chair so advises.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum required under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the nominations on the Secretary's desk in the Air Force, Army, and Navy; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table, with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to any of the nominations; that any statements be printed in the Record and President Obama be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 13, S. 252.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the Alexander amendment at the desk be agreed to.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I know of no further debate on this measure.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration en bloc of the following resolutions, which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 255, S. Res. 256, S. Res. 257, S. Res. 258, S. Res. 259, and S. Res. 260.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I ask to lay before the Senate the message from the House on S. 793.