Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. STEVENS. I took the time in opposition. I thought I was entitled to take the time in opposition. As manager, I oppose the amendment. I ask unanimous consent for 1 minute on the other side.

Mr. STEVENS. I am finished.

Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, the Senator from Iowa has expressed opposition to this amendment. I do express opposition to it myself. I would like to take the balance of the time to tell the Senate we are working to try to finish the bill. This is the last of the amendments that is part of this package. We will struggle to put together another series of amendments to vote on no later than 4 o'clock. We have, for very strong reasons, at least one Member and others who requested we try to finish this bill as early as possible today. I urge Senators to contact us to see if there are any further amendments we might work out and not have to vote. But there will be some votes probably by 4:30.

Mr. STEVENS. This is an up-or-down vote.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask for the yeas and nays on the McCain amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, we still have another amendment to vote on in the queue according to previous agreement.

Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I thank the Senator. It is the proper thing to do. I yield now to the Senator from Nevada. Amendment No. 488 Withdrawn

Mr. STEVENS. I see my friend is here. Maybe he would like to announce, we have reached agreement to modify his amendment. We will put it in the managers' package because it is being withdrawn. We have reached accommodation with the Senator from Florida, after further conversation with the VA administration. I yield to my friend for a minute if he would like.

Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, the next order of business is the amendment of the Senator from Florida, Mr. Graham.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. STEVENS. No objection to 30 seconds on each side. Thirty seconds on each side.

Mr. STEVENS. If it is 30 seconds, I don't object, but the 30 seconds have a way of going on and on. Not the Senator's 30, but with all due respect.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, this amendment takes money from the Transportation Security Administration allocation for passenger screening and other costs to be incurred for additional security at airports. There is no current technology that can fulfill this need. The systems are too heavy for most commercial aircraft. We do have underway research and development in the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to try to develop the kind of devices that provide this protection. This is not a wartime request. This bill is a wartime request. We do not want to see the Senate vote amendments that would earmark the homeland security moneys in this bill. I have opposed them before and the Senate has voted against this action before. I have previously made a motion to table.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask for the yeas and nays on the Boxer amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. I am trying to work out the sequence. What is the second amendment in the queue?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, it is my understanding I have already moved to table the amendment of the Senator from California.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent the McCain amendment be added as the third amendment to be voted on in that queue.

Mr. STEVENS. Parliamentary inquiry. It is my understanding there are two amendments that will be voted on consecutively now, is that correct?

Mr. STEVENS. I thank the Senator. Amendment No. 481

Mr. STEVENS. For the interest of Senators, could we have some timeframe?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I understand there may be several Senators who wish to speak on the amendment of Senator Ensign. It would be my desire that we accommodate those people but then go back to the McCain amendment until he has finished. The Ensign amendment will be with us for a little while this afternoon. Does the Senator from Arizona wish to enter into a time agreement?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Ensign amendment be temporarily set aside so we might consider an amendment offered by the Senator from Arizona.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I withdraw the request for the unanimous consent, but I do believe there is going to be substantial need for time on this one. I thank the Senator.