Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, as a brief explanation for the necessity for these modifications, in the case of amendment No. 139, the instruction line needed to be corrected. For amendment No. 166, in the version the Senate adopted, two pages were missing. With respect to amendment No. 172, there is a word change. And, finally, with respect to amendment No. 186, language which was supposed to be stricken was not in the version adopted by the Senate. These modifications are solely to correct these inadvertent errors.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order, notwithstanding the passage of H.J. Res. 2, in the engrossment of the joint resolution, Senate amendments Nos. 139, 166, 172, and 186 be further modified with the changes at the desk.

Mr. STEVENS

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Specter be added as an original cosponsor of Senate amendment No. 167. It was our error.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I yield to the majority leader.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, third reading.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I will work with my distinguished colleagues from Louisiana, my ranking member, and the entire Senate in our continued deliberation of the appropriations legislation so that the construction of the vital SELA project can continue. Provo Airport Control Tower Funding

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I also agree that the Southeast Louisiana Flood Control Project is critical to protecting the citizens of southeast Louisiana and wish to engage in a colloquy with my distinguished colleagues from Louisiana.

Mr. STEVENS. Senator Grassley, I appreciate your concern about the Byrne Grant Program. I agree with you completely. I will commit to you that when the conference report comes back here for a final vote, we will have the Bryne Formula Grants in there at the House level of $500 million. I appreciate your understanding and help on this important matter. hydrogen economy

Mr. STEVENS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion on to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask that the amendments be adopted en bloc.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, there are two remaining amendments. No. 207 is at the desk as well as No. 143, as modified. This is the modification for No. 143. I send it to the desk.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, this amendment is a sense-of-the-Senate resolution concerning instruction to conferees, and I am pleased to consider the Senator's suggestion. I ask that the sense-of-the-Senate amendment be agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. The request is that the other Senators speak after final passage. Two Senators have a plane to catch to go on a very important mission for the Senate and they need to leave.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent that the Senator be recognized for 5 minutes at this time and I regain control of the floor after that.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, Senator Stabenow seeks 5 minutes on a matter of the sense of the Senate regarding instructions to conferees.

Mr. STEVENS. Senator Stabenow may proceed now.

Mr. STEVENS. I inquire of the Senators mentioned if those four Senators will be willing to speak after final passage. I ask unanimous consent that Senators Kyl, McCain, Dayton, and Stabenow each have their time after final passage and that Senator Coleman be added for 5 minutes.

Mr. STEVENS. The Senator is correct, but we do not have the modifications yet at the desk.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when we reach third reading, Senators Kyl, McCain, Dayton, and Stabenow be recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. STEVENS. 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. 226, as modified

Mr. STEVENS. I ask that they be adopted en bloc.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that these amendments be considered en bloc.

Mr. STEVENS. Amendment No. 62, as modified, Senator McConnell; amendment No. 238, Senator Dodd; and amendment No. 129, Senator Kerry and Senator Snowe. Mr. President, amendment No. 62 is a modification. I did not read that. I ask that that original amendment be modified according to the papers that are at the desk.