Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. That is fair. We will set the order and agree on the time; and if there is an amendment, if there is any identified, at the present time, Senators are willing to set the order with that understanding.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I will have to reserve, I think, on one or more of those. There may be a second-degree amendment. I don't have any problem with the order, but I will come back.

Mr. STEVENS. Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, I agree we should set this order. We are still working on it. We hope we will have a chance to have an amendment on one side and then the other. I will come later and try to intersperse these with amendments from our side of the aisle when they are identified.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS. I see Senator Feingold is on the floor. I did make arrangements for Senator Feingold to have an extra 5 minutes, and I call that to his attention. Senator Bond has just spoken on the Feingold amendment. There are 5 minutes for Senator Feingold to speak, if he wishes to do so. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, in the interest of fairness, although I do agree with my friend from Missouri, I ask unanimous consent that the sponsor of the amendment, Senator Feingold, have 5 minutes when he appears.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. I thank the Chair.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there be 1 minute on each side prior to the votes on the three amendments this morning.

Mr. STEVENS. Will the Senator yield for a moment?

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, has the amendment been agreed to?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, it is my privilege to announce that. I was going to do that after the Senator from Connecticut was finished. I assume he is not going to want any further votes. I announce in behalf of the majority leader that there will be no further votes this evening. The next vote will occur tomorrow at probably around 11 o'clock.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask that the Senator from Connecticut be recognized. Amendment No. 217, As Modified

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, may we have the consent agreement agreed to?

Mr. STEVENS. It is my intention to ask that the Senator from Connecticut be recognized for whatever time he needs.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I amend that request to 20 minutes instead of 30.

Mr. STEVENS. Does the Senator from Connecticut withhold? I further ask unanimous consent that the Senate then proceed to the consideration of the following amendments in the following order and that the designated times in relation to the amendments be equally divided in the usual form: Senator Feingold, amendment No. 200, 30 minutes; Senator Mikulski, amendment No. 61, 20 minutes; Senator Murray, amendment No. 30, 20 minutes. I further ask consent that following debate on each amendment, the amendment be temporarily set aside and a vote occur in relation to each amendment on Thursday at a time determined by the leader, with no second-degree amendments in order to any amendments prior to the vote.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent the pending Dodd and Gregg amendments be withdrawn. Further, that Senator Dodd be recognized to call up amendment No. 217, that the amendment be modified with the changes that I, Senator Gregg, and Senator Dodd have agreed to, and will send to the desk, that the amendment be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table. After that, I will ask the Senate proceed to other amendments. Does the Senator from Connecticut wish to be heard at this time?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Dodd and Gregg amendments be withdrawn. Would you like to have that adopted first?

Mr. STEVENS. We do plan to offer a unanimous consent request that would bring up amendment No. 217. Is that what the Senator is referring to?

Mr. STEVENS. Yes. I have a unanimous consent request to offer as soon as the Senator from Connecticut is finished.

Mr. STEVENS. No. I thank the Senator from Nevada for his great work on this amendment.

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