Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate amendment No. 4768.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, again, I would alert Senators of the fact that we have active staff on both sides of the aisle working on these managers' packages. We urge Senators to come forward and discuss these amendments with us. We would like to work out as many as we can. Amendments Nos. 4803, 4779, 4766, and 4798, En Bloc I have another managers' package ready now. I will read the components of it: Amendment No. 4803 for Senator Byrd regarding a biometrics study, amendment No. 4779 for Senator Warner regarding research and studies, amendment No. 4766 for Senator Inouye regarding a military history exhibit; amendment No. 4798 for Senator Isakson regarding environmental compliance. I send these amendments to the desk. I ask unanimous consent they be considered en bloc, adopted en bloc, and the motions to reconsider be laid on the table.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, what is the pending amendment now, Mr. President? Amendment No. 4802

Mr. STEVENS. The Kennedy amendment, yes. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate amendment No. 4762.

Mr. STEVENS. This is the medical countermeasures procurement amendment. Is that ready for clearance on both sides?

Mr. STEVENS. I am informed there is no objection to this amendment. I ask it be considered at this time and adopted.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have another managers' package offered by myself and Senator Inouye. The first is amendment No. 4814 by Senator Bingaman regarding adaptive optics; amendment No. 4829 by Senator Sununu regarding unmanned underwater vehicles; amendment No. 4792, as modified, by Senator Coleman regarding microelectronics; and amendment No. 4783, as modified, by Senator Schumer regarding bandages. These I believe have been cleared on both sides.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I send this package to the desk and ask unanimous consent that the amendments be considered en bloc, agreed to en bloc, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

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

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I announce to the Senate that we have completed all the packages we can work on tonight. We urge Senators and their staff to get together with us early in the morning. We will be back in session at 9:30, and we hope we can continue to find ways to agree to the amendments that can be worked out. There is a series of amendments regarding the National Guard that we wish to get to as quickly as possible tomorrow. I alert Senators and staff that we are interested in working on the National Guard amendments during the early part of the morning tomorrow, if it is at all possible. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, in behalf of the leader I ask unanimous consent that there be a period for morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

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

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, for the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation I report favorably the following nomination list which was printed in the Record on the date indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that this nomination lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on August 2, 2006, at 11:30 a.m., to purpose of this meeting is to consider the nominations of John Ray Correll, Mark Myers, and Drue Pearce.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August 2, 2006, at 5 p.m., in closed session, regarding overhead imagery systems.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August 2, 2006, at 10 a.m. to mark up an original bill entitled ``Credit Rating Agency Reform Act of 2006.''

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on August 2, 2006, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing on ``Meeting the Housing Needs of Veterans.''

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on August 2, 2006, at 2 p.m., in open session to continue to receive testimony on the future of military commissions in light of the supreme court decision in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that on Wednesday, August 2, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to hold an oversight hearing to discuss The Toxic Substances Control Act and the Chemicals Management Program at EPA.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Wednesday, August 2, 2006, at 10 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to hear testimony on ``Border Insecurity, Take Two: Fake IDs Foil the First Line of Defense.''

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August 2, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. to hold a hearing on nominations. The PRESIDING, OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August, 2, 2006, off the Senate floor at a time to be determined later.