Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Parliamentary inquiry: Are not these amendments that the Senator struck from the amendment as he offered it--there is a section B and C now of the authorization bill, which was struck from the amendment? That was the understanding. They would not be offered.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I regret to do this, but as we have examined this amendment of the Senator, we find this requires this spending to become a part of the mandatory process of expenditures. It requires funds to come out of the Treasury to implement this section, and in effect it becomes a matter that we believe is subject to a point of order under section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act that provides spending in excess of the subcommittee's 302(b) allocation under the fiscal year 2006 concurrent resolution of the budget. I make that point of order.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to table Senator Kerry's amendment which deals with LIHEAP and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that be put into the schedule to be developed by the leadership as to the time at which that vote will occur.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, as to the amendment offered by Ms. Stabenow, I have made the point of order. At what time would that vote occur?

Mr. STEVENS. Would it be all right with the Senator if we ask for it to be scheduled according to the leadership in this process this evening?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that amendment be added to the list for a vote this evening.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I yield the floor to the Senator from West Virginia. I suggest the absence of a quorum first.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS. I was not on the floor, apparently, when that occurred. We had previously indicated the Senator from West Virginia would be recognized. May I inquire from the Senator from Illinois how much time he would like?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senator from Illinois be recognized for not to exceed 10 minutes and then the Senator from West Virginia be recognized for not to exceed 15 minutes, and then I be recognized following the Senator from West Virginia.

Mr. STEVENS. What is the pending business?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I make a point of order under section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act that the amendment provides spending in excess of the subcommittee's 302(b) allocation under the fiscal year 2006 concurrent resolution on the budget.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, under the previous order, this is a 10- minute vote; is that correct?

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

Mr. STEVENS. What is now the pending business? Amendment No. 1977

Mr. STEVENS. Parliamentary inquiry: If the motion is not tabled, it is still subject to a point of order?

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. STEVENS. I announce we will have a managers' package. We will consider amendments that might be taken by voice vote after this last scheduled vote. I have already made the point of order against the Stabenow amendment. To be sure the record is clear, I make the point of order against the Kerry amendment and I ask it be agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. Is the record clear I made the point of order on the Stabenow amendment?

Mr. STEVENS. And I asked it be dropped, now.

Mr. STEVENS. Now, is the record clear about my making a point of order to the Stabenow amendment? If not, I renew the point of order under 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act. The amendment requires spending in excess of the committee's 302(b) allocation for the fiscal year concurrent resolution of the Budget, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I did not hear the last ruling of the Chair.

Mr. STEVENS. Now, the next pending business is the cloture vote?

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, it is my understanding we will convene about 9:30 in the morning. We will be prepared to stay tonight if any Senators wish to discuss amendments following the cloture vote.