John Warner

Mr. WARNER

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

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

Mr. WARNER. Are the yeas and nays ordered on the Nelson amendment?

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

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the two managers have been working with Members. We have reconciled a series of amendments, and I believe at this point in time I will make the following statement: I have sent a series of amendments to the desk which have been cleared by myself and the ranking member. I ask, therefore, unanimous consent that the Senate consider these amendments en bloc, the amendments be agreed to, and motions to reconsider be laid on the table. Finally, I ask that any statements relating to any of these individual amendments be printed at this point in the Record.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we first ask that you act on the unanimous consent request.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, at this moment I think there has been a request to go off of our bill. Is that the request of the Senator from Wyoming?

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I would respond that we have concluded all the work at the moment. I believe our leaders are working out a procedure by which the minimum wage amendments are being addressed.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on behalf of the leadership, I make this unanimous consent request. I ask unanimous consent that the first amendment, No. 4323, be withdrawn; provided further that Senator Enzi be recognized in order to offer a first-degree amendment relating to the minimum wage; provided further that the Senate then resume debate at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday and that there be 1\1/2\ hours of debate equally divided between the chairman and ranking member of the HELP Committee or their designees. I further ask unanimous consent that at the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to a vote on Kennedy amendment No. 4322, to be followed by a vote on the Enzi amendment, with no amendments to the amendments in order; provided further, if either amendment does not get 60 votes in the affirmative, then that amendment would be automatically withdrawn. I further ask unanimous consent that following those votes, Senator Levin be recognized in order to offer amendment number No. 4320 related to Iraq. There will be 5 hours equally divided in relation to that amendment, and following that debate, the amendment be set aside and Senator Kerry be recognized to offer his amendment related to Iraq.

Mr. WARNER. I simply say, I understood the Senator has that amendment. I have asked colleagues on this side to be here. They are now present. The Senator indicated you would lay it down now for the purpose of introducing the amendment, having a colloquy on the amendment, and the time for the voting would be established by the leadership at some point in the future.

Mr. WARNER. The Senator is now ready to proceed.

Mr. WARNER. I didn't hear what the distinguished Democratic leader said.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I withdraw that and ask unanimous consent that we approve the request as read earlier.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, we are perfectly willing to make that eminently clear.

Mr. WARNER. We have not seen his amendment.

Mr. WARNER. Has the Chair ruled on the underlying UC request?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I have been trying to get the minimum wage put aside so that you could move. And you are going to argue tonight your amendment; is that correct?

Mr. WARNER. And Senator Bingaman likewise. I think he has an amendment pending at the desk.

Mr. WARNER. But he has spoken to it.

Mr. WARNER. What is the desire? I have to ask my colleagues, we are trying as best we can to accommodate all interested parties. The amendments are coming from this side. It is really incumbent on you all to try and reconcile how you wish to proceed. We are about to lock up the two significant amendments of the Senator from Michigan and the Senator from Massachusetts. I recognize you have had that amendment. You asked to bring it up tonight. I have assembled a group of my colleagues to debate the amendment. What is the pleasure?

Mr. WARNER. Yes.