John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I understand from the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts that this concludes for this period of time his comments on the minimum wage. I would simply ask at this time unanimous consent that those Senators desiring to have statements on the minimum wage amendment printed in the Record appear following Senator Kennedy's colloquy with his colleagues.

Mr. WARNER. We will, of course, I say to my good friend, in due course comment and provide a response to, first, your request on procedure, and, second, to the substance of this very important amendment. So I thank you for the cooperation that you have shown this morning.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague for his cooperation on the procedure this afternoon. This is a very significant and important amendment. In due course we will have comments from our side with regard to the amendment. I am certain the distinguished ranking member and I will work out a timely schedule for you to bring it up again, take such time as you need for further debate, be followed by a debate on this side and then a vote, because it certainly is one that deserves the attention of the Senate. Mr. President, I see my distinguished ranking member here. We are in morning business, I say to my colleague.

Mr. WARNER. Why don't you go ahead and speak on it?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, in his usual courtesy, the Senator from Michigan handed me, a few moments ago, this amendment. I glanced over it. It is, indeed, I think, a very serious-minded approach. I am not sure at this point in time I am ready to say that I concur in all provisions. But it is reminiscent of the initiative taken last year by the distinguished Senator from Michigan when he put in an amendment with regard to the situation in Iraq. I recall very well having taken that amendment and reworked it in some several ways, and eventually the Senate adopted that amendment. So I will, accordingly, give it very serious consideration, and at an appropriate time I look forward to engaging him in debate on this amendment.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of Calendar No. 711, Donald Kohn; provided further that Senator Bunning be recognized to speak for up to 15 minutes; following the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to a vote on the confirmation of the nomination, with no further intervening action or debate. Finally, I ask unanimous consent following the vote, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I simply would say, it says ``Senate resume legislative session.'' It should be: The Senate will resume the session of morning business. We wouldn't return to legislation right away.

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

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote and to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I had stepped off the floor for a minute. You are going to introduce your legislation as an amendment to the authorization bill.

Mr. WARNER. I appreciate that cooperation.

Mr. WARNER. No objection.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I thank the Chair. It is my understanding two Senators, both of whom are members of the Armed Services Committee, the senior Senator from Georgia and the Senator from Rhode Island, desire to address the Senate. I want it clearly understood, we do not wish to have additional amendments filed. I will have to work this out in the interim period. I will do my best to accommodate these Senators without amendments being filed to the bill at this time. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. WARNER. Momentarily, I will ask that the quorum call be reinstated, but I ask unanimous consent that the time be allocated equally between both sides on the pending nomination.

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

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. 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 Monday, June 19, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony regarding implementation of the renewable fuel standards in the 2005 energy bill and the future potential of biofuels such as biodiesel, celluosic ethanol, and E85.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Monday, June 19, 2006, at 3 p.m. to hold a hearing on nominations.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 19, 2006, at 4 p.m., in closed session to consider S. 3237, the Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2007.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``Immigration Enforcement at the Workplace: Learning from the Mistakes of 1986'' on Monday, June 19, 2006, at 2 p.m. in SD226. Witness list Panel 1: The Honorable Stewart Baker, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC; Julie Myers, Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC; and Martin Gerry, Deputy Commissioner for Income Security Programs, Social Security Programs, Social Security Administration, Baltimore, MD. Panel 2: Richard Stana, Director of Homeland Security and Justice, Government Accountability Office, Washington, DC; C. Stewart Verdery, Jr., Former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, Adjunct Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC; Cecilia Munoz, Vice President, Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation, National Council of La Raza, Washington, DC; and Linda Dodd-Major, Former Director of Office of Business Liaison, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Washington, DC.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. What I would suggest we do is have a consultation with Senators Collins and Lieberman and then follow up with a letter, if we deem appropriate.

Mr. WARNER. That committee has done a prodigious amount of work. I certainly commend the chairman and ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee. They are workers.

Mr. WARNER. So we have a procedure on that. For the moment, I suggest we set aside the pending amendment and turn to the matter of trying to clear some amendments on this side. Is that appropriate at this time?

Mr. WARNER. I think the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts intends to revisit his strong approach to some of the situations in Iraq, particularly regarding troop structure.

Mr. WARNER. In addition to the one from the Senator from Massachusetts?