Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 149 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2003 No. 176 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 20, 2004, at 12 noon. Senate TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2003 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was peace on Earth, we thank You for Your Your ways our ways. Be for our Sen- called to order by the President pro Word and for the eternal truths that ators a refuge and a fortress and may tempore (Mr. STEVENS). guide us day by day. Thank You, Lord, they put their trust in You. Help each for another day with opportunities to of us to depend upon Your strength as PRAYER make a difference in Your world. we navigate life’s challenging seas. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- Thank You also for the sureness of May we trust the wonderful laws of fered the following prayer: Your presence that brings us peace in Let us pray. the midst of this world’s turmoil. Lord, sowing and reaping, knowing You will Eternal Spirit, Who directs the paths teach us to turn to You so that Your bring us an abundant harvest. We pray of all who love You, in this season of thoughts can become our thoughts and this in Your great Name. Amen. NOTICE If the 108th Congress, 1st Session, adjourns sine die on or before December 9, 2003, a final issue of the Congressional Record for the 108th Congress, 1st Session, will be published on Monday, December 15, 2003, in order to permit Members to revise and extend their remarks. All material for insertion must be signed by the Member and delivered to the respective offices of the Official Reporters of Debates (Room HT–60 or S–410A of the Capitol), Monday through Friday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. through Friday, December 12, 2003. The final issue will be dated Monday, December 15, 2003, and will be delivered on Tuesday, December 16, 2003. None of the material printed in the final issue of the Congressional Record may contain subject matter, or relate to any event that occurred after the sine die date. Senators’ statements should also be submitted electronically, either on a disk to accompany the signed statement, or by e-mail to the Official Reporters of Debates at ‘‘[email protected]’’. Members of the House of Representatives’ statements may also be submitted electronically by e-mail, to accompany the signed statement, and formatted according to the instructions for the Extensions of Remarks template at http:// clerkhouse.house.gov/forms. The Official Reporters will transmit to GPO the template formatted electronic file only after re- ceipt of, and authentication with, the hard copy, and signed manuscript. Deliver statements to the Official Reporters in Room HT–60 of the Capitol. Members of Congress desiring to purchase reprints of material submitted for inclusion in the Congressional Record may do so by contacting the Office of Congressional Publishing Services, at the Government Printing Office, on 512–0224, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. By order of the Joint Committee on Printing. ROBERT W. NEY, Chairman. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S16081 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:40 May 14, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 8633 J:\ODA425\1997-2008-FILES-4-SS-PROJECT\2003-SENATE-REC-FILES\S09DE3.REC S mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S16082 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 9, 2003 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE colleagues and our staff. I, too, hope abolish overtime for 8 million workers; The PRESIDENT pro tempore led the they all had a good Thanksgiving holi- reinstating the Senate-passed provision Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: day, and I appreciate the work that has on media ownership; striking the been done at the staff level over the House language blocking the imple- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Repub- course of the last couple weeks as we mentation of country-of-origin label- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, have prepared for this day. ing; striking the provision that weak- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I look forward to our discussions in ens the background check require- the next couple of minutes with regard ments of the Brady bill; striking the f to how we might proceed. I have a provision to impose a voucher system RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME more extensive statement with regard on the DC public school system; strik- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under to the omnibus appropriations bill that ing the provision to allow the con- the previous order, the leadership time I will make at a later time. tracting out of over 400,000 Federal jobs is reserved. Obviously, there are some executive and reinstating the House-passed lan- nominations that we believe could be guage; and striking the provisions im- f addressed. We have been working to- posing arbitrary across-the-board cuts RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY gether to find how we might move a to education, Head Start, veterans LEADER large number of them today, and I hope health care, highway construction, and The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The before the end of this day we will have other needed programs. I further ask majority leader is recognized. completed our work on that as well. consent that the resolution be subject I look forward to working with the to 1 hour of debate equally divided, f majority leader and our colleagues in that no amendments or motions be in SCHEDULE the hope we can make this a very pro- order, and that after the expiration of ductive day. the time, the bill be agreed to and sent Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I welcome I yield the floor. to the House of Representatives. Fi- everybody back from a short recess The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The nally, I ask consent that upon approval over the Thanksgiving holiday. I hope majority leader is recognized. of this correcting resolution by the everyone did have a safe and a restful Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the Demo- House, the omnibus appropriations bill period after a very busy 3 to 4 weeks cratic leader and I will be in discus- be agreed to by the Senate, and that it just prior to that. I hope everybody had sions over the next several minutes, be sent to the President for his signa- an opportunity to spend good time, but I suggest we go ahead into morning ture. quality time with family and friends. business at this juncture. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the As I announced before the break, we leader so modify his request? have returned today with the hope of f Mr. FRIST. I object to the Demo- completing our work on the appropria- MORNING BUSINESS cratic leader’s request. tions process. Chairman STEVENS fin- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, then I ished the negotiations on the omnibus the previous order, there will now be a object to the request made by the ma- measure, and that conference report period for the transaction of morning jority leader. was filed in the House of Representa- business, with Senators permitted to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- tives before we departed for Thanks- speak therein for up to 10 minutes ator from West Virginia is recognized. giving. each. Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, both re- Today, we hope to take up that con- Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I sug- quests have thus far been objected to; ference report and dispose of it, al- gest the absence of a quorum. am I correct? though I understand this will not be The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is possible. I will be discussing momen- clerk will call the roll. correct. tarily other options with the Demo- The assistant legislative clerk pro- Mr. BYRD. I thank the Chair. cratic leader and will likely be pro- ceeded to call the roll. Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask pounding a unanimous consent request Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at a time de- for consideration of the omnibus bill unanimous consent that the order for termined by the majority leader, after here later this morning. the quorum call be rescinded. consultation with the Democratic lead- We will not have any rollcall votes The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. er, the Senate proceed to the con- today, but in addition to any agree- ENZI). Without objection, it is so or- ference report to accompany the omni- ments we may reach here on the omni- dered. bus bill, provided, further, that there bus measure, we would like to also con- f be 5 hours for debate to be equally di- sider other legislative and executive vided in the usual form. I further ask matters that can be cleared over the UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST— consent that following the use or yield- course of the day. Specifically, there CONFERENCE REPORT TO AC- ing back of debate time, the Senate are a large number of important execu- COMPANY H.R. 2673 proceed to a vote on the adoption of tive nominations that are pending on Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask the conference report, with no inter- the calendar that I hope we will be able unanimous consent that the Senate vening action or debate.