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, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2003 No. 172 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 25, 2003, at 12 noon. Senate SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2003 The Senate met at 1 p.m. and was trust the fact that You know us better faithfulness inspire us. Lead us beside called to order by the President pro then we know ourselves and desire for peaceful streams and renew our tempore [Mr. STEVENS]. us abundant living. strength. Give us strength sufficient for this PRAYER day and blessing that will enable us to Guide our Senators. And Lord, give The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- transform hurting lives. As we rely them a faith that works by love and fered the following prayer: upon Your wisdom, guide our steps and keep them strong and steadfast in their O God, too near to be found and too bring us safely to our desired destina- efforts to do Your will. We pray this in good to make a mistake, help us to tion. Keep us from trouble and let Your Your wonderful Name. Amen. NOTICE If the 108th Congress, 1st Session, adjourns sine die on or before November 24, 2003, a final issue of the Congres- sional 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. S15591 . VerDate jul 14 2003 23:39 Nov 23, 2003 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23NO6.000 S23PT1 S15592 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 23, 2003 The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, the list PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE there objection? that is published in the calendar only The Honorable TOM DASCHLE led the The Senator from Oregon. has Democratic Senators in it. Obvi- Pledge of Allegiance as follows: Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, reserving ously, there is an alternative list that I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the the right to object, and I do not intend would allow for Republican Senators to United States of America, and to the Repub- to object, I just want to clarify one have a 30-minute block in between the lic for which it stands, one nation under God, matter. My understanding is, and it is Democratic Senators who speak. indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. printed in the calendar, that there is The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The f already an order of speakers that has Parliamentarian informs me the Sen- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY been established. I want to make clear ator is correct, that a Republican Sen- LEADER that that will be recognized as we go ator will go after each Democratic forward today. I certainly will not ob- speaker if someone is here to be recog- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The ject to the request of the distinguished nized. majority leader is recognized. minority leader. I just want to be clear Mr. FRIST. Let me also clarify that f that that will be the order of the on the Republican side we are not SCHEDULE speakers. locked into any order. The opponents The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is to the bill are locked into an order of Mr. FRIST. Today, the Senate will there objection to the original request? speakers. Ours has been just an agree- resume debate on the Medicare pre- The Senator from Massachusetts. ment, so we are not locked into any scription drug conference report. We Mr. KENNEDY. Reserving the right order, but there will be a 30-minute had an extended and vigorous debate to object on the order, I was referred to limit, and we will be alternating back on this historic legislation yesterday. by my good friend, the majority leader, and forth. Again, it is unusual to have a Saturday last evening at about 6:15 in reference Mr. BUNNING. I thank the Chair. session and even more unusual to have to this legislation. The time-honored The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is a Sunday session, but the historic level tradition of this body is to notify an there objection to the minority lead- which this debate has reached dem- individual when there is going to be er’s request? Without objection, it is so onstrates the importance of doing just reference made to them. I was not noti- ordered. that. fied, and I heard later last evening that Who seeks time? There are a number of Senators who I was referred to. I indicated that to f will be on the Senate floor to discuss the leader. I would like to be able to do this matter during today’s session, and this in a timely way. I was listed yes- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME in an effort to accommodate the num- terday to be either third or fourth in The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under ber of Senators who are seeking floor order, but I am not prepared right the previous order, the leadership time time today, we would encourage Mem- now—if there is some other previous is reserved. bers to limit their statements to no order that has been arranged, I want to f more than 30 minutes. We hope to work be able to reserve my rights that have out a schedule so that Members will been respected in this institution for MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG, have a better understanding of at what 220 years, and that is when a Senator is IMPROVEMENT, AND MOD- point in the day or the evening they referred to in terms of legislation, a ERNIZATION ACT OF 2003—CON- will be able to speak. If we can lock in fair opportunity is given for them to FERENCE REPORT 30 minutes per Member, or possibly respond. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under work out alternating hours, which we The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is the previous order, the Senate will re- will do, hopefully, in a few minutes, we there objection to the original request? sume consideration of the conference will then have an orderly way to move The Senator from Nevada. report to accompany H.R. 1, which the forward so that everybody will have an Mr. REID. Mr. President, I hope that clerk will report. opportunity to address this important Senators would not ask to extend be- The legislative clerk read as follows: issue. yond half an hour because it is so dif- Conference report to accompany H.R. 1, an Yesterday, it became apparent that ficult to object. We have a lot of peo- act to amend Title XVIII of the Social Secu- we would not be able to lock in a time ple. We have 17 on this side. Multiply rity Act to provide for a voluntary prescrip- certain for an up-or-down vote on this that by half an hour and one gets the tion drug benefit under the Medicare Pro- important legislation, and at least one figures. I hope everyone will stick by gram and to strengthen and improve the Democratic Member said that a fili- the half hour that will be entered into, Medicare Program, and for other purposes. buster would be the road to pursue. hopefully, momentarily. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mi- Thus, I filed a cloture motion on the I say to my friend from Massachu- nority leader is first on the list. conference report. That vote on the setts, the way the order is now set on Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I will motion to invoke cloture is expected to our side, the majority leader would certainly not exceed 30 minutes. I hope occur sometime around 12:30 on Mon- speak first. I would speak second.