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, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2003 No. 24 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 11, 2003, at 12:30 p.m. Senate MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2003 The Senate met at 11 a.m. and was great things for You throughout this SCHEDULE called to order by the Honorable NORM new week. You are our Lord and Sav- Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morn- COLEMAN, a Senator from the State of iour. Amen. ing the Senate will resume consider- Minnesota. f ation of the nomination of Miguel Estrada to be a circuit judge for the DC PRAYER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Circuit. The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John The Honorable NORM COLEMAN led On Thursday we attempted to reach a Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: consent agreement which would have Gracious God, who knows our needs allowed for a vote on that nomination before we ask You for Your help, and I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Repub- during today’s session. Unfortunately, has plans for us and our Nation ready lic for which it stands, one nation under God, that consent was not granted last to reveal to leaders who humble them- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thursday. However, it is still my hope selves and seek Your guidance, we f to work with my colleagues on the praise You for the privilege of being other side of the aisle to set a time cer- alive and the delight of serving You. APPOINTMENT OF ACTING tain for a vote on the confirmation of Give us a positive attitude for the PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE this important nomination. I know challenges and problems of this day. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The there are additional Members who Help us utilize Your divinely inspired clerk will please read a communication want to speak on the nomination, and gift of imagination to energize our vi- to the Senate from the President pro I hope they do so today, that they take sion of Your very best for the individ- tempore (Mr. STEVENS.) advantage of the opportunity, begin- uals, concerns, and complicated issues The legislative clerk read the fol- ning in a few minutes, over the course we must creatively confront today. lowing letter: of today. Empower us to prayerfully picture I do want to express our willingness Your solutions and direction and speak U.S. SENATE, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, to go as long as necessary tonight to with the tone of Your articulated inspi- Washington, DC, February 10, 2003. allow for that open discussion, that ration in our souls. Help us not to go it To the Senate: open debate, so colleagues do have the alone today on our own limited re- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, opportunity to express their wishes. sources but draw on the inspiration of of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby I do want to make sure my col- the vivid images You play on the appoint the Honorable NORM COLEMAN, a leagues understand it is our intent to screen of our inner eye of vision. Senator from the State of Minnesota, to per- finish this nomination and vote on this Today we pray for all in the Senate form the duties of the Chair. nomination as early as possible this family who are ill or recovering from TED STEVENS, week. I would love to have that oppor- President pro tempore. surgery. Especially we pray for Sen- tunity to do so either later tonight or ators ROBERT GRAHAM and MITCH Mr. COLEMAN thereupon assumed tomorrow—again recognizing that it is MCCONNELL, two distinguished Sen- the Chair as Acting President pro tem- important people have the opportunity ators who are recovering from heart pore. to speak. Again, we are perfectly happy surgeries and procedures. Infuse Your f to stay here as long as necessary to- healing power into their bodies and night. give them strength and renewed resil- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY In addition, three district court iency. We thank You for these two LEADER judges were reported by the Judiciary great leaders. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Committee on Thursday. We are work- We expect great things from You pore. The majority leader is recog- ing towards an agreement for a vote on today, dear God, and we will attempt nized. one of those nominations this evening, ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2065 . VerDate Dec 13 2002 01:04 Feb 11, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A10FE6.000 S10PT1 S2066 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 10, 2003 or possibly all three nominations this The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- are not in order and are not to be evening. We will report shortly after pore. The majority leader. played. At the end of the day, we ex- discussion with the leadership on both Mr. FRIST. Let me say, first, I appre- pect no filibuster—again, that is a deci- sides of the aisle, but we expect the ciate the assistant Democratic leader sion which will be made on your side— first vote to be at 5:15 this afternoon. outlining that. It is very important because the American people deserve Also, as a reminder, the current con- that we hear from people who have better. If there is insistence on a fili- tinuing resolution is set to expire on very important things to say. It is real- buster, we will use everything within Friday of this week. We are still hoping ly a matter of time management at our power being in the majority under the appropriators will complete their this juncture, so I very much appre- the Senate rules to bring this to an up- work on the conference report and ciate it. If we could just have a gentle- or-down vote. therefore the Senate would consider man’s agreement for those times with- Mr. REID. One last thing I would like the conference report later this week, out locking it in, and then allowing the to say is we are having, as the majority as soon as it becomes available. chairman and ranking member to de- leader knows, a conference committee We are also attempting to clear sev- termine the specifics of those times, meeting of the Appropriations Com- eral important items that are on the but it sounds agreeable to me. mittee at 6:30 this evening. There are Legislative Calendar. Each may re- Mr. REID. That sounds like a good still a number of open issues. We will quire a short period of debate this week idea. hear from Senator STEVENS and others. and a rollcall vote. Thus, we have a Mr. FRIST. Again, it is not our side But this thing has moved along signifi- very full week over the next 5 days. of the aisle I think at this point that cantly over the weekend. Senators should expect a busy session will do the majority of talking. We Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I will this week and, indeed, as I mentioned have a number of Members who want close. earlier, late nights are possible. It is to speak as well. But our goal is to We have the opportunity of a very likely that there will be several late have an up-or-down vote on this impor- productive and very useful week. When nights this week, including tonight if tant nomination after sufficient time you look at the continuing resolution people will take advantage of that, in as judged by the other side of the aisle and completing the appropriations bills terms of discussing and bringing their and our side of the aisle. with the omnibus package and the views to the floor. I encourage, once again, the Senator three judges tonight, if we can finish The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- to continue scheduling just as he has the Estrada nomination early enough pore. The Democratic whip. done, which I appreciate, but to go as in the week, there are two other bills Mr. REID. If I could, while the major- long today as he is comfortable doing we are working on, including the Mos- ity leader is in the Chamber, first, on because we want to make sure he has cow treaty. There is other legislation the vote on the judges, the ranking that opportunity. But it is my inten- that is to follow. We have the oppor- member of the committee, Senator tion to bring this matter to a vote as tunity of a very productive week before LEAHY, has said he is aware of the soon as practical as we go forward. going out on recess. We have to keep three judges and he would like a roll- Mr. REID. I also say to the distin- call vote on each of the three and that the train moving. guished majority leader and the distin- The reason why I mention that is, if you and Senator DASCHLE can work on guished Chair of the committee that members want to talk on the other for the time of when at least the first will one of the things we are concerned occur this evening. 30 minutes or 45 minutes each tonight, about—and we know there has been Mr.