Trent Lott: “Well, we need to look at the conference reports on appropriations bills. We need to look at the continuing resolution…”

“Well, we need to look at the conference reports on appropriations bills. We need to look at the continuing resolution, if one is needed. I presume it will be. We need to look at what progress is being made with regard to the ISTEA or the highway transportation bill. And we need to look at when we will need to schedule fast track. And we will need to consider when we are going to have an opportunity to take up serious product liability. So there are several issues that we feel like, I think on both sides of the aisle, we must do this year, and one way or another--or should do--and we will look at all of that. It is not my intent to drag this out to the end of the session because I would like for us to be--if I had my way, I guess the last thing we would do would be probably the fast-track legislation in one form or another and to deal with it up or down. That would be my thinking what we would do last, not because I am pushing it off to the end but because we have to have some hearings, it has to be marked up, go to Finance and I think Banking and two or three other Committees. That is what looks like will probably come up toward the end of October or early November. So it is my thinking that we would want to do it before then. I will try to, you know, make sure everybody has an input here. We have Senators on both sides that have interest. We have chairmen that have interest. It is not my desire to have this come up in the congestion at the end. I want to find a window.…”