Cord Byrd: “It is not a very pretty picture when we pause to reflect on the work that remains to be done--remains to be done on…”

“It is not a very pretty picture when we pause to reflect on the work that remains to be done--remains to be done on appropriations bills. Here we are on November 1. We have 2 months left in this year, in this calendar year, and we are far into the fiscal year: Two conference reports have passed the House and Senate and are pending at the White House, the Interior bill and the military construction bill. Three conferences have been completed with floor action pending--the House will act on these three conference reports and may have already acted on them by this time; I am not sure--on Treasury, on energy and water development, and on legislative branch. The Senate could proceed quickly to finish those. If the Senate is able to finish those 3 conference reports by the end of the day, that will make a total of 5 out of 13. There are five conferences that are expected to be completed by Tuesday, November 6. They are these: VA-HUD, foreign operations, Transportation, Agriculture, and Commerce-State-Justice. That will make a total of 10 if those conferences can be completed. Senator Stevens and I have talked with the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and urged that we get our conferees together and get these conferences going. So there is a lot of effort being expended. A lot of time is being expended that isn't seen on this floor. We do a lot of work off this floor. We are here in the evenings.…”