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Arlen Specter was a prominent American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania for 30 years, from 1981 to 2011. Originally a member of the Republican Party, he switched to the Democratic Party in 2009. During his tenure, Specter was known for his moderate positions and played a key role in various significant legislative efforts, including judicial nominations and health care reform. He was involved in high-profile hearings, including those related to the 9/11 attacks and the confirmation of Supreme Court justices.
Well, as we have seen in so many situations, and where I have been willing to concede error on both sides of the aisle, I am not going to seek to defend preventing votes on relevant, germane amendments, whether they are offered by Senator…
The thought that comes to my mind is, were they subject to being offered postcloture, had they been offered precloture? Don't they have to be offered precloture? The Parliamentarian is shaking her head in the negative. Repeat the question…
The ones agreed to are these, and we cannot proceed until the pending amendment is set aside: Mikulski-Warner, 3217; Collins, 3211; Dorgan-Burns, 3223; and Isakson, 3203. But we cannot take them up, as noted, unless we have consent to set…
I would. And before we can do it, we have to have consent to set aside pending amendments.
There has been an agreement to take up a number of noncontroversial amendments. We are still trying to get a vote on the Kyl-Cornyn amendment, still trying to work out a procedure so Members on both sides of the aisle may offer…
May I ask the distinguished Democratic leader if that applies to laying down an amendment?
We have not yet been able to reach agreement on voting on key amendments. We do have some peripheral amendments we will be offering and voting on. We have no agreement on laying down an amendment, but I believe there is no objection to…
So we will start voting tomorrow morning sometime on the sequence of amendments that you have identified. And may we carry that further on other amendments which are pending? You haven't identified any other amendments----
It would be a travesty of the procedures of the Senate to vote on this bill without giving Senators an opportunity to file amendments. It would just be--it is hard to find the right characterization--a travesty, unheard of, unthinkable…
Consistent with not losing the floor, when are we going to vote on these amendments?
I do. I will have a comment to make about what Senator Leahy has had to say, but first I will yield to the Senator from Arizona on the condition that I do not lose my right to the floor.
The response--or the words spoken; it was not a response--the words spoken by the distinguished Democratic leader are interesting, but they do not answer the question. The question was, have you had enough time to take a position on the…
I would respond by saying the blame would lie with those who have lodged objections to very reasonable unanimous consent requests, several of which we have heard here this afternoon.
I would, again, on the condition that I don't lose my right to the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Martinez). Without objection.
The Senator from Arizona asks something that is preeminently correct, and that is the way the Senate functions. Senators have a right to offer amendments, and the so-called Kyl-Cornyn bill is the product of very extensive thinking…
I would respond in the affirmative. I would add that this isn't an amendment which, in Senator Reid's words, denigrates this bipartisan bill. I would say it enhances the bill.
I very much appreciate the high compliment by the Senator from Nevada to this superb bipartisan bill crafted by Senator Leahy and myself, and I wish to see the bill passed. I have worked very hard on it, including a marathon markup last…
I renew the request of the Senator from Arizona for a vote on his amendment at midnight.
I renew the unanimous consent request by the Senator from Arizona, Mr. Kyl, for a vote on his pending amendment at 4:30 p.m.
I think Senator Allard accurately states it. When he has his 15 minutes, nothing will stop him from talking about the amendment.
We are only going to move ahead if we come to an understanding; I recognize that. If the Senator from Vermont wants to have a speaking sequence, I will not object, and we can retreat from here into his cloakroom to try to figure out when…
And he can lay the groundwork so that when he does offer the amendment later, he will not have to speak quite as long.
Senator Kyl is ready to offer an amendment. Senator Allard is ready to offer an amendment. I see Senator Kennedy with his portfolio; maybe he has an amendment. I would like to move to amendments to try to move the bill.
Senator Harkin and I have submitted this amendment, joined by 27 cosponsors, which would add $7 billion to the fund for education, health, and workers' safety. This account has been decimated since fiscal year 2005 with a loss of some…
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