if my distinguished ranking member is prepared, we are about to send a series of amendments to the desk which have been cleared on both sides. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider those amendments en bloc, the…

before my colleagues depart--I have been engaged in a wide variety of activities here--can the Senator advise me, through the Chair, are these to be pending amendments to be voted on? Is there to be a further period of debate? We want to…

Would the Senator consider seeking the votes now so they are in that category? Does the Senator wish to have a rollcall vote, Madam President?

At the appropriate time, we can arrange that. I thank the distinguished Senators from Colorado. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Colorado.

Yes, I wasn't quite certain. I thought there was a brief time in which you were going to address the Senate. I am trying to accommodate one of your colleagues.

I would like to pick up on my distinguished colleague's last point with regard to the projected budget cycle as it relates to this program. In fairness, the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts should point out that while that document…

I thank our colleague. The Senator brings to the Senate a very serious proposal. It will be given serious consideration. At this time, the Senator from Colorado desires to be recognized. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Colorado is…

I was present last night. We had a colloquy among ourselves not unlike what took place today. The Republican leader, Senator Frist, entrusted me with the management of this bill. It was my decision with regard to the votes. It was my…

just to finish, I have a practice of not bringing up personal situations, and I am still going to refrain. If continued to be pushed on this issue, I will recount several things that occurred yesterday where I tried to accommodate…

we will do our very best to at least introduce an amendment at that time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to Senator Lautenberg being added at the end of the three previous speakers?

this amendment was debated yesterday. I see other Senators seeking recognition. From my perspective, the debate has been satisfied, unless there are other Senators. Has the Chair ruled on the vote at 12:30? I ask unanimous consent that the…

I think it is important. Senator Bayh has been very active on this issue. Amendment No. 1314, as Modified Mr. President, I send to the desk a modification to my amendment in the nature of a technical modification. I believe it has been…

I will wait to propound the unanimous consent request until the other side responds. I am going to ask unanimous consent--but I will wait until we get a response from the other side--that a vote on or in relation to the Frist amendment No…

I assure you that you will have 5 minutes in that period of time. If the Senator from Oklahoma could present his amendments, followed by the Senator from Maine, the Senator from Tennessee, and then Senator Kennedy. The PRESIDING OFFICER…

the managers wish to advise the Senate that we have accomplished a good deal today, and we will be fully in business tomorrow, with the exception of rollcall votes. It is our hope and expectation that we can go through a number of…

there is one matter remaining. I want to thank all of those who have been working very hard on the Defense authorization bill. I am not just speaking of the Senators or their staffs but all of those who make it possible for this venerable…

I thank our colleague. We have had quite a good debate. I am prepared to move on, subject to the views of my colleague.

Rest assured, that will be done. I will prepare a letter. The Senator from Michigan and I will be here tomorrow morning and perhaps we can make a joint request outlining precisely what our views are.

I understand that. But it seems to me, if you look at all of the information, data, reports in A, B, C, D, E, and F, to me, in fairness, the communities should have some involvement as to how that information may or may not impact the…

What we do have already is a statement by the President that any effort to delay or impede the BRAC process would lead to a veto, with such clarity in my mind. By the way, an amendment, if I may advise my good friend, quite similar to this…

I anticipate that the reply from the administration would be forthcoming on Monday. I think the Senator would be available to debate this matter later in the afternoon.

our colloquy is addressed through the Chair. It is the word ``implementation.'' It could be that analysis could be completed--consideration. But the ``implementation'' leaves an indeterminate date for (A). I think we both agree on that…

What I am trying to convey, Mr. President, to my distinguished colleague is that the criteria you have established for a new timetable, which, again, is in a subsequent paragraph--that is in paragraph (2) on page 4--and I read it-- The…

We have completed the GAO reviews of the DOD list and reported findings to the President and defense committees. That was done July 1. We are in the process and the Commission is having a series of hearings all across the country. The…

That is fine. But on September 8, all the communities would know what is final, what is decided by the Commission on the President's original list that went up, which bases, facilities will be closed, realigned, whatever the case may be…