A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend for 2 years the tax-free distributions from individual retirement plans for charitable purposes.

Mr. President, again, these are measures which will be considered in due course this year. I laud my good friend, but as he knows, Senator Grassley is ranking member of the committee, and there is a process in which to deal with these measures. This is not the process to be engaged in at this moment. So I must object.

Mr. President, just a few words to explain what just happened.

On behalf of many Senators, I am calling for swift passage of a full tax extenders package, which contains many of the measures that have been referred to in the preceding 4 or 5 minutes. These measures are called tax extenders, and we will pass tax extender legislation later this year.

I want quick action on them, including the college tuition deduction, the sales tax deduction, as mentioned by two Senators, and also we must move on provisions to prevent the alternative minimum tax from hitting more taxpayers and the complete set of expiring tax provisions when the House sends that legislation to the Senate.

We are all working on this issue. Senator Grassley and I have talked with Chairman Rangel on the other side of Capitol Hill, as well as those on this side of Capitol Hill, to get these measures enacted. I, myself, drafted many of these provisions in the first place. Senator Grassley and myself have advanced, as we always do in working together, in trying to get them all extended.

Mr. President, we want to get this done, and I am confident we will get it done, and I urge a little forbearance of my colleagues. We are working expeditiously to get it done. It may not be tomorrow, on Friday, but we are working very expeditiously to get it done, and I am confident it will be done later this year.

Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Finally, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 2264, a bill to extend the tax-free distributions from individual retirement plans for charitable purposes, and that the bill be read a third time and passed. I further ask that the bill then be held at the desk until the House companion arrives and that all after the enacting clause be stricken, the text of the Senate-passed bill be inserted, and the House bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I understand that two bills are at the desk. I ask for their first reading en bloc.

Mr. President, I ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request en bloc.

Mr. President, I ask that the Chair direct its attention to two bills at the desk and due for a second reading.

Mr. President, I now object to any further proceeding to these bills en bloc.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 10 minutes as in morning business.