Floor Statements

Mr. President, I am told there are three bills at the desk due for a second reading.

Mr. President, I object to any further proceedings with respect to these proceedings en bloc.

I welcome back, as I have indicated, my friends and welcome our new colleagues who will be sworn in as Senators this afternoon. With Senators Manchin and Coons joining our family, the Senate will look a little different starting today. It will soon look much different with 16 new Senators taking office. Some desks will switch aisles but the majority has not changed.

On the other side of this building, the House of Representatives will look even more different with a new majority and new leaders. But before any of that happens, we need to use the next few weeks to finish some business. The 111th Congress is not over yet, and the lameduck session starts today.

I will work with my caucus and with Senator McConnell who will, of course, work with his caucus. We will see what we can get done before the start of the 112th Congress in January.

The American voters sent us a message two Tuesdays ago. That message is they want us to deliver. They want us to work together. Voters did not elect only Republicans; they did not elect only Democrats; and they did not want either party to govern, stubbornly demanding their way or the highway. When the heat of the campaign season cools, our constituents are more interested in us getting things done. They would rather we work with each other than talk past each other. Despite the changes, our charge remains the same. Our No. 1 priority is still getting people back to work, and the most important change we can make is in working more productively as a unified body to help our economy regain its strength.

I welcome back my counterpart, the esteemed Republican leader. We have had, of course, conversations since the elections. I look forward to our continued work together.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the joint resolution of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the joint resolution of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, before we get into the business of the day, I wish to take a minute, while the Chaplain of the Senate is here, Admiral Black, to comment on really a remarkable afternoon. Ted Stevens, who served in the Senate for many decades, was laid to rest yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery. It was strictly a military funeral--caissons came down the hill, the casket was over the grave.

The only speaking at the event was from the Senate Chaplain. It was very good, very spiritual. The setting was wonderful. It was a beautiful fall day. There were hundreds of people there. The Chaplain, with this booming voice he was given at birth, was able to do it without any amplification whatsoever. It was very nice.

The one thing that was stunning to everyone there was that the Chaplain said, ``I am now going to recite,'' and he went through about eight or nine passages in the Bible. He named which passages he was going to recite--one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight--and then proceeded to do it without a note, without anything. It was remarkable. It reminded me so much of Senator Byrd because he also had that ability, the ability to remember. I am sure, for those of us there, it looked so easy for the Chaplain to do that, but I am sure he prepared as he did as a young boy, learning these verses of Scripture for his mother and grandmother.

While he is here on the floor, I wish to express my appreciation to him. But the appreciation is from everyone who was there who is not capable of doing that because they don't have the ability to speak. So I say to my friend the Chaplain, we appreciate your spiritual leadership of the Senate and your remarkable qualities as a person.

Following any leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business until 10 a.m, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees.

At 10 a.m., there will be 2 hours for debate on the motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 39, with the time equally divided and controlled between the leaders or their designees. S.J. Res. 39 is a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to status as a grandfathered health plan under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

At around noon, the Senate will vote on that matter. If cloture is not invoked, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to the legislative vehicle we will use to complete work here on the continuing resolution. Senators will be notified when a vote on the continuing resolution is scheduled.

The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15 today for our weekly party caucuses.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 119, H.R. 388, the Crane Conservation Act; that the bill be read three times, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and any

statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

I ask unanimous consent that we now move to Calendar No. 154, S. 859, the Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Act; that the bill be read three times, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements related to the measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 117, S. 529, Great Cats and Rare Canids Act; that the bill be read three times, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 270, S. 850, the Shark Conservation Act; that the bill be read three times, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we move now to consideration of S. 1748, the Southern Sea Otter Recovery & Research Act, as reported by the Commerce Committee; that the committee-reported substitute amendment be considered and agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time, passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

I object.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that all postcloture time be considered yielded back and the motion to proceed to H.R. 3081 be agreed to; that the Senate then proceed to the consideration of H.R. 3081; that the bill be considered under the following limitations; that the only amendments in order be the following: Inouye substitute amendment, which is at the desk, and that once the amendment has been reported by number, it be considered read and not subject to division; Inouye title amendment; DeMint amendment regarding extending length of time on the continuing resolution; Thune amendment regarding reducing spending levels; that this amendment not be subject to a division; that general debate on the bill be limited to 2 hours equally divided and controlled between Senators Inouye and Cochran or their designees; that debate on each amendment be limited to 30 minutes, equally divided and controlled in the usual form; that upon the use or yielding back of all the time, the Senate proceed to vote with respect to the amendments to the substitute in the order in which they were offered; that each of the amendments to the substitute amendment be subject to an affirmative 60-vote threshold and that if they achieve that threshold, then they be agreed to and a motion to reconsider be laid on the table; that if they do not achieve that threshold, then they be withdrawn; that upon disposition of the amendments, the substitute amendment, as amended, if amended, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and the Senate then proceed to vote on passage of the bill; that upon passage, the title amendment which is at the desk be considered and agreed to; further that no Budget Act points of order be in order to the substitute or the bill. Further, that if there are any sequenced votes, then there be 2 minutes equally divided and controlled in the usual form prior to each vote and that after the first vote, the remaining votes be limited to 10 minutes each.

I also want everyone to understand it is my understanding Senator LeMieux wants to offer an amendment by consent to this agreement I just read.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that upon disposition of H.R. 3081, as amended, the Senate then proceed to the consideration of H. Con. Res. 321 and the Senate then proceed to vote on adoption of the concurrent resolution.

All time has been yielded back, Senator Inouye and Senator Cochran so advise me.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I appreciate very much my friend allowing me to get some of this housekeeping stuff out of the way.