Program
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
SENATE
Sept. 22, 2004
PROGRAM
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, tomorrow morning there will be a joint meeting of Congress to receive a speech from Prime Minister Allawi of Iraq. We will convene following that speech for a short period of morning business. Following morning business, we hope to consider the Foreign Operations appropriations bill. We have been working on an agreement and we hope to have that language worked out by tomorrow morning. We would like to finish that legislation and consider the family friendly tax bill when that conference report becomes available sometime tomorrow. Therefore, Senators can expect votes throughout the day.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, on the Foreign Operations bill, we are anxious and ready and willing to have an agreement. We think the bill can be resolved very quickly, and we want the RECORD to reflect our willingness to go to the bill tonight, tomorrow, anytime. We think it is very important that we get as many appropriations bills completed as possible. We are not in any way standing in the way of this. There is no objection on our side to going to this bill.
I also say that this Friday is the most holy of all holidays for those of the Jewish faith, Yom Kippur. We have a number of Senators who must travel west that day to prepare for the holiday. They cannot make their transportation arrangements unless they can leave here at 10:20 on Friday morning. The leader has spoken to some of the Jewish Members of the Senate and he recognizes the problem. We have this tax bill of which we know the importance. But we have to let the high holy day take precedence over what has to be done here on Friday.
I hope the two leaders and my distinguished friend on the floor now and the Republican leader will take that into consideration. It has been brought to my attention by several Senators this afternoon.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, let me say that there are Members on both sides of the aisle for whom Friday is an exceedingly important day. We are certainly aware of that. That is another good reason for finishing the family friendly tax bill tomorrow night. We will press on and try to complete both Foreign Operations and the family friendly tax bill tomorrow night.