Veterans' Day

      7:00 P.M.         

As he finished speaking Senator Jeffords announced that he would not support the Defense Authorization Conference Report because he has concerns about provisions in the bill.  Senators from both sides of the aisle have spoken on the floor. Senator Saxby Chambliss is currently speaking on the floor. 

      5:15 P.M.         

Senator Jeffords is currently speaking on the floor about the H.R. 1588, the Defense Authorization Conference Report.  Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee and Chairman Warner have also spoken about the bill. 

      4:35 P.M.         

The Senate voted 87-1 to proceed to the Defense Authorization Conference Report. Senator Lautenberg is now speaking on the passage of the Syria Accountability Act.  Other votes are expected this evening, though their timing and nature have not been announced. 

      4:05 P.M.         

The Senate is now voting on whether to proceed to the Defense Authorization Conference Report. 

      4:00 P.M.         

The Senate has voted 89-4 to approved the Syria Accountability Act.  Senator Frist is now speaking on the floor about the schedule of the Senate.  He has asked that the Senate now consider the Defense Authorization bill. 

      3:20 P.M.         

The Senate will be voting shortly on the Syria Accountability Act.  This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 398-4 on October 15, 2003.  Senator Boxer, who has been a prominent sponsor of the legislation, spoke both about the need for the passage of this bill, and about veterans.  She commented that she had hoped that the Senate would not be in session today so that Senators could visit with veterans from their home states. 

      2:35 P.M.         

Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, spoke briefly about the Syria Accountability Act.  Senator Daschle of South Dakota, also spoke about the Syria Accountability Act and Veterans.  Senators will speak until 3:00 on this bill, when a vote is expected. 

     12:30 P.M.         

Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania spoke previously today about medical benefits for veterans, and he is now being the debate on H.R.1828, the Syrian Accountability Act. Debate time for H.R.1828 is divided with 30 minutes being allotted to Senator Specter, 30 minutes to Senator Joe Biden of Delaware and 30 minutes to Richard Lugar of Indiana. A vote is expected this afternoon around 3:15 on this legislation.

     11:30 A.M.         

Senators Tom Daschle of South Dakota, Craig Thomas of Wyoming, John Warner of Virginia, Kit Bond of Montana, and Bill Frist of Tennessee have come to floor this morning to express their gratitude for veterans.

            10:45 A.M.         

Senator Harry Reid spoke for 8 hours and 45 minutes yesterday in protest of the Republicans' announcing a 30-hour filibuster beginning this Wednesday about four nominees. At one point Senator Reid summed up the purpose of his opposition to the filibuster by saying that those who proposed the filibuster "are more interested in these four [nominees] who already have jobs than the approximately 10 million people who don't have jobs and the people who are concerned about unemployment, the people being driven into poverty, the deficit going up, the debt already increasing." The Senate will begin this morning with an hour of morning business. At 11:00, there will be a moment of silence in honor of Veterans' Day.

Appropriations vs. Authorization: While the power over appropriations is granted to Congress by the U.S. Constitution, the authorization-appropriation process is derived from House and Senate rules. The process consists of two sequential steps: (1) enactment of an authorization measure that may create or continue an agency or program as well as authorize the subsequent enactment of appropriations; and (2) enactment of appropriations to provide funds for the authorized agency or program.