Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask for an agreement with regard to nuclear waste . I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. 1936, the nuclear waste bill, on Tuesday, July 23, at 12 noon, and immediately after the bill is called up, the majority leader be recognized for the purpose of filing a cloture motion on the bill, and there then be 15 minutes for debate prior to the cloture vote.

This is the latest version. The time is equally divided in the usual form, with the cloture vote occurring at 2:15 on Tuesday, July 23. If cloture is invoked, the bill will immediately be laid aside and it will become the pending business on Tuesday, September 3, 1996, at a time to be determined by the two leaders; and following final passage of the bill, if in the affirmative, then it would be in order for the Senate to insist on its amendments, if applicable, request a conference with the House, and the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate, all without further action or debate.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?

Mr. BRYAN. I object.

Mr. LOTT. Could I inquire of the Senator from Nevada what his objection is to that?

Mr. BRYAN. I would be happy to state my objection. As you know, the Senators from Nevada have worked with the majority leader, with those on the other side of the aisle who are proponents of this legislation. We have had an exchange of proposals, as the majority leader knows, during the course of this afternoon.

The latest proposal that was brought back by the other side of the aisle had a provision in it which had not previously been discussed and was unacceptable, so we could not accept it.

Mr. LOTT. The provision with regard to going to conference?

Mr. BRYAN. That is the provision that had not heretofore been discussed, as the majority leader knows, and we had assumed within the parameters of what was being discussed all rights would be reserved under rule XXII, including any options that might be available to us in the event that this legislation moved to conference.

So it was on that basis that we interposed our objection.

Mr. LOTT. I want to make sure I understood. I just note that if every opportunity was taken with regard to going to conference, that could lead to at least three more votes, three more debatable motions, and would take up days, and therefore without that, we have accomplished almost nothing with that.

Mr. REID. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. LOTT. I would be glad to yield.

Mr. REID. I do have the right to object. I think there has been an objection. I say respectfully to my friend the majority leader and to the minority leader, we have an obligation to move legislation along here. We agree with the statement of the majority leader, we should move legislation, but take it a step at a time.

What we thought we were doing, the Senators from Nevada, is moving this--we were jumping two steps. We were willing to do away with those, but we cannot waive all of our rights, and we know how important it is to move legislation. We felt that by going directly to the Defense appropriations bill, getting that

completed, doing other things that will be able to be completed, without the two Senators from Nevada exercising their rights--under the rules, we felt we were doing the country and the two leaders here, in effect, a favor, but to have us avoid three or four different procedural moves that we have, seems to be a little bit too much.

We appreciate you trying to work with us. I object.