Rear Adm. Barry Black:programs. live senate coverage on c-span two black will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. most holy and gracious god, who turns the shadow of night into morning, satisfy our hearts

Rear Adm. Barry Black:with your mercies that we may rejoice and be glad all the day. abide with the members of this body. permitting the light of your countenance to calm every troubled thought, and to guide their feet in the way

Rear Adm. Barry Black:of peace. perfect your strength in their weakness and help them to serve you and country to the glory of your name. lord in a world so uncertain about many things, make our senators sure of no light

Rear Adm. Barry Black:but yours and no refuge but you. give them courage to see the truth and wisdom to humbly follow where it leads. we pray in the redeemer's name. amen. the presiding officer: please join me in reciting the

Speech By: Harry Reid

Harry Reid:pledge of allegiance. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the presiding

Harry Reid:officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington, d.c, july 14, 2008. to the senate: under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the

Harry Reid:senate, i hereby appoint the honorable jim webb, a senator from the commonwealth of virginia, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: robert c. byrd, president pro tempore. the presiding officer:

Harry Reid:the majority leader. mr. reid: mr. president, we're going to have an hour of morning business as soon as senator mcconnell and i finish our opening remarks, if any. following the morning business,

Harry Reid:the senate will proceed to s. 2731, the global aids. senators should be prepared to vote tomorrow morning before the recess for the caucus lunchons, if not on amendments, there will be things to vote on.

Harry Reid:this week in addition to considering the global aids bill, the senate may turn to the consideration of liheap, gas prices, market manipulation, medicare veto override, if in fact the president does override the

Harry Reid:veto on medicare. we'll have to wait until the house acts first on that. s. 3257 is at the desk due for a second reading. the presiding officer: the clerk will read the title of the bill for the second

Harry Reid:time. the clerk: s. 3257 a bill to extend immigration program to promote legal immigration as well as for other purposes. rye object to the proceeding. the presiding officer: the objection is heard.

Harry Reid:mr. reid: i will come later today to give a full statement on some of the things that we will try to do this week. i have other matters and i i am unable to take care of that. it should be a productive

Harry Reid:week. we had a good week last week. i would hope that we can move through these amendments. we have a finite number of amendments and i hope that people will offer their amendments and use whatever

Harry Reid:time they feel is appropriate. i hope that we can finish this bill as quickly as possible. it is an important piece of legislation. the president, senator biden, senator lugar have been waiting to

Harry Reid:move this for many, many months. hopefully we can conclude in this week. do you want to make a statement, mr. president, do you have anything to say? the presiding officer: the chair defers to the

Harry Reid:majority leader. mr. reid: we will move to morning business. the presiding officer: under the previous order the leadership time is reserved. under the previous order there will be a period of

Harry Reid:morning business for up to one hour with senators permitted to speak therein for 10 minutes each. mr. reid: note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

Harry Reid:mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that the call of the quorum be terminated. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered.

Harry Reid:mr. reid: mr. president, i ask that morning business be extended until 4:00 p.m. today under the same conditions as under the previous order. the presiding officer: without r: objection, so ordered.