ms. landrieu. ms. landrieu: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator louisiana. order in the chamber. the senator from louisiana. ms. landrieu: mr. president, i'm going to do my best to start the pace around here. i'm going to ask for a voice vote, and i would hope people would give a shout out for a yea for a narrow exception to a wetlands project for nonprofits with a permit to build. that's what this amendment z there's no opposition. i ask for the yeas and nays. modify amendment -- the presiding officer: the senator wish to modify her amendment? ms. landrieu: yes. the presiding officer: the allot is so modified. ash the amendment is so modified. all time is yielded back. all those in favor say aye. all those opposed. it appears -- the yeas appear to have it. the motion is approved -- the amendment is agreed to. the question is on the kohl amendment 755. two minutes evenly divided. who yields time? the senator from wisconsin. the presiding officer: is there any further debate? all time is yielded back. the question is on the amendment. all those in favor say a

ms. landrieu: mr. president, pursuant to the previous order, i now ask consent to set aside the pending amendment so i may call up amendment 781. the presiding officer: without objection, the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from louisiana, ms. landrieu, proposes an amendment numbered 781 to amendment number 738. on page 83, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following: section -- section 363 of the -- ms. landrieu: i ask unanimous consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. vitter: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. mr. vitter: i call up vitter autumn 769. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: mr. vitter proposes an amendment numbered 769 to amendment number 738. on page -- mr. vitter: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent to waive reading of the whole. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. vitter: mr. president, let me briefly explain what this amendment is

ms. landrieu: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. ms. landrieu: thank you, mr. president. i understand we have about four minutes on our side, and i thank my colleague, senator grassley, for his kind words of support, strong words of support for the nomination that is before the senate today. and i rise to support the confirmation of stephen higginson to the u.s. court of appeals for the fifth circuit. i was pleased, mr. president, to recommend mr. higginson to president obama to be considered for this nomination to this important post. and i'm pleased to be joined by my colleague from louisiana that also supports this nomination and supports this confirmation. i'd like to take just a moment to share with some of my colleagues a few highlights of mr. higginson's background and resume. he has been well prepared for this position. he has resided in new orleans with his wife, colette, with their three children: christopher, katie and n oel. prior to that he began with a degree from harvard graduating summa cum laude. after graduating, he wen

ms. landry, it is close now and the remaining money, it went to another charitable organization. i do not have any specific questions so i will yield the balance of my time to mr. landrieu. >> i'm concerned about the moratorium fund because is it not correct that the fund that you administer, and you cannot pay out to companies who are affected by the moratorium, is that not correct? >> that is correct. it so they have to go to the $100 million fund. you have a $20 billion fund. i think there's some disparity there. i had a guy -- the problem i'm having, dee dee -- dino how many claims were paid to shrimpers who are certified commercial fisherman? >> i can probably get you that number. >> once you open that fund, there was a blue light special, ok, down in louisiana. and that allowed people to claim that they were shrimpers that were not travers, are not traditional commercial shrimpers. of course, i have heard stories where there are shrimpers they got paid very little, and there are hobby sharpers, i guess you call them, or tour of some shrimpers that got paid a lot. to me, it is very simple. we certify our commercial fishermen. but you are not using that in the matri

ms. landrieu: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. ms. landrieu: just a point of personal privilege or parliamentary inquiry. at the rate of voting that we're going with the amendments that are pending could the parliamentarian or the leader share with us, since it's taken an hour and 45 minutes on four votes what it might look like for the rest of the night? the presiding officer: the senate will be in order. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: mr. president, i know how frustrating it is for everyone. this is not a question for the parliamentarian. we're doing our best to work through these votes. they're ten-minute votes. we are -- are doing our utmost to maintain that time and we'll continue to do that. we're sorry on close votes everyone knows sometimes they take a little longer. so i apologize to my friend from louisiana and everyone else. let's move through these votes as quickly as we can. mr. mcconnell: mr. president could i just respectfully make one suggestion. there are three options. w