COLUMBIA--The Senate picked up its pace as it dealt with the state's $5 billion budget Tuesday and appeared to be heading into a marathon meeting.

Signs of the progress came as the Senate took up and adopt-ed or killed dozens of amendments.

One of those amendments would get rid of the Education Oversight Committee, an agency formed to help implement the 1998 Education Accountability Act.

The proposal passed on a 32-10 vote. Supporters of the amendment say the oversight committee duplicates functions of the state Education Department. The move would save about $1.2 million.

The urgency to get work done Tuesday showed up as senators began objecting to delays in debating those amendments.

"I intend that we finish the bill tonight," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence.

The Senate is more than half-way through nearly 400 amendments.

But there are other details in the spending plan to be worked out and a lengthy debate on state lottery spending is expected.

Going into Tuesday night, the budget debate was still well behind schedule.

The amendment wrangling usually comes in the first days of debate. The Senate is now in its eighth day of debate and burning through its third week.

A budget debate that usually takes a week has been stymied by a lack of money and no agreement on raising taxes or cutting state programs.

There were tense moments during the day as tempers surfaced.

Sen. Phil Leventis, D-Sumter, offered an amendment to take about $26,000 out of Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer's budget. Leventis, Bauer's opponent in the Nov. 5 election, said the budget as it stands shields Bauer's budget from the same cuts other agencies are taking.

But, Sen. Jake Knotts, R-West Columbia, said that the lieutenant governor inherited a budget from then-Lt. Gov. Bob Peeler that "was in shambles because of budget cuts."

Peeler's brother, Sen. Harvey Peeler, R-Gaffney, fired back.

"Explain the shambles" Peeler demanded.

Knotts said it was all tied to last year's budget cuts and that he wasn't knocking the former lieutenant governor.

Both teamed up on Leventis.

"When it comes to slamming the present lieutenant governor, let someone else do it," Peeler said. "You ran for the office. ... It just doesn't look good."

"I'm doing what I think is the appropriate thing to do," Leventis said.