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OFFICER: THE
SENATOR FROM WYOMING.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I
VITIATED.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MADAM PRESIDENT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, WISH TO SPEAK
AS IF IN MORNING BUSINESS.
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU,
MADAM PRESIDENT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, OUR COUNTRY IS
TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM A DEADLINE
DATE AND THIS DEADLINE IS
APPROACHING BECAUSE OF
WASHINGTON'S CONSTANT INACTION.
NOW, TO ME, THIS DEADLINE HAS TO
DO WITH OUR NATIONAL DEBT.
NOW, THE PRESIDENT, ON THE OTHER
HAND, SAYS IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR
DEBT LIMIT, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
THAT WE ARE ALLOWED BY LAW TO
BORROW.
I BELIEVE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE
AMOUNT OF MONEY WE HAVE ALREADY
BORROWED AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO BORROW.
I BELIEVE AS AMERICANS WE CAN DO
I BELIEVE AS AMERICANS WE MUST
DO BETTER.
OUR COUNTRY NEEDS FOR US TO ACT.
YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT HAS
REPEATEDLY SAID THAT WE HAVE TO
DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE NOW.
LAST WEEK HE ASKED THE MOST
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION.
HE SAID, "IF NOT NOW, WHEN?"
THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
WE GOT A WAKE-UP CALL FROM
MEDICARE NOT TOO LONG AGO AND WE
FIND OUT IT WILL BE BANKRUPT
FIVE YEARS SOONER THAN THEY
INITIALLY THOUGHT, JUST OVER A
DECADE FROM NOW.
YOU KNOW, AS A DOCTOR WHO'S
PRACTICED MEDICINE A LONG TIME,
STRENGTHEN MEDICARE.
WE KNOW THAT IN 25 YEARS, THE
SAME WILL HAPPEN TO SOCIAL
SECURITY.
NOW, UNLIKE OUR DEBT LIMIT WHICH
CONGRESS CAN LEGISLATE AWAY,
STRENGTHENING MEDICARE, SAVING
SOCIAL SECURITY, THAT CAN'T
SIMPLY BE LEGISLATED AWAY.
WE HAVE TO ACT NOW TO PREVENT
THESE PROGRAMS FROM FAILING NOT
JUST PEOPLE ON THOSE PROGRAMS
TODAY BUT ALSO FUTURE
GENERATIONS.
YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT HAS
OBSERVED THAT WE ARE IN THE
11th HOUR WHEN IT COMES TO OUR
DEBT CEILING, AND THE ONLY CLEAR
PATH TO RAISE THE DEBT CEILING
THAT HAS PASSED EITHER HOUSE OF
CONGRESS IS THE PROPOSAL THAT
PASSED THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES LAST NIGHT, THE
CUT, CAP, AND BALANCE ACT.
THIS ACT WOULD ONLY RAISE THE
DEBT CEILING IF WE PUT OUR
COUNTRY ON THE FAST-TRACK BACK
TO FISCAL SANITY.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE,
ON THE TRACK TO FISCAL SANITY.
IT IS AN APPROACH THAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU WE
NEED NOW MORE THAN EVER.
OUR CREDITORS ARE GETTING
RESTIVE.
THIS WEEK THE FITCH CREDIT
RATINGS WARNED THAT IF THE
UNITED STATES DOESN'T TAKE
ACTION TO AVOID DEFAULT, WE
COULD LOSE OUR TRIPLE-A CREDIT
RATING.
STANDARD & POOR'S HAS ALREADY
WARNED THAT UNLESS WE CUT OUR
BUDGET, OUR CREDIT RATING COULD
BE AT RISK.
WASTEFUL WASHINGTON SPENDING HAS
ALREADY SADDLED OUR CHILDREN
WITH OVER $14 TRILLION OF DEBT.
IF WE DEFAULT, THIS SPENDING MAY
ALSO FORCE THEM TO PAY PUNISHING
PUNISHINGLY HIGH INTEREST RATES
THAT WILL DRAIN AMERICAN DOLLARS
FROM OUR ALREADY SLUGGISH
ECONOMY.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE WE
WILL NOT DEFAULT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY PAYING
$6,000 -- $6,000 A SOAKED
INTEREST ALONE ON -- A SECOND ON
INTEREST ALONE ON OUR DEBT.
FOR THOSE OF US WITH CHILDREN,
WE KNOW WHAT THIS IMPACT IS
GOING TO BE ON THEM YEARS AND
YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.
WELL, THE CUT, CAP AND BALANCE
ACT WOULD PUT US ON THE PATH TO
RESOLVING THE ISSUE BY CUTTING
SPENDING IMMEDIATELY, BY CAPPING
SPENDING IN THE FUTURE, AND BY
FORCING, FINALLY FORCING
WASHINGTON TO LIVE WITHIN ITS
MEANS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE SORT OF
LAW THAT THE COUNTRY NEEDS AND
THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD
ACTUALLY WELCOME.
BUT WHAT HAS THE PRESIDENT DONE?
WELL, HE'S THREATENED TO VETO
THIS LAW HE SAID IF IT CROSSES
HIS DESK.
THE PRESIDENT HAS THREATENED TO
VETO THE ONLY PLAN THAT ACTUALLY
SOLVES THE PROBLEM THAT HAS
PASSED EITHER HOUSE OF CONGRESS.
WHY?
WELL, THE ADMINISTRATION
EMPHASIZES PUBLIC OPINION AS
THEIR REASON FOR OH OPPOSING THE
HARD CHOICES REQUIRED BY OUR
BUT YET THE PRESIDENT SAID
THEY'RE OPPOSED TO A BALANCED
BUDGET CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
WELL, IN A RECENT MASON-DIXON
POLL, 65% OF AMERICANS SAY THEY
SUPPORT A BALANCED BUDGET
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, SO
WHERE IS THAT RESPECT THAT THE
PRESIDENT TALKS ABOUT FOR PUBLIC
OPINION?
FINALLY, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS
HIDDEN BEHIND CATCH PHRASES
RATHER THAN DEBATE THE MERITS OF
CUT AND CAP AND BALANCE.
THEY REFERRED TO IT AS A
DIFFERENT NAME.
WELL, WHEN I HEAR THE WHITE
HOUSE SPOKESMAN TALK ABOUT CUT,
CAP AND BALANCE IN A DIFFERENT
WAY, I SAY HOW IS DUCKING THE
ISSUE TO CONFRONT BOTH OUR
SPENDING PROBLEM AND THE DEBT
CEILING HEAD-ON, HOW -- WE --
THAT'S NOT DUCKING THE ISSUE.
THAT'S FACING THE ISSUE.
WHEN THE PRESIDENT'S SPOKESMAN
TALKS ABOUT DODGING THE ISSUE, I
WILL SAY, HOW IS IT A DODGE TO
SUPPORT COMMONSENSE SOLUTIONS TO
OUR SPENDING ADDICTION LIKE A
BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT?
AND THEN HE USED THE PHRASE
ABOUT DISIMAGINED DISMANTLING,
AND I SAY HOW DOES STOPPING OUR
COUNTRY FROM GOING BANKRUPT
COUNT AS DISMANTLING?
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS EVEN
PLAN.
YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY DON'T THINK
IS THAT ASTONISHING?
THE WHITE HOUSE, THE UNITED
THE WORLD, THE WHITE HOUSE
DOESN'T THINK THEY NEED A PLAN
AT THE 11th HOUR?
THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
JUST RECENTLY SAID, LEADERSHIP
IS NOT PROPOSING A PLAN FOR THE
SAKE OF HAVING IT VOTED UP OR
DOWN AND LIKELY VOTED DOWN.
THE BUDGET THAT WAS BROUGHT TO
THIS FLOOR, THE PRESIDENT'S
BUDGET FAILED 0-97.
NOT ONE REPUBLICAN VOTED FOR IT,
NOT ONE DEMOCRAT VOTED FOR IT --
NO ONE VOTED FOR WHAT THE
PRESIDENT HAD PROPOSED.
NO ONE OF EITHER PARTY.
PERHAPS THE PRESIDENT OUGHT TO
PROPOSE SOMETHING NEW.
HOLDING OUR COUNTRY HOSTAGE TO
IRRESPONSIBLE WASHINGTON
SPENDING WHILE TRYING TO HIT THE
ECONOMY WITH TAX HIKES ISN'T
LEADERSHIP.
IT'S DENYING THE REALITY.
REFUSING TO PUT FORWARD A PLAN
TO RESOLVE OUR SPENDING CRISIS
ISN'T LEADERSHIP.
IT'S DEFERRING TO CONSEQUENCES.
MAKING THE ECONOMY WORSE, THE
WAY THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE
FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, ISN'T
LEADERSHIP AND IT IS HURTING OUR
COUNTRY.
THE PRESIDENT'S POLICIES HAVE
MADE IT WORSE, MADE THE ECONOMY
WORSE, MADE HEALTH CARE WORSE,
MADE ENERGY AVAILABILITY WORSE,
HOUSING WORSE.
THE POLICIES HAVE MADE IT WORSE.
THIS ADMINISTRATION CAN ACCUSE
CUT, CAP AND BALANCE OF DUCKING
AND THEY CAN ACCUSE IT OF
DODGING AND THEY CAN ACCUSE ACCUSE IT
OF DISMANTLING, BUT THE STRATEGY
COMING OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE
SEEMS TO BE DUCK AND COVER.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
ANYONE WHO KNOWS THE MATH KNOWS
THAT THIS STRATEGY WAS NEVER
ACCEPTABLE BEFORE AND IT IS
DOUBLY UNACCEPTABLE NOW.
THE AMOUNT OF DEBT THAT WE OWE
RIGHT NOW TODAY IS SO HIGH THAT
IT IS HURTING EMPLOYMENT AT HOME
HOME.
EXPERTS TELL US THAT OUR DEBT IS
COSTING US MILLIONS OF JOBS --
A MILLION JOBS.
SPENDING LIKE THIS MAKES IT
HARDER FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO
CREATE NEW JOBS, AND THE
UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS THAT JUST
CAME OUT SHOW US AT 9.2%
UNEMPLOYMENT.
WITH THAT KIND OF UNEMPLOYMENT,
ENERGY PRICES HIGH, PEOPLE
NOTICING IT IN THE QUALITY OF
THEIR LIFE, IT'S HARDER FOR
AMERICAN FAMILIES TO BUY GAS,
BUY GROCERIES, BUY CARS, HOMES,
PAY TUITION FOR THEIR KIDS TO GO
TO COLLEGE.
AND IT'S HARDER TO CREATE JOBS
FOR THOSE KIDS WHO WILL BE
GRADUATING THIS YEAR AND NEXT
YEAR AND EVERY YEAR UNTIL WE GET
THE SPENDING UNDER CONTROL.
AND DEBT ISN'T JUST A DISASTER
FOR THE DISTANT FUTURE.
OUR DEBT IS IRRESPONSIBLE.
OUR DEBT IS UNSUSTAINABLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN OUR MILITARY
LEADERS HAVE CONDEMNED IT.
ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN OF
THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, HAS
SAID THE BIGGEST THREAT TO OUR
NATIONAL SECURITY IS OUR DEBT.
THE DEBT IS THE THREAT.
IT IS NOT OUR ENEMIES WHO ARE
DEFEATING US.
IT IS OUR SPENDING THAT IS
HURTING US SO VERY MUCH.
FIGHT BACK.
THAT'S WHY I AM SUPPORTING AND
HAVE COSPONSORED CUT, CAP AND
BALANCE AND WILL VOTE FOR IT ON
THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED STATES
SENATE.
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION TAKES
COMMONSENSE STEPS TO GET OUR
COUNTRY OUT OF DEBT.
IT WILL IMMEDIATELY REDUCE
SPENDING BY OVER $100 BILLION AS
A DOWN PAYMENT ON OUR CHILDREN'S
FUTURE.
IT WILL PLACE A HARD CAP ON
SPENDING SO THAT IT NEVER
REACHES THE UNSUSTAINABLE
HEIGHTS OF THE PAST TWO YEARS
AGAIN.
IT WILL SEND A BALANCED BUDGET
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR RATIFICATION
RATIFICATION.
AND IT WILL PREVENT US FROM
DEFAULTING ON OUR DEBT.
PASSING THIS LAW IS THE KIND OF
LEADERSHIP THAT AMERICA
DESERVES.
AND THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO SHOW
HE UNDERSTANDS LEADERSHIP, HE
SHOULD RETRACT HIS VETO THREAT
AND SUPPORT THIS APPROACH.
AND I ABSOLUTELY WILL SUPPORT IT
WHEN IT COMES TO THIS BODY.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I YIELD THE FLOOR AND NOTE THE
ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT.
THE
SENATOR FROM LOUISIANA.
PRESIDENT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I RISE TO --
WE ARE IN
A QUORUM CALL.
PRESIDENT.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
VITIATE THE QUORUM CALL.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU.
AND NOW, MADAM PRESIDENT, I RISE
TO ASK SUPPORT, BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT FOR THE VITTER AMENDMENT
WHICH WE WILL BE VOTING ON AT
THIS AMENDMENT IS VERY SIMPLE,
IT'S VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, BUT I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND MAKES A
CENTRAL POINT.
THE AMENDMENT SAYS THAT THESE
FUNDS IN THIS BILL WILL NOT BE
SPENT UNLESS AND UNTIL WE HAVE A
2012 BUDGET, UNLESS WE START
WITH FIRST THINGS FIRST AND
DECIDE WHAT THE OVERALL BUDGET
FRAMEWORK IS AND THEN MOVE
FORWARD WITH SPENDING WITH
APPROPRIATION BILLS CONSISTENT
WITH THAT BUDGET, AND THAT'S ALL
IT SAYS.
SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD POINT
BUT AN IMPORTANT POINT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, FOLKS AROUND
AMERICA, INCLUDING IN THE
MARKET, ARE SCRATCHING THEIR
HEADS.
THEY LOOK AT WASHINGTON, THEY
LOOK AT US, THEY LOOK AT
CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT AND
SEE ALMOST COMPLETE DYSFUNCTION
AND THIS COMPLETE LACK OF A
BUDGET, EVEN LACK OF AN ATTEMPT
TO GET A BUDGET IN PLACE IS A
GLARING, MAYBE THE TOP EXAMPLE
OF THAT.
NOW, THIS ISN'T JUST A GOOD
COMMONSENSE IDEA, SOMETHING
EVERY FAMILY DOES, SOMETHING
EVERY SMALL BUSINESS DOES.
THIS ALSO HAPPENS TO BE REQUIRED
BY FEDERAL LAW.
AS YOU KNOW, MADAM PRESIDENT,
THE FEDERAL BUDGET ACT MANDATES
THAT WE PASS A BUDGET BY
APRIL 15 OF EVERY YEAR.
WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT.
THE HOUSE PASSED A BUDGET.
THE SENATE, QUITE FRANKLY, HAS
NOT EVEN TRIED.
THE SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE HAS
NOT EVEN MET TO BEGIN TO DO THAT
IN REGULAR ORDER THROUGH THE
NORMAL PROCESS.
IN FACT, MADAM PRESIDENT, IT'S
WORSE THAN THAT.
THE SENATE DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO DO
THAT LAST YEAR UNDER THE SAME
CURRENT LEADERSHIP, AND SO WE'RE
NOW OVER 800 DAYS AND COUNTING
THAT THE SENATE UNDER THIS
LEADERSHIP HAS NOT EVEN TRIED TO
COMPLY WITH FEDERAL LAW AND
ADOPT A BUDGET.
SO AGAIN, MADAM PRESIDENT, MY
AMENDMENT IS VERY SIMPLE.
IT SAYS FIRST THINGS FIRST.
WE NEED A BUDGET SO THAT ANY
APPROPRIATION BILL, ANY SPENDING
IS ONLY DONE CONSISTENT WITH AND
IN THE CONTEXT OF THAT BUDGET.
THINGS.
THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO RUN A
THAT'S WHAT EVERY LOUISIANA
PLANS.
THAT'S WHAT EVERY LOUISIANA
BUSINESS DOES IN SETTING ITS
PLANS, AND THAT'S WHAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE MARKETS
WANT FROM US.
MADAM PRESIDENT, THE LAST FEW
WEEKS HAS BEEN GREAT DISCUSSION
ABOUT MOODY'S AND STANDARD AND
POOR'S AND THREATS TO DOWNGRADE
THEIR GRADE ON U.S. TREASURY
NOTES AND OUR DEBT, AND WHAT
THEY HAVE BEEN SAYING IS LOUD
AND CLEAR.
IT'S NOT A PURE FOCUS ON THE
DEBT CEILING.
IT'S AN EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
FOCUS AS WELL ON THE UNDERLYING
ISSUE OF SPENDING AND DEBT.
THEY HAD BEEN SAYING WHAT EVERY
WE'RE ON A COMPLETELY
UNSUSTAINABLE PATH IN TERMS OF
SPENDING AND DEBT, AND THEY WANT
TO SEE A REAL CHANGE IN THAT,
THE START OF A REAL CHANGE
ADDING UP TO AT LEAST
REDUCTION.
WE NEED TO DO THAT, AND STEP ONE
TO DOING THAT, STEP ONE TO
COPING IS TO HAVE A BUDGET.
YOU CAN'T BEGIN TO DO THAT
WITHOUT A BUDGET PLAN, WITHOUT
AN OUTLINE, AND AGAIN THAT GOES
TO THE CORE, THE SIMPLE,
FUNDAMENTAL, STRAIGHTFORWARD BUT
IMPORTANT POINT OF THIS VITTER
AMENDMENT.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO PUT
FIRST THINGS FIRST.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SAY WE
NEED TO START DOING OUR
BUSINESS, STARTING WITH A 2012
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
MADAM PRESIDENT.
THE
SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS.
I ASK CONSENT THE
QUORUM CALL BE SUSPENDED.
OBJECTION.
I HAVE NINE QUACK
QUACK REQUESTS FOR COMMITTEES TO
MEET DURING TODAY'S SESSION OF
THE SENATE.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THESE
REQUESTS BE AGREED TO AND
PRINTED IN THE RECORD.
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT.
QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT.
THE
SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS.
I ASK CONSENT TO
VITIATE THE QUORUM AND BE
RECOGNIZED.
OBJECTION.
WE ARE WRAPPING UP TO
A VOTE THAT WE HOPE WILL OCCUR
ON SENATOR VITTER'S AMENDMENT AT
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SUMMARIZE
WHERE WE ARE.
WE ARE COMPLETING DEBATE ON THE
BILL THAT PROVIDES FUNDING FOR
THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND
OUR MILITARY CONSTRUCTION NEEDS.
THIS IS THE BILL THAT BACKS UP
OVER 22 MILLION VETERANS WHO
SERVED OUR COUNTRY.
THE REASON WHY I AND THE
REPUBLICANS ON THE
UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED THIS BILL
IS IT IS MARKED TO THE HOUSE
BUDGET RESOLUTION, THE PAUL-RYAN
BUDGET RESOLUTION NUMBER.
WE CUT FUNDING BY $1.2 BILLION
IN BUDGET AUTHORITY
PRESIDENT'S LEVEL.
THIS BILL COMES IN $620 MILLION
BELOW THE 2011 ENACTED LEVEL.
IT'S EVEN .6 MILLION BELOW THE
HOUSE-PASSED LEVEL JUST ADOPTED,
CHAIRMAN CULBERSON'S BILL IN THE
THIS YEAR.
NOW, THE SENATE VOTED BY A VOTE
OF 71-26 FOR CLOTURE TO BRING
THIS BILL UP.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE WORKING
APPROPRIATIONS BILLS.
I HOPE THERE ARE MANY OTHERS.
THE LEGISLATION I THINK IS
PEOPLE MAY ASK THE QUESTION HOW
DID WE MAKE THE FUNDING CUTS TO
COME IN AT THE HOUSE LEVEL, AND
THE ANSWER IS THAT CHAIRMAN
JOHNSON AND I MADE SOME
DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
WE CUT 24 SEPARATE MILITARY
CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS.
A LIST IS AVAILABLE IN THE
REPORT THAT ACCOMPANIES THIS
BILL.
WE MADE SOME VERY TOUGH CALLS
REGARDING SPENDING THAT WAS
PROPOSED FOR BAHRAIN, FOR
GERMANY AND FOR KOREA.
THERE WAS A WORTHWHILE PROJECT
PROPOSED FOR THE COURT OF
VETERANS' APPEALS.
THEY WANTED A BRAND-NEW BUILDING
AND A COURTROOM.
THAT WAS DENIED OUTRIGHT.
THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS, THOSE 24
REDUCTIONS DENYING A NEW COURT
OF VETERANS' APPEALS BUILDING,
MAKING THOSE CUTS NECESSARY THEN
BROUGHT US UNDER THE HOUSE LEVEL
BUDGET.
I WILL JUST REMIND MEMBERS THE
LEGISLATION IS NOW ENDORSED BY
THE V.F.W., AM-VETS, DISABLED
AMERICAN VETERANS, THE PARALYZED
VETERANS OF AMERICA AND THE IRAQ
AND AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF
AMERICA.
IT HAD THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF
REPUBLICANS IN THE SUBCOMMITTEE
AND IN THE FULL COMMITTEE, AND
BECAUSE IT COMES IN AT THE HOUSE
BUDGET LEVEL, THAT'S WHY I THINK
IT'S NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD,
ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT A
BUDGET CRISIS IN WHICH CHECKS
MAY OR MAY NOT GO OUT.
I VERY MUCH HOPE THEY DO.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT SIGNAL
FOR THE SENATE TO SEND, THAT A
PAUL-RYAN APPROVED BUDGET
NUMBER, WHICH IS WHAT THIS BILL
IS AT, GOES FORWARD THAT ENSURES
2012 APPROPRIATED FUNDING FOR
OUR VETERANS AND THE MILITARY
CONSTRUCTION NEEDS OF OUR MEN
AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.
WITH THAT, I YIELD THE FLOOR.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
QUORUM CALL:
MR. PRESIDENT?
SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA.
SORRY.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
PRESINNEDDED.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
WHAT IS THE PENDING BUSINESS?
UNDER THE
PREVIOUS ORDER, THE QUESTION IS
ON THE VITTER AMENDMENT.
VITTER AMENDMENT PENDING BEFORE
THE SENATE IS ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO
DERAIL THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE
MADE IN A BIPARTISAN FASHION ON
THE MILCON-V.A. BILL.
THE SENATE HAS VOTED TWICE ON
THIS ISSUE DURING CONSIDERATION
OF THIS BILL.
AT THE OUTSET OF DEBATE, THE
RANKING MEMBER OF THE BUDGET
COMMITTEE RAISED A POINT OF
ORDER AGAINST CONSIDERATION OF
THIS BILL WITHOUT PRIOR ADOPTION
OF A BUDGET RESOLUTION.
I MADE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE
BUDGET POINT OF ORDER AND THE
SENATE VOTED 71-26 TO CUT OFF
DEBATE ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE.
THE SENATE THEN AGREED TO WAIVE
THE POINT OF ORDER 56-40.
NOW WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT THAT
SAYS THAT NONE OF THE CRITICAL
FUNDING PROVIDED IN THE BILL CAN
BE OBLIGATED IN EXCESS OF A
EXIST.
THE STRICTEST INTERPRETATION OF
THIS MEANS THAT THE V.A. CAN'T
SPEND MONEY FOR VETS AND OUR
MILITARY CAN'T CONSTRUCT NEW
TRAINING, HOUSING OR OTHER
CRITICAL FACILITIES UNTIL WE
HAVE A CONCURRENT BUDGET
I DON'T DISAGREE THAT IT IS
IMPORTANT TO PASS A BUDGET BUT
THE SENATE HAS OVERWHELMINGLY
VOTED TO MOVE THIS BILL SO AS TO
NOT DELAY ESSENTIAL FUNDING FOR
OUR TROOPS AND VETS WHILE
NEGOTIATIONS ON THE DEBT CEILING
AND BUDGET CONTINUE.
I REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT THIS
BILL IS $618 MILLION BELOW THE
CURRENT LEVEL, $1.25 MILLION
BELOW THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET
REQUEST AND $2.6 MILLION BELOW
THE HOUSE-PASSED BILL.
THIS IS A RESPONSIBLE AND
BIPARTISAN BILL AND THE PENDING
AMENDMENT WOULD STOP ALL
PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE.
THEREFORE, I MOVE TO TABLE THE
AMENDMENT NUMBER 568 AND ASK FOR
THE YEAS AND NAYS.
IS THERE
A SUFFICIENT SECOND?
IS THERE A SUFFICIENT SECOND?
THERE IS A SUFFICIENT SECOND.
THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
VOTE:
VOTE:
VOTE:
ARE THERE
ANY SENATORS WISHING TO CHANGE
HIS OR HER VOTE OR TO VOTE?
HEARING NO VOICES, THE MOTION --
THE VOTE IS 69 AYES, THE NAYS
ARE 30.
THE MOTION TO TABLE HAS BEEN
APPROVED.
MOVE TO RECONSIDER.
UNDER THE
PREVIOUS ORDER, THE MOTION TO
RECONSIDER IS CONSIDERED MADE
AND LAID UPON THE TABLE.
I MOVE THE ABSENCE
OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
THE
SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
RESCINDED.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT THAT THE SENATE PROCEED