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VOTE:
ARE
THERE ANY SENATORS WHO HAVE NOT
YET VOTED OR WISH TO CHANGE
THEIR VOTE?
IF NOT ON THIS VOTE THE YEAS ARE
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER
REQUIRING 60 VOTES FOR THE
ADOPTION OF THIS AMENDMENT, THE
AMENDMENT STPHOLT AGREED -- IS
NOT AGREED TO.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER,
MOTIONS TO RECONSIDER THE
PREVIOUS TWO VOTES ARE
CONSIDERED MADE AND LAID ON THE
TABLE.
THE
MAJORITY LEADER.
THERE WILL BE NO
MORE ROLL CALL VOTES THIS WEEK.
WE'LL WORK ON NEXT WEEK'S
SCHEDULE LATER TODAY.
I WOULD ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT
THAT THE SENATORS FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, SENATOR KERRY AND
BROWN BE RECOGNIZED FOR UP TO
TEN MINUTES EACH.
FOLLOWING THAT TIME, I BE
RECOGNIZED.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS.
BEFORE MAYOR MANINO
ACCUSED THE DUCK BOATS FOR THE
VICTORY PARADE ON SATURDAY, I
WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT WITH MY
COLLEAGUE HERE ON THE SENATE
FLOOR TO CELEBRATE AN
EXTRAORDINARY VICTORY BY THE
BOSTON BRUINS.
AFTER A GRUELING 39 YEARS OF SO
MANY UPS AND DOWNS,
HEARTBREAKING MISSES AND
ALMOSTS, THE STANLEY CUP IS
COMING BACK TO BOSTON.
THAT IS THANKS TO THE
EXTRAORDINARY GRIT OF A SPECIAL
HOCKEY TEAM, A TEAM THAT HAD
REALLY REMARKABLE CHARACTER.
I HAVE TO SAY, AND I SAY THIS I
HOPE CAUTIOUSLY BECAUSE I KNOW
PRIDE COMES BEFORE A FALL, BUT
NEVERTHELESS WE IN MASSACHUSETTS
ARE BLESSED WITH AN
EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES RIGHT
NOW BECAUSE LAST NIGHT'S
HEART-STOPPING GAME AGAINST THE
VANCOUVER KANUCKS IS ALLOWING US
TO CELEBRATE OUR SEVENTH
CHAMPIONSHIP FOR OUR CITY IN THE
LAST DECADE.
I KNOW PRIDE COMES BEFORE THE
FALL, BUT SWEEPING THE YANKEES A
WEEKEND AGO AND NOW WINNING THIS
SO AS A LIFELONG HOCKEY FAN AND
A GUY WHO STILL TRIES TO GET
AROUND A RINK OCCASIONALLY WHEN
MY HIPS ALLOW ME TO DO THAT, THE
BRUINS' WIN LAST NIGHT REALLY
WAS ONE OF THE SWEETEST EVER.
AND THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE IT WAS
IN SUCH A LONG TIME COMING, BUT
IT'S ALSO BECAUSE OF THE
DETERMINATION THIS TEAM SHOWED
IN GETTING THERE.
NOT SINCE 1972 DID THE BRUINS
BRING HOME THE STANLEY CUP.
AND NOT SINCE THE 1970
CHAMPIONSHIP HAS THERE BEEN SO
MUCH FOR HOCKEY FANS TO CHEER
ABOUT.
THIS BOSTON BRUINS FANS MADE
HISTORY NOT JUST IN THE
CHAMPIONSHIP BUT IN THE WAY THEY
GOT THERE.
THEY ARE THE FIRST TEAM IN
N.H.L. HISTORY TO WIN A GAME
SEVEN THREE TIMES IN THE SAME
POSTSEASON.
THEY DID IT WITH A KIND OF
HARD-NOSED, SELFLESS, REMEMBER
THE FUNDAMENTALS, PLAY THE
BASICS GRITTY KIND OF TEAM WORK
THAT WE IN BOSTON ADMIRE SO
MUCH.
DURING THE BRUINS RUN TO THE
CHAMPIONSHIP, WE GOT TO WITNESS
A VERY SPECIAL KIND OF PRIDE AND
ENCOURAGEMENT THAT CAME FROM OUR
CITY.
THERE IS A BLACK AND GOLD BRUINS
REVERE.
BEFORE GAME SEVEN, EVERYBODY GOT
TO SEE OUR INJURED FORWARD
NATHAN HORTON, POURING A BOTTLE
OF BOSTON WATER ON TO THE
VANCOUVER ICE.
THIS TEAM COULDN'T AND WOULDN'T
LOSE AT HOME, AND LAST NIGHT
HORTON'S MAGIC WATER TURNED
VANCOUVER INTO OUR HOME ICE.
AND TODAY ALL OF NEW ENGLAND IS
HOME FOR THE WORLD'S CHAMPION
BOSTON BRUINS.
TOEUF SAY WITH LAST -- I HAVE TO
SAY WITH LAST NIGHT'S VICTORY
YET ANOTHER PWRAOUPB LEGEND --
THOMAS.
IN SEVEN SPECTACULAR GAMES, TIM
HELD THE KANUCKS TO EIGHT GAMES
GOALI SPEFPLT IT WAS MORE THAN
APPROPRIATE HE WAS NAMED THE
GAME'S MOST VALUABLE PLAYER.
I WOULD SAY WHAT CURT SHILLING
WAS TO THE RED SOX TIM THOMAS IS
TO THE BRUINS TODAY.
MR. PRESIDENT, THIS STANLEY CUP
WIN IS A VICTORY FOR 9/11
MASSACHUSETTS WHO EVER LACED UP
A SKATE AND BRAVED FROZEN PONDS
EARLY IN THE MORNING, TO EVERY
PARENT WHO PACKED THEIR KID IN A
MINIVAN TO GET TO PRACTICE, FOR
EVERYONE WHO REMEMBERS THEIR
HEART SKIPPING A BEAT WHEN BOBBY
ORR SAILED THE AIR IN VICTORY,
WE HEAR OUR OWN VOICES IN THE
WORDS OF TIM THOMAS LAST NIGHT
WHEN HE PROCLAIMED, YOU'VE BEEN
WAITING FOR IT FOR A LONG TIME,
BUT YOU GOT IT.
YOU WANTED IT, YOU GOT IT.
WE'RE BRINGING IT HOME.
JUST AS IT WAS FOR THE RED SOX
FOR A LONG TIME, SOME PEOPLE
SAID THIS DAY WAS NEVER GOING TO
COME.
AND JUST AS IT WAS FOR THE R
SOX AND A CURSE THAT WE NO
LONGER HEAR MUCH ABOUT, SOME
EVEN BLAMED FATE FOR THE
BUT AFTER LAST NIGHT,
MR. PRESIDENT, BOSTON PROVED
ONCE AGAIN NEVER UNDERESTIMATE
AN UNDERDOG.
AND SO FINAL SCORE, BRUINS 1,
FATE ZERO.
I'M PROUD TO OFFER MY
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BRUINS
PLAYERS, THE COACHES, THE FRONT
OFFICE FOR A GREAT SERIES, FOR A
GREAT SEASON, AND FOR BEING
GREAT CHAMPIONS.
THIS TEAM NEVER QUIT.
THEY NEVER LOST FOCUS.
THEY BELIEVED IN THEMSELVES AS
AND ABOVE ALL, THEY BELIEVED IN
THEMSELVES AS A TEAM.
SO WE CAN'T WAIT FOR SATURDAY
WHEN WE WILL SEE THE CITY OF
BOSTON'S REFLECTION IN THE
POLISHED SILVER NICKEL OF LORD
STANLEY'S CUP.
WELCOME BACK TO BOSTON.
A SENATOR: THAT WAS GREAT.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS.
IT WAS GREAT I. I'M
HONORED TO SPEAK AS WELL WITH MY
COLLEAGUE SENATOR KERRY TO
CELEBRATE SOMETHING THAT I WAS
HAPPENED.
I COME TO THE FLOOR OBVIOUSLY TO
RECOGNIZE THE BOSTON BRUINS AND
THE THRILLING SEASON AND 4-0
VICTORY LAST NIGHT IN GAME SEVEN
OVER VANCOUVER IN THE STANLEY
CUP FINALS.
I ENJOY NOT BEING AN AVID SKATER
LIKE SENATOR KERRY, I STILL AM
AMAZED AT THE WAY THAT THEY JUST
GO ALL OUT AND THEN JUST SLAM
EACH OTHER UP AGAINST THE BOARDS
AND THEY ACTUALLY GET UP.
I FIND THAT AMAZING.
AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE BRINGING
THE CUP BACK, AS SENATOR KERRY
SAID, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE
1972.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF
BOSTON FANS UP IN THE GALLERY.
ALL RIGHT!
AS YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO THE HOME
OF THE BEAN POT TOURNAMENT AND
SOME OF THE BEST COLLEGE HOCKEY
IN THE COUNTRY.
THE BRUINS MADE HISTORY BY
BECOMING THE FIRST TEAM IN THE
NHL TO WIN THREE DECIDING GAME
SEVEN IN A SINGLE RUN, TWICE
REBOUNDING FROM BEING DOWN TWO
GAMES TO NONE.
FOR BRUINS FANS AND EVERYBODY
AND MYSELF AND EVERYBODY I WAS
WITH LAST NIGHT, WE WERE VERY
EXCITED.
WITH VICTORIES OVER PHILLY,
TAMPA AND FINALLY VANCOUVER, IT
MADE FOR A MEMORABLE RUN.
BEING A BIG UNDERDOG BEFORE THE
SERIES BEGAN, THE BRUINS PLAYED
INSPIRED HOCKEY TO WIN LORD
STANLEY'S CUP.
THEY DID IT AS A TEAM.
THEY PLAYED OUTSTANDING DEFENSE
AGAINST ONE OF THE BEST
OFFENSIVE TEAMS THAT MANY HAVE
SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
BOSTONNIANS WILL NEVER, EVER
FORGET THE SIGHT OF CAPTAIN CHAR
STANDING 6'9" TALL WHICH I FIND
TRULY AMAZING AND LIFTING THE
STANLEY CUP HIGH ABOVE THE ICE.
HE LED THE INCREDIBLE DEFENSIVE
EFFORT IN THAT SERIES.
IT WAS ALSO AN UNFORGETTABLE
MOMENT FOR NFL VETERAN MARK
RECCHI PLAYING IN HIS FINAL NHL
GAME LAST NIGHT.
HE CAPPED A GREAT CAREER THE WAY
MANY PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY PLAYERS
CAN ONLY DREAM ABOUT, WITH THE
STANLEY CUP IN HIS HANDS, MOVING
AROUND THE ICE.
LAST NIGHT HE SAID IT WAS ONE OF
THE BEST GROUPS OF PLAYERS HE
HAS EVER PLAYED WITH.
FOR THOSE OF US WHO WATCHED, WE
CAN ATTEST THAT IT WAS ONE FUN
TEAM TO WATCH.
IT WAS JUST A LOT OF FUN.
EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED,
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU WERE A
BRUINS FAN OR NOT, JUST TO SEE
THE -- THE INTENSITY THAT THAT
SERIES WAS PLAYED.
THERE WAS A MIXTURE OF YOUTH AND
EXPERIENCE, HARD PHYSICAL PLAY,
GREAT SCORING TOUCH THAT HELPED
PUT TOGETHER THIS RUN.
BRAD MARCHAN, THE BRUINS ROOKIE,
HAS BECOME A HOUSEHOLD NAME ALSO
WITH HOCKEY FANS AFTER SCORING
AN IMPRESSIVE 11 PLAY-OFF GOALS,
SET AGO RECORD FOR THE MOST
PLAY-OFF GOALS BY A BOSTON
ROOKIE AND TYING FOR SECOND MOST
IN NHL PIVOT.
AND PATRICE BERGERON COMING BACK
FROM AN INJURY, SCORED THE FIRST
TONE.
AS SENATOR KERRY SAID, OUR
CLUTCH GOALIE TIM TOMORROWS.
I DIDN'T KNOW A BODY COULD MOVE
LIKE THAT, QUITE FRANKLY.
HE TOOK HOME THE CONN SMYTHE
TROPHY FOR MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
IN THE PLAY-OFFS.
BEHIND THE BENCH, AS YOU KNOW,
THE COACH LED THE B'S WITH QUIET
CONFIDENCE, EVEN AS HIS TEAM
FACED DAUNTING DEFICITS AND
DEVASTATING LOSS OF FORWARD
NATHAN HORTON AS WAS REFERENCED
SO APTLY DONE, TOOK SOME BOSTON
WATER AND PUT IT ON THE ICE TO
MAKE IT OUR HOME ICE.
THIS IS A VINDICATION FOR TEAM
PRESIDENT CAM NEELY, A BRUIN
GREAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WITH THE BRUINS' STANLEY CUP
VICTORY, THE CITY OF BOSTON CAN
IN A CLASSY MANNER CELEBRATE ITS
VICTORY AS WE HAVE DONE BEFORE
AND AS SENATOR KERRY ALSO
POINTED OUT, WE ARE VERY, VERY
BLESSED IN MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW
ENGLAND TO HAVE THE PATRIOTS,
RED SOX AND CELTICS TO ROUND OUT
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.
AND UPON THE ARRIVAL OF THE
STANLEY CUP IN BOSTON, TODAY THE
BAYSTATE HAS HOSTED ALL FOUR
MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHIES
SINCE 2005.
AS WE ALL KNOW, SINCE 2002, THE
PATRIOTS HAVE WON THE LOMBARDI
TROPHY THREE TIMES, RED SOX HAVE
CAPTURED THE WORLD SERIES TROPHY
TWICE AND THE CELTICS HAVE
EARNED THE O'BRIEN NBA TITLE
TROPHY ONCE.
IT'S AN UNPRECEDENTED RUN IN
SPORTS HISTORY.
NO LONGER LEFT OUT, THE BRUINS
CAN JOIN A HIGHLY DECORATED
GROUP OF TEAMS THAT HAS NEVER
BEEN MATCHED.
AND I DIDN'T COME DOWN TO THE
FLOOR TO BRAG ABOUT BOSTON'S
REPUTATION AS THE HOME OF THE
GREATEST CHAMPIONS IN
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.
NO, MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE TO SAY
THAT THE EVIDENCE IS PRETTY
COMPELLING ON ITS OWN.
SO WITH GREAT PRIDE AS T
JUNIOR SENATOR FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, TODAY I ALSO
HONOR THE 2011 BOSTON BRUINS FOR
THEIR REMARKABLE SEASON AND
COMMEND THEM FOR THEIR
STANLEY'S CUP.
ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP BANNER WILL
RANG FROM THE RAFTERS OF THE
T.D. BANK GARDEN AND I'M VERY
OPTIMISTIC IT WILL NOT BE THE
LAST ONE FOR BOSTON, THE HUB OF
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
MADAM PRESIDENT,
BEFORE OUR TIME EXPIRES, MADAM
PRESIDENT?
IN LISTENING TO MY COLLEAGUE
FROM MASSACHUSETTS REMINDING ME
THAT CAPTAIN CHARA, THE
DEFENSEMAN WHO RAISED THE CUP
LAST NIGHT IS THE TALLEST PERSON
TO EVER PLAY IN THE NATIONAL
HOCKEY LEAGUE, IT REMINDS ME
THEREFORE THAT WE ARE ALSO
MAKING HISTORY BECAUSE NEVER HAS
THE STANLEY CUP BEEN HELD SO
HIGH OVER THE ICE.
THANK YOU.
MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM NEVADA.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE
TO LISTEN TO MY FRIENDS TALK
ABOUT HOCKEY.
I'LL TALK JUST A MINUTE ABOUT
I WAS RAISED IN THE DESERT.
WHEN WE CAME BACK HERE AS A -- I
CAME BACK HERE AS A MEMBER OF
CONGRESS, I WANTED MY BOYS TO
WATCH A HOCKEY GAME AND I WANTED
TO WATCH ONE.
I HAD NEVER WATCHED ONE.
SO WE WENT TO A HOCKEY GAME.
I TELL YOU, IT'S A GAME YOU HAVE
TO LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT.
FOR ME WALKING IN WITH NO
EXPERIENCE, IT WAS PRETTY
DIFFICULT.
THEY ARE ON THE ICE JUST A FEW
MINUTES AND OFF, THEY ARE BACK
AND FORTH, IT'S HARD TO KEEP
TRACK OF ALL THAT.
BUT I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TWICE TO WATCH THE GREAT
GRETZKY, AND THAT WAS A GOOD
EXPERIENCE.
BUT MY MOST HARROWING, ONE OF MY
MOST DIFFICULT, SCARIEST
EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE, THERE
WAS A TIME WHEN -- STILL DO, LAS
VEGAS HAD A MINOR LEAGUE HOCKEY
TEAM, AND I WAS ASKED TO GO OUT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT ICE AND
DROP A PUCK.
I DON'T DO VERY WELL, AS
INDICATED WHEN I -- A FEW WEEKS
AGO I SLIPPED AND FELL AND
DISLOCATED MY SHOULDER ON
REGULAR DIRT, SO TO WALK OUT ON
THAT ICE, MADAM PRESIDENT, WAS
SOMETHING THAT WAS FRIGHTENING
TO ME AND I'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN
SO TO HAVE THOSE MEN RUSH UP AND
DOWN THOSE RINKS THE WAY THEY DO
IS TRULY ASTOUNDING.
MY ONLY HEROISM IN HOCKEY WAS MY
OWN HEROISM IN CONVINCING MYSELF
I SHOULD GO OUT THERE.
OKAY, MADAM PRESIDENT, OUR
STAFFS HAVE BEEN WORKING
DILIGENTLY FOR DAYS NOW TO FIND
A PATH THAT WOULD ALLOW THE
SENATE TO COMPLETE ACTION ON THE
JOBS BILL WHICH IS NOW ON THE
FLOOR.
THEY'VE WORKED SO *** THIS
BILL BECAUSE THIS BILL IS
LEGISLATION TO REAUTHORIZE THE
SUCCESSFUL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AGENCY SO IMPORTANT TO THIS
COUNTRY SINCE 1965.
IT'S NOT AN OBAMA PIECE OF
LEGISLATION.
IT WAS STARTED BY RICHARD NIXON
AND EVERY PRESIDENT SINCE THEN,
DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN, HAVE
WRAPPED THEIR ARMS THROUGHOUT
THIS LEGISLATION BECAUSE IT'S SO
GOOD FOR OUR COUNTRY.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ADMINISTRATION HAS CREATED JOBS
WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED, IN
ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED
IN JUST THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE
THE $1.2 BILLION OF INVESTMENT,
WE HAVE CREATED 314,000 JOBS.
THE MERITS OF REAUTHORIZING THIS
JOB-CREATING ADMINISTRATION ARE
SO VERY, VERY CLEAR.
E.D.A. WORKS WITH BUSINESSES,
UNIVERSITIES AND LEADERS AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL SO IT CREATES JOBS
FROM THE BOTTOM UP.
FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE INVEST AS A
GOVERNMENT, WE GET $7 IN RETURN.
IT REPRESENTS MANUFACTURERS,
PRODUCERS COMPETE IN THE GLOBAL
MARKETPLACE, AND IT'S A GREAT
EVERY DOLLAR FROM E.D.A., AS I
HAVE INDICATED, TRACKS $7 IN
PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT.
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD RETURN.
BECAUSE OF THIS AGENCIES'
SUCCESS AND BECAUSE EACH SENATOR
IS ON RECORD TALKING ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF CREATING JOBS,
SENATOR BOXER, CHAIR OF THAT
MOST IMPORTANT COMMITTEE, THE
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE, IN HER CAPACITY AS
CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC WORKS,
HER COMMITTEE, SHE HAS PRODUCED
THIS BILL, AND SHE HAS SHOWN ME
STATEMENTS BY VIRTUALLY EVERY
SENATOR IN THIS CHAMBER ABOUT
THE MERITS OF THIS BILL,
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ALIKE.
SO THIS IS THE KIND OF BILL THAT
SHOULD PASS ON A BIPARTISAN
BASIS, IF NOT UNANIMOUSLY, AND
IT HAS PASSED IN THE PAST
UNANIMOUSLY.
IN THE PAST, THAT'S WHAT WOULD
HAVE HAPPENED, WE WOULD HAVE
MORE.
NOW WE FIND OURSELVES STRUGGLING
JUST TO BRING IT UP FOR A VOTE.
I HEARD THE REPUBLICAN LEADER
THIS MORNING SPEAK EARLIER ABOUT
THE STATE OF PLAY ON THE E.D.A.
BILL.
HE SAID WE HAVE GOT THIS DONE
BUT WE HAVE GOT THIS TO DO AND
THIS TO DO AND THIS TO DO.
HERE IS A BRIEF FOR YOU SO FAR
OF WHAT WE HAVE HAD ON THIS
WE HAVE ALREADY HAD VOTES AGAIN
ON MATTERS TOTALLY UNRELATED TO
THIS BILL.
SWIPE FEES, REGULATORY REFORM,
ETHANOL, THREE VOTES ON THAT.
WE HAVE 70 AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE
BEEN FILED.
WE HAVE PENDING NOW A NUMBER OF
AMENDMENTS RELATED TO THE DEBT
LIMIT, TO WALL STREET REFORM,
HEALTH REFORM, DAVIS BACON AND
66 OTHERS THAT COULD BE PENDING.
IN ADDITION, SENATORS HAVE FILED
AMENDMENTS THAT ARE RELATED TO
IMMIGRATION REFORM, BORDER
FENCE, E-VERIFY, THE ESTATE TAX,
RIGHT-TO-WORK LAWS, GAINFUL
EMPLOYMENT REGULATION, A SERIES
OF AMENDMENTS DEALING WITH
ENDANGERED SPECIES, LIGHT BULBS
AND OTHER ENERGY-EFFICIENT
PROVISIONS.
NOT A SINGLE AMENDMENT THAT HAS
ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS BILL.
NOT A SINGLE THING THAT IS
GERMANE TO THIS BILL.
SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, I'M GOING
TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE
REPUBLICAN LEADER, HOPEFULLY
FIND A WAY TO COMPLETE ACTION ON
THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BILL,
BUT IT SEEMS SO FAR TO BE A
NEVER-ENDING PROCESS.
IT'S FILIBUSTERED BY AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT AFTER AMENDMENT AFTER
AMENDMENT ON AMENDMENTS THAT
LEGISLATION.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE THIS.
THIS PROCESS HAS TO END SO WE
CAN PASS THIS BILL, LET THE
PRIVATE SECTOR CREATE JOBS THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED AND LET THE
SENATE MOVE ON TO OTHER PRESSING
MATTERS.
I HOPE WE CAN WORK SOMETHING
OUT, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE
NO ALTERNATIVE AS THE LEADER OF
THIS SENATE BUT TO FILE CLOTURE
ON THIS BILL, AND I SEND A
CLOTURE MOTION TO THE DESK.
THE CLERK
WILL REPORT THE CLOTURE MOTION.
CLOTURE MOTION.
WE THE UNDERSIGNED SENATORS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS
OF RULE 22 OF THE STANDING RULES
OF THE SENATE HEREBY MOVE TO
BRING TO A CLOSE THE DEBATE ON
S. 782, A BILL TO AMEND THE
PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1965, TO
REAUTHORIZE THAT ACT, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES, SIGNED BY 17
SENATORS AS FOLLOWS -- REID OF
NEVADA, BOXER, LAUTENBERG,
CARPER, BROWN OF OHIO,
WHITEHOUSE, CASEY, ***,
TESTER, CARDIN, UDALL OF NEW
MEXICO, SHAHEEN, STABENOW,
MURRAY, CONRAD, DURBIN AND
I NOW MOVE TO PROCEED
TO CALENDAR NUMBER 75, S. 679,
THE EFFICIENCY AND STREAMLINING
THE
PENDING.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I
WANT TO SAY A WORD BEFORE I
LEAVE THE FLOOR TO -- TO AND
ABOUT MY FRIEND, THE SENATOR
FROM CALIFORNIA.
AS I'VE INDICATED, CHAIR OF THIS
MOST IMPORTANT COMMITTEE, THE
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
WHICH I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF
OCCASIONS.
SHE HAS BEEN TIRELESS IN
BRINGING LEGISLATION TO THIS
FLOOR AND ATTEMPTING TO.
SHE HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS
BILL FOR MONTHS ABOUT HOW GOOD
IT IS, AND WHEN SHE SAT DOWN AND
REMINDED ME OF THE MERITS OF
THIS LEGISLATION, I THOUGHT THIS
SHOULD BE A GOOD ONE.
A JOB-CREATING MEASURE.
WE NEED THAT RIGHT NOW.
DISAPPOINTED THAT WE HAVEN'T
BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT
IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF ANY LACK OF
EFFORT ON HER BEHALF.
SHE AND I CAME TO WASHINGTON
TOGETHER MANY, MANY YEARS AGO
OF REPRESENTATIVES.
SHE IS MY FRIEND, BUT SHE IS
ALSO ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING
LEGISLATORS WE HAVE HAD IN THIS
BODY, BAR NONE.
I ASK NOW THAT WE PROCEED TO A
PERIOD OF MORNING BUSINESS UNTIL
6:00 P.M. THIS EVENING, WITH
SENATORS PERMITTED TO SPEAK FOR
UP TO TEN MINUTES EACH DURING
THAT TIME.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
THE
SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA.
MADAM PRESIDENT,
I -- I WANT TO THANK THE SENATOR
FROM NEVADA, MY FRIEND, THE
MAJORITY LEADER, SENATOR REID,
FOR HIS REMARKS, AND I WANT TO
THANK HIM FOR FILING CLOTURE ON
THE E.D.A. BILL.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
HE SAID IT WAS STARTED BY
RICHARD NIXON.
ACTUALLY, IT WAS CONTINUED BY
RICHARD NIXON.
IT WAS STARTED BY LYNDON JOHNSON
AND SUPPORTED BY EVERY SINGLE
PRESIDENT SINCE 1965, WHETHER
THEY WERE REPUBLICAN, A
DEMOCRAT, A LIBERAL, A MODERATE
OR A CONSERVATIVE.
EVERY CONGRESS HAS SUPPORTED
THIS.
THE LAST TIME THE E.D.A. WAS
AUTHORIZED, IT WAS AUTHORIZED,
WHEN GEORGE W. BUSH WAS
PRESIDENT AND HE SIGNED IT INTO
LAW.
SO ONE HAS TO ASK ONE'S SELF,
WHY DO WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE
MIDDLE AFTER FILIBUSTER?
WHY DO WE FIND OURSELVES WITH 77
AMENDMENTS PENDING TO THIS
LITTLE BILL THAT TAKES A $500
MILLION AUTHORIZATION AND,
BECAUSE OF THE EFFECT IT HAS ON
THE PRIVATE SECTOR, DRAWS IN
PRIVATE-SECTOR MATCHING FUNDS
7-1 AND MEANS IT'S A $3.5
BILLION-A-YEAR BASICALLY JOBS
BILL?
THIS IS A JOBS BILL.
EVERY REPUBLICAN AND EVERY
DEMOCRAT I KNOW AROUND HERE
SAYS, JOBS, JOBS, JOBS.
BUT THEY'RE KILLING ANOTHER JOBS
AND I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, THIS LIST OF
AMENDMENTS -- DO YOU HAVE THE
LIST? -- THAT HAVE BEEN FILED,
SENATOR REID WENT THROUGH FEW OF
THEM, THERE'S EVEN ONE THAT
RELATES TO THE PRAIRIE CHICKEN.
NOW, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THERE
MAY BE A LOT OF ISSUES
SURROUNDING THE PRAIRIE CHICKEN,
BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT BILL.
IT GOES ON AND ON.
IT TALKS ABOUT PROTECTING FREE
CHOICE FOR WORKERS TO REFRAIN
FROM PARTICIPATING IN LABOR
UNIONS.
THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR, FROM A
GOVERNOR FROM THE MIDWEST.
IT TALKS ABOUT AMENDING THE
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT.
LET'S FACE IT --
WE WEREN'T BORN YESTERDAY.
I WISH I WAS, BUT I WASN'T.
AND THE FACT IS, THIS IS TOO
SMALL TO EVEN SHOW UP ON THE
THREE PAGES -- I THINK WE'RE UP
OVER 80-81 AMENDMENTS TO THIS
BILL, WHICH IS A JOBS BILL,
WHICH IS A SIMPLE BILL TO
REAUTHORIZE THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION'S
PROGRAMS.
E.D.A. IS A GREAT JOB CREATOR.
AND IN OUR COMMITTEE, MADAM
PRESIDENT, EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT
AND REPUBLICAN, SAVE ONE
INDIVIDUAL, VOTED FOR THIS BILL.
SO IT'S BIPARTISAN, IT'S BEEN
SUPPORTED BY EVERY PRESIDENT
SINCE LYNDON JOHNSON, IT HAS
CREATED, OVER TIME, MILLIONS OF
JOBS, AND WE KNOW THIS
PARTICULAR BILL, AT ITS CURRENT
FUNDING LEVEL, WOULD SUPPORT
200,000 JOBS A YEAR OR A MILLION
JOBS OVER FIVE YEARS, AND
THEY'RE GOOD JOBS.
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?
BECAUSE THE E.D.A. GOES INTO
LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HIGH
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, THEY BRING
TOGETHER THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS,
THE STATE GOVERNMENT, THE
PRIVATE SECTOR, THE NONPROFITS
AND THEY SAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT
TO DO HERE TO ATTRACT INDUSTRY,
TO ATTRACT CONSUMERS HERE?
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO TO
REHABILITATE THIS COMMUNITY?
SOMETIMES THEY SAY, WE NEED A
NEW ROAD, WE NEED A NEW WATER
PROJECT, WE WANT TO BUILD AN
INDUSTRIAL PARK FOR NEW
BUSINESSES.
AND THIS IS WHAT E.D.A. DOES.
SO THEY'RE REALLY LOCALLY
CONTROLLED IDEAS, AND A COMING
TOGETHER OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, THE STATE
GOVERNMENT, THE NONPROFITS IN A
BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE THAT HAS
RESULTED IN MILLIONS OF JOBS
OVER TIME SINCE IT STARTED.
SOHERE'S WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY
TODAY ASGY THROUGH MY STATEMENT:
THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY IS
WE KNOW WHAT THE OTHER SIDE IS
DOING.
THEY ARE KILLING THESE JOBS
BILLS BY A FRIVOLOUS LIST OF
AMENDMENT AFTER AMENDMENT AFTER
AMENDMENT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE BILL.
AND THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME.
IN THIS VERY SPOT A FEW WEEKS
AGO STOOD ANOTHER SENATOR WITH A
SOUTHERN ACCENT, MARY LANDRIEU
FROM LOUISIANA.
SHE'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SMALL
BUSINESS COMMITTEE.
SHE HAD A FANTASTIC BILL CALLED
SBIR.
IT IS A SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR
THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE
1980'S THAT PROGRAM, BROUGHT TO
US BY A REPUBLICAN SENATOR NAMED
WARREN RUDMAN.
AGAIN, A BILL THAT HAS ALWAYS
BEEN WITHOUT CONTROVERSY.
WHAT DID THEY DO TO THAT BILL,
MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS?
DEATH BY FILIBUSTER, DEATH BY
AMENDMENT, KILLED THAT JOBS BILL
RIGHT HERE ON THE FLOOR.
AND IF YOU PUT THAT IN THE
CONTEXT OF EVERYTHING THE
REPUBLICANS HAVE DONE SINCE THEY
PICKED UP MORE SEATS AROUND HERE
AND THEY TOOK OVER THE HOUSE,
HERE'S THE LIST:
THEY STILL HAVEN'T APPOINTED
CONFEREES TO THE F.A.A.
CONFERENCE, F.A.A., AVIATION,
THE FEDERAL AVIATION
ADMINISTRATION, THE F.A.A. BILL.
THAT BILL WILL CREATE 280,000
JOBS.
IT MODERNIZES OUR AIRPORTS, IT
GETS RID OF THE OLD WAYS THAT WE
TRACK PLANES AND BRING OUR AIR
TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM INTO THE
21st CENTURY.
SENATOR ROCKEFELLER HAS WORKED
SO HARD.
IT'S SITTING OVER THERE WAITING
FOR CONFEREES.
SIDE.
I'M WAITING TO GO GET THIS BILL
IT IS ESSENTIAL.
IT HAS A PASSENGER BILL OF
RIGHTS ATTACHED TO IT.
WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.
IT WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR
SYSTEMS WORK PROPERLY.
IT WILL PUT IN PLACE SAFETY
FEATURES.
JOBS, JOBS, AND JOBS.
THEY HAVEN'T DONE A THING.
THE PATENT BILL --
I HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE
PATENT BILL BECAUSE I DIDN'T
LIKE ONE OR TWO PROVISIONS.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE
PATENT BILL IS EXPECTED TO
CREATE 300,000 JOBS.
IT IS SITTING OVER IN THE HOUSE,
NO ACTION.
SO SINCE THEY TOOK OVER, THEY'VE
PASSED A BILL TO DESTROY
MEDICARE, DESTROY EDUCATION --
IT'S KNOWN AS THEIR BUDGET.
BUT WHEN THIS COMES TO JOBS,
THERE'S NO BEEF.
AND WE ARE PERPLEXED.
NOW, THIS BILL HAS ATTACHED TO
IT, THE E.D.A. BILL, NOW AN
ENDING OF THE ETHANOL SUBSIDY.
I HAPPEN TO VOTE FOR THAT.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS,
WHETHER YOU SUPPORT IT OR YOU
DIDN'T, IT'S GOING TO SAVE $3
BILLION.
SO NOW THE E.D.A. BILL IS NOT
ONLY A JOBS BILL THAT LEVERAGES
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CREATE
JOBS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR,
BUT IT REDUCES THE DEFICIT
BECAUSE IT HAS THIS AMENDMENT ON
ETHANOL.
SO I SAY TO MY FRIENDS, WHO MAY
BE LISTENING FROM THEIR OFFICES,
WHEN WE COME BACK NEXT WEEK,
VOTE "YES" TO CUT OFF DEBATE AND
GET THIS BILL DONE.
GET THIS BILL DONE.
NOW, I TALKED ABOUT THE FACT
THAT SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE
SUPPORTED THIS PROGRAM
CONTINUALLY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO
SHOW SOME OF THE STATEMENTS --
OR TELL YOU SOME OF THE THINGS
THEY SAID ABOUT THE E.D.A.
REMEMBER, I'M QUOTING SENATE
REPUBLICANS WHO ARE TRYING TO
KILL THIS BILL BY LOADING IT UP
AND FILIBUSTERING IT.
26 OF THE CURRENT REPUBLICAN
SENATORS HAVE MADE POSITIVE
STATEMENTS ABOUT E.D.A. OR PUT
OUT GREAT PRESS RELEASES IN
THEIR STATES.
AND I AGREE WITH WHAT THEY SAID.
FOR EXAMPLE, SENATOR COCHRAN OF
MISSISSIPPI PRAISED THE E.D.A.
GRANT INTENDED TO HELP SPUR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN
NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.
HE SAID, AND I QUOTE, "THIS
REGION HAS SUFFERED DURING THE
DOWNTURN, BUT THE THREE RIVERS
HAS BEEN DILIGENT ABOUT WORKING
TO HELP JOBS."
THIS IS WHAT HE SAID ABOUT AN
E.D.A. GRANT.
SENATOR CORNYN OF TEXAS, HE
SAID, "$2 MILLION E.D.A. GRANT
FOR WATER TOWER WILL PAVE THE
WAY FOR CREATION OF NEW JOBS AND
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN
PALESTINE, TEXAS."
BUT, THEY'RE FILIBUSTERING THIS
BILL.
SENATOR CRAPO SAYS, "E.D.A.
BUSINESS GRANTS WILL HELP KEEP
IDAHO FIRMS ON THE CUTTING EDGE
IN VARIOUS FIELDS."
HE SAYS, "IT CAN MAKE IDAHO
FIRMS SUCCESSFUL, WHICH
TRANSLATES INTO MORE JOBS AND
REVENUE IN IDAHO."
SO, MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS, WHILE
THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL THIS BILL
BY FILIBUSTER, HAVE SAID
LAUDATORY THINGS ABOUT THE
E.D.A.
YOU EXPLAIN IT TO ME.
YOU EXPLAIN TO ME.
I THINK I HAVE AN ANSWER AS TO
WHY THEY'RE DOING IT, BUT I'LL
CONTINUE.
LET'S SEE WHAT SENATOR WICKER
SAID WHEN HE GOT A GRANT.
"THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS WILL FUND
RAIL IMPROVEMENTS AND HELP BRING
NEW JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.
I AM GLAD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS TAKEN THIS STEP TO CONTINUE
ITS INVESTMENT IN SOUTH
MISSISSIPPI'S RECOVERY."
UNQUOTE.
THESE ARE ALL THE REPUBLICANS
WHO ARE KILLING THIS BILL WITH A
FILIBUSTER.
SENATOR COLLINS, "$1.1 MILLION
GRANT TO FUND RENOVATIONS AT
LAUREN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
SHE AND SENATOR SNOWE PRAISED
THE E.D.A.
THEY SAID, "THIS INVESTMENT IN
BY E.D.A. WILL ALLOW FOR
IMPROVEMENTS AND UPGRADE WHICH
WILL IN TURN FURTHER BUSINESS
LAUREN WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN
ECONOMIC DRIVER FORETHE REGION,
CREATING GOOD JOBS IN AROUSTIC
COUNTY."
THIS IS JUST A SMALL SAMPLE OF
MORE THAN 20 REPUBLICAN SENATORS
-- MORE THAN 25 -- WHO HAVE
PRAISED THE E.D.A.
AND YET EACH ONE OF THEM SEEMS
TO BE SUPPORTING ANDS SUPPORTING ENDLESS DEBATE,
AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO
DO WITH THE BILL.
BUT THEY ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO DO
THE RIGHT THING ON TUESDAY AND
VOTE TO CUT OFF DEBATE.
WE HAVE HAD SOME TOUGH
AMENDMENTS TO THIS BILL ALREADY.
IT'S GONE A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
IT'S TIME WE HAD A CLEAN VOTE
BECAUSE, GUESS WHAT?
JOBS ARE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
SO I'M GOING TO NOT GO ON TOO
MUCH LONGER, BUT I FELT IT'S
IMPORTANT TO EXPLAIN TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, WHO BY THE WAY
GIVE CONGRESS AN 18% POSITIVE
WONDER?
WE'RE DOING NOTHING ABOUT JOBS.
EVERY TIME WE TRY TO DO
SOMETHING, IT'S STYMIE CHTED.
I LAID OUT WHAT THEY'VE DONE,
THE REPUBLICANS, AND MEDICARE AS
WE KNOW T BY THE WAY, PASSED A
SLEW OF ABORTION BILLS.
IT'S REALLY UNBELIEVABLE TO ME,
AND THESE STRAIGHTFORWARD JOBS
BILLS GO NOWHERE.
SO DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE FOR JOBS
AND THEN COME DOWN TO THIS FLOOR
AND OFFER AMENDMENT AFTER
AMENDMENT ON THE PRAIRIE
CHICKEN, ON THE BORDER FENCE,
YOU KNOW, ON ISSUE AFTER ISSUE
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS
E.D.A. BILL.
E.D.A. CREATES A JOB FOR EVERY
$3,000 INVESTED.
THAT'S INCREDIBLY GOOD.
WE INVEST $3,000, A GOOD-PAYING
WHY?
BECAUSE THE MATCHING FUNDS COME
IN.
SO, THIS IS THE TIME WE HAVE A
CHANCE TO CREATE 200,000 JOBS A
YEAR OVER THE FIVE YEARS OF THIS
BILL.
SO HERE'S THE THING.
AGAIN, WE NEED, IN THESE TOUGH
TIME, AS WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR
ARMS AROUND THIS DEFICIT -- AND
HERE'S THE THING I REALLY FIND
INTERESTING:
LOTS OF TALK ABOUT HOW TO CURE
THE DEFICIT FROM THE OTHER SIDE,
BUT THEY FORGET SOME OF THE
EASIEST WAYS TO DO IT.
ONE IS SAY TO THE BILLIONAIRES,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU'VE GOTTEN MILLIONS BACK A
LET'S JUST GO BACK TO YOUR RATES
THAT YOU HAD WHEN BILL CLINTON
WAS PRESIDENT.
YOU MADE A FORTUNE THEN.
YOU'LL STILL MAKE A FORTUNE, AND
HELP THIS DEFICIT.
MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.
OH, THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
OUR FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THEY WANT TO DESTROY THE E.P.A.,
THEY WANT TO DESTROY THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, THEY WANT
TO DESTROY THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION, THEY WANT TO DESTROY
MEDICARE.
THAT'S THEIR ANSWER.
WHY?
TO PAY FOR TAX CUTS FOR THE
RICHEST OF THE RICHEST OF THE
RICHEST.
EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THAT HELPS THE
MIDDLE CLASS IN THIS GREAT
NATION?
ANOTHER WAY YOU WANT TO CURE THE
DEFICIT AND THE DEBT AND THE
WARS -- END THE WARS.
END THE COMBAT MISSION.
BRING HOME THE TROOPS, LET'S
WORK DIPLOMATICALLY IN IRAQ AND
I MET WITH THE AFGHANISTAN WOMEN
WHO WERE STRUGGLING THERE.
THEY DON'T WANT COMBAT TROOPS.
THEY WANT HELP TO GET A PEACE
PROCESS GOING, PEACE AND
RECONCILIATION PROCESS GOING.
IT'S TIME TO END THE WARS.
MADAM PRESIDENT, OUR HIGHWAY
TRUST FUND, WHICH IS SO
CRITICAL, IS SHORT $6 BILLION,
AND IT IS DIFFICULT.
THAT'S THE TRUST FUND THAT PAYS
FOR THE HIGHWAYS, FOR THE
BRIDGES THAT ARE FALLING DOWN,
FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPROVEMENT, FOR OUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
AND I KNOW IT'S HARD TO FIND $6
BILLION.
BUT WE'RE SPEND $12 BILLION A
MONTH ON THE WARS IN AFGHANISTAN
AND IENCHT BRING THE MONEY HOME.
IT'S TIME WE SPENT IT IN THIS
COUNTRY FOR OUR PEOPLE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO WALK AWAY
FROM OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE
COUNTERTERRORISM GOING ON.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO PROTECT OUR
PERSONNEL THAT ARE THERE.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO WORK FOR
PEACE AND RECONCILIATION.
BUT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
WAY TO CURE THIS DEFICIT?
IT'S NOT THAT HARD.
WE DID IT BEFORE.
WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.
THE DEMOCRATS BALANCED THE
BUDGET UNDER BILL CLINTON, THE
ONLY TIME IT WAS DONE IN RECENT
HISTORY, AND WE CREATED 23
MILLION JOBS.
NOT BY THREATENING MEDICARE AND
SOCIAL SECURITY AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE
E.P.A. AND THE CLEAN AIR ACT AND
ALL THE THINGS THEY'RE GOING
AFTER THERE.
BUT BY DOING THE RIGHT THING BY
OUR CHILDREN AND OUR
GRANDCHILDREN AND MAKING THE
RIGHT INVESTMENTS TO BECOME
ENERGY INDEPENDENT.
SO, FOR ME, THE ARGUMENT OF NOT
BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING
BECAUSE OF THE DEFICIT,
SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THAT
YOU HAVE TO CURE THE DEFICIT
PROBLEM AND MAKE THE INVESTMENTS
THAT MAKE SENSE.
AND HERE'S AN INVESTMENT THAT
MAKES SENSE.
FOR EVERY $1 OF E.D.A.
INVESTMENT, YOU GET $7 IN
PRIVATE-SECTOR INVESTMENT.
THAT'S WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE
DOING.
I ALREADY SAID THIS BEFORE, AND
I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
FOR EVERY ONE JOB WE CREATE, IT
COSTS US APPROXIMATELY $3,000
PER JOB.
AND THESE ARE GOOD JOBS.
AND THIS IS A VERY -- IT'S A
SMART PROGRAM FOR US.
THAT'S WHY IT'S LASTED SINCE
1960'S.
I SAID BEFORE UP TO 200,000 A
JOBS A YEAR COULD WELL BE
CREATED HERE.
A MILLION JOBS OVER THE LIFE OF
THIS BILL.
A MILLION JOBS OVER THE LIFE OF
THIS BILL.
WHAT ARE WE DOING LOADING A
BEAUTIFUL BILL LIKE THIS DOWN
WITH ALL THESE EXTRANEOUS
AMENDMENTS?
SO, WE'LL LOOK AT A COUPLE OF
MORE CHARTS.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY
JOBS WERE CREATED BETWEEN 2005
AND 2010, 450,000 JOBS AND
85,000 JOBS WERE SAVED.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOME
ETHEREAL IDEA OF A NEW JOBS
BILL.
THIS IS A JOBS BILL THAT'S
WORKED AND IT'S A JOBS BILL THAT
SHOULDN'T BE FILIBUSTERED AND IT
SHOULDN'T BE STALLED AND IT
SHOULDN'T BE LOADED UP WITH
THINGS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO
WITH IT WHILE THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE WORRY AND GIVE US AN 18%
APPROVAL RATING.
I'M SURPRISED IT'S THAT HIGH AT
THE RATE WE'RE GOING.
LOOK AT SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO
SUPPORT THIS: THE UNITED STATES
CONFERENCE OF MAYORS, THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS
ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, THE
AFL-CIO, THE COUNCIL ON
COMPETITIVENESS, THE ASSOCIATION
OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PARKS,
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, THE
NATIONAL BUSINESS INCUBATION
ASSOCIATION, THE STATE SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE, AND AN
ARM OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
THAT CAME IN WITH A LETTER.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO PLACE
THIS IN THE RECORD,
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
IT'S A LETTER FROM
COMMERCE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S RARE
WHEN YOU GET AFL-CIO AND AN ARM
OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SINGING FROM THE SAME BOOK.
THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE
THEY WANT TO SEE JOBS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE
FILIBUSTERS.
THEY WANT TO SEE PROGRESS.
THEY WANT TO SEE US WORK ACROSS
PARTY LINES.
SO I'VE KEPT ASKING DURING MY
REMARKS WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS
TO US?
WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE?
AND I HAVE AN ANSWER.
I WISH THIS WASN'T TRUE, BUT
IT'S BEEN STATED BY SOME OF THE
REPUBLICAN PRIM CANDIDATES --
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TANNED
HAS BEEN STATED BY THE
REPUBLICAN LEADER HERE.
THEIR PRIORITY IS DEFEATING
BARACK OBAMA.
THEIR PRIORITY IS DEFEATING OUR
PRESIDENT.
THEIR PRIORITY IS NOT JOB
IT IS NOT BUSINESS CREATION.
IT IS NOT FAIR TAX POLICY.
PRESIDENT.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT THROUGH
THAT LENS, THEN YOU SAY TO
YOURSELF, WAIT A MINUTE, IF WE
GOT SOMETHING DONE AROUND HERE
AND THE PRESIDENT HAD A SIGNING
CEREMONY, LIKE WE USED TO DO IN
THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN WE WORKED
TOGETHER, AND HE HAD A
REPUBLICAN HERE AND A DEMOCRAT
HERE AND AN INDEPENDENT THERE,
AND WE ALL CAME TOGETHER LIKE WE
ALWAYS HAVE, UNANIMOUS CONSENT
WE PASSED THIS IN 2007 -- I'M
SORRY -- 2004.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
THEY'RE AFRAID THAT IF WE DID
THAT, THE PRESIDENT WOULD TAKE
OUT HIS PEN AND HE'D SIGN THIS
BILL, AND WE'D CREATE JOBS.
I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT I'M NOT
MAKING IT UP, THAT'S WHAT THEY
HAVE SAID.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT OVER THIS
WEEKEND WHEN WE GO HOME AND WE
MEET WITH OUR PEOPLE AND THEY
SAY, SENATORS, YOU'VE GOT TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT JOBS, I HOPE
THAT THE PUBLIC WILL SAY TO US,
BE WE DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS,
DON'T FILIBUSTER JOBS BILLS.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE MORE
WE NEED TO CREATE JOBS.
AND THIS E.D.A. BILL IS A JOBS
BILL.
IT WAS CREATED AS A JOBS BILL.
IT HAS BEEN A JOBS BILL SINCE
1965, SIGNED BY EVERY PRESIDENT,
PASSED BY EVERY CONGRESS, NEVER
LOADED DOWN WITH AMENDMENT AFTER
AMENDMENT THAT'S NOT GERMANE,
THAT WEIGHS IT DOWN.
AND I HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE AT
HOME WILL PAY ATTENTION TO THIS.
AND I WILL SAY THIS, THIS IS A
P-T TENURE.
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST BILL.
TOILED YOU THE -- I TOLD YOU THE
SMALL BUSINESS BILL SAME THING,
F.A.A. BILL SITTING OVER THERE,
NO CONFEREES.
PATENT BILL NO ACTION AND
MILLIONS OF SKWRORS ARE AT
STAKE.
I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SMALL
BUSINESS BILL THEY KILLED HERE A
FEW WEEKS AGO.
OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE PROGRAM
IT'S PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO
26,000 FIRMS TO HELP THEM GET
STARTED.
AND THAT BILL WAS FILIBUSTERED
TO DEATH.
I DON'T GET IT, EXCEPT IF WHAT I
SAY IS TRUE, AND THAT'S WHAT THE
MOTIVATION IS -- IT'S ALL I CAN
COME UP WITH.
I HAVE LOOKED INTO THE HEARTS OF
MY FRIENDS AND WONDERED HOW
COULD THEY DO THIS.
THEY VOTED FOR THIS BILL IN
WHY WOULD THEY LOAD IT UP LIKE
THIS AND PUT ALL THESE
AMENDMENTS ON?
IT'S ONLY ONE REASON.
TO NOT MAKE PROGRESS.
AND WHO GETS HURT BY THAT?
THEY THINK THE PRESIDENT, BUT
I'VE GOT NEWS FOR THEM.
AMERICA IS GOING TO WAKE UP
BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE HERE
EVERY DAY TALKING ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE GOING
TO BE HERE TALKING ABOUT IT.
JOBS, JOBS, AND JOBS.
I HOPE THIS BILL GETS CLOTURE
TUESDAY.
THAT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING.
IF WE DO THAT, THAT'S A CHANGE
IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
AND THEN WE CAN PAT THIS -- PASS
THIS BILL AND GET ON TO THE NEXT
JOBS BILL, AND THE SPIRIT OF THE
PEOPLE WILL BE LIFTED.
LOOK, WE KNOW GOVERNMENT DOESN'T
CREATE THE JOBS.
THE PRIVATE SECTOR CREATES MOST
OF THE JOBS.
THE BEAUTY OF BILLS LIKE THE
S.B.A. BILL, THAT SMALL BUSINESS
JOB, PRIVATE-SECTOR JOBS.
THE BEAUTY OF THIS BILL,
PRIVATE-SECTOR JOBS.
SO IT WOULD LIFT THE SPIRITS OF
THE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW,
HAVING THEM WATCH THIS, WATCH
ME, AND THINK THEY'LL NEVER GET
TOGETHER AND DO ANYTHING.
THEN I WOULDN'T BE SHOCKED IF
THE RATINGS OF THE CONGRESS JUST
HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL.
THEY'RE ALREADY CLOSE.
I HOPE THE PEOPLE WILL INSIST ON
OUR PASSING THESE JOBS BILLS.
THINGS ARE TOUGH OUT THERE.
PEOPLE ARE UNEMPLOYED, THEY'RE
UNDEREMPLOYED.
BUSINESSES ARE SITTING ON MOUNDS
OF CASH.
THEY'VE LEARNED TO BE ABLE TO BE
PROFITABLE WITHOUT HIRING MORE
PEOPLE.
THINGS ARE SHIFTING.
THE SANDS ARE SHIFTING BENEATH
THE MIDDLE CLASS.
THANK GOD THIS PRESIDENT RESCUED
THE AUTO INDUSTRY AND WE HAD A
MAJORITY HERE TO STAND WITH HIM
TO DO THAT.
THANK GOODNESS WE TOOK SOME OF
THE STEPS THAT WE TOOK TO GET
BANKS LENDING AGAIN WHEN CREDIT
WAS FROZEN.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
OUR PROGRESS IS BEING STYMIED
BECAUSE PARTISANSHIP HAS TAKEN
OVER THE PROCESS.
PARTISANSHIP MEANS WHEN YOU GET
BILLS OUT OF OF A COMMITTEE,
PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR THEM HAVE
DISAPPEARED, THEY ARE NOWHERE IN
SIGHT.
WE FILED ALL THESE AMENDMENTS TO
BRING DOWN THE BILL.
WE ONLY HOPE WHEN WE COME BACK
NEXT WEEK THERE WILL BE A CHANGE
OF HEART.
I CERTAINLY HOPE SO BECAUSE I'VE
BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
I'VE BEEN AO IN THE HOUSE.
TEN YEARS HERE, A LOT OF YEARS.
SINCE 1993 I SERVED WITH
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS AND
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS.
BUT I WANT TO SAY THIS: I FOUGHT
HARD WHEN ELECTION TIME CAME.
IT WAS TOUGH.
MADAM PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW 2010
WAS TOUGH AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE
ELECTIONS, THEY'RE TOUGH.
THAT'S THE TIME THAT POLITICS IS
IN YOUR BLOOD, IS IN YOUR VEINS.
YOU'RE OUT THERE, YOU'RE WORKING
LIFE.
BUT WHEN WE'RE HERE WE HAVE TO
DO THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS.
HOWEVER WE FEEL ABOUT WHO WE
WANT TO BE PRESIDENT, WHO WE
ADMIRE, WHO WE DON'T ADMIRE,
THAT OUGHT TO BE LEFT SOMEWHERE
AND I HOPE IT WILL BE LEFT
SOMEWHERE ELSE AND I HOPE THAT
ON TUESDAY WE VOTE CLOTURE ON
THIS E.D.A. BILL.
I WOULD HATE TO SEE THIS DIE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU DEAL A DEATH
BLOW TO THE E.D.A., YOU DEAL A
THANK YOU.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
I NOTE THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE
CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM MONTANA.
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT, I
VITIATED.
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU,
MADAM PRESIDENT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I COME TO THE
FLOOR TODAY AS I DO EACH WEEK AS
A DOCTOR WHO PRACTICED MEDICINE
IN WYOMING FOR 25 YEARS, AS
SOMEONE WHO HAS TAKEN CARE OF
FAMILIES ALL AROUND THE STATE OF
WYOMING, AS A DOCTOR WHO HAS
GREAT CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENED TO THE AMERICAN HEALTH
CARE SYSTEM AND WILL CONTINUE TO
HAPPEN UNDER THE HEALTH CARE LAW
THAT HAS BEEN PASSED BY THIS
BODY AND SIGNED INTO LAW AT THE
ASSISTANCE OF THIS PRESIDENT.
AND I COME AS A DOCTOR GIVING A
SECOND OPINION BECAUSE I HAVE
GREAT CONCERNS ABOUT THIS HEALTH
CARE LAW.
IN TALKING WITH PATIENTS AND
TALKING WITH DOCTORS AND JUST
FROM MY OWN PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE,
I BELIEVE THAT THIS HEALTH CARE
LAW IS GOING TO BE BAD FOR
PATIENTS, BAD FOR PROVIDERS --
THE NURSES AND THE DOCTORS WHO
TAKE CARE OF THOSE PATIENTS --
AND BAD FOR THE PAYERS, THE
TAXPAYERS OF THIS COUNTRY WHO
ARE GOING TO BE LEFT TO PAY THE
BILL.
MADAM PRESIDENT, RECENTLY MY
FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
AISLE HAVE BEEN USING WHAT I
BE SIGNIFICANT SCARE
TACTICS ABOUT MY PARTY AND
MEDICARE.
MEDICARE IS THE PROGRAM FOR OUR
SENIOR CITIZENS.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT THE
TRUTH.
THEY DESERVE TO HEAR THE TRUTH
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MEDICARE,
NOT SCARE TACTICS.
THE FACT IS UNLESS CONGRESS
TAKES ACTION, MEDICARE WILL GO
BROKE IN 13 YEARS.
IN 13 YEARS MEDICARE WILL GO
TODAY MORE MONEY IS GOING OUT
THAN IS COMING IN.
A BANKRUPT MEDICARE EQUALS NO
MEDICARE FOR OUR SENIORS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO PAID IN TO
MEDICARE, BUT A BANKRUPT
MEDICARE MEANS NO MEDICARE.
IF WASHINGTON DOESN'T SHOW
LEADERSHIP NOW, TODAY, THIS
YEAR, THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO
RUN OUT OF MONEY AND MEDICARE
PATIENTS WILL RUN OUT OF CARE.
NOW, MANY OF MY FRIENDS ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE CONTINUE
TO IGNORE THE TICKING CLOCK AND
IGNORE REALITY.
WELL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME
OF THE REALITY THAT THE OTHER
SIDE IS IGNORING.
THEY'RE IGNORING THE FACT THAT
THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE
UNITED STATES HAS RISEN
SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE MEDICARE WAS
SIGNED INTO LAW.
WHEN MEDICARE BECAME A LAW, THE
AVERAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 1965,
LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE UNITED
STATES WAS ABOUT 70.
SO ABOUT AVERAGE YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT PEOPLE BEING ON MEDICARE
FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS.
WELL, NOW THROUGH THE ADVANCES
IN MODERN MEDICINE, LIFE
EXPECTANCY IN THE UNITED STATES
IS ALMOST 80.
HIGH 70'S FOR MEN, LOW 80'S FOR
WOMEN, BUT IT'S ABOUT 80.
PEOPLE ARE LIVING ABOUT TEN
YEARS LONGER NOW ON AVERAGE THAN
THEY WERE AT THE TIME MEDICARE
WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 1965.
IT'S AN UNDENIAL FACT.
ANOTHER FACT IS THE FACT THAT
THERE ARE ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE,
NEW MEDICARE RECIPIENTS, ADDING
TO THE ROLLS EVERY DAY AS BABY
BOOMERS TURN 65.
AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF BABY
BOOMERS IS RETIRING.
THE OTHER SIDE SEEMS TO IGNORE
THE FACT THAT THERE ARE FAR MORE
RETIREES TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE
AND THEY ARE GETTING MORE MONEY
PAID OUT OF THE PROGRAM THAN
THEY EVER PUT IN.
NOW, I HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS,
I TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE OF
WYOMING, AND PEOPLE SAY I PAID
INTO MEDICARE AND THEY ARE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
ON AVERAGE, A COUPLE THAT WOULD
BE RETIRING THIS WEEK HAS PAID
INTO MEDICARE ABOUT $110,000.
WORKING.
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
MONEY THEY HAVE PAID IN.
SO WHAT KIND OF SERVICES WILL
THEY RECEIVE OVER THE REMAINDER
OF THEIR LIFETIME, ADJUSTED FOR
TODAY'S DOLLARS?
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $109,000
THEY HAVE PAID INTO THE SYSTEM,
TAKING OUT $343,000.
WELL, AMERICAN SENIORS KNOW THAT
MEDICARE IS IN TROUBLE, THEY
UNDERSTAND THAT THE MATH DOESN'T
THAT THIS $3 COMING OUT FOR
EVERY $1 PAID IN CANNOT WORK
FOREVER.
MY FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE WHO
ATTACK REPUBLICANS FOR WANT TO
GO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM IN A
RESPONSIBLE WAY TEND TO WANT TO
IGNORE THIS REALITY.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, MEMBERS
ON THE OTHER SIDE ACTUALLY VOTED
FOR A HEALTH CARE LAW THAT PUTS
MEDICARE ON AN EVEN FASTER TRACK
TO BANKRUPTCY.
IN FACT, THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH
MEDICARE.
NOT TO SAVE MEDICARE, NOT TO
STRENGTHEN MEDICARE, NOT TO
SECURE MEDICARE FOR THE NEXT
GENERATION, NO.
THEY TOOK $500 BILLION FROM OUR
SENIORS ON MEDICARE TO START A
WHOLE NEW GOVERNMENT PROGRAM FOR
SOMEONE ELSE.
AND SO IT WAS NO SURPRISE TO ME
WHEN I READ RECENTLY THAT THOSE
FOLKS WHO TAKE A HOOK AT THE
NUMBERS, WORK FOR GOVERNMENT,
SAY MEDICARE IS GOING TO BE
BROKE FIVE YEARS SOONER THAN
EVEN THEY HAD ANTICIPATED.
IT'S ODD HOW DEMOCRATS NEVER
EVEN MENTION THIS WHEN THEY
MEDICARE.
WELL, WHEN THEY RUN
ADVERTISEMENTS AND HOLD PRESS
CONFERENCES FOCUSED ON SCARE
TACTICS, WHY DON'T THEY EVER
EXPLAIN THEIR OWN $500 BILLION
CUT TO MEDICARE?
IT'S ALSO ODD TO ME THAT THE
DEMOCRATS NEVER TALK ABOUT THE
OTHER VERY SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF
THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH CARE LAW
THAT ATTACKS OUR SENIORS ON
MEDICARE.
HIDDEN AWAY IN THE BILL, IT IS
CALLED THE PRESIDENT'S
INDEPENDENT PAYMENT ADVISORY
BOARD OR IPAB.
NOW, AS A DOCTOR WHO HAS
PRACTICED MEDICINE FOR 25 YEARS
IN CASPER, WYOMING, I CAN TELL
YOU WHAT THIS BOARD REALLY IS.
IT IS A RATIONING BOARD.
A BOARD TO RATION HEALTH CARE OF
OUR SENIORS IN THIS COUNTRY.
NOW, RATIONING SOME MAY SAY IS A
VERY STRONG WORD, BUT THAT IS
EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH CARE LAW
PUTS MEDICARE ON THE ROAD TO
RATIONING.
THIS HEALTH CARE LAW CREATES AN
UNELECTED, UNACCOUNTABLE BOARD
OF WASHINGTON BUREAUCRATS WHO
WILL DECIDE, WILL DECIDE HOW
MUCH MEDICARE PAYS FOR CERTAIN
MEDICARE SERVICES.
STARTING IN 2014, AFTER THE NEXT
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, STARTING
IN 2014, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
WILL DECIDE HOW MUCH THEY WILL
REIMBURSE HOSPITALS, HOW MUCH
THEY WILL REIMBURSE DOCTORS FOR
TAKING CARE OF MEDICARE
PATIENTS.
THEN PROVIDERS ALL ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY WILL HAVE TO DECIDE
WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN CONTINUE
TO CARE FOR AMERICA'S SENIORS.
LET'S FACE IT, EVEN TODAY
DOCTORS ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM
TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS ON
MEDICARE.
ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, ONE IN
THREE PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS
ALREADY LIMITS HOW MANY MEDICARE
SEE.
ACCORDING TO THE SAME SURVEY
FROM THE AMERICAN MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION, 60% OF DOCTORS SAY
THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS
TO GET OUT OF MEDICARE
COMPLETELY.
SO EVEN MORE PROVIDERS ARE GOING
TO STOP SEEING MEDICARE
PATIENTS.
THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, ASK THE
SENIORS IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY.
WHEN A DOCTOR RETIRES, ASK
SOMEBODY ON MEDICARE HOW EASY IT
IS FOR THEM TO FIND A DOCTOR TO
TAKE CARE OF THEM.
IF THEY HAPPEN TO BE WITH A
DOCTOR WHEN THEY TURN 65, ASK IF
THEY ARE ALLOWED TO STAY WITH
THAT DOCTOR OR IF THEY MOVE TO
ANOTHER COMMUNITY TO BE CLOSER
TO THEIR CHILDREN OR
GRANDCHILDREN, ASK THEM HOW EASY
IT IS OR HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR
THOSE ON MEDICARE TO FIND A
THE REASON, OF COURSE, IS
BECAUSE MEDICARE PAYS A LOT LESS
THAN THE GOING RATE, BUT YET THE
DEMOCRATS AND THE PRESIDENT'S
SOLUTION IS TO PAY EVEN A LOWER
AMOUNT AND CONTINUING TO RATION
AND RATCHET DOWN THAT AMOUNT,
RESULTING SIGNIFICANTLY IN
ADDITIONAL RATIONING OF CARE AS
OUR SENIORS FIND IT HARDER AND
HARDER TO FIND PHYSICIANS AND
NURSES TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS
RATIONING BOARD IS IT ACTUALLY
GETS WORSE WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK
AT THE DETAILS.
IT WILL BE PRACTICALLY
IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS CONGRESS OR
ANY CONGRESS TO OVERTURN THE
RATIONING BOARD'S
RECOMMENDATIONS.
AGAIN, TO ME, IT SEEMS VERY ODD
THAT MY FRIENDS ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE AISLE DON'T TALK
ABOUT THIS RATIONING BOARD WHEN
THEY HOLD THEIR MEDICARE EVENTS.
BUT AS NANCY PELOSI SAID, FIRST
YOU HAVE TO PASS IT BEFORE YOU
GET TO FIND OUT WHAT'S IN IT.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CONTINUE TO
FIND OUT WHAT'S IN THIS HEALTH
CARE LAW, AND THEY CONTINUE TO
OPPOSE IT.
I WOULD SAY TO MY COLLEAGUES ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, IF
YOU'RE SO PROUD OF THE WORK YOU
HAVE DONE ON MEDICARE, THEN YOU
SHOULD STAND UP AND DEFEND THIS
MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE AISLE SHOULD EXPLAIN TO
AMERICAN SENIORS HOW IT WILL
WORK AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT
THEIR CARE.
AMERICA DESERVES A THOROUGH AND
HONEST DEBATE ABOUT THE FUTURE
OF MEDICARE AND HOW WE GOT TO
THIS POINT AND HOW WE CAN IN A
RESPONSIBLE WAY STRENGTHEN AND
SECURE MEDICARE FOR THOSE ON
MEDICARE AND FOR THE NEXT
GENERATION.
NOW, MADAM PRESIDENT, I BRING
THIS ALL TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE
TODAY A NEW STUDY HAS COME OUT
IN THE "NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF
MEDICINE," JUST CAME OUT TODAY,
AND IT HAS TO DO NOT WITH
MEDICARE, A PROGRAM FOR OUR
SENIORS, BUT WITH MEDICAID, A
PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME AND
SPECIFICALLY IN MANY CASES FOR
CHILDREN.
AND THE STUDY FROM THE "NEW
ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE"
TODAY TALKS ABOUT HOW VERY
DIFFICULT IT IS FOR PEOPLE,
SPECIFICALLY CHILDREN ON
MEDICAID, TO EVEN GET AN
APPOINTMENT TO SEE A DOCTOR.
DURING THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE
OVER THE LAST YEAR, I HAVE COME
TO THE FLOOR CONTINUOUSLY,
TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT MANY
PHYSICIANS REFUSE TO TAKE
REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE
GOVERNMENT IS LOWER THAN THE
COST OF ACTUALLY EVEN TREATING
THE PATIENT IN TERMS OF PAIN,
OFFICE EXPENSES AND OTHER
THINGS, AND THIS STUDY OUT TODAY
IN TODAY'S "NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL
OF MEDICINE" TALKS ABOUT
RESEARCHERS IN CHICAGO WHO
CALLED A NUMBER OF DOCTORS'
OFFICES WITH IDENTICAL VOICE,
SAME PERSON CALLING, ACTUALLY,
THE SAME OFFICE A MONTH APART,
WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS OF THE
SAME CHILD, WHETHER IT WAS
ASTHMA OR DIFFERENT SORTS OF
CONDITIONS, DIABETES, A CHILD
FOR CARE, AND THE QUESTION CAME
DO YOU HAVE INSURANCE, ARE THEY
ON MEDICAID?
WHAT THEY FOUND IS THAT FOR 89%
OF THOSE WITH INSURANCE WERE
ABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT,
REGULAR INSURANCE.
OF THOSE SAYING NO, WE HAVE
MEDICAID -- AND THEY CALLED
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF OFFICES
AND REPUBLICANS.
FOR THOSE ON MEDICAID, ONLY ONE
IN THREE WAS ABLE TO GET AN
APPOINTMENT.
I MEAN, THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING FOR OUR
SENIORS TO THINK ABOUT AS WELL
AS THE PRESIDENT'S RATIONING
BOARD PAYS LESS AND LESS FOR A
VISIT TO A DOCTOR, AND WE HAVE
TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT
MEDICARE RATES AS A RESULT OF
THE $500 BILLION CUT FROM
MEDICARE WILL BE IN MANY PLACES
SIMILAR TO MEDICAID RATES, SO I
WOULD ASSUME AT SOME POINT VERY
SOON SENIORS ARE GOING TO HAVE
THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF TROUBLE
GETTING AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE A
PHYSICIAN AS THE "NEW ENGLAND
JOURNAL OF MEDICINE" FOUND TODAY
FOR CHILDREN ON MEDICAID.
AND WITH THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT,
I WILL SAY I WILL CONTINUE TO
COME BACK TO THE SENATE FLOOR
WEEK AFTER WEEK WITH A DOCTOR'S
SECOND OPINION ABOUT A HEALTH
CARE LAW BECAUSE WEEK AFTER
WEEK, WE SEE NEW INFORMATION,
NEW RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT
HOW THE IMPACT OF THIS LAW, THIS
BROAD, SWEEPING LAW, SIGNIFICANT
CHANGES FOR THE HEALTH CARE OF
ALL AMERICANS, HOW IT IS IN MY
OPINION BAD FOR PATIENTS, BAD
FOR PROVIDERS, THE NURSES AND
DOCTORS WHO TAKE CARE OF THEM,
AND BAD FOR OUR TAXPAYERS.
WITH THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT, I
YIELD THE FLOOR AND SUGGEST THE
ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.