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BUSINESS FOR DEBATE ONLY BE
EXTENDED UNTIL 10:30 P.M. WITH
SENATORS PERMITTED 0 SPEAK UP TO
10 MINUTES EACH WITH THE
MAJORITY LEADER TO BE RECOGNIZED
AT 10:30 P.M.
IS THERE
OBJECTION?
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
YOU.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM TEXAS IS
MR. PRESIDENT,
ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE
QUORUM CALL BE LIFTED.
WE ARE
NOT IN A QUORUM CALL.
BUT THE SENATOR IS RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU.
MR. PRESIDENT, I DO UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO ADD SENATORS LEAHY,
AMERICA LIRGS AND BOXER TO --
MERKLEY AND BOXER TO SENATE BILL
724.
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT,
THIS BRINGS TO 77 OUT OF 100
SENATORS WHO ARE NOW SPONSORING
THIS BILL.
OUR BILL, SENATE BILL 724, IS
VERY SIMPLE.
IT JUST SAYS THAT IF THERE IS A
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, OUR
MILITARY WILL BE PAID ON TIME
THEIR FULL PAY.
AND THIS BILL IS WHAT I THINK IS
THE VERY LEAST THAT WE CAN DO TO
ASSURE EVERY MILITARY FAMILY
THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY
FOR ONE MINUTE THAT THEIR
MORTGAGE IS GOING TO BE PAID,
THAT THEIR CAR PAYMENTS WILL BE
PAID, THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO
GET OVER THIS HUMP JUST WITHOUT
THINKING THAT THERE MIGHT BE A
HALING OF THEIR PAY OR IT -- A
HALING OF THEIR PAY OR IT MIGHT
BE -- A HAVING OF THEIR PAY OR
IT MIGHT BE DELAYED.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE WHO
ARE OVERSEAS AND THEIR FAMILIES
ARE AT HOME BECAUSE IF THE MOM
OR DAD IS OVERSEAS AND THERE IS
A GLITCH SOMEWHERE THEY'RE NOT
HERE TO HELP.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE
UNTHINKABLE THAT WE WOULD GO TO
MIDNIGHT AND NOT HAVE TAKEN CARE
OF THESE FAMILIES AND ASSURED
THEM THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO
BE FINE.
NOW, I WANT TO SAY THAT I HOPE
THAT THERE IS AN AGREEMENT, AND
I HAVE HEARD THE RUMOR THAT
THERE IS AN AGREEMENT.
AND IF THERE IS ONE, I KNOW THAT
IT WILL INCLUDE MILITARY PAY.
I BELIEVE THAT.
IF, FOR ANY REASON, THAT
AGREEMENT DOES NOT HAPPEN IN THE
NEXT THREE HOURS OR IF THE
AGREEMENT DOESN'T INCLUDE
MILITARY PAY -- WHICH I DON'T
THINK WOULD HAPPEN; I THINK BOTH
HOUSES OF CONGRESS WANT TO SERVE
OUR SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
-- BUT I'M GOING TO BE HERE
UNTIL MIDNIGHT, AND I'M GOING TO
MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS,
SPONSORS IN THE UNITED STATES
SENATE IS PASSED OR THAT WE HAVE
AN AGREEMENT THAT BOTH HOUSES
HAVE BEFORE THEM THAT WILL
ASSURE THAT THE MILITARY PAY IS
HANDLED IN THAT OTHER AGREEMENT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR
THREE MORE HOURS AND WE'RE GOING
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WILL OF
THE SENATE, WHICH IS VERY CLEAR
WITH 77 SPONSORS, IS MET.
I WANT TO JUST MENTION AGAIN
THAT THERE IS A WEB SITE THAT
WAS PUT UP EARLY THIS MORNING BY
JUST ONE WOMAN WHO WAS VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND
HEARD ABOUT MY BILL IN THE NEWS.
AND HER NAME IS HOPE GWEN
BRADLEY.
SHE'S FROM HAWAII.
I DO NOT KNOW HER.
BUT SHE HAS STARTED A SOCIAL
MEDIA NETWORK THAT I HAVE NEVER
WITNESSED IN MY LIFE.
WE NOW HAVE OVER 1 MILLION
SUPPORT HITS ON HER WEB SITE
CALLED "ENSURING PAY FOR OUR
MILITARY ACT OF 2011."
IN ONE DAY, SHE HAS ACCUMULATED
1 MILLION SUPPORT SENTENCES OR
MESSAGES FOR WHAT SHE'S DOING.
AND IF YOU WOULD GO TO THAT WEB
SITE AND DO NOTHING ELSE BUT
READ THOSE COMMENTS BY JUST
PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTING OUR
MILITARY AND WHO ARE CLEAR IN
THE SUPPORT OF OUR MILITARY, YOU
KNOW, I'D LIKE FOR THE MILITARY
PEOPLE TO SEE IT JUST SO THEY
UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH AMERICA
APPRECIATES THEM AND WHAT THEY
DO, BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING TO
THE PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., YOU TAKE CARE
OF OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO
ARE FIGHTING FOR US.
YOU BETTER DO IT OR THERE WILL
BE CONSEQUENCES.
AND ARE THEY RIGHT?
ABSOLUTELY.
NOW, I HAVE SPOKEN A COUPLE OF
TIMES TODAY, AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE DO HAVE THE LETTERS
FROM THE MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS
THAT HAVE WRITTEN IN THIS
SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 724.
THERE IS THE IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA
THAT WROTE A WONDERFUL LETTER
THAT I WANT TO ASSURE IS IN THE
SO I'M GOING TO ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT THAT THREE LETTERS BE
MADE A PART OF THIS RECORD.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THE IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA,
OF COURSE, UNDERSTAND BETTER
THAN ANYONE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO
SERVE THERE AND TO NOT HAVE ANY
OTHER STRESSES THAT WOULD ADD TO
WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING FOR
OUR COUNTRY.
AND THEY SAY, PASS SENATE BILL
724.
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR
UNIFORMED SERVICES WITH MORE
THANK 180,000 -- WITH MORE THAN
180,000 MEMBERS HAS CENT LETTER
IN SUPPORT -- HAS SENT A LETTER
WITH SUPPORT AND THE MILITARY
OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
HAS ALSO ADDED ITS SUPPORT WITH
377,000 MEMBERS.
SUPPORT.
EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THIS.
AND I JUST WILL READ A COUPLE OF
THE MESSAGES THAT HAVE BEEN ON
THIS WONDERFUL WEB SITE.
"DEAR SENATOR HUTCHISON:
MY HUSBAND SERVES AS A CAPITAL
IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY."
ACTUALLY, THIS ONE CAME TO MY
WEB SIERKTS NOT TO THE WEB SITE
THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
I AM GOING TO READ A COUPLE FROM
THERE AS WE WILL.
THIS ONE CAME TO MINE BECAUSE IT
WAS TO MEEVMENT "AS THE WIFE I
HAVE A CURRENTLY DEPLOYED
SOLDIER AND MOTHER TO OUR
2-YEAR-OLD SON, I FIND IT
OUTRAGEOUS THAT OUR GOVERNMENT
IS DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT TO
CONTINUE TO PAY OUR TROOPS.
WHILE MY HUSBAND AND I ARE VERY
FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, MANY OF
HIS JUNIOR SOLDIERS SIMPLY
CANNOT HANDLE THE IMPLICATIONS
OF WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO NOT
RECEIVE THEIR PAYCHECKS.
WE WORRY FOR THESE SOLDIERS'
HOW WILL THEY AFFORD GROCERIES,
WILL THEY BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR
RENT OR MORTGAGES?
THESE ARE NOT QUESTIONS THAT WE
SHOULD HAVE TO ASK.
MONEY SHOULD NOT BE A WORRY ON
THESE SOLDIERS H'S MINDS.
MY HUSBAND AND THE SOLDIERS IN
HIS UNIT DO INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS
MISSIONS AND, QUITE FRANKLY, IT
FRIGHTENS ME THAT THIS COULD
SPLIT THEIR FOCUS IN A VERY
NEGATIVE WAY.
MY HUSBAND AND HIS FELLOW
SOLDIERS RISK THEIR LIVES ON
DAILY BASIS.
THEY MISS HOLIDAYS AND THEIR
THEY DESERVE TO KNOW THAT THE
SAME GOVERNMENT THAT SENT THEM
THEM.
THEY DESERVE TO KNOW THAT OUR
GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT SEND THEM
OVER TO A WAR ZONE AND THEN DENY
THEM THEIR PAY.
MY HUSBAND DOES NOT HAVE THE
LUXURY TO WALK OFF THE JOB.
HE STAYS THERE UNTIL THE MISSION
IS COMPLETE AND THE SENATE HAS A
TO PASS THE ENSURING PAY FOR OUR
MILITARY ACT OF 2011, SENATE
BILL 724."
HERE IS ANOTHER HIT THAT WAS
FOUND ON THE WEB SITE -- THE
ENSURING PAY FOR OUR MILITARY
ACT OF 2011 WEB SITE.
"AS A MILITARY WIFE WHO IS
EXPECTING OUR FIRST CHILD IN
JUNE, MY HUSBAND AND I RECENTLY
P.C.S.ED OVERSEAS AND ARE
ALREADY ON A TIGHT BUDGET TO PAY
OUR NEW BILLS EUROS AND OUR NEW
BILLS STATESIDE IN DOLLARS.
NOW WE WORRY WE WILL NOT HAVE
ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY OUR BILLS
AND OUR CREDIT MIGHT BE HARMED.
THERE IS NO SAFETY NET TO HELP
CATCH US WHEN WE FALL BEHIND, NO
INTEREST ON THE BACK PAY THAT WE
WILL BE MISSING OR THE LATE FEES
WAIVED WHEN WE CAN'T PAY ALL OF
OUR BILLS.
WE WOULD HAVE TO TELL OUR GERMAN
LANDLORDS THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD
TO GIVE THEM MONEY.
HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO
UNDERSTAND?
THEY'RE NOT IN THIS SITUATION.
WE, AS AMERICANS, ARE.
I'M NOT COMPLAINING OF BEING A
MILITARY SPOUSE.
I CHOSE THIS LIFE.
I KNEW OF THE HARDSHIPS OF
DEPLOYMENTS.
MY HUSBAND HAS SERVED IN BOTH
AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ.
I LOVE WHAT MY FAMILY DOES.
I HOPE AND PRAY THAT THIS ISSUE
WILL BE RESOLVED SOON."
MR. PRESIDENT, REALLY ..., I
MEAN, REALLY?
WE'VE THREE HOURS UNTIL
MIDNIGHT.
CAN WE TELL THESE PEOPLE THAT
THEY MIGHT GET HALF THEIR
PAYCHECK ON APRIL 15?
WE CAN'T.
HERE'S ANOTHER LETTER.
I'M OBVIOUSLY NOT READING THE
NAMES, ALTHOUGH THEIR ON HERE,
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO IN ANY
WAY HARM 24E78MENT.
"AS A VENT O.E.F., OPERATION
ENDURING FREEDOM, I STAND BEHIND
YOU 100% AND SO DO MANY OTHERS.
THIS WILL TEAR MORALE FROM THE
TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHICH
CAN BE A DANGEROUS THING.
THE MENTAL AND FINANCIAL BALANCE
SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE
ON AS IT IS IS A DELICATE ONE.
THEY LIVE MONTH TO MONTH.
MOST ARE ENLISTED AND MAKE
SCRATCH AS IT IS.
CUTTING MORE PAY WILL PUT THESE
FAMILIES ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK
AND WHEN A SOLDIERS'S FAMILY IS
PUT IN THAT POSITION, THAT
SOLDIER IS NO LONGER FIGHTING
FOR HIS COUNTRY BUT IS NOW
FIGHTING FOR HIS FAMILY AGAINST
THIS COUNTRY.
THIS WOULD DESTROY THE BASIC
FOUNDATION OF ALL OUR FORCES
FROM THE CORPS."
MR. PRESIDENT, THERE ARE A
MILLION HITS ON THIS WEB WEB SITE.
TOUCHING.
MANY ARE PLEADING.
SOME ARE
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I DO
HAVE FAITH THAT IN THE NEXT
THREE HOURS, WE WILL ASSURE THAT
THESE PEOPLE ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
I DO HAVE THAT FAITH.
HOURS.
AND I JUST WANT TO ASSURE THAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE IF IT
STARTS GETTING TO 11:00 AND WE
HAVE GOT ONE MORE HOUR TO ASSURE
THAT NOT ONE MORE HOUR PASSES
AFTER MIDNIGHT THAT THIS CAN'T
BE TAKEN CARE OF.
I'M GOING TO BE HERE AND WE'RE
GOING TO DO IT, AND I AM SO
PROUD THAT SO FAR WE HAVE 77
COSPONSORS OF THIS BILL, AND I
THINK WE WILL HAVE UNANIMOUS
SUPPORT FOR IT, I DO.
BUT 77 PEOPLE HAVE MADE SURE
THAT THEY CALL TO BE A COSPONSOR
OF THIS BILL, AND I'M PROUD THAT
WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY
BIPARTISAN IN A VERY PARTISAN
ATMOSPHERE, AND I THINK THAT IS
MAYBE A RAY OF HOPE THAT THIS IS
GOING TO BE DONE IN THE RIGHT
WAY, BUT I WANT THE PEOPLE OF
THIS COUNTRY AND I WANT IT TO BE
IN THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD THE
OVERWHELMING SUPPORT THAT HAS
NOW COME BECAUSE OF THE DEBATE
AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING AND
THIS SUPPORT FOR THE MILITARY.
AND I WILL SAY THAT,
MR. PRESIDENT, AS A COSPONSOR OF
THE BILL, THE SENATOR WHO IS
TAKING HIS PLACE RIGHT NOW IS
ALSO A SUPPORTER OF THIS BILL,
SENATOR MERKLEY, SENATOR UDALL
AND SENATOR DURBIN, SENATOR
KERRY.
WE -- WE DO HAVE A VERY STRONG
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT HERE, AND IT
IS MY FAITH THAT WE ARE GOING TO
DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR
MILITARY BECAUSE WE CAN DO NO
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND I
YIELD THE FLOOR.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS.
MR. PRESIDENT, LET
ME THANK THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS
AND HER COSPONSOR, THE SENATOR
FROM PENNSYLVANIA, SENATOR
THEY EXPRESSED THE DEEP-FELT
SENTIMENTS OF ALL OF US.
I'M HAPPY TO BE A COSPONSOR OF
THIS LEGISLATION.
I CAN ASSURE THE SENATOR FROM
TEXAS THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED
THIS AT LENGTH IN OUR CAUCUS,
AND THERE WILL BE AMPLE
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL MEMBERS TO
JOIN IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE
CERTAIN THAT OUR MEN AND WOMEN
IN UNIFORM WHO ARE RISKING THEIR
LIVES WILL NOT BE IN ANY WAY
DISADVANTAGED BY WHAT'S GOING ON
HERE ON CAPITOL HILL.
I SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION AND
YOUR ANXIETY.
I HAVE BEEN LISTENING AND
WATCHING THESE NEGOTIATIONS NOW
FOR WEEKS.
AND I CANNOT BELIEVE WE HAVE
REACHED THIS POINT, LESS THAN
THREE HOURS FROM A GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN WHEN THE DIFFERENCES
ARE SO MINOR, WHEN THERE ARE SO
FEW THINGS IN DISAGREEMENT.
IT IS TIME LITERALLY FOR THE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE TO COME
FORWARD AND ACCEPT THE DOLLAR
AMOUNT THAT HE AGREED TO LAST
NIGHT IN THE WHITE HOUSE OVAL
OFFICE.
TO ACCEPT THAT AMOUNT WHICH
DRAMATICALLY CUTS SPENDING TO
HELP REDUCE OUR DEFICIT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE
LITERALLY WASTED THIS ENTIRE DAY
IN NEGOTIATIONS BACK AND FORTH.
PART OF IT WAS WASTED, I'M
AFRAID, ON THIS WHOLE QUESTION
OF FUNDING THE ACCESS OF WOMEN
AND FAMILIES ACROSS AMERICA TO
HEALTH CARE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S BEEN WORKED
OUT NOW.
DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY,
THE SPEAKER HAS CONSIDERED A
GOODNESS.
DEAL.
NOW'S THE TIME TO GET OUR JOB
NOW'S THE TIME TO NOT ONLY STAND
UP TO THE MEN AND WOMEN IN
UNIFORM, AND THEY SHOULD BE OUR
FIRST OBLIGATION, BUT BEYOND
THAT TO STAND UP TO SO MANY
OTHERS WHO ARE DESERVING OF OUR
THEY ARE NOT COVERED BY THIS
BILL, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE ARE
F.B.I. AGENTS IN AMERICA RISKING
THEIR LIVES, TRACKING DRUG
DEALERS AND TERRORISTS WHO ARE
ABOUT TO LEARN AT MIDNIGHT THAT
THEIR JOBS ARE IN JEOPARDY IF
RELENTS.
THE SAME THING IS TRUE ABOUT
THOSE IN OUR INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY AROUND THE WORLD.
THEY MAY NOT WEAR A UNIFORM, BUT
THEY ARE LITERALLY RISKING THEIR
LIVES AS WELL FOR THE SECURITY
OF THE UNITED STATES IN
COUNTRIES FAR AND WIDE ACROSS
THIS GLOBE.
THE LIST JUST GOES ON AND ON AND
WE FIRST THINK OF OUR MILITARY,
AS WE SHOULD, BUT THEY AREN'T
THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE MAKING
GREAT SACRIFICE FOR THE SAFETY
OF THIS COUNTRY.
WHEN I THINK OF THEIR VALOR AND
COURAGE, I WONDER WHETHER OR NOT
OUR LEADERS CAN SUMMON THE
COURAGE, PARTICULARLY AT THIS
POINT I HOPE THE SPEAKER CAN
SUMMON THE COURAGE TO BRING HIS
CAUCUS TOGETHER AND TO VOTE, TO
AVERT THIS EMBARRASSING,
EMBARRASSING SHUTDOWN WHICH WILL
OCCUR IN LESS THAN THREE HOURS
UNLESS SOMETHING HAPPENS.
I STILL BELIEVE IT WILL, I STILL
BELIEVE WE HAVE THAT CHANCE, AND
I HOPE THAT SENATOR HUTCHISON
WHO HAS BEEN A LEADER ON THIS
ISSUE DOESN'T HAVE TO COME TO
THE FLOOR AGAIN.
I CAN ASSURE HER BEFORE ANYTHING
HAPPENS THAT WOULD DISADVANTAGE
OUR TROOPS, WE WILL STAND
TOGETHER IN A BIPARTISAN WAY --
IT MAY BE ON HER BILL, IT MAY BE
ON ANOTHER BILL -- BUT WE WILL
STAND TOGETHER IN A BIPARTISAN
WAY TO PROTECT THESE TROOPS.
I THANK HER AGAIN FOR HER
LEADERSHIP.
IT IS AN EVIDENCE BETWEEN HER
AND SENATOR CASEY THAT THERE IS
STRONG BIPARTISAN FEELING THAT
WE NEED TO GET THIS JOB DONE
DOWN.
MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR
AND I SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A
QUORUM.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM TEXAS.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO LIFT THE QUORUM CALL.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
I JUST WANTED TO
SAY I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH WHAT
THE LEADER HAS SAID BECAUSE I
KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN ARDUOUS
AND I KNOW THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS
HAVE BEEN ARDUOUS, AND I --
THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE IN THE NEXT
THREE HOURS THAT WE WILL DO THE
RIGHT THING IN THIS ISSUE.
I HOPE THAT WE DO THE RIGHT
THING FOR ALL OF OUR COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY WE
HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE
ESSENTIAL AND THOSE WHO ARE
GOING TO BE FURLOUGHED.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS
COUNTRY WHO ARE GOING TO BE
AFFECTED IN SO MANY WAYS IF
THERE'S A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
SO I -- I'M FOCUSING ON THE ONES
WHO CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES RIGHT
NOW BECAUSE THEY ARE OVERSEAS
PROTECTING OUR FREEDOM, BUT --
BUT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO
ARE GOING TO HAVE HARDSHIPS THAT
ARE UNNECESSARY, AND I -- I DO
APPRECIATE WHAT SENATOR DURBIN
HAS SAID, AND THERE IS ONE OTHER
PERSON I JUST WANT TO MENTION,
GOMERT.
HE STARTED ON THE HOUSE SIDE
WITH THE SAME BILL THAT I HAVE
INTRODUCED ON THE SENATE SIDE
AND HE HAS GAINED LARGE SUPPORT
ON THE HOUSE SIDE FOR THIS.
I WANT TO COMMEND CONGRESSMAN
GOMERT FOR ASSURING AS WE WERE
WATCHING THIS WEEK AND THE VERY
SPIRITED DEBATE THAT HAS GONE ON
ON THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, LOUIE
GOMERT STEPPED UP FIRST, AND I
WANT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR
SAYING THERE'S ONE GROUP THAT WE
CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND NO MATTER
WHAT HAPPENS, AND OUR BILLS ARE
VIRTUALLY THE SAME, AND
WHICHEVER HOUSE CAN PASS IT
FIRST IS FINE WITH ME BECAUSE
WHATEVER WE DO, WE HAVE TO DO IT
TOGETHER AND WE HAVE TO DO IT
BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM INDIANA.
MR. PRESIDENT, I JUST
WANDERED ONTO THE FLOOR HERE
HOPING THAT WE WERE COMING TO
SOME TYPE OF AN AGREEMENT.
I VERY MUCH REGRET THAT WE HAVE
TO CAREEN FROM WEEK TO WEEK,
PERIOD TO PERIOD FUNDING OUR
GOVERNMENT ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.
I THINK ALL OF US WERE HOPING WE
COULD GET THIS RESOLVED, AND I
STILL HOLD OUT SOME HOPE.
THERE ARE SOME 2 HOURS AND 50
MINUTES OF NEGOTIATIONS TO GO.
BUT I WANT TO COMMEND THE
SENATOR FROM TEXAS, SENATOR
HUTCHISON, FOR HER EFFORTS, SHE
HAS BEEN RELENTLESS IN REMINDING
US FOR SEVERAL DAYS, IF NOT
MORE, THAT OUR TROOPS IN THE
FIELD AND THOSE WHO ARE WEARING
THE UNIFORM, SERVING OUR
COUNTRY, WE LITERALLY -- WE
CANNOT LEAVE THEM IN A SITUATION
WHERE THEY ARE NOT PAID.
THIS, OF COURSE, AFFECTS DRUG
ENFORCEMENT AGENTS AND MANY
OTHERS ACROSS THE FEDERAL
SPECTRUM, BUT THESE TROOPS
OVERSEAS ARE BEARING HARDSHIP
ENOUGH TO NOT BE CAUGHT UP IN A
DEBATE HERE WHICH IS NECESSARY,
A DEBATE THAT NEEDS TO BE
RESOLVED.
AS I SAID EARLIER WHEN I SPOKE
THIS MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON,
THIS IS JUST A SMALL LITTLE
BRUSH FIRE, AS DRAMATIC AS THE
PRESS HAS MADE IT, AND DOES HAVE
CONSEQUENCES, SERIOUS
CONSEQUENCES, BUT COMPARED TO
THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM THAT OUR
NATION FACES FROM A FISCAL
STANDPOINT RELATIVE TO WHAT WE
NEED TO DO AND WHAT WE NEED TO
PART.
JUST TALKING ABOUT FUNDING FOR
THE NEXT SIX MONTHS TO FILL A
GAP THAT WAS LEFT WHEN NO BUDGET
WAS PASSED AND NO ACTION WAS
TAKEN ON IT IN THE LAST CONGRESS
AND THE LAST FISCAL YEAR TO PUT
US IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN
MOVE INTO AND DEBATE THE REAL
ISSUE THAT'S BEFORE US, AND THAT
IS HOW DO WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT
WILL AFFECT THE LONG-TERM
SPENDING OF THIS COUNTRY, AFFECT
OUR BUDGET AND OUR DEFICIT AND
BRING US BACK TO A FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE PLACE?
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT AS
NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE TO GO
FORWARD, WE CAN RESOLVE THIS
TODAY SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN THAT
IMPORTANT DEBATE, BUT IF WE
CAN'T, AT THE VERY LEAST, IT'S
IMPORTANT, I BELIEVE, THAT WE
EXTEND THIS FOR A SMALL AMOUNT
OF TIME.
I REGRET THAT WE HAVE TO DO IT,
SO THAT WE CAN BRING IT TO ITS
FINAL CONCLUSION.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS
THAT BEFORE MIDNIGHT, WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE PASS
LEGISLATION WHICH WILL ENSURE
THAT OUR PEOPLE IN UNIFORM ARE
PAID THEIR RIGHTFUL DUE FOR THE
SERVICE THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING.
AND AGAIN, I COMMEND THE SENATOR
FROM TEXAS FOR REMINDING US FOR
THAT AND FOR BEING VIGILANT IN
TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE
ACTUALLY ADDRESS THAT BEFORE
THIS TIME RUNS OUT.
MR. PRESIDENT, WITH THAT, I
YIELD THE FLOOR AND NOTE THE
ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
-- NOR LANDRIEU --
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO LIFT
THE QUORUM CALL.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ADD
SENATOR LANDRIEU AS A COSPONSOR
OF SENATE BILL 724.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT,
THAT MAKES 78 NOW MEMBERS OF THE
UNITED STATES SENATE WHO ARE
SPONSORING THIS BILL FOR OUR
MILITARY.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
CALL: