Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
I NOTE -- MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM NEW YORK.
I NOTE THE ABSENCE
OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM COLORADO.
MR. PRESIDENT, THANK
YOU I'D ASK THAT THE QUORUM CALL
BE VITIATED.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU.
I CAME TO THE FLOOR THE OTHER
DAY ABOUT WHAT I HAD LEARNED IN
TOWN HALL MEETINGS FOR TWO YEARS
IN COLORADO REGARDING OUR
DEFICIT AND OUR DEBT.
WHAT I SAID THE OTHER NIGHT,
THAT PEOPLE IN OUR STATES,
WHETHER IN RED PARTS OF THE
STATE OR BLUE PARTS OF THE
STATES, HAVE A COMMONSENSE WAY
OF APPROACHING THIS AND THEY'VE
GOT A THREE-PART TEST THAT THEY
WANT TO APPLY.
FIRST TEST IS, THEY WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY COME UP
WITH SOMETHING THAT MATERIALLY
ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM WE FACE.
THEY'RE TIRED OF GIMMICKS.
THEY'RE TIRED OF TRICKS.
THEY REALLY WANT US TO SORT THIS
OUT.
THEY KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO BE
FIXED OVERNIGHT BUT THEY WANT US
TO GET STARTED ON IT.
SECOND TEST IS THAT WE'RE ALL IN
IT TOGETHER.
THEY'RE TIRED OF THE US AGAINST
THEM CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENS
IN WASHINGTON.
THEY'RE TIRED OF HEARING THAT
ONE PERSON'S OX IS GOING TO BE
GORED OR ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE'S
OX IS GOING TO BE GORED AND
EVERYONE ELSE IS GOING TO BE
LEFT ALONE.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO
SOLVING THIS PROBLEM.
THE THIRD TEST IS THAT THEY WANT
IT TO BE BIPARTISAN BECAUSE,
FRANKLY, THEY DON'T HAVE
CONFIDENCE IN EITHER PARTY ON
THIS ISSUE AND THEY WANT TO SEE
US WORKING TOGETHER.
THAT'S IT.
AND WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOWARD
THAT AS A SENATE AND AS A HOUSE.
WE SHOULD BE HAVING A SERIOUS
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW NOT TO
LEAVE OUR CHILDREN STUCK WITH A
BILL OF $15 TRILLION OF DEBT AND
A $1.5 TRILLION DEFICIT.
I FEEL THAT KEENLY AS THE FATHER
OF THREE LITTLE GIRLS MYSELF.
BUT I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT
FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND THE DEBATE WE'RE
HAVING RIGHT NOW, THE THREAT
THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHUT THE
GOVERNMENT DOWN HAS NOTHING TO
DO WITH THE BROADER CONVERSATION
ABOUT OUR DEFICIT AND OUR DEBT.
IN FACT, SHUTTING THE GOVERNMENT
DOWN IS JUST GOING TO MAKE
MATTERS WORSE.
I SAID THE OTHER NIGHT THAT
THERE IS NOT A SUPERINTENDENT OF
SCHOOLS -- I USED TO BE ONE --
IN COLORADO, THERE'S NOT A CITY
COUNCIL OR A MAYOR IN COLORADO,
FROM THE LARGEST CITY TO THE
SMALLEST TOWN, WHO WOULD DREAM,
WHO WOULD DREAM OF SAYING TO
THEIR CONSTITUENTS, WE CAN'T
WORK THIS OUT SO WE'RE GOING TO
CLOSE THE GOVERNMENT NEXT WEEK.
WE CAN'T WORK THIS
OUT SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO PLOW
YOUR SNOW NEXT WEEK OR PICK UP
YOUR TRASH NEXT WEEK OR EDUCATE
YOUR KIDS NEXT WEEK.
NOT ONE LOCAL OFFICIAL IN OUR
STATE.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER KNOWS
THIS.
HE WAS A MAYOR.
HE WOULD NEVER HAVE GONE TO YOUR
CONSTITUENTS AND SAID, OH, BY
THE WAY, WE'RE CLOSING NEXT WEEK
BECAUSE WE HAVE A DISAGREEMENT.
IT MAKES NO SENSE.
NOWHERE ON THE PLANET WOULD THAT
MAKE ANY SENSE.
TO SAY NOTHING OF THE FACT THAT
WE FIND OURSELVES AT A MOMENT IN
THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY WHEN WE
ARE ENGAGED IN WARS ALL ACROSS
THE GLOBE, WHEN WE'RE NOW
INVOLVED IN A MULTILATERAL
EFFORT IN LIBYA, WHEN WE'VE GOT
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TRYING TO
HELP THE JAPANESE WEATHER THIS
UNBELIEVABLE TRAGEDY THAT
THEY'RE FACING.
WHEN WE HAVE ECONOMIC
COMPETITORS ALL OVER THE GLOBE
THAT ARE TRYING TO SEEK AN
ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE AGAINST THE
CENTURY.
UNITED STATES IN THE 21st
WE'RE SAYING, WELL, WE'RE GOING
TO TAKE A TIME-OUT BECAUSE WE
CAN'T AGREE.
WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE, TAKE A
REST, CLOSE THE GOVERNMENT.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MUST THINK
WELL, YOU GUYS MUST BE VERY FAR
APART.
AND THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT THIS
DOWN.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT
DETAILS HERE.
HERE.
I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DETAILS
NOBODY DOES.
THE REPORTS ON THE NEWS TONIGHT
WERE THAT SEVERAL BILLION
DOLLARS SEPARATED THE
NEGOTIATORS.
AND I'VE HEARD IT RANGE FROM,
YOU KNOW, $5 BILLION TO
$10 BILLION IN THERE SO I PICKED
THE NUMBER $7 BILLION, WHICH IS
MORE THAN "SEVERAL," BUT THAT
APPEARS TO BE WHAT DIVIDES THE
PARTIES.
$7 BILLION, MR. PRESIDENT.
$ BILLION.
$7 BILLION.
THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
IT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT LOOK AT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF
OUR DEFICIT AND OUR OPERATING
BUDGET.
SO HERE IS -- THIS LINE -- YOU
CAN'T EVEN SEE IT -- THIS LINE
IS THE $7 BILLION RIGHT HERE.
OKAY?
THIS IS OUR DEFICIT AND THIS IS
OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
$1.5 TRILLION, $3.6 TRILLION.
I APOLOGIZE, MR. PRESIDENT, BUT
I COULDN'T FIT IT ON ONE SIGN.
I HAD TO HAVE TWO SIGNS TO BE
ABLE TO SHOW WHAT THE ORDER OF
MAGNITUDE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN
WHAT WE'RE SCWABLG OVER HERE IN
IN -- SQUABBLING OVER HERE IN
WASHINGTON AND WHAT OUR DEFICIT
LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT OUR
OPERATING BUDGET LOOKS LIKE.
THAT'S IT.
THAT'S IT.
THAT'S IT.
DO YOU KNOW THIS DIFFERENCE, IF
THIS WERE THE CITY OF ALAMOSA --
THE FORMER MAYOR IS THE
PRESIDING OFFICER -- IN MY
STATE, WHICH HAS ROUGHLY A
$14 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET IN
THE SAN LOUIS VALLEY, IF THEY
WERE SAYING WE WERE GOING TO
SHUT DOWN OUR GOVERNMENT BASED
ON THIS DIFFERENCE, THAT WOULD
BE LIKE ALAMOSA SAYING WE CAN'T
FIGURE IT OUT BECAUSE $27,000 IS
WHAT WE'RE APART.
MR. PRESIDENT, IF YOU OR I WENT
TO APPLEBY'S TONIGHT AND WE TOOK
THEIR -- WE HAD THEIR $20 DINNER
FOR TWO AND THEN WE HAD A FIGHT
OVER THE BILL, WE WOULD BE
FIGHTING OVER FOUR CENTS.
THAT'S WHAT WOULD SEPARATE US.
ROUGHLY .19% OF OUR OPERATING
BUDGET.
I COULD EVEN UNDERSTAND IF THE
PARTIES WERE SAYING WE DISAGREE,
WE DISAGREE, LET'S KEEP
NEGOTIATING.
BUT I CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME
UNDERSTAND HOW ON THOSE TERMS,
ANYONE COULD THREATEN A
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, ESPECIALLY
WHEN WE CONFRONT THE DANGERS
THAT WE CONFRONT TODAY.
AND THE ANSWER IS THAT IT'S NOT
ABOUT OUR BUDGET.
THE TIME THAT WE CONSUMED HERE
IS TAKING TIME AWAY FROM THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU AND I
HAVE BEEN PART OF, THAT PEOPLE
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE
HAVE BEEN PART OF, THAT THE GANG
OF SIX, A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF
SENATORS, THREE DEMOCRATS AND
THREE REPUBLICANS, LED BY MARK
WARNER AND SAXBY CHAMBLISS, HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON.
THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
BUT WE SHOULDN'T BE THREATENING
TO CLOSE THE GOVERNMENT.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE
THREATENING TO CLOSE THE
GOVERNMENT UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT CERTAINLY NOT
WHEN THE ECONOMICS ARE AS THIN
AS THAT.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE, AND
IT'S NOT ALL REPUBLICANS,
THERE'S SOME PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE
THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST FEEL LIKE
THE SOCIAL ISSUES THAT THEY'VE
ATTACHED TO THIS PIECE OF BUDGET
LEGISLATION ARE SOMEHOW MORE
IMPORTANT THAN KEEPING THE
GOVERNMENT OPEN.
OR THAT LITIGATING THOSE ISSUES
IN THE CONTEXT OF TRYING TO KEEP
THE GOVERNMENT OPEN IS THE RIGHT
THING TO DO.
I DISAGREE.
I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE A
HEARING.
I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE A
FLOOR DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WE
WANT TO DO WITH WOMEN'S
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OR THE OTHER
ISSUE AS THAT ARE THERE.
I'M GLAD TO HAVE THAT DEBATE.
BUT DON'T THREATEN TO SHUT THE
GOVERNMENT DOWN BASED ON THAT.
AND SO I WILL SAY AGAIN, AS I
SAID THE OTHER NIGHT, THAT I
ENCOURAGE THE LEADERS OF BOTH
PARTIES, IN BOTH CHAMBERS, OUR
PRESIDENT TO FIND A WAY TO
SETTLE THIS, TO FIND A WAY TO
WORK IT OUT, TO FIND A WAY TO
KEEP THIS GOVERNMENT OPEN AT
THIS MOMENT WHEN WE'VE GOT
GLOBE.
TROOPS DEPLOYED ALL OVER THE
TO LIVE UP TO THE STANDARD OF
EVERY SINGLE LOCAL ELECTED
OFFICIAL IN MY STATE, WHETHER
THEY'RE DEMOCRATS OR WHETHER
THEY'RE REPUBLICANS, WHO ARE
MAKING TOUGH CHOICES IN THIS
BUDGET SITUATION BUT MANAGING TO
PRIORITIES.
RESPOND TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS'
THIS WEEK IN COLORADO THEY
REACHED A BUDGET AGREEMENT.
THE GOVERNOR'S A DEMOCRAT.
THE SENATE IS A MAJORITY
DEMOCRATIC.
THE HOUSE IS REPUBLICAN.
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, WHO IS
A REPUBLICAN, SAYS THIS IS THE
FIRST BUDGET I'VE BEEN ABLE TO
VOTE FOR IN YEARS BECAUSE OF THE
LEADERSHIP OF JOHN HICKENLUPER,
OUR GOVERNOR, AND THE LEADERSHIP
OF THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN
CONGRESS THERE.
PEOPLE'S WORK.
THAT BREEDS CONFIDENCE IN
AND I THINK THAT IF WE CAN FIND
A WAY TO WORK TOGETHER HERE
ACROSS THE PARTY LINES IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY AND DEMONSTRATE
THAT WE CAN KEEP THE GOVERNMENT
OPEN AND, MUCH MORE IMPORTANT
EVEN THAN THAT, THAT WE CAN
CREATE A PATH TOWARD FISCAL SAN
KNIT THIS COUNTRY -- FISCAL
SANITY IN THIS COUNTRY, I THINK
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WOULD CHEER.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVEN'T GIVEN THEM
VERY MUCH TO CHEER ABOUT,
MR. PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I SEE THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS IS
HERE, AND I WOULD YIELD THE
MR. PRESIDENT?
FLOOR.
THE
SENATOR FROM TEXAS.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
THINK WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR A
LONG TIME TODAY ABOUT THIS
FISCAL CRISIS BECAUSE I DON'T
THINK ANYONE IS LOOKING AT THE
LOOMING DEADLINE THAT'S GOING TO
OCCUR TOMORROW NIGHT AS
SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN
AND GOVERNMENT TO SHUT DOWN.
I HOPE SO MUCH THAT THE
PRESIDENT AND SPEAKER BOEHNER
AND THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER OF THE
SENATE, SENATOR REID, CAN COME
TO TERMS, BECAUSE WE ARE SO
CLOSE TO HAVING AN AGREEMENT ON
A CONTINUING RESOLUTION UNTIL
THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR,
WHICH IS WHAT WE NEED.
NO ONE WOULD RUN A BUSINESS THE
WAY THIS GOVERNMENT IS BEING RUN
IN TWO-WEEK CONTINUING
RESOLUTIONS AND ONE WEEK AND
THREE WEEKS.
IT IS NOT THE WAY TO RUN
ANYTHING.
IT'S NOT ORGANIZED, AND YOU
CAN'T PLAN, AND MOST CERTAINLY
WE KNOW THAT TAXPAYER DOLLARS
ARE NOT BEING THE MOST
EFFICIENTLY SPENT IF WE ARE
GOING IN ONE- AND TWO-WEEK
INCREMENTS.
BUT THE STAKES ARE VERY HIGH.
I LOOK BACK AT THE YEAR 2000,
BEFORE 9/11, AND WE HAD BALANCED
BUDGETS.
WE HAD A BALANCED BUDGET IN THE
YEAR 2000.
WE HAD A BALANCED BUDGET UP
UNTIL 9/11.
THAT WAS ONLY TEN YEARS AGO, AND
WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE, AS THE
UNITED STATES CONGRESS, WORKING
WITH THE PRESIDENT, TO SAY, IF
WE HAD A BALANCED BUDGET TEN
YEARS AGO, HE WE CAN'T POSSIBLY
BE SO FAR OVER THE LINE THAT WE
CAN'T BRING IT BACK INTO
BALANCE.
BUT TO BRING IT BACK INTO
BALANCE, MR. PRESIDENT, WE'RE
GOING TO STRO LOOK LONG-TERM.
WE CAN'T DO IT ON $30 BILLION OF
DIFFERENCE IN NOW TO THE END OF
THE FISCAL YEAR SPENDING, THE
FISCAL YEAR ENDS OCTOBER 1.
SO WE CAN'T DO IT -- TWOAF HAVE
A TEN-YEAR PLAN.
WE HAVE TO HAVE CLEAR CUTS IN
SPENDING, AND WE HAVE TO START
WORKING TOWARD A BALANCED BUDGET
IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY.
NOW, I CAN'T SAY I AGREE WITH
EVERYTHING IN IT, BUT ONE OF THE
HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN,
ONE OF THE REPUBLICANS IN THE
HOUSE, HAS PROPOSED A BUDGET
THAT WOULD DO EXACTLY THAT.
IT WOULD GET US TO A BALANCED
BUDGET.
AND NOW WE NEED TO START TALKING
ABOUT THE PLANS THAT HE HAS PUT
FORWARD.
THE PRESIDENT HASN'T, BUT
CONGRESSMAN RYAN HAS.
WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE SOME OF IT
I HOPE, BUT WE SHOULD HAVE THE
SAME GOAL, AND THAT IS TO GET TO
A BALANCED BUDGET.
-- OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, FIVE
TO TEN YEARS.
BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE NOT GOING
TO DO IT IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS,
TALKING ABOUT $30 BILLION OR $36
BILLION GOING FOR THE NEXT SIX
MONTHS.
SO I HOPE THAT WE WILL SETTLE
THIS ISSUE SO WE CAN GO TO THE
LONG-TERM ISSUES.
THE LONG-TERM ISSUE IS GOING TO
HAPPEN IN ABOUT A MONTH AND A
HALF WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE
CALLED ON TO RAISE THE DEBT
CEILING.
THE DEBT IS $14 TRILLION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A DEBT -- A
DEFICIT THIS YEAR -- THIS YEAR
ALONE -- OF $1.5 TRILLION, IF WE
GO WITH THE BUDGET THAT THE
PRESIDENT SUBMITTED.
$1.5 TRILLION MORE OVER $14
TRILLION?
NO WONDER THE PEOPLE OF THIS
COUNTRY ARE UP IN ARMS.
AND WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE
PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY, WHO SAY,
STOP DOING BUSINESS IN
WASHINGTON THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS
BEEN DONE.
STOP IT NOW, AND START CUTTING
BACK ON THE APPETITE FOR
SPENDING SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE
TO HAVE THE BALANCED BUDGET THAT
WE CAN SEE IN OUR FUTURE.
MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT NOW IS THE POTENTIAL
OF A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
I HOPE THAT IT DOES NOT COME TO
THAT.
BUT THERE IS ONE THING THAT WE
OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO DO IN THIS
CONGRESS, AND THAT IS AT LEAST
PROTECT OUR MILITARY WHO ARE
SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ
AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE BACK
HOME, WORRIED ENOUGH ABOUT THEM
BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY ARE AND
MOST CERTAINLY SHOULD NOT HAVE
ANOTHER BURDEN PUT ON THEM OF
NOT KNOWING IF THEIR PAYCHECK IS
GOING TO COME AT THE NORMAL TIME
OF THE MONTH, THE 1st AND THE
15th.
724.
SO I HAVE INTRODUCED SENATE BILL
I WANT TO ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT
TO ADD SENATOR SESSIONS AS A
COSPONSOR.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
AND I WILL SAY
THAT THAT MAKES OUR 46th
COSPONSOR OF SENATE BILL 724
THAT IS A VERY SIMPLE BILL.
IT JUST SAYS THAT IF THERE'S A
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, THE
MILITARY WILL BE PAID.
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILL
HAVE THE DISCRETION TO ALSO PAY
THE CIVILIANS AND THOSE WHO ARE
SERVING OUR MILITARY SO THAT THE
FOOD SERVICE IN AFGHANISTAN AND
IRAQ WILL NOT BE STOPPED BECAUSE
WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
AND THE PAYCHECKS AREN'T GOING
TO COME.
I WANT TO ALLEVIATE ANY FEAR ON
THE PART OF ANY MEMBER OF OUR
MILITARY OVERSEAS THAT -- WHOSE
FAMILY IS WATCHING THE DEBATE IN
THE HOUSE AND ON THE SENATE
FLOOR AND WATCHING THIS PLAY OUT
AND THINKING, AM I GOING TO BE
AIL TO PAY THE MORTGAGE ON TIME?
I WANT TO ALLEVIATE THAT FEAR
RIGHT NOW.
I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO
PASS THIS -- THIS BILL THAT IS
GAINING SPONSORS ABOUT EVERY 15
MINUTES.
AS PEOPLE START LOOKING AT THE
LOOMING SHUTDOWN OF GOVERNMENT
THAT WILL HAPPEN ABOUT -- A
LITTLE LATER THAN THIS TOMORROW
AGREEMENT.
NIGHT, IF WE DON'T HAVE AN
I THINK ALL OF US SHOULD PUT OR OUR
MILITARY IN THE FRONT LINE AND
SAY, THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW UP
FOR WORK.
LET'S ASSURE THEM THAT THEIR PAY
WILL NOT BE DISLAID.
-- LET'S
ASSURE THEM THAT THEIR PAY WILL
NOT BE DELAYED.
THAT IS NOT THE MESSAGE THEY ARE
GETTING RIGHT NOW.
BUT I THINK WE CAN ASSURE THEM
THAT THEY WILL GET IT.
I HAVE A LETTER I JUST RECEIVED
FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
UNIFORMED SERVICES WHICH SAYS,
"ON BEHALF OF MORE THAN 180,000
MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR
UNIFORMED SERVICES, I OFFER OUR
FULL SUPPORT FOR YOUR
LEGISLATION, SENATE BILL 724,
"THE ENSURING PAIL FOR OUR
MILITARY ACT OF 2011."
AND I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
PUT THIS LETTER IN THE RECORD.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
SO,
MR. PRESIDENT, I HOPE THAT WE
COME TO AGREEMENT AND DO NOT
SHUT THE GOVERNMENT DOWN.
WE ARE SO CLOSE TO GETTING THIS
TEMPORARY FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WE
ARE ALREADY HALFWAY THROUGH,
FINISHED AND LET'S TAKE THIS OFF
THE BOOKS, BECAUSE WHAT WE OUGHT
TO BE DOING RIGHT NOW IS
FOCUSING ON THE 2012 BUDGET THAT
STARTS OCTOBER 1, WHERE WE'RE
HAVING OUR HEARINGS AND WE'RE
ASKING OUR QUETION AND WE'RE
TRYING TO -- OUR QUESTIONS AND
WE'RE TRYING TO SOIRT PRIORITIES
WITH A LOWER -- TO SORT OUR
PRIORITIES WITH A LOWER SET.
SPENDING.
WE'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE OUR
WE HAD THE F.B.I. DIRECTOR
MUELLER TESTIFY BEFORE OUR
COMMERCE-JUSTICE COMMITTEE, OUR
SUBCOMMITTEE OF APPROPRIATIONS,
TO TALK ABOUT THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT NEEDS OF OUR F.B.I.
I WANT TO SPEND MY TIME TALKING
ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THE F.B.I.
AND THE OTHER FUNCTIONS OF
GOVERNMENT THAT WE MUST DO AND
BILL.
CERTAINLY OUR ARMED SERVICES
AND I DON'T WANT TO BE TALKING
ABOUT SHUTTING DOWN GOVERNMENT
IN THE MIDDLE OF A FISCAL YEAR
BECAUSE WE ARE NOT COMING
TOGETHER ON $6 BILLION OR $3
BILLION -- I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHERE THEY ARE NOW, BUT IT'S NOT
VERY MUCH IN THE SCHEME OF
THINGS.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS GET THIS
BEHIND YOU ALLEVIATE THE FEARS
OF OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL,
ALLEVIATE THE FEARS OF THEIR
FAMILIES THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE A
HIGH YEA US IN THEIR -- HIATUS
IN THEIR PAYCHECKS AND WE NEED
TO START THE BIG-PICTURE
THINKING.
AND THE BIG PICTURE,
MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT WE MUST
FOCUS ON IS CUTTING SPENDING SO
THAT WE CAN GO TOWARDS A BUDGET
AND AGREED ON A FIVE- TO
TEN-YEAR TRAJECTORY THAT WILL
PUT US BACK IN A FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE POSITION FOR OUR
COUNTRY TO HAVE THE CREDIBILITY
IN THE WORLD THAT WE SHOULD
HAVE, FOR OUR CHILDREN TO BE
DEBT-FREE FOR WHAT WE HAVE USED
IN GOVERNMENT IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE DON'T NEED TO PASS THAT DEBT
TO OUR CHILDREN IF WE ARE
RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF BOTH
THEIR LIVES AND OUR TAXPAYER
DOLLARS.
AND, MR. PRESIDENT, WE NEED TO
BE THE LEADERS THAT PEOPLE
EXPECT US TO BE.
THE PEOPLE SPOKE IN VERY LOUD
TERMS LAST NOVEMBER THAT THEY DO
NOT WANT MORE SPENDING, AND I
HEAR IT EVERYWHERE I GO.
I HEAR IT IN THE AIRPORTS, ON
THE STREETS, WHEN I'M TALKING TO
GROCERY STORE.
PEOPLE IN INFORMAL MEETINGS, THE
PEOPLE ARE STARED TO DEATH OF A
$14 TRILLION DEBT.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN SO HIGH.
-- IN OUR COUNTRY BEFORE.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE
LEGACY OF THIS CONGRESS AND OUR
GENERATION.
THAT IS NOT THE LEGACY THAT WE
SHOULD HAVE AS LEADERS OF THE
GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE FREE
WORLD.
SO I IMPLORE THE LEADERS OF
CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO
GET THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION
BEHIND US SO THAT WE CAN FOCUS
ON THE BIG PICTURE, AND THAT IS
THE $14 TRILLION DEBT THAT WE
ARE FACING RIGHT NOW AND DOING
THE RESPONSIBLE CUTTING THAT
WILL BEGIN TO CUT BACK ON THE
DEFICITS AND TAKE DOWN THE DEBT
AND ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT HAVE
NOT BEEN ADDRESSED FOR ALL THESE
YEARS ONCE AND FOR ALL.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
AND I YIELD THE FLOOR.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
THANK YOU,
SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN.
MR. PRESIDENT.
FIRST, I WANT TO COMMEND THE
SENATOR FROM TEXAS FOR HER BILL,
WHICH I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A
COSPONSOR OF, TO MAKE SURE THAT
OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN HARM'S WAY
CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEIR
COMPENSATION AND SUPPORT FOR
THEIR FAMILIES IF, IN FACT,
THERE IS A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN,
WHICH CERTAINLY I'M GOING TO
CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN
TO HELP FROM HAPPENING.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP,
AND I KNOW OTHERS AREN'T AS
WELL.
BUT I WANT TO COMMEND THE
SENATOR BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS
VERY IMPORTANT AND WE NEED TO
SEND THAT MESSAGE, AND WE NEED
TO GET THIS DONE.
WE NEED TO GET THE BILL DONE.
MR. PRESIDENT,
I JUST WANT TO SAY TO THE
SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN THAT SHE
WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO SIGN ON
AS A COSPONSOR OF THIS BILL, AND
I THINK THAT IS THE RIGHT THING
TO DO, AND I APPRECIATE HER
LEADERSHIP.
AND I JUST GOT A NOTE FROM MY
STAFF AND WOULD LIKE TO ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ALSO ADD
SENATORS SCOTT BROWN AND AMY
KLOBUCHAR AS COSPONSORS OF
SENATE BILL 724.
THANK YOU.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU TO
THE SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN AND I
WOULD LIKE TO ADD THEM AS
COSPONSORS.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
I THINK WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER
IF WE WILL COME TOGETHER AND
FOCUS ON THOSE GREAT YOUNG MEN
AND WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN AND
IRAQ SERVING RIGHT NOW AND DO
SOMETHING THAT IS RIGHT FOR
THEM, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE
HAVE TO FACE A GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN FOR ALL THE REST OF US.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN.
MS. STABENOW:I COULDN'T AGREE
MORE THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
THE SENATE TAKE THE LEAD AS WE
DID ON ANOTHER PIECE OF
LEGISLATION THAT OUR FRIEND FROM
CALIFORNIA BROUGHT FORWARD AND
WAS PASSED FUMELY BY THE SENATE
TO SET DOWN ANOTHER VERY
IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE, AND THAT IS
THAT IF WE, THOSE MAKING
DECISIONS, CANNOT COME TOGETHER,
THEN IT SHOULD BE THE MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS NOT GETTING A PAYCHECK.
OUR TROOPS SHOULD BE GETTING
PAID, BUT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
SHOULD SEE THEIR PAYCHECKS
STOPPED.
UNFORTUNATELY, UNDER LAW RIGHT
NOW, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WILL BE
THE ONLY ONES WHOSE PAYCHECKS
DIDN'T STOP.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
HAVE PASSED IN THE SENATE, TO
CHANGE THAT.
FRANKLY, MR. PRESIDENT, I FOUND
THAT TO BE PRETTY EMBARRASSING
AND THAT IT BECAME OUTRAGE US A
WHEN WE FOUND OUT IN FACT THAT
THE TROOPS' PAYCHECKS MIGHT
STOP.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE SEND
TWO MESSAGES -- THAT PEOPLE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THIS
DECISION OUGHT TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY AND PAYCHECKS
STOP IF IT DOESN'T GET DONE.
BUT WE'VE GOT MAKE SURE OUR MEN
AND WOMEN IN HARM'S WAY CONTINUE
TO HAVE OUR NOT ONLY SUPPORT
VERBALLY BUT THAT WE SHOW IT IN
OUR PRIORITIES HERE.
MR. PRESIDENT, I HOPE WE'RE NOT
GOING TO SEE THIS HAPPEN.
HAPPEN.
THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS TO
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SHUTDOWN
THAT WOULD NOT ONLY AFFECT MANY,
MANY, MANY PEOPLE AROUND THIS
COUNTRY -- FAMILIES, SMALL
BUSINESSES -- BUT AFFECT ALSO
STANDING.
THE MARKETS, OUR INTERNATIONAL
I MEAN, THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS
ISSUE.
AND PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL CAN
SOLVE THIS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT TO BE
SMART, WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THE
WAY WASHINGTON OPERATES AND CUT
THE THINGS THAT AREN'T WORKING
AND INVEST IN THE THINGS THAT
DO.
THERE IS KNEE QUESTION ABOUT
THAT.
WE'VE GOT TO DO THAT.
AND IN FACT WE HAVE AGREED TO
MAJOR CHANGES IN THAT DIRECTION.
BUT IT'S A CHALLENGE -- AND I
JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND
BECAUSE I THINK THE TOUGHEST JOB
IN TOWN TODAY IS FROM THE
SPEAKER, AND IT'S VERY CLEAR
THAT HE HAS A VERY DIFFICULT JOB
WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE GIVING A
STANDING OVATION FOR HIM WHEN
HE'S TALKING ABOUT PREPARING FOR
A SHUTDOWN.
WE DON'T NEED THIS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED.
WHAT WE NEED IS TO CONTINUE TO
HAVE PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL COMING
TOGETHER, LIKE WE'VE JUST BEEN
TALKING ABOUT IN SUPPORTING OUR
TROOPS, AND SAYING, WE CAN
COMPLETE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
WE'RE HALF THE WAY THROUGH THE
YEAR.
LET'S JUST GET IT DONE.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT DOESN'T GET
DONE?
IT'S NOT ABOUT US.
IT'S NOT ABOUT US.
WE'LL BE ALL RIGHT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT US.
AFFECTED.
IT IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
WE KNOW, AND LET'S JUST GO
THROUGH -- WHAT HAPPENED IN
1995.
IN 1995 THERE WERE 400,000
VETERANS WHO SAW THEIR
DISABILITY BENEFITS AND PENSION
CLAIMS DELAYED.
OUR VETERANS.
AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR
TROOPS, BUT IN THE LAST
SHUTDOWN, 400,000 VETERANS HAD
DELAYS IN THEIR DISABILITY
BENEFITS AND PENSIONS.
THAT'S REALLY -- THAT OUGHT TO
BE A MOTIVATOR FOR ALL OF US,
MR. PRESIDENT, TO GET THIS DONE.
AND IT WOULD BE OUTRAGEOUS IF
THAT WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
THERE WERE
APPROXIMATELY $3 BILLION IN U.S.
EXPORTS THAT WERE DELAYED
BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET
THROUGH THE EXPORT LICENSES AND
SO ON.
AND THAT'S JOBS FOR US AS WE
LOOK AT A TIME WHEN WE WANT TO
EXPORT OUR PRODUCTS, NOT OUR
JOBS AROUND THE WORLD.
DELAYING THAT AFFECTS OUR JOBS.
WE KNOW THAT HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF MEDICARE AND SOCIAL
SECURITY REQUESTS WERE DELAYED
THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
HISTORY, SIX STATES RAN OUT OF
FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
AT THE TIME AND SMALL BUSINESS
LOANS WE KNOW COULD BE STOPPED
OR DELAYED.
AS WELL AS TAX REFUNDS FROM
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING,
HARD-EARNED DOLLARS, STRETCHING
EVERY PENNY TO MAKE ENDS MEET
REFUNDS.
WHO ARE WAITING FOR THOSE
SO IT MAKES NO SENSE.
IT MAKES NO SENSE FOR THE
ECONOMY, FOR FAMILIES, FOR
SENIORS, FOR VETERANS.
WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO GET
THIS DONE.
WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WHATEVER IS DONE AND WHAT WE'VE
BEEN FIGHTING FOR, THE MAJORITY
HERE HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR, IS
TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER'S
BEEN DONE DOES NOT ONE MORE TIME
ASK MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES AND
SMALL BUSINESSES TO BE THE ONES
TO HAVE TO SACRIFICE.
IN MY STATE OUR FAMILIES,
MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES, PEOPLE
TRYING DESPERATELY TO STAY IN
THE MIDDLE CLASS OR TO GET IN
THE MIDDLE CLASS HAVE BEEN THE
ONES HURT OVER AN OVER AND OVER
AGAIN -- AND OVER AND OVER
AGAIN.
LOSING THEIR JOB OR LOSING THEIR
INCOME, THEIR HOUSE UNDERWATER,
TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
NOT SURE RIGHT NOW IF THEY'RE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE
KIDS CONTINUE TO GO TO COLLEGE.
ALL OF THE THINGS -- GAS PRICES
GOING UP LIKE CRAZY.
ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUST
GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK?
THOSE ARE NOT THE FOLKS THAT
SHOULD BE ONE MORE TIME
SACRIFICING.
CARRYING THE LOAD.
THE SAME PEOPLE SENDING THEIR
CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN TO WORK,
OUR MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES SHOULD
NOT BE THE ONES CONTINUING TO BE
THE ONLY ONES SACRIFICING IN
ORDER TO DEAL WITH WHAT IS A
NATIONAL DEBT AND THE NEED TO
BALANCE THE BUDGET AND CHANGE
THE WAY WE FUND WASHINGTON.
REDUCE SPENDING, CHANGE THE
PRIORITIES.
WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT
MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES AND SMALL
BUSINESSES NOT CONTINUE TO BE
THE ONES THAT GET THE BRUNT OVER
AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT THE
STRUGGLES, MR. PRESIDENT, IN THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN MICHIGAN
AND WHAT WE'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH
WITH OUR AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY AND
HOW PROUD I AM OF WHERE WE ARE
NOW, BUT THE SACRIFICE THAT IT
TOOK TO GET THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING THE BEST
AUTOMOBILES, WE'RE WINNING ALL
THE AWARDS.
OUR PEOPLE ARE SMART AN SKILLED
AND WE'VE GOT THE BEST ENGINEERS
AND THE BEST SKILLED WORKFORCE.
BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE HAD
A HORRIBLE CRISIS AND IT TOOK
SACRIFICE FROM EVERYBODY TO TURN
THAT AROUND AND SOME SMART
THINKING.
WORKERS HAD TO SACRIFICE.
BEGINNING PAY CUT IN HALF.
RETIREES, THE COMPANIES,
SHAREHOLDERS, COMMUNITIES,
EVERYBODY HAD TO SACRIFICE IN
ORDER TO TURN THIS AROUND.
BUT WE DID SOMETHING ELSE.
WE THEN SAID, WHILE YOU'RE
CUTTING BACK, WE'RE GOING TO
INVEST IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE GOING TO INVEST IN
INNOVATION.
WE'RE GOING TO INVEST IN THOSE
THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO ALLOW
US TO GROW AND CREATE MORE JOBS
AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND AFTER TWO YEARS OF A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HARD WORK
AND EVERYBODY SACRIFICING, WITH
SOME SMART DECISIONS AND
AROUND.
INVESTMENTS, WE'RE TURNING IT
WE'RE MAKING A PROFIT FOR THE
FIRST TIME, EACH OF OUR
COMPANIES, SINCE 1999.
WE'RE TURNING THINGS AROUND
BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO
BE IN IT TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M
FIGHTING FOR IS THE KIND OF
DECISIONS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE
HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO
BUSINESS AND WE HAVE TO CUT THE
THINGS THAT DON'T WORK TO
INVEST -- WORK, TO INVEST IN THE
THINGS THAT DO, BUT EVERYBODY'S
GOT TO BE IN ON THIS.
EVERYBODY.
NOT JUST SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE
BEING ASKED TO GIVE OVER AND
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
NOT JUST SMALL BUSINESSES WHO
DIDN'T CAUSE WHAT HAPPENED ON
WALL STREET, BUT CAN'T GET THE
LOAN BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED
WITH THE CRISIS, HOLDING ON,
TRYING TO MAKE IT, TRYING GET
THE CAPITAL THEY NEED TO KEEP
THE DOORS OPEN OR TO EXPAND.
THEY DIDN'T CAUSE THIS, AND,
YET, WE FIND THE SAME PEOPLE
OVER AND OVER AGAIN HAVING TO
MAKE THE SACRIFICES.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S AMERICAN.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW AS
WE CLOSE IN ON THE FINAL
DECISIONS OF PEOPLE COMING
TOGETHER IS A QUESTION OF
WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
EVERYBODY BE A PART OF THE
SOLUTION OR ONE MORE TIME ASK
THE MIDDLE CLASS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES.
WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND GET
THAT.
THIS DONE IF PEOPLE WANT TO DO
THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
THAT PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL CAN GET
IT DONE AND I THINK THAT IT'S IN
EVERYBODY'S BEST INTEREST TO DO
THAT.
-- TO DO THAT ON EVERY SINGLE
LEVEL.
BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION AS WELL
THAT WE HAVE VERY DIFFERENT
PRIORITIES THAT ARE BEING
DEBATED TODAY IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND WE SAW THAT THIS LAST WEEK
IN VERY STARK TERMS WHICH GOES
TO THE WHOLE QUESTION OF, AGAIN,
HOW DO WE SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS AND
IS EVERYBODY IN?
EVERY AMERICAN GOING TO BE PART
OF TURNING THE SHIP AROUND?
AND THAT GOES TO THE BUDGET
PROPOSAL THIS WEEK THAT HAS
ADDED IN MY OPINION, INSULT TO
INJURY, WHICH RELATES TO THE
PROPOSAL COMING FROM THE HOUSE
BUDGET CHAIR TO CHANGE MEDICARE
AS WE KNOW IT.
TO CHANGE MEDICARE FROM AN
INSURANCE PLAN FOR OUR RETIREES
AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO
SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A
VOUCHER FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES.
IT'S STUNNING TO ME, ACTUALLY,
IN LOOKING AT THIS PROPOSAL, AND
EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY CONCERNING
TO ME ABOUT THE RAMIFICATIONS OF
WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
AND THEN WHAT ADDS INSULT TO
INJURY IS THAT A THE PROPOSAL IS
BEING MADE TO UNRAVEL MEDICARE,
DO AWAY WITH MEDICARE AS WE KNOW
IT, RAISE THE COST, THE
PREMIUMS, THE MEDICAL COSTS FOR
ALMOST EVERY SENIOR IN THE
COUNTRY, ACCORDING TO THE
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, BUT
AT THE SAME TIME THIS SAME
BUDGET DOCUMENT WOULD GIVE OVER
OVER $1.8 TRILLION IN NEW TAX
CUTS FOR SPECIAL INTERESTS AND
THE MILLIONAIRES OF THIS
COUNTRY.
NOT THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN
WORKING HARD TO TRY TO MAKE IT
WHO HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE BIG
BREAKS, BUT ONE MORE ROUND BIG
BREAKS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
NOT FELT THIS RECESSION, THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOTTEN THE
SPECIAL BREAKS WHO HAVE SOMEHOW
NOT HAD TO GO THROUGH THEIR
HOUSE UNDER WATER, THEIR INCOME
GO DOWN, WORRIED ABOUT THE KIDS,
WORRIED ABOUT THE CAR, WORRIED
ABOUT THE GAS.
THE FOLKS WHO EARN OVER MILLION
DOLLARS, THE SPECIAL TAX BREAKS
FOR THOSE INTERESTS THAT ARE
COUNTRY.
DOING EXTREMELY WELL IN THIS
THAT'S NOT HOW I VIEW SHARED
SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO
SOLVE THE COUNTRY'S PROBLEMS AND
GET US OUT OF DEBT AND GROW THE
ECONOMY.
CUTTING MEDICARE FOR SENIORS,
DISMANTLING IT AND AT THE SAME
TIME GIVING ONE MORE ROUND OF
TAX BREAKS FOR MILLIONAIRES AND
THE MAJOR SPECIAL INTERESTS OF
THE COUNTRY.
THAT'S WRONG IN MY JUDGMENT.
THAT'S THE WRONG SET OF
PRIORITIES AND IT'S WORTH
DEBATING AND WE WILL DEBATE
THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING I
REMEMBER, MR. PRESIDENT, WHEN WE
WERE PASSING HEALTH CARE REFORM
AND WE WERE FOCUSED ON THE FACT
THAT WE HAD TO MAKE SURE
MEDICARE WAS HEALTHY FOR THE
FUTURE AND MAKE SOME TOUGH
DECISIONS SO THAT IT WOULD BE
STRONG AND THERE FOR SENIORS.
AND WE TOOK A LOOK AT
OVERPAYMENTS FOR FOR-PROFIT
INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THERE
ARE MAJOR OVERPAYMENTS.
AND WE DECIDED TO CUT THOSE
BACK.
IT WAS ACTUALLY CAUSING THE
MAJORITY OF BENEFICIARIES, THE
MAJORITY OF SENIORS TO SEE THEIR
PREMIUMS GO UP BECAUSE OF SOME
PARTICIPATES TO A FEW THAT WERE
OVERPAYMENTS.
AND WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD CUT
BACK ON THOSE INSURANCE
COMPANIES OVERPARTICIPATES AND
WE WOULD -- OVERPAYMENTS AND WE
WOULD INSTEAD FOCUS ON QUALITY
IN MEDICARE AND MAKE SURE
SENIORS COULD GO TO THE DOCTOR
AND GET THEIR CANCER SCREENINGS
OR WELLNESS VISITS WITHOUT
OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS AND BRING
DOWN THE COST OF MEDICINE AND
THAT WE WOULD FOCUS ON WAYS TO
STREAMLINE, FOCUS ON QUALITY AND
STREAMLINE IN A WAY THAT WOULD
CUT COSTS.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE,
ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET GURUS,
WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE OVER, I
BELIEVE IT'S 10 YEARS,
YEARS, $500 BILLION.
IT DIDN'T CUT ANY BENEFITS FOR
SENIORS.
BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE
SAID THAT THIS WAS TERRIBLE.
IT WAS TERRIBLE BECAUSE WE WERE
FOCUSED ON CUTTING OVERPAYMENTS
TO INSURANCE COMPANIES.
AND NOW WE SEE THE PROPOSAL THAT
WOULD DISMANTLE MEDICARE AND IT
WOULD CUT WHAT IS THE AVERAGE
AMOUNT OF SENIOR -- A SENIOR
SPENDS ON MEDICAL CARE IN A
YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT $15,000 A A
YEAR AND IT WOULD INSTEAD CUT
THAT AMOUNT DOWN TO $6,000 A
YEAR AND GIVING A VOUCHER TO AN
INSURANCE COMPANY, AND THAT'S
OKAY.
WELL, THAT'S A DIFFERENT SET OF
PRIORITIES THAN I HAVE,
MR. PRESIDENT, AND I KNOW THAT
YOU HAVE.
AND SO THESE ARE DEBATES WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE AND THEY'RE
COUNTRY.
IMPORTANT DEBATES FOR OUR
HOW DO WE GO FORWARD?
HOW DO WE SOLVE THE BUDGET
DEFICIT?
HOW DO WE GROW THE ECONOMY?
HOW DO WE CREATE JOBS?
AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT
WHAT WE ARE DOING IS FAIR FOR
EVERYBODY AND KEEPS WHAT WORKS
WHILE CUTTING WHAT DOESN'T?
MEDICARE'S A GREAT AMERICAN
SUCCESS STORY.
DO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
IT'S THERE FOR THE NEXT
GENERATION?
ABSOLUTELY.
DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT WAYS TO
STREAMLINE AND CUT COSTS?
WE'VE DONE THAT AND WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
ABSOLUTELY WE NEED TO DO THAT.
BUT IT'S A GREAT AMERICAN
SUCCESS STORY.
THAT HAS ALLOWED A WHOLE
GENERATION OF OLDER AMERICANS TO
LIVE HEALTHY LIVES, PLAY WITH
THEIR GRANDKIDS.
AND NOW THAT I HAVE TWO
BEAUTIFUL GRANDCHILDREN, WHO, BY
THE WAY, ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
GRANDCHILDREN IN THE WORLD,
MR. PRESIDENT, JUST FOR THE
RECORD.
BUT NOW AS I HAVE MY 3-YEAR-OLD
AND 1-YEAR-OLD AND I LOOK AT THE
FACT THAT YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE
HEALTHY FOR A LONG TIME SO I CAN
BE THERE FOR THEM.
AND WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT AS
AMERICANS WE HAVE GIVEN TO
SENIORS.
THAT GIFT OF MEDICARE AND SOCIAL
SECURITY AND SO THAT THEY CAN BE
HEALTHY AND LIVE IN DIGNIFIED
WAYS IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND BE
ABLE TO LIVE LONG LIVES FOR
THEIR GRANDCHILDREN AND THEIR
GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD
BE PROUD OF.
SO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS DEBATE,
WE HAVE TWO KINDS OF DEBATES.
WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH WHAT'S
HAPPENING IMMEDIATELY, COMPLETE
THIS SIX-MONTH -- NOT SIX-YEAR,
SIX-MONTH BUDGET IN A
COMMONSENSE WAY, MAKE SURE THAT
TROOPS GET PAID, MAKE SURE THAT
WE DON'T HAVE ANY VETERANS
LOSING THEIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR
BENEFITS AND SMALL BUSINESSES
DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR PENSION
NOT BEING DELAYED FROM GETTING
THEIR LOANS AND THOSE KINDS OF
THINGS RIGHT NOW IMMEDIATELY.
AND IN MY JUDGMENT WE NEED TO
PUT DOWN A MARKER SAYING IF WE
CAN'T COME TOGETHER, THAT WE'RE
THE ONES THAT DON'T GET PAID,
NOT THE TROOPS.
AND THEN THE NEXT STEP IS TO
DEBATE THE VISION OF THIS
COUNTRY AND WHERE WE GO.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT AND WHAT'S
NOT?
AND SHOULD SOME AMERICANS BE
TO SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO
SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS AND BE
STRONGER TO COMPETE IN THE
GLOBAL ECONOMY OR SHOULD
EVERYBODY -- EVERYBODY BE ASKED
TO DO THEIR PART?
I THINK THAT PEOPLE WANT TO DO
THEIR PART AND THEY'RE WILLING
TO DO THEIR PART, BUT WE NEED TO
MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT WE EXPECT
EVERYBODY TO BE A PART OF THE
SOLUTION.
AND IN CLOSING, MR. PRESIDENT, I
WOULD JUST SAY WHAT I FIND MOST
CONCERNING TODAY WHEN WE'RE IN A
GLOBAL ECONOMY AND WE OUGHT TO
BE TALKING ABOUT THE UNITED
STATES COMPETING AGAINST CHINA.
THE UNITED STATES AGAINST
COMPETING WITH GERMANY OR INDIA
OR KOREA.
WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.
WE'RE STANDING HERE ON THE FLOOR
OF THE SENATE ON A THURSDAY
NIGHT TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT PEOPLE WILL COME TOGETHER TO
COMPLETE A SIX-MONTH BUDGET AND
MAKE SURE OUR TROOPS CAN GET
PAID.
THAT'S NOT THE DEBATE WE SHOULD
BE HAVING.
WE HAVE PRECIOUS TIME AVAILABLE
TO US.
AND THE DEBATE WE SHOULD BE
HAVING IS ABOUT HOW AS AMERICANS
WE'RE GOING TO COMPETE IN A
GLOBAL ECONOMY AND WIN.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING
AND THAT'S THE DEBATE THAT I'M
ANXIOUS TO HAVE.
AND I HOPE WE'RE NOT GOING TO
GIVE UP.
I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP.
AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW
TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER, GET
THIS DONE, AVOID A GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN AND GET ON TO THE REAL
BUSINESS OF CREATING JOBS AND
COMPETING IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
I RISE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE
DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES IF MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE
POLITICS AND POSTURING OVER
WHAT'S BEST FOR AMERICANS AND
OUR FRAGILE ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
WE HAVE 27 HOURS TO CONVINCE
THEM THAT SHUTTING DOWN THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULDN'T BE TREATED
AS A GIMMICK.
SHUTTING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT IS
A SERIOUS MATTER WITH SERIOUS
CONSEQUENCES FOR ALMOST EVERY
AMERICAN.
BEFORE I GO INTO THE
CONSEQUENCES, THE IMPACTS,
WHATSOEVER, MY CONSTITUENTS, I
WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO
REFLECT ON HOW WE GOT HERE.
HOW ARE WE NOW IN A POSITION
WHERE A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS
27 HOURS AWAY?
WELL, ONE THING IS CERTAIN,
THERE IS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION
AND CONFUSION OUT THERE.
A NUMBER OF MY FRIENDS ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE HAVE
BEEN SAYING THAT THE DEMOCRATS
AND THE PRESIDENT REFUSED OR
FAILED TO PASS APPROPRIATIONS
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011.
THIS IS REVISIONIST AND CONFUSED
HISTORY.
ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, A NEW
MEMBER, SAID TODAY -- AND I
QUOTE -- "WHY WAS IT THAT A FEW
MONTHS AGO AFTER THE ELECTION
BUT BEFORE THE NEW CONGRESS TOOK
OVER, WHEN THE PRESIDENT HAD
BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS UNDER
CONTROL OF HIS PARTY, WHY DID HE
OPT NOT TO PASS A FULL BUDGET
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011?"
NOW, THE PRESIDING OFFICER KNOWS
THIS IS JUST NOT TRUE.
OKAY?
THIS ISN'T TRUE.
AND I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF
THIS.
WE HAD APPROPRIATIONS
LEGISLATION FOR THE ENTIRE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT READY TO GO.
DEMOCRATS WERE IN SUPPORT OF IT.
WE WERE PREPARED TO FUND THE
GOVERNMENT FOR THE REST OF THE
FISCAL YEAR.
BUT REMEMBER, IT TAKES 60 VOTES
TO PASS SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN
THE SENATE.
THERE WERE 58 DEMOCRATS IN THE
SENATE LAST DECEMBER, THERE WERE
42 REPUBLICANS, SO WE NEEDED
SOME REPUBLICANS TO PASS A FULL
BUDGET FOR 2011.
NOT MANY, BUT WE NEEDED TWO.
WE DIDN'T GET ANY, NOT A SINGLE
BILL.
REPUBLICAN AGREED TO SUPPORT THE
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
NOW, FOR AWHILE WE WERE TOLD
THAT A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS
WERE GOING TO SUPPORT IT.
THE BILL HAD BEEN NEGOTIATED ON
A BIPARTISAN BASIS.
BUT THEN BY ALL ACCOUNTS THEIR
ARMS WERE TWISTED AND THEY WERE
TURNED AGAINST THE BILL.
THE MAJORITY LEADER SAID -- AND
I QUOTE -- "I AM ACTIVELY
WORKING TO DEFEAT IT."
AND HE DID.
HE KILLED IT.
THAT'S THE TRUTH.
AND MY FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE AISLE CELEBRATED.
AFTER THEY MADE CLEAR THAT THERE
WOULD BE NOT ENOUGH VOTES TO
PASS THE OMNIBUS BILL, MY FRIEND
FROM ILLINOIS ENGAGED IN A
COLLOQUY WITH SENATOR McCAIN
ASKING FOR, "FOR THOSE WHO
DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN, DID WE JUST
WIN?"
AND SENATOR McCAIN RESPONDED,
"I THINK THERE IS VERY LITTLE
DOUBT."
AND SENATOR KIRK CONCLUDED THE
COLLOQUY BY SAYING, "I
CONGRATULATE THE SENATOR."
YOU KNOW, WE REALLY DO OWE IT IN
THESE SERIOUS TIMES TO ENGAGE IN
IN -- IN DEBATE WHERE WE'RE
REALLY BEING HONEST WITH THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
SO THERE'S LITTLE DOUBT ABOUT
WHO OPTED NOT TO PASS A FULL
BUDGET FOR 2011.
IT WASN'T THE PRESIDENT, IT
WASN'T THE DEMOCRATS IN THE
MAJORITY, IT WAS MY FRIENDS ON
THE OTHER SIDE.
MY FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE
PROTEST THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO
SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT AND
THEN THEY POINT THE FINGER AT US
US.
YESTERDAY THERE WAS A RALLY FOR
THE TEA PARTY ON CAPITOL HILL.
MY -- PART OF MY DELEGATION,
MICHELLE BACHMANN, WHO I LIKE
VERY MUCH, SAID TO THE CROWD
THERE, THE DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING
TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WE WANT TO
SHUT THE GOVERNMENT DOWN.
WE DON'T.
BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THAT.
SILENCE.
THE SAME DAY, THE SAME RALLY,
PENCE, MIKE PENCE, SAID TO THEM,
IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY HAVE TO --
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO
GOVERNMENT.
HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE
AND WHAT DID THE TEA PARTY CROWD
DO?
THEY STARTED CHANTING, "SHUT IT
DOWN, SHUT IT DOWN, SHUT IT
DOWN, SHUT IT DOWN, SHUT IT DOWN
DOWN."
ACCORDING TO HIS OWN ACCOUNT,
WHEN SPEAKER BOEHNER TOLD HIS
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES THAT HE
HAD TAKEN -- HIS CAUCUS, HE HAD
TAKEN STEPS TO PREPARE FOR A
SHUTDOWN, HE SAID, "I GOT A
STANDING OVATION."
THERE HAVE BEEN NO STANDING
OVATIONS ON OUR SIDE.
ABOUT A PROSPECTIVE SHUTDOWN.
COME ON.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE
GOVERNMENT WORKING.
WE DESPERATELY WANT TO KEEP THE
GOVERNMENT WORKING.
THE REPUBLICANS ARE BUSY
FIGHTING IDEOLOGICAL BATTLES.
DEFICIT.
FOR THEM, THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BUDGET.
IT'S CERTAINLY NOT ABOUT JOBS.
THIS IS ABOUT IDEOLOGY.
I WAS ON THE FLOOR TODAY -- I
WAS PRESIDING TODAY AND I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR SOME OF
MY COLLEAGUES TALKING ABOUT THE
BILL THE HOUSE PASSED TODAY TO
FUND THE TROOPS.
THERE'S A SHUTDOWN.
WE WANT TO FUND THE TROOPS IF
WE DO.
AND THERE'S ALL THIS
SANCTIMONIOUS TALK ABOUT HOW
REPUBLICANS WANT THE TROOPS TO
BE -- HOW THE HOUSE HAD PASSED
THIS BILL TO FUND THEM.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT WAS LEFT OUT?
THAT STENY HOYER, THE MINORITY
WHIP IN THE HOUSE, THE
DEMOCRATIC MINORITY WHIP, HAD
OFFERED UP A BILL TO PAY THE
TROOPS IF THERE WAS A SHUTDOWN,
CLEAN BILL.
NOTHING ATTACHED TO IT OTHER
THAN THAT.
IT WAS VOTED DOWN BY THE
REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE.
WHAT PASSED?
A BILL WITH A RIDE OTHER IT
ABOUT ABORTION --
A BILL WITH A RIDER ON IT ABOUT
ABORTION.
I DIDN'T HEAR THAT, I DIDN'T
HEAR THAT IN ALL THE
SANCTIMONIOUS TALK.
LET'S AT LEAST HAVE AN HONEST
DEBATE, REALLY.
ANTIABORTION.
LOOK, I KNOW -- I KNOW THERE ARE
PEOPLE THAT HAVE VERY STRONG,
HEARTFELT FEELING, OBVIOUSLY, ON
ABORTION ON BOTH SIDES.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT FOR DECADES.
WHY PUT IT ON A -- WHY PUT A
RIDER ON ABORTION TO PAY FOR OUR
TROOPS?
AND THEN GO IN FRONT OF THIS
BODY AND SAY, DEMOCRATS DON'T
WANT TO PAY OUR TROOPS.
THIS IS NOT -- THIS CAN'T BE
ABOUT HOLDING A GUN TO OUR HEAD
AND SAYING, YOU HAVE TO COME
DOWN ON THIS SIDE OF THIS ISSUE
THAT PEOPLE FEEL SO STRONGLY
ABOUT AND HAVE BEEN DEBATING FOR
40 YEARS.
THE CONSTITUTION, IT WAS
WRITTEN -- THE REPUBLICANS IN
THE HOUSE TALK ABOUT THE
CONSTITUTION.
THEY MADE -- THEY STARTED BY
READING THE CONSTITUTION.
THEY STARTED THIS SESSION THAT
WAY.
THEY LEFT OUT SOME OF THE
EMBARRASSING PARTS, THE THREE
THREE-FIFTHS OF -- SLAVE IS THE
THREE-FIFTHS OF A PERSON, THEY
LEFT THAT OUT.
BUT THERE IS TWO HOUSES AND
THERE'S A PRESIDENT.
AND SO -- BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO
COMPROMISE.
THEY JUST WANT TO PUT A GUN TO
OUR HEAD.
THEY WANT TO PUT -- AND THEY --
AND IT'S IN THE FORM OF ABORTION
ABORTION, IN THE FORM OF GLOBAL
WARMING.
LOOK, 99.6% OF CLIMATE
SCIENTISTS IN THE WORLD BELIEVE
THERE IS GLOBAL WARMING AND IT
IS CAUSED BY HUMAN BEINGS.
THE OTHER .4% WORK FOR COAL
COMPANIES OR OIL COMPANIES OR
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION.
AND THEN THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER
GUY SOMEWHERE.
WHY PUT A RIDER ON THIS THAT'S
ABOUT IDEOLOGY?
THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN
IDEOLOGICAL DEBATE.
DEFICIT TOGETHER.
THIS IS ABOUT GETTING OUR
THIS IS ABOUT -- AND OUR ECONOMY
ECONOMY.
LOOK, WE HAD 216,000 NEW JOBS
LAST MONTH.
WE'RE BEGINNING.
THIS IS FRAGILE, IT'S FRAGILE,
BUT WE'RE BEGINNING TO COME OUT
OF THIS.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO SHUT THE
GOVERNMENT DOWN.
AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO TO
PEOPLE IN MY STATE, THE SENIORS.
EVERY DAY THERE ARE HUNDREDS
OF -- EVERY WEEK THERE'S
HUNDREDS OF SENIORS -- HOW MANY
A DAY?
-- 270 A DAY APPLYING FOR SOCIAL
SECURITY.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO
DO THAT, WHO JUST TURNED 65.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING
TO TRY TO GET F.H.A. LOANS THAT
WON'T BE ABLE TO.
THERE ARE FARMERS WHO WANT TO
PUT SEED IN THE GROUND WHO ARE
NOT GOING TO HAVE THE FARM --
THE FARM SERVICE OPEN.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO DO THIS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE 800,000
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES LAID OFF.
WHAT'S THAT GOING TO DO TO OUR
ECONOMY?
THIS IS AN -- LOOK, THERE ARE
THINGS IN THIS THAT I DON'T LIKE
LIKE.
AND I'M WILLING TO SWALLOW THEM.
THEY WANT TO CUT HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN HUNGER
PROGRAMS.
$700 MILLION-PLUS TO CUT FOOD
FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN.
AND IT'S BEEN ANALYZED AND
BECAUSE OF THAT THE NEEDIEST
KIDS WILL NOT GET THEIR ALLOTTED
AMOUNT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
THAT'S RECOMMENDED.
NOT JUST DURING -- AND THAT'S
NOT DURING THE CLOSING, THAT'S
WHAT THEY WANT TO DO FOR THE
REST OF THE YEAR.
AND PRESUMABLY BEYOND THAT.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE HERE
LAST DECEMBER AND WE WANTED TO
TO -- THEY WANTED TO EXTEND THE
BUSH TAX CUTS, THEY INSISTED ON
IT, NOT JUST TO YOUR FIRST
MILLION DOLLARS BUT TO YOUR
SECOND MILLION DOLLARS, TO YOUR
10th MILLION DOLLARS, TO YOUR
30th MILLION DOLLARS, TO YOUR
300th MILLION DOLLARS.
THE TOP 400 INCOME EARNERS IN
THIS COUNTRY AVERAGE OVER $330
$330 MILLION A YEAR IN INCOME.
THEY WOULD RATHER THOSE KIDS,
THOSE WOMEN, INFANT AND CHILDREN
CHILDREN, NOT GET FOOD, THE FOOD
THEY NEED TO BE HEALTHY.
I DON'T LIKE THAT.
BOY DO I NOT LIKE THAT.
BOY, DO I NOT LIKE THAT, BUT I
WAS WILLING TO SWALLOW THAT,
WHATEVER IS IN THIS COMPROMISE
TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT GOING SO
WE CAN GO FOR THE YEAR, WE CAN
GET THIS ECONOMY GOING, SO WE
CAN CONTINUE THE JOB GROWTH THAT
WE'VE HAD.
LOOK, THEY KNOW HOW TO KEEP THE
GOVERNMENT GOING.
TAKE THE IDEOLOGICAL STUFF OFF.
HOURS.
LET'S NOT RESOLVE ABORTION IN 27
WE'VE HAD MORE THAN 27 YEARS, 37
YEARS SINCE ROE V. WADE.
LET'S NOT -- LET'S NOT PUT A GUN
TO EVERYONE'S HEAD AND SAY WE
HAVE TO RESOLVE ROE V. WADE IN
27 HOURS.
THAT IS JUST PLAIN INAPPROPRIATE
INAPPROPRIATE.
WELL, I THINK YOU KNOW HOW I
FEEL.
I THINK WE KNOW WHICH SIDE GIVES
STANDING OVATIONS WHEN IT'S
ANNOUNCED THE GOVERNMENT MAY
VERY WELL BE SHUT DOWN.
I THINK WE KNOW WHICH SIDE'S
CROWD CHEERS AND CHANTS WHEN
THEY HEAR THERE MAY BE A
SHUTDOWN.
I WISH IT WEREN'T THAT WAY.
I WISH WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER.
I HOPE WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER.
I HOPE WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ON
MONDAY.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I YIELD THE FLOOR AND, I GUESS,
I WOULD SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A
QUORUM.
THE
CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
MR. PRESIDENT, I
ASK THE QUORUM CALL BE VITIATED.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO SPEAK
IN MORNING BUSINESS FOR 15
MINUTES.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, THE SENATOR IS
RECOGNIZED FOR 15 MINUTES.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
RISE TODAY TO EXPRESS MY STRON