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I WOULD ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT,
MR. PRESIDENT, THAT A NUMBER OF
LETTERS THAT I HAVE RECEIVED
ENDORSING THIS BILL BE INCLUDED
IN THE RECORD.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THESE LETTERS ARE
FROM THE MAINE MOTOR TRANSPORT
ASSOCIATION, THE CITY OF
***'S -- BANGOR'S CHIEF OF
POLICE, THE PROFESSIONAL LOGGING
CONTRACTORS, THE NORTHEAST
REGION FOR THE FOREST RESOURCES
ASSOCIATION AND FROM A
WELL-KNOWN TRUCKING FIRM IN
MAINE, H.O.BOUCHARD.
IN ADDITION, I EXPECT TO HAVE A
LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR OF
MAINE LATER TODAY THAT I WILL
ALSO ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT BE
INSERTED IN THE RECORD AT THIS
POINT.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD YIELD THE
FLOOR AND NOTE THE ABSENCE OF A
QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM NEBRASKA.
MR. PRESIDENT,
THANK YOU.
AS WE --
WE ARE IN
A QUORUM CALL.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
ASIDE.
ASK THAT THE QUORUM CALL BE SET
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO TONIGHT'S
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS,
WE'RE HEARING A LOT OF TALK
ABOUT JOBS AND THE U.S. BEING
MORE COMPETITIVE.
UNFORTUNATELY, TOO OFTEN, THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE HEARD THE
TALK, THEY HAVE HEARD THE
RHETORIC, BUT THEY DON'T SEE THE
CONCRETE ACTION THAT'S GOING TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THE TIME FOR TALK REALLY IS
OVER.
TODAY I AM INTRODUCING THREE
CONCRETE MEASURES TO UNLEASH
AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS AND
LIFT BARRIERS TO AMERICAN JOB
CREATION.
FIRST, WE MUST EMBRIDLE OUR JOB
CREATORS FROM THE ONEROUS 1099
TAX PAPERWORK MANDATE THAT'S
BURIED IN SECTION 9006 OF THE
HEALTH CARE BILL.
BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THE PAST
FEW WEEKS, THERE HAS BEEN
GROWING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR
LEGISLATION.
THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF
IN FACT, NOW I CAN REPORT,
MR. PRESIDENT, THAT 50 SENATORS
HAVE SIGNED ON AS COSPONSORS,
INCLUDING, I BELIEVE, TEN OR 11
OF MY COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS THE
AISLE.
SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF THIS
REPEAL WOULD SEND AN ENORMOUSLY
POWERFUL MESSAGE.
IT WOULD DECLARE THAT THE
112th CONGRESS WILL COME
TOGETHER TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO
JOB CREATION.
LEFT UNABATED, THOUGH, THIS
AVALANCHE OF PAPERWORK WILL
SIMPLY BURY BUSINESSES.
IF A BUSINESS PURCHASES MORE
THAN $600 OF GOODS OR SERVICES
FROM ANOTHER BUSINESS, THEY WILL
BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE
BUSINESS AND THE I.R.S. WITH A
1099 TAX FORM.
THIS NEW MANDATE WILL AFFECT ALL
COUNTRY.
KINDS OF BUSINESSES IN THE
IT ALSO WILL INCLUDE NONPROFITS,
CHURCHES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
IN THIS SMALL SECTION OF THIS
2,000-PLUS-PAGE BILL IS CAUSING
MASSIVE CONFUSION, AND I MIGHT
ADD OUTRAGE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ALTHOUGH THIS MANDATE WAS
INCLUDED IN THE HEALTH CARE LAW,
IT HAS NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING TO DO WITH IMPROVING
HEALTH.
RATHER, SECTION 9006 WAS
INCLUDED BECAUSE IT WOULD
SUPPOSEDLY GENERATE MONEY TO
HELP PAY FOR THE BILL.
BUT THE NATIONAL TAXPAYER
ADVOCATE, A DIVISION OF THE
I.R.S., DOESN'T BUY IT.
THEIR ANALYSIS TOOK ALL THE AIR
OUT OF THE ARGUMENT BY
CONCLUDING THAT THE I.R.S.
WOULD, AND I'M QUOTING -- "FACE
CHALLENGES MAKING PRODUCTIVE USE
OF THIS NEW VOLUME OF
INFORMATION.
"THE ANALYSIS ADDS THAT THE
I.R.S. LIKELY WOULD -- AND AGAIN
I'M QUOTING --" IMPROPERLY
ASSESS PENALTIES THAT IT MUST
ABATE LATER AFTER GREAT
EXPENDITURE OF TAXPAYER AND
I.R.S. TIME AND EFFORT."
THIS MANDATE, MR. PRESIDENT, WAS
ILL-ADVISED, AND IT'S NOT
RESPONSIBLE POLICY.
WE CAN DO BETTER, AND THE TIME
IS NOW.
THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF IS TALKING
ABOUT RIDDING THE BOOKS OF
OUTDATED REGULATIONS.
WE SHOULD NOT OVERLOOK THIS NEW
REGULATION THAT WILL SMACK
BUSINESSES IF WE FAIL TO REPEAL
IT.
IT WILL INFLICT A MOUNTAIN OF
PAPERWORK ON AN ESTIMATED
40 MILLION BUSINESS OWNERS
ACROSS THIS NATION, AND IT
CREATION.
STANDS IN THE WAY OF JOB
IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT IN
NEBRASKA, THERE IS JUST NO DOUBT
ABOUT THAT, MR. PRESIDENT.
IN FACT, AS I TRAVELED BACK
HOME, I HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH
STORIES ABOUT BUSINESS OWNERS
WHO ARE BRACING FOR THE IMPACT.
JEFF SCHERER OF SNELL
MANUFACTURING IN SNYDER,
NEBRASKA, SAYS THE 1099 WILL
LEAD TO AN ADDITIONAL $23,000 IN
ACCOUNTING COSTS.
BEING ABLE TO INVEST THAT
THAT $23,000 INTO A COMPANY
WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO HELPING
JEFF WITH BUSINESS EXPASSENGERS.
ANOTHER REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE FROM
NEBRASKA IS A COMPANY CALLED
HAYNEEDLE.
HAYNEEDLE IS AN ONLINE RETAILER
OF HOME FURNISHING AND OTHER
HOME PRODUCTS LOCATED IN OMAHA,
NEBRASKA.
HAYNEEDLE EMPLOYS 400 PEOPLE.
PRIOR TO THE 1099 TAX-REPORTING
MANDATE, HAYNEEDLE ISSUED
ANNUALLY.
APPROXIMATELY 150 1099 FORMS
NOW THIS GREAT COMPANY WILL BE
REQUIRED TO ISSUE THOUSANDS MORE
TAX FORMS EVERY YEAR.
THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO TRACK
PAYMENTS FOR EVERYTHING FROM A
COMPUTER TO RENT TO OFFICE
SUPPLIES.
SIMPLE EXPENSES SUCH AS FOOD
PURCHASE FOR EMPLOYEES WOULD
HAVE TO BE COUNTED AND TRACED.
THE COMPANY ESTIMATES THE ANNUAL
COST OF COMPLIANCE FOR THEM WILL
EXCEED $100,000, USELESS
PAPERWORK.
$100,000 WOULD GO A LONG WAY,
MR. PRESIDENT, TO HIRING MORE
WORKERS.
IN ADDITION, THE THOUSANDS OF
HAYNEEDLE'S VENDORS WILL BE
REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AND RETURN
TO HAYNEEDLE A FORM W-9.
THIS MEANS HAYNEEDLE WILL BE
REQUIRED TO REVIEW AND PROCESS
AND OFTENTIMES CORRECT THOSE
FORMS AND THEN ISSUE TO THE
VENDORS A 1099.
IT'S A MAD CIRCLE FOR NO GOOD
REASON.
IF THE 1099 LAW IS NOT REPEALED,
IT WILL WASTE VAST QUANTITIES OF
CAPITAL IN HUMAN RESOURCES.
SQUANDERING THESE RESOURCES WILL
STUNT THEIR ABILITY TO GROW
THEIR BUSINESS.
OUR NATION NEEDS MORE HAYNEEDLE,
NOR SNEEL MANUFACTURING TO
CONTINUE GROWING AND PUTTING
PEOPLE TO WORK.
CONSIDERING THE HIGH
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE PLAGUING EVERY
STATE IN THE COUNTRY, IT'S JUST
INCOMPREHENSIBLE THAT WE WOULD
KEEP THIS IN BUSINESS.
THIS NEW 1099 REQUIREMENT WILL
HAVE AN ESPECIALLY DETRIMENTAL
EFFECT ON SMALL BUSINESSES IN
OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW 1099
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS CREATE A
PERVERSE INCENTIVE TO
CONSOLIDATE SUPPLIERS, WHICH
LEAVES MAIN STREET BUSINESSES
OUT IN THE COLD.
YOU SEE, BUSINESSES WILL LIKELY
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VENDORS
THEY WORK WITH SO REDUCE THE
PAPER TRANSACTIONS TO AVOID THE
THE $600 LIMIT AND AVOID THE
PAPERWORK.
WHEN SUPPLIERS ARE CONSOLIDATED,
YOU CAN JUST BET THAT SUPPLIERS
WILL LOSE OUT.
KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN
RESTAURANT OWNER DALE BLACK OF
GRAND ISLAND SAYS IT BEST.
HE SAYS THIS, AND I'M QUOTING --
"HE WANTS TO BE A GOOD CORPORATE
CITIZEN IN THE COMMUNITIES I
HAVE RESTAURANTS, BUT THE 1099
FORCES ME NOT TO HIRE LOCAL
VENDORS AND TRADESMEN IN MY
COMMUNITY.
INSTEAD, GIVING WORK TO A SINGLE
REGIONAL CONTRACTOR."
UNQUOTE.
THE I.R.S.'S OWN TAXPAYER
ADVOCATE APPEARS TO AGREE,
SAYING SMALL BUSINESSES -- AND
AGAIN I'M QUOTING -- "MR. MAY
LOSE CUSTOMERS, LEAVE THE
ECONOMY WITH MORE LARGE NATIONAL
VENDORS AND LESS LOCAL
COMPETITION."
NOW, I'M CERTAIN THE GOAL WAS
NOT TO STRANGLE SMALL TOWN
ECONOMIES, BUT IT IS THE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE AND
REALITY OF THIS NEW MANDATE.
WE NEED TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO HELP
SMALL BUSINESSES, NOT HAMPER
THEM.
BUT THERE IS JUST NO WAY TO TALK
AROUND THIS PROVISION, TO SPIN
IT.
IT IS SIMPLY REBUTTAL FOR --
BRUTAL FOR THE AMERICAN BUSINESS
COMMUNITY.
BUSINESSES CAN'T AFFORD THE NEW
BURDEN.
THEM.
THEY ARE IMPLORING US TO HELP
THAT'S WHY THE SMALL BUSINESS
PAPERWORK MANDATE ELIMINATION
ACT INTRODUCED TODAY WITH THAT
MANY COSPONSORS SIMPLY NEEDS TO
BECOME THE LAW.
REPEALING THAT MANDATE IS GOING
TO BE A JOINT EFFORT OF ALL OF
US HERE IN THE SENATE, AND MY
HOPE IS THAT IT WILL BE DONE.
IN FACT, MR. PRESIDENT, THERE IS
SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN SUPPORT.
TO CREATE AN ESTIMATED 27,000
NEW JOBS AND IT DOESN'T COST
TAXPAYERS ANYTHING.
I'M REFERRING TO THE SECOND
PIECE OF MY AMERICAN
COMPETITIVENESS AND JOBS
PACKAGE, OUR THREE PENDING TRADE
AGREEMENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH OUR ECONOMY
STRUGGLING, THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN
GIVEN LIP SERVICE FOR THE PAST
COUPLE OF YEARS.
TODAY, OUR PRESIDENT MENTIONED
THIS TOPIC ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO,
AND WE HAVE SEEN VIRTUALLY NO
ACTION.
DURING LAST YEAR'S STATE OF THE
UNION ADDRESS, THE PRESIDENT
BOLDLY STATED -- QUOTE -- "WE
HAVE TO SEEK NEW MARKETS
AGGRESSIVELY JUST AS OUR
COMPETITORS ARE.
IF AMERICA SITS ON THE SIDELINES
WHILE OTHER NATIONS SIGN TRADE
DEALS, WE'LL LOSE THE CHANCE TO
CREATE JOBS ON OUR SHORES."
AND I COULD NOT AGREE MORE WITH
THIS STATEMENT.
THE NEXT DAY, I AUTHORED A
LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT WITH 17
SENATORS, OFFERING OUR HELP AND
OUR SUPPORT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY A
YEAR LATER, THERE HAS BEEN
LITTLE ACTION.
THE WHITE HOUSE JUST HASN'T SENT
TO US THE THREE TRADE AGREEMENTS
THAT ARE SITTING ON THE SHELVES
COLLECTING DUST, AND IT'S AN
UNFORTUNATE SQUANDERING OF A
SORELY NEEDED OPPORTUNITY.
SO WITH 14 MILLION AMERICANS
STILL UNEMPLOYED, OUR COUNTRY
WILL TUNE IN TO THE STATE OF THE
UNION TONIGHT WITH KEEN EARS FOR
IDEAS THAT CREATE JOBS THAT
BOOST THE ECONOMY, BUT OUR THREE
NEGOTIATED TRADE DEALS CONTINUE
TO JUST RIDE, CONTINUE TO SIT
THERE.
IT'S UNACCEPTABLE AND IT NEEDS
TO CHANGE.
BY THIS JULY, MR. PRESIDENT, THE
EUROPEAN UNION IN SOUTH KOREA
WILL HAVE IMPLEMENTED THEIR OWN
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT, PUTTING
U.S. BUSINESS AT A COMPETITIVE
DISADVANTAGE.
THE KOREA-U.S. TRADE AGREEMENT
FIXES THAT.
OUR FRIENDS TO THE NORTH IN
CANADA AND SOUTH IN MEXICO HAVE
COLOMBIA.
TRADE DEALS IN PLACE WITH
WHILE OUR AGREEMENT LANGUISHES,
THEIR EXPORTS ARE WINNING THE
MARKETPLACE.
IMAGINE HOW OUR EXPORTERS FEEL
WATCHING THEIR COMPETITION MOVE
TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE,
KNOWING THAT THE AGREEMENTS PUT
THEM AHEAD.
IF WE FAIL TO ACT ON THE
AGREEMENTS, IT'S CLEAR THAT OUR
U.S. PRODUCERS WILL FALL BEHIND.
IT'S HAPPENING.
TODAY SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND
I HAVE INTRODUCED A RESOLUTION
PUSHING FOR APPROVAL OF KOREA,
COLOMBIA, PANAMA TRADE
AGREEMENTS.
OUR PRESIDENT IN THIS
CONGRESS -- AND THIS CONGRESS
BENEFITS.
HOLD THE KEYS TO UNLOCKING THE
ACCORDING TO THE U.S.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION,
THESE AGREEMENTS WOULD INCREASE
NEW U.S. EXPORTS BETWEEN
BETWEEN $10 BILLION AND
AND $12 BILLION, REDUCING THE
U.S. TRADE DEFICIT AND BOOSTING
THE ECONOMY.
IN ADDITION, THESE NEW U.S.
GOODS EXPORTED TO SOUTH KOREA,
TO COLOMBIA, TO PANAMA WOULD
YIELD 27,000 NEW JOBS.
OVERALL, THIS MEANS AN ESTIMATED
GAIN IN G.D.P. OF OVER
OVER $12 BILLION FROM NET
EXPORTS ANNUALLY.
THEIR GOVERNMENT SHOULD
SIMILARLY BE CHOMPING AT THE BIT
TO GET THIS DONE, AND IT'S
WITHIN OUR GRASP.
AMERICAN WORKERS AND BUSINESSES
ARE ESSENTIALLY PLEADING FOR US
TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
THE FOLKS ON THE PRODUCTION
LINE, IN OUR FIELDS, THOSE
SEEKING EMPLOYMENT ARE THE ONES
WITH TRUE SKIN IN THE GAME.
WE NEED TO UNLEASH THEIR
POTENTIAL BY UNLEASHING THE
PENDING AGREEMENTS WITH SOUTH
KOREA, COLOMBIA AND PANAMA.
THESE AGREEMENTS WILL LEVEL THE
PLAYING FIELD AND ELIMINATE
BARRIERS FOR U.S. GOODS.
OUR WORKERS ARE ALWAYS READY TO
ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND DO
WHAT THEY CAN TO START PRODUCING
PRODUCING.
RECENTLY OUR FEDERAL RESERVE
CHAIRMAN, BEN BERNANKE, SAID
THAT OUR CURRENT PACE OF HIRING
WILL REQUIRE FOUR TO FIVE YEARS
TO REACH NORMAL UNEMPLOYMENT
LEVELS.
MR. PRESIDENT, FOUR TO FIVE
YEARS IS TOO LONG TO WAIT.
WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO CHANGE THAT PICTURE, SO
IMAGINE THE THE IMPACT OF
ELIMINATING TERRORISTS ON 80% OF
THE EXPORTS TO SOUTH KOREA.
REMEMBER, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT
ONLY 13% OF OUR GOODS AND
SERVICES ARE CURRENTLY EXPORTED
TARIFF FREE.
HOW ABOUT IMMEDIATELY
ELIMINATING TARIFFS ON EXPORTS
TO COLOMBIA FOR MORE THAN 70% OF
OF -- OF AGRICULTURAL GOODS AND
7% OF -- 76% OF INDUSTRIAL
GOODS.
A WHOPPING 70% OF COLOMBIAN
IMPORTS ALREADY ENTER OUR
COUNTRY DUTY FREE UNDER THE
ANDYAN TRADE PREFERENCE
AROUND -- ANDEAN TRADE
PREFERENCE ACT.
THIS LEVEL OF THE PLAYING FIELD
IS SORELY NEEDED.
TO BE CLEAR, I DO NOT OPPOSE
HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS AND THE
ANDEAN AGREEMENT WAS DESIGNED TO
DO THAT, BUT SHOULDN'T WE AT
LEAST SEEK THE SAME TREATMENT
FOR OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR
WORKERS?
ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, WE
HEARD THE PRESIDENT SPEAK ABOUT
AGGRESSIVELY EXPANDING THE
MARKETPLACE IN THE INTERNATIONAL
MARKET.
THESE AGREEMENTS WOULD DO THAT
AND I HOPE TONIGHT HE REAFFIRMS
HIS COMMITMENT.
FINALLY, MR. PRESIDENT, THE
THIRD PILLAR OF THE COMPETITIVE
PACKAGE THAT I INTRODUCE TODAY
WILL LOWER OUR CORPORATE TAX
RATE TO 20%.
FOR MANY YEARS, THE U.S. HAS HAD
THE SECOND HIGHEST CORPORATE TAX
RATE IN THE WORLD.
RATE IN THE WORLD.
SECOND HIGHEST CORPORATE TAX
SECOND ONLY TO JAPAN.
JAPAN HAS NOW ANNOUNCED THAT
THEY WILL REDUCE THEIR CORPORATE
RATE FOR 2011.
WITH THIS REDUCTION, THE UNITED
STATES WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST
CORPORATE TAX RATE OF ANYONE IN
THE ENTIRE WORLD.
THAT MEANS THIS -- THE U.S. TAX
ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR JOB CREATORS
WILL BE THE LEAST ATTRACTIVE IN
THE ENTIRE WORLD.
HERE'S THE MATH.
WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A
FEDERAL CORPORATE TAX RATE OF
35% AND THE AVERAGE STATE
CORPORATE TAX RATE, THE COMBINED
U.S. CORPORATE TAX RATE TOTALS
MORE THAN 39%, NEARLY 40%.
THIS COMBINED RATE SOARS ABOVE
THOSE OF OTHER COUNTRIES WITH
WHICH AMERICAN BUSINESSES
COMPETE.
IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.
IS IT ANY WONDER THAT JOBS ARE
LEAVING THIS COUNTRY TO GO TO
OTHER COMPETITIVE COUNTRIES?
OUR NATION SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING
BUSINESS CREATION AND GROWTH,
NOT PUTTING OUR JOB CREATORS AT
A DISADVANTAGE WITH THIS
EXTRAORDINARILY NUMBER ONE IN
THE WORLD TAX RATE.
AT LEAST 27 OF 34 NATIONS IN THE
ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC
COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT HAVE
CUT THEIR GENERAL CORPORATE
INCOME TAX RATES SINCE 2000.
THESE COUNTRIES HAVE BENEFITED
FROM INCREASED CAPITAL
INVESTMENT.
AND, GET THIS, THEY'VE SEEN
THEIR CORPORATE TAX REVENUES AS
A SHARE OF G.D.P. ACTUALLY
INCREASE, EVEN WITH THE LOWER
RATES, BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPANDING
THE BASE.
ACCORDING TO A JULY 2010
ANALYSIS BY PRICEWATERHOUSE
COOPERS, THE U.S. WOULD HAVE TO
REDUCE OUR FEDERAL RATE TO 20.3%
TO MATCH THE AVERAGE CORPORATE
RATE OF OTHER OECD COUNTRIES.
THANKFULLY, MANY RECOGNIZE THE
NEED TO BRING OUR CORPORATE TAX
RATE IN LINE WITH THOSE OF OTHER
INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS.
IN FACT, IN DECEMBER, THE
PRESIDENT'S EXPORT COUNCIL
RECOMMENDED A CORPORATE TAX RATE
BE REDUCED TO 20%.
THIS WILL STIMULATE JOB CREATION
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ALL SECTORS
OF THE JOB MARKET.
WASHINGTON CAN'T CONTINUE TO SAY
ONE THING AND DO ANOTHER.
THAT'S WHY TODAY I AM
INTRODUCING THE RESTORING
AMERICA'S COMPETITIVENESS IN
ENTERPRISE ACT OF 2011.
THIS LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE, THE
1099 REPEAL, THE RESOLUTION
SUPPORTING THE TRADE AGREEMENTS,
THE BILL TO REDUCE THE
HIGHEST -- SOON TO BE THE
HIGHEST CORPORATE TAX RATE IN
THE WORLD WILL PROVIDE A SOLID
FOUNDATION FOR OUR COUNTRY TO
MOVE FORWARD.
IT WILL SEND A POWERFUL MESSAGE
THAT THIS 112th SENATE
SUPPORTS JOB CREATION AND IS
COMMITTED TO UNLEASHING AMERICAN
COMPETITIVENESS.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT MY COLLEAGUES
WILL JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THIS
IMPORTANT PACKAGE.
WE'RE OFF TO A GOOD START AND I
THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE WHO HAVE
JOINED ME IN THIS EFFORT.
MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU, AND I
NOTE THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM NEBRASKA.
I ASK THAT THE
QUORUM CALL BE SET ASIDE.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE
SENATE STANDS IN RECESS UNTIL
2:15 P.M.