Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

The Democratic leader is recognized.

The legislative clerk read the following letter:

Mr. President, let me take a minute to say something because of my friend, John McCain. Every day I come and open the Senate, we give the Pledge of Allegiance ...

Let us pray.

The Honorable Mark L. Pryor led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which ...

We pray in Your sacred Name. Amen.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the budget resolution. Of the statutory time allotted to the budget resolution, 1\1/2\ hours remains. Upon the use or ...

Mr. President, the majority leader said it well. No one has done more for his country than John McCain. We are all privileged to be able to serve with him ...

Mr. President, anyone who turned on C-SPAN2 over the past 2 weeks could be excused for wondering what has been going on here in the Capitol. Most people outside Washington ...

Mr. President, I alter the unanimous consent request so that the last four amendments in that request not be included. I also want to clarify that Brownback is No. 840.

No. 742.

Madam President, my amendment which I have offered in the past, is a means testing of Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit.

Mr. President, I would be happy to take a moment to describe the amendment. And if by going by voice vote it is more likely to stay in conference, I ...

Yes. I am sorry. I thought we had done that. Everything I said still goes.

So 33\1/2\ hours. I stand corrected.

I do have 10 minutes left, so I will yield the Senator 5 minutes.

The result was announced--yeas 96, nays 2, as follows:

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Bunning be added as a cosponsor. I will yield 30 seconds to him and 10 seconds to Senator Webb, who is a ...

Mr. President, the reason this vote took a little longer is because people, even though it is a 10-minute vote, waited until the last minute to come and vote or ...

The amendments (No. 892 and No. 893) were agreed to, as follows:

Madam President, I think I will take a bit of my time, then, as we await these other Senators. Perhaps the cloakroom could check on the availability of Senators who ...

Pending:

The result was announced--yeas 89, nays 9, as follows:

[Rollcall Vote No. 135 Leg.] YEAS--65 Alexander Barrasso Baucus Bayh Begich Bennet Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Byrd Cantwell Casey Chambliss Coburn Cochran Collins Conrad Corker Cornyn Crapo DeMint Dorgan ...

The result was announced--yeas 31, nays 67, as follows:

Mr. President, my amendment would create a point of order against any legislation that would impose or increase the marriage penalty tax. We have worked very hard in Congress to ...

Madam President, as everyone knows, the chairman of the Budget Committee happens to be a dear friend of mine, a guy with whom I work on any number of issues ...

Thank you.

Mr. President, it is my intention to vote for this amendment. I ask the Senator from South Carolina, would the Senator from South Carolina, in a moment of comity and ...

The Senator yields back time?

Mr. President, this is an amendment that Senator Barrasso and I have offered to fully fund the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, by providing an additional $200 million for this purpose. ...

Mr. President, the Senator has used her minute.

The Senator from Oklahoma is recognized.

I think he is on his way.

The bill clerk called the roll.

The Senator is allotted 2 minutes.

The Republican leader.

The time of the Senator has expired.

Reserving the right to object, and I will not, I want to point out that in New Hampshire we have no sales or income tax. If people want to escape ...

Mr. President, that takes us to Brownback amendment No. 840. Senator Brownback would describe that amendment. This is a similar circumstance. There is strong support on this side toward the ...

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the motion be dispensed with.

through the Federal Budget in order to help him eliminate wasteful,

Will my friend yield?

Would the Senator take a voice vote?

I know the Senator mentioned this, but I wish to reinforce it. This was a proposal that came from President Obama's administration and it was in his budget; is that ...

The amendment is as follows:

funding the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority

That is what I just did.

The Chair will so advise the Senator. The Senator from Alabama is recognized.

Without objection, the amendment is so modified.

Madam President, I yield 5 minutes to the Senator from Louisiana to discuss her amendment, not to call it up but to discuss her amendment.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to send a modification to the desk on behalf of Senator Brownback to his amendment No. 840.

What are the four amendments, please?

[Rollcall Vote No. 131 Leg.] YEAS--59 Akaka Begich Boxer Brown Brownback Bunning Burr Burris Byrd Cantwell Cardin Casey Coburn Collins Conrad Cornyn Crapo DeMint Dorgan Durbin Ensign Feingold Feinstein Graham ...

Menendez No. 921, Coburn No. 895, Murray-Bond No. 880, Barrasso-Wyden No. 788.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, I announced this morning, though only Senator McConnell and I were on the floor, that today we are going to enforce the rule. This vote was turned in ...

[Rollcall Vote No. 140 Leg.] YEAS--31 Begich Boxer Brown Burris Cardin Casey Dodd Durbin Feingold Feinstein Gillibrand Harkin Kaufman Kerry Kohl Lautenberg Leahy Levin McCaskill Menendez Merkley Mikulski Reed Reid ...

The majority has 35 minutes and the Republicans also have 35 minutes.

The legislative clerk read as follows:

Madam President, built into this budget is an assumption that the 33 percent and 35 percent tax brackets would be allowed to expire. As a result, many individuals and small ...

Mr. President, this amendment seeks to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund based on the current law supporting revenue sharing for coastal States contributions to the Land and Water Conservation Fund ...

That is probably a pretty fair estimate. The Budget Committee does not have the authority to tell committees of jurisdiction the specifics of legislative outcomes. These are message amendments, and ...

Mr. President, I renew my request.

Madam President, how much time remains under my control?

Madam President, I thank the Chair. I appreciate the comments that have been made. I agree first with Senator Coburn's comments about our distinguished chairman's pride in spending less money ...

The Senator from New Hampshire is recognized.

(Purpose: To provide for the expenditure of the remaining Troubled

The result was announced--yeas 59, nays 39, as follows:

The amendment (no. 910) was agreed to.

The Senator from Montana.

Well, it is one of these cases where I passed the French test, and I was ready to write a dissertation, and I never quite got around to it.

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski).

I move to lay that motion on the table.

I am.

Colleagues, if I could ask to be heard for one more moment.

Mr. President, that takes us to the Thune amendment No.

I see the Senator from Oklahoma.

The result was announced--yeas 65, nays 33, as follows:

The problem is, that would take unanimous consent. It is very clear we cannot get unanimous consent.

The Senator from California is recognized.

Mr. President, the Bennett amendment would express the importance of taxpayers' ability to take deductions for contributions to charity. It is also important to recognize that this amendment is not ...

Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote?

This is an alternative that makes sense. This is an alternative that has to make the same choices you are making in the private sector. I hope the Congress will ...

Madam President, Senator Feinstein wishes to be recognized for the purpose of changing her vote.

The Senator from Louisiana has 35 seconds.

The amendment (No. 730) was agreed to, as follows:

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment to call up amendment No. 742.

Mr. President, I support the Hutchison amendment. I think there is strong support on this side.

Madam President, this proposal caps discretionary funding at a baseline level plus inflation, a dramatic difference between this proposal and the Senate budget committee proposal. The proposal by Senator Conrad ...

The Senator from Virginia is recognized.

The Senator from Maine is recognized.

Mr. President, thank you very much. And I thank the manager of the bill.

Mr. President, on an amendment that we just adopted by voice vote, the Reed amendment No. 949, there is a misunderstanding. There was not unanimous consent. So I think in ...

The result was announced--yeas 40, nays 58, as follows:

[Rollcall Vote No. 128 Leg.] YEAS--39 Alexander Barrasso Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Chambliss Coburn Cochran Collins Corker Cornyn Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Feinstein Graham Grassley Gregg Hatch Hutchison Inhofe ...

The Senator from Rhode Island.

The result was announced--yeas 56, nays 42, as follows:

And it is a power they flaunt. I do not care whether it is a Democratic administration or a Republican administration. I daresay no Senator is more dedicated to providing ...

Without objection on this side.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that those four amendments be agreed to.

I thank the Senator from Arizona for the time to speak on his budget, and I yield.

Mr. President, I offer it at this time.

Mr. President, would the Senator accept a voice vote? It would help a great deal in terms of moving the agenda and in terms of the disposition of the chairman ...

Mr. President, that takes us to the Hutchison amendment, No. 866.

The Senator is correct, that the President of the United States did include means testing as a part of his budget, means testing for Part D. He did put that ...

The Senator from Utah is recognized.

Under the previous order, the Senate will resume consideration of S. Con. Res. 13, which the clerk will report.

The Senator from Kansas.

I ask unanimous consent that the debate on the McCain amendment appear all as one piece in the Record. I think that will be better for those reading this at ...

Mr. President, our good friend from Iowa, Senator Grassley, has cast his 10,000th vote. Senator Grassley has been a distinguished Member of this body for 29 years and, in my ...

Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote and lay that motion on the table.

The clerk will report.

The bill clerk read as follows:

Well, OK. That means two more votes. I do not know how many times we voted on this already. But if people are insistent on having votes, we will get ...

Under the previous order, there will now be 2 minutes of debate equally divided prior to a vote in relation to amendment No. 882, as modified, offered by the Senator ...

The amendment (No. 805) was rejected.

Mr. President, next after this amendment is my amendment. It would return TARP funds not already out the door, except for the $100 billion set aside for buying toxic assets, ...

I yield myself 30 seconds.

Mr. President, that is very helpful. That cleared a lot of amendments on both sides. I now go to Senator Hutchison for the purpose of withdrawing her amendment.

Mr. President, I have a unanimous consent request that I wish to propound on the next group of amendments before we go to the Vitter amendment.

The Senator from Kentucky is recognized.

Reserving the right to object, has the Senator considered my amendment No. 742, which is accepted on both sides to my knowledge? Senator Akaka and I put it forward, having ...

Madam President, we had represented to our colleagues that we would begin voting at 11:30. We have an inordinate number of votes already in the queue. I hope people will ...

Mr. President, I would say to colleagues, I do not know what it is about this year, but the hole just keeps getting deeper. We still have over 200 amendments, ...

Mr. President, as much as I appreciate the generosity of the Senator in offering me that opportunity, I think this is an important issue. I think the Senate needs to ...

So I take that as----

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote and lay that motion on the table.

Mr. President, I send my amendment to the desk.

The amendment (No. 742) was agreed to.

Mr. President, I withdraw my amendment No. 868. I do support Senator Reid's amendment. It is important.

The amendment is as follows:(Purpose: To provide funds for a Commission on Budgetary Accountability

I thank the distinguished Senator and nattily dressed chairman of the Budget Committee.

I yield myself a couple of minutes.

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Yes, I will yield.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Coburn amendment No. 892 and Coburn amendment No. 893 be accepted.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that under the rules we have been operating on for each of the tranches, that we next go to Inhofe No. 742; followed by ...

I reserve the remainder of my time.

The next amendment is Senator McCain, I believe.

The question is on agreeing to the amendment.

Could I say, I was told a number of years ago that one of our colleagues called in and said he was on his way, that he was at the ...

The amendment (No. 840), as modified, was agreed to.

Mr. President, I, first, wish to thank Senator McCain for leading this effort to present an alternative because we all know, after looking at the Democratic budget and the Obama ...

The question is on agreeing to amendment No. 773, offered by the Senator from Maine.

I offer the amendment at this point.

I do not see Senator Shelby in the Chamber.

I call up amendment No. 910.

The amendment (No. 882), as modified, was rejected.

Madam President, the thing many of my colleagues don't know is, before I was a physician I was an accountant, and the thing about numbers is you can make them ...

The Senator from North Dakota has 9 minutes. The Senator from New Hampshire has 7\1/2\ minutes. The Senator from Oklahoma has 3 minutes. The Senator from South Carolina has 5 ...

It is amazing how that will improve the chances.

Is there objection?

I urge my colleagues to vote yes and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, my amendment would create a deficit-neutral reserve fund for the tax cuts of 2001 to extend those tax rates to small businesses that earn 50 percent of their ...

Mr. President, on the Bennett amendment No. 759, Senator Bennett of Utah wishes to be recognized for a brief statement.

The amendments are as follows:

Will the Senator allow us to do a unanimous consent?

So my point here is--by the way, one of the areas I agree with both Senator Gregg and Senator Conrad is, we have to have a commission that meets and ...

Madam President, now that colleagues are in the Chamber, we will give you a status update. We now have over 100 amendments pending. We can do three an hour. If ...

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

The Senator from Vermont is recognized.

Well, I am quite excited about that.

I hope my colleagues will look at this responsible alternative.

Madam President, this amendment, No. 811, would simply establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to establish a national usury law. Establishing a national usury law is not a radical concept. About ...

[Rollcall Vote No. 134 Leg.] YEAS--28 Barrasso Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Coburn Collins Cornyn Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Feingold Grassley Hutchison Inhofe Johanns McCain Murkowski Nelson (NE) Risch Sessions ...

The Senator from Nevada.

I am happy to yield.

I would just say to the Senator, we would be willing to take yours on a voice vote, Senator Stabenow's on a voice vote, then go to the Bennett for ...

[Rollcall Vote No. 136 Leg.] YEAS--37 Barrasso Begich Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Carper Chambliss Coburn Cochran Cornyn Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Graham Grassley Hatch Hutchison Inhofe Isakson Johanns Kyl ...

There is 2 minutes equally divided on the motion.

The amendment is as follows:(Purpose: To provide for a deficit-neutral reserve fund to establish a

The amendment (No. 931), as modified, was rejected.

Mr. President, I want to make it clear that the side by side to the Vitter amendment we approved by voice vote is No. 949.

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

The question is on agreeing to amendment No. 805, offered by the Senator from Nevada, Mr. Ensign.

The Senator from Iowa.

No. 788.

The amendment (No. 773) was agreed to.Amendments Nos. 816, 885, 872, 827, 764, 788, 795, 817, 837, 818, 874,

Madam President, I will respond by saying that we on this side would like to have a vote on the point of order on the climate legislation.

The result was announced--yeas 28, nays 70, as follows:

We have some questions on our side. Hopefully, we can clear them up. I ask the Senator, can we move on to the next amendment and move back to yours?

Mr. President, that takes us to the Boxer amendment, No. 953, afterschool reserve fund.

That would be the pending amendment, No. 949, and Senator Reed would be recognized to offer the amendment.

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mr. Sessions).

Madam President, that would take us next to the Inhofe amendment. If the Senator would describe his amendment.

Under the previous order, there will now be 2 minutes of debate, equally divided, prior to a vote on amendment No. 875, offered by the Senator from Vermont, Mr. Sanders.

Mr. President, in more normal times, this is an amendment I might well support, but these are not normal times. We are faced with the steepest economic decline since the ...

Madam President, if the Senator will yield, I wasn't able to speak on my amendment last night. I wonder if I could have the remaining time until 11:45 to speak ...

There is 25 minutes remaining.

The amendment (No. 866) was agreed to.

Mr. President, this is not an insignificant amendment. It is not small change. It has very significant consequences to all States. A very small number of States, a handful, will ...

Is there objection to setting aside the amendment?

Mr. President, since I am not a squish like Senator Coburn, I am going to go ahead.

I ask unanimous consent that we accept the Inhofe amendment, No. 742.

Mr. President, colleagues, this is an amendment that passed last year. It creates a commission, an independent commission, to review all of Federal spending, make recommendations to the body, and ...

Will the Senator from Oklahoma be agreeable to a voice vote on this amendment?

Madam President, I object. We have a queue here. We have a unanimous consent agreement. It would be out of order to call up an amendment at this point.

Yes.

Mr. President, I am in strong support of the Dodd-Lieberman-Collins amendment.

[Rollcall Vote No. 137 Leg.] YEAS--89 Akaka Alexander Barrasso Baucus Bayh Begich Bennet Bennett Bingaman Bond Boxer Brown Brownback Burr Burris Byrd Cantwell Cardin Carper Casey Chambliss Cochran Collins Conrad ...

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, on behalf of Senator Graham, to withdraw amendment No. 898.

Madam President, assuming a voice vote means approval, I am willing to take a voice vote.

There is 10 minutes remaining on the McCain amendment.

Madam President, this is one of the rare amendments we have that is not going to cost anything but makes a rearrangement in the flow of funding. One of the ...

The result was announced--yeas 39, nays 58, as follows:

Madam President, next in order is the Dodd-Shelby amendment, No. 913.

Who yields time in opposition?

The amendment is as follows:(Purpose: To ensure that millions of middle-income families do not face

Mr. President, I join the Republican leader in congratulating Chuck Grassley, our friend, on casting his 10,000th vote. Chuck was born in the city of New Hartford--but not Connecticut--Iowa, where ...

Mr. President, I have lined up to speak. So many of us want to congratulate the esteemed Senator from Iowa. I congratulate him on his 10,000th vote.

The amendment (No. 875) was agreed to.

Is there objection?

Without objection, the Senate stands in recess until 6 o'clock.

[Rollcall Vote No. 152 Leg.] YEAS--41 Alexander Barrasso Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Casey Chambliss Coburn Cochran Corker Cornyn Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Graham Grassley Gregg Hatch Hutchison Inhofe Isakson ...

Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, Associated Builders and Contractors, Center for Fiscal Accountability, Citizens Against Government Waste, Club for Growth, Concerned Women for America, Freedom Works, Independent Electrical ...

The question is on agreeing to amendment No.

Mr. President, This amendment will go far in meeting the Federal Government's trust responsibility to provide health care services to Native Americans.

Further parliamentary inquiry: Does that mean it would require 60 votes for passage?

(Mr. Begich). The Senator from Montana.

Mr. President, we need to alert colleagues that we really need them, if they have amendments, to be on the floor or in the cloakroom. We have amendments that we ...

Mr. President, Senator Pryor has the time in opposition.

The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote?

Mr. President, I wish to thank Senator Ensign for joining me in this amendment. This is a deficit-neutral reserve fund amendment that would help prevent forest fires. Our State budgets ...

The result was announced--yeas 18, nays 79, as follows:

I announce that the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) is necessarily absent.

Mr. President, I wish to call up amendment No. 964.

I ask my colleagues to look at this seriously and realize we are not protecting the ultrawealthy. We are working for small businesses, family businesses in each and every one ...

The assistant legislative clerk called the roll.

The clerk will call the roll.

I assure you.

The amendment (No. 937) was rejected.

Is there objection?

The majority leader.

The Chair would like to clarify that it is Enzi amendment No. 820?

On this vote, the yeas are 28, the nays are 69. Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, the motion is rejected. The ...

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Thune amendment, No. 870, be modified with the changes which are at the desk, notwithstanding adoption of the amendment.

Mr. President, in the midst of the worst recession in 75 years, with hundreds of thousands of Americans losing their jobs and their homes, 51 Members of the Senate believe ...

Mr. President, I raise a point of order that the amendment is not germane.

Mr. President, Senator Cornyn is prepared with an amendment. Would the Senator describe his amendment?

I think we have to do it by voice.

The Senator from New Jersey.

Mr. President, I am honored to be joined in introducing this amendment by my colleagues, Senators Cornyn, Thune, and the distinguished occupant of the chair, Senator Begich. This amendment would ...

The amendment (No. 751) was agreed to.

Mr. President, the amendment of the Senator from South Carolina creates a point of order against legislation that does not comply with President Obama's recently proposed earmark reforms.

The Senator from Connecticut is recognized.

The result was announced--yeas 41, nays 56, as follows:

It has not lost its privileged status.

I thank the Chair.

I didn't even make the motion to waive, but I am happy to have the question be on the motion to waive.

Mr. President, we still have probably 30-some amendments left to do. We are working through a process to try to put together managers' packages that could clear the significant majority ...

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

American Conservative Union, American Family Business Institute, Americans for Limited Government, Associated General Contractors, Club for Growth, Council on National Policy, Family Research Council, National Association of Manufacturers, Numbers USA, ...

Mr. President, during these recent budget debates, I have been reminded that some in Washington used to mock President Reagan for the ``rosy economic scenarios'' they said his budgets relied ...

On this vote, the yeas are 63, the nays are 35. Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, the motion is agreed to.

(Purpose: To increase transparency by requiring five days of public

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a list of organizations opposing this budget resolution be printed in the Record.

[Rollcall Vote No. 154 Leg.] YEAS--55 Akaka Baucus Begich Bennet Bingaman Boxer Brown Burris Cantwell Cardin Carper Casey Conrad Dodd Dorgan Durbin Feingold Feinstein Gillibrand Hagan Harkin Inouye Johnson Kaufman ...

Mr. President, Senator Bennett can conclude his remarks.

coordinate drug control efforts among Federal, State, and local law

The amendment is as follows:(Purpose: To add a deficit-neutral reserve fund to reduce the strain on

The amendment is very simple and straightforward. It aims to ensure that gun owners and sportsmen are able to transport securely firearms aboard Amtrak trains in checked baggage, a practice ...

The amendment (No. 926) was agreed to.

Mr. President, that gives us five. We are going to go to the countdown; five plus final passage.

Next up is Senator Wicker.

(Purpose: To provide for a deficit-neutral reserve fund to promote

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recover from a private health

Is there objection? Hearing no objection, it is so ordered.

[Rollcall Vote No. 150 Leg.] YEAS--36 Alexander Barrasso Bayh Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Chambliss Coburn Cochran Corker Cornyn Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Graham Grassley Gregg Hatch Hutchison Inhofe Isakson ...

Mr. President, the next amendment that requires a vote is the Lautenberg amendment as it affects Amtrak. The Senator is not quite ready. We will give him a minute to ...

On this vote the yeas are 36, the nays are 61. Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, the motion is rejected. The ...

The amendment (No. 828) was rejected.

The amendment (No. 974), as modified, was agreed to.

[Rollcall Vote No. 144 Leg.] YEAS--46 Alexander Barrasso Bayh Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Chambliss Coburn Cochran Collins Corker Cornyn Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Graham Grassley Gregg Hatch Hutchison Inhofe ...

I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. President, I call up amendment 954, as modified.

Mr. President, in approaching the budget for fiscal year 2010, I am heavily influenced by the $700 billion expenditure in President Bush's bailout package--it was badly administered and I voted ...

Mr. President, just 3 days ago, President Obama released a bold new plan to revitalize the American auto industry. We need to give this plan a chance to work. There ...

Mr. President, I thank Senator Vitter, and I also want to take just a moment to thank Senator Crapo for his graciousness in withdrawing an amendment, as well as Senator ...

The yeas and nays were ordered.

The result was announced--yeas 31, nays 66, as follows:

Mr. President, we are now making significant progress on putting together a managers' package and on putting together those amendments that will require a vote. We still have a certain ...

The amendments (Nos. 777, 962, and 946) were agreed to, as follows:

Mr. President, next we go to the Lincoln-Kyl amendment.

Is the germaneness well taken on this?

(Purpose: To include funding for freight and passenger rail in the

I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Byrd) is necessarily absent.

Mr. President, my amendment would pose a 60-vote point of order against a bill that had not been made available for public review along with the score of the Congressional ...

[Rollcall Vote No. 148 Leg.] YEAS--31 Barrasso Bunning Burr Chambliss Coburn Cochran Collins Cornyn Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Graham Grassley Gregg Inhofe Isakson Johanns Kyl McCain McConnell Murkowski Nelson (NE) ...

The result was announced--yeas 42, nays 56, as follows:

right of health care providers to serve patients without violating

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to call up amendment No. 873.

The Senator from New Hampshire is recognized.

I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

attack by Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations by providing a

Mr. President, would Senator DeMint be willing to accept a voice vote?

Mr. President, I hate to throw a little cold water on this whole ``Kumbaya'' party we are having, but I think it is an important precedent that we determine tonight.

Do I have any time remaining?

Mr. President, many of us supported the fence. Many of us opposed it. But one thing is for sure, there is only about $120 million left to complete this section ...

Mr. President, I thank the chairman of the committee.

Mr. President, I ask for my colleagues' attention because this is not a partisan amendment; it is not a messaging amendment.

The majority leader is recognized.

(Mr. Begich). The Senator from Michigan.

Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendments are agreed to.

Mr. President, at this moment, if you are trying to get an earmark in the bill, you have to have it posted on your Web site 30 days before markup ...

I object to this disruptive amendment offered by the Senator from Mississippi. He wants to enable the carrying of weapons, guns, in checked baggage. One doesn't have to be very ...

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Udall, I call up his amendment No. 746.

The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to waive the reading of the amendment.

The amendment (No. 954 was rejected.

Mr. President, I thank the Chair, and I call up amendment No. 904.

Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 926 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I want to offer a straightforward amendment that recognizes that investments in our transportation infrastructure system must be a priority for our country. The amendment would simply add ...

Mr. President, the next amendment that is in order is amendment No. 751 by Senator Vitter, if he could briefly mention the amendment.

Mr. President, we are now down to three amendments and final passage, and one of the three can be done on a voice vote.

The Senator from Alabama.

The Senator from Washington.

The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 28, nays 69, as follows:

[Rollcall Vote No. 151 Leg.] YEAS--39 Alexander Barrasso Begich Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Chambliss Coburn Cochran Corker Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Graham Grassley Hagan Hatch Hutchison Inhofe Isakson Klobuchar ...

Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and as a longstanding steward of the environment, I have continuously requested increased funding for the ...

Mr. President, Senator Schumer has the time in opposition.

The Senator from Arkansas is recognized.

Mr. President, I wish to say a brief word so we know what we are going to do when we get back on Monday, 2 weeks from Monday.

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I ask to take this on a voice vote.

The amendment is as follows:(Purpose: To provide for a point of order against any legislation that eliminates the ability of Americans to keep their health plan or their

Agency on the viability of the use of higher ethanol blends at the

Mr. President, Senator Stabenow has the time in opposition.

Mr. President, I rise to express my concerns about the Dorgan-Snow amendment No. 881.

adjusting spending levels beyond fiscal year 2010 to compensate for

Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll.

Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which would encourage

The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 46, nays 52, as follows:

Mr. President, I wish to call up DeMint amendment No.

The amendment (No. 964) was rejected.

Mr. President, I am pleased that the Senate unanimously approved my amendment to maximize college affordability and access by helping to preserve competition and choice in the student loan program. ...

The amendment (No. 873) was agreed to.

(Purpose: To increase funding for the National Health Service Corps)

Mr. President, this amendment provides a new point of order to prevent climate change legislation from raising more revenue than in the resolution, killing jobs in the coal and manufacturing-dependent ...

It does not require 60 votes for passage.

Mr. President, I would like to take a minute to thank the majority leader and Republican leader for their assistance in helping us move this bill in a reasonably expeditious ...

Mr. President, the distinguished majority leader, my friend, Senator Reid quoted me by name in his remarks in opposition to the Lincoln-Kyl amendment.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I strongly believe that the Senate needs to address the serious and pressing problem of climate change, and I look forward to that debate this Congress. I do ...

Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 937.

Mr. President, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. President, the chairman of the committee and the ranking member did such a wonderful job. I think we should all express our appreciation.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The result was announced--yeas 39, nays 58, as follows:

(Purpose: To protect the freedom of conscience for patients and the

All time has expired. The question is on agreeing to amendment No. 974, as modified.

[Rollcall Vote No. 145 Leg.] YEAS--63 Alexander Barrasso Baucus Bayh Begich Bennet Bennett Bingaman Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Casey Chambliss Coburn Cochran Corker Cornyn Crapo DeMint Dorgan Ensign Enzi Feingold ...

Mr. President, I will vote for this budget resolution. It rightfully recognizes that our way through these difficult times is by investing in our future, with significant funding for infrastructure, ...

I would say to the distinguished chairman of the Budget Committee, I have three amendments which I have on the dock. This is the only one of those three that ...

So that would be the precedent for the future, 8 to 10 corrosive amendments does not lose its privileged status.

[Rollcall Vote No. 146 Leg.] YEAS--51 Alexander Barrasso Baucus Bayh Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burr Cantwell Chambliss Coburn Cochran Collins Corker Cornyn Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Graham Grassley Gregg Hatch ...

Mr. President, I rise today in support of Senate amendment No. 876, which I have cosponsored with my colleague Senator Lincoln. Our bipartisan amendment would simply clarify that a deficit-neutral ...

Under the previous order, the question is on agreeing to waive the point of order.

[Rollcall Vote No. 149 Leg.] YEAS--28 Barrasso Bennet Bunning Burr Chambliss Coburn Corker Cornyn Crapo DeMint Ensign Enzi Feingold Graham Grassley Inhofe Isakson Johanns Kyl Lieberman Martinez McCain McCaskill Risch ...

Mr. President, to briefly respond to the Senator from Massachusetts, the chairman of the distinguished Foreign Relations Committee has raised a serious issue about Ambassador Hill.

The amendment (No. 746) was agreed to.

The clerk will report.

Next up----

Yes. I ask unanimous consent.

percent of estates from the estate tax, shall be allowed under any

Mr. President, I would ask the Senator from Texas, would he be willing to allow us to take this on a voice vote or by unanimous consent?

The Senator from Massachusetts.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we accept the amendment.

The question is on agreeing on the amendment.

Mr. President, the Senator's amendment would eliminate 20 percent of the economic recovery package we passed weeks ago. The Senator's amendment would cut defense by over $2 billion, would cut ...

Mr. President, before I begin, I wish to say a word of thanks to Chairman Conrad, who has done a tremendous job providing great leadership. He and his staff have ...

The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 36, nays 61, as follows:

The clerk will call the roll.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider, en bloc, Calendar Nos. 37,

Mr. President, I rise to express my unqualified endorsement of Jane Holl Lute to be Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.

The nomination was confirmed.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 57, the nomination of Jane Holl Lute.

Mr. REID, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period for the transaction of morning business, with Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 ...

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 43, the nomination of Christopher R. Hill, to be Ambassador to Iraq.

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Without objection, it is so ordered.

The cloture motion having been presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.

Mr. President, I wish to express my sympathy over the loss of Marine Cpl Michael W. Ouellette, a 29-year-old native of Manchester, NH. Corporal Ouellette died on March 22, 2009, ...

Without objection, it is so ordered.

The Senate will now resume legislative session.

Mr. President. I wish today to recognize the 60th anniversary of the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Mr. President, since I last came to the floor to discuss a proposal for a Commission of Inquiry, Americans have learned disturbing new facts that underscore the need for such ...

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Hostelling International USA for 75 years of service to intercultural understanding and youth travel.

Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over ...

Mr. President, it is with pride and gratitude that today I commemorate the 150th anniversary of Caribou, ME, which happens to be my hometown.

Mr. President, today I wish to commemorate the expedition of ADM Robert Peary and his discovery of the North Pole 100 years ago, on April 6, 1909.

Mr. President, today I wish to honor Al Schock of Sioux Falls, SD, for his years of extraordinary service to his community as a member of the Downtown Lions Club. ...

ENROLLED BILL SIGNED At 10:03 a.m., a message from the House of Representatives, delivered by Ms. Niland, one of its reading clerks, announced that the Speaker has signed the following ...

Messages from the President of the United States were communicated to the Senate by Mrs. Neiman, one of his secretaries.

The following communications were laid before the Senate, together with accompanying papers, reports, and documents, and were referred as indicated: EC-1172. A communication from the Congressional Review Coordinator, Animal and ...

The following reports of committees were submitted: By Mr. LEVIN, from the Committee on Armed Services, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute: S. 454. A bill to ...

The following bills and joint resolutions were introduced, read the first and second times by unanimous consent, and referred as indicated: By Mr. ROBERTS (for himself, Mr. Vitter, Mrs. Hutchison, ...

At the request of Mr. Reid, the name of the Senator from Iowa (Mr. Harkin) was added as a cosponsor of S. 546, a bill to amend title 10, United ...

At the request of Mr. Kaufman, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Specter) was added as a cosponsor of S. 605, a bill to require the Securities and ...

At the request of Mr. Dorgan, the name of the Senator from Arkansas (Mrs. Lincoln) was added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 881 proposed to S. Con. Res. 13, ...

At the request of Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, the name of the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez) was added as a cosponsor of S. 663, a bill to amend ...

At the request of Mr. Johanns, his name was added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 803 proposed to S. Con. Res. 13, an original concurrent resolution setting forth the ...

At the request of Mr. Tester, the names of the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller) and the Senator from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) were added as cosponsors of amendment ...

At the request of Mr. Menendez, the name of the Senator from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) was added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 920 intended to be proposed to S. ...

At the request of Mr. Bingaman, the names of the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen) and the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) were added as cosponsors of S. 661, ...

At the request of Mr. Lugar, the name of the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) was added as a cosponsor of S. 384, a bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal ...

At the request of Mr. Ensign, the name of the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Johanns) was added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 864 intended to be proposed to S. ...

At the request of Mr. Sanders, the name of the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Bunning) was added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 875 proposed to S. Con. Res. 13, ...

At the request of Mr. Enzi, the name of the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Johanns) was added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 825 intended to be proposed to S. ...

At the request of Mr. Vitter, the name of the Senator from Utah (Mr. Bennett) was added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 787 proposed to S. Con. Res. 13, ...

At the request of Mr. Menendez, the names of the Senator from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) and the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg) were added as cosponsors of amendment No. ...

At the request of Mr. Johanns, his name was added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 852 intended to be proposed to S. Con. Res. 13, an original concurrent resolution ...

At the request of Mr. Levin, the names of the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Nelson) and the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Udall) were added as cosponsors of S. 454, a ...

At the request of Mrs. Hutchison, the name of the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Brownback) was added as a cosponsor of S. 614, a bill to award a Congressional Gold ...

At the request of Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, the name of the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss) was added as a cosponsor of S. 731, a bill to amend title ...

At the request of Mr. Leahy, the names of the Senator from Minnesota (Ms. Klobuchar), the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Specter), the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cornyn) and the Senator ...

At the request of Mrs. Lincoln, the name of the Senator from Montana (Mr. Tester) was added as a cosponsor of S. 343, a bill to amend title XVIII of ...

At the request of Mr. Burr, the names of the Senator from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) and the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) were added as cosponsors of S. 475, a ...

At the request of Mr. Dorgan, the names of the Senator from Arkansas (Mrs. Lincoln) and the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Kaufman) were added as cosponsors of amendment No. 838 ...

At the request of Mr. Thune, the name of the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet) was added as a cosponsor of amendment No. 870 proposed to S. Con. Res. 13, ...

At the request of Mr. Carper, the name of the Senator from Louisiana (Ms. Landrieu) was added as a cosponsor of S. 599, a bill to amend chapter 81 of ...

At the request of Mr. Barrasso, the names of the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Johanns) and the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Thune) were added as cosponsors of amendment No. ...

At the request of Mr. Alexander, the names of the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cornyn) and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Burr) were added as cosponsors of amendment No. ...

S. 27 At the request of Mr. Schumer, the name of the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Conrad) was added as a cosponsor of S. 27, a bill to establish ...

At the request of Mr. Nelson of Florida, the name of the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Begich) was added as a cosponsor of S. 266, a bill to amend title ...