Floor Statements

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent there be 2 minutes equally divided prior to the cloture vote on the motion to proceed.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 2230, the Paying A Fair Share Act, with the time until 11:30 a.m. equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees. The majority will control the first 30 minutes and the Republicans the next 30 minutes.

The filing deadline for second-degree amendments to S. 2204 is 10:30 a.m. this morning.

At 11:30 a.m., there will be a cloture vote on the Repeal Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act.

The Transportation bill expires at the end of this month, so that will have to be addressed before we leave this week. We are waiting to see what the House is doing. As I think a lot of people know, they have tried, the Republican leadership there has tried, to bring up a bill on two separate occasions. They had to bring it down because they did not have the votes to pass what they wanted. So I assume something will pass over there--I guess. We have been waiting all week. I am confident they can scrounge up 218 votes.

Mr. President, over the past decade, the five major oil companies have made more than $1 trillion--that is not billions; it is ``T,'' trillions. They have also taken home billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies--our money they have also taken--to add to those grossly exaggerated profits. They get these subsidies they do not need.

You do not need to take my word for it. Even oil executives admit an industry making hundreds of billions of dollars in profits every year does not need a handout from the American taxpayer.

Former Shell CEO John Hofmeister said a decade of high gas prices is incentive enough for oil companies to drill for more oil:

My point of view is that with high oil prices, such

subsidies are [totally] unnecessary.

We agree. So do almost 80 percent of the American people. There is no reason for these companies--five companies last year made $137 billion--to need subsidies from the American taxpayer.

So today Senate Republicans are going to have a chance--another chance, another opportunity--to show Americans where they stand on this issue. I hope they will allow us to invoke cloture on this and to complete this legislation today. They appear poised, however--what I have heard from my friends on the other side of the aisle--to pick the pockets of American taxpayers in order to line the pockets of these oil executives.

But unless we vote to repeal these wasteful giveaways, the country will spend another $25 billion over the next decade making these rich oil companies that much richer.

The oil executives who benefit from this bad policy--and the Republicans who go to bat for them--want you to believe repealing taxpayer subsidies will increase gas prices. It is not true. The only effective way to bring down prices at the pump is to reduce our reliance on foreign oil.

We have made progress toward that during the Obama years. For almost

the 4 years he has been in office, domestic oil production has increased every year, and America's dependence on foreign oil has decreased every year.

Everyone should hear again what I said: During the Obama years, domestic oil production has increased, dependence on foreign oil has decreased.

Last year, America used a lower percentage of foreign oil than at any time in almost two decades, thanks to President Obama's smart energy policies. We have heard speeches in the last couple days here in effect saying: Drill, baby, drill. We are doing a good job. We cannot produce our way out of this mess we are in. America controls less than 2 percent of the oil in the world. We use more than 20 percent of it. And even though we are doing better--and that is good--we must lessen our dependence. We must become energy independent. And we can do that.

There are huge discoveries of natural gas that the Republicans voted against using. Can you imagine that? A bipartisan bill, Menendez-Burr, to use the natural gas. We have more natural gas reserves than any other country in the world. So we wanted to start a program here: Why don't we use some of it? Boone Pickens--by the way, who is not a Democrat--it is his idea, joined by others: to move the big fleets we have. Millions of these 18-wheelers every day use all this fuel unnecessarily. We could convert these to natural gas--less polluting, easier on the engines. But the Republicans voted against that. I guess the oil companies would rather we use their oil.

The prices at the pump continue to rise. That is because chanting, as I said, ``drill, baby, drill'' is not a comprehensive solution to this Nation's energy problems, including high gas prices. We know what is going on in the Middle East. We know there are complicated issues. We need to continue responsible domestic oil exploration. But we cannot drill our way to energy independence, as I have said. America must also invest in clean energy technologies that will free us from our addiction to oil over the long term.

President Obama was in Nevada last week. Between a place called Railroad Pass and my home in Searchlight, there is a huge what we used to call a dry lake. On that--Boulder City now owns that real estate-- they have allowed huge construction projects of solar. You drive by that--it used to be, when I was a little boy, we would drive by that dry lake, and if you looked out there, it looked as though there was water. It was a mirage. Now it is not a mirage. It looks like a lake because there are all those solar panels--more than a million of them there producing huge amounts of energy, nonpolluting. That is the way it should be. We should do lots more of that.

Repealing $24 billion in lavish subsidies to oil companies would pay for those clean energy investments, with money to spare. With the savings, we can help move forward proven technologies such as solar, wind, advanced batteries, and even next-generation vehicles. We can give innovators the tools they need to bring the next electric car or advanced solar panel from the drawing board to the boardroom.

As most everyone knows, my wife has not been well, so I have not been going to Nevada as much as I had over the 30 years I have been here. But I am going out this coming week because she is doing much better. One of the people I am going to visit next week is a man by the name of Byron Georgiou, who has developed a company for electric cars. I am looking forward to that. They are a manufacturer there in Nevada. It is programs like this that we need. We need to give innovators the tools they need to bring the next electric car, as we have in Nevada, or advanced solar panel from the drawing board to the boardroom, and we can pay down the deficit with the money that is left over. But we cannot do any of that if we continue to give taxpayer dollars to the most profitable corporations in the world--corporations that made, as I indicated, a record $137 billion in profits last year. It is easy to keep track of because there are only five of them, these multinational corporations.

This morning, when the Republicans consider whether to put oil company coffers ahead of taxpayers' wallets, I hope they consider this fact: The five major oil companies raked in last year $260,000--it is actually more--more than $260,000 in profits every minute of every day for 1 year. They did not take Christmas off. It was still made during Christmas: $265,000 a minute. During Thanksgiving, New Year's, they got the money; more than $260,000 a minute. That is a huge amount: $260,000 in profits every minute--every minute--24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It takes a typical family 5 years to earn what those oil companies took home in profits in a single minute last year.

American families are struggling. Big oil companies are not. Before my Republican colleagues vote to send another taxpayer dollar to Big Oil, I hope they will consider the $260,000 a minute, and I hope they will make the right decision as we vote at 11:30 today.

Mr. President, would the Chair announce the business of the day.

Madam President, if my friend would yield. I have a unanimous consent request.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture vote on S. 2204, which is currently set for 11:30, be moved to start at 11:15.

Members should not be worried about this because we will keep the vote open until at least noon. So everybody who was scheduling to vote at 11:30 can still do that.

Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Yes, I do.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to H.R. 4281, the Surface Transportation Extension Act, which was received from the House and is now at the desk; that the bill be read three times and the Senate proceed to vote on that matter.

Mr. President, this has been a difficult time for everyone, and we have what none of us wanted. Our bill was passed in the Senate by a very nice bipartisan margin. I hope during the Easter recess, the House will be able to come back with something they can--as Senator Landrieu mentioned, at least have some piece of legislation they can give to us and try to work toward a conclusion or accept our bill, which is our preference.

So I appreciate very much the comments of my colleagues, and I appreciate their patience and understanding of the situation we find ourselves in, which is not a good one.

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

Mr. President, the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 339, S. 2230 is now pending; is that correct?

I have a cloture motion at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum required under rule XXII be waived and the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 2230 occur on Monday, April 16, when the Senate resumes legislative session immediately following the vote on the confirmation of Stephanie Dawn Thacker.

I ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with Senator McConnell, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 231; that there be 2 hours for debate equally divided in the usual form; that upon the use or yielding back of time the Senate proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on Calendar No. 231; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order; that any related statements be printed in the Record; that President Obama be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar Nos. 344, 346, 422, 493, 494, 495, 496, 499, 500, 504, 505, 506, 507, 511, 514, 515, 516, 517, 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, 541, 543, 544, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551, 553, 554, 555, 556, 557, 558, 559, 560, 561, 562, 563, 564, 565, 608, 614, 629, 630, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 641, 642, 643, 648, 649, and all nominations placed on the Secretary's desk in the Foreign Service; that the nominations be confirmed

en bloc; the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to any of the nominations; that any related statements be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, very quickly--I know the Republican leader is in a hurry--I agree. This is the way we should legislate. I hope-- maybe not in the 2-week period we come back, but after that--we start doing appropriations bills. We are both committed--the Republican leader and I--we are committed to doing appropriations bills this year, and we have to do that. We cannot let other things stand in the way of getting them done. I appreciate the cooperation of the White House and my friend the Republican leader.

The nominations considered and confirmed are as follows:

federal deposit insurance corporation

Martin J. Gruenberg, of Maryland, to be a Member of the

Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance

Corporation for a term expiring December 27, 2018.

department of the treasury

Thomas J. Curry, of Massachusetts, to be Comptroller of the

Currency for a term of five years.

department of state

Michael A. Hammer, of the District of Columbia, a Career

Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor to

be an Assistant Secretary of State (Public Affairs).

department of energy

Charles DeWitt McConnell, of Ohio, to be an Assistant

Secretary of Energy (Fossil Energy).

David T. Danielson, of California, to be an Assistant

Secretary of Energy (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy).

LaDoris Guess Harris, of Georgia, to be Director of the

Office of Minority Economic Impact, Department of Energy.

Gregory Howard Woods, of New York, to be General Counsel of

the Department of Energy.

state justice institute

James R. Hannah, of Arkansas, to be a Member of the Board

of Directors of the State Justice Institute for a term

expiring September 17, 2013.

Daniel J. Becker, of Utah, to be a Member of the Board of

Directors of the State Justice Institute for a term expiring

September 17, 2013.

department of state

Roberta S. Jacobson, of Maryland, a Career Member of the

Senior Executive Service, to be an Assistant Secretary of

State (Western Hemisphere Affairs).

Elizabeth M. Cousens, of Washington, to be Representative

of the United States of America on the Economic and Social

Council of the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador.

Elizabeth M. Cousens, of Washington, to be an Alternate

Representative of the United States of America to the

Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations,

during her tenure of service as Representative of the United

States of America on the Economic and Social Council of the

United Nations.

department of justice

Michael E. Horowitz, of Maryland, to be Inspector General,

Department of Justice.

department of commerce

Rebecca M. Blank, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of

Commerce.

federal trade commission

Jon D. Leibowitz, of Maryland, to be a Federal Trade

Commissioner for a term of seven years from September 26,

2010.

Maureen K. Ohlhausen, of Virginia, to be a Federal Trade

Commissioner for a term of seven years from September 26,

2011.

department of justice

Kathryn Keneally, of New York, to be an Assistant Attorney

General.

department of housing and urban development

Maurice A. Jones, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of

Housing and Urban Development.

federal deposit insurance corporation

Thomas Hoenig, of Missouri, to be a Member of the Board of

Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for a

term of six years.

national foundation on the arts and the humanities

Deepa Gupta, of Illinois, to be a Member of the National

Council on the Arts for a term expiring September 3, 2016.

Christopher Merrill, of Iowa, to be a Member of the

National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring

January 26, 2016.

national council on disability

Stephanie Orlando, of New York, to be a Member of the

National Council on Disability for the remainder of the term

expiring September 17, 2011.

Stephanie Orlando, of New York, to be a Member of the

National Council on Disability for a term expiring September

17, 2014.

Gary Blumenthal, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the

National Council on Disability for a term expiring September

17, 2013.

corporation for national and community service

Wendy M. Spencer, of Florida, to be Chief Executive Officer

of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

department of the treasury

Mary John Miller, of Maryland, to be an Under Secretary of

the Treasury.

united states tax court

Kathleen Kerrigan, of Massachusetts, to be a Judge of the

United States Tax Court for the term of fifteen years.

department of the treasury

Alastair M. Fitzpayne, of Maryland, to be a Deputy Under

Secretary of the Treasury.

department of homeland security

Margaret Ann Sherry, of Virginia, to be Chief Financial

Officer, Department of Homeland Security.

inter-american foundation

Eduardo Arriola, of Florida, to be a Member of the Board of

Directors of the Inter-American Foundation for a term

expiring October 6, 2016.

J. Kelly Ryan, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Board of

Directors of the Inter-American Foundation for the remainder

of the term expiring September 20, 2012.

overseas private investment corporation

Michael James Warren, of the District of Columbia, to be a

Member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private

Investment Corporation for a term expiring December 17, 2014.

saint lawrence seaway development corporation

David J. McMillan, of Minnesota, to be a Member of the

Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development

Corporation, vice Scott Kevin Walker.

Wenona Singel, of Michigan, to be a Member of the Advisory

Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

department of justice

Anuj Chang Desai, of Wisconsin, to be a Member of the

Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States for

the term expiring September 30, 2011.

Anuj Chang Desai, of Wisconsin, to be a Member of the

Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States for

the term expiring September 30, 2014.

Dennis J. Erby, of Mississippi, to be United States Marshal

for the Northern District of Mississippi for the term of four

years.

united states agency for international development

Earl W. Gast, of California, to be an Assistant

Administrator of the United States Agency for International

Development.

department of state

Anne Claire Richard, of New York, to be an Assistant

Secretary of State (Population, Refugees, and Migration).

Tara D. Sonenshine, of Maryland, to be Under Secretary of

State for Public Diplomacy.

Robert E. Whitehead, of Florida, a Career Member of the

Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to the Togolese Republic.

Larry Leon Palmer, of Georgia, a Career Member of the

Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to Barbados, and to serve concurrently and

without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary

and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to St.

Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, the

Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines.

Jonathan Don Farrar, of California, a Career Member of the

Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to the Republic of Panama.

Phyllis Marie Powers, of Virginia, a Career Member of the

Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to the Republic of Nicaragua.

Nancy J. Powell, of Iowa, a Career Member of the Senior

Foreign Service, Personal Rank of Career Ambassador, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to India.

farm credit administration

Bruce J. Sherrick, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Board

of Directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage

Corporation.

Chester John Culver, of Iowa, to be a Member of the Board

of Directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage

Corporation.

james madison memorial fellowship foundation

Catherine Allgor, of California, to be a Member of the

Board of Trustees of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship

Foundation for a term expiring September 27, 2014.

department of justice

Thomas M. Harrigan, of New York, to be Deputy Administrator

of Drug Enforcement.

department of state

Gina K. Abercrombie-Winstanley, of Ohio, a Career Member of

the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to

be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to the Republic of Malta.

Julissa Reynoso, of New York, to be Ambassador

Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of

America to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.

William E. Todd, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior

Executive Service, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and

Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the

Kingdom of Cambodia.

Jacob Walles, of Delaware, a Career Member of the Senior

Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to the Tunisian Republic.

Pamela A. White, of Maine, a Career Member of the Senior

Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be Ambassador

Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of

America to the Republic of Haiti.

John Christopher Stevens, of California, a Career Member of

the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to Libya.

Tracey Ann Jacobson, of the District of Columbia, a Career

Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-

Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

of the United States of America to the Republic of Kosovo.

Kenneth Merten, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior

Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to the Republic of Croatia.

Mark A. Pekala, of Maryland, a Career Member of the Senior

Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to the Republic of Latvia.

Richard B. Norland, of Iowa, a Career Member of the Senior

Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to Georgia.

Jeffrey D. Levine, of California, a Career Member of the

Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United

States of America to the Republic of Estonia.

department of state

Frederick D. Barton, of Maine, to be an Assistant Secretary

of State (Conflict and Stabilization Operations).

Frederick D. Barton, of Maine, to be Coordinator for

Reconstruction and Stabilization.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, of Louisiana, a Career Member of

the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to

be Director General of the Foreign Service.

federal deposit insurance corporation

Jeremiah O'Hear Norton, of Virginia, to be a Member of the

Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance

Corporation for the remainder of the term expiring July 15,

2013.

department of justice

Gregory K. Kavis, of Mississippi, to be United States

Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi for the

term of four years.

Nominations Placed on the Secretary's Desk

in the foreign service

PN1345 FOREIGN SERVICE nominations (4) beginning Olga Ford,

and ending Margaret Shu Teasdale, which nominations were

received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional

Record of February 2, 2012.

PN1347 FOREIGN SERVICE nominations (65) beginning Terry L.

Murphree, and ending Andrew J. Wylie, which nominations were

received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional

Record of February 2, 2012.

PN1408 FOREIGN SERVICE nominations (2) beginning Morgan D.

Haas, and ending Stephen L. Wixom, which nominations were

received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional

Record of February 29, 2012.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Commerce Committee be discharged from further consideration of and the Senate proceed to the consideration of Presidential nominations 1134, 1135, 1136, 1137, and 1312; that the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, there be no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nominations; that any related statements be printed in the Record and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 258, 259, 262, and 264; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, there be no intervening action or debate; that no motions be in order to any of the nominations; that any related statements be printed in the Record and President Obama be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

I know there is one Senator very happy about that. That is Senator Mikulski. I am glad we were able to get this done.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of and the Senate proceed to the consideration of Presidential nomination 1311, Christy L. Romero, of Virginia, to be special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which was reported out by the Banking Committee today; that the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, there be no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nomination; that any related statements be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.