Floor Statements

Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.

Madam President, following any leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business until 10:30 a.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the second half.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S. 493, the Small Business jobs bill.

Senators should expect two rollcall votes at about 10:30 this morning. Those votes will be in relation to the following amendments: Nelson of Nebraska, regarding a sense-of-the-Senate resolution to reduce the Senate's budget by 5 percent, and a Snowe-Landrieu-Coburn amendment striking the Federal authorization of the National Veterans Business Development Program.

Additional rollcall votes in relation to amendments to the Small Business bill are expected during today's session of the Senate.

At 12 noon, Senator Blumenthal, from Connecticut, will deliver his maiden speech and will speak for up to 20 minutes.

Yesterday, we received a 3-week continuing resolution from the House. I hope we will be able to reach an agreement to consider that before the end of the week.

Madam President, I am told that H.J. Res. 48 is at the desk and due for its second reading.

Madam President, I object to any further proceedings with respect to the joint resolution.

Madam President, no one can count the number of times this Chamber has heard calls for compromise. That call has come from Senators of good faith, from Senators on both sides. Indeed, it is the very essence of the legislative branch, which was purposefully designed to run on consensus by our Founding Fathers.

As Senators we search for the right arguments, and the right incentives that will help us strike the right balance--a balance that will let the Senate and the country move forward. But there has been no stronger argument for bipartisanship than the series of budget votes over the past few days.

Last week, the Senate voted on two proposals--one written by Republicans and one written by Democrats. Some Republicans voted against the Republican bill and some Democrats voted against the Democratic bill. In the end, neither passed.

Yesterday, the House voted on another Republican proposal. Again, some Republicans voted against their own party's plan--a lot of them did--and some Democrats voted for the

other party's plan. This time, it passed--but only because it had bipartisan support. We don't know what will happen when that same question comes before the Senate this week, but we know we won't see a strictly party-line vote.

The lesson is obvious: Neither party can pass a bill without the other party, and neither Chamber can send that bill to the President without the other Chamber. Therefore, if you're looking for a case study on why cooperation is necessary, that is as clear as it comes.

It is just as obvious that we cannot meet in the middle if one side refuses to give any ground. Both parties and both Houses must be willing to work together. We cannot negotiate without a partner on the other side of the table. We will not find a solution in stubbornness.

I will repeat the request I have made since the beginning of the budget debate. It is a request for reasonableness. It is the same call for compromise and consensus that has always kept this diverse Nation moving forward. It is the same appeal made by one of the great Senators in the history of this country--a Senator whose seat the Republican leader now holds. Kentucky's Henry Clay said:

All legislation is founded upon the principle of mutual

concession.

If the Senate and House cannot pass a long-term budget that keeps the country open for business, another reality will be made very plain for the American people to see. It will be crystal clear which party was willing to work toward a common goal and which party lacked the courage to compromise.

Madam President, following any leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to morning business until 11 a.m. Senators will be permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each during that time. The majority will control the first half, the Republicans will control the final half.

Following morning business, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of the reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Act, S. 493. The Senate will recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. for the weekly caucus meetings. At 2:15 p.m., Senator Coats will be recognized to deliver his maiden speech. He will be recognized for up to 30 minutes. Rollcall votes in relation to amendments to the small business jobs bill are possible during today's session.

Madam President, this bill is another jobs bill. It is a very important bill. I did a press event yesterday with the chairman of the committee, Senator Landrieu. It was a good meeting. We talked about some of the things that are happening in our States regarding small business under this program that was developed during President Reagan's administration. Some remarkably good things happen in every State.

As to New Hampshire, I do not know which ones happen there, but there are a number of things in every State. In the State of Nevada, wonderful things have occurred. One of the things a smart man decided is that we should not have 9/11-type incidents where people are trapped and cannot get out of high stories. He has an apparatus that goes up and brings people down. For an initial grant of some $150,000, he was able to do that.

We have another--a battery that is now being used by the military-- for $180,000. It does all these great things improving batteries in vehicles.

This did not occur in Nevada, but one of the amazing things is the electric toothbrush came about as a result of one of these small grants.

Every State in America has benefited from these grants. The program has worked well for almost 30 years, and we are reauthorizing it. That is what we are doing so these programs can continue.

We hope people will offer amendments to improve this legislation and not detract from it. We would like to complete this legislation this week. We know we have the CR coming over probably tonight sometime. We will have to deal with that. The next work period is going to be filled with a lot of business. We are going to soon have to reauthorize the PATRIOT Act. We have many things to do, but the things we have done so far this year are job creating. Not only the small business legislation I just talked about, but the patent bill, the first revision of that in some 60 years, that is 300,000 jobs. We did FAA reauthorization; that is 280,000 jobs.

I hope the House will complete these measures--we are waiting for them; the President is waiting for these matters--rather than doing what they are doing, which is not job creating.

There is a piece in the Washington Post today about how the Republicans are being so shortsighted. For every

dollar we spend with the IRS going after people who cheat, we bring in more than $10 to the Treasury. They are cutting the ability of the IRS to go after people who cheat on paying their taxes. That makes it more difficult for the people who pay their taxes. I hope they will get off the government bashing program they have been on and focus on job creation.

We all know we need to reduce our debt. We are engaged in that, but in a way that is smart, not a way that is, as indicated in that Washington Post article, penny-wise and very pound-foolish.

Will the Chair now announce morning business.

Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee- reported amendments be agreed to en bloc; the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table en bloc; the amended version of S. 493 be considered original text for the purposes of further amendment; that Senator Nelson of Nebraska then be recognized to offer an amendment to S. 493; that following the reporting of the Nelson amendment, the amendment be set aside and the Republican leader be recognized to offer a first-degree amendment to the bill; and following the reporting of the McConnell amendment, the Republican leader be recognized for up to 5 minutes for debate only relative to his amendment; that following the Republican leader's remarks, the Senate resume consideration of the Nelson amendment and Senator Nelson be recognized for up to 10 minutes for debate only relative to his amendment.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent this be modified to allow the Republican leader to speak for whatever time he needs.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate resumes its consideration of S. 493 tomorrow, Wednesday, March 16, the Senate proceed to votes in relation to the amendments listed: Nelson of Nebraska No. 182 and Snowe-Landrieu-Coburn No. 193; that there be 2 minutes of debate equally divided prior to each vote; that no amendments be in order to either amendment prior to the votes, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no interviewing action or debate.

Further, I ask that following those votes, the next first-degree amendments in order be the following: Casey No. 216, Cornyn No. 186, Sanders No. 207, Paul No. 199, a Democratic amendment, and Hutchison No. 197.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 96 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Rules Committee be discharged from further consideration of S.J. Res. 7, 8, and 9, and the Senate proceed to their immediate consideration en bloc; that the joint resolutions be read three times and passed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, H.J. Res. 48 has been received from the House and is at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask for its second reading and object to my own request.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until tomorrow at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 16; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and that following leader remarks, there be a period of morning business until 10:30 a.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with the majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half; further, that following morning business, the Senate resume consideration of S. 493, the SBIR and STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011.

Senators should expect the first votes of the day to begin at about 10:30 in the morning in relation to the Nelson of Nebraska and the Snowe-Landrieu-Coburn amendment. Additional rollcall votes are expected to occur throughout the day. Under a previous order, Senator Blumenthal will be recognized at 12 noon for up to 20 minutes in order to give his maiden speech.

If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.