Floor Statements

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, first, there will be no more votes today if we get this agreement worked out. I appreciate everyone's patience. We have worked long and hard to arrive at this point. It is never easy, as we have explained on a number of occasions, but we are fortunate with this bill to have two veterans of the Senate, two of the best Senators who would possibly work a bill. We are fortunate that Senator Inouye and Senator Cochran are managing this bill. They are both gentlemen, and they have the best interests of the country at heart in everything we do here.

I ask unanimous consent that on Thursday, May 27, after any leader time, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 4899 and resume consideration of the following amendments in the order listed: McCain No. 4214; Kyl No. 4288, second degree, as modified; Cornyn No. 4202, as modified and amended, if amended; and that the Cornyn amendment be further modified with the changes at the desk; that there be a total of 20 minutes for debate, with the time divided 5 minutes each for Senators McCain, Kyl, Cornyn, and Schumer or their designees, with respect to the border security-related amendments; that after the first vote in the sequence, the succeeding votes be limited to 10 minutes each; that after the first vote, there be 2 minutes equally divided in the usual form prior to the succeeding votes; that no amendment be in order to the amendments covered in this agreement other than as identified in this agreement; that if a budget point of order is raised against the border security amendments, then a motion to waive a budget point of order be considered made and the Senate then proceed to vote on the motion to waive the applicable budget point of order; that if the waivers are successful, then the amendments be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; that if the waivers fail, then the amendments be withdrawn; that upon disposition of the above- referenced amendments, the Senate then consider the Feingold amendment No. 4204 and the Coburn amendments Nos. 4231, as modified, and 4232, and that they be debated concurrently for a total of 15 minutes prior to a vote in relation thereto, with 5 minutes each under the control of Senators Feingold, Coburn, and Inouye or their designees; that no amendments be in order to these amendments prior to the votes; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate then proceed to vote in relation to the amendments in the order listed; provided further that the pending committee-reported substitute amendment not be subject to any rule XVI point of order; and that upon disposition of these amendments, the Senate then proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the committee-reported substitute amendment.

I appreciate the exemplary work of my friend from Oregon. I, of course, would accept the modification, but my accepting the modification would take the concurrence of the Republicans.

I say to my friend, he knows how much I support his efforts. But I haven't had the opportunity to speak to Senator McConnell. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to agree to something without consulting with him. I can't consult with him now. I will do everything within my abilities here to work this out so that prior to the end of our next work period, we will get this done.

It would prevent a pathway, yes.

Mr. President, I appreciate the good will of my friend from Oregon. I would be happy to work with my friend. But at this stage, as the Senator understands, this is two pieces of legislation we got from the President--one dealing with emergencies. FEMA is out of money, totally out of money. This will replenish the money. And there will be opportunities for FEMA, when we do this, to have the ability to do some things such as helping the State of Oregon and other problems.

As we all know, there is going to have to be some work done with the gulf. So I will be happy to work with my friend in any way I can, but I think at this stage this bill has been through a lot already. Not only do we have the

emergencies dealing with the normal emergencies that come about as a result of floods, fires, and all this, we also have the troops who have to be taken care of. We must get this done. We are running out of money there.

If the Senator wishes to modify the amendment, I, of course, have no objection there. I will work with the Senator to try to find some pathway to do this. A modification is fine. But I want to make sure the Senator understands that at this stage we will have to try to figure out something separate and apart from this consent request.

I would say to my friend, most of the things that are listed here emergencywise--they are not coming to Democratic States. We have had these acts of God in most instances that happen where they happen. We have two Senators from Tennessee, and this has nothing to do with partisanship. But I am committed to help my friend from Oregon. We have other problems similar to that in Oregon, and I would be happy to work with the distinguished Senator from Oregon, who is always very reasonable. I will do what I can to work with the Senator and Senator Wyden to make sure we take care of Oregon.

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

Madam President, following any leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 4899, the emergency supplemental appropriations bill. The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15 to allow for the weekly caucus luncheons. Rollcall votes are expected to occur throughout the day in relation to amendments to the supplemental appropriations bill.

Madam President, as we look around the world, we have lots of issues that are extremely difficult ones. We have the Korean Peninsula situation that has drawn so much attention and rightfully so. We now have our Secretary of State in China working on this and other issues, and the Secretary of the Treasury is there. We have a situation where it appears a South Korean Navy ship was sunk for no reason; that dealt with the security of North Korea. We have the oil spewing into the gulf--thousands and thousands of barrels every day.

We have two wars we are watching closely, of course, in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have the situation in Europe, where governments are staggering because of financial problems. We have our own economy, which is doing better but certainly far from being where we want it to be. Then, on the floor this week we have two extremely important issues to deal with. One is the supplemental appropriations bill that we have combined with one given to us by the White House. We have the war spending, and then we have all the emergencies that came up during this year. Every year, this is something we always do.

We have to figure out a way to get through these in the next couple days. The House is going to act either tonight or tomorrow on an extenders bill--doing a lot of good things that our country and our economy needs very badly. We realize the efforts we have to undertake on the floor today, recognizing, of course, that we are not going to be dealing with all the issues I outlined, but we have important things to do this week. It will take the cooperation of both sides to get it done. I appreciate everybody's attention to the issues at hand but especially during this week.

I hope it is not necessary that we are going to be in session during the Memorial Day recess. There are a lot of issues we all have to take care of at home. When we go home, it is not a question of sitting around the pool, sipping cold drinks. We have a lot of work to do. The people we represent need to see us. Not everybody can come to Washington and meet with us. There are people out there whom we are fortunate to be able to meet with during the break. When we are stuck in Washington, many times they simply cannot afford to come here. We also have the Memorial Day observances that are important to everybody, including the families of those who have lost loved ones. I hope everyone recognizes we have to try to get a lot of things done in the next few days.

I appreciate my friend yielding. I am here. Why don't you proceed, and when I get the necessary--

Thank you very much.

Mr. President, I have two cloture motions at the desk. I ask that they be reported.

Mr. President, today I rise with my good friend Senator Ensign to introduce the Nevada Mining Townsite Conveyance Act of 2010. The residents of the towns Ione and Gold Point in Nevada have asked for our help in settling longstanding trespass issues that have seriously affected these communities for decades. This bill would convey 682 acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management's, BLM, Tonopah Field Office to clear up decades old confusion over property ownership in these two historic mining towns.

Ione and Gold Point were founded in central Nevada during the last half of the nineteenth century. Like other early towns in Nevada, they endured the boom and bust cycle so common to mining camps. A very long time ago both of these towns were surveyed and approved for townships, but through some misfortune the proof of patent was never recorded by the U.S. Government Land Office and title for the land was never transferred. Nevertheless, these towns have been continuously occupied for over 100 years.

Many residents in Ione and Gold Point live on the same land that their families settled on decades earlier. These citizens have paid their property taxes and made improvements to their properties. They have rehabilitated historic structures and built new ones. Regrettably, the historical documents by which these citizens claim possession do not satisfy modern requirements for demonstrating lawful ownership of their properties. Because these documents are legally insufficient and have been deemed invalid, the BLM retains legal ownership of the land. Thus, the BLM has determined that these residents of Ione and Gold Point and their homes are in trespass on Federal land.

This situation is untenable. Local residents, the counties, and the BLM recognize that many of these citizens have substantial rights to the lands in question; however, there is no readily available procedure by which the BLM can adjudicate their claims. This puts the BLM at odds with the local residents and the county governments. It also impedes efforts to improve basic community services such as fire protection, and water supply and treatment facilities.

In the simplest terms, our legislation will convey any unencumbered property rights in the contested townsites to the counties and in turn the counties will use the procedures outlined in the 2001 state mining townsite law to consider residents' property claims and pass these lands to the rightful owners.

In order to accomplish the transfer of the townsites, this bill establishes a process for the BLM to determine the validity of any existing mining claims in Ione and Gold Point and to convey to the counties all surface ownership rights and any subsurface rights not subject to valid mining claims. Valid mining claims will not be conveyed to the counties, but they will be subject to various restrictions designed to protect the home owners in Ione and Gold Point.

I would like to thank Nye and Esmeralda counties, the Nevada State Legislature, the Bureau of Land Management, and the residents of Ione and Gold Point for their cooperation and hard work in resolving this complex problem. We are pleased to bring this legislation to the committee and we look forward to working with Chairman Bingaman, Ranking Member Murkowski and the other distinguished members to move this bill through the legislative process.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today I rise with my good friend Senator Ensign to introduce the Nevada Mining Townsite Conveyance Act of 2010. The residents of the towns Ione and Gold Point in Nevada have asked for our help in settling longstanding trespass issues that have seriously affected these communities for decades. This bill would convey 682 acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management's, BLM, Tonopah Field Office to clear up decades old confusion over property ownership in these two historic mining towns.

Ione and Gold Point were founded in central Nevada during the last half of the nineteenth century. Like other early towns in Nevada, they endured the boom and bust cycle so common to mining camps. A very long time ago both of these towns were surveyed and approved for townships, but through some misfortune the proof of patent was never recorded by the U.S. Government Land Office and title for the land was never transferred. Nevertheless, these towns have been continuously occupied for over 100 years.

Many residents in Ione and Gold Point live on the same land that their families settled on decades earlier. These citizens have paid their property taxes and made improvements to their properties. They have rehabilitated historic structures and built new ones. Regrettably, the historical documents by which these citizens claim possession do not satisfy modern requirements for demonstrating lawful ownership of their properties. Because these documents are legally insufficient and have been deemed invalid, the BLM retains legal ownership of the land. Thus, the BLM has determined that these residents of Ione and Gold Point and their homes are in trespass on Federal land.

This situation is untenable. Local residents, the counties, and the BLM recognize that many of these citizens have substantial rights to the lands in question; however, there is no readily available procedure by which the BLM can adjudicate their claims. This puts the BLM at odds with the local residents and the county governments. It also impedes efforts to improve basic community services such as fire protection, and water supply and treatment facilities.

In the simplest terms, our legislation will convey any unencumbered property rights in the contested townsites to the counties and in turn the counties will use the procedures outlined in the 2001 state mining townsite law to consider residents' property claims and pass these lands to the rightful owners.

In order to accomplish the transfer of the townsites, this bill establishes a process for the BLM to determine the validity of any existing mining claims in Ione and Gold Point and to convey to the counties all surface ownership rights and any subsurface rights not subject to valid mining claims. Valid mining claims will not be conveyed to the counties, but they will be subject to various restrictions designed to protect the home owners in Ione and Gold Point.

I would like to thank Nye and Esmeralda counties, the Nevada State Legislature, the Bureau of Land Management, and the residents of Ione and Gold Point for their cooperation and hard work in resolving this complex problem. We are pleased to bring this legislation to the committee and we look forward to working with Chairman Bingaman, Ranking Member Murkowski and the other distinguished members to move this bill through the legislative process.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. 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 suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, today there will be a period of morning business until 3 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for 10 minutes each. At 3 p.m. today, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of H.R. 4899, the emergency supplemental appropriations bill. At approximately 4:45 p.m., the Senate will resume the motions with respect to H.R. 4173, the Wall Street reform legislation. It is in order that Senator Brownback make a motion to instruct conferees with respect to auto dealers and Senator Hutchison with respect to proprietary trading. Each motion will have 20 minutes of debate prior to a vote. At approximately 5:30, the Senate will proceed to two consecutive votes in relation to the Brownback and Hutchison motions to instruct.

Mr. President, today there will be a period of morning business until 3 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for 10 minutes each. At 3 p.m. today, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of H.R. 4899, the emergency supplemental appropriations bill. At approximately 4:45 p.m., the Senate will resume the motions with respect to H.R. 4173, the Wall Street reform legislation. It is in order that Senator Brownback make a motion to instruct conferees with respect to auto dealers and Senator Hutchison with respect to proprietary trading. Each motion will have 20 minutes of debate prior to a vote. At approximately 5:30, the Senate will proceed to two consecutive votes in relation to the Brownback and Hutchison motions to instruct.

Mr. President, it has been nearly 5 weeks since oil started spewing into the Gulf of Mexico and onto our shores. Millions of gallons, miles of polluted coastline, and more than a month later, the consequences of our oil addiction are as clear as the gulf's waters once were.

It has also become clear that the companies responsible for this spill were poorly prepared for this possibility. There is no question that they failed to adequately invest in the technology necessary to respond to such a catastrophe. Days have turned into weeks, while the experts continue to experiment with ways to stop the spill. We still don't know when the end will come so cleanup can finally begin.

Every year, these companies rake in record profits. Then they turn and spend that money on trying to find more oil. It is time they also find safer ways to drill for it and handle it. The five top oil companies have made $\3/4\ trillion in profits--$750 billion--over the past decade, but the amount they have invested in cleanup technologies is negligible.

They have invested embarrassingly little in alternative fuels that would make us more secure both at home and abroad. I don't mind oil companies or any other company making money, but these multibillion- dollar corporations are getting rich at the expense of our national security, our economy, and our environment. Every day we pay unfriendly regimes to feed our oil addiction is a day we are less safe.

Everyone who stands in the way of diversifying our economy makes it harder for businesses to recover, for the unemployed to find work, and for our communities to prosper. And every time we see precious water and wildlife coated in crude oil, the threat to our environment is impossible to ignore. Pelicans were on the endangered species list. We took them off. Now, by the hundreds, they are dying. Where they do their hatching is soaked in oil. We may lose our pelicans as a result of BP.

Weaning ourselves off oil is a hard fact for us to face. We consume more

than 20 percent of the world's oil but produce less than 3 percent of the world's oil. It is not a change we can make overnight, but if we don't start, the next disaster could make the current one look like a drop in the bucket.

I am tired of waiting for oil companies to get the message. America needs clean alternatives more urgently than ever. In the meantime, those responsible for this terrible oilspill must foot the bill. I am going to do everything I can to make sure they do foot that bill. Taxpayers will not pick up that tab.

This is the final week of what has been a long and productive session. I know everybody is eager to return home to our States and meet with constituents and see our families and honor the sacrifice of our Nation's bravest this Memorial Day, which is 1 week from today.

We have a lot to accomplish between now and then.

One, we must pass a new jobs bill that cuts taxes for middle-class families and small businesses. It includes a host of tax credits, tax extenders, and tax incentives--all of which will help put people back to work. It is something Republicans and Democrats should come together to finish because it is something we can all be proud to support. More than that, it is something each of our States desperately needs.

Two, we have to finish the supplemental war appropriations bill. I have heard some on the other side vow they will stand in the way of this funding. I can think of no worse message to send our troops over Memorial Day than that. I hope Republicans will work with us, not for our sake or their own but for the sake of our Nation's security and all those whose service makes it strong.

Finally, scores of well-qualified nominees have been reported out of committee. They remain on the Senate calendar and are eager to fill these important, vacant positions. They should not be. At this time we have more than 100 nominations on the calendar. During the same period of time in the Bush administration, there were 13--that is 108 to 13. I hope we can confirm many of them this week so they can finally get to work.

Mr. President, it has been nearly 5 weeks since oil started spewing into the Gulf of Mexico and onto our shores. Millions of gallons, miles of polluted coastline, and more than a month later, the consequences of our oil addiction are as clear as the gulf's waters once were.

It has also become clear that the companies responsible for this spill were poorly prepared for this possibility. There is no question that they failed to adequately invest in the technology necessary to respond to such a catastrophe. Days have turned into weeks, while the experts continue to experiment with ways to stop the spill. We still don't know when the end will come so cleanup can finally begin.

Every year, these companies rake in record profits. Then they turn and spend that money on trying to find more oil. It is time they also find safer ways to drill for it and handle it. The five top oil companies have made $\3/4\ trillion in profits--$750 billion--over the past decade, but the amount they have invested in cleanup technologies is negligible.

They have invested embarrassingly little in alternative fuels that would make us more secure both at home and abroad. I don't mind oil companies or any other company making money, but these multibillion- dollar corporations are getting rich at the expense of our national security, our economy, and our environment. Every day we pay unfriendly regimes to feed our oil addiction is a day we are less safe.

Everyone who stands in the way of diversifying our economy makes it harder for businesses to recover, for the unemployed to find work, and for our communities to prosper. And every time we see precious water and wildlife coated in crude oil, the threat to our environment is impossible to ignore. Pelicans were on the endangered species list. We took them off. Now, by the hundreds, they are dying. Where they do their hatching is soaked in oil. We may lose our pelicans as a result of BP.

Weaning ourselves off oil is a hard fact for us to face. We consume more

than 20 percent of the world's oil but produce less than 3 percent of the world's oil. It is not a change we can make overnight, but if we don't start, the next disaster could make the current one look like a drop in the bucket.

I am tired of waiting for oil companies to get the message. America needs clean alternatives more urgently than ever. In the meantime, those responsible for this terrible oilspill must foot the bill. I am going to do everything I can to make sure they do foot that bill. Taxpayers will not pick up that tab.

This is the final week of what has been a long and productive session. I know everybody is eager to return home to our States and meet with constituents and see our families and honor the sacrifice of our Nation's bravest this Memorial Day, which is 1 week from today.

We have a lot to accomplish between now and then.

One, we must pass a new jobs bill that cuts taxes for middle-class families and small businesses. It includes a host of tax credits, tax extenders, and tax incentives--all of which will help put people back to work. It is something Republicans and Democrats should come together to finish because it is something we can all be proud to support. More than that, it is something each of our States desperately needs.

Two, we have to finish the supplemental war appropriations bill. I have heard some on the other side vow they will stand in the way of this funding. I can think of no worse message to send our troops over Memorial Day than that. I hope Republicans will work with us, not for our sake or their own but for the sake of our Nation's security and all those whose service makes it strong.

Finally, scores of well-qualified nominees have been reported out of committee. They remain on the Senate calendar and are eager to fill these important, vacant positions. They should not be. At this time we have more than 100 nominations on the calendar. During the same period of time in the Bush administration, there were 13--that is 108 to 13. I hope we can confirm many of them this week so they can finally get to work.

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

Mr President, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

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