Floor Statements

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. Res. 462.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table.

I believe there are three bills at the desk, and I ask for their first reading en bloc.

I now ask for their second reading en bloc but object to my own request en bloc.

Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Friday, March 19; 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 the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 1586.

Mr. President, tomorrow the Senate will resume consideration of the Federal Aviation Administration legislation. There will be no rollcall votes tomorrow. Senators should expect the next vote to begin at or about 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 22.

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

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the House message to H.R. 2847, the HIRE Act. There will be 10 minutes for debate, equally divided and controlled between Senators Gregg and Schumer or their designees. We expect Senator Gregg to make a budget point of order with respect to the bill.

At approximately 9:45, the Senate will proceed to a series of two rollcall votes: the motion to waive the Gregg budget point of order and the motion to concur in the House amendments to the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 2847.

Upon disposition of the HIRE Act, the Senate will resume consideration of FAA reauthorization. The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2 p.m. for a special Democratic caucus.

When the Senate reconvenes at 2 p.m., there will be a live quorum. Senators are requested to come to the floor at that time. When a quorum is present, the Senate will receive the House managers for the purpose of presenting and exhibiting articles of impeachment against G. Thomas Porteous, judge of the U.S. Eastern District of Louisiana. Once the House managers are received, Senators will be sworn. Then Senators will be required to sign the Secretary's oath book.

In addition, rollcall votes in relation to FAA are expected throughout the day.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Secretary inform the House of Representatives that the Senate is ready to receive the managers appointed by the House for the purpose of exhibiting Articles of Impeachment against G. Thomas Porteous, Jr., Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, agreeably to the notice communicated to the Senate, and at the hour of 2 p.m., today, Wednesday, March 17, 2010, the Senate will receive the honorable managers on the part of the House of Representatives in order that they may present and exhibit the said Articles of Impeachment against the said G. Thomas Porteous, Jr., Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following counsel and staff of the House of Representatives be permitted the privileges of the floor during the proceedings with respect to the trial of the impeachment of Judge Porteous. They are as follows: Danielle Brown, Allison Halataei, Alan Baron, Harry Damelin, Mark Dubester, Kirsten Konar, Jessica Klein, Branden Ritchie, Michael Len, Phil Tahtakran, Ryan Clough, and Elisabeth Stein.

Mr. President, at this time the oath should be administered in conformance with article I, section 3, clause 6 of the Constitution of the United States and the Senate's impeachment rules. I move that the Senator from Kentucky, Mr. McConnell, be designated by the Senate to administer the oath to the Presiding Officer of the Senate, the Senator from Hawaii, Mr. Inouye.

Mr. President, the oath shall now be administered by the Presiding Officer to all Senators. This is an appropriate time for any Senator who has cause to be excused from service in this impeachment to make that fact known.

If there is no Senator who desires to be excused, I move that the Presiding Officer administer the oath to Members of the Senate.

Mr. President, any Senator who was not in the Senate Chamber at the time the oath was administered to the other Senators will make that fact known to the Chair so that the oath may be administered as soon as possible to that Senator. The Secretary will note the names of the Senators who have been sworn and will present to them for signing a book, which will be the Senate's permanent record of the administration of the oath. I will remind all Senators who were administered this oath that they must now sign the oath book, which is at the desk, before leaving the Chamber.

Mr. President, on behalf of myself and the distinguished Republican leader, Mr. McCONNELL, I send to the desk a resolution that provides for the issuance of a summons to Judge G. Thomas Porteous, Jr., for Judge Porteous's answer to the Articles of Impeachment against him, and for a replication by the House, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was agreed to.

Mr. President, on behalf of myself and the distinguished Republican leader, Mr. McConnell, I send a resolution to the desk on the appointment of an impeachment trial committee and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was agreed to.

Mr. President, in accordance with the resolution on the appointment of an impeachment trial committee, I recommend to the Chair the appointment of Senators McCaskill, as chair, Klobuchar, Whitehouse, Udall of New Mexico, Shaheen, and Kaufman.

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

Madam President, following leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business until 12:30 p.m. Senators will be allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each, with the time until 10:30 equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees and with the time from 10:30 until 12:30 equally divided, with the majority controlling the first half of that time and the Republicans controlling the second half. The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus luncheons. When the Senate reconvenes at 2:15, we will resume consideration of H.R. 1586, the FAA reauthorization legislation. Senators should be prepared for rollcall votes this afternoon in relation to amendments to the FAA bill.

The reason I talked about the time equally divided and controlled between Democrats and Republicans, according to how long Senator McConnell might take, it may not be the full 2 hours, but it will be very close.

Madam President, I understand that H.R. 2314 is at the desk and is due for a second reading.

I object to the matter being placed on the calendar.

Mr. President, last Thursday my wife was involved in a violent car accident.

We often say this Senate is a family. I am reminded of it time and time again when both triumph and tragedy unite us. Over the past few days, I learned all over again just how close, how genuine, how meaningful that family is. The tremendous outpouring of support for my wife and daughter from people across Nevada and the Nation and from my Senate family has deeply touched all of us. We have received literally hundreds and hundreds of e-mails and phone calls. We very much appreciate all the thoughts for Landra and every prayer on her behalf. The kindness and concern are overwhelming and really humbling.

It really was a close call, but we are grateful it wasn't worse, and we are confident she will be making a full recovery. It won't be tomorrow or the next day, but she will be back on her feet as soon as she can. My wife Landra and I have been married for 50 years. She is the strongest and most selfless person I know. If anyone can recover, it is she.

Before we begin this week's work, I wish to say to my Senate family and all of those watching: Thank you very much.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will turn to a period of morning business until 3 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the House message on H.R. 2847, the HIRE Act or the Jobs I bill. At 5:30 p.m., we will have a cloture vote on the motion to concur in the House amendments with respect to that bill.