Floor Statements

Mr. President, this resolution concerns a civil action filed by two individuals against five Senators, two Representatives, and the Federal Election Commission. Plaintiffs' challenge rests on their claim to a right that Congress pass health care legislation that would benefit them. Plaintiffs' legal claim is that the Federal Election Campaign Act's designation of Members of Congress as agents of their

campaign committees violates the Constitution's prohibition on Members of Congress holding any other office under the United States while serving in the Congress.

Plaintiffs' complaint over the legislative actions of Senators is not cognizable before the courts. In addition, Senators' involvement with their campaign committees does not constitute holding an office of the United States and does not violate the Constitution.

This resolution authorizes the Senate Legal Counsel to represent the Senators named as defendants in this case and to move for its dismissal.

Mr. President, on Saturday on public radio, there was a very nice piece on our Chaplain. It was a long interview; it must have taken 10 or 15 minutes. The woman doing the interview on public radio came to his office here. She was at various places with him. It was a very good piece historically about the history of the Chaplain in the Senate, and it spoke very well of our Chaplain--the first African American to become an admiral in the Navy, our first African-American Chaplain. He is a person who is very accomplished.

I appreciate the work he does for each of us individually and the work he does with various groups. He has a number of study groups here that he works with on a weekly basis. In the Senate, we are very proud of our Senate Chaplain, ADM Dr. Barry Black.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period for the transaction of morning business until 3 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

I ask unanimous consent that the first speaker during morning business be the Senator from California, Mrs. Feinstein, and that she be recognized for up to 15 minutes.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the resolution increasing the statutory limit on the public debt. At 5:30 p.m., the Senate will turn to executive session to consider the nomination of Rosanna Peterson to be a U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Washington. At 6 p.m., the Senate will vote on her confirmation.

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

Mr. President, what is the pending business?

Mr. President, is amendment No. 3305 the pending amendment?

I have a cloture motion at the desk with respect to that amendment.

Mr. President, I have a cloture motion on the substitute amendment at the desk.

Mr. President, I have a cloture motion on the joint resolution, which is at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorums with respect to each cloture motion be waived.

Madam President, in just a few minutes, as soon as I finish my remarks, we will move to vote on a judge. This will be the 10,000th vote of Arlen Specter. I congratulate our distinguished colleague, Senator Specter, as he is about to cast his 10,000th vote as a Senator. He is only the 30th Senator to reach this number of five digits.

I have known Senator Specter for more than a quarter of a century. I have read his book. The book on his life is a remarkably impressive travel through his political career. He was a crime fighter as a district attorney. As far as lawyers go, the Specter genes are pretty good. The largest judgment in the history of the State of Nevada was a judgment his son received. His son is a prominent trial lawyer. Nevada knows the Specter name from more than Arlen.

Arlen has always been a man of honor and integrity and a tremendous public servant. The State of Pennsylvania, of course, is home to some of our Nation's most significant political history--the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were drafted in Senator Specter's hometown of Philadelphia. No one has served that State longer than Senator Specter.

I congratulate my friend Arlen Specter on making this historic milestone. It will make Pennsylvania proud. No one with whom I have served in the Senate has a better legal mind than Arlen Specter. We always look to him when there is a complex legal issue to give one of his renown statements.

I am sorry to hold up everybody, but I wanted this night not to go forward without saying something about our friend, Arlen Specter.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Pamela Gavin, who will retire from Office of the Secretary of the Senate on February 1, 2010, after more than 24 years of service as the Superintendent of Public Records. During that time, she and her staff have shepherded and safeguarded the filing of thousands of Senate public documents, including financial disclosure reports, Federal Election Commission campaign reports and lobby disclosure documents.

Ms. Gavin has seen numerous milestones in Senate history, including passage of the Lobby Disclosure Act of 1995 and the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007. She successfully led her team in implementing new laws and providing guidance to those endeavoring to follow the law. She has been a dependable, thoughtful public servant throughout her career, known by her colleagues for her cheerful nature and clever insight. A mentor to many Senate staffers, Ms. Gavin is a tremendous resource to the entire Senate community.

During these 24 years of service, Ms. Gavin has met unusual challenges and upheld her responsibilities even under the most trying circumstances. During the anthrax attacks of 2001, in which Senate staff were forced to vacate the Hart building for several months, she kept the Office of Public Records in business every day, using a small corner of the Senate Library to maintain her responsibilities to the Senate community and to the public.

I am pleased to offer congratulations on such an outstanding and accomplished career. We are all grateful for Pam Gavin's years of dedicated public service. While I know that her friends and colleagues will miss her greatly, I join my colleagues today in wishing her the very best in the years to come.

Mr. President, following any leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of H.J. Res. 45, which is a joint resolution increasing the statutory limit of the public debt. There will be no rollcall votes during today's session of the Senate.

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, what is the pending business?

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be set aside, and I call up an amendment I have at the desk.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 381, 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, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, there be no intervening action or debate, and any statements relating to the matter 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, we have all been working to help the people of Haiti and the American citizens who have been caught up in this tragedy. That is why we are committed to work with Senator Baucus, Senator Nelson, Senator Menendez, and Republican colleagues to make sure we pass legislation next week so the Department of Health and Human Services will continue to have the funding they need to help American citizens who are repatriated from Haiti.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that on Tuesday, January 26, when the Senate resumes consideration of H.J. Res. 45, the time until 11:30 a.m. be equally divided and controlled between the leaders or their designees, with the time to be divided to run concurrently on the Baucus amendment No. 3300 and the Conrad-Gregg amendment No. 3302; that at 11:30 a.m., the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the Baucus amendment, to be followed by a vote on the Conrad-Gregg amendment, with 2 minutes of debate equally divided prior to the second vote in this sequence, with the provisions of the December 22 order in effect.

Further, as in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that on Monday, January 25, at 5:30 p.m., the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Executive Calendar No. 608, the nomination of Rosanna Peterson to be a U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Washington, with the time until 6 p.m. equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Sessions or their designees; that at 6 p.m., the Senate then proceed to vote on confirmation of the nomination; that upon confirmation, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, no further motion be in order, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate resume legislative session.

Before the Chair rules on my request, let me indicate for the record that with respect to the judicial nomination, the majority was in a position to agree to a vote on the nomination of Joseph Greenaway to be a U.S. circuit judge for the Third Circuit. However, I was advised the Republicans would not agree to such request. Therefore, we have substituted the nomination of Rosanna Peterson as noted above.

Mr. President, I ask the pardon of everyone here. It is a shame sometimes that things take so long. I have been working this afternoon for 3\1/2\ hours, or maybe longer, trying to get to this point--numerous conversations with a few Senators--and we are now at a point where we can move on to the next day's business.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 2 p.m. on Monday, January 25; that following the prayer and the 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 proceed to a period of morning business until 3 p.m. with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each; and that following morning business, the Senate resume consideration of H.J. Res. 45, a joint resolution increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.

Mr. President, at 6 p.m. on Monday, the Senate will proceed to a vote on confirmation of the nomination of Rosanna Malouf Peterson, of Washington, to be a Federal District Judge for the Eastern District of Washington.