Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 2 p.m, Monday, March 23; 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, the Senate proceed to a period of morning business until 3 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each during that time; upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 1388, a bill to reauthorize and reform national service laws.

Mr. President, as provided under the previous order, there will be a vote at 6 p.m. on Monday. That will be on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 1388.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order following remarks of Senator Chambliss and Senator Sessions, in that order.

Mr. President, following leader remarks this morning, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for up to 1 hour. Senators will be recognized for up to 10 minutes each. Republicans will control the first half; the majority will control the second half. Following morning business, the Senate will proceed to executive session to debate the nomination of Ronald Kirk to be U.S. Trade Representative. There will be up to 90 minutes for debate on that nomination, with the majority controlling 30 minutes and the Republicans controlling 60 minutes. Upon conclusion of the debate, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 146, the lands bill. We expect to lock in the vote on confirmation on the Kirk nomination for 2 p.m. today. We also hope to be able to line up three votes on amendments that Senator Coburn has offered following the confirmation vote. Therefore, Senators should expect a series of up to four votes at 2 o'clock this afternoon.

Mr. President, President John Kennedy famously said that ``a rising tide lifts all boats.''

The economic policies of the past 8 years may have lifted the privileged few to greater wealth, but they left the rest of our country to drown in shallow waters. With this new President, with this new budget, we begin to turn the page. President Obama's 2010 budget honors the middle class. It honors the middle-class values of hard work, responsibility, and opportunity.

After years of falling incomes and rising costs across the board for health care, education, groceries, gas, and retirement, this budget finally begins to bring the American dream back within the grasp of middle-class families once again. We are cutting taxes for 95 percent of working families and ending the irresponsible tax giveaways the Bush administration doled out to the superwealthy. Ninety-five percent of American households will get to keep more of each paycheck to save or spend on a mortgage payment, a doctor bill, a new car, or maybe a used car. We will expand the child tax credit for all families and increase credits available for larger families, who are more likely to live in poverty. We will help families afford the rising cost of college by making a $2,500 tuition tax credit permanent. We will help to encourage a new generation of savers by providing automatic enrollment in retirement accounts and expanding tax credits to reward the choice to save for retirement. Also, because we understand that every dollar the Federal Government invests comes from American taxpayers, we will ensure that high-level transparency and accountability exist. The taxpayers deserve this, and certainly taxpayer money deserves to be transparent and accounted for.

After 8 years of misplaced priorities, corporate greed, and failed oversight, we are facing a severe economic crisis. And that is an understatement. Senior

citizens are delaying their retirement, workers are losing their jobs, and families are losing their homes. Although this hour is difficult, President Obama's budget sets the path toward recovery, and when our economy does recover, we will ensure that this time not just the yachts but all boats are lifted with the coming tide.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the vote on confirmation of the nomination of Ron Kirk occur at 2 p.m. today, with the remaining provisions of the previous order governing the consideration of this nomination in effect; that upon resuming legislative session, the Senate then proceed to vote in relation to the following amendments in the order listed; further, with respect to H.R. 146 and the provisions of the order governing vote sequences remaining in effect: Coburn amendment No. 680, Coburn amendment No. 679, Coburn amendment No. 675.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) and the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) are necessarily absent.

Mr. President, I hesitate to jump in front of my friend from Indiana, but I feel I want to say, as I should, a few things about Senator Lugar.

He is not only the most senior Republican currently serving in the Senate, he also will have served twice as long as any other Senator in the history of the State of Indiana, as mentioned by my colleague, Senator McConnell.

Born in Indianapolis, he spent much of his boyhood focusing on things--as he is able to do--such as on becoming an Eagle Scout, and he did become an Eagle Scout.

He graduated first in his class--not just at Shortridge High School but also at Denison University. This is where he met Charlene, his wife.

Richard Lugar is clearly one of the most intellectually sound Members of the Senate. After college, he earned a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University, where he received honors in various programs. He received honors degrees in politics, philosophy, and economics and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He has also earned honorary degrees from 41 universities and colleges--41.

When Richard Lugar returned from Oxford, he and Charlene were married.

But just a few months later, Richard began his 3 years of volunteer service in the U.S. Navy, where he was ultimately assigned as intelligence briefer for ADM Arleigh Burke, the Chief of Naval Operations.

Back home in Indiana, after the Navy, Richard went into business with his brother, running a food machinery manufacturing company, before winning a seat on the school board, and then serving two terms as mayor of Indianapolis.

In the Senate, Richard Lugar has been a national leader on the environment, foreign policy, and let's not forget agriculture.

He worked closely with then-Senator Obama on the Foreign Affairs Committee on the complex challenge of loose nukes.

He currently serves as ranking Republican and former chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and as a member and former chairman of the Agriculture Committee.

Charlene and Richard have four sons: Mark, Robert, John, and David, and 14 grandchildren.

So, Senator Lugar, congratulations in casting your 12,000th vote as a U.S. Senator. This milestone is the latest in a career filled with remarkable accomplishments.

(Applause, Senators rising.)

Mr. President, this will be the last vote in the series of votes of amendments offered by Senator Coburn. There are three other amendments Senator Coburn has laid down, two of which we will have to vote on. On one I think there is agreement on this side it should be accepted, and Senator Coburn has acknowledged we would not need a vote on that. We are going to have those two votes. We are working on the appropriate time.

Senator Coburn has one more amendment on which he needs to speak. He has already spoken on the others I have mentioned.

I tell all Senators, we will likely do these votes when we first come in in the morning rather than this afternoon. There are a number of hearings and other things going on this afternoon. I think that would be to everyone's advantage.

We are also working on a number of nominations we are trying to complete. We hope we can get those done tomorrow. I do not see any reason to do the votes tonight. We will do them in the morning, at a very early time in the morning.

Amendment No. 675

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

I ask unanimous consent that tomorrow morning, March 19, following a period of morning business, the Senate proceed to H.R. 146; that upon the bill being reported, there be 20 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Bingaman and Coburn or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of this time, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the amendments as listed below and that the order with respect to time prior to votes and vote sequencing remain in effect: amendment No. 677, No. 682, No. 683; that upon disposition of all amendments, there be 30 minutes of debate with respect to the bill, equally divided and controlled between Senators Bingaman and Coburn or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of that time, the Senate then proceed as provided for under the order of March 17, with all other provisions remaining in effect.

I ask unanimous consent that upon disposition of H.R. 146, the Senate proceed to a period of morning business with Senators allowed to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

I ask unanimous consent that we now proceed to a period of morning business.

Mr. President, for several months now we have been discussing earmarks or congressionally directed spending. This body has heard many false charges about earmarks. We have heard that earmarks amount to wasteful spending. We have heard that taxpayers should not support these projects. We have even heard that earmarks don't actually benefit our States.

Fortunately, my constituents understand that the rhetoric on earmarks doesn't match the facts.

Nevadans know that these projects are brought to me by their mayors, council members, and city managers. Nevadans know that, as their Senator, I understand their needs better than a faceless bureaucrat in Washington. And most importantly, Nevadans know how valuable earmarks are in a small State like ours to expand medical services, build infrastructure, and provide other services.

I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the following editorial from Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist John L. Smith. Mr. Smith accurately points out the hypocrisy surrounding the earmarking debate and provides examples of many beneficial earmarks for Nevada.

Mr. President, as if in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that on Thursday, March 19, at 2 p.m., the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 22, the nomination of Elena Kagan to be Solicitor General of the United States; that there be 6 hours of debate with respect to the nomination, with the time equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Spector or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the nomination; that upon confirmation, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, no further motions be in order, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate resume legislative session.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R. 1512.

I ask unanimous consent the bill be read three times and passed; the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 78.

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 when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, 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 proceed to a period of morning business for up to 1 hour, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders, with the majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the second half; further, that following morning business, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 146, under the previous order.

Mr. President, under the previous order, at approximately 11 a.m., there will be up to three votes in relation to the remaining Coburn amendments, with a vote on passage of the bill shortly thereafter. This evening we were able to reach an agreement to consider the nomination of the Solicitor General to be of the United States, Elena Kagan. Senators should expect a vote on confirmation tomorrow afternoon or evening, depending on how much debate time is used.