Floor Statements

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, I would like to take a moment to honor and thank those who have earned the noble title of ``veteran.''

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month marked the end of World War I. Since then, this date has been celebrated first as Armistice Day and now as Veterans Day, but no matter what we call it, it serves the purpose of honoring our Nation's heroes--those who have served in the military, our veterans.

As the son of a World War II veteran who served as a waist gunner on B-17s, I grew up in a family with values rooted in military tradition. My father remained in the military until he retired from the Air Force as a master sergeant after 20 years of service. At an early age, my brother, my sister, and I were taught about the sacrifices our men and women in uniform make. Growing up in this environment gave us an understanding of the unique challenges military families face--an understanding that guides my efforts today.

My mom would continually remind me of my responsibility as a public servant to keep our promises to those who served our Nation in uniform. Up until her recent passing, one of the first questions she would ask whenever I saw her would inevitably be: What have you done for veterans lately?

I was always able to answer that question with a clean conscience while serving in the House and now in the Senate. Despite how divided we can be on other issues, Democrats and Republicans come together-- more often than not--to pass policies that will enhance the quality of life for both our veterans and their families.

Today, in the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, we are working to secure the benefits our veterans deserve and improve existing benefits to meet the needs of more than 23 million American veterans, including 257,000 who call Arkansas home.

It is most important for all of us to remember the reason we are working to improve veterans' benefits: the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families. Through their selfless sacrifice, we are protected from our enemies. They make the United States a safer place to live. They have heard our Nation's call and met the challenge with their service. It is now up to us to ensure our veterans have access to all the opportunities our great Nation has to offer.

Taking care of our veterans is the responsibility of every American.

It is important that we all continue to serve our veterans and reflect on those who served in conflicts around the globe, as well as those who are serving today in support of the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let's also reflect on the sacrifices of those who have given their last full measure of devotion.

In September I came to the Senate floor to honor the lives of five Arkansans who were killed in action this year. Last week, sadly, we lost a sixth member from Arkansas this year, SPC Sarina N. Butcher, who followed in the footsteps of her grandfather and brother and joined the military in April 2010. As a member of the Oklahoma National Guard, she served as an automated logistical specialist, but her ultimate goal was to become a nurse.

At the tender age of 19, this Crossett, AR, native and mother to a beautiful little girl was killed in an IED explosion in Afghanistan on November 1. We are grateful for her service and her sacrifice. We are forever indebted to her and to every American who has worn the uniform and sacrificed their own safety and security for that of the American people.

Every day the men and women of our Armed Forces stand in defense of our Nation and our cherished way of life. They do so regardless of costs, fully aware they may be called to pay the ultimate price for their country.

This week, communities across the country gather to express our undying gratitude for those who have worn our Nation's uniform. Let's always honor the service of those who have served and those on the front lines as we address the important challenges facing the Nation.

To all of our veterans and their families, I say thank you on behalf of a grateful nation.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I agree with the Senator from Alabama. In Arkansas, it is so important that we get good judges nominated and confirmed, and that is why I rise in support of Susan Hickey's nomination as U.S. district judge for the Western District of Arkansas.

Judge Hickey's distinguished career interests reflect her pursuit to serve the interests of justice. As an attorney and now as a circuit judge in my home State of Arkansas, she has earned the respect of the Arkansas legal community and proven she is devoted to fulfilling this important role in our judicial system.

I am confident Judge Hickey's extensive experience with the legal system will serve her well on the Federal bench. Her confirmation will fill the seat of retired Judge Harry Barnes, whom she clerked for before her appointment as circuit judge in the Thirteenth Judicial District. She also worked in a private law firm following her graduation from the University of Arkansas School of Law and also served as an in-house counsel for Murphy Oil.

Judge Hickey has strong bipartisan support for good reason: She has established herself as a dedicated public servant who possesses a strong work ethic and commitment to a fair and impartial legal system. Her experience and impartial demeanor and reputation amongst her peers give me faith that Judge Hickey will do a great job as the U.S. district judge for the Western District of Arkansas. When she was nominated for this position, Arkansans from all across the State expressed their support for her confirmation.

I am honored to recommend that the Senate confirm Judge Susan Hickey as a U.S. district judge for the Western District of Arkansas. I am confident her experience and judicial temperament make her the right person to serve Arkansas as a district judge.

With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I honor Theresa K. Reeves of Fort Smith, AR, as a 2011 Angel in Adoption. Theresa serves as executive director of Heart to Heart Pregnancy Support Center, an organization that provides services to assist women, men, and families facing unplanned pregnancies and dealing with pregnancy related concerns. In the past 7 years that Theresa has served as executive director, Heart to Heart has helped more than 14,000 individuals.

Theresa's strong advocacy for adoption makes her an ideal recipient of this recognition. Through working alongside birth mothers throughout the adoption process and speaking to local high schools, colleges, and community groups about the benefits of adoption, Theresa has facilitated more than 30 adoptions. In 2008, Theresa received accreditation as a life affirming specialist. In addition, she has completed the adoption liaison training from the National Council of Adoption.

I am proud of Theresa for her dedication to adoption services and for investing in the lives of families in the Arkansas River Valley. I commend her for her service and ask my colleagues to join me in honoring her and the many other Angels in Adoption who continue to selflessly work to ensure that all children grow up in safe, healthy, and loving homes.

Mr. President, today I honor Corporal David J. Bixler for his courage, heroism and selfless dedication to the U.S. Army and his fellow soldiers.

CPL David J. Bixler of Harrison, AR, recently received the United Service Organizations Soldier of the Year Award for distinguishing himself both on the battlefield and during his recovery from the wounds he received from his actions during a firefight in the Arghandab River Valley of Afghanistan.

On September 30, 2010, Corporal Bixler and his platoon conducted a patrol in the volatile and dangerous region to talk with some local elders. During the mission, Corporal Bixler was assigned a small team of Afghan National Army soldiers to lead. The patrol came under heavy enemy fire forcing the unit to turn back to safety.

Corporal Bixlers following actions are heroic and inspiring. As the patrol turned around, one of the Afghan Army partners stepped outside of the cleared path and Corporal Bixler, recognizing the danger ran after the Afghan soldier. As he attempted to shove the soldier back onto the cleared path, he detonated an IED that caused extensive damage to his body. Through this courageous and selfless action, he saved the life of the Afghan soldier and the other members of his patrol. For his heroism, he was awarded the Silver Star.

Throughout his difficult recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Corporal Bixler has been an inspiration to those around him and to his unit that continues its service overseas.

CPL David Bixler has not only met the criteria for the Soldier of the Year Award, but eclipsed it. Words cannot express how proud I am of Corporal Bixler and his valor and bravery now how grateful I am for his service. We thank him, and all our servicemen and women, for their sacrifice and efforts on our behalf.

Mr. President, today I wish to honor the 314th Airlift Wing Air Mobility RODEO 2011 members who were awarded for excellence in their field at the Air Mobility Command RODEO 2011 at McChord Air Field.

In addition to winning the Moore Trophy for Best Air Mobility Wing, the team was recognized as the Best Airdrop Wing and maintainers and flyers also earned top honors for their maintenance skills, earning the Maintenance Skills Competition Award--C-130 maintenance and the Maintenance Skills Competition Award--overall winner. The C-130E team snagged the Best Overall Maintenance Team award, Best Team Overall-- Maintenance and Operations--Best Overall Aircrew Team.

This outstanding crew, led by COL Mark Czelusta, excelled during the international air rodeo competition which draws the ``Best of the Best'' from air forces around the world. More than 40 teams and 2,500 people from the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, and selected foreign countries participated in this competition.

The group put in hours of hard work and deservedly earned these awards. In true Arkansas spirit of teamwork COL Czelusta acknowledges this couldnt have been done without the help of the 19th Airlift Wing and the community.

The 19th Airlift Wing also took home accolades. Members of the team were recognized as the Best C-130 Airdrop Aircrew.

What is even more amazing is that these crews accomplished this after having a major destruction to the Little Rock Air Force base in late April when a tornado damaged three C-130 planes and blew roofs off and damaged buildings in the base's flight line area.

I am proud to represent the 314th Airlift Wing Air Mobility RODEO 2011 team and the 19th Airlift Wing for all of their accomplishments. We are grateful for their service and thank them for their dedication to success and the sacrifice they make to protect our freedoms.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the life and career of Dan Flowers, who is retiring as director of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department after a lifetime of service and dedication to the State.

Dan Flowers began his career with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department more than 40 years ago after spending his summers in college as an employee in the departments Resident Engineer Office in his hometown of Batesville. He held this position for 4 years until he graduated in 1969 from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering. Enjoying his time with the department, Dan went on to complete the engineering orientation program and was assigned as a planning engineer in the Planning & Research Division. He has worked in a total of eight other engineering and management positions within the Department before being promoted to director in 1994.

Dan Flowers has had many achievements during his career as the director, and in announcing his retirement to his staff he was quick to point out the collaborative effort ``we plan, we build, we maintain, and we manage--but the key word in all of that is WE.''

Perhaps one of Dan's greatest accomplishments was the 1999 interstate repair program and one that he says was the most interesting. The 5- year, $1 billion repair program overhauled the Arkansas interstate system which included 54 projects and more than 350 miles of interstate. Dan has truly helped make Arkansas roads safer and his work has touched countless lives.

Not only was he active in transportation on a regional level but also

highly active on a national level. As a new member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee I quickly learned how well respected Dan was not only in Arkansas but across the country as witnesses would tell me of their appreciation for his work. He has served on numerous organizations from president of the Southeastern Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation to chairman of the American Associations Special Committee on International Activities Coordination, and prior to being president Dan served as chairman of the Associations Subcommittee on Design, Standing Committee on Highways, and as the associations vice-president.

Dan has also earned many accolades for his work. In 2001, the Arkansas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors presented Flowers with its most prestigious award, the Skill, Integrity, and Responsibility Award, SIR, for his outstanding contributions to the industry, and in 2004 the University of Arkansas Department of Civil Engineering dedicated the Dan Flowers Education and Training Facility.

Dan has displayed dedication, perseverance, and commitment to excellence. I appreciate his friendship and am grateful for his years of service and efforts devoted to the State of Arkansas.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded, and to speak for up to 15 minutes.

Mr. President, in the decade that has passed since the devastating attacks of 9/11, we have seen enormous changes in our daily lives. For many of us, these changes have become routine. We have become more alert to potential suspicious activities, accustomed to additional screening procedures at airports, and understand the need for additional security precautions in places that could be seen as potential targets for terrorists. For many other Americans, though, their lives were altered in ways that are anything but routine. These are the families, friends, and brothers in arms of those who have given their lives in the global war on terror, including the over 3,000 lives taken in the horrific attacks on our Nation on September 11, 2001.

This past Sunday was a somber day to reflect, remember, and honor the lives that have been cut short by terror. On Sunday morning, I spoke at my church about the impact 9/11 had on me personally and us collectively as a nation. It is important to take the time in the Senate Chamber to remember these brave heroes. We all remember where we were at the time the planes struck the towers and the awful feeling when we realized this was not an accident. We remember the emotional outpouring our Nation shared and how the tragedy brought us all closer together. What happened after the moments of devastation on September 11, 2001, unified our Nation and demonstrated the perseverance and the will of the American people.

We remember the people who refused to leave an injured coworker and those who led others to safety. We remember the firefighters, the policemen, and all the first responders who saved lives that day, many of whom gave their

lives in doing so. We remember the heroes at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the brave passengers of Flight 93. We also remember all the brave service men and women who fought and continue to fight to keep us free. They do so by choice. They do so out of love of country, and they do so to protect our Nation, our freedom, and our values.

Since the 9/11 attacks, thousands of Arkansans have been deployed to far regions of the globe to fight terrorism. The Arkansas National Guard, which has historically been a reserve unit, has taken on a more active-duty role in the war on terror. Units from the Arkansas National Guard have played a vital role in the war on terror with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, and some units having served multiple tours on the battlefront. American's military personnel and veterans of the global war on terror can be proud of all they have accomplished. Their continued efforts brought Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind these attacks, to justice, along with a number of his top lieutenants and numerous Taliban commanders. They continue to battle bin Laden's fanatical followers and protect us from those who remain committed to inflicting harm on the United States.

Many of the veterans from the global war on terror have returned home with permanent, life-altering injuries. We have worked hard in this body and in the House to ensure that they and all the veterans of this war receive all the care and benefits they have earned and deserve upon their return. We must continue to uphold our promise to our veterans. We must also continue to ensure that our military personnel on the battlefield have everything they need to successfully accomplish the mission and to return home safely.

According to the U.S. Central Command, more than 6,200 servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Each one is a portrait of bravery. Navy Corpsman Michael Vann Johnson, Jr., a native of Little Rock, was the first Arkansan killed on the battlefield in the global war on terror. He was killed by selflessly tending to wounded colleagues in Iraq. Since his death, another 101 Arkansans have given their lives for our country in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. This year alone, we have lost five servicemembers from Arkansas.

At the beginning of the year, SGT Ethan C. Hardin was killed in action in the Logar Province of Afghanistan. He was killed when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Sergeant Hardin was 25 at the time of his death. Sergeant Hardin grew up in Fayetteville, AR, and was remembered by his high school principal as a young man with a ``pleasant, likable, gentle personality.'' His pastor echoed those thoughts, calling Sergeant Hardin a ``warrior'' who was motivated to take up arms for his country not out of any hostilities toward the enemy but, rather, out of a strong desire to keep our country safe.

Less than a week after the death of Sergeant Hardin, SGT Zainah C. Creamer was killed in the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan when insurgents attacked her unit with an IED. Sergeant Creamer was born in Texarkana, TX, and graduated from Arkansas High School in Texarkana, AR. She was 28 at the time of her death. Sergeant Creamer's friends and family say they will remember her lovely singing voice and her love of country, friends, family, and fellow soldiers, including her K-9 partner Jofa. A soldier for more than 6 years, Sergeant Creamer was assigned to the 212th Military Police Detachment as an Army dog handler. She and her K-9 partner were assigned to check vehicles and facilities for explosives and were carrying out a routine clearance mission when the blast occurred.

In March, another IED attack in the Kandahar Province once again impacted Arkansas. Army CPL Loren Buffalo of Mountain Pine, AR, was only 20 years old when insurgents took his life. Corporal Buffalo was carrying on the family tradition of military service. His father and his uncle served in the Army and his great-grandfather was a B-17 bomber pilot during World War II. His father says Corporal Buffalo was a dedicated military man who loved music, liked to hunt and ride horses.

Last month, two Arkansans were among the 30 U.S. servicemembers killed when their Chinook helicopter was shot down in the Wardak Province of Afghanistan. The Taliban claim responsibility for the attack, which resulted in one of the greatest losses of U.S. military lives in a single incident in the decade-long war in Afghanistan. Most of those killed in the attack were U.S. Special Forces personnel.

Navy Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer Thomas A. Ratzlaff of Green Forest, AR, was one of those Special Forces officers killed in the attack. Senior Chief Ratzlaff graduated from Green Forest High School in 1995 and immediately enlisted in the Navy to begin the process of achieving his lifelong dream of becoming a Navy SEAL. According to the Green Forest mayor Charlie Reece, Senior Chief Ratzlaff developed a reputation as one of the most highly decorated officers in his elite unit, but humbly remained grounded. The mayor called him a ``high-class young man.'' Senior Chief Ratzlaff was 34 at the time of his death.

Air Force Tech SGT John W. Brown of Siloam Springs, AR, was also killed in that attack. An accomplished athlete in his youth, Sergeant Brown played football and basketball. He went to John Brown University on a swimming scholarship. In Siloam Springs, he was known for his positive attitude, his intelligence, and his sense of humor. After seeing a video of a special operations unit, he abandoned plans to become a nurse anesthetist and enlisted in the Air Force where he was assigned to the elite 24th Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Field, NC. He was 33 at the time of his death.

This is something we need to remember not just on anniversary dates but at all times. It should serve as the ultimate reminder that we in this Chamber have an obligation to come together and to make this country a better place.

I ask my colleagues in the Senate to join me in honoring their lives and their legacy, as well as the sacrifice of all who have fought and died in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. Let us never forget their sacrifices and let their legacies be an inspiration for every American.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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

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

Madam President, throughout the course of this debt ceiling debate, the American people have watched in utter disbelief of what they have seen. They understand we need to get our fiscal house in order; they see what has gotten us into this mess; and they want it stopped before they agree to give us blanket authority to raise the debt limit. What they are saying is we must spend within our means just as they have to do.

We have a way to do that. It is the cut, cap, and balance plan. It has already passed the House. The companion bill, with 39 cosponsors, has the support so it should be considered in this Chamber as well. I am proud to say I am one of those 39 cosponsors of the Senate bill. I signed onto the cut, cap, and balance bill because the American people--and more specifically the people of Arkansas--have demanded that we address this crisis now, not later. They know Washington is not good with remembering to follow through on the things they promise to do later.

Some will say this is too simple an answer. They say the fiscal mess in which we find ourselves is a complex problem. It is not though. Just look at the numbers.

This year alone we will spend $3.7 trillion while collecting only $2.2 trillion. We borrow 40 cents of every dollar we spend.

President Obama and the Democratic majority in this Chamber will say the way to fix this problem is to raise taxes. They may try to use other words and phrases such as revenue enhancers while talking about raising taxes, but make no doubt about it, they want to put the onus back on the American people.

There is a major problem with this approach. Washington does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem. Again, the numbers back this up. Traditionally, government spending is about 19 percent of our gross domestic product. Since President Obama has been in office, government spending has been much closer to 25 percent of our gross domestic product. This administration has raised Federal spending to the highest peak since World War II.

How do we solve this spending problem? We do it through cut, cap, and balance. Cut now--the House bill immediately cuts over $100 billion in spending; cap for the future--the spending cap mechanism in this bill caps spending over the next 10 years, bringing it down to less than 20 percent of our gross domestic product within the next 5 years--and the balance is for a balanced budget amendment, something our entire Republican caucus supports in the Senate, as do many in the Democratic majority, at least according to their on-the-record statements.

This bill prohibits the Treasury from borrowing unless a balanced budget amendment is sent to the States for ratification. Let's pass a balanced budget amendment and give the people back home the decision about whether they want to require us to operate under a balanced budget amendment. I think you will find they overwhelmingly do. Unfortunately, the Senate majority, with no plan of their own for reining in the out-of-control spending, will not allow us to have a debate on this bill.

Last Friday they moved to table the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act, effectively ending any consideration of the bill. All this reminds me of the debate over the House-passed budget we had a few months ago. The majority over here had strong words of criticism but no budget proposal of their own. Again, strong words of criticism and no plan of their own. Only this time it is worse.

With our Nation on the brink of default, the majority clearly believes it is better to score political points than have a debate on the merits of our proposal. They control the floor, the agenda, and the amendments that are accepted. If any member of their caucus wants to change the bill, they certainly have that option. But instead of having the debate, we get political theater from the majority.

This is not what our constituents deserve. They deserve a real debate. They sent us here to work together to prevent a catastrophe on par with what has happened in Greece, Ireland, and Portugal. They want to see us get our fiscal house in order. That is what the root cause of this crisis is all about. We are not just having a debate on raising the debt ceiling. If that were all this discussion was about, it would have been over months ago. Nobody wants a default.

The debate that is going on today is about a much bigger problem: the out-of-control spending that has put us in this position time and time again. Cut, cap, and balance is one way to solve the problem. It is a solution that helps us avert an immediate meltdown and brings a sense of fiscal responsibility to Washington where it is so badly needed.

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, it has been almost 800 days since the Senate Democratic majority produced a budget. I do not expect one to appear from the majority today, but at least the Democratic majority canceled the Fourth of July recess to work toward an agreement to deal with our budgetary crisis. With the possibility of default looming, our caucus, led by Senator Sessions, has been pushing the Democratic majority to keep the Chamber working over the recent recesses. After refusing past calls to remain in session, the Democratic majority finally recognized that we cannot sort this out if we are not here to focus on it. I, for one, am glad the Democratic majority listened.

The American people deserve an honest and open conversation about the very difficult situation we are in. More importantly, they deserve a commitment that we will work in good faith to end this impasse. Unfortunately, I am not sure we will get that from the Democratic majority or the President. We are in session this week specifically to deal with the budget ceiling crisis, and the only vote the majority leader had scheduled from the outset was a resolution on the Libya conflict. I say ``had'' because the Democratic majority rightly canceled that vote after intense pressure from our side to keep the Senate focused on the debt ceiling issue.

President Obama has been absent from this debate for months. Only recently he started showing up to tell Americans that his solution to the crisis is raising taxes instead of cutting spending. Meanwhile, we have inched closer and closer toward defaulting on our obligations.

It is interesting that we are here today specifically to work out a solution to our financial crisis 1 week after scenes of Athens on fire as a result of rioting over Greece's own debt crisis dominated the airwaves. One week after passing tough austerity measures to secure further financial aid--the very same measures that sparked the rioting--the Greek Government is far from out of the woods. Standard & Poor's says the proposals for restructuring Greek debt would effectively constitute a default instead of helping the country avoid one.

I mention all of this not to generate fear but, rather, to shed light on the gravity of our situation. We could very well end up like Greece if we do not handle this crisis properly. This is the last thing we want to experience in our great country, and that is why we need to reform our fiscal policy in the way that we have done business in the past. There is too much at stake not to take action now. We are at the point where our Nation can no longer borrow money. The IMF has harsh words for our soaring budget deficits, and credit rating agencies such as Moody's and S&P have threatened to downgrade our government's AAA rating.

President Obama likes to blame our economic mess on the previous administration, but the reality is that over the past 2 years, our debt has increased 35 percent under his watch. That is not the previous administration's fault, nor is it their fault that the annual deficit is now three times greater than the highest deficit during the Bush years. If American families ran their households like Washington runs its budget, the utilities would be shut off and the collection agencies would be knocking on their doors. If they maxed

out a credit card, they wouldn't have the luxury of telling someone else to pay their bills. Yet this is what the President is demanding by sticking to tax increase proposals.

I said this last week, but since the President continues to push tax increases as the answer, I will say it again: President Obama, take tax hikes off the table. We got into this mess by excessively spending. We can't fix the problem unless we stop excessively spending.

The White House remains focused on tax hikes. If we look at their agenda, we can see why. The big-ticket items they have already passed, specifically the President's stimulus and health care bills, have put our country on the path of unprecedented levels of spending that will keep us in the red for my lifetime, my children's lives, and well beyond. The administration's refusal to cut excessive spending, much of which the Nation never asked for, will put us on the course for a Greek-like catastrophe. Without action, annual interest payments on the national debt alone will exceed 40 percent of GDP by 2080.

So with that in mind, the President is working behind closed doors with his allies in Congress to figure out ways to raise revenue. As we all know, revenue is a Washington euphemism for taxes. Instead of further exasperating our economy by raising taxes and putting us in a position that will affect our recovery and our Nation's future, the solution must be tailored to the problem. Washington does not have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem. Any proposal that does not start in that truth should be taken off the table.

If the White House-engineered agreement for raising the debt ceiling does not include significant cuts and a spending cap mechanism, such as a balanced budget amendment, to prevent us from having to raise it again, then I can assure you they will not get my vote. Anything short of that is irresponsible. I know I am not alone in these demands. Many of my colleagues feel just as strongly and will not back down either. The President and the Senate Democratic majority need to understand we are committed to these principles because millions of Americans feel exactly the same as we do. We are here to do the people's work. Let's listen to them instead of trying to tell the people what is best for them.

I note the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table.

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, nearly every day we see scenes playing out in countries around the world where their financial security is in ruins. This is the last thing we want to experience in our great country, and that is why we need to reform our fiscal policy and the way we have done business. There is too much at stake not to take action.

The International Monetary Fund urged us to address our soaring budget deficits, and credit rating agencies Moody's and S&P may be forced to downgrade our government's AAA rating.

So what is the majority doing to address this fiscal crisis? Absolutely nothing. It has been nearly 790 days without the majority in this Chamber proposing a budget, and it appears the majority isn't anxious to work on one. The majority-led Budget Committee has failed to meet this year to begin working on a resolution. We can't even have an open debate in this Chamber about the budget. Instead of voting to start the debate on budget measures last month, the majority squashed all proposals, including the President's own plan. This is failure to govern at the most basic level and the American people deserve better. We need a budget that puts us on the path to fiscal discipline.

Every week we hear warnings of why this must be done. Last week the Congressional Budget Office issued the starkest warning yet of the danger posed by our spending problems. Our Nation's debt will exceed the size of the U.S. economy by 2021 and will double the size of our Nation's GDP within 25 years. This is not the way I want to leave this country for my kids, my grandkids, and the people of Arkansas.

In his State of the Union Address, President Obama pushed for a conversation that will put us on the path to fiscal responsibility but, so far, he has been absent from the discussions. Only today, 36 days before the deadline given by Secretary Geithner to raise the legal limit on Federal borrowing, is he beginning to take leadership in negotiating for spending limitations.

Our debt is slowing the economic recovery. The simple truth is higher debt leads to slower economic growth. We have seen this with the failed stimulus, but in the past week the Senate-led majority is once again proposing this flawed strategy. This failed policy of borrowing, spending, and taxing is just what the CBO is warning us to avoid. It hasn't worked in the past and it won't work in the future.

What we need are debt reduction measures in the form of spending cuts. The CBO's last report shows that spending is the primary cause of our fiscal crisis and supports spending cuts rather than tax increases to reverse this trend. I urge President Obama to take tax hikes off the table. Let's get to work reining in the reckless spending and putting our Nation back on a fiscally responsible path.

If American families ran their household budgets the way Washington runs its budget, the utilities would be shut off and the collection agencies would be knocking on their doors. The American people are now knocking on the doors of the Capitol demanding the government limit its spending.

We must rein in our spending to protect programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security for current recipients and for future generations. In order to achieve this, we must reform the manner in which we budget and allocate Federal dollars. We need a mechanism to cap spending and force the government to spend within its means.

We must act now to move our country off the brink of financial collapse, and we must make tough decisions because that is what the American people deserve and expect of us.

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