Floor Statements

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a woman who was a dear friend of mine, now sadly departed, who was deeply committed to serving her community in northern Kentucky, and who left everything she touched a little better off than it was before she found it. I'm speaking of Mrs. Mary Middleton of Fort Mitchell, KY, who tragically died in an accident on November 22, 2011. She was 83 years old.

I know northern Kentucky would not be the same if not for the timeless dedication of Mary and her family over more than five decades. A community leader, philanthropist, lifelong adventurer and supporter of public service, Mary Middleton's loss is a great loss for the people of Kenton County and the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Mary grew up in Wisconsin, although there's no doubt that after more than 50 years Kentucky was her home. As a young woman she was keen on traveling the world. Also a frugal woman, she attempted to do so on ten dollars a day. Somewhere in France she ran out of money and had to telegraph her father to send her some more.

Mary also went to work for the YWCA as a way to travel and have someone other than her father foot the bill. On a YWCA assignment in Hawaii, she met a young Naval officer named Clyde Middleton. The couple married, and when Clyde was transferred to Cincinnati by his employer Procter & Gamble, eventually settled in northern Kentucky.

``They got off the airplane and saw all the beautiful trees and said this is where we want to live,'' says their son, John Middleton, who is the Kenton County circuit court clerk. ``And northern Kentucky is a much better place because she was here.''

Mary was determined to make her mark early. In the 1950s, she ran for a Kentucky State House seat as a Republican, at a time in Kentucky when it was impossible to be elected unless you were a man and a Democrat. Thankfully, times have changed on both counts.

Mary did not succeed in that race, but she didn't let that stop her from having an influence. In 1960, she founded the Kenton County Republican Women's Club, an organization that is still one of the strongest and most active of its type in the State. And Mary continued to be involved with the club until her passing.

Mary also played a critical role in supporting her husband Clyde's political career during his two decades of public service in the Kentucky legislature and as Kenton County judge- executive. And as I already mentioned, her son John is currently the Kenton County circuit court clerk. Public service runs in the Middleton family.

So has compassion for those who are less fortunate. Mary showed that compassion in so many ways--through her volunteer work with the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, Church Women United, and her home church of Gloria Dei Lutheran. Somehow she also found time to dedicate to the Covington Optimist Club and the Florence Woman's Club, as well as the Kenton County Republican Women's Club she founded.

The day before she died, Mary drove a cancer patient to treatment at St. Elizabeth Hospital, something she and Clyde had done for years. Mary was a teacher at the McMillan Center Alternative School. The Cincinnati Enquirer honored her in 1981 as a Woman of the Year.

This Christmas season, as Kentuckians flock to the shopping malls and stores, they will walk by the familiar Salvation Army red kettle and hear the bell. Sadly, one bell ringer who will be missing is Mary Middleton.

It's a testament to the effect she had on others that, within days of her death, dozens of volunteers in Kenton County stepped forward to fill the hole she left behind and ring that bell.

Elaine and I are profoundly saddened by the loss of Mary Middleton, and our deepest condolences go to her family: her husband, Clyde; her sons, John, David, and Richard; her daughter, Ann Schmidt; her eight grandchildren, and many other beloved family members and friends.

Mr. President, I know my colleagues here in the U.S. Senate join me in honoring Mrs. Mary Middleton, mourning her loss, and wishing for comfort for her family. The Cincinnati Enquirer recently published an article celebrating Mary's life. I ask be unanimous consent that it be printed in the Record.

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

Reserving the right to object, we are ready and willing to move forward by consent with a package of nominations, with positions both in the executive and judicial branches; and just as soon as I receive confirmation from the administration that it will respect the practice and the precedent on recess appointments, we can get those people confirmed.

I look forward to receiving this confirmation from the administration so

we can go forward on this nominations package, but not having received that yet, Mr. President, I object.

Mr. President, I will say that there will be nominations we will be able to work our way through, but as I indicated, the particular package the majority leader just proffered as it is currently constituted will not be able to go forward because of our inability to receive from the administration the assurances that have been routinely given at this point with regard to recess appointments.

Mr. President, let me echo the remarks of the majority leader. As he has indicated, the administration takes a view that if the final appropriations bills pass one House this afternoon--we could have that vote today or it could be tomorrow--but the administration, I am told by the majority leader, takes the view that it has passed one House, there would not be a government shutdown. So I think everybody should be reassured that that is not going to happen. The conference report has been signed and we are moving toward completing the basic work of government through next September 30 very shortly.

On the second issue, the majority leader and I are making significant progress in reaching an agreement on a package that will have bipartisan support, I hope. I think we are going to get to that place. And I share his view that good progress is being made.

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

Mr. President, I rise to make some observations about the Keystone Pipeline. President Obama has said his first priority is jobs. Here is an opportunity for the President to show it, a pipeline provision that, according to some estimates, would create thousands of jobs right away. In fact, those are all the estimates I have seen, that this is a project that is ready to go.

Here is an opportunity for the President to say he is not going to let a few radical environmentalists stand in the way of a project that will create thousands of jobs and make America more secure at the same time. The labor unions support the pipeline, the Chamber of Commerce supports the pipeline, out-of-work Americans support it, and a growing number of Democrats are expressing their support as well.

Here are a few of the comments we heard from Democrats just this very week. Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota said:

I personally think the pipeline is absolutely in the

national interest. It'll help us reduce our dependence on

foreign energy, at least foreign sources that are hostile to

our interests.

Senator Conrad further said:

I, for one, on this side hope that this could be part of a

final package and I hope that this is something we could work

through in the coming hours.

Senator McCaskill:

If States rights are being protected and if this is going

to be something maybe, that we can try to jump start the

approval process, make it go more quickly.

Representative Clyburn, one of the leaders of the Democratic conference in the House:

I'm very much for the pipeline. There is no question about

that.

Congress should do something, not just assist people who are struggling in a down economy or out of work, but help incentivize job creation for them at the same time. In other words, let's not just pass a bill that helps people on the benefits side; let's also include something that actually helps the private sector create the jobs Americans need for the long term. This is the balanced approach Americans want, one that extends help but also offers hope.

This is just the kind of thing we should be doing around here. Both parties like it, the labor unions like it, why in the world wouldn't we want to put it in the package?

The only reason the White House has given for opposing the pipeline provision is they would rather vote on it alone, which makes absolutely no sense. You are either for the provision or you are not. So I suggest here is a rare opportunity to do something truly positive together on a bipartisan basis at the end of the year. Let's finish this year on a truly cooperative, bipartisan note. Let's strengthen our Nation's energy security, decrease the energy we import from overseas, create American jobs right now, and let's do it all on a bipartisan basis.

As I said, there is bipartisan support for this project. We need to get it done, and we need to get it done now. The House of Representatives has been quite clear that they are not going to support a package that does not include the pipeline. Frankly, I would not be able to support a package that doesn't include the pipeline. I think this is something we could all be proud of at the end of the year, demonstrating to the American people that we can work together not only to help those who are struggling, through a continuation of the payroll tax holiday and an unemployment benefits package, but also create jobs at the same time in the private sector without a penny of the Federal Government's money by moving this pipeline along.

After all, it has undergone years of environmental studies. It is ready to go. The company is ready to hire the people just as soon as we give them the signoff.

Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I might just echo the remarks of the majority leader. We have been in useful discussions about how to wrap up the session. He has covered the two major issues that remain. We hope to be able to pass a combination of appropriations bills, and we are working hard to figure out a way to resolve the remaining differences on the payroll tax extension and the related issues that are important to both sides. We are confident and optimistic we will be able to resolve both on a bipartisan basis.

Mr. President, I stand today to honor an outstanding Kentucky hero and patriot, SPC John O. Berry, Jr. SPC Berry is a veteran of the Vietnam war who has received numerous awards and commendations for his heroism and bravery in serving his country.

John O. Berry, Jr., of Wayne County, KY, grew up a typical kid--he spent his time hanging out with friends, listening to music, and enjoying time spent with his brothers and sisters. On September 18, 1968, however, John answered a call to duty, and his life was forever changed when he joined the U.S. Army.

John received his introduction to the Army and basic training at Fort Knox, KY, before being sent to Fort Leonard Wood, MO, to complete his advanced training. Four short months later, John had achieved the honor of combat demolition specialist with Company A, 299th Engineer Battalion, and was sent to a fire base in North Vietnam.

John's job was especially dangerous. He was responsible for ensuring the roads were free of the many deadly land mines that were strategically placed by the Viet Cong. Although scores of Americans were killed by these mines, John and other courageous demolition engineers were responsible for saving thousands of additional lives by dismantling the mines throughout the war.

Over the years John has received many distinguished awards and honors for his bravery and service to our country. Included in these honors are two Purple Hearts, two Army Commendation Medals for heroism and exceptionally meritorious achievement in the Republic of Vietnam, two National Defense medals, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, which was awarded by the Republic of Vietnam to those who display valor and heroic conduct in combat.

These awards only represent a small portion of the gratitude we owe John for his selflessness and courage. According to the Department of the Army's account of a rescue mission in which John's unit was sent to aid an ambushed team, ``John distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous action. . . . He demonstrated admirable courage and devotion to duty as he unflinchingly performed his task without regard to personal safety. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.''

Mr. President, I would ask that my Senate colleagues join me in thanking SPC John O. Berry, Jr. for his sacrifice and service. John's heroism is truly inspiring, and the people of our great Commonwealth are grateful for his selflessness and service. The Wayne County Outlook recently published an article thanking Specialist Berry and highlighting his accomplishments. I ask unanimous consent that the full article be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I stand today to pay tribute to an exceptional Kentuckian, Helen Hieronymus of Somerset, KY. Helen, who recently celebrated her 85th birthday, has lived a full and successful life and still exhibits youthfulness far beyond her years.

On October 20, 2011, her birthday, Helen decided to celebrate in a rather unconventional way--she went skydiving. For those who know her, however, her great leap wasn't all that surprising. Over the years, Helen has been a vibrant member of the local community--she has served as director of the local United Way, Cub Scout den mother, and president of the Junior Women's Club, all while always entertaining her adventurous appetite. Her travels have taken her fishing in Alaska, to the Great Wall of China, and to 80 different countries around the world.

Going skydiving has been an unfulfilled desire of Helen's for many years. As a child, Helen dreamed of being able to fly. Then, about 9 years ago, Helen was further inspired after witnessing a collection of paratroopers make their way to the ground while on a trip to Paris. ``I thought it would be fun,'' she says. And so it was.

After ascending to 12,000 feet, Helen successfully completed a tandem jump followed by a safe landing. ``No problem at all,'' she explained. ``When you come out of the plane, you do a free fall. You see the earth below you, and it's amazing down there. I would do it again.''

Mr. President, Ms. Helen Hieronymus is a courageous woman who has experienced a lifetime of excitement and fulfillment. Helen's community involvement and adventurous spirit serve as an inspiration to Kentuckians everywhere, and it is my hope that she have many more adventures to come. The Commonwealth Journal, a Somerset-area publication, recently published an article highlighting Helen's life of journeys and daring parachute jump. I ask unanimous consent that the full article be printed in the Record.

Madam President, reserving the right to object, our most immediate concern at this point is that despite Federal funding expiring 2 days from now--Friday night--my friend the majority leader is blocking action on the funding bill to keep the government open. That is our most immediate concern, and we should address it first because the deadline is literally just 2 days away. That comes first.

My good friend the majority leader has said shutting the government down would be extreme and that it is too risky to even entertain, and that issue is just 2 days away. Everyone knows the truth is that the bill would fund our troops, our border security, and the remaining funding for the rest of the fiscal year, and it is ready to go. They were prepared to sign the conference report earlier this week until leadership on this side said don't sign the report.

There is agreement on the funding bill but no agreement and no plan at all about how we are going to pass the payroll tax cut extension in the Senate. So we ought to finish our most immediate concern first.

Let me repeat that our friends across the aisle have no plan, and some might suggest no desire, to pass a payroll tax cut extension--the President's top priority--extend unemployment insurance or ensure seniors' access to medical care. They have made no attempt at all to produce a bill that can pass the Senate. It is their responsibility in the majority to do that. Instead, we have wasted week after week after week on one senseless show vote after another--votes that one member in the Democratic Senate leadership recently admitted were designed solely to score points on millionaires.

So let's deal first with the deadline that happens this Friday, 2 days from now--fund the government through the rest of the fiscal year--and then turn immediately to the payroll tax extension that expires later in January, and let's pass the job-creating and job- saving measures the House has passed.

Therefore, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to modify the majority leader's request to say as follows: that the Senate would turn to the consideration of the House bill relating to the payroll tax repeal extension immediately after the Senate passes a conference report or a bill received from the House that funds the government through the end of the fiscal year.

Madam President, I am not sure what the majority leader just said.

Madam President, reserving the right to object, we do not need to do that.

Representative Jim Moran, Democrat of Virginia, one of the top members on the House Appropriations Committee, said this yesterday:

Our bill is done, and it should go to the president

immediately. . . . We're not holding it up. . . . I can't

speak for Harry Reid. I can't speak for him. As far as I'm

concerned, it should be done.

A government shutdown is 2 days away. We have an agreement based on what all the appropriators on the conference report are saying. We can pass that and do first things first--prevent a government shutdown. I agree with the majority leader, a government shutdown is a terrible idea. He has said that repeatedly. We have all said it repeatedly. The way to avoid that is to get our work done. The work is done on the appropriations conference report. We ought to get signatures on it, and we ought to pass it, and we ought to do it in the next 2 days.

Now, Madam President, there were a series of other competing UCs here, and I am a little confused as to where we are.

Mr. REID addressed the Chair.

I object to that one, by the way, the last one we were discussing.

Madam President, I would say, speaking of embarrassment, it is that we are doing an omnibus again. The reason we are doing an omnibus again here on the eve of Christmas is because we have not passed our appropriations bills. We have had almost as many show votes in the Senate this year, roughly an equal number of show votes--in other words, designed to fail, to go nowhere, to present a talking point for the President in his campaign--as we have had votes on real bills that we are supposed to pass.

So here we are once again. Three years this Democratic Senate has not passed a budget. Three years we have ended up either in omnibus or CR situations. And here we are again.

Now the appropriators in the House and Senate have labored long and hard. A couple days ago, they said they were ready to sign the report. My good friend the majority leader and the President said: Don't let them sign the report. We might actually have to pass the bill--a mysterious strategy to me.

All I am saying here is, first things first. If the majority leader is convinced the House-passed bill is DOA, why doesn't he start talking to the Speaker about how we might actually craft a bill that can pass both the Republican House and the Democratic Senate and quit wasting our time here in the Senate scoring points? A government shutdown is 2 days away.

So first things first. Let's keep the government from shutting down. These other measures do not expire until the end of the month. If the majority leader is correct that the House bill will not pass the Senate, why doesn't he talk to the Speaker and work out something that can pass on a bipartisan basis because, regretfully, I would say to my friend the majority leader, the Republicans control the House. The Democrats control the Senate, unfortunately, from my point of view. This has to be worked out.

The last time I looked, Christmas is a week from Sunday. Time is a- wasting. We have fiddled all year long--all year long, one point- scoring bill after another, designed to fail, designed to divide us, designed to get no result, to give the President a talking point out on the campaign trail--and here we are, a few days before Christmas, and the silliness continues.

Now, if my friend the majority leader is so convinced the House- passed bill cannot pass the Senate, I would say again, talk to the Speaker and work out something that can pass both the House and the Senate. Time is a-wasting.

I object.

Madam President, yesterday and today my Republican colleagues here in the Senate have been coming to the floor one after another to deliver a simple, urgent message, one that I hear every time I am home in Kentucky: Washington simply must change course. The spending spree must end. We must put our Nation's fiscal house in order before it is too late.

This is not a partisan message. Everyone recognizes that both parties played a role in getting us to this point. But let's be clear, Republicans are the only ones in Congress right now who are attempting to do something meaningful about fiscal restraint. The only way we will actually achieve it is by acting together on serious legislation such as the balanced budget amendment Republicans are voting on today--not through thinly veiled cover votes such as the one Democrats plan to hold alongside this morning.

For nearly 3 years now, Republicans have stood up to the fiscal recklessness of this administration and pleaded with the President and Democrats in Congress to stop the spending spree--stop it--and work with us on a serious plan to put our Nation's fiscal house in order.

For nearly 3 years we have met nothing but resistance. I even read this week that some Democrats in Congress actually view our insistence on fiscal responsibility as a good political issue for them. They say Americans have moved on, that they do not want to hear about fiscal restraint anymore. Apparently these Democrats are content to let this crisis continue to build and build until it pops up in the polls again.

What Republicans have been saying this week is that we do not have that luxury. We cannot wait for a European-style calamity to happen right here to finally do something about our fiscal problems, nor should we want to. After all, we were not elected to get reelected. We were elected to recognize the Nation's problems and to face up to them with foresight and with courage.

That is why Republicans have kept up our call for a serious and effective balanced budget amendment. We have seen all the statistics-- that Congress now borrows more than 40 cents for every dollar it spends; that interest payments on the debt alone will soon crowd out spending on things such as education and defense; that annual deficits under this President routinely double and triple the previous record.

We know where it has gotten us. Under this President, the national debt has rocketed from $10.1 trillion all the way up to 15.1 trillion, more than a 40-percent increase in the national debt under this President in a record time of less than 3 years, a run of fiscal mismanagement only matched in its recklessness by total unwillingness to correct it.

The President's most recent budget was so irresponsible that not a single Member of the Senate voted for it, not one. The President's budget was voted down unanimously here in the Senate.

What about the first ever downgrade of U.S. debt, did that prompt action? Not in this White House. It prompted a round of ``shoot the messenger'' instead. This President's entire approach to our Nation's fiscal problems has been to sit back and blame somebody else, even as he continues to make all of these problems worse.

There was a time when President Obama claimed to believe in the importance of paying our debts. As a Senator he stood on this very floor and chastised his predecessor for even asking the Congress to raise the Nation's debt limit. He called it a failure of leadership. Yet earlier this year, as President

he demanded that Congress approve the single largest debt limit increase ever requested by a U.S. President--without any plan at all to cover the cost. It was this kind of fiscal recklessness that roused Republicans to recommit ourselves to the idea that, if we are going to preserve the American dream for our children, Congress has to stop spending more than it takes in, and it was the Democrats' resistance to that idea that convinced us the only way to make sure it happens is through a constitutional amendment that actually requires it.

For too long, the politics of the moment or of the next election have been put ahead of Congress's responsibility to balance the books. Too many promises have been made that cannot possibly ever be kept, and now the time for serious action has come; we must prevent what is happening in Europe from happening here.

That is what our balanced budget amendment would do. By permanently limiting Congressional spending to the historical norm of 18 percent of gross national product, and through a new three-fifths supermajority of both Houses of Congress to raise the debt limit, the balanced budget amendment Republicans are proposing today would go a long way in preventing that day of reckoning from happening right here in America. Every single Senator should support it.

Democrats here in Washington know the American people want Congress to get its fiscal house in order. That is why they proposed a balanced budget amendment of their own. Unfortunately, they have no real intention of passing it. If they did, they would join us in supporting a bill that we know would lead to the kind of fiscal restraint the American people are asking for.

I ask my friends on the other side to join us. It is not too late. We are only going to solve this problem together. Republicans are doing our part. We need them to do theirs. The American people are asking us to act. Let's do it. If this President will not take America's fiscal problems seriously, Congress should do it for him.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, today the House of Representatives will vote on a bill that extends the temporary payroll tax cut as well as unemployment insurance and which will not add a dime to the Federal deficit. In other words, the House bill would do both of the things the President and Senate Democrats have described as their top legislative priorities before the close of this year.

So it was surprising, to say the least, to read this morning that President Obama and my friend, the majority leader, are now plotting to block this very legislation--even to the point of forcing a Government shutdown--over the inclusion of a job-creating measure that the President thinks will complicate his reelection chances next year.

That is what is happening in Washington this week, and the American people need to know about it. So let me repeat what is unfolding right now in the Capitol.

Yesterday, the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee-- Democrats and Republicans alike--agreed to a spending bill that would fund the government through the end of the fiscal year; that is, next September 30. Today, Republicans in the House will consider a bill that contains the President's top priorities: an extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance.

But here is the problem: The House bill also includes a provision to accelerate construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, a project that has been described as the biggest shovel-ready project in America. Evidently, the President does not want this project approved before his election next November--because a small faction of very liberal voters he is counting on to get reelected do not like the pipeline.

We have already had 3 years of environmental studies. This project was not only ready to go from an environmental point of view, it is shovel ready. It will produce jobs almost immediately, as soon as the President signs off on it.

Here is a project that would create tens of thousands of jobs, as I indicated, right away. It also would not cost the taxpayers a dime to build. It is being built by the private sector. It would reduce the share of energy we import from unfriendly countries overseas, and it is a project which everybody from labor unions--labor unions--to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says they support because it would create tens of thousands of jobs right away.

The Teamsters support getting the pipeline started right now. The AFL-CIO supports getting the pipeline started right now. This is the kind of project the Democrats themselves, including the President, have been saying all year they want.

But the Presidential campaign seems to be getting in the way, to the point that my friend, the majority leader, now says he is willing to hold up a bipartisan bill to fund our troops, border security, and other Federal responsibilities rather than letting the President

decide if this pipeline project should move forward.

Let me say that again. The President and the Democratic majority leader, my friend, Harry Reid, are now saying they would rather shut down the government than allow this job-creating legislation to become law. That is what would happen if they succeed in blocking this bipartisan funding bill from coming to the floor for a vote.

House Republicans are giving the President everything he asked for today. They just think that instead of simply providing more relief to those who continue to struggle in this economy, we should also help prevent future job loss and incentivize the creation of new private sector jobs, all at the same time.

That is what the House bill does. It goes beyond government benefits--beyond government benefits--and takes us a step toward addressing the jobs crisis at hand.

Most people would view this proposal as evidence that the two parties are putting their best ideas on the table and addressing both sides of this jobs crisis--the relief side and the incentive side. Most people would call it a balanced approach.

Unfortunately, the President does not seem to be happy these days unless he has an issue over which to divide us. If the Republicans are proposing it, he is against it, regardless of how many job losses it prevents or how many private sector jobs it would help create, and he is not even trying to hide it.

The majority leader signaled yesterday that he and the President are so determined to turn even the most bipartisan job-creating legislation into a political issue that he will ask his Members to hold off signing the government funding legislation--that they have already agreed to on an a bipartisan basis--just to hand the President what they view as a political victory this week.

This is not just irresponsible, it is reckless. The House is about to pass a bill we believe--certainly going to consider today--would help working Americans by extending the temporary payroll tax cut, help unemployed Americans by extending unemployment insurance, and which would help Americans looking for work by accelerating the construction of the single biggest shovel-ready project in America. This is the biggest construction project in America, ready to go. It only needs a signoff from the President of the United States.

It deserves to pass with broad bipartisan support. They had a vote on that earlier this year in the House. Forty-seven House Democrats voted to get this project started. So I would suggest that our friends put the political games aside and give the American people the certainty and the jobs they deserve. Take up the House bill, pass it right here in the Senate, and send it to the President for a signature without theatrics and without delay.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I stand today to honor an exemplary Kentuckian and patriot, Mr. Leo F. Weddle of Somerset, KY. Mr. Weddle is a veteran of the Korean war; he selflessly served our Nation as a machine-gunner during that conflict.

In 1950, just 3 years after graduating high school, Leo decided to enlist in the Marines, an idea he had already given considerable thought to. Leo was inspired one day by the obvious pride and glamour that was exhibited by a young marine in uniform whom Leo saw from the window of his Greyhound bus as Leo was traveling home to Somerset, KY, from his sister's house in Beaumont, TX. It was at that exact moment, somewhere in a small Arkansas town, that Leo decided to enlist to serve his country.

After his introduction into the Marine Corps, Leo spent the next several months enduring the rigors of boot camp in Parris Island, SC, and combat training at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, CA. When combat training concluded, Leo and his unit boarded the troopship USS General William Weigel. Leo's unit eventually landed in Yokuska, Japan, after 2 weeks at sea.

On June 5, 1951, the day Leo arrived in Korea, he was immediately transported to the front line for combat, where he joined George Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Division, later nicknamed ``Bloody George.'' Leo's unit was under heavy fire from the moment he arrived. ``They had just lost a machine gunner and were asking for a volunteer,'' he said. ``Fools really do rush in where angels fear to tread, and I volunteered for the position. I served as a machine gunner for the duration of my time in Korea.''

On September 21, 1951, Leo was wounded by a mortar that killed two officers and six enlisted men. Ironically, to Leo, the shell exploded closer to him than any other person, but the shrapnel propelled from it that hit him only left small pieces of metal in his legs and head. Those farther away were hit with larger pieces of metal that inflicted more severe, even fatal injuries. Six decades later, Leo still has fragments of the mortar in has legs and forehead.

Today at 77 years of age, Leo feels blessed to be able to look back on his wartime experiences as a veteran who has since lead a healthy and successful life. ``I recall vividly many images of the horrors of war,'' Leo says, ``but I also remember my fellow Marines, courageous young men with whom I shared the most intense life-and-death experiences most of us would ever face.''

Leo was so inspired by these experiences that he wrote a poem while he was still in Korea to help him share the love and appreciation for America he felt half a world away. Leo believes he may never have had the opportunity to truly express these feelings had he not had the opportunity to serve his country in battle as he did.

Mr. President, I would ask that my Senate colleagues join me in thanking Mr. Leo F. Weddle, a valiant Kentucky veteran, for his courage and selflessness in fighting to preserve our country's freedom. Mr. Weddle is an honorable man whose sacrifice and lifelong success serve as an inspiration to the people of our great Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Journal, a Somerset-area publication, recently published an article written by Mr. Weddle recounting his time as a U.S. marine. I ask unanimous consent that the full article be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, later this week Senators will have an opportunity to do three big things with a single vote.

By voting for the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act that will soon come over from the House, Senators will be able to extend the temporary tax relief working Americans continue to need nearly 3 years into this administration, prevent more job losses in the middle of a jobs crisis by blocking a new regulation on U.S. manufacturers, and facilitate the creation of tens of thousands of new jobs through the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. One vote, three accomplishments. That is to say nothing of the other things the bill would do such as the doc fix and unemployment insurance.

My suggestion is that once this legislation comes over from the House, we pass it without delay. Based on the merits of the bill, it should be a strong bipartisan vote. Nothing could be more bipartisan right now than preventing job loss or facilitating the creation of new private sector jobs.

The President has said job creation is his top priority. Here is a bill that helps him achieve it without a dime of taxpayer money. The President says he wants to extend the payroll tax extension. Here is a bill that does it. The President says he wants unemployment insurance extended. This bill does that. The President says he wants the two parties to compromise. This is it. There is no reason this legislation shouldn't have the President's enthusiastic support.

The only reason--the only reason--for Democrats to oppose this job- creating bill would be to gain some political advantage at a time when every one of them says job creation is a top priority.

Here is what the junior Senator from West Virginia, a Democrat, had to say just today about the pipeline measure contained in the House bill:

I'm for the Keystone Pipeline. All the trade unions,

everyone's for it. It creates thousands of jobs.

I couldn't say it better.

The House actually had a stand-alone vote on the Keystone XL back in July. Forty-seven House Democrats voted for it. I would suggest to my friends on the other side that they join with us and close out the year on a bipartisan note.

The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act was written to appeal to both parties, and I have yet to hear anyone on the other side offer a single good reason for opposing it. So far, the only reason Democrats have given for opposing this bill is that they would rather extend the payroll tax cut on its own without adding language about a pipeline that many of them say they support anyway. So evidently they would vote for both these things separately but not together. That makes absolutely no sense.

Look, you are either for this pipeline project and the jobs that would come with it or you are not. If you are for it, there is no reason to oppose it just because it is not offered as a stand-alone measure. That doesn't make any sense.

It is time to stop the posturing. Here is a bill that contains top priorities from both sides. Let's take it up and pass it without any more theatrics. Let's pass this job-creating bill and give Americans the certainty and the jobs they deserve.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.