Floor Statements

Mr. President, this morning we are returning to the budget resolution for what we hope will be the final day. Chairman Gregg and Senator Conrad will be managing the time until 10:30 a.m. At 10:30, we have an order for a series of four stacked votes. The first two are on the debt limit extension, and the last two votes are in relation to the avian flu amendments to the budget resolution. The two managers will then control the remaining time until 1:30 this afternoon when all time expires.

At 1:30 today, we begin disposing of the pending amendments and any additional amendments that are offered. This is the beginning of the so-called vote-arama. This is a difficult process. These votes will likely continue for a while today and possibly into the evening. I urge my colleagues to remain in or around the Chamber.

I was talking to the Democratic manager, and we both agreed, as does the Republican manager, that our colleagues must and we encourage them to show restraint during the day and recognize not every amendment needs to be offered. Yesterday, Senators missed some votes because they did not show up on time. The managers will be very clear in terms of how much time is allowed for each vote. We encourage Members to stay close to the Chamber so they do not miss the votes. The only way to finish the budget is to have that discipline and not to drag the votes on for 15 minutes or more. I also encourage Members to rethink whether they need to offer their amendments, as I stated earlier.

Finally, I note that we have some nominations to consider before we adjourn. On the list of nominations are two district judges we will finish. If votes are needed, then we will need to schedule those votes with the budget votes as well. However, I hope we can work on a nominations list that will be agreed to by unanimous consent.

I thank Senator Gregg and Senator Conrad for their efforts so far. I thank everyone in advance for their patience during this budget process.

Mr. President, I also wish to agree with the Democratic leader and express a request. We are going to have a long day here. We have a lot of votes lined up, and we have a lot of votes to follow that as well. So let's follow the managers' lead, and we are going to leave it to their discretion. Right now, we have instructed them to cut off those votes. With that, no complaints. People have to stick close to the floor.

Amendment No. 3034

I move to lay that motion on the table.

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Change of Vote

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

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and a section by section analysis be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and a section by section analysis be printed in the Record.

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

Mr. President, we have several items in wrapup in a little bit and a lot of activity is going on. Hopefully in 15 or 20 minutes we will be able to close the Senate. I come to the Senate to make a couple of statements.

I begin with the very brief comment on the budget itself. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their tremendous efforts in bringing to a close passage of a budget resolution that this Senate can be very proud of. Overall management of the budget was superb. I thank Chairman Judd Gregg and Senator Kent Conrad for their leadership, for their patience on what is always a very difficult process that culminates in this vote-arama that we have been in from about 1:30 today up until about an hour ago. With these vote-aramas, everyone is on the floor and milling around, considering amendment after amendment. It is a challenge for all Senators, with tensions tending to rise. To have two cool heads calmly manage this bill is a real tribute to both of them. I thank them for their leadership.

The budget itself is a tough budget. It is a disciplined budget. It restrains spending and tackles the deficit. It reflects our commitment to America's future and to making America stronger and safer and more economically sound. Like so many of the issues we tackled this year, it is not an easy process. It has not been a very easy process. With determination and with focus, a lot of energy by leading on principle, we are delivering meaningful solutions for the American people. We have demonstrated this Senate can and does govern. We have been doing that consistently.

As we reflect over the last several weeks, no more so than with the confirmation of Justice Samuel Alito. A lot of our opponents had tried to distort his record and to undermine the process, but this Senate held firm, and with that Judge Alito did receive a fair up-or-down vote that he deserved in the Senate. But to get to that point was tough. We proved that the Senate can hold a free, a dignified, and a thorough debate while at the same time fulfilling our constitutional responsibility of giving advice and consent. Justice Alito now sits on the Supreme Court of the United States. In every respect Judge Alito was a nominee who meets the highest standards of excellence. I congratulate him once again on his most deserved achievement.

Principle and determination to protect the American people also guided more recently our passage of the PATRIOT Act. Again, the process got stymied. There was a lot of delay. There was a lot of postponement. But we pressed forward and after sustained negotiations we were able to secure law enforcement's No. 1 terrorist fighting tool, the USA PATRIOT Act.

The legislation itself works to promote information sharing and breaking down barriers between our intelligence agencies and our law enforcement agencies. It has proven to be an effective tool. It levels the playing field so we can effectively harness all of our resources to defeat terror. It appropriately balances the constitutional rights of all Americans against our need to effectively investigate and halt potential terrorist attacks. Every day it is helping the authorities dismantle terrorist organizations and stop our enemies in their tracks.

Keeping America strong also means keeping our economy thriving, and that is why also this past month we passed the Tax Relief Act of 2005. We know that tax cuts work. We know they grow the economy and help create jobs. In 2001 we delivered tax relief to the American people of $1.4 trillion; 2 years later, another $350 billion. We cut taxes on income and marriage. We doubled the child tax credit, we slashed taxes on capital gains and dividends. And the product we are seeing, our economy, has grown. We created over 5 million jobs in the last 36 months. Unemployment is the lowest it has been since before September 11, lower now than the average of the 1990s, those boom years, and the 1980s and the 1970s. Home ownership is up. Almost 70 percent of Americans own their homes. Minority ownership is at an all-time high. Tax relief has led to 3 years of continued strong growth.

The tax cuts are working. Even this past year we saw growth in revenues coming to the Government in over 10 percent, in double digits. When we return, I hope we will be able to address the conference report on this tax reconciliation bill.

That brings me to what will come in the 2 weeks after the current recess.

Our attention is to focus on border security when we come back. Our country needs security at our borders in order to stop the flow of illegal immigration and make America safer from foreign criminals and terrorists.

Today, I introduced a border security bill to ensure the Senate will have legislation available for consideration during that week of March 27. The Senate Judiciary Committee, under the fantastic leadership of Arlen Specter, has been addressing border security and interior enforcement aggressively over the last 3 weeks. They have had what we all know of as a markup this week, including today and yesterday, on 2 days of last week and the week before. Arlen Specter has been a tireless leader. Indeed, they will return on that first Monday to continue that markup.

Now is the time to take their outstanding work to the floor. That is exactly what we will do. The bill I introduced is based on the consensus enforcement, visa reform, and immigration litigation reform titles of Chairman Specter's bill, the markup of border security legislation. It focuses on ensuring strict enforcement of our Nation's immigration laws.

I do look forward to bringing a border security bill to the floor in the

early part of that week, on Monday or Tuesday of that week, and allowing the full Senate to work its will on border security and on interior law enforcement, as well as comprehensive immigration reform.

America will be more secure, and our constituents will be safer. I hope the Judiciary Committee will be able to report a bill that we can bring to the floor that meets these objectives. As a country of immigrants who respect the rule of law, I expect us to honor those heritages as the debate unfolds.

It is going to be a heated discussion. These are tough issues. This body will struggle with each of these issues. There will be a lot of debate, and I know there will be a lot of amendments. But it is important to the American people, for their safety, for their security, and to do what is right on the issue of border security and immigration. A country that cannot secure its borders cannot secure its destiny.

We made great strides in the past 2 months. We are working hard to secure America's future. We are working hard to deliver real outcomes on real issues. I look forward to continuing this work when we return.

Mr. President, tonight, as we wrapped up our votes on the budget, I do want to take a minute to acknowledge someone who everybody in this body knows very well, but someone who has worked hard for many years behind the scenes--shirt sleeves rolled up, often with a furrowed brow. His name: Bill Hoagland, the Senate's undisputed budget guru, and my valued budget adviser.

No one knows the budget better than Bill Hoagland. No one understands better the stresses and strains it has undergone as Congress has struggled to find ways to control spending.

Bill has seen this process transform as Congress has added layer upon layer of complexity in our ongoing efforts to control deficits. There is no greater authority than Bill on how that process began, how it has changed, where it is going in the future.

He has amassed this deep reservoir of knowledge, in part, by being scrupulously frank and impeccably honest. Bill will always tell you what he thinks, and he does so in a way that is often maybe too open, but open and transparent. And never, ever does he have a hidden agenda.

He provided this service for many years for Senator Domenici when he served as the former Budget Committee chairman's staff director. He has done it for me since joining my team in the leader's office, and for any other Senator who has solicited his views.

Over the last 3 days, and especially over the course of today--when things started to get a little bit tough, when there was a question among Senators in their many small meetings, both on the floor and off the floor--the most common question was, as things got tough: Where is Bill Hoagland? Where is Bill? And indeed, Bill would come, and with his experience and with his discipline and with his focus, he would fix it. And fix it he did--again and again and again.

Bill is dedicated, well informed, and honest. He never trims his counsel to please the listener. These qualities have been a huge asset, an enormous asset, to me as leader. I know when I talk with him, I may not always necessarily hear what I want, but I always hear what I probably should.

This is Bill Hoagland's 22nd budget. It is my last. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Indiana native for his service to the Senate and to the American people.

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, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 404 submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 2447 introduced earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the chair now lay before the Senate the House message to accompany S. 2275.

The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message:

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur in the House amendment, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 350 received from the House.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the concurrent resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4826, which was received from the House.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the

table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calender No. 372, S. 1608.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that during the adjournment of the Senate, the majority leader and the senior Senator from New Mexico be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions.