Senate Opening

The Senate convened.

Opening Remarks

 
Senator Reid: (9:33 AM)

·         Today --

·         The Senate will resume consideration of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (H.R. 3082).

·         There will be no votes during today's session.

·         At 5:30 PM on Monday, November 9, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the nomination of Andre Davis to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit. Further votes are expected to occur during Monday's session.

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (H.R. 3082)

 
Senator Johnson: (9:35 AM)

·         Spoke in favor of H.R. 3082.

o    SUMMARY "For the military, the bill fully funds the expansion of the homeowners assistance program to help military families who face steep losses on home sales as a result of orders to new posts during the current mortgage crisis. Military families cannot pick and choose when or where they move. They go where their orders send them when they're told to move. The expansion of the homeowners assistance program is designed to help military families who must move at a time when there is foreclosure. And for the nation's economic environmental health, the bill provides $225 million to promote energy conservation and investment in renewable energy resources at U.S. military bases, nearly triple the budget request. The Defense Department is the single largest consumer of energy in the nation. This bill provides the funding to step up efforts to reduce energy consumption at military bases and to promote renewable energy, ranging from installing energy-efficient light bulbs to installation with geothermal energy. These are just a few examples of the many important projects in this bill and a few of the reasons why it is important that we act swiftly to pass the bill."

 
Senator Udall-NM: (9:40 AM)

·         Called up the Udall Amendment #2737 to H.R. 3082.

·         Spoke in favor of the Udall Amendment #2737 to H.R. 3082.

o    SUMMARY "Mr. President, I rise today to talk about America's forgotten heroes and to offer an amendment to improve upon the excellent legislation before us today. Imagine dedicating your life to serving your country. You give up time with your family. You put your life on the line. You sacrifice everything for the freedom and security of your fellow Americans. Then you come home, and you can't hold down a job or you can't adjust to everyday life because of the traumatic experience you've just been through. Soon you find yourself without four walls to call home. Many of our veterans transition back into civilian life without problems. For many others, it simply takes more time. But for some veterans, that transition is painfully difficult, and sometimes it never happens at all."

o    SUMMARY "This amendment will provide additional funds to construct, renovate, and acquire buildings to be used as service centers or transitional housing for homeless veterans. Much of these grants are critical to organizations working to provide shelters for homeless veterans. In my home state of New Mexico, six organizations in Albuquerque, have received these funds. They will tell you how critical this funding is to our veterans and to our country. While I know this funding isn't an end all, be-all solution to veteran homelessness, it's a good start."

 
Senator Sanders: (10:03 AM)

·         Spoke on the financial crisis.

o    SUMMARY "Mr. President, over a year has gone by since Congress, against my vote, passed the $700 billion bailout for Wall Street. The Federal Reserve has committed trillions of additional dollars in virtually zero interest loans and other assistance to large financial institutions. Add it all together, and you are looking at the largest taxpayer bailout in the history of the world. Then-President Bush, Secretary Treasury Paulson, Ben Bernanke, Fed Chairman, told us at that time that we needed to bail out Wall Street because we could not allow these huge financial institutions and insurance companies to fail. Because if they failed, their failure would be systemic, that would impact every aspect of our economy and would take down large segments not only of financial services, but the entire economy as well...The time is now to do what I think most Americans understand we have to do, and that is to break up these huge financial institutions. Yesterday, I introduced S. 2746, the Too Big to Fail, Too Big to Exist Act that would do just that. And that is the bottom line. The bottom line here is that if a financial institution is too big to fail, that financial institution is too big to exist."

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (H.R. 3082)

 
Senator Tester: (10:23 AM)

·         Spoke in favor of the Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009.

o    SUMMARY "This bill contains the Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, a bipartisan measure, that will make countless improvements for VA and veterans in most rural places in this country. This bill locks in monetary reimbursement rates for veterans who have to travel long distances to get to a VA clinic. It gives greater authority to develop new strategies to address the mental health needs of OIF and IEF veterans in highly rural areas where access to health care is an enormous challenge...Mr. President, I understand that there's been a hold put on this bill. Our veterans are too important to play politics with. The fact of the matter is our veterans are folks who I've said in my comments that have served this country so very, very well, we need to step up to the plate and serve them in the best way that they served us. Live up to our promises, live up to our obligations, to the veterans of this country."

 
Senator Corker: (10:26 AM)

·         Spoke on health care reform.

o    SUMMARY "So, here we have a bill that is taking $400 billion to $500 billion in savings, depending on which draft, whether it's the House or the Senate, and instead of making Medicare more solvent, something that has $38 trillion in unfunded liabilities, we in this body are using those savings to leverage a whole new program. Secondly, we are using Medicaid and basically creating huge unfunded mandates for our states and I think all of us know that...So, Mr. President, I woke up the other day and I the thought, you know, if I had drafted this bill, Bob Corker from Tennessee, a Republican, if any the people on this side of the aisle had drafted this bill, there wouldn't be one single Democratic vote for this bill."

o    SUMMARY "This bill, we all know, takes us in a direction, there's no question, but it's not the right direction. And I hope that we will together figure out a way to address health care reform in a way that will stand the test of time. This bill will not do that. And I know that I've already talked to many of the people, I mentioned, yesterday said we realize that we're going to create lots of problems that are going to have to be dealt with down the road, but we just can't vote, we cannot vote against this piece of legislation today. Mr. President, I hope that this body will rise to the occasion, and i hope this body will put aside a piece of legislation that I don't think anybody feels great about. And I hope we'll come together and do something that's in the best interest of our country."

 
Senator Akaka: (10:34 AM)

·         Spoke in favor of the Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009.

o    SUMMARY SUMMARY "This vitally important veterans health bill is being held up by a single senator. Each day that this measure is delayed, this means that vital benefits for veterans are delayed. This is a bipartisan bill. The provisions of which were reported by the committee as S. 801 and S. 352, with the full support of our ranking member, Senator Burr. This bill is supported by many veterans' organizations as well, including the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Wounded Warrior Project. Various other advocates support this bill as well including Nursing Organizations of Veterans Affairs, the Brain Association of America, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and many others. By blocking this S. 1963, this single senator is denying veterans many benefits and services."

 
Senator Begich: (10:45 AM)

·         Spoke in favor of the Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009.

o    SUMMARY "This bill gives us an opportunity to provide for our veterans and to honor their sacrifices. This bill, on which my colleague has placed a hold, will eliminate co-payments for veterans who are catastrophically disabled and allow the VA to reimburse those veterans for emergency care at NOVA facilities. How can my colleague deny veterans easier and less costly veteran care? Veterans have paid their dues to this country and it's our turn, our duty, our obligation to take care of them. I'm disappointed that my Senate colleague does not feel this same sense of duty and responsibility to our nation's heroes who have sacrificed so much for our very right to stand in this body and debate this matter. There is no reason or rationale for a hold to be placed on this legislation, and I call on my colleague to remove this hold and I ask my colleague to remember as Veterans Day approaches, that those who have served this country deserve better. They have earned it. It is my obligation and his obligation to support our veterans and to always remember the sacrifice they have made."

Morning Business

 
Senator Webb: (11:44 AM)

·         Spoke on the Graham Amendment #2669 to the CJS Appropriations bill.

o    SUMMARY "If you bring these people into the United States, our Constitution provides that individuals tried in Article 3 courts should have a right, or individuals subject to Article 3 courts should be tried in a speedy manner. We all have the right to a speedy trial if you're here in the United States. We're not going to do that. So then the question is, what are we going to do with them? If you read the Supreme Court cases, and, again, as I said yesterday during the debate, I read in detail the Hamdi case which deals in part with this situation. If this individual is deemed an enemy combatant, they can be held for the duration of what we call the hostilities, until hostilities cease. That's a huge conundrum in terms of dealing with people who aren't going to be charged, who are not American citizens, who are apprehended for acts outside of the country and yet are going to be put in our American prison system potentially indefinitely."

o    SUMMARY "So I just wanted to come to the floor today to express my concern that the president, who has been given the discretion through the vote yesterday, which tabled the Graham amendment, should be using it very narrowly, should not be in a rush to shut down the Guantanamo facility in a manner that brings us the second and third increment of problems. And I would ask that the members of this body join me in expressing a concern about a proper way to address this very complicated situation."

 
Senator Warner: (11:51 AM)

·         Spoke on financial regulatory reform.

o    SUMMARY "Mr. President, on Monday, I'm introducing legislation to establish a systemic risk council. I've worked with Chairman Dodd on this issue and his staff, and I'm very greatful that his discussion draft, although I haven't seen the specific language, is expected to include a strong systemic risk oversight council, which I've been advocating. I appreciate Chairman Dodd's leadership on this issue and look forward to working with him and the administration on making it a reality...Some have proposed that the Federal Reserve serve as the systemic risk regulator, but its monetary policy responsibilities present potential conflicts and it has proven incapable of properly regulating large institutions. The Federal Reserve claims to be the systemic risk regulator at the moment, but it has obviously failed to take on that task of course, and we need to be careful in balancing its responsibilities and authorities in coming years. Mr. President, that is why if we want to ensure that monetary policy and systemic risk are each managed in the best possible manner, we must recognize that institutional structures and responsibilities do matter. Doubling down on a structure of the past that has not performed well outside of its core function is not how we should confront the challenges of the future."

 
Senator Dorgan: (12:04 PM)

·         Responded.

o    SUMMARY "As we work through this regulatory authorities and other authorities, it is important for us to use the best ideas that exist in this chamber to put together an approach that will prevent ever again what happened last year and the year before. You know, so I have some thoughts about the use of the Fed with respect to systemic risk and other things, and I'll speak about them later. But I was peaked by the subject that he was discussing on the floor. If we don't find a way to put the foundation back, people are going to be leery. We probably can come down closer to the side of if you're too big to fail, you're probably too big, because too big to fail is almost by definition no-fault capitalism. But between here and there are a lot of interesting and useful ideas that are being developed and the Senator from Virginia is in the middle of them, and I appreciate his work."

·         Spoke on the U.S. economy.

o    SUMMARY "Now, let me say quickly, as I've said before, this president has been in office less than 10 months. He inherited an unbelievable economic mess, the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression. So I understand that. I know he understood that, that this was not an optimal time perhaps to assume the reins. But he understands and we understand. We have to do everything we can to get this economy started once again. On a Friday to hear a report that we are at 10.2% unemployment, that's tough news. We have a lot to do here in the Congress, and in our government to try to find a way to put this back on track. There's some evidence that maybe this is beginning, but again, a jobless economic recovery is not a real economic recovery, and we need to focus like a laser on the question of how do you create new jobs in this country? Clearly, small to medium sized businesses are the job generators in this country, and we need to find ways, and we need to focus all of our attention to find ways to incentivize the creation of jobs once again in the private sector. Public policies that can incentivize the creation of those jobs, I think, are what is expected of us. There's a lot of urgency for a lot of things. In my judgment, the most urgent priority at the moment is to focus on jobs and get people back to work."

Morning Business

 
Senator Dorgan: (12:30 PM)

·         Performed wrap up.

·         Monday, November 9 --

·         The Senate will convene at 2:00 PM and proceed to a period of Morning Business, until 3:00 PM, with senators permitted to speak up to 10 minutes each.

·         Following Morning Business, the Senate will resume consideration of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (H.R. 3082).

·         At 4:30 PM the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination of Andre Davis to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit. There will 60 minutes of debate, equally divided and controlled, and will proceed to vote on confirmation at 5:30 PM.

·         Votes related to H.R. 3082 are possible following consideration of the Davis nomination.

The Senate stands adjourned until 2:00 PM on Monday, November 9.

Morning Business

 
Senator Reed: (11:05 AM)

·         Spoke on the recent shooting at Fort Hood.

o    SUMMARY "This is a moment I think we all have to stop and not only to extend our warmest condolences to the families, but also to reflect on the service and sacrifice of all the troops, their continued willingness to serve, to expose themselves to risk, to leave their families behind. All of this creates the pressure, the tension, the burden of soldiering in this present moment in our history. We owe them more than we can repay them. At this moment, I simply want to express the deepest condolences to the families and also to those soldiers who came to the aid of their comrades, who exposed themselves in a dangerous manner to try to get people to safety, to try to provide first aid to the wounded. They continue to be our heroes, and they always will be."

·         Spoke in favor of H.R. 3082.

o    SUMMARY "This bill provides $134 billion for military construction and increases the veterans affairs programs approximately $429 million over the president's request. The bill provides a total of $109 billion for the VA, increases funding for medical care by $4.2 billion over last year's funding. For the first time, the bill includes an advance appropriations for the VA's medical programs to ensure stable and uninterrupted funding. And this bill also provides funding to combat homelessness among veterans. And this is a priority of both Secretary Gates, Secretary Shinseki and also Admiral Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The bill includes $3.2 billion for health care, support service and housing assistance for homeless veterans. And I hope, again, the Senate will act before Veterans Day to pass this measure."

·         Congratulated Lieutenant General Thomas Metz on his upcoming retirement.

 
Senator Casey: (11:17 AM)

·         Spoke on the situation in Afghanistan.

o    SUMMARY "We want and need President Karzai as a reliable partner. I hope that his re-election will provide an opportunity for a fresh start in Afghanistan. A start that is characterized by a commitment to good government, political inclusion, and a realization that Afghanistan's future must be based upon the rule of law. I should say, when I saw President Karzai in August, just after the election, I implored him to confront these pressing issues and explained that the American people and the patience of the American people was not infinite. In fact, it grows shorter by the day. Mr. President, the next few weeks will be pivotal. President Karzai can do so much to build the confidence of the international community and the Afghan people in this short period of time as President Obama determines our troop commitment to the Afghan theater. It must be done with the confidence in Afghanistan's decision makers. A confidence that frequently and does not often exist today. President Karzai cannot let his golden hour pass. It is too important to future of Afghanistan. It's too important to the Afghan people."

 
Senator LeMieux: (11:17 AM)

·         Spoke on the recent shooting at Fort Hood.

o    SUMMARY "I also want to take an opportunity to add words of appreciation for the first responders and the medical professionals who helped these men and women who were injured yesterday. It's heroes helping heroes that really shows America at its best. Our thoughts and prayers will be with all of these young brave men and women who were tragically slain yesterday and their families."

·         Spoke on government spending.

o    SUMMARY "One day, the chickens are going to come home to roost. One day, we're going to be accountable for this money that we spend. One day it's going to impact our standing in the world, and I believe that day is very soon. We already know that the banks of the world, the central banks are starting to shed dollars. They no longer want to hold our currency because they are losing faith in the United States of America as the leading world financial power. We already know that we are having to sell more and more debt to countries that don't even have our interests, countries like China. We already know that we're losing our standing and our ability to move forward because the rest of the world doesn't feel like we financially manage our situation well. While our economy is straining, while countries look at us as suspect for our spending patterns, countries like Brazil are on fire. As American dollars and investments go there because people think there's better opportunities to make money in those countries than in the United States. Mr. President, I want a better future for our children. If we're going to have a better future for our children, we're going to have to restrain our spending."