The Senate is convened.

• Today --
  • We will continue the consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 6049.
  • We will have morning business from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
  • We expect to be in a position to turn to the consideration of the House Message to accompany the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (H.R. 321).
• Spoke on Republican obstructionism.
  • SUMMARY "it's an effort to stop a bill, to stop a nomination, to stop debate, to make certain that the senate will not engage in even debating the issues which the american people consider to be most important in their lives. and the republicans have now broken the senate record again with 77 filibusters. it may not be news that they've broken the record"

• Responded.
  • SUMMARY "i just listened to my good friend, the majority whip, spend considerable time this morning complaining about obstruction and delay. so as i indicated to him in advance, i'm going to give him a chance to move forward, if they'll just take "yes" for an answer."
• Propounded a UC to move immediately to the Grassley Medicare Bill (S. 3188). (Durbin Objected)
• Propounded a UC to read a third time and pass an 18-month extension of the December Medicare Bill.
• Propounded a UC to read a third time and pass the McConnell Tax Extenders Bill (S. 3098). (Durbin objected)

• Responded.
  • SUMMARY "if the majority prevails, we move forward. that's the only way this body can work. but the republicans have taken a new approach which is, we won't debate things. we won't deliberate them. it is a take it or leave it situation."

• Spoke on energy supplies.
  • SUMMARY "i support the development not just off the o.c.s. but in other regions of our country where we know we have vast resources of energy. now, we need to make sure when we do explore that we do it in the right way, that we do nothing that will endanger the environment of any part of our country, but we do have the technology to make sure that happens, whether it's on the outer continental shelf, whether it's in the shale of the rocky mountains or whether it is in anwr of alaska or other areas of the country where geologists are fairly certain we do have additional resources"

• Spoke on diesel pollution.
  • SUMMARY "this is a small bill with big consequences, big consequences for jump-starting the effort to clean up our nation's diesel vehicle fleet and making our air cleaner and toxin-free. like a number of our colleagues, i am a strong advocate for diesel engines, clean diesel engines, and they are powerful, they are fuel-efficient and with the implementation of e.p.a.'s new fuel and diesel regulations, they would also be a lot cleaner"

• Spoke on diesel pollution.
  • SUMMARY "this legislation, if fully funded, i think will result in the most significant reductions of particulates of any program in the country. it will help communities like mine in ohio and others around the country to meet the new requirements that have come out for ozone and particulate matter"

• Spoke on energy markets.
  • SUMMARY "the difference between us, on this side we believe in the law of supply and demand. on that side of the aisle they believe in different economics -- use less. repeal supply and only insist on demand. that is a fundamental difference."

• Spoke on awarding fuel tanker contracts to Airbus.

• Spoke on the No-Energy Bill (S. 3044).
  • SUMMARY "there are small businesses that are going out of business because they can't afford the increased energy cost in running their small business, and they don't have options as to how to shift costs or how to deal with these rising costs about putting it off to the consumers"
  • SUMMARY "so, s. 3044 -- i'm proud to be a cosponsor -- provides some immediate help to our consumers on energy costs. it deals with a limited number of subjects, but those subjects that can have an impact on energy costs now. it would repeal the tax subsidies that we give the oil industry, the tax subsidies."

• Spoke on the No-Energy Bill (S. 3044).
  • SUMMARY "we're never going to meet growing domestic demand with shrinking domestic supply. the only way to make those numbers balance is to reduce our dependence on oil by increasing production of renewable fuels. if we're going to have a secure energy future, there's a lot more we need to do to explore beside oil reserves."

• Spoke on off-shore drilling.
  • SUMMARY "standing at this very seat -- quote -- "i regret to predict that this" -- the bill i'm referring to -- "i see nothing but danger signs with regard to worldwide energy consumption and the predicament facing the united states of america." now, mr. president, that was over 2 1/2 years ago that i so stated my concerns and also indicated that i wanted to support the move towards offshore drilling."

• Spoke on modifying National Park boundaries in Oregon.
  • SUMMARY "the first bill is the oregon cave national monument boundary adjustment act, which will secure protections for a stunning piece of oregon that includes natural treasures both above and below the ground at the oregon cave."
  • SUMMARY "the second piece i'm introducing today is the lower road river act. the road river is a much loved piece of landscape and this bill will protect the waters that feed it. protecting wild and seen i can tributaries to the river is a critical step in protecting the backbone in one of oregon's most commercial sport and commercial fisheries."

• Spoke on off-shore drilling.
  • SUMMARY "he is proposing to move forward carefully with respect to offshore drilling. there are safeguards with respect to state involvement that i think are a good counterbalance to a lot of the concerns that people would have. he has built in a reserve to mitigate potential damages if they were to occur; environmental damages. and most importantly, it's realistic looking at where we have to move as a country. we need some affirmative leadership here. we can't simply step away and not address solutions with respect to different energy alternatives"

• Spoke on financial information for citizens.
  • SUMMARY "i hope my colleagues in the senate will consider this legislation, something that by the way, does not cost the taxpayers of this country a di dime. there's an entity that is di directed through regulatory bodies to do this. this is something that does not come out of the taxpayer pocket, does not come out of our treasury, and i think it's something that will enhance people's ability throughout our country to really navigate and get to the bottom of issues they might have with financial institutions"

• Spoke on gas prices.
  • SUMMARY "and the oil companies are sitting on leases for 68 million acres now that they're not drilling in. if they didn't think they were valuable, they wouldn't have bought the leases. but they did. and they wait year after year just sitting on these leases and keep throwing in our face alaska, arctic national wildlife refuge, not telling you it would take eight to ten years to bring the first barrel of crude oil out of alaska and it would have a minimal impact on the price of gasoline"
  • SUMMARY "the honest answer is the companies have an opportunity to produce more oil and gas. it's time for us to stop hearing the excuses. we have to look to the reality. the reality is oil companies are making profits at record-breaking levels. the reality is that speculation is driving the price of oil up. and the reality is that the president of the united states has yet to call the oil company executives into the oval office to tell them they're wrecking the economy"

• Spoke on a "Checklist for Change".
  • SUMMARY "we look at the macro issues that affect the world and the macaroni and cheese issues that affect families. now, we women in order to get things done is we have checklists. we have checklists in our daily lives, whether it is to get the laundry done, pick the kids up for school. and we also have a checklist on what we want to do in terms of a legislative agenda"
• Spoke on pay inequality.
  • SUMMARY "i want to speak to equal pay for equal work. you might recall, mr. president, a few weeks ago we brought legislation to the floor to correct the gap in wage discrimination law. we lost that, but i said when the vote was over, the issue is not over. and i called upon the women to put their lipstick on, square their shoulders an suit up -- and suit up and fight for an american revolution."

• Spoke on fiscal responsibility.
  • SUMMARY "this is a change that is not just important, it's urgent. we must be fiscally accountable for taxpayer money. sounds nice, right? it is a moral imperative for our kids. it is the right thing to do for the generation that comes behind us, for my children, for my grandchildren, for your children, for your grandchildren, we are presenting them with a train wreck of unprecedented proportions if we don't get our fiscal house in order."

• Spoke on America's image abroad.
  • SUMMARY "this administration has put our nation on the wrong track in so many ways, including creating a prisoner of war detention facility at guantanamo bay with separate, lesser system of justice. now repudiated by the supreme court. authorizing interrogation techniques that constitute torture, reopening the nuclear door by seeking to develop low-yield battlefield nuclear weapons and 100 kiloton nuclear bunker busters"

• Spoke on FEMA reform.
  • SUMMARY "we need a new fema. we need a muscular, robust, able, efficient and effective fema to be a true partner with local and state governments and individual businesses and families in times of disaster."

• Spoke on the environment.
  • SUMMARY "this administration has done everything it could do to roll back landmark environmental laws. what are these laws? the clean air act, the safe drinking water act, the endangered species act, and the super fund act. in every case they have done this, and they have stopped our progress on global warming."

• Spoke on gas prices.
  • SUMMARY "if people want their gas prices lower today they should e-mail the president and say, don't change the subject; change the policies, get rid of price gouging and get rid of the speculation. you can do it by executive order."

• Spoke on jobs.
  • SUMMARY "making sure americans have jobs. if we're going to pay the high gas prices which are absolutely outrageous and senator mikulski is right, it takes a change in policy"
  • SUMMARY "we have about 8.5 million people out of work in this country right now, 8.5 million people unemployed. we also have what i call a race to the bottom in general economically where americans are being told in a global economy, if you'll only work for less we can be competitive. if you will lose your pension, lose your health care, we can be competitive. we reject that."

• Spoke on high energy and food prices.
  • SUMMARY "i can tell you in part it is because everyone is nickel-and-diming our families. the oil companies are taking a huge chunk out of the family checkbook every week. i saw family cars wrapped around the block at costco waiting in line for the discount gas pumps to save a few bucks. energy costs are skyrocketing. grocery bills are climbing. while families are looking for ways to save, every penny big companies continue to nickel and dime them"

• Spoke on healthcare.
  • SUMMARY "it's not a secret that a health care crisis is looming, looming on the horizon. health care access and affordability is out of reach for way too many of our hard-working american families. you know, when you go out to our states, at least for me, anyway, when i talk to people, and one of the issues that's top and paramount on their minds is health care"

• Spoke on the Democrat "Checklist for Change"
  • SUMMARY "the democrats had an opportunity, because they have the majority in this chamber -- remember, when we're talking about change, change to me in this chamber would mean that we would go from a democrat majority to a republican majority. the democrats are in charge here. they set the agenda. what we talk about is what they bring up. the same in the house of representatives."
  • SUMMARY "i think it is a good thing to talk about change. there is a right change and wrong change. we believe in the law of supply and demand, they believe just in demand. we believe in lower taxes, they believe in higher taxes. we believe in allowing change that allows you to -- to buy your own policy and choose your own doctor. they would have a government program. we believe in giving moms as well as dads more flexibility in choosing schools. they believe in letting the bureaucracy do it."

• Spoke on the budget and taxes.
  • SUMMARY "the first thing that's notable about this budget is that it calls for the largest tax increase in the history of the world. in the entire history of this country. american families and the economy cannot afford this kind of change. the last thing you want to do in time of economic downturn is to raise taxes. and, yet, that's exactly what the democrat budget would do."

• Spoke on Congressional mismanagement
  • SUMMARY "this, i believe, is the kind of change people across the country would love to see. they would love to see us come together to solve these problems but instead of that, they see us stuck in a rut engaging in political posturing rather than solving the problems that confront our nation."
  • SUMMARY "i would hope that if our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are really desirous of change, that they would work with us to help change this broken, dysfunctional united states senate."

• Spoke on labor policy.
  • SUMMARY "the pending legislation in congress sponsored by the change agents would more closely conform america's labor and employment laws to the failed european model which has saddled the french and germans with 30 years of higher unemployment, stagnant job growth and lower productivity"

• Spoke on the War.
  • SUMMARY "there is every reason to embrace the positive change and not force a withdrawal. that is not change but a policy that puts iraq back on the path toward violence, terrorism and chaos. the change we have made has made our country safer, going after terrorists, helping iraq, stabilize their country, turning control over to them and moving our forces back from the front lines of offense to a support role"

• Spoke on energy prices.
  • SUMMARY "can we be energy-independent immediately? no, we can't. but can we help ourselves produce enough oil to help meet global demand, lowering prices, and keep our families from going broke? yes, i believe we can. we know how to protect the environment in the process of development. we can protect wilderness."

• Spoke on drilling for oil in Cuban waters.
  • SUMMARY "let me make another suggestion. how about drilling off the coast of cuba? india is interested in do that. canada is there. spain is there. we're not there. there's 500,000 barrels of oil a day in these cuban waters available for leasing by oil companies. our oil companies can't do it because this administration is obsessed with the embargo against cuba"
• Spoke on futures markets.
  • SUMMARY "there's no free market. let me quote some folks that have come to the congress. this is fedel gheit. he's a 30-year veteran of the oppenheimer company, very respected organization. here's what he says. there is no shortage of oil. i'm convinced oil prices shouldn't be a dime above $55 a barrel i call it the world's largest gambling hall. it's open 24/7. it is totally unregulated, everybody going 120 miles an hour. if you don't believe mr. ghet, mr. clarence cazalot, $100 a barrel isn't justified by the physical demand of the marketplace. so what's gone haywire here? what's the problem? well, we have a regulatory agency called the commodity futures trading commission. they're supposed to be the regulators."

• Propounded a UC that the Senate consider the veto message to HR 6124 at 5:15 and that the Senate vote at 5:30 on the passage of the bill, the objection of the president to the contrary notwithstanding. (without objection)

• Spoke on the Farm Bill (H.R. 6124) veto override.
  • SUMMARY "i think everyone knows exactly what's in here. i just sum it up by saying this is a very good farm bill. it's strong for producers, strong on conservation, good for nutrition."

• Spoke on the Farm Bill (H.R. 6124) veto override.
  • SUMMARY "in this farm bill we have a disaster package that is not going to require emergency spending for -- for the 2008 crop. and it was criticized very much as we went through the process, but yet folks in iowa are going to be hurting and folks in missouri, as that water comes downstream, are going to be hurting"

• Spoke on the Farm Bill (H.R. 6124) veto override.
  • SUMMARY "this is a bill that is good foreconsumers, good for taxpayers, good -- good for consumers, good for taxpayers, good for farmers. this is the same song, second verse. we've been through this whole rotation once already but we have to do it again. i think it's very important to remind people this is much more than a farm bill. this is a food bill with important nutrition components."

The vote was 80-14, the bill on reconsideration is passed,

the objection of the president to the contrary notwithstanding.

(Vote results will be posted here within an hour.)

• Tomorrow --
  • We will convene at 9:30 AM.
  • We will move immediately to the Housing Bill.
  • The Housing Bill will be open to amendments and will be legislated upon.
  • There may be votes tomorrow in relation to amendments on the Housing Bill.
  • We will be working on Friday.

• Spoke on the Strategic Economic Dialogues.
  • SUMMARY "of all of the pressing issues, madam president, that we're currently facing in our relationship with china in our bilateral relations with china, secretary paulson chose to emphasize issues, frankly that only stand to benefit the largest investors, the largest mutual funds, the largest hedge funds, the people on wall street that have benefited the most from this global economy, the largest corporations that are outsourcing jobs to china, that's who benefits from this forced strategic economic dialogue"
  • SUMMARY "we will reduce carbon emissions, as we should. the chinese will benefit from that because they don't absorb the costs. they don't bear the costs of these kinds of environmental rules and regulations. so they get even more competitive advantage. and what happens if a plant shuts down in youngstown or shuts down in steubenville or shuts down in dayton and moves to china? plants that were following decent emission standards moves to china and their carbon emissions are hardly regulated. so, it means lost jobs for us. it means more pollution, more carbon emissions for the world"

• Spoke on oil shale.
  • SUMMARY "there is nothing about the oil locked up in these shales, in these rocks of western colorado that will bring about the kind of relief that we somehow hoped to be able to bring about to the consumers of oil in our country. the fact of the matter is we're a long ways from knowing whether or not oil shale can be a part of the portfolio of fulfilling the energy needs of the united states of america."

The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30 AM tomorrow.