potentially another crisis but that's not necessary. the treasury still has a line of credit under tarp which reaches $50 billion to $75 billion depending on how you count for it. we know the risks are nowhere near that number and they're certainly not systematic. therefore, these tarp dollars are not needed. they are not needed right now or in the foreseeable future for the purposes of maintaining financial stability and avoiding a systematic meltdown so it is totally appropriate that all that money be used to pay down the debt or at least a significant portion. it would be an extraordinarily positive statement by this administration if they said to the markets and to the american people, the responsible thing to do is to take this money and pay down the debt. i think the markets would react positively immediately. they would say we're serious.

i think the american people would react positively, immediately, too. it would be a huge win for this president. the's worked. -- the policy worked. this president, and the prior president, president obama, had the courage to seven up and make the decision to use the tarp money in this way and now it has worked they should use it to pay down the debt and debt the double win of being able to say what we did was good policy. it wasn't popular policy but good policy and it workedded to stabilize the financial institutions and what we're doing now to pay down the debt is also good policy and it's what the law calls for in the end. that's the first thing that can happen right now. and it should happen. this money that was paid interest day to the treasury should be used immediately to pay down the debt. that should be announced by the treasury, or if i were president, i would announce it myself.

it's pretty good news. so that's a step in the right direction. granted on $2 trillion deficit it's not massive but it is a statement, and a statement is important at this time. you know, $68 billion is a lot of money, anywhere. so it would be a good decision. the second thing we should do, and we can do, is not allow the war supplemental which is an important piece of legislation needed to fund our troops, to be used as a passenger train for unfunded baggage which will pass debt on to our children on extraneous issues. that's what it is being usesed for. last week, the president held a press conference at the white house. surrounded by the democratic leadership of the congress. he said, "we're going to return to pay-go." we're going to require that new programs be paid for.

i applaud that as an attitude and an approach. it hasn't been followed and here but i applaud the fact he stated that and that he had standing behind him the democratic leadership of this congress when he said that. ironically on the same day, i believe, the house of representatives passed a bill which increased spending by $1 billion which had nothing to do with the war, which was not paid for, therefore, it did not meet pay-go but, instead, created a debt our children will have to pay and stuck that piece of legislation in the war fighting bill so it couldn't be amended, isn't paid for or amended and approved. it's called the cash for clunker and it is a clunger of a bill passing on to our children, $1 billion of new debt. why would we do that if now, cash for clunker could be a good program, maybe it's a reasonable

idea to pay for old cars to get them off the road to put new cars on the road. hopefully, to increase mileage of the auto fleet and also to stimulate the economy. that may be a good idea. but it's not a good idea to not pay for that. i mean, we have already spent $740 billion on the stimulus package -- unpaid for. we have spent $83 billion on the automobile buyouts, on the automobile bailout -- unpaid for. now to put this extra $1 billion on top of all of that is just adding sthult t insult to injurr next generation and our children's children. why should our children and our grandchildren have to pay the bill for us paying $3,500 to somebody to buy their car today? i mean, how fiscally irresponsible is that? it's especially irresponsible

when you realize it is being done in the context and on the same day, as, i believe, the president announcing we were going back to pay-go principles where we actually pay for new programs that we put on the books. but in order to avoid that, in order to avoid what they just signed on to, the congressional democratic leader at the white house, standing by the president and cheering when he said we were going back to pay-go they stuck this language in the war supplemental. that's an insult to our troops that in order to fund our troops they have to take along with them $1 billion of new debt passed on to their children. many of these extraordinary people who are fighting for us have children. is it right that in order to get them the adequate resources they need to fight this war we should send their children a bill for $1 billion so we get a public

policy we can all go back to our dealers and our automobile dealers and say we got you this $1 billion of spending? of course not. that's not right. it's not fair. it's not appropriate. okay. kacial for clunkers may make sense, if it's paid for. well, the way it was structured it can't be paid for. you cannot amend this bill in its present form. and, therefore, if it passes with the cash for clunkers in it $1 billion price tag in it, we basically pass that debt on to our children. so i will, at the appropriate time, offer an amendment which will essentially be a pay-go amendment, that will be a point of order that says essentially -- not under pay-go because if i did that it might bring the whole bill down and i have in interest in doing that -- it will be a targeted point of order that essentially will be a pay-go point of order. anyone voting against this point of order will be voting against pay-go which will say that this language which is unpaid for,

this $1 billion, should not stay in this bill in this form. does that mean the bill goes down? no. they will hear a lot of moaning and groaning that it will destroy the bill. no, it won't. no, it won't. this bill can be sent back to the house and passed without cash for clunker language in it, unpaid for. or it can be sent back to the house and they can put back in the cash for clutchinger language, paid for. and it can happen all within a six-hour legislate of day. maybe even less. maybe half an hour knowing the rapidity of the rules committee in the house. this will be a first test whether we as a congress mean what we say. do we mean when we say we're not going to create new program prot we're not going to pay for, we should stand behind the words.

this plan can be paid for rather easily by moving money around in the original stimulus package. and it is fairly obvious this should not be in the war supplemental to begin with but if it is it should not be put in a form to massachusettsive debt on to our children. it's a chance to make a $1 billion statement that we're going to start getting serious about the debt around here so i hope i'll be joined in this point of order by my colleagues who are interested in the integrity of the pay-go process and in not pass on to our kids $1 billion bill that they don't deserve. i make a point of order that a quorum is not present and i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

ms. stabenow: mr. president, are we in a quorum call? the presiding officer: we are. ms. stabenow: i ask unanimous consent the call of the quorum

be suspended. i ask unanimous consent the call of the quorum be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. ms. stabenow: i ask unanimous consent to speak in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. ms. stabenow: i come to the floor to respond to my friend the distinguished ranking member well. rick, yesterday the news broke obviously that sammy sosa's name is reportedly one of the 104 that tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. that was in '03. you are a beloved or you are beloved by cubs' fans for what you did. there you know sosa, as well. how much does this affect his legacy? >> >> wow. reich, yeah i don't even know where to start. the first thought they had was of being disappointed, how sad i thought this was. i remember a few years ago when he got caught with a corked bat, i went into the trainer's room at wrigley and said, "what happened?" with tears in his eyes, he said, during batting practice they want me to put on a show. he said, i had this one bat i

did that with. i've got to be honest, right now i question a lot of things, but again, this is a preliminary report. let's wait until we get all the facts. >> as far as waiting and all that, obviously this has been a trickle of names. i heard the term as far as this is baseball's dripping faucet. we're hearing people such as lou piniella, such as ozzie guillen saying they wish the names would all be released. what are your thoughts? >> to begin with, having been a former player, when you take a voluntary test and they tell you the results will never go public, that's one thing. your trust was debetrayed with something like that. but if these names are going to come out, can we not just come out with everybody's name right now? let's get it over with and talk about the great things in baseball right now. >> thank you very much for a very straightforward answer on that. espn's baseball analyst rick sutcliffe has the call with dave o'brien for the phillies and the jays. espn, 7:00 eastern.

rick, thank you so much for your insight and perspective. >> dave o'brien's right here. >> still to come on espnews, his wife is battling cancer and phil mickelson is playing in this year's u.s. open. year's (announcer) what does greatness taste like? miller lite. (announcer on call) off the glass, centered in front... oh what a great move, another great move... he skates in on goal... he scores! unbelievable! it's all over! oh my... (announcer) that's what greatness tastes like. triple hops brewed. great pilsner taste. miller lite. taste greatness. go to hotwire.com. when four-star hotels have unsold rooms, they use hotwire to fill them... so you get the lowest prices on four-star hotels, guaranteed. ♪ h-o-t-w-i-r-e

♪ hotwire.com

>> as the sun says so long on wednesday afternoon at bethpage black, it might be saying so long for the week. not only does the weather

forecast tush a bit bleak, the players know what awaits them. phil mickelson on the grounds wednesday for his first practice round of the week here on the black. everywhere he went, phil was serenaded with happy birthday, and since these are great sports fan, not good, great sports fan, everyone wanted to know, phily mick, how about sanchez and the jets? it feels like these people could put him on their shoulders and carry him to the silver trophy on sunday night they would. >> i think that's an excellent way to put it, scott. it wasn't hard to spot mickelson on wednesday. all you had to do is look for the throngs of people who followed him everywhere he went. as you mentioned, not able to play a practice round until wednesday. arrived on long island tuesday night, but despite the departure in routine, mickelson appeared relaxed and confident wednesday and clearly happy to be back in a place that has embraced him as

one of their own. >> i've actually been hitting the ball better than i have in a long time and possibly ever. i know it doesn't seem like it after my score at memphis. i didn't score very well. when amy's going through tests and i'm sitting in a hospital for ten hours, i would take a break and think about my goal swing. i would talk to butch, and i think that even though we didn't hit any balls, i actually got my swing to where we wanted it and i'm very optimistic about my ball striking this week. i think the key for me will be on the greens. i putted these greens very well in '02. if i can have a good putting week, i expect to be in contention on sunday. i feel like my game is ready, but you just never know. i feel like emotionally i'm better, but you just never know. >> well, mickelson's wife amy, who almost always accompanies him to the u.s. open, will not be here this week. when i asked him this morning what she said to him before he left, he said she'd made it clear she'd like a certain

silver cup in her hospital room as she begins her treatment. scott? >> thank you, wendy. golf can be a cruel, cold business, and tiger woods is standing between amy mickelson and phil and that trophy. didn't play wednesday. got his work done monday and tuesday, nine holes each, and as we welcome in andy north, andy, it almost felt like tiger had been anoingted. we need to pump our brakes on that a little bit because he played beautifully at memorial, but there are 72 holes of u.s. open championship golf between tiger and that trophy he wants. what could derail it? >> first off, players sometimes can't take what they've been working on in the practice tee and take it to the first tee. second of all, you can't end shots away. if you three putt one green a day, over the course of the tournament, that could be enough to not win. if we get some rain, high winds and bad rain, you're at the

wrong place on the golf course, you make a couple double bogeys, that would be another reason he wouldn't win. >> just down the road there have been bailouts of some sorts on wall street. andy north has an investment strategy for you. we've allocated $100 for you to invest in some chasing tiger and mickelson. paul casey, how much money? >> i'm going to put $10 on paul casey. he's won three times already this year, but he hasn't really been there in a major championship. but because of his past, put $10 in his camp. >> no top five in a major yet. sergio? >> i'm going $4.99 on sergio. he's had an amazing year. not a single top ten in the pga tour. this is player you think would contend every single week. he's been a bit of a struggle so far. >> 0-42 thus far in the majors. geoff ogilvy, i've got early advanced warning, blue horseshoe loves him. >> we're going $40 here. two wins already.

he's won a u.s. open. he's walked down the 72nd hole knowing he had a chance to win an open. >> hasn't missed a cut all year. can do everything you'd want. this guy is streaky. >> i'm going $30. i love the way he's playing. >> high risk. >> i love the way he played at the t.p.c. >> hasn't been in the 60s or made a cut since he won. >> doesn't matter. >> that was an immaculate round. he played to win. there and jim furyk, $15.01 left. you can't put it on a gift certificate. how much on jim? >> $15 on jim. he's won the u.s. open, a bunch of top tens in the u.s. open. he's played exceptionally well this year. a great finish at the memorial. you've got to save that one penny for a ball marker or a little bit of good luck. >> around here a ball mark and good luck would be something worth having in your pocket. sergio garcia on sale evidently. you see the andy north hedge fund, how he's chose on the allocate the funds. do not forget, later on sports

center, dr. north identifying this year's champion. it's not all giggles here. 3-6 times he's actually picked the right winner. >> serious formula. >> as we step aside for a moment, something you have endured and know all too well, your brain on the u.s. open. >> your brain after the u.s. open doesn't really function too well. it's hard to put one foot in front of the other and walk a straight line. you really behave like a drunk man. >> mush. perhaps that would be the best word. >> mush. you definitely don't feel like playing golf for the rest of the day. i often get headaches towards the end of a tournament like that. >> the week after the u.s. open, i don't want to see my golf clubs. i want to put 'em away. >> it's physically and mentally draining. >> my brain after most majors is fairly scrambled up. the u.s. open week, usually completely fried. >> still to come on espnews, the

white sox get a road win in chicago at wrigley against the cubs. we'll show you a surprise performance from a chicago pitcher. plus they're all champion, but our "aircheck" crew debates which of the most recent ♪ ah, man, love that drinkability. drink-a what? drinkability. it's what makes bud light so incredibly refreshing. it's like a wave of refreshment, gently washing over your whole body. it's getting bigger. here comes the refreshment. [ sfx: screaming, wave splashing ] whew. well that almost never happens. easy drinking, always refreshing. bud light. the difference is drinkability. [ sfx: hairdryer ] no hard feelings.

♪ five, five dollar, is go-go-goin' strong ♪ the famous subway $5 footlong rolls on. the made-to-your-order blt and many other... regular $5 footlongs -- all day, every day. ♪ at subway

the white sox, it's ha