the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: ask consent that the call. quarrel be terminated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: first of all, u.a.e.ppreciate your patience in

presiding over the senate at this late hour. and i want to extend my appreciation to this staff. everybody here for all their work -- about the last month it has been very, very difficult. i appreciate very, very much the professionalism that's shown here in the senate and the efforts they go to to make all of us look good. and sometimes they takes a lot of -- that takes a lost effort. i do appreciate their working so hard together. here at the desk here, that is -- if there's anything that's ever bipartisan, it's right here, republicans, democrats, and here there is no partisanship on the senate floor. step back a little bit and there is when you're away from the professional staff. but i appreciate very much your hard work. mr. president, we've tried for days now to change what the

republicans and the house have tried to do to the american people. in fact it appears they're going to be able to do it. we have the extension of the federal aviation administration legislation that's being held up. we wanted a temporary extension for the next few weeks. we've already extended it more than 20 times. we thought we should do it again, and we've done that. that's been routine until we get some of the big issues worked out. but the republicans want to increase the ante this time. essential areas serving rural areas -- the presiding officer is from pennsylvania. of course nevada has a lot of rural areas. even the heavily populated areas of new york has essential air service. essential air service was set up to allowed underpopulated areas to be in touch with the rest of the state. the republicans have tried to eliminate essential air service, and that's the ransom they're

asking now for an extension of the f.a.a. bill. i'm not going to ask consent today. we've asked it many, many times. but i want the record to be spread with how unreasonable it is what the republicans have done. as a result of their activities, the house republicans, we have 80,000 people who won't be working now. 80,000 people. more than 70,000 construction workers and thousands of people who are employees of the federal aviation administration. for example, in nevada, we have an air traffic control tower, a new one that needs to be built. it's very -- it's going to be big, expensive and necessary. the work has stopped. they worked there for less than a month. the construction work has stopped. i talked to the senator from california, senator boxer, today. palm springs, they have one that's essentially, it is badly needed; work has stopped on that

one. construction projects all over america held up at our airports. it's so very, very unreasonable what they've done. i appreciate kay bailey hutchison, republican senator from texas, who worked with the chairman of the committee, jay rockefeller, to try to work past this. she agrees with senator rockefeller this is unreasonable they have done this. mr. president, what i want to do is read a column that i, out of the "new york times," july 29. and he introduces his column by saying the facts of the crisis over the debt ceiling aren't complicated. republicans have in effect taken america hostage threatening to undermine the economy and disrupt the essential business of the government unless they get -l policy concessions they would never have been able to enact through legislation. well, that's where we are with the f.a.a. problem. he goes on to say as i've said it's not complicated, yet many people in news media apparently

can't bring themselves to acknowledge this simple reality. news reports portray the parties as equally intransigent. pundits fantasize about some kind of centrist uprising as if the problem is too much partisan on both sides. some of us long complained about the cult of balance, insisting on portraying both parties as equally wrong. never mind the facts. i joked if one party declared the earth was flat the headline would read views differ on shape of planet. would that cult still rule in a situation as stark ags the one we face where one party is engaged in blackmail? he went on to say other things and here's some of the other things. the answer turns out is yes, and this is no laughing matter. the cult of balance has played an important role in bringing us to the edge of disaster for when reporting on political disputes always implies that both sides

are to blame there is no penalty for extremism. voters won't punish you for outrageous behavior if all they ever hear is both sides are at fault. mr. president, i wish the press would report this outrageous conduct on behalf of the house. in closing down work for 80,000 people in america because of their trying to eliminate the essential air service. the issue is certainly more than that. we know it's -- we have one airline that is terribly antiunion and other ones behind this. they're using essential air service as a guise to get what they want. i'm not going to ask consent but i want the american people to know why essential air service is being attacked and why 80,000 people are basically today not going to be able to go to work

tomorrow. mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that on tuesday, september 6, at 5:00 p.m. 2011 the senate proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 109, there be 30 minutes of debate equally divided in the usual form, upon the use or yielding back of time the senate proceed to vote with no intervening on calendar number 109, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table, there be no intervening action or debate, that any related statements be printed in the record and the president of the united states be immediately notified of the senate's action and the senate resume legislative session. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i move to proceed to calendar number 87, h.r. 1249. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: motion to proceed

to calendar number 87, h.r. 1249 an act to amend title 35, united states code to provide for patent reform. mr. reid: i have a cloture motion at the desk, mr. president. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the cloture motion. the clerk: cloture motion, we the undersigned senators in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate hereby move to bring to a close the debate on the motion to proceed to calendar number 87, h.r. 1249, the leahy-smith america invents act, signed by 17 senators as follows. mr. reid: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i now ask unanimous consent that on tuesday, september 6, following disposition of the nomination of pwer niece donald, the senate proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on calendar number 87, h.r. 1249, further that the mandatory quorum under

rule 22 be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the following environments and public works bills en bloc: calendar number 72, calendar number 117. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: it's my understanding that you have granted consent for me to move to those two numbered matters. the presiding officer: that is correct. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the bills be read a third time passed en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table en bloc, any relevant statements be printed in the record as if read. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the judiciary committee be discharged from further consideration of s. res 104. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 104 designating september 2011 as campus fire safety month. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure?

without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, there be no intervening action or debate, any statements relating to this matter be placed in the record as if read. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to s. res 254. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 254 designating august 16, 2011 as national airborne day. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, there be no intervening action or debate, any statements relating to this matter be placed in the record at the appropriate place as if given. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask we proceed to s. res 255. mr. reid: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 255 designating october 8, 2011, as national chess day.

the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, there be no intervening action or debate, any statements related to this matter appear in the appropriate place as if read. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations. calendar number 95, 230, 232, 254, 255, 256, 257, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 275, 277, 278, 279, 280, 282, 283, 284, 28 5, 286 and 288 and calendar numbers 291 through 323. and nominations placed on the secretary's desk in the air force, army, foreign service,

marine corps and navy, that the nominations be confirmed en bloc, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table with no intervening action or debate and no motions be in order for any of the nominations and that any related statements be printed in the record and president obama be immediately notified of the president's action. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the senate consider the following nominations: calendar number 1 14, 115, and 117. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: mr. president, i ask the nomination be kwerpld en bloc, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table, there be no intervening action or debate, any motion -- that there be no further motions order to any of the tpholgss and any related statements be printed in the record in the reported and proposal be immediately notified of the senate's action. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that the commerce committee be discharged from further consideration of p.n.741 which is tkraeb -- debra

herseman of virginia for the national safety board for two years. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table, there be no intervening, any statements related to this matter be printed in the record and president obama be immediately notified of the senate's action and the senate resume legislative session. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that not withstanding the senate's recess the committees be authorized to report legislative matters on tuesday, august 30, from 10 a.m. to 12:00 noon. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent not withstanding the upcoming recess or adjournment the president of the senate, president pro tempore of the senate, of the majority and the minority leaders be authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences -- i didn't read that right. i'll start over. i ask unanimous consent that not withstanding the upcoming recess or adjournment of the senate the president of the senate, the president pro tempore and the majority and minority leaders be

authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences or interparliamentary conferences authorized by law by concurrent action of the houses through order of the senate. the clerk: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that on tuesday, august 26, senator rockefeller be authorized to sign joint bills. the presiding officer: woeubgs. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent when the senate completes its business today it be authorized for pro forma sessions for the following dates and times. friday, august 5,, tuesday august 23 at 2:30 p.m., friday, august 26 at 11:15 p.m., tuesday friday, august 2 at 10 :00 a.m.

and *f -- the morning hour deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for use later in the day. following the remarks the senate be in a period of morning business until 5:00 p.m. with senators permitted to speak for up to ten minutes each during that time and finally following morning business, the senate proceed to executive session under the previous order. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: the next roll call votes will be at 5:30 on tuesday, september 6. the first vote will be on confirmation of ber? niece donald for the sixth circuit and the second vote will be on cloture opbd the ph-pld -- on the motion to proceed. if there is nothing further to be brought before the senate, i ask we recess under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands in recess until senate stands in recess until

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events. and every weekend, the latest nonfiction authors and books on booktv. you can see past programs and get our schedules on our web site. and you can join in on social media sites. >> this weekend on booktv on c-span2. john farrell on the life and times of clarence, on afterwards, amanda foreman on the british citizens who fought for the union and the confederates. live sunday at noon eastern, three hours of your calls and questions. in depth with ann coulter. her datest is "demoniac." >> that figure that's removing the vail of ignorance from human understanding. that's an american invention. that's not a classical statute.

but it's sort of classical for what it is all about. >> if you met c-span's latest document on the library of congress, there's a channel on youtube. become a subscribers, it's free. watch all of the latest videos and hundreds of other timely videos at youtube youtube.com/c-span. president obama has signed legislation to decrease the vertigo authority, he signed the bill into passage just hours after the bill passed the senate. it promised $2 billion budget cuts over the next decade. we're going to show you closing remarks from the senator party leaders. this is about 20 minutes. >> over the past few weeks, congress has been engaged in a

very important debate. it may have been messy. it might have appeared to sound like their government wasn't working, but, in fact, the opposite was true. the push and pull americans saw in washington these past few weeks was not gridlock. it was the will of the people working itself out and a political system that was never meant to be critic. you see, one reason america isn't already facing the kind of crisis that we see in europe, presidents and majority parties here can't just bring about change on a dime. as much as they might like to from time to time. that's what checks and balances is all about. and that's the kind of balance that americans voted for in november. the american people sent a wave of new lawmakers to congress and

last november's election with a very clear mandate. to put our nation's fiscal house in order. those of us who have been fighting the big government policies of democratic majorities in congress welcomed them into our ranks. together we've held the line. and slowly but surely we've started turning things around. that's why those who think that no problem is too big or too small for government to solve are very worried right now. they are afraid the american people may actually win the larger debate that we've been having around here about the size and the scope of government. and that the spending spree may actually be coming to an end. they can't believe that those who have stood up for limited

government and accountability have actually changed the terms of the debate here in washington. but today they have no choice but to admit it. now i know that for some of our colleagues, reform isn't coming as fast as they would like. and i certainly understand their frustration. i too wish we could stand here today enacting something much more ambitious. but i'm encouraged by the thought that these new senators will help lead this fight until we finish the job. and i want to assure you today that although you may not see it this way, you've actually won this debate. in a few minutes, the senate will vote on legislation that represents a new way of doing business in washington. first, it creates an entire template for raising the

nation's debt. one of the most important is the fact that never again will any president from either party be allowed to raise the debt ceiling without being held accountable for it by the american people. and in addition to that, without having to engage in the kind of debate that we've just come through. because you see, mr. president, whoever the next president is will be back asking to raise the debt ceiling again. it will provide another opportunity for us to focus on the subject raised by the request to raise the debt ceiling. so we'll be back at it, probably in the early part of 2013 trying to continue to make progress towards reducing the size and scope of government and reducing our spending. this kind of discussion isn't something to dread. it's something to welcome. while the president may not have

particularly enjoyed the debate we've been through, it was a debate that washington very much needed to have. as for the particulars the legislation can cap spending over the next ten years with the base cuts actually stick. it protects the american people from government default that would have affected every single one of them in one way or another. it puts in place a powerful joint committee that will recommend further cuts and much needed reforms. it doesn't include a time, not a dime, and job killing tax hikes. at a moment when our economy can least afford them. and crucially, it ensures the debate over a balanced budget amendment continues and that it actually gets a vote. now this is no small feat when you consider that just last week the president was still demanding tax hikes as part of any debt ceiling increase and

that has recently as may, the president's top economic advisor said it was quote, insane, end quote, for anybody to even consider sighing the debt ceiling to spending cuts. it's worth noting that two and a half months later, the advisor is no longer working and the president is agreeing as a condition of raising the debt ceiling to trillions of dollars in spending cuts. let me be clear. the legislation of the senate is about to vote on is just the first step. just the first step. but it is a crucial step towards fiscal sanity and potentially remarkable given the lengths to which some in washington have gone to ensure a status quo supplementing growth, crippling the economy, and impairing entitlements. we've had to settle for less than we wanted.

but what we've achieved is in no way insignificant. they controlled 1/2 of 1/3 of the government of the american people agreed with us on the nature of the problem. we are $14.5 billion in debt because it didn't tax enough. if you are spending yourself into oblivion, the solution isn't to spend more, it's to spend less. neither side got everything that it wanted in these negotiations. i think it was the view of those in my party that we try to get as much spending cuts as we could from a government that we didn't control. our view was we'd get as much spending reduction as we could, from a government we didn't control. and that's what we've done with this