they're trying to pass. you know, it's from what i gather it costs like $2 million every time they try to overturn obamacare in the house, you know, those 40, 42 times or whatever and then how much does it cost the taxpayers every time hay go into try and pass these piecemeal bills. there's just millions and millions and millions of or dollars, you know, i heard there was a couple that is putting millions of dollars in to keep head start open in, like, six different states. what this shutdown is costing every day would take care of all that plus. i don't know, it just, it amazes me. it's frustrating. >> host: thank you, todd. beth tweets in: many forget when they say republicans lost that they won the house, and we run on the system of checks and balances. dems must compromise.

well, it just keeps changing here in washington. now the house of representatives just went out of session, so we will be bringing you the president on c-span as well as c-span2. so you can watch the president on the networks as well. jeff is in dallas, georgia, on our independent line. hi, jeff, you're on c-span. >> caller: yeah. i would just like to say that checks and balances is right and the power of the purse lies in the house. the president seems to want to negotiate after he gets what he wants. the republicans should be doing the same thing. i fear for the future of our country and just hope that it all works out for the best. thank you. >> host: thank you. and we're going to show you the inside of the briefing room again at the white house as we await the president coming out. he'll be out here shortly. you can see the network, the network correspondents are still lined up in the front, so it looks like he'll be out here in just a minute, and we'll try to get this call in from gregory in

new jersey. hi, gregory. >> caller: hi. thanks for taking my call. i'm a disabled navy veteran, and i believe both parties are at fault. they both should work together. i've tried signing up for the obamacare, and every time i do, i get a little inch further and then a little inch further back. i think both parties should work together because if they don't solve this spending problem, the deficit, i'm going to lose both my va benefits and my social security benefits. i'll have nothing to pay for my car, my rent, i'm be out on the street, i won't have any food. it's devastating to me. i suffer severe anxiety, and seeing this every day i, i try not to glue myself to the tv. it's very depressing. it's killing me, and it's can killing other people too. >> host: gregory, when you say you tried to sign up for the health care, what was your experience? >> caller: oh, god. first, i had the same wait that

everybody else did, and then after i had the wait, i'd get like one page done, and then it would say there was an error and come back later. then i'd get to the passwords and the logon, and it said it went through. and i even validated when i got my e-mail. and then i went -- i was sent back to the page, i went to log in, and it said there's no account. and i said, well, maybe i forgot my password, so i did that, and it wouldn't send me an e-mail saying what my password is. it's continually -- you get an inch further forward, and then you feel like the whole thing is shut down. so i don't know what to do. i don't want to call in, i live in an apartment complex, so i don't want to give my information over the phone where everybody can hear me. so it's very, it's very tough. if it's not working, then i agree maybe they should put it off for a while. and work on other things, focus on other things to get this

government up and running. that's what we need. we don't need politicians bickering back and forth and acting like babies and says nursery rhymes and stuff like this. both halfs have at fault, republicans and democrats. i think i'll vote independent next time. >> host: that's gregory calling from new jersey. marta tweets in: a child knows what is important, but these adults don't. all i hear is name calling, disagreements and closed minds. here is a tweet: they say god protects children, old men and idiots, no wonder the tea party thinks god is on their side. and this is from somebody who tweets at right-wing activist, so dems vote against small funding bills, who is hurting the children now? hmm. looks like pain for gain dem-style. linda in montreal, missouri, on our republican line as we wait for the president. hi, linda.

>> caller: hi. i just think what they need to do is just shut it all down. this president is wanting to destroy the united states, and that's exactly what he's doing. he's took away our freedom, he's took away our rights, he's took away our insurance. when it started, they said you could keep your doctor, that's wrong. you can keep your insurance? that's wrong. we had excellent insurance. now we have none. so the point is, nobody can fix this. they need to shut it down and shut him down. if they don't do it this time, we're going to have a king, not a president. >> host: cindy, cosby, tennessee, independent line. >> caller: hey, how you doing? >> host: good. >> caller: i just believe that we should not have to abide by a law that the president himself will not even abide by. and then he's letting big businesses and congress and everybody else out of it, but we still have to abide by it? and that is going to be the biggest destructive health care that this country has ever seen.

and the democrats, all they're doing is just calling names, calling names. and they're not helping anything but by doing that. and the president should not get what he wants and then come and negotiate. and that's all i've got to say about it. >> host: cindy in tennessee, and this is dwight in springfield, missouri. hi, dwight. >> caller: yes, hi. thanks for taking my call. i just think we've squandered how much money and not really looked ahead from years ago, i mean, we wouldn't be in this mess. we've spent i don't know how many billions or trillion or whatever dollars on the wars. if we want to defund something, why don't we go over and defund some of those wars. and, i mean, we wouldn't be fighting about any money, i don't think. we're all just kind of getting played, i think, an ideological kind of a fight, i guess. wanting to steer us a certain way. and otherwise, i mean, all these problems would have been taken

care of, there wouldn't be no fight over all this money. i mean, just blow so much money it's just pathetic. anyway, that's my comment. thank you. >> host: thank you, dwight. now, again, you can see that the president is now seven minutes behind the stated time of 2 p.m. to come out and start his news conference. the network correspondents are still standing up, so that means that they haven't been given the warning or they haven't -- it's not quite time for the president to come out. when he does, you will be able to watch it on c-span and c-span2. and when the senate comes back into session at 2:15ish if they come back in on time, then we'll go to the senate on c-span2. c-span.org, you can watch the house republicans, the house democrats, they each held news conferences this morning. the senate democrats, the senate republicans, they are due to hold news conferences this

afternoon, and hopefully, we'll be able to put those on one of the networks as well. with everything going op. the house has gone into recess currently, so that's why we're able to bring you the president on c-span. and this is the reporters waiting outside the senate chamber for the senate leadership to come out and talk to the press. the senate republicans and the senate democrats each meet in their tuesday lunches, their closed caucus lunches each week on tuesday, so they usually come out and talk to the press after that. so that's what's going on on capitol hill and on the white house. and in the meantime, we want to continue to take your calls, and we're going to talk next with lonnie who is a republican in monroe, georgia. hi, lonnie. >> caller: hey, brother. >> host: please go ahead, sir. >> caller: i just appreciate if the gentleman on the hill up there that we've elected to help run our country would sit down

and act like grown men and get this thing fixed and remember this is one nation under god. >> host: and how would you like to see it fixed, lonnie? >> guest: well, this thing can be fixed if they'll just come to agreement and sit down and quit disagreeing and dividing, quit making our country the laughingstock of the world right now. it would be a great help if they'd just take the consideration of people out there that's worked hard to build this country and now they're just taking it and tearing it down right in front of us. >> host: up next victor in texas on our independent line. hi, victor. >> caller: hello. how you doing today? >> >> host: good. >> caller: i've got a question, i mean, i'm an independent, and i keep hearing, you know, i keep hearing that republicans, you know, are going to -- all this is a shutdown over obamacare as far as i know. but if the senate passed and the house passed it and the, you

know, and the what do you call it, you know, we had an election over it, and it passed, why is will till, you know, people -- why is there people still, you know, still upset about it? i mean, if it's law, it's law as far as i know. >> host: that's victor, that's victor in texas. thanks for calling in, victor, and thanks for watching. larry in louisville, ohio, you're up next. hi. >> caller: hello? >> host: hi. >> caller: i'd just like to say that i think that the reason we have this shutdown is mainly due to the greed of the republicans. they would not go along with any increase -- actually, they went along with cuts in taxes for the rich, vicious starting of two

wars not paid more, borrowed all the money from them chinese to finance those wars, to finance the tax cuts for the rich and the powerful, and they will not do anything to help country out of the shape we're in except all they know is cut taxes, take away the benefits for the poor to give to the rich. it's -- i just get so upset sitting and listening to c-span and watching these people that's voted 40 some times now to defund obamacare, to try to get rid of obamacare. all because of the insurance companies, their buddies who helped pay for their re-elections is going to be

taken out of this -- [inaudible] on a lot of the health care. so i think that it's 99% due to the greed of the republicans. i thank you. >> host: thank you, sir, for calling in. we're going to take a republican call in just a minute. all right, here's what's going on right now. it's 2:12 eastern time. the senate is due to come back at 2:15, in three minutes. so we're going to go to the senate on c-span2 as we always do, gavel-to-gavel coverage of the senate. now on c-span the house is in recess, so we're going to go to the president as soon as he comes out. he still has not come out into the briefing room. that was due to begin at 2 p.m. and that hasn't started yet. so on c-span you're going to be able to watch the president as soon as that starts. and then when the house comes

back into session, they will go back, of course, on c-span. so it's a little bit confusing scheduling wise and just stick with us, and we'll all work together, and we'll get through it. jeff in lathrop, california, republican line. hi. >> caller: hi. >> host: please go ahead, sir. >> caller: yeah. um, i'd just like to note that, you know, that at this point we need to, we immediate to get all the federal -- we need to get all the federal jobs that are necessary, all this in order and take care of them and consider cutting all the unnecessary things that we've created. it turned into a monster, and it's changing our system. >> host: thank you, sir, for calling in. charles is in wyoming and calling on our independent line. charles, what are your thoughts? >> caller: well, my thoughts is,

you know, i think we can, we've got all the, you know, just from whatever i watch on c-span, it seems like everybody pretty much wants to put this whole thing to a vote, and, you know, it's my understanding that our body of government isn't, you know, it's pretty much set up to prevent any tomorrow pof government, any body of government from assuming my kind of absolute power, you know? and it's kind of a contradiction to accuse our president of assuming a dictator position and withholding from the government until, you know, until their views are implemented, until their views are implemented and just have a doover, you know? -- do-over. you know, this whole obamacare thing or affordable health care act as you call it, it's already passed all three, all three blanches of government including, you know, the supreme court. and, you know, and, you know, they didn't get their way, so it comes back to them, and, you

know, they start calling it unconstitutional. and it's just a complete undermining of the, of the supreme court, it's a complete undermining of -- >> host: all right, charles, we're going to have to leave it there. the senate has just come back into session, and the president is live on c-span. quorum call:

the president pro tempore: the senator from nevada. a quorum is not present. mr. reid: mr. president, i notify instruct the sergeant-at-arms to request the presence of all absent senators. i ask for the yeas and nays. the president pro tempore: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be a sufficient second. there is. the clerk will call the roll.

vote:

quorum call:

the president pro tempore: all senators voted, if all senators have voted, the yeas are 84, the nays are 14, the motion to instruct is agreed to and a

quorum is present. the majority leader. mr. reid: as soon as i finish my remarks, we will enter into an agreement how the speakers will go forward. mr. president, the shutdown of the federal government is now affecting some families more than others. and it's affecting families when the most vulnerable, denying the benefits to help with funeral experience of loved ones killed while serving our country. this part of my presentation is not something i'm -- got from my staff. this is in the press right now. the families of five united states service members who were killed over the weekend in afghanistan have been notified that they won't be receiving their benefit. normally wired to relatives within 36 hours of the death.

the death gratuityty is extended to help cover funeral costs and help with immediate living expenses until survivor benefits typically begin. the money also helps cover costs to fly families to dover air force base to witness the return of their loved ones and a flag-draped coffin. washington may be shut down, but it's still asking people to go to war, says the head of the council on foreign relations, gail lemon. when people realize that they can serve and fight for their country but their families will get an i.o.u. until the shutdown is over, i think they're shocked. i know i am. for example, lance corporal jeremiah collins, 19 years old, was a marine who died saturday while supporting combat

operations in afghanistan. he was one of the five killed. including four troop members who died sunday in an improvised explosive device. the law passed last week to continue paying civilian members of the military during the shutdown but does not allow for payouts of the death benefits to families of the fallen, officials told earnd mitchell --en andrea mitchell of nbc. one senior official said he was disgusted by the predicament but believes that's where we are. now, madam president, i've asked each senator to come to the floor today because it's important that we have an opportunity opportunity to talk about the crisis facing this great nation. this government shutdown is an embarrassment to our nation.

not only to the people of america but around the world. an economic conference in the far east that president obama was to attend, he couldn't because of the government shutdown. so who is thereupon tiff indicating about how bad things are in america? the president of china. and that's what he's talking about. america can't pay its bills. the families who lost five loved ones, it's an unbearable loss. but now they're being denied death benefits because of this senseless shutdown. it's shameful and embarrassing. there are no words to describe this situation that at least i'm capable of expressing. that america could fail the families of our fallen heroes.

appalling, frightening, everyone can come up with their own description. but it's time for us, members of this august body, to stand before the american people and publicly discuss the path forward. democrats stand unified asking the speaker to reopen the government, the whole government, not bits and pieces of the government. it's bad enough with all the sequestration that has cut, for example, the national institutes of health this year $1.6 billion. and add to that the government shutdown there. at ad to that the second year of sequestration will be another $2 billion for the national institutes of health. this premier search that we have

in america for disease, there's never been anything like it in the world. the library of congress, never been anyplace like it in the world. the great library in egypt was -- didn't compare to the library of congress. but there has been nothing ever in the history of the world like the national institutes of health. and we are mindlessly going forward and cutting the scientists by billions of dollars. we need to reopen the whole government, not in some piecemeal fashion that further demonstrates to the world that we're unable to find real solutions. open the whole government so we can get back to work. allow the government to do its duty by our military families and by every american family. mr. president, quickly, i've said it before, in july of this

year the speaker of the house of representatives and i sat down in his office. i was there, my chief of staff was there, his chief of staff, the four of us. the speaker wanted to figure out a way to go forward. we talked about a number of things, but the one thing he was firm in, he said it has to be at 2013 levels. i said i can't do that. i said it's $70 billion less than the budget we passed just a short time ago. so the conversation continued. september, we talked and talked, i spoke to chairman murray, to chairman mikulski, it was really hard. they had worked so hard to get regular order back in the senate. but like the good soldiers they

are, we decided to try to talk to the rest of the caucus and swallow really, really hard because we had the assurance, i had the assurance that we would have a clean c.r. now. in september. that didn't work. the speaker didn't deliver on what he said he would deliver on. so now the government closes, and we have one thing after another coming over here. we send it right back. the last thing they sent over before a week ago was to say let's go to conference. so last tuesday, i sent him a letter. and in the first letter i talked about a very decisive time in my

life. i voted for the iraq war. within weeks of that, i felt i'd been misled but regardless of that, that's how i felt. so i became an opponent of that war and did everything i could to focus on that war which was having our military subjected to violence and that's an understatement. thousands were being killed. tens of thousands wounded. the number of iraqis who were being killed is really hard to demonstrate adequately. there was a time came in my life that we had an opportunity under my direction to shut the government down. why? by not funding the war. i made a decision -- and that's in in my letter to the speaker -- not to do that.

now,, i frankly satisfied lot of hell from around the country. but that's what i did and i don't look back at all. so i was trying to tell the speaker, don't do this. but, however, i said, you've done it, and you've asked for a conditions. we'll go to conference on anything you want to go to conference on. we don't care. but first you have to open the government and allow us to pay our bills. that's in the letter last tuesday. 45 minutes after he got the lerkletter, i called him. and now i can't do that. so for someone to suggest that we have not negotiated is just absolutely wrong, madam president. $70 billion. it's the biggest compromise i ever made in my career as a member of congress some 31 years. it may not sound like much to

some people, but it was really big. and my caucus remembers what i asked them to do. so for someone to suggest to any of my senators that we haven't negotiated is simply unfair. and to say that we won't negotiate is unfair! i put it in writing. we're happy to go to conference. but you've got to open the government. this is unfair, just like these five soldiers killed. so open the government, let us pay our bills, and we'll negotiate on anything you want to negotiate. i've spoken to the president. i'm certainly not name-dropping. i've told my caucus this. several times over the last two days, he cannot as president of

the united states negotiate on paying the bills of this count country, the debt ceiling. he has -- and i think there are senators over here that he has sat down and talked to individually and as groups to talk about a budget deal. there were many conversations in the oval office that i attended talking about a budget deal. he has put in writing things that he would be willing to do that, quite frankly, our base is not excited about. but he put it in writing. he is still waiting for the first sentence from the people that he invited to dinner and met with, the first sentence as to what they are willing to do. as was said late last week by haley barbour and ed gil gilles, former chairs of the national republican party -- now, they said this, not me -- there is a time now when republicans have

to start being for something, not against everything. so, i don't come here to argue -- so i don't come here to argue and badger people. i'm happy to talk about anything. senator murray will deliver a presentation in just a little bit. we know how hard she's worked. she has the respect of both democrats and republicans. but, i repeat, when the speaker said he wanted to go to conference last week, we said, good, we'll do that. i am not a one-man show over here. i clear everything with my caucus, with rare exception, before i go marching off into the blue. so we -- i repeat, we're ready to go to conference as soon as the speaker reopens the government and removes the threat of default. he's got to take "yes" for an answer.

you folks have to take "yes" for an answer. we're just as willing to sit down and talk today as we were this spring and we were this summer. the in the meantime, let's open government -- in the meantime, let's open government and live up to our obstacles as obligata country. i'll start the so-called rule 14 process later today. we may have our differences, democrats and republicans, but we should not hold the full faith and credit of this great country hostage while we resolve it. at a later time, senator baucus will talk, and i hope he repeats here on the senate floor what he told us in our caucus we just completed. great nations aren't guaranteed greatness. there have been books written about it. and he'll talk about one author, a famous author, who recently

wrote a book about how great nations have to meet expectations. we're great today. that doesn't mean we're going to be forever. how will this country look to the world community if we no longer have the full faith and credit of the united states meaning anything? i hope we can get republican cooperation to move this bill quickly -- that is, the debt ceiling. if not, the process could take us right up to the deadline, one day before. i'm optimistic, though, madam president, that my republican colleagues here in the senate will filibuster this bill. i'm cynical by nature. that way i'm not disappointed as much as my friends who are optimistic. my friend, mr. schumer, and i have negotiations about everything. i am cynical and he is

optimistic. i am optimistic that my friends, the republicans, are not going to hold the full faith of the united states hostage. we need to open the government now. we need to get back to the business of protecting american families, back to the job of legislating. we're not doing anything in this body anymore. this is our job, to legislate. it's always been our job, always will be our job. open the government, pay our bills, let's negotiate. it's my understanding, madam president, that this consent agreement has been cleared. we'll hear from the republican leader. we'll hear at the sam at the tim senator mccain, followed by senators durbin, schumer, murray -- i was told i could get it so i'm offering it. i ask consent that be the case. the presiding officer: is there objection?

mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that senator mcconnell be recognized. we don't need consent for him. he has time under his leader time. following his statement, i ask consent that senator mccain be recognized for 15 minutes, then senator durbin for 10, schumer for 10, murray for 10. the presiding officer: is there objection? mr. cornyn: madam president, skilled the distinguished majority leader if he'd consider -- i would ask the distinguished majority leader if he'd consider modifying his request so that we could alternate back and forth across the aisle. with that modification, i have no objection. mr. reid: after we get this out of the way, you mean? mr. cornyn: madam president, the majority leader asked for a number of democratic senators to speak without any intervening speeches or remarks by republicans. all i'm suggesting is after he and the -- mr. reid: madam president, i say to my friend from texas -- mr. cornyn: -- after senator mccain speaks and a democrat republicans and a republican gets to speak, and so forth.

mr. reid: i say, to my friend, two republicans, three democrats. doesn't sound so outrageous to me. mr. cornyn: i object. mr. reid: okay, so following senator mcconnell, i'll call upon senator durbin. mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: madam president, i appreciate the comments of my good friend be, the majority leader. i might say, however, that as much as i appreciate his comments to all of us, the real challenge is his relationship with the house and whether or not we can begin the discussion process to get to an outcome. nobody is happy with the government shutdown, certainly not anybody on this side and not anybody on the other side. but i would remind everybody on

both sides of the aisle that democratic senators have said repeatedly, become i obamacare s the law of the land. and basically we should get used to it. we have suggested various modifications, some of which enjoy bipartisan support, but obviously so far that's not something our friends on the other side are willing to do. but let me also point out to all of you that the budget control act is also the law of the land. it was negotiated on a bipartisan basis, signed by the president of the united states, and the budget control act is the law. -- is the law of the land. when my good friend, the majority leader, says he was negotiating with the house over the c.r. level, my view was that that was not a negotiation. that was current law.

in place, passed on a bipartisan basis, signinged by the president of the united states -- signed by the president of the united states. current law. so i think i can pretty safely say that nobody on this side believes that we ought to revisit the law that has reduced government spending for two years in a row for the first time since the korean war. at a time when we have a debt the size of our economy, which makes us look a lot like a western european country. so as we go into whatever discussions we end up having to solve the shutdown problem, i would say to my friends on the other side, revisiting a you la- a law negotiated by the president, passed 0en a -- passd on a bipartisan basis, that is actually reducing spending, ought not be part of a final outcome. but talk we should. the american people have given us divided government.

and when you have divided government, it means you have to talk to each other. this is not 2009 and 2010 when our trends on the other side -- when our friends on the other side had a total hammer lock on all the government. we now have divided government. it means we have to talk to each other and get to an outcome. and i think it's far past time to get that done. and i hope, given where we are today, that there's adequate incentive to get those talks started, principally between the majority leader and the speaker, to get us to the outcome that we all want and to get us there soon. but, let me just conclude by saying the budget control act is the law of the land. if you believe in reducing government spending, it is working.

my members and the american people think reducing government spending is a good idea, and so we have a law in place that is achieving those kinds of results. that's not something that at a time when we have a debt the size of our economy we ought to lightly walk away from. i hope my good friend, the majority leader, in addition to talking t to us, which we appreciate, talk to the speaker, because that's how we resolve this crisis. i yield the floor. mr. durbin: madam president? the presiding officer: the assistant majority leader. mr. durbin: madam president, since the beginning of this great nation, 1,948 men and women have served in the united states senate. that service is a singular honor and carries with it an important responsibility. james madison said -- quote -- "the use of the senate is to

consistent in its proceeding with more coolness, with more system, and with more wisdom than the popular branch." throughout our history, it was this senate -- many times in this very room -- that took on the most difficult challenges facing america: the creation of the federal judiciary, the abolition of slavery, decisions to go to war, and the advancement of civil rights. at each of those moments, skeptics questioned whether there were senators capable of resisting political pressure and whether there were senators prepared to lead a divided nation. my colleagues, this is our moment. this is our chance -- our chance -- to bring in nation back from the precipice. we should agree to restore the functions of government, not in

a piecemeal fashion but in an orderly process befitting a great nation. we should spare america's workers and businesses the tragic consequences of a first-ever default on our nation's debt, and we should restore the time-honored process of legislating -- legislating -- by adopting a bipartisan budget with the house, by considering spending bills on the floor of this chamber and passing appropriations bills in an orderly process. we can vote today, this afternoon, to go to conference on the budget and begin to resolve our differences with the house. if we fail, we know that we will have diminished this great body and our great nation. a nation which we have all taken a solemn oath to preserve and protect. let's agree to restore the functions of government -- all of it. i've spoken with many of my colleagues and friends, and they

are my friends, on the republican side of the aisle. we've shared our frustrations over the current situation. to a person, each one of you has said to me, we've got to bring this impasse to an end. waitingr the house of representatives to save us is beneath the united states senate. we have our own responsibility and our own opportunity. we can come up with bipartisan senate solutions. we can show the house of representatives the path to end this crisis. why are we waiting for them to show us? let's begin to restore the confidence of the american people in this institution, in the united states senate. we can fund the government. we can go to conference on a budget. and we can extend our debt authority. i see my friend, senator mccain, on the floor, and i know he's going to speak in just a moment. over the last year i've seen moments in the senate where we've defied our cynics and our critics. our successful bipartisan effort

to pass a comprehensive immigration bill, an historic farm bill with far-reaching reforms and a bipartisan extension of the student loan program. we came together and we found common ground. we led as the united states senate. now we need to summon the political courage and purpose to find a bipartisan way to meet this challenge. i know that it won't be easy, but i know that we are up to the job. i know that we have an opportunity here that comes once perhaps in a political lifetime, but i want to say this: what we're dealing with here in the senate is not just another political dust-up. this confrontation is of historic proportion. let us not wait on the senate -- pardon me -- on the house to find a solution. it is our responsibility as elected members of the senate to find that solution. and the solution, i think, is clear. summon the political courage and

the sense of purpose. it comes down to us in the united states senate and throughout our nation's history. it always has. i yield the floor. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: the order now is senators be allowed to speak for up to ten minutes each. i ask unanimous consent senator mccain be recognized for 15 minutes and everyone else under the order of 10 minutes. the presiding officer: is there objection? mr. mccain: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: i would also ask unanimous consent if we could irene to the normal one side -- if we could return to the normal one side and then the other side as far as speakers are concerned. the presiding officer: is there objection? mr. reid: that's my plan. the presiding officer: without objection. the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: i say to my colleagues, i bring to your attention two events today that i think deserve our attention. the first one is a story

entitled grand canyon food shortage turns dire. st. mary's food bank delivers food boxes to grand canyon national park today. as a federal shutdown strands thousands of employees inside the park without work and pay. the grand canyon, thousands of people inside the park without food or pay. this great nation we're having, have charities deliver food to people who are trapped in the grand canyon. and also today shutdown outrage: military death benefits denied to families of fallen troops. you know, at least five families of u.s. military members killed during -- in afghanistan over

the weekend were given a double whammy by federal officials. not only have your loved ones died, but due to the government shutdown, you won't receive a death benefit. you know, we joke about being 12% or 11%, approval rating. the line i use all the time, it went down to blood relatives and paid staffers. shouldn't we as a body, republican, democrat, no matter who we are, shouldn't we be embarrassed about this? shouldn't we be ashamed? what do the american people think when they see that death benefit for those who served and sacrificed in the most honorable way are not -- their families are not even eligible for death benefits. i'm ashamed. i'm embarrassed.

all of us should be. and the list goes on and on of people, of innocent americans who have fallen victim to the reality that we can't sit down and talk like grownups and address this issue. i'm not going to take the full 15 minutes here, because i, frankly, get a little bit emotional. but we started out with a false premise here on this side of the aisle, and that was that somehow we were going to repeal obamacare. that's after 25 days of debate, including up till christmas eve morning fighting against obamacare. that's after a 2012 election where i've traveled this country with passion, the first thing -- saying the first thing we're going to do when mitt romney is president of the united states is repeal and replace obamacare,

and the american people spoke. so somehow to think that we were going to repeal obamacare, which would have required 67 republican votes, of course, was a false premise, and i think did the american people a great disservice by convincing them that somehow we could. and now 70% of the american people, according to a "washington post" poll this morning, disapprove of republicans. but they disapprove of democrats as well. and they disapprove of the president of the united states as well. and meanwhile, the chinese, great role models of democracy, are now criticizing us because of a looming failure where the american government to pay its debt, both domestic and abroad. i say to my friend, the majority leader, and he is my friend. we use that word with great

abandon around here, but he and i have known each other now for 30 years, let's find a way to allow the adversary -- i ask my good friend from utah who is a history major the words of abraham lincoln: charity towards all, malice towards none. let's find a way out of this. let's find a way to sit down -- i don't care if it is appointing people, the informal conversations we've been having back and forth. but there should be a way out of both of these dead ends that we are in. how is this going to end? we know how it's going to end. we know how it's going to end. sooner or later the government will resume its functions. sooner or later we will raise the debt limit. the question is how do we get there? if there is anybody who disagrees that we're not going to reach that point, i'd like to hear from them. so why don't we do this sooner

rather than later? and why doesn't the senate lead? i have great respect for the other side of the capitol, but i understand the contradictions that are there and the difficulties that the speaker has. and i'm in great sympathy there. so why don't we get together. why don't we sit down and -- look, this body voted 70-29 i think it was to repeal the medical device tax. my colleagues want to renounce that vote that they took on the budget? why don't we use that as one of the areas where we could reach agreement? what about this issue out there, the american people believe we are under a different health care system than they are and ours is a better deal than theirs. there's a number of issues that we could sit down and negotiate within an hour if we will stop, stop attacking each other and impugning people's integrity and honor. so all i can say is that let's

start this afternoon. i don't care who it is or how it's shaped. but let's sit down and get out of this so that these families whose loved ones just died, just died, will receive the benefits at least that would give them some comfort and solace in this terrible hour of tragedy. mr. president, i yield the floor. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that those on the democratic side be in this order: schumer, murray, baucus, mikulski, warner, cardin, klobuchar, whitehouse, warner. dimension stabenow? -- did i mention stabenow? okay. let's go over it again. schumer, murray, baucus, mikulski, warner, cardin, klobuchar, whitehouse, stabenow.

mr. schumer: mr. president? the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new york. mr. schumer: thank you, mr. president. and i rise here because we are getting very close to a time of crisis. perhaps one of the greatest economic crises this country has known. i have many good friends on the other side of the aisle, and i don't doubt for a moment their motivation, their desire and their love of country. it's every bit as strong as those of us on this side of the aisle. and so i make a heartfelt plea. we must come together and avoid a default of the united states. many have said, i've heard some even say on the other side that default doesn't matter. or it doesn't mean much. well, let me explain the danger. there is a very real chance that if we default, there will be a

recession greater than what occurred in 2008 and all too real a possibility it could put us into a depression. let me explain why. what happened in 2008 was simple. mortgage securities declined in value immediately, dramatically they declined in value after lehman and a.i.g. went down. banks' balance sheets instantly flipped from black to red. loans were frozen. not only long-term loans, but even overnight loans. lines of credit, and the economy came to a screeching halt. we had to offer huge, huge rescue or bailout to overcome that. but even so, interest rates climbed. well, if that happens with mortgage securities, if it -- the likelihood of it happening

with treasuries is all the more frightening. because treasuries are more widely held, more internationally held, and the currency of the land, of the world. if treasuries were to dramatically drop in value, the day we defaulted or, make no mistake about it, it could happen a day or two before, here's what would happen. the economy would decline dramatically. things would freeze. interest rates would go way up. the cost of a mortgage, the cost of a car loan dramatically increasing, hurt every middle-class family. home sales would decline, auto sales would decline. hundreds of thousands, millions would be laid off. why risk that? we all have political goals here. they differ.

that's reasonable. and there's a time and a place, as the scriptures say: a season for everything. there's a time and a place to debate these things. it is not while our government is shut down and while our debt hangs in the balance risking default. there's a simple and logical solution which good men and good women on both sides of the aisle can come to. let us open the government. let us pay our bills. and then let us debate every issue you should wish to debate. nothing should be off the table. we're happy to go to a committee, a conference committee. the senator from washington has asked, i believe it is 18 times, will ask again in a few minutes,

of course we want a conference committee where we can discuss things. but not, not at the price of keeping the government closed, hurting millions of families in every way, not at the price, even worse, of defaulting on our debt. i would say with all due respect to my colleagues in the house, they have it backwards. first go to conference and then decide whether to open the government or default? no one, liberal, conserves, democrat, republican, could say that's a rationale strategy if you care about the country and worry about the risks of doing these things. i understand the frustration with obamacare. we would argue there was an election in 2012. we would argue that every democratic incumbent had to debate that issue over and over

again as did president obama when governor romney made it a major issue. the election didn't decide to get rid of obamacare. but we understand how passionately people feel and we understand that you will continue to try and do that. but as again, there's a time and a season. it is not the time, it is not the season when the government is shut down or default hangs in the balance. so i would plead with my colleagues that we come together, we want to negotiate, we want to sit down and talk to you. we are eager to do it. but first, open the government, pay our bills and then let's negotiate. i yield the floor. mrs.mrs. murray: mr. president?

the presiding officer: the senator from washington. mrs. murray: i understand we were going to go back and forth. if the senator from texas wants to go, i will wait for him. the presiding officer: the senator from texas. mr. cruz: i thank the majority leader for his impassioned remarks today, and all of us weep for those service men and women who have lost their lives in defense of our great nation, and i would note that this senate can right now today move to correct the problem that the majority majority leader has described. the house of representatives has passed eight separate bills funding vital priorities of the government. all eight of those bills now sit on the majority leader's desk. this senate has not voted on those bills. to date, the majority leader has

not allowed the united states senate even to have a vote on the bills that would fund vital government functions. one of those bills is a bill that funds the v.a., funds the department of veterans affairs. now, mr. president, it seems to me we're going to have political differences, and those political differences are not going away any time soon, but we ought to be able to say, regardless of what happens in the battle over the shutdown, our veterans should be beyond politics. we should have bipartisan agreement. let's stand for our veterans. right now, veterans' disability payments are not funded. the house has passed legislation to fund it, and it was bipartisan legislation, with a number of democratic votes in the house, and yet the majority leader has not allowed the united states senate to vote on it. the only thing in the way of funding the v.a. today is the senate voting to do so, is the

objection that the majority leader has raised to funding the v.a. and let me note, the bill that the house passed funding the v.a. is a clean c.r. on the v.a. it doesn't mention obamacare, it doesn't say a word about obamacare. it simply says our veterans should be beyond partisan politics, regardless of the shutdown. and, mr. president, let me note this body has engaged in bipartisan cooperation already. earlier in the course of this debate, the house of representatives passed a bill to fund the men and women of the military, to pay their paychecks. now, for weeks, there had been politicians suggesting that if there were a government shutdown, the men and women of the military would not be paid. the house passed a bill, a clean c.r., that said we will fund the men and women of the military, and let me commend my friends on the democratic side of the aisle. let me commend the majority leader because the 54 democrats

in this body made the right decision to act in a bipartisan way and cooperate with the republicans in this body and with the house of representatives, and in 24 hours, the bill funding the men and women of our military became law, went to the president, was signed into law. that's the way it's supposed to operate. but, mr. president, let me ask, if we could work together in a bipartisan manner to say we're not going to hold the men and women of the military hostage, why can't we work together in a bipartisan manner to say we're not going to hold our veterans hostage, that regardless of what happens in the shutdown, let's fund the v.a. now? likewise, the house of representatives has passed a bill funding our parks and national memorials. we have seen day after day world war ii veterans coming to the world war ii memorial and facing barricades that the administration has put up, that the administration has expended money to keep them out.

the house has passed a bill to fund our parks and our memorials. let me suggest if the senate would only vote, we could open every park and memorial in the country. the house has passed a bill to fund fema. if the senate would only vote, fema could be funded. the house has passed a bill to fund the national institutes of health so that we could provide vital cancer research. the majority leader spoke quite passionately just moments ago about the need to fund the national institutes of health. i agree with the majority leader. and i would ask the majority leader to withdraw the objection he has raised to funding the n.i.h. now, let me note, some have disparaged the house's approach as a -- quote -- "piecemeal approach." mr. president, let me note that is the traditional means of appropriating and legislating that for centuries this body has done. the v.a. is usually funded just the v.a., not connected to anything else. why would the senate want to hold veterans hostage? because of disagreements over obamacare?

i don't think we should. i think we should fund the v.a. right now. why would the senate want to hold our parks and memorials hostage? why would the senate want to hold the national institutes of health hostage? why would the senate want to hold federal workers hostage? on saturday, the house of representatives unanimously passed a bill to provide back pay for federal workers who have been furloughed. let me note, every house democrat who voted voted in favor of that, and yet the majority leader has not allowed this body to vote. i'm going to say right now i agree with those house democrats, and let me urge the senate democrats stand with your house democrats who voted unanimously in favor of back pay for federal workers. we can work together with bipartisan compromise, but we can only do so if both sides come to the table. right now, the house of representatives is working constructively to fund vital priorities, and unfortunately

president obama, the majority leader and senate democrats are refusing to negotiate, refusing to compromise. that's not a reasonable approach. it's not a path that will lead to resolving this. and so i hope we come together, resolve this, fund our vital priorities, and at the same time respond to the millions of people who are hurting because of obamacare who are losing their jobs, who are pushed into part-time work, who are facing skyrocketing insurance premiums and who are losing their health insurance. we need to answer the call of our constituents. we need to answer the call of teamsters president james hoffa to put in writing that obamacare right now is destroying the health care of millions of working men and women, destroying is the word mr. hoffa used. i think the united states senate should respond to the concern mr. hoffa raised, and we should stand with millions of working men and women. we should protect their health care so that the -- the hundreds of millions of americans who have health care right now don't lose it.

all of the people across this country are getting letters in the mail saying you are losing your health care because of obamacare. we need to listen to them, so let's fund our government, let's fund our vital priorities and let's listen to the american people and stop the number-one job killer in this country that is obamacare. mr. president, i urge that this body work together in a bipartisan manner to listen to the american people. i yield the floor. mrs. murray: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from washington. mrs. murray: mr. president, i think there is one thing that every one of us can agree on. there are innumerable problems across our country, families that have been challenged, sad stories that should be taken care of in every part of our country, in each one of our states and families we know who are hurting because of this government shutdown. there is one answer to that, and it is an easy one. it is for the house of representatives to simply take up the bill that is in the house

today and pass it. we know that they have a number of members of congress who can pass that today, and every problem that we have heard about or haven't heard about yet will be solved. republicans simply need to end this government shutdown so americans stop hurting. and our families need to know that they're not going to be threatened with a catastrophic default, and when that happens, we will be waiting at the table, as we are today, to negotiate a long-term deal in the budget conference that the other side has spent months blocking. we have been trying to work with republicans towards a fair, long-term budget deal for years. since 2011, democrats from the senate to the house to the administration have sat in

rooms, we have negotiated, we have talked, we have discussed and we have offered compromise after compromise. we have tried regular committees. we have tried super committees. if there was a room where democrats and republicans could sit and talk, we found it and we got to work, but no matter what we did, no matter how much we offered, we were unable to come to a place that we could agree was a fair and balanced approach that the american people deserved. so this year, our republican friends on the other side of the aisle asked us to return to regular order, and that was the most important thing they said for us to get to a place where we could find a budget deal that could be agreeable, that we can move forward. so, mr. president, that is exactly what we did. in the senate, we passed our

budget more than six months ago. the house of representatives did the same. and since that time, we have asked to go to conference to work out our differences 19 times. 19 times we have come to the floor to say let's have regular order, let's work out our differences in a conference committee. we wanted to get in a room with the house republicans, to sit at a table and do everything possible to bridge the divide between our two budgets. we knew it would not be easy. there are significant differences between the house and senate budget, but the american people expected us to try, and we were committed to doing that. and importantly, we wanted to make sure we had enough time to bridge that divide and get to

this difficult deal, so we would not be here today where we have lurched into another manufactured crisis. now, mr. president, republicans rejected our attempts to sit down and negotiate. every time we asked to go to a budget conference, we were shot down. democrats came to the floor again and again, along with, i would add, a number of responsible republicans who agreed, even though they did not support the budget that was passed here, agreed that we should go to conference with the house republicans and work out our deals. but each time we asked, a handful of republicans objected and said no discussions. they refused to allow us to go to a table. they had no interest in any discussion or negotiation or talk, and they pushed us until they got exactly what those few

republicans here wanted, and that was an avoidable, completely avoidable government shutdown. so, mr. president, after spending six months rejecting talks, causing this crisis, now all of a sudden some of them seem desperate to make it look like they are the ones interested in negotiating. they know it is clear to families across the country that the only reason this crisis continues is the house republicans refuse to take up the bill and pass it right now. which will get our government open and running again. and, by the way, now they're trying to do everything they can to distract their constituents from that simple fact. but, mr. president, the american people are smarter than that. they know the world did not begin the day the government shut down. they know it is not possible for republicans to just discover negotiations 20 minutes before a

shutdown, when all they need to do is take up the bill and vote. now, mr. president, the latest gimmick that the house seems to be considering is to start another super committee to debate this issue. instead of simply taking a vote to end this crisis, they want to re-- they want a repeat of 2011. they want another super committee. well, as everyone here knows, i cochaired that super committee. the senator from montana worked for hours and hours and days on end with me on that committee, and it failed, for reasons that we believe in and they believe in, which could be debated, but it didn't have a resolution. and, mr. president, i think house republicans are going to have a lot of trouble explaining to those families who haven't seen a paycheck since this shutdown started that they should wait for another super committee to go to work. mr. president, here is what should happen.

house republicans should end this crisis. they should simply allow a vote on our bill to end the shutdown which would pass with bipartisan support. they should stop threatening an economic catastrophe if they don't get their way, and we are happy to sit down and negotiate. we know on our side that an negotiation on a budget deal is not going to make us happy. we know the house republicans won't be happy. but, mr. president, that is how a democracy works. by working out our differences. and democrats are here to say today we're willing to negotiate and we're willing to work with our republican counterparts to find a path forward. of course we want to negotiate. we've tried to start a budget conference for six months. now, i know the vast majority of my republican colleagues came here to help our families and to help our communities.

i know they came here to solve problems. the vast majority came here to work across the aisle to make the country better. so i urge our republican colleagues in the senate today to support the unanimous consent that we are about to offer to end this crisis, take the threats off the table and sit down and work with us towards a balanced and bipartisan budget deal that i know so many of us want in this room. so, mr. president, i now ask unanimous consent that when the senate receives a message from the house that they have passed h.j. res. 59 as amended by the senate of the united states then proceed to the consideration of calendar number 33,. h. con. res. 35, the amendment at the desk which is the budget resolution passed by the senate be inserted in lieu thereof, that h. con. res. 25 as amended

be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, that the senate proceed to vote on a motion to insist on its amendment, request a conference with the house on the disagreeing votes of the two houses and authorize the chair to appoint conferees on the part of the senate. with all of the above occurring with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: is there objection? mr. sessions: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from alabama. mr. sessions: reserving the right to object, i think we should all note that this unanimous consent agreement essentially asks that the house direct -- the senate direct the house on how to -- what the path to the c.r. the senate desires. there won't be any need, in effect, to deal -- work in that fashion, that won't work, and i would also note that in

response that there is a unanimous request agreement i could agree to and i think members of this side would agree to that the senate proceed to the consideration of calendar number 33, h. connecticut res. 25, that the amendment at the desk which is the text of s. con. res. 8, the budget resolution passed by the senate, not inserted in lieu thereof, that h. con. res. 25 as amended be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, that the senate vote on an a motion to insist on its amendment, request a conference with the house on the disagreeing votes of the two houses, and authorize the chair to appoint conferees on the part of the senate with all of the above occurring with no intervening action or debate and i further ask consent that it not be in order for the senate to consider a conference report that includes reconciliation instructions to raise the debt

limit. and that is the reason there's been an objection over here, because under the way we believe we should proceed, that a debt limit act raising that is a legislative act and it would be subject to 60 votes. what the concern is from the members of our conference who have objected is that if you put the debt limit on the budget, then you could only have to have 51 votes. and they've insisted that they would approve going to the house and having a conference on the legislation but they want an agreement that you're not going to slip through an attempt to slip through that. and if it's not a problem, why won't you agree to that? for these reasons, mr. president, i think we're not able to agree and i would object. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mrs. murray: responding to the

unanimous consent request that the senator from alabama propounded, i reserve the right to object and, mr. president, we may have just reached the heart of the matter. while we hear day after day that our house republicans friends want to negotiate on the debt limit, the senator from alabama asked us now to specifically preclude us from talking about that very subject. i would suggest, respectfully, that perhaps the real problem here isn't the democrats aren't talking to republicans, it's that republicans aren't even talking to each other. mr. president, i also want to note that this modification that the senator from alabama is asking would leave us in a shutdown facing hundreds of thousands of families who would wonder when their next paycheck would come while we do our work. so, mr. president, i object to

the senator's request and i renew my unanimous consent. the presiding officer: the senator from alabama objected to the senator from washington's request. mr. sessions: and if i understand, she renewed it so by renew my objection. the presiding officer: objection is heard to all requests. mr. sessions: mr. president, just briefly, i appreciate senator murray having passed a budget this year in the senate for the first time in four, five years, and it's a budget that is way off the kind of budget we should have, let's be frank, but it was one that they stood up and voted for. and that is something of value, to begin our process around here. i would just note the reason it's such an unacceptable proposal from my democratic

majority, very similar to what president obama asked for, it raised taxes $1 trillion over ten years, it raised spending $1 trillion over ten years. that's above the lawful budget control act levels that we agreed to on a bipartisan basis august of 2011. if you remember, colleagues, the president insisted that we have a debt ceiling increase then. he said we couldn't negotiate on it, that the country would sink into oblivion if we even got close to the debt limit and we all had to back down and just agree to raise the debt limit without any limits. and the american people, polling data showed they did not believe we should raise the debt limit of america without at least cutting spending and reducing our deficits. the credit card that congress was on was going to be pulled back.

and so the republicans stood firm, an agreement was reached, the president approved it, that had no tax increases, raised the budget -- the debt ceiling $2.1 trillion over ten years. how much is that? well, we were projected to increase spending -- increase spending -- over the next ten years, $10 trillion. this would have reduced the increase in spending from $10 trillion to $8 trillion. not enough to throw the government into default and disaster and confusion, if properly executed and certainly wasn't the best way it was done. so that was the agreement. and before the ink is dry good, we've had a year or so under it, now our colleagues have already abandoned ship, thrown in the towel, want to raise spending by a trillion dollars over that that they agreed to, and to raise taxes a trillion dollars.

so that's why we've got a big disagreement here. our colleagues, what do they want? they want to tax more, spend more and more debt. and it's not the way to run america and the american people know it and so somehow in this debt crisis that we're on, we all got to work together and i respect my colleagues, but i cannot be that we do something in this process that violates the solemn agreement. we told the american people okay, american people, we've done something. we've raised the debt ceiling $2 trillion, but we reduced spending by $2 trillion. the debt ceiling is already eased up that $2.1 trillion already. but we still made our promise that we have to honor that we'll save $2.1 trillion of growth over the next ten years. it isand that's our responsibily and our duty in my opinion. i thank the chair and would

yield the floor. mr. president, let me ask consent that the next two republican senators be recognized would be senator from maine, senator collins, followed by senator from alaska, senator murkowski, and that we would continue to alternate between both sides. senator collins would be recognized at this time. the presiding officer: we'll rotate back and forth but we'll be right back to her. mr. baucus: reserving the right to object, would the senator renew his request? mr. sessions: i would ask consent the two republican speakers on this side be senator collins from maine and senator murkowski and that we continue to alternate between both sides and that since i just butted in as part of the budget debate, i want -- i did not intend and desire to take senator collins' time who patiently has been waiting next in line. mr. baucus: i certainly will not

object to that. no objection. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. baucus: the -- the presiding officer: the senator from montana. mr. baucus: mr. president, i'd like to underline the gravity of the financial condition that our country is in at this point. i think the back and forth we tend to overlook just how serious this matter is. here in the united states senate capitol we walk in the footprints of our forefathers in walking through these halls their presence is felt at every turn and just outside this chamber are the likenesses of washington, jefferson, lincoln and dozens of statesmen cast in bronze and marble. at the end of this month a new leader will be added to the halls of congress. winston churchill. a bust of the late prime minister will be added to the capitol collection of national statutory hall later this month. churchill once said -- quote --

"the price of greatness is responsibility." we here in the congress have a great responsibility, responsibility to conduct the business of this nation, to represent our people, to do what's right for our people and help our country's people, the people we represent. that's our responsibility here. however, the action or rather inaction of a small group of members of the house have crippled congress and is threatening to impede the ability of the united states senate to fulfill one of its greatest responsibilities, to pay the government's bills. it is completely irresponsible to theretoen to default on the nation's debt. since 1789 this country has always honored its obligations, even when the white house and the capitol were burned to the ground right here in 1814. america still honored its debts. america is the greatest country

on earth. we're the leaders of the free world. nations look to us as examples of democracy. we're supposed to be the shining light, the shining city upon a hill. but, unfortunately, the shine risks being tarnished by a debt default. now, i agree with many of my colleagues more can be done to reduce the deficit and promote economic growth but as the president said we cannot negotiate under the threat of default on nation the nation's debt. reminds me of what president frankly delano roosevelt said, never fear to negotiate but do not negotiate out of fear. failure to raise the debt limit, shutting down the government are two fearful actions which should not be on the table as we attempt to negotiate other matters in our nation's fiscal policy. the path is clear.

we need to open the government, raise the nation's borrowing limit, take away those two guns to our head as a country, and then only then can we responsibly address the nation's long-term budget challenges. by now we need to come together to ensure we do not permit another self-inflicted wound to our nation's economy. that's what defaulting on the debt is, a self-inflicted wound with global consequences. what is the x date? when is the date on which the united states senate government can no longer pay its bills? we don't know exactly. it's uncertain. that's part of the problem. uncertainty creates unpredictability. nobody knows for sure. the treasury secretary says it's october 17, that's as good a date as any. at that time we will have exhausted all -- quote -- "extraordinary measures to stay under the debt limit and remind my colleagues we've been over the debt limit since i think it's may, but we've -- taking

-- quote --"extraordinary measures, not fulfilling only ooh obligations, not making the government contribution to government retirement system, one example, not doing that anymore, that's an extraordinary measures, rather, we're not making that contribution so we can make other payments like medicare payments and other payments the government is obligated to maker october 17, after all extraordinary measures are exhausted, we risk defaulting on payments. dangerous territory. as of next thursday, it is expected the treasury department will have only about $30 billion cash on hand, barely enough to support the government for one or two weeks. after that, the government wallet is empty. we're in uncharted waters. again, this country has never in the history of this country defaulted on its national debt.

the debt ceiling is reached, the government will immediately have to slash services by 20% to 30%, driving the nation back into recession. make no mistake about it, social security, medicare would have to be slashed. veterans benefits hit, farm payments, highway funding, department of defense, payments to the disabled. every program this government runs will be devastated by cuts. it would also have global consequences not just here in america, but worldwide. christine legarde, managing director of the i.m.f. warns failure to manage the debt ceiling could damage the entire economy. she is right. look at how precarious the european economy is right now. the great effort european countries have been undertaking to try to stabilize the southern countries in europe along with the creditors of the northern nations in europe. she said -- quote -- "it is

mission critical that the debt limit be resolved as soon as possible." mission critical, christine legarde, managing director of the i.m.f.. we are the most important economy in the world. we are the reserve currency for the world. our treasury bonds are the very foundation of the global financial system. default would put the global economy in chaos. "the new york times" article today entitled default threat generates fear around the globe, i think, is apropos. let me read a portion -- and i quote -- "five years after the financial crisis, the united states helped spread a deep global recession." don't forget, lehman brothers collapsed five years ago in september. five years after the financial crisis in the united states helped spread a deep global recession, policy-makers around the world again fear collateral damage.

this time with their nations becoming victims not of wall street's excesses, but a political system in washington that to many foreign eyes no longer seems to be able to function efficiently. we have read the articles. we know it's true. the plug's been pulled on negotiations between the united states and europe on their trade agreement. why? because of the government shutdown. not so much the debt limit but the shutdown. we have also read articles and am sure it's true that president obama had to cancel his trip to southeast asia and he had to cancel it because he had to stay here to try to help work out this crisis that we're in. the united states is losing influence in southeast asia because he's not there. who is there? president xi, president of china. president xi is there explaining to southeast asian countries that china is their friend and he is making loans,

international development bank sponsored by china, tens of billions of dollars. not by the united states but by china. those countries are trying to escape the grasp terrible pull of main -- the graph terrible pull gravitional pull. the united states is, presidentf the united states is not there to show we care. his absence creates another almost deeper concern amongst countries in, let's say, southeast a shafplt where is -- southeast asia. where is the united states going to be if there is a military situation? can the united states be counted on? can the united states be trust stph-d it seems like there is a

question there. because the president is not in southeast asia. the other question is because there is a question of whether the united states is going to pay its debts, pay its bills. that's a question. i think we eventually will, as the senator from arizona, senator mccain said. i think both members of this body think that we eventually will. let's get there now, not later. there is a real danger here, mr. president, a big danger here. the danger is that we're going to get close to the cliff and get so close to it that we'll go over it. we know the cliff is out there. the cliff is default. we know it's not too far away. we know we don't want to go over the cliff. we don't know exactly where that cliff is. we don't know. it may be closer than we think. we don't know what payments we have to make when they're due. we don't know what the revenue is going to be.

that's why the x date is so uncertain. in addition to that, something might happen that triggers a catastrophic economic global response. i don't want to overstate this point, but back in 1914, our duke of austria was assassinated in serbia. that sparked, created world war 1. that spark caused it. just very briefly, in addition, there have been other instances when people -- pressure was being built. people didn't heed warnings. they let fate tempt them and the result was collapse. there have been financial bubbles in this world. two bubbles, for example. lehman brothers cole -- collapsed, another example. we knew with mortgages being written, bubbles building in

that market, but we just let it, we said nothing is going to happen but eventually it did. so i just plead with my colleagues here. remember, we can't control fate. we can't control it. we can do our best. and we all know that we're going to raise the debt ceiling. we all know we're going to open up the government, so let's do it earlier rather than later. i think it is important to remind ourselves, yes, we're the greatest country in the world. the leader asked me to refer to a book that i mentioned a couple of hours ago by paul kennedy, princeton historian. and he pointed out in the sweep of history, civilizations and countries rise and fall. there is no guarantee that any civilization or country continues forever. greeks, romans, persians, begin begin -- gingas khan.

we're number one right now. how long can we continue to be one. he also pointed out, kennedy, in the sweep of history countries are defeated not by external armies but by external decay. i'm saying, mr. president, let's not decay here. let's resolve this like adults and let's be responsible in the spirit of winston churchill. ms. collins: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from maine. ms. collins: mr. president, the government shutdown represents a failure to govern and must be brought to an end. disabled veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country are waiting for their claims to be handled. pregnant women and small children are at risk of their w.i.c. benefits not being

funded. crucial biomedical research is being disrupted, and the sickest of children are being turned away from clinical trials at the national institutes of health. and the impact goes far beyond the direct consequences for federal employee and the programs that they administer. one has only to look at the impact of the closure of the cadia national park in my state of maine to see the ripple effects on shopkeepers, servers at restaurants, inn owners and others who depend on revenue from these disappointed tourists. and that is why i worked hard to put together a three-point plan

to bring this impasse to a speedy end. and i'm very delighted that my friend and colleague from alaska, senator murkowski, has joined me in shaping and supporting this plan. let me quickly describe it and let me give credit to those who have talked about concepts that have been incorporated into this plan. people like my colleagues, senator hatch and senator toomey. and on the house side, representative kind and representative dent. first of all, the first point of the plan would fund government for the next six months at the level of $986 billion. so that would allow for

government to immediately reopen. second, it would repeal the tax on medical devices and equipment, such as x-ray machines and pacemakers. this tax will only serve to drive up the cost of health care because it will be inevitably passed on to the consumer. it will stifle innovation, and industry estimates that it will lead to the loss of some 43,000 jobs. it is a tax that does not make sense. now, the administration has pointed to the $30 billion that would be raised by this tax over the next ten years. fair enough. there is a way to replace that revenue, and it is a way that has beneficial consequences to

many employers who are struggling to make pension contributions in this difficult economy. and it will do so without in any way weakening the pension obligation to their workers. it's a complicated issue. it's called pension smoothing. but it's one that this body's dealt with before in the transportation bill known as map-21. so we would extend that pension smoothing on the contributions, which has been produced by the fact that the federal reserve has held interest rates at a very low level. i'll describe this in more detail in a written statement. it's in the statement that i made on the senate floor on saturday. but suffice it to say, that by

smoothing these pension contributions, we can replace the lost revenue that would result from the repeal of the 2.3% tax on medical devices and equipment. the third point of our plan, the collins-murkowski plan, includes a bill that senator mark udall and i introduced earlier this year that would provide flexibility to federal managers in dealing with sequestration. but it does so in a way that preserves the important congressional oversight. mr. president, sequestration is a flawed policy because it does not discriminate between essential programs and those that are duplicative and wasteful. but if we are to have sequestration, surely we should

give federal managers the ability to set priorities and apply common sense in its administration; neff -- instead of having across-the-board equal meat-ax lie items in their budgets. but to ensure that this flexibility is not abused, we would have the appropriations committee oversee this process and have the right to reject the plans. it's very similar to the reprogramming requests that the appropriations committee receives now, and either accepts or rejects when agencies want to move money from one account to another. mr. president, this would represent a modest proposal that could bring this impasse to an

end, allow government to reopen, give those on both sides of the aisle who have voted during the consideration of the budget resolution by 79 votes to 20-something votes to repeal this harmful tax on medical equipment and devices, and yet replace the revenue so the administration -- i don't see how the administration could object to that, because the revenue would be replaced, yet this harmful tax would be repealed, and we would give federal agencies the flexibility to deal with sequestration. mr. president, there's something in the collins-murkowski plan that everyone on both sides of the aisle can