they called for a change in the way we do things here in the senate. and they sent a new team to washington to carry their wishes forward. we plan to do just that. but several items remain for the outgoing congress to consider, and that's our immediate focus. in the weeks that remain in this congress, we should work to accomplish the essential task of funding the government and preventing retroactive tax increases. we must address the expiring authority that passed this session from the department of defense to train and equip a defense to train and equip a >> we must moderate the syrian opposition and we must address the ebola crisis. all this require cooperation from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the rotunda and from both ends of pennsylvania avenue. actions of the next few weeks could help to set apart a positive tone for the congress

and it is a tone that will depend largely on the administration's willingness to respect the message sent. that is one of the things that we are discussing on friday. it was a productive meeting and there were a lot that both parties can accomplish over the next couple of years. i hope that happens and i hope i'm optimistic currid working together requires trust. i think president obama has the duty to help build the trust that we all need to move forward together. and to double down on old ways of doing business. that is why i think moving forward with unilateral action would be a big mistake. as it was last night's announcement to give china a free pass on a mission while herding middle-class families and struggling miners here in our country. last friday the president said that the american people would

like to see more cooperation in washington. he says he thinks all of us have the responsibility and himself in particular to try to make that happen. and that is the kind of tone that the american people are looking for and now it is on in washington to calibrate actions accordingly. let's not do things to hurt the possibility and step back and focus on what can be accomplished together. let's listen to the american people. [inaudible conversations] >> mr. president. what happened on november 4, was the beginning of an opportunity that we have working together to restore faith in our democratic

institutions and to restore strong growth to our economy and to restore a sense of purpose and principle to the u.s. foreign policy. and starting with the incoming majority leader, my good friend the senior senator from kentucky, republicans have been entrusted to leave this chamber next year. we understand that the american people see a strong sense on november 4 and they are enormously frustrated by what they saw as dysfunction to the state of affairs here in washington dc. we understand why they are eager for new leadership and a new direction. and my party, the republican party, approaches this opportunity with humility and above all a clear eyed commitment to address the top priorities of the american people. and of course some of those

priorities start with jobs and the economy. and then know that the unemployment rate has continued to tick down little by little, but it's really fairly misleading when you consider the fact that we are stuck with a 36 year low of the labor participation rate and people that are actually looking for work and indeed there are more than 7 million people looking for full-time work and working currently in part-time jobs. and we know that many people have become so discouraged that they have given up and quit looking and that is a tragedy. and then there is this problem. america's median household income is no higher in 2013 then it was nearly a quarter of a century ago in 1989.

that has been a silent tragedy and one that has been sustained by the middle class in america as we have seen no growth in the median household income for about a quarter century. in the median income is lower last year than was the her president reagan left the white house. it has crushed the middle class in addressing that should be one of our highest priorities starting in january. and so since 2011 our colleagues in the united states house of representatives have been passing legislation that they feel would boost job creation and increase wages. in the 113th congress alone, they passed dozens of jobs bills and unfortunately, those have not been taken up by the majority leader in the senate. and they have been effectively declared dead on arrival. and we also know that the

strategy of blocking amendments on pending legislation less vulnerable incumbents be forced to cast votes has been backfiring because many of our colleagues in the majority have not been able to point to a legislative record and it's for their own constituents because of this flawed strategy of blocking the senate and voting on it. it's one thing to be in the minority and have no amendments suggested that i'm offering added, but it's harder to explain your own constituents if you're being locked out by the majority as well. so i hope that we are done with that. and i know the incoming majority leader believes strongly in returning the senate to its traditions as the world's greatest body where anyone, regardless of who they are with clinical party can come to the

senate floor and offer constructive suggestions and get a vote. that is what we do. and at least that is what we used to do and that is what we can do again. that doesn't mean just majority party but the minority party will get this on your amendment. hopefully, slowly but surely, we can begin to rebuild not only trusts and confidence within ourselves, but regain lost trust of the american people by showing that we can effectively solve problems on a bipartisan basis to the challenges that they face as members of the hard-working middle class. and then there is the basic job of governing. we will pass a budget next year and it's something that our friends across the aisle have failed to do since 2009. here is something that i don't think anybody will excuse or

defense. how in the world can it be that with every small and large business has to pass a budget, families have to have a budget so they can determine their priorities and how they can most effectively utilize their income, that they has to pass a budget. but the united states congress does not. and that frankly is malpractice in my view and it will end next year. and i know that republicans and democrats will continue to have policy disagreements. nobody is suggesting that's not going to happen. but this is the place where there does that debate it, or they get voted on and there are majorities that will actually pass legislation to president obama and those will be largely if not almost entirely bipartisan majorities. of course by definition we know that the democrats by and large continue to support it the

affordable care act and republicans continue to believe that it was a mistake and should be replaced with patient centered alternatives. but we don't have to choose between complete paralysis and tension. dysfunction is not the only choice that we have and now that that has been rejected by the voters resoundingly, we know that it changes and the american people have demanded and they deserve it and they will get it. so last week's election will change some of the fundamental policy differences that we have between political parties on obamacare and what we need to do to preserve and protect social security and medicare and the like. and it won't change people's points of view on the other hot button issues. but it will give us a chance to make steady incremental products progress on issues where we do agree. when i came to the senate, teddy

kennedy, the liberal lion from massachusetts had been here about 40 years. and he was working on the health education labor commission with a conservative republican from wyoming. one day i went up to him and i said, how is it that you and senator kennedy with such diametrically opposing views of what congress ought to do can actually work productively together and he told me that it's easy. it is the 80 -- 20 rule. he said with 80% we can agree on, we do. the 20% that we cannot, we do not. we put it off for another day. and it strikes me as eminently practical and a way for us to begin to get back to work again. when i talk about the stuff that

we could do, i'm referring to the bipartisan majority supporting things like the keystone xl pipeline authorization. things like increasing our natural gas exports and not only for economic booster gives us in america, but also because it's changing the geopolitics for the world for people like vladimir putin who can't put this on the gas supply to your and europe and use that for his own purposes. i'm confident that we can find safeguards from an overreaching federal bureaucracy. we can agree upon things like improving workforce training programs and to do things that make it easier to launch new infrastructure and construction products and we can do things like we should have done last year or this year, like reforming the broken patent system to discourage the use of

costly litigation. we had a bipartisan bill that didn't come to the floor because of majority leader would not bring it out because one of his constituency objected to it. but no one should have a trump card when it comes to bipartisan legislation and they won't. next year we will vote on patent reform. and then there are things like mitigating, things like restoring the 40 hour work week and the repeal of the medical device tax which has strong bipartisan support which is driven medical device manufacturers and their jobs overseas. i have constituents in dallas in that business and they say that they are doing this in costa rica because of the impacts of this article device tax and its negative impact on medical innovation and job creation here.

and i think that there's bipartisan support for abolishing the independent payment advisory board. these are the democrats to get to decide gets medical care and who does not with no real appeal or records. and in the committee that i serve upon, we have impressive bipartisan support for things like prison reform and those are important issues of substance that the united states senate should be discussing and debating and voting upon and trying to find ways we can work together to achieve the solutions. so each of the things that i mentioned how bipartisan support if we can pass these with strong support on both sides of the aisle and send them to the president for his signature, it will be much easier to establish the trust and cooperation necessary to do the harder stuff. starting with the stuff that we

party identified and has bipartisan support, demonstrating that we can actually do that, then i think that we will have the confidence in ourselves and the american people and the american people have confidence in us and their government to begin to tackle some of the more challenging issues. senator mcconnell, the republican leader mentioned that if but it bears repeating that the president is threatening to go around congress to implement a new radical change in our federal government to immigration policy and i think it is a terrible mistake. but the same luncheon that the senator mentioned a number of us went online and said please don't do this because if you do, it will make it even harder for us to take a step-by-step approach to immigration that enjoys bipartisan support.

not to mention the fact that what the president is proposing to do is unlawful and it will also make it harder for us to do the other things that i have mentioned already that have bipartisan support. so why in the world with the president want to do that at the start of a new congress in the last two years of his term in office. don't you think that he would want to have a legacy that he can point to those last two years saying that i might've been built a -- dealt a bad hand, but i think that we need to be productive. i would urge the president as others have done in the very strongest of terms to abandon his plan for this executive amnesty and and to send this

very clear message that he sent last tuesday. after a six-year experiment in big government policies come in, the american people are asking for a new direction. i am not under any illusion that all of a sudden they have one and love with my side of the aisle because that's not true and what they are willing to do is put us on probation and give us all a chance to demonstrate that we can change the course and we can do things together that they want to see us do. my constituents are sick and tired of watching the federal government wastes money, selectively enforce laws, and try to micromanage this as if the federal government knew better than they do what is good for them and their families. and it's not true and they know it, but that has not stopped the efforts over the last six years.

but my constituents, what they want, i believe, and i believe it because they have told me this, they want leaders that will respond to their practical day-to-day concerns. those who appreciate and will address the biggest threats to the american dream and those that will uphold the timeless principles of our constitution. i believe that there is a bipartisan emerging consensus here and that we can actually do this. this is not too hard for us to do. i have read what some of the pundits have said and they say it's going to be even worse with republicans in charge, well, it better not be worse where there will be a heavy price to pay. most of that will be paid by the american people who will not be well served if we simply refuse to change and refuse to listen and that goes for the president

and that goes for republicans and that goes for the democrats as well. and so for my part, and i believe for our part on the side of the aisle, we are eager to work together to solve the country's problems and to help unleash this great american job creating engine known as our economy and to restore the rule of law and constitutional government. as for president obama we can only hope that either side decides to work with us rather than against us and against the best intentions and desires of the american people. mr. president, i yield the floor. >> those remarks took place earlier today on the senate floor. on thursday we will have final votes. including the vote on low-income families pay for child care.

and also, senators elect leaders of the congress set to begin in january. and also mary landrieu and fellow democrats discuss the keystone pipeline and holding the final vote on construction next week. we will show you an interview with the capitol hill reporter followed by the speech. >> the lame-duck session of congress and spirit and trimmed barely underway and the issue of the keystone pipeline has risen to the top of the agenda and we are joined by laura erin lopez who covers energy issues for the hell. let's start where mary landrieu pushes for the keystone vote and what was the senator saying on the floor of the senate remapped. >> well, senator mary landrieu is facing a tough election after the december runoff and she was

saying that right now that we need to pass the keystone xl and that she just requested unanimous consent and that the senate is poised to do a vote on the keystone next week. and she said that there was a clear message during the election to the senate majority leader harry reid and mitch mcconnell, everyone every one of them should be on the same page and to let them be the first thing that we compromise on. >> as you mentioned, she got the unanimous consent and it seems like as you said earlier in the day, senator whitehouse on the keystone xl push, i believe we can have this debate and he will we will not object to bring this bill up to a vote looking ahead. how will this fear in the senate? >> that is correct but democrats like senator whitehouse and

senator boxer and others, you can expect them to vote against the pipeline because they are not supporters of it, that mary landrieu is positive that she can bring over the needed votes and last time we tried this, there were 57 votes in 11 of those were democrats. but mary landrieu says that she can get roughly about five more to sign on. so that would get them well over 60. >> stepping back for a bit on this, tell us what the bill would specifically do. correct me if i'm wrong, the president has this say on whether the pipeline is approved. >> estimate that is correct. he does have the final say. it's the house and the senate, as a both passed this bill, it would approve construction of it immediately and that would send the bill to the president's desk and obama will either veto it or sign it on through.

and yes, she has not received any commitment from obama, but she says that she feels that he will sign it and she is confident that somehow because they are compromising both republicans and democrats that it will continue. >> word late wednesday that they will take up the keystone bill sponsored by bill cassidy, running against senator mary landrieu, the runoff on december 6. how is that expected to go in-house? in the house? that comes up for vote on thursday. >> yes, that is correct. and that is expected to pass in the house has passed multiple bills approving the pipeline before it would go around obama and pipeline approval and you know, there's no expectation that that wouldn't be able to go

through. and that is why she is making this last-ditch effort. she doesn't have the devil anymore and and senator mitch mcconnell said he was going to appoint cassidy to the senate energy if he wins the runoff. >> salon about the keystone pipeline vote coming up in the house and the senate and covering at all is laura erin lopez. you can read her reporting at the hill.com and follow more on twitter. thank you for the update. >> thank you. >> i was hoping to catch the senator before he left because i wanted to ask him but i was going to ask him if that new approach to bipartisanship can

start today. and that includes those of us that have worked in a bipartisan way. and it's really important for our nation and i'm sorry that the senator slipped away. i'm sure that he has other business. i wanted to ask him and i absolutely agree with him on the priority that he just laid out. so i think that he just understands that the american people want us to act together in their interest. and that includes being expedited and exported it for natural gas, but i think it is important for jobs in america and some of the very positive

figures in this election, that he was troubled about the median household income and wanted to do something to raise it. i heard him say that he was concerned and that he was thinking that some of these things would really push lennart hooton back on his heels. and there are a few others that are on that list but i think he also said and referred to ted kennedy who is one of our dear friend were not just republicans or democrats and that includes his willingness to work across party lines as the senator from texas pointed out with senator

kennedy and senator hatch, talking about the 80-20. we might not agree on everything, but let's move forward. i think those were his words on the 80% that we do agree upon. and so i want to come to the floor to ask the senator from texas particularly and senator mitch mcconnell and senator reid and others if they would join me in moving forward on the keystone xl pipeline and this has been a project that has been owing back far too long and it's clearly been supported by 60 or more members of this body. it is a piece of legislation that has been at endorsed by the new majority leader and he is a cosponsor and a leader of the legislation and there are a

significant number of democrats on that legislation, and i believe with a push, a significant push in the next few hours, that we could actually get the votes that we need to pass the keystone pipeline. in an hour or so after the request of the minorities, i'm going to wait for that and i'm going to propose a unanimous consent to do exactly that. we set up two hours of debate tonight and have them vote on the keystone pipeline tomorrow. i believe that it is time to act and i believe that we should take the new majority leader at his word and stop blocking legislation that is broadly supported by the american public and has been for quite some

time. i want to say to the majority leader which mcconnell that the time to start is now. the public has clearly spoken and i believe that we can move forward on several important pieces of legislation. senator reid mentions that the fairness act is another very important piece of legislation and i believe that with a little push right now it could get done and it would be a significant to business and retail that would be heard every day by our inactions. but my comments today are going to be about the keystone pipeline because i am chair of the energy committee for the united states senate and i'm going to do everything in my power to your and their home on the campaign trail where i am in

the runoff, as you know, to get this project moving forward. and one of the extraordinary facts about the keystone pipeline is not what it is, and i want to talk about that in a minute, but one of the most extraordinary pieces of an argument for why we should pass it includes the unprecedented coalition and their other bills that have a long list and those that have pages and pages of lists. but this particular bill has a relatively short list of organizations that are extremely powerful which makes it competitive and i think it makes

us or should make us want to stand up and respond to this coalition and that includes the ability to pass this keystone bill which is a standalone keystone bill with 45 republican cosponsors and every member of the republican caucus is already a cosponsor of this bill and we have on that bill about 12 democratic cosponsors and i am confident that we have the additional votes necessary to pass it. and the american chemistry council, the american concrete

pipe association and exploration and production counsel and highway users alliance and petroleum institute and transportation builders and american truckers association and general contractors of america association of the oil pipeline, concrete reinforcing steel institute and the independent petroleum association of america and industrial minerals association of north america and institute for 21st century energy and this includes the international brotherhood of electrical workers and the labor unions of north america and let me stop there and make a point that many bills that passed here or are attempted to pass here have a list of all business organizations or all labor organizations or all

environmental organizations or all highway contractors in this well has such an extraordinary diverse group of some of the strongest business leaders in the country and i want to underscore to my my democratic colleagues are supporting this piece of legislation that we have tremendous support from labor unions because labor unions like business leaders want jobs. and they want more investment in investment creating good middle-class jobs. and the difference between the oil and gas industry which i have been pleased to be an advocate for in many different facets, is that this industry produce the kinds of jobs that americans really want. not minimum-wage jobs are

slightly above minimum wage but jobs that -- that the senator and knows started 60, 70, $85,000 for a young man or young woman coming out of high school or trade school or college. and these are important jobs. that is why labor unions are represented here. and that is the united associations of journeyman and apprentice is and american concrete and the business roundtable and american supply association and steel institute and national association of manufacturers. national roofing contractors. why would roofing contractors be supporting the keystone pipeline two there are thousands of them

on workers needed to build a pipeline all along the route of this pipeline will be increases in populations of housing and industrial sites, retail, residential supporting, 40,000 workers needed to build this pipeline and the north american die casting association and the national utility contractors again. associated businesses and finally still manufactures and western alliance. this is an extraordinary coalition that has come together to support this bill. the bill that i'm going to call up in a few minutes for unanimous consent to pass. because i believe what the new majority leader has said and i believe what senator cornyn has

just said, the senator from texas. and i believe what the current majority leader has said, soon-to-be minority leader in the next congress, that we need to work together. and that we can work together and we need to begin to do that today. not tomorrow, not january, not in february or in march, not around the corner or next week but today. and that would send most positive signal. i'm not having to have unanimous consent on 10 bills that are controversial, not asking us to do the impossible. i'm not asking us to do something that just came out last week and i'm asking us to move forward on a bill that has labor support and business support and general contracting support and the american people,

most importantly, the latest polls on the keystone pipeline not just in my state, and not just in west virginia, but polls in this country from california to new york to michigan, to pennsylvania and ohio and florida and texas. overwhelmingly democrats and republicans and not everyone, but overwhelming support to build the keystone pipeline because americans want jobs. and american families deserve good paying jobs. and americans are tired in addition to bowing committees powers or two russian dictators about what our future is going to be. we are proud, we want to stand

proud and we believe that the keystone pipeline is an important first step and a signal and a symbol that represents americans energy and power moving past gridlock, it is deliverable on promises that we have all made and yes, we will work together and that will start later and yes, it will be next year and yes, we will work together, but it will be in the spring, yes, we will work together but we can't pass the keystone unless we pass these 10 other things. there is always going to be tomorrow, there's always going to be 10 other things. let's ask today and tomorrow because we can do this. we can do this. we can pass the keystone pipeline and answer the frustrations of the american people so they can say oh, my

goodness, the senators of the united states of america have years and they have brains and hearts and they heard what we said and we can do this. and we have a bill that is on the calendar and i have also passed a similar bill, but i'm not even asking to pass this, which i think is slightly better than the one on the calendar. i'm also a cosponsor of the bill that is on the senate calendar. it doesn't have to go through a committee basically technically already has, it is ready for votes and we have the votes to pass it.

some going to recognize in just a minute the senator from west virginia. and i will ask the senator a question because only a jerk and recognize that, but i would like to ask the senator from west virginia if any of this makes sense to him. i'm not sure if he was down here and i'm sure that he was in his office listening to the comments of them majority leader and the senator from texas yang that now is the time to work together and i don't know if you heard back, but do you think that maybe this bill would be the bill to start moving us from gridlock to doing the job for the american people we met. >> mr. president, the senator from west virginia. >> my good senator friend from louisiana has been working on this for many years and i think even before i came up, i talk to the senator and my friend from louisiana and asked her about

this and basically i think you explain to me at the time that the sovereign nation of canada was going to produce it. so we have no production of this product. and then it's going to go somewhere and there is a demand for it. with all that being said it didn't take me too long to in west virginia we have a little bit of common sense and we felt that this product is going to be sold and we are buying this around the world and these are the ones that resonate with west virginia's situation. the other thing is there are a thousand american companies already in west virginia, not to say what you've been able to do

is to help them with all the jobs they have been doing, it's a tremendous one for all of us that we can count on. and for the life of me i can't understand why we haven't today been able to move this piece of legislation for it. but the minority leader and the majority leader talked about this and how it's time for us to work together. there's not a better piece of legislation to show that we have heard the result and we have heard it and if you've heard nothing more from americans, they basically told us to do something. start doing what you're supposed to do, start governing, do something. we might not agree with you, but we would like to see this open dialogue and this transparency in this beautiful senate that the whole world watches.

and so that day is gone. so i would ask my senate colleagues that they would be so kind as to give us a chance as we start this first day back from the recess that were going to have a legislation that's going to help us be more secure as a nation. and that is what i like to hear. and what it has done, the areas of the world that this has taken us to has announced the resources that we have spent and this is a chance for us to secure that. >> the senator is so focused on this debate at this moment on the subject of national security

and it was done yesterday, i believe or monday. and we all participated in veterans days and then. so pains me to say that i'm going to give you all the facts and this country exports 340 per day -- iraq exports 340,000 of oil per day. the keystone, that's a lot, we have men and women who have died there on the battlefield and we have many soldiers here at home, canada is a friendly country with the keystone pipeline would bring in 875,000 files to the u.s.

so american people say here and think okay, what is wrong with this picture. we should be taking oil from our friend, canada, creating jobs in north america, good paying jobs not only building the pipeline, maintaining the pipeline, it doesn't come to louisiana, i thought for it and the pipeline doesn't even come to my state. and the companies that benefit, this pipeline doesn't connect, it connects canada and texas. so i'm sorry that the majority leader in the senator from texas has to scamper off the floor and i'm sure you have a meeting to go to. at this includes refineries in texas that are waiting for this oil including the most safe

means possible to these refineries off of the highway and off of the railway and supporting a relationship with canada. and we have to spend a lot of our defense money protecting it. and that is why i think this pipeline has such an overwhelming bipartisan support across the country. >> we had some explosions by her carriers. >> this is not the first pipeline that we have in america. if you ever had the knack and i

think you probably have before, we have pipelines all over america and i think that that proposal but you would have to see. and that includes from this includes this has to be done in the harshness of the environment. and everybody benefits. the other thing that i wanted to say is that yesterday i know you were encouraged and the schedule is just going to be unbelievable. all people want is jobs and opportunity to work with certainty. >> just this morning to prepare for offering this unanimous

consent, and i will ask for a couple of hours of debate and then sometimes tomorrow, i spoke to the leader for the united states of america and he was very strong in his words to me about how disappointing he has been in some members here who have not stood up for the building and trade and these are men and women that work in every state and all they want to do is go to work and have jobs, he he was extremely disappointed in the gridlock over this piece of legislation and that is exactly what he said to me. he said we have elections and politics and what my members want our jobs. that is what their families.

and they are tired of fooling around with such common sense project that brings so much wealth to the middle-class families and i know that the majority leader is concerned about the flat line of middle-class income in this country. and i know that his heart is working toward increasing income for all families. this is the first step and not only is the project itself going to generate huge amounts of jobs and economic activity and i'm going to put that amount in the record, but it is 20 billion estimated and it's almost the size of -- it's slightly less than the state of vermont's situations in this output is like the rest of the states and

vermont is an important state. this includes so much economic benefit and i've never seen an infrastructure project supported by a broader base from the left to the center to the right and are never seen labor and business come together in my life like they have on this issue and i've never seen so many senators cosponsored a bill and yet because of something that i can't quite put my are on, we haven't yet passed it and i think that we can do that now today. and that would send a very positive signal to we heard from the voters and we do understand his cry for breaking the gridlock in getting the job done and i could not think of a better bill that summarizes what we're trying to do and terms of jobs and economic security and

energy security and looking to the future in our country when the spell that would build this pipeline, get this oil, which is going to be produced anyway off of the rails and the highways and refineries in this includes the senator from north kona who is my right hand on this and we have additional pipelines to build because we have to build these east-west. the real need for the supplies the west coast and the east coast as the senator knows. you can produce all of the oil and gas or energy that you and if you can't move it to the place that it needs to be, it's as if you haven't produced it and i know something about this as chair of the energy committee and after we did this, which we are going to do tomorrow, we

have to build some other pipelines to go east and west and this is only going to take 10% of north dakota supply. the north dakota supply has become the leading supplier of oil and gas in the country and this includes talking about it for one minute. because i can't do it justice like the senator can do it. but i thought about it enough to be able to repeat it ends with repeating. this includes what can we do to lift the middle-class and how can we lift their economic outlook that includes building the keystone pipeline. what might be happening in north dakota is it's a sparsely populated state, but it surpassed every state in the reduction of oil and what else they did is they took their economic number, which is dirty

six on a scale of one to 50 the 36 poorest states in the senator from west virginia would know and you know where they are in four years? they have moved from 36 to six and so i just want to let that sink in for just a minute. north dakota moved their number from 36 out of 50 to six out of 50 in 40 years and i challenge any senator from any part of this country for any political meeting to come down to this floor in the next 24 hours and show me one piece of legislation and one tax cut in one jobs bill that could move the state and for yours or a group of states from 36 to six.

and that is the power of this industry and we are sending in its way. it is shameful, it is wrong, and it's not stopping today. and the people want to hide their going to have a hard time. so i want everyone to hear clearly this is not a time to hide, it's not a time to sit down, it's not a time to play games. it is a time to stand up and we already have enough votes to pass this and we have 45, every single republican, none of them are on the floor right now, but every single republican in this chamber is a cosponsor, to think very carefully before anyone of you objects.

and we are just thinking hard on it before you do it. >> i agree wholeheartedly that we have our good friend and i know our good friend from the state is also an energy producing state. a lot of people believe that the people that come from this are part of the environmental issues and there's no one in this body on either side of the aisle that doesn't want the best and cleanest environments for themselves and with that being said i think that this pipeline has cost every hurdle that the environmental community been trying to find the balance between this and i'm not sure if there's any environmental impact

study standing in the way. >> i think the senator from montana knows this as well, the editor also has an issue that i would ask them to explain and he knows it better than i do about private property rights. responding to the senator is, that is what is so exciting about this project and soap compelling for us to move forward because not only the international study that was done to trade with our most trading partner, including the same high-quality standard and the environmental study conducted by the president's own administration. this wasn't done by a previous

environmental but president obama is own administration and that includes this is the safest way to move this' most environmentally friendly way to move it and that is the record. so not only does it have compelling as her environmental argument. i would like to ask the senator if i could at the senator can explain the important language that is in this bill is cosponsored by every single republican in this chamber about the language that he negotiated on private property rights because this is a very important principle for many republicans and also for many democrats and particularly in louisiana where we have a lot of private

property. in west virginia, you have a lot of private property in montana, you have some and some public land. so with the senator please answer that question. >> thank you, senator. and thank you. i have a few things i would like to say and we'll i'll get to that quickly. but mr. president, since this is the first time we have been on the floors and selection, i think that what the american people told us is they are frustrated with the way things are working in washington. they said that we want to compromise work together and get things done and americans tell us that they want a stronger economy with good paying jobs and it could take an election to get this message through, but it did. but it's also fair to say that wages are where they need to be. too many are struggling.

the keystone xl pipeline can help address some of those issues. and now we have another attempt to block consideration of this includes the other senators and the votes are there and we all know that. but if there's one way we can enjoy these things is to improve this pipeline, although washington is ready to turn the page and we tell them that we heard them and the voices matter and that washington is reacting appropriately. it will strengthen our economy and are in the structure, first according to the state department and it will create 60,000 jobs demos or jobs that americans provide for their families. and the second will include two level energy go from our country to the marketplace, which is where it needs to go.

and so we need more options to get that american oil where it needs to be in the pipeline as that option. and then that is the safest way to ship it and that is a fact another safety of american families and communities must come first. .. east. folks who really don't like us. our country continues to be involved in conflicts in that volatile middle east but continues to do more business with our neighbors to the north as opposed to the countries that don't share our world view can help cut off the funds to those who work against us. i think the keystone pipeline is a big step toward creating that energy security. but the pipeline must be built right. i'm going to get to the disappoint that senator landrieu talked about. it must be constructed with respect for private property rights. we cannot have foreign corporations using eminent domain to run roughshod over the

feemedz of a farmer in montana or over sacred tribal lands. the respect for private property rights is in the landrieu-hoeven bill. it is not in the house bill. it is a critical component. it has to be in. otherwise we're making a huge mistake. this pipeline also must be built to the highest safety standards. there can be no corners cut. leaks and spills don't make anybody any money. they a >> >> what they haven't in-house versus over here in the senate. the house bill o has no projections for landowners. it says you're subject to eminent domain by a foreign

corporation and you have no protection as. but the other bill protects private property rights but senator landrieu has worked on this for years it gives the senate seal of approval tuz said the signal to america that congress is working together to support our economy and create jobs to make responsible decisions but as this debate news for bird i will continue to push that the wailes stays in america i have heard the arguments on all sides that north americans should stay in north america to make more energy secure more affordable for homes and businesses and working families to lead to more good manufacturing jobs to recruit that back to the base that we gave up 20 or

30 years ago there is a lot of reasons to approve the keystone pipeline. but will support the middle class and we need to support the middle-class to make us more secure and strengthen the infrastructure system. but we need a reason to trust that building that pipeline respect for private property rights and tired of the gridlock for kicking the can down the road to push the problems to the future but i came to work for common-sense solutions may can inactivate to move the country forward today. keystone xl pipeline is one of those solutions. passing the bill of building the pipeline is one of the important things we need to do for energy security and for the country as a whole i encourage my colleagues to

help rebuild the trust and with that i turn it back to the senator of of west virginia. >> let me just say the senator from montana and all of us, thank you. this bill is about the opportunity at jobs that we have without the detriment. so what is the hang up? why cannot we get the vote? i can tell you the thousand american companies that it takes to build the pipeline pipeline, we're doing a lot of work right now because we come from an energy state from any type of energy throughout the country or

around the world. but if you have a secure nation you have control of your own destiny. this is controlled we don't have to give the ability to say we need to engage in different conflicts we see going on right now. as the security of the nation and helps us to be more secure with the greatest trading partner we have. kidded it is the best trading partner with 35 states out of 50. people take jobs all over the world to develop a market but for 35 states the number one partner is canada and they work with us. they have questions for this to go somewhere else but if we have the best partner and the best ally were paid with us to develop this product that the whole world seems

to need why not have control? and why should we bring them boyo into america to do the heavy lifting of the ship it somewhere else? it is supply and demand with new controls the supply from your own backyard with said to me and you have a need also? that gives a pretty good hint to play. why would we let city of these advantages be turned into an advantage? so hopefully i can get the vote and i would take my colleagues on the republican side this is the best gesture to move the ball for word coming of the changes from tuesday's elections. the senator from montana mr. president you have the

same from the mexico. we will not agree all the time but just try. we had a football game we played the other day. we were ahead and should have won the game the last half of the fourth quarter but the play calling was not aggressive for some reason and we were beaten 31 / 38. people want us to do something not sit on the ball. it is time to move forward this is the first chance to show off the tuesday election we can move we know the environment will be protected we know we create thousands and thousands and thousands of jobs putting billions into the economy. but there will be people that don't support the legislation they have all the reasons to speak about

that and to help the states individually. that is what we're asking for and her on the energy committee made a difference from my standpoint. the most important thing is how we keep united states stickier and troublespots to make a difference. i appreciate her efforts and i look forward to working with her on this. i am co-sponsor of the bill and i will vote for this legislation as soon as we get it on the floor. >> i see the senator from north dakota has arrived. of course, she wants to speak and can do this beautifully because the pipeline comes through her stage. but i just want to respond and thank the senator from

west virginia. i have heard colleagues from california say this often and shays says it in committee and on the floor and even though we are on opposite sides of this debate we have worked together on important legislation for our country and i have such respect for her the dishes on the restore act that was an amazing piece for the gulf coast states and without her leadership it would not have happened. i heard her say over and over the elections have consequences. this one does. just like they all due. one of the consequences of this election is a clear path for keystone has been opened up so to follow this legislation they know exactly what i am talking about and a passage has been

cleared. end that pathe will never be clearer than and it is today. in order for a the path to stay clear and it is crystal clear to day politics have to be set aside. we must come together to do what is right for the country, the american people and to vote. there are strong feelings against this bill and there have been for many years. and that the overwhelming majority of this body of 60 plus members have indicated support for the legislation. and the senate bill for

private property rights for simplicity is far superior to the house bill that was passed. that was very agile. so the house may decide to take the bill i'd enough that is what they will do but that is a clear path for victory on keystone. whose name is on the bill does not matter as long as it is done. i will say that again the name on the bill does not matter to me as long as this gets done and it needs to be done right now. not january february or march it does not need to be

combined with anything else it needs to be done on its own because standalone it will go to the president's desk and he will have to make an important decision but if he doesn't that is the process and i've will urge him to do so because his state department his epa and his transportation department has urged him to support this piece of legislation for the strength of our economy to strengthen here and abroad. we have the job to do in the senate but if everybody would stop playing games with the bill and think for

what people said on election day to push one philosophy ahead of the other we can get this done. my name is not first on the bill. senator hogan's name is first i am the lead sponsor because i of the chair of the energy committee and i will be and tell january 2nd day of my voters send me back and will be here six more years. my name is on the bill i chair the committee but if they put somebody else's name on it so be it. i did not come here to see my name in lights i came here to create jobs for my state and i believe i have done an excellent job for the 80 years i have been

here under difficult circumstances and should continue if the voters want me to but today we talk about the pipeline nobody can speak better than the senator from nevada -- from north dakota i want to wind this up because she was traveling and may not have heard what all three leaders said senator reid and mcconnell said the number one goal is to break gridlock. the second goal is to expand middle-class job opportunities so that senator that has created the most wealth that they might express to the rest of us

and why she thinks the keystone pipeline because we agree this is the first of several to lay down to make america the super energy power you don't do that by just wishing a. it is for the infrastructure that makes it possible. e. their kids in second grade under state and this. you have to put up a window or a solar panel or pipelines the senator from north dakota has a populated state that is sparse but understands more than any other body. i'll ask her she would respond to that and elaborate how did this state

it so wealthy in the last few years? i am not complaining my state is doing beautifully our unemployment is 3 percent. we are blessed we are an energy stay am proud of it but there are places like detroit their places in new york and mexico where people are unemployed and with the leaders said it is time to break gridlock here is a product but will the senator expound on that? >>. >> i stand with my great colleague as us to be and as

from the energy renaissance of the senate senator landrieu from the vienna all of us have had some time to reflect and the clearest message this entire body as well as the entire united states congress has received is stop the fighting get your work done it could not have been any clearer. we had an opportunity to day to demonstrate we got that message to say we heard you loud and clear and that is to move legislation to move the country for word. senator landrieu has expanded on a great

opportunity of the energy renaissance for the entire world. let's start what is happening in north dakota we have an explosion of oil and gas production and we have rapidly moved to the second place with gas and oil production. what does that mean? nothing if you cannot move the orioles. if you cannot get the product to market. you can produce all the oil you want and what we need to address with the energy infrastructure is how we move energy products how we move this is by rail that creates stress on the agricultural infrastructure on manufacturers and

tremendous stress for the railroad. said the bottom line is the best way we know how to move oil is through a pipe that is essential for the energy infrastructure. why is it important? remove toward north american and energy. to sell sufficient save. if we include our friends to the north eye has been all over alberto are saskatchewan i know this is a friendly country that continues to have the longest contiguous borders

that there has never been a conflict. the peace garden is a lovely park gumbel sides of the border where you can easily cross because we celebrate that. if we continue to build the energy renaissance and north america we better be prepared to move. we know the opposition has very little to do with the pipeline but with the concern about the increase availability of fossil fuels. this is an economy that runs on fossil fuels will have done tremendous work with energy efficiency we will continue to use diesel and the heavy equipment food you want to buy this product

from? if you ask any american person rather buy it from venezuela or our friends to the north? i am pretty sure what their answer will be. so talk why and when we see a global slowdown of economic progress why a decision seemed to go further? wire regenerating more wealth and other places? because of the energy renaissance doing something no one else is doing. developing a the techniques and we take that as a raw material with renaissance not just in the oil area for many manufacturing processes.

we have a real opportunity here but it goes away if we don't figure out a way to make sure the product gets to market. but what this development needs to the world when we confront great challenges to deal with russia what is happening in the mideast. and with the humanitarian efforts with the work done on the ground but the single most important thing we can do is help provide oil and gas to europe to do the country is that are not our friends.

we look at opportunities today they are in the energy renaissance. had we send a signal we're ready to take advantage globally and domestically? and we approve the keystone pipeline. but the governor of montana major there is not the on ramp where we can access the keystone pipeline. we estimated 100,000 barrels per day of north dakota crude would be placed into the pipeline to sent to the refineries in louisiana. but it is less than

10 percent of current production but it is so much more than this pipeline that a national discussion of failing energy transportation and infrastructure. if we do not move this project for word what is essential a 22-mile pipeline in massachusetts with the production it could be a huge benefit in terms of stabilizing home heating cost this winter but yet the fight the pipeline. a huge advantage that we have where the oil and gas producer for that soft power

across the world so we turn our back on the infrastructure and just briefly talk about the politics i believe this is a place to talk policy but i want to talk about the respect we should have for voters talk about elections that have consequences the public faces of our democracy and of the institution of the united states congress. to move legislation the people have been waiting for to respond to concerns.

but then take a vote. take a vote get it done. to bring things to a vote so they see is doing something they pay the salary they came here to vote and to work to do something for the american public we don't all agree but i will tell you that what we should all agree it is essential with confidence the american public has they see us on the floor not to months from now or four months from now but today the first day we're back in session after the election.

hard-fought election with dire consequences with our side of the aisle. it is essential we send a message we got the message and we take a vote. i am so proud of my colleagues from louisiana and she should be back in her state arguably but she is back here fighting for what she should believe been which is the energy of a structure in north america. the lead for all consumers of energy i want to thank the senator from louisiana for your tremendous leadership to say i don't care who gets the credit. let's get it approved. if you have driven the route

of the pipeline you will see stockpiled every so many miles thousands and thousands of dollars of pipe waiting. six years waiting. infrastructure that needs to go. people say we can wait, you are wrong the sooner the better the sooner we take a vote this sooner we will see the resources deployed and we will not miss another construction season in the north country. with that mr. president i yield the floor and express great gratitude for the opportunity to speak. >> i know the senator from tennessee is on the floor but if i could just take two or three minutes we have agreed to go back and forth that would like to conclude. first of all, to submit for

the record i will speak after the senator from tennessee but the dates they became co-sponsors of a co-sponsor of the bill of house bill 2280. >> with that 35 + very powerful organizations that range from this says to labor or manufacturers with a strong and powerful coalition for over five years in their efforts to bring us together. these groups can come together it is not often

boilermakers, pipefitters and building and a trade altogether sitting at the chamber of commerce but they managed to find common ground in america will be best served as the house does the same but to put into the record to short statements to those on the other side door wavering that the environmental a review process is conducted over five and a half years and has spent thorough the studies have been conducted as required by law and are complete. the five environmental studies that are required by

law are completed and it goes into the record. in addition the only other requirement from the state department to put this into the record it is found there is no significant impact on the environment from the keystone xl project. but that passed today is crystal clear. today. there is no guarantee next week or next month if when the republicans take the majority it is as clear as it is today. let us not miss the

opportunity. and important project to send a message to show that trust begins today with us on their behalf. i deal club floor. >> the lame duck session is already under way and already this subject of it keystone pipeline has risen to the top. we are covering energy issues. starting in the senate where senator landrieu says pushes for the keystone vote. what did she say on the floor of the senate? >> senator landrieu who is facing a tough reelection with the december runoff against bill cassidy and says right now they need to pass keystone she did

request unanimous consent and then it will take up of the vote next week and said there is the clear message during the election and that harry reid and mitch mcconnell everyone should be on the same page. >> she did get the unanimous consent. and earlier senator white house said we can have this debate to not object to bring the bill up to a vote. how will this fare in the senate? >> democrats like senator bayh taos -- white house you can expect them to vote against it but senator

landrieu is positive she can bring over the vote. the last time there were 57 votes and 11 were democrats but senator landrieu and says she can get roughly five more to sign on so that is well over 60. >> host: correct me if i am wrong in the end the president has the say if it is approved? >> yes. he does. with the house and senate pass that bill in would approve construction and immediately sending it to the president's desk and obama will veto or sign it through. to say yes she has not received a commitment and

she is confident that they can convince obama to say 0k. >> host: and the house will take up the bill is sponsored by bill cassidy running against senator landrieu that run off his december 6th. how is that expected to go? >> the house will vote on the keystone x though pipeline bill and it is expected to pass. those to go our roundup, with the pipeline approval. there is no expectation that could not go through. and the issues of of

last-ditch effort because she does not have the gavel anymore. and recently senator mcconnell said he would appoint others choose senate energy if he wins the runoff to several lot coming up ban covering all is laura from the hill.com. thank you for the update.

>> it is for everyone. is a glorious service said call comes to every citizen it is the end endanger struggle. >> bob is probably the most important political figure in wisconsin history and one of the most important in the history of the 20th century of united states and was a reforming governor and defined what progressivism is and was the first to use that to self identify and a united states senator recognized by his peers since the '50s and an opponent of a world war i to

stood his ground to advocate for free speech but after the civil war america change radically from a nation of small farmers and producers and manufacturers and by the 1870's 80s or 90s we have concentrations of wealth with concern of the influence of money in government so giving speeches all over wisconsin bob would give the speech to go to every kind of event but by 1900 he was ready to run for governor advocating

on behalf of the people. but no more electing candidates that convention but stopped the interest and specifically the railroad. [inaudible conversations]

good morning. it will commit to a national conversation on military intervention. last week i was at harvard law school and i attended decades back and i was teaching day seminar on authorization for war.

i did not think that was skilled enough to do this by myself but jeff smith elisa partner from the major law firm former general counsel of the cia and knows a boat load about this subject and i hope the rest of you do the same bet article one question eight says congress should have the power to declare war. but up to this point congress has been a wall. we're at war with our new enemy isis that relies on in the decade old authority.

and has decided to seek a new authorization because the administration densest of the old supply. i voted for them in 2001 and the controversial 2002 i racked bill but this is not what we intended to authorize. this is a fight against a new enemy. more than one year ago at the wilson center senator corker that became the new chair of the senate foreign relations committees said they had no ownership whatsoever about foreign policy. half a dozen have been introduced in both houses by

the king as speaker of today's senators kaine from virginia. and the article from the new republic calls this president not president bush 43 of master of unilateral war. and the three months of airstrikes behind us it is time to address the issue. welcoming congress to act in last week for a new authorization from congress. the congress needs to do

said duct and blame game has to end it is time to govern and the press that -- process ought to go now. with a lame-duck session should be old aumfp repealed? what should the new authority me and how do we pay for that that is already cost $1 billion? proving that for rigid day but the american people deserve representation and the debate. so with that i will introduce our speaker tim kane from virginia. since elected a few years ago he is on the committee on armed services and foreign relations committee. he works across party lines to bring the 1973 war powers up-to-date and introduced

and advocating for his proposal for the new amuf against isil after his remarks the senator will join me and our other guest and a conversation. with a correspondent for cnn and the only journalist with the u.s. special forces. former correspondent abc in london and title of the book entitled against us. we are happy to have them with us today on the first day of the lame-duck session of congress coming back into session it is the right time

only to have that discussion that call for action in congress. thank you very much. [applause] >> good morning get past history is the guy i hope the late session this followed by a the no dash look. [laughter] i am talking about an issue i am passionate about. to say everything i can say in 10 minutes by three things, first i will talk about why. i went to of the slaying ceremony at iwo jima that makes me want to talk for a minute why this matters. and second to what is at stake the trade as president and congress and the underlying moral value that seems to be an issue

answered one of the need to do with the medium term and short term and long term. people come into elected office with passions and interest. but my obsession how to make the decision to go to war and the right process to engage congress is an obsession of mine. it started as a and lieutenant governor to watch the debate around the iraq authorization. i was a lieutenant governor i assume everything i heard was true but even that i was troubled by the fact of the vote was put stripy for a mid term with no apparent reason be did not go into

iraq march 2003 so what explains having a big debate on npr in october 2002? i concluded it was the desire to make the midterm election worked out better so push that timing. but it turned out to be very problematic but i put it up with the kansas and nebraska act. hands with the commander in chief that is part that they don't talk about the with to gore's with thousands of people multiple times in many cases you go to the

homecoming side visit iraq and afghanistan. when it is badly injured by a the ied one cabinet secretary to back suffering significant challenges i have the son and nephew that joined the military. and it turned a real obsession of mine. the first thing that is at stake is the constitutional allocation of powers. but it was smart.

so forgive me for the it -- for leaning heavy but it is important though we used to the constitution in forget how abnormal it is and how unusual. and prior to the constitution was from the executive. so with stood in the flow of history to put that decision making powers but the president is the commander in chief. but describing why it was done this way with the debate against ratification with a facilitator of peace not war.

by handing the power to congress. after the constitution gave a letter to say it's opposes what the history of all governments demonstrate the flores this reason in the legislative branch and another virginian jefferson was confronted similar to what we a deal with now. in the mediterranean to grapple with what congress said about dave powers i can always defend the nation immediately. to tell those commanders you can defend your cells but as some point defending every

ship does not seem too smart and then said i cannot do that with the sanction of congress though it is clear from the beginning of president could defend with them and attack although you should get them on board later it still has to reject their war. it is the clear understanding that we got a wrong and it does not matter republican or democrat iquique's madison was half right but not cynical e. enough. he describes the war powers provision it is most prone to bore in the legislative branch.

but war is an unpopular and people get killed. my constituents may not like it if it works out well we can say we were with you all the time. but how dare you? i cannot believe you did this but from the beginning i would argue is that this morris planetary than overreach but there is a symbiotic pac bell is a in then to go all the way back. so one value to get the decision making back that

was revolutionary. but the second thing is states is the underlying value. if we don't do away the framers intended we don't want to get involved with the midterms coming up then maybe we make people mad. and up against the marine corps ball that was killed supporting their strike can paid on the second of october. agora the mental stress that this could happen to civilians and puts on with

the damage. and then to put this the imprint on the mission is in the national interest. but we are afraid to have that debate? but then risk your life? that is the height of their morality bribery is bad but what can you do to be more publicly a moral to risk their lives without having a discussion it is worth it or not? you not only violate the constitution of the force people to risk their life without a consensus. i propose three things. first we have to have a legal authorization against isil because there has not them legal authority that is

sufficient when the president started airstrikes that the momentum could jeopardize the embassy personnel said he was defending the by a mid august there would pose no threat to the united states helping to rescue refugees but there was no imminent threat to interest so we were it engaged going on offense and a war against isil that is not about a minute defense of the united states is out legal authority.

and either the authorization covers this is ridiculous. and it is not covered but members of congress thought when they voted and most importantly it is not what they said about the authorization. and he said witnesses to testify for the authorization it was time to repeal. but unless congress comes in and to have that debate in the short term to deal with it right away. we need to deal with the

2001 authorization because that continues to be out there but congress passed there brief authorization with us geographic limitation and with the multiple theaters of war with administration officials said that the authorization will go on for another 25 or 30 years. that is unacceptable we should have the debate to narrow that authorization especially since members of congress in 2001 rejected the bush administration as a temp to have a broader authorization. they said give us the authorization against

terrorist groups and congress rejected that. put then they did expand what congress rejected. and i have introduced legislation with senator mccain with the war powers resolution to come up with a better process for this discussion between congress and the president. . .

and third, defines what voting requirements would be so congress would have to be on the board to do their job. these are the three things we are working on. we do need as jane said to do this now melinda. there's no reason to to extend this questionable war for five or six months until congress gets around to it. i'm excited we have our first meeting with the foreign relations committee and i look forward to talking with my colleagues today. [applause] >> it's an honor to be on the