mr. rubio: yes. mr. kerry: i would just say first of all that everybody understands the danger of the rating agencies right now. the problem is, we got to reach across the aisle and negotiate. we've got to come to agreement. right now there's not a lot of negotiating going on. i would ask the senator, if he doesn't agree that there is an enormous difference between -- the senator a moment ago said if he had gotten his way. the whole point is, everybody knew he wasn't about to get his way. that was a truly symbolic vote. today, however, is it not true we are on the brink of a default and the absence of negotiation or the absence of a settlement presents us with a far more serious consequence to the unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling today? mr. rubio: to the senator from massachusetts i would say it's impossible to negotiate with someone who doesn't offer a plan. the finger pointing of who has a plan and who doesn't have a plan is relevant but it's not the central issue here. by also say in march of t

mr. rubio: yes. mr. kerry: i would just say first of all that everybody understands the danger of the rating agencies right now. the problem is, we got to reach across the aisle and negotiate. we've got to come to agreement. right now there's not a lot of negotiating going on. i would ask the senator, if he doesn't agree that there is an enormous difference between -- the senator a moment ago said if he had gotten his way. the whole point is, everybody knew he wasn't about to get his way. that was a truly symbolic vote. today, however, is it not true we are on the brink of a default and the absence of negotiation or the absence of a settlement presents us with a far more serious consequence to the unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling today? mr. rubio: to the senator from massachusetts i would say it's impossible to negotiate with someone who doesn't offer a plan. the finger pointing of who has a plan and who doesn't have a plan is relevant but it's not the central issue here. by also say in march of t

mr. rubio: yes. mr. kerry: i would just say first of all that everybody understands the danger of the rating agencies right now. the problem is, we got to reach across the aisle and negotiate. we've got to come to agreement. right now there's not a lot of negotiating going on. i would ask the senator, if he doesn't agree that there is an enormous difference between -- the senator a moment ago said if he had gotten his way. the whole point is, everybody knew he wasn't about to get his way. that was a truly symbolic vote. today, however, is it not true we are on the brink of a default and the absence of negotiation or the absence of a settlement presents us with a far more serious consequence to the unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling today? mr. rubio: to the senator from massachusetts i would say it's impossible to negotiate with someone who doesn't offer a plan. the finger pointing of who has a plan and who doesn't have a plan is relevant but it's not the central issue here. by also say in march of t

mr. rubio: thank you, mr. president. i ask unanimous consent that i be recognized for up to 15 minutes. the presiding officer: the senate is currently in a quorum call. mr. rubio: i ask that the quorum call be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. rubio: and that i be recognized to speak for up to 15 minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. rubio: i stand here today, i have spent some time over the last few days really thinking about this dispute on the debt limit as we hear from our constituents around the country that are looking at washington and asking themselves what's going on up there, what are you guys doing? it's a difficult process for people to understand. they elect us and they send us here to serve our country and to solve problems. yet they read in the newspapers all these startling statements now, the president saying a few days ago that he can't guarantee social security payments. others saying that our bond rating might be at risk. and of course the reality of daily life

mr. rubio: yes. mr. kerry: i would just say first of all that everybody understands the danger of the rating agencies right now. the problem is, we got to reach across the aisle and negotiate. we've got to come to agreement. right now there's not a lot of negotiating going on. i would ask the senator, if he doesn't agree that there is an enormous difference between -- the senator a moment ago said if he had gotten his way. the whole point is, everybody knew he wasn't about to get his way. that was a truly symbolic vote. today, however, is it not true we are on the brink of a default and the absence of negotiation or the absence of a settlement presents us with a far more serious consequence to the unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling today? mr. rubio: to the senator from massachusetts i would say it's impossible to negotiate with someone who doesn't offer a plan. the finger pointing of who has a plan and who doesn't have a plan is relevant but it's not the central issue here. by also say in march of t

mr. rubio: i'll yield. mr. kerry: i thank the senator for doing that. that's become somewhat unusual in the senate today. i truly appreciate it. i would ask the senator, as ironic as it may be that on occasion people in the past have indeed voted against a debt limit -- both republicans and democrats alike -- is it not true that in those situations those votes did not hold the nation hostage, did not come at a moment of enormous economic fragility as we are in today, and did not run the risk of default because it was going to pass overwhelmingly every time? is that not true? mr. rubio: to the senator from massachusetts, i would say two things. the first is that those votes -- put it to you this way. if the senator from illin

so mr. rubio did. >> i think a credible solution to our debt problem has to have two components it has to have budgetary reforms, in essence a decrease in spending of at least $4 trillion or more and it has to come with some sort of growth enhancers, something that helps grow our economy. by the way, i don't trust washington because they have shown time and again that any time they get their hands on more money they don't use it to pay or avoid debt they use it to grow the government. >> bill: senator rubio believes that debt will rise because more people will be paying taxes. he went on to say that he does believe in closing some tax loopholes corporations and wealthy people use. now, this isn't a partisan analysis here. this is the truth. senator rubio put forth his party's position clearly and efficiently. if the republicans want to win the vital debate, they need to follow rubio's lead. and that's the memo. bernie goldberg will have more on this coming up including bob schieffer's question abo

mr. rubio: i ask for your unanimous consent, mr. president, that i be recognized for up to 15 minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. rubio: i want to first thank my colleague and distinguished senator and i will take up where you left off on the space program. i am here on the eve of nasa's final space shuttle launch, first to recognize that 30 years ago the united states launched the first space shuttle mission from kennedy space center in florida. it showed once again that americans would continue to be committed to being first in space and on the cutting edge of scientific progress to improve our lives. it also showed that -- what free people who are committed to discovery, to innovation, to improving the lives of their fellow man can accomplish. president ronald reagan said it best when he kicked off the space station program in 1984. he said -- quote -- "we are first, we are the best, and we are so because we're free." over these 30 years, we have been witness to many heroi

mr. rubio: thank you, mr. president.cognized to speak for up to 15 minutes. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. rubio: thank you very much. i was witness a few moments ago to an interesting and informative exchange and wanted to comment on that briefly. both the leader and the senior senator from new york had some comments that i think are important in the context of what's being discussed here today, but i really wanted to come to the floor today because we have been get ago lot of phone calls and letters from people back home that are wondering what this is all about. these are folks that are out working every day and raising their families and running their businesses, and they want to really understand what the debate here is about. they get the gist of it that there is this debt limit fight and that congress if it doesn't do anything, we may not be able to pay some bills beginning august 2, but what really is behind all of this? the best way to explain it to people is to equate it to the lives

mr. rubio: first i want to thank the senator from new hampshire for allowing us the opportunity to do this together. this is important. she brings a tremendous amount of credibility to this discussion. she's not just a mother and a senator, but she's also a small business owner who's run a small business, been there in the front lines with her husband running a small business, who recently got off the campaign trail as i did and heard from job creators all over the state, what they're talking about. as you rightfully outlined, i am the father of four young children, four children that i think deserve to inherit a country as great as the one that my parents and their generation left us. that's what we're debating at the end of the day. if you look at the numbers, they're startling. i think these numbers have been said before but you can't say them enough. $14 trillion worth of debt. trillion is not a figure i used in my life until i got to washington. i don't know where else in the world that ap

mr. johnson: senator, i totally agree with you. senator rubio has a few words to add. mr. rubio: thank you, senator johnson. i too watched the president's lecture on television. my reaction is twofold. one is i'm disappointed. the other is i'm alarmed. first i'm disappointed because america does not have a tradition of class warfare. one of the thing that distinguishes us from the world is americans never believe you somehow have to take money from somebody else in order to be better off. on the contrary, we've always looked to advance the cause of everyone in the belief we can all be prosperous. that's the american tradition. that serves our nation well. you wouldn't know that from the speech yesterday, the rhetoric that, quite frankly, was deeply disappointing. the idea that if we raise texass -- prays taxes on millionaires and billionaires that that somehow is going to make a difference in america's debin terms of having a real impact, is not only misleading; i think, quite frankly, it's disappointing. it's class warfare and the kind of language you'd expect from the lea

mr. chairman, ranking member rubio, i'm delighted to be here today.thank you for the opportunity to appear. i'd like to start by saying that we share your assessment of the important successes in many societies in latin america and the caribbean and that they are enjoying today. that success is measurable in rising levels, of political and personal freedom, greater economic prosperity, and increasing global integration. these factors work together to generate vast opportunity. they strengthen institutions. they've helped lift scores of lives of people out of poverty in the last decade, and in the process brought forth huge pools of talent that are transforming very diverse countries. there remain significant weaknesses in democratic institutions in much of the hemisphere, so we must use this opportunity secure and deeper democratization. this requires active u.s. engagement, but in just a minute on partnership with her democratic neighbors and actions of both governments and civil societies. the democratic guys we seek to advance our shared ones and b

mr. ayers. what i will do, senator rubio i'm going to do seven minutes. i will allow you up to seven minutes and i will you go first and then i will finish up. >> thank you and i'm not sure we'll need the full seven minutes though i appreciate that. thank you for being a part of the commission. i was in northwest florida last week and a small business committee allowed us to do a field hearing on the spill. at the couple three separate questions and i think they can all be probably answer but the first is one of the concerns i kept hearing which i guess i had heard before. but it was really articulated to me in a way that i hadn't thought about it deeply before. their sesno concern in the gulf region that the spill happened but the full impact may not be known for years. people get there and they look around and it is good news. there is no oil in the sand but in fact there's a bunch of oil out there somewhere and its impact may be delayed. i've heard a lot of concern from folks about that. in particular their concern was that they were going to set up a

mr. chairman, ranking member rubio, thank you for the opportunity to present some observations from the perspectiveal organization involved in democracy promotion. the international republican institute instituted programs in latin america for more than 25 years. we currently are in 11 countries. with this year representing the 10th anniversary of the interamerican democratic charter, this hearing provide as a useful reminder that u.s. interests are fundamentally connected to the state of democracy in the americas. let me join the chorus in terms of the good news. over the past 30 years we have witnessed throughout the region the broad acceptance of elections and other democratic practicings as the means to select leaders and legitimize governmental authority. the fact is that more of the region's citizens are, today, participating in the political and economic decision making of the respected countries than ever before. now, this is not to argue that some form of democratic perfection has dissended upon the hemisphere. rather, it is to note that the acceptance of democratic practices are now a fou

senator rubio, i understand -- you plan to offer only one of your three amendments; is that correct. >> that's correct, mr. chairman. i want to withdraw 12 and 13. >> without objection, they are withdrawn. and you want to speak to number 14? >> number 14 -- and i think we've passed around the text and so i would like unanimous consent to modify number 14. and the text i think has been passed on. the best way to understand it basically combines my amendment 14 with senator inhofe's amendment 15 and senator isakson's amendment 16 and it reads that the president should recognize that a course is nonbinding. the tmc is the legitimate government of libya and it also asks the funds of the regime that have been frozen should be used to reimburse the united states as a nato member for expenses incurred in connection with the operation odyssey dawn and operation unified protector. it should also be used for humanitarian and reconstructive assistance and ensure full payment of awards as issued by the foreign claims settlement commission. those are, i believe, victims of terrorist acts by moammar gadhafi. so that's

will also hear from republican senators mark rubio and jeffe sessions who serves on the budget committee. >> mr. president i rise today to discuss the legislations th that's come over from the house ofat i representatives. mos i may say i consider some of the most ill considered legislation that i've ever seen come over from the other side. this legislation has beenn hastily thrown together. never had a hearing.ion and yet proposes to amend the i constitution of the united states in dramatic and draconians. ways. mr. president, this is trulyave dangerous business. i have been part of the fiscal that commission. i was part of the majority of those supporting its conclusions to reduce our debt from what it would otherwise be a $4 trillion. 11 of democra us supported the plan independent fight democrats, five republicans, onefor the independent.ix, thre i've been for the last six months active member of the group of six three democrats, three republicans. we've reduced and released a plan to reduce the debt from what i would otherwise be byc sen $3.7 trillion. i have been part of putting out the d

let me turn to the ranking member, senator rubio yo for these remarks. >> thank you, mr. chairman. these are important hearings. a stable western hemisphere is crucial to the united states' steast, and it is in the interests of the world. there is a lot of good news to report, and we will hear that in the testimony today. four nations i would single out as examples of the promise that the western hemisphere has in the century. colombia, which has overcome violence, continuing on the path. we are all excited about the path colombia is headed. we hope we will have a free trade agreement with the people of colombia that will further strengthen democratic institutions and brighten their future. chile is another nation that continues to prosper as it embraces market economics. brazil is emerging into not just a regional power, but increasingly a global one. we hope they will continue to grow in that role and exercise its influence to other nations in the region as to how much promise exists when you give your people freedom and economic opportunities. and mexico, despite significant str