after 30 years frank lautenberg knew exactly what he wassing do. he knew exactly that he had to make some adjustments to move the ball. that's what we're here for. frank wanted to do that. and so we had a long talk about that, and he said, joe, try to move it if you can. so we all got together. our staffs got together. things started to happen. and then senator udall became very much involved, and i appreciate it. he was on the committee and took it as a champion from there. and him and senator vitter are sitting on that committee really made some things happen. reforming tsca for the chemical industry, which directly and indirectly employs about 40,000 west virginians and over 800,000 people nationwide. when senator lautenberg met with senator vitter he toughened many of the most important provisions in the law and senator udall has taken up that effort further strengthening the bill. the bill that we have before us includes increased states' rights under preemption. that was our hangup for a long time. they worked through this and i commend both o

and now i rise in strong support of the frank r. lautenberg chemical safety for the 21st century act. over two years ago, mr. president, i sat down with now the late-senator frank lautenberg of new jersey in an attempt to find compromise and to work together on updating the drastically outdated toxic substance control act. updating this law was a longlime goal and passion of -- wag a longtime goal and passion of frank's. we came at it from real different directions, at light initially. i'm saddened frank isn't here with us today to see it finally being brought up for consideration on the floor of the senate. we worked closely together and forged a significant, productive, positive, bipartisan compromise. the sort of work we don't see often enough in the u.s. senate or the u.s. congress. but we got it done here and it's a strong, positive compromise in substance as well. now, after frank's passing, senator tom udall stepped in to help preserve frank's legacy and continue working with me to move this reform forward. and we have done that consist

frank lautenberg, new jersey, democratic side. he was a world war ii veteran. we approached our fellow senators as to democrats, to republicans, to world war ii republicans, to vietnam veterans saying, this is what he's people need, deserve, and have earned in their service. this was not easy, looking back .n it, it seems rather logical in terms of its success, it has been phenomenal. we have now more than a million host 9/11 veterans that have been able to use the program. we pushed it forward as a veteransn group of working with our colleagues, holding press conferences, bringing in the groups who would be affected by it, and after 16 months, we passed the most significant piece of veterans legislation since world war ii at a time when congress, the legislative branch, was quite paralyzed, frankly. i'm very proud of that and think it is a leadership hurt inside that works, even in a paralyzed governmental system. the second issue was criminal justice reform, a completely different issue, in terms of the philosophical challenges, and giving a challenges true d

frank lautenberg was a world war ii veteran.so we approached our fellow senators asked to democrats, two republicans, two world war ii veterans, two vietnam veterans, saying this is what these people need and deserve and have earned in their service. this was not an easy lift. looking back on it, it seems rather logical in terms of its success, and it has been phenomenal. we've had now i think more than a million post 9/11 veterans who have been able to use the program, but we pushed it forward as a bipartisan group of veterans, and working with our colleagues, making the point, holding press conferences, bringing in the groups who would be affected by it. and after 16 months we passed the most significant piece of veterans legislation since world war ii. at a time when the congress, the legislative branch, was pretty paralyzed, quite frankly. so very, very proud of that. i think that is a leadership prototype that works, even in a paralyzed governmental system. that's the issue is criminal justice reform, a completely different

pavlich, townhall.com political editor and julie roginsky, former political advisor to senator frank lautenberg fox news contributors. mainstream press is pushing this story like crazy. that trump has nowhere to go, reached ceiling limit, so on. so many times they try to get him out of here. i think they're telegraphing what they want, rather than what is. what do you think? >> no. i think that donald trump over the weekend during interview on sunday show, if the polls turned against him he would drop out. so unless that is some kind of media person putting that directly into his mouth, then it is coming from donald trump himself. -- saying something else. david: mainstream media took this, he was asked, look if you're down in the polls, obvious you will lose will you pull out? yeah. i'm not some sort of a masochist, i will pull out instead of lose terribly. the fact is that doesn't mean he is about to pull out. granted one of the polls we're looking at he has gone down below carson but he is still way up in most polls. >> look. i'm of the belief donald trump never took this seriously. i though

julie roginsky, former political advisor to senator frank lautenberg. fox news contributor., i mean, this is new york city! i mean other being in like berkeley, california, we pretty much have all the democrats out in the street. they have got no idea who is in this race is it meaningful. >> no respect for jim webb metric system program? what is going on, people on the street not recognizing trying to dot metric system. melissa: lincoln chafee. >> excuse me, you're right. it is lincoln chafee. there you go. >> no, no, it is lincoln chafee. it is sad. nobody knew who carly fiorina was six months ago either. today after great debate people know who she is. melissa: who will pop out? >> i think these guys are counting on that. >> whoever speaks will -- probably a tightening. people find out who jim webb is and lincoln chafee is. melissa: no, they won't. >> couple people following but you know. melissa: funny how much the conversation has changed, at beginning it was like hillary clinton will come out, she will really shine. we're wrapping her in bubble wrap. surrounded by peopl

and fox news contributor and former political adviser to the late new jersey senator frank lautenbergo both of you. what do you make of these protests? >> i am torn. on the one hand, peaceful protest is a right in the constitution and our society but i don't like the occupation of public space to the point where you disrupt proceedings and ultimately forced police to have to escort you out. get a permit, get on the steps of city hall, don't come and disrupt the work of government as they are trying to do it. i understand the frustration and why these people are upset, get a permit, there are other ways to get attention than being dragged the day. martha: homicide rate has increased dramatically, an end to the chaos in baltimore since last summer and the freddie gray case. the mayor says she will not run again. she is putting the police chief in place and confirming him after is they said he was the interim person in charge but these protests are against him. people seem to think that he will not be able to do what he says he wants to do which is to build a better relationship with the

by julie roginsky, fox news contributor, former political advisor to late new jersey senator frank lautenbergan, host of tom sullivan show on fox news radio. welcome to both of you. here we are again essentially and it is back to this discussion that immediately goes to gun control. president came out right away and said, yes, let's politicize this issue. he believes we're not doing enough. there are a ton of laws on books. some of the toughest laws are in places like chicago, tom. >> i was so stunned. i was absolutely stunned. i thought he would out say a victims for the families. martha: our thoughts and prayers are not enough. >> we had no information, very little information what happened other than there was shooting. but usually the president has his reputation of being professorial and very thoughtful and gives thought to everything. instead he was angry, he was emotional and if that is the way this man makes decisions, i'm more concerned than i was before. martha: did he jump the gun so to speak, julie? you think back to henry lewis gates moment, came out right away, fired up in the m

julie roginsky political advisor, was a political advisor to the late senator frank lautenberg of new both are fox news contributors. it has been a tough year for all of these issues. we have seen, tough two years, when you look back. we've seen numbers of police officers that have been killed in this country rising and it is a dramatic and awful story. yet we do not see the protests for them that we have seen for some of the other individuals who have been caught up in some very unfortunate circumstances as well, that prompted some very ferocious protests. what is going on out there, julie. >> i don't know but we should. i think this whole concept of talking about all lives matter versus "black lives matter" should take into account that yes, indeed all lives matter including lives of police officers who rudy giuliani aptly put their lives on the line to protect all of us of the you know, some of the rhetoric you hear about police officers eminating from some quarters are unacceptable. there are bad apples as we talk about in every group. vast majority of police officers including on

i remember working closely with my late colleague and dear friend, senator frank lautenbe lautenberg, and we made it our number-one priority to bring every available resource back to the victims of our state. and i continue to work with senator booker, who jumped headfirst into the fight from the moment he entered the senate to do the same. and to be clear, we had to fight from the beginning. we had to fight a tea party inspired opposition that was blocking the relief we so desperately needed. we had senators and congressmen who said no to disaster victims in new jersey with one phrase while asking for federal funds when a disaster struck their state on the other side. but ultimately we overcame the callous and ideological attacks and secured more than $50 billion for the entire region. these federal funds have been absolutely critical to our recovery. but mistakes by government agencies at the federal and state level have hindered our progress. but on this third anniversary of sandy, i don't come to the floor to point fingers at fema or the state or to play a blame game. it's not abo

lautenberg, frank and myself. world war ii veterans,two vietnam saying this is what these people need and deserve and have earned in their service. this was not an easy lift. looking back on it, it seems rather logical in terms of its success, and it has been phenomenal. i think we have now had more than a million post-9/11 veterans who have been able to use the program, but we pushed bipartisan group of veterans, working with our colleagues, holding press conferences, bringing in the groups who'd would be affected weit, and after 16 months, passed the most significant piece of veterans and ministration since world war ii at a time when the congress, the legislative branch was pretty paralyzed. that is a leadership prototype that works, it even in a paralyzed governmental system. the second issue was criminal justice reform, a completely different issue in terms of the philosophical challenges or given thechallenges true debate between left and what in the country about to do with the different problems in our cri

i asked to put the frank lautenberg 21st century chemical safety act on the floor and it was objected to. and that's the only power we have. the leadership has the ability to control the floor and that's why we're down here talking about this. so this was in no way a charade. this was an honest, sincere effort to try to do everything we can to make sure that everything's transparent here in terms of who's objecting, who doesn't want things to move forward and who's for moving forward on two very, very popular bills. now, i spoke earlier about tsca and i didn't put my entire speech in the record, so i would ask that my speech be in the record as if spoken, ask consent. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. udall: thank you. and i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call : quorum call: quorum call: mr. leahy: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from vermont. mr. leahy: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the call of the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: wi