i appreciate your asking. >> you were saying you can't commit to ask? >> i can't commit -- >> his request was that you ask -- >> she's been here. she's testified. you can ask her questions. i'm going to leave it at that. we're going to adjourn. >> object! >> subcommittee hearing at 1:00. >> there are 12 republicans that have not had a chance to speak and ask our questions. >> members were told that she was going to leave at 12:00. >> we understand that. we're simply asking she comes back. >> i can't make that -- >> you're refusing to ask a question. >> i can't make that commitment. we're going to adjourn the committee at this time. >> can you at least commit to ask the chairman? >> that's it? >> gentlemen, look. i'm going to certainly express your views. but i can't commit the secretary to anything at this time. >> request a recorded vote on a motion to adjourn. >> you can make the request, sure. all those in favor? on the motion to adjourn. let me just ask parliamentary point of view. >> we already have a motion before us, a motion to adjourn. the chai

reid: i ask unanimous consent that the call of the quorum be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i now ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to a period of morning business senators allowed to speak up to 10 minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to consideration of calendar 38. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar 38, s. 256, a bill to enhance the ability to combat methamphetamine. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate proceeds to the measure. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, there be no intervening action or deway. in statements related to this matter be placed in the record as if given. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask that we proceed to h. con. res. 109. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h. con. res. 109, honoring the 20th anniversary of the susan g.komen race for

he asked for the would go. we told them they would go all the way to the river. he asked why. we said it was a natural defense line. that river drops down about 20 meters on the croatian side, but that was not the reason why they would fight to the river and stop. the answer was that in christendom, in the 11th century, the dividing line between protestants and catholicism was the river. they would go to the river and stop. they did. that is what i mean about observe -- absorbing the world beyond our shores. sometimes this knowledge of events can help you make connections. as the director of the cia, we try to foster good relations with partners. we had dinner with the deputy secretary of iraq. we had him to our house for dinner. as an air force officer at the time, i could call in the air force band to play music. i asked the director of the air force band if he had a kurdish ensembles. they did not. the university -- i asked if they had a celtic group. they did. we have ended the after-dinner music. then they did an encore. i asked them to play the music from deep background

we had asked for and received a very small part of our t.a.r.p. fonts'. we asked for t.a.r.p. funds for a first quarter. we got one month and had to extend through february 14 or timing to submit to get additional t.a.r.p. funds. in the month of february, we had insufficient production to meet cash flow targets that would have cost the company to liquidate. we had continued and were committed for everyone's sake to avoid bankruptcy and not liidate the company. and we did make an appeal to the dealers to please understand we need to buy the february production. i realize that you were not out of cars, but if the company is going to make it through february and we have a chance at getting the t.a.r.p. funding, which we finally did and we are still here today, we would need the help. 70% of the dealers purchased cars, 30% hadn't and mike quote was something like if you don't buy the cars today, we liquidate, we are gone. if we buy the cars and stay in business at least we have a shot at getting to the end of this and getting money. it's like a bucket brigade and everybody's got a

we are now asking them to do more. of and we are giving them more resources and more boots on the ground to accomplish their mission. what we have not told them is how to tell when their contribution to the political solution is done. and they can begin to transition outs of afghanistan. mr. chairman, i want president obama to succeed in afghanistan. i stand by our commitment to provide the necessary resources to help the afghan people take charge of their own future. as congress authorizes and appropriates billions and billions of dollars for a new strategy in afghanistan, is it too much to ask how we will know when our troops can finally come home to their families? certainly we need to hold the governments of afghanistan and pakistan accountable for governing their own nations, but it is incumbent upon us in congress to hold ourselves accountable. before we can even do that, the administration must clearly articulate and outline how it envisions completing its military operations in afghanistan. 11 months into its t

not asking that. just asking did you do a cost benefit and analysis, an economic analysis of any kind? is there something you can send to me where i can go back to these people and say you know, gm looked at this, they're going to save x dollars? >> individual location by location, no. >> chrysler, did you do that? >> we did not go by location. we have it for the total and the new companies dealer network. >> what's the total? how much is chrysler going to save by shutting down all these dealerships? >> we are going to save approximately $1.4 billion in development costs, $200 -- per year, $200 million per year in marketing and advertising costs and about $1.5 billion of additional revenue from the substandard market shared dealer representation and about i think it's around $41,000 per dealer affected in terms of cost of actually going out and calling on the dealer and having people come and make records and do all of that support. >> would you be willing to supply that document to the committee? >>

she has been vigilant in asking about the welfare of the five hostages. i have talked to the prime minister and asked to take a matter -- to take an interest in this matter. we are determined to secure the safe release of hostages, but a great deal is still to be done. it is permanently on our desk as an issue to be dealt with and something for the safety of these five people we are doing everything in our power to make sure they can come home. >> i remind the prime minister he is yet to answer the question about evidence on oath. on his presentation on the operation charge of the lights, one can be forgiven for thinking we have anything to do with the planning of that operation. it took place in a british air responsibility without notice to us. it is the most graphic demonstration that our troops have been invited to take a role play in advance of the political influence of their leaders and in advance of the resources the nation was willing or able to devote to support them in the role they're asked to undertake. the number of fatalities in afghanistan

the pilot does because privacy restrictions have to ask for a waiver. if i were hiring pilots and ask you to give me a waiver so i could look at your faa certificate of the past and your training and you deny it, i think it would raise my eyebrows. >> it@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years ago? >> the recommendation was actually made a number of years ago. but an advisory circular came out to their credit that suggested this can be done by having the waiver signed. we would like to see it. >> we understand you can go get a signature on the waiver form but he had recommended i believe that the faa do rulemaking and proceed to allow easy access to the complete records of the pilot just as they have easy access to the records of the airplane. i guess mr. babbitt i would ask based on your knowledge of the culture of the faa why a couple of years after that recommendation was made with the faa not have initiated a rulemakings? >> to be honest with you i can't answer that. i don't know why they didn't. i will certainly look into it and get the information back

the information from them and we ask them to fully disclose all the information.it is only when we are aware subsequently that there was information that was omitted or inaccurate that we would investigate whether a recession would be made. >> but that would be the trigger an act. and you wouldn't know about that unless something in bye way of a pharmaceutical being prescribed or an office visit in the doctor's office or hospitalization -- >> that is correct. >> when asking is as you give the policyholder ten days to figure out if it is correct should there be a comparable, maybe longer -- obviously i think longer -- period of time and which the company, without some triggering act, should be required to review the applications and say hey, we think there's something wrong or ask for additional information, rather than waiting until people get in a posture where they probably are on insurable at the time the issue is raised? >> something to discuss and give thought to. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> mr. burgess for questions. >> thank you, mr. chairman. that's the

that is why we ask for more details and that is why we ask for more time. to date, our requests for more information have not been met and i think i am starting to understand why. yesterday afternoon the congressional budget office, the c.b.o., released its first preliminary analysis of the bill that we are scheduled to begin marking up in the "help" committee tomorrow. now, let me repeat this. yesterday afternoon, less than 24 hours -- 24 hours. if you're a "help" committee staffer use, looking at your watch and you're wondering how's come you don't have more time -- the congressional budget office released its first preliminary analysis of the bill that we are scheduled to begin marking up tomorrow. i said in my previous speech, maybe we need a process czar, a fair play czar around here. we've got 25 czars in the obama administration. maybe we need a czar around here to at least be fair, give us more time, give us more consideration, let us know what we're going to be voting on. so before i talk about the results of the c.b.o.'s analysis of the kennedy-do

the chair: i ask -- mr. connolly: i ask for a recorded vote on this matter. the chair: pursuant to clause 6 of rule 18, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from virginia will be postponed. pursuant to clause 6 of rule 18, proceedings will now resume on those amendments in which further proceeding with -- proceedings were postponed in the following order. earment number three by mr. mcgovern of massachusetts. amendment number four by mr. mcgovern of massachusetts. amendment number nine by mr. franks of arizona. amendment number 15 bhi bimr. akin of missouri. amendment number 34 by mr. holt of new jersey. amendment number 20 by mr. connolly of virginia. the chair will reduce to two minutes the time for any electronic vote after the first vote in this series. plan for the beginning, middle, and end of u.s. military operations in afghanistan. for over eight long years, our uniformed men and women have done all that we have asked them to do in afghanistan. we are now asking them to do more. of and we are giving them more resources and mor

reid: i ask consent, mr. president, we now proceed to a period of morning business, senators allowed to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i now ask consent that the judiciary committee be discharged from further consideration of s. 814. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 81, 4 a bill to provide for -- s. 184, a bill to provide for a conveyance of a parcel of land held by the bureau of prisons of the department of justice of miami d da e county, florida, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table with to intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to this bill be placed in the record at the appropriate place as if read. the presiding officer: withou

but let me ask mr.tt, if -- if, in fact, the recommendation had been made -- now, you weren't there but the ntsb had made the recommendation to the faa, what, two years ago? >> the recommendation was actually made a number of years ago. but an advisory circular came out, to their credit, which suggested that this can be done by having the waiver signed. we would like to see it -- >> well, i understand that. you can go get a signature on a waiver form but you had recommended i believe that the faa do a rule-making and proceed to allow an easy access to the complete records of the pilot just as they have easy access to the complete records of the airplane. now, i guess, mr. babbitt, based on your knowledge of the culture of the faa, why a couple of years after this recommendation was made would the faa not initiated a rule-making? >> to be honest with you, i can't answer that. i don't know why they didn't. i'll certainly look into it. and i'll certainly get the information back to you. >> i mean, of all t

we're in the asking for more time. we're actually asking for less time if you include vacation time. it is not a situation like with justice roberts an even judge -- and even judge alito where there were weeks an weeks before we were able to get private records that were available. judge sotomayor doesn't have -- she hasn't worked for the executive so you don't have all of those issues that have to be discussed and negotiated about executive privilege. she has a 17-year career on the bench. she has 3,000 opinions. if you -- if that isn't an adequate record, i mean, my office just in two days looked at every one, for instance, of the immigration asylum cases brought before her. there were 83. a pretty good example. 83%. i don't recall the number. but there were a large number of cases. and 83% of the time we found she denied asylum to the immigrant applicant, which we conclude made it pretty clear that her fidelity to rule of law trumped her sympathy -- natural sip by think for the immigrant experience. now, we just d

she was asked about her work and what it was like. she was asked about judge sonia sotomayor. what she said was, she was asked when you retire, you will like a woman to replace you. you were disappointed when a woman did not replace you. what is your reaction to the nomination of sonia sotomayor? she said, i am pleased that we will have another woman on the court. i do think it is important not to have just one. our nearest neighbor, canada, also has a court of nine members. in canada, there is a woman chief justice, and four women also on the canadian court. she was asked, do you think there is a right number of women who should be on the court? she said no, of course not. then she pointed out that half of all law graduates are women today. we have a tremendous number of qualified women in the country who are serving as lawyers. they should be represented on the court. she was also asked about opponents of sonia sotomayor who never brought up the term activist judge. i know this is a term that you have railed against in the past. would you object to about the term? >> i do no

he asked me to come along, and i did. i spent the next eight years organizing his affairs here. >> working for him in the senate? >> that is right. >> what did you learn about this business what you were in the senate? >> how patient and how difficult one has to be in the legislative process. although i am incredibly grateful that great people like dick lugar, lamar alexander, serve in the congress, it will probably never be for me. the difficulty of making a major difference requires great skill and great patience, but i saw that it can be done. >> what year did you leave senator lugar? >> in 1984. i was on my way home. by that time, we had three girls. we were very intent on raising them in indiana. stick around washington as long as i did, but senator lugar was very persuasive. i got a call from friends in the reagan white house and they asked me to go down there. the next three years were spent there. i was assigned to work with the federal system, the governors, mayors, and local officials. later on they added the po

i would like to ask about cap and trade. the speaker has announced and i have read a lot of what she has said if you don't finish this bill in agriculture and ways and means by a certain date, you lose the right, the authority. and the speaker had a goal of considering the cap and trade bill on the floor prior to the july 4 process. does my friend believe that time will still be the case? we will see that bill before july 4? mr. hoyer: the energy independence bill and climate bill to which the gentleman refers, as you know, was marked up in committee and passed out of committee prior to the may break. since that time, there have been a lot of discussions and the speaker did say that the committees with concurrent jurisdiction ought to act by the 19, today. to try to bring this matter to conclusion. as the gentleman knows, i did not announce that bill for next week. i don't want to say it's not possible, but i have for the last three months been telling people, particularly the press who asked me the schedule, that i thought

sablan: i ask to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize a remarkable gentleman from the northern mariana islands. mr. sanchez has made many contributions to the history, art and culture of the people of the northern mariana islands. but the once greatest legacy is his poetry. his poems starts on life on the islands, the value of respecting other people and the essential ingredients to making a life worth living. his poems are leercal reminders of the love we feel for our island homes. he wrote about the world beyond our islands. a weekly newspaper, he captured our admiration like president john f. kennedy and pope john paul ii. his work has recently been collected so that for generations to come his words will continue to convey the perspective, the faith and the love he had for the people of the northern marianas. god speed and thank you for all you have done for your people and islands. i thank you, mr. speaker

i'm asking you if you would take time and mr. kanjorski you've been very generous with your time on something you hate for me to talk about. we're good friends and i have great respect for the individual and mr. lockhart i have great respect for you. and i'm asking -- and you did mention something earlier that for years -- i think we sent five bills to the senate and we fought the strong regulator and changed the way they could do business. we never accomplished that but we tried hard. i would just ask you to please, revisit with earnestness with what we've done. i think we're going at the wrong people trying to rea legitimate problem. >> there is si legitimate problem and it's not just new york state. why the attorney general of new york got involved is that all the securities were sold in new york. fanny and freddie put out the rule and they're continuing to look at the impact. and as they get impact back and they understand better what's happening out there, they certainly have the ability and will continue to -- >> you'll loo

he asked a very difficult question. he asked a unique kind of question that much of the mainstream journalism was not in a position to ask. host: do you think we will see more of that? guest: no, i think the white house learned a lesson from this. host: frederick, michigan, good morning. caller: i am calling to point out how fragile our economy is. this congress, this administration has done nothing to better it. the passing of this bill and the ramifications of what it will have on corporations, we will see a terrible economy until this goes for. this is something that is not proven yet. it is like the old fable where if you tell lie enough times it becomes true. we are ready to hand over responsibility and the responsibility of our health care to the government which has succeeded at nothing for the last 50 years, thank you. guest: we are in difficult economic times. the president said he expected the unemployment rate to rise over 10%. that put the nation in a difficult spot. the one thing i would disagree with is th

i would like to also ask you to get some information to you on that. i had asked in a letter that i sent back in may for some information following up on the president's speech when he talked about the fact that our super max facilities hold hundreds of convicted terrorists. i had written asking if you could break that down for us. i don't have response. i am going to submit for the record a question, because i know you can't answer it sitting here, to find out who they are, what kind of category of folks they are, if they are congressman rabble to the kind of -- comp rabble -- comparable to the kind of detainees at guantanamo today. my understanding is that we are way overcrowded in the facilities today. can you just tell us, do you know whether that is true or not? do you want to respond on the record? >> what, that they are overcrowded? >> yes. my understand sg there is a capacity of 13,000 and there are 20,000 being held. >> senator, i would have to get you those statistics. i don't know off hand. >> two other matters. one has to do with the recrui

kucinich were asking about. i can kind of understand your reaction to discovering there was a $12 billion loss suffered by merrill lynch especially coming after shareholders vote to purchase merrill lynch. i can understand you telling the fed and secretary paulson you were thinking of backing out of of the deal. i can understand that. that was based upon your expertise and your experience. i cannot understand the agreement you reported that you made with treasury and the fed which they both denied to disclose the $12 billion loss. if the loss made this horrible business deal to acquire merrill lynch, why did you still do it? and i know you've told us over and over again. but let's be frank. i mean, and i'm wondering, how do you determine what is -- you must disclose. we have shareholders here who are concerned. you're about to go into a deal with a company that is worse off than is made to believe. and it just seems to me that and a person with your experience, there are a lot of people in this situation and i d

you need to ask him -- her. you need to ask her. i did not ask for an apology. you need to ask her. >> can you give us a sense of what conversations are like now between yourself and the judiciary? >> what i've got to decide is what standard and i going to apply, and i think that is laid out pretty clearly. >> [inaudible] >> she has still got some mountains to climb. one, like looking at her cases and having five men and about her record. she has been in this world when, and so alive -- a whirlwind, and so have i.. the only reason you would not vote for someone who lost -- who was voted for by someone you lost too, was because she was not qualified or did not have intellectual capacity. i think there is a character and a temperament problem. during the time that they have had to be a judge, they were more than advocates and impartial the seiders of the law, and i have got to find out in my own mind, i'm not comfortable saying that her temperament problem is not a basis, not to persius -- not who she is. these evaluations represent a small slice. generally speaki

i want to ask mr. lopez and mr. whatley. you heard the manufacturers suggest you're a burden and a cost center. you say you are not. >> yes, sir. >> they say they advertise for you, they -- >> i have brought dealer billing statements for the last couple of months showing everything that we pay and it's everything from paper clips to signs to training, a whole lot of things. i don't even know what they are. we just pay it every month. >> they send somebody around every now and then to check up on you? >> it's electronic billing statements. we are billed every month. >> they take it out automatically. you have no choice. >> you come in one day and your account will be less $6,000 for parts of a vehicle that you have to work on. >> i understand you' are leasin their signs and doing those things. they send the regional or local rep around -- >> we don't have one. >> i don't know who our rep is anymore. we haven't seen one in so long. >> that's not so expensive, is it? >> no. >> we don't have one. they call us on the phone. >> we

i don't know that. >> if i could ask one more thing on smoking. during the campaign the president, senator at the time, and mrs. obama went on "60 minutes" and used his smoking as part of his sort of campaign narrative, if you will. he's used ice biography in many areas. why not use this as an opportunity, if he has or if he hasn't quit smoking, to discuss this with the american people or even offer a warning to young children about smoking? >> well, again, i think he was fairly forward today in discussing the fact that this is, as i've said throughout the last couple weeks, something that he continues to struggle with. >> he used about eight words in the speech as opposed to saying. >> i don't think what the appropriate worth count would have been in order to check the box, but i -- and again i think the president spoke about this in personal terms regardless of the word count. >> something that still aggravates him when he's asking about this? >> maybe i should give you that opportunity to ask him. [laughter] >> go figure. helen? >> the "new yor

ask at the appropriate moment, when the chair asks for it, ask for the yeas and nays on final passage. the presiding officer: the senator's time has expired. the senator from wyoming has 3 minutes and 30 seconds left. mr. enzi: mr. president, i'd yield back the balance of my time. i would ask permission -- unanimous consent to include an additional statement in the record. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. dodd: i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there is sufficient second. the question is on the passage of the bill, as amended. the yaw nays and nays having ben ordered, the clerk will call the roll. vote:

>> i did not see anyone ask the question today. i think he expressed his thoughts on the thoughts of michael -- on the death of michael jackson. the president often writes private letters of condolence that, based on their nature, will be kept private. >> it was a private letter. how was it sent? can you tell us about the letter? >> i do not know -- i do not know whether they got it or not. >> can we return to honduras? has president obama spoken with zelaya since the coup? >> not that i know of. >> what can they do to try to bring him back to power? >> i think you will know that working with the oas and others in the international community over the past few days, -- we were working to refer the kind of constitutional access -- constitutional actions. our goal is to restore democratic order in honduras. again, working with partners of the international community. we are focused on restoring the democratic order. >> what does that mean when you say working with the oas and the international community? calls from the present -- from

is there any way that you can ask for supplemental funding to cover that? and secondly, will you ask for funding for at least a portion of that reauthorization -- of that authorized amount in the budget for next year? >> i think the administration's made the determination that in dealing with that issue, there are better ways to do it than through the use of the program that you mentioned. i think that is why that is reflected as having been zeroed out in the 2010 budget. so i think as i said -- i think that is the administration's position at this point. >> well, my time is up but that certainly didn't used to be governor napolitano's position and i'll be very curious whether she agrees with the prop given the fact she understands the burdens of the federal government's job in failing to control the border. >> the federal government has to be sensitive to the burdens that are placed on our state and local partners as a result of enforcement efforts that happen along the border and we have to find ways in which we alleviate those burdens. in working with th

so i just have to ask you, as i say, i welcome his statement. but he could he just regarded as a short process so he can carry the whole house with them. spirit i read the letter that he has written to me, and i appreciate what he has said about the views of him and other people on this. but his point is answered by the fact that the range of this inquiry goes through eight years. it goes from 2001 to 2009. what he wanted to be sure of is that all the issues relating to iraq would be discussed. we could have had an inquiry like frank's only to the run up of the war. we could've had an inquiry about the conflict itself that we could've had an inquiry of reconstruction. we have an inquiry that covers all these issues, the range of the inquiry is as big as it could be as a result of the decision that we may. some of the point that this committee or he wanted to make them he was to be sure that the range of the inquiry was sufficiently wide so that all these issues could be dealt with, and that is the case. >> thank you, mr. speaker. in the answer t

you also asked about reforms that have been undertaken. we have increased capital requirements if companies are engaged in security lending and enhanced recording and we are looking at how to revise our accounting standards in that last improvement is ongoing. in terms of $44 billion, it's important to understand that each insurer, of course, has significant capital requirements to begin with. their assets cannot be used to sats fi the debts of the holding company. even if these subsidiaries, i think it's an open question, also congresswoman, whether it's -- without the 44 billion, whether the companies would have actually become insolvent. many financial regulators would argue they would not have been insolvent without the 44 billion. if there had been a question of solvency, the companies would have placed into receivership and insurance is not like the fdic, for example, where you need liquidity in cash immediately. insurance in the guarantee system replace the contract, they don't have to -- and the coverage, they don't have to generat

otherwise, ask congress to change the law. maybe you have multiple sclerosis that prevents from you working and you can't afford the medication. you have to wait two years to qualify for help unless congress changes the law. when less than one in four americans think congress is doing a great job, shod congress really be in charge of your health insurance? let's fix the problems, focus on value, not volume, quality, not quantity, and stop wasting hundreds of billions of health care dollars. there should be no bureaucracy between you and your doctor. reform, yes. oversight, yes. accountability, transparency, absolutely. but become an insurance company, let's think about it. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new york rise? >> permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: permission granted. mrs. maloney: mr. speaker, i would like to echo what president obama said the other day. something is happening in iran and it is something remarkable and inspiring. thanks to irani

let me ask you one question on that. we discussed some of the unintended results of a impacting thrift stores, a charity sales, a small businesses, and you used the word common-sense in your description of what you think is right in these enforcement arena as so i would ask you if you think the law gives you sufficient flexibility for the common sense enforcement that i think we agree is in the right standard. and where do think it doesn't get enough flexibility in the long clear even if it is pretty hard to enforce? >> well, thank you, senator. it would be premature and we talk about this in the office to take a position on whether the lawn needs to be amended, but i hope that my tenure at the commission it will be seen as a tenure where we worked with people to exercise common sense and a regulatory matter. acting chairman more has said that we need to wait until the commission is fully formed to collectively make decisions and i am a collaborator. i won the input of my fellow commissioners as well as the staff and als

a senator: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be lifted. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. merkley: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today it adjourn until 10:00 a.m. on tuesday, june 23. that following the prayer and pledge, journal of proceedings be approved to date, the important hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day and there be a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak up to 10 minutes each with the republicans controlling the first 30 minutes and the majority controlling the next 30 minutes. further, i ask that the senate recess from 12:30 until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus luncheons. madam president, tomorrow we will work on an agreement to consider the legislative branch appropriations bill. if we are able to reach an agreement, we could have votes in relation to the bill. earlier today the majority leader filed nomination for cloture on harold koh. if we're unable to reach an agre

feingold: i ask my full statement be placed in the record. i'm pleased to rise in spropbg support of the tphoplg nation of harold koh. i've known dean koh for more than 30 years. he is an excellent choice for this position. i say that not just because he's one of my oldest friends but because he's one of the leading legal scholars in the country. he's extraordinarily qualified for this position. mr. president, dean koh is one of the most intelligent, ethical and hard-working individuals i've ever encountered. he spent his career, some 30 years, working on public and private international law, national security law, and on human rights. throughout that time, he's been committed to america's security and to defending our constitution. he's dedicated his life to upholding the rule of law and strengthening american values. during his confirmation hearing, the senate foreign relations committee, dean koh effectively responded to all the charges against him. he made clear that he understands that his role as legal counsel for the state department w

speaker, i ask permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i was listening to the colloquy this evening as we were talking about what next week might bring in terms of the business. and as the majority leader as the minority whip were going through the process, the question that was asked is, is the intelligence committee or the intelligence committee was assumed to be moving forward on investigating the allegations that the speaker has made that the c.i.a. over a long period of time consistently lied to congress? i can inform the members that that process and that investigation is not going on because one of the things that has nod happened is the speaker of the house has not outlined or directed the committee as to where she believes she was lied to over this period of time and has presented no evidence that backs up the claims that she has made. if that information is provided to the committee as to the direction and to the evidence that the

let me just ask him this question. why not on the issue of electoral reform admit this, the current system gives the country the chance to throw out a government that is weak, divided, incompetent, and that is what we should be having now. >> mr. speaker, let me read the figures for public spending so there is absolutely no doubt about the truth of what i am saying and that he has got it wrong. public spending this year is 621 million. rises next year to 672 million, this financial year, then to 717, then to 738, then to 758. that is public spending rises. the only party proposing a cut in public spending is the conservative party. he is right, at the next election, there will be a choice. there will be a choice between a government that it helps people and actively intervenes to take us through a downturn and a conservative party that will do nothing. >> order. mr. overton, you cannot behave like that. you are under risk to be put out of the house. everyone is going to be quiet. >> a choice between a government that i

just ask the obvious question. ms. cahill, how does the divorced mother of three children know house, two bedrooms, one bath. two or three jobs. one cocktail waitress in. you sometimes get home -- got home at two, 94:00. extracurricular activities for students. >> yes. >> how does such a woman decides to run for of all things congress? i wasn't old enough. so. >> you went down to senators. >> we did. they might surrender. they wanted to know if we could run for the supreme court. then they wanted a senate pro tem and speaker of the house. they just much right on down. yes, they did. >> finally got to the bottom. those of us in the house of representatives. >> they felt it needed to be something important. the federal race. they wanted to be in washington d.c. and so i'm sure they didn't think it was the bottom of the barrel. they thought that was pretty big stuff. >> now, you understand that we are talking about a real campaign. this is not a school project. you were constantly asked if it was a real campaign. >> sure.

i had to ask on that e-mail questions ninth, i asked about mr. henderson's comment about redistributing inventory that i think were made in the senate hearings, the e-mail response comes back, you have to call the call center. i call the call center, they don't have information about that comment or its implications. >> mr. henderson, do want to answer his question? reckon the case, first thing the total compensation in the wind down agreement is intended to be superior to termination that is why it is a high percentage. if you voluntary terminate we had 50 dealers last month voluntarily terminate. >> you said 80 on average. >> we had 50 last month and knowing this agreement was there. what happens they floor plan that cars to gmac it has an obligation an agreement the dealer can turn the car's back and we will be distributed cars. that is how it works. >> if you are with the bank? >> we know how such an agreement it would have to be bank by banks to make the highest percentage hour floor plan with gmac it. >> what does that mean for you mr. thom

chairman can ask a process question? is there a possibility the subcommittee may consider this legislation next week? >> yes. >> i would ask for members to could submit question for the record by close of business tomorrow could we have witnesses respond by the close of business money? >> it sounds like a good idea to me since we are likely to mark up next week. >> that is inappropriate approach. >> without objection that is what we will do. >> of course, this is a draft as i said so we appreciate that and we do appreciate your testimony and will come on board and we are all working on the same team trying to get responsible legislation that protects human health while ensuring that these fees go to where they need to go. i just have to. one, this goes back in history two decades ago when congress to liberated how to improve the clinical laboratory testing in this committee under the leadership of now chairman waxman and dingell and my former colleague mr. madigan issued a report same proficiency testing is considered on

because i don't ask for much. i will not make -- i will not make a funding request for a private individual or a private company. i limit them to national security, border security, local units of government, state government or the texas medical center, god bless them, the great work they're doing at m.d. anderson hospital and the nation's space program or flood control. the houston ship channel will silt up in six months unless we on the appropriations committee direct the army corps of engineers to dredge it. they would not have built a railroad bridge between connecting galveston island to the texas mainland unless the homeland security committee and i want to thank you again for connecting galveston island to the mainland. that's not even in my district. nor is the texas -- the houston ship channel. these are fiscally conservative requests. i don't think you'll find any member of congress with higher fiscally conservative standards i odo. i think the request is appropriate. it's absolutely necessary for an ar

mccain: madam president, i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be a sufficient second. the yeas and nays are ordered. mr. mccain: madam president, i yield the floor. mr. nelson: i respect greatly my colleague from arizona and his concern about spending. i share that. the presiding officer: i'm sorry, go ahead. mr. nelson: i share that concern. and as it is noted, the increase in the spending requested in the appropriations bill is about 2.4%. while $200,000 is a lot of money and it certainly is a lot for people today i think it's important to point out that this is associated with a the legislative branch in the following matter. the durham museum is seeking to provide a public service of federal interest making it appropriate to promote a public-private partnership. the funding of the project in this bill is only 10% of that total cost. the durham museum will be privately raising the remaining 90% and occur all ongoing operating costs. $200,000 requested to this bill for the d

flake: i ask for a recorded vote. the chair: pursuant to clause 6, rule 18, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from arizona will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona rise? mr. flake: i have an amendment at the desk, number one. the chair: the clerk will designate amendment number one. the clerk: amendment number one printed in house report 111-183 offered by mr. flake of arizona. the chair: pursuant to house resolution 573, the gentleman from arizona, mr. flake, and a member opposed will each control five minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from arizona. mr. flake: i thank the chair and i hesitate to challenge this earmark. it was secured by my colleague from arizona, mr. pastor, for whom i have great admiration and we have a great friendship. but this amendment would remove funds from the rechargeable battery system. according to the earmark table, the recipient of this earmark is global solar is a quote, privately held company that was incorporated in 1996

dicks: i want to ask -- is mr. poe here? yes. i want to ask unanimous consent that mr. poe be allowed to address the house for one minute on a subject of personal privilege. strike the last word. the chair: for what purpose does the gentleman from idaho rise? >> move to strike the last word. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. >> i yield the gentleman from texas five minutes. poe point i thank the gentleman from idaho for yielding and -- mr. poe: i thank the gentleman from idaho for yielding and thank the chairman for all the indulgence tonight. i know it's been a long evening. as we approach midnight here in the cradle of democracy and freedom, sad darkness is also falling heavy on the men and women and their families of the houston police department in texas. two nites ago we lost a hero veteran police officer in our city of houston. the houston police department senior officer henry was killed in the line of duty. he was an undercover police officer doing the very dangerous work of holding criminals accountable to the law. it is because of brave

>> madam speaker, i ask to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman irecognized for one minute. >> this energy's fine print betrays his lawedible purpose. the real cap is on the public interest and the trade is from the public to the polluters. it's too weak to spur new technologies and green jobs. and administration analysis shows that doing nothing actually results in more renewable energy, electricity generation capacity than approving this bill. vital authority for the e.p.a. is stripped, but two billion additional tons of pollution are ok forever. incredibly entrusted to utility companies. exempting 100 new coal plants and paying builds to old king coal does indeed leave him a merry old soul. this bill is 85% different from what president obama proposed just a few months ago. no wonder that his budget director called this type of legislation the largest corporate welfare program in the history of the united states. until greatly improved, until families share in the billions, this bill gra