let me say this would never have happened but for barbara mikulski.tomorrow should be a very interesting day. with a little bit of good fortune, we could complete the spending for the country for a fiscal year that's fast upon us, we could finish the defense bill and then look to doing the tax extenders and completing the work on tria, whatever that might be, and from that point forward, we would work on nominations and be out of here fairly quickly, but everyone's going to have to work together to get this done. ms. mikulski: thank you very much, leader reid, for your very kind words and your support and assistant -- oh, ahmadinejad? the presiding officer: the senator from maryland. ms. mikulski: madam president, i rise to speak on the omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2015. madam president, i wish to thank the democratic leader, the majority leader, for his kind words. but it's not only about his kind words about me, it's been his advocacy to make sure that as we look at the need for funding for the entire government, that there would be no gove

she was recently surpassed by barbara mikulski of maryland. she not only had longevity. she was very influential in terms of veterans affairs. prior to her experience in the house, she also had volunteered for the red cross. she had become an advocate for servicemen returning from world war i. when republicans in the 1940's briefly regained the majority in the 80th congress, she becomes one of the very first women to chair a major congressional committee. she chairs the veteran affairs committee in the 80th congress and again in the 83rd congress when the control flip-flopped back and forth. she was a republican. her experience, and you see a couple of pictures. in this one, she is having a radio date with mary norton of new jersey. this is in 1926. and these two really become in many respects the deans of women in congress for several decades. mary norton is a democrat when she came up to politics in jersey city, new jersey. her mentor was frank "i am the law" hague. he promoted her career. as she comes into the house in 1925, the same year as edith noures rogers. the i

the biggest story coming out is how she along with nancy pelosi lockouts on one side and then barbara mikulskisuch an interesting thing. lou: you are talking about the left side of the party. >> so where would she fit in all back? i think every time the mention her name, it shows the alternative callery clinton. >> i think the critical thing here is the heavy handing of harry reid over the last several years. lou: one thing you have to give them is he is smart and clever and he knows what the heck he is doing -- the 1600 page bill with immigration and health -- i'm exasperated one do you think that republicans get the fact that they better focus on the middle class this time? the 1600 page bills are going to fly all the time. if they play that game, they are going to be dead in the water. >> the longer the bill, the less likely they are to help in the middle class. but the working class voters hep republicans and they didn't do as well with mitt romney at the top of the ticket. and so that is what happens when he wants more accessible. so instead of saying i'm one of you, they put on their mom

he then worked for senator barbara mikulski and later moved to baltimore where he became a city council member and eventually the white mayor of the predominantly african-american city. he focused on reducing overall crime rates in struggling neighborhoods. in 2006 he was elected governor where he raised the minimum wage, legalized medical marijuana, granted in-state college tuition rates to immigrants and enacted gun control laws. >> i think we have too many guns and too much killing. >> reporter: he abolished the state's daept calling it wasteful and ineffective at deterring crime. >> what kind of society do we want to be? >> and in 2012, he signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. >> the way forward is always found through great are respect for the equal rights of all. >> but the economy has been bumpy. taxes have risen under o'malley, including a controversial gas tax hike last year. >> a rain tax, a flush tax, higher costs for health care, for being born, for dying, trips, slips, fishing, flip flops, tube socks, purses, rollerskates, p.j.s, diapers, hats and book bags. >> o'mall

when barbara mikulski ran for re-election in 1992, she was opposed by this republican who later movedn keys. >> that's correct, 200 more points for brian thompson into the big leagues. get that clock back on board and rolling 200 point toss-up here. 16 things i'll miss about being in congress was the title of the post by outgoing -- >> michele barkman -- >> that's incorrect, on what website? >> on what? >> time. the website is buzzfeed. in the 1980s ash carter, president obama's nominee for defense secretary was against president reagan's strategic defense initiative which was popular known by this -- >> joe? >> star wars. >> 200 points for joe. leaders of the central committee of the republican party in this state vowed this week toe remain neutral in the first in the nation presidential caucuses? >> new hampshire. >> incorrect. >> brian? >> iowa. >> 200 point toss-up. yesterday the bureau of labor statistics reported that the u.s. added 321,000 jobs in november and unemployment rate remained at this percentage -- >> 5.8%. >> 5.8%. brian, you earned the 200 points with that one. you

and as even the top democrat, barbara mikulski said emphatically last night, we don't get everything want. that's the art of compromise. but as christine knows very well, the idea of wall street and rolling back any reforms hit a very raw nerve, and that's what made this so difficult. >> okay, so, let's, like, tamp down on that very issue, wall street and how this spending bill benefits wall street. jamie dimon, jpmorgan chase guy, he personally lobbied to ease restrictions on big banks trading derivatives. a little history for you, jpmorgan chase accepted a $25 million bailout in 2008 because of poor investments. his bank lost $2 billion in trades because they were poorly executed a few years back. and now, taxpayers might bail out the banks again, because bankers want the government to allow them to make these risky investments. am i right, christine? >> this is a bitter pill for the democrats. this is a bitter pill for elizabeth warren. and you know, the white house calls and says this is what compromise looks like. they got more money for the s.e.c., more money for the commodity

this was a deal negotiated by harry reid and barbara mikulski, and she went against it.t talk about ted cruz for a second. bob corker, orrin hatch, lindsey graham, putting out statements criticizing ted cruz because, they say, he kept the senate in and gave the democrats, gave the white house, confirmation votes on nominations that they wouldn't have had if they had gone home a couple of days ago. >> it's interesting, both cruz and warren went about their opposition in different ways. david axelrod, i want you to respond to this. an anonymous aide saying this. if this party can't accommodate its clinton era folks and its warrenites, we're headed for trouble. do you think this party can unite those two wings of the party? >> i do if secretary clinton comes out. >> move towards elizabeth warren. >> and i think she will. let me say one thing about ted cruz. i think he was delighted to be i think that was -- he got everything he wanted. >> you agree with that. >> two years ago, when ted cruz shut down the government, everybody said cruz is finished, his career is finished, h

their last days in power are grappling with a rare public split, leaders like harry reid and barbara mikulsking bill that passed this weekend. >> it's a monumental achievement flip for showing how we can worç together, we can govern and we can get the job done. >> reporter: the white house joined in too at a pivotal moment saying the administration supports passage of the bill but that the administration objects to the inclusion of ideological and special interest measures. that led to a very rare split. >> i'm enormously disappointed that the white house feels that the only way they can get a bill is to go along with this. house democratic leader nancy pelosi wasn't alone. massachusetts senator elizabeth warren also rallied the left condemning the bill's provisions that help banks.ç >> the american people did not send us here to work for wall street banks, they sent us here to work for them. >> reporter: in the end, the more liberal voices lost, the bill passed. >> the yeas have 56, the nays have 40. >> reporter: meantime, the righç saw its own fissure exposed again this weekend. >> if you

senate leaders should get credit also, like barbara mikulski, for holding the line on so many critical priorities, for putting in this trillion-dollar spending plan some very important things that should arouse the gratitude of many people. they've also stood up against and foughtly and prevented from getting into this some very extreme proposals -- and fought and prevented from getting into this some very extreme proposals. but for people watching this proposal across this country and in hawaii, what they are seeing unfortunately is a bill packed with policies pushed by very connected special interests, special interests with armies of high-paid lobbyists looking out for their own protections and looking to roll back commonsense protections for people who cannot hire those high-priced lobbyists or make donations to political candidates and elected officials. i say this right now, this omnibus, this cromnibus as it's called is a jagged bitter pill for anyone to swallow. let me start with the provision that senator schatz mentioned. the provision that is rolling back aspects of dodd-fra

colleague and my mentor and the amazing senator from maryland, the chairwoman of this committee, barbara mikulski, for the work she's done for putting this -- the drive she hark has -- nevert sight of what her goal was des spite some very -- despite some very, very difficult negotiations. and hopefully tonight we will be voting on a compromise. and i know personally that in this country what iv everybody does, says to me constantly is we're tired of the constant bickering. we want you to compromise. that's what this is. we want our country to work g.n.p. that's what this bill does -- we want our country to work again. that's what this bill does and i urge my colleagues to support this legislation. thank you, and i yield the floor. mr. lee: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from utah. mr. lee: mr. president, i rise in opposition to the spending bill before us today. i rise in opposition to the cynical substance of the legislation. i rise in opposition to the un-republican and undemocratic process by which a small collection of political and economic insiders crafted it to benefit e

i say one of my funnest moments was watching senator rockefeller stand and visit with barbara mikulski. i'm pretty sure she might be the shortest person in the united states senate, and i'm pretty sure jay might be the tallest. and i said what you don't know about senator rockefeller, not only in intellectual stature but physical stature, he's a giant of a man. but it's not that intellectual stature of senator rockefeller that impressed me, and it certainly wasn't his size that impressed me. it was the size of his heart and how much he cared for the people that he served in west virginia. i had a chance last year -- or this year to travel to west virginia and spend time with the folks of his great state. as they were looking at this transition, they would tell me stories about senator rockefeller, and they would tell me stories about what he meant to them and what -- the things that he had gone out of his way to do, things that were beyond maybe what even expectations of a -- of a -- of a populace would ever be, that jay was there for them, and they knew that every day jay woke up and

the top appropriations people on capitol hill, republican congressman hall rogers and democrat barbara mikulskie thanksgiving day holiday to hammer out a deal. they expect it to be on the floor next week. complicating factors push leadership to do a short term extension in february so then a gop controlled congress can tackle government funding early on to get it started. whether they will strip funding to finance president obama's executive action which could lead to a big fight on capitol hill, martha. martha: that deals with the issue of immigration and action before us on that. the military and the mission against isis. funding is an issue there as well, right? >> reporter: no question about that. so the house leadership wants to hear from its rank-and-file members who have been home over the thanks giving holiday obviously hearing from their constituents. i'm told if there is consensus on a response to president obama on immigration, that house majority leader kevin mccarthy reserved floor time. there could be debate and discussion of that on the house floor this week. for the fight agains

reaction from maryland senator, barbara and -- barbara mikulski. -- the outgoing governor of maryland -- tim scott, south carolina republican, not in favor of the move. back to calls -- this is christina in st. louis, missouri. welcome. thank you for having me. i would just like to say that unitarian efforts of releasing an american, which is really great for an american's , there are also efforts happening for the cubans in cuba. there is no change there and i think it is important to have this relationship with cuba and build a relationship, but we have to do it in such a way that is going to be effective. right now, obama is getting played by the castro's and it is very clear. we need to have people who are educated in this situation having these conversations and we want to push for that and i want to push for people to set aside their parties and look at the policy issues. there is a reason why politics have changed, and there is a reason for that. obama needs to open his eyes and see why that change hasn't happened. if he does not want to make the change for the better, get a te

the fact that we have a bill is due in great part to leadership of chairwoman barbara mikulski. i am glad to be part of her team on the appropriations committee. the alternative to this bill as a short-term cr or one that -- a couple of them for the whole year. and i think that that is an unacceptable way to do business. it would cost jobs and it would hurt our economy in the the new mexico area. they need certainty to keep our nation safe and communities in my homestay rely upon funding in lieu of taxes payment program to provide basic services like schools and public safety and i know that the chairwoman understands this program and has worked hard to make sure that the program is funded in the bill and it's greatly appreciated in the rural parts of the west. so let me just say again that continuing resolutions are disruptive or if they are inefficient and they lock in place for programs that prevent us from evaluating what is working and what is not. they keep us rooting out wasteful spending. trying to move a huge ominous bill at the end of the year is like trying to move th

host: the senate the democrats, under barbara mikulski, chair of the appropriations committee, has been working with hal rogers. they have a deal on the underlying bills. what are the operating off of? guest: it goes back to this deal that was brokered by paul ryan and patty murray. they figured out a deal. you figure if the details, these are the marks we're going to hit. the appropriators get together and gave those numbers to their committees. they are close on the numbers. that is what is so interesting. the house and senate are not that far apart on the numbers. they need to negotiate things that are much less than you would expect. host: mike is in a pennsylvania. caller: thank you for c-span. i just wanted to make the observation and comment about what is a majority and super majority. a super majority is defined as two thirds of the vote. what that means is if you get back, they're only two times when the congress have had a super majority. 1933, what did the common men get? social security. in 1955, what did the common men get? medicare. i am more interested in a 1% sales tax o

there is a picture of senator barbara mikulski, of maryland. the piece says the near collapse of a crucial government wide funding bill that now faces the senate test underscored a fundamental problem with congress -- the lost art of compromise. from doce's a quote hastings, he is retiring, house member from washington, republican host: allowing party leaders to celebrate a compromise of sorts. though it does not appear to be a model for the future. according to the "new york times " piece to start us off here. larry, you are on the line from tuscaloosa, alabama. first call for open phones. hey, larry. caller: hey, how are you doing? i wanted to annotate something to you all. the guest of that you had on a few minutes ago that was dealing with gun control -- host: larry pratt. caller: yes. in other words, he kind of tee - -teed on your head and called it rain water. for good, texas, i lived in -- fort hood, texas, i lived in killeen, you are allowed weapons to carry. i do not know where he is getting that from, but that is not true. sharpton, i

beginning bybill saying "this omnibus bill cobbles together a lot of last and negotiations from barbara mikulskiand in a single week, congress attempting to fund the entire federal government, rewrite wall street regulations, expand political contributions, and among other things override the district new marijuana law -- newspaper hill" stating that four senators decided not to show up for the vote on saturday. may all missed the saturday vote. the session took most senators by surprise late on friday evening, most believed that the deal have been worked out to move the votes to monday evening , but senator mike lee and ted cruz said that none of the saturday votes were close enough that those senators would have made a difference." linda, jefferson, missouri, who had the worst year in washington? good morning. the people. the people absolutely are having the worst year. like you just read a few minutes in about them doing more eight days than they did all year? neednot understand why we -- why we, the people, keep putting are having these same people up there. all the time. all the time. they

the: and also taking to senate floor yesterday was senator barbara mikulski of maryland. she is the senate appropriations committee chairwoman. she was one of the negotiators on this budget deal. she went to the senate floor to talk about the budget deal, how it came together, and to encourage her colleagues to vote for it. here's what she had to say. [video clip] the processly made work. we show that we could govern. we worked across the aisle. we worked across the dome. we practiced civility. we argued. we debated. we fought. sometimes you give a little, you take a little, but you stand up for them all. and i want them to know that we were able to concentrate and compromise on what i call capitulation, or principal. i want to say to my colleagues, stay steady, stay strong. host: we want to hear from our viewers on this trillion dollar spending bill. lines for those who support it or opposed it. richard is calling in on the line that opposes. he is an independent from lake lasted, florida. good morning. caller: yes, good morning, john. it looks like the republicans and b

this was negotiated in part by chairwomanopriations barbara mikulski. they said if you wait until next year, it will be republican is negotiating this bill and there will be fewer democratic victories. so she is pointing to all the things in the bill come all the environmental and labor stuff that they were able to send off as a victory for democrats. it squeaked past on this last vote? what was the problem on the republican side? ofthere was a group conservatives that voted against the content of the bill and the process. pages, and a 1600 they had about 2 1/2 days to look through it. the biggest group of conservatives said they are not that there is a rider would block funding for the implementation of the spending part of the bill deals with the homeland security department only being funded for a little bit of time. that is the cr portion. it would only find the department of homeland security short period of time. they could take another bite of the apple early next year, and try and fight president obama's action than. >> and this goes on, of cour