the clerk: motion to proceed to consideration of h.r. -- h.j. res. 66, aproving the renewal of important restrictions concerning the burdensome meese freedom and democracy act of 2003. -- the burmese freedom and democracy act of 2003. mr. reid: i ask that the time be divided between the majority and minority. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: mr. sessions: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from alabama. mr. sessions: i would ask that the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. sessions: mr. president, our country is in a very, very serious economic crisis. we're told by mr. erskine bowles and senator alan simpson, erskine bowles was chosen by president obama to head his debt commission, and they gave a statement to the budget committee on which i'm ranking member that this nation has never faced a more predictable economic crisis. based on the size of our debt. all of us know that

i filed cloture on the substitute amendment and on h.j. res. 66 last night. no agreement is reached, there will be a cloture vote on the substitute amendment tomorrow morning. we hope we can reach an agreement to complete action on the joint resolution as well as the f.a.a. and highway extension today. senators will be notified when votes are scheduled. mr. president, malcolm wallop is a man that i serve -- served in the senate with for approximately ten years. he represented the state of wyoming. during that time, i can remember the work that he and alan simpson did together, alan simpson, another retired senator from wyoming. he died yesterday. he was 78 years old. senator wallop was a fine man. his roots in wyoming stem back to pioneer ancestors and the bighorn. although he was born in new york, he served his country admirably in the army and then worked for many years as a cattle rancher and businessman before running for office. he was extremely good friends with the great nevadan paul axel. there were occasions where i didn't agree with him on political

under the previous order the senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to h.j. res. 66 which the clerk will report. the clerk: motion to proceed to the consideration of house joint resolution 66 approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the burmese freedom and democracy act of 2003. the senatorthe presiding officee senator from. mr. leahy: mr. president, i've spoken to so many of my colleagues. i know i have with my good friend, one of the most distinguished members of this body, the senator from montana, and others about what's happened in vermont. we're a little state with 660,000 people. we're a state that has sent volunteers all over the country when people have been hit by earthquakes and tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding. but now vermont has been hit. i was born in vermont. my family came to vermont in the 1800's. the only thing that could even begin to match what we've seen were the horrible floods of 1927. i wasn't alive then, but i remember the stories my paerpbts told me -- my parents told me. in my lifetime we've never seen anything like thi

no further business brf the senate i ask that it adjourn following the cloture motion to read on h.j. res. 66. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. conrad: i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the presiding officer: the senator from maryland. mr. cardin: i ask unanimous consent the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. the clerk: cloture motion: we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the motion to proceed to calendar number 154, h.j. res. 66, a joint resolution approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the burmese freedom and democracy act of 2003, signed by 17 senators. by unanimous consent the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the motion to proceed on house joint resolution 666 an act apriewflg the renewal of import restrictions contai

the clerk: motion to proceed to consideration of h.j. res. 66, a joint resolution approving renewal of import restrictions contained this the burmese freedom and democracy act of 2003. ms. stabenow: thank you, madam president. i rise to speak about the need to have a disaster assistance effort to support those in new york, your state, as well as across the country and the tremendous needs that we have today as a result of what has happened regarding the weather. this year we've seen a terrible string of natural disasters that have shut down businesses, farms, have left families homeless all across our country, and as chair of the agriculture committee, i am particularly focused, of course, on what has happened to our farmers in america. concerned about the flooding along the mississippi and missouri rivers, the record droughts that have devastated the livelihoods of men and women who grow our food all across america. earlier this year, we had the worst droughts in recorded history in oklahoma with about $1.6 billion in crop losses. in kansas

the clerk: h.j. res. 66 approving the renewal of the democracies act of 2003. mr. reid: i would object to further proceed -gdz with respect to this resolution. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mr. reid: madam president. the presiding officer: the bill will be placed on the calendar in accordance with rule 14. mr. reid: madam president, yesterday morning a man walked into a pancake house in carson city, nevada, our capital, and proceeded to, with, i'm told it's an ak-47. he first shot some poor woman outside the pancake house, killed her; walked inside and started shooting with this automatic weapon. killed three national guardsmen, killed another innocent person, and we have a number of people who are in the hospital. we hope that no more die. we're still learning the details of this tragedy. we do know that five are dead. he killed himself following that rampage that he went on. the national guardsmen, as i understand, there was five of them, they were having breakfast prior to their duties, and this madman walked in to kill them. these three people who,

following that morning business, the senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to h.j. res. 66. this legislation is the vehicle that we need to do the fema funding. the senate will recess, as we always do, on tuesdays, from 12:30 until 2:15 for our weekly caucus meetings. madam president, this week, the republicans sent a message to victims of devastating hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes. that message was tough luck. last night, we tried to move forward on a measure that would grant the federal emergency management agency additional funding to help communities devastated by natural disasters. this ought to be the least political issue we have. whether to reach out a helping hand to our friends and neighbors in time of need. these unfortunate people have lost friends and loved ones, they have lost their homes, businesses and livelihoods, and they have been destroyed by acts of god. i don't see that in any way to be -- i went over this with my wife last night. she said why would you use a term like that? well, in the law, that's what these floods, these terrible wind storm

the clerk: h.j. res. 66, approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the burmese freedom and democracy act of 2003. mr. durbin: i now ask for its second reading and would object to my own request. the presiding officer: the objection is heard. the bill will have its second reading on the next legislative day. mr. durbin: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the appointments at the desk appear separately in the record as if made by the chair. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: i ask unanimous consent when the senate completes its business today it adjourn until 10:00 a.m. on wednesday, september 7. that following the prayer and pledge, that the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day. that following any leader remarks, the senate be in a period of morning business for one hour with the senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. at a tim

the clerk: motion to proceed to h.j. res. 66 approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the burmese freedom and democracy act of 1963. mr. reid: i have a cloture motion at the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. cro comploik we the undersigned senators in accordance with the provisions of the standing rules of the senate hereby move to bring to a close the debate on the motion to proceed to calendar number 54, h.j.res. 66, aproving the renewal of the burmese freedom and democracies act of 1973. signed by 17 senators as follows --. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the names not be read. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that the vote on the motion to i invoke cloture occur at 5:30 on monday, september 12. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business day it it adjourn until 2:00 p.m. on monday, 12, following the prayer and pledge, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, th

half and following morning business, the senate resume consideration on the motion to proceed to h.j. res. 66, a joint resolution regarding burma sanctions and the legislative vehicle for fema funds post-cloture. and all time county postcloture on the motion to proceed on house joint resolution 66. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: we expect consideration during wednesday's session and the f.a.a. and highway extensions which were received from the house. senators will be notified when votes are scheduled and if there is no further business i ask it adjourn under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until senate stands adjourned until >> and acted into law and widely supported so up service believe the future restraint would truly take effect. >> more from this event tonight at 8 p.m. on c-span. here's a look at our primetime schedule on c-span2. >> now a discussion on the new report from institutes of medicine that examined the reactions of eight common childhood vaccines. this is 40 minutes. >> we are now with dr. ellen wright clayton

reid, moves to commit h.j. res 66 to the finance committee with instructions to report back with the following amendment numbered 607. mr. reid: on that, mr. president, i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the yeas and nays are ordered. mr. reid: i have an amendment to the instructions at the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from nevada, mr. reid, proposes amendment numbered 608 to the instructions on the motion to commit h.j. res. 66. mr. reid: i ask for the yeas and nays on this amendment. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the yeas and nays are ordered. mr. reid: i have a second-degree amendment at the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from nevada, mr. reid, proposes amendment numbered 609 to amendment numbered 608. mr. reid: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the mandatory quorum under rule 22 be waived for the two cloture

the clerk: calendar number 154, h.j. res. 66, approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the burmese freedom and democracy act of 2003. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that the motion to commit with the exception of the reid of nevada substitute number 60 2-b withdrawn and in fought amendments be the only ones in order to the reid amendment e6 02: 610, and 6136789 that the time until 4:00 p.m. be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees and that this will be for debate on amendments and joint resolution with 30 minutes for senator coburn and 15 minutes for senator paul. this 15 minutes would come from the republican leader's tievment aat the senate will vote on the amendments in the following order: 613 and 610, there be no points of order prior to the votes. amendments not be subject to division and that all the amendments being subject to a 50-vote threshold. the motion to reconsider be made and laid on the taifnl if the reid substitute amendment as and, if aimed, achieve 5