>> good to see you, too. >> landrieu: i'm mitch landrieu, i'm the mayor. >> pitts: landrieu's electionry, 2010, held an omen of positive changes from the start. the very next day, the saints won the super bowl. >> landrieu: in a crazy way, it was a spiritual moment for the people of the city. people here so desperately needed something good to happen, and to believe that you could go from worst to... to best. you see that beginning to happen on the streets of the city of new orleans. >> pitts: but many of those streets are filled with reminders of the destructive power and emotional trauma inflicted by katrina. today there are about 45,000 abandoned homes and buildings in new orleans, making it one of the most blighted cities in america. but landrieu says the city's making a comeback. >> landrieu: our unemployment rate is lower than the national average. our housing values have gone up 9% in the last year. for the first time in, i don't know, years, all of a sudden, more people are moving back into the city. the people of new orleans not only are resilient and not only are rebuilding b

i'm here today to speak on behalf of my bill with senator landrieu, sent a bill 516. we call it the least act because it extends the leases that have really had the deily of the moratorium while they have maintained their expenses, and senator landrieu and alladi drew up this bill because we know the financial commitments made and how expensive it is. the police act fairly restores the time of loss as a result of the offshore moratorium by expending the impact of leases by one year. so everyone who has had a police approved has gone through all the effort to do that would have their lease extended for the period of the moratorium so that they would be able to come back and continue. the common sense legislation does have bipartisan support. recently president obama stated that his administration is extending dillinger leases in the areas of the goals that were impacted by the temporary moratorium. i am pleased the president recognizes the energy producers need relief, however, the administration has not said he will make them whole. the president's statement leaves a

and i really do congratulate senator landrieu. i was at caucus meetings when you're trying to get floor time, and there's no stronger advocate on behalf of smaller businesses and doing our work and senator landrieu. and it's not easy to get the floor time to get the bill passed. and this is a major bill, major new tools available to help small businesses. and we're very proud of this bill. but our responsibility's oversight. and to make sure that every dollar made available is used to the maximum advantage to create jobs. and that's through small businesses. and i come back to procurement. and i know i represent the people of maryland. and because of maryland's location we have a lot of government agencies located here. and we have a lot of small businesses that depend upon government procurement. so it's of great interest to the people of maryland. there has been documented abuses by agencies. and one of the things we've been able to do in this committee is to support the sba and give it the tools. it was this committee -- i serv

and i really do congratulate senator landrieu. i was at caucus meetings when you're trying to get floor time, and there's no stronger advocate on behalf of smaller businesses and doing our work and senator landrieu. and it's notasy to get the floor time to get the bill passed. and this is a major bill, major new tools available to help small businesses. and we're very proud of this bill. but our responsibility's oversight. and to make sure that every dollar made available is used to the maximum advantage to create jobs. and that's through small businesses. and i come back to procurement. and i know i represent the people of maryland. and because of maryland's location we have a lot of government agencies located here. and we have a lot of small businesses that depend upon government procurement. so it's of great interest to the people of maryland. there has been documented abuses by agencies. and one of the things we've been able to do in this committee is to support the sba and give it the tools. it was this committee -- i serve

we would love to get your input. >> senator landrieu. let me begin -- >> let me begin by commending you for getting back to where were before the deepwater horizons bill, and at least having a vision for opening of more direct ruling. i appreciate that and it was a right step to take. now it is the details and how we actually accomplish what the president has laid out. i can only say that actions speak louder than words. that is where we are right now. it is not just about saying we want to expand drilling, but actually doing it. i want to clarify a couple of things that are very important for this hearing, and i want to push forward to a couple of bills that are important for what we want to accomplish. for the short-term energy output, this is not mary landrieu's charge, not a republican or democratic chart. this is saying that production of oil is at the highest it has been, but you can clearly see it is going down if we do not start issuing permits more quickly for war or -- for new drilling, if we do not start exploring, this is not

it will be, that relieves the pressure on the city of new orleans where, by the way, mayor mitch landrieu is standing by to talk to us tonight. but that decision will also flood out other folks in other places which are right now bustling and prosperous communities and homes and businesses. a million people are now in the path of the water. it's already roared through seven states. our coverage begins with anne thompson. she's in the port of baton rouge tonight. anne, good evening. >> reporter: good evening. here at the port of baton rouge and throughout southern louisiana, everyone is working so hard because there is no time left to lose with the mississippi river rising and the imminent opening of the morganza spillway, which could send water rushing into an area at a rate of 2 million gallons per second. these are desperate hours in this parish. residents wait in long lines for supplies to defend their homes from the mississippi river water that will flood their neighborhood when the morganza spillway is opened to save baton rouge and new orleans. cold comfortable to leroy, trying to p

and i really do congratulate senator landrieu.i was at caucus meetings when you're trying to get floor time, and there's no stronger advocate on behalf of smaller businesses and doing our work and senator landrieu. and it's not easy to get the floor time to get the bill passed. and this is a major bill, major new tools available to help small businesses. and we're very proud of this bill. but our responsibility's oversight. and to make sure that every dollar made available is used to the maximum advantage to create jobs. and that's through small businesses. and i come back to procurement. and i know i represent the people of maryland. and because of maryland's location we have a lot of government agencies located here. and we have a lot of small businesses that depend upon government procurement. so it's of great interest to the people of maryland. there has been documented abuses by agencies. and one of the things we've been able to do in this committee is to support the sba and give it the tools. it was this committee -- i serve

small business persons, chair landrieu of the year, and more. these small business owners and others like them have gotten a big boost from the small business jobs act. since the passage of the jobs act in september 2010, the sba has worked hard to implement the many provisions that affected our programs. the jobs act affected all of sbab's largest programs including our support for access for capital, small business contracting, counseling and training and exporting. some of these provisions were quick fixes and easy to implement. others take more time, but rest assured that sba is working diligently to implement every provision as soon as possible. to begin with almost immediately, the agency began making loans with a temporary increased guarantee and reduced fees authorized by the jobs act. this helped us put $12 billion in loans into the hands of small businesses at a time when they needed that lending support more than ever. second, the jobs act also raised limits on our loan sizes from $2 million to $5 million. this increased size will hel

. >> centre landrieu? -- centre landrieu? >> i want to call everyone's attention to the fact that the mississippi river as we meet here today is slowing at an extraordinary export level. this committee has jurisdiction over water and energy. i want to put into the record the statistics that are startling. the river is flowing at 172 billion cubic feet per week, 7.2 billion cubic feet every hour, and as one article described it, it says it is a snarling, powerful beast barging its way south. this committee has jurisdiction. it has done a remarkable job in the course of the last decade with a lot of help to build the mississippi river system but it will be up to us to watch to see how it works in the coming days and weeks and be prepared to do what we need to do to make sure that people are protected should this ever happen again. i would like to submit that to the record without objection. >> so ordered. i thank you for the comments and i think every member of this committee, i come from earthquake country which has gone throu

and i really do congratulate senator landrieu. i was at caucus meetings when you're trying to get floor time, and there's no stronger advocate on behalf of smaller businesses and doing our work and senator landrieu. and it's not easy to get the floor time to get the bill passed. and this is a major bill, major new tools available to help small businesses. and we're very proud of this bill. but our responsibility's oversight. and to make sure that every dollar made available is used to the maximum advantage to create jobs. and that's through small businesses. and i come back to procurement. and i know i represent the people of maryland. and because of maryland's location we have a lot of government agencies located here. and we have a lot of small businesses that depend upon government procurement. so it's of great interest to the people of maryland. there has been documented abuses by agencies. and one of the things we've been able to do in this committee is to support the sba and give it the tools. it was this committee -- i serv

landrieu: i object. mr. cornyn: i will proceed then under the standing order which gives me up to 10 minutes as i understand. the presiding officer: the senator's correct. mr. cornyn: i regret that the senator from louisiana is unwilling to cooperate and provide everyone a chance to be heard. i want to proceed. i want to speak to the nomination of senator -- of excuse me -- of jack mcconnell to the federal district bench. i spoke on this nomination yesterday. i've offered an op-ed piece in "the washington times" expressioning my concern. and i want to just summarize for my colleagues' benefit and consideration my concerns. i serve as a member of the judiciary committee as does the senator from iowa, senator grassley, and before the senate judiciary committee this nominee was asked about allegations of theft of corporate documents arising out of some lead paint litigation that his law firm was pursuing in the state of -- of rhode island. and that's been the subject of some discussion. i would like to ask unan

. >> senator landrieu? >> let me begin by commending you and the president for getting back to where we were before the deep water horizon spill in terms of at least having a vision for opening up more domestic drilling and i really appreciate that and it was right step to take. now it is just the details of how we actually accomplish what the president laid out and i can only say that using words, actions speak louder than words. so that is where we are right now. it is not just about saying we want to expand drilling, but actually doing it. i want to just clarify a couple of things i think are very important for this hearing as we try push a bill through or several bills to actually accomplish opening up drilling. i want it clear for the record that a message from the e.i.a. short-term energy outlook, this is not mary landrieu's chart, it is not a democrat chart, it is not a republican chart. it says today production of oil is at the highest level it has been but you can clearly say on the trajectory that

that's all senator landrieu and i do. the secretary of the interior at a hearing this morning in the senate said that they were looking into extending gulf of mexico wells directly impacted by the moratorium, meaning only those leaseholders which have already performed all seismic tests and were conducting exploration drilling. this will only cover 33 leases out of thousands that are still affected by the moratorium, because they are in the exploratory phase, not the exploratory drilling phase. this year alone, over 350 leases are due to expire. many of them have not had the opportunity to be developed because of the moratorium. the development of oil and gas in the gulf of mexico is an extremely expensive and technical process. it takes about three years of tests, surveys and appraisals before even drilling for the exploration well. regardless of which stage all of the exploration leaseholders are in, the administration ordered all leaseholders to halt exploration activities when its moratorium was enacted. every one of

more elaborate offerings because last year most votes were given to german youth and then a mayor landrieu to favored a very simple black dress and had no stage that tricks whatsoever despite claims that the point is to spew for entertainment political controversies have been opening up around your vision for the western europe and fans have read the science there is still neighbors voting for each other in what they call a book and not the best songs win in the contest surprisingly does not guarantee the same international fame in its fifty year history they have been very few really famous winners in one thousand seventy four and soon do you own in one thousand eighty eight m. on the exceptions despite all of the controversy that's taken part in your vision is still considered a matter of national prestige in most of the participating countries. will it be your comment is it about music about sports or about politics eurovision i think i'm not really lit. so for me of course that's music in and says sport because if i do and i'm professional musician i can do in my work and i can think a

. >> senator landrieu. >> thank you, mr. secretary. let me begin by commending you and the president for getting us back to where we were before the deepwater horizon gulf spill, in terms of domestic drilling. it was the right step to take. now it's just the details of how we actually accomplish what the president laid out. and i can only say that speak -- you know, using words, actions speak louder than words. so that's where we are right now. it's not just about saying we want to expand drilling, but actually doing it. so i want to just clarity just a couple of things that i think are very important for the hearing, mr. chairman, as we try to push a bill through, or several bills to actually accomplish opening up drilling. i want to clear for the record that -- and this is from the eia, short term energy outlook, it's not mary landrieu, not a democratic or republican chart. this clearly says that today production of oil is highest level. but you can clearly see it's going down. if we don't start issuing permits more quickly for new d

landrieu: and just a final point, mr. president, we're going to hear tomorrow's speeches given about america is at the highest production levels ever. that may be true, but it is true for a very short period of time, maybe the next month or two, because, as you can see, there is going to be a precipitous fall? why? because even though people say that we're at the highest production levels that we ever have been, it's going to be temporary. then the production levels are going to decline down to the loews level since 1997. so i just want people to understand we are not on a path to produce more in ame o produce more in ame we are on a path to produce less. taking all subsidies away from the five major international oil companies are not going to change this law and. it will continue to go down. it will not reduce the price of gasoline at the . it will continue to go down. it will not reduce the price of gasoline at theine . it will continue to go down. it will not reduce the price of gasoline at the. it will continue to go

also mary landrieu both encumber major oil producing states alaska and louisiana and i think there's a lot of legitimate fears among these companies was take off and jobs but i think the way that we kind of that is this you know we can't be held hostage to appropriations if you want to be american you know stay here and pay your fair share if you want to leave here will someone else will step in the market's a big market well i hope the pres or at least work for them that thanks so much for joining us tonight thank you. now so to come on tonight's show we have a show and tell and then if you want senator compares health care to slavery and a mom is under fire for giving her eight year old post talks sit around for happy hour in just a few minutes. we've been apart. i think. either one well. we haven't got the says he heard him say so get ready because you can freedom. i guys welcome michel ancel on the ellen show part of our guests have to say on the topic now i want to hear the audience has gotten you feel to video response or the twitter for part of the questions that we post on yo

also mary landrieu both men come from asia or prison states alaska and louisiana and i think there's a lot of legitimate fears among these companies it was take off and ship away jobs but i think the way that we can do that is you know we can't be held hostage here corporations if you want to be american you know stay here and pay your fair share if you want to leave someone else's stuff in the markets a big market well i hope that those kinds of threats at least work for those that thank so much for joining us tonight thank you. now still to come on tonight's show we have a show and tell and then if you want some of that compares health care to slavery and of on is under fire for giving her eight year old post talks sit around for happy hour in just a few minutes. and. then we head to the heart of hearts. i think a lot of the one. who doesn't love the show's nuclear safety get ready because of the freedom. hey guys welcome to show itself on the obama show we've heard our guests have to say on the topics now i want to hear our audience has gone to you tube to video response or to twi

i want to commend senator landrieu. i want to commend senator snowe for work on this legislation for six years. and we just need to put that good work to the test, to the vote and move o. -- and move o. mr. president, thanks for -- thanks for giving me this time today and i look forward to hearing the comments of my friend from connecticut, senator blumenthal. thank you. i yield back the floor. mr. blumenthal: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from connecticut. mr. blumenthal: thank you, mr. president. and thank you to the distinguished senator from delaware for those very important and insightful comments, both on the navy expeelz on the small -- both on the navy seals and on the small business legislation that's pending before this body. i want to begin, first of all, by saying i have seven unanimous consent requests for committees to met during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders, and i ask unanimous consent that these requests be agreed to and th

landrieu: and just a final point, mr. president, we're going to hear tomorrow's speeches given about america is at the highest production levels ever. that may be true, but it is true for a very short period of time, maybe the next month or two, because, as you can see, there is going to be a precipitous fall? why? because even though people say that we're at the highest production levels that we ever have been, it's going to be temporary. then the production levels are going to decline down to the loews level since 1997. so i just want people to understand we are not on a path to produce more in america. we are on a path to produce less and taking all subsidies away from the five major international oil companies are not going to change this line. it's going to make it continue to go down. it's not going to reduce the price of gasoline at the pump, not by one penny. and it is not going to get ounce the path to a strong, sound energy policy. now, i'll say in one final conclusion, should some of these subsidies and tax cre

that's all senator landrieu and i do. the secretary of the interior at a hearing this morning in the senate said that they were looking into extending gulf of mexico wells directly impacted by the moratorium, meaning only those leaseholders which have already performed all seismic tests and were conducting exploration drilling. this will only cover 33 leases out of thousands that are still affected by the moratorium, because they are in the exploratory phase, not the exploratory drilling phase. this year alone, over 350 leases are due to expire. many of them have not had the opportunity to be developed because of the moratorium. the development of oil and gas in the gulf of mexico is an extremely expensive and technical process. it takes about three years of tests, surveys and appraisals before even drilling for the exploration well. regardless of which stage all of the exploration leaseholders are in, the administration ordered all leaseholders to halt exploration activities when its moratorium was enacted. every one of

we'll ask new orleans mayor mitchell landrieu if his city is out of woods. >> and the economic impacte flood when we come back here on "the early show" here on cbs. >> this portion of "the early show" sponsor i bd dodge. dodge, never neutral. getting handling and steering lessons on those sporty european roads. it went back to school, got an advanced degree in technology. it's been working out -- more muscle and less fat. it's done more in two years than most cars do in a lifetime. now lease the all-new 2011 dodge durango express all-wheel-drive for $359 a month for well-qualified lessees. ranks quicken loans "highest in customer satisfaction in the united states." and if we're this happy about providing great customer satisfaction, imagine how happy you'll be receiving it. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. to stay healthy. but did you know fiber choice can help support your overall well-being? every tasty tablet has prebiotic fiber from fruits and veggies... that lets your good bacteria thrive and helps support your immune system. fiber choice. an easy way to defend

landrieu: thank you, mr. president. i ask consent to speak for up to 15 minutes from time reserved on the majority side on this issue. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. landrieu: thank you, mr. president. this is a very important issue that we are debating today, and there are very different views about how we should proceed, and i rise to object to the menendez amendment or bill that's on the floor and urge my colleagues to vote "no," and i'd like to give at least five reasons why i don't think this bill is the right approach. it will not solve the problem of high prices at the pump, and why i think in many ways it's actually a waste of time to be taking a whole day on an issue that is not going to result in lower prices at the gas pump or in more domestic supply, which are two things that we really need to attempt to do sometime in the next short period. i have a great deal of respect for my colleague from new jersey, as my colleague from california who spoke in favor of this direction. but i do want to gi

that's just a political stunt that mary landrieu, the political senator from louisiana, called laughable. that's not the kind of thing we're going to be dealing here in connection with the serious talks going on with the vice president's president. >> let me turn you to foreign policy for a quick question. do you think that president obama ought to call on syrian president al asad to step down as he did for president mubarak in egypt? >> we certainly know that the assad regime, just like his father's regime, is a thuggish regime that murders their own people. the president i think correctly is trying to put the squeeze on them in ever way possible. calling for resignation? i don't know whether that's called for at the moment or not but this regime has turned out to be exactly what we thought and there were some people in our own administration who thought that bashar al assad was going to be a reformer. i don't think there is any evidence of that. this is a thug regime. the think the only thing that comes out of it is we're not likely to make any progress in the middle east right now. i

chairman, yesterday on the floor, senator landrieu spoke about this and i ask their statements be placed in the record. >> without objection. >> okay, i want to comment on a few items before the second round of questions. my friend from new york implied the $60 billion in tax incentives that we're discussing today was a key factor in reducing or $1 trillion-plus deficit. my friend from maryland made a similar point. nobody is arguing the number's insignificant. what we're worried about is the effect, the removal of these domestic productions incentives, what the effect would be. the testimony is clear, removing these incentives is going to drive production offshore. it's that simple. that's what's been said here today. i tell you, there were spending cuts proposed by dr. colburn of similar size, a member of this committee, rejected by the other side. spending cuts, another version of shared sacrifice, to use your terms, did not involve student loans. they didn't involve low income folks. they didn't involve infrastructure investment. here's an example. dr. colburn proposed selling federa

. >> you know me well, senator landrieu, from my time in the senate working on this committee. i have a jurisdiction that takes me from sea to shining sea, all over alaska and it many other places. i probably been in louisiana and the gulf of mexico more than any other state, and the efforts -- that you rightly point out -- we need to focus on the restoration of the gulf coast. i know there are bills you are working on to get that done. there is the $1 billion early restoration on the gulf with bp that we're moving ahead with. >> [unintelligible] >> it will be at least 200. probably more. ok? i think you raise a very legitimate question, and that is that we extract all of this oil and gas from the gulf of mexico, about a third of the nation's supply, and yet because of the last 100 years, you have read the greatest degraded at the systems -- at the systems, which we have been over many times -- ecosystems, which we have been over many times. i hope to work for word on restoring the gulf of mexico. >> we have a two senators who have not asked questions yet. senator manchin? >> y

senator landrieu and i believe every lease holder, even if their lease doesn't run out this year, should have the full opportunity for the exploration of their lease capabilities in order to make it fair for the price they have paid in the open bidding process for those leases. so the president has said that he approves the extension of some leases. we agree with that. why not all of them? they have been paid for. in many instances the companies are still paying the employees even though the employees are not able to do the work. so this year alone, over 50 leases will expire -- over 350 leases will expire and many of them are in a moratorium. the bill before us would help those people be able to use the next year for determining if it is worth drilling for more of the oil on the leases that they have purchased. so, mr. president, i think that it is very important that we pass this legislation that we will vote on very shortly today if we are serious about increasing the production of our own natural resources for the benefit of our own people. it seems to me that we need to back up the

. >> again, the frustration that senator landrieu and i have, there's not a day that goes by that i do not have phone calls, is over $4 an average. something has to be done. in order to that, we have to be more certain of what we can do in this country. and less dependent on foreign oil that i think are holding us hostage. we are just asking for your help as much as humanly possible. >> center manchin -- senator manchin, i understand the issue of the day as it concerns the pain at the pump. i think in the back at history if with the price spikes that started in the late 1940's and 1970's and 1980's and 1990's, and there is no quick fix to the high prices of gas because it is sold on the global market in the back into their countries like china that are using much more oil and gas than they ever have in the past. it is important for us to have the long view in mind as we move forward to develop the energy policy of this country, and this committee obviously has tremendous expertise with the senators and its staff to make sure that we can find those places in which the energy future can

and two colleagues from the gulf of mexico region, senator bill nelson of florida and senator mary landrieu of louisiana. as any rhode islander can tell you, the ocean is central to our state's way of life. i tell colleagues here that rhode island's coast is one of the most beautiful places on earth, but we don't call rhode island the ocean state just because it is beautiful. we are the ocean state because, from our earliest days, we have relied on the ocean and our beloved fair i narragansett bayr trade, for food, for recreation, and for jobs, jobs? shipbuilding, shipping -- jobs in the shipbuilding, shipping, and tourism industries. and we are not alone. across america, our oceans and coasts directly provide over $130 billion to our country's gross domestic product and support 2.3 million american jobs. but the impact goes far beyond that. our coastal zone areas generate nearly half of our nation's gross domestic product and support more than 28 million jobs. in part, madam president, it is americans' love of and reliance on the oceans that drives the need now to protect and restore them.

senator landrieu said she will work with her on whatever is appropriate. this is unfair we have not been able to move forward on this bill. we've spent days before the recess working on an agreement to have votes on amendments to move this bill forward. included in this agreement were senator cornyn's amendment which would establish a commission on government waste, an amendment on health reform litigation. this agreement was objected to by senator snowe. everyone else in the senate signed off on it. during the course of many weeks tk-bls -- debating this bill. we even had a vote on, as indicated, on an amendment offered by senator snowe, as well as many other republican amendments. nearly every one of which have nothing to do with the underlying legislation. they weren't relevant. they weren't germane. in light of our accommodation of extraneous amendments, it's difficult for me to understand why we can't finish debate on this bill. we've been more than fair. we should be able to reach agreement on considering remaining amendments and voting on final pass

democratic senator mary landrieu says the agency may have to stop recovery efforts in the spring of 2012e at 37 minutes past the hour right now. a big holiday weekend, of course, start of memorial day. rob marciano is following the weather for us this morning. >> good morning, again, guys. rough night all the way from upstate new york, northern new england to the deep south. 600 reports of seeing severe weather. most of these wind reports and a lot of winds gusting over 60, 70 miles an hour as far north as saint lawrence county, new york, and northern parts of vermont. for this time of year that certainly is unusual. the front that's causing this has kind of stalled. a lot of places across the northeast that got the strong and severe storms last night will get them today and we're kind of recharging the atmosphere in the central plains. it is this time of year, that doesn't take a whole lot to set the table of severe weather across oklahoma and southwest missouri and that will be on the docket this afternoon and this evening. i-95 looks to be okay. most of the action will be north and we

only two that came out that were outspoken, senator landrieu from louisiana said -- quote -- "the administration has put forward draconian taxes on the oil and gas industry. it seems very contrary to our stated goal of being more energy sufficient. in the united states taxing this domestic industry would increase our dependence on foreign oil. so i want you to deliver ta message again to the administration. we have bipartisan opposition to the increasing taxes on this industry. senator begich from alaska said -- quote -- "the president's proposal would cost thousands of jobs in alaska and across the country. energy companies are among the -- the businesses investing and creating jobs at a time when our country needs them both and i will fight any major entities, et cetera. well, i think it should be pretty obvious without the democrats coming in, these two, and i appreciate the fact that they did, that you're not going to be able to reduce the price of oil at the pumps by further taxing the oil an gas industry -- and gas industry. it's ludicrous to even think that anyone would suggest that you c

senator reid agreed, senator baucus agreed, senator landrieu agreed, senator begich agreed. why aren't we talking about trying to find a way to lower gasoline prices when they are $4 a gallon and going up? the republican plan is very specific. find more american oil and more american natural gas, you find that offshore where 30% of our oil and 25% of our natural gas is produced. you find it on federal lands and you find it in alaska. and then the other part of our equation is use less. we have some agreement with the obama administration on some of these ideas. there are a number of them. jump-start electric cars. senator merkley and i have a bill that is before the energy committee tomorrow to do that. i believe electrifying our cars and trucks is the single best way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. there is legislation to jump-start natural gas for trucks, biofuels from crops we don't eat, fuel efficiency. all of these are various ways to use less. senator thune and senator barrasso performed a service by setting straight the record to show that the united states p

durbin: you know that a landrieu-snowe substitute amendment which is at the desk be agreed to, the bill as amended be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate and any statements related to the bill be placed in the record at the appropriate place as if read. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: i ask unanimous consent the judiciary committee be discharged from further consideration of senate resolution 184 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. res. 184, recognizing the life and service of the honorable hubert h. humphrey, distinguished former senator from the state of minnesota and former vice president of the united states upon the 100th an verse riff his birth -- anniversary of his birth. the presiding officer: without objection, the committee is -- the bill is discharged from committee and the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. durbin: mr. president, first i ask unanimous consent unless i'm already added as a cos

senator landrieu. >> thank you, madam chair. if the committee would just give me one minute of latitude before we get into energy, madam chair. i just want to call everyone's attention to the fact that the mississippi river, as we meet here today, is flowing at an extraordinary historic level. and this committee has jurisdiction over water and energy. and i just wanted to put into the record, madam chair, these statistics that are startling. the river is flowing at 172 billion cubic feet per week, 7.2 billion cubic feet every hour. and as one article today described it, it says it's a snarling powerful beast barging its way south. this committee has jurisdiction, as you know, and as i might say, madam chair, a remarkable job in the course of the last decade to build this mississippi river system. but it's going to be up to us to watch to see how it works in the coming days and weeks and be prepared to do what we need to do to make sure that people are protected should this ever happen again. so i'd like to submit that to the rec

louisiana democratic senator marry landrieu, chaired this hearing. >> i call the subcommittee to word. the -- to order. the purpose of this meeting is to review the coast guard budget and priorities for the coming year. i welcome admiral robert path to discuss these issues and thank you, admiral, for being with us today. i'm joined by my ranking member, senator coates, and the vice chair of the committee, senator lautenberg. i'm pleased to welcome you this morning. this is to review the budget request and examination agency's operational and recapitalization requirements. this is your first appearance before the subcommittee so welcome and congratulations on your new role as commandant of the coast guard. the importance of the coast guard to our nation cannot be overstated. it's one of the five branches of the military and is responsible for the safety and security of our maritime interest in u.s. ports, waterways and the high seas. we will never forget, particularly this senator the heroic efforts of the coast guard men and women who came to our aid after hurricanes katrina and rita,

landrieu: thank you. thank you for answering my question. i will submit many more things for the record. but i will close. we are now over ten minutes extended for the vote. i will please ask the senate to consider voting for the sbir program. if we don't, it will expire on may 31 this year. ms. landrieu: i would suggest a quorum call. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island. mr. reed: i would ask dispensing of the call of the quorum. i have nine unanimous consents for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. i ask that these requests be agreed to and that these requests be printed in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reed: mr. president, i would ask the call of the quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i suggest that the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: with

landrieu: thank you, madam president. i rise to make a few brief remarks about the fact that this week we're celebrating charter school week in america and in the united states senate. i'm pleased to join my colleague, lamar alexander, in cosponsoring this amendment that i hope will be hotlined tonight, and that means passed unanimously without need to bring it to the floor for debate because there are so many members of our senate, both democrats and republicans, that recognize the value of high quality charter schools and the difference that they are making in the advancement of education reform and extraordinary achievements being reached by students and teachers and communities because of them. i'd like to just have a brief statement on the floor and then share some interesting and really exciting statistics from my own experience in the city of new orleans, which is the city that has the highest percentage of children in charter schools in america today. as a parent of two precious and delightful children, i know fir