mr. burris: thank you, mr. president. before too long, this nation's broken health care system has limped along badly and in need of serious reform. many in washington have lacked either the foresight or the political will to take on this issue. for those would have tried, it's been almost impossible to get anywhere. even today the president's health care proposal is under attack to both right and left. i think we need to do better. controversy should not drown out conservation. the time has come to cast aside, and strengths of partisanship, stop bickering and start talking about real change. the american people have had enough. it's time to get to work. in fact, the facts are plain. tens of millions of americans are uninsured and under insured. and many of these are children. even employers sponsored coverage is in jeopardy. businesses are being drained by skyrocketing costs, and many have cut benefits. high premiums, rising co-payments and expensive prescription drugs are driving american families to the brink. can we s

mr. burris: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from illinois. mr. burris: i'd like to speak as if in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. burris: thank you, madam president. more than 200 years ago, at the height of a humid summer in philadelphia, 56 men affixed their signatures to a document that contained these words -- i quote -- "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." these words expressed a sentiment that could not be realized for all americans until more than a century later. at that moment, the united states of america was born and a declaration signed. a great injustice was woven into the fabric of our nation. slavery, racial segregation that followed have left a tragic legacy that divided this country in the bloodiest war we have yet known. it is a legacy that still affects each and every one of us this day. my colleagues, senator harkin, senator brownback, have introduced a resolution apologizing for slavery, jim-crow laws and policies of segregation and hate. this is often an u

mr. burris: thank you, mr. president. we live in a world divided. international tension and mistrust and even war too accept railt nation from nation -- separate nation from nation. but every two years 10,000 athletes from more than 200 countries come together to celebrate the human spirit

mr. fugate, i know at the university of lafayette 'cause i've seen it perhaps senator burris has a suggestion as well. i'd like to get to my line of questioning, if i could, senator, and we'll come back. i wanted to ask first, mr. fugate, what are your top three priorities? i know you have many. but if you could for this committee because we'd like to work with you, we're going to push. we're going to work with you but push to get the very best systems we can. so what are your top three priorities as you're stepping in to an agency that has, you know, really been at the front line in many ways these last few years? how do you see your top three priorities and i'm certain that you've discussed this with the secretary and with the highest levels of believe administration. so would you outline that for us now? >> yes, ma'am. they're rather broad. they're easy to communicate and they require a lot of moving pieces. my greatest priority is to increase the responsibility of participation of our citizens to prepare for disaster. i truly believe that far too many of us who do not get ready, do not pr

mr. fugate, i know what the endeavor city of lafayette because i have seen it. perhaps senator burris has a suggestion as well. i would like to get my line of questioning if i could. i wanted to ask the first mr. fugate what are your top three priorities? i know that you have many but if you could for this committee because we would like to work with you we are going to work with you, but push to get the very best systems we can so what are your top three priorities as you are stepping into an agency that has been at the front-line in many ways these last few years how do you see your top three priorities? and uncertain that you have discussed this with the secretary and highest levels of this administration so would you outline that for us now? >> yes, ma'am, they are rather broad, easy to communicate and require a lot of moving pieces and simple. my first and greatest priority is to increase the responsibility and participation of our citizens to prepare for disaster. i truly believe far too many of boss who do not get ready and prepare oftentimes put our most vulnerable citizens in

mr. fugate, if you can let me ask senator burris, i know you are just coming in and welcome. do you want to make any brief opening statements or should we go right to the panel? thank you, thank you senator. we are happy to have craig fugate with us who is the new administrative from the muck, and man that i supported and keep my wholehearted support for and many members of the senate. you are

whitehouse, inouye, feingold, dodd, burris, durbin, murray, tester, udall of colorado, klobuchar, reed of rhode island, baucus, merkley, lincoln, cantwell, dorgan. mr. reid: i ask that the mandatory quorum be waived. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. reid: i ask the senate resume legislative session. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask now that we proceed to a period of monk business, senators allowed to speak -- of morning business, senators allowed to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: madam president, let me just say a brief word on the cloture that was not invoked on the travel bill. i hope that everyone understands what obstructionism is. this is obstructionism at its best, and it goes along with what the republicans said they wanted to do and that is stop everything. as indicated in "roll call" newspaper last week. this is a bill that saves the government money, almost a half a billion dollars over ten years. it would create in the first year of the -- after passage of the bill 40,000 jobs. the republicans just killed th this. over

hereby appoint the honorable roland burris, a senator from the state of illinois, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: robert c. byrd, presidet pro tempore. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: mr. majority leader. mr. reid: following leader remarks the senate will be in a period of morning business with senators to be allowed to speak for up to ten minutes each. republicans will control the first 30 minutes and the majority will control the next 30 minutes. the senate will be in recess from 12:30 to 2:15 today to allow for weekly caucus luncheons, to continue work on an agreement to continue the legislative branch appropriations bill, to be able to reach an agreement senators could expect votes in relation to that bill during today's session. mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the "help" committee be discharged from further consideration of h.r. 1777. the presiding officer: without objection. the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 1777, an act to make technical corrections to the higher education act of 1965, and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate proceeds

hereby appoint the honorable roland burris, a senator from the state of illinois, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: robert c. byrd, president pro tempore. ^ mr. reid: mr. president, following the remarks of the leaders the senate will be in morning business for one hour with senators allowed to speak for up to ten minutes and the majority controls the first 30 minutes and the republicans control the second 30 minutes. then the senate will resume consideration of h.r. 1256, family smoking prevention and tobacco control act. last night, cloture was invoked on that matter and we also agreed last night that we would have a vote in relation to the burr substitute amendment at 4:30 p.m. today and i hope we can reach an agreement to consider other amendments prior to the vote in relation to the burr amendment. senators will be notified if any other votes are scheduled. staff is working now trying to come up with a list of amendments we can vote on. the senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15 for caucus luncheons. mr. president, h.r. 31 is at the desk and it is my understanding it is due for a second reading. the presiding officer: the clerk will r

burris. >> thank you madam chairman, and our distinguished panel a good opportunity to listen and learn what we are preparing for. mr. fugate, we know that we can wasn't quite a tornado and we hear about hurricanes but inland a hurricane is a tornado and as we get in the illinois. my home, as a matter of fact, is in tornado alley down in southern illinois. and we just hand in a big storm that came through a few weeks ago that it wasn't quite as the tornado leveled that caused who a tehran were some new name they call for the high rent that reaches 70 miles per hour -- is that correct mr. fugate, is that what they call it? >> that is a one-term, yuma, i also hear a microburst. my experience has been if you lose your roughead is kind of academic paths. >> is a hell of a storm. [laughter] i am hoping this sissons will be forthcoming because unfortunately in southern illinois there is a lot of party -- party and does not that many resources so i hope we can get assistance on that and are you familiar with that request for southern illinois at? >> no, sir, i am not, it could still be at the region. >> it was about six we

burris, a senator from the state of illinois, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: robert c. byrd, president pro tempore. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: mr. reid: i ask that the call of the quorum be terminated. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. reid: mr. president, following leader remarks, the senate will be in a period of morning business for an hour. senators will be permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. the majority will control the first 30 minutes and the republicans will control the next 30 minutes. following that morning business, senate the senate will resume the motion to proceed to s. 1023, the travel promotion afnlgt there will be within hour for debate prior to the cloture on that motion to proceed. senators should expect a vote to begin as early as 11:45 today. the senate will recess, as we do on every tuesday, from 12:30 to 2:15 for our wkly caucus luncheons. mr. president, every day, like every senator, i get mail from men and women across my state. people

mr. burris: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from illinois. mr. burris: madam president, i ask that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. burris: thank you, madam president. i'd like to speak on morning business, madam president. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. burris: madam president, next month, on the 4th of july, this nation will pause to remember the moment when we asserted our independence and declared ourselves free from tyranny. it is a day that all americans hold dear, and rightfully so. but on the 19th of this month -- which will be tomorrow -- many in this country observe another independence day it echoes the ideals laid down in that first declaration. it celebrates liberation from a more oppressive tyranny. it marks a new birth of freedom of the slaves who had been excluded from the promise of the american dream. that is why i am introducing this senate resolution observing the historical significance of that day -- juneteenth independence day. slavery officially ended i

mr. burris: thank you, mr. president. this june we celebrate our diversity as americans as we mark "pride month." in many ways, the struggle of quality is a -- of equality is a singular thread that has woven through the fab i can of american history. from the declaration of independence to the emancipation proclamation to women's suffra suffrage, from school integration to stonewall, the story of this nation is a story of long, slow march for equal rights for every citizen. there's a story of ever great inclusiveness, a tribute to the enduring promise of the american dream. together we can reduce discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity. i believe we can achieve equal rights for all and i believe that our next step in this ongoing struggle must be to secure the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. we must start by stepping up our efforts to prevent hate crimes it's hard to believe that it's been over a decade since matthew shepherd was brutal the

mr. burris: thrieblgd speeg on two different issues on morning business. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. bur is: thank you, mr. president. i rise today to applaud senator lincoln and senator snowe for their leadership and commitment in introducing senate bill 1222. this legislation would revise and extend existing empowerment zones, renewable community and enterprise community rules. it seeks to make these programs more effective and ensure that the incentives work as intended. i'm proud to be a cosponsor of this important measure. congress created empowerment zones, renewable communities, and enterprise communities to spur economic growth and create job opportunities. cities like east st. louis and chicago, illinois, have received tax incentives for $5.3 billion. these incentives encourage businesses to open or expand and to hire local residents. they include employment credits, low-interest loans, reduced taxation on capital gains, and other incentives. unfortunately, some of the programs have not operated as intended. a few major hurdles ha