quorum call: quorum call: mr. casey: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from pennsylvania. mr. casey: i would ask that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. casey: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the period for morning business be extended until 7:00 p.m. with senators permitted to speak for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. casey: and i would note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: mr. brown: thank you, mr. president. i ask unanimous consent to dispense with the quorum call. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. brown: we're in morning business, correct? the presiding officer: the senator is correct. we are in morning business. mr. brown: thank you, mr. president. products that are labeled "made in china" can be found in our cars and our closets and our cupboards. so, too, are the ingredients in the foods we eat often, the medicine we take, the candy our children enjoy, the toys

mr. casey: mr. president, i ask that the quorum call be vitiated.ding officer: without objection. mr. casey: mr. president, thank you very much. i rise today on this afternoon to honor william h. gray iii as i have every year since my election to the united states senate, starting back in january of 2007. i've come to the floor at this time of year in commemoration of black history month. this year we're privileged to honor a man who is outstanding accomplishments are of vital importance to african-americans but as well to all of america. for his entire life, bill gray has been a minister and a shepherd for his congregation, his constituents, historically black colleges and universities, and to all americans in need of a stronger voice. i've known bill gray for a quarter of a century, and i know his life's work is a testament to a single principle, one that has infused all of his work at the bright hope baptist church in philadelphia, as a member and leader in congress, and with the united negro college fund. bill believes in the principle of a -- q

mr. chairman i wouldn't get too locked in. the goal is to get people to speak their peace and frankly, i'd like to yield to senator casey and senator kyl. >> mr. chairman, just a couple of different items. you can parse in a lot of different ways but the statistics from crs and the office of personnel management are what they are. federal employees on average make a whole lot more than people in the private sector. the taxpayers that pay our

mckay see i should think and the majority isn't going to bring mr. casey for. as far as i know he is the only attorney general that a document in front of him to even mention the programs, some of those programs, although it doesn't indicate he authorizes or even condoned. but certainly if that element, trying to find out about more facts would he be someone i would think it would be worth talking to and we've not been given an opportunity. we could explore reforms and mr. bond is as you implemented in the atf directors and become what statutory changes about an traffic and things might be involved, but the committee doesn't seem the least mature doesn't seem interested in doing that. we seem intent, we continue to chase what seems to be a political agenda, trying to find out that somebody in the administration, you in particular, somehow acknowledge or authorized or condoned this operation. if that were the case it would seem to be a good witness for us to talk to be mr. mehlman. mr. nelson i should say who was then acting atf director. mr. cummings has asked

casey. >> thank you mr. chairman and secretary clinton. thank you for being with us. thank you for appearing before us. one on pakistan and then iran. this august senator winehouse, bloomenthal and bennett and i traveled to afghanistan and pakistan with one focus of the trip. this question about ieds and you sent a letter you may have gotten and want to ask about that topic. we wanted to focus your attention on what the pakastanis have done or not done. i would argue that despite the assurances they gave us on our trip and assurances that they would take this matter more seriously and implement the plan they had that they presented to us. it's my judgment to say that they are slow in implementing that and focussing on the networks that are moving these parts that become the foundation of these roadside bombs and whatever we refer to them as that are killing our troops on a regular basis in afghanistan or wounding them. let me ask you one question. as a predicate to that as well, we want to thank you for your determined leadership. you have been persistent in pushing t

casey. >> thank you, senator baucus, mr. chairman. mr. chairman, you started this morning by reading what the words say, which is important. it is temporary. it's assistance to needy families. and i think it's really about two issues, really. one is trying to achieve self-sufficient efficiency in the lives of people who have really struggled, and also getting back to work, which is vital. i think that's why we're getting the kind of consensus we are. in program is a lifeline for families that have be so devastated, especially in the aftermath of this recession. and i know there are a lot of reforms that the committees of jurisdiction can deal with and should deal with. but i also believe that getting an agreement right now to extend this is very important. just this fall, the joint economic committee, the democratic staff put together a report entitled "assessing the impact of the great recession on income and poverty across the states." obviously it outline and highlighted the poverty increases for all americans. but i thought it was unf

. >> in pennsylvania to bob casey, who is not exactly mr. excitement. that is a concern about santorum. and people also, i hear people go to him as much as they agree with him, give him crosses and they say god bless you, they do worry about his viability in the long term because he doesn't have a lot of money, because he has a shoe string organization. and they also want him to be more angry. they always say that. we want you to be more passionate. we want be to be angrier. he says that he doesn't think that the republican party wants an angry nominee. they want to like the candidate. >> and he's trying to grow his vote outside of the group telling him so he has to ignore them a little bit. where does -- he's done well with evangelicals, did well in iowa. where does he go now? >> they think they're going to play in michigan. going to be there next week. it's romney's home state. but he thinks again, this blue collar message of being able to sit at the town halls with rerg americans that he thinks that is where he's got some legs. states like iowa. he w

mr. chairman. i have a few remarks and pass it over to senator casey. senator casey will lead off a bit on payroll. i think senator kyl will be our lead off on sgr. it's back to the payroll tax. just a couple of numbers here to help confirm its importance. it expires and it will be a tax increase on 160 million american workers. i don't think we want that. i think that would include 600,000 employees in the state of montana. clearly, expiration would hamper economic recovery. we all want unemployment down. we want to do what we can to help boost the economy. extending the payroll tax will help in that regard. economists that i have seen are pretty much in agreement that gdp growth would decline by about 1.3% or about $200 billion if it were to expire. i think americans who experienced the tax cut need it for one more year. that will give it a little certainty d confidence that congress is not a yo-yo in acting up and down. i think certainty and predictability is very important here. i urge us to work together to extend it. it does help our economy. i wo

casey stegall. >>> president and mrs.lan to host eight service members and their families next week at the white house. the military men and women will represent all branches of the services. mayor eldrige singleton will represent california. >>> facebook plans to introduce premium adds. people who are friends with a premium app will be shown. tim cook says the world's most valuable company has more cash than it needs. at the annual shareholders meeting said the company may be willing to part with it. it may be consideration a stock dividend. it also says apple is beginning to unveil mind blowing new product this is year. >>> it is only the second video of its kind to go public. a look at one of the darkest days in nasa history. >>> back here in 10 minutes, your bay area weekend is basically here. i'm going wow, look at this bed! this nightstand! this wardrobe! what are you doing here? you're in ikea. my dream bedroom is in ikea? yes. what's that bedroom over there? that's your husband's dream bedroom. whatever your style

casey stegall. >>> president and mrs.lan to host eight service members and their families next week at the white house. the military men and women will represent all branches of the services. mayor eldrige singleton will represent california. >>> facebook plans to introduce premium adds. people who are friends with a premium app will be shown. tim cook says the world's most valuable company has more cash than it needs. at the annual shareholders meeting said the company may be willing to part with it. it may be consideration a stock dividend. it also says apple is beginning to unveil mind blowing new product this is year. >>> it is only the second video of its kind to go public. a look at one of the darkest days in nasa history. >>> back here in 10 minutes, your bay area weekend is basically here. i'm going to have your weekend forecast. we'll talk about the cool down that's coming to your neighborhood. >>> and new rules on dna testing, who can be tested and when. ' how did we do it last time? i don't know... i forget. he

mr. chairman. >> senator casey. >> thank you mr. chairman. thank you for appearing before us. i have two questions. one first on pakistan and then on iran. with regard to pakistan this august, senator whitehouse, senator blumenthal and senator michael bennett and i traveled to those afghanistan and pakistan was really one focus of the trip and that was this question of the ied and the material components thereof. and the four of us to send you a letter just recently that you may have gotten a number of days ago and i would just about that topic. to focus your attention on the pakistanis have done or not done despite the assurances they gave us on our trip and i mean assurances that the highest level of their government that they would take this matter more seriously, that they would institute a plan that they had in writing and that they would present it to us and it's my judgment that they have been to say that they are very slow in implementing that especially focusing on the networks that are moving these component parts that become the foundation of the roadside bombs that

mr. chairman, i wouldn't get too locked in. [inaudible] i would yield to senator casey. >> mr. chairman, just a couple of items here. i think you can parse this a lot of different ways. the statistics, however, from crs and from the office of personnel management are what they are. federal employees on average make a lot more than people in the private sector. taxpayers that pay our salaries would like to see some shared sacrifice here, whatever happened to that concept that we've heard so much about, about shared sacrifice? people social security didn't receive a cola for two years and he didn't receive any other increased. they understood the reason for that, as i've mentioned in our last meeting. arizona public employees have received an increase in five years. the reality is that washington works, the people work in washington are very well paid and we have very good benefits. and the people that pay their salaries are the ones that are going to be, are going to be making a lot of different sacrifices in a lot of different ways here. i think it's fair to ask federal employe

. >> if there's no further speakers, mr. 11 >> a think commander -- senator casey. >> we're trying to have one speaker per side. if there's a senate republican who would like to speak, i think that is who is up next. >> i would not get to locked in, because the goal is to let people speak their piece. >> just a couple of items. the statistics from crs and the office of personnel management are what they are. federal employees on average make a whole lot more than people in the private sector. the taxpayers that pay our salaries would like to see some shared sacrifice here but what happened to the concept with heard about shared sacrifice? people on social security did not receive an increase in two years. they understood the reason for that. arizona public employees have not received an increase in five years. the reality is, washington -- the people who work in washington are very well paid, and we have very good benefits. the people that pay their salaries are the ones that are going to be are going to be making a lot of difference sacrifices in many ways. i think is fair to ask fed

mr. chairman. i will keep my remarks short. on the democratic side, senator casey will read off on the payroll, and i think senator kyl will lead off on s.g.r. with respect to the payroll tax, just a couple of numbers to help confirm its importance. it expires, the payroll tax cut expires, there will be a tax increase on 160 million american workers. we do not want that. that includes 600,000 employees in my state of montana. clearly, the expiration would hamper economic recovery. we all want unemployment down. we want to boost the economy. at extending the payroll tax cut for a year will happen that regard. the economist i have seen are pretty much in agreement that gdp growth would decline by about 1.3%, or about $200 billion if expires. americans who have expressed the payroll tax cut for a while now, if it is extended one more year, that is about as much as it should be, that will give certainty and confidence to americans that congress is not a yo-yo, enacting provisions without certainty. predictability is very important here. i urge us to work together to th

i think senator casey was going to say a few words? >> thank you, senator baucus, mr. chairman. i think this is a positive development that we are developing consensus. mr. chairman, you started this morning by reading what the words say, which is important. it is temporary assistance to needy families. i think it is about two issues are really. one is trying to achieve self- sufficiency in the lives of people who struggle, and also getting people back to work, which is vital. that is the kind of consensus we are. this kind of program is a lifeline for families, especially those so devastated in the aftermath of this recession. i know there are a lot of florence b. committees of jurisdiction -- a lot of forums the committees of jurisdiction can deal with and will deal with. the democratic staff put together a report entitled "assessing the impact of the great recession on income and poverty across the state." obviously, it outlined the poverty, the poverty increases for all americans. but i thought it was unfortunately emblematic to highlight one or two of the points. 1 in -- on

chairman casey could not be here, and i am pleased to stand in for him this morning. i would like to welcome acting commissioner this morning as well as mr. thomas narden, acting assistant commissioner for employment and unemployment statistics, and the associate commissioner for prices and living conditions. want to make a couple of overall comments about the economic recovery before diving into this month employment numbers. in the second half of 2011, economic momentum picked up. the labor market continued to strengthen, adding 100,000 or more jobs for four straight months. additionally, we learned last week that the gdp grew at a 2.8% annual rate in the fourth quarter, an improvement over the previous three quarters of 2011. though inventory rebuilding accounted for much of that growth. there are other encouraging signs. the manufacturing sector continues to show strength. the i s in manufacturing index reading of 54.1% in january marked the 30th consecutive month of expansion in the manufacturing sector, and the unemployment rate has been moving in the right direction. during 2011, the national unemployment rate fell from 9.4% to 8.