mr. coburn, proposes an amendment numbered 1738. mr. coburn: i ask unanimous consent the amendment be considered as read. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. coburn: thank you. the c.b.o. just announced this morning that february was the largest deficit in the history of this country. we have run $690 billion worth of deficits through the first four and a half months of this fiscal year. we will have a $1.6 trillion deficit. this amendment that the senate has voted on before -- it passed with 64 votes the last time it was voted on, and it's a very simple, straightforward amendment. but before i get into the details of the amendment, we need a highway bill. everybody agrees with that. this is the senate of the united states, and the right to offer amendments has been secured finally after two weeks of negotiation. where are we as a country? i think it's interesting to look back fiscal years 2011 and 2001. in 2001, the total bill for the federal government was $1.86 trillion. it is now $3.6 trillion, almost $3.61 trillion. in 200

mr. coburn: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma. mr. coburn: i rise to speak in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. coburn: i'm worried about the senate as a body today. i came down here to the floor, and i listened very intently to the chaplain's prayer, and he asked that we call on the higher wisdom -- not man's wisdom but god's wisdom. and i note with lots of consternation and worry that what is a very fine institution is being put at risk basically through failed leadership. and let me explain what i mean by that. living 64 years and running organizations and running a business, the quality that is most needed in leadership is a quality called "reconciliation." and when that doesn't happen by our leaders -- and i'll not singling any one leader in particular out -- and i'm not singling think one leader in particular out -- but when that reconciliation doesn't happen, it isn't just directly related to the events surrounding that lack of reconciliation. it does damage to institutions. and what we're about to

mr. coburn: there's been a lot of comments made about energy and i have to admit i come from an energy state. a third of our economy is connected to energy in one way or another. and i think the political games that we're playing here are just that. you know, i have a vision that i can see 50 years of prosperity for america on the basis of one thing and that's actually using the wonderful resources that are in our country for our citizens. and extend an opportunity for our kids, in spite of our budget deficits, in spite of our debt, that would enable them to have the same kind of opportunities we've had. and the way that you do that is to utilize the resources. if you look around the world and you look at the most stable countries, you look at canada, what's happening? canada is living within their means, they have fairly low tax rates, they're utilizing their resources, they have trade surpluses. if you look at australia, they have a stable currency. their currency has markedly appreciated compared to the dollar. the canadian currency has markedly appreciated compared to the dollar. and the

mr. coburn: i ask that we have unanimous consent to have a colloquy among us. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. coburn: i listened very intently to the first two speakers this morning, and i have -- as somebody who has now been a physician for almost 30 years, practiced full time for over 25 years, i heard the senator from iowa in what his desire would be in the chart that he showed. he showed 100% screening occurring now in three areas. i want to tell you, that isn't true. we're not screening. we hope to screen and we hope to screen 100%, but the facts are on screening that was available is only used 5% by medicare patients on the screening that was already available with no cost to medicare patients. so we have to distinguish between what we desire and what's actually going to happen. but let's just take the example of colon screening. i'm a colon cancer survivor. i was diagnosed through colonoscopy with colon cancer. but let's take that example and then let's take the example of the other aspect of the affordable care act which is called the inde

mr. coburn: i ask that we have unanimous consent to have a colloquy among us. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. coburn: i listened very intently to the first two speakers this morning, and i have -- as somebody who has now been a physician for almost 30 years, practiced full time for over 25 years, i heard the senator from iowa in what his desire would be in the chart that he showed. he showed 100% screening occurring now in three areas. i want to tell you, that isn't true. we're not screening. we hope to screen and we hope to screen 100%, but the facts are on screening that was available is only used 5% by medicare patients on the screening that was already available with no cost to medicare patients. so we have to distinguish between what we desire and what's actually going to happen. but let's just take the example of colon screening. i'm a colon cancer survivor. i was diagnosed through colonoscopy with colon cancer. but let's take that example and then let's take the example of the other aspect of the affordable care act which is called the inde

mr. president, i ask unanimous consent to engage in a colloquy with my colleague, senator portman, and senator coburn. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. johanns: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, we rise today to engage in a colloquy on an issue that is certainly front and center and has been for a long time in our great nation, and that is the issue of the health care bill. this bill is hurting working americans and small businesses, and they are the lifeblood of our economy. let me, if i might, talk about a company from nebraska, toba, inc. toba is located in grand island, nebraska. they are a food distributor in central nebraska. they employ about 200 to 300 people, depending upon a given time of the year. it is companies like this that really are the heart and soul of the nebraska economy. tony wall is the chief executive officer of toba, and he shared with me recently that their health care premiums recently increased by 26%. tony's insurance agent talked to him. of course tony wanted to know what's going on here. what's wrong? the insurance agent said to tony that there were

mr. coburn, our colleagues, and i'm proud of judge ted poe of texas. our colleague from nebraska, lee terry. former judge louie gohmert in particular. ron paul. all -- the founder of the tea party nation, judson philips. it goes on and on where we are all in agreement that the findings are indeed critical and ought to be left in the bill. to take the findings out is incredible because we say that the federal government shouldn't be involved. it's a state matter. and tort law is itself a state matter. so for those reasons, madam speaker, i am pleased to represent a bipartisan group of members and scholars that very strenuously object to the findings being removed in this woodall amendment. i return the balance of my time. the chair: does the gentleman yield back the balance of his time? mr. conyers: yes, ma'am. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from georgia. mr. woodall: could i inquire how much time i have remaining? the chair: the gentleman from georgia has three minutes remaining. mr. woodall: i yield myself

coburn asked your predecessor, mr. mcswain that what the indian health service was doing to protect the patients and employees and it was a specific hospital he was familiar with, clairemore in oklahoma. they were working with local jurisdictions so law enforcement could protect patients and staff at that facility. four years later. again it was not something that you were charged with, you inherited this problem but it's four years later and there's still not really been an adequate resolution to the problem. can you maybe help address what needs done resolve this matter? >> yes. well we are aware that the issue at clairemore indian hospital is serious and needs to be resolved as soon as possible. i just recently was briefed by staff. it looks like we've been working very closely with the department of justice and the bureau of indian affairs and they have outlined some administrative and possible legislative options. and so the next step would be to decide what our priorities are for those options, and then to consul

coburn asked her predecessor, mr.cswain do with the indian health service is doing to protect patient employees, claremore and in hospital in oklahoma. he indicated the agency was working to resolve jurisdictional issues to local law enforcement could protect patients and staff at the facility. it's four years later and again it is not sent you are charged with. you inherited this problem, but for your site if they're still not banned inadequate resolution to the problem. could you maybe help address the needs to be done to resolve this matter quite >> yes. where were the issue at claremore indian hospital is seriously needs to be resolved as soon as possible. i just recently was briefed by staff. it looks like we've been working closely with the department of justice and the bureau of indian affairs and the outlines an administrative and possible legislative options. and so the next step would be to decide what our priorities are for

mr. barrasso: it does seem that way to me with the fact that two years out, senator coburn and i put together a report on what we're finding, a checkup on the federal health law, and the title is -- "warning, side effects" because there are huge side effects from the health care law. the four that we have written out on the prescription pad as we see it as the prescription pad handed out by president obama, number one is fewer choices. number two, we have higher taxes. number three, more government. and four is less innovation. that's what the american people are seeing of the side effects of this health care law, thanks this they don't want. they don't want fewer choices. they want more choices. people don't want higher taxes. they want lower taxes. they don't want more government. they want less government. they don't want less innovation. they want more innovation. that's what the american people ask for. there was a reason to do health care reform because people wanted the care that they need from a doctor they want at a cost they can afford. and i know that's what my colleague from iowa

mr. barrasso: it does seem that way to me with the fact that two years out, senator coburn and i put together a report on what we're finding, a checkup on the federal health law, and the title is -- "warning, side effects" because there are huge side effects from the health care law. the four that we have written out on the prescription pad as we see it as the prescription pad handed out by president obama, number one is fewer choices. number two, we have higher taxes. number three, more government. and four is less innovation. that's what the american people are seeing of the side effects of this health care law, thanks this they don't want. they don't want fewer choices. they want more choices. people don't want higher taxes. they want lower taxes. they don't want more government. they want less government. they don't want less innovation. they want more innovation. that's what the american people ask for. there was a reason to do health care reform because people wanted the care that they need from a doctor they want at a cost they can afford. and i know that's what my colleague from iowa

mr. coburn: i ask that we have unanimous consent to have a colloquy among us. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. coburn: i listened very intently to the first two speakers this morning, and i have -- as somebody who has now been a physician for almost 30 years, practiced full time for over 25 years, i heard the senator from iowa in what his desire would be in the chart that he showed. he showed 100% screening occurring now in three areas. i want to tell you, that isn't true. we're not screening. we hope to screen and we hope to screen 100%, but the facts are on screening that was available is only used 5% by medicare patients on the screening that was already available with no cost to medicare patients. so we have to distinguish between what we desire and what's actually going to happen. but let's just take the example of colon screening. i'm a colon cancer survivor. i was diagnosed through colonoscopy with colon cancer. but let's take that example and then let's take the example of the other aspect of the affordable care act which is called the inde

mr. coburn: what this amendment does, it ultimately eliminates a state's right to leverage its assets over an amortization schedule and expand its highway system by --. a senator: mr. president, the senate is not in order. the presiding officer: the senate will be in order. the senator from oklahoma. mr. coburn: we're taking money from the states and saying if you have an asset in your state unless you're building a brand-new road you can't use that asset to leverage your capital to build more roads in the state. it's against the tennesseeth amendment, it's morally wrong to take away -- tennesseeth amendment to capitalize its assets. i urge a no vote. the presiding officer: the question is on amendment number 1759. a senator: i ask the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote: vote: the presiding officer: are there any senators wishing to vote or to change their votes? seeing none, on the measure the ayes are 50, the nays are 47. the amendment is agreed to. under the previous order, the senate no

mr. barrasso: it does seem that way to me with the fact that two years out, senator coburn and i put together a report on what we're finding, a checkup on the federal health law, and the title is