mr. coburn: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma. mr. oburn: i wanted to spend some time today talking about the bill that's on the floor. i want to thank my colleagues from both oregon and from virginia. i've enjoyed working with them. the bill we have on the floor is one of the reasons why i'm leaving congress at the end of this year. because here's -- and here's why the american people are disgusted with us. we're going to put off to tomorrow what the we should be g today. we should be fix this go probl problem -- we should be fixing this problem instead of delaying the problem. i concur a lot with what my colleague from virginia said. but the fact is, is there's no courage, there's no guts, there's no intention to actions to do what is the best thing in the long term for this country in this body anymore. so we have a bill that comes to us. i appreciate the fact the chairman wants to try to fix it. but if you vote for this bill that's on the floor today, you're part of the problem, you're not part of the solution. you are part of the

mr. lee: on behalf of senator coburn, who isn't here today, i object. now, my understanding is --. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mr. lee: my understanding senator coburn's objection is based on the lack of a pay-for in this proposal. there is, however, an amendment introduced by senator vitter that addresses this concern, that fills this gap. and so, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the veterans' affairs committee be discharged from further consideration of h.r. 3521 and then that the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. and i also ask unanimous consent that the vitter amendment which is at the desk be agreed to, that the bill as amended be a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table. ms. landrieu: would the senator yield for a question? would that be mod? the presiding officer: does the senator yield for a question? mr. lee: yes. ms. landrieu: i understand the house of representatives passed this bill, h.r. 3521, i'm going to get the exact vote in a minute, but i think they might have passed it 400-plus to whatever --

mr. chairman. >> next, q&a with oklahoma senator tom coburn. your calls0 a.m., and comments on "washington journal." >> today, experts and authors will discuss human rights in north korea. live coverage at the brookings institution begins at 3:00 eastern on c-span. >> the first thing i would do is cable tvhe largest second-largest cable tv company. that is where i would start. my job here on the judiciary , at these hearings, is to raise my concerns. mr. cohen is a really smart guy and a really great guy. my job was to ask some tough questions. they have 107 lobbyists on .apitol hill they are swarming capitol hill, their lobbyists. hundred thousand people, more than a hundred thousand people write neither objections. so the first thing i would do is stop this deal. i would not let this go through. is up to theme, it fcc and the doj. >> senator franken on the warnerd comcast/time merger. this week on q&a, the republican senator from oklahoma talks about his health, his relationship with president obama and his thoughts on the state of congress a

coburn next week, and i yield the floor. a senator: i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: mr. blumenthal: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from connecticut. mr. blumenthal: thank you, madam president. i ask that the quorum call be lifted. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. blumenthal: thank you, madam president. madam president, yesterday's hearing of the commerce committee subcommittee on consumer safety provided a powerful and important moment in our legislative process. and i want to thank my colleague, the chairman of the subcommittee, senator mccaskill, for enabling us to come together, as well as my other colleagues on both sides of the aisle, senators klobuchar and boxer and senator ayotte, for their very insightful and significant questions and comments on a challenge that should unite on both sides of the aisle. tragic events, death and life-changing injuries to unsuspecting drivers who were victims of a defective ignition switch in automobiles manufactured by g.m. a car defect that should have been fixed disclosed and remedied before th

mr. warner: i originally was going to engage in a colloquy with senator portman on a very important piece of legislation that we and stowe senator coburn and senator carper have been working on for two years. he had to leave but will come back. so unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of calendar number 337, s. 994. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 337, s. 994, a bill to expand the federal funding, accountability and transparency act of 2006 and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. warner: i ask unanimous consent the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the carper substitute amendment which is at the desk be considered, the carper amendment be agreed to, the carper substitute as amended be agreed to and the bill as amended be read a third time and passed with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. warner: mr. president, after the last exchange, i would point out that the senate now has acted on a very important piece of legislation

mr. toomey: madam president, this is the same legislation. for is same reason on behalf of senators coburn and cruz, i object. the presiding officer: the senator from montana. mr. walsh: in the far northwestern corner of montana is one of the most special places on earth, the north fork of the flathead river. it's a gravel bed river that starts in british columbia and runs along the western half of graisher national park before arriving in flathead lake. the north fork is a world-class trout fishery with bull trout and cutthroat trout sharing the same waters that grizzly bears rely on for huckle berries. montanans have always enjoyed rafting, hiking and fishing and hunting in it. today about two million people visit glacier national park each year bringing $170 million into the local economy and supporting 2,750 jobs. for 40 years, montanans have fought to keep the north fork pristine. my colleague, senator jon tester and i are committed to taking this across the finish line. 40 years ago, montana and british columbia reached an historic agreement to protect the river on both sides of the