mr. feingold. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from wisconsin. the senate will sus -- the senator will suspend. the senators will remove their conversations from the well. mr. feingold: rescinds any earmark that sat on the shelf of the department of transportation for more than 10 years without more than 10% of it being obligated or spent. it also requires a report by the o.m.b. on how many of these old, unspent earmarks are at all federal agencies, this would save an estimated $626 million in the first year and more down the road as other unused earmarks hit the 10-year milestone. i know many senators support transportation spending to support jobs in supporting the crumbling infrastructure, but these unwanted earmarks do nothing to create jobs or fix roads, the boxer and murray support the amendment. i hope it passes easily. the presiding officer: who yields time in opposition? a senator: mr. president? i yield my minute to mr. inhofe. the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma. mr. inhofe: before you start the clock, i'd like to get orde

mr. feingold: thank you, madam president. madam president, i rise today to offer an amendment with senators coburn and sherrod brown, to make a small but necessary step toward addressing the growing problem of federal deficits. this is the second time in as many weeks that we're offering this amendment and i hope that we will be able to have a vote or get it accepted on the f.a.a. reauthorization bill. the underlying bill we're considering reauthorizes many vitally important programs, including investments in our aviation infrastructure, such as long overdue modernization of air traffic control, and while i support many of these investments, i think it is also critically important that we take a close look at where our spending can be cut as we try to address the loom deficit. -- looming deficit. now, of course, my amendment won't come close to solving this whole looming problem but it will make a dent as we try to get our financial house in order and make the tough choices to avoid burdening future generations with debt. the

mr. feingold: now to pass this bill is the next step. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the senator from montana. mr. baucus: i yield seven minutes to the senator from florida. the presiding officer: the senator from florida is recognized. mr. baucus: a very valued member of the finance committee. mr. nelson: thank you, mr. president, and thank you, mr. chairman. for the first time as a nation, we're recognizing that people have a right to not be destroyed by sickness. and under the senate bill passed by the house and signed into law yesterday by the president, folks are no longer going to have to choose between their health and their pocketbooks. parents will no longer have to worry about whether they can afford to get their kids to the doctor, and seniors won't have to wonder if medicare will still be there -- be there for them several years down the road. health care reform doesn't mean people won't have to continue taking responsibility for themselves. the bill we passed, and even the one that we're now debating, improves health care affordabili

mr. chairman. >> thank you very much, senator feingold. senator demint? >> thank you, mr. chairman. thank you, madam secretary. i appreciate your professionalism representing our country all over the world. the more i delve into foreign policy, the more i believe you probably have the hardest job in the administration. a couple of points, first i want to thank you for your leadership in honduras. as you know that was a situation that appeared to be moving out of control and i think you and your department have got it on a good track trying to restore relationships within and around honduras. i get very good reports there from what the state department is doing. let me just mention a couple of things. in iran, obviously, that's a big issue. my concern is timing. you've, i think, taken an international leadership role in, i think, raising the pressures levels but the people in israel and their concern that -- well, my concern is that we may be only a few months away from some type of action that could destabilize the region. and i don't sense in the congress the urgency of timing here

politico reports that tommy thompson is considering running against russ feingold. mr.itical aides. it meetings go well, an exploratory committee might be set up near the end of march according to the former state secretary. bill holder announced today that he will challenge blanche lincoln in this year's democratic senate primary, the clearing in a video that washington no longer works for families across arkansas. a former clinton administration official, he was elected lieutenant governor in 2006. >> today, part ii on a hearing on reconstruction contracts in iraq and afghanistan. representatives from the u.s. agency of international development talk about interagency coordination and a proposed new government oversight agency to reduce waste and fraud. live on c-span 2. >> today, house majority leader, steny hoyer, talks about the president's recently created bipartisan fiscal commission with recommendations for reducing the federal deficit. watch his remarks live today on c-span. >> tonight, patrick leahy kicks off the technology exhibition that highlights emerging

mr. demint: thank you, madam president. my amendment is cosponsored by senators mccain, graham, coburn, grassley, lemieux, feingold.s an identical bill that has 16 cosponsors, including senator burr, chambliss, cornyn, crapo, johanns, kyl, mccaskill, sessions, a number of others. this is an amendment for a one-year moratorium on earmarks. the fact that we're even having this debate shows how out of touch congress is with the american people. i've had a chance over the last week to speak to thousands of americans in several states, and you will you have to do to get them on their feet cheering is saying the time for excuses and explanations is over. it is tile to end the practice of earmarking and people will stand up, people of both parti parties. they understand that earmarks are the most offensive form of government spending. they're westfu wasteful pork-bal projects to curry favor to small constituents back home and special interest groups. we've heard the excuses for years. it is time to end this practice. i've introduced in bill before. at the time, president obama was running for the president of the united s

mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the committee report a substitute amendment be considered, that a feingold amendment at the desk be agreed to the substitute amendment as amended be agreed to, the bill as amended be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be placed in the record at appropriate place as if read. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. dorgan: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on thursday, march 11th. that following the prayer and pledge, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day and the senate proceed to a period of morning business for one hour with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the majority controlling the first 30 minutes and the republicans controlling the next 30 minutes. that following morning business the senate resume con

mr. feingold: mr. president? the presiding officer: senator? mr. feingold: i ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be set aside so i may call up amendment number 3368. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection, so ordered. the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator wisconsin, mr. feingold, proposes amendment numbered 3668. mr. feingold: i ask that the reading be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. feingold: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that senator coburn be added as a cosponsor. the presidingthe presiding officer: without objection. mr. feingold: i rise too offer an amendment to take a small step toward addressing the growing problem of federal deficits. the underlying bill we are considering would extend many vitally important programs, including various tax provisions unemployment benefits cobra health benefits, and other provisions to help the millions of americans who have lost jobs or are just struggling in this economy to get back on their feet again. now, while i support th