mr. harry reid. [applause] all of the terrific committee chairs, all the members of congress who did what was difficult but did what was right and passed health care reform, this generation will thank you and the next generation of americans will thank you. this decree was also made possible by the painstaking work of this administration including our outstanding director of health and human services, kathleen sebelius. and one of the unsung heroes of this effort, an extraordinary woman who led the reform effort from the white house, nancy-ann deparle. [applause] today, i am signing this reform bill into law on behalf of my mother, who argued with insurance company -- companies even as she battled cancer in her final days. i am signing it for brian smith who is here today. he runs a small business with five employees and trying to do the right thing to pay half the cost of coverage for his workers. this bill will help them for that coverage. i am signing it for 11-year-old marcellus owens who is also

mr. harry reid. >> but democrat harry reid has some political problems back in his home state of nevada.melling blood. let's go to our cnn national political correspondent, jessica yellin, who is working this story. you had a chance to even catch up with him. what's going on here, jessica? >> reporter: hi, wolf, i did. the senate majority leader is facing a bruising re-election battle. the numbers just don't look good for him. and to complicate matters, wolf, right now the tea party is planning a huge rally in his hometown of searchlight, nevada, tomorrow, with keynote speaker sarah palin who will call for reid's defeat in november. in nevada politics, the stakes couldn't be higher for senator harry reid, his big bet on health care reform, turned into a win in washington, but it's not playing as well with voters back at home. >> with the health care thing, he's -- he's screwing up big time, so he's out. >> legislation -- >> reporter: after four terms in the u.s. senate, the majority leader could lose his job this november. polls show a majority of nevadans don't like him, and only a thir

mr. harry reid. >> harry! harry! >> to all of the terrific committee chairs, all of the members of congress and did what was difficult but did what was right and pass health care reform, this generation of americans will thank you. the next generation will thank you. this victory was made possible by the painstaking work of members of this administration, including our outstanding secretary of health and human services kathleen sebelius garra. and one of the unsung heroes of this effort, an extraordinary woman who led the reform effort from the white house, nancy. where's nancy? today, i am signing this reform bill into law on behalf of my mother. -- who argued with insurance companies even as she battled cancer in her final days. i am signing up for ryan smith who is here today. he runs a small business with five employees and is trying to do the right thing, paying half the cost of coverage for his workers. this bill will help them afford that coverage. i am signing it for a 11-year- old marcellus, who is also here

mr. harry reid.ttee chairs, all the members of congress did what was difficult budget what was right, past health care reform, not just ditch generation of americans will thank you, but the next generation of americans will thank you. and, of course, this figure was also made possible by the painstaking work of members of this administration, including our outstanding secretary of health and human services, kathleen sebelius. [cheers and applause] >> and one of the unsung heroes of this effort, an extraordinary woman who led the reform effort from the white house, nancy-ann deparle. [cheers and applause] >> today, i'm signing this reform bill into law on behalf of my mother, who argued with insurance companies even as she battled cancer in her final days. i'm signing it for ryan smyth, who is here today. he runs a small business with five employees. he's trying to do the right thing, paying half the cost of coverage for his workers. this bill will help him afford that coverage. i'm signing it for 11

mr. harry reid.use] all of the terrific committee chairs, all the members of congress who did what was difficult but did what was right and passed health care reform, not just this generations of americans will thank-you but the next generation will thank you. this victory was also made possible by the painstaking work of members of this administration including our outstanding secretary of health and human services, kathleen sebelius. [applause] and one of the unsung heroes of this effort, an extraordinary woman who led the reform effort from the white house, nancy-ann deparle. [applause] today, i am signing this reform bill into law with regard to the mother who argued with insurance companies as she battled cancer in her final days. i am signing it for ryan smith who is here today. he runs a small business with five employees. he is trying to do the right thing to pay half the cost of coverage for his workers. this bill will help him for that coverage. i am signing it for 11-year-old marcellus col

mr. harry reid. [cheers and applause] to all of the terrific committee chairs, all the members of congress who did what was difficult but did what was right. and passed health care reform, this generation will thank you and the next generation. this victory was made possible by the painstaking work of members of this administration, including our outstanding secretary of health and human services, kathleen sebelius. [applause] and one of the unsung heroes of this effort, nancy [unintelligible] [applause] today, i am signing this re form bill in to a lot on behalf of my mother, who argued with insurance companies even as she battled cancer in her final days. i am sending it for ryanne smith. he runs a small business with five employees. he is trying to do the right thing. this bill will help him of for that coverage. i am signing it for an 11-year- old who is also here. marcellus -- [applause] marcellus lost his mom to an illness. she did not have insurance and could not afford the care she needed. in

mr. harry reid.that terrific committee chairs, all the members of congress who did one of the most difficult but did what was right, they passed health care reform -- not only this generation of americans will thank you, but the next generation will fight it. victory was also made possible by the painstaking work of members of this administration, including our outstanding secretary of health and human services, kathleen sebelius. in one of the on song hyssop -- heroes of this effort, an extraordinary woman who led the reform effort from the white house, nancy-and the paul -- nancy-ann deparle. today i am signing this reform bill on behalf of my mother who argued with insurance companies even as she battled cancer and her final days. i'm signing a four ryan smith who is here today. he runs a small business with five employees, trying to do the right thing, paying half the cost of coverage for his workers. this bill will help them for that coverage. i am signing at 411-year-old marcellus owen -- for 1

mrs. palin hammer senator harry reid in his hometown. >> so harry reid comes from these parts.ou know, he served on the state's gaming commission and what he is doing now is gambling our future. and somebody needs to tell him, this isn't a crap shoot. this is a lot of this is being crap though. >> bill: obviously the left despises that kind of rhetoric. now charges that sarah palin incites violence and sows discord. some on the left fear tea party movement and there is a media strategy to brand tea party people as racist. right in the miami herald over the weekend leonard pitts says this about the tea party quote: are you can see what's emerging. the most ardent critics of president obama is going to be label racist and extremist. the extremist label is being used by some on the right against the president. last week's awful confrontation outside the capital where charges n word was used by anti-obama demonstrators signals how intense this entire issue has become. as the factor reported there is no proof of any racial inventricle that. we do believe harsh words were spoken by a

mr. president, welcome. we are pleased to have you here. senate majority leader harry reidou and i realize when you were a capitol cop and i was working down in the basement of the russell building we would be on this stage with president obama. >> i had a good job. >> he had a good job, he said. of course in that office i worked there was a young lady who also worked there. her name was nancy. this was pre-paul wedding, not necessarily pre-paul but pre-paul wedding. little did we realize you and i would be here at this historic time to participate with our colleagues in this extraordinary effort. america is watching us. some would say this is a partisan effort. they are wrong. this is an effort on behalf of all americans. george w. bush in 2002 said, "all americans should be able to choose a health care plan that meets their needs at affordable prices." bill clinton said the time has come to pull together to work in a bipartisan manner to work on a guaranteed health care coverage to all americans. george h.w. bush in 1992, said a universal comprehensive national health ins

mr. president, welcome. we are pleased to have you here. senate majority leader harry reid, little did you when i realized when you order capital, and i was working in the basement of the russell building that we would be on the stage with president obama. he said he had a good job. [laughter] in that office in which i worked, there was a young lady who also worked there. her name was nancy. this was pre-paul wedding. and a little did we realize that you and i would be here at this historic time to participate with our colleagues in this extraordinary effort. america is watching us. some would say this is a partisan effort. they are wrong. this is an effort on behalf of all americans george w. bush -0- -- george w. bush said all americans should be able to and have a health care plan that meets their needs. the oakland -- george h.w. bush said in 1992 set a universal health insurance program is one of the major unfinished items on america's social agenda. the american people, he said in 1992, have waited too long. gerald ford in 1974 said, let us a firm that this national l

mr. axelrod. that is what strong, independent members do. you'd know that if you had ever worked for one. harry reidcain. reid's spokesman saying for someone who campaigned on country first and claims to take great pride in bipartisanship, it's absolutely bizarre for senator mccain to tell the american people he is going to take his ball and go home until the next election. he must be living in some parallel universe because the fact is with very few exceptions, we've gotten very little cooperation from senate republicans in recent years. senator mccain, deep breath. calm down. you are not the only senator who lost the presidential election and returned to work in the senate. there is a model for how to do this with dignity while fulfilling your oath to serve the people without violating your loyalty to your party. he's a bit younger than you are, but served in the same war. like you, he is a decorated navy man and he has much to teach you about controlling your temper and preserving your dignity. he's right there across the aisle. you can talk to him. he still likes you. the navy bond is stronger t

mr. president, welcome. we are pleased to have you here. senate majority leader harry reid, little did you and i realize when you were a cop and i was working down in the basement of the russell building that we would be on the stage with president obama. >you had a good job, he said. [laughter] in that office in which i worked, there was a young lady who also worked there. her name was nancy. this was pre wedding. little did we realize that we would be here together at this historic time to participate with our colleagues in this extraordinary effort. america is watching us. some would say this is a partisan effort. they are wrong. this is an effort on behalf of all americans. george w. bush in 2002 said, " all americans should be able to choose a health care plan that meets their needs at affordable prices." bill clinton has said the time has come together to come together and deliver health care to all americans. george h. w. bush in 1992 said a universal comprehensive health insurance company -- health insurance program is one of the major unfinished items on america's

speaker's conveyed the frustration of the president -- to the president if she and harry reid would stick their necks out for mr obama's top priority, she what she -- she wanted assurances the president would do so as well. we are in the majority, speaker pelosi told the president. we will never have a greater majority in numbers we have right now. we can make this work. that was from back in january the story from "the new york times". good morning. caller: good morning. i am dead against this bill. i will tell you why. i am 65 years old. the people cannot afford this. if they are poor, how will they afford it? there will go on medicare? i was forced on medicare last november because i turned 65. i save $13 more a month that people who are not and medicare. it will go up for people on medicare. they do not even know about it. i called the social security office to find out why i am paying more than the rest of the people. these are people that will be put on medicare, the poor people, will go on to medicare and cause people who pay all their life into it. i am so displeased with the american people. thank you.

this is in "usa today," an update on harry reid's wife and daughter. both mrs. reid . lana are conscious and according to doctors, their injuries are non life threatening. in the article it goes on to say that jim manely said the nevada democrat went to hospital after being told about the incident, later returned to capitol hill for a meeting with white house chief of staff rahm emanuel and house speaker ned to pelosi on efforts to pass health care legislation. in "the new york times" this morning it looks at the kansas city school system and its decision to close 28 out of 61 schools. the school board was dysfunctional for years, there was very poor governance for a long period of time and it was like a revolving door with superintendents. faced with a $50 million deficit in the $300 million budget, the district decided to close the schools. the plan also calls for the elimination of 700 out of 3000 jobs, including teaching positions. education experts praised the new schools superintendent, who was hired in april from the pueblo, colorado, district, for pushing the c

mr. president. i first want to begin by recognizing the extraordinary leadership of the majority leader, harry reid, chairman baucus, chairman dodd, and chairman harkin, to get it to this point. mr. president, common sense and cost-effective health care is now the law of the land. the question before the senate now is whether we will make some important improvements to that reform or whether we'll respond to the wishes of the insurance industry and others who want to preserve a broken status quo of higher premiums and dwindling coverage for middle-class families. yesterday president obama signed into law a health insurance reform bill that will cut the deficit by $143 billion over the next 10 years, ensure that health insurance companies actually provide americans with the coverage that they pay for, and preserve medicare for our senior citizens. that is no small achievement and it would be a tragedy if the other side of the aisle persists in its efforts to defeat health care reform by seeking to delay and upend the package of improvements in the bill that we are now debating. it sometimes gets lost

mr. speaker, under nancy pelosi's watch. it was under harry reid's watch. and i have stood here on this floor and sat up in these seats and listened to enough debate from this side of the aisle where over and over again democrats in this congress would say, give us the gavels, we'll make it better, we can fix this economy, we can grow this country, we will take care of our national defense, everything will be right again. this is before president obama was even elected to the united states senate. the declarations from this side of the aisle that could you fix everything if you just had to get -- well, you got the gavels. you got the gavels in 2006 and we saw industrial investments spiral downwards and we saw the subprime mortgage crisis spiral even further downwards. and by the way, in 2005 i stood on this floor and i supported raising the standards of underwriting for fannie mae and freddie mac, requiring them to have the same capital -- similar, not exactly the same, capital requirements as the other lending institutions and similar regulations of the ot

waiting for senate majority leader harry reid come out and talk one more time to reporters, perhaps to reiterate what he said to the democratic caucus and maybe expound further. mr. obama saying we're going to get this, that's before he got in there and spoke to the caucus, to nancy pelosi saying, quote, we're on the verge of making history, to senator reid saying, we are going to do this. >> reporter: you're right. there is a balance there. i think in fairness to the democrats who were at that stage, they're stating what is essentially a fact here. they believe they either have or right in the grasp of 216 votes to get this passed. so it is not -- no longer really just a hypothetical. on the other hand, you're right, they can't look like they're celebrating yet and that's not just a supposition on my part. i heard that from the president's top aides that in recent days he's been counseling them in private that, look this can't be a victory lap. that came close to it there, but you also heard him be measured about the job is not going to be done, that's why as dwran noted, the senate majority leader was there. this white house i can assure you from my conversati

mr. president, welcome. we're pleased to have you here. senate majority leader harry reid, little did you and i realize when you were a capitol cop and i was working down in the basement of the russell building that we would be on this stage with president obama. >> i had a good job. >> he had a good job, he said. [laughter] and, of course, in that office in which i worked there was a young lady who also worked there. her name was nancy. and this was pre-paul wedding. not necessarily pre-paul, but pre-paul wedding. and little did we realize, nancy, that you and i would be here at this historic time, to participate with our colleagues in this extraordinary effort. america is watching us. some would say this is a partisan effort. they're wrong. this is an effort on behalf of all americans. george w. bush in 2002 said and i quote, "all americans should be able to choose a health care plan that meets their needs at affordable prices." bill clinton said the time has come together to pull together to work in a bipartisan matter to deliver affordable health care coverage to all a

mr. obama doing? you never asked that about bush, ever. thank you. host: all right. the caller mentioned senator bunning. he was on the floor and had an exchange what senate majority leader harry reidrry reid had to say. >> i support extending unemployment benefits, cobra benefits, flood insurance, i will fix, small business loans, network television for satellite viewers. if we can't find $10 billion to pay for something that we all support, we will never pay for anything on the floor of this u.s. senate. i have offered several ways to do this, including trying to negotiate with the majority leader's staff. none have been successful. we cannot keep adding to the debt. it is over $14 trillion and going up fast. host: senator jim bunning, republican from kentucky, talking about why he has stopped this extension of tax provisions, including unemployment insurance, " or insurance, and other tax provisions from going forward in the senate. this is "the baltimore sun" on how can one senator do this. this is a side story. in a q&a on the side of the story, this is not truly a filibuster out of mr. smith goes to washington. instead, democratic and republican leaders saw to pass the extens

mr. obama doing? you never asked that about bush, ever. thank you. host: all right. the caller mentioned senator bunning. he was on the floor and had an exchange what senate majority leader harry reid. first, let us show you what senator bunning had to say about why he is holding up this legislation, and then we will come back and show you what senator harry reid had to say. >> i support extending unemployment benefits, cobra benefits, flood insurance, i will fix, small business loans, network television for satellite viewers. if we can't find $10 billion to pay for something that we all support, we will never pay for anything on the floor of this u.s. senate. i have offered several ways to do this, including trying to negotiate with the majority leader's staff. none have been successful. we cannot keep adding to the debt. it is over $14 trillion and going up fast. host: senator jim bunning, republican from kentucky, talking about why he has stopped this extension of tax provisions, including unemployment insurance, " or insurance, and other tax provisions from going forward in the senate. this is "the baltimore sun" on how can one senator do this. this is a side story. in a q&a on

harry reid. so this is about whether we keep our freedom, whether we keep the federal government from nationalizing and taking over our bodies like they did general motors and chrysler. i yield back. mr. gohmert: the gentleman from california. mr. lungren: i think a very, very basic question is this. there is a notion of healthy skepticism within our government and our view of government. we grow up with that. that is part and parcel of the constitution. but if you move from healthy skepticism to destructive, not skepticism but cynicism, then you have really ruptured the relationship between the american people and their government. and if we were to ignore the voices of the american people as they have been articulated in town hall after town hall after town hall throughout this country, not just in august, i had my last town hall meeting this monday, 250 people in one of my communities. overwhelming opposition not to some changes in health care. they are not arguing for the status quo. they are arguing against these two visions of health care reform. and they asked me, they begged me to bring a message here from them directly. scrap what you're doing. start over. give us the right