mr. inhofe: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that after the -- the presiding officer: quorum call is in progress. mr. inhofe: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call in progress be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. inhofe: i ask unanimous consent that at the conclusion of the remarks by the senator from texas, that senator boxer, i understand, wants to speak for 10 minutes and that i be recognized after senator boxer for about 10 minutes. that's going to be about the time frame that we'll have. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. inhofe: i observe the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: mrs. hutchison: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from texas. mrs. hutchison: mr. president, i have, i believe, about seven -- the presiding officer: corker is in progress. mrs. hutchison: i ask unanimous consent to lift the quorum call. mrs. hutchison: i'd whriek to, before i start talking on the

mr. inhofe: mr. president, i know that we're rotating back and forth. right only one on the floor -- i'm the only one on the floor requesting time. i ask unanimous consent that i be recognized for let's say 15 minutes. i probably won't use that much time. but i ask to use that. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. inhofe: mr. president, let me -- first of all in response to what the senator from texas talked about, this is very significant. i happen to be maybe one of the few who voted against the last three extensions that were requested. these one-week extensions, that's no way to run government, i understand that. this one is different. i rejoiced when i saw that we had an opportunity to pass a one-week extension that would do three things, number one, substantial cuts, not these imaginary things that we've been talking about. and, number two, continue the funding for what we must do in israel for the end of this fiscal year. and most importantly, and i say this as the second-ranking memb

mr. inhofe: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma. mr. of all, let me thank my good friend from new york for allowing me to have this time and kind of change, rearrange. while i do appreciate his generosity, i have to say i don't agree with what he said. and that comes as no surprise to my friend from new york. i would only make one comment. one statement that i heard him say toward the end of the -- of his comments was, "every other country in the world would do it this way." that's the whole crux of it right there. i often wonder, if you look at the other countries, they are hay all trying to get to our system. they all envy america for its system of freedom, of health delivery, and you wonder sometimes if -- if government owned -- if government-run health care is better. and that's what this is. that's what the obama administration is trying to do. if it's better, then why is it it doesn't work anywhere? it doesn't work in canada, the u.k., in a of the other places s and yet they always say, it'll work here. a lot of my liberal freeness

mr. inhofe: i object. madam president, i was scheduled for 10 minutes immediately following the senator from louisiana. if he would amend his u.c. to include my 10 minutes, full minutes following him, i would not object. mr. vitter: i would be happy to do that. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. vitter: thank you, madam president. so i introduce this important legislation today, and i thank senators paul and lee and moran for joining me in addressing this critical issue. i invite all the members of the senate to join me in doing this. and i -- i yield the floor, madam president. mr. inhofe: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma. mr. inhofe: we hear a lot about the disaster, the things that are taking place and the loss of lives in libya and many other places, particularly the last few months, with you going seemingly unnoticed is probably just as great a disaster that's happening in coat did a -- cote d'avoir as we speak. the incouple dent president gbagbo was claimed

mr. inhofe: mr.nt, i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be -- the presiding officer: without objection. mr. inhofe: mr. president, i'm going to come back at 4:00 today because there's something that's going on with all the people that are talking about the atrocities in libya and throughout the middle east. there's one more atrocity that's taking place right now in a country called cote d'ivoire in west africa. and i want to make sure that i get on record in that i believe our state department ask wrong in the position that they have taken -- is wrong in the position that they have taken on this. we can right now avert a real tragedy, something maybe comparable to what happened in 1994 in rwanda with the genocide. so i want to come back and talk about that, but i'm going to do that sometime around 4:00 this afternoon. in the meantime, the business at hand is the amendments -- are the amendments to the small business act. the amendment that has been most talked about and is the one that i have

mr. inhofe: thank you. mr. president, i would like to speak this afternoon about an issue that i believe is paramonth -- mr. hoeven: thank you. mr. president, i would like to speak this afternoon about an issue that i believe is paramount to control our deficit. i want to begin by tell ug a little bit about my home state of north dakota. that's because today while much of the nation is greatly challenged by a recession and joblessness, north dakota is strong, arguably the strongest that we've been at any time in our history. the reason is jobs. last week north dakota at 3.7% once again has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation, a distinction that we've held since june of 2008. nationally, as you know, the picture is much different. as i speak, nearly 14 million americans are still out of work. the rate of unemployment is hovering at nearly 9%. where it has been for many months. another 8 million americans are underemployed, working part-time because their hours have been cut or they haven't been ail to fin

inhofe? >> thank you mr. chairman. i'm sorry about the votes coming up.i think you're doing the right thing though, although we would all like to have more time to ask questions. what the first of all talk to the commissioner cloud and director neslin. you didn't say what percentage of the wells would be hydraulically fracked. been have a percentage of the state of oklahoma and colorado there would be using that technology? .. especially in pennsylvania. could you tell us how this water is disposed of in your two respect escape? kind of briefly. >> certainly. in colorado, a majority of water resistor circuit overuse. we talk about the disposal, final disposal, 60% is deep underground. 20% of the evacuated. about 20% is just charged a surface water understate water quality permit that do contain environmental health-based standards. >> in oklahoma, we recycle most of the phrack water come up when it's used if we have 10,500 injection cells be put the watertown, fluid sound. >> so it's roughly the same as they're doing in colorado. how do your agencies resp

mr. inhofe: mr. president, first of all, i want to compliment my good friend, senator coons from delaware, for something he has done just recently along with senator isakson as the chairman and the ranking member of the african subcommittee of the senate armed -- senate foreign relations committee. they have responded to my request to have a hearing on the tragedy, things that are taking place right now in -- in cote d'ivoire. but let me mention -- there's only one thing i take issue with, a letter that's gone out to make a request. one sentence -- i'm going to read it. it says, "mr. bag bo, "mr. gbage targeted innocent civilians, including women as well as united nations missions." i only want to get into the record, i've already done this, i've given three very lengthy speeches about what's happening over there. i've been there i'm sure more than any other member of the united states senate. and i would just say that if you read "the guardian," the british "guardian," in there, i'm quoting now, the

inhofe. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i want to point out that there are other points of view within pennsylvania regarding the need for federal intern prevention. kantor attention. -- or federal intervention. according to secretary cransier, pa. already requires the regulation of frack fluids. because of a long history of oil and gas development and comprehensive regulatory structure, pennsylvania does not need federal intervention to ensure an appropriate balance between resource development and protection. i want to submit two studies from penn state university regarding the economic impact. the studies found a marcellus activity generated $3.9 billion in value-added, $389 million in state and local tax revenues, and more than 44,000 job. by 2020, x -- employment would expand by 200,000 jobs. state revenues would exceed $1 billion. penn state university, i am quoting from the 2009 study. this proposes to regulate fracking water. i would like to submit the testimony from the ground water protection council. that is a na

mr. chairman, and ranking member inhofe, thank you for inviting me to testify today. i'm pleased to be here to discuss natural gas production and epa's role in ensuring that public health and the environment are protected. let me begin by remarks by saying that natural gas is a very important fuel for our country. it can enhance our domestic energy options, reduce our dependence on foreign supplies, and serve as a bridge fuel to the future and to renewable energy sources. if produced responsibly, natural gas has the potential to improve air quality, stabilize energy prices, and provide greater certainly about the future and energy preserves. as president obama said in a recent town hall meeting, recent innovations have given us the opportunity to tap large reserves of natural gas, perhaps a serge re's worth in the shale under our feet. now we have to make sure we are doing it safely without polluting the water supplies. in addition, the president has ordered the epa, department of intier your, and department of energy to work together with industry, environmental comm

mr. chairman. >> thank you very much, senator inhofe. thanks very much for holding this hearing and giving me the opportunity to co-chair it with you. let me begin by saying, our thoughts and prayers go out to all the citizens of japan, and the victims in this difficult time. as this tragedy unfolds i encourage the nuclear regulatory commission to continue to coordinate with the japanese government to provide assistance. in the events that struck japan are reminders that we are vulnerable to unexpected disasters. while we cannot predict when or where the next major disaster will occur, we know it will occur and we know that adequate protection, adequate preparation and response planning are vital to minimize both the injury and death when it does happen. today's hearing is one of many i hope that this committee will have to make sure our nation has prepared for the worst in order to prevent any lives lost from nuclear power in this country. the united states, we have, as you know, 104 nuclear power plants which generate a fifth of our na

mr. chairman, and ranking member inhofe, thank you for inviting me to testify today. i'm pleased to be here to discuss natural gas production and epa's role in ensuring that public health and the environment are protected. let me begin by remarks by saying that natural gas is a very important fuel for our country. it can enhance our domest energy options, reduce our dependence on foreign supplies, and serve as a bridge fuel to the future and to renewable energy sources. if produced responsibly, natural gas has the potential to improve air quality, stabilize ergy prices, and provide greater certainly about the future and energy preserves. as president obama said in a recent town hall meeting, recent innovations have given us the opportunity to tap large reserves of natural gas, perhaps a serge re's worth in the shale under our feet. now we have to make sure we are doing it safely without polluting the water supplies. in addition, the president has ordered the epa, department of intier your, and department of energy to work together with industry, environmental communit

inhofe? >> thank you mr. chairman. i'm sorry about the votes coming up. i think you're doing the right thing though, although we would all like to have more time to ask questions. what the first of all talk to the commissioner cloud and director neslin. you didn't say what percentage of the wells would be hydraulically fracked. been have a percentage of the state of oklahoma and colorado there would be using that technology? .. especially in pennsylvania. could you tell us how this water is disposed of in your two respect escape? kind of briefly. >> certainly. in colorado, a majority of water resistor circuit overuse. we talk about the disposal, final disposal, 60% is deep underground. 20% of the evacuated. about 20% is just charged a surface water understate water quality permit that do contain environmental health-based standards. >> in oklahoma, we recycle most of the phrack water come up when it's used if we have 10,500 injection cells be put the watertown, fluid sound. >> so it's roughly the same as they're doing in colorado. how do your agencies res

inhofe? >> thank you mr. chairman. i'm sorry about the votes coming up.i think you're doing the right thing thgh, although we would all like to have more time to ask questions. what the first of all talk to the commissioner cloud and director neslin. you didn't say what percentage of the wells would be hydraulically fracked been have a percentage of the state of oklahoma and colorado there would be using that technology? .. >> we initiated the first projects in oklahoma 50 years ago. there has been focused on the disposal of water, especially in pennsylvania. tell us how this water is disposed of in your states. >> in colorado, a majority is recycled to be reused. if we're talking about final disposal, about 60% is 3 injected deep underground -- re- injected deep underground. about 20% is evaporated. about 20% is discharged under water quality permits. >> in oklahoma, we recycle most of the water. we have 10,500 injection wells that we put the fluids down in. >> it is roughly the same as in colorado. how do your agencies investigate groundwater complaints

inhofe. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: so, mr.nt, just resuming my remarks, paul ryan, the author of that blueprint, called it the path to prosperity. mr. president, it may be a path to austerity, but it is hardly a path to prosperity. nonetheless, with the negotiations finished just days ago on last year's budget, congressman ryan has succeeded in jump-starting the debate about next year's. the president himself will join this conversation about how to do long-term deficit reduction in a major address tomorrow at g.w.u., george washington university. this is a debate we must have, and the president's entrance to it comes not a moment too soon. it will make for a powerful contrast with the republicans' plan. e contrast we will hear from our president tomorrow will kely not be in the commitment to deficit reduction. paul ryan's goal in his budget is to trim the deficit by by $1.6 trillion over the next ten years. he does not succeed in meeting this target, according to c.b.o. in fact, budget experts say his proposal only achves ach

inhofe. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i think most of the questions on libya have been asked and i suspected that would be the case. there's one other one that's sensitive, i think, somebody has to say it. there have been several reports about the presence of al qaeda in the -- among the rebels and among with whom we are associated. what are your thoughts about that? >> sir, we are -- as you can imagine, we're examining very closely the content, option, who are the leaders in the opposition forces? the intelligence that i'm receiving at this point, makes me feel that the leadership that i'm seeing are a responsible men and women who are struggling against colonel gadhafi. we have seen flickers in the intelligence of potential al qaeda, hezbollah, we've seen different things. but at this point, i don't have detail sufficient to say that there's a significant al qaeda presence or any other terrorists presence in and among these folk. we'll continue to look at this very closely. it's part of doing due diligence as we move fo

inhofe. senator reid. >> thank you very much, mr. chairman. thank you for your service and testimony today. admiral stavridis, the president has quite rightly ruled any ground forces entering libya from the united states. but there are at least looking ahead and there is the possibility that through many possible outcomes, gadhafi regime departing swiftly or rebels ejecting it, that there would be a need for some stabilization on the ground. is that something that nato is considering? >> sir, i wouldn't say nato is considering it yet. i think when you look at the any fact of nato, having gone through this as many on the committee have with bosnia and kosovo, it's clear that the possibility of a stabilization regime exists. and so i have not heard any discussion about it yet. but i think history is in everybody's mind as we look at the events in libya. >> the events are obviously moving fast. >> i understand. >> let my ask another question which is related is that as you pointed out in your opening testimony, significant number of forces in afghanistan are nato forces or european allies. wha

mr. speaker, i'm opposed to h.r. 910, the upton-inhofe dirty air act because this bill is an extreme and excessive piece of legislation and it's simply bad public policy. this bill will ignore the warnings from the respecting scoin tific community simply because policymakers do not like what that science is telling us and it will face earnings and profits above protecting the american public. i applaud the obama administration for making the clear and unequivocal statement yesterday that the president would veto this bill if it ever made it to his desk. mr. speaker, every respective, every notable scientific organization, including the national academy of sciences, the american association for the advancement of science, the american geophysical union, the american meterological society, the u.s. global change research program as well as the intergovernmental panel on climate change, are all in agreement that man made greenhouse gases do contribute to climate change and that these impacts can be mitigated through policy to curb these emissions. additionally, mr. speaker, many of the nati

mrs. hutchison: thank you, madam president. madam president, let me just say that i've introduced legislation. i have cosponsors casey, inhofe, snowe, murkowski, collins, ayotte and hoeven. it is the ensuring pay for our military act of 2011. it's very simple. it just ensures that in the event of a federal government shutdown -- which i do not want to happen and do not support -- nevertheless, our military will be paid. it also will allow anyone that is serving our military -- civilian, defense employees or contractors who do the food services -- to also be able to go to work and not have to worry about what is going to be happening back home if you're in a tent in afghanistan. i so hope that we will be able to pass this bill. i don't want one more minute of stress on our military. the bill is very simple and it is very short and very clear. our military personnel and their support will not be affected by a government shutdown. madam president, i hope that i can have more colleagues signing up. we have introduced senate bill 724, and i hope that we can get a vote on this bill in very short order so that this is off the table

mr. waxman: i rise in support of the rush amendment. the problem of national security is threatend in two ways by the inhofe-up ton bill. it increases our oil dependence, because we take away the tools for addressing this oil dependence but not allowing e.p.a. to set tighter efficiency standards which reduces our demand for oil. and secondly, it takes away our tools to deal with the problem of climate change itself. former senior military officers wrote to us and asked us we not undermine the clean air act. they are concerned this will increase our dependence on oil and such dependence is truly dangerous. in 2009, 12 retired generals and admirals described how our oil dependence funds terrorism and puts money in iran and venezuela. iran gives weapons to hezbollah. and climate change is going to bring about more refugee flows and catastrophic natural disasters. that is a threat to our national security. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan is recognized for 30 seconds. mr. rogers: when you shut down production of oil and natural gas in the united states, we have to import more because

inhofe would follow me? the presidg officer: the senator has used 10 minutes. did the senator wish for more than ten minutes? mr. schumer: i did. and that was the intention of my unanimous consent request. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: thank you, madam president. i'll be finished in aittle while and i thank my colleague from oklahoma. so the bottom line is the house republican budget would cause the cost of health insurance to rise and then would make seniors pay a greater share of that higher cost. it is a cut in benefits plan -- it is a cut-in-benefits plan, plain and simple. if we are serious about reining in medicare spending, there's a far better starting place than the ryan budget. it's the health care law passed by congress last year. republicans are patting themselves on the back lately for leading on entitlement reform, but when it comes to reining in the runaway costs of medicare, the truth is the president did it first and he did it better. in the health care law, mr. president, we certainly didn't complete the job but we made a good start on reducin waste, inefficiency and d

mr. cornyn: i thank the chair. madam president, moments ago i sent to the desk a resolution on my behalf as well as that of senator collins, senator blunt, senator lee, senator roberts, and senator inhofe relating to the military operations in libya. and i'd like to speak for just a few minutes about that and about my concerns. like all of our colleagues, i respect our troops and honor them and of course their sense of duty which obligates them to do whatever the commander in chief has directed them to do. and, of course, i respect the role of our president as commander in chief. but i've grown increasingly concerned that the role of congress, in consultation and in communication with the white house on matters of such grave import to our country and our men and women in uniform as intervening in a foreign country, that the powers of congress have seemingly been ignored or certainly erode. we know this is not new. since world war ii, to my recollection, the united states congress has never exercised its authority under article 1, section 8, of the constitution to declare war. instead, we've had something other than a war declared by congress, but most often with communication and consu

mr. inhofe: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma. mrs. boxer: madam president, the senate is not in order. the presiding officer: may the senate be in order. the senator from oklahoma. mr. inhofe: thank you, madam president. i think we learned something just in the last half-hour, and that is that 90% of the members of this body, of the united states senate, do not think that the e.p.a. is qualified to regulate greenhouse gases. they voted against the baucus amendment, the stabenow amendment, the rockefeller amendment. i refer to those as cover amendments. you don't get much cover when they get less than 10% of the vote. now is the chance to do something. if you really want to do something that is going to stop the overregulation that is so offensive to the majority of people in this, we can do it with the inhofe-mcconnell amendment. first of all, the cost of this we know what it is going to be. the cost is going to be in the neighborhood of $300 billion a year, the largest tax increase in the history of this country. secondly, what do yo