mr. lautenberg: mr. president, today marks a time in america that must always in the future be remembered. it can't be forgotten because it was the worst day on american soil in modern times, the worst day. it was the attack on the world trade center in new york, shanksville, pennsylvania, the fact is right here at the pentagon, there was an attack as well, and the -- these attacks put together such a horrific toll that we must constantly be reminded, and we are every day of the year, we are reminded that -- how terrible this attack was. it was an unimaginable thing. the picture that we saw on tv this morning, if anyone turned on a tv, on almost every station there was a picture of the strike at the world trade center, an airplane running into it, and the first thing that was thought -- and unfortunately, i was out of the country when this took place and i heard about it on the radio, and saw people in the country that i was in weeping for the giant america. so we thought it was an accidental thing. we'r

mr. lautenberg: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from nother is recognized. -- the senator from new jersey is recognized. mr. lautenberg: i ask unanimous consent that further calling of the roll be be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. lautenberg: madam president, this week the leader of the republican party -- their candidate for president -- was seen in a video speaking at a fund-raising meeting with wealthy campaign donors in florida. in the privacy of the event, mitt romney spilled to the donors there what he really thinks about half of the american people. that's over 150 million people. he disparagingly said, 47% of americans support president obama simply because they don't owe federal income taxes or they're getting benefits from a government program. and just to make sure that there's no misquote here, this is the -- mitt romney's statement. he said, "there are 47% who are with him" -- him being president obama -- "who are dependent on government, who believe tha

mr. lautenberg: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. lautenberg: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that i speak as if -- the presiding officer: we are in a quorum call. mr. lautenberg: -- in morning business and that we dispense with the calling of the quorum. the presiding officer: without objection. the senator from new jersey is recognized, and without objection, he's recognized as if in morning business. mr. lautenberg: mr. president, we're at a moment in time when americans across the country are confused by what they're hearing and they -- it's hard to discern the truth from the fiction. and one of the proposal that's being talked about is the republican nominee for vice president, paul ryan, is known for his budget proposals. and we have to look at them squarely and we have to decide what's reliable, what's true, and what is, as i said earlier, fiction. those proposals cut taxes for the rich, raise taxes on the middle class while abandoning the sick, the poor, and our children. the ryan budget can only be good for one very small group of am