mr. levink that a colloquy between myself and senator durbin be inserted in the record at this time. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection, so ordered. mr. levin: i ask unanimous consent that my statement be inserted in the record at this time as well. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. levin: i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. all time has expired. the question is on the conference report. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. there is. the clerk will call the roll. vote: quorum call: vote:

mr. levin: thank you, mr. president. first let me thank the senator from montana for the extraordinary work that he has put in on this bill for so long, so many months, so many years. thanks also go, of course, to the democratic leader, our majority leader, senator dodd and others who have worked so hard to get us here. we are at a pivotal moment in the long fight to reform our health care system. everyone should by now be well aware of the history, of how presidents of both parties have tried and failed to achieve reform. and of how, after months of painstaking review, we've arrived at this instant, closer than ever to health care reform. it would be impossible to fashion legislation on an issue so massive and so complex on which all could agree on every detail. those seeking perfection will have to look outside this chamber or, for that matter, in any piece of complex legislation. but when they look outside the walls of this capitol, senators will also find problems that dwarf the imperfectio

mr. levin, for three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from -- without objection, the gentleman from michigan is recognized for three minutes. mr. levin: let's be clear what's involved in the pay- fors. the issue of fairness. those who invest their own money will continue to receive capital gains tax treatment, period. those who manage other people's money will have to pay ordinary income tax like everybody else who performs services. there's widespread support for this. one man that was on president bush's council of economic advisors said this, deferred compensation, even risky compensation, is still compensation and it should be taxed as such. when i wrote my book, i opposed different levels of taxation on different types of compensation. this from a former member of president reagan's council of economic advisors, william. the share of investment profits are basically fees for managing other people's money. also, another person who was deputy undersecretary under george h.w. b

amy schatz of "the wall street journal" is joining us, joining in the questioning of mr. levin. we're about 50-odd days away from the national broadband plan being presented to congress, could you give us a status update on that report? >> guest: sure. we have been giving status updates all along. in september we laid out for the fcc kind of what we thought the state of broadband was in the united states. in november we laid out what are the most significant problems we need to deal with, a couple weeks ago we laid out how to think about how to address those problems. and right now we're in the situation where over the holidays we are busy trying to kind of write up our best view of what's in a very, very extensive record, literally tens of of thousands of pages have come in. we've had over 30 workshops where these issues have been debated, we've had a number of field hearings, we've had a number of what are called public notices where we ask people specific questions can, and we're now in the process of taking all that information in, and we'll be talking with the commissioner'

mr. levinmove to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 4284. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 4284, a bill to extend the generalized system of preferences and the andean trade preference act, and for other purposes. mr. levin: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. .13 the speaker pro tempore: without objection. pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin, and the gentleman from michigan, mr. camp, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: madam speaker, i now yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. levin: i rise in support of h.r. 4284. this bill extends two preference programs, the generallyized system of preferences, knowledge as g.s.p., and the andean trade preference program, known as a

mr. levin: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from michigan. mr. levin: mr. president, first on behalf of senator dodd, i would ask unanimous consent that a military fellow in his office, captain joselyn hemler, be graintd floor privileges for the duration of the 2010 defense appropriations bill. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. levin: mr. president, i want to speak for the few minutes i have this afternoon in support the appropriations bill which is before us, the defense appropriations bill. senator mccain and i and other members of the armed services committee spend a lot of time each year authorizing important programs to support our troops, protect our troops, support their families in a whole host of ways and hopefully to authorize funds which can help us succeed in afghanistan and iraq. that bill now is law and in front of us is an appropriations bill which contains most of those same provisions. not all, but most of those same provisions. and it's critically impor

mr. levin: mr. president, many who are filibustering this defense appropriations bill tonight are filibustering because they want to delay health care. they want to delay the health care reform legislation from being voted on. so the bill that provides the funding to support our men and women in uniform who are serving on the front lines, often under arduous and dangerous circumstances, to protect our nation is being filibustered to keep the senate from acting on another unrelated piece of legislation. this is not only unbelievable; it is unconscionable. a 3.4% pay raise for the troops is being filibustered, additional funding for needed medical research in traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress syndrome and to improve the care, the medical care, for our wounded warriors is being filibustered tonight. funding to provide over 6,000 m wrap vehicles -- shows are the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles that are so desperately needed by our troops in afghanistan, is being filibustered t

mr. levine, we're about 50-odd days away from the national broadband plan being presented to congress. give us a status update on that report? >> sure. as we set out in july, we have been getting status updates all along. in september, we laid out for the f.c.c. where we thought the state of broad broadband was in the united states. in november, we looked at the problems we needed to deal with. a couple weeks ago we looked at how to address those problems and right now, we're in the situation where over the holidays we are busy trying to write up our best view of what is in a very, very extensive record, literally tens of thousands of pages have come in. we have had over 30 workshops where these issues have been debated. we have had a number of field hearings, a number of public notices where we asked people specific questions and we're in the process now of taking all that information in and we will be talking with the commissioner's staff and the commissioners, of course, in january, trying to make a recommendation that will helpfully put our country on the right path toward a very h

mr levin ,aye. mr. lieberman,aye. mrs. lincoln,aye. mr. lugar,no. mr. mccabe,no. mrs. castle,aye.mr. mcconnell,no mr. menendez,aye. mr. merkley, aye. ms. mikulskiaye. mr merkowski, no. mrs. mary,aye. mr. nelson of nebraska,aye. mr. nelson of florida,aye. mr. pryor,aye. mr. reed of rhode island,aye. mr. reid of nevada, [laughter] mr. reid of nevada,aye. [laughter] mr rich, no. mr. roberts,no. mr. rockefeller,aye. mr. sanders, mr. schumer,aye. mr. sessions, mrs. shaheen, aye. mr. shelby, ms. snowe,no. mr. spector,aye. mr stabinow, aye. mr. tester,aye. mr thune, no. mr udall of colorado,aye. mr. udall of new mexico,aye. mr.vitter, no. mr.voinivich, no. mr. warner,aye. mr. webb,aye. mr. white house,aye. mr. wicker,no. mr. whiden, aye. mr. bennett of utah, no. this is a hutchinson,no. mr. cochran,no. mr. bennett of colorado,aye. [no audio] mr. sessions,no. [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [applause] mr. sanders -- [laughter] >>yes? >> mr. sanders, aye. mr. shelby -- no. [no audio] [no audio] >> and the other senators wishing to go toward change their vote? the amendment is passed. [no

the problem of what our friends like mr. levin and many other leading economists in the country and positions -- people of high position and economics -- in economics, they know that for 20 years there's been a fight in this country to try and protect investors from unscrupulous activity. we saw seven years ago enron and that's the genesis of where this rule came from. to now sumaryly reverse this rule because the not very nice to have companies spend money to protect their shareholders is very appealing. but we're not talking about -- when our adversaries talk about small business -- it's not hurting small business. these are companies that are registered public companies on the stock exchange and have up to $75 million in capitalization. that's a pretty large company in most places. it certainly doesn't classify itself under government speak to be a small business. what we -- the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. . mr. garrett: i yield 1 1/2 minutes to the the gentleman from texas. the chair: the gentleman is recognized f

mr. levine, we're about 50-odd days away from the national broadband plan being presented to congress. can you give us a status update on that report? >> sure. as we set out in july, we have been getting status updates all along. in september, we laid out for the f.c.c. where we thought the state of broad broadband was in the united states. in november, we looked at the problems we needed to deal with. a couple weeks ago we looked at how to address those problems and right now, we're in the situation where over the holidays we are busy trying to write up our best view of what is in a very, very extensive record, literally tens of thousands of pages have come in. we have had over 30 workshops where these issues have been debated. we have had a number of field hearings, a number of public notices where we asked people specific questions and we're in the process now of taking all that information in and we will be talking with the commissioner's staff and the commissioners, of course, in january, trying to make a recommendation that will helpfully put our country on the right path toward

levin, will be hurt by this bill. senator reid, senator hillary clinton. mr. president, those first $10 billion to spend it on the existing program, get this proposal by the democrats would take 465 billion spend it on a new program. is that true? >> and and a veteran of the senator from montana is on the floor that he wants to enter in here. maybe you could respond to his comments 14 years ago when we were trying to create a new retirement program, which is the object of the senator's bill. we were just trying to enact some savings in the medicare system. and so what did senator baucus said? and above all we must i use medicare as a piggy bank. you know, whenever you send $483 billion in cuts in medicare for? and then the senator from montana said come of that is disgraceful. perhaps some changes lie ahead, but if they do, they should be made for the single purpose of keeping medicare services for senior citizens and people with disabilities. now that we are taking 483 alien dollars out of the system that is failing, that the medicare trustees are going to go

of nevada, baucus, leahy, whitehouse, levin, murray, begich, cantwell, pryor, reed of rhode island, kaufman, franken, harkin, webb, kirk, and bennet of colorado. mr reid: madam president, i move to concur on the house amendment with an amendment which is at the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from nevada, mr. reid, moves to concur in the house amendment to the senate amendment with amendment number 3248. at the end of the amendment, insert the following. mr. reid: i ask further reading of the amendment be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. is there a sufficient second? there is. mr. reid: i have an amendment at the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from nevada, mr. reid, proposes an amendment numbered 3252 to amendment numbered 3248. mr. reid: madam president, i have a motion to refer with instructions which are at the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from nevada, mr. reid, moves to refer h.r. 332

mr. sessions: its a he very distressing that senator stabenow couldn't finish her remarks and that other senators like senator whitehouse and levin and lieberman have been shorted of time. why? because for some reason the majority leader feels like that we shouldn't go past 5:30 tonight. well, that is defense bill, and it is important, and we need to be talking about the good things that are in it and the things that have been added to it that are not so good. and i don't think working a few extra hours is going to hurt anybody, and i think about, as we -- as i hear colleagues complain that they can't work a weekend, they can't work up to christmas, they can't work at night, well, what about our men and women who serve in iraq and afghanistan seven days a week, 12 hours a day, christmas and whholidays they're there away fm their families. so i don't have any sympathy for any member of the united states senate that feels like this is too hard a work for them. and i do not appreciate the fact that we are shut off in debate tonight to be able to talk about this issue that's before us. i see no reason for that to have to occur. and i