mr. markey: in real life, working women earn their insurance coverage. it's part of their pay, and they depend on insurance to pay for their health care, including contraception for themselves and for their families. if that employee's choice of insurance doesn't pay for a particular type of contraception, a woman will be forced to give up her right to use it. if one form of contraception costs, as justice ginsburg explained in her dissent, $1,000 and insurance won't cover even a penny, a working woman is going to be forced to make medical decisions based on the religion of her employer, the religion her employer practices. not on what she and her doctor determine is best for her from a medical perspective. the religion of the employer trumps the recommendation of a physician to a woman. and this is just a step that changes the whole relationship twean an vipped and their country -- between an individual and their country. if a corporation's insurance doesn't cover any contraception because all contraception, all contraceptives violate the employer's rel

mr. markey, who is now a senator, introduced h.r. 1507, that deals with the social security act and makes this illness, a comprehensive alzheimer's disease diagnosis part of the medicare program. there's a bill introduced by republican, mr. guthrie, it's the alzheimer's accountability act. and this one basically says, ok, there's a plan, how are we doing with the plan? what is the plan to deal with alzheimer's research, the support necessary, and would require that a report be prepared every year so that we can keep track of progress or lack thereof? i like that bill because i think accountability is really important for us. ultimately these will be our decisions. you can jump in on any one of these you may be involved in. mr. roskam: if yuled yield -- if you'll yield. i'm a co-sponsor of both of those pieces of legislation. one authored by a republican, one authored by a democrat. and i think the point is, there's got to be a sense of clarity, we have limited resources here. there is an incredible upside in the outyears in particular if we wrestle this disease to the ground, and that not

markey. >> thank you, mr. chairman very much and thank you for allowing me to introduce my great friend, the incredibly talented victoria reggie kennedy who has been nominated by president obama to serve on the board of governors of the united states postal service. vicki kennedy is a public service powerhouse for our country. a brilliant, gifted attorney, adviser and public servant. vicki will be an outstanding member of the postal service board of governors. she will bring intellectual rigor, innovative and strategic ideas, leadership, and her endless energy to this post. indeed, vicki's career is singularly suited to the postal service board at a time when it needs public servants as dedicated and creative as vicki. it pushes the frontiers of communication, rain or shine, through war time and peace. vicki will bring that same steadfast service to the board. and a wealth of expert teeth. when she was a partner at a major law firm she helped banks reorganize and recapitalize. at a time when efficiency and fun

mr. markey. >> thank you madam chairwoman. mr. o'neal documents show that in 2001 delphi engineers drew up two signs -- two designs for the gm ignition switch. the main difference between the two designs was the one that failed dramatically, the 2006 switch had a spring that were shorter and less stiff than the other one and it was that spring that caused the switch to fail to meet gm specifications and cost the key to so easily turn the engine off. why was the weaker spring used in the actual vehicle rather than the stronger one, which was clearly available simultaneously in 2001? >> senator our investigation into that portion of the evolution of that switch actually supports what mr. valukas also uncovered in the original specifications were sort of a target and then assess which evolved from a developmental standpoint mr. ray did georgiou also wanted a switch that had a certain tactile feel and by that i mean it would feel a certain way, as smoothness as you moved it from one position to another trade that believes description

mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator markey. going to have a second round because, if senator blumenthal doesn't ask a second round, i'm not going to speak to him. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i would -- >> before you start -- >> i would respectfully request another round. >> before you start, i'm going to give can my conclusion -- give my conclusion. i think this whole thing is nothing more than it's all about the money. i think it's uncreative, i think it's nasty. it's like pornography, in my mind. what's toic between the one -- to pick between the one and the other? in fact, what you're doing is much more dangerous. i'm ashamed of you. i don't know how you go to sleep at night. i don't know what gets you to work in the morning. except the color green of dollars. i've never said anything like that before, but i've never in hi 30 years on this committee have i ever heard testimony such as given by you sole two, and by you sir. what i want to do is sented you to the -- send you to the middle east. you should go to the middle east

mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator markey. all i can say is after listening to that introduction to our nominees, whenever i'm nominated by some president some day, i want ed markey to introduce me, too. i think even i could get confirmed with an introduction like that. senator markey, thank you so much. it's great to see you. and over to your left shoulder, my old friend crise. tha chris. thanks for joining us. i always feel like i should ask you to come and sit here, senator dodd. i'm told it's against the rules. that's where my shattheart is. senator markey if you need to leave, we should be done here by 9:00 tonight, but if you need to slip out before then, feel free to do that. >>> before we proceed with your statements, we have this thing about committee rules. committee rules require that all witnesses at nomination hearings like this one give their testimony under oath. i'm going to ask if you would all please stand and raise your right hand. here we go. do you swear the testimony you will give before this subcommittee

mr. hochstein. senator markey is not here for his sermon on what the export of natural gas will do to prices here in the united states, but let me ask you about what the market barriers are to u.s. natural gas reaching europe. the administration's quick to remind us that they're approving licenses here as quickly as they can and others are quick to remind us that there's only 25% of capacity being used currently at european term nols and there's another 35-plus terminals that are scheduled to be built. so with respect to the market, what's the barrier that's -- that would stop potentially licensed u.s. natural gas exports from ending up in europe? >> senator, to be honest, i think you answered your question very well in your own question. at the end of the day, we have provided license -- granted licenses over 90 bcm of gas already. these are company that is actually have to now build the infrastructure here in the united states so that they can export it. price plays a big role in this and if you look at what the

mr. hochstein. senator markey is not here for his sermon on what the export of natural gas will do to prices here in the united states, but let me ask you about what the market barriers are to u.s. natural gas reaching europe. the administration's quick to remind us that they're approving licenses here as quickly as they can and others are quick to remind us that there's only 25% of capacity being used currently at european term nols and there's another 35-plus terminals that are scheduled to be built. so with respect to the market, what's the barrier that's -- that would stop potentially licensed u.s. natural gas exports from ending up in europe? >> senator, to be honest, i think you answered your question very well in your own question. at the end of the day, we have provided license -- granted licenses over 90 bcm of gas already. these are company that is actually have to now build the infrastructure here in the united states so that they can export it. price plays a big role in this and if you look at what the

markey. >> thank you, mr. chairman. that back to dig durbin, was a historic debate on the house floor. that was the beginning of the banning of smoking on airplanes in the united states. we are in your debt for that day. it changed the whole course of history. from lung cancer. he smoked two packs of camels a day. said heme at age 12, he knew i would be starting to smoke very soon he said to me at age 12. that is when he started to smoke and heat knew i would. as wasurging me not too my mother. my father knew then that when he started smoking may be in 1930 at the same thing would be true when i was a boy and the same thing is true today for boys and girls. that is when the temptation is greatest and why we have to be most aware. the marketing to them is what makes it seductive and then once you got them got them for life. that is why we're having this hearing because the marketing of this is sollure of superficially attractive that we know all of history tells us it is targeted at young people, at kids, and it has always been that way. i miss my father and i wish he had never smoked t

markey? >> thank you, mr. chairman. ambassador sherman, there has been a lot of discussion amongst nuclear nonproliferation experts about the potential for a proliferation cascade in the middle east. if iran were to obtain a nuclear weapon. it's critical that the current negotiations succeed in preventing iran from developing a weapon, but even if under a final agreement, iran retains a domestic uranium enrichment capable, i am concerned this could still raise fears in the region and prompt other states to reconsider their contingency plans and nuclear posture. it has been reported the both saudi arabia and jordan are interested in pursuing nuclear cooperation agreements with the united states. how will we be able to convince these countries, partners to agree not to demand the right to enrich uranium as part of these agreements if we allow iran to maintain its enrichment capability, especially since we concluded a nuclear cooperation agreement with vietnam that allows vietnam to enrich uranium as well? >> thank you, se

mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator markey, thank you to the witnesses. we'll leave the record open until 5:00. we'll appreciate your prompt responses. we have a superb second panel. let me tell you who we will have. we are fortunate to have jim jeffrey, currently at the washington institute on policy. lieutenant mike barbara who served four years in iraq. he's traveled to iraq six times in the last year while serving as the director of the joint i am pro miced explosive device defeat organization. finally, dr. ken poll lack who has been a respected doctor for the national security council and now at the brookings institute. this is a superb panel and we're glad to have everyone here. let me tell the panel and the audience, i apologize, the challenge of being on the second panel, everyone has questions and it's unfortunate that all will not be here to hear you live and we really do appreciate you being here because it's very important and your written statement which was very strong and obviously included in the entire record, we'd like you each to take about five minutes to have you speak begi

markey. >> thank you, madam chair. mr. o'neill, documents show that in 2001 delphi engineers drew up two designs for the gm ignition switch, two designs. the main difference between the two designs was that the one that failed dramatically, the 2006 switch has a spring that was shorter and less stiff than the other one. and it was that spring that caused the switch to fail to meet gm's specifications and caused the key to so easily turn the engine off. why was the weaker spring used in the actual vehicle rather than the stronger one, which was clearly available simultaneously in 2001? >> well, senator, our -- >> excuse me. >> our investigation into that portion of the everybody lieu of that swigs that mr. valukas mentioned. it was the target and as the switch evolved from a developmental standpoint, mr. ray degiorgio also wanted a switch that had a certain tactile feel. and by that i mean it would feel a certain way, a smoothness as you moved it in one position to another. and i believe the description of that desired feel

senator markey became a senator and while he is in the senate began all these investigations into herbalife, after spending as much as an hour meeting with mrwhat is going on there? >> well you know, we have a system, pay to play. if you want to have influence you will have to make donations. understand, however, even if this is not securities fraud, there may be consumer fraud here. there could be very valid charges that poor people are being exploited. it just doesn't appear to bear at all on the stock price. this is a profitable business. and market seems to sense it will continue as before. david: for all the charges ackman is making against herbalife i would make a accusation against senator markey, do you think senator markey is a bagman for ackman. >> i think that is much too simple. i think there could well be valid charges here. multilevel pyramid schemes, they have always been on the gray side the market. i think we'll leave this to regulators to decide. david: we've had the evidence, ackman presented his evidence, so-called. comes from a former bloomberg reporter named christine richards, she is author of a book called, "the conf

markey, a senator from the commonwealth of massachusetts, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: patrick j. leahy, president pro tempore. mr. reid: mr. president, following my remarks and those of the republican leerksd the senate will be in a period of morning business until 12:00 noon today. during that period of time, senators will be permitted to speak up to ten minutes each. the time will be equally divided and controlled between the leaders or their designees. at noon shall th, the senate wio executive session and provide to votes on three nominations: julian castro, mayor of san antonio, texas, to be the secretary of house being and urban development, darci vert, and william adams to be chairperson for the national endowment of the humanities. there will be roll caught votes on the nomination of the castro nomination and we expect voice votes on the vetter and adams nominations. following that there will be a motion to proceed to s. 2363. we expect that vote to be by voice also. senators should expect one roll call vote today at about noon. mr. president, s. 2569 is due for its second reading i'm told. the presiding

markey, a senator from the commonwealth of massachusetts, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: patrick j. leahy, president pro tempore. mreid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: what is now before the senate? the presiding officer: the senate under previous order is now in leader time. mr. reid: mr. president, following my remarks and those of the republican leader, the senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to s. 2569, with the time until 11:00 a.m. equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees. at 11:00 a.m., there will be a roll call vote on the motion to proceed to invoke cloture on the motion regarding the bring jobs home act, s. 2569, followed by voice votes on the following three nominations -- confirmation of julia aikins clark to be general counsel for the federal labor relations authority, confirmation of andrew shapiro to be ambassador of the czech republic, and qirnlings -- mr. president, i have a colloquy between the republican leader, senator boxer, and me. i ask consent it be placed in the record. the presiding officer: withou

appoint the honorable edward markey, a senator from the commonwealth of massachusetts, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: patrick j. leahy, president pro tempore. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: i move to proceed to calendar number number 459, s. 2578, protect women's health from corporate interference. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: motion to proceed to calendar number 459, s. 2578, a bill to ensure that employers cannot interfere in their employees birth control and other health care decisions. mr. reid: there are two bills at the desk due for second reading, mr. president. the presiding officer: the clerk will read the titles of the bills for the second time. the clerk: s. 2609, a bill to restore states sovereign rights to enforce state and local sales and use tax laws, and for other purposes. h.r. 5021, an act to provide an extension of federal aid highway, and so forth and for other purposes. mr. reid: i would object to any further proceedings regarding these bills at this time. the presiding officer: objection having been heard, the bill will be placed upon the calendar

subsidies for outsourcing, it would very the money in markey by offering a 20% tax credit for businesses that decide to bring jobs back to the united states. mr. presi, this legislation is one piece of a larger conversation congress ought to have about what the tax code should look like in the 21st century economy. what are the values it should reflect? what are the incentives it should provide? these are important questions we need to answer, and the bring jobs home act is an initial step to achieve fair and reasonable reform. i've been a long-term proponent of the tax form to streamline and simplify the federal tax code because i'm convinced, i think like the presiding officer, that with certainty and predictability, it would lead to job growth in our country. last week colorado reported its unemployment rate was 5.5%, the lowest since 2008. we can do more, and this bill is one of the best places to start. let's join together and support this commonsense legislation so that we can reward companies that restore and create made-in-america jobs, jobs that shore up our economy and bolster our global competitiveness. thank you, mr. president. i