mr. mccain: madam president, i yield the floor. mr. nelson: i respect greatly my colleague from arizona and his concern about spending. i share that. the presiding officer: i'm sorry, go ahead. mr. nelson: i share that concern. and as it is noted, the increase in the spending requested in the appropriations bill is about 2.4%. while $200,000 is a lot of money and it certainly is a lot for people today i think it's important to point out that this is associated with a the legislative branch in the following matter. the durham museum is seeking to provide a public service of federal interest making it appropriate to promote a public-private partnership. the funding of the project in this bill is only 10% of that total cost. the durham museum will be privately raising the remaining 90% and occur all ongoing operating costs. $200,000 requested to this bill for the durham museum is to begin the brez vacation and digitalization of the museum's photo archive collection that will create new jobs, preserve our history and improve access to thes

mr. mccain: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: i ask unanimous consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mccain: mr. president, i send a resolution to the desk and ask for its appropriate consideration to be placed on -- referred to the appropriate committee. the presiding officer: the resolution will be received and appropriately referred. mr. mccain: mr. president, the resolution that i, on behalf of myself, senator lieberman, and others, is exactly the same as has been introduced by congressman berman and pence in the house of representatives. it's the exact same resolution, expresses support for all iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties and rule of law, and for other purposes. the resolution expresses its support for all iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties and the rule of law. it condemns the ong

mr. mccain: madam president, i rise to discuss two issues this morning, health care reform, and also the pending supplemental spending bill that, according to news reports does not include the senate language that explicitly allowed president obama to keep photos of detainee abuse during the bush administration confidential. i want to thank my friend, the republican leader from kentucky, who has shown such impressive leadership on as he describes probably the most important -- domestic issue, certainly, that will be addressed by this congress. i look forward to working with my colleagues over the next few weeks on legislation reforming our current health care systems. america is looking to congress to enact health care legislation that's provides all americans affordable access to health insurance and the ability to choose the health insurance policy that fits each american's need. just yesterday it was reported that 62% of americans support congress enacting a major overhaul of the health care system according to a diego poll. i believe health care should be available to all and not lim

mr. mccain: mr. president, i take the floor this afternoon to discuss the issue of importation of prescription drugs and the amendment which is 1229, which is now pending but may be made nongermane because of a vote, if cloture is invoked. there's also been some discussion about the fact that i am holding up the bill because of my desire for this amendment. i'm not. i'm simply asking for 15 minutes or even 10 minutes of debate and a vote. and i understand that there's other amendments such as one by senator lieberman and one by senator burr also that should be considered. so i want to point out that i'm not holding up the bill nor put any hold on the legislation. the fact is that importation of prescription drugs is certainly germane and should apply to this legislation before us. last week the majority leader was kind enough to say that he would see about this amendment and when it could be considered, and has just informed me that he has discussed the possibility that it be brought up on the health

mr. mccain: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: tomorrow the committee on health, education, labor and pensions will begin consideration of a 615-page bill that seeks to reform our nation's health care system. this bill introduced by senator kennedy and others just last week has very grand ambitions. we all agree that health care reform is necessary. we all agree that congress must act. but we must not act recklessly. we must not act with haste and political expediency. health care reform will affect each and every american, and we must do it right. i strongly believe that we have to start over and act in a truly bipartisan manner to address the issue. unfortunately, the legislation before that committee seeks to enact a massive government-run health care program that intrudes into the lives of all americans by making decisions on each american's choice of doctors, employer health plans and insurance providers. and it leaves major questions unanswered. every american should know the answer: how much will this massive expansi

mr. mccain: well, let me say to the majority leader -- mr. reid: i have the floor, madam president. mr. mccain: would the senator yield? mr. reid: yes, without losing the floor, i would be happy to sure. mr. mccain: i would say, i am very aappreciative of the difficulties that he neighs on a bill of this nature and the challenges that -- of amendments and nongermane and also it's -- the difficulties that he faces in managing legislation. this issue has been around for a long time. could i say to my friend from nevada, it's been around for a long time. we should address it. it is important to the american people. it really does have a lot to do with the -- with the pharmaceuticals in this country and i availability. and i would point out -- and its availability. and i would point out again to the distinguished majority leader, there shouldn't be a lot of debate on this. i mean, people have taken their positions. but i also know that farm -- and i have an -- but i also know that pharma -- and i also know that i have an e-mail that was sent, from pharma, to not have a debate and vote on it.

mr. mccain: mr. president, i -- there is a news report from the associated press entitled "iranian police use force to break up protests. tehran, iran, riot police attack hundreds of demonstrators with tear gas and fired live bullets in the air to disperse a rally in central tehran monday, carrying out a threat by the country's most powerful security force to crush any further opposition protests over the disputed presidential election. witnesses said helicopters hovered over head as about 200 protesters gathered at a square, but hundreds of antiriot police quickly put an end to the demonstration and prevented any gathering, even small groups, at the scene. iran said at least 17 protesters have been killed in a week of unrest after the electoral press said that ahmadinejad was the winner are of the elections. severe restrictions on reporters have made it almost impossible to report on any demonstrations, clashes an casualties. iran has ordered reporters from foreign news agencies to stay in their off

mr. mccain: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: mr. president, as we all know, health care dominates the agenda and the thoughts and efforts of the congress of the united states, and it has to be addressed. and it is an historic opportunity to achieve the health reforms that americans need today more than ever. we need fundamental reforms, reforms that not only help people get affordable health care coverage, but reforms that bring down the costs of health care. given the enormous costs associated with the bill that's been proposed, i called on the other side to scrap the bill and start from scratch. we've got to get it right. it shouldn't be a partisan process that forces a bad bill through committee. in starting over, we must address the fundamental components of health care reform, including the major drivers of increasing health care costs. one of the main factors keeping health care cost trends too high is defensive medicine. ask any doctor, ask any practitioner, they order additional procedures for fear of litigation, which drive

mrs. boxer: madam president, i just want to be heard briefly. we just heard senator mccain attack this bill that's before us that primarily funds two wars and takes care of our wounded warriors, invests in new hospitals for them to be treated for their brain injuries, helps them with their child care, and singly starts us on the path of bringing our troops home from iraq -- something that president obama promised to do and changes our focus in afghanistan which has really been very scattered and focuses us on routing out the taliban who really make it possible for al qaeda to thrive. so this bill protects the american people. now, i've been very clear. i've said i want to see this afghanistan policy work. i said i'm going to give it this year for that to happen. and i hope it does happen. because we were attacked by al qaeda. we were attacked by osama bin laden. we were attacked because al qaeda had sanctuary in afghanistan, and instead of going into afghanistan the way we should have, we shortchanged that mission that i voted to go into and turned around and went into iraq

mr. mccain: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator arizona. mr. mccain: i say i appreciate very much the wise words of the senator from georgia, who has been heavily involved in health care issues, dating back to his time in the georgia legislature and brings a unique peculiar erive to the issue; that of a person who's had to, as an elected representative, who's will h. to wrestle with these issues from not only the federal level but also state. so i appreciate his words. you know, madam president, as the senator from georgia pointed out, this is probably the single most important domestic issue that will be taken up by the congress of the united states, at least this year, maybe in the next couple of years and maybe in a long time. when you look at the fact that we are addressing an issue that basically consumes one-fifth of our gross national product, not to mention the fact that the system is broken, that the inflationary pressures are unsustainable, and there are millions of americans who do not have access to quality, affordable health care. s

mr. mccain: mr. president, today the "help" committee will meet to discuss another new government program that seeks and has advertised to promote prevention and wellness. while prevention and wellness is important, can lead to lower overall health care costs, we already have several programs focused on wellness and prevention. the h.h.s. appropriations request for prevention i is $700 million. in a recent omnibus appropriation bill, it wa was $22 million worth of earmarks for legislators pet projects for prevention and wellness and $310.5 million worth of earmarks under the health resources and services administration. yet the health care bill includes $80 billion new spending on new prevention programs without acknowledging the existing programs or suggesting improvements to them. in other words, wellness and fitness has become another trough to put both feet in for earmarks and pet projects of members. we already have a $1.8 trillion in federal debt. the majority keeps on spending on new governmen

mr. chairman, senator mccain wants to go ahead with the vote. i think he snows sometimes we tilt at windmills here. he knows sometimes you lose. he also knows that as i do that the so-called safety language is language that really does restrict re-importation. we've all seen this. >> that's right. >> you've seen the drug industry every year. every time there is a spike we have the re-importation language and the drug industry comes in with their amendments and they usually win because they are darn good at this and we don't get anywhere on it. i hear members cite a united nations roll call raising fears in people that we are going to start importing drugs from places with no strong safety net, safety regimen like fda has. that's not what's going to happen with this. we have worked on this language for years. the mccain amendment, understands that and embodies that. gives the secretary the power to figure out the authority to figure out where the safe drugs come from. there's a lot we need to do on food safety. there is a lot we need to do on a l

mrs. boxer: madam president, i just want to be heard briefly. we just heard senator mccain attack this bill that's before us that primarily >> there is still time to get your 2009 congressional directory from c-span. it has intermission on cabinet members, the congress, and senate, plus maps and how to contact committees and caucuses. you can order it online or phone. >> this week, california congressman pete stark, chair of the house ways and means subcommittee discusses legislation working through congress. he talks about a proposal that would establish a public health insurance plan to compete with private plans. >> at the end of the day, if you choose to have competition, then you choose to have a plan that is dependable and affordable, you cannot do without having a public plan which creates the competition for the private plan. yes, there will be a public plan in the bill. will people vote for it? i do not know -- who wants to go home in next year's primary and a say i voted against a plan that will provide state 30,000 people in my district most of whom are nonwhite,

mr. mccain talked about it. mr. obama said he would never if go there and angle he is there. mr. rangel said it was not be part of their plan and now i think it is. i don't think it is necessary to tax that benefit. i think it is helpful to give employees more knowledge of how it is used. we have a marketplace now but it is not the kind of competitive marketplace that really controls cost. a marketplace where 61% of the american people under 65 get their health insurance at work and normally their employer is only talking to a couple of people about whether you continue with them or go to somebody else on an annual or triannual basis. i can see a much larger market mace with that, than that, if the employee also has some options beyond what is offered at work. that makes people who offer a policy at work want to be more competitive with the policy that is offered at work. if you are if you are a big insurance company and offering a policy through general electric or anybody else you want people to stay with the policy. so suddenly the competitive dynamic is substantially differen

mr. mccain. i'm wondering do you think the coverage that you all -- is it fair as far as mr. obama is concerned with you think it is a time that mr. bush's policies should be discussed? host: i would venture to say that if you took our coverage from the same period in 2001 or in the spring and summer of 1993, we would have heard different sentiments depending on your political party. it will be no difference whether it is a democrat or republican on the white house. audit of -- caller: i am not necessarily speaking on a partisan stand point, but observation. mr. bush, even while all of the economy was going down, i remember specifically two years ago or 2 1/2 years ago, it was reported that -- there was a debate at one time whether or not we were in a recession because we have not had two consecutive quarters of being in the downturn and all the way up until the time it crashed -- and one point, if i could. because andrea mitchell -- i'm a fan of hers -- but because, i think, andrea mitchell is though related by marriage to mr. greenspan, he is not being covered. not only on

mr. mccain talked about, mr. obama said he would never go there, and he apparently is there now. charlie rangel said it would never be part of their plan, and now it may be. i think it is helpful to give employees more input into how the benefit is used. that one thing helps create a more competitive marketplace. the marketplace does not control costs, or people under 65 get their health insurance at work. normally, their employer is only talking to a couple people about whether they continue with them or go to somebody else on an annual basis or whatever basis they look at their health care. i could see a much larger marketplace than that if the employee also has options beyond what is offered at work. that makes people who offer a policy at work want to be more competitive with the policy offered at work. if you are a big insurance company, offering a policy through general electric, or anybody else, you want people to sit with that policy. suddenly, the competitive dynamic is substantially different than today. competition, savings in the system itself, new technology, new tra

mr. chairman, senator mccain said he had to go back to armed services. >> my request he will probably want to have some input on for him to defer this to the coverage section. it is coverage and could be voted on there and i suspect it won't change a single vote but that would allow us to put an amendment without changing the precedent for the committee for second degree eminence. i suspect that it will get the same result at that time that they would right now so i would just ask for that courtesy partly because i have no way to know what the proxy's would be on my committee for either: be a second-degree amendment or a mccain amendment. i am not prepared for that. >> senator mccain's staff is here? i presume. there you are. >> they would object and i would. i think we vote on this and can deal with that. >> mr. chairman, i would ask senator brown to hold on this to do under the coverage section of it senator enzi, this is clearly an issue that any tax everybody. i have tremendous empathy for making sure all of our constituents get to the best possible price on drugs but i have a concern

mr. chairman, senator mccain, members of the committee. thank you for the opportunity to appear before you. i would like to thank the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the president for nominating me to serve on the team engaged in this important mission. i am a company today by my wife, her love and support for 32 years has been extraordinary. the president's strategy outlines the past to achieving the strategic goals in afghanistan. it is important to give you my perspective for work we believe we are and where we must go. i appreciate this opportunity. first, i would like to recognize the many afghan citizens, who along with young americans and coalition partners have sacrificed to stand up and fight for afghanistan. i honor thefal fallen. you gave me the opportunity to investigate pat tillman in connection with this committee a year ago. i stand ready to answer any additional questions that you may have. i would like to express my deepest condolences for the loss of a comrade and to his family, who lost a brother, a husband, and a

mr. obama, senator mccain also supported the tarp program as did the senate republican leader mitch mcconnell, the house republican leader, john boehner. the bush administration was the one who came up with the tarp program. it was supported strongly by the chairman of the federal reserve, ben bernanke and bipartisan leadership. the rank and file never liked the program much. to the caller's other point, with the federal reserve -- one of the interesting questions is just how powerful the fed is. it has been very aggressively getting the financial system stabilized. most people think they have done a good job, but will have a difficult time removing programs to return to more normal operations. there are a lot of questions on the separation between the fed and treasury. mr. bernanke is asked that a lot when he testifies. he responds that it must be independent but during a serious financial crisis id must work with the treasury and government in power to keep the economy stabilized. host: our guest is with market news international ,john shaw has joined us to give us insights and answer your

mr. chairman. >> senator mccain, john, welcome to the committee. by the way i enjoyed working with senator mccain in the past on campaign finance reform issues and i'm delighted to have you be a part of this. >> thank you. thank you for your patience during this very long process and i like you and all others very much miss our dear friend and beloved colleague, senator kennedy. and so, i & we was supposed to have five minute opening remarks. i will try to keep mine down to about half an hour or so. i will be brief. a lot has been said already. we have a bill or did before us over 600 pages and almost consistently with that we got a letter from the cbo. it's been gone over before but the operative paragraph is on the first page. because it runs directly contradictory to the eloquent remarks of the senator from vermont just a minute ago in the intent of this legislation. it says the last line in coverage at the same time the number of people that had coverage through an employer would it declined by about 15 million coverage from other sources would

mr. chairman. >> thanks, senator mccain. senator lieberman. >> thanks to the three of you for your extraordinary service to our country, and congratulations on these nominations. i want to focus on afghanistan for most of my questions, and say that in nominating admiral stavridis and general mcchrystal to the positions were going to -- the positions you are going to cut the president has put in place not just a start team but an all-star team. you now, general mcchrystal heading our operations, as you describe in afghanistan, with general rodriguez -- that together with the diplomatic and non-military effort there with ambassador holbrooke, ambassador i can very going into -- the ambassador going into kabul with a cruel include several state department personnel -- with a crew that will include several state department personnel -- we are concentrating our strengths because it is important to win in afghanistan. general mcchrystal, do you believe this is a winnable war do you believe this is a winnable war in afghanistan? >>

mccain. >> thank you mr. chairman and again i want to apply their patience and your courtesy that you have continued to extend to us recalcitrance on this side. >> i won't put that to a vote but i appreciate it. >> i do thank you, you have been more than generous with your time and allowing us to express our views but i would also like this to ask the chairman first of law and tristan from media reports that you submitted to cbo cost request estimate of three options for employer mandates. will you share those options with this side? >> absolutely. >> you have submitted for cbo estimate? wamp we would be pleased to see that. as to in regards to address in this some time ago. when i been the committee transformation branson line think that the object is. excellent, but are we looking at spending a billion dollars to create the infrastructure to support i still living and access to nutritious foods in a safe and are meant? what does the means? assessing and implementing were assigned to wallace and program ince

mccain. this is 15 minutes. >> mr. president i would like to say a few words about health care and obviously, we are going to, most media reports and as members of the health committee basically we're at a gridlock. the congressional budget office stated money in response to the legislation considered and the health committee that wants the proposal and i quote is fully implemented the number of people who have coverage by a employer will decline by 15,000,001 hall scorer consulting firm estimates the number to be much higher and estimates 70 percent of all americans who have private insurance today come a 120 million americans will lose their health insurance and be forced onto the government payroll. that stance in the stark contract -- contrast to the repeated assertions if you like your health care you can keep it. analysis by the health care economics firm bound to get all americans covered under the democrats' bill will cost a staggering $4 trillion and resulted in 79 million americans who currently have private

mr. mcconnell: let me just say that senator mccain and senator graham can speak for themselves, but neitherf them have ever been in favor of closing guantanamo without a plan to do something. they want to see what the plan is to deal with these terroris terrorists. and beyond that, they can speak for themselves. but they're not in favor of closing guantanamo without a plan. with regard to the suggestion that we should bring these prisoners to the united states and try them, my good friend from illinois has suggested that there's no downside to that. that, you know, why not do it? well, we could. but the question is slo: should? we should not because we passed the military commissions for the purpose of trying these very detainees. there are courtrooms and a $200 million state-of-the-art facility at guantanamo to both incarcerate this and to try them -- incarcerate them and to try them. we know that no one has ever escaped from there and we know we have never been attacked again since 9/11. but let's assume that we did bring them up here for trial. my good friend has suggested, no harm down.

mr. chairman, but when we bring this up on the floor, i would ask that the mccain amendment be sent to the secretary of hhs for her comments. in preparation of the debate. i'm ready to vote now, but if we are going to do it on the floor, i would like to have more information. >> i'm sure that request would be in here, too. clerk will call the roll on the mccain amendment. >> senator dodd? >> aye. >> senator mikulski? >> no. >> senator bingerman? >> pass on that for a moment. >> senator murray? senator reid? >> aye. is that correct? >> senator sanders? >> aye by proxy. >> senator brown? >> aye. >> senator casey? >> aye. >> senator hagen? >> no. >> senator enzi? >> know. >> senator gregg? >> no. >> senator alexander? >> no by proxy. >> senator byrd? >> no by proxy. >> senator mccain? >> aye by proxy. >> senator coburn? senator roberts? >> no. >> aye by proxy. >> did senator coburn vote? has he voted? >> no . >> senator bingham votes no by proxy. >> senator sanders, did you get that? >> yes. >> did you get that? all right. >> vote is ten ayes. >> it is not agreed to. all i can say is my nose

mr. chairman. >> anyone else in it be heard on this matter? >> when we bring this up on the floor i would ask the mccain amendment be sent to the secretary of hhs for her comment in preparation of the debate if we are going to do it on the floor i would like to have more information. >> i'm sure that request will be in here two. >> the clerk will call the roll on the mccain amendment. [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] one [roll call] >> the amendment is not agreed to appear in a and all i can say it my nose counting is correct. the other any additional amendments. >> wanted to. >> to the fraud and abuse section for a couple of moments. i know that senator enzi has some comments before dealing with senator mccain's amendment so i wanted to respond to a couple of innings. and wanted to commend the the way seven tariff enzi along with our chairman has conducted himself in this whole process over these many days and weeks and grateful with the way he has approached this bill, as difficult as it is an much as there is conflict of a lot of major elements. with regard to the fraud and abuse secti

mr. president. following up on major's question, some republicans on capitol hill, john mccain and lindsay graham, for example, have said that up to this point your response on iran has been timid and weak. today it sounded a lot stronger. it sounded like the kind of speech john mccain has been urging to you give saying that those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history. referring to an iron fist in iran. deplored, appalled, outraged. were you influenced at all by john mccain and lindsay graham accusing you of being timid and weak? >> what do you think? [laughter] look, i think john mccain has genuine passion about many of these international issues. and, you know, i think that all of us share a belief that we want justice to prevail. but only i'm the president of the united states. and i've got responsibilities in making certain that we are continually advancing our national security interests and that we are not used as a tool to be exploited by other countries. i mean, you guys must have seen the reports. they've got some of the comments that i've made being mistranslated i

mr. president. following up on majors question. some republican on capitol hill, john mccain and lindsey graham for example, said your response on iran has been timid and weak. today it sounded a lot stronger. it sounded like the kind of speech john mccain has been urging you to get saying that those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history referring to an iron fist in iran, appalled, outraged. were you influenced at all of them accusing you of being intimidated? >> what do you think? [laughter] >> lucki think john mccain has genuine passion about many of these international issues. and i think all of us share a belief that wants justice

mr. wills, i don't know it amazes me why you don't understand the american working class and middle class public interest. you purport and say senator mccain's plan for the health care, it's not the american working class and middle class people want. we want the public health care which provides fairly and affordably for the working class and middle class public. sir, you as a congressman, we provide you by our tax money, the base insurance for yourself. how can you provide the same plan what you have for the american class working people, we are working hard, we are paying taxes, we don't get what we deserve. we are not asking a favor, this is our right. health care is a right and education is a human right. you provide public education, why not you provide a public medical for the working class people? guest: well, the caller purports to know what the working class and middle class want. i think he's mistaken. again 80% of the american people say their health care is good or excellent. and second, you hear a fundamental divide between the caller and mine, everything desire is a right, it's an entitlement. health care is a right. well, a r

mr. will, in proposing. it is amazing how you don't understand the american working-class and middle-class public interest. you report that you say senator mccain's plan, the tax reform health care. in it is not to the american working class and middle-class people wan

mccain. >> [ inaudible ]. >> senator hatch. >> no by proxy. >> senator mutuali in in ing -- >> no by proxy. >> test eign ayes, 13 nays. >> number 72. >> coburn amendment number 72. >> mr. chairman? since we decided we didn't like my idea of sending it all back to states, what this is is a compromise that says, perhaps we would allow hersa to contract in the states for states to put all -- funnel all their stuff into their three most areas of acute short aage. all we're saying with this is, whatever the title is that we've got, whatever we do, this allows hersa to form a contract with the state to funnel all these monies into their three or more acute shortages. we still get money into the state but we add some flexibility into the state based on differing state needs. i think this will give flexibility to accomplish what senator murray is trying to accomplish. it still has control. it allows hersa to be in charge of that control. but it's an imperfect solution as compared to what i offered earlier and was defeated. but i think this one makes some sense, that allows the flexibility to really address the varying needs of the various states. that stops my debate. >> sena

mccain amendment be accepted? without objection, so accepted. thank you. >> i guess the first one we'll look at -- >> which one are you looking at? >> coburn 21. >> coburn amendment number 1. >> mr. chairman, i will try to make my remarks have application to all three so we don't have to go through all three points for time purposes. we're contemplating a significant change in health care in this country. >> when yet we're having a hard time getting by cbo something we think we can swallow. but what we've already done, we can't swal lee either. and for this section of the bill where we're going to spen money on infrastructure, i think of everything senator harkin has done, this is the at least important thing he's done in terms of prevention. there are several thing is agree mightily in what he's done well. i think we ought to have a hammer that says if we're still in trouble on medicare and social security that maybe we ought to not have to spend that money on years we're in trouble on. i know we're in trouble until we decide we're going to fix it. and that, of course is the obvious point of my amendment. we're adding spending at time when we won't go and fix the things that ar

mr. chairman? >> senator casey. >> i just wanted to get back to the fraud and abuse section for a couple of moments. i know senator enzi had some comments before. we were dealing with senator mccain's amendment so i wanted to just respond to a couple of things. first of all, i wanted to commend the way senator enzi, along with our chairman has conducted himself in this whole process over these many days and weeks, and grateful for the way he approached this bill, as difficult as it is. and as much as there is conflict on a lot of major elements. with regard to the fraud and abuse section, i wanted to do a couple of things very briefly. this will just take a few moments. one is to highlight and enter into the record, and i would ask consent that two letters be entered into the record. one is from the american -- america's health insurance plans dated june 24th, 2009, a letter to chairman kennedy and ranking member enzi about the fraud and abuse section. that's number one. number two, the second letter dated the same date june 24th of this year from the national insurance crime bureau, the coalition against insurance fraud and the national health care anti-fraud association, also a l

mr. chairman. it's been an interesting discussion this morning. our side is going to expedite a little bit the morning process because senator coburn is also in the defense authorization mark-up senator mccainis in. as seen what happens with a number of his amendments, i want to make just a couple of comments on the bill and a couple of comments on some of the amendments that could have been offered and we can have senator mccain come in and present his amendment, i guess. i want to thank senator sanders for his comments. i do need to point out the criminal charges and settlements that he described involved medicare and medicaid, both which are government-run plans, and perhaps the problem is with government-run plans and their underinvestment administrative controls and distortions that are caused by their price controls, and i would also like to point out all of those cases were mentioned were ones that were prosecuted and won during the bush administration. so there has been some oversight and some activity there. the difficulty with the fraud and abuse section that this bill has is that it drastically increases the cost of health care for large employers. the bill imposes new restrictio

mccain? >> aye by proxy. >> senator hatch? >> aye by proxy. >> senator coburn? >> aye by proxy. >> senator kennedy? >> aye by proxy. >> the vote is 13 ayes, 10 neys. >> the amendment is agreed to. >> thank you, mr. chairman. and, you know, you kint of sit back and listen to the colleagues on both sides and i think you said it senator enzi. we're all in agreement on it about 80% of what we're talking about is always in the details. but the goal is certainly there when we talk about prevention. we all recognize this will be integral to whatever plan we put forward. and the hope truly is that we'll see a reduction in costs. i appreciated your comments, senator dodd, about the differences that we see throughout the country and that in one part of the country thicks athic things are going to be a little bit different. this is where i have real heart burn when you talk about a public plan which is kind of a one size fits all approach to health care. and what works for you in connecticut or you in iowa or you in maryland really may not work well for a state like alaska that is exceptionally rural, remote, and suffering from a lack of access to providers. the amendment that i want to bring up for discu

mr. mccain: mr. president? does the senator from north dakota want to -- mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: we have a supplemental appropriations conference report supposedly on ostensibly to fund the war in afghanistan and iraq and to make sure that the men and women who are serving have the necessary equipment and wherewithal to pursue those conflicts with the utmost efficiency. so it's business as usual in our nation's capital. it's business as usual in the congress of the united states. instead of legislation to fund our troops and efforts in iraq and afghanistan, we have a bill that includes such things as: $2 million for freeze-dried mat lett development, $35 million for the fb to investigate mortgage fraud, predatory lending financial fraud and market manipulation. $13.2 million for payments to air carriers for participation in the essential air service program and, of course, one of the remarkable acts and feats of ledger domain that i've seen in my many years here, cash for clunkers. cash for clunkers. someone should at l

mr. mccain: i have an amendment that i've been trying to get a vote on. i would say to the distinguished majority leader and it certainly is important to the