mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: if i may, before the senator from utah leaves the floor, i correctly stated the state of the senate these days. i mean, it's not the same body it was just a few years ago in the way that we are being treated. it's a very discouraging development as we approach the end of the year to see the way the united states senate has deteriorated under the current leadership. and i thank the senior senator from utah for pointing out that it's not just too long ago that the two parties actually functioned on issues like the majority leader was trying to ram through today without any committee consideration. mr. hatch: the distinguished minority leader expresses it very well. i'm appalled. i've only been here 37 years, but i've never seen the rules violated as they have been lately. and, frankly, violated in a way that really is distractive of the senate, not helpful or constructive to the senate. and this was just another illustration. and i think our side is getting pretty sick of it.

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the president pro tempore: the republican leader. mr. to -- soweto today to pay their last respects to a man who symbolized so much to so many. it's not hard to see why. politicians come and go, presidents rise and fall, but nelson mandela was more than a politician, more than just a foreign leader. he was a symbol, a symbol of freedom and hope, not only for his own people but for all people. but we also remember nelson mandela as a symbol of reconciliation, especially when he had every reason not to be. how many of us could spend so many years in confinement away from people we love with little to do but mull the circumstances of our incarceration and emerge so forgiving toward our captors? to me, it was telling to see that one of the many people paying respects to nelson mandela this week was an afrikaner named cristo brand. the two then struck up an improbable but lasting friendship during mandela's time on robben island. i say improbable because brand was his jailer. the story goes that years after his release from prison, president

mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: this has been a long, challenging few weeks for congress and for the country. it's my hope that today we can put some of those most urgent issues behind us. after yesterday's events the majority leader and i began a series of conversations about a way to get the government reopened and to prevent default. i'm confident we'll be able to do both those things later today. crucially, i'm also confident that we'll be able to announce we're broking the government spending reductions that both parties agreed to under the budget control act. and that the president signed into law. that's been a top priority for me and for my colleagues on the republican side of the aisle throughout this debate. and it's been worth the effort. some have suggested that we break that promise as part of this agreement, some have wade washington needs to spend more, that we need to raise taxes, that we need to just tax our way to prosperity and balance. but what the b.c.a. showed is that washington actua

mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: earlier this morning, the senate voted to advance advance the ryan-murray budget agreement that passed the house last week. the legislation's been a topic of much discussion over the past several days and there are sincere arguments on both sides. while i appreciate the challenges that house and senate negotiators faced in crafting these budgetary guidelines, i voted against this legislation because, in my view, congress should continue to adhere to the fiscal restraints that both parties agreed to under the budget control act. i was the principal republican negotiator of that agreement. i've been particularly invested in its success and was very proud of it. as a result of the budget control act, government spending has declined for two years, two years in a row, for the first time since the korean war. this was hard-won progress on the ro

mr. mcconnell: madam president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i'm going to proceed on my leader time. the presiding officer: the leader has that right. please proceed. mr. mcconnell: i rise today to give voice to the people of eastern kentucky who are hurting due to this administration's war on coal. recently i traveled to pikeville. pikeville is in the central appalachian coalfields. to hear firsthand from coal miners, their families, those in the energy industry and others about how their communities are being ravaged, literally ravaged by e.p.a.'s excessive, overly burdensome regulations on coal. now, the e.p.a. didn't want to listen to these folks. i tried to get the e.p.a. to have a hearing in eastern kentucky, and they refused. so i did it. i held a listening session to put a human face on the suffering that is being felt in appalachia due in large part to this administration's war on coal. and so i want to share my -- with my colleagues just a little bit of what i heard in that listening session down in pikeville a few days ago.

how will mitch mcconnell counter? >> mr. president, i move to adurn the senate until 5:00 p.m. and ask for the yeas and nays. >> jon: hey, everybody is it just me or does it feel like quitin time? a-yeah, let's all head home a little early tonight. a-yeah. [ laughter ] actually senator mcconnell tried to make a more substantive case against this filibuster amending. >> i realize this sort of wishful thinking might appeal to the uninitiated newcomers in the democratic congress that served

mr. mcconnell: -- for his kind words and commend him for the great job he's been doing in outlining the issues before us, not to mention the particular nominee that he was talking about. you know, mr. president, a few weeks ago the obama administration essentially declared that it had met its goal -- its goals of fixing the obamacare web site. and with the web site fixed, they let us to assume that obamacare was fixed as well. but that was never true. as i've been saying all along, the problems here are much, much bigger than a web site. and even the administration's claims about the web site have been exaggerated. recent news reports suggest that many americans who thought they'd enrolled on the exchanges will find that they do not -- do not -- in fact, have coverage on january 1st. largely as a result of lingering problems with the site. an even larger problem lies with the coverage options folks are actually finding if they manage to make it through the web site. for folks patient enough to successfully navigate through healthcare.gov, many are finding that obamacare offers higher premiums,

mr. mcconnell said, the republican's party whole deal is to beat obama or level him. >> liberals hold oneir talking point about how that is their saving grace. when the facts are pointed out about how that was said and when it was said it doesn't hold up. one more thing from president balm when he thinks the media comes up with the rhetoric and not him. >> the american people are good and descent and sometimes we get very divided. partly because our politics and our media specifically tries to divide them. >> he's been the great uniter, right? >> who did he mean when he was talking about the media? blame fox news. blame it on the rain. keep making excuses. he had the most control in terms of partisan politics and he had the ability to put stuff through. what has he done with it? >> bob, how can you deny that. >> there's a bunch of people that don't want to do anything obama wanted to do. >> they were right on obamacare. >> they were not right. >> by the way, did we mention in our segment that unemployment is down to 7%. >> the third quarter growth is up 7.6. it's the costoloest in seven

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. cconnell: i just listened to the majority leader complaining about what we're doing this week. he's the one in charge of the schedule. he's spending a week here on nonessential nominations, none of which are emergencies, all of which could be handled later. and it was his choice to spend the week on nominations that are not emergencies as opposed to do things like passing a d.o.d. authorization bill or things like taking up a budget resolution or things like doing a farm bill. so the majority leader has a choice as to what we're going to spend time on, and he's chosen to spend this week on ten nominations. yesterday i talked about the left's ends justifies the means quest for power and the lengths which they're willing to go to satisfy. the obama and its allies -- the obama administration and its allies have done just about everything to get what they want even altering the fundamentals of our democracy when they couldn't get their way by playing by the rules. we saw the culmination of

mr. mcconnell from kentucky? >> i did. >> there's a story there about his background and why he got there and why he wanted to -- can you tell us that. >> i never knew he had polio as a young man, a young boy. it took a lot of courage and tenacity and the help of his mother to get on and move on. at one point, he was interested in becoming an historian today. very well read in american political history. but it was a tough decision. does he want to become an academic or a practicing politician? >> how did he -- you say he had a goal of becoming a majority leader of the united states senate way back when. what encouraged you to do that? -- him to do that? >> he had a summer internship with senator john sherman cooper of kentucky. >> a liberal republican. >> yes. there were some. and i just soaked that up. all the more power to internship programs. that's such a crucial time in people's lives. >> then what was next? >> then, he went to work for -- when he graduated, he went to work for another senator from kentucky

mr. mcconnell: i realize senate democrats want to deflect attention from the impact of obamacare on our constituents. that's one of the reasons we're having these nominee votes. but our constituents have a right to be heard. so i'd like to share some thoughts from a constituent of mine in owensborough, cheryl russell. we got a letter from our insurance company saying our current policy will not meet the affordable care act, which means it will go away. according to our insurance company, we'll have to take pediatric, dental and vision insurance even though we don't have kids. they said it was because of obamacare. she goes on. another plan will cost us over $150 more a month plus our deductible goes up to $5,700. please keep taking a stand against obamacare. not only are we going to lose our insurance but when we go to a different policy we have to pay more. we're 58 and 56 years old. we'll have to work the rest of our lives just to pay for our insurance. this isn't fair and it isn't right. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from missouri. mr. blunt: mr. president i want to

how will mitch mcconnell counter? >> mr. president, i move to adurn the senate until 5:00 p.m. and ask for the yeas and nays. >> jon: hey, everybody is it just me or does it feel like quitin time? a-yeah, let's all head home a little early tonight. a-yeah. [ laughter ] actually senator mcconnell tried to make a more substantive case against this filibuster amending. >> i realize this sort of wishful thinking might appeal to the uninitiated newcomers in the democratic congress that served exactly zero days in the are not but the rest of the guys in the conference should know better. those of you in the conference before should know better. >> jon: mark my words one day you democrats democrats will wio be obstructionist (bleep) making a mockery of our system of government. and who will be laughing then? turtleman. [laughter] but that argument failed and soon the senate did the unthinkable. >> history made in the u.s. senate. just now the so-called nuclear option has passed. >> jon: and lo the nuclear option came to pass and there was a blight upon this land for once judicial nomi

mr. mcconnell: over the past several weeks, the american people have been witness to one of the most breathtakingnment liberalism and memory, and i'm not just talking about a web site. i'm talking about the way in which obamacare was forced on the public by an administration and a democratic-led congress that we now know is willing to do and say anything, anything to pass the law. the president and his democratic allies were so determined to force their vision of health care on the public that they assured them up and down that they wouldn't lose the plans they had, that they saved money instead of losing it, and that they would be able to use the doctors and hospitals they were already using. but of course we know that that rhetoric just doesn't match reality. and the stories we are hearing on a near daily basis are now ranging from heart breaking to comic. just yesterday, i saw a story about a guy getting a letter in the mail saying his dog, his dog had qualified for insurance under obamacare. so yeah, i would probably be running for the exit, too, if i had supported this law. i would be lookin

how will mitch mcconnell counter? >> mr. president, i move to adurn the senate until 5:00 p.m.nd ask for the yeas and nays. >> jon: hey,

mitch mcconnell is here to say, good luck with that. >>> call him mr. fix it or democrats hope he is. john podesta did wonders for president clinton after the whole monica lewinski mess. the white house is hiring him as a top adviser. senate majority leader mitch mcconnell on what he makes of all of this. senator, good to have you. >> i don't think albert einstein could fix the obamacare problem. their problem is the substantive obamacare and how it's impacting america in all kinds of negative ways. >> even president clinton said give this four or five months, we'll get this up and running, people will forget about this. what do you think of this? >> they'll get the web site fixed but the problem is, if people like their healthcare and can keep it, and they were told by the president they can keep her health care, they can keep their doctor. not true. this can't possibly work. sooner or later they'll fix the web site, but you have the substance of the problem. over a trillion dollars of impact on the providers of health care, cuts to hospitals and hospic

mr. wicker: i have a list of the members of military coalition listed in a letter to the honorable harass rei honorad mitch mcconnell. skilled that it be inserted into the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. wicker: and i will say in answer to the distinguished senator from georgia, here are the groups that are expressing outrage, dismay, and strong opposition to this provision: the air force sergeants association, air force women officers associated, m vets, amsis association of the united states navy, and warrant officers association, u.s. coast guard, commissioned officers association of the u.s. public health service incorporated, enlisted association of the national guard of the united states, fleet reserve association, goldstar wives, iraq and afghanistan veterans of america, jewish war veterans of the united states of america, marine corps league, marine corps reserve association, military officers association of america, military order of the purple heart, national association for uniformed services, national guard association of the united states, national military family association, nava

mr. van hollen and conferrees were putting forth was different. >> harry reid supports the plan. mitch mcconnell who helped craft the budget control act has signaled his opposition to the compromise but may wait to see what the house pas -- passes before saying so. votes are expected by weekend. they have already given up on a farm bill by this weekend and so this will be the last big vote before they race out of town for the holidays. when they return, they will face a new year. >> they've done the head count. >> they know it will be a squeaker, but these things have been upended a lot in the past. >> thank you. >>> stick around as tom price joins our all-star panel in the center seat. he is the vice chairman of the budget committee and an orthopedic surgeon. do you have something to ask the panel or congressman price? let me know on facebook.com/bret baier or twitter at bret baier and use the #special report. >>> wall street is not impressed with the budget. the dow plunged 130 points and the s&p lost 20 and the nasdaq fell 7. >>> up next, the head of the nsa digs in his heels to represent the

that day said mcconnell would deny him a second term there was a discussion baby on the "today show" how will he go when he is president? somebody said he will know what the butler says mr. president your coffee and your breakfast is ready and the secret service shows up at the door and i said he would now with the for the intelligence report is put on his desk have the of magnitude of the office and the responsibility he has to keep every american safe. i don't take anybody is prepared for that quite honestly. of thursday and jfk -- jfk and bay of pigs and there were still struggling with the documentary what is clear to me in and it is still a work in progress. we don't know the of long-haul obviously more comfortable of the cuban missile crisis it was good to have more self-confidence but before then so in the obama case to look in their rearview mirror. for the presidential power is fascinating and to answer that with uncertainty. >> with this idea of education what to retake the journalistic and historic for those to right to use to think about these things try to educate the public how the politicians need time to be educated? it is not tribulation of. so credit t

mcconnell has been called a racist, right? i have been called a racist, i try to judge the president on his record, and charles is exactly right. mrpresident a c. this more like a d+ frankly. he's expressing what a lot of americans who voted for obama two times are thinking but they are afraid. stuart: you just said a lot of luck folks who voted for the president twice are now beginning to think like jim brown thinks. is that true? >> members of my family have said they felt like it was a historic opportunity to vote for him the first time. now they are regretting that vote. yes, absolutely. even the congressional black caucus has said he had the chairman, the past chairman, you know what he said? we have to get this guy really did and we hold him accountable because if hillary clinton were in the white house right now we would be marching and storming the white house if black unemployment was this high. they have admitted they reelected the guy because he is black, now they will hold him accountable. representative said the same thing. stuart: you're welcome back any time on this program. you have 10 seconds for the last word if

majority leader henry mcconnell came to the floor to complain about the agenda as set by the democrats as he was joined by republican orrin hatch. these comments run just over ten minutes. >> mr. president, i would like to comment on the absurdity of what just transpired here on the senate floor. my friends on the other side have been the longest serving majority since 1980 some would say they were suffering the seventh consecutive year of the majority. yet if someone were to take a close look at the strategy and tactics of the senate democratic leadership, they think that the role is reversed. the democrats are the majority. they have even enhanced the majority by breaking the rules of the senate to give themselves more power. indeed, they haven't been a bit reluctant to overreach. part and parcel of having a majority in the senate is to control or the control of the senate scheduling committees yet still we see what we saw from my friends on the other side of the while under the senate rules, the tax policy matters including the tax extenders and they are referred to the finance committee. the trade adjustment assistance was also included in this bill and also falls under t

mr. hoyer: i thank the gentleman for yielding. the governor of kentucky spoke to us this morning. kentucky is not the center of democratic politics in america. as mitch mcconnell would quickly observe. thousands of people are signing up in kentucky. thousands of people. successfully. thousands of people are coming forward. they have over about 70,000 people have already signed up in kentucky. thousands of people coming in new york, in california. all over this country who are saying, i want the assurance and coverage of health care. what have they spent their time on? trying to repeal health care. they talked about repeal and replace. we haven't had much replace. we had a lot of repeal. what does the majority leader refer to, mr. speaker? a 2009 bill. three congresses ago. that he's talking about. and all we have on this is refeel. -- repeal. if we are concerned about health care, then there ought to be an alternative that the other side offers. frankly, mr. speaker, they have not done that. i'll be glad to move to another subject. i'm sure we can go back to health care because the majority leader, notwithstanding his assertion that this is not about politics,

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i rise with a question of order. mr. reid: mr. president, we need order. the presiding officer: will the senate wil be in order? the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i make a point of order that the nominations are fully debatable under the rules of the senate unless three-fifths of senators have voted to bring debate to a close. the presiding officer: under the precedent set by the senate on november 231, 2013, cloture on nominations other than those to the supreme court of the united states is invoked by majority vote. mr. mcconnell: i appeal the ruling of the chair and is for - and ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the question is, shall the decision of the chair stand aces the judgment of the senate? the yeas and nays were order. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote: the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote? on this vote, yaits are 51, th

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. is there objection? without objection, so ordered. mr. reid: i now move, mr. president, to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 459. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion to proceed. mr. mcconnell: i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: vote: vote: