mr. merkley: thank you, madam president. my voice is a little weaker than usual, thanks to a winter cold, but i come to the floor today nevertheless because there is an issue on which it is important not to remain silent, and that is just a few days from today, more than a million people across america are going to lose their unemployment benefits. those benefits are a bridge to the next job. those benefits are a foundation for a family during a rough time while searching for that next job. those benefits ensure that the stability of the family, provides a solid foundation for the children during those weeks and months. but instead of maintaining this important bridge for more than a million american families, we are going to allow it to be dismantled on december this year, three days after christmas. i'm going to put up a chart. this chart gives a little bit of a feeling for how unemployment is working. we have the total number of those searching for work in oregon who cannot find a job and we can see how it rose dramatical

mr. merkley: thank you, mr. president. i appreciate the comments of my colleague from new york city who has been a tireless champion for the terrific dedicated self-sacrificing firefighters of new york city. tonight we're here on the floor addressing the question of whether we should confirm cornelia pillard as a candidate for the d.c. circuit court. she is a law scholar with a long track record of public service. she served twice in the justice department as successfully defended the family and medical leave act, a crucial piece of legislation for working families. she teaches law at georgetown university, one of the top law schools in the nation. the truth is she's an supremely well qualified nominee who would be an excellent addition to the d.c. circuit court. she has personally argued and breached supreme court cases brought or defended by government lawyers from republican administrations and republican appointed justices have authored majority fins pins in her favor. she is currently the codirector of the supreme cou

mr. isakson, senator menendez, senator merkley, everyone who has worked on this issue. we have to ensure that we have addressed the issue of affordability for these homeowners, affordability for these businesses in terms of the increase of the flood insurance rates caused by the new flood maps and ensure that we put that before we add any additional crippling flood insurance rate increases to go into effect, we have to deal with affordability first. if afford a*bt is not dealt with, there is going to be a devastation felt by millions of homeowners and businesses across this country. climate change is real. it is here. it is dangerous. but the fear of rising flood waters should not be compounded by the fear of an unaffordable speak in insurance premiums for homeowners and businesses across this country.