mrs. murray: thank you, madam president. mr. president, and thank you, madam chairman, for your debate on this and for outlining the serious concerns we have. and i rise today not only in strong opposition to the nelson amendment, but in strong support of women's health care choices, which this amendment would eliminate. mr. president, we can't allow a bill that does so much for women and for families and our our businesses and for the future strength of this nation to get bogged down in idealogical politics. because in every single sense of the word, health insurance reform is about choices. giving options to those who don't have them, options for better care or better quality and insurance that is within reach. this bill was never supposed to be about taking away choices and we cannot allow it to become that. mr. president, this bill already does so much for millions of women across america. already so far the senate has passed senator mikulski's amendment to make sure that all women have access to quality preventive health ca

mrs. murray: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from washington. mrs. murray: thank you, madam president. madam president, i want to add my thanks to the senator from maryland for bringing forward this important issue as we address health care reform in this country to ensure that all of our families have access to health care. one of the most important things we can do is to make sure that the care givers in their families, the women, get access to preventive care so that they can take care of their families. this amendment will require all of the health plans to cover comprehensive women's preventive care and screenings and at no cost to women. that's extremely important. we all understand that. but especially in these tough economic times when families across the country are struggling, one of the results has been that a lot of women are skipping or delaying their health care. we all know this personally. as moms, you take care of your kids first. when you do that you often leave your families at risk because you haven't taken care of preventive care.

mrs. murray: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from washington. mrs. murray: madam president, i thank my colleague from maryland, and i would just say, wherever she stands on the floor, she leads us all, so we're delighted that you're here and thank you so much for your leadership on this critical issue, making sure that women have access to quality preventive health care services and screenings that are so critical to women across the country. madam president, the senator from maryland offered this amendment, and i worked with her on the committee. she's been a leader on this form, many years. and i echo -- for many, many years. and i echo her statement. for years the women on this side of the aisle have stood up to make sure that women's care is part of health care and understand that we have to stand shoulder to shoulder. it is unfortunate this time that we see this in a little different light. but i agree with senator mikulski, we will keep working together throughout our time here to make sure that women's preventive services are covered. i do supp

mrs. murray: thank you, madam president. mr.nt, and thank you, madam chairman, for your debate on this and for outlining the serious concerns we have. and i rise today not only in strong opposition to the nelson amendment, but in strong support of women's health care choices, which this amendment would eliminate. mr. president, we can't allow a bill that does so much for women and for families and our our businesses and for the future strength of this nation to get bogged down in idealogical politics. because in every single sense of the word, health insurance reform is about choices. giving options to those who don't have them, options for better care or better quality and insurance that is within reach. this bill was never supposed to be about taking away choices and we cannot allow it to become that. mr. president, this bill already does so much for millions of women across america. already so far the senate has passed senator mikulski's amendment to make sure that all women have access to quality preventive health care servi

mrs. murray: i ask unanimous consent the quorum call be lifted. i ask unanimous consent that richard burkhfrom the appropriations committee be granted floor privileges during consideration of the consolidated appropriations bill. the presiding officer: without objection. mrs. murray: thank you, mr. president. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from vermont. mr. leahy: i ask unanimous consent the equal of the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. leahy: mr. president, division f of the omnibus provides funding for the state department foreign operations and related programs. provides $48.8 billion discretionary funding, funding, $3.3 billion decrease from the president's budget request. $1.8 billion below the fiscal year level. the -- one of the reasons why the president has said that he would fund these programs on budget, not through supplemental gimmicks, and i agree with him on that. no

mrs. murray: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, i come to the floor today on behalf of over 10,000 constituents from my home state of washington who have sent me letters and e-mails over the past six months to tell me their stories and their struggles with our health care system. and i come to the floor today on behalf of the thousands more who don't have the time or who don't have the resources to write to me and ask for help but who are struggling as well. mr. president, i come to the floor today on behalf of small business owners, parents, senior citizens, and people with breen preexistinpeople withpreexistind people without insurance who spend their nights praying they don't have an accident or fall ill. mr. president, these people are all worried about keeping their jobs or making a mortgage payment and whom the cost of getting sick today or being dropped from their health care plan or opening their mail to see another premium increase is just too much to bear. and, mr. president, those are the people who deserve a

mrs. murray: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, the health insurance system in our country has been broken for a very lone time. for far too long, families and businesses across my home state of washington have been forced to make some tough decisions, spending nights struggling or whispering after their kids go to bed about how to pay the bills and praying they don't get sick. i'm proud to say, mr. president, that's about to change. over the course of months of work on this issue, i've noticed it's very easy for this debate to tip into the realm of abstractions to focus on numbers and charts and to devolve into petty partisanship or ideological inflexibility. and too often, real people get left out of this conversation. mothers and fathers who are scared they're going to lose their jobs and families that are scared they're going to lose their insurance. people with preexisting conditions who can't get coverage and who know that they're just one hospital visit aware from bankruptcy. small business owners who can't afford

mrs. murray: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, we are obviously in the middle of a very important debate on health care, and i want to thank the managers of this bill allowing my colleague from washington state, senator cantwell and i, to interrupt this important debate to talk for a few minutes about a very tragic event that occurred in our home state of washington over the past weekend. mr. president, just two days ago our state was shocked and saddened and appalled by news of the deadliest attack on law enforcement in washington state's history. on sunday morning just after 8:00 a.m., a gunman walked into a coffee shop in pierce county, washington, and opened fire, killing four members of the city of lakewood police department who about going over the details -- who were going over the details of their upcoming shift. it was a senseless and brutal killing. it specifically targeted the people who sacrifice each and every day who keep all of us safe, our police officers. this terrible crime has not only left the famili

mrs. murray: i come up to the floordz and i know this is a extremely important issue that we're debating, health care. i wanted to talk on a different topic. that is because tomorrow is going to be a very socioand very difficult day in my home state of washington. that's because tomorrow just a week after the single-worst act of violence against law enforcement in washington state history, police officers from across the state and across the nation, including some here from our capitol police force, a lot of our heartbroken washington state residents, the community of lakewood, washington, and the families of last sunday's brutal tac on four police officers are going to gather together to say goodbye. tomorrow's memorial in my home state of washington of the four officers killed on the morning of november 29 will begin with a procession that leaves from just steps a away from the coffee shp that was the site of that senseless and cowardly atafnlgt it was an tac in which four officers were targete

mrs. murray: mr. president, i thank my colleague from montana, the chairman of the finance committee, who i remember months ago with a smile on his face said we can get this done, and we're on the verge of doing it. we all owe you a huge debt of gratitude, so thank you very much. mr. president, as this debate now moves forward, it has become apparent that some of our colleagues are losing sight of what we're working on here. should it be a robust debate about a critical issue that is facing all of our families and businesses that have been bogged down by distractions and political gimmicks and obstructions and a lot of delay. well, american families watch and wait and wonder where they exactly fit into this conversation. so i want to be clear. with my colleagues and with americans from across the country today, this bill is about you. it's about your loved ones. it's about the people just like you across the country to bring down your premiums, expand your options, and increase your stability. it's ab

mrs. murray: thank you, madam president. madam president, i rise this afternoon to speak about the transportation and housing title of the bill that is now before the senate. this is a bill that has broad bipartisan support because it addresses the very real housing and transportation needs of american families across the nation. you know, there's a lot to be proud of in this conference report and i'm really pleased with what we have been able to accomplish working with my colleague from across the aisle, senator bond, chairman olver on the house side and congressman lathem and all of their staffs. this bill makes needed investments in our transportation infrastructure. it creates critical jobs while also supporting housing and services for our nation's most vulnerable. and it ensures that two critical federal agencies, departments that communities across this country depend on, have the resources they need to keep our commuters safe and to keep communities moving and prospering. the bill that is now before us touches the li

mr. president, i just want to thank senator murray on the "help" committee who did so much to put all ofinto our bill. this is, again, a major provision of the health care legislation that we're not hearing debated about here on the floor of the senate very much. but it is one of the most critical parts of the bill. again, i thank senator baucus, and all the work they did on the finance committee to put in the tax provisions and other provisions that are going to help us, first of all, invest in and grow the primary care workforce, and also to make it possible for people to become faculty members and teachers by helping them pay back their loans and their debts. so i wanted to take this time, mr. president to, again, highlight this part of the bill. not talked about much. but i believe it's one of the most important parts of the health care reform bill before us. mr. president, with that, i would yield the floor and reserve the balance of my time. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: how much time's remaining on both sides? the presiding

. >> may i say in the order it will senator murray from five -- >> thank you, mr. president and madame for your debate on this and for outlawing the serious concerns we have, and i rise today not only in strong opposition to the nelson amendment but in strong support of women's health choices this amendment would eliminate. mr. president, we cannot allow a bill that does so much for women and families and businesses and future strength of this nation to get bogged down and ideological politics and because in every single sense of the word health insurance reform is about choices, giving options to those who don't have them, options for better care or better quality and insurance that is within reach. this bill was never supposed to be about taking away choices, and we cannot allow it to become that. mr. president, this bill already does so much for women across america. already so far the senate has passed senator mikulski's amendment to make sure all women have access to quality preventive service and screenings the verso critical to keeping women healthy are avai

mr. jefferson's university of virginia. alan murray is executev editor on line for "the wall street journal" and author of the papers weekly business column. he has served as washington bureau chief for snbc and "the wall street journal." we are fortunate to have him on our govern n counsel ill here at the university. next we've robert sam uleson, contributing editor at "newsweek" and "the washington post" where he has written about business and economic issues since 1977. his articles have appeared in the wall street journal, "new york times" and other papers. his latest book is on the past and future of american avenue will youence, in case you are wondering about a holiday gifment paul solomon is occasional correspondent for the pbs news hour. he answers questions on the business desk. recently he has become a fellow at yale's berkeley college and for those of you who were why our discussions this afternoon you know that he was a loud -- lovely moderator in the panel that just preceded dinner the with that i'm going to turn to bob f

mr. president, i just want to thank senator murray on the "help" committee who did so much to put all ofnto our bill. this is, again, a major provision of the health care legislation that we're not hearing debated about here on the floor of the senate very much. but it is one of the most critical parts of the bill. again, i thank senator baucus, and all the work they did on the finance committee to put in the tax provisions and other provisions that are going to help us, first of all, invest in and grow the primary care workforce, and also to make it possible for people to become faculty members and teachers by helping them pay back their loans and their debts. so i wanted to take this time, mr. president to, again, highlight this part of the bill. not talked about much. but i believe it's one of the most important >> the senate approved a fiscal spending bill for 2010. three democrats voted against the bill. republicans voted for the spending package. the only spending bill that still needed to be approved is the defense department. senators will resume debate on health care legislation

mr. jefferson's university of virginia. [inaudible] [laughter] alan murray is the executive editor online for the wall street journal 3 he was previously assistant managing editor for the "wall street journal," and offered a weekly business column. he has served as the washington bureau chief for cnbc. we're fortunate to have al-anon are governing council at the miller center of public affairs here at the university. a distinction of many years. next we have robert samuelson, compared shooting -- i comparative -- a contributing editor to newsweek. his articles appear in the los angeles times, the boston globe, and other leading newspapers. his latest book, "the great inflation". in case you're wondering about all holiday gift. he is also the business, economics, and occasional correspondent for the pbs and news hour. he answers questions on the business does. he has become a fellow at yale's berkeley college and the brady johnson distinguished scholar for political economy at yale. it is for those of you who are in our discussions this afternoon who know tha

short a time ago as september 2009, a group of senators including wyden, murray, specter, bennet, klobuchar, others wrote to mrarles frizera, acting administrative for the centers for med cainders medicaid services, "we write to express our concerns regarding the proposed changes to medicare advantage rates for calendar year 2010. the advance notice has raised two important issues that if implemented would result in highly problematic premium increases and benefit reductions for medicare advantage enrollees across the country." so, again, as short a time ago as last april there was concern on the other side about cuts in medicare advantage program. mr. alexander: i wonder if the senator is aware, in alabama there's 181,000 people who are going to get the cut. in california, 1,106,000 people, seniors, are going to have their benefits cut. mr. coburn: colorado, 19 l,000 that are going to have their benefits cut. georgia 176,000, illinois is 176,000, indiana 148,000, kentucky 110,000, louisiana 151,000, massachusetts 200,000, michigan, 406,000. that's exactly what michigan needs right now, isn't it? for their sen

diane feinstein, christopher dodd, ron by deny, frank lautenberg, patty murray, arlen specter, mary landrieu, and maria cantwell. now, mr. president, here's a letter dated 30 september, 2003. and it says, "dear medicare conferee:" it says united states senate, and it's signed by a number of senators, including my colleague, senator kerry. "we're asking" addition -- "we're writing to ask you as a member of the medicare conference committee to ensure that the final medicare bill includes a meaningful increase in medicare choice funding in fiscal years 2004-2005." so i guess that my friend and colleague, senator kerry, was against cuts in funding before he was for it. he was against them before he was for them. so anyway, it goes on to say, "you strongly support additional medicare choice funding for two very important reasons. one, to protect the health care choices and benefits of the nearly 5 million medicare beneficiaries who are currently enrolled in private-sector health plans. and, two, to strengthen the foundation for future health plan choices. we believe that the medicare choice funding provisions are critically

mr. jefferson's university of virginia. alan murraytor and executive editor on line for the wall street journal. he was previously managing editor of a wall street journal and author of the weekly business column. he has served as washington d.c. bureau chief for nbc and the wall street journal. we are very fortunate to have alan on our governing council at the madison of public affairs at the university. a member of distinction for many years. next we have robert sanders, contributing editor of newsweek and the washington post where he has written about business and economic issues since 19707. his articles also appear in the los angeles times, boston globe and other reading newspapers. his latest book is entitled the great inflation and its aftermath, past and future of american capitalists in case you are wondering about a holiday gift. paul sullivan is the economics and occasional correspondent for the cbs news hour. the answers questions on the business desk. recently he has become a fellow at yale's berkeley college and the brady

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. president, by just saying this: i want to again thank the majority leader, senator reid. i want to thank senator durbin, senator schumer, senator murray, and thank you and the democratic leadership for your support of this concept. as you know, this idea developed back in the 1960's with senator ted kennedy who developed this concept in the first place. it has expanded, and now we are going to take it a giant step forward, and in the process i think we're going to make a difference, a real difference in improving the lives and the well-being and the health care access of tens of millions of americans. mr. president, thank you very much. and with that, i yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: mr. grassley: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: i ask that the calling of the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: it is so ordered. mr. grassley: i would call the attention of the leadership of the majority party that i have a unanimous consent request i want to make. i'm going to be visiting with my colle

mrs. murray: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from washington. mrs. murray: madam president, i thank my colleague from maryland, and i would just say, wherever she stands on the floor, she leads us all, so we're delighted that you're here and thank you so much for your leadership on this critical issue, making sure that women have access to quality preventive health care services and screenings that are so critical to women across the country. madam president, the senator from maryland offered this amendment, and i worked with her on the committee. she's been a leader on this form, many years. and i echo -- for many, many years. and i echo her statement. for years the women on this side of the aisle have stood up to make sure that women's care is part of health care and understand that we have to stand shoulder to shoulder. it is unfortunate this time that we see this in a little different light. but i agree with senator mikulski, we will keep working together throughout our time here to make sure that women's preventive services are covered. i do supp