ms. landrieu: thank you. i really appreciate the courtesies of the manager of the bill on the floor, senator reed, and i really appreciate his courtesies because those of us that came to the floor today to speak about this issue are extreme extremely concerned about this problem that's presented itself based on a bill that was passed three years ago, two years ago, called biggert waters with all the best intentions a bill was passed two years to go oog to try to fix and reform and reauthorize the nation's flood insurance program, which is a very important program that allows millions of people that live not just along the coast but along our rivers and bayous and streams from coast to coast, inland and coastal communities, to live safely and to live affordably and to have flood insurance they can count on. that was the intention of the bill but, madam president, something went awry through the passage of the bill and the consequences are devastating. now as we look back two years and we see how fema and some

ms. landrieu: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, i thank the -- my colleagues that led this effort on this nondiscrimination bill which was historic and pleased that we had a partisan vote to make america more accepting and just place, and it's a work in progress and really pleased that we could find the support on this floor to do that. now the bill goes to the house, and i urge my colleagues and my congressional delegation and others to look at this bill with an open mind and an open heart and end discrimination in the workplace, and i hope that they will. mr. president, i'd like to speak about a bill i plan to introduce in just a few moments, and hopefully we'll have some chance or opportunity in the near future to debate it, because it's a very important fix, if you will, to the affordable care act. when we debated this bill for literally years and months in committee, for hours and hours and hours in daylight and during the evening sessions, there were hundreds and hundreds of amendments built. this bill was built wi

ms. landrieu and david brooks of "the new york times." and we have several live events to tell you about tomorrow on our companion network, c-span3, beginning with a hearing on the response to the typhoon in the philippines. that is at 10:30 a.m. eastern. at 3:30 p.m. eastern, a senate banking subcommittee examines the viability of digital currencies and also outgoing federal reserve chairman ben bernanke speaks at the national economist club. live coverage on c-span3 is at 7:00 p.m. eastern. >> if you are in middle or high school student, the studentcam video competition wants and what is the most important issue that congress should address next year. making five to seven minute video and be sure to include us in your programming. with $100,000, the deadline is january 20. give more information on student cam.org. >> next, an alliance for health reform discussion analyzing health care costs and the use of what is called referenced-based pricing. this is a less than two hours. >> all right. why don't we try to get started. my name is ed

ms. landrieu: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. ms. landrieu: may i suggest to dispense with the reading of the roll, of the quorum call. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. ms. landrieu: thank you. i know the hour is getting late. i know other membersda members o the floor to speak before we close the day's business. but i wanted to take the opportunity to come to the ploor to associate myself with the -- to the floor to associate myself with the remarks of the appropriations committee, senator mikulski, earlier this week. she has really been, as you know her very well, an extraordinary leader for many, many years in this congress. she's truly an expert appropriator. we could have no better person trying to bring this body together, democrats and republicans, in my mind than senator mikulski, trying to get our appropriations bills through the process, which is so important for the country, not just for our agencies and our departments but, mr. president, you know, as the senator from massachusetts, the thousands in