ms. mikulski: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator maryland is recognized. ms. mikulski: thank you, mr. president. i rise to speak on paycheck fairness, a bill that we will be shortly voting on -- cloture. the paycheck fairness bill picks up where the famous lilly ledbetter bill left off. i was so proud to lead the fight on the senate floor two years ago under a new congress and a new president to ensure that we righted the wrong of a supreme court decision where lilly ledbetter in behalf of american women everywhere sued to be sure that she could get equal pay for equal or comparable work. the congress responded well, and that legislation is now the law of the lafnltd land. but the paycheck fairness bill picks up where ledbetter left off because ledbetter left the courthouse door open to sue for -- kept the courthouse door open to sue for discrimination. but paycheck fairness makes it more difficult to discriminate in the first place. it increases penalties for discrimination, it prohibits the employer retaliation for sharing pay information, and it closes a loo

ms. mikulski: thank you. mr.ay to talk about my opposition to an amendment that's going to be offered by the senator from oklahoma to eliminate congressionally designated projects. mr. president, for me, the job has always been about the people, and the best ideas do come from the people. and as i've traveled around the state of maryland, whether it's been to work sites or round tables or unfettered, uncensored conversations at diners, i listen to the people, and what they tell me, they're mad because they're mad at washington because when all is said and done, more gets said than gets done. families are stretched, and they're stressed, and they want a government that's on their side. they want a strong economy, a safer country, and a government that's as frugal and as thrifty as they are, and they want us also to be focused on a more constitutionally based government. i support the people because i feel the same way. i do think we've got to focus on building a strong economy. we do have to focus on being a more