murkowski: thank you, mr. president. we are on the measure again, the shaheen-portman energy efficiency, also known as energy savings and industrial competitiveness act. an efficiency bill, mr. president. this shouldn't be this difficult for us. when we talk about the benefits of an all-of-the-above energy policy, the benefits that can come to us as a nation when we are more resilient with our energy sources, when we're able to access our domestic energy sources, whether they be our fossil fuels, whether they be our renewables, whether they be nuclear, we all talk about it in good, strong terms because, quite honestly, energy makes us a stronger nation. abg stows our energy resource -- access to our energy resources. i've defined a good, strong energy policy as one that allows energy to be more abundant, affordable, clean, diverse and secure. an energy policy is also about the energy that we don't consume. it's about the energy that we save because we are more efficient. it seems that we've gotten to a point, at least wi

murkowski: i ask the proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. murkowski: as we are here today to discuss the energy efficiency bill and what may or may not be status on any given amendments, i wanted to take a few minutes this afternoon to speak about the issue of liquefied natural gas exports. senator barrasso has proposed a bill that would provide for fast track status for d.o.e. licensing to l.n.g. projects to export to members of w.t.o. countries. as we -- as we focus on our opportunities that we have, mr. president, when it comes to our -- our natural gas, our l.n.g. and the opportunities for -- for federal support for energy projects overseas, i think it's important to recognize we have got a little inconsistency going on with this administration slow walking of infrastructure and hydrocarbon development here in this country. give you a couple of examples here. the export-import bank has supported a slew of l.n.g.-related transactions over the past couple decades. these are structured and proje

murkowski: thank you. i appreciate the comments of my colleague and friend from pennsylvania and the discussion of why the we're here today on a late thursday afternoon. we started off the week, i think, with an air of optimism that with the energy efficiency bill before us we could get to that place where we could be debating substantive issues of the day. and as my colleague has noted, we haven't seen a real energy bill on this floor now for seven years. and when you think about the landscape, the energy landscape in this country and what has happened in seven years' time, you know, seven years ago we were looking to build import terminals to receive l.n.g. now we're debating -- or hoping to debate the export of our l.n.g. i have kind of put a target on my back, if you will, and said, let's talk about what's happening with our oil potential in this country and our opportunity as a nation to export our oil, given that next year we will actually be producing more oil in this country, than the country of ru

. >> we are going to go to you and then senator moran and then i've got murkowski but since murkowski is not here we will go to mikulski. jack reed. yes. we have got you. sorry. .. >> >> en execution and plan that it was asked to do than years ago from the energy policy act of 2005. by a understand officials of the department concurred with the findings and they estimated the department would complete each action by july 31st of this year. it is about three months away from the day in response i have three questions on this topic. but the first is his is the department on track to complete these actions on schedule? as conferred with the energy policy act? >> we will certainly try. yesterday we brought on board had outstanding senior adviser for technology transfer and we have sat down and ready to lay out some myth that is promising to hear. >> will the deal we comply with the 0.9% technology transfer that the report that the doe had not done in past years? >> this is correct. the program did implement that for one year but looking forward we like to work force you and others as to h

senator murkowski. >> welcome to the committee.s i was walking over here, i accounted a number of individuals that are here on the hill today for als advocacy day. a cause that you and i both share and are committed to and assuming that you're confirmed to this position, look forward to working with you aggressively to make a difference in this horrible disease. we had an opportunity to visit last week. and i appreciate the time that you gave me. in the visit i explained to you the situation in alaska where we are a very high cost state. our insurance costs are equally high. second highest in the nation. our demographics, our geography just cause us to be a little bit different. you mentioned the need for flexibility within rural areas. there's nothing more rural than alaska. we're so challenged with this. i shared with you that we have over 139,000 uninsured individuals. less than 10% of those individuals have enrolled in health care plans. and in looking at the numbers behind it, it really comes down, again, to the cost. the aca

reid: i now ask unanimous consent that feinstein-murkowski substitute amendment to s. 2198, which is at the desk, be agreed to, the bills as amended where applicable be read a third time, passed en bloc, that the feinstein-murkowski amendment, the title of s. 2198 be agreed to, that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to h.r. 1726. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 1726, an act to award a congressional gold medal to the 65th infantry regiment. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the bill be read three times, passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to h.r. 4488. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 4488, an act to make technical corrections to tw

if you go back through the history of recent write-in campaigns there has been some success, lisa murkowskishe lost her candidacy to joe miller. if you want to go back about 12 years ago here in washington, d.c., mayor tony williams, he had the same exact problem conyers is getting hit with. i talked to one political operative that said john conyers' voters love him, if they have to go through an obstacle course to elect him, they will be again. >> that wouldn't be surprising. it does seem this is more of an issue in michigan. >> yeah, thad cotter, it happened to him. >> this process is confusing folks. >> they're sticklers. >> michael grimm is the now -- he's the indicted member of congress from staten island. with advance mcallister, who was caught kissing somebody on videotape, the louisiana republican, there was this and trey raidle, who had the cocaine arrest, there was this group pressure by the republican parties to get them both either to resign or not seek reelection and they've been successful. what's going on behind the scenes with republicans pushing out michael grimm? >> what t

let's see if ron widen can do something with murkowski and the committee to come up with something andhey did. they came up with some good bipartisan efforts. it increased the bill's betterment so much. so that's done. they come to me, seven republicans, and say, okay, we need to pass this bill, it's so important to the country. i say, good, i'll do that. so then they come to me and say, okay, that agreement, i want to change it a little bit. that was right before the easter recess. what we want to do is have a n nonbinding vote on keystone. i say, okay, let's do it. then they come back after recess and say we want to change it now. we want a real vote. i say, okay, we'll change the agreement again. >> you'll do an up or down vote on keystone if it has no amendments, you'll do that tomorrow? >> yes, yes. they've said we agree on that but let's change it again. on things that are so -- on their face it's an evident to kill the bill. >> you feel like they're poison pills. this whole process for the senate, at least for me it's interesting. i know for some folks -- that is this idea there

honestly, on our side nobody's talking about unemployment benefits right now said senator lisa murkowskiust six republicans who voted to extend long-term unemployment insurance. and what has been said on that side isn't exactly heartening for the long-term jobless in this country. john boehner has refused to take up the bill calling it, quote, unworkable. despite the fact it does what his party calls for which is pay for the assistance. unworkable is a better description ffr the speaker himself and the caucus he purports to lead. the clock is ticking. >>> just ahead, despite its reputation as america's most dangerous city, camden, new jersey, is making a comeback in six innings. i'll talk with michael hainey about the diamonds in dope city next on "now." ♪ when it comes to good nutrition...i'm no expert. that would be my daughter -- hi dad. she's a dietitian. and back when i wasn't eating right, she got me drinking boost. it's got a great taste, and it helps give me the nutrition i was missing. helping me stay more like me. [ female announcer ] boost complete nutritional drink has 26 ess

when i became the chair of the committee, i had committed to ron wyden, the former chair, and lisa murkowski, the ranking member, which it is really their work, along with senators shaheen and portman, two outstanding members of the committee, to see what i could do to move this bill forward. i want to talk a minute about why this is important and frame this in a way that our members here can understand it. first of all, i'm going to talk about the bill itself in a minute, but let me just step back and say this. there have been 302 bills filed in this congress that relate to energy that have been sent to our committee for review. i am sad to say -- and i think my constituents and others will be disappointed to hear -- that only 13 of those bills have become law. i want to repeat that. 302 bills have been referred to the senate committee on energy and natural resources since the beginning of this congress and only 13 have become law. one of the reasons i wanted to bring the energy efficiency bill to the floor is because i think we need to make that 14. i think this record is pretty dismal and

lisa murkowski is the ranking member. they can take credit for this and they came up with a fantastic bill that creates jobs, that saves a lot of energy. that is our best source of energy is through efficiency. it creates jobs right here in america. it's the cleanest energy that you can produce, so these two terrific senators come and bring us a bill. it's debated in public, in committee, and amazingly comes out of committee i think on a vote of 18-3. a very important piece of building energy policy, which let me just say even as the chair of this committee now -- and i hope to remain chair for many years to come. there is an election in between that and that aspirational goal, so we shall see. but i would like to remain chair, but i can promise you it's not going to be one bill that comes out of the energy committee that builds an energy policy. first of all, part of the bills have to come out of finance. they are about tax policy related to all sorts of generation of different kinds of electricity. not even in my jurisd

. >> we are going to go to you and then senator moran and then i've got murkowski but since murkowski is not here we will go to mikulski. jack reed. yes. we have got you. sorry. .. i introduced a bill last month to help the department of energy, help it, lab technology reach commercial jobs, the commercial market and create jobs. and i think this will help new businesses and startups. we have many entrepreneurs in new mexico green jobs by finding ways to commercialize r&d from our national labs but i really believe we can do much better and i think you do, too. the d.o.e. inspector general agrees a recent audit report has several concerning findings about the departments approach to technology transfers, including the department is still not finalized a substantive, comprehensive execution plan which he was asked to do nearly 10 years agoe by the energy policy act of 2005. i understand that officials at the department occurred with thi igs findings and the estimated the department was complete each of the ig' ig's recommendations actions by july 31 of thisat ye. n by july 31st of this

and senator shaheen have carefully put together and senator wyden when he was chair with senator murkowski's help, got it out of the committee. i committed when i stepped into the leadership of the committee to build on their good work and to do my very best to get that bill to the floor, and we have an energy bill with keystone. and i thought the two of them working together, republican and democrat, we could get a good compromise by working on both of them at the same time. we're capable of doing it. they're clearly broadly supported. it will help create jobs in america, and will begin two important steps. not the only -- there are other things that coon done. people come to me and say we could do this, we could do that. yes, we can work on coal, on propane. i had a hearing on propane today. we can work on additional rail for the country, we can work on pipeline safety, we can work on alternative fuels, on strengthening our relationship with israel and china, work on new kinds of automobiles. but that is for another day. we cannot do all of it at one time. but what we can do is what's befo

majority and minority leaders as well as the new energy chair, senator landrieu and ranking member murkowski for their support and thank former energy chair and natural resources -- former energy and natural resources chairman ron wyden for his support, and i also want to thank the legislation's additional cosponsors -- senators ayotte, bennet, collins, presiding officer, senator coons, senators franken, hoeven, isakson, manchin, warner and wicker. i think that list of bipartisan cosponsors just indicates the breadth of support for this legislation that shows the ideological breadth of support for it and i look forward to working with senate leadership, with all of my colleagues here in the senate because we can pass this legislation, we can create these jobs, we can save consumers money and we can redues pollution. thank you very much, mr. president. i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: mrs. shaheen: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new hampshire. mrs. shaheen: i ask that the quorum call be lifted. the presid

i'd like to thank my colleagues, senators casey, moran, heinrich, vitter, murkowski, warren, klobuchar, warner, toomey, thune and pryor for joining me to address this very, very critical issue. i recognize that the claims process is complex. there is no silver bullet that's going to solve this problem overnight. but the v.a.'s current efforts will not eliminate the backlog. and it's common sense. targeted solutions from congress that will address some of the inefficiencies that are keeping veterans from receiving a timely decision. that is why this bill has been endorsed by a number of veterans service organizations, including the american legion, veterans of foreign war, the disabled american veterans, the iraq and afghanistan veterans of america, the military officers association of america, and the association of the united states navy. i'd like to thank these v.s.o.'s for their support and for collaborating with the working group to develop solutions that will fix this problem. time and again we've asked our men and women in uniform to answer the call of duty, and they do so withou

senators portman, ayotte, collins, isakson, murkowski and wicker have done good work on this legislationhat a shame that they'll see their efforts scrapped by my friend, the republican leader. this isn't the first time he's steam rolled members of his own caucus. for example, the senate considered a bipartisan transportation appropriations bill. the subcommittee chair, patty murray and ranking member susan collins worked for months on that legislation. not withstanding the bipartisan support for the bill or senator collins hard work, the republican leader single-handedly dismantled the bill and there are other examples. after the legislation was blocked, the senior senator from maine was quoted as saying that she had never seen the republican leader work so hard to defeat a member of his own caucus. if my republican counterpart wants to keep blocking his own senators' bipartisan efforts, go ahead but it's not good for the country. eventually members of his caucus will break from the gridlock to get the constituents the help they need just as a handful of republicans did with the recent e

which actually likes federal dollars coming into the state because she's going to be somebody like a murkowskido a lot of bipartisan deals. >> sound goods. let's go straight now, the latest from sterling, some quotes that i can't believe. >> the earthquake of the sterling interview, the ripple effect continues because we're one day after donald sterling attacked magic johnson. the former laker star is fighting back. magic was dragged into when v. stevian know post evidence this image on instagram. it's a photo made public by tmz sports. and sterling told her not to bring magic johnson or any other african-americans to clippers games to that original racist rant that was made public. it was days ago that sterling went after magic again, this time for having hiv. >> what has he done? can you tell me? big magic johnson, what has he done? >> he's a business person. >> whose got aids. did they do any business? did he help anybody in south l.a. >> i think it's hiv, it didn't focus on aids. >> what kind of a guy that has sex with every girl and then he catches hiv. is that something that we want to r