cede di institute of the united states senate on its historic groundbreaking and this transmitted by erk of the senate to the institute for the united states senate and signed by all body massachusetts senators. [applause] >> i want to apologize to the attorney general who is here with us. [applause] when something like this happens, so many people get to take vows. the staff of the edward kennedy institute has done an incredible job of getting things ready today. i want to mention paul remmy, chris cole, chris mccarthy, and the person who pulled things all together, lisa mcburney, thanks to all of you for the work you've done. [applause] a dear friend of the senators and everybody in the room, a man who makes things happen at the house, the speaker of the house. >> thank you very much, peter, and not a big day is opening day by the way, let's not forget that, and the red sox are starting a winning streak today as a matter of fact. [applause] the last prediction was that peter meade was going to retire. so much for my predictions. [laughter] thank you, peter, for that kind introductio

sincerely yours, diane feinstein, united states senator -- dianne feinstein, united states senator."plause] >> i don't know what to say. i'm so overwhelmed. it really feels good to get some recognition from the politicians and top politicians. i'm glad that i lived to see this day. [applause] and i want to thank all who have made this day possible, including all the people at the library that put this event together. thank you very much. [applause] >> now, i would like to introduce the driving force behind this program, and award- winning, internationally known storyteller, recording artist, and educator. she is a truth teller and an artist for social change. she has made it her life's work to tell history through the words of its off forgotten witnesses. zero two one-women shows -- she wrote two one-women shows. she told the true story of the 1955-1956 montgomery bus boycott through the eyes of four women. please help me welcome her. >> i guess you are wondering why i'm standing here. [inaudible] my teachers have been teaching me a lot about standing up for what is right. it was a w

cede di institute of the united states senate on its historic groundbreaking and this transmitted by e clerk of the senate to the institute for the united states senate and signed by all body massachusetts senators. [applause] >> i want to apologize to the attorney general who is here with us. [applause] when something like this happens, so many people get to take vows. the staff of the edward kennedy institute has done an incredible job of getting things ready today. i want to mention paul remmy, chris cole, chris mccarthy, and the person who pulled things all together, lisa mcburney, thanks to all of you for the work you've done. [applause] a dear friend of the senators and everybody in the room, a man who makes things happen at the house, the speaker of the house. >> thank you very much, peter, and not a big day is opening day by the way, let's not forget that, and the red sox are starting a winning streak today as a matter of fact. [applause] the last prediction was that peter meade was going to retire. so much for my predictions. [laughter] thank you, peter, for that kind introdu

not even the republicans all voted for it in the united states senate. three republican senators voted against h.r. 1 in th senate. perhaps you don't know the date, but it did happen. and it is -- it's stunning to hear this debate that talks about visiting parliamentarians seeing an example of good government in action. no. wrong. so what could be the explanation for this? mr. clyburn suggested it could be april fool'and at the end of this debate the gentleman will withdraw the amendment, apologize for wasting the public's time, and say this is only an april fool's joke. because that's the only thing that it complies with. it does not comply or conform with honoring the constitution. it does not create jobs. it does not reduce the deficit, and it does have the support of the democrats in the house of representatives. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. the spker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from georgia. mr. woodall: madam speaker, i

senate that can't act. in seven days, madam speaker, the united states government shuts down. i just want to make that clear. in seven days the united states government shuts down. if the senate can't pass a bill and that we can't get together and define a solution. and that means our men and women in uniform don't get paid. that means our usda inspectors that inspect all the meat and the chicken that we eat, they won't go to work and those products won't come to the grocery store. it's not a little deal. it's a big deal. it's a big deal and this is a step in the direction towards finding a solution. now, this rule provides for debate on that underlying resolution. we'll get to that this afternoon. i look forward to that. i will ask all my colleagues on the left and the right, the conservatives and the liberals of all stripes to support this rule so that we can move forward and debate in an open fashion the underlying resolution. and with that i yield back the balance of my time, madam speaker, and i move the previous question. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back

[applause] the institution he chose for his political service was a senate of the united states whosehistory he truly breviary. in his memoir, "true compass," he wrote the following: to say that i love the senate does not begin to convey what that institution needs to me. let me put it this way, after nearly half a century, i still cannot get a car headed for the capitol, especially in the evening and clemson in the distance without the hair in my arms stand in a period i've told vicky if ever that site does not move me, i will know it is time to step aside. that elting symbolizes to meet the benevolent power and the majesty of our government. it is awesome to me. not awesome in the reflective way to young people use the word, but in its real sense, its older sense of the broken reference. being a senator changes a person he said. something fundamental and profound happens to you when you arrive there. and it stays with you all the time when your privilege to serve. i have seen the changes in people who have come into the senate. it may take a year or two years or three years, but it

the united states senate doesn't legislate on appropriations bill for a simple reason. every united states senator knows that it would be open season for the special interest lobbyists all over this town. now, the administration and this body took a stand earlier this year against earmarking, something that you're very much aware of, madam president. and i'd like to quote from the president's state of the union address. the president said "the american people deserve to know that the special interests aren't hrargd up -- larding up legislation with pet projects. both parties in congress should know this," said the president. "if a bill doms my desk with earmarks inside it, i will veto it." madam president, i would like to have somebody explain the difference between letting a lobbyist slip an earmark into an appropriations bill and slipping the legislative language into an appropriations bill that benefits a whole array of special interest lobbies? it sure seems to have the same effect to me. now, i'm not certain who proposed eliminating free-choice vouchers in this appr

experience and move a little faster over the rough spots toward the happy indian of being a united states senator. but my attitude was, there's enough self-serving books by politicians, and quite frankly i did what my name on them. i did what my name on it. so i left him some stuff on quite frankly not especially proud of. in a few moments in my life that i would rather have forgotten. i just figured if i going to tell my story at all, i ought to just trust you, the readers, and just tell it straight. about some of the early exchanges i recount in his book, let me just say that no one will accuse me of idealizing my youth. it's a life story, you have to tell about your family, and my family was come when i was a kid wasn't anyone's idea of a model household. my mom and dad between them had eight marriages. yes, eight marriages. just so, you know, mom is happily divorced and dad is happily married. and as i grew up in various towns outside of boston that was in and out of my life and the fortune he was mostly out. we move 17 times by the time i was 18. and is always either in a cheap apartment or

president, we want it back, and united states senate. [chanting "we want it back!"] and 87 freshmen here and the quick reaction force to take it back. [cheering] and every one of them ran on the repeal of obamacare and every one of them voted to repeal obamacare and over the united states senate every republican voted to repeal obamacare, too. the market has been put down. he fought the fight and cuts out of this fiscal year and the freshman stood up and fought the battle and came to a number it calculates out for the full year but its 61.5 billion. that's where the fight came down on h.r. one. that's the account we've taken. let's hold it. general rose manning and army and training at around this city and the beginning of the civil war lincoln wasn't pleased because he didn't want to fight. you've to pick the ground you want to fight on, that's this continuing resolution and you want to fight when your army is as strong as it can possibly be. that was a month ago but it's still now so this is the time, this is the ground we need to fight on this continuing resolutio

united states. he was a very proud united states senator for several decades. adies and gentlemen, we're honored to have with us the vice president of the united states and his wife, joe biden. [applause] >> thank you very much. mr. secretary, thank you. i noticed when you said, mr. secretary, that we missed the senate floor, everybody kind of grimaced. we actually do miss the senate floor, and i miss the days when some of my colleagues were sitting out here and i was serving on that floor. pat, i could see your face when he was saying biden overcame a lot of obstacles. pat was saying, yes, being biden is a of an obstacle. i also want to say hello to donna, who served this country with great distinction. it is an honor for jill and need to be here today with two men in particular. from whom i can say without fear of contradiction i learned so very much over the 30 years or more i served with them. although bob would suggest i have not learned enough, but i am trying bob. yuan of the phrase -- you all know the phrase from that great inaugural speech, the torch ha

not even the republicans all voted for it in the united states senate. three republican senators voted against h.r. 1 in the senate. perhaps you don't know the date, but it did happen. and it is -- it's stunning to he this debate that talks about visiting parliamentarians seeing an example of good government in action. no. wrong. so what could be the explanation for this? mr. clyburn suggested it could be april fool's and at the end of this debate the gentleman will withdraw the amendment, apologize for wasting the public's time, and say this is only an april fool's joke. because that's the only thing that it complies with. it does not comply or conform with honoring the constitution. it does not create jobs. it does not reduce the deficit, and it does have the support of the democrats in the hse of representatives. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from georgia. mr. woodall: madam speaker, i yield myself 30 seconds just to remind the gentlelad that article 1, section 7 says

united states are to balkanize libya divided into several states. they are working to divide if you're going to give the rebels limited help. and another united states arm six senate armed services committee the head of intelligence. senator mccain. and senator lieberman that libya is going to be divided it's probably three different states and i'm going to paraphrase one based around tripoli and its environs and no one in benghazi and its environs in another and he said it's going to be similar to libya before the monarchy was established when it was three different semi autonomous areas so they're breaking libya up just like they broke you can slavia interesting of your thoughts in the program of money various nasm roy from the center for research and globalization of sale on the line from ottawa canada tonight thank you . well still to come for you this business behind bars we look at our foreign investor oh the hundred million dollars by the georgian government ended up in jail . it's almost fifty years since mankind's first journey into space we bring you all the latest on preparations for a special verse of in-flight. japan now that it's facing a grim prospe

america understands that and i am asking the united states senate to join. and, mr. president, i do want to ask unanimous consent for cosponsors to be added to my bill. senator mark pryor, senator john boozman, senator michael bennet, senator max baucus, senator johnny isakson, senator mark kirk, and senator tim johnson. the presiding officer: without objection. mrs. hutchison: that brings the total to 58. senator casey has been a wonderful supporter in this. he is the lead cosponsor. 58 united states senators have stepped up to the plate and sa said, this is not an option for us to equivocate for one minute. so, mr. president, i'm waiting to get two more cosponsors which will show that we have 60 and that we want to act as a united states senate, and i am hoping that senator casey and i could get the ability to bring our bill up and pass it. very simple, very clear. military pay and those who are serving our military in civilian capacities will not be delayed because they're going to report to work and they need to have the peace of mind to know that the mortgages th

united states. it's ashame this free trade pack was languishing in the senate as long as it was. thanks goodness there's another outstanding trade agreement that should be moved on and that's the panama free trade agreement as well. but you're absolutely right about china. china and -- chavez is playing a central role, reaching out to the chinese and iranians and russians. their influence now is growing in latin america. >> can you specify -- am -- >> go ahead, you're fine. >> what is china precisely doing? isn't it building that railroad that is supposed to compete with the panama canal and want a port south? >> let's separate those if we can. in the case of panama to the good point because unlike columbia, panama is a service economy. it does not have the labor issues, doesn't have the baggage, it doesn't have the leftist uprising, it doesn't have the paramilitary, it doesn't have any of that baggage that columbia has. there's no good reason for the united states not to have free trade with panama. in keeping with that, the panama canal is in the midst of a something like a $10

the democrats retain control of the united states senate. i know very much about it because i was one of those seats that was being watched, and we kept control of the united states senate, and of course the president is a democrat and he is there for a couple of years and of course some of us hope for a lot longer. but here's the deal. out of the three parties to the negotiation, republicans control one-third of the government and democrats two-thirds. we didn't look at our republican friends and say well, we control much more than you do so we'll only go a third of the way to you. we were willing to give and give and give and to look at expenditures that we believe are key, and we said we're willing to give some of this up and we marched over to their side 78% of the way. so if i stop someone in the street, just a person who maybe didn't have much experience about beltway politics, and i said if you were negotiating with two of your friends and they saw something their way and you saw it your way and they came 78% of the way to what you wan

not even the republicans all voted for it in the united states senate. three republican senators voted against h.r. 1 in the senate. perhaps you don't know the date, but it did happen. and it is -- it's stunning to hear this debate that talks about visiting parliamentarians seeing an example of good government in action. no. wrong. so what could be the explanation for this? mr. clyburn suggested it could be april fool's and at the end of this debate the gentleman will withdraw the amendment, apologize for wasting the public's time, and say this is only an april fool's joke. because that's the only thing that it complies with. it does not comply or conform with honoring the constitution. it does not create jobs. it does not reduce the deficit, and it does have the support of the democrats in the house of representatives. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from georgia. mr. woodall: madam speaker, i yield myself 30 seconds just to remind the gentlelady that article 1, section 7

when barack obama ran for the united states senate and walked basically into the senate, people forgetthat a few years prior he got the brakes beat off of him by a guy named bobby rush who is still a congressman. >> but he had a terrible opponent. >> and people kept dropping out and things work in your favor sometimes but at the same time, obama wouldn't be president if he hadn't been a senator and he wouldn't be a senator if he hadn't been a senator if he didn't run for the house seat and lost it first. >> how do you define failure? tavis: i think failure is a setback that at the moment might seem debilitating, setbacks that seem debilitating at the moment. let's be honest, i think in life there are certain things that are failures. i don't think that failing makes you a failure. i don't think failing makes you a failure. we're going to have failings from time to time. it doesn't make you a failure unless you choose not to learn the lesson of whatever that failing was. if you learn the lesson, you can fail your way through it. >> but failure can be the error that the third baseman mak

to demonize ryan and demagogue his plan, and i don't think his plan will go anywhere in the united states senate. but, i do think he's laid out a marker, a very serious plan about serious issues, it's got a growth factor to it which is very important and it's got some very serious cuts that everybody knows we're going to have to make somewhere down the road. i don't think tes ago you said willi think he'll be basically republicans aren't going to get it through. but one thing they will have done here is laid down a marker for the future, john. when and if i think this crash that's coming comes, and the democrats have rejected it, the republicans will be able to say we told you so, we tried, we told you it would take pain. you didn't do it. now here's what happened. i think that's what is being done. they're sitting their position now very tough against what is coming down the road. >> what is this crash business? >> i think you'll have a run on the ballot, one of these days. you'll have a chinese or stopping by on our debt. >> how will that occur? >> the fed will stop its easing in june. they st

senators announced last week we were cosponsoring a bill to create a balanced budget amendment to the united states constitution. and i want to thank our leader, senator mcconnell, for leading that effort. nearly all states have been bound for years by constitutional provision to keep spending within their means, and this amendment requires that the federal government do no less. it would cap spending and balance our budget, but it also allows an appropriate exception for times of war. at the same time, it provides a transitional pathway to implement the law and protect programs like social security and medicare for our seniors and future generations of americans. to put this into perspective, the cost of serving america's -- servicing america's debt over the next ten years over the president's proposed budget, $992 billion, is more than the entire social security deficit for the decade which is about $600 billion. in fact, fixing our debt and deficit involves not only setting priorities and cutting discretionary spending, which we're already working hard to do -- and we need to work hard to do --

not even the republicans all voted for it in the united states senate. three republican senators voted against h.r. 1 in the senate. perhaps you don't know the date, but it did happen. and it is -- it's stunning to hear this debate that talks about visiting parliamentarians seeing an example of good government in action. no. wrong. so what could be the explanation for this? mr. clyburn suggested it could be april fool's and at the end of this debate the gentleman will withdraw the amendment, apologize for wasting the public's time, and say this is only an april fool's joke. because that's the only thing that it complies with. it does not comply or conform with honoring the constitution. it does not create jobs. it does not reduce the deficit, and it does have the support of the democrats in the house of representatives. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempe: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from georgia. mr. woodall: madam speaker, i yield myself 30 seconds just to remind the gtlelady that article 1, section 7 says

he served, also, in the united states senate and, in fact, was deemed to be one of the most outstanding members of the united states senate. he is unique in history. and he said this, and i will repeat it. if you cannot compromise you cannot govern. and what he meant by that, of course, was that the american people in 435 districts and 50 states -- not 50 states, of course, when he was speaker, -- go to the polls and elect people to come to washington to represent them. and not surprisingly in a democracy they have different points of view. they have different per expectives. they have different -- perspectives. they have different priorities. they come from different geological concerns. their districts have different interests. and so it should not shock any of us that there is not agreement in 100% of the cases or sometimes 70% or sometimes 6 0% and perhaps not even 50%. but there does come a time when the american public expect us to be able to act. gridlock is not what they voted for. madam speaker, i will vote for this resolution. i do not vote for this resolution any more than an

wanted to fight to make sure his vision of america would be realized and a senator in the united states senate. in eighteen thirteen jefferson and his political rival john adams who'd been the president just before jefferson in fact he was jefferson was his vice president clashed over how senators would be elected to serve in congress at the time it was left to the states and most to crony appointments by governors or elected by state legislatures that often and. former president adams was of the belief that the senate should be comprised of a wealthy elite he was a genuine original conservative he thought we should have a natural aristocracy that was his phrase what he called it but it could serve as a check against the masses or the rabble adams word for people like you and me an eight hundred thirteen letter to adams on this issue jefferson this is five years after he left the presidency lashed out at what he saw as a flaw emerging in our democracy he wrote of this a couple all in the senate of the united states has furnished many proofs nor do i believe them necessary to protect their weal

we're talking about the funding for this fiscal year only because the united states senate and the united states house of representatives last year didn't get their work done. in fact, for the first time since 1974, when the budget act was made law, the congress did not pass a budget in either house. and that's why we're here and that's why the continues resolutions are necessary, these so-called short-term measures. it's too bad because congress not getting their work done last year means we have to clean up the mess this year when we should be focused on a much bigger issue. my colleague just talked about some of his concerns about the spending reductions that he talked in h.r. 1. i would just remind us that not having gotten our work done last year, we are also facing the biggest deficit in the history of our country and deat that is unprecedented. over $14 trillion. if we're truly worried about our kids and our grandkids and the next generation, we have to focus on that. but for today, mr. president, what we're talking about is something very simple. it's just to pass a short-term mea

lungren: a provision dealing with the pay of members of congress and the president of the united states. the senateas sent over a bill which proported to pay the president of the united states and the congress for any time that lapsed during which there was not authorization for appropriations for the government activity. it is on its face blatantly unconstitutional, violating the section of the constitution that deals with presidential pay and specifically the 27th amendment of the constitution which does not allow us to do that. the author of the bill before us in the statement of the constitutional authority makes it clear that we recognize the limits of the action we can take and instead we would in this way command those payments nod to be made during the period of time in -- not to be made during the period of time thereby making a very serious and good faith attempt to put that pressure on members of congress and the president of the united states but in a constitutional way. and so members should be aware of the difference between the language contained in this provision before us and that

there were a few senators in the united states senate also issued such statement calling on the president and the state department to condemn the violence toward protesters i mean yes there is a general statement that we are against iraq violations but when it comes to rain hillary clinton made it clear that the. regime is strategic allies are important to our interests and other way. other way the message was to the people of basically we. want the government and what that is going to do the people of ohio right now looking for an ally they're looking toward the united states for help and what kind of hope will not advocating here military will basically advocating for political help to mediate into the situation to resolve it but if the united states is not helping the states is going to. turn the blind eye then they're going to look into some other ally and that would be guess who iran because in reality the people in bahrain are shiite and when they look into iran iran is going to play this shueisha and it's going to be very much difficult for the united states to maintain a secure ba

do either of you think that either of those proposals can fly in the united states senate? >> i think medicaid has a chance, although there are some conservatives who don't believe block granting is a good idea. many governors, republican and democrats, don't want the responsibility of handling that block granted money for medicaid. they would like the money but they know it will become a great responsibility to deliver those services and all the political risks would come with their administering of medicaid. that's something that is an idea that works great theoretically, but as far as practical politics, i'm not sure it works out. moving medicare from where it is to premium support is an enormous title shift in the way that the government deals with elderly health care. that's an awfully ambitious thing. paul ryan is trying to move it in that direction. if he gets halfway that far, he'll probably accept that. >> it's dead on arrival in the senate. what democrats say is that the greatest leverage that medicare has to bring down prices overall is that it's so big and cover

all of us were working to the so hard to change the competition here in the granite state and in the senate of the united states. it looked like we had a really good shot take the house and maybe even the senate. and i got to thinking, and i sat down with my pen and paper, because i wanted to write down what would we do if we actually were able to get gavel? what would we do? so i hope you'll indulge me, because i want to read to you way wrote down about what we could do. imagine a stable economic and political environment where a job creator could go to bed each night ray insured the rules of the game their business runs by will remain the same in the foreseeable future. imagine if the federal government announced the following tomorrow. a 25% cut in federal government discretionary spending? that's about the amount president obama increased spending by in his first few months office then we canceled the outstanding stimulus that worked so well, you know. you cancelal it and return the repaid tarps funds to the united states treasury. then we would reinstate the welfare reform act with a lifetime cap of

but he loved history, he loved education and he loved the united states senate. and this place brings all of those things together. >> the opening of the institute is not without controversy. it's being built, in part, with nearly $40 million in taxpayer money. >>> and now, to a top honor 75 years in the making. westinghouse high school in pittsburgh has named fannetta nelson its 1936 valedictorian. nelson was robbed of that top honor because she was african-american. her sister who was valedictorian the year prior said the principaled vowed not to let another african-american get that same recognition. now, both sisters will be listed as valedictorian. >> never too late for that. >> to right a wrong. >>> your morning's weather from around the nation. showers from san francisco to l.a. and even san diego. winds of up to 60 miles per hour around phoenix, albuquerque and vegas. up to a foot of snow in the rockies. light rain across northern dakota. afternoon showers in the east, from boston to new york, d.c., atlanta and nashville. >> and looking at 80 degrees in d

than three things, he loved life, but he loved history, he loved education and he loved the united states senaterings all of those things together. it's going to be beautiful. >> reporter: her vision of what will grow in this spot has been remarkably healing. >> i just think that i was the luckiest, am the luckiest woman on the planet. >> reporter: why? >> because i met the love of my life and he made me so happy. i feel like i was the lucky one. >> and victoria kennedy will be there for the groundbreaking tomorrow. thank you for watching. we're always on at abcnews.com. and don't forget to watch "nightline" later. with a big thank you to wls, the abc station right here in chicago, a good night from all of us. >> nickel sized hail and traffic to a stand still. burst of weird weather strikes northical. >>> and a man who expected to plead guilty changes course. >> barry bonds keeping a powerful secret when he testified about using steroids. prosecutor get the final say in the perjury trial. >> and a message congress how a shut down will spoil a spring break. >> this is abc 7 news at 6:00. >> these

united states of america, greatest country in history. and then you contrast the action in the words and the wisdom of the founders with what we're hearing in the united states senate by senator schumer, was more interested in playing politics in the future of the country which is truly a state, where he says saving money for tax years as extreme. i mean, think about that. you think about these guys who put in contrast that with so many politicians today, were worth $61 billion as extreme? i mean, you've all but the numbers. with that of $14 trillion national debt, $1.6 trillion deficit. the largest monthly deficit in american history, 220,000,000,061,000,000,000 in savings for you to tax payer of the american people is somehow extreme? in maine, we talked about this before we came over. if this represents the amount of money were going to buy this year, 61 billion is about that much. and if this card represents the entire budget, we're talking about that much in savings. this is a good first step in if they characterize it as extreme. last night we heard -- we listen to a guy give a speech. maybe part of the sky, christopher steve. you ever heard of that kia? [che

senate. now ladies and gentlemen, we're honored to have vice president of the united states and his wife, joeiden. [applause] >> thank you very much. thank you very much. mr. secretary, thank you. i noticed that when you said we missed the senate floor, everybody grimaced. we happen to miss the senate -- the senate floor. i remember when my colleagues and i were serving on the floor. pat, when i could see pat's face -- when the secretary was saying biden overcame obstacles, his face was saying, yes, being biden was an obstacle. [laughter] i also want to say hello to donna who has served this country with great distinction. it is an honor to be here today , with the gunmen in particular -- bob dole and dan inouye. i learned so much over the 30 years or more i served with them. but bob would suggest i have not learned enough. but i am trying bob. [laughter] we all know the phrase from that inaugural race -- inaugural speech. the torch has been passed to a new generation, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of human-rights for

enemies of free speech in this country as we've had in the united states senate they understand that there is an essential tension between the prosecution of the war which is the most liberal thing you can do is governments and the virtue of free speech which is the cornerstone. of liberal societies we don't i'm happy to bring up some of those contradictions of those hypocritical statements that people like lindsey graham also say you know that this puts american troops in danger but they don't mention the fact that yes the guantanamo bay also puts american troops in danger that muslim countries that they continue to want to bomb also put american troops in danger they just somehow don't really put two and two together but you know i also want to talk about the fact that you know we mentioned now this is become an endless war on terror how many ways have our civil liberties and our free speech been eroded since then how about things like assassination list you know without due process that they want to wiretap everything that the cia doesn't want laurence for anything anymore right t

place with three democrats, the president of the united states, the vice president of the united states, the majority leader of the united states senate and one republican. the speaker of the house of representatives. by a 3-1 margin in the negotiating process republicans were outnumbered and so i think that it's a mischaracterization to describe this as somehow a republican plan that is before us. now to the issue that was raised about a cut being a cut. the former director of the congressional budget office made it clear answered called it that, a cut is a cut. i know this attempt is being made to somehow characterize the fact that dollars have not been spent so that means you're not actually cutting them. well, last night in the rules committee the very distinguished ranking minority member of the committee on appropriations, my good friend mr. dicks, pointed out something that everyone in this institution should know and that is the process of reprogramming that takes place within government agencies. we know full well that the movement of money, since money is fungible, that takes place within these different agencies, is standar

i know that's what propelled me to the united states senate, was my willingness to work across party lines. i think the senate of the united states could set an example. there are colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have worked together, who know the stakes are high. that's the reason i came to the floor today to urge senators of both parties to work together to find a commonsense compromise, to keep this federal government moving forward and to make sure our economy is focused upon and that we produce as many jobs as possible. that is job one. mr. president, i thank you for your attention, for your commitment, for your interest. i yield the floor. and i would note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: r down." well, i thought we were here to keep the government going. it's clear their real reason for shutting the government down at this point is to promote a social agenda that is not acceptable to the broader part of the country. th're willing to shut down the federal government, put our economy, our small businesses, our vet

but we have not done that yet in the united states senate. we're trying to work with our colleagues so we can. but in the end, if the president of the united states does not engage in this effort, we will not succeed. we can talk all we want. we can present all the plans that we want, but until the president gets engaged, we are not going to succeed. because he's the one that ultimately has to sign this bill. he's the one that ultimately has to sign off on it. now, currently, for the last three months, he's been totally awol, off doing other things at a time when the house is burning down. i'm hopeful that in just an hour and 10 minutes or so, is my understand, the president will come forward, not with nice phrases, not with jernl general, not with fluff that we heard in the state of the union address, but specifics, here's what his plan is. i hope what i hear from him is that, i, the president of the united states, barack obama, want to sit down and get in the arena with you, republicans, democrats, in the house and the senate and work togeth

united states of america, greatest country in history. and then you contrast the action in the words and the wisdom of the founders with what we're hearing in the united states senate by senator schumer, was more interested in playing politics in the future of the country which is truly a state, where he says saving money for tax years as extreme. i mean, think about that. you think about these guys who put in contrast that with so many politicians today, were worth $61 billion as extreme? i mean, you've all but the numbers. with that of $14 trillion national debt, $1.6 trillion deficit. the largest monthly deficit in american history, 220,000,000,061,000,000,000 in savings for you to tax payer of the american people is somehow extreme? in maine, we talked about this before we came over. if this represents the amount of money were going to buy this year, 61 billion is about that much. and if this card represents the entire budget, we're talking about that much in savings. this is a good first step in if they characterize it as extreme. last night we heard -- we listen to a guy give a speech. maybe part of the sky, christopher steve. you ever heard of that kia? [che

order, the senate will proceed to -- to executive session to consider the following nominations which the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination: vincent l. briccetti of new york to be united states district judge. john a. kronstadt of california to be use district judge. the presiding officer: there will now be one hour equally divided between the two sides. a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from illinois. mr. kirk: i ask unanimous consent at that be allowed to speak out of turn as if in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kirk: thank you. madam president, last week in chicago we announced tax freedom day, the d day that marks the te when illinois residents have paid off their federal and state tax burdens. the tax foundation, a nonpartisan organization that determines tax freedom day, found that this year americans will pay more on their tax burdens than they do on food, shelter, and clothing combined. tax freedom day falls on april 15 in illinois and on april 12 nationwide. and yet tax freedom day underestimates how heavy the government's burden is and only reflects the size of the bills that we actually pay to the gover