vitter -- mr. vitter: i ask unanimous consent to waive reading of the whole. presiding officer: without objection. mr. vitter: thank you, madam president. i have already presented the bill as now pending, so with that, madam president, i yield the floor. a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from south carolina. mr. demint: thank you, madam president. i ask unanimous consent to temporarily set aside the pending amendment so that i may call up my amendment numbered 3454 which is filed at the desk. the presiding officer: without objection. the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from south carolina, mr. demint, proposes an amendment numbered 3454 to amendment numbered 3452. mr. demint: madam president, i ask that the reading of the amendment be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. demint: thank you, madam president. my amendment is cosponsored by senators mccain, graham, coburn, grassley, lemieux, feingold. it's an identical bill that has 16 cosponsors, including senator burr, chambliss, cornyn, crapo, johanns,

senator vitter, lead the way against a.c.o.r.n. or whatever.w is senator amy klobuchar, democrat of minnesota. it is very nice to have you back on the program. >> what was you called us? live from dysfunction junction. a nice way to introduce me. >> do you deny is where the the senate takes legislation to die now. >> we got our air traffic modernized. we are starting to get things done in a big way. you will see a big thing with health care. as you pointed out, they are going to delay and obstruct every step of the way. you can call it the voter-rama-drama. it will be going on into the night. our people, despite you poke fun at us, we will not waiver and get it done. you saw this in december when we got every single one of us together to vote about that bill. harry reid, dick durbin, our leadership were able to unite our caucus on that bill and you're going to see that again as we go forward. we are going to be hit with difficult amendments. the most important thing is to get health care done for the people of this country. i was looking at our

vitter: yes, i'll yield. mrs. hutchison: i just wanted to ask my colleague from virginia because he been on the floor i think seeking recognition and i wanted to make sure that we ask him -- that we protect his place following senator vitter. how much time did the senator from virginia want to use? mr. webb: i thank you for inquiring. i would like to speak for up to ten minutes about the ensign amendment. mrs. hutchison: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that following the remarks by the senator from louisiana that the senator from virginia be recognized for up to ten minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. webb: mr. president? yeah, it was my understanding that the ensign amendment was going to be called up at 4:30. the presiding officer: the senator is correct. mr. webb: and wouldn't that be the proper topic of discussion on the floor? i've been waiting since 4:15, when i was slated to speak. mrs. hutchison: i would be happy to call up the ensign amendment, after which senator vitter ha had -

vitter: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that senators hutchison and landrieu be added as cosponsors of the amendment. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. vitter: mr. president, in 2005, we passed the seaap program which is revenue sharing for states for coastal conservation and other purposes. unfortunately, that money has been very slow to get to states. only 15% that was supposed to have been distributed by now has been. this amendment helps fix that. it doesn't spend new money. it doesn't increase the deficit. i yield the remainder of my time to senator landrieu. ms. landrieu: thank you, mr. president. i join my colleague in supporting this amendment. we've modified it from the original version. no environmental laws will be ignored. the process will be followed. but this amendment will simply expedite getting money to the gulf coast states and to other states that benefit from this program. and i ask my colleagues to be supportive. the presiding officer: who yields time? a se

senator vitter, lead the way against a.c.o.r.n. or whatever. joining us now is senator amy klobuchar, democrat of minnesota. it is very nice to have you back on the program. thank you for being here. >> well, thank you, rachel. i did want to report, what is it that you called us, i'm live from dysfunction junction? a nice way to introduce me. >> do you deny the senate is where legislation goes to die now? >> could i point out that, in the last month, we passed that major jobs package? remember, with some bipartisan report. we got the faa reauthorization passed, which actually is a big deal, for getting our air traffic modernized. we are starting to get things done in a big way. you will see a big thing with health care. as you pointed out, they are going to delay and obstruct every step of the way. you can call it the voter-rama-drama. it will be going on into the night. our people, despite what you may poke fun at us, we will not waver and we will get it done. you saw this in december when we got every single one of us together to vote about t

vitter? >> no. >> mr. johans? >> no. >> ms. hutchison? >> no by proxy. >> mr. >> no by proxy. >> the vote is 13 ayes, ten opposed. the measure is passed. >> let me thank all of my colleagues. i'm -- the votes haven't started so i'd like to stay and take some opening comments if members would like to make any opening comments. senator schumer? >> could we come back, those of us who can't be here can we come back and make opening statements? >> i'll be happy to do that tomorrow morning -- i'll leave it up to the will of the -- in the morning if you like. i'd be happy to do it then. anybody else who would like to be heard? we've got a few minutes. any members want to be heard? senator corker no? the corker rule? >> probably best for me not to be heard tonight. >> anything else? if not, i thank all the members. the committee will stand >> i actually now have a house in washington d.c. for the first time. i never had an array idea it was going to be this could them whether it is a letter bomb in washington or a serious one serious >> you can search it, clip it, shar

vitter: thank you, mr. president. this amendment is very simple and it goes to the heart of all of these arguments. this amendment would repeal this new obama care plan. all of us on this side urge this action and urge us to focus sneddon a focused, step-by-step approach to solve specific real problems with specific solutions. this gargantuan plan which this amendment would repeal doesn't do that and this gargantuan plan has fundamental problems at its core that my colleagues have been talking about. truly offensive, fundamental problems like over a half a trillion dollars cut to medicare. mr. president, the american people do not want to pay for anything through that. over half a trillion dollars of increased taxes and costs. mr. president, the american people don't want an approach that does that. increasing health care costs when the american people know that our big challenge is to do the opposite and nonpartisan sources like the congressional budget office confirmed that the obama care plan doesn't decrease healt

david vitter, remember him? the other senator paying for hookers? mark sanford has a mistress down in argentina. you know, conservatives, let's not look at senator larry craig's affair in the men's room as the good old days. that was a simpler time. you went in the men's room. you came back out. what happened to those days? >> jay leno having some fun at the expense of republicans who have had troubles recently with sex scandals. democrats are not immune from these problems. let's take a trip down memory lane on both sides of the aisle. >> indeed, i did have a relationship with ms. lewinsky that was not appropriate. in fact, it was wrong. >> so my truth is that i am a gay american. >> let me be clear. i am not gay. i never have been gay. >> i want to again offer my deep, sincere apologies to all of those i have let down and disappointed with these actions from my past. >> the past few days i have begun to atone for my private failings. >> in 2006, two years ago, i made a very serious mistake. >> i violated the vows of my marriage. >> i've been unfai

i thank senator cochran, senator wicker and senator vitter for joining in a bipartisan way to ask for it. and i most certainly hope we can get this done, mr. president. because if not, we're going to shut down these projects that are underway. we will lose 13,000 jobs as well as lose the opportunity for over 7,000 families in the gulf coast to get good, affordable housing. and so, that is our argument. and i don't think there's any opposition. i hope not, because it would be very important for us to get this amendment on this bill. and i suggest the absence of a quorum if there is no one here to speak. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from delaware. mr. kaufman: madam president, i ask the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kaufman: madam president, i ask to speak as if in morning business for up to 20 minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kaufman: thank you, madam president, madam president, i've

intention to call up amendment 3335 sponsored by myself, senator cochran, senator wicker, and senator vitter. the presiding officer: without objection, the pending amendment is set aside. ms. landrieu: thank you, madam president. the presiding officer: the presiding officer: the clerk will report the amendment. the clerk: the senator from louisiana, ms. landrieu, proposes amendment number 3335 to amendment number 3336. ms. landrieu: madam president? the presiding officer: senators please take your conversations out. the senator from louisiana. ms. landrieu: thank you, madam president. i spoke at length about this amendment today, so it's not necessary for me to go into a great deal of detail. but i offer it on behalf of several senators from the gulf coast in order to help extend the placed in service state for several thousand low-income housing units along the gulf coast. we're not asking for additional authority. we're not asking for new tax credits. just to allow us to use the tax credits that have already been allocated. without this date extension, we will lose thousands -- literally t

. >> [speaking mandarin chinese] >> translator: people of seven dsos vitter of sites the tightness stanceor free trade. we know it has become the biggest exporter in the world. however in the past weeks and months there have been rising protectionist measures against china and we have also seen increasing trade friction between china and the united states. some say that trade protectionism has affected in a serious way recovery of the global economy per car blunder what is the view of the chinese government of this issue? thank you. >> [speaking mandarin chinese] >> translator: i am a staunch supporter of free trade press as i said i believe the free trade can not only promote their growth of the world economy, it will also promote harmony in the world. at the same time it can also change and hong improve people's mind. >> [speaking mandarin chinese] [speaking mandarin chinese] [speaking mandarin chinese] [speaking mandarin chinese] [speaking mandarin chinese] [speaking mandarin chinese] [speaking mandarin chinese] >> translator: nine understand some countries want to increase their expor

i am going to ask my military l.a., captain tim vitter.i would like to have a report that from you well. is this a possibility? is what he is talking about realistic? is isn't a step forward, a giant step forward as he is talking about? i'm not pushing this vendor. i just want some feedback as if it is, then let's pursue it. if it is not i can say i am sorry this is not what we are looking for but there are things that got me somewhat curious about what he is offering. general oates, in the scheme, and mr. bartlett said it today, bad the proportionate amount of money we spend in fighting ied's in protecting our soldiers pursued the cost of ied's, and also we have to keep doing that. we have got to protect our soldiers but are we catching up or are they getting farther ahead? >> sir, it is a quick question and i actually think iraq might be informative here. if we go back and look at what has transpired in iraq and the funding that has come forward to protect our soldiers but also allow us to understand the networks that are engaging us, be

i am going to ask my military l.a., captain tim vitter.ould like to have a report that from you well. is this a possibility? is what he is talking about realistic? is isn't a step forward, a giant step forward as he is talking about? i'm not pushing this vendor. i just want some feedback as if it is, then let's pursue it. if it is not i can say i am sorry this is not what we are looking for but there are things that got me somewhat curious about what he is offering. general oates, in the scheme, and mr. bartlett said it today, bad the proportionate amount of money we spend in fighting ied's in protecting our soldiers pursued the cost of ied's, and also we have to keep doing that. we have got to protect our soldiers but are we catching up or are they getting farther ahead? >> sir, it is a quick question and i actually think iraq might be informative here. if we go back and look at what has transpired in iraq and the funding that has come forward to protect our soldiers but also allow us to understand the networks that are engaging us, begin

i wish that senators vitter was here.is very pleased that we focused on the uncertainty over climate change -- those were his words. a want to make it clear for the record that "uncertainty about climate change" is coming from some colleagues on the republican side, and not one colleague on the democratic side has expressed in any way any feeling of uncertainty. on the contrary, they feel very certain. we have voted out a strong bill on this committee which i am very proud of. i want to say to senator inhofe who is an eloquent in his denial, that in my opening statement i did not quote one international scientist or ipcc. rather, acquitted noaa, nasa -- i quoted noaa and nasa and the national association of the vans meant of signs. i will continue to collect the defense establishment, including the cia, doa, and many retired military people who tell us this is a great threat. so, i really want to point that out. it is fair to disagree on whether or not there is climate change. but the facts are the facts. i'm cutting amer

he guided vitter man though because the government never paid for his medical expenses.d one lung was severely compromised. he invented a tool called the polaski. anyone ever heard of the polaski? it is the most commonly used tool in wildfire fighting. it hasn't act so-- excuse me, and ask edge on one and a hoe on the other. polaski invaded-- invented this great tool. in keeping with the bitterness of the last part of his life he never got the patent for that either. but i am happy to say he is being honored on this 100th anniversary. finally there is a national historic site in idaho at the time out where polaski saved 50 some people on the night of the big burn, so i will be happy to take some questions and thank you very much. [applause] >> while you are coming to the podium to ask your questions, i have one. what did you say to us as we are facing budget crises in many of our state parks are being closed, how do you help inspire people to get the public and political will to shift fat? >> i think you need a giant wildfire. with heroes working for the arizona state pa

vitter: mr. president, i ask to call up amendment number 3668 and ask for its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from louisiana, mr. vitter, proposes an amendment numbered 3668. mr. vitter: i ask unanimous consent to waive reading of the whole. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. vitter: mr. president, a short time ago, the distinguished majority leader urged there to be amendments to improve the bill, not to do any harm to the broader obama-care bill. this is exactly such an amendment. this amendment would pass my mobile momgraphy act, s. 2051, which would allow -- mobile mammography act, s. 2051, which would allow -- the presiding officer: sorry. please, order. thank you. mr. baucus: mr. president, mr. president? mr. president? at the risk of doing something a little untoward, i honestly do think it's better this conversation, which is trying to resolve all this, be not right down in the well when the senator from louisiana is

vitter. the senate is not in order. please take your conversations out of the senate. the senate is not in order. the senator from louisiana. mr. vitter: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, this amendment is very straightforward. it would repeal the obama-care bill because that bill is fatally flawed in terms of its core and we do need to repeal and replace with a very different, more targeted, focused, step-by-step approach. what is that core? over half a trillion dollars of medicare cuts on our seniors, which is wrong. over a half a trillion dollars of tax increases, including on middle-class families, which is wrong. increasing health care costs rather than -- the presiding officer: the senator will suspend. the senate is not in order. please take your conversations out of the senate. the senator from louisiana. mr. vitter: that core of the bill includes increasing health care costs rather than doing the opposite, decreasing them. and that's what the c.b.o. says, nonpartisan. that will result in increased individual health premiums 10% to 13%, and government ge

the amendment that i'm offering actually on behalf of myself, senator vitter, senator cochran, is an amendment -- and senator wicker -- is an amendment that will help the recovery effort of the gulf coast particularly as it relates to louisiana, mississippi and alabama as well. the situation is this, mr. president, if we do not get this amendment on this bill or the next bill -- i'd prefer it on this bill -- we will literally shut down 7,000 units that are under construction today of low-income and moderate housing along the gulf coast from mobile to waiveland to gulfport to cameron parish. the entire gulf coast. as you know, mr. president, as many of us witnessed the terrible catastrophe that happened in our state just 4 1/2 years ago will be marking the fifth anniversary of katrina. i guess the wounds seem a little bit fresh, mr. president, watching the scenes from hate andy the scenes from chile. the situation in haiti is much more disastrous than what happened in the gulf coast. but we most certainly went through our own horrors. and five years seems like a long time. but, mr. pr