Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 112 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 112 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 158 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012 No. 12 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Friday, January 27, 2012, at 11 a.m. Senate THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the WELCOMING THE GUEST called to order by the Honorable TOM United States of America, and to the Repub- CHAPLAIN UDALL, a Senator from the State of lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, it is my New Mexico. indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. true honor and distinct pleasure—joy, PRAYER f really—to help host Reverend Smith today. As the Acting President pro The PRESIDING OFFICER. Today’s tempore said, Reverend Smith is the opening prayer will be offered by Rev. APPOINTMENT OF ACTING senior pastor of the Mount Zion Mis- James E. Smith, senior pastor of PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE sionary Baptist Church in Pioneer, LA. Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church The PRESIDING OFFICER. The He is from Rayville, LA. All of this is in Pioneer, LA. clerk will please read a communication The guest Chaplain offered the fol- in northeast Louisiana, the Monroe to the Senate from the President pro area. lowing prayer: tempore (Mr. INOUYE). Let us pray. Reverend Smith is very distinguished The assistant legislative clerk read Our Almighty God says, in 2 Chron- and has brought real hope to so many the following letter: icles, ‘‘If my people, which are called people in so many communities in that by my name, shall humble themselves, U.S. SENATE, area—first of all, as a spiritual leader, and pray, and seek my face, and turn PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, the leader of his congregation and so Washington, DC, January 26, 2012. many others; secondly, as a true leader from their wicked ways; then will I To the Senate: hear from heaven, and will forgive Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, in fighting truancy, fighting dropout their sin, and will heal their land. Now of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby rates very effectively, and also devel- mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears appoint the Honorable TOM UDALL, a Senator oping good jobs through many school attent unto the prayer that is made in from the State of New Mexico, to perform systems. But the third point I really this place.’’ the duties of the Chair. want to make is that I am most joyful Lord, please grant our lawmakers the DANIEL K. INOUYE, to help host him today because he is a humility to know that complete con- President pro tempore. true and a good and a tremendously sensus on most of the moral, religious, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico thereupon supportive friend. I know that from or political issues of these times is be- assumed the chair as Acting President personal experience, from personal yond their control. Only You, Al- pro tempore. counsel and encouragement, and so do mighty God, can move this body to The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- so many other Louisianans know that, seek Your wise counsel and live to pore. The majority leader. and we cherish the reverend in that honor You above all else. very personal way. So I am truly hon- As Apostle Paul says, in Ephesians, f ored and delighted to be able to intro- ‘‘Endeavour to keep the unity of the duce the Senate to Reverend Smith. Spirit in the bond of peace. There is ORDER OF BUSINESS one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are f called in one hope of your calling.’’ Mr. REID. Mr. President, the guest May God bless America. Amen. Chaplain is from the State of Lou- isiana. It is my understanding Senator RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY f LEADER VITTER would like to say a few words, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE so I yield to him. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- The Honorable TOM UDALL led the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- pore. The majority leader is recog- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: pore. The Senator from Louisiana. nized. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S81 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 02:48 Dec 28, 2012 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD12\RECFILES\JAN 2012\S26JA2.REC S26JA2 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with S82 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 26, 2012 SCHEDULE fewer people. What does that mean? cently to a country that for much of Mr. REID. Mr. President, following For the last three decades, the rungs the past 50 years has ranked among the any leader remarks this morning, the on the ladder to success have grown world’s most isolated and oppressed by Senate will begin consideration of the farther apart instead of closer to- its own government. Many of us won- motion to proceed to H.J. Res. 98, gether, and the farther apart those dered if things would ever change in rungs grow, the fewer Americans climb which is a joint resolution relating to Burma, but after my recent visit I am that ladder. The farther apart those the disapproval of the President’s exer- pleased to say that change is clearly in rungs are, the fewer Americans make it cise of authority to increase the debt the air. It appears that Burma has into a disappearing middle class. made some progress toward democracy limit. The time until noon will be for We just weathered the worst reces- debate on the motion to proceed and is in the past 6 months—made more than sion since the Great Depression, but it has in the last decade. As one who equally divided between the two lead- the financial collapse of 2008 was not ers or their designees. At this time, I has taken a strong interest in Burma the cause of the problem, it was a for over 20 years and as the lead author designate whatever time we have on symptom of the problem. It was a this side to the chairman of the Fi- in this Chamber of an annual sanctions symptom of a system that is rigged to bill aimed at encouraging the Burmese nance Committee, Senator BAUCUS. At pay off for a few but leave many be- Government to reform, I can tell you noon, the Senate will vote on that mo- hind, and it is time to even the playing tion to proceed to H.J. Res. 98. this is welcome news. field. On this trip I had the opportunity f As we rebuild our economy, let’s re- and privilege to meet with a woman build it to last. Let’s rebuild it to work REBUILDING THE ECONOMY who for over two decades has embodied for every American, regardless of the the struggle for peace in her oppressed Mr. REID. Mr. President, in 1946 size of their bank account. This week, country. After Aung San Suu Kyi’s po- President Obama laid out a vision to do President Harry Truman delivered his litical party won 80 percent of the vote just that. first State of the Union Message. This in a free and fair election back in 1995, was the first State of the Union Mes- The President’s plan will spur manu- facturing. It is time to reward compa- the Burmese military regime dismissed sage since the end of World War II. The the results and kept her under house trials of war were behind us but new nies that ‘‘make it in America’’ and end giveaways to companies that ship arrest for the last 22 years—most of the challenges laid ahead. Truman laid out time for the last 22 years confined at a vision for not only how America jobs overseas. It will reduce our reli- ance on expensive foreign oil. It is time home. Scores of other political reform- could survive those challenges but ers during that period were jailed or thrive in the modern world. He de- to rely on plentiful, homegrown, re- newable energy sources, in spite of the tortured, and the regime waged a bru- scribed the path forward in simple tal campaign against ethnic minori- words. He said: fact that President Obama said that just less than 10 years ago we were im- ties, driving many of them out of their Our basic objective—toward which all oth- porting 60 percent of the oil and now it homes and into refugee camps. But by ers lead—is to improve the welfare of the her courage and her patience that jus- American people. is less than 50 percent. We are pro- ducing more oil than we have in about tice delayed would not be justice de- That meant economic prosperity. It a decade, and that is good, but we need nied, Aung San Suu Kyi has kept the meant Social Security and unemploy- to make sure the future is one of re- hope of freedom in her country alive. I ment insurance. It meant an oppor- newable energy. The plan will ensure have long admired her from afar. She tunity for higher education, access to that today’s students have the skills to once took a great risk to smuggle out medical care, and the dream of home become tomorrow’s workers. That is of Burma a letter thanking me for my ownership.