SENATE—Monday, August 3, 2009
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August 3, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 155, Pt. 15 20561 SENATE—Monday, August 3, 2009 The Senate met at 2 p.m. and was SCHEDULE side simply won’t let the facts get in called to order by the Honorable MARK Mr. REID. Mr. President, following the way of a good story. R. WARNER, a Senator from the Com- leader remarks, the Senate will be in a A Republican Congressman recently monwealth of Virginia. period of morning business for up to 1 claimed that our plan to improve hour. Senator BEGICH will give his health care would ‘‘put seniors in a po- PRAYER maiden speech. We all look forward to sition of being put to death by their The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- this. He will have the first 30 minutes government.’’ fered the following prayer: of morning business time. I note before A Republican Senator made a similar Let us pray. he starts his speech, we are all so statement to mislead his constituents. God our help of the ages past, our pleased with the work he has done. He He actually accused Democrats of pro- hope for years to come, in Your secret has done an outstanding job for the posing a plan that would kill Ameri- places we find our faith and strength. people of the State of Alaska and our cans. It is hard to imagine that. Rather Help us to know ourselves for who we country, and I look forward to his re- than having a serious and real debate are, people who too often seek our own marks. The Republicans will control about a serious and real crisis, some way instead of striving to fulfill Your the final 30 minutes. Senators and Congressmen want the purposes. Cleanse the inner founda- Following morning business, the Sen- American people to believe their col- tions of our hearts from any hint of ate will resume consideration of the leagues are proposing a plan to kill pretense and use our Senators for Your Agriculture Appropriations Act. At 5:30 them. glory. In this challenging hour of the Senate will proceed to a cloture These distortions and distractions human destiny, deepen in our Senators vote on the substitute amendment to are revolting, and they are not limited a sense of surpassing opportunity to do the bill. Additional votes in relation to to health care. their full part in building a better na- the amendments are possible following An artificial controversy is getting tion and world. Lord, fit them to pro- the cloture vote. The deadline for filing far too much attention lately—one tect this land from outward evil and first-degree amendments is 3:30 today. that ignores the undeniable and proven from inner corruption. Make the words In speaking to Senator BROWNBACK fact that President Obama was born in of their mouths and the meditations of and on our side Senator KOHL, who is the United States of America. Last their hearts be acceptable in Your the comanager of the bill and who, of week, one of the Republican leaders in sight, O God, our rock and our Re- course, would love to finish it today, the House of Representatives continued deemer. Amen. Senator BROWNBACK said on Thursday to give this false and misleading claim credence. Let’s be clear: It is a phony f that he thought we could finish the bill this evening and I hope that in fact is issue that does not deserve even a PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE the case. The longer we are on this bill minute of our attention on the floor of the Senate. It is absurd, irresponsible, The Honorable MARK R. WARNER led the less time there will be for the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: Sotomayor speeches, so we look for- and baseless, and the false claims have ward to completing this Agriculture long ago been refuted. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the The American people have every United States of America and to the Repub- appropriations bill so we can go to the lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Supreme Court nomination and listen right to expect we will solve real prob- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. to what people have to say about the lems before creating fake problems. new Supreme Court Justice. They should know that rather than f helping them get ahead, some of our f APPOINTMENT OF ACTING colleagues would rather spew ludicrous PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE HEALTH CARE REFORM conspiracy theories. Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Amer- The other side hasn’t stopped at fake The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ican people wake up every morning arguments and fake issues. We also clerk will please read a communication worrying about real problems. They go have seen them resort to fake letters. to the Senate from the President pro to bed every night with real concerns. Some Members of Congress have re- tempore (Mr. BYRD). They worry about the agonizing sac- cently received forged letters pur- The legislative clerk read the fol- rifices they have to make so they can porting to be from the NAACP. Others lowing letter: afford to stay healthy, and their fear is have received a similar letter signed by U.S. SENATE, sincere. a fake name with a fake job title pur- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, Our response and responsibility to porting to be from a local Hispanic Washington, DC, August 3, 2009. To the Senate: the American people should be equally group. The bogus letters have been Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, grounded in reality. That reality is tracked back to employees of a Repub- of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby that our health care system is in seri- lican lobbying firm. This behavior is appoint the Honorable MARK R. WARNER, a ous distress. I believe serious problems sick, it is shameful, it is dishonest, and Senator from the Commonwealth of Vir- deserve serious efforts by serious legis- it is undemocratic. ginia, to perform the duties of the Chair. lators to develop serious solutions. When we passed the economic recov- ROBERT C. BYRD, Unfortunately, much of what we have ery plan this winter, some opposed it. President pro tempore. seen from the other side is simply one They didn’t believe we needed an ag- Mr. WARNER thereupon assumed the radical distraction after the next. For gressive plan in response to a grave cri- chair as Acting President pro tempore. months, Republicans have perpetuated sis that now is putting people back to f a pollster- and consultant-created work, ensuring middle-class families myth that our plan and our goal is to can get ahead, and investing in our fu- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY have the government run your health ture. But objecting to that legislation LEADER care. It is not. Let me repeat: It is not. is their right. As we start to see a re- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- In fact, one of our core principles is turn on our investment, many of those pore. The majority leader is recog- that if you like the health care you who tried to block this bill have since nized. have, you can keep it. But the other sought credit for the good it is doing. ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Mar 15 2010 09:27 Jan 24, 2012 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR09\S03AU9.000 S03AU9 erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with BOUND RECORD 20562 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 155, Pt. 15 August 3, 2009 Others who opposed the plan outright— making it easier for American citizens is how we deal with the impact of cli- those who wish we weren’t investing in to afford to live a healthy life. mate change, whether it is how we deal their States and districts—now com- f with the health consequences, how we plain they wish to see us invest more dealt with renewed and increased com- quickly. Well, you can’t have it both RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME merce in an Arctic that is potentially ways. It is yet another embarrassing The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ice free. example of misinformation and mis- pore. Under the previous order, the I applaud him for his efforts and, representation upon which some on the leadership time is reserved. again, shining the light on this issue. other side tend to rely. It seems every day the rest of the coun- I cannot blame people for wondering f try, the rest of the world, is looking to why, with an issue as important as MORNING BUSINESS the Arctic for our science, looking to the Arctic for the knowledge of our el- health care now before us, bipartisan The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ders and researchers, and looking to consensus sometimes seems so elusive. pore. The Senate will proceed to a pe- the Arctic as a true leader in global en- So I say to them: This extreme brand riod of morning business for 1 hour, vironmental policies. of strategy and the extreme tactics with Senators permitted to speak for that come with it are what we have to I applaud him, and I am privileged to up to 10 minutes each, with the time be able to support him in so many of contend with. equally divided and controlled between First, Rush Limbaugh happily admit- these efforts, working on the issues the two leaders or their designees, with that are important to, of course, our ted he wants our President to fail.