SENATE—Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
12550 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 154, Pt. 9 June 17, 2008 SENATE—Tuesday, June 17, 2008 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was SCHEDULE Senate needs to weigh in on its ideas called to order by the Honorable JON Mr. REID. Mr. President, today fol- about how it ought to be done, for one TESTER, a Senator from the State of lowing leader remarks, there will be an thing. The House-passed bill, which I Montana. hour for morning business. Senators don’t think we want to consider, elimi- will be able to speak for up to 10 min- nates the 20-week work requirement PRAYER utes each. The Republicans will control which has been the law now since 1981. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- the first half, and the majority will So theoretically someone could work a fered the following prayer: control the second half. The Senate very short period of time and be enti- Let us pray. will proceed thereafter to the motion tled to this 13-week extension, some- God of hope, who fills us with joy and to proceed to H.R. 6049, the Renewable thing I don’t think we want to change. peace, sustain our Senators and those Energy and Job Creation Act. The time As a result, we would like the Senate who support them with the power of until 12:30 is equally divided and con- to weigh in and get it done the right Your Holy Spirit. Work in them, ena- trolled between the two leaders or way. For that reason, I have to object bling them to do infinitely more than their designees. The Senate will recess to bringing the House bill up at this they can imagine. from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. to allow for time. Mr. REID. Mr. President, we will be Lord, give them a peace which the the weekly caucus luncheons. Fol- willing now to accept that change in world cannot give and a passion to ac- lowing the recess, the Senate will pro- complish Your purposes. When they are the legislation and pass it. ceed to a cloture vote on the motion to Mr. KYL. Mr. President, if I might weary, give them rest, and when they proceed to H.R. 6049, the Renewable further address the majority leader are discouraged, empower them to per- Energy Act. then, I have several concerns. I high- severe. Prepare their hearts and minds f lighted one. to serve You and country with humil- Mr. REID. I say to my friend, this, I ity and integrity, as they work to- UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST— H.R. 5749 believe, will be in the package we get gether with mutual forbearance and re- from the House, and we will be happy spect. Mr. REID. Mr. President, my distin- to work with the minority if they feel Lord, teach them to seek first Your guished friend, the Senator from the some changes should be made. There honor and glory. But above all, fill State of Arizona, is here. As a result, I are a number of people on my side who them with Your matchless love. am going to propound a unanimous- would agree to this, and maybe there We pray in Your great Name. Amen. consent request so as not to cause him are other points on which we can agree. to have to spend any time here he f Mr. KYL. I appreciate that. I think would not ordinarily have to do. there are some issues the Senate wish- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The House has passed an unemploy- es to modify in the proposal. The offer The Honorable JON TESTER led the ment compensation bill. I am going to to work together is a fair one, and that Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: show the Senate in a little while that is how we ought to proceed. we are at 76 filibusters. I am not going I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the f United States of America, and to the Repub- to go through another one on unem- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, ployment compensation. If we do not TAX EXTENDER LEGISLATION indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. agree to pass this bill at this time, Mr. REID. Mr. President, yesterday there will not be a long floor debate on f was a remarkably good day. When I got unemployment compensation. What we out of law school, I went back to Ne- APPOINTMENT OF ACTING will do, it is my understanding this leg- vada and thought I would be this great PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE islation will be in the supplemental we golfer. I golfed for 6 months or so, and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The will get from the House. That being the then realized I was becoming obsessed clerk will please read a communication case, we will have ample time to talk with the game. Therefore, I decided I to the Senate from the President pro about the issue if anybody wants to. shouldn’t do this. I had a family, and it tempore (Mr. BYRD). The distinguished majority whip is took so much time. The assistant legislative clerk read going to speak on unemployment com- For a number of years, I have lis- the following letter: pensation, as are some others today. tened to my friends talk about how But right now I ask unanimous consent much they enjoy golf, and I am sure U.S. SENATE, that the Senate proceed to the consid- they do. But it has only been in recent PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, Washington, DC, June 17, 2008. eration of Calendar No. 780, H.R. 5749, a years that the American public has fo- To the Senate: bill we recently received from the cused on golf, and that is because of Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, House, the Emergency Extended Unem- Tiger Woods. of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby ployment Compensation Act. I ask that I can remember the first time I appoint the Honorable JON TESTER, a Sen- the bill be read a third time, passed, watched this little boy play. They ator from the State of Montana, to perform and the motion to reconsider be laid showed him on the late night shows. Of the duties of the Chair. upon the table, with no intervening ac- course, as we all know, it was taped a ROBERT C. BYRD, lot earlier before his bedtime. This lit- President pro tempore. tion or debate. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- tle kid, when he was 3 years old, could Mr. TESTER thereupon assumed the pore. Is there objection? do remarkable things with his golf chair as Acting President pro tempore. Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I do object. club. That is the way it was through f I wonder if I may make one brief com- his entire career, including at Stanford ment. University. RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Over the weekend, we all watched LEADER pore. Objection is heard. with attention while Rocco Mediate The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I wish to was going stroke for stroke with the pore. The majority leader is recog- make the point that when we do extend great Tiger Woods. They tied in regula- nized. unemployment benefits, if we do, the tion play. They played an extra 18 ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:39 Feb 07, 2011 Jkt 069102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR08\S17JN8.000 S17JN8 WReier-Aviles on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BOUND RECORD June 17, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 154, Pt. 9 12551 holes. It was a tie. Finally, yesterday, We hope we don’t have to change this erty tax relief; it helps 4.5 million fam- it was concluded. All of us had mixed too much more, the ‘‘7,’’ or change the ilies afford the cost of college with the emotions as for whom we were pulling. ‘‘6.’’ Of course, we changed that a cou- tuition deduction; it allows millions of Everyone likes Tiger Woods because he ple times last week. The Republicans teachers to deduct out-of-pocket class- is so good and so nice, but we all also are filibustering what T. Boone Pick- room expenses; and it levels the play- rooted for this underdog. ens and others want. ing field by providing tax relief to peo- The one thing we noted yesterday is There are hundreds of thousands of ple living in States with no income tax this golf tournament took place in San jobs, millions of jobs out there we through the State and local sales tax Diego. The sun was shining, and it was could create if we have this tax incen- deduction. Our economy is losing jobs, a beautiful day for golf. That is what tive. They are doing it other places. In for 6 months now losing jobs, hundreds the commentators kept saying. We Australia, they are in the process of of thousands of jobs. In the 8 years were literally stuck in the rain yester- constructing a solar energy plant. That President Clinton was President, al- day. Those of us who were here last one plant will be 10,000 megawatts. most 23 million jobs were created. In night about 4 o’clock saw a violent They can do that all over Australia. It this administration, it is quite to the storm.