SENATE—Wednesday, April 10, 2013
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4864 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 159, Pt. 4 April 10, 2013 SENATE—Wednesday, April 10, 2013 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was consideration of the motion to proceed When anyone sits down to talk to any called to order by the Honorable WIL- to the gun safety legislation. The first of them, they will speak about how LIAM M. COWAN, a Senator from the hour will be equally divided with the miserable it is getting through secu- Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Republicans. They will control the first rity checks at airports all over the half, and we will control the final half. country. PRAYER Last evening I filed cloture on a mo- In Murray, UT, a food pantry that The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- tion to proceed to that legislation. feeds more than 1,000 people every fered the following prayer: Hopefully, today we can reach an month has closed because of these cuts. Let us pray. agreement to begin debate on this In Durham, NC, scores of employees at Almighty God, take from us any- bill—even today. a medical research facility will get thing that doesn’t honor You. Remove We also hope to formalize an agree- pink slips. In central Maine fewer sen- covetousness, pride, anger, or anything ment for the confirmation of Sarah ior citizens will be able to participate that is unlike You. Replace our nega- Jewell to be Interior Secretary. with Meals on Wheels. In Bethlehem, tives with positives, making us lowly, f PA, more than 100 children are going to peaceable, patient, and kind. be kicked off Head Start. Lord, fill our lawmakers with faith, a MEASURES PLACED ON THE Now, maybe my Republican friends firm hope, and a charity, that they CALENDAR—S. 680 AND S. 691 don’t feel this, but I guarantee my col- love nothing that displeases You. Raise Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am told— leagues the parents of these little chil- them up to be seated with You in heav- and I believe this is right—there are dren in Bethlehem, PA, feel it. People enly realms, as they strive to be in- two bills at the desk due for a second waiting in these airport lines feel it. struments of Your purposes. reading. Why, at this medical research facility, Thank You for being rich in mercy The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- should these people get pink slips? Are and for Your grace that never gives up pore. The Senator is correct. they unnecessary? Of course not. If the on us. The clerk will read the bills by title food pantry in Utah closes, are the peo- We pray in Your merciful Name. for a second time. ple still hungry? Of course they are— Amen. The assistant legislative clerk read more of them than before this cut took f as follows: place. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE A bill (S. 680) to rescind amounts appro- In central Nebraska emergency re- priated for fiscal year 2013 for the Depart- sponse times have increased signifi- The Honorable WILLIAM M. COWAN led ment of Defense for the Medium Extended cantly since the local airport control the Pledge of Allegiance as follows: Air Defense System, and for other purposes. tower closed. In southern Ohio the di- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the A bill (S. 691) to regulate large capacity rector of the local public defender’s of- United States of America, and to the Repub- ammunition feeding devices. fice—a man by the name of Steve lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Mr. REID. Mr. President, I object to indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Nolder—fired himself. He did that rath- any further proceedings with respect to er than lay off other members of his f these two bills. staff. He figured: I am one; I can save APPOINTMENT OF ACTING The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- the jobs of three people. And that is PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE pore. Objection having been heard, the what he did. That is quite unbelievable, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bills will be placed on the calendar. but it is true. He has worked there for clerk will please read a communication f 18 years in the public defender’s office. I repeat, he gave up his job so three to the Senate from the President pro IMPACTS OF SEQUESTER tempore (Mr. LEAHY). could keep theirs. The assistant legislative clerk read Mr. REID. Mr. President, for many Perhaps most concerning of all, com- the following letter: months now my Republican friends munity cancer centers around the U.S. SENATE, have promised the impacts of the se- country are facing difficult choices. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, quester’s arbitrary cuts would be mini- For the people who have experienced Washington, DC, April 10, 2013. mal—don’t worry about them. When cancer or experienced cancer in their To the Senate: they voiced any concern at all about families, this is something that is Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, the sequester cuts, it was over the po- noted. Community cancer centers of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby tential impact on the U.S. military. around the country are facing a very appoint the Honorable WILLIAM M. COWAN, a The impact on middle-class families difficult choice: send Medicare patients Senator from the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts, to perform the duties of the Chair. and the national economy wouldn’t be away or just close their doors. The PATRICK J. LEAHY, that drastic, they promised in Feb- Washington Post reports that because President pro tempore. ruary and in March. of the sequester cuts to Medicare reim- Mr. COWAN thereupon assumed the Well, now it is April and contrary to bursements, cancer centers around the chair as Acting President pro tempore. Republican promises, Americans in country can no longer afford to admin- communities from Massachusetts to ister many common drugs. For people f Nevada, from coast to coast, in red who have watched loved ones have RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY States and in blue States, are begin- chemotherapy—it was just a few LEADER ning to feel the pinch of those across- months ago when people worried about The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- the-board cuts. whether they were going to be able to pore. The majority leader is recog- In the District of Columbia, tourists get the chemo drugs because there was nized. traveling from home to here for the a shortage. Well, now it is widespread. f National Cherry Blossom Festival ex- The Post reports, I repeat, because of perienced long lines to go through air- the sequester cuts to Medicare, reim- SCHEDULE port security because of these fur- bursements for these cancer centers Mr. REID. Mr. President, following loughs. Coming home from Nevada on around the country have to make a leader remarks the Senate will resume Sunday there were mobs of people. choice: close or change their hours, ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Sep 11 2014 09:33 Oct 02, 2017 Jkt 029102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR13\S10AP3.000 S10AP3 jstallworth on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with BOUND RECORD April 10, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 159, Pt. 4 4865 which is tough on patients. These clin- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME et, and America cannot afford the ics, where two-thirds of the cancer pa- Mr. REID. Mr. President, would the President’s so-called compromise. tients receive treatments, would lose Chair announce the business of the day Let’s review some recent history. so much money so quickly they could this Wednesday. In November and December of last have to go out of business. So providers The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- year, Republicans were asking the are sending cancer patients to over- pore. Under the previous order, the President to embrace serious entitle- crowded hospitals instead, not to the leadership time is reserved. ment reform. Everyone who has looked cancer centers. For patients in clinical at Medicare and Social Security real- f trials for these new cancer drugs—life- izes that both of those programs are on saving experiments—the situation is SAFE COMMUNITIES, SAFE a path to insolvency and that they will really dire. Some in these clinical SCHOOLS ACT OF 2013—MOTION not be there for future generations. trials are going to have to travel across TO PROCEED And we asked for some smart reduc- the country, to Washington, DC, Bos- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- tions in Federal spending—what we ton, or New York. People can’t afford pore. Under the previous order, the have come to know as wasteful Wash- that, especially when they are sick. Senate will resume consideration of ington spending—in exchange for more As I said last month, the effects of the motion to proceed to S. 649, which revenue. The President refused, citing the so-called sequester didn’t break the clerk will report. the need for a ‘‘balanced’’ approach. over us like a big wave, they sneaked The assistant legislative clerk read But I do not want anyone to confuse up on us like a rising tide, and that as follows: that with a balanced budget; the Presi- tide is here now. But the effects are Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 32, S. dent calls for a ‘‘balanced’’ approach devastating, even though we didn’t feel 649, a bill to ensure that all individuals who but never a balanced budget.