Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION

E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 160 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2014 No. 3 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was SCHEDULE ing for a light, I could see off to the called to order by the President pro Mr. REID. Mr. President, following left a news camera and a reporter try- tempore (Mr. LEAHY). my remarks and those of the Repub- ing to wake up somebody who had been lican leader, the Senate will resume spending the night on the pavement— PRAYER consideration of the motion to proceed not on the grates where the heat comes The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- to Calendar No. 265, S. 1845, the unem- up. They kept pushing and pushing. I fered the following prayer: ployment insurance extension. could see they were talking to him. He Let us pray. I ask unanimous consent that the or she didn’t come out of that bundle of Out of the depths we lift our hearts leader time that I use and that of Sen- material on that sidewalk. to You, O God, waiting for Your provi- ator MCCONNELL not count against the I don’t know if this man is one of the dence to prevail more than they who half hour that the proponents and op- long-term unemployed. I don’t know. watch for sunrise. Guide our Senators ponents of this legislation have to But there are lots of people who are in to find hope in Your presence as they speak, 15 minutes on each side. desperate shape. They may not be trust the unstoppable cycle of seed The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without sleeping on a sidewalk on Constitution time and harvest. Lord, give our law- objection, it is so ordered. Avenue 14 blocks from the White makers such reverence for You that Mr. REID. The vote will drag a little House, but there are people in America they will stand for right although the bit but not very much. My remarks are who are desperate for help. heavens fall. May they delight in any fairly short. There are 1.3 million people who have work they do for You and tire of any The Senate will recess from 12:30 p.m. already lost their unemployment insur- rest that is apart from You. Create in to 2:15 p.m. to allow for weekly caucus ance benefits. This is not good for the them clean hearts, which no unworthy meetings. country. We are told by economists purpose may tempt aside. May they f that for every $1 we spend on unem- wait for the power of Your Spirit, UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION ployment benefits it gets $1.50 back to working through their faith, to do us just like that. So we have to start more than they can ask or imagine. Mr. REID. Over the last 45 months understanding that we have a country We pray in Your great Name. Amen. America’s private sector has done OK— where not everyone is benefiting from not great but done pretty well. Eight what is going on with these headlines I f million jobs have been created. The just reported. stock market is booming and even the Over the last 30 years the income and PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE housing market is starting to show wealth of the top 1 percent has in- The President pro tempore led the signs of life. A number of States were hit so hard creased 300 percent. The middle class Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: dropped almost 10 percent. Think about I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the with the decline of the housing market. Nevada was hit the hardest, and Cali- it, 300 percent; the middle class about a United States of America, and to the Repub- 10-percent drop. lic for which it stands, one nation under God, fornia, Florida, Michigan—a number of indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. States—were hit very hard. But even in I haven’t even mentioned the poor. those States the housing market is They have been hit harder than anyone f turning around a little bit—not enough else. When I say this, it is true. The but turning around. It is clear that the rich are getting a lot richer and the RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY economy is picking up steam—not poor are getting poorer. The middle LEADER enough steam but picking up steam. class is being squeezed. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The But for far too many Americans I have nothing against people of majority leader is recognized. these bright headlines that I have just wealth. It is great we live in a country Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a announced touting good economic news where people can make a lot of money, quorum. don’t match the darker reality of their but we have to understand there are The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. lives. They sit at the kitchen table—if people who are really hurting. For BOOKER). The clerk will call the roll. they are lucky to have a kitchen those who have lost their jobs through Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent table—and they are juggling their bills. no fault of their own—and millions of that the order for the quorum call be It was brought to my attention on them have struggled for months to find rescinded. the way to work this morning about new work—a booming stock market of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without how hard it is for so many people. On increasing corporate profits is of little objection, it is so ordered. Constitution Avenue, as we were wait- comfort to them. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S35 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:09 Jan 08, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A07JA6.000 S07JAPT1 TJAMES on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S36 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 7, 2014 Fortunately, Americans looking for That is why for every dollar we spend bate on this issue and an amendment work have been able to rely on unem- on unemployment benefits, I repeat, process in the Senate, which hasn’t ployment insurance to get them the economy grows by $1.50. This in- happened very often in recent times. through the tough times. But for 1.3 vestment in our fellow Americans is Therefore, I ask unanimous consent million people, no deal; 20,000 are vet- one of the most effective ways to spark that if cloture is invoked on the mo- erans returning from wars in Afghani- and sustain an economic recovery. tion to proceed to S. 1845, all stan and Iraq. Last night the senior Senator from postcloture time be yielded back and At the end of last year, only a few Texas, a Republican, asked that we the Senate proceed to the consider- days ago, Congress failed to extend un- delay this vote until today. I was ation of the bill and that my amend- employment emergency insurance for pleased to do that. He called this a se- ment with Senator HATCH be the first Americans who have been looking for rious issue, and he is very correct. The amendment in order and that there be work for more than 6 months. We have senior Senator from Texas is correct. up to 1 hour of debate on the amend- never in the history of our country had This is a serious issue. It is as serious ment divided in the usual form; that long-term unemployment such as to people outside Nevada as it is to following the use or yielding back of today—never in the history of our Re- those people from Nevada who have that time, the Senate then proceed to a public. Yet we are turning 1.3 million been out of work for so long. People vote in relation to that amendment. I people away. Are they going to be the from Nevada have written and called further ask unanimous consent that next ones sleeping on some street— my office, calling and begging for a lit- following the disposition of that wherever they come from—trying to tle more time. amendment, it be in order for the ma- stay warm? For every job that is available, there jority leader or his designee to offer an For many Americans these benefits are three that are unemployed in amendment and it be in order for the make the difference between being able America. We Democrats stand united leaders or their designees to continue to live a decent life—not a good life, a in support of this extension. Repub- to offer amendments in alternating decent life—and going hungry or be- licans need to take this seriously as fashion, which used to be the way we coming homeless. well as we. did business around here. Let us go back to 2012. In 2012 unem- I hope Republicans remember that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there ployment insurance helped 2.5 million during hard times, that during times of objection? Mr. REID. Reserving the right to ob- people, including 600,000 children, from high unemployment—regardless of who ject—and I appreciate how candid my going into the rolls of poverty. We is in the White House or who led this Republican counterpart is and I say don’t have all the results from last Chamber—Congress is always willing that seriously—I do speak with some, year.

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