Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 110 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 110 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 154 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2008 No. 90 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was appoint the Honorable JON TESTER, a Sen- proceed to legislation to stem the tide called to order by the Honorable JON ator from the State of Montana, to perform of global warming. This strong bipar- TESTER, a Senator from the State of the duties of the Chair. tisan vote came only after the Repub- Montana. ROBERT C. BYRD, licans forced us to file cloture and use President pro tempore. more of the Senate’s valuable time. PRAYER Mr. TESTER thereupon assumed the Another filibuster. This is, as I have The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- chair as Acting President pro tempore. said before, filibusters on steroids. We fered the following prayer: f have never, ever, in the history of our Let us pray: RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY great country, had as many filibusters Gracious God, by Your providence we LEADER as this Republican minority has initi- have been given the gift of this day, ated. In a short 10 months, the 2-year and from Your hand our needs are sup- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- record for filibusters was broken by plied. pore. The majority leader is recog- this Republican minority. They have Give our lawmakers a reference for nized. stopped or slowed down everything Your sovereignty and a faith in Your f they could. They have even forced us to unfolding providence. May their trust file cloture on things they agree on. SCHEDULE in Your guidance lead them to labor for Why? Because it eats up valuable time. Your honor. May their first aspiration Mr. REID. Mr. President, today fol- We now have 12 weeks left until our be to hear You say, ‘‘Well done.’’ When lowing my remarks and those of Sen- adjournment time. There is so much to they are tempted to doubt, infuse them ator MCCONNELL, there will be a period do—so much to do. We are interested in with Your faith. When they are tempt- of morning business until 11 a.m., or doing the people’s business. The Repub- ed to fear, strengthen them with Your when the hour is gone, with the time licans are interested in stalling—stall- courage. Keep them from becoming equally divided and controlled. The Re- ing. As an example, today we should be weary in choosing the more difficult publicans will control the first half—I on this piece of legislation, but, no, right, as they remember that in due see Senator CORNYN, ready to begin— they are going to do as they have done season, they will reap a bountiful har- the majority will control the second time and time again: use 30 hours. vest. We pray in Your sacred Name. half of morning business. Then we will For everyone listening, what does Amen. resume consideration of the motion to this mean? The rules of the Senate are f proceed to S. 3036, the Climate Secu- that once you file cloture—first of all, rity Act. The Senate will recess at it takes a couple days to file cloture. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 12:30, as we do every Tuesday, for our You have to let it wait for a couple The Honorable JON TESTER led the weekly caucus luncheons, and will re- days. Now, why would they make us Pledge of Allegiance as follows: convene following the official Senate file cloture on this bill? It is bipar- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the photograph which is scheduled for tisan; it is sponsored by Senator WAR- United States of America and to the Repub- today at 2:15. NER and Senator LIEBERMAN, but they lic for which it stands, one nation under God, I hope all Senators will make them- have done this. So after we file cloture, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. selves available for the photograph. It we come in and we have a vote. Re- f takes weeks for the staff to set up to member, we waste those days while APPOINTMENT OF ACTING take these pictures. If you look around, cloture is ripening. Then, to make it PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE you can see in the galleries the light- even more absurd, the rule is that after ing. It is very difficult to get the light- cloture is invoked, you have 30 hours. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ing down here to take all 100 Senators. They make us use that 30 hours. It is clerk will please read a communication So I hope everyone will be here at 2:15 wasted time. There is no reason we to the Senate from the President pro and be thoughtful and considerate to can’t be on this bill. tempore (Mr. BYRD). their colleagues so the staff can get the I spoke to one of the Republican lead- The assistant legislative clerk read picture taken as quickly as possible. ers yesterday, and he said: Well, we the following letter: f want more time to debate the bill. No U.S. SENATE, one is taking any debate time away PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, FILIBUSTERS Washington, DC, June 3, 2008. from anybody. But shouldn’t we be on To the Senate: Mr. REID. Mr. President, yesterday the bill? So I say time runs out to- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, there was a vote, as we all knew there night, shortly before midnight, on the of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby would be—an overwhelming vote—to 30 hours. In the morning, we are going ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S4901 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 00:32 Jun 04, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A03JN6.000 S03JNPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S4902 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 3, 2008 to be on this bill. That means we are treading water until President Bush priately on this bill, then I think we going to have to stay in until midnight leaves. The good news for the American are going to have to step back and see tonight. That is up to the Republicans. people is there are only 7 months of what we can do because it will appear That is up to the minority. But we are that left. I think it is clear what has very clearly that the Republicans are going to start legislating on this bill happened. You see in Louisiana, you not at least willing to engage in that tomorrow morning. As everyone see in Mississippi, you see in Illinois, regard and that they are not willing to knows, the rules around here allow me three heavily Republican House seats engage in serious legislation. to have the right of recognition, first went Democratic. Why? Because the There have been 72 Republican fili- recognition. We are going to start leg- American people see what is going on, busters, and we are going up, not down. islating in the morning. just as they see that global warming is That is not good for the country. It is I am happy if there is a need for more here. The American people aren’t going not good for the Senate. I don’t think debate on the bill. This is an important to get lost in cap and trade. What they it is good for my Republican col- bill. We should have all the debate; are concerned about is emissions, low- leagues. people should be able to make their ering emissions. They know it is a f statements. I am not trying to disallow problem. They know what is going on anyone from making their statement, in Congress is a problem. That is why RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME but let’s at least legislate, as we should we have seen these special elections go The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- in this most serious body, the greatest overwhelmingly Democratic in places pore. Under the previous order, the debating—they say—body in the world, where the Republicans always used to leadership time is reserved. the Senate of the United States. win. This strong bipartisan vote came, as On this legislation, I say to my f I have indicated, after Republicans friends, let’s debate the legislation, MORNING BUSINESS forced us to file cloture and use 2 days let’s try to work to pass it. Let’s try to The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- of Senate time, as I have already out- move forward on it. Stop running out pore. Under the previous order, the lined. It forces us to waste 2 days for a the clock. Engage in the legislative Senate will proceed to a period of vote they overwhelmingly supported. process so we can continue to work to- morning business until 11 a.m., with Now, the Republicans are forcing us to ward making the American dream af- the time equally divided and controlled burn, as I have indicated, another 30 fordable for our country’s struggling between the two leaders or their des- hours of procedural time before we can families once again. ignees, with the Republicans control- The price of gasoline during the 7 begin debate. That is two filibusters ling the first half and the majority years and 5 months President Bush has and more than 3 days of valuable Sen- controlling the final half of the time.