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, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2008 No. 99 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 17, 2008, at 12:30 p.m. Senate MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2008 The Senate met at 2 p.m. and was U.S. SENATE, The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- called to order by the Honorable JIM PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, pore. Without objection, it is so or- WEBB, a Senator from the Common- Washington, DC, June 16, 2008. dered. To the Senate: wealth of Virginia. Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, f of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby PRAYER THE MIDDLE CLASS DREAM appoint the Honorable JIM WEBB, a Senator The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- from the Commonwealth of Virginia, to per- Mr. REID. Mr. President, this Satur- fered the following prayer: form the duties of the Chair. day, Jeff Alberici from Auburn, NY, de- Let us pray. ROBERT C. BYRD, livered the Democratic weekly radio Gracious God, the Rock of Ages, President pro tempore. address. Jeff and his wife aren’t rich; giver of unchanging sources of stability Mr. WEBB thereupon assumed the they aren’t poor. They are squarely in and strength, guide our Senators for chair as Acting President pro tempore. the middle. They are middle class. today’s journey. Infuse them with the f Jeff is a middle school teacher. He hope that will lift them into the light teaches American history. His wife is a RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY teacher’s assistant. Jeff said that if and peace of Your presence. Turn their LEADER shadows of doubt into the daybreak of they didn’t have to transport their faith. Defend them from the forces that The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- three children to school and sports nourish injustice and from indifference pore. The majority leader is recog- practice, they would probably ride that causes hearts to break. nized. bikes back and forth to work to save May they strive to please You both f gas. Jeff said when his wife returned to in will and deed. Lord, let nothing test SCHEDULE them beyond their strength, for Yours work last year, after staying home Mr. REID. Mr. President, today fol- is the authority and the power forever. with their children, they thought the lowing leader remarks, there will be an Amen. second income would give them a hour of morning business, with Sen- chance to pay off their debt and start f ators permitted to speak for up to 10 saving for college. But that hasn’t hap- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE minutes each. Following morning busi- pened. Instead of getting ahead, the The Honorable JIM WEBB led the ness, the Senate will resume consider- Alberici family’s second income is cov- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: ation of the motion to proceed to H.R. ering the cost of food, and especially I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the 6049, the Renewable Energy and Job gasoline. United States of America, and to the Repub- Creation Act, with the time until 5:30 Jeff summed up things by saying lic for which it stands, one nation under God, equally divided and controlled between that they will be fine. They are not in indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the two leaders or their designees. danger of losing their home, and they f Under a previous order, the leaders will both have good steady jobs. They are control the final 20 minutes, with the not at risk. But instead of ordering APPOINTMENT OF ACTING majority leader controlling the final 10 pizza for an occasional dinner with the PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE minutes. kids, now they have to eat grilled The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ORDER OF PROCEDURE cheese on those occasions. And in the clerk will please read a communication Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- long term, they are not sure how they to the Senate from the President pro sent that Senator GRASSLEY control will be able to afford to send their chil- tempore (Mr. BYRD). the time between 4:50 and 5 and Sen- dren to college because they have basi- The assistant legislative clerk read ator BAUCUS control the time between cally not saved anything up to this the following letter: 5 and 5:10. date. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5639 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 23:59 Jun 16, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A16JN6.000 S16JNPT1 wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with SENATE S5640 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 16, 2008 Families in every State, region, and tunity to do the right thing by voting Had we had Senator KENNEDY back— corner of our country are facing the for cloture on the energy tax extenders and he soon will be back, and a few same challenges as the Albericis. Jeff bill. This legislation would lower taxes other Senators—we would have been and others like him were raised to be- for businesses, entrepreneurs, and fam- able to have 60 votes. So I am glad to lieve that doing important work, such ilies. The deduction for State and local see that my friends on the other side, as being a schoolteacher, wouldn’t sales taxes helps level the playing field even though not enough, are coming make you rich but it would provide and provides tax relief to residents in forward and voting with us. We hope enough to live comfortably and raise a States with no income tax. The tuition there will be more of that in the fu- family. The middle-class dream—that deduction helps families afford the ture. American dream—is vanishing before skyrocketing cost of college. The f our eyes. teachers’ deduction provides a small RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY Today, oil is trading near record lev- but important bit of help and apprecia- LEADER els again. It is up around $140 a barrel. tion to educators for out-of-pocket Gasoline now averages $4.08 a gallon classroom expenses. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- nationally, and in Nevada it is $4.24 a This legislation would also extend pore. The Republican leader is recog- gallon. This morning, we learned that tax benefits for businesses, particularly nized. utility companies across the country those engaged in research and develop- f are raising rates another 29 percent on ment for clean renewable energy, tax TRIBUTE TO TIM RUSSERT top of the 30-percent increases Amer- credits, Mr. President, for clean renew- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, as ican consumers have already endured able energy. Today we are going to use Washington, and all of America, con- over the past 5 years. 21 million barrels of oil. That is not tinue to pay tribute to Tim Russert, I On President Bush’s watch, American necessary. We could change that. We wish to add a few more words about a families are earning less today than need to allow the great business minds man who impacted everybody in this they did 8 years ago—and that is the of America to invest in renewable en- body in one way or another over the truth—yet paying more than ever for ergy—the Sun, the wind, geothermal. years. everyday necessities, such as gasoline, That is what this vote at 5:30 today is I have been a fairly regular guest on heat for the home, and of course gro- all about. ‘‘Meet the Press’’ over the years, so I ceries. And they are paying more than Republicans have opposed this legis- got to know Tim Russert primarily as ever for long-term needs, such as the lation in the past because it is paid for a tough interviewer, but I also came to goal of health care, college, and retire- and will not increase the national debt. appreciate and admire his extraor- ment. American families can’t survive How do we pay for these tax cuts for dinary people skills, which were as this squeeze indefinitely. businesses and families? By closing a good as those of any politician here in Right now, many are able to keep loophole that allows superwealthy Washington. their heads above water by saving less, hedge fund managers to avoid paying I remember him saying once that his and sometimes not saving, and finding tax on their earnings. son Luke was a big fan of Tubby other ways to tighten their belts. Like This is unique, that the Republicans Smith, the old UK Wildcats basketball the Albericis, they are eating more would oppose this. The hedge fund op- coach. I think Luke even went to Tub- grilled cheese and putting less of their erators even know it is unfair and they by’s basketball camp one summer. paychecks into savings. support us on this. Why anyone opposes Well, anytime I or anybody else on the Most Americans are too busy fig- legislation on these grounds is beyond staff got on the phone with Tim, he uring out how to pay the bills and the ability of the American people to would also start off with ‘‘Go Cats.’’ It make ends meet to pay close attention comprehend. Why Republicans would is just one example of the great mind to what is going on here in Congress. oppose tax relief for businesses and he had for small personal details and But if working families see one thing families in order to protect a tax loop- how he employed that skill in a totally from Congress, it is this: Democrats hole for multimillionaires seems pre- unpretentious way.