Senate Opening

The Senate is Convened.

Opening Remarks

 
Senator Reid: (10:02 AM)

·         Today --

·         There will be a period of Morning Business with Senators allowed to speak up to 10 minutes each. The time will be equally divided and controlled.

·         Following Morning Business, the Senate will resume consideration of S. 22, The Public Lands Bill.

·         The deadline for first-degree amendments is 2:30 this afternoon.

·         The cloture motion on S. 22, The Public Lands Bill, was filed last night and will ripen Wednesday morning.

·         The Senate will recess from 12:30 to 2:15 for the weekly policy lunches.

·         Possible votes this afternoon.

 
Senator McConnell: (10:05 AM)

·         Spoke on the Administration's request for the second $350 billion in TARP funds.

o    SUMMARY "So far, the incoming Administration has not said whether it plans to limit the funds to their original purpose or to expand their use to help specific industries. The taxpayers, Mr. President, are eager to hear the new Administration's plan. And so are Republicans in Congress."

Morning Business

 
Senator Kyl: (10:32 AM)

·         Spoke on the status of the Minnesota Senate race.

o    SUMMARY "So we're left with the matter of a vacancy in Minnesota with the issue to be resolved by the people in Minnesota properly under their law, the canvassing board, and the three-judge court. For my part, I certainly hope that this phase will not fall prey to inconsistencies and problems that have led some experts and newspaper editorials to claim that the election process needs to be fundamentally reformed. If it is done in the proper way and with due care for the evidence that is presented, then hopefully everyone will be satisfied with the result and willing to abide by that result that will then come to the U.S. Senate and we will seek the appropriate candidate. The Republicans asked for nothing more."

 
Senator Leahy: (10:40 AM)

·         Spoke on an IG report regarding an investigation of allegations of politicized hiring in the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice.

o    SUMMARY "The report confirms some of our worst fears about the Bush Administration's corruption of the Justice Department. Not only did senior Republican appointees violate the law in hiring based on politics in the civil rights division, but they lied about it. They lied about it under oath when they were called to explain themselves to Congress."

 
Senator Vitter: (10:49 AM)

·         Spoke on the Administration's request for the second $350 billion in TARP funds.

o    SUMMARY "Under the program, Congress has the opportunity to basically veto moving forward by affirmatively having to pass a resolution of disapproval. Again, Mr. President, President Bush took that first step of formally notifying Congress yesterday and today. I come to the Senate Floor to announce that I'm introducing a motion of disapproval, and I encourage my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to think very seriously about this matter and to join me in this motion of disapproval."

Morning Business

 
Senator Cardin: (11:12 PM)

·         Propounded a UC that Morning Business be extended for 15 minutes, and the time be equally divided and controlled (without objection).

·         Spoke on President-Elect Obama's nomination of Eric Holder to head the Department of Justice.

o    SUMMARY "I want to thank Eric Holder for being willing to serve the public once again as a President-Elect Obama's nominee for the next Attorney General of the United States. I think that Eric Holder is the right person at right time for the Department of Justice, and I hope that his confirmation process will move forward."

Morning Business

·         Morning Business is closed and the Senate will resume consideration of S. 22, The Public Lands Bill.

 
Senator Nelson-FL: (12:24 PM)

·         Spoke on supply and demand related to the cost of fuel, and oil speculation.

o    SUMMARY "A number of months ago, I filed a bill to stop the trading of oil and other energy commodities on the unregulated exchanges. And what the bill does, it turns the clock back to a change in law that was pushed by the Enron Corporation known as the 'Enron loophole,' which opened the way for a flood of speculative money in these commodity markets. Mr. President, I am introducing that bill again today, and I seek our colleagues' support. We must be vigilant to ensure that Wall Street investors do not take advantage of the lax regulation to reap profits by driving up the price of oil and making driving a lot more expensive for the rest of us."

The Senate stands in recess until 2:15 PM.

Morning Business

 
Senator Bingaman: (3:36 PM)

·         Spoke on the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

o    SUMMARY "Israel has no stronger ally than the United States. We have no better friend in the region than Israel. But friends can make mistakes. The rocket attacks that Israel has suffered are unacceptable. But I believe Israel's use of force has been excessive. I do not believe it will help Israel achieve its long-term goals."

o    SUMMARY "Instead of weakening Hamas, the incursion is boosting support for Hamas both among Palestinians and throughout the Arab world, and it is undermining support for moderates in the region. Instead of making Israel's enemies fear its military power, I believe this conflict shows its enemies that they can taunt Israel into reacting so strongly that it undermines Israel's international support."

 
Senator Martinez: 4:05 PM)

·         Spoke in honor of Navy Secretary Donald Winter.

o    SUMMARY "I salute Secretary Winter for his superior performance in leading the Navy and Marine Corps over the past three years. We wish him Godspeed in his future endeavors and we thank him for his service to our nation."

·         Spoke on the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

o    SUMMARY "Madam President, the first and most sacred duty of any government is providing for the safety and security of its citizens. Hamas' repeated rocket attacks on the Israeli people created a situation that required an Israeli response. I was pleased to join my colleagues in cosponsoring Senate Resolution 10, which recognizes Israel's right to defend itself against attacks that come from Gaza. While diplomacy is always a preferable alternative, at some point any legitimate government must take the necessary actions to safeguard its people from the acts of terrorism against an unarmed civilian population."

Morning Business

 
Senator Brownback: (4:42 PM)

·         Spoke on the potential closing of the detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

o    SUMMARY "I would simply make the point that we should not attempt to force-fit detainees where they do not belong and where it doesn't fit. I do not believe the new Administration can look my constituents in the eye and say to them that they're going to be as safe with detainees at Fort Leavenworth as they are with military prisoners at Fort Leavenworth."

o    SUMMARY "If it was easy to close Guantanamo Bay previously, I am certain the previous Administration would have done it. It is a difficult task. That doesn't mean that because it's a difficult task, then, you do it fast. It means because it's a difficult task you take your time and you do it right, or you will create a lot more problems on down the road. And this is one where I think the loss on this situation is far greater, far greater, than any gain we would get."

 
Senator Dorgan: (5:23 PM)

·         Spoke on the state of the U.S. economy.

o    SUMMARY "We have found ourselves in recent months in a very, very deep hole. We find ourselves right now perched on the edge of a cliff and the question is what do we do to try to restore economic health to this country so that next month the news is not another half million Americans have lost their jobs, so that perhaps there is some month in the future the news will be that more Americans are working. More Americans have found jobs."

Morning Business

 
Senator Reid: (7:17 PM)

·         Propounded a UC that the Senate proceed to a period of Morning Business with Senators allowed to speak up to 10 minutes each.

 
Senator Lautenberg: (7:20 PM)

·         Spoke on the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

o    SUMMARY "There's only one way to bring real peace and real security to the Middle East, and that is to stop the rockets and get the people to the bargaining table which is obviously being attempted. Egypt is an active participant. We have to encourage that. It has to be very clear to Hamas and other terrorist organizations: You are not going to win by killing people. You're not going to win by discouraging free thought and democratic values."

·         Tomorrow --

·         The Senate will resume consideration of S. 22, The Public Lands Bill.

·         The deadline for filing second degree amendments is 10:00 AM.

·         The vote on the motion to invoke cloture on S. 22, The Public Lands Bill, is scheduled for 10:30 AM.

·         Performed wrap up.

The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30 AM tomorrow.