Senate Opening

The Senate Convened.

Morning Business

 
Senator Harkin: (3:28 PM)

·         Spoke on the Presidential Inauguration.

o    SUMMARY "To think that today America saw inaugurated as our 44th President an African-American. Not only does this say a great deal about Barack Obama, but it says a great thing about how far we've come. Somebody asked me about his speech and I thought it was sobering, uplifting and challenging. We want a President who will lift us up, be sobering with us and challenge us. I think that's what President Obama did."

·         Spoke on President Obama's nomination of Tom Vilsak to head the Department of Agriculture.

o    SUMMARY "The Secretary of Agriculture hardly gets any publicity. But no department touches every American every day as closely and as intimately as the Department of Agriculture. The food you eat, the clothes you wear, the food safety programs, things that happen to our kids in school, what they eat. All of this in the Department of Agriculture. I hope the Senate will today by unanimous consent follow the lead of the Agriculture Committee in unanimous consent and approve Tom Vilsack to be our next Secretary of Agriculture."

 
Senator Reid: (3:37 PM)

·         Today --

·         There will be  a period of Morning Business with Senators allowed to speak up to 10 minutes each.

·         No roll call votes are expected.

·         Spoke on the Presidential Inauguration.

o    SUMMARY "The people who came together, lined the National Mall for miles and miles were not merely observers for this memorable day. They were participants ready to work with our new President in service to a common cause. Our great country is ready to join our new President to answer that call to service."

·         Propounded a UC that the Senate move into Executive Session to consider the nominations of Steven Chu, Arne Duncan, Janet Napolatono, Kenneth Salazar, Peter Orszag, Eric Shinseki and Thomas Vilsack (without objection).

·         Tomorrow --

·         The Senate will convene at 12:00 PM and move into Executive Session to consider the nomination of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.

·         There will be 3 hours of debate equally divided and controlled.

·         A roll call vote is scheduled for 4:30 PM on Senator Clinton's nomination.

·         The Senate will recess from 12:45 - 2:15 PM for the weekly policy lunches.

 
Senator Alexander: (3:49 PM)

·         Spoke on the Presidential Inauguration.

o    SUMMARY "People in other parts of the world look at the United States and they don't always approve of us. But they know one thing is different about us. That we are not a country based on blood or race or the color of our skin or where our grandparents came from; that we're based upon our common belief in a few ideals, most of which are incorporated in two founding documents, The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, but one of which is just in our care, and that is this irrational, fervent belief in this country that anything is possible."

 
Senator Reed: (3:57 PM)

·         Tomorrow --

·         Following the roll call vote, the Senate will resume consideration of The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 (S. 181).

·         Other roll call votes are possible.

The Senate stands adjourned until 12: 00 PM tomorrow.