| 00:00:28 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
HIM CHAPLAIN WILL LEAD THE SENATE IN PRAYER. THE CHAPLAIN: LET US PRAY. GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL GOD, WE PRAISE YOU THAT NONE OF YOUR PURPOSES CAN BE
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| 00:00:40 |
THE CHAPLAIN, -
THWARTED. YOU HAVE BEEN OUR REFUGE FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER. CONTINUE TO GUIDE OUR LAWMAKERS MAY THEY FIND FULLNESS OF JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE AND...
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| 00:02:00 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE...
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| 00:02:15 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
SENATE. THE CLERK: WASHINGTON, D.C, MARCH 13, 2012. TO THE SENATE: UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 1, PARAGRAPH 3, OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE,...
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| 00:02:24 |
THE CLERK, -
HEREBY APPOINT THE HONORABLE CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, A SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF DELAWARE, TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE CHAIR. SIGNED: DANIEL K. INOUYE,...
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| 00:02:42 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
FIRST HALF. THE
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| 00:02:43 |
Reid, Harry - U.S. Senator, [D] Nevada
REPUBLICANS THE SECOND HALF. FOLLOWING MORNING BUSINESS, WE'LL RESUME CONSIDERATION OF THE HIGHWAY BILL. THERE WILL BE TWO ROLL CALLER VOTES IN RELATION...
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| 00:03:23 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
IMPROVING ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC CAPITAL MARKETS
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| 00:03:26 |
THE CLERK, -
FOR EMERGING GROWTH COMPANIES. S. 2186, A BILL TO AMEND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ABLGHT OF 1990 AND SO FORTH. MR. REID: I WOULD OBJECT TO FURTHER...
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| 00:03:44 |
MR. REID, -
CALENDAR. MR. REID: MR. PRESIDENT,
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| 00:03:46 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
TODAY WE RESUME CONSIDERATION OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF JOBS LEGISLATION WE'VE HAD HERE IN A LONG TIME, AND THAT'S THE HIGHWAY
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| 00:03:53 |
Reid, Harry - U.S. Senator, [D] Nevada
BILL. BUT IT'S MORE THAN A HIGHWAY BILL. IT'S A SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BILL. IT DEALS WITH ALL ASPECTS OF HELPING OUR FAILING BRIDGES -- THERE ARE...
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| 00:12:42 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
I LISTENED CAREFULLY TO
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| 00:12:44 |
McConnell, Mitch Jr. - U.S. Senator, [R] Kentucky
THE MAJORITY LEADER'S REMARKS -- ONCE WE FINISH THE HIGHWAY BILL, WE OUGHT TO IMMEDIATELY TURN TO THE BIPARTISAN JOBS BILL THAT PASSED THE HOUSE LAST...
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| 00:19:16 |
Reid, Harry - U.S. Senator, [D] Nevada
AREN'T LISTENING. MAYBE MY FRIEND, THE REPUBLICAN LEADER, DIDN'T HEAR MY PRESENTATION THIS MORNING. THERE'S NOTHING TO FIGHT ABOUT. I JUST SAID WE'RE...
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| 00:21:22 |
MR. McCONNELL, -
QUESTION OF PRIORITIES. WE DO AGREE THAT WE OUGHT TO PASS THIS JOBS BILL. CERTAINLY
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| 00:21:26 |
McConnell, Mitch Jr. - U.S. Senator, [R] Kentucky
IF IT WERE CALLED UP, IT WOULD BE OPEN FOR AMENDMENT, AND THE MAJORITY LEADER COULD OFFER THE EX--IM BANK. IT'S A QUESTION OF PRIORITIES. WE'VE HAD SOME...
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| 00:22:34 |
Reid, Harry - U.S. Senator, [D] Nevada
SENATE, WE FILED, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN STALLING, OBSTRUCTION ON THE LIVES 17 MEN. I DIDN'T FILE ON THE APPELLATE JUDGES. ONLY THE TRIAL COURT JUDGES....
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| 00:23:58 |
MR. LEAHY, -
TALK ABOUT, MR. PRESIDENT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT, I'M
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| 00:24:04 |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
SURE THE MAJORITY LEADER -- AND I'D ASK, AND THIS IS A QUESTION -- WHERE THERE IS 160 MILLION AMERICANS WHO ARE IN JUDICIAL DISTRICTS WHERE THERE ARE...
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| 00:24:53 |
Reid, Harry - U.S. Senator, [D] Nevada
DID THAT. WE -- MORE THAN HALF OF THE PEOPLE IN AMERICA TODAY ARE LIVING IN AREAS WHERE THERE HAS BEEN DECLARED A JUDICIAL EMERGENCY. NEVADA IS ONE...
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| 00:26:32 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
JOBS OF 17 INDIVIDUALS MAY BE DELAYED
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| 00:26:34 |
McConnell, Mitch Jr. - U.S. Senator, [R] Kentucky
FOR A FEW MONTHS. I DOUBT IF ANY OF THEM ARE UNEMPLOYED AT THE MOMENT. AND THIS IS -- AND IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL NOT...
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| 00:28:23 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
ANYWAY. SO I'VE GOT AN
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| 00:28:25 |
Reid, Harry - U.S. Senator, [D] Nevada
IDEA. LET'S GO TO THE I.P.O. BILL IMMEDIATELY AFTER FINISHING THE HIGHWAY BILL WITH THE AGREEMENT WE'LL DISPOSE OF THESE JUDGES IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT....
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| 00:28:51 |
Reid, Harry - U.S. Senator, [D] Nevada
TO THE I.P.O. BILL, AND AS SOON AS WE FINISH THAT, GET IT OUT OF THE SENATE, WE WILL THEN HAVE UP-OR-DOWN VOTES ON THOSE 17 JUDGES. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE...
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| 00:29:40 |
McConnell, Mitch Jr. - U.S. Senator, [R] Kentucky
JUDGES. BUT THE POINT IS THIS: WE HAVE BEEN PROCESSING JUDGES. IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY ANY OF THESE DISTRICT JUDGES ARE NOT GOING TO BE CONFIRMED. WE'VE...
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| 00:31:21 |
Reid, Harry - U.S. Senator, [D] Nevada
ARTICULATED BY MY FRIEND. IT IS JUST A CASE OF STALLING THINGS, AS HAS HAPPENED ALL THIS CONGRESS. WE HAVE, AS INDICATED, MORE THAN HALF THE AMERICAN...
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| 00:40:57 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
OBSTRUCTION AND FILIBUSTERS. IT HURTS OUR
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| 00:41:00 |
MR. LEAHY, -
FEDERAL COURTS. IT IS A DISRRP DISRESPECT TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. IT GOES WAY BEYOND PARTISANSHIP. BUT IT'S WRONG. AND IT DEMEANS THIS...
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| 00:42:04 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
PERMITTED TO PEEK -- TO SPEAK FOR UP TO TEN MINUTES EACH, WITH THE TIME DIVIDED AND CONTROLLED BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS OR THEIR DESIGNEES, WITH THE MAJORITY...
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| 00:42:23 |
MR. LEAHY, -
CALIFORNIA. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA. MRS. BOXER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I JUST THOUGHT I COULD GIVE THE SENATORS AND THOSE...
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| 00:42:37 |
Boxer, Barbara - U.S. Senator, [D] California
ON THE HIGHWAY BILL AN UPDATE AS TO WHERE WE ARE. WE HAVE A MANAGERS' PACKAGE THAT WE'RE HOPING TO APPROVE MOMENTARILY. IT IS A BIPARTISAN PACKAGE....
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| 00:51:47 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
THANK YOU. I LISTENED WITH GREAT INTEREST TO THE SENATOR FROM
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| 00:51:49 |
MR. ALEXANDER, -
CALIFORNIA. I THANK HER FOR HER HARD WORK ON THE TRANSPORTATION BILL AND HER WORK
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| 00:51:52 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
WITH SENATOR INHOFE. I
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| 00:51:54 |
Alexander, Lamar - U.S. Senator, [R] Tennessee
LISTENED ESPECIALLY TO HER ON HER COMMENTS THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER. IT REMINDS ME OF THE NEW SPEAKER IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES...
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| 00:53:02 |
MR. ALEXANDER, -
LEADER, ANNOUNCE THAT HE HAD FILED 17 CLOTURE PETITIONS ON DISTRICT JUDGES. I'M HERE TODAY SIMPLY AS ONE SENATOR TO SAY RESPECTFULLY TO THE MAJORITY...
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| 01:00:17 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
OBJECTION. MR. ALEXANDER: MR. PRESIDENT, I NOTICE THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL CALL THE
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| 01:00:36 |
MR. ALEXANDER, -
ROLL. QUORUM
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| 01:00:40 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
CALL: QUORUM CALL: MR. MENENDEZ: MR. PRESIDENT? THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY. MR. MENENDEZ: I ASK THAT THE QUORUM CALL BE VITIATED....
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| 01:14:45 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
TODAY'S SESSION OF THE SENATE. THEY HAVE THE APPROVAL
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| 01:14:47 |
MR. MENENDEZ, -
OF THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS. I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THESE REQUESTS BE AGREED
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| 01:14:50 |
MR. MENENDEZ, -
TO AND THAT THESE REQUESTS BE PRINTED IN THE RECORD. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION. MR. MENENDEZ: MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK THAT I BE ABLE TO SPEAK...
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| 01:15:01 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
IN MORNING BUSINESS. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION. TEES DOS I
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| 01:15:04 |
MR. MENENDEZ, -
COME TOMR. MENENDEZ: I COME TO TALK ABOUT AN AMENDMENT THAT I
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| 01:15:10 |
Menendez, Robert "Bob" - U.S. Senator, [D] New Jersey
WILL OFFER LATER. WHAT IF I WERE TO TELL YOU THAT THERE WAS A TRANSPORTATION FUEL THAT IS OVER $1.50 CHEAPER THAN GASOLINE AND ROUGHLY $2 CHEAPER...
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| 01:22:59 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
QUORUM CALL: QUORUM CALL: THE PRESIDING OFFICER: MR. PRESIDENT. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS. MRS. HUTCHISON: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT...
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| 01:33:12 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
OBJECTION. MRS. HUTCHISON: MR. PRESIDENT, I WANT TO SPEAK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT
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| 01:33:15 |
MRS. HUTCHISON, -
AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT IS GOING TO BE ADDRESSED ON THE
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| 01:33:18 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
HIGHWAY BILL, AND I HAVE
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| 01:33:20 |
Hutchison, Kay Bailey - U.S. Senator, [R] Texas
AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD BASICALLY SAY YOU CANNOT TOLL A FEDERAL HIGHWAY UNLESS IT IS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ANOTHER FREE LANE. SO IT IS AN EFFORT TO...
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| 01:40:33 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
CALL: QUORUM CALL: QUORUM CALL: THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA. A SENATOR: I WOULD ASK THAT THE QUORUM CALL BE DISPENSED WITH. MORNING...
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| 01:49:13 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
CLOSED. UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE SENATE WILL RESUME CONSIDERATION OF S. 1813 WHICH THE CLERK WILL REPORT. THE CLERK: 1-6789S 1813 WHAT BILL TO...
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| 01:49:30 |
THE CLERK, -
MRS. BOXER: I KNOW SENATOR BINGAMAN IS HERE SO I'LL MAKE A QUICK UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST THAT THE TIME UNTIL NOON BE EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN THE TWO
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| 01:49:38 |
Boxer, Barbara - U.S. Senator, [D] California
LEADERS OR THEIR DESIGNEES, THERE BE TWO MINUTES EQUALLY DIVIDED PRIOR TO EACH VOTE, AND THAT ALL VOTES AFTER THE FIRST VOTE FOLLOWING THE RECESS BE...
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| 01:49:56 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
FLOOR. MR. BINGAMAN: MR. PRESIDENT. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO. MR. BINGAMAN: I BELIEVE THE SECOND AMENDMENT WE'LL BE VOTING...
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| 01:50:07 |
Bingaman, Jeff - U.S. Senator, [D] New Mexico
AFTER NOON IS -- LUNCH OR RIGHT AFTER THE NOON IS THE AMENDMENT SENATOR DURBIN AND I ARE PROPOSING RELATING TO A PRIVATIZED TOLL ROAD. WHEN A STATE...
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| 01:50:10 |
Bingaman, Jeff - U.S. Senator, [D] New Mexico
RESPONSIBILITY TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE ROAD. THE AMENDMENT WOULD SIMPLY REMOVE THESE PRIVATIZED TOLL ROADS FROM CONSIDERATION WHEN WE ALLOCATE HIGHWAY...
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| 01:53:10 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
NUMBER. THE CLERK: THE SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO, MR. BINGAMAN, PROPOSES AN AMENDMENT NUMBERED 1759. MR. BINGAMAN: I ASK THAT ANY
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| 01:53:18 |
THE CLERK, -
FURTHER READING BE DISPENSED WITH. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION. MR. BINGAMAN: I YIELD THE FLOOR AND SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM. THE
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| 01:53:24 |
MR. BINGAMAN, -
PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL CALL THE
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| 01:53:27 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
ROLL.
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| 01:53:29 |
MR. BINGAMAN, -
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| 01:53:31 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
QUORUM CALL: MR. DeMINT: MR. PRESIDENT. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA. MR. DeMINT: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO SAY...
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| 01:54:48 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
IS REMINDED WE'RE IN A QUORUM CALL. THE PRESIDING
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| 01:54:50 |
MR. DeMINT, -
OFFICER: THANK YOU. I ASK THAT THE QUORUM CALL BE SUSPENDED. THE
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| 01:54:54 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION. MR. DeMINT: YOU'D THINK
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| 01:54:57 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
AFTER SIX OR SEVEN YEARS I'D REMEMBER THAT, BUT SLOW LEARNER. THANKS
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| 01:55:01 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE AMENDMENT WE CALL
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| 01:55:04 |
DeMint, James "Jim" - U.S. Senator, [R] South Carolina
THE TRANSPORTATION EMPOWERMENT ACT. THIS IS ACTUALLY LEGISLATION THAT'S BEEN WORKED ON FOR OVER TEN YEARS. OUR RANKING MEMBER, SENATOR INHOFE, HELPED...
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| 02:02:08 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
UP HIS ONE MINUTE THAT HE HAD BEFORE THE
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| 02:02:11 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
VOTE? THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THAT'S CORRECT. MRS.
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| 02:02:13 |
Boxer, Barbara - U.S. Senator, [D] California
BOXER: ALL RIGHT. WELL, I WOULD ASK THAT I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 15 SECONDS SINCE HE WENT OVER THAT MUCH. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER,...
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| 02:02:20 |
MRS. BOXER, -
WILL BE ONE MINUTE DEBATE IN OPPOSITION PRIOR TO A VOTE IN RELATION TO AMENDMENT 1756, OFFERED BY THE SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
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| 02:02:26 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
MRS. BOXER: SO I'M ASKING FOR THAT. FINE. I JUST THINK THIS IS SO CRITICAL. THE DeMINT AMENDMENT IS THE END OF THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION
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| 02:02:34 |
Boxer, Barbara - U.S. Senator, [D] California
SYSTEM. IT'S A SYSTEM THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT DWIGHT EISENHOWER TOLD US HOW CRITICAL IT WAS. HE SAID IN THE 1950'S, "THE TRANSPORTATION...
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| 02:04:04 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
OFFICER: IS THERE A SUFFICIENT SECOND? THERE APPEARS TO BE. THE CLERK WILL CALL THE
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| 02:04:09 |
MRS. BOXER, -
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| 02:04:11 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
ROLL. VOTE: VOTE: THE PRESIDING OFFICER: ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS WISHING TO VOTE OR TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE? THE SENATE WILL BE IN ORDER. ARE THERE ANY SENATORS...
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| 02:28:03 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE? SEEING NONE, ON THE MEASURE THE YEAS ARE 30, THE NAYS ARE 67. THE MEASURE IS NOT AGREED TO. UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THERE WILL...
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| 02:28:43 |
Bingaman, Jeff - U.S. Senator, [D] New Mexico
RESPONSIBILITY TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THAT TOLL ROAD TO A PRIVATE ENTITY AND GETS A CASH PAYMENT IN RETURN. UNDER EXISTING LAW, THESE -- THE PRESIDING...
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| 02:29:03 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
CONTINUE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CALCULATION FOR RECEIPT OF FEDERAL HIGHWAY FUNDS. I DON'T THINK THAT
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| 02:29:08 |
Bingaman, Jeff - U.S. Senator, [D] New Mexico
MAKES ANY SENSE. THIS IS A COMMONSENSE AMENDMENT TO CORRECT THAT. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD SIMPLY ENSURE THAT PRIVATIZED TOLL ROADS ARE REMOVED FROM CONSIDERATION...
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| 02:29:39 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
OPPOSITION? THE SENATOR FROM OKLAHOMA. MR. COBURN: WHAT THIS AMENDMENT DOES, IT ULTIMATELY ELIMINATES A STATE'S RIGHT TO LEVERAGE ITS ASSETS
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| 02:29:56 |
Coburn, Thomas "Tom" A. M.D. - U.S. Senator, [R] Oklahoma
OVER AN AMORTIZATION SCHEDULE AND EXPAND ITS HIGHWAY SYSTEM BY --. A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT, THE SENATE IS NOT IN ORDER. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATE...
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| 02:30:14 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
ASSET IN YOUR STATE UNLESS YOU'RE BUILDING A BRAND-NEW ROAD YOU CAN'T
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| 02:30:18 |
Coburn, Thomas "Tom" A. M.D. - U.S. Senator, [R] Oklahoma
USE THAT ASSET TO LEVERAGE YOUR CAPITAL TO BUILD MORE ROADS IN THE STATE. IT'S AGAINST THE TENNESSEEth AMENDMENT, IT'S MORALLY WRONG TO TAKE AWAY --...
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| 02:51:24 |
THE PRESIDING OFFICER, -
THE AYES ARE 50, THE NAYS ARE 47. THE AMENDMENT IS AGREED TO. UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE SENATE NOW STANDS IN RECESS UNTIL 2:15 P.M.
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NOTE: The transcript for this program was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.