[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 118 (Thursday, July 17, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S6880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       STOP EXCESSIVE SPECULATION ACT OF 2008--MOTION TO PROCEED

  Mr. REID. I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to 
Calendar No. 882, S. 3268, the gas speculation bill, at a time to be 
determined by the majority leader, following consultation with the 
Republican leader.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection?
  Mr. CORNYN. Reserving the right to object, I understand the 
distinguished majority leader and the distinguished Republican leader 
are going to be discussing a process by which amendments might be 
allowed to this important piece of legislation. Therefore, pending 
resolution of that, I object.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard.
  Mr. REID. I certainly understand that.
  I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 882, S. 3268.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the motion.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       Motion to proceed to the bill (S. 3268) to amend the 
     Commodities Exchange Act to prevent excessive speculation 
     with respect to energy commodities, and for other purposes.

  Mr. REID. Madam President, I hope matters can be arranged today so we 
can move to this without having to try to invoke cloture again. This 
would be the 83rd or 84th time we would have to do that. I hope we can 
work something out.
  I have said, I say again today: Is speculation the only problem with 
high gas prices? No. But it is a problem. Everyone acknowledges that. 
That is evidenced by the fact that the Republican part of the energy 
package has a provision in there dealing with speculation. So I hope if 
the Republicans, when they look at the speculation bill that we have 
introduced, if there is a way that can be changed, we will be happy to 
work with them.
  I would be happy to continue discussions with the minority to 
determine how we can proceed through this to see what amendments need 
to be offered.
  One of the things I want to make sure everyone understands, I have 
been obviously here a long time, more than a quarter of a century. And 
during my tenure here in the Senate, it has always been, with rare 
exception, when we get to a bill, whether you have a Republican 
majority leader or a Democratic majority leader, you find out what 
amendments people are interested in offering and take a look at those 
amendments. We look at theirs, they look at ours. This does not mean 
you have to approve or disapprove of the amendments. But there needs to 
be an idea to find out if this is worth the time of the majority or 
minority in entering into this debate.
  So I hope we can work out something. It is extremely important that 
we do something on speculation and other issues relating to energy, 
because it is a problem.
  Madam President, I am so sorry, these scripts are prepared and 
sometimes I do not look up to see--on our side we have 11 women now in 
the Senate.
  I commented to my wife today, now in our family we do not do 
``short'' jokes, about people being short, because my wife is 5 feet 
tall, I have a son who is 5 feet 2 inches, and a boy who is 6 feet 2 
inches. And we do not do short jokes.

  We were very busy here yesterday, and I looked to the back of the 
Chamber, and there were Patty Murray and Barbara Boxer, both about 5 
feet tall, back there talking, I am sure scheming as to what they were 
going to do to get something done.
  This place has changed so much in the years I have been in the 
Senate. When I came here, we had Barbara Mikulski. Now, of course, we 
have, just on the Democratic side alone, 11 Democratic Senators who are 
women. And without any qualifications, this Senate is such a much 
better place because of women.
  Men and women are different. They have, at least in my opinion, 
different thought processes and they have different abilities. So, 
anyway, I am sorry if I referred to the Chair as ``Mr. President'' when 
I know that the Senator from Arkansas is one of the fine Members of 
Congress, having served in the House and in the Senate, and what a 
pleasure it is to work with her.

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