[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 20, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S7]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          SCOTT BROWN VICTORY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, first, I welcome everyone back after 
what I hope was a restful time away from Washington. It is good to be 
here. I can assure everyone that Republicans are energized and eager to 
pick up where we left off. There is a lot to do, and we are ready.
  The news of the day, of course, is that we will soon be welcoming a 
new Senator into our ranks. It has been a long time--a very long time--
since the people of Massachusetts sent a Republican to the Senate. So I 
congratulate Senator-elect Scott Brown on his decisive victory last 
night.
  I had a chance to speak with him last night. I think it was truly a 
remarkable turnout and decision on the part of the people of that 
State.
  There is a reason the Nation was focused on this race. The American 
people have made it abundantly clear they are more interested in 
shrinking unemployment than expanding government. They are tired of 
bailouts. They are tired of government spending more than ever at a 
time when most people are spending less. They do not want the 
government taking over health care. They made that abundantly clear 
last night in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  This is why Americans are electing good Republican candidates who 
they hope will reverse a year-long Democratic trend of spending too 
much, borrowing too much, and taxing too much. The voters have spoken. 
They want a course correction. We should listen to them.
  Today, we will have a chance to show we have gotten the message when 
we take up legislation that would raise the national debt limit. The 
reason we are being asked to raise the limit on the national credit 
card is clear. It is because the majority has spent the past year 
spending money we do not have on stimulus bills that do not stimulate 
the economy, on budgets that double the debt in 5 years and triples it 
in 10. We need to move in a new direction--a dramatically new 
direction. That is the message of Virginia. That is the message of New 
Jersey. That is the message of Massachusetts.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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