[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 26, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S255-S260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE VICTIMS AND HEROES OF THE SHOOTING ON JANUARY 8, 2011, IN 
                            TUCSON, ARIZONA

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 
Senate will proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 14, which the clerk 
will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 14) honoring the victims and heroes 
     of the shooting on January 8, 2011, in Tucson, Arizona.

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Arizona.
  Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, this resolution states that we honor the 
victims and heroes of the shooting on January 8, 2011, in Tucson, AZ. 
As we all know, and the Nation and the world knows, on January 8, a 
gunman opened fire at a ``Congress on Your Corner'' event hosted by 
Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, AZ, killing 6 and wounding 
13 others.
  Among those who lost their lives were 9-year-old Christina-Taylor 
Green, Dorothy Morris, Judge John Roll, Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan 
Stoddard, and Gabriel Matthew Zimmerman.
  Christina-Taylor Green was the 9-year-old daughter of John and 
Roxanna Green. She was born on September 11, 2001. She was a third 
grader, with an avid interest in government, who was recently elected 
to the student council at Mesa Verde Elementary School.

  Dorothy Morris was 76 years old. She attended the January 8 event 
with George, her husband of over 50 years, with whom she had two 
daughters and who was also critically injured as he tried to shield her 
from the shooting.
  John Roll, whom I will talk about later on, is a Pennsylvania native 
who was 63 years old. He began his professional career as a bailiff in 
1972. He was appointed to the Federal bench in 1991 and became a chief 
judge for the District of Arizona in 2006. He was a devoted husband to 
his wife Maureen, father to his three sons, and grandfather to five 
grandchildren. He heroically attempted to shield Ron Barber from 
additional gunfire.
  Phyllis Schneck, the proud mother of three and grandmother of seven 
and great-grandmother, from New Jersey and spending the winter in 
Arizona, was a 79-year-old church volunteer and New York Giants fan.
  Dorwan Stoddard, a 76-year-old retired construction worker and 
volunteer at the Mountain Avenue Church of Christ, is credited with 
shielding his wife Mavy, a long-time friend whom he married while they 
were in their sixties and who was also injured in the shooting.
  Gabriel Matthew Zimmerman was 30 years old, engaged to be married, 
and served as director of community outreach to Representative 
Gabrielle Giffords and was a social worker before serving with 
Representative Giffords.
  We all know Gabrielle Giffords was the target of the attack and was 
critically injured. Overnight, we received extremely good news in that 
her condition has been upgraded from critical to good. That is 
incredible news and is heartening to all of us.
  Thirteen others were also wounded in the shooting, including Ron 
Barber and Pamela Simon, who were both staffers to Representative 
Giffords, and several individuals, including Patricia Maisch, Army COL 
Bill Badger, retired, was also wounded in the shooting. Roger 
Sulzgeber, Joseph Zimudie, Daniel Hernandez, Jr., Anna Ballis and Dr. 
Steven Rayle helped apprehend the gunman and assist the injured, 
thereby risking their lives for the safety of others.
  Some of the actions that took place during this tragedy have been 
carried extensively in the media. The reaction of the people of Tucson 
and in Arizona to this tragedy has been incredibly uplifting and 
encouraging to all of us. There are so many stories of courage and 
bravery associated with this action. The quick reaction of our police 
and other first responders was remarkable, not to mention the 
incredible and extremely rapid care provided by the doctors and nurses 
and caregivers in Tucson. So in this great tragedy that has taken 
place, we can be comforted with the knowledge that our citizens reacted 
in the way that Americans do--with heroism, with courage, and with 
sacrifice.
  I think it is entirely appropriate that this resolution be passed as 
one of the first acts of the new 112th Congress of the Senate and 
House. I wish to thank all Americans for their concern, their prayers 
and the sympathy and support they have extended not only to the victims 
and their families but also to the people of Arizona.
  There will be discussion for weeks and months ahead as to how it was 
possible for this event to take place. I don't pretend to know all the 
answers. It was clearly a deranged individual, an individual who 
perhaps we could argue, while I can't say for certain, his mental 
illness should have been brought to the attention of the proper 
authorities. We do have a law that provides for such an action in the 
State of Arizona. At the same time, the question needs to be asked: The 
actions that we now have become very aware of, was the possibility of 
those actions brought to the attention of the proper people so they 
could take action?
  The fact is it happened. The fact is we who are elected 
representatives will continue to have contact with our constituents. We 
will do so and not be deterred by the actions of this deranged 
individual. We cannot allow the actions of a deranged individual to 
prevent us from interacting, in a fundamental way, with our 
constituents. They deserve it. I am confident we will be able to 
continue the practice of townhall meetings, ``Congress on Your 
Corner,'' the kinds of activities that are, in some ways, not entirely 
unique to the United States of America but certainly are not practiced 
in most parts of the world.
  So we are encouraged by the news concerning Gabrielle Giffords and we 
will harbor the hope and pray that she will return to her duties in the 
Congress, representing the people of southern Arizona. We pray for the 
family of Judge John Roll and those others who gave their lives. 
Senator Kyl and I attended the various memorial services and events 
surrounding this tragedy in Tucson and we come away obviously with deep 
sorrow over the event, yet at the same time with a great deal of pride 
and appreciation for our fellow citizens in Arizona and in Tucson who 
have reacted in a heroic and giving and loving and sharing fashion.
  So I guess we will be voting on this issue sometime this afternoon, 
and I know other colleagues will be speaking on behalf of this 
resolution.
  (The remarks of Mr. McCain pertaining to the introduction of S. 188 
are

[[Page S256]]

printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and 
Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum, with 
the time being charged to both sides.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, what is the pending business before the 
Senate?
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. S. Res. 14.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I want to thank Majority Leader Reid and 
our colleagues from Arizona, Senators Kyl and McCain, for bringing this 
important resolution to the floor of the Senate. It has been over 2 
weeks, but our shock and sadness over what happened on that beautiful 
Saturday morning in Tucson is still very real. They were just ordinary 
Americans, engaged in what we might call the dialog of democracy, when 
a gunman stepped in and began firing. Within seconds Congresswoman 
Gabrielle Giffords and a dozen innocent bystanders lay injured, and six 
irreplaceable lives were ended.
  Most of us never had the good fortune to meet Judge John Roll, Gabe 
Zimmerman, Phyllis Schneck, Dot Morris, Dorwan Stoddard, or that 
beautiful little girl, Christina Green. While they shared the Earth 
with us, we did not know them. But we have come to know them in the 
last 2 weeks. They were good and decent people who loved their 
families, tried to help others, and believed in the promise of this 
great Nation.
  We mourn their loss. Gabby Giffords, our colleague in the House, 
believes in the promise of America's democracy. She believes in it so 
passionately that she chose to run for Congress, even though she 
probably could have found a more comfortable and even more financially 
rewarding life. She believed in democracy so much that she was one of 
those Members of Congress who would hop on an airplane and fly across 
America on a weekly basis to be back home in her district in Arizona.
  She believed in this country so deeply that she continued to reach 
out to her constituents even after the end of a spirited campaign when 
a lot of Members of Congress were trying to find at least a few weeks 
to take it easy before they got back into the swing of things.
  She was concerned about her safety. But she was dedicated to her job 
and her Nation and certainly the people she represented. We are 
grateful to the doctors and all of the medical professionals who worked 
wonders to save her life and to heal those who were hurt. We are 
grateful to the first responders and ordinary citizens who acted with 
such extraordinary courage to help the victims, tackle the gunman, and 
prevent an even more devastating loss of life.
  We offer our deepest condolences to the heartbroken families and 
friends of those who were lost and all those who were wounded in body 
and spirit by this tragedy. We pray that time and God in His infinite 
mercy will bring them comfort and peace.
  A few days ago, we were encouraged to learn that Congresswoman 
Giffords was moving to a rehab hospital in Houston to begin a new phase 
of her recovery. Yesterday her overall medical condition was upgraded 
to ``good,'' certainly good news. Soon we need to begin the next phase 
in our national discussion of this tragedy, in order to lessen the 
prospects of such violence in the future.
  We cannot simply mourn and move on. We have to have the courage to 
face this tragedy squarely. It appears this terrible carnage was caused 
by a man with a history of mental illness and a gun. It is not the 
first time. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot by a mentally ill 
man with a gun. Nearly 4 years ago, a mentally ill student shot and 
killed 32 people at Virginia Tech. On Valentine's Day 2008, a former 
student with a history of mental instability walked into the lecture 
hall at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, armed with a shotgun 
and three handguns. He killed six people including himself and injured 
21 others.
  In 1998, a man with a serious mental illness walked into this 
building, the Capitol, and before it ended he had shot and killed two 
members of the Capitol Police force. Some are going to argue you cannot 
stop a disturbed person who is intent on committing an act of violence. 
To some extent that is certainly true. But you can take steps to limit 
the harm that person can cause by keeping the deadliest of weapons out 
of that person's hands. The gunman in Tucson used a semiautomatic 
handgun with a high-capacity ammunition clip capable of holding over 30 
rounds. He fired off 31 shots in a matter of seconds before he had to 
reload and was tackled by brave citizens.
  If he had had to reload sooner, say, after 10 rounds, at least 9 
people in Tucson would not have been shot. High-capacity clips were 
used to commit mass murder at Virginia Tech, Fort Hood in Texas, and in 
Tucson. There is no legitimate sporting or self-defense purpose for 
such high-capacity weaponry. Hundreds of homeowners do not need to fire 
31 rounds in a matter of seconds.
  High-capacity clips were once illegal under the 1994 Federal assault 
weapons ban signed by President Clinton, supported by Presidents 
Reagan, Carter, and Ford. But that law expired 7 years ago in 2004.
  Even former Vice President Dick Cheney, a hunter, and an outspoken 
second amendment rights advocate, has said in his words, ``maybe it is 
appropriate'' to reinstate the ban on high-capacity clips in the wake 
of the Tucson tragedy.
  We also need to plug the holes in the Federal background check system 
to make it harder for people with a history of serious mental illness 
or substance abuse from getting guns. This man who was charged with the 
murders in Tucson is someone who was rejected by our military because 
of his mental condition. He was also told to leave a community college 
because they feared that he was a danger to himself and others. And yet 
he could purchase a weapon and a high-capacity clip in Arizona, in 
America.
  No one is proposing to take guns away from responsible hunters and 
law-abiding citizens. The Supreme Court has made it clear, individuals 
have the right to own guns and I respect that decision. But the Supreme 
Court has also said that the second amendment is ``not a right to keep 
and carry any weapon whatsoever, in any manner whatsoever, and for 
whatever purpose.''
  We ought to be able to agree to keep the deadliest weapons out of the 
hands of people who are seriously unstable. President Obama gave a very 
moving speech in Tucson about Christina Green, the little third grader 
who had just been elected to her student council and often wore red, 
white, and blue in honor of her country.
  The President said, ``I want to live up to her expectations. I want 
our democracy to be as good as Christina imagined it. I want America to 
be as good as she imagined it.''
  I hope we will put political agendas aside and put our heads together 
so we can lessen the chances of another tragedy such as Tucson. That 
would be the very best memorial we could build to those who lost their 
lives, and the best we could do for America to do our job to keep it 
safe.
  I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Franken). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I rise to give some brief remarks 
about the resolution we are considering today. First and foremost, this 
resolution condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the horrific 
attack that took place earlier this month in Tucson, AZ, while my 
friend and colleague Gabrielle Giffords was giving time to her 
constituents through a ``Congress at Your Corner'' event, an event that 
many of us in the Congress host

[[Page S257]]

for our constituents, for them to come speak to us about issues that 
matter to them most.
  During that attack, many lives were lost. We express our deepest and 
heartfelt condolences to the families and the friends and the loved 
ones who lost their loved ones during that attack.
  Each of those who are honored today will be remembered for all they 
gave to their communities and all they have done, including a great 
judge, John Roll, and community members Dorothy Morris, Phyllis 
Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard, and a great public servant, Gabriel Matthew 
Zimmerman. They are all in our thoughts and prayers.
  President Obama took the time to really talk about one life that was 
lost that affected me most deeply, and that was about Christina-Taylor 
Green, the 9-year-old girl who went to the ``Congress at Your Corner'' 
event to learn about public service, to see her Congressman do her job, 
to hear what she had to say.
  That young girl and her life and the image President Obama talked 
about in his speech not only in Tucson but in his speech last night I 
thought affected all of us because his speech was about the hope and 
the dreams that every child in America has for this country, for our 
democracy, the true aspirations that Christina had for this government, 
the expectations she had for us.
  I believe last night President Obama gave a call to action to all of 
us about who we should be as Americans, what this country stands for, 
why we are all public servants, and why we are here to do our jobs. I 
think it is the image and the life of Christina that gives us hope for 
the future about what we can be and what we can do together, and I 
think that is what last night's speech was most about.
  I want to take a moment to talk about my dear friend Gabby, whose 
courage and whose strength has been extraordinary and is something that 
not only inspires me but I think inspires every one of the young people 
here today and all of us in this country because she is surviving and 
she is determined to overcome this horrific attack against her and our 
democracy and against all of us. Every day she recovers is one more day 
where her strength is there as a bright light for all of us, as a 
reminder of what we are all capable of and a reminder of what is best 
in each of us. I am going to go visit Gabby this weekend and sit with 
her and give her the well wishes and the prayers of all of us here.
  Having her seat remain open last night was a stark reminder of what 
can be so easily lost, and the importance of our presence in that 
Chamber to do the people's business, that we are there not for 
ourselves, we are not there as Democrats or Republicans, but we are 
there as public servants, to do the will of the American people, to do 
our jobs, and to represent the people we are sent here to represent.
  So I thank Gabby and her extraordinary husband Mark, whose love for 
her truly is pulling her every day across the finish line, for their 
courage and their dedication, and I wish to let them know we will 
continue to pray for their recovery, we will continue to pray for all 
those who were injured and are recovering, and we pray for all the 
families who have lost their loved ones.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the debate time on the 
resolution be extended to 2:30 p.m., that all provisions of the 
previous order remain in effect, and that the vote on adoption of the 
resolution occur at 2:30 p.m.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that all 
quorum calls during the remainder of the debate on S. Res. 14 be 
charged equally to each side.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, yesterday I spoke to the events of January 8 
in Tucson, AZ, specifically referencing the people we are honoring by 
the resolution that is before us today. At 2:30 this afternoon, we will 
have an opportunity to act as a body, Democrats and Republicans from 
all parts of our country, to recognize the people who were injured, the 
families of those who were killed, and, of course, the heroes of the 
tragic Tucson shooting.
  On that morning of January 8, Representative Gabrielle Giffords 
arrived at a Tucson Safeway store for her ``Congress on Your Corner'' 
event. She was there to meet with constituents, which is something she 
enjoyed doing very much. This was the first such event of the year. She 
had hosted others previously.
  She was joined by members of her staff. Among them were Pam Simon, 
Ron Barber, Gabriel Zimmerman, and Daniel Hernandez, an intern. They 
stood alongside as Congresswoman Giffords greeted her constituents who 
had lined up to speak with her. One of those individuals was Judge John 
Roll, chief judge of the U.S. District Court of Arizona, a personal 
friend of mine. Like most mornings, he had attended mass. Then he 
decided to stop by the Safeway to thank the Congresswoman for her 
assistance in dealing with the court's overwhelming caseload. Also 
attending the event was 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green, who, like 
Congresswoman Giffords, had recently won elected office. This third 
grader had recently been elected to the student council by Mesa Verde 
Elementary School. Dorothy Morris and her husband George, a retired 
marine, were attending the event together. And Phyllis Schneck, a great 
grandmother who spent the winters in Tucson but was actually from New 
Jersey, was there as well, as were Dorwan and Mavy Stoddard. As all of 
these people were waiting to speak to Congresswoman Giffords, a gunman 
approached and shot the Congresswoman in the head, then turning his gun 
on the others in line. Gabriel Zimmerman, Judge Roll, Christina-Taylor 
Green, Dorothy Morris, Phyllis Schneck, and Dorwan Stoddard were all 
killed. George Morris, Mavy Stoddard, Pamela Simon, Ron Barber, and the 
Congresswoman were injured, along with eight others.
  Those who were killed had much more to offer in their lives.
  Gabe, the Congresswoman's director of community outreach, was only 30 
years old. He was engaged to be married. According to news reports, he 
was killed while rushing to assist others. He worked closely with my 
Tucson staff.
  Judge Roll was not only a very distinguished and respected jurist but 
was known most of all in the Tucson community for his kindness and 
courtesy. He was killed as he tried to protect Ron Barber, who had been 
shot just moments before.
  Christina-Taylor Green, as I mentioned, was only 9 years old, a third 
grader.
  Dorothy Morris was married for 50 years to George, and he was injured 
trying to protect his wife. The couple has two daughters. I met one of 
them when I visited with George in the facility in which he is 
recuperating, where I was last Friday.
  Phyllis, like others in this group, was a volunteer at her church. 
She was also known for her cooking.
  Dorwan Stoddard I mentioned was also a church volunteer, and he, too, 
was shot as he dove to the ground to cover his wife, who escaped with 
wounds to her legs. I had an opportunity to visit with her again Friday 
as well.
  As we know, the gunman was prepared to take more lives. His plans for 
more bloodshed were thwarted by brave and selfless citizens. Their 
stories have been documented in the media in the past few weeks, but a 
few of their heroic acts are worth recounting here.
  After a bullet grazed his head and took him to the ground, Bill 
Badger, a 74-year-old retired Army colonel--and in good shape, I might 
add--got up and he helped hold the gunman down until the police 
arrived.
  Anna Ballis was shopping that morning at Safeway. She was leaving the 
store when the shooting began. According to reports, she rushed to the 
aid of Barber after a bullet hit an artery in his leg. Anna is the 
mother of two U.S. marines who have been deployed to Iraq and 
Afghanistan multiple times. I mentioned yesterday visiting Ron Barber 
in the hospital, holding Anna's hand, repeating over and over again how 
she had saved his life.

[[Page S258]]

  Such multiple acts of bravery and kindness.
  Daniel Hernandez was in the gallery at the State of the Union speech 
last night. He is a 21-year-old intern for Congresswoman Giffords. He 
rushed to her aid right after the incident. He had some training in 
first aid and applied pressure to her wounds, which prevented her from 
bleeding more than she did. He stayed with her even after emergency 
service personnel arrived.
  Sixty-one-year-old Patricia Maisch grabbed the magazine of additional 
ammunition the gunman was hoping to reload in his weapon and then 
administered first aid to a shooting victim.
  Steve Rayle, a doctor and former emergency room physician, helped 
subdue the gunman until law enforcement arrived, and then he, too, 
helped to care for the injured.
  As the gunman was trying to reload his weapon, Roger Salzgeber 
wrestled him down from behind.
  Joseph Zamudio ran toward the scene from a nearby store when he heard 
the shots being fired and helped subdue the gunman again until law 
enforcement officers arrived.
  We are obviously grateful for these acts of bravery. We are proud of 
the people I have mentioned but also all of the emergency workers who 
quickly arrived on the scene and provided lifesaving aid and comfort to 
the injured in the very crucial moments following the attack.
  I must mention also the incredible team of professionals, the 
surgeons and other highly skilled personnel at University Medical 
Center. We are proud of that facility in southern Arizona, and they 
certainly showed their competence in dealing with all of the wounded 
and some who died.
  It has now been more than 2 weeks since the tragedy, and the families 
who lost loved ones are obviously still grieving. We all pray that they 
find comfort in the days ahead, and we hope and pray that the wounded 
will soon make full recoveries. In recent days, we have received some 
good news in that regard as those who were wounded are beginning to 
recover and leave the hospital. Our friend and colleague Gabby 
Giffords, although she remains in serious condition, we are heartened 
to hear positive reports from her doctors, and we wish her the very 
best as she begins a new phase of her recovery in Houston.
  The tragedy in Tucson was a shock to us all. It is difficult to 
comprehend that such horror could be visited upon such fine individuals 
and their families. In some respects, however, we see once again how it 
has brought out the best in good people.
  In honor of the victims and the heroes of this tragic event, Senator 
McCain and I ask our colleagues in the Senate to pass S. Res. 14. We 
can do little to bring solace to those who lost loved ones, but we can 
affirm that this body is united in its grief for the fallen, its 
admiration for the heroes, and prayers for the injured.
  Mr. President, I note the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Udall of New Mexico). The clerk will call 
the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cardin). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


                   Recognition of the Minority Leader

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican leader is recognized.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, first, I would like to express my 
strong support for the resolution on the floor honoring the victims and 
the heroes of the Tucson shooting, and I thank Senators Kyl and McCain 
for submitting it.
  Let me take this opportunity to express once again my sympathy to the 
families of those who lost their lives that morning and to join with 
all those who are persevering in prayer for the injured, including 
Congresswoman Giffords, whose condition, thankfully, still appears to 
be improving day by day.
  We will never forget the heroism of those who sacrificed their own 
safety that morning in Tucson for the good of those around them nor the 
dedication of those who attended to the wounded immediately after the 
shooting both at the scene and in the hospital rooms in the days that 
followed.
  We thank all of them for giving us, in the midst of this horrific 
event, some reason for hope and a powerful example of service to 
follow.
  It is my hope that today's resolution will help in some way to 
preserve the memory of the dead, the injured, and the heroes of Tucson.
  Hopefully, out of this terrible national tragedy the rest of us can 
draw strength and inspiration, grow in concern for those around us, and 
deepen our sense of purpose about the work we do here every day.


                       State of the Union Address

  Mr. President, for 2 years I have insisted again and again that the 
two parties can and should work together on legislation that would spur 
the economy, create an environment for good private sector jobs, and 
put our Nation on a stronger footing for the future. Last night, the 
President did the same. So this afternoon I would like to accept the 
President's offer to work together just as I did after last year's 
State of the Union.
  I agree with the President that we can and should work together to 
increase, without Federal mandates, production of more domestic sources 
of energy, including nuclear, clean coal, and natural gas; on 
strengthening and protecting our borders and enforcing immigration 
laws; on increasing U.S. exports by completing free-trade agreements 
with South Korea but also Panama and Colombia; on medical liability 
reform to rein in frivolous lawsuits; on finding a bipartisan solution 
to strengthen Social Security for future generations of Americans; on 
finishing the job in Iraq and Afghanistan; and on simplifying the 
individual Tax Code and reducing our corporate tax rates, which are 
making it harder and harder for U.S. companies to compete around the 
world.
  Working together in all these areas would help the economy by 
encouraging the creation of private sector jobs, improving security, 
and helping us keep our commitments to our children and our parents. I 
take the President at his word when he says he is eager to cooperate 
with us on doing all of it.
  But achieving each of these things should be an end unto itself. It 
cannot be contingent on some cynical bargain whereby one party agrees 
to secure the border as long as the other party agrees to amnesty for 
illegal immigrants; where one side agrees to increase domestic energy 
exploration as long as the other side agrees to cripple the economy 
with higher fuel prices; where one side agrees to fight terror as long 
as the other side agrees to artificial timelines and preordained 
withdrawal dates--in other words, a bargain whereby the party offering 
to work together has no real intention of working together at all. And 
too often that has been the approach this President and his party have 
taken over the last 2 years.
  Take health care. For more than a year, we offered to work with the 
White House and Democrats on a bill that would incorporate the best 
thinking on both sides. They refused every step of the way. In the end, 
they got the bill they wanted: a massive government-driven system that 
creates an unknowable number of new bureaucratic entities and two 
massive new government entitlements, which is already leading people to 
lose the care they like, which nearly two-thirds of U.S. doctors 
surveyed predict will lead to worse care, and which is causing already 
struggling businesses to struggle even more with a mountain--a 
mountain--of new mandates and fees. It is only after this disastrous 
bill has become law that the President says he is now interested in 
making it better, even as he belittles the legitimate concerns so many 
Americans continue to have about it.
  He has taken the same approach to spending and debt. Two years ago, 
the President came to Congress and told the country we needed to invest 
in the future through a trillion-dollar stimulus that was supposed to 
be a model of transparency and efficiency. Within a year, this bill, 
which was sold to us as the answer to our Nation's economic woes, had 
become a national punch line, a tragic waste of money. And 2 years 
after that investment in our future was signed into law, what do we 
have? Nearly $3.5 trillion more in debt and nearly 3 million more 
Americans out of work.

[[Page S259]]

  These out-of-work Americans do not want to sit around and wait for 
the Democratic vision of the future to appear, compliments of the 
experts in Washington. They are not particularly moved by someone's 
vision of what America could look like 40 years from now if only they 
hand over more of their paychecks or more of their freedoms now. They 
want a job. They want Washington to stop trying to help them and let 
them help themselves.

  So the President talks a good game, but call us skeptical, because 
when all of the applause is over and the speeches are through, the debt 
is higher, more and more wasteful spending and job-stifling regulations 
come to light, and millions of Americans are still asking the same 
simple, persistent question: Mr. President, where are the jobs?
  The President made some good suggestions on areas where we could work 
together, and we stand ready to do so, just as we have in the past. But 
we have now seen enough to know that what the President says and what 
the President does are two very different things. He has called for 
investments in energy before and we got the stimulus. He called for 
working with us on trade. We are still waiting. He said before we need 
to get serious about the debt, even as it reached dizzying new heights 
as a result of his policies. He speaks like one who recognizes that 
spending is out of control, and yet his response is to propose that we 
lock in spending levels we already know are completely unsustainable. 
This isn't progress. This is an admission of defeat. Americans don't 
want a spending freeze at unsustainable levels. They want cuts--
dramatic cuts--and I hope the President will work with us on achieving 
them soon.
  To put it simply, the President still sounds as though he is trying 
to have it both ways. His tone may be changing, but based on past 
performance we will remain skeptical until we see actual results. 
Republicans have pledged to the voters that we will do everything we 
can to cut wasteful government spending, work to lower the debt, get 
government out of the way of economic growth, and to work to repeal the 
health care bill, even as we replace that health care bill with the 
kind of commonsense reforms people actually want. The President has 
shown he is willing to talk about some of these things. Let's hope he 
surprises us by showing a new willingness to do more than that--to 
actually work with us on achieving real results.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is my understanding that all time has 
been used under the order that is now before the Senate. If it has not, 
let's pretend it has and let's start the vote now.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the order for the vote will 
be changed to 2:25.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be.
  The question is on agreeing to the resolution.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. 
Feinstein), the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller), and the 
Senator from Virginia (Mr. Webb) are necessarily absent.
  I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from 
California (Mrs. Feinstein), the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. 
Rockefeller), and the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Webb) would each vote 
``yea.''
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 97, nays 0, as follows:

                       [Rollcall Vote No. 1 Leg.]

                                YEAS--97

     Akaka
     Alexander
     Ayotte
     Barrasso
     Baucus
     Begich
     Bennet
     Bingaman
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Boxer
     Brown (MA)
     Brown (OH)
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Chambliss
     Coats
     Coburn
     Cochran
     Collins
     Conrad
     Coons
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Crapo
     DeMint
     Durbin
     Ensign
     Enzi
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Hoeven
     Hutchison
     Inhofe
     Inouye
     Isakson
     Johanns
     Johnson (SD)
     Johnson (WI)
     Kerry
     Kirk
     Klobuchar
     Kohl
     Kyl
     Landrieu
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Lee
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lugar
     Manchin
     McCain
     McCaskill
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Nelson (NE)
     Nelson (FL)
     Paul
     Portman
     Pryor
     Reed
     Reid
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Schumer
     Sessions
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Snowe
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Thune
     Toomey
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Vitter
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--3

     Feinstein
     Rockefeller
     Webb
  The resolution (S. Res. 14) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 14

       Whereas on January 8, 2011, a gunman opened fire at a 
     ``Congress on your Corner'' event hosted by Representative 
     Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona, killing 6 and wounding 
     13 others;
       Whereas Christina-Taylor Green, Dorothy Morris, John Roll, 
     Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard, and Gabriel Matthew 
     Zimmerman lost their lives in this attack;
       Whereas Christina-Taylor Green, the 9-year-old daughter of 
     John and Roxanna Green, was born on September 11, 2001, and 
     was a third grader with an avid interest in government who 
     was recently elected to the student council at Mesa Verde 
     Elementary School;
       Whereas Dorothy Morris, who was 76 years old, attended the 
     January 8 event with George, her husband of over 50 years 
     with whom she had 2 daughters, and who was also critically 
     injured as he tried to shield her from the shooting;
       Whereas John Roll, a Pennsylvania native who was 63 years 
     old, began his professional career as a bailiff in 1972, was 
     appointed to the Federal bench in 1991, and became chief 
     judge for the District of Arizona in 2006, was a devoted 
     husband to his wife Maureen, father to his 3 sons, and 
     grandfather to his 5 grandchildren, and heroically attempted 
     to shield Ron Barber from additional gunfire;
       Whereas Phyllis Schneck, a proud mother of 3, grandmother 
     of 7, and great-grandmother from New Jersey, was spending the 
     winter in Arizona, and was a 79-year-old church volunteer and 
     New York Giants fan;
       Whereas Dorwan Stoddard, a 76-year-old retired construction 
     worker and volunteer at the Mountain Avenue Church of Christ, 
     is credited with shielding his wife Mavy, a longtime friend 
     whom he married while they were in their 60s, who was also 
     injured in the shooting;
       Whereas Gabriel Matthew Zimmerman, who was 30 years old and 
     engaged to be married, served as Director of Community 
     Outreach to Representative Gabrielle Giffords, and was a 
     social worker before serving with Representative Giffords;
       Whereas Representative Gabrielle Giffords was a target of 
     this attack, and was critically injured;
       Whereas 13 others were also wounded in the shooting, 
     including Ron Barber and Pamela Simon, both staffers to 
     Representative Giffords; and
       Whereas several individuals, including Patricia Maisch, 
     Army Col. Bill Badger (Retired), who was also wounded in the 
     shooting, Roger Salzgeber, Joseph Zamudio, Daniel Hernandez, 
     Jr., Anna Ballis, and Dr. Steven Rayle helped apprehend the 
     gunman and assist the injured, thereby risking their lives 
     for the safety of others, and should be commended for their 
     bravery: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific 
     attack which occurred at the ``Congress on your Corner'' 
     event hosted by Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, 
     Arizona, on January 8, 2011;
       (2) offers its heartfelt condolences to the families, 
     friends, and loved ones of those who were killed in that 
     attack;
       (3) expresses its hope for the rapid and complete recovery 
     of those wounded in the shooting;
       (4) honors the memory of Christina-Taylor Green, Dorothy 
     Morris, John Roll, Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard, and 
     Gabriel Matthew Zimmerman;
       (5) applauds the bravery and quick thinking exhibited by 
     those individuals who prevented the gunman from potentially 
     taking more lives and helped to save those who had been 
     wounded;
       (6) recognizes the service of the first responders who 
     raced to the scene and the health care professionals who 
     tended to the victims once they reached the hospital, whose 
     service and skill saved lives;
       (7) reaffirms the bedrock principle of American democracy 
     and representative government, which is memorialized in the 
     First

[[Page S260]]

     Amendment of the Constitution and which Representative 
     Gabrielle Giffords herself read in the Hall of the House of 
     Representatives on January 6, 2011, of ``the right of the 
     people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government 
     for a redress of grievances'';
       (8) stands firm in its belief in a democracy in which all 
     can participate and in which intimidation and threats of 
     violence cannot silence the voices of any American;
       (9) honors the service and leadership of Representative 
     Gabrielle Giffords, a distinguished member of the House of 
     Representatives, as she courageously fights to recover; and
       (10) when adjourning today, shall do so out of respect to 
     the victims of this attack.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Begich). The motion to reconsider is laid 
upon the table.
  Mr. DURBIN. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________