[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6260-S6261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  FAMILY AND BUSINESS TAX CUT CERTAINTY ACT OF 2012--MOTION TO PROCEED

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 499, 
S. 3521.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion to proceed.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 499, S. 3521, a bill to 
     amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain 
     expiring provisions.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, now that the Senate has finally adopted the 
motion to proceed to the veterans jobs bill, we have brought to a close 
the 380th filibuster during my time as majority leader--less than 6 
years. And just now, to start to bring debate to close on the veterans 
jobs bill itself, I have had to file the 381st cloture motion during my 
5\1/2\ years as leader. That is 381 cloture motions filed in just 6 
years. Actually, it is less than that.
  For comparison, in the 6 years that Lyndon Johnson was majority 
leader, he had to file one cloture motion. This has become outrageous. 
The peoples' time is being wasted. We just finished 30 hours of 
nothing. We are now starting our next 30 hours of nothing, just 
standing around looking at each other.
  Filibusters have increased in recent years, but this is really 
unbelievable what has happened. The level of Republican obstruction has 
increased dramatically. It has increased dramatically just in the last 
few years.
  We do not have to fight over everything. A veterans jobs bill, does 
that deserve a fight? When we were in recess subject to the call of the 
Chair, an Afghan veteran was brought out here. He is missing one leg. 
He is 25 years old. He is an Army veteran. He is trying to hang on to 
his other leg. The pages who are in here, I called them up and 
introduced them to this young man. I wanted them to see what all of 
this talk is about, of people who sacrifice for our country. Hopefully 
this man will be well enough after some more rehabilitation time that 
he can go out and look for a job. He will have at least one artificial 
limb.
  This is a veterans jobs bill that is being held up for what reason? I 
do not know--or do I know? The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there 
are about 200,000 unemployed post-9/11 veterans, approaching a quarter 
of a million. And as our Nation appropriately winds down our military 
commitments abroad, we can expect increased numbers of newly separated 
veterans to enter the workforce.
  The veterans jobs bill is a $1 billion investment in our veterans. 
This bill would increase training and hiring opportunities for 
veterans. It would help to create jobs for veterans.
  I commend Senator Nelson of Florida and the chairman of the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee, Senator Murray, for their hard work on this bill. 
Unfortunately, I have already received word that the Republican 
Senators are simply unwilling to pass this measure. One Republican 
Senator, for example, is insisting on a vote on something related to 
Pakistan.
  Another Senator has filed a right-to-work amendment. Yet another 
Republican Senator has filed the Department of Defense authorization 
bill as an amendment to this bill. As important as Pakistan and many 
other issues are, the Senate ought to be able to focus on this young 
man who was here in the well this evening. We ought to be focusing on 
creating jobs for veterans.
  Now, we all know what is happening over here. The Republican leader, 
you have to admire him, he stuck to it. His No. 1 goal is to defeat 
President Obama, and that is why we have not been able to legislate. 
Everything has been stopped. Everything. We have been able to push 
through a few things but not many.
  As always, I will do everything I can to work with Senators to get 
consent agreements to provide for consideration of this legislation. 
Hopefully we can reach such agreement. I do not have much hope, but I 
am always, I guess, hopeful. But in the meantime, I will do what I need 
to do to ensure that the Senate can vote on this important measure. I 
will do what I can to help create jobs for America's veterans. We need 
to do it for everyone, but could we just not agree on veterans?
  I know we are now 30 hours postcloture. We all know the drill. Scores 
and scores of times--the Presiding Officer is a new Member of this 
Senate, relatively new. He has served going on two Congresses. But he 
is an expert at watching this. The Senator from Oregon has watched 
this, and he understands what is going on, and it is not very good.
  So the time will run out on this 30 hours from whenever the vote was 
turned in. First of all, we just--it is easy to get--especially when I 
am used to the Ryan math mixed up on numbers a little bit. So let's go 
back where we were.
  We just completed and wasted 30 hours. I had to file cloture now on 
the underlying bill. I have done that. Now we have to wait 2 days for 
this to ripen. The 2 days is going to expire on Friday.
  Now, we are going to vote on Friday, but it is not going to be at a 
time convenient to everybody. We are going to come in shortly after 
midnight tomorrow night, and we are going to vote on this. Then the 30 
hours can start running, and then we will vote Saturday generally.
  If people cannot work together to help veterans, then we are going to 
make sure the American public knows what is going on here. So we will 
not vote tomorrow night, but we will vote--it has to be anytime 2 days 
from now. We can do that tomorrow night or actually Friday morning 
early, a little after midnight.
  I am sorry I got a little mixed up on 30 hours, 2 days for something 
to ripen. Then, as I said, I have been very confused because of the 
Ryan math. It has been difficult for me to accept all of that.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.


                   Unanimous Consent Request--S. 3457

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, where to start? I mean, what a charade and 
what a farce. The majority filibusters their own bills. They fill up 
the amendment tree. They do not even pretend like they are going to 
work with the other side. How do they expect to pass legislation if 
they will not allow any input from the other party? A charade and a 
farce.

  As far as helping that young veteran, our soldiers went to war in 
Afghanistan to get bin Laden. We finally got bin Laden, and we got him 
with the help of Dr. Shakil Afridi. I do not hear one peep from the 
other side, I do not see one bit of concern for the man who helped get 
bin Laden.
  Our soldiers went to Afghanistan. That young man lost a limb. A young 
man in my town also lost three limbs. They did it to get this horrible 
mass murderer bin Laden. This happened, and this is why we went to war. 
We are going to do nothing to support the man who helped us get bin 
Laden?
  We send good money after bad. Billions of dollars have been 
squandered in Pakistan. Pakistan then tortures the man who helped 
America get bin Laden. And we do nothing. I have asked for 15 minutes 
to vote on this

[[Page S6261]]

issue--15 minutes. No one is obstructing this for any sort of personal 
vendetta. I am more than happy to work with the majority. I care deeply 
about the veterans. I care deeply about housing and helping the 
veterans who have fought for their country. But this is about whether 
we as a country and the American taxpayers will be asked to send good 
money after bad to allies that are not acting like allies.
  Today we are reminded that our enemies are relentless, but we are 
also reminded that our so-called allies are not acting like allies at 
all. We are saddened by the assassination of Ambassador Stevens and his 
fellow workers, and we are appalled by the lack of protection for our 
embassies by our supposed allies. We send billions of taxpayer dollars 
abroad. And what do we get in return? Disrespect, disdain, and now 
ultimately violence.
  I have two amendments I wish to call up. First, not one penny should 
be sent to Libya until the assassins are delivered to justice. Not one 
penny should go to Egypt until they guarantee the safety and protection 
of our embassies.
  Second, not one more penny should go to Pakistan until the doctor who 
helped us get bin Laden is freed. Is it too much to ask of the Senate? 
I am more than willing to cooperate. I am more than willing to let 
those go home who want to go home and campaign. I know it is going to 
be a tough election for the other side. But the thing is, I am more 
than willing to let them go home anytime.
  I do this because it is important that our allies act like allies. It 
is important that we have a vote, that this Senate go on record and 
say: Do you support the American taxpayer? Do you want to help the man 
who helped us get bin Laden?
  I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendments and call 
up amendment No. 2783 and also another amendment that is at the desk 
and yet to be numbered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The majority leader.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Senator from Kentucky says there is no 
input from the minority, but, in fact, the substitute amendment we are 
going to vote on in the next day or two which is now pending before us 
has numerous provisions authored by Senate Republicans.
  I respect the interest of the Senator from Kentucky in relation to 
Pakistan, Egypt, Libya, but every now and then the Senate should be 
able to focus on a small good thing. To veterans this is a big thing. I 
like helping them. So I understand my friend's tenacity. But I also 
understand how the Senate operates.
  I just think my friend from Kentucky maybe should have run for 
Secretary of State rather than the Senate.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill 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.

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