[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2100]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

  Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, just a brief explanation of why we are 
where we are with this extension bill, a brief extension of 30 days.
  There was an agreement between the majority leader of the Finance 
Committee and the minority leader on the Finance Committee, Senators 
Baucus and Grassley, on a 3-month extension of these very same 
provisions. There were more provisions in the bill also. It cost a 
little more than the $10 billion that is asked for because it was a 3-
month extension. Senator Reid pulled that bill from the floor of the 
Senate. He did it. The leader of the Democrats pulled that bill from 
the floor.
  I support extending unemployment benefits, COBRA benefits, flood 
insurance, the highway bill fix, the doc fix, small business loans, 
distant network television for satellite viewers. If we can't find $10 
billion to pay for something we all support, we will never pay for 
anything in the Senate. I have offered several ways to do this, 
including trying to negotiate with the majority leader's staff. None 
have been successful.
  We cannot keep adding to the debt. It is over $14 trillion and going 
up fast. If the budget before us passes, it will add another $1.5 
trillion to the debt.
  Recently, we passed pay-go. For those who don't know what pay-go is, 
it means you have to pay for everything you bring before the Senate. 
You can't charge it on the debt. You can't charge it. That is what pay-
go says. Understanding that, I hope the American people understand my 
serious objection.

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