Senate proceeding 07-07-08 :: 0:00:00 to 0:20:00 of 4:59:45

Note: metavid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Views:9 Duration: 0:20:00 Discussion

0:00:00 to 0:00:29( Edit History Discussion )

Rear Adm. Barry Black: and tohange lending rules. senators will vote at 5:30 eastern on debate on that measure. live senate coverage here on -- >> the chaplain will greet the senate's. but us pray. inward prompting that draws

0:00:00 to 0:01:56( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Rear Adm. Barry Black

0:00:29 to 0:00:51( Edit History Discussion )

Rear Adm. Barry Black: us closer to you. bless our senators today. make them leaders who are true and strong. empower them to live lives that are above reproach. give them self-control, generosity, gentleness, and humility. lord,

0:00:51 to 0:01:17( Edit History Discussion )

Rear Adm. Barry Black: remind them that you do not ask for success but faithfulness. help them to set exemplary standards in their speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. give them a productive persistence that will

0:01:17 to 0:01:31( Edit History Discussion )

Rear Adm. Barry Black: keep them from weariness as they do good. bless their families and surround their loved ones with your favor. we pray in your great name. amen. the presiding officer: please join me in reciting the

0:01:31 to 0:01:56( Edit History Discussion )

Rear Adm. Barry Black: pledge of allegiance to the flag. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice

0:01:56 to 0:02:04( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: for all. the presiding officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington, d.c, july 7, 2008. to the senate: under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing

0:01:56 to 0:09:02( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Harry Reid

0:02:04 to 0:02:15( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable jim webb, a senator from the commonwealth of virginia, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: robert c. byrd, president pro tempore. mr.

0:02:15 to 0:02:30( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: today following leader remarks, the senate will be in a period of morning business until 3:00 p.m. today. senators will

0:02:30 to 0:02:42( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: be permit thereafter to speak for up to 10 minutes each. i know that the two managers of the housing bill plan an being here on or about that time. as i've indicate ed, the senate will resume

0:02:42 to 0:02:54( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: consideration of the house message to accompany h.r. 3221, the housing reform legislation under the previous order. at 5:30 p.m. today, the senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the motion to concur

0:02:54 to 0:03:05( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: with respect to the housing reform legislation. before we leaf left for the july 4 recess, we were able to reach an agreement on fisa legislation. we'll debate the bill. i've spoken to the distinguished

0:03:05 to 0:03:21( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: republican leader today. we're going it try to get an agreement. and i feel very comfortable that we can. we will complete all the debate tomorrow. there are a number of senators who are proceeding

0:03:21 to 0:03:35( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: to north carolina for the funeral of senator helms, and so they could spend whatever time is necessary to be in north carolina and not feel pressed in coming back, we're going to try to do the votes

0:03:35 to 0:03:46( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: defense votes wednesday morning. i think that'll work out just fine forren's schedule. we'll debate the bill tomorrow night. tomorrow afternoon we have seven hours set aside. we may even leave a little

0:03:46 to 0:04:01( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: time for wednesday morning. whatever i do, it'll have to be with the agreement of the republican leader. otherwise we finish everything tomorrow night and no one thinks that would be appropriate. but

0:04:01 to 0:04:17( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: senators will be notified as soon as this is worked out. we'll try to have an unanimous consent agreement on that at the earliest possible time today. mr. president, on friday, the 4 4th of july, -- in

0:04:17 to 0:04:34( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: fact, the 4 4th of july had just broken. it was an hour and a half after midnight, the senate lost a member of our senate family, jesse helms of north carolina. mr. president, i can't but think of jesse

0:04:34 to 0:04:51( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: helms an the first name that enters my mind is paul well wellstone. paul wellstone, as we all remember, was a senator from minnesota. and i'm sure it seems odd to most people, recognize ing his political

0:04:51 to 0:05:10( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: proclivities -- that is, that of senator wellstone and that of senator helms. why my mind picks up paul wellstone on mentioning the name of jesse helms, it's hard to imagine two senators more divergent

0:05:10 to 0:05:22( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: in their views. senator wellstone was clearly a liberal. senator helms was clearly a very conservative man. their views were very, very divergent and dinner. -- very, very divergent and different.

0:05:22 to 0:05:36( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: it's no secret because he told everyone when he came to washington. paul wellstone made it clear that he didn't like his right- right-wing colleague from north carolina, jesse helms. he said that openly.

0:05:36 to 0:05:51( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: but it wasn't long before paul wellstone publicly change ed his view of senator wellstone. senator wellstone continued to fiercely disagree with jesse helms on most issues, but he quickly came to

0:05:51 to 0:06:10( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: respect him for his sincerity. mr. president, when i came to the senate, i was, like all new senators, was excite ed to be here and understood what a great honor it was to represent the people of

0:06:10 to 0:06:26( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: the state of nevada in the senate. but one of the last people that i was going it try to befriend was jesse helms. as a moderate democrat i found his views extreme. we found little common ground on points

0:06:26 to 0:06:43( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: of policy, it appeared. as a freshman senator, i enjoyed enjoyed, as the presiding officer presiding over the senate -- i spent my share of time in the seat that the presiding officer know has. i

0:06:43 to 0:06:56( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: enjoyed that very, very much. during that tiernlg the first two years i was in the senate, i watched jesse helms right over here to my right stand and talk often and a lot. i can remember one time

0:06:56 to 0:07:11( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: he was here, i was the presiding officer, he was over there. there wasn't another person in this chamber. and jesse helms said to me as sincerely as anyone could say anything, he said -- and he had

0:07:11 to 0:07:28( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: a distinct speaking voice. he said to me as sin sincerely as anyone could say anything, he said, "mr. president, i don't want to be here on this issue, but no one else will come and about it." it

0:07:28 to 0:07:40( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: was an issue dealing with pornography, a speech that jesse helms gave often on issues that other people wouldn't speak out about. but i became so impressed with his sin seater sincerity that he

0:07:40 to 0:07:57( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: really wasn't doing what he said for political reasons; he was doing it because that's what he believed. and we all have to admire someone like that even though we may disagree with how they speak speak.

0:07:57 to 0:08:13( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: so i came to the -- to understand what paul wellstone had come to realize. i came to it before paul wellstone did, because i got here before he did. whether you agreed with the senator from north carolina,

0:08:13 to 0:08:28( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: his sincerity and his views were remarkable. so i believe it is fitting that jesse helms' last day on earth was the 4th of july. he loved his country, spent every day doing what he believed was

0:08:28 to 0:08:41( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: necessary to make it stronger. his wife dorothy and children jane, nancy, charles, along with seven helms grandchildren and one great-grandchild are in our thoughts. rest well, jesse helms. mr. president, i have

0:08:41 to 0:09:02( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: some other things to say, but perhaps my colleague wants to say something about senator helms, if that in fact is the case, i would save my remarks for -- mr. mcconnell: i thank my friend, the majority

0:09:02 to 0:09:19( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: leader. let me just add, senator helms and his wife were good friends of elaine's and mine. there are a number significant of our conference planning to attend the funeral tomorrow, and i want to thank the

0:09:02 to 0:10:47( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Mitch McConnell

0:09:19 to 0:09:32( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: majority leader nor for his accommodation of those requests by having the votes on wednesday morning. at dot helms' request, i'll be doing one of the eulogies at the funeral tomorrow and will have

0:09:32 to 0:09:44( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: more to say about the good life of our friend jesse helms when i get back. but i just want to echo the remarks of the majority leader about what a fine gentleman he was. if he took a poll around here

0:09:44 to 0:10:05( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: of the pages and the people who work in the capitol about who was the most popular member, i suspect jesse helms would have won it, which would surprise an awful lot of people in the press and out

0:10:05 to 0:10:15( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: in america who thought of senator helms as sort of a fierce individual. in fact, in person, he was as gentle, as accommodate ing, and as friendly as anybody i have ever met. so we all will miss jesse helms

0:10:15 to 0:10:33( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: a great deal, and i thank the majority leader for giving me an opportunity to make some comment comments at this point about our good friend, jesse helms. mr. reid: mr. president, we're also going to -- we're

0:10:33 to 0:10:47( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: going to go ahead and do our caucus tomorrow, as we normally do. but the republicans are going do are todo theirs on wednesday. mr. president, just as the american people are recovering from a holiday

0:10:47 to 0:10:59( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: weekend markedly record gas prices announce ed this morning, the average of $4.11 a gallon, and that's much more than that in nevada -- it's $4. $4.25 in nevada -- another report in the news this morning

0:10:47 to 0:35:43( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Harry Reid

0:10:59 to 0:11:14( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: suggests that oil might reach $2 $200 before the end of the year. $200 a barrel. it was pole a couple months ago that president bush seemed shock shocked and confuse ed when a reporter suggested that

0:11:14 to 0:11:31( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: some analysts were predicting that gas would reach $4 a gel a gallon. now some economists consider $6 a gallon a very real possibility possibility. so while most americans enjoyed a day off from work

0:11:31 to 0:11:53( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: on friday to celebrate the 4th of july, no one gets a day off from paying record gas prices, record oil prices, and record grocery price prices. i just spoke -- an hour ago to tovestment rlie and

0:11:53 to 0:12:07( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: her late husband warren, who own the biggest which is in searchlight. that might not be much by most standards, but he employees 70 or 80 people. she has a little bar and casino, restaurant. and she

0:12:07 to 0:12:23( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: said she's really feel feeling the impact of the gas prices. las vegas is 60 miles away. there's no town any close er, so in searchlight, you need the tourist trade. she's like all small business people,

0:12:23 to 0:12:39( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: mr. president. they're really struggle ing. that's why friday it was a announce ed -- i'm sorry, thursday thursday it was announced that starbucks is close ing more than 600 stores. pepboys will likely

0:12:39 to 0:12:56( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: go out of business, dillards will likely go out of business. 9,000 stories stores will close before the end of the year. 9,000 stores. that will of course -- that opens places that people are going to

0:12:56 to 0:13:13( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: radio to try to rent try to rent. this is really a snowbawling effect. with rare exception, all of these problems economically are cause ed by two things -- the gas prices and the housing crisis.

0:13:13 to 0:13:26( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: mr. president, we have 8,500 new home foreclosures every day. americans at risk of losing their homes, they don't get a day off, of course. as the american people endure sleepless nights trying to figure

0:13:26 to 0:13:37( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: out how to make ends meet meet, they deserve to know that congress is working working hard to help help. but what we're seeing is a the republican leaders, both in the house and in the senate, simply

0:13:37 to 0:13:50( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: refusing to work with democrats on legislation essential to our country in this economic recession. of course it's more focused on the senate because the house, as we know, if you're in the majority

0:13:50 to 0:14:01( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: in the who is, you can move things. ? the senate, that's not the way it is. have the ability to filibuster things and as we know know, that's what's been going on in recent months. my friend, senator

0:14:01 to 0:14:12( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: mcconnell, said time and time again that the way to get things done in the senate is through bipartisan bipartisanship. mr. president, there is no question about that. no question about that. the only

0:14:12 to 0:14:25( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: way you get things done in this body is bipartisanship. and that's why i've said, if there's a change in the number of senators that we have next year, that there are more seats on this side of the

0:14:25 to 0:14:38( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: aisle next year, we still have to work on a bipartisan basis, and i'm committed to doing that. i couldn't agree, as i a indicate ed, more with senator mcconnell that you have to work on a bipartisan

0:14:38 to 0:14:49( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: basis. that's why in the weaning days and hours of the last work period, i brought to the senate legislation -- it was bipartisan in the truest sense -- the emergency supplemental appropriations

0:14:49 to 0:15:05( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: bill that finally gives our troops the care and benefits they've earned with tremendous value letter, one of the most -- with tremendous volume or, one of the most important things that this country has

0:15:05 to 0:15:20( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: done in the last decade is the g.i. bill of rights. coincidentally, the presiding officer is the man that wrote that.| and there are a lot of people, i'm sure, knowing the humility that the presiding

0:15:20 to 0:15:36( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: officer has, to give credit. but the credit starts with the presiding officer and the first person in my mind is senator haig. but it is bipartisan. that's how we got it done. as good and intelligent

0:15:36 to 0:15:50( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: as the g.i. bill rights was, we couldn't have got it done without the bipartisan support that senator webb of virginia got for that bill. we also introduced right before we left, a housing bill to

0:15:50 to 0:16:09( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: stem the tide of foreclosures and correct laws and lending laws to prevent foreclosure of future homeowners. mr. president, in that we didn't finish that bill before we left, just add 10 days, make

0:16:09 to 0:16:28( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: it a short period of time, that's 85,000 new homes that went into foreclosure. 8,500 today. add one zero to that, that's 85,000. a medicare doctor fix to improve care for patients. mr. president,

0:16:28 to 0:16:41( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: that was so important. i know that the attention is focused on the doctors. but it's more than the doctors. of course the doctors didn't want to -- want a 10.65% cut. mr. president, that had a tremendous

0:16:41 to 0:16:58( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: snowballing effect. doctors can't afford to do medicare patients with this cut. they won't do them. i had the opportunity to go to dinner with two of my wife's physicians, people who have cared for

0:16:58 to 0:17:17( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: her over the years, during the break, and one of them says, i'm not sure i can take medicare patients anymore. an internist, great reputation, but not only does it affect that, mr. president, many

0:17:17 to 0:17:30( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: entities base their reimbursement on what medicare pays. so it's a very difficult situation and it was a bipartisan piece of legislation. we also did right before we left a bill cutting taxes for inassociators

0:17:30 to 0:17:47( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: and entrepreneurs to help end our aparticulars to foreign oil so despite my friend, the republican leader's words embracing bipartisan, senate republicans blocked all of the strongly bipartisan bills

0:17:47 to 0:18:04( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: except for the supplemental appropriation i.b.m. every one of them. and a -- appropriations -- appropriations bill all of them. it is supported by a strong bipartisan. cloture was invoked by a vote

0:18:04 to 0:18:21( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: of 83-9 in the dodd-shelby, grassley-baucus amendment was passed 79-16. we could have finished that bill last work period, but senate republican leaders blocked housing. and since then, as i have already

0:18:21 to 0:18:35( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: said, another 85,000 homes have been foreclosed upon or at least the foreclosure proceedings have started. the medicare doctors fix passed by the house with a stunning 355-59 vote. could anything

0:18:35 to 0:18:51( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: be more bipartisan, mr. president? virtually every house democrat and two-thirds of the house republicans supported. it two-thirds of house republicans supported it. how could anything be more bipartisan?

0:18:51 to 0:19:05( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: and as we talked about before we left, one of the republicans who voted against it apologized publicly. wrote a letter saying, i made a mistake. yet, republican leaders blocked the medicare fix and

0:19:05 to 0:19:23( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: chose to protect insurance companies and the health care providers at the expense of elderly patients and their doctors. mr. president, last year these people, my friends on the other side of the aisle

0:19:23 to 0:19:39( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: were trying to protect with the medicare advantage program, part of the medicare bill that was passed some time ago, made more than than $15 billion. to take care of this issue that is so important

0:19:39 to 0:19:55( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: to the american people. the so-called doctors fix. i explained how that is. we took a tiny bit of the $15 billion so, mr. president, we should have done this. we should have fixed it. it shouldn't

0:19:55 to 0:20:10( Edit History Discussion )

Harry Reid: have been blocked. it was a choice made to protect these h.m.o.'s and insurance companies at the expense of elderly patients and their doctors. the alternative tax extenders also enjoys strong bipartisan