Mr. President, I have a reason for coming to the floor and drawing attention to our letter and this issue again. The seriousness of our Nation's fiscal challenges--the compelling need to address these issues in a responsible and bipartisan…

Mr. President, just 3 days ago, a bipartisan majority of the members of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform endorsed a package of proposals to reposition our Nation on a more responsible fiscal course. I wish to…

If we were to make permanent--as some on the other side of the aisle have stated--all the Bush tax cuts, that adds another $4 trillion to our deficit; is that not correct?

I thank the Senator from Illinois for laying out the facts, but there is one additional fact--again, vis-a-vis the Bush tax cuts--that I think has been absent from some of this debate. The efforts of the Senator from Illinois--Herculean as…

Yesterday's actions by the House to raise taxes on the very consumers and small businesses most likely to pull us out of this poor economy, I think, is more of the same failed economic policies that have hindered America's recovery.

Despite nearly $5 trillion of fiscal and monetary stimulus, we have 101,000 fewer jobs in America than when the recession officially ended.

I was heartened to see that people from diverse political backgrounds, as Senator Durbin who is now supporting that report, as well as Senator Conrad and the Democratic side now joined by Senator Coburn and Senator Crapo, were able to say…

Of course, the middle class needs to have these tax cuts continued, given the economic difficulties that we are now facing.

I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I served on the special subcommittee appointed to investigate this matter, and dissented from the subcommittee report. I rise to oppose the pending motion to adopt the resolution. I…

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlelady from California (Ms. Woolsey).

Could the Speaker advise me how much time is remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Virginia has 2\1/4\ minutes left, the gentleman from Alabama has 6\1/2\ minutes, and the gentlewoman from California has 9 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote. A recorded vote was ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 412, noes 0, not voting 21, as follows: [Roll No. 599]…

This is a 343-page report. 160,000 respondents and, most importantly, this was done without politicizing the men and women in uniform, which is vitally important in our society.

This was not a full committee vote that was strictly along party lines when we had the vote whether to move forward before this survey came in.

I voted against moving forward on this legislation before we got the results of this survey, because I believe very strongly that it is important to listen to the people who are serving and to consider their views.

I'd just like to again conclude by expressing my respect and appreciation for the work that General Ham and Mr. Johnson did on this survey.

I take the point in the study about the percentage of people who have served alongside gay members having a higher comfort level.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4783, with particular reference to the Pigford late filer claims provision, regarding claims of widespread, rampant racial discrimination by the Department of Agriculture against black farmers. Mr…