Thank you. I appreciate that. I am curious, though, how, getting back to this particular amendment and this particular bill, as we are removing this program, why is this program so vital if it was authorized in 1975, and in 1995 the…

Madam President, I thank the distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee and our ranking member and those who are working very hard on a very important jobs bill today. On behalf of the people of Detroit, the people of Michigan and…

Madam President, I will call up amendment No. 126. I understand it will be agreed to. I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendments be set aside and I call up amendment No. 126. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

I appreciate my good friend from Missouri again holding this conversation tonight. And I think you're leading into the key point here. Because bottom line, when you talk about entitlement spending, those entitlement programs that we've…

You give incentive to people to use their own resources with American exceptionalism and let the market forces work, everybody benefits.

It's not a voluntary tax. And in just a couple of short years, I will be capable of receiving that myself. I've not had a choice to do that. And yet the only way that we can see those entitlement programs continue, at least if we did it…

Well, I appreciate my colleague from Missouri. I appreciate you holding this time this evening as we can talk about those things that impact our whole way of life in the United States. We, I'm sure, understand here on the floor this…

I assumed I would get you into a rant on that because I know you're passionate about that. It's absolutely true. I can show you from experience in Michigan as we went through this type of downturn back in the 1980s: too-large government…

And I believe that more and more people, even those that are using the entitlements, the Social Security, Medicare, understand that and are growing in their fear that unless we do something, they indeed will be hurt. But I think that you…

And we can do it the right way without the Big Government issues and getting down to that American exceptionalism that says we can trust people to do for themselves, if given the incentive and opportunity, better than what Big Government…

Well, I think, not necessarily the suffering idea, I think in doing something that's credible and the right thing to do, it gives people optimism that the answer is here. It will take some tough decisions but ultimately the people who are…

Isn't it the simple principle that what you give incentive you get more of, and what you discourage you get less of?

And I think the people spoke in November. I think that speech they gave to us, my good friend, is that we must take this opportunity. This is our point in time. This is our date with destiny, as it were. If we back off from tackling the…

Mr. President, I come to the floor with the hardest speech I have ever made, to pay tribute to Sean Patrick McGee, a member of my staff who passed away suddenly over the weekend at the very young age of 26. There really are no words to…

Thank you, Mr. Stearns. I rise in strong support of this amendment offered by my friends Mr. Walden, Mr. Stearns and others on both the authorizing as well as the Appropriations Committee. There is an old adage, if it ain't broke, don't…

Mr. President, the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry has adopted rules governing its procedures for the 112th Congress. Pursuant to Rules XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, on behalf of myself and…

I rise more in sorrow than in anger about the legislation now before us. Mr. Chairman, all Members will agree we have to confront our budget deficit; but we have to do so, I think, in a sensible fashion. I grieve that that does not happen…

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan will be postponed. {time} 2010 The Clerk will read. The Clerk read as follows: Sec…