I believe the Senator from Missouri is correct. It is interesting that those who are critical of the stimulus, the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, on the Republican side virtually never acknowledge the fact that one-third of that whole…

I would have to check my notes. Mrs. McCASKILL. I think it was. Reconciliation only lasts for so long and then they sunset. I think that was one of those things where a massive amount of government liability was incurred through…

I have yielded to the Senator from Missouri for a question. Mrs. McCASKILL. I have a couple more questions. I wasn't here when the major tax cuts went through in the Republican Congress with President Bush--the tax cuts that were supposed…

This cost over $400 billion, and many Republican Senators, including the Senator who has objected to unemployment benefits for millions of people in America who are out of work, voted for this program that was unpaid for. Now they tell us…

Those of us who supported some kind of competitive bidding and government buying in bulk to reduce costs were defeated because pharma objected. Mrs. McCASKILL. In that bill, they even outlawed the ability of the government to negotiate for…

The Senator is correct. It was their belief that they would make a lot of money. Mrs. McCASKILL. They have made a fortune on the backs of taxpayers.

No, I do not. Mrs. McCASKILL. It was 24. Do you know who the Senators were who voted for this massive, government-run entitlement program that added hundreds and billions of dollars to our debt--not tax cuts? We can argue about whether tax…

That is correct. Mrs. McCASKILL. Not a dime of it paid for--not one dime. It is all on the credit card, one big blob of red ink. Is the Senator aware how many of our friends on the other side of the aisle have new religion--this is new…

I do not. Mrs. McCASKILL. Well, it is interesting. It was a big majority to waive the Budget Act. I have the vote here. There were 61 votes to waive the Budget Act, including our friend from Kentucky. I think the CBO score on that was…

In response to the Senator from Kentucky, this is a great debate. I think we ought to continue it. But can we remove from the audience the millions of Americans who will not have unemployment checks as of Sunday night because of the…

I would say to the Senator from Rhode Island, there is no explanation because it doesn't make sense. You certainly couldn't explain to this woman who has worked so hard throughout her entire life and now faces this misfortune that we are…

I would say in response to the Senator, for those who have not been following the debate from the beginning, tonight we are speaking to the fact that the Senator from Kentucky, Mr. Bunning, is objecting to extending unemployment benefits…

It is exactly what I have run into. Here is a letter from a man from Yorkville, IL, who wrote me: On bailout after bailout for businesses, my tax dollars have been used to save companies that should have planned better in the first place…

They have lost faith and they have stopped trying. I would say to the Senator from Alaska, when I look at the State of Kentucky, here is Allen County with 13.9 percent unemployment; Bath County, 15.7 percent unemployment; Carroll County…

I say to the Senator from Alaska that Rockford in the northern end of my State was as high as 15 percent. You know, it does not tell the whole story because, as they say, some people get discouraged when they are out of work and they do…

I believe it is now just slightly below 10 percent on a national basis. In my State, it is still over 11 percent.

I thank the Senator from Pennsylvania. I yield to the Senator from Alaska for a question.

I say to the Senator from Pennsylvania, I am aware of that economist, and I am aware the CBO recently reported that the one thing we can do to generate more economic activity in our economy that is better than anything else is unemployment…