Mike Levin

I thank the chairman and know that my colleagues appreciate his support as well.

I ask if the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture is aware of my amendment regarding the urgent need for additional funding for combating the Emerald Ash Borer, and if he is open to accepting the amendment by…

I apologize. I think the Senator is correct. It has been announced these will be the last two votes, depending on the outcome of the second vote.

If the Senator will yield, and I apologize for being distracted and not able to hear the Senator, but apparently it was announced already that this would be the last vote today. I think we have to leave it at that.

If cloture is obtained, I would be willing. I have to make sure that is acceptable to others.

But you don't take care of the basic issue that we referred to here, and the answer is that you will pay for it by more deficit. That is what you are going to do. The President's budget already projects a national debt of $11.5 trillion…

You know, the question is straightforward. Why would anybody favor a tax cut, about half of which goes to people making $1 million a year over preventing a tax increase for 17 million Americans, most of whom are middle class? Why would…

Tell me. I think the answer is, Mr. Camp, that you do not intend to pay for both. What you hope to do is to have some AMT relief, later on, unpaid for, in addition to 2009 and 2010 provisions on capital gains and the like. You do not have…

I take back my time. How are you going to pay for both? The Senate said they could not pay for both and that is why they put the AMT in. We voted for AMT relief, the 400-some, because we wanted the issue to stay alive and for the…

Does the gentleman deny point blank the estimate of CBO, we do not control it, that this bill will lead to a reduction of $8.4 billion in child support for the kids of America? Do you deny the CBO estimate?

While I had expected that the Senate would move directly to an up-or-down vote on Judge Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court without a vote on cloture, because I strongly oppose this nomination, as I explained in my remarks last week…

My particular thanks to my staff for their extraordinary work: Rick DeBobes, Peter Levine, Jon Clark, Chris Cowart, Dan Cox, Madelyn Creedon, Brie Eisen, Evelyn Farkas, Richard Fieldhouse, Creighton Greene, Bridget Higgins, Mike Kuiken…

I congratulate Senator Warner. Without his leadership we would not be here. We had a record number of amendments which we had to deal with in a record short period of time. He showed incredible tenacity and patience and wisdom, as he…

Just quickly, to follow up what Mr. Skelton has talked about, the Defense authorization bill was signed, and here is what I read in CQ: ``House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter confirmed through a spokesman that he inserted the…

It will go up. Sure, they are going to go up because there are more kids from families of divorce. But I ask you, does CBO not say because of your change, $24 billion over the next 10 years will not be collected for the children? Yes or no?

We are not talking about raising taxes. You are dodging the issue. This is not the formula for Medicaid or other programs; this is a formula in terms of the Federal share for child support. I would like any of you to stand up and deny the…

That would be acceptable, indeed, and I think preferable from every perspective. It is our understanding there is a suggestion to that effect from the Republican side. Whether it is from the Republican side or our side, I think it is wise…

I hope we have performed that service. I know we all tried in good faith to do it. I am perfectly content, as the Senator from Virginia is, that our colleagues read that last paragraph, read the paragraph before that making reference three…

My amendment is exactly the same as Senator Warner's amendment in that regard. Senator Warner has adopted my amendment with two minor changes. He has not made any change in terms of the progress that has been made or the reference to the…

Not quite, because there was that one change which the Senator from Virginia made in the sense-of-the-Senate language.

I know you said there has been no change other than this. I said there was a prior one which we agreed was a change.

We should again put our colleagues on notice that there is very limited time tomorrow morning under the unanimous consent agreement. There was an effort made to extend that time. The effort did not succeed. So there will literally be 30…

I think we indicated last week that while the time is limited, as it had been prior to this point in terms of debate on the Iraq amendments, there would be time either on the amendments themselves or in morning business tonight after the…

We are trying to accommodate colleagues and make sure you are protected. I suggest the following: the Senator from Massachusetts speak for a half hour; the Senator from Connecticut speak for 10 minutes, unless the Senator from South…

Would the Senator from Florida ask that he be allowed to proceed as in morning business?