On the recordDecember 12, 2014
Mr. President, I appreciate this opportunity to speak on the floor tonight. People watching at home--to the extent there is anyone watching at home tonight--but to those who have gathered here and are still in the gallery watching the Senate, the Senate is debating a budget. It is a massive budget. It is the largest in the world in terms of any entity--I was about to say any government but of any entity on the planet. As of right now, if that budget is not passed I believe by tomorrow night, the Federal Government will not have authority to keep operating beyond the bare minimum. That is what the debate is about that you are watching. We will see what is going to happen over the next few hours in terms of ultimately getting a vote and what the leaders of the respective parties have agreed on. But what I wanted to talk about is related to the budget but goes much deeper than that; that is, the state of America and the state of our economy. Last night I had the opportunity to come here and speak a little bit about foreign relations and an international situation we were facing. But I wanted to speak for a moment because that is what the budget is about--it is about our domestic affairs. I think the budget is a reflection of that. You have heard a lot of different speeches here tonight--to the extent you are watching--about different things that are happening in our country.…





