Tom Harkin

I looked over my remarks, and I say to the chairman, probably 20 minutes, I suppose. It depends if I go off.

I am not certain how much time I want. Who is next in line? Are we going back and forth?

If I could pursue that a minute longer, again, contemplating the breakup of families, I ask my friend from California, wouldn't that also then make it even more difficult, harder or less likely that these people would come forward. If they…

I ask my friend, how are they going to deal with families? Many of these people who have been here 2 to 5 years, maybe some less than 2 years, may have gotten married, maybe they brought their spouse along with them, and there are…

I commend and compliment my distinguished colleague from California for presenting this amendment. I wonder if I might engage in a little colloquy with the author of this amendment. I am proud to join her as a cosponsor because this is the…

That is the problem with this whole cloture process. Why didn't we try to reach a time agreement and an agreement on how many amendments would be offered? As I understand it, our side was willing to do that. Then we would not have this…

I say to my friend, I think if agreements were made with this side and the other side, we could agree on time limits and structures without having this on us. I also say to my friend, I think we should take 3 weeks to debate health care…

He is a gentleman, and a good friend. I know he is serious about this because he is a small business owner himself. As I said earlier--and I want to make sure we are clear--that under this gobbledygook, the filling of the tree--no one…

Exactly. I appreciate my colleague from California. She is right on target. I know my friend from California, the distinguished Senator, has been in the forefront of fighting for the things that will help people have better lives…

If you kick out 11 1/2 to 12 million people it will bring our economy to a screeching halt.

Whoever coined the phrase that life is unfair must have had the Reeve family in mind, but these two people faced adversity with unflinching courage.

He would have taken me to task for talking so long. He would have said: You could have said that in 2 minutes.

I just respond by saying they said that 16 months ago. They said it 16 months ago, and nothing has happened.

What we have is a policy that is not written down--we can find it nowhere, and today is the first time I ever heard of it--that somehow before American Forces Radio airs a program, No. 1, it has to be syndicated and, No. 2, it has to have…

With all due respect, I asked the Senator, can he show me anywhere where that is written down?

I am told he's the second most popular conservative talk show. I don't know where that falls in. The first two are Shultz and Franken. They are more on the progressive side, no doubt about that. The third one you mention is on the…

The way the amendment is written, the Secretary has full discretion. He can go outside or stay inside.

I too will work hard to make this happen since this is an issue important to the Senator and the Nation.

Yes, I also agree we need to make progress through a study on this issue. It certainly is not going away.

I want to thank my friends, the distinguished Senator from Georgia and the chairman, for their words and just take a moment to add my endorsement for this important program I am very proud of the role this subcommittee has played in the…

Again we are very close to finishing up this appropriations bill. There may be one or two other amendments. I am hopeful. Please come. I have been deceived by people saying they have a plane to catch, they have this or that. But those who…

I ask for 5 seconds. To my colleague, we will be calling up amendment No. 2259 later on to add $74 million to the ADAP program, but we will not take it out of CDC. That is the amendment we ought to vote for. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr…

I appreciate my chairman's remarks. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Coburn). The Senator from Massachusetts.

Well, I understand. I just hope the appropriate committee of jurisdiction has looked at it, too.

I wonder if the Senator from Pennsylvania--well, you have offered the amendment. That is fine. The amendment is at the desk. I wonder if we might put off voting on this amendment.