I ask unanimous consent to enter into a colloquy with my Republican colleague from Alabama, as well as any other Members who may join us. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

I thank the Senator, and I certainly agree. Again, the fundamental issue is, Is the model that has been tried before really going to work--an immediate amnesty with promises of enforcement? Unfortunately, history is littered with examples…

How much more valuable does it become for the Army to keep combat brigades stationed at these installations?

How much more costly would it be to the Army if they had to transport and support a change in schedule?

I certainly share the Chair's concerns about all the issues she mentioned, and I will bring up some more.

This hearing is another clear, bold statement that this entire committee, in a very bipartisan way, is committed to a new WRDA bill.

There must be a way to marry those two.

my second biggest concern is when the Corps habitually misses and reasonable deadlines.

the current one is clearly broken.

There is no State that is more dependent on the good work of the Corps than Louisiana.

I will be brief, covering two very important issues.

the approach that you and Senator Nelson are working on, it is extraordinary, it is exactly what needs to happen

I think that is really inappropriate.

I just think in the real world, negative consequences for missed deadlines are part of accountability.

Everyone wants to learn the lessons of Katrina. Everyone wants to strengthen engineering and design guidelines in an appropriate way.

There is fundamental difference between a provision which says you may do this and another provision which says, you shall do this.

Oh, I can line up many cost-sharing sponsors in Louisiana for what we are talking about. That was not an issue.

Well, through the generosity of the American people, through act of Congress, we have sent billions of dollars down there related to this.

Yes, I call up the motion to commit. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Louisiana [Mr. Vitter] moves to commit the bill H.R. 325 to the Committee on…

I have a very simple, straightforward motion to commit. It would commit the bill back to the Finance Committee for 7 days only with instructions to find savings--cuts-- equal to the amount this bill would increase the debt limit--very…

I ask unanimous consent to waive the reading of the motion. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The motion is as follows: Motion to Commit With Instructions Mr. Vitter moves to commit the bill H.R. 325 to the…

I am going to lay out and discuss a motion to commit which I have at the desk, and we are going to be voting on that motion to commit later today. It is very simple, very straightforward. In fact, I will read it: Mr. Vitter moves to commit…

This was a clear commitment made as part of the New START treaty passage through the Senate discussions, and it just hasn't been kept.

lower Mississippi River, biggest waterway in the Country, one of the biggest in the world, reduced in some cases to one-way traffic.

What it really means is that the other money is stolen and spent on other completely unrelated purposes.