David Vitter

In particular, on the point you were making regarding funding for enforcement, are you aware of the CRS letter and report which says that $4.4 billion, or at least much of it, can go to the Z visa and the Y visa program, and that it is not…

I thank the Majority Leader. As the majority leader knows, several of us have been continually frustrated about our ability to exercise our rights on the floor of the Senate as duly elected officials. All of our amendments have been shut…

I would suggest, through the Chair to the distinguished majority leader, that I have a real problem with depending on basically the other side's summary of these changes which are being made as we speak. So I would propound a new unanimous…

So, again, let's not repeat the horrible mistakes of the past. Let's not repeat the fundamental mistake of 1986 that got us to the situation we are in today, that quadrupled, or more, the problem then faced in 1986. Let's not repeat it in…

I agree with the Senator, absolutely. We should have taken care of this a long time ago. But we are where we are, and I certainly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address this in a full and comprehensive way.

I honestly do not know if I am technically a cosponsor. I am certainly supporting it. I supported our common efforts for several years. Many of the elements of my separate bill have been incorporated into the Dorgan-Snowe language, going…

Again, I think this goes to the heart of the matter. I think this grandfather clause issue goes to the heart of the matter. Are we going to do something that ``doesn't affect anybody,'' that doesn't matter in terms of people here and now…

No, it is not correct, for the following reason: My amendment, first of all, applies only to Senate spouses lobbying the Senate. It doesn't apply to the House, it doesn't apply to Federal agencies, it doesn't apply to State legislatures…

I hope we all recognize, after the last few years, we need a very focused, sincere, determined effort to strengthen the law, strengthen enforcement, and rebuild the confidence of the American people in our institutions. These two…

I have looked forward to joining this debate. I compliment those leaders who had the foresight to bring this very important issue to the floor of the Senate at the very beginning of this new Congress. I worked with many Senators on both…

Just very briefly, first of all, I appreciate your kind comments. Very briefly, my comments regarding his and FDA's ability to move forward on this is based on current law, including the Medicare Modernization Act, which says that if they…

If I could respond, in claiming my time, I disagree with that wholeheartedly. Yes, the FDA has refused to take any action to do that. Can they? Absolutely, they can. Is it possible to do that, particularly in the modern age of packaging…

The FDA position is exactly as the Senator says. They are against reimportation, so they have defined FDA approval on technical grounds to exclude by definition anything that comes in from other countries. The point of my remarks is that…

In its present form, the amendment would cover any country. We have a change in the amendment we are submitting to the desk to exclude a certain list of countries, including most of the countries the Senator mentioned.

If they are subject to that seizure, yes, as I stated, the amendment would cover that.

I think it is an exactly correct analysis of the FDA view based on the fact that the FDA, at least in this administration, is completely against reimportation, so they have defined FDA approval to specifically exclude reimportation.

It would cover any purchases which are subject to seizure by Customs and Border Patrol. I don't offhand know if those purchases are ordinarily subject to that seizure. I believe most of what we are talking about is personal seizure at…

I can tell you exactly how they're going to react. That Congress is protecting itself. That Congress is hiding something. I think that is enormously destructive.

In closing, I would also say that this amendment has been cleared by the majority and minority managers of the bill. With that, I ask for a rollcall vote. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Martinez). The yeas and nays are requested. Is there a…

Very quickly, this is a separate amendment that would give us flexibility in the context of the budget to account for future levy and hurricane protection projects should the Environment and Public Works Committee pass out a bill that…

Reclaiming my time, I would wonder if the Senator objects to the fact that under this proposal we would also expand in terms of amount and number and capability the ability to get these loans? We are getting more of these loans than anyone…

A couple points: I think this is a very useful exchange because I take it from the Senator's comments that the senior Senator is, in fact, one of the folks who has expressed an objection to this moving forward tonight.

I think it's grossly unfair.

We are proposing a $1,000 tax credit for each employee a small business puts back to work in the disaster area.

We are proposing a relocation tax credit to help offset the huge cost many businesses have incurred in relocating.