Frank Lautenberg: “I am supporting the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S. 557, which is the legislation to reform the budget rules…”

“I am supporting the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S. 557, which is the legislation to reform the budget rules governing emergency spending. I am going to support cloture on the motion to move ahead with this--we call it a motion to proceed--to get on with the debate, not only because I support the underlying legislation, which amends the rules governing emergency spending but, more importantly, because like most, if not all, Democrats, I strongly support the establishment of a Social Security and Medicare lockbox. It is time for a real debate to occur on a lockbox. And I look forward to that debate. Democrats have long argued that protecting Social Security and Medicare should be Congress' top priority. We believe that strongly. We simply must prepare our country for the impending retirement of the baby boomers. We ought to do it now, particularly since we are going through this incredible prosperity, a prosperity never before seen in this country.”