On the recordMay 23, 2011
following leader remarks, if any, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 3 p.m. today. During that period of time, Senators will be allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each. At 3 p.m. the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 1039, the PATRIOT Act extension, and the time until 5 p.m. will be equally divided and controlled. At 5 p.m. there be a rollcall vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the PATRIOT Act. Mr. President, this will be a busy week in the Senate. We have to renew the PATRIOT Act. It is not a perfect law, but it plays an important role in keeping our country safe. We also have to reauthorize the FAA bill, the Federal Aviation Administration bill. We all know what will be the focus of this week's biggest debate and biggest headlines. The primary conversation this week will be about the Republican plan to kill Medicare. People are talking a lot about that plan because there is a lot people have to fear. The Republican plan would shatter a cornerstone of our society and break our promise to the elderly and to the sick. It would turn our seniors' health care over to profit-hungry insurance companies. It would let bureaucrats decide what tests and treatment seniors get. It would also ask seniors to pay more for their health care in exchange for fewer benefits. That is a bad deal all around. So it is easy to understand why the American people do not support it.…





