We Oregonians are very proud to see nominated for this position, and look forward to his confirmation.

That would have been one thing. But to just say, there is anticompetitive practices going on, and that is the way it goes, is unacceptable to this Member of Congress.

Remember, the history of deregulation is supposed to bring more competition, but what it has really done is bring consolidation.

I appreciate your thoughtfulness, and it is really a pleasure to be able to introduce Sean O'Hollaren to the Committee and to support his nomination as Assistant Secretary.

Most of the Western states refiners prevented their jobbers from competing with them to supply branded gasoline to independent dealers in metropolitan areas, a practice called redlining.

I think it is an extraordinarily important agency, both from the standpoint of your tools under existing law, and the bully pulpit function that the Federal Trade Commission can perform.

I think it is about as anti-free enterprise as anything you can find.

the people of this country always come through when there are tough problems, as long as they know everyone is pitching in and doing their fair share. That is the problem with much of what is coming out of Washington, DC, today, when it…

Each night more than 43 million Americans go to bed without basic health coverage knowing that a serious illness could wipe their family out. These are Americans who aren't old enough for Medicare. They aren't poor enough for Medicaid…

What the Baucus amendment does is allow Members to put together that bipartisan effort that would encourage an approach that is within Medicare, with defined benefits, based on real marketplace choices, so there would be cost containment…

I want to respond just for a few minutes to my colleague from California. I think she knows I admire her enormously. I think the Record will show the distinguished Senator from California and I agree on a vast majority of the issues that…

Clearly, I think west coast Senators may not agree on everything debated tonight, but I think all of us can agree it is very appropriate that Senator Carnahan get 5 minutes at this point.

thank-you letters are certainly appreciated, but Bonneville Power still is in a position where they need to be repaid. As of now, Bonneville Power is owed more than $120 million by California, and various other public entities such as the…

I ask unanimous consent reading of the amendment be dispensed. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To provide for the nondischargeability of debts arising from the exchange of…

I am baffled why it has been so difficult to set up a queue. I have an amendment with Senator Smith. I worked very closely with Senator Boxer to make some perfections on which she insisted. We are here to go with the queue so Senator…

I wish to be in the queue here on an amendment on which I have worked with Senator Smith, and Senator Boxer would like to make a quick comment. I will yield back. I thank the Senator from Utah for his courtesy. I yield the floor. The…

I think the Senator has stated it extremely well and put a very complicated, by anybody's calculation, and arcane subject into something resembling English. I really appreciate the Senator's explanation. I think the position the Senator…

I express again my appreciation to the Senator from California because we want to come up with something that will work for the whole west coast and not pit people against each other. I am happy to yield to the Senator at this time.

I reclaim my time briefly to make a few additional points on the matter of the California utilities and the Pacific Northwest getting repaid for the funds it sent California during their period of critical blackouts and other problems this…

I will now resume consideration of the amendment I have offered with Senator Smith. I, too, want to praise Senator Carnahan for an excellent amendment. I am happy she spoke on it at this time. Amendment No. 78 Mr. President, just a couple…

I think we will have some back and forth. But certainly the major points I have been interested in making have been made. I am happy to be sure that we are fair to all of our colleagues and that we move expeditiously.

I respond briefly to the point the Senator is making. It seems to me the Senator makes an interesting point and certainly raises some interesting legal questions. The scenario just described is what Senator Smith and I seek to prevent by…

again to set the record straight, when my colleague came to the floor tonight, the first thing she said was, what do the two private utilities affected by this think? That is clearly what this debate is all about in terms of those who are…

If my colleague will allow me to reclaim my time to respond, that is not my first choice. My first choice was what we did with Senator Boxer. Senator Boxer worked very closely with us to narrow this amendment. In order to make sure we had…

On the other side of our amendment are exactly those kinds of interests, those kinds of powerful private interests. Various letters have been read into the Record tonight. Yes, those who oppose us are utilities that transferred billions of…