On the recordMarch 29, 2012
I ask unanimous consent to speak until I get a signal from the majority leader that he will seek recognition, at which point I will yield the floor. I wished to follow in the footsteps of Senator Landrieu of Louisiana and reflect my own dismay and dissatisfaction with the situation we are in right now. The House extension on the highway bill, which we are going to be asked to proceed with, is going to cost--as far as the estimates I can see so far--around 100,000 jobs, and that is damage to our economy. That is a self-inflicted wound. More specifically, it is a House-inflicted wound, and I would very much like to see the Senate fight to force action on the Senate highway bill. It is a bipartisan bill with amendments and is fully paid for. This is a serious bill, as opposed to inflicting this kind of damage on our economy with a short- term extension. Does the majority leader seek recognition?
