I come to the floor today to talk about the significant uncertainty surrounding sequestration and its threat to our economy. The Congressional Budget Office forecasted that the pending fiscal cliff facing this country; that is, the…

I ask to speak as in morning business. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Sequestration Transparency Act

It is time to intensify and expand our government's response, protect all U.S. aviation operators and their employees.

NBAA also supports S. 1956, The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act Of 2011.

Taxing any activity beyond the EU borders is a dangerous precedent and a violation of the sovereignty of nations across the world.

I think that's going to be the only way, Madam Chair, that we're going to be able to force what should have happened in the first place to happen, and that is to go to ICAO and get this resolved.

Any system that includes international and other non-EU airspace must be addressed through the International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO.

This does appear to an American citizen, an American traveler, as, one, a violation of international law, a violation of American sovereignty, and an illegal tax.

I would like to see us pass this bipartisan legislation that addresses the EU's unilateral imposition of ETS in order to protect the U.S. aviation industry.

Have you done the same sort of analysis that--with the indulgence of the chair--that Ms. Young was talking about the commercial airlines having done?

I think it's going to be perceived as a tax.

That sort of contradicts, I think, Ms. Young's testimony.

Many other countries, including Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Russia have voiced their opposition to the EU scheme.

Senator Thune's bill directs the Secretary to hold the airlines harmless, but doesn't give a path forward for how to do that.

We urge Congress to explore every available option to support the administration's action to exclude U.S. airlines from this harmful and misguided scheme.

H.R. 2594 and Senator Thune's bill, S. 1956, would each call for us to 'conduct international negotiations' as well as to 'take other actions' to ensure that U.S. aircraft operators are held harmless from the EU ETS.

Should U.S. airlines and U.S. consumers be paying a tax to European coffers on an extraterritorial scheme?

Well, maybe that could--maybe I'm missing something here then, because, to clarify that point, that may be the suggested use or some sort of understanding, but I don't think there's anything that requires or stipulates that any member…

This is a violation of international law?

It is unfair. It is discriminatory. It singles out a great American industry for discriminatory treatment.

I believe that ETS is completely separate from the user fees that countries might apply on passengers.

It has been 6 months since you and Secretary Clinton sent a letter to the EU urging them to cease and desist on ETS.

Unfair and arbitrary.

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Wyoming (Mr. Enzi), the Senator from Texas (Mrs. Hutchison), the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), and the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Kyl). The result was announced--yeas 51…

I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to speak as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Franken). Without objection, it is so ordered. honoring senator james abdnor