I thank Senator Sessions. I will point out that business as usual here in Washington is bankrupting America. Senator Vitter.

I totally agree with my colleague from Kentucky, and I believe Senator Rubio has a few words to add to that.

reserving the right to object, this is a very important issue. I understand a number of my colleagues have worked very hard to bring this issue to the floor. But the fact is, it simply does not address the fact that we are bankrupting this…

I ask unanimous consent to enter into a colloquy with my colleagues for up to 30 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered.

reserving my right to object, I may not object to this request. It certainly is not addressing the primary problem facing our Nation; that is, the fact that we are bankrupting this Nation. We need to start actually addressing that in the…

I realize a number of people in this Chamber are asking why I am doing this. First of all, I think it is important for everybody to realize that--and I certainly mean no offense to anybody in this Chamber--I did not run for the Senate…

I have been here for almost 6 months now, but I have been carefully watching Washington for the last 32 years while I have been running my manufacturing business in Oshkosh, WI--watching how increasingly broken Washington has become over…

I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for up to 10 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. A Broken Wasington

So again, I am concerned that we are trying to fear-monger here, we are trying to scare the American public, and if we plan for this, it would not be pleasant, but it would not have to be a crisis if we plan.

Well, Mr. Dodaro, let me ask you in terms of GAO's efforts in something like that. Have you ever seen that type of prioritization just in case?

Congress would have the ultimate decision.

I think the Congress ought to start by asking hard questions where there have not been evaluations and a lot of money is being spent.

I think that is a very irresponsible assumption.

I am just highly concerned that if nobody is looking at this now, we will be in a crisis if we do not increase that debt ceiling.

I would suggest that potentially this Committee issue a letter to these agencies and ask them and request them to prioritize essential services just in case this debt ceiling does not get increased so that we can avoid a crisis in case…

I am every bit as concerned and alarmed about these two Executive Orders as you and I hope the Administration rethinks those very rapidly.

Obviously you are a creature of Congress here, as is the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Would those be the two agencies that would try and develop those types of plans, just in case?

I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Debt Ceiling

I come to the Senate floor for the second time because I am highly concerned. For the last 31 years, I have been running a manufacturing business in Oshkosh, WI. During all of that time, I have been a very careful observer about what has…

Senator Carper's bill to require an OPM recalculation to correct the mistakes and balance the accounts is desperately needed to stop the crippling payments.

I came to Washington because we are bankrupting this Nation. We are here at a very serious time.

I used the analogy earlier today, because I have a dirty garage, but if you are going to try and clean it, you start somewhere.

We simply cannot afford to have inefficient and ineffective Government.

we are supposed to be responsive to the people. Those bureaucrats are not.

I do not have a great deal of faith in government's ability to estimate costs.