Max Baucus

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 17, 2010, at 10 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet, during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Leveling the Playing Field: Protecting Workers and Businesses Affected by Misclassification'' on June 17, 2010. The hearing will commence at 10 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 17, 2010, at 3 p.m.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 17, 2010, at 2:15 p.m. in room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``Indian Education: Did the No Child Left Behind Act Leave Indian Students Behind?''

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on June 17, 2010, at 10 a.m., in SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct an executive business meeting.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 17, 2010, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Harnessing Small Business Innovation: Navigating the Evaluation Process for Gulf Coast Oil Cleanup Proposals.''

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 17, 2010 at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Energy, Science, and Transportation of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate at 9:30 a.m. on June 17, 2010, in SR-328A.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 17, 2010.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 17, 2010, at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, there will be no rollcall votes during Friday's session of the Senate.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent it adjourn under the previous order.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today it adjourn until 9:45 a.m. on Friday, June 18; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that following any leader remarks there be a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I think it is good to again remind my colleagues what is in the Thune amendment and why it is not good policy and why it should not be adopted. First of all, it would call for a 5- percent cut in most of government. The Defense Department is exempt; the Veterans Department is exempt but not other sections. Homeland Security comes to mind. Law enforcement comes to mind. Border Patrol comes to mind. There are various areas that would be cut 5 percent across the board arbitrarily. Second, it would impose harsh caps on medical malpractice damages, the so-called tort reform. The Thune amendment includes tort reform in a way that is unthought through, very harsh caps that would, frankly, result, according to the CBO, in more deaths in America. The Thune amendment would also cut the number of people insured under health care reform. It would reduce the number of people insured under health care reform. I do not think many people would like that part of the Thune amendment to stand alone and of itself. Moreover, the Thune amendment cuts back Recovery Act funds. That endangers jobs. The Congressional Budget Office made it very clear that the Recovery Act does create jobs; it lowers unemployment. The Thune amendment would go in the opposite direction of preventing job creation, of encouraging high unemployment. That would be the effect of it. The Thune amendment also shields the oil companies and multinational corporations from paying their fair share of taxes. I do not think, especially with the gulf oilspill, many Americans want to shield the oil companies from paying their fair share of taxes, from paying funds into an oil liability trust fund to pay for future oilspills. I think Americans also do not want to shield multinational corporations from paying their fair share of taxes. There are loopholes in current law that multinationals take advantage of. I think most Americans would not like these loopholes to continue. The Thune amendment continues those loopholes. So for all of those reasons, I strongly urge my colleagues to not support the Thune amendment. I yield back the remainder of my time, and I raise a point of order against section 701 of the Thune amendment pursuant to section 403 of S. Con. Res 13, the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2010.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of debate only until 12:30 p.m., with no amendments or motions in order during this period; that the time be equally divided and controlled between the leaders or their designees, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each; and that the order for the recognition of Senator Baucus still be in effect.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I so make that request.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, this vote is about jobs--plainly and simply about jobs. Fifteen million Americans are out of work. Fifteen million Americans need our help. We need to continue our efforts to get Americans back to work. Creating jobs has been a top priority. The pending substitute amendment to the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act would help achieve that goal. The amendment would cut taxes for American workers and families by more than $4 billion. The amendment would cut taxes for businesses by $18 billion to help them expand and create jobs. The amendment would extend Small Business Administration loan programs to help restore the flow of credit. These programs will help small businesses to grow and hire new workers. This extension eliminates fees for certain SBA loans and increases government loan guarantees. Since their creation in the Recovery Act, these provisions have supported more than $26 billion in small business lending. They have helped to create or retain more than 650,000 jobs. The amendment would expand community college and career training grants offered through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program. These grants provide Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own the opportunity to learn new skills to find good jobs. The amendment would support more than 350,000 jobs for youth ages 14 to 24 by expanding successful summer jobs programs created in the Recovery Act. This age group has some of the highest unemployment levels. Fully one-quarter of those aged 16 to 19 are unemployed--one- quarter. The amendment would extend funding for States to provide wage assistance to employers who hire new workers. Wage assistance helps companies that might not otherwise be able to afford the cost of hiring new workers to create jobs. The amendment would provide targeted, temporary pension relief to help employers who are struggling in this tough economy to continue to fund employee pensions without cutting jobs or restricting new hiring. This amendment is about creating good jobs.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I thank the Chair, and I urge my colleagues to support the amendment. Let's advance this effort to create jobs.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I oppose this amendment. Recovery act money works. It adds to reducing unemployment. It adds to the economy. It is very productive. It is helpful. It makes no sense to cut back recovery dollars that work, that help our economy. I, therefore, strongly oppose the amendment.

Mr. BAUCUS. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, pursuant to the previous order, I move to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill with an amendment I send to the desk.

Mr. BAUCUS. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Anders Landgren, an intern on the Finance Committee staff, be granted the privileges of the floor for the duration of the debate on the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act.