Max Baucus

Mr. BAUCUS

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 April 15, 2010, at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 15, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Legislative Proposals in the Department of Housing and Urban Development's FY 2011 Budget Request''

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 ``ESEA Reauthorization: Teachers and Leaders'' on April 15, 2010. The hearing will commence at 10 a.m. in room 106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 15, 2010, at 10 a.m. in room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Filing Season Update: Current IRS Issues.''

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 15, 2010, at 11 a.m., to hold an East Asian Affairs subcommittee hearing entitled ``US-Japan Relations.''

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 April 15, 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 Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 15, 2010, at 10 a.m.

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 April 15, 2010, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Assessing Access: Obstacles and Opportunities for Minority Small Business Owners in Today's Capital Markets.''

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 15, 2010, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Contracts for Afghan National Police Training.''

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 April 15, 2010, at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Airland of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 15, 2010, at 2 p.m.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 15, 2010, at 10 a.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, pursuant to the previous order, I have a modification to my amendment at the desk, and I so modify my amendment.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, shortly, the Senate will vote on the motion to waive the Budget Act for the consideration of my amendment and this important bill to extend unemployment insurance benefits and other vital safety net programs. We need to waive the Budget Act to allow this bill to move forward. We need to waive the Budget Act for the people who depend on unemployment insurance benefits. We need to waive the Budget Act for people like the Montanans from whom I have heard. We need to waive the Budget Act for Bonnie from Whitefish, MT. Bonnie lost her job in property management last year, and has been scraping by on unemployment benefits ever since. Bonnie has already sacrificed much, but she is still falling behind on her rent. She is unable to afford many necessities. Unemployment benefits help her get by from day to day. We need to waive the Budget Act for people like Richard from Bozeman. Unemployment insurance has helped keep Richard afloat as he searches for a job. So far, Richard has applied for more than 150--think of it! 150--jobs and has had only 2 temporary part-time positions to show for his effort. Though his financial situation is grim, it would be even more so without unemployment benefits. We need to waive the Budget Act for people like the single father from Missoula. He has been out of work for weeks. He exhausted his State benefits, and is now receiving Federal extended benefits. He recently called the Montana Unemployment Insurance Claims Processing Center for additional help because he does not know how he can take care of his daughters. Unemployment benefits help these Montanans to pay the bills. Unemployment benefits help these Montanans and millions of Americans who, through no fault of their own, have fallen victim to this Great Recession. The average unemployment benefit is $335 a week. These days, $335 only stretches so far. Benefits have lapsed for 200,000 Americans. Since Authority expired a few days ago. If we do not pass this bill this week, another 200,000 Americans could lose their benefits. Responding to recessions is the very definition of an emergency. Responding to this kind of need is why the Budget Act built in motions to waive the budget in the first place. The budget needs to have flexibility to address truly unusual circumstances like today's economy. Extending unemployment insurance benefits is a good investment to make now. It is an investment, in our economy. Unemployment benefits help our unemployed neighbors. And in helping our neighbors, unemployment benefits also help to keep open the neighborhood grocery store, and the neighborhood gas station. In helping our unemployed neighbors, unemployment benefits also help the economy. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says that extending additional unemployment benefits would have one of the largest effects on economic output and employment per dollar spent compared with any other action we could take. CBO says for each dollar spent, increasing aid to the unemployed could increase the gross domestic product by up to $1.90. That is 2 to 1. For every dollar spent on unemployment benefits, that could increase gross domestic product by $1.90. Households receiving unemployment benefits spend their benefits right away. That is very important. They don't save it; they spend it. That spurs demand for goods and services. That boosts production and leads businesses to hire more employees. Some critics insist that emergency spending to address the recession is busting the budget. Some critics blame emergency spending and the Recovery Act for the huge budget deficits we face today. We do need to address our Nation's fiscal circumstances, of course, we do. We are currently laboring to reach an agreed-upon package of offsets to pay for much of the long-term extension in unemployment insurance and other programs the Senate passed on March 10. And on a larger level, we also need to balance the Nation's revenues and outlays. The President's fiscal commission will begin its work a week from Tuesday. We will need to think about fundamental tax reform as part of that exercise. And we will need to make sure that we get a dollar's worth of value for every taxpayer dollar the government spends. But let me set the record straight. Emergency spending like this bill and the Recovery Act is responsible for only a small share of the deficit. In fact, the cost of the Recovery Act is projected to be less than 10 percent of the total deficit legacy over the next 10 years. The chart behind me tells the story. The majority of the deficit we will face over the next 10 years stems from inherited policies. The tax cuts enacted under the previous administration, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the economic downturn itself explain nearly $11 trillion of our deficit over the next 10 years. These policies were enacted before the current administration and before this Congress. Because these policies were not paid for, we are now facing huge deficits. Unemployment benefits are not the cause of the deficit. We should not balance the budget on the backs of the unemployed. Right now, it is essential we pass a temporary extension of unemployment benefits. It is essential we help Americans put food on the table. It is essential to pay the bills, while they continue to look for work. So let us waive the Budget Act for Bonnie from Whitefish. Let us extend unemployment insurance benefits for Richard from Bozeman, MT. Let us extend this vital lifeline for the single father from Missoula and for his daughters who depend on him. And in this great recession, let us waive the Budget Act to enact this temporary extension of unemployment insurance for the hundreds of thousands of Americans struggling, through no fault of their own, just to get by. It is true that very soon we must significantly address the budget deficit. The real test will be the degree to which this country, the President, and the Congress buckle down and start to reduce the budget deficit during times of prosperity; that is, after we get out of this recession and when unemployment levels start to reach sensible, lower levels. That is when we face the true test of whether we reduce the budget deficit. It is our responsibility to do so. We should let unemployment benefits be extended. We should not have to pay for those now. But soon, when the unemployment rate falls, when the country comes out of the recession, then it is up to us to go the extra mile to make sure we, in a responsible way, start to address the huge deficits. When we do, it will keep interest rates low, and other countries will have more confidence in the United States. I daresay they have confidence now, but they will have even more confidence. I very much expect and hope that this body will exercise that effort responsibly to begin to tackle huge deficits. Now is not the time. Soon we will face the time. It is not now. I suggest the absence of a quorum and ask unanimous consent that time under the quorum be charged equally against both sides.

Mr. BAUCUS. Pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act and section 4(g)(3) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act, I move to waive all applicable provision of those acts and applicable budget resolutions for consideration of the pending amendment, No. 3721, as modified, and the underlying bill, and I ask for the yeas and nays on the motion to waive.

Mr. BAUCUS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Reserving the right to object, might I inquire, under the current procedure, when is the bill expected to be reported?

Mr. BAUCUS. At this time?

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I suggest the regular order be followed.

Mr. BAUCUS. That would allow the Senators to speak. Mr. President, I ask the bill be reported and the Senator then be recognized to speak, Senator Corker first and then Senator LeMieux.

Mr. BAUCUS. I thank the Chair.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I might note that the Senator seeks to take up and pass one of the specific provisions in the underlying bill, section 7 in the underlying bill. Since the Senator seems to be endorsing a part of the underlying bill, and the pending Baucus amendment, I might ask the Senator to amend his request to provide for the passage of all of the underlying bill and pending Baucus amendment.

Mr. BAUCUS. So the Senator is not willing to amend his request for passage of all of the underlying bill containing the section 7?

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I am constrained to object.