Max Baucus

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Feingold amendment No. 485 be withdrawn.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, this amendment increases the amount of capital losses that could be used to offset ordinary income from $3,000 to $15,000 at a cost of probably about $11 billion over 10 years. I do think perhaps the capital loss provision applied to income should be increased at some point, but this is too much of an increase. From $3,000 to $15,000 is too much of a leap. I think, therefore, we should not support this amendment. I urge we vote against this amendment.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Murray amendment, No. 110, be withdrawn.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I urge Members not to adopt this amendment. It strikes the entire underlying bill, and it replaces it with a tax cut for all Americans, except at least 8 million Americans who do not file. This rebate will go to filers. There are about 8 million Americans, at least, who do not file income tax returns; they pay payroll taxes, many of them. Under the underlying bill, the rebate goes to people who work and pay payroll taxes. Under the Thune amendment, it only goes to people who pay income taxes, not payroll taxes. At least 8 million people would not get the benefit of this rebate. It strikes the whole underlying bill. So I urge it not be adopted.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I raise a pay-go budget point of order against the Thune amendment.

Mr. BAUCUS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

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

Mr. BAUCUS

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 Friday, February 6, 2009 at 10 a.m. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Bruce Fergusson be allowed the privilege of the floor during consideration of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Miki Hanada of my staff be afforded floor privileges for the purposes of the consideration of this legislation.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. I object.

Mr. BAUCUS. I might say there is already an order. It is all worked out, but I appreciate the Senator's statement. My understanding is that was the case. That was already agreed to.

Mr. BAUCUS. That is correct.

Mr. BAUCUS. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, it is my understanding that Senator Dodd wants his amendment to go in the next group of amendments.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, in an effort to get some order and move things along, I would like to lock in the order of speakers, continuing our practice of alternating back and forth. I ask unanimous consent that the next speakers recognized be the following Senators in the following order: Senator Kyl, Senator Sanders, Senator Thune, Senator Baucus, then Senator Graham--actually, Senator Grassley.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I will withdraw the request, and we will work that out while Senator Kyl is speaking.

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

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I move to table Coburn amendment, No. 176. I ask that be the pending amendment, and I move to table that amendment, the Coburn amendment, No. 176.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I feel constrained to object because there was an understanding, an agreement, that the Ensign amendment would be the amendment that would come up after the McCain amendment.

Mr. BAUCUS. I say to the Senator, let me work this out with you privately. I will find a way to accommodate the Senator.

Mr. BAUCUS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 363, as Further Modified

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, just for the information of all Senators, these are two amendments that are paired: the Boxer amendment, which the Chair just stated, and also the Barrasso amendment No. 326. It is our understanding those two amendments will both be voice-voted. Senator Boxer will speak about her amendment, and Senator Barrasso will speak about his. But the thought is, these are two paired amendments on roughly the same subject. We hope to have a voice vote on each.

Mr. BAUCUS. Frankly, Mr. President, I think the next speaker should be you.