Jim Bunning

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to take this time to congratulate South Oldham High School in Crestwood, KY. Newsweek magazine recently published a list of the top 1,500 public schools in the country. The 15 schools that made the list from Kentucky rank among the top 6 percent of public schools in the Nation. What is even more impressive is that Kentucky had three more schools ranked this year than in 2008, showing improvement in our State's schools. Placing as 1 of 15 schools from Kentucky on this list, South Oldham High School has earned national recognition for the fine performance of its students and faculty. I am proud of the students of South Oldham High School. Their commitment to education is an example for the entire Commonwealth and I take pride in recognizing them on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to take this time to congratulate Woodford County High School in Versailles, KY. Newsweek magazine recently published a list of the top 1,500 public schools in the country. The 15 schools that made the list from Kentucky rank among the top 6 percent of public schools in the Nation. What is even more impressive is that Kentucky had three more schools ranked this year than in 2008, showing improvement in our State's schools. Placing as 1 of 15 schools from Kentucky on this list, Woodford County High School has earned national recognition for the fine performance of its students and faculty. I am proud of the students of Woodford County High School. Their commitment to education is an example for the entire Commonwealth and I take pride in recognizing them on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to take this time to congratulate Brown High School in Louisville, KY. Newsweek magazine recently published a list of the top 1,500 public schools in the country. The 15 schools that made the list from Kentucky rank among the top 6 percent of public schools in the Nation. What is even more impressive is that Kentucky had three more schools ranked this year than in 2008, showing improvement in our State's schools. Placing as 1 of 15 schools from Kentucky on this list, Brown High School has earned national recognition for the fine performance of its students and faculty. I am proud of the students of Brown High School. Their commitment to education is an example for the entire Commonwealth and I take pride in recognizing them on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to Tom Masterson for being selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration as the Kentucky Small Business Person of the Year. Tom Masterson is president of T.E.M. Electric Company, a minority- owned firm with offices in both Louisville and Lexington. He was nominated by Bechtel Parsons and subsequently selected as the recipient of the Kentucky Small Business Person of the Year award. Not only was Tom Masterson honored at the Governor's Mansion in Frankfort, but the award was also presented during National Small Business Week in Washington, DC. As stated by President Obama at a White House ceremony, Masterson started the business with his own funds and worked from his own home until he landed his first contract. Today, he now employs 75 people and has more than $12 million of annual revenue. I now ask my fellow colleagues to join me in congratulating Tom Masterson, the recipient of the Small Business Person of the Year for Kentucky award. His work ethic and dedication are to be admired and he is an inspiration to us all.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I would like to recognize Mr. Shawn P. Moore as a recipient of the 2009 James Madison Memorial Fellowship. Mr. Moore is a teacher at Russell High School in Russell, KY, and was given this award as a result of his success at the 18th annual fellowship competition. Mr. Moore was selected for a James Madison Fellowship in competition with applicants from each of the 50 States and U.S. territories. This award requires its recipient to teach American history or social studies in a secondary school for at least 1 year for each year of fellowship support. This fellowship is directed toward current and prospective teachers of American history and social studies and supports graduate study of the history and principles of the Constitution of the United States. Again, I congratulate Mr. Moore for his hard work and thank him for his dedication to shaping the minds of young Kentuckians. It is teachers like Mr. Moore who will ensure that there will always be a bright future for the Commonwealth.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to take this time to congratulate Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell, KY. Newsweek magazine recently published a list of the top 1,500 public schools in the country. The 15 schools that made the list from Kentucky rank among the top 6 percent of public schools in the Nation. What is even more impressive is that Kentucky had three more schools ranked this year than in 2008, showing improvement in our State's schools. Placing as 1 of 15 schools from Kentucky on this list, Beechwood High School has earned national recognition for the fine performance of its students and faculty. I am proud of the students of Beechwood High School. Their commitment to education is an example for the entire Commonwealth and I take pride in recognizing them on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to take this time to congratulate Eastern High School in Louisville, KY. Newsweek magazine recently published a list of the top 1,500 public schools in the country. The 15 schools that made the list from Kentucky rank among the top 6 percent of public schools in the Nation. What is even more impressive is that Kentucky had three more schools ranked this year than in 2008, showing improvement in our State's schools. Placing as 1 of 15 schools from Kentucky on this list, Eastern High School has earned national recognition for the fine performance of its students and faculty. I am proud of the students of Eastern High School. Their commitment to education is an example for the entire Commonwealth and I take pride in recognizing them on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to take this time to congratulate Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, KY. Newsweek magazine recently published a list of the top 1,500 public schools in the country. The 15 schools that made the list from Kentucky rank among the top 6 percent of public schools in the Nation. What is even more impressive is that Kentucky had three more schools ranked this year than in 2008, showing improvement in our State's schools. Placing as 1 of 15 schools from Kentucky on this list, Highlands High School has earned national recognition for the fine performance of its students and faculty. I am proud of the students of Highlands High School. Their commitment to education is an example for the entire Commonwealth and I take pride in recognizing them on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to take this time to congratulate Male Traditional High School in Louisville, KY. Newsweek magazine recently published a list of the top 1,500 public schools in the country. The 15 schools that made the list from Kentucky rank among the top 6 percent of public schools in the Nation. What is even more impressive is that Kentucky had three more schools ranked this year than in 2008, showing improvement in our State's schools. Placing as 1 of 15 schools from Kentucky on this list, Male Traditional High School has earned national recognition for the fine performance of its students and faculty. I am proud of the students of Male Traditional High School. Their commitment to education is an example for the entire Commonwealth and I take pride in recognizing them on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I congratulate Campbellsville University for competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, NAIA, World Series in Lewiston, ID. This is the first time the Campbellsville University Tigers have in the school's history made it to the first round of the NAIA World Series. Head coach Beauford Sanders has led the Campbellsville University Tigers to the NAIA Region XI Qualifier six times in the past 11 years. In addition to their achievements on the field, the CU Tigers also have achieved in the classroom a graduation rate of 90 percent of players reaching senior status and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Again, I congratulate Campbellsville University for making it into the NAIA World Series. The CU Tigers have given Kentuckians a team that we can hang our hat on and be proud to call our own. I commend the CU Tigers baseball team for their achievements not only on the field but also for their academic accomplishments.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, I would like to take this time to congratulate the Gatton Academy of Math and Science in Bowling Green, KY. Newsweek magazine recently published a list of schools recognized for challenging students. Separate from the top 1,500 public high schools in the country, Newsweek magazine published its list of 15 schools known as the Public Elites. The Gatton Academy of Math and Science was one of the distinguished 15 members of this list and marks the first time a school from Kentucky has earned a spot among the Public Elites. The Gatton Academy of Math and Science is a selected group of high school juniors and seniors from around Kentucky who attend the Western Kentucky University. Their selection is based on test scores, grades, and submitted essays. Students in the program earn college credit at the Western Kentucky University in addition to completing their high school education. As a supporter of education, I appreciate the opportunity to recognize the performance of this great educational facility.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, I would like to take this time to congratulate North Oldham High School in Goshen, KY. Newsweek magazine recently published a list of the top 1,500 public schools in the country. The 15 schools that made the list from Kentucky rank among the top 6 percent of public schools in the Nation. What is even more impressive is that Kentucky had three more schools ranked this year than in 2008, showing improvement in our State's schools. Placing as one of 15 schools from Kentucky on this list, North Oldham High School has earned national recognition for the fine performance of its students and faculty. I am proud of the students of North Oldham High School. Their commitment to education is a fine example for the entire Commonwealth, and I take pride in recognizing them on the floor of the Senate.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, we are in morning business, is that correct?

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, I have four amendments I wish to discuss to the pending bill. I will not call them up but I wish to discuss them. When the bill is presented on the floor, then I will come back and talk about the specific amendments that are going to be considered in the first tranche of amendments. First, I rise today in strong opposition to the tobacco regulatory bill on the floor. This sweeping legislation would dramatically increase the FDA's regulatory authority outside the scope of original congressional intent. This is something that Congress did not intend to give the FDA when we wrote the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and that intent was even upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000. Yet there are still some of my colleagues out here who believe it would be safer for the American public to regulate tobacco under the FDA. They argue that, by doing so, we will help reduce the negative effect of smoking and prevent underage smokers. As a grandfather of 39 grandchildren, believe me, I want to keep cigarettes out of the hands of kids. But the bill before us today does not do that. It is nothing more than an attempt to eliminate our national tobacco industry. The big problem with this approach is that our Nation's tobacco farmers are the ones who are going to pay the price. Not once in this bill did I read any language that would provide any type of protection to our tobacco farmers--not even once. This is why I have introduced the four amendments. Let me give you their numbers: 1236, 1237, 1238, and 1239. If the FDA is going to regulate tobacco and require sweeping changes within the industry, I want to ensure that farmers have a voice at the negotiating table. My amendments do this. Not only do they allow for fair grower representation, but they help ensure that those who will be most affected by this legislation will not be forced to pay the biggest price. Let me be clear that I oppose the FDA regulation of tobacco. I have said that as long as tobacco is a legal commodity, it should be regulated through the USDA, the United States Department of Agriculture, not the FDA. If we are going to discuss giving the FDA this authority through this or similar legislation, I want to make sure that we consider the impact on agriculture. In Kentucky, the family farm is the foundation for who we are as a State. For over a century, the family farm in Kentucky has centered around one crop--tobacco. Tobacco barns and small plots of tobacco dot the Kentucky landscape. We are proud of our heritage and proud that tobacco plays a role in our history. Even after the buy-out, tobacco still plays a prominent role in my State's agricultural landscape. We have tried to broaden our agricultural base. We have had some success with several types of vegetables, cattle, and even raising catfish. But at the end of the day, nothing brings as much of a return to the small farmer in Kentucky as tobacco. It is big business for small farmers. With the current economic conditions, more and more farmers in my State are turning to growing tobacco to supplement their income or, in a lot of cases, tobacco is their sole source of income. The money they get from tobacco pays their mortgages, puts their kids through school, and actually allows them to stay on the farm. Outside of the western part of my State, Kentucky does not have tens of thousands of acres of flat land. We have a lot of green, rolling hills and a climate where tobacco thrives. It can be raised very cheaply on small plots of land that simply cannot accommodate other crops. Whether we like it or not, tobacco remains an economic staple for rural Kentucky. It is profitable and farmers rely on it. That might not be popular today, but it is an economic reality that we have to face. Whatever the opponents of tobacco say, there is no denying that this bill will add unnecessary mandates and expenses on the farmers in the attempt to punish the big tobacco companies. Sure, this bill will hurt big tobacco companies. They might have to move offshore. They might have to start exporting more of their products. But they will survive. But Kentucky's tobacco farmers do not have these options available to them. They are the ones who are going to be hurt by this type of legislation. Some of my colleagues might support this legislation because they wish to outlaw tobacco. The last time I looked, tobacco was still a legal product in this country. If my colleagues want to make it illegal, let them be honest and upfront about it. Let's consider legislation to make it illegal. We can fight that here, out on the floor of the Senate. But let's not keep trying to slip it through the back door, through overregulation and taxes in the name of preventing underage smoking. Children should not have cigarettes. They should not. This is why we have age limits and advertising limits. We should do all that we can to keep cigarettes out of the hands of our kids. But the bill before us is not the answer. We can do better and should do better. All this bill does is move the regulation of a legal product from several agencies to another, one that has no jurisdiction to regulate it. The only people this bill is going to hurt in the end are not the big tobacco companies, but the small and honest farmers who depend on tobacco to pay their bills. This is why I have offered four farmer- friendly amendments to the bill. I want to explain for a few minutes the four. One, Bunning amendment No. 1236, clarifies that nothing in this bill would prevent our farmers from growing and cultivating tobacco as they have been able to do for the past hundred-plus years. My second amendment, No. 1237, establishes a grower grant program that would help ease the financial burden of this bill on our farmers. Amendment No. 1238 gives growers a seat at the negotiating table. The underlying bill establishes a Tobacco Scientific Advisory Committee made up of 12 members. Seven of those members are from the medical field to ensure that public health needs are taken into account. There is one of the public, and three representatives from the tobacco industry. There are two manufacturers and one grower. All members of the committee are voting except for the last three--the tobacco representatives. My amendment is simple. It gives the tobacco representatives the right to vote and adds two more grower positions. That way, all three forms of tobacco--burley, flue cured and dark leaf--are represented at the negotiating table. The final Bunning amendment, No. 1239, asks the FDA if they are going to impose any new restrictions or requirements on farmers, then they should consider and conduct a feasibility study so that we know the effect on the farm level. When my amendments come up, I encourage my colleagues to support them. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to invite my colleagues to join me in recognizing Greenup County, KY, for paying tribute to Army SPC Jeremy R. Gullett. SPC Jeremy R. Gullett served in the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division based out of Fort Campbell. He lost his life in the line of duty on May 7, 2008, in the Sabari District of Afghanistan. This evening Greenup County will have a dedication ceremony to name a local bridge after Specialist Gullett, honoring his life and service to our Nation. The bridge will serve as a reminder to all of those who live or travel through Greenup County of the sacrifice Specialist Gullett made for our freedom. A member of the Greenup County High School Class of 2003, Specialist Gullett participated in his high school's Junior ROTC program and joined our Nation's Armed Forces soon after earning his diploma. In addition to serving under our Nation's armed services, Specialist Gullett was a member of Little Sandy Volunteer Fire Department and Veterans of Foreign Wars, dedicating his life to service domestically and internationally. Specialist Gullett's sacrifice for our Nation will forever be a reminder that freedom comes at a high cost. We should never take for granted the sacrifice that men and women make daily in all branches of the Armed Forces. As we commemorate the life and service of SPC Jeremy Gullett, my thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family. All Kentuckians and Americans are deeply indebted to Specialist Gullett.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to and congratulate Jeff Simpson, owner of Johnny's Car Wash in Erlanger, KY, on their 50th year in business. In 1959, John Simpson, father of Jeff Simpson, converted the original Town Car Wash, an establishment in Covington, KY, where cars were washed by hand, to an automatic car wash he named Johnny's Car Wash. Mr. Simpson opened a second location in Erlanger, KY, that still thrives today. Nearly four decades later, in 1992, Mr. Simpson sold his original Johnny's Car Wash to his son Jeff, and this year they celebrate 50 years of hard work, ambition, and the long success of their business. A hearty congratulations to the Simpson family and Johnny's Car Wash. They are an excellent example of a steady and thriving small business in the Commonwealth.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I congratulate the Georgetown/Scott County Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit business organization that recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Georgetown/Scott County Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1959. The chamber promotes local businesses and ensures that jobs stay in the Georgetown and Scott County area. During this uncertain economic time, organizations such as the Georgetown/Scott County Chamber of Commerce strive to ensure that local businesses continue to prosper. The chamber celebrated this distinct milestone at its annual banquet on April 24, 2009, where current chamber president Christie Hockensmith expressed her optimism for the next 50 years. Again, I congratulate the Georgetown/Scott County Chamber of Commerce on 50 years of service. I wish the chamber the best in the future and in continued support of local businesses.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, today I recognize Dr. Andrew Moore of Lexington, KY, for being the recipient of the Fayette County Hero of the Year presented by the Bluegrass Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. The Hero of the Year award was presented to Dr. Moore on April 23, 2009. The Heroes campaign fosters community awareness and generates funds to support the mission and services of the American Red Cross. Dr. Moore is the founder and president of the nonprofit organization Surgery on Sunday, which provides outpatient surgical services to income-eligible individuals and families who are without health insurance and are not eligible for Federal or State assistance. Patients are referred to the program by community organizations and receive medical procedures that range from general operations to dental work and reconstructive surgeries. In its first year of operation, Surgery on Sunday provided services to more than 150 individuals without health insurance or the means to pay. By the end of its second year, the organization had performed more than 2,000 procedures. It is estimated that $1.5 million worth of medical services has been donated by more than 600 volunteer surgeons, physicians, nurses, and other health professionals. I would like to thank Dr. Moore and all of the volunteers for Surgery on Sunday for their contributions to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Dr. Moore is truly an inspiration to all Kentuckians and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the nomination of Thomas Strickland to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife at the Department of the Interior. I have met with Mr. Strickland, and while he has a distinguished career in public service, I do not believe he is the appropriate candidate to fill this position. His disregard for second amendment rights, coupled with his position on domestic energy production, leaves me little choice other than to oppose his nomination today. In December of this past year, the Department of the Interior took great steps forward toward reversing the ban on lawful firearms in parks. However, because of one court case on technical grounds, millions of law-abiding park visitors find their second amendment rights challenged yet again. For decades, regulations enacted by unelected bureaucrats at the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have prohibited law-abiding citizens from transporting and possessing operational firearms on Federal lands managed by these agencies. The enactment of these rules preempted State laws, bypassed the authority of Congress, and trampled on the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans guaranteed by the second amendment for more than 170,000 acres of public lands. No other Federal land management agency has enacted anti-gun rules similar to the Park Service and Fish and Wildlife. Both the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service allow for the law of the State in which the Federal property is located to govern firearm possession. Neither of these agencies experienced any difficulties as a result of allowing firearm possession. I have met with my friend, Secretary Salazar, who is now the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, and told him of my support for repealing this firearm ban. At the time, Secretary Salazar agreed with me and stated before the Senate Energy Committee that he supports repealing the ban. This is the same committee that voted this past November, 18 to 5--I repeat that, the committee voted 18 to 5--to repeal the ban. Secretary Salazar, then-Senator Salazar, voted in support of the repeal. Because of one court case, the Department of the Interior is backpedaling on its original position. I believe this is an unsound policy and extremely shortsighted. This is why I, along with my good friend Senator Coburn and 16 other colleagues in the Senate, sent a letter to the Department of the Interior for a clarification of its views on this regulation. While I appreciate the Secretary getting back to me so quickly on this, the response I received was short and vague. I have always had a good working relationship with Secretary Salazar. In the past, he has gone out of his way to tell me personally of his support for second amendment rights. Rest assured, I will hold him to his word and will be watching this situation very closely as it continues to unfold. I will continue to work with the Department of the Interior to get this regulation implemented properly. I am also concerned about this nominee's stance on domestic energy production. I have long said, along with many of my colleagues in the Senate, that America has a domestic resource to meet its growing energy needs. In order to meet them, we need to use all our resources, including nuclear, clean coal, renewables, along with oil and natural gas. America has a wealth of oil and natural gas reserves that, if utilized properly and in an environmentally sound manner, could meet our energy demands for decades to come. The nominee before us today, Thomas Strickland, does not support using all forms of energy. He has been very public in his position that we should not open ANWR to domestic energy production. I have been to ANWR to see firsthand what all the talk was about. After visiting it, I am even more confident in my support for drilling there. We met with the environmentalists and villagers on the border of ANWR and talked to them about the desperate need of the United States for more domestic energy sources. There were a few residents who expressed opposition, but they were in a very small minority. The majority of the people living near ANWR, more than 75 percent, support drilling there. I know that Strickland, along with some of my colleagues in the Senate, is desperate to stop us from opening ANWR. The facts about ANWR, however, are not on their side. Some of these facts need to be repeated, especially for those who are new to this debate. ANWR itself is roughly the size of South Carolina. It is absolutely enormous. It is 19.6 million acres or 30,000 square miles. When we talk about drilling in ANWR, we are talking about clean drilling in an area that is less than 2,000 acres. That is one one-hundredth of 1 percent of the total acreage in ANWR. It is actually smaller than most airports. To say that drilling in this limited portion of ANWR threatens the entire environment of this refuge is farfetched and just plain wrong. During my trip, I visited the sites at Alpine and Prudhoe Bay. There is no doubt in my mind that we can develop ANWR in a safe and effective manner. Drilling will only be a small footprint in ANWR that can be carried out in an environmentally sound manner. State-of-the-art technology will lessen the environmental impact. The old stereotypes of dirty oil drilling don't apply anymore. We all want to do what we can to protect the environment, but it is not credible to say that looking for oil in this small, limited part of ANWR is a dangerous threat to the entire region. As our demand for energy is growing, we must increase our energy supply to keep up. ANWR is the most promising domestic source of oil we have. To automatically take it off the negotiating table, as this nominee has, is shortsighted. Finally, I have concerns with Mr. Strickland's stance on regulation for coal mining operations. The Commonwealth of Kentucky is home to some of our Nation's largest coal reserves. In fact, we have about 250 years of coal reserves or about the same amount of coal reserves that Saudi Arabia has for oil. I am proud to come from a State that has coal reserves and firmly believe we have the ability to develop and use this natural resource in an environmentally sound manner. This is why I was pleased, last December, when the Department of the Interior issued a rule to clarify the disposal of excess spoil created by coal mining operations. The rule also requires mine operators avoid disturbing streams, to the greatest extent possible, and clarifies when mine operators must maintain an undisturbed buffer between the mine and the adjacent streams. Aside from striking a balance between environmental protections and responsible mining operations, this new rule clarified a longstanding dispute over how the surface mining law should be applied. Past confusion over how it should be applied has led to undue litigation, suspension of mining operations and, ultimately, job loss for many mining communities across the country and in Kentucky. In discussions I had with both the Secretary of the Interior and Mr. Strickland earlier this year, I expressed my support for this new rule and respectfully asked that they take this support into account. Both nominees stated they would not overturn the rule. Yet this past week the Department of the Interior reversed its position and asked for the rule to be overturned. Issuance of the rule represents the culmination of a 7-year process that was complete and well thought out. While developing the rule, the Office of Surface Mining solicited public input and received over 43,000 comments on the proposal. They held four public hearings that were attended by over 700 people. When considering alternatives to the proposed rule in the Environmental Impact Statement, OSM selected the most environmentally protective option. It helps ensure that coal mining activities are conducted in a manner that protects both mining communities and the environment. Overturning this rule risks returning to a state of confusion about how to apply the surface mining law, risking the future of mining operations, local communities, and ultimately access to our most reliable domestic source of energy. In my home State of Kentucky, over 24,000 jobs are at risk should surface mining operations be disrupted. I repeat that. Over 24,000 jobs are at risk should surface mining operations be disrupted. This is about half the jobs at risk for the region of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia. I am very disappointed that the Department of Interior, under the leadership of both Secretary Salazar and Mr. Strickland, chose to overturn this rule. Not only will it delay coal mining operations, but it will also jeopardize jobs and energy production. That is why I find myself on the floor unable to support this nominee today. Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, I rise to discuss the conference report on the fiscal year 2010 budget. Unfortunately, I will not be able to support this legislation. As a member of the Senate Budget Committee since I have been in the Senate, I spoke on this budget during the committee consideration, and I also spoke on it while it was on the Senate floor. I was unable to support it those two times, and I am disappointed to say I will not be able to support it here either. Today marks the 100th day of the Obama administration. It is still too early to see most of the effects the different pieces of legislation the President has signed into law will have on America. However, we do know one thing: It sure has cost a lot. The price tag for the so-called stimulus bill was over $1 trillion, if you include the interest. The cost of the Omnibus appropriations bill was about $410 billion. What does this mean? It means that over these first 100 days, President Obama has spent an average of $12 billion a day. That is a staggering rate of spending. We cannot continue to manage our Nation's finances like this. The budget proposed by the Obama administration several weeks ago is no more responsible than these other bills. It spends too much, it taxes too much, and it borrows much too much. I have mentioned these numbers before, but they are worth repeating. The President's proposal will double the publicly held national debt to more than $15 trillion. Annual spending would leap from $24,000 per household to $32,000. This plan would also raise taxes by $1.4 trillion over 10 years. Those are not my numbers. I didn't make them up. The people hired by the Democrats, the Congressional Budget Office, picked by Senator Reid, Speaker Pelosi and one member of the Finance Committee and one member of the Ways and Means Committee, Senator Baucus and Congressman Rangel--those are the people who picked CBO's Director, and those are his numbers. The increase in debt is also staggering. The President's proposal would double the debt held by the public in 5 years and nearly triple it over 10. In fact, the proposal would create more debt under every previous President from George Washington to include George W. Bush. I know today we are not voting on the Obama proposal. However, I still think it is completely reasonable to discuss it. This proposal gives us a great insight into how President Obama views Government. We see he wants to greatly expand it. He also no longer is a member of the legislative branch. However, he is the leader of the party that controls the legislative branch. We know he will have influence on how legislation is written. One of the most troubling aspects of the document before us is the inclusion of reconciliation instructions for health care and education legislation. I don't want to talk about arcane Senate procedure today. However, this is an abuse of the process. Reconciliation is supposed to be used to return money to the taxpayers and the Treasury. It makes legislation that accomplishes this much easier to pass. These instructions require a total savings of $2 billion. This is absurd because we know health care reform and education legislation will cost much more than $2 billion. In fact, as we know from the numbers I mentioned above, the administration has spent $2 billion every 4 hours or so. This will not be any kind of significant deficit reduction. Another worrying feature of this budget is the assault on small businesses. President Obama admits that 70 percent of job growth will come from small businesses. So why does this budget tax them out of existence? My colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim they are only raising taxes on a handful of small businesses, but they ignore the fact that they are hurting the businesses that are responsible for two- thirds of small business jobs. Small business jobs are key to our economic recovery. But look at what the failed policies of this Congress have done for small businesses. The so-called stimulus bill that added over $1 trillion to our national debt spends less than one-half of 1 percent--one-half of 1 percent--on small businesses. Also, after mortgaging our future on the TARP bailout, 70 percent of the large banks have actually decreased their small business lending. Now these small businesses that have been devastated by the economy and cannot get a loan to make payroll are going to be hit with a massive tax increase. How are these small business owners going to be able to hire even one more worker? This budget is an assault on small businesses. It taxes too much, and it should be defeated. I would like to mention energy policy before I conclude my remarks. Throughout this year's budget debate, we have talked a lot about energy, particularly a proposed cap-and-trade tax proposal. At a time when our Nation's energy needs are continuing to grow, we should turn our focus on how best to meet those needs while creating jobs instead of taxing American families. If we act too rapidly by imposing carbon taxes, all Americans will pay the cost through dramatic increases in utility prices. If enacted, a cap-and-trade revenue program would institute one of the largest tax increases in American history. Every American will pay a sales tax whenever they turn the light switch on or start their car. This tax will be untargeted and regressive. Even our poorest citizens will be hit by this tax. This is a dangerous policy, and I am startled by how much support it has received from this current administration. So much for the President's promise not to tax anyone making less than $250,000 per year. Maybe that is because he knows he needs more money than he can raise by taxing just the rich to pay for all of his plans to make Government even a bigger part of ordinary Americans' lives. As I have outlined above, this budget has some problems. It spends too much, it taxes too much, and it borrows too much. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of fiscal responsibility by voting against this piece of legislation. Madam President, I yield the floor.

Mr. BUNNING

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

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, what is the order of business? Are we in morning business?

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I have a statement that will take about 15 minutes on Governor Sebelius.