Harry Reid

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 460.

Mr. REID. Before we leave this, Mr. President, I might say that Senator Boxer and Senator Inhofe, the chair and the ranking member of that most important committee--the Environment and Public Works Committee--are doing their utmost on a bipartisan basis to complete the conference with the House to get the highway bill passed, which means 2.8 million jobs. As this legislation concerns National Public Works Week, it would certainly be a big celebration if we could get that bill done. I appreciate very much Senators Boxer and Inhofe working so closely together on that committee.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 461.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 on Wednesday, May 16; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for use later in the day.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, following any leader remarks tomorrow morning, the Senate will begin debate on several motions to proceed to resolutions introduced by Republican Senators. This is an agreed-upon method of proceeding on these resolutions. Order of Procedure It is my intention to equally divide the first hour, with the majority controlling the first 30 minutes and the Republicans controlling the second 30 minutes. I ask unanimous consent that be the case.

Mr. REID. So there is 6 hours of debate time allowed under the consent agreement that was approved earlier today. I certainly hope we can get this done expeditiously. Senator Conrad will be leading efforts on our side opposed to this; and once we get this out of the way, we should move forward. Tomorrow morning, after we understand the morning hour will be deemed expired and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, I ask unanimous consent that I be recognized at that time.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I understand that S. 3187 was introduced earlier today by Senators Harkin and Enzi, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. REID. I now ask for its second reading but object to my own request.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, this is a very important piece of legislation done in the right way. Senators Harkin and Enzi have done something in the way we always used to do things: They moved a bill out of committee to the Senate floor, truly a bipartisan bill, so important to our country, the FDA bill--Food and Drug Administration. Senator Enzi has always been very focused on when we bring something to the floor, it must have the committee mark on it--and this bill does. The reason I move to the bill today the way I have is to line this up for filing cloture on Thursday. I hope we don't have to file cloture, we move to proceed to it. Why don't we get on the bill? If we can get on the bill, we can start on it Monday, we can start offering amendments, and get this moving along. I have talked to Senator Enzi, I have talked to Senator Harkin. We had good luck on the highway bill. We had good luck also on the postal bill with relevant amendments. This is a very important piece of legislation. I hope we can move to this without having to file cloture. If I have to file cloture, I will have to file cloture, but I sure hope not. I admire the cooperation and the working together of Senators Harkin and Enzi.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we are now on the motion to proceed to the Ex-Im Bank bill. We are working on an agreement to begin consideration of the bill. I don't know if we can reach that, but we are trying. At 4:30 today the Senate will proceed to executive session to consider two U.S. district judges from Maryland and Illinois. At 5:30 there will be up to three rollcall votes. The first two will be on confirmation of George Levi Russell and John J. Tharp, and the third will be on cloture on the motion to proceed to the Ex-Im Bank bill. There was a time when legislation that would reduce the deficit and support hundreds of thousands of jobs would fly through the Senate with bipartisan support but not so anymore. Instead, a worthy measure that would support 300,000 American jobs--the Export-Import Bank--may stall in the Senate this evening. The holdup is more Republican obstructionism. Tonight the Senate will vote on whether to end the filibuster of reauthorization of this most important legislation. The bank helps American companies grow and sell their products overseas. Last year this bank financed 3,600 private companies and added almost 300,000 jobs in more than 2,000 American communities. The last time the Senate considered this in legislation, it was offered by a Republican Senator and it passed by unanimous consent. What that means is it comes to the floor, sponsored by a Republican, and everybody agrees and we don't even have a vote here. It is done by unanimous consent. So it is unfortunate that I had to file cloture again. I have filed cloture, cloture, cloture on so many different things. We shouldn't have to argue over bipartisan proposals such as this one. It should just pass as it has in the past. But I remain hopeful that we can find a way to work together on it. The Export-Import Bank has the support of two groups that rarely see eye to eye--the chamber of commerce and labor unions. Today I got a letter from the National Association of Manufacturers, as did every other Senator. It says: The National Association of Manufacturers--we refer to it as NAM--the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing manufacturers in every industrial sector in all 50 States, urges us to support the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act. The Export-Import Bank of the United States--referred to as the Ex-Im Bank--is one of the only tools manufacturers in the United States have to counter hundreds of billions of dollars of export financing foreign governments offer to their exporters. In 2010 Canada, France, and India provided 7 times and China and Brazil 10 times more export assistance as a share of GDP than did the United States. The Ex-Im Bank levels the playing field for U.S. exporters by matching credit support other nations provide, ensuring that our Nation's manufacturers can compete based upon the price and performance of their products. It also enables small and medium-sized manufacturers to capture new markets in emerging economies abroad. In 2010 the bank supported more than $41 billion in export sales from more than 3,600 companies, supporting approximately 290,000 jobs here--rather than the 300,000 I said--export-related American jobs. Denying Ex-Im reauthorization will hurt manufacturers of every size and threaten thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs. Small and medium- sized companies are particularly vulnerable and those that receive direct Ex-Im Bank support as well as those who supply larger companies. So manufacturers urge your support of H.R. 2072, which authorizes the bank through September 2014 and provides a modest increase in its lending authority and enhances congressional oversight over the bank. That letter was signed by one of the officers of the bank. This legislation has Republican cosponsors. Why do we have to go through this endless procedural process? Why can't we just pass it, as we have done in so many years past? They are saying: We want amendments. Amendments to kill the bill after saying they support the bill? The House passed this bill without amendment--I repeat, without amendment--on a 330-to-93 vote last week. But that 93 kind of says it all. Ninety-three is the mainstay of the tea party caucus in the House. They are opposed to everything, just as almost 50 percent of the Senate Republicans are against everything. That is what we have here. Even though there is outward support for this legislation, they want to kill this bill. They don't want the government to have anything to do with our lives--period, nothing--which is unrealistic in this modern world and, in fact, in any world. This legislation is exactly the kind of smart investment Congress must make to keep the economy on the road to recovery, and it is the kind of consensus proposal that shouldn't require Democrats to have to try to break a filibuster. When Senate Democrats brought this reauthorization to the floor previously--in fact, in March--we assumed it would pass by a strong bipartisan vote. Surprise was here--the Republicans voted against it. Nearly unanimously they voted against it in March despite their public confessions of support for it. Then a day or two after they voted no, they sent me a letter saying: We have to get this done. So they voted against it in March, and now they are threatening to do it, for different reasons this time: They don't have enough amendments. They want amendments. So they are once again forcing us to run out the clock on this measure, which expires at the end of this month. Frankly, the behavior of my Republican colleagues over the last week has been a little baffling. They say they support our efforts to keep interest rates on Federal loans from doubling for 7 million college students. They voted the proposal down. Now, a few days later, they say they support the Ex-Im Bank, but they voted it down once and they are threatening to do it again. With Republicans willing to use every obstructionist tactic in the book--even some that are not in the book, even on bills they support-- it is a wonder the Senate gets anything done at all. Further delay would allow the bank's lending authority to lapse, putting jobs at risk. But there is still time for my colleagues on the other side to reverse course. There is still time to work together to pass this measure. I understand my Republican colleagues want to offer amendments to the bill. I have already said so. Their amendments generally would just eliminate the bank--not make it stronger, not lessen it a little bit, just gut the Export-Import Bank, and some just eliminate it altogether. Even if those amendments weren't egregious, changing this legislation now would only waste more time. And we have been told the House isn't going to accept any amendments. But why would we accept any amendment that gets rid of the bank? The process of reauthorizing this bank has taken months already. There is really no reason to waste more time. American exporters are counting on us to get something done this week. So I hope my Republican colleagues will consider the consequences of yet another filibuster and join Democrats to reauthorize this Export-Import Bank without delay. Would the Chair announce the business of the day. Reservation of Leader Time

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 396, H.R. 2072.

Mr. REID

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

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 11:15 a.m, Tuesday, May 15, the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 396, H.R. 2072, be adopted; that the only first-degree amendments in order to the bill be Lee No. 2100, Paul No. 2101, Corker No. 2102, Vitter No. 2103, and Toomey No. 2104; that there be no amendments in order to any of the amendments prior to the votes; that there be no motions or points of order in order other then budget points of order and the applicable motions to waive; that there be up to 2 hours of debate to run concurrently on the amendments and the bill equally divided between the two leaders or their designees prior to votes in relation to the amendments in the order listed; that upon disposition of the amendments, the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended; that there be 2 minutes equally divided prior to each vote, and all after the first vote be 10-minute votes; that the amendments and passage of the bill require 60 votes.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have pending now a cloture vote. I have spoken to the Republican leader very recently. We think it would be in the best interests of the Senate to do away with the cloture vote. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture vote scheduled for this evening be vitiated.

Mr. REID. There should only be one rollcall vote tonight because the Maryland judge we expect to be able to voice-vote.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Franken.) Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move that the Senate proceed to consideration of the motion to proceed to calendar No. 396, H.R. 2072.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we are now on the motion to proceed to the Ex-Im bill. I hope we can pass the bill today. I haven't had an opportunity today to speak to the Republican leader, but I will do that shortly, and we will decide if there is a way forward. I ask unanimous consent that the next hour be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with the majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the second half.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. REID. Mr. President, on a strong bipartisan vote yesterday, the House passed a piece of commonsense, job-creating legislation--the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank. We refer to it as the Ex-Im Bank legislation. For many years this legislation has helped American companies grow and sell their products overseas, creating tens of thousands of jobs. And for years the bank has enjoyed broad bipartisan support. It passed by unanimous consent on one occasion and by voice vote on another occasion. It is the perfect example of the kinds of smart investments Congress should be making to spur job growth. I hope the Senate will be able to quickly approve the House-passed measure today and do it by unanimous consent. I am optimistic that the 330-to-93 vote in the House yesterday will be enough to convince Senate Republicans they shouldn't hold up this legislation any longer--330 to 93. The process of reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank has taken too long. I hope we don't have to file cloture on this matter, but I will if we must. Let me remind my colleagues that the Senate considered reauthorizing this important legislation in March, 2 months ago. Senate Republicans had an opportunity to support the measure then. Instead, all but three opposed it and the measure failed. American exporters have already waited in limbo for 2 months to see whether Republicans will come around in backing this business-friendly, job-creating measure. Businesses shouldn't have to wait any longer. We can't afford more of the partisan obstruction we saw on this commonsense legislation last March. To get this to the President's desk this Congress--and every piece of legislation we pass must get to his desk or it doesn't become law--we need Democratic votes and Republican votes. That is just a reality. It means we absolutely must work together if we want to get anything done. Senator Richard Lugar One man who has always been willing to extend a hand to colleagues across the aisle is the senior Senator from Indiana, Senator Richard Lugar. His first priority has always been getting things done for the American people, whether that means keeping the world safe from nuclear war or looking out for the Hoosiers back home. One of the most historic pieces of legislation is known as Nunn-Lugar. It is an effort to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in our country and in the Soviet Union. It is a very important piece of bipartisan legislation, authored by Senators Lugar of Indiana and Nunn of Georgia. It is important legislation. Senator Lugar has been a great advocate for the people of Indiana as well as a dedicated student of international affairs. I have the opportunity to call meetings with foreign dignitaries, and he is always there, seated at the table. He has always put the American people, in my estimation, first and his political party second. I was elected to the Senate to serve each and every Nevadan--not only Democrats, though I am proud to be one--and Senator Lugar was elected to serve every Hoosier, regardless of political affiliation, and he has done that so well; it is why he has been in the Senate for more than three decades. Throughout the history of this country, even in the most trying of times, times of great social and political unrest, our elected representatives have worked together despite their differences to do what is right for all Americans. So I worry when I see dedicated patriots such as Senator Lugar drummed out by tea party zealots for being too willing to cooperate. But that is what happened on Tuesday. I worry when I hear a candidate for the U.S. Senate campaigning against bipartisanship and compromise between the two parties. That is really what he said, that there is too much compromise in Congress. That is what happened on Tuesday. I worry when a candidate for the U.S. Senate says clearly that he will put political party and partisanship before country and compromise. But that is what happened on Tuesday. That is nothing to be proud of. That kind of attitude is why longtime political observers Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein described today's GOP as ``ideologically extreme'' and ``scornful of compromise.'' And it is why my friend Senator Lugar said the following yesterday in his concession speech: Bipartisanship is not the opposite of principle. One can be very conservative or very liberal and still have a bipartisan mindset. Such a mindset acknowledges that the other party is also patriotic and may have some good ideas. I want to repeat that. This is what Senator Lugar said in his concession speech yesterday: Bipartisanship is not the opposite of principle. One can be very conservative or very liberal and still have a bipartisan mindset. Such a mindset acknowledges that the other party is also patriotic and may have some good ideas. We should all remember, regardless of what our party affiliation is, that compromise has been the hallmark of this country for more than 200 years, especially in the U.S. Senate--compromise. Recognition of the Minority Leader

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 396, H.R. 2072, which is an act to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States be adopted; that there be no amendments, motions or points of order in order to the bill other than budget points of order and the applicable motions to waive; that there be 1 hour of debate equally divided between the two leaders or their designees prior to a vote on passage of the bill.