Debbie Stabenow

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, given the work that has been done, I wish to thank Senators Murray and McCain for their efforts. Senator McCain will not be offering his amendment, just for the information of the Senate. So we will move on now to the Rubio amendment, when Senator Rubio is prepared.

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, before moving to Senator Wyden's amendment, we want to go back to an agreed-upon amendment, which is Schumer amendment No. 2427, to increase research, education, and promotion of maple products. I call up amendment No. 2427, and I ask unanimous consent that we move forward with a voice vote.

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I yield back all time. It is my understanding that we can proceed with a voice vote on this amendment.

Ms. STABENOW. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Ms. STABENOW.--to get us off of foreign oil. I urge a ``no'' vote.

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I strongly oppose this argument. If we want to jeopardize 142,000 American jobs, this is the vote to do it. We will see these jobs shipped overseas. The bottom line is that this program operates at zero cost to the taxpayers. The Congressional Budget Office says it will continue operating at zero cost for the next 10 years. This is about American jobs in American communities all across this country. We are talking about 142,000 jobs. If we are importing cheap sugar at a point where we undermine American jobs, what have we gained? We want to export our products, not our jobs. That is what this amendment would do. I urge strongly a ``no'' vote.

Ms. STABENOW. We are now told that this has been reviewed, and so we have no objection to proceeding to it.

Ms. STABENOW. I am sorry, Mr. President. We were in discussions. At this moment if we might just pause, we will just object for a moment. I object.

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I commend both Senators from Nebraska. I thank Senator Nelson for this amendment. I support it. I believe we have an agreement for a voice vote on this amendment, so I yield back all time.

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, let me take just 1 second to say that this bill turns us in a different direction--$23 billion-plus in deficit reduction. It may be the only bipartisan deficit reduction proposal we will pass in the Senate before the election. I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mrs. STABENOW

Mrs. STABENOW. Madam President, we have been hard at work to pull together some amendments we need to do in a vote. I ask unanimous consent the following amendments that are in order under the unanimous consent agreement be agreed to: Ayotte No. 2195, Blunt No. 2246, Moran No. 2403, Moran No. 2443, and Vitter No. 2363, as modified with the changes at the desk.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the adoption of Vitter amendment No. 2363, as modified, be vitiated; and further, that the Vitter amendment, as modified, be subject to a 60- affirmative-vote threshold. I turn now to Senator Vitter.

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, if I might, I am not sure if we have anyone in opposition. I rise in strong support of this amendment. We know that there are Members who wanted the opportunity to vote and record a ``no'' vote. I hope that since we passed this by a voice vote a bit ago, we will have an overwhelming affirmative vote for this amendment. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I would support the yeas and nays and just strongly urge a ``yes'' vote on the Thune amendment.

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I strongly oppose this motion to recommit. I want to read the cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Congressional Budget Office. This bill spends $23.6 billion less than we project would be spent if those programs were continued as under current law. This bill is $23 billion in deficit reduction, according to the nonpartisan, independent Congressional Budget Office. Frankly, we believe, in agriculture, on a bipartisan basis, that we have done our job. We have scoured every page, reduced the deficit by $23 billion-plus, and eliminated 100 different programs and authorizations within our jurisdiction. Frankly, I think we are offering, within what we can do, reform and deficit reduction of which we should all feel very proud.

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I rise to oppose the motion to recommit. After all the hard work we have been doing, I am not sure we want to do it twice this year on a farm bill. But on a more serious note, let me just indicate, again, these are major reforms, $23 billion-plus in deficit reduction. It addresses the diversity of agriculture--16 million jobs are connected to agriculture in every corner of our country. All of us have a stake in food security. We have the safest, most affordable food supply in the world thanks to a lot of hard-working folks all across this country. We believe what we have put forward is something worthy of support. We appreciate all the hard work everyone is doing, the changes that are being made. But I urge we not recommit this bill.

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I first want to say thank you to all of our colleagues for their wonderful work today--and apologize. I think when I was speaking a moment ago I was not exactly clear, after numerous hours on the floor. It is true that if a family spends $10 at a farmers market, it generates economic activity in Michigan of $40 million--that is if every family in Michigan spent $10. I don't know if that is any clearer, but I apologize. I think at the end of the day I was not clear. Before going to a unanimous consent request, I thank the leader--both our leaders for their patience and diligence and for supporting our efforts. We have had a long day. People have worked very hard. We are near the end. We are going to have a farm bill. We are going to have major reform, $23 billion in deficit reduction. We are doing it altogether through a process where we propose amendments and vote on amendments, and the Senate is operating in regular order. We appreciate everybody's hard work, hanging in there with us as we get this done, which we are on the path to do tomorrow. Amendment No. 2202 I ask unanimous consent that the Bennet-Crapo amendment No. 2202 be agreed to.

Ms. STABENOW

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

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration en bloc of the following resolutions which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 500, S. Res. 501, and S. Res. 502.

Ms. STABENOW. I ask unanimous consent the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the resolutions be printed in the Record.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:30 a.m., on Thursday, June 21; 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 the majority leader be recognized; and that following the remarks of the two leaders, the time until 11 a.m. be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees; further, that at 11 a.m., the Senate resume consideration of S. 3240, the farm bill, and the votes on the remaining amendments to the bill.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Ms. STABENOW

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

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. There will be several rollcall votes beginning at approximately 11 a.m. tomorrow in order to complete action on the farm bill.