Senate Proceeding on Sep 29th, 2009 :: 3:54:45 to 4:05:55
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3:54:45 to 4:05:55( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Daniel Inouye

3:54:50 to 3:55:12( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: quorum call: mr. inouye: i ask to rescind the quorum call. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. inouye: the pending business before the national is the defense appropriations bill for fy sph 2010. this measure contains approximately $636 blion including nearly continue the fight against

3:55:13 to 3:55:33( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: terrorism in around southwest asia. it contains funds to pay our men d women in uniform, as well as funds to operate our forces and to take care of our wounded. it provides the money required to equip the war fighter and to

3:55:34 to 3:55:54( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: develop new weapons systems so that they may be protected in the future. mr. president, today is september 29. the fiscal year ends tomorrow, and i believe that all of us should know that. on thursday, the department of

3:55:55 to 3:56:15( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: defense will begin a continuing stopgap measure required because the congress hasn action on its 12 appropriations measures. mr. president, i want to point out that the appropriations committee reported its first

3:56:16 to 3:56:36( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: fiscal year 2010 bill in the senate on june 18. more than three months ago. and 10, nearly three weeks a and all of the other bills were reported before the augus recess.

3:56:37 to 3:56:57( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: however, because of the scheduling problems we've this senate has passed just six bills. we have spent the better part of seven weeks on the floor to pass these bills. i'd like to note, mr. president,

3:56:58 to 3:57:20( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: that in appropriations measures were taken up and passed by this body in one or two days. now it is nearly one week or each bill. mr. president, the senate is known for being a deliberative body, but this is that the senate has been on this important bill, and up until a

3:57:21 to 3:57:42( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: few minutes ago, not a single amendment has yet to be offered. moreover, at this point, only eight amendments have been filed. and we have seen this pattern week after week. our colleagues are waiting days before getting serious about these bills.

3:57:43 to 3:58:03( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: the impact of these delays is that the end is upon us and we are nearly only halfway done completing senate action on our bills and only one of the been reported out of the conference committee. mr. president, at this juncture

3:58:04 to 3:58:26( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: i'd like to note that we've had 12 measures subcommittees, three reported the bill to the sene on a vote of 29-1. not quite the remaining night subcommittee

3:58:27 to 3:58:48( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: bills, after due deliberation, debated, and discussion, was passed by the senate. the senate committee. then reported to this senate with the recommend dhaition it be passed by a vote of 30-0. unanimous. this measure before us was adopted by this appropriations

3:58:49 to 3:59:12( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: committee made up of liberal members, conservative members, middle-of-the-road and whatever you want, men, women, by a vote of 30-0, unanimous. mr. president, in january when i became chairman of this committee, it was apparent to me that the senate and the legislative branc

3:59:13 to 3:59:33( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: control over the budget process. we had not passed all of our spending bills and free-standing measures since 2005. we only accomplished that fea once during the past decade. in many cases we have to large omnibus bills to

3:59:34 to 3:59:55( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: complete our work. the senate had not been allowed to debate or amend many of the measures that were passed, and, mr. president, this is no way to run the government. chairman cochran and i agre practice. we vowed to pass 12 bills and to

3:59:56 to 4:00:17( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: send them to individually. we have passed those 12 bills in a timely fashion and presented that to the senate. and, mr. president, our leaders fully supported us in this plan. i would remind my that the entire republican caucus sent a letter to the

4:00:18 to 4:00:40( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: majority leader urging him to follow this approach. but when it came to put this in practice, instead of working to get this accomplished, we have been hamstrung by slow progress in each and every bill. mr. president, we're well aware that members have amendments they wish to have considered on

4:00:41 to 4:01:01( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: this and other bills. we understand that. and have been waiting to them. senator cochran and i came to the floor thursday night, but were told that there was nothing to do. we came here on friday morning with the same

4:01:02 to 4:01:22( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: we're we h the approach taken by a few of our colleagues has put us in a position in which the government must now begin to operate on a continuing resolution. and, mr. president, what does

4:01:23 to 4:01:46( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: that mean to our agencies? it means that they must throw out their plans for operations and streamline activities so that only the most essential operations continuing resolutions will continue programs that have expired and no longer needed.

4:01:47 to 4:02:08( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: and the new programs will replace them, will not be in place. it means they must delay purchases unti that the resource they are seeking will be approved. in the case of the defense department, it means they have to delay starting new weapons development and procurement programs.

4:02:09 to 4:02:29( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: some of my fiscally conservative colleagues might applaud, and they think cutting spending. but, unfortunately, mr. president, they're in fact, we are only running up expenses as we follow penny-wise, pound-foolish practices which cost more in the

4:02:30 to 4:02:52( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: long run. and they say, mr. president, senate rules are written to protect the rights of the minority and to ensure that legislation is carefully reviewed. but it is also true that when time is of the essence, the deliberative process is frequently turned on its head

4:02:53 to 4:03:14( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: and through with no time to debate or opportunity to offer amendments. rather than delay these bills which have minimal leaving the body no choice but to adopt expedited procedures to complete action, let us proceed a pace to get this and five bills through the senate as

4:03:15 to 4:03:36( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: quickly as possible. because, mr. president, it is the responsibility of congress to ensure the taxpayer funds can be expanded efficiently by passing each of these appropriations measures without depending on continuing resolutions or omnibus measures.

4:03:37 to 4:04:00( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: mr. president, i urge all of my colleagues to can complete our work, the work of this nation. i yield th absence of a the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

4:05:12 to 4:05:36( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: quorum call: the presiding officer: without objection. mr. inouye: mr. president, i ask unimous consent that a military fellow in the office of senator christopher dodd, captain lindsey george, granted floor privileges for the consideration of this measure, h.r. 3326, the defense appropriations bill. the pr objection, so ordered.

4:05:37 to 4:05:47( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: mr. inouye: the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.