Senate Proceeding 09-30-09 on Sep 30th, 2009 :: 0:54:40 to 1:07:50
Total video length: 3 hours 24 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

Note: MetaVid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Views:13 Duration: 0:13:10 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

0:54:18 to 0:54:40( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: appropriations bill and the continuing resolution that is under discussion, i want to take just a couple brief moments to speak about the shre devastate -- about the very devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit america somoa, also somoa

0:54:40 to 1:07:50( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Lisa Murkowski

0:54:41 to 0:55:02( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: in the region -- islands in the region and offer my prayers to those hit by that an earthquake in the range of 7.9 to 8.3 occurred about 120 miles from america somoa. it was followed by three

0:55:03 to 0:55:24( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: aftershocks, all of about 5.6 in magnitude. mr. president, these are incredible earthquakes that we're seeing, and even the aftershocks are significant. we think back to the earthquake that hit alaska in 1964. it was about a 7 on the rick

0:55:25 to 0:55:47( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: ter scale. we -- on the richter scale. we in alaska rember that most vidly. to appreciate what america somoa and the islands in the have been hit, it's according to media reports, these earthquakes caused four tsunami waves approximately 15

0:55:48 to 0:56:08( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: to 20 feet high, and they struck the island 25 quake, reaching up to one mile inland. there are reports from residents on the island that the quake lasted from two to three minutes. that's an eternity when the earth is and then to know that these

0:56:09 to 0:56:29( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: quakes -- excuse me -- these tsunamis came in so quickly after those earthquakes. i understand as of this morning there are 24 confirmed deaths in america somoa, and many more in somoa, tonga, and the other islands. this number is likely to rise as

0:56:30 to 0:56:50( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: many individuals remain missing the president has declared american somoa a major disaster area and we have fema teams that are heading to the area now. so to those who have family members and loved ones in america somoa, the white house

0:56:51 to 0:57:14( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: and fema will be holding a teleconference this evening at 7:00 p.m. eastern time. hopefully we'll have more information available at that time. i understand that land lines are working and getting updates has been difficult. as far away as alaska is american somoa, we have a

0:57:15 to 0:57:37( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: surprisingly large somoan and tong so know there are people at home in alaska that are worried about their families and loved ones. hopefully we'll have more updates. again my thoughts, my prayers go out to those who have lost loved ones and to those who are affected by this terribl

0:57:38 to 0:58:00( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: mr. president, i want to speak this afternoon on the conference report that is accompanying h.r. 2918 as well as the continuing resolution for fiscal year 2010. before i speak to the specifics of the legislative branch agreement, i'd like to make clear my very strong objection

0:58:01 to 0:58:23( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: to the fact that this resolution thawill be part of this was made part of the legislative branch conference report. this was done at the last minute. it was done at the direction of the house majority. and it p really careful consideration of all the issues. the conferees were not offered

0:58:24 to 0:58:46( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: an opportunity to concur in this process. and th known aroun airdropping, where new material, new matter is inser conference agreement that has not been considered by either body. we didn't take it up in the senate. they didn't take it up in the house. and wt we have in front of us

0:58:47 to 0:59:07( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: is a pretty, pretty onerous example. now, we have rules here in the senate tkrofplgt and i think good reason for those rules.t has been said this is a clean c.r. contained within this

0:59:08 to 0:59:29( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: represent important policy decisions and go -- go beyond simply fun government for another month. one of the provisions in this so-called clean relating to the postal service. the authorizing committee's been

0:59:30 to 0:59:50( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: working on this for some time. there's also another example related to the extension of -- of surface transportation reauthorization. now, we had time a -- to take a freestanding continuing the normal process in both in the house and here in the senate.

0:59:51 to 1:00:12( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: and we would have been able to present that bill to the president before the end of today -- before the end of our fiscal year. and i'm very, very disappointed that normal process wasn't followed. as i understand it, the reason this occurred was the house majority's desire to prevent its minority from offing motions to recommit

1:00:13 to 1:00:33( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: so here we are, the last day of the fiscal year, and we clearly have to continue the critical operations of the federal government. but i do want to make clear that this was -- this was not the right process for us to follow. i -- i have enjoyed the

1:00:34 to 1:00:56( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: opportunity that i have had to work with on the legislative branch appropriations committee. we worked hard to produce an appropriations bill that we felt was -- was reasonable and fair and balanced.

1:00:57 to 1:01:18( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: greatly reduced the scope of the budget and we finished our work in -- in a timelyanner, had some very substantive committee hearings. it was a good process, and i was pleased with that process. and so it seems more than just a little bit -- a little bit troublesome that we, with a very

1:01:19 to 1:01:40( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: small appropriations bill coming out of the legislative branch, working quite concertedly to make sure that we did work the committee process in -- in an appropriate manner should be hung with tanning resolution -- with a continuing resolution at the very end. more than just

1:01:41 to 1:02:01( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: mr. president, at this time i would like to speak to -- to the ledge branch portion of this conference report. again, i want to thank my chairman, senator -- senator nelson, for his work. i also want to recognize an thank the -- senator inouye and

1:02:02 to 1:02:23( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: senator cochran for support they provided in getting the legislative branch conference agreement put together. aside from the -- the solution that i just mentioned, i think it's fair to say that our without controversy the final agreement meets the high-priority needs of our legislative branch. now, senator nelson and i are

1:02:24 to 1:02:44( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: both new to the appropriations committee. and we worked well together on this. we did our best to see that the legislative branch serve as a model for further within the federal government. we -- we worked to tighten our belt wherever possible. we funded only the highest priority initiatives.

1:02:45 to 1:03:07( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: in looking at -- at appropriations bill itself, funding for legislative branch tote 10-year noteles $4.00 -- totals $4.65 billion. the increase is due to items that the house had included. we were able to make reductions below the senate passed levels

1:03:08 to 1:03:29( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: in certain senate office budget. the bill is about 4% over 2009. this is a big improvement considering that when they came with the request for the legislative branch, it was about a 15% increase. so we were able to scale it back. the conference agreement enables us to meet the highest

1:03:30 to 1:03:50( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: priorities that have been identified by the architect of the capitol in looking at health and safety, building improvements, particularly in the library buildings and projects that remedy the deferredaintenance in our buildings. we recognize if we don't address

1:03:51 to 1:04:12( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: maintenance, it doesn't go away. it continues and, unfortunately, that price tag continues as well. the bill continues the architect of the capitol's effort to improve energy efficie over $14 million in funding designated for this purpose. also within the library of congress, we managed to include funding to begin to update the

1:04:13 to 1:04:34( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: agency's information technology infrastructure. for about a decade, mr. president, there had been no increases to i.t. within the library, yet, most of the users of the library are virtual users. i had an opportunity a couple of weeks ago to meet with dr. billgton, the the congress, and

1:04:35 to 1:04:57( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: me some of the incredible historical documents, old maps from the 1800's, from russia where they were mapping alaska. some -- some documents that we would look to and the only way i would ever have an opportunity to view them is if i were able to -- to visit the library of congress. well, now most of that -- so much of that incredible history

1:04:58 to 1:05:19( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: is -- is the internet. and so alaskans in a classroom thousands of miles away can access the treasures that we have here within our library of congress. the -- the information technology infrastructure was clearly dr. billington's higher priority. i believe that this investment

1:05:20 to 1:05:41( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: will ensure that millions of people who access the through its website will be able to find what they're looking for. it's really phenomenal. within g.p.o., government printing office, we funded the final increment for g.p.o. website to ensure that

1:05:42 to 1:06:04( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: government agencies could be accessed. the bi provides the final increment of funding to complete the congress police into the capitol police. it was started by senator bennett. it has been promoted by each of the successive chair and members to improve security of

1:06:05 to 1:06:27( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: the capitol complex and today the library of congress police officially join the capitol police in a ceremony taking place at the so this is good news for them. there's congratulation that's need to go out to the men and women of the capitololice an library police who worked very

1:06:28 to 1:06:48( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: hard to seamlessly. so, mr. president, there are good initiatives within the legislative branch propriations. i'm -- i'm pleased to have been able to work senator nelson closely on these. and i'm pleased with the product that we have -- have moved

1:06:49 to 1:07:10( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: through -- through our subcommittee. were it we had just last week, i would be standing before you and saying this is -- this is almost a perfect product. we recognize that we must deal with the ongoing funding of our federal government.

1:07:11 to 1:07:31( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: it is the last day of the fiscal year and a continuing resolution must advance. but with that, mr. appreciate the -- the attention. and with that i and i would suggest the absence of a quorum. i ask that the time be divided equally on both sides for that.

1:07:32 to 1:07:52( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: the presiding officer: without objection. the clerk will call the roll.