Senate Proceeding 11-13-07 on Nov 13th, 2007 :: 2:36:16 to 2:50:47
Total video length: 5 hours 43 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

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

Views:39 Duration: 0:14:31 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

2:36:16 to 2:36:56( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: x you quorum call: mr. byrd: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. re the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. byrd: madam president,

2:36:16 to 2:50:47( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Robert Byrd

2:36:57 to 2:37:18( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: today the president, our president, demonstrated once again that he values political posturing more than making america a safer, healthier, more economically strong nation. this morning president

2:37:18 to 2:37:51( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: bush vetoed a bipartisan fiscally responsible labor-h.h.s. education bill that increases funding for programs to improve student peformance, makes college more affordable, supports lifesaving medical research,

2:37:51 to 2:38:18( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: and provides relief for families coping with rising home heating costs. the bill also provides money for veterans employment programs, homeless veterans, and research to help those veterans suffering

2:38:18 to 2:38:41( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: from traumatic brain injuries. the president, in an effort to convey the appearance of fiscal discipline, has threatened to veto ten of the 12 appropriations bills. ten out of 12. today the president

2:38:41 to 2:39:03( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: vetoed the labor-h.h.s. education appropriations bill because congress chose to increase funding by 5%. the hypocrisy of the president's political posturing became even more clear today. this morning the

2:39:03 to 2:39:28( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: president signed the defense appropriations bill which provides a $40 billion or 10% increase for the department of defense. also this morning the president vetoed the labor, h.h.s., education bill

2:39:28 to 2:39:53( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: because congress chose to restore irresponsible and shortsighted cuts proposed by the president. as part of the president's political message, he describes the 5% increase for labor-h.h.s.-education

2:39:53 to 2:40:23( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: programs as -- quote -- "bloated -- b-l-o-a-t-e-d -- bloated spending." i call it responsible investments in researching cancer, heart disease, and diabetes and educating our children and providing access to

2:40:23 to 2:40:45( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: health care to rural america and to heating the homes of low-income elderly americans. the president proposed to cut the national institutes of health funding by $279 million for studying cancer, diabetes,

2:40:45 to 2:41:21( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: and heart disease. under the president's budget, the national institutes of health would have to eliminate 717 research grants that could lead to cures or treatments for cancer, diabetes, alzheimer's, and

2:41:21 to 2:41:50( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: other diseases. congress restored those cuts and provided an increase of $1.1 billion. i ask the question: is increasing spending for the national institutes of health by 3.8% -- quote -- "bloated"

2:41:50 to 2:42:15( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: spending? is it? of course not the president proposed over $3 billion in cuts for education programs, including special education, safe and drug-free schools, and improving teacher quality. congress --

2:42:15 to 2:42:44( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: that's us -- congress restored those cuts. is increasing by 3% to educate or children bloated spending?x i ask the question again, congress restoredor those cuts. is increasing funding by 3% to educate

2:42:44 to 2:43:24( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: our children bloated spending? no. the president proposed cuts of nearly $1 billion from health programs such as rural health, preventive hilt health, nurse training, and mental health grants. congress,

2:43:30 to 2:43:57( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: on a bipartisan basis, restored those cuts. i ask the question, is providing an increase of $225 million for community health centers bloated spending? is it? certainly not. the president, our president,

2:43:57 to 2:44:29( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: proposed to cut low-income home energy assistance by $379 million. congress -- that's us -- congress restored that cut and provided an increase of $250 million, with the price of a barrel of oil reaching

2:44:29 to 2:44:50( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: $100, does anyone really, really think that increasing low-income home energy assistance is bloated spending? no. no senator will be cold this winter. i won't be cold this winter. you on that side

2:44:50 to 2:45:15( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: of the aisle won't be cold this winter. we on this side won't be cold this winter. no senator will be cold this winter at home. the president won't be cold down at the white house. no. yet, the president

2:45:15 to 2:45:41( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: wants congress -- those that's us -- the president wants wants us to slash such assistance. president bush's budget director director, jim nussle, with whom i met several weeks ago, indicate ed that

2:45:41 to 2:46:08( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: he would be prepared to negotiate in good faith with congress over our differences in spending. to my dismay -- to my dismay, director nussle has not reached out to the leadership of the appropriations

2:46:08 to 2:46:37( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: committees in the house and senate in a genuine effort to find common ground. now, what is the problem? why, mr. president -- why, mr. mr. nussle, why is a $40 billion increase for the department of

2:46:37 to 2:47:13( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: defense fiscally responsible while a $6 billion increase to educate our children and improve the health of our citizens bloat bloated spending? now, let's stop, please -- least stop this charade of

2:47:13 to 2:47:48( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: political gamesmanship. i say this most respectfully, mr. president. , to our president. let's move forward for the good of the american people. they deserve more from their elected officials. i suggest

2:47:48 to 2:48:22( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: to this white house that it stop its intransigence and help us, the elected representatives of the people, in congress -- help us to enact this vital legislation. let us sit down together and work

2:48:22 to 2:48:49( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: out the problems in this bill. providing for our people's needs should not be a game of us versus them. it should not be a republican white house versus a democratic conference. people's lives -- people's

2:48:49 to 2:49:21( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: lives should not be fodder -- f-o-d-d- f-o-d-d-e-r -- fodder for eco- eco-driven political games. homeless veterans, veterans in need of health care, children in need of education. these must not

2:49:21 to 2:49:53( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: become the target in a foolish game of kickball. i urge this white house, i plead with this white house to sit down with the congress and address the growing unmet needed needs in this country. if

2:49:53 to 2:50:33( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: we can build schools and hospitals in iraq, we -- that's us -- weerk we can certainly provide health care and education for our own citizens. nobody wins in a game of chicken and, surely, the white

2:50:37 to 2:50:47( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: housean and ought to work with us -- us, in congress -- to stop the charade. mr. president, i yield the floor floor. mr. brown: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from ohio. mr.

2:50:47 to 2:50:59( Edit History Discussion )

Sherrod Brown: brown: are w e in a quorum call, mr. president? the presiding officer: sno. mr. brown: mr. president, i ask unanimou s consent to speak for up to seven minutes minutes in morning business. the presiding

2:50:47 to 2:58:54( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Sherrod Brown