Objections to Budget Conference
- Motion to instruct relative to the debt limit; and
- Motion to instruct relative to taxes/revenue;
That there be two hours of debate equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, prior to votes in relation to the motions; further, that no amendments be in order to either of the motions prior to the votes; all of the above occurring with no intervening action or debate.
Senator Rubio requested to modify Senator Murray's request to go to a conference without having the debt limit raised within that conference. Senator Murray objected to Senator Rubio's request to modify and finally, Senator Rubio objected to Senator Murray's original request. Senator McCain also spoke about his objections to Senator Rubios's modification. The unofficial transcript is below.
12:15:00 NSP (MRS. MURRAY) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
MRS. MURRAY: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. MADAM PRESIDENT,
SENATE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN WAITING A
TIME TO GO TO CONFERENCE ON OUR BUDGET. IN FACT, IT HAS NOW
BEEN 73 DA DAYS. AND UNTIL RECENTLY, WE'VE GOTTEN PRETTY USED
TO SENATE REPUBLICANS JUST SIMPLY STANDING UP AND SAYING, "NO."
FOR MONTHS, REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN OFFERING A LOT OF EXCUSES FOR
WHY THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO CONFERENCE ON THE BUDGET. THEY
HAVE SAID THEY WANT A PRECONFERENCE FRAMEWORK WHICH, BY THE
WAY, IS WHAT A BUDGET IS. THEY HAVE SAID THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW US
TO GO TO CONFERENCE UNTIL WE GUARANTEED THAT THE WEALTHIEST
AMERICANS AND BIGGEST CORPORATIONS WOULD BE PROTECTED FROM
PAYING A PENNY MORE IN TAXES. THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T WANT A
BIPARTISAN CONFERENCE TO TAKE AWAY THE LEVERAGE THEY HAVE ON
THE DEBT CEILING. AND THEN THEY CALLED FOR A DO-OVER, WHICH
ACTUALLY MY RANKING MEMBER ON THE BUDGET CALLED FOR AGAIN THIS
MORNING. TO BRING UP THE HOUSE BUDGET, HAVE 50 HOURS OF DEBATE,
A WHOLE NEW ROUND OF UNLIMITED AMENDMENTS, GO THROUGH THE
PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN. AND THEY DID THIS AFTER THEY PRAISED
THE VERY OPEN AND THOROUGH FLOOR DEBATE WE HAD ON THE SENATE
BUDGET. SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, THE STORY KEEPS CHANGING. BUT EVEN
AS SOME REPUBLICANS WERE FOCUSED ON FINDING EXCUSES TO MOVE US
CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THIS CRISIS RATHER THAN HAVE A BUDGET
DEAL, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS WHO ARE NOW JOINING WITH
US TO CALL ON REGULAR ORDER. SENATOR COBURN SAID THAT BLOCKING
CONFERENCE IS, AND I QUOTE, NOT A GOOD POSITION TO BE IN.
SENATOR BOZEMAN SAID -- QUOTE -- HE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE
A CONFERENCE. SENATOR WICKER SAID WEEKS AGO THAT -- QUOTE --
"BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK, WE SHOULD BE READY TO GO TO
CONFERENCE." SO WE HAVE KNOWN FOR A WHILE THAT BLOCKING REGULAR
ORDER, ESPECIALLY AFTER CALLING FOR IT SO EAGERLY JUST A MATTER
OF MONTHS AGO, WAS NOT SITTING WELL WITH A NUMBER OF OUR
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES. AND NOW ACCORDING TO "POLITICO," MORE
REPUBLICANS APPEAR TO FAVOR HEADING TO CONFERENCE THAN BLOCKING
IT. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WELCOME THAT. WE NEED TO MOVE THIS TO
CONFERENCE. IT IS THE REGULAR ORDER. IT WILL ALLOW US TO SOLVE
OUR COUNTRY'S PROBLEMS, AND WE -- WE TRULY NEED A PROCESS TO
ALLOW US TO DEAL WITH OUR NATION'S PROBLEMS. MADAM PRESIDENT,
SENATOR McCAIN IS ON THE FLOOR, AND I WANT TO THANK HIM BECAUSE
HE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE, NOT JUST FOR THIS BILL BUT FOR
ALL LEGISLATION IN THE SENATE, THAT WE COME HERE, WE
COMPROMISE, WE FIGHT HARD FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN, BUT AT THE
END OF THE DAY JUST SAYING MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY, EVEN IF
YOU'RE A SMALL MINORITY, DOESN'T MOVE THIS COUNTRY TO THE PLACE
WHERE WE NEED IT TO GET TO. IT ISN'T A CRISIS BY MANAGEMENT
PLACE. AND I THANK HIM FOR TAKING A LEAD AND CALLING FOR
REGULAR ORDER. HE HAS SAID THAT REPUBLICAN PRECONDITIONS LIKE
DEMANDING THE CONFERENCE AGREE TO NOT RAISE THE DEBT CEILING OR
RAISE TAXES ARE ABSOLUTELY OUT OF LINE AND UNPRECEDENTED.
SENATOR COLLINS JOINED US ON THE FLOOR A FEW WEEKS AGO TO SAY
THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A LOT WE DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE ON, WE
SHOULD AT LEAST GO TO CONFERENCE AND MAKE OUR BEST EFFORT TO
GET A DEAL. MADAM PRESIDENT, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. THE
STALLING THAT WE HAVE SEEN IS, AS SOME HAVE SAID ON THEIR SIDE,
A LITTLE BIZARRE AND IRONIC, TO SAY THE LEAST, ESPECIALLY AFTER
I WOULD REMIND EVERYONE 50 HOURS OF DEBATE, INNUMERABLE
AMENDMENTS THAT TOOK US WAY INTO THE EARLY HOURS, WE OFFERED
EVERYBODY THE CHANCE TO SPEAK OUT, AND AFTER THAT SESSION WAS
OVER, MANY OF OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES CAME TO ME PERSONALLY
AND THANKED ME FOR FINALLY HAVING AN OPEN PROCESS. IF THEY WANT
US TO HAVE AN OPEN PROCESS, THEN THEY HAVE TO TAKE THAT PROCESS
AND TAKE IT TO THE NEXT STEP. SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, I AM DEEPLY
CONCERNED. WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS ANOTHER MANUFACTURED CRISIS
THIS FALL. WE HAVE OUR APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES THAT NEED TO
MOVE FORWARD. THE COUNTRY IS VERY CLEARLY TIRED OF THIS COUNTRY
BEING MANAGED BY CRISIS, AND WE JUST HAD A BUDGET HEARING THIS
MORNING WHERE OUR WITNESSES, BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
ALIKE, SAID THAT MOVING US TO A CONSERVED CRISIS WOULD IMPACT
THIS ECONOMY IN A HORRIFIC WAY THIS FALL. WE DO NOT NEED TO
HAVE THAT HAPPEN. I WANT TO GO TO CONFERENCE. DO I WANT TO HAVE A COMPROMISE?
NOT REALLY. I LOVE WHERE I STAND, BUT I HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG
TIME. YOU DON'T GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO
COMPROMISE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE COUNTRY FORWARD. AND I AM
WILLING TO GO TO CONFERENCE WITH MY COUNTERPART, CHAIRMAN RYAN,
WHO IS ON A VERY DIFFERENT PAGE THAN I AM, AND FIND OUR
COMPROMISE AND BE WILLING TO MOVE THAT FORWARD HERE IN THE
CONGRESS SO WE CAN GET TO A PLACE THAT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO
LEAD THIS COUNTRY AGAIN. SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, I THINK WE ARE AT
A VERY CRITICAL POINT. I SEE SENATOR McCAIN IS ON THE FLOOR. I
WOULD BE HAPPY TO YIELD TO HIM FOR A COMMENT.
MR. McCAIN: MADAM PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT, --
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM ARIZONA.
MR. McCAIN: I UNDERSTAND THAT ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO WILL
OBJECT IS COMING TO THE FLOOR, SO PERHAPS I WOULD RESERVE THE
RIGHT TO OBJECT ON -- ON HIS BEHALF EVEN THOUGH I'M IN STARK
DISAGREEMENT. BUT INSTEAD, I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT AND I'M
SURE THAT MY COLLEAGUE WILL -- ON THIS SIDE OF THE AISLE WILL
VOICE AN OBJECTION WHEN HE ARRIVES. HE'S HERE.
MRS. MURRAY: I CAN GO AHEAD AND OFFER THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT AT
THIS TIME AND WE CAN MOVE FROM THERE.
MR. McCAIN: IF IT'S OKAY WITH THE SENATOR, BECAUSE WE KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE REMARKS AND
THEN THE SENATOR FROM FLORIDA WILL MAKE THE SAME ARGUMENT THAT
WE HAVE MADE THE LAST FEW DAYS, AND FORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE TO
BE LISTEN AGAIN. FOR FOUR YEARS, MEMBERS ON THIS SIDE OF THE
AISLE ARGUED STRENUOUSLY THAT WE WERE DOING A GREAT DISSERVICE
TO THE COUNTRY BY NOT TAKING UP AND DEBATING AND AMENDING A
BUDGET THAT WOULD THEN GO TO CONFERENCE WITH THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES -- THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAPITOL, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AND THEN WE WOULD DO WHAT WE EXPECT, AND
UNFORTUNATELY EVERY FAMILY IN AMERICA HAS TO DO, AND THAT IS TO
PASS A BUDGET UNDER WHICH WE WOULD BE GUIDED IN OUR
AUTHORIZATION AND APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS. NOW, MY COLLEAGUE
FROM FLORIDA WILL COME TO THE FLOOR AND SAY THAT WE HAVE
AMASSED A DEBT BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A
BUDGET FOR FOUR YEARS, SO HOW CAN YOU ARGUE THAT THE FACT THAT
WE MAY HAVE TO -- WE MAY GO TO CONFERENCE ON A BUDGET, THAT
SOMEHOW THAT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEBT?
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NONSENSE. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NONSENSE. JUST AS
FRANKLY IT WAS NONSENSE WHEN THE SAME GROUP OF SENATORS SAID WE
SHOULDN'T EVEN DEBATE GUN MEASURES IN LIGHT OF A TRAGEDY THAT
TOOK PLACE IN CONNECTICUT AND ANOTHER TRAGEDY THAT TOOK PLACE
IN TUCSON, ARIZONA. DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO TAKE UP AND DEBATE A
WAY THAT SOME OF US HAD IDEAS TO TRY TO KEEP THE WEAPONS OUT OF
THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS, AND THE HANDS OF THE MENTALLY ILL. SO
NOW WE HAVE A SENATE WHERE WE REFUSE TO MOVE FORWARD ON ISSUES
AND HAVE OPEN DEBATE AND DISCUSSION AND VOTES. I ALWAYS
BELIEVED IN THE YEARS I HAVE BEEN HERE WITH REPUBLICAN AND
DEMOCRAT MAJORITIES THAT THE WAY WE ARE SUPPOSED TO FUNCTION IS
TO SAY OKAY, LET'S GIVE IT OUR BEST SHOT AND LET'S DO THE BEST
WE CAN AND LET'S HAVE VOTES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS OUR
OBJECTIONS AGAIN TO THE MAJORITY LEADER WAS THAT HE WOULDN'T
LET US HAVE VOTES ON AMENDMENTS. WE HAD I HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW
MANY VOTES ON THE BUDGET THAT LASTED
UNTIL, I BELIEVE, AROUND 7:00 IN THE MORNING. SO THE OPPONENTS
OF MOVING FORWARD ON ANYTHING CAN'T ARGUE WE DIDN'T HAVE VOTES
ON THE BUDGET, CAN'T ARGUE THAT THEY WERE BLOCKED FROM WHATEVER
AMENDMENT THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE VOTED ON, SO NOW WE'RE FACED
WITH A SITUATION WHERE WE WILL NOT GO TO CONFERENCE, AND I WANT
TO TELL MY COLLEAGUES THAT CONTINUE TO DO THIS THAT, WITH MY
STRENUOUS OBJECTIONS, THE MAJORITY WILL BECOME FRUSTRATED AND
THE MAJORITY CAN CHANGE THE RULES OF THE SENATE, THEY CAN DO
THAT. AND I MUST SAY THAT ALTHOUGH I
WOULD STRENUOUSLY. MAJORITY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAPITOL IS
OF OUR PARTY. THAT'S REALLY VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND.
UNLESS YOU TAKE THE WORD OF ONE PI MY COLLEAGUES TO CAME TO
FLOOR AND SAID I DON'T TRUST DEMOCRATS AND I DON'T TRUST
REPUBLICANS. LET ME REPEAT WHAT HE SAID. I DON'T TRUST
DEMOCRATS AND I DON'T TRUST REPUBLICANS. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF
TRUSTING DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS. WHAT THIS IS A MATTER OF IS
WHETHER WE WILL GO THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THAT PEOPLE
SENT US HERE TO DO. AND I'VE PROBABLY LOST MANY MORE TIMES THAN
I HAVE WON. BUT I'VE BEEN SATISFIED IN THE TIMES THAT I HAVE
LOST THAT I WAS ABLE TO MAKE MY ARGUMENT, WAS -- PUT IT TO THE
WILL OF THE BODY AND IT WAS EITHER ACCEPTED OR REJECTED. THAT'S
HOW PEOPLE, SCHOOL CHILDREN ALL OVER AMERICA, EXPECT TO US
BEHAVE. THAT'S THE WAY OUR CONSTITUTION IS WRITTEN. THAT'S WHAT
THIS BODY IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT. SO WHEN WE HAVE A -- BY THE
WAY, MADAM PRESIDENT, THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M GOING TO COME
TO THE FLOOR ON THIS EXERCISE BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY A
FRUITLESS KIND OF EFFORT, UNTIL SOMETHING CHANGES. AND
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE SHORT TERM. NOW, MY
FRIENDS ON THE -- WILL BE SAYING THEY'RE REAGAN REPUBLICANS,
YOU'RE A REAGAN REPUBLICAN. I WAS HERE WHEN RONALD REAGAN WAS
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. PRESIDENT REAGAN RIGHTLY OR
WRONGLY PASSED AMNESTY FOR THREE MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY
ILLEGALLY. HE SAT DOWN WITH TIP O'NEILL AND THEY SAVED SOCIAL
SECURITY FROM BANKRUPTCY. RONALD REAGAN-RANK SAT DOWN WITH THE
DEMOCRATS AND THEY AGREED IN WAYS OF INCREASING REVENUES AND
CUTTING SPENDING. RONALD REAGAN'S RECORD IS VERY CLEAR. AND, BY
THE WAY, IT WAS ONE OF AN ASSERTIVE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA AND LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD AND NOT COME HOME TO
FORTRESS AMERICA. SO SOMETIMES WHEN I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES HERE
TALK ABOUT HOW THEY ARE RONALD REAGAN REPUBLICANS, I DON'T
THINK RONALD REAGAN WOULD HAVE DISAGREED WE SHOULD HAVE A
BUDGET. WE SHOULD HAVE A BUDGET FOR -- TO GUIDE THE LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA OF THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. SO AS I SAID, I
WON'T BE COMING BACK TO THE FLOOR AGAIN WHILE MY COLLEAGUES
OBJECT AND I SEE MY COLLEAGUE FROM UTAH THAT WAS SO UNFAMILIAR
WITH THE -- WITH WHAT WE DO HERE THAT HE CLAIMED IT WAS BEHIND
CLOSED DOORS IN BACK ROOMS WHEN THE FACT IS THE BUDGET
CONFERENCE IS ON C-SPAN AND OPEN TO ALL. SO I CAN JUST SAY TO
MY COLLEAGUES THIS IS NOT A PROUD MOMENT FOR ME AS WE BLOCK A
PROCESS THAT WAS AGREED TO AND ENACTED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS,
WAS NOT ENACTED FOR FOUR YEARS OVER THE STRENUOUS OBJECTIONS OF
MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES WHO DID NOT ENACT A BUDGET, WE ENACTED
A BUDGET AFTER AN ALL-NIGHTMARE THON OF VOTE AFTER VOTE AFTER
VOTE ON LITERALLY ANY ISSUE AND THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE VOTE
PROPOSED BY MY COLLEAGUES HERE THAT SAID THAT WE CAN'T AGREE TO
A LIFTING OF THE DEBT LIMIT. NOW, THE FLOOR WAS OPEN FOR THAT
AMENDMENT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY MY COLLEAGUES NOW VIEW THIS AS
THE CRITERIA FOR US MOVING FORWARD ON THE BILL. SO I WISH THEM
LUCK, AND I WILL NOT BE COMING TO THE FLOOR AGAIN TO OBJECT TO
THEIR OBJECTION, AND WE'LL LET THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MAKE THE
JUDGMENT. I YIELD THE FLOOR.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON.
MRS. MURRAY: I WANT TO THANK THE SENATOR FROM ARIZONA FOR HIS
VERY HEARTFELT REMARKS. HE AND I DON'T AGREE ON A LOT BUT WE
AGREE WE WANT THIS COUNTRY TO WORK. BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE
ISN'T GREAT. AND THE WAY FOR THIS COUNTRY TO WORK IS FOR FOR TO
US COME TOGETHER WITH OUR DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AND MOVE
FORWARD AND THAT'S WHAT THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE IS ALL ABOUT.
SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE SENATE
PROCEED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF CALENDAR NUMBER 33, H. CON.
RES. 25, THE AMENDMENT WHICH IS AT THE DESK, THE TEXT OF S.
CON. RES. 8, THE BUDGET RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE SENATE BE
INSERTED IN LIEU THEREOF, THAT THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER BE LAID
ON THE TABLE, THE SENATE INSIST ON ITS AMENDMENT, REQUEST A
CONFERENCE WITH THE HOUSE ON THE DISAGREEING VOTES OF THE TWO
HOUSES, AND THE CHAIR AUTHORIZED TO APPOINT CONFEREES ON THE
PART OF THE SENATE, FOLLOWING THE AUTHORIZATION TWO MOTIONS TO
INSTRUCT CONFERENCES BE IN ORDER FROM EACH SIDE. MOTION TO
INSTRUCT RELATIVE TO THE DEBT LIMIT AND MOTION TO INSTRUCT
RELATIVE TO TAXES AND REVENUE. THERE BE TWO HOURS OF DEBATE
EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS OR THEIR DESIGNEES
PRIOR TO VOTES IN RELATIONS TO THE MOTIONS, FURTHER NO
AMENDMENTS ANY OF THE AMENDMENTEDS PRIOR TO THE VOTE ALL OF THE
ABOVE OCCURRING WITH NO INTERVENING ACTION OR DEBATE.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTIONAM ?
THE SENATOR FROM FLORIDA.
MR. RUBIO: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT -- FIRST I THANK THE
SENATOR FROM ARIZONA FOR PROTECTING MY RIGHT TO OBJECT IN MY
ABSENCE BEFORE I MADE IT TO
FLOOR AND JUST TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT, I DON'T THINK THAT
WE OBJECT TO MOVING THE BUDGET CONFERENCE. WE OBJECT TO MOVING
THE BUDGET CONFERENCE AND HAVING THE DEBT LIMIT RAISED WITHIN
THAT CONFERENCE. I WOULD ASK THE SENATOR IF SHE WOULD CONSIDER
A UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT SHE MODIFY HER REQUEST SO IT NOT BE IN
ORDER FOR THE SENATE TO CONSIDER A CONFERENCE REPORT THAT
INCLUDES RECONCILIATION INSTRUCTIONS TO RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT.
MRS. MURRAY: MADAM PRESIDENT, IF THE SENATOR HEARD MY REQUEST,
I SAID THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER A MOTION TO INSTRUCT RELATIVE TO
THE DEBT LIMIT AS PART OF OUR AGREEMENT TO MOVE TO CONFERENCE.
SO SO THE SENATOR WOULD BE ALLOWED TO MAKE HIS VOICE HEARD AT
THAT TIME, AND I WOULD OBJECT TO MAKING A REQUIREMENT WITHOUT A
VOTE OF THE SENATE THAT SAYS THE MAJORITY WOULD AGREE WITH
THAT. SO I WOULD OBJECT TO HIS AMENDMENT AND AGAIN ASK FOR
CONSENT ON THE AGREEMENT THAT I HAVE BEFORE ME.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: OBJECTION IS HEARD. IS THERE OBJECTION
TO THE ORIGINAL REQUEST?
MR. RUBIO: MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM FLORIDA.
MR. RUBIO: I OBJECT.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: OBJECTION IS HEARD.
