McConnell request to vote on debt limit proposal
Senator Reid objected to this request. The unofficial transcript of their remarks is below.
MR. McCONNELL: YESTERDAY AFTERNOON CAME TO THE FLOOR AND
OFFERED PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PROPOSAL ON THE FISCAL CLIFF TO SHOW
THAT NEITHER HE NOR DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS ARE ACTING IN GOOD
FAITH IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS. WITH JUST A FEW WEEKS TO GO BEFORE
A POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING AND ENTIRELY AVOIDABLE BLOW TO THE
ECONOMY, THE PRESIDENT PROPOSED A PLAN THAT MEMBERS OF HIS OWN
PARTY WON'T EVEN VOTE FOR. SO I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY AT THIS
POINT THAT THE PRESIDENT ACTUALLY ISN'T INTERESTED IN A
BALANCED AGREEMENT, HE'S NOT PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN
AVOIDING THE FISCAL CLIFF, AND HE'S CLEARLY NOT INTERESTED AT
ALL IN CUTTING ANY SPENDING. WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS REALLY
INTERESTED IN, AS WE LEARNED JUST YESTERDAY, IS GETTING AS MUCH
TAXPAYER MONEY AS HE CAN, FIRST, BY RAISING TAXES ON SMALL
BUSINESS THAT HE BELIEVES ARE MAKING TOO MUCH MONEY AND THEN ON
EVERYBODY ELSE, NOT SO HE CAN LOWER THE DEBT OR THE DEFICIT BUT
SO HE CAN SPEND TO HIS HEART'S CONTEFNLTS FOR MONTHS THE
PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SAYING ALL HE WANTS IS TO
{ NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS.}
{ 2012/12/06 TIME: 09-45 , Thu. 112th SENATE, SECOND SESSION}
{ NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS.}
TERDAY HE FINALLY REVEALED THAT'S NOT REALLY HIS TRUE INTENT.
BY DEMANDING THE POWER TO RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT WHENEVER HE
WANTS, BY AS MUCH AS HE WANTS, HE SHOWED WHAT HE'S REALLY AFTER
IS ASSUMING UNPRECEDENTED POWER TO SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS
WITHOUT ANY LIMIT AT ALL. THIS ISN'T ABOUT GETTING A HANDLE ON
DEFICITS OR DEBT FOR HIM. IT'S ABOUT SPENDING EVEN MORE THAN HE
ALREADY HAS. WHY ELSE WOULD HE DEMAND THE POWER TO RAISE THE
DEBT LIMIT ON HIS OWN?
BY THE WAY, WHY ON EARTH WOULD WE EVER CONSIDER GIVING A
PRESIDENT WHO'S BROUGHT US FOUR YEARS OF $1 TRILLION UNCHECKED
DEFICITS AUTHORITY TO BORROW?
HE'S THE LAST PERSON WHO SHOULD HAVE LIMITLESS BORROWING POWER.
THE ONLY WAY WE EVER CUT SPENDING AROUND HERE IS BY USING THE
DEBATE OVER THE DEBT LIMIT TO DO IT. NOW THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO
REMOVE THAT SPUR TO CUT ALTOGETHER. OF COURSE IT GETS IN THE
WAY OF HIS SPENDING PLANS. I ASSURE YOU IT'S NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT WASHINGTON TO GET SPENDING
UNDER CONTROL, AND THE DEBT LIMIT IS THE BEST TOOL WE HAVE TO
MAKE THE PRESIDENT TAKE THAT DEMAND SERIOUSLY. THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE WANT US TO FIGHT TO CUT SPENDING. IT'S A FIGHT THEY
DESERVE AND A FIGHT WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE. NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, I
INDICATED TO THE MAJORITY LEADER I WAS GOING TO PROPOUND THE
FOLLOWING
CONSENT: I'M PREPARED TO ASK CONSENT TO ALLOW THE SENATE TO
VOTE ON THE PRESIDENT'S DEBT LIMIT PROPOSAL. I WOULD ASK THIS
EITHER AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE RUSSIAN PNTR MEASURE THAT WE WILL
VOTE ON THIS AFTERNOON OR A FREE-STANDING BILL IF THAT IS
PREFERRED. THEREFORE, I NOW ASK CONSENT THAT IT BE IN ORDER TO
VOTE ON AN AMENDMENT WHICH IS THE PRESIDENT'S DEBT LIMIT
EXTENSION PROPOSAL THAT I JUST DESCRIBED PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE
OF THE RUSSIA PNTR BILL TODAY. SPOEUP IS THERE --
{09:47:15 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION?
{09:47:15 NSP} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
MR. REID: MR. PRESIDENT?
{09:47:18 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE MAJORITY LEADER.
{09:47:23 NSP} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
MR. REID: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT. I'M SORRY. RESERVING
THE RIGHT TO OBJECT, MR. PRESIDENT. I'VE BEEN THINKING HOW BEST
TO DESCRIBE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE ON CAPITOL HILL IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF WEEKS. EVERY MORNING I GET UP, THE FIRST THING I READ
IS THE SPORTS PAGE. I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THE SPORTS PAGE IN "THE
WASHINGTON POST" IS NOT NEARLY AS GOOD AS IT USED TO BE AND
"THE NEW YORK TIMES" IS NOT GOOD EITHER. BUT I READ THEM.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOME GOOD NEWS ON THE SPORTS PAGE. THEN I GO TO
THE FRONT PAGE AND GET SOME OF THE BAD NEWS. BUT I FOLLOW
SPORTS, NO MATTER
WHAT IT IS: BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, BASEBALL. WHATEVER IT IS. AND
I'VE WATCHED VERY CLOSELY. IT'S NOT ONE OF MY FAVORITE TEAMS
BUT IT'S REALLY FUN TO WATCH, AND THAT'S THE NEW YORK JETS. NEW
YORK JETS, YES. NEW YORK JETS. COACH RYAN, HE'S GOT A PROBLEM.
HE HAS THREE QUARTERBACKS. SANCHEZ. HE'S GOT TIM TEBOW. HE'S
GOT A GUY NAMED McELROY. HE CAN'T DECIDE WHO THEIR QUARTERBACK
IS GOING TO BE. THAT'S THE SAME PROBLEM THE REPUBLICANS HAVE.
WHO IS THE QUARTERBACK, MR. PRESIDENT?
WHO IS THE QUARTERBACK?
MR. PRESIDENT, MY FRIEND TALKS ABOUT THE $1 TRILLION, TRILLIONS
OF DOLLARS OF DEBT. MR. PRESIDENT, WE JUST HAD AN ELECTION. THE
PEOPLE OVERWHELMINGLY KNOW WHY WE HAVE THIS DEBT. THE POLLING
RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION SHOWED THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE REALIZE THE DEBT WAS CAUSED BY GEORGE BUSH.
THAT'S A FACT. NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, WE'VE CREATED, THERE WILL BE
ANOTHER JOBS REPORT OUT TOMORROW. WE HAD A LITTLE PROBLEM
BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH HURRICANE SANDY, BUT WE'LL STILL
HAVE ABOUT 100,000 NEW JOBS. WE'RE APPROACHING, IT MUST BE
ABOUT FOUR MILLION JOBS NOW THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED. IT DOESN'T
NEARLY MAKE UP WHAT WAS LOST DURING THE BUSH YEARS, BUT WE'RE
MAKING PROGRESS. MR. PRESIDENT, PEOPLE IN AMERICA REALIZE WE
CAN NO LONGER HAVE THE TOP-DOWN ECONOMY THAT THE REPUBLICANS SO
LOVED DURING THE BUSH YEARS AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO CREATE
AGAIN WITH GOVERNOR ROMNEY. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I'D BE HAPPY TO
TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROPOSAL THAT THE PRESIDENT -- THAT MY
FRIEND, THE REPUBLICAN LEADER, HAS SHOWN US. IF WE CAN COME UP
WITH SOMETHING LIKE WE DID WHEN THEY CREATED THIS OTHER FUROR
BY REFUSING TO INCREASE THE DEBT WHERE WE HAD AN ABILITY TO
COME HERE AND HAVE A COUPLE OF VOTES TO DETERMINE IF WE WERE
GOING TO INCREASE IT, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AGAIN, I'D
BE HAPPY TO SERIOUSLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND REPORT TO THE
WHITE HOUSE AND MY CAUCUS. BUT UNTIL THEN, I OBJECT. MR.
McCONNELL: MR. PRESIDENT?
{09:50:11} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
{09:50:16 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: OBJECTION HAVING BEEN HEARD. MR.
McCONNELL: MR. PRESIDENT?
{09:50:19 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE MINORITY LEADER.
09:50:21 NSP} (MR. McCONNELL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
MR. McCONNELL: MY FRIEND THE MAJORITY LEADER INDICATES THERE IS
SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHO IS THE QUARTERBACK ON THE REPUBLICAN
SIDE. THAT IS OF COURSE QUITE COMMON WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE
WHITE HOUSE. BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT WHO THE QUARTERBACK IS
ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE. THE QUARTERBACK ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE
IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. AND, UNFORTUNATELY, HE
KEEPS THROWING INTERCEPTIONS. AND WE'RE MOVING BACKWARD AND
BACKWARD AND BACKWARD TOWARD THE GOAL LINE. $4 TRILLION ANNUAL
DEFICITS, AND MY FRIEND FROM NEVADA STILL WANTS TO BLAME THAT
ON GEORGE BUSH?
LOOK, AND NOW HE'S ASKING FOR AN UNLIMITED, AN UNLIMITED
AUTHORITY TO BORROW WHENEVER HE WANTS TO FOR WHATEVER AMOUNT HE WANTS TO?
IF THE MAJORITY LEADER SUPPORTS THAT PROPOSAL, I WOULD HOPE
THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER HERE AND GET A VOTE ON IT AND GIVE
HIS MEMBERS A CHANCE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
THEY THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY FORWARD FOR OUR COUNTRY, TO GIVE
THIS PRESIDENT OR ANY OTHER PRESIDENT UNLIMITED AUTHORITY TO
BORROW AS MUCH AS HE WANTS AT ANY TIME HE WANTS FROM THE
CHINESE OR ANYBODY ELSE. THAT'S THE QUESTION.
MR. REID: MR.
PRESIDENT?
{09:51:35 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE MAJORITY LEADER.
{09:51:37 NSP} (MR. REID) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }
MR. REID: OF COURSE, AS I SAID, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT THE
PROPOSAL BY MY FRIEND. BUT THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T WANT TO DO
ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE
ARE NOW AND THAT'S WHY I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE A LOOK AT HIS
PROPOSAL. IF IT'S WHAT WE DID LAST SUMMER, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE
A LOOK AT THAT AND MOVE FORWARD ON THIS. WE HAVE, MR.
PRESIDENT, IT'S NOT ONLY WE DEMOCRATS, BUT WE HAVE A LONG LINE
OF REPUBLICANS WHO I OUTLINED EARLY ON, WHERE PEOPLE RECOGNIZE
THAT IMMEDIATELY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MIDDLE CLASS AND
THE POOR ARE TAKEN CARE OF WITHOUT THEIR TAXES BEING INCREASED.
WE'VE GOT REPRESENTATIVES COLE, SCOTT, SENATORS SNOWE, COLLINS
AND COBURN AND A LONG LIST OF REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING LET'S MOVE
ON.
