Senate Proceeding on Feb 2nd, 2011 :: 7:08:40 to 7:17:45
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7:08:36 to 7:08:56( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: responsibility, and i urge our colleagues not to sling but to exercise t mr. president, i yield the floor. i send an amendment t it is there. i calm our amendment and ask for its consideration. the presiding officer: without objection.

7:08:40 to 7:17:45( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Daniel Inouye

7:08:57 to 7:09:17( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: the clerk will report. the clerk: mr. levin proposes amendment numbered 28. the presiding officer: the senator from hawaii. mr. inouye: mr. president, i rise today in support of the levin amendment which i believe is far superior alter national to the stabenow amendment, as it

7:09:18 to 7:09:38( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: currently stands. the levin amendment offered today by -- the amendment offered today by senator stabenow proposes to rescind $44 billion from unobligated balances of appropriated funds that are designated for specific

7:09:39 to 7:10:01( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: purposes in various appropriations bills previously enacted by congress. the senator offers these rescissions in order to offset the loss of revenues resulting from their amendment. mr. president, this amendment is a perfect representation of what i expect to be a flood of similar amendments and

7:10:02 to 7:10:22( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: stand-alone bills that seek to eviscerate the non-defense functions of the federal government. with the exception of the proposal from the junior senator from kentucky, which had the courage to list each and every cut that he proposed, i expect that many other bills and amendments will be blanket

7:10:23 to 7:10:44( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: rescissions that leave it to the executive branch to decide how the taxpayers' moneys will be spent. these bills and amendments turn the constitution's step reagan administration of powers on its -- separation of powers on its read.

7:10:45 to 7:11:05( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: in the case of the stab gnaw amendment, it simply provides for generic rescission of funds with the authority and decision making on the programs to be impacted, delegated entirely to the executive branch p. rescinding funds in this manner, as pointed out by senator levin,

7:11:06 to 7:11:27( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: may be politically convenient, as it simply cites the topline number of $44 billion, but it is also thoughtless and rash. it will serve to shelter those who vote in this favor from the righteous anger of americans, whose lives are disrupted when important and in some cases

7:11:28 to 7:11:50( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: vital projects and programs are shut down, as they inevitably will be should the amendment pass. i can also promise that if this amendment is enacted into law, the force of these cuts will be felt in each of the 50 states and the capricious nature of the

7:11:51 to 7:12:14( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: cuts will only deepen the pain. i know that because we are in the middle of a second quarter operating under a c.r., consequently, ace explained in november, the only unobligated balances remaining outside of those operating under the c.r. in 201 are those accounts that

7:12:15 to 7:12:36( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: are -- in 2011 are those accounts that are slow spend rates such as infrastructure accounts. that is why it has taken $44 billion in rescissions to pay for a $19 billion problem. as a result, we'll be cutting deeply into nondiswens discretionary -- non-defense

7:12:37 to 7:12:57( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: discretionary programs, without any analysis of the ultimate cost of impacts. this approach is simply irresponsible. while we can't say with certainty what the cuts will be, because the executive branch will have complete authority over what programs will be

7:12:58 to 7:13:18( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: impacted, i believe the following cuts are likely: stated local enforcement will face cuts of $200 million to $3 00 million in grant programs including $82 million in violence against women grants,

7:13:19 to 7:13:40( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: $81 million in burn and other justice program grants, and $10 million in juvenile justice grants. cutting these grants funds will take funding from programs already expected to be awarded and will fall particularly hard on states with large problems

7:13:41 to 7:14:01( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: with crime. a cut of $95 million from the d.e.a. would mean halting efforts to go after and take down mexican drug cartels, to enforce narco-terrorism investigations and information-sharing, and to address emerging technologies

7:14:02 to 7:14:23( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: used by drug traffickers. the t.s.a. stands to lose $674 million in funds to procure and install over 200 explosive detective systems in airports across the nation. finally, the u.s. marshals would face a cut of $48.7 million,

7:14:24 to 7:14:45( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: bringing an end to courthouse security equipment projects and also halting marshals' operations in the southwest border where they engage in activities such as tracking fujitives. supporters of the stabenow amendment would claim that i'm using scare tactics.

7:14:46 to 7:15:07( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: painting a dark picture when the real cuts are not as devastating. now, mr. president, how can anyone stand here and claim that we can cut $44 billion and not have it hurt our states and our constituents? this amount is the equivalent of

7:15:08 to 7:15:28( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: funding the entire department of homeland security, which covers everything from the coast guard to fema, from secret service to the border patrol. no one denies that waste, fraud and abuse exists and that we need to continue to enact reforms that will lessen waste,

7:15:29 to 7:15:50( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: convict those who would with defraud the government and eliminate abuses of programs that are designed to help those who need it most. but if this amendment is signed into law, then six days later we will all get a harsh reminder that campaigning against waste, fraud and abuse is not the same

7:15:51 to 7:16:13( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: thing as implementing a policy that cuts out billions of dollars in useful spending. these rescissions will hurt individuals, they will hurt communities and jeopardize safety of life and our security. mr. president, let me also point out to our colleagues that if

7:16:14 to 7:16:34( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: this amendment is enacted, we cannot stop rescissions of unobligated balances from a single account that we may view as vital because the amendment gives sole decision-making power to identifying cuts -- of identifying cuts to the executive branch. and i'll say this again, mr. president. this amendment is not in the

7:16:35 to 7:16:55( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: best interest of the senate. it is not in the best interest of our democratic priorities. and it is certainly not in the best interest of the american people. if indeed the will of the senate to eviscerate these critical programs, let's stop hiding

7:16:56 to 7:17:16( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: behind generic decisions. mr. president, let us instead support the levin amendment which offsets a revenue loss with a revenue gain, which eliminates unnecessary tax loopholes and which will leave important national priorities intact. mr. president, i yield the

7:17:17 to 7:17:40( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: floor. i suggest the -- the presiding officer: under the previous order, there will be two minutes of debate equally divided prior to a vote in relation to amendment number 28 offered by the senator from

7:17:41 to 7:17:50( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Inouye: michigan, mr. levin. mr. levin: is there anyone on the other side?