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Senate Proceeding on Mar 19th, 2010 :: 2:37:20 to 2:57:20
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Benjamin L. Cardin

2:24:00 to 2:37:20( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Benjamin L. Cardin

Benjamin L. Cardin

2:37:03 to 2:37:22( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: are affected by the decisions, and i would hope that my colleagues would respect the judgment of the senators from maryland a vir mr. president, this is a very important bill, it's a very good bill. it modernizes our f.a., it provides for the safety, convenience, and as i said earlier, will save time, save

Byron Dorgan

2:37:23 to 2:37:44( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: energy and make our air traffic more -- meet the growing needs of those who use the -- our airports around the nation. and with that, mr. president, i would yie mr. dorgan: mr. president? senator from north dakota. mr. dorgan: mr. president, we've reached a unanimous consent request which i will read

Byron Dorgan

2:37:25 to 2:42:40( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Byron Dorgan

Byron Dorgan

2:37:45 to 2:38:05( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: momentarily with the minority and the majority agreeing to the request and it's the way forward to a final vote on the f.a. reauthorization bill on monda afternoon. and this is -- it's an important moment because it's taken a long, long while to get an f.a. reauthorization bill through the united states senate senate. finally i think on monday that will be achieved and it will

Byron Dorgan

2:38:06 to 2:38:27( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: accomplish many objectives that are so important for our country country: air safety and investment in infrastructure and passenger bill of rights. and it's bipartisan. i mean, it represents all of the best of what we should be doing around here. it came out of the commerce committee on a bipartisan basis and we discussion. there are a couple of other discussions prior to the completion of the bill and one of them deals with the subject

Byron Dorgan

2:38:28 to 2:38:48( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: my colleague from maryland was just describing. but let me rea the unanimous consent request. it's been agreed to by the minority and the majority. mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that no further amendments other than those covered in this agreement be in order to h.r. when the senate resumes consideration of the bill on monday, may 22, the time until

Byron Dorgan

2:38:49 to 2:39:09( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: 4:30 p.m. be for debate only equally divided and controlled between senators rockefeer and hutchison or their designees. further, that at 4:30 p.m., the ensign amendment number reported for consideration and that it be modified with the changes at the desk, with the time until 5:30 p.m. for debate with respect to that amendment

Byron Dorgan

2:39:10 to 2:39:30( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: and that the time be equally divided and controlled between senators warner and kyl or their designees. that at 5:30 p.m., the senate proceed to vote in relation to amendment number 3476, as modified. that adoption of the amendment require an affirmative 60-vote threshold and that if the amendment achieves that threshold, it be agreed to and

Byron Dorgan

2:39:31 to 2:39:52( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table. that if it does not achieve the threshold, than it be withdrawn -- then it be withdrawn. further, that it also be in order for the amendment to be withdrawn prior to the vote. that upon disposition of amendment number 3427 -- excuse me, 3476, as modified, the

Byron Dorgan

2:39:53 to 2:40:16( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: pending mccain amendment number 3527 be withdrawn, the pending mccain amendment 3428, if not disposed of, the senate then proceed to vote in relation to the amendment. that upon disposition of the mccain amendment 3528, the the desk and cleared by the

Byron Dorgan

2:40:17 to 2:40:39( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: managers and leaders, be considered and agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table. that the substitute amendment as amended be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, that the bill as amended be read a third time and the senate then proceed to vote on passage of the bill. that upon passage, the title amendment, which is at the desk, be considere and agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid

Byron Dorgan

2:40:40 to 2:41:00( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. dorgan: mr. president, that is a long unanimous consent request. the potential would be only one vote on monday or the potential might be three votes or somewhere in that neighborhood, but it does, upon its execution

Byron Dorgan

2:41:01 to 2:41:22( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: on monday, allow us as a senate to finish the f.a. reauthorization bill. and it has so much to commend it for our country and i'm really pleased, through negotiation with so many people -- senator hutchison, senator kyl on that side, senator warner and others -- that we were able to reach agreement so that we will have a way forward dealing with some -- a couple of

Byron Dorgan

2:41:23 to 2:41:44( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: controversial issues that will remain passag senator from florida wishes to speak so let me yield the flo mr. lemieux: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. lemieux: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, here's here today to speak on this f.a. bill and

Byron Dorgan

2:41:45 to 2:42:05( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: an amendment i've filed on this bill concerning the space program. for decades, the space shuttle has been a symbol for american innovation and ingenuity and the pioneering sneert has made our -- spirit that has made our nation the most technically -- technical untilly advanced -- technical untilly advanced country in the world. today, however, on space program

Byron Dorgan

2:42:06 to 2:42:27( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: stands near a crossroads, near the end of one -- mr. dorgan: , mr. president, i'm sorry for the bankruptcy is. will the senator yield? mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to i period of monk busines morning business with senators permitted to speak for up to ten minutes each. and let me ask the senator from florida be recognized for as much time as he may consume. the presiding officer: is there objection?

Byron Dorgan

2:42:28 to 2:42:40( Edit History Discussion )

Byron Dorgan: without objection, so ordered. the senator from florida. mr. lemieux: the space program is at a crossroads between one project and the next. for years, we've had soaring

2:42:41 to 2:43:01( Edit History Discussion )

aspirations about space without funding. now we have a plan that includes the money but lacks the vision. in our nation's space program, we cannot have money without ambition. the result will be directionless spending. and as sure as winter follows fall, that directionless spending will lead to cuts in

2:43:02 to 2:43:23( Edit History Discussion )

spending and eventually, i believe, to the demise of our space program. in 2004, the constellation program was announced as a follow-up to the space shuttle program. that vision was endorsed by congress in 2005 and in 2008, and in both years, we directed

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

nasa to focus its efforts on returning to the moon by 2020 and someday sending americans to mars and worlds beyond. in fact, mr. president, i have here the public law that was passed just about a year and a half ago, october 15 of 2008.

2:43:45 to 2:44:05( Edit History Discussion )

it's public law 110-422. and if i may read from it, it says, "the congress finds on this 50th anniversary of the establishment of the national aeronautics and space administration, the following." it goes on to say, one of the points that it finds: "developing united states human space flight capabilities. to allow independent american

2:44:06 to 2:44:26( Edit History Discussion )

access to the international space station and to explore beyond low earth orbit is a strategically important national imperative. and all prudent steps should be taken to bring the orion crew exploration vehicle and aries 1 crew launch vehicle to full operational capability as soon

2:44:27 to 2:44:47( Edit History Discussion )

as possible and to ensure the effective development of the united states heavy lift launch capability for missions beyond earth and low earth orbit." mr. president, i ask unanimous consent to enter that portion of the public law into the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. lemieux: that was a y

2:44:48 to 2:45:08( Edit History Discussion )

and a half ago. this is now. the president's 2011 budget cancels this program, the constellation program, and what it does, in effect, is put our efforts for space exploration in severe jeopardy, potentially

2:45:09 to 2:45:30( Edit History Discussion )

risking the jobs of more than 7,000 rocket scientists in florida as well as jobs throughout this country in more than 20 states. i understand that there are many private conversations going own between members of this beepped the administration of this body and this administration concerning this topic. i think it is important to

2:45:31 to 2:45:53( Edit History Discussion )

reflect back on what then senator obama, candidate obama, said about spa exploration and compare it to what his administration has proposed in this budget. in august of 2008, senator obama was campaigning in florida in tidusville, on our space coast,

2:45:54 to 2:46:14( Edit History Discussion )

and he said this: one of the areas where we're endangered of losing our competive edge is our space program. when i was growing up nasa inspired the world with achievements that we're still proud of. today we have an administration -- this is referring to the bush administration -- that has set ambitious goals for nasa without the resources to reach them.

2:46:15 to 2:46:36( Edit History Discussion )

as a result they had to cut back on research and trim their programs, which means after the space shuttle shuts down in 2010, we're going to have to rely on russian spacecraft to keep us in orbit he goes on more broad a real vision for space exploration, i will reestablish

2:46:37 to 2:46:58( Edit History Discussion )

the nasa aeronautics and space council to have a plan to explore the solar system, a plan that enlists international partners in the private sector. as america leads the world to long-term exploration of the moon, mars, and beyond. he goes on to say a few more things. so we know that the congress

2:46:59 to 2:47:19( Edit History Discussion )

passed a law that was reaffirmed in 2008, on october 15th, that said that we were going to go into low-earth orbit with the constellation. we know the president of the united states when campaigning for this office said that we must be exceptional in the space program, continue with our vision, properly fund it, go to the moon and mars an planets beyond.

2:47:20 to 2:47:40( Edit History Discussion )

-- and planets beyond. but today the president's budget scraps that plan. we have no plan to get into low-earth orbit after the space shut sl retired. we are going to rely upon the russ international space station. exactly what candidate obama said wehould be worried about.

2:47:41 to 2:48:01( Edit History Discussion )

so to this end, mr. president, i i have filed an amendment. an amendment to the f.a. reauthorization act to prohibit nasa from terminating the constellation program. it is the prerogative of this institution, the congress, that our founders put forth to deem

2:48:02 to 2:48:25( Edit History Discussion )

how money is spent, how programs are funded. this congress has twice said that we will fund the constellation program. that we will fund the programs for the next generation of spacecraft to take us into low-earth orbit. this amendment reiterates the federal law prohibiting nasa from using funds in fiscal year

2:48:26 to 2:48:46( Edit History Discussion )

2010 to cancel constellation contracts. several have join me, senator wicker, senator shelby, senator hatch from utah and senator bennett from utah. nasa is ignoring the will of congress and cancel the constellation program. that is not their right.

2:48:47 to 2:49:07( Edit History Discussion )

they must follow the law and this amendment intends to hold them to that. th amendment sends a clear message that there are no loopholes, seclusions or other -- exclusions that the agency can use to kill the program. i say publicly here, mr. president, on the floor of the united states senate, whether or not this amendment passes on this bill, whether or not this

2:49:08 to 2:49:28( Edit History Discussion )

amendment pass in the coming week, the law of the land is this: fund the cons he is ration program. an -- constellation program. nasa is on notice that it is their legal priermt to -- requirement to do so. they cannot tell contractors to stop working.

2:49:29 to 2:49:50( Edit History Discussion )

they cannot do that until congress makes a change in the law. to do so would be unlawful. the future of the space program rests with congress, not a budget proposal submitted by this administration or, in fact, any administration. as candidate obama agreed, without constellation, the united states will be relying on

2:49:51 to 2:50:11( Edit History Discussion )

russia for any manned space missions. mr. president the united states has led the world in space exploration since the early 1960's. we cannot and we should not see this leadership -- cede this leadership to any other country pt we must have the vision of

2:50:12 to 2:50:33( Edit History Discussion )

president kennedy whose vision put a man on the moon in the end of the 1960's. he said: why should we settle for anything less? to quote him, we choose to go to the moon because challenge is one that we're wilng to accept. one that we're unwilling to postpone. and one we're intending to win. it is my sincere hope that we will adopt this amendment, if

2:50:34 to 2:50:56( Edit History Discussion )

not on this bill, on another bill soon, and i hope my colleagues and our president will also come to say, we choose to continue to be the leader in space exploration to the moon, to mars and planets beyond. because the challenge is one that we're willing to accept. one that we're unwilling to postpone and one that we intend to win.

2:50:57 to 2:51:19( Edit History Discussion )

mr. president floor. mr. president, i suggest the absence of a quorum. will call the

2:51:20 to 2:51:25( Edit History Discussion )

snool

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