Senate Proceeding 07-26-11 on Jul 26th, 2011 :: 1:17:35 to 1:31:50
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1:17:27 to 1:17:48( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: the presiding officer: that is correct, sir. mr. roberts: if i have something that strikes my mind that is terribly important, i might ask the distinguished president for an additional two minutes, but i will wait until that time. i thank the president. in making these remarks, i want to emphasize that i'm not trying to be presumptuous or

1:17:35 to 1:31:50( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Pat Roberts

1:17:49 to 1:18:09( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: disrespectful in any way to the office of the presidency or to the president personally, as i want to make that very clear. it's just that i am trying to pick up an allegory to try to get my point across, and it seemed to me that this might be, might be the way to do it. we have got our national

1:18:10 to 1:18:30( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: unemployment rate at its highest level all year. we have got the debt ceiling rapidly approaching the crisis that everybody is talking about, and you would think you could do everything that we could to support those industries very critical for job creation and economic development. there is one industry that i am

1:18:31 to 1:18:52( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: referring to in particular, and that is general aviation. i was trying to think how could i get my point across? well, since we have speaker boehner, leader mcconnell and the distinguished majority leader, mr. reid, senator reid, conducting the very best they can to get a solution here, perhaps the president, although

1:18:53 to 1:19:13( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: his time is very valuable, could talk to somebody like me, a ranking member of a committee. very worried about what is happening with our country, we are very worried about what we can do to get this debt ceiling fixed and we get a long-term solution in regards to our entitlement reforms.

1:19:14 to 1:19:36( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: and perhaps he could actually invite me down maybe later, a lot later, certainly no cameras, in regards to a little basketball game of horse because these -- everybody knows the president is a very good basketball player. as a matter of fact, an extremely good basketball player.

1:19:37 to 1:19:58( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: i am not going to make that claim, but there were -- there was a day on blindside picks and a few other things that i could do, but i would emphasize to the president bouncing the ball to him on just a bounce pass and say your ball, mr. president, the ball is in your court, and i'd like to emphasize while we

1:19:59 to 1:20:21( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: were playing that basically he shouldn't -- shouldn't be more concerned with increasing the debt ceiling past the 2012 elections and working on a long-term solution for solving the crisis, that would just be a suggestion, he would probably go to the left corner and sink a three about that time, and i would want to emphasize to the

1:20:22 to 1:20:45( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: president that he is singling out, he seems to be fixated on one specific industry that affects me and other specific industries as well, and i don't know how you pick and choose who should pay more taxes, who should pay more in terms of sacrifice, in terms of picking and choosing industries.

1:20:46 to 1:21:07( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: but at any rate, i would tell the president when i have the ball, i would probably be dribbling a lot -- or trying to if he wasn't playing tough defense, and i would say, you know, mr. president, since negotiations started last month on raising the debt limit, you have had on multiple occasions over and over and over again singled out the general aviation

1:21:08 to 1:21:28( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: industry as an example of big business that serves only the wealthy and should contribute more to lowering the deficit. now, the only problem with this claim is it's not -- it's not real, it's not factual, it's not -- it's not correct, and so consequently basically i don't know, it's just -- i don't know

1:21:29 to 1:21:49( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: whether it's in his head or maybe the writers that write that stuff for him or that valuable information for him that general aviation only serves millionaires and billionaires and then after i shot and missed it and i would say your ball again, mr. president, i would say as he was trying to drive around me

1:21:50 to 1:22:10( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: rather successfully, the truth is that these aircraft actually serve as an essential business tool. for a multitude of businesses of all shapes, all sizes, farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, business men and women to access multiple offices and facilities that are spread across this great nation.

1:22:11 to 1:22:31( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: these folks are not fat cats. they are not even thin cats. and i'd like the president to understand that managers and sales teams and technical experts, those are the people we are talking about who are in that corporate aircraft to be sure, but it's general aviation serving the general public's welfare, they are often required to visit numerous offices in a

1:22:32 to 1:22:53( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: short amount of time in regions of the united states that aren't served by large airports. by that time, the president has scored a couple of layups and two more jump shots and i have yet to hit a shot, but i will persevere. and i would say to him as we were playing there on the court, mr. president, in fact, 90% of our country's airports aren't

1:22:54 to 1:23:16( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: even accessible by commercial aircraft. certainly this president of the senate or the acting presiding officer knows that. and i think they really represent just those plain folks that you have been talking about, just the folks that are in the middle, just the folks that are having a tough time, just the folks that have been laid off, and then we have a

1:23:17 to 1:23:38( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: paradox of enormous irony where in the stimulus bill there was a tax incentive toward general aviation that helped some of those folks get those jobs back, and it's that which you are attacking which is your own suggestion or at least that of the majority here in the senate. general aviation employs

1:23:39 to 1:24:00( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: 1.2 million workers and contributes $150 billion to the u.s. economy. that's a mouthful. by that time, the president probably stole the ball and scored another layup. playing horse, you have got five. i would probably ask him to play ten, spot me ten. just last year, general aviation i would point out to the president delivered 1,334 planes.

1:24:01 to 1:24:21( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: that is a value of $7.9 billion. over half attributed to exports. that is what the president wants to achieve in his trade policy. he wants to -- his goal, i would tell him, sir, your goal is doubling u.s. exports over the next five years. you don't do it by calling general aviation fat cats and

1:24:22 to 1:24:43( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: singling out that industry for political blame. let's talk about tough times and tough going. like every other business sector, general aviation has struggled during the recession. that particular time i would claim the president fouled me with a sharp elbow and i would take a free shot and i would say now, wait a minute, unfortunately, this has resulted in layoffs among many

1:24:44 to 1:25:05( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: high-skilled, high-paying jobs in this industry, and once again, mr. president, -- that's a two-shot foul, by the way, so i have a little time. i said to help offset these job losses, or i would say that, and incentivize the purchase of this aircraft by democratic members included in provision in the infamous stimulus bill to accelerate the depreciation

1:25:06 to 1:25:27( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: schedules for a wide range of capital investments. now, in kansas, cessna aircraft accelerated depreciation was a key factor and cessna and its suppliers were able to keep the 1,000 jobs to just plain folks that i would tell the president that he constantly refers to in his public comments.

1:25:28 to 1:25:48( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: and those folks are not fat cats. again, they are just folks, they are doing the job to produce a product in the united states that we're very proud of, and we certainly don't want them to go to mexico or go to canada. some have already left. so it came as a pretty big shock that you, mr. president -- i'm still on my second shot on the

1:25:49 to 1:26:09( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: free shot. he is now asking me to quit talking, start shooting. but i would say it comes as a pretty big shock to those workers that yourself and the democratic members in both chambers would direct an attack on this industry. and this is true that i don't know how many members of the senate, not too many.

1:26:10 to 1:26:31( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: my word, i don't know how many members of the house, i have heard that corporate jet, corporate jet. it has a ring to it i guess. but at any rate, why would you repeal a tax provision that has contributeed to job creation at a time of severe economic downturn, in fact, the one that you actually suggested? but there's more, there's more, mr. president, your ball.

1:26:32 to 1:26:56( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: on top of this budget negotiators are considering implementing user fees on general aviation as a way to generate revenue. we have been down that road. let me be very clear. if user fees on general aviation are implemented, we could very well see the beginning of the end for this critically important u.s. industry and jobs for just plain folks.

1:26:57 to 1:27:17( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: with all that's going on -- and i hate to remind you of this -- by the way, i just scored a hook shot, mr. president. it wasn't very pretty but it rolled in so it's about what? 8-1, something like that. at any rate, i'm coming back. when you mention corporate jets

1:27:18 to 1:27:39( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: six times in two paragraphs in one speech, and that is repeated on the various pundit shows on tv over and over again as a fat cat industry, that's most unfortunate. i think we need to get serious about spending. i have thought so for some time and i think every member here does as well. we have our different ideas how

1:27:40 to 1:28:01( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: to do it. but i also believe it makes sense to consider those provisions that would actually have a measurable, a measurable impact on reducing our more than than $14 trillion national debt. i would ask as i bounce pass the ball to the president and he heads for that left-hand shot in the corner again and i'm hustling to try to keep up, i

1:28:02 to 1:28:22( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: say why -- do you have any idea if you just taxed all general aviation what that would amount to? just changing these schedules, these depreciation schedules for corporate jets, i.e. general aviation would only contribute contribute $3 billion of revenue over ten years. we borrow around $40 billion

1:28:23 to 1:28:43( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: every ten days. repealing this tax provision would close our national budget deficit for one hour, one hour. one hour in terms of a measurable effect? and yet we still pick on general aviation and calling them all fat cats. sadly, this isn't the first time that we have seen this happen, that the congress of the united

1:28:44 to 1:29:04( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: states, a different president has singled out general aviation. 1990 budget deal, the majority created the new luxury excise tax that applied to boats and aircraft. the tax was repealed in 1993. do you know why? know why? because as the democratic-controlled senate finance committee report explained during the recent

1:29:05 to 1:29:26( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: recession, the boat aircraft industries have suffered job losses, increased notre dame. i guess those are plain folks, they qualify, not fat cats. and it said that the committee believes that it is appropriate to eliminate the burden these taxes impose interest fostering economic recovery and those related industries. that's a lot of words, especially when you're out here playing horse in weather that's

1:29:27 to 1:29:48( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: pretty hot today, certainly is a lot better today so maybe it would be a better deal. i couldn't agree more with that. we have been down this road before, and i think it's unfortunate. lastly, just before i watch him make his last shot and i go down to defeat at least on the court,

1:29:49 to 1:30:09( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: i would hope i have made my argument to the president that in singling out general aviation that as fat cats is simply not accurate, it's class warfare, it's a little tough. maybe i wouldn't say that on the court. maybe just sort of nudge him a little bit when i got underneath the bucket. at any rate, it's going to take

1:30:10 to 1:30:30( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: courage to put this country's fiscal back in order, there is no question about that, but it's absolutely essential for us to do it in a responsible manner and not scapegoat, not by singling out important sectors of industry that have long played a viable role in the economic development of both my home state of kansas and our country as a whole. so i would simply say, your

1:30:31 to 1:30:51( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: ball, your game, mr. president, but let's don't single out general aviation anymore. it might have been the case if he was on a corporate jet with kobe bryant or somebody, i don't know, maybe a hollywood actor or maybe going to a fund-raiser or something like that. maybe he got that in his head, that everybody that has a corporate jet -- ie., general

1:30:52 to 1:31:12( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: aviation -- as opposed to going from kansas to north dakota to check on some farm ground, that that is the case. i hope that that is not the case anymore. so that's the end of the ball game but it is not the end of the debate, but i hope we have a debate without singling out an industry that is unfair and not accurate. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor. i notice the absence of a quorum.

1:31:13 to 1:31:18( Edit History Discussion )

Pat Roberts: the presiding officer: the clerk