 |
 |
 |
 |
-
| April 2004 |
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
| |
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
| 11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
| 18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
| 25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
|
| Mar May |
 Feedback
To watch or listen to
the Senate floor live please visit
CSPAN2
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
Thursday, April 22, 2004 |
Senator Harkin is speaking about the life of Mary McGrory. He is recalling her love of Italy and how despite being Irish, she routinely served lasanga on St. Patrick's Day. Senator Harkin said that Mary was a clever woman and that no matter how bad things might be at one time, she would make you feel as though life would endure and everything would be ok.
6:32:34 PM 
|
|
Senator Cantwell is speaking about the national energy policy and updating the electricity grid. The Senator from Washington has illustrated her points about which direction the policy should take by displaying floor charts with quotes from multiple newspaper editorials. For example she used the following quote from an April 12th Washington Post editorial: "It would be a shame if insistence on the 'whole bill or nothing 'meant that Congress never did get around to shoring up the electricity grid or perhaps 'shame' is too mild a world."
5:33:49 PM
|
|
Senator Kennedy is speaking about the Bush Administration's diversion of funds from an emergency supplemental appropriation to fight terrorism in Afghanistan after September 11th, to begin war planning in Iraq. The Senator noted that when Congress approved these funds, it had no intention of using the monies for any military action in Iraq. Citing a book by Paul O'Neil, The Price of Loyalty, Senator Kennedy said that September 11th was used by the Administration as a reason for going to war with Iraq.
4:43:38 PM
|
|
Senator Reid of Nevada is speaking about a bill that he just introduced regarding health care called the Putting Prevention First. He is explaining that preventitive health care and family planning both help bring down the cost of health care. Senator Reid is noting that emergency contraception can be a viable option for women who have been raped and that it should be made available in emergency rooms as one of many options that are offered to women.
No further roll call votes are expected this week.
3:57:09 PM
|
|
Senator Landrieu is speaking about the many children that are at the Senate today to observe "Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day." Senator Landrieu noted that she has almost 20 of her family members in the Senate today.
3:08:25 PM
|
|
The vote on the Victims' Rights Bill has conclued, with Senators voting to pass the bill with a vote of 96-1.
3:05:34 PM
|
|
The Senate is now beginning a vote on S.2329, the Victims' Rights Bill.
2:32:29 PM
|
|
Senator Dianne Feinstein has come to the floor to once again express the importance of the Crime Victims' Rights bill and to urge her colleagues to vote in support of the bill. She is also thanking other senators who have worked to create a bipartisan bill and thanking her staff for the work they have done over the years on this legislation.
2:17:33 PM
|
|
Senator Harry Reid is talking about Senator John Kerry's positions concerning terrorism. He is saying that Senator Kerry feels we need to do more to protect our country, including adding additional legal tools to the PATRIOT Act to fight terrorism. In addition, he is saying that Senator Kerry wants to fix certain provisions in the PATRIOT Act, including the language about wiretaps, about sneak-and-peak searches, and about the seizure of business and library records.
2:14:54 PM
|
|
Senator Leahy has come to the floor to speak, as an original co-sponsor, in support of S.2329, the Crime Victims' Rights bill.
2:05:24 PM
|
|
Senator Kyl is continuing speaking about the importance of the Crime Victims' Rights bill and is telling the tragic story of Louarna Gillis, a 22 year old, who was murdered as part of a gang initiation. Following his daughter's murder, John Gillis helped found Justice for Homicide Victims and the Coalition of Victims Equal Rights and today is the Director of the Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crime.
1:29:56 PM
|
|
Senators Feinstein and Kyl are praising each other for working together in a bipartisan manner in order to pass such an important piece of legislation. Senator Jon Kyl is also thanking Senator Orrin Hatch for his leadership on the Judiciary Committee concerning this bill.
1:08:59 PM
|
|
Senator Dianne Feinstein, wearing a pin for the Force 100 for the 100 victims who have asked for the Congress to pass this legislation, is urging her colleagues to support S.2329, the Crime Victims' Rights bill. She is saying that this legislation includes rights such as the right for the victim to receive notice if the accused is released or escapes. She is thanking her fellow co-sponsors, Senators Leahy, Hatch and Kyl for their support of this important bill, and is now telling the stories of some of the victims after which this bill is named.
12:59:45 PM
|
|
The Senate voted 50-47 on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2290, so it was not agreed to. The Senate is now beginning debate on S.2329, the Crime Victims' Rights bill. A vote is expected to occur later this afternoon on the passage of this legislation.
12:49:02 PM
|
|
The Senate is now voting the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2290, the FAIR Act.
12:05:19 PM
|
|
Senator Hatch is voicing his frustration that a number of senators, especially on the other side of the aisle, are stalling on a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S.2290, the FAIR Act.
11:56:53 AM
|
|
Senator Leahy is voicing his frustration that the Republicans are trying to push through the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act. He has worked for months, engaging in a bipartisan dialouge, to attempt to come up with a responsible solution for the victims fund. And was therefore frustrated when the other side offered a partisan version of the bill.
11:44:22 AM
|
|
Beginning with mentioning that Mary McGrory was not always easy on him, Senator Orrin Hatch is discussing the tremendous respect he has for her and her writing. He is now discussing the Bush Adminstration's record and saying that it is pro-environment and pro-jobs. Turning the discussion to his Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act, Senator Hatch is mentioning the findings of a Dallas Observer investigative report which found that lawyers were often coaching clients about what to say.
11:15:45 AM
|
|
In honor of today being Earth Day, Senator Leahy is discussing the 300 environmental rollbacks that the Bush Administration has enacted in the past three years. The Senator is focusing particularly on the effect of these rollbacks on mercury emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency's own estimates say that the Administration's mercury proposal would only reduce mercury emissions by 54 percent and most of those reductions will not begin for another 15 years. He is voicing his concern over the harm that these emissions can do to mothers and children in particular. He is also mentioning a recent New York Times article, "Up in Smoke," which outlines the Administration's backdoor tactics concerning environmental regulations. To read Senator Leahy's full statement, click here. Senator Leahy used the following charts during his floor speech:
Mercury emissions are deposited in the Eastern U.S.:
Proposed new coal-fired plants:
Unsafe mercury levels in women and children:
How industry dictates policy:
10:58:30 AM
|
|
Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont is remembering Mary McGrory. Mentioning that Ms. McGrory was one of the first people he met when he came to Washington, he is saying that she was very quick and very able in seeing the truth and talented at being able to put the facts in writing. On a more personal note, he is saying how he always liked when she would return from her vacations in Italy and she would come talk to him about her trip.
10:46:35 AM
|
|
Beginning with the statement that for true environmentalists, the environment is a matter to be focused on every day not just on Earth Day, Senator Conrad Burns has come to the floor to talk about the need for innoventive plans for ways to save our natural resources.
10:43:00 AM
|
|
Senator Byron Dorgan is remembering a letter he wrote to Mary McGrory when he first found out she was ill. In the letter, he said he hoped to once again read her column, and then shake his fist in the air and say, "yes, that's what I should have said." Mentioning that she was a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, he is talking about how she made it seem so simply and is reading the kind words that others have said about her and her writing. Senator Dorgan concluded his remarks with Thomas Moore's words: " Long, long be my heart with such memories free'd!/ Like the vase in which roses have once been distill'd./ You may break, you may shatter the vase if you will,/ But the scent of the roses will hang round it still."
10:40:04 AM
|
|
Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois is speaking in honor of Mary McGrory, the acclaimed columnist for the Washington Post, who passed away last night at the age of 85. He concluded his comments with a reading of William Butler Yeats' poem "When You Are Old." He is joined by Senator Harry Reid who offered his fond memories of Ms. McGrory.
10:27:19 AM
|
|
Senator Herb Kohl is speaking in honor of Earth Day, which was started in 1970 and today is celebrated by more than 500 million people in 167 countries. He is talking about the importance of environmental stewardship.
10:21:49 AM
|
|
Senator Rick Santorum is adding to Senator Allard's comments saying that there are a number of bills that the Republicans would like to pass.
10:14:03 AM
|
|
After beginning talking about the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act, Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado is now mentioning a number of bills which have been contentious, and, as a result, have not had differences resolved.
9:59:37 AM
|
|
Majority Leader Frist started the day off mentioning that today is Earth Day and saying that the Bush Administration has helped the environment.
9:44:38 AM
|
|
The Senate will reconvene at 9:30 to resume discussion of the motion to proceed to S.2290, the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2004 or the FAIR Act of 2004.
9:34:02 AM
|
|
|
Today's Fun Vermont Trivia Question:
In 1846, the first U.S. postage stamp was printed in Vermont. What town was it made in?
Wednesday’s Question: What piece of sporting equipment did Jake Burton Carpenter develop in Londonderry, Vermont in 1977?
Answer: the snowboard.
|
9:32:49 AM
|
|
|
