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| Mar May |
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To watch or listen to
the Senate floor live please visit
CSPAN2
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Wednesday, April 28, 2004 |
Senator Frist has asked that the Judiciary Committee be discharged of the following resolutsion, Sres.168, Sres.255, Sres.340 and Ses.342, and that they be passed. There were no objections to this motion and the resultions were approved. The Majority Leader has also been laying out the legislative agenda for tomorrow morning. The Senate is scheduled to have up to three cloture votes tomorrow morning.
6:22:34 PM 
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Senator Wyden is explaining that a proposal by Senator Alexander could allow hundreds of state and local governments to tax internet users if their communication moves through multiple localities. The Senator said that many states have claimed that exempting internet access from taxation would result in significant lost revenue, however these claims have not proven to be true.
5:55:43 PM
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Senator Cornyn of Texas is questioning whether Jamie Goerellick of the September 11th Commission has a conflict of interest in serving on the panel.
5:50:10 PM
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Senator Bingaman is speaking in opposition to an amendment that Senator Domenici proposed to the Internet Tax Bill. Senator Domenici's amendment would essentially attach the entire energy bill that the Senate defeated last year. Senator Bingaman said that this amendment falls short of promoting oil independency nor does it appropriately address climate change.
5:23:04 PM
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Senator Smith has been speaking over the past ten minutes about the environmental record of President Bush. He has said that the President is a good man and has helped protect our environment through his deforestation plan. The Senator noted that during the campaign some groups may criticize the President's record but that he has agreed with the actions of the President.
5:07:23 PM
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Senator Pryor is speaking about the sacrifices of troops in Iraq and especially of those from his home state of Arkansas.
4:49:39 PM
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The Senate will stand in recess until 4:00 in order that members can attend a briefing with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
3:28:31 PM
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For the past fifteen minutes Senator McCain has been speaking about 527 nonprofit organizations and the FEC. The Senator has criticized the FEC for how they have handled the regulation of advertising by 527 organizations. Senator McCain has offered a bill that would eliminate the FEC and create an authority that he says would have some bite.
3:03:51 PM
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Senator Alexander is speaking about S.150, the underlying bill. He has been pointing out the various methods through which consumers can now access high-speed internet, including: satellite, cable, telephone and even through power lines. Senator Alexander also noted that if this bill passes, the state of Texas would no longer be able to collect $1.7 billion in revenue from taxes on high-speed internet.
2:15:32 PM
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Senator Stevens, is speaking about the service of the Surgeons General of the Army, Navy and Air Force who testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee this morning. Senator Stevens is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. The Senator is also remarking on many of the new technologies that are being used in the war in Iraq to save lives.
2:02:39 PM
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Senator Murkowski is speaking on the floor about the national energy policy. She has said that Alaska has proven oil reserves that are still sitting in the ground and that the Senate needs to do all that it can to bring this oil from the North Slope. The Senator said that the Senate needs to support Senator Domenici's amendment so that the electricity grid can be updated and so cleaner burning natural gas can be produced.
1:44:16 PM
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Senator Dorgan is responding to Senator Miller's comments saying that our country is always able to raise to the challenges that it faces and is praising our country's democracy. He is saying that our country has been blessed with the leaders who have stepped forward and led our country.
12:28:18 PM
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Speaking as if in a period of morning business, Senator Zell Miller of Georgia is saying that our government needs a face-lift. He is expressing his frustration that the U.S. "can't even build a fence along our borders to keep illegals out because some nutty environmentalists." Claiming that the direct election of politicians results in special interests controlling our country, he is asking people to think what it would be like if politicians were still chosen by and responsible to state legislatures. He is saying that today states have to stand in line as another special interest to wait to get what they want from politicians. Senator Miller is saying that this is the most sorry point in our government's history and has introduced a bill which would repeal the 17th Amendment, allowing politicians to once again be chosen by state legislatures.
12:24:31 PM
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Responding to a question from Senator Dorgan, Senator Allen is further explaining the concept of bandwidth being taxed. Saying that for the actual transport, the bandwidth, of an e-mail across country, he does not believe that a tax should be imposed on the e-mail, as the Alexander-Carper amendment has proposed. Comparing an e-mail being sent across country to a person driving across country, Senator Allen is saying that the Alexander-Carper language proposes making the road a toll road, similar to the New Jersey Turnpike, while he feels it should be an open road with no tolls.
12:15:03 PM
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Senator George Allen is saying that debate on S.150 should be about protecting consumers, not about responding to governors saying that it would take revenues away from state and local governments. Saying that even a fourth grader can understand the idea that more people are able to afford something the less it costs and that taxes will increase the cost of something, he is saying that a tax on broadband will impede its being able to get to as many people as possible. He is giving a brief historical example from the Spanish-American war to show how difficult it is to remove a tax once it has been imposed.
12:00:43 PM
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Senator Wyden is saying that once DSL is not treated in a discriminatory manner then he will be willing to work with his colleagues on other issues concerning the Internet. Senator Dorgan is addressing a question raised earlier by his colleagues about why the broadband buildout has happened to a greater extent in Japan and South Korea. Senator Dorgan is saying that came about because of national will, national programs and national regulations which led to robust and aggressive competition. He is saying that Japan used $1 billion in loan guarantees to work to insrease the use of broadband and pointed out that Congress has already appropriated more than $2 billion in loan guarantees in the U.S., and that money is not being used.
11:46:25 AM
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Speaking rather passionately, Senator McCain is saying that at a time when it is esstential for DSL to be expanding dramatically, a tax would have a chilling effect on its expansion. He is saying that he hears that a number of governors are saying that states will lose too many revenues to which Senator McCain responded by saying, "Stop spending so much!"
11:37:54 AM
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Adding to Senator Wyden's comments about the definition of the word "connect," Senator Dorgan is reiterating the need to define this important term. Senator Wyden is saying that with connect being a vague term, the possibility exists that people will be subjected to more taxes, even though they have already paid once. Using the comparison of a carton of milk, he is saying that it is as if a person not only paid for buying a carton of milk but then had to pay for pouring milk on cereal when the person decided to use the milk.
11:34:10 AM
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Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon is discussing the problems he sees with Senator Alexander's language concerning S.150, the Internet Tax bill. He says his overall concerns are with the definitions used by Senator Alexander which he fears could hide taxes and could lead to opening up the Internet to multiple forms of taxation at the state and local level. For example, the term "connect" is not defined by the Alexander language. Another problem that Senator Wyden sees with the Wyden language is that DSL is not considered the Internet but rather a telecommunication service, meaning that it should be taxed. Senator Wyden is calling for technological neutrality, feeling that it is not fair for DSL to "get hammered" while cable gets a "free ride."
11:29:18 AM
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After Senator McCain expressed his disapproval of Senator Lautenberg's use of term chicken hawk to refer to members of the Administration, the Senate resumed consideration of S.150, the Internet Tax bill. Senator Byron Dorgan is asking his colleagues for a vote on Senator Daschle's amendment on renewable energy. Senator Dorgan is voicing his frustration at the trend by members on the other side of the aisle to not allow votes on entire bills when they do not want to vote on a specific amendment, but they then later say that the Democrats are being obstructionists. He is saying that it is necessary for both sides to work to find better solutions and to proceed on these bills. He is proposing that there be a short debate on Senator Daschle's amendment and then a vote at the end of that debate.
11:19:52 AM
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Sharing his memories from serving in uniform, Senator Frank Lautenberg is talking about his visit yesterday to the new World War II Memorial that is between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, DC. He is saying that we should not judge our politicians on whether or not they served, but he is voicing his outrage at the fact that someone who did not serve is attacking the war record of a decorated war hero. He is calling the attacks on Senator Kerry's heroic war record offensive. Calling those who are attacking Senator Kerry chicken hawks, Senator Lautenberg is reminding us that Vice President Cheney did not serve in Vietnam. For a picture of Senator Lautenberg's chicken hawk, click here.
10:38:45 AM
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Senator Harry Reid is talking about the Transportation bill. Beginning with thanking Senator Inhofe for his work on this bill, he is talking about the hard work that the Senate did to pass a transportation bill that would benefit the American people. The federal government must invest $40 billion a year to maintain the roads and bridges of this country. The bill would require no new taxes because it is paid for, including by using the highway trust fund. A group of Republicans are meeting with the President tomorrow, and Senator Reid is saying that he hopes they pay attention to all of the good programs that are included in the Transportation bill, including combining all safety programs, creating new safe routes for children to walk to school, and creating safer ports. In addition, Senator Reid is saying that this bill would create more than 1 million jobs.
10:32:14 AM
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Senator John Cornyn of Texas has come to the floor to talk about who is to blame for the tragic events of September 11, 2001. He is saying that it is Osama bin Laden who is to be blamed and he is urging his colleagues not to try to claim that others are to blame for political gain. Saying that he was pleased to see the way Congress came together to quickly pass the USA PATRIOT Act after September 11, he says that it is now ill-informed people who are saying disparaging comments about the Act. The USA PATRIOT Act provided additionally tools to use in the war on terrorism. Senator Cornyn is claiming that it is absolutely critical that the public confidence be high for the actions of the 9/11 Commission, and is calling for Jamie Gorelick, former deputy Attorney General, to testify publicly about the creating of a wall between law enforcement community and the intelligence community.
10:21:38 AM
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Senator Daschle is responding to Senator Frist's comments by saying that the Democrats desperately want to pass the JOBS bill, but not without protecting overtime pay for workers and not without properly addressing the issue of outsourcing jobs.
10:06:38 AM
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Adding to Senator Dole's comments earlier this morning, Majority Leader Frist is discussing the importance of passing the JOBS bill. He is citing statistics of the number of jobs that will be affected in certain states by this bill. For example, 147,200 jobs in Ohio would be affected by the JOBS bill, while 150,000 jobs would be affected in Michigan.
10:05:11 AM
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Coming to the floor to discuss terrorism and the war in Iraq, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is saying that the 9/11 Commission is too focused on "gotcha" questions and partisan matters. Feeling that the war on terrorism has moved to Iraq, he is saying that it is essential for Congress to have an open, bipartisan discussion about how to best continue in Iraq. Saying that a free Iraq will be "an oasis of liberty in the Middle East," he is voicing his hopes that reform in Iraq will help bring democratic reforms to its neighbors. Concluding with the statement that the terrorists are watching us, Senator McConnell is saying that it is essential for Americans to remain strong in confronting the challenges that face us in Iraq. Senator McConnell is the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Foreign Operations.
10:01:19 AM
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Senator Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina is talking about "the pattern of obstructionism" she has seen over the past few months in the Senate. While listing a number of bills which have not been voted on in the Senate, Senator Dole is focusing primarily on the JOBS bill, S.1637, saying that it is essential that this bill be passed. The JOBS bill was stalled in the Senate when there was disagreement about voting to protect the overtime pay for workers.
9:51:54 AM
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Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota is telling the story of Creek Stone Farm, a seller of premium black angus beef, who, in the wake of last year's outbreak of mad cow disease, decided to test every animal they had for B.S.E., or mad cow disease. They asked the USDA for support for their effort to do this, and were surprised to hear back from the USDA that they would not support that, because they did not see mad cow disease as a public health issue but rather as an animal health issue.
9:44:15 AM
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The Senate reconvenes this morning at 9:30 for an hour of morning business, after which time debate on S.150, the Internet Tax bill, will resume. Yesterday the Senate voted to file cloture on Senator Daschle's amendment, on Senator Domenici's 2nd degree amendment, and on Senator McCain's substitute amendment, meaning that any first degree amendments to Senator McCain's amendment must be filed by 1:00 today to be considered.
9:32:28 AM
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Today's Fun Vermont Trivia Question:
In 1839, the first French Canadian newspaper to be published in New England was published in Burlington. What was the name of this newspaper?
Tuesday’s Question: What building in Addison housed a taproom which was visited by Thomas Jefferson?
Answer: Chimney Point building.
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9:14:30 AM
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