Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010

Floor Speech

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010 -- (Senate - December 18, 2009)

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Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I would like to pose, through the Chair, a question to my colleague from Utah.

Is the Senator aware that on October 6, eight of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle wrote a letter to the majority leader asking that when a bill is introduced, the so-called substitute--that presumably is going to be revealed tomorrow morning--that eight of our Democratic colleagues asked that that legislation be posted for a full 72 hours, along with a score or cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, before they would be required to vote on it?

Mr. BENNETT. I say to the Senator from Texas, I was aware of the letter. I was not aware there were that many Democratic signers to it.

Mr. CORNYN. I would say to my colleague from Utah, Senator Lincoln, Senator Landrieu, Senator McCaskill, Senator Pryor, Senator Bayh, Senator
Lieberman, Senator Nelson, and Senator Webb were all signatories on that letter.

I know at different points of the debate we have had some discussion. I think Senator Dorgan from North Dakota, who sponsored the amendment that would deal with drug prices, had expressed some concerns--I know, certainly, the Senator from Arizona, Mr. McCain, has expressed some concerns about drug price issues and what kind of deals had been basically cut on the side that Members of the Senate are not necessarily privy to.

I would ask my colleague, is he aware the Obama administration has now been sued for the visitor list at the White House--which they have claimed privilege to--has been sued because they have withheld the names of the individuals who have come to the White House, some of whom may have been involved in negotiating these side deals we are not privy to? Was the Senator aware of that?

Mr. BENNETT. I say to the Senator from Texas, I was not aware of the lawsuit, and I appreciate his calling it to my attention.

Mr. CORNYN. Well, I would, finally, ask the Senator from Utah, you have heard, along with me and others, Senators say they are for the bill. But it is amazing how few people have actually seen it. Presumably, it will be revealed to us and the rest of the world tomorrow morning. Presumably, amendments will not be allowed on that bill. The majority leader can take procedures to block any amendments to the bill but we will then be put on a fast track, presumably, for passage--at least that is the intention of the majority leader--by Christmas Eve. Is that the Senator's understanding of the process we are looking forward to starting tomorrow morning?

Mr. BENNETT. It is my understanding that is the process, but I am not looking forward to it. I had hoped to spend Christmas Eve with my family. In my family, the tradition is, we have the extended family get together on Christmas Eve. My house in Utah is being decorated on the assumption there will be anywhere from 60 to 70 people there to celebrate Christmas Eve. Regrettably, I will not be one of them.

But I say to the Senator from Texas, I will be here doing whatever I can to see to it that this bill does, in fact, not pass on Christmas Eve, for all the reasons we have been talking about. I think the best Christmas present we can give to the people of America, and particularly to their children and grandchildren, would be to defeat this bill and see to it there is not another new entitlement created that will cause the national debt to go up even more extravagantly than it is currently projected to do.

Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the two documents I referred to earlier be printed in the Record at the end of this colloquy.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

(See exhibit 1.)

Mr. CORNYN. I would finally ask my distinguished colleague from Utah--he was alluding to this earlier--is he aware of any reason why this bill--much of the benefits of which will not kick in until 2014--why there is such an urgency to pass this bill before Christmas?

Mr. BENNETT. That has been the greatest logical disconnect of this entire debate. Because, as I said, I have seen the protest signs that are raised: We want health care reform now. I have seen the people come to the offices and pound on the doors and say: We have to get reform now. I have heard our friends on the other side of the aisle give examples of people who do not have health care coverage and say: They must get this coverage now. By the way, we have crafted a bill that will not do anything for them for 4 years.

If the thing is 4 years away, we can certainly wait until January to allow people to read the bill and offer some amendments.

Mr. CORNYN. I thank the Senator. I said that was my last question; this one really will be: Is the Senator aware of late-breaking news to the effect that not only Howard Dean, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, but several liberal pundits, including Keith Olbermann, and that now even moveon.org and the AFL-CIO have all come out in opposition to this bill? Is the Senator aware of the opposition not only on the right but apparently now on the left? We know the mainstream opposition of the American people as a result of the polling we have seen. Was the Senator aware of those developments?

Mr. BENNETT. I have been aware of that opposition. My own sense is that in the end, that opposition will melt in the face of those who are trying to rush this bill through in the hope that by next November, the American people will have forgotten the details. I do not believe the American people will have forgotten the details of the bill by next November because even though the bill will not be in force in terms of benefits, it will be in force in terms of increased premiums and increased taxes.

Mr. CORNYN. I thank my colleague.

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