SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. I would say to my friend from Arizona, he is entirely correct. I don't intend, myself, to support another continuing resolution. It does not contain the full-year Defense appropriations bill. I think everybody understands the urgency of that. My friend from Arizona, our leader on these issues, has been very clear and articulate about it. I can say with total confidence that the House and Senate are not going to be passing another continuing resolution without the funding for the Defense Department for the remainder of this fiscal year.

Mr. McCAIN. I thank the Republican leader, and I thank my colleague from Louisiana. I hope this message is transmitted to our friends and colleagues on the other side of the Capitol; that they should not send over another CR without funding the Defense Department for the rest of the year.

Mr. McCONNELL. I would say to my friend, I believe his position is shared by the leadership of our party in the House, and I think there is no chance we will not complete work on the Defense appropriations bill in the next few weeks.

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I say to my friend from Ohio, I have listened with great interest to his first speech in the Senate. I was particularly interested in his reference to Robert A. Taft, whose portrait is in the Republican leader's office and has been there for some time. In fact, the place that is currently the office of the Republican leader became the office of the Republican leader about the time Senator Taft, in that all-too-brief period, was majority leader. He was actually only in that position for about 8 months before he passed away, but he left an incredible impression in this town, which the junior Senator from Ohio pointed out.

Listening to the new Senator from Ohio, he is entirely able to fill the shoes of those who have come before representing the great State of Ohio in the Senate. He made reference to some of them. I predict by the time the Senator from Ohio leaves this body, he will be widely referred to in the same category.

I thank him for his important first contribution in the Senate.

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