Senate Proceeding on Apr 29th, 2009 :: 0:09:00 to 0:17:04
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0:09:00 to 0:17:04( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Mitch McConnell

0:09:03 to 0:09:25( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: quorum call: the presiding officer: the republican mr. mccoell: are we in a quorum the presiding officer: mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the call of the quorum the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. mcconnell: weere all saddened to hear a texas child has died from the recent

0:09:26 to 0:09:46( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: outbreak ofhe h1n1 flu, a worrisome situation tha following closely. yesterday, secretary napolitano briefed republicans and we appreciate the coordination with congress. the administration has currently the personnel and equipment it needs to handle the situation.

0:09:47 to 0:10:07( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: but going forward, congress is for additional funds in the supplemental. i would note that congress is in a much better position to deal with outbreaks like this as a result othe hard work of senator burr and others who done a great deal on the issue of biopreparedness and on coordinating all the relevant government

0:10:08 to 0:10:28( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: we stand ready to closely work with the administration and protect the american people as this situation second, mr. president, from the very first days of the new administration, senate republicans have pledged to work closely with our new president

0:10:29 to 0:10:49( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: and his cabinet to find solutions to the nation's many foreign and domestic challenges. on the foreign policy front we felt strongly about the need to work with the new administration on unified agenda that protects the american people and furthers our interests abroad. so far we've had two major

0:10:50 to 0:11:11( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: points of co on the question of our strategies and iraq republicans support the presiden in both cases, the best of his military commanders on the ground. we may part way on a number of foreign policy issues, some of which i outlined earlier this week but when it comes to the question of iraq and afghanistan

0:11:12 to 0:11:33( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: the president's strategy is one that most everyone can support. here at home there have admittedly been fewer opportunities forgreement. an ongoing recession and the continuing financial shock led both parties to come up with their own plans to jump-start the economy in the short-term and strengthen its

0:11:34 to 0:11:54( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: foundations in the long term. revolved around $1 trillion stimulus that was neither timely, targeted or temporary. as well as a decision to press forward on several major controversial legislative proposals. and if the president's budgets is fully implemented it would double the national debt in five years and triple it in 10 years.

0:11:55 to 0:12:15( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: republicans had a different approach: we worked with democrats last fall to pass a financial rescue plan aimed at stabilizing the overall economy. but we refused to support a second round of funds within the ad us it would -- it would be used to address the crisis at hand. when it came to an economic stimulus, republicans pointed

0:12:16 to 0:12:36( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: out the glaring weaknesses in the plan and offered a plan of our own that would have cost to the root of the problem which is housing. we also suggested that instead of spending billions on wasteful projects, we loan state and local governments money. this would have encouraged the careful use of taxpayer dollars since state and local government

0:12:37 to 0:12:57( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: would know they have to money back when the economy improves. we also refused to support bailouts for the auto industry since we don't think the government should be picking winners and losers. we said bailouts would only delay necessary reforms for long-term succe and our position was recently vindicated when the automakers came back for even more money

0:12:58 to 0:13:19( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: forcing the administration to talk seriouslly about bankruptcy to achieve the necessary restructuring. when it comes to protecting taxpayers that our children will inherit the new administration has been remarkably carefree. most of this debt is being financed by in the middle east which, of

0:13:20 to 0:13:40( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: course, increases leverage those countries have offer the united states. americans are worried about this and they should be in a time of economic hardship. we should not be borrowing money we won't the current administration seems to disagree. it's just one -- in one week in february the administration's

0:13:41 to 0:14:01( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: actions cost the american taxpayers more than $1 trillion. more than the wars in iraq, afghanistan, and the relief ofs for hurricane katrina -- relief efforts for hurricane katrina combined and support for a single company in the financial sector amounts to $175 billion

0:14:02 to 0:14:23( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: over the past year alone. that's more than what we will spend our arm force afghanistan and iraq. so far this year the most far-reaching legislation we've considered is the budget. in the middle of a recession the same democrats who were outraged over a $455 billion deficit year came to us this year with a

0:14:24 to 0:14:46( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: budget that would lead to $1 trillion deficits and which saddled americans with than all the debt we accumulated from george washington to the president day combined. hundreds of thousands of american wo are losing their jobs every month. they're afraid that it will make

0:14:47 to 0:15:07( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: it hard to keep or find jobs. these americans may like the president, but they don't understand how a giant expansion of government will or preserve jobs and they don't think the administration has done enough to explain how borrowing money to create these programs will make america stronger, more secure, and more economically sound. concerned about the administration's approach to a

0:15:08 to 0:15:29( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: number of foreign policy issues that are related to our efforts in afghanistan and iraq. one of the most troubling of these decisions relates to the terrorist detention facility at guantanamo bay. shortly after taking office, the new attorney general was tasked with closing guantanamo by next january. yet three months later the administration still hasn't pr

0:15:30 to 0:15:50( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: with any further details about what will happen to these inmates once the january deadline arrives. the american people don't want terrorists back on the battlefield, and they certainly don't want them released into their neighborhoods, as some in the administration have shockingly proposed, according to news accounts. the administration ha not been

0:15:51 to 0:16:11( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: clear about its reason for closing guantanamo before it has a plan for these new detainees. but its reason can't be that the facility is poorly run, since attorney general holder has said himself that the facilities there are good ones. and it can't be that the administration has a better alternative. if it did, we would have heard about it by now. the american people don't want trained terrorists released into

0:16:12 to 0:16:32( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: their neighborhoo they want answers. unfortunately, the administration has only offered silence. in the face of tremendous challenges at home and abroad, the new administration has offered a burst of activity and a veritable explosion of meanwhile, republicans have proposed responsible solutions that are meant to empower the

0:16:33 to 0:16:53( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: american people and improve the quality of their daily lives. on this front, republicans will continue to offer sensible ideas on health care that address the concerns americans have about the high cost of doctors' visits, about finding good health coverage, and about keeping the coverage they have. the lesson of the failed health care proposal of the clinton

0:16:54 to 0:17:05( Edit History Discussion )

Mitch McConnell: is not that americans don't want reform; it's that any reform should reflect the needs of all americans, not just a select few here in washington. amicans don't want a health care solution that puts