the senate is back in session the senate is back in session following party lunches now going into a quorum call we expect as senators to vote on final passage of the peru free trade agreement that bill passed in the house last month by a vote of two hundred eighty five two one thirty two our live coverage of the senate here on c span to objection and i yield myself a one and a half minutes i understand senator grassley would like to close and one is recognized for one half minutes how much time we have i think we have a total of and because i know this is an important issue i find myself wanting to say to the people there in a row that that this senator who comes from state to new mexico where i am almost half our people speak of banishing a commonality between our two countries so i would expect that i show the appropriate concern for  for the people that this treaty will benefit and that's why i am here it is entirely proper that the united states show more concern and more consideration to have more relationships  mutual benefit out with the countries of central and south america without a doubt and i'd just like to have a few words from that this senator i spread on the record to show that with that that i've just said i concur and with this treaty be it not the best because those who look at it from the standpoint of the best find fault here and there it is a good as we're going to get and we ought to approve it and my vote will show up in favor and that will be i mr tester no no way mr no way i senate just passed the peru free trade agreement on a vote of seventy seven to eighteen the house said earlier passed that bill senators now in a period of morning business but we are hearing that they will take u legislation congress now is reporting today that the senate this afternoon will take up legislation to extend relief on the alternative minimum tax and unlike the last time democrats attempted to bring it up there are now enough votes to move the bill forward expiring tax provisions including the research and development tax credit and the federal deduction for state sales tax the bill would not offset the fifty billion dollars cost of a m t relief but it would offset the exten unofficial estimates put the cost for extender provisions around forty five billion dollars again that story from congress now reporting that the senate to take up a m t relief this afternoon over on the other side of the capitol the house working their way through ten suspension bills this afternoon members in the house also expected today about five thirty p m eastern time to begin consideration of a motion to go to conference on the intelligence authorization bill and votes in the house today after six thirty p m eastern when a quorum call in the senate waiting for a member to come to the floor when our live coverage continues on c span t biden were all absent for the vote sixteen democrats voted no along with the republican jon kyl and independents bernie sanders independent joe lieberman voted in the affirmative again the peru free trade agreement passing in the senate now that bill had already passed over in the house we're hearing that the senate will take up a m t relief at some point today that according to congress now they're reporting that the senate this afternoon will take up legislation to extend relief on the alternative minimum tax also congress now is reporting that over in the house that lawmakers on wednesday will vote on landmark energy legislation containing increases in federal fuel economy and biofuels standards new renewable electricity mandates and a controversial tax package targeting industry again that from congress now the house expected to vote on energy legislation tomorrow you can watch house coverage over on c span today the house working their way through a number of suspension bills no vote scheduled until six thirty p m eastern time our live coverage of the senate continues here on c span t was out there with his snowmobile his snow blower and shovel ready this weekend and we had from six to ten inches of snow in some portions of the state six inches in the metro area was minus two when i woke up one day in in the twin cities in st paul and deeply concerned about their ability to keep the heat on they most of us look forward to the coming of the holiday season is the time that we get together with loved ones for many americans this holiday season comes at a time that the energy is skyrocketing it's raising the level of anxiety as to whether they're going to be able to pay these ever rising heating costs i'll never forget a hearing i had is permanent  investigations actually hearing on the issue of energy costs my home state last year and i got a chance to listen firsthand to folks who last year were impacted by rising energy costs that they bear down on young and old alike at the afternoon media jackson single mother working professional college students there are heating bills go through the roof meanwhile the seal olsen told the story familiar to many seniors who have to best doug with the balancing the high cost of health care prescription drugs with heating bills that represented thirty percent of our monthly income unfortunately many seniors this is not a balancing act that is easily maintained stories abound of grandmothers and grandfathers having to choose between food medicine clothing and heat that should not happen in an american twenty first century it is the stories like this that we have the low income home energy assistance program light heap to provide heating and cooling assistance to folks who are struggling to get by to many americans lie he is a real lifeline more than seventy percent of families receiving like he systems have incomes of less than one hundred percent of the federal poverty level it's that twenty one thousand dollars mr president for a family of four is a truly families who cannot afford to see their heating bills double in fact a majority of households have at least one member who is elderly disabled or a child under five years of age these are the most vulnerable unfortunately current federal funding levels only sufficient to meet the needs of that sixteen percent of the eligible households many states trying to meet the needs of more households by providing small of benefits to each household meanwhile rising energy prices are rapidly reducing the purchasing power of program grants this is a bad combination this president and other words folks are receiving folks in need are receiving less assistance while the cost of  increases again this is simply an untenable situation consider that home heating prices are projected to reach almost one thousand dollars this year for the typical family representing an increase of eighty percent on the average cost during the winter of two thousand and one two thousand and two and this five years we've seen this credible eighty percent increase in cost in fact data shows we are looking at heating costs rising fifteen point two percent this year and record levels heating oil propane and electricity experts predicting minnesotans who use heating oil probably see an increase in their bill of forty seven percent higher than last year's level meanwhile natural gas costs which most minnesotans rely on for their heating up thirty eight percent from the average cost in the winters of two thousand to two thousand and five heating oil crisis with facing this your assertions are only partially due to america's need to import more and more oil i've always said there's a national security  need to end our dependence on foreign oil is also a very focused need in terms of the impact it has on on on those who simply can't afford to pay their heating bills we need to end the dependence on foreign oil at the same time we have to make sure they take care of those families in need today we have the tools to reduce cleaner renewable energy here at home and heating crisis is only one of the many reasons why we need to finish work on the bold energy package the senate passed this summer on the strong farm bill we have before us now those are two important piece of legislation mispresent i hope we can overcome this partisan divide in washington that tears us apart and precludes us from going to get things done i sat with the presiding officer we have talked about renewables and energy to seeing if we can find common ground we needed in the end we need in maryland and we needed in minnesota we need in america unfortunately as much as like all transformer energy production before this winter begins we don't have that option but we can do is make sure americans are having a tough time getting by have the assistance they need to make it through a cold season and for many it really is a matter of survival a large percentage increases heating costs don't really hit home until ok utility bill a lot of folks are going to see hundreds of dollars additional dollars on their heating bills this winter that's a huge expense for a family below the poverty level or for the elderly on fixed income working mom and it's cold and you know i look at the cost of energy and realize that we have an obligation to try to do the right thing that's alive heaps about life sometimes the unexpected happens no matter how much we try sometimes we just need a helping hand to get back on our feet during my hearings it back home i heard the story from a courageous woman from st paul lori cooper who has a working professional wife mother of a twenty one year old child had to figure out how to make ends meet when her husband's health venton him from working with health heating costs rising like he was critical in helping her family make it through the winter tragically it's getting harder and harder for states to help families like this one because appropriate  levels simply haven't risen with the rate of inflation the labor a j chase education bill the senate has produced includes a welcome increase but it's still below the real amount provided over twenty years ago so if you look at where we were twenty years ago  inflation we're below that level today it's probably much less problematic if we weren't dealing with skyrocketing energy costs skyrocketing heating costs which is why this winter as the winter as in the winter of two thousand and five two thousand and six families need emergency lights assistance two thousand and six i came to this flow of senator collins and snowe to make the case for this body that in this country no and you have to choose between the basic necessities and heat rising to that challenge we delivered a billion dollar increase in life funding in two thousand and six today i proudly stand with my colleague from vermont along with seventeen of our colleagues introduced to keep americans warm back to meet the heating crisis we will face this winter this bill provides one billion dollars in emergency contingency li persistence in addition to the funding currently included in the labor h h s bill i urge my colleagues to join the one thousand of us who are standing behind this bill who are committed to meeting your surgeon needs it took a lot of work to get  ergency life assistance passed in two thousand and six we were given every hard on that it was difficult and i know it takes a lot of effort this time as well but i'm certain that this senate can come together to aid those who are struggling to  the senate passed the peru free trade agreement today on a vote of seventy seven to eighteen jim abrams of the associated press reporting it this way the senate gave decisive backing tuesday to a u s peru free trade agreement opening the way for expanded economic ties with the andean nation and giving the administration a boost in its quest to shore up relations with latin america the seventy seven to eighteen senate vote on the bill implementing the agreement followed a two eighty five to one thirty two house last month the agreement will go into effect after the two countries adjust laws needed to abide by it at a news conference earlier president bush also urged congress to act on another pending trade deal with colombia saying that  that was a way to make a difference in south america in terms of venezuelan influence again that from the president in a news conference earlier today we're going to us this afternoon also that the alternative minimum tax relief legislation maybe in several forms could be next on the senate agenda today and over in the house lawmakers are working their way through ten suspension bills this afternoon in the house also expected today to begin consideration  a motion to go to conference the intelligence authorization bill no vote expected in the house until about six thirty p m eastern you can watch that live on c span the senate is live here on c span two senate remains in a quorum call we're waiting for a member to come to the floor mr president yesterday the director of national intelligence admiral mike mcconnell released the national intelligence estimate on iran's nuclear weapons program this and i  which represents the best collective judgment of all sixteen u s intelligence agencies told us that our intelligence community has concluded and i quote from the report with high confidence that iran halted its nuclear weapons program in two thousand and three this is a major reversal of the intelligence community's previous intelligence assessment in two thousand and five that iran was determined to develop nuclear weapons the and i state that the nuclear weapons program was halted primarily in response to international pressure which suggests that iran may be more vulnerable to influence perhaps the most significant lee d n i conclusion that some combination of threats of intensified should purity and scrutiny and pressure along with opportunities for iran to achieve its security prestige and goals might prompt tehran to extend the current halt to its nuclear weapons program i commend abnormal calm and his colleagues for their decision to release unclassified conclusions based on this current intelligence mr president i do not believe that we can overstate the importance of this new information this national intelligence estimate the effects of the end i e will be felt here at the united nations throughout europe across the entire middle east and the world and in iran the n i v closely parallels many of the conclusions of the international atomic energy agency the i a e a the international organization with the most direct on the ground access to iran's nuclear facilities once again the facts appear to be bearing out the conclusions of the i a e a this and i e as well as  should help inform and shape u s strategy on iran president bush has a responsibility to carefully consider the policy implications concerning iran with this new information and i know i will he will he said in his news conference this morning that to this new information which he has confidence in that would be factored in to our policy regarding iran the u s must pursue a clear eyed and strategic policy toward iran based on this new intelligence in fact based assessment to avoid the disastrous mistakes of iraq yesterdays and i does not invalidate the effectiveness of previous efforts to use an international consensus of pressure on iran we must be careful not to run from one end of the pendulum all the way to the other and as president bush noted again this morning the united states must continue to work with our friends our allies this is staying an international consensus on iran i believe the president is correct alliances common purpose common interests focused disciplined iran's objectional words and actions are real and they must continue to be addressed that means a very clear and realistic sense of iran and its motives as i said in my november eight c s i s speech regarding us around policy the united states must employ a comprehensive strategy regarding iran regarding iraq the israeli palestinian issue the middle east a regional comprehensive strategy yesterday's eye and ear and i e reinforces the need direct unconditional and comprehensive engagement with iran the united states and the international community must use all elements of our foreign policy arsenal in offering direct unconditional and comprehensive talks with the ran the united states should be clear that all issues our issues and iran's issues are on the table including offering iran a credible way back from the fringes of the international community security guarantees and other incentives we urgently need to adopt a comprehensive strategy on iran that is focused on direct engagement and diplomacy backed like diplomacy must always be backed by the leverage of international pressure isolation containment military options united states must employ wise statecraft to redirect deepening tensions with iran toward a higher ground a resolution that's what annapolis was about last week america is the great power here iran is not the great power we must be the more mature country in testing the proposition that the united states and iran can overcome decades of mutual mistrust suspicion and hostility that again is diplomacy diplomacy is not just talking to your friends diplomacy is not giving another country bonus points for us talking to them there's a reason for diplomacy we should not squander this opportunity as we did in the spring of two thousand and three when we had an opportunity for an opening to explore talks with iran this initiative by the way in two thousand and three came from iran we are witnessing a confluence of events in the middle east and around the world that present the united states with new opportunities are hopeful and positive recent developments progress on north korea's nuclear weapons program the recent regional meeting in istanbul on iraq the momentum generated by last week's annapolis middle east meeting where all arab countries including syria sat at the same table with israel and yesterday's and i assessed now is the time for america to act and to lead in to lead boldly confidence with our allies focusing on common purpose one dimensional optics policies and blunt black or white rhetoric like you're either with us or you're against it's it won't work it's never work and will fall short of what is expected from american leadership in the eyes of the world the world faces challenges and opportunities today that carry with it implications well beyond this moment in time american leadership is once again being called on it yet another transformational time in history to help set a new course a new framework for a rudderless world drifting in a sea of combustible dangers in engaging aran middle east in the world we must be wide in our scope clear in our purpose measured in our words strong in our actions yesterday's and i e should not be overstated but it also must not be undervalued in shaping future policy with iran and in the middle east make no  the senate today passed the peru free trade agreement a vote of seventy seven to eighteen a number of the presidential candidates absent there were only ninety five total votes senators obama mccain dodd clinton and biden did not make the vote sixteen democrats voted no as did republican senator jon kyl an independent bernie sanders independent senator joe lieberman voted in the affirmative again the peru free trade agreement passing seventy seven to eighteen the house had earlier passed that bill we're hearing that the senate will now take up the a m t relief package one or several of them this afternoon according to a story and congress now the senate this afternoon will take up legislation to extend relief on the alternative minimum tax senate finance committee chairman max baucus telling reporters today that there are now enough votes to move a bill forward again that according to a congress now we're hearing out through other sources that aig indeed the alternative minimum tax is next up on the senate agenda over in the house today house members are working their way through ten suspension bills this afternoon the house also expected later starting at about five thirty eastern time to begin consideration of a motion to go to conference on the intelligence authorization bill no votes in the house until after six thirty eastern today also so we understand that the house on wednesday will vote on energy legislation congress now also with a story on that the house will vote on landmark energy legislation containing increases in federal fuel economy and bio diesel bio fuel standards new renewable electricity mandates and a controversial tax package targeting industry that coming wednesday on the house floor according to congress now you can follow the house on c span or live senate coverage here on c span to as congress reconvenes this week after our observance of the thanksgiving holiday we find a brisk wind blowing through the steeds streets of the nation's capital as cold temperatures begin to grip the country americans are turning up the heat in their home but the elected leaders of our country should se the opportunity to turn down the heat in washington three days ago and if weekly radio address the president placed the blame at the feet of congress for the thing or pointing does nothing nothing with just three short weeks left in this session of congress it is time to close down close down the political posturing and have a responsibility to govern around our budget conundrum working hand in hand with members of the minority where crafting an appropriations package that i expect all of garner bipartisan support this package contemplates a reduction of can point six billion dollars from the spending levels approved by congress in this year budget resolution ten point six billion dollars as a lot of money in addition various controversial matters some of which have been the subject of veto threat or eliminated both democrats and republicans in congress are attempting in good faith good faith to find a way around the veto threat demagoguery aid that has been emanating from sixteen hundred pennsylvania avenue for months now the white house needs to put aside in the responsible manner that is expected by the american people the fact is that the needs of this nation have changed since the budget was submitted way vac in february or as should come as no great surprise the senate on a bipartisan basis as recognize these needs and  have made them chris through clear crumbling state of our infrastructure was punctuated by a deadly i mean did a bridge collapse in minnesota the senate passed a bill containing funds for the bridge replacement and for repairing bridges across the nation by a vote of eighty eight point seven that was the responsible thing to do that was the response to vote a thing to do responsible thing to do investigations into the treatment of soldiers returning from iraq and afghanistan have underline morrow thing to do more money is needed to improve the security of our borders an amendment to provide such funding passed the senate aged nine to one that was the smart thing to do in july the administration released its latest national intelligence report that concluded that al qaeda has regrouped and pakistan with the intention of attacking the united states again the senate passed a homeland security bill to increase funding for first responders by a vote of eighty nine t four rising crime rates in this country highlight the wisdom of addition of funding for law enforcement the senate passed legislation providing such funding for cops on the streets by a vote of seventy five's and nineteen the rising cost of food food means that there must be more funding for the women the entrance in the children program or five hundred thousand people white house continues to demand an arbitrary and irresponsible ceiling on spending the white house continues to stubborn  but there are still time i try again if you want to don't succeed tune to one hundred tenth congress will draw to a close but there's still time so the choice is clear clear as clear the noonday sun in a cloudless sky high the president under congress must recognize that the people of this country expect their leaders as us the big unknown down there into the avenue democrats and republicans in congress are willing to work to resolve differences and complete a fiscally responsible package of appropriations  sixteen democrats voted no as did republican jon kyl an independent bernie sanders independent joe lieberman voted in the affirmative again the peru free trade agreement passing on a vote of seventy seven to eighteen today the house had already passed that bill last month the associated press reporting it this way this afternoon the senate gave decisive backing tuesday to a u s peru free trade agreements opening the way for expanded in amik ties with the andean nation and giving the administration a boost in its quest to shore up relations with latin america the seventy seven to eighteen senate vote on the bill implementing the agreement followed a two eighty five to one thirty two house vote last month the agreement will go into effect after the two countries adjust laws needed to abide by it the story goes on at a news conference earlier president bush also urged congress to act on another pending trade deal with colombia saying that was a way to make a difference in south america in terms of venezuelan influence again that an associated press story by a p writer jim abrams this afternoon we're hearing that the senate will move on to the alternative minimum tax relief measure at some point today and over in the house the house now in recess until about five thirty eastern time when lawmakers are expected to begin consideration of a motion to go to conference on the intelligence authorization bill no votes expected in the house until after six thirty today you can follow the house on c span our senate coverage is on c span too and the senate continues in a quorum call waiting for a member to come to the floor a corn call continues in the senate we're waiting for a member to come to the floor earlier today senators pass the perp peru free trade agreement on a vote of seventy seven to eighteen a measure that the house of representatives had already passed  last month reports that the senate will start work today on a m t relief also a number of other matters still out there for this week or next as the senate returns to work following the thanksgiving break possibly a return to the farm bill pfizer legislation a number of spending bills and of course iraq war funding the associated press reports the saffron in the president bush and congressional democrats are locked in a struggle over iraq spending with neither side budging and each calculating that its arguments will be the one to resonate with voters for both sides this rhetorical tug of war has become a question of leadership on the national security issues and who is more committed to the troops the story continues that the conflict could be on display this week if the senate revisits a fifty billion dollars measure to pay for the wars in iraq and afghanistan but call for most troops to come home by december fifteenth two thousand and eight again that according to an a p story this afternoon on the other side of the  capitol the house is in recess at the moment they're expected back at about five thirty to begin consideration of a motion to go to conference on the intelligence authorization bill you can follow the house on c span and our live senate coverage continues here on c span said call the current return with out objection as president the american people are about to see what the democrats have tried to do all year and what we've thrown been prevented from doing all year because of the obstructionism of the republicans as president president bush is out giving speeches that we've gotta do a m t we've got to take care of that he's giving speeches all of the country gives press conferences talking about why we're doing a m t everybody watch here's why we're not doing anti they don't want us to do it they want to be able to the end of the year say look the democrats are not doing mt everyone should understand we're not doing it because the republicans all forty nine of them backed by president bush don't want us to do it as president we've offered them a proposal we're giving them a vote on virtually everything dealing with the a m t but no they won't do that it's the way that it's been going all year long we can't do the farm bill we can't can't do anything around here mr president w it's why we have had to file cloture fit the six times they have objected even to bills the agree with his deed up time around here so i'm not going to ask consent to move as we have previously i i gave the republican leader a proposal earlier today as i have in the past to do just as i've outlined covering every possible fa sixty votes on all of them but no no votes in in them so now i'm left with no alternative but to file cloture on the only measure dealing with the empty that is now before this by for the life of me mr president i don't understand what they're trying to accomplish what i've heard recently in the last hour cell is now what they want to do is have we have certain tax provisions that are expiring in two thousand and eleven they want to vote on those now mr president three or four years away and we have something that's expiring in a matter of weeks how does the whole of those things tie in together they don't this is an effort to thwart the progress of our slim majority fifty one to forty nine the republicans want to go around saying they're democrats aren't doing the work of this country on this present we have a long list of complements that we're very proud of but also the american people understand that we're agents of change and the republicans are and your agents of the status quo that's what this is all about they want things to stay the way they have been and we want to change things not only in iraq we don't we don't have