S6258 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 12, 2012 

is call in a little money a little earlier, 

and we have netted $392 million, right? 

Wrong. Year 6 is where the revenue 

doesn’t come in, and in year 6 it shows 

that we will bring into the U.S. Treasury $392 million less because that 

money was collected early in the previous year—$392 million less in year 6. 

It never is a net increase to the U.S. 

Treasury, although it might appear to 

be, according to the conventions of accounting the CBO uses around here. 

And CBO knows this is true. They 

would tell anyone the same thing if 

they were to ask about this. They 

know exactly what this system is. But 

they follow their rules, and in the fifth 

year it suggests we have a $392 million 

surplus from this advance collection of 

corporate taxes, and that is not so. 

So, my colleagues, this is a problem 

for us. We do not need to continue 

down this pathway. We need to be honest with the American people. The 

President of the United States should 

be objecting to this kind of stuff. He 

should say: No, you can’t play that 

game. The majority leader, Senator 

REID, should be saying: No, that is a 

manipulation. The budget chairman, 

Senator CONRAD, ought to say: No, it 

violates the Budget Act. This isn’t the 

way to do it. 

Now, the alternative bill authored by 

Senator BURR is an honest piece of legislation and would do much of the same 

thing; however, it does not violate the 

Budget Act and is therefore not subject 

to a budget point of order. 

This legislation could have been 

crafted that way, too. But being as 

greedy as I guess we are, rather than 

having to face up to a little bit of the 

difficulty of finding a couple of hundred million dollars, out of $3.7 trillion 

we will spend next year, we would rather manipulate it this way. 

So what did we mean in August a 

year ago when we said we were going to 

cut spending by $2.1 trillion over 10 

years? Was that just a joke? Is this the 

kind of thing we are going to do every 

time a bill comes along that has some 

appeal to it and we wish to support? 

Are we not willing to stand up and pay 

for the legislation? Is there no waste, 

fraud, and abuse in this government 

that we couldn’t work on? There certainly is. 

This government is mismanaged, it is 

out of control, and the Chief Executive 

spends his days getting on an airplane 

going somewhere to make a speech. 

What we need is somebody in the shop 

managing the taxpayers’ money. And 

when Congress tries to play these gimmicks, we need a President that says, 

No. That is what this country needs. 

Until we get that, we are never going 

to bring spending under control. 

What do my President and my Democratic colleagues in the Senate say? 

Send more money. We can’t cut anything. We have no ability to find savings. We need more money, American 

people. Send more to Washington, private sector. It doesn’t make a whole 

lot of difference in an economic sense 

where it comes from. It is all a further 

drain out of the private sector, so the 

public sector can spread the money 

around and maybe solicit some votes in 

the process. 

This is how we got into this fix. I am 

concerned about it. I do not think we 

should go forward with the legislation 

as drafted. Perhaps some compromise 

can be reached. Senator BURR has 

worked hard on it. Maybe our Democratic colleagues can get together and 

put up a veterans jobs bill that is honestly paid for. I know they could. And 

if it is worth it and we can find ways to 

make the tough choices that we are 

paid to do and set priorities, and help 

veterans find jobs through some sort of 

mechanism such as this, then let’s do 

it. But let’s pay for it, and let’s don’t 

use these gimmicks. Let’s don’t go 

about it in a way that misleads the 

American people about how much the 

legislation is truly costing. 

I feel strongly about it. I am getting 

frustrated about it. It is always: Well, 

it is just a few hundred million here 

and a few hundred million there, and 

the bill needs to pass, and don’t raise 

these problems now, we are slowing 

down the machine, we have a lot of 

things to do. It doesn’t look as if we 

are so busy right now, but people think 

we have things to do and they don’t 

want to have to wrestle with the minutiae of a few hundred million dollars a 

year. But we should do that. If we do 

that every day and if we stay within 

the budget amount we agreed to last 

August, we will have made some improvement in the overall debt course of 

America. 

To make clear, the Budget Control 

Act agreement called for a reduction of 

$2.1 trillion in spending over 10 years. 

During that time, we were projected to 

spend $47 trillion. So the net reduction 

would be from $47 trillion to $45 trillion. Surely the Republic is not going 

to sink into the ocean if we reduce our 

spending from $47 trillion to $45 trillion. Surely we can find that. It is not 

enough. We need to do about three 

times that much at a minimum, and we 

can do that, too. This is still a substantial increase in spending. This is not a 

cut in spending over 10 years. At the 

current rate of spending, we spend 

about $37 trillion. So we are going from 

$47 trillion to $45 trillion over 10 years 

instead of $37 trillion over 10 years. It 

is still a major increase in spending 

over 10 years, but we are told that is 

impossible; all we can possibly do is 

$2.1 trillion in reductions. 

The President was claiming credit for 

reaching this agreement, but the budget he submitted this year wiped out the 

entire $2.1 trillion. It wiped out the entire sequester and raised taxes by $1.5 

trillion in increased spending and 

about $1.8 trillion in increased taxes; 

no cuts at all under his budget; actually a spending increase over the trajectory we were already on, which is an 

unsustainable trajectory. 

I know I am being frank about this. 

Some can say this is a political argument. Well, we are in a political season, and I believe what I have said is 

accurate. I believe what I have said is 

true. I believe a budget point of order 

lies against this bill because it spends 

more than the Veterans’ Affairs is allocated to spend, and we need to vote on 

it. It is this kind of breaking the budget and spending more than we agreed 

that has helped put us in this fix, and 

we need somebody to help bring order 

out of chaos. 

We are on an unsustainable path. 

This Nation is on the wrong track. We 

are on the track to decline and debt 

and financial crisis, not the road to 

prosperity. We cannot continue in this 

path. 

Erskine Bowles and Senator Simpson 

before the Budget Committee told us 

that we have never faced in this country a more predictable debt crisis. That 

was their joint statement, ‘‘never faced 

a more predictable financial crisis.’’ 

What they told us was: We are on an 

unsustainable path. If we stay on this 

path, we will have some sort of debt 

crisis, another 2008 or 2007 recession 

caused by a financial bubble. And for 

the U.S. Government, what a disaster 

that would be if, as we are struggling 

to get people back to work and get the 

economy on the rise, we have a financial crisis again putting us back into 

recession. We need to avoid that. We 

have got to be mature and honest 

about our money. We have got to get 

our debt under control. 

This bill violates the deemed allocations included in the Budget Control 

Act. It violates sound principles of financial policy. It contains a major 

gimmick, really a bogus allocation of 

over $300 million that claims to exist 

that does not exist at all. We need to 

fix that. 

Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity to share these remarks. 

I suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I ask 

unanimous consent the order for the 

quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

RECESS 

Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I ask 

unanimous consent the Senate stand in 

recess subject to the call of the Chair. 

There being no objection, the Senate, 

at 5:54 p.m., recessed until 8:46 p.m., 

and reassembled when called to order 

by the Presiding Officer (Mr. 

MERKLEY). 

f 

VETERANS JOBS CORPS ACT OF 

2012—MOTION TO PROCEED 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time 

having expired, the question is on 

agreeing to the motion. 

Mr. REID. I ask for the yeas and 

nays. 

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September 12, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6259 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a 

sufficient second? There appears to be 

a sufficient second. There is a sufficient second. 

The clerk will call the roll. 

The bill clerk called the roll. 

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the 

Senator from Hawaii (Mr. INOUYE), the 

Senator from South Dakota (Mr. JOHNSON), the Senator from Louisiana (Ms. 

LANDRIEU), and the Senator from Virginia (Mr. WEBB) are necessarily absent. 

Mr. KYL. The following Senators are 

necessarily absent: the Senator from 

Texas (Mr. CORNYN), the Senator from 

Nebraska (Mr. JOHANNS), the Senator 

from Illinois (Mr. KIRK), and the Senator from Florida (Mr. RUBIO). 

Further, if present and voting, the 

Senator from Texas (Mr. CORNYN) 

would have voted ‘‘yea.’’ 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there 

any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? 

The result was announced—yeas 84, 

nays 8, as follows: 

[Rollcall Vote No. 192 Leg.] 

YEAS—84 

Akaka 

Alexander 

Ayotte 

Barrasso 

Baucus 

Begich 

Bennet 

Bingaman 

Blumenthal 

Boozman 

Boxer 

Brown (MA) 

Brown (OH) 

Burr 

Cantwell 

Cardin 

Carper 

Casey 

Chambliss 

Coats 

Cochran 

Collins 

Conrad 

Coons 

Corker 

Crapo 

Durbin 

Enzi 

Feinstein 

Franken 

Gillibrand 

Graham 

Grassley 

Hagan 

Harkin 

Hatch 

Heller 

Hoeven 

Hutchison 

Isakson 

Kerry 

Klobuchar 

Kohl 

Kyl 

Lautenberg 

Leahy 

Levin 

Lieberman 

Lugar 

Manchin 

McCain 

McCaskill 

McConnell 

Menendez 

Merkley 

Mikulski 

Moran 

Murkowski 

Murray 

Nelson (NE) 

Nelson (FL) 

Portman 

Pryor 

Reed 

Reid 

Risch 

Roberts 

Rockefeller 

Sanders 

Schumer 

Shaheen 

Shelby 

Snowe 

Stabenow 

Tester 

Thune 

Toomey 

Udall (CO) 

Udall (NM) 

Vitter 

Warner 

Whitehouse 

Wicker 

Wyden 

NAYS—8 

Blunt 

Coburn 

DeMint 

Inhofe 

Johnson (WI) 

Lee 

Paul 

Sessions 

NOT VOTING—8 

Cornyn 

Inouye 

Johanns 

Johnson (SD) 

Kirk 

Landrieu 

Rubio 

Webb 

The motion was agreed to. 

f 

VETERANS JOBS CORPS ACT OF 

2012 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report the bill by title. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

A bill (S. 3457) to require the Secretary of 

Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs 

corps, and for other purposes. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader. 

AMENDMENT NO. 2789

(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute.) 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, on behalf of 

Senator MURRAY, I call up the substitute amendment, No. 2789. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report the amendment. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

The Senator from Nevada [Mr. REID], for 

Mrs. MURRAY, proposes an amendment numbered 2789. 

(The amendment is printed in the 

RECORD of Tuesday, September 11, 2012, 

under ‘‘Text of Amendments.’’) 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask for 

the yeas and nays. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a 

sufficient second? 

There is a sufficient second. 

The yeas and nays were ordered. 

AMENDMENT NO. 2808 TO AMENDMENT NO. 2789

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a 

first-degree perfecting amendment 

which is at the desk. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

The Senator from Nevada [Mr. REID] proposes an amendment numbered 2808 to 

amendment No. 2789. 

The amendment is as follows: 

At the end, add the following new section: 

Sec. lll. 

This Act shall become effective 7 days 

after enactment. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask for 

the yeas and nays on that amendment. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a 

sufficient second? 

There is a sufficient second. 

The yeas and nays were ordered. 

AMENDMENT NO. 2809 TO AMENDMENT NO. 2808

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a 

second-degree amendment at the desk. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

The Senator from Nevada [Mr. REID] proposes an amendment numbered 2809 to 

amendment No. 2808. 

The amendment is as follows: 

In the amendment, strike ‘‘7 days’’ and insert ‘‘6 days’’. 

CLOTURE MOTION

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a 

cloture motion on the substitute 

amendment which is at the desk. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented 

under rule XXII, the Chair directs the 

clerk to read the motion. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

CLOTURE MOTION

We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 

XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move to bring to a close debate on the substitute amendment No. 

2789 to S. 3457, a bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish 

a veterans jobs corps, and for other 

purposes. 

Harry Reid, Bill Nelson, Carl Levin, Tom 

Harkin, Jeff Bingaman, Christopher A. 

Coons, Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Patrick 

J. Leahy, Bernard Sanders, Daniel K. 

Inouye, Benjamin L. Cardin, Al 

Franken, Barbara Boxer, Ron Wyden, 

Robert Menendez, Robert P. Casey, Jr., 

Barbara Mikulski. 

AMENDMENT NO. 2810

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have an 

amendment at the desk to the language proposed to be stricken. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

The Senator from Nevada [Mr. REID] proposes an amendment numbered 2810 to the 

language proposed to be stricken by amendment No. 2789. 

The amendment is as follows: 

At the end, add the following new section: 

Sec. lll. 

This Act shall become effective 5 days 

after enactment. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask for 

the yeas and nays on that amendment. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a 

sufficient second? 

There is a sufficient second. 

The yeas and nays were ordered. 

AMENDMENT NO. 2811 TO AMENDMENT NO. 2810

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a 

second-degree amendment at the desk. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

The Senator from Nevada [Mr. REID] proposes an amendment numbered 2811 to 

amendment No. 2810. 

The amendment is as follows: 

In the amendment, strike ‘‘5 days’’ and insert ‘‘4 days’’. 

MOTION TO COMMIT WITH AMENDMENT NO. 2812

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a 

motion to commit the bill with instructions which is at the desk. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

The Senator from Nevada [Mr. REID] moves 

to commit the bill, S. 3457, to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs with instructions to report back forthwith with an amendment 

numbered 2812. 

The amendment is as follows: 

At the end, add the following new section: 

Sec. lll. 

This Act shall become effective 3 days 

after enactment. 

Mr. REID. I ask for the yeas and nays 

on the motion. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a 

sufficient second? 

There is a sufficient second. 

The yeas and nays were ordered. 

AMENDMENT NO. 2813

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have an 

amendment to the instructions at the 

desk. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

The Senator from Nevada [Mr. REID] proposes an amendment numbered 2813 to the 

instructions (Amendment No. 2812) to commit S. 3457. 

The amendment is as follows: 

In the amendment, strike ‘‘3 days’’ and insert ‘‘2 days’’. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask for 

the yeas and nays on that amendment. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a 

sufficient second? 

There is a sufficient second. 

The yeas and nays were ordered. 

AMENDMENT NO. 2814 TO AMENDMENT NO. 2813

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a 

second-degree amendment at the desk. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report. 

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