S10842 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2008 

Republicans have a lot of important 

work to do. But this is also important 

business we are dealing with, dealing 

with the Detroit automobile manufacturers. 

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RECOGNITION OF THE 

REPUBLICAN LEADER 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Republican leader. 

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AUTOMOBILE PACKAGE 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, let 

me pick up on the issue the majority 

leader was discussing. Of course, we are 

not going to agree to expedite a procedure to a bill we have not read. The 

fundamental problem here—I know this 

is not the majority leader’s fault—is 

we have not been able to get a copy of 

the bill that we believe represents an 

agreement that has been reached between congressional Democrats and the 

White House on the automobile package. 

Until we get the actual bill and can 

read it, it is unrealistic to expect that 

I can ask my Members to advance consideration of the bill until we know 

what is in it. So as soon as we can have 

a look at it—we will be having a conference today on my side. Hopefully, 

we will have the bill by then. But as of 

this morning, we still have not seen a 

final version of the bill. Once we do, we 

will review it and see if it meets our 

standard for support, which will be the 

taxpayers’ standard for support. 

But as I indicated—and the majority 

leader has already picked up on that— 

there cannot be a vote on the legislation today because we do not know 

what it looks like. 

On a bill this critical, with so much 

taxpayer money at stake, we cannot 

rush this through without adequate review. We are happy to begin the review 

process as soon as we get a product. My 

Members will be discussing the merits 

of the latest version of the plan, as I 

indicated, at our weekly policy lunch, 

which will occur today around noon. So 

this afternoon I expect to have some 

more substantive thoughts on this latest proposal’s chances for support within the Republican conference. We will 

address this issue before the end of the 

week. I agree with the majority leader 

on that. 

For those who need a refresher, let 

me remind everyone of the Republican 

criteria for this legislation: First and 

foremost, we will not let taxpayers 

spend their hard-earned money on ailing car makers unless these companies 

are forced to reform their bad habits, 

either inside or outside bankruptcy. 

This means workers will not be paid 

not to work, it means a final bill would 

not interfere with pending environmental lawsuits in a one-sided manner, 

and it means struggling car companies 

will have to rationalize their cost 

structures because a company that 

does not respond to market conditions 

is a company that is doomed to failure 

anyway. Republicans will not allow 

taxpayers to subsidize failure. 

As I have said repeatedly, my Republican colleagues and I wish to put 

struggling car makers on a path to 

long-term success, but, obviously, 

there will not be widespread support 

for a plan that does not do that. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I say in response to my friend, the distinguished 

Republican leader, we have had cooperation in moving forward on this 

legislation. I have not been a big fan of 

the White House, as everyone knows, 

for the last 8 years. But they have, in 

good faith, worked with us trying to 

get a piece of legislation we can bring 

before this body. 

That is one reason it has taken so 

long. But President Bush is still President of the United States. He has tremendous power and rightfully so. Senator Obama is not, in any way, wanting 

to step on that. So this is something 

that is important. I totally understand 

what the Republican leader is saying. 

If I were in his place, I would do the 

same thing. It is not fair to ask that we 

move forward on this legislation without people having the opportunity to 

read it and study it and talk to others 

about what is in it. 

I would hope, through, after we get 

the legislation, we can work something 

out to expedite the procedural matters. 

No one is under the illusion that we 

can do it on a simple majority; we are 

going to have to get 60 votes. I hope 

there is support from both sides of the 

aisle. I am fairly confident there will 

be. We will, later tonight, revisit what 

we might be able to do tomorrow and/ 

or Friday to complete this legislation. 

We will do our very utmost to get this 

legislation completed so the Republican leader can take to his caucus the 

document so people can start, hopefully even before that, poring through 

it. 

I have said so many times this thing 

is done, it is on its way, and have been 

disappointed when my staff says: Well, 

there are a few more issues that have 

come up. I think that has ended. I certainly hope so. I hope that at 12:30, 

when we recess, both the Republicans 

and the Democrats have a piece of legislation they can look at. 

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RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 

leadership time is reserved. 

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MORNING BUSINESS 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 

Senate will proceed to a period of 

morning business until 12:30 p.m., with 

Senators permitted to speak for up to 

10 minutes each. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from North Carolina 

is recognized. 

FAREWELL 

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I rise to 

speak on the floor of this Chamber for 

the final time in my service as a Senator from the State of North Carolina. 

As I do, I cannot help but think back 

some 12 and a half years ago, when I 

sat up in the Senate Gallery to watch 

another Senator Dole, my husband 

Bob, deliver his farewell speech in this 

Chamber after nearly three decades of 

service. 

Bob began his remarks by reflecting 

on words spoken by Abraham Lincoln 

in 1860, when a delegation arrived in 

Springfield, IL, to officially inform 

him he had been nominated by his 

party for the Presidency. Lincoln 

spoke just two sentences, and then he 

said to the large crowd of friends and 

neighbors gathered on his lawn: 

Now I will no longer defer the pleasure of 

taking each of you by the hand. 

I rise with a heart full of gratitude, 

and, like President Lincoln and like 

Bob Dole, what I wish I could do is to 

take the hand of all those who have 

helped me on my life’s journey and to 

express my heartfelt thanks. I would 

begin with friends from my home 

State. I have been blessed to serve the 

public in numerous capacities during 

my career. Without question, the highest honor has been representing North 

Carolina in the Senate. I thank my fellow Tar Heels for granting me the 

privilege of serving them. 

Then there are a number of North 

Carolinians now gone whom I wish I 

could take by the hand again to thank 

them for the examples they set, the 

values they instilled in me and the 

love, guidance, and support they provided. 

There is my grandmother, Mom 

Cathey. I can still vividly recall the 

Sunday afternoons spent with other 

neighborhood children at her home. We 

would enjoy lemonade and homemade 

cookies while Mom Cathey read from 

her Bible, which is now one of my most 

cherished possessions. My grandmother 

practiced what she preached, and she 

truly lived her life for others. 

My beloved father John Hanford always supported my interests and 

taught me that anything worth doing 

deserved my best effort. When I wanted 

to run for president of my high school, 

which was not something girls did in 

those days, he stood right behind me 

cheering me on. He was protective but 

not overbearing. 

My precious mother Mary, who 

passed away just shy of 103 years old, 

was also front and center in my life. 

She taught me at a very young age 

that the real joy in life is giving back 

to your community and helping those 

around you, and she was always there 

to urge me to go the extra mile: You 

finished your homework early. Have 

you thought about entering that essay 

contest? Unbeknownst to her, mother’s 

example of hard work and dedication 

drew me toward public service as my 

mission field, my passion. She was a 

constant source of inspiration.