Congressional Record UNUM

E PLURIBUS

United States

of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 111th

 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

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S239 

Vol. 155 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2009 No. 4 

Senate 

The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was 

called to order by the Honorable SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, a Senator from the 

State of Rhode Island. 

PRAYER

The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following prayer: 

Let us pray. 

Almighty God, who has made and 

preserved us as a nation, guide our lawmakers through this day by Your higher wisdom. Take from them all that 

stains their lives or keeps them from 

intimacy with You. Lead them to a 

fresh dedication to serve and to choose 

the harder right. In the living of their 

days, may faith replace fear, truth conquer falsehood, justice triumph over 

greed, love prevail over hate, and peace 

abide with all humanity. 

We pray in the Redeemer’s Name. 

Amen. 

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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

The Honorable SHELDON WHITEHOUSE

led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: 

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the 

United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, 

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 

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APPOINTMENT OF ACTING 

PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will please read a communication 

to the Senate from the President pro 

tempore (Mr. BYRD). 

The legislative clerk read the following letter: 

U.S. SENATE, 

PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, 

Washington, DC, January 9, 2009. 

To the Senate: 

Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, 

of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby 

appoint the Honorable SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, 

a Senator from the State of Rhode Island, to 

perform the duties of the Chair. 

ROBERT C. BYRD, 

President pro tempore. 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE thereupon assumed the chair as Acting President 

pro tempore. 

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RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY 

LEADER 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized. 

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SCHEDULE 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, following 

the remarks, if there be any, from the 

leaders, there will be a period of morning business, with Senators allowed to 

speak for up to 10 minutes each. 

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MEASURES PLACED ON THE 

CALENDAR—S. 181 AND S. 182 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is my understanding there are two bills at the 

desk due for a second reading. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the bills by 

title. 

The legislative clerk read as follows: 

A bill (S. 181) to amend title VII of the 

Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and 

to modify the operation of the Americans 

with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to clarify that a discriminatory compensation decision or other 

practice that is unlawful under such Acts occurs each time compensation is paid pursuant to the discriminatory compensation decision or other practice, and for other purposes. 

A bill (S. 182) to amend the Fair Labor 

Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in 

the payment of wages on the basis of sex, and 

for other purposes. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I object to 

any further proceedings with respect to 

these bills en bloc. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard. 

The bills will be placed on the calendar. 

Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a 

quorum. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the 

quorum call be rescinded. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

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DESIGNATING CERTAIN LAND 

COMPONENTS OF THE NATIONAL 

WILDERNESS PRESERVATION 

SYSTEM—MOTION TO PROCEED 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I will now 

ask that we move to S. 22, order No. 13. 

I move we proceed to S. 22. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The motion is pending. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest 

the absence of a quorum. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll. 

The legislative clerk proceeded to 

call the roll. 

Mr. DORGAN. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call 

be rescinded. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

Mr. DORGAN. I ask unanimous consent to speak in morning business for 

up to 40 minutes. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

ECONOMIC STIMULUS

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, we have 

learned this morning that the unemployment rate has gone to 7.2 percent. 

Percentages don’t mean much to a 

household in which one spouse comes 

home and says: Honey, I lost my job. 

We have seen now more than 2.5 million people lose their jobs in the last 12 

months. We face a very severe and deep 

financial crisis. There is no question 


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