Kerry speaking now on C-Span 2

[TayTay]

He's up after Byrd.

Iraq. (I was prescient.) Nope, he was complimenting Sen. Byrd on his courageous stands on Ira. My bad.

Nope, it's on an appropriations Amendment. The emergency heating funds. Good amendment. (I am very worried about this.)

[TayTay]

1. The amendment may go down on procedural grounds

this is the only chance to get an increase in emergency funding (3.1 bil to bring it up to 5 bil) for Fuel Assistance for the poor. Kerry said that the Congress will be recessing in the next few days (for the year?) and that this is the only chance.

The REthugs don't want to do this, so it might just die now. So awful.

[ginnyinWI]

3. I'm worried about this too

Not for my household, but for elderly people and people with little kids--those people just can't keep their heat very low. They get sick in winter, and some die. In Wisconsin we have a law that forbids the utilities from cutting people off--but they will still have bills to pay sometime or other.

Why can't someone make those oil companies cough up more taxes? Oh yeah--our majority party is in their pockets.

[Mass]

2. What was the exchange with Byrd about?

He said that Byrd was prescient (?) and that his career was consistent (though I am not sure what he was referring to).

I really thought that he was going to start criticizing Bush, then he went on heating funds. Important, but it let me expecting more.

[ginnyinWI]

4. what I heard

He commended Byrd on fighting for the troops and all the other work he's done regarding appropriations, etc. and speaking out on tough issues. I think he was doing a little to give Byrd some extra recognition, seeing as how he's up for re-election, and is one of four on Kerry's email list for people to support.

Then Byrd responded with compliments for Kerry--he was speaking really low, and Cspan had to turn up the volume on him--something about Kerry's service to his country, and putting "his person" in harm's way.

[TayTay]

5. Yeah, that was a nice little exchange

I love Sen. Byrd. I like listening to him on the floor. He just gives these old-fashioned speeches that are charming.

He and Sen. Kerry were complimenting each other back and forth in that 'My collegues' way that Senator speak when they are on the floor. (I haven't mastered Senator-speak yet, but I know I could never do it. I would take one look at Sen. Allen and lose it. He would never, ever be , "My distinguished colleague.' Not in this lifetime.)

[WildEyedLiberal]

6. See, that's where I'd love to be on the Senate floor

If I had to refer to Allen with any decorum whatsoever, I'd make damn well sure the sarcasm was dripping from my voice.

"My esteemed colleague..."

GOD that'd be so much fun. Where do I sign up? Oh... you mean either Durbin or Obama have to leave first? Well, poop. :( Put me in the queue, I guess.

[Mass]

10. Here is the thext of the exchange

Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, let me begin by paying my respect to the Senator from West Virginia, Mr. Byrd, who has for several years now on the subject of Iraq been perhaps the most forceful and eloquent and prescient Member of the Senate with respect to the events there. He has been consistent. He has been strong. All Members in the Senate are enormously respectful of his voice and his leadership on this issue.

I know for the Senator from West Virginia, the years I have been here, there has been no more stalwart, dedicated, reliable defender of America's interests anywhere in the world. There has been no one who has stood up more for our young men and women in uniform. I know this journey he has taken with respect to his feelings about the war were not easy, and they were contrary in some ways to that long record on the surface. But it is when you get below the surface and look at some of the continuity of his thinking about the Constitution, about our obligations as Senators, and about the fundamental reasons why you send young men and women to fight anywhere that you see that, indeed, what he is fighting for now is as consistent with what he has fought for throughout his record and career in the Senate. I thank him for that and pay my respect to him.

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts for his observations, for his loyalty to his country, for his service to his country, and for the costs to his human self. For that great service, I thank him. And I thank him for the statement he has just made.

[karynnj]

11. Thanks for posting this

Beautiful statements by both Senators.

[TayTay]

7. Yup, it failed on a procedural vote.

This just sucks. Rules of the Senate
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/votes/senvotehelp.html
The Senate's rules require a three-fifths vote of all Senators

to invoke cloture on all other measures or motions;
to set aside various procedures and prohibitions of the congressional budget process.


It ran afoul of Senate Rule XVI: (Which sort of reads like English: )
http://rules.senate.gov/senaterules/rule16.htm

Damn it. Why did all those Dems from cold states vote not to allow this bill to attach to the Defense Appropriations bill. Shit, even Santorum voted for it. What the hell?

Nice try Senator. Bring it up again after the recess as a separate bill. And please, please, please, go out and talk it up on the radio and TV. This is a really necessary thing, there are folks out there in DemLand who want to help get the word out. It's going to be a long, cold winter and a lot of folks will need this relief.

[Mass]

8. At least 3 dems voted NO (Inouye, Carper, Nelson (NE))

How can these guys say they are democrats?

[TayTay]

9. It's not the end of the idea

it just can't be attached to the Defense Appropriations Bill because it's not germaine. (Insert swear here.)

Sen. Kerry will just have to bring it up again in two weeks. (Recess is next week, right?) Good time for Inouye and Carper and Nelson of Nebraska to go home and think about what they just did. Honestly, how can you deny fuel aid to the poor?

Recess. I wouldn't let any Dem Senator who voted for this bill have recess. I wouldn't even give them afternoon snack. They should just sit in the shame corner and think about what they just did.

EDIT: The above, of course, does not apply to Sen. Allen. I don't think he can sit in the corner and think about anything but how to smirk more and how to work football references into more committee meetings. Sigh!