| 00:00:00 | EVERYONE QUIET. |
| 00:00:01 | I MEAN, IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE THAT THIS -- WE HAVE HAD TWO -- WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TWO MAJOR DECISIONS THIS WEEK, ONE DEALING WITH IMMIGRATION, ONE DEALING WITH HEALTH CARE, AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SINGLE WORD COME OUT OF THE SUPREME COURT. |
| 00:00:18 | THAT'S -- I'M SO IMPRESSED, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AND I HOPE IT STAYS THAT WAY. |
| 00:00:23 | TODAY, THE SUPREME COURT WILL RULE ON THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE LANDMARK HEALTH REFORM THAT MADE AFFORDABLE QUALITY CARE A RIGHT FOR EVERY AMERICAN. |
| 00:00:32 | MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE ALREADY SEEING THE BENEFITS OF THIS LAW. |
| 00:00:35 | I REPEAT, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS. |
| 00:00:37 | AND DEMOCRATS ARE VERY PROUD THAT WE STOOD UP FOR THE RIGHT OF EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD FOR LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL CARE INSTEAD OF STANDING UP FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT WORRY MORE ABOUT MAKING MONEY THAN MAKING PEOPLE BETTER. |
| 00:00:51 | THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION, BEING A LAWYER MYSELF -- AND I KNOW THE PRESIDING OFFICER WAS THE CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, ATTORNEY GENERAL. |
| 00:01:02 | WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE AREA OF LAW, A LAWYER, WHATEVER THE COURT DOES, WE ACCEPT THAT. |
| 00:01:08 | THAT'S OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. |
| 00:01:11 | WE'RE A NATION OF LAWS, NOT A NATION OF MEN, AND SO WHATEVER THE COURT DOES, WE WILL WORK THROUGH THAT. |
| 00:01:17 | IF THEY UPHOLD IT, THAT'S GREAT. |
| 00:01:20 | IF THEY DON'T UPHOLD IT, UPHOLD PARTS OF IT, WHATEVER IT IS, MR. |
| 00:01:24 | PRESIDENT, WE STAND READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT AMERICANS DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET HEALTH CARE WHEN THEY'RE SICK. |
| 00:01:31 | I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPINION COMING OUT IN THE NEXT HALF-HOUR OR SO, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THAT HOLDS. |
| 00:01:37 | I KNOW THAT WILL CAUSE A LOT OF INTEREST HERE IN THE SENATE, BUT WE CANNOT TAKE OUR EYES OFF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TODAY, AND THAT IS FIGURE A WAY FORWARD ON THESE OTHER MATTERS WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH -- FLOOD INSURANCE, STUDENT LOANS AND THE BIG TRANSPORTATION BILL. |
| 00:01:55 | WOULD THE CHAIR ANNOUNCE THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY? |
| 00:01:58 | PROVIDED UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE LEADERSHIP TIME IS RESERVED. |
| 00:02:02 | UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE FOLLOWING HOUR WILL BE EQUALLY DIVIDED AND CONTROLLED BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS OR THEIR DESIGNEES, WITH THE REPUBLICANS CONTROLLING THE FIRST HALF AND THE MAJORITY CONTROLLING THE FINAL HALF. |
| 00:02:22 | MR. |
| 00:02:23 | ENZI: MR. PRESIDENT? THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM WYOMING IS RECOGNIZED. |
| 00:02:25 | MR. |
| 00:02:26 | ENZI: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:02:27 | PRESIDENT. I COME TO THE FLOOR TO TALK ABOUT A BIT |
Mr. REID. Mr. President, there is a lot going on in Washington today. I so admire the Supreme Court's ability to keep everything quiet. I mean, it is really incredible that we are going to have two major decisions this week--one dealing with immigration, one dealing with health care--and there has not been a single word that has come out of the Supreme Court. I am so impressed. That is the way it has always been, and I hope it stays that way.
Today the Supreme Court will rule on the constitutionality of the landmark health reform that made affordable, quality care a right for every American. Millions of Americans are already seeing the benefits of this law--I repeat, millions of Americans. The Democrats are very proud that we stood for the right of every man, woman, and child to lifesaving medical care instead of standing for insurance companies that worry more about making money than making people better.
The Supreme Court's decision, being a lawyer myself--I know the Presiding Officer was the chief legal officer for the State of New Mexico, the attorney general--when you are in the area of law and are a lawyer, whatever the Court does, you accept that. That is our form of government. We are a nation of laws, not a nation of men. So whatever the Court does, we will work through that. If they uphold it, that is great. If they do not uphold it, whatever it is, we stand ready, willing, and able to work to make sure Americans have the ability to get health care when they are sick.
I look forward to the opinion coming out in the next half hour or so, and we will see what that holds. I know that will cause a lot of interest here in the Senate, but we cannot take our eyes off what we have to do today; that is, figure a way forward on these other matters with which we have to deal--flood insurance, student loans, and the big Transportation bill.
RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME