Senate Proceeding on Apr 29th, 2009 :: 2:08:45 to 2:24:30
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2:08:41 to 2:09:02( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: chance to restore the economy of the united states of america? and i yield back. a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from maryland. mr. cardin: thank you, madam president. madam president, last november the american people voted for change. i thi it's appropriate today as we are considering the conference report on the budget

2:08:45 to 2:24:30( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Benjamin L. Cardin

2:09:03 to 2:09:23( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: which is the blueprint for our nation, and we also celebrate 100th day of barack obama's presidency and his administration, i think it's time to reflect where we've been for these last 100 days and the changes that have occurred. but first it's important to point out the mess that president obama inherited.

2:09:24 to 2:09:44( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: the united states is engaged in two wars. we have the worst economic cris since the g depression inherited by this administration. record deficits inherited by this administration. united states international reputation barelyamaged. in 100 days, the obama

2:09:45 to 2:10:07( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: administration working wit in congress has an impressive report of accomplishments. continuing's important to point out that the priority, as all my constituents tell me on fix our economy. our economy is in deep trouble. the amecan recovery and reinvestment act put the

2:10:08 to 2:10:29( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: recovery of our economy first by creating jobs. create jobs. and the obama administration put that as their top priority. but they also invested in america's future, in education, in health care, and in energy. protecting our essential services for america's most

2:10:30 to 2:10:50( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: vulnerable people tax cuts to help restore consumer confidence in our economy. that was the first priority. that bill's passed and its impact is now being felt in our country. but the congress, under the leadership of president obama, working with us, other things

2:10:51 to 2:11:11( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: were accomplished in a very short period of time. the lilly ledbetter fair pay equity act was passed guaranteeing that we have an enforceable right for equal pay. we passed the children's health insurance program that covers more children on health insurance. i'm particularly pleased that

2:11:12 to 2:11:33( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: law includes dental care, so that children will be able to see a dentist. we passed legislation protecting public lands and protecting our environment for fute generations. we passed the edward m. kennedy serve america act for americans to be able to engage in

2:11:34 to 2:11:56( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: volunteer service throughout this country throughout their lifetime. and the obama administration working with this congress has restored america's international leadership. we have made it clear from the beginning that this nation will not permit the use of torture, focused our missions in both iraq and afghanistan and going after the terrorists, which is

2:11:57 to 2:12:17( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: what we should be doing to make america safe and prepared to join the international community in combatting global climate change. we've done a loturing the first 100 days. quite a record. and today we' on the vergef passing the budget -- the conference report which will provide a new blueprint for america's future.

2:12:18 to 2:12:38( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: what are the priorities? the priorities, firstare the economy. again, we've got to get out of this recession. and this budget allows us to invest in creating new jobs. it will do it in a fiscally responsible way and will invest in health care, energy, and education. president obama, as i pointed

2:12:39 to 2:12:59( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: out earlier, inherited quite a fiscal mess. president bush, during the eight years of his presidency, with a surplus, madam president. let me remind you. eight years ago we had a surplus, $236 billion surplus 2000. well, the current year's deficit is $1.75 trillion.

2:13:00 to 2:13:20( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: this was fiscal recklessness of the bush administration that's been inherited by the obama administration. it's cost us jobs. we're losing 500,000 jobs each and every month. that's what was confronting president obama when he took office. we have a housing crisis. people losing their homes.

2:13:21 to 2:13:41( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: they're still losing their homes today. we've got to pay attention to that. we've got to give confidence so people can keep their homes. it's important for the individual. it's important for our communities t.'s important our which i. banks aren't lending money. they still aren't lending money. we've got to get system working the way it should so america can grow. we've got to help small businesses.

2:13:42 to 2:14:02( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: that's the growth engine of america, in order to create jobs and move forward with innovation. and what we need to do is have a budget that puts our priorities on america's future. well, the budget that president obama, that we're about ready to pass does that. it helps our economy but does it

2:14:03 to 2:14:24( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: in a fiscally responsible way. it puts us on a glide path to reduce the f two-thirds by the so we're working on creating jobs. but we're also working on fiscal responsibility. to get out from this deficit, because we not only have a moral obligation to our children and

2:14:25 to 2:14:45( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: grandchildren to pay our bills. it's critically important for the fiscal strength of america that we get our budget back into balance. as -- so as we come back out of this recession, as we create the jobs that this budget will allow us to do, we also glide path toward fiscal responsibility. but the budget recognizes another essential point. we're not going to do the things

2:14:46 to 2:15:06( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: the way we've done it in the past. we have an administration that's prepared to problems. it's one thing to get out of this recession and to try to balance the budget and get our budget balanced, but we've got to deal with the underlying problems that america confronts. we've got to fix the broken health care system because it's too expensive and drains our economy.

2:15:07 to 2:15:28( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: independent because that drains our economy and our budget. and we've got to invest in education. our children are our future. we've got to put our resources with our children. the budget recognizes that for america to be able to have a strong budget in the future, we need to fix our health care system. we talked about this for a long time, talked about fixing it.

2:15:29 to 2:15:50( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: well, we now have a president that has said the only option's that's not on the table is the status quo and i agree with president obama, we've got to fix the system. why? first of all, it's way too expensive. not only a drain to the federal taxpayers but to every american this country. our healthare system is twice as expensive per capita than the next most expensive system in

2:15:51 to 2:16:11( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: the country, and yet we've seen during the bush years, the eight years of his presidency, the number of uninsured grew from 40 million to 47 million. 47 million americans do not have health insurance. and we don't have the health care results that would warrant such large expenditure of our federal economy in health care.

2:16:12 to 2:16:33( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: we should have better results. we don't have those results. so we've got to -- we've got to fix our health ce system. so what does this budget resolution do, the conferenc report that's before us that shortly will be before us for a vote? what this budget resolution does allows us to move boldly towards universal health coverage. towards universal coverage.

2:16:34 to 2:16:55( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: why is that so important? but you see, someone who has no health insurance today, they enter our health care system in a very expensive way. they use our energy rooms for primary care, to the extheant they get primary care, they don't have prevention, and they enter our system in a costly way. illnesses that could have been

2:16:56 to 2:17:16( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: detected early are -- are left untreated and they enter our system in a very expensive way. now, man without health insurance don't pay their bills. but they get paid. guess who pays them? we pay them, the taxpayers of this country, those who have insurance pay more for their premiums and more for their doctors and hospitals because the people who have no health insurance. it's in our national interest to

2:17:17 to 2:17:37( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: get everyone covered by insurance. and this budget conference report will allowur to bring in a bill to fix our health care system to provide universal coverage. that will provide better quality care and save us money. this budget allows us to save money in the health care system

2:17:38 to 2:17:59( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: by investing in preventive health care. if we get early detection o diseases, it will save us money. it invests in health information technology so that we can el our health care system, the administrative costs. not only will it eliminate costs, unnecessary costs, but

2:18:00 to 2:18:20( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: you'll have better management of care doctors and hospitals will be able to communicate with each other. they'll understand the complexities of your own individual health history and be able to develop health protocols to give you the most cost-effective quality care. that's using technology to help us.

2:18:21 to 2:18:41( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: we need to deal with dispariti in health care. we know that there's gaps across racial and ethnic lines. we need to narrow that, pay attention to it. this budget allows us to move in that direction to elimite these disparities. the budget allows us to refor our own medicare system. medicare is the largest

2:18:42 to 2:19:02( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: insurance program in o country. our elderly and disabled depend upon our medicare system but our medicare system needs to be changed and reformed. just ask any physician about -- about the sustainable growth rate methodology for reforming -- f their -- their fees every year. we've got to change that.

2:19:03 to 2:19:23( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: we've got to eliminate this makes no sense at all. well, this budget resolution allows us to reform the medicare system to make it more cost-effective. provides for the backup of budget reconciliation instructions. now, what does that mean, madam president?

2:19:24 to 2:19:44( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: i want to give you my interpretation. that allows us to use regular order to get this issue dealt with, to get health care dealt w. we've been talking about it for years. it it's time to fix our health care system. and this is not a partisan issue. it's not a demratic issue or a republican issue. this is an issue that affects our country.

2:19:45 to 2:20:06( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: it's an american issue. we need to work together on it. but it's not regular order to use filibusters to prevent body from taking up these issues. and that's what the budget reform process was all about many years and i hope that every member of this body will work together so we can fixur health care s. that's what we need -- care system. that's what we need to do.

2:20:07 to 2:20:28( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: nobody has best ideas. president obama has reached out and said look, i know what we need to accomplish, you know what we need to accomplish; now let's work together and get it done so we can make health care more accessible, people can get quality care in a much more cost-effective way, saving the taxpayers of this country money, helping our economy grow, making american companies more competitive internationally if

2:20:29 to 2:20:49( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: we fix the health care system. all that is possible. the reward if we get it done right. and i w see the chairman of the budget committee who's on the floor, senator conrad, i want to thank him for his leadership on these issues. we now have a budget that will allow us to deal with this priority. the budget resolution also

2:20:50 to 2:21:12( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: recognizes that for america to be strong, become energy independent. and the budget resolution allows us -- our committees to do that. we need to become energy independent for the sake of our economy. we saw the impact on our econo when energy prices went and down, we couldn't -- had very little to do with it. but it we get the energy policy

2:21:13 to 2:21:34( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: right, we're going to create green jobs, more jobs in america. this is about our economy. this is about helping america grow. so smart energy independent is the right thing to help our economy by the way, it's also important for national security. we shouldn't be challenged to fight wars just because we need

2:21:35 to 2:21:55( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: imported oil. for the sake of our national security and, yes, let's become energy independent using good green technology because it's good for our environnt and we can do something about global climat change, working with the international community. but the budget goes furthe says look, if we're going to be a strong nation, if we're going to get our future budgets in

2:21:56 to 2:22:16( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: balance, if we're going to be competitive internationally, if our economy's going to grow and americans standard of living is going to gro invest in education. education's got to be and we can do a much better job at pre-k through 12 and quality education. every child should have access to a quality school. well, this budget resolution allows our committees to move in

2:22:17 to 2:22:37( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: that direction and to bring down the cost of higher education for the typical family. too many families being denied the opportunity to send their child to college because they simply cannot afford the costs of higher education. well, the pell grants, we've increase that's another great rec this congress. we increased the pell grants. this budget resolution allows to

2:22:38 to 2:22:59( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: us go further to bring down the cost of higher education. the budget resolution recognizes that we have to empower families to be able to afford to participate in our econo that tax relief to middle-income families is extended and expanded in this budget the budget resolution recognizes that small businesses are the driving force behind job creation.

2:23:00 to 2:23:21( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: most of our jobs are going to be created bymall businesses innovation comes from small companies. so this budget resolution allows us to continue to -- the they need, can get the help that they need to be able to not only survive this economic downturn

2:23:22 to 2:23:42( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: but to turn it around and create new jobs. and i particularly want to thank the conferees for continuing to include the increase -- the 25% increase in the small business administration, an agency that was decimated under the prior administration. i offered an amendment in the committe increases that appropriation to

2:23:43 to 2:24:04( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: $880 million. we have the s.b.a. to be the advocate for the small business community, to fight government agencies to make sure that they make contracts available to small companies small companies so they have a business plan that can get a loan from a bank. that's what we want the s.b.a. to do. and now with support, the s.b.a. should be

2:24:05 to 2:24:25( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: able to -- to build and help our small businesses in america. well, madam president, last november amerins voted for a change. we are delivering on that expectation. this budget resolution that's come out of the conference committee allows our committees, working with president obama, to tackle the tough challenges

2:24:26 to 2:24:31( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: confro the conference committee gives us the blueprint we need by