Senate C-Span. Live Sream

Right now Susan Collins (R-Maine) from Maine is discussing the Don't ask don't tell policy.

"I believe the Don't ask don't tell policy should be repealed"
I guess gaga did something right. If there is a filibuster, we can count on her vote for cloture so the Defense bill amendments can be voted on.

UPDATE

Senator Carl Levin
D-Michigan
Discussing the necessity of being able to move forward with the the defense authorization bill.


UPDATE

Senator John McCain
R-Arizona
Explaining his opposition to the Defense Authorization Bill.
"I will not support the bill because survey on soldier view on repeal of Don't ask don't tell is not complete, and will not be complete for some time...moving forward with this would cause the men and women to view this as congress not completing with their promise... the four chiefs of the military are opposed to repealing the law right now before survey is completed. Chief of the Army, Navy, Airforce and the Commandant of the Marine corps"

"The fact the majority leader brings up DADT, DREAM, Secret holds before the elections shows that this is not about military welfare, but about politics. If the senate goes down with this, we would be ignoring the views of the troops and those who provide advice to the president and congress, the 4 service chiefs. This is not about filibustering, not the reasons we are not taking up this legislation, or why I am not taking up this legislation, but it is about the morale about the men and women who have volunteered to take up the duty to fight for our freedom. I believe we owe them to express their views."

UPDATE
Senator Carl Levin
D-Michigan
Discussing the importance of DADT
"Secretary [of Defense] Gates, a republican, has reached a conclusion that the policy MUST be changed."
"Even if the law is repealed, there will NOT be a change of policy unless there is verification from the service chiefs that repealing DADT will not have negative effects on our troops. WE will not allow a policiy change until views from the troops are heard. The arguments based from the other party IS politics driven."

UPDATE
James Inhofe
R-Oklahoma
Expressing opposition to DADT repeal.
"...What certification? when Secretary Gates already made up his mind of repealing the DADT policy...Thats why I find this talk of certification to be phony."
"Previous defense bills have had 100 amendments without relation to nation defense, but not this time. We will not allow the defense bill to advance liberal agenda to allow open gays to serve in the military and allow amnesty for illegals...they are playing politics, I agree with the Senator from Arizona..."

UPDATE
Scott Brown
R-Massachusetts
Opposition to defense bill
"I'm willing to debate the merits of the DREAM Act, even CIR, but not in the context of the Defense bill which is completely unrelated."

UPDATE
Senator Carl Levin
D-Michigan
"there have been totally unrelated amendment to the defense bill before, the Senator from Arizona had one passed 2 years ago. It was totally non relevant, and the rules of the Defense bill allows for non relevant amendments to be made."

"There are people who wish to strike the DADT amendment, but we can't get to amendments if we can't proceed to the bill. Those who wish to make changes must understand that can't be done now we HAVE to get to the bill first."
UPDATE
Jeff Sessions
R-Alabama
Opposition to DADT "I will NOT allow the defense bill to harbor controversial, unpopular pieces of legislation, I will vote against the bill this year just like I did last year with the Hate Crime amendment" "Right now one thing I hate is that the Majority leader has approved the one of the amendments to the controversial, unpopular DREAM Act that provides amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants."

UPDATE
George LeMeuix
R-Florida
Opposition to DADT

"...To attach that [DREAM Act] To the defense bill is not right and should be not considered until our borders are secure and has not been debated with the judiciary committee."

We lost LeMeuix

UPDATE
Senator Carl Levin
D-Michigan
"It is the right of a senator to propose non relevant legislation as an amendment as the Senator from Arizona did a decade ago to change campaign rules on disclosure...argued it would sink the bill...the senator from Arizona went ahead and the bill passed."

UPDATE
Saxby Chambliss
R-George
"I will vote against the motion to proceed"

UPDATE
Joe Liberman
I- Conneticut
Support for Cloture
"The bill must be passed, it has been passed every year for nearly half a century"



SENATE IS NOW IN RECESS UNTIL 2:15pm ET


SENATE IN RECESS
http://cspan.org/Watch/C-SPAN2.aspx
I will periodically update the OP.

thanks. hopefully DA comes up today

Right now Sen. Carl Levin (D) trying to convince to go ahead to vote for d bill to atleast get it debated and c wht happens then... Should not kill d bill without debate. We usually have 100's of amendments attached to the bill last year. But then we debate and agree wht we need to pass. So, right now all these senators trying to convince to get it debated including Sen. Susan Collin of Maine. So, she will vote yes to get debated. So, let's hope to overcome the first hurdle today and hope we can get d votes of 60 to begin to talk on this bill. GOOD LUCK)

im confident on the votes. all our calling will have paid off.. lets hope for the bst

Hoping

The Gentleman from Michigan is definitely spitting some knowledge right now...He's right. The floor is open to compromise and clearly he's assuring the other party that they will be allowed to offer and debate their amendments.

^ Guys are they already talking about the DA? I just had CPSAN on and it was some driving debate.

McCain says that he is against DADT because the Military does not want it. Then he goes against DA even though the military wants it. Hypocrite!!!

Keep making calls everyone!