[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2] [Senate] [Page 2237] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 4691 Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, on my own behalf and on behalf of numerous members of the Republican caucus who have expressed concerns to me, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4691, with 1 hour of debate equally divided between the leaders or their designees, and that following the use or yielding back of time, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to a vote on passage. Madam President, this is the House-passed bill that extends for 30 days the following expiring provisions: unemployment insurance, which is so important to those who are struggling--there are 500 Mainers whose benefits expired on Sunday; the COBRA health insurance extension subsidies for the unemployed; important flood insurance; highway funding; small business loans; the provisions of the American Recovery Act that include those small business loan provisions; the doctors fix. If we do not act, physicians all across this country are going to have a 21-percent cut in their Medicare reimbursements. I hope we can act together for the American people. Again, I want to emphasize that this issue is so important to Senators on both sides of the aisle. Many of my colleagues have expressed concerns to me that this was not done last week when it should have been done. So, Madam President, I do propose the unanimous-consent request. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection? The majority leader is recognized. Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, Madam President, I appreciate the efforts of my friend, the Senator from Maine, and I would hope my friend, the Senator from Kentucky, would reconsider. His point has been made. It has been adequately made. I would hope he would let us proceed on this because it is more than meets the eye. We have people lined up all over the country in unemployment lines who would not be there but for this. I would also say it is broader than even that. As my friend mentioned, we have problems with doctors who are now refusing to take Medicare patients. We have a bill that is on the floor now in which we are going to try to make a long-term decision soon on this. I have offered my friend from Kentucky a right to vote on this--I would be happy to have a vote on this--that it be paid for. But it is really not appropriate to object without even allowing the Senate to work. We talk about voting. That is why we need to vote. I say to my friend from Kentucky, you have made your point. You have made it well. I understand how you feel that this should be paid for. The majority of the Senate disagrees with you. Let us either vote on that or withdraw your objection. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection? Mr. BUNNING. There is. I object. And let me---- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard. ____________________