Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to right a shameful wrong committed by the Supreme Court and update the Voting Rights Act to restore an essential protection against voter discrimination. By gutting the Voting Rights Act…

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, has actually introduced legislation, the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act, to waive penalties for just paperwork violations.

Unless there are other speakers in opposition, I would--I am sorry. Senator Grassley is here. I once again withdraw and yield the floor to Senator Grassley.

And your side has used 9. So I wish to offer the opportunity for the Senator to speak in opposition. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.

Mr. President, if no time is used at this point, how will the time be taken off, how will it be calculated? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time spent in quorum calls is equally divided between the two sides.

Madam President, first let me thank Senator Graham, Senator McCain, Senator Rubio, Senator Flake, and on our side Senator Schumer, Senator Menendez, and my friend Senator Bennet. The eight of us came together to create a bill, and in the…

I ask for the yeas and nays. The VICE PRESIDENT. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk called the roll. The VICE PRESIDENT. Before the Chair announces the vote…

Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Rhode Island, and I thank the Presiding Officer. I wish to join my colleague, Senator Schumer, first thanking him for his leadership and bringing us together. With Senator McCain, they led the…

Mr. President, I rise to discuss President Obama's trip to Africa that began yesterday. There is no shortage of important issues to address on the continent, from continued instability in eastern Congo, Mali, and Somalia, to autocratic…

Mr. President, last week, the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution honoring the 50th Anniversary of Congressman John Lewis's leadership of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. In the…

Mr. President, I rise today to once again voice publicly my concern with actions the Government of Bangladesh has taken and is poised to take with respect to Grameen Bank and the Grameen family of companies. Grameen Bank has for decades…

Mr. President, will the Chair inform me how much time has been used on each side? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The proponents have consumed approximately 23 minutes. The opponents have consumed approximately 9 minutes.

Mr. President, I wish to ask how much time has been consumed by the proponents of the measure. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Approximately 23 minutes.

How much time has been consumed by the opponents of the measure? The PRESIDING OFFICER. No time has been consumed by the opponents.

Well, I am going to suggest the absence of a quorum and ask that the time in the quorum call be charged against the opponents' time, up to 23 minutes, so we can have some equalization in terms of use of time on the floor. It is my…

I say to the Senator, here is the state of play. Unless we can agree to come to the floor and debate the issue, your absence delays the time when you will be speaking until the end of the debate, which creates an advantage for you by…

I withdraw my request. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The request is withdrawn. The Senator from Missouri.

I have noticed on several occasions the affection my friend from Texas has for this poster board that contains this reputed quote from me. I wish to ask the Senator from Texas, since he has used that repeatedly on the floor, is he aware of…