I thank the Senator from Maryland. I might also add that her former colleague Senator Paul Sarbanes was a dear close friend to Andy Athens. Whenever we would have a meeting of the Hellenic group here in the Capitol, you always knew Paul…

I was told he passed away peacefully in the night. The last time I saw him was in the Capitol Building about a year ago, and you could tell he was struggling a little bit. But it was a day when he was honored and everyone cheered him on…

I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg) is necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 54, nays 45, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 36 Leg.] YEAS--54 Baldwin Baucus Begich Bennet Blumenthal Boxer Brown Cantwell…

I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 45, nays 54, as follows: [Rollcall Vote…

Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by the Senator from Pennsylvania, and at the appropriate moment I will offer a budget point of order which will require an extraordinary vote on the floor of the Senate, but I…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 123 to Amendment No. 115

Mr. President, I send an amendment in the nature of a second-degree to the desk and ask that it be reported. The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there is no objection, the clerk will report the amendment. The assistant legislative clerk read as…

This is a second-degree amendment to the Toomey amendment numbered 115. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll…

Mr. President, I want to take a moment to remember a friend of mine who passed away last night. Andy Athens was a civic institution in Chicago. He was a brilliant business leader. He was also ``the Dean'' of the Greek American community--a…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. In Memory of Andy Athens

I tried to read some of them, but I couldn't read the entire list. And I actually quoted the Senator from Maryland, who once referred to him as a one-man foreign aid program.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded. I wish to give my friend, Senator McCain, the author of this amendment, the opportunity to speak. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg) and the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. Whitehouse) are necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was…

Did I hear the Republican leader come to the floor and speak about thousands of pages of regulations, government regulations, which will now be part of health care?

Mr. President, if I could ask any time that we use from now until the managers arrive on the floor be for debate only. I ask unanimous consent for that purpose. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr…

Mr. President, I ask permission to engage in a dialogue with my friend from Arizona. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr. McCAIN. I say to my friend from Illinois that there is no further objection…

Mr. President, I respect my friend from Arizona. He is my friend, and we have worked together on a bipartisan basis. I respect his right as a Senator and his responsibility as a Senator to speak on issues that he thinks are important to…

Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Arizona as well. I think we have a rare moment of peacemaking and harmony in the Senate. It may not last for long, so I want to speak while we have that moment and say for the Record that I don't…