When I was introduced to this budget, the chairman of the Budget Committee stated that his reason for turning Robin Hood on his head was to stop an ``insidious moral tipping point.'' Madam Chair, I can only assume April Fools came early…

Premium support doesn't reduce costs. It simply shifts them to seniors without the guarantee of Medicare benefits. Seniors like Medicare. Take it from me, they like the security it provides them, and it controls costs better than any…

On March 17, the world lost a great spiritual leader, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. I rise today to join the millions of Coptic Christians in mourning his death. This past Sunday, St. Mary Coptic Church in East Brunswick, New Jersey…

Mr. President, I rise in support of S. 2204, which is my legislation to repeal Big Oil subsidies. This bill is pretty simple. We end wasteful subsidies to the big five oil companies, and we use those proceeds to invest in clean energy, in…

I don't plan to use the entire time, but I come to the floor this evening basically to talk about the Affordable Care Act. Some call it the health care reform. This Friday will be the second anniversary of the President's signing of the…

Madam President, I rise to honor the service of one of our most distinguished and long-serving colleagues, the tireless, sometimes relentless, and often spirited senior Senator from Maryland, Ms. Barbara Mikulski. To say she is a…

I thank the gentleman from California. I have a great deal of respect for my former chairman and colleague from Texas, but as I listen to him, the problem is that it's always the same: It's my way or the highway. And it's just very…

Madam President, we have listened with interest and total accord as the life of Barbara Mikulski in the Senate has been reviewed by so many people. We have heard the friendship and good will we all share toward her. Her record is quite…

I want to state for the record that on March 19, 2012, I missed the one rollcall vote of the day. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 111, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3992--To allow…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 13, 2012, at 10 a.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 13, 2012, at 10 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on…

Mr. President, I ask to set aside the pending amendment and offer Menendez-Burr amendment No. 1782, which is at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from New Jersey [Mr…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 13, 2012, at 10:30 a.m., in room SD 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing…

Mr. President, I have come to the floor to talk about an amendment I will offer later today--the NAT GAS Act. What if I were to tell the Chair there was a transportation fuel that is over $1.50 cheaper than gasoline and roughly $2 cheaper…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. (The amendment is printed in the Record of Monday, March 5, 2012, under ``Text of…

Mr. President, gas prices are skyrocketing. Meanwhile, natural gas is $1.50 cheaper than gasoline. We have a 100-plus-year supply of natural gas we can draw from. The only thing that is in our way is we have so few natural gas vehicles and…

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. Is there debate in opposition? If not, the question is on agreeing to amendment No. 1782. The clerk…