Mr. President, I rose yesterday to talk about the consequences of a budget shutdown, and I rise again today--hours away from facing that reality. What I cannot understand for the life of me is after having agreed to $78 billion in cuts…

Mr. President, this is a time to make sure there is a vote on this Senate floor on a budget that ends the fiscal year, that encapsulates the $78 billion in cuts, that strips out social riders that have nothing to do with the budget, that…

I ask unanimous consent to speak for 15 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cardin). Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from New Jersey is recognized.

I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for 15 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator is recognized for 15 minutes.

Mr. President, I rise to express my strong concerns about the direction Republicans and the tea party want to take our country, beginning with an irresponsible Government shutdown simply for the sake of pursuing a social agenda and…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there be a period of morning business until 5 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Utah…

No, I will not yield at this time. So I say to the gentlewoman, yes, let's go back to those times. Let's have the Republicans here in the House work together with the President and with Senator Reid on the other side. Now, you said before…

I listened to what the gentlewoman on the other side said, and I was really amazed because she was harking back to when we had a Democratic President, Bill Clinton, and a Republican Congress and how we worked together to accomplish certain…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker; and I want to continue making this tribute and joining my colleagues, Congressman Lance and Congressman Holt, in this tribute this evening to John Adler, a good friend and one of our colleagues. I don't want to…

Today I rise to stand with the Polish people as they commemorate two horrific events on this Saturday, April 10. First, the 71st anniversary of the Katyn Forest massacre, and the second, the first anniversary of the tragic airplane crash…

Mr. President, this afternoon, this Chamber is going to face a clear question: What matters more, children's health or polluters' profits? We will be voting on amendments that would cripple the government's ability to enforce the Clean Air…

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I really am honored to be on the floor with two great congressmen, Congressman Pallone and Congressman Lance. I know the three of us served in the New Jersey legislature. John Adler was a great New…

Thank you, my colleague. I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, that former Governor Corzine, who worked with John Adler for many years on judicial and law enforcement issues while Adler served in the State senate as chairman of the Judiciary Committee…

Mr. President, I rise in strong opposition to the McConnell amendment. I listened to my distinguished colleague from Wyoming, and I enjoy working with him, but this is one subject on which we fundamentally disagree. This isn't about energy…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following staff of the Finance Committee be allowed on the Senate floor for the duration of the debate on H.R. 4: Andrew Fishburn and Eric Roberts. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without…

Thank you, Madam President. I understand Senator Baucus is on his way from a meeting, and in the interim I will start off and recognize myself. I offer this amendment on behalf of middle-class families and on behalf of small businesses. I…

I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To protect small businesses from health insurance…