I thank my friend from New Jersey for yielding. Mr. Chairman, 7 years into war, we are still not properly screening and treating our troops for traumatic brain injury, known as the signature injury of those wars. This is unacceptable. My…

Today I rise to honor the achievements of an inspiring student athlete, Melissa Beyruti of Kean University. Melissa, an All-American senior basketball guard from Union City, New Jersey, finished her career this past March to become the…

For all of these reasons, I am in strong opposition to these amendments. I certainly urge their defeat. We are going to send billions more after billions that have already been sent to accomplish the same negative result, and your own…

Mr. President, I rise to speak on some of the amendments before the Senate that I understand will be considered and coming up for some votes. To me, they are misguided efforts as it relates to how we ultimately deal with our immigration…

Mr. President, the amendment I rise to offer today as a second-degree will do something several of my colleagues and I have been seeking to do on the floor for the last 2 weeks or so; that is, to make absolutely certain that big oil…

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 as follows: (Purpose: To require oil polluters to pay the full cost of oil…

I appreciate the question and view of the Senator from Illinois. Yes, that is why I said I respect the previous positions Senator McCain had. He understood that you cannot solve this problem by throwing more money, more troops at it. At…

Mr. President, I ask for regular order with regard to the Reid amendment No. 4174. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment is now pending. Amendment No. 4289 to Amendment No. 4174

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 4174

The Senator from Illinois is correct. As a matter of fact, the same letter he read from General Jones, the National Security Adviser, and John Brennan, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, said: There…

Yes. The Senator is correct. In addition, some of the funding they take is from already mandated programs, programs that are critical to citizens and communities and States, and they would, in essence, detract from those mandated programs…

Mr. President, I offer a second-degree amendment which is at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Menendez], for himself…

I appreciate the Senator's question. The fact is, as I mentioned earlier in my comments, we have used the National Guard in an unprecedented way. They have been called for deployment abroad, both in Iraq and Afghanistan, and elsewhere in…

Let me ask the Chair if, as I have the floor, if I yield to a colleague for a question, is that not permissible? The PRESIDING OFFICER. It is permissible to yield for a question.

Reserving the right to object, I will state the same objection. I have not seen the amendment, and while I appreciate that the bill managers may have agreed to it, the reality is, as I understand it, any Member of the Senate can rise to…

Well, I appreciate the Senator's question. The Senator himself has at various times informed this body of something that he has referred to as the loop current, which is, in essence, a natural current that could very well take the oilspill…

Madam President, reserving the right to object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.

Well, I appreciate the Senator's question and his concern. I think it is the concern of many. The reality is, I have heard comments that to hold BP accountable is un-American. Well, I think it is un-American to allow BP to go ahead…