Madam President, I rise to speak about an amendment I hope is noncontroversial and one that creates jobs. When one of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle is present, I will make a unanimous consent request, but I will start off by…

If, in fact, it is--I think everybody clearly believes this consequence in damages is at least $10 billion--some have suggested it should be an unlimited cap. If that is the figure, your concern wouldn't stop you from putting it at that…

Madam President, I appreciate the statement of my colleague from Iowa. I will just make one or two observations. First, if we are talking about someone being beholden to one person, well, under the Senator's view that person is going to be…

Madam President, I rise to speak on the pending amendment, the amendment by Senator Grassley. I have a great deal of respect for the Senator from Iowa. Actually, there is a series of things I propose that are in the underlying bill that go…

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered.

I thank the Senator for yielding. So is it my understanding that because of your concern about these other independents, let's call them, you would allow them--if they were the cause of this incident--to limit their liability just because…

Look, I regret that my distinguished colleague from Oklahoma has decided to object. I would simply say that if you are an ``independent,''--and some of these independent companies are valued at $40 billion--does that mean that because you…

Is there still a minute remaining? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator has 3 minutes 50 seconds remaining.

Mr. President, to summarize, this is very simple: Whose side are you on? Are you on the side of the taxpayers or multibillion- dollar oil companies? Are you on the side of fishermen, working hard to make a living, or on the side of…

Mr. President, on behalf of the leadership, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Nelson be next for 5 minutes, and then Senator Cardin for 4 minutes, and then Senator Lautenberg for 5 minutes. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without…

Mr. President, I wish to thank my distinguished colleague from Washington State. I appreciate it. I rise because the Senate has three choices on how it is going to protect coastal communities from the economic ravages of the oilspills we…

Mr. President, first, I commend my colleague from New Jersey for developing this approach to make sure these companies pay for the damage they have done. We are going to see today, as we saw the other day, a response from the other side. I…

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank my colleague for initiation of this bill. It will protect the American taxpayers and say to big oil: You did it, you pay for it; that is the way it goes. I was lucky. I had two lifetime experiences that…

Mr. President, I rise to discuss legislation I have offered with some of my colleagues here: The Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act. It is legislation that would make absolutely certain big oil polluters pay for oilspills and the consequences…

Mr. President, what is the business before the Senate? The PRESIDING OFFICER. We are now supposed to turn to the Sessions amendment.

I thank my distinguished colleague. I appreciate what my colleague from Alaska had to say. Here are a couple of problems with it. First of all, when we call these companies ``independent drillers,'' some of these independent drillers who…

Mr. President, if the distinguished Senator from Alabama will yield for a moment, since I chose not to object, would he allow me to take 2 minutes of our time just to follow the sequence of the previous discussion so I will not interrupt…

Reserving the right to object, and I am not inclined to object, what is the request? Thirty minutes instead of five minutes? The PRESIDING OFFICER. Thirty minutes equally divided. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered.