earlier I talked about what has happened on the Manafort and Cohen matters yesterday. I understand the great amount of consternation there is at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Having been a prosecutor, I can understand why there is…

several of the warring parties in the South Sudanese civil war, including President Kiir and the leader of the main opposition party, Riek Machar, recently signed a power-sharing deal to ostensibly bring to an end a conflict that has…

The Senate Appropriations Committee is one of the great institutional pillars of the Senate.

on behalf of all Vermonters, I would like to honor Bob Foster of Middlebury, VT, who this month will be inducted into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame in recognition of more than 30 years of outstanding service to Vermont agriculture…

I just wanted to applaud what the Senator from Missouri just said. He has had a lot of experience in the other body and here in the Senate. He and I have been here since a time when we actually voted on these bills and got them done. I…

I know that Senator Shelby has spoken before and is going to speak again. I also know we are coming up on the time for some votes. Let me speak in my capacity as vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Today, as you know, the…

we yield back all time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time is yielded back. The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Richardson nomination?

I sent a letter, along with Senators Feinstein and Durbin, August 16th of this year, asking we make documents related to this issue public.

I do have a few comments I will make. Mr. President, I have had the privilege of serving in the U.S. Senate for 44 years. For 20 of those 44 years, I was either the chairman or the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. During those 44…

Vermont is special in large part because of the dedication and kindness that Vermonters show to neighbors and strangers alike. I would like to recognize a few Vermonters in particular who went out of their way to do what needed to be done…

What is the parliamentary situation? Are we in morning business? The PRESIDING OFFICER. We are in morning business. ____________________

I yield to the Senator from Alabama. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.

In conclusion, I thank Senator Shelby, Senator McConnell, and Senator Schumer. We worked together. It is kind of nice when something works out. I yield the floor. Amendment No. 3400 Withdrawn The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous…

Senator Shelby and I both worked hard through this process to keep out poison pill riders. This amendment is a partisan poison pill. We talk about repealing the Federal mandate, but of course, by doing that, we saw a direct premium…

I thank the senior Senator from Alabama for his kind words. I also thank our two leaders for their kind words. Senator Shelby and I met with Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer earlier this year, and we said that we want to get the…

our intelligence community unanimously agrees that Russia interfered in the 2016 elections and that there is an imminent threat to the 2018 elections. Our country, our democracy, is under attack, and we should respond. Let's heed the…

I yield back the remainder of my time, and I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The bill having been read the third time, the question is, Shall the bill…

the time is long overdue for the VA to acknowledge what most Americans acknowledge: dental care is health care.