Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate a great artist from my congressional district, Ricardo Pau-Llosa. Ricardo is a man of many talents. He is a poet, critic, curator, professor, and collector. Yet his generosity and desire to give…

I ask the question to underscore what the Senator from Louisiana has just said, which is that small business, which is the mainstay of the economic engine in so many of our States-- certainly, that is true with Florida, as a matter of…

I would like the Senator from Louisiana to underscore the fact that the $30 billion put into this lending program, which will inure to the benefit of small business, is going to end up multiplying like the fishes and the loaves; it will…

Would the Senator also agree that when you look at the list of all the institutions that support this lending facility, they are some of what we would think of as the most conservative organizations, and they are very much in favor of this?

Including the Florida Bankers Association, including the Community Bankers Association--because they know what it is. They got dissed on the big TARP--which some of us voted against-- even when we tried to carve out little portions for…

Mr. Speaker, America is struggling under the weight of its debt and a failing economy. Worse, Washington isn't listening. One of two new tools that we're trying to put forth, and I think they're great opportunities for the American people…

Mr. Speaker, I am appalled, and my constituents are appalled, at the Republicans' disrespect and coldheartedness when it comes to extending unemployment benefits for out-of-work Americans. Some Republican Members of Congress and candidates…

Mr. Speaker, I rise in solidarity with families throughout my community in south Florida who have an autistic adult. There are many challenges faced by families with autistic adults. Regardless of any challenge, however, families are often…

Mr. Speaker, last week, as we know, BP announced that it had capped the oil well, and that for the first time in more than 80 days oil had stopped gushing intot he Gulf of Mexico. While last week's announcement was cause for relief among…

Mr. President, I wish to compliment a lot of Senators on both sides of the aisle for the extraordinary bipartisanship--no, the extraordinary nonpartisanship that occurred in coming together unanimously to pass the NASA authorization bill…

Mr. President, what is our parliamentary position? The PRESIDING OFFICER. We are in a period postcloture.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize an outstanding constituent and a dedicated public servant, Ana Sotorrio, who will be retiring after 30 years of public service. As the associate aviation director for Miami-Dade County, Ana has worked…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. NASA Authorization

Mr. Speaker, everyone is asking, ``Where are the jobs?'' When will the liberal leadership in the House take action to get us out of this perpetual economic slump and have a plan to provide the jobs that American families need? Unemployment…

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Social Security as it approaches its 75th anniversary. When FDR signed this historic legislation into law, he understood that the whims of Wall Street were sweeping many hardworking Americans into…

Thank you so much. And my colleague from Michigan, Mark Schauer, who's been holding down the fort here and who cares so passionately and so deeply about his district, about the people that he represents in Michigan, you have fought so hard…

This clearly highlights the immense importance of pest interdiction.

Thank you so much, Mr. Tonko, and I just wanted to add a couple of things and then I know Mr. Schauer will close us out. But one of the things that I think is important to note that we also have done--because deficits are really an issue…