last year Senator Thune and I sent a letter in support of funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act

we need to make sure we do not see a level of cut coming out of the House that makes it impossible for us to be able to write a farm bill

As you well know, oil and gas companies are making record profits. In fact, the big 5 oil companies combined made a record $137 billion in profits in 2011.

there is $45 million to study fracking, where the industry that benefits from it is doing really well.

I'm also pleased that some of the permitting expenses have been transferred to the companies.

The VA suffers under the perception of being a very isolated institution, and it has a stigma.

It was our honor and our military's honor to assist our friends in Japan in delivering goods and working in partnership during the very dark days that Japan faced after the earthquake and tsunami.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Madam Speaker, last week this House did something that should be common but is getting rarer and rarer. We passed a bipartisan piece of legislation with a vote of 417 2. That was the STOCK Act, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge…

Well, we should be doing it for our D.C. schools too, because----

I think that gives us some teeth with it.

No matter what happens, the Congress is always going to make sure that our men and women in uniform don't have any worries, they get all the help that they need.

the service men and women will have what they need to perform their duties and their missions.

the U.S. Pacific Command budget request makes it clear that U.S. military readiness and Japan will play a vital role in our long-term military strategy.

As pointed out, we talk about quality of life as well as what we owe our service men and women during the transition back into civilian life.

There needs to be a formula with accountability and transparency that makes sure that that child, and that child's family, is getting what they need.

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to join my colleague, Senator Grassley of Iowa. I thank him for his remarks. I think you can tell this is a very important issue but also one that is bipartisan. As he pointed out with the vote on…

We are proud to stand with the voices of opposition to these bills.