We take a series of commonsense steps to identify and prevent fraud and waste in Medicare and Medicaid.

I believe a lot more work needs to be done to identify, recover and prevent improper payments.

I would only say, do you not think that our involvement, the United States, in oil and gas there could add transparency to the system?

I reiterate that this or any other carve-out strategy would be a strategic mistake.

I think I am on record about as strongly as I can be about how important this region is to our country

Our newest national unemployment numbers are in, 8.3 percent. It's progress, but it's 37 months above 8 percent. It makes me grateful again to be from Oklahoma. We have the 10th lowest unemployment rate in the country at around 6 percent…

Mr. Speaker, one of the things about being a freshman in this body is walking in and trying to learn the numbers game. On the Budget Committee, there are a million different variations to the numbers, a million different options with the…

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation by my good friend, Mr. Woodall of Georgia. This legislation makes really significant reforms to the way the CBO develops baseline calculations for discretionary spending. Under current…

Madam President, I further say that after the stimulus bill, all of the 102 most egregious votes last year--or earmarks, not one was a congressional earmark. They were all bureaucratic earmarks. If we don't do our constitutional job under…

Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The yeas and nays are ordered. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk called the roll.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be recognized for 1 minute. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, so ordered.

Madam President, I wanted to inquire, is there any time remaining? The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is no time remaining.

Madam President, we are going to have a number of votes on amendments this afternoon. I think it is important that we look at this in historic perspective. I am referring to the amendments and the meaning of the Toomey amendment, which I…

I ask unanimous consent that I be recognized for as much time as I consume and that at the conclusion of my remarks, the Senator from Ohio be recognized for such time as he consumes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

As it turned out, the President was the one who did the earmarks of the $800 billion stimulus program. Again, getting back to article I, section 9: No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by…

Madam President, first of all, I appreciate the opportunity to be heard. I agree with what the author, Senator Toomey, is trying to do in terms of what most people think of as an earmark. The problem is this: You can vote for this if you…

Madam President, I have the utmost respect for Senator Toomey and what he is trying to do. To me, this amendment is compatible with what he is trying to do. It merely defines an earmark as an appropriation that has not been authorized. My…

I have the greatest respect for my chairman on homeland security. I love him dearly. GAO has already told us we are not doing our job. The first study of the Federal Government showed $100 billion worth of duplication. The second study is…