Mr. President, I wish to spend a few minutes talking about where we are. There is no question the chairman of the Appropriations Committee has finished his bills, and they have not come up. But the quality of the work doesn't meet with the…

Mr. President, I object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The Senator from New Hampshire.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I will not object if the Senator would kindly amend her request to include a substitute amendment with a Barrasso proposal to establish a National Commission on Outer Continental Shelf Oilspill…

Mr. President, I am simply amazed that, when we are borrowing $4.2 billion a day from our grandkids--that is what we are borrowing, $4.2 billion a day--we are going to run a $1.4 trillion deficit, and we have a unanimous consent request to…

I object. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard. ____________________

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection?

Mr. President, I wish to speak in morning business and will confine my remarks to the objections I just made to the leader's motions. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

The threats our Nation faces today are greater than any time in my lifetime.

I think the importance of today's hearing is not just to have a hearing, but how do we get out of this mess.

With the budget situations that we have, the last place we want to skimp is in defending this country.

I ask unanimous consent I be recognized as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Environmental Overregulation

Madam President, I released today a minority staff report of the Senate committee on Environment and Public Works. When Republicans were in the majority I chaired the committee and now I am the ranking member, minority member. We have been…

It is critical for DOD and Congress to work together to increase effectiveness and efficiencies but with a bottom line of always providing the necessary funds so that our troops are the best trained and equipped military in the world.

I believe in Federal infrastructure spending and see it as one of the primary purposes of Government.

This is a way to unleash an enormous amount of private investments in public infrastructure.

another way to leverage non-Federal funds is a loan program contained in the current highway program called TIFIA.

Not only do we need to get the most for our Federal highway dollar, but we also need to encourage State and local governments and the private sector to invest as much as possible in roads and bridges.

Clearly, this is a successful program that must be dramatically expanded.