I wish to speak up to 10 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

I think the Senator has assessed it correctly. But we have worked in a bipartisan fashion through both the Finance Committee--and I see the Senator from Montana, the leader of that committee, is here--and through the Small Business…

I understand, under a previous order, I have the next hour to follow up on Senator Durbin's comments. I would like to claim that hour now. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is recognized.

Mr. President, the Senator from Illinois is absolutely correct. One of the last remaining works that we have to do, as we try to wrap up this portion of the session as we move to an August work period in our home States and our home…

Mr. President, I wish to thank my colleague from Virginia for that explanation and for his commitment to this bill and this effort. He was an extremely successful Governor before he became a Senator, and I say ``successful'' measured by…

Madam President, I thank my colleague from Oregon, who has been one of the creators and designers of this bill and who has been a leading advocate and tireless in his efforts. He has conducted probably dozens of meetings in his office with…

Mr. President, if the minority leader will yield for a question, I appreciate how the leaders have tried to work together, although we don't seem to be getting to an agreement at this moment, but I wanted to ask the minority leader to…

The farmers are an important constituency. They have broad-based support. So that is on this bill. That is it; the bill as it came out of Finance, the bill as it came out of Small Business with those two amendments--one put in by the…

I wish to speak for 2 minutes to close this out. I thank the Senator from Alaska who has been very forceful in his advocacy for this bill and for lending the experience he has had, before he was a Senator, as a small business owner to help…

I thank the Senator for raising that. Although it was not said publicly, I have been told privately that there is some strong objection on the Republican side for including that. I said I thought it was a bipartisan amendment, but if it is…

Mr. President, I am still hopeful we can find a way forward. Many things in life are worth fighting for and this bill is one of them. I did not know if we would have to fight 12 hours and a few days or 12 hours and a month. But we are…

Well, I appreciate that because I do have the greatest respect for the Senator from Maine. But she has not been excited about this program. She voted no, but we got 60 votes for the program. So I think perhaps we might find a way forward…

So you haven't been able to help one community?

I cannot tell you the number of people that have come to me and said, 'Senator, I can afford my mortgage. I cannot afford my insurance.'

This is not just a Southern issue. It is not just a Gulf Coast issue.

This really is an issue of national significance.

I want to begin by saying how pleased I am to host this joint meeting.

We will continue working with all of our stakeholders to analyze and identify flood risks.