If I could respond through the Chair, Mr. President, I do have the privilege of serving on the Committee on Appropriations, and I have seen the restrictions we have put on funds over the years. One of those restrictions which is at issue…

Mr. President, as the founder and the cochair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, I have learned much about this devastating disease affecting nearly 29 million Americans. Fortunately, due to the Special Diabetes Program and to increased…

Mr. President, on behalf of myself and Senator Heitkamp, I send an amendment to the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment will be received.

Mr. President, let me first commend the senior Senator from Texas for his efforts to work out a compromise that I hope will allow this bill to go forward. Senator Heitkamp and I also have been working with the senior Senator from Texas to…

Mr. President, I again want to thank my colleague from North Dakota for her very eloquent plea to our colleagues. I know we can do this. I know we can find a path forward. I know we can get a sufficient number of votes so that we can…

Mr. President, I wish to recognize the inspiring accomplishments of Nancie Atwell from Southport, ME, who was awarded the first Global Teacher Prize by the Varkey Foundation. This international, nonprofit organization is committed to…

I want to talk today about a truly remarkable educator from my State of Maine. This week in Dubai, Nancie Atwell won the very first Global Teacher Prize. It is called the ``Nobel Prize for Education,'' and over 5,000 teachers worldwide…

Madam President, I support S. 178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. The bill supports law enforcement officers and prosecutors in their efforts to prevent, respond to, and combat human trafficking. Of particular importance, the…

Madam President, I rise to share some good news from my home State of Maine. It is the story of veterans helping veterans--of three people from Maine who have positively impacted the lives of thousands of veterans in my State and have done…

Mr. President, I rise today to join Senator Leahy, the ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary, in explaining an amendment we have filed, amendment No. 290, to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. I wish to take this…

Mr. President, there is little I can add to the remarks of the Senator from Virginia on this issue. I think this institution is being tested this week, this month, and over the next several months in a way that is really somewhat new. The…

Madam President, my bill would block the extraordinarily broad immigration actions issued by the President in November of last year. The President himself knows he lacks the authority to take such actions--he has said so publicly on 22…

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Volunteer Emergency Services Recruitment and Retention Act of 2015. This bill fixes a long-standing problem with the tax code that harms the ability of volunteer fire departments to recruit and…

Madam President, this morning we have the opportunity to accomplish two important goals. First, we can pass legislation which will fully fund the Department of Homeland Security so it can perform its vital mission. Second, we have the…

We yield back our time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, all time is yielded back. The question is on agreeing to the amendment. The yeas and nays have been previously ordered. The clerk will call the roll. The…

Mr. President, 3 weeks ago I came to the Senate floor to speak on an amendment which I had hoped would provide a framework that would accomplish three goals: First, to provide funding for the Department of Homeland Security so that it…

Mr. President, the Senator from Texas, who has a fine legal mind and has served on the Texas Supreme Court, is exactly right. Moreover, I wish to read what President Obama himself said about the very point the Senator from Texas made about…

Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Texas for his contributions to this very important debate. I believe he helped to clarify a lot of important issues that I hope Members on both sides of the aisle will consider as they cast their…