Madam President, I returned to the Senate in 2011 to tackle what I believed to be the greatest challenge facing our country, and I have devoted much of my first 3 years in this returned term on working to achieve a debt reduction agreement…

The Senate will not be in session tomorrow to accommodate issues conferences for each caucus. There will be up to two rollcall votes at 11 a.m. on Thursday. We also expect to consider the nomination of Senator Baucus to become Ambassador…

If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:58 p.m., adjourned until Thursday, February 6, 2014, at 9:30 a.m…

I now ask for its second reading but object to my own request. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection having been heard, the bill will be read for a second time on the next legislative day. ____________________

I understand that S. 1996, introduced earlier today by Senator Hagan, is at the desk and I ask for its first reading. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the bill by title for the first time. The legislative clerk read as follows: A…

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 6, 2014; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of…

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the majority leader, with the concurrence of the Republican leader, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 629; that there be 60…

It has been a frigid winter in the Hoosier State. Subzero temperatures and arctic conditions have forced school closings, travel bans, and challenges for the business community. The demand for propane and home heating fuel is at an all…

Since the launch of open enrollment and healthcare.gov on October 1, I have heard repeated stories of frustration from my constituents trying to enroll in the Federal exchanges. The President and his administration have tried to assure us…

On January 16, 2014, I missed rollcall votes 22 and 23 because of district business. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall 22 and ``no'' on rollcall 23. ____________________

I am pleased to cosponsor this legislation to enact much-needed consumer protections for healthcare.gov. It is unfair that the Department of HHS launched healthcare.gov without performing a complete security control assessment. Installing…

Madam President, we have been discussing, the last couple of days, the unemployment insurance issue. A number of us have had concerns relative to the effectiveness of the program relative to the cost that would undertake and how it would…

Madam President, I will be brief. I know my colleagues probably have travel plans. But this is something we had earnestly hoped that by six of us supporting the motion to proceed, we would have the opportunity to offer an amendment, debate…

A fellow Hoosier, fellow marine and fellow patriot died on December 28 in his 81st year. I didn't know Andrew Jacobs, Jr., a gentleman who for 30 years represented the Indianapolis area in the House of Representatives with great…

Mr. President, I come here to speak about a couple items. We are now in a second-day delay as the majority leader and his caucus decide whether Republicans will be allowed to offer alternatives and to offer amendments to the proposal…

Madam President, this is 100 percent different from the time I was here the first time. We were able to offer any amendment to any bill at any time and the majority leader, both Republicans and Democrats, allowed us to do that. This is the…

The majority leader just said this body gets nowhere by offering amendments. Does he mean throughout this year it is worthless, meaningless for Republicans to offer any amendments to any bill to try to make improvements to the bills or to…