Mr. President, I rise today to discuss EPA's joint proposed rule redefining waters of the United States. Claims to the contrary notwithstanding, EPA has once again thrown down the gauntlet with this massive expansion of Federal…

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The senior Senator from…

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce two separate bills to open a small portion of the Arctic coastal plain, in my home State of Alaska, to oil and gas development. I am introducing these bills because new production in northern Alaska…

Before I do that, I do want to say to my friend who just spoke, I am one of those who loves biennial budgets. I think it is a great idea and one we should continue to work toward. It makes work a little bit better and we also get a little…

I wish to speak as if in morning business to talk about one issue, IRS overreach. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President I have come to the floor today to introduce a piece of legislation that I feel is timely and critically necessary, the Department of Defense Suicide Tracking Act of 2014. As our Nation winds down involvement in the longest…

Mr. President I have come to the floor today to reintroduce a piece of legislation that I feel is long overdue. The Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition Act is a bill to authorize the interment in national cemeteries of Hmong veterans who…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that privileges of the floor be granted to Ron Faibish of my staff during pendency of discussion on S. 2262. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

Mr. President, I appreciate the comments of my colleague and friend from Pennsylvania and the discussion of why we are here on a late Thursday afternoon. We started off the week with an air of optimism that with the energy efficiency bill…

Mr. President, we are here today to discuss the energy efficiency bill and what may or may not be the status on any given amendments. I want to take a few minutes this afternoon to speak about the issue of liquefied natural gas exports…

Mr. President, I come to speak in support of the Shaheen- Portman bill, otherwise known as the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act. As I like to put it, it saves money and saves energy. Keep it simple. It comes at an…

Thank you, Mr. President. We are on the measure again, the Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bill, also known as the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act--an efficiency bill. This should not be this difficult for us. When we…

Some of the things the Alberta Clipper line provided were increasing the diversity of available supplies. It shortens the transportation pathway for a sizable portion of our crude imports. It increases crude oil supplies from major…

I wish to thank my colleague from North Dakota. I have had an opportunity to go to North Dakota and see firsthand how, in Senator Hoeven's State, they are embracing this energy renaissance we are seeing in this country--a renaissance that…

Thank you for giving me a moment to ask those questions. I rise to address an important issue--just as we were asking some questions back and forth--that would help 49,000 Alaskans, raising the minimum wage. The bill before us would…

Madam President, this month, 46 veterans from the Last Frontier and Golden Heart Chapters of the Honor Flight Network are traveling from Alaska to Washington, DC, to visit their memorials. I know you will join me in welcoming these heroes…

The $10.10 wage is just getting to the poverty level. That is what I understand and why I cosponsored this legislation.

Before the Senator leaves I would like to ask him a quick question if I could. I know he talked toward the end of his comments-- and I am going to speak on minimum wage also--but he mentioned President Reagan. I think the last time minimum…