I appreciate that question. It is something we have witnessed unfold over the last two decades. It was not that long ago Republicans--both parties--for example, would stand up and say: We have a serious threat to our planet. That threat is…

Mr. President, I appreciate the questions from my colleague from Hawaii. As we stand here tonight, I think about how Hawaii is a State completely surrounded by water. It is very vulnerable to changes in the environment, very vulnerable to…

My colleague from Rhode Island put up the web. Maybe ``web'' is a better word than ``matrix'' because it looks like a giant spiderweb. What is being ensnared in this spiderweb, in this web of denial, in this ``denial beast'' as you have…

Mr. President, I believe that will be charged to my time, but I have asked for that to be the case. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to engage in a colloquy with the Senators from Hawaii and Rhode Island over the course of the coming hour. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Has the Senator from Hawaii yielded the floor?

So we have a situation where an individual has accepted a nomination from the President for this incredibly important position and then has turned around and said: By the way, I am the guardian of the gate for the very records the Senate…

Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity that my colleague from Hawaii has given me to ask a question. Particularly, I appreciate his willingness to be on the floor making this case because being the guardians of clean air and clean…

Mr. President, in this conversation about these emails, the thing that keeps striking me is that our fundamental question is, Is the individual, is the nominee, given his record in Oklahoma, going to be an advocate for the environment, an…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Christy Veeder be granted floor privileges through the remainder of the year. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my intern, Josh Lind, be granted privileges of the floor for the balance of the day. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

Mr. President, here we are on another evening, debating another Cabinet nominee, addressing the question that Hamilton put before us, which is whether an individual is of fit character to serve in a particular post. This effort, this…

In summary, proponents of this Congressional Review Act resolution are rushing to nullify a rule that will make it easier for people save for retirement. That is unacceptable. Every American deserves to retire with dignity, and this…

I include in the Record additional letters in opposition to this resolution. Service Employees International Union, Washington, DC, February 13, 2017. Dear Representative: On behalf of the two million members of the Service Employees…

I would like to inquire as to the remaining time, please. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Oregon has 4\1/4\ minutes remaining.

Just to clarify, there was a comment made that these are government-run plans. Under these plans, the States establish the framework for deducting the contributions, but these will be managed by investment professionals, not by the State…

I thank all of my colleagues who came this afternoon to speak in opposition to this resolution. It shows how important it is to the working people in our States and in our districts. These are people who do not have a retirement plan. That…

I assure my colleague that, as someone with a consumer protection background, I would not be opposing this resolution if it had consumer protections. In fact, this rule applies when States have strict investor protections. Mr. Speaker, I…

My friend, Mr. Roskam, said you can't make things up. Well, unfortunately, people are. First and foremost, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are conflating accounts that are in the name of individual savers who don't have…