Mr. President, I know the START treaty is going to be before us soon. I realize we had a motion to proceed to that today. I think I have indicated a willingness to support the treaty if all the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted on…

We will probably be voting on the President's tax proposal this week--a very difficult vote. I really don't know how I'm going to vote. On the one hand, I see the benefit of getting timely temporary and targeted relief to people, which…

Madam President, I rise to speak on the topic that has been discussed over the last hour. I thank my colleagues for focusing on this issue. Yesterday's and tonight's votes are tough votes for me. I think they are tough votes for each of…

Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate the Senator from South Dakota allowing me to speak for about 60 seconds. I don't give long speeches on the floor. I seldom use notes. I know Senator Gregg knows this, but I have been here 4 years, and…

I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. LeMIEUX. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be…

Mr. President, I reserve the right to object and say, as is the Senator from New York, the Senator from Illinois is most eloquent, and I always enjoy listening to his comments. I agree with him that many attributes regarding the senior…

Mr. President, if I can just briefly indulge, I wish to thank the Senator, and actually, based on his closing comments, I think he may have actually signed the letter himself had it been presented, because I agree that we should fund the…

Today the United States received very good news concerning education in America. Nationwide, high school graduation rates rose 2 percent. But even better, in my State of Tennessee, the rates rose 15 percent, the number one increase in the…

Well, I thank you for having this hour and for letting me join you, each of you. These are the issues that are important to the American people. And I tried to address some of them in 1 minute. You can't discuss them in 1 minute. One of…

I would just like to make one statement, Mr. Rohrabacher, if you would permit before. You know, I think it was Wavy Gravy that said, if you remember the sixties you weren't part of the sixties. Well, when you get into your sixties…

I think as we look at this lame duck session at the end of the 111th Congress, how we got where we are with the deficit, which was such a big issue--in 1994, Congress and President Clinton passed a bill to balance the budget, all…

Mr. President, I want to speak for a few minutes. My understanding is that Senator Thune is coming to the floor in a moment to offer an amendment to the continuing resolution that would reduce spending in the continuing resolution by 5…

I have been home for a while during the break and during these 3 weeks listening to constituents; and I understand there are a lot of constituents that are upset because the economy hasn't come back completely. But the economy is getting…

I want to thank Mr. Pallone for the time, and I want to thank Mr. Pallone, Mr. Andrews, and Chairman Waxman for their help in getting this particular proposal to the floor; and the minority side as well, Mr. Whitfield, my friend, Mr…

Mr. President, I wish to talk about our Nation's indebtedness. I know very few people watch these presentations. But to my friends on the other side, before they turn their monitors off, this is not a partisan presentation. Hopefully, it…

If the Chair will let me know when I have 2 minutes remaining. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator will be notified. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent to be recognized for up to 20 minutes, to be followed by Senator Collins for 7. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I appreciate the cue. The fact is, I don't think there is anybody in this body who would consciously wake up and spend every day of their life taking lavish vacations, going to nice hotels, eating out at night, running that up on a credit…