I am happy to report and respond through the Chair that a Member of the Senate has put a hold on parliamentary procedures that would allow us to move forward on any amendments, the Senator should be aware. So we are unable, at this time…

Mr. President, I see we have several colleagues on the floor, and there is another coming down to speak on an amendment. I thank Senator Snowe for her explanation of some of the compromises and changes and modifications the two of us…

Mr. President, I wish to thank Senator Cardin for his cooperation. He has been so patient. It is an important amendment. It is an amendment that both Senator Snowe and I support and many other colleagues support it. We hope to get to a…

Thank you, Mr. President. That now puts us in order to continue the discussion of our very important bill that Senator Snowe and I have been managing this week on the floor. I appreciate all the Members' cooperation, particularly the…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: At the end, insert the following: The provisions of…

Mr. President, I call for regular order now with respect to the McConnell amendment, which is the pending amendment on our bill, amendment No. 183, and send a second-degree amendment to the desk. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to yield back any remaining morning business time, which I think is under 3 minutes. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

Mr. President, I thank the Senators for their discussion of that amendment. I wish, before Senator Udall leaves, to correct one thing for the record. As the manager of the Small Business Innovation Jobs bill, which the Senator was so…

Mr. President, I might note that Senator Johnson's committee has jurisdiction over the amendment Senator Udall spoke about. The Banking Committee has the jurisdiction, not the Small Business Committee, which is one of the concerns I have…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 17, 2011, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``TARP Oversight…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on March 17, 2011, at 10 a.m., in SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct an executive…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the sessions of the Senate on March 17, 2011, at 10 a.m., to hold a hearing entitled ``Popular Uprisings in the Middle East: The…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet, during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Health Insurance Exchanges and Ongoing State…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 17, 2011, at 9:30 a.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 17, 2011, 3:15 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Catastrophic…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 17, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Science and Space of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 17, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. in room 253…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 17, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING…