Mr. President, this week on an island nation one- tenth the size of Rhode Island, more than 60 countries will gather at the fourth international Our Ocean Conference. Catalyzed by then- Secretary of State John Kerry, the United States…

Do you understand that the Senate has an independent role and has a right to independent investigation and independent information, that we aren't just an adjunct of the EPA ethics department?

I hope that these questions and the independent role of this Committee to do oversight is not something that is going to be overrun in the pursuit of getting these nominees in place.

One of the goals that we had in this Committee in the ESSA bill was to lift the load of testing off schools.

when you are terrorizing a school into limiting its curriculum only to what is on some test that came in from often, as you said, a vendor out of State, that is hardly serving the children, the school, or the community.

the purpose of the exercise is not to walk away from these kids and fail to keep track of their success.

I would prefer it as a Democrat and Republican briefing.

Mr. Speaker, last night we witnessed another unspeakable act of gun violence that took too many innocent lives. Today my heart breaks once again for those victims of the Las Vegas shooting and for the families whose lives have been…

We just want the briefing. So we have asked that you provide that to us.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 544. ____________________

I would say to my colleague that there was an initial effort in outreach to Republicans to make this a bipartisan effort, which was not accepted.

But I would reiterate that it is vitally important that we get key people appointed and in place permanently.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Tribute to Emily Enderle

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Caroline Normile, an AAAS fellow in my office, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of this Congress. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, may I bid a public farewell to Emily Enderle, who is here with me and who has served as the lead on my very active and busy environment unit for quite some time now. She is going on to another role in Washington and will…

I am absolutely confident that Mr. Carter, who I agree is an American businessman and entitled to respect, had representation in all the rules that affect him and that concern him.

Regulations protect you. They protect your freedom to enjoy safe clean drinking water.

I would agree, Mr. Chairman. And that is why I think the best forum to do that very difficult balancing is in the context of a full deliberative legislative process.