I express my appreciation to the Senator from Iowa for giving me the opportunity to work with him. He and I have pursued a lot of issues in the past. Very often those issues are part of television news debates and the like. Obviously, the…

One additional point, is it the Senator's sense, because we have talked about this often as we have been watching the spectacle of all these secret holds, that the central problem is it is triggered too late and it takes too long to kick…

It surely would. I am grateful to the Senator from Rhode Island for prosecuting the reform case. I have talked with Senator Grassley about it, and with Senator McCaskill and the Senator, and I think this is the time. There are two points…

The Senator is absolutely right about the fact that 80 secret holds is clearly not what Senator Grassley and I and reformers thought would happen. Given all these secret holds, you would think at the back of the Executive Calendar--which…

Mr. President, last year, several of my colleagues and I wrote to Secretary Gates requesting a clear policy through which the Department of Defense would encourage renewable energy development while maintaining necessary protections for…

Thank you. I will close by saying this bill must get done because we have a responsibility to restore the foundations for our Nation. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island is recognized.

Madam President, this morning I met a friend who is visiting, and he told me he was planning to go out and visit the FDR Memorial. I thought maybe the entire membership of the Senate should go out and visit the FDR Memorial. Essentially…

I thank the chairman for his courtesy and keeping me in his thoughts. I rise in strong support of this outstanding piece of legislation. The National Estuary Program has been funding work around the country for 20 years to monitor and…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4957, which was received from the House and is at the desk. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection?

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements be printed in the Record. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro…

Mr. President, when I have come to the floor over the last few months, I have always tried to focus on ways to bring parties together, both sides to work for common solutions--whether it's health care, the new tax reform bill Senator Gregg…

Madam President, the U.S. Senate recently approved a 1- year extension of the expiring provisions of the Patriot Act with a voice vote. The extension was subsequently approved by the House and signed into law by President Obama. As I have…

Well, it's been 72 hours since health care reform was passed and, as near as I can tell, nobody has to go to the post office to get their prostate checked. They're not getting mammograms in the DMV, and we aren't herding doctors to gulags…

Mr. President, I join my colleagues in talking about the challenge that is faced by America's working families. Back home in Oregon, our economy has been hit pretty hard. We have a timber industry, and when you aren't building houses…

We need to extend this unemployment for working families, not kick them when they are down. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma is recognized.

I thank the Senator so much. It is a pleasure to come here with my colleagues on the floor. I know when all of my colleagues go home, they hear stories from their constituents about our broken health care system. That certainly is what I…

Before he leaves the floor, let me echo the praise for our friend from New Jersey, who has prosecuted the case against cigarettes for so many years. We are thankful to him. What a strong advocate he is. I thank the chairman as well for all…