Madam President, I thank the Senator from Alaska, Mr. Begich, for his strong statement. I also thank him for his attention to the deficit and debt. In meeting after meeting, the Senator from Alaska has been one of the leaders, along with…

I thank the Senator from Colorado for his very powerful and persuasive remarks this morning. I hope colleagues are listening. This is a time that will define part of our economic future. This vote this morning will be a vote that will be…

How much time does Senator Baucus and Senator Gregg retain? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana has 1 minute. The Senator from New Hampshire has 20 seconds.

Mr. President, how much time do I have? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota has 4 minutes.

Madam President, I yield 5 minutes to the Senator from Colorado. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Colorado is recognized. amendment no. 3302

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The question is on agreeing to amendment No. 3302. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll.

Mr. President, I will take 30 seconds. I believe this is a defining moment for this Chamber and for this Congress. The question before the body is will we adopt a special process to face up to the debt threat looming over this Nation. We…

I thank the Senator. Let me go back to where I began. What is this about? This is fundamentally about the economic future of the United States. Newsweek magazine, cover story, December 7: ``How Great Powers Fall.'' ``Steep debt, slow…

Mr. President, tomorrow we are going to vote on the question of whether we establish a bipartisan debt commission, a commission empowered to come up with a plan, a plan if 14 of the 18 Members would agree, would come to the Senate for a…

Mr. President, pursuant to section 301(a) of S. Con. Res. 13, I previously filed revisions to S. Con. Res. 13, the 2010 budget resolution. Those revisions were made for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, an amendment in the…

Mr. President, this weekend there was some discussion and writing in the papers and elsewhere in journals about the nomination of Mr. Bernanke, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, for another term as chair on that Board. The…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Bernanke Nomination

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Udall of Colorado). Without objection, it is so ordered. Bank Investing

Mr. President, yesterday President Obama made some recommendations that have caused quite a stir, especially on the morning shows on television today. The President suggested something that is called radical by some of the commentators: he…

Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Committee on Indian Affairs will meet on Thursday, January 28, at 2:15 p.m. in Room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing on the nomination of Lillian A. Sparks to…

Mr. President, I support the Conrad-Gregg fiscal action task force amendment. I am going to vote for it, and I do so not because I think it is the best solution. The best solution would be for us, year to year, to reconcile that which we…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until Friday, January 22, at 9:30 a.m.; that following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________