Madam President, since I joined the Senate almost 12 years ago, I have worked to ensure that Congress deals with our country's unsustainable national debt and budgets that are not balanced as far as the eye can see; to do this, we must…

It tells a story. I came to the floor right after that vote. I had supported it all along. I cosponsored Senator Sanders' effort to bring that to the floor, for the $250 check for all seniors and all disabled veterans, I might add, not…

My sense is similar to yours. I was just on a TV show a minute ago. I was asked, the liberals or the conservatives, what they think about this. This really is not a liberal-conservative issue. First of all, the tax cuts overwhelmingly go…

That $750 billion is $75 billion a year for 10 years for millionaires and billionaires versus $13 billion once for senior citizens. In essence, that $750 billion--without getting too much into the weeds on numbers--in essence, we are…

Fifty million people would get a check for $250 from the government, because, I believe, about $13 billion for 1 year, it wouldn't have been a long-term deficit issue; it would have been a one-time cost for people who didn't get a…

Mr. President, I thank the Senator for yielding. I hear what the Senator says about the tax burden in this country; that it falls predominantly on the middle class. When I hear him talk about the estate tax, couples pay no estate tax on…

Mr. President, I stand here simply amazed at what happened in the Senate, although I probably shouldn't be. I stand here amazed because in these economic times, senior citizens from Gallipolis to Ashtabula, to Middletown, to Toledo, in my…

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in strong opposition to this CR, specifically because of section 2412. The Democrats are holding hostage the funding necessary to sustain our nuclear weapons and our nuclear facilities until the Senate…

I urge my fellow members of Congress to vote for H.R. 5012, the Weekends Without Hunger Act, and support the millions of children facing food insecurity. The bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement a five-year pilot program…

I want to take a moment to offer my enthusiastic endorsement of H. Res. 1746, recognizing and supporting the efforts of the non- profit organization, Welcome Back Veterans, in supplementing the world- class care that the Departments of…

Please allow me to explain what happens when flawed free trade agreements are implemented and outsource more U.S. jobs. Our Nation has not had balanced trade accounts for over 25 years. In fact, every time we sign one of these so-called…

Mr. President, I thank the senior Senator from Montana, who laid out exactly why his efforts to extend the Bush tax cuts to the middle class up to $250,000 and to not extend them beyond that is the exact right public policy. It is good…

Mr. President, I will in a moment--in the spirit of fair play, we are waiting for some Republicans to enter the Chamber--I will ask unanimous consent that the Finance Committee be discharged from S. 3981 so we can bring up and move forward…

Yes, that is it. To illustrate that further to Senator Schumer and to the Presiding Officer, as to the last two big tax cuts that were done in this country for the wealthy--in 2003 by President Bush, in 2001 by President Bush--we know what…

Mr. President, I would emphasize what all my colleagues are saying, particularly what the Senator from Missouri said--a State that, as of last night at midnight, probably had some 40,000 to 50,000, to 60,000 unemployed people lose their…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 691, submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The assistant bill clerk read as…

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my House Resolution 1740, a resolution honoring the National Guard on their 374th anniversary. And as the gentleman alluded to, 374 years long predates this…

I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 10 minutes as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________