But the status quo is not acceptable. Too many areas in this country are untouched by universal service support, requiring their consumers and businesses to do without the broadband access they need. That is not fair.

it's essential in a knowledge-based economy that we have broadband service.

USF is critical for getting service--both phone service to these markets, and then, now, transitioning in to broadband services.

it's very important, in my view, to ensure that the FCC enacts USF reforms that help give all Americans, including those in rural areas and tribes, access to broadband service.

we think it would be unfortunate that if, that that consensus, after having been reached, after so much difficult negotiation, get destroyed as a consequence of making the perfect the enemy of the good.

At the end of the day, though, doesn't the cable company--cable industry, I should say--benefit from achieving a reasonably acceptable result with respect to USF reform, rather than having no result at all, or even maintaining the status…

I have to be very frank with you, I'm not sure what kind of business model you could actually create to provide any communication service.

I ask that I be able to speak as if in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. CLASS Act

Madam President, I come to the floor today to talk about one of the dirty little secrets around here, and that is the ticking time bomb that is right under our noses and that, until recently, had been virtually ignored until some recent…

Madam President, the editorial highlights a point that I have been making since I first offered an amendment to strip the CLASS program from the health care reform bill back in December of 2009. The inclusion of the CLASS program is…

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Taiwan as it prepares to celebrate its National Day on Monday. Double Ten Day, as it is known, marks the anniversary of the uprising on October 10, 1911, that led to the collapse of imperial rule in…

Mr. President, today I rise to recognize September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. Approximately one in six men will be diagnosed with this disease during their…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 650

Madam President, my amendment simply requires a study by the International Trade Commission when a trade agreement has been signed but the implementing legislation has not been taken up by Congress within 2 years. The study will examine…

Mr. President, I rise in support of this amendment, which I filed yesterday afternoon, which deals with what I believe is a very important topic; that is, the high cost of delay when it comes to the pending free-trade agreements. I raised…

I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: amendment no. 650 (Purpose: To require a report on the consequences of…

Mr. President, I want to emphasize one final time, as we get closer to votes on these amendments, the importance of getting the free-trade agreements passed and put into force, but also the importance of understanding that, as we move into…

Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 650 to make it pending. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Thune] proposes an amendment numbered 650.