What role do you see new technologies playing to improve the safety of pipelines?

I think one of the greatest threats to pipeline safety and integrity--and it has been talked about at some length today--comes from accidental damage due to digging and excavation.

I think pipelines are going to play an important role in America's energy future, too.

You've noted that state authorities have primary responsibility over gas distribution pipelines and that many states have chosen to adopt regulatory standards that are more stringent than Federal ones.

I don't know how you deal with the USF issue, which, by the way, is an issue I care deeply about.

It seems, to me at least, that what we're talking about here is whether or not we're going to depart from the light-touch Title I information services approach.

Why would we rather take the $50 to $60 billion in private investment, put that in jeopardy, and try and shoehorn that around this issue?

Can the USF proposals in the National Broadband Plan be carried out without reclassifying broadband under Title II?

Mr. President, I would like to speak to the amendment I just proffered to the other side which was objected to. I think there is a consensus in the Senate that we need to fix some of these problems we are facing, one of which is the…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4853; that all after the enacting clause be stricken and the text of the Thune amendment 4376 be inserted; that the bill, as amended, be…

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I offered an amendment a week ago during the debate on the extenders legislation that is still on the floor of the Senate that would have paid for all the things the Senator from Michigan would…

Madam President, may I inquire as to how much time remains on each side? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from South Dakota has 6 minutes, and the majority has 34 minutes.

Madam President, I will renew my request to so modify my amendment, and I appreciate the manager accepting that change. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is so modified. The modification…

Madam President, my understanding is that we are headed toward a noon vote, perhaps a little bit ahead of that. I ask unanimous consent to have about 3 minutes to close debate on our side. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there…

Madam President, I yield 10 minutes to the Senator from Arizona. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Arizona. Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I am pleased to be here to cosponsor and support my friend from South Dakota, Senator…

I ask unanimous consent to add as cosponsors of this amendment Senators McConnell, McCain, Isakson, Bond, Enzi, Cornyn, Barrasso, Roberts, Coburn, Chambliss, Scott Brown, and Judd Gregg. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection…

Madam President, could I inquire how much time we have on our side. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. There are 35\1/2\ minutes remaining.

I will proceed accordingly and try to conclude this in 2\1/2\ minutes. That, unfortunately, does not give me enough time to say favorable things about the substitute of the Senator from Montana. But I do want to close the debate on this…