Mr. President, I came here 9 years ago opposed to modifying the rules of the filibuster. Indeed, I signed a letter a couple of years ago saying the same thing. I understand that it can and probably will boomerang, that an elimination of…

I am one who signed that letter. First, let's talk about the letter itself. What it says is, ``We are united in our determination to preserve the ability of Members to engage in extended debate when bills are on the Senate floor.'' I agree…

Mr. President, first, let me say that I appreciate the sincerity of the Senator from Virginia--my friend Senator Kaine--and his comments about the filibuster. I am not going to repeat the speech that I gave last week on the vital…

Mr. President, let me just note that the Federal Department of Justice, under section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, has challenged the law of the State of Georgia and the State of Texas. So the idea that somehow the Justice Department no…

Mr. President, I promise my colleagues this will be my last comment. This is entirely different from the debate on a 735-page bill. I would invite my colleague from Georgia to review exactly what he said earlier this evening. Thank you. I…

Mr. President, our democracy is protected by its institutional checks on unlimited power. The three branches of government are not the only manifestation of the careful balancing achieved by the Framers of the Constitution. Within the…

The culture of the Senate is built upon a foundation of respect and cooperation that is meant to transcend partisanship. It is a culture in which legislative goals are reached with patience, persuasion, and perseverance, not raw power. I…

Mr. President I rise today with my colleague, Senator Ben Ray Lujan, to introduce the Neuroscience Center of Excellence Act of 2021, legislation that would establish a Neuroscience Center of Excellence at the Food and Drug Administration…

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the STEM Education in Accounting Act with my colleague Senator Rosen. Our bill would recognize accounting as part of a well-rounded STEM education and allow school districts to use their Federal education…

Madam President, today I wish to recognize LT Sean McDonald, U.S. Navy, for his outstanding work on behalf of the people of Maine and the Nation as a 2021 Department of Defense Legislative Fellow serving in my Washington, DC, office…

Madam President, on Friday, the Department of Labor reported that inflation had hit a near-40-year high, confirming what many American families have been feeling in their wallets for many months. The soaring cost of virtually everything…

I thank the Senator, and I particularly want to thank Senator Casey for his steadfast, dogged perseverance in pursuit of this issue. He has stayed with it. He has advocated for it. He has been persistent and persuasive, and I just want to…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination, Calendar No. 475; that the Senate vote on the nomination; the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon…

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. President, I have the responsibility and the privilege to be the chair of something called the Strategic Forces Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services. Strategic forces is a euphemism for nuclear weapons, and it is one of the…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Nomination of Corey Hinderstein

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Cloture Motion The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will state. The legislative clerk read as follows: Cloture Motion…

Madam President, I want to talk about the national defense bill, but first I do want to respond just in one particular to the comments of the gentlelady from Tennessee because I have heard this before, the idea that the infrastructure bill…