I further ask that the substitute amendment, which is at the desk and is the text of S. 1072, as reported by the Commerce Committee, be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; and that the motions to reconsider be…

I ask unanimous consent that the Commerce Committee be discharged from further action on H.R. 1848. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows…

I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The…

Madam President, it has been 7 days since we passed a piece of legislation to fund the government. I wonder how many days it will be that the Speaker makes the American people wait to open the government. How long is he going to make them…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 265. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res. 265) expressing…

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 266. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res. 266)…

I now ask for a second reading, but object to my own request for both of these measures. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The bills will be read for the second time on the next legislative day. ____________________

Madam President, I understand there are two bills at the desk due for their first reading. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the titles of the bill for the first time. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (H.R. 3230)…

I ask permission to direct a question through the Chair to my friend from Texas. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the Senator yield for a question?

I want to remind everyone listening that yesterday and today, the Capitol remains closed to most business. The Federal Government remains closed. In the newspaper today, it lists all of the layoffs. Today it has a graph of those in the…

Mr. President, every day Members of Congress come to work at the U.S. Capitol. I said some of this yesterday afternoon, but because of the melee, the death and destruction outside the Capitol, the sound system did not work, so I want to…

Mr. President, following the suggestion in the prayer of Admiral Black, I want to take a few minutes to talk about Senate decorum, Senate procedure. This is constructive criticism for the entire Senate and self-criticism for me. I think we…

Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for debate only until 2 p.m. with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. ____________________

Madam President, to my friend, the most senior Member of the Senate, in today's newspapers and in commentary on television and radio, even Republicans, prominent Republicans, former chairs--I have in my mind, which I read today, two former…

Madam President, we have not had a harder working Senator in the past 9 months than the Presiding Officer. You have worked so hard doing so many different things, not the least of which is presiding over the Senate. You have presided over…

I further ask that the bill be read three times and passed and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The bill…

Madam President, I appreciate my two friends for yielding for this consent agreement. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.

Mr. President, my question is that I was under the assumption that my friend would offer the consent requests, as we do here with brief responses in the competing consent requests, and then the Senator would speak for 20 minutes. My only…