Mr. President, on Thursday I reintroduced the National Metro Safety Act with Senators Cardin, Murray, Warner and Webb. I first introduced this bill on July 23, 2009, after the deadly crash on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit…

As I sat here and I listened to all of this, there are some things that are missing from this discussion which I think we are forgetting. And that, you know, sometimes I think that we forget that this is America. This is a country that has…

I thank my friend. Let me make a point here, Mr. Speaker. As I understand it, the gentleman continues to take the position until we get to 100, there is no credible counteroffer. Two billion a week. The gentleman served with a very…

I thank the gentleman for his answer. I think I did not receive an answer in terms of whether or not the gentleman is saying it's either $100 billion or nothing, and that there will be no counteroffer to the offer that is on the table…

I thank the gentleman. As I understand what the gentleman is saying, if the Senate can't get 60 votes--which, of course, we have seen the gridlock for a long period of time where the Senate can't get 60 votes--that we're not going to go…

I want to clarify so the public understands as well when they hear us, what we're talking about cutting from is 14 percent of the budget, the discretionary, non-defense, non-security, part of the budget. So let me focus on that. And when I…

I thank the gentleman for that information. He mentioned the CR, the continuing resolution, the continuing authorization to operate government, which I understand will be for a 3-week period. Can the gentleman tell us what will be in that…

Reclaiming my time, I did not say it was the largest cut that had ever been proposed in Congress. I said it is the largest cut from one year to the other, from the previous year's spending. And it is $13.6 billion, I believe. Seventeen…

I thank the gentleman for his comments. Now, it's my understanding we are not scheduled, according to his announcement, to meet next Friday. Is that accurate?

And I take it the gentleman is reasonably certain, obviously we don't know what the other body will do, but in light of the fact that that CR will be offered next Tuesday, the gentleman's presumption is that, in fact, we will be out…

I thank the gentleman. The gentleman and I have had this discussion, and I think we both agree that continuing to fund government on either a 2-week or 3-week cycle is not what we ought to be doing. Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, a number of…

I thank the gentleman for his comments, and I would observe to him that with respect to H.R. 1, numerous economists have indicated, including Mark Zandi, who was, of course, one of the principal advisers to John McCain when he ran for…

I thank the gentleman for his response, Mr. Speaker. Again, I understand the gentleman's issue with respect to the President. Both the gentleman and I understand and agree that the Constitution, in article I, gives to the House of…

The Emergency Mortgage Relief program was created in the Dobb-Frank Act to help distressed homeowners who fall behind on their mortgage payments due to involuntary unemployment, underemployment or a medical condition. The program works by…

The FHA Refinance Program proposed for termination in today's legislation is designed to provide distressed homeowners mortgage relief by using FHA loan guarantee authority to incentivize holders of existing single family loans to reduce…

Mr. President, I rise to speak about asthma and the impact of health disparities. I have pointed out on the floor before that race and ethnic health disparities exist in America. I have talked on the floor before about sickle cell disease…

Mr. President, today I am introducing the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. This bill promotes long-term conservation, education, research, monitoring, and habitat protection for more than 350 species of neotropical migratory…

Mr. President, 12 years ago this very day, the Senate passed a joint resolution that honored Harriet Tubman, with Harriet Tubman Day, on March 10. That resolution was sponsored by Senator Carper and then-Senator Biden. In the House of…