Madam President, I am going to use leader time. I am wondering how long Senator Boxer is going to take.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 8, 2011, at 10 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Does the Tax…

Mr. President, I have spoken with the Republican leader and hope we will be able to work out an agreement on the continuing resolution we will receive from the House that we are going to offer as an amendment. That should be sometime…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8 at 9:30 a.m.; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the…

I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid on the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 55) was agreed to. The…

Mr. President, I know my friend was preoccupied. I knew he wanted to do that. The unanimous consent agreement said whatever time he may consume. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa. ____________________

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period for the transaction of morning business, and that the 30 hours postcloture run on the patent bill, and that Senator Grassley be recognized for whatever time he may…

Mr. President, 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: (Purpose: To provide an effective date) On page 2 of the…

Mr. President, I now call up a second-degree amendment, which is No. 152. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] proposes an amendment numbered 152 to…

Mr. President, 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: (Purpose: To include public institutions of higher…

Mr. President, I call up my amendment, which is No. 143, which is at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for himself and Mr. Ensign, proposes an…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the pending Leahy and Bennet amendments. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 143

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendments Nos. 114 and 116, Withdrawn

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendments be set aside, and I call up an amendment on behalf of Senators Baucus and Grassley, No. 141; that it be modified with the changes that are at the desk; further, that the…

Mr. President, following leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business until 4:30 today. Senators will be allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each. At 4:30 the Senate will proceed to executive session with an hour for debate…

Mr. President, so everyone knows what this amendment does, we looked at the National Science Foundation regarding a program called EPSCoR. A number of sparsely populated States are disadvantaged with this program. However, in talking with…

Mr. President, budgets and votes have something very important in common: At their heart, both require and reflect tough choices. Tomorrow we hope the Senate will vote on the Republican response to the President's budget. That is the…

I ask unanimous consent the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 55 and the Senate proceed to that. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report the…