Mr. President, we have done a lot of important work this year. We have reformed our health care system to give families more options and more control. We have brought accountability to Wall Street; and reigned in the reckless behavior that…

Yes, and it satisfied what we had debated here on a number of occasions and voted on, the so-called Sessions-McCaskill number. So we did that. This is not a big balloon that we just threw up to see how it would work out. Senator McConnell…

Mr. President, I move to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment No. 3, and I have a cloture motion at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to…

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The yeas and nays were ordered. Amendment No. 4828 To Amendment No. 4827

Yes. And things that Senator Cochran did not want in, Senator Inouye, being the gentleman he is, said: OK. That is what I will tell my caucus.

Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment to my instructions. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] proposes an amendment numbered 4826 to amendment…

Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Shaheen, I ask unanimous consent that Roger Thoman, a legislative fellow in her office, be permitted floor privileges during the consideration of the START Treaty and any votes related to that matter…

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The yeas and nays were ordered. Amendment No. 4826 To Amendment No. 4825

Mr. President, I have an amendment to my instructions, which is at the desk. I ask it be reported. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] proposes an…

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The yeas and nays were ordered. Amendment No. 4825

Mr. President, I move to refer the House message to the Senate Judiciary Committee with instructions to report back forthwith, with the following amendment. I ask the clerk to state that motion. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will…

Yes, I will yield for a question, and, of course, I maintain the floor. Go ahead.

Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment at the desk and ask the clerk to report it. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] proposes an amendment…

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The yeas and nays were ordered. Amendment No. 4823 To Amendment No. 4822

Yes. To Senator Cochran's credit, there were things he thought should not be in the bill that Senator Inouye was putting together. Senator Inouye, to his credit, said: OK, it does not go in. Everything people wanted in this bill--in…

Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] proposes an amendment numbered 4828 to amendment No. 4827…

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The yeas and nays were ordered. Amendment No. 4830

Mr. President, I have a motion to refer the House message to the Senate Armed Services Committee with instructions to report back forthwith, with the following amendment. And I ask the clerk to state that motion. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The…