Mr. President, I rise in support of the three free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea that will be before us shortly here in the Senate. Few States need these agreements more than the State of Illinois. This week, I…

The Republican budget would turn the American Dream into a nightmare for millions of senior citizens-- eliminating Medicare, threatening Social Security benefits, and turning Medicaid into a block grant. Those same proposals are now being…

As the public is listening to this, I think they're kind of collectively going, Whew, finally there's something that's going on in Congress. Finally there's something going on with the other body. Finally there's something going on with…

I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman Michaud, for his tireless work to promote responsible trade policy. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement. Nearly 14 million Americans remain…

I thank you, Congressman McGovern, for your tireless commitment to promoting human rights around the world. I rise in strong opposition to this rule and to the three pending free trade agreements. The Bush-negotiated Colombia, Panama and…

Instead of saying that the mercury that's released is a potent neurotoxin, I say, ``becomes a potent neurotoxin that can damage the development of an infant's brain,'' because that is the science. That's what happens.

Last week I offered an amendment that gave us the opportunity to demonstrate that we are aware of the impacts of our actions. We failed to take advantage of that opportunity, and today we have another chance, and I hope we will take it. My…

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I would like to ask my friend, Mr. Whitfield, since we're now talking about mercury or methylmercury, if the amendment that I offered read, instead of the way it does, ``If Congress finds that mercury…

I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I cannot imagine a worse time for this job-killing trade agreement with South Korea. Expanding a NAFTA-style trade agenda that has already destroyed 5…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: After section 1, insert the following section (and redesignate the subsequent sections, and conform…

Mr. President, I want to talk briefly about the breaking news today that the Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder announced that a plan was conceived, sponsored, and directed from Iran to conduct bombings in Washington, DC…

Before speaking on the issue of the bombing, let me commend my colleague from Illinois for speaking out on this Iranian plot, state-sponsored Iranian plot, to destroy the Saudi and Israeli Embassies in Washington, DC. It is an outrage that…

I announce that the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen) is necessarily absent.

Mr. President, this afternoon, the Republican leader of the Senate came to the floor to talk about a vote we will have later this afternoon. It is a vote which is historically important. We all know the state of our economy. We are in a…

I thank the chairman for yielding. America is talking so much now, and there's such a need right now for jobs. There is such a need. Over 9 percent of this country is begging every day for the opportunity to go out and work and earn a…

Let us not be distracted by this confused, backward, and short-term thinking on the part of our Republican colleagues. This bill represents just another attack on the Nation's long-standing environmental protection laws in general and the…

I want to thank my leader, the ranking member of the full committee, for yielding this time to me. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 2250, the Dirty Boiler Enhancement and Enabler bill. Mr. Chairman, here we go again…

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois will be postponed. Amendment No. 15 Offered by Ms. Hahn