Our goal here is to try and make sure that all of the small businesses that have been affected are getting the help that they need, and that BP and the contractors that it hired who are to blame, who are deemed to be blamed for this spill…

I just want to say that my heart goes out to the people of Louisiana and all of the Gulf States who are directly suffering the consequences of this disastrous spill.

I think there's been general agreement, from everybody who's spoken, that BP would be liable to pay the costs of cleanup in the spill.

I just would like to request that, when Mr. Hayes provides the BP responsibility document to Senator Menendez, that you make it available to the entire committee.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 20, 2010, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Examining the Causes…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia be authorized to meet during…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 20, 2010, at 2:30 p.m., in room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 20, 2010, at 9:15 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``NATO: Report of the Group of Experts.''…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on May 20, 2010, at 10 a.m., in SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct an executive…

Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 20, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Office Building. The PRESIDING…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate to conduct a hearing on May 20, 2010, at 9:30 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 20, 2010, at 2:30 p.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 20, 2010, at 10:30…

DOD has a Joint Task Force Haiti that deployed immediately following the earthquake.

SBA is clearly going to be critical in helping those small businesses move forward, and we want to see strong leadership at the head of the SBA.

I would echo your remarks and that of Senator Snowe in the importance of small business to the economic recovery in this country.

It will be transitioning, on June 1, to a very robust DOD program that's focusing on the middle-term priorities.