To President Obama's credit, he put his money where his rhetoric is. Most of the loophole closures and offshore measures were contained in his budget. If we subtract the two categories of tax increases, there remains $1.73 trillion in tax…

I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to finish my remarks. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

Mr. President, before turning to the issue of the moment, I want to thank my dear friend for his good remarks here on the floor of the Senate. He is a great leader, a great human being, and he certainly outlined, I think in a fair way…

Mr. President, one is whether they see any imminent threat to financial stability from the debt limit impasse, or from an impending downgrade to our Nation's credit rating. Of course, we face warnings of downgrades of our credit rating not…

Madam President, I will take a few minutes to explain why I am, once again, objecting to the legislation offered by my dear friend from West Virginia, my Finance Committee colleague. I wish to make it absolutely clear that a long-term FAA…

It's clear that in the area of medical devices, we're losing ground to other countries.

I think I would like to see our medical device regulator start to match what Europe does.

I would like to see that change.

Mr. Speaker, I had breakfast this morning. I had granola and yogurt, a little fruit, an egg and bacon sandwich, and I'm feeling irritable because I didn't have my coffee. I'm looking forward to a delicious lunch that I've planned at about…

I appreciate very kindly the gentleman from Virginia and his explanation of this particular provision that's in the bill. Unfortunately, it's not quite that way. Your recommendation of this is that in June the Secretary asked for our input…

I didn't want it, but thank you. Let me just simply try and come up with this one last time. The idea of inventory is covered in FLPMA; that doesn't change. The Secretarial order that established wild lands is a new policy. That has been…

This amendment only deals with the category that was called wild lands, which is a made up category that has nothing to do with any kind of law. Is it not true that the Secretary and the Interior Department can still do inventories on any…

But you have described yourself as a huge fan of an organization that calls for no economic growth.

In Utah, these farms contribute more than $2 billion a year to our economy.

Is it not true that the ability to designate and study and do these inventories comes under FLPMA regulation which is not changed by this amendment?

I want to emphasize the double-pronged nature of the threat because there is only one side of it I feel has gotten adequate attention.

I rise to support Mr. Dicks' idea but not the process he is using to get there. It is one of the amazing things as you look about the debate on this particular amendment. It's like ships passing in the night--getting close but never…

Mr. President, last night we heard from President Obama in a prime-time address from the East Room of the White House. The topic was raising the Federal debt limit. According to Treasury Secretary Geithner, the Federal Government may…