I announce that the Senator from Wisconsin (Mr. Kohl), the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Manchin), and the Senator from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) are necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber…

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act. This bill, which I also introduced in the 111th Congress, would extend the important protections of the Family and Medical Leave Act to same-sex couples…

I thank the gentleman for yielding. America is a beacon of light around the world. At a time when many were cowering in their house wondering if this genocide that Qadhafi was bringing to their doorstep would come tomorrow or the next day…

I thank the gentlelady for yielding. I stand today in support of this resolution. The world is watching our actions today. The world is asking: What are we going to do? We talk all the time about allowing Europe to take the lead in certain…

There's something that I'll personally never forget. That occurred in April, 2007. I'll get to why that is something I'll never forget in a second. That's when the majority leader, Senator Harry Reid, said of Iraq, ``I believe myself that…

I want to say, look, this is a great example of freshmen that have come here from all different backgrounds for the purpose of saving our country, saving our Union. And we've seen a great diverse group here from different States, from…

I thank the gentlelady for yielding. I think she said it perfectly. I'm a young guy. I remember in the eighties watching the ``Where's the Beef'' commercials. Everybody remembers that. Well, here is the question: Where's the jobs? Where's…

I ask to be recognized for 10 minutes as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Afghanistan

On behalf of Senator McCain, I call up amendment No. 493. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The bill clerk read as follows: The Senator from Illinois [Mr. Kirk], for Mr. McCain, proposes an amendment numbered 493.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To preserve congressional oversight into…

Madam President, under General Petraeus, the deployment of a local army is critical to winning a war. In Iraq he used extra U.S. troops to sustain military momentum against an enemy until a well- trained local Army was trained and ready…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Nicole Winters-Brown, a legal intern with Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, be granted the privilege of the floor for the duration of the debate on S. 679. The PRESIDING…

Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation with Senator Bingaman and Senator Kohl to remove Social Security numbers, SSNs, from Medicare identification cards. Today, many of the 45 million Medicare beneficiaries in the United States…

Madam President, most Americans have a credit score. We don't know much about it until we start to borrow money. Then you find out what your score is, and that will determine whether you are going to get a loan and, if you get one, how…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on June 22, 2011, at 10 a.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on June 22, 2011, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Marie Gorence and Ben Scuderi, of Senator Bingaman's office, be given the privileges of the floor for the pendency of S. 679, the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act. The…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 22, 2011, at 10 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Preserving…