Mr. President, I don't know if there has ever been a perfect law. Maybe the law that was written on stone tablets and brought down the mountain by Senator Moses was a perfect law. Ever since then, human beings have tried to write laws that…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on National Parks be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 5, 2010, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING…

I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Byrd) and the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) are necessarily absent. I further announce that if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry would vote ``yea.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 5, 2010, to conduct a hearing entitled ``TBI: Progress in Treating the Signature Wounds of the…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety of the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 5, 2010, at 10 a.m. in room 406 of…

Rabbi, I think this is probably the first time that Bill Cosby has been part of the morning prayer. Certainly it is the first time his grandmother has been part of the prayer. It is with great pride that I rise to welcome Rabbi Dov Hillel…

Mr. President, as I am sure many of my colleagues are aware, today is National Teachers Day, and this week is Teacher Appreciation week--an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the enormous contributions made by America's educators at…

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the memories of St. Vincent DePaul and St. Louise de Marillac and to note their legacy on DePaul University in Chicago. This year DePaul is marking the 350th anniversary of the deaths of St. Vincent and…

Madam President, I thank the Senator. I hope to join him as a cosponsor. It wasn't that long ago--the Senator will remember-- when we had a debate on the floor about credit card reform. People across America said: There are some things…

Madam President, I thank my colleagues for raising this important issue pending on the floor of the Senate, this major piece of legislation, the Financial Stability Act. Of all the many amendments that will be offered, this is clearly a…

Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:23 p.m., adjourned until Tuesday, May…

Mr. President, let me basically set the stage on what we are doing in the Senate today and why it is so important. This bill, which Senator Dodd of Connecticut has worked on for months with his staff--1,407 pages--is basically a bill that…

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Tuesday, May 4; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be…

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Shaheen). Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

Madam President, I rise to congratulate Scott Thoele (``Taylee'') of the Illinois Army National Guard on his promotion to brigadier general. General Thoele, as a colonel, led the Illinois Army National Guard during its deployment last year…

I'd like to read a letter from a former Chrysler dealer in my district: ``Dear Congressman, I'd like to thank you for cosponsoring H.R. 2743, the Automobile Dealers Economic Rights Restoration Act of 2009, and H.R. 3179, the Financial…

Mr. President, my colleagues and I here in Washington are here to fulfill a sacred public trust, a commitment we made the moment we raised our hands and swore the oath of office. Whether we swore that oath 30 days ago or 30 years ago, that…

Too often, the Congress focuses on problems of the past, not dangers to come. Last month, the Greek Government lost its AAA credit rating. On May 19, Greece will have to pay $10 billion in loans that it does not have the money to cover…