The House of Representatives recently passed a Republican budget which proposes privatizing Medicare and requiring seniors to pay the majority of their health expenses with their own money.

If changes are desired to strengthen Social Security, those changes should be considered independently from work to reduce the deficit.

the Affordable Care Act provided very significant tools to States to improve the quality of care and to save money.

It is a little bit out of the traditional order for an official Senate hearing. But this is Rhode Island.

The attack on Medicare also overlooks the most basic fact of healthcare, which is that all healthcare costs are skyrocketing, irrespective of who the insurer is.

So the role of States and particularly of State officials like Lieutenant Governor Roberts and Director Taylor and Commissioner Koller in working together to have a coordinated strategy on this is really central to the success of this…

there is a terrible cost to real Rhode Islanders and to real Americans if we degrade Social Security and Medicare

if we are going to go back to privatizing that as was tried a few years ago, hand that over to Wall Street

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor National Guardsman Specialist Dennis Poulin, a recently fallen hero of our country. Dennis ``Danny'' Poulin, a 26-year-old native of Cumberland, Rhode Island, gave his life for our Nation, on Thursday, March…

I thank the gentlewoman from New York. I rise in opposition to this rule and against this budget. This Republican budget no longer honors our commitment to our seniors and doesn't reduce our deficit. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget…

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to SPC Dennis ``Danny'' Poulin, a Rhode Islander who served in the Massachusetts National Guard. On March 28, Specialist Poulin was a gunner in an MRAP when it rolled over in Kunar Province…

Mr. President, I rise to speak about the Cyber Security Public Awareness Act of 2011, which I have introduced with Senator Kyl. The damage caused by malicious activity in cyberspace is enormous and unrelenting. Every year, cyber attacks…

Mr. President, I am honored to join my senior Senator from Rhode Island, Jack Reed, today on the floor of the U.S. Senate to honor the brave service of SPC Dennis C. Poulin, who died of injuries sustained while serving his country in…

Mr. President, it is my honor today to introduce the Success in the Middle Act of 2011. This bill recognizes the role of the middle grades as a tipping point in the education of many of our Nation's students, especially those who are at…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Committee on Finance reports the nomination of David Cohen to serve as Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Crimes, U.S. Department of the Treasury, the nomination be referred to…

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:41 p.m., adjourned until Thursday, April 14, 2011, at…

Mr. President, I am informed that we will debate the long-term CR tomorrow morning and vote as soon as we receive the papers from the House. There will be three votes which will be in relation to the two correcting resolutions regarding…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m., on Thursday, April 14; that following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the…