Madam President, I wanted to discuss very briefly an amendment that I have filed with respect to the independence of compensation consultants. As we all know, executive compensation has been a significant issue in this country. Much of…

Mr. President, I wanted to share with my colleagues an update on where we are with the bipartisan amendment on which I have been working so hard. I see Senator Sanders of Vermont is here, and he is one of my cosponsors, as is the Presiding…

I thank the chairman. I guess as the old song goes, what a long, strange trip it has been to get to this vote. But I appreciate very much the chairman's efforts and the ranking member's efforts that have allowed this vote. I thank the…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period for the transaction of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, like many of my colleagues, I have several amendments that have been filed. At this moment, it is not possible to call up all the amendments, but I wish to speak to one of them and hope that prior to the conclusion of our…

Under a previous order, a Shelby amendment No. 4010 and a Vitter amendment No. 4003 were ordered to be called up. I would like to state for the record that those amendments are still in order to be called up and hope that the Record will…

Mr. President, I request to be recognized in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture vote on the Dodd-Lincoln substitute amendment No. 3739 occur at 2 p.m., Wednesday, May 19; and that Members have until 1 p.m. to file germane second-degree amendments. The PRESIDING…

Just for illustration to you as American Senators as to what life and justice are like in Colombia, I would like each member of my cabinet to tell a story that they might have of their own personal kidnapping or the kidnapping of someone…

Mr. President, I wish to say a few words on the amendment I have pending and that we will be voting on in the next 2 days that will restore the historic power of States to control interest rates they charge to their citizens. One of the…

Mr. President, may I ask for regular order with respect to my pending amendment, No. 3746. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment is now pending.

Mr. President, I yield the floor. Amendment No. 3884 to Amendment No. 3739 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut.

Mr. President, I offer a modification. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment is so modified. The amendment (No. 3746), as modified, is as follows: On page 1320, strike line 23 and all that follows through the end of the undesignated matter…

I think the President's choice obviously was the right one.

Why is it that for something that is so complicated and so dangerous as this offshore drilling that the similar level of mandatoriness that you and I have to face with the electrical inspector in our homes doesn't apply to these giant…

That is the Greenspan rule. That is exactly the theory that Alan Greenspan used to justify deregulation of the financial regulatory structure that we had.

It is hard for me to see that that is a determination that could have been made in good faith back then.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate May 17, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…