Thank you for your devoted service to the Marine Corps and to the Nation.

I'm not really sure what utility changing this name would bring about.

Do you feel confident that you'll be able to give your uninhibited advice to both the Secretary of Defense and the President before they make any final decision?

One of the consequences of this severe financial crisis is more than 30 States have borrowed up to $35 billion from the Federal Government to continue paying their regular unemployment compensation benefits.

Mr. Speaker, tonight we cast a vote to address one of our Nation's greatest unsolved challenges, and that is solving our Nation's health care crisis. This Congress is being given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fix a broken health care…

Mr. President, I join my colleague and friend Senator Whitehouse in paying tribute to an extraordinary American, an extraordinary Rhode Islander, George Panichas. Senator Whitehouse, with eloquence and obviously great feeling that I share…

Mr. President, I am very honored to have the chance to join my distinguished senior Senator Jack Reed on the floor of the Senate today to pay our respects to a friend of both of ours who has departed us. I will say a few words about our…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Remembering George Panichas

I thank the distinguished Senator for yielding for that unanimous consent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.

As in executive session I ask unanimous consent that today at 3 p.m. the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 653, the nomination of O. Rogeriee Thompson to be a U.S. circuit judge for the First Circuit, and there…

Mr. President, the Senate is considering the nomination of O. Rogeriee Thompson to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. I join my distinguished senior colleague, Senator Jack Reed, in applauding President Obama's…

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays on the nomination of Judge Thompson. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of O…

Mr. President, shortly, we will have the honor and privilege, myself and Senator Whitehouse, to join in supporting and confirming the nomination of Justice Rogeriee Thompson, who will be confirmed today to the First Circuit Court of…

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

Job retention and preservation should be, and is, the top of our legislative agenda.

The national unemployment rate stands at almost 10 percent, and the situation is even worse in some areas.

I think we're at the beginning of a process here in which a great number of interests will be engaged, but I am confident that we can find a way through.

Madam President, I thank the Senator. The last 2 years have seen the American economy on the brink of collapse, battered by an economic maelstrom not seen since the Great Depression and now slowly--too slowly--recovering its strength…