Mr. President, I rise in support of the motion to instruct offered by my colleague from Texas, Senator Hutchison. I thank the Senator from Texas for her leadership on this issue of importance to members of the military in our States and…

North Carolina is one of a few States that does use a portion of our title I dollars to fund early childhood education.

I tell you, as a mother of three children, I know personally how important it is to have early childhood education.

As Senator Dodd said, the first 3 years of life are critical.

I thank my colleague for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1361, which commemorates the centennial anniversary of North Carolina Central University and honors its founder, Dr. James E. Shepard. I've introduced…

Let me thank the gentlewoman for yielding the time and thank her for her work on the committee and her work here in the Congress. She is certainly representing her district very well, and I thank her for that. Let me also thank the ranking…

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding and rise in support of H. Res. 1364, recognizing and remembering the Chatham County Courthouse in Pittsboro, North Carolina. At 4:15 p.m. on March 25 of this year, the upper portion of the…

Do you think that more should be done to protect the appeal rights of veterans who mistakenly send their notice to the VA versus to the court?

I ask unanimous consent to speak on amendment No. 3744. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, payday lending institutions prey on people who find themselves in need of quick cash often for things like a necessary car repair or a medical problem. The lenders charge astronomical interest rates and expect immediate…

The Senator from Illinois is certainly correct. I believe, instead of anywhere near a 400-percent rate, there are limitations of 36 percent. The Senator is correct.

Mr. President, I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut.

This legislation would improve the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Multifamily Transitional Housing Loan program and direct the use of $48 million in previously appropriated money going forward.

Are those in the fiscal year 2011-12 advance funding requests anticipated or required changes in the law to release funding for homeless veterans' programs?

The Senator is exactly right. This amendment allows, if a family does need to have a short-term advance, for a short-term advance, renewable six times. They can have six of them within a 1-year period of time. If at that point they cannot…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be laid aside, and that I be allowed to call up amendment No. 3744. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?

We have an extensive legislative agenda before us today--20 bills in total, one which I introduced last week along with Chairman Akaka, Senator Durbin, and Senator Burris--S. 3377.

If we are going to solve this problem, we cannot wait for somebody down the street to come up with another bureaucratic solution.