How can you explain how you went from hoping it never had to be used to now doubling down on IPAB?

You said, and I will paraphrase here, that you were hopeful IPAB never needs to be used.

Mr. President, I rise in strong support of moving to the Homeland Security appropriations bill. I hope we do that with a vote today. This is very important in terms of governing and in terms of passing an appropriations bill for a vital…

It is a privilege for me to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee today to introduce Dr. Ash Carter.

He has done so much. It is important to note that he spearheaded some developments during that period of time, particularly the removal of nuclear weapons from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.

We are fortunate, indeed, that President Obama has nominated Dr. Carter to be our next Secretary of Defense.

Too much has changed for the worse.

We strongly urge you and your colleagues to work to preserve the current definition of joint employer status.

I want to publicly thank you for doing everything that you said you would do last year.

And we want to acknowledge to the President our appreciation that he signed the Clay Hunt Veterans Suicide Prevention bill yesterday.

Long-term entitlement reform is really one of the keys to getting the macro problem solved.

We found out yesterday morning... that the President's budget would portend that some of the Veterans Choice appropriations might be moved.

We found incremental is acceptable as long as when they violate an increment, they have a punishment for it.

One of the main things we want to do is use the leverage if these countries want to do business with the United States.

I think it is not too much to ask that we see real significant changes in policies and practices before we finish the negotiations.

Mr. President, I know we are close to a vote on the Clay Hunt suicide prevention bill. As chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, who has just left the Veterans' Administration this morning after a 3-hour meeting with employees, I…

Mr. President, I ask for a vote to be called, and I ask that it be a rollcall vote on the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on February 3, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Committee on…