Yes. The Senate majority leader is on the floor, and he has said if there is to be a motion to instruct conferees on the debt ceiling, for example, then we can have a vote on the floor of the Senate. That is the regular order.

Sixty-one days we have been begging the Republicans--we have been begging the Republicans, not all of them, to give us an opportunity to go to conference and work out our differences, if we can. That is the regular order. And each time we…

I just checked with the majority leader to make sure my memory is correct. The Senator from Texas will learn that when we go to a conference committee, we are subjected to a possibility of a filibuster. Does that ring a note of familiarity…

I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray), and the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller) are necessarily absent. The PRESIDING…

Madam President, I am reluctant to break up this conversation among my fellow Republican Senators because they seem to be at odds, but I do want to remind all of the Senators--and I think the Senator from Arizona has alluded to this--we…

To respond to the Senator from Texas, we have been through this before. In the House of Representatives they threatened not to extend the debt ceiling of the United States and caused severe damage to our economy. Business leaders, labor…

The tragedy that hit Oklahoma earlier this week--killing innocent people and children and destroying homes, businesses, and schools--just reminds us of how vulnerable we are to the forces of nature. It wasn't the first time the wind blew…

I expected that. I would say to the Senator from Arizona there were answers, and I thought good answers, but not good enough. We passed a budget resolution. The Senator was here. It passed by one vote. We stayed until early in the morning…

I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 99, nays 0, not voting 1, as follows…

Mr. President, last week was National Police Week, and last Wednesday was National Peace Officers Memorial Day. On Monday, May 13, 2013, I joined my colleague, Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, at a ceremony in St. Louis to honor six…

I yielded for a question, and I will respond. Then you may ask another, if you wish. It is the regular order of things to ask for unanimous consent, and it is the usual and customary way the Senate works so that we don't have to repeat all…

I am sorry, I am mistaken, and, thankfully, have been corrected. It is not a filibuster. It would call for using the House resolution of 50 hours of debate and another vote-arama to go through the regular order of things. It is not a…

Madam President, I salute the Senator from Arizona for his intuitive, wise analysis of this situation. I am sorry we still have an objection from the Republican side of the aisle to go to a conference committee with Republican House…

I believe the right qualities for a judge are, first, that the judge be respectful--respectful and courteous to all the parties that appear before the court.

Getting forensics right is of enormous importance.

I fully support her nomination and look forward to working with her as she becomes President Obama's Secretary of Commerce.

Ms. Wood, your work at the SEC is involved with complex issues and litigation.

I think one of the most important hearings we held in this room was... on the issue of solitary confinement.