Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 24, 2013, at 10 a.m. in room SR-418 of the Russell Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing…

My impression--and I could be mistaken--is it was adopted by voice vote. The amendment the Senator is offering giving a 7-year protection against taxes for using the Internet was adopted by voice vote. It was clearly unanimous--at least…

So for those who would come to the floor and argue somehow this bill is going to inhibit or restrain Americans in the use of the Internet, it does not, and the Pryor-Blunt amendment, which is being offered, extends for 10 years this…

So the Senator is suggesting the extension of protecting America's right to access the Internet from being taxed; is that correct?

I am asking before your amendment is adopted. The underlying bill has no tax on access to the Internet.

Madam President, pending before us is S. 743, the Marketplace Fairness Act, and this legislation would require Internet retailers selling into States with sales taxes to collect the sales tax. The Senator from Arkansas and the Senator from…

Madam President, before I yield the floor to the Senator from Arkansas, I would like to again make the point I made earlier. Pending before the Senate is S. 743. This is the Marketplace Fairness Act cosponsored by myself, Senator Enzi…

Madam President, I would like to explain where we stand on the pending legislation. This is a bill which has been introduced by Senators Enzi, Alexander, Heitkamp, and myself. It is S. 743. Pending now on this bill is the managers'…

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: At the end, add the following: This Act shall become…

Madam President, let me congratulate my colleague from my neighboring State of Indiana, Senator Donnelly, on his first speech on the floor of the Senate. I can tell you, as a downstater in Illinois, I can identify with so many things he…

I announce that the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Cowan), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), and the Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the…

I announce that the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Cowan), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), and the Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are necessarily absent.

Madam President, this morning our Democratic leader, Senator Reid, and the Republican leader, Senator McConnell, came to the floor and talked about sequestration. Sequestration had an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 74 to 26. What it…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 24, 2013, in room SD-628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet, during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 24, 2013, at 10 a.m., to hold a hearing entitled, ``International Development Priorities in the…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on April 24, 2013, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing…

Mr. President, last month, the Senate approved a budget that included a blueprint for balanced and responsible deficit reduction. That budget was skillfully managed by our Budget Committee chairman, Senator Murray. It would complete the…