This is pretty important to me and to the State of Montana and, I think, to the Nation.

It's environmental. It's economic. It's political.

Mr. President, I would like to say a few words about the pending bill before us. This bill will hurt small businesses not just in Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon--non-sales tax States--but all across the country. The bill will let one…

Let me quickly yield to my friend from Oklahoma for a unanimous consent request. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.

As my good friend from Arkansas said and for the benefit of the Senator from Oregon, we haven't made a request yet for this amendment to be moved to the front of the line to be debated, but we are here to say that we would like to have…

I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reed), the chair of the Natural Gas and Manufacturing Caucus.

I thank the gentleman from Colorado. May I inquire of the Speaker how much time I have remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bentivolio). The gentleman from Colorado has 3 minutes remaining.

I thank the gentleman from Mississippi. I now yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tipton), who has been a sponsor of hydropower legislation to make this country stronger in terms of energy security.

Last year was a remarkable year. The year 2012 was the hottest year on record in the continental United States.

I think it's an extremely important topic that affects so many sectors of our economy.

I thank the gentleman from California for his comments today and would point out that in just a little bit we're going to hear from one of the sponsors of a hydropower bill that will make a significant difference in this State. And…

The impacts of the 2012 drought were felt throughout the country.

As we talk about drought, I think it's important that we talk about climate change.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that H.R. 763 be rereferred to the Committee on Ways and Means and, in addition, to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from…

I thank the gentleman from New York. Mr. Speaker, the other night when I was driving home from a meeting in one of my rural counties--it was about 8 o'clock, 9 o'clock at night, it was dark outside--I drove by a field of windmills. At…

Madam President, I rise as a member of both the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation and as a member of the Senate Commerce Committee to discuss what I believe is a shocking display of mismanagement and incompetence by the…

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss mine safety, a critical issue to my state and the tens of thousands of miners across the Nation. Earlier this month we observed the third anniversary of the Upper Big Branch mine disaster which killed…

Adding Miranda Canyon to the forest will provide residents and visitors with enhanced opportunities to hike, hunt, mountain bike and generally enjoy the outdoors.