Madam President, today I wish to submit for the Record my remarks and a speech by Taiwan's top diplomat in Washington, Jason C. Yuan, of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, who announced on April 25, 2012, the donation…

Mr. President, there is no reason we should be having this debate today. Freezing student loan interest rates for 1 year during tough economic times is something I believe we all agree on, so it should be relatively simple to accomplish…

Mr. President, I said it before and I will say it again: Neither option is ideal. These ought to be the options we are voting on, but actually we are not going to get to vote on the two options, we are going to get to vote on one option…

Could I amend my comments to have the Finance Committee take the bill and work out a solution?

The RELIEF Act and FOCUS Act would undermine these successes.

Since 2008, illegal logging has been reduced by as much as 25 percent worldwide.

Is undermining a bedrock law the right tone for us to set, especially if it threatens domestic timber industries?

Both bills we are considering today will significantly weaken, or outright destroy these benefits.

If a tree is illegally cut down in a forest and made into a guitar, do we make a sound about it?

The amendments were needed because the American forest products industry was losing over $1 billion a year to people who cheat.

It has helped to stop illegal trade in timber, wildlife, and other natural resources.

We know that slash and burn techniques are destroying the Amazon, and now many are saying we should also burn through international forests to make guitars for Slash.

My primary concern is that the foot-dragging by the Treasury and IRS will demoralize whistle-blowers so much that they will just stop blowing the whistle.

I got the False Claims Act passed in 1986, and the Department of Justice says that has brought $30 billion back in to the Federal Treasury.

Mr. President, is it appropriate in the Senate schedule to start debate on the judges? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The judges are pending.

Mr. President, today the Senate is expected to confirm three additional judicial nominees. With the confirmation of Judge Nguyen to the ninth circuit, Ms. Baker to the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Mr. Lee to the Northern District of…

These letters clearly state my concerns. More than 5 years after the statute was enacted, the necessary regulations are not finalized.

I do not think you have to work with me. I think you have to work with the Commissioner of IRS and the Secretary of Treasury, just to meet and make these awards.