Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I thank the witnesses for their excellent testimony.

They seem not to be performing one of their obligations, which is to provide for efficient markets; is that fair?

I think you have got to try it. You have got to try these things.

Paralysis, I think, is the worst situation at the moment.

Our problem is given the value of homes relative to the loans they cannot access this refinancing market.

It could be a powerful stimulus for recovery, literally putting billions of dollars into the households for education, health care, discretionary spending, et cetera.

Mr. President, I worked with Senator Bennet on this amendment. I think it does ensure that communities are not notified a facility is closed without having any opportunity to have input. It provides for advocacy and also gives the post…

Madam President, I call up Snowe amendment No. 2080 with a modification at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the modification? Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as…

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment, was modified, as follows: (Purpose: To require the Postal Rate…

Madam President, very briefly, first I want to thank the chair of the committee and my colleague from Maine, Senator Collins, for working and assisting me in modifying this amendment. I thought this amendment was important from the…

Mr. President, I think there is merit in the discussion about whether we vote now or vote later. The important thing is that we vote on this budget point of order. It is not as if the entire process of trying to fix the post office is…

Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 2049. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The bill clerk read as follows: The Senator from Hawaii [Mr. Akaka] proposes an amendment numbered 2049.

Madam President, I call up my amendment No. 2034. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Hawaii [Mr. Akaka], for himself, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Harkin, Mrs. Murray, and…

Madam President, I call up amendment No. 2043 and ask that it be modified with the changes at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as…

Madam President, Saturday service is absolutely essential in rural areas. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The question is on agreeing to the amendment, as…

Madam President, this amendment strikes a provision allowing the USPS to move to 5-day service in 2 years. Two years is simply not enough time to see the changes we are making in this bill take effect before we cut this essential service…

Cutting workers' compensation benefits governmentwide is not fair and it is not necessary to save the Postal Service. We should follow the House's example and enact bipartisan reforms contained in my amendment and wait until GAO finishes…

Madam President, I have serious concerns with the FECA provisions in this bill, especially since they would reduce benefits for many employees who were already injured while working in service to this country, such as Federal firefighters…