I am here today to speak on clean energy independence, but before I do that I want to note the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg. When I came to the Senate 10 years ago, there were a number of Members here who were veterans of World War…

5 years ago I spoke at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. I began with a story from our past about our future. It is a familiar story to those of us in Tennessee. President Franklin Roosevelt called the chairman of the Senate…

being a majority leader is not an easy job whether you are a Republican or a Democrat. Some good things have been happening in the Senate recently, and I think we should credit both the majority leader and the Republican leader with…

I will conclude for those who are expecting to do that, but these are timely remarks. So, Mr. Srinivasan, nominated on June 11, 2012--no hearing by the Democratic majority and the executive committee, I wonder why; nominated January 4 by…

Friday's Washington Post reported that Secretary Sebelius of the Department of Health and Human Services ``has gone, hat in hand, to health industry [executives], asking them to make large financial donations to help with the effort to…

I ask unanimous consent to also have printed in the Record the names of the members of the Iran-Contra select committee. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: [From The Washington Post…

In the article, it said: . . . Ms. Sebelius had made calls soliciting support from the health care industry, including insurance and pharmaceutical executives. . . . . a spokesman for Ms. Sebelius, said she had suggested that health care…

I thank Senator Enzi for this opportunity, and in fact there is a Federal moratorium that prohibits State taxes on access to the Internet. I was in the middle of that debate several years ago, and when the Marketplace Fairness Act is…

I congratulate the Senator from North Dakota on 20 years of work on this issue, Senator Enzi for 11 years of tireless work here, and Senator Durbin for his effective advocacy. I will make four quick points. The Senator from Texas said…

I ask I be notified when I have consumed 2\1/2\ minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator will be notified.

we have an opportunity to vote today on an important piece of States rights legislation--at least that is the way I look at it as a former Governor of Tennessee. Here is what the legislation does. It is called the Marketplace Fairness Act…

I wish to engage the Senator from North Dakota, if I may, in a colloquy for a few minutes on the subject, so we may speak through the Chair to each other. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the Senator from North Dakota agree?

The Senator from Montana has raised a good question about audits. Let me say to the Senator from North Dakota, I wish to paint a picture, and I wish to ask the Senator from North Dakota to help me because she may be one of the newer…

I thank the Senator for her knowledge and her contribution to the debate. Of course, what she is emphasizing is that if we do act, we simplify things for the small businessperson. For one thing, we exempt anyone whose revenues are less…

I know the Senator from Louisiana is coming. When he comes, I will be through. I say to the Senator from Wyoming who just said that apparently there is an intention to object to any amendment, just to review, we started Monday. We could…

first let me join the Senator from Maine in expressing to the Senator from Montana my regret that he is retiring. He has had a long and distinguished career here, and I have enjoyed working with him and look forward to working with him the…

I rise in support of the amendment by the Senators from Maine. I think it makes a lot of sense. It is symbolic too. Here we have a bipartisan amendment, we have a Republican Senator and an Independent Senator. The Independent Senator is a…

3 times Senators have voted, either with 74 or 75 votes, in favor of this legislation--a majority of Democratic Senators and a majority of Republican Senators. On Monday we were ready for amendments, but the small group of Senators who…

These are letters from Senators to the leaders of the Finance Committee. The first letter is dated January 31, 2012, last year, at the beginning of the year. It was from five Democrats and five Republicans who introduced the Marketplace…

To summarize some of these steps, this began in the 107th Congress in 2001. Now Senator Enzi started even before that, I think, with Senator Dorgan. They introduced the Internet Tax Moratorium and Equity Act in 2000 and 2001. Then in 2003…

I thank the Senators from Illinois and Wyoming for their comments. Basically, the Senator from Illinois has said the bill is ready to be amended. It is here for that purpose. We encourage our colleagues to bring amendments if they have…

I have enjoyed the discussion on the Marketplace Fairness Act. It is nice to have a good debate and I am looking forward to voting on amendments that are here. I wish to address two or three points that have been made during the debate…

Now, finally, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the names of the Governors and former Governors who support this legislation. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows…

I do that with a little bit of obvious bias as a former Governor. I think it is important that the country know what the Governors think, because the legislation we are talking about today is a States rights bill. It is an 11-page bill. It…

the Senator alluded to this in his remarks, and we both heard Senator Heitkamp from North Dakota. It is pretty remarkable that a Senator, in her first 3 months, would find herself in the middle of a debate about a problem she created 20…