I have come to the floor for three different reasons. Out of courtesy to the Democratic leader, who I see coming in, I will wait until he is here.

I don't know what he is talking about. I am the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. I have, during my time, regularly confirmed Democratic nominees and Republican nominees. I have worked with the Democratic…

Good. Mr. President, as the world knows, the country's largest public utility is the Tennessee Valley Authority and serves 9 million customers in our seven-state region. It is enormously important to our State of Tennessee. Its CEO, Bill…

the resolution by the distinguished Senator from Wisconsin is a resolution to say to the plumber who is making $60,000 a year in Wisconsin or Tennessee: We want to keep your insurance prices high. We don't want to reduce them by 70…

it is sometimes said that today's Senate does not measure up to the Senate's previous years because we have no eloquent Senators who make compelling speeches. I think Senator Collins has just disproved that today. Whether or not one agrees…

Authority for the FDA to require manufacturers to sell smaller doses of opioids; extending treatment for Medicaid patients from 15 to 30 days in covering all substances; the TREAT Act, Senator Markey, Senator Paul worked hard on this. I…

I would like to extend my congratulations to the Senator from South Dakota. This is a significant agreement on which he and Senator Nelson and others have worked very hard. I want to especially thank him for including in the bill something…

I wish to say to the Senator from Washington that I fully subscribe to her remarks. She is the ranking Democrat on the HELP Committee, and we work together to produce results. I like it when we can, and I think the American people do as…

building on Senator Hatch's comments, we are grateful for his service to the U.S. Senate for more than four decades and grateful he is a songwriter. Of course, he comes from a culture and a faith that emphasizes music. As a little boy in…

I thank the Senator from Utah for his remarks. I think we both would feel remiss if we didn't properly acknowledge all of the Senators and especially all of the staff members who have put in such long hours and used such professionalism to…

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn to then convene for pro forma session only, with no business being conducted, on Thursday, September 20, at 3 p.m. I further ask that when the Senate…

if the Senator from Utah has concluded his remarks, I would like to say a word or two. We have just passed in the Senate a bill that is named the Orrin G. Hatch Music Modernization Act. It was an amendment I had offered to the bill, not…

if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:42 p.m., adjourned until Thursday, September 20, 2018, at 3 p.m…

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant bill clerk called the roll. The result was announced--yeas 98, nays 2…

I ask unanimous consent for another 5 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered.

that is why we have had so much support for this amendment. The bill is so large, some people have had trouble seeing the significance of it. Let me quickly mention two aspects of it: One is money, one is moonshot. Some people say: Where…

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate proceeds to S. 2554, amendment No. 4011 be made pending. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from West Virginia.

this morning, in Nashville, as I got on the plane, the headlines were not about tweets or collusion with Russia or even the Supreme Court nomination. The headline was this: Senate set to OK bill on opioids. Within a few minutes, we are…

the next vote is on Senator Collins' amendment on the gag rule with Senator McCaskill. Following that, we will vote on the Opioid Crisis Act of 2018, which has the contributions of 72 Senators. I would like to especially thank Senator…

Boy Scouts shouldn't get a merit badge for telling the truth, and Senators shouldn't get an award for passing an appropriations bill, because that is what we are supposed to do. But it is worth noting that for the first time in at least 10…

now I would like to say a word about legislation that the majority leader, Senator McConnell, has described as landmark legislation, which I expect the Senate to move to early next week, and that is the legislation dealing with the most…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, and I ask consent to speak for as long as I may require. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I am glad I traveled to Phoenix Thursday for John McCain's funeral. You learn a lot more about a U.S. Senator in his hometown than you do here in Washington, DC. What was clear in Phoenix last…

I join with Senator Murray in recognizing Dr. Marcia Crosse. In recognition of her achievements, she has been honored within GAO through meritorious and distinguished service awards for her technical excellence and dedication to client…

I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call be waived. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered.