I will take a couple of minutes before we vote to speak to the Franken amendment. I think all of us want to buy American and buy local whenever and wherever we can. We strongly support that since it does mean jobs--whether we are talking…

I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment to call up Senator Lee's amendment No. 33. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The…

it is good to be here on the Senate floor talking about where we are in the process to hopefully finally move toward approval of a permit to allow for construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. It has been interesting--the past couple…

Again, I think it is important to have a full understanding of what we are talking about when we talk about the export of Keystone XL and the imperative that in order for something to work, as the Senator from Massachusetts has suggested…

I ask unanimous consent that all postcloture time on the motion to proceed to S. 1 now be expired and the Senate proceed to a vote on the motion to proceed; that if the motion to proceed is adopted, the bill be reported and that Senator…

I am pleased we are at this point in time when we can start debate on the Keystone XL Pipeline. We have had some good conversation on this floor while we have worked through procedural issues. I appreciate that we have been able to avoid a…

we are awaiting the arrival of Senator Franken to bring up the amendment relating to U.S.-made steel that is part of the agreement we entered into just a little bit ago that would allow for a series of amendments to be brought forward to…

at this time I call up my amendment No. 2. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Alaska [Ms. Murkowski], for herself, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Risch, Mr. Lee…

I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be suspended. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute) Strike all after the enacting clause and…

I have discussed the process going forward on this bill with our leader, the majority leader, and Senator Cantwell. It is our intention to work together so the two bill managers or their designees continue to offer amendments in an…

I defer to my colleague, the sponsor of this legislation, Senator Hoeven from North Dakota, to conclude his remarks within the remaining time so that we can begin our vote at 5:30 p.m. We appreciate his leadership on this bill. The…

yesterday morning those of us on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee had an opportunity for good discussion about our Nation's energy future. More specific to the agenda of yesterday's business meeting was a bill that would allow…

I ask unanimous consent that privileges of the floor be granted to Cathy Cahill for the 114th Congress. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

To my friend and colleague from North Dakota, it is all about infrastructure. In Alaska, my home State, we have boundless supplies of oil and natural gas, but until we were able to build that 800-mile pipeline across two mountain ranges to…

I join with my colleagues and express my disappointment that we are again at this place: A good measure that has good, strong, bipartisan, bicameral support has been blocked. It has been objected to. I made a comment last evening when we…

I too want to join in the unanimous consent that has been raised by my colleagues Senator Portman and Senator Shaheen on this very important bill. I have to say it feels a little bit like instead of calling it the energy efficiency bill…

earlier there was a lot of discussion about the NDAA--the Defense authorization bill--and the very important provisions which are contained in that which will provide for our men and women who serve us so honorably. I concur with all who…

I understand there is still 5 or 6 minutes remaining of my time. If there are other colleagues who would care to speak on the significance of title XXX of NDAA, natural resources, and the related provisions, I am certainly happy to yield…

I thank my colleague from Arizona. As he has pointed out, not only is this measure important to the State of Arizona, but the State of Nevada will also gain the benefit of being able to access copper resources in that region as well…

I wish to weigh in on this issue, because it is a critically important issue for my State--for all coastal States, or any State that has commercial fishermen, as my colleague from California and as my colleague from Louisiana know. I…

I thank my colleague and his comment about the courtesy for allowing him to go first. I think the Senator from Colorado was scheduled to go first, and we were just a little bit behind, so I was pleased to listen to my friend's comments…

Let me ask then, because I mentioned in my opening that I have recently sent a letter over to the Chairman at FERC to request that the Commission convene this technical conference to hear formally from DOE, other stakeholders, about the…

It appears that the Administration is intent on transforming the very nature of energy production and use regardless of costs or sometimes even feasibility.

I do think that it is something that should be encouraged.

I was pleased for your personal commitment to me that you were going to be very mindful of the reliability piece.