I am on the Senate floor to explain why I am on the floor today. A week ago, I came to the Senate floor to raise what I think is a very serious point, and that is, we are being filibustered on the procedural motions to take the highway…

the United States biotechnology industry is the world leader in innovation. This is due, in large part, to the Federal Government's partnership with the private sector to foster growth and commercialization in the hope that one day we will…

I have never seen, in my history, a bill passing the Senate with this much support, that is so important to our Nation, being held up. It is 11 weeks since we passed a highway bill, the $318 billion Surface Transportation Equity Act. To…

I want to reclaim my time. First, let me say I know all the pressures. I know the people my good friend from Nevada mentioned. They want a highway bill at $318 billion that we passed. I want one. I have long quotations. I have all kinds of…

They prevented us from going to conference on the CARE Act, the Bankruptcy Act, the Workforce Investment Act, the Patients Safety Act, not to mention the Transportation bill. So there is a pattern, I would say to my friend from Missouri…

We had an overwhelming vote to get the number of $255 billion for highways. We had an overwhelming vote to get a bill to the floor. We had an overwhelming vote of 76 to 21 to pass a good 6-year highway bill. My good friend from Nevada…

When we went into Iraq, 77 Members of this body believed the intelligence, that there was a deadly force, a radical tyrant there who needed to be removed. One may argue about the intelligence. The intelligence was not as good as it should…

The last time I spoke on this, I pointed out there were a number of other things we have done that really do endanger jobs. I mentioned the small engine proposal where, fortunately, we were able to stop the California Air Resources Board…

It appears there is an effort in the Senate to use the September 11 Commission and its work as an effort to point fingers, to say--in this instance, by the minority leader-- somehow President Bush and his administration were responsible…

There are those who say the President was totally focused on Iraq and he was unaware of the dangers of al-Qaida. Well, that is just totally false. Was he focused on a regime change in Iraq? Did Mr. O'Neill say he was focused on a regime…

as businesses and our economy restructure--a natural occurrence of the business cycle--workers in our country have done better overall. "Overall," however, does not mean everyone has done better. Many have not, and those are the people for…

yesterday we began our discussion on outsourcing--a subject well worth discussing because it is of great concern. I am sorry I didn't have a chance to hear all of the discussions because I think we need to address all of the issues related…

as we have this debate, it is impossible to observe one nearly ignored reality. Despite whether we often or always disapprove of corporate decisionmakers, it is impossible to be for employees while being against employers. We cannot be…

there are many ways to address the needless outsourcing of jobs. One of the things we could do is to have the Government impose even more restrictions on the private sector. However, in many cases that is not the solution; it is the…

going to the doctor for a checkup is hard enough these days between juggling family and work schedules. Few of us get all the checkups and screenings we need. Making matters worse, more and more doctors are closing their practices or…

to answer the question once more, he said how much was it over the budget. As to the original budget passed by this body, it is right at the budget, 255. How much is it over the joint House-Senate budget? It is $24 billion over, but that…

I suggest that my colleague ask the Commerce Committee chairman by how much his title exceeds the budget resolution. I believe our number is at $255 billion. I want to help out the Commerce Committee by getting a waiver for what I…

I wish to debate the measure, waiving the Budget Act point of order. I would point out the chairman of the Commerce Committee, who has just spoken, is talking about the reckless fiscal insanity in this 1,300-page bill. A good portion of…

this amendment to S. 1072 preserves the basic expansion of eligibility for storm water mitigation projects but removes a mandatory 2 percent set-aside for storm water which was added in committee. While I protect storm water mitigation…

The original proposal in the bill agreed on by the budget conference committee between the House and the Senate was below the Senate number. It came in at $231 billion. The Finance Committee has fulfilled its obligation to raise enough…

I want my colleagues to know I had a tremendous staff working with me, Trevor Blackann, Ellen Stein, Heideh Shahmoradi, Kent Van Landuyt, and John Stoody. It was a major effort. I think we have crafted a good bill. This was a group effort…

I echo what my good friend, the chairman of the committee, stated. The amendment does not keep the balance between donor and donee States. Our staff has run through many of these options, 300-plus runs from the Federal Highway…

earlier today the Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee was here on the floor charging Chairman Inhofe and our EPW Committee with inserting Amtrak legislation into our highway bill. Shortly thereafter, I was glad to see that same…

very briefly, this is a difficult bill, as the distinguished Senator from Nevada has said. There is a lot of work that goes into it. If anybody was completely 100 percent happy with it, we would not have done our job, because there are too…

I rise to discuss a second-degree amendment that I intend to offer. It deals with a very important problem in the national interest--assuring that rental and leasing car operations can be performed in all 50 States. Right now there are…