With terrorists all around us, Republicans are playing politics with the critical funding for the Department of Homeland Security and threatening a shutdown. It took them exactly a month in power to do that because they didn't like the…

If I could ask for the attention of my friends. The reason I so wanted have this 1 minute even though I am not asking for a rollcall vote is because I want to make clear what we are doing in this underlying bill. This is the only time in…

I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 35 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will now be 2 minutes of debate equally divided prior to a vote in relation to…

I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To preserve existing permits and the authority of the agencies…

Mr. President, I have a very simple amendment. I hope it will be unanimously accepted. I think anyone within the sound of my voice who cares about the health and safety of people would support this amendment because we know this underlying…

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank both of my colleagues for working so hard. I am trying to be a facilitator in this process as well, as the ranking member now on the Environment and Public Works Committee. I want to remind everyone that…

Senator Booker should be proud of this contribution to this debate and what he is doing in the environment committee. Let me say quickly--because I know we are running out of time--here is the deal. You raised the golden standard--NEPA…

I am pleased to yield to the Senator. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.

That was my amendment No. 128. I am very disappointed, because what the Senator is talking about, making sure the pipelines are safe, and what I am talking about, a health study, are quite related. I know my friend from Michigan wanted me…

I say to my colleague from North Dakota, of course, I agree with her. We don't agree on the tar sands pipeline, but we do look for common ground, and she has found it. The importance of inspecting the infrastructure can't be overstated. I…

If I could answer the question posed to me by my friend-- he asked do I think there ought to be an open amendment process. Not only do I think there should be, we were promised an open amendment process. What occurred here at midnight on…

I would say in response to my friend's question, I was so shocked when the Senator asked for 1 minute to explain his amendment and we heard multiple Republicans saying: No, no, a thousand times no. As Senator Durbin said, this is supposed…