Mr. President, I understand there are three measures at the desk due for a second reading. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the bills by title for a second time. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (H.R. 3223) to…

I object to any further proceedings with respect to these measures en bloc. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The bills will be placed on the calendar under rule XIV. ____________________

Reserving the right to object, I just want to say I so strongly support my colleague from Connecticut. I so oppose what is going on here with the Republicans. Time and time again they have had a chance to open this government, and they say…

I won't be long, I say to my colleagues. I wish to thank our Leader Reid for bringing back a sense of history, for putting this fight over the new health care law into context. I did some research on what Republicans said about Social…

Let me say to my friend from Colorado he is right about a picture being so powerful. Having shown my share of those types of photos, I think the Senator underscores why it is important to have a national government. He and his colleague…

My question to my friend is: Is it not critical that we avert a government shutdown? Because if we go into a shutdown phase, people who want to apply for help--businesses and all the rest--are going to be experiencing far more pain. This…

I wish to say to both of my friends, coming from a State that has experienced too many moments like the one you are going through, I have never seen anything quite like this in terms of flooding. But we have the most devastating fires…

Mr. President, I listened to colleagues predicting doom and gloom, and it brings back what I have read about what happened when Medicare was brought to this country by the Democrats and what happened when Social Security was brought to…

Mr. President, I want to ask Senator Durbin how much time he needs, and I will make a request that he be recognized.

Well, if I could just say that I am happy to allow that to go forward, but there needs to be a definite time. How much time will all three Senators--my understanding was that Senator Cruz--for how many minutes?

Mr. President, we have had a carefully constructed list of who would speak. I wonder how long the Senator wishes to speak.

What was supposed to happen was that I was going to speak next. I will give up my place so Senator Murray can speak, followed by Senator Coons, followed by Senator Inhofe for 9\1/2\ minutes. I don't know how many minutes my friend needs--5…