California is in one of the worst droughts in its history.

I have never seen the level of desperation that exists all down the center of our State.

I would like to ask that now, of both you and your distinguished Commissioner of Reclamation.

This may be the last opportunity we have to get enough additional water to make the five points in the drought bill that Senator Boxer and I have introduced.

I have no greater priority than leveraging all available resources to conserve and maximize water within California.

The Governor has called a state of emergency with respect to the drought.

As you know, California is facing a historic drought.

So I think this data supports the notion that more water pumping can occur without jeopardizing fish species.

The drought will continue to be a high priority activity in the Department.

I rise to reintroduce the Veteran Voting Support Act, which is cosponsored by Senators Leahy, Durbin, and Reid. Almost 7 years ago, during the previous administration, I learned that a Department of Veterans Affairs facility in California…

I rise today to protect and secure the user fees paid by America's inventors and businesses to the Patent and Trademark Office, and to stabilize that Office's funding, by introducing the Patent Fee Integrity Act. I want to thank my co…

I want to thank you and the administration for requesting $825 million for positive train control (PTC).

Will you ensure that the Department meets the 2015 deadline for implementing positive train control, as required by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008?

In my view, this decision poses a great risk to people both in the air and on the ground, as well as to individual privacy, and it is contrary to congressional intent.

The FAA is directed to conduct a study of the implications of unmanned aircraft systems integration into national air space on individual privacy.

We believe, as I believe you do, that the safety of our national air space is very important.

I am very concerned about these drones starting up all over the country with all kinds of risks to personal privacy and personal safety.

Will you commit to ensuring that positive train control projects are given priority when determining TIGER grant awards?

I think you were eloquent on the subject of the Confederate flag and what it means.

For my vote I have to have certainty.

I deeply regret what happened with respect to your nomination in the late 1990s.

I think when you come to a Federal court, it is really very important that the questions of constitutionality on an issue are active by someone who, as Judge Abrams has said, will follow precedent.

I very much hope that you will be confirmed.

I was the main author on repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. I was one of 14 that voted against it in the 1990s.

Good morning. Mr. President, over the past week there have been numerous press articles written about the intelligence committee's oversight review of the detention and interrogation program of the CIA. Specifically, press attention has…