Mike Levin

It is now my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to our distinguished whip, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

China first, not doctors and hospitals treating Medicare patients. China first, not American small businesses who provide goods and services. China and others first, not school lunch programs. China and others first, not universities doing…

It is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

It is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).

I now with great pleasure yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from California (Ms. Lee).

I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), another member of our committee, and a most active one.

I now yield 2 minutes to another gentleman who has worked on welfare reform over the years, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).

I have no objection after the Senator from Illinois is recognized. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Of course. MR. INHOFE. It is my understanding that we have equally divided our time between now and noon. That is about 1 hour 40 minutes. I ask unanimous consent, on the Republican side, that I be given the first 10 minutes and the last…

I believe the business before the Senate now is the vote on the reconsideration of the motion to end debate on the Hagel nomination. Is that correct? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator is correct.

I would be happy to yield time to the Senator from California. How much time does the Senator wish?

The Senator is correct. A number of our colleagues have made that demand, and it is simply not something on which we are going to set a precedent. It is not the way to proceed in this body.

Before the Senators from New Hampshire and Maine leave the floor, I just want to commend them for their statements, for their conversation. It is so critically important we avoid sequester. The more Senators and the more Members of the…

I wonder if the Senator would yield for one moment, without losing his right to the floor.

The supplemental appropriations bill before us today includes $821 million for necessary expenses related to Hurricane Sandy to dredge Federal navigation channels and repair damage to Corps projects. Great Lakes channels, harbors…

I now yield 1 minute to a member of our committee and chairman of our caucus, the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra).

I now yield 2 minutes to the ranking member of the Budget Committee, Mr. Van Hollen.

We are going to vote soon, but first we want to hear from our whip, the distinguished gentleman from Maryland, who has worked so hard on these issues for decades. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

I now, with pleasure, yield 3 minutes to another member of our leadership, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn).

I now yield 2 minutes to Danny Davis, our colleague from Illinois who is soon rejoining us on Ways and Means.

I now yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Schwartz), our colleague-to-be on Ways and Means.

I now yield 2 minutes to another member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

I will yield to my temptation to respond, and I will now yield 2 minutes to another distinguished gentleman, a member of our committee, Mr. Neal of Massachusetts.

Yes, that is correct. The language does not apply to fiscal year 2012 funds. We should all expect the agencies involved to adhere to the framework set forth in last year's memorandum of understanding.

I would note that the committee's chief clerk Chris Cowert will be retiring at the end of this year after completing more than 41 years on the committee staff. She has been a driving force behind the staff support of the annual Defense…