I thank the Senator from Arizona for everything he has been doing for so many decades for this country, including our committee. It is invaluable. We are going to get this bill passed. That is our determination. It will be a shock to every…

Mr. President, before we left for the Thanksgiving break, Senator Inhofe and I said we would come to the Senate floor today to update Members on the status of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. Before the break we…

This countdown clock at democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov says 25 days and 10 hours, and it is ticking. That is the countdown to an immediate cutoff of emergency unemployment insurance for 1.3 million Americans. Without an extension of this…

Mr. President, in the past, a few Senate majorities, frustrated by their inability to get certain bills and nominations to a vote, have threatened to ignore the rules and change them by fiat, and to change rules to a majority vote change…

I ask unanimous consent that after my remarks, the Senator from Alabama be recognized. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection.

Madam President, we will soon vote on whether to invoke cloture on S. 1197, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. This bill was reported out of the Armed Services Committee with a strong bipartisan vote of 23 to 3…

We cannot agree with a list of amendments, many of which are not agreed to on this side, many of which would be filibustered on this side, which would result in just making it impossible for us to get to a Defense authorization bill…

I ask unanimous consent that be allowed. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, as the holiday season draws close, millions of Americans are shopping online for clothes, toys, and other holiday gifts. But alarmingly, at the same time, convicted felons, domestic abusers, terrorists, and other dangerous…

Mr. President, I yield myself 6 of my 10 minutes. One of the issues we address in this bill is the problem of sexual assault in the military. Too many of the men and women who volunteer for our military to serve and protect us are victims…

Of course, while reserving the right to object--I will not, but I will say this. I can't tell everybody in this body how disappointing it would be if we do not finish this bill tomorrow or Friday, because the issue is this, and we all…

Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 2175. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The bill clerk read as follows: The Senator from Michigan [Mr. Levin], for himself and Mr. McCain, proposes an amendment numbered 2175. The…