It is now my privilege to yield 2 minutes to another distinguished member of our committee, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds. Mr. McDERMOTT. By the time you find another car that's worth nothing, that's been in a wreck, you drive out thinking you had the thousand- dollar car you were getting. This is a phony attack…

There are fewer than 3 weeks until the new year, and yet, here they go again. Republicans are seeking a path of confrontation instead of collaboration. If Republicans were serious, truly serious about trying to come together on behalf of…

I will just say to the majority, get in the shoes of the unemployed. If you don't, I think those who deny it deserve their unemployment.

I thank the gentleman from Texas for joining us and explaining what this means in his State and throughout the country. We're determined to tell the stories and, as I said, to put faces on these numbers. And to do that, I have joined with…

Absolutely. We're focusing today on the stories of the unemployed, on the personal stories, in order to put a face on the numbers. It's also important--and you referred to it--for the economy of our country. Every economist, I think…

Thank you for your eloquent statement. As you said, this is one estimate, four people for every job. You mentioned this is a matter of faith. A few weeks ago, I met a minister. I had never met him before. And we got to talking about the…

It's so important that you've talked about the facts. The more we discuss the facts about unemployment insurance, and the more we talk about the unemployed, the more persuasive is the need for action. There's so much mythology, and the…

Today we're here to talk about the need to extend unemployment insurance. The numbers are staggering. If we do not act by the end of this month, in January well over a million people will lose their unemployment insurance, by mid-February…

Your chart leads me to the last letter I'll read. I read from Ralph of Warren, Michigan, because your chart shows what's at stake for middle-class America: ``Unemployment insurance must be extended so you can pay your bills and buy food…

This is Linda of Seattle, Washington: ``I am a person, a hardworking American person at that, and I will be forced to live on the streets if EUC is not extended. It terrifies me; and if it happens, the struggle I will face to once again be…

The gentlelady referred to a particular situation. Let me read from another story, if I might.

And I thank the gentleman from Illinois for your distinguished service and your passion that you bring to this and so many other issues. I want to yield to the gentleman from Texas, who's the lead sponsor and ranking member on the relevant…

Thank you. What we're trying to do, as you say, is to bring America into this debate because if the faces are shown and the voices heard, our faith is that somehow we'll act. And as you say, Republicans tend to blame the unemployed instead…

I was looking through some of the letters. Let me just read a letter in which the author is a single parent from Geneva: ``I never thought that I would have to start all over again looking for work in my late forties. I hadn't even been 1…

I agree that the authorities allowing for earlier receipt of Reserve retired pay should apply to members of the retired Reserve called to Active Duty in support of a contingency operation to the same extent it applies to other members of…

I do. And the top lawyers of the administration acknowledged as much this morning when they said U.S. citizens are legitimate military targets when they take up arms with al-Qaida. The provisions we are talking about in section 1032, which…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 1, 2011, at 2:15 p.m. in room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``Deficit…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 1, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Insider Trading and…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 1, 2011, at 10 a.m., to held a hearing entitled, ``U.S. Strategic Objectives Towards Iran.'' The PRESIDING…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 1, 2011, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Spurring Job Growth Through Capital…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 1, 2011 at 10 a.m. in SD-106. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security be authorized to meet during the…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on December 1, 2011, at 10 a.m., in SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct an executive business meeting…

just as a building needs a foundation, every community needs pillars--people who provide strength, inspiration, guidance, and leadership, people to rally around in tough times. Today, the city of Flint, MI, is missing one of its pillars…