Clearly, one of the things here is what we can do to try to make the package that we give students more generous.

What an absolute tragedy that these kids... aren't able to get a degree.

I thank the majority whip. Just to add to his last comment, my constituents are amazed that we do not have a Federal law banning gun trafficking today. They are amazed that if you go into a store and buy guns legally and then walk outside…

I am honored to be on the floor this morning to begin today's debate on this historic gun violence measure with my colleague Senator Blumenthal. I join with him in my awe of the Newtown families who are here this week. People have watched…

I thank the Senator for that comment. As he knows, there is absolutely nothing inherent in mental illness that creates a connection to violence. As the Senator said very correctly, people with mental illness are much more likely to be the…

I thank the Senator for his career fighting on behalf of legislation that will address gun violence. The summation of all of that work hopefully will be with us this week and next week. I thank the Senator for his question about the Sandy…

I come down to the floor for the second time today and maybe the fifth time over the last 2 days to talk again about the real reason we are here on the floor of the Senate this week and next week-- to talk about the scourge of gun violence…

I rise again to continue my attempt on the floor of the Senate today, without holding up the Senate or allowing others to speak their mind, to really draw attention to the names, faces, and reality behind this chart. This is probably…

I thank my colleague from Florida for those very thoughtful remarks and, of course, my colleague, the senior Senator from Connecticut. We are here on the floor today to help lead a discussion about how this Nation can finally own up to its…

it goes without saying we all do our jobs here and we seek a seat in the Senate for a reason. We decided to run for this high office because of issues which deeply motivated us, whether it be more affordable health care, better housing, or…

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I merely wanted to welcome Mr. Counihan to the panel; so glad that the committee selected him to join us.

I gave my first speech on the floor of the Senate this morning. This week and next week, we will be debating one of the most fundamental issues that come to a body such as this: What can we do to better protect our kids and our loved ones…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Heinrich). Without objection, it is so ordered.

I really just had one subject to explore, and that is to go a little bit more deeply into the leverage that comes through military cooperation.

A top priority for us, as well.

It worries me that we are spending 3 percent of our GDP on infrastructure, when Europe is spending twice that, China is spending four times that.

It worries me that it is three times as expensive today to get an advanced degree in this country in real dollars than it was in 1980.

I'll just respectfully disagree. I certainly understand that keeping that data secret helps your negotiations.

I mean, frankly, before this crisis happened, these centers knew exactly how much money you had to negotiate with.

They believe that the enrollment freeze is going to far surpass the amount of money that you actually need to save.

We are going to have to decide whether this is important enough to us that we actually put some pressure on China to change its policy.

I write to you today to request that you undertake an immediate investigation into the alarming number of deaths and cases of abuse of developmentally disabled individuals in group homes.

your colleague, Senator Chris Murphy, called for a nation-wide investigation in March of 2013.

This bill that Senator Feinstein has proposed I read over. It is not about taking the weapons from the owners of them. It is putting a ban on the manufacturing and curbing the sale of them.

The notion that innocent, law-abiding citizens will use an assault weapon or high-capacity firearm to protect themselves is not our experience.