the failure to reach agreement or the inability to reach agreement, causing the total withdrawal of our troops at the end of this year, was not a success but a failure.

The expectation was that a residual force would remain at the expiration of the SOFA at the end of this year, 2011.

The problem had more to do with the administration's unwillingness or inability, or both, on more than one occasion to provide the Iraqis with a clear position on what our government wanted.

This adds another voice into that mix that, frankly, I don't believe we need.

Would you say that that is one of the major reasons why you support putting the CNGB on the Joint Chiefs?

I am not sure what is broken that we need to fix. We have a good system going now.

There is a lot of support here in Congress, but obviously, there is a lot of opposition in the military.

I am a member of the Jim Inhofe open-minded caucus because I am undecided.

today the International Atomic Energy Agency has issued its latest report on the nuclear weapons development program of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This latest IAEA report is the clearest warning about a potentially catastrophic threat…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. IAEA REPORT

today Senators Collins, Carper, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, and I are introducing bipartisan, compromise legislation to rescue the United States Postal Service, USPS, from financial ruin and secure its commercial health into the future…

I thank our leader. Again, I have had many conversations about things political, which will not surprise anybody who is hearing me speak. But perhaps people will be surprised that Senator Reid and I have probably had as many conversations…

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to submit a statement in support of this important legislation, the Coltsville National Historical Park Act.

I think we have the majority and we have to find a vehicle to get this through.

You cannot share information if you cannot get information.

I rise to urge my colleagues to lend their swift support to the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama that have at last come before this Chamber. In approving these FTAs, we have an opportunity to show the…

I do not think there is another country in the world that could have done it as well as we did.

I come to the floor to speak about two of the votes we will be casting at approximately 5:30 this afternoon, and to explain how I am going to vote and why. On the first, the legislation regarding China's currency policy, I am going to vote…

The system really worked brilliantly and the men and women in the field did exactly what they were supposed to do.

I rise to draw the attention of my colleagues to the approach of a very special day in the history of our friend and partner, the Republic of China--ROC--on Taiwan. On October 10, 1911--precisely 100 years ago--the Republic of China was…

These two programs have always had broad bipartisan support, and I hope we can come to a point in actually adopting the 2012 budget where we continue to have that broad bipartisan support.

The hearing will come to order. Good morning, and welcome to this hearing on the nomination of Ernest Mitchell, Jr.

The House in the fiscal year 2012 Homeland Security Appropriations bill would reduce funding for these two programs from a total $810 million this year way down to $350 million next year.

Thanks, Senator Pryor.

Thank you, Senator Collins.