Bill Nelson

I want them to know what a great privilege it has been for this Senator to serve with each of you and to serve in a bipartisan way. One of the messages of this election I have just come through is that people do not want this partisan…

My question would be that one of the things this Senator was struck with yesterday in hearings, basically all day, was that he came to the table refreshingly open in a nonpartisan way, much more in a bipartisan way. We certainly have not…

With all the things that the Senator has outlined, which are certainly true--the lack of equipment; the wearing out of equipment; the fact that some of our troops went into Iraq and did not have the proper equipment, even body armor; the…

Indeed, it is that hope, that optimism of which the Senator from Virginia has just spoken--uplifting words--that are the feelings that generate this Senator from Florida to get up and go to work every day, and to look at this Nation's…

Given the fact that is the case, that we cannot proceed, and given the fact we have 1 week left in order to avoid this penalty, it is my hope there may be a vehicle that will come along, and that since Senator Grassley and Senator Baucus…

Well, indeed, thank you, Mr. President. The Senator from Maine is exactly correct. There is the flexibility in the amendment for the Department to make that determination because it is specifying the implementation of a program for…

Senator Feingold, as you know, the legislation establishing the Everglades Restoration Comprehensive Plan creates a permanent, independent peer review panel with extensive responsibilities for reviewing the Everglades restoration plan in…

Would the Senator agree, given the fact that the Senate position is often described as amnesty, that indeed amnesty is the current situation of the law--a law that passed in the 1980s that is not enforced by the Government, that is not…

I am quite surprised. Sadly, on a day in which two more Americans have been mutilated, sadly, on a day in which the CNN story is quoting a claim posted on a Web site that our soldiers were slaughtered ``in accordance to God's will,'' and…

An objection is heard to a closing in which I just granted part of my time to the Senator from Virginia, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services?

We are bringing this in for landing. I ask the distinguished chairman of the committee, had there been discussions on the floor during this debate about the clarification of the McConnell amendment by the words ``in accordance with their…

That is in the findings as set forth on page 1 but not in the sense of Congress. Is it the Senator's feeling that the McConnell amendment clarifies the language that says with respect to the exercise of sovereignty we must respect the…

I respect that. This Senator respects the goals that the Senator from Virginia is stating but I am looking at the four corners of the McConnell amendment to wonder if this is something that the Senate wants to vote for when, in fact, in…

If the Senator would like, we could have a quorum call and discuss exactly that matter.

This Senator is referring to the rhubarb that has occurred for the last 2 hours on the floor, where statements were made about my amendment that mischaracterized the amendment and that further, then, allowed a totally different issue, an…

What I understand of the parliamentary procedure is that the majority will offer an additional amendment that will be a side-by-side and be voted upon, and the Senate can make its choice. In the case of the amendment that is being…

Since this Senator from Florida is the author of the amendment, I would recall, for the consideration of the distinguished Senator from Texas, that there is nothing in this resolution that says anything about condemnation of the Iraqi…

This Senator hopes, too, as I said at the outset of this Senator's remarks, that there is something lost in the translation, a mistake. But if there is, it is time for Prime Minister Maliki to step forward and clarify it. He can easily…

The Senator's point is not only correct, but it is so pointed that anyone who hears it should suddenly say: Ouch.

This Senator, if I might conclude and compliment the Senator from Idaho, certainly has a commonality of interest with the Senator with regard to countries such as China drilling off the north coast of Cuba and the threat not only to U.S…

The Senator's point that he makes very well is that foreign governments, such as the Republic of China, drilling off the north coast of Cuba, because of the currents--the currents come up there in the Gulf of Mexico and down around the…

Yes, sir. In there is the area that is restricted because it is the largest training and testing area for the U.S. military in the world. It is, as declared by the Pentagon, incompatible to have rigs where we are doing the testing and…

We've got to stop the oil companies from having it all their way. In the energy bill passed last year, they have $1.5 billion tax giveaway purely for the oil companies' research purposes. That needs to be reversed, and I'm going to try to…

Is it my understanding that I will not offer the amendment but will speak on it?

The Senator will agree to a voice vote as long as it passes favorably. I expect the Senator is being advised that since the Senate is on record with a 92-to-6 vote, there will be a voice vote.