I appreciate the fine work of the men and women of the State Department who provide consular assistance to arrested citizens.

An unpassed bill has no legal authority.

Congress has the sole power to legislate.

The United States fulfills its treaty obligations under the Vienna Convention, and we do protect Americans abroad.

I am very glad to be here not only to thank you for holding this hearing, but also to recognize President Skorton, who is a friend of mine.

I will continue to push for more reforms in our immigration system to ensure Americans are the No. 1 priority.

Our bill would also require companies to attest that they have tried to hire an American worker before they hire a foreign worker.

For years, our country has struggled to find a way forward on immigration reform.

However, it is clear they are not working as intended, and the programs are having a detrimental effect on American workers.

Why is it so much to ask for your company and others to look for American workers first and foremost?

The attention that Senator Durbin, I, and others have put on the H-1B program has had an impact already without the legislation passing.

today the Senate will vote on the nomination of Paul Engelmayer to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York and Ramona Villagomez Manglona to be Judge for the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands…

I come to the Senate floor to tell my colleagues why I support the issue of cap, cut, and balance. On August 2, our Nation will be unable to borrow money to meet our current obligations. We have known for a while this was coming. Our…

I ask that the order for the quorum call be suspended. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

the Supreme Court earlier this month issued a very important decision which bothered me--a decision that I think shows that dissenters in this decision are judicial activists. It is important not only on the merits of the case but because…

now you hear the other side of the story. It is a privilege for me to come to the floor of the Senate to speak on the issue of the bill before us, which is a sense-of-the- Senate bill, which means basically the Senate is debating something…

the State of Iowa has lost one of its native sons, and the Nation has lost a true patriot. SFC Terryl L. Pasker from Cedar Rapids, IA, was shot and killed in Panjshir Province, Afghanistan, while serving with the Iowa National Guard in…

Should Congress consider streamlining these data requirements to provide uniformity?

Well, as Senator Grassley knows--along with him I am very involved in the foster care system--this is a broken system.

There is nothing you said about the need for the law that I would disagree with.

Wouldn't you agree that any recipient under this law and any grantee has a duty to ensure that all expenses are allowed under the program?

Let me tell you, Senator Landrieu and I appreciated being on there because we work in the area of foster care, and his program probably got us more attention than two Senators could have got the attention of.

Would you make recommendations along the lines that grantees found to have violated grant program requirements should be excluded from participation in favor of those who followed the rules?

As Congress considers reauthorization we need to take a strong look at rooting out waste and abuse in the grant program.

Obviously, I want the law to be reauthorized.