This is a very important hearing. I am glad you are having it.

Holding any individual accountable for crime is an important part of our Committee's jurisdiction.

Today's hearing is no less important because criminal acts committed by U.S. citizens and contractors abroad could threaten our foreign relations.

I ask unanimous consent that Dayle Elieson and James Cook, detailees on my Judiciary Committee staff, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of the 112th Congress. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

in addition to agents on the ground, we have heard strong support for extending the expiring provisions of the PATRIOT Act from members of the Bush and Obama administrations. We have heard testimony from the Director of the FBI, the…

we find ourselves again in the situation of extending key provisions of the PATRIOT Act. These three provisions are roving wiretaps, section 215 business record orders, and the lone wolf provisions. These are all very important tools used…

I come to the floor to speak on the nomination of Goodwin Liu to be Circuit Judge of the Ninth Circuit. I have said many times over the past 2 weeks--and perhaps for longer than the last 2 weeks--that by any fair measure we are moving…

American consumers are hurting. Unemployment remains stubbornly high at 9 percent. And, energy costs are escalating, and increasing the cost of many other goods and services, such as groceries, clothing and other household necessities…

To me, this practice is the equivalent of investigating a Federal district judge for misconduct every time the judge is reversed by an appeal to the circuit court.

I come to the floor to address my colleagues and the public on the nomination of Susan Carney, nominated to the Second Circuit, and which we will soon vote. Today's vote marks the 24th judicial confirmation this year and the 16th for a…

This kind of response is unacceptable.

I wish to address the Senate on the nomination of Michael Urbanski to be a U.S. district judge for the Western District of Virginia. Since we have returned from the April recess, we have done very little else other than consider judicial…

today the Senate continues its very rapid pace to confirm another of President Obama's judicial nominees. The Judiciary Committee's workload has not slowed since this Congress convened. I am pleased to report we are ahead of the pace of…

I hope that witnesses can explain the impact of a combined AT&T/T-Mobile will have on consumers through prices, competition, and access.

So I want to hear how the proposed merger will help residents in my State gain access to faster and more dependable services.

As I said in my opening comment, my State is rural, and there are some parts of my State where receiving consistent telephone service is questionable.

Clearly this is a very important matter that is going to get more attention as time goes on.

This will have to be my last question, and for Mr. Stephenson and Mr. Hesse: In 2008, the Justice Department and the FCC approved a merger between Verizon Wireless and the rural carrier Alltel.

I rise in opposition to the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of James Cole to be the Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice. I oppose proceeding to a vote on the nominee for a number of reasons. I have concerns…

I know we are in morning business. I ask unanimous consent to speak on the nomination of James Cole to be Deputy Attorney General. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I rise to oppose the cloture motion on Jack McConnell, who has been nominated to be U.S. district judge for Rhode Island. In the first few months that I have been ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, I have worked in good faith to…

I ask unanimous consent to speak for a much longer period of time, for 45 minutes. I may not use all that time, but I would like to have permission to speak for that time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

it is not going to surprise any of my colleagues or the public at large that a lot of times I come to the Senate floor to speak about agriculture and to speak about ethanol. What brings me to the floor today is the ongoing crusade by the…

I am pleased today to be joined by a number of my colleagues in introducing the Domestic Energy Promotion Act of 2011, an important piece of legislation that I believe is a good starting point in how tax policies for ethanol should evolve…

I rise today to speak in opposition to one of President Obama's most controversial nominees, Mr. Jack McConnell, who has been nominated to be U.S. district judge for the District of Rhode Island. He has dedicated his professional career…