Tom Harkin

I wish to announce that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will meet in open session on Thursday, April 11, 2013, at 10 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``A New, Open…

this ought to be known as the Harry Potter invisibility cloak amendment. Anyone who has read ``Harry Potter'' knows he had this invisibility cloak he put over himself and people couldn't see him. They have tried 36 separate times to get…

I invite all Senators, before we start voting today, to read the Washington Post this morning, the front-page story: ``On Montana Reservation, Cuts Hit Hard.'' It talks about the Fort Peck reservation and what is going to happen there to…

this will be the 36th time we have voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. I know the Senators on the other side want to revote to repeal it. That is fine. I wish to warn you, due to the way this amendment is drafted, it also repeals what…

I want to speak to amendment No. 202 by Senator Cruz, which we will be voting on shortly. The Senator from Texas informed us that the amendment would repeal the Affordable Care Act. Well, that approach has already been rejected by the…

Monday marked the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainwright. That decision recognized that every person accused of a crime, whether wealthy or poor, is guaranteed the right to counsel. At its core…

the way this amendment is drafted means the money that goes to title I could then be taken and go to private schools. That is the first thing. Secondly, we have tried this before. The District of Columbia has a voucher program that we…

first I thank Senator Murray and the Budget Committee for producing a budget that says loudly and clearly that our No. 1 priority is to fight for a stronger middle class, even as we dramatically reduce budgets and stabilize the debt by the…

10 years ago, Senator Ted Kennedy first introduced the Healthy Families Act. This landmark legislation addressed a problem that so many working families struggle with each and every day--how do I balance my job responsibilities with my…

I wish to announce that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will meet in executive session on Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at 10 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to mark-up S. __, Animal Drug and…

the 401(k) is becoming an everyday savings account for workers and really not the retirement account it was designed to be.

I would like to congratulate the International Association of Workforce Professionals, IAWP, for a century of leadership in enhancing the professionalism and excellence of America's workforce systems. IAWP will have a special celebration…

I wish to announce that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will meet in open session on Tuesday, March 19, 2013, at 2:30 p.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``Can We Do…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 14, 2013, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Border Security: Measuring the…

I ask unanimous consent I be allowed to speak for up to 5 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 14, 2013, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee of the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on March 14, 2013, at 10 a.m., in SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct an executive business meeting…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 14, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. in room 432 Russell Senate Office building to conduct a hearing…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet, during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Keeping up with a Changing Economy: Indexing the Minimum Wage''…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 14, 2013, at 10 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING OFFICER…

the first amendment vote today will be on the amendment I laid down yesterday on the Labor-HHS part of this so- called continuing resolution. As I pointed out yesterday, the amount of money I am dealing with in my amendment is exactly what…

again I say why would this amendment kill the bill? It was agreed to by the distinguished chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Chairman Rogers, last December. This is what we agreed to. Why is it the one bill in Appropriations…

I want to respond to my friend from Alabama, and he is my friend, and he knows that very well. We have traveled together. Our spouses are friends, and he is a dear friend of mine. We have worked together, as he said, going clear back to…

I have an amendment at the desk, and I ask for its consideration. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Iowa [Mr. Harkin], for himself, and Mr. Cardin, proposes…

today marks the 25th anniversary of the appointment of Gallaudet University's first Deaf president, Dr. I. King Jordan. This historic appointment, the product of the ``Deaf President Now'' student protests, was truly a catalyzing moment--a…