today, we take up the valuable time of the Senate with a proposed amendment to our Constitution that has absolutely no chance of passing. We do this, allegedly, in an attempt to uphold the institution of marriage in this country. We do…

on May 1, I was in Chicago to witness a monumental event. There were close to half a million people marching for comprehensive immigration reform. They were mostly people of Mexican origin, but among them were also Nigerians, Polish…

I rise to discuss a small amendment that deals with a problem each one of us has heard about in our States--the extremely long backlog at the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. One of the privileges of being a Senator is being…

I rise today to salute Lloyd Bentsen, a dearly departed former Member of this body. Senator Bentsen died yesterday at the age of 85, and he leaves behind a legacy of fiscal responsibility, steadfast service, and unwavering statesmanship…

if it would be acceptable, I ask unanimous consent that I have a total of 5 minutes and that the 1 minute also be retained by the Senator from Vermont. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?

As I indicated, this amendment essentially says that the prevailing wage provisions in the underlying bill should be tightened to ensure that they apply to all workers and not just some workers. The way the underlying bill is currently…

I already explained the amendment, Mr. President. My suggestion would be that if the manager of the bill has no objection, we go ahead. I want to make sure I am going in the appropriate order, given the manager's fine job of keeping this…

we have been having some discussion. My understanding is that the concerns that have been raised have to do with the underlying bill and not my amendment. As a consequence, I ask unanimous consent to send to the desk amendment No. 3971, as…

on vote No. 115--the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 22--I was necessarily absent due to a delay with my flight back from Chicago. Had I been present for that vote, I would have voted against the motion to invoke…

Amendment No. 3824. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Illinois [Mr. Obama], for Mr. Voinovich, for himself and Mr. Obama, proposes an amendment numbered 3824…

to begin with, I thank the floor managers on this bill for their help in finding the time to call up this amendment. I would love to get advice from the Senator from Colorado in terms of how to unanimously get an amendment accepted. After…

in addition to the 20 minutes, I ask unanimous consent to call up amendment No. 3696. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Mr. COCHRAN: Mr. President, reserving the right to object, is it correct to say that in order to call up an…

What I will do, Mr. President, if it is all right, is I will read my statement. I will divide time with Senator Coburn. And then, procedurally, we can sort out my ability to present this amendment. Mr. President, it has been 8 months since…

Senator Lugar has already outlined the legislation that we are reintroducing here today and the process that has led us to this point, so I will be brief. I don't want my brevity to be confused with indifference towards this legislation. I…

this is National Public Health Week, and the American Public Health Association and its over 200 partner organizations and sponsors have organized events to raise awareness about the importance of public health in this nation. This year…

I rise today with sadness to note the passing of a college basketball icon, Ray Meyer, the longtime coach of the DePaul University Blue Demons. Mr. Meyer died on March 17 of congestive heart failure at age 92. Although we mourn his…

I thank Senator Collins, not only for her accommodation but also for her leadership on this issue. I also thank Senator Lieberman for his outstanding work on this issue. I rise today to speak about the importance of improving the ethics…

I wish to take a minute to offer my sincerest condolences to Senator Byrd on the passing of his beloved wife Erma. In a love story that is both moving and inspiring to all people, Robert Byrd's grade school sweetheart became his lifelong…

Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has…

I rise to discuss an issue on which I hope we can find common ground--veterans care. At this moment, we are debating two different amendments; one is very good, the other is significantly better. I remind my colleagues that we were in the…

I speak in favor of the PAYGO amendment introduced by my friend, and ranking member of the Budget Committee, Senator Conrad. This amendment, of which I am a cosponsor, seeks to fully reinstate the pay-as-you-go requirement for direct…

I rise briefly to support the amendment offered by Senator Reid. I also support the amendment that was introduced by Senator Dodd and Senator Santorum, of which I am a cosponsor. But let me focus on the particular provision in Senator…

I wish to discuss the genocide in Darfur. While there have been many speeches given on this critical subject, I want to take a moment to talk about a subject that has all too often been overlooked--the efforts of the African Union, AU. At…

less than 2 months ago, it was announced by Exelon Nuclear that an environmental monitoring program discovered higher than normal concentrations of tritium in the groundwater near the Nuclear Generating Station in Braidwood, IL…

as our Nation faces staggering healthcare costs, rising rates of chronic conditions, and a growing wage gap between the haves and the have-nots, we must acknowledge the vital importance of this Nation's safety net--the Medicaid program…