reserving the right to object, I would like to insert an opportunity to speak for 5 minutes after Senator McConnell and then yield to the Senator from Oklahoma for 45 minutes.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 2701 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of…

on Monday April 9, 2018, at 7:07 a.m., a tiny little message to the Senate arrived: Maile Pearl Bowlsbey became the very first baby born to a Senator, bringing joy to her father Bryan and to her amazing mother, my colleague, Illinois…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Lee). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 55, nays 43, as follows…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cotton). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 50, nays 48, as follows…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cassidy). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 56, nays 42, as follows…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Ernst). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 51, nays 47, as follows…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Portman). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 50, nays 47, as follows…

today, as millions of Americans in Illinois and across the Nation finish filing their taxes, I come to the floor to discuss the most recent tax reform bill considered by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Last year, Republicans…

Senator Duckworth and I sent you a letter two weeks ago raising a number of concerns.

If it reverts back to sequestration levels, it will be a dramatic cut.

This hearing is quite timely, given the President's recent decision to deploy the National Guard to the southwest border, and his intention to use Department of Defense funds to build a wall there.

We have decided, on a bipartisan basis in Congress, to make a massive investment in our military for readiness.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth), is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Ernst). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 55, nays 41, as follows…

We need cleanup money right now because of the danger to our community.

We requested Secretary Mattis' legal review of the Department of Defense's authority to use funds appropriated in the fiscal year 2018 defense bill to construct a wall.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 53, nays 45, as follows: [Rollcall Vote…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sullivan). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 53, nays 45, as follows…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth), is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 74, nays 24, as follows: [Rollcall Vote…

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons) and the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) are necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Young). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 50, nays 48, as follows: [Rollcall Vote…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. (Mr. Tillis). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 50, nays 48, as follows…

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 50, nays 48, as follows: [Rollcall Vote…

I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without object, it is so ordered.

last week, I spent 4 days in Venezuela. I had never been there before. I was given an opportunity to get a visa to go to the country, and I jumped at the opportunity. Venezuela, of course, on the north end of the South American continent…