Dick Durbin

I announce that the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Gardner). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 58, nays 36, as follows…

I announce that the Senator from Minnesota (Mr. Franken) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Lankford). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 53, nays 44, as follows…

a few months ago my colleague from Missouri, Senator Blunt, took the floor and spoke to two issues we have in common. I will speak to one of them in a moment--the flooding in the Midwest--but I wish to also address another one that he…

I would also like to speak for a moment about the flooding situation in the Midwest, and, of course, in my colleagues' neighboring State of Missouri. Last month, right in the midst of the holidays, rain storms swept through my State…

I rise to speak about the issue of gun violence and to commend the President for announcing last week a set of commonsense steps to make our country safer. The need for action to reduce gun violence in America is urgent. About 32,000…

tomorrow evening President Obama will come before Congress to deliver his annual State of the Union Address. America has changed a great deal since President Obama delivered his first State of the Union Address 7 years ago. We remember he…

I announce that the Senator from Minnesota (Mr. Franken), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow) are necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Lankford). Are there any other Senators in…

I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 73, nays 25, as follows: [Rollcall Vote…

I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 31, nays 67, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No…

I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 72, nays 26, as follows: [Rollcall Vote…

I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Coats). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 65, nays 33, as follows…

for several weeks, negotiations have been ongoing on a multitude of controversial provisions relating to the omnibus. While those debates were raging in different parts of the Capitol, work on the Defense appropriations bill continued…

it is amazing some of the people we get to meet in our lives as Senators. There is a medical doctor in Chicago who I didn't know several years ago, but he and his wife have become dear friends in a short period of time. His name is Dr…

I am happy to join my colleagues in this statement on the floor relative to the situation in Puerto Rico. I commend Senator Cantwell as well as Senator Blumenthal, who is a lead cosponsor of the bill that I am cosponsoring, as well as…

this week in Washington, President Barack Obama's favorite pickup basketball pal from Chicago is leaving town. He is heading back home to Chicago. His name is Arne Duncan. He is Secretary of Education. He was one of the first choices of…

I have several colleagues on the floor who wish to enter into a colloquy, and I yield the floor for that purpose, and then I will wait until they are finished to reclaim my time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska…

the senior Senator from Arizona came to the floor this morning and raised a question about a provision in the Omnibus appropriations bill, particularly the aspect of it that related to the Department of Defense. During the course of…

2 years ago Members of the Senate did something that doesn't happen very often. We broke through the gridlock and came together to pass meaningful bipartisan legislation that was called the Marketplace Fairness Act. Senator Mike Enzi, a…

I thank the Senator from Vermont for his comments. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer), the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Merkley), the Senator from Michigan (Mr. Peters), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow), and the Senator from…

it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to speak about the loss of one of the bravest men in the Chicago Fire Department, Daniel Capuano. Daniel went to work this morning--just as he has done every day for the past 15 years--ready to…

it is interesting--the Midwest draws us together in the right way. Last night in Springfield, IL, a typical midwestern American city, there was a gathering of people from all across the city at 5:30 on a Sunday night. It was a gathering at…

I would like to take a moment to thank Will Ris for his service to American aviation and to congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement. For nearly 20 years, Will has been senior vice president of government affairs for American…

I announce that the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sullivan). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 85, nays 12, as follows…

I announce that the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) is necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 84, nays 12, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No…