Dick Durbin

Wouldn't this be our Government responsibility?

And so when you say that the commercial private sector does not support reprocessing, it would seem to me that we ought to be asking, from the taxpayer's viewpoint, whether that is an economic alternative if we are ever to build Yucca…

In February the House passed an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2011 that proposed cutting the National Institutes of Health's (NIH's) budget by $1.6 billion or 5 percent compared to NIH's fiscal year 2010 budget.

So, if I can for a second, but correct me if I'm wrong, I understood, during the debate on Yucca Mountain that it was agreed that the ultimate responsibility for storing this nuclear waste was to be borne by the government taxpayers.

I have to ask and bring up a question which came up at our hearing. What about the situation with reprocessing?

So it is hard for me to imagine how we have a future in the United States without substantial expansion of nuclear power.

My last question, I am sorry Madam Chair, but taking the current French approach on reprocessing, are you saying that we have done an economic model to compare the cost of reprocessing against the cost of a national repository?

If I remember the debate on this, the push for Yucca Mountain came from the private sector.

For 32 years the nuclear power industry has really been stymied, frozen in place with virtually no major expansion

I will have a longer statement for the Record because I know Senator Hutchison is waiting, but I want to make one or two comments about Geraldine Ferraro.

First, my image of Geraldine Ferraro is this young Congresswoman from California, with her arms outstretched, as you raced toward one another in an iconic photograph of the two of you after she won the Vice Presidential nomination. I will…

I cannot quarrel with anyone who argues that we have a threat of terrorism and have to deal with it honestly.

What I hope this hearing has suggested is that among the millions of Muslim Americans, the overwhelming majority are patriotic, law-abiding people who simply want to live their lives as we all do in this great and free country.

I think that we condemn prejudice and bigotry against all religious groups.

The Democratic side is now recognized? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. They are.

Much of the world's recent attention has understandably been on the Middle East--and of course this week on the terrible situation with one of America's closest allies--Japan. I understand that USAID has sent disaster relief teams to help…

I usually do not get up in the morning and race to read the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal. It is not part of my morning routine. I do not agree with them on most of the positions they have taken and I have found many times the…

We are in morning business? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. We are.

On March 22, countries around the world will celebrate World Water Day--a day to mark the progress we have made protecting this most important resource and to reflect on the many challenges we still face in providing clean, safe water to…

We are all facing the challenge of gasoline prices adding a new burden to family budgeting as well as small businesses and large businesses alike. It couldn't come at a worse time, in light of our recession and unemployment. But it is…

This is the 1-year anniversary of the President's signing of health care reform, and I am happy to stand and say it represents one of the most important pieces of legislation in decades. For too long, we let our Nation's health care crisis…

Rollcall votes in relation to amendments to the small business bill are possible tomorrow morning. Senators should also expect two rollcall votes at approximately 3 p.m. in relation to the continuing resolution and on the confirmation of…

If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 7:06 p.m., adjourned until Thursday, March 17, 2011, at 9:30 a.m…

This week, we are considering legislation on the Senate floor that affects small businesses. I want to talk about another issue very important to small businesses; that is, the topic of interchange fees, also known as swipe fees. Last…

I have come to the Senate floor a number of times over the past year to speak about my concerns about the rapid growth of for-profit colleges. I believe some for-profit colleges are quality institutions, but I also believe many are taking…