I announce that the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), the Senator from Maryland (Ms. Mikulski), and the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Udall) are necessarily absent.

I thank the Senator from Kentucky, and I apologize to my friend from Wisconsin. I know he has been waiting. But the question asked by the Senator from Pennsylvania prompted me to recall a specific set of circumstances which I think address…

Will the Senator yield further for a question? The white paper that has been presented to us by the Justice Department concludes that the right to national self-defense and the 2001 authorization to use military force gave the U.S…

the issue before us is Caitlin Halligan's nomination for the DC Circuit Court. I spoke yesterday in support of her nomination. It is unfortunate she is going to be forced to face a filibuster; in other words, that the Republicans are going…

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2013; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be…

was there a unanimous consent request? Mr. McCONNELL. Would the Senator from Kentucky yield for a question?

I move to proceed to consideration of Calendar No. 43. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. The motion was agreed to. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the nomination. The legislative…

I send a cloture motion to the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The motion having been presented under rule XXII, the clerk will report the motion. The legislative clerk read as follows: Cloture Motion We, the undersigned Senators, in…

let me first, on a personal note, thank the Senator from Kentucky. He and I have agreed on many things and worked together on many more, and there is much common agreement on what we hope to achieve with this issue, as important as it is…

last year, we lost a great American from my hometown of Springfield, IL, and I rise today to pay tribute to him and his legacy. Lyman Hubbard, Sr., grew up on a small farm near Springfield that had been in his family for 165 years--long…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 5, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. in room SD-G50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 5, 2013, at 9:30 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on veterans' affairs

I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 5, 2013, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

yesterday the Senate took an important step forward when it comes to keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. Senator Pat Leahy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to finally crack down on the straw…

this morning we received news in Chicago that Dawn Clark Netsch has passed away. She died from complications from Lou Gehrig's disease at the age of 86. It was a surprise to lose her this quickly, although all of us knew she was struggling…

this week the Senate is going to have an opportunity to confirm the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to serve on the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. In doing so, we can correct a mistake the Senate made in the last Congress. Ms…

I ask consent to speak in morning business. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senate is in morning business. The Senator is recognized. ____________________

I announce that the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Begich), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Laugenberg),and the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Udall) are necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber…

I announce that the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Begich), the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Brown), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller), and the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Udall) are…

Reclaiming my time, this is getting perilously close to a debate, which I will tell those in attendance never happens on the floor of the Senate. I will tell the Senator at this time we are dealing with the CR and last year's…

We will have a vote on the floor of the Senate. It is an important vote because tomorrow is the day of sequestration. The American people are learning new terminology. The fiscal cliff meant nothing to most Americans 6 months ago, but by…

in 2005, I was honored to join Congressman John Lewis on a trip to Selma, AL, for a ceremonial walk over the Edmund Pettus Bridge to mark the 40th anniversary of what has come to be known as ``Bloody Sunday.'' In March of 1965, Congressman…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on February 28, 2013, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Addressing FHA's Financial Condition…

I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on February 28, 2013, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on February 28, 2013, at 10 a.m., in room SD-G50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…