I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, with no intervening action or debate and that any related statements be printed in the Record. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The bill (H.R…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R. 4053, which was just received from the House and is at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 551, S. 2388. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 2388) to…

Chicagoans were asked in a recent poll to identify the one asset in the city of Chicago that meant the most to them. The overwhelming vote was for Lake Michigan--not surprising. Lake Michigan is the primary source of drinking water for…

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 9:24 p.m., adjourned until Friday, December 21, 2012, at 1 p.m.

my home county of St. Clair, IL, lost a dedicated public servant this week. Mearl Justus--aptly named ``justice''--passed away Tuesday at the age of 81. He had retired only 1 week earlier after serving eight terms as St. Clair County…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 566, H.R. 443. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (H.R. 443) to…

I rise today to honor my friend, Illinois State Senator Jeff Schoenberg, on his more than two decades of service in the Illinois General Assembly. Jeff was elected to the Illinois House in 1990 at the age of 30. He served six terms there…

I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.J. Res. 122, received from the House and at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The joint resolution will be stated by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A joint…

I wish to take a moment to wish Mayor John Rednour of Du Quoin, IL, a happy 78th birthday and to thank him as he prepares to retire after so many great years of public service to his town and Illinois. John Rednour, known to most people as…

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 627)…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 627 submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res…

I further ask that the Murkowski substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table, with no intervening action or…

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record. The PRESIDING…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R. 6671 which was received from the House and is at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows…

I ask unanimous consent the joint resolution be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be printed in the Record. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…

There will be a rollcall vote at approximately 2 p.m. tomorrow on the adoption of the Defense authorization conference report. Additional votes are expected and we hope to reach agreement on the supplemental and FISA tomorrow…

I see my two colleagues from Connecticut on the Senate floor. I know they are here to speak about the horrible tragedy in Newtown last Friday. I will abbreviate my remarks on the floor, and I commend both of them for extraordinary…

pending on the Senate calendar today for consideration is the nomination of Tom Durkin to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District Court of Illinois. Tom Durkin is a consensus bipartisan nominee. Senator Kirk and I…

as I was coming to work today, I drove past St. Peter's grade school which is on the House side of the Hill, and there was a group of students--little kids--who were being escorted by their teacher down the sidewalk. As they walked along I…

how much time is remaining? The PRESIDING OFFICER. There are 7 minutes, 20 seconds remaining.

I would like to respond very briefly to my colleagues from Texas. The fiscal crisis was not manufactured, it was enacted--enacted into law, a law passed with the support of both political parties in the hopes that we would never, ever…

every week I hear from students across my State and around the Nation who are struggling with student loans. Congress has acted on important legislation to help students with these loans by keeping the interest rate of Federal subsidized…

if the rough and tumble of Chicago politics is not where you would expect to find a slightly built Catholic nun, you have never met Sister Sheila Lyne. Sister Sheila has been an icon in Chicago health care for almost half a century. For…

I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Inouye), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy) are necessarily absent.