I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Student Loans

I rise in honor of National Hunger Awareness Day, which takes place on June 7. On this day, we focus on the difficult reality that exists for millions of Americans. Hunger is a form of poverty, and the persistence of hunger in the…

Would the Chair remind me of the pending business? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The pending business is the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 415, S. 3240.

I was advised of that, and I wanted to double-check. Three weeks ago we passed a milestone in U.S. agriculture. The U.S. Department of Agriculture celebrated its 150th birthday. I take some pride in that coming from Illinois because it was…

I just left a meeting a few feet away from here with the leaders of some of the American colleges and universities. They came to brief us on a challenge we face across America that we had better be aware of. It is the growing student loan…

The farm bill; is that correct? The Agriculture bill? The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.

I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be printed in the Record. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…

It is the majority leader's intention to resume consideration of S. 3240, the farm bill. We hope we can begin consideration of the bill during tomorrow's session. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported amendments be agreed to, the bill as amended be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 414, S. 2061. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The assistant bill clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 2061) to provide for an…

I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Con. Res. 45, submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent resolution by title. The assistant bill clerk read as follows: A…

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 6, 2012; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be…

let me just say to those who are following this debate, if we go to the dictionary and look up the word ``persistent,'' there will be a picture of Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. She has been our leader on so many important issues…

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 6:04 p.m., adjourned until Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at 9:30 a.m.

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

people wonder as they watch the Senate how bills get started. One of the bills that I have worked on probably the hardest in my career got started 11 years ago when there was a phone call to my Senate office in Chicago. It was a phone call…

last week during the Senate recess I traveled overseas to four countries: Ukraine, Turkey, Georgia, and Armenia. It was a lot of ground to cover in 5 days in a region with considerable history and great, challenging issues. Before I go…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration en bloc of the following resolutions, which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 477, S. Res. 478, S. Res. 479, and S. Res. 480. There being no objection, the…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 481, submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The assistant bill clerk read as follows: A resolution…

I know of no further debate on the resolution, and I call for a vote. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the resolution. The resolution (S. Res. 481) was agreed to.

I announce that the Senator from Iowa (Mr. Harkin), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), and the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Blumenthal) is necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Blumenthal) and the Senator from Maryland (Ms. Mikulski) are necessarily absent.

I ask my colleagues when this vote comes before us, before we have another death in America from a dietary supplement from China, India, Mexico, or even in the United States, shouldn't we require the most basic information so we know the…

I announce that the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Akaka), the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Blumenthal), the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer), and the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow) are necessarily absent.