I mentioned yesterday on the Senate floor I spent a great deal of time in deep southern Illinois where some devastating and fatal tornadoes hit last week. As I said then and will repeat briefly now, the amazing outpouring of voluntarism…

we live in a time when public trust in all of our government institutions is at an alltime low and unfortunately continues to deteriorate. Recent polls indicate public confidence in Congress is at 11 percent, which is a record-low approval…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. Res. 389 submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res. 389) designating the…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Science and Space of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 6, 2012, at 2:45 p.m. in room 253 of the Russell…

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until Wednesday, March 7, at 10 a.m.; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed…

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 6:58 p.m., adjourned until Wednesday, March 7, 2012, at 10 a.m…

I ask unanimous consent that the Leahy- Grassley substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and the Senate proceed to vote on the passage of the bill, as amended. The amendment (No. 1808) was…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 6, 2012, at 2:30 p.m., to hold a hearing entitled, ``International Development Priorities in the FY 2013…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 6, 2012, at 10 a.m., in room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Tax Reform…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 6, 2012, at 10 a.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING OFFICER…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 6, 2012, at 10 a.m., to conduct a committee hearing entitled ``Spurring Job Growth Through…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 6, 2012, at 9:30 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Committee on Banking, Housing…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 6, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 6, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. With objection, it is so ordered…

I ask unanimous consent that there be 2 minutes of debate between the two votes equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

It answers specifically what the Senator just raised, and I would like to read a portion of it. Domestic crude oil production is actually up from 5.4 million barrels a day in 2004 to 5.59 million now; imports have dropped by more than 10…

I thank the Senator from California. In response, I would ask consent of the Chair to have printed in the Record the New York Times editorial of Monday, March 5, 2012, entitled ``Drill Baby Drill, Redux.'' There being no objection, the…

I announce that the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Begich) and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy) are necessarily absent. I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy) would vote ``yea.''

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Mary Elizabeth Phillips, of Missouri, to be…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 253, S. 1886. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 1886) to prevent…

I ask unanimous consent that 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 OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

How is the Department ensuring that critical, Government-owned and -operated facilities in the Nation's organic industrial base, like Rock Island Arsenal, are properly and strategically modernized so that these facilities have the…

the cost overruns on the F-35 equal 12 Solyndras.

If you're serious about taking this on, you got to put everything on the table.

I made a comment about 2 weeks ago that the agony that the CNO and the Commandant and the Secretary of the Navy went through in this FYDP cycle to cut Solomon's baby, to try to determine, what ships, you know, where are we going to spend…