I rise today to congratulate Knox College in Galesburg, IL, on the 175th anniversary of its founding. On February 15, 1837, the Illinois Legislature granted a charter to Knox Manual Labor College. Its founder, the Reverend George…

I am also very concerned about the growing economic relationship between the Ukraine and Russia.

I hope, Madam Chairman, that for our bilateral relationship the State Department is focused on changing the course of events.

Pending before the Senate is the STOCK Act, and the purpose is one that I support. It is a bill I cosponsored. The notion behind it is that Members of Congress should not use their public service or information gained in their public…

The best way to strengthen Ukraine's sovereignty... would be to pursue an aggressive energy efficiency program and to liberalize its antiquated energy sector.

I am concerned by the trajectory in the Ukraine, as the human rights situation worsens it is starting to remind me of the shameful conditions of the Soviet era in which the yokes were broken from.

Washington needs to continue to send clear, consistent messages to Kyiv about the costs of poor elections in October.

The United States and our transatlantic partners should continue to support Ukraine's sovereignty and independence.

I am wondering whether you have a view as to how we convince President Yanukovych to look at Ukraine's path in the future and economic prosperity.

U.S. policy should state that a democratic Ukraine that pursues reforms can earn its place in Europe's institutions.

I announce that the Senator from Louisiana (Ms. Landrieu) and the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez) are necessarily absent.

I think that that rule of law has been assaulted here in this State by this election law under the pretense of cutting down on election fraud.

Is there time remaining on the other side? The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is no remaining time on the other side.

I think you will find that there is a disproportionate turnout on the last Sunday from African-Americans and Hispanics.

By putting this extra burden on it, those numbers are going to go down given the heavy burden they now have to face.

Do you think that people who register should have a genuine concern about the penalties under the new law if they register improperly?

Reducing the number of days for early voting, does that increase opportunity or decrease opportunity?

These new restrictions are clearly targeted against certain communities.

It is our duty to ensure that every voice is heard in our elections.

Nothing in H.B. 1355 touches this type of fraud.

We have early voting in Illinois. We have not restricted it. We have expanded it, and I am behind expanding it even more.

how much time is remaining on each side? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic side has 18 minutes remaining.

I would like to ask the chairman if I could have 8 minutes or 10 minutes to speak.

I thank the chairman of the Finance Committee and my friend from Utah, the ranking member of the committee. Senator Coburn of Oklahoma, who just spoke, and I probably see so many things differently, but yet we see many things the same. He…

I wish to thank my colleague from Alaska and tell her that this week on National Public Radio there was a feature about Cordova and all the snow they have had to deal with there. I am sure this is perhaps commonplace in her great State…