first I ask unanimous consent to be added as a cosponsor of this resolution. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I thank my colleague from Ohio for highlighting what has to be our focal point as we return to the Senate, and that is the unemployment picture across America and the desperate situation many families are facing. As I visited my home State…

we expect to begin consideration of the America Invents Act--the patent reform bill--during Wednesday's session. Senators will be notified when votes are scheduled. ____________________

if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the provisions of S. Res. 257 as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Mark O. Hatfield, of Oregon. There being…

A wrongful conviction is just a grave failure of our criminal justice system.

I understand that H.J. Res. 66 introduced earlier today is at the desk, and I ask for its first reading. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the joint resolution by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A joint resolution…

I ask for its second reading and object to my own request. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The bill will have its second reading on the next legislative day. ____________________

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

I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller), is necessarily absent.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 257 submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A…

Thank you, Senator Manchin and Senator Rockefeller.

The Honorable Secretary Janet Napolitano, letter to the Honorable Senator Dick Durbin, August 18, 2011.

I rise in strong support of the nomination of Sara Darrow to serve as a district court judge for the Central District of Illinois. Sara Darrow is a superb nominee, and she will make an excellent addition to the Federal bench. Her…

this is a historic vote. It is one that has involved a lot of emotion and soul searching and a lot of hard work. The leaders are on the Senate floor--the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate, Senators Reid and McConnell. I…

I am frustrated that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has taken too long to promulgate rules required by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, CPSIA, including the rules on third-party testing obligations and the component…

many of us undoubtedly remember the heart wrenching images of starving Ethiopian and Somali children in the 1980s and 1990s. Those haunting images are hard to forget. Unfortunately, I am compelled to come to the floor to draw attention to…

let me say a word about the leadership in the Senate. I have the good fortune of working with Senator Harry Reid, our majority leader. In my role as whip, or assistant leader, I have been close at hand when most of the major decisions have…

I suggest the absence of a quorum and ask that the time under the quorum call be equally divided between both sides. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant bill clerk…

I thank the Senator from Connecticut for his comments and for his focus on jobs. If we ask the American people what the most important thing we face is, it is jobs, creating good- paying jobs right here in the United States so families can…

I would just say it pains me to say I agree with the Senator from Arizona, but I do. We both feel threatening the debt ceiling is not in the best interests of the United States and both of us feel that holding out the threat that if we…

Amen. Mr. McCAIN. No. 2 is that to insist that any agreement is based on the passage through the Senate of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States, as I said before, is not fair to the American people because…

I am going to give the Senator a chance to speak again. Does the Senator believe that defaulting on our national debt for the first time in our history, which has been the threat looming over us from the House Republicans and others for a…

If the Senator would yield for a question. Mr. McCAIN. I would be glad to just hear the Senator's comment.

I would like to respond to my colleague from Arizona, through the Chair. Does he recall what happened with the Reagan tax cuts? Because what happened was we tripled the national debt during that period of time, and President Reagan came to…

The second point I would like to ask the Senator from Arizona, I think one of the real bedrock beliefs among Republicans is that if we cut taxes, particularly on the wealthiest people in America, the economy will prosper. We hear that over…