I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller) is necessarily absent. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 98, nays 1, as follows…

This week, we are considering legislation on the Senate floor that affects small businesses. I want to talk about another issue very important to small businesses; that is, the topic of interchange fees, also known as swipe fees. Last…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 27 which was received from the House and is at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent resolution by title. The…

I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller) is necessarily absent. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was announced--yeas 99, nays 0, as follows…

I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller) is necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 99, nays 0, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 43 Leg.] YEAS--99 Akaka Alexander Ayotte Barrasso Baucus Begich Bennet…

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 7:06 p.m., adjourned until Thursday, March 17, 2011, at 9:30 a.m…

rollcall votes in relation to amendments to the small business bill are possible tomorrow morning. Senators should also expect two rollcall votes at approximately 3 p.m. in relation to the continuing resolution and on the confirmation of…

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record. The PRESIDING…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 103, submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A…

I ask unanimous consent that the Rules Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 94 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will…

I ask unanimous consent that following the disposition of H.J. Res. 48, the continuing resolution, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 11; that there be 2 minutes for debate equally…

I ask unanimous consent that at 12 noon, on Thursday, March 17, the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 20, H.J. Res. 48, a 3-week continuing resolution; that there be up to 3 hours of debate, equally divided between the…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58 and all nominations placed on the Secretary's desk in the Air Force, Army…

we are all facing the challenge of gasoline prices adding a new burden to family budgeting as well as small businesses and large businesses alike. It couldn't come at a worse time, in light of our recession and unemployment. But it is…

this is the 1-year anniversary of the President's signing of health care reform, and I am happy to stand and say it represents one of the most important pieces of legislation in decades. For too long, we let our Nation's health care crisis…

it is my understanding that we are in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the measure be printed in the Record. The PRESIDING…

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, St. Patrick's Day; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the…

I have come to the Senate floor a number of times over the past year to speak about my concerns about the rapid growth of for-profit colleges. I believe some for-profit colleges are quality institutions, but I also believe many are taking…

last week, Senator Inouye of Hawaii, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, proposed a bill to fund the government through the end of this fiscal year. It is hard to believe we are almost halfway through this year and still…

I have been around Congress a few years. When I served in the House of Representatives 16 years ago, the Republicans won control of Congress for the first time in 40 years. They promised to change how business was done in Washington and…

Now, Kahr is no mouthpiece for merchants. He is a financial consultant who is recognized as the creator of many aspects of the modern card industry. But he says what I have been saying for months--that the arguments small banks have been…

I urge my colleagues to read it. It shows how Visa leveraged its dominance in the credit card industry to enter into and dominate the debit card industry. Visa then changed the debit interchange fee system so it looked like the credit card…

I rise to speak about the issue of interchange fee reform. Last year, Congress enacted landmark reform of the swipe fees that Visa and MasterCard impose on the debit card system. An amendment I offered to Wall Street reform passed the…

Today, I am introducing the Medicare Prescription Drugs Savings and Choice Act of 2011, a bill that would save taxpayer dollars by giving Medicare beneficiaries the choice to participate in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan run by…