I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg) and the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. Whitehouse) are necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote? The result was…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded. I wish to give my friend, Senator McCain, the author of this amendment, the opportunity to speak. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

I ask unanimous consent that the time until 5:30 p.m., for debate on the McCain amendment, be equally divided between Senators McCain and myself or our designees; that at 5:30 p.m. the Senate proceed to a vote in relation to the McCain…

Let me thank the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Mikulski. This is her first major assignment on the floor of the Senate. It is an awesome responsibility. I note that she was not only up for this job, she was made for…

Mr. President, we have been assured by the House in the construction of this bill that this provision was added explicitly to make certain that there be no question that the grants that are given to these organizations would be authorized…

I announce the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Manchin), and the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. Whitehouse) are necessarily absent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the…

We have heard from the Republicans on the other side of the aisle that they oppose this intrusion of government into health care and creating health insurance exchanges so Americans who currently don't have a choice in health insurance and…

I would ask of the Senator, pending before the Senate is the Cruz amendment which would literally remove any funding to implement the Affordable Care Act, as I understand; is that correct?

What is good enough for these Senators apparently is not good enough for the rest of America?

The same Senators who are critical of ObamaCare because the government is involved in health care have themselves, their families, and children protected by a government-administered health insurance plan?

Is the Senator aware of any Senator on the Republican side who has come forward--and there may be one, I don't know--who has said: I am so opposed to government-administered health care, and as a Senator I will not take advantage of the…

I see my friend and colleague from the State of Rhode Island, who serves on the Defense Appropriations Committee as well as the Armed Services Committee, and I will yield to him next. I do want to say a word about the Department of Defense…