I respect GEN David Petraeus. I voted to confirm him as the commanding general of our forces in Iraq. He has served our country with distinction. It has been my good fortune to spend time with him in Iraq on two different occasions. Both…

I rise today in the course of this Defense authorization bill to discuss an amendment which I am working on and preparing to offer. It is an important amendment to this bill. It is a critically important amendment for our Nation. It is an…

Today the Senate takes a long overdue step in the right direction for the health of all Americans. The passage of the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007 recognizes the millions of people living with a mental illness and the millions of…

there was an event that occurred yesterday in Iraq which is significant. A decision was made by the Iraqi Government to order a private security firm known as Blackwater USA to leave the country. It involved the fatal shooting of eight…

It is unimaginable that nearly 600,000 Americans have no voice and no vote in Congress today. But it is a fact. It reflects decisions made long ago about whether the District of Columbia and its residents would be represented in Congress…

Americans depend on nurses to deliver quality patient care, yet our Nation faces a critical shortage of nurses. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that more than 1.2 million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2014 to…

we are engaged in one of the longest conflicts in American history, and the need for qualified nurses in military medical facilities is increasing. Tragic stories of injured veterans returning from war and heart-wrenching images on…

I wish to speak to that amendment, if I could. First, let me stipulate I have said publicly, and believe in my heart, GEN David Petraeus is an honorable man who has served this country with distinction. It has been my good fortune to meet…

1 year from today, the first of America's three official 9/11 memorials will be dedicated at the Pentagon. It will feature 184 stainless steel benches, each surrounded by a pool of water; one bench for each of the 184 innocent victims who…

I share Senator Coburn's concern for our Nation's bridges, but I must oppose his amendment. We cannot fund our Nation's infrastructure on the backs of crucial road safety projects that save tax dollars and lives. The Senator's amendment…

an important anniversary will be marked on September 14, at the Library of Congress. Twenty years ago, in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building, then-President Reagan presided over the swearing-in of Dr. James H. Billington as…

This may be the single most important bill we pass. Most of us realize if there is one thing in America that gives you a chance to succeed, it is education. We can't guarantee to our children that they will be successful or wealthy or…

I just listened to a speech by the Senator from New Hampshire talking about deficits and reconciliation bills. The bill we have before us today, the most dramatic increase in student aid ever in the history of the United States, does not…

over the August recess, my wife and I were invited to a friend's house for a barbeque. A number of young couples were there with their toddlers. It was a lot of fun watching these kids take their first steps and laughing as they played…

I join in this chorus to say how privileged and humbled I am to stand before this body and welcome back my friend and fellow colleague, Senator Tim Johnson. Tim and I served in the House together. We came to the Senate in the same year. I…

I am happy to join in this chorus of praise for the senior Senator from Massachusetts on the occasion of the 15,000th vote he has cast--a historic milestone in this historic body and a milestone reached by only two other Senators, only one…

let me first thank the members of the Rules Committee, particularly Chairman Dianne Feinstein. This is landmark legislation. We have had groups that have been watchdogs over the Congress, that have been the first to complain when there are…

today the Senate adopted a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that small business owners should have some help when it comes to providing health insurance for their employees. I am an original cosponsor of the resolution adopted…

If I may inquire further, I would like to have a clear understanding of how the chairman will implement this rule. Once this rule is adopted, I expect that, as bills and joint resolutions that contain tax or tariff provisions are brought…

My question directly is this: Is the Senator aware of any effort to stop Senator Specter or any Republican Senator from calling Judge Southwick's nomination for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee?

I attended the hearing. I thought it was very fair at allowing both parties to ask Judge Southwick questions.

I can say for the record--he can back me up--not only was Judge Southwick given a hearing--which many nominees in the previous administration were not given a fair hearing, I believe; and I think all present would say--there has been no…

what an interesting debate this has been. If you want to know how Congress is likely to react to the fact that we have 47 million uninsured Americans and millions more with health insurance that is almost worthless, if you want to know…

Today is a day which can be historic. Important items will be discussed on the floor of the Senate, including health insurance for literally millions of American kids. At the same time, there is a debate that has been started in New York…

I commend Senators Lieberman and Collins for their leadership and the members of the Conference Committee for their work on this important legislation. More than five years after 9/11--despite tens of billions of dollars spent--America's…