On the recordJuly 20, 2011
I extend my thanks to Chairman Johnson again. This bill passed by a vote of 97 to 2. It is the first appropriations bill separately passed by the Senate since November of 2009. It represents a substantial achievement of bipartisan cooperation between the majority and minority. It meets the needs of our over 22 million veterans and the military construction needs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and allied services around the world. I am happy that the Senate has begun working again on separate appropriations bills. I commend Chairman Inouye and Vice Chairman Cochran for moving forward, as well as the leadership staff. I only hope that further subcommittees can bring other bills forward, as Chairman Johnson and I have done, to return regular order to the Senate and its appropriations process. With that, I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
