The vote against the President's budget was unanimous, 97 to nothing for 2012 fiscal year.

I come to the floor today frustrated, as many of us are, that once again we are not able to address legislation in the way the Senate is designed to address it, which is to debate, to discuss, to offer amendments, and to vote. Once again…

This plan is a billion more than last year, this budget. I just don't see the possibility given our current fiscal situation of being able to fund everything that you've requested.

I think the market makes a better decisionmaking process than the government based on the record.

I rise today to call upon the President of the United States to rescind one of the most radical and unconstitutional mandates ever issued, a mandate that requires faith- based organizations, hospitals, and educational institutions to…

It's very difficult to ratchet those up and tighten them to the point where we see a decided change in the Iranian supreme leadership decisions.

We judge Iran's nuclear decision-making is guided by a cost-benefit approach.

To this point, the sanctions have not caused that calculus to change, apparently.

I don't see any public acknowledgement that China, India, some of the fast-growing Asian nations, have joined us in supporting rejecting any kind of export.

The clock is ticking on the side of the Iranian pursuit of nuclearization and perhaps weaponization of nuclear capability.

It clearly, I think, reaches the level of perhaps the number one challenge of 2012.

I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 15 minutes as in morning business The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________