We should preserve investment levels and not increase the overall tax burden on taxpayers.

We must work to maintain the user-based system.

I thank Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Hatch for holding this hearing.

A bipartisan solution to this problem is the only way forward.

Highway infrastructure is a critical component of our Nation's economy and our quality of life.

The Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) represents a dramatic expansion of the Environmental Protection Agency's authority under the Clean Water Act and threatens State and local land use authority throughout the country.

At the same time, we must recognize that environmental policies and programs related to the Chesapeake Bay and elsewhere must be based on sound science and law and accomplished in a manner which does not jeopardize the livelihoods of hard…

The policy questions and potential solutions related to Conowingo Dam, environmental concerns, and energy production are important and deserve the subcommittee's attention.

There is an objection, and I propose an alternative unanimous consent that the Senator from Illinois speak for up to 5 minutes followed by me for up to 2 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona. Mr. McCAIN. Madam…

Thank you, Madam President. I come to the floor again to urge consideration and a vote, and a positive vote, on my no-Washington exemption from ObamaCare proposal. I think the first rule of American democracy should be that whatever…

let me read the exact text of the hotline. A hotline is a message that goes out to all Senators. The Majority Leader in consultation with the Republican Leader would like to enter into a unanimous consent agreement on S. 2262, the Energy…

I had the feeling I would need to respond to whatever was said, and I was certainly right. I have a couple of points to make in order to set the facts right. First of all, my proposal does mean Washington is treated like all other…

reserving the right to object, I would only ask for the opportunity to respond to the response to the unanimous consent request before the assistant majority leader proceeds, but I have no objection otherwise to his speaking after that for…

reclaiming the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The Senator from Louisiana.

reserving the right to object, I would like 2 minutes to respond. I don't mean to delay the Senator from Arizona, but I would like 2 minutes to respond. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the Senator from Louisiana's request?

I come to the floor to address what I consider to be a very important issue which we have never voted on, and that is the basic principle that Washington should be treated as all other Americans with regard to whatever law we pass…

I believe our side has 38 seconds left, and I ask unanimous consent for an additional 60 seconds. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?

reclaiming the floor and reclaiming my time, that is very significant information that can guide us with regard to any path forward. So I would like to know from the Senator whether he would or would not object to a UC to pass the bill…

I don't mean to cut my colleague off, but Senator Lee is here on behalf of Senator Coburn, who has been more involved, and so I will give the history of it. Some folks in the Senate had concerns about the bill and the fact that, in their…

I have a parliamentary inquiry. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator will state his inquiry.

I apologize for interrupting, but I just want to ensure that of the additional 10 minutes that were granted, I would have 5 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair is dividing the time equally.

If I could address the Chair, I am happy to answer the question. As Senator Sanders knows, I have serious concerns with his much broader bill. So I am not agreeing to his far broader bill. He knows that. We have talked about that. We have…

I believe I made an inquiry through the Chair, so I believe I have the floor and I would like to reclaim it if that is appropriate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont currently has the floor.

I would like to ask through the Chair, because this is significant information, whether Senator Sanders would object to passing the bill without amendment, because in all previous discussions to date, I understood he would object to that…

I ask unanimous consent that the previous order be postponed for an additional 10 minutes so we can simply round out this very important discussion. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?