we need to act in a longer-term way, not just another Band-aid, another short-term extension.

The more these Band-aid extensions we do, the less patience members have because they want reform, which is needed.

I was on the floor talking about the absolute need to pass a long-term reauthorization now before May 31st.

I certainly strongly support a short-term extension if we need it, if we cannot do anything else before May 31st.

we really, really need to act for the good of the country and the economy.

I am for it if we can only do that between now and May 31st, but I am also trying, as Jon and others are, for the full reauthorization.

A lot of important improvements and reforms can be done administratively, but all of these very short-term extensions really get in the way of that.

Again, I hope we all come together in plenty of time to take care of this important business. I bring it up now, well before the deadline, because the clock is ticking. A Senate bill would have to be reconciled with the House. We need to…

I rise to talk about another vital program we must reauthorize and continue before it expires; that is, the National Flood Insurance Program. Right now, that is due to completely expire at the end of May. So I wanted to bring this to…

I come to the floor to recognize a solemn occasion. In two days, on Friday, April 20, it will be the 2- year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion. I want to pause at this moment of anniversary, 2 years, and offer a few thoughts…

Thank you, Madam President. The tragedy, of course, started there with those 11 lives lost and we must never forget that, including as we redouble our efforts to ensure safety in those sorts of drilling environments in the future. Of…

That is my big, big concern here.

Like a lot of members on the subcommittee and otherwise, I have a single, very basic, fundamental concern which is funding for all this activity really being dramatically cut and changed since the New START treaty was passed.

Ninety-two percent of all Ex-Im transactions did not receive any adverse impact analysis--none whatsoever.

I agree that reauthorization of Ex-Im should be a relatively straightforward matter, and I think it can be if the key concerns that many folks have brought to bear in the debate are addressed directly.

This goes to a broader management issue of Ex-Im Bank regarding the extent to which it properly looks at adverse impacts of loans it is considering.

According to recent press reports, there is a budding and building relationship between Brazil and China, and China is taking advantage and forming contracts to take advantage of that resource. We should learn a thing or two from other…

I rise to talk about one of the most pressing challenges Louisiana families--indeed, most American families--face, and that is the price at the pump and the enormous hit that is to their family budgets, their pocketbooks, their wallets. It…

The Chinese are not going around the world begging. The Chinese are developing. The Chinese are trying to control their own destiny, and PetroChina is now the leading company in terms of producing oil. Petrobras in Brazil is another…

if I can wrap up, again, I think this is unfortunate. Everybody knows Republicans are perfectly willing to limit ourselves to relevant energy amendments. That is what we are doing. That is what we are bringing to the floor. Leader…

that is unfortunate. It is particularly unfortunate because everyone knows our leader and everyone on our side has absolutely agreed to offer energy amendments and give the other side an equal number of energy amendments. We are perfectly…

I come to the floor to offer amendments to this bill. Let me assure our colleague from Illinois that they are not amendments about contraception or any other unrelated issue. They are energy amendments, which go directly to one of the…

I too come to the floor to talk about the most pressing issue facing so many millions of Louisiana and American families; that is, the price at the pump. Sometimes we seem to get ourselves in a cocoon in Washington, DC, divorced from the…

This recently reauthorized program is a bipartisan, common sense approach to cutting toxic diesel emissions that threaten the lives of our communities and our children.

This type of monitoring cannot be done by the States alone and therefore should continue to be funded.