Since there is no opposition that is going to speak, I would like to take those 2 minutes as well. This is a very important vote. I know there are some people who think we should have gone through a regular process. The last time we went…

how much time before the vote? The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is 2 minutes.

It is a shame and a tragedy, and I personally am going to get involved to help you with your situation and any others similarly situated.

I know we are very focused, as we should be, on the disasters that are occurring as we speak, but the lessons learned and the applications of what we forced or tried to do after Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf Coast can be very, very…

I think this Committee should look very, very, very carefully at this.

I have been resistant to budget any more out of Homeland Security because if I do that, it takes away grants from your states that help you to protect yourself against future disasters.

The other problem with budgeting, Senator Brown, if I might say, in advance is sometimes events happen that no matter how well you planned just absolutely blow the roof off of any estimates and that is what happened in Katrina.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Louisiana is recognized.

I am looking forward to cosponsoring a bill this week with Senator Snowe requiring the President's budget to include at a minimum a request for disaster funding based on the 10-year average on spending on disasters.

Mr. Rentrop, we are so sorry for what has happened here, and Senator Snowe and I are going to do everything we can to not only fix your situation as quickly as we can do but to make sure this never happens again to legitimate contractors…

We need to plan. We need to do it better.

I know we have had several speeches over the last couple of hours on very important topics--the jobs bill, our efforts to stimulate the recovery, a response from one of our Democratic leaders to Senator Sessions, and the good Senator who…

I think that is very, very important because in this climate of slashing budgets and saying there is a lot of fraud, waste, and abuse everywhere, which there is in some pockets, but you have got to be careful identifying it or you end up…

I think we are on the road to getting that fixed.

I understand that Senator Conrad is on the schedule to speak in just a few minutes, but with his permission I just wanted to say thank you to the Members who voted favorably to move forward with the discussion about how to fund disaster…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Louisiana.

I had to slip away from the floor for a few minutes, and I understand that no one from the other side has come down to speak this afternoon. I cannot say I blame them because it is a very tough position to take. We are getting ready to…

I wish to support the remarks of the Senator from Minnesota, Mr. Franken, and the Senator from Vermont, Mr. Sanders, who have described beautifully several different aspects of this debate. Senator Franken said: How is it that so many on…

I thank the Senator from New York for those very descriptive and moving comments about his State, and particularly the part of his State that we don't hear a lot about. That is why we depend on the Senators to speak the truth about what is…

I thank the Senator from New Jersey for adding his strong and powerful voice to this. I wished to clarify a few points that I think are important for people to understand. First, for those who might be engaging in or listening to this…

Every day this list is going to get bigger and bigger. All this is is a pink slip to someone unrelated to the current emergency. They are working on emergencies from 3 years ago and now they are being put out of work because of this…

I come to the floor today to speak on an issue that is of great importance to my home State of Louisiana: disaster recovery. As you know, along the Gulf Coast, we keep an eye trained on the Gulf of Mexico during hurricane season. This is…

most of my Senate colleagues are aware of the rich culture and heritage that is on display in Louisiana during the days and weeks before Lent. Parties and parades mark the end of the Mardi Gras season and the beginning of fasting and…

It would be clear if we could get 51 votes that the Reid plan would pass, just like the Boehner plan passed. Neither one can get the other side to agree. But at least then we would have the basis for a compromise. But, no, the Republicans…

Thank you, Mr. President. I am happy to come to the floor with two of my colleagues--my colleague from Minnesota and my colleague from Alaska--to speak about the damage created by the Republicans' insistence on looking at just one side of…