I rise in support of the bipartisan farm bill conference agreement before us today. This 5 year bill provides certainty to both the producer and the consumer. It's a jobs bill supporting 16 million jobs across the Nation. It also is a…

today I come to the floor to recognize an important anniversary. Five years ago today, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Act into law. This important law has kept courthouse doors open to allow women to address pay inequality by…

I think we've got to get a constitutional ruling on this as quickly as possible.

Do you feel that there's an urgency around that and we should review those original legislation, even as a starting point for negotiation?

Do you think Congress needs to pass legislation in this area?

I think the American people are entitled to knowing that, and I think the men and women who work at NSA need to know that.

again I rise to compliment a subcommittee chairman. The Senator from Arkansas took over this committee for the first time this year, so he is a new chairman, but he was not new to the issues. I thank him for the work he did and the…

I see the Senator from Arizona is on the floor, and I would inquire of the Senator if at 12:30 he is planning to speak on the War Powers Act. Mr. McCAIN. I thank the chairwoman. I was awaiting the arrival of my colleague from Virginia, who…

I thank the Senator from South Dakota for all the great work he has done at the subcommittee level. He has an enormous responsibility in that subcommittee. It is all about military construction--over there and here. Many don't realize our…

pending before the Senate is something called the consolidated appropriations bill. It is consolidated because it consolidates the work of 12 separate subcommittees. As the chair of the full committee, I also chair a subcommittee called…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 2:30 p.m. to hold a nominations hearing. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on January 16, 2014, at 10 a.m. in SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct an executive business meeting…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a Business Meeting on Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. in room 366 of the…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a meeting during the session of the Senate on Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``Strengthening Federal Access Programs to Meet 21st Century…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 10 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Advancing…

I come to the floor today as the chairperson of the Appropriations Committee--a committee I am honored to chair--to support the Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2014. This bill passed the House on Wednesday with a stunning…

if I might respond to the very generous comments of the Senator from New Mexico about the work of the committee, I would also like to respond to his comments about PILT. The Senator from New Mexico has spoken very eloquently, as have other…

I thank the Senator from Rhode Island for his comments. I appreciate them. They were well said. But the compliments should be reversed. This is a committee effort. What I am so excited about for this bill is that it is bipartisan…

For all of us who just yearn for a calcium-rich diet, it is refreshing to see that. We salute Connecticut and its strong agricultural presence in our economy, and I thank the Senator for bringing a nutritious beverage to the Senate floor…

The Senator from New Hampshire is very generous with her remarks, and I want to respond by saying a few things. First of all, the way the Senator speaks about New Hampshire is the way I also speak about Maryland. When people think about…

I thank the Senator from Florida. It is wonderful for both me and Senator Shelby. Senator Nelson is an astronaut Senator. To hear an astronaut Senator say he thinks we are doing the job right means a lot. The Senate has been blessed by…

First, let me thank my colleague for his generous words about the work of this committee. What is on the Senator's desk? I am drinking water.

I also thank the Senator for what he and the Senator from Missouri did, what Mr. Blunt did, in terms of food safety. I believe when we did the continuing resolution we were--and also when we were shut down--food safety faced the need for…

I say to the Senator from Connecticut: I have been in the Senate for 25 years, and I have seen a lot of Senators try to put a lot of different drinks in those glasses, but I have never seen milk on the Senate floor. Is that permissible?