I ask unanimous consent for 10 minutes to address the Senate. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Honoring Our Foreign Servants

last night when I went to sleep I was going over in my mind the speech I wanted to give here today--which is an important day in the history of the American space program. It is the day that President Kennedy challenged us to go to the…

32 months almost 3 full years. That is how long Maryland native Alan Gross has been held by Cuba as a political prisoner. Alan Gross went to Cuba in 2009 on an USAID contract to help install wireless Internet. The Cuban government…

I come to the floor today to talk about cyber security, the pending Lieberman-Collins bill, and the need to act--and the need to act before we adjourn for the August break. I come today to the floor as I did when I spoke yesterday. I don't…

every Senator has to decide what they are going to do every day when they wake up in the morning. For some in this Chamber, they wake up every day thinking about how they are going to stop President Obama, how they are going to stop his…

I am so glad the Presiding Officer is in the chair while I am making these remarks. I wish to salute the Presiding Officer for his service in the Senate and his service to the Nation. One knows he is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps…

I'm pleased to be able to convene this hearing, and it's the third in a series of hearings that we are holding on early childhood development.

We need to look at how we can encourage States to ensure that all CCDBG providers have some measure of quality.

Childcare is something that all parents care about. Parents want childcare that is affordable and high quality.

So the lack of funding would impact, say, a school district like Baltimore or Prince George's County or even one of my rural school districts?

Maryland is a sequester-stressed State.

These Federal agencies... will unfortunately be gutted if the sequester goes forward.

So now, particularly after 4 years of reform efforts, and let's face it, there were some tussles with the teacher associations, but it seems like now there's been a detente and now a focus on how we can really evaluate teachers and move…

it's really the impact on our economy both today and in the future.

Do you think it would also sap the energy of reform that--I don't want to put words in your mouth.

I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a dear friend, someone whom I admire, and someone whom the whole world cheered on, Dr. Sally Ride. Dr. Ride was the first American woman in space. When she went out there, she blazed a trail out…

the nation is mourning the senseless loss of 12 people in Aurora CO, and the wounding of 58 people. Today, we mark the sad anniversary of another tragedy that took place in the Capitol on July 27, 1998. We remember Officer Jacob J.J…

Good afternoon, Mr. President. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Good afternoon. Remembering Sally Ride

Federal spending in education accounts for less than 10 percent of overall spending in K through 12 education.

I thank Senator Whitehouse for what he said and the fact we really had a great study group, both sides of the aisle eager for information, eager to come up with the best policies. Much has been said about the private sector. I talk to the…

I thank the Senator from Rhode Island, a former member of the Intelligence Committee and an activist in this area. Madam President and colleagues, I am happy to be on the floor with a bipartisan group of people who are really worried about…

I rise in support of the Bring Jobs Home Act. Growing up in a blue-collar neighborhood in Baltimore during World War II, my father had a small neighborhood grocery store. We were the neighborhood of mom-and-pop businesses and factories. We…

I rise to speak on the DISCLOSE Act. I rise in very strong support of this bill. I thank the Senator from Rhode Island, Mr. Whitehouse, for his leadership on this bill. He brings such great background, with his legal training, as attorney…

I want to take this opportunity to honor Senator Collins, a colleague and dear friend, on her landmark 5,000th consecutive vote. Since becoming a Senator in 1997, Senator Collins has never missed a single vote. This is a sign of her…

I rise in support of the transportation conference report. This legislation will establish for the first time Federal safety standards for metro systems. My promises made are promises kept. After the deadly DC Metro crash on June 22, 2009…