I rise to speak on behalf of the conference committee. I rise as the chair of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, one of the three subcommittees in the conference report. The other is agriculture. Senator Kohl will be…

I ask unanimous consent that committee report be considered as read. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The report is considered read. Under the previous order, there will be 2 hours of debate, equally divided, between the two leaders or their…

I wish to address one of the most important issues facing the supercommittee; that is: Where does Social Security fit into their plans? The Chair knows because she is very close to the people of New Hampshire, she knows all over her great…

the National Mesonet Program championed by Senator Barbara Mikulski after the 2004 Baltimore Water Taxi Incident

I am also deeply troubled by the demonization. It has shifted focus away from the regulatory process and the IOM report.

I think what we need is to value our civil servants, and let them know they can count on us.

I think that we need to understand that the first obligation you have is for the safety of patients, not whether or not a company gets the approval in a timely manner.

I want you and the people who work at the FDA... to know how proud we are of the job they do every day.

If you're going to criticize FDA for approval, criticize us for bill approval.

But this issue of totally replacing the 510(k) gives us pause, and I think one of the reasons it gives us pause is the looming question of who would design the new system?

dump it and deal with it.

We're facing a joint committee report. If the joint committee fails to act, or we fail to adopt the joint committee recommendation, we will go to a sequester.

First of all, I compliment the Senator for the really wonderful teaching she just did on this issue. She is a member of the Finance Committee, and with all they are doing in Social Security, hasn't there been a hearing in the Finance…

In those 2 years, this has not come up. I have another question about the Finance Committee, which also has jurisdiction over health care. Is it the Senator's understanding that both in the supercommittee and other reforms, Congress's…

I rise today to address one of the most important issues facing the supercommittee; that is, where does Social Security fit into their plans? I know the supercommittee is doing a great job. They are working in a steady way to see how we…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Social Security

I rise in strong support of the Rebuild America Jobs Act. This bill is about jobs today and jobs tomorrow across the Nation and in my home State of Maryland. It also is about repairing our crumbling infrastructure. This bill does three…

the letter cosponsored by Senators Mikulski and Hutchison, co-signed by all the women senators and others, to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of Egypt urging the inclusion of women in shaping the government.

President Obama issued an Executive order on October 31 to immediately take action to reduce shortages; but we can and must do more.

I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on October 20, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Subcommittee on…

I wish to echo the comments of my colleague from Missouri. I too invite Senators to come down. We are showing that we can govern. We have our appropriations bills here, and we have already disposed of 8 amendments--actually, I think we…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar Nos. 206 through 210 en bloc, which are all post office-naming bills--in other words, naming post offices, if they remain open, after distinguished Americans…

I ask unanimous consent that the bills be read a third time and passed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening action or debate, and any related statements be printed in the Record. The…

would the clerk please call the roll and see if a quorum is present. I believe a quorum is present. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll to ascertain the presence of a quorum. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to…

I compliment all Senators in the way they have worked cooperatively and expeditiously in moving these three very important appropriations bills forward. Every Senator who has had an amendment has worked with us constructively either to…