The current system is working. We are not hearing from the stakeholders that there is a problem.

I would urge they be included.

I appreciate that. As I explained to the Chairman privately, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is having a hearing on Iran, and I am ranking on that committee, so I will be going back and forth.

I hope we can work this out to the satisfaction of the members of this Committee before the bill reaches the floor.

I urge the Committee to consider her nomination and to report it favorably to the floor in a timely manner.

Ms. Lerner has brought needed stability, continuity, and professionalism to the office.

It is not easy to be a whistleblower. It takes courage.

I am very proud of our Federal workforce. I think we have the best Federal workforce in the world, dedicated public servants.

The second recommendation I would put forward is for the full Senate in 2016 to pass the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, S. 284, which has been introduced by Ranking Member Cardin and a number of other members of the…

Once again, I thank my friend from Utah. We share a lot of the same objectives for a strong nation and moving our country forward. I think that is reflected in the bill we just voted on, the Omnibus appropriations bill. ____________________

I object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The majority leader. ____________________

I would like my colleagues to join me in thanking Aiko Lane, a Brookings fellow from the Department of Defense, for her service to the Senate and to wish her well as she returns to the Pentagon. Before Aiko joined my office she was a…

reserving the right to object, the bill Senator Flake is referring to, S. 145--a bill I support--is part of a package of 11 bills that have been approved by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee known as the lands bills. By the way…

I think this request deals with the lands bills, not the political appointments. I just wanted to point that out. These are the bills that came out of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee that deal with designating certain lands. We…

while Senator Hatch is still on the floor, I thank and congratulate him on his work with regard to the tax provisions we just voted on. I am a proud member of the Senate Finance Committee. Senator Wyden and Senator Hatch, working together…

earlier today I took the floor. Senator Cruz was here, and he raised an objection to a unanimous consent request that I had not yet made. I am not going to make that unanimous consent request, but I am going to mention, as the ranking…

I wish to talk for a few minutes about the Omnibus appropriations bill and tax bills that we just passed. I am very proud to have supported it. We have finally passed a budget for this year, giving predictability to our agencies and…

before I talk about the Omnibus appropriations, I note that just a few minutes ago the Senate approved the resolution for the 150th anniversary of Towson University. I must admit I have a direct interest in Towson. My mother graduated from…

It seems like we are losing ground.

We would obviously strongly urge that this be a very high-quality individual with a very strong mandate to go after corruption, after the difficulties of the previous administration.

What happened in Kunduz obviously was a major concern.

I think you do give us a roadmap for how we need to try to develop the U.S. role in Afghanistan in fighting corruption.

I have had the honor of being the ranking Democrat for the U.S. Senate on the Helsinki Commission. I work with Senator Wicker, who is the Senate chairman of the Helsinki Commission. The two of us have worked very hard on many issues. As I…

I agree with the chairman. I found your written testimony and your presentations here to be very, very helpful for us to truly understand the challenges that we have in Afghanistan.

Are they a sincere partner in peace, or are they just trying to protect their interests?