Through the Chair, two of my favorite members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who have been critically important to us having this debate on foreign policy--Senator Kaine and Senator Corker--they are two Members I deeply respect…

I am pleased that shortly we will have a chance to vote. I would have preferred the vote to be on the final passage of the resolution with the 60-vote threshold. I regret that was not agreed to. I will vote what I think is in the best…

could I ask my friend to yield to me for 2 minutes? And I apologize to my colleague, but two of my favorite members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee-- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.

in a solemn ceremony today, a new visitor center and museum was opened at the site near Shanksville, PA, where 40 courageous Americans were killed 14 years ago tomorrow attempting to regain control of United Airlines Flight 93 from four…

I thank Senator Coons. I know he went through a very deliberative process in reaching his conclusions. I know of his commitment to preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapons capacity, his strong support for regional security in the…

I thank Senator Kaine for his leadership on the review act. I know the statements and his position are heartfelt and ones that he comes to with full passion. I thank the Senator very much for his contribution. I am now pleased to yield to…

I have been listening to my friend from Texas, and I couldn't agree with him more about the need for us to work in a bipartisan manner to strengthen America's foreign policy. I believe in the independence of Congress, and I very much…

let me first thank my friend Senator Corker for his leadership but, more importantly, thank him on behalf of the Senate for standing up for what I think is the appropriate role of the United States Senate in reviewing a major foreign…

If it is true that the administration politicized this report, there are questions about why they chose to significantly diminish a tool that has been effective in fighting slavery around the world.

I can tell you this, once the spotlight goes down on this issue, and it does; and once this report is issued and they know they have another year the chances of getting the type of action we want is just not there anymore, based upon the…

There have been reports that have been made that there were high-level discussions that disagreed with the staff-level recommendations.

I rise today to submit, with my colleague Senator Collins, a resolution designating the week beginning September 13, 2015, as ``National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week.'' The Senate has passed a similar resolution each year…

You can always justify a decision.

I voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force in Iraq.

I want to underscore a point that Senator Corker and I, working with our leadership, encouraged our leadership to provide for the debate on the floor of the United States Senate that we think is befitting this critical issue.

I am very disappointed.

It is called impunity. You may have laws, you may have prosecution, but if you cannot convict, if you cannot hold people accountable, they walk, and they know that they can commit the crimes.

Do we need to strengthen the Trafficking Victims Protection Act? Do we need to have congressional direct oversight before you take a country off of Tier 3?

I hope it did not. But I tell you, we talked about it before the report came out. I just hope that we are using objective standards.

This committee needs to make sure that the work we have done in this country, setting the global example for commitment against trafficking, remains credible and is always improving.

I did not interpret from the President's remarks that he is challenging any of our independent judgments on this.

The TIP Report is a very valuable report. The rankings have incredible significance, not just in shaming nations to do better.

How we make the tough calls matters. The integrity of the TIP Report matters for our country's credibility when we speak up for the powerless and the oppressed.

But to upgrade a rating you would expect that there had been progress made.

It seems to me that taking them off of Tier 3 takes the pressure off.