I am pleased to join with Senator Mikulski in recommending to the Senate the confirmation of Judge Paul William Grimm of Maryland to be a U.S. district judge for the District of Maryland. I am very proud of the process Senator Mikulski has…

I call up amendment No. 3025. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report: The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Maryland [Mr. Cardin] proposes an amendment numbered 3025.

I will not take 3 minutes. The point I am bringing up is that what this would do is impose an additional cap on civilian and contractual. They are already controlled by law. The law says by mission and budget. That is what it should be…

How much time remains? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. There are 16 seconds remaining.

let me just point out the civilian workforce is going to be cut. According to the House Armed Services Committee, over 10,000 positions will be eliminated in FY12 alone. The House bill does not contain this provision. This provision…

this amendment would eliminate an arbitrary cap on the civilian and contractual workforce. The administration supports this amendment. Without this amendment being adopted, the Department said it will need to significantly divest workload…

I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To ensure sufficient sizing of the civilian and contract…

I think it is time to explain amendment No. 3025 that I hope I will be able to call up shortly, knowing full well that our schedule might get difficult when these amendments are brought up at a later point. My amendment would strike…

I rise today to recognize and give thanks to my State director, Bailey Fine, who is retiring at the end of the 112th Congress after 27 years of devoted service. There is great sadness but deep appreciation as I say goodbye to Bailey who…

Sandy was a devastating storm; 80 lives lost as a result of the storm, 7 in my State of Maryland.

Maryland fared much better than our surrounding States. We sent a lot of our resources to help our friends in New York and New Jersey.

I ask unanimous consent that floor privileges be granted to Ann Y. Lee, a Department of Defense fellow, during the Senate consideration of S. 3254, the fiscal year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…

The amount of high sustained winds was unprecedented in our State.

Thank you so much, not just for convening this hearing, but for your leadership in dealing with these issues.

I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. (The remarks of Mr. Cardin are printed in today's Record under ``Morning Business.'')

People living in remote areas, not easy to get to, without power, extremely vulnerable to their public safety.

I think that was a very important point.

There is strong support in Congress on both sides of the aisle to deal with global food security.

I think resiliency is very important in Feed the Future as to what steps we are taking to deal with the realities of the circumstances.

I would just urge us to put as much of a spotlight on this as possible.

Thank you very much for your testimony.

Going forward, having an open trading system is going to be more important than ever because we are going to have to move areas that are producing a surplus in food to those that have the deficit.

Their policy was pretty clear. They will not be there. If the aid cannot get to the people, they are not going to feed the corruption of local officials.

There is no question that this committee and this Congress places a strong priority on international global areas with food security.

In 2009, Secretary Clinton said we have the resources to give every person in the world the tools they need to feed themselves and their children.