I don't know the exact timing of the vote. There is no attempt to delay. We are just getting started at this point. I will be happy to work with the Senator from Arizona. We are certainly not trying to postpone it to be the last vote. We…

Before we move on to other business this evening in the Senate, I would like to encourage all of our Senators to submit whatever amendments they have so we can begin to work through them. We want to work diligently through the amendments…

I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Baldwin). The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

We would suggest an extremely serious mistake.

first, I wish to thank the chair of our Budget Committee for doing such a terrific job in bringing us all together. I wish to thank my colleagues on the committee. We worked very hard together in order to be able to put together a balanced…

I would like to speak for a few minutes today about the importance of getting a budget done today, all the way through the process. Senator Reid, our majority leader, last evening spoke again about the fact that we have had 15 days now of…

At the moment we have an industry that, last year, was 30 percent of the economic growth of this country.

This really is a historic opportunity to open markets.

We have to make sure that this happens.

I can assure you, nobody fights harder for Montana agriculture than this gentleman.

we are about to enter into an incredibly important debate about a series of issues relating to violence-- specifically, gun violence--in our communities all across America. Today I rise to speak about a very important bipartisan amendment…

I ask unanimous consent that Lara Flint, a detailee on the Senate Judiciary Committee, be granted the privilege of the floor for the duration of calendar year 2013. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I was very pleased--as we look again at tax policy, at how we make sure we are doing things here at home and supporting investment at home--that a bill of mine that we have debated was passed here.

Thank you and the President for giving us a balanced approach. We have all been aiming for at least a $4-trillion deficit-reduction plan to be able to turn the corner on the huge debt that we have.

I'm very pleased to say Michigan is now No. 1 in clean energy patents for the country.

I think we are very fortunate to have your willingness to come back into public service.

I am glad to support the President's nomination of Ernest Moniz to serve as the Secretary of Energy.

How can we come to a way where we can address both the desire and the need and economic impact of export?

I'm concerned that other projects in terms of economic impact have not been included as well.

I believe, is critical to that growth.

Dr. Moniz has the knowledge and experience to be a very effective leader of the Department of Energy.

Michigan is very, very engaged in the areas that you are involved in.

I will be speaking off of the time on the resolution for a moment and then deferring to Senator Mikulski in yielding time to her, as well as our great colleague from Minnesota, Senator Klobuchar, and others who wish to speak as we proceed…

this is a very simple, straightforward amendment. A ``yes'' vote supports Medicare as an ongoing insurance plan. A ``no'' vote sides with what the House of Representatives has done with the Ryan Republican budget: dismantling Medicare…

Before my colleague yields, first I am speaking and taking time off the resolution, but I wish to inquire of my colleague from Wisconsin as to how long he will be speaking, for the information of the body. It was my understanding there had…