Al Franken

I thank my good friend from Delaware. Nomination of Merrick Garland Mr. President, I rise today to address the nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court. Today marks 84 days since President Obama nominated Judge…

This law is supposed to encourage development of more effective prevention programs to fight alcohol and drug abuse among at risk youth.

I am committed to making sure that we continue to update the Violence Against Women Act to more effectively address the unique needs of women and children in Indian Country.

the opioid crisis has disproportionately affected American Indians in this country and certainly in Minnesota.

Efficiently leveraging our resources to combat invasive species is critical with an eye toward eradication and long-term control.

I rise today to talk about the nomination of Merrick Garland to the United States Supreme Court and to urge my colleagues to grant timely consideration to the President's nominee. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Chief Judge Garland…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Nomination of Merrick Garland

They cost the United States billions of dollars in damages each year, some research suggests over $120 billion.

Invasive species are a significant threat to our national economy, to environmental resources, and to the public health.

It is no secret that climate change has strong, well-established connections to invasive species on land and in water.

You are spending so much of the budget fighting the fires that you have less budget to maybe do that kind of management.

What we're saying is invasive species is a very similar process, and clearly in Senator Barrasso's bill this is outlined with categorical exclusions.

NEPA is a very important process, but when the process gets in the way of biology that's very difficult to accept.

Broadband is a necessity in the 21st century and we have to do this.

The digital divide in Indian Country is enormous. This is a rural electrification issue of the 21st century.

I think that we can ask the Administration, either the current President or the next president, to convene a high level kind of a matching party, if you will, with Native American leaders and business leaders on that and the private sector…

Some of us have become more reliant on mobile devices to access the internet, and we are going to have a spectrum auction, right?

I'll continue to press for the build out of high-speed Internet to every corner of our state, including our tribal communities.

That is what we need.

Access to reliable high speed Internet is critical to growing our economy.

People living in Indian Country are just as entitled to access to broadband as those living in our cities and towns.

I don't know what 41 percent means in a tribal area.

Everyone should be wired; every kid should be able to access high-speed broadband for educational purposes.

This digital divide is a real problem for schools, families, and entire communities.

growing Internet availability in the 21st Century's rural infrastructure is akin to expanding the telephone network in the 20th Century.