Al Franken

before I begin my remarks today regarding climate change, I wish to say a few words about a Minnesota icon who passed away today. Prince was a phenomenal artist who was beloved by people all over the world, but as Minnesotans, we are…

Federal programs in Indian Country are chronically underfunded. I have served on the Indian Affairs Committee for the past 7 years, and I have been shocked by what I hear almost every week from tribal leaders about the challenges in Indian…

I call up my amendment No. 3833. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Minnesota, [Mr. Franken] proposes an amendment numbered 3833 to amendment No. 3801. The amendment is as…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 3833 to Amendment No. 3801

I rise to voice my support for the passage of the Energy Policy Modernization Act. I am pleased the Senate is considering and on the verge of passing legislation to update our Nation's energy policy. I thank Chairwoman Murkowski, Ranking…

I am concerned about undetected methane leaks. We cannot reduce our greenhouse gas emissions if we do not even know they are happening in the first place.

You cannot deny that the Federal Government had a role in this, can you?

My colleagues seem to forget the role of the Federal Government in research and development of these technologies.

Emission reductions from this rule alone would prevent more than $170 million in economic, public health, and environmental damages per year.

We are trying to get the rest of the world to go along with us. My colleagues do not seem to recognize the seriousness of climate change, and that this is a global problem.

I think there are benefits to our air. I think there are benefits in terms of the amount of carbon and in terms of greenhouse gases.

I hate to dwell on this, Ms. Sgamma, but you're shaking your head on the Federal Government's role in fracking and in getting natural gas and oil out of shale, which we have seen do tremendous things.

This is unbelievable what you guys are doing, and this makes me an optimist.

I thought they led a great process, and I thank them both.

It is saying that yes, go to a community and technical college while you are working so you can get credit.

I wrote a provision in this with Senator Grassley to allow foster kids--and have a mechanism to do it--to stay in the school that they're in, if they want to, when they change foster homes.

That's why I wrote the STEM Master Teacher Corps Act to recruit topnotch STEM educators and keep them in the classroom.

I am thrilled that we have taken this huge step toward rebuilding the school and after so many years, we are able to claim victory.

My frustration has been that we do not show that we care. We do not show it by levels of funding.

So, in other words, if the decision to go ahead--you could have the situation where you have a fetus that is not viable, and that it could--by going to term, you would make it so that the mother could not have babies again, it would affect…

One of the things that is a problem with this law is that it limits women's choices and forces them into situations that they find untenable.

We are not honoring our moral obligations or our treaty obligations.

It is drafty, it is cold and structurally it is not sound enough so that if the wind blows hard, they have to leave the school.

This is disgraceful, the school.

The epidemic is very much tied to the poor housing, poor health care, the job situation and sense of hopelessness that the people get when they live in those conditions.