Al Franken

I think the people have a fundamental right to privacy, and for me, part of that right is knowing that your sensitive information is protected and secure.

Well, thank you. This is why it is so important that we get to data privacy legislation. I look forward to doing that.

I was proud to join Chairman Leahy on his Data Privacy and Security Act.

I think there is real justification for putting the RICO piece in Chairman Leahy's bill, that this is coordinated organized crime.

I think this is a step forward for transparency, and I want to thank you for your work on this.

It would help gain trust.

I have a bill, the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Act, which would authorize Federal funding for veteran treatment courts.

I have a bipartisan bill with Senator Dean Heller of Nevada that would force the Government to give the American people a good idea of how many of them have had their information collected.

This is a real crisis. I wrote the President about it over the weekend urging him to take immediate action.

I want to keep a lot of people to understand that these are essential in these clean energy technologies and that's why I'm proud to be a sponsor of the Chairman and Ranking Member's bill.

It's important to keep them in the same school, or give them that option, because, very often, the one constant in their lives is the school.

That continuity--especially when it might be a teacher or a counselor or someone else who is the one adult who is being constant in their life. That is just so important.

I rise in support of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act. I am pleased a 3-month extension of unemployment insurance for millions in Minnesota and across the country was able to clear its first hurdle in the Senate, but…

A free people can govern themselves only if they have access to the information that they need to make wise judgments about public policy.

My bill would force the government to annually disclose an estimate of the number of people who have had their information collected by the NSA under each key surveillance authority.

I think it is, as the President said, incumbent upon us to be as transparent as we can.

As a Nation, we have made great strides on the road toward equality for LGBT citizens, and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice has been instrumental in that progress.

And they become more productive and on and on.

To me the LGBT community now deserves the same kind of rights.

I have a bipartisan transparency bill that would do just that.

I have introduced legislation in the Senate, the Student Nondiscrimination Act, to ensure that LGBT students have the same rights against discrimination as other students have.

The most important elements of judicial temperament are open-mindedness, respect for all parties, attorneys and other participants in the judicial process, and humility.

I rise to speak about some of the important work we can be doing to help strengthen our economic recovery and to get more Minnesotans and more Americans across the country into jobs. During the government shutdown in October, I came to the…

I think these remedy-stripping clauses are affecting everyone.

The fix is in, lady, ma'am. The fix is in.