Al Franken

I have heard from Minnesota tribes that health services are inaccessible and insufficient.

There is serious dysfunction and mismanagement in the Indian Health Service.

I rise to discuss my opposition to the resolution before us, the resolution disapproving the National Mediation Board's ruling on election procedures. This ruling finally brings union election rules in the rail and aviation industries in…

[c]learly the American public has a right to know who is paying for ads and who is attempting to influence elections. Sunshine is what the political system needs. We can try and regulate ethical behavior by politicians, but the surest way…

I think that would be highly unlikely. The once-a-decade sounds about right on this.

I rise to discuss two important issues we will not have the chance to debate because we are unable to take up the Defense authorization bill. Let me start with the need for repeal of the discriminatory don't ask, don't tell policy. We are…

I rise today to honor the Minnesotans and their families affected by Alzheimer's disease and recognize September 21 as World Alzheimer's Day. Today, over 94,000 Minnesotans and 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease. These…

I want the SEC, after examining this--I would like to find some solution to this conflict of interest.

Technology really, really, really, really has changed since then.

What are the hard choices here that we are going to have to make?

I presented an amendment that passed the Senate 64-35 that would eliminate this conflict of interest.

I went all around the State of Minnesota during this recess. I had 118 meetings. Many of them were economic development meetings all around the State. Over and over and over I heard from small businesses that they can't get access to…

That to me is pretty amazing.

But to me, the real problem is that this practice is actually legal.

Can you assure me that you will make sure that rape victims are not directly or indirectly having to pay for their rape exams?

But, again, I have seen reports of victims having to pay insurance deductibles for their rape exams or paying what is left after a Crime Victims Fund, which I think is what you are referring to, maxes out.

What happened to you and to Ms. Reedy is simply horrific, and I am just sorry about this.

In recognition of 9/11, and I left out the plane and the heroes on that plane that crashed in rural Pennsylvania.

It's the Department's obligation to ensure that these students and the faculty have a safe place in which to learn and to teach and to live.

In White Earth's contract with the BIA for the school construction, this is once you got funding, in the contract, the agency, the BIA, has 21 days to respond to each of the Tribe's submitted plans for construction of the school, yet there…

we are proud of especially the work we've done on passing some major legislation in law enforcement and health care, but we have so much to do.

We've got to the point that it's become laughable in Indian Country, to the point where a few months back I shared a story with Senator Franken.

So many of these communities don't have that basic infrastructure, is what you're saying?

If you had an actually really well-built school there, then more kids would come, right?

Thank you for your leadership as a Chair. We're going to miss you when you leave in January.