Roy Blunt

I rise today to speak on this infrastructure jobs bill, and actually I think my good friend from Minnesota has done a great job of explaining why we need to be focused on infrastructure. I think if I was going to summarize my comments, as…

I move to lay the motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 763 The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. There will now be 2 minutes, evenly divided, on amendment No. 763. The Senator from South Carolina…

I wish to take a moment to thank Senator Kohl. The comments the majority leader made about him were certainly proven right in all of our relationships. I thank him for his guidance and encouragement throughout this process. We have had…

I note the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

the bill I hope we get to tonight is part of the President's jobs package. It would repeal an action taken by the Congress a few years ago that I think has proven to be a harmful decision on the part of the Federal Government. This would…

yesterday, around 5:30 or so, we had all kinds of Members who suddenly wanted to come over and talk about their amendments. Now is an opportunity to talk about these three appropriations bills. The floor is open. There are a number of…

I thank my colleagues for bringing amendments to the floor on the Agriculture bill and also on the other two bills we are dealing with, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, and Commerce- Justice-State. We have had a vigorous…

I ask unanimous consent to temporarily set aside the pending amendment to offer the Grassley amendment No. 860. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: The…

on behalf of Senator DeMint, I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment and offer amendments Nos. 763 and 764 en bloc. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk…

I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To ensure accountability in Federal grant programs administered…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 741 Withdrawn

I ask unanimous consent to withdraw McCain amendment No. 741. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendments Nos. 763 and 764 En Bloc

With that, it appears that there is not a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

I join my good friend in suggesting we would like to see our colleagues come over here. These three appropriations bills are being handled on the floor and they are open to amendment. We haven't had appropriations bills on the floor of the…

I object on behalf of Senator Hatch and Senator Isakson. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.

I wish to join Senator Kohl in saying how much I appreciate Senator Collins working on this amendment and the purpose of the amendment and I think it is a good addition to the bill. I also think we had a good exchange of ideas on the floor…

I think as Senator Thune has just mentioned, failing to account for disaster events or mistakes and dismissing disasters as unlikely to occur again simply isn't good enough.

the factory doesn't get back to work until the roads are rebuilt. The roads aren't rebuilt until the flood protection is restored. And the flood protection is not restored until Congress provides the funding.

I am pleased to join Senator Kohl in supporting this bill, the fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. I am glad we are considering appropriations bills…

I join with my good friend from South Dakota and the comments he made about the disadvantage we have created for ourselves in the last 3 years by not moving forward with these trade agreements long ago. But we are going to move forward…

as we discuss what we should be talking about--how to get more people back to work--there are a lot of different approaches on how we get there. But I hope we can reach the decision that we need to do the things in government that allow…

I wish to speak for a few minutes today about the bill that is on the floor, the amendment, in fact, to the general system of trade preferences bill. That amendment is trade adjustment assistance. Frankly, it is not a bill I would have…

I am pleased to cosponsor the bill with Senator Inhofe. Between he and I, we may have been to the scenes of more tornadoes than almost anybody else in America who is not a storm chaser. Because of where we live and what we have done, we…

I want to talk about the disaster funding debate that is going on this week. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

I appreciate the Presiding Officer's recognition. Mr. President, this is a debate that has become the debate as part of the Burma Sanctions Act, which if we were debating the Burma Sanctions Act I would also be for Burma sanctions. But in…