Watson Coleman

I want to speak about unfounded concerns raised about the minimum wage increase proposal of the Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act of 2006. I have long supported an increase in the minimum wage in order to help raise the living…

This letter says that absolutely the Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits employers from paying less than the current minimum wage. That is to be taken into consideration in terms of what the Senate is doing with the minimum wage tip credit…

One provision of Section 1220 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 would create a new Section 501 (q)(2)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code. This particular subsection contains one of several new requirements for credit counseling…

Mr. Leader, I appreciate those comments. Some people dismiss such an ambitious goal as reducing our growing dependence on foreign oil, but I recall a time when the Moon was also once out of reach. We all know the power of America's…

we have all learned in our personal lives that in times of difficulty and challenge, all the extraneous matters of life disappear and we wisely cling to those relationships and values we hold most dear. As we as a nation confront a…

today I rise to remember the sacrifices of James Lee Krull, Richard Bruce Apland, Victor Art Rabel, David Aaron Ritzschke, and Richard Lee Lohse, five individuals from Herman, MN, who gave their lives for the United States during the…

I rise to speak about the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act which, as the venerable and esteemed Senator from West Virginia stated, provides critical funding for America's troops, money for hurricane recovery, money for mine…

I rise to submit a sense-of-the Senate resolution expressing the deepest disappointment of the Senate with respect to the election of Iran to a leadership position on the United Nations Disarmament Commission and request the President to…

this year we celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the Peace Corps. It is with immense pride that I send my congratulations to Peace Corps volunteers as they commemorate this anniversary throughout the year with events across the country and…

I want to move on to what I intended to talk about today, and that is Iran. I will not speak that long. I think it is important to respond to the outrageous comments made by the Government of Iran this week and this latest stunt by the…

I want to add my voice to this. This is not about theoretical discussions. I understand we have debates about oversight. I held a hearing on this in Minnesota a couple of months ago. By the way, winter is still there. And it is not just a…

I wish to spend a little time today talking about the economy. When I was mayor of St. Paul, people would say: Mayor, what are you doing for kids? My response would be: The best thing I can do for kids is make sure mom and dad have a job…

Minnesota and the Nation have lost a great leader and deep thinker, Senator Gene McCarthy of Minnesota. He played an import part in the history of this body and of this Nation, and we should carefully consider the lessons of his unique and…

in recognition of Human Rights Day on December 10, I rise to pay tribute to some of the bravest human rights advocates in this hemisphere Cubans who have dared to raise their voices to protest a regime they rightfully see as antidemocratic…

we share a strategic and important relationship with Japan. A relationship that has proven to be vital for both countries, as we enhance our collaboration on everything from economic pursuits to our joint national security interests. On…

constituents across the country in rural areas face serious health care issues, not only in terms of illness but also in lack of easily accessible services. One out of every five Americans lives in rural areas however only one out of every…

I, too, have been informed of the State Department's jurisdictional concern. Given that this issue is more appropriate to the Foreign Operations bill, I wonder if my friend from Kentucky will work with me and the State Department to ensure…

the passing of Rosa Parks is an important occasion for us to remember her life and understand in a deeper way how history changes America. While we grieve the loss for her family, every American should be grateful that someone like her…

the champions of CDBG and Section 8 are the ranking member and chairman of the committee. We are in an awkward position. We are all trying to get to the same place. I accept those assurances. These programs are vitally important. We had…

will my colleague from Michigan yield time? I wish to speak on this issue in support of it. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has no more time to yield. The Senator from Oklahoma has 1 minute 20 seconds.

I support the intent of what my colleague from Oklahoma wants to do. He wants to clean up this system. We had a hearing on this issue last week. The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations had a hearing on this issue, and we have…

there are many kinds of heroes in our world. Some create magnificent works of art which raise our spirits to nobler visions. Some make tremendous scientific discoveries which revolutionize our understanding and our use of nature for human…

on behalf of the people of Minnesota I have taken the floor today to express our condolences to Rehnquist family for their loss and gratitude and admiration for his extraordinary life of service. The Midwest, where William Rehnquist was…

I would like to welcome over 30,000 young men to Washington D.C. for the 2005 National Boy Scout of America Jamboree. I would also like to give my sincerest condolences to the families of the four Boy Scout leaders who were tragically…

on July 14 the United Nations' Working Group on Internet Governance, WGIG, issued its final report. WGIG was formed following the December 2003 U.N. World Summit on Information Policy with the intention of simply developing a consensus…