On behalf of Senators Mikulski and Shelby, I call up their substitute amendment, as modified, which is at the desk. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the amendment. The bill clerk read as follows: The Senator from…

I withdraw the cloture motion. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The cloture motion is withdrawn.

I understand there is a bill at the desk due for its first reading. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct. The clerk will read the bill by title for the first time. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 558)…

Tomorrow we will continue to work through the amendments to the CR. There will be at least one rollcall vote at approximately 11:15. We hope to complete action on this bill tomorrow. ____________________

With the tremendous work Senator Coburn has to put into this so he can finish it in the next 12 hours, maybe we can move to the bill tomorrow. But I know he has a lot of work to do on the bill, so we will have to see how he feels about it…

For many years and decades Senator McCain has been a watchdog of what goes on with spending in this country. I expect that from him, so I don't say that in a negative fashion. I don't have a problem with Senator McCain looking over this…

If my friend would yield-- Mr. McCAIN. I appreciate the majority leader's responsibilities, and I appreciate his frustration. I hope he will understand ours and we will try to move this as quickly as possible. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The…

Of course. Mr. McCAIN. First of all, I appreciate very much the majority leader's responsibility to make sure we take up and pass legislation. There are many times when I have to say that the majority leader has been frustrated by some…

Object to what? Mr. President, through the Chair to my friend from Arizona, this is a 587-page bill that has been available to the public because the vast majority of this bill is identical to what the House already passed-- identical. He…

Earlier this year, with November election losses fresh in their minds, top Republicans promised a kinder, gentler Republican Party, a Republican Party that cared about ``every American . . . achieving their dreams.'' Republicans bandied…

I hope the record is very clear that I do not criticize Senator Shelby. He has done his best. He was a tremendous advocate for what he thought should be in this bill. But we are going to have Senators stand up and talk about what is wrong…

following leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 12:30 today. The majority will control the first 30 minutes, the Republicans the second 30 minutes. Chairman Mikulski and Ranking Member Shelby are expected to make…

I am somewhat amazed and stunned. You would think that someone who is given an answer to the question--yes--should pretty much be satisfied. We have been trying to keep the government from shutting down. I appreciate the work done by the…

we expect to adopt the motion to proceed to this bill this afternoon and start on the amendment process. I have spoken to the Chair and the ranking member of this committee, and we are anxious to move forward and start doing some…

it used to be, before the last Congress, the Senate had two speeds: one for deliberation and one for getting things done. Senators saved the deliberation speed for truly great issues of the day, and when we needed to get the country's…

I want everyone to hear what I am saying now. If somebody comes to me and says: You can get on the bill if you give me these amendments, I won't agree. We will have cloture on it on Thursday. We are through the dealmaking stage. We have…

I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 21, H.R. 933. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion. The legislative clerk read as follows: Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 21, H.R. 933, a bill making appropriations for the…

we are going to take up legislation this week to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year. I applaud the committee work done by Chairman Mikulski and Ranking Member Shelby. These two individuals are seasoned veterans. They…

this evening the Senate will vote on two judicial nominations: Richard Gary Taranto, of Maryland, to be U.S. circuit judge for the Federal Circuit and Andrew Patrick Gordon, of Nevada, to be U.S. district judge for the District of Nevada…

I am told S. 505 is ready for its second reading; is that correct? The President pro tempore. The majority leader is correct. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 505) to prohibit the…

I object to any further proceedings with respect to this bill. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard. The bill will be placed on the calendar. ____________________

Following leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 5 p.m. today. Following that morning business, the Senate will proceed to executive session to consider the nomination of Gary Taranto to be a U.S. circuit judge for…

Would the Chair announce the business for the day? The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Murphy). Under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. ____________________

my Republican colleagues love to extol the virtues of regular order. If only we could get back to regular order, they say, we could function again. Yesterday, we saw both sides of that. On the one hand, my Republican colleagues did…

the Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2 p.m. today. Both the majority and minority have caucus meetings. Cloture was filed on the nomination this morning. If no agreement is reached, we are going to vote Saturday morning. I hope we can…