following leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 5 o'clock today. At 5 o'clock the Senate will proceed to the nomination of Robert Bacharach, of Oklahoma, to be a U.S. circuit judge for the Tenth Circuit…

I rise today to recognize the important work of Michael J. Mulligan, who retired February 1, 2013. Mr. Mulligan demonstrated great dedication to enhancing the safety and security of the United States Senate, staff, and visitors. Beginning…

the Senate has a great deal to accomplish, including the long-delayed confirmation of former Senator Chuck Hagel to lead the Defense Department. This week the Senate will also consider two plans to avert devastating across-the-board cuts…

Until there is some agreement on revenue, I believe we should just go ahead with the sequester.

Until there's some agreement on revenue, I believe we should just go ahead with the sequester.

Has the Chair announced the business of the day? The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 5 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The…

the next rollcall vote will be on Monday, February 25, at 5:30 p.m., on confirmation of the Bacharach nomination. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent that on Monday, February 25, 2013, at 5:00 p.m., the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 7; that there be 30 minutes of debate equally divided in the usual form…

Following my remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of Senator Hagel to be Secretary of Defense. Yesterday I filed cloture on the Hagel nomination. That vote will occur tomorrow morning. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent that the Lautenberg amendment to the resolution, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; the preamble be agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be laid on the table with no…

I ask unanimous consent that if the Senate receives an adjournment resolution from the House identical to the text which is at the desk, the concurrent resolution be considered agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and…

the purpose of this--and I have had meetings with Senator McConnell--is that we are each going to have a piece of legislation to hold the sequester from kicking in, and this is the easiest way to do it without a lot of procedural motions…

I ask unanimous consent that either on Monday, February 25, or Tuesday, February 26, I be permitted and the Republican leader be permitted to introduce a bill to replace the sequester required under the Budget Control Act; further, that if…

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

this is not a filibuster. This is not a filibuster. I would like to see what a filibuster is. This is the first time in the history of our country that a Secretary of Defense has been filibustered, filibustered successfully and probably…

I ask unanimous consent that from Friday, February 15, through Monday, February 25, Senator Levin be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record as follows: S. 343 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives…

in less than 2 hours our country will be without a Secretary of Defense at a time when we have a war going on in Afghanistan and about 70,000 troops there. We have a nuclear weapon which was detonated in North Korea a few days ago. They…

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record as follows: S. 342 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives…

I ask unanimous consent to proceed to S. Res. 36. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res. 36) recognizing February 19, 2013 as the centennial of…

I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 21 and that the Senate proceed to its consideration. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 35, which was submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A…

at the request of the Republicans, I ask unanimous consent that at 4:15 today, the Senate proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Hagel nomination; that the time until 4:15 be equally divided between the two leaders or their…

if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it adjourn under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:57 p.m., adjourned until Friday, February 15, 2013, at 12 noon.