I ask unanimous consent that we now move to a period of morning business, with Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to this matter be printed in the Record. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

we are going to have two more votes tonight. They will both be 10 minutes in duration in addition to the debate time that has already been established. Then we are going to move in a very direct way to complete as much of the debate time…

we are going to have two or three votes at 5:30. A number of the Senators who have amendments dealing with the supplemental have agreed to come at that time as soon as the votes are over and start debating those amendments tonight. We…

New Years Eve is fast approaching and for decades and decades the American people have watched the ball drop in Times Square. It is the countdown to midnight, the start of a new year. This year the American people are waiting for the ball…

I have in my hands a letter from Brian Schatz, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Hawaii, and that letter is a resignation letter. I ask unanimous consent the resignation letter be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the…

before my friend from Hawaii leaves the floor, we have all come and given speeches--a lot of us, at least-- about Senator Akaka, but we have not had a lot of people on the floor when we have done that. The presentation just now is typical…

we are going to have to decide, my friend says, how we are going to move forward on a bipartisan basis. Even on the Sunday shows we have just completed, with FOX network, Chris Wallace pushed one of the Republican leaders very hard: Would…

on behalf of the entire Senate, I welcome Senator Brian Schatz to the Senate. I congratulate him on his appointment to fill the seat of the late Senator Dan Inouye who, as we all know, was an institution in and of himself. Senator Schatz…

I am not sure my distinguished Republican counterpart has followed what has taken place in the House of Representatives. In the House, as reported by the press and we all know it, one of the plans--it did not have a name, it was not Plan…

The distinguished Senator from Oregon and I served together in the House of Representatives. Does the Senator remember the days when the House voted not as a majority but as a body to come up with how legislation should be given to the…

I think it was a very positive meeting. There was not a lot of hilarity in the meeting. Everyone knows how important it is. It was a very serious meeting and it took an extended period of time, as you all know, waiting for us.

We have two very important measures to finish. I appreciate the collegiality of the Senators on this most important piece of legislation dealing with the espionage on our country part, and we should be able to work it out tomorrow. But we…

I think it was a positive meeting. There was not a lot of hilarity in the meeting. Everyone knows how important it is. It's a very serious meeting and we took an extended period of time, as you all know, waiting for us.

I would suggest this. When we come in, in the morning, why don't we have this the first order of business. We would have the half hour evenly divided, vote on the Wyden amendment, and then final passage. That way we could devote the rest…

It would be very important to do that. I don't want to press the Senator from Oregon. He has been very good and flew all night from his newborn to get here from Oregon, and he was here at 10 a.m. I don't want to press him anymore. I say…

I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

We can't negotiate with ourselves, because that's all we're doing.

He complains that I have not delivered the votes and pass solution to the fiscal cliff. But he's in error.

We can't negotiate with ourselves because that's all we're doing.

The Republican leader finds himself frustrated.

He's upset because 'The phone never rang.'

We're in the same situation we have been in for a long time.

We have nobody to work with, to compromise.