we Democrats have been saying for more than 4 months it is time for the House to pass a middle-class tax cut, which we approved here in the Senate in July. As the days until the country goes over the fiscal cliff tick by, more and more…

following leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 11:45 today. During that period of time, Senators will be allowed to speak up to 10 minutes each. It is certainly not mandatory, but we would like that time…

to my friend from Texas, the conference we will have won't take very long--half an hour, maybe 45 minutes. I am sure we could finish that by 1:45 p.m. or something like that, and we could have a vote. ____________________

I know there are airplanes that people want to leave in, but this is very important. This vote will end at about 1 p.m. I scheduled the caucus for 1:30 p.m. There is no reason we couldn't start the caucus at 1:05 p.m. We can move it up. I…

I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 554, S. 3637. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion. The bill clerk read as follows: Motion to proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 554 (S. 3637), a bill to temporarily extend…

If my friend will yield, I have business here and then he will get the floor right back. ____________________

Reserving the right to object, I have been thinking how best to describe what has been going on here on Capitol Hill the last couple of weeks. Every morning I get up, the first thing I read is the sports page. I am disappointed in the…

I reserve the right to object. Just a minute ago, Mr. President, I moved to the Russia trade bill. The purpose of moving this bill is to protect American jobs. If we don't do this legislation, we will lose American jobs for sure and put…

Would the Chair announce the business for the day? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. ____________________

As provided under the previous order, at 5 p.m., the Senate will proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 676. For the information of all Senators, we expect a rollcall vote on the nomination of Michael Shea, a district court…

across the country Americans are lamenting the lack of progress in negotiations to avoid a massive tax increase on middle-class families, and I share that frustration. But for insight into why negotiations have been difficult, consider…

I ask unanimous consent that no amendments be in order to H.R. 6156; that following the reporting of the bill, there be up to 5 hours of debate, equally divided by the two leaders or their designees during today's session; that on…

there is no Geithner proposal. This is all made up. Mr. President, I remember Dorothy in ``The Wizard of Oz''--I think she was from Kansas and she wound up in Oz. We are here in Washington, DC, and yet suddenly we are in Oz--a real strange…

following leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for up to 4 hours. The reason for that is we have been on a Defense bill for a considerable number of days, and people haven't had the opportunity to come to…

it would be hard to travel to a university campus or to a chamber of commerce meeting or anyplace in the country, travel just to a supermarket and talk to people where they wouldn't all agree that the Senate is dysfunctional, has not…

it has been almost 3 weeks since we all met with the President to avert that fiscal cliff we hear so much about. Yesterday, after weeks of delay, and as the days dwindle and taxes are set to go up for millions of families and businesses…

following leader remarks the Senate will proceed to executive session to consider the disabilities treaty. The time until noon will be equally divided and controlled between Senators Kerry and Lugar, the managers of this treaty, or their…

if I could say a word, I was looking for an opportunity to express my appreciation to the two managers of this bill. This has been hard, but they have done an excellent job. There is nothing more important we do here than make sure that…

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. 3654 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 4, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING…

I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 4, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

we hope shortly after the caucuses are ended today that we will have a vote on final passage of the Defense authorization bill. The managers have a few more amendments they are going to try to clear, but I think very quickly after the…

I took no risk, because Senator Levin from Michigan and Senator McCain from Arizona said, We will finish the bill in 3 days. So I had no risk because I knew that is what they would do. We may have spilled over a few hours, but basically…

I would object to any further proceedings with respect to this legislation at this time. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The objection is heard. The bill will be placed in the calendar. ____________________

I am told there is a bill, H.R. 6429, due for a second reading. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will read the bill by title for the second time. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (H.R. 6429) to amend the Immigration…