I ask unanimous consent that from Friday, December 16 through Monday, January 23, 2012, the majority leader be recognized to sign duly enrolled bills and joint resolutions. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I ask unanimous consent that the joint resolution be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, there be no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to this matter be printed in the…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. MORNING BUSINESS

I ask unanimous consent that at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning, Saturday, December 17, the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 257, H.R. 3630; that the majority leader be recognized to offer a Reid-McConnell substitute amendment…

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 17, 2011; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be…

the Republican leader and I have done enough back and forth, staking out our positions, and our positions are fairly clear to the American people. What we are going to try to do during the next few hours is work toward resolving some of…

I appreciate the courtesy of my friend, the assistant leader. I wish to tell all the Members of the Senate that we will probably have a series of votes around 4 o'clock this afternoon. ____________________

I move to proceed to Calendar No. 257, H.R. 3630. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 257, H.R. 3630, an act to provide incentives for the creation of jobs…

I ask unanimous consent that we now proceed to H.R. 3421. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (H.R. 3421) to award Congressional Gold Medals in honor of the men and…

I have a cloture motion at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion. The legislative clerk read as follows: Cloture Motion We, the undersigned…

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

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record. The…

Following leader remarks, we will be in a period of morning business for 1 hour. The Republicans will control the first half and the majority will control the final half. Following morning business, the Senate will be in executive session…

As the Chair knows, Calendar No. 337 is Morgan Christen of Alaska. ____________________

Reserving the right to object, my friend is living in a world of nonreality. Let's look for a way out. The House of Representatives, which has a significant majority of Republicans, last week couldn't even pass a bill. That was in all the…

I now object to any further proceedings at this time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The bill will be placed on the calendar. ____________________

We will both object, just for good measure--a bipartisan objection. Would the Chair announce the business of the day. ____________________

Senate majority leader Harry Reid... said that there are continuing negotiations on the other major issue... extending this payroll tax cut.

what I said is, I ask that if we get a bill from the House to have a CR, a continuing resolution, for another few days, that we be allowed to take it up. Under the rules of the Senate and the Congress, I cannot initiate a CR here. It is a…

we expect to consider the DOD authorization conference report tomorrow. We also expect to consider the House Republican payroll tax cut bill or some version thereof. ____________________

I understand that H.R. 3630 is at the desk and due for a second reading. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title for the second time. The bill clerk read as follows: A bill (H.R. 3630) to provide incentives for the…

talk about a diversion--that is what we just heard. My friend the Republican leader has talked from the very beginning of this Congress that his No. 1 goal is to defeat Obama for reelection. That is not looking so good. Romney is…

I know Congressman Moran. He is a fine man who has been in Congress many, many years. But he should step over here and talk to Senator Menendez or Marco Rubio and see how they feel about Cuba and the language in that bill that changes…

I ask unanimous consent that following the two scheduled votes in the Senate, we proceed to the consideration of H.R. 3630, which is the House-passed legislation--the House-passed legislation that, out of 435 Members of Congress, got 10…

this has become a familiar scene on Capitol Hill. As time ticks down to the wire, the House has sent the Senate yet another bill that will not pass. Meanwhile, American families stare down a $1,000 tax increase, and on January 1 they will…