I object to any further proceedings with respect to this legislation. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection having been heard, the bill will be placed on the calendar under rule XIV. ____________________

Following morning business, the Senate will be in executive session to consider the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to be a judge for the District of Columbia Circuit. At noon there will be a cloture vote. I want to make sure that the…

I suggest the absence of a quorum. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum…

last week, my friend the Republican leader tried to convince us that Republicans realize it would be disastrous to raise taxes on the middle class. Here on the Senate floor, he quoted half a dozen news reports as evidence that the Senate…

I now ask for the second reading but object to my own request. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The bill will be read for a second time on the next legislative day. ____________________

I am told that S. 1944, introduced earlier today by Senator Casey, is due for its first reading. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the bill by title for the first time. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 239, S. 384. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 384) to amend…

I ask unanimous consent to proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 343. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res. 343) commemorating the…

if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:13 p.m., adjourned until Tuesday, December 6, 2011, at 10 a.m…

about noon tomorrow there will be a cloture vote on the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia. ____________________

today following leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 4:30 p.m. Following morning business, the Senate will be in executive session to consider four U.S. District judges. At 5:30 p.m., there will be a rollcall vote…

Dr. Peggy A. Bulger will retire at the end of December after more than 12 years of service to the Library of Congress. As the Director of the Library's American Folklife Center, Dr. Bulger has worked to preserve our Nation's history for…

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 6, 2011; that following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted 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 a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and any related statements be printed in the Record. The PRESIDING OFFICER…

I ask unanimous consent that Tiffany Griffin, a fellow in Senator Bingaman's office, be granted the privilege of the floor during today's session of the Senate. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I ask unanimous consent that Roger Yang, a member of the staff of Senator Merkley, be granted the privilege of the floor today. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

tonight the Senate will vote overwhelmingly to support our men and women in uniform, including the more than 1,100 Nevadans serving overseas, as they continue to put their lives on the line. I congratulate Senators Levin and McCain for…

the next rollcall vote will be the 9,000th vote cast by Senator Frank Lautenberg. Senator Lautenberg, the senior Senator from New Jersey, has always been a fighter for his State, for progressive causes. Before coming to the Senate, Senator…

if we have this consent agreement that I am going to ask in just a second, we will have four votes remaining for the evening, and that would be all. We will be in session tomorrow. We have some things we need to do procedurally, but there…

yesterday on the Senate floor my friend the Republican leader said he supports an extension of the payroll tax cut that had been enacted last year. There has been an extreme change of heart here. On the Sunday shows the assistant leader…

there are six measures at the desk due for a second reading. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will read the measures by title for the second time en bloc. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: A joint resolution (S.J…

following leader remarks the Senate will be in morning business until 11 a.m. Following that morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the Defense Department authorization bill. This will be postcloture debate. We expect to…

I now ask unanimous consent to resume legislative session. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Kansas. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent that on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, at 11 a.m., the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 43; that there be 1 hour for debate, equally divided in the usual form prior to the cloture vote…