This is not the time for being funny. This is a time for addressing the problems we have in this country with a debt that is going on and on. No one can dispute what I said, and that is, during the nineties when we had pay-go, record…

let's not kid ourselves. We are in this financial situation and these pay-as-you-go rules are necessary because we spent the last decade spending money we did not have. We spent trillions on two wars, tax breaks for millionaires…

pay-go, as we are attempting to legislate, has not been in effect. That is what we are trying to do. That is why this legislation is so vitally important. I appreciate the work of the Budget Committee and the Finance Committee getting us…

This measure, however, is crafted in such a way that it could actually become effective, with America alone not having to depend on the cooperation of the other countries that tend to be less concerned about whether Iran ultimately becomes…

I believe that passing this legislation is critical to send Iran the message that the United States is serious about keeping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. This legislation would impose new sanctions on Iran's refined…

I rise today to honor Ms. Delia Martinez of Henderson, NV, who on January 19, 2010, passed away at the age of 61. Ms. Martinez was a dedicated public servant who volunteered countless hours of service to communities around the State of…

at the end of last December, I made a commitment to bring S. 2799, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Accountability and Divestment Act, to the Senate floor. This critical legislation would impose new sanctions on Iran's refined petroleum…

this resolution concerns a civil action filed by two individuals against five Senators, two Representatives, and the Federal Election Commission. Plaintiffs' challenge rests on their claim to a right that Congress pass health care…

I rise today to pay tribute to Pamela Gavin, who will retire from Office of the Secretary of the Senate on February 1, 2010, after more than 24 years of service as the Superintendent of Public Records. During that time, she and her staff…

on Saturday on public radio, there was a very nice piece on our Chaplain. It was a long interview; it must have taken 10 or 15 minutes. The woman doing the interview on public radio came to his office here. She was at various places with…

I congratulate our distinguished colleague, Senator Specter, as he is about to cast his 10,000th vote as a Senator. He is only the 30th Senator to reach this number of five digits. I have known Senator Specter for more than a quarter of a…

we have all been working to help the people of Haiti and the American citizens who have been caught up in this tragedy. That is why we are committed to work with Senator Baucus, Senator Nelson, Senator Menendez, and Republican colleagues…

I will speak briefly on the statement of my friend, the senior Senator from Kentucky, about the Nigerian terrorist. The one thing we need not do is politicize the fight against terrorism. John Brennan did testify yesterday in our…

visiting with Nevadans, as I have done during these past several weeks, it is impossible not to be motivated to get back to the business of legislating. It is impossible to ignore their grief over growing foreclosures or the uncertainty of…

I think that is what the American people expect you to do, to take decisive action to generate jobs.

If the employer will keep the person at work for at least part time and continue benefits, then the State will pay the sort of the unemployment that they would have gotten.

They would have lost the home.

We are going to see a huge increase in children in poverty.

If you can bail out Wall Street, why can't you help out on Main Street?

If nothing is done, you can expect to see 1 million jobs lost this summer and fall as States and local governments pare back on the services they provide.

Giving these people support is not only humane, it actually helps support spending throughout the economy, creating jobs throughout the private sector.

Most economists...give the Recovery Act a major share of credit for jump-starting the moribund economy.

I think it is really important to do things because some of the things we are going to do will need to be extended for years.

There is no question in anyone's mind that our economy and the unemployment rate would be far worse if Congress had not acted boldly.

The employers really like this program, and I think for the reason you point out.