I guess rationality is in the eye of the beholder. The real facts here are that, on Iraq, for example, the bill the President vetoed was not filibustered. We sent a measure to the President that he vetoed that had 51 or 52 votes. It was in…

I say to my friend, it is this. It is the Republicans who are stopping us from going to conference on this bill. They may send one person out, and it could be a rotating person, but they are stopping us from going forward. The ploy of the…

It wasn't too many years ago that sessions of the Senate were much shorter than they are now. During the summertime, the months of July and August, people went home because it was so hot. They simply couldn't handle the heat in this…

I think it is good we try to have a good work environment the next few weeks. We have a lot of things to do. We have been through one of the most difficult issues that has ever faced this body, ever, in the 200-plus years we have been a…

finally, again, I want the record spread with how much I appreciate this. I know the families of 9/11 appreciate Democrats and Republicans coming together and agreeing to complete this legislation, which we will complete very quickly.

The surge is not working. No matter how many different ways you explain it, it hasn't worked -- six months, 600 dead Americans, $60 billion.

I think we will find, in the next couple of weeks, whether the Republicans who have said publicly they think the president's course should change are willing to vote with us. We invite them to come with us. We put our arms around them.

This may happen as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid gets ready to launch debate on a series of amendments to the 2008 defense budget dealing with Iraq.

this Sunday is the halfway mark of the year 2007. It is also the 2-month mark since President Bush vetoed the supplemental appropriations bill we sent to him which would have set a responsible path to reduce our combat operations, save…

we have tried and tried and tried to get the Republicans to allow us to go to conference on ethics, on lobbying reform and also on the 9/11 Commission recommendations. They have prohibited us from doing that. In the Senate, there are…

The 9/11 families are grateful to Congressional Leadership for taking the difficult step of removing a controversial labor provision from pending security legislation intended to implement the remaining 9/11 Commission recommendations. We…

I have a suggestion. I think it is a valid, constructive suggestion. I would say to my friend from South Carolina, what he should do is see what he can do to get on the conference. That is what I would suggest. I would be happy to have you…

I have no objection to going to conference, but there is no reason to conference with the House on rules that apply only to the Senate.

Mr. President, 31,500 new detention beds. In Las Vegas, when someone is picked up on an immigration violation, there is no place to put them. That is what this legislation does, actual money--not authorizing money but actual money. That is…

I thought so. So you are probably not familiar with conferences because under Republican leadership, they were eliminated. There were no conferences. I have said we will hold public conferences. So even though my friend is probably not…

I don't wish to relegislate the supplemental. I think it was one of the best things that has happened to the country in a long time. We were able to get some things in that bill, such as minimum wage, for the first time in 10 years…

it goes without saying I am disappointed that the two issues we have had to do--so important--ethics and lobbying reform and the 9/11 Commission recommendations implementation--that there have been objections. All kinds of reasons, but it…

this is the Defense authorization bill. I hope there will be a little conversation about this tomorrow. This will get us back and focusing on the intractable war that is taking place in Iraq. I made a call a day or two ago to speak to…

I would assure my friend that I have spoken to the Speaker on more than one occasion. We have been trying to get to conference on this for quite some time now. They completed their work. It has been about 3 rac{1}{2} weeks. I believe…

For the first time in 131 years, someone was indicted working in the White House. That man has now been convicted and is in prison. The President's appointee to handle Government contracting was led away in handcuffs from his office. He is…

As I told a number of my Republican friends, even though the vote is disheartening to me in many ways, I think as a result of this legislative work we have done in the last several months on this legislation, there have been friendships…

Is immigration a problem? Of course, it is. But is immigration a problem that is limited to Texas, Arizona, California, the border States? No. Is immigration a problem only for big cities, such as San Antonio, New York, Chicago, L.A.? No…

Let's be realistic about this. The war in Iraq is dragging down people's confidence in what's going on in this country.

I will be happy to work with Senator Lieberman. He is a person who has a reputation for being fair. He would be the chair of this conference, as far as I know. I say to my friend, I will be happy to take a look at this issue--no…

I say to Senator Coburn, I received a note. This is from Senator Lieberman's staff: We have worked very close with Senator Coburn's staff--in particular his subcommittee staff director--Katie French. Coburn's provisions were included in S…