The Senate as a body can help alleviate this crisis by acting on, I believe, 44 judicial nominations that have been referred to us.

First, it is an honor to introduce Dr. William F. Kuntz II, to the Committee today.

Well, thank you, and I know my colleagues are waiting. I apologize for being late.

I rise to speak about the crisis we have. I guess I ask my Republican colleagues: Please, don't shut down our government. A shutdown will hurt all Americans--our businesses, our middle-class families, our servicemembers who could see their…

I rise first to salute my colleague from Oregon for his eloquent words and his passion. I know he has dedicated his life to making the lives of people better. That is why he feels strongly about how badly a government shutdown would affect…

First, I thank him for his outstanding remarks. My question is this: Isn't it true we have had many, many Republicans in the House, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, some Presidential candidates, erstwhile potential Presidential candidates, as…

My friend makes a good point. In fact, by law, the Social Security system and its pluses and minuses and the Federal Government's budget and its pluses and minuses must be separate. So by definition, by law, the two are separate. Social…

I thank my colleague for his erudite question. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.

I rise to speak about the current status of the ongoing bipartisan budget talks. We are in a much better place than we were 2 weeks ago. The two sides are much closer than we might be able to tell from the public statements. After 3 months…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 30, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Securing the Border: Building…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 30, 2011, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Ten Years After 9/11: A Report…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 30, 2011. The Committee will meet in room SD-106 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building beginning at 10:30 a.m…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 30, 2011, at 10 a.m. in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``How Do Complexity…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 30, 2011, at 10 a.m. in Dirksen 406. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 30, 2011, at 10:30 p.m. in SR 328A. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on March 30, 2011, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled…

first, I thank my colleague from Tennessee. He has been a great partner in this effort. In fact, I would say it was his impetus that brought us here. He had thought about this long and hard and worked on it previously. As usual, it has…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on March 30, 2011, at 10 a.m. in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled…

I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Udall of New Mexico). The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 30, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on National Parks be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 30, 2011, at 2:30 p.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…

I rise to speak on the current state of partisan budget negotiations. For weeks now, the offices of the Senate majority leader, the House Speaker, and the White House have been engaged in serious talks seeking a long-term budget agreement…

The President himself has noted information included in our gun check system, NICS, which is supposed to prevent guns from being sold to the wrong people, is 'often incomplete and inadequate.'

So I hope you will do everything you can to do that.