I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To ensure that Federal disaster assistance is available for the…

I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be set aside and that amendment No. 3371 be called up. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the pending amendment is set aside. The clerk will report. The bill clerk read as follows…

Well, I have five I was going to place pending, and I will be happy to work with the managers.

Through the Chair, I would ask the majority leader, he does not want amendments to be made pending for us to debate?

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate set aside the pending amendment and call up amendment No. 3368. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? The majority leader.

I intend to object to any unanimous consent agreement to proceed to or dispose of Calendar Number 536, Senate Bill 2215, a bill to create jobs in the United States by increasing United States exports to Africa by at least 200 percent in…

I rise to speak of the confirmation of John Dowdell of Tulsa, OK, to a seat on the District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Mr. Dowdell is a native of Tulsa and a graduate of Bishop Kelly High School. Mr. Dowdell received his…

I think the short-term political gain seems to be more important for the politicians than the long-term future of our country.

There's no leadership in Washington either at the presidential level or the leadership level in Congress.

There isn't an economist in this country that thinks raising taxes is actually going to help our economy grow.

The law is such that it is that tax rates are going to go up. The question is will we keep them from going up on everybody? Or will we keep them from going up on everybody except those above $250,000? That's the law.

Playing politics for the short-term political gain may help you in the short run, but in the long run it does tremendous damage to our country.

What we ought to be working on is the other 93 percent because even if you do what he wants to do on tax breaks, you only affect 7 percent of the deficit.

I wish to explain my vote against Mr. Michael Shea, nominee to the District Court of Connecticut. My decision is based on Mr. Shea's assistance in drafting an anticus brief in the Supreme Court case of Kelo v. New London on behalf of the…

I just wanted to spend a few minutes talking about Reed amendment No. 3255 and to point out to my colleagues I know this amendment will pass, but I believe we ought to be on record as voting to add $1.7 billion in additional funds that our…

I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business to offer a tribute. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Honoring Michael Schwartz

I wish to take a moment to honor a member of my staff who is not retiring but as a result of his ailment can no longer come to work on the Hill. This gentleman's name is Michael Schwartz. He has been my chief of staff for almost 15 years…

we have made remarkable progress in this country in terms of research into diseases. Since Francis Collins and his great work on the genome complex became successful, the way we research disease has totally changed. I have my favorite aunt…

All we are asking for the veterans of this country is that if their rights are taken away that it be adjudicated by a judge or magistrate. That is all we are asking. Rather than a social worker at the VA--which is what happens today to…

``Advances in the biological sciences have changed the way we view disease. We now recognize the dysfunction of specific biochemical pathways''--not disease-specific pathways--``biochemical pathways that govern cell behavior that may be…

I ask unanimous consent to continue until I finish my remarks. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?

It is outlining NIH's and specifically the National Cancer Institute's concerns with this type of directive from us. I think they care about whether we solve these problems associated with these recalcitrant cancers. I think people who…

I think we ought to have a recorded vote on this since we are not paying for it and we are taking $1.9 billion out of the O&M budget of the Defense Department. I ask we have a recorded vote. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient…

I would be happy to yield. Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, there is no one I know of in this body at any time who would not want to assist and provide the best care, especially for our disabled children who have autism. It is one of the most…

Reserving the right to object, this bill came out of the Veterans' Committee 14 to 0. They had hearings on it. We have done the work. It has been done. It came unanimously out of the Veterans' Committee. There is no question about what is…