About roughly 20 years before the trust fund itself is depleted.

I applaud the President's attention to manufacturing in this budget. I applaud his investment in education, early education and STEM, his understanding of the importance of investing in infrastructure, and of the goal of laying out a plan…

I want to echo Senator Whitehouse's concern about the chained CPI.

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Mr. Secretary, for all of your companions who are working so hard on these issues.

I can't justify it. I want to see this policy changed.

I rise to share a few comments on the votes that we are about to take. In particular, I am struck by the enormous amount of conversation over the last few days over how we make this body, our beloved Senate, work more effectively in…

I think my colleague from New Mexico is absolutely right in pointing out there were periods when the Senate really worked to face the big issues of America. And it wasn't that there weren't profound differences. There were fierce…

To my colleague from New Mexico, I would say they most adamantly get it. In fact, I had 13 townhall meetings 2 weeks ago, in conservative parts of the State, in more liberal parts of the State. And in every setting--every setting from…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Heitkamp). Without objection, it is so ordered.

Michael McShane has developed a reputation for fairness, for thoroughness, and for accuracy.

I am rising today to talk about the vision we have ahead for the next 2 years and how this Senate can fulfill its responsibilities under the Constitution to do its legislative responsibilities addressing the big issues facing America. I…

I would like to follow up on the last point Senator Udall of New Mexico made about our Founders. I have in my hand three of the Federalist Papers, Federalist Papers 22, 75, and 58. These are by Madison and Hamilton, and they explore this…

I rise today to talk about the dysfunction of the Senate, the rules of this governing body, and what we need to do to change them in order to take on the big challenges we face as a Nation. These last 2 years have created an unprecedented…

And, indeed, I feel we need to have a process where amendments are considered. In a situation where neither side is vetoing the amendments of the other, I wanted to make sure that we completed the picture for the public that not only is…

I ask unanimous consent that morning business be extended until 4 p.m., with all other provisions remaining in effect. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I thank my colleague from New Mexico. I am going to be very brief, because in 2 minutes I am taking the chair so my colleague from Maryland can continue with his schedule. Indeed, the silent secret filibuster that is occurring in the…

So my colleague from New Mexico has made this powerful case about our responsibility and about the opportunity provided under the Constitution, and I have been immersed in trying to wrestle with the components of how we actually seize that…

Is the same true of efforts to get to a conference committee after we have already passed a bill and all the amendments have been previously considered?

I thank my colleague from Rhode Island for his very lucid commentary. We do have a responsibility to enable this body to debate and decide issues in order to address the big issues facing America. It certainly is not the case that we have…

If my colleague from Rhode Island would be willing to yield for a question, I do have a question for him.

Excuse me, I am sorry, Alabama. If the Senator listened to my floor presentation, he would know I already agree with much of what he said.

I appreciate my colleague coming to the floor and starting to talk about rules. As I was listening back in my office to the Senator's presentation, and he may have enhanced it while I was walking over here, but the Senator was noting…

We heard a few moments ago from our colleague from Alabama that the problem of the Senate being able to process bills is completely as a result of the inability to offer amendments. There are certain things that don't seem to quite square…

Is the same true on both conference reports and final passage? Neither of those involve amendments, but have there been extensive filibuster efforts to keep this body from ever being able to complete one piece of business and move on to…

I want to first address the bill we passed in the early hours this morning. It is very unusual to be passing a bill in the early hours, certainly on the first day of the year. And this bill had a lot in it. This is the fiscal cliff bill…