transportation projects financed by American taxpayers should, to the maximum extent possible, be built using American materials and American workers. But all too often loopholes have crept in that have resulted in American transportation…

this is simple common sense, that you can drive across your State, but if the place you drop off your food is across the border, you have to put it into an interstate truck to go 1 mile down the road. That makes no sense for farmers, it…

I ask unanimous consent for an additional 30 seconds. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I rise to address the Baucus amendment that maintains the core Federal commitment to our timber counties through the Secure Rural Schools and the Payment in Lieu of Taxes Programs. Let me give you a sense of what this is all about. This is…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, at 10 a.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The…

I ask unanimous consent that my intern, B.J. Westlund, be granted privileges of the floor for the balance of today's session. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Manchin). Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and the Coast Guard of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 7, 2012, at 2:30…

I rise to address the surface transportation bill that is on the floor. It has been a mark of the challenges this body faces in deliberation that we have now been on this bill for 3 weeks, and we have not had a debate over transportation…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 7, 2012, at 9:30 a.m. in room SH 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 7, 2012, at 9 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on commerce, science, and…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 7, 2012, at 10 a.m. in room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``The President's…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on March 7, 2012, at 10 a.m., in room SD 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session on March 7, 2012, in room SD 50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building beginning at 10 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection…

I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 7, 2012, at 2 p.m. in room 562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``Opportunities…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Water and Power be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 7, 2012, at 2:30 p.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…

I think it is a reminder of the potential, and that is just retirement savings.

If it gains a taint of fraud on the front end, it will be very hard to improve on that in the future.

I rise today to talk about the attack on women's health care that has been taking place over the last few weeks. There has been a heated debate in Washington about access to contraception for all women, regardless of her employer. There is…

I rise to draw my colleagues' attention to an issue of great importance to our rural communities. If Congress does not act, many of our rural counties will face an increasingly dire state of affairs in the months to come. Across the United…

If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:11 p.m., adjourned until Thursday, February 16, 2012, at 10…

I understand S. 2111, introduced earlier today by Senator Leahy, is at the desk, and I ask for its first reading. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the title of the bill for the first time. The assistant legislative clerk read as…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on February 15, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. in room SD G50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on February 15, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. in room SD G50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 378, which was submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on February 15, 2012, at 10:30 a.m., in room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``The…