The Federal agencies responsible for protecting Western communities from these fires must use the smartest, most cost-effective firefighting strategies possible.

today I am being joined by my colleagues Senators Collins, Merkley, and King on the introduction of the Storage Technology for Renewable and Green Energy Act of 2013 or the STORAGE 2013 Act. The purpose of the bill is to promote the…

I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Thursday, June 6, 2013, at 9:30 a.m. in room…

I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Thursday…

I hope that all of you as companies and advocates will also start to factor in that these drugs affect people differently.

That sounds too logical for Washington.

The trade jobs pay better than do the non-trade jobs.

Thank you for very timely leadership. I think this is a particular important time for us to look back.

I think for our panel members, what you are getting is a sense of how importantly this committee regards international trade.

While he is here, I just want to tell Senator Thune how much I have enjoyed working with him on the ENFORCE legislation.

We are concerned that some of the other functions, particularly in terms of their trade-related obligations where they can really play a key role in facilitating commerce, we are concerned that that is really getting short shrift.

I think you have to start with the proposition that at that time the level of desperation among seniors for some measure of assistance with their medicine was just extraordinary.

I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at 10 a.m. in room SD-366…

I am pleased that the Senate will be voting on the confirmation of Judge Michael McShane today to serve as U.S. district court judge for the District of Oregon. Judge McShane is a product of the judicial selection committee that I have…

That is a loophole that Congress ought to close.

What troubles me is, on your watch, when the lines are blurring on this disclosure issue, as far as I can tell you all did not do anything to correct the problem in a meaningful way.

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on May 20, 2013, at 10 a.m., in SH-216 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to continue its executive business meeting…

if political organizations do not want to be scrutinized by the government, they should not seek privileges like tax-free status and anonymity for their donors.

I believe we have run out of those in the Senate who wish to speak. I would just like to state again that this is a nominee who is supported by both Senator Murkowski and myself. This is a nominee who got an overwhelming bipartisan vote in…

I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a meeting of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has been scheduled to discuss natural gas issues. The meeting will be held on Thursday, May…

the nomination of Dr. Ernest Moniz to head the Department of Energy is now the pending business in the Senate. I would like to discuss the nomination. I note my friend and colleague Senator Murkowski is here. Both of us will take a short…

today I rise to reintroduce the Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act with my colleague Senator Crapo. This legislation would end the legal uncertainty facing the timber industry by enacting legislation to preserve the Environmental…

I am going to take a few minutes to talk about why the events of the last 24 hours drive home how valuable it would be to have a House-Senate budget conference begin to meet and to deal with the extraordinary set of fiscal challenges our…

I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

I appreciate Senator Reid yielding me this time and Senator McConnell being on the floor for this, and I will be brief. As I discussed earlier this morning, yesterday's new report from the Congressional Budget Office highlights why it…