Well, no. In fact, there was a front page story today, I believe, in one of the major newspapers declaring the fact that they are home from the battlefront and are now in the unemployment line. So we are seeing a remarkable number of…

I thank the Chairwoman. I know a major reason that the Chairwoman wants to get back to regular order is that continuing resolutions are blunt instruments that do not allow for the adjustments for specific programs. One place where that has…

Madam President, I would ask my colleague, Senator Mikulski, Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, if she would join me and our colleague Senator Collins in a colloquy on the Weatherization Assistance Program.

Yes, I will welcome the opportunity to work with the Senator and our colleagues here in the Senate on priority needs within the Interior bill, including American Indian and Alaska Native health and education issues, to the extent possible…

Madam President, before I begin, I want to thank Chairwoman Mikulski. She has demonstrated both leadership and resolve in her new role and in assembling this bill under very challenging circumstances. Overall, this bill provides a total of…

I thank the Chairwoman for that response. I look forward to working with her, Senator Collins, and others to support this program in fiscal year 2013 and during the fiscal year 2014 funding cycle. ____________________

Mr. President, 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 13, 2013, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Costs and…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 13, 2013, at 10 a.m., to hold a hearing entitled, ``Strategic Counterterrorism: Meeting Current…

I thank the Senator from Oklahoma, and I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.

Let me say, I think the Senator's comments are accurate in that because the CR terminates on September 30, then because it terminates, the CR, this language might go away. But the clear language here is not a--and I think that is the point…

If I could reclaim the time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.

I believe I still have the time. Let me make one point. This is a complicated rule that has tried to balance various equities--environmental protection, protecting the navigable waters of the United States, recognizing small farms or farms…