On the recordFebruary 8, 2018
before I make my remarks, let me just say that in what we might call the current unpleasantness in Washington, what a pleasant thing it is to be here on the Senate floor and hear the respected chairman of the Senate Finance Committee say the positive words he has said, describe his success at expanding CHIP and call to our memory the name of Senator Kennedy--who was his friend and ally in creating that program upon which so many children across America depend. So I thank him for a lovely moment in an otherwise somewhat, shall we say, challenging Washington environment. Mr. President, in the spirit of back-and-forth--which is often the spirit of the Senate--I am following Senator Hatch, but I see Senator Wicker also on the floor. If time is pressing on him, I would be willing to consider yielding for a few moments. I don't know how much time he intends to consume.
