I ask unanimous consent that privileges of the floor be granted to the following Members of Senator Franken's staff: Whitney Brown and Joel Salomon, for the rest of today's session. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

let me thank Senator Coons for his remarks, echo one point he made, and make an announcement. The point I wish to echo is that the importance of American democracy and of clean American elections does, indeed, extend beyond our borders, as…

Senator Coons will be joining us very shortly. He was on the floor a moment ago and will be back very shortly. I wish to take a moment before he returns--here he is. I will not take a moment before he returns. I yield the floor to the…

I ask unanimous consent that for the duration of today's session, Alex Link, Rob Famigletti, and Samantha Freeman, who are fellows on my Judiciary Committee staff, be granted floor privileges. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without…

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration en bloc of the following resolutions which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 520, 521, 522, and 523. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

I know we have Senator Hagan, Senator Bennet, and Senator Franken all here waiting, but I would like to do some quick parliamentary business that needs to be accomplished. Resolutions Submitted Today

I rise today to speak about the DISCLOSE Act of 2012. This is legislation that will shine a bit of needed light into the flood of secret money in our elections. I would like to start with particular thanks to Senators Chuck Schumer…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Rhode Island.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Order of Procedure

It is significant that we are here at this hearing finding out that there is in fact no safe level of lead in blood for children.

It is not just the agricultural sector that is getting clobbered by the drought and the heat. As the Presiding Officer, Senator Udall of New Mexico, knows all too well, and to quote from a New York Times story: Explosive wildfires have…

That shows the original challenge to climate change theory, based on the incident of Snowmageddon, was like so much that is said to challenge climate change--phony, outright wrong, a misunderstanding of how it works, and misrepresenting…

Secretary Chertoff, Admiral McConnell, Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz, General Hayden, and General Cartwright urged us to: . . . bring cyber security legislation to the floor as soon as possible. Given the time left in this legislative session…

This explains that the threat is only going to get worse; inaction is not an acceptable option. This letter was signed by former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, former Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, former…

I thank the Presiding Officer, and I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cardin). The Senator from South Dakota.

I have been fighting for a long time, I was the attorney general who sued the lead paint industry for the damage that they were doing to Rhode Island children.

we were here two winters ago, in February, when Washington was hit by a snowstorm that achieved the nickname Snowmageddon. The city and, in fact, much of the mid-Atlantic was buried under feet of snow. It was the biggest snowstorm in 90…

I am delighted to respond to the Senator in two ways. First, as the Senator so well pointed out, this is not a future threat or a prospective threat that we need to prepare ourselves against; this is an ongoing, current threat. There is a…

I rise to speak about cybersecurity, but specifically about the cyber threat to our Nation's critical infrastructure. By critical infrastructure I mean the power grid that supplies electricity to our homes that keeps us warm in the winter…

I ask unanimous consent that Senator Blumenthal and I be recognized for the next 20 or so minutes to speak on the issue of cybersecurity. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Cybersecurity

I not only salute what the Senator from Iowa has done on the production tax credit, but I also recognize that one of our great Rhode Island companies that is developing bioprocessed algal fuels has opened its major facility in the…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on July 10, 2012, at 2:45 p.m., in room SD-215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Boosting…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on July 10, 2012, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Developing the Framework for Safe and…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on July 10, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on banking, housing…

I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on July 10, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________