let me thank my colleague from Minnesota for his courtesy in allowing this time for me when I would otherwise be presiding. I wanted to respond to the remarks that preceded Senator Franken's remarks, remarks by Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma…

I ask consent I follow Senator Franken. We will see to it the Presiding Officer is relieved timely, at 4 o'clock. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Student Loan Interest Rates

I wanted to confirm the order of proceeding would be Senator Franken is going to speak and then I will speak for a few moments after Senator Franken. I know the Presiding Officer is to be excused very shortly.

May I interrupt for 1 moment? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.

I would like to address a slightly different topic, which is the continuing conference on the highway bill. We passed a very good highway bill in the Senate. We passed it on time for the March 31 deadline when the highway trust fund was…

I thank the chairman, Senator Conrad, for his leadership on this important issue. I would note for the record that with the conclusion of Senator Toomey's remarks, following Senator Reed, I think for the first time in the history of the…

Eight minutes just about works, from the math. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.

Let me give Peter Andruszkiewicz, the new head of Blue Cross, a lot of credit for the way he has operated.

There are a few of us who are persistent champions of delivery system reform in the Senate.

Your testimony quantifies that a 34 percent decrease in emergency room visits, a 10 percent improvement in diabetes management.

Senator Barbara Mikulski... helped write the delivery system reform provisions, the quality provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

The record will remain open for one additional week in case there is anything further that anybody wishes to submit.

So in both cases, it is good for the patient, but in both cases, it is also good for the overall cost.

Your organization is first rate. So we are always delighted to have you here.

I appreciate it. I think I am the last person standing in this hearing, so I will call it to its conclusion.

Yes. I hear from our community health centers, from nursing homes, from medical practices, from hospitals the same thing that it was torture going through the electronic health record adoption process, but they would never dream of going…

I think that the theft of American intellectual property across our cyber networks was the biggest transfer of wealth in the history of the human species through theft and piracy.

I think that that is a very good idea.

I thank you for coming up, as you have so often done, to face the oversight of this Committee.

as Senator Whitehouse mentioned, we helped start the State's all-payer patient-centered medical home demonstration project

earlier this week, the conference committee on the surface transportation reauthorization--more commonly known as the highway bill--met for its initial meeting. In the opening remarks that were made on Tuesday, it was encouraging that…

I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Surface Transportation Act

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. Res. 456, submitted earlier today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res. 456)…

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 458) was agreed…

I ask unanimous consent that on Monday, May 14, 2012, at 4:30 p.m., the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 570 and 571; that there be 60 minutes for debate equally divided in the usual…