on April 2, President Obama announced that a framework had been reached for a nuclear agreement with Iran. If all goes according to plan--which hasn't happened often during these repeatedly prolonged negotiations--it means the White House…

I am pleased to hear of yet another accomplishment that has happened in the Senate since we have gotten things opened up and functioning again. I wish to say that last year when Republicans were running for office, we promised that if we…

I am pleased as well to hear that we have an agreement on the human trafficking legislation. It is something that should be above politics. Unfortunately, anything around here, it seems, gets sucked into politics from time to time, but it…

We greatly appreciate the leadership of Chairman Thune for enactment as part of the new Medicare physician payment reforms...

it has been said that April is the cruelest month. I think that pretty much captures how Americans feel as tax day approaches each year. This year, Americans will spend 114 days working to pay their Federal, State, and local taxes. In…

before I close, I would like to take a moment to talk about what I think is a bright spot for our economy, and that is bipartisan trade promotion authority. Previous free- and fair- trade agreements have been a boon to the economy…

Let us push this thing across the finish line and hopefully get these trade deals completed and open up what I think are some very significant markets to American businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and ranchers.

One of the key negotiating objectives in the agricultural section of the TPA legislation... is intended to prevent foreign regulatory approval processes from being used as a trade barrier to new agricultural technologies.

I think it is really important that this President and future Presidents have the authority, the ability that they need, to bring down foreign barriers to American products.

I hope that that will continue to be an area of emphasis for you and the negotiators as we move forward.

These are decisions that ought to be left to consumers in those countries.

Trade should be a bipartisan issue. It is critically important to our economy.

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Reducing Unnecessary…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Emergency Threats and Capabilities of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2015, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Airland of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2015, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2015, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Subcommittee on Airland

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2015, at 2:30 p.m., in room SH- 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2015, at 2:15 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on health…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2015, at 10 a.m., in room SR-215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``Creating a…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct a…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services are authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2015, at 9 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on commerce, science…

on April 2, President Obama unveiled a nuclear agreement with Iran. The purpose of the administration's negotiations with Iran was simple: Prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. But the agreement the Obama administration seems to…

I rise in support of my amendment No. 607, to create a deficit-neutral reserve fund to repeal the Federal estate tax, better known as the death tax. My amendment will put the Senate on record in support of eliminating this destructive and…

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk called the roll. The result was announced--yeas 54, nays 46, as…

last month President Obama released his fiscal year 2016 budget proposal. Americans could be forgiven for thinking it was created in a vacuum, since the proposal completely ignores our current fiscal reality. Six years ago, when the…