I hope the Corps will not simply repeat the mistakes next year or in future years that occurred this year.

I believe that human error contributed to the creation of this particular disaster.

I have said throughout this entire debacle this past summer that the Corps of Engineers needs to be held to account for their management of the Missouri River system this year.

The Corps completely failed when it came to understanding the amount of risk the snow packs contained.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded and that I be allowed to speak in morning business for as much time as I may consume. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I, too, rise in strong support of the pending trade agreements with America's allies, Colombia, South Korea, and Panama. These agreements hold great promise for American farmers, manufacturers, service providers, and American consumers. I…

I have to be very frank with you, I'm not sure what kind of business model you could actually create to provide any communication service.

At the end of the day, though, doesn't the cable company--cable industry, I should say--benefit from achieving a reasonably acceptable result with respect to USF reform, rather than having no result at all, or even maintaining the status…

But the status quo is not acceptable. Too many areas in this country are untouched by universal service support, requiring their consumers and businesses to do without the broadband access they need. That is not fair.

USF is critical for getting service--both phone service to these markets, and then, now, transitioning in to broadband services.

it's very important, in my view, to ensure that the FCC enacts USF reforms that help give all Americans, including those in rural areas and tribes, access to broadband service.

we think it would be unfortunate that if, that that consensus, after having been reached, after so much difficult negotiation, get destroyed as a consequence of making the perfect the enemy of the good.

it's essential in a knowledge-based economy that we have broadband service.

I ask that I be able to speak as if in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. CLASS Act

I come to the floor today to talk about one of the dirty little secrets around here, and that is the ticking time bomb that is right under our noses and that, until recently, had been virtually ignored until some recent activity in…

the editorial highlights a point that I have been making since I first offered an amendment to strip the CLASS program from the health care reform bill back in December of 2009. The inclusion of the CLASS program is perhaps one of the most…

I rise in support of this amendment, which I filed yesterday afternoon, which deals with what I believe is a very important topic; that is, the high cost of delay when it comes to the pending free-trade agreements. I raised this issue…

my amendment simply requires a study by the International Trade Commission when a trade agreement has been signed but the implementing legislation has not been taken up by Congress within 2 years. The study will examine the impact of lost…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 650

I call up amendment No. 650 to make it pending. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Thune] proposes an amendment numbered 650.

I want to emphasize one final time, as we get closer to votes on these amendments, the importance of getting the free-trade agreements passed and put into force, but also the importance of understanding that, as we move into the future, we…

I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: amendment no. 650 (Purpose: To require a report on the consequences of…

The enactment of the Tribal Law and Order Act isn't going to be a silver bullet in solving all those problems, but I do believe it was an important step in the right direction in improving public safety and justice.

The conditions on many of our Nation's reservations, including in our home State of South Dakota, are not acceptable.

I think the numbers show that we have improved greatly the hiring.