the previous Administration reversed many of those reforms and implemented even more restrictive policies.

I am an African-American woman who has a point of view where in a democracy those points of views are allowed.

I'm outraged that Chair Salazar has taken the unprecedented step of objecting to me participating in this discussion.

The United States policy is based on the idea that if we punish them just a little more we will make them succeed.

the President's failure to reverse harmful policies like the unwarranted State sponsor of terror designation, sanctions, and the embargo is a serious missed opportunity.

our Nation's policy toward Cuba is the, quote, 'last remnant of the cold war in the Americas.'

the Cuban government is an authoritarian regime with little respect for human rights or democracy.

After six decades of failure it is long past time for the United States to try something different.

One thing that I hope we can all agree on here is that the United States should support the efforts of the Cuban people to build a peaceful and prosperous society.

We see the failure of this upside down policy everywhere.

the United States policy toward Cuba over the last 60 years has resulted in no tangible proof that these policies move the needle on democratic progress.

Do we really want to exacerbate a situation where life in Cuba is so unbearable that people will risk their lives to leave?

I come to the floor to talk about the fitness for office of Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. My remarks are not directed at Mr. Mayorkas's character--I don't know him other than in the context of the Secretary of Homeland Security--nor do I…

I would like to begin my remarks by focusing on what we are debating and what we are not debating. We really need clarity on this point of order and what it is about. To be perfectly clear, what this point of order would do would simply be…

in the words of a Simon and Garfunkel song, they sing of a dream in which ``the world had all agreed to put an end to war.'' And they reached this agreement, apparently, just by signing a single piece of paper. This dream is just a dream…

reserving the right to object, I want to note, at the outset, that we are not asked to vote in this Chamber on polling questions. We vote on legislation. While people, when responding to a poll, may respond overwhelmingly in response to…

I have got a question relative to that. Will the gentleman yield for a question?

reserving the right to object, we live in a great country. It is a country that has thrived precisely because we have sought, since the moment of our founding, to live under the rule of law; that when we make a law, we do our best to…

I now ask for a second reading, but in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection having been heard, the bill will receive a second reading on the…

the late Associate Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., used to say: There is a point of contact in every case. He defined that point of contact as the place where the boy got his finger caught in the machinery. Secretary of Defense Lloyd…

I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the bill by title for the first time. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 3343) to provide that United…

reserving the right to object, I have nothing but warm feelings, respect, and gratitude for the noble service that my colleagues from Alaska and Iowa and South Carolina and Indiana have demonstrated in their loyalty to their country…

this is a moment in history where we have the chance to stand up and provide assistance to an ally, an important ally, in a tough part of the world that has a lot of enemies in common with the United States. Israel was savagely attacked…

reserving the right to object, I appreciate the passion with which the Senator from South Carolina has delivered his remarks today. I am also grateful for his willingness to adopt a minor modification in the savings clause, clarifying that…

when the government shuts its doors, public attention often falls on our national parks. This should be surprising to no one. Year after year, whenever anyone does a survey, they discover the most popular and least popular parks of the…