Of course, the president clearly sees the link between the morally correct thing to do and the economically smart thing to do.

We know that unemployment remains too high, and income inequality is near historic highs, with incomes for low and middle income workers stagnating or even falling.

While big corporations have more than recovered and are posting massive profits, Main Street families continue to struggle and small businesses across America don't have enough customers coming in their doors.

I appreciate the cooperation and friendship of the senior Senator from Vermont. Mr. President, yesterday on the floor I discussed an initiative I launched this week called Protect2A to give voice to the millions of second amendment…

I thank the Senator from Virginia for his cooperation in allowing me this time. The President of the United States has spent the last several weeks evoking the tragedy of Sandy Hook and highlighting the voices of the victims in an effort…

for several weeks now Washington and the rest of the country have been debating several new gun control proposals. Along with a number of my colleagues, including the minority leader, I have declared my intention to resist an immediate…

my amendment would establish a point of order for any piece of legislation brought before this body that would undermine the sacred right protected by the second amendment to bear arms. It is important that we safeguard this right so the…

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.

under this budget, by the year 2020 we will be spending more every year on interest on our national debt than we spend on our national defense. This is alarming and ought to be a concern to every one of us. This amendment creates a point…

I move to waive section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act for the consideration of the pending amendment No. 673 pursuant to section 904(c) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING…

the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program was established to compensate local taxing authorities, such as counties, for the tax revenue lost due to the presence of Federal public land. Unfortunately, the funding for this program has never been…

I would ask the chairperson of the Budget Committee how many more traunches there might be.

Let's do it. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the amendment. The amendment (No. 521) was agreed to. Amendment No. 414 withdrawn The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is now 2 minutes equally divided prior to a vote on amendment…

I rise today to raise my voice in this important dialogue about the budget currently pending before this body. I am thrilled as, first, we are actually having this debate. It has been 4 long years since we passed a budget. I am deeply…

I wish to extend my gratitude to my colleague from Maryland for allowing me to speak at this time. I appreciate that. I rise in support of the amendment proposed by my good friend, the Senator from Texas, that would defund the…

If we are dealing with something that is imminent, we are talking about something that is about to occur, and it is urgent. That typically is the standard any time government officials in other contexts, law enforcement, for…

The issues we are discussing are of profound importance to the American people for the reasons Senator Paul has identified. Americans have every reason to be concerned anytime decisions are made by government that impair one of the…

Senator Paul recently sent a letter requesting some information from the Obama administration relating to drone strikes. It is significant that on March 4, 2013, just a couple days ago, Senator Paul received back from the administration a…

A question I have with regard to an issue that was raised by my friend a few minutes ago, my friend, my distinguished colleague, the senior Senator from Illinois, touches upon an important point, upon a principle of law which dates back…

If I may supplement that question by describing what I encountered in connection with that, I expressed frustration to the Attorney General over the fact that members of the Senate Judiciary Committee--who have significant oversight…

Was the Senator aware of the fact some of us asked Attorney General Holder for a more robust analysis than the series of memoranda authored by the Office of Legal Counsel, the U.S. Department of Justice's chief advisory body, and the fact…

If the Senator will yield for a question, I will ask if the Senator was aware of the exchange some members of the Senate Judiciary Committee had with Attorney General Holder this morning on the subject.

In response to Senator Paul's question, I would like to add to the Senator's remarks and those of the junior Senator from Texas the fact that in the concluding paragraph of the Department of Justice white paper on this issue, the…

I thank my friend, Senator Barrasso. I find it interesting that what the Senator has observed on the streets of towns such as Evanston, Cheyenne, and Gillette in Wyoming is backed up by a recent poll conducted by Gallup. That poll shows…

I rise today to speak in opposition to the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to be a circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The D.C. Circuit is arguably the most important Federal appellate court in…