We are about to confirm Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the first African-American woman to become Secretary of State. It is a proud moment for this Senate and indeed for the American people. Dr. Rice has served her country with distinction and she…

I truthfully believe we will see the power of elections speak loudly this Sunday. It is going to be with a lot of courage and a lot of determination that those who vote will travel to over 5,000 polling stations across the country. They…

I want to be the first on this floor and on this day to honor Condoleezza Rice with our expression of strong support. She is an outstanding choice, and the American people are fortunate to have a public servant of her talent and her…

when Soviet troops reached Auschwitz in January 1945, they found only a few thousand thin, frail, emaciated survivors. SS soldiers, determined to carry out the final solution, had forced most of the surviving prisoners on a long death…

Howard Liebengood loved the Senate. He loved the purpose of this institution; he loved its tradition; and, above all, he loved its people. The Senate was his extended family, and we all are going to miss him very much. Howard Schuler…

Today we honor the tradition of defining our party's agenda for this Congress. I take this duty seriously. Because I take our times seriously. We live during an extraordinary moment not only in the history of America, but in the history of…

On the morning of December 26, one of the worst catastrophes the world has ever seen slammed the coast of Southeast Asia, South Asia, and eastern Africa. Deep in the Indian Ocean, an enormous earthquake, estimated at a magnitude of 9.0 on…

I would like to focus not just on what we must do as individual Senators, but also on what this Senate can do and can achieve together, as a body. With the President and the House as partners, we can deliver meaningful solutions to the…

let me welcome everyone here and everyone watching at home to the Chamber of the U.S. Senate and to this historic first day of the 109th Congress. When the Senate family gathers, it is always a special occasion. But this is a day when the…

As we approach this truly historic vote, I want to once again thank those who have labored so hard to get to this point over the last days, weeks, and literally months. Senators Collins and Lieberman, the chair and ranking member, deserve…

The United States, when you compare us to 28 other industrialized countries, and you look at math literacy for 15-year-olds, you would guess that we might be at the top. No. You would guess we might be No. 5. No. You would say: Well, the…

Today is a signature day in what has been a Congress of milestone achievements. Our last vote this year will be on one of the most consequential legislative initiatives of this session, intelligence reform. The road to this moment has been…

I wish to make a statement with regard to what I regard as a truly historic point for our Nation's security as we complete action on the National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. Those people who have not been directly involved in…

Access to clean water is a women's issue. It is a public health issue. It is a sanitation issue.

I thank Senator Boxer for allowing us to move toward completion of the Omnibus appropriations bill today. I commit to her that no later than April 30, 2005, the Senate will consider her bill to repeal the so-called Weldon amendment…

the fourth issue I want to mention is an issue that even before the last recess--I remember on the night before closing the Senate down we had a period of time similar to this before the final business and the final what we call wrapup was…

The first is an issue that leads from what we learned earlier this week when the Department of Defense warned American military bases worldwide to cease officially sponsoring the Boy Scouts of America. The Department issued its directive…

Senator Lieberman and I extend congratulations to the Center for Excellence in Education, and its president, Joann DiGennaro, for the achievements of its educational programs to nurture young scholars of careers of excellence and…

Over the last several days, all of us have taken that opportunity for three of our colleagues on this side of the aisle and others on the other side of the aisle, to reflect on the past and how people have affected us directly. What we…

Over the 108th Congress, we have worked hard to move America forward. Indeed, we have gotten results. We have an economy now that is rebounding with job growth that is robust; 2.4 million jobs have been created since August of last year…

I have a markedly different view than Senator Daschle about some of his legislative history, but I understand his concern. We do have to get this bill right and our side is committed to that. We have to work together in conference just as…

Last week, SpaceShipOne completed its third successful flight into space. Burt Rutan, Brian Binnie, Michael Melvill, and their colleagues on the Tier One Project team deserve a place on the honor roll of our Nation's greatest explorers and…

Today is Columbus Day. When we look back on the history of Columbus Day and the history in this body, it was October 12 of 1492, the sailor onboard the Pinta landed, and the next day Christopher Columbus and his three ships landed at the…

we are on our final stretch. Before we leave for our adjournment prior to the election, I do want to take a couple of minutes to talk about the pending nominations. The pending nominations have become an issue because it has gotten longer…

It has to do with the influenza vaccine. As we all know, this week Chiron, the company that makes the influenza vaccine, actually one of two companies licensed to sell the vaccine in the United States, announced 48 million doses could not…