Pete Sessions

The point is there has been no movement from the other side to change the basic traditional view of the power of home State Senators to object. In fact, they affirm that and insist they should be given that, and even expand it.

I will ask the distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who has been involved in these matters for so many years, aren't we confusing here home State Senators' objections with a filibuster? And isn't it true that, to this very…

And that is what we have done. Is the Senator aware in his tenure in this Senate that we have ever had a filibuster maintained on a Federal judge?

The Constitution says: The President shall have the power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate and, with the advice and consent of…

The Constitution is right on advice and consent, and we can debate forever about that, what that means. Basically, it means what any Senators believe it means; is that right? They can vote on any basis they want?

I know the Senator is so knowledgeable about these matters. This is an appellate bench, which handles appellate matters. But isn't it true that Mr. Estrada was a law clerk for a Second Circuit Federal judge and a U.S. Supreme Court Justice?

They criticize Mr. Sutton for persuading the Supreme Court, like it is something bad. And I make a note that the Supreme Court ruled with him and agreed with his position. I just ask, Is there something wrong, is it disqualifying for an…

Somehow we have created a system of health care where it is not easy for physicians and health care professionals to choose to live in rural areas, and it has taken Government programs to meet the crisis need. I wish we could figure out a…

I had the pleasure a little over a year ago to travel to five different rural health clinics in Alabama, many of these in areas where minority citizens live, and was very pleased to have the chief Assistant Secretary of Health and Human…

I have visited 30 or more schools in my State in the last 3 years. I have talked to teachers and principals on a regular basis, and they express their frustration to me on this subject. As Senator Mikulski indicated, she is hearing that…

I am proud of what the Committee on Rules has done. I am proud of the debate that we have had today, and I look forward to the President of the United States having an opportunity, perhaps as early as this afternoon or tomorrow, to sign…

I love Phil Gramm. I have loved him virtually since I have come to this body. He has consistently been, to me, the most principled, interesting, and courageous battler for America I have ever seen. I have said on many occasions…

Is the Senator aware that after September 11 the Customs Service signed a cooperative agreement with several foreign ports because we are concerned about ports being used to ship weapons of mass destruction here, and the best way to do it…

My friend from Alaska is correct. And I must commend him for the work that he did with the help of the House foreign Operations Subcommittee on this issue. The conferees were able to ensure that organizations that are working for the…

It is great legislation. It makes sense. It will aid not only small business but encourage the opportunity for big business and small business to be more competitive around the globe. This not only makes sense, what we are doing, but it…

You raise taxes, you increase spending. We know there are two sides to this equation. The fact of the matter is the last tax increase we had in 1993 that was retroactive, that reached back, the bottom line is they increased taxes to pay…

I wanted to offer this amendment to the emergency supplemental bill because it is, in fact, an emergency. The wage index is causing hospitals in rural areas all over America to close their doors and to turn away patients. We cannot allow…

I am pleased we were able to work out an agreement that $100,000 will be authorized for that purpose. Methane is one of the cleanest of all burning fuels. Methane produces good energy and, at the same time, it is very clean energy. The…

First I want to express my personal appreciation to Senator Kyl for his leadership on this issue since I have been in the Senate. There is no one here who understands it more than he, or has fought more effectively to see it become more a…

My request would be that there be one last attempt to make a bipartisan compromise here. We have people such as Senator Lugar, Senator Cochran, Senator Grassley, Senator Roberts, with deep histories in farm legislation, who are troubled by…

Mr. Speaker, we have heard a vigorous debate today about this issue. We have heard a good number of speakers say that we did it the hard way. They would have done it the easy way. I think they are right; we did do it the hard way. But I…

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious we disagree on this. But for someone to stand up in this body and argue that because of what we are going to do here today, it would encumber the Senate and ultimately would mean that this bill could not be…

Karon Bowdre is a first-rate judicial nominee. Karon Bowdre has been a student, a legal practitioner, and a professor of law. She graduated cum laude from the Cumberland School of Law, where she served as associate editor of the Cumberland…

I thank the President. I express my appreciation for the good work of the Senator from Louisiana on the issues that she described. I appreciate her commitment to education and to the improvement of education.

I again want to express my appreciation to the Senator. I came to the Senate 5 years ago and heard the Senator delineate this problem and tell us over and over again what we were going to be facing in the future. I think the events in…