I rise today to once again touch on a subject that is important to me. I know it is very important to the Presiding Officer because the Commonwealth of Virginia and the great State of Maryland have a large number of Federal employees. As…

The leaders at all levels of government must highlight the need for a renewed and increased focus on improving our emergency preparedness measures.

We must be relentless in preparing for the next event.

We must keep in mind the needs of all Americans affected by this severe weather, and do all that we can to help them restore their livelihoods.

I rise, once again, to continue the tradition started in the last Congress by my friend and colleague, the Senator from Delaware, Senator Kaufman, to recognize another great Federal employee. I think this particular recognition is…

I really appreciate this Committee's interest in examining the merits of legislative reforms that alter both the procedures by which regulations are developed and the decision criteria on which they are based.

The REINS Act would require a congressional vote before a major new regulation can become effective.

Senator Portman's Unfunded Mandates Accountability Act and Senators Snowe and Coburn's FREEDOM Act.

we hope to be able to do better than that.

I do think it is time to question how we can go about this process in a much smarter way and a more cost accountable way.

I actually think rules and regulations are important, and I am not here to question the whole need for regulations.

Senator Collins' CURB Act would codify the requirements to examine regulatory costs and benefits currently embodied in Executive Orders.

Sen. Mark Warner has supported our work by acting as an honorary host for our events in Virginia.

Now is the time to follow through on these findings to make sure our female veterans are getting the best care we can provide them with.

I ask unanimous consent to be added as a cosponsor as well. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I wish I could say I was rising today to just debate some of the normal issues we talk about. Like most of my colleagues, probably, I rise today a bit embarrassed--not a bit but really embarrassed that we are here under these…

reserving the right to object, this is a critically important issue, and I think a lot of us all want to speak. I just want to make sure--I have been presiding and waiting for some time as well. I hope we do not start rearranging all the…

I rise to urge adoption of the Coburn amendment. I believe the Coburn amendment actually adds teeth. We have a study here of duplicative programs from GAO. We have got to make sure we are, as we debate closing down the Federal Government…

I rise to speak in favor of the Coburn- Warner amendment. Refreshing everyone on the point I made just a couple moments ago, the GAO created a study that gives us a guidepost of where we can start eliminating some of the duplication and…

I think we have shortchanged the SEC for the last two decades on funding.

I think the SEC does need to get serious about enforcement.

I think as Ranking Member Shelby has said, and said back in 2009, I think each of these institutions, perhaps the GAO, need to be called upon to do an in-depth, retrospective review.

I think as the other Senator noted, people in America are asking, Where are our watchdogs here?

I think the SEC has probably not done the oversight it needed to do.

I come to the floor again today to once more honor another great Federal employee. I know the Presiding Officer and I, as well as some of our colleagues, recognize that in the State of New Mexico and the Commonwealth of Virginia and here…