I originally was going to engage in a colloquy with Senator Portman on a very important piece of legislation that we, Senator Coburn, and Senator Carper, were working on for 2 years, and he will come back. I ask unanimous consent that the…

I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn; the Carper substitute amendment, which is at the desk, be considered; the Carper amendment at the desk be agreed to; the Carper substitute, as amended…

after the last exchange, I would point out that the Senate now has acted on a very important piece of legislation that has been 2 years in the works, that actually does reflect the ability for us to come together in a bipartisan consensus…

We all know, every one of us has family members, myself included, who have either passed from Alzheimer's or who are going through the scourge of Alzheimer's.

I hope this will start to change the nature of the debate, from some of us on our side of the aisle who do not want to change a word of the ACA to some of our friends on the other side who simply want to repeal.

I do not agree with the framework they have laid out, but they have laid out some alternatives.

This is a human tragedy, as well as obviously one of the fastest-growing expenses in the Medicare/Medicaid combined budgets.

I would just like to solicit your opinion--I do not know if you have had a chance to look at this--about whether you would be willing to work with us on this and other areas where we can streamline the process.

I know Senator Stabenow has already mentioned this, but let me say 'amen,' as one of the co-chairs of the Alzheimer's Caucus, to trying to move forward on the National Alzheimer's Plan, making this a higher priority, thinking more…

the long lines we experienced in Virginia and across the country, that just should not be in America in the 21st Century.

This DATA bill, which has been called the most significant piece of government transparency work since the Freedom of Information Act, I think is going to really give us a tool.

We are here to learn more about social impact bonds, a new approach to financing government services designed to ensure government only pays for what works.

If we do not find a better way, we are really up the creek.

we are spending 50 percent more on health care than all the other industrialized countries in the world and we are not getting better results

I would agree with the comments made by the chairman of the Finance Committee. In the repeal-and-replace proposal we have laid out ideas that again I think across the aisle there is going to be common agreement on. I know we have been…

If we can cut back on that, we can save resources.

first of all, I thank the chairman of the Finance Committee for his efforts in this endeavor. I am disappointed there was an unwillingness to at least have a vote on this important issue. I have been a very lucky individual. I have had the…

I have to tell you, I am a little surprised how the responses are lining up.

I would like to thank all the members of the Task Force for their support of the DATA Act.

I think all of us--I do not want to be presumptive here--we are open to ideas.

We have passed the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act, again, an obscure piece of legislation that most people do not know.

I would like to take a moment to express sincere gratitude to the students, faculty and staff of Hugh Mercer Elementary School and the entire Fredericksburg, VA region--for the way the community has rallied together to support one of their…

This recommendation was also included in S. 2109, the Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014, introduced on March 11, 2014 by Senator Mark Warner.

I will be very, very brief in mine. And I really appreciate your courtesy for having me back.

There's enormous asset value created by these thousands and thousands of towers.