I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on July 24, 2012, at 10 a.m., to hold a briefing entitled, ``Intelligence Update on Syria.'' The PRESIDING OFFICER…

before I begin, on behalf of Senator Merkley, I ask unanimous consent that privileges of the floor be granted to the following member of my staff for the balance of the day, Maya Arrieta Walden. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it…

I appreciate the remarks of the Senator from Illinois, and I wanted to amplify on them a little bit. But before I do, I wanted to mention something we don't talk about enough here on the floor of the Senate. In New England, and I'm sure in…

we need to be believed and heard.

I called the Honorable Bernie Sanders and his staff agreed to investigate why the VA was taking so long.

I thank Senator Whitehouse, Senator Schumer, and all those who have been working so hard on this enormously important issue which has everything to do with whether our country remains the kind of democracy most of us want it to be. I come…

I was made aware of a July 2012 letter that the Senator had sent to the U.S. Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission asking for an investigation to explain why Burlington, Vermont prices were some 35cts/gal higher than places…

I thank the Chair for yielding. As a member of the Transportation Committee, I would like to congratulate Senator Boxer for her extraordinary efforts in pushing this bill forward. This is an enormously important bill that took a lot of…

the American people are angry because they are living through the worst recession since the Great Depression. Unemployment is not 8.2 percent; real unemployment is closer to 15 percent. Young people who are graduating from high school and…

I ask for a ``yes'' vote on the amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.

The bottom line is that when you have 100 percent of the income gains in this country going to the top 1 percent, that's a problem.

this amendment is cosponsored by Senators Boxer and Begich and is supported by over 40 pro-consumer organizations throughout the country, including Public Citizen, U.S. PIRG, the Center for Food Safety, and many others. This is a very…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Science and Space of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 20, 2012, at 10 a.m. in room 253 of the Russell…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 20, 2012, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on June 20, 2012, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD 115 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on June 20, 2012, at 10 a.m., in room SD 115 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled…

this is a noncontroversial amendment which, according to the CBO, has zero costs. It is supported by the National Wildlife Federation, the American Forest Foundation, the Biomass Thermal Energy Council, and the Trust for Public Land. This…

I ask that reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. (Purpose: To improve the community wood energy program) On page 914, line 14, strike ``Section'' and insert the following…

I call up my amendment No. 2254. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Vermont [Mr. Sanders] proposes an amendment numbered 2254.

let me begin by saying I suspect that I have the strongest lifetime proworker voting record in the Senate. I want to create jobs, not cut jobs. What Senator Boxer and Senator Cardin and others are talking about is creating meaningful…

I will be speaking about two amendments that I intend to offer as part of the farm bill. I think both amendments are extremely important, and both amendments have the support of the vast majority of the people of our country. They may not…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. Farm Bill Amendments

Everybody agrees that the function of the NRC is to protect the safety of the American people; that is its job; it is not to be a proponent of nuclear power, and in the case of Vermont, against the wishes of the people of Vermont, who did…

In my very strong opinion, the role of the NRC is not to represent Entergy or any other nuclear power company against Vermont or against any other State; it is to ensure the strongest safety standards possible at nuclear plants.

If the NRC does not move forward to reform its voting process to be open and transparent, I will be introducing NRC reform legislation to mandate a transparent public voting process.