The point the Senator from Illinois is making, which makes eminent sense, is if our friends disagree, if our friends want to offer an amendment, if the Republicans want to alter the bill, that is their right. That is what the Senate is…

since the beginning of the financial crisis, the Federal Reserve, the Fed, has provided over $2 trillion in taxpayer-backed loans and other financial assistance to some of the largest financial institutions and corporations in the world…

Let me also say that my good friend and neighbor from New Hampshire, Senator Gregg, took to the floor yesterday to express his outrage that 10 Senators on the Budget Committee voted for an amendment I offered-- which lost, by the way, 12…

I will do what I can in 3 minutes. My good friend from New Hampshire, my colleague from across the Connecticut River, apparently does not have a problem with the fact that the largest financial institutions in this country that we bailed…

I am disappointed but not surprised that our Republican colleagues have chosen not to go forward in terms of financial reform because we should be very clear that when we do financial Wall Street reform, we are taking on not only the most…

a front-page story of the New York Times today points to the fact of the enormous power of big money in terms of financial reform. They say: With so much money at stake, it is not surprising that more than 1,500 lobbyists, executives…

I wish to tick off a couple issues I hope my Republican colleagues would be interested in working with me on. Every week I receive--and I suspect others do as well--telephone calls and letters and e-mails from people in my State who are…

I think most Americans understand that in the Senate, and in government in general, honest people will have honest differences of opinion. They debate issues, represent constituencies, and vote. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. I…

This country has a record-breaking deficit, a huge national debt, and it is an issue that has to be dealt with. The debate is, how do we deal with it? Let me very briefly mention some of the factors--not all, but some of the factors, some…

Mr. President, my Republican colleagues have reached the conclusion that this is not a perfect bill. Well, they are right. While my problems with this bill are very different than theirs, I do hope that in the weeks and months to come…

as a result of the greed, recklessness, and illegal behavior by a small number of executives on Wall Street, the American people today are suffering through the most serious economic conditions we have seen since the Great Depression of…

I do not think there is any debate, no matter what your politics may be, progressive or conservative, bridges falling down are bridges falling down.

I come from Vermont, one of the most rural States in the country, and we have exactly those problems as well.

If we are going to be a strong, competitive Nation economically, we are going to have to adjust this problem at one point or another.

President Reagan fought hard for a 5 cents per gallon gas tax that included transit funding and he made a promise to, then, my children, in 1983.

I wish to say a few words about the nature of the economy today, the cause of the very deep recession we are currently in, and what I think we have to do about it. Right now, our country is experiencing the worst economy since the Great…

Is that tied up in the reconciliation package?

The purpose of Federal education programs in the United States is to provide equity in our education system.

Well, I look forward to working with you. I don't know how we are going to make great advances in elementary and secondary education, lest we address child care as well.

The blueprint for reauthorization that we have received from the Obama administration is a step in the right direction.

When 70 percent of women went to work outside of the home, it created many more opportunities for women.

No Child Left Behind puts too much emphasis on testing, therefore narrowing the curriculum of many classrooms.

To do that, you are going to have to pay child care workers commensurate salaries to what we pay teachers.

I don't think that is such a bad idea myself.

We have to be part of the solution, and we have to partner in very new ways with HHS.