What steps will the Department take to ensure that rural communities are not put at a disadvantage when applying for grants?

By not replacing the sequester this year, we are foregoing $56 billion that could be invested in programs to grow our economy.

Mr. President, March 21 was the 21st anniversary of World Water Day. On this day, we call attention to the centrality of water in our lives and communities, and we recognize the vital work that must continue to ensure that every person has…

Mr. President, last Thursday the Senate voted to end the filibuster on the nomination of John Owens of California to a judicial emergency vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This is the longest running vacancy in…

Mr. President, the Senate has been asked to take up and pass by unanimous consent House legislation on U.S. international programming to Ukraine and neighboring regions. This House bill directs the Broadcasting Board of Governors to…

Mr. President, from DNA to digital evidence, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges are becoming increasingly reliant on the collection and analysis of various forms of forensic evidence in a criminal investigation or prosecution. It…

Mr. President, I have spoken many times on the Senate floor about Vermont's dedicated farming families. Today, I would like to recognize the contributions of a great Vermont farmer, at a time of transition, Ray Allen of Allenholm Farm in…

Mr. President, I rise today to express my concern with the lack of progress in the case of Sombath Somphone, who has been missing in Laos since December 2012. Mr. Somphone disappeared while working on civil society development, and despite…

Mr. President, I urge Members from both sides of the aisle to come together and support passage of the Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2013, an important and bipartisan bill that will improve the effectiveness of our criminal…

Over the past 20 years I have spoken many times about the toll inflicted on innocent civilians and U.S. soldiers from antipersonnel landmines. I have talked about it in the Senate, in Ottawa, and in most parts of the world. The reason I…

Madam President, we are once again spending unnecessary floor time overcoming a procedural obstacle so we can move to an up-or- down vote on a judicial nomination. John Owens is nominated to fill the longest open vacancy on our Federal…

I commend you on that.