Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the distinguished Senator from Michigan, Ms. Stabenow, be recognized as though in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Michigan. (The…

Mr. President, I understand there will be another Senator who will come down and speak, and in the meantime I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Illinois for his contribution to this effort. I ask unanimous consent that we set aside the Kirk-Pryor amendment and go back to the pending business, which is the managers' amendment. The PRESIDING…

I will not object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report. The bill clerk read as follows: The Senator from Illinois [Mr. Kirk], for himself and Mr. Pryor, proposes an amendment numbered 123.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, and I do not intend to object, my understanding is the Senator from Illinois will offer his amendment and then will not object to his amendment then being set aside and we go back to the…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment now be set aside and that the managers' amendment be the pending amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Madam President, I understand Senator DeMint will be offering an amendment in the first degree which will require setting aside the managers' amendment. My understanding is, once he has done that, we will then set aside his amendment and…

Reserving the right to object--I would ask if the distinguished Senator could hold off---- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator cannot reserve.

I ask for agreement on the managers' amendment. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. The PRESIDING…

I thank all of those with the administration who worked on the matter, and particularly Secretary Locke, Director Kappos of the Patent and Trademark Office, and former Secretary Daley, now Chief of Staff at the White House. The statement…

Madam President, yesterday the Senate began debating the America Invents Act. We adopted the committee amendments, and we proceeded to have five additional amendments offered to the bill. This morning I will be offering a managers'…

So is the Senator saying we set the right example by passing a bill which, on the face of it, violates the Constitution, but it is okay unless somebody challenges it?