Every day we learn more about the troubling connections between the Russian Government and both President Trump's administration and his campaign, but last night kind of topped everything--a revelation that Attorney General Sessions met…

I will speak briefly, as I know the distinguished senior Senator from Alaska is waiting to speak. I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

I want to call the Senate's attention to the fact that it has now been 1 year since the assassination of Berta Caceres, a renowned indigenous Honduran environmental activist who devoted her life--and ultimately lost her life--defending the…

I want to explain my opposition to the nominations of Ryan Zinke to be Secretary of the Interior and Rick Perry to be the Secretary of Energy. I have closely reviewed their records, testimony, and responses to questions for the record…

the Department of Housing and Urban Development plays a vital role ensuring that all Americans have access to safe affordable housing. Affordable housing should not be a political issue; it is a moral issue. Programs like Section 8 and the…

today Mr. Ross joins the growing list of billionaires appointed by the Trump administration. It is not their wealth that concerns me, but their past conflicts with the agencies they are promoted to lead and support, providing guidance for…

if I might respond to my good friend and senior Senator from Illinois, he has been a friend and colleague for decades. The Judiciary Committee and the whole Senate has benefited from his knowledge. What the leader of Poland said to the…

I have been concerned. As I read the press and talk with officials, I learn more about the troubling connections between the Russian Government and President Trump's campaign and administration. We already knew--it is very, very…

today I must vote to oppose the confirmation of Scott Pruitt as the President's nominee for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. While I believe that the President enjoys some privilege of selecting administration…

we have heard a lot about President Trump's admiration of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom most objective observers regard as a murderous thug and a kleptocrat. As we consider the President's statements lauding Putin for being a…

as the Senate has spent the last few weeks considering controversial nominee after controversial nominee, it is a refreshing break to consider Dr. David Shulkin to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Dr. Shulkin is a man defined by…

today the Senate will confirm the nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be the Secretary of the Treasury. It is a nomination I simply cannot support. The Treasury Department plays an essential role in the development of the economic policies…

I have a simple unanimous consent request, but before I do, I congratulate the new Senator from Alabama. It is unusual that I have someone here taller than I am. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to yield the…

the Cabinet nomination we are considering today is one of great consequence. The reach of the Department of Health and Human Services is extensive, with direct and indirect consequences for the health and well-being of all Americans. Like…

I would like to take a moment today to honor Father Ray Doherty, a fellow Michaelman and a pillar of the St. Michael's College community. Father Ray, as he is warmly known, exemplifies so many of the qualities we Vermonters hold dear. His…

since 1989, Vermont has accepted more than 8,000 refugees from around the world. Most recently, two families from war-torn Syria were placed in Rutland. Vermonters understand the meaning of community, of supporting one another through…

I have come to this Chamber to pay tribute to Dermot Gallagher, an Irish diplomat and civil servant who I was deeply saddened to hear passed away on January 15, 2017, after a lifetime dedicated to public service. Dermot Gallagher was a…

yesterday I spoke at length about my fear that Senator Sessions' would not have the ability to act as an independent Attorney General. The Attorney General is not the President's lawyer. He or she is the chief law enforcement officer of…

the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has reported that more than 65 million people have been forcibly displaced around the globe by the end of 2015. In the face of such staggering human suffering, we must not shutter our doors…

this is fascinating. I say to my colleagues, I have served here longer than any other Member of this body. I have been here 42 years. I have been here when the Democrats were in the majority and when the Republicans were in the majority…

this week we have to decide whether Senator Sessions, somebody whom many of us have known and worked with for many years--I certainly have during all of the time he has been in the Senate--is the right person to lead the Department of…

I yield the remainder of my time to Senator Schumer. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Young). The Senator from Massachusetts.

I thank the distinguished senior Senator from Minnesota for her comments. She speaks from experience and knowledge, as has the senior Senator from Washington State, on this issue. In my years here, I have seen thousands of confirmation…

Republicans in both Chambers have introduced a resolution to permit oil, gas, and mining companies to continue making secret payments--involving billions of dollars--to corrupt foreign governments in exchange for access to their countries'…

has the distinguished majority leader finished? Mr. McCONNELL. Yes.