Patrick Leahy

We cannot afford to lose it now, and it is our obligation as Senators and Representatives to continue it.

I hope that is going to continue.

It is on an issue that affects all Americans: our right to vote.

She has argued 32 cases before the Supreme Court--I mean, that would be a career for anyone--another 36 before federal courts of appeals.

I think if we have a fair hearing today, we are going to agree that these nominees are deserving of bipartisan support, all of them.

I appreciate the comments of the two Senators from Mississippi, both good friends of mine, and the two Senators from Virginia, also good friends.

I worry that, again, as I said earlier, just because we can do it, I am not sure it means we should.

I must say I agree exactly with what you said.

I came to admire his extraordinary courage in standing up and speaking out to his superiors and his willingness to speak truth to power.

It is critical that whoever takes over as Director of the FBI has a keen sense of history and an understanding that we must never repeat these mistakes because they leave a permanent stain on this great Nation.

Few positions have as much impact on our liberty and our national security as the Director of the FBI.

I want everyone to be able to watch this hearing.

We have often debated how best to ensure our national security while protecting the freedom and the liberty and the privacy rights.

Waterboarding has been recognized to be torture since the time of the Spanish Inquisition.

I want to thank him and his family for the service and sacrifices they have made.

The burden falls to the Federal Government to ensure that freedom of speech and of the press is being protected.

We need strong, ethical leaders who will steadfastly adhere to the rule of law.

The Senate has an important role in this debate.

I thank the Senators from Maine for raising this issue. I would be glad to clarify that the intent of the legislation is not to exclude logging employment as defined in title 20 of the Code of Federal Regulations in section 655.103(c)(4)…

I would like to point to one final, yet unfortunate, indication of the Senate's intent to preserve benefits under Medicaid and CHIP for children and pregnant women granted RPI, Blue Card, and V- visa status--section 4417. This section was…

Yes, that is correct. Nor was it our intention throughout the negotiations to eliminate this State right.

I appreciate the compliments. But I am thinking of Shakespeare, ``I came here not to praise Caesar, but to bury him.'' Unfortunately these amendments have been buried by the objection. I would note that yesterday we offered 17 Republican…

One, I wish to applaud the senior Senator from Illinois for his statement, and I will say publicly on the floor of the Senate what I have said to him privately, what I have said to him in our leadership meetings, and what I have said to…

I appreciate that. The Senator from New Jersey has the floor. I appreciate him coming here and saying this. Nobody in this body of either party has worked harder and more diligently than the Senator from New Jersey on comprehensive…

I might ask another question. The Presiding Officer has an amendment involving women that would be easily accepted, but we cannot get that agreement. The Senator has been here a long time in both bodies. It is my recollection--is it…