I ask unanimous consent that we waive the mandatory quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. The question is, Is it the sense of the Senate that debate on H.R. 2048, an act to reform the…

I thank the Senator from Utah for his courtesy. The fact is the USA FREEDOM Act that was passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives--that has strong bipartisan support here--is supported by the Director of National Intelligence…

I was struck by what the Democratic leader said. He laid out the history of this. We are here in a manufactured, unnecessary crisis. It is a manufactured, unnecessary crisis Last year, by an overwhelming majority, the Senate voted to make…

I ask, through the Chair, if the Democratic leader will yield to me for a comment.

we did not have to end up here, just hours away from the midnight expiration of three surveillance authorities, and having just moved to proceed to the USA FREEDOM Act. I have tried since last year to move legislation through the Senate to…

before I begin my comments on the USA FREEDOM Act, I am going to speak for a moment on a personal matter. Remembering Beau Biden Mr. President, Marcelle and I have known Beau Biden since he was a child. I am the longest serving Member of…

I have been having a lot of people ask me where we are on the USA Freedom Act of 2015, and we actually have a very interesting, easy choice: We can either pass the bipartisan bill the House of Representatives passed with a majority of…

We all know this last-ditch attempt at further delay is just too late. We have two options: Pass the USA FREEDOM Act or let the provisions expire. A growing majority of the Senate--a straight up-or- down vote--supports the USA FREEDOM Act…

I thank Senator Brown for his interest and support for this legislation. I agree that the safety and soundness of our financial system and financial institutions depends on our financial regulators' ability to perform effective oversight…

Mr. Presudent, on the floor yesterday, the majority leader claimed that last Congress, Senate Democrats ``failed to bring any trafficking legislation to the floor.'' I do not normally do this, but I must correct the record. The facts are…

I am honored to recognize the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation on the celebration of its 20th anniversary. For two decades, the selfless philanthropy of the McClure family has allowed scores of deserving Vermonters to pursue financial…

I will not object. I am pleased to see some judges finally moving forward. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I want to speak briefly about a recent decision of the Government of Colombia to end the aerial fumigation of coca. Since the beginning of Plan Colombia 15 years ago, the United States, at huge cost, has financed a fleet of aircraft, fuel…

the American intellectual property system is rightly held as the global standard for promoting innovation and driving economic growth. This is particularly true of our patent system. The fundamental truth that our Founders recognized more…

it is with great appreciation and a touch of sadness that I note the pending retirement of Michael Schirling, who has served as police chief of the city of Burlington, VT, with great distinction for the last 7 years. His youthful…

I also--no matter how we vote on trade-- understand the importance of it. I wish to compliment the Senator from Utah for his statements. The fact is, a great deal of work has gone into the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015. The Senator from Utah's…

On another issue, in just 12 days, section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act, along with two other surveillance authorities, will expire. And once again, the Senate Republican leadership is scrambling at the last minute to avoid a crisis of its…

But even more importantly, last week the House of Representatives passed the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 with an overwhelming vote of 338 to 88. At a time when the public says Congress is locked in partisan gridlock, look at this overwhelming…

I just wish to praise the senior Senator from Illinois. He has been consistent on this issue since he came here. He was one of the architects of a major overhaul of our immigration system a year and a half ago, which passed by a two-thirds…

today, I reintroduce the Civilian Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, CEJA. The U.S. has huge numbers of Government employees and contractors working overseas, but the legal framework governing them is unclear and outdated. To promote…

I will be very brief. I have had the privilege of serving longer in this body than any other Member of the Senate, currently. I can count on my one hand, or probably a few fingers, some of the great speeches I have heard by both…

last Sunday, I joined millions of people across the country to celebrate the mothers in our lives--in mine, my wife Marcelle, my daughter, friends, and other family members. Mother's Day is an important reminder of just how essential these…

I rise to pay tribute to one of the foundational figures of the U.S. global demining effort, Mr. Donald Francis ``Pat'' Patierno. Pat is retiring after more than 20 years of global demining leadership both at the State Department's Office…

this week, the Senate will say goodbye to the Chamber's current Historian, and welcome him to the ranks of Historian Emeritus. Donald Ritchie has observed, studied, and documented the workings of the U.S. Senate for almost four decades…

I thank the senior Senator from Florida. Mr. President, earlier I spoke praising Sally Yates. In my words on the floor, I also spoke about the senior Senator from Georgia, about all the help he has given on this. I want to make sure I also…