Thank you, Chairman Murkowski, for calling this hearing and for having these qualified nominees before us today.

I have suggested so to the Secretary that we need to remember that we are the only advanced country member of the OECD that bans oil exports.

What I really want to understand is what is the plan for identifying treatment methods?

I will look for a written response from you on exactly when you think the timing of that is because we want that done as soon as possible.

Are there a lot of small businesses in South Dakota that are a part of this export economy? I say that because I think a lot of people get the impression that this is about big manufacturers. I have always said those guys will take care of…

So today's vote is a symbolic vote but does nothing to help us resolve the issue for getting this approved before June 30.

The Senator from North Dakota has obviously been working so hard on this in the Banking Committee, and she understands, I believe, that when the Bank expires on June 30, there is about $12 billion of approved deals that are in the process…

I thank the Senator for her leadership in committee. As she said, with 65 votes, we can do a lot of things to get this legislation out of here, so we will certainly be looking for those opportunities.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks for holding this important hearing.

I come to the floor, and I know we are talking about the Defense bill. I know my colleagues are trying to work things out as it relates to the Defense bill, but I am just as concerned about the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank--a…

I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 10 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Export-Import Bank

I generally think this hearing is about the new normal that we are seeing in drought conditions; we need new solutions.

I think the thing I like best about cooperation is that farmers and ranchers and tribes and everybody come together.

I would like to thank Chairwoman Murkowski for scheduling this important hearing.

A little bit of prevention up front to help with this, I think, would go a long way.

I hope that we can use this hearing to better understand the magnitude of the impact of these droughts across many of our Western states.

I think this is the new normal that we are going to have for at least several years.

speaking against the Flake amendment No. 1243, this amendment would strike the extension of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act. I support trade, but I am not going to tie the hands of the American workers from getting retrained or small…

I would say to the Senator or ask the Senator, in this debate, I think you raised an important question, if I understand it correctly, which is, How much will the U.S. Government spy on U.S. citizens? And that, combined with the question…

If I could ask another question of the Senator without losing him the right to the floor, this is a debate, as you were just saying. I think I understand your premises that there are three legs to the stool. There is a Federal Government…

I am so pleased to hear my colleague talk about encryption technology because it is clearly something very important in this privacy debate. I hear with interest, as you cite that article, that one of the key things about the encryption…

4 years ago, I joined my Republican colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee and voted to give the President of the United States trade promotion authority--4 years ago. I have been a supporter of trade promotion authority for a long…

I, too, like the chairman of the Finance Committee, have been here all day, and I empathize with the dilemma that he faces, along with the ranking member, on how to move forward with this legislation. This is a discussion which has been…

the Senator from South Carolina is correct. That is all we have been asking for, and we have talked to our colleagues about various vehicles and various opportunities for those votes. And, yes, that is exactly what has been promised. We…

I look forward to working with the Committee to improve federal incentives under the title IV-E program.