Maybe I can help us all out here. The Senator from Alabama has been speaking for about 25 minutes. I am pleased to give the Senator from Alabama 4 minutes, the President pro tempore 1 minute, and I will take the final minutes. The…

I am not sure--I do not object to the President pro tempore's request for 1 minute.

I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 18, 2013, in room SD-430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The PRESIDING OFFICER…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy of the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 18, 2013, at 10 a.m., in room SD-215 of the…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 18, 2013, at 2:15 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Committee on Health…

I again want to thank the Senator from Arizona for his remarks. I appreciate his help and support. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nebraska.

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to concur with an amendment be withdrawn. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?

I come today to address an unintended inclusion in the compromise deal that was worked out by the bipartisan budget conference and that was overwhelmingly passed in the House of Representatives earlier last week. As a long-time champion…

the Senator from Arizona is entirely correct. There is no other legislation that can be brought before us at this time to prevent a government shutdown. As we know, the House of Representatives has gone home for the year. We know without…

the Senator from Arizona is correct. The Simpson-Bowles Commission, in their report, asked for an elimination of the entire COLA, as the Senator outlined in his opening remarks today. The budget bill before us took a different approach…

I would agree with the Senator from Arizona. In fact, the often-touted and quoted Simpson-Bowles Commission report even in this debate over the last day is much more egregious in what they are seeking. Secondly, I agree with everything he…

I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 18, 2013, to conduct a hearing entitled ``the Future of Long-Term Care Policy: Continuing the Conversation.''…

the Senator from Arizona is correct. I have heard from every single branch of our military services that the impact in 2014, a few weeks from now, would be devastating if the current sequester continues to take place. I would add to the…

I believe the unanimous consent that was previously entered allowed me the last 10 minutes, and the Senator from Alabama the prior 10 minutes, so most of that time has been used. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama has about 2…

I ask unanimous consent to engage in a colloquy with the Senators from Georgia, who join me on the floor today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

reserving the right to object, I want to first note that every one of the reserve funds included in this bipartisan bill was also included and voted on as part of the Senate- passed 2014 budget resolution. None of this material is new. My…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 18, 2013, at 2 p.m. in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct a…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 18, 2013, at 10 a.m., to hold an East Asia and Pacific subcommittee hearing entitled ``Rebalance to Asia IV…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 18, 2013, at 2:30 p.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building, to conduct a…

I would just state to all of our colleagues that this motion is an effort to bring this bill down----

reserving the right to object, and I will object, first, as many of my colleagues here know, I have dedicated much of my career to fighting for our Nation's veterans and our military families. I am the daughter of a World War II veteran. I…

I would suggest that the Senator ask that question to Chairman Ryan. But I would say again, as many of us have talked about here today, this is not the deal Democrats would have written on our own. It is not the deal Republicans would have…

I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each, with the exception of Senator Grassley for up to 20 minutes; further, that the time count postcloture…

I thank the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It is quite clear by the extensive work the committee has done on the U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement that the committee has an expertise in international…