Herb Kohl

since 2001 America has lost 2.5 million manufacturing jobs, eroding an industry that was once the pride of the United States. Manufacturing represents the cornerstone of our economy and the best in American values. It creates the cars we…

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding today's hearing. We welcome all of our witnesses and look forward to their testimony.

The United States accounts for $1.7 trillion of the $3.3 trillion spent annually for health care worldwide yet ranks 37th worldwide in quality of care.

Medical tourism--or the practice of traveling to other countries to receive discounted medical procedures--is taking off in the United States, raising a number of questions for this panel.

Even more unsettling: there are 45 million Americans without any form of health insurance.

the manufacturing sector is under siege from cheap imports, unfair trade agreements, and escalating heath care and energy costs. Instead of working to alleviate this burden, the Bush administration has turned its back on manufacturing…

these days it seems rare that we debate a nonpartisan issue. Too many of the items that Congress considers have more to do with spin than substance, are based more on politics than policy. It is a disturbing trend and that is why I am…

I rise to explain to the people of Wisconsin my vote this morning on the estate tax. The arguments surrounding estate tax repeal are muddled, and I believe there are important clarifications to make. First, small businesses and farms…

Today the Senate once again considered medical liability reform bills--S. 22 and S. 23--both of which would impose an arbitrary cap on the amount of noneconomic damages--pain and suffering awards--an injured patient can receive in a…

It might be of interest to the chairman, and other Senators, to share some information I have received from the USDA Office of the Chief Economist on the question of how energy costs affect various types of farming operations. I asked the…

I rise today, with Senator Kennedy and Senator Durbin, to introduce the State Court Interpreter Grant Program Act of 2006. This legislation would create a modest grant program to provide much needed financial assistance to States for…

I take no contributions from special interest PACS or lobbyists. My office operates under a set of rules governing our interaction with lobbyists that is stricter than current law. Regardless of any legislation, I always hold myself and my…

I rise in support of the Dayton amendment that increases funding for the Byrne grant program by $900 million. This is a straightforward amendment worthy of unanimous support. As most of us know, the Byrne grant program is a law enforcement…

I rise today after a thorough examination of the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito, Jr., to the Supreme Court. After that thorough examination, I cannot support the nomination of Judge Alito to the Supreme Court. I fear that a Justice Alito…

I once again rise to reluctantly, but adamantly, oppose the budget reconciliation bill before us today. I say reluctantly because the Senate ought to use the reconciliation procedure for the purposes for which it was intended: making…

today I joined many of my colleagues in opposing cloture on the Defense appropriations bill. Regrettably, I was forced to try and slow this bill down because language unrelated to our Nation's defense was inserted into the bill. In a…

I am offering the motion on behalf of myself and Senators Snowe, Harkin, Cornyn, Obama, Rockefeller and Kennedy. We are asking conferees to reject the deep cuts that the House made to the child support enforcement program. Perhaps some of…

I rise today to send a motion to the desk to instruct conferees on the budget reconciliation package. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the previous motion is temporarily set aside. The Senator from Ohio. Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President…

they say that timing is everything. And the timing of the Congress's actions these days is indicative of our priorities. Yesterday, the House rightly voted against the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill that…

the decisions made by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission are final. All around the country communities are now forced to deal with the difficult reality of how to approach the redevelopment and transfer of a local military…

I am in reluctant but adamant opposition to the reconciliation bill before us. I say reluctant, because I am glad to see the Senate using the reconciliation procedure for the purposes for which it was intended: making difficult choices to…

I rise in support of the Antitrust Investigative Improvements Act of 2005, a bill I am cosponsoring with Senators DeWine and Leahy. This important measure will give the antitrust criminal enforcers at the Department of Justice a vital tool…

we are staring at an approaching disaster. Again, we face a disaster that will largely affect the poor, underprivileged, elderly, and handicapped. Again, it is a disaster that will threaten lives and drive people into bankruptcy. But this…

I rise today, as Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, to urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring S. 757, the Breast Cancer Environmental Research Act. It has long been believed that the environment plays some role in the…

I joined my colleague, the Senator from Iowa, in supporting the Community Services Block Grant, CSBG. The continuing resolution before the Senate contains the House-passed funding level for CSBG, $320 million. This is a 50 percent cut from…