Jay Rockefeller

I was not able to make the roll call vote on this resolution commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I had a family commitment that I had to keep, and I knew that this resolution would pass…

I thank the floor manager, and I thank the chairman of the committee who had a lot to say and who operates the committee in a spirit which is very bipartisan and which is aimed at trying to solve problems. I say that at the beginning of…

I rise today with my friends and colleagues--Senators Reed, Lautenberg, Corzine, Sarbanes, and Kerry--to introduce an important piece of legislation, the MediKids Health Insurance Act of 2005. This legislation will provide health insurance…

today I commemorate 142 years of statehood for my State of West Virginia. In doing so, I believe that it is important to note my State's motto, ``Mountaineers Are Always Free.'' This phrase, as relevant today as it was 142 years ago, truly…

No, it was not available and it is part of this pattern. We have to decide if there are two branches of Government or one.

I speak as vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and I oppose the nomination of John Bolton to be U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. I purposely highlight that position on the Intelligence Committee because it is Mr…

it is my honor today to join the distinguished cochairmen of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Senators Ted Stevens and Daniel Inouye, along with our colleagues Senators Byron Dorgan, Frank Lautenberg, Mark Pryor…

our annual budget should be a blueprint of our Nation's priorities. It should be a statement of our collective values and contain positive initiatives for growing our economy and preparing a better future for our children. Unfortunately…

I am proud today with Senator Biden and several of our colleagues to introduce a bill to reauthorize the Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) program, which has been so vitally important to my State of West Virginia. The bill…

If my friend will yield, I further say that the President made an enormous contribution, which was sort of generally overlooked--not by those of us who work in this field of intelligence-- when he made it very clear and made an executive…

if there is no other Member on our side who wishes to speak, I yield back the remainder of my time.

I thank my colleague. Needless to say, all of us on the Intelligence Committee do all of this for the protection of the American people and protection of the American troops. That goes without saying. I have to say that all of the…

the U.S. airline industry continues to teeter on the brink of financial collapse. The industry lost over $9 billion in 2004 and the airlines are expected to lose another $1.9 billion in 2005. Our Nation cannot afford to let this vital part…

What is wrong in taking ideas, like an administrative procedures approach--subpoenas approach--and not making the conclusion that the government will set out to violate rights?

I support reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act and I am inclined to support adding investigative authorities, but only if it can be shown that these new authorities are necessary and would not infringe on the constitutional rights of Americans…

Well, then help me understand. You would say, then, that a nondisclosure requirement is not desirable?

You say, let's come back and look at it in 4 years, just as we have done on the original parts of the PATRIOT Act.

I think that there are those who oppose the PATRIOT Act or want to see it changed because they accept that.

Congress, most certainly, will--to use the President's word--``renew'' all expiring provisions of the PATRIOT Act.

millions of seniors and disabled Americans are facing a major disruption in their health care when the Medicare prescription drug law goes into effect on January 1, 2006. On that singular date, 6.4 million dual eligibles--individuals who…

over the last years, as the economy came down from the highs of the 1990s, we have seen devastating corporate bankruptcies and how they can affect workers and their families. I have seen that in my State, and we have all seen that in our…

Specifically, the amendment will do two things. First, it would allow employees to recover more of the back pay or other compensation that is owed to them at the time of the bankruptcy. Second, it will ensure that retirees whose promised…

over the last several years as the economy came down from the high of the 1990s, we have seen how devastating it can be for workers when their companies declare bankruptcy. From the enormous Enron bankruptcy at the end of 2001 to the…

I have followed closely both the confirmation hearing of Dr. Rice before the Foreign Relations Committee and the floor debate on her nomination. After considerable reflection, I have decided to vote in favor of Dr. Rice's confirmation…

I am pleased to be here at long last to speak in support of the National Security Intelligence Reform Act. After 5 months of endless work, led by Chairman Collins and Senator Lieberman, we are poised to achieve what people thought was…