I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment. All of us know there is a great value to pre-school, and the Federal Government already spends as much as $20 billion per year on early childhood programs, including Head Start. This…

I ask unanimous consent that the time until 12 noon today be equally divided between the managers or their designees, and that at 12 noon, the Senate vote in relation to the following amendments in the order listed, with no second-degree…

there is no objection on our side. We would hope for a voice vote. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the Brown amendment. The amendment (No. 994) was agreed to. Amendment No. 811 The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is 2…

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is, and always has been, an agency with excessive independence. The agency actually steals funding from the Federal Reserve before it goes to…

I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment to call up, on behalf of Senator Johnson, amendments Nos. 402, 596, 597, and 865 en bloc. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendments are called up…

A rollcall vote has been requested. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The question is on agreeing to the Casey amendment No. 632.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendments Nos. 750, 855, 749, 856, and 759 En Bloc

I send a list of amendments to the desk that has been cleared by both managers and both leaders. I ask unanimous consent that the amendments be considered en bloc and agreed to en bloc. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without…

one of the things the Republicans on the Budget Committee have suggested was that as soon as we finish the budget, which we hope to finish by April 15, that we could begin to look at the Budget Control Act itself. The budget resolution…

For the information of all Senators, this will be the first series of votes today. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to…

I am going to have to recommend a ``no'' vote because of States' rights concerns. There are 48 States and the District of Columbia that prohibit voting while incarcerated for a felony offense. I was fascinated to find that only two…

at the present time, Social Security has an unfunded liability of $25 trillion over the infinite horizon. There is a problem. It is not to scare seniors, it is to preserve and make the program sustainable. When President Clinton was in…

I want to thank Senator Collins for all of her efforts in this area and Senator Sanders for making this a bipartisan amendment, and I would ask to accept this on a voice vote. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the…

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment. Some of Senator Stabenow's tax reform ideas might have merit, but they should be dealt with in the context of comprehensive tax reform rather than as a stand-alone proposal. Otherwise…

I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on Thursday, March 26, 2015, at 3 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without any objection, it is so ordered…

if we want to change the Budget Control Act of 2011, we need to pass the bill to do so later in the year. The budget resolution cannot fix sequestration. This particular amendment increases both defense spending and nondefense spending…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 25, 2015, at 2:15 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. committee on foreign…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 25, 2015, at 2:30 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 25, 2015, at 2:30 p.m., in room SR- 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 25, 2015, at 3 p.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so…

I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Seapower of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 25, 2015, at 9 a.m. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered…

I thank the Senator from Oregon for his comments. One of the things that has concerned me since I came to the Senate is the fact that, in my first year alone, I believe we spent about $3 billion in disaster relief. Subsequently, it…

I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 25, 2015, at 2 p.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``FSOC Accountability: Nonbank…

I was suggesting that he revise his unanimous consent request so that we would go back and forth from side to side, rather than a whole lot of people going on one side, and people waiting on the other side. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there…

I ask unanimous consent that the time until 4:45 p.m. today be equally divided between the managers or their designees, and that at 4:45 p.m., the Senate vote in relation to the following amendments in the order listed, with no…