Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 3245 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a Leahy- Grassley substitute amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; that a Leahy- Grassley amendment to the title, which is also at the desk, be agreed to; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to H.R. 1402.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statement related to this matter be printed in the Record at the appropriate place.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Commerce Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3670, and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 432, S. Res. 402.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee- reported amendment be withdrawn; that the Coons substitute amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to, the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; that the committee-reported amendment to the preamble be agreed to, the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; that the committee- reported amendment to the title be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to this measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Armed Services Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 418, and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Brown of Ohio substitute amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; the Brown of Ohio amendment to the preamble be agreed to; the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; the Brown of Ohio title amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements be printed in the Record, as if read.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 524, and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the Webb amendment to the preamble be agreed to, the preamble, as amended, be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any related statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed en bloc to the following resolutions: S. Res. 544, S. Res. 545, S. Res. 546, and S. Res. 547.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening action or debate and any statements relating to the resolutions be printed in the Record.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of H. Con. Res. 135.

I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Con. Res. 59.

I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the concurrent resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

I now ask for a second reading, but in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the upcoming recess or adjournment of the Senate, the President of the Senate, the President pro tempore, and the majority and minority leaders be authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences, or interparliamentary conferences authorized by law, by concurrent action of the two Houses, or by order of the Senate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the Senate's recess, committees be authorized to report legislative and executive matters on Tuesday, August 28, from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that from Thursday, August 2, to Monday, September 10, the majority leader and Senators Webb, Reed of Rhode Island, Conrad, and Cardin be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions.

Mr. President, I wish to take a minute and express my appreciation--and I speak for all Senators--to Ashley Messick, who sits right here in front of us and has for 7 years. Honestly, it seems she just came yesterday. I really mean that. She has added a lot of vibrancy to this body, she is always pleasant, and she has always been available to me, even though she sits on the Republican side, and to everyone else.

So I am happy for her in one way: She is leaving because she fell in love and is getting married, and I am very happy for her. But we are really a small group of people at this front desk who do so much to make this place run properly. And even though she has been here 7 years, this is something I am confident will be with her the rest of her life. I am grateful to her for her attitude and her professionalism, and I wish her the very best.

Mr. President, we have had a wonderful group of summer pages. I am so glad we have these young men and women. As I have said a number of times and I repeat tonight, two of my grandchildren have been pages. It was a wonderful, life-altering experience for them. I now have had another--my grandson--as one of the summer pages, and he has had a great time. So I am glad we have the page program. They are helpful to us, and I wish them the very best. I hope their experiences are as good as my three grandchildrens' experiences.