Speeches

Madam President, I rise to support efforts by my Democratic colleagues to pass much needed and delayed economic measures by unanimous consent. It is painfully obvious that the economy is in bad shape. Families and small businesses continue to... Read More

Madam President, I rise to join my colleague from Rhode Island in celebrating the tenure of Reverend Brian J. Shanley as the 12th president of Providence College. As he completes his service, we thank him for his many contributions to the... Read More

Madam President, I rise to join my colleague from Rhode Island in celebrating the career of a distinguished national servant and university leader, the Honorable Ronald K. Machtley, who is retiring from Bryant University after serving as its... Read More

Madam President, I rise to further discuss the fiscal year 2021 national defense authorization bill. Senator Inhofe will be speaking later today on the bill, and I again want to thank him for his leadership and bipartisanship throughout the drafting... Read More

Mr. President, for the past week, our Nation has been engulfed by protests in dozens of cities over the senseless murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police officers. Americans are angry, frustrated, and grieving, not just for... Read More

Mr. President, in order to build on a key provision I authored in the CARES Act, which provided states with $150 billion in Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF), I am introducing the State and Local Emergency Stabilization Fund Act so that States and local... Read More

Mr. President, along with Senators Brown, Tester, Schatz, Jones, Smith, Warren, Sinema, Warner, Menendez, Van Hollen, Cortez Masto, Kaine, Udall, Booker, Feinstein, Durbin, Merkley, and Wyden, I am introducing legislation that would create a $75... Read More

Mr. President, today, I am introducing the Strengthening UI for Coronavirus Impacted Workers and Students Act. For the 30 million American unemployed workers, the enhanced jobless benefits created in the CARES Act are a lifeline. However, the Federal... Read More

Mr. President, today I am joined by several of my colleagues in introducing the Layoff Prevention Extension Act and the Preventing Layoffs During a Public Health Emergency Act. Both bills would renew Federal support for State short-time... Read More

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss my concerns with respect to Iran and to express my support for the Kaine resolution, of which I am a cosponsor. No American mourns the death of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, and my thoughts remain with the... Read More

Mr. President, today the U.S. Senate is called upon to uphold our oath of office and our duty to the Constitution because President Trump failed to do so himself.  After listening closely to the impeachment managers and the president’s... Read More

Mr. President, I rise to support the nomination of Peter T. Gaynor to be the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency – FEMA. I have known and worked with Pete Gaynor for over a decade.  Before taking over as FEMA Deputy... Read More

Mr. President, I rise today to express my concerns about the President’s recent interference in war crimes cases involving members of the U.S. military and the President’s inappropriate public statements regarding these cases. The... Read More

Madam President, today I would like to address my colleagues to discuss one of the latest attempts from the Trump administration to undermine and sabotage the Affordable Care Act. This week, the Senate will vote on a Congressional Resolution of... Read More

Mr. President, I rise today to highlight my concerns about ongoing Russian information warfare operations against the American people, including in the upcoming 2020 presidential elections, the lack of a unified strategy from the Administration to... Read More

Mr. President, I rise this afternoon to discuss the situation in Syria. Let me commend my colleague Senator Romney for his very thoughtful and very timely and very important comments. We all recognize that the situation in Syria is highly fluid. I... Read More

Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you.  I would like to thank Salve Regina, Dr. Kelli Armstrong, Dr. Jim Ludes and Dr. Iskander Rehman for the invitation. The Rochambeau Dialogue recognizes the longstanding and... Read More

Mr. President, I come to the floor just the day before Robert Mueller is set to come before the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees to focus attention on some of the key findings of the special counsel’s report on Russia’s... Read More

Madam President, I rise today to salute a hometown hero, a dedicated journalist, and a trusted newsman, Jim Taricani, who sadly passed away last month after decades of contributions to Rhode Island and the field of journalism throughout this country.... Read More

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran and my concern about the Administration’s current approach – a path that I am worried will lead us to war – and my support for the... Read More