quorum call:

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: i assume we're in a quorum call. the presiding officer: we are. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent to proceed to s. 230. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: motion to proceed to calendar number 230, h.r. 36, an act to amend the united states code to pertain to unborn and so forth. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent we take. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the

standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the motion to proceed the calendar number 230, h.r. 36, to amend united states code to protect pain capable unborn children and signed by 17 senators. mr. mcconnell: i ask the reading be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the executive session, calendar number 243, 320, 303, 304, that the senate vote on the nominations, and following disposition of the nominations, the senate be considered made and laid on the table with no intervening action or debate, with no intervehicles motions to the nominations, and that the president immediately notified of the senate's action action and the senate then resume

legislative session. the presiding officer: without objection. the economy occurs on nominations en bloc. -- the question occurs on the nominations en bloc. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nominations are confirmed en bloc. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to immediate consideration of s. res. 259. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 259 , honoring the bravery and heroism of those who selflessly prevented a deadly terrorist attack and saved countless lives while aboard a passenger train bound for amsterdam to paris on august 21, 2015. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed

to, the preamble be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i now ask unanimous consent the foreign relations committee be discharged from further consideration of s. res. 253 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 253, welcoming king felipe vi and queen leticia of spain and so forth. the presiding officer: without objection the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to and the preamble be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 227, s. 1090. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 227,

s. 1090, a bill to amend the robert t. stafford disaster relief and emergency assistance act and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i now ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 228, s. 1580. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 228, s. 1580, a bill to allow additional appointing authorities to select individuals from competitive service certificates. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i now ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate

consideration of calendar number 191, h.r. 719. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 191, h.r. 719, an act to require the transportation security administration to conform to existing federal law and regulations regarding criminal investigator positions and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the thune amendment to the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the substitute amendment, as amended, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: now, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 2:00 p.m. monday, september 21. following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day.

finally, following leader remarks, the senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed positive -- motion to proceed to h.r. 36. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: if there's no further business to come before the senate, i ask it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on monday, sep mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the iding officer >> >> mr. president, let the democrats have given a final vote on the president's deal

with iran. they made their choice but that doesn't mean the discussion is over. today we will have another opportunity to discuss the listing and congressional mandated sanctions as called for in the joint comprehensive plan of action. today we will have an opportunity to vote on a question of policy. should i re and -- are beyond be left with a threshold nuclear program recognized by the p5+1 to receive billions of dollars to sink it -- the sanctions relief without any other aspects of the foreign policy is the question before us. i will discuss that vote in greater detail but first a reminder of how we got to this point. here is what we do about the

nuclear deal with iran. president obama is deal with iran. not america's. because the president did everything possible to cut the american people out to block the elected representatives from having a say. he refused to pursue a trade treaty as secretary can carry noted candidly is interested to negotiate something be elected congress could support that he had to be persuaded resisted legislation to allow congress the up or down vote just as he headed be persuaded omb passed sanctions legislation to bring the to the table in the first place would be few tile. he did not want the legislation to give us an opportunity to respond to the deal with iran.

he had so many supporters he knew it would be overridden but then he convinced his party that voted unanimously to give congress an opportunity to weigh in on the deal. tonight the american people the upper down congressional vote our democratic friends went to extreme lengths to protect the president politically. because they did democrats insurer it is just about as steel it is a deal that allows everyone to grow stronger in any number of ways. diplomatically, militarily, in terms of trade secretary

carry once declared the accounting of activities will be part of a final deal. but it isn't. the secretary said you would have anytime anywhere access to facilities but we will not. president obama was declared debt deal will except the nuclear program and it is very straightforward. perhaps not quite so straightforward because it would not end the nuclear program. hi because the president made clear his desire to

became easy for the iranians to exploit concession after concession after concession. it became possible for the leading state sponsor of terrorism to secure a deal to enrich uranium to maintain thousands of centrifuges and to become a recognized nuclear threshold stave forever on the edge of developing a weapon. it could even secure a multibillion-dollar cash windfall to allow it to strengthen terrorist groups like hezbollah and tomas. along with the bloody regime in damascus. the administration announced that it is seven vested in

this deal even those against terrorists. with the more doable all comes it is beyond the water's edge. republicans stood for more international trade jobs a few months ago. this to see the iran deal as reflected opposition to him personally. the president made a choice to turn this into a partisan campaign instead of serious debate. he tried to cut out the

american people and congress that every single opportunity. and because he did, his party was left with an executive deal that has hardly any durability because he handled it this way it has hardly any durability or public support. american people are not sold as a strong bipartisan majority rejected it. the strong bipartisan majority of the deal can and

will be revisited but the negative consequences entering the last few months those who follow in the white house and congress have to deal with the air rand enriched millions of dollars to invest in congressional weapons upgrades and further support to terrorist groups many of us will be here in the future how to best deal with the ambitions and the future of this nuclear program.

because of russian support for a deal there is a pathetic paul to america's interests. but just days after the deal was counted the commander of the force flew to moscow reportedly to secure russian support for the mutual allied in syria. no surprise that this is the president had succeeded to secure the votes or the veto override three heard russia was constructing a four her operating base to help prop up assad. a data using his presence in syria to weaken sanctions to the invasion of crimea.

that is diplomatically kitsch. that was successful that you bought a administration is not. . . well, leading the administration to ignore many issues that should have been linked to the negotiations in the first place. everything from iran's support for terrorism to its aggressive behavior across the middle east to its harassment of shipping vessels in the persian gulf, but, mr. president, not just those issues. the administration failed to negotiate to ensure the release of american citizens being held in iranian custody. the administration failed to negotiate to ensure iran's

recognition of israel's right to exist. but we can do nothing to link the freedom of american citizens being held in iranian custody and the recognition of israel to sanctions relief, something that sanctions relief, something that something that the administration should have done. we can say it has to be corrected before sanctions are lifted and billions flow into coffers to be used for terrorism and that is mr. bersin what today's vote is about. when it comes to american citizens being held in iranian custody, the senate voted unanimously just a few months ago to call for i ran leaders to release our american citizens. one is a journalist imprisoned for spreading quote propaganda against the state end quote. another is a pastor attending a

christian gathering. when it comes to israel, i ran employees -- against israel at every turn. it is it demonstrating the will and capability to strike out against the west and through proxies and cyber attacks at her allies like israel and saudi arabia. what this deal won't do is alter iran's value. what it will do is give i ran an even greater ability to follow through on these threats. so we cannot allow i ran to be empowered as the nuclear threshold state armed with billions in sanctions relief with at least providing some protection, some protection to israel first. where it least demanding the release of americans who

languished in iranian custody for years. first, let's at least agree on that. i understand the strong position in the senate, the bipartisan majority opposed a partisan minority in favor over the broader iranian deal. but at the very least mr. president, at the very least, we should be able to come together over the boat we will take today and so i would urge all of my colleagues to vote for it. >> the democratic leader. >> the senate has spoken make it absolutely clear that the agreement with i ran will stand. remember, it's an agreement to

stop i ran from having nuclear weapons and that's what it's all about. the issue has been decided that instead of -- senator mcconnell has decided to waste an entire week on something that has already been decided twice. first we are voting on the mcconnell at mammoth for the president to suspend or waive suspensions on a rant and less i ran formally recognizes the state of israel. all americans held a rant to come back home to their families as quickly as possible. we believe i ran should recognize the state of israel we believe the other countries shouldn't be just jordan alone and we are very happy for the arrangement between egypt and

israel which has been going on for a very long time. we are taking serious issues in turning them into pawns on a political chessboard. this is what senator stabenow suggested. she's a senator from -- and she is a person that is from michigan who has been held in iran for some time now and here is what she said yesterday. the senator puppet leaders -- on the air in american citizen imprisoned hero is being used by the senate majority leader and transparent attempt to score cheap political points and it's appalling. all americans -- elaborating mr. president she has told me that his family wants us to stay out of it. progress is being made. please stay out of it. is what his sister said.

the cynical tactic is a waste of the senate's time. we should be focusing on preventing a government shutdown some economists decided the senate should vote not once come out not twice but a third time on the disapproval which has already failed on two separate occasions. the results will be the same today if senate republicans appear to be stuck and unable to move forward even in the face of a looming government shutdown which is a few legislative days until the government runs out of funding. americans have seen this coming for months and we probably should have seen it also. maybe we did but ignored it. that is why we have called for bipartisan budget negotiations and we are running out of time and that is an understatement. last week their puppet leaders hold this body quote now i have so much time in the senate. we are going to try to use it on serious proposals and have a chance of becoming law closed quote. i'm sure he should read that to himself again today and yesterday and maybe tomorrow.

but after having made the statements that i've voting on this key priority that is funding the government we are spending time on the cynical show even though everyone knows the result. despite the fact that a shutdown looms in a matter of days republican leaders turned one of the worlds most of her body into a showboat for the senate. the funds we need to operate as a basic responsibly to the senate. republicans have let this crisis build is an embarrassment to this institution. our public and later i don't see eye-to-eye on all political issues but we both supported a clean bill to stop the government shutdown and that's what he said he wants. i agree with him. a clean bill is the only way to prevent a government shutdown. no writers, no tricky things at all and just yesterday the republican leader said sequester level spending caps should be lifted. thank goodness he said that.

i agree with tom that i agree with senator mccain and senator lindsey graham who talks about this on the republican side with us. we all know how the this ends. the senate will pass acclaim continuing resolution. i hope that's the ending that we all see because that's what we should see. when i say clean bill i mean no policy writers no procedural -- just a clean funding bill. so what are we waiting for? wire with dragging the country to the brink of a shutdown of the solution is staring a straight in? is nothing to gain from delaying the inevitable and much to lose. the reality of the senate is the longer we wait the more difficult the path forward will be paired in the past republicans inability to govern responsibly as amplify the voice of government shutdown. every moment a republican leader weight increases the likelihood that one senator's objection can

raise enough procedural problems to force the entire government to shut down. we are not making this up. it happened two years ago. captains of chaos want nothing more and for the republican leader to twiddle his thumbs. every day we wait it greece's -- increases leverage of us want to check on the government. we have seen this drama before. i repeat, two years ago. a puppet leader will need a closure leastwise ran a single member of the caucus objects of their puppet leader wants to avoid a government shutdown we should start the process of bringing the bill to the floor by thursday at the absolute latest. but time really is running out. next week pope francis will adjust congress. we expect a half a million people to come for the pope's visit to capitol hill. the president of china will make his visit very next day to the nation's capital. it will be his first visit so there'll be three or four days of session next week at the most we are ready to move forward. there's no reason the week

should wait in longer. it's time for republicans to skip the drama and pass acclaim funding bill today to get something done around here for the american people. vermont democrats have been clear about our priorities. first and measure cannot be hijacked for ideological -- second and a funding increase by the pentagon must be matched with at least a dollar per dollar increase for domestic programs non-defense programs including domestic and anti-terror programs. these are commonsense principles that should be the basis of any arrangement or republicans have refused to negotiate. they are now focused on scoring political points of expensive american people and our government. we have voted twice. why waste our time on another front? the rollini pfu days of session next week. we will return the following monday it had three days before the government funding expires. we should act now to pass a clean continuing resolution to

prevent a government shutdown and we negotiate a compromise. it should be a short-term cr. in the other decisions waste precious time that we don't have >> mr. president we listened to the comments of senator mcconnell the republican leader. he has given us a litany of horrible when it comes to the conduct of a nation of iran. he has given us fair warning that this is a country that we cannot trust because of past conduct. i think the point that needs to be made at this moment is i don't disagree with this premise or his conclusion that i asked hamm and all others in his similar political position how can iran with a nuclear weapon be a better thing for this world for the middle east or for israel? i think the answer is obvious and that is what the president is week without major allies and some not so frequent allies have

brokered an agreement to send an international inspectors to destroy the centerpieces which are building these nuclear weapons to put a concrete core in iraq or that produces the plutonium and to continue the inspection of iran nonstop so that they do not develop a nuke their weapon. that to me is an ultimate positive outcome. as to secure all of the horrible that have been listed by the senator from kentucky? of course not but how could imagine that iran with its record would be in a better position or we would be in a better position of iran had a nuclear weapons? i don't think so and that i think is the issue before us. i have to back the statement made by my colleague from michigan. she's in contact with the families of prisoners being held there. they are concerned and i'm concerned that dramatizing these

four prisoners as part of our political debate on the floor which is what the republicans have done with their amendment. it's a risky process. we want these prisoners to come home safely. we voted that way overwhelmingly. as part of a strategy by the republicans is risky and i wish we would not take the risk at their possible expense so i would urge my colleagues to join me in voting against the cloture motion that will come before us at 11:00 to move forward on this particular amendment. i will close by saying the press reports last night explained why we are here wasting a weekend united states senate because their public and presidential debate and because of the fact that even some of the republican presidential candidates reserve the fire love in him to be used against the leader here, the majority leader of the senate and the speaker of the house it is clear they are under immense pressure to show their

republican manhood. that is what this exercise is all about and i yield the floor. >> mr. president. >> the senator from maryland. >> mr. president the next boat we are going to take on the iran agreement will fundamentally change the resolution before us. it's out of compliance with the review act. the iran review act is giving congress react -- three options. agree with the agreement, disagree with me action. this would provide additional approval of the iran agreement. let me just make it clear to our colleagues the framework of the agreement is to provide iran sanction relief in exchange for stopping iran from becoming a nuclear weapons state. that's the argument. it provides for inspections or enforcement preserving our officers if iran participates and ballistic missile violations. the autumn line is whether iran

is an better or worse shape to acquire a nuclear weapons under this agreement. i opposed the agreement of this amendment takes us in a different direction. this amendment says if iran recognizes israel were releases for hostages that sanction relief will be granted to iran. i hope iran does recognize israel but i'm going to tell you i have no confidence in their statement our trust in their statement if they issue a statement recognizing israel. senator stabenow -- whether this is the most effective way to bring back our hostages. one could challenge sets of this conditional approval gives up any of the disapproval resolutions on the nuclear part of the agreement. that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. let ray -- let me remind our

colleagues that this is september 17. this is the 60th day of the congressional review the lambs day of the congressional review. precisely this is a political exercise this boat and this issue was way too important for us to be engaged in a political issue on the review. we have worked very hard in the 60 days to get information. the committee has worked hard and i'm proud of the record of the senate foreign relations committee and this regard. we shouldn't be participating in this political battle. it's clear that this iran agreement will be implemented. now the time for this body to stop taking showboats and get to the series work of the deal. this means making sure we are working with the government of israel and the security package that will enable israel to defend against conventional and terrorist threats from iran and making sure we are working with our partners and the pope and cooperative council to make sure we are collectively prepared to counter the uranium activity

pretty means we are prepared to encounter iranian terrorism ballistic proliferation and human rights. it means making sure we are working with our european allies to prepare for iran's potential cheating on the deal. let's turn to the serious work we have in front of us. and recognize that we all need to be together to prevent iran from becoming a nuclear weapons state. we stand for israel security. we stand for the return of our hostages. let's make sure we have the strongest possible decision to prevent iran from becoming a nuclear weapons state. let's do that together. i yield the floor. >> mr. president. >> the senator from new jersey. >> mr. president i rise today as an opponent of the iran nuclear agreement and i have said before and on the senate floor and a

speech at seton hall me reasons why but i'm also an opponent to the mcconnell amendment that would support the deal if iran recognizes israel and releases american hostages. now i have said on this floor and will say again that i have a problem with the underlying nuclear agreement and as much as i would like to see the hostages released and have voted on a resolution the senate passed calling or iran to do so and have them come home to their families and as much as i would like israel to be recognized by iran as a sovereign and independent nation, i am not certain that i would want to give my premature to the agreement even under those conditions which this amendment would do. this in essence makes his

adopted come a conditional. we in the senate would be voting for saying the agreement can move forward if the hostages are released and if iran recognizes the state of israel as a sovereign and independent state. now i must say i want the hostages back as does everyone in this chamber. i want israel to be recognized as a sovereign and independent state although i believe any such recognition by iran at this point in time would be temporal at last and can only be meaningful by actions, not simply by a declaration. so at the end of the day for all the reasons i have heard my colleagues on this floor talk about the consequences of the nuclear deal surely you cannot be of the thought that as desirous as the releasing of the hostages are or the desire to

have israel recognized by iran as a sovereign state but that would then give you a clear sailing for the underlying nuclear agreement and that in essence is what this agreement would provide for. we have many concerns as we move forward with iran. we have already seen that even as this agreement is being moved forward iran gives its it's okay to russia to overfly iran and iraq where we have spent some money lives in national treasure to send military hardware into syria to pop -- prop up the assad machine. and at the same time to establish a military base for russia. there will be a lot of concerns notwithstanding this agreement that we have with iran. but i for one do not want to give an idea till's -- support

this agreement is someone who opposes this simply because the hostages would be released and iran would recognize israel. some might believe that will never happen so therefore the agreement would move for but if the agreement isn't as good as some of my colleagues say this for iran than it may not be a price that was fine too high to pay in order to have the agreement moved forward. in any event whether iran thinks it's a good agreement for them it would do so i just simply do not want to support the underlying agreement by virtue of a sleight-of-hand here on something that is desirable and independently of this body would be united on getting all the hostages back and at the same time making sure that israel is truly recognized not only in words but in deeds.

that is why i will be voting against the amendment. they are far more serious things like reviewing the iran sanctions act in the days ahead that i think are critical. many of the things that senator corker has been talking about in his legislation will be critical in having the response they want to buy rand in it hemet genic interest and for that i will be voting against the agreement. >> the senator from delaware. >> going back to last november there are three takeaways for that election. number one people want us to work on it and the number two they want us to get things done. number three they want us to find ways to strengthen the economic recovery of our country. today labor released the last weekly information in this country.

they been doing this for years. the week that barack obama and joe biden were and not graded it was 628,000. 628,000. anytime that's over 40,000 where losing jobs and anytime is under 400,000 we are adding jobs. the number has been 300,000 for the last 28 straight weeks. we are strengthening the economic recovery and we are continuing to do that. their number of things that would be doing on this floor to strengthen economic recovery. and to avoid a budget shutdown and put in place a spending plan for the next year. our country is under cyberattacks 24/7 great businesses of all kinds and shapes. we need to put in place a tax plan for country rather than a stop and go shopping me to fund

a secure transportation plan. those are some of things we can do to strengthen economic recovery. are we dealing with those? no we are not. were coming back to vote on the same thing we voted on before. with all due respect do i want the hostages released? you bet and every time i talk to them. the best way to make sure the hostages are released, the best way to hasten the day israel has the relationship of iran that they have not all that many years ago was to put in place to fully implement the plan that is before us, one that will make it very difficult for the iranians to develop a nuclear weapon program and should they do we know about it. my message to the foreign minister of iran who has the lead point person on the negotiations for the last few years, here's my message to him and the iranian officials. you can have a stronger economy

and never to copy can have a nuclear weapons program. you cannot have both. it's all new generation of people have grown up in that country. 79 people the average age is 25. does the revolutionary guard like the agreement? no they don't. how about the young people who like americans and want to have a better relationship with those? what do they want? i would say no for an answer on the measurement that is before us today. thank you very much. >> mr. president. >> the senator from arizona. >> i want to say a few words about the vote that we are about to take in about the process. i do not favor this agreement. i've indicated i will vote against it. i would like to get to a final vote on the subject and not just have endless cloture votes. it has been offered on the democratic side that we go to a final vote if the margin is set

at 60 and we have a the 60 vote threshold. i say take it. let's get to a final vote. we have seen the end of this movie already. the president has sufficient votes to sustain a veto. therefore this would simply be an exercise to send something to the president that he would veto and then have that veto sustained. i see no value in doing that. there is no value to our allies to see that they are split here in congress, between congress and the executive on this issue. the president is in his last term. he is not hurt politically by this. there is no reason to do that so i don't know why in the world we would want to go through that exercise or insist on going through that exercise simply to force cloture on this. i would like to send a

disapproval motion to the president, that would be fine but not to get to a final vote because we are insisting on that seems to be misguided. let's agree and go to a final vote and set it at a 60 vote threshold. that would be fine. we know the end of this movie already and with regard to the amendment itself that we are talking about to have the hostages released better in iran everyone would like that. everyone would like to see iran recognize israel but should a whole agreement be based on those two items? there are a lot of other things that need to be done as well and like i said i don't believe that this was negotiated well. i think it could then done better and that's why will i will vote against it if i have the chance. let's give the members of this body that chance. let's have a vote on the final

product here, the process that we set up with the corker card legislation and not insist on sending something to the president that would be sent back and we know the results of. so i just want to register my support for having a final vote regardless of where that vote threshold is and with that i yield back. >> with the senator from eric is is -- arizona yield for a moment? >> i would deal. >> first of all thank you for a very thoughtful statement. it reminds me of what the senator has been asking for in unanimous consent for a week or two and that is to forgo cloture votes and let's go to the final vote. i think the expectation has been for months that there be a 60 vote threshold and if the gentleman from arizona is comfortable with forgoing this

procedure to go to an up-or-down vote with the 60 vote threshold that's the way we should do it and i want to applaud you for what you just said. >> will thank you. i do think this is a serious matter. this is an agreement that's important that will last beyond this administration be on the next one. congress should be on record on this issue was more than just a procedural vote and i understand the desire to have the a votes by simple majority. that would be the price of -- but if we can't get there and this is the body of compromise and let's have a final vote on this subject. as to the matter let me just say with these amendments all boats with my colleagues on this side of the aisle on it cloture vote to get to a final vote on the amendment but it comes to it i will vote against the amendment. not that i don't want hostages released or israel recognize that the entire agreement should

not be based on those two items. their other important aspects to the agreement and to pick two as a way to go forward here just doesn't make sense to me so i will vote with my party on cloture to move ahead to vote on the amendment but if it comes to that i will vote against this amendment so with that ideal that. >> mr. president. >> the senator from georgia. >> mr. president i rise to speak today about president obama's nuclear deal with iran. i've cast all the votes received to an up down vote on the nuclear deal however according to president obama in his frustration congresses review period and sedate than the other still controversy about that i want to applaud the ranking member of the judiciary committee and the chairman. the ranking member senator cardin in the senate today and senator corker for getting us to this point. a unanimous votin