yeah. paul ryan and mitch mcconnell want donald trump to appoint the next generation of judges. they want those judges to tilt the law in favor of big businesses and billionaires like trump. they just want donald trump to quit being quite so vulgar and obvious about it. [laughter]. yeah. [applause] so look, donald trump shows racism as his -- chose racism as his weapon, but his aim is exactly the same as the rest of

the republicans. , pound the courts in submission for the rich and the powerful. senator mcconnell recently said, he is quote, pretty calm about donald trump because what protects this country against big mistakes being made? it is structure, constitution, the institutions. mitch mcconnell is 100% wrong. our democracy does not sustain itself. our constitution does not sustain itself. the rule of law does not sustain itself. there have always been those with money and power who think that the rules shouldn't apply to them. those who would pervert our system of government to serve their own ends. they have tried it before and they're trying it now. and all that is required for the rule of law and our independent judiciary to collapse is for

good people to stand by and do nothing. now, is not the time to stand by. now is the time to stand up. now is the time to say no, not here, not in these united states of america! [applause] we are not a nation that disqualifies lawyers around judges from public service because of race, or religion, or gender, or because they haven't spent their entire careers representing the rich and the powerful. we are the nation of john adams, a lawyer who defended the british soldiers after the boston massacre, and then went on to serve as president of the united states. we are nation of abraham

lincoln, lawyers who defended accused killers around went on to serve as president of the united states. we are the nation of thurgood marshall, a lawyer who fought for racial equality and then went on to serve in the supreme court of these united states. we are the nation of ruth bader ginsburg, a lawyer who fought for gender equality and went on to serve in the supreme court of these united states. [applause] that is who we are. and we will not allow a small, insecure, thin-skinned, wanna be tie rant or his allies in the senate to destroy the rule of law in the united states of america! [applause] we will not. we will not. [cheers and applause] you bet.

you bet. [applause] we are ready for this fight because it is time to fight again. as it has been time to fight in every generation for those four simple words, that define the promise of our legal system, equal justice under law. at that's what we're here for. thank you. [applause]

>> we are going public. we'll be watched by our friend and by people across the country and i would hope as i said before, that, the senate may change, not as an institution but may become a more efficient body because of televised proceedings. >> the proceedings of the united states senate are being broadcast to the nation on television for the first time, not that we have operated in

secret until now. millions of americans have sat in the galleries and observed senate debates during their visits to washington but today they can witness the proceedings in their own homes. >> and in effect the senate floor has been kind of a stage. the senators have been acting on that stage. the audiences in the galleries and by our action today we haven't really fundamentally altered that situation. we simply enlarged the galleries. we pushed out the walls to include all the american people who wish to watch. >> commemorating 30 years of coverage of the u.s. senate on c-span2. the senate is about to convene this morning continuing work for a fifth day on the 2017 defense programs and policies bill, a vote to advance the bill

will take place 9:00 a.m. eastern this morning with 60 aye votes necessary to limit debate to 30 hours. the $602 billion measure sets policy and funding, funding levels for the defense department and requires women to register for the draft, continues current restrictions on the president's ability to close guantanamo bay prison. the president meanwhile has issued a veto threat against the bill. the house approved their own version on may 11th. live coverage of u.s. senate here on c-span2. the presiding officer: the senate will come to order. the chaplain, dr. barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. eternal god, we rejoice in your strength, for you continue to

withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. you are our god. be merciful to our nation and world. lord, teach our lawmakers your ways so that they may live according to your truth with a purity of heart that honors you. guide them with your unfailing love, fortifying them for every challenge. may they never be put to shame as they strive to live worthy of your amazing grace. listen closely to their prayers

and provide them with answers to the questions that befuddle them. and, lord, we thank you for the faithful service of our 2016 spring page class. we're grateful for the creativity, competence and commitment of these outstanding young people. in all of their tomorrows, do for them more than they can ask or imagine. we pray in your mighty name. amen.

the presiding officer: please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the presiding officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington d.c, june 10 it, 2016. to the senate under the provisions of rule 1 paragraph 3 of the standing rules of the senate i appoint the honorable johnny isakson from the state of georgia to perform the duties of the chair. signed orrin g. hatch, president pro tempore.

mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: in just a few minutes the senate will take another important step toward passing a sweeping defense legislation that will support our troops and our national security. it will help drive defense innovation and research. it will authorize pay raises for

our service members and modernize retirement benefits. it will help prepare our country to deal with the threats of today and the challenges of tomorrow. and it will help prepare the force that the national commander in chief will lead to do so as well. it's a responsible and important bill. chairman mccain and ranking member reed of rhode island have worked relentlessly to manage this bill, and i would urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting for cloture this morning. the presiding officer: the democratic leader. mr. reid: i appreciate the hard work of senator reed and of course of senator mccain. they've worked very hard on this bill, but it's not a good bill. i'm going to vote against

cloture for a lot of reasons. the white house has announced they're having scores of reasons to veto the bill, and they will. i also am concerned about the so-called robust amendment process we were supposed to have under the new senate leadership. we have senator gillibrand who has worked for years. all she wants is a vote, and she hasn't been given that opportunity. we have many other senators. i know that every senator that has an amendment can't offer it, but we've had a handful of amendment. we've been, i think, very outgoing and doing what we can to make sure these managers' packages are approved, but it's really been unfair, the whole process here. so for that and many other reasons i will vote "no" on cloture. the presiding officer: under the previous order the leadership time is reserved. under the previous order the

senate will resume consideration of s. 2943, which the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 469, s. 2943, a bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017 for military activities of the department of defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the department of energy to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year and for other purposes.

mrs. murray: are we in a quorum, mr. president? the presiding officer: the senate is not in a quorum. mrs. murray: mr. president? i came to the floor yesterday to talk about a truly shameful change that has appeared in this bill. it is a change to put us back on a path on a promise that we made

to our service members just six months ago and a change that if left unfixed would pull the rug out for many men and women in the armed forces who are prepared to make the highest sacrifice for the country that they love. mr. president, in case any of my colleagues are unaware, a single line in this massive defense bill on page 145, buried in a funding chart, would zero out a new program that is intended to help men and women in our military realize their dream of having a family, even if they go on to suffer catastrophic injuries when they are fighting on our behalf. i don't know how this line got in there. i don't know who thought it was a good idea, i don't know why, but what i do know is this -- it is wrong and it has to be fixed. mr. president, i just want to tell my colleagues that six months ago the pentagon announced a pilot program that would offer service members who are getting ready to deploy an opportunity at cryopreservation.

in other words, freezing their eggs or sperm. this new program gave our deploying service members not just the ability to have reproductive options in the event they are grievously injured, but some deserved peace of mind. it took us a step forward in the promise that we have made to our service members to support them when they sacrificed so much for us. and it meant they don't have to worry about choosing between defending their country or a chance at a family someday. this new program was met with widespread praise and relief, men and women who are getting ready to deploy, many of whom were thinking about exploring cryopreservation, using their own money if they could afford it. we're assured that the country has their backs. and while the pilot program was not ground breaking, these services have long been available in the private sector, and in fact fertility preservation techniques have been used by the british armed forces for years. it reflected a basic level of

respect for service members who are willing to risk suffering, catastrophic injuries on our behalf, and it sent a clear message that no matter what happens to them on the battlefield, we will be ready to stand with them, whatever they need. i was hoping this new program was a step we could build on, a move in the right direction, an important part of our larger work to help our warriors who sustained grievous injuries, achieved their dream of starting a family, which is why i was so upset when i learned this bill would move us the other way. it would take this promise we just made to our warriors and toss it in the trash. it would be a slap in the face to the men and women who serve us so proudly and heroically, and honestly, it is the wrong thing to do. mr. president, many people here in the senate are quick to honor our military with our words, but for the men and women who signed up to fight on our behalf and are looking ahead to potentially

massive sacrifices, we owe them so much more than that. we owe them action and respect and a shot at their dream of having a family, and we owe them to fix this in this bill. so, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that it be in order to offer murray amendment numbered 4490 relating to fertility treatments and the senate vote in relation to this amendment with no second-degree amendments in order prior to the vote. the presiding officer: is there objection? mr. mccain: mr. president, i reluctantly have to object, and that is because there is objection on this side, which i have to honor. i would like to thank senator murray for her advocacy for the people who are serving in our military in uniform, and this is at least an important aspect of military life, and i thank her for that. i also thank senator gillibrand who will speak here in a minute on an issue of great importance to her that for several years

now she has been an advocate of this very compelling issue, sexual assaults in the military. unfortunately, we have objection to all amendments, and that, in my view, is a great disservice to this body, to the men and women serving in the military and to the american public, because when we are not allowed to debate, whether i happen to agree or disagree with senator gillibrand and senator murray, they deserve debate and votes, and they're not getting it because of objections. i'd like to also point out we're working on an amendment by senator moran, senator corker, senator gillibrand, senator shaheen as well, and i might point out gratuitously that one of the things that i have seen in recent years is an involvement on issues that bring

new perspectives from people like senator gillibrand, senator murray, senator ayotte, senator mccaskill, senator fischer, senator ernst who brought perspectives, i think, to our committee and to this body that have been very helpful. so all i can say is senator murray, i will fight to get -- i will continue to fight to get a vote on your amendment. mr. president, i reluctantly object. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mrs. gillibrand: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new york. mrs. gillibrand: thank you, mr. chairman, for your remarks. thank you to the leaders. i urge my colleagues to allow a vote on my amendment number 4310. we now know far more about the extent of the military sexual assault problem than we did last year. we have more data. we have reviewed more case files. we have heard from more

survivors. and it's clear that very little has changed, despite department of defense persistent claims that things are getting better and that they're making progress. when the department of defense estimates that 20,000 service members are sexually assaulted this year, the same number as in 2010, that is not progress. when an estimate of eight out of ten military sexual assault survivors don't report the crime, that is not progress. when more than half of all retaliation cases, 58% of them are perpetrated by someone in the chain of command of the accuser, that's not progress. when the percentage of survivors willing to report openly has declined for the past five years, that is not progress. when 62% of survivors experience retaliation since 2012 and not

one prosecution of this enumerated crime, that is not progress. and when it is confirmed by the associated press that the pentagon blatantly misled the senate in order to skew our debate, this is perhaps the ultimate sign that they are not making progress. our military justice system is broken. it's failing our men and women who so bravely serve. and no matter how many small reforms we make, as long as commanders would note legal experience are continuing to make these important decisions about violent sexual crimes, we are not going to solve this problem. our commanders are great at winning wars and training troops. they are not prosecutors. they're not even lawyers. they are war fighters, and their job is to keep our country safe, not make legal judgments about whether to prosecute a rape. once and for all, let's take this decision to prosecute these

crimes and give it instead to trained military prosecutors. let's give our service members a justice system that is worthy of their service. this is our chance, and i urge everyone to vote yes if we have a vote. i now ask unanimous consent that if cloture is invoked for s. 2943, notwithstanding rule 22, that gillibrand amendment 4310, the military justice improvement act, be considered in order postcloture and that it be in order to offer amendment 4310 and the senate vote in relation to that amendment with a 60 affirmative vote threshold with no second-degree amendments in order prior to the vote. the presiding officer: is there objection? mr. mccain: mr. president, again it's the same comment that i made to senator murray. it's with reluctance, it is with profound reluctance because it's not the way that we're supposed to conduct business here in the united states senate.

and i have reached a level of frustration that i would even consider changing the rules of the senate that one individual out of 100 can't bring everything to a screeching halt, and that's what's -- that's what's taking place here, over an issue where literally -- well, i say one of the issues that's being held up that literally has to do with the lives of our interpreters in afghanistan. they are at risk. that's the view of general petraeus and ambassador crocker and general nicholson and others. by us not allowing them to come to this country, they're going to die. it is that serious. senator gillibrand's amendment and senator murray's amendments are important, and i do not in any way diminish them, but we're talking about human lives of people who assisted us in carrying out our mission in iraq and afghanistan.

that's what's at stake here. i reluctantly object, and i want to assure senator gillibrand i will do everything in my power, which is not a lot right now when you look at the rules of the senate, to get a vote. i may have some difference with senator gillibrand, but no one has been more dedicated to this issue of addressing this issue of a very difficult and frankly embarrassing side of the military today, and that is the instance of sexual assaults. so i reluctantly object. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the democratic leader. mr. reid: mr. president, i have been to a few of these rodeos, and i think the only way that we're going to get some fairness here is that we do not invoke cloture. as i said, i have been through

this a number of times. i think if that happens, people will understand we have to have a few votes. not a lot of votes but a few votes. senator mccain was on the floor yesterday when he made this emphatic statement that frankly only he could make, talking about people's lives are in jeopardy here, especially with the shaheen amendment. and so i would suggest we don't have to change the rules of the senate to not invoke cloture, give us some time to work out a few amendments, and i think that can happen. we have two experienced legislators. the chairman of the committee, the ranking member of the committee, mccain and reed, jack reed of rhode island, they are two of the best we have here in the senate, and we shouldn't move forward in a way that is expeditious but yet -- we should move forward in a way that is expeditious yet productive. i said earlier this morning, a

robust amendment process is not taking place here. there hasn't been an amendment process. we can blame a lot of people, but it hasn't happened. i think this important piece of legislation, senator mccain and i have worked on this thing for years. we have been at odds on occasion because he was upset i didn't bring the bill to the floor quickly enough, but i do remember that we always brought it to the floor. and i can remember on one occasion he and senator levin, who has since retired, we finished this bill in two days and we had a good bill that came out here. there were no vetoes, no threats of veto. we worked out the problems. so i would hope that we can move forward and get some fairness in this bill. it's a huge bill. i have some differences in the bill, but it's not fair that we don't have a better process than what we've had so far. i would suggest a vote "no" on

cloture. mr. reed: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island. mr. reed: mr. president, i simply want to once again underscore the importance of these amendments that senator murray and senator gillibrand are putting forward, and there can be disagreement on the substance, but the merit, the importance, the criticality should be the substance. i would hope we could find a way to have votes on these amendments. the same logic applies to senator shaheen and senator moran. they have amendments they worked assiduously on for the last days tirelessly and they are being frustrated by not the majority of the senate, but by a few individuals. i think we've reached a point now, we have very little time h left, if we could come together at least on a good-faith package

of consents to deal with all these, or the majority of these, and then continue to work forward for votes on all of them, that would represent, i think, the appropriate thing to do. so i just again want to underscore the fact that the issues that senator murray and senator gillibrand have raised are deserving of a vote and we should have a vote on these issues. and with that, mr. president, i would yield the floor.

quorum call:

the presiding officer: without objection. the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. the clerk: cloture motion. we, the asinine undersigned, 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 calendar number 469, s. 2943, a bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017 for military activities of the

department of defense, and so forth and for other purposes, signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on s. 2943, an original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017, for military activities of the department of defense for military construction and for defense activities of the department of energy to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year and for other purposes as amended shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote: the presiding officer: on this vote the yeas are 68, the nays are 23. three-fifths of the senate duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, the motion is agreed to.

the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

a senator: madam president, i move that the quorum call be vitiated. officer sph without objection. mr. wicker: thank you, madam president. i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the consideration of senate res. 488 submitted earlier today. officer sphe clorm officer the k will report. the clerk: senate resolution 488 recognizing the historical significance on the 50th anniversary of the james h. meredith march against fear, a walk.

the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. wicker: i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the prabble preamble, and that the motions toconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. wicker: madam president, this i think is a very appropriate time to recognize the meredith march against fear. on june 5, 1966, four years after becoming the first african-american student to enroll at the university of mississippi, james meredith began his historic meredith march against fear. the march began at the peabody hotel in memphis, tennessee, and would conclude some three weeks later at the mississippi state capital in jackson. on june 6, mr. meredith and his small band of supporters

encountered gunshots about one mile south of hernando, mississippi. he was shot three times on that day and taken to a hovment although he would recover, meredith was unable to complete his march against fear, and the leadership was taken over by dr. martin luther king jr., ford mckissick. by the time the march reached the city limits of canton, the number of marchers had doubled to 250. by the time it concluded in jackson, there were 15,000 people in attendance. this overwhelming turnout made it the largest civil rights demonstration in the history of the state of mississippi. more than 4,000 african-americans were registered to vote from rallies and drives during the march along u.s. highway 51. mr. meredith still lives in

jackson, where he is frequently seen wearing his old miss cap and attending old miss athletic events in oxford. and he will turn 83 one day before the 50th anniversary of the march's conclusion. today the senate recognizes the courageous leadership of james meredith. i think it is appropriate that this resolution is sponsored by the three current members of the united states senate who are graduates of the university of mississippi, senator cochran, senator shaheen, and this senator. i commend the senate on its recognition of this important individual and this "tig" milestone in the history of the civil rights movement. thank you, madam president. i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call:

the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: i ask unanimous consent that further proceedings under the quorum call being suspended. the presiding officer: mrcane without objection. mr. mccain: i would like to make a clarification for the record. there's been a lost conversation about this issue of the role of women in -- as far as selective service is concerned. at the time the amendments were filed, there was no amendment except one from the senator from utah, who is on the floor. as soon as we began consideration of the bill, i said to the senator from utah, when do you want to do your amendment on women in the selective service?

his response was that he wanted to do another amendment first, and i said, look, the way things work, you may have great difficulty getting that up. nor has the senator from utah or anyone else raised the amendment for a vote. so i'm sorry to say that out there there seems to be some conversation that senator mccain is blocking a vote on women in the select tough service. i have not. and right now if it were germane -- and i don't know if it is or not -- i have repeatedly said if that amendment is for consideration, i would be glad to have that amendment considered and to have it voted on. i want to clarify that for the record. i did not block any amendment concerning women being eligible for selective service, and i want the record to be very clear.

i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call: