remove the russell amendment, i hope that they change their minds, and i hope that they start to realize that, hey, religious freedom is not some itty-bitty thing. it is "the" thing in many respects that really has been part of making america the greatest land in the world. and the freest land in the world, and the place where liberty includes real liberty. mr. president, i yield the floor. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island. mr. whitehouse: mr. president, i appear to be on the floor for utah day with the junior senator presiding and the senior senator speaking, and i'm delighted to follow the senior senator. i think in the boisterous days and months we will see ahead his long-standing reputation for collegiality and reason and the respect in which his colleagues all hold him could become very

valuable attributes in our senate. i am here, mr. president, as the senate reconvenes from the 2016 election recess to give my -- i think it's my 149th climate speech, but i want first to congratulate my colleagues who were re-elected, and the new members elected to the senate and president-elect trump and vice president-elect pence. with control of the white house and majorities coming in the house and the senate, republicans will wield great power in washington, d.c. and as the well-known saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. in his acceptance speech, president-elect trump asked us all for help and guidance in governing this great nation. my guidance would be first to be responsible. a key test will be whether our

president-elect and republicans here in the senate choose to be responsible about climate change. i am gravely concerned about climate change, but based on the president-elect's campaign, he appears blissfully unconcerned, and congress has been stalled by a decades-long industry-controlled campaign of calculated misinformation on the dangers of carbon pollution and by just raw industry political pressure, but the president-elect will soon hear and hopefully take it to heart from a grown-up world outside the creepy alt-right and the fossil fuel industry, a world of people who actually know what they are talking about. the president-elect will hear from our military and national

security experts how deadly serious this is. our former pacific commander, admiral locklear, said it was the liggest national security threat -- the biggest national security threat we faced in the pacific theater. to use admiral locklear's exact words, climate change is probably the most likely thing that is going to happen that will cripple the security environment, probably more likely than the other scenarios we all often talk about. jeffrey kemp, former special assistant to president ronald reagan for national security affairs, said, and i quote him -- "our military and intelligence leadership have recognized under both the george w. bush and the obama administrations that climate change will present real and costly risks to our national security and that the effects are going to get worse if we don't do something about it very

soon. as general douglas macarthur warned about the dangers of unpreparedness for war, he said, we don't want to be too late. the president-elect will hear from our national labs and from noaa and nasa, the folks who put a rover on mars and are driving it around and may know a little bit about real science, about the robust scientific consensus on climate change and the urgency to change our course, and if he doesn't trust our own scientific agencies, he can go to any major university in any state in the nation and confirm what the government and military experts tell him. the president-elect will hear from world leaders who have pledged alongside the united states to work across borders to limit carbon emissions. the paris agreement brought

nearly 200 countries together with the common goal of keeping global warming below two degrees celsius and avoiding the most catastrophic outcomes for the planet and its people. he will also hear from c.e.o.'s across america, particularly those in the food and agriculture sectors who are living with climate change consequences every day and from many others that we need to quit fooling around. i hope the president-elect will listen to these voices of reason and expertise. the people in our nation certainly are listening. polls show over 60% of americans are concerned about global warming, and more than 80% of americans favor action to reduce carbon pollution. rhode island, the ocean state, would tell the new administration that the oceans

are the front lines of climate change. the oceans have absorbed approximately 30% of the excess carbon dioxide that we have added to the atmosphere since the industrial revolution, 30% of it. they have also absorbed roughly 90% of the excess heat trapped in the atmosphere by those greenhouse gases. without the oceans to absorb that added heat and carbon dioxide, we would not be worried about the two-degree warming limit the world community is racing to avoid. we would be looking at a 30-degree increase, and life as our species knows it on this planet would be over. oceans have spared us thus far from disaster, but what they have done to buffer our self-inflicted harm comes at its

own cost. global ocean temperatures are rising. in rhode island, narragansett bay's mean winter water temperature is up nearly four degrees fahrenheit. our rhode island lobster fishery is crashing, and our winter flounder fishery is gone. as water warms, of course, it also expands. and as glaciers melt, they add volume to the ocean. that is why sea levels are rising worldwide. the water's up about ten inches at the newport naval station tide gauge since the 1930's, and the navy is actively planning how to defend norfolk naval base from rising seas. the effect of the oceans absorbing all that carbon dioxide is a little different. it causes a chemical reaction. it is making ocean water more

acidic. the ocean is acidifying and doing so at the fastest rate in 50 million years. considering we've only been on the planet as a species for about 200,000 years, that is a long, long interval. rhode island's clammers, lobstermen and aquaculture growers are watching with real alarm the damage acidified seas are doing. on america's northwest coast, oyster hatcheries have already experienced significant losses when their new hatches were unable to grow their shells in the acidified seawater. off the coast of washington, oregon and northern california, 50% of ocean pteropods were measured to have -- quote -- severe shell damage, mostly from acidified seas.

if that species collapses, the bottom falls out of the oceanic food chain there. as the oceans go, mr. president, so goes the planet. it is my sincere hope that president-elect trump will feel the call of history, of reason and of patriotism to live up to the awesome responsibilities he now will bear. the 22nd session of the conference of the parties to the u.n. framework on convention of climate change, so-called cop-22 is now taking place in morocco. a similar gathering took place in copenhagen seven years ago. a full-page ad in "the new york times" then called for passage of climate legislation in the

u.s., for investment in the clean energy economy, and for leadership to inspire the rest of the world to join the fight against climate change. it said -- we must embrace the challenge today to ensure that future generations are left with a safe planet and a strong economy. we support your effort, they said to president obama, to ensure meaningful and effective measures to control climate change, an immediate challenge facing the united states and the world today. please don't postpone the earth, it said. if we fail to act now, it is scientifically irrefutable that there will be catastrophic and irreversible consequences for humanity and our planet.

that full-page ad from which we took this text, that full-page ad was signed by donald j. trump, chairman and president of the trump organization. the signatories also included his children, donald jr., eric, and and -- and ivanka. their future and their reputations are at stake, too. the president-elect campaigned against big special interests controlling washington and he mocked republican politicians groveling before the koch brothers at their beg-athon, as he called it. he has a simple choice now. he can make his own decisions

based on the best recommendations of our military, our national science laboratories and our great universities, or he can fall in tow to the koch brothers, the biggest special interests of them all. he can believe our national labs and our national aeronautics and space administration, or he can believe the "the" national enquirer "." he can believe our military or he can believe the fossil fuel industry's denial apparatus. he can believe established scientific principles or he can believe fanciful conspiracy theories. his choice will be fateful, and the world and history will both be watching. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor. i will note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call:

quorum call:

the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: are we in a quorum call? the presiding officer: we are not. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i have one request for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to immediate consideration of calendar number 269, s. 1808.

the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 269, s. 1808, a bill to require the secretary of homeland security to conduct a northern border threat analysis and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the committee reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the heitkamp substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill as amended be read a third time and passed 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 458, s. 1915. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 458, s. 1915, a bill to direct the secretary of homeland security to make anthrax vaccines and and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection.

mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the ayotte substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill as amended be read a third time and passed, the committee-reported title amendment be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be 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 h.r. 5392 which was received from the house. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 5392, an act to direct the secretary of veterans affairs to improve the veterans crisis line. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the bill be considered read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of h.r. 845 which was received from the house. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. which. the clerk: h.r. 845, an act to direct the secretary of agriculture to publish in the

federal register a strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of h.r. 6007 which was received from the house. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 6007 an act to amend title 49 united states code and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the judiciary committee be discharged from further consideration and the senate proceed to s. res. 560. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 560

designating october 30, 2016, as a national day of remembrance for nuclear weapons program workers. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding with the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and will move to the measure. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the judiciary committee be discharged from further consideration of s. res. 608 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 608 designating the week of september 17 through september september 24, 2016 as national estuaries week. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? mr. mcconnell: i know -- the presiding officer: now the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. mcconnell: i know of no further debate on the measure. the presiding officer: is there further dwe bait --

debate? if not all in favor say aye. all opposed no. the ayes appear to have t. the ayes do have it. the measure passes. mr. mcconnell: i ask that the preamble be agreed to, the motions 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 9:30 a.m. thursday, november 17. following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the for leaders be reserved for their use later in the day. further, that following leader remarks the senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to calendar 543, s. 3110. finally, that thought withstanding the provisions of rule 22, the cloture vote with respect to the motion to proceed to s. 3110 occur at noon tomorrow. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: so if there is no further business to come before the senate i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of senator moran. the presiding officer: without

objection. mr. moran: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from kansas. mr. moran: i have the honor of serving with you on the committee of veterans affairs and i want to speak tonight about an issue, a set of issues, a circumstance that we have found ourselves in. as you will recall several years ago, our nation was appalled. there was a national news story. and we were appalled to learn that the department of veterans affairs, employees from across the country were creating secret waiting lists that stood between veterans and the care they deserved. veterans died waiting for care because of deceptive practices at the v.a.

in the wake of that wrongdoing, i called upon the resignation -- called for the resignation of the then secretary of the department of veterans affairs. at that time i didn't think that things could get worse at the department. but i was wrong. during the current bob mcdon ald's confirmation hearing in 2014 he seemed to understand the urgency demanded by the american people and their congress to fix the problems at the department of veterans affairs. in his testimony, he promised that -- quote -- "the seriousness of this moment demands action. those employees that have violated the tryst of the nation and vet -- trust of the nation and veterans must be and will be held accountabl accountable, un" now more than two years later with authorities granted by congress and signed into law by the president, the secretary seems to have forgotten that

promise. time and time again the secretary uses a talking point on accountability stating that -- quote -- "the v.a. has terminated more than 4,095 employees since the secretary arrived." the real number of terminations is three. only three people have been discharged from the v.a. for their misconduct and another 12 to 15 -- quote -- are potential removals for demotions. what the secretary hasn't said is that thousands of those -- quote -- "terminations" were actually employees placed on paid leave thereby racking up $23 million to pay the salaries of 2500 v.a. employees who weren't actually working. the opportunity for the secretary and for the v.a. to hold bad actors accountable has been squandered. the terrible part of this is

that americans have been misled. the accountability of the v.a. created in the wake of the scandal about the fake waiting list has generated further disappointment and scandal due to the mismanagement and manipulation. instead of firing people, americans are paying bad actors to do nothing or worse yet, they have been transferred to other facilities to continue bad practices. the morale of the hard-working, the vast majority, the huge number of people who work for the v.a. many who are veterans themselves, their morale has to be harmed as they care for veterans every day and suffer in this culture of corruption. in kansas, my home state, we face one of the worst examples of a v.a. employee violating the trust of a veteran. yet the v.a. seems to have no

sense of urgency in holding this person accountable or committing to fix the process that enabled this individual to do what he did. in 2015 we learned from newspaper reports, certainly not from the v.a., that a physician assistant at the leavenworth v.a. hospital, mr. mark weisner, had been sexually abusing veteran patients. shortly after that news broke, the leavenworth county prosecutors charged this individual with multiple accounts of sexual assault and abuse against numerous veterans. we learned as the story unfolded that he had targeted vulnerable veterans suffering from ptsd. he prescribed opioids that inhibited their thinking and he used his position to deepen the wounds of war rather than healing them. i'll share a quote from two army

veteran brothers who were patients and felt they had no choice but to continue seeking the care or lose their health care benefits they had earned. one of them said -- quote -- "the fear of losing what i had earned in benefits versus the fear of being sexually assaulted again, i didn't know which one was more important." can you imagine the desperation of a veteran trying to answer that question. again so troubling about this situation is that mr. weisner should never have been hired by the v.a. in the first place, and as we adjurey to insult for these veteran -- injury to insult to these veterans, he was not fired after admitting to the abuse. he was allowed to retire and his voluntary retirement means that he received certain benefits that he might not otherwise have

received if he'd actually been fired. according to publicly available documents, mr. weisner indicated on his application for licensure that he had been convicted of a crime and further information indicates that the crime and convictions were lewd in nature yet he was hired. it is infuriating, it's worse than infuriating that a person with a criminal record convicted of a lewd crime was still hired to be at the front lines of veteran patient care. when the v.a. was asked about his criminal record, they indicated that background checks are concontinuing jents upon -- contingent upon -- quote -- risk level and physician assistant positions were considered -- quote -- "low risk" and didn't require an exhaustive background check. in my view a practitioner in patient care should be held to the highest standards of excellence and should receive an

exhaustive background check. how can a position in patient care be considered low risk at the v.a.? fortunately as i said, i serve with you on the veterans committee and i had the opportunity during one of our committee hearings, it was last september, just a few months ago, to question the secretary, to question secretary mcdonald about the background check process and why mr. weisner was hired with a known criminal background. the secretary's response was -- quote -- "there was nothing in his file that suggested that there was a risk. office "he also suggested that i had different information than he did, he, the secretary did, which is hard to believe because the documentation i was reading from, the circumstances i was describing came directly from his own office of inspector general. i've also sent the secretary a letter with more than 20 questions about this situation hoping that i could receive substantive answers to those

questions. more than two months passed until i received a response last week from the under secretary for health. i was hoping to learn something from that response about the v.a.'s commitment to fixing their hiring practices not akin to answering the v.a.'s current process for background checks. certainly the ten questions asked of the secretary remain unanswered. they remain unanswered why the v.a.'s credentialing process failed to catch mr. weisner, a convict. does the v.a. not consider lewd crimes or convictions in an applicant's file as a risk to veterans? the responses have been unacceptable. the lack of response has been unacceptable. but also unacceptable are the circumstances surrounding mr. weisner's separation from

the v.a. instead of an immediate termination, unbelievably he was permitted to retire with full benefits. when the v.a. police received a complaint about mr. weisner in may of 2014, they alerted the v.a. inspector general. weisner was removed from patient care and placed on paid administrative leave while the i.g. conducted its investigation. some days later with an interview with the v.a. inspector general, special agent wisner admitted that he -- quote -- "crossed the professional lines and that he engaged in -- quote -- "unnecessary and inappropriate behavior of a sexual kind." mr. wisner made no amendment to hide his actions stating he knew what he was doing to these patients was wrong but that he had no self-control. despite confessing to these horrible and illegal actions, mr. witner continued to be an ploy -- wisner continued to be

an employee of the v.a. for 37 more days giving him enough time to beat the v.a. to the punch and seeking and receiving retirement on june 28, 2014. one would think that the moment a v.a. employee admits to violating or abusing a patient, a client or a coworker would be the moment their paycheck would end and they'd no longer be employed. there would be zero tolerance for such egregious conduct. grounds for immediate termination clearly existed from wisner's own confessions yet he was able to gather all of his personal documents and submit his retirement paperwork to the v.a. to guarantee his retirement benefits, benefits incidentally that millions of veterans continue to wait for years and decades to receive. there are so many factors about this situation that are troublesome, upsetting, disgusting, but most importantly

our veterans themselves ar are s strawt. the v.a. failed to protect them from a sexual predator. they were taken advantage of and are hurting. one victim took his own life troubled by what had happened to him. wisner's termination void of retirement benefits would maybe have brought some small measure of justice to the victims. despite having more than enough justification and the authority to fire wisner, the v.a. chose to do nothing and that inaction sends a very strong and disappointing message not only to our veterans but to the v.a. employees who are looking to the v.a. to have theirs and the patients they care for, our veterans' best interests at heart. our veterans are expecting the v.a. to live up to the "i care" values created by the secretary. secretary mcdonald announced

the i care program and i can tell you that veterans in kansas would agree that the v.a. did not demonstrate integrate, commitment, advocacy, respect, or excellence in these circumstances. when given the opportunity at a hearing and in writing, the v.a.'s top executives are unable to put at rest, not just my mind but the minds of veterans back home in kansas. veterans deserve a heartfelt, a thorough examination, a thorough explanation of what went wrong and what is now being done to make certain that it never happens again. our local v.a. folks in our state have done what they can do to reach out to veteran patients. the stories continue to grow. veterans continue to come forward. but there is a serious and

insignificant neents -- these serious and significant incidents require more than just outreach. they require an engagement by the top leadership officials at the department of veterans affairs. the v.a.'s refusal to admit fault or commit to remedying this situation gives little confidence to congress and more importantly to veterans who are being asked to trust the department that failed to protect them. it appears the secretary has forgotten his promise made over two years ago to uphold -- quote -- "the seriousness of the moment, to hold those responsible for bad behavior accountable there could be no more serious moment -- there could be no more serious moment of recklessness at the v.a. than the abuse of a veteran by its own employees.

mr. president, i yield the floor. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the senate stands adjourned until 9:30 a.m. stands adjourned until 9:30 a.m. >> the u.s. senate continued debate today on moving forward with a bill setting state revenue sharing for oil and gas production on government land. it covers both offshore and on land energy production. off off the floor, negotiations continue on federal spending for the 2017 budget year. current year. current funds run out december december 9. [inaudible] [inaudible]

>> good morning everyone. we had a great meeting. it went very smoothly. i am humbled, truly humbled and honored to receive the support of my colleagues to be the next leader of the senate democratic caucus. i am even prouder to introduce the team joining me appear today which i will get into very soon. i came into this job fully aware of its challenges and what it means that my colleagues trust me to live up to a high standard. it is set by my friends, and mentors, and my old buddy, harry reid. harry reid is like an older brother to me. his support and counsel are invaluable. i speak for the entire caucus when i say we are grateful for

his leadership, his service, his friendship. now i want to say to the american people exactly what i just said to my caucus. i am going to wake up every single day focused on how senate democrats can effectively fight for america's middle class of those struggling to join it. last tuesday night was something none of us expected. i suspect that that is true for many of you in the press. it certainly did not go the way that we democrats had hoped. it was a tough night, no doubt about it. when it. when you lose an election like this you cannot flinch, you cannot take nor. you need to to look at in the eye and ask why. analyze it and learn from it. one thing we know is that we heard the american people loud and clear. they felt the government was not working for them, they felt the

economy was rigged against them in many places and that the government was too beholden to big money and special interests. there is a debate going on whether we should be the party of the diverse obama coalition or the blue collar america in the heartland. some think we we need to make a choice. and spend our energy focused on one group of americans or another. i believe there does not have to be a division. in fact, there must not be a division. we need to be the party that speaks to and works on behalf of all americans. a bigger, bolder, and shop shopper edge to economics that talks about how people in the middle class and those struggling to make it there can do better. also deal directly with the unfairness in the american economic system.

we will unite our caucus and speak to the blue-collar worker in west virginia, michigan, as well as the people who live along the coast. under leader read we have seven members and leadership. i have decided to expand the team and add three new members who are here today, i am so proud of each of them. bernie sanders, joe mansion, tammy baldwin. addie bernie, tammy, and joe torah team shows we can unite the disparate factions of our party in our country. our country. our leadership team is emblematic of my. the team is ideologically and geographically diverse. it mixes mixes the wisdom of experience with the vigor of youth. at least in senate years. but from top to bottom, the common thread is that each of the senators have devoted their lives to fighting for the middle class and those struggling to get there. each of us believes we need a

sharper, bolder, economic message about returning the economic system which are so many feel is rigged against them to one that works for the people. our leadership team stretches from bernie to joe. there will be differences of opinion, of course. on the. on the court economic issues, our caucus is united. in fact, on this point we are far less divided than the republicans. indeed, a silver lining in the deep clouds of this election is that on many economic issues president-elect trump and his campaign was closer to as the public and leadership which ends in the special interest. so as republicans return as fair majorities next year and get set to take over the white house, democrats are beginning to determine our way forward. we

will we will take it issue by issue, case-by-case. i can tell the american people this, we are ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with republicans, working with soon to be president trump on issues where we agree. but we will will go toe to toe against the president-elect whenever our values are the progress we have made is under assault. today, i want to focus on our new leadership team, they are just a great team -- and give out their phone numbers. we will will send you a list of the titles of each member of the team. i'm going to lean on this advice , i'm going to lean on this group for advice and counsel. we are going to move forward in the same direction as the team. we are big ten party with a great diversity of views

about united as a caucus and united in purpose. the leadership team is a perfect example of that and they are the right to group to leave the caucus and lead america forward in the 10015th congress. thank you, with you, with that i will take your question. >> you have a long relationship with the president-elect, what you think your relationship be like with him going forward? how that relationship help question. >> i have spoken to them a couple of times. i told told him what i told you. when we can agree on issues than we are going to work with them. we are not going to as some have done here the past said just because the president trump's idea or thought we are going to

oppose it per se. where we can work together, we will. i have also said to the president-elect on issues where we disagree you can expect a strong and tough fight. and some of those issues i named. that is how the relationship will be. >> [inaudible question] >> i put out my statement on bannon and i think that was two days ago. the things that he has said are reprehensible. we are going to keep a really careful eye on the president and on him. if they do anything from this day forward, they have done so much awful from this day back we will go after them in terms of bigotry. >> [inaudible question] >> what did you learn from the election that is reflected?

>> a much sharper, bolder, economic message. we needed to let the american people understand what we all believed. the system is not working for them. we are going to change it. >> it with the supreme court -- >> again, we are deeply disappointed the way our colleagues retreated merrick garland and i will underline that we did not change the rules for supreme court because we thought on something as important as this there should be some bipartisan agreement. >> feinstein has huge respectively caucus. she will be a superb ranking member and she will have a very important job. making sure that every aspect of the president's nominee is is explored and brought before the

public. thank you everybody. [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] >> good afternoon everyone.

we have leadership elections this morning and we have a new chairman in the rnc, gardner who will make some comments shortly. our role will be to wrap this lame duck session up as soon as possible. we intend to have a very busy year next year, beginning january 3. there are some conferences in progress, we hope to be able to finish with energy. i'm particularly interested in the vice president and president as well, the 21st century cures the bill which has a very broad very broad bipartisan support. we hope to wrap that up. we are in ongoing discussions, obviously about how to fund the government and for how long.

>> since the eisenhower administration there has been 14 occasions in which the same political party had majorities in both houses and the white house. eleven times democrat control, three times under republican control. we see this election on novembec opportunity for us to make real progress on behalf of the american people. the american people believe overwhelmingly that the country is heading in the wrong direction. we. we have now been given a tremendous opportunity, maybe the last opportunity during our lifetimes in the senate to turn that stayed around. we intend to take advantage of every opportunity we can to be responsive to the message the american people sent us, the voters on november the eighth and to make progress on their behalf. >> i think everybody would agree this was a combative election process this year.

the l results were decisive. the merc and people came out in big numbers and they voted for change. the the republican senate was listening. we want to address the american people's biggest concerns, their biggest priorities, which we believe are improving the economy, creating better jobs in the economy and defending and protecting the homeland and keeping america safe. the other take away from the election is that people are extremely frustrated. they're tired of business as usual, of the status quo and washington dc. i think all of us need to hear that message. it is my hope that in the senate and with the new white house coming we will work together to restore the trust of the american people and put up a record of accomplishment and adjust their most basic and highest concerns and priorities in the coming years. >> yesterday the obama

administration came out with new rules and regulations on oil and gas production on public lands. you will remember that the white house chief of staff have set at the end of the administration they'll be using audacious executive actions. i would caution the administration because anything they come out with after about the first of june will be subject to something called the congressional review act. we have used that five times in the last session of congress and put things on president obama's desk that was vetoed and we didn't have the votes to override. now i feel assured that president trump will sign those things to reverse some of these late regulations coming out by the obama administration and we plan to use that technique vigorously the next demonstration. >> . .

>> >> has a chance to go in a new direction least on behalf of the people that i work for, the direction the with like to see us go. >> apparent made the speaking order is done by heighth so i m last. [laughter] so talk about the last two years in the majority as we have let on transportation and energy and have great success of the past two years with bipartisan efforts that led to the majority this november and into retaining the majority

2008. reassuring those results to make sure we take care of every man and woman in this country for this great nation. >> [inaudible] >> i will not comment on the white house personnel traces -- choices. >> >> american campaigns are pretty robust i fake we have had a lot of elections like this in the past i am thinking of 1824, andrew

jackson, henry clay, john adams, almost everything i have heard pales in comparison what they said about each other's of those american campaigns are pretty spirited but with the internet and 24 hour tv that is constantly a confronted. i think president obama should be commended the way he handled himself after the election, hillary clinton, not to except the results to see what we can do together. >> is there any indication?

>> faugh we have had conversations about a variety of things it will not surprise you to know cement to disease favor into next year? >> we are working on that. >> specifically do you agree? >> what we will do is make as much progress as we can for the american people. and then to repeal and replace obamacare. comprehensive reform and in the supreme court.

and to litigate on either side during a very hotly contested presidential race. >> [inaudible] >> yes. we will pass that. we will take up that house bill and pass that. [inaudible conversations] >> let's begin with the senate democratic leadership

race a changing of the guard with senator schumer easily leading the leadership post. >> it is still an open question if there will be a fight with senator durban with uh question few will head out the senate campaign they did not announce a everybody was watching. >> what were the goals of senator schumer? what are they trying to accomplish what. >> and to expand the of leadership team to bring those factions about the future of us democratic party and how they appeal to the voters and obviously

each 2020. so with the more conservative moderates and then to pull everyone together. >> what about senator from virginia quick. >> a were already in leadership in moving n to that leadership. >> candidate new position bernie sanders remains independent and caucuses with the democrats what was he looking for? >> going into this meeting was of a challenge he was the number three spot he was

very quiet but then to give us and to work on outreach as a natural fit for him. so to tap into those younger voters. >> senator feinstein will not be the ranking democrat on the senate judiciary committee and then to move over from their ranking member but with regard to senator feinstein there will be leased one supreme court nominee front and center. where does this put her? >> of what they can see

there is a chance that president trump will get to that point and to be at the senate of the fight that you have heard democrats talking about of the democratic caucus with uh trump whitehouse. >> also leadership vote today mitch mcconnell is returning as the senate leader nominated by marco rubio who will begin a second term in january. why did he make that nomination? >> that's a pretty good question. he was really involved in the senate fight and then

change it is mine to come back to the senate. and then to get the republicans on track with the senate majority in the incoming senator from indiana so that was a nice symbolic gesture. >> with no real significant changes what is his new role? >> and with that senate campaign strategy that looks like of very favorable map with dozens of democrats cetera up for reelection in the reds' dave.

but in this last whitehouse it is the up point person. >> and to underscore the point they're holding off on the opposition until early next year. >> and with 2018 that is the very difficult matchup with the of wide swath of people that are chomping at the bit. thank you for your time.

despite the question is far of prime minister. >> nakedness terse speaker i am sure the whole house will join me to express condolences for those that are injured is the tragic events. also to the rescue operation. the that ministerial colleagues sedition to my duties to have such meetings later today.

>> will the prime minister joining me to welcome and to thank all of those businesses? and with those constituency. >> absolutely agree that end of last year it has gone up by a 88,000. and then to open up the new jobs. but that has never bend higher more than a decade and i m. sher that members on all sides will also want to welcome.

>> thanks mr. speaker so to talk about those remarks of the disaster last week our sympathies to those who lost loved ones.in and to free the people from the wreckage. they were expelled 14 years ago so with the denial of their rights of return. yesterday the of foreign secretary said backs it probably would break that customs union. can you confirm what. > the right

>> with the issue of that of violence there will be a written statement in the house later today and on the isle whole question of the trade relationship with ad with the european union and also carefully for the negotiation. but we work to ensure with the european union. >> with the foreign secretary's remarks leaving the customer union and then for that secretary to come forward.

i am sure if he did. but earlier this week to release a memo the government is considerably short for its plan as no common strategy has emerged with brexit because of positions within the cabinetet . the state department says if there was a consultant. >> candace it is we do have a plan. >> to deliver the best possible agreement to

deliver control of movementde from people our plan is to go home with the free-trade agreement. this government is absolutely united in the determination. >> it doesn't seem to travel very far mr. speaker and i sympathize bet she said about her government subsidies to tell us something that makes sense. >> there making a total

shambles of brexit but nobody industry as the actual strategy. >> of course, the european union we will be negotiating with every detail of our negotiation. if any word to do that, it would be the best possible way to ensure that is why we won't do it. >> that has spent very helpful on the situation ebs t6 does mean brexit and may well have they titanic success. [laughter] so to take back control that is what brexit is to meet.

taking back control wound does require some with the industry share. there needs to be a 40% increase of the stock to cover the projections withinat increase between 10 and 30,000 civil servants. can the prime minister tell by house that the civil servants that they need to know. >> looking at those preparations unnecessary. >> but my honorable friend.

>> can tomatoes i haveations. and so the confusion in relation to brexit with another example if they talk we act or we deliver.r, we are t that wast up to the job. >> mr. speaker. to the call meant to the unopposed to set example.

>> these animals complex set of negotiations downhill blissful since the second rolled for.. and then coming up buffet's serious plan. when the supreme court meets and decides to uphold the decision of the high court this time to defend that judiciary. has the right honorable gentleman knows one to be

found in favor of the government we have a good argument can be put that to the supreme court.decision. and that is sava basis of the argument but we also believe that it is also underpinned by the freedom of press. >> box of the independence of the judiciary, mr. speaker those set are opposed aid chancellor with no strategy. those whose seemed to have difficulty.

we have the brexit team with no plans for t6 with the prime minister food is not prepared to enter questions about the actual brexit strategy in we need a better answer. >> also the right honorable gentleman with the international development with this government's commitment to spend and also delivering on 10 billion pounds for the health department. en to make sure we have theke economy that creates that services. or the opposition that is incapable. >> mbia one nation party

where ford to be consistently underestimated.eekw , they continue to pursue the agenda? then to have that lower-paid disproportionate. >> it is always interesting to hear a the thoughts but they should not be articulated from dysentery position -- sedentary position. >> before i speak of wish it your wife all the of very best with the issues she is

going through. so that means moby have done already we cut in taxes and we have taken 4 million people at of the income bracket that is important that is a popular end of thehe income scale. >> we joined of leader of the opposition following theof tragedy the institute for government has published a report that says the approach to brexit is chaotic and dysfunctional opposing the existential threat to to have a

secretive approach and with the present case situation do they plan to carry on regardless quick. >> money-saving what the government is doing but the most important thane is to calmly and carefully get on with the job of the negotiations and not to give day running commentary the best way to get the worst deal for this country. >> the date that we hear the post truth is the international word of the year now he is prepared to tell the media of the czech republic but still wants to

trade freely after word to say that that does not exist but it is impossible. and so to run the of parliament the right honorable gentleman is not just a by neary decision. and look at what we need tot do to get the best possible deal of the same goalle deal european market. and then says to a week he wants access to the single european market.s access to if only a couple of years ago.

[applause] >> un so emotional condition. tried to recover your composure. >> but the night crime is on the increase and we're concerned this will be a priority for the government

so to help that crime commission to deal with a very big challenge wants. >> and to raise an issue that is very important readythis , will do all it can do can to u an excellent job of ethics. but i recognize the concerns but in the conduction of and then to make sure that they are punished and to send a clear message we will not tolerate ninth crime in this country.is country. >> many people in this country visit the united states every year to study

on business or to insure one of the greatest countries on earth. what action would she take great if the president-elect said he will discriminate against our citizens on the basis of their religion. can you give a commitment to the special relationship she has with u.s. presidency will be conducted with the basis of respect for the dignity of all citizens in respect of of their race or religion. o >> or religion? >> with the special relationship it is very important with the united states and the united kingdom. and with at conversation with the president elect it is up to deny its states while rules say put in place

but we are assured that relationship will continue across the u.k. and a the u.s. >> tuesday of last week i attended a summitmit. highlighted by the department of health to dramatically decrease. will they join me to outline the government's strategy but. >> absolutely. that is an important issue we already have very good results of the one reductions of we can never

be complacent.>> >> >> en the most vulnerable of society and tusis employment they will continue to receive the same level of support. we are in sharing to be concentrated were also ensuring that the support is

available in a wider package and the prime minister said that people demand changehe the job to respond for thoseple who have supported the party for those cuts to be halted. surely she must respond accordingly. >> will be are doing is focusing and the support has gone up we are giving extra support to those who are work-related groups and then that is hell whole package

that provide for a the cost of disability. but to be concerned of the of lovell of pavement with the powers that they have an but said they intended to use those powers. >> mr. speaker following the election of mr. trump with the progress made for those of the ethnic minorities what message of reassurance fro that we have spent less behind?ave been lef [laughter] >> that is an interesting

point maybe my honorable friend would like to come up to see me sometime. >> in the state of the nation report today issued a early t on progress with narrowing bad educational attainment gap all going back words so when will she come forward with a real strategy for opportunity for all to create cahow -- even more easy to education? >> if i note that social mobility commission benefits

from higher education with those record levels as it has actually a narrowed. and was commissioned by a labor council and that report says that this say transformative idea for the working class. >> since the 1940's that is an excellent example of those around the world.the servh but the independence the

bring millions around the world is very important with the work that they do including where free-speech is limited. and then to support that to provide that to the most a remote parts of the world. >> the 25 percent of thehe research funding from the you with the finest researchers but then after 2020 with academics as well. for >> we have already givingg guarantees bohol who -- with the e.u. and the contracts that will be signed.

to be sure that the brightest and the best can come from the united kingdom but it wasn't that long ago himt he was campaigning from the european union. >> bat yesterday with the delegation with those members serving members of the surveillance and is country despite everything we have said to go out and collect evidence do you agree we need to work harder me of how that actually feels? >> my honorable friend talks about the impact with the

servicemen. and then to conduct those increase with the reasonable time that it will be out those cases are frivolous. i am sure he would except, crede and that should be investigated but i am conscious that to do such a good job for us around the world to keep us safe answer they have the support what they need. >> leading with those leaders at the joint ministerial committee that is planned for earlier in the new year and of course, intr a whole range of issues.

>> and that did this part of a government cement again don the 23rd of june from the european union. >> and then to be provided. however the campaign is very clear that it would not be

affected my parents saw our italian can the prime minister assured me that she will never construct meet to take away the rights of my parents' class. >> and then the rights of the u.k.'s citizens than the european union. i hope this is an issue of which we can come to reposition.

>> but from the diagnosis. with end of life care with people of dementia of like alzheimer's. in the ho edited say personal concern. with those across the constituencies. anary have 1.6 million. and attacked research institute raising with the end of life care. to create the end of life care minnesota tome

personalize the end of life care. >> get the same time to. write restorer hundreds of millions of pounds of funding to restore that very modest former members are dismayed the bbc is ready to cut that monitoring service to bring back echolocation with the american counterparts and will they have a discussion before the disaster it is visited on

information that so many depend. >> did it is the matter for the bbc but we're very clear with the service that this provides with the foreign office but i can't tell mymy honorable friend that that renewal process talking about a new agreement in relation to the monitoring role to results of the improved service not the reduced one. to best big men to have control and those that have the concern surely she is

aware as i am that there are serious allegations to go and investigated so did she share the full confidence and if so, why? >> i recognize the importance of this issue of those champions of those like her so that it is important and i agree this point was made this morning of the new chairman lee allegedly victims to continue and having seen the work i have absolute

confidence and her ability. >> the election of the united states president elect trump but should be at the front. and now she is elected president and when you take them further. >> and with that special relationship. and around the united states of america up. >> with the social media as choice that is the lesson.

>> it is of lebanon's choice with hiv-2 run amok will they agree to discuss companies like facebook can't twitter but then to raise those important issues it is even used to raise an important point for thosesed ans who wish to bully others. of

so the home office is over the years san talking with the responsibility that they have i think it is an issue. >> that mr. speaker last time they changed the law is respected of the public did they agree about what are the baby ain't. ardennes she agree with an outrage?

>> but that important point with the of relief of prisoners of the of wider community not under which those conditions to have those measures emplace to rehabilitate those offenders which is why the work that has been done by previous secretaries is so importantntint to show who we are offending >> can that prime minister and then what about nigel?

>> that should not be discussed in public. [laughter] >> so welcome in the announcement. >> to the northwest region including north wales. and it is absolutely right. crul >> so that has flourished

over the years. and then the european union. in9 and then to leave the european union. to insure there are no extra barriers and then to threaten the special relationship. >> em before that common area existed.

with the republic of ireland and then shoot insurer to w recognize the importanceose mov with both sides of the order.

>> day. >> you akkad the fabulous meeting with the federalist society that has been helpful to the president elect of possible supreme court justices and has committed to choosing his supreme court justices in this committed to choosing

for them with the immediate exit polls that the supreme court was one of the most important issues among them 60 percent said they were voting for mr. traub. >> president trump wanted to talk about the direction he has to make a and the coming months i was heartened by the focus is putting on this. so it was a very productive and session. >> can to evaluate those people very carefully upon

the assumption of the office. >> key did not discuss the timing specifically that is a high prairie to not saving about a specific time line. >> and i have no preferences and he did not indicate but for those of the constitution with courageous and smart to but then to move forward as quickly as it can.

>> it don't know how involved we will be with the president the white house counsel and attorney-general. i expect the federal society because the supreme court is such days important institution in our country. we will place of rule to foster a discussion or conversation. >> this is clinton is

honored for her contribution to child advocacy. this is life and it is not under way get so we spoke with dave reporter earlier today. here is a look. >> let's begin with the senate democratic leadership rate - - race the changing of the guard senator schumer leading the post but what other surprises quick. >> it is an open question with the democratic whip spot and with that senate campaign that day did not announce