last december president trump became the first world leader to recognize jerusalem as our capital. and today the united states of america is opening its embassy right here in jerusalem. [applause] thank you, thank you, president trump, for having the courage to keep your promises. [applause] >> the entire program marking the opening of the u.s. embassy in jerusalem is available on our web site, c-span.org, and it will reair tonight at 7:30 p.m. on c-span. we're leaving it here for live coverage of the senate. senators today considering two nominations to the 7th circuit court which covers illinois, indiana and wisconsin. confirmation votes are at 5:30

p.m. president trump will be attending tomorrow's republican policy lunch, and he will be speaking with them about the economy and his upcoming meeting with the leader of north korea. and senate democrats are likely to try and force a vote repealing the fcc's actions changing net neutrality roles. live now to the senate floor here on c-span2. the president pro tempore: the senate will come to order. the chaplain, dr. barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. our father, enable us to fill swift hours with mighty deeds, bearing the fret of care, the sting of criticism,

and the challenge of unapplauded toil. empower our lawmakers to think clearly, act kindly, and labor to preserve the freedoms we enjoy. thank you for crowning us with glory and honor because we belong to you and trust in your steadfast love. lord, teach us to walk blamelessly, speaking the truth from our hearts, and living with integrity. we pray in your sacred name. amen. the president pro tempore: please join me in reciting

the pledge of allegiance to our 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: under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. morning business is closed. under the previous order, the senate will proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the following nomination

which the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, michael y. scudder of illinois to be united states circuit judge for the seventh circuit. mr. hatch: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator for utah. mr. hatch: mr. president, as president pro tempore of the united states senate, i ask my colleagues to join me in marking a special day, exactly 70 years ago today the state of israel was established. on the same day, the united states was the first country to recognize israel's statehood. i applaud president trump's decision to commemorate this historic anniversary with the opening of the united states embassy in jerusalem. in the 70 years since its founding, israel has shared an

unbreakable bond with the united states. i am pleased to be a friend of israel and have played an integral role in strengthening relations between our two countries. it is difficult for me to express the profound reverence for the jewish people. as a symbol of my respect, i wear a m mazuzah and have done o for the last four decades. it reminds me of the infinity i have as a member of the mormon faith hold for the jewish people in their history. both israel and out were settled by religious minorities seeking refuge from persecution. a shared history that deepens our devotion to democracy and our love of freedom. although my schedule does not allow me to be in israel today, perhaps it is even more appropriate that i make these

remarks here rather than in jerusalem for i would -- where i would like to be. after all, today should be seen as an american holiday, just as it is an israeli one. america's interest, prosperity, and security have benefited immeasurably from our deep friendship with the state of israel. indeed, the world is a much better place because of israel. and it's high time that the country receive its fair treatment on the world stage. that's why last week i joined senator booker in introducing legislation that calls for the fair treatment of israel urging other nations to foster diplomatic ties with the country and recognize its sovereignty. israel desperately needs allies. indeed, the events of last week are a stark reminder that israel has many enemies who seek its destruction.

the iranian government directed missile strikes into the heights in the early hours of the morning last thursday, just hours before the iranian government announced that it may explore enriching uranium towards acquiring nuclear weapons. i know the heights. i've been there. i looked over the golan heights. we stand at historic crossroads. whatever your idea about the iran deal, whether you were for it or against it, we should remember that the goals and ideals -- or ideas of the iranian government have not changed. they are as they have been for the last several decades aimed at the destruction of israel. my israeli friends need our help. so my message today is to the american people to the representatives in both chambers of congress and to all the nations of the world. now is not the time for

partisanship or political games. now is the time for meaningful and unified action in defense of the jewish people and the state of israel. that means a number of things. it starts with all of us getting behind this president and his new approach to iran. we can have our disagreements on his policies and other areas. but taking an aggressive holistic posture on iran should be a bipartisan issue. we must be willing to confront iran on its nuclear program as well as its basis in syria, its support for tear rich, and its -- terrorism and its numerous violations of human rights and religious freedom. here in congress we should support the administration's position through legislation. and to that end i invite my colleagues to join me on a number of initiatives i've championed this congress, including the continued support for the iranian people act which

holds the iranian regime responsible for its human rights abuses. i also call on my friends to join me in supporting the iranian transparency act which exposes the hypocrisy of the iranian government in frequent -- or in funding, excuse me, in funding violent causes rather than providing for the welfare of its people. these actions are just the beginning. we now have an opportunity to hold the iranian government accountable. we should start with curbing iran's nuclear ambitions. we would do well to remember that iran's nuclear program is not an end in itself but just one of many tools the government has at its disposal for causing great harm. in that light we need to appeal to our partners in europe and in the middle east to not only settle on talking points but on plans of action.

if indeed we share the priority of protecting democratic values and institutions, we're just being -- we must -- we must do so by protecting israel, a beacon of democracy in the middle east. we need to both talk the talk and walk the walk. mr. president, the world is a different place from what it was in 1948, and so is israel. today israel is on the cutting edge of every innovation that helps the human condition, from medicine to technology to irrigation. as testament to israel's strength, it has nurtured partnerships across the ildz east, africa -- the middle east, africa and asia. the united states must continue doing its part to foster these partnerships. just as importantly, we must

continue leading the charge in ideas and actions that can help bring about a secure israel. the task has never been more urgent. i call on my colleagues in the nateo ce together on this to build a future of peace and prosperity for israel and its neighbors. let israel's founding be a holiday for us and need for all nations of the world. let us pray that we can soon celebrate this anniversary in more peaceful times. mr. president, i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

quorum call:

quorum call:

a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from arkansas. mr. boozman: i ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. boozman: thank you, mr. president. this is national police week, a time for recognizing the men and women in law enforcement who serve and protect our nation. national police week is a solemn occasion to honor those who tragically lost their lives while serving in the line of duty. the names of those men and women are carved on the walls of the

national law enforcement memorial. each year during this week, families and colleagues of the fallen travel to our nation's capital for this special commemoration. this year 360 names will be added, including four officers who served the citizens of arkansas. we remember arkansans whose names are newly etched into the walls of this treasured memorial. i would like to recognize these heroes. drew county sheriffs deputy timothy bradden gave his life while serving and protecting the citizens of arkansas. deputy brayden unfortunately passed away in a car crash after attempting to stop a vehicle his tkraoefr refused to -- driver refused to stop leading him on a high speed chase. deputy braden joined the

sheriff's office after serving three years at the mcgee police department. his commitment to enforcing the law, helping those in need and protecting the community touched the lives of those that he served with. they will remember him as a kind and hardworking officer who performed his job with a positive attitude. lieutenant patrick weatherford of the newport police department responded to a call of a vehicle break-in when he was fatally shot. he proudly served in law enforcement for 15 years. throughout his time in uniform, he continued to pursue opportunities to better serve the community. he was a 2016 graduate of the f.b.i. national academy and was working towards a master's degree in criminal justice. ii would also like to honor the dedication and servi of kevin

mainhart, aale county sheriffs deputy. he was responding to a domestic disturbance call and initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle connected to the situation when he was fatally shot. deputy mayhart spent more than 20 years of protecting and serving communities in law enforcement and was a veteran of the air force. the selfless service of keith bradford sr., turro, police chief, is also worthy of recognition. the chief is one of 231 members of the law enforcement community who died in a previous year but his sacrifice will be documented on the memorial this year. chief bradford helped launch the law enforcement agency in 2012. in 2014, he responded to a call to assist officers from another

local jurisdiction with a high-speed chase. he checked the safety of the officers, but according to a police report, chief bradford was left shaken. hours later he suffered a fatal heart attack. he dedicated more than 20 years of his life to law enforcement. each of these officers demonstrate courage and determination in the face of danger. these heroes, like all members of the law enforcement community, commit their lives to protecting the public. in their professional, there's no such thing as an off-duty officer. answering a call for help is ingrained to who they are. as a member of the senate law enforcement caucus, i'm committed to providing our first responders with the tools, resources, and training to help them prepare for unpredictable circumstances. these men and women are brave

and selfless heroes who risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe. this congress i was proud to sponsor the honoring hometown heroes act to give their home states the opportunity to provide a fitting tribute for their service should they make the ultimate sacrifice. this bill would allow governors to order the american flag to fly at half staff in recognition of first responders who are killed in the line of duty. those who are called to service and protect have earned this honor. i'm pleased it was included in a provision in the bipartisan budget act of 2019 that was gned into l earlier this year. we can all agree that these courageous first responders deserve this powerful acknowledgement in recognition of their sacrifice. on behalf of all arkansans, i thank law enforcement officers

at the local, state, and federal levels for all they do to keep us safe. we appreciate your dedication and the heroism you display each and every day. thank you for doing whatever it takes to protect and serve your families, neighbors, and fellow citizens. and with that, i yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

mr. durbin: mr. president. the presiding officer: the democratic whip. mr. durbin: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: madam president, a little later this afternoon we're going to take votes on the confirmation of two judges to the seventh circuit court of appeals. the vote will be on the confirmation of amy st. eve and michael scudder to fill these illinois seats. they are two outstanding nominees. amy st. eve is a native of belleville, illinois, and valedictorian. she received degrees from

cornell university and cornell law school. she worked at the office of independent counsel and as aassistant u.s. attorney for the northern district of illinois. in 2002 she was nominated to the federal district court in chicago with my support and the support of peter fitzgerald. she was confirmed by a voice vote. during his 16 years on the federal bench, amy st. eve has handled thousands of cases, preside personally over 120 trials. judge st. eve has an outstanding reputation as a judge. she shows up early, she works hard, she knows the law, she runs her courtroom efficiently. she's respected by litigants and her fellow judges as one of the best trial judges in illinois, if not in the nation. for years i've heard praise for her across the political spectrum. i make it a practice whenever

someone comes before me who has practiced in the federal courts of chicago to ask them, who do you think are the best judges on the federal bench? i can tell you without exception amy st. eve's name always is mentioned -- always. that is no exaggeration. it is a little bittersweet to see her leave the district court bench, but she has the qualifications and judgments to step up and be an outstanding member of the seventh circuit. i'm honored to support her nomination. i i want to graduate her and her family, her husband howard and their children on this important day in the united states senate. michael scudder was born next door to illinois in indiana. he received his undergraduate degree from st. joseph's college and after working for several years as an accountant, he attended northwestern law school where he earned his j.d. after law school he clerked for judge paul nemar of the fourth circuit and then for supreme

court justice anthony kennedy. mr. scudder then worked for several years in private practice and as an assistant u.s. attorne in the southern district of new york. in 2006 he began working as a counselor in the office of the deputy attorney general and in 2007 he moved to the white house where he became general counsel of the national security council. in 2009 he returned to private practice at the law firm skat and arts where he made a name. he has a commitment to plow bono work and efforts to encourage other lawyers to make public service and probono a significant part of their legal career. he's won several awards for his probono efforts including from northwestern law school and from the district court from the northern district of illinois. mr. scudder is well respected across the political spectrum and he has the experience, the integrity and judgment to be an outstanding federal judge. i want to congratulate him, his

wife, say remark and their children aaron, michael, margaret and nicholas on this occasion. it is an honor to speak on behalf of these two illinois nominees who have been rated unanimously well qualified by professional bar associations. let me comment for a moment on the process that led us to this moment. if anyone follows the judicial nominations before the united states senate, they may find it unusual that a democratic senator like myself and i might add senator duckworth who joins me in praising these two nominees are standing here before the senate before a vote and saying that we worked with the trump white house and the blue slip process and did it successfully to come up with two outstanding nominees. i want to comment briefly on how we did it. both of these nominees received blue slips and those are the approval slips from the individual senators in each state from both myself and senator duckworth.

the white house engaged in good faith -- good-faith negotiation over these vacancies. they respected the tradition which we established in ilof having an expert screening committee review all candidates. the process resulted in selection of these two excellent nominees who all -- whom all sides agree on. we made it clear to the white house, both senator duckworth and myself, that we were not going to drag this process out. we would have a timely review of each nominee, my committee, our committee would give its recommendation and we would be back in touch with the white house in a timely fashion. that's how the process has worked in the past. and that's how it should work with this president when it comes to these two circuit court nominees. when blue slips and home state traditional screening commissions are respected, we end up with consensus highly qualified nominees. yet, there are many in republican sir calls here -- circles here in washington who want to jettison the blue slip,

ignore the tradition and basically ignore home state screening commissions. that is the wrong step as far as senator duckworth and i are concerned. we showed good faith and so did the white house coming up with these two fine nominees. recently senator baldwin in wisconsin and her bipartisan screening commission was dealt out of the process but led to the confirmation vote last week of seventh circuit wisconsin nominee michael brennan. now they are pushing forward with rye yandz bounds over the objection of both of oregon's senators after mr. bounds failed to disclose controversial writings to the screening committee in oregon. i hope my republican colleagues in the senate who are now in the majority with a president of their own party and are now feeling their oats and decide they want to to push aside the extra ition disof the senate will stop and reflect for a moment isn't it better that we show mutual respect for one another when 2 comes to the blue slip pro -- when it comes to the blue slip process? there are times in the past when

senators from various states did not give approvals for nominees and sometimes those vacancies went on for years but nevertheless, the democrats in the same position respected the blue slip process. i think republicans should do the same. as senators, we have a fundamental responsibility to the people we represent when it comes to the selection of federal judges. long after many of us are gone, these judges will still be serving in the federal judiciary. we must exercise vigorous advise and consent for these judges who continue to sit in the state courthouses on our federal judiciary. it should concern all of us if any senator is dealt out of the judicial selection process in their state. none of us want that to happen to us as individuals, to the constituents we represent. by confirming michael brennan and pushing the nomination of ryan bounds, some in this chamber are sending a clear signal that home state senators and more important the people that they represent aren't going to matter any more than judicial

selection process. that is a terrible path for the senate to pursue. we're at a critical moment in senate history when it comes to judicial nominations. senate traditions like blue slips and home state screening commissions have worked well for decades to build consensus and produce high quality nominees. no matter which party is in power. abandoning these traditions for the heady moment we might have politically will diminish the advise and consent re of the senate, provide more power to the exetive branch over our own united states senate. i hope there are at least a few republicans on the senate side who will stop their party from going down this road of abandoning blue slips and home state screening commissions. we should have mutual respect for one another professionally, even when we disagree politically. all it would take is for a handful of republican senators to stand up and say, we're going to defend these traditions even though at the moment we may have extra votes and may not need to,

we believe traditions are worth defending. in closing i would say amy st. eve and michael scudder are outstanding nominees who were selected through a process of good-faith negotiations, timely decisions, and that respected the senate's traditions and home state interest. if that process becomes an exception rather than the norm, all of our home states, the quality of our federal judiciary, and the institution of the united states will suffer. let me close, madam president, by saying that these two nominees are two of the best. i knew one of them from 16 years of her service on the bench and the other from recommendations given to us by many who practiced with him over the years. i have confidence that they will do a fine job on this circuit court bench. i may not agree with all their decisions but i'll respect them. as a man and a woman who have come to this responsibility, this professional responsibility with an understanding of their constitutional responsibilities to the united states, to the state of illinois, and to this circuit. madam president, i yield the

floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

the presiding officer: the senator from ohio. we're in a quorum call. the presiding officer: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. portman: madam president, this afternoon, i want to talk about the brave men and women in law enforcement who are out there protecting us every single day. i'm from ohio. we're proud of our ohio law enforcement. we're proud of the leadership that many ohio law enforcement officers have had at a national level over the years. in fact, right now, the vice president of the fraternal order of police is an officer from marion, ohio. unfortunately, we have had in ohio some tragic incidences over the past several years of law enforcement officials doing their job, coming into a dangerous situation, injuries,

shootings, even loss of lives of some of our officers earlier this year. this week is called police week. it's the week where we take a moment to stop and remember those officers and talk about them. today i join my colleagues here in the senate in cosponsoring legislation, which is a resolution commemorating this week as police week. and although every single day we should be grateful to those police officers who are out there in the buckeye state, my home state, and others, this is the time this week to really focus on them, focus on the sacrifices and the bravery, what they do every day, committing themselves to protecting our communities, often risking their own safety to protect others. sometimes we talk about this as the thin blue line, which is that thin blue line between chaos and order, and it's those police officers on that thin

blue line -- the men and women in blue -- who are out there protecting us from that chaos. police officers are driven bay dedication to justice and a sense of duty to protect those in need. the police officers i know have a big heart. they're compassionate. i sometimes tell them they are iaea as -- they're as much social worker as police officer because of the work they do. this is particularly in the case of the opioid crisis and the number of police officers engaged in that issue trying to get people into treatment, trying to detainee -- trying to deal with a problem that in my state is out of control. the number-one crime in neighborhoods is the opioid crisis, particularly the person who is committing a crime, whether it is burglary, shoplifting to pay for a drug habit, and police officers are often in a habit where they need to step in to get people the help they need. let me give you a specific

example of what i mean when i say that police officers put themselves on the line for us constantly. over the weekend, i got a call and an e-mail on saturday about a police officer in ohio who was injured in the line of duty. he was a franklin -- he is a franklin county deputy. i'm not going to use his name tonight because for privacy purposes, his name is not out there. but he is a good example of what happens virtually every day in communities around the country. he was pulling somebody over for a traffic citation, a traffic violation, and he was running the tag, and he noticed that the person was wanted for violating a protection order after a domestic assault charge. the person didn't pull over. in fact, the car led officer on a very dangerous police chase

through the streets of franklin county -- that's near columbus, ohio -- and finally the what's ended when the --he chase ended when the suspect'sar crashed. luckily he didn't kill anybody el when he crashed that car. but then a shootout ensued. and in that shootout, the police officer was injured. but he did return fire. and when he returned fire, the suspect was shot and killed. this deputy has been treated at the hospital for his injuries. he is now listed in stable condition, thank god. but this just happened last weekend. and, again, it is an example of what the men and women in blue confront every single day. so we're grateful for the bravery and quick action of that franklin county deputy. and, again, i'm encouraged about what we're here being about the -- about what we're hearing

about the officer's condition. sadly, in many case around the country, these officers are making the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. in akron, 0 he owe, last year -- in akron, ohio, last week, 26 akron police officers have given their lives. there were people there, as i understand it, providing a commemoration of this event of this -- of this event every year. there is a big one in washington, d.c. sadly in my home state of ohio we have no shortage of police officers whose bravery deserves more than we can ever do to repay them. earlier this year there were two who are rowic ohioans who lost their lives in the line of duty. westerville ohio police officers anthony morelli and eric juring

were both fatally shot responding to a 911 call. again, it was a domestic assault. they arrived and they were immediately shot at. these were two amazing officers. tony morelli was a 29-year veteran of the westerville police department. eric juring was a k-9 officer mo partnered with his dog sam. both of these men were beloved and respected by members of the westerville community. i had the opportunity to meet with some of their fellow colleagues, talked with these men about what they were like. what kept coming back was an incredible sense of service, knew what they were doing was dangerous, yet they felt strongly about doing it and being dedicated to. i also had the opportunity to meet with their wives and kids and families to be able to express our thanks, from all of us.

-- for the service that their husbands and fathers had given on behalf of this body, i presented both families with flags flown over the u.s. capitol hill in honor of their courage and sacrifices. these families, like other police families i've gotten to know over the years, are amazing. their strength is inspiring. in their grief -- and it is profound grief -- they also told me how proud they were of the services these men performed for us and said these two officers wouldn't have wanted it any other way. they wanted to be police officers. the danger they face has increased in the past few years with the deepening of this opioid crisis and specifically the growing influx of the synthetic opioids, like fentanyl. there is an east liverpool officer named chris greene. last year officer greene pulled a car over. there were two people in the car. he pulls up, notices a white,

powdery substance. fortunately for him, he puts on gloves and a mask. he realizes this substance is fentanyl, which by the way is 50 times more powerful than heroin. he books them, takes them down to the station. while he is down at the station, he looks at his shirt and he sees a couple flecks of something, a few white flecks on his shirt. as anybody might do he reaches over with his hand like this and just brushes the flecks off his shirt. unfortunately, the flecks were fentanyl. three flecks. touched his skin. he immediately overdoses unconscious on the floor. he is given narcan -- not once, not twice, but four times. he is taken to the hospital. finally wakes up at the hospital. he is a buying guy, by the way, in good shape. that shows how powerful and deadly these drugs are. but that's a danger that our

police officers are running into every day. his police chief said, rob, he would have probably not made it if we hadn't been there, because he overdosed right there in the police station. they got him to the emergency room. think if he had gone home, not having thought about having plushed off those flakes and gone home, hugged his kids. the incredibly deadly nature of these drugs threatens not only police officers but other first responders that come in contact with these substances. it also threatens the k-9 drug-sniffing dogs that come in contact with it. we have to do other things. law enforcement officers share an unbreakable bond in response to the tragic deaths of officer morelli and juring, the police officers across the nation have stepped up in big ways to support and -- and assist these

two families. beautiful parade in downtown columbus, a lot of support for the kids. that's exactly the way it should be. we hold these families up in prayer, like those 26 officers remembered in akron, like the morellis and the jurings and we take a moment this week to reflect on the sacrifices police officers and their families make on a daily basis for all of us. madam president, i'm honored to be able to be here on the floor this evening to thank these police officers and their families and i look forward to seeing them heren washington this week and letting them know that in this chamber, in this congress, and in this country, we appreciate what they do. we're grateful for their service and we understand their sacrifices. i yield back tie time. -- i yield back my time. mr. schumer: madam president? the presiding officer: the democratic leader. mr. schumer: now, madam president, first i begin -- i

recently heard that my dear friend terry reed has just gotten out of an operation to treat pan creatic -- pancreatic cancer. it seems everything went well with the operation. the doctors say pancreatic cancer is not a great thing, but given that, the operation couldn't have gone much better. we're all praying for harry's speedy recovery. harassy is a fighter, literally and figuratively. i know he will approach his recovery with the same tenacity that defined his public life. so we all send our prayers to him. we also wish a speedy recovery to the first lady, who underwent a medical procedure today as well. now, an area where the president and i have mostly agreed is trade with china. i've given him a pat on the back

for his stance so far. i have praised the administration vocalland forcefully for their efforts to address china' china's intellecl property theft and extortion, their unwillingness to let our best products be sold in their country in their huge market unless we give them our family jewels, how we do things, how we invent things. so the president was right -- and so many of us breathed a sigh of relief when he started an investigation into china's theft of our intellectual property. the administration was right to threaten tariffs and investment restrictions to get china to the negotiating table and their reaction to what happened with the recent telecom company, z.t.e., shows when you're tough with china, they really react. china is rapacious about trade, particularly about intellectual property. to gain access to china's markets, american companies are forced by china's government

into deals where they must turn over their most valuable job-creating intellectual property to chinese competitors. china's state-backed companies trial to steal the intellectual property from american companies outright. it's wrong, it's anathema to the erican way. retid four-star general keith alexander says that the theft has, quote, been the greatest transfer of wealth in history." that leet eats at me. that's american jobs, that's american wealth, american know-how and innovation of wit we're all so proud, being stolen -- stolen; there is no other word -- by china. and it hurts us. one example that hits home to me -- i was just in albany this morning. one of our biggest employers is g.e. where they make steam turbines. g.e., they employ thousands of people in good-paying jobs, one of the few big manufacturing

sites left in schenectady. and they signed a few years back one of these 5149's. china wouldn't let them sell the turbines in china. it is a huge market. so they signed one of these things to make them in china, 5149 with a chinese company that clearly is the government's tentacles are in. it is great for the g.e. c.e.o. liked him. he was my friend. but i so objected to what he did here. g.e. makes some good profits on those sales because they get an exclusive contract, the right to sell for a few years, but then china will have stolen the amazing g.e. teching itnology that allows their -- the amazing g.e. technology that allows thereto teens to be the best in the world. those jobs are gone and that story can be repeated over and over and over again. so i thought, gutted good for president trump for finally getting serious about this calamity. i noted that my views on china and who we deal with them -- and

how we deal with them economically are closer to and president obama, both of whom i felt were far too soft. he acknowledged that in a little note he sent to me because he saw it in one of the newspapers he reads. but now disappointingly, maybe not surprisingly, president trump is backing off. over the weekend we saw two incredible examples of the president doing an 180 on china. first actionios reported that the president is on the verge of a deal that would have china accelerate its purchases of u.s. goods in the name of reducing our decorate deficit. with china -- with china. in exchanges for us trapping the 301 tariffs designed to stop china from stealing our intellectual property specifically. and, second, amazingly enough, when he finally did some strong action against china, his commerce department, the president backs off. he tweeted that he and president

xi are working together to give massive chinese phone company z.t.e. a way back into business fast because, quote, too many jobs in china lost. what about jobs in america, mr. president? what about the millions of jobs that are lost because of what china has done? the president was referring to the fact that z.t.e. accepted a fine for selling its products in violation of u.s. sanctions against iran and north korea and could be further restricted by a pending f.c.c. proposal to ban u.s. telecom companies that receive funds from purchasing mobile equipment or services from companies like z.t.e. why? because z.t.e. poses a national security threat to u.s. communications network. this president, who prides himself on keeping us secure, is going to let z.t.e. continue to do this despite what the experts say? why on earth would president

trump promise to help a chinese telecom company that has flouted u.s. sanctions and whose practices are a risk to our national security? the thing that will move china most is taking tough action against affects like z.t.e. but even before it's implemented, the president backs off. why on earth would president trump retreat from cracking down on intellectual property theft, the thing china fears most, the thing that's hurt us the most and will hurt us even more in the future, losing millions, if not tens of millions, of american jobs in exchange for a few purchases of u.s. goods in the short term. that's a bad, lopsided deal if there ever was one. it would be like trading away your star player in to the last round draft pick. if president trump makes that deal, president xi of china will have made a fool of the

president and shown he does not know how to cut a deal. president trump bemoans too many jobs in china lost. what about american jobs? what about job losses associated with the theft of intellectual property from china and z.t.e. in particular? what happened to america first? being soft on trade puts china first. that's how the president campaigned. that's in good part how he got elected. but once again the president talks the talk but refuses, is unable, is afraid to walk the walk. and once again a foreign leader could well be playing our president for a chump. what happened to make america great again? president trump's latest about-face on trade policy won't make america great again. it will make china great again. the next generation of electric vehicles, telecom hardware,

advanced aviation technology, renewable energy should be made in america, not china. it won't happen if we allow china to continue to distort and steal our intellectual property and know-how. if we allow china to sell goods here at well but not allow us to sell our best products over there. walking away from the negotiating table with anything less than enforceable and verifiable commitments to protect our intellectual property would be a catastrophic failure and again show that president xi has clearly outplayed president trump. i hope that doesn't happen. i pray that doesn't happen, because we care about jobs in america. finally, mr. president, on oil prices, few things matter more to the average consumer than the price of a gallon of gasoline. when gas prices go through the roof, it eats away at a family's income leaving less to cover the cost of everything else -- groceries, medicine, tuition, summer vacation.

data suggests gas prices are about to spike this summer, the result of actions and inactions of the trump administration. as gas heads towards $3 a gallon, the u.s. energy information administration estimates the average family can expect to pay $200 more this summer's driving season than last. part of the reason is that president trump triggered greater uncertainty and increased instability into the middle east when he pulled out of the iran deal and is about to levy additional sanctions on the oil-producing nation. another part of the reason is that opec has decided to cut oil production. president trump has tweeted that opec's decision will not be accepted. we're waiting and seeing for some action that will help america's motorists. i yield the floor. and note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

quorum call:

the presiding officer: without objection. the question is on the nomination. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: order. are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or wishing to change their vote? if not, on this vote, the yeas are 90, the nays are zero. the nomination is confirmed under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered and made and laid

upon the table and the president are be immediately notified of the senate's action. the senate mr. resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. the clerk: amy j. st. eve of illinois to be united states circuit judge for the seth circuit. the presiding officer: question is on the nomination. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their note? if not, the yeas are 91, the nays are zero. the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the president will be immediately notified of senate's action. the senate will resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. the clerk: judiciary, joel m. carson iii to be united states circuit judge for the tenth circuit. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, i had an opportunity yesterday to visit our friend john mccain. it was a beautiful location,

sedona. it's about a two-hour drive from phoenix. john and cindy and i had a chance to sit on the back porch and reminisce about our friendship and all we had shared over the last 30 years. we had some laughs. we mainly reminisced about the battles. sometime we were on the same side, sometimes we weren't. but one thing about our colleague, john mccain, you'd rather be on his side than not. but for ten years we had very vigorous debates about an issue he and i both cared about and we were on the opposite sides. it ended up going all the way to the supreme court.

he won and i lost. and we worked hard to establish a new relationship after that vigorous battle of a decade. we all know his story all too well. a genuine american hero. we admire the tenacity and the grit that it took to survive those five and a half years in the hanoi hilton. and the way he refused to go home early, as he certainly could have given the prominence of his father's position in the navy, it's pretty hard, mr. president, to think of any serious issues facing our nation without recalling the role that

john played in so many things that are important to our country. the last few years, i'm sure the occupant of the chair would agree with me, we sort of thought of him as the shadow secretary of state during the obama years as he traveled to -- the world, sometimes over a long weekend to some of the least desirable places to visit. i avoided those trips, but for those who took them, it was a little bit like the batan death march, and junkets they weren't, but an important, you know, foreign policy and defense voice for our country, and he also was passionate in working to take better care of our veterans.

no one, with possibly the exception of senator isakson, spent more time on veterans' issues and trying to take care of them, as they richly deserve, than john mccain. well, at this point in his life he obviously has a little time to sit and rest and reflect under the desert sky. to simply take in the beautiful, peaceful nation he's worked so hard and so long to protect and pass on to all of our children. one thing we all know about john that remains the case today, he doesn't have a relaxed bone in his body and he still has plenty to say about work, i assure you.

he misses his colleagues. he'd rather be here, and i told him we miss him too. all the great jokes, the smart-alec comments. he was a joy to be around. so i didn't want to miss the opportunity, mr. president, to tell him how much his friendship meant to me, and so that's why i was out there this weekend. and while i was there, i said i was confident i was speaking for everybody in the senate and conveying our deepest respect to him and for all he's done for this country during a truly extraordinary life.

a senator: will the senator yield? mr. mcconnell: now on an entirely different matter, mr. president. a senator: will the senator yield for a moment for a comment on your prior comments. mr. king: i just wanted to join in thanking you for seeing senator mccain and for the comments you made. i came here five and a half years agod and never knew john mccain and i got to meet him by serving on his committee, and by traveling with him, i said traveling with john mccain is like a long march with paul mccartney. you work hard and everyone in the world knows it. and he is an extraordinary leader and one of the most principled people i ever met. i was speaking to a college graduation in far northern

maine, and characterized him almost spontaneously as a tremendous american. i wanted to thank the senator for taking the time to acknowledge this great american today and join my comments to his in recognizing one of the most extraordinary careers in american history. i thank the senator for his comments. mr. mcconnell: i thank my friend from maine. today marks 20 years since israel declared its independence on may 14, 1948. ever since this nation has shown as a beacon democracy and stood as a friend to the united states. this morning an american delegation, including top administration officials and several of our own colleagues were on hand in jerusalem,

israel's capital, to officially open the new american embassy in that city. i'm proud the administration sent this clear signal on behalf of all americans. we recognized the fact that jerusalem is israel's capital, plain and simple. that's where our embassy belongs and now, thanks to the president's decision, that's where it will be. on one final subject, mr. president, the senate's thought this afternoon are also with our former colleague, previous democratic leader, senator reid, who underwent surgery today for a pancreatic surgery. according to his family the surgery went well and chemotherapy will follow in the days ahead. harry, let me say we're all with you in the corner and we wish

you the very best in this fight. mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of the following nomination, calendar 715. the presiding officer: without objection. the clerk will report. the clerk: officer of director of national intelligence, michael k. atkinson of maryland to be inspector general of the intelligence community. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the senate vote on the nomination with no intervening action or debate. if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president be immediately notified of senate's action, no further motions be in order and any statements related to the nomination be printed in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. the question is on the motion -- on the nomination. all those in favor say aye.

all those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nomination is confirmed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate resume legislative session for 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 ask unanimous consent that the appointment at the desk appear separately in the record as if made by the chair. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until ten a.m., -- 10:0, further, following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, and morning business be closed. i further ask that following leader remarks the senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the carson nomination under the previous order. finally, i ask that the senate recess following disposition of the nalbandian nomination until

2:15 to allow for the weekly conference meetings. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until 10:00 a.m. tom

>> can find those three but then damage to low income consumers.

>> thank you very much and thank you for coming. now that we are all suitably freaked out we can talk about solutions than listen to the science and experts and engineers. let me introduce my colleagues