quorum call:

a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. menendez: i ask that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. menendez: i rise today to cast my support for the resolution we will be voting on which sends a message that this body directly representing the american people wishes to end direct u.s. military support for the saudi-led coalition's campaign in yemen. i'm disappointed but not surprised that the president issued a veto choosing to stand by a campaign of devastating consequences for the people of yemen. every time we have a vote on this resolution and every day the numbers get worse, but let us be clear. these numbers are people. three million human beings have been forced to flee. more than 15 million are on the brink of starvation, and more than one million individuals, children, mothers, fathers, are suffering from the largest

cholera epidemic in the world. even the coalition countries themselves insist there is no military solution to this man-made conflict. as houthis backed with the stabilizing and increasing support from iran continue to launch attacks into civilian population centers, saudi arabia and the united arab emirates continue their campaign which has targeted hospitals and threatened humanitarian access. the fragile u.n.-brokered political process that emerged from stock home is almost at a breaking point. to be sure, the houthis slow-walking of the implementation of this plan presents a serious challenge. but u.s. focus should now be on supporting a meaningful, cliewf, and comprehensive process, even if it is one step at a time, a process that must start by ensuring the vital humanitarian relief reaches those who need it most desperately. as some of my colleagues and the president have repeated, we do indeed have important security and military partnerships with the countries comprising the

coalition, but these partnerships are not a blank check for weapons and direct support for a campaign that is decidedly working against u.s. interests in the region. in addition to the truly horrific attacks on civilians, we have credible, alarming reports that our partners are transferring u.s. weapons to nonstate actors who have worked directly against the united states. moreover, the length and brutality of this campaign has allowed iran to exploit a vacuum and increase its influence and presence in the gulf. mr. president, this resolution sends an important message, but much work remains to be done. i have a bipartisan bill that would authorize serious policy regarding u.s. weapon sales that would hold accountable those blocking humanitarian aid and help set the stage for supporting a meaningful political process, so i have said before we should consider this resolution just this one step but one that must be taken, one that the congress has shown it supports.

so while the president has made his decision clear, the congress must continue to assert our independence and continue to act where he will not. finally, let me also repeat what i said this morning at the senate foreign relation committee's business meeting. the executive has a responsibility to share with us critical information that is directly relevant to the work of the committee. last month, i discovered intelligence directly related to a topic that the administration had regularly briefed the committee about but completely omitted. without going into the details, i called the administration and provide committee members with more information. i believe the full senate should have this information which is relevant to votes we have taken, and i will be asking the majority and minority leaders to convene an all-senators briefing on this topic. i think they should know before they cast votes. with that, mr. president, i yield the floor. i observe the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call: the presiding officer: the senator for idaho. mr. risch: are we in a quorum call? the presiding officer: we are. mr. risch: i ask the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. risch: mr. president, today we again consider senate joint resolution number seven, which is a joint resolution that directs, and i quote from the resolution, removal of u.s. armed forces from hostilities in yemen. this is the second time, of course, that we have -- that we have considered this, we passed it, the house passed it and the president has vetoed it, and it is now in front of us under our constitutional responsibilities to consider the -- whether or not the resolution becomes law notwithstanding the president's signature.

i'm going to urge a no vote on this, that it does not become law and we sustain the veto that the president has made. as i have stated before, the premise of this resolution is fundamentally flawed. i believe a mischaracterization of the actual facts on the ground today in yemen, so i want to start basically by once again making it absolutely clear what is and more importantly what is not happening with respect to u.s. engagement in yemen. what isn't happening is the injection of u.s. troops into active hostilities in the yemen civil war. to put it simply, our troops are not cobelligerents in this conflict o what we are doing, however, is providing limited noncombat support. the saudi-led coalition,

including intelligence sharing and practices that have been developed to minimize civilian casualties. i am sure a goal that everybody in this body supports. this support is very narrow in focus. it is advisory in nature and helps defend the territorial integrity of saudi arabia and the u.a.e. which both face a very real threat from the iranian-backed houthis and from iran itself. our limited support is intended to prevent the conflict in yemen from escalating. iran's support for the houthis, notably the transfer of missiles and other weaponry, threatens to undermine our partners' territorial integrity, imperils key shipping routes, and puts u.s. interests at risk. including thousands of u.s. personnel and citizens currently within range of the iranian-made

missile systems under houthi control. and this, of course, includes the airport in saudi arabia which many members of this body have used from time to time when you go to codels in saudi arabia. many of us have been for a long time proponents of resolving the war in yemen, and it could be resolved if the iran regime will simply turn their back and walk away. unfortunately, that is not likely. when i say many of us have been long-time proponents, i would certainly include the presiding officer in that and commend him for his long and hard work in that regard. he has been dedicated to this for a long time and has been a leader on this, for which he is to be commended. likely, many of us here today -- like many of us here today, i'm dissatisfied with the state of the u.s.-saudi relationship. indeed, while saudi arabia has

long been a bulwark of our middle east policy, there is a growing gap in u.s.-saudi relations. frankly, aspects of saudi arabia's behavior are cause for serious, serious concern. we are taking a comprehensive look at our relationship with saudi arabia on the foreign relations committee, and it's common knowledge that there are a number of pieces of legislation floating around here, some of which have been introduced and that are circulating that address this issue. we are attempting to craft legislation that can garner support in the committee, address concerns on both sides of the aisle, and actually become law. i look forward to examining our interests in a measured and responsible way that will put the relationship on the right trajectory. this is not an easy needle to thread. all of us have concerns. all of us have specific issues in that regard. we are -- what is important is that we don't just spoke at this but that we actually develop

legislation that is bipartisan and that can be signed by the president and will become law. the debate today, however, is predicated on the notion that this resolution will punish the saudis and stop the devastating humanitarian crisis in yemen. it will do neither of those. in fact, the department of defense has assessed that this legislation will have no impact on limited support we are currently providing today. that said, there can be no arguing that after years of conflict, yemen is now in the grip of the world's worst humanitarian crisis, and that is in spite of the fact that many members of this body, including the presiding officer, have gone way, way past limits to attempt to try to do things that would help that humanitarian crisis. just the simple delivery of

humanity matters such as food in the country have been frustrated by things that are logistically should be very easy but haven't been, and i know the presiding officer has been very active in that regard and been very successful in that regard for which he should be commended. an estimated 24 million, 80% of the yemeni population are in need of assistance, and 15.9 million people, more than half of the country's population, remains severely food insecure. a solution to this conflict must be found, and make no mistake, many -- indeed most of us -- are committed to doing everything in our power to restore peace to the country that has been ravaged by years of proxy war and fractious infighting. i believe it is axiomatic that lasting peace can only be achieved through a limited settlement brokered by the u.n.

the u.n.-led peace talks are our best bet for achieving peace in yemen, and they appear to be at a critical juncture right now as we sit here today. as as this body considers ways to drive effective u.s. policy that helps end the war and relieve humanitarian suffering in yemen, i would urge all parties to abide by the agreement reached last december in stock hole many and find a political solution to the conflict. we should remain committed to doing everything in our power to advance this cause. thank you, mr. president. i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: the question is, shall the bill pass, the objections of the president of the united states to the contrary notwithstanding? the yeas and nays are required. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote? if not, the yeas are 53. the nays are 45. two-thirds of the senators voting having not voted in the affirmative, the joint resolution on reconsideration

fails to pass over the president's veto. mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar 116. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary. joseph f. bianco of new york to be united states circuit judge for the second circuit. mr. mcconnell: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of joseph f. bianco of new york to be united states district judge for the second circuit. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye.

all opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar 95. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: export import bank of the united states, kimberly a. reed of west virginia to be president. mr. mcconnell: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of kimberly a. reed of west virginia to be president of the export-import bank of the united states signed by 16 senators as follows. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion.

all those in favor say aye. all those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 89. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. all those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: export-import bank of the united states, spencer bachus iii of alabama to be a member of the board of directors. mr. mcconnell: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: cloture motion we, the undersigned senators in accordance with the provisions of do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of spencer bachus iii of alabama to be a member of the board of directors of the export-import bank of the united states signed by 16 senators as follows. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed

to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. all those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 94. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. all those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: export-import bank of the united states, judith delzoppo pryor of ohio to be a member of the board of directors. mr. mcconnell: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of judith delzoppo pryor of ohio to be a member of the board of directors of the export-import bank of the united states signed by 16 senators as follows. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived.

promise without objection. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. all those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 100. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it, the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: equal opportunity employment division, janet dhillon to be a member. the presiding officer: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22, do hereby bring to a close debate on janet dhillon, of pennsylvania, to be a member of the equal opportunity employment division.

mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed, no. the ayes app to -- appear to have it. mr. mcconnell: i motion to proceed to calendar number 117. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: judiciary, michael a. judge of new york to be circuit judge. mr. mcconnell: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22, do hereby bring to a close debate on the nomination of michael h. park, of new york, to be a circuit judge for the second circuit, signed by 17 senators as follows: mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the names be

waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. perdue: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator for georgia. mr. perdue: mr. president, one of the great honors we have in the united states senate is a tradition of bringing americans of great reputation and achievement before the record of the united states senate. today i am proud to rise to speak about a personal friend of mine. we don't often get to do this. a man by the name of woody woodside. he's actually with us here today in the united states senate gallery. woody is the epitome of what makes america great. he's an institution in south

georgia and in my hometown. woody has never met a stranger. he's a man of character and a joy to be around. woody graduated from the sit dell and served -- citade and spent his time in the army. he worked for congressman ginn and congressman lindsey thomas. woody then became president of the brunswick golden aisle chamber of commerce. during his 34 years in the chamber, woody has overseen a mum of major economic development projects and been a true leader not only in that community but across our entire state. much of brun wick's success can be attributed to woody woodside. he is honest, persistent and

reliable. he knows how to get things done and how to laugh. he has been an advocate for georgia's ports and secured a role in the project of brunswick harbor. it helped with roll on, roll off cargo. because of that, today the buns wick port is the number one port in the united states for new auto imports and the number two port for roll on, roll off cargo in total. this port is a major economic driver in coastal georgia and supports 11,000 jobs in the brunswick area. woody also worked to develop a strong and diverse base of employers in the area. today glen county is home to the federal law enforcement training center which is the largest homeland security training center in the united states and home to gulf stream aerospace

corporation, the coastal college of georgia and a strong tourism industry. one of woody's top priorities is workforce development and has been throughout his entire career. in 2009, through partnerships with business and education leaders, woody helped open the golden isles academy. last year the career academy was named the best career academy in georgia. it's quite an achievement, mr. president. clearly, our citizens, our community, and our entire state with better off because of woody woodside's leadership, his dedication, and his perseverance. woody, bonnie and i can't thank you enough for all you've done for us personally and the state of georgia. we're proud to know you and call you our friend. we wish you and ellen all the best in your retirement and i know this won't be the last time we hear of woody woodside.

thank you, mr. president. i yield back. a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator for north carolina. mr. tillis: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, yesterday we had what i believe will be viewed as an historic hearing in the senate judiciary committee. it's a committee i've been on now for about four and a half years. the attorney general, mr. barr, came before the committee to answer questions about the special counsel investigation, an investigation that took 675 days, cost more than $25 million, had 34 people indicted, including russia nationals, more than 2,800 subpoenas, 500 witnesses, 500 search warrants, more than 230 orders for communication records, and 13 evidence requests from foreign countries.

i think by most measures that's considered a pretty extensive investigation. back about two years ago in august of 2017, senator graham and i and a couple of other members, actually filed a bill to make it difficult to have a special counsel removed before an investigation had been completed. i actually took a fair amount of heat from people on my side of the aisle for doing that, but i believed that we needed to have this investigation run its course, and it did, and it culminated in a more than 400-page report that now is largely available to the public. in fact, of the 400 -- i think it's almost 440 pages -- 90% of volume one, which is the volume that talks about russia, tampering with u.s. elections, 90% of that is available to the

american public. and volume two, the volume focused on whether or not there was obstruction of justice, 98% of that was made available to the american people three weeks after the department of justice received the unredacted report. and now, for the leaders of the senate, 99.9% of the special counsel's report is available. now, you could say, why not 100%? because we have rules here. and i think it is also important to point out that the attorney general had no legal obligation to release any of it. it could have been deemed a confidential matter and never turned over to the american public. but the attorney general took the extraordinary step to be sure that as much as possible could be made available and i think he did a great job. throughout the entire process the white house had the opportunity to exert executive privilege, they could have

portions of the report redacted, the white house never reached out and requested any omissionings or, -- omissions, or actually redactions of the report, which means you can't read it bubbly, not one -- publicly, not one in the three and a half weeks that the attorney general got it ready for public consumption. some wonder why it takes so long. they have to take in three considerations. they have to determine if there is a matter that could be embarrassing to a party that had no involvement, just a witness in the investigation, it could be because there's ongoing investigations, or it could be because it's a threat to homeland security. but even with that, 90% of it is available to the general public on russian tampering, 98%. the reason i tell you that is your hearing yesterday, if you sit on the judiciary committee,

i'm not a lawyer. i'm a business person who has been on the judiciary committee for four years, so i don't necessarily go after this debate the same way that maybe an attorney would. but we had a lot of the people in the committee really trying to mislead the american people. they were saying that there was wrongdoing because the department of justice had to take about three and a half week to get the report ready for primetime and we're saying the report's available. it took about three or four weeks to actually make it available, but they are almost suggesting that that was a criminal or obstructionist act themselves. some, instead of going down that tact, said that a letter, and i have to explain the timeline. on march 24, the attorney general issued a letter saying that the -- the bottom line of the report that they were reviewing was that there was no crime committed by the president and that there insufficient evidence to even suggest that

there was obstruction. now you have to understand these two work and in play. the crime that many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle said that the president committed never happened after 675 days and all the interviews and all the warrants and everything that i said, there was no underlying crime. now, the second half of the report is about obstruction, now this would be obstruction in an investigation that concluded there was no underlying crime. the president was deemed not to have committed a crime, the president was deemed not to have committed obstruction of justice. so now we turn to a request to have robert mueller to come before the judiciary committee so they can ask him questions. what questions could he possibly answer that is not embodied in a record that took 22 days, $ 25 million, dozens of witnesses and full-time professionals.

what more could robert mueller say in in this a three or four hour hearing that is not before the american public? i don't think it's about that. one of the arguments in the committee was we need his advice on how to prevent russia on to -- prevent russia from tampering in our elections. prosecutors determine whether or not laws are broken. robert mueller is not a professional in cybersecurity and election safety. he's actually a prosecutor who finished his job. some of the others said we want his input because the president is not interested in securing elections. i would ask them to go back to the class 5 hearings that i sat in and they sat in where they have taken clear actions to prevent russia from meddle in the way they attempted to interfere with the election

systems. what this boils down to is theater. some of it almost to the level of comedy. there was a house hearing today, and i'm about to put up a picture that actually was on c-span that actually occurred in the house hearing. you tell me whether or in the the chair of that committee is actually serious about this subject when you've got a guy eating fried chicken in place of where they wanted attorney general barr to be. this guy didn't have good enough sense to have bojangles chicken and they have the chair and others to have that kind of theater in a house committee room. really? can you honestly say you're serious about this or is this like a circus at the -- and a political tool because you lost? you wanted the president to be guilty. you wanted to prove that he obstructed. i get that. a lot of it was a political exercise, but the bottom line is

after 675 days, almost $30 million when it is all totaled up, 34 people indicted, including russians, 2,800 s&pes -- subpoenas, 500 witnesses, 230 orders for communication records and 13 requests from foreign countries to provide information. really. these folks, some of them are prosecutors many they know better. but i will tell you i think the american people want my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to focus on what americans are really worried about. they are worried about their economic security, their health care security, they are worried about keeping a job, they are worried about sending their kids to college and putting them through school. if you want to win an election next year, stop playing games and stop the theater. the president is not guilty of a crime. the president is not guilty of obstruction of justice. it went through one of the most rigorous investigations in

modern history. so to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, prove what policies an priorities you have for the american people and when on the basis of your ideas, on your commitments. stop the theater. and get back to work. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor. mr. sullivan: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator for alaska. mr. sullivan: mr. president, it's thursday afternoon and it's one of the times that i enjoy the most in the senate here because it's the time i get to come down on the senate floor and talk about my state, talk about the people in my state, talk about the people who make alaska a great and unique state and our wonderful country. and it's the time we talk about the person i refer to as the

alaskan of the week. and it's someone who has helped make their community or alaska or america or sometimes all of the above a better place. i think it's the pages' favorite time, too, because they get to learn about alaska and hear all the unique aspects that make alaska such a great, wonderful, unique state. to those listening in the gallery, on tv, you know, i always make a plug. it's also a time to pitch alaska for our visitors. come on up. you will have the trip of a lifetime guaranteed. guaranteed. don't put it off. it's time to book your trip to the great state of alaska. so, mr. president, today i'm going to recognize an extraordinary teacher, danielle reria who i had the privilege of meeting right here off the senate floor who is in the

gallery right now. so we're excited that she's here watching and she teaches at the alaska native cultural charter school in anchorage. that's a pre-k through eighth grade charter school. she's our alaskan of the week. now, you might say why? what is she doing? why is she in town? well, mr. president, she is in town because she was chosen to be the 2019 alaska teacher of the year. and she is so impressive in her profession, her teaching so impactful on her students that she was one of four finalists in america across the country to be chosen for the national teacher of the year award, for the whole country. what does that mean? that means she is viewed by her peers, by her students, by others as one of the stop four

teachers in the united states of america. our alaska teacher of the year so we're so, so proud of her. mr. president, we have thousands of teachers in my state just like we do in yours who do sawch great work day in, day out to make sure our next generation is not only educated on the facts and things like math and history but that they also understand in the words of the great leader nelson mandela education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. that's true. that's why our teachers in alaska, in america are so important. danielle riha is teaching our youth so they can go out and change the world. she and all the teachers in

alaska, in america have one of the most important jobs for our nation and one of the most difficult jobs for our nation. and we certainly salute and honor them all, particularly this week as so many of the top teachers in the country have been in town. so why is danielle good at what she does? why did she get this award? why is she viewed as one of the top four teachers in america? why has she touched so many students in alaska and how did she make her way into this profession? so let's talk about that. let me start with the last question first. she came to alaska in 1995 when she was a college student at north texas university. she came to a part of alaska way out on the aleutian island chain to fish to help pay to finish

college where she had plans to become a physical therapist. that's a great profession as well. like a lot of people, she came up to alaska maybe for a little adventure, was maybe only planning on staying six months. then one day the principal at the school approached her when she was playing basketball and said you ever thought about being a teacher? how about a substitute teacher? well, that was the beginning of a love affair. she had with teaching, with the classroom and her ability to really connect with kids, particularly kids with difficult emotional challenges. she finished her education degree at the university of alaska in anchorage and then taught for seven years in two small villages in southwest alaska. while there she helped develop the curriculum that was culturally appropriate to her students most of whom were

alaskan natives. let me read -- she was then recruited to teach at the school where she now teaches, the alaska native cultural charter school and was one of the original teachers to start up this great new teaching and education venture in 2008. let me read from her teacher of the year application form. quote, imagine you are a seventh grade student living in a rural yupik speaking alaskan community. by the way, we have many communities in our state where english is not the first language, where the alaskan native language is the first language. back to the application. the only way to get to your village is by small plane or boat in the summer and snow machine in the winter. you have never been to a city or

had life experiences that include seeing an elevator or stores or restaurants or roads even outside your community. your family survives by subsistance hunting and fishing and gathering from the land of their ancestors. by the way, that's how thousands of alaskans survive to this day. now imagine yourself in math class considering a word problem in the school curriculum that takes place, say, in a state like california and involves distances and roads and rollerblades and curbs on the roads and convenience stores. that's in the application. what is this getting at? things that so many americans think are common for education in certain communities in alaska

and i'm sure in other places aren't common. and it's difficult to teach when everything is assumed to be the same when it's not. you can imagine how confusing that might be. these are the kind of educational challenges alaska, alaskan students, particularly in our most rural communities face every single day. so what did miss riha do to help with the confusion? working with alaska native elders she helped create what she calls the kayak mod yule which uses culturally relevant material to teach math and science and social studies and language arts. let me give you an example of how she uses the module to teach math and science. so the students are given blocks of clay and put into groups.

each group then designs a kayak of different shapes and different weights. they're tested for speed, water dispersement, data is collected. high poght sees are made and the students learn from using these examples that are actually examples from their own lives and they love doing so and this can work across cultures. think about it. alaska native students who are on rivers or on the ocean or samoan student, many of whom live in the example. all of these kind of students culturally have boats in their culture. they understand that. as an educator, danielle said, nothing feels better than allowing students the

opportunities to bridge what they already know culturally to new content and teach them to have a voice for themselves. which helps them learn. now, isn't that a simple but insightful approach to teaching? i think you're all getting the picture of why she was considered one of the top four teachers in america. she and the whole school are also devoted to ensure that they go to school in a very safe place where the students feel welcome. so, for example, one student who wrote a letter in support of her for her teacher of the year nomination was talking about how she was worried about being bullied because she came from a different culture. she was muslim. and because of that she started to feel like she was falling

behind in reading and math. this student wrote, miss riha helped me be bold enough to teach others about my culture in a wray that made -- in a way that made me feel proud of who i am. needless to say, i caught up in my math and reading within one year because of her leadership and now i love learning. that's from one of her students. that student is now studying to become a dental hygienist at the university of anchorage and she and miss riha still stay in touch. mr. president, as you know, we all have that teacher, maybe one, maybe two, maybe several but that one teacher who made a difference in our lives, who encouraged us, who believed in us when maybe no one else did, who helped us through hard times by passing on the joy of

learning, by passing on the passion of learning. danielle and thousands of other teachers across my state and millions across our great nation wake up every day to do that as their mission, to take on one of the most important things any of us can do, and that is educating our youth. so, danielle, congratulations for being alaska's teacher of the year, for being one of the top four teachers in the united states of america, and importantly, thank you and congratulations on being our alaskan of the week. i yield the floor. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator for ohio. mr. brown: thank you, mr. president. i'll be brief. i see my colleague here from tennessee. earlier this afternoon about noon, stephen moore, the president's designee, not quite nominee but the president put

his name out there for the federal -- to sit on the federal reserve to be a governor of the federal reserve, withdrew his name from consideration in large part because so many republicans in this body were unhappy with the selection. it's the second trump failure for the federal reserve just in the last month. he had -- was about to nominate herman kane. there was a lot of outcry about the lack of his qualifications. not sure why the president came up with him. then he withdrew and stephen moore's name had been put out there, too, and the same kinds of complaints about moore, not just would he wrote and said over the years but really about his reputation as a thinker and as an economist and as a strategist for -- on economic issues. so the president has tried twice. i don't know when we've seen

this before when the president hasn't been able to find somebody that's -- that understands the independence of the fed and is qualified to take on that awesome responsibility to be on the federal reserve. it's as influential as any economic position in this government, i think. but now the president has two new chances again, and i'm hopeful that he will think about not appointing somebody who's -- whose whole mantra is trickledown economic, give tax cuts to the richest people in the country, hope it trickles down and we get a better economy. that never works, never works. i'm hopeful the president better understands that you focus on the middle. you focus on tax breaks for the people making $20,000, $30,000, $50,000, up to $100 thowp a year, they'll -- $100,000, they'll spend those dollars whether it's in nashville or cleveland. we know how important that is. i hope the president will look

at the next governor of the federal reserve, these two appointments and think about the dignity of work, think about someone who respects and honors work. you may remember that stephen moore, one -- he made some really caustic and nasty comments about two great cities in my state, cleveland and cincinnati. as much as that was offensive, what was really offensive is how he doesn't seem to respect the dignity of work and respect these workers, whether they're physical therapists at a hospital, whether they work cleaning bath rooms at a hotel, whether they're a construction worker, whether they're a mid-level manager, whether they're a salesperson on the road, how important it is that we honor and respect work and understand the dignity of work. so i'm hopeful that the president will see the next two appointees as someone -- as workers -- as nominees for the federal reserve who will think about the american workforce. one of my most fun moments, most productive moments and days in

my time in the senate is when i asked janet yellen to come out to cleveland and she visited major major aluminum stamping plant in cleveland not far from where i live and it gave her perspective on what americans do for a living, sometimes in manufacturing, sometimes in sales, sometimes in service. i'm hopeful that is who the president will look at, someone who will respect the dignity of work, someone who will want to go out, as abraham lincoln said, get my public opinion baths and outside the halls of the american reserve and see a policy that will help american working families. mr. president, i yield the floor. mrs. blackburn: the presiding officer: . there the senator for tennessee.

mrs. blackburn: thank you, mr. president. i'll tell you, mr. president. i just have to say a couple of words about the economy. since my colleague from ohio was speaking of the economy, i will say this -- showing respect for workers and for work means that you show respect by realizing that the best way to stimulate the economy is a job, and that is something that we have seen this administration, and i will say a republican-led senate and previously a republican-led house, do. generating tax reform, which is giving us economic growth that we have not seen in years. 3.2% economic growth is what our g.d.p. numbers were last friday -- 3.2%. we haven't had that in a decade.

how do you respect people? you create opportunity. how do you show respect for workers? you open doors. that is what you realize is it's not the government that creates jobs, it is men and women who are building businesses, who are growing businesses, men and women who are saying i have an american dream, and i want the opportunity to make that dream come true. that is an element of respect. and this president and republican leadership has delivered on that every single opportunity that we have had. so i disagree with the approach -- the philosophical approach -- that my colleague

from ohio has expressed, and i would encourage all members to look at what is happening in their communities and look at the jobs growth. tennesseans are so excited that there is a growing economy and that they have more money in their paychecks at the end of the month. now, mr. president, senator sullivan was mentioning his teacher of the year from alaska, and, as i began my remarks about some wonderful things that have happened with women and for women and by women in this country, i want to mention that i just left a visit with our tennessee teacher of the year, melissa miller, from columbia who teaches in nearby franklin at the elementary school. and we are thrilled for her and are honored to have her here in

d.c. and really join in praising her for the great work that she does for children and encouraging them to learn how they best learn so that they can live their version of the american dream. and today, mr. president, i am rising in support of s. 1235, the women's suffrage centennial coin act. it was introduced by senator gillibrand and myself. now, 150 years ago this month the national women's suffrage association was founded by susan b. anthony and a group of very brave suffrage activists who fought with all women to have

the right to vote. this bipartisan measure honors the centennial and legacy of the suffrage activists with a coin to be minted by the u.s. treasury. as we approach the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, also called the susan b. anthony amendment next year, americans are discovering the history of women's suffrage and that movement and the stories of the women who led it to victory. these stories are a vast part of our nation's history, but they are not often discussed, which is something that we are seeking to change. it would be a tragedy if the stories of these trailblazers were forgotten by future generations. it is our hope that by passing this important measure, and it is bipartisan, we will help keep

their memory alive. we often take the voting rights of women for granted as if it was something that was inevitable, it was an inevitable outcome in our history. in truth, winning the vote for women was anything but inevitable. it required 72 years. think about that, 72 years. of ceaseless agitation of dedicated, fearless suffrages who fought against centuries of law and millennia of tradition. i am quoting now. i declare to you that women must not depend upon the protection of man but must be taught to protect herself and there i take my stand. end quote. that is a quote by susan b.

anthony. the women's suffrage movement began in july of 1848 with the first women's right convention which was held in seneca falls, new york, senator gillibrand's home state, and that fight concluded in august of 1920 in nashville, tennessee, my home state. tennessee was the 36th and final state needed to ratify the 19th amendment, and so we did in true tennessee style. on that hot august day in downtown nashville, a 24-year-old freshman state representative named harry byrne from mcmin county, tennessee, changed his vote from no to yes,

securing the amendment's adoption. why did he change that vote, you might ask, because his mother wrote him a letter reminding him be a good boy and to vote for the amendment. as we get ready to celebrate mother's day this month, the story of harry byrne and his mother is a great reminder of how important it is for each and every one of us to heed our mother's advice. mothers are always right. mr. president, consider how remarkable it is that the 19th amendment was not ratified until 132 years after the ratification of the u.s. constitution in 1778 -- 132 years. the 19th amendment marked the

single largest extension of voting rights in american history. many of the women who led the movement did not live to see their mission accomplished, and many of the women who cast their first votes were not born when that movement began. as the first female senator from tennessee, i feel it is my duty to honor the life and the legacy of those brave suffrages. and i am so pleased to have worked with senator gillibrand on this truly bipartisan celebration of a milestone in our nation's history. it is cause for further celebration that we are able to introduce this legislation in a chamber where, for the first time in u.s. history, one-fourth of the members of this chamber are female.

and, mr. president, i am delighted to report that our legislation has the support of all 25 female senators. as we approach this centennial, it is our hope that this commemoration will increase public awareness and appreciation for the history of the women's suffrage movement. honoring women who exemplify patriotism is an excellent example of what washington can achieve when both sides come together, and remember the max imthat there is -- maxim that there is more that unites us than divides us. i also recently joined senator tester in introducing the hello girls congressional gold medal act to honor women soldiers of

the army signal corps during world war i. these women enabled american and french armed forces to communicate clearly with one another to enter battle armed with the intelligence that they needed to win those fights. they changed the course of the war at the height of the conflict, leaving europe in a safer state thanks to their efforts. mr. president, america's values are reflected in the history that we are choosing to honor. we must remember the past, hold fast to the present, and build for the future. the great tennessee suffragest sue shelton wright once wrote, if you stand in your respected place today, it is because some woman had to fight for that place yesterday. we should be afraid to stand on

ground won by women in the past without making an effort to honor them by winning a higher and wider field for the future. it is a debt we owe. end quote. the medal that i've spoken of and this coin are a small way to honor these women for the debt that we owe them. it is a debt that can only be repaid by encouraging all women to exercise these hard-fought rights and accept more leadership roles when they are presented, whether they are at home, at church, in the workplace, in civic life, or maybe in public service. i take inspiration from the women that blazed trails before me and i hope that women of this chamber can provide that same

type inspiration to generations of women who are to come behind us. with that, mr. president, 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:

mr. enzi: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from wyoming. mr. enzi: mr. president, i'd ask that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. enzi: thank you, mr. president. last month i came to the floor to talk about the need to confront our country's surging deficits and debt. at the time we had just considered a supplemental disaster appropriations bill that would spend billions of dollars beyond the statutory budget caps without any pretense of offsetting that spending. and i called for congress to better budget for disasters. now, prompted by reports issued last week by social security and medicare trustees that show these programs remain on an unsustainable path, i again come to the floor to sound the alarm over our country's long-term fiscal health.

with trillion dollar annual deficits expected to return soon and our national debt now topping $22 trillion, we cannot afford to keep ignoring the warning signs that we're on a dangerous fiscal course. the trustees estimate that social security's combined trust funds will be insolvent by 20 35. -- 2035. sounds like way down the road? i don't think so. america's hospital insurance trust fund will become insolvent even sooner, by 2026. over the next 75 years medicare and social security's combined scheduled expenditures are projected to exceed their dedicated revenues by more than $59 trillion or 35% on a present value basis. and within ten years, social security and medicare alone will

account for more than half of all federal noninterest spendi spending. we're facing a strong democratic -- demographic head wind. i'll say that again. we're facing a strong demographic head wind. aging population and rising health care costs continue to increase the gulf between mandatory program spending and dedicated revenues. for decades experts have warned of the budget pressures we would face as members of the baby-boom generation aged and became eligible for medicare and social security. congress hasn't paid much attention to that crisis. every day roughly 10,000 americans turn 65 and they're living longer than they were when these programs were conceived. i guess that's a good thing but it places additional strain on the program finances and the

federal budget. without changes to current law, all social security and medicare beneficials will see automatic across the board reductions and benefits when the respective funds run out of money. of course the political pressure would be enormous to avoid the automatic cuts but with our country already facing $22 trillion in debt, further rating of the u.s. treasury's general fund is not an option. it could cause a borrowing crisis. first let me focus on social security. at the end of last year, social security provided payments to 63 million beneficiaries, including 47 million retired workers and their dependents, six million survivors of deceased workers, and ten million disabled workers and their dependents. as i mentioned, social security's combined trust funds are slated to become depleted in

2035. that means that in 16 years' time when today's 46-year-olds first become eligible for retirement benefits, the program will only be able to pay about 80% of the scheduled benefits according to the trustees. think about that. absent action from congress, we are just 16 years away from not being able to pay full benefits. and that's full benefits to those that are retired right now as well as those that are upcoming. it's no longer a far-off concern. let me turn now to the medicare program which is an even more pressing problem. the trustees estimate that in 2026, medicare's hospital insurance trust fund which covers inpatient hospital services, hospice care, skilled nursing facilities, and home health services will be depleted. once the fund becomes insolvent

absent a change in the law, medicare can only pay hospital benefits up to an amount of revenue that comes in in the trust fund in that given year. the same as those end things on the social security. anticipating that money will be worth as much and inflation won't have driven it up even more, the trustees estimate that in 2026 revenues will cover only 89% of the program costs and that by 2046, that figure will decline to 77%. pretty heavy cuts. medicare's other trust fund, which primarily pays for prescription services and physician services, operates differently. while it isn't in danger of insolvency because it gets money from the treasury's general fund and the premiums it collected from beneficiaries are adjusted annually. so it's growing