complex. coming up on science and technology bill they have been working on and also on the agenda today a couple of biden administration nominees. live senate coverage here on c-span2. the presiding officer: the senate will come to order. the chaplain, dr. barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. eternal god, hear our prayers and be merciful to us. we find protection in the shadow of your wings.

our longings lie open before you. you know the desires of our hearts. sanctify the motives of our lawmakers so that they will work with all their might as if working for your approval. may they live for your glory. lord, deliver them from the deceptive forces that seek to distract them from your redemptive wisdom. do not leave or forsake us, for you are the hope for our tomorrows. we pray in your merciful name. amen.

the presiding officer: please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the presiding officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington, d.c., may 27, 2021. to the senate: under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the jacky rosen, a senator from the state of nevada to perform the duties of the chair. signed by patrick j. leahy, president pro tempore.

mr. schumer: madam president. the presiding officer: the majority leader.

mr. schumer: well, the senate opens this morning after a very late night of amendment votes on the u.s. innovation and competition act. ucica. five in total, four of which were sponsored by republicans. so far on this bill the senate has held votes on no fewer than 18 amendments. four from democrats and 14 from republicans, and there are more to come. as i mentioned yesterday, in a landmark moment for bipartisanship in the senate weeks even adopted an amendment by senator rand paul by voice vote. yes, that's right. i said the two words together, rand paul, voice vote. four words. but i said the two conceptsle together, rand paul -- concepts together, rand paul, voice vote. the process was important here. for years senators have been clamoring for an open process

and more amendment votes. i can't tell you how many speeches i heard on the floor about the virtues of regular order. well, this competition bill ought to be the answer to my colleagues' prayers. the bill has moved through regular order, flying flew various senate committees with staggering bipartisan votes. the entire senate opted to take up the bill by a vote of 86-11. here on the floor we held a bipartisan, open amendment process that senators have been calling for. some of this was tough for our side. in the old days, we would have said no, but we said yes. let's keep moving forward and we are. listen to this. it's only may, roughly five months since democrats took the majority in this majority. and already more amendments have received more roll call votes than any of the last four years. let me repeat that so people hear it from one end of the

capitol to the other, particularly on this side of the aisle. in five months, more amendments have received more roll call votes in this democratic senate than in any of the years in which donald trump was president and senator mcconnell was majority leader. we considered the competition bill in an exceedingly bipartisan way. there will be a few final steps to take, that few final amendments to consider, i hope my colleagues have seen our commitment in drafting and developing in legislation in total concert with the other side of the aisle. with cooperation with our republican colleagues, we can finish the bill today, and i hope we do. that's our intention. because of -- because despite the lack of attention it has garnered from the press, the u.s. innovation and competition act will be one of the most significant pieces of bipartisan legislation we pass in a very long time. it could be a moment in history

in a future generations look back on as a turning point for american leadership in the 21st century. everyone knows the federal government's commitment to science and technology has been slipping for decades. we've been clais ant at the top of the global heap and our position at the world's economic leader is teetering. we now spend less than 1% of our g.d.p. on basic scientific research. the chinese communist party as a percentage spends more than twice that. we put ourselves in a very precarious position of potentially falling behind the rest of the world in technologies and industries that will define the next century. if that happens, the days of america leading the world in scientific innovation, the days of america being the leading economic and military power in the world may be over. this is a moment when the united

states senate can wrest the decline and lay the foundation instead for another american century. that's why this is a moment in history that future generations could well look back on as a turning point for american leadership in the 21st century. by investing in science and technology, shoring up critical industries like semiconductors, boosting our universities, laboratories and businesses, we can keep america on top and outcompete the world in industries of the future. that is just what this legislation would do. our two parties have worked very hard on it. i think we made a number of notable improvements to the bill. it's time to move forward together and pass this bill. now on another matter that should also be just as bipartisan in the senate, the commission to investigate the january 6 attack on the capitol. we all know that january 6 was one of the lowest moments in our

democracy, one of the lowest moments in the grand, grand history of our 200-some-odd year experiment, noble experiment in democracy. an outgoing president of the united states, fresh off an electoral defeat, a significant electoral defeat, did something that no other president in recent history has done. rather than accept the results of the election and support the peaceful transfer of power, a hallmark of our democracy that has inspired democracies all over the world, former president trump unabashedly lied repeatedly about the results of the election and fomented an armed rebellion, an armed rebellion at the united states capitol. we're all witnesses to those events. we all heard the lies. we lived through the terrible consequences, lest we forget 140 police officers were injured in the attack.

five americans would eventually lose their lives. in the weeks since, faith in our elections has plummeted. more than half of the republican party now believes that 2020 elections were rigged and that joe biden isn't the actual president of the united states. republican state legislatures across the country captured by donald trump's big lie are tripping over themselves to restrict access to the ballot box. arizona republicans in, quote-unquote, an election audit have been researching for traces of bamboo fibers in the 2020 ballots, chasing a banana's crazy right-wing conspiracy theory that china had ballots imported to tip the scales for biden. that is how insane this has become. hunting for bamboo in ballots. we need to put a stop to this cancer in the republican party. we need to stand up to the big lie. we must get at the truth and do

everything in our power to restore americans' faith in our elections and this grand, ongoing, noble experiment of democracy. in that light, a national bipartisan independent commission to report on the events of january 6 is exactly what the doctor ordered. we have to investigate, expose, and report on the truth. we need to establish a trusted record of what really transpired on january 6 and the events that preceded it. that's what this commission is designed to do in a bipartisan, straight down-the-middle manner. i've gone through all the silly excuses that we've heard from our republican colleagues about why the commission isn't needed, it's too early, will go on too long, needs to be modeled after the 9/11 commission, even though it already is, the truth of the matter seems to be that senate republicans oppose the commission because they fear that it might upset donald trump and their party's midterm messaging. i'm not speculating. that was reported in "politico"

yesterday that the senate leader, republican leader warned his conference that january 6 commission could hurt the republican republicans plit. well, too bad. this is too important. for the sake of americans' faith in our democracy, there must be a full, thorough, and trusted account of what happened on january 6. senate republicans must decide if they're on the side of truth or on the side of donald trump's big lie. i yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. i ask unanimous consent that the quorum i just noted be dispensed with. the presiding officer: so noted. mr. schumer: and now i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination, calendar number 135, that the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, that no further motions be in order to the nomination, that

the president be immediately notified of the senate's action and that the senate then resume legislative session. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: now, madam president, i now note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. mcconnell: madam president. the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: from coast to coast, american families are facing an explosion of violent crime on their streets and in their neighborhoods. 2020 saw homicides skyrocket nationwide. the sharpest one-year increase in decades. and 2021 is already shaping up to be even worse. last year seattle saw a 61% increase in murders citywide. in 2020, minneapolis saw homicides hit levels not seen since the 1990's. and so far 2021 is about

doubling last year's pace. here in washington, 2020 saw homicides hit a 16-year high, and again 2021 is already on an even worse trajectory. the situation is devolving all across the country. in my hometown of louisville, as one report put it, quote, the number of slayings in 2020 dwarfed anything louisville has seen, object obliterating, obliterating the previous record. crime and delinquency have many causes. in some ways the pandemic likely contributed. but it's impossible to ignore that these terrible trends are coming precisely as so-called progressives have decided it's time to denounce and defund local law enforcement. seattle, for example, cut police funding by 20%. minneapolis defunded cops by millions of dollars. the district of columbia city

council approved $15 million in cuts. these boneheaded decisions are the direct result of anti-law enforcement fad that has swept through the political left like a wildfire. and perhaps just as important as these funding cuts is the wave of hostile sentiment that comes with them. harvard scholars have found that after high-profile incidents reduce the trust that the public and politicians put in the police, the cities in question receive less active policing and subsequently see an increase in crime, including homicides. in other words, in the wake of terrible incidents like we saw last summer, local leaders should look for ways to build bridges and rebuild trust between the vast majority of brave and honorable officers and their communities. oh no, but instead what they do from city councils to the halls of congress, many on the far left decided to crank the knob all the way up on anti-cop

rhetoric all across the board. quote, not only do we need to disinvest from police, but we need to completely dismantle the minneapolis police department. quote, policing in our country is inherently and intentionally racist. no more policing, incarceration and militarization. incredulous people ask whether this nonsense was ever meant seriously. helpfully, one member of congress clarified, quote, defunding police means defunding police, end quote. a clarifying comment. a small set of politicians may see selfish opportunities for fame or fund-raising if they defame and defund the police, but american families are paying a deadly price. defunding the police isn't just a terrible idea for overall public safety. it's also a uniquely awful

strategy for racial justice. one study recently confirmed that, quote, larger police forces save lives and the lives saved are disproportionately black lives. so look, i'm not sure exactly how the rantings of the far left twitter about crime and policing became official democratic party dogma in so many places across america. what i do know is that ordinary americans cannot bear much more of this, and that goes double for the most vulnerable neighborhoods. now, madam president, on another matter, last week the senate took up sweeping legislation that touches on big issues that span many committees, from economic policy to national security, to scientific research and beyond. 86 senators voted to proceed to this debate, me included. it wasn't because the legislation was ready to go. it happened because there's

broad bipartisan agreement that america needs to upgrade our competitiveness with china. broad agreement that this subject deserved a robust debate and amendment process. since then we voted on some amendments, but as of this moment the senate's bipartisan work is simply not completed. the democratic leader indicated that if the chairman and ranking members worked together, if committees put their heads together, their work would get consideration out here on the floor. well, chairman wyden and ranking member crapo of the finance committee have a bipartisan provision that's ready to go. they have already done the hard work. they have reached a solution, but thus far, the democratic leader has refused to include it in his substitute and is not -- has not allowed the senate to vote on it separately. these are long-term issues we're considering. we need to get this right. and during the time this legislation has been on the floor, we have had entire days

come and go without any votes at all on the bill. in several instances, the democratic leader chose to pivot away from this legislation and devote floor time to nominations. so there is no excuse for shutting off debate prematurely before the senate has been able to have its say. so we'll have to see how today unfolds. with additional amendments the democratic leader lets the senate consider how open a process he permits. republicans don't want some big fight over this. we'd like to see an outcome, a bipartisan outcome. even now, discussions are continuing behind the scenes. but the democratic leader should not try to force a cloture vote prematurely to stifle the senate before members are satisfied that our work is finished. there's nothing unusual about a minority party denying cloture to secure more amendment votes. i have been here a while.

this happens all the time. six years ago, even after about two dozen amendment votes, democrats blocked cloture on a keystone pipeline bill until the senate took a dozen more amendment votes on top of that. just last year, even as the economy was tanking around us, the democratic leader blocked cloture multiple times on the cares act. emergency legislation. why? he wanted more changes. but i hope it doesn't come to that today. i hope the democratic leader lets the senate be the senate so we can finish this important legislation. now, one final matter. as my colleagues know, i have been clear and unflinching in my own statements about january 6, but as i have also repeated, there is no new fact about that day. we need the democrats extraneous commission to uncover. the department of justice is deep into a massive criminal investigation. 440-plus people have already

been arrested. hundreds, hundreds have been charged. even more arrests are said to be planned. and the attorney general indicates this investigation will remain a top focus. multiple senate committees are conducting their own bipartisan inquiries, and obviously the role of the former president has already been litigated exhaustively, exhaustively in the high-profile impeachment trial we had right here in the senate several months ago. i do not believe the additional extraneous commission that democratic leaders want would uncover crucial new facts or promote healing. frankly, i do not believe it is even designed to do that. that's why the speaker's first draft began with a laughably rigged and partisan starting point and why the current language would still lock in significant unfairness under the hood. so i'll continue to support the real, serious work of our criminal justice system and our

own senate committees, and i will continue to urge my colleagues to oppose this extraneous layer when the time comes for the senate to vote. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. morning business is closed. under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of s. 1260, which the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 58, s. 1260, a bill to establish a new directorate for technology and innovation in the national science foundation, and so forth and for other purposes. mr. mcconnell: i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. thune: madam president. the presiding officer: the republican whip. mr. thune: is the senate in a quorum call? the presiding officer: yes. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be lifted. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: madam president, from the beginning, the story of the u.s. auto industry has been one of ingenuity, of taking risks, and pushing forward. at the dawn of the 20th century, most americans could hardly comprehend the idea of the automobile. yet 20 years later, they had become nearly ubiquitous in american life, thanks to the insistence of entrepreneurs like henry ford on making the automobile affordable for the majority of americans. the democratization of the automobile rather than the

invention of the automobile itself is, in my opinion, one of the most remarkable and uniquely american success stories. automobiles allowed americans to capitalize on the economic dynamism of the roaring 20's and helped americans move and adapt during the great depression. they contributed greatly to the american industrial base and the know-how needed to fight and win the second world war and helped propel the united states to its current status as a preeminent global, economic, and military power. visionary investments like interstate highway system made cars a stereotypal in american economic and cultural life, and cars certainly made it a lot easier to get to and from rural america. in a place like rural south dakota with limited public transportation, the automobile, often a president trump or -- often a pickup or an s.u.v., is typically the only way to get

around. mr. president, today the automobile industry stands on the brink of a new technological revolution which promises to dramatically transform mobility once again. over the past three decades, the internet has transformed our economy and our way of life, and the next generation of the internet, 5g, which is currently being deployed across the nation, will enable a host of new innovations, including a revolution in vehicle technology, automated vehicles, or what we call a.v.'s. a.v.'s will change the way that we move in numerous ways, making the transportation system safer, more efficient, and more accessible. individuals whose mobility is currently limited -- for example, americans with disabilities -- could gain new independence with the deployment of automated vehicles, allowing them to work or visit friends and family safely and easily. i'm proud that my proposed a.v. amendment to the endless

frontier act was recently endorsed by the national federation of the blind, and i ask for unanimous consent that the letter of endorsement be inserted in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: or imagine a farmer in rural south dakota who can no longer drive to get to town for appointments, prescriptions, or groceries. enter the automated vehicle. this technology has the potential to keep people in their homes and communities longer. moreover, a.v.'s have potential to greatly increase roadway safety. currently, there are an average of more than 35,000 traffic fatalities on our nation's roadways each year, including pedestrian, motorcycle, and bicycle fatalities. automated vehicles could dramatically, dramatically, madam president, reduce that number. distracted driving, driving while impaired, automated vehicles could eliminate those

dangers. madam president, for automated vehicle technology to advance, it is imperative that the regulatory framework catch up with private sector innovation. that's why i pushed for the enactment of a.v. legislation over the past several years and why i had hoped, i who hoped that we would be voting to add my automated vehicles amendment to the legislation before the senate today. i spent nearly five years -- five years, madam president, working in a bipartisan manner on a legislative framework to work on automated vehicles. the bill i offer, an amendment i hoped to offer with bipartisan support would have paved the way for expanded testing and deployment of automated vehicles in the united states under the oversight of the national highway traffic safety administration. and let me emphasize that oversight point. my amendment would ensure that

automated vehicles would not -- not touch pavement without the national highway traffic safety administration certification that they are at least as safe as a conventional vehicle. the data gathered from the vehicles deployed as a result of this amendment would be crucial to the development of future motor vehicle safety standards for a.v.'s. unfortunately, bipartisan agreement on my amendment collapsed when special interest expressed their opposition despite major efforts to accommodate theirs concerns. and i am deeply disappointed that once again democrats yielded to pressure from special interests against the best interest of our economy and the american people. advancing a.v. technology is not just a vehicle safety issue. it's also an issue of u.s. leadership and global

competitiveness. investing in the production of a.v. technology here in the united states would not only strengthen the resilience of the auto industry, but also the nation's industrial base and -- and our national security. the auto industry touches nearly every american state. for example, horton in britain, south dakota, manufactures engine cooling systems providing steady jobs for that community and strengthening the local community. the same story repeats itself countless times in communities across the nation. providing millions of jobs, the american auto industry is a critical component of the nation's economy. right now u.s. companies lead the world in a.v. technology, but other nation, like china, are seizing upon regulatory inaction and striving to take the lead. if we don't move forward with

automated vehicle technology, we will soon see some other nation leading the a.v. revolution. madam president, the legislative package before us today is designed to bolster the global competitiveness of the united states, it is pretty difficult to understand why this reasonable, and i might add, no cost a.v. amendment, which would lead to untold benefits for our nation's transportation system, does not fit in. how can a bill making strong developments in artificial intelligence, quantum computing seclude a legislative framework for a.v.'s? are we really going to back down from leading the world in auto industry technology and leave it to nations like china?

will we really ignore the enormous -- enormous safety benefits of these vehicles just to suit democrats' political convenience? madam president, more than a century ago, when the automobile was invented, there were plenty of skeptics, but america's automobile pioneers did not let that stop them. they seized the moment and pressed forward and ushered in a transportation revolution. we can do that again today. or -- or we concede this moment to nations like china and let the american automobile industry fall permanently behind. that's the choice in front of us, madam president. i hope we'll choose to seize this moment and pass the legislation we need to usher in

another american transportation revolution. madam president, i yield the floor. and i 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 illinois. without objection. by unanimous consent -- the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. 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 schumer substitute amendment

numbered 1502 to calendar number 58, s. 1260. a bill to establish a regional technology hub program to require a strategy and report on economic security, science, research, innovation, manufacturing, and job creation to establish a critical supply chain resiliency program, and for other purposes, signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent unanimous consent, -- by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. is it the sense of the senate that debate on 1502 to s. 1260, a bill to establish a new directorate for technology and innovation in the national science foundation to establish a regional technology hub program to require a strategy and report on economic security, science, research innovation, manufacturing, and job creation to establish a critical supply chain resiliency program and for other purposes shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll.

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