exercise done without any input from republicans. there is not a single republican who ought to be pushed into or feel like they need the support the massive expansion of government that were talking about, the trillions and trillions of dollars of spending that's of the debt limit is about and raising the amount of debt that our country can borrow to pay for the massive expansion, reckless and the government that moves us in the direction of the western european social democracy. >> the senate is going to gavel back and following a recessed of caucus lunches. earlier today they voted to confirm james quan volt to be at secretary of education pre-lawmakers will continue working on the nomination. with both expected this afternoon. live coverage of the u.s. senate on c-span2.

[inaudible ] the presiding officer: duly noted. ms. cantwell: i i come to the floor to support the nomination of david estudillo to serve as district court judge for the u.s. district court of western washington. i am pleased to join my colleague, senator murray, in supporting judge estudillo who was vote out of the senate judiciary committee on a bipartisan basis, and i certainly appreciate the support of both the chairman and the ranking member on this nomination. mr. estudillo is the son of mexican immigrants who came to the yakima valley as part of a program in the 1960's. he learned and embraced both the culture of his parents and that of the united states. he is a great example of the great successes and contributions that many immigrant families make to our great nation. judge estudillo earned an associate arts degree from columbia basin college and a

bachelor of arts degree in juris doctorate from the university of washington. after graduating from law school, judge estudillo practiced general and civil litigation immigration law in moses lake and seattle and tried cases in both seattle and tacoma immigration courts. so he is well-experienced in many issues of the law. he was appointed to the grant county superior court in 2015 and was the only latino judge in any eastern washington state court. judge estudillo received bipartisan support from endorsements from both democrat and republican local officials and support from all nine of washington's state supreme court justices. so he has earned the respect and the support of his community. to quote a letter that was sent to the judiciary committee from mayor david cornell of moses lake washington, he said, quote, judge estudillo is a respected member of our community, involved in our community, he is committed to our community and

this is what i understand about judge estudillo and why i can recommend him highly for this federal judge position. in short, judge estudillo is well-qualified jurist and he has dedicated his entire legal career to practicing and supporting his community. so i am pleased to have recommended him along with my colleague, senator murray, to the president. i know his strong character and respect for the rule of law, a sense of justice, fairness, humility, empathy, capacity for compassion, and understanding would be a benefit to the court and all the priorities concerned. i urge my colleagues to support judge estudillo's nomination. i thank the president, and i yield the floor. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

ms. cantwell: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from washington. ms. cantwell: i ask that the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection.

caps can't madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from washington. ms. cantwell: i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: the yeas are 54. the nays are 41. the nomination is confirmed. under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the president will be immediately notified of the senate's actions. the clerk will report the motion to up voke 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 the nomination of executive calendar number 260 or, angel kelley of massachusetts to be united states district judge for the district of massachusetts, signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that the debate on the nomination of angel kelley of massachusetts to be united states district judge for the district of massachusetts shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll.

vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: on this vote, the yeas are 52, the nays are 43, and the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, angel kelley of massachusetts to be united states district judge for the district of massachusetts. mr. merkley: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from utah. mr. merkley: madam president, the united states lost 13 -- 13 service members in afghanistan on august 26, 2021. mr. lee: the heroic service and the ultimate sacrifice of these

men and women will never be forgotten. they are marine lance corporal david l.espinosa from texas, marine sergeant nicole l.gee from california, marine staff sergeant darint. hoover from utah, army staff sergeant ryan c.knauss from tennessee, ryleej. mccollum from wyoming, dylan r.merola from california, marine lance corporal kareemm.nikoui from california, marine czar gent humberto sanchez from indiana, marine lance corporal

schmitz, and marine corporal daeganw. page from nebraska. over the next hour, madam president, senators representing many of these fallen service members and the states from which they hail will honor their service and their memory. utah's staff sergeant darin taylor hoover was only 11 years old on september 11, 2001. from that moment on, he knew that he wanted to serve his country. nearly 21 years later, he was killed in kabul, afghanistan, performing his duty value -- valiantly, as always, as a united states marine. staff sergeant hoover and his fellow marines were on the front lines of the operation.

securing an entrance to the hamid karzai international airport and screening -- directing vulnerable afghans on their escape to safety as the extremist taliban took hold of their country. staff sergeant hoover was killed by an isis sued attack that targeted him, his teammates, and the surrounding innocent civilians. staff sergeant hoover, like all marines, learned the marine corps' values at boot camp. those values are honor, courage, and commitment. he was told that being is a marine and living these values does not begin or end with training or service as an active duty marine. these values forever guide marines' decisions, their service, and in fact their entire lives. staff sergeant hoover lived these values throughout his entire life.

you see, staff sergeant hoover did always what he said he would do. he was honest, respectful, caring, and compassionate. he dedicated his life to the service of others in and out of uniform. he wanted to be the best and to provide the very best for others , and he was always willing to work hard to make that happen. his friends and his family knew him as a loving, thoughtful, hardworking man. he loved, he was dedicated to serving those around him, his family, and his country. as a young man, he made a lasting impression on those that knew him. they described him as -- and these are their words, not mine -- the best friend, selfless, always levelheaded, full of heart, hardworking, a teammate you could count on, a

born leader, and as a good, kind person. by being the type of man he was, he honored those who knew him. he honored the uniform he wore and in his service and sacrifice, he honored the united states by representing and being the best of us. staff sergeant hoover certainly knew the risks of his duty. he understood the risks of this deployment in particular. in particular, he knew what was at stake and on the line on this particular day. american civilians had been warned not to travel to the airport due to specific credible threats of an attack. the marines at the gate did not, of course, have the option of standing down or shirking their duty. they had a mission to complete. and despite knowing the very

real threat to their lives that day, staff sergeant hoover and his marines followed orders and did their duty. they stood in close physical proximity with hundreds as they checked identification and shuffled people through the gate, one after the other. they didn't know if or ultimately when an attack might come. they just knew of a threat. nonetheless, those marines carried on, guiding countless innocent civilians to safety. his father darrin put it best. he said, quote, that's just the type of man he was, doing what he needed to do and getting the job con for those that -- done for those that couldn't do it for themselves. he was standing out front leading his men, close quote. you see, staff sergeant hoover demonstrated uncommon courage in

fulfilling his duty. that day, as with all other days in which he valiantly served. this was not mr. hoover's first deployment to afghanistan. in fact, he served three tours of duty there in his 11 years in the marine corps. he knew what war and afghanistan were like. he decided to carry on and continue serving because that's what he had committed to do. since high school, he knew he wanted to be a marine specifically. his father said he was dead set on it. when the news in afghanistan developed, staff sergeant hoover told his family that he wanted to be in the action to help with the evacuation mission. he died doing what he loved, serving his country and leading his men. staff sergeant hoover was the oldest of the 13 service members killed in this attack. his life had been defined by his

love of family and of country. he was committed to serving, and he lived and gave his life, showing the last full measure of devotion, demonstrating exactly what it means to be a united states marine. staff sergeant hoover leaves a legacy with his family, the state of utah, and our nation. he represents the best among us, the commitment of a service member and a marine. his dedication to the values of the marine corps and full-fledged devotion to what is right will remain with us forever. he will never be forgotten. and as the preparations are made to inter him along with other american heroes at arlington national cemetery, they can behold what the marine corps hymn promises and millions of good marines before him have

seen. on heaven's seas, you will find the streets are guarded by united states marines. staff sergeant taylor hoover joined the ranks of american heroes before him always faithful. may god rest his soul. may god comfort his family. and may god bless us with the honor, courage, and commitment that taylor hoover truly lived. thank you, madam president. mrs. fischer: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from nebraska. mrs.er: thank you -- mrs. fischer: thank you, madam president. mrs. fischer: last friday, i joined others to honor one of 13

service members killed in the terrorist attack at the kabul airport. it was heart breaking. but to see the thousands of people who lined the streets of omaha between the airfield and the mortuary was truly amazing. the outpouring of honor by the community during the procession was a solemn display of nebraskans love for one another and for this country. nebraskans showed their gratitude for corporal page's service and offered support to his grieving family. corporal page was only 23 years old when his life was needlessly cut short in kabul. he was born in iowa, but his family moved to nebraska when he was 5. he was a proud united states marine. he enlisted shortly after graduating from millard south

high school in omaha. he was stationed in pendleton, california, but multiple deployments took him all around the world -- to japan, south korea, australia, jordan, and afghanistan. after he finished his service, he planned to attend trade school in nebraska hoping to eventually become a lineman. corporal page was also a beloved son, brother, grandson, and friend. he was especially adored by his younger siblings. to them his family said he was not just a hero in the marines, he was their real life hero, too. and he had a soft spot in his heart for animals, most of all his three dogs. he loved hockey. he played on a state champion club team in high school, omaha

west side, and he was a diehard fan of the chicago black hawks. he was a member of boy scout troop 331 where he gained an appreciation for the outdoors and of st. paul's lutheran church in millard. hunting and being outside with his dad were among his favorite ways to spend his time, but he was also an avid skateboarder, amateur photographer, and an excellent sketch artist. his family has asked americans to remember him for his, quote, fun loving spirit, tough outer shell, and his giant heart, end quote. corporal page's dignified return to omaha came just one day before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks which brought us to afghanistan in the first place. he was just three years old on september 11, 2001, and his

death came at the very end of a war that had lasted nearly his entire lifetime. we're also going to hear this afternoon about the other service members who lost their lives in kabul on august 26, like corporal page, most of these men and women had their whole lives ahead of them. like corporal page, most of them were probably too young to have any memory of the event that took us to the country where they gave their lives. his sacrifice and that of these 12 other service members must not be in vain. it is now up to us both here in congress and in our daily lives across this country to live up to the lofty example that is set by their selflessness.

i ask that we remember him, his family in our prayers and that he rests in peace. thank you, madam president. i yield the floor. a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from utah. a senator: this past weekend we gathered to reflect on the anniversary of a national tragedy. the visible and invisible wounds incurred on that day continued to impact the lives of all of us. mr. romney: in the last two decades since 9/11, our nation has demonstrated enormous resilience imponderable sacrifice and pursuit justice in dangerous lands often under perilous conditions. we asked our service members to do so very much to keep us safe and they responded with uncommon courage. last month 13 of our nation's finest upheld their sacred oath at the cost of their lives. they were struck down by the

cowardice of terrorists while at the same time they were helping innocent afghan civilians reach a better life. over 100 afghan civilians were also killed on august 26 in that terrorist attack at the kabul airport, and many more were grievously wounded. we also hold in our hearts the american service members who suffered those terrible injuries that day. on september 11, 2001, taylor hoover from sandy, utah was just 11 years old. nine years later he was a staff sergeant in the marine corps. he would go on to serve three tours of duty in afghanistan and earn both the respect of his fellow soldiers abroad and the admiration of those who knew him well and loved him here at home.

as we recently gathered in salt lake city to mourn the life of staff sergeant hoover, it was clear that this deep admiration was shared by thousands of the people of utah. while our hearts were heavy with grief as his family shared their memories of staff sergeant hoover, they were embraced by the crowd one by one as the ceremony concluded and our communal bonds emerged ever stronger. another brave utahan also risked his life and sustained life threatening injury while supporting the evacuation operations at the kabul airport that day. our nation thanks you, corporal wyatt wilson and we pray for your complete and speedy recovery. you and your brothers and sisters in arms have answered the call to serve with valor and devotion and your service rendered continues to protect us to this day.

let us carry forward these shared values and reflections on sacrifice in our daily lives and endeavor to strengthen our national bonds of unity. may god bless our nation's fallen and our wounded and may he bless also their families and all the service members who are today in harm's way. we're indebted to those known for their bravery, sacrifice, and heroism. thank you, madam president. a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from ohio. a senator: madam president, i'm here today on the floor to remember the life of navy fleet marine hospital corpsman first class maxton soviak. mr. portman: max was a 22-year-old native of berlin

heights, ohio, a young patriot who died too soon in service to all of us. he was one of 13 brave service men and women who were tragically killed when an ie sighs -- isis-k suicide bomber in kabul on august 26 exploded a bomb that wounded dozens of others. and killed many afghans. he was there working to evacuate americans and afghan allies from a city that was suddenly overrun by the taliban. max was a special guy. he was quick to make friends and quick to earn the respect of those he interacted with. as a student at edison high school max was a member of the wrestling team that won the 2016 state championship and a football team that made it to the semifinals two years in a row. he was an athlete and a leader. he achieved the rank of -- second highest rank a scout can

reach. he was a lover of the outdoors spending his free time doing rock climbing, skiing, scuba diving and other extreme sports. and he was one of those rare individuals who at a young age had that drive to defend his nation as a member of the united states armed forces. he joined the navy and was assigned as a fleet marine force hospital corpsman serving side by side with the infantry marines at the second battalion, fir marine regiment. affection yachtly known as a devil dock, a takeoff on the marines' devil dog nickname, he was a member of a select group of medical specialists trained to separate side by side with the men and women of the united states marines corps on the front lines. just as he was doing in kabul the day he died. helping evacuate americans and our allies who were fleeing the tyranny of the taliban. in his far too short time with us, max did his duty and he did

it with distinction and valor. he took care of his marines and while in kabul, cared for innocent afghans who were fleeing the taliban. kathleen, max' sister said it well. in maxton's final days he spent his time helping others stay alive as he had developed a passion for saving the lives of others so much so that he was willing to risk his own life and made the ultimate sacrifice. end quote. so true. before the attack in kabul, max was able to face time his mom rachel. as they said their goodbyes his mom told him to be safe. max reflied, -- replied, don't worry, mom. my guys got me. they won't let anything happen to me. that was the last time she spoke to him before max and his fellow marines and soldiers gave their

lives in service of keeping so many others, moms, dads, kids, and fellow service members safe. he didn't want anything to happen to us. for his bravery and sacrifice, max was awarded a purple heart and a combat action ribbon and when he came home to berlin heights, ohio, he was greeted with a hero's welcome that he richly deserved. families lined the streets as his casket draped in the american flag was brought home to his family. when i visited his hometown over the weekend to deliver an american flag flown over the united states capitol in honor of his service, there were flags in every yard and posters and flowers. you could sense the love and support for max and for his family from his grateful neighbors. yesterday hundreds came to the edison high school football stadium where max had helped lead the chargers to victory time and time again. they came to pay their last

respects to an honorable american life taken too soon in service of all of us. max' sacrifice along with that of the other marines and soldiers who died or were grievously wounded that day reminds us of how blessed we are to have such courageous and selfless citizens willing to stand guard for us. we must be grateful for the sacrifices our troops make every day to keep america safe. my thoughts and prayers are with max's parent, kim and rachel soviak and his entire family as well as those he knew and who loved him. may god comfort them in the days and weeks ahead.

ms. lummis: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from wyoming. ms. lummis: wyoming's heart is heavy with grief today. i rise to honor the life, sacrifice, and memory of wyoming native lance corporal rielle mccollum. he along with 12 of his fellow service members lost their lives while defending the airport in kabul as american citizens and allies escaped the clutches of the taliban. their selfless service and sacrifice will be honored and remembered and they will be forever cherished by a grateful nation. rylee was a wyoming guy through and through. his life's goal of serving in the united states marine corps

began seemingly while he was still in diapers before he could even comprehend what that entailed. he was born with the heart of a soldier. he joined the military right out of high school. he heard the call to defend our nation and he didn't hesitate to answer that call. he had plans to become a history teacher and coach once he finished his commitment to the marines. he was about to become a father. i had the opportunity to meet with some of rylee's people this past weekend -- family this past weekend. i had the great honor of expressing my deepest appreciation of rylee's sacrifice to them in person on behalf of a very grateful wyoming. wyoming's very special way of honoring its beloved rylee was on full display last friday.

people waving american flags lined the streets of jackson to give rylee a hero's welcome as his remains were returned home. the people of wyoming are heart broken, but infinitely proud of his bravery and sacrifice. just yesterday, september 13, 2021, rylee's family welcomed into the world his daughter, levi rylee rose, 8 pounds 10 ounces. although they is there never meet her father who was killed before she was born, she will be surrounded by love from mother gigi, proud grandfather jim mccollum, rylee's sisters, and many other relatives who will share with levi what a wonderful

and heroic father she had. our hearts, our love, our prayers, and our embrace are with rylee's wife, child, friends, and family as they grieve his loss and remember his bravery. madam president, wyoming will never, ever forget. i yield back. mr. sasse: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from nebraska. mr. sasse: thank you, mr. president. i rise today to speak in memory and in honor of corporal page, a 23-year-old marine from nebraska. he gave his life defending americans and our allies in the chaos of the kabul airport, as many tried to escape the capture of afghanistan by a band of blood-thirsty terrorists. corporal parental is one of 13

heroes who gave his life that day, defending the kabul airport in the midst of that chaotic evacuation. the american people owe these men and women a debt of gratitude that we will never be able to repay. he lost his life while honoring our nation's promise that we would receive no one behind. he and hisful low marines -- and his fellow marines never failed. they were given an impossible mission and these men and women fought to the end. it is now our duty to stand with these families, the families of each of these 13, and to honor their sacrifices. last friday in omaha, thousands and thousands and thousands of nebraskans lined the streets to give corporal page a hero's welcome as his body was returned home. and as his family said, quote, our hearts are still broken but we are the lucky few who know what it is to have the entire city of omaha give you a hug. we were called to gather around

one another, to join with the grieving and to mourn the loss of these brave men and women. corporal page was a nebraskan who made his family and his state and his entire nation proud. he left for boot camp short lit after graduating from millard south high school and he was proud to serve in the second battalion, first marine regiment with his fellow marines a. he enjoyed playing hockeyment one of my kids played hockey against him. he went to millard south high school, but he played hockey for westside and the free freemont team that my kids play on got to hoe him. he enjoyed hunting, in this the outdoors, he was a boy scout in troop 331s he loved spending time with his family and friended, he was a member of the local lutheran church of millard, st. paul's lutheran church of millard many like so many nebraskansens he was a diehard sports fan, his favorite

team being the chicago blackhawks. he gave the last full measure of devotion to his country. his mission was clear -- in the chaos of kabul, he was there to protect and saves lives. he pulled both americans and our afghan allies to safety. marines pulled children out of hell, gave them water and got them to same corporal page gave his life so that others were live much nebraskans will never forget him. heroes like corporal page didn't fail us and we can't forget them. we must keep our promise to honor his family, to teach our families about their sacrifice, and to strive to live lives of gratitude. it's times like this when we rediscover the heart of our country. communities that pull together, as happened last friday and will never again this friday at his funeral. we pray together, we make meals for each other and are reminded of the sacrifice so many families have mixed today and in the days to come, we in nebraska

will honor corporal page and we across this country will honor the 13 that fell to day. -- that fell that day. your sacrifice is a debt we can never repay. thank you, madam president. mr. cruz: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from texas. mr. cruz: mr. president, i rise today to honor the life of david lee espinoza who died in defense of our nation on august 26. david was a marine who was helping with the evacuation of the kabul airport when he was murdered by a suicide bomber. along with 12 other service men and women who so senselessly had their lives taken from them that

day. his mother got the call that every parent of every service member fierce when she was told at 2:30 in the morning that her son had lost his life in afghanistan. david was just 20 years old. david was a lifelong texan. he was born in laredo and raised in nearby rio bravo, where he was the eldest of four children. david always wanted to be a marine and as a child he loved to consider different military strategies as he played with toy soldiers. david joined the marines the summer after he graduated from l.b.j. high school in laredo in 2019. and he spent time sesqui in jordan -- serving in jordan

before being sent to kabul the week before he died. it's been said that other service branches want david to join their ranks, but david always knew he was meant to be a marine. david was a beloved son, a brother, a friend, and a fellow marine. he was a patriot who had a passion for service, and our nation can never repay the debt that we owe to david and to his family for giving what president lincoln tailed haileddals the last -- lincoln hailed as the last full measure of devotion. yesterday at david's funeral mass, father francisco stenola said, quote, as tragic as this loss is and as deep as the

wounds of sorrow have pierced the hearts of his loved ones, and particularly his mother, because a mother would rather lose an arm or a leg than to have to laws a child. -- to lose a child. we can console ourselves with the fact that david died doing what he wanted to do with the people he wanted to do it with. we will remember david and the incredible sacrifice he gave for our country. else also be remembered by his community -- he will also be remembered by his community. the laredo city council has already voted to name the road in front of l.b.j. high school, david's alma mater, as the, quote, lance corporal david lee espinoza memorial boulevard. to david's parents, elizabeth

hoguin, and victor manual domingus and to his siblings angel martin espinoza, victor man we will domingues, jr. and delilia domingues, i want to say the that your son and brother was a brave pa trot who will never be forgotten. heidi and i are lifting you up in prayer as you mourn the loss of your beloved david. the 91's psalm is sometimes called the soldier's or the warrior's psalm because it asks the lord for protection against many foes, and it assures us that the lord will be with us in times of trouble. because he loves me, says the lord, i will rescues him. i will protect him, for he

acknowledges my name. he will call on me and i will answer him. i will be with him in trouble. i will deliver him and honor him. david's sacrifice was not in vain. he died as he lived, giving of himself in service of others. david now rests from his labors, having been a good and faithful servant. and to the families of all of those whose lives were lost in afghanistan, this year and in the 20 years that preceded it, know that your sacrifice, know that your loss was not in vain.

america is better, america is safer, american lives are more secure because your sons and daughters answered the call. america is better and safer and more secure because david espinoza answered the call. texas and america are better for having known him, and we are in his debt. i yield the floor. mr. blunt: mr. president?

the presiding officer: the senator from missouri. mr. blunt: mr. president, i rise today to join my colleagues in honoring the 13 service members who were killed in action in afghanistan last month doing what only the bravest and the most extraordinary americans do -- risking their lives to save others. every name has been mention mentioned on the floor today, but no matter how often we mention those names, we can't restore those individuals to their families, we can't restore them to their communities, we can't restore them to the people they served side by side with in the military, but we can remember what they did, what they did collectively and what they did individually. one of the marines was tragically lost in the attack at kabul airport was lance corporal

jared schmitz of missouri. he was just six years old an 9/11. we have seen that discussion many times of people who now give their life who were babies or not yet born on 9/11 20 years ago. even though he is six amongsts old on 9/11 he knew what he wanted to be and he knew he wanted to be a marine by the time he was a sophomore in high school. he started training as a teenager years before he enlisted. after graduating from st. peters, missouri, he joined the marines and served as an infantryman. jared's father, mark schmidt, said his son -- and this is his farmer's quote, and it is a great thing tock ail to say -- to be able to say about your son.

he said, jared looked out for everybody. he was a selfless. he never put himself first. and of course we see another moment when he and the others whose lives were lost and others who were injured, some dramatically injured, didn't put themselves first. they put others first. friends remember jared as energetic, as happy, as a faithful fanal of the st. louis blues. others will remember him as one of 56 missourians who made the ultimate sacrifice as part of the either operation enduring freedom or operation freedom's sentinel. we remember and honor each and every one of these heroes from our state and heroes from every state who have given their lives

for freedom in this post-9/11 world where we don't knee exactly where the -- we don't know exactly where the borders are or where the enemy might be at any given time, whether they're going to strike at home where we live or whether they're going to strike far away with others are representing us and defending us. we remember and honor each of them. we pray for their families and all who feel the loss for the rest of their lives. we need to now do our part every day to live lives worthy of their sacrifice, never taking for granted the freedom and security we have because they were called to serve and support it and guarantee it for another generation. so i know i join all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle as we think of those who

are serving today, those who are willing to pay the ultimate cost and particularly today as we focus on these 13 individuals who did pay that price. and i would yield the floor.

a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from massachusetts. mr. markey: thank you, mr. president. i rise to speak in support of judge angel kelley to serve as a judge for the united states district court for the district of massachusetts. in a legal career that has spanned almost 30 years, judge kelley has excelled in

everything she has done. she has been a trial attorney, legal instructor and a judge in my home state of massachusetts. she has devoted her career to serving the public. she began her practice of law representing children in delinquency and protective care cases in new york. she went on to serve as a senior trial attorney and assistant chief of litigation in the fast-paced port authority of new york. she has taught litigation skills to students at harvard university law school and supervised them representing indigent clients in probate court and as a judge in the district and superior courts she has served over hundreds of trials and addressed topics including employment discrimination, judicial immunity for testifying witnesses, grand jury integrity,

the right against self-incrimination. her opinions suggest a thoughtful, balance and evenhanded approach. judge kelley has throughout her career demonstrated one thing above all else and that is an abiding commitment to justice under the law. she has been a leader in the massachusetts judiciary to provide this to litigants of color and a friend and mentor to many members of the legal community and their affinity group with her -- she has strong support from the massachusetts hispanics association and others. at a time when our federal bench needs diversity of experience and diversity of background more than ever, judge kelley meets the moment with qualification that's are, unfortunately, too rare for federal judges. it is my sincere hope to see

nominees like judge kelley in the near future as we help reshape america's judiciary to better suit the people it serves. in light of her qualifications, experience and service, including a unanimous, well-qualified rating from the american bar association, judge kelley received bipartisan support in the judiciary committee to advance her nomination. i urge my colleagues to support her nomination here on the floor and vote yes to confirm her so that we can fill a long vacant seat on the massachusetts federal court with a truly outstandingly qualified jurist who represents the best of our judicial system and our nation. mr. president, i yield back.

a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from colorado. mr. bennet: thank you, mr. president. i rise to speak about veronica rossman, president biden's nominee for the u.s. court of appeals for the tenth circuit. ms. rossman comes to this floor with broad legal experience and a sterling reputation in colorado. veronica cares deeply about justice and the rule of law because she knows what it means to live without it. veronica was born in russia where her family faced anti-semitism at every turn. her grandparents couldn't openly practice their faith because they feared retaliation at work. her father was a brilliant career scientist who was routinely denied promotions. her mother, a talented pianist and music teacher, never openly shared her faith until the family fled russia. in the end, veronica's parents knew that anti-semitism would stand in the way of her enormous

potential, and they wanted her to grow up with a freedom that they never enjoyed. and like so many others in our country's history, mr. president, veronica and her family came to america as political refugees, and from virtually nothing, veronica built a distinguished legal career. she worked hard and earned a b.a. from columbia university, and then a j.d. from the university of california at hastings. she clerked for justice william maupin of the nevada supreme court who could say not enough about her brilliant legal mind. veronica then practiced appellate litigation at morrison and forester where she worked on one of the largest international patent cases in history. later, she served as a staff attorney for the u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit and taught for three years at the university of denver as a visiting professor of law.

in private practice, veronica specialized in complex civil litigation and handled cases about everything from antitrust law to intellectual property law. at this point, veronica could have pursued any number of high-paying legal jobs, but instead she became a federal public defender for the districts of colorado and wyoming, and over the past 12 years, ms. rossman developed rare expertise as an appellate specialist, handling direct criminal appeals from every judicial district in the tenth circuit. in her time as a public defender, she has handled or supervised over 100 appellate matters before the tenth circuit. she has represented more than 250 indigent clients from controversial defendants to people sentenced to long terms for a nonviolent offense, even though they had no criminal history. she fought for every one of those americans, often against

long odds. but more than that, mr. president, she fought for the american ideal that everyone deserves equal justice under the law. if confirmed, veronica would be the only judge on the tenth circuit with experience as a public defender. we need more judges like veronica who are not only highly qualified but who know what it means to be on the wrong end of the legal system, and too often fails the most vulnerable in our society. i know some of my republican colleagues worry about confirming public defendants because they don't know that much about civil procedure. i don't share that view, but in veronica's case, it doesn't apply anyway. when she was in private practice, as i mentioned, she worked exclusively on civil matters. she taught civil procedure at the university at denver, and some others have suggested that public defenders bring an ideological agenda to the bench. in veronica's case, that

couldn't be further from the truth. her family's story has proven her profound appreciation for how at its best the rule of law is an antidote to the arbitrary administration of law based on prejudice. and you don't have to take my word for it. here is what she told the judiciary committee under oath. she said if confirmed, in every case, ill-treat all litigants respectfully and impartially. i will carefully review the record on appeal. i will put aside any personal views. i will faithfully adhere to the rule of law. ms. rossman's qualifications are obvious. she has been a first-rate lawyer, and she would make a first-rate judge. that's why the judiciary committee sent her to the floor with a bipartisan vote, and now i hope all of us can come together and confirm this outstanding nominee. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor and i'd

suggest the absence -- mr. bennet: mr. president, i would ask that the roll call vote scheduled for 5:30 be called now. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the question is on the -- the question is on the nomination. mr. bennet: i ask for the yeas and nays, mr. president. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: on this vote, the yeas are 52, the nays are 44, and the nomination is confirmed. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the president will be immediately notified of the senate's actions. 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 rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of executive calendar number 251,

veronica s. rossman of colorado to be united states circuit judge for the tenth circuit signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of veronica s. rossman of colorado to be united states circuit judge for the tenth circuit shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: on this vote, the yeas are 51, the nays are 44. and the motion is agreed to. the majority leader. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the postcloture time on the rossman nomination be considered expired and that at 5:30 p.m. monday, september 20, the senate vote on the confirmation of the nomination. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor will say aye. all opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar 231. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. opposed nay.

the ayes have it. the motion is agreed to. therefore the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, margaret irene strickland of new mexico to be united states district judge for the district of new mexico. mr. schumer: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the cloture 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 executive calendar number 231, margaret irene strickland of new mexico to be united states district judge for the district of new mexico, signed by 17 senators as follow- mr. schumer: i ask the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: finally, i ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call for the cloture motion filed today, september 14, be waived and that the cloture motion ripen at

11:30 on tuesday, september 21. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor will say aye. all opposed nay. the ayes have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. schumer: i understand that there is a bill at the desk and i ask for its first reading. the presiding officer: the clerk will read the title of the bill for the first time. the clerk: s. 2747, a bill to expand americans' access to the ballot box and reduce the influence of big money in politics and for other purposes. mr. schumer: mr. president, i now ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule 14, i object to my own request. the presiding officer: objection is heard. the bill will receive its second reading on the next legislative day. mr. schumer: mr. president, i

ask unanimous consent that the commerce committee be discharged from the further consideration of s. 273 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presidingthe presiding offik will report. the clerk: s. 273, a bill to improve the management of driftnet fishing. the presiding officer: is there any objection to proceeding to the matter? without objection, the committee is discharged, and the senate will proceed. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent the feinstein amendment be considered and agreed to. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. schumer: i ask that the bill be considered and read a third time. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i know of no further debate on the bill as amended. the presiding officer: is there any further debate? if not, all in favor will say aye. opposed nay. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the bill is amended and passed.

mr. schumer: i further ask that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the committee on commerce be discharged from further consideration of s. 297, the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 297, a bill to make exclusive the authority of the federal government to regulate the labeling of products made in the united states, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there any objection to proceeding? without objection. the bill is discharged. and the senate will now proceed to the measure. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the commerce committee be discharged from further consideration and

the senate now proceed to s. res. 315. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. res. 315, commending the service of hamilton-class coast guard cutters and the officers and crew who served on them. the presiding officer: is there any objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. the bill is discharged. and the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to be reconsidered be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the help committee be discharged from further consideration and the senate now proceed to s. res. 325. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 325, recognizing the seriousness of polycystic ovary syndrome, and so forth. the presiding officer: is there any objection to proceeding to the measure?

without objection, the committee is discharged, and the committel now proceed to the discharge. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the help committee be discharged from further consideration, the senate now proceed to s. res. 339. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 339, expressing support for the designation of september 25, 2021, as national ataxia awareness day, and so forth. the presiding officer: is there any objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged, and the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the murphy amendment at the desk to the preamble be considered and agreed to, the preamble as amended be agreed

to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of senate resolution 362, submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 362, expressing the support of the senate for the contributions and achievements of students, parents, and recognizing september, 2021, as national student-parent month. the presiding officer: is there any objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. the committee will proceed. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to

the consideration of senate resolution 363, submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 363, a bill designating september, 2021, as school bus safety month. the presiding officer: is there any objection to proceeding to the matter? without objection. the senate will proceed. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: and finally, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 11:00 a.m. wednesday, september 15. that following the prayer and the pledge, the morning business be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed, and that upon conclusion of morning business, the senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the strickland nomination.

the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of senator lankford. the presiding officer: without objection.

mr. lankford: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma. mr. lankford: mr. president, last week, president biden announced that he had lost patience with the american people and that he was demanding people get a vaccination. now, i have had the vaccine. i'm grateful for the vaccine. it's an entirely different issue for the president of the united states to wag his finger at the american people and to say i know what you have chosen, but i choose something different, and you're going to follow me. to literally instruct every employer with 100 employees or more, every federal contractor, every federal employee to bend to the will of the president and take this injection. it's a very different thing. there are over 39 million americans right now that we know

of that have already had covid-19, have survived it, and have natural immunity. the president's demand for vaccine ignored those almost 40 million americans that already have natural immunity. his demand was i know you have natural immunity. i want you to get this vaccine as well. it ignores cancer survivors that are very, very careful about what goes into their system. it ignores people with religious objections, and there are millions that have religious objections. it ignores individuals that just don't want to do it because they are an american and they don't have to. and they do not like to have a federal government instructing them what they're going to actually put in their body. now, ironically, this was a random selection of companies that have 100 employees or up.

so i assume if you have 99 employees, you're all fine, but if you have 100 employees, it's totally different. there seems to be no accounting for where your employees work. are your employees all tightly packed all 100 in one small room, or are your employees all working outside? do you have 100 employees, but they are in 19 different locations? there seems to be no accommodation for any of those. it's just the president saying i have lost patience, you need to go get the vaccine immediately. so by thanksgiving, he's planning on laying this vaccine mandate down on the country. there are multiple problems there, as i have already outlined. the 40 million people that have already survived covid and don't want to do the vaccine. the individuals and different medical treatments. the individuals with different other religious issues that they have. but it's also an issue of trying to have a mandate come down from the federal government with an

executive order. that's not how our system works. the president of the united states does not have the ability to be able to just demand behavior from the american people. that's not their role. it's been interesting to me, i have had several people that have reached out to me and say i found out that the president's order exempts congress, and so how come you get an exemption and i don't? i have quickly responded back to them because we're a coequal branch of government, and the president is trying to find everybody under quote-unquote, his purview to be able to do this, but the judicial branch and the legislative branch aren't under his per -- purview. neither should the american people because the american people do not work for the president of the united states. and companies of 100 people or more, their chief executive, their leadership does not work for the president of the united states. so now what?

there are lawsuits that are pending, but those lawsuits can't move forward until the actual paperwork comes out from the white house. when that actual paperwork comes out in the next couple of weeks, we assume -- we have not been told -- then they will have what's called standing in the courts. and litigation from across the country will be able to speak into and federal judges across the country will be able to move on an injunction on this out-of- control mandate and to be able to say they cannot just compel people to be able to go take a shot because the president wants to get it. so that will be the first big step. there will be legislative challenges that will come through this body. they are slower, so the federal courts are the fastest response to this. there will be multiple other groups that will push back on this, myself includes -- included. why would we not respect those individuals that have already had covid-19? according to an article that's in the "wall street journal"

just today, there is a study out of israel that shows that the immunity from natural immunity is 27 times more effective than the shot. 27 times, according to the study that was just recently come out. to ignore that and to say that's not enough is absurd. or to compel americans whether they have had covid or not to be able to have a behavior just because the president has quote quote lost patience is not who we are as americans. it's not constitutional. it will not stand in the courts and should not stand. we should push back on this. mr. president, you're very aware, because in the committee that we both sit on, we've worked through a process of trying to form an answer to a problem that is coming at us again in two weeks. two weeks from now we will hit

the end of the fiscal year. at the end of the fiscal year, according to the budget act of 1974, we should have already passed 12 appropriations bills out of this body, 12 appropriations bills out of the house, have conferenced those two bills, sent it to the white house for signature. that's the instructions that should be done by the end of the fiscal year. the problem with that is the senate has not passed a single one of those appropriations bills, even out of committee. not one. so our government's not funded two weeks from now which means the countdown clock will begin again towards when we're headed toward another government shutdown, and the conversation will be are we going to have another government shutdown, are we going to be open, what's going to happen to federal workers? agencies across washington, d.c. and across the country will get

instructions for here's what to do in case of a shut down in your agency. here's what employees will be nonessential, what needs to happen to them, essential, what needs to happen to them. two weeks from now we're headed towards the end of the fiscal year, and not a single appropriations bill of the 12 has been taken up in committee. not one of them is even scheduled to be debated on the floor of the senate. we will not have appropriations bills done two weeks from now. it's not going to happen. so here are the alternatives. there will be what's called a short-term continuing resolution of some length, or we'll have a shutdown two weeks from now. for the past three years senator maggie hassan and i have proposed a very straightforward solution to end the threat of government shutdowns. our straightforward proposal to stop government shutdowns is a

simple way to be able to solve this issue. if we get to the end of the fiscal year -- september 30, midnight -- and we have not finished the work that needs to be done on those 12 appropriations bill, automatically a continuing resolution will kick in to prevent a government shutdown, but starting the very next day -- october 1 -- the senate and the house have mandatory quorum calls every single day until we finish the 12 appropriations bill. we stay here to be able to finish our work, but the work has to be done. why is that important? because federal agencies shouldn't constantly be worried about another government shutdown, and the american people should be able to interact with their own government. all of us know the government actually doesn't shut down, but it moves into shutdown mode. some people have to show up for work. some people do not. but everyone is paid. some people can get access to a

permit when they contact their federal agency. some people cannot. some people can get licensing. some people cannot. some people can work through the process with the corps of engineers. some people cannot. in this chaos for the american people and for people who work for the federal workforce, happens all over the country because congress did not get its job done. the solution is simple. hold the american people and the federal workers harmless and push members of congress to actually finish the work. this is not a partisan solution. it's just a solution. that's why republicans and democrats alike have agreed to the simple solution that maggie hassan and i have come to to be able to end government shutdowns. and to say let's continue the conversation that needs to be done, but let's not have yet another shutdown. this body knows in the past 40 years we have had 21 government shutdowns.

21. the last one needs to be our last. but i don't know if it will be because two weeks from now we're headed to the end of the fiscal year, and there is no solution on the table for how to avoid a government shutdown again. senator hassan and i and multiple others again filed our bill today and said we know how to stop government shutdowns. keep us at work, hold the american people harmless, and let's get the task done. honestly, i've had people say that's such a creative solution and it's such a simple process to get done. i've smiled at them and said actually it's not all that creative. it's the same thing that my mom did when my brother and i were growing up at the house. when my brother and i were in an argument she would put the two of us in our room and say you guys work it out. when you work it out, then you

can come out of the room. it's really no different than that, to say members of congress should stay at the task until we solve the budget work, and we should not leave with the budget work undone. and leave the american people experiencing another government shutdown. let's not have shutdown 22. let's end government shutdowns and let's get our actual budget work done on time as is expected by the american people. with that, i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until senate stands adjourned until the u.s. senate is going out today. they confirmed james to be under secretary of education for they also voted on the nominations of several u.s.

district judges. senators will continue work on judicial nominations throughout the week. when the senate returns watch live coverage here on cspan2. ♪ ♪ c-span is your unfiltered view of governments, funded by these television companies and more including buckeye broadband. ♪ ♪ mark buckeye broadband support c-span is a public service along these other television providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. saturday was the 20th anniversary of the september 11 terrorist attacks. today, several centers came to the floor to speak about the anniversary and the war in