the service, an accident reports are killed in training or something like that using new equipment, who gets to answer for that? that's the servitude so those are some of the things that needed to be corrected. i also think we could make some improvements in the relationship between the service from a joint chiefs of staff and combatant commanders in the sense that combat commanders in this day and age go around the joint chiefs directly to the secretary of defense because that is the chain of command. i believe -- >> we will leave this conversation to take you live now to the u.s. senate which today is considering judicial nominations for federal court in massachusetts and new jersey.

now live to the floor of the u.s. senate. 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, the center of our joy, give our lawmakers this day the creativity and wisdom to solve problems and fall sill tate faith as they seek --

facilitate faith as they seek to keep our nation strong, provide them with the long view of their work. lord, remind them that it is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail. bless them with humility, integrity, and compassion for the living of these days. and, lord, thank you for the exemplary and courageous life and legacy of former secretary of state colin powell. bless his family and loved ones and all those who grieve his death. we pray in your sovereign 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., october 18, 2021. to the senate: under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable mazie hirono, a senator from the state of hawaii, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: patrick j. leahy, president pro tempore.

the presiding officer: under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved.

the presiding officer: morning business is closed. under the previous order, the te senate will proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, christine p. o'hearn, of new jersey, to be united states district judge for the district of new jersey.

mr. mcconnell: madam

president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: today we learned that america has lost a trailblazing leader with the passing of colin powell. it's hard to imagine a more quintessential american story, a son of jamaican immigrants who learned yiddish from his boyhood neighbors in the bronx becomes a four-star general in the united states army and serves four presidential administrations. including has national security adviser, the youngest ever chair marn of the joint -- chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the first black secretary of state. as a young officer general powell rendered brave and distinguished service on the front lines. as a senior leader he helped four presidents protect our nation, represent us on the world stage, and chart our course through uncertain and

turbulent times that included the dawn of a new century in the beginning of our global war on terrorists who will not leave america alone even if we leave them alone. today we remember and honor a man who truly dedicated his entire life to serving his country. now, on an entirely different matter, there's a famous saying, if you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging. well, madam president, my democratic colleagues' policy decisions have dug our economy into a deep hole, and american families desperately need them to stop digging. the families of this country are currently battling the worst inflation in well over a decade.

but with the last 12 months consumer prices have shot up by 5.4%. gasoline prices and food prices, each increased by a full 1.2% just last month alone. that's just in one month. year on year groceries are about 4.5% more expensive than they were at this time in 2020. let's look at housing. rent jumped a full half a percentage point just in september alone. that was the biggest monthly jump in two decades. on paper american workers have been getting raises. the average worker's paychecks have gotten bigger over the last year, but the democrats' inflation has cannibalized all those gains and then some. any man or woman in the country

who hasn't -- hasn't gotten a pay raise of 5.5% this year has actively effectively had their pay cut by the democrat inflation. so let me say it again. unless you've recently gotten a 5.5% raise, you've gotten a pay cut. and even if the households that have enjoyed pay raises are contending with major shortages of the things they want to buy and rapid and unpredictable price changes. of course, none of the families that we represent need to hear these figures from experts on the news. they're living this reality every time they need to swing by the store, fill up their tank, or grab some essentials. what is especially remarkable and especially sad is that our nation's inflation nightmare was

not unavoidable. these conditions are the product of intentional policy decisions made by democrats over the objection of experts who warned exactly, exactly what would happen. larry summers, a leading economist and top adviser to each of the last two democratic presidents, said a few days ago, just a few days ago, quote, we're in more danger than we've been during my career of losing control of inflation in the u.s. end quote. that's larry summers just a couple of days ago. the worst inflation risk he has ever seen? mr. summers is one of the many mainstream economists who warned the biden administration what their policies would unleash from the start. they tried to persuade democrats not to ram through their historic glut of borrowing, printing, and spending. but alas democrats didn't listen. back in the springtime they used

the pandemic as an excuse to pass a massive spending bill that the white house boasted was the most left-wing legislation in american history. now, families are paying the painful price. the country's deep in this hole that democrats dug. but they're showing no indication, none that they want to stop digging. led by our socialist colleague, the distinguished senator from vermont, chairman sanders, washington democrats are plowing forward with yet another reckless taxing and spending spree that would make their huge inflationary package from the springtime look like child's play back by comparison. they want the government to borrow and print multiple trillions more dollars and dump all that spending into the heads of families that are already struggling, struggling to stay afloat. meanwhile democrats want to saddle a sputtering economy with the biggest peacetime tax hikes

on record. obliterating president biden's promise not to raise taxes for the vast majority of american families and leaving american job creators with tougher tax rates than businesses pay in communist china. or look at energy prices. americans are already paying more at the pump than they have in seven years. but now our colleagues want to go beyond their war on gasoline and slap new taxes and new regulations on other domestic energy sources such as natural gas. but winter is fast approaching. the whole world is stealing for huge gas prices and natural gas. our friends in europe are frantically trying to secure their gas supply lines and russia is threatening to turn the continent's winter heating into a political hostage. but inexplicably democrats' response is essential to have

americans -- america stand down as an energy super power. new taxes and new regulations on top of the inflation that is already wreaking havoc. here was one headline last week, madam president. winter heating bills set to jump as inflation hits home. the story went on. with prices surging worldwide for heating oil, natural gas and other fuels, the u.s. government said wednesday it expects households to see their heating bliss to jump as much as 54% compared to last winter. this is the moment that president biden is choosing to let the farthest-left people in washington, d.c., rewrite america's energy and environmental policy. reckless liberal policies have dug america into a hole.

americans need democrats to stop digging deeper. but the response from my colleagues across the aisle is to trade in their shovels for an excavator. democrats want to keep digging deeper. they want to try to inflate their way out of inflation. it makes no sense whatsoever. it sounds as crazy as it is. no wonder this expensive socialist experiment is proving so very painful. it's not what american voters elected, and it's not what american families want. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call:

mr. durbin: madam president? the presiding officer: the majority whip. mr. durbin: aloha. the presiding officer: aloha. mr. durbin: are would he in a quorum call? i ask consent the quorum call be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: madam president, like so many others in the senate and across america, i was saddened to learn this morning of the passing of colin powell. in his lifetime, he broke down so many barriers, and he held some of the most important titles in this great nation. general of the united states army. national security advisor. america's first black chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. and our first black secretary of state.

but before he held any of those positions, and after he stepped away from them, colin powell was always a patriot and a public servant. he was the son of immigrants, jamaican immigrants who raised their children to make the most of every opportunity that america offered and to show their gratitude to this nation by giving. giving back however they could. that story of opportunity and obligation is a story told by every immigrant parent to their children. it is the same story my mother taught to me and my brothers. much has been said and written about colin powell's historic and distinguished career as a soldier and a statesman. he was respected in a way that transcended partisan labels. he wasn't perfect. his speech in 2003 to the u.n.

general assembly claimed incorrectly that iraq likely possessed weapons of mass destruction. it was based on information he was given and later learned to be false. it helped make the case for a war about which he had misgivings, and he would come to regret those remarks the rest of his life. but he never stopped trying to serve, even after leaving public office. in 2010, colin powell spoke up publicly about a cause that is deeply personal to many people, including myself. he and other military leaders urged the senate to pass the dream act, legislation that would give young immigrants who grew up in the united states a chance to earn their citizenship. who better could speak to that issue than colin powell? the son of immigrants who served

this nation with distinction in combat and in public service. regrettably, at the time, though a majority of senators supported the dream act, was filibustered and did not pass. still, tens of thousands of immigrants are risking their lives today defending our nation in uniform. among them may very well be another colin powell. it would be a fitting tribute to secretary powell for us to pass immigration reform now, this year, and recognize what a great patriot and immigrant like colin powell brought to this nation. one last point -- colin powell survived one form of cancer nearly 20 years ago, and he was being treated for another when he passed away. multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, weakens the blood system. so despite the fact that he was

fully vaccinated, he died of complications of covid. it is sad and ironic that a man who spent so much of his life defending others from danger in the end died from a common enemy that too many of our fellow citizens continue to deny, thus giving the virus to continue to replicate and wreak havoc. we are not each other's enemies. the virus is the enemy. today it claimed the life of an american statesman. -- by this time tomorrow, it will have taken another 1,500 family members, neighbors, heroes to many, especially to young children who can't be vaccinated yet and for the millions of americans with compromised immune systems, we have to increase our vaccination rates. madam president, i ask to speak on a different topic and have it placed in a separate part of the

record. i ask consent. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: thank you. well, last night the world discovered that in chicago, the sky is the limit. our city is home to a new team of champions during the women's basketball association finals at wind trust arena, the chicago sky mounted a comeback for the ages in the fourth-quarter the team overcame an 11-point deficit to claim their first-ever championship title. it was the cull miation of an historic -- culmination of a record season. in the runup for the playoffs, the chicago sky one-six post-season games, an all-time record for the wnba and last night's victory was a team effort. hometown hero candace parker scored 16 points, including a

threer that tied the game with -- three-pointer. alley quigley scored 26 points and her wife and fellow teammate, court courtney finished the game with 16 assists. it was a legendary feat. and we will celebrate in millennium park. i want to thank every member of the chicago sky for making our city proud. and especially want to thank those who brought the franchise to chicago and worked diligently to make it the best. last night they did. this is a team that proves you should never quit. finally, madam president, today

the senate will vote to confirm gustavo a. gelpi, to serve on the u.s. court of appeals for the first circuit. he has two decades of experience on the bench. when confirmed, he would be the only -- only the second judge of hispanic origin to serve on the first circuit. i would like to take a moment to discuss his extensive qualifications and experience. throughout his career, judge gelpi dedicated himself to public service. prior to his appointment to the bench, he had a keen understanding of fairness and impartiality. he worked as a public defender as well as a prosecutor. he served in the puerto rican department of justice. in 2001, judge gelpi was selected to serve as magistrate judge on the district of puerto

rico. five years later his impressive judicial record caught the attention of george w. bush who nominated him to serve as district judge. judge gelpi's nomination received unanimous support in both the senate judiciary committee and on the floor of the senate. having served for 20 years, judge gelpi is eminently qualified. he's already presided over 3,400 cases, 62 jury trials, issued almost 900 written opinions. madam president, he's a real judge. he's well versed in both complex civil and criminal matters and rated unanimously well-qualified by the american bar association. judge gelpi's nomination is yet another example of the biden administration and senate democrats working to advance judicial nominees who bring professional and democratic diversity to the federal bench.

the fact that judge gelpi has been nominated by both republican and democratic presidents is almost historic and is certainly a testament to the evenhandedness and fidelity to the rule of law. leaders on both sides of the aisle trust he will rule impartially and without regard for partisanship. once he is confirmed as the second judge of hispanic origin to serve on the circuit, he will help build a federal bench that reflects the diversity of america. i urge my colleagues to support my in judge gelpi's nomination. i yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

quorum call:

the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: i ask the calling

of the quorum be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: earlier this mo month, attorney general garland released a memo instructing department of justice employees to respond to increasingly passionate school board meetings across the country. that memo talks about working to stop the violence and the threats of violence. that part of it is very fine. but unfortunately the memo makes it sound like the department of justice might want to go after much more than justice violence. over the last year school board meetings have turned from relatively calm local affairs to often boisterous meetings that are seen across the country.

this began with parents who were upset after the school being closed last year well after we learned that they could safely reopen in spite of covid-19. then these meetings grew to include pushback against mass mandates for students and against school districts adopting a curriculum known as critical race theory. there are many parents across the country who are upset about these things, and that is their right to be upset about them and to talk about them all they want to. after all, freedom of speech, freedom of spellably. so here's -- assembly. so here's the issue. the attorney general's memo spoke of violence and threats of violence. make no mistake about it.

violence should never be used to get what you want in politics. it's illegal for a good reason and making real true threats is illegal as well. they scare people and that's not right. no one should ever threaten someone with violence just because they're angry about some school policy. unfortunately, however, department of justice memo goes further than that. a person reading it might think a parent can't speak, really speak. his or her mind at a school board meeting. that spirited debate is not welcome, that very pointed and direct questions from educators

to school board members aren't welcome, that deep disagreements are not welcome. parents coming and speaking to their local school boards is what our democracy is all about. the essence of our representative systems of government, whether it's congress, state legislatures, city hall, or school boards. we ought to be able to have civil discussion and no question -- nobody ought to question that civil discussion. and, of course, democracy also includes very passionate disagreements. if an elected official can't handle a passionate disagreement, then he or she shouldn't go into politics in the first place.

and that goes for the president. that goes for this senator. that goes for every member on every school board in the country. elected officials don't go crying to the f.b.i. when constituents tell you something, how they're really feeling on an issue, regardless of how strong that feeling might be. if a parent is passionately advocating for her child at a school board meeting and school officials tell her she's out of line, the parent should not have to worry that the f.b.i. is going to pay her a visit at her home after that meeting. she should not have to wonder whether the patriot act is going to be used to investigate her. it should never even cross that

person's mind. if she does, then she might just stop talking altogether at a meeting, and you'd have a chilling effect on democracy. and that chilling effect is a very bad thing for democracies. in other words, it should never happen in the first place. so it's critically important for the attorney general to make very clear to everybody that short of violence and making true threats of violence, the federal government will have nothing to do with the crowds and the comments that people make at a school board meeting. all of my republican colleagues on the senate judiciary committee and i sent a letter to the attorney general telling him

just that. he should make clear to all americans that unless there is a physical violence or threat of physical violence, federal law enforcement has nothing to do with local school board meetings. and he ought to take into consideration the capability of local law enforcement to take care of it in the first place. now, madam president, on another subject, i'd like to speak to an issue that is hurting the pocketbooks of hardworking americans, particularly in the state of iowa. the media has reported that the white house has been in discussions with big oil regarding rising fuel prices. quite a surprise to some of us who have heard nothing from the

administration all year, that we got to stop fossil fuels, we got to worry more about global warming. we shouldn't stop big oil. but you still got to worry about global warming. president biden has called on opec cartels to drill for additional crude oil and discuss potentially opening up our domestic strategic petroleum reserve. with rising energy prices, it is common sense to promote additional development of energy but with the biden administration's sole focus seemingly being on climate change, i would think more attention would be paid to promoting clean energy, emphasis upon clean energy. throughout my tenure in the senate, i promoted alternative

energy sources as a way of protecting our environment and increasing our energy independence. as the number-one producer of corn, ethanol, biodiesel, iowa leads the nation's renewable fuels industry. but if the president doesn't care about iowa, my state of iowa, the president should remember the states of illinois and minnesota, just as an example. historically blue states are also major producers of corn and soybeans as well asth million to and biodiesel -- as well as ethanol and biodiesel. a recent study has shown the expanded use of ethanol under the renewable fuel standard has lowered gasoline prices by an average of 22 cents per gallon. this saves the typical american

household'd 250 annually. in recent weeks, e10, which is a 10% mixture of ethanol and gasoline, e10 has sold for 35 cents to 50 cents per gallon less than gasoline with no ethanol. not only is ethanol-blended gas cheaper than non-ethanol gasoline, but a recent study has also shown that ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 43% compared to conventional gasoline. considering president biden's sudden interest in high gasoline prices, a commonsense solution would be to turn to the bioindustry for assistance in this time of high gasoline prices.

enhancing energy security while lowering emissions was the exact reason why congress created the renewable fuel standard in 2005 and 2007. the midwest has the potential to provide a solution to the multifaceted problems that this administration faces. instead, president biden and his white house continue, it seems to me, to turn to big oil to solve the energy crisis instead of looking at the renewable fuels opportunities. big oil seems to then have a friendly relationship with the white house, which is completely contrary to what you think of when they want to do away with fossil fuels. recent rumors in the press are saying that the administration

is considering gutting the renewable fuels standard with massive cuts to the required volume obligations. this is strange considering president biden campaigned on supporting the renewable fuels standard. he campaigned in iowa as a friend of ethanol. yes, in iowa, president biden said that, quote, the renewable fuel standard marks our bond with our farmers and our commitment to a thriving rural economy, end of quote. increased drilling for crude oil and increasing our dependence on opec is not a solution to higher prices at the pumps. why ask opec to pump more oil? why ask big oil to pump more

oil? americans need relief, and that relief can come from having a partnership with the biofuels industry, and it is past time for then the administration to look to the heartland instead of texas and opec for an answer. i yield the floor. and i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. schumer: rewould in a quorum? the presiding officer: yes. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: now, madam president, begin today with the news that general colin powell who served our nation as the first african american chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the first african american secretary of state, passed away this morning at 84. general powell leaves behind a distinguished trailblazing legacy. born in harlem to jamaican parent, he grew up with a sister and parents in the south bronx graduating in 1954. at city college his life changed forever when he joined the school's rotc program, quickly becoming a standout member and earning his commission as second lieutenant to the army, after graduation.

from humble beginnings, general powell's career broke one glass ceiling at another. his life was a manifestation of the american dream, a true american success story. i join all americans in remembering general powell's life and his dedication to the country we love. my thoughts are with his life alma, his three children and his entire family. now, madam president, we begin a consequential work period for the u.s. senate. later today we're going to move forward on the nomination of gustav very gelpi to serve on the u.s. court of appeals for the first circuit. if confirmed today, and i believe it is judge gelpi will be the only second american citizen from puerto rico to be appointed to that court in its history. i think i cannot think of a better individual to succeed the late judge turwela. judge gelp civility a true defender of civil rights and a

defender of the rule of law. he began his career in the office of the federal defender in puerto rico. in 2006 he was unanimously confirmed and a district judge for puerto rico. he brings both personal and professional diversity to the bench at a time when we desperately need both. i am proud to have championed his nomination. i like forward to his confirmation today. now, on voting rights, this week the senate will have an opportunity to engage in a momentous and urgent debate. protecting the right to vote in free and fair elections. later this evening i'll begin the process for the senate to consider the freedom to vote act, a powerful new bill designed to fortify our democracy, protect the vote, and renew the american people's trust in our elections. after i file cloture tonight on the motions to proceed, members can expect the vote to take place on wednesday. the freedom to vote act is a balanced, effective, and

commonsense bill. it sets basic standards for all americans to vote safely and securely while protecting elections from subversion. it fights back against the power of big money and ends partisan gerrymandering while respecting the role of states in carrying out elections. the bill represents the first time every senate democrat has united on voting rights legislation. it's a strong bill. it advances election reforms proven to work in red, blue, and purple states across the country. i thank my colleagues, all of my colleagues for the work in putting this bill together. i thank them for their dedication advancing the simple idea that all americans, no matter what zip code they live in, should have the freedom to vote safely and securely. i want to particularly thank senator manchin, who has led the way in finding common ground with our republican colleagues on this proposal.

it's now time for us to move forward on this legislation as promised. now just so we're all clear, the vote that will happen on wednesday is a procedural vote to begin debate on the bill. voting yes does not mean signing on any policy or bill text. it's rather an invitation for senators to come to the table, to debate, to deliberate and compromise, just as the senate was meant to do. if there's anything worthy of debate in this chamber, it should be protecting and strengthening our democracy. with everything we're seeing at the state level, the senate must take action and we must take action now. the right to vote is the beating heart of any democracy. i know we can both protect our elections and empower all americans to have their voices heard. i hope we can do so together across the aisle. i implore my republican colleagues to come to the table and work with us on this issue. i implore them to turn away from

spurious claims of the big lie that are degrading faith in our democracy. i know many of my colleagues agree that we cannot allow our democracy to fall victim to conspiracy theories, subversion and disinformation, but they must join us in working towards solutions. to be sure, senate democrats don't expect that our republican colleagues will agree with every idea we have on voting rights. we know the disagreements run deep. but in this chamber, senators should not run away from debating the things we disagree about. if our republican colleagues have good ideas, we're ready to work in good faith to listen to them, to consider them. and if they are aligned with the goals of this bill, to include them in the final text. but for any of that to happen, our republican colleagues must agree to document -- to come to the table first. they should agree to let the senate begin debate. that's all this first vote is. it says are we willing to begin voting rights, sacred and

important in our democracy. it is not acceptable to turn away from voting rights, act as if congress has no role to play in the defense of free and fair elections and simply pretend like there's nothing malicious afoot at the state level. no, inaction is not an option. the clock is ticking, the clock is ticking for this chamber to do something to protect our democracy before these dangerous laws take root for the next election. the senate can rise to the task if given the chance, but it must be allowed to begin its work first. republicans later this week will have a chance to go on record and show if they believe that protecting our democracy is worthy of this chamber's attention. finally, a quick b.b.b. update. finally mr. president this week senate democrats continue work on finalizing our build back better agenda. congress has the best chance in years to make meaningful investments to help american families climb up to the middle class and stay in the middle

class, by passing both the build back better act and the infrastructure bill we can improve our nation's crumb belling infrastructure -- crumbling infrastructure, lower costs and cut taxes for american families while taking overdue steps to meaningfully address the climate crisis. it's a difficult task, but we're committed to getting it done. over the last weekend, i held many productive conversations with my colleagues here in the senate with speaker pelosi and with the white house. we still have work to do. we all know in order to pass meaningful legislation, we must put aside our differences and find common ground within our party. as any bill of such proportions, not every member will get everything he or she wants. but at the end of the day we will pass legislation that dramatically improves the lives of the american people. we continue -- we will continue to make progress and keep working until the job is done. i yield the floor.

a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from texas. corn corn madam president, less than --. mr. cornyn: madam president, less than a month ago president biden made a surprise statement, or maybe i should say another surprising statement. he said my build back better agenda costs zero dollars. zero dollars. that's a big, you might even say unbelievable claim. for starters, half of his agenda is a $1 trillion infrastructure bill that will increase the deficit by more than $250 billion over ten years. the other part is a multitrillion-dollar tax-and-spending spree which leans on damaging tax hikes to

cover a long list of social welfare programs to make the united states of america look more like, say, a european social welfare state. now how could that possibly cost zero dollars? well, the answer is pretty simple -- it can't. even "the washington post" gave fact, fact-checkers gave this claim two pinocchios. this strategy of misleading, misstating, and i hate to say it but there's no other word for it -- down right lying to the american people is a tried and true strategy of the biden administration. whether it's advancing legislation or dodging a crisis, there's no promise that's too big to make even if it's patently false.

another example -- dating back to the campaign trail, president biden has repeatedly promised the american people if you make over $400,000 a year -- excuse me. if you make under $400,000 a year, you will not pay more income tax. well, we've heard the same talking points from the treasury secretary, secretary yellen, and the white house press secretary dutifully comes out and parrots the same position again and again and again. it's almost as if if you say something often enough, people will begin to believe it, even if it's not true. considering the enormous amounts of spending that the biden administration has promised, i understand why they're a little worried about the truth.

all of us like free stuff, whether it's a free t-shirt at a football game or free samples at a grocery store. what folks don't like, though, is learning that they're being played, that they're still paying but maybe by a different means. so when it comes to free college, free child care and other free programs under president biden's agenda, most people realize there's no such thing as a free lunch. somebody somewhere is going to have to pay for it, even if it's borrowed money, the next generation like our pages here, when they enter the workforce, they're going to be the ones that have to pay that money back. somebody's going to have to pay it back, so there's no such thing as free. contrary to the promises made by president biden and his

administration, the middle class will help to foot the bill for this spending bonanza. an analysis by the nonpartisan joint committee on taxation found that many families will see their taxes increase under president biden's build back better agenda. in 2023, two years from now, 18% of those earning between $75,000 and $100,000 will pay more in taxes. not $400,000 or more. more than a third of the folks earning between $100,000 and $200,000 a year will see a tax increase. not people making $400,000 or more. if this trend continues in 2027, well over half of taxpayers earning between $75,000 and $100,000 will pay

more in taxes. and a whopping 86% of folks earning between $100,000 and $200,000 will see a tax increase. you might wonder how can the president have it so wrong. this is not news to president biden. he knows better. he's surrounded by world-class economic advisors, analysts and tax experts who scrutinize and scrub every single policy before it comes to see the light of day. you might wonder why does the president persist in claiming that his tax hikes won't impact the middle class even as he's trying to slip them a massive tax bill. i hate to state the obvious, but it's just dishonest. of course, all this comes at a time when many family budgets are already under water,

struggling to recover from the fiscal impact of covid-19. now from gas stations to grocery stores to electricity bills and restaurant checks, the american people are being pummeled by inflation, paying more for the things that they used to pay less for. what's the biden administration response? well, the president's chief of staff, ron klain, dismissed inflation as something he called a high-class problem, which i guess means that only rich people are suffering or experience in a inflation. again, this is clearly not true. my constituents in texas don't see it that way. they see inflation outpacing their wage increases and essentially giving them a pay cut. they're paying 10% more at the butcher counter than they were a

year ago, 42% more on gasoline. if you're a senior operating on a fixed income, you have to spend more of that fixed income to end up with less. so, no, this isn't just a problem for the high class. unfortunately, it's not going away soon either. you remember when concerns were raised with the federal reserve chairman, jay powell, about inflation. he said, well, it's probably only transitory, meaning it's a passing moment. well, now we see that economists expect inflation rates to remain steady through the end of next year, which would mark the longest period of inflation, above 5%, in three decades. so if inflation is at 5%, that means you're having to pay $1.05 to get what you used to pay $1

for and is compounded each year. while inflation is expected to ease some, or at least we're hoping and praying that's the effect, by the middle of next year, rates are still likely to be higher than they were before the pandemic. folks who can't afford to fill up their gas tanks to get back and forth to work or buy what they need at the grocery store don't need to be told that things are just fine when they know they're not. the american people need to see real leadership here that addresses the root causes of inflation, not pouring gas on that inflation, as the $3.5 trillion reckless tax-and-spending spree would do. it would create more money chasing the same goods and services, driving prices up. and the american people certainly deserve better than false statements that ignore the magnitude of their pain.

but as i said before, we've seen this playbook again and again. following an objectively chaotic exit from afghanistan because of the president's arbitrary decision date, president biden called the mission an extraordinary success. well, we know that's not true. we can see that with our own eyes. we know that 13 brave service members lost their lives in a terrorist attack, including a young marine named david espinoza. countless americans and afghan allies were left behind. we heard from the state department today, they can't even tell us how many afghans who qualify for the special immigrant visa remain in afghanistan, and we know now

with the taliban in control that they are hunting down people who worked with the united states during the last 20 years in order to prevent another terrorist attack like we experience on 9/11/2001. the new taliban is not a better or kinder gentler version of the old taliban. so in -- nol way could this be considered success, let alone an extraordinary one. and then there's the border. every since president biden became president, his administration has ignored, downplayed or denied the humanitarian crisis at our border. for months, the administration wouldn't even talk about it and when it did, there were very peculiar rules that applied apparently to how it should be

discussed. the administration refused to use the term crisis and came up with a range of euphemisms to downplay what was actually happening. they called it a challenge, a situation, a mess. all to apparently deceive the american people into thinking what you're seeing with your own eyes is not really a problem. the secretary of homeland security took this deception to a whole new level recently. when testifying before a house committee last week, secretary mayorkas said the border is, quote, no less secure than it was previously. close quote. that, madam president, is demons extraably false -- demons traably false. more than 1.2 million migrants have crossed our southern

border. that's an astronomical number. 1.2 million. to provide some context in seven months, border patrols encountered the same number in all of 2020. so it's not getting better. yet the secretary of the d.h.s., whose responsibility it is to secure the border, says things are no worse off than it used to be. at the same time he tells us that the numbers are unrivaled in the last 20 years. both can't be true. so whatever you want to call this, lying, misleading, or gaslighting, we've all had to learn a little bit of a new voa voa -- vocabulary, gaslighting is creating your own reality.

the biden administration has consistently tried to deceive the american people about each of these matters and the list goes on and on. the president and his administration won't even admit there's a humanitarian crisis along our southern border, let alone take the pretty obvious and necessary steps to address it. certainty sinema from arizona, a democrat, and i, a republican from texas, working with henry cuellar and tony gonzalez, who represents the largest border district in the country, we presented the bipartisan border security plan, but the administration just looks the other way. they won't acknowledge their massive failures in afghanistan either, which resulted in the death of 13 service members and left our allies, our friends and their families in a lurch.

and they refuse to admit that their reckless tax and spending spree bill is designed to transform america and drive up taxes not just for the wealthy and the middle class and hurt our already wobbly post-pandemic economy. this is not what leadership should look like. the american people deserve better than getting scammed by their own president no less. but the administration -- if the administration put half as much energy into solve problems as it does trying to dissemble or try to cover them up, our nation would be far better off. madam president, i yield the floor.

mrs. blackburn: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from tennessee. mrs. blackburn: thank you, madam president. for the past several months, the biden administration and their officials, have devoted their time to one of two things. they have blamed republicans for problems that they, the democrats, created or denying those problems exist at all. as my colleague said from texas, as he said, don't believe what you're seeing. that seems to be a common refrain. just last week white house chief of staff -- the white house chief of staff tweeted that the former counsel of economic

advisors when he dismissed collapsing supply chains as high-class problems, end quote. apparently he thinks those sky-high prices at the grocery store only affect the rich. how wrong they are. on the same day, ron was scrolling through twitter. the white house press secretary jen psaki insisted that the american people just started paying attention to their finances this year, never before this year have they looked at their finances. she stood in front of the entire press pool dismissed serious economic pain as a passing concern and tried to spin the memory of the pre-pandemic, prebiden economy out of everyone's memory. last week i saw first hand the consequences of this policy of

deflection. let me tell you, if you want to see what it looks like when our government undermines and abandons entire communities, you need look no further than our nation's southern bored. what i saw -- border. what i saw during my recent trip to south texas was a humanitarian crisis, a health care crisis, and a national security crisis. and make no mistake, nothing that's happening down there is the result of some unfortunate accident. this is no every day failure of leadership. if our so-called border czar cared at all about doing her job, she would know that every single border patrol agent needs to hear from her. law enforcement officers, they

want to hear from her. and property owners in the area believe with absolute certainty that this issue on the southern border, this is a fixable issue. it is fixable. madam president, our border patrol agents want to do their job, but they are undermined every step of the way by the official policies of an administration that has spent billions of dollars canceling construction of the bored wall. that is correct. they are spending your money -- your taxpayer dollars, your hard earned money, canceling contracts, canceling contracts, canceling construction of the bored wall. and they have stripped resources

that the border patrol need, pulling back resources like surveillance technology, pulling back funding that could help pay overtime for border patrol officers. they pulled all of that back from the department of homeland security. doing it even as the number of migrants that are surging the border are increasing, even as the apprehensions at the border are increasing, they are reducing the resources that the border patrol agents have. during conversations with these agents, we all came to the conclusion that most americans have no idea how truly serious

this problem is, which is the logical conclusion of another biden administration policy of blocking press access to key areas of the border. they do not want you to see or hear about what is going on. they don't want you to see the chaos they've created and they surely don't want us to see the trail of destruction left by this flood of illegal immigration. so they don't want the press down there. they don't want them to get the message out about what is happening, how our southern bored is being overrun -- border is being overrun and our border

patrol is being overworked. at this point, not only me but many of my colleagues, and there are many on both sides of the aisle, have documented the horrific journey migrants take from central america to the united states. and, yes, migrants are coming from 150 different countries through central america and mexico to our southern border -- southern bored. we know that the cartels are in complete control. you know what, madam president, the cartel, you have to pay them -- got to pay them in order to get them here. you get to the river, you have to pay a river tax to a kyoto who -- coyote.

the cartel controls who gets into the united states of america. yes, it is illegal entry, but think about this. the cartels are in control. in south texas, there are three cartels that are working that border. different parts of that border, big business for these cartels, and, yes, we know about drugs and weapons and sex trafficking and gangs and human trafficking. in south texas they have caught members from 88 different gangs -- 88 that are moving their people into this country. madam president, they are not coming here for a better life and a job. they are coming here because gangs that carry out crime. but what many americans haven't

seen and witnessed is the impact all this has on your average border community. when i was in texas, i had the privilege of speaking to ranchers and other property owners dealing with the nightmare of regularly discovering the remains of dead adult migrants. sometimes diskoffing children. now -- discovering children. now traffickers abandon these individuals while they are crossing some of the -- some of the ranchers and property owners property, just abandoning these people right there on their property. now these property owners are spent to spend time on their property damage by the trespassers who are trying to

avoid the checkpoints that are north of the border. we're talking about an emotional and a practical toll that has crept outward from the border away from those remote ranches and outposts and into communities all across this country. administration officials started all of this with their open-border rhetoric, but they could also put a stop to it. how? by holding themselves accountable to the people that are stuck trying to control this chaos. people like hector and chris and their fellow border patrol agent who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. they said, you know, it's like doing your job with one hand

tied behind your back and then they say, okay, we're going to try to strap down the other hand a little bit. that's right. that's what that it means when you talk about removing resources, removing surveillance, pulling back money so they can't go do the job that they want to do, that they signed up to do to keep this country safe. everybody in this administration should spend a few minutes talking with property owners like susan and like richard and think about what it must feel like to constantly wonder if somebody has died of exposure in your backyard. this is what they're dealing with every day. the federal government is not out there repairing fences that haven been -- have been torn

down. the federal government is not out there cleaning up trash. the federal government is not there replanting a sugar cane field. no. ranchers, property owners, they are paying for this out of their pocket because this is happening on their property. the status quo that this administration has created on this border can't last much longer because it is running people ragged, whether they're working the river, working the border, whether they are trying to work their ranch, their cattle, their crops. madam president, this is out of control. the other thing that i've noticed as i was on the border

and then in talking to a lot of tennesseans, hearing from people, the american people are afraid. the spin doctors in the white house and the mainstream media would have us believe that fear is due to racism or xenophobia. but those accusations are misstatements. they are inaccurate. americans are not afraid of those who seek refuge in our country. americans are afraid of the documented rise in drug trafficking and gun running and sex trafficking. they're infuriated to see how their own fellow citizens throwing in their lot with the drug cartels and participating in these trafficking rings. people in their communities are choosing blood money over gainful employment, and they hold these cartels responsible and they fear the hold the

cartels have over some of their neighbors. it tear identifies them -- it terrifies them. but what terrifies them most of all is the knowledge that president biden, his cabinet, and his allies in congress know this and they refuse to help. we know the problem is fixable as the border patrol agents told me. this is fixable. there are solutions. we know the administration has the power to do it. it's pretty simple. and this is what they've said. enforce the rule of law. there are laws on the book. enforce them. illegal entry is illegal. they say start by building the wall. build it. finish it. get it finished. they need it. they've been saying it for 30

years. we need a wall. we need a wall. border patrol and other law enforcement agencies have been asking for this barrier for a long time. and if you were to go down south, you would see for europeself. everything -- for yourself. everything you need to build that border is there. the equipment, the panels. it is all there. build the wall. part of it is up, but we need to fill it in so that we secure that border and additional funding for security and infrastructure and manpower. build that wall. get back to work on it. next, the administration must stop waging war against president trump's successful

remain in mexico policy. the border patrol, law enforcement, the text department of public safety, the national guard, they will all tell you yes, get back to building that wall. and while you're at it, go back to remain in mexico. you know what, madam president? they want this because it works. it works. isn't that amazing? it works. so go back to it. we cannot afford allow the operatives at the helm of the democratic party to dictate security policy. we know remain in mexico works. so embrace it. say we're doing this because federal employees, the border patrol are asking us to do this. we must also eliminate catch and

release and embrace the removal authority granted under title 42. those are things that we know work. those are the things at the top of the list. with our local law enforcement, with texas and d.p.s., with our border patrol, those are the things, madam president, that they say these could be done right now. go back to building that wall. go back to remain in mexico. stop this catch and release. and abide by title 42. today president biden who hasn't been to the border should go and say you know what? this nation is a sovereign

nation. we are going to protect this nation. we are going to protect our citizens. and, therefore, we are going to take these measures because the border patrol says this is what works. the time for treating these policies like political footballs has come to an end. the border crisis doesn't exist in a bubble. and it doesn't just exist at the southern border. what we are seeing along that border is loss of life and loss of livelihoods. and it is happening on a daily basis. how would you feel? how would you feel if they were running across your crops?

how would you feel if they were on your ranch? think about that one. it's clear by now that the white house values their woke talking points, but there is nothing woke about the death and destruction we're seeing tear through this border. there's nothing woke about allowing the cartels to overwhelm law enforcement and leave innocent people entrapped by those cartels to die in the desert. there is nothing woke about allowing a crisis to fester to make the political case for open borders. until president biden and the democrats prioritize safety and secure the border they abandoned on the day that they took power and control, every town, every town in this country will be a border town and every state will

be a border state. every community will exist under the threat of cartel violence. and every person in america will bear witness to the desperation and loss of life that their president has seen fit to ignore. i yield the floor. a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from montana. mr. tester: madam president, first of all thank you for the recognition. i want to share a few words this afternoon to honor an incredible leader, somebody that is well known to the state of montana, certainly well known to indian country, throughout this country, a personal friend of mine that passed away last week. that person's name is chief earl. he served 56 years as tribal

councilman. he passed away last wednesday, october 13 at the age of 92. he was the longest serving elected tribal official in the united states when he passed. he was a keeper of tribal history, a tireless advocate, and for many he was a national voice for the challenges in indian country. he was born in 1929. he grew up in the black foot reservation where he embraced tribal culture and at a young age performed traditional song and dance across the state and the nation as an ambassador for the black feet. he even traveled to paris to represent only indian boy scout in 1947. it was clear that leadership was in his bones and in 1954, 1954 he was elected to his first term

as tribal counsel member -- councilmember and he became the friebal council -- tribal council -- he served as president of the national congress of american indians. he played an integral part in the nation's first tribal-owned bank helping him ho eastern the honor of outstanding indian of the year by the chicago indian council. in 1978earl old person became chief earl old person, a title he would hold with honor until his passing last wednesday. in his role as chief, he would not only represent the blackfeet tribe but all tribal nations in montana and on the governor's task force indian affairs and chairman of the affiliated tribes of the northwest. he met with every president, every united states president from truman to obama and had joined the british royal family and canadian prime minister

pierre trudeau for the games in 1978. whenever he went he was pushing for progress. there are too many honors and awards for me to name, but chief earl old person's impact goes far beyond his accolades. he was a wise leader, a world class order, and i've heard stories of his words that brought folks to tears. his shoes will never be filled but the fact we had the opportunity to see his leadership in action gives us a road map for a brighter future. he will sorely be missed by the blackfeet nation, by the state of montana, by indian country across this country. and my wife and i as well as countless others who knew him. this world is a better place

because of chief old person and the work that he did. he will never be replaced. madam president, i yield the floor. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. tester: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from montana. mr. tester: i ask the quorum call be eviscerated. the presiding officer: without objection. under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary. gus davoe a. gelpi of puerto rico to be united states circuit judge for the first circuit. the presiding officer: the question occurs on the knot nomination. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll.

vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: on this vote, the yeas are 51, the nays are 42. 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 action.

mr. sullivan: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from alaska. mr. sullivan: mr. president, i want to address a topic this afternoon here in the u.s. senate that i believe not enough people are talking about.

it's something that i certainly heard a lot about when i was back home in alaska, and i think it's something that millions of americans are talking about but nobody here on the senate floor is talking about. but we should be because this goes to constitutional authority, and it goes to what i believe means to be an american, freedom, liberty, and it's this. the executive order that the president, president biden, issued mandating vaccinations for both federal contractors and private employers. in essence what he has said in this executive order -- we're still waiting on the rule -- is that employers need to have people who are vaccinated, all

their employees by a certain date or they're going to be fired. that's the president of the united states saying he has that power to force employers to make their employees decide between a vaccination or putting food on the table for their families. vaccination or you're fired. we're not talking about that. and, mr. president, this is unprecedented, unprecedented. never before has a president claimed the authority to actually do this. the military is a different exception. private employers who have some connection to the federal government or otherwise tell your employees get vaccinated or

you're fired. and the president of the united states is claiming the constitutional authority to do that. i don't even think it's a close call. i don't even think it's a close call. never been done before, and i don't even think it's a close call whether the president has constitutional authority to do this. think about if he did what this could mean for power and other realms that the executive branch or president would have. i'll stipulate right here i'm vaccinated. i've encouraged others to get a vaccine in consultation with their doctors. we all want to put this pandemic behind us. no doubt about it. the vaccinations help with that. but it's not excuse to look the

other way when the president is acting in an unconstitutional manner. and there are many reasons, certainly with regard to my constituents that people might be hesitating with regard to a vaccine. some of them have health conditions that preclude them from taking a vaccine. some of them may have serious religious objections to the vaccine. some of them have histories of abuse and don't trust the federal government or the medical establishment. some of them have dug in hair heels -- their heels and believe the government simply doesn't have the right to tell them what substance to put in their bo bodies. the president of the united states is taking this unprecedented -- and this is unprecedented -- action. get a vaccine or the federal government will mandate you get

fired, that it's not just in my view unconstitutional but it shows contempt for hardworking americans, contempt that i see percolating again and again among some in the far left. think about it. you don't say what we think you should say, you're fired. you work for an industry that used to power america but now is out of favor with some on the left. oil, gas, coal, especially in alaska as the presiding officer knows. we'll shut down your business and we'll make sure your employees are fired. you speak your mind about an issue, you're fired. you don't take a vaccine, you're fired. oh, by the way, think the federal deadline on the vaccination put out by the

president is december 8. so you're going to be fired right before the holidays. now, mr. president, as you know this is a 180-degree turn, 180 about face with regard to what this body did last year what do i mean? so we worked in a bipartisan way during 2020 when the pandemic hit, particularly the cares act. i think every u.s. senator voted for that. but the other relief that we worked hard on, democrats and republicans. when the historians look back at 2020, there will are a lot of things but one good thing is the congress of the united states came together. no playbook. we've certainly never seen this before. came together to help the american people. democrats, republicans, the

president. that was president trump on relief. and here's the thing. this is why i mean it's a 180-degree turn. one of the core principles of all the relief packages that we passed last year, the aviation relief packages that helped our airlines, the p.p.p. program, throughout all the relief bills that passed this body in a bipartisan way, one critical component was we need to make sure employers and employees stay connected. almost all the relief said all right, airline industry, we can't let you go under. you got to stay safe in terms of the ability to fly for the american people.

you're going to get billions and billions and billions in relief, but you can't fire your employees. you have to keep them connected. the p.p.p. program, the estimates are tens of millions of americans kept their jobs because of that program. you got relief, small business in america, but you can't fire your employees. that was the agreement. that's what we worked on. that was the core principle that helped us get through the pandemic economically. joe biden is taking a sledgehammer to that connection. it's actually the exact opposite. we're still challenged by the pandemic. our economy is still challenged, but what's he doing? if you don't listen to joe bi

biden, private employers in america, you have to fire your employees. that's exactly the opposite of how this body worked across the aisle, democrats and republicans, the previous president, the approach was we're going to help you but you have to keep your employees. that's the right approach. that's the right approach. yet no one is talking about this new approach from the new president. do what i say even though i don't have the constitutional authority. you have to get a mandate, even though i don't have the constitutional authority. and if you don't, i'm going to make sure private employers fire their employees. oh, right before christmas. doesn't anyone have a problem with this?

well, i have a problem with this. again, i think people should get vaccinated. i just don't think the president of the united states has the constitutional authority to tell americans do it or you're going to get fired. so, mr. president, here's what i hope. i've been reaching out to some of our business leaders to make a respectful request. and it's this. you don't want to fire your employers -- employees. heck, this country doesn't have enough people who are working right now. you have the biden economy, which is long lines, super-high energy prices, people who aren't working, empty shelves. we need more workers. we certainly don't need the president of the united states telling employers, fire your people prior to christmas, but that's what he's doing.

so here's what i think, respectfully, our business leaders should be doing. they should be looking and remembering what we did last year. elogy, if you're an -- for example, if you're an airline executive, we all worked really hard to make sure we continued to have air service for america, and it was safe, and that you kept your employees. so what our business leaders should be doing is saying, respectfully, mr. president, it's highly unlikely you have this authority. and i don't want to fire my employees. the best business leaders i know are very loyal to their employees. so hold off, don't fire them because joe biden says you have to. the litigation that's going to play out in this country he almost certainly is going to lose, almost certainly. i don't think there's a court in america that says the president

of the united states, without congress' permission or passing a law, that the president of the united states on his own has the power to go to private-sector employees and say, you're -- your employees have to get vaccinated or you, mr. employer, have to fire them. i think the president is going to lose that case in every america. so if you're a business leader, here's my respectful request -- hold off. wait for the litigation to play out. and don't fire your employees because the president has told you to because they haven't gotten vaccinated before christmas. you know, we're already starting to see this. some business leaders are taking

a different approach, not this hey, do what i said or you're fired. they're offering financial incentives, hiring medical advisors to talk to their employees. they're allowing medical and religious exemptions. they're offering testing as an alternative to forcing the vaccine on their workers. and i read about one today. i've had discussions with others who are saying, look, it is not our intention to fire employees right before christmas. these are the leaders who are saying they value and trust their employees, like what we did last year. here's significant relief, businesses in america, but don't fire your employees. as a matter of fact, you can't if you accept this aid, which they didn't. so these are the leaders who

value their employees. and at the end of the day, mr. president, this is the approach that's going to work. it's going to work better for all of us. for these businesses, their workers, their communities, and our country. i wish the president would take note of this. but right now he seems hellbent on doing a 180 from what we did last year. again, that was encouraging businesses to work through the pandemic while keeping their employees, not ordering in an unconstitutional manner the firing of employees because joe biden said so. i yield the floor.

mr. scott: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. scott: on roll call vote 1414, i voted aye. it was my intention to vote no. i ask to change nigh vote since it will not change the outcome. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. scott: thank you.

mr. schumer: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. schumer: i move to proceed

to legislative session session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. all those opposed. 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 414. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. those opposed nay. 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, department of education. katherine elizabeth lhamon of california to be assistant secretary for civil rights. mr. schumer: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: we, the undersigned senators, senators are in accordance with the provisions of rule raoul -- rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close nomination on kathie rin lhamon.

mr. schumer: i ask the debate on the nomination be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. those opposed nay. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to calendar number 125, senate 2747. the clerk: a bill to expend americans access to the ballot box and reduce influence of big money in politics and for other purposes. mr. schumer: 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 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close 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 signed by 17 senators as follows.

mr. schumer: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask consent the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, october 18, be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i yield the floor. i claim the floor. i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the consideration of s. s. res. 420 submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 420 relating to the death of the honorable adlai ewing stevenson iii, former senator for the state of illinois. the presiding officer: without objection, the 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: i ask unanimous consent the judiciary committee be discharged from further consideration and the senate now proceed to s. res. 417. the presiding officer: the clerk will report.

the clerk: s. res. 417, recognizing hispanic heritage month and celebrating the heritage and culture of latinos in the united states and the immense contribution of latinos to the united states. the presiding officer: without objection, the committee is discharged and 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. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of senate res. 421 submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. res. 421 supporting the goals and ideals of national domestic violence awareness month. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. schumer: i further ask the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection.

mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today it adjourn until 10:00 a.m., tuesday, october 19, following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be be reserved for use later in the day, that morning business be closed, that upon the conclusion of morning business the senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the o'hearn nomination. further that the senate recess following the cloture vote on the o'hearn nomination until 2:15 to allow for the weekly caucus meetings, that if cloture is invoked on the nomination all postcloture time expire at 2:20 p.m. finally if the nomination is confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president be immediately notified of the senate's action. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: for the information of senators, the first roll call of the day will be at 11:30 a.m. if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask it stand adjourned under the provisions of s. res. 420. the presiding officer: under the previous order and pursuant to

s. res. 420, the senate stands adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on tuesday, october 19, 2021, and does so as a further mark of respect to the late adlai ewing respect to the late adlai ewing the senate confirmed federal judge on the court of appeals based in boston later this week set of its vote on whether to move forward on elections and voting rights legislation. when the senate is back in session you can watch live coverage here on cspan2. ♪ ♪ c-span's washington journal every day we take your calls alive on the air on the news of the day. and we discussed policy issues that impact you. coming up tuesday morning, former assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety

and discusses oser's role in president biden's covid 19 vaccination. unfoldment republican federal election chair brad smith weighs in on free speech issues such as senate democrats push for campaign reform and allegations of free speech infringement at school board meetings were in parents protesting covered roles. watch "washington journal" live at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span or on c-span now our new mobile app. join the discussion with your phone calls, facebook comments, text and tweets. ♪ ♪ download c-span's new mobile app and stay up-to-date with live video coverage of the days biggest political events from live streams at the house and senate floor and key congressional hearings. the white house events in supreme court oral arguments, even live interactive morning program "washington journal" we hear your voices every day. c-span now has you covered. download the app for free

today. ♪ ♪ c-span is your unfiltered view of government. funded by these television companies and more. including while. >> the world has changed today the fast reliable internet connection is something no one can live without. so wow is there for our customers with speed, reliability, value and choice. now more than ever it all starts with great internet. >> oh wow supports c-span as a public service along with these other television providers. giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> former secretary state and four-star general colin powell died today due to complications from covid-19 at the age of 84. general powell was the youngest and first african-american to serve as chair of the joint chiefs of staff and secretary of state. senate leader shimmer, mcconnell and dur