the enslavement before the civil war. and staffer to george w. bush and bowden, talk about ronald reagan's dealings before the cold war and classified documents. and watch american history tv full schedule on your program guid o watch anytime online at c-span.org/history. watch video on demand anytime online at c-span.org and try our points of interest feature, a timeline tool that uses markers for interesting highlights of our key coverage, use points of interest anytime online a c-span.org. >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government funded by these television companies and

more, including wow. >> 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 and value and choice, now, more than ever, it all starts with great internet. wow. >> wow supports c-span as a blic service along with other television pviders giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> and today, senators are expect today continue work on the nomination of the deputy administrator of the small business administration and members will consider the judge to be on the u.s. court of federal claims for a 15-year term. the chaplain: let us pray. eternal father, the heavens the chaplain: let us pray.

eternal father, in spite of the dramatic deklain in our air quality in so many of our cities, we continue to believe that the heavens proclaim your glory and the skies display your craftsmanship. we embrace your command in first thessalonians 5:18, in everything give thanks. we thank you today for those who positively touch our lives. thank you for mothers and fathes who make good homes and guide us to ethical clarity. thank you for friends who help to

make life beautiful as they inspire us to show great love. lord, thank you, also, for loved ones who, through personal sacrifice, have given us a great heritage. thank you for our senators who labor diligently to keep our country strong. and, lord, we thank you for the memorable page class, the spring page class of 2023. we praise you in your great name. amen. the presiding officer: please join me in reciting the pledge f allegiance to our flag. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god,

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the presiding officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington, d.c., jue 8, 2023. to the senate: under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable raphael g. warnock, a senator from the state of georgia, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: patty murray, president pro tempore. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. morning business is closed. under the previous order, the senate will proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the following nomination which the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, small business administration. dilawar syed of california to be deputy administrator.

>> a democrat from michigan, making her studio debut, good morning good morning. >> thank you so much is good with you. >> so let's start off and talk , counted from the democratic side, how did you experience things on the house floor and tuesday and then yesterday, when there was putting much, kind of a stalemate, there were no votes. >> well i am really delighted to be here with you and your viewers because what happened is that we will it was kind of unusual we were in on tuesday, to take what is often times, a pre- vote, passing the roll, moving the bill to the floor and he goes to the rules committee, the roll goes to the floor many pass the bill. it is nine times out of ten, a partyline vote so i went into vote on the previous question in the roll and i left really early

in the vote because i just figured that i gotta get back to committee and we are taking commute entered committee votes and about a dozen committee votes. and at end of the committee vote, he said the rule failed and i'm a creature of the floor of the house and i like being on the floor of the house and watch what is happening but you have to get back to committee have to so even though i'm a little disappointed, i miss the drama of what unfolded. what happened was that republicans joined the democrats to ensure that the rule failed so that we would not pass the gas - bill. >> so what you make of this. come this revolt and what you hear that these far right lawmakers wanted what you hear how the republican leadership is responding and give us insight t human estimates with all due respect, kevin mccarthy is not my speaker, i voted for the king

jeffries 15 times and so, i would love to put 400 for the democratic bill evident and the democrats so they take back control the house floor and if the republicans want to join us, to be undersea that haven't of that would be great but what really is happening is that a group of we can call them rebels, frustrated at their speaker, because of health the debt ceiling votes took place last week. this was a very long series of lawmaking in seven weeks is a lot of time to be together. so the tensions are rising because of that early it's because the folks are not happy with how the debt ceiling vote went pretty so they are rebelling against their speaker not letting them move forward so we did not get a voting laws and we had a big country and ready to govern. we have things to deliver and i am working on china competitiveness and industrial policy only making sure the

people get trained for the jobs today and tomorrow. man-to-man together and get those things done. >> we want to get to some of those topics as well but first i want to remind you number to call so that you can ask a question or share a comment with the representative democrat from michigan and that numbers are if you're republican, (202)748-8001 and if you're a democrat, we want you to dial (202)748-8000 and if you're an independent, call us at (202)748-8002 and you can also text us at (202) 748-8003 we want to get to your calls and questions and comments and before we do, one more question for you, about the debt ceiling, the compromise, you are a member of the new democrat coalition, and you voted, for the bill and tell us why. >> i did not want us to default,

we have this integrity of this nation, and the american people, on this boat, i knew that it was coming up in the american people have been through enough a pandemic, three year anniversary of the murder of george floyd, rising gun violence, the number one killer in nine people in this country, we've got to take the temperature down and we have to reestablish the trust and what does not establish a trust is allowing our country to default on the bills that we said we would pay them pass laws last year, we've obviously got a pass a law and the debt and the deficit and i am on board to take bipartisan solutions which is what the vote was last weekend how to achieve that goal. >> all right, we have a coloring now, sergio in florida, democratic line, what is your question or comment. >> yes, good morning to you and

how are you seen good morning. >> yes, good morning congresswoman how are you. >> good is so good to hear from you. >> thank you and i'm 100 percent supportive of you guys because you're fighting for our country and whatever you. and there are couple of things about me okay, meeting with the supreme court judge clarence thomas, he is the biggest come bag if i've ever seen because he thinks that he can get away with things emma and special favors and he should be accountable and held for his behaviors chief justice supreme john roberts, as well. they should be removed from the post immediately as well as

speaker mccarthy. this guy is another scum bag. but i like jeffries because he puts things in order. when he speaks the truth. what can you do to get rid of these guys permanently, out of power. >> well we have sergio as you know of a country. i thank what you are talking about with the supreme court is hitting on something very important to come of that we have to have trust and we have have rule of law and those who seek to hold the elected positions in the appointed positions in our government, the branches of government right, as we all know pretty in the executive office, they're held to ethical standards and work in the ministration of president barack obama and ahead of the financial disclosure forms. young twentysomething working in that administration has a member of congress and am subject to the same scrutiny enter supreme

court justices, need to be held to those standards as well. i join you and me completely dumbfounded as to what is going on with supreme court justice, clarence thomas. thomas feels like that rule of law run amok and here you are taking the legal - and the highest court in this land during times of high tension we trust more than ever. i am joining my colleagues and asking for reform, ethics reform. and in terms of how we are going to get a came jeffries to become speaker of the house, every two years with members of congress run for reelection every house member runs for reelection we have the pickup five seats we want to do that read i serve on the democratic congressional campaign committees frontline coaches program and leader and

that position of our progress to make sure that we are reelecting our incumbent democrats of people like scarborough and from colorado mr. jackson from north carolina and others and folks who are in top seats and from grand rapids there was one was reelected and we want to pick up those of the five seats and will cbs2 jeffries at the gavel. >> was go to detroit michigan now your home state and jack is on the independent line. >> good morning cspan i see that you are on the china whatever committee and tamino just kind of seems strange almost like, they were obsessed with china and invited telegraphing back to the world pretty and it telegraphs to everyone and you say, have seen the news with china worse ship was threateninr worship except a war ship is a

thousand miles away and what he try to have a shipment gulf of mexico, that's a joke. representative stevenson i just thank that you are so corporate and you have such a filthy work taking policy like ozzy osbourne and you voted to keep the church hundred troops in syria and smalley and what he keep troops next noting get me started on doing in ukraine, john partnered said about two ukraine 20 from that we were helping the. >> well, i'm in a position where is a member of the committee. hd through some of the worst wildfire air pollution in the entire history of our country. north of the border, over 400 wildfires continue blazing across quebec and many parts of eastern canada. and winds are sending smoke and toxic air across the border and into our cities, into our communities, into our lungs.

to walk through new york city yesterday was to walk on another planet. the orange fog of wildfire smoke left our city unrecognizable. sadly, new york city had the worst air quality of any major city in the world yesterday, even more than such cities as delhi or jakarta, which always rate at the top of the worst air quality. and as new york city had the worst air quality, the pollution was even worse for upstate new york, from bayside to brooklyn, from buffalo to bingham ton, my home state looked like the scene of a scary movie. across the northeast, schools canceled outdoor activities and after-school programs. the yankees, phillies, new york liberty all postponed their games. people as far west as indianapolis and as far south as south carolina have been impacted. i urge all people here in washington and across the united states to listen to local health

officials and take every precaution to stay safe. mr. president, the climate crisis is real and it is here to stay. we must take action against the climate crisis, both short term and long term. short term, this morning i am calling on secretary tom vilsack to double the number of forest service personnel deployed to fight these fires in canada. i am calling on the secretary of agriculture to double the number of personnel to mitigate the risk in the air for millions of americans. i am sending a letter to him, asking to double the forest service personnel, and i ask unanimous consent that this letter be entered in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: these unprecedented wildfires are a crisis, for both canada and the united states, so

both nations must respond speedily and forcefully to contain the blazes. the best way to ensure the u.s. does not suffer another wave of wildfire air pollution is to contain these fires up in canada as soon as possible. that's getting at the source, and that's what we need to do. it won't be easy, but the federal government, our federal government, must explore all options on the table to keep americans safe. we must send personnel. we must send equipment. we must offer any assistance that our friends north of the border need. over the last two years, the senate passed billions in funding to mitigate and respond to wildfires. we did it when we passed the bipartisan infrastructure law and the inflation reduction act. the american rescue plan also provided huge sums to help schools improve their air filtration systems. today, these investments are paying off.

many schools are safer and cleaner because of the legislation we passed. but there's much more to do. on the long term, on the long term, mr. president, there is little doubt that climate change has exacerbated both the depth and breadth of these fires in canada. we cannot fully account for these fires without recognizing that climate change is making disasters like this far more common and far more destructive. temperatures in may reached record levels in canada, and warmer temperatures mean forest fires often burn faster, burn hotter, burn bigger. we're seeing this play out in real time. canadian officials say their country is now on track for their worst season of wildfire destruction on record. what we considered freak stenlts

today could become the -- freak accidents today could become the norm tomorrow. the more we ignore our obligation to lower carbon emissions, the greater the risks of these disasters. that's why democrats passed the largest package of clean energy investments in american history last year, through the inflation reduction acts. but both parties have an obligation to do more. both to reduce our carbon ementions and make sure we -- carbon emissions and make sure we have the resources necessary to respond to natural disasters, so many of them caused or exacerbated by climate change. in the coming days i will continue to reach out to the administration to ensure we're doing everything we can to help contain the fires up north. the best thing we can do to keee can do to keep american citizens across the country safe and

healthy. now, on nominations -- mr. president, today the senate will vote to confirm dilawar syed to serve as the number two man at the -- number two person at the small business administration. syed's confirmation is great news for small businesses across the country, because there's no better person to serve the interest of small business than someone who is a successful business owner himself. the sba has not had a senate-confirmed deputy for more than five years, and mr. syed is exactly the right person for the job. his nomination is backed by more than 200 civic, government, higher education, and business groups and leaders, including the u.s. chamber of commerce and the small business roundtable. mr. syed is an american success story. he came to this country from pakistan and amamsed a remark -- amassed a remarkable career as executive of yahoo, president of a software company, and most recently ceo of a health care

a.i. company. so, mr. syed is more than qualified to assume the post of deputy sba administrator, where his job will be helping millions of small businesses get the resources they need to start, to grow, to expand. once confirmed, mr. syed will add to the dynamism and diversity of the biden administration, as the highest-ranking muslim official in the executive branch. so this is a very good day for small business, because after today the sba will have an exceedingly capable, experienced, and accomplished small business champ in dilawar syed. i'll vote yes on his nomination, i urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same. finally, this morning, as the nation celebrates pride month, the biden administration announced a series of new federal actions to protect our lgbtq plus communities from threats to their rights and safety. over a dozen states escalate their attacks against these

communities, and the administration -- as over a dozen states escalate their attacks against lgbtq communities, the administration is responding. today's announcement includes new community safety partnerships, initiatives to support the glnt lgbtq mental health and the truly orwellian banning of books across the countries. at this commend the biden administration for taking these actions to protect the communities and affirming that all americans deserve equal protection under the law and in this country. i yield the floor. i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

>> the transgender people boys and girls sports, i mean, this is getting ridiculous and, i mean, that anybody out there that has little girls in school, they do not want little boys in the dressing room i'm not talking about just from five or six roles i'm talking about all of the way to high school, that is ridiculous and i am not the only one republican and democrat, don't want that. >> mike, let's start with representative stevens response. >> let me answer both questions in first, and immigration, i strongly believe that we need bipartisan come the 21st century immigration reform. we have the place that i call home, and no crosses country, a very tight labor market and i

.. agriculture committee has to pass a farm bill. this legislation is the cornerstone of the government's approach to helping growers feed america. it includes essential provisions

that support farmers, create good-paying jobs, and strengthen rural communities. in my home state of kentucky, nearly 75,000 farms help keep dinner plates full and grocery stores stocked throughout the entire country. but thanks to endless red tape from unelected bureaucrats and partisan foot dragging here in washington, it's more difficult than ever to be a farmer in kentucky. washington democrats' runaway inflation has bogged down small family farms with production costs on the rise, department of agriculture projects that net farm income will decline by,

listen to this, 20% in 2023. naturally farm families are looking to congress to deliver much-needed help and stability. in kentucky, farmers are stalling investments, taken on unforeseen risks as they wait for washington to make up its mind. farmers in kentucky and kroors the country -- and across the country deserve certainty from congress so they can plan for the future. with less than four months to go until many current farm bill provisions expire, time is running out. that's why congress needs to do its job and get this legislation across the finish line swiftly. last week, negotiators between a democratic president and republican speaker allowed the senate to take an important step towards fiscal sanity and avert

economic catastrophe. in the fomg months, we'll need -- in the coming months, with we'll need further collaboration that puts farmers first and excuse our food supply. senate republicans stand ready to do our part. now, mr. president, on an entirely different matter. i'm very sorry to have to conclude my remarks today by bidding farewell to an integral member of my staff, my chief speechwriter and communications director andy quinn. five and a half years ago andy arrived in my office with one of the sharpest minds an sharpest pens in town. he has been on my team longer than anyone could hope to keep such a talent tied down.

andy background made him a unique candidate for the job, to he is say the least. he had come out of four years at an elite new england liberal arts college. he had experience on the campaign trail and in professional scholarship, but he hadn't spent a day working on capitol hill. well, i had a hunch that andy's evident hunger and enthusiasm and sheer brain power would have him adapt to life in the senate in no time. and, boy, was i right. it would be no exaggeration to say that he will depart more fluent in the workings of this institution than folks who have been around here twice as long. andy has proven his impressive ability to wear multiple hats.

s lent both -- he has a finally tuned instinct for political strategy and bottomless appetite for nuanced policy. in the process he has become a plumline for my entire team on both long-range big picture ideas and pressing day-to-day decisions. this young man has an incredible ability to cut straight to the essence of the topic at hand and ask the sort of questions that help all of us approach big issues with clarity and with confidence. when andy's at at table, we know we'll get clear, honest, unvarnished counsel. these strengths have been extraordinarily valuable over an eventful past five years. three supreme court

confirmations, two presidential impeachments and a once in a lifetime century pandemic. during the first weeks of 2021 in particular, some of the most important conversations i had were with andy as i planned my response to the -- to those who tried and failed to interrupt the certification of an election. and as i cast my vote. andy zeal for worthy fights has helped me, our colleagues, and our entire conference meet career defining moments with strength and grace many he's taken five and a half years of incredibly sensitive and high-profile responsibilities in stride. he's demonstrated pitch-perfect

instincts and wisdom beyond his years and somehow beyond his book smarts is a razor-sharp sense of humor and plenty of hints of prospects on the chicago cubs. just as notable as andy's intellect is his humility. he took every step to the front office coffeepot to get to know his youngest colleagues and learn about their interest. for that matter, one of the only outward signs of the enormous work he has shouldered is the coffee cup he has carried which his colleagues say has grown larger over the years. of course, that could just as likely be a symptom of the fact that andy has become a proud father, not once, not twice, but

three times during his senate tenure. for awful his work as a fellow -- for all of his work as a fellow stuart of the senate, we -- stewart of the senate, we know that he -- and to the wonder full family they are raising. noes secret that the demands of the senate schedule are borne not only by senators and our staff but in a unique way by their families as well. and as andy perhaps to write an exciting new chapter professionally, i understand that the oldest of his three sons at the ripe old age of 4 and a half, has expressed excitement at getting to see his dad a little more often. be even the world ate greatest

deliberative boat can't compete with all of that. i would like to leave andy with my sincere thanks and pouring had his immense talents into our shared missions these past five and a half years and my congratulations on a job very well done.

a a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from montana. mr. tester: mr. president, today i want to honor the life and service of a distinguished montanan and vietnam war veteran who recently passed, edward muriel rasinski. he is a native son of montana and bon in 1945. he -- born in 1945, he was raced -- raised in the snowy

mountains where he spent his time riding horses and doodling the eastern montana landscape around him, a landscape that would continue to shape his life forever. never one to shy away from service or sacrifice, ed left montana to serve his country in the navy during the vietnam war. during the war, he served on the uss ranger aircraft carrier from # 1963 to 1966 where he worked in the print shop. after being honorably discharged, ed entered the printing business and he went to san francisco where he opened up barbary coast press and he met his wife deborah. after a stint in hawaii, they moved back to montana settling in twin bridges where they started their family.

here they raised their daughters tess and bess, and founded an iconic line of western colored greeting cards inspired by ed's time living in eastern montana. he drove buses for the school districts after they made their move to bozeman. 6 ed loved his family, especially liked spending times with his daughters. they would work on art projects, attend sporting events and watch movies. ed also loved reading good books. he liked golf, and as all good montanans, he liked to trout fish. on a beautiful montana summer evening, you can find him at the river with a fishing pole and box of fried chicken.

ed passed away on may 4 earlier this year. he had fought a long battle with prostate cancer, a condition directly related to his exposure to agent orange during his service in the vietnam war. while he fought long and hard, i am grateful he was able to get his health care and the benefits he needed in the last years of his life through the navy veterans act which we were able to get passed in the senate for heros like ed and we did that in 2019. today it is my honor to commemorate his service and life as an outstanding montanan. his legacy will live on through his family and daughters, and i am especially honored to have tess working on my veterans committee staff where she service veterans across the nation and awarded the coalition

of veterans unsung hero award for her tireless work of veterans. she is also following in the footsteps at the university of montana where she is studying digital filmmaking. i commend mr. ed rasinski. he is part of the fabric that makes montana the last best place and he will be sorely missed. mr. president, i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. durbin: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority whip. mr. durbin: i ask consent the call of the quorum be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: mr. president, earlier this week apple unveiled its latest innovation, the vision pro. it is a mixed reality headset that the company claims will blend together our virtual and physical worlds. now if you've seen this device, you may think it looks like an overpriced pair of ski goggles. but the implications for this

technology are remarkable. think about how far we've come in a few short decades. 30 years ago hardly anyone owned a cell phone, and even fewer were familiar with the concept of the worldwide web. but since then everything has changed. we've gone from clunky desktop computers to smart phones and smart watches and now a headset that will transform your living room into a virtual playground. a virtual playground, think about that. you can share it with just about anyone in the world. anyone, even potential sexual predators. and therein lies the problem. in the face of an unprecedented wave of technological innovation, one thing has remained the same. our nation's online safety laws are stuck in the last century. over the past three decades, congress has given tech and

social media companies free rein to police themselves, and they've failed. now our children are paying the price for these failures. it is time for congress to step up and protect them. today more than one out of three teenagers say they use social media, quote, almost constantly, unquote. that is by design. big tech giants and online platforms powered by advanced algorithms are capturing the minds and eyeballs of our kids and grandkids, and the more our children scroll, the more these platforms rake in profits. now of course social media can benefit everyone, including young people. they can learn new skills and hobbies and really connect with valuable friends. but as most parents, grandparents, and public health

experts will tell you, social media has a dark side. last month the surgeon general, vivek murthy issued an extraordinary warning, the first of its kind, to parents across america. dr. murthy said that social media can, quote, have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being to children and adolescents. from anxiety and depression to body image issues, social media is exacerbating a youth mental health crisis in america. but there is another, another far more disturbing part of the story, because when it comes to online platforms like instagram or tiktok, only a few taps and clicks stand between our children and online predators who hope to exploit them. just yesterday "the wall street journal" published a report on what they describe as, quote, a

vast pedophile network that has been thriving on instagram for years. years. according to the report, instagram not only hosts photos and videos of children being sexually exploited, it actively promotes the despicable content to other users. predators even connect with one another through a set of grotesque hashtags that i will not repeat on the senate floor. and the worst of these predators try to target new, unsuspected victims and persuade them to share explicit images of themselves. let me tell you about one of the victims. his name was james woods. last year james, who at 17 was getting ready to graduate from high school, died by suicide after being targeted in a scheme known as sextortion. in james' case, he was

contacted through instagram by a user claiming to be a young woman. the conversation quickly turned sexual and the user asked james to share explicit images of himself. unfortunately he complied, and moments later he received another message. this time with a threat. send me $6,000 or else those images will be sent to everyone you know. james was terrified. he tried to reason with this predator by sending a $100 gift card, but the threats continued. he received 200 messages in a single day, some threatening to hurt him or kill his family. one message read, quote, you might as well end it now, close quote. soon after james' father arrived home and discovered his son's lifeless body. james had his entire life ahead of him. he was a star on the school track team. he hoped to pursue a career in

law enforcement. but now he's gone. you would think that instagram, the platform through which james was exploited, would bear some responsibility, some responsibility for this horrifying tragedy. after all, this predator used instagram to contact james, solicit explicit images and then threaten his life. but you would be wrong. under our existing laws of the united states, namely, section 230 of the communications decency act, written nearly 30 years ago, platforms like instagram have near total immunity from being held legally accountable for this type of atrocity. that has to change. earlier this year as chairman of the senate judiciary committee, i will pledged that we would take vigorous action to hold big tech accountable and stop the

online exploitation of children. as part of this effort, i introduced the bill, the stop csam act, child sexual abuse material. this legislation would create a civil remedy against any online platform that facilitates the exchanged of child sexual abuse materials. in other words, if the stop csam act were law today, james' parents would be able to take legal action against instagram follower failing to fulfill their basic responsibility to protect their customers. importantly, my stop csam act is one of five pieces of legislation that has been reported out of the judiciary committee during this congress to stop the exploitation of children online. every single one of these pieces of legislation was reported from the senate judiciary committee by a unanimous vote.

all five. mr. president, you personally, my colleagues, take a look at the members of the senate judiciary committee. that is the most amazing display of political extremes, right and left and center, for that matter, that you'll find in congress. all members of the committee voted in favor of these five pieces of legislation to protect our kids from what's going on on the cell phones across america. we had testimony from parents. one sad story after another of children who, because of sextortion, bullying, harassment, goading, took their own lives. the mothers sat in the front row, each holding a color photo, a school photo of their kids. with tears in their eyes, they begged us to do something to protect these kids and to protect america from this exploitation. when i read about tragedies like the death of james woods, it's clear we shouldn't waste another

minute. i believe that we should call this measure to the floor of the senate immediately. there is no reason to wait. and in fact, there is a danger if we do. let's see if the unanimous opinion of the senate judiciary committee, republicans and democrats, conservatives and liberals, can bring us to a bipartisan conclusion now. wouldn't the american people be happy to hear that, that finally the senate came together on a bipartisan basis to protect innocent children from sexploitation, from these child sexual abuse materials and the sort of situation that james woods faced, the harassment with no accountability from the social media platform we need to move quickly to do this. there is no excuse. let's not wait on some other measure. these are five good, strong bills that will say to the social media industry once and for all, you bear responsibility for what goes on. and when you're responsible for it, you can be held accountable

in a court of law. parents and victims can't do this on their own. they've learned that over and over. they need someone to help, and that would be the united states senate, the united states house of representatives and the president. i hope everyone will join us in protecting our kids from this world of threats. mr. president, i yield the floor.

test:

>> mr. president, this week as anyone knows, this week the has suffered through some of the worst wildfire air pollution in the entire history of our country. north of the border over 400 wildfires continue blazing across québec in many parts of

the eastern canada. and the winds are sending smoke and toxic air across the border and into our cities come into our communities, into -- to walk to new york city yesterday was to walk on another planet. the orange fault of wildfire smoke left our city unrecognizable. sadly, new york city had the worst air quality of any major city in the world yesterday, even more than such cities as delhi, jakarta which always rated the top of the worst air quality. and as new york city had the worst air quality, the pollution was even worse for upstate new york from bayside to brooklyn, from buffalo to binghamton. my home state looked like the scene of a scary movie. across the northeast schools canceled outdoor activities and afterschool programs. the yankees, the phillies, the

new york liberty all postponed their games. people as far west as indianapolis and the far south as south carolina have been impacted. i urge all people here in washington and across the united states to listen to local health officials and take every precaution to stay safe. mr. president, the climate crisis is real and it is here to stay. we must take action against the climate crisis, both short-term and long-term. short-term, this morning i am calling on secretary tom vilsack to double the number of forest service personnel deployed to fight these fires in canada. i am calling on the secretary of agriculture to double the number of personnel to mitigate the risk in the senate is not. mr. thune: mr. president, summer is almost here, and with it summer driving season, and with gas prices up 48% since

president biden took office, inflation still a major problem, the cost of those family road trip miles is likely to be on the american people's' minds. it's not just the cost of gas that k.g. challenging in the summer. hot temperatures bring a corresponding increase in electricity bills as families rely more on air-conditioners. with electricity prices up 22% since president biden took office, as i said withflation still a major -- with inflation still a major problem, those bills can be a stress. ity not just -- it's not just energy prices that are of concern this summer, mr. president. a recent article in "the washington post" entitled "fresh blackout threats emerge as power grid faces a stressful summer" noted, and i quote, the nation's power grid is precare -- in precarious shape headed into what could be an especially hot summer, with much of the country at risk for outages if it experiences scorching weather,

scientists say, looks increasingly likely, end quote. much of the country is at risk for outages. mr. president, the reliability of our nation's electric grid is a serious concern, driven in part by attempts to move our country off conventional energy before we have the necessary technology to rely mostly on renewables. in february the pgm interconnection, which manages a substantial part of eastern america's electric grid, released a report warning that fossil fuel plants are being forced to retire at a faster rate than new renewables can be brought online at a rate of roughly two to one. and as the report underscored, that's a situation driven by anti-conventional energy policies. "the wall street journal," which weighed in after the pjm report was released, noted, i quote again, most projected power

plant retirements are policy driven, the report says, end quote. in other words, mr. president, power plants aren't closing because they've reached the end of their operating life. they're closing because of policies designed to discourage conventional energy. now, mr. president, i am a longtime supporter of renewable energy. in fact, i come from a state where 80-plus percent of the energy in my state is renewable. the fact is, technology has not advanced to the points our nation can rely solely, or even mostly, on renewables. attempting to move to zero emission energy before we have the technology and resources to get thrust is going to result not only in price increases but in serious deficiencies in our nation's energy supply. i say going to result in.

but as i've mentioned, premature attempts to move to a green new deal future are already compromising the reliabilities of our electric grid. the biden administration has been driving the problem with its anti-conventional energy policies. while the president's made isolated, positive energy decisions, and i would note approving the sale of e-15 fuel for this summer as an example, in general his presidency has been characterized by environmental extremism and hostility to conventional energy. this year alone, he's closed off a substantial part of the arctic to oil and gas development, and his environmental protection agency has finalized a rule that threatens to close a number of fossil fuel-powered power plants and undermind the stability of our electric grid even further. these are policies with far-reaching negative effects, an up stable electric grid, for

one, can be a very -- unstable electricity grid can be a serious problem. electricity blackouts threaten key systems. soaring temperatures without the relief of air-conditioning can leave elderly americans vulnerable. the president's anti-conventional energy policies are not victimless. they have consequences. we are well on our way to seeing those consequences in action. mr. president, solution here is simple -- the president needs to stop undermining our nation's energy supply with policies that attempt to prematurely push us onto renewables. and he needs to unleash american energy production, conventional as well as renewable. now, we did receive some good news on the energy production last week with the passage of the debt ceiling agreement that the president reached with speaker mccarthy. thanks to the efforts of speaker

mccarthy, the fiscal responsibility act makes a down payment on permitting reform by placing a two-year time limit on environmental impacts statements and one-year time limit on environmental assessments. it also implements a one federal decision framework that establishes a lead agency and single document stream for permitting decisions. currently, it takes an average of four and a half years, four and a half years for an environmental impact statement. these reforms will shrink that timeline and help both conventional and renewable energy projects get off the ground more quickly. however, mr. president, there's more work to be done to streamline the permitting process, and i hope we'll be able to find bipartisan agreement on further reforms. bogging projects down in environmental review for half a decade provides no meaningful environmental advantages, delays valuable energy projects, and

can discourage domestic energy production. and additional permitting reform should be a priority. senators capito and barrasso put forward comprehensive crirkses to the discussion -- contributions to the discussion, the restart act amendment spur act respectively, and the house passed h.r. 1, the lower energy cost act. collectively, these bills would resume federal lease sales for oil and gas development, set timelines against endless legal challenges, and advance an american -- american -- all-of-the-above energy comeback. mr. president, after two and a half years of demonstrated hostility to conventional energy production, the president seems up likely to change his ways, but he still has time to embrace a more realistic approach to american energy st. and i hope that the increasing fragility of

our electric grid, to say nothing of higher energy prices, will encourage him to take a more all-of-the-above approach to energy production. otherwise, he may be remembered for presiding over not just an inflation crisis but an energy crisis as well. mr. president, i yield the floor.

smoke smoke mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from -- mr. markey: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from massachusetts.

mr. markey: mr. president, go outside. it's hard to breathe. the -- the air smells of ash and krinder. children -- cinder. children can't go outside. on the east coast, it's an ungodly, disstoapian land landscape. it's right now and it's right here. this week, other than 9/11, new york city registered the worst air quality in the world. climate change means more heat in the atmosphere with record-high temperatures in ottawa, montreal, toronto and even burlington, vermont.

there are record setting high-pressure zones making heat domes of sunny, hot weather that sit on top the landscape, drying it out like an oven. more heat, less water, that's fuel for fire. and we have seen it coming. climate change has made this pattern more frequent and more intense. and if you don't believe me. if you don't think that this is a new phenomenon prompted by climate change, then ask yourself, when was the last time that new york or philadelphia experienced something of this magnitude? it would be disturbing enough to call this the new normal, but it's not the new normal because every year it's going to get worse until we tackle this problem head on. this isn't just a forest fire. this is a climate fire. because our entire climate is on

fire. these wildfires are not just an occurrence, they are a condition, and the condition is only getting worse. over the past 20 years, the area of land consumed annually by wildfires has doubled. in some parts of the west that area is expected to grow sixfold -- six time the fires, six times the smoke, which means harmful and dangerous air quality days for our youngest and our oldest, for those with asthma and respiratory disease and other health conditions. when trees die in a wildfire, they release the carbon that is stored within them into the atmosphere. in that sense, you could look at each burning tree as being a kind of massive exhaust pipe

spewing carbon up into the atmosphere and contributing to global warming. if these fires are producing climate change. additionally, once a tree fully burns, that particular tree is gone for good and can no longer reclaim carbon and store is it safely. none of us can take a deep breath outside on the east coast right now and not be at risk. if we ignore this moment, if we don't take advantage of the searing example right in front of us, then we ignore a duty to act. our public health is at risk. our very -- our very lungs are at risk. will there might be a veil of smokeout side, but let's not

veil our sight to the need for climate solutions. mr. president, there is no in mystery here -- there is no mystery here. when you heat the planet and create searing heat over densely wooded forests, fires are not a surprise. they are the logical outcome of your actions. the future is here right now. today we talk about fires. in september we will talk about hurricanes. in the winter we will talk about a polar vortex and in the spring we will talk about floods and droughts and then in summer we will talk about fires again until we finally talk about the thing we should be talking about, which is how we reduce the emissions and end this cycle of self-destruction and secure a safe and stable planet once and for all for everyone.

i yield back, mr. president. mr. president, i questions the -- i question the presence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. schumer: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, i move to proceed to legislative

session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 157. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. opposed, say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, department of state, elizabeth allen, of new york, to be secretary of state public dplomcy. 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 bring to a close debate on the nomination of executive calendar number 157, elizabeth allen, of new york, to be under secretary

of state for public dplomcy, signed by 17 senators as follows. schumer i ask that the reading of the names be waived. 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 say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 25. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the appear to have it. the ayes have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, hernan d. vera to be united states district judge for the central district of california. the presiding officer: 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 bring to a close debate on the executive calendar number 25, hernan many d. vera, of california, to be united states district judge for the central district of california, signed by 17 senators as follows. mr. schumer: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived are. 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 say aye. all opposed, say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 171. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed say no, the ayes appear to have it. the ayes have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will are report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, executive office of the president, jared bernstein, of virginia, to be

chairman of the council of economic advice ofers. the presiding officer: 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 bring to a close debate on the nomination of executive calendar number 171, jared bernstein, of virginia to be chairman of the council of economic advisors signed by 16 senators as follows. mr. schumer: i ask that the reading of the names be waived. 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 say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes have it the motion is agreed to. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 41. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, p. casey pitts, of california, to be united states

district judge for the northern district of california. sh. i sent 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 debate on the nomination of executive calendar number 41, p. casey pitts of california to be united states district judge for the northern district of california signed by 17 senators as follows. mr. schumer: i send a cloture motion to the desk. i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, june 8, be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: now, mr. president, today -- today our democracy held firm against voter discrimination. the supreme court has ruled that alabama's republican-drawn

congressional districts discriminate against black voters violating the voting rights act and must be redrawn. this case is a message to every american who has struggled to cast a ballot or felt like their vote does not matter. our democracy is worth fighting for. we can make change happen, and that's what the voting rights act represents 6789 but today's case also reminds us that jim crow, racial disenfran chiesment live on to this day in ways both subtle and expolice sits. discrimination at the ballot box is very real in today's day and age. alabama state lawmakers intentionally tried to dilute the voices of black voters through discriminatory districts. it's a good thing for democracy that the efforts of alabama lawmakers to disenfranchise black voters have failed in this case. once again democracy held firm but the struggle for equal representation of course continues. we must fight to make redistricting fairer -- much fairer throughout the country. we must do more at the state

level. and we must do more in congress to pass legislation that will strengthen the voting rights act and fight back against racial discrimination at the ballot box. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of the following nomination which the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, small business administration, dilawar syed of california to be deputy administrator. the presiding officer: the question is on the nomination. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: on this vote, the yeas are 54, the nays are 42, and 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. the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of executive calendar number 166, molly r. silfen of

the district of columbia, to be a judge of the united states of federal claims, 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 molly r. silfen of the district of columbia to be a judge of the united states court of federal claims 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: the yeas are 55. the nays are 41. the motion is agreed to. mr. brown: thank you, mr. president. there's no better place in the entire united states than ohio for the space command headquarters and their additional space force units. our state is ready to lead our military into the next frontier. i rise because i don't know that my colleagues think -- i understand we all care about our own states but i don't know that

they think enough about how my state has been for decades, literally decades, in many ways the premiere aerospace state. the wright brothers, american heroes like john glen and kneell armstrong. our state continues to lead the country in aerospace innovation and in military service. we have nearly a million veterans in ohio and i would like to call out -- it's not really the purpose of the speech but call out one veteran in particular. my mother is from mansfield, georgia. my dad went off to war. my mother came for washington to help with the war effort. my dad when he came back from overseas, he went to a soldiers dance apartment at mayflower hotel. my dad met my mom at that soldiers dance. one from georgia. one from ohio. any daughter who runs the ywca in columbus was in town last

night. and we decided to have dinner at the mayflower how tell. i'm sure it looks very different. it wasn't a soldiers dance but it was fun to celebrate my parents and her grand parents but think about back to the subject directly at hand on aerospace -- on the space command. think about the military installations we have across my state. we have wright-patterson air force base, of course, with the air force research lab and the national air and space intelligence center and the space force's national space intelligence center. we're home to the 88th air base wing of the live cycle management center where they support our military aircraft and engines and munitions and electronics and cyber weapons systems. we have the air force material command that keeps air force weapons systems ready for war. wright-patterson has been a leader in aviation development since the time of airplane inventors like the wright brothers. positioned to lead us into the future. just 150 miles away is nasa glen

research center, one of only ten in the country at lewis field in cleveland and a few miles west in sandusky near lake erie, the armstrong test facility. these are facilities researching and developing and testing innovative technologies taking us to the next frontier. we have the 178th intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance group at the springfield national guard base. we have guard bases, toledo, my hometown of mansfield. it makes sense to base our country's military leadership near these important assets. they make ohio the right location for both the u.s. space command headquarters and additional space force units. and think about the opportunity for collaboration. having space command located alongside the air force research lab will assist in the creation of new space technologies and capabilities. nasic at wright path is already

the intelligence center. close to arm strong testing facility in northern ohio will allow space command and space force to benefit from their unmatched experience and expertise in space missions. the armstrong texting facility performs specialized research and testing that can't be done anywhere else in the world. of locating space command and additional space force assets in ohio also means that the world's leading trade schools, research universities, federal lab toarps in ohio to our east, pennsylvania, to our north michigan. to our west indiana. to our south kentucky and tennessee. and illinois are nearby, ready to work together to provide a pipeline of workers to be on the front line of the next frontier of modern warfare. this proximity is pure and simple, mr. president, unwatched -- unmatched. ohio alone as a network has world class community colleges, 14 public four-year

universities, branch campuses, 23 two-year community and technical colleges, nearly 60 four-year private universities. moving space for the units here would be good for the military, good for ohio, good for our national economy. ohioans know how important space sector jobs are to our state. there is a direct line that runs from gtabh in cincinnati through the base and aerospace companies touching thousands of ohioans, reaching every region of our great state. with the chips act we're bringing 10,000 good-paying high-tech jobs to central ohio, making semiconductors. if you don't think this plays a role in our national security, ask the chinese communist party if they'd rather the chips for our cars, missiles, planes, and satellites be made overseas. we're finally correcting that. we finally understood as a

nation we can't continue to outsource manual labor. we finally understand that chips should be made here. they were invented here and should be made here. that light bulbs should be made here. that steel, where we led the world, is coming back and building our bridges and all that we should be doing. we're already the center of the country for aerospace jobs. we're going to be a major hub for semiconductors and manufacturing. locating our space military leadership near the come to sting hub of both semiconductor and aerospace innovation is good for ohio's military and makes sense for our military. the military challenges -- it's not a partisan issue, mr. president. it's not ideological either, mr. president. we've always worked together to support and grow these jobs and to invest in ohio's military installations. this is no different. ohio representatives from both sides of the aisle support this

effort. this letter is led on the senate side by me, on the house side by republican david joyce from northern ohio. together we call on the president to bring new space missions to ohio. it's simple. ohio stands ready to meet the space-related national security challenges the u.s. faces now and into the future. it is how you bury the term rustbelt. we bury it with the research laboratory, we bury it with the national air and space intelligence center. we're burying it with nasa. we're going to bury it with u.s. space command and u.s. space space command and u.s. space

inflation still a major

american people's minds. in this roll call vote begin now, immediately. the presiding officer: without objection. the question is on the nomination. mrs. capito: 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:

vote: dchendoraicapósvc106

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: on this vote the ayes are 5 a 5. the nays are 39. 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.

passing the rule, moving the bill to the floor that bills so the rule goes to the floor and jude get the bill. it is nine times out of ten, ten times that attend a partyline . i waited to vote on it with the previous question and the rule. i left really early in the post because you have to get to get back to committee. we're taking committee votes. about a dozen committee votes and at the end of the committee vote he said the rule failed. i'm a creature of the floor of the house. i like being on the floor of the house and watching what's happening but you've got to get activity, get back to committee. even though i'm disappointed i missed the drama of what unfolded, what happened was that republicans joined democrats to ensure the rule failed so we wouldn't pass the bill. >> host: what do you make of

this, this revolt? what are you hearing that these far right lawmakers want? what are you hearing how the republican leadership is responding? give us any insight scoop you might have. >> guest: with all due respect kevin mccarthy is not my speaker. i voted for hakeem jeffries 15 5 times. i would love to put forward a democratic bill and see the democrats take back control of the house floor. if republicans want to join with us to see that happen that would be great, , but what really is happening is that a group of we can call them quote-unquote rebels are frustrated at their speaker it appears because of how the debt ceiling vote took place last week. also a long series of lawmaking, seven weeks straight, is a lot of time to be together. so maybe some tensions are kind of rice and because of that. but really it's because folks are not happy with how the debt

ceiling vote went. they are rebelling against her speaker and about letting it move forward. we didn't get to vote in any loss of this week. we've got a big country. i'm ready to govern. we have things to deliver. i'm working on china competitiveness. i'm working on on a gusher p. i'm making sure people get trained for the jobs of today and tomorrow. we had to ban together and get those things done. >> host: would want to get to some of those topics, too, the first of what it might just the numbers to call so you can ask a question or share a comment with representative haley stevens, democrat of michigan. the numbers are if you're republican call us at 202-748-8001. if you're a democrat we want you to dial 202-748-8000. and if you are an independent call us at 202-748-8002. you can text as at 202-748-8003 because we want to get to your

calls come your comments come your questions. if we do one more question for you about that debt ceiling compromise. you are a member of the centrist new democrat coalition, and you voted for the bill. tell us why. >> guest: i didn't want us to default. we've got to reserve the fiscal integrity of this nation and the american people as i was reflecting on this vote, i knew was coming up, the american people have been through enough. a pandemic, three three-yr anniversary of the murder of george floyd, rising gun violence, now the number one killer of young people in this country. we have to take the temperature down and we have to reestablish trust. what does an established trust is allowing our country to default on the bills we said we're going to pay. the pass laws last year, the year prior. we've got to tackle our debt and deficit and i'm on board to take

bipartisan solutions which is what that boat was last week to help us achieve that goal. >> host: we've got a caller and now, sergio in pompano beach, florida, democratic line. what's your question or comment? >> caller: good morning to you. how are you? >> host: good morning. >> caller: yes. good morning. how are you? >> guest: it's so nice to hear from you. >> caller: thank you, congresswoman. i'm 100% supporter of you guys because you guys are fighting for our country and what have you. and there's a couple of things that really bothered me, okay? particularly with supreme court judge clarence thomas. this guy is the biggest scumbag if i've ever seen because he thinks they can just get away with it taking special favors

from billionaire harlan companyd he should be held accountable for his behavior as well as chief justice john roberts as well. they should be removed from their posts immediately, as well as speaker mccarthy. this guy is another scumbag that should have gone away. but i like hakeem jeffries because he puts things in order and he speaks the truth. what can you do to get rid of these guys permanently out of power? >> guest: we have got as you know a big country but i think what you're talking about with the supreme court is sitting on something very important. and we have to have trust, we have to rule of law and those who seek to hold the elected positions, the appointed position in our government, and there are three branches of government, right, as we all

know, executive office there held ethical standards. i worked in the administration of president obama. i had to do financial disclosure forms as just a young 20 something working in that administration as a member of congress i am subject to the same scrutiny. our supreme court justices need to be held to the standards r we. kane i have seven requests for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the alouisville of both the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kaine: i rise today to talk about the gun violence that erupted before a graduation ceremony for the 2023 graduating class of huguenot high school. the two people were killed, a huguenot high school graduate,

shawn jackson, and his steph father, lorenzo smith. it is a tragedy that's having a deep impact on my community. i wanted to rise to speak about those who were killed, trampled, injured in in the pandemonium, the huguenot community. it is a venue on monroe park in downtown richmond built in a moorish architectural style. it was called the mosque for a long time. members of our muslim community came to the richmond city council and said, we understand that this building has a particular architectural style. we need it may even be sort of a tribute to us to call this building a mosque. but it is not a mosque p it is

an entertainment venue. this is alcohol served, dancing and other things that wouldn't be appropriate. our muslim community asked in a very respectful way, can you come up with a different name for this facility. we acted to change the name to the landmark. a number of years later. altria agreed to help renaud vat the -- renovate the facility. the name is now the altria theater. i spend some time talking about this place because, mr. president, i imagine you have places like this in hawaii. these places where everybody has gone their entire lives for events just like high school graduations. virtually every public high school in richmond and many of the private high schools in richmond and the surrounding community, you go to a graduation and it is at at the altria theater. of my three children, two of them graduated and walked across that stage at the altria theater. as a mayor and governor and now

senator, i've spoken at many graduations there on that stage at the altria theater. my wife, a graduate of richmond public schools, secretary of education in virginia, first lady of virginia, has also delivered graduation speeches there. we've been to theatrical performances there. we know this building in every last square centimeter, and we know what it's like when the altria theater is filled with a crowd of people. high school graduation -- i mean, think about -- it i'm 65 years old. think about over the course of a life, the happiest days of our life. high school graduation, college graduation, your wedding day, births of your children. i mean, over the course of a life, there are maybe five to ten days that are universal experiences for american people where it will be in the top five

to ten happiest days of your life, and high school graduation is that. for richmond, there are people in the surrounding communities, you think high school graduation, the odds are you're walking across the stage at that theater. these huguenot high school graduates had walked across the stage, the young man, mr. jackson, had shaken the hand of the principal, jason kamras. a young man who did well in the classroom but had a lot of challenges to get to that day. and often a graduation is that. it's an opportunity to thank everybody who helped you, but it's also an opportunity to reflect upon the challenges that people have to get to that day. you know, back in the day, the grad parents would tell us how they -- the grandparents would tell us how they used to have to walk five miles in the snow to get to school. that may not be the case anymore. but an awful lot of our kids

have to do the equivalent, the kind of psychic equivalent of a five-mile walk through the snow because they have to go through challenges, whether they were homeless, whether they got a cancer diagnosis through school, they faced adversity and challenges, and then they get to this day, and they are entitled -- they are entitled to celebrate. and that's what they were doing. and then as they're exiting the altria theater, which is right near the virginia commonwealth university, and monroe park directly across, these gunshots break out, 20 shots in succession. families scrambling, knocking down people, vendors who were there, knocking over citizens, people scrambling in every direction, a young kid got pushed out onto the street and got hit by a vehicle. thank goodness she's going to be okay. others sustained all kinds of

minor injures. even those who were not injured, they will remember this and be scarred by it for the rest of their life because one of these four or five or six pivotal days in your life, the happiest days of your life, for them will always be connected to seeing a classmate killed and seeing this happy day turned into an unspeakable tragedy. i know how i think about my high school graduation. it was one of the happiest days of my life. having been in that building, i know how the huguenot building for the class of 2023 will remember their high high high school graduation day, and it is a tragedy that the memory is so polluted by this epidemic of gun violence. mr. president, i had the opportunity earlier this year, and i have spoken about it on the floor, to attend another school in virginia, near if youport news. a six-year-old brought a gun to school in a backpack. it was student that had all kind

of difficult, difficult challenges and as his compassionate and brave teacher after -- teacher tried to deal with it situation, the student shot her. thank god she is recovering. thank god no one was killed that day. but i had the opportunity, mr. president, to go down about two weeks after that to have an off-the record, no press, no administrators discussion with parents and teachers at the school. and the degree of trauma, the degree of trauma of this happening, and the degree of fear. every daygy to work now, every daygy to work i am afraid this might happen. i am -- every day i drop my child off in the morning, i drive away wondering whether i will get a call or emergency alert on my phone. or when i pull up at the end of the day, am i going to be able to pick up my child? and will my child be safe?

my kids all went to the richmond public schools, the same schools that include huguenot high school. and my youngest only graduated ten years ago. but i will say, my wife and i in, you know, pre-k to 12, in that 13 years for each of my three kids, never one day -- never one day, never one day -- did we drop our kid off the school and worry whether they would be safe at the end of the day. the shooting at sandy hook happened right after my youngest child graduated from high school. there had been shootings at columbine high school earlier. but we wouldn't worried about them at my own school setting. but ten years ago later -- but ten years later, what child who -- what parent who takes a child to school does not have a voice in their head that something might happen to them when they are in?

even if you live in a community where there has never been a school shooting is, that fear is not absent from your mind because you've seen it happen in every region of the country. you've seen it happen in public schools, you've seen it happen in covenant christian school in nashville, elementary schools, high schools, colleges, maybe i'm naive, mr. president, but gun violence has been a reality of american life for a very long time. but, to me it seems, as a 65 -year-old, that there is been some safe spaces. there have been some safe havens. there have been some refuges. there are none anymore. a church is? the a refuge. a -- a church is is not a refuge. a synagogue is not a refuge. a mosque is is not a refuge. a school is is not a refuge. an event space that is beloved by the community because everybody graduated from high school there for the last 100

years is is not a refuge. a public park is not a refuge. there's no refuge from this. we talk about american exceptionalism and often when we do, we are talking about the things where we are exceptional in a positive way. it's important to acknowledge those things. and be proud of them. but there is an american exceptionalism to this, the degree of these mass shootings and the absence of any place, any place that is a refuge is something that is exceptional about us in a way that is very, very painful. as you know, mr. president, because of my time in central america, i have a particular connection with a lost folks from the americas who work here in in the capitol. they often come up to me and we shoot the breeze and we talk in my somewhat limited spanish about what's going on. i had somebody earlier in the year after the the clerk should call the roll shooting at the -- after the shooting in another

high marjory stoneman douglas high school -- thank you, the homicide rate would be higher than here, but there is hayes a refuge. there is an understanding that you do not strip young people of their innocence and subject students and their families to the threat of gun violence. we live in a country of no refuge. i just wanted to take the floor to say to the family of shawn jackson and lorenzo smith, his stepfather. shawn's mother has had to deal with both her husband and her son not just being taken away but taken away on the same day on what was supposed to be the happiest day of their life. and she talked about how hard it was for her son to get to this graduation and what a meaningful milestone in his life it was to be there on that day. but the last thing that i would

like to say is it's easy to give up and be hopeless. i find having been a mayor in richmond when our homicide rate was second-highest in the united states and having been a governor when the worst shooting in the united states happened at virginia tech and how sad it is that i wish that had always been the worst shooting, a weird thing to say about your state but i hoped there had never been a tragedy that eclipsed virginia tech in april 2007 and now there have been victims that have claimed more victims than that, what seemed like an unprecedented one. it can seem hopeless. it can seem hopeless. i just want to say to students and families, and especially the young people who are trying to grapple with the reality of life in america circa 2023 and they're seeing skies that look apocalyptic outside and they're

reading about gun violence and worried about a variety of things that maybe i didn't have to worry about when i was their age, we can't be hopeless because we can make progress. last time for the first time in 20 years here in the senate we passed a bipartisan safety bill. it didn't do everything that needs to be done. but we showed, not easily, but we showed we could act. during my time as a public official in virginia, we have finally worked our way into the ranks of one of the ten safest states in terms of major and violent crievment we were never in the ten safest for a long time but sort of my time as the end of governor we got there and we maintain that position. the virginia general assembly which had long frankly been enthrowld to the national rifle association who is headquarters is in virginia in 20179 -- in 2019 and 2020 embraced gun safety measures which hasn't

eliminated gun violence but helped make us safer. if we can do it in virginia, though we have so much more to do, we can do it here in the united states congress. thank you for indulging me and letting me just share this, the personal nature of this reflection in my hometown, in this place where we spent so much time, that richmonders know in such an intimate way. and this beautiful building now 100 years old where we've gone for generations to celebrate, it has a bloodstain on it now, and i'm sure that stain is cleaned away, but we all will see it and we all will feel it forever. forever. i yield the floor, mr. president. a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from utah. mr. lee: mr. president, today we commemorate the 100th

anniversary of the attraction now known as bryce canyon national park. this occasion allows us to reflect on the importance of bryce canyon and pay tribute to the pioneers who have helped make it such a great place and have shaped its history over the years. and those pioneers who are still shaping its contribution to the world today. bryce canyon holds a special place in the hearts of utahans and visitors from across the united states and really throughout the world. it's towering rom -- rock formations are a testament to the unparalleled beauty found in nature. the vibrant colors that paint the canyon's walls at sunrise and sunset create a truly mesmerizing spectacle. and if you haven't been there, you need to visit bryce canyon. in 1874 scottish immigrant

ebenezer diser bryce settingsed with his wife below these cliffs. the settlers in the area began calling it bryce canyon after ebenezer bryce who humorously remarked that it was quo guantanamo a hell of a place --, quote,, a hell of a place to lose a cow," long before millions of visitors from around the world had come to see it. fast forward to 19 15 when j.w. humphrey, a u.s. forest service supervisor first set on the rim above the location we refer to today as the bryce amphitheater, overwhelmed by the indescribable beauty, mr. humphrey shared his enchantment with the world, sending photographs and films to newspapers, magazines, and tv stations far and wide. he built roads. he constructed trails and

established a camp ground charging campers a $1 fee. and this fee had a guarantee attached to it. he made the $1 fee fully refundable if any visitor didn't find the view completely worth it. well, mr. humphrey proudly boasted that he never once had to return a single dollar, not from a single visitor who received that guarantee. year after year the allure of bryce canyon has continued to grow. in fact, it's grown exponentially. what started with around 20,000 annual visits in its early years has escalated to over 500,000 by 1957. over one million by 2002, and over two million in 2016. last year alone the park welcomed 2.4 million visitors. what is it then about bryce canyon that draws people in like

this? i think it's the bryce moment, that magical instant when the park's magnificent pan panorama suddenly comes into focus, especially magical if you see it at sunrise or sunset. either way you're going to be amazed by what you see. it's that breath taking experience, sort of akin to looking up the empire state building or the taj mahal where you can't quite believe what you're seeing. a few years ago i was thinking about my many visitors to bryce canyon over the years. i visited bryce canyon as a child and as an adult. i visited bryce canyon first with family members, and i've also visited with friends, with work colleagues, and all kinds of different situations. i still remember the first time i brought my three children to bryce canyon, when they were young, and how proud i was to

show them this beautiful feature within our state, how much i enjoyed it. i remember another time when i was right out of law school clerking for a federal district judge, the honorable d. benson of the u.s. district court for the district of utah. we had been working hard and one day judge benson decided he was going to schedule a brief weekend visit for us, just volume -- voluntarily for fun to visit bryce canyon. the law clerks and the other personnel who worked with his chambers went down and visited bryce canyon. it was so much fun. during one of my more recent visits to bryce canyon a few years ago -- not my last one but one of the more recent visits -- went down there and met with one of our county associations of governments, where state, local, and federal elected officials came

together to talk about lands issues. i happened to have brought my daughter eliza with me on that trip. it had been a few years since i brought eliza to bryce canyon. but we got there and looked over the hoodoos right at sunset. it was yet another magical moment. these things become a tradition. it has certainly become a tradition with me and my family and my friends. it's a cherished tradition that brings people together. in rural communities, in this particular rural community it brings tourist visitors to an otherwise sparsely visited region of our state, and it exemplifies the spirit of adventure and of camaraderie. on that particular trip where i brought my daughter eliza to meet with these state, local, and federal officials, we went on an atv ride around some of

the areas surrounding the park. it took us just outside of the park to the north. the night before we had had the opportunity to meet with these incredible individuals who called the region home. at ruby's inn, we had gotten together for dinner and shared stories and laughter and a deep appreciation for this unique landscape and for the people who live there. the sense of community and shared experiences was palpable. we ventured into bryce canyon national park for an evening hike. as the sun began to set, casting a warm glow upon those structures known as hoodoos, we were enveloped in a world of natural wonder. the majesty of bryce canyon veembld itself in -- revealed itself in all of its glory. it was a transformative experience, one of many that reminded me again of the

enduring power of nature to uplift and to inspire. so as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of bryce canyon, let us honor the pioneers who recognized the unique beauty of the land and its potential to inspire and to attract people from all across the united states and throughout the world. let us embrace the spirit of adventure and exploration that defines bryce canyon and all of our national parks, but especially that one. and may we continue to cherish the memories and experiences these natural wonders provide, ensuring that future generations can forge connections with the breathtaking landscapes of bryce canyon. thank you, mr. president, and may bryce canyon forever hold a special place in our hearts. 123450 mr. lee: i note the absence of a quorum.

the presiding officer: the clerk will call quorum call:

mr. wyden: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. wyden: thank you, mr. president. the presiding officer: we are in a quorum call. mr. wyden: i ask unanimous consent to vacate the quorum call. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. wyden: mr. president, our country is facing a medication shortage crisis. americans can no longer count on their medicines being available at the pharmacy counter when they need them. unfortunately, it's actually worse than a simple shortage. it is, in particular, that america doesn't have access to aned adequate supply of generic

drugs that can be stocked by our pharmacies. i've heard from parents throughout my state whose kids are sick with a strep throat, and they're out there scrambling from pharmacy to pharmacy, trying to track down a bank antibiotic. these concerns are especially serious in rural parts of my state. i think this is true in a lot of parts of this country, because of the long distances families have to drive if their community pharmacy in a rural area can't meet their needs. this, in my view, is an enormous and urgent national challenge. there are, for example, cancer patients who can't get treatment because the medication they need is in low supply. with cancer we know every single

second counts. in many cases, people die if they're not treated. this makes the crisis not abstract, but it's a real life-or-death crisis. there are americans suffering from adhd who can't get their hands on the medications they rely on, that their doctor prescribed to them, to help so they can function in school and work and at home. pharmacists in southern oregon tell me one of their patients went without their medication for almost two months, and it undercut their ability to complete daily tasks. derailing these lives, young and old, due to a generic drug shortage just has got to be unacceptable, unacceptable to the richest country in the world. now, the crisis is hurting americans in many places, but as

i've indicated it's especially stark in rural america. independent pharmacies have been essential in rural communities in my state. these pharmacies can't always afford to keep brand-name drugs stocked, especially during a shortage. they rely, as do so many of these pharmacies across the land, on available, generic medicines so they can serve their customers and stay in business. and the travel i mentioned, from pharmacy to pharmacy to get needed medication, is no simple challenge. i'm having a whole group of town hall meetings in eastern oregon at the end of this month. i made a commitment to have an open-to-all town meeting in every county that i have the honor to represent. i've had 1,050 of them. i can tell you, the distance between small towns in eastern oregon is often measured in

hours, not miles or minutes. so if you live in rural oregon and your local pharmacy lacks your medication, you've got to find the time and gas money to travel anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes to the next closest pharmacy and hope and pray that the medication hasn't just been sold before you got there. niece commute times -- these commute times are even longer in the winter months, when the weather conditions are especially serious. i heard recent i had about -- recently about an oregonian who went to the pharmacy ef day for two weeks -- every day for two weeks, mr. president, to get that day's shipment of the prescription they needed. every single day they went to the pharmacy. that's a lot of time spent, op top of working, taking care of a family, trying to get your basic needs met. this is going to get worse in pharmacies across oregon, and

the nation, without this congress and our country acting. shortages of these generics have generated a domino effect. they've caused shortages of alternative medications to treat adhd and so many americans, millions of millions, have looked to this drug, and they're looking for alternatives. some of these other medicines may be less effective. we ought to be clear, in some cases there's no domino effect because some generics don't have any alternatives at all. i asked a pharmacist in eastern oregon to share with me how this has affected the people she and her family serve. she told me many customers who took medications that were working very well are now bumping up against the shortage. so now a parent's doctor, according to this pharmacist,

will write a prescription for another medication and then change the patient back to the original, preferred medication, the one that's been working for them, if and when it's available. in essence, the doctors are forced to lurch as their patients go back and forth. the doctors are lurching from one medicine to another, medicines that can have different effects, if they can get them. another patient in rural oregon was receiving the generic for aderal at a 30-milligram dose, suddenly unavailable. their insurance wouldn't pay for the brand name drug, so the patient was forced to take a lower dose version of the generic. this patient has to change their medication every month, not based on their medical needs but trying to figure out what their rural pharmacy is going to be able to provide. and then, because adhd medicines

are schedule 2 drugs, prescriptions can't be transferred between pharmacies. if a person's medication isn't available at their local pharmacy, but is available at a tbarmcy 90 -- at a pharmacy 90 minutes away, patients in this situation have to double back to their doctor to get a new prescription before they can even start the trek to the distant pharmacy. so, sometimes this means the patient has to physically drive to the doctor's office and pick up a hard copy of the prescription, if the doctor isn't registered with the drug enforcement agency, the dea. just picture this kind of bureaucratic nightmare for people who are just hoping, hoping in small towns, that somebody is thinking about their needs. but the idea of physically driving to a doctor's office, getting a hard copy of the prescription, when the doctor,

as i said, isn't registered with the dea to prescribe the drugs electronically is just a microcosm of what these patients in rural oregon and rural america are telling us. request a rural pharmacy told -- a rural pharmacy told me, what i just prescribed, with a patient forced to drive from heppner to pendleton to pick up a physical paper prescription. then off they went to their pharmacy. now, there are a variety of reasons why we have these shortages, but when it comes to the adhd medication specifically, part of the problem may be that the generic drug manufacturers aren't communicating clearly with government agencies, who regulate the manufacturing of these drugs. neither generic manufacturers nor these agencies are communicating effectively with the public, which is why so many members of congress are getting

these calls and asking members of congress to step in and help. now, the dea is in charge of how much of this adhd medication can be produced and disbursed. okay? this is the agency that tells you how much of this medication is going to be able. they're telling me drug companies can make more medication anytime they want to. the companies say not so. they're saying what the dea says since true. and the companies claim that the dea is denying their applications to make more medicine during the shortage. now, add to this the food and drug administration, the fda, is saying they don't know of any denials to make more drugs handed down by the drug enforcement agency, the drug manufacturers, and that the dea

approving applications that the fda has weighed in on. so, if your head is now spinning, mr. president, as you try to sort through the word salad as i call it of american health care, it's understandable, because at every level there are new requirements that you try to reconcile with what i've already described. the secretary of health and human services is required by law to post justifications when the dea denies these kinds of applications on the fda website, but none have been posted. so, if you're a patient who's hurting, a family that's trying to treat a sick child, or an elder, you deserve something better, something better than the chaos i've just described. companies are saying that the

application to make more medicine have been denied. i've given you the conflict between these agencies, that heaven forbid, quaint idea, would actually talk to each other. something doesn't add up, mr. president. the senate is going to have to step in and sort this out so that the citizens of this country get straight answers. and this bureaucratic doublespeak is particularly hard on oregonians who come to me and ask why they're suffering from a crisis that is not of their making. now, i recently spoke to the administrator of the drug enforcement agency. she was aware i had a -- that i had an interest in this. she agreed that greater transparenciy in the process will help to reform the system. well, we're sure going to hold them to that. certainly some clear, at least

coherent language is desperately needed, better communication for the patients, and that's what i'm insisting on from the drug enforcement people and the fda because they have a responsibility to reach out to these companies, these essential medicines, sort this out and make these medicines acceptable to the american people. and the agencies ought to give the manufacturers clear guidance on how to navigate the bureaucratic thiefdoms that exist here in washington. i will also say, mr. president, that despite the heightened attention to medication shortages, they seem to be focused on this at the national level and there is no real connection to the local pharmacy window and we know that when we

finally took away the holy grail from the pharmaceutical companies and that medical care could negotiate to hold down, you know, prices, one of the reasons we did is because we knew that this issue really matters at the pharmacy window. that's when people in new jersey and oregon and everywhere else want to have available drugs and making them affordable. it's got to become local. further, it's important not just to focus on production and availability of these drugs like add ral, but but to ensure that the generic equivalents are available and recognized as as access. the copay for generic could be $10. after the pharmacy spends 45 minutes on the phone with the insurance company, the name

brand adderall could be paid but they could have a cosponsor -- copay of $200, for those who have to pal the fuel bill against the rent bill, they will not be in a position to pay these constantly escalating prices and, you know, when you're trying to feed your family, you might make your own health your lowest priority. the federal agencies need to help at getting better at informing spikes that they will have a hard time meeting and congress has to work on making it a requirement -- a requirement for the manufacturers to report this information. so i'm going to close, mr. president, offering a really radical idea. that the food and drug administration and the drug

enforcement agency get together and work this out because this is not about democrats and republicans and i'm a democrat and some republicans sit over there, this has nothing to do with that. nothing. it's got everything to do about the proposition that americans deserve better. and these agencies that i cited ought to give a full explanation to the american people about what they're doing now, what they're doing a month from now and what they're going to be doing until they get this fixed because in my call to these two agencies, i believe, inknow the president of the senate does -- and i know the president of the senate does, americans ought to be able to get the health care they need when they need it. and right now too many americans are suffering because they can't particularly, with respect to those who need medicines to deal with adhd.

we're hurting people's lives and the worst case, i believe, americans may be using drugs not prescribed by their doctors as a result of all of this bedlam that i have described. and i will tell the president in what -- in wrapping up. we talked about this. i was director of the gray panthers and health care is what i tried to specialized in. i always felt if you and your loved ones don't have your health care, everything else goes by the board. i don't recall very many examples of this kind of dysfunction. i don't know any other way to sum it up. this kind of dysfunction is unacceptable to the millions of americans that need this medicine. so i'm going to stay at it. i know the president of the

senate -- i know the president of the senate well enough to know that he feels strongly about helping exactly these kind of people. it's a problem that is hammering families from one end of the country to the other. it is particularly hard right now, as we speak, on the folks i represent in rural oregon, the folks i'm going to see at the town hall meetings in a few days. we're going to stay it until we get it fixed and with that, i will yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. i withhold my request for a quorum. the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. wyden: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the consideration of the following nomination, calendar number 167, eric g. olshan, to be u.s. attorney for the western

district of pennsylvania, that the senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, that the president be immediately notified of the senate's action. the presiding officer: is there any objection? without objection -- without objection, the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, department of justice, eric g. olshan, of pennsylvania, to be united states attorney for the western district of pennsylvania are. the presiding officer: the question occurs on the nomination. all those in favor say aye. opposed, say nay. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the nomination is confirmed. wiernd wiernd i ask unanimous consent -- wiernd wyden i ask unanimous consent that the -- mr. wyden: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. wyden: i ask unanimous consent that the appointment at

the desk appear separately in the record as if made by the chair. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. wyden: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the consideration of s. res. 245, which is at the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 245, honoring the memory of the victims of the heinous attack at the pulse nightclub on june 12, 2016. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. wyden: i ask unanimous consent 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. wyden: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 3:00 p.m. on monday, june 12, that following the prayer and pledge, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved

for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed following the conclusion of morning business, the senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the allen nomination. further, that cloture motions filed during today's session ripen at 5:30 p.m. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. wyden: if there's no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. booker: i am grateful with the respect with which you said those two words, new jersey. it's an extraordinary state and i know you recognize and respect it, sir. i want to stand at this moment as we were about to close out this senate to recognize perhaps one of the most unrecognized elements elements of the united states senate. there are extraordinary people who work in this institution, people who dedicated their careers to it. today i want to mark that this is the last day of a class of pages that are serving today. they are the youngest people on

the senate floor, 15, 16 years old, but they have served on the front lines of history over the last months. i have seen a lot of young people pass through here, and this class of pages are the least funny pages i have seen. i've asked them for jokes. they have given me things that could be called a joke, but they did not have their intended purpose. i am disappointed. i stand in judgment of them. but despite their lack of humor, what they did show was an abundance of commitment to country, to service, to patriotism. most of america doesn't realize what these pages go through to be here. they have an extraordinarily challenging time. they actually wake up at 4:00 o'clock in the morning,

they do their homework, they do their class work and then they come and work a full time job often into the evening when the senate goes on to 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., getting closer to 10:00 p.m., because 10:00 p.m. is a wonderful time. if it gets past 10:00 p.m., they don't have to go to class in the morning, is it? they have no class. i'm not saying they are classless people. i'm saying if they go past 10:0. they start at 8:00 a.m. in the morning and go to 8:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m., it is a demanding job, yet they have done it with distinction. tomorrow they will graduate and go back to their lives all across the country. it's extraordinary. these young folks come from the north, south, east, west, they will go back having a unique

experience. though they leave this institution, they also leave their spirit, their energy and their contributions. i want to say towel at pages, -- i want to say to all of the pages because i wouldn't have a chance to say good-bye at the graduation, i want to say on behalf of myself and 99 others it was an honor to serve with you in the united states senate. i hope, as you continue your careers of service to country, of meeting the calling of a nation that needs its young people more than ever, people full of hope, people full of dreams, people full of commitment, i hope that you consider coming back to this body. there are extraordinary people who serve here that were former pages, everything from parliamentarians to senators themselves. but on this day on behalf of this body, i want to conclude by simply saying, thank you.

the presiding officer: i say to my colleague, you speak from all of this and under the previous order, the senate stands adjourned until monday at 3:00 p.m.

highlights of key coverage. use it online at c-span.org. ♪♪ >> book tv every sunday on c-span2 teachers leading others discussing their latest nonfiction books critically p.m. eastern former fbi special agent thomas baker shares the fall of the fbi where he argues americans lost faith due to his politicization, james, and others. 10:00 p.m. eastern "afterwards" former trump administration and secretary david intends be administered state that

unaccountable power over the last 20 years. interviewed by american enterprise institute senior fellow adam white grade watch book tv every sunday on c-span2 incredible scheduling a program guide or watch online anytime at booktv.org. ♪♪ >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government funded by these television and more including comcast. >> you think it's just the community center? it's way more than that. >> comcast partnering with 1000 community centers to create wi-fi enabled list so students from low income families can get the tools they need to be ready for anying. ♪♪ comcast supports c-span as a publ svice along with the select television providers giving you a front row seat to democracy.