[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> the house will be in order. >> this year c-span celebrates 45 years of covering congress like no other. since 1979 we have been your primary source for capitol hill providing balanced unfiltered coverage of government. taking you to a the policy is debated and decided all with the support of america's cable companies. c-span 45 years and counting, powered by cable.

>> we take you live now to capitol hill where the senate is about to gavel in on this monday. at 5:30 p.m. eastern members are expected to vote whether to confirm a u.s. court of appeals judge of the six circuit. if approved he would be the 210th federal judge confirm to a lifetime appointment during the bye administration. live coverage of the senate here on c-span2. senate will come to the chaplain dr. barry black will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. holy god, sustainer of humanity, if it were not for your love, our burdens would be too heavy and the journey would seem too difficult.

but because of your mercies, we can mount up on wings like eagles, draw near to our senators today. breathe upon their thinking with your truth and illuminate their understanding with your light. may the pressures of the world not intimidate them, but may they receive your strength so that they can shape our nation and world according to your purposes. lord, maintain in them the fidelity of those to whom much has been given . may this be for them a productive day because they have

placed their trust in your strong and guiding hands. we pray in your sacred name. amen. the presiding officer: please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the presiding officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington d.c., september 16, 2024. to the senate: under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable tammy duckworth, a senator from the state of illinois, 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.

the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. schumer: madam president, i understand that there's a bill at the desk that's due forsecond reading. the presiding officer: the clerk will read the title of the bill for the second time. the clerk: h. 820, an act to direct the federal communications commission to publish a list of entities that hold authorizations, licenses and other grants of authority issued by the commission and have certain foreign ownership and for other purposes. mr. schumer: in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule 14, i'd object to further proceeding. the presiding officer: objection having been heard, the bill will be placed on the calendar. mr. schumer: thank you, madam president. now, madam president, yesterday afternoon i spoke with secret service acting director rowe

after an armed suspect was arrested after fleeing from former president trump's golf course in west palm beach florida. ly say what i've said many times before. there's no place in america for political violence of any kind. i'm glad the former president is safe, and i applaud the secret service and all first responders for acting quickly before anyone got hurt. as for the perpetrator, he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. we all must do our part to ensure an incident like this does not happen again. this means that congress has a responsibility to ensure the secret service and all law enforcement have the resources they need to do their jobs. so as we continue the appropriations process, if the secret service is in need of more resources, we are pro proposed -- prepared in providing it for them, possibly in the upcoming funding

agreement. now, on ivf. two years ago donald trump and the maga supreme court succeeded in overturning roe and ripping away the right to choose for millions of americans. this year as we have seen in states like alabama, the hard right has its sights on a new target, ivf. so tomorrow the senate will take up senator duckworth, your bill, madam president, senator duckworth's bill, the right to ivf act, to establish a nationwide right to ivf and make it easier for people to access this vital treatment. this is the very same legislation that almost every single senate republican voted against earlier this summer. this past weekend in new york, i stood with some amazing families and some amazing parents and their beautiful baby, a miracle of ivf to say that we democrats will do everything we can to protect access to ivf.

and i hope that in this chamber we'll be joined by our republican colleagues when we vote tomorrow because tomorrow we will take up senator duckworth's right to ivf act. the vast majority of americans support requiring insurance plans to cover ivf treatments. and i bet every one of us knows someone who has struggled with infertility at one point or another. in my own family, ivf was the answer to our prayers. i have a beautiful grandchild thanks to the miracle of ivf. and i could not bear to imagine the pain we'd feel if we were told sorry, you're out of luck. if republicans truly stand on the side of families as they regularly claim, the nation leap at the opportunity to protect people's right to access ivf. they should stand ready to pass a bill that makes this treatment available on insurance plans. they should vote yes tomorrow.

of course we're already beginning to hear the same tired and predictable and unconvincing excuses from our republican colleagues looking for a way to vote against ivf protections. to my republican colleagues, if you truly support ivf, then vote for a bill that actually protects ivf through the letter of the law. reaction cannot claim to be pro-family on the one hand while then voting against ivf protection bills on the other. americans are much smarter than that. republicans had a chance to back up their rhetoric with action when we voted earlier this year and nearly all of them failed. i hope tomorrow will bring a different result. the american people will be watching. now on the c.r. legislators now have roughly two weeks to reach an agreement to keep the government open beyond the september 30 deadline. it's not really much time at all. in order to avoid a shutdown,

the worse thing our colleagues in the house can do right now is waste time on proposals that don't have broad bipartisan support. but that's what the speaker and his republican colleagues have been doing all month long and it's already september 16. madam speaker, you know as well as every one else -- oh, sorry -- mr. speaker, mr. speaker johnson, you know as well as everyone else that your plan is a no go as currently written. a six montana c.r. with poison pills is not going to fly in a narrowly government. c.r. is a short-term extension funding to give appropriators more time to do their work. they're not meant to be a substitute for congress doing its job. and if the hard right thinks that we will willingly give them leverage to ram project 2025 down the american people's throats early next year by agreeing to a six montana c.r., they are dreaming.

maga radicals are hoping they can use the threat of a shutdown next spring to pass the very worst of project 2025. they want to cut the department of education. they want to eliminate head start. they participant to privatize fannie and freddie, raising mortgage rates making it harder to buy a home. they want to monitor women's pregnancies, monitor them and potentially cut v.a. funding and more. we cannot and will not let that happen. before we even get to all of that, pushing for a c.r. that lasts six months as the speaker wants will also mean a slew of political programs would still be shortchanged. it would be awful for our military. you simply cannot run the military with six montana stopgaps. little surprise then that even many house republicans recognize the speaker's current approach as the wrong one. the answer to the speaker's problem is thought very complicate -- is not very

complicated. the speaker should drop his current proposal and work with both parties on an extension that prioritizes keeping the government open without pushing poison pills. we are happy to work with them. now, despite all its flaws, there are some bits of good news in the speaker's proposal that i hope we can build on, madam president. i'm very heartened that the speaker's current proposal preserves the essence of the schumer-johnson agreement from early this year, the one that set top-line funding levels for fiscal year 2024. this is a good sign because last september speaker mccarthy wasted precious time trying to pass a c.r. that curried favor with the hard right through very deep, brutal funding cuts. in the end that approach didn't work. and speaker mccarthy was removed from the speakership anyway because of the radicals on his

right flank. for now, speaker johnson seems to be taking a different approach. and it's not pushing for across-the-board cuts as part of the c.r. that's good news. it's a sign speaker johnson may be accepting the reality that any deal we reach will have to include the spending levels we agreed to earlier this year. to be clear, there are still far too many provisions in his currents proposal, and -- there's still too many omissions in his currents proposal, and a six-month timeline is not acceptable. but i hope we have a foundation on which to build on. and make no mistake about it, the clock is timbinging -- is tishinging. we have -- the clock is ticking. if the government shuts down, it will will be average americans who suffer most. a government shutdown means seniors who rely on social security could be thrown into chaos as the social security administration limits certain services like benefit

verifications or fixing errors in payments. our veterans could see regional v.a. offices shut down and support services put on hold. some of our military servicemembers could be forced to work without pay. families who benefit from wic and other nutrition programs could see benefits halted. and a shutdown would shake the confidence of our economic recovery, something we can't possibly afford at a time like this. if a shutdown happens because of republican poison pills, the american people are going to hold them responsible. we don't need to go down this road. we still have a little time to reach a bipartisan agreement. so i hope the speaker drops his current plan. now, on judges -- finally, after today, the senate will reach another great milestone in our effort to confirm more strong judges. with today's vote on kevin ritz to serve as circuit court judge

for the sixth circuit, the senate will reach 210 judges confirmed under president biden. mr. hits would be an -- mr. ritz would be an excellent person on the federal bench. he is rated well qualified by the aba and spent his entire career with the u.s. attorneys office. 75% of the cases he's worked on have been cranley nal proceedings. -- been criminal proceedings. in trial he won convictions on everything from carjacking to firearm to robby. on the merits he -- to robbery. on the merits, he deserved confirmation. i thank chairman durbin, members of the judiciary committee and my colleagues who helped us reach 210 judges. many have been bipartisan, i'm glad to say. one we finish with mr. ritz, we will keep going. i yield the floor, and i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

the clerk: ms. baldwin.

the supply house during the nomination process. between home state senators and the white house on judicial nominee

is essential to ensure that a nominee is well-suited to serve on the federal bench. it is part of our duty to provide advice and consent. senator hagerty and i work in good faith with the biden-harris administration to identify how a qualified nominee in the vacancy on the circuit. we presented qualified nominee contrary to bipartisan president, the white house barely even work with us. apparently what became quite evident was this white house,

the biden-harris administration referred to open the liberation. to hearing the voice of the people. this administration prefers deals as opposed to considering nominee to step forward and go through a nomination process with full transparency. sure, it's to serve on the federal bench, doctor something

isaac. our comments that have come to us from dozens of tennesseans. the due process, i did drop in civil of our justice system. as a federal prosecutor and u.s. attorney for the western district of tennessee has repeatedly flouted professional ethics. for example use of using bait and switch tactics to trick noumenal defendants into accepting plea deals they didn't agree to.

the supreme court to cover up the. the million obligations with disdain. a one year probation for prosecutorial misconduct be clear the record of unethical conduct -- mr. mcconnell: madam president. the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: it's dismaying to begin another week with news of an assassination attempt against a former president. we certainly are all grateful once again that the worst outcome was avoided.

this ought to be a moment of soul-searching for all americans. it's a time to reflect on the ways that our political process has been injected by reprehensible violence. in america our democracy flows from the ballot box, not from the barrel of a gun, period. in the meantime, for the second time in as many months, law enforcement faces an even more urgent task -- completing a thorough, swift, and transparent investigation into the circumstance of yesterday's close call. the american people deserve ans answers, they deserve assurance that a former president who tens of millions of americans have

nominated once again will receive every appropriate mush of -- measure of security, and they ought to receive them without delay. now, on another matter, i've repeatedly warned colleagues on both sides against setting aside america's interests in pursuit of closer relations with foreign leaders who they think share their values. i made it clear to washington democrats that whatever kudos the paris climate deal earned them with european greens, punishing america for producing affordable, reliable, and abundant energy was welcome news to china. the world's leading emitter of carbon, and to russia, which would weaponize europe's own reliance in due course.

l likewise, i urge fellow republicans to recognize that despite whatever affinity we might be expected to hold for a hungarian ruling party that professes traditional values, legitimizing viktor orban's reckless obeisance to china, russia, and iran is not in america's interest, and i've been clear-eyed about the regimes with which the united states shares neither interests nor values and acted accordingly. for example, the strategic case for maximum pressure and credible deterrence against iran, the world's most active state sponsor of terror, is compelling enough on its own. weakening sanctions in exchange

for empty promises on nuclear proliferation is not in america's strategic interest. neither is responding to proxy violence with half measures. the only way to achieve measurable improvements to the security of america's interests in iran's backyard is to change iran's calculus. this is, of course, an opportunity for the united states and allies with common interests in the region to work more closely together in applying meaningful pressure on tehran, an opportunity as yet unseized. but lest anyone forget, just as tehran's export of terror threatens america's interest, it's an affront to american values. today is the second anniversary of the beating, detention, and

murder of hasha benee at the hands of iranian police. they detained thousands more who took to the streets in protest. today iranian women are continuing their protests against the regime's repressive morality laws, many walking the streets without head coverings and 34 political prisoners have gone on a hunger strike. tehran is marking the anniversary in its own way -- placing ms. amimi's family under unofficial who is arrest. further east in kabul, another group of medieval theocrats is

dragging afghan women and girls even further backward into the familiar repression of taliban rule. a new vice and virtue law amounts to an even more severe crackdown on education for afghan girls and even tighter restrictions on women's behavior in public. like in iran, taliban repression is not difficult to recognize as abhorrent, and the latest developments are an outcome many of us saw coming years ago. unfortunately, they're also a shameful reminder of damaged interests in a sales campaign that denied observable reality. recall that as the taliban surged back into power in kabul, president biden insisted that,

quote, human rights would be at the center of our foreign policy. remember how the president's national security advisor declared that the administration was absolutely resolutely committed to alleviate the burden that afghan women and girls will face in the years ahead. i'm curious how the administration would rate the effectiveness of that commitment. i wonder whether it thinks its confidence in so-called over-the-horizon counterterrorism has paid off. and when the administration's special envoy warns that its patience with the taliban is running out, i can't help but ask why on earth any such patience would align with america's interests in the first place, let alone our values.

the presiding officer: morning business is closed. under the previous order, the senate will proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. cleric clinic nomination, the judiciary. kevin kevin gafford ritz to be united states circuit judge for the sixth circuit. mr. durbin: yesterday there was a possible assassination attempt on president trump while he was golfing in florida. fortunately, the former president was not harmed and the subject was quickly taken into custody. i'm greatful for the work of the -- i'm grateful for the work of the secret service. my staff was briefed by the secret service last night, and there is an active investigation

into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened. as i've said many times, there was no place for -- there is no praise for violence in our country. no 3matter what the motive, it must coming to an and he. your ambulance is on the way. estimated time of arrival -- 65 minutes. nearly five million americans live in an ambulance dessert where access to critical emergency care is limited and in eight states there are fewer than three ambulances for every 3,000 square miles of lands. if you or a loved one experience cardiac arrest or an overdose where seconds truly matter, you may not be able to receive timely care. in rural illinois, ems personnel with often the only health personnel around.

to keep our rural communities thriving, we must ensure our first responders were ready for the call. so six years ago i worked with then-republican senator pat roberts of kansas to pass into law a bill called the siren act. i was inspired by a visit from mark kennedy, a paramedic in hancock county. it provides federal funding for rural fire and ems agencies for recruitment, certification, and purchasing equipment, everything from naloxone to stretchers. over the past five years we have steadily increased funding for this small but important program. in total we've spent $ -- we've sent $40 million to rural communities in 42 states, red and bluchlt the siren act is up for reauthorization now. senator susan collins and i have teamed up to increase funding

for it and our legislation to extend funding for another five years. our bill is endorsed by the national association of emergency management technicians, international association of fire chiefs, association of firefighters, rural health association, and, last december it unanimously passed the senate. this week the house is scheduled to take it up. i a. [applause]. i urge the house to quickly pass out the siren reauthorization act this week. madam president, an another health-related topic, the question of women's reproductive freedom continues to be a matter of critical importance in the upcoming election. at the presidential debate last week, it became clear that the two candidates could not be further apart on the issue. the former president took credit for the, quote, great service, he said he did in erasing the constitutional right under roe

v. wade. on the other hand, vice president harris asked us to consider what abortion bans mean for young survivors of rape or incest who are forced to carry pregnancies to term or for women who miscarry and are repeatedly denied access to life-saving care. that is the world we live in today because of the dobbs decision, because of donald trump and the success in choosing three ultraconservative supreme court justices who overruled roe v. wade. make no mistake, the former president sees the polls. he knows that limited women's access to make their own decisions on reproductive care and choice is wildly unpopular. even in conservative red states. that is why former president trump is twisting himself into knots trying to have it both ways, taking credit for overruling roe v. wade to appease his base while refusing to acknowledge all of the suffering that has resulted. when roe v. wade was overruled,

antichoice politicians warned us that it would only be the beginning of policies that limit women's reproductive freedom and for once they were telling the truth. the overruling of roe v. wade has been accompanied by a troubling increase in fetal personhood laws that threaten access assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization or ivf. i might say, before we go any further, that the presiding officer has been a leader on this issue, for good reason. she is not only right on the issue, it's personal to her and her family a i thank you for your leadership. earlier in year after the alabama supreme court ruled that frozen embryos created during ivf were children under the state's wrongful death statute, the national debate ensued. i held a hearing in my judiciary committee on this disturbing trend. we heard moving testimony from ja jamie herd, an alabama woman whose ivf treatment was

interrupted by an extreme decision in court. we also heard compelling testimony from you, the presiding officer, senator tammy duckworth, who was able to have her two beautiful children with the help of ivf. earlier in year, senators duckworth, murray, booker, and schumer introduced the right to ivf act, which i am honored to cosponsor. it establishes a clear and enforceable nationwide right to receive, provide, or cover ivf services and other assisted reproductive tech nomineeing. it also expands insurance coverage for that care. whether, when, and how to expand one's family is a private personal matter. every american should be able to access the care and resources they need to start a family, however they choose. yet when the senate last considered this bill in june, only two -- only two of 49 republicans -- voted to consider the bill. the rest of the republican caucus filibustered this critical legislation. they say they're for ivf.

they won't vote for the bill that says it will be legally there. republicans led by former president trump know that the american people do not support this extreme position and are desperate to fool us into thinking they don't mean what they say. they'll have another chance to show the american people where they really stand on ivf tomorrow because if republicans truly support privacy, freedom, and the right to access ivf treatment, they're going to join us on a bipartisan basis to consider this bill. they can't have it both ways. they can't claim to support ivf while voting against legislation that protects the rights of families to make that decision. i might add parenthetically that this is personal to me as well. i have two beautiful grandkids who are the product of ivf, and i am so happy that that happened. my daughter and her husband had just about given up, they couldn't find a way to do it, and they found this one clinical blood test that was taking

place, and it was successful. we had two babies come forward out of t -- out of it. they're 12 years old now, and we're so happy to have them. ivf was the reason they're here, this notion that we're going to play games with this treatment is unfair to families who are desperate to have children and make them part of their future. i yield the floor. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

there is no place in america for political violence of any kind. i'm glad the former president and evolve the secret service in first responders for acting quickly before anyone got hurt. for the perpetrator, he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. we do our part to ensure an

incident like this does not happen again. this means congress has a responsibility to ensure the secret service and all law enforcement has the resources they need to do their jobs so as we continue the appropriations process, secret service need more resources, the are prepared to providing it for them. now on ivf. two years ago donald trump and the maga supreme court succeeded overturning roe in the right to. this year as we have seen and states like alabama, the hard right has sites on a new target. ivf of tomorrow the senate will take up bill, the right to ivf act to establish a nationwide

act to make it easier for people to access this vital treatment. this is the same legislation in almost every single senate republican voted against earlier this summer. this past week and then new york rested with amazing families and amazing parents and their beautiful baby, a miracle of ivf. to say that we will do everything we can to protect access to ivf and i hope we will be joined by republican colleagues when we vote tomorrow because tomorrow we will take up the right to ivf act. the vast majority of americans support insurance plans to cover ivf treatment and i bet everyone of us know someone who struggled with infertility at one time or another. in my own family, ivf was the answer to our prayers. i have beautiful grandchild

things to the miracle of ivf and i could not dare to imagine the pain we feel when being told sorry, you're out of luck. if for publicans truly stand on the side as they clearly claimed than they should lead with the opportunity to protect people's right to access ivf. they should vote yes tomorrow. of course we are beginning to hear the same unconvincing excuses for our republican colleagues to go against ivf protections. to my republican colleagues, if you truly support ivf, and vote for a bill that protects ivf to the letter of the law. republicans cannot claim to be profamily on one hand while voting against ivf protection bills on the other. americans are much smarter than that.

the chance to back up their rhetoric with action voted earlier this all of them failed. i hope tomorrow bring a different result. the american people will be watching. legislators have roughly two weeks to reach an agreement the government open beyond the deadline. it's not much time at all. to avoid shut down, the worst thing colleagues in the house can do right now is wait time on proposals that don't have broad bipartisan support but that's of the speaker and republican colleagues have been doing all month long and it's already september 16. you know as well as everyone else -- mr. speaker, mr. speaker johnson, you know as well as everyone else your plan is a no go is currently written. six-month bill will not lie in a

narrowly divided government. it's always meant to be a short-term extension to get appropriators more time to do their work. they are not meant to be subsidy for congress doing its job. it's hard right will willingly give them leverage for product 2025 down the american people's throats by agreeing, they are dreaming. radicals are hoping they can use the threat of the shutdown next thing to pass the worst of project 2025. they want to cut the department of education and eliminate head start from a privatized raising mortgage rates, making it harder to buy a home. they want to monitor women's pregnancy and essentially cut the va funding and more. we cannot, we will not let that happen but even the work we get

to that, pushing for a cr that last six months would also mean critical programs short changed. offer your military, you simply cannot run military six months. house republicans recognize the speaker's current approach. the answer to this because problem is not obligated. the speaker should trust the proposal and work both parties on extension, prioritize keeping the government open without pushing poison pills. we are happy to work with. now, despite the flaws, there are some bits of good news in the speaker's proposal that i hope we can build on. i am heartened that the speaker's current proposal preserves the essence -- esiding

objection. ms. collins: thank you, madam president. madam president, i rise today to introduce the armed forces crisis intervention notification act. this legislation is in response to october 25, 2023 tragedy in lewiston, maine. on that day 18 mainers were killed and 13 injured during the worst mass shooting in maine's history. for two days lewisson and the surrounding communities were locked down and people were frightened as law enforcement searched for the shooter. it was an horrific event that

mainers will never forget, nor should we. the phrase lewiston strong continues to echo across our state as we remember those whom we lost nearly a year ago. the victims were enjoying time with their family and friends at a local bowling alley and a restaurant. they included four members of maine's deaf community who had gathered at the restaurant that evening to play corn hole. they also included a 14-year-old high school honor student, an army veteran who served tours in iraq, and a volunteer coach for a youth bowling league. they were parents, husbands and wives, neighbors, coworkers, and

friends. lives were forever changed on that day as families continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones. madam president, the shooter was a sergeant first class in the army reserve. in the aftermath of the shootings, i led the maine delegation in requesting an independent review by the inspector general of the army to help us better understand what happened and what could have been done differently to help prevent this tragedy. i said then that i wanted to use the results of that review as well as the findings of a separate investigation by the army reserve and the independent

commission established by the governor of maine to inform potential federal legislation that could help prevent future shootings. the army reserve and the army inspector general released their reports in july, and the independent commission appointed by the governor released its report just last month. i commend the commission for its thorough report and i thank the chairman of the commission, former chief justice of the maine supreme judicial court daniel walton for his leadership. madam president, all of these investigations rae vealed that -- revealed that there were numerous missed opportunities to potentially intervene and

prevent this -- this horrific tragedy. in many instances there was a colleague lag of effective communication and coordination. for example, the independent commission concluded that the local sheriff's office was justified in pointing out that the army reserve did not share all relevant information it had about the shooter's behavior. in its report the commission went on to explain that had the army reserve personnel presented a full and complete accounting of the fact, of sheriff's office might have acted more assertively. the findings of these investigations into the lewiston shootings also serve as a stark reminder that members of our

armed forces are not immune from mental illness. so today, madam president, i'm introducing legislation that is designed to help address these significant issues. if enacted, my bill would move us closer to achieving our goals of making our communities safer and ensuring that servicemembers in crisis get the assistance they need to prevent injury to themselves and to others. this bill is premised on my belief which is supported by the findings of the investigations that state crisis intervention programs should be fully utilized by our military when appropriate and with adequate

due process protections. this can only happen, however, if relevant information is shared in a timely and effective manner. the armed forces crisis intervention notification act would facilitate that kind of communication coordination between the armed forces and the relevant state county and local authorities that was lacking during the months leading up to the mass shootings in lewiston. specifically, this bill would direct the armed forces to fully utilize state crisis intervention programs in certain circumstances where the risk of harm is the greatest, namely when a servicemember is determined to be unfit to

possess military first time due to -- firearms due to that member making serious credible threats of violence against themselves or against others or when a servicemember has been involuntarily committed to a hospital that specializes in caring for people with mental illness. full -- fully utilizes means taking action to third parties under a state crisis intervention program and providing relevant military facts to appropriate law enforcement or judicial personnel. in the case of the lewiston shooter, robert card, the army reserve determined that he should not have access to

military weapons and facilitated his treatment at a mental hospital. but regrettably it did not provide civilian law enforcement in maine, where he resided, or in new york where he was training, with all of the relevant information that it had. this bill would direct that such information be provided to the appropriate authorities through an established process so that the authorities can make fully informed decisions about whether to take additional steps pursuant to a state crisis intervention program. the bill also facilitates information sharing by directing the branches of our armed forces to fully participate in judicial

proceedings authorized as part of a state crisis intervention program. this means that the branches of our armed forces would be required to produce, upon request, evidence as part of those proceedings. this provision is especially mean meaningful. if this bill had been law prior to the shootings and maine law enforcement had initiated proceedings under the state of maine's yellow flag law, the army would have been directed to produce evidence that could have resulted in the shooter losing possession of his personal weapons, the weapons that he used to murder 18 people, and at the same time, he could have

received additional treatment for his severe mental illness. madam president, i have worked for months to carefully craft this legislation which also reflects the findings and recommendations of the three separate investigations that i have previously described. while drafting this bill, i solicited input from the relevant stakeholders, including the army, veterans services organizations and sportsmen groups, including the national shooting sports foundation and the sportsmen alliance of maine. responsible gun ownership is part of the heritage of many maine families. the sportsmen alliance of maine

has long been an effective voice in our state for preserving this heritage and protecting the second-amendment rights of law-abiding americans while recognizing that there are extreme circumstances of which action must be taken to intervene in order to prevent gun-related violence. and i thank them for their thoughtful input and advice. the product of this collaborative and cons stative process -- consultative process is a bill carefully constructed. it is a bill that is designed to save lives. it's important to know, once again, that this proposal protects due process and

second-amendment rights of servicemembers. it would not create a federal crisis intervention program or impose new requirements on states or alter existing state programs or direct states to adopt such crisis intervention programs. the bill preserves the ability of states to craft their own crisis intervention programs. the armed forces would simply operate within each state's framework, provided that the state programs adhere to the due process and second-amendment protections already specified by congress in the bipartisan safer communities act. moreover, if a current or former servicemember seeks to regain

possession of his or her first time through a judicial proceeding, he or she would be entitled to evidence from the military that could be helpful to his or her case. this legislation also does not affect the military's existing authority to disarm servicemembers of their issued weapons in a broad range of situations that are unrelated to a serious, credible threat of violence or involuntary commitment to a mental hospital. madam president, we often search for something good to come from a terrible tragedy. after shoppers were killed in buffalo, new york, and school children and teachers were

murdered in uvalde, texas, we came together in this chamber to pass the bipartisan safer communities act. i was honored to be part of that effort, which i believe has saved lives. indeed, in june, the department of justice announced that it had charged more than 500 defendants under the provisions of that law that target unlawful trafficking and straw purchasing of first time. i coauthored those provisions to help take dangerous criminals off the streets and that is exactly what is happening. madam president, nothing that we can do can take away the pain, the shock, and the unde

understandable anger felt by the families who lost loved ones last october. but we can and we should take legislative actions in response to the lewiston tragedy. by taking such actions, we vb a chance -- we have a chance to help servicemembers in crisis. we have a chance to help protect our neighbors, our families, our communities. we have a chance to save lives. madam president, let me end by thanking my colleague from maine, senator king, for cosponsoring this legislation.

i urge the rest of our colleagues to join us in this important effort. thank you, madam president. i yield the floor and request the absence of a quorum call. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. baldwin.

look for what

there is no place in america for political violence of any kind. i am glad the former president is safe and i applaud the secret service and all of those responders for acting quickly before anyone got hurt.

as for the perpetrator, he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. we all must do our part to ensure an incident like this does not happen again. this means that congress has a responsibility to ensure the secret service and all law enforcement have the resources they need to do their jobs. as they continued the appropriations of more resources they prepare to provide it for them. possibly in the upcoming agreement. two years ago donald trump and the supreme court succeeded in overturning and ripping away the right to choose from millions of americans. this year as we have seen and states like alabama the hard right has its sights on a new target ivf. so, tomorrow the senate will take up your bill madam

president senator duckworth's built the right to idx act geared to establish a right to ivf to make it easier for people to access this vital treatment. this is the very same legislation that almost every single senate republican voted against earlier this summer. this past weekend in new york i stood with some amazing families and some amazing parents in their beautiful baby. to say that we democrats will do everything that we can to protect access to ivf. i hope that we will be joined by the republican parties because tomorrow we will take up the senator's right. the vast majority of americans support requiring insurance programs to cover treatments. and i bet everyone of us know someone who has struggled with infertility at one point or another.

my own family, ivf was the answer to our prayers. i have a beautiful grandchild thanks to the miracle of ivf. i could not bear to imagine the pain we would feel if we were told sorry we are out of luck. if republicans truly stand on the side of families as they regularly claim then they should lead with the opportunity to protect people's right to access ivf. making this available on insurance plans. they should vote yes tomorrow. of course already beginning to hear the same tired and predictable excuses from our republican colleagues looking for a way to vote against ivf protections. to my republican colleagues, if you truly support ivf and vote for a bill to get to know the law. voting against ivf or the other.

backing up the rhetoric. i will bring a different result. the american people will be watching. legislatures now have roughly two weeks to reach an agreement to keep the government open after the september 30 deadline. it is not really much time at all. the worst thing our colleagues in the house could do right now is waste time on proposals that don't have broad bipartisan support. but that is what the speaker in his republican colleagues have been doing all month long and it is already september 16. madam speaker, you know as well as everyone else, oh, sorry, mrs everyone else that your plan is a no go as currently written.

it is not going to fly in a narrowly divided government. crs have always meant to be a short-term extension. short-term extension funding to give appropriators more time to do their work. not meant to be substitute for congress doing its job. if the hard right thinks that we will really give them leverage to ram project 2025 down the american people slopes early next year by agreeing to a six-month cr, mega radicals are hoping they can use the threat of a shutdown next spring to past the very worst project 2025 they want to cup the department of education to eliminate headstart privatized fannie and freddie raising mortgage rates. making it harder to buy a home. they want to monitor women's pregnancies. monitor them and potentially cut

va funding and more. we cannot, we will not let that happen. even before we get to all of that, pushing for sci the last six months will also mean there is a slew of programs which will be short-range. you simply cannot run the military with six month staff apps. no surprise then. many house republicans recognize the speaker's current approach is the wrong one. the answer to the speaker's problem is not very complicated. the speaker should drop his current proposals and work with both parties on an extension that prioritized this keeping the government open without pushing poison pills. we are happy to work with them. now, despite all of its flaws, there are some good news in the speaker's proposal that i hope that we can build on, madam

president. i am very hardened that the speaker's current proposal preserves the end since of the schumer johnson agreement from early this year. topline funding levels for fiscal year 2024. this is a good sign because last september speaker mccarthy wasted precious time trying to pass acr with a hard right through very deep brutal funding cuts. in the end that approach did not work. speaker mccarthy was removed from the speakership anyway because of the radicals on his right flank. now speaker johnson seems to be taking a different approach. and ended now pushing for across-the-board cuts as part of the cr. that is good news. speaker johnson may be accepting the reality that any deal we reach will have to include the spending levels we agreed to earlier this year. to be clear, there is still far too many provisions in the

current proposal. a six-month timeline. still too many emissions in the current proposal. a six-month timeline is not acceptable. i hope that we have a foundation and make no mistake about it, the clock is ticking. we have until september 30 before the government shuts down if the government shuts down it will be average americans who suffer most. government shut down mean seniors will rely on social security thrown into chaos at the social security administration limiting certain services like benefit verifications or fixing areas and payments. our veterans could see office a shutdown and support services put on hold. some of our military service members could be forced to work without pay. families who benefit from wic and other nutrition programs could see benefits halted. the shutdown would shake the confidence of our economic

recovery. something we cannot possibly afford at a time like this. and if that shut down happens the american people are held responsible. a bipartisan agreement. i hope the speaker drops his current plan. now on judges. finally. after today the senate will reach another great milestone in our effort to confirm more strong judges. today's vote on kevin ritz to serve as a circuit court judge the senate will reach 210 judges confirmed under president biden. he would be an excellent exit will to the federal bench. rated well-qualified and spent his entire career with the u.s. attorney's office. 75% of all the cases he has worked on have been criminal proceedings. in trials he has won convictions on everything from carjacking to

firearm offenses. on the merits he deserves confirmation. i think members of the committee and all of my colleagues who have helped us reach 210 judges. many have been bipartisan. i am glad to say. once we finish with mr. ritz, we will keep going. i yield the floor. >> it is dismayed. another week with news of an assassination attempt on the former president. we certainly are grateful once again that the worst outcome was avoided. this ought to be a moment of soul-searching for all americans a time to reflect on the ways the political process has been objected by apprehensible bounds in america, our democracy flows

from the ballot box. not from the barrel of a gun. period. in the meantime, the second time in as many months, law enforcement and even more urgent tasks completed a thorough, swift and transparent investigation into the circumstance of yesterday's close call. the american people deserve answers, they deserve assurance with the former president who tens of millions of americans have nominated once again who will receive every appropriate measure of security. and they ought to receive them without delay. now, on another matter, on both

sides, setting aside america's interest and pursuit of closer relations with leaders who share their values, i made it clear to the democrats whatever kudos the paris climate deal earned punishing america while producing affordable reliable energy is welcome to china. the world's leading emitter of carbon. weapon icing europe's own reliance in due course. i would urge fellow republicans to recognize that despite whatever obscenity we may be expecting to hold for an hungarian ruling party that it professes traditional values.

legitimizing the reckless to china, russia and iran. it is not in america's interest. i will be clear about the regimes in which the united states shares in the interest nor values and acting accordingly. for example, the strategic case for maximum pressure and credible deterrence against iran , the world's most active state sponsor of terror is compelling enough on its own. we can get sanctions in exchange for empty promises on nuclear proliferation. it is not been in america's strategic interest neither is responding to proxy balance. the only way to achieve measurable improvements as a security of america's interest

in iran's backyard is to change iran's calculus. this is an opportunity with the united states and the common interest in the region to work more closely together and applying meaningful pressure on tehran. an opportunity as yet un- seized but lest anyone forget, the threaten of american interest is a front to american values. today is the second anniversary of the beating, detention and murder of -- at the hands of iran's morality police. killing another 500 people and detained another thousand more.

taking to the streets in protest today, iranian women are continuing their protest against the regimes with the morality laws and are walking the streets without head coverings and 34 clinical prisoners have gone on a hunger strike. tehran is marking the anniversary in its own way. placing the surviving family under unofficial house arrest. earlier in kabul another group is dragging afghan women and girls even further backward. a familiar oppression of caliban rule. a new vice and virtue amounts to an even more severe crackdown on education for afghan girls and even tighter restrictions on

women's behavior in public. like in iran, the taliban oppression is not difficult to recognize as abhorrent. in the latest developments, many of us all coming years ago. unfortunately, also a shameful reminder that it decision that denied observable reality. recall that as the taliban surged back into power president biden insisted that "human rights will be the center of our foreign policy". remember how the president's national security advisor declared that the administration was absolute the, resolutely committed to alleviate the burden that afghan women and girls will face in the years

ahead. i am curious how the administration would rate the effectiveness of that commitment i wonder whether it thinks it's confidence in counterterrorism is paid off. and when the administration special envoy warrants that its patients with the taliban is running out unearthing any sort of patients aligned with america's interest in the first place. let alone our values. >> and president like many americans yesterday afternoon, report of how the second assassination attempt on former president trump while he was golfing in florida. thankfully, the former president was not harmed and there were no

injuries and the subject was quickly taken into custody. i am grateful for the work of the secret service and the law enforcement partners to keep the president safe. i am stand by the brief of the secret service last night and there was an accurate investigation into this incident as law enforcement gave us more details about what happened. as i've said many times there is no place for violence in our country no matter what the motive. it must come to an end. madam president, on a different topic, recent reports from the wall street journal have a stark headline that read your ambulance is on the way, estimated time of arrival 65 minutes. across rural america many live in an ambulance desert. in eight states there were fewer than three ambulances for every thousand square miles of land. think about it.

if you or a loved one experienced a cardiac arrest or overdose seconds truly matter. across rural illinois, ems personnel without objection. without objection. lican leader, senator mitch mcconnell. i've had the privilege to serve alongside the senior senator from kentucky here in the united states senate for nearly four decades, spanning 40 sessions of the united states senate, from the 110th congress to the 118th, senator mcconnell won support of our caucus to serve as republican leader. in those secret-ballot elections, he often ran unopposed because of his very

strong support from our conference. that makes his tenure the longest-serving senate leader in history of the united states senate. for the last four decades, senator mcconnell has lived and breathed the united states senate, so when senator mcconnell spoke on the floor in february announcing that he would step down from his leadership post after the upcoming november election, he took many of us by great surprise. after all, his love for the united states senate, the state of kentucky, and for our great country, america, are indisputable. although his critics and even some of his supporters don't see eye to eye on every issue, i would suggest my colleagues on both sides a of the aisle can

agree on this -- senator mcconnell's service as republican leader was hard-earned. time and again, mitch mcconnell has shown shrewd skill, a set -- that set the table for his climb up the leadership ladder. once he got to that top rung, senator mcconnell didn't flinch from his resolve. a keen negotiator, leader mcconnell finessed legislative hurdles, scaled political mountains and secured policy victories on behalf of the american people. it takes a steel spine to survive and thrive in the dog-eat-dog world of politics. senator mcconnell's grit, his

purpose, and laser focus to deliver are just three of his ironclad leadership traits that our caucus has counted on. senator mcconnell and i have served many years together in the senate agriculture committee, joining forces for family farmers and for rural america. when i served as chairman of the senate finance committee, we teamed up to deliver historic tax relief that put money back in the people's pockets and helped grow the american economy. one of the seminal moments of leader mcconnell's tenure took place in 2016 when i chaired the senate judiciary committee. that february, as you'll remember, justice scalia passed away unexpectedly. thus creating a vacancy on the

united states supreme court. that vacancy created a once-in-a-generation prospect to shape the highest court in the land. leader mcconnell and i recognized what was at stake. without wavering, we leveraged the constitutional authority of the united states senate -- that's the authority of advice and consent -- and held off on the confirming of a nominee until after the election so the american people could have a say in that process. now, to put it mildly, the decision wasn't met with open arms by the white house or our colleagues across the aisle. leader mcconnell can play hardball with the best of them, with detractors within and outside of our conference. we kept with the tradition and precedent of the senate, a rule

articulated by then-senator joe biden in 1992 that when there was a republican white house and a democrat majority here in the united states senate, that you wait until after the election to make that appointment. generations from now historians will note our effortses to confirm trump-appointed judges and the imprint it made on the federal judiciary, reshaping the supreme court and lower courts with what we ought to the have on the judiciary, people that you call strict judge jacksonist, meaning -- constructionist, meaning people that are going to interpret the law according to congressional insurgent and interpret the constitution according to original intent. so we have jurors who now interpret the laws written by

congress, not jurists who legislate from the bench. now, in addition to tax relief, the federal judiciary and agriculture, leader mcconnell and i most recently worked together get a bipartisan infrastructure package and funding for the u.s. national security with support for our allies in israel, taiwan, and ukraine. and that get across the finish -- and that got across the finish line. it wasn't a very easy job for senator mcconnell. senator mcconnell and i sfshd together during the reagan administration. peace through strength actually works. this month we observed the 23rd anniversary of 9/11. next year, or next month marks partisan one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on october

7 in israel. and october 7 in israel will be remembered in that country much like december 7, 1941, is remembered in the united states. now more than ever leader mcconnell and this u.s. senator agree that america can't afford to fall asleep at the world. senator mcconnell didn't mince words about why he's stepping down as republican leader. he has a firm dprip of the politics of our party. his ability to read the room helped him to scale the leadership letter, winning the top job nine times in our republican conference. in his floor remarks this february, he wryly noted, and i quote, i have many faults, misunderstanding politics is not one of them.

end of quote. politics aside, his reverence for this institution and his reverence for this great country much america comes from an unwavering commitment to the ideals enshrined in our founding charters. i am proud to associate myself with his statement that, and i quote again, for as long as i'm drawing breath on this earth i will defend america's exceptionalism. and i'll do the same thing here as this senator. we know that no matter who runs the white house or the house of representatives, the u.s. senate serves a vital constitutional role in our system of checks and balances. senator mcconnell and i also share a love for history, especially senate history. we have that in common. george washington supposedly

told this very story about pouring a cup of hot tea into a saucer and comparing the role of the united states senate as that saucer, to cool legislation coming in hot from the house of representatives. james madison said the senate was, quote-unquote, the anchor of government. and again quote and unquote, and a necessary fence against the fickleness and passion of the temporary waves of public opinion. former republican leader howard baker referred to the senate leadership as, quote, unquote, herd cats, suggesting it required the dualability to understand how thing institution worked and the personalities of

the individual senators. for certain, leader mcconnell has a clear grasp on the arcane rules and precedents of this body, and he's kept his finger on the pulse of our caucus for now 18 years. you'll have to ask him if he agrees with senator baker's analogy of what it's like to run the united states senate, but in my observation, it's not easy and often thankless. in closing, i applaud senator mcconnell for his historic service as our republican leader. barbara and i extend our warmest wishes to him and elaine for your partnership and decades of public service. we're grateful for our friendship over these many years. i'm glad to say this isn't a

welfare speech. we will continue our work together in the next congress here in the united states senate. i have no doubt that senator mcconnell will continue to be an effective champion for american agriculture, u.s. leadership around the world, and peace through strength, and especially prosperity for all of the american people. thank you. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. mr. mcconnell: madam president. the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i'd like to -- the presiding officer: we are still in a quorum call. mr. mcconnell: -- so dpraflt for your overly -- so grateful for your overly generous assessment of my work over the years. and one of the joys of being in this job for as long as i have is the opportunity to work with

you and to watch the way you handled so many things so skillfully. thank you very much. i appreciate that. as you indicated, i'm not going anywhere yet. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. baldwin.

a backroom deal to hearing the voice of the people from the state. this administration prefers back

room deals as opposed to considering, considering nominees who were chosen to step forward and go through a nomination process with full transparency. to be sure this boat is all the more shameful because mr. ritz is deeply unsuited to serve on the federal bench. that is not just something that i say, these are comments that have come to us from dozens, dozens of tennesseans. in our country every individual accused of a crime is entitled to due process of law. that is a bedrock principle of our justice system. as a federal prosecutor and u.s.

attorney for the western district, mr. ritz has repeatedly clouded basic professional ethics. for example, accused of using highly unethical bait and switch tactics to trick defendants into accepting plea deals they did not agree to. and when defense attorneys pushed back on him, he has been accused of making outright false statements to the court to cover up his miss deeds. indeed mr. ritz has chosen to surround himself with those that seemingly treat their ethical obligations with disdain. for example receiving a one year for prosecutorial misconduct. to be clear, though record of

unethical conduct is not my only objection to the nomination. there are tennesseans who have come to us to object to his nomination. the chief federal law enforcement officer the city of memphis has tragically become one of the most dangerous places to live in the united states. in 2023, memphis has the most homicides in its history and continues to lead the nation in homicide rates this year. now, there is a reason for this. and i think it is a reason that this chamber needs to hear.

and it is not a reason that is supposition. it is a reason that is branded in statistics and facts and it is a reason that citizens in tennessee, and shelby county, in the western district have raised to us. because they are concerned about crimes. they are concerned about what is happening in their community. they are concerned about juvenile crimes and the rates that are there. now, here there reason. and this is an instructive to the chamber as we consider this votes. as i said, memphis has become one of the most dangerous places

to live in the united states of america. in 2023, memphis had the most homicides in its history and continues to lead the nation in homicide rates this year. and here comes your reason. under the predecessor, the u.s. attorney's office in memphis had a policy of charging 100% of prosecutable gun crimes. they have charged them all. under his watch, mr. ritz has failed to uphold that prosecutorial standard which helped keep them safe and keep dangerous criminals up behind.

here is an example for you. mr. ritz office failed to charge an individual with unlawful possession of a firearm. this guy gets out and he goes on and he murders a memphis police officer. .... .... not going to charge them, they are not going to be locked up and they are going to go out and they are going to murder.

the unfortunate thing, they murdered a memphis police officer. no one deserves a promotion especially the one of the highest courts in the country in a lifetime appointment with a track record. two ignore this fact doesn't mean it would ignore this fact. listen to the voices of tennesseans who have reached out to us and have said to us, he does not deserve this. oppose this reckless, unqualified nominee. i feel the floor.

a quiet day despite this end of the month, the senate comes in late today and then they are scheduled to be in the following week. theoretically it will be the end of that week. we will see, there's not a lot

of days left. >> as far as the house goes, how is the leadership as far as their unity? are they on the same page? >> they haven't been able to rally their caucus or conference to fund the government beyond september 30. a lot of it is how long the bill should be or whether they go for it at all or whether it should last into december or march or avoid the disaster before the election so they haven't been able to get together get in house republicans have a small majority hard time convening together. >> where does it stand now? johnson had a bill and he found

he wouldn't have enough votes. >> it's essentially the same place we were a week ago. that is a proposal on the table right now. speaker johnson says he's going to fight for it, he's talked about it, a bill that requires proof of citizenship when you vote. talked about wanting it to last two march because republicans don't want it at the end of the year for the last minute bill at the end of each year. he hasn't been able to get the votes but also has proposed and alternative so we are waiting and watching, the endgame seems pretty obvious i think if it doesn't optimize because that is

what they both want but we are kind of waiting to do the process. senate democrats want that in the white house wants that. a significant chunk of them is not most so a lot of people are on the same page and they are kind of on an island right now. >> let's take a look at the se act, save guard american eligibility act that requires citizens to register to vote in a federal election. it passed the house and july and all republicans and democrats voted in favor, no senate votes have been planned as of yet. what is the opposition on the democratic side?

>> first, they say you shouldn't be able to hold hostage to pass a priority you couldn't get otherwise, funding the government is a basic responsibility, you don't want to hash others and even the democrats who voted for the bill the first time that they will vote for it under these circumstances. more broadly, it's already illegal to vote if you're undocumented immigrant so they are not allowed to vote and is not any evidence this happened in any number to make a real difference.

it would discourage voting during the vote. >> i want to show you the headline in the "wall street journal" that trump calls for government shutdown, trump calls for government should ban voting laws are change. >> it's okay to shut down the government, are they willing to own that in a sense? >> willing to shut down the government but i don't think it is the majority and over the years there have been enough republicans willing to testify trump on this issue are shut down the government on the votes to get a vote through. a number of republicans do not

want to have a shut down. they think it is terrible of republicans and their ability to hold the house. they don't want to do it particularly in the senate and want to fund the government. i think there is a lot of republicans will vote against it but they are both there to vote for it. they are rooting for government shutdown at this time. >> you can call in now, the lines are democrat (202)748-8000. last week you reported that health minority leader hakeem jeffries, it must be resolve

this calendar year signaling he is opposed to six months. can you elaborate that and have unified they might be? she. >> critical and must pass policies expiring by the end of the year and they all pile of december and all get down and rush to exit. some of them are retiring and some loss election in getting back to the families at home for the holidays. they crammed the bills together and the dam breaks and they passed the bipartisan support to. these policies to what they call

a moving vehicle so this is a tradition in both parties use it. there is some good and some bad and we can't separate them out. they say there is a lot of spending with the other side democrats some publicans i want to get it done by the end of the year, the first order of business is the same fight all over again because pushing the deadline to march means the new president, the first 100 days will be consumed by the same issue. the new president should have a clean slate when they come in. >> what you think the funding battle means as leader? >> that is an intriguing

question. the overall outcome, i think the overall outcome clear, losing it happen often but he is going to have to run for reelection whether he becomes begun again or in order leader and he came in under extraordinary circumstances, the least common denominator to get by so it's unclear and an open election situation he will have the majority or even majority of he will have enough. he's being forced to compromise that a lot of republicans don't like so that's partly probably why he's trying to fight the idea and the most conservative

members fighting against schumer, you should support me. his challenge is right now right before the speakership election in some members on that. >> what else are you looking at or is it all funding? >> there's no time to pass anything of substance that will go to the president's desk. there is certainly some messaging bills from both parties whether they go back and october 2 campaign, the senate is ready to bring up a bill, donald trump has been a supporter of ivf in the democrats will be on the floor and see how many republicans go along with that and they in fact that of or not. in the house, the republicans

control the agenda and they will put of a number of bills and protests that deal with social, environmental and vesting policies, what they call will policies and they will put those on the floor and see how the democrats vote with their arrival in an awkward position hi, sean. >> what is the status of the proposed security and with that be included? >> i don't believe that would be included, that goes through december. most likely there would be policy but it would set up the argument into december, a

situation to address those kinds of things expiring for needs to be updated one last spending bill. for example, some of the publicans against a long pr said they needed to fund the military more and keep government running at the current level, you will see that until march so those things would be wrapped in. >> here's russell, republican. >> i would like to comment on migrants. the same thing, a police, i love live one block away and there is a power plant).

the dog park and a trail that goes through the woods. and when i go through their icds migrants and they are reported coming in and there is a power plant) and when i went through at one time, i saw this migrant with a little and was backpack and a look like he just got off the boat cutting down a tree like he's going to take it out there and hang it up like a deer and they were camping out there. a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from tennessee. a senator: i ask we dispense with the work. the presiding officer: without objection. a senator: thank you, madam president. one thing i continue to hear from many tennesseans and small business owners is that one of

the things they find very frightening is an irs audit. mrs. blackburn: now, for a lot of our small business owners, when they talk about this, they mention how time consuming it is and how it means sleepless nights and financial uncertainty and needless harassment because they're all working hard and they're trying to comply with the law. and as of last year -- and i find this very interesting. as of last year, nearly two-thirds of the irs audits targeted americans that were making less than $200,000. but in a misguided effort to fund the biden-harris administration's trillions in

inflationary spending, the irs recently doubled down on its pledge to ramp up audits on american taxpayers. now, we all know the administration had said no audits on taxpayers who are earning under $400,000. but bear in mind, two-thirds, two-thirds of those audits were on taxpayers' earning less than $200,000. regularly when i am doing meetings in our 95 counties, i will hear from small business owners, farmers, independent contractors all across the state that are worried about being targeted by the irs. this is the same agency that received $80 billion from the

inflation reduction act which was brought to us by this biden-harris administration, $80 billion to go out and hire 87,000 new agents while irs comm commissioner recently promised there would be no new wave of audits coming from middle and low-income americans -- and that's a direct quote from him. a new report from the treasury inspector general for tax administration confirms that tennesseans do have a reason to be concerned. although the treasury department directed the irs to exclude americans making less than $400,000 each year from increased audit rates, the report found that the irs has no plan to make this happen. you heard me right. treasury directed the irs to

exclude those americans making less than $400,000, but the agency has absolutely no plan. for how they're going to do that. for example, they are using a novel definition of taxpayer earnings. it is total positive income. this phrasing has no statutory definition. according to the irs, the term refers to -- and i'm quoting -- the sum of all positive amounts shown from the various sources of income reported on an individual income tax return and thus excludes losses. end of quote. to be sure the confusing definition raises more questions than it answers. will a small business owner or farmer be subject to more audits if his revenue exceeds $400,000 even if his profit is much less

than that? will a married couple with a household income of $400,000 face the same audit rate as a single person with the same income? for months on the senate finance committee, i've pressed commissioner werfel and other biden-harris officials for answers, but time and again they have failed to provide satisfactory explanations. while disturbing, this lack of clarity should come as no surprise. the i.g. report found that the irs has failed to de ffine smal business under the directive and develop a methodology for enforcing the $400,000 fleshold all while lacking basic documentation and transparency about its audit plan. there again no plan.

in short the biden-harris irs is preparing to shakedown main street all while claiming to focus on tax cheat and millionaires and billionaires. no doubt the irs audit plan is just the latest example of this administration's disastrous tax and spend agenda. which has seen our national debt increase by more than $7 trillion while pushing up prices across the board by 20% in less than four years. that's right. the current inflation rate from the time joe biden took office until today is actually 23.3%. unfortunately, this administration has forgotten a simple fact. hardworking tennesseans and americans do best when they have more money in their pocketbook,

not less. with its reckless audit plan, the biden-harris irs is doing its best to ensure that they take more money out of your pocket. i yield the floor. a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from tennessee. mrs. blackburn: madam president, i ask that the vote scheduled for 5:30 begin immediately.

the presiding officer: without objection. the question is on the nomination. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote: the clerk: ms. baldwin. mr. barrasso. mr. bennet. mrs. blackburn. mr. blumenthal. mr. booker. mr. boozman. mr. braun. mrs. britt. mr. brown. mr. budd. ms. butler. ms. cantwell.

mrs. capito. mr. cardin. mr. carper. mr. casey. mr. cassidy. ms. collins. mr. coons. mr. cornyn. ms. cortez masto. mr. cotton.

the clerk: mr. cramer. mr. crapo. mr. cruz. mr. daines. ms. duckworth. mr. durbin. ms. ernst. mr. fetterman. mrs. fischer. mrs. gillibrand. mr. graham. mr. grassley. mr. hagerty. ms. hassan. mr. hawley. mr. heinrich. mr. helmy. mr. hickenlooper. ms. hirono. mr. hoeven. mrs. hyde-smith.

mr. johnson. mr. kaine. mr. kelly. mr. kennedy. mr. king. ms. klobuchar. mr. lankford. mr. lee. mr. lujan. ms. lummis. mr. manchin. the clerk: mr. markey.

mr. marshall. mr. mcconnell. mr. merkley. mr. moran. mr. mullin. ms. murkowski. mr. murphy. mrs. murray. mr. ossoff. mr. padilla. mr. paul. mr. peters. mr. reed. mr. ricketts. mr. risch. mr. romney. ms. rosen. mr. rounds. mr. rubio. mr. sanders. mr. schatz.

the clerk: mr. schmitt.

the clerk: mr. schumer. mr. scott of florida. mr. scott of south carolina. mrs. shaheen. ms. sinema. ms. smith. ms. stabenow.

the clerk: mr. sullivan. mr. tester. mr. thune. mr. tillis. mr. tuberville. mr. van hollen. mr. vance. mr. warner. mr. warnock. ms. warren. mr. welch. mr. whitehouse. mr. wicker. mr. wyden. mr. young.

the clerk: senators voting in the affirmative -- brown, butler, cardin, carper, coons, gillibrand, kaine, reed, and whitehouse. senators voting in the negative -- blackburn, crapo, lankford, and sinema.

the clerk: mr. peters, aye. the clerk: mr. van hollen, aye.

the clerk: mr. mullin, no. the clerk: mr. shaheen, aye. mr. tuberville, no. the clerk: mr. romney, no. mr. scott of florida, no.

the clerk: ms. rosen, aye.

the clerk: mr. sanders, aye. the clerk: mr. hawley, no.

the clerk: mr. murphy, aye. the clerk: mr. cassidy, no. vote:

the clerk: mr. warner, aye. mr. kennedy, no. mr. kelly, aye.

the clerk: mr. lujan, aye. the clerk: mr. warnock, aye.

mr. padilla, aye.

the clerk: mrs. murray, aye. ms. hirono, aye. the clerk: ms. cortez masto,

aye. ms. warren, aye. mr. schatz, aye. the clerk: mr. paul, no. ms. baldwin, aye.

mr. grassley, no. the clerk: mr. wyden, aye. mr. rubio, no.

the clerk: mr. moran, no. mr. daines, no. ms. stabenow, aye. mrs. fischer, no.

ms. collins, no. mr. durbin, aye. mr. tillis, no. mrs. hyde-smith, no.

the clerk: mr. cornyn, no. mr. thune, no. the clerk: mr. blumenthal, aye.

ms. klobuchar, aye. the clerk: ms. cantwell, aye. mr. ricketts, no. ms. ernst, no.

the clerk: ms. lummis, no. mr. mcconnell, no. mr. barrasso, no. mrs. capito, no. the clerk: mr. king, aye.

mr. helmy, aye.

the clerk: mr. merkley, aye. mr. hagerty, no. mr. lee, no. mr. booker, aye. ms. duckworth, aye. mr. schumer, aye. mr. hickenlooper, aye.

the clerk: mr. heinrich, aye. mr. bennet, aye.

mr. budd, no. mr. cotton, no. mr. welch, aye. ms. smith, aye. mr. johnson,

the clerk: mr. schmitt, no.

the clerk: ms. hassan, the clerk: mr. tester, aye. mr. risch, no.

the clerk: mr. graham, no. mr. markey, aye.

the clerk: mr. sullivan, no.

the clerk: mr. young, no. vote: the clerk: mr. boozman, no.

ms. murkowski, no. mr. cramer, no.

the clerk: mr. hoeven, no.

the clerk: mr. ossoff, aye.

the clerk: mr. cruz, no.

mr. wicker, no.

vote:

the clerk: mr. braun, no.

vote:

s

please have a seat. thank you, thank you, thank you. now look, i love kamala. thank you all. as the saying goes you brought me to the dance. i want to get something straight at the outset. i love kamala. but delaware state is the best state in america. you think i am kidding, is a 29-year-old kid and they embraced me, they embrace me

like you cannot imagine. we won the second youngest person in american history because of hbc you call delaware state. him by the way hired a young man named tony allen. he came to work meant while there i continued to encourage him to get his extended degree pretty got his doctorate and then became president himself. i don't know how that happened so quick. but tony, thank you, man. i've been introduced countless times but never quite like that. and i mean it from the bottom of my heart, i'm deeply moved by god's grace we are true friends delaware state will always have a special place in my heart. to the president and administrators of our 101 historic black colleges and universities, it is an honor to celebrate i mean celebrate hbc week with you.

[cheering] before i begin i want to make a quick reference. the attempted assassination as our former president yesterday. i commend the secret service are forthe expert handling of the situation. the former president is protected from harm on the subject is in custody. acting head of the secret service is in florida state assessing what happened and whether any further adjustments need to be made. let me just say there is no, i mean this from the bottom of my heart a minute you know that i do but there's no place for political violence in america. none, zero, never. i always condemned political violence always will in america and america resolve our differences peacefully at the ballot blocked at the end of a gun. america suffered too many times at the assassin's bullet that solves nothing. it tears the country apart from

wemust do everything we can to prevent it never given any oxygen. folks, now to today's events it's an honor to recognize hbc you in our nation i see excellence in every single day i see the congressional black caucus foundation. i will tell you what. [applause] the foundation gala only about 3500 people there. i was happy and i've been wanting to do this to celebrate the first ever white house brunch to celebrate black black excellence, black excellence. many of you and your alumni attend it's time to point out what is already been done. i am proud to have the most diverse administration in the history. taps into and i mean it, the full talents of our nation including graduates of hbcus like our amazing vice president.

folks, together kamala and i know in education makes a person free pre-hbc you education makes you fearless as well. it matters a. i mean it. more than 180 years born under the shadow of slavery and jim crow, hbcus have instilled a sense of purpose and freedom. a commitment to make a difference for all students to lift up not just your selves but others along the way. institution grounded every american of every race and every background, every zip code. you know me, i mean it, should have a fair and equal chance to go as far as their god-given talents can take them. that is who we are. that's who we stand for. but as we have said before we reached an inflection point in our history comes along every six or seven generations one of those rare moments in our

history with the decisions we make and now, right now are going to determine the fate of our nation and the world and the decades the six or seven decades to come, and i mean it. i was not going to run for president again my son died coming back from iraq. i decide is going to write another book and write the inflection point in world history how it has changed going all the way back to the printing press and how it changed everything. but look, we're still in the battle. we are still in the battle for the soul of america. in 2020 iran and i give you my word this was the reason to redeem the soul of america and restore decency and dignity to the office of the president. iran to rebuild and expanded the backbone of america and the middle class. iran to unite the country, remind ourselves that we can do anything we want to do when we

do it together. four years later made incredible progress. because kamala and i kept our commitment to you to ensure all of our students in all of our colleges and universities should be able to succeed up or that'sy side executive order reestablishing white house initiative hbcus after my predecessor allowed to lapse.

>> don't have the endow ms that are able to funds research labs and prove campus infrastructure and so much more. that's why i'm proud to be living on a record 17 billion dollars. [applause] 17 billion dollars, hbcu most ever any administration has ever, ever, ever -- committed.

stay where you were. we've already considered is well over a billion folks toipght make it clear on the outset. if you notice -- the spending we've done i'll hold back there. spending we've done has not fundamentally increased deficit like the guy did. no, no, seriously. it grows the economy. the more educated how can we lead the world without being the most educated nation in the world? how can we lead the world without reaching out to young people of this country to improve their capacity. you know, it solves everything from hbcu to do everything from providing financial aid to peel graduates to building new housing research labs to prepare black students for jobs of the future and high demand feels like cybersecurity engineering,

biochemistry, health care and so much more. that's not all together we spearheaded one of the most equitable economic in the world and how can we lead the world without the best and taps into the talents of every student. every student -- in fact, my council economic advisor should report this spring economic power of hbcu here's what they found. they found hbcu's are engines of economic eligibility in our country raise the standard everybody despite 3% of the college universities of america. hbcu are responsible for 40% of all black engineers. [applause] 50% of all black teachers. 70% of all doctors and dentists and 80% of black judges i'm

increasing that number too. [applause] but that's not all. my science act which i was committed to finally got it down to innovation at hbcu create pathways to more researchers and grow a diverse semiconductor work force here at home. for example, i was in new york with chips investment with micron leaning semiconductor company that partnered with norfolk state university. [cheering] to build a 6,000 square foot high-tech facility for students and other researchers. association awarded 200 to clark atlanta university. [applause] to their work in the hbcu chips network fueling research and

development and work force capacity at hbcu's. this is an addition to last week's announcements of 10.5 million for national and grants to facilitate stem research at more than a billion hbcu including central state university. project to build a semiconductor capacity, also excited to announce four hbcu's for the russ college and shaw university -- receiving additional critical functioning to boost their stem programs prepare their students for the incredible opportunities. and moving forward i'm encouraging to create xangdz partners with hbcu's as they invest in american manufacturing. and vice president harris and national space council she leads ensuring federal government

industry partner hbcu collaborate in opportunities for state related technologies and innovation, the future. and folks my office of science and going and sharing best approaches across the entire government how to expand stem research and investments in hbcu in addition our administration continues to diversify federal work force starting by opening doors of opportunity by hbcu scholar program that celebrate the university -- i want to congratulate the cohorts of the psychological -- all stand up if you're here. all right. [applause] if i'm still around when you're president dongt say joe who --

we also know that black studies show black students who have black teachers are significantly more likely to graduate from high school. and we've known this for a long time enroll in college. that's why my department of education is provided 450 million dollars to ensure that teachers in our schools reflect diversity in our communities. small things matter a lot for example this funding has gone toward program which is preparing next generation of teachers hbcu's. for the first administration to secure funding for this program providing almost $40 million to date and today i'm proud to announce four more hbcu's state university -- morehouse college so tired of hearing about morehouse -- i did the commencement at morehouse. [laughter]

one said came up mr. president, you're not a morehouse man. closest i did was doing the commencement. north carolina central university. [applause] and a&m university for being awarded new grants to increase teacher diversity but we know while colleges degree a ticket to the middle class that ticket is becoming too expensive. that's why we've increased maximum pell graduate by 900 dollars a year. large increase in a decade that matters -- because hbcu's have twice the percentage as nonhbcu and also relieved dead of 5 million americans and black borrowers that means you can now start a business and buy a home -- save your children's school, give back to your community and

grows the economy for everybody. not the cost it grows the economy. so much more we're doing help more hbcu students walk into a life of generational wealth. to be provided for families, leaders of a community. dreamers and doers of the nation. in fact, in just four years workers with hbcu leaders are making most significant ever in american history. but look -- we have to be honest about the forces we face. we gather together in a year when we commemorate two of our nation most historic achievements. the 70th anniversary board of education of public schools, laid ground work for the civil rights act of 1964 allow law discrimination and public place in which we've just observed and 60th anniversary instrumental in

both achievements was lincoln university and howard law school. by the way, lincoln is closer to wilmington than philly -- been there many times. [laughter] and generations of hbcu educator and students who came before -- it opens the doors. of hope -- and opportunity. for generation of black americans and for the entire united states of america. it really does. but today affirmative action, and values of adversity, equity and inclusion are under attack like not long since i started as a young civil rights guy. books should be banned -- history is being erased hbcu have received bomb threats and right now lies and hate are being spread about haitian -- haitian americans in ohio.

it is wrong. it is simply wrong. and it must stop. there are those who want a country for some of us but not for all of us. always i've believed that the promise america and i mean sincerely is big enough for everyone to succeed. i really mean it. everyone. and there's been no more important voice for that truth to the black community and our hbcu's. that's what i see in your students. future doctors and researchers. curing cancer, artist shaping our culture, fearless journalist intellectuals challenging convention preaches advocates inspiring us all you prove that black history is american history it is american history. [applause]

and black excellence is american excellence. [applause] let me tell you something. if i show up on your camp you better be nice to me. look to this -- it was the highest ranking woman of franklin roosevelt administration. a pioneering educator, activist -- she founded the proud hbcu who cookland university -- here's what she said. she said the freedom gates are half ajar. we must pry them fully open. that's what i'm trying to do pry them fully open.

over 180 years hbc's is prying open freedom gates for the past four years were the help with all of you and great leaders out there and city that i serve within the congress and the senate. are pushing right alongside you and god willing -- as hbcu graduate these future president of the united states -- is going to soon be sitting behind resolute desk pushing gates of freedom open once and for all. [applause] folks probably heard me say this before we have to just remember who the hell we are. no i mean it. we're the united states of america. there's nothing beyond our capacity when we act together. nothing, nothing, nothing -- we're the only nation in history that's a crisis stronger than we went in. that's because of you --

because of all of us. we're a diverse nation. there inlines our strength when we unite. but god bless you all and may god protect our troops. thank you, thank you, thank you. [applause] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ every time i would walk out of my grandfather putting -- joey keep the faith. and my grandmother would say no joey spread it, go spread it.

[silence] [silence]

[silence]

the clerk: mr. casey, aye.

the presiding officer: the yeas are 48, the noes are 46 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.

mr. merkley: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. merkley: i'm taking the floor tonight to ring the alarm bells for our democracy, with grave concerns about the opening up of a casino for betting on our elections. imagine this, election day is approaching. ultra rich americans and huge corporations bet billions of dollars on the outcome of which party controls the house of representatives or bet those same billions on who controls the u.s. senate. but as the election approaches, it's 45 days out, it's 30 days out, and one or two races might make the difference on whether they win or lose that bet. they now have a huge incentive to spend another vast sum, smearing the candidate they want to lose. they now have a vast p incentive to spread disinformation to get the outcome that they have

wagered millions of dollars on, or billions of dollars on. that is a profound corruption of our democracy, and i'm sure you're thinking that could never happen here in america. that is not government by and for the people. that is not elections as a way of choosing who will best lead us forward or cast the votes consistent with our principles. that is instead just turning election into a casino. but if you think this could never happen here, you are wrong. this isn't fantasy. last week, less than 60 days before one of the most consequential elections in the history of our nation, a federal district judge, a d.c. district judge, threw the doors wide open for just such a gambling scheme on our elections.

allowing individuals, corporations to bet up to $100 million a piece. this is not some research project where people can bet $10 to see kind of influence of whether or not the way people bet is a better prediction than polling. no, this is not a research project. this is vast, powerful people betting huge sums and then with dark money authorized through citizens united court decision, being able to put their thumb on the scale. that's what happened last thursday. fortunately shortly after the ruling was announced, it was appealed by the cftc, commodities future trading commission, to the circuit court, and the circuit court put a stay on it, a stay that will give them time to think about whether they should allow this casino to go forward at this moment in time. and they're going to make that decision, they say, by thursday,

three days from now. so i'm ringing the alarm bells that there is an enormous threat to the integrity of our elections that will be based on a decision of a circuit court three days from now. will they, like the district judge, throw the doors open to the casino, allow individuals to bet millions of dollars, up to $100 million, and do so knowing those same individuals can then spend massively to put their thumb on the scale and affect the outcome of the election. so let's go back a little bit to the lead up to this moment. in 2020, a wall street firm called kalshi was authorized by the commodities future trading commission, the cftc, to do a limited amount of bets or contracts on events, ranging from what daily temperature will

be in chicago to what countries will have a recession. lots of events contracts. well, fast forward three years, and kalshi decided to go way beyond that kind of structure and they filed paperwork to say they wanted to allow an event contract, allow events on the outcome of who controls the house and senate. given this unprecedented move and concerns about how this type of action could corrupt the elections, the cftc initiated a 90 day review period to study the issue. 30 days for public comment. and in that comment period, i led a dprup of fellow -- dpruch fellow senators to weigh in urging the cftc to reject this event contract on elections. the letter stated, mass xhodification of our -- commodity of our process would

raise widespread concerns about the integrity of our electoral process. such an outcome is in clear contrast with the public interest and would un underconfidence in our political process. in september of last year the cftc dpraed and they rejected kalshi's request concluding that betting on elections is contrary to the public interest and would undermine the integrity of our elections. but kalshi sued and that's what put it into the d.c. district court, that led to the decision last thursday of a district court judge siding with kalshi and allowing them to start offering or taking bets on who controls the house and senate. now, i have in my opinion hand here some of the legal language for the cftc, and here's what it

says. it says under cea section 5cc-5, capital c-i, the commission may determine the contracts in certain excluded commodities are contrary to the public interest if they involve activity unlawful under federal law -- terrorism, war, assassination, gaming, or similar activity determined by the commission by rule or regulation contrary to the public interest. now here's the thing, this law clearly gave the commission the power to proceed to control gaming. and what is gaming, but a bet on an event. despite the clear language that's in the law, despite the

fact that gambling and gaming are used interchangeably in all kinds of rules and statutes, a district judge said no concern about the public interest here. we'll just throw the doors of the casino wide open. well, that's a vast concern. i'm hoping that the d.c. circuit judges are paying attention to the law having given the power to the cftc to turn down contracts allowing gaming. we just had today an attempted assassination attempt on former president trump. do you want to put contracts on assassinations when you know that people can put their thumb on the scale and actually try to assassinate someone? no. that's why the law is written like this. do you want to be able to have people bet on the outcome of an

election and then spend vast sums smearing the candidate they want to lose, corrupting the election from the vision of guiding our country forward into a simple gaming exercise about enriching those who cannot just make huge bets, but can influence the outcome of those bets? absolutely not. that's why the law is written in this fashion. so at a minimum, at a minimum, the circuit court should stay this decision, not allow this to be unfolding now, less than 60 days before the election. seven weeks from tomorrow, i think that makes it 43 days. 49, 50 -- 50 days, seven weeks from tomorrow. it is not okay, not okay to allow corruption much our elections in this fashion. i was thinking about how the fact that this law allows

insider trading. for example, exxon, the decision of the district court, exxon, an oim company -- oil company, could be planning to fund a pac and that pac is going to do a huge amount of ads involving disinformation, involving smearing a candidate, maybe the last two weeks of the election. they know that, but they're not banned from betting, so they can turn around and put a massive bet on the outcome of the election while they have the insider information about the huge campaign the pac is planning that nobody else knows about. what an incentive assanation. to create that type of strategic where the very rich and powerful can both cast the bet and heavily influence the outcome.

not an influence about government by and for the people, but about enriching through a rigged bet the most powerful people in our country. that's not the purpose of elections. that's why congress wrote the law the way they wrote it giving the cftc the power to turn down this type of event contract. how about russia? russia nationalists, maybe they're lent money, they're here in the country, they can bet on the outcome of this election. maybe they have allies who can donate to a pack? do you want to further incentive public disinformation and election rigging by foreign powers? we already know how much china does, we already know how much russia does, do we want to give them an easy platform to make this happen? there are certain principles for democracy, there's a peaceful transfer of power, the third and the theory behind a democracy is

when votes are cast and campaign donations are made, they are made because the person sees a representative who corresponds to their values, but in this case, it isn't about a person who corresponds to your values, you may want somebody to win who's on the right end of the spectrum but then you make a huge bet thinking the person on the left end is going to win so you proceed to heavily smear the very person you, according to your principles want to win, because of your pocketbook now being at risk. this profoundly affects the public interest. this is a profound corruption of our democracy. we already have a lot of challenges. social media is a problem, cable television producing different pacts of -- different facts.

bots that create fake commentary to try to create themes to move people and make things appear real that are not real, a.i. deepfakes are a challenge. the last thing we need is a casino on elections that at its very core incentives rigged bets contrary to the public interest. election outcomes driven by profit, not driven by values. so that's where we are. so i hope that the circuit court of d.c. will pay attention about how much is at risk. now i've noted that the current contract is about who controls the house and who controls the senate. but once that is allowed, what is to prevent kalshi from

putting a contract on the outcome of a senate race or a specific lows vase -- house race? do we want those really close races to be affected by people betting -- a bet up to $100 million followed by dark money smear campaigns under citizens united determining what the outcome of those races is? i think not. not if you believe in the vision of democracy. not if you believe in the vision of a republic. not if you believe that who comes to stand in this room is to be the person you think will honor our constitution and work towards a better future. so, madam president, i'll just summarize by saying just three days from today there could be a decision that could have

profound impact on the integrity of the coming election. that decision should be a stay that prevent these election contracts, then this body should get to work and outlaw specifically in the law such contracts. it already appears that they have because it says the cftc has the power to turn down event contracts based on gaming that are contrary to the public interest, but if one district judge has said that doesn't carry the day, there's another judge out there somewhere who will do the business of helping out some corporation try to open the doors of that casino. so let's here come together, democrats and republicans, left and right, and say we care about the integrity of our election and we will not let this happen. but, first, we need a stay from the court to prevent it from happening this thursday. thank you, madam president.

the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. baldwin.

mr. scott: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. scott: madam president -- the presiding officer: the senate is in a quorum call. mr. scott: madam president, will you vitiate the quorum call? the presiding officer: without objection. mr. scott: madam president, i've been called many names, some nice and some not so nice. a governor, senator, husband, dad, but my favorite is grandpa. when i first became governor in 20, and i had no grandchildren and now we are blessed with seven beautiful grandkids, as i speak today my daughter is using in vitro fertilization as her grandpa, i'm thrilled. as thanks to the people of florida, i've had an opportunity as a u.s. senator to do what i can to make this science bring

beautiful babies more successful and affordable for millions of americans. ivf is one of the few unifying policies almost all republicans and democrats agree with, the ruling by the alabama supreme court concerned many of us. thankfully they swiftly updated their laws to ensure ivf is protected for citizens of their state. right after the ruling, i introduced a resolution with my colleague in the house which outlined the overwhelming support in congress for ivf and the millions of families using it to grow their families. we built on that resolution by introducing the ivf with hsa act to expand access to ivf by expanding he'lling ability -- eblgibilitiy to use them. the real world impact of my bill is that millions of americans will be able to save more money

in accounts to pay for medical expenses like ivf. we all agree it is a good thing to have families grow. so many of our here are parents and grandparents, we should all be able to agree more babies are wonderful. i ask unanimous consent to pass my bill. if the senate is serious about ensuring opportunities for families, we can start by allowing this good bill to get to the house where i'm confident it will pass and then send it to the president's desk for signature. madam president, i'm going to wait for senator wyden to ask.

the presiding officer: the senator from florida.

mr. scott: as if in legislative session, i ask unanimous consent that the finance committee be discharged from further consideration of senate 4771, and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration, i further ask that the bill be read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: is there objection? mr. wyden: reserving the right to object. the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. wyden: thank you, madam president. let me go to the policy issue. i know this is very important to my colleague from florida, and when families are wrestling with this issue, they have the sympathies of all of us. here's what concerns me. families struggling to afford ivf will get virtually no benefit from the scott proposal that doubles the annual contribution limit.

that is the bottom line, families struggling get virtually nothing from this. and i have just felt and i'm sorry that we started a little bit early because i wanted to hear senator scott's remarks, and, you know, i just think if you look overall republicans have just had no interest in protecting in vitro fertilization or reproductive rights. the fact is donald trump some time ago claimed that he was going to require insurers to cover ivf, and as far as i can tell, not senator scott, but republicans generally, basically never thought he was serious about it which is the case for all of these proposals virtually that he's making sometimes more than one a week.

so my view is the money that this bill would cost is better spent on extending the expansion of the affordable care act's premium tax credits because they actually lower the cost of health insurance for typical families. that's what we want to do, lower the cost of health insurance for typical families. and by the way, that's set to expire at the end of next year unless congress takes action. for those reasons, madam president, i object. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mr. scott: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. scott: i appreciate my colleague being here, and so first off, here's the positive, i think we all support ivf. i support ivf. i have a daughter going through it right. you i'm glad that ivf is available and legal in all 50 states, and there's no actual risk of it going away, and i

think we all know this. so what i propose is that it would be -- ivf with hsa's act, it's going to expand access to ivf by doubling the contribute limits of health savings account, an and decouple them from traditional high deductible health plans. the impact will be that millions of americans will be able to save money and have better access to it in tax-free accounts to pay for medical expenses like ivf. i think that's all a positive. so, the opportunity we have here is not about whether ivf will be here tomorrow or next year or five years from now. t knows -- everyone knows ivf is here to stay. today, we help more people use ivf to grow families, but democrats unfortunately, my colleague decided to block this bill. so i hope -- i know my democratic colleagues are going to call for a vote tomorrow on a bill, but it seems like it's

just scoring political points. they're going to bring up the same bill that didn't pass before, and what's frustrating to me is i support ivf, i think all of my colleagues support ivf. there was an attempt between democrats and republicans to write a bipartisan bill so we can get a bill we can pass. so, last two months has been spent basically political posturing. i know it's an election year. i hope that the democrats are going to get serious about doing something that's going to really benefit hardworking people and help grow their families. so, i'm disappointed, but i thank my colleague for being here.

mr. schumer: madam president.

the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. all opposed say 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 651. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, rebecca l. pennell, of washington, to be district judge for the eastern district of washington. mr. schumer: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion the clerk: 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 651,

rebecca l. pennell, of washington, to be united states district judge for the eastern district of washington. mr. schumer: i ask consent 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 those in favor say aye. all opposed say 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 706. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, michelle williams court, of california, to be united states district judge for the central district of california. mr. schumer: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report.

the clerk: 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 706, michelle williams court of california to be united states district judge for the central district of california signed by 17 senators as followed. mr. schumer: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the clerk: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, september 16, be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following senate resolutions -- s. res. 817 s. res. 818 s. res. 819 s. res. 820 s. res. 821. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding en bloc? without objection. the senate will proceed to the resolutions en bloc. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the

preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: finally, madam president, i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on tuesday, september 17. 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 costello nomination. further, that the cloture motion with respect to the costello nomination ripen at 11:30 a.m. and that if cloture is invoked, the confirmation vote occur at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the republican leader. that following the cloture vote the senate recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings. further, that at 2:15 p.m. the senate resume legislative session and resume consideration of the motion to proceed to

calendar number 413, s. 4445, and that the majority leader be recognized at 3:30 p.m. finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during tuesday's session the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president be immediately notified of the senate's action. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until senate stands adjourned until today confirmation of kevin t serve as a judge on the u.s. court of appeals for the sixth circuit tomorrow senator are expected to hold a procedural vote legislation to protect our first in vit fertilization nationwide. similar vote was held in june but build a mtly party lines. congressunding deadline this month will need t pass additional federal spending by

september 302 hurt as shutdown negotiations continue off the floo after speaker mike johnson's bill was pulled from the hou floor last week due to a lack o support among republics as always watch live coverage of the house on c-span and the senate on c-span2. park tonight executives from port u.s. technologies companies testify before a senate subcommittee about products being used by russia's military and the war against ukraine. witnesses described other microchips were diverted to russia their role in monitoring the sales of the products to foreign countries. watch the entire hearing 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span2, c spend our free mobile video app or online at c-span.org. ♪ the book is called behind closed doors in the room with the reagan and nixon it is a title of a memoir by a man who work closely with both.

the author was a speech writer and a confidant to former presidents and nixon and reagan back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s near the end of his book a lawyer no space in california writes quote i spent a decade and a half and close confidential contact with these two presidents. end of quote. in 1990 when president reagan and nixon were together chatting about history kept notes of their conversation which he reveals in his memoir. >> with this books behind closed doors on the room with the reagan and nixon on this episode of bookot a ps, book notes plus as above on the c-span now free mobile app or whatever you get your podcast. ♪ c-span is your unfiltered view of government. funded by these television companies and more including charter communications. >> charter is proud to be

recognized with the best internet providers. we are just getting started building 100,000 miles of new infrastructure to reach those who need it most. >> charter communications support c-span as a public service. along with these other television providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. correct executives from port u.s. technologies companies testify through being used through ukraine