ms. cantwell: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to consideration of s. res. 406 submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 406, designating april 4, 2014, as national association of junior auxiliaries day. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. a senator: i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. cantwell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of s. res. 407, submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 407, honoring former senator and rear admiral jeremiah andrew denton jr. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. ms. cantwell: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed tosh the preamble be agreed torque the motion to reconsider be laid upo

ms. cantwell: thank you, mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from washington. ms. cantwell: thank you, madam president. i'd like to join my colleagues and thank the senator from missouri for her statement as somebody who has been involved in basically making sure the law is implemented and upheld, too. i appreciate her views on this. and i want to thank senator mikulski for her leadership in advocating for equal pay for equal work. she has been a champion in this for many years and she is insistent now that we pass this legislation, and that's why we're here, because we want to make sure that our colleagues understand how important it is to pass the paycheck fairness act. i encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation and end the discrimination that many women face in america. this is a critical issue, not just to women but to men because obviously the households of america deserve to have both people making equal pay, and the message from the american people is clear. they want congress to focus on the most important economic issue

ms. cantwell: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. cantwell: i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there is. the question occurs on the felton nomination. the yeas and nays have been ordered. the clerk will call the roll. the presiding officer: are there any senators wishing to vote or to change their vote? seeing none, on the matter of the felton confirmation, the votes are 75 yeas, 21 nays. the nomination is confirmed. under the previous order, the senate will proceed to the mcsweeny nomination, which the clerk will now report. the clerk: federal trade commission, terrell mcsweeny of the district of columbia to be a federal trade commissioner. the presiding officer: under the previous order, there will now be two minutes of debatey queel divided in the usual -- debate equally divided in the usual form. without objection, all time is yielded back. the question is on the nomination. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. there is. the

ms. cantwell: thank you, mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from washington. ms. cantwell: thank you, madam president. i'd like to join my colleagues and thank the senator from missouri for her statement as somebody who has been involved in basically making sure the law is implemented and upheld, too. i appreciate her views on this. and i want to thank senator mikulski for her leadership in advocating for equal pay for equal work. she has been a champion in this for many years and she is insistent now that we pass this legislation, and that's why we're here, because we want to make sure that our colleagues understand how important it is to pass the paycheck fairness act. i encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation and end the discrimination that many women face in america. this is a critical issue, not just to women but to men because obviously the households of america deserve to have both people making equal pay, and the message from the american people is clear. they want congress to focus on the most important economic issue

ms. cantwell: i rise today to express my support for the nomination of stanley bastian to be district judge for the eastern district of washington. stanley bastian is the kind of highly qualified federal judge that washington needs. the eastern district of washington represents a swath of washington that is over 20 counties and over 63% of our state, yet the court has been operating with two vacancies, so it is time for the senate to move forward on fulfilling this position, and i hope we confirm mr. bastian today and i hope we can move forward on a vote for mr. salvador mendoza in the coming weeks as well. mr. bastian has been an outstanding choice for the eastern district bench, and we want to make sure that we understand why. he was born in washington and is well versed in pacific northwest issues, as my colleagues mr. wyden and mr. merkley will note. he is a graduate of the university of oregon, but he also went to law school at the university of washington. he has handled a diverse portfolio of legal matters including representing counties, public utility districts, fruit growers, medi

ms. olson. of you, this was very helpful in terms of the technology issue. one in the senate senatorh savvy than cantwell. we will follow up on the issues of trying to protect people from tax get debt with they relief. at this point, i think we completed the first round. like to introduce our second panel and we will have introduce dr. john barrett. associate professor at brigham young university. thank you both very much. you spent a lot of time at the thank youble and we for your expertise and patience. i would like to introduce mr. james mcteague. director of tax issues from the government accountability office. and wayne mcelrath. he will answer any questions members have after mr. mcteague. i know this topic generates a passion, but i think we right. mcelll have mr. wayne rath answer questions that members may have after providesgue testimony. the next witness, mr. william the president and c.e.o. of h and r block and ms. salisbury have tax clients waiting for you at home in oregon. we thank you for coming. and dr. john barrick momentarily. and the attorney at the consumer aah bin,r and mr. dan atto