majority leader. mr. mcconnell: this week we confirmed yet another well-qualified nominee to the federal bench, now kyle duncan of louisiana, to get to work serving on the fifth circuit court of appeals. his qualifications are truly impressive but his sterling reputation among colleagues and peers was an even greater testament to mr. duncan's fitness. i'm glad the fifth circuit will benefit from his expertise. speaking of well-qualified nominees the president will vote today on the president's choice for secretary of state. we'll consider an outstanding nominee. fortunately we have the votes. and later today we'll confirm mike pompeo as our nation's 70th secretary of state. we've been discussing director pompeo's abundant qualifications all week. in a little over the year the senate has had two opportunities to assess his considerable qualifications. last january a bipartisan supermajority of us saw fit to confirm him as c.i.a. director, and his performance in that role, exemplary by...

the presiding officer: the democratic leader. mr. schumer: madam president, i watched the president on tv this are morning, and like most americans, so many americans, i was aghast. the president seems to live in an alternative reality. he says things that are patently false and he thinks just by saying them they become true. the amount of 1880- -- 1880-degree turns, name calling and blaming, you watch the presidented the president this morning and the -- you watched the president this morning and the way he acted it is so unbecoming of a president and democracy. we believe in truth. people may vp different value systems, but to just make up things as they go along and without a blink of the eye and contradict things that he said that are exactly the opposite a few hours, a few weeks ago is not who any president of any party of any i'd lollingy -- ideology should be. what the president said this morning is embarrassing to america, democracy, and to any american who prizes truth. one...