inhofe: first let me thank the senator from louisiana. it's been a -- it's been a long fight, a long time. of course we understand that bonnie lautenberg, who has been a very significant part of the discussion as we go along, she is here today. she is living this historic day with us. i say historic day because the united states senate can take the final steps necessary to send the frank r. lautenberg chemical safety for the 21st century act to be signed into law. that could happen today. and today the senate can pass a bill with a tremendous amount of support. i think the senator from louisiana articulated it very well. we had individuals from the far right, the far left all in agreement. i would like to add to that we have an impressive list of groups that are supporting this, one being the obama administration, the american chemistry council, the environmental defense fund, the u.s. chamber of commerce, the humane society, national association of manufacturers, march of dimes, american petroleum institute, national wildlife federation,

inhofe: also the personalities. we have the far left and far right, everybody agrees this is something we can agree on. do i understand, senator, that bonnie lautenberg is here today? mr. udall: yes. bonnie lautenberg is here in congress. we don't want to violate any of the rules. i think she's in the room with us here today. she came down, as you know, senator inhofe, we have a first ladies luncheon and all the spouses attend that luncheon and then in the night all the senators get together for that annual dinner. and bonnie lautenberg's been here ever since then. she's been down here numerous times, as you know. this photograph -- i don't know if you were here earlier. i was always remarking on what a great photograph this was of frank lautenberg. when you look at the grandchildren, they all have these wonderful smiles. as you know, he always talked in the committee about his grandchildren. she took that photograph. she's a pretty incredible photographer. she took it. mr. inhofe: frapping and i used to talk -- fra

mikulski's amendment 4030, senator daines amendment 4008, senator brown's amendment 3920, senator inhofe's amendment 3969, senator boxer's amendment as modified numbered 3935, senator flake's amendment 4038, senator manchin's amendment 4043, senator flake's amendment 3980, senator feinstein's amendment 3944 senator johnson's amendment 3993, senator klobuchar's amendment 3910, senator heller's amendment 4005, senator durbin's amendment 4029, senator sasse's amendment 4023. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the clerk will report by number. the clerk: the senator from maine, ms. collins proposes en bloc amendments numbered 3997, 3998 3933, 4030, 4008, 3920, 3969 3935 as modified 4038, 4043 3980, 3944, 3993, 3910, 4005 4029 and 4023. ms. collins: mr. president i ask unanimous consent that the senate now vote on these amendments en bloc. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. ms. collins: i know of no further debate on these amendments. the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not all in favor say aye. those opposed say no. the ayes a

inhofe: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma. mr. inhofe: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent i be recognized for such time i might consume as if in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. inhofe: mr. president, since friday, my state and offices and my d.c. offices have been flooded with calls from concerned constituents, from people regarding president obama's latest unilateral action directing public schools and colleges to allow transgendered kids into the bathroom and locker rooms of their choice. i mean, this is -- in oklahoma, we understand what it's all about. this is all about a liberal agenda being crammed down the neck of oklahoma and the rest of the country. on sunday, i was -- i went to a church service near the grand lake area in northeastern oklahoma where the nearest community was about 250 people. the pastor -- his name is mark -- he said -- and this is a quote. he said -- "if ever there was a shadeggraq moment in america, it is now." unquote. they understand that there is a real battle going on in was

inhofe was though. tim: right. is it likely -- josh: what i'm trying to illustrate is the concerns that president obama raised were not new but are concerns that extend broadly throughout the republican party . the president talked a lot about the continued insistence by republicans to deny the fact of climate change in the face and rwhelming evidence already observed impacts. republicans continue to deny this is even taking place, and the president highlighted the example of senator inhofe in the middle of winter bringing a snowball in the floor of the senate and suggesting this somehow confirmed his denial of science. even years later it's difficult to explain exactly what he was trying to illustrate. it's not that difficult, however, to make clear what the president is trying to illustrate which is that our country has long benefited from not cal leaders that are seeking to deny evidence and facts and science in order to advance a political agenda but actually to focus on evidence and science and facts to make a

when you have jim inhofe and david vitter agreeing with ed markey on a piece of legislation, you should take note of that moment in the history of passing legislation. that's where we are. we have something that's historic. the environmental bill of a generation is about to pass. the fact that 403 members of the house of representatives voted "yes" -- 403 voted in support of this bill tells you something. it tells you that we rolled up our sleeves, we worked together on a bipartisan, bicameral basis to compromise in the way that americans expect us to. i thank all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the capitol and look forward to watching the president sign this important legislation to protect the health and well-being of all americans. this is a bill that does protect us from the dangers which americans are exposed to whether they're democrat or republican, liberal or conservative. this is the way the chamber should operate. this is the way we should also consider nuclear war-fighting policy. we should have the same kind of attention, the same kind of respec

i want to thank my cosponsor senator sessions, vitter, canton and inhofe. mr. toomey: this amendment addresses a very serious public safety threat and that is the threat posed by sanctuary cities. this is a problem, mr. president, that's not a theoretical abstraction. it's a problem that some americans know all too well. one father in particular. on july 1, 2015, just last year, jim steinly was walking arm in arm with his daughter kate on a pier in san francisco. a gunman opened fire, hit kate, and within moments she died in her father's arms. her last words were "help me, dad." now what's maddening about this, mr. president, is the shooter should have never been on the pier that day in the first place. he was an illegal immigrant. here illegally, he had been convicted of seven felonies and he'd been deported five times. but it gets worse. just three months prior to his shooting and killing kate steinle, the san francisco police had him in custody. they had him in custody. federal immigration officials knew that the san francisco police had him in custody. they

senator jim inhofe, the chairman of the committee on which i serve as ranking member, said he's an impressive guy. senator jeff flake said nobody has said a bad thing about him. yet in the same breath, these are some of the very same republicans who refuse to hold a hearing and schedule a vote on judge garland's nomination. even though article 2, section 2, clause 2 of the constitution says it is the senate's job to provide advice and consent on the president's supreme court nominees. i want to read -- you know, here's the thing that gets me, mr. president. my republican frie -- friends say they care about the constitution. they love the constitution. they abide by the constitution. they want a literal reading of the constitution. well let's read it. together. article 2, section 2, clause 2, the president shall nominate and by and with the advice and consent of the senate shall appoint judges of the supreme court. it doesn't say the president may. it says the president shall nominate. it doesn't say that the senate may give advice and consent. it says they shall with the advice and consent of