markey: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from massachusetts. mr. markey: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, today i rise in defense of net neutrality. this week marks the two-year anniversary of the trump f.c.c.'s wrongheaded decision to repeal net neutrality. first, let's be clear about what we are discussing today. net neutrality is just another way of saying nondiscrimination. that's what it's all about. it's just another way of saying that big companies online can't discriminate against individual consumers; that large companies can't discriminate against smaller companies and start-ups; that corporations can't stifle speech online; that once you pay your monthly internet service bill, you can go anywhere you want on the internet without charter or comcast or at&t or verizon slowing down or blocking your path to a website of your choosing. despite all this, two years ago this week, the trump federal communications commission voted to throw out net neutrality at the behe

senator markey is going to be aking to bring the net neutrality bill up for a vote. we still are pushing that. it is a very popular issue, regardless of party affiliation. people want to see a level playing field. there's likely to be a new fcc commissioner, chairman, if there is a new president. change the calculus on where we go on net neutrality. although the courts ruled the fcc could turn over their will, they said states can make their own laws. i think people will have to think about whether they want to see a patchwork of state imposing their own net neutrality rules -- california is getting to vote on this by the end of the year -- or whether they want to sit down and see if we can have a legislative fix to settle the issue once and for all. thehen i have looked over different democratic contenders for the white house, most of them have pledged to try and bring back either in legislation some regulation, version of the 2014 net neutrality rules. one campaign i have not seen much from is the campaign of joe biden. the former vice president has not really talk

democratic senator ed markey has vowed to introduce a bill to block the measure.iple airlines are already experimenting with facial recognition technology. >>> and here's a story from our cincinnati affiliate wkrc about trying to make amends. the who have announced plans to play in the area for the first time since 11 people were crushed to death in a stampede outside one of their concerts in 1979. part of the proceeds will go to a scholarship fund from the high school where three of the victims were students. the show is scheduled for april 23rd at northern kentucky university. >>> still to come, controversy. why a commercial for an exercise bike, the peloton, has some people on social media so angry. >>> here's a look at the forecast in some cities around the country. coughing oh no,... ...a cougher. welcome to flu season, karen. is a regular flu shot strong enough... ...to help prevent flu in someone your age? there are standard-dose flu shots. and then there's the superior flu protection... ...of fluzone high-dose. it's the only 65 plus flu shot... ...with 4 t

i know senator markey tomorrow will be by unanimous consent asking to bring the net neutrality vote will up for a vote so we are still pushing that and it's a very popular issue across the country regardless of party affiliations and people want to see a level playing field grade there is likely to be a new fcc commissioner or chairman if there's a new president and so that may change the calculus on where we go on net neutrality but the courts although they did rule the fcc could overturn the rule they said states could make their own laws and i think if we have to think about whether they want to see a patchwork of estates imposing their own that a child rules california is get ready to vote on this by the end of the year or whether they want to sit down once and for all and see if it could have a legislation fix that will settle the issue once and for all. >> host: chairman doyle, when i looked over the different democratic contenders for the white house most of them have pledged in one way or the other to bring back in legislation or by regulation some version of the 2015 net neutral

syria the iraqi government has called it a clear violation of its sovereignty prime minister abdul markey called together his national security council on monday to discuss the strikes it's reconsidering iraq's relationship with the u.s. led coalition against deisel and plans to summon the u.s. ambassador in baghdad the u.s. secretary of state by pompei o says that sunday's strikes were in response to threats by iranian backed forces against u.s. personnel meanwhile iraqis in the city of kirkuk protested against the u.s. operation demonstrators held up pictures of those killed in the strikes calling them a violation of the sovereignty al-jazeera some of the fall team is reports now from iraq's anbar province where some u.s. troops are based. and unprecedented confrontation between the u.s. and iran on iraqi soil for the 1st time u.s. airstrikes targeting the bases of an iranian backed armed group killing and injuring dozens the operation in response to a series of rockets that struck military bases where u.s. personnel are stationed a u.s. contractor was killed in the most recent attack i

. >> dan markey is the president of a second-generation veteran owned family business in lincoln, rhodes producing 1500 white house team tournament in 1981 at the request of first lady nancy reagan. this year they are approaching 1 million all put together by hand. >> there are people putting this thing together. >> they release a new design every year paying tribute to presidents in sequential order. the first one of an honor george washington, the 1999 ornament features a portrait of abraham lincoln in the state dining room. the 2008 benjamin harrison award marks the first additional christmas tree in the white house, the 2019 ornament is unlike the rest, a 3-dimensional helicopter on the white house lawn. >> this one is one of the most exciting because it pushed technology to the limit. >> attribute to president number 34, dwight eisenhower. >> the first to use a helicopter for presidential travel. >> the president of the white house historical association believes this here's ornament honest the most iconic images that come from the white house. >> we see the majestic butterfly in,

there is national legislation by senator ed markey that says we have to often as a nation.n. it's the opposite in europe, you are pre-opted out and you have to consent. senator mark warner has an entire package of legislation that demands everything from transparency and consent to how your data is collected, to banning negative use cases of your data and using negative that puts hatred and vitriol at the top of your newsfeed. caroline: we are also seeing the companies themselves react. facebook announcing they are having more third-party fact checking. they are employing more people, what they are spending on security. we see google moving forward with youtube kids. what about the steps being taken by the companies themselves? do they go far enough? >> i think that the investment that facebook is making into stopping foreign intervention is incredibly important and needed. unfortunately we didn't have those protections in 2016. what facebook is not recognizing is that the greatest threat to democracy is domestic. politicians being able to say whatever they want and politic

last until the delivery performance of the shipping methods improves economists say e us housing markeis coming back to life ju in timeto boost >>the economy that's thanks to low mortgage rates and a stro labor force and rising wages mortgages fell to 3 yea lows in the 3rd quarter and salaries have been clmbing the housing mark index which indicates homebuilder confidence has jumped to i highest level in 20 years she jesting better times are ahead for the housing market. new reports released by the nasd here are the top 5 cities with the lowestcost of living living. number one is sell paso texas cup you can live thercomfortably for a $1182 a month number 5 louisville, kentucky. for a little more than $1400 a month san francisco came in as the most expensive place to live to live comfortably in san francisco, according to th. you need to be making about about $5,194 a month and if you are a family of. that jumps to a little more than $11,000 a month in national years as the united stas mexico, canada tradagreent appears finally to be headed for approl in congress. >>the white house says a

is what i'm doing right, is there something else i should be doing, and the wonderful senator ed markeyuilding an army, make it big. they need that pressure from the outside. that's always what's changed history. it's what got the new deal pressuring franklin delano roosevelt. >> one question i think about the primary and think about the lay of the land particularly as the numbers come out about the paris targets, there's low hanging fruit like get back in paris. do you feel there's enough of a priority around climate being made among your folks that basically share your politics? >> yeah, i think -- i think that's why this is working. i think in the last year with all the bad news, the good news is that peoples awareness that, a, there's 100% agreement among the climate scientists and thursday not too sides to this story, too. it's really, really bad. three it is human cause and so the scale of people who understand what's happening is way up. it's just what are they going to do, and i think people are ready to step up and do more. >> do you feel like you can imagine a universe in whic

critics already raising red flags, massachusetts senator edward markey said he will bring legislationnumber of airlines testing similar technology to make the boarding process easier, but now travelers are allowed to opt out. the holiday season becoming more dreary than cheery for some. 61% of americans are dreading the holidays because they're too expensive. the report also says the pressure to spend can lead to loss of sleep and added debt. disney's the mandalorian sensation, baby yoda, has taken the internet by storm. fans of this little green guy will have to wait until they can buy the toys. disney is accepting pre-orders on baby yoda merchandise. that's just preorders. most of the items won't be available until february 2020. and guess what? it's national cookie day, many many bakeries and shops across the country are participating and one of them is here with us today. let's bring in the marketing development manager of insomnia cookies, katherine gaitlynn. and cheryl -- cheryl: i jum jumped right in. good morning. national cookie day, i'm excited about this. >> yes, national c

the wonderful senator ed markey said, you're building an army. make it big. they need that pressure from the outside. the way -- that's always what's changed history. it's what -- it's what got the new deal, pressuring franklin delano roosevelt back in the '30s during the great depression. >> do you feel like -- one question for me as i watch 2020 unfold, particularly the primary and i think about the political lay of the land, where we are, where we have to get to, particularly as the numbers come out from the paris target. lo low hanging fruit. we need hundreds of billions of dollars of investment to transform the american economy. do you feel like there is enough of a priority around climate being made among your folks that basically share your politics? >> yeah, i think -- >> you do? >> i think that's why, you know, this is working. i think in the last year with all the bad news, the good news is that people's awareness that, "a," there's 100% agreement among the climate scientists. there's not two sides to this story. two, it's really, really bad. three,

. >> dave markey is the president of the secondco generation secod generation, better known family businesssland. they began producing 1500 white house themed ornaments in 1981, at the request of first lady nancy reagan. this year, they are approaching 1 million, all put together by hand. >> people putting this thing together using a system we have developed with a pair of pliers. >> they release a new design every year, paying tribute to the presidents in sequential ornament. the first ornament on her george washington. 1999 had a portrait of abraham lincoln in the state dining room. the 2008 benjamin harrison ornament marks the first traditional christmas tree in the white house. the 2019 ornament is unlike the rest, a three-dimensional helicopter on the white house south lawn. >> every year is exciting with the white house, but i think this one is one of the most, because it really pushed our technology to the limit. >> it's a tribute to present number 34, dwight d. eisenhower. >> he was the first american president to use a helicopter for presidential travel. >> thehe president of the w

and senator ed markey said to me, "you're building an army. make it big." we needthey need the pressure from the outside to force them to do what is right. so come on, folks, do it. we got to organize. [applause] you know, maybe some of you heard of anthony leiserowitz, the scientist at yale. he is quite well known. he told me that 43 million americans would do something about climate change, but nobody asked them. so we have to talk about it. even with uncle bob at christmas dinner. [laughter] because maybe he voted for trump, but he probably has grandkids. you know, find a way into people's hearts, so that they will feel that they have a responsibility to do something. we have to talk about it. but we don't seem to have, in our culture, like there might have been a few decades ago, the culture of marching in the streets. what you think has changed? jane fonda: where were you the day after trump's inauguration. [applause] alison: i was at work. jane: you were at work, with your head in the sand? i mean, didn't you watch tv? there were over a million women

president, i want to thank senator markey for partnering with me and my house colleagues for advancing this legislation. i'm proud of the bipartisan support that our bill has received in both houses of the congress. one last step remains before the we can get this bill to the president's desk, and that is senate passage of the final bill. i'm hoping we can get that done in the coming days so that we can get this bill to the president before christmas. while the traced act may not eliminate all of the robocalls that americans receive, it will go a long way toward making it safe to answer your phone again. i look forward to seeing this legislation signed into law in the very near future. mr. president, i yield the floor and i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorumcall: mr. casey: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator for pennsylvania. mr. casey: thank you, mr. president. i would ask consent to vitiate the quorum call. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. casey: and also consent to speak as if in morni

i also introduced legislation that year with senator ed markey to address the problem of annoying and illegal robocalls and i'm hopeful that our legislation, the telephone robocall abuse criminal enforcement and deterrence act or the traced act will pass the senate soon and beyond the president's desk before christmas. mr. president, i've worked on a lot of other bills this year to make life better for south dakotans and for american families. i've introduced tax reform bills to help businesses, update the tax code for the 21st century economy, encourage charitable giving and protect family farms from the death tax. i introduced legislation to promote access to health care in rural areas, help americans repay their student loans, and much more. and, mr. president, i will continue to work on these issues in the new year. as always, my priority will be ensuring that congress is addressing the challenges facing south dakota families. the holidays are a time to reflect on the blessings that we've received and i feel truly blessed to call the great state of south dakota home. it is an hono

opt-out policy must change, and i will work with privacy advocates in the senate like my friend senator markey to legislatetively prevent the administration from moving forward. another issue -- robocalls. the house of representatives yesterday passed bipartisan legislation to crack down on the tens of billions of robocalls that plague americans every year. all of us are bothered by these darned robocalls. they come at the worst times. they are on and on. you can't even shut them off. last year alone, americans were battered by 48 billion, billion robocalls. that's 150 calls per person per year. robocalls are annoying, they are persistent, and beyond that, many of them are dangerous to consumers. foreign companies can make thousands of calls with the push of a button and can charge americans simply for picking up the call. can you believe that? many are designed to scam elderly americans. we have heard about elderly americans who are frightened and send their life savings to these criminal callers. and many of the calls target institutions like hospitals and slow down important businesses. the

markey: thank you, mr. president. this is a big day for our consumers in the united states, and i want to begin first by thanking my friend, senator thune, for his tremendous partnership on this legislation and the issue that we are discussing today robocalls. and that's because there are no blue robocalls. there are no red robocalls. there are only despised robocalls. that is what is bringing this chamber together today. and so i thank senator thune for his great leadership. i thank senator wicker and senator cantwell for helping us to navigate this political pathway. today is a big day. the daily deluge of robocalls that americans experience is more than a nuisance in 2019. it is a consumer protection crisis. and so today the united states senate is sending americans a holiday gift on everyone's list, stopping the playing of robocalls. americans across the country face an epidemic of illegal and fraudulent robocalls bombarding their phones. and while their telephones were once a reliable means of communications, the