stand before you and my colleagues today to speak in support of the nomination of alejandro nicholas mayorkas to serve as secretary of the department of homeland security. there is no question that ali mayorkas is equal fade for this position. he previously served as a director of u.s. customs and immigration service and as deputy secretary at d.h.s. ms. rosen: today i want to tell you about ali mayorkas's story and why he's the right pick for this position and why we can achieve what we need to with mre department of homeland security. during his committee meeting, my fellow committee members and i had a chance to hear from mr. mayorkas and his family history. he told us the harrowing story of his family fleeing persecution, traveling to a new country in search of freedom, acceptance and a safe place to call home. during the holocaust, mr. mayorkas's mother lost her paternal grandparents and seven of her uncles simply for being jewish, simply because of the faith they practiced. his mother and his maternal grandparents fled, but they fled in order to survive. but the story of mr. mayorkas's

the clerk: nomination, department of homeland security, alejandro nicholas mayorkas, of the district of columbia, to be secretary. mr. schumer: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22, do hereby bring to a close debate on the nomination of alejandro nicholas mayorkas to be secretary of the department of homeland security, signed by 18 senators as follows, schumer, peters -- mr. schumer: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask the mandatory quorum call be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i just ask unanimous consent, mr. president, that my motion be made after senator merkley finishes his statement and not be interrupted in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: thank you, mr. president. and i thank my colleague from oregon. mr. merkley: thank you very much to our majority leader. we nee

the clerk: nomination, department of homeland security, alejandro nicholas mayorkas to be secretary. the presiding officer: the senator from vermont is recognized. mr. leahy: mr. president, i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to -- the presiding officer: the senate is in a quorum call. mr. schumer: i ask consent the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to legislative session and be in appeared of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: so ordered. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 3:00 p.m. monday, february 1. further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be d