Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Con. Res. 24, submitted earlier today.

I further ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 447.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Executive Session to consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 489 and 490; that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc without intervening action or debate; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nominations en bloc: Executive Calendar Nos. 416, 418, 419, 422, 426, 531, 570, 591, and 592; that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc without intervening action or debate; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. President, as if in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that all the nominations received by the Senate during the 117th Congress, first session, remain in status quo, notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXXI, paragraph 6, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, with the following exceptions: Calendar Nos. 262, 265, 300, 313, 314, 348, 349, 355, 405, 407, 408, 415, 456, 460, 464, 468, 469, 483, 484, 485, 504, 510, 511, 512, 514, 515, 527, 529, 530, 532, 542, 549, 550, 551, 552, 559, 561, 564, 566, 568, 586, 588, 593, 594, 609, 610, 611, 615, 628, 631, 633, 634, 417, 424, 427, and PN Nos. 433, 489, 747, 767, 1023, 1155, 1435, 1464, 1285, 1286, 1222, 1223, 1295, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 442, 541, 554, 722, 761, 770, 954, 1014, 1048, 1049, 1148, 1156, 1165, 1170, 1206, 1207, 1210, 1211, 1228, 1251, 1254, 1288, 1289, 1323, 1353, 1354, 1355, 1356, 1357, 1358, 1359, 1360, 1361, 1364, 1370, 1372, 1423, 1424, 1439, 1369, 231, 427, 436, 618, 773, 778, 788, 796, 919, 999, 1491, 1149.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn, to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted, on the following dates and times; and that following each pro forma session, the Senate adjourn until the next pro forma session: Monday, December 20, at 5 p.m.; Thursday, December 23, at 11 a.m.; Monday, December 27, at 4:30 p.m.; and Thursday, December 30, at 8:30 a.m. When the Senate adjourns on Thursday, December 30, it will next convene at 12 noon on Monday, January 3, pursuant to the Constitution. I further ask that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each; further, that at 5:30 p.m., the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Sanchez nomination, as provided under the previous order; that if the nomination is confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

I ask unanimous consent that, at 6:15 p.m., all postcloture time on the House message to accompany S. 610 be expired; that the motion to concur with amendment be withdrawn; that if cloture is invoked on the Koh nomination, the Senate vote immediately--vote immediately--on the motion to invoke cloture on the Sung nomination; further, that if cloture is invoked on either nomination, all postcloture time be expired and the confirmation vote on the Koh nomination occur at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, December 13, and the confirmation vote on the Sung nomination occur at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the Republican leader; further, that the cloture motions on the Elliott nomination and on the House message to accompany S. 1605 ripen on Tuesday, December 14.

For the information of Senators, there will be three rollcall votes beginning at 6:15.

Unanimous Consent Request

Mr. President, I want to rise today to support the nominations of Victoria Wassmer to be Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Transportation, and Mohsin Syed to be the Department's Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs.

Right now, we are facing supply chain issues. The reason for this includes unprecedented demand for goods, market disruptions caused by the pandemic, and greater demand.

But the biggest issue is the lack of investment in our Nation's infrastructure over the past half century. Simply put, we need better infrastructure to move things in, out, and across the country. And that is why it is so important that we pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

The bill provides a historic $567 billion to the Department of Transportation, including $37 billion for freight investments. It creates new programs to reduce bottlenecks and ease supply chain congestion.

The $1.5 billion for my home State of Hawaii will give a massive boost to our local economy. But DOT needs staff to make this investment work.

Ms. Wassmer is well qualified to serve as CFO, with private- and public-sector experience, including as CFO of the FAA.

The same goes for Mr. Syed as Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs. He spent 6 years on Capitol Hill, including in my office, and worked in the DOT general counsel's office. That is why he passed out of the Commerce Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support, and that is why it is so maddening that Republicans are now refusing to move these nominations forward.

These are not controversial individuals. This is basically a blanket hold to stop the government from functioning, to stop the infrastructure bill from being implemented. And nobody wins here. We don't win passing a huge bill and then kneecapping it. And the American people who sent us here to serve certainly don't win.

So let us do our job and move these nominees forward. And so, therefore, I

ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations: Executive calendar Nos. 468 and 469; that the nominations be confirmed; the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order the nominations; that any related statements be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and that the Senate resume legislative session.

Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, you know, this is a very important week in the United States Senate. Our infrastructure bill is big, it is bold, and it is bipartisan, and it reflects the needs of a population especially important to me--Native communities and Indian Country across the United States.

As chair of the Indian Affairs Committee, I have made it my mission to support these communities. This legislation contains more than $11 billion in direct investments for Native communities, including $3.5 billion for clean water access and delivery, $3 billion for safe roads and bridges, and $2 billion to close the digital divide for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian families. This bill will have a direct and long-lasting impact, and I am proud to support it.

Since taking the committee gavel, I have worked with President Biden, with the Presiding Officer, with the members of the committee, and my colleagues in both Chambers to ensure that Native voices are always at the table.

Our Tribal provisions in the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act were the two largest investments in Native communities in American history--the two largest investments in Native communities in American history. Both bills contained resources and policy reforms that were long awaited and desperately needed, and they are already paying dividends.

But our work has to continue, and this historic budget resolution is the next step. At its core, our budget is about restoring the middle class and giving more Americans the opportunity to get into the middle class.

It cuts taxes for millions of American families. It creates millions of American jobs while tackling the climate crisis, and it is paid for by the wealthy paying their fair share. No one who makes under $400,000 will see an increase in their taxes.

I used to hate charts. I used to not be a chart guy. I have a rule in my office: If you are coming in to present to me, no PowerPoints. I just don't like charts.

But I am making an exception right now because it is really important that the public understand what we are about to do.

We are going to lower costs for all Americans. We are going to cut taxes for American families. We are going to create millions of jobs while tackling the climate crisis. And it is going to be paid for by requiring the wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes.

The budget also addresses Native communities specifically. For far too long, historical underfunding of Federal programs serving Native communities and Tribes has left them vulnerable. Today, one in three Native Americans lives in poverty, and just 19 percent of Native American students are attending college. Native Americans have a life expectancy 5\1/2\ years lower than the general population, and Native Americans are on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

This budget reverses these systemic injustices through a $20.5 billion targeted investment. The budget makes significant investments in climate resiliency for Native communities and

gives them the tools that they need to mitigate the impacts of climate change, deploy their own clean energy solutions on their own terms, and restore and protect their homelands.

It ensures that Native students and families have more access to Native language programs, early childhood education, and college. It also includes historic investments in health and education programs to provide much needed support to Native people across the country.

We have already made the biggest investment in Native communities in American history, and we are not done yet. The responsibility of the U.S. Government to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians isn't just for Democrats or Republicans to live up to. It is a commitment that we all share

This budget resolution will empower these Native communities like never before, and it will make our country stronger, safer, and more resilient.

I will be proud to move it forward.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 249, 271, and 166; that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc with no intervening action or debate and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that any statements related to nominations be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 343, submitted earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 12 noon, Sunday, August 8; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; and that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 3684.