Floor Statements

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, I take to the floor today to urge my colleagues to halt the President's indiscriminate deportation regime. This administration is targeting immigrants who are deeply woven into our communities, and this inhumane approach must end.

For 30 years, David Chavez-Macias, who was born in Mexico, lived in Reno, NV. He worked as a landscaper during the week and went to church on Sundays. He raised four children, and he tried to follow the law. He paid his taxes and hired attorneys to help him become an American citizen. In 2013, he was pulled over for turning left as the street light changed. That traffic stop brought him to the attention of immigration enforcement.

Now, the previous administration had permitted Mr. Chavez-Macias to stay with his family. After all, he had a heart condition that required regular treatment, and he had been a hard-working community member for decades; yet under this administration, David was deported to Mexico, ripping him from his family.

Now, as a granddaughter of immigrants, I understand how much immigrants like David contribute to American communities, and as a native Nevadan--a State where one in five schoolchildren have an undocumented parent--I know how deeply communities are hurt when we drive out longtime members. That is why I am introducing the End Mass Deportation Act to keep the Trump administration from pursuing people like David. This bill will make sure we are not indiscriminately targeting people for deportation who have contributed to their communities for decades.

Just days after taking office, President Trump issued an Executive order that changed our immigration enforcement priorities. He gave ICE the green light to aggressively pursue anyone without papers, not just people who had committed serious crimes or posed a threat to our public safety. My bill rescinds this cruel and counterproductive order.

Now, the Trump administration is deporting people who have lived in the United States--sometimes for decades--playing by the rules, providing for their families, starting businesses, and contributing to their communities. In Nevada, almost 90 percent of undocumented residents have been in the United States for more than 5 years.

These are people who own their own homes. They are people who pay billions of dollars in taxes each year. Their children are citizens, legal permanent residents, and Dreamers. They are our neighbors, our coworkers, and our friends. The impact of this policy on American families has been profound. Since President Trump signed his Executive order, arrests of immigrants without criminal records have tripled.

The End Mass Deportation Act would make the administration focus our law enforcement resources where they should be: on people who pose a legitimate threat to our communities.

Historically, prosecutorial discretion was used to take into account the compelling circumstances of an individual's case, like parents who have U.S. citizen children and strong ties to the community or individuals who have served in our military. As a former prosecutor, I understand what an important law enforcement tool this is.

The President's mass deportation order ends that prosecutorial discretion in our immigration system, taking

valuable time and resources away from pursuing criminals and other security threats. Even worse, the order makes us all less safe because it discourages people without documentation from turning to police to report crime.

Put yourself in the shoes of an undocumented woman who is the victim of domestic violence or someone without papers exploited at the hands of an unscrupulous boss. When those crimes go unreported, our neighborhoods suffer.

Listen, I recognize that we have a broken immigration system, but the way to fix it isn't to persecute people like David whose biggest offense is a traffic ticket. We need to pass comprehensive immigration reform, but until we do and until we can come together in a bipartisan way, we must rescind these Executive orders that are not moving this debate forward in a useful way. Let's reverse this administration's cruel and dangerous policy.

I am the first to tell you--and I see it every single day in my State--immigrants enlarge our vision of who we live with, work with, and worship with. By passing the End Mass Deportation Act, we will remind all Americans that every generation of immigrants enriches the fabric of our Nation and will provide the sense of security that every family with undocumented members needs to thrive. I urge my colleagues to support this act.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to speak as in morning

business for up to 5 minutes, and that following my remarks, Senator Rosen be recognized to speak as in morning business for as much time as she may consume.

Thank you, Madam President. I come to the floor today to honor my colleague and dear friend, Senator Jacky Rosen, as she prepares to deliver her maiden speech in this Chamber.

Senator Rosen has spent her career pushing boundaries and advocating for innovation and inclusivity. She is bringing that vision to the U.S. Senate, where she has already proved herself to be a strong advocate for Nevadans by fighting to bolster our State's tech industries, supporting our veterans, and protecting Nevadans' healthcare.

When Jacky was elected to the Senate, we sat down and talked about how we could best serve Nevada together. We requested different committee assignments so we could be sure we were covering all the issue areas that are important to Nevadans. We made sure our staffs were connected and working together on projects, not only in DC but in the great Silver State of Nevada.

We committed to coming together every Wednesday morning in DC to welcome Nevadans to the Capitol and hear their stories. Those Wednesday morning constituent coffees are one of the highlights, I think, of both of our weeks. Anyone lucky enough to work with Jacky knows that she works tirelessly to build consensus and find solutions that help better the lives of Nevada families. I am honored to work beside her every day to serve the people of Nevada. I am proud to call her my friend, and I want to congratulate her on making her maiden speech this morning. I look forward to this and to many more as we continue to fight together for the Silver State.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, let me say to my colleague, the ranking member of the Senate's Indian Affairs Committee--with whom, by the way, I know I have 2 more years--that I am so going to miss working with him. I appreciate his passion, particularly on days like today on which he is highlighting issues that affect so many of our communities across this country, particularly when it comes to our Tribal communities and Native communities.

Thank you for always being at the forefront, my friend.

This past Sunday, many Americans joined thousands of survivors and supporters in solidarity across the country to honor the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls. Organizers hosted rallies and benefit runs; communities honored loved ones lost; and supporters posted on social media with the hashtag #NotInvisible. For many, this was a day to raise awareness about the alarming number of murdered and missing indigenous women, but for our Tribal communities, a day of awareness only scratches the surface of what is needed to address this epidemic.

Indian Country needs action. That starts right here in this Chamber, and it can start today. Right now, the Senate is considering three pieces of legislation--the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and my bipartisan bills, Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act--which will help to combat this crisis. Passing these bills is critical in protecting the lives of Native women and girls.

The numbers speak for themselves. More than 80 percent of Native women will experience physical, sexual, or psychological violence in their lifetimes, often in the form of domestic or intimate partner violence. One in three Native American women has been raped or has experienced an attempted rape, and murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women and girls. In addition, Native American women who experience sexual or domestic violence are far more likely to fall victim to sex trafficking.

Even more distressing is the fact that we likely don't know the full scope of the problem because of underreporting. In fact, nearly half of the Tribal law enforcement agencies surveyed believe human trafficking is occurring on Tribal land beyond what has been brought to their attention. Because of a lack of coordination with Federal Agencies and because of sparse resources and limited jurisdiction in which to prosecute crimes, women across Indian Country are dying and disappearing, and far too many of their cases go unreported, unsolved, or untouched by law enforcement.

This is unbelievable. We must act. Yet there is no targeted Federal plan or strategy to address this epidemic even as it becomes increasingly clear that we are failing to uphold our trust responsibility and, even more so, that we are failing Native women and their families.

As former Nevada attorney general, I have heard directly from survivors, family members, Tribal leaders, and law enforcement about the need for immediate action and Federal support to address violence in Native communities. Congress must take concrete action to help support the Tribal governments, organizations, and law enforcement members who are on the frontlines every day.

The House of Representatives has already taken an important first step this year by reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. This legislation will protect Native women from the effects of domestic violence, which is an early indicator of nearly half of all murder cases involving women nationwide. I know it will have a positive impact because, as attorney general, I saw the impact it had on our Tribal communities in the State of Nevada. The reauthorization of VAWA also gives Tribal governments additional and much needed jurisdictional power to directly address violent crime against Tribal members on reservations.

My Democratic colleagues and I are committed to fighting for the full reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and especially for the important criminal jurisdictional expansions it gives Tribal law enforcement to help get violent offenders off the streets.

We can't stop there. We need to shine a light on the staggering number of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls and ensure that we understand the full scope of the problem. That is why, with my colleague Senator Lisa Murkowski, I have also introduced Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act--both bipartisan bills. They are designed to work to directly combat the crisis of missing, murdered, and trafficked Native women, and they will give our law enforcement and communities the support they need to protect our Native women and girls. These bills help in stopping cases from falling through the cracks.

Specifically, Savanna's Act works to ensure that Indian Country has access to accurate, up-to-date crime databases so State, local, and Tribal law enforcement can implement guidelines for responding to relevant criminal cases.

The Not Invisible Act ensures the Federal Government works across Agencies to best use its resources when addressing violence against Native women while recognizing the unique

challenges that are faced within Tribal communities. The bill also creates an advisory committee to examine ways to reduce violent crime, sexual assault, and trafficking in Tribal communities.

These bills, along with the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, are critical to keeping Native women and girls safe.

My home State of Nevada is home to many Tribal communities. These communities are full of mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends whose lives are vibrant and full of potential. I will not let these women become statistics. It is time to take action, and I am committed to doing all I can in the Senate to fight for justice for Native American women and girls.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, to my colleague from New Mexico, absolutely. Let me just say I was attorney general in 2013 when you reauthorized VAWA and you included the Tribal provisions in there. There are about 27 Tribal reservations and communities in the State of Nevada, and I can guarantee you they were beneficiaries of what you did to prevent and address violence in Tribal communities through VAWA.

I know that because I actually chaired the Domestic Violence Prevention Council in the State of Nevada. On my council--which, as the attorney general, came through my office--there were Tribal members. I also know that the VAWA funding that comes into the State of Nevada came through my office as the attorney general. So we made sure that all of our communities that were impacted by domestic violence in particular--any type of violence--had the benefit of this money that was coming in.

I can guarantee you, working with my Tribal communities as attorney general, it was a benefit. That is why I am fighting now for that reauthorization and that funding to continue for our Tribal communities. There is no doubt in my mind that I saw the benefits in Nevada, and we can see that now across the country. I am really kind of baffled why it is not in this provision here. This really should be a bipartisan issue that we all focus on.

So that is my fight. I have seen the benefits, and I know the impact it has on our Tribal communities.

Let me just say this: We need to address any type of violence in our Tribal communities. And I thank you for highlighting this because it is not just the domestic violence; it is the issue of missing and murdered Native women and girls. My concern there is, we do not have enough data that tells us what is going on. The data we do report at the Federal level is underreported. I know the last data that we had was in 2016. That showed about 5,700 missing Native girls and women. That is underreported. But what we don't know is why they have gone missing.

I have worked very hard to address sex trafficking prevention in the State of Nevada. This is happening across the country. There is no doubt in my mind that some of these Native women and girls are victims of sex trafficking, but we do not know it because of the challenges in capturing that data and then doing something about it at the Federal level. That is what I am fighting for. That is what my colleague from New Mexico is fighting for.

I so appreciate the opportunity to talk about this on the floor today.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, would the

Senator from Arizona modify her request to add that when the Senate receives the papers on H.R. 2030, and if the text is identical to S. 1057, the bill be considered read three times and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate?

Mr. President, I come forward today to recognize the Massacre Rim Wilderness Study Area's designation as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. Located 150 miles north of Reno in Washoe County, NV, Massacre Rim Wilderness Study Area is a region with rolling hills, buttes, plateaus, and narrow canyons, covered in sagebrush and junipers. Massacre Rim is a natural, undisturbed, and isolated environment that offers visitors rare opportunities to enjoy scenic vistas of up to 60 miles, as well as solitude away from development and distraction. Thanks to the location's remoteness, Massacre Rim's night views are completely uninhibited by light pollution. These unique qualities allow for nearly unparalleled stargazing, which has attracted visitors from around the world.

On March 30, 2019, the International Dark-Sky Association designated the Massacre Rim Wilderness Study Area as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, only the fourth location to achieve this distinction in the United States and the seventh in the entire world. The International Dark-Sky Association deemed Massacre Rim worthy of this honor due to its qualifications as ``land that has an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is protected for its scientific, natural, or educational value, its cultural heritage and/or public enjoyment.''

For most of human history, a night sky teeming with stars and shooting comets was a regular occurrence for our ancestors. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, one could look to the sky and find awe- inspiring wonder, intrigue, and entertainment. For most of us, that is no longer the case. According to a 2016 National Geographic article, 80 percent of Americans cannot see the Milky Way due to light pollution. While light pollution is a necessary and small consequence to our growth and development as a society, it is imperative that we recognize the significant value in our increasingly rare dark sky places, such as Massacre Rim. Fortunately, for visitors and residents of the great State of Nevada, views of both the Milky Way and our neighboring galaxy, Andromeda, are available at Massacre Rim.

Our State's booming outdoor recreation economy is a testament to the success of our public lands and highlights the importance of keeping our invaluable natural resources available for all to utilize and enjoy. I commend the nonprofit organization, Friends of Nevada Wilderness, for spearheading the Massacre Rim Wilderness Study Area's Dark Sky Sanctuary designation, and for continuing to educate others about the natural wonders available in the Silver State.

From Massacre Rim, to the Lake Tahoe Basin, to the Ruby Mountains, residents and visitors can attest that

our public lands allow us to connect with our collective past and preserve our shared treasures for future generations.

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

Madam President, I rise today, along with my colleagues, to bring attention to an issue that I think is important for all of us women. Today, we are 4 months--92 days, to be exact--into the new year. Today is the day that American women catch up in earnings to what their male counterparts made last year. In 2019--almost 100 years after women won the right to vote and 56 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act--it still takes women 15 months to earn what a man makes in 12. That is the significance of today, Equal Pay Day.

Women make up half of the U.S. workforce. We are small business owners, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, and community leaders. Yet women in the United States still make an average of 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man. For women of color, women with disabilities, and transgender women, the gap is even more jarring. Black women earn an average of 61 cents on the dollar, Native American women earn 57 cents, and Latinas earn 53 cents for every dollar the average White man makes. This means that Latinas, who face the highest pay gap in the country, must keep working until November 20 this year in order to earn what their White male colleagues made in 2018. Women with disabilities are paid an average of 83 cents for every dollar a man with a similar disability makes at a full-time job, and transgender women can expect their average yearly earnings to fall by almost one-third after their transitions. In 2019, this is still the reality for American women. These women are often the sole breadwinners for their families.

This type of systemic discrimination has no place in our country. It is having a negative economic impact on families. As long as the wage gap exists, women face unfair barriers to success and have to fight hard for economic security for themselves and their families.

Full-time working mothers trying to provide for their families are paid, on average, $16,000 less per year than fathers. That threatens their ability to put food on the table or save for their children's education. Older women are likely to have to work longer--by an average of 10 years--than their male counterparts to make up their lifetime wage gaps and earn enough for a secure retirement. Young women just entering the workforce can expect to see their wage gap grow, not shrink, over the course of their careers.

All of these factors hurt Nevada women, Nevada families, and our country. It undercuts American women's ability to get ahead, provide for their families, and save for retirement. In Nevada alone, women who are employed full time lose a combined total of nearly $5 billion each year due to the wage gap.

It is past time American women earn equal pay for equal work. Women in our country will no longer accept being held back. As a Nevada Latina, it is my responsibility to use my seat at the table to ensure that future generations of women are able to have the support they need to succeed so that their families can thrive. It is time women receive the same paycheck as a man for doing the same job.

I am fighting alongside a longtime leader for women in Congress, Senator Murray, as well as my Senate Democratic colleagues, to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and provide women with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed. I look forward to the day when equal pay for equal work is a reality for every woman in Nevada and across this country.

America's women are leading the economy of the future. They are building the infrastructure that fuels commerce, developing the scientific breakthroughs that improve our way of life, and driving political change. America's women are heading America's companies, and we need more. That starts with ensuring equal pay for equal work. Until we pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, I will continue to fight for women and their families, to level the playing field for them, because nothing less than their future is at stake.

Thank you.

I yield the floor.

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

Madam President, I stand today with my colleagues on the Democratic side of the aisle to talk about the real impacts of climate change.

Climate change is real. It is happening in our communities, and it is harming our country. It is impacting our economy, and it is threatening the future of our kids.

You can see it clearly in my home State of Nevada. The last 4 years have been the hottest ever on record, and we are on track to break that record again in 2019. In Nevada, we are seeing longer, more dangerous heat waves, prolonged droughts, and more severe wildfire seasons. Just this past year, more than 660,000 acres of private, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service land burned in 138 fires starting in June of 2018. The biggest fire in our State's history and also one of the biggest in our country's history happened just this past year. The Martin Fire burned more than 439,000 acres. That is an area about five times the size of Las Vegas.

I have heard from Nevada ranchers who are facing the tough choice to abandon the land their families have worked for generations due to the cost of recovery and the threat of even worse fire seasons. I have met with parents in Las Vegas and Reno who are worried about the impact that worsening air quality, because of climate change and these wildfires, will have on the health of their children.

It is not happening just in Nevada; throughout our country, Americans are being displaced and communities are being ravaged by devastating hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and floods that are causing millions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses, and local economies. Worldwide, carbon emissions levels reached a record high last year, increasing 3.1 percent in the United States alone, despite evidence that high emissions are driving changes in our climate and fueling extreme weather patterns. Yet this administration and the Republican leader have done nothing to act despite overwhelming support from Americans who want us to protect our planet and our communities.

In my home State, Nevadans know the stakes. In 2016, Colorado College polled voters in six Western States about their views on climate change. At the time, 58 percent of Nevadans expressed concerns that climate change was a serious problem. In January, Nevadans were polled again. This time, almost 75 percent of Nevadans expressed serious concerns about climate change. That is a 16-percent jump in 3 years and comes months after 60 percent of Nevadans supported a ballot initiative to expand Nevada's renewable energy portfolio to 50 percent by 2030.

Across the country, Americans are worried about the impacts of pollution and carbon emissions on our climate, health, and our economy. They have seen the harm it has caused just over the last decade, and they are afraid it is getting worse.

You don't have to look far to see that our climate is changing. It is already happening in our own backyards. We have the evidence. There is scientific consensus. This isn't a fringe theory or a hypothesis asking to be debunked; it is a serious crisis that must be met with serious action. It is clear to younger generations of Americans who

actually walked out of schools this month to demand climate action from their representatives in Washington.

Despite overwhelming evidence that climate change is currently threatening our country, Leader McConnell and this administration are sitting on their hands. This administration has repeatedly tried to scrub climate change information from Federal Agency websites, supported Agency officials with deep ties to fossil fuel industries, and pulled the United States out of a critical international agreement that we need to collectively work together to avert climate disaster.

In the Senate, instead of working to find bipartisan solutions to one of our country's greatest threats, Leader McConnell is setting up a vote designed to be nothing more than a political stunt. My Democratic colleagues and I take the threat of climate change seriously. We won't support the Republican leader's newest political game to address climate change. We call it a sham vote. This isn't a vote about legislation; it is a cynical attempt to distract from the challenge confronting our country.

The fact is, Democrats all agree that we need to take urgent action to protect our environment and avert climate catastrophe. Senate Democrats have put forth many new ideas on how to grow our economy and support American prosperity, while addressing our world's growing climate crisis. We would be happy to work with our colleagues to debate them on the floor.

From my seat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I am continuing to fight for legislation to tackle climate change by supporting renewable energy production, protecting workers, and creating good-paying, green jobs in Nevada and across the country.

I call on Leader McConnell and my Republican colleagues: If you are serious about addressing climate change, then join us. Senate Democrats will continue to fight for commonsense policies that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate change, and we will continue to call on our colleagues across the aisle to work with us to tackle this challenge in both the House and Senate.

Democrats are working every day to craft smart and effective policies that will help safeguard our planet and help grow our economy. By forcing a vote now, Senator McConnell is denying us all the chance to come together to craft bipartisan, comprehensive climate change legislation through the legislative process. The American people want action now.

I won't stand for Republican leaders using this vote in a cynical attempt to divide Democrats and stall progress. I intend to keep my promise to fight on this issue and to protect the most vulnerable and marginalized, who often bear the brunt of the effects of unchecked climate change.

The American people continue to speak out for action on climate change, and Senate Democrats will keep fighting because our planet and our future depend on it.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, I rise to speak in opposition to the nomination of Chad Readler to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

This nomination, if confirmed, would be advanced without the support of one of his home State Senators, and it deliberately ignores Senate precedent that has historically respected Senators' ability to identify nominees that best fit the needs of their State.

In his current position at the Department of Justice, Chad Readler led the legal briefs for some of the Department's most extreme positions.

He defended President Trump's travel ban, led efforts to end DACA, supported the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 census, suggested that the structure of the CFPB was unconstitutional, and argued that businesses should be able to refuse services to same-sex couples.

Mr. Readler also led the DOJ's legal brief for the Texas v. U.S. lawsuit, arguing against the Affordable Care Act's protections for people with preexisting conditions, even while three other career attorneys at the DOJ refused to do so.

Think about that for a second. This nominee took up his pen and drafted a legal opinion at the Department of Justice that stated it was fine for his Department not to defend the law--a law that protects millions of Americans' access to the critical healthcare they need.

If that weren't enough to shock the conscience, Mr. Readler's nomination to the Sixth Circuit judgeship was announced the same day the brief was filed.

Is that a coincidence? Maybe, but since three other career lawyers at the Department of Justice resigned rather than draft this brief and violate their duty to the law, I think it is fairly obvious.

This administration has made it crystal clear that Mr. Readler was chosen because of his willingness to dismantle the ACA and completely eliminate critical protections that ensure seniors, kids, and families in Nevada and across this country are able to get health insurance, regardless of whether they have a previous medical condition. For many Americans, denying vital healthcare protections and access to care is truly a matter of life and death.

President Trump and Republican leaders have promised to sabotage our healthcare from day one, and this nomination is another example in a long line of legislation, nominations, and Executive actions aimed at ripping away healthcare coverage from hard-working families in Nevada and across the country.

The Affordable Care Act is, quite simply, the law of the land. Its patient protections have wide bipartisan support, as evidenced by Congress's inability to pass ACA repeal. Since its inception, over 400,000 Nevadans have gained healthcare coverage, including 158,000 children. Tens of million more Americans across the country have gained access to affordable health insurance, prescription drug coverage, mental health services, and preventive care.

The ACA's provisions have also guaranteed that over 1.2 million Nevadans with preexisting conditions will not be denied coverage because insurance companies deem them ``too risky'' to cover.

We cannot go back to the day when women, veterans, cancer survivors, and children with disabilities were charged more for healthcare or were flatout denied coverage.

Americans need us to work together to defend their access to quality and affordable healthcare, not just in Nevada but across this country. Yet Mr. Readler has shown us that he would instead take us backward, unravelling more than a decade of progress and wreaking potential havoc on our economy.

This nominee has demonstrated that he is willing to carry water for this President's political interests and not serve in the best interest of Americans.

I oppose Mr. Readler's nomination because Americans deserve a judge who respects the rule of law and interprets the law based on statute, not the political needs of this or any administration.

I oppose this nominee because Senate Republican leaders are trying to jam him through without the support of one of his home State Senators, which is a direct attack on our constitutional role as U.S. Senators to advise and consent.

I want my colleagues to know that a vote in support of his nomination is a vote in support of unleashing chaos on the American health system, eliminating preexisting condition protections, and one that would result in millions more uninsured.

Mr. Readler is a dangerous choice, who has a long track record of supporting the most extreme legal positions, which makes him unfit to sit on any court, much less one whose decisions will impact millions of Americans.

Thank you.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I rise today to speak in opposition to the nomination of Eric Miller to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

As an attorney and former attorney general, like my good colleague from Connecticut, I have a deep respect and appreciation for our Federal judiciary. I believe that carefully guarding the professional reputation of our Federal bench is critical to maintaining respect for the rule of law in our country.

The American people must be able to trust that our Federal judges will be fair and neutral arbiters of any dispute before them. So in considering whether a nominee is deserving of the awesome responsibility of a lifetime appointment to the Federal bench, we must carefully evaluate their professional and personal qualifications to ensure that they are of the highest intellectual, professional, and moral caliber.

I have carefully reviewed Mr. Miller's record, and I believe that he is the wrong candidate to fill this judicial seat. I believe my Republican colleagues know it. That is why they have made every effort to jam this confirmation through.

The majority-led Judiciary Committee and Republican leadership have taken extraordinary steps to rush this nomination. Republicans held Mr. Miller's confirmation hearing during an October recess, without the consent of minority members of the committee, questioning him for just 5 minutes and then gaveling out. As you heard, only two Senators were at that hearing. That is not regular order in the Senate.

Unfortunately, the Republican leadership continues to attack regular order in the Senate by attacking Senate precedent. This nominee, if confirmed, will be the first circuit court judge advanced without the support of either of their home State Senators. That is the blue-slip process.

The blue-slip process is an essential tradition of respecting the wishes of each nominee's home State Senators, and it is the start of the advice and consent process.

This is about our system of checks and balances, respecting one another, and the prerogatives of the Senate that ensure every Senator has a voice in the selection of judges in their home State. This institutional check has never been more important than it is today because we have a President who undermines the legitimacy and impartiality of the courts.

By bringing up this confirmation for a vote before the Senate, Republican leaders are circumventing Senators, ignoring the people we were elected to represent, and damaging our critical role in appropriately deliberating on lifetime judicial nominees and representing the will of our constituents who elected us. This is a dereliction of the Senate's duty, and it is an assault on our institutions.

If confirmed, Mr. Miller will have a lifetime appointment to one of the highest courts in America. He will make decisions on our Nation's most important issues and will have the power to change Americans' lives. Yet this Republican leadership believes a 5-minute hearing is enough for a circuit court nominee who doesn't have the support of his own home State Senators.

When the confirmation process is rushed like this, critical information about the history and character of the nominees will be missed. These lapses undermine the integrity of our confirmation process and ultimately undermine the public's faith in our Federal judiciary.

I share many of the same concerns of Senators Cantwell and Murray about Mr. Miller's views on Tribal sovereignty and other critical issues. Mr. Miller's past work in undermining Tribal sovereignty and Tribal rights raises questions about how he would treat Tribes who come before him as a circuit court judge. His confirmation could have serious ramifications for Native communities in Washington, Nevada, and across the country.

Each one of us is elected to represent our State and its people. Today's move by the majority is nothing less than an assault on our oath to the Constitution and our duty to serve our constituents.

I urge my colleagues to vote no on this nomination and stand together in a bipartisan way to confirm nominees who reflect our States, our country, and respect the Senators.

Thank you.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, on Friday, the day that thousands of Federal workers in Nevada and across the country missed their first paycheck of the Trump shutdown, I was in Reno meeting with two dozen affected workers and families who work for our Federal Government. These hard-working Nevadans who serve the American people in the U.S. Coast Guard, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Forest Service, and government contractors told me about the struggles they are having, their fears, and the very human consequences of the President's decision to hold our government hostage.

These Nevadans shared how their finances and their whole lives have been thrown into chaos by this reckless shutdown. Person after person told me that without the promise of a paycheck, they are struggling to pay their

mortgage or rent, keep up with their other bills, and even put food on the table for their families. Some are even cashing out their savings while others consider taking out high-interest payday loans, risking their good credit just to stay afloat.

It is not just Federal workers who were suffering. Entire families have had the rug pulled out from under them because of this reckless shutdown.

While I was in Reno, I had the opportunity to meet Brianna. She talked to me about her family. She is a stay-at-home mom. She has two beautiful daughters--as you can see--and her husband works in the Coast Guard. He is a coastguardsman. Right now, he is reporting to work without pay for the duration of this shutdown.

Brianna told me that without their sole source of income, her family would struggle to make ends meet. She told me they are weighing the decision to pull her oldest daughter out of school and to move in with her parents until the shutdown is over. That is outrageous.

I can't tell you how many letters and emails I have also received in the office. This is one from a veteran in Reno. He said:

I applaud you for standing up to Trump and not wasting

taxpayer money on a stupid wall that he promised Mexico would

pay for. However, as a Federal employee who is also a

disabled vet, I am asking that you support legislation to

assure that we do not lose pay and benefits because of this

shutdown. We are currently scheduled to receive our normal

pay on December 31, but after that, we have no more checks

coming until the shutdown is over. Despite what others on the

Hill have said, many Federal employees depend on those checks

and face real economic impacts when the government shuts

down. We are tired of being demonized by the right as

parasites and bureaucrats, and it is ridiculous that the

President wants to freeze our pay and stop all of our pay

raises. The Federal Government is the largest employer of

veterans, and we continue supporting our country throughout

our Federal service.

No family or individual in the United States of America should have their life upended like this. So we ask that the Federal Government reopen and that the majority leader bring the bill to the floor so we can open this government on behalf of Federal workers not only in Nevada but across the country.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, many Federal workers in Nevada and across this country will miss their first paychecks tomorrow due to this shutdown. Our President's govern-by-chaos approach has pulled the rug out from hundreds of thousands of Federal workers and contractors across the country who are currently furloughed or who are being forced to work without pay, including over 3,000 of them in my home State of Nevada. It is outrageous.

I have heard from many Federal workers in Nevada who didn't sign up to live in constant fear that their paychecks would be held for political gain. They didn't sign up to wonder if they will be able to pay their rent on time, cover childcare costs for their young children, or put food on the tables for their families. They certainly didn't sign up to be used as pawns in this President's political game. They signed up to serve the American people, and they deserve the certainty of a functioning government and steady paychecks. Instead, hard-working Nevadans are writing and calling me to say they are worried about paying their bills, supporting their children, and keeping up with their mortgage payments.

One Nevadan who is currently working without pay told me he and his colleagues are struggling to pay for the gas to drive to their unpaid jobs.

Another Nevadan is a mother who told me that her son, who is newly enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, is now facing eviction just 1 month after reporting for duty.

A Las Vegas government contractor who is working to help the Department of Justice reduce its immigration court case backlog told me how discouraged he and his colleagues are that this shutdown is hurting the very people who are trying to help fix our immigration system.

Nevada's veterans, park rangers, and TSA agents have also all contacted my office and asked for an end to this senseless shutdown so they can continue to provide for themselves and their families.

This is one of the major impacts on Nevada, but it is not the only major disruption we are seeing.

At our national parks and monuments, there is overflowing trash, which threatens the wildlife and public safety because the park rangers and maintenance staff have been furloughed.

In Nevada's Tribal communities, lapses in funding threaten to close the doors of health clinics, food pantries, and childcare centers.

The Small Business Administration has stopped processing loans that help Nevada's small businesses and job creators thrive. Over 7,850 Nevada seniors who are enrolled in nutritional food programs and over 437,000 Nevadans who receive SNAP benefits are at risk of losing access to the food assistance that keeps them and their families healthy.

Real people, families, and communities are hurting. These are the people who do an honest day's work. They do an honest day's work, and they expect steady paychecks and a government to be led by a President who cares about their needs and their families' safety.

The solution to this is simple. Reopen the government and stop holding Federal workers hostage for political gain. They are not leverage. These are hard-working people who are committed to going to work every single day, if that is what they are told to do, to make sure our services run and that we are protected, for they are standing guard even though they are not getting paid.

As we go on about our day, I ask every single one of us, if you see them, to thank them. They are actually going to work and are not getting paid and can't pay their rent. For those who are furloughed and staying home, they are still struggling in the same way.

That is why I support what my colleagues have done in introducing legislation that provides the backpay that will be necessary to protect these families and make sure they get paid, legislation so we may look out for them and ensure that their credit does not get dinged because of a government shutdown they had no control over. Don't forget, there are going to be thousands of workers out there who will never get paid because they are contract workers, and we should be doing everything in this Congress to ensure that they are getting the support they need. People are having to look for second jobs, and some can't even look for second jobs because the Federal jobs they have don't even allow them to look for second jobs.

This is outrageous. This whole process is outrageous. There is a simple answer to all of this, and we know it. It is doing our jobs. I came to this Congress as a U.S. Senator. I believe in article I. I believe we are a coequal branch of government. We should not be abdicating to the executive branch. We should be doing our jobs. We know we can pass legislation that opens this government. We have already done it. We did it in the last session of Congress. There are many, in a bipartisan way, who want to do this. Let's just do our jobs. Let's show the rest of the country that this branch of government can govern and protect everyone.

It is very simple because I know, if we were to get together, pass these bills, and send them over to the President, then he would make his decision. If he were to decide to veto it, then we would override that veto. That is the process. That is the process our Founders and our Framers set up so no one branch of government could control. I hate to see the leadership here abdicating our role to another branch of government.

It is time for us to come together. Let's open this government. Let's do it now, and let's show these Federal workers they are not political pawns, that they are not leverage. Let's show them the respect and dignity they deserve.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I come forward today to recognize the

125th birthday of the Nevada Sagebrush, the independent student newspaper of the University of Nevada, Reno. Born out of a rebellion against the university's board of regents, the Nevada Sagebrush has been a strong and independent voice for the student body since October 19, 1893.

The paper has gone through several name changes throughout its long history. It was first known as the Student Record, then changed its name to the Sagebrush before the 18th volume was published in 1910 and finally, in 2004, became known as the Nevada Sagebrush. The newspaper has received an Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award several times, most recently during the 2014-15 school year, and the ACP Online Pacemaker Award in 2011.

The Nevada Sagebrush alumni have gone on to pursue successful careers in a variety of prominent fields. Its editorial alumni have distinguished records in journalism, literature, education, business, the military, and public service from the local level to the highest levels of State and Federal Government.

Among distinguished Sagebrush alumni, Alan Bible, the paper's managing editor in 1929, went on to become a U.S. Senator for Nevada from 1954-1974. Eva Adams, the woman who ran Bible's Senate office, was the Sagebrush business manager in 1928 and was appointed by President Kennedy to head the U.S. Mint, a position she held until 1969. Jim Joyce, the newspaper's editor from 1957-1958, served as the press secretary and later executive assistant to Senator Howard Cannon. Edward Allison, the news editor in 1960, served as chief of staff for Senator Paul Laxalt. Sig Rogich, an editor of the Sagebrush from 1965- 1966, served as a senior assistant to President H.W. Bush and was also the U.S. Ambassador to Iceland in 1992.

Many more Sagebrush alumni have gone on to serve and make an impact in the State of Nevada. Ruthe Deskin and Dondero Elementary Schools in Las Vegas were named after Ruthe Deskin, assistant to the publisher of the Las Vegas Sun for 50 years, and Harvey N. Dondero, a teacher and school principal in Nevada, both of whom wrote for the Nevada Sagebrush. Rollan Melton Elementary School and Earl Wooster High School in Reno also owe their namesake to alumni of this great newspaper.

Today, I celebrate the many contributions of the Nevada Sagebrush to the University of Nevada, Reno and to the State of Nevada. It is with pride that I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Nevada Sagebrush for giving students a strong and independent voice.