Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the names of our current pages be printed in the Record.

Thank you, Pages, for your good work, and have a good life.

Let me just say to the pages, today is your final day in your class. It has been a very busy session, but you pages have done a great job bringing the Senate to life.

The pages are always here when we need them: early in the mornings and late into the evenings. They have served this institution with grace and dignity, and it is an honor to have you with us.

On behalf of a grateful Senate, we say thank you and wish you all the best as you return home, move on to your next adventures. And again, to repeat, have a good life.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 533, submitted earlier today.

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 with no intervening action or debate.

Finally, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned to convene for a pro forma session only, with no business conducted, at 9 a.m. on Friday, January 26; further, that when the Senate adjourns on Friday, it stand adjourned until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30; 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; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Kolar nomination and that all time be considered expired at 5:30 p.m.; further, that the cloture motions filed during today's session ripen on Wednesday, January 31; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Tuesday's session, 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 that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. President, well, the latest round of Ukrainian security assistance was a $250 million package that included 155mm rounds, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, and other critical weapons that have been crucial for Ukraine on the battlefield. That announcement was made on December 27. That is 28 days ago--4 weeks. Since then, no more aid--no more aid--has been sent to Ukraine. And there won't be more unless Congress acts.

In the meantime, it has been reported that Russia is beginning to restock its own supplies with help from North Korea, including North Korean missiles.

Right now, Senate negotiators on both sides are working furiously to approve another round of Ukraine aid by finalizing our national security supplemental package. This package would not only deliver a lifeline for Ukraine, it would secure our border, send aid to Israel, provide humanitarian assistance for innocent civilians in Gaza, and shore up security in the Indo-Pacific. Our supplemental is a prescription for addressing America's top security threats around the globe.

Now, it has been a busy and productive week for the negotiators. They have continued working nonstop on issues that are still outstanding. Each

day, we get a little closer, but there are still issues to be resolved. But one thing is certain: We are going to keep going to get this done.

I have remained in touch with my Senate colleagues, with Leader McConnell, and the White House every step of the way. The goal, of course, is to come up with a proposal that can get at least 60 votes in the Senate. That means both sides must accept they won't get everything they want. It means that maximalist demands, stonewall tactics, and attempts to sabotage negotiations before they even finish must be shunned by the membership of this body. There is too much at stake to play those games.

There are some on the fringes who are, unfortunately, though, trying to do precisely that: to sink this supplemental package from afar. But in the Senate, both sides have an obligation to ensure those voices stay in the minority. Many of the voices who are making suggestions that they don't like are not voting for this anyway--anyway.

It is not going to be easy to get over the finish line. But Senate Democrats are going to stay the course--stay the course--until the job is done.

President Biden, on numerous occasions, has stated he is willing to work with Republicans in a big way on immigration. And for over 2 months, Democrats have shown we are serious about reaching an agreement by remaining at the negotiating table. So we will keep going because Senators don't need to be reminded of the consequences should we fail.

Like I said, the last round of Ukrainian aid happened on December 27. If we don't act, Ukraine will fall and make the world a much more dangerous place for America. And every day, Americans will feel the impact--not years but months away.

Since the start of the war, Putin has bet that sooner or later, the United States would throw in the towel. They doubt Western resolve. They doubt American strength. Just last month, Putin speculated on Russian television that ``the free stuff is going to run out some day, and it seems it already is.'' That is what Putin is saying. He is gloating that we are not giving Ukraine the aid it needs. His allies are certainly helping him.

The Senate has an obligation to make sure Putin regrets the day he questioned America's resolve, and that is putting the focus on what we are doing in this Chamber.

We have an obligation to answer the call to defend democracy in its hour of need. We have an obligation to help our friends fighting for their survival.

We must--must--finish the work on the supplemental. We are not there yet, but we will continue working.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Madam President, I have seven requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the order of January 24, 1901, the traditional reading of Washington's Farewell Address take place on Monday, February 26, 2024, following the prayer and pledge.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be discharged from further consideration of S. 2853 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Madam President, in conclusion, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 25; 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; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Lund nomination; further, that the cloture motion on the Sherriff nomination ripen upon the disposition of the Lund nomination, and that if cloture is invoked on the Sherriff nomination, all time be considered expired and the confirmation vote be at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the Republican leader; further, that following the cloture vote on the Sherriff nomination, the Senate resume consideration of the Kolar nomination and that the cloture motion ripen at 1:45 p.m.; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Thursday's session, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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

Mr. President, and now to today's remarks. Senate negotiators continue their work on a truly significant undertaking: reaching a bipartisan agreement to protect America's national security, to strengthen our border, and to provide critical aid to Ukraine, Israel, and our friends and partners abroad, as well as humanitarian aid for the Palestinians in Gaza and humanitarian aid to other places around the world.

We are close to reaching a bipartisan agreement on the supplemental, but we are not there yet. Negotiators are still working through some outstanding items. All of us want to reach an agreement, but it is very important that we get this right. So I am heartened that negotiations are in a good place, even as we have more work to do.

I have stayed in close touch with my Senate colleagues, with the Republican leader, and with the White House, and we are all on the same page that we want to reach an agreement. The President said he is willing to work with Republicans in a big way on border security. For the last 2 months, Democrats have demonstrated that we are willing to have this very difficult debate.

It is not easy. In fact, border security is one of the most difficult things we

have undertaken, but Democrats are serious about getting something done.

But as I have said from the beginning, any outcome on the border has to be bipartisan. It has to be something that can get 60 votes in the Senate. We believe we can get it done, so we are going to keep working.

Now, there are many on the hard right who are trying desperately to kill these negotiations before they even finish. Many of them are motivated by naked partisanship; others are taking cues from Donald Trump. These hard-right saboteurs talk on and on about the need to fix the border, but now they don't actually want to see a bipartisan solution on the border--which is the only kind of solution, of course, that can pass.

But here in the Senate, both sides have an obligation to make sure these hard-right voices stay in the minority. We must let the negotiators finish their work. Too much--too much--hangs in the balance for our national security, for our border, for our friends around the world.

This is especially true for the war in Ukraine. Very soon, we will reach the 2-year mark since Putin commenced his illegal invasion, and the war now stands at a turning point. American aid, which has been so crucial for helping our Ukrainian friends hold the line, has been exhausted. The only way to provide more aid is through Congressional action, and it is essential that Congress acts because as Ukraine's supplies run low, Russia's supplies are replenishing.

According to a report yesterday, weapons from North Korea are now making their way to the battlefield, including North Korean missiles. The more weapons from North Korea that enter the war, the more precious resources Ukraine will be forced to use to shoot these weapons down, resources that are already in short supply.

In fact, Ukrainian commanders have already said they have been forced to ration munitions because they don't know when--or if--another round of American aid is coming their way.

So, to my Senate colleagues, it is quite simple. As President Zelenskyy himself told us over a month ago, if the U.S. Congress approves more aid to Ukraine, they can win the war against Putin. But if Congress fails to act, Ukraine faces defeat.

And make no mistake, a defeat for Ukraine will make the world a more dangerous place for the United States. Whatever costs we bear to resist Putin today will be magnified in the future.

We dare not go down that road. We dare not shrink from our obligations to defend democracy in its hour of need.

Our friends in Ukraine need our help. So we must answer their call by finishing work on the supplemental.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk that is due for a second reading.

In order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to further proceedings.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.