Floor Statements

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 264, S. 2685.

I further ask that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following Senate resolutions: S. Res. 512, S. Res. 513, and S. Res. 514.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Finally, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 19; 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 day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Fonzone nomination; further, that the cloture motions filed on December 13 ripen at 2:15 p.m.; that if cloture is invoked on either nomination, all postcloture time be considered expired and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nominations immediately following the invoking of cloture; that upon disposition of the nominations, the Senate execute the order of December 5 with respect to the Richard nomination and vote on confirmation of the nomination; further, that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Tuesday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

For the information of the Senate, there will be up to five rollcall votes beginning at 2:15 p.m.

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

Thereupon, the Senate, at 7:18 p.m., adjourned until Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at 11 a.m.

Mr. President, today, negotiators from the White House, Senate Democrats, and Senate Republicans will continue negotiations on a national security supplemental package. Yesterday, we had another round of productive conversations, and there was more progress. But of course, there is more work to do, and we are going to keep at it and keep at it.

Last night, I filed cloture on a couple of nominations to the Federal bench and the Department of Justice, with possible votes on these nominees as soon as tomorrow.

To my Republican colleagues who have said action on the border is urgent: Let's keep working to find a solution instead of rushing for the exits. If Republicans are serious about getting something done, they should not be so eager to go home. This may be our last best chance to get this legislation done.

After weeks of deadlock, we have seen significant progress over the past few days, and we should take advantage of the opportunity because we may not get one for quite a while. It is not easy to reach an agreement on something this complicated. But so much hangs on our success, so we need to try with everything we have.

The world is watching what Congress does right now. Our friends are watching. Our adversaries are watching even more closely. And most of all, Vladimir Putin is watching closely. He is eager to see us abandon Ukraine and thinks he is getting that done, working, in part, through Donald Trump.

Here is what Putin said a few hours ago about American aid to the Ukraine:

[T]he free stuff is going to run out someday, and it seems

it already is.

That, Mr. President, is Vladimir Putin taunting the Senate, taunting America. While Congress is mired in gridlock, Putin is on the other side of the world mocking our resolve.

In generations past, this would have been a no-brainer. Democrats and Republicans would have bent Heaven and Earth to stand up to Russian dictators. We spent half a century, spent billions and billions and billions of dollars, lost lives to safeguard the free world against the malicious spread of communism, against tyranny, and against those who undermine our values. Now we find ourselves at another moment in history when democracy is under siege.

We heard directly from President Zelenskyy 2 days ago about what is at stake if we fail. So fail we must not. There is too much on the line for Ukraine, for America, for Western democracy to throw in the towel right now. We must keep talking. We must keep working.

Our Republican friends must be reasonable. They must show they are serious about getting something done, and we have had serious discussions in the last few days. Democrats are willing to keep trying. I urge my Republican colleagues to do just the same.

Mr. President, now, on NDAA, last night, for the 62nd year running, the Senate passed our annual Defense Authorization Act with a strong bipartisan vote, 87 to 13. The Senate's bipartisan package of the Defense bill stands in glaring contrast with the partisan race to the bottom we are seeing in the House.

Just look at the difference between these two bodies. While the Senate is strengthening America's national security, House Republicans are wasting time on a clown-car impeachment inquiry that will get nowhere. The House Republican impeachment inquiry is the definition of ``unserious.''

The House should be looking at the Senate right now for an example of how both sides can work together in a meaningful way to pass serious legislation to improve the lives of the American people.

Now, as I have said repeatedly, we began the month of December with three major goals here in the Senate before the end of the year. First, we had to end the blockade of hundreds of military nominees. We have done that. Second, we needed to pass the NDAA. We did that last night. And finally and, of course, hardest of all, we must reach an agreement on a national security supplemental.

Democrats are still trying to reach an agreement. We have had productive talks with Republicans today, but of course we have a lot of work left to do. We are going to keep working. This is too important not to.

I yield the floor.

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

Now, Mr. President, over the last few days, negotiations on a path forward to getting a national security supplemental done have made good progress. As I have said, if we believe something is important and urgent, we should stay and get the job done. That is certainly the case with the supplemental. It is important. It is urgent.

I spoke with Leader McConnell this morning about the plan for next week and making sure the Senate continues to do our work.

So, for the information of all Senators, after we finish today, the Senate will return on Monday. That will give negotiators from the White House, Senate Democrats, and Senate Republicans time to work through the weekend in an effort to reach a framework agreement. It will then take some time to turn that framework into text.

To prevent unnecessary delays, I intend to move to reconsider the shell for the supplemental, as a vehicle, to move an agreement forward. The plan is for the Senate to act as soon as we are ready to move forward on the supplemental.

Members need to be here next week. We have to get this done. Our Republican colleagues who have said action on the border is so urgent should have no problem with continuing to work next week. We hope to come to an agreement. But no matter what, Members should be aware that we will vote on a supplemental proposal next week.

Mr. President, it is not easy to reach an agreement on something this complicated. This might be one of the most difficult things we have ever had to work through. But we all know that so much--so much--hangs on our success. We know the world is watching. We know autocrats like Putin and Xi are

hoping for us to fail. So we need to try, with everything we have, to get the job done.

I will update Senators when more information about schedule becomes available.

Nomination of Jerry Edwards, Jr.

I yield the floor.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

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

Mr. President, tonight, just in time for the holidays, the Senate is giving our military, our military families, a present: the justice and backpay they so richly earned and deserved. Finally, we are able to right the wrong of Senator Tuberville's illogical, hurtful, and dangerous holds and the massive impacts the holds had on military families.

These men and women have worked so hard for our country for so long. And just because of Senator Tuberville, in a really nasty--and whimsical, almost--holding back of their promotions, they weren't getting paid.

Well, tonight, at long last, we are giving these military families-- families that have already sacrificed so much--the justice they deserve: their backpay. And it is a good night for them, and it is a good night for America. America is keeping its promise and saying to these men and women: You served us well. You don't deserve to be penalized in any way at all.

And so, Mr. President, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3553, introduced earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 214, 431, and 432; 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; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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.

Madam President, I have four 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:

Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. President, I now ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.