Floor Statements

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, Members are working around the clock to finish the year on a strong note. This week, the Senate will consider the bipartisan National Defense Authorization bill, which I hope we will send to the President's desk very soon. The NDAA has consistently been a bipartisan effort, and that is my expectation this year too.

On the nominations front, we are going to keep working as long as we can to confirm as many exceptional Biden nominees as possible. Since the start of the Biden administration, we have confirmed a total of 95--95--judicial nominees to the bench, including 1 Supreme Court Justice, 68 district judges, and 26--26--circuit court judges.

Let me say that again. Over the past 2 years, we have confirmed 95 new judges to the bench, including 26 circuit court judges, surpassing the first 2 years of the past two administrations.

Today, we will confirm judge No. 96 when we vote on Tamika Montgomery-Reeves to serve as a circuit judge on the Third Circuit. An alumnus of the University of Mississippi and Georgia Law School, Judge Montgomery-Reeves served as a clerk in Delaware before embarking on a successful career in private practice. In 2005, she was appointed to the Delaware Court of Chancery and then to the State supreme court in 2020, becoming the first Black woman to ever serve in either court.

When confirmed, Judge Montgomery-Reeves will join in the proud company of so many other Biden appointees who, little by little, are reshaping our courts for the better. Of the 95 judges we have confirmed to date, 71 are women, about 75 percent; 65 are people of color, almost 70 percent; 45 are women of color, nearly 50 percent; and 23 are Black women, nearly 25 percent.

We have never seen a class of new judges that brings so much diversity, variety, and dynamism in a single 2-year stretch.

And, of course, it is not just the diversity of demography that matters. In the last 2 years, the Senate has confirmed more civil rights lawyers, public defenders, election attorneys, immigration lawyers than we typically see in this Chamber. It is a big reason today why our courts are more balanced and more dynamic and more experienced than they were 2 years ago.

You can be sure that judges will remain a top priority in the Congress to come. More judges mean a more balanced judiciary, and a more balanced judiciary will mean greater trust in our courts in the long run--so important for our country at this moment in time because the MAGA Supreme Court and so many of these other MAGA judges have caused people to lose faith in the courts.

Madam President, on the omni, as we keep working on confirming more judges and advancing the defense authorization bill, both sides also continue negotiating a deal for a yearlong

omnibus. Over the weekend, appropriators held positive and productive conversations, enough that both sides are moving forward in good faith to reach a deal, even if it is not going to be everything both sides want.

Later this week, Members should be prepared to take quick action on a CR, a 1-week CR, so we can give appropriators more time to finish a full funding bill before the holidays.

I am optimistic we could take action on a CR rather quickly and avoid the shutdown that neither side wants--and that is a 1-week CR. The benefits of an omnibus are as many as the number of citizens in America.

All of us are better off when the government is fully equipped to provide vital services millions rely on. One group who very much needs an omnibus are our veterans.

Last week, the VA wrote Congress a letter warning that a CR would mean a $10 billion shortfall for the VA. That means fewer healthcare workers on the job, it would mean a surge in the backlog of claims, and, God forbid, it would throw a wrench in the VA's plan to implement something that we are also proud that we passed on a bipartisan basis this summer: the PACT Act.

There is no reason we need to go down this road. The brave Americans who have served our country in uniform should never have to suffer the consequences of failing to fund the government; but, unfortunately, that is the risk they face as of right now if we don't finish the job.

So to all my colleagues, let's continue negotiations in good faith. Both sides are going to have to give in order to get it done, but it will be worth it if it means doing right by our veterans, our servicemembers in uniforms, our kids, their families. That is what is at stake here in this process to fund the government.

Madam President, finally, on anti-Semitism, earlier today I had the honor of addressing a gathering organized by the Orthodox Union in New York, to address the dangers--serious dangers--of rising anti-Semitism. Over the past two months, American Jews have watched in horror as numerous public figures, from entertainers all the way to former President Trump, have fanned the flames of anti-Semitism through their words and conduct.

It is a sad reminder that after decades of hard-won progress, unfortunately, sadly, anti-Semitism is on a resurgence here in America. We see anti-Semitism not only through slurs and graffiti and threats, all of which are abhorrent and unacceptable, but also physical violence against our Jewish brothers and sisters, sometimes tragically deadly-- Poway, Jersey City, Monsey, Pittsburgh. And not to mention the weekly attacks against synagogues and schools and Jewish communities that never reach the spotlight. All American Jews know and remember these names. They are seared in our memories. And unless we can come together as a community and as a country to address this crisis, I fear we will soon have to add more names to the list.

Of course, I have personal experience about this kind of anti- Semitism in terms of my family. My great-grandparents lived in a place in western Ukraine. They had 18 children, believing devoutly in the Bible and God's first command to man, which was ``be fruitful and multiply.''

My grandfather was one of three of those 18 who came to America, but the other 15 stayed there. And when the Nazis came into western Ukraine, they told my great-grandmother--her husband had been a well- known Jewish scholar and had passed away--and they told my great- grandmother to gather her larger family on the porch. Thirty-five people gathered on the porch from ages 85 to 4 months. The Nazis said: Come with us. She was a tough lady, she said: We are not moving. And they machine-gunned every one of them down.

These are the stakes. When the former President of the United States welcomes, at his own dinner table, several vicious anti-Semites, and then rather than apologize, he lectures American Jewish leaders for insufficient loyalty, it is incumbent on all of us to speak out.

I am proud of many Jewish organizations that did speak out, some of them former strong allies of the former President. It has made a big difference.

Now, of course, America's roots of democracy are far deeper than those that existed in Europe. But the lesson of history is we must speak out against bigotry of all types or it grows. Its evil seed grows.

I shudder--I shudder--to think of what it would mean for the safety of our children, their children, and their children after that if the ideology elevated by the former President were to continue to seep into our society like a poison. Every single one of us, without exception, has an obligation to call out the poison of anti-Semitism and all other bigotries wherever they arise.

To tolerate them and let them grow risks horrors that we have seen in the past around the globe and we don't want to see in the future.

I yield the floor.

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 have one request 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 ask unanimous consent that at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 13, the Senate proceed to legislative session; that the time until 7 p.m. be for debate equally divided between the two leaders or their designees on the motion to discharge S.J. Res. 56 from the Committee on Foreign Relations, with 30 minutes under the control of Senator Sanders and 10 minutes under the control of Senator Menendez; and that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate vote on the motion to discharge the joint resolution.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further consideration of S. 5066 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.

Mr. President, finally, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 13, and that following the prayer and the 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 Douglas nomination, with the time until 12 noon for debate on the nomination; further, that at 12 noon, the Senate vote on confirmation of the Douglas nomination and that the Senate recess following the confirmation vote until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; further, that at 2:15 p.m., the Senate vote on confirmation of the Shambaugh nomination, with 2 minutes prior to the vote equally divided in the usual form; 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.

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 following the remarks of Senators Sullivan and Murkowski.

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

Mr. President, now, earlier this morning, the Senate Democratic caucus held elections to determine party leadership for the 118th Congress. With gratitude and humility, I am happy to say I have been unanimously elected, once again, as the Democratic leader.

I want to thank every Member of my caucus for entrusting me with this awesome responsibility. My admiration and affection for every Member of my caucus is really limitless. They are my friends, my compadres, my companions. We work together. We are an amazing unit. With only 50 votes ranging, of course, from Joe Manchin to Bernie Sanders, we have compiled one of the greatest legislative sessions in this century and even the last one in what we have done. And next year we will continue to try to do great things for our country in the next 2 years.

I also wish to congratulate and thank my colleagues who form our caucus's leadership, especially Senator Schatz for becoming its newest member. I also want to thank Senator Murray for her incredible work as assistant Democratic leader in the 117th Congress and congratulate her on becoming President pro tem-designate, succeeding Senator Leahy, who will soon retire.

I also wish to thank my staff. They are the greatest. They are just the greatest. They have advised me and guided me over the last 2 years and helped me prepare for the Congress to come.

I would not want to go through a 50-50 Senate with anyone but them. They are remarkable, hard-working, brilliant, and just fine human beings, as well, who really care. It has been such a privilege, honor, and joy to work with them. We must now look to the future. Our focus in the Congress to come shall be no different from our focus in the Congress that concludes: getting things done for the American people.

We want to keep this Chamber active, alive, and busy, as much as possible. I make a clarion call to my Republican colleagues: reject MAGA and work with us in the years to come. We have made huge strides this Congress, and I hope we can build on that because the problems of our country are many and run deep. When Americans saw us working on real issues this year, they responded positively and trusted this majority with 2 more years at the helm.

Now, it is clear that many on the other side of the aisle, our Republican friends, are unhappy with the way their party has been doing business. Some of the Republicans want to pull the party even more in a MAGA direction. That is a recipe for disaster, for their party and the country. But there are many others who know driving down the MAGA road is like following Thelma and Louise off the cliff.

We very much want to work with that group that understands that we have got to get things done in a bipartisan way and just railing and shrieking and decrying with no solutions and pure anger ain't the way to go, and it is not the way the American people want us to go.

So I urge my non-MAGA Republican colleagues to reject extremism, reject MAGA, and embrace bipartisanship. Don't just block bills next Congress for the sake of gridlock. Let us come to the table and find ways to move forward together.

Our differences run deep. Our disagreements are frequent. But that does not diminish the importance of working alongside one another when necessary to improve the lives of the American people.

I have no doubt that if we give it a good-faith effort, we can be very successful--successful beyond what anyone would think right now.

To the skeptics and the naysayers all I have to say, when you say we can't do this, I say look at the record of the last 2 years. In a 50-50 Senate, both sides found ways to pass the most ambitious legislative agenda, as I mentioned before, in a very long time--one of the most ambitious in decades and decades.

We got infrastructure done. We reformed the post office. We reauthorized VAWA. We ended forced arbitration for sexual harassment. We passed anti-lynching legislation and helped our shipping supply lanes. After the shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, we defied the NRA and passed the first major gun safety bill in over 30 years. Together we approved the CHIPS and Science Act, passed the PACT Act, ratified the accession of Finland and Sweden into NATO, and stood with our friends in Ukraine. And a few weeks ago, we came together to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, which the House is set to approve today.

Of course, when we do not agree, Democrats will go at it alone, as we did for the Inflation Reduction Act. I know both parties fiercely disagree on the role of the government in tackling these problems, such as environment and prescription drug costs. But even

then I hope the other side would agree that lowering costs for seniors, lowering energy costs for families, and finding ways to preserve the planet are worthy causes that merit the attention of responsible legislators.

So let me say it again: I urge my Republican colleagues who are tired of MAGA, who know it is a formula for disaster, who know that it is, while embraced fiercely by a small group of extremists, it is not where the majority of Americans or even where the majority of Republicans want to go.

We have been reminded again and again that the extreme MAGA agenda is not only toxic but dangerous to our democracy. It condones and sometimes lies right in bed with those who urge violence to hurt America and destroy our democracy.

But, thank God, the American people have rejected that. If there is any lesson to derive from the midterms, that is certainly one of them. The American people don't like MAGA. They don't like hard-right nastiness. They don't like threats to democracy.

Look, I know the other side will not rid itself of MAGA overnight. And, unfortunately, some on the other side are hell-bent on doubling down on MAGA, but for the sake of the country and for the sake of the future of the Republican Party, we need to find ways to work together.

To borrow from a quote attributed to Sam Rayburn, anyone can kick a barn down, but it takes a good carpenter to build one back up. He, supposedly, used slightly more colorful language. I won't repeat that here, but you get the point.

I hope that good carpenters exist on both sides because there is still a lot of rebuilding to do across this country, and new building, new frontiers to launch bravely toward. As majority leader, I will do my best to find opportunities for both sides to work together.

So let us move forward together with fearlessness, with clarity of purpose, and with a ceaseless hunger to reward the trust that Americans have placed in all of us.

I thank my Democratic colleagues for the trust they have placed in me. I congratulate every single member of the leadership, and now let's roll up our sleeves and get back to work.

Mr. President, I thank Senator Leahy for so many things he does, including his recent brief remarks a few minutes ago. We all know how much we are going to miss Senator Leahy in this body and what a tower of strength and accomplishment he has been. But we will

have more to say about that even--tonight or tomorrow night?--tomorrow night at the retirement dinner.

Today, Mr. President, the Senate reaches an important milestone. We will confirm our 89th and 90th judicial nominees to serve lifetime appointments on the Federal bench. Starting at noon, the Senate will hold a total of four rollcall votes throughout the afternoon on the nominations of Frances Behm to the Eastern District of Michigan and Kelley Hodge to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

We are on pace to finish this year with more judges confirmed to the bench than were confirmed in the first 2 years of either of the previous two administrations. These nominees stand out not just in their numbers but also in their groundbreaking diversity. Almost 50 percent of the judges we have confirmed are women of color--50 percent. That has never happened before, and I am confident that a more diverse bench will go a long way in cultivating trust in our courts and in our democracy.

Just as important, once we confirm the nominations of Tamika Montgomery-Reeves and Dana Douglas very soon, the Senate will also have confirmed a total of 11 Black women to serve as appellate judges, by far the most ever under any single President.

Before President Biden, only 8 such nominees had been confirmed in total, and now, in our first 2 years, we are already on the brink of confirming 11.

Today, our Federal judiciary is far more balanced, far more diverse, and far more experienced than the one our country had 2 years ago. It is something we are very proud of. You can rest assured, Mr. President, that Senate Democrats are going to maintain this priority on judges as the 118th Congress begins next year.

Mr. President, on government funding, off the floor, negotiations continue between both parties on charting a path toward fully funding the government for the next fiscal year. I spent much of the day yesterday going from one meeting to the next, sitting down first with Leader McConnell and his team and then with Speaker Pelosi and her team, and I stayed on the phone throughout the evening as Senators worked to bridge the gap on funding.

We are working very hard on getting something done before the deadline, but there is a lot of negotiating left to do. Both sides understand that fully funding the government is extremely important and anything less risks harm to our troops and the Federal Government's ability to serve the public. We don't want to see that outcome so both sides must remain at the table and continue working.

Tomorrow, Senators will attend a classified briefing on the latest developments on the war in Ukraine. I hope it sinks in for all Members in attendance just how critical U.S. aid has been, not just for our allies but for our own protection. I hope it sinks in that this is one of the most important reasons why we must reach an agreement.

It is not an easy process, but it is supremely important nonetheless. For the well-being of our troops, for the preservation of our national security, and for the tens of millions of Americans who look to the Federal Government for a wide range of basic services, Democrats and Republicans must work together to fully fund the Federal Government.