Floor Statements

Mr. President, now on CHIPS and Science, today, President Biden will be in Arizona to visit the construction site for what will become one of the largest chip manufacturing plants in America. What was originally announced to be a $12 billion investment will now be a $40 billion project, with the first chip fab set to open a year from now.

This is one of the highly visible examples of how the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act is already paying dividends for the economy, for job creators, and for American workers. It is a good sign for a new age of chip manufacturing in this country.

We used to lead the world in making microchips, and thanks to the CHIPS and Science Act, we are already seeing the types of investments that will make America a major hub--the major hub, hopefully--for chip manufacturing once again.

The construction site that President Biden visits today is just one example of some very exciting activity happening all across the country. In my home State of New York, Micron has pledged up to $100 billion over the next two decades to build state-of-the-art semiconductor fabs in New York. Another major company, GlobalFoundries, has announced they will build a second fab in the Albany region of Upstate New York.

Of course, the benefits extend across America. We are seeing chipmakers announce multibillion-dollar investments in States ranging from Ohio to Colorado, to Texas, to Arizona--the Arizona one Mark Kelly did a great job of championing--to Idaho. In nearly all cases, executives have explicitly cited the passage of CHIPS and Science as a major factor in their decision to build big in America.

Though these many investments range in size and type, the bottom line on CHIPS and Science is this: more American jobs, increased American manufacturing, a stronger American economy in the long run. This bill is about innovating and building the future in the United States, not in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.

As always, I thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle who pushed this bill over the finish line. We are already reaping the immense benefits, and there will be many more to come.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, we have 26 days left in the calendar year, and there is still a lot we have to do.

This week, the House is expected to take up the annual Defense authorization bill, priming the Senate to take action, perhaps as soon as next week.

The Senate's work on funding the government also continues. I just finished a meeting with the Republican leader about finding a constructive path forward to keep the government funded next fiscal year. Leader McConnell and I have both publically affirmed the importance of getting this done, because our troops, our military, and our national security depends on it.

And this Wednesday, in fact, the Senate will hold another classified briefing on the state of play in Ukraine, and I hope that my colleagues recognize how funding the government is inextricably tied supporting Ukraine while protecting American national security here at home. The two are tied together.

So we are going to continue negotiations until we get the job done on funding the government. Both sides recognize the importance, so now both sides must chart a path forward together.

Mr. President, on judges, the Senate is just a few confirmation votes away from reaching another milestone. Soon, we will confirm our 90th Federal judge under President Biden.

I want to thank my colleague, chair of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Durbin for his diligence and hard work in this area of getting nominees appointed to the bench.

We vote today on judge No. 88, Doris Pryor, tapped by the President to serve as U.S. circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit. She will be the 26th--the 26th--circuit court judge the Senate confirms in the last 2 years.

These appointments are critical. Even though a conservative majority presides on the Supreme Court, the bulk of all Federal cases are still resolved by circuit court judges.

If confirmed, Judge Pryor will make history as the first woman of color from Indiana ever to sit on the Seventh Circuit. One judge at a time, the Senate continues fulfilling its mission of making sure our courts reflect the diversity and dynamism of America.

A graduate of University of Central Arkansas and Indiana School of Law, Judge Pryor served as a clerk for both the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and for the Eastern District of Arkansas, before turning to public defense.

She has also more than a decade of experience as a Federal prosecutor, focusing on national security and prosecuting individuals who sought aid to terrorist organizations.

When not involved in donning the black robe of a jurist, Judge Pryor is deeply involved in the Indianapolis community, founding youth programs, mentoring future lawyers, and helping the formerly incarcerated to re-enter civilian life.

In short, Judge Pryor has the brains of a jurist and the heart of a public servant--a perfect combination for someone serving a lifetime appointment on the bench.

I look forward to her confirmation today, and Democrats will continue making judicial nominations a top priority in the new year.

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

Madam President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 1238.

Madam President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Madam President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 1183.

Madam President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Madam President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 1146.

Madam President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, December 5, be waived.

Madam President, I ask that the scheduled vote occur immediately.

Madam President, yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a joint resolution that will ensure our railroads continue to operate and our economy continues to function as the holiday season commences.

Last night, I invoked rule XIV to place that resolution directly onto the legislative Calendar. Senators are working morning, noon, and night to reach an agreement for us to act on this measure ASAP. The Senate cannot leave until we get the job done, and Democrats will keep working with Republicans to find a path forward that everyone can support.

One of my top priorities is holding a vote to provide rail workers with the paid sick leave many of them have asked for. I support paid sick leave. My Democratic colleagues support paid sick leave, and we want to see it included in the package. We hope some of our Republican colleagues will join us.

Forcing workers to choose between their health and their livelihoods is unacceptable, and for that reason, Democrats--myself included--think it should be included.

One thing is certain--one thing is certain--time is of the essence. A rail shutdown is set to begin December 9, but the truth is, we need to resolve this impasse well in advance of that date.

Suppliers and businesses across the Nation are going to begin shutting down operations soon if they think a strike is imminent. They are not going to wait until December 9. They are not going to put something on a railcar in Seattle on December 7 that may be stuck in Peoria on December 9 because there is a rail strike, even when it is headed, say, to the East Coast. So for the suppliers and businesses, the date, the drop-dead date, if you will, before damage occurs is a lot sooner than December 9. And there would be painful disruptions to the economy before December 9 if we didn't act soon.

The consequences of inaction would be severe: unsafe drinking water, unusable gasoline, shuttered powerplants, and a crippling shutdown of passenger rail across the country. And those are just a few of the myriad of problems, serious problems, that would occur if there is a rail shutdown.

In that scenario, nobody wins; everybody loses. So the responsible thing to do here is to move forward and do everything we can to include paid sick leave. Again, we must keep working until the task is complete.