Floor Statements

Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 1097.

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

Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, September 19, be waived.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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 when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Tuesday, September 20; 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 Pan nomination, postcloture; further, all postcloture time on the Pan nomination be considered expired at 11:30 a.m. and, following the disposition of the Pan nomination, the Senate recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; further, at 2:30 p.m., the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the resolution of ratification with respect to Treaty document No. 117-1; finally, 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 that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Madam President, now I have a few short remarks to say on marriage equality.

Negotiators have been meeting practically every single day. Senate negotiators, Democrat and Republican, have been meeting practically every single day this week to find a path forward. There will be a meeting later today between both sides, and I look forward to seeing what progress Republicans make to reach the magic number of 10. The onus is right now on our Republican colleagues to demonstrate they are serious about passing marriage equality into law. Every single Democrat is for it, but, of course, we need 60 votes.

Let me be clear. My No. 1 priority is to pass legislation. It is an issue that will have profound consequences for millions of Americans in same-sex marriages and who identify as LGBTQ. To downplay this issue, to let it pass by or to act as if we can put it off for another time is not the right thing to

do. We should do it now. That is why we are so eager to get 10 Republicans to support the bill.

And across the street from here, we have all heard Justice Clarence Thomas and his fellow MAGA Republican Justices are surely waiting for the chance to one day follow through on his threat--Justice Thomas's threat to drag same-sex marriage rights back under the spotlight of the Supreme Court. That thought should send a shiver down all of our spines.

So I want to thank my colleagues, from Senators Baldwin to Sinema to Collins and others, for continuing their talks. I am glad to give them the space to lead these negotiations because this needs to be done and done right. But for the sake of tens of millions of Americans, we need to get this done, and I hope we have 10 Republicans who are willing to raise their hands and push this process forward.

Madam President, last night, as most Americans were in bed asleep, freight rail companies and unions representing tens of thousands of workers secured a tentative agreement that will keep the trains running on time and keep our economy moving. And the best part is that union leadership representing tens of thousands of railway workers, who have worked themselves to the bone over the course of the pandemic, seem to have secured the higher pay and better working conditions for their members. Railway workers have earned that pay and those benefits through blood, sweat, and tears, and I hope it will make it easier for other workers in future negotiations to secure stronger benefits.

This is exactly the sort of outcome that will keep our economy going, our supply chains running, and, most importantly, our workers well- taken care of. The episode is a reminder of an evergreen truth that people underappreciate even now: Workers are what make the wheels of our economy turn--in this case, literally.

I want to thank President Biden and Secretary Walsh, who was steadfast and dedicated, and in a word that we have used for our Senate caucus, he persisted and persisted and persisted. I want to thank every single union representative and railworker who negotiated in good faith to reach this outcome.

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 thank my colleagues from Oklahoma and Nebraska for letting us go forward.

In a few moments, I will file cloture on a measure that will get the Senate to approve the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

This important amendment, which already has been agreed to by 120 countries, will affirm our Nation's commitment to curb the use of dangerous hydrofluorocarbons, HFCs. These hypertoxic chemicals are regularly found, unfortunately, in everyday appliances from air conditioners to refrigerators.

In December of 2020, we passed the AIM Act, which took a drastic step to limit HFCs and was one of the most significant climate accomplishments ever, of course, until we passed the Inflation Reduction Act a month ago.

HFCs need to be dealt with as soon as possible because they are thousands--thousands--of times more damaging to our atmosphere than carbon dioxide. So this is a very important opportunity for the Senate to make official America's intention to phase these dangerous chemicals out of use.

Approving this amendment will require two-thirds of the Senate. Reducing our country's use of HFCs has been a bipartisan priority in the past, so both parties should work together to accelerate passage of this measure.

Also, I will file on the nomination of Judge Florence Pan to serve as a circuit court judge for the D.C. Circuit, one of the most important judicial appointments we can make. After the Supreme Court, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is the most important Federal court in the country with jurisdiction over cases involving Congress and the entire executive branch. The judges who preside on the D.C. Circuit must be individuals of high character, unassailable qualifications.

A few months ago, we elevated someone who meets these standards when confirming Michelle Childs to the bench, and we intend to do it again with Judge Pan's nomination.

Looking ahead, confirming even more of the President's judicial nominees will be a priority for the Senate.

Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 1067.

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

Madam President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

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

I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, September 15, be waived.

I ask unanimous consent that the filing deadline for first-degree amendments to Calendar No. 2, Treaty Document No. 117-1 be at 4 p.m. on Monday, September 9.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 1066, 1141, 1142, 1143, 1144; all nominations on the Secretary's desk in the Foreign Service; 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.

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.

I ask unanimous consent that the Secretary of the Senate be authorized to request the House of Representatives to return the papers on S. 1198; further, upon receipt of the bill from the House, the Senate's actions on September 8, 2022, with respect to S. 1198, be vitiated; that the Senate then proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1198; that the committee-reported substitute be withdrawn, the Tester substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all without intervening action or debate.