Floor Statements

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 154, S. 2293.

I ask unanimous consent 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 laid and made upon the table.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 81, S. 693.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be

considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 2796 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Ossoff substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to consideration of S. Res. 476, submitted earlier today.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

Finally, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 9; 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 resume consideration of the House message to accompany S. 610; further, that if cloture is invoked on the motion to concur in the House message to accompany S. 610, that it be as if invoked at 1 a.m., Thursday, December 9; finally, that all time during adjournment, recess, morning business, and leader remarks count postcloture.

For information of Senators, the vote on the motion to concur will be at approximately 12:30 p.m.

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

Mr. President, on Jessica Rosenworcel, the Senate will vote to confirm a remarkable, highly experienced, and historic nominee: Jessica Rosenworcel to be the Chair of the FCC, the Federal Communications Commission. Ms. Rosenworcel has served as a Commissioner at the FCC for nearly a decade, the past 10 months as Acting Chair.

I believe she will receive great bipartisan support as she becomes the first woman ever confirmed by this Chamber to lead the FCC. Ms. Rosenworcel is exactly the right person for the job in 2021. She has set herself apart as one of the Nation's leading champions for more affordable and accessible internet.

After the FCC repealed net neutrality during the Trump administration, the best thing the Senate can do is confirm someone with a proven record of standing on the side of American consumers.

Ms. Rosenworcel will also step in as Chair at a time when the FCC is carrying out the important task of expanding broadband to millions of Americans who have long been left behind. Ms. Rosenworcel is keenly aware of the immense damage that the digital divide has caused our country. It has shut out rural, urban, and low-income Americans, including far too many women and people of color for whom basic internet access remains unavailable or unaffordable, even as it is a necessity in the 21st century.

Ms. Rosenworcel has long focused on these issues, and I am confident that,

under her leadership, the FCC will make immense progress in addressing these challenges.

Americans don't want to see their internet bills go up and up and up. They don't want to have to drive long distances at late hours just so their kids can finish homework at public libraries. And they want telemedicine to be available so they can be in the best of health.

No. Every American wants and deserves fast, affordable, and reliable internet access directly in their homes. Already this year, as a result of the President's infrastructure bill, we have made tremendous strides in closing the digital divide. We will build on that progress by confirming Ms. Rosenworcel today so that Americans can rest assured that they will have an FCC fighting for them.

Mr. President, I want to begin today with a short update on the debt ceiling. Over the past few days, we have made good progress on this issue, and I am optimistic that we will be able to prevent the awful prospect of the U.S. defaulting on its sovereign debt for the first time ever. Nobody wants to see the United States default on its debts.

As Secretary Yellen has warned, a default could eviscerate everything we have done to recover from the COVID crisis. We don't want to see that and I don't believe we will see that and I continue to thank all of my colleagues for cooperating in good faith to preserve the full faith and credit of the United States.

Mr. President, on Build Back Better, Senate Democrats continue our work to pass the President's Build Back Better Act before Christmas. Making progress on Build Back Better has been no small task, but sticking to our deadline will be worth it for one simple reason: at its core, Build Back Better is the best shot we have had in decades to help families lower costs, to cut taxes for working and middle-class Americans, and create good paying jobs while fighting the climate crisis.

Economists across the ideological spectrum have said it will not-- will not--worsen inflation, something we are seeing happening across the world, not just in the U.S.

Here is something just about every American can appreciate: Build Back Better will make it cheaper for parents to raise their kids. For that alone, it is more than worth the effort. By providing the largest investment in childcare in American history, Build Back Better will make it so the vast majority of families will pay no more than 7 percent of their income on childcare for kids under 6. That single investment could save parents hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year. I think it is a pretty great deal for American families.

It will also help our economy. Everywhere you go you hear about shortages of labor. One of the main reasons is inadequate childcare. We rank way low on the list of developed nations. The United States' provisions for childcare come out near the very bottom. That is something we cannot tolerate anymore. And that is just one item, childcare.

Build Back Better will also provide, for the first time ever, free universal pre-K for millions of American families. By one measure, pre- K can cost parents up to $8,600 a year per child. Under Build Back Better, many parents will pay zero. Think about that: pre-K, for the first time in U.S. history, the greatest expansion of free education that the United States has seen in a century. When we made high schools available to everyone, it made our economy the strongest in the 20th century. We have got to learn that lesson here in the 21st century with pre-K.

Build Back Better, of course, will also extend the child tax credit that Democrats passed under the American Rescue Plan. This simple lifeline--a $300 check in the mail each month for each child--can be a game changer--a game changer--during the winter months, and under Build Back Better, we can make sure this benefit stays in place.

None of this approaches the many other ways that Build Back Better will save Americans money. It will provide the largest investment in affordable housing ever. It could save Americans hundreds--even more-- by making prescription drugs, like insulin, cheaper. And it will take necessary and long-overdue steps to fight the climate crisis, which costs our country tens of billions each year every time hurricanes, wildfires, and floods wreak havoc across the country.

Creating jobs, lowering costs, fighting climate change, and keeping more money in people's pockets--these are the things Americans want. These are the things Americans need, and it is what Build Back Better does. We are going to continue working to get these things done before the Christmas holiday.

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

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Chair lay before the Senate the message to accompany S. 610.

Mr. President, I move to concur in the House amendment.

Cloture Motion

I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. President, I move to concur in the House amendment, with an amendment No. 4871, which is at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that further reading be dispensed with.

I ask for the yeas and nays on the motion to concur with the amendment.

Mr. President, I have an amendment to the amendment No. 4871, which is at the desk.

I ask that further reading be dispensed with.

Mr. President, I move to refer the House message to the Committee on Finance with instructions to report back forthwith with an amendment numbered 4873.

I ask that further reading be waived.

I ask for the yeas and nays on my motion.

Mr. President, I have an amendment to the instructions, which is at the desk.

I ask that further reading be waived.

I ask for the yeas and nays on my amendment.

Mr. President, I have an amendment to amendment No. 4874, which is at the desk.

I ask that further reading of the amendment be waived.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 486.

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

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