Floor Statements

Madam President, tonight, congressional leaders will mark what is hopefully the final somber milestone of the COVID pandemic: 600,000 American lives lost to the disease. It is particularly jarring at this moment--a moment of recovery, optimism, and hope--to remember the enormity of lives lost over the past 15 months. Not only that, we face the grim reality that the recent fatalities happened while Americans were on the verge of getting vaccinated. Some had their appointment just days away.

So as our fellow Americans are taking their masks off, going back to work, seeing families and friends, and returning, as they should, to life, let us remember those who cannot. Let us hold them in our hearts a little while longer.

I am reminded of the famous meditation by the English soldier and poet John Donne, who told us that ``no man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. So if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less.''

``Any man's death diminishes me,'' he said, ``because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.''

The bells have tolled for 600,000 Americans this past year, a staggering and incomprehensible sum. Remember them. Hold them in your hearts a little while longer.

Madam President, now on a different subject, after passing the bipartisan U.S. Innovation and Competition Act last week and confirming the first judges of the Biden era, we will continue with major elements of our legislative agenda.

Senate committees will continue working on a bipartisan infrastructure proposal to meet the demands of the 21st century. As I have said from the start, discussions about infrastructure investments are progressing on two tracks. One track is bipartisan. The second track pulls in other elements of President Biden's American Jobs Plan, which will be considered even if it does not have bipartisan support. Our Senate committees are working on both tracks at the same time.

As a reminder to the Senate--a reminder to the Senate--as I have said from the start, in order to move forward on infrastructure, we must include bold action on climate. At the moment, both tracks are moving forward and progressing very well.

In addition, before the end of the month, the Senate will vote on crucial voting rights legislation. Republican State legislatures across the country are passing the most draconian voting restrictions since the beginning of Jim Crow. Congress must take action to defend our democracy.

Meanwhile, we will move more swiftly to confirm even more of the President's appointments, including several to the Federal bench.

Last week was one for the record books. The Senate confirmed the first slate of President Biden's judicial nominees. Not only were they individuals of immense talent and high character, they reflected the great cultural, geographic, and experiential diversity of our country. Among them was the first Muslim American to ever be confirmed as an article III judge.

Let me read a headline from this morning's Washington Post: ``Biden has nominated as many minority women to be judges in four months as Trump had confirmed in four years.'' That is an amazing--an amazing-- statistic.

Women, especially women of color, have long been underrepresented on the Federal bench. Along with President Biden, the Senate Democratic majority is working quickly to close the gap.

In fact, in just a few hours, we will confirm another outstanding, trailblazing nominee for the Federal bench, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Jackson will be the first of President Biden's circuit court nominees confirmed by the Senate, and we are starting right at the top.

After the Supreme Court, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals is the most important Federal court in the country, with jurisdiction over cases involving Congress and the executive branch Agencies, and Judge Jackson, nominated to the seat once occupied by the current Attorney General, is the perfect person for the job. She is a former Federal defender. She clerked for Justice Breyer, and, since 2013, has been a district court judge in DC. She has all the qualities of a model jurist. She is brilliant, thoughtful, collaborative, and dedicated to applying the law impartially. For these qualities, she has earned the respect of both sides.

Nominees to powerful circuit courts, especially the DC Circuit, are frequently controversial, but, last week, a bipartisan group of Senators in the Judiciary Committee voted in her favor. I greatly look forward to confirming this exceptional nominee in just a few hours and continuing to restore balance to a judiciary that has been thrown out of whack by former President Trump.

After Judge Brown Jackson's confirmation, we will turn to other nominees. We will hold a cloture vote this evening on Lina Khan's nomination to the Federal Trade Commission and confirm her tomorrow. Tomorrow, as well, we will vote on Kiran Ahuja to lead the Office of Personnel Management, and the Senate will have the opportunity to advance several of the nominees as the week goes on

Madam President, on one final matter, despite the fact that we are now almost 6 months into a new administration, the sins of the previous administration are coming to life. Late last week, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration's Justice Department delivered secret subpoenas for the personal phone data of at least a dozen people tied to the House Intelligence Committee, including Members of Congress, aides, and even family members. One was a minor.

This is a gross abuse of power. It is an assault on the separation of powers. The notion that any President, via their political appointees, could manipulate our democratic system to tap into personal data has the fingerprints of a dictatorship--a dictatorship--all over it.

This appalling politicization of the Department of Justice by Donald Trump and his sycophants must be investigated by both the DOJ inspector general and by Congress. Former Attorneys General Barr and Sessions and other officials who were involved must testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, under oath. If they refuse, they are subject to being subpoenaed and compelled to testify under oath.

The Justice Department must also provide information to the Judiciary Committee, which will vigorously investigate this abuse of power. The issue should not be partisan. Under the Constitution, Congress is a coequal branch of government and must be protected from an overreaching executive. We expect our Republican colleagues to join us in getting to the bottom of this very, very serious matter.

I yield the floor.

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 move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 148.

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. 173.

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

Madam President, finally, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, June 14, be waived.

Madam President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

I yield the floor.

Yes, there is, Madam President.

Thank you, Madam President. First, let me thank Senator Rosen. She has been a valiant, strong and unrelenting fighter against anti-Semitism--not just today with this wonderful resolution, but every day, and we thank her for her leadership, her tremendous and needed leadership on this issue.

I want to thank Senator Lankford as well in joining Senator Rosen in crafting this bipartisan resolution because, as we all know, anti- Semitism is not a partisan issue. So I very much appreciate the way that they have worked together across the aisle to bring this resolution forward

It is essential that we come together at this moment. Over the past few years, America has once again seen the pernicious, poisonous, and dangerous rise of hate crimes. In recent weeks in particular, anti- Semitism--the oldest hatred--has dramatically spiked. It, too, just like every other hate crime, is pernicious, poisonous, and dangerous. We are all horrified by the anti-Semitic attacks in New York, around the country, and around the globe.

So I join my colleagues tonight to say unequivocally that this hatred must be called out, confronted, and stopped. And the Senator from Nevada has an excellent series of proposals to help make that happen.

Anti-Semitism must be combated wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head. It is vile, it is reprehensible, and it is counter to everything America stands for: freedom of religion, equality, and respect for the dignity of every person.

For too long--too long--we have seen it. And yet in the past, America has always been a refuge for the oppressed; a land of promise, opportunity, and tolerance for people from all corners of the world who came here in search of a better life. It was true for my family and for many others, and hopefully, it will continue to be.

But that noble purpose has too often been marred by periods of isolationism, xenophobia, and racial intolerance. We live in a time where we must actively work to rekindle the light of tolerance that has kept anti-Semitism at bay here in the United States and around the globe.

As majority leader, the first Jewish-American to hold that honor, I will work with any and all of my colleagues to face down anti-Semitism and every other form of racial or religious discrimination.

I strongly urge the Senate to stand united against anti-Semitism, and I am very grateful to pass this resolution unanimously.

I yield the floor.

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

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 147.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate, and if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all without intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nomination, that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record, and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Madam 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 ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 15; 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; further, that upon conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Khan nomination; that all postcloture time expire at 11:30 a.m.; and further, that the Senate recess following the cloture vote on the Ahuja nomination until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; that if cloture is invoked on the Ahuja nomination, that all postcloture time expire at 2:30 p.m.; finally, that if any of the nominations are confirmed, that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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.

Madam President, late last night, a giant of the legal world, Judge Robert Katzmann, passed away at the age of 68. He was the former chief judge of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York, one of the Nation's foremost jurists, and a kind, humble, compassionate human being, who was deeply admired by everyone who knew him.

The son of immigrants--his father was a refugee from Nazi Germany-- Robert Katzmann was an amazing intellect, attending our Nation's top schools. He went on to work for his professor and eventual mentor, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, whetting his chops in working on the confirmation of Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court. For the rest of his life, he was maybe the most important writer on the topic of legislative-judicial relations.

Later in his life, even when he had attained one of the highest judgeships in the country, Judge Katzmann never lost his passion for helping those who were just starting their careers. He taught at NYU and Georgetown and ran an acclaimed civic education course even while he was the chief judge on the court of appeals. He also lectured widely for the cause of proper legal representation for the poor, especially the immigrant poor.

It just so happens that yesterday morning, I was able to introduce a nominee to the Second Circuit, Judge Katzmann's circuit, who dedicated her career to providing top-notch legal counsel to those who couldn't afford it: Ms. Eunice Lee, a former Federal defender. It is a fitting reminder that Judge Katzmann's legacy lives on through the principles he advanced.

We send our deepest condolences to his wife, his brothers and sister, and to the innumerable number of students and colleagues whom Judge Katzmann inspired over the course of his life.