Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 5465 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, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from the further consideration of H.R. 7177 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, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it recess until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 17; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that following the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of the House message to accompany H.R. 5009, postcloture, and that all time during recess, morning business, and leader remarks count postcloture; and, further, that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand in recess under the previous order.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.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, it is my understanding the Senate has received a message from the House of Representatives to accompany H.R. 5009.

I ask that the Chair lay before the Senate the message to accompany H.R. 5009.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Resolved, That the House agree to the amendment of the

Senate to the bill (H.R. 5009) entitled ``An Act to

reauthorize wildlife habitat and conservation programs, and

for other purposes.'', with an amendment to the Senate

amendment.

Motion to Concur

I move to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 5009, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

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

I move to concur in the House amendment to H.R. 5009, with an amendment.

I ask consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.

I ask consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

I move to refer H.R. 5009 to the Committee on Armed Services with instructions to report back forthwith with an amendment.

I ask consent that further reading of the motion be dispensed with.

I ask for the yeas and nays on my motion.

I have an amendment to the instructions at the desk.

I ask consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.

I ask consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Madam President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 693,

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

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

Madam President, yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act, bringing this bill here to the Senate. I just filed cloture on the NDAA, setting up the first procedural vote for early next week.

This year's NDAA has some very good things we Democrats wanted in it. It has some bad things we wouldn't have put in there and some things that were left out. But we are going to keep working at it. Both sides are working well together, and I hope we can finish the job soon.

So thank you to Chairman Reed, to Ranking Member Wicker, and to my colleagues on both sides for finalizing the text of the NDAA.

Business Before the Senate

Madam President, as for next week, next week is going to be very busy here on the Senate floor, where we have a number of legislative priorities to complete before the end of the year. We

must, for one, continue working on confirming more of President Biden's nominees. Voting on well-qualified nominees is our job, it is our responsibility, and we are going to continue working on nominees so long as this session of Congress continues.

Second, as I mentioned, we will finish passing the NDAA. Members should be prepared to take the first procedural vote early next week.

We must also pass an extension of government funding to avoid a shutdown right before Christmas. The only way we prevent a shutdown is through bipartisan cooperation, without any last-minute poison pills that create controversy. We can't have that. It has never worked in the past, and adding poison pills at the 11th hour would only make the risk of a Christmas shutdown greater.

Thankfully, I am pleased that, so far, talks have remained productive. Negotiators continue working around the clock to reach an agreement. They are meeting early in the morning, they are meeting late at night, and they will work through the weekend if necessary.

I want to thank Chair Murray, Ranking Member Collins, appropriators in the House, and House leadership for their cooperation on getting the CR done.

I also hope we can reach an agreement to pass a strong disaster package, before the end of the year, as part of the CR. Democrats continue to work on the disaster package. We know one thing: Just as both parties represent communities affected by disasters, both parties must take passing disaster aid seriously. We urge our Republican colleagues to keep working with us and get us as generous a package as possible because there is so much damage out there and so many communities need help.

Right now, the Federal Government faces its looming disaster: The vast majority of funds intended for emergency disaster relief have nearly dried up. We have very few resources left for helping small businesses, helping farmers, helping people rebuild their homes, helping communities fix their main streets and repair their highways. This is a problem for States across the country, in every part of the country, whether they be red or blue, whether they be represented by Democrats or Republicans. And, unfortunately but necessarily, the only fix is congressional action. Democrats are working with our colleagues on the other side on a reasonable proposal to help cities and towns and rural areas rebuild. We hope to reach an agreement soon.

Social Security Fairness Act

Madam President, finally, today I filed cloture on the Social Security Fairness Act, a strongly bipartisan bill, already approved by the Republican House, that would ensure Americans are not erroneously denied their well-earned social security benefits simply because they chose, at some point, to work in their careers in public service. I am talking about public servants like firefighters, teachers, postal workers, policemen, and so many other jobs like that. The Senate is going to vote on the Social Security Fairness Act before the end of the year. This is a chance for Senators to do the right thing for our teachers and nurses and postal workers and law enforcement officers and firefighters, and they will certainly be watching what we do with their retirement benefits.

I am proud to cosponsor this bill with my good friend Senator Brown. Democrats are ready to act on this much needed fix for millions of retirees. The bill already passed the House with a huge bipartisan majority. The Senate should follow suit. Americans deserve to see which side the Senators are on when it comes to securing their well-earned retirement benefits.

Far too many retirees--millions and millions--have been robbed of their hard-earned benefits because of WEP and GPO. Passing the Social Security Fairness Act is our best shot at fixing this problem and helping out working families. The Senate will get the chance to pass this important bill with a vote here on the floor next week.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

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.

Madam President, I have four requests 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 a time to be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with the Republican leader, and notwithstanding rule XXII, the Chair lay before the Senate the message to accompany S. 4367, to provide for improvements to the rivers and harbors of the United States; that the majority leader, or his designee, be recognized to make a motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 4367, and there be up to 1 hour of debate, equally divided, on the motion to concur; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate vote on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 4367, with 60 affirmative votes required for the motion to concur; and that no other motions or amendments be in order.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 8663, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I further ask that the Cornyn-Ossoff substitute amendment be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; that the Cornyn-Ossoff title amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the title, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 651, S. 59.

I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn; that the Sinema substitute amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 2513, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the Moran-Tester substitute amendment 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.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 141 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the Moran-Tester substitute amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.