Floor Statements

Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 782.

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

I move to proceed to legislative session.

Vote on Motion

Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 790.

I send a cloture motion to the desk.

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

Mr. President, we have one final vote tonight. Votes will resume at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 817.

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

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 join my colleagues in celebrating the career of U.S. Capitol Police Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Stanley Pawlowski III, who is retiring in December after 22 years of service with the force.

Joining USCP in 2002, SSA Pawlowski was first assigned to the House division, until he was selected to be a dignitary protection division special agent in 2004. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2011 and, in that capacity, was part of the 2012 Inaugural Task Force.

Since 2013, SSA Pawlowski has served as a supervisory special agent (SSA) in the dignitary protection division. During his tenure, he has been the supervisor for Speaker protective details, majority and minority leader protective details, and has been responsible for leading numerous congressional codels and special events. Most recently SSA Pawlowski was one of the lead planners for the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

I hope my colleagues here in the Senate will join me in thanking Supervisory Special Agent Stanley Pawlowski for his service to the U.S. Capitol Police, to the Congress of the United States, and to our Nation. I thank him for a job well done and wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate complete its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, November 19; 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 proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Kasubhai nomination; further, that the cloture motion with respect to the Kasubhai nomination ripen at 11:30 a.m.; that following the cloture vote, the Senate recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; further, that if cloture is invoked on the Kasubhai nomination, all time be considered expired at 2:15 p.m.; finally, that 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.

Mr. President, yesterday, our Republican colleagues officially decided who will lead their conference beginning in the new year.

Once again, I congratulate Senator Thune on being chosen by his colleagues as the next Republican leader.

I have served with Senator Thune in this Chamber for many years, and I am glad to say we have found common ground on a number of different issues, including veterans' assistance, strengthening our national security, and more recently the Kids Online Safety bill, among other bills.

We have gotten along well and worked together in the past. I look forward to finding ways to work together in the future. We will have our differences for sure, and we will make those differences known on a regular basis here on the Senate floor, but my friend from South Dakota can rest assured our side of the aisle will always seek to work in good faith and seek common ground whenever possible. But if the Senate is to be successful in the years to come, if we are to continue to be productive and effective in representing the American people as well as we have over the past 4 years, there are a few things the new Republican majority should not forget. Hopefully, they won't.

Most importantly, Senate Republicans should continue to prioritize bipartisanship when they enter into the majority next year. On my first day as majority leader, I pledged to make bipartisanship a key part of how the Senate does its business. I said then--I have said it many times since--the Senate works best when both sides work together. Four years later, Democrats have not only kept our promise, but we have proven that bipartisanship can work in very significant ways. This majority was the most productive majority the Senate has had in decades, but that could not have happened had we not made the conscious choice to reach across the aisle.

It was bipartisanship that cleared the way for the biggest infrastructure bill in a generation. It was bipartisanship that got the CHIPS and Science bill done and now hundreds of thousands of jobs are returning to the United States and we are making those chips here.

It was bipartisanship that held the line against Putin and defended Ukraine.

It was bipartisanship that made sure we saw zero government shutdowns under this administration. The list goes on: marriage equality, the first gun safety bill in decades, Kids Online Safety. All of these accomplishments were possible because Democrats were willing to work with the other side.

We still have work to do in this Chamber before the year is out, but I am proud of the record we have built over the last 4 years, one that we accomplished by reaching across the aisle whenever the chance presented itself.

I earnestly hope the next few years are as fruitful and collaborative as the last four. I earnestly hope bipartisanship continues because that is the only way we will be successful in the Senate, but that will be up to Senate Republicans to decide for themselves.

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