Floor Statements

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 the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 436, submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged and the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 2093.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time.

I know of no further debate on the bill.

I further ask that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged and the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1510.

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.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 410 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

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.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Wednesday, November 3; 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 Santos nomination; further, that notwithstanding rule XXII, at 2:15 p.m., the cloture motion on the motion to proceed to S. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021, ripen and the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture.

Madam President, for the information of Senators, there will be two rollcall votes at 11 a.m., 1 rollcall vote at 2:15 p.m., and at least two rollcall votes at 5:15 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, I reserve the right to object. I certainly welcome the Senator from Utah's interest in oversight of coronavirus emergency relief funds. There is no question Americans deserve to know where their hard-earned tax dollars are going and how these critical relief funds are being used to help communities all across our country in the wake of this public health crisis, especially for those who need it the most.

I am also thankful that my colleague agreed with the importance of conducting thorough oversight of these programs and supported the creation of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee when we passed the CARES Act. These oversight requirements, based on the successful oversight model of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ensure that we have strong oversight of all coronavirus relief dollars through regular, detailed reports and recommendations from the PRAC, the GAO, and the inspector general.

Following guidance from the Office of Management and Budget, all COVID-19 relief funding from the legislation that the Senator has identified is already being tracked on USASpending.gov. Anyone-- anyone--can go to the website right now and see the figures.

As of August 31, Congress has provided $4.7 trillion in relief spending. The administration has committed $3.9 trillion of those funds to helping communities, and $3.4 trillion in assistance has already reached those who need help through this crisis.

I would also urge the Senator to consult the more than 1,300 oversight reports that the PRAC has already completed related to the pandemic response, in addition to the more than 100 reports that the GAO has also issued on this topic, rather than creating additional and redundant work for the GAO at taxpayer expense.

The Senator's proposal is duplicative and unnecessary, and for that reason I object.

Madam President, I reserve the right to object. My friend from Oklahoma serves as the ranking member of the Government Operations Subcommittee of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. I sincerely appreciate that he brings a thoughtful approach to Federal workforce issues and that we frequently have an opportunity to work together to make government work more efficiently and more effectively.

Unfortunately, I strongly disagree with the legislation being put forward today. This proposal would roll back policies put in place to make sure that Federal workers and Federal contractors who are paid with taxpayer dollars are vaccinated against COVID-19. These Executive orders protect not just the Federal workforce all across our country, but they help protect their families and their communities. There are also commonsense exceptions for people with disabilities, with medical conditions, or with sincerely held religious beliefs. These policies were put in place both carefully and fairly.

The American people are literally sick and tired of this pandemic--a pandemic that has already claimed over 725,000 lives, including the lives of our friends, our neighbors, and our family members. They want this pandemic to end, and vaccines is how we get there.

From the beginning of this pandemic, I and many of my colleagues have been dedicated to bringing safe and effective vaccines to the people who live in our States by investing in science and research and by strengthening our domestic supply chains.

COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available, but we know from trusted scientists and public health experts that we need higher rates of vaccination to get this pandemic under control. The politicization of safe, effective, public health measures is making it harder to end this horrible pandemic. The legislation before us today would without question move us in the wrong direction. I object.

Mr. President, shortly, I will ask for unanimous consent on the nomination of Robert L. Santos to be the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau.

The mission of the Census Bureau is to serve as the leading source of quality data about the Nation's people and our economy. The census and the Bureau's surveys are critical for communities, businesses, and people across our Nation to ensure communities have the resources and the information they need to thrive.

The Census Bureau Director must meet the challenge of this mission. They must have experience in the collection, analysis, and use of statistical data and demonstrated management experience at large organizations.

Robert Santos is an eminently qualified nominee for this role. He has over 40 years of experience as a manager and expert in the field of survey design and statistical research, including experience as a manager at the most renowned research centers for statistics, as principal of a market research firm, and currently at the nonprofit Urban Institute.

He has interacted closely with the Census Bureau for decades as a researcher, a stakeholder, and an expert adviser, serving on the Census Advisory Committees and National Academies' panels on Federal statistics. Mr. Santos has demonstrated a deep knowledge of the Census Bureau, its data, and its stakeholders. He has demonstrated a commitment to upholding the Bureau's mission of producing essential, high-quality data that our Nation relies on.

It is critical that we confirm Mr. Santos to the Census Bureau so they can continue their important work with a well-qualified leader at the helm.

So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 311 and 312, Robert Luis Santos, of Texas, to be Director of the Census for the remainder of the term expiring December 31, 2021; and Robert Luis Santos, of Texas, to be Director of the Census for a term expiring December 31, 2026. (Reappointment); that the nominations be confirmed; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nominations; that any related statements be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I request that I am able to make my remarks prior to the vote.

Madam President, I rise in support of Jonathan Meyer's nomination to be general counsel at the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS.

Mr. Meyer understands the unique challenges facing DHS, and he has the legal and management experience and vision needed to succeed in this important role. Throughout the confirmation process, Mr. Meyer has demonstrated that he understands the complex legal issues facing DHS and the importance of ensuring the Department cooperates with congressional oversight.

DHS has not had a Senate-confirmed general counsel for over 2 years. DHS needs qualified, Senate-confirmed leaders in place to effectively carry out its critical mission of safeguarding our Nation. Mr. Meyer is an accomplished lawyer and dedicated public servant who is well qualified to serve as the Department's chief legal officer.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the confirmation of Jonathan Meyer to be general counsel for DHS.

Madam President, I rise in support of Jonathan Meyer's nomination to be general counsel of the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS.

Mr. Meyer is an accomplished lawyer and dedicated public servant who is well qualified to serve as the Department's chief legal officer. His nomination maintains bipartisan support, including from former DHS general counsels who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Mr. Meyer's previous government service spans 17 years and includes senior roles in the Department of Justice, the U.S. Senate, and as the deputy general counsel for DHS during the Obama administration.

Since returning to private practice in 2016, Mr. Meyer's legal work has continued to focus on cyber security, technology, and homeland security. Throughout the confirmation process, Mr. Meyer has demonstrated that he understands the complex legal issues facing DHS and the importance of ensuring that the Department cooperates with Congressional oversight.

DHS has not had a Senate-confirmed general counsel for over 2 years. DHS needs qualified, Senate-confirmed leaders in place to effectively carry out its critical mission of safeguarding our Nation.

I urge my colleagues to confirm Mr. Meyer today.

I yield the floor.

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

I ask for the yeas and nays.