Floor Statements

I now move to proceed to legislative session.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators allowed to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Madam President, I rise today to commend the departing Chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Deborah A.P. Hersman, as she prepares to launch a new career as president and CEO of the century-old National Safety Council.

A 12-year veteran staffer of Capitol Hill, Debbie is no stranger to many Senators on both sides of the aisle. After graduating with a degree in political science from Virginia Tech and receiving a master's in conflict resolution from George Mason University, she worked as a staffer for my former colleague, Congressman Bob Wise, where she rose from intern to staff director and then to senior legislative aide. He used to say, ``She has a backbone. Don't ever think that you are ever going to push her over.'' I can see why.

Debbie came to the Senate in 1999 to work for the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation under the leadership of Senator Jay Rockefeller. Her efforts during that time contributed to the passage of some of the benchmark legislation underpinning the transportation safety framework she vigorously upheld as NTSB Chairman, such as the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999, Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002, Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century, and Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act.

Debbie's outstanding leadership at the NTSB has helped make traveling safer for all Americans. She was the NTSB member on scene for the terrible Metro train collision in 2009 in this city where nine people lost their lives and dozens were injured. I was glad to see that she and the agency took charge of the investigation, and I admire her commitment to ensuring such a horrific incident will not occur again.

Debbie oversaw the timely completion of several high-profile accident investigations during her tenure as Chairman, including the deadly 2011 crash at the Reno National Championship Air Races. During the third lap of a six-lap race, 11 people lost their lives and many suffered injuries when a show plane plummeted into the spectator stands. As many of you know, these are enormously popular events. I have attended them many times. Our late colleague Senator Ted Stevens was a big fan. My own grandchildren attended those races the very week of the crash.

I commend Debbie and her team for the work they did in the aftermath of the tragedy, and to issue timely and effective recommendations to help save lives and prevent injuries in the future. Her efficient work prior to the first anniversary of the crash enabled the annual air show tradition--so important to northern Nevada for nearly 50 years--to continue even more safely than before. The recommendations provided by the NTSB will ensure that tens of thousands of spectators can safety enjoy these races.

Debbie is acknowledged as a visionary, passionate, and bipartisan safety leader who advocates for safety across all modes of transportation. At the NTSB, she has been on scene for more than 20 major transportation incidents; chaired scores of NTSB hearings, forums, and events; and regularly testifies before Congress. She was first appointed as an NTSB board member by President George W. Bush in 2004. In 2009, President Obama reappointed her to a second 5-year term and appointed her to a 2-year term as Chairman, making her, at age 39, the youngest person ever to fill that position. President Obama reappointed her as Chairman in 2011, and in August 2013, he nominated her for a third term as Chairman and for a third term as a Board member, all with unanimous Senate confirmation.

Among her many initiatives, Debbie has focused attention and actions on distracted driving, child passenger safety, and helping accident victims and their families. Her leadership has created a more transparent and accountable organization by significantly increasing the quantity and quality of NTSB information available on the agency's Web site, holding more public meetings to highlight safety issues, and embracing social media to communicate with the broadest possible audience of the traveling public.

Debbie always emphasizes the NTSB's role as ``the conscience and the compass of the transportation industry.'' The Nation has benefitted from nearly a decade of her stewardship in the agency's leadership. While we are saying goodbye to this passionate standard bearer of public safety in the Federal realm, I am very pleased that we are not losing her energy on these issues altogether. Her move to lead the National Safety Council will open up new doors to her, that organization, and to safety initiatives benefitting the entire county. It is yet another step forward in an illustrious career of heartfelt public service dedicated to protecting the well-being of all Americans.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 29, 2014, at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 29, 2014, at 10 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on April 29, 2014, at 10 a.m. in room SD-430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``Workers' Memorial Day: Are Existing Private Sector Whistleblower Protections Adequate To Ensure Safe Workplace?''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 29, 2014, at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 29, 2014, at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 29, 2014, at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Committee on the Judiciary, the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on April 29, 2014, at 10 a.m., in room SH-216 of the Hart Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Law Enforcement Responses to Disabled Americans: Promising Approaches for Protecting Public Safety.''

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration en bloc of the following resolutions, which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 427; S. Res. 428; and S. Res. 429.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to; the preambles, where applicable, be agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be laid on the table en bloc, with no interviewing action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2014; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that following any leader remarks, the Senate be in a period of morning business until 10:30 a.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with the Republicans controlling the first half and the majority controlling the final half; that following morning business, the time until noon be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees prior to the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S. 2223, the Minimum Wage Fairness Act; further, that at 4 p.m. the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar Nos. 585, 586, 587, 588, 589, and 590, as provided for under the previous order.

Mr. President, the first rollcall vote will be at noon tomorrow. There will be additional votes at about 4 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn following the remarks by Senator Merkley and Senator Hirono.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 354, S. 2223.

Mr. President, I have a cloture motion at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, if any, the Senate will be in morning business until 5:30 p.m., with the time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees.

At 5:30 p.m. there will be up to four rollcall votes. The first vote will be on the confirmation of the Friedland nomination to be a U.S. circuit judge for the Ninth Circuit. The next vote will be a cloture vote on the Weil nomination to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor, and then a confirmation vote on the Weil nomination. The last vote will be a vote on confirmation of the O'Regan nomination to be Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Seemingly Real

Mr. President, Nevada, and especially Las Vegas, is home to the best entertainment on the planet. Those who visit Las Vegas and Reno know they will find the best musical, theatrical, and comedic performances anyplace on Earth. Some of the most popular performers in Nevada are magicians and illusionists who entertain their audiences by making the impossible seem real. Through misdirection, these performers distract viewers from what they know to be true and instead funnel their attention to something entertaining--and it is really fake.

It seems that the Republican party has decided to follow in Houdini and Copperfield's footsteps and employ a

bit of misdirection of its own. For example, last week the Wall Street Journal reported that the Republican Party has a newly adopted campaign strategy to defeat Senate Democrats. They are going to attack me because their attacks and fabrications regarding the Affordable Care Act have borne little fruit.

In Senate races across the country, Republicans will avoid the issues that matter most to Americans and instead will try to focus attention on a Senator who is not even up for election--and that Senator is me.

What are those issues that Republicans so desperately want to avoid? How about immigration? That bill was introduced a year ago, and it passed the Senate many months ago. It is a good piece of legislation and the vast majority of the American people think it is a good idea. Yet instead of explaining to the American people why this bipartisan bill sits idle in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, they want to change the subject.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives refuses to allow a vote. If a vote were allowed to occur, it would pass overwhelmingly. It is a good piece of legislation. Not only is it fair and equitable, but it would also reduce the debt by $1 trillion.

While struggling American families plead to Congress for help in providing work or getting paid fair, livable wages, House Republicans prefer to talk about anything other than what is relevant? Why? Because their billionaire sugar daddies are not interested in helping middle- class Americans.

Charles and David Koch are not concerned with the long-term unemployed families, and so the Republicans they sponsor in the House of Representatives are content to do nothing. These billionaire oil barons don't care that working women are being deprived of fair wages.

My daughter--or the Presiding Officer's wife--can do the exact same work as a man but only get 77 cents while the man gets paid $1. We want to change that. The Koch-driven Republican Congress refuses even to allow us to have a vote on it. They have started filibusters here in the Senate time and time again on this issue, and they will not bring this matter to a vote in the House either.

As the Senate turns its attention to increasing the Federal minimum wage, which we moved to earlier today, is there any question as to whether Republicans will once again do the Koch brothers' bidding? Of course not. They are not going to give millions of Americans a fair shot at earning a decent wage.

Eighty billion dollars is not enough for these two brothers. Evidently the Kochs think that $10.10 is too much for a hard-working American with a family to take care of. If a person works 40 hours at $10.10, you just hit the magic spot where you are no longer in poverty. They refuse to allow millions of Americans the opportunity to get out of poverty and to give millions of Americans a raise.

The Republicans in Congress yawn at the idea of giving the American middle class a fair shot at financial stability and instead have chosen to distract the American people by attacking me. Like all illusions, they are using misdirection to call the American people's attention away from reality and attempting to buy America with their billions.

The Koch brothers and their accomplices continue to put millions upon millions of dollars into attacking anyone and anything that stands in their way of getting richer--and already rich they are.

Senate Democrats refuse to stand idly by while two megarich individuals attempt to create an American oligarchy.

I have spoken on the Senate floor against the Koch brothers' attempts to rig the system in their favor because it comes at the expense of families in Nevada and families across this great country. In response, one of the Kochs' puppet organizations announced its plans to run ads against me in the State of Nevada.

I am not running for anything for a few more years. As I said before, being the target of a couple of rich billionaires is not going to intimidate me.

Shockingly, the leadership of the Republican Party has decided to follow suit with their new campaign strategy. It is obvious their previous strategy of attacking ObamaCare has proven to be a miserable failure. Over 8 million Americans have chosen the coverage of the Affordable Care Act, plus 3 million more who are on their parents' insurance because of the Affordable Care Act. Up to 6 million people are on their way to having health care because of Medicaid, which is also as part of ObamaCare.

For example, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 413,000 people have already signed up for the State-sponsored health care they have in Kentucky. So with one failed strategy behind them, Republicans and their benefactors are trying something new, but it is still the same smoke-and-mirrors routine they tried in the past. Divert and obstruct is what they do.

To those Republicans who would rather bash me than speak out about what matters most important to their constituents, I say fire away.

To Charles and David Koch and their radical henchmen, feel free to attack me as much as you want. I can take it. Don't expect the American people to be fooled by this newest slight of hand strike. Ultimately voters will see the new tactic for what it is--a distraction that is keeping American families from getting a fair shot at financial stability.

In the meantime Senate Democrats will continue to speak against the shadowy influence of two power-drunk billionaires and their devoted followers on Capitol Hill.

Most importantly, Senate Democrats will continue working on meaningful legislation that will get our Nation's middle class back on track.

Reservation of Leader Time

Will the Chair announce the business of the day.

I note the absence of a quorum and ask to have the time charged equally against both the majority and minority.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the rest of the votes tonight be 10 minutes in duration.

This should be the last vote this evening. The next vote will be by voice.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that on Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at 11 a.m., the Senate proceed to executive session, and that notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate proceed to vote on cloture on Executive Calendar Nos. 585, 586, 587, 588, 589, and 590; further, that if cloture is invoked on any of those nominations, all postcloture time be considered expired; that following the series of votes, the Senate resume legislative session; further, that on Wednesday, at a time to be determined by me, after consultation with the Republican leader, the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the nominations in the order upon which cloture was invoked; that there

be 2 minutes for debate prior to each vote and all rollcall votes after the first vote be 10 minutes in length; further, with respect to the nominations in this agreement, that upon disposition on Wednesday, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. President, today as we convene, I call to the Senate's attention today's commemoration of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the systematic genocide of 6 million Jews and countless others, carried out by Adolf Hitler and his minions.

Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is a reminder that we must continue to fight against genocide, racism, hatred, and violence. Yet with Holocaust Remembrance Day also comes the hope provided us by the survivors.

I think of my friend the late Tom Lantos, a Congressman from California. Tom was a Hungarian Jew and a survivor of the Holocaust-- and a survivor he was. I had the good fortune of traveling to Hungary and meeting with him there, and he showed us a number of places where he escaped from the Nazis. It was a remarkable story, and he was a remarkable man.

He once said: ``I like to work hard to make this a better country, to provide a just government for our people and make sure we have learned from the past.'' Tom Lantos' statement should apply to all of us.

Today we remember those who were lost, honor those who survived, and share our grief with the families who suffered the tragedy of Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.

Let us remember the words of Congressman Lantos who, in spite of all he suffered, had great hope and faith that we would work to stop genocide in the future.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize the 75th anniversary for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts, IATSE, Local 720. Local 720 was chartered on February 23, 1939, by the nine original members--Mickey Burton, Barney Deussen, Clyde Gilbert, Harry Beuford, Arden Lusch, Rudy Rear, Harry Keller, Wally Roper, and Howard Folley. Since that time, because of the hard work and dedicated service of its founding members and their predecessors, it has grown to represent over 2,500 professionals in the entertainment industry, performing over 50,000 dispatches and receiving $60 million in gross wages in the last year alone.

The union may have started with nine stagehands, but today it represents some of the most highly trained and skilled technicians in the country, including theatrical carpenters, electricians, riggers, audio/video technicians, video projectionists, camera operators, grips, gaffers, trade show technicians, audio engineers, stitchers, hairstylists, and make-up artists. It is the hard work and passion of these members that helped make Las Vegas the Entertainment Capital of the World.

For 75 years Local 720 has fought for the rights of Nevadan workers. I applaud and celebrate with IATSE Local 720 on their 75th anniversary.