Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 4 p.m., Friday, April 11, 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 resume executive session to consider the Friedland nomination postcloture, with the time until 5 p.m. equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees.

Mr. President, there will be up to three rollcall votes tomorrow at 5 p.m. The first vote will be on confirmation of the nomination of Michelle Friedland to be a U.S. circuit judge for the Ninth Circuit. The next vote will be a cloture vote on the nomination of David Weil to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor, and the last vote will be on confirmation of the Weil nomination.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.

Mr. President, I am told S. 2223 is due for a second reading; is that right?

Mr. President, I would object to any further proceedings with respect to this legislation at this time.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 345, S. 2199, the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Mr. President, following my remarks and those of Senator McConnell, the time will be equally divided and controlled until 11 a.m., and at that time there will be a cloture vote on the motion to proceed with the legislation now before us.

Additional votes are expected today on confirmation of nominations. Floor staff is working to come up with convenient times for everyone in that regard and will notify Senators when we have those votes scheduled.

Mr. President, today the Senate will vote on whether to end debate on the paycheck fairness legislation. This much needed legislation provides important protections for women. It addresses wage disparity, helping women negotiate for equal pay, and it empowers workers to fight back against wage discrimination--women in particular.

It is a good and important bill, and it helps American women in many different ways, but for reasons known only to them, Senate Republicans don't appear to be interested in closing the wage gap for working women, such as my daughter and my grandchildren, the Presiding Officer's wife and daughter, friends and neighbors.

Four years ago the Republicans filibustered this exact same legislation. Two years later the Republicans filibustered this legislation. Now for a third time the Paycheck Fairness Act is before us and it appears it is going to be filibustered again. They have indicated that they will likely not let us begin work on this important piece of legislation or this debate.

If they are ideologically opposed to equal pay for equal work, they are free to vote against paycheck fairness, come down here and give speeches as to why it is such a bad idea, but we haven't heard any.

Today's vote is simply to begin debate on the bill. Are they so repulsed by equal pay for hard-working American women they again will not debate equal pay for equal work, but they will obstruct equal pay for equal work?

The Republicans come to the floor and try to offer amendments that have

nothing to do with equal pay--nothing. I am at a loss as to why anyone would decline to debate this important issue or, if you don't like it, come and tell us why. Debate is what this institution is all about. It is the U.S. Senate.

Hubert Humphrey said once: ``Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent and debate.'' That is what he said. So we should debate this bill. Together we can find a solution to this unfair wage disparity that costs average working women $464,324 over a lifetime, on average.

American families want us to debate and hopefully pass this legislation. This legislation overwhelmingly is supported by the American people. People in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act are calling on us to pass this legislation. They are writing letters, they are posting on social media, and they are attending rallies. Our constituents have made their feelings known, but the Republicans have not gotten the message.

Henry David Thoreau said:

It takes two to speak the truth. One to speak and another

to listen.

The Senate Democrats have heard the truth about giving women a fair shot at equal pay for equal work. The truth is that working women make an average of 77 cents for every dollar their male colleagues make for doing the exact same work. That is not fair.

Today we will see if Republicans will give working women and their families a fair shot when voting on debate for this important legislation. Millions of American women and men--everyone in America-- are hoping that a third time will be the charm for Senate Republicans.

Recognition of the Minority Leader

I enter a motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked.

Madam President, I now ask unanimous consent that at 2:30 p.m. this afternoon the Senate proceed to the Felton nomination under the previous order; further, that following the disposition of the Felton nomination, the Senate proceed to the McSweeny nomination, also under the previous order; further, that following the disposition of the McSweeny nomination, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar Nos. 506, 619, and 522; that there be 2 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees prior to each vote; that upon the use or yielding back of that time, the Senate proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on the nominations in the order I have listed; that any rollcall votes, following the first in the series, be 10 minutes in length; 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 statements related to these nominations be printed in the Record; that President Obama be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Madam President, for the information of all Senators, under the agreement we just had approved, there will be as many as five rollcall votes starting at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon.

Mr. President, I yield back the time.

We have a number of votes scheduled. They are going to go by voice, I am told.

Mr. President, we are going to have a cloture vote an hour after we come in tomorrow morning, and there is no reason we cannot be finished tomorrow, but that doesn't mean we will be finished tomorrow.

We will have to cooperate and have to work out the time problems we have with the matters that will be pending after we complete the votes on these two measures now.

So we could finish tomorrow. It is up to all of us. Otherwise, we may have to spill over a little into late on Friday.

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

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 745, 746, 747, 748, 749, 750, 751, and all nominations placed on the Secretary's desk in the Marine Corps; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; 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 any of the nominations; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the agriculture committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Con. Res. 33.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Con. Res. 35, which was submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m., Thursday, April 10, 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 time until 10:30 a.m. be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees; and that at 10:30 a.m., the Senate proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 574.

At 10:30 a.m. tomorrow there will be a rollcall vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Michelle Friedland to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit. If cloture is invoked, there would be up to 30 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination, unless an agreement can be reached. Upon disposition of the Friedland nomination, there will be a cloture vote on the Weil nomination to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor. There could then be up to 8 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the Weil nomination.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.

Mr. President, I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 345, S. 2199, the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, the Senate will be in morning business until 12:30 p.m., with the time equally divided and controlled. The Senate will recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for our weekly caucus meetings, as we always do on Tuesdays.

Measure Placed on the Calendar--H.R. 2575

Mr. President, I understand that H.R. 2575 is at the desk and due for a second reading.

I object to any further proceedings at this time.

Mr. President, Ralph Waldo Emerson said this: ``America is another name for opportunity.''

``America is another name for opportunity.''

Today this body, the Senate, should put Emerson's words to the test as we turn attention to the question of equal pay. For working American women, millions of whom are primary wage earners for their families, the Paycheck Fairness Act represents a unique opportunity, a chance to better provide for themselves and their families.

It is unconscionable that American women currently take home an average of 77 cents for every dollar their male colleagues earn for doing the exact same work. Wage disparity is true regardless of whether a woman has a college degree, what job she holds or how many hours she spends at the office or factory or wherever it might be.

Consider this just for a brief moment: For a woman to make the same salary as a man in 1 year for doing similar work in America, she must work not only that year but also an additional 3 months and 8 days. That is why today, April 8, the eighth day of the fourth month, is Equal Pay Day. It represents the extra work American women have to put forth to provide for their families. This is an injustice and should not be permitted to take place in America. While President Obama and Democrats have made significant progress toward helping women achieve equal pay, there is still much for us to do.

Five years ago the very first law President Obama ever signed, the first act he performed in the Oval Office, was to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Remember, this is the legislation based on the good woman who found out--after having worked at this place for so many years, having additional responsibilities than all the men--they were all getting paid much more than she. She was the boss getting paid less than the people who worked for her. Why? Because she is a woman.

The Lilly Ledbetter legislation is the biggest step Congress has taken on behalf of women to help them with their wages since the Equal Pay Act of 1963. The bill provides that the statute of limitations doesn't begin to run until someone finds out they are being cheated by their employer. The legislation helped address the pay gap, but women still suffer from discriminatory wage disparity.

The Paycheck Fairness Act goes a step further by providing protections for women in the workplace. This legislation addresses unequal wages by empowering women to negotiate for equal pay and giving employers incentives to obey current law.

I was happy to hear all the news accounts that I was able to be briefed on--along with those I listened to on public radio while I was doing my exercises--the detailed accounts about how

women are not treated fairly. The legislation we are working on enables women to fight against wage discrimination while also preventing retaliation against employees who discuss salary information. Before Lilly Ledbetter and even today if you discuss what someone else makes you can be fired. That is the way it is in most places in America. It would finally give much needed assistance to victims of gender-based pay discrimination.

Simply put, the Paycheck Fairness Act gives American women the fair shot they deserve. Unfortunately, efforts to address this issue have not been well received by Republicans. A similar bill addressing equal pay--despite a Republican filibuster--passed Congress and the Congress before that. Let's hope the third time is a charm for American women. Let's hope Republicans will finally do what is right.

In any other circumstance Republicans would be up in arms with this type of economic discrimination--I would hope. They should be up in arms in terms of equal pay for women also. Why is it that so many Republicans are content to allow women working the same hours in the same job to make less money than their male coworkers? It is hard to comprehend, since women make up nearly half the U.S. labor force and more than half of the people enrolled in college. We are finding that the majority of students enrolled in professional schools, law schools, medical schools are women. Is it reasonable to assume that women should be treated unfairly? Is it reasonable to assume that Republicans in this body have wives, daughters or sisters who are or will be affected by this wage disparity and shouldn't we do something about it?

I urge my colleagues to keep those loved ones--people such as my daughter and my many granddaughters--in their minds and in their thoughts when considering the question of equal pay for women. We will have the first vote the day after tomorrow. We will have this vote. To do otherwise would simply be unfair.

Recognition of the Minority Leader