Floor Statements

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I rise to honor the National Judicial College. Celebrating 50 years of service and education to the Nation's judiciary, the National Judicial College has dedicated itself to the advancement of justice, not only in our Nation, but throughout the world. It is with great pleasure that I recognize the National Judicial College's distinguished history of providing education and higher learning, especially in light of its recent anniversary.

More than 50 years ago, the Joint Committee for the Effective Administration of Justices came together and realized the need for an entity to provide judicial education. By 1963, under the leadership of Supreme Court Justice Tom C. Clark, the National Judicial College opened its doors at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

After attending the first course in Boulder, Judge Thomas Craven, from Reno, NV, enthusiastically brought his experience with the college to trustees of the Max C. Fleischmann Foundation located in Reno. In 1964, with the persistence of Judge Craven and the support of the Fleischmann Foundation, the college moved to the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno, where its permanent academic home still thrives today.

As the first institution to offer programs of its nature to judges nationwide, the National Judicial College has much to celebrate at this 50 year mark. What started out as a course serving 83 judges in 1963 has become a permanent institution that provides 90 courses and programs serving more than 3,000 judges every year from all 50 States, U.S. territories, and more than 150 countries. Since its inception, the college has awarded more than 95,000 professional judicial education certificates.

These judges come together in the college's own state-of-the-art facility on the campus of University of Nevada, Reno, comprised of 90,000 square feet including an auditorium, classrooms, model courtroom, multimedia room, computer lab, judge's resource room, and discussion areas, all of which are equipped with the latest technology.

The college serves as the one place where judges from across the world can meet to improve the delivery of justice and advance the rule of law through professional study and collegial dialogue. The college's dedicated boards, faculty, and staff deliver innovative programs and services that improve productivity, challenge perceptions of justice, and inspire judicial excellence in the field.

The impact of the National Judicial College is immense. Its unique role in educating and developing our Nation's judiciary has improved the judicial system, and will continue to do so in the future.

I commend the National Judiciary College's dedication to education, innovation, and advancement of justice, and am honored to congratulate the college for 50 years of serving our Nation's judiciary.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 97, S. Res. 167.

I further ask that the resolution be agreed to; the Feinstein amendment to the preamble which is at the desk be agreed to; the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 153.

Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk due for its first reading.

I now ask for a second reading and, in order to place the bill on the calendar under rule XIV, I object to my own request.

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 30, 2013, and 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 proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 223, Kent Yoshiho Hirozawa, of New York, to be a member of the National Labor Relations Board, under the previous order.

Mr. President, at about 10:15 a.m. tomorrow, there will be a cloture vote on the Hirozawa nomination.

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

Mr. President, following my remarks and those of Senator McConnell, there will be a period of morning business until 11 a.m., with the first 30 minutes controlled by the majority and the second 30 minutes by the Republicans.

Following morning business the Senate will resume consideration of S. 1243, which is the Transportation appropriations bill. Senator Murray will continue to work through the amendments with ranking member Susan Collins from Maine. We also hope to vote on confirmation of the West nomination to be Associate Attorney General. Senators will be notified when votes are scheduled.

Mr. President, about 80 years ago when President Franklin Roosevelt first proposed Social Security as insurance against poverty in old age, the idea was controversial, new, never been done before, nothing like it. But in 1935, 97 Republicans joined Democrats in Congress to create one of the most successful programs--if not the most successful program--in the history of our country and in the world.

Two decades, about sixty years later, President Dwight Eisenhower proposed the Nation's first interstate highway system, proposing the investment would pave the way for a new era of American growth.

Why did Dwight Eisenhower do this? As a young major in the Army, he was directed to bring a convoy of troops and equipment across the country and he determined at that time something had to be done. The roads were nonexistent, and those that existed were not in very good shape. So when he became President, after having been such a successful leader of our efforts in World War II, he asked Congress to invest $50 billion. Under present-day dollars, that would be about $500 billion. That meant almost 50,000 miles of new highways.

There are still ideas out there we should do. Eisenhower, along with Roosevelt, did some things that were new and unique. But look back at what they did. Look at the good of Social Security. Look at the good of our interstate highway system.

With the highway bill, back in 1956, the bipartisan vote wasn't even close. Listen to this: It passed the Senate 89-1. It was approved in the House of Representatives by a voice vote.

About 40 years after President Roosevelt decided he should do something about taking care of people in their golden years here in America, President Harry Truman envisioned a program that would protect every senior citizen from illness and need. Well, 83 Republicans helped Lyndon Johnson and Democrats in Congress create Medicare. Democratic President Roosevelt, Republican President Eisenhower, Democratic Presidents Truman and Johnson were the reason we have Medicare. Since the law was enacted in 1965, poverty among seniors in this country has decreased and life expectancy has increased every 10 years because of Medicare.

On each of these occasions I have talked about, and countless others throughout the course of American history, lawmakers--divided by political

party--have united to pass important groundbreaking legislation. On the issues that matter most--when lives are at stake, when the country and the economy of the country is at stake, when America's competitiveness is at stake--lawmakers, divided by political party, have been drawn together by shared priorities. It is time to renew that tradition.

Over the last 5 years, this Nation has dug its way out of the hole created by the great recession. I could go into reasons why the great recession happened, but let's drop that for now. It happened. We have an opportunity now to come together again, this time to lay the foundation for a stronger, smarter, and more competitive America.

As Democrats and Republicans came together in the past to ensure the health and dignity of our Nation's seniors, as Democrats and Republicans came together to pave the way for a mobile and competitive economy, so Democrats and Republicans today must come together to build a future where hard work is all it takes to turn opportunity into prosperity.

Yesterday President Obama laid out a roadmap to restore that promise for every American. The speech took an hour, but every minute of it was important. He laid out a vision to encourage responsible home ownership, to educate a new generation of workers, and to create jobs rebuilding Eisenhower-era roadways and bridges.

Every day I am impressed by President Obama's focus on restoring a vibrant economy. And every day I am encouraged by his optimism that with a little cooperation and the help of a few reasonable Republicans, we can achieve that goal. We only need a handful of Republicans to break away from what has gone on this past 5 years. I look forward to hearing more details from the President about his proposals in the coming days and weeks.

President Eisenhower understood that lawmakers--Republican or Democrat--should be drawn together by shared priorities. We should all play on the same team. This is what he said:

I have one yardstick by which I test every majority

problem--and that yardstick is: Is it good for America?

General Eisenhower was right then and he is right today.

Throughout our Nation's history, Congress has used that same measure. But over the last 5 years, something has changed. When my Republican counterpart said his No. 1 goal was to defeat President Obama, the words ``at any cost'' were implied.

Since 2009, Republicans have refused to join Democrats in the important job of legislating. It has worked. They have refused to join us in leading, preferring instead to stake out ideological territory or try to score political points. Republicans have balked at new ideas. But they have also balked at old ideas they once supported, solely because those ideas are now favored by President Obama. This kind of opposition for opposition's sake has resulted in gridlock and dysfunction and bitter bipartisanship, hostage-taking and standoffs.

I was on a long interview on public broadcasting yesterday. They asked, What about the numbers of Congress being so low? I said, I haven't gotten a call from any of the pollsters, but if I had, I would agree with this number. Congress is dysfunctional, and that is unfair to the American people. It has made it almost impossible for Congress to advance the big ideas, to achieve the big things, to realize the big dreams it once could. But it is not too late for reasonable people from both parties and on both sides of the Capitol to change that. It is not too late for lawmakers, divided by political party but sharing the same priorities, to unite to pass important legislation.

Like President Obama, I am an optimist. I remain hopeful despite the disagreements and difficulties over the last 5 years. I am hopeful my Republican colleagues are using the same yardstick as I am. And I know they are asking themselves, as I am, Is it good for America?

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 executive session and it be in order to file cloture on Executive Calendar Nos. 208, 223, 224, 104; further, that the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived; finally, if this request is granted, the Senate resume legislative session after the final cloture motion is reported pursuant to this order.

I send a cloture motion to the desk.

It is my understanding there is a cloture motion at the desk.

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