Floor Statements

I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the upcoming recess or adjournment of the Senate, the President of the Senate, the President pro tempore, and the majority and minority leaders be authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences or interparliamentary conferences authorized by law, by concurrent action of the two Houses or by order of the Senate.

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn and convene for pro forma sessions only with no business conducted on the following dates and times, and that following each pro forma session the Senate adjourn until the next pro forma session: Friday, June 28 at 12:15 p.m; Tuesday, July 2, at 10:15 a.m.; and Friday, July 5, at 12 noon; and that the Senate adjourn on Friday July 5 until 2 p.m. on Monday, July 8, 2013, unless the Senate receives a message from the House it has adopted S. Con. Res. 19, the adjournment resolution, and that if the Senate receives such a message, the Senate adjourn until 2 p.m. on Monday, July 8; that on Monday, 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 5 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each; that following morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session, under the previous order.

Madam President, I appreciate the patience of the Presiding Officer and all the staff. I would have come here sooner, had I been able to, but they were still trying to work on this material so we could close for the work period we are going to have at home.

The next rollcall vote will be at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 8.

Mr. President, following leader remarks the Senate will resume consideration of the immigration bill. The time until 11:30 will be equally divided between the two managers. The filing deadline for all second-degree amendments to both the substitute and the bill is 10:30 today. At 11:30 there will be three rollcall votes on the motion to waive the applicable budget points of order, the adoption of the Leahy amendment, as modified, and the cloture vote on the committee- reported substitute amendment.

Mr. President, I think it is appropriate that I say just a word or two about the eight Senators who have worked to get us to the point where we are now. I was thinking this morning that this is really America at its best. Each one of those eight Senators does not know, as I do not know, whether this work they have done is going to help them or hurt them in their political careers. But this is one of those opportunities where I am confident that they believe they are doing it for the right reasons no matter what the political consequences are.

We have a broken immigration system. They have led us to a path to be able to fix it--but for them we would continue with this broken immigration system--which, as we know now from the reports we got from the Congressional Budget Office, is going to help tremendously reduce our deficit for the next two decades by $1 trillion--$1 trillion.

When people came before this legislation and said: We have to do this legislation because it is good for the security of this Nation and good for the economy, people really did not know if they were speaking the truth. Well, we know now. That is absolutely true. It improves the security. We see what is going to happen with the border. We are going to have 40,000 Border Patrol agents. We are going to have all methods to make sure that border is secure and the northern border is secure. In addition to that, it is going to improve our economy significantly.

I applaud and congratulate those eight Senators for the remarkably good work they have done.

It was 6 a.m. when immigration officials came to take Maria Espinoza's husband away in handcuffs. She walked out the front door to hand her husband his lunch money and watched as he was loaded in a truck and carted to an immigration detention center. That is a fancy word for a jail. He was not a criminal. He works hard, pays his taxes, and he is a good father and a good husband. But Jorge is in the country without the proper immigration paperwork, so he spent a month in this jail. Maria, who is also an undocumented immigrant, was also set to be deported but was able to remain at home with her teenage daughter, who is, by the way, a U.S. citizen. Maria and Jorge were basically able to secure a stay of deportation, but they live with the fear that they will be torn away from their family and deported to a country they have not set foot in in 25 years.

They came from Mexico. They have made their home in Las Vegas. They have been there for 25 years--almost as

long as they have been married. In Nevada, Maria and Jorge have a large and vibrant family. They have two daughters and a son, and now they have an 8-month-old grandson as well. They have loving friends and a tight-knit community. In Mexico, the country where they were born, they do not know a single soul except a really old relative.

Because Maria and Jorge are undocumented immigrants, they live with the fear every minute of every day--and sometimes as they awaken at night--that they will have to leave the country they love, the United States. Maria lives with the fear that she will have to say goodbye to their children and her grandson. Here is what she said yesterday:

When you lose your mother or your father, you are an

orphan. When you lose your husband, you are a widow. What do

they call it when you lose a child, when you are separated

from a child? There is no name for that.

Maria and Jorge's family members are all legally present in the United States. Maria and Jorge's youngest daughter, a freshman in college, was born in the United States. So was their grandson.

A directive issued last year by President Obama allowed their two oldest children, both of whom are married to U.S. citizens, to obtain their legal residency. The President's directive suspended deportation for 800,000 DREAMers--young people brought to America illegally when they were children and in many instances just babies. But millions of family members of those young DREAMers do not qualify for legal status or an earned pathway to citizenship. Millions of mixed-status families worry every day that a loved one--a parent, a spouse, a sibling--will be torn away from them at any time. That is why it is crucial that Congress pass this bipartisan legislation.

This is reform legislation that protects and preserves families. We need to do it right now. I am happy the Senate will pass such a bill this week. A permanent, commonsense solution to our dysfunctional system is really in sight. It is my hope our colleagues in the House will follow the Senate's lead and work to pass bipartisan reform and do it now because whether we serve in the House or Senate, whether we hail from red States or blue States, we should all be able to agree that the current system is broken. We should all be able to agree that congressional action is necessary.

I have seen firsthand the devastation caused by our broken system. But each time I have an opportunity to speak with Nevadans about the urgent need for action on immigration, I am reminded that this issue is personal to them also. It is personal, as I have indicated, to me, but it is just as personal to Maria and Jorge. It is personal to 11 million other undocumented immigrants and tens of millions of their U.S. citizen relatives, whose eyes are turned toward Washington and whose hearts are filled with hope.

Madam President, I will use leader time so I can talk. We are going to be in a vote in a few minutes to waive the Budget Act, and then we are going to have two more. One is on the adoption of the Leahy amendment, as modified, and then a cloture vote on the committee- reported substitute amendment.

I mentioned on the floor this morning the work done by the Gang of 8--extremely important. As I indicated at that time, as I look at the Republicans and Democrats who did this, I do not know of anything in it for them politically. It was done because they believed the immigration system is broken and broken badly and needed some repair work. They did a remarkably good job.

But I would like to add to that the junior Senator from Tennessee, Mr. Corker, and Senator Hoeven. What they have done to help us with this bill is remarkably important and good. Could we have passed this without them? Maybe. But the point is that they have strengthened this legislation. When I worked on it 7 years ago, the issue was always, is there going to be a secure border? What they have done is made that without any question a fact. So I admire what they have done--again, not for any political benefit because, as I look, I doubt they will get any from this, but they will get the benefit of doing what they believe is right for our country. I appreciate that. History will indicate that I am right. Maybe in the short term it may not be, but history will indicate, when the books are written, that these two good men allowed us to do something that is important for our country.

What if we did not fix this broken immigration system today, in 2013, this week? What would the future be for this country? No. 1, as we have said, the security of this Nation would be not as good as it would have been had we passed this bill. Secondly, the economic security of this country would be not nearly as good as it will be if we pass this bill. A $1 trillion debt will be reduced in this country.

So I admire all of these Senators for the good work they have done for the country. I know we have been working for the last couple of weeks and very intensely for the last couple of days to come up with a list of amendments. I have people on my side of the aisle who are very interested in having a vote on their amendments. I even have had a number of Republican colleagues come to me and say: You have to do something to allow us to have some amendments. We have tried very hard to do that, but I have to say, honestly, I am not really happy with what has taken place since I have left here last night and got here this morning because we are going backward, not frontward. So I hope that when we get these three votes out of the way, people agree. Let's do the possible. There is a way we can come up with some amendments. I understand both sides want their amendments heard and voted on; they are important to them. If it is important to them, it should be important to us. So we are going to continue to work on that to see if we can come up with a list of amendments.

I would be remiss if I did not mention, together with the 10 Senators I have already talked about, the chairman of the committee. We would not be where we are without a fair, open markup. That is not the way it always is around here. This man is the President pro tempore of the Senate. He is the chairman of the committee. He has a lot of power. He could run that committee any way he wants. That is the way it is here. He did. He ran it the way it should be run. I admire and appreciate the work he has done.

So let's get these votes out of the way, see if we can come up with a list of amendments, something we can work on. Each side is going to have to give a little.

I ask unanimous consent that the second and third votes in this series be

10 minutes in duration and that there be 2 minutes of debate equally divided between the two votes.

Mr. President, I will be brief.

I appreciate very much the remarks of Senator Cowan. The only thing he said that I disagree with is: No one had a chance to vote for him to get here.

There was one big vote that was very important, a man by the name of Deval Patrick. Once he made that decision, you were our Senator as well as the Senator of Massachusetts.

I, of course, know Deval Patrick. We all saw him at the convention giving his brilliant speech. He was swarmed with people giving him advice as to

who he should select to replace Senator Kerry. He called me and said: Don't worry about it. I am going to select the best person from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to represent Senator Kerry's seat for the interim.

He was right, and I have told Governor Patrick on the telephone. A couple of weeks ago I said: Make sure to call Governor Patrick for me-- because I know they are good friends--and tell him I told you how much we all admire you.

In the Democratic caucus yesterday, this good man didn't get one standing ovation, he received two. This is rare. He got that because he is a genuine person. He came here now and talked about the goodness of this body. We need more of that.

Senator Cowan, thank you very much. I admire you. I know in the paper today you said that you are always going to be Mo, but to me you are always going to be Senator Cowan.

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

Mr. President, we have been working to come up with a list of amendments. Without any editorializing, this is the list we have been able to come up with. The staff has worked on this for long hours.

I ask unanimous consent that a managers' package of amendments consisting of Boxer-Landrieu-Murray No. 1240 (pending); Brown No. 1597; Carper-McCain-Udall No. 1558, as modified; Carper No. 1590; Coats No. 1288; Coats No. 1373; Coburn No. 1509; Coons No. 1715; Flake No. 1472; Heinrich-Udall of New Mexico No. 1342; Heinrich-Udall of New Mexico No. 1417; Heinrich-Udall of New Mexico-Gillibrand No. 1559; Heitkamp-Levin- Tester-Baucus No. 1593; Klobuchar-Landrieu-Coats-Blunt-Barrasso-Enzi No. 1261; Klobuchar-Coats-Landrieu-Blunt No. 1526; Landrieu-Coats- Shaheen-Franken No. 1338; Landrieu-Cochran No. 1383; Leahy No. 1454; Leahy No. 1455; Murray-Crapo No. 1368; Nelson-Wicker No. 1253; Reed No. 1223; Reed No. 1608; Schatz-Kirk No. 1416; Shaheen-Ayotte No. 1272; Stabenow-Collins No. 1405; Toomey No. 1236; Udall of New Mexico- Heinrich No. 1241; and Udall of New Mexico-Heinrich-Gillibrand No. 1242 be in order and considered en bloc; that the Senate proceed to vote on adoption of the amendments in this package en bloc; that upon disposition of the managers' package, the following amendments be in order to be called up and the clerks be authorized to modify the instruction lines to fit the committee-reported amendment, as amended, where necessary: Sessions No. 1334; Hirono No. 1718; Fischer No. 1594; Blumenthal No. 1636; Vitter No. 1445; Brown No. 1311; Toomey No. 1599; Hagan No. 1386; Coats No. 1563; McCaskill No. 1457; Johnson of Wisconsin No. 1380; Boxer No. 1260; Cruz No. 1580; Feinstein No. 1250; Lee No. 1214; Udall of New Mexico No. 1218; Vitter No. 1577; Tester No. 1459; Vitter No. 1474; Heitkamp No. 1593; Lee No. 1207; Whitehouse No. 1419; Cruz No. 1579; Udall of New Mexico No. 1691; Cruz No. 1583; Heinrich No. 1342; Cruz No. 1585; Reed of Rhode Island No. 1608; Cruz No. 1586; Nelson-Wicker No. 1253; McCain-Cardin No. 1469; and Portman- Tester No. 1634; that at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning, June 27, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the amendments in the order listed; that the amendments be subject to a 60-affirmative vote threshold; that there be 2 minutes equally divided prior to each vote; and all after the first vote be 10-minute votes; that upon disposition of the Portman-Tester amendment No. 1634, the pending amendments to the underlying bill be withdrawn; the majority leader then be recognized for the purpose of raising points of order against the remaining pending amendments to the substitute amendment; that after the amendments fall, the substitute amendment, as amended, be agreed to; the cloture motion with respect to S. 744 be withdrawn; the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended.

I have been very patient today, and I have just about had it on this, all of this pontificating on this amendment, all right?

The Senator from Ohio had an offer to put this in the bill. He turned it down. We are spending all of this time because he has been aggrieved in some way? He had the opportunity to put this amendment in the bill as it is offered.

I wanted to be quiet all day, but this is enough. This is enough. The American people need to know he had the right to put it in the bill. They agreed on it. He said no. I assume this is because he wants a big show out here to have a separate vote. I don't know what it is. That is enough. I have had enough. I know he is a smart man. He has been head of OMB and a lot of good things. I know nothing bad about him, but that is enough of this, enough of this.

Mr. President, I would ask my friend from Georgia, through the Chair, if I could do the closing script. It will take about 2 or 3 minutes.

Mr. President, I do appreciate the Senator's courtesy very much.

Unanimous Consent Agreement--Executive Calendar

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, Thursday, June 27, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 179, Anthony Renard Foxx, to be Secretary of Transportation; that there be 2 minutes for debate equally divided in the usual form; that following the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on the nomination; the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order; that any related statements be printed in the Record; that President Obama be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that tomorrow, June 27, upon disposition of the Foxx nomination and the resumption of legislative session, all postcloture time be considered expired with respect to the committee-reported amendment, as amended; that the pending amendments to the underlying bill be withdrawn; that I be recognized for the purpose of raising points of order against the remaining pending amendments to the substitute amendment; that after the amendments fall, the Senate proceed to vote on the adoption of the committee-reported substitute amendment, as amended; that upon disposition of the committee-reported substitute amendment, the Senate proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on S. 744, as amended; finally, if cloture is invoked, it be considered as if cloture had been invoked at 7 a.m., Thursday, June 27.

Mr. President, are we in a period of morning business now?

Mr. 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.

Mr. President, I rise to recognize a man, Albert Carey Caswell, who has dedicated his life to recounting the stories of our Nation's history to the visitors of the U.S. Capitol, as well as many others who have participated in Albert's tours.

Albert's poetic talent and upbeat attitude has enriched the lives of his colleagues, Senators, staff and visitors during his nearly 30-year career in the U.S. Capitol.

Albert is known for his gift of words, in poetry and in prose, which have left an indelible mark on the Congressional Record, as more than 150 of his poems are included in the Record. More recently, Albert wrote a poem to honor the late Senator Lautenberg from New Jersey.

Albert got to know Senator Lautenberg from years of escorting veterans around the U.S. Capitol. Albert had immense respect for Senator Lautenberg's military record as well as for his enduring commitment to public service.

Mr. President, I share Albert's ``Let's Be Frank'' poem for all to read.

Let's Be Frank

Let's!

Let's be Frank!

Of how his long fine life upon this earth so ranks!

Now, that's a Laut . . . En . . . Berg

For he was but a public servant,

Who our Nation all so Heard!

A Jersey Boy

Who so lived The Great American Dream

Who so looked as if he would live forever,

As so it seemed!

In his 80's

he looked like he was in his 60's . . .

Because, hard work was but his life's dignity!

Give me your tired and your poor!

As American opened up her arms and her doors . . .

To a family who came from far across the dark deep shores!

When,

at the edge . . .

as Mankind bled!

He volunteered to join the Army

As he so raised his hand and his life so pledged

To Save The World

In a World War!

While, Fighting in The Big One . . .

So far across those most distant shores!

And came back home,

and yet still to more greatness his heart of courage roamed!

As he took that GI Bill

And climbed another hill . . .

With now a great education he so owned

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 93, S. Res. 144.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee- reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the resolution, as amended, 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.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 96, S. Res. 166.

I further 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.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 187, which was submitted earlier today.

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

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. Res. 188, which was submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 189, which was submitted earlier today.

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