Floor Statements

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the call of the quorum be rescinded.

Madam President, we yield back the remainder of all time.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38, with the exception of Calendar No. 28 Colonel Scott C. Long, and all nominations placed on the Secretary's desk in the Air Force, Army, and Navy; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; 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 President Obama be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

I ask unanimous consent that we now 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 when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 6, 2013; 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 nomination of Caitlin Halligan to be a U.S. circuit judge for the DC Circuit, with the time until 10:30 a.m. equally divided and controlled in the usual form; further, that at 10:30 a.m. the cloture vote on the Halligan nomination occur.

There will be a cloture vote, then, Mr. President, on the Halligan nomination at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.

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, following leader remarks the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 5 p.m. today. Following that morning business, the Senate will proceed to executive session to consider the Chen and Failla nominations to be U.S. district judges, both in the State of New York. At 5:30 p.m. there will be two rollcall votes on confirmation of these nominations.

Mr. President, this week the Senate will consider a number of nominations.

Tonight we will vote, as I have just indicated, on Pamela Chen to be a judge for the Eastern District of New York and Katherine Failla to serve as district judge for the Southern District of New York.

Later this week we are going to consider the nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. This circuit now has four vacancies. Ms. Halligan's colleagues say she has ``a brilliant mind'' and ``an abiding respect for law.'' Those are direct quotes. But despite her outstanding credentials and strong support from across the political spectrum, Republicans filibustered her confirmation last Congress.

President Obama is the only President in the 65-year history of the DC Circuit Court not to have a single judge confirmed to that court during his first term. Remember, there are now four vacancies. Since she was nominated, two additional vacancies have opened on the DC Circuit. The court desperately needs more judges.

This week the Senate will consider the nomination of John Brennan to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. Mr. Brennan's nomination is expected to be reported out of the Intelligence Committee tomorrow.

Mr. Brennan served 25 years in the CIA in many extremely important delicate roles and 4 years on the White House national security staff, where he played an instrumental role in finding Osama bin Laden and decimating al Qaida. He is very qualified, he is a wonderful public servant, and he should be confirmed quickly.

This week will be a test of the Republicans' goodwill. My Republican colleagues say they respect the Senate's responsibility to advise and consent. My Republican colleagues say they don't plan to obstruct the confirmation process for the sake of obstruction, but they filibustered President Obama's nominee for Secretary of Defense--for the first time in the history of the country, being a former Republican Senator-- delaying Senator Hagel's confirmation for at least 2 weeks.

Republicans say they will not filibuster, but their actions say otherwise. Republicans say they are just requiring 60-vote thresholds, but the difference between a filibuster and requiring a 60-vote threshold on nominations is a distinction with no difference. In a nation founded on the principle of justice for all, requiring a 60-vote threshold on nominations is unfair. It is unfair for all. It is extremely important that we adequately staff our Federal courts, and we have not done that.

At a time when America faces so many threats abroad, it is crucial we have a talented and dedicated individual such as John Brennan leading our Nation's most prominent intelligence agency. Yet Republicans again and again inject politics into the confirmation process, both when considering judicial nominees and, most recently, when considering Cabinet nominees.

There was once a time when Republicans were the ones defending the right of the President to choose the players on his team. Back then it was a Republican in the White House.

In 2001, the senior Senator from Utah touted the ``longstanding tradition in the Senate . . . [to] afford the President a significant degree of deference to shape his Cabinet as he sees fit.''

Four years later, after President Bush was reelected, the senior Senator from Arizona pointed out that elections have consequences and said, ``The President has a right to put into place

the team he believes will serve him best.''

As we consider key nominations this week and in the future, I hope my Republican colleagues honor the longstanding tradition of the Senate that they have identified and we agree with. I urge my Republican colleagues to consider that if the Senate fails to properly staff our national security agencies or the Nation's judicial system, our inaction will also have consequences.

Mr. President, would my friend yield for a question?

I ask the chairman of the Judiciary Committee to explain to everyone within the sound of our voices how important the DC Circuit is to our country.

Mr. President, I ask for permission to ask one more question of the senior Senator.

Legal scholars have said, and I have read, that they believe the DC Circuit is just a little bit below the Supreme Court; that it hears cases of such significance. That is why it was established some 65 years ago: to take care of cases the Supreme Court couldn't.

Is that true?

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

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

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

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

Mr. President, I rise to recognize a milestone in Nevada history as my friend Rossi Ralenkotter celebrates 40 years with the tourism industry. As president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, LVCVA, Rossi has been influential in transforming Las Vegas into a globally recognized brand and an entertainment destination. I am proud to honor him today.

After moving to Las Vegas in 1951 and graduating from Bishop Gorman High School, Rossi served our Nation in the United States Air Force. Upon returning home to Southern Nevada, he entered the tourism industry. Las Vegas hasn't been the same since.

Rossi championed the use of research and data in developing advertising and marketing strategies for Southern Nevada. He helped establish the LVCVA's research department in the early 1970's.

This innovative approach transformed advertising and marketing for the

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate

completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, March 5, 2013; 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 until later in the day, and that following any leader remarks, the Senate proceed to a period of morning business until 11:45 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 majority controlling the first 30 minutes and the Republicans controlling the second 30 minutes; further, that following morning business, the Senate proceed to consideration of S. Res. 64; finally, that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. for the weekly caucus meetings.