Floor Statements

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, what is the order before the Senate?

Madam President, I have an amendment to the joint resolution that has already been filed at the desk.

I ask for the yeas and nays on that amendment.

There is now a second degree amendment which has also been filed at the desk.

I have a motion to commit H.J. Res. 124 with instructions which has been filed.

I ask for the yeas and nays on that amendment.

I have an amendment to the instructions at the desk.

I ask for the yeas and nays on that amendment.

I have a second degree amendment at the desk.

I have a cloture motion at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum under Rule XXII be waived.

Without objection, it is so ordered.

I ask unanimous consent that the filing deadline under rule XXII for first-degree amendments to H.J. Res. 124 be at 2 p.m. this afternoon and that the filing deadline for second-degree amendments be at 3:30 p.m. today.

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to table an amendment to the joint resolution, as provided under the previous order, be in order during time for debate and, if made during the debate, the vote on the motion to table occur immediately after all debate time has been used and yielded back on H.J. Res. 124; further, that if a budget point of order is made, the motion to waive be considered made and the vote on the motion to waive occur following the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on H.J. Res. 124.

There will be up to 4 hours 30 minutes equally divided between the two leaders or their designees.

I now suggest the absence of a quorum and ask unanimous consent that the time be charged equally on both sides.

Madam President, on the remaining three votes, I ask unanimous consent that they be 10 minutes in duration.

On these nominations, I ask unanimous consent that all time be yielded back.

I ask unanimous consent that the Executive Calendar consent agreed to Wednesday, September 17, 2014, be modified to include Executive Calendar No. 1053 following Executive Calendar No. 925, with all other provisions of the previous order remaining in effect, including yielding back time for debate.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

I have a cloture motion that has been filed and is at the desk.

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

Mr. President, I now move to proceed to legislative session.

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

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

Mr. President, I now move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, that on Wednesday, November 12, 2014, at 5:30 p.m., the Senate proceed to executive session and vote on cloture on Executive Calendar Nos. 853 and 855; further, that if cloture is invoked on either of these nominations, that on Thursday, November 13, 2014, at 2:15 p.m., all postcloture time be considered expired and the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the nominations in the order upon which cloture was invoked; further, that there be 2 minutes for debate prior to each vote and all rollcall votes after the first vote in each sequence be 10 minutes in length; further, that with respect to the nominations in this agreement, that if any nomination is confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

I ask the Chair to lay before the Senate a message from the House with respect to S. 1086.

The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Resolved, that the bill from the Senate (S. 1086) entitled

``An act to reauthorize and improve the Child Care and

Development Block Grant Act of 1990, and for other

purposes'', do pass with an amendment.

I move to concur in the House amendment to S. 1086.

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

I move to concur in the House amendment to S. 1086, with an amendment.

I ask for the yeas and nays on that motion.

I have an amendment at the desk.

I have a motion to refer the House message with respect to S. 1086 with instructions.

I ask for the yeas and nays on that motion.

I have an amendment to the instructions that has been filed.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

I have a second-degree agreement at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the quorum required under rule XXII be waived.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I rise to recognize two long-serving members of the Senate Sergeant at Arms Office, Jeanne Tessieri and Debbie Halverson, who are retiring in October of this year.

Since 1980, Jeanne has served as the Sergeant at Arms' State Office Liaison. She runs a small--but highly effective--office that impacts every Senator in this body. As Senators, we are privileged to represent the constituents of our home States, and it is imperative that the individuals we represent have a place to bring their thoughts and concerns. Under the law, each Senator is authorized to maintain office space in our respective States, but it is subject to strict regulations. Jeanne, in her role as the State Office Liaison, became a vital resource for all Senators. She worked to ensure that every State--big or small--had constituent service space that not only fulfilled the needs of the public, but also adhered to regulation.

Jeanne has guided us in selecting and arranging for the lease agreements for each one of our State offices, and there are currently more than 450 such offices throughout the 50 States. She literally wrote the book detailing the ins and outs of obtaining and maintaining a State office that meets the strict requirements for office spaces and expenses for furnishings.

We are grateful for Jeanne's steady, confident assistance through the years. Should a problem arise, Jeanne has always been the first person to call and offer assistance to our State offices. She knows how to marshal resources to help the offices address any issue that comes up.

Debbie Halverson has been Jeanne's very capable assistant for the past 31 years. Many of us that know her also knew her father, Senate Chaplain Richard Halverson. Her departure in October will mark the end of a wonderful era of service to the Senate for the Halverson family. I commend Debbie's years of dedication to her work and this body.

I appreciate the combined 65 years of faithful service Jeanne and Debbie provided the United States Senate. I wish them the best in their future endeavors and congratulate them both on their well-deserved retirements.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor and thank my friend, Mayor Robert A. Cashell, Sr., of Reno, for his more than three decades of public service in Nevada. After serving as the mayor of Reno for 12 years, Mayor Cashell will be retiring on November 12, 2014. I am grateful for his dedication and commitment to the people of Reno and to the State of Nevada.

Over the past 35 years, Mayor Cashell has worked at nearly every level of State and local government. Beginning with his election to the University of Nevada Board of Regents in 1979, Bob proved himself to be a strong leader with a keen ability to listen and understand the needs of those he served. Renoites and Nevadans quickly came to rely on Bob's leadership and ultimately elected him as Lieutenant Governor of the State. A skilled businessman, Bob understood the need for a coordinated State effort to spur economic development. As Lieutenant Governor, Bob Cashell helped create the Nevada Commission on Economic Development and the Commission on Tourism. He later went on to chair both of these vitally important State commissions.

First elected as Mayor of Reno in 2002, Mayor Cashell was subsequently re-elected in 2006 and 2010. During his tenure, Mayor Cashell once again displayed his business acumen, helping transform Reno into a hub of innovation, spurring investment from some of America's most prestigious corporations. Mayor Cashell also spearheaded the continued revitalization of downtown Reno, making it a destination for special events, and creating a pedestrian and family-friendly atmosphere.

As mayor, Bob Cashell met some of Reno's most difficult social issues head on. He refused to shy away from the issue of poverty, instead developing programs to help those hardest hit by the Great Recession. Mayor Cashell was the driving force behind the creation of the Community Assistance Center, which houses multiple services, including free food and social services, for the city's homeless and needy.

In every role he has assumed, Mayor Cashell has made Nevada a better place to live. His work as mayor of the City of Reno will be dearly missed, but I have no doubt that Mayor Cashell will find some way to continue serving the people of Nevada. Although he is retiring from office, Mayor Cashell will never retire from helping others.

I wish Bob and his wife Nancy Parker Cashell all the best as they begin this new chapter of their lives. I thank Nancy, their 4 children and 9 grandchildren for sharing Bob with Nevada. Our State is a better place because of Mayor Bob Cashell's many years of exemplary service.

Mr. President, I extend to Chaplain Black our appreciation for the guest Chaplain today. That was a very moving prayer, and I very much appreciate the work our Chaplain does in always giving us courage and helping to build our faith.

Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until noon today. During that period of time Senators will be allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each. The time will be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees. Following morning business the Senate will proceed to one rollcall vote on the confirmation of John Bass to be the Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, followed by several voice votes on executive nominations.

Mr. President, Nevada is a relatively small State population-wise but a large area. We are a State of about 3 million people. We take pride in our home State, as we should. Even though we have grown a lot in the last couple of decades, we are still a big family.

Today Nevadans are celebrating two of our home State's native sons after the Washington Nationals clinched the National League East Division crown. There is a lot of dissension here on the Senate floor and a lot of talk back and forth, but one thing you never hear often enough is that the Republican leader and I love watching baseball. We often share our views of the team and how, if we were there, we may do things a little differently, but we are still a booster for the team.

The reason I mention this today is because there are two individuals who helped the Nationals clinch the National League East Division who have deep roots in Nevada.

In his first season as manager of the team, Matt Williams, from Carson City, NV, has led his team to the National Division series. He has a stunningly powerful record athletically and is just a nice person. He was a baseball and football star at Carson City High. Carson City is the capital of the State of Nevada.

Matt Williams played baseball collegiately for the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, where he was a star. He was so good, he played 16 years in the Major Leagues. He played for the Giants, Indians, and Diamondbacks. He played in the World Series for each of those teams. He is a five-time all-star and a four-time Gold Glove Award winner. He was a stunningly good third baseman, and he sports a World Series championship ring from the Diamondbacks.

Bryce Harper had his picture on the front of Sports Illustrated when he was 15 years old for hitting a home run more than 500 feet. He is a fine young man from a wonderful family. He came to the Major Leagues when he was 18 years old--he may have been 19. I believe he is going to turn 22 soon.

During his rookie year he had a very serious injury. What was the injury? He was running full speed and rammed into the wall at Dodger Stadium, and he was hurt. It took away from his stellar year, but he still did OK. He was Rookie of the Year and on the all-star team that first year. He played baseball at Las Vegas High School, and he left high school and went to a junior community college as a 17-year-old. Because of his power, he went to the National Junior College World Series. He is a two-time all-star. He is in his third season. In 2012 he was Rookie of the Year, and he was hurt again this year because of his enthusiasm for the

game and his never-ending hustle. He hit a triple and went into third base and messed up his thumb. That required surgery, and as a result he missed much of this season. However, he is having a good season in spite of that.

We are very proud of our baseball athletes.

This year one of the greatest baseball players of all time, Greg Maddux, was, of course, on the first ballot and was made a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. This unassuming young man has been an example for how people should be athletes--not a lot of talk, other than when he does talk. He has a lot of humility. He is a great athlete.

I wish Matt Williams, Bryce Harper, and the rest of the team the best of everything when the playoffs get underway. It should be an exciting divisional series.

I also follow the Baltimore Orioles, and until the Nationals showed up, that was about all we had in the area. They have a great team. Their owner is a tremendous trial lawyer. He still works every day practicing law. They have a tremendous team. They have had a few bad breaks. Their very young third baseman was hurt. He lost a lot of this season, as he did last year.

Anyway, it would be a great World Series to have Baltimore playing the Nationals. That would be something I would really look forward to. Again, it was exciting to watch them all year. Two or three games ago Bryce Harper hit one of his towering home runs. They are still talking about how far he hit it.