Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that all time on this nomination be yielded back.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, my friend from Tennessee is a fine Senator. He has the interests of the State of Tennessee every step of the way and, of course, our country. So my statement here has nothing to do with the kind of man he is and the kind of Senator he is.

I have just left my office, where I watched the second of three votes in the House. The House has voted on the continuing resolution. It passed by an overwhelming margin over there. The purpose of that is to stop another government shutdown. The continuing resolution includes language on training and equipping the Syrian opposition. That bill will come over here in a matter of an hour or two. The House has chosen how it wishes to address these two matters; that is, the CR and arming and training the Syrian rebels.

As my colleagues know, in order to make a law, you need the Senate to pass something and the House to pass something or vice versa. Then, of course, it is signed by the President. They have to be identical. If we wish to prevent a government shutdown, we have to pass this continuing resolution the House will send us. I have had conversations with the Speaker, and he has been very strong in stating what they are going to do over there.

Senate committees are in the process--one of the committees the Senator from Tennessee is the ranking member of--in the process of holding hearings on whether an authorization to use force is necessary and if so, how it should be crafted. So I look forward to Foreign Relations deciding what legislative action to take on this matter. But in the meantime, we should pass the House-passed continuing resolution which includes the language on training and equipping the Syrian opposition and present the people here an up-or-down vote on what we get from the House of Representatives.

We cannot have another government shutdown. I object.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, over the last hour or so I had the good fortune to hear the junior Senator from Washington, Ms. Cantwell, describe what is happening with the Ex-Im Bank, and it is not good for the country.

The Ex-Im Bank is so very important to the Presiding Officer's State. The State of Connecticut benefits tremendously from the Ex-Im Bank, as do the small manufacturing businesses in the State of Nevada.

As Senator Cantwell said, it is a shame we are shipping more jobs overseas, and by not extending the Ex-Im Bank long term, that is what we are doing. She is such an advocate for this program which is so important to our country. I underline and underscore everything she said this afternoon. I am so disappointed we are not able to have a long-term extension of the Ex-Im Bank. It is very important, and it is too bad we are not going to do that.

Unanimous Consent Agreement--H.J. Res. 124

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.J. Res. 124, which was received from the House and is at the desk, at 1 p.m. on Thursday, September 18; that following the reporting of the joint resolution, the majority leader be recognized; that there be up to 4\1/2\ hours equally divided between the two leaders or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of time, there be no other motions or points of order in order to the joint resolution other than a Sessions or designee motion to table or a budget point of order and the applicable motion to waive; that Senator Sessions or designee be recognized for a motion to table an amendment to the joint resolution; that if the motion to table is agreed to, the majority leader be recognized; that if the motion to table is not agreed to, and notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on H.J. Res. 124; that if cloture is invoked, all postcloture time be considered expired, the pending amendments be withdrawn, the joint resolution be read a third time, and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the joint resolution.

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

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 1009 through and including 1026 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 the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

I ask unanimous consent that following the vote on H.J. Res. 124, the Senate consider Executive Calendar Nos. 893, 524, 959, 702, 1002, 997, 708, 996, and PN 1917; that there be 2 minutes for debate equally divided between the two leaders or their designees prior to each vote; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on the nominations in the order listed; that any rollcall votes following the first in the series be 10 minutes in length; that if any nomination is confirmed, 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 to the nomination; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 567, S. 2651.

I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; and the motion 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 Calendar No. 568, S. 2141.

I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, and the motion 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 H.R. 4751.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed and the motion 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 H.R. 4809.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed and the motion 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 Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 545 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I 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 Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 543 and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mr. President, 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.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration, en bloc, of the following resolutions, which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 552; S. Res. 553; S. Res. 554; S. Res. 555; S. Res. 556; S. Res. 557; S. Res. 558; S. Res. 559; and S. Res. 560.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid on the table, en bloc, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following treaty transmitted to the Senate, signed September 17, 2014, by the President of the United States: Extradition Treaty with the Republic of Chile (Treaty Document No. 113-6).

I further ask that the treaty be considered as having been read the first time; that it be referred, with accompanying papers, to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed; and that the President's message be printed in the Record.

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 18, 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 the prayer and pledge, the Senate recess subject to the call of the Chair; that when the Senate reconvenes, following any leader remarks, there be a period of morning business until 1 p.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, and with the Republicans controlling the first half and the majority controlling the final half; and finally, at 1 p.m., the Senate proceed to consideration of H.J. Res. 124, the continuing resolution, as provided under the previous order.

Mr. President, at 10 a.m. tomorrow, His Excellency Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine, will address a joint meeting of Congress from the Hall of the House of Representatives in the U.S. Capitol. Senators should begin to gather in the Senate Chamber at 9:30 a.m. to depart at 9:40 a.m. for the procession to the Hall of the House.

Senators should expect a series of rollcall votes at approximately 5:30 p.m. tomorrow.