Floor Statements

Mr. President, following any leader remarks, the Senate will turn to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

As a reminder to my colleagues, last night we were able to reach an agreement to limit action on the FDA Food Safety and Modernization Act. I filed a cloture motion with respect to the bill. The cloture vote on the substitute amendment will occur at 6:30 p.m. Monday, November 29. Senators should expect up to five additional votes Monday night so we can complete action on that bill on Monday. Basically what we have is we have the bill, and we will complete action on that, and we have a number of amendments offered by Senator Coburn. As I recall, there is only one side-by-side to the work we have done. So we should be able to complete that very important bill, which will be such a relief to the people of our country. This will be the first modernization of our food safety programs in more than 100 years--something long overdue.

There will be no rollcall votes today. We have a number of matters we are working on, trying to have cleared today, and we hope we can do that. We will have to wait and see what the outcome of the day is.

But I appreciated everyone's cooperation late yesterday. It was very difficult to work through that. We had, of

course, the Jack Lew nomination that was a problem that we were able to get cleared. We had to get that cleared because statutorily the President has a budget he has to submit to us. Without a leader at the Office of Management and Budget, it could not be done. So we got that done. We were able to arrive at an agreement on the food safety bill so we would not have to have multiple votes over the weekend. So I think we accomplished a lot this week.

For me personally, I had three caucuses, which were all extremely important for me and the caucus. We spent about 10 or 11 hours over the last few days discussing the lameduck and what we have next Congress.

The floor is now open.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary work of Andrew B. ``Drew'' Willison who has served with great distinction since 2007 as U.S. Senate Deputy Sergeant at Arms. Mr. Willison, who is leaving his position to pursue new adventures in the private sector, has lead a distinguished career in the U.S. Senate that elevated him to the highest levels of decisionmaking. His work greatly enhanced the safety and security of the U.S. Senate, staff, and visitors.

Mr. Willison was born in Mount Vernon, OH, and was raised in Ohio, Missouri, Alabama, Connecticut, and Virginia. He earned a B.A. with Honors in government from the College of William and Mary in 1988. He also holds a masters' degree in public administration from the Ohio State University, 1990, and a law degree from the George Washington University, 2001.

Mr. Willison started his government career as a presidential management intern at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, and later worked for the Environmental Protection Agency's acid rain division.

In 1997 he joined my staff to work on the Environment and Public Works Committee, including the $200 billion 1998 highway bill. In 1999, I selected Mr. Willison to become his Appropriations Committee staff director for the Energy and Water Subcommittee. In this capacity, Drew represented the minority leader and the other Senate Democratic member interests on the $35 billion per year bill that funds the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and other smaller agencies.

In 2007, Mr. Willison was appointed Deputy Senate Sergeant at Arms where he served as the chief operating officer of the Senate's largest organization, with over 850 employees and an annual budget exceeding $200 million. Mr. Willison directly supervised senior managers responsible for all operations, including the chief information officer, the chief financial officer, security and emergency preparedness, police operations, general counsel, human resources, the media and public galleries, the Employee Assistance Program, the Protocol Office, the Doorkeepers, the Page Program, printing, the photo studio, the Senate Post Office, parking, and education and training.

Around the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms, Mr. Willison was best known not just for his accomplished and distinguished work in the Senate but for his love of animals, music, the latest technology and his extensive Amazon on-line gift list.

Congratulations! We wish Mr. Willison all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Finance Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4783 and the Senate proceed to it immediately.

It is my understanding that there is a substitute amendment at the desk. I ask unanimous consent that that substitute be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, after the pay-go statement has been read into the Record; that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; that the title amendment which is at the desk be considered and agreed to; and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table.

I ask unanimous consent that any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

The bill is passed?

Mr. President, I appreciate everyone's cooperation. This has been a long hard slog to get where we are. I appreciate Senator Kyl, Senator Menendez, and many others who have worked on this matter tirelessly for many years. I am grateful it is accomplished. It is one of the noteworthy items we have been able to pass this Congress. It is good for all people concerned.

Mr. President, Senator Conrad, because of his tenure of service, had the choice to take a number of different committees. He decided to stay as chairman of the Budget Committee. When I talked to him this morning, I said: I am elated. He is really a wizard with numbers. As a young man, he was academically extremely talented. And as a person who has experience in the Senate, no one knows numbers better than he does. We are fortunate as a country that Kent Conrad is going to remain as chairman of the Budget Committee.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the majority leader be authorized to sign any duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions for the remainder of today.

I ask unanimous consent that the Baucus amendment No. 4713 be modified with the changes at the desk and that the November 18 order be modified to make it in order to consider the Baucus amendment No. 4713, as modified.

Mr. President, I ask that the Chair now lay before the Senate the House message to accompany H.R. 5566.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur in the House amendment, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I now ask that the Chair lay before the Senate a House message with respect to S. 3689.

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

Mr. President, I move to concur in the House amendments, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 650, S. 3650.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Wyden amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to this measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6198.

I ask unanimous consent that the Hatch amendment which is at the desk be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

I ask unanimous consent to proceed to H. Con. Res. 327.

I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 611 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, without any intervening action or debate, and any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 631 and that the Senate proceed to the consideration of that measure.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 689.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the measure be printed in the Record.