Floor Statements

Madam President, I rise today to thank and honor our colleague and ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Senator Bill Nelson.

As has been mentioned by some of our colleagues, Bill Nelson has served the people of Florida and our Nation with distinction in a career spanning more than four decades.

I have been honored to have Bill Nelson as a colleague from my first day in the Senate and for the last 4 years as a partner in an especially successful working relationship on the Commerce Committee. Over this time, we fostered a can-do spirit with committee colleagues and drove nearly 100 committee legislative accomplishments. Together, we worked on policy for our Nation's future in technology, aviation, ocean management, surface transportation, scientific research, space, and many other areas.

Senator Nelson exhibited an especially extraordinary passion for prioritizing safety, the future of manned spaceflight, and an unshakeable belief that powerful companies should be held to account when consumers aren't treated fairly.

Certainly in the instances when we used the authorities of our committee to demand answers about cyber security failures, troubling privacy violations, and the scourge of illegal robocalling, I always knew that Senator Nelson had my back. We are both passionate about serving the people of our respective States.

I won't soon forget my visit with Bill to the Everglades, where he-- clearly in his element--introduced me to some alligators and some unwelcome python squatters, which nonetheless love Florida too. I still have a photo holding on to one of those big snakes. It makes our rattlesnakes in South Dakota look small by comparison.

Certainly in the instances when we used the authorities of our committee to demand answers about all of these other important issues, we worked closely together.

I was pleased to not only join him in Florida but also to welcome him to South Dakota to see some of the issues that are important in our State. On a very, very cold October day, I had the privilege of showing Senator Nelson Mount Rushmore. I remember that as we walked up there, the wind was blowing--as it typically does in South Dakota--about 30 or 40 miles an hour, and the wind chills were very, very cold. I know that as someone who spends a lot of his time in the great State of Florida, where many of my constituents, like those of Senator Klobuchar's, spend their winters, it probably felt especially cold to him. But we had a chance to go underground and look at some of the tunnels of the old Homestake gold mine that are now host to the National Science Foundation's Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory. I remember thinking at the time that Senator Nelson is the only Senator in Senate office who has been in space, so he has been thousands and thousands of miles in space, and now he has been 5,000 feet underground, too, and there aren't many people who can say that.

Bill's work in the Senate and on the Commerce Committee has left a legacy. I also want to acknowledge his outstanding staff team who have supported his efforts. He mentioned them. My staff had the opportunity to work closely with his staff, and they are the very best and true professionals in every sense of the word. I am grateful for the work we have been able to do together.

As your colleague from Florida, Senator Rubio, pointed out, as you not only leave this place but continue your life in Florida, you will continue to impact that State in the profound way you have so much in the past.

I just want to wish Senator Nelson and his wife Grace all the best as they head to more long, sunny days in their beloved home State of Florida.

Madam President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I recognize the hard work of my Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee intern Victoria Brooke. Victoria hails from Waldorf, MD, and is a recent graduate of Marshall University.

While interning on the Commerce Committee, Victoria worked in the committee's front office and assisted the Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security Subcommittee with various projects. She is a dedicated worker who was committed to getting the most out of her internship. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Victoria for all of the fine work she did for the Commerce Committee and wish her continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.

Mr. President, the 115th Congress is drawing to a close, and it has been a good 2 years. Our goal 2 years ago was simple: to make life better for American families--which is exactly what we have done. We knew that a huge part of making life better for American families was in the expanding of opportunity and putting more money in their pockets, so we passed a historic reform of our outdated Tax Code that slashed tax rates for families and removed barriers to economic growth.

It is already producing results. Since we passed tax reform a year ago this December, we have seen unemployment drop to its lowest rate in almost 50 years, and we have seen job openings reach a record high. For the past 7 months, there have been more job openings than there have been Americans looking for work. We have seen company after company dispense raises or bonuses or boost benefits for their employees. We have seen the best wage growth since the great recession and more.

Most importantly, the economic benefits of tax reform are reaching the people who need them the most. During the Obama administration, what economic prosperity there was tended to be concentrated in large metropolitan areas, but under Republican government, growth and prosperity are reaching small cities and rural families and communities. Thanks to tax reform, a lot of families are finding it easier to pay their bills and to put a little bit away for the future.

Yet, of course, tax reform is far from the only thing we did in this Congress to improve the lives of the American people. Along with the White House, we lifted burdensome regulations. We enacted legislation to improve career and technical education programs. We passed legislation to make it easier for Main Street banks and credit unions to lend money to small businesses and farmers and ranchers. We passed the largest pay increase in nearly a decade for our men and women in uniform.

We delivered real reforms for our veterans through the VA MISSION Act. This legislation streamlined the VA's community care programs to help ensure veterans receive efficient, timely, quality care. Once fully implemented, it will also expand caregiver assistance to disabled pre-9/11 veterans--an overdue benefit for generations of our heroes. We also modernized the Veterans Benefits Administration's appeals system to develop a quicker, more responsive system for veterans.

On the national security front, we have reinvested in our Nation's military to ensure that our troops are equipped not only for today's missions but to meet the threats of the future. A recent report from the bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission outlined how dangerously our military superiority has eroded--to the point at which it would be difficult for us to win a war against two major powers. This alarming reduction in our military's readiness is why Republicans have made rebuilding our military such a priority in this Congress. There is no better way to ensure peace for our country than to make sure that the

U.S. military is the strongest, best equipped fighting force in all the world.

On the healthcare front this Congress, we passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to address the nationwide opioid epidemic. This bipartisan legislation reflected ideas and input from no fewer than 72 of our Members here in the Senate to support prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts.

We repealed ObamaCare's individual mandate tax, which forced patients to buy insurance that they didn't want and couldn't afford. We also eliminated ObamaCare's Independent Payment Advisory Board, which would have empowered a board of unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats to make substantial changes to Medicare.

We passed legislation to give terminally ill patients access to experimental care.

In February, we also passed the longest extension of the State Children's Health Insurance Program in the program's history.

Then, of course, there are the many excellent judges we have confirmed to the Federal bench--judges who can be relied on to uphold the law and the Constitution and to give anyone who comes before their benches a fair shake.

Mr. President, as usual, more than one of our accomplishments this Congress would not have been possible without the leadership of Senator Hatch. He spearheaded the historic tax reform bill that is putting more money in the pockets of the American people, and he is also responsible for the longest extension of the State Children's Health Insurance Program in the program's history.

In his 40-plus years of public service, he has been a powerful voice for the people of Utah and for all Americans. He has fought for economic growth and job creation, for trade policies that benefit American companies and American workers, for judges who will uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and for fiscal responsibility and intellectual property rights.

Senator Hatch has long been a leader on the issue of religious liberty. Together with the late Senator Ted Kennedy, he authored the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to protect Americans' First Amendment right to live in accordance with their religious beliefs.

A stalwart conservative, he has nevertheless known how to reach across the aisle to get things done for the American people. No legislator alive today has had as many pieces of legislation that he or she has sponsored signed into law by the President.

It is difficult to imagine the Senate without Orrin Hatch. I have been privileged to serve with Senator Hatch throughout my time in the Senate, including on the Senate Finance Committee, which he chairs. It is hard to imagine his not being there, but the impact he has had on the Senate will not soon be forgotten. He leaves a record of legislative achievement and an example of character and leadership, of fierce conviction paired with a consummate gentlemanliness. There are few people to whom the word ``statesman'' can be applied more fittingly.

I wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement. I know he will enjoy having more time to spend with Elaine, his wife, with his children and his numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as, hopefully, having some extra time to follow the Utah Jazz.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume legislative session, that the Chair lay before the Senate the conference report to accompany H.R. 2, and that the final 10 minutes before the vote be equally divided between the managers.

Mr. President, on Friday, George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st President of the United States, went to his eternal reward.

His death marks the passing of an era. George H.W. Bush was the last President to have served in World War II. He enlisted on his 18th birthday, postponing college to serve his country, and went on to become the youngest pilot in the Navy. During his 3 years of service, he flew 58 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals.

Throughout his life, he exemplified the characteristics of the ``greatest generation''--service, love of country, humility, and honor.

His achievements in public office were significant. As Vice President, he helped Ronald Reagan turn the economy around and combat the ``evil empire.'' As President, he presided over the dissolution of the Soviet Union and helped bring order and stability to the world stage in its aftermath. Through it all, he stayed humble and down-to- earth.

This week, I saw an article with anecdotes from Secret Service agents who had protected President Bush. What stood out to me the most was the fact that he used to stay in Washington over Christmas so his Secret Service agents could spend the day with their families. That was the kind of man he was.

We throw around the words ``public service'' in government, but for George Bush, that term meant something. Public service was a real thing to him.

Being a Congressman, being CIA Director, being an ambassador, being President--these weren't chances to aggrandize himself or to burnish his resume. These were chances to serve, to give something back to the country he loved and had fought to protect.

President Bush was a statesman, a man of principle who understood that you could speak the truth without demonizing your opponents. He and President Clinton may have been political adversaries, but that didn't stop him from teaming up with President Clinton to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina in the 2004 tsunami.

He was also, as every American knows, a devoted family man, a beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He and his wife Barbara, who died earlier this year, were married for 73 years--the longest marriage of any Presidential couple in our Nation's history. The love and affection and friendship between them were palpable.

By now, I think most Americans have seen the moving image from cartoonist Marshall Ramsey paying tribute to President Bush. In a cartoon, President Bush is depicted as having flown his World War II plane, a TBM Avenger, to Heaven. There, he joins hands with his beloved daughter Robin and his beloved wife, who says: ``We waited for you.'' I am sure their reunion was a joyful one.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I rise today to voice my strong support for the nomination of Karen Dunn Kelley to be confirmed as the Deputy Secretary of Commerce.

Ms. Dunn Kelley is well qualified to serve in this critical leadership role at the Department of Commerce, which she has ably filled on an acting basis for the past year.

Ms. Dunn Kelley was already confirmed once this Congress, without opposition. She has served at the Department since August 3, 2017, as the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, a position to which the Senate confirmed her by voice vote.

Ms. Dunn Kelley has considerable economic and managerial expertise, cultivated through her more than 30 years of experience in the financial investment sector.

In her current capacity as Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, she leads the Economics and Statistics Administration, which provides economic analysis and distributes national economic indicators.

She also serves as the Department's administrator of statistical programs, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Since being named as Acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce, she has been responsible for the management, coordination, and implementation of the Department's Strategic Plan, focusing on job creation and economic growth across the Department's 12 bureaus and agencies.

The Commerce Department's mission, as stated in its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, is to ``create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity.''

The breadth of activities the Department undertakes to accomplish its mission range from promoting commercial space activities to enhancing weather forecasting, and from fishery management and trade promotion to standards setting for emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and privacy, to name just a few.

The Department of Commerce deserves a well-qualified and experienced leader to continue to foster the unprecedented economic growth we see today and preserve American leadership.

Throughout her career, Ms. Dunn Kelley has exhibited the kind of leadership that will ensure the Department of Commerce will continue its critical missions to promote economic growth, job creation, and innovation.

I urge my colleagues to support Ms. Dunn Kelley's nomination.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, the 115th Congress is drawing to a close, and we have accomplished a lot over the past 2 years. Our goal for this Congress was simple--make life better for the American people.

A big part of that was getting the economy going again. After years of economic stagnation under the Obama administration, American families were feeling the pinch. Growth was sluggish, wages were stagnant, and opportunities were few and far between. For too many families, getting ahead had been replaced by getting by. We were determined to change that, and so we took action.

We passed a historic reform of our Tax Code that put more money in American families' pockets and made it easier for businesses to grow and create jobs and opportunities for American workers, and now we are seeing the results: robust economic growth, the lowest unemployment level in almost 50 years, a record number of job openings, growing wages, near-record confidence among small businesses, and the list goes on.

In human terms, that means more opportunities for American workers looking to grow and advance; it means more options for Americans searching for a job; and it means bigger paychecks and better benefits for workers and less worry for families.

I am proud tax reform is making life better for American families and grateful to Senator Hatch and our colleagues on the Finance Committee for the incredible work they did to get this historic reform through Congress.

Tax reform was our biggest economic achievement this Congress, but that is not the only thing we have done to help American workers. Along with the White House, we have lifted burdensome regulations, and we enacted legislation, led by Senator Enzi and Senator Alexander, to prepare students for the workforce by improving career and technical education programs. We also enacted Senator Crapo's legislation to give Main Street lenders relief from burdensome Dodd-Frank regulations.

On the national security front, under the leadership of the late Senator McCain and Senator Inhofe, we have reinvested in our Nation's military to ensure that our troops are equipped not only for today's mission but to meet the threats of the future. We passed the largest pay increase for our troops in nearly a decade, and we delivered real reforms for our veterans through the VA MISSION Act. This legislation, helmed by Senator Isakson, streamlined the VA's community care programs to help ensure that veterans receive efficient, timely, and quality care. Once fully implemented, it will also expand caregiver assistance to disabled pre-9/11 veterans, an overdue benefit for generations of our heroes. We also modernized the Veterans Benefits Administration appeals system to develop a quicker, more responsive system for veterans.

On the healthcare front this Congress, we passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to address the nationwide opioid epidemic. This was a product that contained policies championed by multiple committees and multiple Senators, and I am grateful for all the work my colleagues did to advance this important initiative.

We also repealed ObamaCare's individual mandate tax which forced patients to buy insurance they didn't want and couldn't afford; we passed legislation, led by Senator Johnson, to give terminally ill patients access to experimental care; and under the leadership of Senator Hatch, we passed the longest extension of the State Children's Health Insurance Program in the program's history.

Another major achievement this year has been the tremendous number of good judges we have been able to confirm to the Federal bench. Senator Grassley has done an incredible job of moving these judges through the process and presiding over the confirmations of two Supreme Court Justices. The Federal bench will be stronger for many years because of his work.

Senate Republicans have accomplished a lot in the 115th Congress, and we are excited to get to work in the 116th. Our agenda will stay the same--growing our economy and expanding opportunities for American workers and protecting our Nation.

There are those who wonder how much Congress will be able to accomplish in the next 2 years. After all, we are facing a divided government. We have a Republican President. The American people voted for a Republican majority in the Senate, but they also voted for a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. Divided government doesn't have to spell the doom of productivity.

Over the last 30-plus years, some of our greatest legislative accomplishments have been the product of divided government--the 1986 Reagan tax reform, 1996 welfare reform, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, national security legislation in 2002, the 2012 legislation to help working families by making the Bush tax cuts permanent, a major reform of the VA in 2014--all important bills, all the product of divided government.

So I know it is possible for the Republican Senate and the Democratic House to achieve big things in the 116th Congress, and Senate Republicans are ready to work with our Democratic colleagues. Now it is up to the Democrats to decide whether they want to work with us. Democrats have spent a lot of time over the past 2 years trying to relitigate the last Presidential election, but if they want to get anything done in the 116th Congress, they are going to need to move past 2016. Tying up the House with partisan investigations of the President or running a Presidential campaign from the Senate floor is not a good use of anyone's time. We need to spend our time focused on the American people's priorities like helping working families and increasing opportunities for American workers. That is what Senate Republicans will be focused on in the next Congress.

I hope our Democratic colleagues will join us. If they are willing to work with us, I know that together we can achieve big things for the American people.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, this evening the House of Representatives concurred in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to S. 140, legislation known as the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018. The House's action clears the way for this measure to reach the President's desk. As the Coast Guard works through hurricane season and continues drug interdiction and other critical efforts, House passage of this legislation is a critical step toward supporting the men and women in uniform who guard our Nation. Among this bill's provisions is a title that addresses the need for clear and enforceable standards of incidental water discharges from vessels. Senator Carper and I reached a bipartisan agreement, included in this legislation, which places the Environmental Protection Agency in the lead role of establishing standards, which the Coast Guard will monitor and enforce. Clear, achievable rules will be the most effective way to address environmental concerns about the spread of invasive species through ballast water discharges. I am pleased to have reached this agreement, and I want to inform my colleagues that we will be submitting errata to the Committee Report on the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018 Senate Report 115-89, that reflects the agreement we reached. I ask the Senator from Delaware if the Senator agrees that the modifications we negotiated over the last few months have made a significant improvement to the legislation?

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

Mr. President, I know the perception out there is often that bipartisanship is dead, but the bill we passed this afternoon, the Coast Guard Authorization Act, is a good reminder that we can still come together and get things done for the American people.

The bill we just passed overwhelmingly, which is headed to the President's desk, has been negotiated for almost 2 years. Portions of this bill have been discussed for over a decade. It is good to see Senators and Representatives of both parties come together in compromise on such an important piece of legislation.

We celebrated Veterans Day earlier this week. As always, it was a powerful reminder of everything we owe to the men and women who keep us safe, like the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard. This key branch of the military is responsible for defending our Nation's waters. The men and women of the Coast Guard stand on the frontlines preventing dangerous drugs, weapons, and individuals from entering our country by sea. When disaster strikes in the form of storms and hurricanes, the Coast Guard is on the scene conducting search and rescue and carrying people to safety. We owe the men and women of the Coast Guard a tremendous debt of gratitude. We owe it to the American people to ensure that our Nation's coastguardsmen have the tools and resources they need to carry out their mission.

This bill will improve maritime safety, security, and stewardship. It gives the Coast Guard the authority it needs to conduct its military and law enforcement missions and authorizes the equipment it needs to react to national emergencies.

The bill also creates uniform national ballast water and discharge standards for commercial vehicles that give industry certainty while ensuring the protection of our environment. It also reauthorizes the Federal Maritime Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's hydrographic services.

As chairman of the Commerce Committee, I have been honored to work with dedicated committee members of both parties. I would like to personally thank the members of our committee for all their hard work this Congress.

Special thanks on this bill go to Senator Nelson, the committee's ranking member; Senators Sullivan and Baldwin, the chairman and ranking member of our Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee; and to Senators Fischer and Peters, chairman and ranking member of our Surface Transportation Subcommittee.

I would also like to thank Chairman Barrasso and Ranking Member Carper from the Environment and Public Works Committee and Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. They have been great partners. I appreciate everything they have done to help get this bill across the finish line.

Finally, I would like to thank all the staff from both Chambers who worked tirelessly--including many late nights and weekends--on this bill. Without their efforts, the final product would not have been such a success. While everyone on the team worked hard on the bill, on my staff, I would like to especially thank Nick Rossi, Adrian Arnakis, Fern Gibbons, Jason Smith, Patrick Fuchs, Andrew Neely, Chance Costello, Alison Graab, Frederick Hill, and Brianna Manzelli.

On Senator Nelson's staff, thanks go to Kim Lipsky, Jeff Lewis, Devon Barnhart, Sarah Gonzales-Rothi, and Catherine Carabine.

From the Environment and Public Works Committee, I want to thank Richard Russell, Elizabeth Horner, Mary Frances Repko, Andrew Rogers, Christophe Tulou, and Zach Pilchen.

I also would like to place in the Record the names of the staffers from our partner committees in the House who played key roles in this important legislation. On Chairman Shuster's staff, the individuals who should be thanked include Chris Vieson, Geoff Gosselin, John Rayfield, Bonnie Bruce, Luke Preston, and Cameron Humphrey. From Ranking Member DeFazio's staff, thanks goes to Kathy Dedrick and Dave Jansen.

I am sure I have left someone off this list, and for that, I apologize. It underscores the amount of collective effort that went into our work here.

I could also easily expand the list to include those at the Coast Guard and at the Environmental Protection Agency who provided valuable assistance and technical expertise. We look forward to working with them on the implementation of this bill.

As I said earlier, the Coast Guard reauthorization that we just passed is a reminder that we can work together and get things done for the American people. It is a timely reminder given the election. Last week, the American people elected a Democratic majority to the House of Representatives and reelected a Republican majority to the Senate. If we are going to get things done in the new Congress, we are going to need to work together.

Here in the Senate, we have spent the past 2 years working on an agenda to expand opportunities for working families and to put more money in Americans' pockets. We have also worked hard to ensure that those who keep our Nation safe have all the tools and resources they need. We are going to continue that agenda in the lameduck session and in the new Congress. I really hope Democrats will join us. We can work together to grow our economy, lift up working families, and protect our Nation, but it is going to require Democrats to make a choice.

Democrats have spent most of the past 2 years attempting to relitigate the 2016 election. Losing elections is a fact of life in a democracy, but Democrats just haven't seemed to be able to let this one go. Over the past 2 years, they have focused most of their energy on knee-jerk opposition to anything Republicans or the President propose, even when they have agreed with us. They routinely delayed confirmation of the President's nominees--not just the ones they didn't like but the ones they ended up supporting. They refused to work with Republicans on an overhaul of our Nation's burdensome, outdated Tax Code even though Democrats supported many of the measures that ended up in the final bill. Obviously, there are going to be times when the right thing to do as a Member of Congress is to oppose. We have a responsibility to say no when we think a bill or nominee would profoundly damage the country. But that is not what Democrats have done. Too many of them have made opposition not a tool to be deployed when needed but their standard operating procedure.

I say again, Democrats have a choice. They can continue down the path of partisanship and opposition, or they can decide to start afresh and to work with Republicans. I hope they choose the latter.

I look forward to working with my Democratic colleagues in this new Congress on the priorities that the American people sent us here to work on--to make our economy stronger, to grow at a faster rate, to create better paying jobs, to raise wages in this country, and to give future generations of Americans more opportunities at a higher standard of living and a better quality of life.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, 2 years ago, when Republicans took control of the White House as well as of Congress, we promised the American people that growing the economy was going to be our No. 1 priority, and we got right to work.

Under the Obama administration, American workers and businesses faced a lot of obstacles, including burdensome regulations and an outdated Tax Code that acted as a drag on economic growth, so we immediately focused on removing burdensome regulations. Then we focused on developing a historic, comprehensive reform of our Tax Code, which was signed into law last December. Now, the Tax Code isn't necessarily the first thing people think of when they think of economic growth, but the Tax Code has a huge impact on our economy.

It helps to determine how much money individuals and families have to spend and save. It helps to determine whether a small business can expand and hire. A small business owner who faces a huge tax bill is highly unlikely to be able to expand her business or hire a new employee. The Tax Code helps to determine whether large businesses hire, grow, and invest in the United States. A large business is going to find it pretty hard to create jobs or improve benefits for employees if it is struggling to stay competitive against foreign businesses that pay much less in taxes. A large business is also unlikely to keep jobs and investment in the United States if the Tax Code makes it vastly more expensive to hire American workers.

Prior to the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act last December, our Tax Code was not helping our economy or American families. It was doing just the opposite so we took action.

We cut tax rates for American families, doubled the child tax credit, and nearly doubled the standard deduction. We lowered tax rates across the board for owners of small and medium-sized businesses, farms, and ranches. We lowered our Nation's massive corporate tax rate, which, up until January 1, was the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world. We expanded business owners' ability to recover the cost of investments they make in their businesses, which frees up cash that they can reinvest in their operations and their workers, and we brought the U.S. international tax system into the 21st century so American businesses would not be operating at a competitive disadvantage next to their foreign counterparts.

Now we are seeing the results. The economy is thriving. Our economy grew at a robust 4.2 percent in the second quarter of this year. The unemployment rate is at its lowest level since 1969--almost 50 years ago. Think about that. In other words, it has been almost 50 years since the last time unemployment was at this low level.

More than 1.8 million jobs have been created since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law. Wages are growing at the best rate in years, and incomes are up 4.2 percent. Businesses are bringing money back into the United States, and business investment is up--from an average of 1.8 percent before the 2016 election to an average of 10 percent so far this year. Small business optimism is at historic levels. Consumer confidence is at an 18-year high. The list goes on.

Those are a lot of stats, but they basically boil down to one thing; that is, that life is getting better for American families. Incomes are growing, and families have access to more jobs and opportunities and better benefits. That means fewer families have to live paycheck to paycheck, that an unexpected car repair or doctor bill is less devastating, that it is easier to afford that family vacation or the fees for piano lessons, and that more families have money to save for their kids' college or for their retirement.

That was the goal--getting the economy thriving again so American families can thrive. I am proud to say, we are succeeding. I am proud that our policies are making life better for American families. Yet we are not stopping there. We are going to keep working to secure the gains we have made for the long term and make sure every American has access to a future of security and opportunity.

Mr. President, I want to take a brief moment to express my gratitude to the Judiciary Committee chairman, Senator Chuck Grassley, for his leadership over the past months as we worked to confirm Judge--now Justice--Kavanaugh.

Every Supreme Court confirmation process is a somewhat arduous affair, but Chairman Grassley had to contend with more than an increased workload. He had to contend with Democratic colleagues who did everything they could to delay and disrupt the process and to taint Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation. Yet no matter what tactics the Democrats resorted to, from interrupting the confirmation hearing to withholding critical information, Chairman Grassley stayed above the fray. He carried on with what needed to be done, whether that was compiling information from Justice Kavanaugh's time in the White House or interviewing witnesses. He made sure the entire confirmation process was thorough and fair, and he ensured that Dr. Ford and Justice Kavanaugh were treated with dignity and respect.

I am grateful we had him at the helm of the Judiciary Committee during this process, and I am grateful that, once again, he helped to put an outstandingly qualified Justice on the Supreme Court.

Mr. President, a long and arduous process is finally drawing to a close. In the next couple of days, we will vote on Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. I will be voting yes.

Last week, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about an allegation she made about Judge Kavanaugh. Dr. Ford deserved to be heard, and she was. Her claims deserved to be investigated, and they were, thoroughly, by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Then they were investigated again by the FBI.

Here is what we have learned after seven FBI background investigations, more than 2 weeks of committee investigations, and a day-long hearing in which both sides were heard: There is not one scrap of corroborating evidence

to back up her claims against Judge Kavanaugh.

Person after person after person has given testimony of Judge Kavanaugh's good character, both in high school and in his adult life. Sixty-five women who knew Judge Kavanaugh in high school sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee noting that he always treated women with ``decency and respect.''

It has become clear that for many of my Democratic colleagues, zero evidence was never going to be enough. Innocent until proven guilty doesn't seem to be a concept that my Democratic colleagues understand. Instead, my Democratic colleagues seem to be putting forth a new standard: Guilty no matter what, even with evidence to the contrary, which is scary because innocent until proven guilty is a pretty foundational principle of our system of government, and it is a powerful safeguard against destroying the lives of innocent people with false accusations.

The truth is, to many of our Democratic colleagues, Judge Kavanaugh has been guilty since the moment he was nominated. He is guilty of being a Republican. He is guilty of being nominated by a Republican President. He is guilty of pledging his allegiance to the law instead of to Democrats' preferred judicial outcomes. So any means of defeating him became fair game, no matter how unjust, no matter how outlandish.

Dr. Ford certainly deserved to have her claims heard and investigated, but Democrats didn't stop there. They gave credence to almost every accusation that was thrown out, no matter how ridiculous or uncorroborated. It didn't matter if no less a paper than the New York Times had declined to publish an accusation for lack of any corroboration. If it would slow down Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation, they grabbed onto it.

At least one Democratic Senator suggested that we needed an FBI investigation because Judge Kavanaugh had thrown ice at someone in college. Apparently, throwing ice in college is now grounds for an FBI investigation. What is next--an FBI investigation because Judge Kavanaugh stole another kid's toy in preschool or because he didn't share his swing on the playground during recess?

The confirmation process for Judge Kavanaugh has gotten particularly ugly in the last couple of weeks, but the truth is, it was ugly from the beginning. Long before Dr. Ford had made any accusations, one Democratic Senator on the Judiciary Committee said that those who supported Judge Kavanaugh would be complicit in evil.

For starters, let's point out that Judge Kavanaugh is a mainstream judge. During his time on the DC Circuit, Judge Kavanaugh's Democrat- appointed colleagues have been just as likely to join his majority opinions as his Republican-appointed colleagues.

Judge Kavanaugh has won admiration from across the political spectrum for his intellect, his fairness, and his dedication to the law.

Former Obama Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal noted this about Judge Kavanaugh:

I think it's very hard for anyone who's worked with him,

appeared before him, to, frankly, say a bad word about him.

In my practice we basically have a rule: If there's a

Kavanaugh clerk who applies, we hire that person.

Thirty-four of Judge Kavanaugh's law clerks wrote a letter on his nomination which said, in part:

Our views on politics, on many of the important legal

issues faced by the Supreme Court, and on judicial

philosophy, are diverse. Our ranks include Republicans,

Democrats, and Independents. But we are united in this: Our

admiration and fondness for Judge Kavanaugh run deep. For

each of us . . . it was a tremendous stroke of luck to work

for and be mentored by a person of his strength of character,

generosity of spirit, intellectual capacity, and unwavering

care for his family, friends, colleagues, and us, his law

clerks.

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan--certainly not someone Democrats think of as either evil or an extremist--hired Judge Kavanaugh to teach at Harvard Law School, where he has served as the Williston Lecturer on Law.

Both inside and outside his profession, those who know him praise his character.

Eighty-four women who worked with him in the Bush administration sent a letter praising him as ``a man of the highest integrity.''

A self-described liberal Democrat and feminist lawyer who knows Judge Kavanaugh and knows him well wrote the following in an op-ed for Politico:

My standard is whether the nominee is unquestionably well-

qualified, brilliant, has integrity, and is within the

mainstream of legal thought. Kavanaugh easily meets those

criteria.

Just as a Democratic nominee with similar credentials and

mainstream legal views deserves to be confirmed, so, too,

does Kavanaugh--not because he will come out the way I want

in each case and even most cases, but because he will do the

job with dignity, intelligence, empathy, and integrity.

That is from a liberal lawyer. This is the man that the junior Democrat from New Jersey said it would be ``evil'' to support.

I frequently disagree with my Democratic colleagues on policy issues, oftentimes quite strongly, but I don't go around calling my colleagues ``evil'' because we disagree. I know that word should be reserved for people who have truly malicious motivations or who have done truly terrible things--not people who, like me, want to do what is best for our country but have different opinions about how to get there.

What kind of an example does the Senator from New Jersey's rhetoric set for our children--that civil disagreement is impossible; that anyone whose opinion differs from our own should not be tolerated; that our fellow Americans are not just our political opponents but our enemies?

Democrats like to accuse the President of using irresponsible rhetoric. I might suggest they take a long hard look in the mirror.

But it is not just the Democrats' rhetoric that has been extreme and irresponsible throughout this process, so has their handling of Dr. Ford's allegation. The ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the senior Senator from California, sat on Dr. Ford's allegation for 6 weeks without sharing the allegation with Republicans.

During that time, she never once questioned Judge Kavanaugh about the accusation, despite having multiple chances to do so, both in public and in private. If the ranking member thought this accusation was credible, she had an absolute responsibility to disclose it to the committee or to the FBI immediately. She also had an obligation to ask Judge Kavanaugh about it. She did neither.

If, on the other hand, she thought it was false--which is the only excuse for her silence--then the Democrats' decision to exploit this accusation for political gain is appalling. In either case, Democrats have behaved with a total lack of responsibility throughout this process.

Not only have they shown not the slightest concern about the possibility of tarnishing a good man's name, they also displayed no real concern for Dr. Ford. Clearly, they had no particular interest in giving her or her allegation a hearing until it became politically expedient to do so. If they had really cared about her accusation, they would have brought it up immediately and questioned Judge Kavanaugh about it immediately. Instead, they held it in reserve, apparently to be deployed in the event that they needed it to delay the confirmation process.

It is shameful but not surprising. As I said earlier, Democrats made clear from the beginning that they would do anything they could to defeat Judge Kavanaugh's nomination. Throughout this process, they have grasped any straw that appeared: too few documents, too many documents, an unrelated investigation, outlandish accusations.

Then, after last week's hearing, when it became clear there was no evidence against Judge Kavanaugh, they jumped on his demeanor at the hearing. Now he was unqualified because he passionately defended his good name in front of the committee. Apparently, it is not OK to be angry when your good name has been dragged through the mud and your family has been threatened.

Today, of course, now that we have gotten the results of the FBI investigation, which Democrats requested, by the way, Democrats are now saying that Judge Kavanaugh shouldn't be confirmed because the FBI investigation wasn't long enough or thorough enough.

I would like to ask: Does anyone here think there is any FBI investigation

that would have satisfied my Democratic colleagues? After all, we know Democrats have been opposed to Judge Kavanaugh from the very beginning. A number of them announced their opposition before the ink was even dry on his nomination. Are we really supposed to believe they were going to change their minds after yet another FBI investigation?

Despite the well-coordinated intimidation tactics of the far left, we are moving forward. We are about to vote on Judge Kavanaugh's nomination, as we should be. But I can't help but reflect on the process of getting here.

I would like to ask my Democratic colleagues if this is what they think the process should look like going forward. Do they really think that Supreme Court confirmations should be characterized by intense partisanship and unsubstantiated character attacks? Do they really want to do away with the presumption of innocence and allow innuendo--the substitute for evidence? Do they really think it is OK to stop at nothing to tank a nomination?

Tomorrow and Saturday, I will be casting my vote for Judge Kavanaugh. I will be voting for him because he is supremely qualified. We all know that. The Democrats know that. I will be voting for him because he is a man of character and integrity, and I will be voting for him because I know that he can be relied on to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution. I invite not just my Republican but my independent- thinking Democratic colleagues to join me. It is not too late to say no to the politics of personal destruction. It is not too late to say no to unchecked partisanship. It is not too late to put this eminently qualified nominee on the Supreme Court.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.