Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 11; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed. Finally, I ask that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Ring nomination under the previous order.

If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the provisions of S. Res. 454 and S. Res. 455 as a further mark of respect to the late Senators Zell Miller of Georgia and Daniel Akaka of Hawaii.

Mr. President, I would like to begin with a few words of tribute to two retired colleagues who passed away since we were last together.

On Friday, March 23, former Senator Zell Miller departed this life at the age

of 86. Those of us who served with Zell knew him as a kind and honorable man and a committed public servant.

He rose from a childhood without electricity and running water well into his school years to serve the State of Georgia as Governor and later as Senator. Zell Miller did so with grit and determination, never afraid to buck partisanship in favor of his principles.

Also, this past Thursday, Senator Daniel Akaka, our former colleague from Hawaii, passed away at the age of 93. He worked closely with Senator Inouye and others to advocate for his State. As the Senator himself once put it, he always preferred being a workhorse to a show horse.

The Senate offers our condolences to their families.

Mr. President, on an entirely different matter, we just welcomed a new colleague to this Chamber today. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith was sworn in. She became the 51st Senator and the first woman to represent Mississippi here in the Senate. Senator Hyde-Smith brings experience as a State legislator and as the Mississippi commissioner of agriculture and commerce.

I know I speak for all Senators on both sides of the aisle in welcoming our new colleague. We look forward to working together and continuing this record of accomplishment for the American people.

Mr. President, on another matter, this week the Senate will turn to one of its most important constitutional responsibilities, the personnel business. We have a number of nominees to consider in the next several days.

First is Claria Horn Boom, President Trump's pick to serve as a Federal district judge for both the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky. Through her work in both the public and private sectors, Ms. Boom has distinguished herself as a problem-solver, a trusted adviser to clients and her community.

Letters in support of her nomination share a theme: She has the skills and experiences to excel as a district judge. ``High standards, ample preparation, and a fears intellect''; ``unfailingly thoughtful, gracious, and diligent''--these are just some of the ways Ms. Boom is described by those she served and worked with in Kentucky. The Judiciary Committee came to the same conclusion, advancing her nomination on a voice vote.

Later today the full Senate will vote to advance this talented and noncontroversial nominee, and then I hope we will be able to quickly confirm her.

Then, in the coming days, we will consider several more judges and important nominees for the Department of Labor, the EPA, and the National Labor Relations Board. These and many other positions remain vacant nearly a year and a half into the Trump administration.

Qualified nominees stand ready, but Senate Democrats are using the procedural playbook to obstruct and delay. In many cases, for example, they are insisting that the Senate exhaust postcloture time even on unobjectionable district court nominees who have gone on to overwhelming confirmation--for examples, Walter Counts, who was confirmed 96 to 0, or Karen Gren Scholer, who was confirmed 95 to 0.

I will have more to say on these partisan tactics in the coming days. For now, let me make one thing clear. The Senate's workweek will not end--will not end--until all of these amply qualified nominees are confirmed.

Mr. President, now on one final matter, there is just one more week until the deadline for Americans to file our 2017 tax returns. It is not exactly a national holiday, but this year there is a silver lining. This April is the last time Americans will file taxes under the old, outdated Tax Code that is on its way out, thanks to historic tax reform.

A year from now, families will be filing under a simpler and fairer tax code that lets them keep more of what they have earned and send less to the IRS. They will benefit from a doubled standard deduction, from major expansions in key provisions like the child tax credit, and, of course, from significantly lower tax rates.

All told, the average family of four earning a median income of around $70,000 could see a tax cut of over $2,000. But let's remember, the American people do not need to wait until next year to start seeing the fruits of once-in-a-generation tax reform.

Job creators are already implementing plans to hire, expand, and invest in their American workers. Millions of workers have already received word of a tax reform bonus, permanent raise, or other new benefits, such as paid family leave policies or expanded retirement assistance. That includes thousands of employees of Southwire, a wire manufacturer that employs hundreds of Kentuckians at its location in Hawesville. For hard-working men and women at Southwire, tax reform means bonuses and expanded educational opportunities.

The benefits of our new 21st century Tax Code are certainly no secret. As Americans put the finishing touches on their tax returns under the old, outdated system for the last time, there is good news to look forward to, and there is good news that is actually already here.

Mr. President, I understand there are two bills at the desk due for a second reading en bloc.

In order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to further proceedings en bloc.

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

Mr. President, notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that at 12:10 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10, the Senate vote on confirmation of the Boom nomination and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; further, that the cloture vote in relation to the Ring nomination occur at 2:15 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Energy Committee be discharged from further consideration of and the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following nominations: PN1637, PN1653, and PN1680.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table en bloc; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; that no further motions be in order; and that any statements relating to the nominations be printed in the Record.

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

Mr. President, I would call my colleagues' attention to the recent 229th anniversary of the first quorum of the U.S. Congress.

The House of Representatives achieved a quorum on April 1, 1789. Five days later, on April 6, the Senate marked that milestone.

Each year, the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress, ACSC, commemorates this anniversary by observing Congress Week during the first week of April. Commemorative events around the country encourage students to explore the work of the U.S. Congress and its constitutional role in our government and promote advanced scholarly research.

The ACSC was founded in 2003. It includes more than 40 organizations and institutions that help to preserve and make available the archival records of Members of Congress.

Each year, the annual meeting of the ACSC brings together Members of Congress who create the records, archivists who preserve the records, teachers who incorporate them into their lesson plans, and scholars who study them in order to advance our understanding of congressional history and the evolution of the political process. This year's annual meeting will be hosted by the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas.

Thanks to the work of the ACSC and its member organizations, we have substantially improved the number and research value of congressional collections being preserved nationwide, producing an educational resource for legislative branch studies that rivals the presidential library system.

I am happy to report that the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville is one such member organization. Created in 1991, the McConnell Center nurtures ``Kentucky's next generation of great leaders'' with programs focused on service, leadership, and civic education. Last spring, at the annual meeting of the ACSC, I had the pleasure of participating in a fireside chat with the McConnell Center archivist, Deborah Skaggs Speth. We discussed the importance of Members preserving their records, which shed important light on what we do on behalf of the American people, and how we do it.

In 2008, Congress unanimously passed H.Con.Res. 307. It recommended that Members' records be properly maintained, that each Member take all necessary measures to manage and preserve their records, that they arrange for the deposit or donation of their records with a research institution that is properly equipped to care for them, and that they make them available for educational purposes at an appropriate time.

Organizations like the McConnell Center and the Dole Institute, in collaboration with the ACSC, are diligently working to ensure the preservation of records for generations of students and scholars.

I encourage my colleagues to preserve the records of their service in a research institution, where they can contribute to this vital, necessary, and growing component of our Nation's documentary heritage.

Mr. President, I rise today to remember a man called Kentucky's greatest hero, who served our Nation in the First World War and later received our highest military recognition, the Medal of Honor. SGT Willie Sandlin, a native of Leslie County, KY, single- handedly attacked and disabled three German machinegun nests during the Battle of the Argonne Forest in 1918. With only a rife, an automatic pistol, and four hand grenades, Sergeant Sandlin's heroism resulted in the death of 24 German soldiers and the capture of 200 more.

At that time, Sergeant Sandlin was under the command of General John J. ``Blackjack'' Pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary Force, who personally recommended him for the Medal of Honor and presented the award to him in February of 1919.

In a recent edition of the Kentucky Humanities Magazine, Dr. James M. Gifford, the CEO and senior editor of the Jesse Stuart Foundation, published a profile on the life of Sergeant Sandlin. Dr. Gifford traced his journey, from his birth in Appalachian poverty, through his remarkable service in the Great War, to his campaign to improve literacy rates in Kentucky. Named for the renowned author and Kentucky Poet Laureate, the Jesse Stuart Foundation publishes important works from Appalachian authors to help the region's unique heritage flourish. I would like to thank Dr. Gifford for his study of this proud son of Kentucky.

I ask unanimous consent that a copy of Dr. Gifford's article on Sergeant Sandlin's life be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today I would like to join the citizens

of Pineville, KY, in remembering the life of Mayor Robert Madon. Bob, who led his community for nearly two decades, passed away earlier this year at the age of 83. Throughout his life of accomplishment for his hometown, Bob earned the affection of his neighbors and the gratitude of the people he served so well.

Graduating from Pineville High School, Bob attended the Millersburg Military Institute before joining the U.S. Air Force to serve in Korea. Bob returned to Bell County after his military service and, like so many of his fellow veterans, was active in his local American Legion post and other civic organizations.

One of the oldest traditions in southeastern Kentucky is the Mountain Laurel Festival. Named after the mountain laurel flower that commonly grows in Appalachia, the annual festival celebrates the region's heritage through concerts, carnivals, craft and talent shows, a parade, and a beauty pageant. This May, Pine Mountain State Park will host the 88th annual festival. For many years, Bob was an integral part of the festival's success, as the general chairman in 1966 and serving on the advisory board from 1967 to 1972. The pinnacle of the festival's traditions is the selection of the Mountain Laurel Princess and the Mountain Laurel Queen. Young women from local high schools compete for the title of princess, and universities from throughout the Commonwealth send candidates seeking the queen's crown. Serving as its emcee, Bob was the voice of the festival and the contest for many years.

One of Bob's friends remembers his passion for the Mountain Laurel Festival. ``He was everywhere making sure people were picking up debris from their yard, mowing the grass, painting the curbs, cleaning up the city.'' When Pineville was on display for visitors, Bob worked hard to help it shine. In 1995, the festival honored Bob by including him in its hall of fame. He would later also receive the festival's ``Outstanding Service Award'' and the ``Lifetime Honorary Directors Award'' as well-deserved recognition of Bob's unrelenting work to make the festival a success every year.

In 1968, at the request of the new governor, Louie Nunn, Bob decided to leave Bell County and begin a political career in Frankfort. As an administrative assistant to Governor Nunn in the first Republican administration in two decades, Bob served the people of the Commonwealth in State government.

After his time in Frankfort, Bob returned to his hometown to fill a vacancy on the Pineville City Council in 1971. Later, Bob was named a city judge and served in that capacity until his election as the mayor of Pineville in 1977. Beginning his first term as mayor only months after the devastating flood, Bob certainly had an overwhelming task ahead of him.

That April, the Cumberland River topped the floodwall and devastated the community. During the crisis, Bob was integral to ensuring the safety of these Kentuckians. According to one of his friends, ``Bobby made sure that everybody got up on the hill.'' Bob led the effort to rebuild, serving on the flood related projects committee, and as mayor helped bring millions of dollars to extend the floodwall to prevent future tragedies. Working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bob oversaw the project. It was completed in 1988, the year after he left office.

After a period out of public office, Bob was elected as mayor again in 1994 and served until the end of 2002. He was again reelected for his final term in 2007 before leaving in 2008. During his time in office, Bob oversaw the construction of a new U.S. 25E bypass, which was later named in his honor.

While leading Pineville as its mayor, Bob also participated in the Kentucky League of Cities, KLC. This organization is dedicated to helping cities and their leaders accomplish their goals through trainings, advocacy, and policy research. For nearly three decades, Bob was a director of the KLC and served one term as its president.

Bob's passion for his community extended far beyond public service. He spent years of his life in many other pursuits speaking directly with the families of Pineville. During a professional career that included managing a number of radio stations and the Pineville-Sun Cumberland Courier, Bob was also the voice of the Pineville Mountain Lions. An avid sports lover, he later became a Kentucky High School Sports Association official in both boys and girls basketball games. Bob was also a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Pineville, singing in the choir and working as the associate Sunday school superintendent.

Those who knew Bob--and that seemed to be just about everyone in Pineville--recalled that he was always talking about his hometown. For anyone who shared their concerns with him, Bob would do his best to fix them. His life was one of passion for his neighbors, and the whole Pineville community benefited from his work. His son Scott even followed in Bob's footsteps and serves as the current mayor of Pineville.

Bob's memorial service drew hundreds of people to pay their respect to the man who made such a significant impact on their lives. The people's outpouring of support was a fitting tribute to the man who lived his life for his neighbors. Elaine and I would like to extend our condolences to Bob's loving family, his friends, and the entire Pineville community.

Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to congratulate Ted Hampton, of Knox County, KY, who was named the 2017 Man of the Year by the Knox County Chamber of Commerce during an event at Union College's student center. For more than 50 years, Ted has served as the CEO of Cumberland Valley Rural Electric Cooperative. At his hiring, Ted was one of the youngest distribution managers in the country. Now, he has the distinction of being the second longest serving in the country.

Throughout his tenure leading the organization, Ted has overseen the building of a new headquarters, a branch office, and the hiring of hundreds of employees. One of his colleagues spoke highly of Ted's service, saying his greatest accomplishment has been keeping his employees as safe as possible.

At the awards ceremony, Ted was joined by his wife, Margie, and their 8-year-old granddaughter Tori. During his remarks to accept the award, Ted warmly acknowledged all of his coworkers for their work to serve the area. I would like to join the Knox Country community on congratulating Ted on this award, and I urge my colleagues to join me.