Floor Statements

Mr. President, I have 8 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders.

Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Committee on Environment and Public Works

The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at 10 a.m., in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled, ``A Review of the Technical, Scientific, and Legal Basis of the WOTUS Rule.''

Committee on Foreign Relations

The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at 1:30 p.m., to hold a hearing entitled ``Nominations.''

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 26, in between votes in SD-430.

Committee on Homeland Security

The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at 10 a.m., in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``Duplication, Waste, and Fraud in Federal Programs.''

Committee on the Judiciary

The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on April 26, 2017, at 10 a.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Committee on Small Business

The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at 10 a.m., in 428A Russell Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled, ``The Challenges and Opportunities of Running a Small Business in Rural America.''

Committee on Intelligence

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the 115th Congress of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 from 10 a.m. in room SD-106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to hold a hearing entitled, ``Nomination of Courtney Simmons Elwood to be General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency.''

Subcommittee on Space, Science, & Competitiveness

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to hold a meeting during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at 10 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

The Committee will hold Subcommittee Hearing on ``Reopening the American Frontier: Reducing Regulatory Barriers and Expanding American Free Enterprise in Space.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 123 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I further 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 when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Thursday, April 27; 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; further, that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Acosta nomination; finally, that all time during recess, adjournment, morning business, and leader remarks count postcloture on the Acosta nomination.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. President, yesterday, the Senate confirmed former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to lead the Department of Agriculture.

We also took the next step in advancing Rod Rosenstein to serve as Deputy Attorney General. I look forward to confirming Mr. Rosenstein so he can get to work without further delay.

After we take that vote, we will be able to advance the Department of Labor nominee, Alexander Acosta. Mr. Acosta has an impressive background that will serve him well as he leads the Department on issues that can support America's employers and employees as well as the overall economy.

I am pleased Mr. Acosta has outlined his commitment to ensuring that the Department of Labor encourages, rather than hampers, job growth--a welcome change after 8 years of job-killing and opportunity-destroying rules and regulations under the Obama administration. I encourage my colleagues to support his nomination so he can begin this important work to help create jobs, enhance workforce development, and support middle-class workers.

As we advance these nominees, Senators are also continuing discussions on government funding legislation. These talks have been part of a bipartisan, bicameral process from the start, with appropriators having continued negotiations over the State work period. I look forward to more productive conversations with Senators, our House colleagues, and the White House so we can get this important work done quite soon.

Mr. President, many decades ago, historic tragedy befell a continent, and unimaginable horror visited a people.

Behind cold steel gates and within huddled boxcars, man's capacity for cruelty reached grim new frontiers. An inhuman campaign of extermination by an inhuman regime not only took aim at the Jewish people but also tore deep at the collective bonds of our humanity. The scars of the Holocaust continue to run deep in the sinew of our history and of our humanity. It must never be repeated. It also must never be forgotten.

Today, the President of the strongest Nation in the world will again join with survivors in the Capitol Rotunda to help ensure it never is.

Today's Days of Remembrance ceremony serves as yet another reminder of the immeasurable suffering that was inflicted upon millions of innocent men, women, and children during the Holocaust, especially the Jewish people. It also serves as a reminder of our responsibility as free people to stand against evil and defend those who are persecuted.

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

Mr. President, this is one of those days I never look forward to. In my time in the Senate, I have had a lot of outstanding chiefs of staff. It is a pretty impressive group of men and women who have been in that position with me over the years--none more impressive than the person who, unfortunately, I have to say goodbye to today.

I am here today to pay tribute to Brian McGuire, the chief of staff in my personal office, who is going to be leaving after well over 10 years of service in several different capacities but over the last few years as my personal office chief of staff. He is really a uniquely gifted person. He is one of the most skilled writers I have ever encountered and, in fact, in my career, the most skilled writer I ever encountered. But in addition to that, he is good at a whole lot of other things, too, as I will subsequently describe in my remarks.

As I think back about the chiefs of staff I have fortunately been lucky enough to have, none has been better at so many different things than Brian McGuire. I always hate to see these talented people go, but we know the best way for each of us to operate is to do what is in our own best interests. Of course, he has reached the point where he has a big family. There are more lucrative alternatives out there--maybe not as much fun and not as meaningful as daily life around here but important to making sure our families are taken care of.

It is hard to know really where to begin with Brian. He came to my office in 2007. It was a critical time. I had just been elected Senate Republican leader. We were not in the majority, but I had just been elected to this position. There was a lot of pressure to get things right.

Obviously, I was setting up a new staff in the leadership office. I wanted the best I could find. When we set out to hire a speechwriter, I certainly wasn't envisioning an upstate New Yorker with a master's in philosophy and a resume that included stints at HUD and the Schenectady Daily Gazette. From HUD to the Schenectady Daily Gazette and a guy from Albany, NY--not exactly what I had envisioned, but that was Brian McGuire, and he quickly proved himself in that role. That wouldn't surprise anyone who knows Brian. He is, as I said earlier, a skilled writer. He is bright. He is talented. He is guided by faith and his family. He is also the consummate professional, going above and beyond each and every time, no matter what the challenge, and we have plenty of them. As the years went by, there would be many different challenging situations--communications challenges, policy challenges, political challenges--but whatever the issue, Brian always rose to the moment.

After the 2014 election, when I became majority leader, I asked Brian to leave speechwriting behind and become the chief of staff in my personal office. He agreed, fortunately. He took to his new opportunity to serve the people of Kentucky with similar skill and always good humor.

These days, you would be forgiven for thinking Brian had spent his formative years in Albany, KY, rather than Albany, NY. He is an adaptable guy. He led my office in pressing the Commonwealth's priorities on issues as diverse as industrial hemp, clean coal technology, and the fight against heroin and opioid abuse. So we can see the versatility, from a skilled writer from New York, of all places, to an effective advocate for Kentucky and Kentucky's interests.

Brian will be ably succeeded by another impressive individual, Phil Maxson, a Kentucky native who I know will continue Brian's legacy of service to Kentucky and who will serve with similar distinction.

Brian McGuire probably never imagined he would find himself here. Like me, he grew up dreaming of a career in the Major Leagues. As he put it, though, you can either hit the fastball or you can't. And since neither of us could, we ended up here. But Brian is more than just another power hitter; he, like his idol growing up, the Mets' Keith Hernandez, is an all-star. Brian is an indispensable utility player who can play every position, and I am not sure what I would have done without him. He is also one of the most interesting guys you will meet. Brian has a great sense of humor and a rather infamous reputation for spot-on impressions. He is probably the only one around here who holds Keith Hernandez and Aristotle in similar reverence and can reference each with similar ease.

At his core, though, Brian is incredibly grounded. He is all about the things that really matter--his Catholic faith, his two beautiful children, Stella and Max, and his wonderful wife Ashley. Ashley, I am happy to say, is due with their third child next month--just in time for Mother's Day. So Brian has a lot to look forward to as he climbs the next mountain. I hope he takes some time to look back and reflect on all he has accomplished here in his time with us.

Let me say again that Brian McGuire, on so many different occasions, has made me look so much better than I am. I could never thank him enough for the enormous contribution he made not only to my career but to Kentucky and to the Nation. So it won't surprise my colleagues to know I am going to miss Brian McGuire a lot.

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, over the past couple of weeks, Senators have had the opportunity to travel to their States, meet with those they represent, and talk about issues that matter most to their communities. I think I speak on behalf of each of my colleagues when I say that this is one of the most important aspects of our jobs. Hearing from those we represent and engaging in discussions about the issues they face allow us to better serve as their voices here in the Senate.

It was a productive State work period, and I know we are all eager to get back to work here in Washington on many important issues. So I would like to welcome back my colleagues as we head into what is sure to be a busy work period.

As we all know, bipartisan talks continued through the State work period on the way forward on government funding legislation. Those discussions continue this week so we can complete our work on that issue very soon.

And, today, we will have the opportunity to advance two well- qualified administration nominees. In just a couple of hours, we will vote to confirm former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to be our next Secretary of Agriculture.

Governor Perdue--who grew up on a farm, worked as a veterinarian, and eventually led a State with a $74 billion agricultural sector--has been around agriculture his entire life. He is well qualified to oversee and implement this Nation's agriculture, forestry, and food policies. Because of his more than 20 years of public service, Governor Perdue has garnered significant bipartisan backing and was reported out of committee with a near unanimous vote. This is good news for our country, and it is certainly good news for my home State of Kentucky.

Kentucky has a strong heritage of agriculture, which plays an invaluable role in our economy. From traditional cash crops like corn and soybeans to groundbreaking innovations like industrial hemp, Kentuckians continue to be on the forefront of agriculture with cutting-edge research and quality products. In addition, Kentucky is recognized as the world capital of both bourbon and horses. These industries contribute to the State's economy and to our tourism. As the world turns to the Commonwealth for the 143rd Kentucky Derby, our agricultural sector will be on full display.

I look forward to voting to confirm Governor Perdue later today, just as I look forward to working with him to continue developing smart agricultural policies that support both Kentucky and our country.

Then we will take a vote to advance the nomination of Rod Rosenstein to be Deputy Attorney General. Rod Rosenstein was confirmed to his current position as the U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland by a voice vote. He was nominated to that position by President Bush and retained it under President Obama--throughout President Obama's entire term of office.

He comes to the Senate with a recommendation of Democrats, like our former colleague Senator Mikulski and Maryland's Democratic attorney general, who said that ``[Rod] Rosenstein would be an `outstanding' deputy attorney general.''

Rosenstein has earned so much bipartisan support to serve as the Deputy Attorney General that the Judiciary Committee reported out his nomination with all but one member voting in the affirmative. So, clearly, there is no need to force additional procedural hurdles on this nominee. Yet, our colleagues across the aisle have decided to force an unnecessary cloture vote on his nomination anyway. It is the latest in a long pattern this year of needless Democratic obstruction that is not intended to change a result--just delay

for delay's sake. I would urge our Democratic friends to reconsider what they are doing.

Mr. Rosenstein is a highly qualified nominee. He is well respected across the political spectrum and within the legal and law enforcement communities. He should be confirmed without further delay.

Mr. President, on another matter, over the weekend, we lost one of conservatism's most insightful journalists with the passing of Kate O'Beirne.

Kate was long a leading voice for conservative principles, and she served as mentor to so many all along the way. In a town full of class presidents and big shots, Kate never hesitated to help someone who was new to Washington or down on his luck.

She was fiercely devoted to her country, to her faith, and to her family, including her husband, Jim, her two sons Phil and John, her sisters, and her grandchildren. Beyond her immediate family, Kate helped to foster a family at National Review with her wit, warmth, and compassion.

As her family, friends, and many others across the Nation mourn her loss today, we wish them comfort in this trying time.

As anyone who knew Kate can attest, her impact will not soon be forgotten.

Mr. President, on one final matter, I would like to offer the Senate's condolences to a family in the Capitol community who suffered a great loss during the recent State work period.

Last week, Matthew McClanahan, a well-respected member of the Capitol community, passed away after a tragic accident near the Capitol Grounds. Matt worked as a pipefitter for the Architect of the Capitol and earned a reputation as a hard worker who took pride in his work here at the Capitol. As those who were closest to him recall, Matt was ``funny, sweet, and kind'' and ``always the first to show up when someone needed a helping hand.''

His sudden passing is felt by so many--colleagues, friends, family, and most especially by his wife, Lauren, and two young children, Evie and Matthew.

We know that no words can convey the heartbreaking loss they feel, but on behalf of the Senate and the Capitol community as a whole, I want to send our deepest condolences to them at this immensely difficult time.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 32, Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor.

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

I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call with respect to the cloture motion be waived.