Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 25; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that following leader remarks, the Senate be in a period of morning business for up to 1 hour, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the majority controlling the first half and the Democrats controlling the second half.

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, following the remarks of my colleague from Iowa, Senator Grassley.

Madam President, in just a few minutes Democrats will have another opportunity to end their weeks-long filibuster of Homeland Security. It will be the first opportunity our friends on the other side have to show where they stand after a Federal judge preliminarily enjoined the administration from moving ahead with actions President Obama himself referred to as ``ignoring the law.'' President Obama said that just over a year ago.

The point is that it is time to allow this Homeland Security funding measure to come to the floor. Democrats say they want the ability to amend DHS funding legislation, but then they keep voting to block their own ability to offer amendments. It doesn't make any sense. So in a few moments we will give our Democratic friends another opportunity to reconsider. They can vote to allow the Senate to debate the Homeland Security funding bill. They can vote to allow the Senate to consider amendments from both sides, and that is what they actually should do. That is what constituents have a right to expect. Let's take up this funding bill and get to work.

Recognition of the Minority Leader

Mr. President, I enter a motion to reconsider the vote.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, today Democrats voted to continue blocking funding for the Department of Homeland Security to protect actions President Obama himself referred to as ``ignoring the law.'' The vote came after a Federal judge enjoined the administration from moving ahead with that overreach. I was certainly glad to see that court decision. The issue will continue winding its way through our courts. In the meantime, Congress is trying to do what it can. Yet even Democrats who had previously been critical of the President ``ignoring the law'' voted again today to defend his overreach.

My preference is still to debate and pass the funding legislation that is currently before us. It has already passed the House. It is the simplest and easiest way forward. If Democrats think it needs to be amended, I am sure they will try to do that, but first we need to bring it to the floor. As long as Democrats continue to prevent us from even doing that, the new bill I described offers another option we can turn to. It is another way to get the Senate unstuck from a Democratic filibuster and move the debate forward.

Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. President, I now ask for a second reading and, in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. President, I now ask for a second reading and, in order to place the bill on the calendar under rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 24; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that following leader remarks, the Senate be in a period of morning business until 12:30 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, and that the first hour be equally divided, with the Democrats controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half. I further ask that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly conference meetings.

If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order, following the remarks of Senators Merkley and Coons for up to 10 minutes each.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 18, S. Res. 73.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 52 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Cardin amendment to the resolution be agreed to; the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; the preamble be agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed en bloc to the consideration of the following Senate resolutions that were submitted earlier today: S. Res 78 regarding Jerry Tarkanian; S. Res. 79 regarding Dean Smith; S. Res. 80 regarding the Lunar New Year; and S. Res. 81 regarding trafficking.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 82, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that during this adjournment of the Senate, running until February 23, 2015, the majority leader and the junior Senator from Missouri be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the upcoming adjournment of the Senate, the President of the Senate, the President pro tempore, and the majority and minority leaders be authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences or interparliamentary conferences authorized by law, by concurrent action of the two Houses or by order of the Senate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted, on the following dates and times, and that following each pro forma session the Senate adjourn until the next pro forma session: Monday, February 16, at 4:45 p.m., and Thursday, February 19, at 10 a.m. I further ask that the Senate adjourn on Thursday, February 19, until 3 p.m. Monday, February 23, and that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day. I ask that following leader remarks, Senator Hoeven be recognized to deliver Washington's Farewell Address; further, that following the reading of Washington's Farewell Address, the Senate recess until 4:30 p.m., and that upon reconvening the Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R.

240. Lastly, I ask that notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXII, the mandatory quorum call in relation to the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to H.R. 240 be waived, and that the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 240 occur at 5:30 p.m. Monday, February 23.

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.