Floor Statements

Mr. President, today I wish to honor the life of Doris Ivy of Illinois. In 1991, Doris Ivy received a second chance at life after receiving a new kidney from a generous donor.

The way her family sees it, Doris was able to live an extra 27 years, thanks to that kidney transplant. She made the most out of those years. She was an active volunteer, an election judge, a talented cook, a choir singer, and a mother to nine children. On June 29, 2018, Doris passed away at the age of 85.

Her family members, which include Illinois' Secretary of State Jesse White, are thankful for those extra years. Due to Doris's successful transplant, they all became strong advocates for organ and tissue donations.

Doris is survived by her sister Cora, 6 of her 9 children, 12 of her 17 grandchildren, 39 of her 40 great-grandchildren, and 12 of her great-great- grandchildren. Her service to her community is remarkable, and her story inspiring. I stand here today to remember her life and applaud the generosity of all organ donors across America.

Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for vote No. 140 on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. On vote No. 140, had I been present, I would have voted yea.

Mr. President, I was also necessarily absent for votes related to consideration of H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019. Had I been present for vote Nos. 138 and 139, I would have voted yea on the motion to table Mr. Lee's amendment No. 3021, as modified, and I would have voted yea on passage of H.R. 5895.

As an original cosponsor of Mr. Tester's amendment No. 2971 to prevent the denial of access to records and documents by various inspectors general, and as an original cosponsor of Mr. Bennet's amendment No. 2983 to increase employment for members of the Armed Forces in emerging industries, had I been present for vote Nos. 136 and 137, I would have voted yea on both amendments. In addition, on vote No. 135, had I been present, I would have voted yea on Mr. Young's amendment No. 2926 to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the effectiveness of the Veterans Crisis Line.

Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for vote No. 127 on the motion to waive a budget point of order with respect to H.R. 5515, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. On vote No. 127, had I been present, I would have voted yea.

Mr. President, I was also necessarily absent for vote No. 128 on passage of H.R. 5515, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, as amended. On vote No. 128, had I been present, I would have voted yea on passage of H.R. 5515, as amended.

Mr. President, I was also necessarily absent for vote No. 129 on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019. On vote No. 129, had I been present, I would have voted yea.

(At the request of Ms. Harris, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)

Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for vote No. 124 on the motion to invoke cloture on amendment No. 2282, as modified, to H.R. 5515, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. On vote No. 124, had I been present, I would have voted yea on the motion to invoke cloture.

Mr. President, I was also necessarily absent for vote No. 125 on amendment No. 2885. On vote No. 125, had I been present, I would have voted yea on amendment No. 2885.

Mr. President, I was also necessarily absent for vote No. 126 on the motion to invoke cloture on H.R. 5515, as amended. On vote No. 126, had I been present, I would have voted yea on the motion to invoke cloture on H.R. 5515, as amended.

Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for vote No. 120 on the motion to proceed to H.R. 5515, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. On vote No. 120, had I been present, I would have voted yea on the motion to proceed to H.R. 5515.

Mr. President, I rise today to oppose the nomination of Kenneth L. Marcus, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, OCR, was established to address discrimination that prevents all students from receiving an equal opportunity to learn. No student should experience harmful discrimination because of their race, gender, disability, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Based on Mr. Marcus's record and performance during his confirmation process, I have no confidence that he is ready to effectively lead OCR and robustly enforce civil rights protections throughout the country. Mr. Marcus's demonstrated lack of commitment to the mission of OCR and his failure to understand that all children, regardless of citizenship status, have a right to attend public schools, are warning signs that the nominee is not the right person to lead OCR.

Students in Illinois and across the Nation deserve a leader of OCR who will actively investigate and enforce civil rights protections, particularly in cases where there is evidence of systemic discrimination. An unwillingness or inability to address comprehensive, systemic discrimination in education is disqualifying, and I must oppose Mr. Marcus's confirmation.

Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for vote No. 118 on the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 603, the nomination of Kenneth L. Marcus, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education. On vote No. 118, had I been present, I would have voted nay on the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 603.

Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for vote No. 106 on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 2372, the VA MISSION Act of 2018. On vote No. 106, had I been present, I would have voted yea on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 2372, the VA MISSION Act of 2018.

Madam President, I was necessarily absent for vote No. 103 on the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 608, the nomination of Dana Baiocco to be a Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission for a term of 7 years from October 27, 2017. On vote No. 103, had I been present, I would have voted nay on the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 608.

I was also necessarily absent for vote No. 104 on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 2372, the VA MISSION Act of 2018. On vote No. 104, had I been present, I would have voted yea on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 2372.

Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for vote No. 102 on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 608, the nomination of Dana Baiocco to be a Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission for a term of 7 years from October 27, 2017. On vote No. 102, had I been present, I would have voted nay on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 608.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Dr. Arol Augsburger who will be retiring from his position as the president of the Illinois College of Optometry, ICO, on June 30, 2018. During his 16-year tenure at the ICO, which is located on the near southside of Chicago, the performance of the student body exceeded national averages. This achievement showcases Dr. Augsburger's positive impact on the college. In addition, ICO doubled its investable assets, and its on-campus clinic was able to grow to accommodate over 110,000 visits annually. This on-campus clinic, the Illinois Eye Institute, is the largest safety net provider of eye and vision care in Illinois, and it offers ICO students a unique opportunity for robust clinical training-- something that is not available at other institutions.

Prior to Dr. Augsburger's appointment at ICO in 2002, he served for 30 years in a variety of leadership positions in higher education. He served as the interim provost of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB, dean and professor of the UAB School of Optometry, and professor of clinical optometry at the Ohio State University College of Optometry. Dr. Augsburger has also served as president of Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and the Rotary Club of Chicago, Rotary 1, the world's first Rotary Club and as the immediate-past chairman of the ROTARY/One Foundation. Additionally, Dr. Augsburger served as the 2014-2015 chairman of the board of the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities, on the Near South Planning Board of Chicago, and the Jackson Park Hospital Foundation Board. He was also on the Special Medical Advisory Group of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

In addition to being named Optometrist of the Year in three States, Dr. Augsburger was named National Doctor of Optometry of the Year and a Distinguished Service Award recipient by the American Optometric Association. In June of 2014, he was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame.

I applaud Dr. Augsburger's commendable work as the president of ICO and in the field of optometry. Students, patients, and Illinois constituents have greatly benefited from his lifetime of commitment to education and optometry.

Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for vote No. 92 on May 14 on the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 780, Michael Y. Scudder, of Illinois, to be United States circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit. On vote No. 92, had I been present, I would have voted yea on confirmation.

I was also necessarily absent for vote No. 93 on the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 781, Amy J. St. Eve, of Illinois, to be United States circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit. On vote No. 93, had I been present, I would have voted yea on confirmation.

(At the request of Mr. Durbin, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)

Mr. President, I supported the nomination of Michael Scudder, of Illinois, to be a United States circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit.

Mr. Scudder is a dedicated public servant with a distinguished legal career. Upon graduating from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Mr. Scudder served as a clerk for a Supreme Court Justice, clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Later in his career, Mr. Scudder served as general counsel to the National Security Council, counsel to the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, and senior associate counsel to the President.

In the private sector, Mr. Scudder managed complex civil litigation and white-collar defense for more than a decade. He also serves as an adjunct professor at his alma mater and a lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School. Mr. Scudder's commitment to pro bono work was recognized by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. Scudder also volunteers for the Federal Defender Program, which provides free legal representation to individuals accused of Federal crimes.

Mr. Scudder's experience, expertise, and devotion to his community and access to justice makes him well prepared to serve as a United States circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit.

(At the request of Mr. Durbin, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)

Mr. President, I supported the nomination of the Honorable Amy St. Eve, of Illinois, to be a United States circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit.

Judge St. Eve hails from Belleville, IL. Since her 2002 confirmation by voice vote in the U.S. Senate, Judge St. Eve has made Illinois proud with her service as a Federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Judge St. Eve possesses extensive experience in the public and private sectors. Her diverse legal career includes serving as senior counsel of Abbott Laboratories in Illinois, working as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and serving as an associate independent counsel for the Office of Independent Counsel conducting the Whitewater investigation.

In addition to an accomplished professional career, Judge St. Eve is active in our community, serving on the board of directors of the Chicago branch of the Federal Bar Association and as a member of the American Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the Women's Bar Association in Chicago. Judge St. Eve is also an adjunct professor at Northwestern Law School where she teaches trial advocacy.

Judge St. Eve has established a reputation as being an efficient and fair jurist presiding over high-profile cases and is prepared to be an effective United States circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the remarkable life of Larry Leong Hong, who passed away peacefully on April 20, 2018, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in China in 1922, his family immigrated to Burma when he was an infant, to seek better fortune. Larry was the oldest son of six children; he had three sisters and two brothers. His family sent him back to China to get his schooling and to learn about his heritage and his culture. At age 13, shortly after he returned home to Burma, he left to seek a better future for himself and for his family. He came by himself to America, to the Golden Mountain, where it was believed the streets were paved with gold.

In 1935, when he arrived in America, he found no streets paved in gold bricks. Instead, he found a country in the grips of the Great Depression, and life was hard. But that did not deter him. He worked hard at the family restaurant. Larry learned the value of hard work, determination, and self-sufficiency. He worked in the restaurant until the clarion call of World War II. In 1942 Larry joined the war effort, working at a factory as an engine lathe operator and was promoted to be an inspector until he was called to serve. Larry--also known as Wing Q. Hong--was inducted into the Army of the United States on March 2, 1943. He was an infantryman and rose to TEC 4 as a cook. He served in the European theater, landing with his regiment in Normandy and went on to serve in Ardennes-Rhineland, Northern France, and Central Europe, serving as the acting mess sergeant for the officers. He was honorably discharged on October 19, 1945. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal AR 600-68 and the EAMETO Medal with one Silver Service Star. This patriotic and hard-working immigrant started a tradition of service to his country. All of his descendants and their spouses served this Nation, either in Active Duty as members of the military or as civilians. Upon discharge, Larry returned to civilian life and went back to the restaurant business. Two years after his discharge from the Army, his only son, Kenneth, was born.

He met the love of his life, Annette Moy, at the restaurant in which they both worked, and they were married in 1942. This was a love affair that lasted for almost 62 years, until his beloved wife passed in January of 2000. Even though Larry came to America by himself, as a young teen, when he married Annette, he married into the Moy Clan--very large, very tight-knit, and very loving family. He learned through Annette the value and the strong bonds of family. Larry was devoted to his immediate and extended family. He was generous, strong, dependable, and stable. He and his wife were the anchor for their very large family.

The family took every opportunity to gather together, whether it was to celebrate a holiday, to celebrate a special milestone or just to get together for a picnic. They were fun, and of course these gatherings always featured good food. Each weekend the extended family came together at one of the sisters' house to play mah-jongg, while the young children went to sleep to the sound of the click-clicking of the mah-jongg game. Larry loved good Chinese food; he especially loved lobster and Chinese-style chicken.

Larry was a fighter. He met several challenges throughout his life, and each time he fought it--and he won. His love of family, his love of food, his strength, and his fighting spirit will be missed.

Larry is survived by his son, Kenneth Leong Hong--wife Belkis--of Gaithersburg, MD, and his only granddaughter, Denise Williams--husband Dan--of National Harbor, MD.