John Barrasso

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Louisiana (Mr. Cassidy) and the Senator from Utah (Mr. Lee).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to extend a warm welcome to His All-Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch, on the occasion of his official visit to the United States. His All-Holiness is a respected spiritual leader whose presence is deeply meaningful to many people across our great Nation. His visit coincides with his acceptance of the distinguished Templeton Prize, a testament to his lifelong dedication to advancing spirituality and humanity. During his visit, he is scheduled to meet with administration officials, Members of Congress, distinguished leaders, and representatives from various faith communities. These meetings provide a wonderful opportunity to discuss ways to promote our shared values of faith, peace, and understanding. I hope these meetings will prove to be productive and insightful for all involved.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Montana (Mr. Daines) and the Senator from Utah (Mr. Lee).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Montana (Mr. Daines), the Senator from Utah (Mr. Lee), the Senator from Wyoming (Ms. Lummis), and the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Paul).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Montana (Mr. Daines) and the Senator from Utah (Mr. Lee).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BARRASSO

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to begin today by addressing the tragic event that occurred yesterday. Thirteen years ago, an organization called Turning Point USA was launched to fight back against liberal indoctrination that was occurring on college campuses. It began, as you know, as a little organization. It quickly grew into a dominant force of conservatism on college campuses. It became a national movement. At the center of this was an 18-year-old young patriot named Charlie Kirk. From students and parents, all the way to President Trump, they all admired Charlie. He was a college dropout who brought debate and dialogue back to our country. For 13 years, Charlie did the most courageous thing in American life: He expressed his beliefs with an open heart. Yes, Charlie had strong political views, and he never feared having those views questioned by anyone, on any topic. In fact, as the Presiding Officer knows, he welcomed it. Well, the name of yesterday's event was ``Prove Me Wrong.'' It was a fitting testimony to Charlie's fearlessness. For those political convictions, for that personal courage, Charlie became the latest target of political violence. Many of us knew Charlie personally, as did I. The Presiding Officer and I were with him in October--October 31. We were with him in Phoenix, AZ, during a campaign event with President Trump. He became a beacon for a better, brighter America. Charlie reminded all of us that civil debate makes our arguments sharper, and it makes our society better. We must live as Charlie lived during his all-too-brief life: with courage and with conviction. God bless Charlie Kirk. May God bless his family, and may he rest in peace.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BARRASSO

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

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, since President Trump took office, Democrats have weaponized the rules of the Senate. Regardless of qualifications, every Trump nominee has gotten the same treatment: total obstruction, total warfare. From Ambassadors to Deputy Assistant Secretaries, Democrats have filibustered each and every one of the Republican nominations. Senate Democrats would filibuster the White House janitor if they had the opportunity. Today, President Trump is the first President in history not to have a single nominee confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent. The actions of the Democrats is not going to change, and yesterday the Democrats made that clear here on this floor. On this very floor, Senator Cornyn tried to bring up for consideration the Democrats' own proposal from 2023. It was offered from Senators Klobuchar and Senator King. Senator Klobuchar and Senator King wanted to confirm nominees in a group. They claimed, at the time, the nomination process was broken. What was the status of the situation when they made that decision? They said it was broken because Joe Biden's nominees weren't being confirmed quickly enough. So let's take a look at the data. On the day that Klobuchar-King was introduced in 2023, 62 percent of Joe Biden's nominees had been confirmed in the Senate either by voice vote or unanimous consent--62 percent. Democrats said: Not fast enough. So let's fast-forward to today. Zero percent--zero percent--of President Trump's nominees have been confirmed by voice vote, not a single one. So what did the Democrats do on this very floor yesterday? They objected when Republicans proposed the very similar change to what they proposed 2 years ago. They slammed the door on even debating that proposal. Senator Cornyn put forward the very reforms that the Democrats once demanded. Democrats refused to even debate them. Senator Klobuchar said in 2023 that grouping together nominees, she said, was vital for--in her words--``national security, economic success, and more.'' Well, she was right. Yet, yesterday, Democrats opposed their own proposal. You remember the words of the former Democrat Senator and Presidential candidate John Kerry. He said he was for it before he was against it. Democrats' hypocrisy is breathtaking. Democrats' surrender to the far-left wing of their party is now complete. Democrats created today's nomination crisis. This week, Republicans began the process to return the Senate to its longstanding practices. The Senate has a history of allowing these sub- Cabinet nominees to be confirmed in groups. The resolution we have today formalizes what both parties have always done until now. Senate Republicans are building on the Klobuchar-King proposal. Republicans are simply updating it to reflect Democrats' unprecedented obstruction. Unlike the Democrats' previous version, the Republican plan is more limited. Democrats wanted to group together and confirm lifetime judicial appointments. The Republican plan doesn't include judges. Our proposal deals only with sub-Cabinet nominees and sub-Cabinet nominees only, not judges, not Cabinet Secretaries. Those nominees will still be considered individually, many of them requiring up to 30 hours of debate. Now modern Presidents have over 1,000 positions that need to be filled, put on the job. This includes Deputy Secretaries, Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Deputy Assistant Secretaries, Ambassadors, and others. Those positions keep the government running. Those nominees now will be confirmed in groups just like they were for every President before President Trump. Every committee hearing and every markup will still happen. Every FBI background check will still occur. Every ethics review will still happen. Every nominee will still appear in front of the committees. Every nominee will still be questioned by Senators. And every nominee will still be subject to a vote in the committee. In other words, scrutiny will continue. What will end is Senator Schumer's ongoing, endless obstruction. The floor here is for final action; it is not for endless obstruction. To my Senate colleagues who participated in this blockade, let me say this: You have had a chance to be reasonable. You have had a chance to work together, work with us. You have chosen obstruction instead. You demanded change at a time when 62 percent of Joe Biden's nominees were confirmed by voice vote. Yet you now reject the very changes you once championed now that a different President--President Trump--is getting zero nominees confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent. The hypocrisy is undeniable. Senate Republicans are putting back in place the very practice that Democrats had endorsed until today, the very customs that every Senate has followed until now. Senate Republicans are returning to the longstanding tradition. We are ending the Schumer confirmation shutdown, and we are getting the Senate back to work on behalf of the American people. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and celebrate Barbara Cubin, former U.S. House Representative and the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming's 2025 Person of the Year. Barbara's dedication to Wyoming runs deep. She is a voice for the values of the West. Through a distinguished career in public service, Barbara has represented Casper, Natrona County, and Wyoming at the State and Federal levels. Her selection as this year's honoree is well- deserved. Barbara was raised in Casper by her parents Russell and Barbara Sage. As a fifth-generation Wyomingite, she developed strong ties to the community and State. In 1965, she graduated from Natrona County High School. She went on to earn a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Creighton University in Nebraska. After graduation, Barbara worked as a social worker for senior citizens and disabled adults. She was also a substitute math and science teacher and a chemist for the Wyoming Machinery Company. In 1975, she met and married William Frederick ``Fritz'' Cubin, M.D., a Casper physician. Together, they raised two sons William ``Bill'' and Eric. During this time, Barbara managed Fritz's medical practice. She also continued to be active in the community, participating in the local parent-teacher association and as a volunteer. With her family's support, Barbara's political career began in 1986, when she was elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives. She represented Natrona County for 6 years. She later served in the Wyoming Senate from 1992 to 1994. In 1994, Barbara successfully ran for Wyoming's at-large seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. As the Equality State, Wyoming is well- known for its notable, pioneering women. Barbara added her name to this list of trailblazing women by becoming the first woman to represent Wyoming in Congress. She was sworn into the 104th U.S. Congress in January 1995. During her 14-year tenure, she served as the deputy majority whip, the secretary of the Republican Conference, and finally as the deputy Republican whip. She also served on the Commerce Committee--later renamed the Energy and Commerce Committee--and as the chair of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee. Barbara cofounded the Congressional Mining Caucus, known today as the Congressional Western Caucus. Its members advocate for commonsense policies that promote domestic energy production and fight against Federal overreach. In all ways, Barbara was pro-energy and pro-Wyoming. She championed legislation that reduced Federal royalties on soda ash production, increased the acreage limits on Federal sodium mines, and supported an ``all of the above'' national energy portfolio. She also was passionate about preserving Wyoming's heritage. In 1998, she passed legislation establishing the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper. The center's free, interactive exhibits highlight the real-life stories of America's westward migration and how they defined Wyoming. Last November, I joined my congressional colleagues in introducing legislation to rename the center as the Barbara L. Cubin National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in her honor. Barbara's final term ended in January 2009. I had the honor of working alongside her at the beginning of my first term in the U.S. Senate. It was a privilege to serve the people of Wyoming together. On September 17, 2025, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming will host their 27th Annual Awards and Recognition Breakfast in Casper. This event will honor Barbara Cubin for her dedication and service to the State of Wyoming. I am confident her family will join many others in celebrating her achievements. They include son Dr. Eric and Dr. Jonna Cubin, of Casper, and their children Barbara, Vivian, and Lily; son Bill and Jessica Cubin, of Casper, and their children Will and Reagan; as well as her late husband Fritz. Barbara's selection as the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming's 2025 Person of the Year is a fitting tribute to her decades of public service. A symbol of strength and perseverance, Barbara continues to make important contributions to her community. She lives by the principles of the Code of the West: living each day with courage and doing what needs to be done. It is an honor to recognize Barbara Cubin for this honor and for her many years of public service.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the nomination.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Hagerty).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Iowa (Ms. Ernst).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman), the Senator from Wisconsin (Mr. Johnson), and the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Justice).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Wisconsin (Mr. Johnson).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I come to the floor having just listened to the minority leader talk about the nominations the President has made to fill out the positions in government. The U.S. Senate has standards, we have customs, we have long-established traditions, and these include allowing a President to fill out the team he needs for the government to function. These traditions go all the way back to George Washington. So let me remind the Senator from New York about how the Senate functions--is supposed to function--before he and those with this Trump derangement syndrome have come to the position that the country shouldn't be allowed to function, because exactly 235 years ago this week, the Senate used its advise and consent powers, and they used them for the first time. President George Washington nominated Alexander Hamilton to be the Secretary of the Treasury. The Senate confirmed him immediately. The official Senate history says: Minutes later, perhaps even before the messenger returned to the President's office, senators approved [Hamilton] unanimously. That has been the standard for more than two centuries. Senate Democrats have now, under Chuck Schumer, trashed this tradition of the U.S. Senate. Confirming even the most routine nominees is now a long and bitter fight. From Hamilton's confirmation in 1789 to Schumer's unprecedented obstinate obstruction going on today, the Senate has gone from speed to stalemate. Prior to Senator Schumer trying to shut down the Senate and shut down the confirmation process, routine nominees cleared the Senate Chamber quickly by voice vote, by unanimous consent, and often in groups. More than half of every President's nominees were confirmed that way until this year; 90 percent or more of a President's nominees were confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent from the days of George Washington all the way through the Presidency of Barack Obama. During President Trump's first term, Democrats cut it down to 65 percent. Now during the second term, it is zero. Absolutely zero of President Trump's nominees have been confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote. Not a single nominee has been confirmed that way since President Trump took office almost 8 months ago. President Trump is the first President in U.S. history to not have a single nominee confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent. Not one. Never happened before in the history of the United States. Maybe Chuck Schumer is proud of that. Maybe he is going to use it around with the Democrats and the far-left wing of his party who continue to be radical, extreme, dangerous, and scary and don't want this country heading in the right direction, but it is a disgrace what he has done to the U.S. Senate. This is the Schumer confirmation shutdown. He and the Senate Democrats are forcing the Senate to waste hundreds of legislative hours because they have filibustered each and every one of President Trump's nominees, every single one. Mr. President, 109 sub-Cabinet nominees have been confirmed this year. Democrats filibustered every one of the 109, and that calls for two separate rollcall votes with 2 hours in between set aside for debate. Now, of the 109 nominees, in those 2 hours that were set aside for each one of those 109, 81 of them not a single word was spoken by the Democrats on the floor about any of them. Chuck Schumer just came to the floor, and he said: These nominees are not qualified. But he didn't say anything about when any of these 81 actually came to the Senate floor; when we voted, through cloture, and then waited 2 hours for the Democrats, they talked about other things. They didn't talk about the nominees. If they are so bad, why didn't they talk about them? The average amount of time of all of these sub-Cabinet nominees spent by the Democrats: 2 min 12 seconds. Eighty-one of them, they said nothing. Only seven of them did they talk about for more than 10 minutes. If they are so bad, why aren't they talking about them? Because these people are qualified. But they were delayed for no reason other than the Trump derangement syndrome. Each one has been confirmed after maximum amounts of time have expired. That is time that should have been spent on legislation. But, no, the Democrats don't want us to be able to legislate. Is what they have done advise and consent? No. Is it congressional oversight? No. Is it serious scrutiny? No. It is obstruction on autopilot. That is what we are seeing in this body by those Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, the ``king of the shutdown.'' No President has ever faced a total shutdown of nominees like President Trump has under the Democrats and Chuck Schumer. This has resulted in a historic backlog. Today, 149 qualified, ready- to-serve nominees are still waiting to be considered here on the Senate floor, and they are stuck in Senate purgatory. Now, we know these nominees are qualified, despite what Senator Schumer said on this floor just a couple of minutes ago. How do I know they are qualified? Well, the FBI has vetted each and every one of them. The Office of Government Ethics has reviewed each and every one of them. The Senate committees who held hearings heard from all of these nominees, and they were all voted successfully out of committee. And now let me just point out to Chuck Schumer that over half of them earned bipartisan support with Democrats voting for them in the committee. Yet, here on the Senate floor, Senate Democrats are stonewalling their consideration. And there are still more than 800 nominees and nominations and positions in our government that still need to be filled. So, this week, Senate Republicans are going to restore these longstanding traditions of the Senate to get back to the way the Senate is supposed to work. Nominees who have been successfully approved by Senate committees will now be considered and confirmed in groups. This is keeping with the longstanding traditions of how this body operates. The Republican plan is similar to one that was proposed by Senators Klobuchar and King in 2023. At the time, they said that they were facing obstruction. Sixty-two percent of Joe Biden's nominees had been confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote. So this updated process applies only to the routine executive branch decisions. This is pretty simple. We are talking about positions like Deputy Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Deputy Assistant Secretaries, Ambassadors, and hundreds more. These are the positions that in the past have never required a rollcall vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate. America needs these men and women working, not stuck in some procedural traffic jam. The process of Cabinet-level and judicial nominees remains the same. They are going to continue to come to the floor individually for debate, discussion, and votes. These rule changes will get the Senate working again, doing the business of the American people. Eight months now into President Trump's second term, only 12 percent of President Trump's team is in place. Now, remember, modern Presidents have over a thousand positions to be filled. At this pace, it would take over a thousand additional hours of Senate time on the floor to fill it. No Senate, Democrat or Republican, has ever operated this way. No President, Democrat or Republican, can govern efficiently under the current abuse by the Democrats. The Schumer confirmation shutdown leaves critical jobs unfilled in our government. That weakens our economy. It undermines our international diplomacy. It jeopardizes our safety. It disrespects the will of the voters. This rules update will clear this backlog of nominees, and it will allow us to scrutinize nominees effectively and confirm qualified nominees efficiently. Committees are still going to hold hearings. They will still question the nominees. There will still be all of the background work, and then the FBI checks will still be done. The Office of Government Ethics will still review the conflicts. None of that changes. What changes is this pointless partisan delay right here on the Senate floor. What we are doing today is restoring the Senate's constitutional responsibility. That responsibility is advice and consent, not stall and delay. President Trump was elected to get America back on track. He deserves to have his team on the job and so do the American people. Senate Republicans are committed to making the Senate work again just as it has for every President up until now. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick), the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski), and the Senator from Idaho (Mr. Risch).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. BARRASSO. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 269.