Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I compliment the distinguished Senator from Tennessee for his remarks. I extend my appreciation for his strong leadership in developing and bringing to the floor of the Senate the Defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016. Specifically, I urge the Senate to do as he suggests. Let's get this bill before the Senate, offer amendments if Senators have suggestions for changes in the bill, and move ahead to completing action on this bill on time so we can predict with some certainty what our obligations are going to be and we can more thoughtfully with a sense of confidence know that we are doing the right thing to protect the security interests of our country, our citizens, and our interests around the world. We have before us an effort to move to the consideration of the Department of Defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016. The bill provides $514.1 billion in base budget funding and $58.6 billion in overseas contingency operations funding for the Department of Defense. The Senate Appropriations Committee has worked on a bipartisan basis to write and approve 12 individual appropriations bills this year for the first time since 2009. Senators should have the opportunity to debate, amend, and approve the Defense appropriations bill. The legislation is a bipartisan national security measure that provides the resources that are necessary to protect our Nation, support our servicemembers and their families, and meet current and future threats to our national security. We have no greater priority than protecting our national security interests here at home and abroad. I urge Senators to cooperate and support our efforts and to vote to proceed to the consideration of this bill. I am hopeful that the leadership can get together and work out a time that is convenient and appropriate for carrying out this responsibility. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, if I understand the Senator's suggestion correctly, his amendment would create an automatic continuing resolution to fund the Federal Government in the event an annual appropriations bill is not enacted by the time the fiscal year expires. That may sound harmless enough, but what we are saying is that not only is the power of the Senate suspended and put on hold but the obligations of the committee system are put under a threat--that unless you complete action on legislation that is referred to the committee of jurisdiction by a certain time, you are out of business, and whoever wants to offer an amendment as a substitute gets to offer that and pass it on a majority vote. We are already required to have three-fifths of the Members vote to cut off debate in order to be sure that all Senators--not just a bare majority--get to decide the decisions of the Senate and get to actively participate in the process by offering amendments. My friend's amendment abolishes offering any other alternatives for a full debate--unlimited debate--which is why the Senate is here, to cool down the passions of the moment. A Senator might have a good idea and want to change a law, repeal a resolution, deny access to Federal funds for this, that or the other that goes to a State that is very important, and their interests are just as important. This is a terrible amendment, and it ought to be rejected. I hope the Senator will withhold offering the amendment. We can have hearings on this and see what other Senators may think about it, but at first blush, this seems like this is an amendment whose time has not come. We are not ready to dismantle the rules of the Senate piece by piece. Well, we have the right of unlimited debate, and Senators can talk as long as they wish to. We don't have to go through a rules committee to get permission or get permission from any other Senator. These are direct responsibilities of individual Senators selected by their States to stand up for their interests, not to go to Washington and cave in on something that might be a good-sounding amendment or might have the passions of the moment behind it so that there appears to be a wave of support, but until you have a chance to seriously consider the individual issues involved, until three-fifths of the Senate decides to cut off debate--I strongly object to this amendment.

Mr. COCHRAN. Reserving the right to object.

Mr. COCHRAN. I object.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the agriculture community and the State of Mississippi suffered a great loss with the passing of Billy Ross Brown, Jr., on Saturday, September 12, 2015. He was a good friend, a neighbor, a highly respected member of his community, and a gentleman who dedicated much of his life to helping Mississippi farmers and improving the overall quality of life in rural America. A native of Oxford, MS, Billy Ross faithfully served the Farm Credit System and U.S. agricultural interests for over 36 years. In 1990 Billy Ross was appointed by President George H. W. Bush to serve on the Farm Credit Administration Board, and in 1993 he was designated Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Board by President Clinton, where he served with distinction until October of 1994. Following his tenure in Washington, Billy Ross returned to Mississippi and was nominated to the First South Farm Credit Board of Directors, a position in which he served until his retirement in March 2005. In addition to his contributions to the U.S. Farm Credit System, Billy Ross was active in various agriculture and conservation organizations. He served more than 20 years as area vice president for the Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts and more than 30 years as a commissioner of the Lafayette County Soil and Water Conservation District. Billy Ross also served on the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission as well as the U.S. Forest Service National Advisory Committee. He received many awards for his work in agriculture, conservation, forestry and wildlife habitat. Billy Ross was a true gentleman who illustrated dedication to his community and country. I am grateful for his friendship and all he accomplished for American agriculture. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Lynn and the entire Brown family during this sad time.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I urge the Senate to support the motion to proceed to the Department of Defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016. The Committee on Appropriations approved the bill on June 11 by a vote of 27 to 3. The bill provides $489.1 billion in base funding, and $86.8 billion in overseas contingency operations, which is consistent with both the fiscal year 2016 budget resolution and the Defense Subcommittee's allocation. The bill provides funding to protect the security interests of our country. The Senate should return to regular order starting with this national security legislation. It is a bipartisan bill that provides the President, as Commander in Chief, with the resources to protect our Nation. I urge the Senate to approve proceeding to this bill.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. I withhold my suggestion.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I intend to support the resolution of disapproval of the comprehensive plan of action negotiated by the Obama administration with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The agreement falls woefully short of the international goal to improve global security by stopping Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions. The American people and Congress were promised an inspections regime providing anywhere, anytime access to facilities where tests were conducted. Instead, Iran can delay access to facilities for up to 24 days. This is inconsistent with the Obama administration's claims that no part of this agreement is based on trusting Iran at its word. A credible agreement would include stronger verification measures to ensure that the Iranians play by the rules, particularly given that government's well-documented efforts to conceal its nuclear activities and ambitions. We are also concerned about the consequence of lifting the economic sanctions that forced Iran to the negotiating table. This agreement is an issue of long-term significance. Our country and our allies will be forced to deal with the repercussions of a strengthened Iran for the foreseeable future. This agreement is a bad deal for us and our allies, and I will not support it.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it is an honor to commend LTG Patricia D. Horoho, the 43rd U.S. Army Surgeon General and Commander, U.S. Army Medical Command, upon her retirement following 32 years of service to our Nation and the U.S. Army. She leaves behind a legacy of transformation that will benefit the health care of our soldiers and their families for years to come. Lieutenant General Horoho was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in 1982 upon her graduation from the University of North Carolina. Over the course of her service, she commanded medical units to include the U.S. Army Medical Command, the Walter Reed Health Care System, the Western Regional Medical Command, and the Madigan Army Medical Center. She also deployed in support of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command in Afghanistan in 2011. During her tenure as the 43rd U.S. Army Surgeon General, Lieutenant General Horoho demonstrated her resolve to transform Army Medicine from a health care system to a system of health. Her strong leadership efforts resulted in the Army and the Department of Defense adopting many initiatives to improve the quality of care for military members, families, and retirees--validating the Army Medical Department's professionalism as a High Reliability Organization. She is a national leader and innovator in health care who provided vision and direction that positively transformed Army Medicine. Lieutenant General Horoho is a true patriot who has dedicated her life to the security, health, and welfare of our Nation. Her loyalty and commitment to the soldiers and their families have never wavered. She is leaving the U.S. Army Medical Department in a high state of readiness, capable of accomplishing its important missions. We thank her for her outstanding service to a grateful nation and wish her well in her future endeavors.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, 10 years ago, Hurricane Katrina came ashore on the Mississippi gulf coast with devastating force, inflicting billions of dollars in property and personal damages. It was amazing that more were not killed. The tragic loss of life and horrible property destruction shocked us all. Our recovery has required enormous dedication and determination, and thousands of Mississippians rose to that challenge. In the days, months, and years after the storm, Mississippians pitched in to help neighbors and strangers alike. The dedication and sacrifice of the Coast Guard, the National Guard and other first responders saved lives and helped enable the large-scale rebuilding that would follow. The resilience and hard work of the people, as well as the outpouring of church and volunteer workers from across the State and Nation, made recovery possible. Over the past decade, State, local, and Federal elected officials have also aggressively promoted and assisted in the gulf coast's recovery. But our recovery is not yet complete. While the serious problems exposed by the Katrina recovery effort have been used to improve our national response to emergencies and natural disasters, work remains to be done to ensure a full recovery in Mississippi and along the gulf coast. Unsustainable insurance practices and overbearing Federal regulations continue to hamper recovery and economic development efforts. Those challenges, however, cannot diminish the pride I have in the people of Mississippi for exemplifying the strength, vision, and resilience necessary to ensure the cultural and economic vitality of our State. This August, we commemorate the decade since Hurricane Katrina claimed lives and left indelible marks on our State. Mr. President, 10 years after Katrina, I remain confident that we will continue to work together to rebuild Mississippi and to advocate for commonsense policies and intelligent investments that will ensure the continued vitality of the Gulf Coast.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, this summer marks the 13th year during which Congressional office interns have benefitted from a program operated by the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership. This 6-week program is designed to enhance the internship experience for exceptional college students by giving them an inside look at how Congress works and a deeper appreciation and understanding for the role that Congress plays in our democracy. Each week, the interns meet with senior congressional staff and other experts to discuss issues including the legislative process, the constitutional power of the purse, our government's separation of powers, the media, and other topics. Interns are selected based on their college records, community service experience, and interest in a career in public service. This year, 30 outstanding interns participated in the program. Most of them are juniors and seniors in college who are working in Republican and Democratic offices in both the House and Senate, including one intern in my office, John Bartley Boykin of Meridian, MS. I congratulate the interns for their completion of this special program. I also thank the Stennis Center and the Senior Stennis Fellows for providing a meaningful experience for these young leaders and for encouraging them to consider a future in public service. I ask unanimous consent that a list of the 2015 Stennis Congressional Interns and the offices in which they work be printed in the Record.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am coming at this issue from a unique perspective. Both of my parents were schoolteachers. As I was growing up in Mississippi, my father was county superintendent of education of the largest public school system in Mississippi for several years. My mother was a mathematics educator, teacher. They had both earned graduate degrees as well as undergraduate degrees from colleges and universities in our State of Mississippi. My brother and I had the good fortune of growing up in this environment of learning and reading. So I have to confess I am biased in support of legislation that helps to strengthen the capability of our Nation's teachers and school administrators in providing opportunities for not only reading but complex learning at early ages, which would have been surprising to those of that generation to look around and observe the great strides we are making in education throughout America. Growing up with this perspective and my appreciation of the importance of good teachers in our schools makes me understand perhaps more than most the importance that education serves in the lives of students, their teachers, and their communities where they grow up. When I was a student, I went to the library to check out a book. Now, there are all kinds of ways to get in touch with the written words. Today, our school librarians are more often specialists with education and specific training that help students learn how to access educational material in every manner in which education is available in an increasingly digital society. Children who know how to read and are comfortable using information technology are more likely to grow up with a capacity to learn throughout their lifetimes. The amendment I have offered with my good friend, the senior Senator from Rhode Island, seeks to help equip school librarians to do an even better job. Our amendment would allow schools throughout the country to use Federal funds in the way they see fit to strengthen their libraries. My hope is that the use of these additional funds will improve education and literacy among children throughout America. It is my understanding the bill managers support this amendment. I appreciate very much not only the good assistance and friendship of Senator Reed but his help specifically with this legislation. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it is my understanding the Senate is still considering remarks with respect to the education legislation that is pending before the Senate.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I wish to recognize O'Keefe Funeral Homes of Biloxi, MS, on the occasion of their 150 years of service to residents of the Mississippi gulf coast. Since its inception in 1895, O'Keefe Funeral Homes has grown to include six locations throughout South Mississippi. In addition to meeting the needs of the bereaved for generations, the O'Keefe family has been pivotal to the growth, support, and success of other economic and cultural enterprises across South Mississippi, assisting with the formation of the Walter Anderson Museum and the Ohr- O'Keefe Museum. This sesquicentennial anniversary of O'Keefe Funeral Homes represents a great milestone for all coast communities and businesses as it is not only one of the oldest recurring businesses in Mississippi but has also survived and thrived in the face of many of our Nation's most devastating natural disasters. Six generations of O'Keefes have served South Mississippi with grace and valor. The O'Keefe's service has added value to economic sustainability while providing a better way of life for gulf coast residents and businesses. I am pleased to recognize the O'Keefe family for their 150 years of exemplary service and ongoing devotion to the Mississippi gulf coast.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the Senate has made clear the authority of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for imported catfish inspections. It has been debated and resolved in two previous farm bills; first, in 2008 and again in 2014. The USDA catfish inspection is about protecting the health and safety of American consumers. The 2008 and 2014 farm bills required catfish inspection responsibilities to be transferred from the Food and Drug Administration to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service upon publication of final regulations. The need for this regulatory clarification is clear: American consumers could be exposed to dangerous chemicals and unapproved drugs in the imported catfish they eat. According to the Government Accountability Office, about half of the seafood imported into the United States comes from farm-raised fish. Fish grown in confined areas have been shown to contain bacterial infections. The FDA's oversight program to ensure the safety of imported seafood from residues of unapproved drugs is limited, especially as compared with the practices of other developed countries. According to the Department of Agriculture and other Federal agencies, the Food and Drug Administration inspects only 1 percent of all imported seafood products. This is just not acceptable. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, on the other hand, inspects 100 percent of farm-raised meat products that enter the country, which illustrates why the Department of Agriculture is the appropriate Agency for farm-raised catfish inspections. Following enactment of the catfish mandate in the 2008 farm bill, the Department of Agriculture conducted risk assessments on the dangers of exposure to foreign agriculture drugs and determined that moving catfish inspections under the USDA inspection system would result in a reduction of 175,000 lifetime cancers, 95 million exposures to antimicrobials, and 23 million heavy metal exposures. The Catfish Inspection Program will enhance consumer safety but will not result in duplication activities by U.S. government agencies. Upon issuance of final regulations, catfish inspection responsibilities will be transferred to and not shared with the Department of Agriculture. In order to address perceived concerns regarding duplication, a provision was included in the 2014 farm bill that required the FDA and USDA to enter into a memorandum of understanding to establish clear jurisdictional boundaries. We consider that this is a time to resolve this issue and put this matter to rest. International equivalence is a concept that originated with the WTO and is regarded as a way to encourage the development of international food safety standards and will help this issue to be balanced fairly among all Members and facilitate our trade with other countries. I yield the floor.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Walton Gresham of Indianola, MS, for his service and contributions to the State of Mississippi while serving as the 79th president of the Delta Council. This important organization was formed in 1935 and has grown into a widely respected economic development group representing the business, professional, and agricultural interests of the Mississippi Delta. I am grateful to Delta Council for its continuous role in meeting the economic and quality of life challenges in this unique part of our country. Walton Gresham's tenure as council president began soon after Congress enacted the Agricultural Act of 2014, and his effective leadership has helped Mississippi producers adapt to the new federal agriculture policies established by this new farm bill. Mr. Gresham has been an active leader on transportation issues in our State, and he is constructively engaged as Congress prepares to consider legislation to reauthorize Federal spending on highway and public transportation programs that are vitally important to the Mississippi Delta and its future. Mr. Gresham's dedication to confronting health care disparities and higher education needs in our State should also be commended. Through its work with Delta Council, Mr. Gresham's family has improved Mississippi's workforce training and readiness. In addition to his role as president of Delta Council, Mr. Gresham has been active in the Mississippi Propane Gas Association, the National Propane Gas Association, the Petroleum Marketers Association of America, the Mississippi Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores Association, and the Mississippi Economic Council. He serves on the board of directors of Planters Bank, Propane Energy Group, Delta Terminal, Gresham-McPherson Oil Company, DoubleQuick, and Indianola Insurance Agency. He is a past president of the Indianola Rotary Club and Indianola Country Club. Walton Gresham is a respected businessman and his performance as president of Delta Council will complement his well-earned reputation for unselfish service to improve the quality of life for those who live and do business in the Mississippi Delta region. His dedication to the future of the delta and all of those who live there is sincere. I am pleased to join the people of my State in commending Walton Gresham and sharing our appreciation with his wife Laura and their children Lenore and Elizabeth as they prepare for the 80th annual meeting of the Delta Council organizational membership, at which time, he will reflect on his successful tenure before passing the torch to a new president.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I urge the Senate to support this amendment. The amendment I am offering along with the Senator from Maryland, the vice chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, Ms. Mikulski, proposes the creation of a biennial budget resolution process. Having a two-year budget could enable the annual appropriations process to run more smoothly, and it might also benefit other committees. The appropriations process often bogs down due to the failure of the budget resolution process. If there is no budget resolution in place, there is no framework to facilitate consideration of appropriations bills. Establishing a biennial budget process does merit serious consideration, but biennial appropriations are another matter. Proponents of biennial appropriations argue that having an ``off year'' in which there are no appropriations bills will mean more oversight during the off year. Well, this ignores the close relationship between oversight and the appropriations process itself. Within each year's appropriations process, in the hearings before the committee, informal meetings, committee reports, and the bills themselves, Congress provides guidance-- admonitions sometimes--and funding adjustments based on program performance and changing priorities. The appropriations process is one of the best tools Congress has to reform, improve, eliminate, and modernize programs under its jurisdiction. Having an off year would not translate into more oversight. It might well have the opposite effect, as Congress would not possess any hammer or useful tool of the year's appropriations bill to modify agency actions. So you're yielding more power to the executive branch to spend money, borrow money, and try new programs without having proper oversight of the appropriations and the authorizations process. Writing and debating annual appropriations is an essential part of the Congressional oversight responsibility that was contemplated by the Framers of the Constitution. It does not detract from the power of, or minimize or infringe on, authorizing committees' ability to perform additional oversight. There is no limitation under this process of a legislative committee's prerogatives. It provides the money, though, as the Constitution contemplates, through an appropriation of funds approved by the people's representatives--not the Executive's, not the people who run the Departments, and not the President himself. We changed things with the King of England during the colonial era. The people recognized they wanted the people in charge. ``Here, sir, the people govern'' became a watchword of the Revolution and the establishment of the United States of America. So under this suggestion, which we are criticizing at this moment, Congress would be compelled to do one of two things: either adjust appropriations in the off year through supplemental appropriations, or give agencies themselves greater flexibility to move money around among different programs and activities that are part of the government spending process. The first defeats the purpose of the biennial appropriations proposal. The second is a further expansion of Executive power. You're building up the Executive with more tools to do its will without respect to what the people's representatives in the Congress might prefer. The second is the further expansion of Executive power, generally, that we should be wary of granting. The Executive has an enormous amount of power, but under our system, we should seek an equally powerful role for the people's representatives, and for the direct election of Members of the U.S. Senate whose responsibility includes the power to help ensure that the States have the funds they need to carry out their responsibilities. Congress can improve its performance in budgeting, but it does not have to abandon the annual review of theFederal appropriations process. It doesn't have to be part of the answer to the question. So I hope Senators will carefully review what is at stake and what is being suggested and consider that before you vote. I hope the Senate will support my amendment.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment and call up my amendment No. 932.

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

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I wish to commend Dr. Marvin Hogan for his remarkable involvement with early childhood education, job training and workforce development in the State of Mississippi for more than 40 years. Currently, Dr. Hogan serves as executive director of Friends of Children of Mississippi, based in Jackson. Friends of Children of Mississippi operates Head Start and Early Head Start Programs in Humphreys, Sharkey, Issaquena, Madison, Leake, Rankin, Copiah, Kemper, Newton, Clarke, Jasper, Smith, Jones, Wayne, and Green Counties. Friends of Children of Mississippi has a notable record of providing quality early childhood development and educational services to low- income children in our State. In the organization's 48-year history, it has transitioned nearly 140,000 children into the public schools of Mississippi. Friends of Children of Mississippi was recognized recently by the National Head Start Association for its accomplishments. Its two- generation model, which engages parents of Head Start and Early Head Start children to break the cycle of poverty and put families on the path to self-sufficiency, was featured in a National Association report as a case study for exceptionally effective two-generation programs. Since the Friends of Children of Mississippi two-generation program began in 2003, almost 97 percent of enrolled parents have successfully completed their GED or gone to college and transitioned to employment. This well-deserved honor is a credit to Dr. Hogan and his colleagues in the 15 counties they serve across Mississippi. A native of Waynesboro, MS, Dr. Hogan has been recognized nationally for his work to break intergenerational cycles of poverty and to expand educational opportunities for African Americans in our State. I am pleased to commend Dr. Hogan for his service and to wish him and his colleagues continued success in their work to provide a solid educational foundation for Mississippi's children.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I wish to commend Dr. Murdock John Cullinane, Jr., for his 46 years of service to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Dr. Cullinane, who will retire this month, is Deputy Director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, ERDC, in Vicksburg, MS, a position he has held since 2010. He is culminating his public service career as the second in command of one of our Nation's most diverse research and development institutions. As Deputy Director, he has led the ERDC program management board, which is responsible for developing and implementing the organization's strategic mission. He has earned the respect of his colleagues and others for his commitment to the best interests of ERDC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Prior to becoming Deputy Director, Dr. Cullinane served as a senior science technical manager and spent 9 years as the technical director for ERDC's Environmental Quality and Installations business area, which conducts research on installation transformation, operations, and environmental issues, as well as remediation and restoration, land planning, stewardship and management, threatened and endangered species, and cultural resources. He previously served as the technical director of military environmental engineering and science, as well as program manager of restoration research, a position that saw him direct all aspects of the Army restoration research program. Dr. Cullinane has also led ERDC in several successful corporate initiatives to optimize the generation of unique technical solutions for a diverse customer base and to develop effective, efficient, and sustainable ERDC business operations and processes. He has also championed the ERDC Business Sophistication, Employee Success, Superior Solutions, Strategic Communication, and the Transition Stratagem, BESST, Initiative, a strategic framework designed to guide the organization into the year 2020. Dr. Cullinane has had a distinguished career of exemplary service to the U.S. Army and the Army Corps of Engineers. His professionalism, dedication, and technical expertise have been valuable to ERDC and are a testament to his good character and high standards. His contributions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military and civilian service and reflect great credit upon the Army Corps, the Army, and our Nation. I am pleased to commend Dr. Cullinane for his service and to wish him well in the years ahead.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I encourage the Senate to vote to send the Homeland Security appropriations bill to conference with the House. That should be the order of business. We have been wrangling over this bill for 3 months now. The legislative maneuvering has crowded out all of the real issues before the Senate on this legislation. We should have debated and voted on the President's actions, the Executive orders which provoked this entire situation. On multiple occasions Members on the other side of the aisle have voted unanimously to avoid having that debate. First, four times they voted over the course of 3 weeks to refuse to even consider House-passed funding bill legislation. Their bill was passed by the other body in plenty of time to avoid the shutdown that currently consumes the Senate. This won't be the last time during this Congress that the House and Senate disagree on an appropriations bill, but it should not be the last time the legislative branch disagrees with the executive branch and vice versa. Soon we will begin consideration of the fiscal year 2016 appropriations bills. Each of these bills will prompt differences, but we should have opportunities for robust debates on these differences. That is all I am suggesting. We can proceed to conference with the House in a timely manner on the bills. Doing so will help provide opportunities for orderly and direct resolution of differences as reported by the various committees. We have done too little of that in recent years, and it has been detrimental to the legislative process. I urge the Senate to support the motion to accept the request for a conference committee on the Homeland Security appropriations bill. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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