Mitch McConnell

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I 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. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of Executive Calendar Nos. 572 and 586; that the nominations be confirmed; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, in the meantime, the Senate will continue considering an important package of comprehensive energy legislation. For the first time in more than a decade, we are looking at a thorough update to the laws governing innovation, security, and workforce development all across the American energy sector. As Chairman Murkowski has noted, 12 years is a long time. The demands we face in researching, producing, refining, storing, and protecting our abundant domestic energy have evolved a great deal since 2007, so it is high time for relevant Federal policy to evolve as well. I am grateful the chairman was willing to take on this important task, and I am glad she and Senator Manchin led their colleagues on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee through an overwhelmingly bipartisan process to produce this bill. As I mentioned yesterday, the legislation aggregates 50 individual bills. It contains input from more than 60 Senators. It covers an exhaustive range of energy-related challenges, from power storage and renewable technologies to carbon capture and electrical grid cyber security. It has earned the support of a similarly broad range of industry, advocacy, and research organizations. In one joint letter, the Bipartisan Policy Center, the American Nuclear Society, the Nature Conservancy, and 36 other signatories endorsed it as ``the culmination of extensive efforts to develop practical legislative solutions.'' That is the American Nuclear Society and the Nature Conservancy--that ought to tell you what you need to know about this bill. This is a bipartisan piece of legislation done right. This is how you take practical steps to build consensus on issues that affect every American in every State. Around this time last year, you will recall we saw a high-profile example of exactly what not to do. The far-left edge of the House Democratic caucus rolled out a massive scheme to forcibly remake much of our economy and our society according to their radical top-down designs. We all remember the Green New Deal--categorical bans on the most affordable forms of American energy, a dim future for millions of energy jobs, unprecedented Washington mandates on every subject from building codes to personal transportation. We all remember what happened next: This socialist fantasy did not stay confined to ideological fringe; it quickly grew into a broader rallying cry. When the Senate had the opportunity to vote on this wish list of central planning, only four--just four--of our Democratic colleagues could bring themselves to vote against it. That is quite a remarkable commentary on the state of our politics. Experts estimated the Green New Deal could have cost our government more than the GDP of the entire world. The Green New Deal could have cost our government more than the GDP of the entire world. Instead, this bipartisan legislation will let us direct responsible and targeted investment in a smart way toward key energy priorities. The Green New Deal sought to have Washington micromanage everyday life in this country to a degree that the 20th-century Socialists would have drooled over. Instead, this bipartisan legislation will create better policy and regulatory conditions for American workers, American innovators, and American job creators to actually thrive. Speaking as the senior Senator from Kentucky, I know firsthand that many Americans in the middle of the country suffered badly during the Obama era because Washington bureaucrats decided American energy had to fit their ideological designs. The very last thing we want is to move backward and expand those errors exponentially with radical leftwing experiments that would make the last administration's War on Coal look like child's play. What Kentuckians and all Americans deserve is for the Federal Government to make prosperity and domestic energy dominance easier-- easier--not harder. They deserve investment and support to help the communities that have fueled this country for generations to prosper once again, and that is what this bipartisan bill will actually deliver. I am proud to support this smart legislation. Clearly, I am not alone, since only three Senators voted against advancing the bill this week. So I would urge all of my colleagues to keep up their support, and let's see this package through to the finish line.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 1419.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be waived.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 530, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. McCONNELL. I further ask 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. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. Thursday, March 5; 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; finally, that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of S. 2657.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 11:15 a.m. tomorrow, the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6074 and the only amendment in order be the Paul amendment No. 1506; further, that 20 minutes of debate prior to noon be under the control of Senator Paul or his designee; further, that the Senate vote in relation to the Paul amendment at noon tomorrow and, upon disposition of the Paul amendment, the time until 1:45 p.m. tomorrow be equally divided between the two leaders or their designees; that the bill, as amended, if amended, be read a third time, and the Senate vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended, with a 60-affirmative vote threshold required for passage; finally, that the last 10 minutes of debate be under the control of Senators Leahy and Shelby.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. 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. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 529, submitted earlier today.

Mr. McCONNELL. I know of no further debate on the measure.

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

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, last week I described how Congress could quickly secure supplemental funding to combat the coronavirus. The way to secure these urgently needed resources with speed and certainty was to forgo partisan posturing, forgo micromanagement at the leadership level, and let the bipartisan appropriators do their work. Since then, Senator Shelby, Senator Leahy, and their counterparts in the House have worked on bipartisan, bicameral discussions. Thanks to their good work, we are close. The funding legislation appears to be about at the 5-yard line. I hope to complete the legislation and deliver this funding this week. We are close. In order to finish up, both sides will need to continue doing what has worked thus far and resist the temptation to impose any last-minute ideological demands. In particular, I have heard that the Democratic leadership may be contemplating a last-minute demand that this funding legislation also test drive some untried, untested, and controversial parts of their Medicare for All proposal that relate to the pricing of new drugs and innovations. So, look, everyone agrees that the potential diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines that might come out of this new funding cannot only be available to the ultrawealthy. We all agree on that. Everyone agrees. We already have longstanding, tried-and-true procedures so the government can buy and distribute new medicines in scenarios like this to ensure accessibility. These mechanisms are already in place. There is no need and this is no time to begin experimenting with ideological proposals that could jeopardize research, development, and innovation. Like I said, the accessibility of treatments or vaccines is a priority for everybody, but before new technologies can be accessible, they obviously have to be available. This is a moment to empower innovators, to incentivize innovators. It is a time to remove hurdles to innovation, not build new hurdles and create new uncertainty through ideological experimentation. So I hope these rumors do not prove true. I am optimistic we will be able to close out the remaining questions and process this legislation in short order. This moment calls for collaboration and for unity. Our bicameral, bipartisan talks have made great headway. It is time to give our public health experts and healthcare professionals the surge of resources they need at this challenging time.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 395, S. 893.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported amendment be withdrawn; that the Cornyn substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, this week, the Senate has a good opportunity to update the laws governing the way we harness and deploy America's tremendous domestic energy resources. It has been well over a decade since the last time comprehensive energy legislation was signed into Federal law. Following our overwhelming vote yesterday to proceed to consideration of the American Energy Innovation Act, the Senate is on track to change that very soon. The American Energy Innovation Act put forward by Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Manchin is thoroughly bipartisan. It contains provisions sponsored or cosponsored by more than 60 of our colleagues. It has come to include 50 individual pieces of legislation that the Energy and Natural Resources Committee considered last year. Over the past 3 years, the Trump administration and this Congress have worked together to secure historic advances for both the producers and consumers of affordable domestic energy. We have opened access to new energy reserves, streamlined the regulation of liquid natural gas exports, and halted or reversed the most egregious Obama-era regulatory burdens. The growing record is clear. We have helped to usher in a prosperous new era of U.S. energy independence. The legislation we are considering this week is designed to build on those successes. It takes proactive steps to ensure the security, efficiency, and affordability of American energy for years to come. First, it puts a strong tailwind behind programs, grants, and research efforts that are focused on energy innovation. That means significant investments in improving energy efficiency and grid storage technologies; new resources for the development of renewable geothermal, nuclear, and other energy sources to help sustain domestic energy independence; reauthorization for the Department of Energy's cutting-edge research at the Advanced Research Projects Agency; and a renewed commitment to carbon capture, utilization, and storage at coal production facilities. In addition to energy innovation, the legislation also focuses on energy security. Since the last comprehensive update to the Federal energy laws in 2007, our Nation's critical infrastructure, including the electric grid, has changed significantly, and so have the threats it faces. Our colleagues' legislation tackles this head-on. It introduces incentives for electrical grid modernization and cyber security projects. It encourages utility providers to take proactive measures to protect ratepayers from the devastating effects of potential cyber attacks. It makes new technical cyber security assistance available to municipalities and rural utilities and authorizes grant funding for on-the-job workforce retraining. Perhaps most importantly, the legislation before us is not only designed for continued advances in areas where the U.S. energy sector has seen success, it is also meant to take a sober assessment of where we are falling short. As my colleague Chairman Murkowski noted yesterday, the United States currently relies on foreign imports to meet our demand for dozens of mineral commodities. We are talking about rare substances with critical applications in manufacturing, energy production, and national security. These are critical products, but at present, domestic production does not satisfy domestic demand. That is why this legislation provides for new survey and cataloging efforts to identify new domestic supplies of important materials. It invests in extraction technologies that would harness existing mining infrastructure in places like Appalachian coal country to help meet the demand. As the senior Senator from Kentucky, I know the importance of these investments firsthand. The working families and job creators in my State know that clean coal technologies and longstanding mining operations can continue to add tremendous value to the security and prosperity of our Nation. There is a reason why this legislation has earned widespread praise from the researchers and energy industry leaders who would be affected the most. It is a product of serious, good-faith, bipartisan work. That is why organizations from the National Mining Association to the Environmental Defense Fund have found common ground in endorsing it. I will have more to say about this legislation in the coming days, but right now, I am grateful for our colleagues on the Energy Committee for their work in bringing it to the floor. I look forward to considering their important legislation in the days ahead, and I would encourage all Members to join me in supporting this excellent work.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCONNELL

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

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, continued to capture headlines over the weekend. News of the first American deaths related to the disease confirm this is a public health challenge that is upon us. The Senate's immediate role is clear: We need to support the Federal, State, and local public health officials and healthcare professionals who are working overtime to blunt, delay, and mitigate the spread of the virus. I am grateful that our colleagues Chairman Shelby and Senator Leahy, along with their appropriations counterparts in the House, worked through the weekend on a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to provide supplemental appropriations for the coordinated response. It goes without saying that a challenge like this leaves no time for moving goalposts or performative outrage. The American people deserve for their Congress to meet this subject head-on, with a bipartisan and collaborative approach, and I am confident that is exactly what can and will happen. I am glad our prospects for supplemental appropriations rest in the hands of a bipartisan group of negotiators. I would encourage my Democratic colleagues in both Houses to let them do their work. It will be important to pass this first benchmark and supply these important funds within the next 2 weeks. Taliban Mr. President, on another matter, on Saturday, President Trump announced a new agreement with the Taliban that is designed to promote a peaceful end to the civil war in Afghanistan. First and foremost, we must recognize the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. Hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops have deployed to Afghanistan since our national security compelled us in 2001 to confront the terrorist threats emanating from that failed state that Afghanistan had become. More than 2,400 American servicemembers have given their lives in Afghanistan. More than 20,000 have been wounded. Our coalition partners, such as the United Kingdom and Canada, sustained casualties as well. Obviously the worst burden of all has fallen on the Afghan people. Tens of thousands of Afghan security forces and civilians have been killed during this long, long war. It is largely due to these brave, heroic, and sustained efforts to keep pressure on the terrorists that Afghanistan has not come roaring back as an international headquarters for terrorists. Thanks to these efforts, the United States and its Afghan partners are hopefully in a position to bring about a negotiated end to the conflict. After nearly 20 years, two basic principles are clear: No. 1, we should welcome any serious opportunity to bring greater stability to that land, but, No. 2, we must make certain that the progress won through great sacrifice by Afghans and Americans is not undermined by a precipitous rush for the exits. I do not trust the Taliban, so I am grateful the linchpin of the agreement is a conditions-based approach that will provide our commanders with leverage to test the will and the capacity of the Taliban to abide by the agreement. If all goes well at first, our American presence would stabilize with 8,600 troops for the time being. Having heard from our commanders, I agree that presence will remain an important tool as we combat the ongoing threats posed by the likes of al-Qaida and ISIS and support for the Afghans' ability to fight terrorism themselves. Since further drawdowns would require even further progress and cooperation from the Taliban, I look forward to hearing from administration officials, intelligence analysts, and military officers about how they will judge compliance and determine whether the conditions are, in fact, met. For my part, I believe the intra-Afghan negotiations are especially critical to the future of that country and to our own significant security interests over there. We should do what we can to help the Afghans achieve a peaceful solution to their conflict. I am glad to hear there are no secret annexes to this agreement which Congress will be denied, as there were with President Obama's Iran deal. The secret documents detailing implementation arrangements are available for the review of all Senators in Senate Security, and I encourage our colleagues to review the full details. Republicans spent much of the Obama administration reminding our colleagues that hope--hope--is not a strategy. We argued President Obama's reckless withdrawal from Iraq would set the stage for chaos and a resurgence of terrorism. Unfortunately, the rise of ISIS proved us correct. That is why, more than a year ago, I offered an amendment so the Senate could affirm that withdrawing from Syria or Afghanistan the wrong way could strengthen the hand of terrorists and competitors such as Russia and Iran while weakening our own vital interests. I believe from my conversations with senior administration officials that they went into these negotiations with their eyes wide open about the Taliban's duplicitous nature. I expect Members of both parties will have many questions about this agreement and look forward to briefings from the administration about the path forward to protect American interests in Afghanistan and ensure this war ends on terms favorable to those interests. Our fight against ISIS, al-Qaida, and other radical Islamic terrorists is not over. As my colleagues and I have said for years, even if the United States were to choose to walk away from the conflict, the conflict would not walk away from us. We learned that on September 11. We relearned it with the rise of ISIS. I hope we never need to learn it again. So the war is not over, but this agreement may foster the negotiations and discussions within Afghanistan that would be necessary to bring it to a close. John Ratcliffe Mr. President, on one final matter, on Friday, President Trump announced he intends to nominate Representative John Ratcliffe of Texas to serve as Director of National Intelligence. I am glad the President has elected to nominate a permanent DNI so the Senate can provide our advice and consent on this crucial position. As I mentioned last week, the men and women of the intelligence community fulfill a wide array of sensitive and critically important missions. The Office of the DNI is central to coordinating these efforts in a strong fashion. It gives no quarter to politicization or partisan bias. I am glad the administration will seek Senate confirmation for the position. President Trump has a strong track record of sending the Senate impressive nominees for national security posts who are well prepared to protect our Nation and defend our interests. The impressive leadership of Secretary Esper at the Department of Defense, Director Haspel at the CIA, General Nakasone at the National Security Agency, and other leaders have proven that President Trump has an eye for talent and confirms that the Senate's trust in each of them was well placed. I hope Congressman Ratcliffe will impress Senators just as did the other members of the President's team and earn a bipartisan confirmation vote. I trust Chairman Burr and our colleagues on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence will oversee a prompt and fair confirmation process, and I look forward to meeting the nominee myself. The Trump administration has worked overtime to unwind the failures of the 8 years that preceded it. We have taken big strides to renew America's national security and our strength on the world stage. We must keep up this crucial work. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 5671 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.