Mitch McConnell

Mr. McCONNELL

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

Mr. McCONNELL

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

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, this week will provide an opportunity for our Democratic colleagues to prove that their longstanding goal of impeaching the President is not--not--getting in the way of their ability to legislate. The Speaker of the House and the Democratic leader have taken pains to insist that their party's impeachment obsession will not block important business for the American people. Well, we are going to find out. As soon as the Senate completes the domestic funding legislation we are currently considering, we will turn back toward national defense and give Senate Democrats another chance to advance the funding for our Armed Forces, which they chose to filibuster just last month. In other words, this week will bring a litmus test. Are Washington Democrats so consumed by impeachment that they cannot even fund our men and women in uniform? Do our servicemembers really need to be pawns in the Democrats' fight with the White House? It is hard to imagine a more basic legislative responsibility than funding the Department of Defense. We need to fund the tools and training that our men and women in uniform need to carry out their missions. We need to give our military commanders the resources to keep pace with major competitors like China, which has nearly doubled its military spending over the past decade. In recent days, our Democratic colleagues have been publicly railing against the administration's approach to Syria and the Middle East, without, I would note, offering much of a strategy of their own. But if they vote to block defense funding later this week, they will literally be obstructing the very funding to carry out the missions they say are so important. The last few days have shown us especially clearly that American forces remain in harm's way every day, and their missions do not pause just because some politicians don't find it convenient to fund them. We owe the Pentagon the budgetary certainty it needs to maintain the readiness of our military forces and to invest in the capabilities needed to sustain our military edge into the future. We also need to be good, reliable partners to our friends and allies. Get this. This appropriations bill would fund $250 million in military assistance for Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. If that sounds familiar, that would be the exact same program that Democrats are currently trying to impeach the President for allegedly slow-walking. So welcome to Washington, where Democrats try to impeach President Trump for supposedly slow-walking aid for Ukraine and simultaneously filibuster the funding for the exact same Ukraine program in the Senate. Welcome to Washington. I think it is safe to say that would elevate irony to a whole new art form. I hope it doesn't come to that. I hope, instead, that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle will land on the same side when it comes to support for the men and women who keep us safe and for our vulnerable international partners who look to us for leadership.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on one final matter, when I joined President Trump last year as he signed the farm bill, we marked a new chapter for an historic American crop. In a victory for growers, processors, and manufacturers across the country, especially in my home State of Kentucky, my initiative for full hemp legalization became law. This morning, the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to take the important next step. Secretary Perdue will release a new USDA regulation to implement my initiative and move hemp closer to being treated just like every other commodity. This new policy will help farmers around the country continue pioneering this crop into the 21st century. I am proud to say that Kentucky is prepared to take the lead. For generations, our growers and producers have made the Bluegrass State an agricultural powerhouse, well-positioned at the forefront of hemp's resurgence. Following the downturn in tobacco, it was my tobacco buyout legislation that helped farmers transition toward new opportunities, and a growing number are looking to this past crop--one grown by Washington, Jefferson, and Henry Clay--as they plan for the future. As the buyout payments came to an end, I secured the creation of hemp pilot programs in the 2014 farm bill, empowering farmers and researchers to begin a multiyear experiment with hemp's capabilities. Thanks to leaders like Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles and his predecessor, now-Congressman James Comer, Kentucky was leading the charge. The results were clear. The pilot program was working. So we knew the 2018 farm bill had to take the next step. I am grateful to Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, who included my hemp initiative in the bill that is now law. I would also like to thank the many Members on both sides of the aisle, including Senator Ron Wyden, who have helped in this effort as well. My hemp provisions in the farm bill directed USDA to craft a new regulatory framework so hemp could be cultivated nationwide, with each State given the opportunity to develop its own plan for hemp oversight. I am grateful that Secretary Perdue accepted my invitation for a Kentucky hemp tour so he could see our progress up close and learn from Kentucky hemp farmers and regulators as USDA developed its policies. This year alone, hemp is growing on more than 26,000 acres in Kentucky, across 101 of our 120 counties. It supports hundreds of jobs and tens of millions in sales. I impressed upon USDA the need to finalize this new framework before the 2020 growing season. I would like to thank Secretary Perdue and the USDA for fulfilling this commitment with the announcement we are expecting later this morning. I look forward to reviewing USDA's guidelines and hearing from hemp stakeholders around Kentucky. Our work to support the future of hemp is hardly over. There are ongoing conversations with the FDA on CBD products and ongoing work to help growers and retailers to access credit and financial products. There will inevitably be ups and downs as this new industry develops, but today's announcement is another crucial step. It is a privilege for me to stand with Kentucky farmers every step of the way. Together, we will continue charting hemp's course well into the future.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on another matter, this week, we will vote on another effort by our Democratic colleagues to undo successful Trump administration policy. In recent days, our colleagues across the aisle have forced two failed votes on similar resolutions. One would have cut taxes for the wealthiest residents in blue States at the expense of working families everywhere else. The other would have resurrected an Obama-era proposal to bury American energy under redtape. Both of those efforts failed, but our Democratic colleagues are back at it--back at it--with another bad policy. This time, they would like to reverse Trump administration guidance that has reduced healthcare premiums for American families and reaffirmed protections for those with preexisting conditions. Section 1332 of ObamaCare gives States the opportunity to escape some of that law's worst burdens. States have the opportunity to apply for waivers that allow for more types of health insurance plans and more options for consumers. More than a dozen States have already had these waivers approved, not just red States. Democratic Governors in places like Colorado, Delaware, and Rhode Island have applied for and received these waivers. Where Governors of both parties are embracing this opportunity, good things are happening. According to one analysis, in the seven States where new waivers were implemented during the Trump administration, it seems that premiums declined--declined--by 7.5 percent. The Trump administration guidance continues this success and gives States even more of what they asked for--even more flexibility to escape ObamaCare's burdens and more choices for consumers and lower premiums. But, apparently, our Democratic colleagues are not terribly fond of letting States shake off the unhelpful strictures of ObamaCare. Perhaps, it makes their signature law look bad that Governors of both parties are so eager to escape it. That can't be their public argument. In their effort to reduce this flexibility, some Democrats are rehashing tired, old claims about a conspiracy to hurt Americans with preexisting conditions. Republicans have been clear, and we have been consistent. We support protections for Americans with preexisting conditions. The CMS Administrator, Seema Verma, has specifically stated that ``a section 1332 waiver cannot undermine coverage for people with pre- existing conditions.'' That is the head of CMS. In fact, it is this Trump administration's policy that will help American families, including those with preexisting conditions, by helping to bring down the soaring premiums and restore the dwindling options that ObamaCare's failures have brought about. I urge the Senate to reject this misguided resolution. We don't need healthcare policy from the supporters of ``Medicare for None,'' Democrats' grand scheme to take away the health insurance plans of 180 million Americans and replace it with a one-size-fits-all government plan. Americans deserve more say, not less.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that debate time for S.J. Res. 52 expire at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, October 30, and that notwithstanding rule XXII, the cloture motions filed during yesterday's session of the Senate ripen following the disposition of S.J. Res. 52.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Wednesday, October 30; 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, morning business be closed, and the Senate resume consideration of S.J. Res. 52, under the previous order.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam 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. Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order, following the remarks of Senators Perdue, Cassidy, and Casey.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, first, I was saddened by today's news that our former colleague, the Senator from North Carolina, Kay Hagan, had passed away. During her time representing the people of North Carolina, Kay was exactly that--a gentle lady. She paired an earnest commitment to public service with a friendly and collegial approach. I know Members of both sides of the aisle will fondly remember serving alongside her in the Senate, and her perseverance in the face of serious illness these recent years was inspiring. Today the prayers of this entire body are with Kay's husband, Chip; their children, Jeanette, Tilden, and Carrie; and with all of their family and friends at this extremely difficult time. Death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Mr. President, on a completely different matter, on Sunday morning, we woke up to a better and safer world because one monster was no longer in it. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was the founder and leader of ISIS. In recent years, that made him the single most important target in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism. His band of fanatics has committed heinous crimes, shed an unimaginable amount of civilian blood, and destabilized an entire region. ISIS has been party to a civil war in Syria that has claimed hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. They have run slave auctions of women and girls and effected a genocide of the Yazidi people. Across a swath of Syria and Iraq, ISIS established a so-called caliphate, imprisoned entire communities, slaughtered vulnerable minority populations, destroyed priceless cultural relics, and imposed their will through brute force on anyone they deemed insufficiently pious. Across the globe, their message of hate has spurred further acts of violence--in Europe, in Africa, and even here on American soil. So Americans applauded President Trump's announcement yesterday morning that a heroic mission had eliminated the chief instigator of all this violence. We owe a debt of thanks to the men and women of our intelligence community for taking grave risks, cultivating key partnerships in the region, and laying the groundwork for a swift and precise operation. Of course, we are hugely grateful to the U.S. military personnel who executed the strike. Our Nation calls upon elite Special Operations units to take on missions of the utmost sensitivity. Their bravery and professionalism continue to make us all proud. My fellow Kentuckians and I are especially proud of Lt. Gen. Scott Howell, a Cadiz, KY native, is currently leading the Joint Special Operations Command and oversaw this daring mission. Lieutenant General Howell is a career Air Force pilot who has spent his career deploying with and commanding Special Operations forces. Our Nation is lucky to have this son of the Bluegrass serving where he is. I commend President Trump, Secretary Esper, and the entire administration team for making the tough call to act on our intelligence and send U.S. Forces into the breach. That decision is never easy, but it was the right one. It was a total operational success. This victory offers us an important strategic reminder about the value of our Nation's investment in advanced military capabilities, American military presence abroad, and deep relationships with foreign allies and local security partners. Without such factors, operations such as this become much more risky. The name of this terrorist is now headed straight for the trash bin of history. There are other names I would like for us to remember today instead: Peter Kassig, born and raised in Indianapolis, a former Army Ranger turned humanitarian worker in the Middle East. ISIS beheaded him in 2014. He was 26 years old. Steven Sotloff, a grandson of Holocaust survivors born in Florida and a dual citizen of the U.S. and Israel. He was a journalist who worked with refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war. He was kidnapped by ISIS and beheaded in 2014. James Foley grew up in New Hampshire. He spent 4 years as an embedded correspondent in Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria before his capture by ISIS. After 2 years of captivity and torture, he, too, was beheaded in 2014. Kayla Mueller from Arizona, whom ISIS kidnapped in Aleppo in 2013. Kayla's Christian faith had led her to humanitarian work. She was brutalized by ISIS leaders and then killed in 2015, at the age of 26. This weekend's operation was code-named in Kayla's honor. Today we remember these brave Americans and all the courageous U.S. servicemembers and DOD civilians who gave their lives to fight ISIS. In their memories, we are glad justice has been done. In their memories, we resolve not to back down but to persist in this fight until we have secured the enduring defeat of this dangerous and determined enemy. Trump Administration Mr. President, on another matter, on Thursday, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee and I introduced a resolution, which quickly gained dozens of Republican cosponsors. Our resolution states two things, which are very obvious. No. 1, any process as serious as an impeachment inquiry, which seeks to cancel out the American people's vote in a Presidential election, must adhere to the highest standards of fairness and due process, and, No. 2, what we have seen on display from House Democrats has been anything but that. Here is the way House Democrats have conducted their inquiry so far. Committees at the center of the inquiry have denied President Trump important rights and protections that President Nixon and President Clinton enjoyed. They have impeded his right to have counsel attend hearings and depositions, call and cross-examine witnesses, and even access the evidence they are producing. Democrats are also flouting past practices that gave minority parties basic procedural rights during past impeachments. House Republicans have not been granted subpoena power, and their participation in closed-door proceedings has been severely limited. It is no secret that Washington Democrats have been looking for a way to remove President Trump since his inauguration, but that does not remove the basic requirements of fairness and due process. That is what our resolution makes clear. I am proud to sponsor it, along with Chairman Graham. Appropriations Mr. President, on a related matter, Washington Democrats have been insisting that their 3-year-old impeachment journey will not keep them from attending to the people's business. Well, we will have an opportunity to find out later this week when the Senate votes on advancing funding for our Armed Forces. You will recall that last month, our Democratic colleagues made the stunning decision to filibuster legislation to fund our national defense. They blocked resources for our men and women in uniform. They blocked the funding our commanders need to keep us safe in this dangerous time. And that wasn't enough. They blocked a pay raise for the men and women in uniform. Democrats filibustered all of this for the sake of picking a fight with the White House. Think about that. Can our colleagues be so ruled by partisan politics that they would rather leave the U.S. military in limbo than get along with President Trump for 2 minutes--for 2 minutes? Obviously this cannot continue. Our commanders need funding. Our men and women in military need support. Congress needs to do its job. So later this week, the Senate is going to vote again, one more time, to advance defense funding. We will complete the domestic appropriations we are currently considering, including voting on certain amendments, and then we will turn back to defense. This will present a crystal- clear test: Do our Democratic colleagues mean it when they say they want to legislate or not--there is no more important legislation than this--or is their impeachment obsession crowding out critical priorities? Imagine the spectacle if the same Senate Democrats who give lengthy speeches criticizing the administration's actions in Syria and the Middle East literally block the funding our commanders need to keep up the missions. Imagine the embarrassment if Senate Democrats filibuster funding for our men and women in uniform just days after this past weekend's heroics, just days after the whole country was reminded that our brave servicemembers risk everything every day, and their missions do not wait for Washington politics. Imagine the supreme irony if the same Democrats who want to impeach the President for supposedly delaying military assistance for Ukraine literally themselves delay military assistance for Ukraine by blocking the funding legislation. I urge my friends across the aisle to do the right thing. The whole country knows that Washington Democrats are not members of President Trump's fan club. We get that. We understand that. But there is no reason why money to fight ISIS, money to pay and supply our servicemembers, and, yes, money for military assistance for Ukraine ought to be used as Democrats' political pawns. Enough is enough. We need to move forward with the Defense funding bill this week. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk for the Shelby substitute amendment No. 948.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk for the underlying bill.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I move to proceed to Calendar No. 140, H.R. 2740.

Mr. McCONNELL. I send a cloture motion to the desk for the motion to proceed.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls be waived.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session and 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 and the consideration of the following nomination, Executive Calendar No. 467.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the nomination with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; that no further motions be in order; and that any statements relating to the nomination be printed in the Record and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that if cloture is invoked, the filing deadline for the first-degree amendments to the Shelby substitute amendment No. 948, and the underlying bill, H.R. 3055, be at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Tuesday, October 29; 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 day, morning business be closed, and the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 3055; finally, that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the caucus meetings.

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 Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 134 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the Toomey amendment at the desk be agreed to, and the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, later today, the Senate will have the opportunity to confirm another brilliant nominee to the Federal judiciary. In this case, I am proud to say this new lifetime judge will be another fine Kentuckian. For those of us who know Justin Walker and have seen his work up close, it is clear that President Trump made an outstanding choice to be a district judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Mr. Walker has sharpened his legal skills at the highest levels, including premier clerkships to then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the DC circuit and former Justice Anthony Kennedy. As a prominent attorney and law professor, he has earned the respect of his peers in the legal world and of the community that he will serve on the bench. For his students, Mr. Walker has been a mentor who helps push them to fulfill their potential in the classroom and throughout their legal careers. His thoughtful and deliberate approach fit the mold of a Federal judge who--imagine this--will uphold the laws and the Constitution as they are actually written, not as he might wish them to be. So I am confident Mr. Walker will serve our Commonwealth and the country extremely well as a district judge. I look forward to voting to confirm him, and I certainly urge my colleagues to join me.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on another matter, too many times I have had to come to the floor to speak about the pain inflicted on families and entire communities by opioid addiction and substance abuse. It is a crisis present in every ZIP Code, one that has wrecked lives throughout our country. My home State of Kentucky has been hit particularly hard, but I am relieved to say that we are seeing at least a glimmer of hope on the horizon. This past summer brought news of the first nationwide decrease-- decrease--in overdose fatalities in almost three decades. Kentucky saw a nearly 15-percent drop. After so much suffering, this is an indication that the tide may be starting to turn. The result has been hard-won, after years of coordinated efforts between States, localities, and Washington. It has been a nationwide response, and we in Congress, along with the Trump administration, have been focused on doing our part. Today marks the 1-year anniversary of one key part of our ongoing efforts. One year ago today, President Trump signed into law our landmark opioid legislation that will hopefully spare more families from the pain of addiction. This legislation included work from 5 different committees and 70 Senators. Thanks to Chairman Lamar Alexander and so many of our colleagues, this significant package focused on providing innovative solutions, promoting long-term recovery, and empowering local leaders and first responders out on the frontlines. A little more than a year ago, it passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. I am proud that two of my own bills were included in that package. The Protecting Moms and Infant Act safeguards of the addiction crisis from its heartbreaking consequences, and the CAREER Act addresses the major role that stable employment plays in long-term recovery. It encourages treatment facilities to form partnerships with local businesses and short-term housing facilities to ``hand up'' to those who need it. We are proud of what we accomplished a year ago, and I am proud that my Kentucky colleague, Representative Andy Barr, is leading the push for the CAREER Act's companion legislation over in the House. But we know all too well that, unfortunately, this work is far, far from finished. That is why, this very week, the Senate is moving forward $25 million more for the CAREER Act's transitional housing pilot program in the domestic appropriations we are advancing here on the floor. The work will not stop there. This fight has been one of my top priorities since I became majority leader. We have put cutting-edge tools into the hands of healthcare professionals and first responders who face this crisis every single day. In my State alone, I helped secure an unprecedented $200 million to address the urgent crisis facing Kentuckians--a funding increase of more than 400 percent on this issue for Kentucky since I became majority leader. We have committed to a comprehensive strategy of prevention, treatment, and enforcement efforts. At my invitation, the White House drug czar, Jim Carroll, saw some of Kentucky's innovative leadership firsthand when he visited this past April. We have pushed the boundaries of research to find new ways to treat addiction and help families escape its painful consequences. Earlier this month I joined Secretary Azar, NIH Director Collins, and an all-star research team at the University of Kentucky to celebrate the largest Federal grant in the University of Kentucky's history. These new resources will fuel UK's bold commitment to cutting overdose deaths by 40 percent in 16 counties over the coming 3 years. I was proud to help secure those funds. Kentucky is proud that we are leading the national response, but I know my colleagues each have their own inspiring stories of how States are fighting back. As I said, the work is far from over, but today we take a moment to celebrate the progress of the past year. To help mark this anniversary, the First Lady of the United States joined us here in the Senate yesterday. I am proud to stand with her and the Trump administration and my colleagues in this body as we recommit ourselves to this effort.