Mitch McConnell

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, the cloture vote on the McNamee nomination occur at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5. I further ask unanimous consent that the congressional review period for S.J. Res. 64 be extended until December 14.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. On Friday, the 94-year journey of George Herbert Walker Bush came to a close. At once, Americans from all walks of life began paying tribute to this great patriot and giving thanks for his fearless heroism in wartime skies; for his dedicated, expert service at the highest levels of government, in one essential role after another; for his loving fatherhood of a great family. I am not the first to observe that George Bush seemed like the ``greatest generation'' distilled into a single life story--the immense contributions in both wartime and peacetime, the stunning bravery paired with quiet humility, the belief that devoted service is not cause for special praise but simply each citizen's duty. The ``greatest generation'' achieved all-American accomplishments and exhibited all-American virtues. And it may be just that no one did that as fully as our 41st President. Even in the ranks of this remarkable generation, he will stand out forever as one of its most especially remarkable sons. George Bush was the best of the best. Months after Pearl Harbor, our future President celebrated his 18th birthday and high school graduation by enlisting in the Navy. He was still a teenager when he got his wings--the youngest naval aviator. He was only 20 on that fateful day in September 1944. He was piloting one of four Avenger bombers aiming to take out a Japanese radio tower. His plane was hit. The engine caught fire, and the cockpit began filling with smoke, but George Bush kept his steady hands on the controls. Rather than turn tail, he and his crew went right on with their mission. Only after he had released the bombs--and successfully damaged his target--did he finally bail out over the Pacific. With a steady hand on the controls, more worried about doing his duty for others than about himself, George Bush stayed the course. According to one biographer, that was a key phrase for him. It concluded a list of core principles he once laid out in a letter to his mother. Here is what he said: Tell the truth. Don't blame people. Be strong. Do your best. Try hard. Forgive. Stay the course. Year after year, post after post, George Bush stayed the course, and he helped his country do the same. Through the fog of war in the Persian Gulf, when international order needed defending, America's Commander-in-Chief led just as steadily as he had in that smoking cockpit almost 50 years earlier. And in between the Pacific and the Presidency, he steered us straight through countless challenges as a Congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations, Envoy to China, CIA Director, and Vice President. Serving capably in just one or two of these posts would ensure any citizen's place in American history, but George Bush served in all of them and always with excellence. On the homefront, President Bush was a warrior for hope, optimism, and opportunity. As President, he paved the way for education reform and signed legislation to give disabled Americans a better shot. Overseas, he was a talented diplomat and powerful champion of our interests. It was on his watch that the Cold War finally ended. The free people of Europe threw off the shackles of communism. But President Bush knew America should not kick up our heels and enjoy a holiday from history. We fought and won the gulf war in order to make something perfectly clear to allies and enemies alike: It had to be right, and not might, that filled the void. We needed, he said, ``a world where the rule of law supplants the rule of the jungle.'' And his leadership moved us towards such a world. Through global change, domestic turmoil, and economic transformation--whether in jobs that he had passionately sought out or in other assignments he dutifully accepted--George Bush kept us on course. He wasn't a dramatic or revolutionary leader. He didn't advertise radical change. He never quite seemed at home in the spotlight. Instead, he offered humility and a servant's heart. He aspired to govern his country well, preserve what was good, and improve things where possible. He wanted to keep us flying high and challenge us to fly a little higher. He led us as he seemingly did everything in his life--with grace and kindness that seemed almost unbelievable, given all that he had accomplished. Daring aviator. Chief spy. Wartime President. You would think this must be a tough and gruff guy, but it is the man's good cheer and generous spirit that stand out most of all in our national memory. He was a prolific hand-writer of notes and letters. He freely changed his own plans to make life easier for his staff or for the Secret Service detail. I saw recently that, some years after his Presidency, he couldn't even bring himself to simply turn down a reporter's request for an interview without crafting a warm, apologetic, full-page letter explaining his rationale. His decency and attentiveness to others was a credit to his upbringing. But it wasn't only habit; it was principle. This is a man who said this in his inaugural address: In our hearts, we know what matters. We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend; a loving parent; a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood, and town better than he found it. Looking beyond the day's drama. Issuing a deep moral challenge. George Bush set the bar high. His country listened because we saw him meet those standards himself. George Bush's gifts were many, but some gifts were greater than others. George Bush and Barbara Pierce met at a Christmas party in 1941. He described her to his mother as ``the niftiest girl at the dance.'' Weeks after he returned from the war, they were married. ``I have climbed perhaps the highest mountain in the world,'' he would write much later, ``but even that cannot hold a candle to being Barbara's husband.'' Their love story would grow to include six children. It would span great joys and tragic loss. It weathered the challenges of the spotlight. In every chapter, George Bush served as comforter and counselor. He cared for loved ones with a dedication that never ceased to amaze them. So much for the myth of the starched Episcopalian New Englander. George Bush was no stoic. In fact, he developed his own teary-eyed reputation as a founding member of what the Bush family calls ``The Bawl Brigade.'' That is b-a-w-l. He was considerate, empathetic, and kind, and the Bushes passed on these values to their children. They nurtured a family of leaders whose contributions have enriched this country even more. Few men so powerful would have even thought to call for a kinder, gentler nation. Even fewer could have lived it themselves. His words literally lifted our spirits. His example inspired us. A quarter of a century after George Bush left the Oval Office, his legacy continues to directly inspire not just ``a thousand points of light'' but millions of volunteers who serve others. So in war and peace, in public and in private, in high office and in family moments, George Bush stayed the course--the ``greatest generation,'' indeed. The grand heroism that saved our Nation, the quiet diligence that built it up, and the basic goodness that sustains it--all in one. Today, the U.S. Senate joins the Nation and the Bush family in mourning and in prayer. We are also joined in gratitude. We are thankful that God gave this country George Bush and Barbara, thankful that they built such a loving family, and thankful that they may now be reunited--their great love story perfected in the light of His grace.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 4; 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 the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each for debate only.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order, following the remarks of the Democratic leader.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, this week, the Senate has taken important steps to fulfill our advise-and-consent responsibility on the President's nominees. We have ended unnecessary delays that kept well- qualified individuals from filling important posts at the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce and confirmed both of them.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Now, on an entirely different matter, I am sorry to say it is time to begin offering thanks and farewells to Members whose Senate service will conclude at the end of the 115th Congress. Today, I would like to begin with our friend, the senior Senator from Nevada. It doesn't feel like much of an exaggeration to say that Dean Heller may have been destined for public service. I don't just mean his eagerness to serve or his outgoing personality. There were other signs. For example, one of the stops on his childhood paper route in Carson City was the Governor's mansion itself. Talk about early civic involvement. At every step of the way, from successful businessman to his local and statewide races, all the way here to the Capitol, Dean earned the respect of his neighbors and constituents by following the hard-working example set by his parents. His mother worked as a cook in a school cafeteria. His father was an auto mechanic who raced stock cars on the side. Their son grew up to be the only sitting Senator I would trust to replace my transmission. When most politicians use phrases like ``rolling up their sleeves'' and ``getting their hands dirty,'' they are usually referring to things like late-night negotiating or taking tough votes--in other words, more talking. Not Dean Heller, he means it literally. As Dean likes to say, here in Washington, during the week, he works for the people of Nevada, but at home, on the weekends, there he works for his wife Lynne on the ranch they keep up together. But let it not be said that even in the midst of hard labor, Dean isn't capable of multitasking. After all, sometimes official duties just can't wait. I have it on good authority that on one occasion Dean had to field a surprise phone call from President Obama on his cell while standing right in the middle of a ditch. Another time, he took a call from President Trump and talked business right there in the aisle of a home improvement store. Something about this image seems just right--not talking, not posturing, doing. That is Dean Heller; isn't it? He didn't come to Washington to court praise for lofty rhetoric or to become a TV star. He came here to do. In just 7 years, Dean has authored or helped to introduce 100 pieces of legislation that are now law. Perhaps first and foremost, he has built a reputation as one of the Senate's chief advocates for our veterans. Dean shares his home State with more than 200,000 men and women who have served our Nation, including one he calls ``Dad.'' Keeping the promise of top-notch VA services across Nevada's widespread rural communities is no small task. The facilities in Reno, in particular, weren't always up to the job, but day in and day out, Dean has made it his mission to right the ship. As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, he has fought to expand access to care, contributing key provisions to the VA MISSION Act and spearheading the 21st Century Veterans Benefits Delivery Act. It is a legacy that is already making a difference for our veterans. But these are hardly the only victories Dean won for Nevada and for our Nation. He came to the Senate in 2011, representing a State that had been hit hard by the great recession and was trying hard to regain its footing. Nevada communities faced ballooning foreclosure rates and persistent unemployment. Fortunately, their new Senator was intent on hooking up the economic jumper cables and getting things humming once more. Dean has seized opportunities to champion an economic agenda that puts workers and job creators back in the driver's seat. He was a driving force behind the once-in-a-generation tax reform passed last December to put more money in the pockets of working families. It is pouring a new 21st century foundation for American businesses to compete, win, and create more jobs right here at home. Today, Nevada is doing better, our Nation is flourishing, and Dean Heller was there every step of the way. He was especially instrumental in making sure that tax reform increased the child tax credit. Dean knew that working parents need that money more than the IRS does. Nevada veterans, Nevada workers, Nevada families--Dean never lost sight of the reason he came here to Washington. He has been a happy warrior here in the trenches, with a ready grin and an iron determination to do right by his friends and his neighbors. I also have it on good authority that seeing Dean in action back home in his natural habitat is truly a sight to behold. His joy at every conversation and every handshake around Carson City are palpable. Nevadans are Dean's people. They always have been, and he has always been theirs too. According to some of the staff who travel around the State with him, it is practically impossible to make any brief stops anywhere. At a fast-food restaurant, or a sporting goods store, or even a gas station, Dean would inevitably run into friends and set about swapping stories or Carson City inside jokes. On the rare occasions when Dean didn't know the proprietor or fellow customers--no trouble, no trouble--he would have a room full of new friends in about 3 minutes flat. I am told it never got old for the people around Dean to witness the energy he drew from his friends, neighbors, and constituents. He was delighted to be one of them and honored to be their employee--``a man of the people''--not a cliche, in this case, a reality. You don't need to take my word for it. I hear there is objective evidence out there, photographs from the Nevada Day Parade in Carson City. Suffice it to say it takes a certain kind of person to steal the show, riding horseback, dressed head to toe in full western regalia, something like John Wayne. It is no wonder his grandkids--Brielle, Zachary, and Ava--know him as ``Duke.'' Now, his boss, Lynne, might very well have put him up to it. I hear she rides right there alongside him. But Dean is no newcomer to the parade. In fact, it is the very same parade he marched in as a Scout years ago. If you read that story in a book, you would think it was almost too earnest and too all-American to be true, but that is Dean Heller. He is the paper boy who started out delivering the headlines and wound up making the headlines, the Senator who still saddles up for the same parade from his childhood memories, one of Nevada's favorite sons and a dedicated servant of the entire Silver State. Dean's colleagues are really sorry to see him go. For a leader with this much heart and this much talent, any departure would feel premature. This one certainly does, but I doubt Dean will have trouble finding good uses for a little more spare time. I know he and Lynne must be looking forward to saddling up their horses and setting out for the Sierras a little more often than they have been able to lately, and I hear he could use a little bit of rehearsal time before he leads the Heller family band through its repertoire of Christmas carols this year--lead trombone. Lead trombone is no laughing matter. Maybe he will even find time to get back in the driver's seat for a race or two. So whatever it is that Dean does next--whatever it is--he should take with him great pride in all he has accomplished here in a policy legacy that will continue lifting up our Nation's veterans, workers, and middle-class families literally for years and years to come, and the sincere best wishes of the friends he has made here in this Chamber for health, happiness, and every future success for himself, for Lynne, and for their entire lovely family. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, notwithstanding rule XXII, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. McCONNELL

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

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call for the cloture motion be waived.

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

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 1153.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, key members of the administration will be coming to the Senate at 11 a.m. this morning for an all-Members briefing with respect to Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Senators on both sides of the aisle have legitimate concerns about the war in Yemen, the terrible humanitarian plight of Yemeni citizens caught in the crossfire, and the multiple U.S. interests wrapped up in this conflict. The U.S.-Saudi relationship is a longstanding and critical one, but Senators on both sides of the aisle also have legitimate concerns about the recent conduct of the Saudi Government. All of us want to see our critical foreign partners behave responsibly. I have been encouraged to hear both Secretary Mattis and Secretary Pompeo call for an end to the war in Yemen and for accountability following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. So I look forward to hearing from both Secretaries today and learning more about the administration's strategy to achieve these and other important objectives.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, there is a lot more work to do. That has been our message after returning from the Thanksgiving holiday. The Senate is staying focused on wrapping up this year's remaining priorities: getting more of the President's team in place, confirming well-qualified nominees to our Federal courts, and attending to the pressing legislative business the American people need and expect us to handle. Yesterday, the nomination of Stephen Vaden to serve as general counsel at the Department of Agriculture was confirmed with bipartisan support, and the motion to advance the nomination of Karen Kelley for Deputy Secretary of Commerce was cleared by an even wider margin. But these important steps haven't always come easily. As I mentioned yesterday, between the day the Vaden nomination was favorably reported by our colleagues on the Agriculture Committee and yesterday's confirmation vote, 351 days elapsed--351 days on the Executive Calendar. These stories are similar for so many of the President's well- qualified nominees: Needless delays, a recordbreaking number of cloture votes, and then many go on to clear this Chamber with bipartisan support. In some cases that support is nearly unanimous, but my Democratic colleagues made this body drag its feet regardless. We will press on and continue this week to make progress and put to rest the various outstanding items that have to be completed before the end of the 115th Congress. Today, the Senate will vote to confirm Karen Kelley to serve as Deputy Secretary of Commerce. By any metric, Ms. Kelley has the experience and economic acumen to continue a record of outstanding service in that role--a record she has already begun by serving capably in her acting capacity since last year. I hope each of my colleagues will join me in voting to confirm her. Then the Senate will turn to consideration of the judicial nominee, Thomas Farr, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Mr. Farr is a graduate of Hillsdale College, Emory Law School, and Georgetown University. Over a nearly 40-year career in law, he has developed expertise in labor relations and constitutional law. The American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary--a body that has frequently been held up by our Democratic colleagues as the gold standard--has awarded Mr. Farr its highest possible rating, unanimously ``well qualified.'' Our friend, Senator Burr, has testified that his fellow North Carolinian has ``the requisite expertise, character and judgment required for the federal bench'' and that ``he will serve in this role honorably.'' I urge all of our colleagues to join me in voting to advance his nomination later today. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following the cloture vote on the Kelley nomination, the Senate recess until 2:15; further, if cloture is invoked, all time during the recess counts postcloture on the nomination.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the Senate returned from our Thanksgiving recess and got back to work. Since the election earlier this month, there has been plenty of prognostication about what the new Congress will bring, but I would rather focus on the one we are still involved in, and this Congress has more business to complete before the end of the year. Even after two historic years of accomplishments for the American people, there are still important items left to check off our list. Yesterday evening, we voted to advance the nomination of Stephen Vaden, the President's choice, to serve as general counsel for the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Vaden has strong legal credentials, both public and private sector experience, degrees from Vanderbilt and Yale, and he comes with an upbringing in agriculture. He grew up on his family's farm in Union City, TN--and according to the Tennessee Farm Bureau, it shows. As my friend Senator Alexander referenced yesterday, that organization wrote that Vaden has ``a passion for agriculture that can't be taught, but that is necessary for the job'' of general counsel. It is hardly surprising, then, that this nominee received bipartisan support at the committee level, including the support of the ranking member. What is surprising? The fact that since clearing the committee, Mr. Vaden's nomination has languished for 351 days, waiting for Senate Democrats to end their obstruction--long, even by the standards of this Congress. So I hope that each of my colleagues will join me in turning the page and voting to confirm Mr. Vaden later today. Following the Vaden nomination, we will turn to consideration of Karen Kelley to serve as Deputy Secretary of Commerce. She is a graduate of Villanova. She has built a 35-year record of expertise in investment, management, and financial strategy. She currently serves as Undersecretary--a position to which she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate--and oversees the Department's statistical programs through the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Ms. Kelley is already acting in the role to which she has been nominated. Through this service, Ms. Kelley has earned the respect and esteem of her colleagues at the Department. Secretary Ross has said he is thankful to have such a qualified individual fill the position. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting to advance her nomination today with a strong bipartisan vote. As we look over the record of this 115th Congress, a number of accomplishments were made possible with significant bipartisan support--from landmark opioid legislation to major improvements in veterans' medical care and services, to our tremendous progress on appropriations and a lot more. Our remaining work will require more of that bipartisan spirit when it comes to closing out appropriations, confirming more nominees, and other subjects as well. So let's continue the momentum and keep moving forward. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for 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 order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask that the Chair lay before the Senate the message to accompany S. 440. The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 440) entitled ``An Act to establish a procedure for the conveyance of certain Federal property around the Dickinson Reservoir in the State of North Dakota.'', do pass with an amendment. Motion to Concur

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to concur in the House amendment and ask unanimous consent that the motion be agreed to and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 650, H.R. 5317.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the bill 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. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Indian Affairs Committee be discharged and the Senate proceed to immediate consideration of H.R. 1074.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time.

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