Mitch McConnell

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4958 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the bill 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. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, 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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.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, let me start with a quote: ``I am going to fight this nomination with everything I've got.'' Well, that was the Democratic leader on television mere hours after Judge Brett Kavanaugh was first nominated to the Supreme Court. Others pledged their opposition before he was even named, before they reviewed a lick of evidence, before they heard a minute of testimony. Democrats had already made up their minds and chosen their tactics: delay, obstruct, and resist. Whatever it took, whatever the truth really was, they were going to do whatever they could to stop this qualified, experienced, and mainstream nominee. Democrats have signaled for months that they would put on whatever performance the far left special interests demanded and throw all the mud they could manufacture. Well, it is not like they didn't warn us. But even by the far left's standards, this shameful smear campaign has hit a new low. I will get into the specifics in just a moment, but I want to be perfectly clear about what has taken place. Senate Democrats and their allies are trying to destroy a man's personal and professional life on the basis of decades-old allegations that are unsubstantiated and uncorroborated. That is where we are. This is what the so-called ``resistance'' has become--a smear campaign, pure and simple, aided and abetted by Members of the Senate. Eight weeks ago, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee received a letter from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford with an uncorroborated allegation of misconduct. She had requested that the matter be handled discreetly and confidentially. The responsible next step would have been alerting the full committee so a confidential, bipartisan investigation could begin. Committee staff would have followed their standard practice for investigating background information. Senators could have questioned Judge Kavanaugh in their meetings or in closed session, while respecting Dr. Ford's request for confidentiality. But Democrats didn't do any of that. They sat on Dr. Ford's letter for 7 weeks. Kept it secret. They did nothing. They bid their time. Then they threw Professor Ford's wishes overboard and leaked it to the press. Our colleague from Delaware has himself indicated that either the ranking member's office or the Democratic committee staff likely leaked the document. As I have noted, we know the chain of custody of the letter went through the Democratic side of the Judiciary Committee. Does this sound like Democratic Senators take their responsibility seriously and want to get to the truth, or does it sound like a choreographed smear campaign that ignored Dr. Ford's request for confidentiality in order to inflict maximum damage at the last minute on Judge Kavanaugh and his family? This is an allegation of misconduct which all four supposed witnesses either flatly contradict or are unable to back up. In addition to Judge Kavanaugh, the other three supposed witnesses have said they have ``no knowledge,'' ``no recollection,'' and ``no memory'' of the alleged incident. It is not just one alleged witness who disagrees with the allegations; it is literally every person who was supposedly there. One of those supposed witnesses says she does not even know Judge Kavanaugh. So all the witnesses who Dr. Ford says were present at the party have told the committee--on the record and under penalty of felony--all confirm that they do not remember any such party, do not know Judge Kavanaugh, or have never seen him do anything remotely like what has been alleged. This unsubstantiated allegation stands entirely at odds with everything we have heard about Judge Kavanaugh's character from those who have worked with him and socialized with him, dating all the way back to high school. But Democrats wouldn't let a few inconvenient things--like a complete lack of evidence or an accuser's request for confidentiality--get between them and a good smear. It is despicable. The contrast with the completely professional conduct of Chairman Grassley could not be starker. As soon as Chairman Grassley learned about this allegation, he handled it through proper channels. He immediately began gathering the facts. His office promptly conducted a transcribed interview of Judge Kavanaugh, in which, under penalty of felony, he unequivocally denied the last-minute allegation. The office received statements from all the other supposed witnesses, who either directly contradicted the story or denied knowing anything about it. What is more, Chairman Grassley ensured that Dr. Ford could be heard in a forum of her own choosing--either here or in California; either in public or in private; either with the staff or with the Members. He has gone above and beyond to accommodate her request. Thanks to him, we have a fair and open hearing scheduled for Thursday. Dr. Ford will be able to state her allegation under oath, and Judge Kavanaugh will be able to respond. But the smear campaign didn't stop there; that was just act one. According to the reporter of this second allegation, the accuser ``came forward because Senate Democrats began looking.'' And now they are calling for even further delays and further obstruction over a second decades-old allegation that is so thin and so unsupported that the New York Times refused to even run a story about it. This claim is so dubious that the New York Times passed on the story entirely after having looked into it. Here is why the New York Times declined to publish: It ``interviewed several dozen people over the past week in an attempt to corroborate her story and could find no one with firsthand knowledge''--not one person ``with firsthand knowledge'' to support the allegation--but, rather, multiple, on-the-record denials again. The Times also reported that the claimant said she herself is uncertain of her claim. That is the New York Times, whose credo is ``all the news that's fit to print,'' and it found this latest last-minute allegation not even fit to print. Oh, but that hasn't stopped Judiciary Committee Democrats from shoveling it into their smear campaign and demanding further delays. They kept this one a secret from Republicans, too, by the way. Evidently, several Democratic offices knew of this allegation for at least a week, but as with Dr. Ford's claim, they sat on this one, too, so the committee could not take any proper action. They just wanted it to wind up in the press--another orchestrated, last-minute hit on the nominee. Now they are acting like it is a legitimate reason to delay things even further, as though they have not already announced themselves as being completely opposed to this nomination anyway, as if they have not already promised the far left they would lead the fight to bring this nomination down whatever it took, whatever the cost. Let's put aside this last-minute, unsubstantiated smear. Let's return to the facts. Let's have a fair hearing on Thursday. Here are the facts that we do have: Hundreds of men and women who have known Brett Kavanaugh across his life have written or spoken out that he is a man of strong character and tremendous integrity. Numerous witnesses have testified before the Judiciary Committee that he is a trusted mentor, a loyal friend, and a lifelong champion of women. More than 75 women gathered last week to share their decades-old knowledge of Judge Kavanaugh as a ``responsible guy who treated us with kindness and respect'' and as a ``true gentleman in all aspects of his life.'' Separately, of course, it remains beyond reasonable dispute that Judge Kavanaugh's legal brilliance and excellence on the bench make him one of the very most qualified Supreme Court nominees in the history of our country. All of these facts are, quite clearly, on one side. Maybe that is why the Democrats are so panicked. Maybe that is why they are so willing to try to bring down this nominee. In the meantime, a good and honorable man and his family are receiving death threats. They are the subject of smears and are facing Senate Democrats who say he has no presumption of innocence because they don't agree with his judicial philosophy. Well, before the week is out, both Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford will testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee. Chairman Grassley has made sure the facts will be heard, and Judge Kavanaugh and the American people deserve nothing less. I want to make it perfectly clear that Judge Kavanaugh will be voted on here, up or down, on the Senate floor. This fine nominee to the Supreme Court will receive a vote in this Senate in the near future.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on one final matter, over the Senate's history, we have welcomed into our ranks many brave men and women who have served in uniform. From the earliest days of our Republic, when veterans of the Revolution laid down their arms to serve as legislators, the Senate has been the home of patriots who know the true meaning of service and sacrifice. Some of our colleagues have even decided to pull double duty--continuing to serve in the Reserves while suffering the slings and arrows here in the Senate. We have, today, a unique opportunity to honor one of these colleagues. Earlier this month, the news came that our friend, the junior Senator from Alaska, had attained the rank of colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve. Dan Sullivan has spent the last quarter century as a marine, earning the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and serving on Active Duty in Afghanistan. Those of us who serve here with Senator Sullivan are hardly surprised that someone so ``squared away'' has risen to this milestone. His promotion is recognized in a special ceremony today here in the Capitol, where, I understand, Senator Sullivan's father will pin on his new rank. I know this body will join me in congratulating him and in thanking both Senator Sullivan and Colonel Sullivan for all of his service to the Nation.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on an entirely different matter, last week, our efforts to restore regular appropriations hit another milestone. The President signed into law our first appropriations package. It will fund critical efforts in energy research and security, waterways and infrastructure projects, and in improving care at the VA. Earlier this month, the Senate passed the conference report that will fund the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. We anticipate that the House will take up the package this week, and work continues on other important legislation. Soon, we will act to provide long-term stability and reforms to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board. We will also take up America's Water Infrastructure Act, which will bolster the efforts of the Army Corps of Engineers and make commitments to improving water quality and advancing hydropower. Most immediately, we will continue to process the President's well- qualified nominees. We are, today, considering Jackie Wolcott to serve as U.S. Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency and as U.S. Representative to the United Nations in Vienna. I urge all of our colleagues to join me in voting to confirm her.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, yesterday, Senator Grassley announced that the Judiciary Committee will continue its hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court on Monday morning. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford of California and Judge Kavanaugh have both been invited to testify under oath. Dr. Ford will have the opportunity to offer sworn testimony. She communicated with the ranking Democrat on the committee in writing nearly 7 weeks ago, but through no fault of hers, Senate Democrats chose to play politics and keep it secret throughout the entirety of Judge Kavanaugh's regular confirmation process. They sat on this information for nearly 7 weeks, until they leaked it to the press on the eve of the scheduled committee vote. But as my colleague, the senior Senator from Texas, said yesterday, the blatant malpractice demonstrated by our colleagues across the aisle will not stop the Senate from moving forward in a responsible manner. As I said yesterday, I have full confidence in Chairman Grassley to lead the committee through the sensitive and highly irregular situation in which the Democrats' tactics have left all of us--all of us--Judge Kavanaugh, Dr. Ford, and the entire Senate. Dr. Ford will be heard, and, of course, Judge Kavanaugh will have the opportunity to defend himself against this accusation--an accusation that he has unequivocally denied and that stands at odds with every other piece of the overwhelming positive testimony we have received about his character from his close friends, colleagues, and law clerks, from the distant past to the present day, including the high school years during which this misconduct is alleged to have taken place. So this alleged incident is completely at variance with his entire history. He welcomes the opportunity to address the committee about this claim. But, colleagues, we should not have gotten to this point in this manner, at this time. That this process has played out with so little order and so little sensitivity lies solely at the feet of Senate Democrats who sought political advantage in leaking this to the press instead of vetting it through proper channels. But this is where we are. So on Monday Chairman Grassley and our colleagues on the Judiciary Committee will reconvene. They and the American people will hear testimony under oath.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on one final matter, currently before the Senate is a crucial appropriations measure for the upcoming fiscal year: the conference report that will fund the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Defense. It is the second minibus conference report we have taken up in what has already been an important year for regular appropriations. Thanks to the leadership of Senators Shelby and Leahy, all 12 spending bills were favorably reported from the Appropriations Committee by the end of June, the fastest pace in 30 years. For the first time in 15 years, the Senate passed our Labor-HHS-Education bill before the beginning of the fiscal year. These milestones may sound like inside baseball, but what they signify is a Senate that is getting its appropriations process back on track, a Senate that is attending to vital priorities for our country. The package we are voting on today will account for over half of the Federal discretionary spending for next year. Critically, after subjecting America's All-Volunteer Armed Forces to years of belt- tightening, this legislation will build on our recent progress in rebuilding the readiness of our military and investing more in the men and women who wear the uniform. This conference report increases appropriations in the Department of Defense by $19.8 billion over fiscal year 2018 levels. Once enacted, our warfighters will have certainty in their funding--on time, on October 1, for the first time in 10 years. First and foremost, this reflects a major investment in personnel-- more resources for recruiting the forces that our military commanders have called for and the largest servicemember pay increase in nearly a decade. It fully funds the Pentagon's stated requests for operational support, including hundreds of billions in base support and maintenance funding, ensuring that critical ongoing missions continue at Fort Knox, Fort Campbell, and the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky and at installations all around the world. It also supports our National Guard and Reserve components, including many of the important missions executed by the Kentucky National Guard. The bill further ensures that combat units are equipped with overwhelming, cutting-edge capabilities: critical funding for aircraft and aviation programs, for new battle force ships, and hundreds of millions for our missile defense capabilities. In addition to our Armed Forces, this bill will also provide for communities wounded by drug addiction, for families working hard to save for college tuition, and for workers who are trying to catch up in ever-evolving industries. Under the Labor-HHS-Education title, this package would fund critical medical research at the National Institutes of Health, ongoing support for State opioid response grants, and apprenticeship and job training programs. It sets aside special funds for priorities like combatting infectious diseases that ride on the coattails of the opioid epidemic and retaining dislocated rural workers--both key priorities in States like Kentucky and around the country. So to sum up, there is more support for the best trained, best equipped, and strongest military force in the world and more support for the health and prosperity of American communities and workers--all the more reasons why I will be proud to vote for this legislation and why I urge every one of my colleagues to join me.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXII, the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the conference report to accompany H.R. 6157 at 12 noon today; further, that if invoked, all time be considered expired and the Senate vote on adoption of the conference report.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on an entirely different matter, yesterday the Senate sent a message to the millions of Americans who have personally done battle with addiction to opioids and prescription drugs. We sent a message to the families who have watched our Nation's drug overdose fatalities double in the last decade alone; to those in recovery who have struggled to access the housing and work opportunities they need to get back on their feet; to the Governors, mayors, and local leaders who have seen communities from rural towns to inner cities literally hollowed out and threatened by this epidemic; to the police, firefighters, paramedics, and other first responders whom our Nation has asked to confront this crisis, often without all of the specialized training and resources they need; and to every American affected by the opioid epidemic. The landmark legislation the Senate passed yesterday says: The Nation will not stand for this. More help is on the way. Yesterday evening we voted to build on Congress's prior efforts and deliver more relief to the communities that need it most. This landmark legislation addresses the crisis at every step of the way. It contains provisions to cut down on fentanyl and other illegal drugs coming across our borders, to reform how painkillers are prescribed and packaged, to invest in comprehensive opioid recovery centers, and to provide for more long-term medical research. It also contains two provisions I was pleased to secure for my fellow Kentuckians and for the whole country. The CAREER Act will help individuals in recovery to find housing and the job opportunities they need to rebuild lives of sobriety, and the Protecting Mothers and Infants Act will help the Federal Government to do more to support pregnant women and to protect unborn children from these drugs. This landmark legislation is like a Swiss Army knife that will help the Federal Government to fight opioid addiction in many different ways. I am grateful to Chairman Alexander for assembling this package, integrating the input of more than 70 Senators and shepherding it through passage.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 24, the Senate proceed to executive session for the en bloc consideration of the following nominations: Executive Calendar Nos. 849 and 850. I further ask that there then be 2 minutes of debate equally divided in the usual form and that following the use or yielding back of time, the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc, with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table en bloc; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; that no further motions be in order; and that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record.

Mr. McCONNELL

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

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 941.

Mr. McCONNELL

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

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

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 938.

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 unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following nominations: Executive Calendar Nos. 766 and 868.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table en bloc; 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 nominations be printed in the Record.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Con. Res. 47.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.