Mitch McConnell

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I move to proceed to Calendar No. 554, S. 4675.

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

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee and the entire country heard from one of the most impressive nominees for any public office in a long time. Judge Amy Coney Barrett demonstrated that she has the deep legal expertise, dispassionate judicial temperament, and sheer intellectual horsepower the American people deserve to have on the Supreme Court. Her nomination prompted an outpouring of praise from across academia, the legal profession, and, importantly, the political spectrum. Last week, our committee colleagues saw why fellow legal scholars called Judge Barrett ``a brilliant and conscientious lawyer who will analyze and decide cases in good faith'' and say she is ``tailor-made for this job.'' They heard firsthand why her former law clerks and students called her ``a woman of unassailable integrity'' and ``a role model for generations to come.'' They heard thoughtful answers that explained why the American Bar Association--an institution the Democratic leader has called ``the gold standard''--deems Judge Barrett ``well qualified'' to sit on the Supreme Court. They heard why the legal professionals behind that rating call her ``a staggering academic mind.'' The Chair of the ABA's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary told the committee directly that ``in interviews with individuals in the legal profession and community who know Judge Barrett, whether for a few years or decades, not one person uttered a negative word about her character.'' Of course, there is another way you can tell that Judge Barrett is so impressive and so qualified. It is the fact that the people who precommitted to oppose her nomination have completely retreated from arguing the merits. Virtually none of the politicians, pundits, or special interests that opposed Judge Barrett from the beginning have even tried to lay a finger on her qualifications or credentials. We have seen inaccurate claims that it would be abnormal for the Senate to fill this seat. We have seen bizarre, barely disguised insinuations about the nominee's religious faith, and now, this morning, there was improper press scrutiny of her children. We have heard Democrats try to take hostage our very institutions of government to stop this precedent-backed process from moving forward, but none of the distortions can even begin to cloud the incredible qualifications of the nominee. I look forward to the Judiciary Committee's vote on Thursday. The full Senate will turn to Judge Barrett's nomination as soon as it comes out of committee. I will be proud to vote to confirm this exceptional jurist

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I withdraw amendment No. 2673.

Mr. McCONNELL

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

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the upcoming adjournment of the Senate, the President of the Senate, the President pro tempore, and the majority and minority leaders be authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards conferences, or interparliamentary conferences authorized by law, by concurrent action of the two Houses, or by order of the Senate.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn to then convene for pro forma sessions only with no businesses be being conducted on the following dates and times, and that following each pro forma session, the Senate adjourn until the next pro forma session: Tuesday, October 6, at 11:30 a.m.; Friday, October 9, at 10 a.m.; Tuesday, October 13, at 8:45 a.m.; Friday, October 16, at 4:30 p.m. I further ask unanimous consent that when the Senate adjourn until Friday, October 16, it next convene at 4:30 p.m. Monday, October 19, and 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 being closed; finally, following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume the Newman nomination.

Mr. McCONNELL. I object.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. 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, the Senate has spent the last few days like all Americans have, praying for quick healing and smooth recovery for President Trump and the First Lady following their positive COVID- 19 tests. I spoke to the President by phone twice this past weekend. Both times, his spirits were high. Both times, we talked about the people's business: our Nation's fight against this pandemic; his exceptional nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Barrett; as well as our efforts to continue rebuilding the economy for working families. We are also thinking of our friends and colleagues, the senior Senator for Utah, the senior Senator for Wisconsin, and the junior Senator for North Carolina, who are currently working from home. The standard cliche would say that these past few days have provided a stark reminder of the dangers of this terrible virus, but the truth is that our Nation did not need any such reminder. More than 209,000 of our fellow citizens have lost their lives. Millions have battled illness or had their lives disrupted by positive tests. This past weekend, my home State of Kentucky just recorded its highest ever--highest ever--one-day total for new cases. We all need to remain vigilant. We all need to remain careful. If the Speaker of the House and the Democratic leader had not spent months blocking another bipartisan relief package over unrelated, far- left poison pills, we could have put hundreds of billions more dollars for kids, jobs, and healthcare in the pipeline many weeks ago. For the sake of our Nation, let's hope they finally lay down their partisan demands and let our country get back on offense against this disease.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, in just a moment, I will move to withdraw the pending cloture petitions and recess the Senate with pro forma meetings until 2 weeks from today. Members will receive at least 24 hours' notice if any votes on urgent matters are scheduled before October 19. That would take bipartisan consent. Otherwise, the full Senate will next meet on October 19. Obviously, the people's business does not come to a halt in the absence of votes on the floor. The important work of our committees will go forward as each committee sees fit. Chairman Graham has already announced the Judiciary Committee will meet as planned on October 12 to begin considering Judge Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court. We are full steam ahead with the fair, thorough, and timely confirmation process that Judge Barrett, the Court, and the Nation deserve. The chairman has indicated the committee will use the same hybrid format--with some participants appearing in person and others appearing over video--that it has successfully used for more than 20 prior hearings this year. Let me say that again. The Judiciary Committee alone--just that committee--has held more than 20 hybrid hearings since the start of the pandemic. Many of these saw multiple Senators participating via video conference. Some of them saw nominees participating by video conference. At times, the Democratic members of the committee have gone literally out of their way to praise this technology and the chairman's flexibility with this format. Across all of our committees, we have had 150 hybrid hearings since the pandemic began. The Senate has used this format no fewer than 150 times. We have continued performing our constitutional duties while protecting health and safety during the pandemic. Our Democratic colleagues have largely welcomed this approach, and they have frequently taken advantage of it. So whatever mix proves to be the right decision at this time next week, it will be completely consistent with the committee's own precedent and with the ways committees all across the Senate have adapted and done their work throughout the pandemic. Our whole society is using these tools. Earlier today, the Supreme Court itself resumed conducting oral arguments via teleconference, as it has done since last spring. The Senate has been using these processes for months. Just yesterday, the ranking member of the Rules Committee reminded the country that she actually helped set them up. It is nonsense for Senate Democrats to turn on a dime and now pretend these procedures are somehow no longer workable. It is nonsense to suggest that the tools that Senate Democrats have been happily using across all of our committees for months have suddenly gone bad overnight. Nobody is taking these disingenuous tactics at face value because the Democrats have told everyone, out loud, about their real intentions. For weeks now, numerous Senate Democrats have publicly promised they would try every trick in the book--every trick in the book--every maneuver available, to obstruct and delay a fair confirmation process. Weeks ago, the junior Senator from Hawaii pledged: ``I will look for every procedural tool that I can [find] to make sure that this does not happen.'' Weeks ago, the senior Senator from Massachusetts: ``We need to use every tool. . . . We need to think seriously about everything we can do to try to slow this down.'' The No. 2 Democratic Senator, our friend from Illinois, has said: ``we [will] use whatever tools we have available'' to ``slow things down.'' Just yesterday, in the very same press conference where the Democratic leader claimed that his latest call to delay the hearings were rooted in health and safety concerns, he gave the game away just moments later. In that same press conference, he admitted, ``We will use every tool in the toolbox to delay''--so much about health and safety concerns. Our Democratic colleagues have admitted out loud what all these stalling tactics are about. Senate Democrats have openly admitted they are grasping at straws to block the exceedingly well-qualified nominee from receiving a fair and prompt process. Look, we have months of experience governing this way while protecting health and safety here in the Senate. This body will not cease to function just because Democrats are afraid they may lose a vote. Chairman Graham has all the options and procedures he needs to supervise a fair, thorough, and hopefully dignified confirmation hearing next week. That is just what is going to happen. I look forward to seeing Judge Barrett's brilliance and qualifications on full display starting 1 week from today.

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 cloture motions filed on Wednesday, September 30, be withdrawn.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the provisions of the Congressional Review Act, H.J. Res. 90 remain in status quo through October 19, 2020.

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 therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 742, 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 the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be discharged from further consideration of S. 4462 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the Wicker 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. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 2359, which was received from the House.

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

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

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