Bob Menendez

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I come to the floor today and will, in short order, seek unanimous consent for the passage of the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2021. This bill, which was reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last December with overwhelming bipartisan support, is named after Daniel Anderl, the 20- year-old son of U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas. Mr. President, 1 year 9 months 23 days ago, Daniel was brutally murdered by a gunman who targeted Judge Salas for her gender, her ethnicity, and because he could not accept a judgment in a case that she reached in her court. To carry out his horrific hate crime, the gunman used publicly available information, tracking down Judge Salas to her home in New Jersey and murdering Daniel in cold blood when he answered the door. And after that, her husband Mark also was shot and seriously wounded. Every single day since July 19, 2020, Judge Salas and her husband Mark have been dealing with the immense grief of burying their only son. No parent should have to experience such a devastating loss. Yet, in the face of so much pain, Judge Salas has channeled it into purpose, embarking on a personal mission to increase the safety and privacy of her fellow judges and their families. Now, I know Judge Salas well. Back in 2010, I was proud to recommend her to the Federal bench. A year later, when the Senate unanimously confirmed her by voice vote, she became the first Latina to serve on the district court of New Jersey. After the horrific tragedy she suffered, I made a personal commitment to honor Daniel's legacy through action. I told her I would not rest until we enacted greater protections for those who serve on the Federal bench to prevent another judge from having to endure the senseless violence Judge Salas experienced. The bipartisan bill I seek unanimous consent for is an effort I am proud to lead with 12 of my colleagues, including Senators Durbin, Grassley, Booker, Graham and Kennedy. Our bill would prevent potential assailants from using publicly available information to target judges or their families. It is a commonsense measure that would authorize the U.S. Marshal Service to monitor online threats and deter future attacks. It is so common sense that it was voted out of the Judiciary Committee with strong bipartisan support--I am talking about a 21-to-0 vote in the affirmative. It is so common sense, in fact, that just, I think, 2 days ago my Republican colleagues led a similar measure to safeguard Supreme Court Justices and their families. So if the Senate passed an important bill without hearings--without hearings--directly to the floor to support and protect Supreme Court Justices and their families, I think we should do it as well for Federal judges. Nobody made an effort to change that bill. There is simply no explanation or justification to protect Supreme Court Justices while delaying legislation to protect Federal judges who face the same, if not greater, risk. No judge in America should have to fear for their lives as they work to uphold our Constitution, our democracy, and ensure all people have equal justice under the law. Every day that we delay in passing this critical legislation is a day that we delay necessary protections for the guardians of our Constitution and the rule of law. There are three branches of our government. One of the essential ones is the judiciary. They make decisions every day about what is the law of the land and what is the answer to disputes among us as individuals and entities. If that judge is fearful that their decisions at the end of the day will lead to violence against them and their families, how long will their judgment not be affected and, therefore, how long will we as a nation be able to say that the rule of law is truly in place? So I ask my Senate colleagues to join me today in honoring the life and memory of Daniel Anderl. Let us do the right thing and unanimously pass the Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2021 named after him. So, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 190, S. 2340; further, that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, reserving the right to object. I appreciate the desire of the Senator from Kentucky to protect Members of the legislative branch. I wish someone would have come to the floor the other night when we had a rush, which I thought was important, to protect Supreme Court Justices. That was a moment in which that could have been pursued. That went through lightning speed. That didn't even have a hearing. It didn't go through the process of the Judiciary Committee like this bill has, but there was no such call. And so I would work with my colleague on a separate legislation to provide protections for a different universe, including a legislative one. I know there are other Members who want to provide these protections to everyone. The question is that none of that has been moving on the floor. None of that has had the time and attention in the committee processes to ferret out the challenges, the issues, and whatnot. But every day we see violence against judges across the country, and we have an opportunity to take a moment of tragedy and turn it into something powerful. And I would work with my colleague on his desire, but at this point, because I am concerned that what we would do is not find a pathway in the House because there are already challenges in the House, even to the simple proposition of limiting these protections to Members of the Federal judiciary, I am afraid that such an expansion under this bill would render it useless in terms of any action in the House, and so I have to object to the proposed amendment but with a desire to work with my colleague on anything I can to move forward in a different way.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, just a brief remark. You know, I regret that in the goal to protect ourselves, we can't protect others. Not every law where we seek to provide a protection is ultimately grandly approached. I think that the passage of this bill would send a clear message to our Federal judiciary, who are not on the awesome Supreme Court, that they will be protected just the same as any Supreme Court Justice and that they can make their judgments without fear that violence will come their way to them or their family because of the decisions they make in our society. And then building upon that success, we can try to build and create greater protections for others. But this maximalist position is, unfortunately, one that, at the end of the day, doesn't provide protection for anyone. And so I will keep coming back to the floor. We will keep working to try to make this happen because this young man who died senselessly and his parents who had to bury their only son--his memory cannot die in vain. I yield the floor.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I have eight requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a) of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I call up my motion to instruct, which is at the desk.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, this motion would establish an inspector general at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. As we have seen over the past several years, inspectors general are a key way that Congress conducts oversight over our Federal Government. Through these independent watchdogs, we prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, increasing transparency while ensuring Federal Agencies remain accountable to the American people. It is a model that most of the Federal bureaucracy has adopted because it works. When it comes to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, it remains an outlier--one of the only Cabinet-level Agencies without this key oversight tool. An Agency led by a Senate-confirmed appointee, tasked with carrying out decisions affecting every worker, business, and consumer in this country, is currently operating without one of the most effective guardrails we have against overreach. Just a few years ago, Congress saw how two negotiators for USMCA were using their positions to solicit consulting work on the regulations they had written. We saw how the Agency's opaque tariff exclusion process was beset by inconsistent decision making and political favoritism. This is an amendment that has been sponsored by over 53 Senators, Republicans and Democrats alike. It passed in USICA originally with a 91-to-4 vote. I urge my colleagues to support it. I am happy to take a voice vote. Vote on Motion

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I come to the floor because today has been a good day for our country. Earlier today, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Not only did this Chamber make history, we also bore witness--in a small but powerful way--to the bending of the moral arc towards justice. We realized the promise of America: the promise that every child--regardless of their skin color, their ethnicity, or the ZIP code they are born into--can rise to their highest station in life. We cemented our fundamental belief that, here in America, if you reach further and aim higher, anything is possible. I submit to my colleagues that the story of Judge Jackson is the story of our great Nation. Together with her impeccable credentials and evenhanded record, there was simply no reason to oppose the confirmation of such a talented, well-qualified, and fair-minded jurist. It is why I could not have been prouder to cast my vote, a vote on behalf of New Jerseyans everywhere, to elevate her to the highest Court in the land. Judge Jackson has lived a life in the mold of the great strivers in our history. Her nomination alone was a testament to the progress-- often deferred or denied--but nonetheless the progress we have achieved on our 246-year struggle for a more perfect union. I could not be prouder that we etched it into stone and confirmed her to the Court, proving to women and girls everywhere that, if they work hard and reach for the stars, they too can be one of the nine guardians entrusted by the Constitution to ensure equal justice under law for all people. As we celebrate this historic moment, consider the senior quote ascribed to Judge Jackson in her high school yearbook: ``I want to go into law and eventually have a judicial appointment.'' As we stand here, after extending her the judicial appointment of all judicial appointments, it may seem predestined. It may have seemed like this day is the culmination of her destiny. But to hear Judge Jackson tell it herself, one realizes that, in fact, none of it was predetermined. None of it was fate. Simply put, it was the brilliance and grit of a young woman from South Florida--and the love of her family who surrounded her--that made this vote possible. As a student at Miami Palmetto Senior High School, Ms. Ketanji Brown was class president, chess club president, and a star on the powerhouse speech and debate team. Her parents, Ellery and Johnny Brown, were teachers who taught her the value of education as they rose to lead their peers as a principal and chief counsel for Miami-Dade County schools. In addition to public education, her family is steeped in a law enforcement background. Her younger brother worked in undercover drug stings for the Baltimore Police Department. One of her uncles was a detective attached to a sex crimes unit, while another uncle was Miami's chief of police. And yet it is the experience of seeing a third uncle, her Uncle Thomas, sentenced to life in prison for a nonviolent cocaine offense, that rounds out her early understanding of our criminal justice system. In 2005, Judge Jackson would eventually set in motion a chain of events that ended with President Obama commuting her uncle's sentence. But before that could happen, before she joined major law firms and the Federal public defender's office--before she served as Vice Chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission and as a judge on the Federal bench--she was first a daughter, a sister, and a niece. And it is there, in the pages of Judge Jackson's story, as a product of public schools who saw our country's justice system up close, where we can find her judgment. It is there where we can find the reasons for my colleague, Senator Booker, to declare to her on national television: ``You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American.'' So much ink has been spilled about the historic nature of Judge Jackson's nomination and now confirmation. She stood before the Senate as a nominee descendant from slaves who grew up listening to her parents' stories of attending segregated schools, a nominee who was once told by a guidance counselor that she shouldn't set her sights so high when applying to Harvard; a nominee who not only graduated as the second generation in her family to earn a college degree but who silenced naysayers and doubters alike by graduating, with honors, from both Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Simply put, soon-to-be Justice Jackson belongs on the highest Court in the land. Her confirmation is a milestone in the grand tapestry of our country--not only because she has broken barriers as the first African-American woman and the first to have served as a public defender, but rather, it is because she is supremely qualified to interpret our Constitution and hear cases on their merit. When she is sworn in, Justice Jackson will have more experience as a trial court judge than any of her colleagues on the Court. In fact, she will be the second Justice ever to have experience at all three levels of our Federal judiciary. The first, a legal trailblazer in her own right, is Justice Sonia Sotomayor. It is therefore only fitting that, as I have thought about what this day means for our country, I am reminded of the parallels between this historic nomination and the historic nomination for Justice Sotomayor. Back then, in 2009, I said, ``when she takes her seat on the United States Supreme Court, we will only need to look at the portrait of the justices to see how far we've come as a nation, who we really are as a people, and what our founders intended us to be.'' Those words have never rung more true. A woman who, when the Constitution was written, would have counted in the eyes of the law as three-fifths of her fellow Americans, will now carry out justice for every single citizen who calls this Nation home. In the midst of disgusting attacks, racial dog whistles turned into foghorns, and gross mischaracterizations of her record, Judge Jackson maintained a calm demeanor throughout her nomination with almost superhuman poise. For my colleagues who opposed her nomination today, yet voted to confirm her to the Sentencing Commission, the district court, and to the appeals court just last year, I leave them to iron out their double standards. But to all who rejoice in what is to come, when Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will soon place her hand on the Bible and takes her solemn oath of office, I submit the following: More than ever before, the newest portrait of our nine Supreme Court justices will more clearly reflect who we are as a nation and what we stand for as a fair, just, and hopeful people. Unlike other nations, those united by a singular history, language, and culture, this nation--our Nation--is united by our diversity. It is evident in our national motto--the one stamped on every coin in our pocket and etched on the ceiling of our Capitol dome, E pluribus Unum: out of many one. And it is despite these differences that our country comes together as a vast melting pot, one forged in common values and an ideal of freedom that stands as a beacon to the world. As Judge Jackson takes her rightful place on the Supreme Court, the full realization of that ideal is closer than it has ever been. I know this for I have lived it--as Judge Jackson has lived it--and I feel it, as so many others in this country have felt it. I stand here, the son of Cuban refugees, the first in my family to attend college, and now, in a nation of 330 million, as one of only 100 Members of the U.S. Senate. It is indeed possible, my colleagues, to make our ancestors' wildest dreams come true. And so, in closing, as I reflect on our vote earlier today, I can't help but feel joy for my three granddaughters: Evangelina, Ofelia, and Olivia. Granted, they are still young; my oldest is barely out of pre- K. But each one of them will grow up knowing that, thanks to Justices like Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and now Ketanji Brown Jackson, there isn't a single thing they can't accomplish. Let their dreams be our dreams today. Let every child in America look at their parents the way that Judge Jackson's daughter looked at her during her confirmation hearing. Let there be no barriers to what is possible now that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I rise today to express my support for the nomination of James O'Brien to be Coordinator of Sanctions Policy at the U.S. Department of State. At a time when we must keep the pressure on Putin to end his unprovoked, brutal, and illegal war against Ukraine, we need experienced officials at the helm to ensure that we are using every sanctions tool against Russia. As the power of our sanctions has been amplified by working closely with our allies and partners around the world, the long-term success of those efforts will be greatly enhanced by having a Senate-confirmed official in place to ensure that those coordination efforts continue and that we maximize the costs on Russia's economy. Mr. O'Brien is exactly the type of leader that the Office of Sanctions Coordination needs. And he brings impressive substantive expertise and professional background to this role. Mr. O'Brien is a former career employee of the State Department and recipient of numerous performance awards. He has served two U.S. administrations as a special envoy, for Hostage Affairs, and for the Balkans. Over the course of his career at the State Department, he has led a large and successful sanctions program and advised on a range of issues, including peace negotiations in Europe, scientific and environmental agreements, and initiatives to investigate and prosecute persons responsible for war crimes. In addition, Mr. O'Brien has negotiated agreements protecting intellectual property rights for scientific cooperation with China, promoted environmentally sound international trade regulations for hazardous and recyclable materials, and worked to make public-private partnerships and corporate social responsibility an important element in American foreign policy. As the first Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, he helped establish the office and worked for the safe return of 100 American citizens. I have no doubt that he will bring the same dedication and rigor to advancing and coordinating U.S. sanctions policy as he has his prior roles. I strongly support confirming Mr. O'Brien. His confirmation will be critical to enhancing our sanctions efforts at this critical time. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting his nomination, along with all of the foreign affairs nominations pending before this body, to advance our national security interests and improve our representation abroad.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to print the following letter in the Record.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I rise today to express my support for the nomination of Dr. Eliot Kang to be Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation, ISN. At a time of increasing concern about the potential use of chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine by Russia, it is vital the United States have a Senate-confirmed official in place to counter these dangers, as well as other nuclear threats. ISN leads the State Department's efforts to halt the spread of weapons of mass destruction--nuclear, chemical, and biological--as well as the means to deliver them. We need a Senate-confirmed expert at the helm to coordinate prevention and response with the Ukrainian Government, our allies, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Dr. Kang is eminently qualified to do just that. He has the substantive expertise to lead ISN and advance U.S. national security interests. During his 18-year career at the State Department, Dr. Kang has worked on a wide variety of nonproliferation issues. This includes the denuclearization of North Korea, international efforts to halt the spread of chemical weapons, and nuclear safety. He has held senior positions in ISN, where he currently serves as Acting Assistant Secretary, and served as the Department's most senior official for Arms Control and International Security. But because of Republican delays he has not yet been confirmed, despite the fact that he was first nominated 341 days ago. Think about that--that was nearly a year ago--and he has not yet been confirmed. The delays and obstacles facing nominees on the Senate floor and in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are hampering our national security. Each day that goes by without critical national security posts being filled does a disserving to our country and our national security interests. Dr. Kang could have and should have been confirmed long ago. I strongly support confirming Dr. Kang, and I respectfully urge my colleagues to join me in advancing his nomination, along with all of the foreign affairs nominations pending before this body.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.