Patty Murray

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. The Senator would be correct, and I would add one other thought. What he is now asking us to do is to go back and vote on votes we already took when we went through the budget process and amendments did not pass. So he is saying, my amendments didn't pass, but I am not going to let a conference happen unless I get my way. We have a majority. We have a minority. We went through hundreds of amendments. Some of them passed and some of them did not. It is the process we go through. Then we take what we passed--the House, by the way, passed a very different budget--we go to conference and resolve the differences. That is what a conference is. But if every Senator came out here and said on every bill we ever did we are not going to go to conference unless I get the amendment I lost on the floor, we would never do anything in this country. That is not how a democracy works.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I point out what the Senator requests is for us to redo the budget debate where those amendments were considered and defeated in the Senate, and it is now up to us to go to conference to work out our differences with the House. There is no need to go back through another 50 hours of debate and 100-plus amendments to be considered. This body needs to go to work. We have been told time and time again we need a budget, we need a solution. We do not need to manage by crisis. There is no need to relitigate the budget on this side. We need to go to conference and litigate our differences with the House Republicans. I object to the Senator's request and urge we move to conference and allow the request of the Senator from Virginia, Senator Warner, to go forward.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I wish to thank my budget colleagues who are here with me today. They have spent many hours putting together a budget and coming to the floor with all of the Senate to work on over 100 amendments way into the middle of the night in order to get a budget passed. We are all here ready because we came to the Senate--to this Congress--to solve problems. We decided, as a committee and as a Democratic caucus, it is very important we move forward on a budget. We want to solve this problem so we can get back to regular order so our country--businesses, communities, and everyone--knows where our priorities are and what path we are on so we can bring some certainty to this country again. It is so disappointing to me that four times now the Republicans have objected to us now taking the necessary next step, which is to work together with our House colleagues, find a compromise, and move forward. We are working for certainty. It is disappointing to me that those on the other side of the aisle--and we all remember they spent month after month and had chart after chart on the floor telling us we had not passed a budget, we need to go to regular order--are now saying: No. No regular order, no budget, no process, no certainty, no conclusion to this very important problem on which we have all come together to work. This is disturbing for a number of reasons, and my colleagues have talked about it. We have constituents at home--whether it is a business, a school, delivering Meals On Wheels, planning their military operations for the next year, as well as the agricultural industry--wondering what their plan is for the future. What they are being told--now for the fourth time in a row--by the Republicans in the Senate is: We are not going to give you any certainty. We like to live with uncertainty. There is no doubt that moving to conference is not going to be easy; solving this problem is not going to be easy. I want our colleagues to know what I have consistently heard from the Democratic side is that we understand the word ``compromise.'' We know that in order to solve this huge problem, we have to come to the table and compromise and listen to the other side. We cannot do this in the dead of night. We cannot do it with a couple of people sitting in a room. That has been done before, and it doesn't work. We need to have regular order, and we need to have this process out in the open. We need to have the American people hear what the different sides say, and then we are all going to have to take some tough votes. I can assure the American people that on this side we understand what it means to take tough votes and we understand the word ``compromise'' and the need to get our country back on track. As the Senator from Virginia said, we need to show the country that democracy can work. We are willing to take that step to make it work, and I urge our Republican colleagues to step forward and allow us to make that move. Do not object to us trying to solve problems because that is what is happening. I urge our Republican colleagues--and the House as well--to move to conference so we can have a debate and discussion on this deeply urgent matter for our country. I thank the Presiding Officer and yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I just wish to talk for a moment. I have heard a lot from my constituents that they are very tired of the dysfunction in Washington, DC. They are tired of political gridlock that impacts their businesses, their children's schools, and their paychecks. After spending last week with families and businesses that are impacted by sequestration in my home State of Washington, I know this is especially true right now. When I became chair of the Senate Budget Committee, I said I hoped Democrats and Republicans would be able to work together to end the cycle of governing from crisis to crisis and the attempts to negotiate budget policy through brinkmanship, which we have seen far too much of in recent years. I believe this goal is just as important today--and is, in fact, more attainable--but we need Republicans to meet us at the table and proceed to conference under regular order. We are at a unique moment in our debate about the country's fiscal and economic challenges. Following the 2 years that the bipartisan Budget Control Act took the place of a congressional budget, the Senate returned to regular order this year and we passed a budget resolution. The House has also passed their budget, and the President weighed in with a proposal for his path going forward. We now have an opportunity to move through regular order to try to get a bipartisan budget agreement, and we should seize it. Democrats and Republicans have different perspectives on a wide variety of issues. But just a few months ago, it seemed that Democrats and Republicans did agree on at least one thing: the budget debate should proceed through regular order. Democrats chose to move forward with a budget resolution through committee and said that an open process through regular order was the best way to reach a bipartisan agreement. And Republicans agreed. They said once the Senate and the House passed budgets ``the work of conferencing must begin.'' They said a conference was--and I quote--the ``best vehicle'' for the budget debate ``because we're doing it in plain sight.'' They said we needed the open public debate that regular order requires. In fact, Senator McConnell said Senate Democrats should ``return to regular order and transparency in the legislative process.'' The Obama administration has also said regular order is the way to proceed. But Senate Republicans have now blocked our efforts to move to conference, not once but twice. Some Republicans said they want to negotiate a ``framework'' behind closed doors before going to conference. But that is what a budget is; it is a framework that lays out our values and our priorities and helps us plan for the country's future. I think that framework is exactly what we ought to be debating in a formal and public conference, and there is no reason to wait. Now, I know this is not going to be easy. There are vast differences between the Senate and House budgets and the visions we each present. But I believe we will be most effective at resolving these differences if we have time for open debate and discussion and opportunities to identify common ground. Waiting until the last minute is not a good option. The uncertainty that is caused in the lead-up to every manufactured crisis over the past 2 years has hurt our businesses, it has hurt our economy, and it is threatening our fragile economic recovery. It keeps us from planning and investing in our future, and it makes Americans question whether their government is capable of solving any problems that confront us. I know--and we all know--there are extreme elements in our political system that think ``compromise'' is a dirty word. I know some Republicans think they do not have the political space to make a bipartisan deal until the very last minute of a crisis. But I believe many of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle want to return to regular order and move us away from the constant crises. I am hoping the voices of reason win because American families and our businesses expect us to do better than running down the clock. So I urge my Republican colleagues to join us now in proceeding to conference through regular order, as they have said we should. That is the best way to reach a deal that is the best and most responsible path for our country to move forward on. So, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 33, H. Con. Res. 25; that the amendment which is at the desk, the text of S. Con. Res. 8, the budget resolution passed by the Senate, be inserted in lieu thereof; that H. Con. Res. 25, as amended, be agreed to; the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that the Senate insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses, and the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate, all with no intervening action or debate.

Mrs. MURRAY. There is a UC before the Senate. If no one objects, I would be happy to answer a question.

Mrs. MURRAY. The Senator from Louisiana is correct. The UC I am requesting simply takes us to conference so the House and the Senate Members can agree--Republicans and Democrats alike--to work toward a bipartisan solution.

Mrs. MURRAY. The Senator is correct.

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, reserving the right to object, and I will in a moment, we considered over 100 amendments on the Senate floor. All of those kinds of amendments were brought up, debated, and considered as part of the resolution, as we do on any debate. So there is no need to go back and redo all of our amendments again. So I object and ask simply again our UC to move forward to conference so we can discuss all of these issues in regular order.

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Louisiana. I just have to say I am frustrated and shocked at the reaction of our Republican counterparts who have repeatedly--repeatedly--said to the Senate: You need to pass a budget. We did so under regular order. Everyone will remember the night we spent here until 5 a.m. going through hundreds of amendments--the ones the minority leader just objected to that he wanted guarantees on before we went to conference. We voted on all those amendments. That is what this process is all about. How can I, as Budget chairman, now do what the country is asking us to do, which is to compromise, move forward, and solve our problems rather than managing by crisis? If we cannot go to conference, how are we going to get a budget agreement moving forward? Everyone in this country knows this debate. It has gone on for several years. It went through the supercommittee. It went through an election where people's voices were heard. Now, after just berating us for not having a budget, the Senate Republicans are saying: Well, that did not matter. We do not care if you have a budget. We are just going to sit here. That kind of chaos is exactly what this country does not need when it comes to our fragile economy today and people are trying to get back on their feet. I am ready to go to work. I am ready to sit down with the Republican leadership from the Budget Committee in the House and their conferees, to put our ideas on the table, and to make some tough choices. But I cannot do it until the Senate Republicans quit objecting to us moving to conference to get that done. So this is the third time we have asked, the third time we have been turned down. We are going to keep trying to get this done. I am committed to solving one of the biggest problems facing our country-- give us certainty, get us back on track--but I cannot do it when the Republicans are objecting to allowing us to go to conference. So I am very disappointed. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I speak in morning business, followed by the Senator from New Hampshire, Ms. Ayotte.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor because I believe the great strength of our military is in the character and dedication of our men and women who wear the uniform. It is the courage of these Americans to volunteer to serve. That is the Pentagon's greatest asset. I know it is said a lot, but take a minute to think about that. Our servicemembers volunteer to face danger, to put their lives on the line to protect our country and all of its people. When we think of those dangers, we think of IEDs. We think of battles with insurgents, many of whom are so cowardly and evil that they refuse to even wear a uniform themselves, and they seek to kill innocent civilians. There are, unfortunately, other dangers as well, dangers that cannot be expected and none of our courageous servicemembers should ever have to face. That is what I am speaking about, sexual assault. That continues to plague the ranks of our military services. It is absolutely unconscionable that a fellow servicemember, the person whom you rely on to have your back and be there for you, would commit such a terrible crime. It is simply appalling that they could commit such a personal violation of their brother or sister in uniform. Even worse is the prevalence of these crimes. Just today, we are hearing the alarming statistic that the number of cases has increased by more than one-third since 2010. For the estimated 26,000 cases of military sexual assault in 2012, less than 3,000 of them were reported. Out of 26,000, only 3,000 were reported. What is even more startling is that of those who bravely came forward and reported the abuse, an astounding 62 percent of them were retaliated against in one way or another. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, about one in five female veterans treated by the VA has suffered from military sexual trauma. That is certainly not the act of a comrade. It is not in keeping with the ethos in any service, and it can no longer be tolerated. We still have not done enough to put an end to these shameful acts. Today I am taking action to change that. Today Senator Ayotte and I joined to introduce the Combatting Military Sexual Assault Act of 2013. This is bipartisan legislation that we have worked on to make several vital improvements to protect our servicemembers, to assist the victims, and to punish the criminals. Our bill, the Combatting Military Sexual Assault Act, will create a new category of legal advocates called special victims' counsels who would be responsible for advocating on behalf of the interests of the victim. These SVCs, special victims' counsels, would advise the victim on the range of legal issues they might face. For example, when a young private first class is intimidated into not reporting a sexual assault, by threatening her with unrelated legal charges such as underage drinking, this new advocate, the SVC, would be there to protect her and tell her the truth. This bill would also enhance the responsibilities and authority of the Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, known as the SAPRO, to provide better oversight of efforts to combat military sexual assault across our Armed Forces. SAPRO would also be required to regularly track and report on a range of MSA statistics, including assault rates, the number of cases brought to trial, and compliance within each of these individual services. Some of this data collection and reporting is already being done, so this requirement is not going to be burdensome. It would give that office statutory authority to track and report to us on the extent of the problem. The Combatting Military Sexual Assault Act would also require sexual assault cases to be referred to the next superior competent authority for court martial when there is a conflict of interest in the immediate chain of command. This is very important. This will help ensure that sexual assault allegations get a fair, impartial,and thorough investigation. The President of the Military Officers Association of America agrees. They stated: Preventing sexual assault is a duty of everyone in the chain of command. This legislation will increase support for sexual assault victims and strengthen policies and procedures for such cases in our Nation's Armed Forces. This legislation would also prohibit sexual contact between military instructors and servicemembers during basic training or its equivalent or within 30 days after the training. As we have seen, with disturbing frequency at places such as Lackland Air Force Base or the Air Force Academy, new servicemembers are too often taken advantage of and abused. In these settings, new servicemembers have every aspect of their life controlled by their instructor. While this is appropriate for military training, in this type of setting it is entirely inappropriate for senior servicemembers to seek a sexual relationship with a junior subordinate. It is our view it is impossible for a servicemember to freely give consent in that setting. This bill will also ensure that sexual assault response coordinators are available to members of the National Guard and Reserve at all times. I was told a very disturbing story recently by a female servicemember from the National Guard in my home State of Washington. After being sexually assaulted during her monthly drill on a military base, she took all the necessary steps, including calling the sexual assault response coordinator. When she called, she was told that because the assault happened during a monthly drill, not on Active Duty, the sexual response coordinator could not help her. Those services were only reserved for those on Active Duty. That is absolutely unacceptable. When one of our men and women in uniform is the victim of a sexual assault, and they have the courage to come forward and ask for help, the answer never, ever should be, sorry, there are regulations, nothing I can do for you. This bill is one step to address the crises we have in our own Armed Forces, and it needs to be done now. Yesterday's news that the Air Force's chief of sexual assault prevention was arrested for sexual assault is another reminder that we have to change the culture around this issue. I want to be very clear. The military has taken some steps on its own. For instance, I am looking forward to seeing Secretary Hagel's proposal on how to reform article 60 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As I think most of our colleagues know, under article 60, the convening authority of a court martial is empowered to dismiss the judgment of the court martial and overturn their verdict. Many of us, myself included, have had serious concerns about how that authority has been used in sexual assault cases. We are here today to introduce this bill, and I wish to thank the Senator from New Hampshire for her advocacy on this issue and for her help in putting this legislation together. I also wish to thank Representative Tim Ryan for his leadership and championing our companion bill in the other Chamber. When I asked Navy Secretary Ray Mabus about the sexual assault epidemic, I was glad to hear him say ``concern'' wasn't a strong enough word to describe how he felt about this problem. He said he was angry about it. I know a lot of us share this feeling. We want it to stop. I am very hopeful both Chambers can work quickly to do right by our Nation's heroes. When our best and brightest put on a uniform and joined our U.S. Armed Forces, they do so with the understanding they will sacrifice much in the name of defending our country and its people. That sacrifice should not have to come in the form of unwanted sexual contact from within the ranks. I am very pleased to introduce this bill. I wish to thank Senator Ayotte again for her hard work and advocacy. It is a pleasure to work with her. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor because I believe the great strength of our military is in the character and dedication of our men and women who wear the uniform. It is the courage of these Americans to volunteer to serve. That is the Pentagon's greatest asset. I know it is said a lot, but take a minute to think about that. Our servicemembers volunteer to face danger, to put their lives on the line to protect our country and all of its people. When we think of those dangers, we think of IEDs. We think of battles with insurgents, many of whom are so cowardly and evil that they refuse to even wear a uniform themselves, and they seek to kill innocent civilians. There are, unfortunately, other dangers as well, dangers that cannot be expected and none of our courageous servicemembers should ever have to face. That is what I am speaking about, sexual assault. That continues to plague the ranks of our military services. It is absolutely unconscionable that a fellow servicemember, the person whom you rely on to have your back and be there for you, would commit such a terrible crime. It is simply appalling that they could commit such a personal violation of their brother or sister in uniform. Even worse is the prevalence of these crimes. Just today, we are hearing the alarming statistic that the number of cases has increased by more than one-third since 2010. For the estimated 26,000 cases of military sexual assault in 2012, less than 3,000 of them were reported. Out of 26,000, only 3,000 were reported. What is even more startling is that of those who bravely came forward and reported the abuse, an astounding 62 percent of them were retaliated against in one way or another. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, about one in five female veterans treated by the VA has suffered from military sexual trauma. That is certainly not the act of a comrade. It is not in keeping with the ethos in any service, and it can no longer be tolerated. We still have not done enough to put an end to these shameful acts. Today I am taking action to change that. Today Senator Ayotte and I joined to introduce the Combatting Military Sexual Assault Act of 2013. This is bipartisan legislation that we have worked on to make several vital improvements to protect our servicemembers, to assist the victims, and to punish the criminals. Our bill, the Combatting Military Sexual Assault Act, will create a new category of legal advocates called special victims' counsels who would be responsible for advocating on behalf of the interests of the victim. These SVCs, special victims' counsels, would advise the victim on the range of legal issues they might face. For example, when a young private first class is intimidated into not reporting a sexual assault, by threatening her with unrelated legal charges such as underage drinking, this new advocate, the SVC, would be there to protect her and tell her the truth. This bill would also enhance the responsibilities and authority of the Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, known as the SAPRO, to provide better oversight of efforts to combat military sexual assault across our Armed Forces. SAPRO would also be required to regularly track and report on a range of MSA statistics, including assault rates, the number of cases brought to trial, and compliance within each of these individual services. Some of this data collection and reporting is already being done, so this requirement is not going to be burdensome. It would give that office statutory authority to track and report to us on the extent of the problem. The Combatting Military Sexual Assault Act would also require sexual assault cases to be referred to the next superior competent authority for court martial when there is a conflict of interest in the immediate chain of command. This is very important. This will help ensure that sexual assault allegations get a fair, impartial,and thorough investigation. The President of the Military Officers Association of America agrees. They stated: Preventing sexual assault is a duty of everyone in the chain of command. This legislation will increase support for sexual assault victims and strengthen policies and procedures for such cases in our Nation's Armed Forces. This legislation would also prohibit sexual contact between military instructors and servicemembers during basic training or its equivalent or within 30 days after the training. As we have seen, with disturbing frequency at places such as Lackland Air Force Base or the Air Force Academy, new servicemembers are too often taken advantage of and abused. In these settings, new servicemembers have every aspect of their life controlled by their instructor. While this is appropriate for military training, in this type of setting it is entirely inappropriate for senior servicemembers to seek a sexual relationship with a junior subordinate. It is our view it is impossible for a servicemember to freely give consent in that setting. This bill will also ensure that sexual assault response coordinators are available to members of the National Guard and Reserve at all times. I was told a very disturbing story recently by a female servicemember from the National Guard in my home State of Washington. After being sexually assaulted during her monthly drill on a military base, she took all the necessary steps, including calling the sexual assault response coordinator. When she called, she was told that because the assault happened during a monthly drill, not on Active Duty, the sexual response coordinator could not help her. Those services were only reserved for those on Active Duty. That is absolutely unacceptable. When one of our men and women in uniform is the victim of a sexual assault, and they have the courage to come forward and ask for help, the answer never, ever should be, sorry, there are regulations, nothing I can do for you. This bill is one step to address the crises we have in our own Armed Forces, and it needs to be done now. Yesterday's news that the Air Force's chief of sexual assault prevention was arrested for sexual assault is another reminder that we have to change the culture around this issue. I want to be very clear. The military has taken some steps on its own. For instance, I am looking forward to seeing Secretary Hagel's proposal on how to reform article 60 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As I think most of our colleagues know, under article 60, the convening authority of a court martial is empowered to dismiss the judgment of the court martial and overturn their verdict. Many of us, myself included, have had serious concerns about how that authority has been used in sexual assault cases. We are here today to introduce this bill, and I wish to thank the Senator from New Hampshire for her advocacy on this issue and for her help in putting this legislation together. I also wish to thank Representative Tim Ryan for his leadership and championing our companion bill in the other Chamber. When I asked Navy Secretary Ray Mabus about the sexual assault epidemic, I was glad to hear him say ``concern'' wasn't a strong enough word to describe how he felt about this problem. He said he was angry about it. I know a lot of us share this feeling. We want it to stop. I am very hopeful both Chambers can work quickly to do right by our Nation's heroes. When our best and brightest put on a uniform and joined our U.S. Armed Forces, they do so with the understanding they will sacrifice much in the name of defending our country and its people. That sacrifice should not have to come in the form of unwanted sexual contact from within the ranks. I am very pleased to introduce this bill. I wish to thank Senator Ayotte again for her hard work and advocacy. It is a pleasure to work with her. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I would ask unanimous consent to speak for 5 minutes on the nomination of Sylvia Mathews Burwell.

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I thank Senator Sessions, and I rise today to speak in support of Sylvia Mathews Burwell, whose nomination to be the next Director of the Office of Management and Budget was approved last week with strong bipartisan support by our Senate Budget Committee. As we all know, our country does face serious fiscal and economic challenges we have to work together to address. The American people are looking to us to end this constant artificial crisis and political brinkmanship that is threatening our fragile economic recovery. They want us to come together around fair solutions that work for our middle class, help the economy grow, and tackle our deficit and debt fairly and responsibly. It is time we stop governing from crisis to crisis and return stability and regular order to our budget process. That is why I am so pleased we have such an exceptional and qualified nominee in Sylvia Burwell to lead OMB. I know she is the right person to come into this leadership role at this important time for our country. She is no stranger to OMB or to tackling important fiscal issues. In the 1990s, she was a critical part of President Clinton's economic team. She served as Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, and Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Treasury. In those roles, she worked very closely with Jack Lew, Erskine Bowles, Robert Rubin, and the rest of President Clinton's economic team to help produce three out of four budget surpluses in a row. During her tenure, our government took a fair, credible, and sustainable approach to our Federal budget. That gave businesses the confidence to hire new workers and invest in their growth. Her leadership and hard work in the 1990s helped to create broad- based economic growth that worked for the middle class and turned our debt and deficit problems around. Sylvia's firsthand experience creating a balanced and responsible approach to deficit reduction makes her uniquely qualified to lead OMB at this important time for our country. Since the 1990s, Sylvia has dedicated her life to helping people all over the world. As the president of the Global Development Program and the chief operating officer at the Gates Foundation, she worked to improve the lives of millions across the globe. Under her leadership, the foundation invested in important programs to help combat poverty and produce clean water and improve literacy, and provides emergency relief to those who need it the most. Most recently, as president of the Wal-Mart Foundation, she led the Foundation's charitable giving and focused on critical issues such as hunger relief and women's economic empowerment. Not only do Sylvia's achievements in the foundation of philanthropy worlds demonstrate her vast experience managing large global budgets, but they also speak volumes of her values and demonstrate her deep lifelong commitment to serving others. Sylvia grew up understanding the value of hard work and public service. Her parents have been community leaders in West Virginia for over half a century. Her father is a long-time optometrist and her mother, the Honorable Cleo Mathews, served as the mayor of her hometown of Hinton, and later served on the West Virginia State Board of Education for a decade. As my colleague Senator Manchin said when he introduced her to our Budget Committee, it is easy to see public service is a part of Sylvia's DNA. As the Director of OMB, Sylvia will help set our Nation's priorities and make tough decisions about our Federal spending. So I am glad Sylvia knows budgets are about more than abstract numbers and partisan back and forth. As a second generation Greek American, Sylvia understands the importance of the promise of American opportunity. She knows budgets are a reflection of our values and our priorities, and they are about families across the country whose lives and futures are impacted by the decisions we make. Not only is Sylvia an expert on domestic economic policy and a dedicated public servant, she has a demonstrated track record of working across the aisle to get things done. During her time in Washington in the 1990s, she reached across the aisle and negotiated the balanced and fair budgets with Republicans in Congress. She knows working to find common ground is the key to solving our fiscal challenge--a point made clear by her during her confirmation hearing in front of our Senate Budget Committee this month. So I am pleased her nomination passed our committee on a voice vote with strong bipartisan approval. Republicans, including Senator Sessions, who here on the floor praised Sylvia as someone who is, by all accounts, well-liked and an able leader committed to public service. Madam President, I support this nomination, I urge my colleagues to vote yes, and I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues and urge them to vote in support of Sally Jewell, who has been nominated to serve as Interior Secretary. I thank Senator Wyden for all of his work in moving her through this process to today. I was thrilled when President Obama nominated Sally for this position, and I couldn't be more excited to support her confirmation. Sally is going to come to the Department of the Interior at a difficult time for our country. As a nation, we are working very hard to protect our environment and invest in new technologies to meet our energy demands. And on the local level, including in my home State of Washington, Sally is going to face some complex issues, such as protecting tribal lands and treaty rights. But I can think of no one better prepared for this task than Sally. After she studied at the University of Washington to become an engineer, Sally left the Northwest for the oilfields of Oklahoma and Colorado, where she learned about the energy sector from the inside out. She moved from the outdoors--as you can see from this picture--to the boardroom and spent nearly two decades in finance helping businesses grow and learning what it takes to succeed in the marketplace. Time and again, Sally has broken the mold to take on tough tasks-- often in male-dominated industries. When she joined Recreational Equipment, Incorporated, the Seattle-based outdoor retailer, it was struggling. But after 8 years with Sally as CEO, REI is now thriving, topping $1 billion in sales, while leading the charge to protect our environment. And finding that balance--navigating the business world while keeping REI's commitment to the outdoors--is what will make Sally great as our next Interior Secretary. Perhaps better than anyone, Sally knows that businesses and the environment both benefit when we are committed to protecting our national parks and promoting our national treasures. At REI, Sally has proven that sustainability and responsibility make sense for the environment and the company's bottom line. In Washington State, she has worked closely with me to help create the Wild Sky Wilderness area and expand our other important environmental protections throughout our State. She has worked with industry and environmentalists to expand recreational opportunities throughout the Northwest and has helped us work toward permanently protecting BLM lands in the San Juan Islands, where my colleague Senator Maria Cantwell was at the forefront. That is truly a gem of Washington State and has recently been declared a national monument. Sally has backed crucial public-private partnerships that create jobs through recreation, and she has supported groundbreaking programs to get young people involved in the outdoors. So whether it is our forest lands in the Northwest or mineral deposits in the Southwest or oil reserves along our coastlines, Sally is going to lead an Interior Department where economic growth and long- term sustainability go hand in hand. I am here today to urge my colleagues to vote in support of Sally Jewell, and I am really pleased she has been nominated. Again, I thank Senator Wyden for all of his work in getting her to this point in this process. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, on Saturday, March 23, 2013, the Senate passed the budget, S. Con. Res. 8. In my statement, I thanked a few members of my staff and I would like to acknowledge the rest of my dedicated staff who worked tirelessly to pass the Senate budget: Jeannie Biniek, Sarah Bolton, Michael Branson, Alex Brosseau, Dave Brown, Paula Burg, Josh Caplan, Stephanie Cherkezian, Ally Coll, Brendon Dorgan, Amy Edwards, Robert Etter, Jennifer Hanson, Helen Hare, Robyn Hiestand, Mike Jones, Amaia Kirtland, Tyler Kruzich, Zach Moller, Michael Oleyar, Farouk Ophaso, Jason Park, Miles Patrie, Ryan Pettit, John Righter, Josh Ryan, Evan Schatz, Brian Scholl, Emily Sharp, Eli Zupnick. Steven Bergsbaken, Shawn Bills, Scott Cheney, Beth Chrusciel, Sean Coit, Jake Cornett, Carole Cory, Katherine Dapper, Ariel Evans, John Fogarty, Megan Foster, Emma Fulkerson, Adam Goodwin, Dabney Hegg, Alex Keenan, Zach Mallove, Matt McAlvanah, Megahan McCarthy, Ben Merkel, Rachel Milberg, Silke Mounts, James O'Brien, Molly O'Rourke, Lauren Overman, David Prestwood, Stacy Rich, Kathryn Robertson, Meghan Roh, Alexa Seidl, Mike Spahn, Anna Sperling, Michael Waske.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute to a strong community leader, dedicated public servant, and advocate from the State of Washington, Barbara Geller. I first met Barbara early in my political career and I would not be where I am today without her support and encouragement. She was always willing to pitch in to do whatever was needed. Her strong commitment to her community showed in everything she did. She was a State committeewoman, chair of the 41st LD Democrats, and a delegate to the Democratic National Convention too many times to count. But more importantly, she was a dedicated mother, grandmother, wife, and friend to many. You could always count on Barb helping out. She never hesitated to pick up a phone, plan the Annual Eastside Democrats Annual Dinner, and to do every task in between. No matter how small the task, Barb would make it fun. As a longtime Mercer Island resident, her kindness and grace inspired all who were around her. Barb passed away on March 17, 2013, from pancreatic cancer at the age of 71. Barb is survived by her husband Art, her two children, Randy and Betsy Geller, daughter-in-law Jennifer Hubbard Geller, and her two grandchildren, Rachel and Lucy Geller. She will be missed by many, but her legacy of service will live on with all she has touched. I would like to ask my colleagues to join me in paying homage to Barbara Geller. She lived a full life and our thoughts are with her loved ones at this time of great loss.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, we do have a vote that needs to occur but a final word here. I would just say that we want to get a budget passed, and I know the minority wants us to pass a budget. We have been told that time and time again. We can't pass a budget if we are filibustered by amendments for the rest of the night. So I would urge all our colleagues to have this vote, and let's have some discussions and see if we can come to a final conclusion. With that, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I can keep on standing all night. I am sure a number of Senators can. I do have respect for a number of our Senators here who may not be able to stand as long as some of us or who are elderly, and I would ask consideration of them. That is just my request. With that, I do think we need to get to a vote here.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, we have been working throughout the last vote. I am hoping we are getting to a very short list in the near future. I recognize there are Senators who are frustrated and that want an opportunity to speak out. I know there are a number of Senators who are very tired. Everybody's patience is wearing thin. I would just ask everybody to hold your patience for just a few more minutes. I am going to put us into a quorum call. I am hoping we can get an agreement and give everybody some certainty. I know on our side we want to get a budget passed. We have been working for a great deal of time. We want to move this process forward. We know there are Senators on the other side who may not agree with our budget but agree with us that we have to move to a process to get our country back on track. So I would ask everybody's patience for just a short while; hopefully, we can get this resolved and we can get a budget passed. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I will hold the floor and yield for a question.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I would be willing to get an amendment going, but I haven't seen it yet. I would like the ability to take a look at it, so I suggest the absence of a quorum. It will only be for a very few minutes--patience, please--and then we will come back in and see if we can get to a vote.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I am proud of our Senators for having patience for exactly 30 seconds. I yield to the Senator from Idaho to offer an amendment.