Harry Reid

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 332, H.R. 3474.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, the Senate will be in morning business until 5:30 p.m. today. Last week cloture was filed on S. 2262, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act. As a result, the filing deadline for all second degree amendments is 4:30 p.m. today. There will be up to three rollcall votes at 5:30 p.m. today: confirmation of the Rosenbaum nomination to be an Eleventh Circuit judge, then confirmation of the Croley nomination to be General Counsel of the Department of Energy, and, finally, a cloture vote on S. 2262, the energy efficiency bill. A Second Opportunity Mr. President, Henry Ford once said: ``Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.'' Those are wise words from a man who knew a thing or two about overcoming logjams. The legislation before us today is an opportunity for Senators to intelligently reconsider energy efficiency. The consequences of this opportunity loom very large for this body. Shaheen-Portman is a good bill. It was a good bill last year when it was blocked by the Republicans. It is even better now. This legislation will give our country more energy independence and protect our environment. The Shaheen-Portman bill also gives Americans a fair shot at better providing for their families through increased savings on their energy bills. This is great for working Americans. It also creates 200,000 jobs. Senators Shaheen and Portman worked hard with Democrats and Republicans since this bill was introduced 3 years ago to make this legislation into the effective bipartisan bill it is today. No single bill will solve all of our energy problems, but this is a good first step. The business community agrees. This bill is supported by the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Business Roundtable. The Shaheen-Portman legislation is an opportunity for this country to address our energy needs on how they are affecting the environment. But the implications of this legislation extend far beyond energy efficiency. It goes to the integrity of this Senate we care so much about. The Shaheen-Portman bill is a chance for a fresh start for the Senate--really a new beginning. We had been making some limited progress this year in moving legislation, starting with the Murray-Ryan budget arrangement. Then we worked together--Democrats and Republicans--to pass a childcare development block grant, a flood insurance bill, and an extension of unemployment benefits. But as we considered legislation to help American families--like equal pay and a minimum wage increase--Republicans got off track, and working families did not get a fair shot. So here we are, once again, confronted with the possibility that a good bipartisan bill may fail. And for what? Democrats have acted in good faith, and we have bent over backwards to make this bill work. But it seems our efforts are never enough. Each concession we make brings new demands. The Republicans working with Senators Shaheen and Portman asked for changes to this bill, and 10 bipartisan amendments are now included in the bill before this body. Republicans asked for a sense of the Senate resolution on the Keystone legislation, and we agreed. Republicans changed their minds and requested a vote on stand-alone Keystone legislation, and we agreed. If Republicans stop their filibuster of this bill and allow it to proceed, the Senate will vote on Keystone pipeline legislation, and they know that. That is what they have asked for, and we have given it to them. But, Mr. President, they have held this bill hostage--this energy efficiency bill--as demand after demand has been met, but even now they are still seeking a ransom. So why are we here? Why is this bill at risk? I have spoken from time to time recently with my Republican colleagues. They come to me, saying: Harry, how could we get the Senate back on track? I appreciate their sincerity in trying to find a solution, but the answer is right under their nose. I say to them, look at what is happening right now. Mr. President, I have been told that two cosponsors of this legislation will not vote to invoke cloture. These are two gentleman who put their name on this bill. Look at how Republican obstruction is bringing the Senate to its knees again and again and again--and now even on this bill, a bipartisan bill. This is not a Shaheen bill. It is a Shaheen-Portman bill--a New Hampshire Senator and an Ohio Senator, a Democrat and a Republican. I repeat, this bill is being filibustered, obviously, by some of its own cosponsors. This useless, mind-boggling obstruction is what continually grinds the wheels of the Senate to a screeching halt. So to my friends who want to know how we can make things work better in the Senate, I say: Put an end to obstruction for obstruction's sake. Take yes for an answer. We have a good bipartisan bill. Let's pass it. It is good for the country. Stop filibustering this good bill. We made an agreement on Keystone, and Democrats stand willing to honor our commitment. But we need Republicans to honor their commitments. So let's use this second opportunity at passing this important bill-- Shaheen-Portman--to get the Senate working effectively and give working families, American families a fair shot at affordable energy. Reservation Of Leader Time Would the Chair announce the business of the day.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, we had an agreement to do the bill. Then we changed it to do it with Keystone. That is still our agreement. We are willing to do this bill, energy efficiency, which is such a good bill. We are in agreement that we could have an up-or-down vote very shortly thereafter on Keystone. So without going through all of the details, that is what I want to do. He does not want to do that. I object to his unanimous consent request.

Mr. REID. I object.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I enter a motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked on S. 2262.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I yield back all time.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Republican leader and I are going to have a short colloquy here. There will be one more rollcall vote tonight. The next rollcall vote will be tomorrow.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask the Chair to order the reading of the cloture motion, which is at the desk.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, there is a cloture motion at the desk, and I ask that it be reported.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I now move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, there is a cloture motion at the desk.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask consent that the mandatory quorum call under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. tomorrow morning, May 13, 2014; 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; that following any leader remarks, the time until 11:10 a.m. be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees prior to a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to H.R. 3474, the vehicle for the tax extenders legislation; that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings, and that if cloture is invoked on the motion to proceed to H.R. 3474, the time during the recess count postcloture.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, there will be a rollcall vote at 11:10 tomorrow morning.

Mr. REID

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

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 332, H.R. 3474.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, the Senate time until 11:15 a.m. will be equally divided and controlled. There will be a series of votes beginning at 11:15 today and another series of votes at 1:45. This is to confirm a number of nominations. There could be as many as nine votes. We will see what happens as the day goes on. Yesterday I filed cloture on S. 2262, the energy efficiency bill. As a result, the filing deadline for all first degree amendments is today at 1 p.m. Obstructionism

Mr. REID. Mr. President, anyone who watches the Senate on C-SPAN knows that the desks in the Senate Chamber are split between Democrats and Republicans. But when I come to the Senate Chamber anymore, we shouldn't have just Democrats and Republicans; we should have obstructionists. With the Democrats, there are 55 of us. With the Republicans, anymore, there are six or seven on a good day. There are obstructionists of about 40, for sure, on any day. The legislators--Republicans who, like Senate Democrats, are tired of all the useless obstruction, who want to get things done for Americans, and the obstructionists--the guardians of gridlock, as the Republican leader has proudly called himself--are playing politics and constantly grinding the wheels of the Senate to a standstill, a stop. Over the last few months, I have spoken with Republicans who are fed up with obstructionism in this body. I have spoken with them in my office when they come to see me, on the Senate floor, and in various places. So these Republicans always have the same message from me: We came to the Senate to get things done, so let's work together. I am happy to work with them, as we did a few months ago with the Child Care and Development Block Grant. That is who I have always been in this Chamber. When I was the whip, my Republican colleagues knew I was someone they could talk to and work with to get things done. It is a shame the Republican leader has decided that being the ``proud guardian of gridlock''--his words, not mine--is more important than working with us to get things done for the American people. The Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bill before the Senate is a perfect example. They brought their bipartisan legislation to the floor last September. Regrettably, a Republican Senator on a one-man crusade against health benefits for Senate staffers filibustered the bill. But Senators Shaheen and Portman didn't give up. Instead, they worked with Democrats and Republicans for seven months to strengthen the bill, gaining more bipartisan support along the way. This legislation will give our country more energy independence, protect our environment, and save American families money on their energy bills. It also creates 200,000 jobs that can't be exported. When the legislation was finalized, Senators Shaheen and Portman were ready to bring the bill to the Senate floor. In anticipation of the bill's consideration, Republicans who worked on this bill came to speak with me prior to the Easter recess. They told me the bill, which now includes 10 Republican-supported amendments, was ready for passage. They requested that I fill the legislative tree to ensure the bill would pass. I repeat: Republican Senators wanting to pass this bipartisan bill asked me to bring the bill to a vote as soon as possible--as is. And that is what I did. For those Republicans acting in good faith, passage of the energy efficiency legislation was most important. Unfortunately, the obstructionist wing of the Republican caucus has decided once again to block this bill. But this time it is not the junior Senator from Louisiana bringing a bipartisan bill to a screeching halt; it is the guardian of gridlock himself, my friend, the Republican leader. Senators Portman, Ayotte, Collins, Hoeven, Isakson, Murkowski, and Wicker have done good work on this legislation. What a shame they will see their efforts scrapped by my friend the Republican leader. This isn't the first time he has steamrolled members of his own caucus. For example, the Senate considered a bipartisan transportation bill. Subcommittee Chairwoman Patty Murray and Ranking Member Susan Collins worked for months on that legislation. Notwithstanding the bipartisan support for the bill or Senator Collins' hard work, the Republican leader single-handedly dismantled the bill. There are many other examples. After the legislation was blocked, the senior Senator from Maine was quoted as saying that she had never seen the Republican leader work so hard to defeat a member of his own caucus. If my Republican counterpart wants to keep blocking his own Senators' bipartisan efforts, go ahead. But it is not good for the country. Eventually, members of his caucus will break from the gridlock to get their constituents the help they need, just as a handful of Republicans did with the extension of unemployment benefits. Let me just say this. I am pleading to Republicans to help us work. Let's get things done. This is a good bill that deserves to pass. I invite my friend the Republican leader to listen to Members of his own caucus who worked so hard on this legislation. I know back home in Kentucky the Republican leader said it wasn't his job to create jobs, but most of us around here disagree with him and want to work to create jobs. In this bill 200,000 jobs will be created. So I say to my friend from Kentucky, honor your Members' efforts and the bipartisan compromise that created this legislation and allow us to vote on Shaheen-Portman. Bring this unnecessary obstruction to an end today and pass this energy efficiency legislation. It is what Democrats want. It is what Republicans want. More importantly, it is what the American people want and need. Measures Placed on the Calendar--H.R. 2824 and H.R. 3826 Mr. President, there are two bills at the desk due for a second reading.

Mr. REID. I object to further proceedings with respect to these bills.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, the last vote was about 10 minutes over time. We waited patiently for everyone. For the next two votes, at the end of the time we are going to cut it off. We have a lot of things going on during lunchtime. If you are not here, you are not going to be counted. We can't be waiting because it is impolite and unfair to everybody else. We have two more votes. I yield back the time on the two judges. We are going to have a third vote that will be by voice vote.