Harry Reid

Mr. REID

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

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that S. 3412 and S. 3413, which are both at the desk, be considered as having been read twice and placed on the calendar.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, there are two bills at the desk, and I ask for their first reading.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now ask for a second reading on both these matters but object to my own request.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, the first hour today will be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees. The Republicans will control the first half and the majority the final half. At 2:15 p.m. there will be a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to the Bring Jobs Home Act I just moved to. Measure Placed on the Calendar--S. 3401

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am fairly confident that S. 3401 is at the desk and due for a second reading.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 442.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I object to any further proceedings with regard to this bill.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, over the last decade, American companies outsourced about 2\1/2\ million jobs, often to countries where they can hire workers for half the price. And 21 million Americans, including nearly 7 million manufacturing workers, live with the fear their jobs could be shipped overseas tomorrow. More than 130,000 of those at-risk workers live in Nevada. In the Presiding Officer's home State of New Mexico, more than 100,000 jobs in manufacturing, sales, management, the financial sector, and other industries are in jeopardy. And more than 300,000 jobs in the State of Kentucky, the State of my Republican counterpart, are also at risk. So I was surprised yesterday when the minority leader dismissed efforts to end taxpayer incentives for companies that outsource jobs overseas. To quote the minority leader, he said: Why aren't we doing anything? It's time to bring up serious legislation that affects the future of the country. At a time when millions of Americans are looking for work, I am not sure what could be more serious than protecting good-paying, middle- class jobs. The Bring Jobs Home Act, the measure before this body, would end tax incentives for corporations that ship jobs overseas. Every time an American company closes a factory or a call center in America and moves operations to another country, taxpayers pick up part of that moving bill. Hard to comprehend, but it is true. The legislation before this body would end that senseless series of tax breaks for outsourcers. It would offer a 20-percent tax credit to help with the cost of moving production back to the United States. In the last few years, major manufacturers such as Caterpillar have brought jobs back to the United States from Japan, Mexico, and China. Smaller manufacturers such as Master Lock have moved facilities home as well. Congress must do everything in its power to encourage this trend. But let me remind the entire Senate that we must break a Republican filibuster--a record-breaking filibuster--before we can even begin debating the Bring Jobs Home Act. This obstruction is unfortunate, but it is not surprising. After all, the Republicans' nominee for President made a fortune working for a company that shipped jobs overseas. Yesterday, my friend Senator McConnell said he wants to debate serious legislation. If that is the case, he should urge his Republican colleagues to drop their filibuster. The Bring Jobs Home Act is a commonsense strategy to protect American workers. To 21 million Americans whose jobs could be the next sent to China or India, it is a very serious proposal. To the 2\1/2\ million Americans whose jobs have already been shipped offshore, it doesn't get any more serious than that. The only ones who aren't taking this measure seriously are the Republicans in Congress. Recognition of the Minority Leader

Mr. REID. The only amendments I have seen are three in number that the Republicans have suggested--to do away with the Affordable Care Act, to reestablish the Bush tax cuts, and then the Hatch tax measure. As has been the tradition with Republicans, those have absolutely nothing to do with outsourcing. So unless the Republicans get serious about legislating on the legislation we have, the answer would be: Very doubtful.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am not in a position now to announce no more votes today. I hope we can be there in just a little bit, but we are trying to work through some procedural matters now, and hopefully we can do that within the next half hour or so.

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

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have been able to work things out. We are not going to have to be in session--we thought we had it all worked out but now we do not. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. REID. Madam President, there will be no further rollcall votes today. The next vote will be Monday at 5:30 p.m. on the nomination of Michael A. Shipp to be a U.S. district judge for the District of New Jersey. I yield the floor.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I had a long conversation yesterday with the chairman of the committee and with his ranking member, Senator McCain. I understand the importance of the legislation. I know Senator McCain is trying to work to narrow the focus of what we do when we get on that bill. We will get on that; it is only a question of when.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we proceed to a period of morning business and that Senators be allowed to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I sent a cloture motion to the desk with respect to the Shipp nomination. In fact, it may already be there.

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

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I recognize and honor Kathryn E. Landreth for her distinguished service from 2005 to 2012 as the State Director of the Nevada Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Under Kathryn's leadership, The Nature Conservancy--Nevada Chapter has maintained its focus on its core mission to conserve lands and waters on which all life depends. Kathryn was first drawn to The Nature Conservancy for its commitment to science-based information to reach collaborative outcomes for conservation. She was instrumental in working with important partners to establish the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and protect the desert tortoise habitat. Kathryn's vision and leadership also helped the Chapter acquire Independence Lake--one of the most pristine alpine lakes--complete the Whit Hall Interpretive Center and complete restoration work at the McCarran Ranch and Lower Truckee River. In Western Nevada, the Chapter completed the restoration of the Carson and Truckee Rivers to improve wildlife habitats and water quality. I have had the good fortune of working with Kathryn and The Nature Conservancy in Nevada and nationally on legislation that impacts our Federal wild lands heritage. She and The Nature Conservancy have been important partners in successful efforts to protect Nevada's unique landscapes; their advocacy has led to the protection of over 1 million acres across the Silver State. Prior to her work with The Nature Conservancy, she was appointed by President Clinton in October of 1993 to serve as United States Attorney for the District of Nevada. Kathryn served as a tough and effective prosecutor and established a fine legal reputation. Due to her impressive and dedicated work, her efforts have not gone unacknowledged. The Nevada Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers previously recognized her as Public Advocate of the Year, the State Bar of Nevada named her Public Lawyer of the Year, and the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce recognized her as a Woman of Distinction in Government. I am tremendously proud of the legacy that she has imprinted on the State of Nevada. Thank you, Kathryn, for your extraordinary service as a leader and advocate for conservation and justice.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 2 p.m. on Monday, July 23; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and at that time I be recognized; that at 5 p.m. the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 663, the nomination of Michael A. Shipp to be U.S. district judge for the District of New Jersey, with 30 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled in the usual form; further, that the cloture vote on the Shipp nomination be at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, the next rollcall vote will be at 5:30 p.m. on Monday on the motion to invoke cloture on the Shipp nomination.

Mr. REID

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

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I understand S. 3401 is due for its first reading.