Harry Reid

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed occur on Monday, September 8, when the Senate resumes legislative session following confirmation of the Pryor nomination.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam 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. I appreciate the words of my three friends. Mr. President, there are times when partisanship does not exist. I hope everyone will note that last night when we couldn't get this cleared--I, we--there was no finger-pointing. I understand the person objected. He is a fine man. He is a man of principle. But I have faith in this institution and our sticking by our friend. So I am happy to be here today to be a part of this conclusion. The situation in Israel is grave. We think this Iron Dome protects Israel. It protects a lot of Israel. But Israel does not have enough Iron Domes--plural--to protect them. They need more. But this will certainly be a step in the right direction. Three thousand rockets have been fired in the last 2\1/2\, 3 weeks-- 3,000. But for this technology that was perfected by the Israelis, they would be in dire straits. There would be a war in the Middle East that we cannot imagine. Let's be realistic. Are we going to benefit from what they have done? Of course we are. They are sharing this technology with us as we speak. There was a cease-fire that lasted about 2\1/2\ hours. It is terribly unfortunate what is going on over there, but, as David Brooks said on ``NewsHour''--this conservative columnist said he had never known of a conflict in history where one side says: Kill more of us. It is hard to comprehend. When the Israelis notify someone ``there is going to be action taken in this building you are in; would you leave,'' the leadership in Gaza tells them to stay there, and unfortunately a lot of them do. This is something that is hard for me to comprehend, that something like this goes on. That little country, that tiny little country is the only democracy in that whole area. That is it. Netanyahu--if I were in Israel, I may have voted for someone else, but the Israeli people determine who leads that country. I don't know of a bond of friendship that we have or ever had in world history better than this one, and so I will stand by Israel. I will stand by Israel for a lot of personal reasons but certainly for political reasons, and I have no hesitation in declaring to the world that is how I feel.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 488, S. 2648.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 2648, the emergency supplemental appropriations bill, postcloture. The time until 10 a.m. will be equally divided between the two leaders or their designees. The ranking member of the Budget Committee, Senator Sessions, will control the time from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the majority will control the time from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. We will notify all Senators when votes are scheduled. Measure Placed on the Calendar--S. 2709

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I understand that S. 2709 is at the desk and due for a second reading.

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

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I respect, admire, and applaud Senators Cantwell and Manchin for the work they have done on this most important bill. We need to find a way forward on it. There are some in the House of Representatives and a few over here who have made this very difficult to do, and it is so important to the economic stability of our country. I met yesterday with the head of Boeing aircraft, and they have 800,000 jobs directly and indirectly connected to this--I shouldn't say ``to this.'' But it is a significant part of what they do and need to do to get their finances in order. It would be a shame if we weren't able to renew this. It expires at the end of September. September Work Schedule Before we finish our business and Senators return for the work period at home, I want everyone to know about what is going to happen when we come back. Following the August recess, when we convene on September 8, we will be here for 1 week, 2 weeks, and 2 days. That is it. September 23 is our target date to adjourn until after the election. I hope we can do that. This leaves us little more than 2 weeks and 2 days. That is not a lot of time for the workload we have to do. We need to pass appropriations measures to keep the government from shutting down. We need to pass a temporary extension to the Internet Tax Freedom Act. We need to do something about the items I just mentioned about the Ex-Im Bank. We have to do the Defense authorization bill, which is extremely important for the fighting men and women of this country. We are going to address the Udall constitutional amendment on capping finance reform. And we are going to reconsider a number of issues: college affordability, minimum wage, Hobby Lobby, student debt. We have a lot of work to do. So everyone needs to know that when we come back on September 8, there will be no weekends off. There are only 2 weeks until we go home, and everyone should not plan things on these weekends. So no one can say: You need to give us notice. You have been given notice. I had a chairmen's lunch yesterday. Every chairman there said we should work those two weekends. So everybody, this isn't me trying to dictate a schedule. At lunch yesterday, the chairmen of this institution said we should work those two weekends. I just mentioned a few things we have to do. So again, Saturday, September 13; Sunday, September 14; Saturday, September 20; Sunday, September 21, we need to be here, including the Fridays that precede those dates that I gave. Every day between September 8 and September 30 is fair game. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, we need to be here. I repeat for the third time here this morning: There is so much to do and so little time to do it. We have not had a productive Congress. We can't push everything back to the so-called lameduck. Much of what we are able to accomplish in September depends on the Republicans in the House. Will they get their business done and pass legislation that is important for our country and including the economy? Here we have lamented the fact that they refuse to take up and pass our comprehensive immigration reform. What a good piece of legislation, a bipartisan bill passed out of this body by an overwhelming margin, and Republicans refuse to take it up. Among other things, it will reduce the debt by $1 trillion. We have no extension of long-term unemployment benefits. I have talked about minimum wage and I have talked about student debt. I have talked about Hobby Lobby. I have talked about equal pay for women, getting paid equally for the work they do that is the same as men. But they have no interest in these issues. They certainly have no interest in getting corporate bosses out of health care for women. No, they are busy turning the House floor into a theater. And it is a double feature like we used to go to when they had double features--at least I don't think they do anymore. It is a double feature. House Republicans are, first of all, going to sue the President. And, above all, the Republicans in the House and the Senate--the most anti- trial-lawyer group of legislators in the history of the country--who are they going to? Trial lawyers. Who is going to pay those trial lawyers? The American taxpayers. And if that isn't enough, once their lawsuit gets going, they are going to try to impeach the President. So that is what it is all about. We have a lot to do. A lot depends on the political theater in the House. If the House Republicans are serious and focus their time on legislation to help American families, then it could be a very productive month in September. If they keep up the sue-and-impeach show, we will stay right here working until they finally get serious about giving the American people a fair shot. Reservation of Leadership Time

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

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 471, S.J. Res. 19.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume consideration of S. 2648.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the time until 6:45 be equally divided between the two leaders or their designees, and that at 6:45 this evening, it be in order for Senator McConnell or his designee to be recognized for the purpose of moving to table amendment No. 3751; that if the motion to table is not agreed to, Senator Sessions or his designee be recognized for the purpose of raising a budget point of order against the bill; that if a point of order is raised, then Senator Mikulski or her designee be recognized for a motion to waive; that if the motion to waive is made, the Senate immediately proceed to vote on the motion to waive; that if that motion to waive is agreed to, then, notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate immediately proceed to the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the bill; that if cloture is not invoked, the bill be returned to the calendar; if cloture is invoked, all postcloture time be yielded back and the pending amendments be withdrawn and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of S. 2648.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by me, after consultation with Senator McConnell, the Senate proceed to the consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3230, the Veterans Access to Care Act; that Senator Coburn or his designee be recognized for the purpose of raising a budget point of order against the conference report; that if the point of order is raised, then Senator Sanders or his designee be recognized for a motion to waive; that if the motion to waive is made, there be up to 10 minutes equally divided between Senators Coburn and Sanders or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote on the motion to waive; that if the motion to waive is agreed to, the Senate immediately proceed to vote on adoption of the conference report; that the vote on adoption be subject to a 60- affirmative-vote threshold; that if the conference report is adopted, the Senate then proceed to the consideration of H. Con. Res. 111; that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that upon disposition of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3230, the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House with respect to H.R. 5021; that following the reporting of the message, I be recognized to make a motion to recede from the Senate amendment; that following the leader's motion, Senator Sessions or his designee be recognized for the purpose of raising a point of order against the bill; that if the point of order is raised, Senator Wyden or his designee be recognized to move to waive the point of order; that no other motions be in order to the bill; that if the motion to waive is made, there be up to 20 minutes equally divided between the two leaders or their designees and the Senate immediately proceed to vote on the motion to waive; that if the motion to waive is agreed to, the Senate proceed to vote on the motion to recede from its amendment to H.R. 5021.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we expect the votes to begin about 6:45 tonight, but they could come earlier, so everyone should be aware of that. Seeing no one here to speak, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that all remaining votes be 10 minutes in duration.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is regretful that the Republicans have blocked the Senate from addressing urgent needs. Senator Mikulski has worked very hard on this urgent supplemental. It is very regrettable that we are not able to move forward on it. I would like to address at least two of what I believe are urgent needs. I understand that Republican Senators are unwilling to fund a proposed response to the crisis we have at the border. But certainly could we not agree that we have situation in the western part of the United States that is very difficult. We responded when we had problems in the South with the hurricanes, in the East with the hurricanes. We have a problem in the West. We have fires that are raging all over the West. We have a fire in Washington that has been burning for weeks. Hundreds of homes have been burned. In Oregon, we have 400,000 acres that are burning. California has a couple of big fires. Nevada has a fire. A fire started, I understand, in Idaho a day or two ago. Thousands and thousands of firefighters are there. With temperatures rising, we have a drought all over the western part of the United States. Fires have gotten more and more difficult to fight and more expensive. They have been easier and easier to start. We are in dire need of additional funds. That is why this is part of the emergency supplemental. This is an emergency. The West is burning. The funds we seek would ensure that we protect life and property in the West without draining funds from other programs that help us stop this destructive wildfire cycle. Another urgent need. We have all watched as the tiny state of Israel, our friend who is with us on everything, they have had in the last 3 weeks 3,000 rockets fired into their country--3,000. Iron Dome, as I have spoken here on the floor, has done a good job, but it does not cover Israel. They are mobile units. They move them around as well as they can. They depend on Iron Dome. The system works 90 percent of the time, not all of the time. Last week Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel asked for $225 million in emergency funding so that Israel's arsenal as it relates to the Iron Dome could be replenished. It is clear this is an emergency. We should be able to agree on that. That is why I make the following unanimous consent request. First of all, so everyone understands, I am going to make a request that we have emergency funding for the wildfires in the West and the money I have talked about for Israel and Iron Dome. Unanimous Consent Requests--H.J. Res. 76 I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 220, H.J. Res. 76; that a Mikulski substitute amendment at the desk providing emergency appropriations for the Iron Dome defense system in Israel and combating wildfires in the Western States be agreed to; that the joint resolution, as amended, be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am frankly not surprised that this objection has been made. It is too bad. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 220, H.J. Res. 76; that a Mikulski substitute amendment at the desk providing emergency appropriations for combating wildfires in the Western States be agreed to; that the joint resolution, as amended, be read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table with no intervening action or debate. This relates just to the wildfires.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, this is an emergency. There are no budget caps involved with an emergency. Everyone knows that. I am shocked that anyone in this Chamber would stop us from getting these critical funds to fight these fires that I have outlined on a very preliminary basis, and, of course, to help defend Israel. By requesting this amendment, I am disappointed that it has been rejected. I have one more and then we can go on to something else. I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 220, that a Reid-McConnell-Mikulski substitute amendment at the desk providing emergency funding for the Iron Dome defense system in Israel be agreed to; that the joint resolution, as amended, be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, this is an emergency. Our No. 1 ally, at least in my mind, is under attack. If this is not an emergency, I do not know anything that is. So I refuse to modify my request.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Senator's amendment would cut the United States assessed contribution to NATO and the World Health Organization. Now as we speak, they are fighting to control an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. Peace Corps volunteers have been called home from three different countries. The amendment of the Senator, my friend from Oklahoma, would cut the International Civil Aviation Organization, which is now investigating what took place in Ukraine, killing 298 people. So even if you do not like the U.N., the Senator's amendment would cut UNICEF funds to help the world's poorest children. The Senator's amendment would cut the U.N. Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture. Now, that says it all. I have no more to say.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, under the previous order, I call for the Senate to proceed to the veterans conference report.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I renew the request I made earlier this evening. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 220; that a Reid-McConnell-Mikulski substitute amendment at the desk providing emergency appropriations for the Iron Dome defense system in Israel be agreed to; that the joint resolution, as amended, be read a third time and passed; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. REID. I ask for the yeas and nays on that amendment.