Harry Reid

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.

Mr. REID. I have a motion to commit S. 2648, with instructions, which is at the desk.

Mr. REID. On that motion I ask for the yeas and nays.

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

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

Mr. REID. I have a second amendment now at the desk.

Mr. REID. I have a cloture motion at the desk.

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

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask that the Chair lay before the Senate the House message to H.R. 5021. The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the House disagree to the amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 5021) entitled ``An Act to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the highway trust fund and for other purposes.''

Mr. REID. I move to recede in the Senate amendment to H.R. 5021. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we request 2 minutes of debate on this side, 1 minute for the chairman of the Finance Committee and 1 minute for the chairman of the public works committee.

Mr. REID. Following that, I ask that 18 minutes be dispensed with.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, following disposition of the House message related to H.R. 5021, the highway bill, the Senate vote on cloture on Calendar No. 848, the Pryor nomination; further, that if cloture is invoked, all postcloture time be expired at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 8, 2014, the Senate resume executive session and the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the nomination; further, that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nomination; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we will have two more votes. We will be in session tomorrow. There will be no votes tomorrow, but there will be some activity here that we have to complete. So the next vote will be Monday, September 8.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I rise today in recognition of the 40th anniversary of Turkey's invasion of Cyprus in July 1974, which resulted in the division of Cyprus. In 1974, a Turkish military invasion divided Cyprus into two de facto regions, forcing tens of thousands of Cypriots to flee their homes. Today, Turkish troops continue to occupy northern Cyprus and, after four decades, the country remains divided. This month, the United States remembers those who were forced to flee their homes and lost their property, and we acknowledge the economic, political, and humanitarian impacts of this division. I stand to reaffirm our commitment and support for a comprehensive agreement to achieve reunification. I am proud of the strong relationship between the United States and the Republic of Cyprus, and of our mutual commitment to democracy, counterterrorism, and economic development. I look forward to the day when this important partnership is made even stronger by a unified Cyprus. I am encouraged by the February 2014 announcement that Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu would resume long-stalled reunification talks. I am hopeful that these meetings will lay the groundwork for peaceful negotiations that will result in a fair and lasting solution.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise in recognition of the George Washington University Native American Political Leadership Program and the INSPIRE Pre-College Program. The Native American Political Leadership Program, NAPLP, provides Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian college students the opportunity to spend a semester living, working, and studying in Washington, DC. The promising young leaders who participate in this invaluable program gain rich academic, professional, and life experiences in part through congressional internships on Capitol Hill, including the Senate. Through one-of-a-kind programs, such as NAPLP, Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students learn about American Government and the public policy process with an emphasis on Federal Indian policy, which is important to protecting tribal sovereignty. This year, the George Washington University NAPLP hosted their first INSPIRE Pre-College summer session, which offered a similar educational opportunity to Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian junior and senior high school students. Exemplary high school students traveled to Washington, DC, to participate in the program's intensive 3-week curriculum that motivates Native teens to become more active in the political process and teaches Native youth about the Federal trust relationship between Indian tribes and the Federal Government. I am pleased that NAPLP organizers were able to offer the first-ever INSPIRE Pre-College program for Native high school students this summer. Hailee Brown of the Navajo Nation; Robert Charles of the Native Village of Koyuk; Lisa Chavez of the Ak-Chin Indian Community; Delilah Coleman of the Navajo Nation; Lacayah Engebretson, Tlingit and Athabaskan; Ethan Dan, Yupik; Jessica Petty of the Smith River Rancheria of the Tolowa Indian Tribe; Devin Jensen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians; Warren Mountain of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians; Kara Roanhorse of the Navajo Nation; Christie Wildcat of the Northern Arapaho Tribe were among the first high school students to participate in the INSPIRE Pre-College Summer Program. During my time in Congress, I have worked hard to ensure that the Senate staff and workforce better reflect the diversity of our great Nation. I am proud that the Senate Democratic Diversity Initiative maintains a strong partnership with the NAPLP, and I hope that the experiences gained while participating in these important programs will continue to provide these outstanding students with profound knowledge, academic success, and a pathway to careers in government both on and off of Capitol Hill. I commend the hard work and dedication of the NAPLP and the INSPIRE Program organizers as well as the many young scholars. I look forward to welcoming more Native leaders to the INSPIRE Pre-College program and the NAPLP program in the future.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 488, S. 2648, the emergency appropriations supplemental act.

Mr. REID. Following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, there will be 1 hour for debate equally divided prior to a cloture vote on S. 2569, the Bring Jobs Home Act. If cloture is not invoked, there will be an immediate cloture vote on the motion to proceed on S. 2648, the emergency supplemental appropriations act. Following those votes, there will be voice votes on confirmation of the Akuetteh, Moritsugu, and Kennedy nominations. Order of Procedure I ask unanimous consent that the time from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. be under the control of the Republicans and the time from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. be controlled by the majority.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, S. 2685 is due for a second reading.

Mr. REID. I would object to any further proceedings with respect to the bill.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wisely noted: ``It takes less time to do a thing right than it does to explain why you did it wrong.'' In about 1 hour, Senators will be on the floor and have an opportunity to follow what Longfellow said; that is, to do the right thing. We have a bill that protects American jobs. The Bring Jobs Home Act tackles the growing problem of American jobs being shipped overseas. It is called outsourcing, shipping jobs overseas. We Democrats are lined up against outsourcing. The Bring Jobs Home Act would protect about 21 million jobs in our country. Today in the United States, anytime an American company closes a factory or a plant in America and moves operations to another country, American taxpayers pick up part of that moving bill. It is hard to believe, but it is true. A company moves from America, and American taxpayers help them with the move. If they want to move, American taxpayers shouldn't help them at all. The Bring Jobs Home Act ends senseless tax breaks for these outsourcers. It ends the ridiculous practice of American funding outsourcing of their own jobs. The Bring Jobs Home Act doesn't just fight to keep jobs here in America, it also brings jobs back. This bill provides a 20-percent tax credit to help American companies with the costs of moving operations back to the United States. The Bring Jobs Home Act will protect 150,000 jobs in Nevada. It could potentially save as many as 325,000 at-risk jobs in Kentucky and jobs all over the country. Economically speaking, what else could be more important than ensuring our working Americans' jobs are protected. Regardless of what Republican leaders said and what the Republican leader has opined, helping our constituents stay employed is our duty as a Senator. Frankly, a vote against this bill is a vote against American jobs. There is absolutely no excuse, no justification, for any Member of this body to vote against this legislation. But as of late, Senate Republicans have repeatedly blocked legislation, such as the Bring Jobs Home Act, which is good for the American people. Remember, the Longfellow quote that I mentioned at the beginning of my remarks: ``It takes less time to do a thing right than it does to explain why you did it wrong.'' The wisdom of Longfellow's quote is there, and each time another good bill is blocked by the Senate Republicans we must think of Longfellow and what he said: ``It takes less time to do a thing right than it does to explain why you did it wrong.'' Each time after Republicans have voted against legislation that is good for working families, an odd scene has developed on the Senate floor. A procession of Republicans makes it way to the floor and individually Senators begin to explain why they voted against a good bill, trying to explain why Americans don't deserve a fair shot. For example, after voting against an increase in the minimum wage, after voting against equal pay for women, after voting against cost-cutting energy efficiency, and after voting against student loan refinancing, after all of these votes, the same spectacle unfolds immediately after. The Republicans come through that door and try to make their case. All the American public wants is a fair shot at a good life. Instead of voting for a good piece of legislation that would benefit folks back home, they spend time explaining why they did the opposite. Maybe our vote today will be different. Maybe Senate Republicans will finally focus on the many families depending on the jobs we are trying to protect. If they do, they will vote to bring jobs home. This legislation is important and necessary. If they do, they will vote to keep American jobs from going overseas. Those of us who do the right thing and vote for this will not need to explain because we have done the right thing; and that is because our constituents know we work to give them a fair shot at good, secure jobs. Recognition of the Minority Leader

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I applaud and commend my friend the Senator from Arkansas. This is very visionary legislation. I support what he is doing, and we are going to do everything we can to move forward on this legislation. We would do it more quickly except we have a few problems with people over here. So we are going to do our best.

Mr. REID

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

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following my remarks, Senators Coons, Sessions, Stabenow, and Walsh be permitted to speak for up to 5 minutes each prior to the cloture vote on S. 2569, with Senator Coons being the first to be recognized.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. There is a cloture motion at the desk.