Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I have an amendment to amendment No. 6517, which is at the desk.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask that further reading of the amendment be waived.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the Cornyn substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 4926 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 870, submitted earlier today.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. SCHUMER. I now ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the provisions of S. Res. 870.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, before I begin, I want to extend a massive--massive--congratulations to the Syracuse Orange men's soccer team for winning the NCAA College Cup national championship last night in a heart-stopping 7-to-6 victory, after penalty kicks. A big congrats to Coach McIntyre, all the amazing players, and the staff on a phenomenal accomplishment--the first in Syracuse history. Go Orange. Government Funding Mr. President, now on the omnibus, a more serious subject, negotiations for a yearlong omnibus agreement move forward. There is a lot of work left to do, but we are optimistic that if we preserve the good faith we have seen so far, we will get there. I remain hopeful because despite disagreements about the ultimate package, there is little disagreement that an omnibus is by far the best solution for funding the government. Still, we are going to need a little more time beyond this week to get an omnibus done. To avoid a shutdown this Friday, the Senate should be ready to pass a 1-week CR by the end of this week to give negotiators more time to finish an agreement by the holidays. The House is set to begin consideration of a weeklong CR today, and after all the progress made towards an omnibus agreement, I hope nobody here in the Senate stands in the way of getting a 1-week CR passed quickly, through consent if needed. Again, an omnibus is the best option--the most responsible option-- for funding the government in the next fiscal year. It will ensure that the Federal Government has all the resources necessary to serve the public at full capacity. It will make sure our troops in uniform are taken care of. And I expect an omnibus will contain priorities both sides want to see passed into law, including more funding for Ukraine and the Electoral Count Act, which my colleagues in the Rules Committee have done great work on. It will be great to get that done. After all the work we have done this year to pass important new bills, like the PACT Act and the CHIPS and Science Act and so much more, a CR into next year could prevent the investment secured in those bills from going out the door. The vast majority of us don't want to go down that road. So, again, the best option--the most responsible option--is to proceed toward an omnibus, even if it won't contain everything both sides want. Nomination of Arun Subramanian Mr. President, now on judges, later this morning it will be my honor to come before the Senate Judiciary Committee to introduce an exceptional public servant, Arun Subramanian, whom President Biden nominated on my urging to serve as a district judge for the Southern District of New York. Here on the floor, Arun Subramanian is one of the few South Asians who are on the bench--we need more--but he will pave the way. And it is my intention to continue to support South Asians to come to the bench. Nomination of Dana M. Douglas Mr. President, here on the floor, we will also proceed with the confirmation of Dana Douglas to serve as circuit court judge for the Fifth District, which covers Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Judge Douglas's confirmation today will be significant for a few reasons. For one, Judge Douglas will be the 28th--the 28th--circuit court judge this majority confirms in the last 2 years. Of the many votes we take in this Chamber, confirming circuit court judges ranks near the top in importance. The lion's share of all Federal cases, after all, are decided at the circuit court level. Judge Douglas is also significant because, after her confirmation, the Senate will have confirmed 11 Black women to serve as circuit court judges. This is a record for any single session of Congress. Before President Biden, only eight such nominees had been confirmed by this Chamber. So this is truly a historic shift in the court's composition. This representation matters enormously. The health of our Federal courts hangs on judges who will both apply the law correctly while also earning Americans' trust in the first place. The more our courts look like the country at large--the more languages and backgrounds and specialties we have on the bench--the more likely the trust endures. That is more important than ever, given the recent disturbing decisions handed down by the Supreme Court. That is why judges like Dana Douglas matter. That is why circuit court judges matter. And we are going to keep working for the rest of this year and beyond to bring diversity and balance back to our courts. Respect for Marriage Act Mr. President, on the White House signing ceremony, finally, this morning I want to note my tie. I am wearing it today for two reasons. First, it is a constant reminder of one of the happiest moments of my life, the day my daughter got married. And, second, I am wearing it because, later this afternoon, President Biden will sign the Respect for Marriage Act into law. For many Americans in same-sex marriages--or who one day wish to marry their partner--today is a day of relief and of jubilation. By passing this law, we are sending a message to LGBTQ Americans everywhere: You, too, deserve dignity and equality under the law. Few bills have hit home for Members on the Hill quite like this one. Marriage equality is not just the right thing to do for America, it is personal for so many of us, our staffs, and our families. My daughter and her wife are beautifully--praise God--expecting their first child, my third grandchild, next spring, and I want them to raise their child with all the love and security that every child deserves. Thanks to the dogged work of many of my colleagues, my grandchild will live in a world that will respect and honor their mothers' marriage. And, look, nothing about the Respect for Marriage Act was inevitable. On the contrary, it took a lot of faith and a bit of risk taking to reach this point. When my colleagues came and asked me for a delay, I made that choice, and it was because they believed--and I believed-- that the bipartisan process could indeed work. It wasn't a decision we took lightly, but today that gamble is paying off. So I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for making today's signing possible, and I thank my friend Senator Feinstein, who originally authored this landmark bill. Because of them and because of the millions of Americans out there who pushed for change, history will be made at the White House later today. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I have nine requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further consideration of PN2402 and PN2249; that the Senate proceed to their en bloc consideration and vote without intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate the message to accompany S. 198. The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives. Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 198) entitled ``An Act to require the Federal Communications Commission to incorporate data on maternal health outcomes into its broadband health maps.'', do pass with an amendment. Motion to Concur

Mr. SCHUMER. I move to concur in the House amendment, and I ask unanimous consent that the motion be agreed to and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 977, 1106, 1113, 1119, 1257, 1261, 1262, 1263, 1266, 1267, 1268, 1269, 1270, and 1272; that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc without intervening action or debate; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 869, submitted earlier today.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, finally, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 14, and 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, and morning business be closed, that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to consideration of Calendar No. 640, S.J. Res. 60; further, that at 12 noon, the joint resolution be considered read a third time and the Senate vote on passage of the joint resolution; that upon disposition of the joint resolution, the Senate proceed to executive session for consideration of executive Calendar No. 1053, Francisco Mora, that the Senate vote on confirmation of the Mora nomination at 5 p.m.; finally, if any nominations are confirmed during Wednesday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 5006 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon table.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, Members are working around the clock to finish the year on a strong note. This week, the Senate will consider the bipartisan National Defense Authorization bill, which I hope we will send to the President's desk very soon. The NDAA has consistently been a bipartisan effort, and that is my expectation this year too. On the nominations front, we are going to keep working as long as we can to confirm as many exceptional Biden nominees as possible. Since the start of the Biden administration, we have confirmed a total of 95--95--judicial nominees to the bench, including 1 Supreme Court Justice, 68 district judges, and 26--26--circuit court judges. Let me say that again. Over the past 2 years, we have confirmed 95 new judges to the bench, including 26 circuit court judges, surpassing the first 2 years of the past two administrations. Today, we will confirm judge No. 96 when we vote on Tamika Montgomery-Reeves to serve as a circuit judge on the Third Circuit. An alumnus of the University of Mississippi and Georgia Law School, Judge Montgomery-Reeves served as a clerk in Delaware before embarking on a successful career in private practice. In 2005, she was appointed to the Delaware Court of Chancery and then to the State supreme court in 2020, becoming the first Black woman to ever serve in either court. When confirmed, Judge Montgomery-Reeves will join in the proud company of so many other Biden appointees who, little by little, are reshaping our courts for the better. Of the 95 judges we have confirmed to date, 71 are women, about 75 percent; 65 are people of color, almost 70 percent; 45 are women of color, nearly 50 percent; and 23 are Black women, nearly 25 percent. We have never seen a class of new judges that brings so much diversity, variety, and dynamism in a single 2-year stretch. And, of course, it is not just the diversity of demography that matters. In the last 2 years, the Senate has confirmed more civil rights lawyers, public defenders, election attorneys, immigration lawyers than we typically see in this Chamber. It is a big reason today why our courts are more balanced and more dynamic and more experienced than they were 2 years ago. You can be sure that judges will remain a top priority in the Congress to come. More judges mean a more balanced judiciary, and a more balanced judiciary will mean greater trust in our courts in the long run--so important for our country at this moment in time because the MAGA Supreme Court and so many of these other MAGA judges have caused people to lose faith in the courts.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 13, the Senate proceed to legislative session; that the time until 7 p.m. be for debate equally divided between the two leaders or their designees on the motion to discharge S.J. Res. 56 from the Committee on Foreign Relations, with 30 minutes under the control of Senator Sanders and 10 minutes under the control of Senator Menendez; and that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate vote on the motion to discharge the joint resolution.