Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, let me give the order. We are almost done. We are about to vote. I first have to do a unanimous consent to vitiate cloture. I am going to speak on the NDAA bill, on the pages, and yield to Leader McConnell to follow me, and then we vote. Unanimous Consent Agreement So, first, I ask unanimous consent to modify the previous order so cloture motions with respect to the substitute amendment No. 935, as amended, and the underlying bill, S. 2226, be withdrawn; that the Schumer amendment No. 936 be withdrawn; that the substitute amendment No. 935, as amended, be agreed to; further, that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and the Senate vote on passage of the bill, as amended, with 60 affirmative votes required for passage; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with up to 10 minutes for debate, equally divided, prior to the vote on passage, with all previous provisions remaining in effect.

Mr. SCHUMER. I announce that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Casey) and the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) are necessarily absent.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, it has been a long day but a very successful day. The NDAA is a prime example of both sides coming together and crafting a strong, bipartisan defense bill that will strengthen America's national security, take care of our servicemembers, and keep the United States the leader in innovation for years to come. This was a bipartisan process through and through. I want to thank Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Wicker and all the Members for their good work on this. A bipartisan process is precisely what the American people are yearning for in a fractured Congress, Democrats and Republicans coming together to provide something as critical as our national defense. The NDAA and the bipartisan process we went through to get here should be a glimmer of hope for the American people, a sign that bipartisanship is alive and well in the Senate, but it is not the only glimmer. We also came together to avert a first-ever default a few months ago, and we are currently making great progress on the appropriations bill, where, almost miraculously, under the leadership of Senator Murphy and Senator Collins, they have advanced all 12 bills out of committee with bipartisan support. (Applause.) I hope what has happened on this bill, the NDAA bill, and these other bills can be a metaphor for future bills down the road. These are two of our highest responsibilities--appropriations and national defense--and we made great progress in these last few months. It has been a really good Senate that the American people can be proud of. It was a good process on and off the floor. Listen to this: 98 amendments. We talk about how we don't do amendments--98; 44 Democrat, 44 Republican, and the rest bipartisan. That is what an NDAA bill should look like--a full floor process with input and debate from both sides. As a result, there are many critical provisions in this NDAA bill as well that we should be proud of. We made critical downpayments on our effort to outcompete the Chinese Government by limiting the flow of investment and advanced technology to China. We are passing the first piece of legislation related to artificial intelligence, including important provisions to increase data sharing with the DOD and increase reporting on AI's use in financial services. Maybe most important to everyone here aware of this fentanyl crisis, we are boosting resources in a major way to tackle the fentanyl crisis by including the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. Senators Brown, Scott, and many others led to that legislation. This act gives the President more powers to stop any country--China, Mexico--from sending the precursor materials that are made into fentanyl to kill our children. Together, all of these provisions provide a strong foundation for the safety and security of our country. One more point. It is in stark contrast to the partisan race to the bottom we saw in the House. House Republicans should look to the bipartisan Senate to see how to get things done. We are passing important bipartisan legislation; they are throwing partisan legislation on the floor that has no chance of passing. The contrast is glaring. If the House of Representatives would look at how we are working here in the Senate and emulate us a little more, they could be far more productive. Senate Pages Mr. President, now on a final note and a serious note. Today is the final day for this page class. It has been a busy session. The pages can help make this place run smoothly. They are here when we need them, and they have served this institution with grace. However, I understand that late last night, a Member of the House majority thought it appropriate to curse at some of these young people, these teenagers, in the Rotunda. I was shocked when I heard about it, and I am further shocked at his refusal to apologize to these young people. I can't speak for the House of Representatives, but I do not think that one Member's disrespect is shared by this body, by Leader McConnell, and myself. So I would like to take a moment to thank these pages for their assistance these many weeks. We wish them well as they return to their homes and families. (Applause.) Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the names of the current pages be printed at the appropriate place in the Record.

Mr. SCHUMER. I now turn to Leader McConnell.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 322, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that 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. President, I am really proud today that my resolution declaring Tony Bennett's birthday, August 3, as Tony Bennett Day has just passed the Senate. I would like to thank Senator Cornyn for joining me in this bipartisan resolution, as well as Speaker Emerita Pelosi for working on a companion resolution in the House. As we all know, we all loved Tony Bennett. Tony is an American icon, a son of Astoria, Queens--a New Yorker through and through--and, without doubt, one of the most beloved singers of our time. You only come across a Tony Bennett once in a lifetime. I would like to think Frank Sinatra got it right when he called Tony Bennett ``the best singer in the business.'' Known for his unparalleled talent and his exceptional vocal range, Tony spanned generations and genres. He touched the hearts of millions around the world. It didn't matter if you were young or old or somewhere in between, it didn't matter if you were a friend or a fan, just about everyone loved Tony, and Tony loved just about everyone. And you could feel that he was in it for the right reasons, not for the money or the fame, but he just loved making music and having people enjoy it. Just to hear him sing a few bars, you knew he cared about the song and he wanted to share that caring with everybody. And he cared about you, as he sang it to you, just about more than anything. And let's not forget, as great a musician as Tony was, he was a very good human being. He fought and served our country admirably during World War II. This always amazed me: He was a lifelong champion of civil rights and marched along Martin Luther King, Jr., in Selma in 1965, at a time when the agents of most entertainers discouraged them from marching in these kinds of things because they might lose some fans. But Tony didn't care. He believed in equality. And he raised money for great causes, including the very disease he was fighting, Alzheimer's. If that still wasn't enough, he was an accomplished painter, and he drew his inspiration from his little bench in Central Park. Tony Bennett's legacy will live on in the hearts of fans, friends, and countless artists he inspired along the way. I am proud we could come together to pass this resolution honoring an extraordinary man and his immeasurable contribution to the arts and our society.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 257.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 253.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 260.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 256.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 146, 147, 149, 150, 152, 154, 210, 211, 213, 215, 218, 219, 221, 273, 277, 278, and 279; 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 action.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nominations: all nominations placed on the Secretary's desk in the Air Force, Army, Foreign Service, Marine Corps, and Navy; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to any of the nominations; that the President be notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, July 27, be waived.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for 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 the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following Senate resolutions: S. Res. 323, S. Res. 324, S. Res. 325, and S. Res. 326.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I have three requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval 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: committee on commerce, science, and transportation The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 10 a.m. subcommittee on chemical safety, waste management, environmental justice, and regulatory oversight The Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight of the Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 9:45 a.m., to conduct a hearing. subcommittee on western hemisphere, transnational crime, civilian security, democracy, human rights, and global women's issues The Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues of the Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the upcoming adjournment of the Senate, the President of the Senate, the President pro tempore and the majority and minority leaders be authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences, or interparliamentary conferences authorized by law, by concurrent action of the two Houses, or by order of the Senate.