Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 872, which is at the desk.

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 873, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, the Secretary of the Senate and the Senate Sergeant at Arms have received from the Department of Homeland Security subpoenas for personnel records of a Sergeant at Arms employee sought in connection with an administrative investigation. In keeping with the Senate's practice under its rules, this resolution would authorize the Secretary and the Sergeant at Arms to provide these personnel records to the Homeland Security Department for use in this matter. U.S. Senate, Office of Senate Legal Counsel, Washington, DC. To: The Hon. Charles E. Schumer and The Hon. Mitch McConnell. cc: The Hon. Soncceria Ann Berry and The Hon. Karen Gibson. From: Patricia Mack Bryan and Morgan J. Frankel. Re: Production of records of the Secretary of the Senate and the Senate Sergeant at Arms. Date: December 6, 2022. The Secretary of the Senate and the Senate Sergeant at Arms have received from the Department of Homeland Security subpoenas for personnel records of an employee of the Sergeant at Arms. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is conducting an administrative investigation in an immigration marriage fraud matter focusing on a third party and has determined that the personnel records of a Senate employee are needed for the proper adjudication of that matter. Both the Secretary and the Sergeant at Arms would like to cooperate with these records requests of the Homeland Security Department. In accordance with Senate Rule XI and the Senate's practice, the accompanying resolution would provide the Secretary and the Sergeant at Arms with authority to provide these personnel records to the Homeland Security Department.

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 550, H.R. 5343.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute be 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

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 5973 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SCHUMER. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, December 14, be waived.

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

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

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 564, S. 4893.

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the Peters substitute amendment, which is 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. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged and the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1917.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I have four 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 authopized to meet during today's session of the Senate: committee on banking, housing, and urban affairs The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. committee on indian affairs The Committee on Indian Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a business meeting. committee on small business and entrepreneurship The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing. select committee on intelligence The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a closed briefing.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, first, I understand that there is a bill at the desk that is due for a second reading.

Mr. SCHUMER. In order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to further proceedings.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, last night, Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Shelby, and Chairman DeLauro announced that the appropriators have agreed to a framework for an omnibus agreement that will fully fund the Federal Government in fiscal year 2023. This is welcome and important news. Congress now has a roadmap for funding the government before the conclusion of the 117th Congress--something the large majority of us want to see. We still have a long way to go, but a framework is a big step in the right direction. A yearlong omnibus is by far the best option we have for making sure our kids, our senior citizens, our veterans, our small businesses, our military members, our defense, and all of the families who benefit from this don't see vital government services lapse or shrink. It means we can fully implement the investments secured. We fought so hard for the PACT Act; we have to fund it. We fought so hard for the CHIPS and Science Act; we have to fund it. A CR will not fund these bills, but an omnibus agreement will. And they were all bipartisan, with large support from both sides of the aisle. An omnibus bill is also a balanced approach because it will contain wins that both sides want to see, like the Electoral Count Act and funding for our friends in Ukraine. If we can come to an agreement on an omnibus, I am optimistic that these bills, which are so important to Democrats and Republicans alike--the ECA and funding for Ukraine--can become law. But before we pass a funding bill, we also must ensure the government doesn't first shut down, so we are going to have to pass a 1-week continuing resolution ASAP. The House is set to act on a 1-week CR as soon as tonight, and when that bill comes to the Senate, we should be ready to act quickly, as soon as tomorrow if we can. The appropriations process, of course, is not over. So the responsible and prudent thing to do right now is to pass a 1-week CR quickly, without the unwelcome brouhaha that has provoked shutdowns in the past. And, remember, as we go through this appropriations process, the experiences of the last decades show that those who risk shutdowns in order to make political points always lose in the end. Nancy Pelosi Mr. President, now, on Speaker Pelosi, later this afternoon, I will have the honor--the bittersweet honor--of joining with congressional leaders, past and present, to unveil the official portrait of my dear friend and a great leader, Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Every year, millions come to the Capitol to learn about our democracy and to put a face to the names of history. They walk these halls and see the portraits of Speakers from ages past--Sam Rayburn, Tip O'Neill, and so many others. But after today--after today--the faces of those male leaders will forever be joined by Madam Speaker. So today is a happy day to celebrate an amazing public servant who had an amazing career. But it is also a chance to say thank you to a dear friend and a beloved colleague. Leader to leader, I will always admire Speaker Pelosi for an important quality that has set her apart: She always keeps her caucus united behind a common goal. She keeps repeating over and over again, and has for 20 years: Our unity is our strength. That is what she always has said. I have and will continue to repeat the same to my caucus. I yield the floor. Recognition of the Minority Leader

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the Republican leader, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider calendar No. 861, Musetta Tia Johnson, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces for a term of fifteen years to expire on the date prescribed by law; that there be 10 minutes for debate equally divided in the usual form on the nomination; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record, and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the Sullivan substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the committee- reported substitute, as amended, be 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

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 572, S. 2135.