Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now, yesterday, President Biden released the second budget of his administration, a strong, forward-looking, and optimistic vision of our country's potential. It is a budget calling for greater investments in the things that make the biggest difference in the lives of middle-class families and in those working to get to the middle class: more support for our schools, increased funding for childcare and healthcare services, strong investments in clean energy and climate change mitigation, support for our farmers and small businesses, as well as relief for our strained supply chains. The Republican leader asserted yesterday that the President's budget is ``fundamentally disconnected'' from what America needs right now. This begs the question: Just how does the Republican leader think the recovery of the past 12 months came to pass? We have seen the greatest jobs recovery in history, the strongest economic surge in 40 years, and a steady return to normal after the worst health crisis of modern times. Does he think it happened by magic? Of course not. These were the results of the right leadership pursuing the right policies at the right moment in our country: robust investments in vaccines, aid for families trying to feed their kids through a crisis, help for businesses and local communities struggling to stay open. And as our recovery continues under President Biden, Republicans seem to think the right answer is to shortchange the American people and cut off vital resources that help our country grow. Republicans can't stand the thought of asking the ultrarich to pay their fair share, and as a result, efforts to strengthen the middle class, which would be paid for by taxes on those at the very top, are anathema to them. Keeping the wealthy wealthy is more important for Republicans than strengthening the middle class. Republicans, indeed, seem to think it is ``fundamentally disconnected'' to increase investments in things like public education, Pell grants, title 1, which helps kids most at need. Republicans believe it is somehow wasteful or far left to dare help families afford childcare and pre-K, which never have been pricier than they are today. And beholden as they are to corporate polluters, Republicans seem to think it is radical for the Federal Government to dedicate resources to a clean energy future: more renewables, more clean cars right here from America, and a more prosperous planet for our kids and our grandkids. But, of course, Republicans think it is perfectly fine to try and rip away healthcare for millions of Americans and push trillion-dollar tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthy, but helping the middle class with childcare and education and healthcare is a bridge too far for our Republican friends--sad. For all these reasons, the contrast between President Biden's budget and the vision we are seeing coming from Republicans is stark and glaring. One budget, ours, is for the working and middle class; the other, the Republican budget, is an offering entirely for the ultrawealthy.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 30; 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 conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Pryor nomination; that the cloture motions filed during Monday's session ripen following disposition of the motion to discharge the Bedoya nomination, and that the Senate vote on the motion to discharge the Bedoya nomination at 11:45 a.m.; further, that if cloture is invoked on the Pryor nomination, all postcloture time be considered expired at 1:30 p.m.; finally, if any nominations are confirmed during Wednesday's session of the Senate, 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 Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 642, 643, 734, and 789; 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 any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record; 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 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. I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles 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. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following Senate resolutions, which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 561, S. Res. 562, S. Res. 563, and S. Res. 564.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I want to thank the Senator for her leadership on this issue. We all know that we have seen prices go way up. We also all suspect that a lot of it is due to different kinds of gouging and manipulation. The FTC is about the best Agency to look for this, but without Mr. Bedoya on the FTC, the chair and the members would be handicapped in moving that forward. This is a really important motion to discharge. I hope anyone who cares about inflation and rising prices and collusion and all kinds of manipulation to prevent those prices from coming back down should be voting for this motion to discharge and the nomination. Once again, the Senator from Washington has led the way on this issue, and I salute her. This is a very, very important motion to discharge.

Mr. SCHUMER. Would the Senator from Washington yield for a minute?

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. SCHUMER. Pursuant to S. Res. 27, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee being tied on the question of reporting, I move to discharge the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee from further consideration of Alvaro M. Bedoya, of Maryland, to be a Federal Trade Commissioner for the term of seven years from September 26, 2019.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call for the cloture motion filed today, March 29, be waived.

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

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 667.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I understand that there are two bills at the desk due for a second reading en bloc.

Mr. SCHUMER. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER. In order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to further proceeding en bloc.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam 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. 672.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 716.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. SCHUMER. Pursuant to S. Res. 27, the Banking Committee being tied on the question of reporting, I move to discharge the Banking Committee from further consideration of Lisa Denell Cook, of Michigan, to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.