Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, March 24, be waived.

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 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 move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 725.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 2102 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Boozman substitute amendment be considered and agreed to and that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time.

Mr. SCHUMER. I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I further ask that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

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 authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, 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. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 253 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Feinstein 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

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, well, it was another busy and productive evening here on the Senate floor. Yesterday, we confirmed another six judges to important positions on the Federal bench and all of them, I am happy to say, with bipartisan support. We now have confirmed 56--56--judges under this Democratic Senate majority, and I thank my colleagues for their patience and for keeping the pace moving here on the floor last night. There are two judges I am especially proud to have confirmed. First, we confirmed Hector Gonzalez to serve as a district judge for the Eastern District of New York. Mr. Gonzalez is a most deserving, most qualified, and most inspiring individual to serve as a judge. Born in Cuba, raised in Queens, he is the embodiment of the American dream. We also finally confirmed a judge who has inspired me for more than a decade--Ali Nathan, now confirmed as circuit judge for the Second Circuit. When I first met her, I thought, ``Here is someone who is truly special,'' and I still believe that to this day. And, to boot, she increases the diversity of the court as only the second-ever openly lesbian to sit on the Second Circuit--open lesbian on the Second Circuit. I believe that is in the whole Federal judiciary. We will check that. The Second Circuit is one of the most consequential courts in the entire country, calling for only the best of the best to sit on the bench, and Ali Nathan fits the bill. I am glad both of these nominees were confirmed with bipartisan support. On the legislative front, the Senate is pressing ahead on bipartisan competition legislation to lower costs, boost American manufacturing, and fuel another generation of American scientific ingenuity. For the information of all Senators, last night, I moved to file cloture on both the substitute amendment and the underlying legislation for our competitiveness legislation. As I have said previously, our plan has been to take up the House-passed version of this legislation and amend it with the exact same language the Senate approved last summer with bipartisan support, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. Once we pass this amended bill, it will go back to the House, and they will be able to request a conference committee. As convoluted as the Senate process often is, the bottom line is that the train is moving forward when it comes to this bill. A lot of Senators from both parties have worked for years to see legislation like this reach the President's desk. If the United States is to thrive in the 21st century, we need to keep our competitive edge in science and innovation, and this bill would do just that. We must continue growing American jobs. We must continue to lower the price of critical technologies like semiconductors, and this bill would do just that as well. We have a few more steps to take before we reach a conference, but support of this bill is strong and bipartisan, and the process is moving forward. Russia Madam President, on PNTR, negotiations are continuing on passing bipartisan legislation to strip Russia of permanent normal trade relations with the United States. This legislation is greatly needed and timely as President Biden continues meeting with European allies regarding Putin's despicable war on Ukraine. The House passed PNTR by 424 to 8--424 to 8--and the Senate absolutely should pass it with equally strong bipartisan support. There is no justification to delay a popular policy that would deal a heavy, heavy blow on Putin's Russia, especially given that it got such strong Republican support, including from Leader McCarthy in the House. Yesterday, I am happy to say, my team and I had a productive series of talks with Senators Crapo, Wyden, Manchin, and the White House. We reached an agreement with Senator Crapo to move forward on PNTR as soon as we can, while addressing oil ban legislation separately. That way, the PNTR legislation can go right to the President's desk. I hope the rest of my colleagues will get with the program quickly so we can send PNTR legislation to the President's desk as soon as possible. We need a little more work, but we are close to passing this urgent legislation. Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson Madam President, finally, on SCOTUS, after 3 marathon days of speeches and questions and answers, Judge Jackson's public testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee has concluded. After watching the judge weather 3 long days before the Senate Judiciary Committee, my respect and my admiration for her have never been higher. There is not a shred of doubt in my mind that she merits confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. Once again, a handful of Members on the other side--not all, just a handful--tried to smear the judge with misleading and downright false accusations. Once again, the judge remained poised, thoughtful, and strong in her answers. As Senator Booker said yesterday, no amount of cynicism and nastiness could overshadow that Judge Jackson's nomination is a cause for celebration. She is not only a historic nominee; she is one of the most qualified nominees to ever come before the Judiciary Committee. Yesterday, Chairman Durbin announced that the Judiciary Committee will meet on Monday afternoon to begin the process of reporting Judge Jackson's nomination out of committee. There is nothing in Judge Jackson's record suggesting that the committee should have difficulty reporting her nomination out. Once the committee concludes its work, I will move to have her nomination come to the floor in short order. The Senate is on track to have Judge Jackson confirmed as Justice Jackson by the end of this work period. I commend Judge Jackson for her excellent testimony over the course of this week. It is not easy to endure 3 days of testimony with the entire Nation watching, but Judge Jackson has erased any doubt that she is brilliant, she is beloved, and she belongs--unquestionably belongs-- on the U.S. Supreme Court. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, yes, I give the Senator from Vermont my firm commitment to do whatever I can to get an agreement to have votes on his two motions to instruct when the message comes back from the House on this measure. Having made that commitment, I ask the Senator from Vermont whether he might allow the Senate to agree to my original unanimous consent request?

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 791.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I have an amendment to the underlying bill at the desk.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER. I further ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. SCHUMER. I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to and that the bill be considered read a third time.