Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

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

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

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I move to refer H.R. 2471 to the Committee on Appropriations, with instructions to report back forthwith, with an amendment.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading.

Mr. SCHUMER. I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Mr. SCHUMER. That is the correct number. I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 3 p.m., Monday, March 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 executive session and resume consideration of the Young nomination; further, that the cloture motions filed during today's session ripen at 5:30 p.m.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, if we want to hasten the evening, I would suggest everybody stay around. Try to sit in your seats. We are going to try to limit the rest of the votes to 10 minutes.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. We yield back all time, Mr. President.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, every day, the U.S. Postal Service faithfully delivers for the American people. Today, the Senate is finally delivering for the post office. Today, we can happily say that the postal reform is now signed, sealed, and delivered for the American people. Because of today's bill, the Postal Service will be stronger, more efficient, and better able to serve more people, and we did it on a bipartisan basis. For over a decade, the USPS--one of the most important institutions in American life--has been on an ominous trajectory: shrinking revenues, fewer delivery routes, and finances in desperate need of a revamp. These problems led to late deliveries, reduced hours, and increased costs. And when the Postal Service suffers, America suffers. Today, after much hard work, the Senate is providing the Postal Service a much needed reset. The legislation we are about to pass is the most significant step that Congress has taken in a long time to strengthen USPS. It will guarantee delivery services 6 days a week, put the Postal Service on a path to solvency, and will ensure that we care for our dedicated postal workers, all while saving dollars. This postal reform bill is a win-win-win: a win for bipartisanship, a win for our postal workers, and most importantly, a win for the tens of millions of Americans who rely on the Postal Service every single day, from seniors to veterans, to small businesses, to rural Americans, to everyone in between. I want to really give a special shout-out to my colleagues who made this possible for us to pass this bill. Senators Peters and Portman led the charge, Senator Carper worked long in the vineyards on this bill, and so many others as well. Of course, I want to thank the half a million postal workers who kept our country going every single day, especially during the pandemic. While so many other services were shut down during COVID, the post office kept delivering goods and supplies and medicines across the economy. They are public servants of the highest order. So it is a great day for our postal workers, and it is a great day for the American people. The bill has been in the works for over a decade, and today, after so much work, we are all thrilled to have finally gotten it done. Vote on H.R. 3076

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

Mr. SCHUMER. I yield the floor to the Senator from Iowa.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that, at 4:50 p.m. today, all postcloture time be considered expired on H.R. 3076; that amendment No. 4955 be withdrawn; that the bill be considered read a third time; that if a budget point of order is raised and a motion to waive made, the Senate vote on the motion to waive; that if waived, the Senate vote on the passage of the bill; further, that upon disposition of H.R. 3076 that, notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate proceed to executive session and vote on the motions to invoke cloture on Calendar Nos. 547 and 719; that if cloture is invoked on any of these nominations, the Senate vote on confirmation of the nominations at a time to be determined by the majority leader or his designee following consultation with the Republican leader; finally, that there be 2 minutes for debate, equally divided in the usual form, prior to each vote, all without further intervening action or debate. Also, in an effort to speed up the votes, I ask unanimous consent that all votes after the first vote be 10-minute votes. Members should be notified to get here and to stay around so we can get this done.

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, in 1922, the first robust antilynching bill was successfully passed by the House of Representatives. Once it came to the Senate, a block of Southern segregationists mounted a filibuster to kill it in its tracks. Over the decades, similar bills met similar fates. Throughout the 20th century, scores of antilynching bills were introduced, only to be promptly buried into obscurity. In 2018, Congress came closer than ever to finally passing antilynching legislation before it was thwarted at the eleventh hour. But last night, finally--finally--after more than 200 failed attempts to declare lynching a Federal crime, the Senate succeeded in taking long, overdue action by passing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act. Hallelujah. Congress has finally declared lynching a Federal crime, as it should have done more than a century ago. That it took so long is a permanent, bitter stain on American history; but, finally, a century's worth of efforts has now paid off. To say this is a historic accomplishment is impossibly inadequate. Generations of civil rights leaders and advocates dedicated their lives to getting Congress to recognize the humane, obvious truth: that lynching was an intolerable injustice inflicted primarily on disenfranchised Black Americans. Thousands upon thousands of Black Americans have been victims of lynch mobs across the country, and indifferent States have rarely responded, if ever. Many of the sworn officers of these States and localities not only ignored but often participated when these atrocities occurred. Despicable. Horrible. America should be so ashamed of this chapter in her history. And while no single congressional action can fully erase the injustices committed against victims of lynching, last night was an important step in the never-ending work of perfecting our Union. Only by confronting the darkest elements of our history can we make straight the path toward a brighter and more just future. I want to really applaud Senator Booker. He has been diligent and hard-working and valiant in getting this to happen. He had a great partner in Senator Scott--bipartisan. And on the House side, the person who lit this candle and kept it glowing even in the most disappointing of times was Bobby Rush. He never gave up. Congress has finally taken action, and this bill now heads to President Biden's desk, finally--finally--for signature. Government Funding and Coronavirus Madam President, now on COVID, Republicans and Democrats continue making good progress toward reaching a deal to fund the government. We are almost there. We are very, very close, and, hopefully, it will be done in the next few hours. This bill, the spending bill, comes at a consequential moment. War in Europe has focused the energies of Congress into getting something done and getting it done fast, quickly. But one crucial element of the funding bill is getting less attention, and it is as important as just about anything in this bill. That is approving a new round of COVID preparedness funding. For all the important priorities we must address in this spending bill, I believe the COVID funding will go down as one of the most important--one of the most important--elements of the omnibus, and I have been pushing really hard to get it done, working across the aisle to convince our Republican colleagues that we need it. Now that all the Federal COVID aid under the American Rescue Plan has run out, approving new COVID funding is about insurance--far better to prepare for new variants today than to play a frantic game of catchup tomorrow, when it would be too late. We cannot let it be said that America, after the third or fourth variant hits our shores, is unprepared; does not have adequate testing, therapeutics, vaccines. We cannot let that be said again. The first time it happened, of course, we were unprepared. We didn't know what had happened. But, unfortunately, even in the second and third, President Trump's administration was not very eager to move forward, trying to ignore it, saying it didn't really present a danger, which, of course, it has. So now Democrats and Republicans, thankfully, have come together, and both sides of the aisle have come to realize that new COVID funding today is about insurance--far better to prepare today than play a frantic game of catchup tomorrow, when it is too late. The funding will support more vaccines, testing, therapeutics, and healthcare workers, and that is why I have been pushing so hard to get it done. Across the country, life is returning to normal, thankfully. Cases are falling. More people are going about without masks. Restaurants, churches, and stores are filling up. I see that in my hometown of New York. Most importantly, classrooms are full; schools are staying open. Now that we are turning the corner, now that we are getting back to normal, the last thing we can afford to do is let our guard down, lest a new variant comes back with a vengeance and catapults us all back to square one, a place where we all do not want to be. Sadly, we know from experience that another variant is a very real possibility. No one can say for certain how the virus will mutate, but today we have the tools and know-how to fight this virus the minute it hits our shores, while preserving as much of normal life as possible. All that is needed is the Federal funding, and $15 billion of that funding will be in the omnibus bill. So that is why I pushed so hard to get COVID funding into the spending bill. I am encouraged to see that Members have come around to recognize its importance, and I hope we can get it done very, very soon. Furthermore, I am pleased that we are likewise close--very close--to passing a strong and ample aid package that will help the people of Ukraine fight against Putin's immoral war. They desperately need humanitarian aid, as millions of people are without food, without heat, without shelter, without medicine. They desperately need the arms to defend themselves against brutal Russian aggression, often viciously aimed at civilians who are escaping. We pledged to get something big done, and in the coming hours I expect we will be able to announce that we have followed through.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged and the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 2545.

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. Mr. President, I just want to go over what just happened. After more than 200 failed attempts to outlaw lynching, Congress is finally succeeding in taking the long-overdue action by passing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act. Hallelujah. It is long overdue. The first anti-lynching legislation was introduced a century ago, and after so long, the Senate has now finally addressed one of the most shameful elements of this Nation's past by making lynching a Federal crime. That it took so long is a stain--a bitter stain--on America. While this will not erase the horrific injustices to which tens of thousands of African Americans have been subjected over the generations--nor fully heal the terror inflicted on countless others-- it is an important step forward as we continue the work of confronting our Nation's past in pursuit of a brighter and more just future. I want to applaud the work of the legislation's sponsors. Senator Booker has been relentless to get this done and deserves tremendous credit, as does his colleague on the Republican side of the aisle, Senator Scott, and, of course, Representative Bobby Rush, who worked so hard to pass this bill as well. We look forward now to President Biden quickly signing this long- delayed bill into law.

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

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 537, submitted earlier today.