Richard Shelby

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. I send a question to the desk.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to finish my remarks prior to the vote.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, just a few weeks ago right here, Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 20. At that time, few if any of us predicted that we would pass all 12 appropriations bills in such a small window of time. Yet today we are poised to do just that in a few minutes. Bipartisan cooperation has made this possible. Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger on the House side and my friend Vice Chairman Leahy and I on the Senate side worked together to change things. I believe that the four of us have shown once again that, if given the opportunity, we will find a bipartisan path forward to get the job done. It is very important that we do this. I would be remiss right now if I did not recognize all members of the Appropriations Committees, Democrats and Republicans, committees on both sides of the aisle and the Capitol, our subcommittee chairs, our ranking members in particulars, and, of course, our staff. We would not be here without their diligence and willingness to work night and day with very little sleep. I thank the leaders on both sides, Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer. I especially want to take a moment here to acknowledge the role played by the Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary Mnuchin, in these negotiations on behalf of the administration. Together, everybody negotiated the budget agreement that paved the way for these bills, and they helped guide them down the stretch. Secretary Mnuchin in particular has been a voice of reason and a driving force in our ability to get to yes, and we should be grateful for that. I believe these bills are good bills that my colleagues can be proud to support. I do not have time here today to go into all the particulars of such a complex piece of legislation, but I want to hit a few high points as I see them. First--always first to me--is America's military, our national security, the security of our Nation. Defense spending here has increased by $22 billion over the previous year. Our men and women in uniform will receive the largest pay increase in 10 years at 3.1 percent, which they deserve. Our veterans can rest assured that they will get the healthcare they earned and deserve through the funding of the VA MISSION Act. These are victories for America and for the American people. Turning to Homeland Security, which is very important, as well, $1.375 billion is provided for the border wall system, and the President will have some greater flexibility on where he can build along the southern border. Not only that, but the President retains critical transfer authorities that will allow him to devote additional resources to border security and immigration enforcement. Again, the objective here and, I believe, the outcome is to make America strong. The last thing that I will mention before wrapping up is that these bills will maintain all legacy policy riders to protect life and the Second Amendment. These provisions have long been foundational to the strength of America and I am proud to assure my colleagues that we can carry them forward. All in all, these bills accommodate countless Members' priorities on both sides of the aisle. I want to thank all of my colleagues, again, for the input they provided at the outset of this process. I also want to take a moment to thank my chief of staff and the staff director of the Appropriations Committee, Shannon Hines, and her staff for all the work they have done, as well as Senator Leahy's staff, working together. As we approach the finish line, I ask for their support. As the clock winds down, let's come together and do what seemed so unlikely just a month ago--to fund the entire Federal Government before the Christmas break. Before I yield the floor, I want to quickly thank, again, all of the staff for their hard work and dedication to make this happen today. Without them, it wouldn't happen and we know this. They have worked tirelessly on our behalf and on behalf of the American people, and we should all be grateful for their efforts. I yield the floor. Cloture Motion

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the waiver provisions of applicable budget resolutions, I move to waive all applicable sections of that act and applicable budget resolutions for purposes of consideration of the message to accompany H.R. 1865, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, today I am honored to congratulate my friend and colleague, Senator Johnny Isakson on his retirement from the U.S. Senate after 15 years of dedicated service. Senator Isakson served the State of Georgia and the entire Nation with integrity, inspiring future generations through his public service. He has led a remarkable career, and he will be truly missed in the Senate. I am proud to know Johnny, and I wish him and his wife, Dianne, all the best in his retirement.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I move to table the Paul amendment, but I just want to say a few words. This continuing resolution before the Senate holds spending at the fiscal 2019 levels. An arbitrary 1-percent across-the-board cut on top of this--although it sounds good--would be extremely harmful to our agencies, particularly our military. The Senate handily defeated similar amendments just recently, and I hope we will do this today.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I move to table the Paul amendment and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, I rise today to honor the life of James Bill ``Jimmy'' Koikos, beloved coowner of Bessemer's famous Bright Star restaurant. Jimmy passed away on November 16, 2019, at the age of 81. I had the honor of knowing Jimmy, as I frequented the Bright Star many times during his 60 years of running the institution. Jimmy was born and raised in Bessemer, AL, just miles from the restaurant. He attended Arlington School and then Bessemer High School, where he played high school football. Jimmy then attended the University of Alabama until 1959, when a visit from his mother changed his plans. She informed him of his uncle's decision to retire, prompting him to move home to manage the Bright Star with his father, Bill Koikos. Jimmy believed in the restaurant, and he knew he wanted to be a part of the Bright Star's continued success. Nine years later, Jimmy's younger brother, Nicky, joined him in managing the restaurant. The two brothers went on to work side-by-side as owner-operators of the Bright Star until Jimmy's death. As his brother fondly remembered not long ago, ``He's the heart and soul of the restaurant, and it's going to be hard to replace that.'' I will always remember Jimmy for his kindness and ability to make customers feel at home when they visited the Bright Star. He generously greeted each person who entered the establishment. He promised his father he would take care of the restaurant, and that is exactly what he did. Because of the hard work of Jimmy and others who spent their lives devoted to the Bright Star, it began to draw national attention. In 2010, the James Beard Foundation honored the Bright Star with an America's Classics Award, distinguishing the restaurant for its timeless appeal and quality food that reflects the character of the community. As a huge Alabama fan, Jimmy was always ecstatic when the Bright Star attracted Alabama football coaches like Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings, and Nick Saban. He would also frequent Alabama football practices, bringing along some of the famous icebox pies for the coaches, players, and staff. Jimmy even went as far as to ensure that the Bright Star would be taken care of when he was gone, asking a younger relative, Andreas Anastassakis, to move to Bessemer and carry on the legacy of the Bright Star. Anastassakis was honored. Jimmy Koikos's legacy will live on through the people whose lives he touched at the Bright Star, in the community and throughout the entire State of Alabama. I offer my deepest condolences to his brother Nick, his sister Helen, and all of his loved ones. I am proud to have known him, and I will always think of him when passing through Bessemer to visit one of my very favorite places, the Bright Star.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I rise in the U.S. Senate to fight for America's military. This past week, our Special Forces eliminated the leader of ISIS and his likely successor. Their accomplishments should remind all of us that our brave troops always carry out their duties no matter what the circumstances. They shouldn't expect anything different from the U.S. Congress. Yet they do. They have come to expect that their elected leaders will fail to execute the most fundamental of their duties-- funding the government. They don't deserve failure, and they certainly shouldn't expect it. They deserve our gratitude, and they deserve our unwavering commitment. The best way to demonstrate that gratitude and commitment, I believe, is by passing an appropriations bill that gives our military what it needs. Our men and women in uniform should never find themselves on the battlefield, wondering if they will be able to support their families back home. They should never wonder if their training needs, support requirements, or mission objectives will be held hostage by partisan bickering in the Congress. They should never wonder why America's adversaries are doubling down on their military investments while America is sitting idle. I believe the United States must maintain its edge over our adversaries. China is escalating its defense spending, which we all know. Yet America's military is operating under a continuing resolution. That means that our military is having to face tomorrow's threats with yesterday's funding levels. That means that our military's planning and operations are weighed down with uncertainty. That should be unacceptable to all of us, on both sides of the aisle, in the U.S. Senate. We have an opportunity to change that today by voting to proceed to the fiscal year 2020 Defense appropriations bill. What are we talking about here? We are talking about $695 billion in total defense funding. That is national security for the United States of America. That is an increase of about $20 billion over last year's level. This increased funding, among other things, would provide a 3.1- percent pay increase for our men and women in uniform--the largest in 10 years. Believe me, they need it. It would continue the development of the world's most advanced weapons systems, and we will need them. It would increase our investments in hypersonics, 5G technology, artificial intelligence, missile defense, and cyber security, and we need that. I believe all of this is absolutely essential to maintaining America's strategic advantage over our main adversaries and competitors--China and Russia. We had better not lose sight of that here in the Senate. Unfortunately, at the moment, my Democratic colleagues seem more focused on scoring political points than ensuring that our military has the certainty and the funding it needs to counter our adversaries. They have said they will not allow us to fund our military here in the Senate until the funding levels for all 12 appropriations bills are agreed to with the House. If that defies most Americans' senses of how our government works and what is most important, it should. My Democratic colleagues want to press the pause button here in the Senate. I don't agree with that. I believe that we must complete our work, and I believe that most of the Democrats want to get this done. Foremost, we should certainly complete our work on the Defense bill. Funding America's military should be our priority. It should come first here in the Senate. Our men and women in uniform don't get to hit the pause button, as we do. They don't get to shirk their duties, and neither does Congress. We cannot afford additional delay. Our service men and women--those troops whom we have entrusted to keep us safe and protect our democracy, our country, and our allies--cannot afford additional delay. We must not kick the can down the road when it comes to America's security and America's military. Let's come together. We have done this. Senator Leahy and I worked together last year, and for the first time in years, we met the deadline. We can do this again. We need the green light here. We need to provide the resources that are necessary to maintain the greatest fighting force the world has ever known. We should never be second to anybody else. Let's show our troops that we can actually get our work done here, that we actually care about them. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, we are taking about somebody today who was actually a mentor for me right here in the U.S. Senate--Ted Stevens. I believe it was 33 years ago when I first met him--33 years ago--and I was in the House, and I was coming to the Senate. He was a power in the Senate then. He was a worker. He was involved. He was involved not only in what happened in Alaska, where he was a champion of his own State--and should have been--but also in the world. He wanted to make sure that America had a defense second to nobody; that we were powerful, but we were peaceful. I had the occasion to serve for years and years on the Appropriations Committee and on the Subcommittee on Defense with him. I hadn't been on the committee long, and Senator Byrd was chairman of the committee, and Senator Hatfield from Oregon had been, and he tasked me with a lot of things that probably as a freshman--you know, second-year, third-year guy here--I probably was appalled but pleased--maybe not appalled, but pleased--what he would do. He told me one day: Senator Shelby, you are going to be chairman of this committee. I looked around, and I said: Oh, it will be years. I will never be that. But Ted Stevens was a Senator's Senator. He was involved, as I said, in just about everything in the Senate--the Rules Committee, the Commerce Committee, Appropriations, and Defense. I will never forget his experience, his wise suggestions to me that probably helped me on my way. I traveled with him around the world because we had serious meetings on the Defense appropriations bill. All I can say is that we are going to unveil a portrait of Ted Stevens here in the Senate later today, and it is a fitting tribute to a great Senator representing the State of Alaska but a U.S. Senator representing us all, Ted Stevens. Ted, I will never forget you. We miss you. You left an indelible imprint on the U.S. Senate. I am glad I got to meet you and work with you.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, this afternoon, I rise to urge my colleagues here in the U.S. Senate to support the pending cloture motion on H.R. 3055 so we can get the appropriations process moving. It is already day 22 of the current fiscal year. The entire Federal Government, as you know, is now operating under a continuing resolution, and in less than a month, that continuing resolution will expire. By this time last year, Congress had already funded 75 percent of the government, including America's military. It was the first time in 10 years that Congress had funded the military on time. That success paid huge dividends for our country and for our men and women in uniform. Now, they face an uncertain future. The prospect of serial continuing resolutions or, worse, another government shutdown casts a dark shadow over our previous success. Such uncertainty also wreaks havoc on every Federal agency's abilities to plan, and it is acute when it comes to the military. As our military leaders seek to ensure that planning and operations keep pace with activities and challenges around the globe, they are faced with the hard reality that Congress is not keeping pace with our own duties here. Congress' failure to do its own job makes that of the military all the more difficult in this troubled world. I believe that is unacceptable. Nonetheless, we have hit a stalemate in the appropriations process lately. The clock is ticking on the continuing resolution, as I said, and we have to break through the logjam. I hope we can do it today. The only way to do that is through bipartisan cooperation, as the Presiding Officer knows, as a member of the Appropriations Committee and chair of a very important subcommittee. The vice chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee, my good friend, Senator Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, suggested that the Senate proceed first to a package of domestic spending bills to try to break the stalemate. This is what we are trying to do today. In an effort to demonstrate good faith and get off the dime, that is what we are hopefully going to do later today. I want to take a minute to thank Senator Leahy for proposing a path forward out of our stall. I would also just like to emphasize to all my colleagues that this path leads to success if it ends with Congress funding the entire government, not just part of it. We have a lot of work to do, but we can do it. We have also before us the opportunity to get it done, so this is where we pick up today. Last month, the Appropriations Committee, as the Chair knows, reported 10 bills to the full Senate. If we are able to proceed to H.R. 3055, it is my intention here on the floor to offer a substitute amendment that includes four of these bills that we passed out of the committee, each of which passed unanimously in a bipartisan way. What are those bills, and what do they fund? The Commerce Department, the Justice Department, Science bill--we call it Commerce, Justice, and Science--the Agriculture bill, the Interior bill, and the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development bill. I want to take a minute to thank the chairs of these subcommittees for their diligence in producing balanced bills: Senator Moran, Senator Hoeven, Senator Murkowski, and Senator Collins. I also want to thank their respective ranking members, the Democrats, for their bipartisan cooperation here: Senator Shaheen, Senator Merkley, Senator Udall, and Senator Reed. Together, these four measures before us today account for nearly one- third--one-third--of all nondefense discretionary spending. Consistent with the bipartisan budget agreement, they contain no new poison pills, and I would caution my colleagues on both sides of the aisle against pursuing poison pill amendments if we are able to proceed today. If we are to make any progress on the 2020 appropriations bills, I think we must be true to our commitment, enshrined in terms of the budget agreement, to refrain from such provisions to move the process. I would also like to move this package through regular order so we can return quickly to a second package that the majority leader spoke to us at lunch today about that funds the military and many more other agencies. There is simply no excuse for further delay. With all that we ask for our military, with all the challenges it already faces, with all the additional uncertainties that stopgap funding creates, and with all that has been said recently about the need to support our allies and counter our adversaries around the world, I hope that our colleagues will not say to our men and women in uniform: We will get to you later. We should instead capitalize on the good will that we are trying to generate in this first package on appropriations by immediately moving to the next one that funds the military and so many other agencies. This process only works if we work together in a bipartisan way, as Madam President knows. Let's work together this afternoon, and let's do our job so we can move forward for the American people. I think we should not leave our military and others to think that the government is in limbo any longer. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I call up the substitute amendment No. 948.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, today I wish to honor the retirement of Perry Hand, an Alabama native, from Volkert, Inc. Perry is a recognized leader in the engineering field with nearly 50 years of experience in the industry. He has provided decades of service to improve the quality of life in his community and across the State of Alabama. Mr. Perry Hand previously served as senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Volkert in Mobile, AL. He was appointed president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board in 2011. In 2018, Mr. Hand appointed a new president and CEO to the company, and he retained the role of chairman. Prior to his work with Volkert, Perry served as Alabama's highway director, Alabama's secretary of state, and a two-term State senator. He also founded Perry Hand & Associates, Inc. Perry has earned many recognitions throughout his career, among them are his induction into the Alabama Construction Hall of Fame, the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame, earning the Chairman's Award at Volkert, multiple Auburn University awards, and many more. He earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Auburn University and holds an honorary doctorate from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. What is truly remarkable are Perry Hand's many accomplishments and contributions to the State. I am proud to take this time to recognize him for his service at Volkert, which has greatly benefitted the people of Alabama. His achievements and dedication to advancing the industry have not gone unnoticed. I join Perry's friends, family, and colleagues in wishing him the best of luck as he transitions into a new chapter of his life, and I thank him for his commitment to Alabama.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I listened to some of the remarks of the distinguished Senator from Vermont and friend. I think we are both trying to find a path forward to move our appropriations bill, but we are not there yet. This afternoon, I urge my colleagues to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 2740, the first package of appropriations bills sent over by the U.S. House of Representatives. This package includes the Defense; Energy and Water; Labor, HHS, and Education; and State-Foreign Operations appropriations bills. My Democratic colleagues have said they are opposed to proceeding to this package because we must pass domestic spending bills before we pass the Defense bill, but this package before us right now does both. In fact, it accounts for more than 40 percent of domestic spending. As I said before, it mirrors the package sent to us by Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic-controlled House. So this excuse, I believe, for delaying consideration of this package doesn't hold water this afternoon. We need to move the process forward. I want to make a few points about the Senate versions of these bills that we will bring up if we invoke cloture today. Last week, the Appropriations Committee reported the Defense and Energy and Water bills. The Energy and Water bill, as Senator Leahy has just remarked, garnered unanimous support. My Democratic colleagues similarly praised the bipartisan nature of the Defense bill. Yet they voted against it in the committee. They did so because the bill, as I understand it, from what they tell me, does not restrict the President's ability to transfer funds to secure our southern border. The terms of the bipartisan budget deal governed the fiscal year 2020 appropriations process. That is why they entered into this agreement. They were agreed to by Republican and Democratic leaders, all the way up to the President, the Speaker of the House, the majority leader, the minority leader, and so forth. Those terms expressly prohibit restrictions on the President's ability to transfer funds. It is plain as day. Our Democratic colleagues may now regret having agreed to those terms, but that does not change the fact that they did agree to them, and we want to go by them. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to place this term sheet into the Record

Mr. SHELBY. Lack of adherence to the terms of the budget deal also explains why we are unable to mark up the other two bills in this package: Labor, HHS, and Education and State-Foreign Operations. Just like the Defense and Energy and Water bills, these bills were crafted in a bipartisan way. Yet some of my Democratic colleagues threatened to amend these bills with abortion-related poison pills. Poison pills, as we all know--just like restrictions on transfer authority--are expressly--expressly--prohibited by the terms of the budget deal that we all agreed to just a few weeks ago. Again, both parties agreed to those terms. Regardless, I am interested in moving the appropriations process forward, and I believe Senator Leahy is too. I am interested in doing so consistent with the budget agreement we agreed to. That is why the chairman of the Labor-HHS and Senate Foreign Operations Subcommittees, Senator Blunt and Senator Graham, have released the versions of these bills that the Appropriations Committee intended to consider last week. Both bills were crafted with bipartisan input, and both are free of poison pills. We are proud of the work that went into those bills and want to be transparent about how we intend to proceed, but before we vote on cloture, I want to remind my colleagues of our shared success last year and our common interest in moving the process forward this year. In fiscal year 2019--last year--we achieved more success in passing appropriations bills than we had done in 20 years. The linchpin of that success was an agreement between me and Senator Leahy, the vice chairman of the committee, to ban poison pills from appropriation bills. Both sides upheld that agreement right here on the floor, and we funded 75 percent of the government on time. That is the framework the bipartisan budget deal was modeled after so we could replicate what we did last year. The purpose of the budget agreement is to replicate the success we had last year, as I just said, to ensure that we do not revert to the dysfunctional appropriations process of years past. That is why it is so important that we adhere to it now. I think the American people want us to do it and do it now. It is all the more important considering what we are trying to fund with this package. It contains critical investments, not just in health, education and energy projects but in national security, our military. I believe the situation unfolding in Saudi Arabia should serve as a grave reminder to all of us that we must set aside partisan politics and do our job to provide our military the resources it needs to keep America safe. It should also remind us that our main adversaries--China and Russia--never relent in their efforts to destabilize us anywhere in the world. That is why we must do our part to ensure that they fail. We cannot do that without stable funding for our military and for certainty for our soldiers. Failure to prioritize funding for our national defense would undermine the Pentagon's planning process, hinder our commanders' ability to counter threats to America, and threaten the safety of our Nation. That is unacceptable. We have the opportunity today to move forward together to bolster our national security. We have a framework for success that we have used last year. Let's use it now. I hope my Democratic colleagues will recommit to the terms of the budget deal that they agreed to in spirit and in fact. I hope they will set aside partisan politics and do right by our military, the numerous agencies that would receive funding in this package, and our constituents--the American people--and let us get on with the business of the people. Again, this afternoon I urge my colleagues to vote yes on cloture. Cloture Motion

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, today I wish to honor the career of Robert L. Stewart, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general and former NASA astronaut, from Huntsville, AL. Robert Stewart is an acknowledged leader in the aerospace industry, with over 40 years of hard work and dedication throughout his career, including selfless service in the military. He has worked for decades to improve the quality of life in his community and across the State of Alabama. Mr. Robert Stewart entered Active Duty with the U.S. Army in 1964. He spent time at Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL, as well as Fort Rucker in Dale County, AL. Mr. Stewart has military and civilian experience, flying over 40 types of airplanes and helicopters, including over 1,200 hours of jet time, 1,015 combat flight hours, and over 6,000 logged hours total flight time. Mr. Stewart became an astronaut in August of 1979. He has logged 289 hours in space, including approximately 12 hours of extravehicular activities operations. While training for his scheduled third flight at NASA, Stewart was selected by the Army for promotion to brigadier general. He retired from the Army in 1992. Stewart has received multiple recognitions for his distinguished service and work. At home in north Alabama, Robert is married to Mary Jane. They have two daughters and four grandchildren. He received a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1964 and a master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1972. I am proud to take this time to recognize Robert for his significant career. His achievements and dedication to advancing the industry have not gone unnoticed. I join Robert Stewart's friends, family, and colleagues in celebrating his career, and I thank him for his commitment to Alabama.

Mr. SHELBY

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

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the career of Dr. William ``Bill'' Craig, who retired on June 25, 2018, after 58 years of civilian service. Dr. Craig served as the director of the Software Engineering Directorate SED for 30 years at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. Through his direction, SED experienced significant growth not only within its customer base but also by expanding its facilities. He has provided decades of service to improve the development and fielding of numerous Army systems, as well as the quality of life in his community and across the State of Alabama. Mr. Bill Craig is a native of Senatobia, MS, and he received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Mississippi State University. His civil service career began in 1960 at Dr. Werhner von Braun's astronics laboratory. Ten years later, he moved to the Army Ballistic Missile Defense Agency. He later became a charter member to the Army Missile Command's Missile System Software Center in 1976. Bill has earned many recognitions throughout his career, including an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. In 1985, he was awarded Supervisor of the Year by the North Alabama Chapter of Federally Employed Women. Bill was the first recipient of the Joseph C. Moquin Award given by the Huntsville Association of Technology Societies. Bill also received the Medaris Award from the Tennessee Valley National Defense Industrial Association, and he was inducted into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame, the Order of Saint Barbara, and the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara. What is truly remarkable are Bill Craig's many contributions to the State of Alabama and the U.S. Army through his work at Redstone Arsenal. I am proud to take this time to recognize him for his service to the people of Alabama and the people of our country. Bill is a highly respected leader and visionary in the State, and I thank him for his commitment to Alabama.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the remarkable career of Ann Richardson McNair, who dedicated over 51 years of service to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the Redstone Arsenal, both located in Huntsville, AL. Mrs. McNair was an acknowledged leader in both the engineering and institutional fields at Marshall. She held many significant positions and earned outstanding honors and recognitions during her tenure there. Mrs. McNair has provided decades of service to improve the quality of life in her community and across the State of Alabama, and her notable career has left a lasting mark on the space industry. Mrs. McNair earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics from the University of Alabama. In 1958, she began her career with the Army Ballistic Missile Agency at Redstone Arsenal. Mrs. McNair then moved on to work at Marshall Space Flight Center in 1960. She continued her work there until retiring in 2012. Mrs. Ann McNair has earned many recognitions and made history throughout her career, among them being the first female supervisor in engineering at Marshall. She was awarded the Team Redstone Women's History Award and the Technology Award for Women Honoring Women from the Women's Economic Development Council. Ann received the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executives in 2009, which is the highest honor a Federal employee can receive. The Alabama Senate also commended her in 2009 for her outstanding professional achievement during her 50 years of NASA service. Other noteworthy recognitions include the Outstanding Leadership Medal for leading the Mission Operations Laboratory, the NASA Exception Achievement Medal, and two NASA Exceptional Service Medals. Ann's contributions to NASA and Marshall Space Flight Center are truly exceptional. I am proud to take this time to recognize her service to the State, as well as to the Nation. Her achievements and dedication to advancing the industry have made a lasting impact. I join Ann McNair's friends, family, and former colleagues in recognizing her wonderful career, and I thank her for her commitment to Alabama.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, today, I wish to honor COL Joel Warhurst as he relinquishes command of the Anniston Army Depot, effective on July 25, 2019. In July 2017, Colonel Warhurst became the 35th commander of the depot. His command tenure oversaw an annual $850 million operating revenue and led a workforce consisting of 2,800 people. He has devoted over 20 years of loyal service to our country and has acquired important leadership positions and notable recognitions along the way. Colonel Warhurst is a graduate of the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at Fort McNair, VA. He holds a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology from the Technical University in Cookeville, TN, and a master of science degree in logistics management from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, FL. He is decorated with a Bronze Star Medal, which is the fourth highest individual military award. Thank you, Colonel Warhurst, for your dedication to our Nation and for a job well done serving at the Anniston Army Depot. Your tenure as commander will be remembered by your remarkable leadership. The commitment you have shown during your time in Alabama is inspiring, and your command serves as an example for Alabamians, as well as Americans, from all across the country. I join Colonel Warhurst's friends, family, and colleagues in wishing him the best of luck as he transitions into a new chapter of his life, and I thank him for his commitment to Alabama and to the United States.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I wish to join the chorus here. This is a big day, as Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer said, for our friend and colleague Pat Leahy. Pat and I have been working together a long time; this is our fourth decade. As we were told, he just cast his 16,000th vote in the U.S. Senate. I want to note that only three Senators have ever hit that mark--Senator Robert Byrd, Senator Danny Inouye, and Senator Strom Thurmond. And he is still going. Pat still has some time on his hands. This is an extraordinary achievement, as we all know, here in the Senate. As I said, Pat and I have served together for more than three decades. As Senators McConnell and Schumer said, he was first elected at the age of 34, making him one of the youngest Senators here. As we all know, last year we completed our work, working together, before the Fourth of July recess, on the Appropriations Committee. We are going to try to do it again this year, working together. I just think, if we work together, as we have before--Pat and I have given and taken from each other--it is good for the Senate. I congratulate Senator Leahy again on this rare and remarkable achievement--16,000 votes. It is a first. He currently ranks first in seniority in the Senate--first, folks, in seniority. He is our senior Senator. It has been nothing short of a privilege to serve alongside him. He is an excellent colleague, he has been a class act. I have enjoyed working with him and look forward to a few more years in the future. Pat. (Applause.)

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I believe there is no longer any question that the situation along our southern border has become a full-blown humanitarian and security crisis. I think that is a given. Leader McConnell has firmly established that fact right here on the Senate floor, and charges from the other side of a manufactured crisis have fallen silent. At this juncture, there is little need to recapitulate the case for action. We know what our professionals on the frontlines need in order to get a handle on the situation. The only question is, Will the Congress come together and act or fall prey to partisanship while the crisis escalates further? I am pleased to say, last week, the Appropriations Committee charted a course for strong bipartisan action. By a vote of 30 to 1, the committee approved an emergency appropriations bill to address the crisis at the border--30 to 1. Such an overwhelming bipartisan vote would not have been possible without the cooperation of my colleague and good friend, Vice Chairman Leahy. I thank Senator Leahy for working with us to find a path forward. This bipartisan committee product, which it is and which I will soon offer as a substitute amendment to the House bill, provides $4.59 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to address the humanitarian and security crisis at the border. It does not contain everything that Senator Leahy wanted, and it does not contain everything that I wanted. More importantly, it does not contain any poison pills from either side, which is remarkable. That is why it passed the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 30 to 1, and that is what gives us the best chance today, in the U.S. Senate-- without further delay--of passing a bill that is badly needed. I will take just a few minutes to briefly outline for my colleagues the particulars of the package reported by the Appropriations Committee. Of the total funding provided, the lion's share--$2.88 billion--will help the Department of Health and Human Services to provide safe and appropriate shelter and care for children in its custody. An additional $1.1 billion is included for Customs and Border Protection to establish migrant care and processing facilities; to provide medical care and consumables; and to pay travel and overtime costs for personnel. There is $209 million provided for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to fund the transportation costs and medical care for detainees; to conduct human trafficking operations; and, again, to pay travel and overtime costs for our personnel there. There is $30 million for FEMA in order to reimburse States and localities for expenses that they have incurred related to the massive influx of migrants in their communities. There is $220 million included for the Department of Justice to help process immigration cases and provide badly needed resources to the U.S. Marshals Service for the care and detention of Federal prisoners. Finally, $145 million is provided for the various branches of the U.S. military that have incurred operating expenses in support of multiple missions along the border. I believe, overall, this is a solid bill. It provides the resources that are needed to address the crisis that we face at the border. As I say again, it contains no poison pills, and it is poised to pass the Senate with strong bipartisan support, unlike the version that came out of the House last night. So I say to my colleagues in the House, now that there is a bipartisan acknowledgment that the crisis on our southern border is real, do not derail the one bipartisan vehicle with a real chance of becoming law soon. Those who want to alleviate the suffering--and I think it is most of us--on the southern border will soon have a bipartisan path forward in the Senate bill that we have here. Those who choose to obstruct over partisan demands will soon have a lot of questions, I think, to answer when the crisis escalates further, and it will. I believe there is no excuse for leaving town at the end of this week without getting this job done. I hope we will be coming together soon and do our job. I yield the floor.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 901.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading be dispensed with.