John Thune

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 19.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. I move that we proceed to legislative session. Vote on Motion

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objections, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objections, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

Mr. THUNE

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the Bondi nomination.

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

Mr. THUNE. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call with respect to the Turner nomination be waived.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, later today, the Senate will vote on the nomination of Pam Bondi to serve as Attorney General. Ms. Bondi is an experienced prosecutor who has earned a reputation as a tenacious lawyer who is tough on crime. In her 18 years as a State prosecutor in Florida's Hillsborough County, Ms. Bondi worked with law enforcement, visited crime scenes, and spent countless hours in the courtroom. Those who know Ms. Bondi have spoken of her toughness and her skill as a prosecutor. They have also spoken of her character, of her willingness to work with anyone to solve a problem, and of her deep commitment to the victims of crime and their families. In 2011, Pam Bondi became Florida's first female attorney general. At that time, so-called pill mills were a major problem in the State and a major contributor to the opioid crisis. On the campaign trail, Ms. Bondi would hear heartbreaking stories of addiction and loss, and families would give her photos of the loved ones lost to the scourge of drugs. As attorney general, she filled her office with those photos and got to work. She worked with the Florida Legislature to pass a bill to crack down on the pill mills, which our colleague, then-Governor Rick Scott signed into law. And that was just the start. She tracked issues like human trafficking, and she worked with her counterparts in other States, regardless of party and politics. She also worked to keep politics out of the important work of enforcing the law in Florida, something she is committed to doing at the Department of Justice if she is confirmed. In recent years, many Americans have lost faith in the Justice Department. They have seen Federal prosecutors go after pro-life activists while attacks against churches have gone unprosecuted. There was Attorney General Garland's infamous memo targeting parents who attended school board meetings and another infamous FBI memo suggesting traditional Catholics could be violent extremists. The American people should be able to trust that the Department of Justice is not targeting Americans based on their political opinions or religious beliefs. Pam Bondi has promised to get the Department back to its core mission: prosecuting crime and protecting Americans from threats to their safety and their freedoms. And I look forward to confirming her later today. The Senate will also soon vote on the nomination of Scott Turner to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. This is an important role. Our country is facing a housing crisis affecting big cities, rural areas, Tribal lands--literally, every part of our country. Higher construction costs and burdensome regulations have made homebuilding challenging. And what homes are on the market are too pricey for many Americans. Many parts of the country have homelessness challenges. Too many distressed communities are struggling to turn their fortunes around. And despite a windfall of additional funding for HUD, these problems are, in many cases, getting worse. Fortunately, President Trump has nominated someone to lead Housing and Urban Development who knows a thing or two about overcoming adversity. Scott Turner grew up in Plano and Richardson, TX, in challenging circumstances, but he was determined to achieve the American Dream. At age 10, he told his mother he would play professional football. With a lot of determination and hard work, he graduated from the University of Illinois and was drafted to play in the NFL. In the 2003 offseason, a time he could have used to take a break, this NFL athlete was interning in a congressional office. And since he hung up his cleats, Scott Turner has spent his time working to make a difference. That has included founding an organization to help children in poverty, serving as a Texas State legislator, and helping to lead the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during the first Trump administration. The 2017 Republican tax relief legislation did a lot to help revitalize the economy. One of the things it did was create the Opportunity Zone Program championed by our colleague Senator Tim Scott. It was Scott Turner who oversaw this program for the White House, visiting opportunity zones across the country in an effort to revitalize America's distressed communities. And I am confident he will bring that same concern for distressed areas to his work as Secretary. President Trump has made it clear that we are going to be building things in America again. One of those things we are going to be building is communities. It is a big job, but Scott Turner has the grit, the determination, and passion to get it done, and I look forward to working with him on this important mission. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. 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. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 55, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, 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. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 5; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session and resume Executive Calendar No. 11; that at 11:30 a.m., all time be expired on the Turner nomination; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Wednesday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 56, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. THUNE. Here is to Vermont. Madam President, 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. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. I thank my colleague from Hawaii. 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. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, last week, the Senate processed two members of President Trump's energy team. We confirmed Lee Zeldin to be Administrator of the EPA in a bipartisan vote. Doug Burgum received 79 votes when he was confirmed to be Secretary of the Interior. And, today, we will complete the President's energy team with the confirmation of Chris Wright to be Secretary of Energy. I spoke last week about our energy needs and about implementing an ``all of the above'' energy strategy. I spoke of an abundance of resources and the need to leverage those resources for our country's energy security. One of the most important resources is America's ability to innovate--the knowledge and capabilities we have to expand the realm of possibility. Some of that work is being done in my State at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, SD. Other great work is being done by the private sector and at universities, often in partnership with the Federal Government. It is a big part of the work of the Energy Department, and it is what Chris Wright has spent his life doing. Mr. Wright calls himself ``a science geek turned energy nerd turned lifelong energy entrepreneur.'' And if he is confirmed, Mr. Wright will be notable among Secretaries of Energy for his depth of experience. He has experience in nuclear energy, solar, geothermal, wind power, oil, and natural gas. He has worked on innovations in technology that have reshaped the energy industry, and he has seen what energy can do to improve human lives, bring people out of poverty, and remake entire societies. Chris Wright is passionate about energy. He knows it is one of our most important assets, and he is ready to get to work. Our colleague Senator Hickenlooper has known Chris Wright for many years, and he described him not only as a successful entrepreneur but as ``a scientist who is open to discussion and someone who has that ability to assess what is possible and what isn't.'' Chris Wright will be an asset to President Trump's energy team, and I look forward to seeing what he can accomplish for our country's energy future. The Senate will also soon vote on the nomination of former Congressman Doug Collins to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Caring for the men and women who have served our country is an important obligation and one that President Trump takes very seriously. Veterans are a top priority for the Trump administration, just as they were in his first term. To carry out this important mission, President Trump has tapped someone with a servant's heart. The son of a Georgia State trooper, Doug Collins just couldn't shake the feeling that he had a duty to serve. After college, he served in the U.S. Navy. Still feeling called to ministry, he went to seminary and began pastoring a church. But after the attacks of September 11, he knew his country needed him again. He joined the Air Force Reserve in 2002 and is still proudly serving our country as a colonel and chaplain. In 2005, Mr. Collins began law school. Within a few months of graduation, his unit was called up to go to Iraq. As a flight line chaplain at one of the largest U.S. bases in Iraq, Doug Collins met and prayed with troops who were on the frontlines of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He spent time in the hospital visiting injured servicemembers, praying with them, and giving them companionship in their recovery. Turning to public service, Mr. Collins brought that same servant's heart to Atlanta and Washington, representing his native North Georgia. So when President Trump asked him to serve as VA Secretary, it is no surprise that he once again answered the call to serve. There was a moment in Mr. Collin's confirmation hearing that struck me. He said: The VA does not exist in and of itself. It exists for the veteran. Doug Collins has comforted wounded soldiers. He has taken calls from servicemembers contemplating suicide. He understands what it means to serve the veteran. I look forward to confirming him in this role and working with him to uphold our Nation's commitment to those who have served. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 13.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. I ask that this vote be 10 minutes.

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