John Thune

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, these days, there is an online component to almost everything that Americans do. Were you at the beach last weekend? You undoubtedly posted pictures on Facebook and Instagram. You probably used Google Maps or Waze or another map app to find your way there. You undoubtedly booked a hotel stay on one of the myriad hotel booking sites, and you transmitted your credit card information online to pay for it. During your stay, you probably took advantage of the hotel's free Wi-Fi, whether you were uploading pictures or watching a show on Netflix. If you had dinner at a restaurant while you were there, there is a good chance you used the internet to make a reservation. If you booked an excursion while you were there--maybe a fishing trip or a boat tour--chances are good you made that reservation online as well. I could go on, but you get the idea. The internet and mobile internet-enabled devices like our phones and watches have resulted in an explosion of opportunity and innovation. Information is more accessible than ever before. We can communicate more swiftly and easily than ever before. We can shop without leaving our house, strike out confidently into the unknown without a map and still find our way back, turn on the air conditioner or heater with a simple voice command, and see who is knocking on our door while we are 600 miles away on vacation. With the convenience and opportunity of the internet revolution comes serious privacy concerns. Every time we book a hotel, navigate a new town, buy movie tickets, or buy groceries online, we are putting a lot of personal information into the hands of a lot of different companies: banking information, health information, information about our location, our preferences, our habits. All of this information is likely used in some form or fashion by some of the world's most successful internet businesses to personalize our search results on Google or to deliver the content that we see on Facebook or Instagram. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, I have gotten an up-close look at the issue of consumer privacy. I believe that developing bipartisan consumer privacy legislation needs to be a priority in Congress. Last year, as chairman of the Commerce Committee, I convened hearings into consumer data privacy and the accessing of millions of Facebook users' personal data by the political intelligence firm Cambridge Analytica. I also led a hearing to discuss the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation and California's new privacy-related law. I have continued to focus on consumer privacy this year as chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet. A few weeks ago, I convened a hearing to look at the use of persuasive technology on internet platforms like Facebook and YouTube. Sites like YouTube and Facebook use algorithms and artificial intelligence driven by user-specific data to tailor just about everything you see on their platforms, from ads to the video that plays after the YouTube video you searched for. These algorithms can be useful. If you searched for Paul Simon's ``Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes'' on YouTube, you probably will not mind hearing ``Graceland'' next. If you are shopping for a new computer, you might find it useful to see an ad for the latest HP or Apple laptop. These algorithms can also be deployed in far more troubling ways. For example, in June, the New York Times reported that YouTube's automated recommendation system was found to be automatically playing a video of children playing in their backyard pool to users who had watched sexually themed content. Algorithms can also be used to limit what news stories and other content people are exposed to. As we learned from a witness at the hearing on persuasive technology, a former Google employee named Tristan Harris, these algorithms have the potential to be used to influence the thoughts and behaviors of literally billions of people. For all of these reasons, I believe that transparency needs to be an essential part of the conversation. Americans should be clearly informed about how their personal data is being used and how companies influence and control what Americans see online. Obviously, users have an obligation to exercise personal responsibility, but companies also need to provide greater transparency about how content is being filtered. Given the ever-increasing size of our digital footprint and the increased privacy dangers that come along with that, the question isn't whether we will have Federal privacy legislation; it is what that legislation will look like. I believe that any final bill should be bipartisan and should set a single national data privacy standard so that companies and consumers don't have to navigate 50 different sets of rules. We need to make consumer data privacy a priority while also preserving the ability of companies to innovate and deliver the cutting-edge services we rely on. I also believe, as I mentioned, that any bill should include transparency provisions that give consumers a clear understanding of what is being done with their data. I believe consumers have the option to engage on internet platforms without being manipulated by algorithms powered by their own personal data. This isn't the first time Congress has tackled new and emerging privacy concerns. Over the last few decades, Congress has acted to protect children online, protect sensitive healthcare information, and to modernize how institutions use consumer data. I believe we can follow in that tradition by developing a new consumer privacy law, and that is why I am committed to working with colleagues from both parties to develop legislation to meet the privacy challenges we are facing today. I am confident that we can arrive at a strong consumer privacy bill for the digital age, and I will continue to make Americans' privacy a priority of mine here in Congress. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Isakson) and the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, after years of economic stagnation during the Obama administration, we are experiencing an economic revival. Thanks to Republican economic policies, the economy has taken off during the Trump administration. Unemployment is near its lowest level in half a century. June marked the 16th month that unemployment has been at or below 4 percent. For 15 straight months--15 straight months--we have had more job openings than Americans looking for work. Right now, there are roughly 1.6 million more job openings than Americans looking for work. That is the largest margin ever recorded. June also marked the 11th straight month that wage growth has been at or above 3 percent. Before 2018, wage growth had not hit 3 percent in nearly a decade. Importantly, the benefits of this economic growth are being spread far and wide. Ordinary Americans are seeing bigger paychecks, more jobs, and more opportunities. Over the past 3 years, pay hikes for the lowest income workers have grown the fastest. Huge numbers of new blue- collar jobs have been created. Unemployment rates for minorities have decreased substantially. The unemployment rates for Asian Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans are all at or near record lows. While our economy as a whole is thriving, there is one segment of our economy that is not fully enjoying the economic growth we have been experiencing. While our Nation's farmers and ranchers have seen benefits from tax reform, years of commodity and livestock prices that are below the cost of production, protracted trade disputes, and natural disasters mean our agricultural economy is trailing behind the economy as a whole. I am privileged to represent South Dakota farmers and ranchers in the U.S. Senate, and addressing the needs of these hard-working Americans is one of my top priorities. Recently, I was very pleased to be able to help persuade the Department of Agriculture to move the haying and grazing date to September 1 for this year for cover crops on prevent plant acres. This will allow farmers and ranchers in northern States like South Dakota to sow cover crops without worrying that they won't be able to harvest or graze them before winter weather sets in. Cover crops help farmers by improving soil health, which improves future yields, and they can save farmers significant money by serving as an important source of feed. That second benefit is particularly important for farmers right now. Due to last year's severe and lengthy winter, feed supplies disappeared, leaving no reserves. Cornstalks--a source of grazing and bedding--will be in short supply this year, and so will the supply of alfalfa due to winterkill. Cover crops will be crucial to alleviating this feed shortage. If necessary, I will be encouraging the Department of Agriculture to release Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying and grazing this year to further address the feed shortage. The best source of information about what farmers and ranchers need is the farmers and ranchers themselves. Right now, producers are telling me that what they need more than anything else is market access for their products around the globe. Farmers and ranchers depend on trade. Our Nation's farmers and ranchers don't just sell their products here at home; they sell them around the world. In my home State of South Dakota, we export a substantial portion of the agricultural products we produce. Right now, though, farmers and ranchers are facing a lot of uncertainty when it comes to trade. While farmers appreciate the assistance the administration has provided to offset the lower commodity prices resulting from current U.S. trade policies, they would prefer to receive a check from selling their products instead of from the government. Farmers are deeply concerned that their access to global markets, which has already diminished, will continue to erode, as U.S. agricultural products continue to be replaced by those from foreign competitors. That is why passing the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement and wrapping up the other trade agreements the U.S. is negotiating has to be a priority. I have repeatedly relayed this message to the President and key members of his administration, and I will continue to do so. While I strongly support the administration's goal of strengthening market access for our Nation's farmers and ranchers, the most urgent need right now is to get farmers certainty about what international markets are going to look like. Agreements with China, Japan, and the European Union all need to be concluded quickly to end current trade and market uncertainties. We need to pass the already negotiated United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement as soon as humanly possible. This agreement will preserve and expand market access for farmers and ranchers in two of our Nation's most significant agricultural export markets--Canada and Mexico. Of particular interest to the rapidly growing dairy industry in South Dakota, USMCA will expand market access for U.S. dairy products in Canada. The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that the agreement will boost U.S. dairy exports by more than $277 million. The agreement will also expand market access for U.S. poultry and egg producers, and it will make it easier for American producers to export wheat to Canada. Senate Republicans are ready to pass this agreement as soon as the President formally submits it to Congress. We are just waiting for Democrats in the House, who have still not indicated they are ready to take up the agreement despite the significant steps taken to address their priorities. It is high time for the Democrats in the House to make it clear they are ready to approve this agreement and allow our Nation's agricultural producers to start seeing the benefits. I will continue to fight to get USMCA passed as soon as possible. I am honored to represent thousands of farmers and ranchers in the Senate. I am proud that Republican economic policies have been lifting Americans across the economic spectrum. I will continue to work to get our Nation's agricultural economy going again so that our Nation's farmers and ranchers can prosper and thrive. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Isakson) and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Portman amendment to the resolution at the desk be considered and agreed to.

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 103, S. Res. 74.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business and that Senators be permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 17, the Senate vote on the resolutions of ratification for Treaties Calendar Nos. 2, 3, and 4 as under the previous order and that if the resolutions are agreed to, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action. I further ask unanimous consent that following disposition of Treaties Calendar No. 4, the Senate resume consideration of the Corker nomination. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, at 2 p.m. on July 17, the Senate vote on the cloture motions on the Corker, Blanchard, and Tapia nominations and that if cloture is invoked, the confirmation votes occur at a time determined by the majority leader in consultation with the Democratic leader on Thursday, July 18.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. I yield the floor.

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, a number of my colleagues were here just a few moments ago talking about trade and the impact of trade on agriculture. I have been down here a lot on the floor to talk about the ag economy in recent weeks. If you look at our economy as a whole, it is thriving, but our Nation's farmers and ranchers are still having a tough time, thanks to years of commodity and livestock prices that are below production cost because of protracted trade disputes and now, on top of that, natural disasters. One of the most important things we can do to help our agricultural economy is to negotiate favorable trade agreements for U.S. producers. Our Nation's farmers and ranchers depend on trade. In my home State of South Dakota, we export a substantial portion of the agricultural products we produce. Right now, though, farmers and ranchers are facing a lot of uncertainty when it comes to trade. There are a number of outstanding trade agreements, and farmers and ranchers are unsure what the rules of the road are going to look like in the future. That is why I have urged the administration to wrap up negotiations on the various trade deals under consideration as swiftly as possible. I strongly support the administration's goal of strengthening market access for our Nation's farmers and ranchers, and we have made real progress in negotiations. Now it is time to push for a conclusion to these deals and give our Nation's agricultural producers certainty about what international markets are going to look like. There is one deal, however, that we don't need to wait for; that is, the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement. Negotiations on this trade agreement are finished. Mexico has already passed the agreement, and Canada is just waiting for the United States to act. All we need is for Speaker Pelosi to indicate her willingness to take up this deal, and the President will formally submit the agreement to Congress for approval. The United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement is a big win for our Nation's farmers and ranchers. Canada and Mexico are the No. 1 and No. 2 export markets for American food and agricultural products. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement will preserve and expand farmers' access to these critical markets and give farmers certainty about what these markets will look like long term. I am particularly pleased with the improvements the agreement makes for U.S. dairy producers. Dairy is an important and rapidly growing industry in South Dakota. Drive the I-29 corridor north of Brookings, and you can see firsthand what massive dairy expansion we have experienced in South Dakota over the past few years. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will preserve U.S. dairy farmers' role as a key dairy supplier to Mexico, and it will substantially expand market access in Canada, where U.S. dairy sales have been restricted. The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that the agreement will boost U.S. dairy exports by more than $277 million. The agreement will also expand market access for U.S. poultry and egg producers. It will make it easier for U.S. producers to export wheat to Canada. I have spent my time today talking about the agricultural industry, but, of course, this agreement goes much further. The United States- Mexico-Canada Agreement will benefit virtually every sector of our economy, from manufacturing to digital services to the automotive industry. It will create 176,000 new jobs, grow our economy, and raise wages for workers. It is time to pass this agreement and to realize its economic benefits. Senate Republicans are ready; we are ready to approve this agreement once the White House submits it to Congress. We are just waiting for Democratic leaders in the House to indicate their willingness to take up the deal. It is time for them to do so. Democrats' concerns have been more than addressed throughout the negotiation process. The final trade agreement is perhaps the most worker-friendly trade agreement the United States has ever considered. It is a big improvement on the North American Free Trade Agreement--the agreement under which we are currently operating--on the issues over which Democrats have expressed concern. If they are serious about making progress on these issues and are not just trying to sink the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement with specious objections, Democrats should give the President the go-ahead and take up and pass this agreement in the near future. nomination of Peter joseph Phipps

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to be able to complete my remarks before the vote.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. I further ask that the committee-reported substitute amendment to the resolution be agreed to; that the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; that the committee-reported amendment to the preamble be agreed to; that the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 139, S. Res. 198.

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Wednesday, July 17; further, 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, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of Treaties Calendar No. 2, Treaty Document No. 112-1.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. I now ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 76, S. 375.