Mr. Durbin mr. President. The presiding officer the minority whip. Mr. Durbin i ask unanimous consent the quorum call be suspended. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Durbin mr. President , every day in america, we face the devastating reminder of the toll of gun violence. Today we watched the scene at the high school in parkland, florida, where yet another School Shooting has taken place. It is gut wrenching. We know that so many families have just had their worlds and lives changed forever by senseless gun violence. Ironically, this is the tenth anniversary of a similar shooting at Northern Illinois university in dekalb, illinois. Our prayers go out to the victims, to those families, and to the First Responders and of course to the parkland community. Yesterday, in the city of chicago, which i am honored to represent, we lost one of our finest. Commander paul bauer of the Chicago Police department, shot and killed by a gunman in the chicago loop. Commander bauer was a 31year veteran of the c. P. D. And the commander of the 18th Police District in the near north side. He was a pillar of that community. Well known in his district, he had been commended to the city council last year for a Charity Holiday party he had helped host for underprivileged kids. A husband to his wife erin, a father to a 13yearold daughter named grace. Commander bauer was in a Training Session yesterday in the loop, but he didnt hesitate to help out his fellow officers when they were pursuing a fleeing suspect. Commander bauer was shot several times by the suspect. He died from his wounds. Chicago Police SuperintendentEddie Johnson said this was an extremely difficult day for the Chicago Police family. Commander bauer was a hero in life and made the ultimate sacrifice to help protect the city he served and the city he loved. His loss is a tragedy. Our prayers go out to the commanders friends, colleagues, and his lofs ones and of course his family his loved ones and of course his family and daughter. As i mentioned, today marks the tenth anniversary of one of the most devastating shootings ever to occur on a College Campus in america. On february 14, 2008, a gunman with a history of mental instability walked into a lecture hall at Northern Illinois university in dekalb and opened fire. His bullets killed five students and wounded 17 more. It was a horrific mass murder, and it shocked the entire nation. The five young illinoisans we lost that day all had Bright Futures ahead of them. Gail debowski, 20 years old from carol stream who worked as a Camp Counselor and was a talented singer in her church choir. Catalina island garcia of cicero, 20 years old, a smiling, outgoing young woman who planned to be a teacher. Juliana mehant, 30 years old who served our country in the United States army and army reserve and went to n. Y. U. To study to become a teacher. Ryan mace of carpentersville who was fun and funny. He was inspired to work as a counselor. And daniel parmenter, 20 years old, a rugby player who lost his life because he shielded his girlfriend from the shooter. It is heart breaking to think of what these five young people could have accomplished in the ten years since that horrible day. We mourn their loss and our hearts go out to their families again. We remember and honor the wounded who still bear the scars of that terrible day. We renew our thanks over and over again to the Law Enforcement officers and First Responders who headed toward the sound of gunfire that day and who treated the victims after they were wounded. We commend the many members of the n. I. U. Community who stepped up in the days that followed, working to persevere through this tragedy with heavy hearts but unbroken spirit. And moving forward, together forward in the words of that Northern IllinoisUniversity Husky fight song. It is devastateing to think that in this great country, students and educators could be gunned down in our schools, but it happens so offer that im afraid a numbness is setting in. Just in the last few months, we have had fatal shootings of students at Aztec High School in aztec, new mexico, Wake Forest University in north carolina, Marshall County high school in benton, kentucky, and then today in florida. Other tragedies have been narrowly averted because of welltrained staff. At matoon high school in illinois, a heroic teacher named Angela Mcqueen stopped a student gunman from causing a massacre there last september. The threat of students the threat of shootings in our schools is everpresent. According to a tally kept by the group every town, there have been at least 18 incidents so far this year where a gun has been fired on a school or College Campus. Schools and colleges are doing the best they can to prepare and protect their students. I salute the educators and administrators who are working hard. Is congress doing all it can to keep our nations students safe from gun violence . Not even close. Of course there is no single reform that could stop every shooting in america, but we know there are big gaps in our laws that make it easy for criminals, abusers, and mentally unstable people to get their hands on guns that hurt innocent people. Congress has done nothing, nothing in recent years to close those gaps and make america safer. Congress hasnt even closed the gun show loophole that the 1999 columbine, colorado killers used to buy their weapons, and we did nothing in response to the murder of 20 first graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in connecticut. In fact, the only vote taken by the senate on gun laws in this Current Congress was to weaken gun law safety provisions on the books. That was a Vote Senate Republicans brought up last year that prevented the Social Security administration from alerting the f. B. I. s gun background check system about people with mental illness. It is likely that before this year is over, the republican majority will call up more bills to weaken gun safety laws. That is the wrong response to the epidemic of gun violence in america. Im not going to give up on trying to close the loopholes in our gun laws. I want to keep fighting for universal background checks, tougher straw purchasing laws, and better laws to prevent gun theft. Im not going to give up because of people like patrick corellis who was shot in the head ten years ago at the tragedy at Northern Illinois university. Luckily, patrick survived. Since that day, he has been a leader in illinois, fighting for commonsense gun reform. I have come to know and admire him for his efforts. No one should have to go through what patrick went through and so many others went through on that day in dekalb, illinois, ten years ago. We owe it to patrick and the other n. I. U. Victims and family and community members, and to the hundreds of thousands more across america who have been killed or wounded by guns this past decade to keep trying to reduce the tol of toll of gun violence. Maybe we cant stop every shooting, but if we do our best to keep guns out of dangerous hands, we will save lives. I intend to keep doing my best to achieve that goal. Mr. President , i yield the floor. And suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call quorum call mr. Schumer mr. President. The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent that the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer mr. President , i modify my amendment 1958 with the text at the desk. The presiding officer the senator has that right. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk for amendment numbered 1955. The presiding officer the clerk will report. The clerk cloture motion. We, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on amendment numbered 1955 to h. R. 2579, an act to amend the Internal Revenue code of 1986 to allow the premium tax credit with respect to unsubsidized cobra continuation coverage, signed by 18 senators, as follows mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the reading of the names be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk, amendment numbered 1948. The presiding officer the clerk will report. The clerk cloture motion. We, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on Senate Amendment numbered 1948 to h. R. 2579, an act to amend the Internal Revenue code of 1986 to allow the premium tax credit with respect to unsubsidized cobra continuation coverage, signed by 16 senators as follows mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the reading of the names be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk, numbered 1958 as modified. The clerk cloture motion. We, the the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on Senate Amendment numbered 1958 as modified to h. R. 2579, an act to amend the Internal Revenue code of 1986 and so forth, signed by 16 senators as follows. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the reading of the named be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk for amendment numbered 1959. The clerk we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on Senate Amendment numbered 1959 to h. R. 2579, an act to amend the Internal Revenue code of 1986, and so forth, signed by 16 senators as follows. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination executive calendar 586. The presiding officer is there objection . Without objection. The clerk will report. The clerk nomination. Executive office of the president , Margaret Weichert of georgia to be Deputy Director for management, office of management and budget. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent the senate vote on the nomination with no intervening action or debate debate, that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, the president be immediately notified of the senates action, that no motions be in order and that any statements relating to the nomination be principled in the record. The presiding officer without objection. The question occurs on the nomination. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed, no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The nomination is confirmed. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the Commerce Committee be discharged and the senate proceed to the consideration of p. N. 474 02 and the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, that no further motions be in order, that any statements related to the nominations be principled in the record, the president be immediately notified of the senates action, and the senate then resume legislative session. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the senate be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the committee on Veterans Affairs be discharged from further consideration of s. 2246 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. The presiding officer the clerk will report. The clerk s. 2246, a bill to designate the Health Care Center of the department of Veterans Affairs in tallahassee, florida, as the sergeant earnest i. Boots thomas v. A. Clinic, and for other purposes. The presiding officer the senate will proceed to the measure. Mr. Mcconnell i further ask the bill be considered read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of s. Res. 406 submitted earlier today. The presiding officer the clerk will report. The clerk Senate Resolution 406, to authorize representation by the Senate Legal Counsel in the case of United States v. V. Aluminadilaca. The presiding officer without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent 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. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell now, mr. President , i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 00 a. M. Thursday, february 15. Further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning business 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. Finally, i ask that following leader remarks, the senate resume consideration of h. R. 2579. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell so if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask it stand adjourned under the previous order. The presiding officer the Senate Stands mr. Durbin mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from illinois. Mr. Durbin mr. President , this is immigration week in the United States senate and we are preparing to procedural moves to bring bills to the floor for consideration as early as today, perhaps tomorrow at the late et at the latest. It is an