Focus today executive nominations, including brian miller for pandemic recovery. And the vote for mr. Miller setting for 4 30 p. M. Eastern. Take you live now to the senate floor on cspan2. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Lord god, have mercy upon our nation for the winds of suffering buffett our land. We hear the cries of the voiceless and the anguish of the unheard. We see the criminal actions of those who threaten freedom. Lord, snatch this nation conceived in liberty from the precipice of its own destruction. Extricate us from traps we have set for ourselves. Remind us that you are a god of justice from whom we borrow our heartbeats. Arise, mighty god, and make those who defy your purposes tremble with reverential awe. Hear the prayers of our senators, and give them wisdom, courage, and integrity for these challenging times. We pray in your strong name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley one minute for morning business, please. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley the virus pandemic is disrupting our daily lives in unimaginable ways. The National Institutes of health is working with a private sector Biotech Company and have already begun early stage human trials for a potential vaccine. So there is hope on the horizon. However, the soaring prices of Prescription Drugs are making lifethreatening treatments and cures simply unaffordable for Many Americans. This pandemic makes clear two things. Americans urgently want a cure, and when lifesaving therapies and cures come to the market, americans must be able to afford them when their providers prescribe them. My bipartisan Prescription Drug pricing reduction act is needed now more than ever. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell madam president. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell last night, the streets of major American Cities were again the scene of looting and violent rioting that serves no purpose except to hurt innocent people and undermine peaceful demonstrations. Every one of us has an obligation to distinguish peaceful protests over the killings of george floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery from the violent riots that continue to see innocent people hurt, businesses and neighborhoods destroyed, and Law Enforcement officers assaulted. The former is a cherished constitutional right that every single citizen should support, and the latter is an unacceptable scourge that state and local leaders should have ended days ago. So i want to thank federal, state, and local leaders who are taking seriously their obligation to restore peace, protect the innocent, and stop this senseless violence. In some places, like my home state of kentucky and here in washington, last night was comparatively more calm and safe. But in too many other places like new york city, it appeared to be open season for lawlessness, looting, and attacking Law Enforcement for yet another night. And for what . For what, madam president . Rioting for the thrill of it . For the chance to steal some expensive items . So people can say they were on social media . This selfish violence takes us farther away from any National Healing or forward progress. It does not bring positive change any closer. It simply pushes it farther away. These writers need to listen to what George Floyds brother terrance said in minneapolis just yesterday. Heres what George Floyds brother said. I understand you all are upset. I doubt youre half as upset as i am. So if im not over here blowing up stuff, if im not over here messing up my community, then what are you all doing . George floyds brother. You are doing nothing, he said, because thats not going to bring my brother back at all. End quote. So, madam president , the the legitimate and important voices of Peaceful Protesters will never be heard over the wailing of firearms, the smashing of plate glass windows and the sirens of ambulances coming for Police Officers who have been assaulted or shot in the head. Our nation is united in horror and opposition to the violent killing of mr. Floyd. We are united. It is well past time that we also unite on the side of peace in our streets and peace in our communities. We need to unite against these violent rioters who seek only to aggrandize themselves and further damage a nation that needs healing. Now, on a totally different matter, obviously and unfortunately, this turmoil is not the only great challenge before us. Lest we forget, the health care fight against the worst viral pandemic in a century is still upon us. Our nation is trying to smartly and safely reopen. Just as Small Businesses in some cities are sweeping up broken glass, American Workers and entrepreneurs across the nation are trying to rebuild the shattered prosperity our nation was experiencing just a few months ago. And meanwhile, beyond our shores, our enemies and adversaries would be only too eager to catch the United States with our guard down. So there is plenty of work before the senate, and unlike the Democratic House of representatives, which i understand may next appear here in washington in about a month, in about a month, the senate is present and working. We continue to conduct oversight of our historic rescue package, the cares act, as it continues taking effect. I expect we will soon consider further Bipartisan Legislation to help the paycheck protection program, the signature policy from senators rubio and collins that has kept tens of millions of americans employed, continue to work for our country. As we pivot toward reopening, the senate is also working on significant covidrelated Legal Protections so our nations schools, health care workers, and employers are not swamped with frivolous lawsuits and taxpayer dollars do not just stimulate the pockets of trial lawyers. At the same time, critical vacancies remain throughout the federal government and qualified nominees stand ready to fill them. So the senate will work through two nominees to the Federal District courts and a number of important executive branch positions, including assistant secretary of defense for strategy plans and capabilities, deputy under secretary of defense, and the new special Inspector General for pandemic recovery. Whats more, madam president , we also have all the important legislation that needed to get done before the pandemic arrived in the first place. This month, we will turn to Bipartisan Legislation led by Senators Gardner and daines to provide stable support for the land and Water Conservation fund and lasting stewardship of our natural resources. Their bill will safeguard our nations public lands for recreation and conservation and help generations of americans continue to access and enjoy these treasures. And in the coming weeks, our colleagues on the Armed Services committee will begin marking up the 60th consecutive annual National Defense authorization act. I know our colleagues need no reminder of how important that task is. Neither do our men and women in uniform. The covid19 crisis makes it more urgent, not less urgent, that we continue to authorize investments in in our investment services, and in accelerating our National Defense strategy. From honing our Competitive Edge against wouldbe rivals on land and sea to expanding our reach in the air and space, achieving our nations Strategic Priorities begins right here this month with the ndaa. So, madam president , Congress Todo list is clear and the senate is manning its essential posts, working to get the American Peoples business done. The presiding officer under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved, morning business is closed, under the previous order, the senate will proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. The clerk nomination, department of defense, victor g. Mercado of california to be an assistant secretary. Mr. Mcconnell madam president. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to legislative session. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All in favor say aye. All opposed no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 697. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All in favor say aye. All opposed no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk nomination, broadcasting board of governors, michael pack of maryland, to be chief executive officer. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk. The presiding officer the clerk will report the motion. 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 debate on the nomination of michael pack of maryland to be chief executive officer of the broadcasting board of governors, signed by 16 senators as follow mr. Mcconnell i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent the mandatory quorum call be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent the senate resume consideration of the mercado nomination. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call quorum call mr. Schumer madam president. The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer are we in a quorum call . The presiding officer we are. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent that the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer so, madam president , i just finished watching joe bidens speech to the nation. President trump watched joe bidens speech watch his speech. Thats what real leadership looks like. Its difficult to express the moment we find ourselves in. Our countrys been hit by a strange and contagious disease, infecting millions. Killing over 100,000 of our people. Our economy was put to ice, put on ice for several months, shuttering scores of businesses, casting millions of americans on the unemployment rolls, and, according to government estimates, taking 16 trillion out of our economy over the long term. And then this nation suffered another trauma, the deeply pain of another African American sensely killed in police custody. Another reminder of the racism that can not only affect our Law Enforcement an criminal justice and criminal Justice System but our entire society. George floyds killing spurred justifiably overwhelming protests from minneapolis to new york to atlanta to here in the nations capital. Americans are angry and upset at the country they see and they want to change it. Can you blame them . It is a good thing that people protest and want to mack our country better, especially when it comes to the scourge of race, the poison thats been racism, especially when it comes to the scourge of racism, the poison thats been in american bones for far too long. The millions of americans of all races and backgrounds who have taken to the streets in peaceful protest are doing something noble. Reminding powers that the decades long failure to Police Police departments is unacceptable. That that is on the minds of tens of millions of African Americans. They are reminding the country that black lives matter, holding their arms up in silence for two minutes and 53 seconds, the length of time that george floyd was unresponsive while the Police Officer continued to press him into the hard pavement of that minneapolis street. The small minority who have exploited the protests to wreak havoc and violence are wrong. They are not taking part of the grand american tradition of First Amendment protests. They are not peacefully assembling, they are destroying businesses already struggling to recover and putting their fellow citizens in danger. They do a great disservice to themselves, their country, and the righteous cause that so Many Americans are now engaged in. But while over 4,000 protesters have been arrested over the past week, only one of the four Police Officers involved in George Floyds death has been arrested. It does not excuse the violence in any way, but explains, in part, why so Many Americans are angry. There is accountability for every day citizens and protesters when they violate the law. But there isnt always accountability for Law Enforcement when it does the same. Violence, wherever it occurs is wrong, but not prosecuting Law Enforcement when they break the law with the same intensity as protesters when they break the law is wrong as well. The first year of this new decade has brought plague and Economic Disaster and a vivid reminder of Racial Injustice. Testing testing the capacity of our country to endure what only a few months ago would have been considered an unimaginable series of challenges. We need leaders who will pull us together and help us heal and turn the righteous anger and the land into action and progress. Senate democrats are not going to wait to take action on Law Enforcement reform. We are going to confront and address these issues right now. Several of my colleagues are working on legislation, including senators booker and harris, guard inn, duckworth, schatz, and many others, as a caucus were going to listen to experts on Racial Justice like brian stevensson and hear from our constituents who suffer from discrimination and bias on a daily basis. And we are going to propose and push for bold action. What matters is that we respond to a National Wave of unrest with action. I am repeating my call to leader mcconnell. Leader mcconnell, commit to putting Law Enforcement reform legislation on the floor before july 4. A divided nation cannot wait for healing, for solutions. At the same time our nation needs calm and steady leadership, a sure hand and a big heart, qualities that President Trump has never displayed in office. I repeat my request to President Trump. President trump, watch joe bidens speech that he gave this morning. Thats what leadership is. Not what youre doing. We are living through a tale of two crisis, covid and protests and trump was been a failure at handling both of them. Last night the scene in washington, d. C. , might have provided the enduring portrait of the trump presidency. While peaceful, lawabiding citizens were exercising their constitutional right to protest in a public park across from the white house, President Trump ordered federal troops to clear those peaceful crowds with tear gas and rubber bullets so he could trudge a few blocks from the white house to stand in front of a church, not to go inside but for a photoop. The president s relentless need to make a weak man feel strong led him to order federal Law Enforcement officers to gas peacefully assembled americans so he could sneak his way to a church photoop. It led him to order federal officers to gas peacefully assembled americans so that he could sneak his way to a church for a photoop. After the gas came the horses, a modernday calvary with clearing the battlefield. The purpose, so President Trump could wave a bible, not read a bible, not even his bible, as a prop. It was appalling. It was an abuse of president ial power. It may well have been illegal and it was blatantly unconstitutional. The president of the United States ordered troops to attack peaceful american citizens, exercising citizens exercising their Constitutional Rights by tear gassing them in a public park while military helicopters flew overhead. The president Must Immediately cease this behavior. Secretary esper and general milley should not let the u. S. Military come within a country mile of these stunts. Let me say that. The president must cease this behavior immediately. Secretary esper, general milley should not allow the u. S. Military to come within a country mile of these ugly stunts. The administration is using the military as a tool to intimidate american citizens and the department of defense i. G. Must immediately launch an investigation into how the u. S. Military was used and whether it was consistent with the laws of our nation. Republicans on both sides of the capitol should be as outraged as we are. The last time we had a president who wantedly disobeyed the laws, the members of congress stood up to him. Not so much this time. Not so much this president. Leader mcconnell just spoke here on the floor and we didnt hear a word from him about the president s disgraceful use of force on nonviolent protesters last night. Senate republicans who remain silent about the president s abuses are once again betraying the rule of law and the constitutional basis of this country and the reason, fear of a vindictive president who demands they never criticize. After the president s reality show ended last night, while the nation nervously watched the chaos that engulfs us, President Trump probably laid in bed pleased with himself for descending another rung on the dictatorial ladder. He probably wore out his Remote Control watching the clips of general milleys victory over the unarmed battle in la if hate square. Its its all so sad, so pathetic, so weak. The president could have led during the covid crisis which still looms over us. He could have led in economic recovery, providing realistic hopes to people. Even now, he could be spending his time decrying the absence of justice for george floyd, calling for the investigation or prosecution of the other three officers who were involved, or for Breonna Taylor or for countless other African Americans who have been killed extrajudicially because of the color of their skin. Our nation is desperate, desperate for real leadership. Theres no one home at the white house, and the lights are off. I fear for the future of our country, that in this time of immense difficulty, our president is only capable of contributeing more division, more fear, more chaos. I yield the floor. I note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call mr. Thune madam president. The presiding officer the majority whip. Mr. Thune is the senate in a quorum call . The presiding officer we are. Mr. Thune i would ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be lifted. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Thune madam president , last monday, george floyd died at the hands of a minneapolis Police Officer. This senseless death left americans reeling. Most of all because there have been too many George Floyds. And Breonna Taylors. And Ahmaud Arberys. As a nation, we need to work to ensure that what happened last monday in minneapolis never happens again, and that the perpetrators of crimes like this one are held accountable and brought to justice. We also need to acknowledge how deeply many of our fellow citizens are suffering in the wake of George Floyds senseless death. A lot of our fellow americans are afraid right now, shaken by another death and worried that that could easily have been their son or husband or brother. Too Many Americans feel unsafe in their own communities, and we need to listen to them with humility, to listen to those whose experience of america has often been very different from many of ours. Madam president , in the wake of George Floyds death, americans took to the streets and cities across the country to express their outrage. They joined a powerful tradition and exercised a cherished right. Peaceful protests is an american institution. As the Civil Rights Movement demonstrated, a powerful agent for change. And these protests arent relegated to big cities. Were seeing them in towns across south dakota and in many other places in the United States. Unfortunately, though, there has also been counterproductive and unnecessary violence. Arson, looting, and destruction of property have happened in cities around the country and communities have suffered damage that will be felt for years. Community spaces and Community Buildings have been damaged. Local businesses have seen their shops defaced and their aisles ransacked. And innocent bystanders have been injured. This is not a solution to the problems highlighted by George Floyds death, and this violence needs to end. Putting other lives in danger cannot be an acceptable response to an unjust death. Madam president , around our country, our Law Enforcement officers have been called out to respond to these riots. I just want to say a couple of words about our Police Officers. It was a deliver who caused George Floyds death, and around our country, other Police Officers are sickened by that officers actions and the tragic result. Most of our Nations Police are like houstons police chief who went out and marched in solidarity with protesters, or like norfolk, virginia, police chief who did the same, or like the Police Officers in camden, new jersey, who joined locals to march led by their police chief. There are certainly exceptions, sadly, too many exceptions, but the vast majority, the vast majority, madam president , of our nations Police Officers are men and women of character who care deeply about protecting everyone in their communities and who strive to do their jobs justice and with integrity. Madam president , for too many years, the promise of the declaration that all men are created equal was to not deny to many. And even in our own day with both segregation and slavery now mercifully in our past, the effects of these Great National sins still make themselves felt. We must rededicate ourselves to ensuring that the promise of liberty and justice for all is realized for every american. It will take work, but i have faith in our country and in my fellow americans, and i believe that we can get there. Madam president , my prayers today are with George Floyds family and with all those who are suffering because of his unjust death. And what does the lord require of you, the book of micah asks, but to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your god. May we all seek justice and mercy and walk humbly in the days that are ahead. Madam president , i yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call the presiding officer the senator from ohio is recognized. Mr. Portman im here to talk about the pain, the frustration, and the anger that Many Americans are feeling. The presiding officer the senate is in a quorum call. Mr. Portman i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Portman im here today to talk about the pain, the frustration and the anger that Many Americans are feeling this morning. In the midst of an Unprecedented Health care and economic crisis that is disproportionately affecting our minority communities, weve seen protests spring up across the country in response to egregious examples of injustice and violence against African Americans. Just in the past few weeks there have been graphic videos of Ahmaud Arbery gunned down while jogging on a street in georgia, of a white woman in central park calling 911 to falsely accuse an African American Man Threatening her, and of george floyd pleading for his life as a white officer pressed into his neck with his knee for nine minutes killing him. Joining many others, i made it clear that what happened to these americans is out raibltion and un outrageous and unacceptable. It was very hard to watch that video of george floyd, a man who his family described as a gentle giant, literally begging for his life. I cant breathe, he said. Dont kill me, he pleaded. Those were his final words. This simply cannot be allowed to continue in america. And, by the way, no one i know in Law Enforcement believes this behavior should be allowed either. Each of these acts and other acts of injustice against black americans is deeply troubling in its own right. The combination of these injustices right now in the midst of concerns about the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on communities of color has created a firestorm. Right now many feel overwhelmed by the sadness, anger, and helplessness. Our hearts are with the families of george floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and every american who has experienced injustices in the shadows away from the cameras, outside of the news headlines, in their daily lives. Its good that federal, state, and local investigations are underway in the floyd and arbery cases and just that murder charges have been filed. We must all demand that justice be served fully and thoroughly. We are a nation of laws, and we must work to uphold those laws to protect everyone. But my fear is, like so many other times in our nations history, what will happen is that these killings will fade from the publics consciousness and we will move silently back to the status quo. We cant allow that to happen this time. It is past time for us to have a robust and Inclusive National dialogue on racial inequities and some difficult but necessary conversations about how we move forward as a country. Over the past couple of days ive spoken with the mayors of cleveland, cincinnati, and columbus, our three biggest cities in ohio, all three of which have had peaceful protests and destructive rioting. I commend each of them for their support of citizens demonstrating peacefully and for what they have done to try to stop the violence. We talked about cultivating hope for a better world. I will continue to try to use this podium here in the u. S. Senate to foster unity and discussions with my colleagues, my constituents, and leaders across ohio. We need to Work Together to find solutions that promote Strong Families and communities, that treat each other with respect and dignity. One place to start i believe is by holding up those Police Departments around the country that have made substantial reforms in training and accountability and improve relationships with communities of color, all the while ensuring better Public Safety for their citizens. In my hometown of cincinnati, in the wake of similar Racial Injustice protests in 2001, i worked alongside local officials to develop a better relationship of shared respect between the black community and our Police Officers. Its called the collaborative agreement. Its not a perfect system, and its been tested, but its also proven to be a valuable tool to ensure a continuous and open dialogue between the African American community and the police force, and theres been a measurable drop. The datas there. A measurable drop in cincinnati in cases both where Police Officers used Excessive Force and where officers themselves were injured. The federal government provided support for this program. All of the support came in terms of the computer stims and the data systems and data and transparency and accountability. There is more work to be done so the federal role should continue in cincinnati, but this may be a model for other cities to follow as well. As we look at what actions this body should take, ive been encouraged by some of the good ideas brought forward by some of my colleagues. My colleague from south carolina, senator tim scott, is introducing a bill that would encourage greater reporting of fatalities that occur while individuals are under arrest or in police custody. When we know more about what is happening in trends, ieblg well be i believe well be better able to address the right Public Policy approach. Now would also be a good time in my view to establish a National Commission, a National Commission on race, as was done in 1967 by president johnson in response to the civil unrest of that era. Perhaps the cochairs of that commission could be people of standing like former president s obama and bush, both of whom have spoken eloquently about racism as a stain on our national character. It would not be a commission to restate the problem but to focus on solutions and send a strong moral message that america must live up to the ideal that god created all of us as equal. Sadly there are those trying to take advantage of the pain and suffering by instigating acts of violence aimed at the police. Looting, vandalizing, and setting fires usually in the very communities that are suffering so much. It pains me to see the disrespect that has been shown by some. Including to some of our Small Business owners and their employees in these communities, watching something be destroyed that they have spent their lifetime building. It pains me to see some of the disrespect being shown to some of the officers who are doing their job in a professional manner. And it heartens me to see some of the peaceful demonstrators trying to stop these destructive acts. Violence is not the answer. It will only serve to further divide and already polarize the country. As George Floyds younger brother terrence said yesterday, quote, its okay to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive or make a change another way, because weve been down this road already, the anger damaging your hometown is not the way hed want, end quote. We cannot dismiss the anger and frustration that has driven so many to the streets for peaceful protests these past few days. The anger on display is real. Its raw, and it deserves to be heard and respected. This is something we must all learn from and we must support the rights of those who are demonstrating peacefully. But the answer is not violence. The answer is to insist justice be served. The answer is to listen to those who have felt the sting of racism. The answer is to acknowledge when Racial Disparities and inequities occur. And the answer is to Work Together to address these longstanding injustices going forward. I yield back my time. The presiding officer the senator from texas is recognized. Mr. Cornyn madam president , i have five requests for committees to meet during todays session of the senate. They have been approved by both the majority and minority leaders. The presiding officer duly noted. Mr. Cornyn madam president , this is a busy week for all of us in the senate not so much for our friends in the house who wont be back until the end of the month to vote on any legislation. But were hard at work here in the United States senate, and particularly in the Judiciary Committee weve got a lot to do. This morning we held a hearing to examine the impact of covid19 on incarceration and detention. Across my state, nearly 5,500 offenders have tested positive for covid19 and at least three dozen have passed away. In addition, nearly 900 employees have tested positive leading to seven lineofduty deaths. This has been and continues to be a major focus of mine, after having received a letter from the Public Employee union that the Federal Medical Center at carswell in fort worth, which is actually a medical facility for incarcerated individuals. Unfortunately, we know, just like the Nursing Homes and assisting living facilities, people who are elderly or have chronic Underlying Health problems are especially vulnerable to this virus. And we need to do everything we can to make sure that people are treated humanely and fairly, even while incarcerated. Tomorrow we will switch gears. We will hold the next in a series to examine the f. B. I. s crossfire hurricane investigation. You will require that the cross fire hurricane investigation was opened up in july of 2016 in the midst of a president ial Election Campaign and this followed on the heels of a now famous or Infamous Press conference that f. B. I. Director comey had on july 5, 2016, at which he claimed no reasonable prosecutor would charge thencandidate clinton for the various email scandal that he investigated. But, unfortunately, as we found out later, he reopened that investigation, again, right before the november election, casting a lot of doubt on who interfered the most with the 2016 election. Was it director comey or was it russian active moirves . Who had the measures . Who had the biggest impact on the outcome . As i said, this investigation with the Clinton Campaign began in the summer of 2016 when the special counsels report was released last april, it concluded that there was no collusion or obstruction that could be charged as an offense, and i had hoped that that extensive investigation conducted by the former f. B. I. Director, bob mueller, would close the book on this close the chapter in this book, but his information about how the f. B. I. Conducted its work has come to light thanks in large part to the outstanding work of the Inspector General of the department of justice, mr. Horowitz. It is clear this story is far from over and theres a lot we need to do together to help restore Public Confidence in this nations premier Law Enforcement agency known as the department of justice and the f. B. I. Weve learned tragically i say because as a former judge and former attorney general, i revere these institutions of Law Enforcement, but we learned from texts from highranking officials in the upper management echelon vowing to stop Donald Trumps election. We learned about systematic abuse of the foreign intelligence act which is supposed to protect the privacy of american citizens and how it was manipulated and intentionally abused and lies actually communicated to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in order to justify a warrant against an american citizen. And then weve learned about the first altered and now missing 302 for michael flynn. He, of course, was the National Security advisor for ar short time for for a short time for President Trump and was later charged with lying to the f. B. I. And amazingly in a surreal course of events, the original notes taken by the f. B. I. Agents that interviewed general flynn are nowhere to be found. We learned that they were later modified so we have the modified version after somebody got to change them, but we need to see the underlying one. So its no wonder that the steady drip of information paints a very troubling picture about the motivations behind the crossfire hurricane investigation and the way it evolved over time. But, madam president , the thing that concerns me the most is if rogue f. B. I. Officials can do this against a president ial candidate, if they can do what they did to Hillary Clinton and expose derrogatory information while saying there isnt evidence with which to charge her with an offense, if that is tolerated, then what sort of protection do we, as ordinary citizens, have against that kind of abuse of the enormous powers given to Law Enforcement agencies like the f. B. I. . So this is a monumental scandal and the American People deserve answers, and thats what the Judiciary Committee is hoping to deliver. Tomorrow well hear from former Deputy Attorney general Rod Rosenstein about the origins of the investigation and the role he played as the Deputy Attorney general at the time, the secondhighest ranking official at the department of justice. And, of course, mr. Rosenstein, during his long and illustrious career as a u. S. Attorney in baltimore, he was closely linked to some of the key players linked to this investigation and his testimony is a critical first step in learning the truth behind this misguided and rogue investigation. On thursday the committee will vote on a subpoena for authorizations to obtain additional documents that are critical to our oversight responsibilities as we work to restore americas faith in our Justice System, theres only one way we can succeed and that is to find the truth and to follow the truth wherever it may lead. That process will begin in earnest, again tomorrow, and i look forward to working with my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to uncover the facts, to share them with the American People, and to begin to persuade them that we take seriously the job of repairing the damage done by the crossfire hurricane investigation conducted outside of all of the norms and rules and the that should guide those investigations on the eve of a president ial campaign on top of the reason that Rod Rosenstein recommended to President Trump that james comey be fired as the f. B. I. Director because of his mishandling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. Madam president , i yield the floor and i would note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call a senator madam president. The presiding officer the senator from wyoming. A senator i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Barrasso thank you, madam president. Madam president , i come to the floor with the remarks i had prepared while home in wyoming last week, but first i need to comment on the tragedy that is facing our nation today. Anyone who has seen the video of george floyd being murdered murdered, madam president , has to be heart broken. The peaceful protests that followed peaceful at first about police abuse against any then in american are important and are necessary. These peaceful protests about George Floyds death, theyve been hijacked by violent criminals. Anyone who sees the video of the wanton destruction and the looting and the rioting and the arson, they know that those who were involved have no respect for the people that they are harming. They dishonor the memory of george floyd and they dishonor the cause for which the demonstrators and the protesters first took to the streets. Those who would desecrate the lincoln memorial, the world war ii Veterans Memorial and the church that every president has wore shipped worshiped at going back to james madison, they are set on undermining our nation. Madam president , my goal today was to come to the floor to talk about rebuilding our nation, rebuilding our nation as we recover from coronavirus. Last week at Memorial Day Services in wyoming, i reflected on americas heroes and the sacrifices that so many have made for the rest of us. As i talked with people in wyoming and traveled the state, im reminded how selfreliant, how resourceful, how independent we are as americans. Well, the worst of coronavirus does now seem to be behind us. People want to get back to work. The economy, forcefully shut down the government, is now showing signs of life. Businesses are starting to reopen. As we say in the west, its time to get back in the saddle. Were going to fully reopen our communities and were going to do it smartly, safely, and soon. Every governor needs to speed, not impede, the process so people can return to work. Just as important our children need to get back to school. Its critical, madam president. Parents know how important it is for our students and our kids to be back in the classroom. The lockdowns have been hard on young people. Our kids miss their teachers, they miss their friends, they miss their normal activities. Now every child learns differently. Many children are having learning at home, and others are having difficulty learning on the screen. Some kids are basically teaching themselves. What happens if an atrisk child misses an entire year of school . And what about the impact on child welfare. Madam president , i published an oped entitled coronavirus collateral damage. In it i noticed that pediatricians are very concerned about the disowns, a significant number of child abuse cases are going undetected and unreported. Thankfully schools are figuring out safe ways to reopen. The Senate Health education is holding a hearing on going back to college safely and next week they will hold a hearing on going back to school safely. Most of the k12 schools and colleges open to reopen this fall. Research tells us that young people are better able to deal with the virus and less likely to suffer from the symptoms of the disease. Nevertheless the state California School system will keep their campuses closed for the fall semester. They will not open until after new years. Californias School System is the countrys largest, it serves about a half million students. They have campuses all throughout the state of california and they are taking a onesizefitsall approach, treating every campus as if they are all identical. In my view, that decision is misguided. To date, nearly twothirds of u. S. Colleges plan to reopen this fall. Thats according to the chronicle of Higher Education who have researched universities and talking to them and finding what exactly is going on from school to school. Universities from across the country are rolling out responsible reopening plans aimed at protecting students as well as staff, back at home there is a bold fall reopen agenda and plan. The university asked the governor for 79 million in federal Coronavirus Relief funds to help support the effort. Some of the Safety Measures being discussed include single dorm rooms, smaller classes, enhanced cleaning, and required staff and student coronavirus testing every several weeks. In a recent statement, the university of wyoming president stressed, quote, the importance of an oncampus educational experience. An oncampus educational experience. The president has pledged to bring this is the president from the university of wyoming has pledged to bring our students back to campus safely and protect the health of our community to the highest extent possible. Last week two University President s in indiana published opeds discussing their decisions to reopen this fall. Writing in the washington post, Perdue University and president and former indiana governor Mitch Daniels said that failing to reopen would be an unacceptable breach of duty, an unacceptable breach of duty. He said perdue based its decision on current Scientific Data showing covid19 while very dangerous for the old and the sick poses, he said, a near zero risk to young people. To keep the community safe, they are taking a number of steps including making its campuses less dense. They will require onethird of the staff to work remotely. The former governor said personal responsibility is key. He goes on to say upon arrival in august, each boiler maker will receive after kit including face masks, a thermometer for daily temperature taking as well as the protect perdue pledge. President Mitch Daniels said 45,000 young people, the biggest student population weve ever had, he said, are telling us they want to be here this fall. On j a week after californias decision to stay closed in the fall noter dame made headlines by announcing it will reopen this fall. Writing in the New York Times last week the president reverend john jensen said the leadership of our society is risk worgts risking a good deal. To limit the back and the forth, the fighting irish will forego their fall break and end the semester before thanksgiving. Other Safety Measures being considered include masks, social distancing, aggressive testing, temperature check, Contact Tracing and remote options for atrisk students and staff. Father jenkins notice noted the schools decision is guided by science but also to encourage but also courage and common sense. These schools have sought the best possible medical advice. Theyre following federal Public Health guidelines and chair committed to protecting the vulnerable. This is all new territory. Theres no man. Every Community Faces a unique set of challenges. Every school must chart its own course. Still we can all agree that during this difficult and challenging time, americas schools must stand with their students and not just for the wellbeing of the students but for others as well. Colleges are critical for the Economic Health of entire communities. Hence the name college towns. Universities are major employers. Often the best local source of stable jobs. Many University Jobs are also on the line this fall. The college shutdowns have also shut down main street. For many Small Businesses, losing graduation weekend alone was a crushin crushing blow. Can mom and pop businesses sustain another lost semester . Taking away peoples educational opportunities, social supports, livelihoods is a has a real negative impact. Heres the bottom line. Weve learned that we can protect people from the virus and we can get back to normal life. For the good of the whole society, its so critically important that we reopen now. Its time for america to get back in the saddle again. Thank you, madam president. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call the presiding officer the senator from new jersey is recognized. Without objection. The clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. 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 the nomination of victor g. Mercado of california to be assistant secretary of defense signed by 17 senators. The presiding officer by unanimous consent, the mantd toar quorum call has owe mandatory quorum call has been waived. Is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of victor g. Mercado of california to be assistant secretary of defense shall be brought to a close. The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. The clerk will call the roll. Vote vote vote the presiding officer are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote . If not, the ayes are 75, the nays are 14, and the motion is agreed to. Under the previous order, the Senate Stands in recess until Senate Stands in recess until use the congressional directory for Contact Information for members of congress, governors and federal agencies. Order your copy online today at cspans door. Org. Next House Speaker nancy pelosi earlier today talked about President Trumps handling a protest and civil unrest that broke out across the country following the death of george floyd. This is just under 15 minutes
comparemela.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.