The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. Todays opening prayer will be offered by monsignor anthony j. Marcaccio, pastor of st. Pius the tenth from greensboro, north carolina. The guest chaplain let us pray. Blessed are you, lord god, of all creation. You are the gifter of ever good gift, of life and liberty, of peace and prosperity, of wisdom, understanding, and right judgment. We ask that in your divine mercy you would bless our republic and in a special way the work of our senators, that they may discern all that is true, all that is honorable, all that is right, all that is excellent and worthy of praise for our nation. In this moment, make us mindful of all that has brought us together as a country and how it foster passes that which can divide us. So when all is deliberated and done here, we may be preserved as one nation under god. Amen and 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. Mr. Grassley madam president . The presiding officer the president pro tempore. Mr. Grassley i would like to address the senate for one minute in morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley last week a whole bunch of us midwest beautiful senators sent a biofuel senators sent a cover letter to president with regard to the powerful rules that are out for comment. The president has been a supporter of biofuels, and the e. P. A. Shouldnt undercut President Trumps support of r. F. S. I urge the e. P. A. And administrator wheeler to adjust the proposed supplemental rule to account for an actual waive gallons using our data from past practices to send an unambiguous signal to the marketplace. Im glad to have the opportunity to comment, and i encourage all farmers, biofuel producers, and anybody else interested in supporting the r. F. S. To make their comments. Those comments should be along the lines of what was agreed to in the oval office on september 12 that the e. P. A. Regulations dont reflect properly to state to the e. P. A. That you want the september 12 agreement agreed to. So go to regulation. Gov or to Iowa Farm Bureau or iowa farm website before the deadline of november 270 november 27 to tell the e. P. A. To stand behind the president s oval office agreement. I yield the floor. Mcconnell madam president . The presiding officer the majority leader. Mcconnell my completion are well familiar with my repeated calls for bipartisan progress. For more than two months as the appropriations process idled at partisan roadblocks. With the road map negotiated in july by the president and the speaker and approved by each of the congressional leaders, we had the necessary commitments to move forward in good faith and avoid partisan riders that would stall the entire effort. But, of course, that didnt happen. But failing to secure funding for the federal government before the end of the year is not an option. Chairman shelby continues to lead efforts to settle on subcommittee allocations that can earn bipartisan support. Today these efforts are ongoing and with our deadline to prevent a funding lapse rapidly approaching, im encouraged that the house will apparently apparently be voting today on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded to december 20 while talks continue. These talks must continue because its vital that we work in good faith to Fund Important priorities for the coming year. But what is needed in the near term is to keep the government open for the next several weeks while this work goes on. This is not rocket science, madam president. The house needs to send us a shortterm funding bill, which the senate can pass and which the president will sign. That is the way to keep government open while our important discussions continue to make progress toward closing out the appropriations process and getting fullyear bills to the floor. Now, on another matter, for weeks republicans have been trying to move forward significant Bipartisan Legislation for the American People. Senate republicans have tried to get our democratic colleagues to let us consider defense funding. House republicans have tried to get Speaker Pelosi to fine rally allow a vote on usmca. And in both chambers weve been asked democrats to stop slowwalking the Conference Committee for the critical defense bill, the ndaa. Alas, madam president , our democratic colleagues have not yet been willing to budge on any of those things. So as a result, while the senate waits for the thousands send a shortterm for the house to send us shortterm fund, well spend time on personnel business. Yesterday we advanced the nomination of robert luck to be United States circuit judge for the 11th circuit. Justice luck brings a wellrounded legal record including a clerkship on the 11th circuit, service in the u. S. Attorneys office for the Southern District of florida and years spent ruling from the state bench. Today well also advance the nomination of Justice Barbara lagoa of florida, also to serve on the 11th Circuit Court of appeals. A graduate of Columbia University school of law, Justice Lagoa has spent years practicing law serving sasse a federal prosecutor and ruling from both the state app pell lat bench and the florida supreme court. I look forward to confirming both of these nominees along with adrian zuckerman, the president s nominee to as our nations ambassador to romania. Now, on a final matter, i spoke yesterday about the courageous people of hong kong, who are standing up to beijing and speaking out for their freedoms. But hong kongers are not alone in bravely speaking up at this time. The middle east continues to be swept by widespread and crosssectarian demonstrations. In lebanon, in iraq, and in iran, millions are demanding a Better Future, greater justice, less corruption, and more democracy from their governments. These protests span three countries. Each is unique. But one Common Thread connects them iran. For years iran has systemically sought to undermine the territorial integrity and manipulate the politics of countries all across the middle east. Nowhere is this more apparent than in lebanon and iraq, where iranian proxies have challenged the very sovereignty of the state. In lebanon, iran backs hezbollah, the terrorist group that has become a dominant political player. Hezbollah has become a state within a state. Its weapons and fighters do not work to defend the lebanese state but to embroil it in serious civil war and imperil its security by threatening israeli israel with precision rockets. In iraq, irans Islamic Revolutionary guard corps have spent years sponsoring shia militias and proxies that are more loyal to tehran than to baghdad or to the people of iraq. So in both these countries, tehran has used and promoted the use of force to acquire power and to acquire influence. A few weeks ago, the leader of the quds force flew to iraq for secret meetings to guide iraqi leaders through the protests there. Heres what this iranian thug told the iraqis. We in iran know how to deal with protests. Enough said. Well, madam president , a valiant crackdown on peaceful protest certificates not going to solve anything. What iraqi and lebanese leaders must do is stop listening to the poisonous advice of iranian tyrants who are losing their own grip on their own people and start addressing their own citizens demands for transparency and reform. Iraq and lebanon should give their people what they want less corruption, less maligned foreign influence, more opportunity, and the rule of law. That is the path forward for iraq and lebanon. Commit to prosperity and pluralism at home, combat corruption and injustice within all sections, protect the sovereignty of of your dun, pursue peace with your neighbors and enjoy support from the United States as well. I would note that in contrast to hezbollahs thugs, lebanons armed forces by most accounts continue to be one of lebanons few institutions of national unity. The l. A. F. Has respected the rights of protesters, protected them from violence, and sought to deescalate steps on the street it. I know the u. S. Military believes its training in partnership with the l. A. F. Is paying off, helping it to be more professional and responsible security force. So, madam president , while these events transpire in iraq and lebanon, the iranian people themselves are also engaging in their own demonstrations. Iran used to be a modern, open, and prosperous society. It could be again. Now tens of thousands of iranian people themselves are raising their voices in righteous anger at what has become of their Living Conditions and their country. The iranian people are feeling the pain inflicted by the brutality, selfishness, and extremism of their ruling class. The regime seems to be doing all it can to put a stop to this. Reports over the weekend indicated an enormous, unprecedented internet blackout aimed at keeping iranians into the dark and suggests iranian leaders are threatening yet another violent crackdown against their own citizens. But irans leaders know exactly what must be done to alter the course of their oncegreat country and unlike a Better Future unlock a Better Future for its citizens. Iran needs to stop pursuing Nuclear Weapons and longrange missile capabilities, stop supporting terror and stop the horrific mistreatment of its own people. There is an entire civilized worldful of nations that get by just fine without engaging in any of these rogue state activities. Iran engages in all of them all of them. Iranian leaders will either listen to their own citizens and start behaving like a normal nation or they will be treated more and more like the backward pariahs they have become. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call mr. Schumer madam president. The presiding officer the democrat leader. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer madam president , over the past few days and weeks, reports about the democratic protests in hong kong have grown more and more troubling. The authorities in hong kong have cracked down violently on some of the protesters, firing hundreds of rounds of tear gas at a local university. And even using lethal force in a few teaj situations. As many have observed, some of the pictures coming out of hong kong are reminiscent of a war zone. Yesterday, the Chinese Communist party dealt another blow to hong kongs special status, criticizing a ruling by the territorys high court that reversed the hong kong governments ban on masks. The communist Party Declared that only the Chinese Legislature has the right to decide whether hong kongs laws are consistent with the hong kong basic law, and no other authority has the right to make these judgments. That assertion by the Chinese Communist party is a direct assault on hong kongs judicial independence. Make no mistake about it, this communist party is cruel and relentless in cracking down on any dissent in every part of china. What theyre doing to the uighurs at the other end of the chinese country far away from hong kong is just brutal and awful. We in the United States stand in solidarity with the democratic protesters who have every right to assemble and petition their government for the rights of the citizens of hong kong. The administration and the president himself should voice their support for the protesters in hong kong, which would send an Important Message to the Chinese Communist party not to get involved or in any way escalate the situation. Secretary pompeos call for calm yesterday is weak tea, not close to enough. Beyond a president ial statement, there are actions we can take here in congress, because frankly i have been very disappointed that the president in this dramatic situation in hong kong does not do what president s, democrat and republican, have done in the past, stand up for human rights, stand up for democracy. Hes not done that. He doesnt seem to care. And as we know, he seems more eager to please dictators than please those who are fighting for democracy. But congress can act. We have a bipartisan bill here in the senate with many cosponsors, including the senior senators from florida and new jersey, and maryland as well, that would reaffirm our steadfast support for hong kongs autonomy, democracy, and respect for human rights and amend the Hong Kong Policy act to give us the tools to safeguard and protect hong kongs democracy and autonomy and hold accountable those responsible for the abuse of human rights of the people of hong kong. There is no objection to this bill on the democratic side of the aisle. We believe the senate should pass it. If there are objections on the republican side, lets take a few days and work through the bill on the floor. We havent done much legislation. Heres a place where we could come together in a bipartisan way. So if there are no objections, great, lets pass it this afternoon. I believe the senator from florida will make a unanimous consent statement in that regard. And if there are objections, i would urge the republican leader, who has spoken occupant and defended the protests, to take a few days, let someone try to invoke cloture. It will fail miserably. And lets vote this, and then maybe the house will pass it. That would be something i think would happen, and the president as well. In addition, the senator from oregon along with some others has a bill that we shouldnt sell u. S. Companies shouldnt sell lethal types of equipment to the Hong Kong Police that are used on the protesters. I would hope we could find a way to work that proposal either into this bill or maybe we could do a u. C. Alongside it, a unanimous consent request, alongside it. Nonetheless, we should pass the bipartisan bill in the senate, reconcile it with similar legislation in the house, and quickly send it to the president s desk. It would be the strongest Action Congress could take immediately to demonstrate americas support for the protests in hong kong. It would send a strong and clear message to the ruling party in beijing. It would make a real difference. Again, i would urge the republican leader, the words on the floor he mentioned yesterday were good but not sufficient. Lets move this legislation. If we can, by unanimous consent. If not, by having a debate on the floor so that the hand full of senators who might be trying to be blocking it are thwarted and the bill would move forward. Now this morning the American People will hear more important testimony in the house impeachment inquiry from Lieutenant ColonelAlexander Vindman of the National Security council and from Jennifer Williams, an advisor to the vice president. Regrettably, some republicans, including one in this chamber, have tried without evidence or substantiation to undermine, to call into question, to smear the credibility of the witnesses, including Lieutenant Colonel vindman, a purple heart recipient who has spent his life in service to our country. The attacks on the witnesses are painful and wrong. Theyre reminiscent of a brutal country, not a democratic republic that we are. I hope everyone will treat these witnesses with respect and listen to their testimony with an open mind. It is unbecoming of any senator to smear these patriots, whether they agree or disagree with their testimony. The house has a responsibility to seek the truth and uncover all of the facts. And if it comes to it, the senate has a responsibility to examine the evidence and render impartial judgment. Finally, on infrastructure, as the impeachment inquiry continues, democrats in both chambers continue to do the work of the American People. Just last week my colleagues in the house discussed a proposal for a very significant investment in infrastructure. Senate democrats at the very beginning of the Trump Administration proposed a 1 trillion infrastructure plan that would create 15 million jobs. At our meeting in the white house, i mentioned this to President Trump and asked him to join us in either supporting our bill or working to modify it in a way that he might be able to support it. At the time we had hoped that President Trump, after promising over and over again in his campaign that hed pursue a Major Overhaul of our nations infrastructure, would work with us on specific legislation. But unfortunately and typically, three years into the Trump Administration, instead of working with democrats, President Trump has done next to nothing. Earlier this year the president walked out on a meeting walked out of a meeting on infrastructure between himself and Speaker Pelosi and me and some other congressmen and senators. We havent heard from him on the issue since. Meanwhile leader comoin has turned the Senate Leader mcconnell has turned the senate into a legislative graveyard and seems uninterested in any