Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 159 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2013 No. 153 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was appoint the Honorable EDWARD J. MARKEY, a approved three qualified and dedicated called to order by the Honorable ED- Senator from the Commonwealth of Massa- nominees—including Richard Griffin, WARD J. MARKEY, a Senator from the chusetts, to perform the duties of the Chair. to serve among the people’s watchdogs Commonwealth of Massachusetts. PATRICK J. LEAHY, against labor abuses, and Tom Wheeler, President pro tempore. to lead the body that oversees the Na- PRAYER Mr. MARKEY thereupon assumed the tion’s telecommunications industries. Chair as Acting President pro tempore. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- This week we will consider five other fered the following prayer: f fine public servants for a variety of Let us pray. RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY crucial roles in the executive branch. Eternal God, the giver of gifts, thank LEADER So when one nominee’s personal story You for Your unchanging promises and professional dedication stands out that we can claim each day. Lord, You The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- in this distinguished crowd, it is re- have promised to supply our needs and pore. The majority leader is recog- markable. And it is remarkable when to work everything together for our nized. we talk about a woman by the name of good. f Patricia Millett. Ms. Millett has been chosen by the Bless our lawmakers. Help them to SCHEDULE seek not what they can get from You President to be a nominee to serve on but what Your power can enable them Mr. REID. Mr. President, following the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. She to do for You. Remind them that in the remarks of myself and Senator graduated at the top of her class from prayer they do not so much hear a MCCONNELL, the Senate will proceed to the University of Illinois and then at- voice as acquire a voice. Show them executive session to consider the nomi- tended Harvard Law School. She how to use that acquired voice to speak nation of Alan Estevez to be a Prin- clerked for the Ninth Circuit Court of for the voiceless. May they even use cipal Deputy Under Secretary of De- Appeals and served as an appellate at- their pain to put them in touch with fense, working with Senator Hagel. The torney in the Justice Department’s the pain of others. time until 10:30 a.m. will be equally di- civil division. She then served as as- We pray in Your merciful Name. vided. At 10:30, there will be a cloture sistant to the Solicitor General under Amen. vote on the nomination. If cloture is Democratic President Bill Clinton as invoked, we expect to confirm this well as Republican President George W. f nomination later today and continue Bush. Ms. Millett then was chosen to PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE with cloture votes on additional nomi- lead the Supreme Court practice at the nations. prestigious law firm of Akin Gump, and The Presiding Officer led the Pledge We always complain about what we of Allegiance, as follows: has argued more than 32 cases before don’t get done, but I think everyone in the U.S. Supreme Court. This is a stun- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the the Senate should recognize that as a ning number that rarely anyone ever United States of America, and to the Repub- result of our having changed the rules lic for which it stands, one nation under God, reaches. I am sure there are others who indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. in the Senate, we are able to move have reached this number, but the two through some of these things much who come to my mind are the Chief f more quickly. We have reduced the Justice of the Supreme Court who ar- APPOINTMENT OF ACTING time from 30 hours after cloture has gued many cases, and a long-time PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE been invoked to 8 hours, and that has friend, the late Rex Lee, who was Solic- helped us move through these issues. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The itor General for President Reagan. So everybody complains about our clerk will please read a communication Prior to, during his tenure as Solicitor never changing things around here, but to the Senate from the President pro General, and after he argued many we have, and it has helped us. cases before the Supreme Court. But 32 tempore (Mr. LEAHY). The assistant legislative clerk read f arguments before the Supreme Court is the following letter: a stunningly high number. NOMINATIONS Patricia Millett’s professional cre- U.S. SENATE, Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Senate dentials are matched by her personal PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, Washington, DC, October 30, 2013. has the privilege of considering the integrity and determination. She is a To the Senate: nominations of many exceptionally military spouse, mother of two chil- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, talented individuals for a variety of dren, who argued a case before the Su- of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby jobs. This week the Senate has already preme Court while her husband, who ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S7637 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:25 Nov 06, 2013 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD13\RECFILES\S30OC3.REC S30OC3 bjneal on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE S7638 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 30, 2013 serves in the Navy, was deployed in Af- Republicans are using convenient but lied upon will no longer be available in ghanistan. Ms. Millett has been a lit- flawed political arguments to ham- their network—and, in many cases, eracy tutor for more than two decades, string our Nation’s court and deny they will be responsible for 100 percent and volunteers at her church’s home- highly qualified nominees such as Ms. of the costs associated with services less shelter. She has the support of law Millett a fair up-or-down vote. But she performed at those facilities they used enforcement officials, legal profes- deserves better. She deserves a return to use. sionals, and military organizations to the days when all Senators—includ- Let me repeat. One hundred percent from across the political spectrum. Her ing Republicans—took their duty to of the costs. How is that an improve- colleagues have called her fair-minded, advise and consent seriously. ment? How is that reform? principled, and exceptionally gifted, I am cautiously optimistic that Many in the middle class are also with unwavering integrity. So it is enough Republicans understand their learning that the health plans they truly a shame that some Republicans responsibilities and will allow us to were promised they could keep are would filibuster this exceedingly quali- move forward on this very important being taken away from them anyway. fied nominee for unrelated political nomination. She deserves a return to They feel absolutely betrayed. They reasons. the days when qualified nominees were feel hurt. And they feel vulnerable. Patricia Millett is nominated to guaranteed a full and fair confirmation When these folks are offered ‘‘com- what many call the second most impor- process to avoid the political games. It parable’’ plans at all, they are often tant court in the land—the DC Circuit. is basically fairness. completely unaffordable. And if they This court reviews the complicated de- f poke around on the exchanges—assum- cisions and rulemakings of Federal RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY ing they could even log on—many are agencies, and since September 11, 2001, LEADER finding that ObamaCare coverage is has handled some of the most impor- going to cost them way too much, not tant terrorism and detention cases in The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- offer them what they want, or both. the history of our country. pore. The Republican leader. Here is a note I recently received This is what former DC Chief Judge f from a constituent in Caldwell County: Patricia Wald said about the court’s OBAMACARE According to . our health insurance pro- caseload: vider, we can elect to stay on our current The D.C. Circuit hears the most complex, Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, plan for this year with less coverage or time-consuming, labyrinthine disputes over each of us was sent here to serve and switch to the ‘Affordable’ Care Plan that regulations with the greatest impact on ordi- protect our constituents. That is why provides a little more coverage but at a cost nary Americans’ lives: clean air and water Republicans voted unanimously increase that is almost double. We currently regulations, nuclear plant safety, health- against ObamaCare in 2009, because we pay $653 per month and it would increase to care reform issues, insider trading and more. believed it was our job to stand for over $1100 . after talking to the insurance These cases can require thousands of hours middle-class families we were sent here company today, it seems . I was lied to by of preparation by the judges, often con- to represent, because we—and not just the President and Congress when we were suming days of argument, involving hun- told that the ‘Affordable’ Care Act would not dreds of parties and interveners, and necessi- us, but countless health care profes- require us to switch from our current insur- tating dozens of briefs and thousands of sionals, policy experts, and citizens ance provider.