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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, TUESDAY, JULY 30, 2013 No. 111 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was No. 223, the nomination of Kent I am glad the Senate is moving for- called to order by the President pro Yoshiho Hirozawa, of New York, to be ward as agreed under this process, set tempore (Mr. LEAHY). a member of the National Labor Rela- forth at the beginning of this Congress, tions Board and immediately have a to confirm five nominees to the NLRB, PRAYER cloture vote on that nomination. two Republicans and three Democrats. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- f The Senate will consider three Demo- fered the following prayer: cratic nominees and two Republican Let us pray. MEASURE PLACED ON THE nominees for the NLRB today. Once Sovereign Master of the Universe, CALENDAR—H.R. 2218 they are confirmed, the NLRB will Your kingdom cannot be shaken for Mr. REID. I am told H.R. 2218 is at have five Senate-confirmed members You are King of kings and Lord of the desk and is due for a second read- for the first time in a decade. lords. We praise You that more things ing. The five nominees are all eminently are wrought by prayer than this world The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- qualified. can imagine. pore. The clerk will read the bill by For example, Mark Pearce has served Lord, thank You for inviting us to title for a second time. on the National Labor Relations Board ask and receive, to seek and find, and The legislative clerk read as follows: for 3 years, since 2010. He has served as to knock for doors to open. Forgive us A bill (H.R. 2218) to amend subtitle D of the chairman since 2011. when we have forfeited Your blessings Solid Waste Disposal Act to encourage recov- Mr. Pearce was a founding partner of because of our failure to ask. Forgive ery and beneficial use of coal combustion re- a Buffalo, NY law firm, where he prac- us also when we have lacked the humil- siduals and establish requirements for the ticed employment law. ity to turn from evil, to seek Your proper management and disposal of coal He previously worked in the Buffalo, combustion residuals that are protective of NY regional office of the NLRB. face, and to pursue Your paths. May human health and the environment. this prayer that opens today’s session Mr. Pearce received his Bachelor’s be a springboard for intercession Mr. REID. I now object to any fur- degree from Cornell University and his throughout this day. Help our Senators ther proceedings at this time. law degree from SUNY Buffalo. to pause repeatedly during their chal- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objec- Kent Hirozawa, whose nomination we lenging work to ask You for wisdom tion is heard. The bill will be placed on will also consider today, is currently and guidance. the calendar. chief counsel for the National Labor We pray in Your merciful Name. f Relations Board. Amen. Before joining the NLRB staff in 2010, THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS Mr. Hirozawa was a partner at a New f BOARD York law firm, where he worked on PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mr. REID. Mr. President, for the first Federal and State and labor and em- The President pro tempore led the time in 3 years the Senate is poised to ployment law. Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: confirm members of the National Mr. Hirozawa also served as a field I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Labor Relations Board. Although too attorney for the NLRB from for 3 years United States of America, and to the Repub- few Americans are aware of the impor- prior to entering private practice. lic for which it stands, one nation under God, tant job this Board does, the NLRB He received a Bachelor’s degree from indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. looks out for rights of millions of U.S. Yale and his law degree from NYU. f workers every day and remedies unfair Nancy Schiffer, the third Democratic practices by private companies. This NLRB nominee we will consider today, RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY Board is an important safeguard for served as associate general counsel for LEADER workers in America, regardless of the American Federation of Labor and The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The whether the employees are union or Congress of Industrial Organizations. majority leader is recognized. nonunion. Without the work of the She has also worked for the United f NLRB, employees who have been cheat- Auto Workers and served as a staff at- ed and treated unfairly would have no torney in the NLRB’s Detroit regional SCHEDULE entity to address the wrongs. Union office. Mr. REID. Mr. President, following elections would be meaningless to em- Ms. Schiffer received her Bachelor’s the remarks of Senator MCCONNELL ployers and employees. Labor abuses from Michigan State University and and me, the Senate will proceed to ex- and unfair employment practices could her law degree from the University of ecutive session to consider Calendar go unchallenged. Michigan. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S6029 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:15 Sep 30, 2014 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD13\RECFILES\JUL2013\S30JY3.REC S30JY3 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE S6030 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2013 Once we vote on the 3 Democratic Well, 2 years later Democrats are tax increases Europeans enact under nominees, I expect we will consider the now trying to find ways to walk away duress—and the kind of pain Detroiters 2 Republican nominees by consent. from it. experience under bankruptcy—these The first Republican nominee, Harry They are pressing to abandon the 2011 are exactly the things Republicans aim Johnson, is a partner at a Los Angeles agreement in favor of higher spending, to avoid. And we aim to avoid those law firm and practices labor and em- as evidenced by appropriations bills things by acting intelligently today, ployment law. like the one we’re considering this while we still have time. Mr. Johnson received his Bachelor’s week—which hikes up spending by dou- Unlike Democrats, Republicans are degree from Johns Hopkins University ble digits. And the President is now ac- not looking for some colorless discus- and his law degree from Harvard. tually threatening to veto bills that sion about raising taxes here or snip- The other Republican nominee, Phil- live up to that commitment we all ping there or moving numbers around ip Miscimarra, is a partner in a Chi- made. on a budget chart. We would rather cago law firm, where he also practices Let me repeat that: The President of have a more holistic, forward-looking labor and employment law. the United States who, during the cam- conversation, one about modernizing Mr. Miscimarra received his Bach- paign, took credit for the very savings elor’s degree from Duquesne Univer- Government to meet the challenges of Democrats now want to walk away the 21st Century. sity, and his M.B.A and J.D. from the from, is threatening to veto spending Where we ask questions like: University of Pennsylvania. bills that would actually follow the law These nominees will be responsible and live up to the commitment he him- How do we modernize entitlement for ensuring fair compensation and self signed. programs so they’ll actually be acces- working conditions for American work- This represents a stunning shift for sible to Americans when they need ers. Democrats, who just recently were them? Look at the re´sume´s of these people. warning against breaking the agree- Which government programs should They are pretty impressive. be reformed, updated, or no longer They are experienced and dedicated ment. The Chairwoman of the Budget make sense in a 21st Century economy? public servants, and I have no doubt Committee said last year that we have How can services be delivered in the that they will perform their duties on to be able to count on agreements that most efficient and technologically this crucial board with distinction. have been made, instead of threatening a Government shutdown. Yet that is savvy way? f just what she and her party are now And what structural reforms can we RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY threatening to do—to shut down the implement to ensure the most robust LEADER Government unless an agreement we economic growth and job creation for The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. MAR- all made is torn up and thrown away. this generation and those to come? KEY). The Republican leader is recog- So if Democrats want to shut down By addressing the big questions nized. the Government because they can’t now—by identifying and implementing Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, wiggle their way out of a deal they forward-looking reforms today—we can today, the President will continue his agreed to, I guess there is not much we do a lot more than just reduce the def- campaign road tour in Chattanooga. can do to stop them. But Republicans icit in the short term. We can also cre- We hear he plans to make an announce- intend to stick by the commitments ate jobs now, grow the economy now, ment about corporate taxes. And while made to our constituents. make Government work better now, I understand he is looking for headlines That said, there is also this to re- and eliminate the threat of a debt cri- here, reports indicate that the policy member: Republicans have always said sis everyone knows is coming, a debt he intends to announce doesn’t exactly that there may be more effective ways crisis that would usher in the very qualify as news.