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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 116 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 165 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, JULY 8, 2019 No. 113 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, at 2 p.m. Senate MONDAY, JULY 8, 2019 The Senate met at 3 p.m. and was have to have dialogue between con- ductive State work period and an en- called to order by the President pro stituents and those of us elected. joyable Fourth of July. tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). Last week, I continued my annual 99 On Thursday, hundreds of millions of f county meetings with Q&A’s in 12 of proud Americans joined together all our 99 counties. across our country in town squares, PRAYER No matter the setting, Iowans set the parks, and backyards to cohost our Na- The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- agenda at my meetings. Holding face- tion’s 243rd birthday party. As always, fered the following prayer: to-face meetings is the best way to the parades and fireworks and picnics Let us pray. hear what is on Iowans’ minds, but it is commemorated something serious: our Eternal God, accept our thanks and not the only way. proud national legacy of liberty. It praise for Your goodness. Thank You I encourage Iowans to write in or call began in Philadelphia in 1776, and we for challenging work and for the satis- my office to voice their opinions on continue working to make it manifest faction of a job well done. any Federal issue. Iowans can also read to this day. Lord, we are grateful also for dis- my speeches and press releases on Celebrating our freedoms also means appointments and failures that teach grassley.senate.gov; follow me on remembering the great sacrifices that us to depend on You. Facebook or on Twitter so many have given in order to protect Continue to bless our Senators. Give @chuckgrassley or and preserve them. It is fitting that them Your spirit that they may make @senatorchuckgrassley on Instagram. here in our Nation’s Capital, the fire- You known in thoughts, words, and ac- I enjoyed my conversations with works display lights up our war memo- tions. Remind them to strive to glorify Iowans last week. rials and the tombs of fallen warriors You in deeds both large and small. I yield the floor. across the river. And, of course, we re- Keep them from stumbling or slipping I suggest the absence of a quorum. member also all the men and women so one day they will stand before You The PRESIDING OFFICER. The currently serving today. clerk will call the roll. with great joy. We Americans have so much to be We pray in Your merciful Name. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. proud of. Just yesterday, we were given Amen. yet another reason. Instead of taking Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, f I ask unanimous consent that the order the weekend off, the U.S. women’s na- tional soccer team finished their time PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. in France by winning the World Cup. The President pro tempore led the Earlier last week, the U.S. women com- ERNST). Without objection, it is so or- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: dered. memorated Independence Day early by I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the beating England, and then yesterday, f United States of America, and to the Repub- they defeated the Netherlands—two to lic for which it stands, one nation under God, RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY nothing—to take first place. Through indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. LEADER grit, teamwork, and dazzling talent, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- the American women have now raised FISCHER). The Senator from Iowa. jority leader is recognized. the World Cup trophy four times. f f A billion viewers around the world tuned in to watch the tournament. All CONSTITUENT OUTREACH FOURTH OF JULY told, they saw the United States Mr. GRASSLEY. If you are going to Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, outscore our opponents collectively by have representative government, you I hope all of our colleagues had a pro- 26 to 3 and follow our victory in the ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S4683 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:10 Jul 09, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A08JY6.000 S08JYPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE S4684 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 8, 2019 last tournament in 2015 with a back-to- in, to be proud of, as are the heart, of our entire healthcare system hangs back win this time as well. skill, and sheer joy the U.S. women in the balance. This challenge to the I know my colleagues join me in of- bring to the pitch. As they make their Affordable Care Act, brought by Repub- fering the Senate’s congratulations to way home, I send them my congratula- lican State attorneys general and re- the U.S. women’s national soccer team tions, my thanks, and a formal invita- grettably supported by President for bringing this honor home. tion for the team to come to the Upper Trump and his administration, rep- f Chamber for a celebration as they visit resents the latest efforts by Repub- licans to dismantle healthcare as we NOMINATIONS our Nation’s Capital. It would be my honor to host America’s winning team. know it in America. Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, I want to send a special congratula- After failing to repeal our healthcare on another matter, this week, the Sen- tions to the New Yorkers on the team, through Federal legislation, Repub- ate will continue to make headway and Allie Long and Crystal Dunn, the lat- licans have now turned to the courts. If confirm the President’s highly quali- ter of whom made a crucial tackle in Republicans get their way in this case, fied nominees for important Federal of- the final, leading to our second and de- the impact on Americans would be cat- fices. cisive goal in the final period. New astrophic; that is not an exaggera- We will begin by considering Daniel York is proud of them both, as well as tion—catastrophic. It would result in Bress, who has been nominated to serve the entire roster. the elimination of protections for peo- on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the While today we celebrate their vic- ple with preexisting conditions, pos- Ninth Circuit. Mr. Bress is a graduate tory, we also recognize that these sibly increasing costs for 133 million of Harvard College and the University women athletes have challenges and Americans under 65. of Virginia School of Law. Clerkships they make us really think about the If you have a son or daughter with after law school included time at the future of women’s sports. They make cancer and the insurance company cuts Supreme Court clerking for the late us grapple with the deep unfairness in you off, that is catastrophic, nothing Justice Scalia. Since then, he has built how female athletes are treated and less. How many people will go through an impressive reputation in private paid compared to their male counter- that if our Republican friends have practice. parts. Similarly, it is an unfortunate their way? It would result in sky- I look forward to continuing the reality that women in the workforce rocketing prescription drug costs for work of our colleagues on the Judici- see their male colleagues paid signifi- seniors or Medicare. Let’s say there is ary Committee, who favorably rec- cantly more for the same work. a lifesaving drug, but it is too expen- ommended Mr. Bress to the floor, when We have come a long way in terms of sive, and you can’t afford it, that is we vote to advance his nomination the prominence of and support for catastrophic to most Americans. Millions of people would be kicked later today and vote on his confirma- women’s sports over the past decade, off Medicaid, leaving the most vulner- tion later this week. but we have not come nearly far After him, the Senate will weigh able out to fend for themselves. Again, enough. Every young girl who has had three nominees for district court va- you desperately need care, but no one to play on weeknights instead of week- cancies in Florida, Indiana, and Penn- will give it to you. That is cata- ends because that is when the boys sylvania. After them, we will continue strophic. play, who has had to accept older to staff up the executive branch with Bring it all together, and what our equipment because the boys got the nominees for important posts in the Republican friends want to do is make new stuff, who has had to play on the Department of Education, the Depart- Americans pay higher prices for infe- other field or rink or court because the ment of Labor, and the EPA. rior care. That is cruelty on a massive boys were using the main one—every As I have said continually, I am scale. girl who has gone through that knows sorry that it is necessary to file cloture Of course, we have been here before. this to be true. As a parent of two girls on uncontroversial district court and For nearly 2 years, the administration who played soccer, basketball, base- Assistant Secretary nominees, but not- pushed Congress to repeal the ACA—a ball, and lacrosse, I know this to be withstanding that hurdle, I am pleased crusade that failed on the Senate floor true.