Senate the Senate Met at 10 A.M

E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 164 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2018 No. 121 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was ceed to executive session to resume Lisa Blatt is a skilled litigator who called to order by the President pro consideration of the following nomina- argues frequently before the Supreme tempore (Mr. HATCH). tion, which the clerk will report. Court. She is also a Democrat. She f The senior assistant legislative clerk wrote the committee too. Her letter de- read the nomination of Andrew S. scribes Mr. Oldham as ‘‘a great lis- PRAYER Oldham, of Texas, to be United States tener’’ with ‘‘a brilliant legal mind, The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit. [and] a wonderful sense of humor and fered the following prayer: The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under collegiality.’’ Let us pray. the previous order, the time until 2 Her conclusion? He would ‘‘make a Eternal God, who has been the hope p.m. will be equally divided in the superb judge.’’ and joy of many generations, thank usual form. What about Mr. Oldham’s own words? You for giving us the power to seek RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER If confirmed, he explained to our col- You. We praise You for Your promise The majority leader is recognized. leagues during his hearing, he will ‘‘up- that those who keep on seeking will Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, this hold the rights of all litigants—big or find what they seek. Inspire our law- week the Senate continues to confirm little—equally, and apply the law to all makers to seek Your wisdom in order impressive nominees whom President fairly.’’ to be guided by Your loving providence. Trump has asked to serve our country. He understands his responsibility, Lord, give them a clearer vision of We have confirmed two Assistant Sec- clearly. I look forward to confirming Your truth, a great faith in Your retaries to the Department of Edu- this nominee, and I urge each of our might, and a deeper assurance of Your cation, Scott Stump and James Blew. colleagues to join me. We have confirmed a member of the love. Teach them to labor and not to ECONOMIC GROWTH Board of Governors of the Federal Re- ask for any reward except that of Mr. President, on another matter, it serve, Randal Quarles. Now we will knowing they are doing Your will. has been a year and a half since Repub- turn to the judiciary and consider We pray in Your loving Name. Amen. lican majorities took their seats in nominees to the Fifth Circuit and f Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Congress and a Republican President PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE First is Andrew Oldham of Texas, the was sworn in. In 2016, the American President’s choice for the Fifth Circuit. people made it clear it was time to try The President pro tempore led the something new. They were tired of a Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: Mr. Oldham has impressed the legal community in his years of public serv- so-called recovery that focused over- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the ice, most recently as general counsel to whelmingly on big, wealthy metropoli- United States of America, and to the Repub- the Governor of Texas. tan areas. They had seen enough of tax lic for which it stands, one nation under God, hikes and top-down regulations that indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Oldham has degrees from the University of Virginia, Cambridge, and held their communities back. They f Harvard Law. He clerked on both the turned to Republicans to deliver a pro- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME DC Circuit Court and the Supreme growth, pro-opportunity agenda to cre- ate better conditions for working fami- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. COT- Court. He carries the highest possible lies, job creators, and entrepreneurs to TON). Under the previous order, the rating from the American Bar Associa- leadership time is reserved. tion, ‘‘unanimously well-qualified.’’ rise together. He comes highly recommended by Eighteen months later, the results f peers and colleagues from across the could not be clearer. Today, more peo- CONCLUSION OF MORNING political spectrum. Judith Zaffirini is a ple say it is a good time to find a job BUSINESS Texas State senator. She is a Demo- than at almost any point since the turn The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning crat. She wrote the Judiciary Com- of the millennium. U.S. manufacturers business is closed. mittee to support Mr. Oldham’s nomi- are more confident than ever about the nation ‘‘confidently, enthusiastically, future of their businesses. f and without reservation.’’ She and the Here is a story from yesterday’s Fi- EXECUTIVE SESSION nominee have worked together on a nancial Times: ‘‘US retail sales rise for number of important subjects. Through fifth straight month in June.’’ This is a them all, she explains, ‘‘Mr. Oldham re- good sign for Americans all across the EXECUTIVE CALENDAR flected the ideal qualities of a judge board. It shows our economy is The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under . open-minded, fair . thoughtful healthy. It shows that families feel the previous order, the Senate will pro- and analytical.’’ they have enough breathing room to ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5027 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:58 Jul 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A18JY6.000 S18JYPT1 S5028 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 18, 2018 make purchases, which of course then walk that back? He did not address his national security team—those who benefit the companies and workers who brazen attacks on the FBI while on for- were in Helsinki and those who would produce what they are buying. Of eign soil. Is he going to walk that have knowledge of what happened in course, it is especially good for the 42 back? Helsinki. million Americans whose jobs are sup- Now, late last night and this morn- We need to have immediate public ported by the retail industry. ing, the President is back to cele- testimony from Secretary Pompeo, According to industry data, more brating his meeting with Putin. He is from DNI Director Coats, and from than 6 in 10 Americans work in retail walking back the walk back. That is Ambassador Huntsman. at some point in their career, so this what he did this morning. This is like Above all, we need the translator continued prosperity is really signifi- Charlottesville redux. We all know who was present at the one-on-one cant. There is little question that tax what the President really thought. We meeting with President Putin to tes- reform is to thank for a significant know what he thought at Charlottes- tify openly before Congress. That is not portion of this progress. ville. The walk back was unconvincing, usually done, but there are almost al- For one thing, our middle-class tax and he went back to his old ways. We ways other people in the room, so you cuts are directly boosting families’ dis- know what he thought at Helsinki. The don’t need the translator. But for some cretionary income. As the Wall Street walk back was unconvincing. And now, reason—a reason that Americans and Journal reported this week, ‘‘many with his tweets this morning, he is the world are wondering about—Presi- households are experiencing less with- back to his old ways. dent Trump wanted no one else in the holding from their paychecks thanks The only reason there was a walk room. Having the translator come tes- to the tax overhaul.’’ back is that the President was forced tify and tell us what happened there is Analysts also point to the business by pressure from many of my Repub- an imperative. It is so important. It is side of tax reform, which is letting lican friends here, from his allies in the rare for translators to come before more U.S. employers expand and hire. media, and his own White House staff. Congress, but in this case, it is war- That means more jobs for American They all pressured him to give that ranted—A, because no one else was in workers, which means more income for temporary walk back. But it is clear the room, by the President’s direction, American families, which means more from today’s tweets that he doesn’t and B, because what happened there money in the cash registers of Amer- mean it, that he doesn’t believe it, and, might have been so important, given ican small businesses. The virtuous frankly, neither does anybody else. It what happened in public a few short cycle goes on. is clear that he still believes President hours afterward. The translator works The American people and most fair Putin over the consensus of the Amer- for the Federal Government, works for observers are marveling at what our ican intelligence community, and that the taxpayers, and may be the only economy is delivering to workers and puts Americans’ security gravely at person who can accurately report what middle-class families, but I am starting risk. President Trump said to President to think our Democratic colleagues The President’s reluctant, ham-hand- Putin behind closed doors, what con- may have forgotten what a successful ed, half-hearted ‘‘clarification’’ yester- cessions were made to Vladimir Putin. economic agenda looks like because day—almost entirely reversed this We want to know.

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