Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 116 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 116 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 165 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019 No. 130 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Friday, August 2, 2019, at 11 a.m. Senate WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY called to order by the President pro LEADER tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, there is too much secrecy in drug pric- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- jority leader is recognized. f ing, particularly in who benefits from rebates. Not all rebates are created f PRAYER equal in the Medicaid Drug Rebate Pro- JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS gram. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, fered the following prayer: Rebate obligations for brand-name yesterday the Senate took a number of Let us pray. drugs are currently based on both steps forward on our considerable to-do Eternal God, who laid the foundation brand-name and authorized generic list for the week. We confirmed four of the Earth, the Heavens are the drug sales. That means brand-name well-qualified jurists who are now our works of Your hands. You are the same drug manufacturers pay less in rebate country’s newest district court judges yesterday, today, and forever, and obligations. and voted to advance the nominations Your years have no end. The bipartisan legislation I intro- of 10 more—10. That is what you call Today, use our Senators as they duced with Senator WYDEN fixes this. big progress for the Federal Judiciary. serve You with gladness and awe. May It ensures that brand-name drug manu- Today, we are going to continue mov- they make pleasing You their first pri- facturers pay—like common sense ing these nominations forward. ority. Lord, give them Your guidance ought to dictate—brand-name rebates. For too long, thoroughly so that they will behave wisely, striv- This reduces gaming in the system to uncontroversial judicial nominees just ing to have a conscience void of offense make sure authorized generics come to like these have been held up and de- toward You and humanity. May they market for a purpose related to patient layed by our Democratic colleagues, never forget all Your blessings and ben- access, not just to lower brand-name even when the vacancy qualifies as a efits. rebate obligations. judicial emergency. We pray in Your loving Name. Amen. Transparency brings accountability, Uncontroversial district judges used and with transparency and account- to be confirmed promptly in big groups f ability, the market works better, com- by voice vote. These days, in a kind of petition works better, and in the end, protest theater, our colleagues across PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE gets the price of drugs down. the aisle usually insist that we hold a The President pro tempore led the cloture vote and then a rollcall con- I yield the floor. Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: firmation vote on each one. But we are I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the I suggest the absence of a quorum. getting the President’s impressive United States of America, and to the Repub- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The nominees on the job one way or an- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, clerk will call the roll. other, and we will continue doing just indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The legislative clerk proceeded to that. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. call the roll. Our work doesn’t stop there. The ad- BLACKBURN). The Senator from Iowa. ministration remains in need of a full Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, complement of leaders at the Pentagon ask unanimous consent to speak in I ask unanimous consent that the order and in the diplomatic corps. Last morning business for 1 minute. for the quorum call be rescinded. night, we voted to confirm David The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Norquist, the President’s pick to serve objection, it is so ordered. objection, it is so ordered. as No. 2 at the Pentagon under our new ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5207 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:42 Aug 01, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A31JY6.000 S31JYPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE S5208 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 31, 2019 Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper. We fense. It is the right deal because it en- President’s desk? There is no need to also voted to advance the nomination sures the United States maintains its wait until later in the afternoon today, of Ambassador Kelly Craft, a very im- full faith and credit. It is the right deal tonight, or tomorrow to get this done. pressive individual, to serve in the crit- because it brings predictability and Democrats are ready to pass it right ical role of U.N. Ambassador. stability through 2020 and moves to- now if the majority leader would call it Ms. Craft is a fellow product of the ward restoring regular appropriations. up for a vote. Bluegrass State. She has already made It is the right deal because it secures f Kentucky and the Nation proud these priorities without partisan poi- CHINA through significant public service, in- son pill riders that would take us back- cluding as an alternate delegate to the ward on the issue of protecting human Mr. SCHUMER. As trade negotia- United Nations and, most recently, as life and curtail central Presidential au- tions with China continue this week, I Ambassador to Canada. thorities. want to press the President again to In each of these cases, this impres- The Republicans’ No. 1 priority was stay tough and hold out for the best sive nominee earned an unopposed con- investing in our national defense. After possible deal. If China is unwilling to firmation, and, in each case, she repaid 8 years of neglect and atrophy under make significant reforms to its eco- the Senate’s confidence by skillfully the Obama administration, Congress nomic model, President Trump must be and effectively advocating for the in- has worked hand-in-hand with the prepared to walk away. terests of the United States on the Trump administration to begin writing I believe the President’s instincts on international stage. During her tenure a new chapter. More of the resources China are right. I have not been afraid as Ambassador to Canada, America’s our Armed Forces need, more flexi- to say so, despite our vast political and relationship with our northern neigh- bility for commanders, more cutting- moral disagreements. But if we are bor was tested. A number of chal- edge tools for U.S. servicemembers, going to be successful in these negotia- lenging policy hurdles threatened to and more investments in moderniza- tions, it will be up to President trip up progress on several important tion will not only rebuild the military Trump—no one else—to keep the pres- issues, including trade negotiations, that we need today but set us on the sure on Chinese leaders this week. but, by all accounts, Ambassador trajectory we need to be on to secure There are a few things he can do. The Craft’s involvement led to greater co- our future. most significant point of emphasis for operation. All in all, I don’t think any Senators the President should be Huawei, the She worked on finalizing the U.S.- are actually rooting for a destabilizing Chinese telecom giant. China has re- Mexico-Canada Agreement, encouraged continuing resolution. I certainly don’t sponded to the administration’s justi- cross-border participation in joint think any Senators are rooting for a fied restrictions on Huawei, unlike any sanctions efforts, and helped more debt limit crisis that could put our full other action the President has taken. Americans do business in Canada. As faith and credit at risk. I believe that It is our greatest source of leverage. she stands in this new role, she brings every one of our colleagues wants this President Trump, hold tough on the ringing endorsements of peers and agreement to pass. That means every Huawei. Don’t let there be giant loop- counterparts she engaged all along the one of our colleagues should actually holes. way. vote for it. I am told that under the purported The Premier of Ontario and a former The House has passed this deal. The proposal being talked about, 80 percent Canadian Ambassador to the United President is ready and eager to sign it. of Huawei’s products could still be sold States has said: ‘‘She’s done the job It is our turn to do our job. to us. If we have a total boycott of very well.’’ I suggest the absence of a quorum. Huawei, then China will beg us to come And another quote: ‘‘Every Premier I The PRESIDING OFFICER. The to the table and make real concessions. know thinks the world of her. She clerk will call the roll. It is the best leverage we have—even really proved herself over some tough The legislative clerk proceeded to better than the tariffs. China wants times.’’ call the roll. Huawei to dominate the world. They Our partners to the north have a Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask will find a way to do it unless we are healthy respect for the hard work and unanimous consent that the order for tough as can be.