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February 13, 2009 — SENATE S2347 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSE The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- The preamble was agreed to. VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 2009— ture motion having been presented f MOTION TO PROCEED under rule XXII, the clerk will report PROVIDING FOR A CONDITIONAL the motion. CLOTURE MOTION ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE The legislative clerk read as follows: Mr. REID. Mr. President, ordinarily I OF REPRESENTATIVES AND A would ask consent to proceed to legis- CLOTURE MOTION CONDITIONAL RECESS OR AD- lation, especially S. 160, a bill to pro- We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- JOURNMENT OF THE SENATE vide the District of Columbia a voting ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the seat and the State of Utah an addi- Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- tional seat in the House of Representa- to bring to a close debate on the nomination imous consent that the Senate proceed tives, but I know there is an objection; of Hilda L. Solis, of , to be Sec- to the consideration of H. Con. Res. 47. therefore, I will not ask consent. But retary of Labor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Harry Reid, Christopher J. Dodd, Richard clerk will report the concurrent resolu- in view of an objection that would be Durbin, Charles E. Schumer, Benjamin lodged against the proceeding, I now tion by title. L. Cardin, Edward E. Kaufman, Joseph The legislative clerk read as follows: move to proceed to Calendar No. 23, S. I. Lieberman, Mark Udall, Daniel K. A concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 47) 160, and I send a cloture motion to the Inouye, Michael F. Bennet, Mary L. providing for a conditional adjournment of desk. Landrieu, Mark L. Pryor, Sheldon the House of Representatives and a condi- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under Whitehouse, Roland W. Burris, Patty tional recess or adjournment of the Senate. rule XXII, the clerk will report the mo- Murray, Jack Reed, Blanche L. Lin- tion to invoke cloture on the motion to coln, Bernard Sanders. There being no objection, the Senate proceed to S. 160, the District of Co- Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent proceeded to consider the concurrent lumbia House Voting Rights Act of that the mandatory quorum be waived. resolution. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now ask 2009. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without unanimous consent that the concur- The legislative clerk read as follows: objection, it is so ordered. rent resolution be agreed to, and the CLOTURE MOTION f We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- motion to reconsider be laid upon the ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the LEGISLATIVE SESSION table, with no intervening action or de- Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- bate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without to bring to a close debate on the motion to imous consent that the Senate now re- proceed to S. 160, the District of Columbia objection, it is so ordered. sume legislative session. House Voting Rights Act of 2009. The concurrent resolution (H. Con. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Harry Reid, Joseph I. Lieberman, Rich- Res. 47) was agreed to, as follows: ard Durbin, Charles E. Schumer, Chris- objection, it is so ordered. H. CON. RES. 47 topher J. Dodd, Benjamin L. Cardin, f Edward E. Kaufman, Mark Udall, Dan- Resolved by the House of Representatives (the iel K. Inouye, Michael F. Bennet, Mary APPOINTMENT Senate concurring), That when the House ad- journs on any legislative day from Thursday, L. Landrieu, Mark L. Pryor, Sheldon The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Whitehouse, Roland W. Burris, Patty February 12, 2009, through Monday, February Chair, on behalf of the Vice President, 16, 2009, on a motion offered pursuant to this Murray, Bernard Sanders, Thomas R. pursuant to Public Law 94–304, as Carper. concurrent resolution by its Majority Leader amended by Public Law 99–7, appoints or his designee, it stand adjourned until 2 Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the following Senators as members of p.m. on Monday, February 23, 2009, or until that the mandatory quorum be waived. the Commission on Security and Co- the time of any reassembly pursuant to sec- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without tion 2 of this concurrent resolution, which- objection, it is so ordered. operation in Europe, Helsinki, during the 111th Congress: the Honorable ever occurs first; and that when the Senate Mr. REID. I now withdraw the mo- recesses or adjourns on any day from Friday, tion. RICHARD BURR of North Carolina and February 13, 2009, through Friday, February The PRESIDING OFFICER. The lead- the Honorable ROGER WICKER of Mis- 20, 2009, on a motion offered pursuant to this er has that right. The motion is with- sissippi. concurrent resolution by its Majority Leader drawn. f or his designee, it stand recessed or ad- Mr. REID. I now ask unanimous con- journed until 2 p.m. on Monday, February 23, 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NA- sent that the cloture vote occur at 11 2009, or such other time on that day as may TIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE a.m. on Tuesday, February 24; that if be specified in the motion to recess or ad- ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED journ, or until the time of any reassembly cloture is invoked on the motion, then PEOPLE pursuant to section 2 of this concurrent reso- all postcloture time be considered lution, whichever occurs first. yielded back, the motion to proceed be Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- SEC. 2. The Speaker of the House and the agreed to, and the Senate proceed to imous consent that the Senate proceed Majority Leader of the Senate, or their re- the consideration of the bill. to the consideration of H. Con. Res. 35. spective designees, acting jointly after con- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sultation with the Minority Leader of the objection, it is so ordered. clerk will report the concurrent resolu- House and the Minority Leader of the Sen- ate, shall notify the Members of the House f tion by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: and the Senate, respectively, to reassemble EXECUTIVE SESSION at such place and time as they may des- A concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 35) f ignate if, in their opinion, the public interest honoring and praising the National Associa- shall warrant it. NOMINATION OF HILDA L. SOLIS tion for the Advancement of Colored People f TO BE SECRETARY OF LABOR on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now ask There being no objection, the Senate PROGRAM unanimous consent that the Senate proceeded to consider the concurrent Mr. REID. Mr. President, when we proceed to executive session to con- resolution. get back on that Monday, a week from sider the nomination of Calendar No. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- this Monday, we are going to have 18, Hilda L. Solis, of California, to be imous consent that the concurrent res- Washington’s Farewell Address. It will Secretary of Labor. olution be agreed to, the preamble be be read by Senator JOHANNS of Ne- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there agreed to, the motions to reconsider be braska. It alternates back and forth be- objection? Without objection, it is so laid upon the table, there be no inter- tween Democrats and Republicans. ordered. The clerk will report. vening action or debate, and any state- This is the time for the Republicans to The legislative clerk read the nomi- ments relating to this matter be print- read the address. There will be no votes nation of Hilda L. Solis, of California, ed in the RECORD. on Monday as a result of the agreement to be Secretary of Labor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without we reached just a minute ago on this CLOTURE MOTION objection, it is so ordered. unanimous consent request. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I send a The concurrent resolution (H. Con. On the 24th, at 11 a.m., there will be cloture motion to the desk. Res. 35) was agreed to. a cloture vote on the motion to proceed

VerDate Nov 24 2008 05:39 Feb 14, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13FE6.081 S13FEPT1 wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with SENATE S2348 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 13, 2009 to the DC House Voting Rights Act. If worked together on a bipartisan basis Mr. President, I am sure I have left cloture is invoked on the motion to to accomplish a lot. off people, but this piece of legislation, proceed, postcloture time will be yield- We are so fortunate to have our new I am so happy we were able to get it ed back, and the Senate will proceed to President. It is a pleasure to work with done. the bill. There will be immediately an- him. I have had, this past couple of I will never, ever forget the valiancy other cloture vote on the nomination weeks, the ability to visit with him of those three brave Republicans who of HILDA SOLIS to be President Obama’s firsthand in legislative combat. broke from the pack and stood alone to Secretary of Labor. They are competent. I am so im- tell America that we needed to do I anticipate that after the luncheons pressed. The President’s chief of staff something with our economy which we have every week with our caucuses, —we could not have needed help: Senator SNOWE from we will reach an agreement for a time done this without his assistance, guid- Maine, and Senator COLLINS from certain for a vote on the confirmation ance, and directness. Maine, Senator SPECTER from Pennsyl- of the nomination of HILDA SOLIS. We had the head of the Office of Man- vania. But for them we would not be Everyone is reminded that President agement and Budget, Peter Orszag, where we are. Obama will address a joint session of who I called personally last night to Senator INOUYE was masterful in Congress Tuesday evening at 9 p.m. in tell him that I know he is not a long- what he did. Senator BAUCUS was tre- the House Chamber. Members of the time person involved in politics, but he mendous in the Finance Committee, Senate will gather on the Senate floor is a natural. He is a brilliant man. He and his staff. Senator BAUCUS’s staff at 8:30 p.m. and proceed to the House. has a degree from Princeton. He has a was really very good, led by Russ Sul- On Wednesday, February 25, the DC Ph.D. from the London School of Eco- livan, who we depend on—all of us—for voting rights bill will be up, be open to nomics. I am very impressed with this his knowledge. He is a CPA. He has debate and amendments. We hope to man, who I did not know other than to been a feature in the Senate for a long complete this bill by the end of the say hello to, but I have gotten to know time and he was so very important. week. him well because we have spent days I did not mention a person we have I would recognize that the House is together in the last short period of come to depend on in the Senate—all of going to take up, the week we get time. us—because he has been the chief per- back, the omnibus appropriations bill. The President’s representative up son on the Appropriations Committee Friday, February 26, is an announced here, who we will deal with all the for Senator BYRD, and that is Chuck no-vote day. time, Phil Schiliro, has done a really Kieffer, who was with us all the time, wonderful job. f as was Senator INOUYE’s chief clerk on Rob Nabors, who was the longtime the Appropriations Committee, Charlie ORDERS FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY staff assistant, director of the Appro- Houy. 23, 2009 priations Committee for Chairman Now, as I said, I am sure I have Mr. REID. So, Mr. President, I ask OBEY, has been magnificent in his work unanimous consent that when the Sen- for the White House, working as Peter missed a few people because this was, ate completes its business today, it Orszag’s assistant. really, a big team effort. stand adjourned under the provisions of There are a lot of people who allowed In my own mind, this piece of legisla- H. Con. Res. 47 until 2 p.m. on Monday, us to get to where we are, and I appre- tion is the most important piece of leg- February 23; that following the prayer ciate very much their help. It was a islation I have worked on for the coun- and pledge, the Journal of proceedings real long, hard pull. try. The country is in trouble, and we be approved to date, the morning hour The Presiding Officer, my dear are so fortunate we were able to get it be deemed expired, the time for the two friend, the senior Senator from the passed. It is going to give this country leaders be reserved for their use later State of Illinois, who came to Wash- a shot in the arm. My State of Nevada in the day, and that the Senator from ington with me in 1982, has been in- needs this so very much. We are going Nebraska, Mr. JOHANNS, be recognized valuable during this very difficult time to have a number of meetings in Ne- to read Washington’s Farewell Address; working on this bill. vada next week to talk about all the further, that following the address, the Senator SCHUMER of New York, of good that will flow to Nevada as a re- Senate resume consideration of the course, works with me and Senator sult of its passage. motion to proceed to S. 160, the Dis- DURBIN on all the things we do. As usual, Lula Davis is so important trict of Columbia House Voting Rights And the final point of that legislative to how we function here. She is the Act of 2009. team is PATTY MURRAY. She is such a person who tells us how we can move f contributor to this Senate. I have such forward on things. She is invaluable to respect for her. She has such a soft every Democratic Senator, and espe- A TEAM EFFORT touch, but she is as strong as anybody cially to me. Mr. REID. Mr. President, just in clos- in the Senate. As I announced earlier, Mr. Presi- ing, it has been a long, hard several I am not going to go through the en- dent, the next vote will occur at 11 weeks for our valiant staff, and there is tire list of people. Many, many worked a.m., Tuesday, February 24. That vote not any way anyone could suggest well hard. will be on the motion to invoke cloture enough the enormous contributions The chairman of the Appropriations on the motion to proceed to the Dis- they make to making this body flour- Committee, Senator INOUYE, is a hero trict of Columbia House voting rights ish the way it does. in many different ways. He is a Mem- legislation. We have gotten a tremendous ber of the Senate who has had the Con- amount of work done this first working gressional Medal of Honor awarded to f period of this Congress. We should be him for his valiant efforts in World proud of what we have done. We have War II. ADJOURNMENT UNTIL MONDAY, passed the most sweeping environ- The chairman of the Finance Com- FEBRUARY 23, 2009, AT 2 P.M. mental bill in more than 25 years. We mittee, Senator BAUCUS, was involved have passed the discrimination bill, the in this from the very beginning and did Mr. REID. So, Mr. President, if there Lilly Ledbetter bill, which is an impor- such a great job. is no further business to come before tant piece of legislation for women all My personal staff has spent longer the Senate, I ask unanimous consent over America. We passed the Children’s hours than I have put in. My chief of that it adjourn under the previous Health Insurance Program, which staff Gary Myrick is very quiet but order. allow millions of American children to such a help to me and the Senate; The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without have health insurance coverage that Randy Devalk, everyone in the Senate objection, the foregoing requests are they would not have ordinarily. And we depends on him. He is a wealth of all agreed to. just passed this bill to help our strug- knowledge, a fountain of legislative in- Thereupon, the Senate, at 11:03 p.m., gling economy. So I think the Amer- formation, and he has just been, really, adjourned until Monday, February 23, ican people should see that we have a remarkably good person. 2009, at 2 p.m.

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