Senate the Senate Met at 3 P.M
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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, MARCH 4, 2019 No. 38 Senate The Senate met at 3 p.m. and was EXECUTIVE SESSION my words. When this vote is cast, we called to order by the President pro will see how every Republican feels tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). about preexisting conditions, their EXECUTIVE CALENDAR protestations to the contrary. f The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under Listen to this, folks. On the very the previous order, the Senate will pro- next day after the brief was submitted, PRAYER ceed to executive session to resume Mr. Readler was rewarded for his ef- The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- consideration of the following nomina- forts by President Trump with a nomi- fered the following prayer: tion, which the clerk will report. nation for a lifetime appointment. On Let us pray. The legislative clerk read the nomi- day one, Readler files the lead suit to Almighty God, we praise Your great- nation of Allison Jones Rushing, of eliminate protections for those with ness, might, and majesty, for You are North Carolina, to be United States preexisting conditions, and on day two, exalted above all. We receive power be- Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit. he is nominated to the bench—a life- cause of Your presence, and Your com- RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER time appointment. passion never fails. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The All 47 of us Senate Democrats are Today, guide our lawmakers as they Democratic leader is recognized. united in opposing this nomination, strive to do Your will. Deliver them NOMINATION OF CHAD A. READLER and we urge our Republican colleagues from the strain and stress of the de- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, this who claim to support protections for mands of daily duties. Give them wis- week the Senate will vote on another preexisting conditions to join us in vot- dom and courage for the living of these of President Trump’s hard-right judi- ing to reject his nomination. days. cial nominees, Chad Readler, of the He is not just some lawyer who par- Lord, unite them in the common en- Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Ohio. ticipated. He is the chief cook and bot- deavor to make America a beacon of Let me just say, anyone who thinks tle washer of the case that hurts hun- freedom for our world. May all they the Republican Party has abandoned dreds of millions of Americans. If you think, say, and do truly honor You. their embrace of eliminating protec- have a daughter with cancer, and you We pray in Your powerful Name. tions for preexisting conditions ought can’t get insurance, if you have a wife Amen. to see how everyone votes on Chad or a husband who has a serious condi- Readler. It will be a surprise to no one tion, and the insurance company pulls f that this nomination is proceeding back, you are losing your protection if over the objection of Senator BROWN, Readler has his way. Now he is going to PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE yet another example of Republicans get on the bench with a lifetime ap- discarding the blue slip. Mr. Readler pointment unless our Republican col- The President pro tempore led the stands out in his own way. A vote to leagues have the sense and the courage Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: confirm this nomination is a vote to to block him. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the end protections for Americans with On this vote, every Republican will United States of America, and to the Repub- preexisting conditions. be forced to show their constituents lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Mr. Readler is behind the Trump ad- and the American people whether they indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. ministration’s decision last year to stand for preexisting condition protec- f side with Texas and 19 other States tions, for more Americans having with Republican attorneys general healthcare coverage, protecting Med- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME suing to repeal our healthcare law. Mr. icaid, and all insurance plans covering Readler was not just somebody who maternity care and prescription drugs. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. worked on the case; he was the lead Having failed in Congress to repeal HAWLEY). Under the previous order, the lawyer, filing the Department of Jus- these vital healthcare protections that leadership time is reserved. tice brief declaring that the adminis- American families count on each day, tration refused to defend the laws of President Trump has turned to the f our country. courts. The decision by Mr. Readler, In a brief so outlandish that career President Trump, and others in the CONCLUSION OF MORNING Justice Department attorneys refused Trump administration to side with Re- BUSINESS to sign, Mr. Readler argued that pro- publican attorneys general who have The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning tections for people with preexisting declared our healthcare law unconsti- business is closed. conditions should be eliminated. Mark tutional is the latest example of the ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S1609 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:34 Mar 05, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04MR6.000 S04MRPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S1610 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 4, 2019 President and Republicans trying to re- were looking down on this Chamber, I suppose it is not a surprise that Re- peal our healthcare law. they would want us to rise to the occa- publicans are fearful to answer these The Texas lawsuit is working its way sion; that was the democracy they questions. They know the public is on through the courts now. If Mr. Re- wanted. I don’t know if we will. our side on this issue, overwhelmingly adler’s legal argument prevails in the The Founders of this Nation gave the two to one. But the oil industry, which courts, access to healthcare for chil- Congress one of the greatest powers funnels tons of money into Republican dren with asthma, adults with arthri- any government has—the power of the coffers, much of it dark money, undis- tis, and cancer survivors would no purse. President Trump is trying to closed—they are on the other side. longer be guaranteed. take these powers away, even after That is why they are afraid to answer Mr. Readler argues that preexisting Congress rejected—explicitly rejected the question one way or the other. condition protections like these are un- several times—the money for his wall. Today’s Washington Post details how constitutional. We Senate Democrats We Democrats know this, and now it the denial of basic scientific facts sur- think that is outrageous and extreme, is clear that a growing number of Re- rounding climate change is amounting which is why we are calling on Repub- publicans know it, as well: To allow to a political litmus test for President licans to join us in opposing his nomi- this emergency to persist is a change Trump. Perhaps Republicans are avoid- nation. in the fundamental, necessary, and ing answering questions I have posed In short, any Republican Senator often exquisite balance of power that for fear that the President would re- who supports Mr. Readler’s nomination marks the genius of the American Con- taliate for siding against him and his is supporting the Trump Republican stitution. radical views. There is no real, rational lawsuit to get rid of preexisting condi- I know many of my friends on the explanation. tion protections and to take away other side of the aisle understand that. U.S.-CHINA TRADE NEGOTIATIONS healthcare from tens of millions—if In fact, if you are a true conservative Mr. President, finally, on China not hundreds of millions—of Ameri- and not just a Trump acolyte, you real- trade, we have seen reports in today’s cans. ize that there shouldn’t be too much newspapers that President Trump is DECLARATION OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY power centralized in any place because close to cutting a deal with China. Mr. President, now on the national conservatism, at its root, believes in I have given the President credit for emergency, over the weekend, RAND maximizing the freedom of the indi- bringing China to the table with his PAUL, the fourth Republican in the vidual and minimizing anything that strong action on tariffs. He has done Senate, announced his support for the encroaches on it, including an over- more to stop China from stealing our resolution to terminate the President’s reaching Executive. So to look the intellectual property and keeping national emergency, giving it the need- other way because President Trump American businesses out, causing tens ed 51 votes to pass this Chamber. wants this and because he is sometimes of millions of Americans to lose in- It is clear that Members of both par- almost in a temper tantrum about this come and millions of Americans to lose ties know there is no actual emergency issue is so shortsighted and so detri- jobs. He has done more than previous at the border. The President himself mental to the long-term health, sta- Presidents. I give him credit. made clear, when announcing the state bility, and viability of how this balance But if now—at the end of the day—he of emergency, that he didn’t need to do of power works. sells out, backs out, and just looks at this.