Senate the Senate Met at 2 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 112 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 157 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2011 No. 146 Senate The Senate met at 2 p.m. and was appoint the Honorable RICHARD BLUMEN- and the administration. My col- called to order by the Honorable RICH- THAL, a Senator from the State of Con- leagues—both Democrats and Repub- ARD BLUMENTHAL, a Senator from the necticut, to perform the duties of the Chair. licans—agree that China’s deliberate State of Connecticut. DANIEL K. INOUYE, actions to devalue its currency give its President pro tempore. goods an unfair competitive advantage PRAYER Mr. BLUMENTHAL thereupon as- in the marketplace. Their goods do not sumed the chair as Acting President The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- deserve that. That is not fair. It hurts pro tempore. fered the following prayer: our economy and it costs American Let us pray. f jobs. In the last decade alone, we have Holy Father, we come into Your pres- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY lost more than 1 million American jobs ence today to look at ourselves as we LEADER to China because of this trade deficit are and to seek Your power to become fueled by currency manipulation. A what You would have us be. Search our The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- massive trade deficit is one of the rea- hearts and empower us to do Your will. pore. The majority leader is recog- sons for our unsustainable unemploy- Encourage our lawmakers to fulfill nized. ment rate. This legislation we are Your purposes for the glory of Your f going to move to will even the playing field and help American goods compete Name. Move mightily in their hearts SCHEDULE and align them with Your kingdom in a global market and help keep perspective. As blessings flow when Mr. REID. Mr. President, following American jobs here at home. Your will is done, let them not take any leader remarks, the Senate will be Democrats believe there is no prob- credit for what Your sovereign hand in a period of morning business until lem facing this Nation that deserves accomplishes on our behalf. 3:30 p.m. today. At 3:30, the Senate will our attention more than the jobs crisis. Today, and through the days of this begin consideration of the motion to This bill is part of the effort to get our week, call us to You that we may be proceed to S. 1619, which is the Cur- economy back on track and put Ameri- transformed from mere followers to rency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform cans back to work. If China stops the true servants of Your kingdom. We Act. practices that artificially tip the scales pray in Your everlasting Name. Amen. At 4:30, the Senate will be in execu- in its favor, it would create 1.6 million tive session to consider several judicial American jobs fairly quickly. I hope f nominations. this legislation will motivate China to PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE At 5:30, there will be two rollcall stop devaluing the yuan on its own. I votes. The first vote is on the con- also know it will send a strong message The Honorable RICHARD BLUMENTHAL firmation of Henry Floyd, of South led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: to the Chinese that Americans will no Carolina, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for longer ignore their blatant, unfair I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the the Fourth Circuit. The other vote will trade practices. United States of America and to the Repub- be on the motion to invoke cloture on lic for which it stands, one nation under God, f indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the motion to proceed to the currency exchange matter. A BUSY WORK SCHEDULE f f Mr. REID. Mr. President, we expect APPOINTMENT OF ACTING to quickly wrap up work on the China PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE CURRENCY MANIPULATION currency legislation this week. We The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Mr. REID. Mr. President, today the have a lot to get done this month, so clerk will please read a communication Senate begins another very busy work the Senate must move fast. to the Senate from the President pro period. I am confident this work period One out of every nine Federal judge- will be productive. ships remains vacant, which puts at tempore (Mr. INOUYE). The bill clerk read the following let- Tonight, the Senate will vote to risk the right of every American to a ter: begin debate on legislation to curb Chi- fair and speedy hearing. While I have na’s unfair currency manipulation. I been frustrated at the slow pace in con- U.S. SENATE, expect strong bipartisan support to firming judicial nominees this Con- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, Washington, DC, October 3, 2011. move this legislation forward. There gress, I am pleased we have been able To the Senate: have been conversations between the to reach an agreement to confirm 10 Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, bipartisan supporters of this legisla- judges this week and next. These nomi- of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby tion in the House of Representatives nations are noncontroversial, and they ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S6013 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:09 Oct 04, 2011 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A03OC6.000 S03OCPT1 tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S6014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 3, 2011 have the unanimous support of the Ju- MORNING BUSINESS have addressed the issues, including diciary Committee. Five of the six The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- not passing a budget, which is against judges we will confirm today come pore. Under the previous order, the our own law, for the second consecu- from States with Republican Senators, Senate will be in a period of morning tive year; including going through a and all five have the support of that business until 3:30 p.m., with Senators continuing resolution rather than au- Republican Senator. permitted to speak therein for up to 10 thorizing and appropriating the func- This month, the Senate will also minutes each. tions of government, as is the responsi- take up three appropriations bills. Last Mr. REID. I note the absence of a bility of the Congress of the United month, we passed a continuing resolu- quorum. States. tion to fund the government through The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Here we are, as I said, unemployment November 18. Now we must finish our pore. The clerk will call the roll. is 9.1 percent, with an estimated 14 mil- work on the annual appropriations The bill clerk proceeded to call the lion Americans out of work; 228,098 bills. roll. homes are in foreclosure nationwide, a We will also take up three trade bills Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, I ask jump of 7 percent from July to August this work period. Last month, the Sen- unanimous consent that the order for of this year. In my home State of Ari- ate passed trade adjustment assistance the quorum call be rescinded. zona, 1 in every 248 homes is in fore- legislation which helps U.S. workers The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- closure, the third worst in the Nation. who lose their jobs because of inter- pore. Without objection, it is so or- In the majority leader’s home State— national trade learn new skills and re- dered. No. 1 in the Nation—1 in every 118 enter a changing workforce. A global f homes is in foreclosure. economy means global competition, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES Mr. President, 22.5 percent of the and a flexible, well-trained workforce homes in America are ‘‘underwater,’’ is what will allow us to keep pace with Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, I paid meaning their mortgage is more than our rivals. That is why Democrats in- attention to the remarks made by the their home is worth. In Arizona, that sisted on passing trade adjustment as- majority leader concerning the upcom- number is 49 percent. In Nevada, 60 per- sistance before we would take up those ing schedule for the next week or 2 or cent of the homes are underwater. three trade bills we will soon con- 3 and the fact that we are now consid- We have a $1.3 trillion deficit. We sider—Panama, Korea, and Colombia. ering the motion to proceed to a bill have a debt of nearly $14.8 trillion. It Republicans have said these trade pertaining to Chinese currency. I understand very well that it is the represents $43,357 for every man, agreements are important to them. Yet woman, and child in America. for months they have prevented them prerogative of the majority leader to from moving forward by stalling trade set the legislative agenda of the Sen- So we will take up before the Senate adjustment assistance. I hope the ate, and I respect that prerogative. But the China currency bill—the China cur- House will not delay any longer on I have to express some amazement that rency bill. Then someone in this body their taking up trade adjustment as- the issue of the Chinese currency is may wonder why the approval rating of sistance. I am told they will not. taking precedence over the myriad of Congress is—one I saw was 12 percent, one 13 percent. I think proceeding in The Senate will also take up Presi- other important issues we should be this fashion we may be able, with some dent Obama’s American Jobs Act this acting on.