E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 114 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 161 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 No. 130 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST— UNANIMOUS CONSENT called to order by the President pro H.J. RES. 61 AGREEMENT—H.J. RES. 61 tempore (Mr. HATCH). Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I f ask unanimous consent that on Thurs- ask unanimous consent that notwith- PRAYER day, September 10, at 3 p.m., the sub- standing rule XXII, the cloture vote on The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- stitute amendment to H.J. Res. 61 be the substitute amendment to H.J. Res. fered the following prayer: agreed to; the joint resolution, as 61 occur at 3 p.m. today, with the time Let us pray. amended, be read a third time; and the until 3:45 p.m. equally divided between Eternal God, our rock, we trust You Senate vote on passage of the joint res- the two leaders or their designees. to guide our Nation. We find consola- olution, as amended. Mr. REID addressed the Chair. tion in remembering how You have led The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there The PRESIDING OFFICER. Will the us in the past. objection? majority leader clarify the time of the Lord, our lawmakers need Your wis- Mr. REID. I object. vote? dom to make decisions that will reflect The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Your will. They can only guess about tion is heard. withdraw that consent and propound the future, but You comprehend the f another one. destiny of our world at a glance. The I ask unanimous consent that not- RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY hearts of Kings, Presidents, and poten- withstanding rule XXII, the cloture LEADER tates are in Your hands, and You cho- vote on the substitute amendment to reograph circumstances as You desire. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The H.J. Res. 61 occur at 3:45 p.m. today, So save us from ourselves by guiding Democratic leader is recognized. with the time until 3:45 p.m. equally di- our Senators with the might of Your f vided between the two leaders or their designees. prevailing providence. UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST— Lord, let Your will be done on Earth The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there H.J. RES. 61 as it is done in Heaven. objection? We pray in Your sovereign Name. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- The Democratic leader. Amen. imous consent that the cloture mo- Mr. REID. Mr. President, reserving f tions with respect to the McConnell the right to object, I have a few brief substitute amendment No. 2640 and remarks, and then I will respond to my PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE H.J. Res. 61 be withdrawn; that the friend. The President pro tempore led the pending amendments and the motion By the end of the day, the Senate Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: to commit, with the exception of the will have spent 3 days debating one of I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the McConnell substitute amendment, be the most critical national security United States of America, and to the Repub- withdrawn; that no other amendments, issues of our time—and that is prob- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, points of order, or motions be in order ably an understatement—whether to indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. to the joint resolution or the McCon- support the agreement to stop Iran Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest nell substitute prior to the vote on the from getting a nuclear weapon. the absence of a quorum. McConnell substitute amendment; that From the beginning of this process, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. at 3:45 p.m. today, the Senate proceed Democrats have done everything with- HELLER). The clerk will call the roll. in our power to support this debate. We The legislative clerk proceeded to to vote on the McConnell substitute call the roll. amendment; that the amendment be allowed the Senate to begin important Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I subject to a 60-affirmative-vote thresh- debate without any procedural hur- ask unanimous consent that the order old; further, that if the McConnell dles—none whatsoever. Democrats un- for the quorum call be rescinded. amendment is agreed to, H.J. Res. 61, derstand the severity of the urgent na- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without as amended, be read a third time and tional security issue that is before this objection, it is so ordered. passed. body, and that is why we offered a con- sent agreement at the beginning of the f The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? week to eliminate all procedural hur- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY Mr. MCCONNELL. I object. dles and move straight to the final pas- LEADER The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- sage vote after the debate. I did that The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- tion is heard. again this morning, but the Republican jority leader is recognized. The majority leader. leader did not take that offer. Instead, ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S6543 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:40 Sep 11, 2015 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A10SE6.000 S10SEPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S6544 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 10, 2015 he filed cloture on the debate. By re- NUCLEAR AGREEMENT WITH IRAN The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under jecting our offer, the Republican leader Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, just the previous order, the time until 3:45 has made the cloture vote the decisive a few short months ago, Senators of p.m. will be equally divided between and definitive vote on this issue. That both parties came together to pass a the two leaders or their designees. is why I once again will put forward bipartisan bill based on an important The Senator from Virginia. Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask my consent to skip cloture and all pro- principle: that the American people unanimous consent to speak as in cedural votes and move to a vote on through the Congress they elect de- final passage. morning business for up to 5 minutes. serve a say on one of the most impor- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Every Senator in this body should tant issues of our time. We rallied objection, it is so ordered. understand that if they are forced to around that principle, voting 98 to 1 to Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I un- vote on cloture, it is because Senator ensure the American people would have derstand we are moving back to the in- MCCONNELL, not Democrats, wanted a real say on any deal with Iran. What credibly important debate on Iran. I them to. The idea that Democrats are a tragedy it would be, then, if at the will come back and address that a lit- somehow trying to stop debate or keep- very last moment some of those same tle bit later. ing us from a final vote is foolish. It is Senators decided to filibuster to pre- REMEMBERING ALISON PARKER AND ADAM WARD simply untrue. vent the American people from having AND PAYING TRIBUTE TO VICKI GARDNER Let’s be clear. Let’s be clear who is a real say on this incredibly important Mr. President, it is with a heavy moving to end debate. It is the Repub- issue. heart that I rise today to pay tribute lican leader who is moving to end de- I know some of our colleagues are to the victims of another horrific act of bate, not me, not us. It is the Repub- currently under immense pressure to gun violence. lican leader who filed a procedural mo- shut down the voice of the people. But On August 26, a gunman opened fire tion last night and today. I would ask colleagues to reflect on the during a live television interview at What Democrats are offering is an gravely serious nature of the issue be- Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. By opportunity to continue debate and fore us. I would ask colleagues to con- now, I think everyone in this Chamber move straight to a vote on final pas- sider the expectations they set with and all across the country saw that sage. This is exactly what we have their constituents when they voted for event on live television. The gunfire done on many policy issues in the past the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review killed WDBJ News 7 reporter Alison because of Republican demands. In Act. I would ask colleagues to consider Parker, News 7 photographer Adam fact, since 2007 the Senate has regu- something else as well. This is a deal Ward, and the shooting severely larly held votes on passage at a 60-vote that will far outlast one administra- wounded Vicki Gardner, a local cham- threshold on policy and national secu- tion. The President may have the lux- ber of commerce official who was being rity issues—for example, on national ury of vacating office in a few months, interviewed. I know my colleague Sen- security issues such as Iraq policy reso- but many of our responsibilities extend ator KAINE has already spoken on this, lutions; the Foreign Intelligence Sur- beyond that time. The American people but I speak for everyone in the Com- veillance Act, or FISA; United States- will remember. They will remember monwealth when I say our hearts go India nuclear cooperation; foreign aid where we stand today.