[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 29, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S348-S352]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Immigration Reform

  One of those concerns on which I also rise concerns and affects 
American immigration policy. We are truly at a moment when Secretary 
Kerry and the administration can transform this debate and national 
conversation with the leadership of Members of this body, including 
most prominently my colleagues Senator Schumer, Senator McCain, and the 
other members of their bipartisan group who recently unveiled a 
bipartisan blueprint for comprehensive immigration reform.
  One of the things I do as a Senator and did when I was attorney 
general of our State is to visit the citizenship and immigration 
ceremonies where people become new citizens of our Nation. It is one of 
the most moving and powerful of experiences I have seen in public life. 
The tears in the eyes of these new citizens and their families, in 
celebration and joy and pride of their becoming citizens of the United 
States and looking forward to contributing, giving back to this 
country, reaffirmed my faith not only in this Nation--in its strength 
and decency and generosity--but also in the men and women who want to 
come here because they see it as a beacon of freedom and democracy. 
That is the tradition and ethos that should guide us in seeking 
comprehensive immigration reform. We have a unique opportunity now--and 
I will work to fulfill it, to reform our broken immigration system as a 
member of the Judiciary Committee and most particularly its Immigration 
Subcommittee. I look forward to playing a leading role in achieving 
this group's working blueprint for comprehensive reform.
  Establishing a path to citizenship, securing our borders, making 
employers more accountable, ensuring that the DREAMers--young people 
brought to this country as infants and young children--can find a way 
to citizenship are all goals that are fulfilled by this blueprint.
  We have an obligation, an opportunity that is compelling, absolutely 
historic, to change the discussion and debate, but also the outcome, 
and we should seize that opportunity, make sure this moment is 
fulfilled, I think, particularly for those DREAMers. For them, this 
moment and every moment is precious. They are young people who are in 
our schools, in our military, seeking a way to be citizens of the only 
country many of them know. They speak English. It is the only language 
most of them know. They have friends and a life here. It is the only 
life they have.
  The administration, rightly and commendably, has provided an 
administrative route to temporary reprieve from the laws that would 
result in their deportation. But they need the certainty and security 
of a law that gives them a real path to citizenship, not at some point 
in the indefinite future but now.
  The DREAM Act that Senator Durbin has fought so hard and valiantly 
over so many years to achieve deserves passage now. I will continue to 
come to the floor with photographs of the DREAMers, as I have done week 
after week, to make sure their fate and future is on our minds.
  Today, I also want to speak about another related immigration issue--
the Immigration Innovation Act of 2013, known as the I-squared bill, 
which was introduced in the U.S. Senate today.
  I am proud to be an original cosponsor of it. I know firsthand from 
talking to employers in the State of Connecticut, and all around not 
only our State but the country, how significant this measure could be 
to attracting and retaining people with the skills America needs to 
remain the greatest Nation in the history of the world.
  I thank Senators Klobuchar, Hatch, Coons, and Rubio for their 
leadership on this issue. The I-squared bill has a very simple 
objective, which is to ensure that America's innovative companies are 
able to access high-skilled workers who would go back to their 
countries of origin when we need them here.
  In some areas, such as computer science, the demand for workers 
greatly exceeds the labor pool available of U.S.-born workers. Senator 
Hatch described on the floor of the Senate how in this decade the 
American economy will create a demand for an estimated 120,000 computer 
science jobs requiring at least a bachelor's degree, but U.S. 
universities will generate only an estimated 40,000 graduates in that 
field.
  So just to take that one example--just that one example--there is a 
gap we need to fill to keep our companies competitive. I have heard 
about this issue from Connecticut employers big and small. There are 
jobs. They exist. We need the people who have the skills to fill them.
  The I-squared bill seeks to fill that gap, most importantly, by 
allowing high-skilled workers, who are foreign born but often U.S. 
educated, to fill some of those jobs in high-need areas. The 
legislation makes sense because it makes it easier for U.S.-educated 
holders of advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and 
math to obtain green cards.
  The bill also, importantly, generates new revenue through fees that 
visas and employment-based green cards will provide, and it directs 
funds to promote STEM education and worker retraining at the State 
level--STEM being science, technology, engineering, and math.
  This measure is about American competitiveness. We ought to make a 
priority of STEM education for young people in our country who are born 
here and raised in the United States. But we must be open to creating 
jobs for American workers in the most innovative sectors of society and 
making it easier for those industries to thrive by attracting people 
from throughout the world to the United States as a beacon of 
opportunity, a land of unlimited potential accomplishment.
  We are a nation of immigrants. We are great because of our diversity. 
We are strong because we have always attracted people who want freedom 
and the potential to do their best, accomplish the most, and realize 
the full extent of what they can achieve.
  I again thank Senators Klobuchar, Hatch, Coons, and Rubio for their 
leadership. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, as well as the 
Immigration Subcommittee, I look forward to working with them on this 
important legislation in the months ahead.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to express my strong 
support for the nomination of John Kerry to be our next Secretary of 
State.
  As a friend and colleague for more than 20 years, I can think of no 
one who is more qualified and better prepared to be our Nation's chief 
diplomat.
  He has the intelligence, judgment, compassion, determination, and 
above all, leadership experience to help the administration confront 
and find common sense solutions to the multitude of foreign policy 
challenges now before us.
  His story is well known to those of us who have worked side by side 
with him for so many years.
  The son of a distinguished foreign service officer, his understanding 
of the

[[Page S349]]

world and America's critical role in it began at an early age. He 
learned the value of American diplomacy and the indispensable role 
played by our diplomats here in Washington and at our consulates and 
embassies around the world.
  He served with distinction and honor in Vietnam, earning a Bronze 
Star, a Silver Star, and three Purple Hearts. He saw first hand the 
costs of war, and he recognized that military force must be used wisely 
and only after all other options have been exhausted.
  After 2 years as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, he came to the 
Senate in 1985 and took his place on the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee, rising to the position of chairman in 2009.
  As a member of that committee and its leader, he demonstrated the 
qualities that will serve him well as Secretary of State.
  He did his homework, and he asked tough questions. He traveled the 
world and engaged key leaders, gaining their respect and confidence. He 
developed an admirable track record of listening carefully to both 
sides of an issue and developing the relationships on both sides of the 
aisle necessary to forge bipartisan agreements.
  From re-establishing diplomatic relations with Vietnam and organizing 
the ratification of the New START Agreement to managing our 
relationship with Pakistan and Afghanistan, fighting the HIV/AIDS 
pandemic, and addressing the threat posed by climate change, Senator 
Kerry has clearly left his mark on United States foreign policy.
  As President Obama noted, ``John has played a central role in every 
major foreign policy debate for nearly 30 years.''
  And that experience will serve him well as Secretary of State.
  Indeed, we live in challenging and constantly evolving times.
  We have ended the war in Iraq, and our mission in Afghanistan is 
winding down. But the threat of global terror endures.
  We have seen the Arab Spring topple autocrats and bring hope for a 
new future. But the ultimate fate of those countries and their 
commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law remains 
uncertain.
  We have enacted a robust set of bilateral and multilateral sanctions 
on Iran and launched a diplomatic initiative through the P5+1 process, 
but its nuclear program continues.
  We have built a close and mutually beneficial relationship with 
China, but there are lingering questions about its human rights record 
and its growing military assertiveness, particularly in the South China 
Sea.
  And we have seen how our humanitarian and development assistance 
programs can lift people out of poverty in the developing world; yet 
nearly 2.5 billion people still live on less than $2 a day.
  These are just some of the items that will be on Senator Kerry's 
agenda as Secretary of State.
  I know he understands that in facing these challenges American 
leadership is essential but we will also need the help and cooperation 
of our friends, allies, and partners in the international community.
  I know he understands that the strength of this country lies not just 
in our military but in the power of our ideas.
  And I know he understands that in order for the United States to 
lead, we must maintain a strong and effective international affairs 
budget.
  We will certainly miss Senator Kerry's leadership and experience in 
the Senate. But I am heartened to know that he will continue to serve 
his country and bring those skills to the State Department, 
representing the United States around the world.
  I urge my colleagues to support Senator Kerry's nomination to be our 
next Secretary of State.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I am pleased to stand here today to 
support President Obama's nomination of my esteemed colleague, Senator 
John Kerry, to serve as our Nation's next Secretary of State.
  Senator Kerry has had a long career of service to the American 
people. We have served together in the Senate for 26 years and I look 
forward to continuing our relationship. As a Senator he has always 
approached his work with seriousness and dedication. Nowhere can this 
be seen more than in his work as a member of the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee, where he has shown a mastery of the challenges 
that face our global community.
  As the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee he has played a 
prominent role in the establishment of U.S. foreign policy. He has 
traveled the globe and built relationships and coalitions with 
international leaders. Most importantly, he has demonstrated an ability 
to balance our Nation's long history of diplomacy with our changing 
national security needs. The unanimous support given to him by the 
Foreign Relations Committee exhibits the respect and confidence he has 
earned from this body.
  The Department of State faces evolving challenges that reflect our 
increasingly interconnected world and require a modern approach to 
diplomacy. Senator Kerry will lead a team that must confront global 
security challenges and ensure the security of our diplomatic corps and 
their families. I am confident that Senator Kerry will meet these 
challenges, and I will work with him to ensure that the State 
Department and its employees have the resources they need to serve 
their mission.
  While I am sorry to see Secretary Clinton leave her post after 4 
successful and productive years, I am pleased to know that Senator 
Kerry will take on the role with the same dedication. I call on my 
colleagues to join me in approving his nomination to Secretary of 
State.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, John Kerry is a valued colleague and a 
loyal friend, and we will miss him in the Senate. But at a time when 
our Nation faces complex and difficult challenges around the globe, he 
is especially well qualified to serve as Secretary of State, and I 
strongly support his confirmation.
  Unquestionably, Iran is at the top of the list of challenges the next 
Secretary of State will face. Senator Kerry has supported efforts in 
the Senate, including sanctions language included in the defense 
authorization acts for 2012 and 2013, that have helped isolate the 
Iranian regime. At his confirmation hearing, Senator Kerry succinctly 
stated the Obama administration's policy on Iran:

       We will do what we must do to prevent Iran from obtaining a 
     nuclear weapon and I repeat here today: Our policy is not 
     containment, it is prevention and the clock is ticking on our 
     efforts to secure responsible compliance.

  Senator Kerry will be an effective and dedicated executor of that 
policy as we unify the international community in our efforts to 
prevent the Iranian government from developing nuclear weapons.
  Another significant challenge for our foreign policy is the volatile 
Afghanistan-Pakistan region. Here again, Senator Kerry's unique 
qualifications will serve our Nation well. He strongly supports the 
plan for transitioning the security lead to Afghan forces so they can 
provide for their own security. He has established a critical 
relationship with President Karzai that will strengthen our bilateral 
relations as we define the enduring strategic relationship between the 
United States and Afghanistan for post-2014. Senator Kerry understands 
the importance of negotiating a bilateral security agreement that 
provides our troops the necessary protections, including legal 
immunity, for a limited force to continue to train, advise and assist 
the Afghan forces and conduct counterterrorism operations after 2014. 
Senator Kerry also has significant experience engaging with Pakistan, 
which remains key to efforts to establish security and stability in 
South Asia. Through the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act and other efforts, Kerry 
has led efforts to strengthen civilian institutions in Pakistan and to 
reset our bilateral relations.
  Senator Kerry also recognizes, as he said during his confirmation 
hearing, that ``[m]ore than ever, foreign policy is economic policy.'' 
Those words will hearten working families in my State and across the 
Nation whose well-being is increasingly connected to our economic 
competitiveness around the world, our ability to engage with other 
nations to ensure that our companies and workers have the opportunity 
to compete in the global marketplace on an equal footing, and our 
recognition that economic competition today is

[[Page S350]]

not just among companies, but also among the countries that support 
their companies and workers. I look forward to working with Senator 
Kerry as we bring all the levers of American policy to bear on this 
issue of paramount importance to American prosperity.
  Another issue on which I look forward to cooperating with Senator 
Kerry is our policy toward Cuba. Senator Kerry and I have similar 
voting records on United States policy towards Cuba. We also both 
recognize the need for policy that places maximum pressure on the Cuban 
regime to democratize. However, our voting records maintain that our 
Cuba policy is counter-productive in promoting change in Cuba. I look 
forward to working with Senator Kerry to rebalance our approach to Cuba 
as we look forward to a new era in that nation's history and its 
relations with us.
  Throughout his public career, John Kerry has proven his dedication 
not just to America's interests, but to its values. Indeed, he 
recognizes that our ability to defend our interests around the world 
depends on adherence to the values that make the United States a beacon 
of freedom and opportunity. He has spoken with eloquence about the need 
to combat violence and extremism around the world not just with our 
military might, but with the power of our ideas. As he said in his 
confirmation hearing, ``America lives up to her values when we give 
voice to the voiceless.'' His commitment to aiding those around the 
world whose lives have been shattered by war, repression or disaster is 
in keeping with those values.
  Senator Kerry knows personally the cost of war and the value of 
peace. He knows the difficulty of the challenges we face, and the 
importance of American leadership in facing those challenges--
leadership important not just to our Nation's security and prosperity, 
but to the world's. He has been an outstanding servant of the American 
people, and I am confident he will continue that record of 
extraordinary service as our next Secretary of State.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I am proud to support the confirmation 
of our colleague Senator Kerry to be Secretary of State. Senator Kerry 
is one of our Nation's great leaders in foreign affairs, and has been 
since he arrived in the Senate 28 years ago. His remarkable record 
speaks for itself, but I would especially like to recognize and thank 
him for his service as chairman of Foreign Relations Committee over the 
past 4 years.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page S350, January 29, 2013, the Record reads: Mr. President. 
I am proud to support . . .
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: Ms. 
KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I am proud to support . . .


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  In addition to his hands-on diplomacy in Afghanistan, Pakistan, 
Sudan, and elsewhere around the globe, Senator Kerry has fought to 
bring up more treaties for Senate consideration. We of course remember 
his leadership during the consideration of the New START treaty in 
2010, which has enabled a responsible reduction of our nuclear arsenal 
in concert with Russia. But he also worked to bring forward the 
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and held hearings 
on the Convention on the Law of the Sea, two important international 
agreements that the United States has not ratified. Trying to shepherd 
treaties through the Senate is a much less glamorous task than 
traveling to summits overseas, but Senator Kerry approached them with 
the same level of passion and energy. He fought for these treaties 
because he truly believes in the importance of American leadership in 
the world, and he understands that that leadership does not come solely 
from our military strength but our commitment to dialogue and 
diplomacy.
  Senator Kerry will undoubtedly serve as Secretary of State with the 
same honor and integrity that have defined his career. It will be up to 
us to continue his legacy in the Senate, and I look forward to 
continuing to work with him as he takes on this new challenge.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I believe the business before the Senate 
is the confirmation of John Kerry as Secretary of State, to which I 
would like to speak. I actually rise in support of two Senators, one 
former and one current, as America's Secretary of State.
  Last week, both were guests at the Foreign Relations Committee which 
I served on and both did an outstanding job. The Secretary of State, 
former Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton, has served the U.S. 
interests with distinction. She championed a diversity of causes that 
strengthen our security and at the same time improved the lives of so 
many around the world, particularly women and children.
  Secretary Clinton leaves an incredible legacy in her diplomatic 
efforts. There is no one more suited or more qualified to take up the 
challenges and promise than my friend and colleague and our mutual 
friend Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.
  John Kerry came to the Senate almost 30 years ago. From his first 
days as a freshman, he served with distinction on the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee. As a Navy patrol boat captain in the Vietnam war, 
he had notable and lasting exposure to complex foreign policy 
challenges and the wars that result when diplomacy fails.
  Certainly one lesson he brought back with him was the heavy and all 
too personal knowledge of the consequences of war. But his experience 
in representing the U.S. interests abroad did not begin in this 
institution. Rather, the journey to his nomination for Secretary of 
State began when John Kerry was a child, when his own father was a 
Foreign Service officer. John tells fond stories about his time as a 
child living in Berlin while his father was stationed there.
  During those years, he developed a profound respect for the men and 
women of the Foreign Service, their sacrifice, their dedication, and 
their ability to demonstrate the values of our democracy. During his 
tenure as a Senator from Massachusetts and from 2009 as the chairman of 
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, John Kerry has been a tireless 
leader on behalf of the American people to ensure that our security 
remains strong and our interests well represented around the world.
  He has been a leading voice on the Iran-Contra investigation, the war 
and fragile peace in Afghanistan, arms control and verification, 
building lasting ties with Pakistan, and perhaps in his most personal 
contribution, opening diplomatic relations with Vietnam. I would like 
to speak to that for a moment, if I can, because it is a personal story 
I would like to share.
  It was John Kerry and John McCain, more than any others, who moved us 
from that stage in our history where we shunned the people of Vietnam 
to the point where we recognized their country, established normal 
relations with them, and built a new relationship. There were no better 
Senators to do it than John Kerry and John McCain, both of whom were 
decorated veterans of the Vietnam war, both of whom gave so much in 
that conflict, particularly Senator McCain, spending 5 years as a 
prisoner of war in Vietnam. They worked hard to establish normal 
relations with that country and to put behind the bitterness and the 
war that had divided the two countries, the United States and Vietnam.
  It was not easy. One of the issues front and center was the question 
of prisoners of war and missing in action. There were all sorts of 
rumors and speculation that, in fact, there were still Americans being 
held prisoner in Vietnam. That rumor was very strong across America. 
There was a lot of criticism of the Vietnamese in not cooperating with 
us in trying to identify anyone still remaining or the remains of 
American soldiers who died in that conflict.
  John McCain and John Kerry came together and put an incredible 
bipartisan voice to resolving these issues. It came to my attention 
because it was about the time when I was elected to the Senate in 1996. 
I served in the House of Representatives with an extraordinary 
individual, Pete Peterson of Florida.
  Pete Peterson had been an Air Force pilot in the Vietnam war, shot 
down, and himself imprisoned in a POW camp for more than 5 years. He 
was a quiet person and did not talk much about it. But one day, I kind 
of provoked him at lunch, and he started talking about what it meant to 
live in isolation for 5 years, how they coped, how they survived, and 
the impact it still had on his life.
  President Clinton at that moment decided it would be a significant 
symbol that the first Ambassador of the United States to Vietnam would 
be Pete Peterson of Florida, a man who

[[Page S351]]

had been held as a POW by the Vietnamese would return as American's 
voice in that new country. He was brought before the Senate for 
confirmation.
  I remember saying to my staff when I came over here: Be sure and tell 
me when Pete Peterson's nomination comes to the floor. I want to say a 
few words about my friendship with him and what he means to me and how 
important this appointment is. Time passed. I did not hear anything. 
Then there was a ``60 Minutes'' program on that I happened to watch. It 
was all about Pete Peterson becoming the Ambassador to Vietnam. I came 
back to my staff. I was upset. I said: You were supposed to tell me 
when this happened so I could get up and give a speech and say 
something nice. They said: It never happened. ``60 Minutes'' is 
speculating. The fact is, Pete Peterson's nomination has been put on 
hold--a secret hold in the Senate.
  I could not believe it. I called Pete Peterson. I think he lived in 
Jupiter, FL, at the time. I said to him: Pete, what is going on here?
  He said: Dick, I am about to give up. It has been almost 1 year since 
President Clinton named me to the spot and I cannot clear the Senate. 
Somebody is holding me up. I do not know who it is. I have to get on 
with my life.
  I said: Let me at least talk to some people. So I came to the floor. 
The first person I looked for was John Kerry and then John McCain. They 
said: Yes; there is a hold, but we are trying to work through it.
  I said: You know, if you cannot get this done and done quickly, then 
I think there has to be a speech on the floor that says: Holding Pete 
Peterson in a POW camp for 5 years is bad enough, but the Senate 
holding his nomination as Ambassador is unforgivable. We need to vote 
on Pete Peterson. He has given so much to this country.

  It is credit to John Kerry and John McCain that they quieted down 
this new Member of the Senate and said: Let us get this done quietly. 
They did. Pete Peterson went on to serve as Ambassador in Vietnam. He 
was a widower at the time. He met a lovely young Vietnamese-Australian 
woman. They married. They now live in Australia and we keep in touch 
from time to time. But I think of that moment in time in our history 
when John Kerry and John McCain showed what diplomacy and careful 
consideration can do.
  We not only established relations with Vietnam, we sent a great 
individual to serve as its first Ambassador. They did it quietly and 
effectively. Can he be a great Secretary of State? You bet he can. I 
will be the first to tell you that I saw his skill firsthand when I 
came to the Senate. If confirmed, he will bring a breadth of experience 
to global challenges, some new and some which we cannot even anticipate 
as we debate this matter. The list is vast and formidable: Iran, 
Syrian, North Korea, cyber security, failed and fragile states, and 
democratic backsliding in Russia, to name a few.
  One of the issues John Kerry has tackled for many years that will 
desperately need attention, and the President highlighted in his 
inaugural address, is that of climate change. As was mentioned during 
his nomination hearing last week, climate change is the one of the most 
pressing and consequential issues of our time. It is not just an 
environmental issue, it is a moral issue. What kind of planet will our 
generation leave for our children and grandchildren? How will history 
judge us if we ignore the evidence and warning signs and do nothing to 
head off climate catastrophes? Senator Kerry is uniquely qualified to 
address this great moral challenge. He knows if we are ever going to 
get China and India to take responsibility for their carbon emissions, 
we have to start from a strong position of legitimacy, having taken 
these steps ourselves.
  He knows when the United States tackles climate change, it also 
increases our diplomatic standing and reputation around the world. He 
knows tackling climate change will help prevent a host of terrible 
global problems, from famine, water shortages to political instability, 
any of which can draw the United States into a costly or bloody 
conflict.
  Addressing climate change is in our vital national, economic, and 
security interests. I know John Kerry will tackle this and many other 
challenges that await him at the State Department. He has been a 
trusted and admired colleague of mine and so many others in the Senate. 
I have enjoyed his work on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I 
wish to especially thank him for calling the Convention on Disability 
Treaty for consideration by the Senate. I am sorry it did not pass, but 
it was not for lack of effort by John Kerry.
  His passionate pursuit of a safe and just Nation and world, his deep 
sense of patriotism and commitment to America's most challenged values 
are well documented. While I am sorry to lose him in the Senate as a 
colleague, I can think of no better person to serve as our Nation's 
next Secretary of State. I congratulate John Kerry on his nomination. 
As a friend and colleague, I urge my fellow Senators to swiftly confirm 
John Kerry so he can get about the work of making America a safer 
nation.
  I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, it is my understanding we are coming to 
the end of the time on this debate--or consideration, I should say. 
There has really been no debate. I think that speaks to Senator Kerry's 
tremendous standing in the Senate on his nomination as Secretary of 
State.
  This is a Member of the Senate who has an extraordinary American 
history. After volunteering for the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam war, 
Senator Kerry was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and three 
Purple Hearts. Upon returning home, he continued his efforts to fight 
for and protect the veterans who served beside him in combat, joining 
with others to found the Vietnam Veterans for America organization, 
working tirelessly for veterans' benefits.
  With over three decades of foreign policy and national security 
experience under his belt, Senator Kerry is uniquely qualified to serve 
as the next Secretary of State. A decorated Vietnam combat veteran, 
dedicated public servant, with deep experience in international affairs 
and close relationships with Presidents and Prime Ministers throughout 
the world, he will have an extraordinary beginning to his job as 
Secretary of State.
  He has demonstrated time and time again his ability to build 
coalitions and craft compromises. He has amassed a broad record of 
foreign policy accomplishments and has distinguished himself as one of 
the Nation's most respected voices on national security.
  I look forward to a very strong bipartisan vote that sends a very 
clear message to the world: This is America's representative. This is 
our Secretary of State. I believe he has earned that vote and that 
respect through a lifetime of work and the tremendous collegiality he 
has had among Members on both sides of the aisle, including those who 
may not agree with him on any given issue but have always respected the 
manner in which he has approached that issue.
  Mr. President, understanding there are no other speakers wishing to 
come before the Senate on this matter, I yield back all time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Shall the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of John Forbes Kerry to be Secretary of 
State?
  Mr. MENENDEZ. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. KERRY (when his name was called). Present.
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) 
is necessarily absent.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from North Dakota (Mr. Hoeven).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 94, nays 3, as follows:

[[Page S352]]

                       [Rollcall Vote No. 5 Ex.]

                                YEAS--94

     Alexander
     Ayotte
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Baucus
     Begich
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Boxer
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Chambliss
     Coats
     Coburn
     Cochran
     Collins
     Coons
     Corker
     Crapo
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Flake
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Heinrich
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hirono
     Isakson
     Johanns
     Johnson (SD)
     Johnson (WI)
     Kaine
     King
     Kirk
     Klobuchar
     Landrieu
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Lee
     Levin
     Manchin
     McCain
     McCaskill
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Nelson
     Paul
     Portman
     Pryor
     Reed
     Reid
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rockefeller
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott
     Sessions
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Thune
     Toomey
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Vitter
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden

                                NAYS--3

     Cornyn
     Cruz
     Inhofe

                        ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--1

       
     Kerry
       

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Hoeven
     Murray
       
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The motion to reconsider is considered made 
and laid upon the table.
  Under the previous order, the President will be immediately notified 
of the Senate's action.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I know Senator Kerry will be speaking 
tomorrow, so I will be brief. I think I speak on behalf of every one of 
us here that we so admire the job Senator Kerry has done in the many 
different phases of his past life. We are excited he will be our 
Secretary of State, and for John Kerry I think the best is yet to come.

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