[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 178 (Monday, December 16, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8823-S8824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT OF 2013--MOTION TO PROCEED--Resumed

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 243, S. 
1356.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:


[[Page S8824]]


       Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 243, S. 1356, a bill to 
     amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to strengthen the 
     United States workforce development system through innovation 
     in, and alignment and improvement of, employment, training, 
     and education programs in the United States, and to promote 
     individual and national economic growth, and for other 
     purposes.


                                Schedule

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the 
Republican leader, the Senate will be in morning business until 5:30 
this afternoon. At 5:30 the Senate will proceed to executive session. 
There will be at least 3 rollcall votes: Confirmation of the Patterson 
nomination, cloture on the Johnson nomination, and confirmation of the 
Johnson nomination.


                              Nominations

  Mr. President, last week was difficult for the entire Senate 
community. When cooperation is lacking, as it was last week, completing 
the business before this body becomes much more difficult. Last week, 
though, the Senate confirmed four district court judges, two DC Circuit 
Court of Appeals judges, an Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioner, 
the Secretary of the Air Force, a Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight 
Board member, and a Deputy Secretary of State.
  Although we accomplished a great deal, the process was neither easy 
nor pleasant. This week the Senate has just as much to achieve as it 
did last week. Without cooperation we will face another daunting vote 
schedule. But I am optimistic the same spirit of cooperation that made 
tonight's votes possible will last all week long.
  Tonight the Senate will vote on Anne Patterson's nomination to be 
Assistant Secretary of State. We will also vote on cloture on the 
nomination of Jeh Johnson to be Secretary of the Department of Homeland 
Security. If cloture is invoked, this body will immediately vote on 
Johnson's confirmation.
  As General Counsel of the Defense Department from 2009 to 2012, Mr. 
Johnson served as the senior lawyer for the largest government agency 
in the world. He oversaw the work of more than 10,000 military and 
civilian lawyers. Prior to his work at the Defense Department, Mr. 
Johnson served as Assistant U.S. Attorney and spent nearly 2 decades in 
private legal practice. He is eminently qualified, and we all look 
forward to his confirmation.


                               The Budget

  Tomorrow, the Senate will begin consideration of the budget measure 
passed by the House last week. Although neither side got everything it 
wanted from this agreement, the legislation should help break a 
terrible cycle of governing by crisis. It rolls back the painful and 
arbitrary cuts of the sequester, protects Social Security and Medicare 
benefits, and will help prevent another dangerous government shutdown 
in the new year.
  On Wednesday, the Senate will turn to the Defense authorization 
measure, crucial legislation that safeguards our Nation, ensures our 
troops have the resources and training they need, and provides for the 
military families who support our fighting men and women.
  The Senate must also confirm Janet Yellen to head the Federal 
Reserve, Alejandro Mayorkas to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland 
Security, and John Koskinen to head the Internal Revenue Service. The 
nominations of Robert Wilkins to be a member of the DC Circuit Court of 
Appeals and Brian Davis of Florida to be a district court judge are 
also priorities for us. Mr. Davis' nomination has been pending for 2 
years.
  The Senate must also move quickly to confirm Sarah Sewall as Under 
Secretary of State, Jessica Wright to be Under Secretary for Readiness 
at the Defense Department, Sarah Bloom Raskin to be second in command 
at Treasury, and Mike Connor to be second in command at Interior, and 
Sloan Gibson to be deputy at the Veterans Affairs Department, and Rick 
Engler's nomination for the Chemical Safety Board.
  Christmas is 1 week from Wednesday. We have a lot to do. We could 
complete all of our work by Thursday, by Friday, by Saturday, by 
Sunday, by Monday, or Tuesday, but finish it we must. I have outlined 
what we need to do. It is up to the minority to determine what, if 
anything, they are going to stop us from doing.
  I am happy to work with them on time. But there are several items 
that I have indicated we have got to get done before Christmas.


                       Reservation of Leader Time

  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Hirono.) Under the previous order, the 
leadership time is reserved.

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