[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 1, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1896-S1897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Unemployment Insurance

  Mr. REED. Madam President, yesterday my colleagues agreed by a voice 
vote to proceed to a debate on the bipartisan agreement to restore 
emergency unemployment insurance to 2.7 million Americans. This is 
great progress from where we have been the last few months, as I have 
made the case to renew these benefits.
  I wish to thank my colleagues for their support and urge them to 
continue to move this compromise to passage, as it represents our best 
path forward to quickly provide aid to our constituents and supporting 
our economic recovery. I hope the voice vote yesterday is indicative of 
broad support going forward, and that this agreement will not be bogged 
down by unnecessary roadblocks.
  Millions of Americans who have worked hard, who were laid off through 
no fault of their own, and are searching for work are looking to us to 
get this commonsense extension done and done promptly. I would again 
like to thank my colleagues who have joined in this effort. They 
recognize this is the right thing to do for our workers and it is the 
right thing do for our economy.
  I would also like to particularly thank my Republican cosponsors who 
have brought constructive thoughts and ideas to the table, helping 
bring us here to this point. Senator Heller has been a stalwart in 
extending these emergency benefits. Senator Collins, Senator Portman, 
Senator Murkowski, Senator Kirk have all contributed valuable thoughts, 
along with Senator Coats and Senator Ayotte. This has been an effort 
that has truly been bipartisan. I think it represents a coming together 
of proposals from both sides, but ultimately to serve the best 
interests of our constituents who again are looking for work in a very 
difficult market.
  We have been working together since literally last year before these 
benefits expired on December 28. We know how important it is to provide 
this assistance to families throughout this Nation. We also understand 
that we have to go ahead and not only provide support for the families 
but also to support the local economy. This will do it. It will provide 
resources that will immediately go back into the economy and stimulate 
demand and stimulate growth.
  I want to also thank my colleagues for the way they have thoughtfully 
approached some of the issues. Senator Collins has helped build upon 
this important reform to provide a mechanism which we hope will get 
people back to work sooner. We have incorporated another assessment in 
the process. It is fully paid for. People will get, in the course of 
their extended benefits, the opportunity and also the obligation to 
come back in, be assessed, be given advice, be given some coaching. We 
think, and some data suggest, this is one of the most effective ways to 
get people back into a job in a difficult market.
  Senator Portman is a former Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget, and one of the real experts, who has been key to identifying 
appropriate pay-fors which are critical.
  Senator Murkowski and Senator Kirk worked to include an examination 
of the work suitability and work search standards across the States so 
we can be better informed and better prepared when we have to deal with 
further reforms to our unemployment compensation system.
  This agreement incorporates many good ideas of my colleagues. It is 
important we build upon the historic reforms Congress undertook in 
2012. I will try to discuss those reforms in more detail later in the 
week. But as I said again, most importantly, it will help people who 
have worked, who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, 
who are desperately searching for work and must search for work in a 
difficult economy. It will help our economy overall.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PRYOR. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. PRYOR. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to yield back all 
time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Kevin Whitaker, 
of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Colombia.
  Mr. VITTER. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There is a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Wyoming (Mr. Enzi).
  Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Wyoming (Mr. Enzi) 
would have voted ``yea.''
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 99, nays 0, as follows:

                       [Rollcall Vote No. 94 Ex.]

                                YEAS--99

     Alexander
     Ayotte
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Begich
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Booker
     Boozman
     Boxer
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Chambliss
     Coats
     Coburn
     Cochran
     Collins
     Coons
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Flake
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Heinrich
     Heitkamp
     Heller

[[Page S1897]]


     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johanns
     Johnson (SD)
     Johnson (WI)
     Kaine
     King
     Kirk
     Klobuchar
     Landrieu
     Leahy
     Lee
     Levin
     Manchin
     Markey
     McCain
     McCaskill
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     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
     Walsh
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--1

       
     Enzi
       
  The nomination was confirmed.