[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 175 (Monday, October 30, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6865-S6866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Russia Investigation

  Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, everybody in Washington now knows that the 
special counsel has announced charges against two of President Trump's 
former campaign aides in connection with the ongoing investigation into 
whether Russia interfered with the 2016 election.
  After painstaking investigations in the intelligence community, we 
now know that, in fact, Russia did interfere in the election. Since 
they have continued this pattern in other countries' elections, what 
many of us are concerned about is the fact that they will interfere in 
the next elections coming up. We have already seen attempts in the 
special election down in Alabama. They have been trying to increase the 
number of hits going to a Facebook or Twitter account. So they 
interfered.
  We also learned this morning that a third former Trump campaign aide 
has pled guilty to lying to the FBI in January when he was asked about 
his interactions while he was with the Trump campaign.
  These are very serious charges, and we should be united against any 
individual who helped further Russia's interference in our elections. 
Yet, sadly, the response to these indictments has been seemingly split 
along partisan lines. That doesn't make sense. Defending America isn't 
a partisan issue. In fact, everyone in the Senate--all of our 
Democrats, Republicans, our two Independents--has sworn an oath to do 
exactly that, to defend the Constitution against all enemies, both 
foreign and domestic. So charging these individuals shouldn't be seen 
as a victory for one party or another. It shouldn't be seen as a defeat 
for a party. These individuals are charged with crimes against the 
United States, crimes against all of us Americans.
  The fact is that Russian President Vladimir Putin interfered in our 
election, and in so doing, he has attacked the very foundation of our 
constitutional democracy. We know that, and we also know that we are 
not the only country he has attacked. According to the U.S. 
intelligence community, he will continue this type of behavior unless 
he is stopped, and that is why we have such a heavy responsibility to 
defend America from these kinds of attacks and to defend our American 
constitutional foundations that are built on a process of free and fair 
and unfetterred elections.
  It doesn't matter whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, it 
should be clear: If you help an enemy of the United States meddle in 
our democracy, you will be held accountable.
  Here in this Senate and throughout the country as a whole, too often 
we find ourselves suddenly divided on issues because of party politics. 
That shouldn't be the case. There should be no disagreement when it 
comes to protecting America because we should be Americans first--not 
Democrats or Republicans first; we should be Americans first.
  We must continue to be patient with the Mueller investigation and 
allow it to follow the facts wherever they may lead because finding out 
what happened is the only way we are going to be able to prevent this 
from happening again, and it is the only way we are going to be able to 
keep our country safe.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Ernst). The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Moran). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Under the previous order, all postcloture time is expired.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the McFadden 
nomination?
  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, 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 legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the 
Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Alexander) and the Senator from Arizona 
(Mr. McCain).
  Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. 
Alexander) would have voted ``yea.''
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Missouri (Mrs. 
McCaskill), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), the Senator 
from Oregon (Mr. Merkley), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) 
are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 84, nays 10, as follows:

[[Page S6866]]

  


                      [Rollcall Vote No. 253 Ex.]

                                YEAS--84

     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Burr
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Cochran
     Collins
     Coons
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Donnelly
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Flake
     Franken
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hassan
     Hatch
     Heinrich
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johnson
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Klobuchar
     Lankford
     Leahy
     Lee
     Manchin
     McConnell
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Nelson
     Paul
     Perdue
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Stabenow
     Strange
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--10

     Booker
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Markey
     Murray
     Peters
     Warren
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--6

     Alexander
     McCain
     McCaskill
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Sanders
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the motion to 
reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the President 
will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

                          ____________________