[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 59 (Thursday, April 12, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2111-S2113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMENDING THE WHITE MOUNTAIN APACHE TRIBE WATER RIGHTS QUANTIFICATION
ACT OF 2010
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask that the Chair lay before the
Senate the message to accompany S. 140.
The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message
from the House of Representatives:
Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 140) entitled
``An Act to amend the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water
Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to clarify the use of
amounts in the WMAT Settlement Fund.'', do pass with an
amendment.
Motion to Concur
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to concur in the House amendment
to S. 140.
Cloture Motion
Mr. McCONNELL. I send a cloture motion to the desk on the motion to
concur.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
Cloture Motion
We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the
provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate,
do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the motion to
concur in the House amendment to S. 140, an act to amend the
White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Qualification Act of
2010 to clarify the use of amounts in the WMAT Settlement
Fund.
Mitch McConnell, Cory Gardner, Orrin G. Hatch, Tom
Cotton, Steve Daines, Roy Blunt, Mike Crapo, James E.
Risch, Johnny Isakson, John Thune, Thom Tillis, James
M. Inhofe, Pat Roberts, John Hoeven, John Boozman, Jeff
Flake, Jerry Moran.
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call
be waived.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Motion to Concur With Amendment No. 2227
Mr. McCONNELL. I move to concur in the House amendment to S. 140,
with a further amendment.
[[Page S2112]]
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] moves to concur
in the House amendment to S. 140, with an amendment numbered
2227.
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the
amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
At the end add the following:
``This act shall be effective 1 day after enactment.''
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask for the yeas and nays on the motion to concur
with amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
Amendment No. 2228 to Amendment No. 2227
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment at the
desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] proposes an
amendment numbered 2228 to amendment No. 2227.
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the
amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike ``1 day'' and insert ``2 days''
Motion to Refer With Amendment No. 2229
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to refer the House message on S.
140 to the Committee on Indian Affairs with instructions to report back
forthwith.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] moves to refer
the House message to accompany S. 140 to the Committee on
Indian Affairs to report back forthwith with instructions,
being amendment numbered 2229.
The amendment is as follows:
At the end add the following:
``This Act shall take effect 3 days after the date of
enactment.''
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask for the yeas and nays on my motion.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
Amendment No. 2230
Mr. McCONNELL. I have an amendment to the instructions.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] proposes an
amendment numbered 2230 to the instructions of the motion to
refer.
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the
amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike ``3 days'' and insert ``4 days''
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask for the yeas and nays on my amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
Amendment No. 2231 to Amendment No. 2230
Mr. McCONNELL. I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] proposes an
amendment numbered 2231 to amendment No. 2230.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike ``4'' and insert ``5''
Confirmation of Rebecca Jennings
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, today the Senate completed its work on
the personnel business for this week the way we started--by confirming
a talented nominee to be a Federal district judge in Kentucky.
President Trump nominated Rebecca Jennings to be the first woman to
serve as a district judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Widely
recognized for her outstanding legal talents and judgment, Ms. Jennings
has earned the support of Kentucky's legal community. In fact, dozens
of her peers wrote that ``she has a first-rate analytical mind and
superb judgment. She is principled, thoughtful, and hard-working.''
These qualities are exactly what I believe we need on the Federal
district courts. Our colleagues on the Judiciary Committee agreed,
advancing Ms. Jennings' nomination to the Senate floor on a voice vote.
Just moments ago, the Senate fulfilled its responsibility, confirming
another well-qualified nominee for Kentucky and for the Nation, both of
which will be well-served by Rebecca Jennings on the bench.
I hope the Senate can build on this momentum and continue confirming
more of the President's abundantly qualified nominees without undue
delay.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas.
Confirmation of John Broomes
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, judges and litigants in our State of Kansas
have been anxious to have the vacant positions in our State filled. One
of those two vacancies in district judgeships is the longest open
vacancy in the country, and today we accomplished the filling of one of
those positions with the confirmation of John Broomes.
I rise to express my pleasure to my colleagues and to Mr. Broomes--my
pleasure for his willingness to be considered for this position, to be
nominated by the President, and now to be confirmed by the U.S.
Senate--and to express my pleasure to my colleagues for seeing his
qualifications and experience and capabilities and making that
confirmation happen just a few moments ago. He is a highly qualified
individual, he is a well-respected attorney, and he has the intellect
and legal mind and legal experience to receive this lifetime
appointment as a Federal judge.
I take these lifetime appointments very seriously, and I want to make
certain that, as a Kansas Senator and as a U.S. Senator, I am doing my
part to put highly qualified and soundly principled judges in place to
serve Kansas and the country. John Broomes meets these qualifications.
In my conversations with him over the last year, he expressed a
judicial philosophy that is dedicated to the interpretation of the law
as written, recognition that no person is above the law, and treatment
for all litigants in a fair and legal fashion.
I appreciate Mr. Broomes' naval service to our country. His
willingness to serve is a mark of his character and his love for our
Nation.
I want to highlight a note from a distinguished professor at Washburn
Law School in Topeka, KS. He indicated in his letter that he found Mr.
Broomes to be ``the most gifted legal mind he has ever encountered.
Equally important, he is an honest and principled person and among the
very best lawyers I know.'' Dr. David Pierce, a law school professor,
is a highly regarded member of the faculty and chairman of the Washburn
business and transactional law program, and his confirmation of my view
of John Broomes is very fulfilling to me. It gives me great confidence
that we have made a wise decision today.
Mr. Broomes served as a law clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald
Bostwick and U.S. District Court Judge Monti Belot, and their
reputation and experience add to Mr. Broomes' qualifications.
I met Mr. Broomes' family, and I was so impressed with him as a
father. I was impressed with his wife and their children. He has a
reputation as a solid, decent, and conscientious person and a man with
a conscience. He also has a reputation for expertly managing cases and
solving complex litigation. He has been a valuable attorney to the
Hinkle law firm, a highly regarded law firm in Wichita, KS. That firm
is known for employing associates and having partners who meet the
qualifications that we would want in a judge. He focuses on business
and natural resources law, and that knowledge of those kinds of cases
will be very valuable to litigation that is heard in my State.
Mr. Broomes was unanimously confirmed by the Senate Judiciary
Committee in December, and I appreciate the support my colleagues have
demonstrated on his confirmation today.
[[Page S2113]]
Thank you, Mr. President.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.
____________________