[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4845-S4847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Trade
Mr. THUNE. Madam President, a number of my colleagues were here just
a few moments ago talking about trade and the impact of trade on
agriculture. I have been down here a lot on the floor to talk about the
ag economy in recent weeks. If you look at our economy as a whole, it
is thriving, but our Nation's farmers and ranchers are still having a
tough time, thanks to years of commodity and livestock prices that are
below production cost because of protracted trade disputes and now, on
top of that, natural disasters.
One of the most important things we can do to help our agricultural
economy is to negotiate favorable trade agreements for U.S. producers.
Our Nation's farmers and ranchers depend on trade. In my home State of
South Dakota, we export a substantial portion of the agricultural
products we produce.
Right now, though, farmers and ranchers are facing a lot of
uncertainty when it comes to trade. There are a number of outstanding
trade agreements, and farmers and ranchers are unsure what the rules of
the road are going to look like in the future. That is why I have urged
the administration to
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wrap up negotiations on the various trade deals under consideration as
swiftly as possible.
I strongly support the administration's goal of strengthening market
access for our Nation's farmers and ranchers, and we have made real
progress in negotiations. Now it is time to push for a conclusion to
these deals and give our Nation's agricultural producers certainty
about what international markets are going to look like.
There is one deal, however, that we don't need to wait for; that is,
the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement. Negotiations on
this trade agreement are finished. Mexico has already passed the
agreement, and Canada is just waiting for the United States to act. All
we need is for Speaker Pelosi to indicate her willingness to take up
this deal, and the President will formally submit the agreement to
Congress for approval.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement is a big win for
our Nation's farmers and ranchers. Canada and Mexico are the No. 1 and
No. 2 export markets for American food and agricultural products. The
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement will preserve and expand farmers'
access to these critical markets and give farmers certainty about what
these markets will look like long term.
I am particularly pleased with the improvements the agreement makes
for U.S. dairy producers. Dairy is an important and rapidly growing
industry in South Dakota. Drive the I-29 corridor north of Brookings,
and you can see firsthand what massive dairy expansion we have
experienced in South Dakota over the past few years.
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will preserve U.S. dairy farmers'
role as a key dairy supplier to Mexico, and it will substantially
expand market access in Canada, where U.S. dairy sales have been
restricted.
The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that the agreement
will boost U.S. dairy exports by more than $277 million. The agreement
will also expand market access for U.S. poultry and egg producers. It
will make it easier for U.S. producers to export wheat to Canada.
I have spent my time today talking about the agricultural industry,
but, of course, this agreement goes much further. The United States-
Mexico-Canada Agreement will benefit virtually every sector of our
economy, from manufacturing to digital services to the automotive
industry. It will create 176,000 new jobs, grow our economy, and raise
wages for workers.
It is time to pass this agreement and to realize its economic
benefits. Senate Republicans are ready; we are ready to approve this
agreement once the White House submits it to Congress. We are just
waiting for Democratic leaders in the House to indicate their
willingness to take up the deal. It is time for them to do so.
Democrats' concerns have been more than addressed throughout the
negotiation process. The final trade agreement is perhaps the most
worker-friendly trade agreement the United States has ever considered.
It is a big improvement on the North American Free Trade Agreement--the
agreement under which we are currently operating--on the issues over
which Democrats have expressed concern.
If they are serious about making progress on these issues and are not
just trying to sink the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement with specious
objections, Democrats should give the President the go-ahead and take
up and pass this agreement in the near future.
nomination of Peter joseph Phipps
Mr. TOOMEY. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the
nomination of Judge Peter Phipps of the U.S. District Court for the
Western District of Pennsylvania to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the
Third Circuit.
Judge Phipps is highly qualified to serve on the Third Circuit. He
has dedicated his legal career to public service, first as a decorated
career attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice and now as a Federal
trial judge. As both a judge and a lawyer, he has been a faithful
adherent to the rule of law.
Senator Casey and I supported Judge Phipps' nomination to the
district court. He was recommended to us by the bipartisan judicial
advisory panel that we use to vet and recommend candidates to fill
district court vacancies in the Western District of Pennsylvania. In
2018, the Senate easily confirmed Judge Phipps to the district court by
voice vote after the Senate Judiciary Committee reported him to the
floor by voice vote.
Before joining the bench, Judge Phipps served for 15 years as a
career attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division,
where he worked under three Presidential administrations of both
parties. He represented the Federal Government in numerous complex
cases and received multiple awards for his excellent work. Since 2014,
he has served as an adjunct law professor at Duquesne University, where
he teaches administrative law. Earlier in his career, he clerked for
Chief Judge Guy Cole on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
and worked as a commercial litigator in private practice. Judge Phipps
is a graduate of the University of Dayton and Stanford Law School.
Judge Phipps has an outstanding reputation for intelligence,
professionalism, fairness, and integrity, but you do not have to take
my word for it. Here are few examples of how others have described him.
The American Bar Association has rated him well-qualified on the
basis of his integrity, professional competence, and judicial
temperament. Minority Leader Schumer and Senator Leahy, the former
chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, have called the American
Bar Association's rating ``the gold standard by which judicial
candidates are judged.''
Senator Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee,
stated after Judge Phipps' nomination hearing on June 5, 2019 that
Judge Phipps ``is one of the most impressive nominees for the U.S.
Circuit Courts that has appeared before the Committee. He is incredibly
smart and well balanced. Mr. Phipps will be a great addition to the
Third Circuit.''
At Judge Phipps' district court investiture on December 18, 2018,
Chief Judge Cole of the Sixth Circuit, an appointee of President Bill
Clinton, said that Judge Phipps ``has earned a reputation for honesty,
trustworthiness, great character, humility and professionalism.'' In
addition, Chief Judge Cole stated that Judge Phipps ``has a brilliant
mind, endless curiosity, and an even temperament. He will treat all who
come before him equally and apply a strong work ethic to each and every
matter. In short, Judge Phipps will be fair and just in the truest
sense of those words.''
Leon Panetta, Secretary of Defense under President Barack Obama, has
written to the Senate in support of Judge Phipps' nomination. He worked
closely with Judge Phipps on a legal matter when he was Secretary of
Defense. His letter states: ``Throughout the many hours we spent with
one another I was repeatedly impressed by Peter's legal acumen,
dedication, attention to detail, and integrity. I have come to know
Peter to be a faithful public servant and an excellent attorney. I am
very pleased that he has been nominated to give his time and talents to
the bench. I believe Peter will serve with honor and highly recommend
his confirmation.''
The Senate has also received enthusiastic letters of support for
Judge Phipps' nomination from attorneys who have litigated with and
against him, including former colleagues from the U.S. Department of
Justice. For instance, one group of attorneys praised Judge Phipps as a
``model jurist'' who has a ``piercing intellect'' and ``deep knowledge
of the law.'' Similarly, a group of his former colleagues from the U.S.
Department of Justice wrote: ``Judge Phipps' generosity, perspective,
commitment to the rule of law, and selflessness--in addition to his
intelligence and extensive experience--will make him a superb appellate
judge.''
I am confident that Judge Phipps will live up to this high praise on
the Third Circuit. He has all the essential qualities needed to excel
as a Federal appellate judge: experience, intelligence, integrity, and
respect for the limited role of the judiciary in our constitutional
system. I am pleased to support this highly qualified nominee and urge
my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. THUNE. I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cramer). Under the previous order, the
question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Phipps
nomination?
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Mr. MORAN. 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 senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet),
the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker), the Senator from New York
(Mrs. Gillibrand), and the Senator from California (Ms. Harris) are
necessarily absent.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber
desiring to vote?
The result was announced--yeas 56, nays 40, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 205 Ex.]
YEAS--56
Alexander
Barrasso
Blackburn
Blunt
Boozman
Braun
Burr
Capito
Cassidy
Collins
Cornyn
Cotton
Cramer
Crapo
Cruz
Daines
Enzi
Ernst
Fischer
Gardner
Graham
Grassley
Hawley
Hoeven
Hyde-Smith
Inhofe
Isakson
Johnson
Jones
Kennedy
Lankford
Lee
Manchin
McConnell
McSally
Moran
Murkowski
Paul
Perdue
Portman
Risch
Roberts
Romney
Rounds
Rubio
Sasse
Scott (FL)
Scott (SC)
Shelby
Sinema
Sullivan
Thune
Tillis
Toomey
Wicker
Young
NAYS--40
Baldwin
Blumenthal
Brown
Cantwell
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Coons
Cortez Masto
Duckworth
Durbin
Feinstein
Hassan
Heinrich
Hirono
Kaine
King
Klobuchar
Leahy
Markey
Menendez
Merkley
Murphy
Murray
Peters
Reed
Rosen
Sanders
Schatz
Schumer
Shaheen
Smith
Stabenow
Tester
Udall
Van Hollen
Warner
Warren
Whitehouse
Wyden
NOT VOTING--4
Bennet
Booker
Gillibrand
Harris
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.
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