[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 45 (Monday, March 9, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1615-S1620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

     ADVANCED GEOTHERMAL INNOVATION LEADERSHIP ACT OF 2019--Resumed

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the pending business.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2657) to support innovation in advanced 
     geothermal research and development, and for other purposes.

  Pending:

       Murkowski Modified amendment No. 1407, in the nature of a 
     substitute.
       Portman/Shaheen amendment No. 1514 (to amendment No. 1407), 
     to establish greater energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness 
     in building codes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire.


                Amendment No. 1525 to Amendment No. 1514

  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I call up an amendment numbered 1525 to 
Amendment No. 1514, as proposed by Senator Portman.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New Hampshire [Mrs. Shaheen] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 1525 to amendment No. 1514.

  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading 
of the amendment be waived.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

   (Purpose: To modify the authorization of appropriations for cost-
     effective codes implementation for efficiency and resilience)

        On page 28, line 19, strike ``2021'' and insert ``2020''.


                   Recognition Of The Minority Leader

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader is recognized.


                              Coronavirus

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, the coronavirus continues to spread, with 
more than 500 confirmed cases in the United States in two-thirds of the 
50 States. Given the inconsistency and delay in testing, we don't know 
if the number of confirmed cases actually reflects the number of actual 
cases in the United States.
  We now know that when the coronavirus first appeared on our soil, the 
Centers for Disease Control produced kits that did not work properly 
and sent many of these tests to our hospitals and medical labs. The 
administration turned down tests from the World Health Organization, 
even though 60 countries accepted them, and we have no answer as to 
why.
  It took weeks to get an accurate test out, and then it took weeks for 
the Federal Government to approve certain sites to run those tests, 
like the Northwell facility on Long Island that I recently visited. It 
took weeks to ramp up the number of Americans tested, and we are still 
far behind other countries like South Korea in the number and 
percentage of the population we are able to test for coronavirus.
  The most powerful tool in responding to a virus is to know precisely 
where it is and how it is spreading, but because we don't have a 
complete handle on testing, many of our hospitals, doctors, 
researchers, and public health officials

[[Page S1616]]

are flying blind, and we are still far behind where we ought to be in 
understanding how far the virus has already spread.
  Now, instead of taking responsibility and working quickly to rectify 
the early errors, the Trump administration--and, especially, the 
President himself--downplayed concerns about the virus. The President 
falsely said a vaccine would be ready soon and implied that it was OK 
for Americans to go to work even if they had the virus. The President 
falsely blamed the Obama administration for a policy change that slowed 
testing. What he said was regarded as totally false.
  Rather than spend the weekend in Washington to get a grip on the 
crisis, the President was once again golfing at Mar-a-Lago. I don't 
want to guess at the number of times this President has criticized 
other Presidents for doing the same thing. The Federal Government's 
initial response to the coronavirus was slipshod at best. It has 
greatly hurt the country, and it falls at the feet of the President. 
The buck stops with him.
  Now, I know President Trump will dismiss these criticisms and accuse 
Democrats of playing politics. That is what he always does when there 
is legitimate criticism, because in President Trump's world, there is 
no such thing as a legitimate criticism of his administration. But I 
would tell President Trump: We don't criticize your administration for 
the sake of it. We criticize because we want the administration's 
response to get better, and we are afraid that if we don't speak up, if 
we don't point out the problems publicly and push the administration to 
change its method of operation, it will not change at all, and the 
crisis will continue to worsen.
  Now more than ever, we need President Trump to lead our government's 
response to the coronavirus competently and consistently. We are all 
rooting for that.
  As the economic effects of the coronavirus are beginning to worsen, 
there have been rumors that the Trump administration may pursue 
policies to stimulate the economy. Let me be very clear. The best way 
to ensure economic security for the American people right now is to 
deal with the coronavirus itself competently and full on--something we 
haven't yet seen. Getting a handle on the crisis and containing the 
spread of the virus is by far the best way to address any effects on 
the economy. If anything, the administration must prioritize the health 
and safety of American workers and families certainly before corporate 
interests. In that respect, Speaker Pelosi and I have suggested several 
policies that the administration should pursue to help American workers 
and families: paid sick leave for workers impacted by quarantine orders 
or responsible for caring for children impacted by school closures; 
enhanced unemployment insurance for workers who may lose their jobs 
from the economic impacts of the epidemic; food security to ensure 
vulnerable populations do not lose access to food during this epidemic; 
clear protections for frontline workers, like our healthcare 
professionals and workers who are responsible for cleaning public 
facilities; widespread and free coronavirus testing, as well as 
affordable treatment for any noncovered coronavirus-related costs; 
protections against price gouging; and increased capacity of our 
medical systems.
  The administration must move quickly and seriously to address the 
expanding threat to the health of the American people and the severe 
impacts of the coronavirus on the financial security of American 
families.
  Again, the best way to deal with the problem here--health and 
economic--is to address the problem head-on and deal with the kinds of 
problems we have seen in the administration in its slipshod and erratic 
response. That must vanish.


                                S. 2657

  Mr. President, now on the Energy bill, this week the Senate will 
continue to work on a bill that would update our Nation's energy 
policy. Since the bill has been taken up, Senators have filed hundreds 
of amendments, and I hope we can have a fair process that will allow 
the Senate to consider amendments from both sides of the aisle.
  I voted yes on the motion to proceed to the Energy bill because I was 
hopeful we would have a fair and robust amendment process. 
Unfortunately, this has not happened. The majority leader is rushing to 
conclude the bill, even though there is no particular urgency to finish 
this week. I salute Leader Manchin, who has worked very hard on this 
bill, as well as Chair Murkowski. I have differences with the bill, but 
they worked hard in a bipartisan way.
  But we also have an emergency that warrants legislative action as 
soon as possible, and that is climate change. At the moment, Leader 
McConnell is blocking an important bipartisan amendment that would help 
clear it. I have urged Leader McConnell to allow a vote on an amendment 
led by Senator Carper, a Democrat, and Senator Kennedy, a Republican, 
that would require the EPA to phase out the use of HFCs, or 
hydrofluorocarbons. HFCs are dangerous greenhouse chemicals found in 
everyday appliances--air conditioners, refrigerators, and the like. 
They are thousands of times more damaging to our atmosphere than carbon 
dioxide. Phasing out these HFCs is very important, and it will go a 
long way in fighting climate change and protecting the environment for 
future generations.
  I believe the Senate should be allowed to vote on the Carper-Kennedy 
amendment. A bipartisan group of Senators back it, and even the chamber 
of commerce backs this amendment. So far, Leader McConnell has not 
allowed a vote on it.
  Now, we don't have a caucus position. There are different views 
because of the good work done by Senator Shaheen and Senator Manchin on 
other parts of the bill, but I will be voting no on cloture this 
evening unless we can work out a compromise in the next few hours to 
get a vote on this critical amendment.
  The Energy bill is a rare opportunity to make tangible progress on 
climate change as well--an existential threat to our planet. I hope my 
Republican colleagues and Leader McConnell, in particular, see the 
better side of reason and allow us to vote on bipartisan amendments.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Blunt). The assistant Democratic leader.


                              Coronavirus

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, the coronavirus has now been confirmed in 
104 countries. There are more than 110,000 cases worldwide, and nearly 
4,000 people have died. In the United States, we have more than 500 
cases--including 7 in my home State of Illinois--and at least 20 
deaths. With these numbers expected to increase, we must be prepared to 
handle the cases that inevitably will follow.
  As we consider the next step, it is imperative that we look at the 
impact this public health emergency is having in all sectors of our 
economy, including schools, hospitals, nursing homes, public health 
departments, and small businesses. Last Friday, I held a roundtable 
discussion with officials from the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention and the Illinois and Chicago Departments of Public Health, 
as well as other local health officials. It was held in the medical 
district in the city of Chicago. Experts updated us with the latest 
information on the coronavirus and what is being done at the State and 
local levels to prevent and address the outbreak. I am grateful for the 
work these officials are doing to keep Illinois safe and healthy in our 
homes, schools, and communities.
  This is a serious public health challenge, and we are working 
diligently to protect Americans from the virus. The seriousness of this 
situation was evident by how quickly the House and Senate here in 
Washington came together on a bipartisan basis to provide needed 
emergency funding to help combat the virus. Last week, Congress 
rejected President Trump's original funding request of $2.5 billion 
and, instead, we secured $7.8 billion to address the virus in the 
United States. This funding will reimburse State and local governments 
for the millions of dollars they have already spent in containing the 
spread of this virus.
  The bill also included important measures for patient monitoring, lab 
testing, acquisition of test kits, protective equipment, and research 
for vaccine and therapeutics. Democrats successfully fought to include 
a provision in the bill that will hopefully ensure

[[Page S1617]]

that any forthcoming coronavirus vaccine is accessible and affordable 
for all Americans in need.
  As we look forward to the next steps to respond to this public health 
emergency, it is critical that Congress prioritize the health and 
safety of workers and their families. Our public health experts are 
rightfully telling people to stay home if they are sick. Yet for many 
Americans, staying home means losing a paycheck that helps them pay 
their rent, pay for food, medication, and childcare. For many American 
families, losing a paycheck--even one--would be devastating. Nearly 40 
percent of American adults do not have enough savings to cover a $400 
emergency expense. I am proud to have helped introduce legislation last 
week that would immediately provide 14 days of paid sick leave to 
workers in light of coronavirus. It also is important that we ensure 
workers have access to unemployment insurance benefits during this 
uncertain time.
  We passed a robust funding bill last week, but our work is far from 
done. There will be far-reaching impacts of this outbreak. It is 
imperative that we look forward to developing a comprehensive response 
that benefits everyone, including America's working families and small 
businesses, not just large corporations.
  It is also important that we recognize the good work being done 
around the country to combat this virus. The Argonne National 
Laboratory in my State of Illinois is helping to address the threat 
with the Advanced Photon Source. Researchers are using this high-
powered x ray to study the virus. In fact, it was just announced last 
week that potential drug targets have been identified for this 
coronavirus by a team, including the University of Chicago, 
Northwestern University, and the University of California, Riverside. 
The scientists said their findings suggest drugs previously in 
development to treat SARS could now be developed as an effective drug 
against this coronavirus outbreak. This work by Argonne highlights how 
we need to work with researchers from different subject areas and 
expertise to address this pandemic and the importance of supporting 
scientific research funding in places like the National Institutes of 
Health.
  It is coincidental that the Presiding Officer, the Senator from 
Missouri, and I have worked together with Senator Alexander of 
Tennessee and Senator Murray of Washington over the last several years 
to consistently increase, year after year, the amount of money we 
invest in the National Institutes of Health, our premier medical 
research laboratory in the world.
  If I am not mistaken, over this period of time--a matter of only 4 
years--we have increased the expenditures for the National Institutes 
of Health from $30 billion to more than $39 billion--a more than 5-
percent-added increase over inflation every single year. During the 
same period, I believe the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
has increased by about 16 percent, which is a good number but not good 
enough. If anything, this pandemic that we face has reminded us of the 
absolutely essential role that is played by the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention in protecting American families from the threat 
of disease and the epidemic that we now may face with the coronavirus. 
We need to make this investment every year, without fail, in our 
medical research and medical prevention efforts in the United States.
  I commend the Senator from Missouri, who is presiding, for his 
leadership on this issue, and I want to continue to work with him on a 
bipartisan basis to make sure this is done.
  Discoveries like those at the Argonne National Laboratory are 
fighting to give us a reason to increase the funding as well in our 
basic Laboratories across the board. The Office of Science in the 
Department of Energy is a very critical partner to our medical research 
efforts, and we are learning that today as we face the coronavirus 
threat. We have successfully increased this funding at the Laboratory 
since fiscal year 2016. I am going to continue to work for more 
increases in the future, and I hope my colleagues will join me on a 
bipartisan basis.
  It is important that we all remember to follow everyday precautions 
and educate ourselves with the CDC's prevention guidelines. I have 
probably washed my hands more this last weekend than during any weekend 
of my life, but I believe now this has to be routine and normal for all 
of us to default to washing our hands as frequently as possible and to 
do it in a very serious and not haphazard way. Avoiding close contact 
with those who are sick, staying home when you are sick, covering your 
nose and mouth, and cleaning your hands often are the basics that even 
the most accomplished of physicians tell us must be followed by 
everyone.
  Now that we have secured funding to help address the coronavirus in 
an even more serious way in this country, we must look to this outbreak 
and how it will affect our daily lives and our economy. We have to look 
at the issues of paid sick leave for American workers, enhanced 
unemployment insurance, transportation, food security, educational 
plans, affordable treatment, and widespread and free coronavirus 
testing. We know we are probably a year to a year and a half away from 
the development of a vaccine, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't 
redouble our efforts now to do it and to do it in the right way.
  The health and safety of all Americans is the highest priority of our 
U.S. Congress and our government. I stand ready to work with my 
colleagues to provide the Federal resources that are necessary to 
support and assist us in our progress against this threatening virus.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee is recognized.


                          Tennessee Tornadoes

  Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, on Friday, I flew with President Trump 
to Tennessee to visit with the Tennesseans who were hurt by the 
tornadoes last week.
  There were four tornadoes. They hit primarily Benton, Davidson, 
Wilson, and Putnam Counties. They left 24 dead, and about 150 injured. 
There were more than 1,500 structures that were damaged. The winds were 
up to 175 miles per hour in the tornado that reached Putnam County.
  We visited western Putnam County not far from Baxter. I talked to 
Matt and Angela Struggs there. She told me that at about 2 a.m., I 
guess it was early Wednesday morning, she heard what sounded like a 
freight train and then a whistle. All the people I talked with heard a 
freight train and a whistle.
  She said--of course, they were all asleep, as it was 2 a.m. in the 
morning, and they didn't have any warning. So she ran upstairs as the 
windows were being blown out of the house, grabbed her youngest child, 
and came downstairs where her other two children and her husband were, 
and the sound was gone. They opened the door and looked across the 
street, and her son said: ``It's gone.'' What was gone were all the 
homes, all the neighbors. Eight died in that neighborhood alone.
  The first heroes of this tragedy were those neighbors and other 
neighbors in Nashville, and Benton County, and Mount Juliet in Wilson 
County. Matt Struggs, the husband of the young woman I was talking 
with, is a worship leader in their church. This was obviously a very 
close-knit community. He said: We knew who was left by the sounds of 
their voices. So we set about finding them and digging them out and 
getting them to the hospital.
  This is certainly not what anyone would describe as an area of rich 
Americans, but they would not want to be described either as middle-
income or low-income Americans, either. They are what I would call 
``salt of the earth'' people, really good people--a very close-knit 
community whose first reaction and whose reaction the day we were 
there, 3 days later, was how can we help each other.
  After the neighbors, the next heroes were the first responders. We 
met with many of them in Cookeville. Next were the volunteers. They 
turned out by the hundreds. Rick Gilbert, who is disaster coordinator 
for the Church of Christ in downtown Cookeville, talked with me about 
what they had there, but he didn't have to tell me. I could see it. 
There were stockpiles of boxes with everything imaginable that someone 
would want. Whatever they need, is what we try to give people who come 
here.
  These Tennesseans were grateful for the visit by President Trump. It 
was

[[Page S1618]]

more than the fact that this was the first time any President of the 
United States had visited Cookeville, TN. This is an important town, 
but it is a town between Nashville and Knoxville about nearly halfway, 
and Presidents come to Nashville or Knoxville or Memphis or Chattanooga 
or our bigger cities when they come to Tennessee. But not only did the 
President go to Cookeville--that was a 40-minute helicopter flight--he 
drove another 30 or 40 minutes to this neighborhood where the Struggs 
and their neighbors live--the ones who opened the door and looked 
across the street and saw that everything was gone. The President 
stayed, and he talked for a long time. He listened, and they 
appreciated it very much.
  He and the other Federal officials announced a major disaster 
declaration in, what I believe to be record time. So by the time we 
were there on Friday, there were 75 Federal Emergency Management Agency 
personnel on the ground in Tennessee, and there were three shelters 
already open.
  I just talked with Congressman   Jim Cooper from Nashville who has 
been deeply involved with this since the beginning, and he talked about 
the shelters being opened and the devastation at the Tennessee State 
University's Agriculture Center there in Nashville.
  Governor Lee and his wife Maria were there, and he did, as usual, a 
remarkably good job. He, like the President, has an easy way of dealing 
with people. Congressman   John Rose was there. His hometown is 
Cookeville, the community where we were visiting. Senator Blackburn was 
there. She had gone with Congressman Rose on Wednesday and Thursday as 
soon as she heard about it. So she went back on Friday with us.
  Of course, the mayors of all those communities hadn't gotten much 
sleep since Tuesday night when the tragedy occurred. They know--and the 
President and the Governor and I and Senator Blackburn, we all said to 
them: We know we can't resolve this. We can't make things like they 
used to be. We know we can't give you all the help you need, but we are 
here. That is really all they expected or all they wanted.
  This is not our first tornado in Tennessee. According to The 
Tennessean newspaper, we have had 18 in the last 25 years, and several 
of them have been strong tornadoes like this one. But the people of 
Tennessee would want me to express our heartfelt appreciation to the 
President and to the Federal officials who, in the midst of everything 
else they had to do, jumped on this tragedy immediately, got the 
declaration out quickly, had the FEMA personnel on site, and had the 
shelters opened in what seemed to me to be a record amount of time. 
They then joined with the Tennessee volunteers and the neighbors and 
the first responders who set out to help the Tennesseans who were hurt.
  There was a beautiful article written this morning that appeared in 
the New York Times by Margaret Renkl from Nashville about the meaning 
of hashtag ``NashvilleStrong,'' in which she talks about in her last 
sentence that ``while we understand we have not been singled out by God 
for survival, we also understand that we can be God's hands here in the 
rubble, helping our neighbors dig out.''
  That is what is happening in Tennessee, and the President, the 
Federal officials, and the others who went to help, we greatly 
appreciate what they did, and I wanted to come to the floor to say 
that.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Boozman). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


                   Recognition of the Majority Leader

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader is recognized.


                              Coronavirus

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, our Nation is continuing to confront 
the public health challenge posed by the new coronavirus. Right now, as 
Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health reminds us, the 
risk that any individual American will contract the disease remains 
low. This is not a time for fear. It is a time to continue calmly 
scaling up serious and smart preparations that have already been 
underway so the United States can continue working to blunt, slow, and 
mitigate the spread within our borders.
  The most recent global health security index rated the United States 
the No. 1 overall most prepared country in the world for an infectious 
disease outbreak--the No. 1 overall most prepared country in the world 
for an infectious disease outbreak. Our resources, capabilities, and 
expertise are the envy of the rest of the world.
  In this instance, the President's early, bold actions to impose 
travel restrictions and quarantine measures back in January bought our 
Nation more time and more room to continue preparing.
  With that said, there was never any illusion that our country of more 
than 300 million people and nearly 4 million square miles could be 
entirely sealed off from the rest of the world. The question was never 
if we would have to combat the coronavirus here on U.S. soil, but when 
and to what degree.
  As Dr. Fauci noted yesterday, we are now seeing instances of 
community spread here in the United States, and the CDC has now 
confirmed nearly 500 cases on U.S. soil. With respect to individual 
best practices and precautions, all Americans should follow the 
recommendations of the CDC and their State and local authorities. 
Detailed suggestions for different personal situations are available 
online at www.cdc.gov.
 Officials in my home State of Kentucky are currently monitoring four 
confirmed cases. I spoke to the Governor this morning and will continue 
to stay in close touch to make sure that Kentucky and all 50 States 
have what they need and know Congress has their back.
  Last week, the Senate passed nearly $8 billion in supplemental 
funding, which President Trump signed into law. It will deliver surge 
resources to national public health experts, frontline healthcare 
professionals, and State and local governments as they work together to 
protect Americans. That legislation ensured a funding floor of at least 
$7 million will go to Kentucky to help fight the virus.
  In addition, I want to recognize and thank our colleague, the junior 
Senator from Texas. Ten days ago, he briefly interacted with an 
individual who has since tested positive for the virus. Even though he 
feels fine and it has already been 10 days, after consulting with 
experts, Senator Cruz elected to work from home this week out of an 
abundance of caution. We will certainly miss our colleague around the 
Capitol this week, but I want to commend him for taking the initiative. 
We had a chance to talk yesterday.
  So here is the bottom line: Our great Nation is very strong. We have 
enormous expertise and tremendous capabilities, and Congress, on a 
bipartisan basis, has made sure our health experts and leaders have the 
funding they need.
  With calm and competence, all Americans--all of them--should continue 
to listen to the experts, take their advice, and take commonsense steps 
to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities.


                                S. 2657

  Mr. President, now, on another matter here on the Senate floor, we 
will pick up where we left off last week: considering a comprehensive 
set of updates to the way our Nation approaches energy efficiency, 
security, and innovation.
  As Chairman Murkowski pointed out last week, it has been about 12 
years since the last such package, and since then, America's energy 
sector has undergone some real changes. New technology has opened new 
doors for energy production and also presented new threats to our 
electrical grid and other critical infrastructure.
  Even at a time when a strong job market has continued to bring 
Americans off the sidelines, the domestic energy sector has outpaced 
the economy as a whole in job creation. Increased access to our 
abundant domestic reserves has unleashed American energy on the 
international market. In fact, the Department of Energy has predicted 
the United States will become a net exporter of energy this year for 
the first time since 1953.
  Over the past 12 years, we have seen plenty of attempts to intervene 
in this

[[Page S1619]]

evolution of the American energy sector. Under the last administration, 
we saw an anti-domestic energy mindset that manifested in proposals 
like the so-called Clean Power Plan. That would have buried domestic 
energy in a tangle of stifling redtape and would have jeopardized more 
than 100,000 American jobs. The working families I represent in 
Kentucky faced that threat head-on.
  Even more recently, we saw Democratic Party standard bearers roll out 
a far-left proposal that would ban affordable forms of domestic power 
and let Washington micromanage everything from American jobs to their 
cars to their homes. We saw only a small number of our Senate 
Democratic colleagues able to vote against this radical proposal. That 
is the wrong way to think about American energy dominance.
  Fortunately, thanks to the dedicated work of our colleagues on the 
Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the bipartisan bill before us 
is the right way to go about it. The legislation before us includes 
provisions and input from nearly three-fourths of this body. From grid 
security and workforce training to energy storage and carbon capture, 
the Senate has a chance to pass a number of important updates to energy 
policy on a wide bipartisan basis.
  I hope and anticipate the Senate will be able to process amendments 
and then pass the American Energy Innovation Act this week.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                             Cloture Motion

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before 
the Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will state.
  The 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 amendment No. 
     1407, as modified, to Calendar No. 357, S. 2657, a bill to 
     support innovation in advanced geothermal research and 
     development, and for other purposes.
         Mitch McConnell, Chuck Grassley, John Barrasso, John 
           Thune, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mike Braun, Lindsey Graham, 
           Shelley Moore Capito, Lamar Alexander, Thom Tillis, 
           Mike Crapo, James E. Risch, Lisa Murkowski, John 
           Hoeven, John Boozman, Steve Daines, Richard C. Shelby.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum 
call has been waived.
  The question is, Is it the sense of the Senate that debate on 
amendment No. 1407, as modified, offered by the Senator from Alaska, 
Ms. Murkowski, to S. 2657, a bill to support innovation in advanced 
geothermal research and development, and for other purposes, shall be 
brought to a close?
  The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito), the Senator from Louisiana (Mr. 
Cassidy), the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cruz), and the Senator from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Toomey).
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker), 
the Senator from California (Ms. Harris), the Senator from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and 
the Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote or change their vote?
  The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 47, nays 44, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 67 Leg.]

                                YEAS--47

     Alexander
     Barrasso
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Burr
     Casey
     Collins
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Daines
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Jones
     Kaine
     King
     Leahy
     Loeffler
     Manchin
     McSally
     Murkowski
     Perdue
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rubio
     Scott (SC)
     Shaheen
     Sinema
     Sullivan
     Thune
     Tillis
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--44

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Braun
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Crapo
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Gillibrand
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Klobuchar
     Lankford
     Lee
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Moran
     Murphy
     Murray
     Paul
     Peters
     Rounds
     Sasse
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott (FL)
     Shelby
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--9

     Booker
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Cruz
     Harris
     Markey
     Sanders
     Toomey
     Warren
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 47, the nays are 
44.
  Three-fifths of the Senators having been duly chosen and sworn not 
having voted in the affirmative, the motion is rejected.
  The majority leader is recognized.


                          Motion to Reconsider

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I enter a motion to reconsider the 
bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The motion is entered.


                             Cloture Motion

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before 
the Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will state.
  The bill 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 Calendar No. 
     357, S. 2657, a bill to support innovation in advanced 
     geothermal research and development, and for other purposes.
         Mitch McConnell, Chuck Grassley, John Barrasso, John 
           Thune, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mike Braun, Lindsey Graham, 
           Shelley Moore Capito, Lamar Alexander, Thom Tillis, 
           Mike Crapo, James E. Risch, Lisa Murkowski, John 
           Hoeven, John Boozman, Steve Daines, Richard C. Shelby.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum 
call has been waived.
  The question is, Is it the sense of the Senate that debate on S. 
2657, a bill to support innovation in advanced geothermal research and 
development, and for other purposes, shall be brought to a close?
  The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito), the Senator from Louisiana (Mr. 
Cassidy), the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton), the Senator from 
Texas (Mr. Cruz), the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Hawley), the Senator 
from Alabama (Mr. Shelby), and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Toomey).
  Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. 
Cotton) would have voted ``yea.''
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker), 
the Senator from California (Ms. Harris), the Senator from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and 
the Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sullivan). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 15, nays 73, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 68 Leg.]

                                YEAS--15

     Alexander
     Blunt
     Burr
     Ernst
     Graham
     Loeffler
     Murkowski
     Perdue
     Roberts
     Rubio
     Sullivan
     Thune
     Tillis
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--73

     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Bennet
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Boozman
     Braun
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Collins
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Daines
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Gardner
     Gillibrand
     Grassley
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Jones
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Klobuchar
     Lankford
     Leahy
     Lee
     Manchin
     McConnell
     McSally
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Moran
     Murphy
     Murray
     Paul
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed

[[Page S1620]]


     Risch
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rounds
     Sasse
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Shaheen
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--12

     Booker
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Cotton
     Cruz
     Harris
     Hawley
     Markey
     Sanders
     Shelby
     Toomey
     Warren
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 15, the nays are 
73.
  Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted 
in the affirmative, the motion is rejected.
  The majority leader.


                          Motion to Reconsider

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I enter a motion to reconsider the 
vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The motion is entered.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________