[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 196 (Wednesday, November 18, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7055-S7059]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Thanksgiving

  Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, next Thursday is Thanksgiving, and we 
are here today because, even during a tough year like this one, we have 
so many things to be thankful for.
  In that spirit, I would like to tell a short story about a Nebraskan 
whose contribution to the history of our country is pretty 
extraordinary.
  In 1886, Andrew Jackson Higgins was born in the small town of 
Columbus, NE. He spent most of his childhood in Omaha, and he served in 
the Nebraska Army National Guard after the turn of the 20th century 
before moving to Alabama at the age of 20 to work in the lumber 
industry.
  He worked a wide variety of jobs, hoping to learn enough to 
eventually start his own business. He succeeded in his dream in 1922 
when he founded Higgins Lumber and Export Company, which quickly grew 
to become one of the largest lumber companies in North America.
  Four years later, his company designed the Eureka boat, a 36-foot-
long boat that was able to sail in just a few feet of water. At the 
time, lumber could only be loaded onto ships at port, but a craft that 
could operate in such shallow water could run on and off of riverbanks, 
enabling Higgins Lumber and Export Company to load and unload its 
lumber just about anywhere.
  In short, Andrew Higgins built the Eureka boat simply to make his 
employees' lives easier, and that was an honorable goal. But throughout 
the next decade, as it became clear that Hitler decided to plunge the 
world back into war, the U.S. military began to search for a way to 
land soldiers directly onto beaches. They turned to the Eureka boat, 
which beat the Navy's design in a head-to-head test in 1939.
  There was just one problem: The only way to get on or off the boat 
was by jumping over the sides, and this would leave soldiers exposed to 
enemy fire in combat. To get around this, the Navy asked Higgins to add 
a ramp door to the boat's bow. He returned with the final design just a 
month later, and the Higgins boat was born.
  Andrew Higgins' company went on to produce over 23,000 of these 
boats, and his design worked so well that the Allies trusted them to 
carry our soldiers across the English Channel on D-Day. Without the 
Higgins boat, we may not have turned the tide of World War II at 
Normandy. We may never have liberated Europe from Hitler's grasp.
  In fact, President Dwight Eisenhower, who was the Supreme Allied 
Commander in Europe on D-Day, went as far as to say that Andrew Higgins 
was ``the man who won the war for us.''
  It was an honor to attend the 75th anniversary of D-Day last year at 
Omaha Beach, to see firsthand the beach where the ``greatest 
generation'' jumped out of those boats that Andrew Higgins built to 
save the world from Naziism.
  I am thankful for them, and I am thankful for the sacrifices that all 
of our veterans and Active-Duty servicemembers make each and every day.
  We all know that Thanksgiving is going to be a little different this 
year. As important as it is to spend time with our extended family, 
many of whom we only see once a year, it is just as important to do 
what we can to protect those we love from this virus.
  I won't pretend that it is easy to spend Thanksgiving apart from 
these large gatherings of loved ones, but I hope the far greater 
sacrifices our soldiers and veterans have made will help us to keep 
this hardship in perspective.
  This Thanksgiving, let's give thanks for our military; let's give 
thanks for Andrew Higgins and the Higgins boat, which saved the lives 
of so many of our soldiers on D-Day; and let's give thanks for our 
veterans and those currently serving this country in the Armed Forces. 
Without the sacrifices that they have made and continue to make every 
day, our country wouldn't be as great as it is today. Their service 
makes Thanksgiving possible, this year and every year.
  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. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I am rising today, along with others, 
giving thanks to our military and servicemembers and our veterans. In 
our family, this comes naturally. I am the son of Wes Roberts, a World 
War II Marine veteran who fought at Okinawa and Iwo Jima, and as a 
Marine veteran myself, I say with certainty and pride that there is no 
greater duty than to stand

[[Page S7056]]

with those who have put country before self.
  I might add that my dad was age 41; he lied about his age and said he 
was 39. There was a niche in the Marine Corps at that time to be an air 
ground officer. That quickly turned into a combat situation, both in 
Okinawa and Iwo Jima. I am very thankful that he was spared. I would 
also like to add that I thank former President Truman for making a 
decision that allowed him and 800,000 other Americans to come home.
  It is of the utmost importance, especially today, to pause and to 
recognize and thank veterans everywhere for their service in defending 
our Nation from threats, both overseas and here at home.
  Another point of privilege I would like to point out is that before 
the pandemic, we were set to dedicate the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial 
on May 8. That was the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day--an 
anniversary with worldwide significance.
  Due to the ongoing pandemic, we dedicated the memorial in September, 
and now, after decades of work, the memorial dedicated to our President 
and the Supreme Allied Commander and Kansas's favorite son, Dwight D. 
Eisenhower, is attracting generations of visitors to the National Mall. 
I drive by it on Independence Avenue when I am going home. I am always 
amazed that there are 25 or 30 people taking pictures of Ike, both as 
President and also the Supreme Allied Commander.
  I am delighted that we are relearning the contributions of this great 
President and a man who basically saved Western democracy and gave us 8 
years of peace and prosperity as President.
  The memorial encourages all visitors to learn more about the critical 
role Ike played in not only shaping our Nation and defining the United 
States of America on the world stage but leading our country through 8 
years of peace and prosperity. He recognized the promise of America and 
the reciprocal responsibility of his people to serve the Nation that 
serves them. As he said in his first inaugural address, ``It is the 
firm duty of each of our free citizens . . . to place the cause of this 
country before the comfort, the convenience of himself.'' It was 
Eisenhower's decision to launch the D-day invasion that helped turn the 
tide of war in Europe and save Western democracy.
  While the memorial pays tribute to his valiant leadership, it also 
pays tribute to the ``greatest generation.'' Without their bravery and 
sacrifice during World War II, the world, no doubt, would be a very 
different place.
  Now, we have another favorite son in Kansas. My dear friend and 
mentor, Senator Bob Dole, is another one of these heroes of the 
``greatest generation,'' and he made a tremendous effort in making the 
World War II Memorial a reality. In talking with Bob about his effort 
and then his key role in making the Eisenhower Memorial an actuality 
and being successful, now anybody who is a World War II veteran--and 
those numbers are decreasing dramatically every year--however, they can 
get some transportation up here on Independence Avenue and pay homage 
to their Commander in Chief and salute him as they would have liked to 
have done years back.
  I would point out that through my 40 years of service in both the 
House and Senate, I have said many times that the No. 1 priority of our 
Federal Government is to provide for the safety and security of our 
great Nation and to encourage those who protect us and to give them 
due. It has also been an honor to serve as a marine and to serve the 
great State of Kansas in Washington.
  Our Nation is forever indebted to the acts of bravery and sacrifice 
of the service men and women who repeatedly answer the call of duty and 
step forward to defend the freedoms we all hold dear. Each and every 
one of us--more especially in this body--give the thanks of a grateful 
Nation to our Nation's veterans.
  I would be remiss if I did not close by stating ``Semper Fi.''
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
confirmation vote on the Vaden nomination occur at 2:15 p.m. today.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I am joined on the floor by the Senator 
from North Carolina, and I think a few additional Members will be 
coming to talk about Thanksgiving Day and about one of the things that 
we are most thankful for in this Nation, which is the service of our 
veterans who have stepped forward in uniform to give us the free 
country that we enjoy today and the freedoms that we enjoy today--
veterans like my 96-year-old father, who was in World War II, who was 
recognized at the Ole Miss-South Carolina game just Saturday night as 
one of the surviving World War II veterans.
  So I want to take a personal moment to recognize my dad and people 
like him who served so many, many decades ago. They kept us safe and 
defended our most important freedoms, including the freedom that 
Americans exercised just this month--the freedom to cast a ballot.
  I am a veteran myself, and I am a proud veteran. Of course, my 
accomplishments do not compare with those of my World War II veteran 
dad's. I am also the proud father of an Air Force major today, Maj. 
McDaniel Wicker. So being a veteran is a proud tradition in our family. 
Also, it is a proud recognition that we make as Members of Congress and 
to take care that the promises we have made are kept to the armed 
services members who have stepped forward and donned a uniform.
  That means making sure, during this COVID-19 pandemic, that federally 
run retirement homes, like the Armed Services Retirement Home in 
Gulfport, MS, have the resources they need. It means acting boldly to 
reform the VA, which we have done, actually, on a bipartisan basis, in 
recent years, with legislation like the VA MISSION Act and the VA 
Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. These laws have 
reduced wait times, expanded access to telemedicine and private care, 
and allowed the Department of Veterans Affairs to fire employees who 
have engaged in poor performance. As I say that, I might add, when I 
talk to veterans who have used the services of the VA, so many times, 
they are complimentary and profusely generous in their praise of the 
employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs. For those who don't 
get the job done and perform poorly, we now have the ability, under 
this important legislation, to get rid of them and replace them with 
those who will join the majority of the VA employees in getting the job 
done.
  I have also introduced legislation with Senator Kaine to designate 
September 30 as National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day. It is 
something on which, again, we have worked in a bipartisan manner down 
through the Congresses.
  This month is not only Thanksgiving month and election month, but it 
is Military Family Appreciation Month. Showing our thankfulness to 
veterans also includes showing our thankfulness to the families of our 
military members. So I am pleased to join my colleagues and yield the 
floor, in just a few moments, to my colleague from North Carolina.
  Just today, Members of the House and Senate are working on the final 
paragraphs and the final provisions that remain undecided within the 
National Defense Authorization Act. This year, it will be named after a 
retiring colleague of ours, Representative Mac Thornberry, of Texas, 
who did not seek reelection this year. I can tell you that Members of 
the Senate and Members of this Republican conference are working hard 
today to make our National Defense Authorization Act a reality again 
for the 60th straight year and to serve those veterans and future 
veterans who have done so much to make our country free.
  At this point, I yield the floor
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from North Carolina.
  Mr. TILLIS. Madam President, before the senior Senator from 
Mississippi leaves, I would like to thank him for

[[Page S7057]]

his comments and for his service to the Nation. He actually spent some 
quality time in my great State of North Carolina when he was in the Air 
Force.
  Senator Wicker, thank you for your service and for your father's as 
well.
  I rise for the same purpose--to thank our men and women in uniform, 
our veterans, and those actively serving.
  In North Carolina, we have a proud tradition of military service. We 
have one of the fastest growing populations of veterans in the Nation. 
We will have surpassed a million over the next couple of years. We also 
have over 100,000 Active-Duty servicemembers who serve bravely from 
Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point, New River, and Seymour Johnson, 
which is where my colleague from Mississippi served. We also have a 
fantastic, well-decorated National Guard and the largest air station 
for the Coast Guard right up in the northeast part of our State. We 
have a proud tradition of military service, and I am proud to serve 
them as their U.S. Senator.
  I also have the privilege of serving as the chairman of the Personnel 
Subcommittee on the Senate Armed Services Committee and on the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, where we work every day to try to make 
life better for our men and women who serve today and for our veterans 
who have served in the past.
  I have to say, with regard to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, it 
is one of my favorite committees because--and the American people need 
to recognize this--we almost always come together, Republicans and 
Democrats, to continue to make installments on a debt we can never 
fully repay. Senator Wicker talked about some of the progress we have 
made with the VA MISSION Act, which makes sure that we provide to the 
veterans who need care the best possible care they can get.
  I also thank for his leadership the Secretary of the VA, Robert 
Wilkie, who is also a native North Carolinian. Out of 17 Federal 
agencies, he has taken the Department of Veterans Affairs organization, 
which was ranked 17th as the preferred place to work, to the top 5, and 
its satisfaction rating among veterans today is over 90 percent. I 
would put what they are doing up against any of the best healthcare 
systems in the private sector.
  We have a lot of work to do, and I want all of the veterans to know 
that we are going to honor their service by doing our work here in the 
Senate of continuing to do better by them.
  I also want to talk about the fact that it is Military Family 
Appreciation Month. I think the real silent heroes out there are the 
spouses and the family members who are left behind when you are 
deployed or are in training. We have to continue to make progress for 
military families. Many people may not appreciate what it is like if 
you are in a career as a spouse and are being moved from station to 
station every couple of years or how difficult it is to get a job. For 
many certified positions, it can take a year or more for you to get a 
job in another State, and by that time, you are already planning for 
another deployment. We have made a lot of progress in this area, but we 
have much more to do.
  On a special note, I want to talk to the military families who are in 
military housing on our installations across the world, particularly to 
the folks down at Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune.
  We are not done with making sure that you have the best, safest, 
cleanest housing that you can possibly have. We have made a lot of 
progress in this Congress, but we have a lot of work to do.
  So I make a commitment to every servicemember and every veteran: As 
long as I am in the U.S. Senate, we are going to work to continue to 
repay that debt. We are looking for your feedback, and we are looking 
for your input so that we can do right by you.
  To all of the veterans and all of the military families, I thank you 
from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done and for all that 
you continue to do.
  On a final note, to those of the veterans service organizations, with 
whom I work closely on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, thank you 
for your continued service. You have served our Nation in the armed 
services, and you continue to serve by helping veterans and helping to 
be a voice up here in Congress.
  To the veterans and military families, God bless you, and thank you 
for your service.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Hyde-Smith). The Senator from Iowa.
  Ms. ERNST. Madam President, I thank my colleague from North Carolina 
for joining us to talk about our veterans and about how important they 
are.
  North Carolina, of course, is home to many of our Active-Duty 
installations, which house many of our brave, young men and women from 
across the United States. Many Iowans will travel to the great Fort 
Bragg or other installations and call North Carolina home at least for 
a short while. So thanks to my colleague for joining us today.
  Thanksgiving dinner has become the single most celebrated meal of the 
year, with tens of millions of Americans gathering with family and 
friends to give thanks for their blessings and, of course, for one 
another. And, folks, I know that this year, it is a lot different.

  While we still have so much to be thankful for, the COVID-19 pandemic 
means folks will be traveling less and might not be celebrating in 
larger groups. As a result, many will be separated from their loved 
ones on this very special day.
  But, folks, this is a very familiar feeling for anyone who has ever 
served in our Nation's Armed Forces. There is no vacation from 
protecting our Nation. At any given moment, thousands of men and women, 
moms and dads, brothers and sisters, are stationed around the world, 
standing vigilant in the defense of freedom.
  Those wearing the uniform aren't the only ones making a sacrifice, 
either. Back home, there is an empty seat at the family table. There 
are kids missing their mom or dad, as my daughter missed me while I was 
deployed. Parents are missing a child, and husbands and wives are 
missing a spouse.
  Due to COVID, many who are stationed in the United States can't even 
travel home to be with their families. My own daughter will not be able 
to travel over Thanksgiving. Restrictions have been put in place 
prohibiting nonessential travel to or from many military installations, 
including Camp Dodge in my home State of Iowa. But every day, not just 
Thanksgiving, can be a sacrifice when serving in the Armed Forces. 
Those who enlist are well aware of this. Yet it is no deterrent.
  As a combat veteran with over 23 years of service between the Army 
Reserves and the Iowa Army National Guard, I understand what many 
families are going through, and I have a deep sense of gratitude for 
the sacrifice our men and women in uniform make for the good of their 
neighbors.
  Just last year, I visited our Iowa troops for Thanksgiving in 
Afghanistan. It was good to see them, and I know how much they were 
missing their families. They also want to make sure that the people 
back home remember them--remember that they are far from home, remember 
that they are working hard to protect our freedoms.
  Our courageous servicemembers know the real cost of freedom. They 
have seen and felt it firsthand. Many of them live with that price the 
rest of their lives. Far too many who survive combat continue fighting 
an internal battle when they return home.
  That is why I have made it a top priority to work across the aisle to 
combat suicide and mental health struggles among our veterans. My most 
recent effort would designate a Buddy Check Week to educate veterans on 
how to conduct peer wellness checks. It is a really simple measure that 
could go a long way to support the health and safety of those who have 
bravely served our Nation.
  During this Thanksgiving season, we also must continue to show our 
gratitude for those who are putting their own health and lives at risk 
by serving on the frontlines in our fight against COVID-19.
  Throughout this pandemic, there have been over 850 Iowa National 
Guardsmen working to deliver personal protective equipment, food, and 
medical supplies all across the State of Iowa. Having served in the 
Iowa Army National Guard for many, many years, I could not be more 
proud of their tireless and selfless efforts. That is why I

[[Page S7058]]

have introduced legislation to provide tax-free hazardous duty pay for 
our National Guard men and women to recognize the work they are doing 
during this pandemic and provide them the pay they deserve.
  I know I speak on behalf of all Iowans when I say I am truly thankful 
for all of those who have ever served our Nation in uniform, and also 
to their families. This month we honor and appreciate all the 
sacrifices our military families make to support loved ones who are 
serving our Nation in uniform.
  While this Thanksgiving might look a little different, let's not 
forget to be grateful for the freedoms and the blessings we have in 
this truly great country.
  May God bless all Iowans, including those serving overseas and those 
caring for strangers during this pandemic. I am thankful for the 
opportunity to serve you.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri
  Mr. BLUNT. Madam President, first, let me thank Senator Ernst for 
organizing this opportunity to talk about our veterans, to talk about 
those who serve and the obligations we have to them, to talk about 
their challenges. Last week, certainly Veterans Day was very much on 
our minds, but also we ought to be sure that our veterans are on our 
minds all the time.
  We have appropriations bills we need to pass that will make a big 
difference in how veterans' issues are dealt with. Obviously we need to 
pass the appropriations bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
and every veteran would want us to pass the appropriations bill for the 
Department of Defense. But there are also provisions in other bills 
that help veterans get back into society more effectively when they 
leave the military.
  The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill that I 
talked about on the floor last week increases assistance for veterans' 
employment programs and veterans' training programs. It supports 
veterans when they move from the military workforce to the civilian 
workforce. It works to give homeless veterans a chance to have a home, 
have a job, have an opportunity--break through whatever barrier is a 
barrier for them. Opioid dependence--we all know those numbers are back 
up. Those opioid death numbers are back up. Veteran suicide--not one is 
acceptable. Funding the veterans hotline, funding behavioral health 
programs, being sure that telehealth can be available to veterans who 
may not be able to drive all the way to a provider but would be able to 
quickly contact the person who helps them.
  We need to understand the challenges for homeless veterans 
particularly and post-traumatic stress in other veterans who sometimes 
don't develop post-traumatic stress until decades after they serve. 
Often our veterans, not just in leaving the military but in retirement 
from whatever they did next, don't realize until that moment how much 
their service has impacted the way they see things and do things and 
think about things and are concerned about things.
  We need to be sure that veterans who have experiences and skills that 
they take out of the military are able to quickly connect with 
employers as they transition to civilian life.
  Every employer--in fact, at least I have never talked to an employer 
who doesn't say: We really hire vets. It is a priority where we are to 
hire vets.
  But we passed some legislation a few years ago, the HIRE Vets Act, 
which gave the Department of Labor the authority to recognize employers 
that actually do that--that hire vets, that promote vets, that retain 
vets. Secretary Alex Acosta was Secretary of Labor at the time, and 
they took a program that--everybody who advised him on this said it 
would take about 3 years to set this up. They set it up in about 6 
months, and we began to recognize employers around the country who 
truly do meet the standard that all employers say they meet, and some 
do. Everybody wants to, but it is easier to say you do it than it is to 
do it.
  Seven Missouri businesses just received earlier this month the 2020 
HIRE Vets Medallion Program Award. They are C2C in Chesterfield; 
Connectria in St. Louis; Arnold Defense & Electronics in Arnold, MO; 
AME Construction in Cottleville; Veterans of Foreign Wars in Kansas 
City, an employer that at one time was the World War I Memorial--the 
only memorial; On Target Solutions in Belton; and Pod-Grown in 
Wentzville. They all received the recognition that they really do hire 
vets and they really do promote vets and they really do meet 
extraordinary standards that are part of that program. The program aims 
to highlight companies that do just that.
  Third, we have worked to make it easier for military spouses to 
transfer their licenses and skills from one State to another. We 
included that in the Defense Authorization Act passed in July. That 
Defense Authorization Act hasn't passed the Congress yet. It has passed 
the Senate; it hasn't passed the House yet. I know we have every 
intention of getting that done this year. But when we do, we put 
provisions in there that really do allow much easier transfer from one 
State to another, whether you are a teacher or a nurse or a beautician 
or a barber or an engineer, architect--whatever you might be 
transferring and want to transfer as your spouse moves from one 
assignment to another, it shouldn't take most of the time you are there 
to finally get qualified to do what you were qualified to do before you 
got there.
  Lowering these license barriers for spouses--I think we ought to also 
do all we can to lower those barriers for veterans themselves. If you 
have been a medical technician in the Air Force, it shouldn't be very 
hard to become a medical technician wherever you decide to move to 
after the military. If you have been a truckdriver in the Army, it 
shouldn't be very hard to get a truckdriver's license pretty quickly 
once you decide this is where you want to go. If you have been an 
electrician in the Navy, you ought to be able to get your license to be 
an electrician pretty quickly when you go to where you go after you 
leave the military.
  So these are the kinds of things we can do. Certainly, our deep 
appreciation for veterans, our deep appreciation for their families, 
our honoring the flag that they have done so much for--all of that is 
important. It is an integral part of what we are as a country. But 
there are things we also do that show veterans that what they did, what 
they learned counts, it matters, and we are going to recognize that as 
employers, as coworkers, as Members of Congress.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Indiana.
  Mr. YOUNG. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to complete my 
remarks before the vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. YOUNG. Madam President, in the Marine Corps, we have a motto: 
Semper Fidelis. It means ``always faithful''--always faithful to our 
Nation and to the brave patriots who have honorably served it.
  Just last week, we recognized a day that is very special to me and I 
think to all Americans--Veterans Day. On this important occasion, we 
say thank you to our veterans, to those who have worn the uniform for 
their courage and for their commitment to protecting our freedoms and 
preserving our very way of life.
  Their service, of course, should be an example to all of us. I try to 
instill this in my children. It is something I discuss at school groups 
oftentimes, encouraging people to think about maybe spending some time 
in military service or finding other ways to serve their fellow 
Americans.
  Our veterans help keep us safe during times of great uncertainty and 
unease--something all of us, I think, appreciate a little bit more 
during this trying year.
  The month of November also marks Military Family Appreciation Month. 
Our military families don't always get the credit they deserve, but 
they bear a very special and unique burden on behalf of our country 
that, frankly, most of us cannot fully understand. They sacrifice their 
peace of mind and their well-being on behalf of their neighbors, their 
communities, and their fellow Americans, people they have never met--
What could be more beautiful than that?--because they believe in this 
Nation and they believe in this country and the values that undergird 
it.
  Even though we can't begin to repay the sacrifices they make on our 
behalf,

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we can honor them, and we can express our gratitude. So this 
Thanksgiving season, this time for counting our blessings and 
celebrating how many of them we enjoy even amidst this global pandemic, 
may we remember all that we are thankful for--every bit of it--and who 
we are thankful for, as well--yes, our family members, our neighbors, 
and our close friends, but I personally am thankful for our Active-Duty 
servicemembers. I am thankful for Indiana's more than 400,000 veterans. 
I am thankful for their selfless families.
  I hope all Americans will join me today, this month, this 
Thanksgiving, and every day thereafter and reflect on these men and 
women, the fellow Americans who sacrifice so much on behalf of all of 
us. Our country simply would not be the same without them; it arguably 
wouldn't exist without the families who are prepared to sacrifice so 
much.
  So God bless our Active-Duty servicemembers, God bless our veterans, 
and God bless our military families, and may God continue to bless this 
great country, the United States of America.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, all postcloture time 
has expired.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Vaden 
nomination?
  Mr. ENZI. 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 bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Tennessee (Mr. Alexander), the Senator from Colorado (Mr. 
Gardner), the Senator from Iowa (Mr. Grassley), and the Senator from 
Florida (Mr. Scott).
  Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. 
Alexander) would have voted ``yea,'' the Senator from Iowa (Mr. 
Grassley) would have voted ``yea,'' and the Senator from Florida (Mr. 
Scott) would have voted ``yea.''
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. 
Feinstein), the Senator from California (Ms. Harris), the Senator from 
Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. 
Whitehouse) are necessarily absent.
  The result was announced--yeas 49, nays 43, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 237 Ex.]

                                YEAS--49

     Barrasso
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Braun
     Burr
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Graham
     Hawley
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Lankford
     Lee
     Loeffler
     McConnell
     McSally
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Paul
     Perdue
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Scott (SC)
     Shelby
     Sullivan
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--43

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Gillibrand
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Jones
     Kaine
     King
     Klobuchar
     Leahy
     Manchin
     Markey
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Murray
     Peters
     Reed
     Rosen
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warren
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--8

     Alexander
     Feinstein
     Gardner
     Grassley
     Harris
     Sanders
     Scott (FL)
     Whitehouse
  The nomination was confirmed
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority whip.
  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion 
to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the 
President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________