[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 215 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7649-S7650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the following 
nomination, which the clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of 
Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, of California, to be United States District 
Judge for the Central District of California.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.


                              December 19

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I want to make an observation here because 
I have been serving for quite some time in the U.S. Senate, and a lot 
of the things that are said on the Senate floor are not really all that 
significant, and yet the Members who are delivering messages believe 
they are or they wouldn't be doing it. This is what it is all about. 
This is a deliberative body. Some things are maybe not all that 
significant, but what I am about to say is significant, so I would like 
to have the attention of anyone who wants to know that in the midst of 
all of the problems that we are facing now, some good things are 
happening.
  I want to mention something that is significant that I don't think 
you have thought of, I say to the Presiding Officer; that is, tomorrow 
is the 354th day of the year, and that is very significant. That is 
December 19. People have not stopped to realize the significant things 
that have happened on December 19 throughout our history and the 
history of the world, going all the way back to December 19 of the year 
1154. That is when Henry II became King of England. We haven't really 
thought about what that means to us today, but we will before long.
  In 1843, December 19, Charles Dickens wrote ``A Christmas Carol.'' 
That is the most watched, listened to, and sung event every Christmas. 
And it has been for all that time.
  In 1932, December 19, the British Broadcasting Corporation--that is 
the BBC; we are all familiar with that--but that is when it started. On 
December 19, they began transmitting overseas. That was the beginning 
of a whole new world of knowledge and understanding.

[[Page S7650]]

  In 1950, December 19, NATO named General Dwight D. Eisenhower as 
supreme commander of the Western European defense forces.
  Then, in 1972, December 19, Apollo 17, the last of the Apollo moon 
landings, returned to Earth
  Then, in 1984, December 19--I remember this well because I was in 
Hong Kong when this happened--that was when China signed an accord 
returning Hong Kong to the Chinese sovereignty. A lot of people thought 
it was a good idea at the time to accept the people from Hong Kong. I 
was there, and look what has happened now after all these years. I 
would have to say that created a hysteria that has continued to this 
day.
  Then, in 1998, December 19, U.S. President Bill Clinton was 
impeached. I was there for that one too. That was December 19, 1998.
  The event that is more significant by a landslide is what happened on 
December 19 of 1959. On December 19, 1959, my wife Kay and I got 
married. That makes tomorrow our 61st wedding anniversary. Just look at 
all of the beauty that has followed us--20 kids and grandkids, all of 
that in a 61-year period of time.
  What I want to say is the beautiful life that we are still having 
together--and, Kay, I love you more now than I did 61 years ago.
  I say to the Senate leadership that you better get this last vote 
done by tonight or you will have to do it without me because I am going 
to be with Kay on our anniversary on Saturday, our 61st wedding 
anniversary.
  To everyone else out there, as you celebrate the birth of Christ at 
Christmastime, I am going to say to you: Merry Christmas and God bless 
you.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The assistant minority leader.