[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5560-S5561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Business Before the Senate

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the Senate is preparing to leave town 
for the August State work period, but there is no mistaking that our 
most important business here in Washington remains unfinished. Let's 
take a look at how the Senate has spent its summer so far.
  In June, the Democratic leader called up a series of show votes, 
spending precious floor time on what Senate Democrats seemed to have 
thought would be political home runs. Instead, they gave Republicans 
the opportunity to reiterate our support for Americans hoping to start 
families.
  In June, it was the month of fearmongering. July was the month of 
giving unqualified nominees lifetime promotions to the Federal bench.

[[Page S5561]]

  Take Nancy Maldonado, unfortunately now a Federal judge on the 
Seventh Circuit. This is the judge infamous for letting her work pile 
up and blaming her clerks for lack of time management. It is 
particularly ironic that Senate Democrats chose to procrastinate on 
their most urgent responsibilities by confirming a nominee with a 
nearly unparalleled record of judicial procrastination.
  Congress has real work in front of us, some of which really should be 
behind us by now--from the National Defense Authorization Act, to the 
farm bill, to annual appropriations.
  Our colleagues on the Armed Services Committee reported the NDAA by 
an overwhelming bipartisan vote over a month ago, but so far, the 
Democratic leader hasn't come close to putting this must-pass 
authorizing legislation out here on the floor. Of course, urgent 
national security priorities won't fund themselves, either. The Senate 
hasn't cleared a Defense appropriations bill or any other government 
funding, for that matter. Well, at least the fiscal 2025 appropriations 
have been written. The farm bill that is supposed to help America's 
growers and producers succeed doesn't even exist yet. Apparently, it is 
just a twinkle in Chair Stabenow's eye.
  The American people sent us here to do a job, and a show-vote summer 
can't hide the fact that Senate Democrats' majority isn't earning its 
keep.