Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 190 (Friday, December 20, 2024)

[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 190 (Friday, December 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7285-S7287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS ACT OF 2023

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Durbin). Under the previous order, the
Senate will resume the legislative session and the clerk will report
the pending business.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

A bill (H.R. 82) to amend title II of the Social Security
Act to repeal the Government pension offset and windfall
elimination provisions.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.

Judicial Confirmations

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, we just passed our 235th judge. It is
historic. It sets a record. In a few moments, I will be speaking about
that. But first, let us finish our housekeeping and other business, so
we can

[[Page S7286]]

finish the business for the Senate for this year.

Cloture Motion

Mr. SCHUMER. So I send a cloture motion to the desk.
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 Calendar No.
693, H.R. 82, a bill to amend title II of the Social Security
Act to repeal the Government pension offset and windfall
elimination provisions.
Charles E. Schumer, Richard J. Durbin, Brian Schatz,
Jeanne Shaheen, Tammy Baldwin, Alex Padilla, Robert P.
Casey, Jr., Christopher A. Coons, Patty Murray, Tim
Kaine, Jack Reed, Peter Welch, Margaret Wood Hassan,
Chris Van Hollen, Debbie Stabenow, Christopher Murphy,
Gary C. Peters.

Amendment No. 3355

Mr. SCHUMER. I have an amendment at the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from New York [Mr. SCHUMER] proposes an
amendment numbered 3355.

The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To add an effective date)

At the end add the following:

SEC. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act shall take effect on the date that is 1 day after
the date of enactment of this Act.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The yeas and nays are ordered.

Amendment No. 3356 to Amendment No. 3355

Mr. SCHUMER. I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from New York [Mr. SCHUMER] proposes an
amendment numbered 3356 to amendment No. 3355.

The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To add an effective date)

On page 1, line 3, strike ``1 day'' and insert ``2 days''.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Motion to Commit with an Amendment No. 3357

Mr. SCHUMER. I move to commit H.R. 82 to the Committee on Finance
with instructions to report back forthwith with an amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from New York [Mr. SCHUMER] moves to commit
H.R. 82 to the Committee on Finance with instructions to
report back forthwith an amendment numbered 3357.

The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To add an effective date)

At the end add the following:

SEC. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act shall take effect on the date that is 3 days after
the date of enactment of this Act.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The yeas and nays are ordered.

Amendment No. 3358

Mr. SCHUMER. I have an amendment to the instructions at the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from New York [Mr. SCHUMER] proposes an
amendment numbered 3358 to the instructions of the motion to
commit.

The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To add an effective date)

On page 1, line 3, strike ``3 days'' and insert ``4 days''.

Amendment No. 3359 to Amendment No. 3358

Mr. SCHUMER. I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from New York [Mr. SCHUMER] proposes an
amendment numbered 3359 to amendment No. 3358.

The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To add an effective date)

On page 1, line 1, strike ``4 days'' and insert ``5 days''.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask to dispense with further reading of the amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Judicial Confirmations

Mr. SCHUMER. Now, Mr. President, as you well know, a few minutes ago
the Senate confirmed Judge Murillo to serve as a California District
Judge. She is the 235th judge confirmed by this majority.
The majority has now confirmed more judges under President Biden than
any majority has confirmed in decades. This is historic. We have
confirmed more judges than under the Trump administration, more judges
than any administration in this century, more judges than any
administration going back decades. One out of every four active judges
on the bench has been appointed by this majority. Let me repeat that.
One out of every four active judges on the bench has been appointed by
this majority.
Together, these individuals are arguably the most qualified and
historic nominees ever confirmed in a 4-year span.
I want to thank all Senators--Democrat and Republican--who supported
these nominees. Both parties cooperating on many of these judges shows
why the advice and consent process is critical to this body and to our
democracy.
Two hundred thirty-five judges--that is 235 qualified and experienced
mainstream judges. They are former consumer protection lawyers, labor
lawyers, voting rights experts, civil rights lawyers, Federal
prosecutors, public defenders, teachers, mentors, scholars, great
Americans from every walk of life and legal practice.
I am very proud of this milestone, not because of the number alone
but because of what the number means. It means our bench is now far
more balanced in its experiences, expertise, and qualifications than 4
years ago.
For a very long time, the norm was to prioritize judicial nominees
who came from a privileged pool. Most of them were prosecutors or from
large corporate law firms. Most were male. Most were White.
But when Senate Democrats entered the majority, we cast a wider net.
We turned to new individuals who would make excellent and uniquely
qualified judges. For example, we confirmed nominees who represented
union workers and had firsthand experience in union negotiations. We
confirmed nominees who fought healthcare fraud in court and represented
the public in cases of deceptive marketing tactics.
Our nominees have defended the right to vote. They have defended
freedom of choice. They have represented victims of abuse. They have
put criminal and drug traffickers behind bars. They have been teachers.
They have been mentors.
Our nominees are also groundbreaking for their demographic diversity.
One hundred fifty of these judges are women, the most under any
President.
We confirmed the first Black woman to the highest Court in all the
land, Ketanji Brown Jackson. She is also the first public defender to
ever hold the title ``Justice.''

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We confirmed the most Black judges, Hispanic judges, and AAPI judges
and Native American judges under any President's full time in office.
All of these historic judges were confirmed because they were
exceptionally qualified for the job.
Our courts, like all our institutions, are better off when they
mirror this vibrant country.
There are a lot of people to thank. I want to thank, at the top of
the list, you, Mr. President--Chairman Durbin--for your diligence and
hard work. I want to thank Ranking Member Graham and the members of the
Judiciary Committee--some of whom are here--for their great work. You
recommended excellent individuals to the bench.
I want to thank, of course, President Biden for sending us such an
impressive group of well-qualified and historic nominees. And I want to
thank Vice President Harris, who came here when the vote was tied and
helped us confirm a number of these nominees.
And thank you to our Republican colleagues, who recommended good
nominees and supported many of ours as well.
Finally, I want to thank my great staff, especially my incredible
nominations director, Catalina Tam. It wouldn't have happened without
her diligent and hard work. A lot of behind-the-scenes work happened to
get them confirmed, and so I am immensely grateful to everyone who
worked tirelessly day in and day out.
Thanks to the hard work of the Senate majority, our courts are
stronger, our country is strong, our democracy is stronger. And that is
something every American can be proud of.

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