[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 725-733]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

        NOMINATION OF JOHN FORBES KERRY TO BE SECRETARY OF STATE

  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Baldwin). Under the previous order, the 
Senate will proceed to executive session to consider the following 
nomination, which the clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read the nomination of John Forbes Kerry, of 
Massachusetts, to be Secretary, Department of State.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will be 2 
hours of debate on the nomination equally divided in the usual form.
  The Senator from New Jersey.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I rise to speak to the nomination of 
Senator Kerry to be the next Secretary of State.
  It has been more than 100 years since a member of the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee was directly nominated to be the Secretary of 
State. The last was Senator John Sherman of Ohio, who was selected to 
serve as Secretary of State to President McKinley. It is important to 
note that this historical fact exists because Senator Kerry's path 
isn't one commonly taken but one that is earned by a select few, and he 
has earned this opportunity.
  From the first time John testified before Chairman Fulbright as a 
young returning Vietnam war hero in 1971 to the day the President 
announced his nomination as Secretary of State, he has invested himself 
in all of his endeavors, always looking for the truth, for answers, 
uncovering the facts, hearing all the evidence, and then publicly 
speaking truth to power based solely on what was best for this Nation. 
I know he will carry those leadership traits with him into his new 
position, and I can think of no one better prepared to take on the 
challenges of this position.
  As a Senator, as a member of this committee, and as a chairman, John 
has already built strong relationships with leaders across the world, 
which will allow him to step seamlessly into the role of Secretary of 
State. Senator Kerry will need no introduction to the world's political 
and military leaders and will begin day one fully conversant not only 
with the intricacies of U.S. foreign policy but with the understanding 
of the nuanced approach necessary to effectively interact on a 
multinational stage.
  When Vice President Biden was chairman of the Foreign Relations 
Committee, he said on more than one occasion that ``good international 
relationships are always predicated on strong interpersonal 
relationships.'' John Kerry understands there is no substitute for 
strong interpersonal relationships, whether in Senate politics or 
international diplomacy. Secretary of State is not a desk job. It 
requires constant personal interactions in the furtherance of American 
foreign policy.
  During his 30 years in public life and more than 25 years in the 
Senate, Senator Kerry has championed many issues. Earlier today the 
Senate Foreign Relations Committee favorably reported his nomination to 
the Senate unanimously and presented Senator Kerry with an honorary 
resolution highlighting a few of his many accomplishments.
  Amongst his accomplishments are the partnership he formed with 
Senator John McCain that led to an effort to investigate the fate of 
American soldiers unaccounted for in Vietnam and normalize relations 
with a former enemy--which is, in essence, Vietnam; his leadership of 
difficult, sensitive, and comprehensive investigations in the Senate on 
everything from the Bank of Credit and Commerce International and 
illegal money laundering, to the Noriega regime in Panama which is well 
known; advocating for democratic elections in the Philippines and 
serving with Senator Lugar as part of a Senate delegation that 
uncovered the fraud that led to the ouster of President Ferdinand 
Marcos; working

[[Page 726]]

with the Cambodian Government and the United Nations to facilitate the 
creation of the genocide tribunal in Cambodia to prosecute key members 
of the Khmer Rouge; advocating for programs that help secure nuclear, 
biological, and chemical weapons stockpiles and materials so they don't 
fall into the hands of hostile states or terrorists; and leading the 
Senate to provide its advice and consent to ratification of the New 
START treaty with Russia.
  During the Arab spring, Senator Kerry supported a no-fly zone over 
Libya, which helped to save thousands of civilians from being 
massacred, and he was a voice of courage and conscience in calling for 
President Hosni Mubarak to step aside and begin an orderly and peaceful 
transition to a democratic political system in Egypt.
  John has been a tireless advocate for the cause of peace in the Sudan 
and South Sudan and played an instrumental role in the successful 
referendum in 2011.
  John is well known for his bipartisan work with former majority 
leader Bill Frist on comprehensive HIV/AIDS legislation that laid the 
foundation for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a 
program that provides lifesaving treatment for people with HIV/AIDS and 
supports broad prevention efforts that save lives every day.
  Many of you know that John is a tireless and most convincing advocate 
for addressing global climate change and supporting the transition to a 
clean energy future. As chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
he convened eight major hearings and roundtables on climate change and 
energy security, underscoring their connection to global stability, 
economic competitiveness, and America's national security.
  In his new role, his portfolio will be greatly expanded as he 
represents the interests of the Nation, from securing our Embassies and 
protecting our overseas personnel to promoting commerce, enhancing 
cross-cultural ties, and keeping America secure through cooperation 
where possible and isolation where necessary, as in the cases of Iran 
and North Korea.
  Whatever the challenges we will face as a nation, in my view, the 
State Department could not be in better hands. When it comes to 
America's role in world affairs, I know we all agree that it is 
critical that the United States remain fully engaged, that we project 
not only the power of our military strength when necessary but the 
wisdom of our democratic ideas. I have no doubt that Senator Kerry will 
rise to meet these challenges as he has so consistently in his many 
years of service to his State and this country.
  I see the distinguished ranking member on the committee, Senator 
Corker, whom I look forward to working with as we move forward in the 
days ahead.
  I think all Members will say that even when they did not agree with 
Chairman Kerry on a given issue, they always felt he had an open ear, 
an open door, an opportunity for full debate, an effort to seek the 
common ground, particularly in U.S. foreign policy. I believe those 
traits are going to serve him extraordinarily well in his role as 
Secretary of State as he deals with the Senate and the House of 
Representatives as part of promoting U.S. foreign policy in a way that 
brings us as cohesively together as we can to promote the national 
interests and securities of the United States.
  I look forward at the end of this time period to a strong 
confirmation vote to send a message to the world that this is our 
Secretary of State, and he speaks for America on behalf of the Obama 
administration and the people of the United States.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.
  Mr. CORKER. Madam President, I wish to thank the chairman for holding 
the business meeting the way he held it today and the hearings last 
week for this confirmation.
  I know a lot of people think that because of the way partisan 
politics are here in Washington, sometimes we can't be happy for 
someone on the other side of the aisle when they do well. Nothing could 
be further from the truth.
  I just want to say that I thought Senator Kerry acquitted himself 
exceptionally well in the hearings we had last week. I thought they 
were wide-ranging, and I think he had the opportunity to display the 
depth of knowledge he has on many issues. I don't know of anybody who 
has lived a life that has been more oriented toward ultimately being 
Secretary of State than John Kerry, and for that I also am happy for 
him and his family and the fact that very soon he is going to be able 
to express himself on behalf of our Nation in this way.
  I think most of you know that his dad was a Foreign Service officer. 
I know that you know he certainly made a splash. Some people thought it 
was negative, some people, positive, but he certainly made a splash 
here during the Vietnam era and from that point on has been very, very 
active. So, again, I thought he acquitted himself exceptionally well.
  There are four points I want to bring out. I know that he knows--and 
many of us have seen recently just because of some of the things that 
have happened in Libya--we have a State Department that needs some 
oversight, and we haven't provided it. Neither side of the aisle has 
provided it now for over a decade.
  I know he sees the need for the Senate, through its authorization 
process--and the House doing the same--to be involved and to be 
partners with him as we try to cause this organization, which over the 
years has just built into a sporadic stovepipe entity, to be assisted. 
A lot of times when a political person comes into an organization, the 
bureaucracy tries to wait it out until the next person comes along. I 
don't think it can happen any more in any agency than it does in the 
State Department.
  So I look forward to working with the chairman in whatever way he 
ends up deciding we are going to work together on this particular issue 
to really look at the State Department. I know Senator Kerry certainly 
welcomes that.
  We most recently had a hearing with Senator Clinton on Benghazi, and 
there have been Accountability Review Board recommendations that have 
been put forth, and I know Senator Kerry has said he is certainly going 
to see those through and make sure they are fully implemented.
  I know we talked a great deal in the hearing--and certainly we have 
done so personally--about our nuclear posture and nuclear 
modernization, which is a big part of what we discussed during the 
START Treaty--something I supported and worked with him on--and I found 
his comments about where we need to be in that regard certainly 
reassuring.
  I also think he is very clear-eyed as it relates to the threat we 
face as a nation, especially in north Africa now but in many places as 
it relates to terrorist groups such as al-Qaida. As a matter of fact, I 
look at Senator Kerry as a realist. While we have not always agreed on 
every issue, as the chairman just mentioned, I have always found him to 
be someone who is open to discussion. I think he wants only the best 
for our Nation. There is no question that as he moves ahead over the 
next several years, I am sure he will take positions that in some cases 
I and others--maybe Senator Menendez--may view as not exactly the 
course of action that ought to be taken on behalf of our country. But 
my sense is that he will be open to listening, and I think he will be 
willing to sit down and talk about that as we move ahead.
  He came out of the committee today by voice vote unanimously. As the 
chairman mentioned, I think he is going to receive a very strong vote 
of support today here on the Senate floor. As the chairman mentioned, I 
think that it is good for our Nation, as he goes out across the world 
representing us, for people to understand that this is someone who 
received overwhelming support from the Senate.
  All of us know we live in a dangerous world. We live in a world that 
is changing dramatically. We live in a world in which things come over 
the transom on

[[Page 727]]

a daily and weekly basis that are unexpected. I mean, we look at what 
is happening right now throughout the country of Egypt, which we might 
not have expected to occur a week ago. To have someone like Senator 
Kerry, who has spent a lifetime on these issues and understands the 
history and institutional issues that have bound us or separated us 
from these countries--having someone like him representing us will be a 
very good thing.
  I join the chairman in supporting him. I know numbers of people will 
have comments regarding his service here in the Senate but also his 
future service, and I look forward to listening to that.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
  Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I would like to join with Senator 
Menendez and Senator Corker in urging our colleagues to promptly 
confirm Senator Kerry as our next Secretary of State.
  It is a great honor to serve in the Senate. It is a great privilege 
and honor to represent the people of Maryland here in the Senate. Part 
of that special privilege is the people we serve with, the incredible 
public servants we have had the privilege of serving with in the 
Senate, and I put Senator Kerry at the top of that list.
  He has devoted his life to public service in the finest manner. He is 
so qualified to assume the responsibilities of Secretary of State. He 
understands this complex world in which we live and the differences 
among countries. Many are strategically important to the United States. 
Yet they don't share our values. Senator Kerry understands that and 
understands the importance to advance U.S. interests--we need to 
understand the concerns of other countries and we need to establish 
relations with other countries.
  He has made a personal commitment to understand the world in which we 
live. I do not think there has been a Member of this body who has spent 
more time, gone to more places, met with more people in order to 
represent our Nation on the international stage. Senator Kerry has 
always done that with the greatest degree of competency and 
representing our country in the finest traditions. He has broad 
experience: experience as a soldier serving in Vietnam, experience as a 
Senator, 28 years representing the people of Massachusetts in the 
Senate. We know about his service on the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee. I want to talk about two other committees on which he 
served.
  One is the Senate Finance Committee on which I had the pleasure of 
serving with him. There is no Senator who has taken the fiscal 
challenges of our country more seriously or understands the impact our 
fiscal condition has on our national security interests. In fact, 
during his confirmation hearings he mentioned the need to get our 
fiscal house in order. I think he understands that and understands the 
commitment he has, once confirmed and once heading the State 
Department, to help us bring about fiscal sanity in the United States 
to do what is necessary worldwide, but also to do it in a most cost 
effective way.
  I also served with Senator Kerry on the Small Business Committee. The 
small business community did not have a better advocate when Senator 
Kerry was chairman of that committee. I was pleased how many times we 
brought out initiatives to help America and small businesses grow 
because we know the growth engine for jobs has come from small 
companies. But, clearly, it has been in the last few years that I had 
the privilege of serving with Senator Kerry as he chaired the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee that I got to see so up close and personal 
his extraordinary commitment to our country and his ability to carry 
out so many important responsibilities.
  Senator Kerry understands our national security, yes, depends upon a 
strong military, but that also the other key ingredients to national 
security are diplomacy and development assistance.
  We had Secretary Clinton before our committee. Someone mentioned that 
was about 1.5 percent of the budget, and she corrected it and said it 
is really less than 1 percent of the budget. Diplomacy and 
international assistance is less than 1 percent of the budget. We know 
what we spend on our military is a lot larger than that. All three are 
important to national security.
  Senator Kerry understands that. He understands through diplomacy we 
can avoid unnecessary military action. He understands through diplomacy 
we can make America safer. He understands through international 
development assistance we can strengthen countries, make them more 
stable, and be less likely to need to use our military. That is the 
type of leader we need as Secretary of State. We have a great leader 
today, Secretary Clinton. I think Senator Kerry will follow in that 
tradition.
  Take a look at Senator Kerry's record of advancing America's 
interests. We have a safer world today through Senator Kerry's efforts. 
As you know, we approved the New START treaty with Russia, reducing the 
amount of nuclear weapons between Russia and the United States. That 
makes this world safer. His record on human rights is well known. From 
Cambodia to Burma to Kosovo and many other places around the world, 
Senator Kerry has been a leader in advancing the cause of human rights.
  We already heard Senator Menendez point out his efforts in Vietnam. 
He represented America to get an accounting of our POW/MIAs. It was 
unprecedented in modern times to be able to go to a country with which 
we are at war and have that kind of accounting. Senator Kerry used his 
talent in order to bring closure for many American families, and that 
was an incredible accomplishment. Then he was able to improve the 
relationship between the United States and Vietnam, recognizing it is 
in America's interests that we are able to communicate with other 
countries.
  I particularly appreciate his work on elevating the importance 
internationally of human trafficking. The United States has taken the 
leadership in saying, whether you are a receiving country or an origin 
country or a country of transport, we all have a responsibility to stop 
what we call modern slavery: the trafficking, usually of young girls, 
but also sometimes boys. The United States has taken the leadership 
there.
  I like to think Senator Kerry's taking leadership on this started 
with his position on the Helsinki Commission. He is a former member of 
the Helsinki Commission. I now have an opportunity of being the Senate 
chair of the Helsinki Commission. We raised the issue of human 
trafficking and Senator Kerry was one of the great advocates to advance 
America's leadership internationally to stop human trafficking. He has 
protected people with disabilities.
  As Senator Menendez mentioned, he has been our leader on energy and 
climate issues, recognizing the importance of the United States to 
demonstrate international leadership in order to deal with a global 
problem, a problem that is important for us to deal with as a citizen 
of the world but also important for us to deal with in regard to 
America's economy and America's energy needs and America's security 
responsibilities. Senator Kerry has been a great leader on that.
  He has provided U.S. leadership for humanitarian assistance. I 
remember the hearings we had in the committee on Haiti and the personal 
commitment he made to make sure America was in the leadership for a 
country in our own hemisphere that suffered such a horrible disaster, 
and his work there was extremely important.
  He led our efforts in dealing with HIV/AIDS, in doing the responsible 
things as far as America's position on that problem. He understands the 
importance of international development assistance to advance gender 
equality. It is interesting, if you want to take a look at the health 
of a country, look at the way they treat their women. We have a pretty 
strong commitment as far as international development assistance around 
the world. We need to make sure countries advance the rights of women. 
It is not only the right thing to do from what we believe as Americans, 
but it also provides a more stable

[[Page 728]]

country for us to have relations with. Senator Kerry understands that.
  He has been one of the leaders in fighting corruption in other 
countries. I will always remember the hearing we had in our committee 
when former President Clinton and Bill Gates testified before us. These 
are two individuals who have headed a lot of international development 
assistance. They have a zero policy in dealing with countries that 
cannot control corruption because they want to make sure their 
assistance doesn't go to fuel corruption. Senator Kerry understands we 
don't want America's international development assistance to be used to 
fuel corruption. That is the type of leadership we have in the 
Secretary of State.
  The list goes on of what he has been able to do to advance the rights 
and interests of the United States. I am confident that Senator Kerry's 
legacy of fighting for democracy, human rights, and global peace will 
continue as he assumes his new responsibilities as the Secretary of 
State for the United States of America.
  I urge my colleagues to support his nomination.
  I thank Chairman Menendez for bringing this nomination to the floor 
so quickly and thank Senator Corker for accommodating it. It is 
important that President Obama has his security team in place as 
quickly as possible. I am proud the Senate will be doing its share, its 
work by voting on this nomination later today.
  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. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent--it has been 
agreed to by the Republican side as well--that any time spent during 
debate time in a quorum call be equally charged against both sides.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. With that, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Manchin). The Senator from Texas.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                            Passing a Budget

  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I rise to speak about taxes, debt, and 
spending. It is time for President Obama to show real leadership on the 
biggest threat America faces to our future prosperity. As my good 
friend the Republican leader has said: If we don't get a handle on 
spending and debt, not much else matters.
  It has now been 1,371 days--almost 4 years--since Democrats, who 
control the Senate, have brought a budget to the floor and had a vote 
and passed the budget. Over that time, our national debt has grown by 
more than $5.2 trillion. Our credit rating has been downgraded because 
of fears we may not be able to pay back our debt when it is ultimately 
due, and we have experienced the longest period of high unemployment 
since the Great Depression.
  Since the end of the official recession in 2009, Americans' median 
household income has fallen by roughly $2,500, while the cost of 
employer-provided family health insurance has increased by more than 
$2,300--roughly a comparable amount. Not only has income fallen by 
$2,500 but costs have gone up--thanks to ObamaCare--by $2,300 for the 
average family.
  Until recently, passing a budget was considered not optional. It was 
considered a basic responsibility under the law. In fact, the Budget 
Act requires that Congress pass a budget each year, but this law has 
been defied for almost 4 years in the Senate.
  I realize the Democratic leader--the majority leader--has said he did 
not want to bring a budget to the floor because he did not want to put 
his Members through a series of politically tough votes.
  We cannot get to this problem by dealing with tax increases. This 
seems to be the preferred method of dealing with our deficits and debt 
by raising taxes, which, of course, happened as a result of the fiscal 
cliff negotiations where taxes have gone up on Americans by roughly $60 
billion a year, which will amount to almost $600 billion over the next 
10 years. Nevertheless, the President's budgets continue to ask for 
more revenue, but the message from this side of the aisle has been: The 
President has gotten his pound of flesh on taxes. Now it is time to 
deal with spending.
  Unfortunately, we no longer have the luxury of delaying our toughest 
fiscal decisions. Our gross national debt is now larger than our entire 
economy, and we are now facing more than $100 trillion in unfunded 
liabilities for things such as Medicare and Social Security. Those are 
promises we will not be able to keep unless we act now to put them on a 
fiscally sustainable path.
  I am glad our House colleagues have passed the no budget, no pay 
bill. I think most Americans appreciate the fact that if Congress 
doesn't do its basic work such as passing a budget--something every 
family and every small business in America has to do--then it should 
not be paid.
  That has already prompted Senate Democrats to say they are going to 
take up a budget this year. Senator Murray, chairman of the Budget 
Committee in the Senate, says she intends to mark up a budget. Senator 
Reid and Senator Schumer have said they intend to see that a budget is 
passed by the Chamber. But they have also said they are going to 
attempt to extract more taxes from hard-working, middle-class taxpayers 
in order to double down on Washington's spending binge.
  Our biggest fiscal problem is excessive spending, not insufficient 
taxation. We can't raise taxes high enough to close the trillion-
dollar-plus annual deficits or to make up this $16.5 trillion hole we 
have dug. If we don't reduce spending and save Social Security and 
Medicare, then we will eventually find ourselves in a debt crisis. When 
that happens is when our creditors--the people who lend us money, 
including the Chinese and other governments--demand more interest on 
our loans and, eventually, interest rates go up to historic norms, the 
debt spirals out of control, and we reach a crisis of monumental 
proportions: It strangles the economy; it destroys jobs; it destroys 
our standard of living.
  Don't take my word for it. President Obama himself has acknowledged 
that no amount of tax increases could sustain Medicare in its current 
form. He has also said public officials who are concerned about 
preserving government assistance for the elderly and the vulnerable 
have an obligation--those are his words--have an obligation to reform 
our entitlement programs and ensure their long-term viability. In other 
words, the debt is not only the single greatest threat to our national 
security, as former Chief of Staff Mike Mullen has said, it is also a 
threat to our ability to provide a safety net to the most vulnerable in 
our country.
  I know Democrats and Republicans alike in this body understand the 
problem. The President himself understands the problem. In December of 
2010, his bipartisan fiscal commission known as Simpson-Bowles reported 
the nature of the problem and a proposed beginning of a solution. Three 
of the most conservative Republican Members of the Senate agreed with 
that commission report. However, rather than embrace it, the President 
walked away from it, and he has not come back to the table.
  We also have another bipartisan commission headed by Alice Rivlin, 
who was the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under Bill 
Clinton, and Senator Pete Domenici, longtime chair of the Senate Budget 
Committee--people who understand these matters better than just about 
anybody. So there are solid, bipartisan proposals on the table. Yet 
here we are, trillions of dollars later since the Obama administration 
began, with no solution in sight.

[[Page 729]]

  The President had the American people with their back against the 
wall with the expiring tax provisions on December 31 which led to the 
so-called fiscal cliff. If we hadn't acted, taxes would have gone up 
more than $3 trillion on all Americans. There would have been an 
enormously negative impact on the economy and jobs. So we had to come 
up with some sort of stopgap solution. But the President got his pound 
of flesh. He got his revenue: $600 billion over 10 years.
  Now is the time to return to what the President himself has called a 
balanced approach to deficit reduction. Unfortunately, the President 
has never even proposed a balanced approach, much less a balanced 
budget. I can only hope that with his final election campaign behind 
him and with the new term ahead of him, the President can begin to 
grapple with and join us as we deal with our long-term fiscal 
challenges.
  I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. 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. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I am here to speak first and very 
personally in support of the nomination of Senator Kerry to be our next 
Secretary of State. There is a time when the man and the moment come 
together in a profoundly historic way. Senator Kerry's nomination to be 
Secretary of State of the United States at such a time when his 
leadership can be pivotal in shaping America's role in the world, as a 
leader for human rights, as well as the use of its extraordinary 
strategic power for peace.
  There is also a time when the woman and a moment come together and 
that has been so for Hillary Clinton, who has done such extraordinary 
work, incomparable in transforming America's role in world history. I 
believe that just as she has met the challenges in guiding American 
foreign policy and leading the dedicated men and women of our Foreign 
Service, so will Senator Kerry rise to the difficult challenges ahead. 
Senator Kerry's whole life has prepared him for this job, and I have 
every confidence he will help keep America safe and secure and build 
our capacity and alliances in pursuit of democracy and a more peaceful 
world.
  Last week, I met with Senator Kerry to share my experiences from a 
recent visit to the Middle East and Afghanistan and to urge him to 
immediately take up the issue of the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe 
occurring within Syria and across its borders in Turkey and Jordan. My 
experiences came from a trip I took with Senator McCain and Senator 
Whitehouse, and others of my colleagues who share my impression that 
drastic and dramatic humanitarian aid must be provided for those 
refugees.
  I am pleased the President has announced an additional $155 million 
for the Syrian people today. I believe we must also provide aid and 
assistance to the Syrian Opposition Council. It matters as much how we 
provide this aid as the total amount we provide. I am very encouraged 
by Senator Kerry's listening and hearing us, and I look forward to 
continuing our work with soon-to-be Secretary of State Kerry on this 
issue and many other vital security concerns.


                           Immigration Reform

  One of those concerns on which I also rise concerns and affects 
American immigration policy. We are truly at a moment when Secretary 
Kerry and the administration can transform this debate and national 
conversation with the leadership of Members of this body, including 
most prominently my colleagues Senator Schumer, Senator McCain, and the 
other members of their bipartisan group who recently unveiled a 
bipartisan blueprint for comprehensive immigration reform.
  One of the things I do as a Senator and did when I was attorney 
general of our State is to visit the citizenship and immigration 
ceremonies where people become new citizens of our Nation. It is one of 
the most moving and powerful of experiences I have seen in public life. 
The tears in the eyes of these new citizens and their families, in 
celebration and joy and pride of their becoming citizens of the United 
States and looking forward to contributing, giving back to this 
country, reaffirmed my faith not only in this Nation--in its strength 
and decency and generosity--but also in the men and women who want to 
come here because they see it as a beacon of freedom and democracy. 
That is the tradition and ethos that should guide us in seeking 
comprehensive immigration reform. We have a unique opportunity now--and 
I will work to fulfill it, to reform our broken immigration system as a 
member of the Judiciary Committee and most particularly its Immigration 
Subcommittee. I look forward to playing a leading role in achieving 
this group's working blueprint for comprehensive reform.
  Establishing a path to citizenship, securing our borders, making 
employers more accountable, ensuring that the DREAMers--young people 
brought to this country as infants and young children--can find a way 
to citizenship are all goals that are fulfilled by this blueprint.
  We have an obligation, an opportunity that is compelling, absolutely 
historic, to change the discussion and debate, but also the outcome, 
and we should seize that opportunity, make sure this moment is 
fulfilled, I think, particularly for those DREAMers. For them, this 
moment and every moment is precious. They are young people who are in 
our schools, in our military, seeking a way to be citizens of the only 
country many of them know. They speak English. It is the only language 
most of them know. They have friends and a life here. It is the only 
life they have.
  The administration, rightly and commendably, has provided an 
administrative route to temporary reprieve from the laws that would 
result in their deportation. But they need the certainty and security 
of a law that gives them a real path to citizenship, not at some point 
in the indefinite future but now.
  The DREAM Act that Senator Durbin has fought so hard and valiantly 
over so many years to achieve deserves passage now. I will continue to 
come to the floor with photographs of the DREAMers, as I have done week 
after week, to make sure their fate and future is on our minds.
  Today, I also want to speak about another related immigration issue--
the Immigration Innovation Act of 2013, known as the I-squared bill, 
which was introduced in the U.S. Senate today.
  I am proud to be an original cosponsor of it. I know firsthand from 
talking to employers in the State of Connecticut, and all around not 
only our State but the country, how significant this measure could be 
to attracting and retaining people with the skills America needs to 
remain the greatest Nation in the history of the world.
  I thank Senators Klobuchar, Hatch, Coons, and Rubio for their 
leadership on this issue. The I-squared bill has a very simple 
objective, which is to ensure that America's innovative companies are 
able to access high-skilled workers who would go back to their 
countries of origin when we need them here.
  In some areas, such as computer science, the demand for workers 
greatly exceeds the labor pool available of U.S.-born workers. Senator 
Hatch described on the floor of the Senate how in this decade the 
American economy will create a demand for an estimated 120,000 computer 
science jobs requiring at least a bachelor's degree, but U.S. 
universities will generate only an estimated 40,000 graduates in that 
field.
  So just to take that one example--just that one example--there is a 
gap we need to fill to keep our companies competitive. I have heard 
about this issue from Connecticut employers big and small. There are 
jobs. They exist. We need the people who have the skills to fill them.
  The I-squared bill seeks to fill that gap, most importantly, by 
allowing high-skilled workers, who are foreign born but often U.S. 
educated, to fill some of those jobs in high-need areas. The 
legislation makes sense because it

[[Page 730]]

makes it easier for U.S.-educated holders of advanced degrees in 
science, technology, engineering, and math to obtain green cards.
  The bill also, importantly, generates new revenue through fees that 
visas and employment-based green cards will provide, and it directs 
funds to promote STEM education and worker retraining at the State 
level--STEM being science, technology, engineering, and math.
  This measure is about American competitiveness. We ought to make a 
priority of STEM education for young people in our country who are born 
here and raised in the United States. But we must be open to creating 
jobs for American workers in the most innovative sectors of society and 
making it easier for those industries to thrive by attracting people 
from throughout the world to the United States as a beacon of 
opportunity, a land of unlimited potential accomplishment.
  We are a nation of immigrants. We are great because of our diversity. 
We are strong because we have always attracted people who want freedom 
and the potential to do their best, accomplish the most, and realize 
the full extent of what they can achieve.
  I again thank Senators Klobuchar, Hatch, Coons, and Rubio for their 
leadership. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, as well as the 
Immigration Subcommittee, I look forward to working with them on this 
important legislation in the months ahead.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to express my strong 
support for the nomination of John Kerry to be our next Secretary of 
State.
  As a friend and colleague for more than 20 years, I can think of no 
one who is more qualified and better prepared to be our Nation's chief 
diplomat.
  He has the intelligence, judgment, compassion, determination, and 
above all, leadership experience to help the administration confront 
and find common sense solutions to the multitude of foreign policy 
challenges now before us.
  His story is well known to those of us who have worked side by side 
with him for so many years.
  The son of a distinguished foreign service officer, his understanding 
of the world and America's critical role in it began at an early age. 
He learned the value of American diplomacy and the indispensable role 
played by our diplomats here in Washington and at our consulates and 
embassies around the world.
  He served with distinction and honor in Vietnam, earning a Bronze 
Star, a Silver Star, and three Purple Hearts. He saw first hand the 
costs of war, and he recognized that military force must be used wisely 
and only after all other options have been exhausted.
  After 2 years as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, he came to the 
Senate in 1985 and took his place on the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee, rising to the position of chairman in 2009.
  As a member of that committee and its leader, he demonstrated the 
qualities that will serve him well as Secretary of State.
  He did his homework, and he asked tough questions. He traveled the 
world and engaged key leaders, gaining their respect and confidence. He 
developed an admirable track record of listening carefully to both 
sides of an issue and developing the relationships on both sides of the 
aisle necessary to forge bipartisan agreements.
  From re-establishing diplomatic relations with Vietnam and organizing 
the ratification of the New START Agreement to managing our 
relationship with Pakistan and Afghanistan, fighting the HIV/AIDS 
pandemic, and addressing the threat posed by climate change, Senator 
Kerry has clearly left his mark on United States foreign policy.
  As President Obama noted, ``John has played a central role in every 
major foreign policy debate for nearly 30 years.''
  And that experience will serve him well as Secretary of State.
  Indeed, we live in challenging and constantly evolving times.
  We have ended the war in Iraq, and our mission in Afghanistan is 
winding down. But the threat of global terror endures.
  We have seen the Arab Spring topple autocrats and bring hope for a 
new future. But the ultimate fate of those countries and their 
commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law remains 
uncertain.
  We have enacted a robust set of bilateral and multilateral sanctions 
on Iran and launched a diplomatic initiative through the P5+1 process, 
but its nuclear program continues.
  We have built a close and mutually beneficial relationship with 
China, but there are lingering questions about its human rights record 
and its growing military assertiveness, particularly in the South China 
Sea.
  And we have seen how our humanitarian and development assistance 
programs can lift people out of poverty in the developing world; yet 
nearly 2.5 billion people still live on less than $2 a day.
  These are just some of the items that will be on Senator Kerry's 
agenda as Secretary of State.
  I know he understands that in facing these challenges American 
leadership is essential but we will also need the help and cooperation 
of our friends, allies, and partners in the international community.
  I know he understands that the strength of this country lies not just 
in our military but in the power of our ideas.
  And I know he understands that in order for the United States to 
lead, we must maintain a strong and effective international affairs 
budget.
  We will certainly miss Senator Kerry's leadership and experience in 
the Senate. But I am heartened to know that he will continue to serve 
his country and bring those skills to the State Department, 
representing the United States around the world.
  I urge my colleagues to support Senator Kerry's nomination to be our 
next Secretary of State.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I am pleased to stand here today to 
support President Obama's nomination of my esteemed colleague, Senator 
John Kerry, to serve as our Nation's next Secretary of State.
  Senator Kerry has had a long career of service to the American 
people. We have served together in the Senate for 26 years and I look 
forward to continuing our relationship. As a Senator he has always 
approached his work with seriousness and dedication. Nowhere can this 
be seen more than in his work as a member of the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee, where he has shown a mastery of the challenges 
that face our global community.
  As the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee he has played a 
prominent role in the establishment of U.S. foreign policy. He has 
traveled the globe and built relationships and coalitions with 
international leaders. Most importantly, he has demonstrated an ability 
to balance our Nation's long history of diplomacy with our changing 
national security needs. The unanimous support given to him by the 
Foreign Relations Committee exhibits the respect and confidence he has 
earned from this body.
  The Department of State faces evolving challenges that reflect our 
increasingly interconnected world and require a modern approach to 
diplomacy. Senator Kerry will lead a team that must confront global 
security challenges and ensure the security of our diplomatic corps and 
their families. I am confident that Senator Kerry will meet these 
challenges, and I will work with him to ensure that the State 
Department and its employees have the resources they need to serve 
their mission.
  While I am sorry to see Secretary Clinton leave her post after 4 
successful and productive years, I am pleased to know that Senator 
Kerry will take on the role with the same dedication. I call on my 
colleagues to join me in approving his nomination to Secretary of 
State.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, John Kerry is a valued colleague and a 
loyal

[[Page 731]]

friend, and we will miss him in the Senate. But at a time when our 
Nation faces complex and difficult challenges around the globe, he is 
especially well qualified to serve as Secretary of State, and I 
strongly support his confirmation.
  Unquestionably, Iran is at the top of the list of challenges the next 
Secretary of State will face. Senator Kerry has supported efforts in 
the Senate, including sanctions language included in the defense 
authorization acts for 2012 and 2013, that have helped isolate the 
Iranian regime. At his confirmation hearing, Senator Kerry succinctly 
stated the Obama administration's policy on Iran:

       We will do what we must do to prevent Iran from obtaining a 
     nuclear weapon and I repeat here today: Our policy is not 
     containment, it is prevention and the clock is ticking on our 
     efforts to secure responsible compliance.

  Senator Kerry will be an effective and dedicated executor of that 
policy as we unify the international community in our efforts to 
prevent the Iranian government from developing nuclear weapons.
  Another significant challenge for our foreign policy is the volatile 
Afghanistan-Pakistan region. Here again, Senator Kerry's unique 
qualifications will serve our Nation well. He strongly supports the 
plan for transitioning the security lead to Afghan forces so they can 
provide for their own security. He has established a critical 
relationship with President Karzai that will strengthen our bilateral 
relations as we define the enduring strategic relationship between the 
United States and Afghanistan for post-2014. Senator Kerry understands 
the importance of negotiating a bilateral security agreement that 
provides our troops the necessary protections, including legal 
immunity, for a limited force to continue to train, advise and assist 
the Afghan forces and conduct counterterrorism operations after 2014. 
Senator Kerry also has significant experience engaging with Pakistan, 
which remains key to efforts to establish security and stability in 
South Asia. Through the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act and other efforts, Kerry 
has led efforts to strengthen civilian institutions in Pakistan and to 
reset our bilateral relations.
  Senator Kerry also recognizes, as he said during his confirmation 
hearing, that ``[m]ore than ever, foreign policy is economic policy.'' 
Those words will hearten working families in my State and across the 
Nation whose well-being is increasingly connected to our economic 
competitiveness around the world, our ability to engage with other 
nations to ensure that our companies and workers have the opportunity 
to compete in the global marketplace on an equal footing, and our 
recognition that economic competition today is not just among 
companies, but also among the countries that support their companies 
and workers. I look forward to working with Senator Kerry as we bring 
all the levers of American policy to bear on this issue of paramount 
importance to American prosperity.
  Another issue on which I look forward to cooperating with Senator 
Kerry is our policy toward Cuba. Senator Kerry and I have similar 
voting records on United States policy towards Cuba. We also both 
recognize the need for policy that places maximum pressure on the Cuban 
regime to democratize. However, our voting records maintain that our 
Cuba policy is counter-productive in promoting change in Cuba. I look 
forward to working with Senator Kerry to rebalance our approach to Cuba 
as we look forward to a new era in that nation's history and its 
relations with us.
  Throughout his public career, John Kerry has proven his dedication 
not just to America's interests, but to its values. Indeed, he 
recognizes that our ability to defend our interests around the world 
depends on adherence to the values that make the United States a beacon 
of freedom and opportunity. He has spoken with eloquence about the need 
to combat violence and extremism around the world not just with our 
military might, but with the power of our ideas. As he said in his 
confirmation hearing, ``America lives up to her values when we give 
voice to the voiceless.'' His commitment to aiding those around the 
world whose lives have been shattered by war, repression or disaster is 
in keeping with those values.
  Senator Kerry knows personally the cost of war and the value of 
peace. He knows the difficulty of the challenges we face, and the 
importance of American leadership in facing those challenges--
leadership important not just to our Nation's security and prosperity, 
but to the world's. He has been an outstanding servant of the American 
people, and I am confident he will continue that record of 
extraordinary service as our next Secretary of State.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I am proud to support the confirmation 
of our colleague Senator Kerry to be Secretary of State. Senator Kerry 
is one of our Nation's great leaders in foreign affairs, and has been 
since he arrived in the Senate 28 years ago. His remarkable record 
speaks for itself, but I would especially like to recognize and thank 
him for his service as chairman of Foreign Relations Committee over the 
past 4 years.
  In addition to his hands-on diplomacy in Afghanistan, Pakistan, 
Sudan, and elsewhere around the globe, Senator Kerry has fought to 
bring up more treaties for Senate consideration. We of course remember 
his leadership during the consideration of the New START treaty in 
2010, which has enabled a responsible reduction of our nuclear arsenal 
in concert with Russia. But he also worked to bring forward the 
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and held hearings 
on the Convention on the Law of the Sea, two important international 
agreements that the United States has not ratified. Trying to shepherd 
treaties through the Senate is a much less glamorous task than 
traveling to summits overseas, but Senator Kerry approached them with 
the same level of passion and energy. He fought for these treaties 
because he truly believes in the importance of American leadership in 
the world, and he understands that that leadership does not come solely 
from our military strength but our commitment to dialogue and 
diplomacy.
  Senator Kerry will undoubtedly serve as Secretary of State with the 
same honor and integrity that have defined his career. It will be up to 
us to continue his legacy in the Senate, and I look forward to 
continuing to work with him as he takes on this new challenge.
  Mr. DURBIN. 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. DURBIN. Mr. President, I believe the business before the Senate 
is the confirmation of John Kerry as Secretary of State, to which I 
would like to speak. I actually rise in support of two Senators, one 
former and one current, as America's Secretary of State.
  Last week, both were guests at the Foreign Relations Committee which 
I served on and both did an outstanding job. The Secretary of State, 
former Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton, has served the U.S. 
interests with distinction. She championed a diversity of causes that 
strengthen our security and at the same time improved the lives of so 
many around the world, particularly women and children.
  Secretary Clinton leaves an incredible legacy in her diplomatic 
efforts. There is no one more suited or more qualified to take up the 
challenges and promise than my friend and colleague and our mutual 
friend Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.
  John Kerry came to the Senate almost 30 years ago. From his first 
days as a freshman, he served with distinction on the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee. As a Navy patrol boat captain in the Vietnam war, 
he had notable and lasting exposure to complex foreign policy 
challenges and the wars that result when diplomacy fails.
  Certainly one lesson he brought back with him was the heavy and all 
too personal knowledge of the consequences of war. But his experience 
in representing the U.S. interests abroad did not begin in this 
institution. Rather, the journey to his nomination for Secretary of 
State began when John Kerry was a child, when his own father

[[Page 732]]

was a Foreign Service officer. John tells fond stories about his time 
as a child living in Berlin while his father was stationed there.
  During those years, he developed a profound respect for the men and 
women of the Foreign Service, their sacrifice, their dedication, and 
their ability to demonstrate the values of our democracy. During his 
tenure as a Senator from Massachusetts and from 2009 as the chairman of 
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, John Kerry has been a tireless 
leader on behalf of the American people to ensure that our security 
remains strong and our interests well represented around the world.
  He has been a leading voice on the Iran-Contra investigation, the war 
and fragile peace in Afghanistan, arms control and verification, 
building lasting ties with Pakistan, and perhaps in his most personal 
contribution, opening diplomatic relations with Vietnam. I would like 
to speak to that for a moment, if I can, because it is a personal story 
I would like to share.
  It was John Kerry and John McCain, more than any others, who moved us 
from that stage in our history where we shunned the people of Vietnam 
to the point where we recognized their country, established normal 
relations with them, and built a new relationship. There were no better 
Senators to do it than John Kerry and John McCain, both of whom were 
decorated veterans of the Vietnam war, both of whom gave so much in 
that conflict, particularly Senator McCain, spending 5 years as a 
prisoner of war in Vietnam. They worked hard to establish normal 
relations with that country and to put behind the bitterness and the 
war that had divided the two countries, the United States and Vietnam.
  It was not easy. One of the issues front and center was the question 
of prisoners of war and missing in action. There were all sorts of 
rumors and speculation that, in fact, there were still Americans being 
held prisoner in Vietnam. That rumor was very strong across America. 
There was a lot of criticism of the Vietnamese in not cooperating with 
us in trying to identify anyone still remaining or the remains of 
American soldiers who died in that conflict.
  John McCain and John Kerry came together and put an incredible 
bipartisan voice to resolving these issues. It came to my attention 
because it was about the time when I was elected to the Senate in 1996. 
I served in the House of Representatives with an extraordinary 
individual, Pete Peterson of Florida.
  Pete Peterson had been an Air Force pilot in the Vietnam war, shot 
down, and himself imprisoned in a POW camp for more than 5 years. He 
was a quiet person and did not talk much about it. But one day, I kind 
of provoked him at lunch, and he started talking about what it meant to 
live in isolation for 5 years, how they coped, how they survived, and 
the impact it still had on his life.
  President Clinton at that moment decided it would be a significant 
symbol that the first Ambassador of the United States to Vietnam would 
be Pete Peterson of Florida, a man who had been held as a POW by the 
Vietnamese would return as American's voice in that new country. He was 
brought before the Senate for confirmation.
  I remember saying to my staff when I came over here: Be sure and tell 
me when Pete Peterson's nomination comes to the floor. I want to say a 
few words about my friendship with him and what he means to me and how 
important this appointment is. Time passed. I did not hear anything. 
Then there was a ``60 Minutes'' program on that I happened to watch. It 
was all about Pete Peterson becoming the Ambassador to Vietnam. I came 
back to my staff. I was upset. I said: You were supposed to tell me 
when this happened so I could get up and give a speech and say 
something nice. They said: It never happened. ``60 Minutes'' is 
speculating. The fact is, Pete Peterson's nomination has been put on 
hold--a secret hold in the Senate.
  I could not believe it. I called Pete Peterson. I think he lived in 
Jupiter, FL, at the time. I said to him: Pete, what is going on here?
  He said: Dick, I am about to give up. It has been almost 1 year since 
President Clinton named me to the spot and I cannot clear the Senate. 
Somebody is holding me up. I do not know who it is. I have to get on 
with my life.
  I said: Let me at least talk to some people. So I came to the floor. 
The first person I looked for was John Kerry and then John McCain. They 
said: Yes; there is a hold, but we are trying to work through it.
  I said: You know, if you cannot get this done and done quickly, then 
I think there has to be a speech on the floor that says: Holding Pete 
Peterson in a POW camp for 5 years is bad enough, but the Senate 
holding his nomination as Ambassador is unforgivable. We need to vote 
on Pete Peterson. He has given so much to this country.
  It is credit to John Kerry and John McCain that they quieted down 
this new Member of the Senate and said: Let us get this done quietly. 
They did. Pete Peterson went on to serve as Ambassador in Vietnam. He 
was a widower at the time. He met a lovely young Vietnamese-Australian 
woman. They married. They now live in Australia and we keep in touch 
from time to time. But I think of that moment in time in our history 
when John Kerry and John McCain showed what diplomacy and careful 
consideration can do.
  We not only established relations with Vietnam, we sent a great 
individual to serve as its first Ambassador. They did it quietly and 
effectively. Can he be a great Secretary of State? You bet he can. I 
will be the first to tell you that I saw his skill firsthand when I 
came to the Senate. If confirmed, he will bring a breadth of experience 
to global challenges, some new and some which we cannot even anticipate 
as we debate this matter. The list is vast and formidable: Iran, Syria, 
North Korea, cyber security, failed and fragile states, and democratic 
backsliding in Russia, to name a few.
  One of the issues John Kerry has tackled for many years that will 
desperately need attention, and the President highlighted in his 
inaugural address, is that of climate change. As was mentioned during 
his nomination hearing last week, climate change is one of the most 
pressing and consequential issues of our time. It is not just an 
environmental issue, it is a moral issue. What kind of planet will our 
generation leave for our children and grandchildren? How will history 
judge us if we ignore the evidence and warning signs and do nothing to 
head off climate catastrophes? Senator Kerry is uniquely qualified to 
address this great moral challenge. He knows if we are ever going to 
get China and India to take responsibility for their carbon emissions, 
we have to start from a strong position of legitimacy, having taken 
these steps ourselves.
  He knows when the United States tackles climate change, it also 
increases our diplomatic standing and reputation around the world. He 
knows tackling climate change will help prevent a host of terrible 
global problems, from famine, water shortages to political instability, 
any of which can draw the United States into a costly or bloody 
conflict.
  Addressing climate change is in our vital national, economic, and 
security interests. I know John Kerry will tackle this and many other 
challenges that await him at the State Department. He has been a 
trusted and admired colleague of mine and so many others in the Senate. 
I have enjoyed his work on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I 
wish to especially thank him for calling the Convention on Disability 
Treaty for consideration by the Senate. I am sorry it did not pass, but 
it was not for lack of effort by John Kerry.
  His passionate pursuit of a safe and just Nation and world, his deep 
sense of patriotism and commitment to America's most challenged values 
are well documented. While I am sorry to lose him in the Senate as a 
colleague, I can think of no better person to serve as our Nation's 
next Secretary of State. I congratulate John Kerry on his nomination. 
As a friend and colleague, I urge my fellow Senators to swiftly confirm 
John Kerry so he can get about the work of making America a safer 
nation.

[[Page 733]]

  I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. 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. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, it is my understanding we are coming to 
the end of the time on this debate--or consideration, I should say. 
There has really been no debate. I think that speaks to Senator Kerry's 
tremendous standing in the Senate on his nomination as Secretary of 
State.
  This is a Member of the Senate who has an extraordinary American 
history. After volunteering for the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam war, 
Senator Kerry was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and three 
Purple Hearts. Upon returning home, he continued his efforts to fight 
for and protect the veterans who served beside him in combat, joining 
with others to found the Vietnam Veterans for America organization, 
working tirelessly for veterans' benefits.
  With over three decades of foreign policy and national security 
experience under his belt, Senator Kerry is uniquely qualified to serve 
as the next Secretary of State. A decorated Vietnam combat veteran, 
dedicated public servant, with deep experience in international affairs 
and close relationships with Presidents and Prime Ministers throughout 
the world, he will have an extraordinary beginning to his job as 
Secretary of State.
  He has demonstrated time and time again his ability to build 
coalitions and craft compromises. He has amassed a broad record of 
foreign policy accomplishments and has distinguished himself as one of 
the Nation's most respected voices on national security.
  I look forward to a very strong bipartisan vote that sends a very 
clear message to the world: This is America's representative. This is 
our Secretary of State. I believe he has earned that vote and that 
respect through a lifetime of work and the tremendous collegiality he 
has had among Members on both sides of the aisle, including those who 
may not agree with him on any given issue but have always respected the 
manner in which he has approached that issue.
  Mr. President, understanding there are no other speakers wishing to 
come before the Senate on this matter, I yield back all time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Shall the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of John Forbes Kerry to be Secretary of 
State?
  Mr. MENENDEZ. 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. KERRY (when his name was called). Present.
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) 
is necessarily absent.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from North Dakota (Mr. Hoeven).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 94, nays 3, as follows:

                       [Rollcall Vote No. 5 Ex.]

                                YEAS--94

     Alexander
     Ayotte
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Baucus
     Begich
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Boxer
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Chambliss
     Coats
     Coburn
     Cochran
     Collins
     Coons
     Corker
     Crapo
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Flake
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Heinrich
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hirono
     Isakson
     Johanns
     Johnson (SD)
     Johnson (WI)
     Kaine
     King
     Kirk
     Klobuchar
     Landrieu
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Lee
     Levin
     Manchin
     McCain
     McCaskill
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Nelson
     Paul
     Portman
     Pryor
     Reed
     Reid
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rockefeller
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott
     Sessions
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Thune
     Toomey
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Vitter
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden

                                NAYS--3

     Cornyn
     Cruz
     Inhofe

                        ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--1

       
     Kerry
       

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Hoeven
     Murray
       
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The motion to reconsider is considered made 
and laid upon the table.
  Under the previous order, the President will be immediately notified 
of the Senate's action.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I know Senator Kerry will be speaking 
tomorrow, so I will be brief. I think I speak on behalf of every one of 
us here that we so admire the job Senator Kerry has done in the many 
different phases of his past life. We are excited he will be our 
Secretary of State, and for John Kerry I think the best is yet to come.

                          ____________________