Seat held by senator john mccain. Like most of my life, i didnt take the traditional path, but i am blessed to have been given the opportunity to make a difference for others and stand in this Historic Chamber today. I love arizona, the grand canyon state, its people and our spirit. Like many arizonans, i wasnt born there, so this is a love of choice. Also like many arizonans, i first came to the state on a military assignment in the summer of 1990 to attend Pilot Training at Williams Air Force base, now home to a thriving Industrial Park called mesa gateway. I fell in love with arizona right away and was fortunate to have the Majestic View from the sky as a pilot. What a privilege to live in a land of adventure id only read about as a kid. Home to one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the grand canyon, and our diverse landscapes, mountains, canyons, lakes, rivers, sunsets, and the powerful desert lightning. After an assignment away i came back to arizona to fly the a10 wart hog. There is nothing like finishing a demanding mission on the Barry Goldwater air force range. It isnt only our climate and beautiful landscapes that make arizona a great place to live and work. We arizonans are known for our resilience, harry reid hardness and service. It is this patriotism that transcends generations. Ms. Mcsally we were the last in the continental United States to become a state we and have a history of adventurous people. Our state motto is god and riches, highlighting the importance in faith in god in our path and future. The original foundation of our economy is known as the five cs. Copper, cattle, cotton, citrus and climate. Today we still have the largest copper producer in north america which i recently visited. Arizona has made history in our own unique way. Were known around the world for the famous town of tombstone and the legendary ok corral and the proud home to sandra day owe corn, the first sandra day oconnor. Arizona has proudly supported our troops and remains crucial for our defense, our vast open land, beautiful weather and airspace makes our state a National Security treasure sure and arizonans always answered the call to support our vets. Arizona is the home to 22 federally recognized tribes and has the largest percentage of tribal secretary. The hopi village was started around 100 a. D. And piesta le peep is named after the first foreign woman to die in combat. Carl hayden was our first congressman turned senator who served 56 years and secured funding for the Arizona Water project. Raul castro was the first latino governor of arizona. We are home to two senate heavyweights, Barry Goldwater who served five terms and john mccain who served six terms in this chamber. I approach this opportunity to serve in the senate the same way i approached my 26 years in the air force base as a Fighter Pilot and my four years in the house. I lost my father at the age of 12 so my life was shaped early on to be treating each day as a gift. In the hospital, shortly before he died, my dad told me to make him proud. My journey to this chapter of service has not been an easy one but i learned from my dad and my mom who was left behind with five kids that hard work, education, and faith and a mindset of service to others are unfailing foundations for any endeavor in life. When i have retired in the air force having served in peace and war, i gave a speech with principles that still ring true for this new deployment in the senate. First, know your oath. The oath i took on january 3 as a u. S. Senator is the same oath, the same exact wording as the one i took as a military officer. The oath and what it represents is what those of us who served in the military were willing to fight for, and if necessary die for. During my eightyear battle with the pentagon over their policy requiring u. S. Servicewomen to be treated like property and wear the muslim burka like coverings, there was extraordinary pressure telling the top fourstar brass that they were outrageously wrong and me a lowly rang ranking major had every reason to believe i would be. We were taught as cadets and officers that moral courage means doing the right thing even if it comes at a great personal cost to you. Trust me, i was tested but stayed the course. Subsequently i sued Donald Rumsfeld which we can all probably agree on both sides of the aisle is not a good career move. Nonetheless, i went on a onewoman lobbying campaign as a regular citizen which led to legislation being passed unanimously, signed into law and resulted in overturning this demeaning discriminatory policy. It took eight years to win but by all measures it was worth it. I credit that oath. It gave me purpose. It gave me power and be enabled one woman opposed by the entire department of defense to endure and as a result changeable. This is how i plan to serve arizona in this body, standing up for whats right in the same fighting spirit that comes with living up to my oath of service. Next the question is, is this a job, a career, or a calling . A job brings a paycheck, provides certainty and pays the bill. A career can sound noble at its surface, but if someone is only focused on a career path they can purposely or inadvertently step on others, not be a good teammate, not rock the boat to do the right thing, make decisions based on fear. A career focus could foster risk as aversion and selfish motives. A calling is being a part of something greater than yourself. Just like my time in uniform and in that message i gave at my retirement, i approach my time here in the senate as a calling for this season and this moment in time. I get up every day with the focus of what can i do today to make a difference for arizonans. Next dont walk by a problem. Its part of our military culture. If youre complaining about something, you better be willing to step up and do something about it. God puts us in certain circumstances in order for us to use our energy and our talents to make a difference for others. Thats how i laugh from yelling at the television from my living room it to delivering this speech in the chamber today. As i learned from my dads untimely passing, if these two years are the last two years of my life, what will i do with them . How can i make this time truly meaningful for those i represent . The senate was created to be the worlds most deliberative body and designed to be methodical in nature but wasnt designed for anonymous holds and partisan bickering to score cheap political points. I built a reputation in the house for being a pragmatic Problem Solver who understands my constituents, to increase opportunity and prosperity for Everyday Americans and to take a stand when actions go against their best interests. Far too often too many elected officials lose sight of that goal. During my retirement certainly i concluded with this quote from Fighter Pilot john boyd. He says one day you will come to a fork in the road and youll have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. He raised his hand and pointed, if you go that way, you can be somebody. You have to make compromises. Youll have to turn your back on friends, but youll be a member of the club and youll get promote and get good assignments. Then boyd raised his other hand and pointed in another direction. Or you can go that way and you can do something, something for your country and for your air force and for yourself. If you decide you want to do something, you may not get promoted. You may not get the good assignments. You certainly wont be a favorite of your superiors. But you wont have to compromise yourself. Youll be true to your friends and yourself and your work might make a difference. To be somebody or to do something, in life its often the roll call. Thats when youll have to make the decision to be or to do. Which way will you go . That question is what should be posed to all of us who serve in this chamber today. Its no secret my path is to take action and do something. And id ask my fellow senators to join me with this precious time weve been given. I already know so many of you feel the same and are driven to serve. Lets point in the direction of do. Theres only 1,983 people who have served as United States senators. How many can you name . As for me, but a fraction. Except for a few extraordinary exceptions, no one is going to remember our names when were no longer here. Well go back to being regular citizens, so its about service now, not self. To do something that matters. Arizonans like people all over the country are tired of the gridlock. They Want Congress to work for them, not the other way around. Many people here want to protect this institution, but the American People have basically lost faith in these bodies and those serving in them. Our Approval Rating is pathetically low and is likely credited to family members and paid staff. To point the direction of john boyds challenge of doing something, we must commit today to stop the dysfunction, break the gridlock, stop spending, stop obstructing, start truly working on behalf of the American People. Yes, we live in divided times, but there is always more that unites us than divides us. Since i took this oath on january 3, my First Mission in the senate was to visit all 15 counties in arizona, to listen to my constituents priorities and challenges. It was a two ears and one mouth tour used proportionally. Despite the diversity of our state, there was tremendous Common Ground on so many major issues and priorities. Arizonans want us to promote policies to ensure if they work hard theyll be able to provide for their families, get ahead, and meet their full potential. They want to make sure our country is safe for them and their children. They want a life of dignity and respect for one another. They want us to give our military men and women everything they need to do their mission and take care of them and their families when theyre done serving. Thats why im going to continue to fight to protect the a10 wart hog at Davis Mountain and fielt for the f35 at Luke Air Force base plus other amazing military installations that we have and their unique missions in arizona. And its why since taking office i visited Numerous Veterans Service Organizations like u. S. Vets where i heard real stories from veterans who struggle with homelessness and addiction, who have since been helped off the street and been able to start a new life for themselves. Arizonans want us to solve the border crisis and stop playing political games with it. A crisis all too real like cities like yuma. I saw firsthand there where over 300 migrants illegally crossed the border due to poor infrastructure and lack of resources for agents or like douglas where outdated facilities leave agents overwemed and leave our country vulnerable to illegal drugs. Arizona arizonans want us to Work Together to bring down the cost of health care and not allow Insurance Companies to make Health Care Choices for them. We can do this by protecting preexisting conditions and supporting initiatives like Association Health plans which allow groups like the Arizona Chamber of Commerce Association to partner together to access the Health Insurance plans that right now only Big Companies can. Lives will be saved but the medical innovations happening in my state. Arizona is home to many institutions that are leading the way to find new treatments and cures for deadly diseases. When i visited the ivy brain tumor center, i was inspired by the story of Katherine Ivy whose husband ben passed away from glee i dont see blastoma, the glioblastoma. Instead of being consumed with her grief, katherine searched for the best place to conquer this disease. She found it at the Barrow Neurological Institute right there in her state of arizona. The doctor and his team are doing amazing work in leading Cutting Edge Research and clinical trials. We need more investments and less barriers for initiatives like this. Arizonans want us to continue to tackle the Opioid Epidemic that is disproportionately impacting our rural communities. During my 15county tour i met the mayor of stafford who shared the senseless death of his son. His life and all his potentially ended with a fentanyllaced heroin dose. We pledge to end this crisis. Arizonans want us to do this for the long haul, not a onesizefitsall approach. We need flexibility and partnerships with states. Cities in both the west and east valley of Maricopa County have been tasked with the daunting feat of keeping up with the fastest population growth in the country, but not the resources to modernize their streets and freeways. We need Bipartisan Solutions to modernize our infrastructure and include Water Infrastructure and rural broadband. Arizonans want us to ensure that our freedoms and opportunities are preserved for their children and their grandchildren. They want us to ensure that seniors can have Retirement Security after working their whole lives. We can solve some of these problems in the days ahead if we choose to, if we choose to Work Together and do something bigger for those we all serve. At this moment in history, as john boyd said, were at a fork in the road, and we have a choice. Be someone or do something. I choose to act for those i serve. I know you do, too. So lets get to work for the nation. As senator mccain once said, americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history. Madam president , i yield the floor. Mr. Thune madam president. The presiding officer the senator from south dakota. Mr. Thune madam president , i request the yeas and nays. The presiding officer is there a sufficient second . There appears to be. The yeas and nays are requested. The presiding officer all time has expired. The question is on the nomination. The yeas and nays are ordered. The clerk will call the roll. Vote vote vote the presiding officer are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote . Seeing none, the yeas are 89, the nays are 1. The nomination is confirmed. Under the previous order, the the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, and the president be immediately notified of the senates action. The clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. The clerk cloture motion we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of shawn d. Jordan of texas for United States district judge for the Eastern District of texas, signed by 17 senators. The presiding officer by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. The question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of sean d. Jordan of texas to be u. S. District judge for the Eastern District of texas shall be brought to a close. The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. The clerk will call the roll. Vote vote the presiding officer are the presiding officer does anyone wish to change their vote . The nays are 36, the motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk nomination, the judiciary, sean d. Jordan, of texas, to be United States district judge for the even district of texas. The presiding officer the senator from tennessee. A senator madam president. The presiding officer the senator from maryland. Mr. Cardin madam president , recently i joined a Senate Delegation to visit the to view the humanitarian crisis facing the United States, we visited the Catholic Respite Center and the ursla processing center. I held a town hall in highland town, it was organized by the latinos network which included catholic relief services, Hebrew Immigration Society and other nonprofits. I was impressed by the catholic charitys center. The Center Provides a warm meal, a shower, a change into clean clothes and provides medicine and other desperately needed supplies. These migrants are lucky to make it there. What i saw in another town was disturbing. I saw many families huddled together. I saw children behind facing and basically in cages. Some children were in clothing that were soiled and had not been changed since they arrived in the United States. Children and families were only supposed to be there for a temporary holding, but we heard families were held up to 10 to 14 days and in some cases even longer. Why are migrants leaving their homes in the first place . These individuals are desperate. They are desperate because they are fleeing violence and persecution in their own countries. These families are often given a are terrible choice, had a young daughter or son join a criminal gang. That means attacked, kidnapped or murdered. Even though its a dangerous journey, these families feel they have no choice. Let me remind my colleagues these families are lawfully seeking asylum at our border