Automatic sequester cuts. Kentucky senator rand paul will offer an amendment to lower spending caps over the next decade. We expect final votes later this morning and we may also see more work on President Trumps judicial nominations. Now live Senate Coverage here on cspan2. The senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Eternal god, who has created humanity in your image, look upon us and hear our prayers. Today, give our lawmakers the desire to do your will and the energy to complete the tasks that will glorify your name. That which they dont know, reveal it. That which they lack, supply it and that which they doubt, confirm it. Keep them blameless in your service, so that their lives will be living letters causing people to exalt your name. Lord, strengthen their minds for your service, so that your wisdom will permeate their endeavors. We pray in your mighty name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance i pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley id like to address the senate for one minute as if in morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley i think we can save the taxpayers a lot of money by giving states more options under medicaid. Unlike medicare and private insurance, medicaid doesnt incentivize bundled payments. This prevents states from testing a method that could potentially save money. The bipartisan Prescription Drug pricing reform legislation i introduced with senator wyden allows states to collect rebates from drugs in outpatient settings. This removes an existing exemption in statute for some outpatient drugs and allows states to more completely utilize and test bundled payments to possibly save money money, giving states flexibility allows them to focus on the best care for different populations. Encouraging bundled payments in medicaid would do just that. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell my office and i are closely monitoring our significant explosion of a gas, natural Gas Transmission pipeline near danville in my home state of kentucky early this morning. As of this morning one fail talt and five fatality and five more injuries have been reported. We hope and pray these figures do not increase. Several structures have been damaged or destroyed. The Lincoln County emergency manager reported, quote, the part of the area that has been compromised there is just nothing left. The fiery explosion was so large that it was picked up by weather satellites, and witnesses report that the smoke could be seen from miles down in louisville, almost 70 miles away. Obviously the investigation is just beginning. My staff and i will continue to stay on top of this and be a resource for everyone affected. This morning our prayers are with the families whom this disaster has touched and our gratitude is with all the First Responders who rushed toward the towering flames to protect their neighbors and communities. Now on a completely different matter, the senate has accomplished a significant amount of business this week for the American People. We made a big dent in the backlog of President Trumps wellqualified nominees for federal office. With respect to the judiciary, weve confirmed 13 impressive individuals to lifetime seats on the federal bench, and weve also ensured that two more key components of the president s Foreign Policy team will be on the job before the Senate Adjourns for the august work period. We confirmed the deputy secretary of defense and a new ambassador to the United Nations, both with bipartisan support, just as it should be for nominees who are so fully prepared for jobs that are so important. But today, mr. President , the senate will turn our attention to legislation we need to address the senate limit, secure the full faith and credit of the United States. We need to continue to secure the funding that our National Defense demands. Fortunately the pending legislation will accomplish precisely that. In recent weeks key officials on President Trumps team engaged in extensive negotiation with Speaker Pelosi and the democratic house. Given the exigencies of a divided government we knew any bipartisan agreement on funding levels would not appear perfect to either side. But the administration negotiated a strong deal. First and foremost, it ensures our federal government will not approach any kind of debt crisis in the coming weeks or months. It secures our nations full faiths and credit and ensures that congress will not throw an unnecessary wrench into the gears of job growth and the thriving economy. Whats more, despite the desires of the democratic house, the administration successfully kept farleft poison pills and policy riders entirely out of the process. We had heard that our democratic colleagues across the capitol were clamoring to take us backwards, perhaps targeting the Hyde Amendment or more dollars towards planned parenthood. We heard they were trying to handcuff the administrations important work on border security, but on those fronts and many others the far left was denied any such victories, no poison pills, a big win for the white house. So, mr. President , id like to ask consent that the terms of this agreement and the specific prohibition of poison pills be included in the record. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell perhaps most importantly, particularly to my republican colleagues and to me, this legislation sets a specific funding level for our National Defense. Over the past few months, as we worked through important legislation like the ndaa, weve been reminded of one glaring reality. The forces that seek to harm the United States and our interests are ever changing, and they demand the full attention of a fully equipped, modern, and ready military. Now since President Trump took office, republicans in congress have made remarkable progress. Working together weve begun rolling back the damage caused by the previous administrations neglect, atrophy, and misdpieded approach. Misguided approach. Weve gun to rebuild and restore our military and taken important steps towards modernization so we are investing in capabilities well sorely need tomorrow. I trust that none of my colleagues are under the illusion that our work is finished. As our adversaries grow stronger critical gaps remain in our ability to influence campaigns and direct acts of violence towards america and allies around the world. The bipartisan funding deal is the opportunity, the only opportunity on the table to continue filling these gaps before its too late. So make no mistake, russia is not waiting idley by as we wait to sort out full funding to Missile Defense or uphold support for forces in europe. China will not scale back its ambitions if americans decide to take a breather ourselves. Irans financing of terrorist organizations and regional trouble making is not going to stop if we stop investing in our own l ability to check their efforts and project power. So, if we say were serious about countering threats to our homeland, allies and men and women deployed overseas, if we say were serious, we have to actually deliver on our promise to equip our forces for the job. We have to invest and improve readiness to help our military commanders plan for emerging challenges in research and development to support the u. S. Military of the future. And in rock solid support of for our Alliance Commitment which helps preserve the peace and our values. This deal is designed to do that. This is the agreement the administration has negotiated. This is the deal the house has passed. This is the deal President Trump is waiting and eager to sign into law. This is the deal that every member of this body should support when we vote later this morning. The presiding officer under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order, the senate will proceed to consideration of h. R. 3877, which the clerk will report. The clerk calendar number 165, h. R. 3877, an act to amend the balanced budget and emergency deficit control act of 1985, and so forth and for other purposes. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk. The presiding officer the clerk will report the motion. 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 calendar number 165, h. R. 3877, an act to amend the balanced budget and emergency deficit control act of 1985, and so forth and for other purposes, signed by 17 senators as follows. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent the mandatory quorum call be waived. The presiding officer without objection. A senator mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from connecticut. Mr. Blumenthal thank you, mr. President. Later today the United States senate will move to consider the measure on the floor and probably pass it and then leave town. And there will be efforts to describe what weve done. As a reason for satisfaction and pride. There have been accomplishments. But on one critical issue, really a range of issues involving our National Security, we have only abject failure to show for the months that we have been here. Im proud to come to the floor of the senate today to advocate for that cause Election Security with colleagues like senator Amy Klobuchar of minnesota and senator mark warner of virginia who have been tireless champions, articulate and eloquent advocates for this cause. Election security is National Security. The testimony from Robert Mueller, whatever you think about his verdict on the president , clearly called for action. Robert mueller is a modernday paul revere, sounding the alarm about the russians and many other nations, as he put it. The russians and many other nations who are mounting a renewed attack on this country. This attack in the next election will make 2016 look like childs play, a dress rehearsal, because the tools and techniques they will bring to bear in attacking our democracy are so much more sophisticated, already in 2016 Robert Mueller called that attack sweeping and systematic. It was the reason that he spoke first about it in his statement and closed that statement in may with a severe, dire warning about the ongoing interference in our democracy. And those many other nations already include iran, that has been reported by the Washington Post just last week to be mounting its own disinformation campaign, using social media and misinformation, disinformation to distract, divide, and sow discord here and in other democracies around the world. There is nothing unknown to many of us about the russians intent and the designs of these other nations. It is hiding in plain sight. And for all the classified briefings that we received over these months, the russians know what they are doing. We know what the russians are doing. We know about what we are failing to do. The ones in the dark are the American People. And that is why senator klobuchar and senator warner and i are on the floor today, to make sure that when we leave today, it is not the end of this topic, it is the beginning of a drumbeat, a cry of outrage, and unhappiness around the nation. There are a number of measures that we have championed involving more funding for the states to do Election Security. Paper ballots by the states to provide backups. Auditing standards and cybersecurity pyrite yeah. These measures are a matter of common sense. That word common sense is overused these days, especially in a city where it is on display so in infrequently, but so infrequently, but common sense is the reason we are here. I want to talk about the duty to report act. Its based on a very simple idea. If you see something, say something. The duty to report act would require all campaigns, all candidates and family members to immediately report to the f. B. I. And the federal Elections Commission any offers of foreign assistance. It would codify into law what is already a matter of moral duty, patriotic duty, and common sense. Its already illegal to accept foreign assistance during a campaign. Its already illegal to solicit foreign assistance during a campaign. All this bill would do is require individuals and campaigns and family members who report those illegal foreign assistance efforts to the f. B. I. When Robert Mueller came before congress, he outlined the most serious attack on our democracy by a foreign power in our history. It includes 140 contacts between the Trump Campaign and russian agents, russian covert and overt efforts to influence the outcome of our election by helping one candidate and hurting another. But the russians and those many other nations that will engage in similar attacks on our democracy have no particular partisan preference. They are doing whats in their interests to disrupt our democracy, and the victim in one election may be the one preferred in the next. So we have a common cause here. Indeed, Robert Mueller testified, quote, over the course of my career, i have seen a number of challenges to our democracy. The russian government effort to interfere in our election is among the most serious. This deserves the attention of every american. We have an obligation, above all, as members of this body, where there has been so much history of bipartisan action come together in this cause. Christopher wray, director of the f. B. I. , recently came before the Senate Judiciary committee, and he warned that the russians are still actively trying to interfere in our elections. Again and again, our Intelligence Community has warned severely, repeatedly, powerfully about this threat. And yet, when asked whether he would accept foreign help in 2020, the president of the United States said, quote, id take it. Much like his son donald jr. Said during the last campaign, in response to an offer of assistance from the russians, quote, i love it. When Robert Mueller was asked about this point during his testimony, he said, quote, i hope this is not the new normal, but i fear it is. That is the reason we need this measure. That is the reason that we need the measures that my colleagues, senator klobuchar of minnesota and senator warren of virginia senator warner of virginia have helped to lead. Thats why i join them p in this effort. To my republican colleagues in the leadership, i say lead or get out of the way. To the president of the United States, lead or get out of the way. Our National Security is too important to make a partisan issue. We ought to join together as we did after 9 11 to prevent more disaster and to join in this common cause. This legislation is a matter of moral duty, patriotic duty and common sense. With the 2020 elections literally on the horizon before us, we must act now. Time is not on our side. It is only on our adversaries side. As much as we can take pride in the National Defense authorization act, the threat to our National Security is not only from the planes and the submarines and the aircraft carriers, it is from the cyberattack, the social Media Campaign to disrupt and destroy our democracy. I am proud to be joined today by a great colleague who has been a wonderful champion on this issue, senator Amy Klobuchar, of minnesota. Thank you. Ms. Klobuchar thank you. Madam president . The presiding officer the senator from minnesota. Ms. Klobuchar i want to first thank my colleague from connecticut, senator blumenthal, for his incredible work and leadership on this important bill on the duty to report as well as all the other work that he has done. He gets it. He gets that we are about to adjourn this day without passing Election Security legislation. We have bipartisan Election Security legislation. Weve had that for years. And yet it has been stopped every step of the way. Russia invaded our democracy. Lets be clear about that. I dont like when we use the word meddle because thats what i do when i call my daughter on a saturday night to ask her what she is doing. This country, this foreign country didnt just meddle in our election. They invaded it, right. They didnt use missiles or tanks. They used a new kind of modern warfare, which is cyber warfare. And they did it to invade our democracy. Think about this. Our founders literally set up a country and a constitution because they want it to be independent of a foreign country, right . In this case, it was england. And hundreds of thousands of americans have lost their lives on the battlefield, fighting for our democracy and deckses across the world. Thats what world war i and world war ii were about, right . Fighting for democracy across the world. Fighting for the simple right that peop