In whatever they do for you and humanity. Lord, give them the wisdom to refuse to deviate from integrity, coveting heavens approval in their labors for your kingdom. May they also remember that they are representing your divine purposes for our nation and world. Lord, thank you that your mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who come to you with reverence. May your glory endure forever. We pray in your merciful name. Amen. The president pro tempore please follow me in 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 under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of the conference report to accompany s. 1790 which the clerk will report. The clerk conference report to accompany s. 1790, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for military activities of the department of defense and so forth and for other purposes. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley i ask to address the senate one minute, morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley i recently heard from an 81yearold iowan battling cancer. She told me that one test cost more than 12,700. Thats almost an entire year income for that lady. On top of that, her medication is more than 4,700. Pardon me, mr. President. On top of that, her medication is more than 4,700 a month. Shes on human that and medicare humana and medicare but thats not enough for her to still afford her medical bills. Too Many Americans share this iowans story. Thats why we must pass the Prescription Drug pricing reduction act to finally help americans afford the critical medications that they need. The bill that i just named is a bipartisan bill sponsored by this senator and democratic senator wyden. It got voted out of committee 199 back in july. We have the fortune of the house of representatives understanding that the pricing of Prescription Drugs is a major problem. They passed a bill last week. I applaud them for taking up this issue. It happens that the bill that they passed probably cant get anywhere near 60 votes in the United States senate. So i hope that we have an opportunity to sit down with speaker pelosi, other house members, and see what we can work out to do something about the high cost of Prescription Drugs for the citizens of this country. Every member of this body hears it from their constituents that they dont like the fantastic increase in prices of drugs that occur on a regular basis. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call quorum call quorum call quorum call ms. Stabenow mr. President , i ask suspension of the quorum call. The presiding officer without objection. Ms. Stabenow thank you very much, mr. President. Mr. President , today i rise to pay tribute to our long time democratic policy and Communications Staff member, doug conley, who will retire at the end of the month with an impressive 33 years of working for the committee and working for the senate, and im pleased to have doug with me today on the floor. And i just, for a moment, think back to 1986, a couple of top songs that year were stuck with you by huey lewis and the news, the top movie was top gun and the average price of a movie ticket was 3. 71. Mr. President , i dont know if we remember those. Its been a while here in the senate, it allowed proceedings to be televised on cspan that year and a young graduate of the university of michigan and veteran of paul simons First Senate Campaign began working for what was then called the democratic policy committee. A lot of things have changed since then. Were all a little bit older, cspan has broadcast more than a few hours of senate floor proceedings, however, one thing hasnt changed, doug is still as dedicated to Public Service as he was on his first day of work 33 years ago. I have been personally so impressed by dougs work ethic, though not surprised. After all, he grew up in a hardworking auto family in rochester, michigan. Over the years dougs work ethic has benefited a number of folks youve heard, including senator robert byrd, senator tom daschle, senator byron dorgan, senator Chuck Schumer and senator harry reid, whose website he designed. Dougs computer skills are legendary and havent just benefited the democratic caucus. Theyve benefited the nation as a whole. Doug actually wrote the Computer Program that the Senate Library and Senate Historian rely on to keep track of votes. Thats Important Information for the American Public to know. Thanks to doug, we know that since doug has worked in the senate, there have been 11,114 votes cast. Only senator leahy, senator grassley, and senator mcconnell have been around long enough to have cast all of them. When doug isnt crunching numbers, hes a veracious reader and a devoted father and husband. Hes extremely proud of his children, his sonic is getting his doctoral degree in mathematics at the university of iowa. His daughter kaitlin earned her degree in anthropology from st. Marys college in maryland and is an intern with the smithsonian institution. Dougs wife brenda has him slightly beat on career longevity. Shes worked in the u. S. House of representatives for 34 years. And every day doug walks over to the house side so they can have lunch together. Pretty soon, however, their lunch dates might be on a beach. Doug is retiring this month and he hopes to be spending a lot of time scuba diving in the caribbean. Doug, thank you so much for your hard work. Your creativity. And your 33 years of Public Service. The committee has been incredibly lucky to have you and all of us will miss working with you. I think its fitting that after more than three decades of spending so much time reading the congressional record, now your name will be in it. We all wish you and your family much happiness in your next chapter. Thank you, mr. President. I yield the floor. I would suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call the presiding officer the Senate Majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i have one request for committees to meet during todays session of the senate. It has the approval of the majority and minority leaders. The presiding officer duly noted. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 382. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk nomination, the judiciary, Matthew Walden mcfarland of ohio to be United States district judge for the Southern District of ohio. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk. The presiding officer the clerk will report. 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 of Matthew Walden mcfarland of ohio to be United States district judge for the Southern District of ohio, signed by 17 senators as follows mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the reading of the names be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to living session. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 465. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk cloture motion. Nomination, the judiciary, Anuraag Singhal of florida to be United States district judge for the Southern District of florida. Mr. Mcconnell i accepted a cloture motion to the desk. The presiding officer the clerk will report. 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 Anuraag Singhal of florida to be United States district judge for the Southern District of florida, signed by 17 senators as follows provided i move to proceed to legislative session. The presiding officer the ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 466. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those opposed say know. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk the judiciary, Karen Spencer marston of pennsylvania to be United States district judge for the eastern strict of district of pennsylvania. Mr. Mcconnell i accepted a cloture motion to the desk. 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 Karen Spencer marston of pennsylvania to be United States district judge for the Eastern District of pennsylvania. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the reading of the names be waived. Without objection. I move to proceed to legislative session. Provided the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no the ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it the motion is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 480. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk judiciary, daniel mac tre knorr of north dakota to be United States district judge for the district of north dakota. 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 daniel mac traynor of north dakota to be United States district judge for the district of north dakota. The presiding officer all those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 481. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk the judiciary, jodi w. Dishman of oklahoma to be United States district judge for the Western District of oklahoma. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk. The presiding officer the clerk will report. 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 jodi w. Dishman of oklahoma to be United States district judge for the Western District of oklahoma. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the reading of the names be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to legislative session. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 490. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk nomination, the judiciary, john m. Gallagher of pennsylvania to be United States district judge for the Eastern District of pennsylvania. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk. The presiding officer the clerk will report. 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 john m. Gallagher of pennsylvania to be United States district judge for the Eastern District of pennsylvania, 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 move to proceed to legislative session. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. ed. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 536. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk nomination, the judiciary, Bernard Maurice jones ii of oklahoma to be United States district judge for the Western District of oklahoma. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk. The presiding officer the clerk will report the cloture 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 the nomination of Bernard Maurice jones ii of oklahoma, to be United States district judge for the Western District of oklahoma, 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 move to proceed to legislative session. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session and consider calendar number 354. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk nomination, the judiciary, mary k. Of new york to be United States district judge for the Southern District of new york. 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 Mary Kay Vyskocil of new york to be United States district judge for the Southern District of new york, 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 move to proceed to legislative session. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 383. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk nomination, the judiciary, Kea Whetzal Riggs of new mexico to be United States district judge for the district of new mexico. Mr. Mcconnell i send a cloture motion to the desk. The presiding officer the clerk will report. 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 Kea Whetzal Riggs of new mexico to be United States district judge for the district of new mexico, signed by 17 senators as follows mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the reading of the names be waived. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to legislative sessio