Focus today executive nominations, including brian miller for pandemic recovery. And the vote for mr. Miller setting for 4 30 p. M. Eastern. Take you live now to the senate floor on cspan2. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Lord god, have mercy upon our nation for the winds of suffering buffett our land. We hear the cries of the voiceless and the anguish of the unheard. We see the criminal actions of those who threaten freedom. Lord, snatch this nation conceived in liberty from the precipice of its own destruction. Extricate us from traps we have set for ourselves. Remind us that you are a god of justice from whom we borrow our heartbeats. Arise, mighty god, and make those who defy your purposes tremble with reverential awe. Hear the prayers of our senators, and give them wisdom, courage, and integrity for these challenging times. We pray in your strong name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. 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 one minute for morning business, please. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley the virus pandemic is disrupting our daily lives in unimaginable ways. The National Institutes of health is working with a private sector Biotech Company and have already begun early stage human trials for a potential vaccine. So there is hope on the horizon. However, the soaring prices of Prescription Drugs are making lifethreatening treatments and cures simply unaffordable for Many Americans. This pandemic makes clear two things. Americans urgently want a cure, and when lifesaving therapies and cures come to the market, americans must be able to afford them when their providers prescribe them. My bipartisan Prescription Drug pricing reduction act is needed now more than ever. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell madam president. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell last night, the streets of major American Cities were again the scene of looting and violent rioting that serves no purpose except to hurt innocent people and undermine peaceful demonstrations. Every one of us has an obligation to distinguish peaceful protests over the killings of george floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery from the violent riots that continue to see innocent people hurt, businesses and neighborhoods destroyed, and Law Enforcement officers assaulted. The former is a cherished constitutional right that every single citizen should support, and the latter is an unacceptable scourge that state and local leaders should have ended days ago. So i want to thank federal, state, and local leaders who are taking seriously their obligation to restore peace, protect the innocent, and stop this senseless violence. In some places, like my home state of kentucky and here in washington, last night was comparatively more calm and safe. But in too many other places like new york city, it appeared to be open season for lawlessness, looting, and attacking Law Enforcement for yet another night. And for what . For what, madam president . Rioting for the thrill of it . For the chance to steal some expensive items . So people can say they were on social media . This selfish violence takes us farther away from any National Healing or forward progress. It does not bring positive change any closer. It simply pushes it farther away. These writers need to listen to what George Floyds brother terrance said in minneapolis just yesterday. Heres what George Floyds brother said. I understand you all are upset. I doubt youre half as upset as i am. So if im not over here blowing up stuff, if im not over here messing up my community, then what are you all doing . George floyds brother. You are doing nothing, he said, because thats not going to bring my brother back at all. End quote. So, madam president , the the legitimate and important voices of Peaceful Protesters will never be heard over the wailing of firearms, the smashing of plate glass windows and the sirens of ambulances coming for Police Officers who have been assaulted or shot in the head. Our nation is united in horror and opposition to the violent killing of mr. Floyd. We are united. It is well past time that we also unite on the side of peace in our streets and peace in our communities. We need to unite against these violent rioters who seek only to aggrandize themselves and further damage a nation that needs healing. Now, on a totally different matter, obviously and unfortunately, this turmoil is not the only great challenge before us. Lest we forget, the health care fight against the worst viral pandemic in a century is still upon us. Our nation is trying to smartly and safely reopen. Just as Small Businesses in some cities are sweeping up broken glass, American Workers and entrepreneurs across the nation are trying to rebuild the shattered prosperity our nation was experiencing just a few months ago. And meanwhile, beyond our shores, our enemies and adversaries would be only too eager to catch the United States with our guard down. So there is plenty of work before the senate, and unlike the Democratic House of representatives, which i understand may next appear here in washington in about a month, in about a month, the senate is present and working. We continue to conduct oversight of our historic rescue package, the cares act, as it continues taking effect. I expect we will soon consider further Bipartisan Legislation to help the paycheck protection program, the signature policy from senators rubio and collins that has kept tens of millions of americans employed, continue to work for our country. As we pivot toward reopening, the senate is also working on significant covidrelated Legal Protections so our nations schools, health care workers, and employers are not swamped with frivolous lawsuits and taxpayer dollars do not just stimulate the pockets of trial lawyers. At the same time, critical vacancies remain throughout the federal government and qualified nominees stand ready to fill them. So the senate will work through two nominees to the Federal District courts and a number of important executive branch positions, including assistant secretary of defense for strategy plans and capabilities, deputy under secretary of defense, and the new special Inspector General for pandemic recovery. Whats more, madam president , we also have all the important legislation that needed to get done before the pandemic arrived in the first place. This month, we will turn to Bipartisan Legislation led by Senators Gardner and daines to provide stable support for the land and Water Conservation fund and lasting stewardship of our natural resources. Their bill will safeguard our nations public lands for recreation and conservation and help generations of americans continue to access and enjoy these treasures. And in the coming weeks, our colleagues on the Armed Services committee will begin marking up the 60th consecutive annual National Defense authorization act. I know our colleagues need no reminder of how important that task is. Neither do our men and women in uniform. The covid19 crisis makes it more urgent, not less urgent, that we continue to authorize investments in in our investment services, and in accelerating our National Defense strategy. From honing our Competitive Edge against wouldbe rivals on land and sea to expanding our reach in the air and space, achieving our nations Strategic Priorities begins right here this month with the ndaa. So, madam president , Congress Todo list is clear and the senate is manning its essential posts, working to get the American Peoples business done. 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 executive session to resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. The clerk nomination, department of defense, victor g. Mercado of california to be an assistant secretary. Mr. Mcconnell madam president. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to legislative session. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All in favor say aye. All 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 697. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All in favor say aye. All 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, broadcasting board of governors, michael pack of maryland, to be chief executive officer. 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 debate on the nomination of michael pack of maryland to be chief executive officer of the broadcasting board of governors, signed by 16 senators as follow 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. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent the senate resume consideration of the mercado nomination. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call quorum call mr. Schumer madam president. The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer are we in a quorum call . The presiding officer we are. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent that the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer so, madam president , i just finished watching joe bidens speech to the nation. President trump watched joe bidens speech watch his speech. Thats what real leadership looks like. Its difficult to express the moment we find ourselves in. Our countrys been hit by a strange and contagious disease, infecting millions. Killing over 100,000 of our people. Our economy was put to ice, put on ice for several months, shuttering scores of businesses, casting millions of americans on the unemployment rolls, and, according to government estimates, taking 16 trillion out of our economy over the long term. And then this nation suffered another trauma, the deeply pain of another African American sensely killed in police custody. Another reminder of the racism that can not only affect our Law Enforcement an criminal justice and criminal Justice System but our entire society. George floyds killing spurred justifiably overwhelming protests from minneapolis to new york to atlanta to here in the nations capital. Americans are angry and upset at the country they see and they want to change it. Can you blame them . It is a good thing that people protest and want to mack our country better, especially when it comes to the scourge of race, the poison thats been racism, especially when it comes to the scourge of racism, the poison thats been in american bones for far too long. The millions of americans of all races and backgrounds who have taken to the streets in peaceful protest are doing something noble. Reminding powers that the decades long failure to Police Police departments is unacceptable. That that is on the minds of tens of millions of African Americans. They are reminding the country that black lives matter, holding their arms up in silence for two minutes and 53 seconds, the length of time that george floyd was unresponsive while the Police Officer continued to press him into the hard pavement of that minneapolis street. The small minority who have exploited the protests to wreak havoc and violence are wrong. They are not taking part of the grand american tradition of First Amendment protests. They are not peacefully assembling, they are destroying businesses already struggling to recover and putting their fellow citizens in danger. They do a great disservice to themselves, their country, and the righteous cause that so Many Americans are now engaged in. But while over 4,000 protesters have been arrested over the past week, only one of the four Police Officers involved in George Floyds death has been arrested. It does not excuse the violence in any way, but explains, in part, why so Many Americans are angry. There is accountability for every day citizens and protesters when they violate the law. But there isnt always accountability for Law Enforcement when it does the same. Violence, wherever it occurs is wrong, but not prosecuting Law Enforcement when they break the law with the same intensity as protesters when they break the law is wrong as well. The first year of this new decade has brought plague and Economic Disaster and a vivid reminder of Racial Injustice. Testing testing the capacity of our country to endure what only a few months ago would have been considered an unimaginable series of challenges. We need leaders who will pull us together and help us heal and turn the righteous anger and the land into action and progress. Senate democrats are not going to wait to take action on Law Enforcement reform. We are going to confront and address these issues right now. Several of my colleagues are working on legislation, including senators booker and harris, guard inn, duckworth, schatz, and many others, as a caucus were going to listen to experts on Racial Justice like brian stevensson and hear from our constituents who suffer from discrimination and bias on a daily basis. And we are going to propose and push for bold action. What matters is that we respond to a National Wave of unrest with action. I am repeating my call to leader mcconnell. Leader mcconnell, commit to putting Law Enforcement reform legislation on the floor before july 4. A divided nation cannot wait for healing, for solutions. At the same time our nation needs calm and steady leadership, a sure hand and a big heart, qualities that President Trump has never displayed in office. I repeat my request to President Trump. President trump, watch joe bidens speech that he gave this morning. Thats what leadership is. Not what youre doing. We are living through a tale of two crisis, covid and protests and trump was been a failure at handling both of them. Last night the scene in washington, d. C. , might have provided the enduring portrait of the trump presidency. While peaceful, lawabiding citizens were exercising their constitutional right to protest in a public park across from the white house, President Trump ordered federal troops to clear those peaceful crowds with tear gas and rubber bullets so he could trudge a few blocks from the white house to stand in front of a church, not to go inside but for a photoop. The president s relentless need to make a weak man feel strong led him to order federal Law Enforcement officers to gas peacefully assembled americans so he could sneak his way to a church photoop. It led him to order federal officers to gas peacefully assembled americans so that he could sneak his way to a church for a photoop. After the gas came the horses, a modernday calvary with clearing the battlefield. The purpose, so President Trump could wave a bible, not read a bible, not even his bible, as a prop. It was appalling. It was an abuse of president ial power. It may well have been illegal and it was blatantly unconstitutional. The president of the United States ordered troops to attack peaceful american citizens, exercising citizens exercising their Constitutional Rights by tear gassing them in a public park while military helicopters flew overhead. The president Must Immediately cease this behavior. Secretary esper and general milley should not let the u. S. Military come within a country mile of these stunts. Let me say that. The president must cease this behavior immediately. Secretary esper, general milley should not allow the u. S. Military to come within a country mile of these ugly stunts. The administration is u