Confirmation vote expected on that nomination. Also this week, debate and votes on Police Reform legislation introduced by South Carolina republican senator tim scott. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Black, will open the senate with prayer. The chaplain let us pray. O god our shield, look with favor upon our senators today. Guide them around the obstacles that hinder their progress, uniting them for the common good of this great land. Free them from anxiety and fear, as they put their trust in you. Lord, enable them to go from strength to strength, fulfilling your purpose for their lives in this generation. Guide them to use their abilities and talents to accomplish your holy will. Striving to please you, help them to stand for right and leave the consequences to you. We pray in your holy name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in the pledge of allegiance to the 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. Mr. Grassley madam president . The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley i ask for one minute for morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley were taking a very important vote tomorrow on a bill called the justice act. Im proud to cosponsor this Police Reform bill and i also applaud senator tim scott for his leadership in improving Police Accountability while at the same time preserving the essential service that Law Enforcement provides. These are the people that maintain the peace in the respective communities around the United States. Now were ready to work with democrats on Police Reform. I hope the democrats finally are willing to come to the table. A successful vote to proceed to the justice act speaks volumes. A vote against proceeding shows the American People that politics are more important than people. Talking points more important than change and grade lock more important gridlock more important than solutions. Surely democrats want Police Reform. I hope democrats will vote in favor of opening debate on the justice act. George floyd and countless others so murdered deserve the senates action and consideration of this bill. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell madam president . The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell two weeks ago i argued that civil discourse in america faces a crossroads. Major newspaper had buckled under pressure from a social media mob. They apologized profusely for publishing a policy argument from a u. S. Senator and made personnel changes to prove their penance. He said we could recommit to our tradition of seasoned debate or let an angry mob run our culture. Well, recent days have reminded us its not just our present day debates that far left radicals want to overwhelm. They also want to rewrite the past. Back in 2017 when people wondered whether our important conversations over confederate monuments would give the far left a broader taste for pulling down statues, major newspapers and plead ya figures and media figures literally mopped that concern. They said there were obvious differences between rebel generallies generallies generals and the nations founders. They said nobody would come gunning for washington or jefferson. Well, the far left missed the memo. A few days ago in portland, o gon, a mob oregon, a mob graffitid a statue of our first president. Pulled it down and burned an American Flag over his head. This is george washington. Another Washington Statue was defaced in baltimore, a statue of Thomas Jefferson was ripped down in portland also. This is the general and first president who built our nation and the author of the declaration of independence. Genius statesmen who helped begin it grand experiment thats brought freedom to hundreds of millions and saved the world a few times for good measure. And then a crazy trend is treating their monuments like vanity strat uses of ten horn tyrants. Our Founding Fathers are being roped to the ground like they were saddam hussein. The list goes on. St. Unifer osara, the missionary settler whom pope francis celebrated here in washington a few years ago to bipartisan applause. He sided with native people over soldiers. Ulysses s. Grant, the general who crushed the confederacy. The president who used federal force to fight the klan. They, too, have been placed on the historical hit list for the new red guard that nobody elected. Mormonments toppled more monuments toppled up and down the west coast. But, madam president , there could be no clearer sign take these farleft radicals have severed any connection to a righteous cause of racial justice. Theyve literally tried to succeed where robert e. Lee failed and bring general grant to the ground. Now like any cultural revolution, this farleft anger is sparing some heroes of their own. I understand that in seattle a large statue of vladimir lenan stands quite untouched. Apparently people claim with a straight face that this communist statue has survived because it is located wait for it on private property. So the founding father of the mass murdering soviet union watches over seattle strategies but our own Founding Fathers are dragged in the dirt. A small slice of our National Elite has spent years cooking up highfalutin theories to justify the cheapest basic forms of antiamericanism. The absurd claim that americas deepest founding principle is bigotry has escaped the ivory tower and begun seeping into society. The United States of america can and should have nuance conversations about our complex past. We can and should have discussions about our future. We can and should have peaceful protests. But this lawlessness serves none of that. Its just an alliance of convenience between angry criminals who think its fun to wreak havoc and a slice of elite society that profits off saying our country is evil and deserves the abuse. Enough, madam president. Enough. The vast majority of americans know full well that imperfect heroes are still heroes, that our imPerfect Union is still the greatest nation in world history. Americans know our imperfect framers built on a nation on moral truths that have fueled improvement beyond anything their generation could have built themselves. The American People know this. They also know that we cannot let angry mobs carrying rope act outside the rule of law. It was central to the 14th amendment and the Civil Rights Movement that Law Enforcement and local authorities may not do their jobs selectively. If equal protection of the laws means anything, it means mayors and governors cannot selectively stand down because theyd rather not pay the political price for confronting a particular mob. But thats precisely what we are seeing in democraticgoverned cities all across our country. In seattle for weeks now a mayor has let bands of people ban police from several square blocks. People have been shot. A teenager has died. But apparently stopping this insanity has been deemed less politically correct than letting it continue. Night after night governors and mayors have stood down and watched criminals spray paint churches and topple statues. Public order is now totally optional and depends on the law breakers politics. Here in washington last night local police protected one monument from a memorialhunting mob over near the white house. Look, it is past time for that courage to be replicated in every city, every night until americans have the peace and the rule of law that all of our citizens deserve. Its no surprise that people who want to say our country is intrinsically evil are so frantic to erase history that theyll break the law to do it. Erasing history is the only way their claims could carry any water. Americans know that an imperfect nation built by imperfect heros is still the most Perfect Union the world has ever seen. Were proud to build statues of the geniuses who fought to found this country. Were proud to build statues to the leaders who preserved it. Were proud to build statues of prophetic civil rights leaders who made the country confront gross injustice. We thank god that all kinds of imperfect people have made us a more Perfect Union. And when the dust settles, it is never, never the mobs or bullies whom we honor. It is the brave leaders who confront them. Now, madam president , on a totally different matter, last week senator scott of South Carolina and a group of our colleagues rolled out the justice act, a serious set of proposals to move the ball for Police Reform across the country. Of this legislation identifies a number of smart levers that congress can pull to advance and encourage smart reforms of Law Enforcement without steamrolling states and localities constitutional powers. It would step up transparency in reporting and recordkeeping. It could expand accountability and disciplinary measures needed to establish and restore community trust. It would directly address issues such as choke holds and noknock warrants that have been this the news lately for reasons nobody believes are acceptable. These are the subjects which the country needs us to address. Accordingly, these are the subjects senator scotts proposal does address. The American People expect us to do our jobs, discuss debate and legislate on this subject that has captured the nations attention. Discussion, debate, votes on amendments. Tomorrow well find out whether even these modest steps are a bridge too far for our colleagues on the democratic side. Earlier this month Senate Democrats were telling everyone who would listen that wed be derelict in our duty if we did not have Police Reform legislation on the floor of the senate this month. But then, as soon as the junior senator from South Carolina actually published something concrete, their tune has changed rather sharply. And now suddenly our democratic colleagues have reported an agonizing and debating whether to let the senate have this discussion at all or whether to kill any chance of reform legislation before it can even taxi onto the runway. The American People deserve better than a partisan stalemate. The American People deserve for the senate to take up this issue at this time. Senate republicans want to have this discussion. Were ready to make a law, not just make a point. Tomorrow well find out whether our democratic colleagues share our ambition or whether they choose to duck the issue and leave the country in the lurch. 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, the judiciary, cory t. Wilson of mississippi to be United States circuit judge for the fifth circuit. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call mr. Schumer madam president. The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent that the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent that i speak for ten minutes and then the senator from new jersey for ten minutes and the senator from california for ten minutes. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer thank you, madam president. Now, the past few months have been among the most wrenching and tumultuous in recent memory, the deaths of george floyd, Breonna Taylor and the coronavirus pandemic has forced our country to reckon with Police Departments but also the centurieslong struggle against racial injustice. Here in Congress Democrats have sought to turn the anger and frustration and, yes, sometimes despair in our country into real and meaningful action. Democrats wish to seize the moment. Three weeks ago, democrats announced a bill that would finally bring strong comprehensive and lasting change to Police Departments across america, the justice in policing act led by senators booker and harris. The house of representatives will pass that bill this week. But here in the senate we have a much different story. Senate republicans responded to our comprehensive legislation that proposes a bill that is so much weaker on nearly every single count and were still and still completely silent on so many issues that scream out for action. Should Police Officers be held to greater account if they violate americans Constitutional Rights . The republican bill is silent. Should they have access to militarygrade equipment . The republican side is splient. Should they develop better use of force standards, should the Justice Department be empowered to encourage and investigate Police Departments that have bad practice . Silent, silent, silent. In the place of real change and accountability for Police Officers and departments, the republican bill proposes a slew of studies and commissions. We dont need to study the problem of Police Misconduct and violence many we need to solve it. No doubt these issues are complex, multipass ited and difficult, but the republican legislation pretends as if the cancer of Police Brutality is, in fact, is in reality little more than a runny nose. The republican legislation pretends that as if the cancer of Police Brutality is little more than a runny nose. The National Conversation about policing reform that has been ongoing has been renewed by george floyd, his windpipe crushed by a Police Officer. The bill my republican friends drafted would not ban the type of brutal tactics that led to George Floyds death. The republican bill does not fully prevent the kind of tactics that spark this whole debate in the first place, Breonna Taylor taylor, a First Responder was asleep in her bed when she was killed by police scawting a noknock warrant. The republican bill does not ban or limit noknock warrants or require Police Departments to provide more before obtaining them from the court. It calls for more data on thes the use of noknock warrants. After the tragic loss of Breonna Taylor, how could the republican bill not even attempt to prevent the kind of deaths that led to her death. Imagine that the president after the march for Civil Rights Movements had proposed a bill that called for more data on the effect of more poll tactics. Imagine if president johnson, instead of the Voting Rights act, proposed a Voting Rights commission to study the issue a little bit more. There is no escaping the fact that the Senate Republicans have drafted a policing bill that is deeply, fundamentally flawed. And the democrats are not the only ones to say so. This mornings Washington Post, the floyd family lawyer, reverend sharpton, the Naacp Legal Defense Fund urged senators to oppose the g. O. P. Reform bill. They called it a nonstarter a nonstarter and that is what we believe as well. Last night the Naacp Legal Defense Fund said it cannot support legislation that does not embody a strong accountability framework for Police Officers and other Law Enforcement officers who engage in misconduct. The lawyers for the families of george floyd and Breonna Taylor, one of the nations most renowned civil rights attorneys, benjamin crumb p wrote, that the republican legislation is, quote in direct contrast to the demands of the people who have been protesting, and, quote, the black community is tired of lip service and shocked that the republican proposal can be thought of as legislation. Thats the lawyer for the families of Breonna Taylor and george floyd. Let me repeat. The attorney representing the families who are seeking justice believe the republican bill is completely inadequate, lip service, and can hardly be thought of as legislation. How does leader mcconnell respond to that charge now does he respond when the families lawyer says his bill is a nonstarter . Civil Rights Groups who have been the noble guardians of these generations who want nothing more than to see meaningful they see this bill for the futile and maybe cynical ploy that it is. Their opposition speaks louder than almost any other. Who does america believe when it comes to dealing with these issues, leader mcconnell who seems to