Commitment for live Senate Coverage starting in a moment howevewe will recd the presidt elect and have it later on the cspan networks. Live to the senate where they e planning to wk on a nomition for u. S. District court for the Southern District of mississippi. The president pro tempor the senate will come to order. Thchaplain, dr. Barry black, will open the senate with the chaplain let us pray. Eterl redeemer, provide our laakers with your grace, mercy, and peace by your grace, may they forget the challenges behind them. By your mercy, may they reach for the opportunities that beckon. By yr peace, may they possess anquanimity of temperament during lifes fluctuating intricacies. Lord, give them a passion for truth and a reluctance to major minors. Use their exemplary lives to inspire people to live wh faith, purse, and power. Remind us all that though we may planned, you deterne what will finally happen. Amenray in your great name. The president pro tempore please joi me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, invisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Grassley mr. President . The presiding officer he senato from iowa. Mr. Grassley one minute for morning business. The presiding officer without jection. Mr. Grassley although many proking vaccines for the coronavirus although promising vaccines for the coronavirus is more important than ever, it is more important to stop the surge. Countries across the world are seeing cas explode. Its critical for iowans to step up their personal responsibilities, to stay safe and healthy for themselves and their loved ones. And that, of course, includes our tireless health care professionals, those on the front lines working to save lives. This virus is hitting rural and urban areas alike. No community is immune. I ask every iowan to continue to do their part to keep their family and neighbors safe. Wash your hands, limit your activity outside your household, social distance, wear a mask. Were going to get through this together, but we need everyone to do their part. I eld the floor. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President . The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell once again this morning brought two different sets of headlines on the pandem weve been battling for the last nine months. On one hand, rates of infection and hospitalization are rising rapidly natnwide. We must all continue taking smart precautions, such as Wearing Masks and practicing social distancing. But, at the same time, we continue to receive hopeful signs that victory may actually be on the horizon. This morning the American Biotech firm m moderna and their National Institutes of health announce that early trials suggest the vaccine their developing may not only be safe but 95 effective. This follows pfizers announcement last week as f. D. A. Commissioner Scott Gottlieb summed it up, when the full data comes out, we may have two highly effective vaccines against covid. If these results hold, were told the first doses of a vaccine could be administered to certain Vulnerable People as soon as next month. With wider distribution by next spring. This is a remarkable testament to american ingenuity, to bright researchers and brave test participants, to bold commitnts from the private sector and historic support from smart Public PolicyLike Operation warp speed from the Trump Administration and from this senate. As modernas c. E. O. Said this morning, quote, i want to thank our partners atarta and operation warp speed who have been instrumental in accelerating our program to this point. Operation warp speed spent billions in funding to expedite research and development. It provided a streamlined Regulatory Environment and prepurchase agreements to reduce risk. It has mobilized the compilation of the basic supplies things like needles and swabs that need to travel with the vaccine itself. We have every indication that this historic Publicprivate Partnership is on track to delir a scientific miracle and help us defeat the virus in the months ahead. Certainly there is no time to waste. Kentucky Just Announced our highest ever weekly count of new positive cases. The numbers are troubling in places all across our country. So for now, our job is to continue doing all we can to stay safe and slow the spread. Now, mr. President , on a totally different matter, the last several days have brought renewed speculation about the prospect of rapidly withdrawing all u. S. Military forces from syria, iraq, and afghanistan. Here in congress, a small minority in both parties seem think it is in americas power to unilaterally remove conflicts by simply walking away from them. Met me say that again let me say that again. A small minority in both parties seem to think its in earthquake ins power to its in americas power to unilaterally resolve conflicts by systemly walking away from them by simply walking away from them. Of course all wars must end. The question is, now how they end and on whether the terms on which they end are favorable or unfavorable to the security and interests of the United States. And nothing about the circumstances we face today suggest that if we lose resolve, the terrorists will simply leave us alone. Over the last four years, the Trump Administration has made tremendous headway in creating the conditions that will secure the enduring defeat of the terrorists. This president and his policies have strengthened americas hand in multiple middle east conflicts while reducing the risks and costs to our country. The isis caliphate has been shattered and millions have been liberated from their brutal rule. Weve removed master terrorists like albaghdadi, soleimani, and senior al qaeda and isis leaders from the battlefield. The Trump Administration has brokered diplomatic successes that should help bring longterm stability and more Economic Opportunity to a troubled region. The Abraham Accords are a geostrategicame changer. The last four years have also brought increased skin in the game from our allies and our partners. Our friends in europe and elsewhere have a shared interest in stopping safe havens for terror. Today in africa, our limited american presence supports a multinational Initiative Led by france to combat radical islamic terrorists. Likewise, in places where American Forces continue to play roles in ongoing conflicts across the middle east, cretaries mattis worked hard to secure renewed contributions from European Partners and to transition our posture more and more towards a supporting role. Our local partners are demonstrably the lions share of the fight. We scored major battlefield successes by supporting and working with and through local partners such as the Afghan National security forces, the elite Iraqi Counterterrorism service and the local kurdish and arab fighters of the Syrian Democratic forces. The situati we face today is totally different than what we faced 10 years ago. We do not have hundreds of thousands of soldiers engaged in combat abroad. We do not have hundreds of thousands of soldiers engaged in combat abroad. Were not an occupying force. Today our limited American Military presence in the middle east is supporting local forces and enabling multinational efforts. Were playing a limited limited but Important Role in defending american National Security and american interests against terrorists who would like nothing more than for the most powerful force for good in the world to simply pick up our ball and go home. They would love that. Thats why last year 70 senators a bipartisan supermajority voted for an amendment i authored that acknowledged the progress made in syria and afghanistan, identified the risks that remain, and cautioned that precipitous withdrawal would create vacuums that iran, russia, and the terrorists would be delighted delighted to fill. There is no american who does not wish the war in afghanistan against terrorists and their enablers had already been conclusively won. But that does not change the actual choice before us now. A rapid withdrawal of u. S. Forces from afghanistan now would hurt our allies and delight delight the people who wish us harm. Violence affecting afghans is still rampant. The taliban is not abiding by the conditis of the socalled pee deal. E consequences of a premature american exit would likely be even worse than president obamas withdrawal from iraq back in 2011, which fueled fueled the rise of isis and a new round of global terrorism. It would be reminiscent of the humiliating american departure from saigon in 1975. Wed be abandoning our partners in afghanistan, the brave afghans who are fighting the terrorist us and destroying the governments leverage in their talks with the taliban are designed to end the fighting. Our retreat would embolden the taliban, especially the deadly haqqani wing, and risk plunging afghan women and girls back into what they experienced back in the 1990s. It would hand a weakened and scattered al qaeda a big, big propaganda victory and a renewed safe haven for plotting attacks against america. And it would be welcome news to iran, which has long provided arms and support to the taliban and explicitly seeks our retreat from the middle east. A disorganized retreat would jeopardize the track record of major successes this administration has worked hard to compile. As a number of former officials and ambassadors recently stated, the spectacle of u. S. Troops abdoning facilities and equipment, leaving the field in afghantan to the talibannd isis would be broadcast around the world as a symbol of u. S. Defeat and humiation and of victory for islamic extremism. President trump deserves major credit major credit for reducing u. S. Forces in afghanistan to a sustainable level, scoring major victories against terrorists acrosshe region, and ensuring the afghans themselves are at the front of the fight. That same successful approach should continue until the conditions for longterm defeat of isis and al qaeda have been achieved. Mr. President , i ask unanimous the immediate consideration of calendar number 505, h. R. 6395. The presiding officer the clerk will report. The clerk calendar number 505, h. R. 6395, and act to appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activits of the department of defense a so fort and for other purposes. The presiding officer without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the inhofe substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to and that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time. The presiding officer without objection. Mcconnell i know of no fuher debate on the bill, a amended. The presiding officer if there is no further debate, the question is on passage of the bill as amended. All in favor say aye. All opposed no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The bill as amended is passed. Mr. Mcconnell i asknanimous consent the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell suggest the absence of a quorum. The presidg officer the clerk will call the roll. Quor call orum call the presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer isk unanimous consent that the qrum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer now, mr. President , tomorrow the senate will vote on the nomination of judy shelton to serve on the board of governors of the Federal Reserve. Her views are extreme and retrograde. She seems to prefer the economic policies that foregrounded the economic depression and advocated a return to the Gold Standard and long questioned the need for federal deposit insurance and in march 2009, in the midst of our last economic crisis, she questioned why do we need a central bank. Imagine someone like ms. Shelton with her retrograde views sitting on the Federal Reserve during a time of economic crisis. Imagine someone like that making decisions about Monetary Policy back in april when our economy was in free fall. We should not firm to the Federal Reserve someone who would likely stymie efforts to dig ourselves out of this economic crisis. I urge every one of my colleagues, democrat and republican, to reject this terrible, terrible nomination. Covid covid19, as we know, unfortunately, has upended nearly every aspect of American Life for the better part of a year but as impatient as we all are for our lives to return to normal, the harsh truth of the matter is the coming months might be the worst of the pandemic. Cases have skyrocketed to well over 150,000 americans per day. Were now recording one million new covid cases a week. Hospital i. Krumplets and i. C. U. s and morgues are beyond capacity. Americans must brace themselves for a long winter the we cannot tire of the limited precautions that save lives. Wear a mask, social distance, avoid large indoor gatherings, stay vigilant. We must do our part to prevent this next surge from overwhelming our Health Systems. Congress, as well, should be doing all that is necessary to support those efforts and prevent the worst from happening. Too Many Americans have lost Health Care Coverage as a result of losing their jobs this year. Medicaid has seen a huge increase in new enrollees and needs resources. As unemployment remains in tens of millions, extended Unemployment Insurance is paramount and many more things besides. Speaker pelosi and i have been in regular communication with president elect biden and his transition team. Unlike the current administration, the Incoming Administration wants to move rapidly to get a handle on the virus and recover our economy. Today president elect biden urged the senate to pass the heroes act, comprehensive legislation that sleeves no one leaves no one intiendz. Our country deserves a bill that meets the needs of the American People and the moment. If leader mcconnell and our republican colleagues want to sit down and negotiate a bipartisan solution with a bipartisan process, democrats are ready and willing and able to do so. But, unfortunately, its been two weeks since leader mcconnell said he was in charge of negotiating the next covid19 relief bill and he still hasnt spoken to Speaker Pelosi or myself. We have 14 votes on the floor this week on nominations for a lame duck president , but we have nothing nothing pertaining to covid. There is, however, a bit of good news today. A second u. S. Company announced it has discovered an effective vaccine in phase three trials. Early figures suggest it is close to 95 effective. As these two vaccines move through the final approval process, we should distribute them to everyone in a comprehensive bill that includes robust vaccine funding. Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel but were still in the tunnel and may be so for several months. We must do everything in our individual power to turn the tide of the virus. On elections. Instead of working to pull the country back together so we can fight our common enemy, covid19, the republican majority is busy spreading conspiracy theories, denying reality, poisoning the well of our democracy. It seems like republicans all over washington are nudging each other aside to say who can say the most outlandish thing in support of President Trumps faceless claims of election fraud. Two members of this chamber went so far as to accuse their States Election result of not being delivered honestly because President Trump didnt win. They demanded their own secretary of state, a fellow republican, resign. The two senators provided no evidence, not a shred to support the claim that the election wasnt conducted honestly. A republican governor suggested sernding alternative state of electors to the electoral college, he encouraged them to ignore the will of the voters to send the electors who would vote for donald trump. I understand my republican colleagues dislike the results of the president ial election, but this has gone beyond ridiculous. This is reckless. President trump is working to convince millions of americans that the election wasnt fair and was stolen without a scrap of evidence. Whatever fears my colleagues might have about President Trump abandoning their party if they dont show sufficient support, thats no excuse for sanctioning his efforts to discredit our democratic elections. The percentage of republicans who now believe the election was not free and fair has doubled to 70 70 in the United States of america. How much longer will Senate Republicans stand by while President Trump shreds americans faith in our democracy . So i have a simple message for my colleagues. The election is over. President trump lost. Joe biden will be the next president of the United States. Cam cam Kamala Harris will the Vice President. Ironically the president s legal challenges have accomplished one thing, they have revealed how secure