Lord, infuse our senators with a spirit of humility. Enabling them to refuse to become legends in their own minds. May they ultimate v8 they cultivate esteem for others, seeking opportunities to practice the golden rule due unto others as you would have them do unto you. As they work to find common ground, give them your wisdom and peace. 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. Mr. Reid mr. President . The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Reid i was disappointed last night to learn the Supreme Court temporarily halted the implementation of president obamas coal power plant program. This was an especially stunning move by the Supreme Court, given that just weeks ago the d. C. Circuit court of appeals categorically rejected a halt of the Clean Power Plan and the states do not need to start implementing the plan until 2022. The shortsighted decision by the courts five conservative justices is an unfortunate setback and it unnecessarily puts into question a major part of our countrys effort to address Climate Change and protect our environment. Notwithstanding my amazement, i remain confident that the Obama Administrations carbon rules are legally sound and will prevail in the courts. In the landmark case massachusetts versus the Environmental Protection agency, the Supreme Court itself directed the Environmental Protection agency to address Climate Change if Carbon Pollution was found to be a danger to human health. Based on enormous scientific evidence, the e. P. A. Did make that finding the agency is required by law to regulate Carbon Pollution. I cant imagine that the Supreme Court would take such an unprecedented and drastic step at this time, but the unparalleled nature of the Supreme Courts decisions show why Congress Must play a role in addressing Climate Change. Climatedenying republicans in the house and the senate might applaud this decision, but their refusal to protect americans from the impacts of Climate Change is the real loss for our country. Mr. President , there is no nation on this planet more dedicated to fear and intimidation than north korea. Its leader, kim jong un, is a brutal dictator. He will stop at nothing to keep his power intact and his people isolated. Thats been proven. To accomplish these objectives, the north korean government relies on threats to japan and other neighbors and of course the United States. Recently a number of alarming developments out of north korea has accelerated. These acts of aggression are extremely concerning to the International Community, as they should be. Last saturday, north korea defied International Warnings and launched a rocket using Ballistic Missile technology. This was a flagrant violation of multiple United NationsSecurity Council resolutions, and this came less than a month after north korea detonated a Nuclear Device, also in clear violation and the law. That brings us to today when the United States director of National Security im sorry, National Intelligence, James Clapper, confirmed that north korea was im sorry, that north korea has restarted a plutonium reactor. The director has explained that north korea would be able to recover fuel from its reactor within a matter of weeks or months. The International Community quickly condemned these incidents, as it should have. President obama has been a leader in pushing back against sabre rattling from north korea. Hes worked to galvanize the world in opposing north koreas provocative and destabilizing behavior. Under the president s leadership, the United States will build a global coalition, including china and russia, to impose sanctions against north korea. There is International Consensus that north koreas actions violate International Law and threaten our allies and partners in the region. Here in the capitol, there is also broad bipartisan agreement that there must be consequences for north koreas provocations. The house of representatives overwhelmingly passed new sanctions legislation. Now the senate must act. We need to do it today. Two weeks ago, the Senate ForeignRelations Committee unanimously approved the sanctions bill thats now before this body. This legislation would require the president to investigate and sanction any person who knowingly imports into north korea certain goods, technology, service, training or advice concerning weapons of mass destruction. It also directs the president to investigate and sanction people when engaged in human rights abuses, Money Laundering and related activities and cyberterrorism or other cyber vandalism. In addition, the legislation authorizes 15 million to transmit Radio Broadcasts to north korea for the next five years. These are commonsense steps congress should take in response to north koreas unwarranted provocation. Everyone in the senate agrees that north koreas aggression cannot go unanswered. Its action threatens the peace and security of the region and actually the world. I hope my colleagues will join with me in passing this legislation today to send a message to kim jong un that his reckless behavior will not go unanswered. Mr. President , i would ask that this statement that im going to make now appear at a separate place in the record. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Reid i so admire the family we have here in the senate. Many people work ceaselessly to make sure the senate runs well. In the Senate Periodical press gallery, a small group of nonpartisan staffers helps the Congressional Press office to Work Together with the Communications Staff of the senators and their committees. Their fingerprints can be found on nearly every part of the senates business. The Periodical Press Gallery facilitates key parts of the senate business, including press access, print and Digital Media planning, security protocols and communications across countries of thousands of media platforms. For over 15 years, one man has been at the helm of this exceptionally fine team. His name is ed peskey. After graduating from Loyola University in 1990, ed began working in the Senate Periodical press gallery. During his 26 years of service, ed has always acted with warmth and professionalism. As the news industry transitioned from sole dependence on print traditional mediums to a thriving combination of print and Digital Media, ed ensured the Senate Press Gallery was not left behind. He created the first web site for the Periodical Press Gallery way back in 1999 and developed a social Media CommunicationProgram Since then. It has been a trailblazer in the news industry and principal leader here in the senate. He has served under 11 sergeants at arms and during countless historic achievements here in the senate, he has seen so much. When asked what they will miss most, eds coworkers recall his infectious laughter and dedication to team building. Last year ed announced that he would retire after more than two decades of service. I congratulate him for his many dedicated years of remarkable service. I wish ed and john, his husband, all the best in the years to come. On behalf of my colleagues, our staff and the entire congressional community, i extend my gratitude to ed for his tireless commitment to the United States senate. Mr. President , i was told that the leader would be late. I dont ordinarily go first, but i was asked to do so. Mr. Mcconnell i, too, would like to say a few words about ed who today after 25 years of federal service is retiring as the senates Periodical Press Gallery director. Ed has been a fixture around here for years. You could usually find him right outside the chamber behind the saloon swinging doors of the periodical gallery. When George Mitchell was the majority leader, thats where you found him. When bob dole had the job, thats where you found him. Its been true ever since. But you can sometimes find ed other places, too. Some mornings, you can spot ed at the gym on a spin cycle. Later in the evening, you might see ed queuing for the premier of a star wars sequel, maybe even a prequel. Almost any other time, you would likely mind ed buried in a book. Fiction is one of his favorite genres. History is the other. He certainly witnessed plenty of it firsthand. He oversaw Media Planning and execution for six president ial inaugurations, for half a dozen Republican Conventions and just as many democratic ones. Not to mention hundreds of congressional hearings and press conferences. It ed is a baltimore native who came to the Periodical Press Gallery shortly after graduating from loyola. He diligently worked his way through the ranks, and after a decade spent learning the tricks of the trade, assumed his current role back in 2000. The job has brought ed in contact with thousands of Senate Staffers and congressional reporters. It necessitated many long hours and plenty of late nights. It presented ample amounts of tense situations as well. But ed never lost his good attitude or his boisterous laugh. Just ask his staff. Fun loving, thoughtful, tough but fair. Thats how people who work closest with ed described him. At 62, ed is hard to miss, but i know he will be missed here in the senate when he leaves. He took on a tough job with a great attitude, gained a lot of fans. Its a legacy anyone could be proud of. I think i can speak for my colleagues when i say that we thank ed for his many years of service, we send him our best and we look forward to seeing what he will be able to accomplish in the next chapter of his life. Now, on a different matter, today the senate has an opportunity to pass Bipartisan Legislation that would add to our nations ability to hold north korea accountable for its growing aggression. North korea threatens regional stability and our own National Security. It threatens allies in the region, especially south korea and japan. And as general clapper stated yesterday, its a country that will continue to advance its Nuclear Program. I would urge my colleagues to vote yes to the north korea sanctions and policy enhancement act today so we can work toward keeping our nation and our allies safer. Now, on yet another matter, a few years ago, the Obama Administration rolled out massive regulatory scheme they dubbed a Clean Power Plan. An odd choice given that it wouldnt have meaningful impact on global emissions or the health of our planet. Heres what those massive regulations likely would do, though. Ship middleclass jobs overseas, punish the poor, impose more pain on Kentucky Coal families who just want to put food on the table, all for the sake, one must assume, of letting welloff folks on the left feel better about themselves for quote doing something. Its pretty clear that the administrations Energy Regulations threaten a lot of middleclass pain for hardly any substantive environmental gain. There is another huge problem, too. These regulations are in my view likely illegal. Yesterday, the Supreme Court order was just the latest sign of that. If nothing else, it shows we were right to let governors know their options. We thought governors should know that they could take a waitandsee approach before locking their states into some massive regulatory scheme. We thought governors should know that the economic jeopardy they would place their states in by moving ahead without a clearer understanding first of what might be legally required. We thought governors should not feel bullied by the heavy hand of this administration. That cautious approach was the most responsible one, in my view. Yesterdays decision shows it was a prudent one as well. Well see what the Supreme Court ultimately decides, but were going to keep fighting against these regressive regulations regardless. Its worth remembering how we got here in the first place. President obama tried to push a regressive, antimiddle class energy tax through a democratcontrolled congress and his own party said no. Mr. President , that was back in 2010. When the democrats controlled the senate. They said, no. He simply went around congress to impose a similarly regressive plan anyway. Kentuckians in the eastern part of my state are experiencing a severe depression, a depression that policies like these are only making worse. Ive repeatedly invited Jean Mccarthy to my state to see the devastation first hand, but theyve refused to accept. But even if they wont come to us, weve brought constituents to Administration Hearings in washington to try to make people here listen. I put myself on the appropriations subcommittee on interior so that i could have a stronger influence in the oversight of the e. P. A. Budget. Its given me the opportunity to shed light on the struggles of my home state and question officials like jena mccarthy. Its given me the opportunity to push for riders that would overturn these regulations in their entirety. Ive also worked successfully with members of both parties to pass measures through congress that would also overturn these antimiddle class regulations in their entirety. President obama pulled out all the stops to defeat previous attempts to pass riders. He vetoed the bipartisan measures we passed through congress, but he cant stop the Supreme Court from making the right decision, as we hope it ultimately will. He also cant stop the American People from electing a successor who is ready to support the middle class. Heres the bottom line i think we owe it to the people under attack to represent them and to stand up on their behalf. The americans that these regulations attack have committed no crime, theyve done nothing wrong, theyre human beings with families. Its about time we had an administration who treated them that way. Until then, well keep fighting, and well celebrate important progress along the way, just as we did with yesterdays Supreme Court action. The presiding officer under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. Under the previous order, the senate will be in a period of morning business until 10 30 a. M. With senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. Mr. Mcconnell i suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call mr. Corker mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from tennessee. Mr. Corker i would like to ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. The presiding officer without objection, morning business is closed. Under the previous order, the senate will proceed to the consideration of h. R. 757, which the clerk will report. The clerk calendar number 359, h. R. 757, an act to the enforcement of sanctions against the government of north korea and for other purposes. The presiding officer under the previous order, there will be seven hours of debate divided in the usual form. Mr. Corker thank you, mr. President. I want to start by thanking the leader for bringing to the floor today the bipartisan north korea sanctions policy enhancement act. This legislation passed unanimously out of the Senate ForeignRelations Committee to address a critical National Security issue, the nuclear and Ballistic Missile threat of north korea. We know all too well that the past few decades of north korean policy including both republican and democratic administrations have been an abject failure. While there is no Silver Bullet solution, it is clear that