our ability to offer amendments. nothing. that's something that happens postcloture. for the last year and a half, under leadership, under leader mcconnell, we have had one amendment vote. one amendment vote. and that amendment wasn't even really an amendment. it was a chairman who was controlling his own bill, askind substitute his own amendment. so it really wasn't even a real amendment vote. so we've been here a year and a half -- we've been here a year and a half and because senators, united states senators that are elected by the people in their state don't want to cast a tough vote, they block everybody from voting. i have no idea why rand paul cannot get a vote on his amendment. it is ridiculous. he's been trying to get a vote on it for years. years. and we block it. why is that? i want to say for the record, i've held amendments this morning until we could work out the solution. i am not holding any amendments. none. zero. i'm holding no one's amendment. te senators, we're worried somehow that this gosh, almighty. i heard the senator from texas, the senior senator from tex

intentionally slowing the senate down, because when we're dealing with what's called postcloture debate time oninee you can't deal with anything else. you can't deal with legislation. you can't deal with any other topic. so the senate comes to a stop.0t doing that. lost time. we have a lot of nominees that still need to go through, that traditionally went through by voice vote or went through in rapid succession. the white house while has a lot of nominees. they are due to send to us as well. they will continue to send those nominees, but the nominees that are here, that have gone through the committee process, that have been fully vetted, it's time to bring those to a vote so the president can have his staff. in 2013, republicans and democrats agreed together. things started to slow down a bit in 2012 on some nominees. soepublicans and dem together camero change the rule for how much time would be set aside for nominees. harry reid did a presentation during that time period and supported a proposal, two hours of time for district court judges, eight hours of time for just about everybo

postcloture time expire at 1:45 p.m. today. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection, so ordered. mr. mcconnell: for the information of senators, this sets up a series of votes this afternoon. we should expect three to four votes during this series. i have four requests for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. aa senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from from washington. ms. cantwell: is there a quorum call? the presiding officer: there is not. ms. cantwell: madam president, i come to the floor today to honor washington state's finest, spokane native and washington state university cougar steve gleason. i know my senate colleagues will be here this afternoon to do the same. my colleagues from louisiana and washington have introduced legislation to award steve the congressional gold medal, congress' highest honor. i look forward to seeing this legislation passed later today by unanimous consent. many washingtonians remember steve as a

previous order, all postcloture time is expired. the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed say nay. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the bill. the clerk: calendar number 4 l 3, h.r. 2, aen act to provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the department of agriculture -- mr. roberts: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the reading be i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. roberts: i call up the substitute amendment. officer the clerk will report. the clerk: mr. roberts proposes an amendment numbered 3224. strike all after the enacting clause -- mr. roberts: mr. president, i ask that the reading of the amendment be waived. -- of the substitute amendment. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i call up thune amendment 3134. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: mr. mcconnell for in thune proposes amendment be amendment 3124. mr. mcconnell: i ask that the reading be

remarks count postcloture on the motion to proceed to h.r. 2. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. mcconnell: so if there's no further business to come before the senate, i ask it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of senator brown. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. brown: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from ohio. mr. brown: thank you. i thank the majority leader. mr. president, i ask unanimous consent on behalf of senator murray, that a fellow on senator murray's help committee steaf laurie oc -- staff laurie ockman be granted floor privileges through august 3, 2018. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. brown: thank you, mr. president. last friday was a dark day for american workers and a dark day for the american auto industry. on the very same day that general motors laid off the entire second shift at the historic lord's town plant in northeast ohio, on the same day they announced that, we got word that g.m. plans to build its new chevy blazer in mexico. that's right. the company bypasse

postcloture time being expired. the presiding officer: without jection. mr. daines: if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. order. veion to the floor later. mitchell, plans a final vote on the floor farm bill this week. more live senate coverage tomorrow on c-span2. th pas week with the help o cable partners c-span bus travel to juneau and haines alaska. as part of our 50 t-uppercase-letter where the bus continues the trip across alaska to our nexttop in for bank. c-spanrogrammings valble for alaskans. for most of us it's the only way to get your delegation hard at work in washington. they are proud to carry c-span for a number of reasons, especially for their emphasis on education. from lesson plans and handouts and timely teachable videos and educator conferences and c-span classroom offers resources to teachers and add value to today's classroom. >> thank you for being part of it and bringing your awesome bus to fairbanks. the tour of that was incredible. i heard stories of driving up to alcan and the thi

order, all postcloture time is expired. the clerk will read the title of the bill for the third time. the clerk: calendar number 442, h.r. 5515, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2019 for military activities of the department of defense, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: the presiding officer: have all senators voted? any senator wish to change the their vote? on this vote, the yeas are 5,the nays are 10, the bill, as amended, is passed. the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. 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 motion to proceed to calendar number 449, h.r. 5859, an act making aopenings pros for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending september 30, 2019, and for other purposes, signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: which unanimous consent,

postcloture time has expired. the question now occurs on amendment 2885 offered by the senator from rhode island, mr. reed. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote? if not the yeas are 97, the nays are zero. the amendment is agreed to. the question now occurs on amendment number 2276 offered by the senator from oklahoma, mr. inhofe, for the senator from arkansas, mr. boozman. the question is on the amendment. the question is on the amendment. all those in favor say aye. all those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the amendment is agreed to. the question now occurs on amendment number 2282 offered by the senator from oklahoma, mr. inhofe, as modified and amended. the question is on the amendment. all those in favor say aye. all those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the amendment is agreed to. the amendment as modified and amended is agreed to. the clerk will report t

will notwithstanding the provisions of rule 22, all postcloture time on h.r. 5515, add amended, expire at 5:30 p.m. monday and the cloture motion filed today ripen following disposition of h.r. 5515. the presiding officer: is there objection in? without objection. mr. mcconnell: if there is no further business to come before the senate i ask that is it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until 3:30 p.m. -- 3:00 p.m. on 3:30 p.m. -- 3:00 p.m. on >> new orleans the celebrant it's try centennial this year in 2018. we are 300 300 years old. the historic new orleans collection for a try centennial exhibition, we want to look back at the earliest years and what it was like when the city first developed. >> a visit to one of the cities oldest restaurants. >> the food here takes a much larger piece band does anywhere else. we live to eat in new orleans. >> watch saturday at noon eastern on c-span2's booktv and sunday at two p.m. on american history tv on c-span3. working with our cable affiliates as we explore america. >> sunday night on

getting started. the presiding officer: all postcloture time has expired. the question isoning the nomination -- the question is on the nominations. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote: the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote? if not, the yeas are 95. the nays are zero. the nomination is confirmed. under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the president will be immediately notified of the senate's action. the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. 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 fernando rodriguez, jr., of texas, to be united states district judge for the southern district of tex signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate t

previous order, all postcloture time has expired, and the question occurs on the axon nomination. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote: the presiding officer: any senator wishing to vote or change their vote? if not, the yeas are 83. the nays are 11. the nomination is confirmed. under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the president will be immediately notified of the senate's action. mr. mcconnell: mr. 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. 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 calendar number 442, h.r. 5515. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: motion to proceed to calendar number 442, h.r. 5515, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2019 for military activities of the department of def

postcloture time on the wier nomination be considered expired and senate vote on the confirmation. if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president be immediately informed of -- notified of the senate's action. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate resume legislative session for a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:00 a.m., tuesday, june 5, further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed. i further ask that following leader remarks the senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the wier nomination under the previous order. finally i ask that the senate recess from 12:

is the axon nomination. postcloture. mr. leahy: mr. president, i see nobody else seeking the floor. i'd ask consent i be allowed to continue for ten minutes as in morning session. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. leahy: i thank the chair. mr. president, for those of us who read history, we know that throughout history, including at times in our country many years ago, the forceful separation of families was used as an instrument of terror. and i struggle to imagine any more damaging and inhumane governmental policy than the forcibly and needlessly tear children away from their parents. for decades the united states has rightly led the world in condemning such practices. they are flagrant abuses of government power and human rights. but today an extraordinary breach of our most basic values, the trump administration is now virtually employing these very tactics. children were separated from their parents during the previous administration. i vocally and forcefully opposed it then, as i believe and i'm still convinced that there are alternatives that are far more humane