Congressional Record UNUM E PLURIBUS United States of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113th CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Σ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. . S1285 Vol. 160 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014 No. 37 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was called to order by the President pro tempore (Mr. LEAHY). PRAYER The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following prayer: Let us pray. Holy God, because of Your great love, we do not cringe or falter at the challenges our Nation faces, for You have never forsaken us in our hour of need. Lord, give our lawmakers a desire to seek Your wisdom and to follow You where You lead. May they claim Your promise that no weapon formed against us will prosper. Help them to not permit the world to squeeze them into its mold as they seek to be transformed by Your powerful presence. Thank You for our many freedoms and empower us to use them to bless others. We pray in Your mighty Name. Amen. f PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The President pro tempore led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: 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. f RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized. f CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ACT OF 2014—MOTION TO PROCEED—Resumed Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 309, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 1086) to reauthorize and improve the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, and for other purposes. SCHEDULE Mr. REID. Mr. President, because of the inclement weather we have had to rearrange things. Senator MCCONNELL and I have been directing our staffs to help us get through what we need to do. We should be able to finish this week’s work tomorrow, but that is not assured. So we are going to be working throughout the day to move forward as quickly as we can. Everyone should be aware that we could have some votes into the evening tonight and tomorrow. We may have to be here on Friday. Following my remarks and those of the Republican leader, the Senate will proceed to executive session with the time until 11:45 equally divided and controlled. At 11:45 there will be up to three rollcall votes. We expect to recess following those votes to allow for the weekly caucus meetings and work through the remaining nominations this afternoon. Senators will be notified when the votes are scheduled. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. MARKEY). The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER The PRESIDING OFFICER: The Republican leader is recognized. ADEGBILE NOMINATION Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, the Department of Justice and this administration have too often put politics ahead of the law. The record of the nominee before us to head the Civil Rights Division strongly indicates that if he were confirmed, the politicization of the Justice Department would increase even further. He has a long record of leftwing advocacy marked by ideologically driven positions and very poor judgment. In the District of Columbia v. Heller he argued in the Supreme Court that it would be ‘‘radical’’ to recognize ‘‘an individual right to keep and bear arms.’’ In fact, before the Supreme Court he repeatedly described the principle of individual liberty protected by the Second Amendment as a ‘‘radical’’ proposition. It was the position advocated by the nominee, however, that the Supreme Court rule was woefully at odds with the Constitution and individual liberty. He also called the requirement to present identification before voting a ‘‘modern poll tax.’’ Americans strongly support this basic safeguard for the integrity of our elections. It has been endorsed by liberal Democrats such as President Carter. Not surprisingly, in Crawford v. Marion County the Supreme Court rejected the nominee’s views on that subject as well. In Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC he took the position in the Supreme Court that a church did not have the First Amendment right to hire or fire individuals who were responsible for conveying the church’s message and implementing its mission. The position the nominee advocated would greatly infringe on the free exercise of rights of religious institutions. The Supreme Court rejected his views there too, this time 9 to 0. But it is his advocacy on behalf of the Nation’s most notorious cop killer that most calls into question his fitness for the powerful government position he seeks. Back in December of 1981, 25-year-old officer Daniel Faulkner was conducting a routine traffic stop when Wesley Cook, also known as Mumia Abu-Jamal, shot him in the back. He then stood over Officer Faulkner and shot him several more times in the chest. As Officer Faulkner laid dying in the streets defenseless, Abu- Jamal shot him in the face, killing him. At the hospital Abu-Jamal bragged that he had shot Officer Faulkner and expressed his hope that he would die. VerDate Mar
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