May 9, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 77 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page S2762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Federal Workers

  In closing, Mr. President, I am going to say a few words about the 
way our Federal workers have been treated, unfortunately, during this 
administration. The truth is, the service of Federal workers like 
Ambassador Kozak, Ms. De Castro, and Mr. Wagner have not been honored 
by the President. Instead of appreciation, our Federal employees have 
too often faced complete disrespect in the form of pay freezes, hostile 
Executive orders, and of course the President's own disastrous 
government shutdown. During that 35-day, self-inflicted crisis, 
thousands of Federal workers went without pay. It is true that after we 
reopened they got that backpay, but during that tenure when they 
couldn't make their bills, oftentimes folks had to get out of daycare 
and couldn't get to the doctor. The stories we heard were remarkable. 
One survey found that more than half of all Federal workers dipped into 
savings to make ends meet. Those who weren't furloughed workers worked 
long hours in stressful and thinly staffed circumstances for weeks on 
end.
  Candidly, I fear that the President's efforts to antagonize the 
Federal workforce is discouraging the best and brightest from serving 
in our government--at a time when nearly one-third of our Federal 
workers are nearing retirement age. This is wrong; it is unsustainable; 
and as a former CEO, these are just not good business practices, as 
well as the taxpayers will suffer from the consequences of this 
President's actions.
  Our public servants are not bargaining chips. They are not faceless 
bureaucrats. They are our fellow Americans who dedicate their lives to 
serving their country, to protecting its people, and to making sure our 
tax dollars are properly spent.
  Finally, I want to say, again, thank you to all our Federal workers. 
You deserve much better than what you have had the last couple of 
years. I will continue fighting in the Senate to protect your pay, your 
benefits, and your ability to continue to focus on what you signed up 
for--serving our country and its people.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. All postcloture time is expired.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Park 
nomination?
  Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Kansas (Mr. Moran).
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet), 
the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker), the Senator from Maryland 
(Mr. Cardin), the Senator from California (Ms. Harris), the Senator 
from Arizona (Ms. Sinema), and the Senator from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) 
are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 52, nays 41, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 106 Ex.]

                                YEAS--52

     Alexander
     Barrasso
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Braun
     Burr
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hawley
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Lankford
     Lee
     McConnell
     McSally
     Murkowski
     Paul
     Perdue
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Shelby
     Sullivan
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--41

     Baldwin
     Blumenthal
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Carper
     Casey
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Gillibrand
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Jones
     Kaine
     King
     Klobuchar
     Leahy
     Manchin
     Markey
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Murray
     Peters
     Reed
     Rosen
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--7

     Bennet
     Booker
     Cardin
     Harris
     Moran
     Sinema
     Udall
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.

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