him. so, madam president, the junior senator from arizona has chartered a singular course. she has balanced respect for tradition with an eye toward the future. she opened countless new doors for others. at every single step our colleagues has done it with dignity, faith and a deep love of her state and her country. that she cannot help but where on her sleeve. she departs with a long list of accomplishments and every reason to hold her head high. whatever life after the senate takes her, whatever life after the senate takes her i am confident our colleague will continue to be the most enthusiastic advocate for her state, for its people, its prosperity, and its natural wonders. that includes all theur interesting creatures that she and her four-legged wingmen boomer beat when they're out hiking at trails. no, i'm pretty certain martha mcsally is not through

fighting yet. so martha, on behalf of not just the senate but the nation, thank you so much for your service to our country, in uniform and here in the senate. we wish you all the best in the bright days to come. >> now, madam president yesterday i mention the several big-ticket items left on the congressional agenda before the end of the year. over the next few weeks the city was passed an appropriations bill to keep the government funded that we must ask the annual defense bill, a piece of legislation that congress has passed every year for nearly 600 years in a row. at the top priority as well is a major covid relief bill. we are in a moment of genuine national catastrophe. the rate of new cases of hospitalizations and deaths are the highest or do the highest at any point during this awful

pandemic. the economic fallout of the pandemics spreads and spreads, november saw the largest single to we could jump in unemployment benefit application since early april, enhanced job benefits are only a few weeks from exploration. the time is come for congress to pass a bipartisan -- expiration -- bill that meets the needs of our workers, families, schools and our businesses. the republican leader of this chamber knows very well that the only way to pas legislation in the senate is with a measure of bipartisanship. but time and time again republican leaders idea of action b on covid has been to bring partisan legislation to the floor and denton and everyone except it. single iteration has included poison pills designed to ensure that the bills fail, not consensus proposals. that's not what these poison at all, a dino stalin well democrats don't agree to them. that's the way to do business

around here. the lears view seems to be the only things that suld be considered in the next covid relief bill are items that republicans approve of. even if the needs of the country go way beyond what's on their narrow list. so i would plead again to the republican leader and to my colleagues on the other side, we need to come together. both sides both sides must be willing to compromise. what republicans in this chamber enjoy the majority, they must grapple with the fact that democrats hold a majority in the house. we cannot make along with the democrats in the house and, frankly, democrats votes in the senate because thereny are good number of republicans who will not vote for any proposal so we need a true bipartisan bill, not another round of partisan republican proposals put forward by the leader and then he makes take it or leave it demands and that's it. we need to come together and come to agreement that will not

satisfy anyone of us completely but gets the job done. i hope thathe as we get closer o the end of the year the partisan posturing on the republican side will give way to some genuine compromises. now on another matter. president-elect biden continues to roll out an impressive slate of candidates he intendset to nominate to his cabinet and of the key administrative positions. positions. they provide an incredibly stark contrast to the caliber of the nominee's the senate considered over the past four years. not only president-elect biden is nominees exceptionally qualified and familiar with the institutions to which they are nominated but they for broad range of backgrounds and experiences, to actually look like america. today i will be meeting with president-elect biden intended secretary of state tony blinken and his intended director of national intelligence april who's the first woman to be nominated to serve in that position. like most americans are doing

these days are beating quote-unquote will take place over video chat and i'm looking forward to asking both about their views on a range of issues concerning american diplomacy, foreign policy, national security. and how to repair some of the damage to america's reputation and relationships abroad done by the past administration. now after what all we went through over the past four years i would expect that almost all president-elect biden's nominees would be widely acceptable to the senate. senate republicans after all senate republicans confirmed several trump nominees who lack the necessaryry qualifications o were mired in ethics scandals and who made outrageous and inflammatory comments in the past. republican senators often argued a president deserves broad deference when it comes to their cabinet and official appointmen appointment, and blew past controversies that would in almost any of the time be

disqualifying. resident elect binds nominees wf course are in a different universe. we're starting to see the switch start to slip now that president biden is naming and instead just to take one example, then republicans reacted to the historic nomination of neera tanden to run the office of management and budget by calling her radioactive quote and nut job, and expressing alarm over some critical tweets in the past. after spending four years pretending they didn't see the latest insane tweet from president trump? senate i republicans seem to hae found a newfound interest in the twitter feeds of bidens cabinet selections. with respect to the office of management and budget specifically, the republicans lined up to confirm the previous omb director after he was at the heart of the scandal that led to the president's impeachment.

withholding security aid to an ally at war, ukraine. it's then republicans are worried about someone with partisan background at a windy, perhaps they shouldn't voted to confirm russell who used to work not just at the heritage foundation but for his partisan advocacy arm. the senate republicans are concerned about someone who made comments controversial, 20 omb? perhaps they should have confirmed russell once said quote muslims do not simply have a deficiency apology. they did not know god because they rejected jesus christ, his son and they stand condemned, unquote. that was the previous omb director, condemning an entire religion. the republican majorityim confirmed him despite these inflammatory comments and despite his conduct as an interim director and despite his career as a partisan warrior. but if you critical tweets about substantive policy decisions pos have caused senate republicans

to label neera tanden radioactive. spare us the hyperbole. ms. vanden we all know is an imminently qualified nominee would be the first woman of color to ever run the office of management and budget. as biden conditioning his team, i'm sure we will hear some more of these overblown complaints from republican senators. but after the caliber of nominees this is republican majority confirmed over the past four years, it will be impossible,ss and possible to te him seriously. the senate committee should prepare to hold hearings on president-elect bidens nominees in january immediately after the georgia election. let me say that again. the senate committees should prepare to hold hearings on president-elect biden's nominees in january mealy after the georgia elections. that is customer for new president. the center holds several hearings in january so the key cabinet

cabinet officials can be confirmed on january 20 and shortlyat thereafter. that's what the senate did for president trump and president ama. that's what the senate must do for president-elect biden as well. i yield the floor. >> waiting for an event with president-elect joe biden to get started. he is expected to unveil members of his economic team shortly. we will have live coverage here on c-span2. before that here's more from the senate floor from earlier. >> madam president, yesterday drugmakeriz moderna file for emergency use authorization from the fda for its covid vaccine. the fda's vaccine advisory committee is scheduled v to discuss visors covid vaccine next week and is expected to review moderna shortly thereafter. that means it is entirely possible that by the end of december the fda will have authorized not one but two covid vaccines that have s