S1194 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2014 consequences. Now that goal is no- It seems clear that among Iran’s I deeply regret that we are not being where in sight. Neither the interim principal objectives now is to break given the opportunity to debate this agreement currently being employed, apart the strong international con- issue before the American people and nor the administration, nor any of the sensus we have worked so hard over so among ourselves, that we are not al- negotiating partners even refer to many years to forge. Prospects for Iran lowed to have a vote in the Senate as these resolutions or this multiyear to do so look pretty darned good. to whether our current policy that this strategy of achieving the objective we Clearly Iran has not lived up to what administration is pursuing is the right set out to accomplish. The objective they agreed to do or what we asked policy to achieve the goal which we all was that Iran would cease enrichment them to do. But there seems to be no agreed to. of uranium, which could be used to prospect in place for our returning to The last four Presidents—two Demo- achieve nuclear weapons capability. sanctions unless the Senate, on a bi- crats and two Republicans—have de- This goal has suddenly been totally partisan basis—and there is bipartisan claratively said: A nuclear-capable abandoned. support for this—is able to impose the Iran is unacceptable. President Obama The current interim agreement ex- next round of sanctions should this in- has stated that over and over. Yet here plicitly concedes to the Iranians their terim agreement not achieve its objec- we are engaged in a process that ad- right to continue enrichment activities tives. Yet we are currently being vances that prospect. with only meager limitations, all of blocked from bringing this legislation We are put at a disadvantage, and we which can be reversed by the mullahs to the floor. are giving away the one tool that has in Iran in an instant. The mullahs in I repeat: This is bipartisan legisla- brought Iran to the negotiating table. Iran boast publicly of this great negoti- tion led by Senator MENENDEZ of New They have trumpeted publicly about ating victory for them, which goes Jersey and those who have been ac- how they have outsmarted us and against everything we have been trying tively engaged and involved. But now outnegotiated us and achieved what to do for the past 6 or 7 years. we are being asked to stand down. We It seems unassailable that Iran came they wanted to achieve and diminished are not even given a chance to exercise to the negotiating table at long last di- our opportunity to achieve what the our vote on this, which we are attempt- rectly as a consequence of the hardship world community wants to achieve. We ing to add to the pending legislation that was achieved by these inter- will rue the day that we almost had national economic sanctions that were here. Again, delay, delay, delay is put- Iran to the point where we could have imposed on this regime. They resisted ting us in a position of essentially con- achieved our goal but stepped back and coming to the negotiating table until ceding to the Iranians what they want conceded to their promise and commit- these sanctions really started to hit and giving them the opportunity to ment to continue to enrich, to con- home. continue to pursue their quest for nu- tinue to add centrifuges, and to con- But what is equally clear is that the clear weapons capability. tinue their pursuit of nuclear weapons regime wants sanctions relief and has Obviously, for them, it is just fine if capability. sought this interim deal to accomplish they can turn the protracted uncer- If Iran is armed with nuclear weap- it—and unfortunately, we have given it tainty and gradual sanctions relief into ons, it will pose unimaginable con- to them. And what do we get in return? a series of lesser agreements. But for sequences to us. There has been total What we get in return is having nego- us, more interim agreements will mean agreement on that among the world’s tiated away our very core purpose for our allies will become accustomed to Nations. Yet here we stand at the mo- doing this in the first place. Instead of these gradual changes and the increas- ment of decision—right when we, in a using our leverage to continue the ing commerce in Iranian oil. They will sense, had them where we wanted to progress we had made to bring Iran to become less inclined to again reverse get them, and we conceded that. cease uranium enrichment, we blunted course almost regardless of Iranian ac- I deeply regret that we have not been our very best leverage and our very tions. Following that prolonged proc- able to move forward with these addi- best tool. Instead of pressing our long- ess, we confront a stronger Iran but a tional sanctions to be employed if—in term advantage, we have begun to re- weaker international coalition opposed this first interim agreement—Iran does lieve the pressure on Iran to cease to Iranian nuclear ambitions. Iranian not live up to the objectives and goals their efforts to gain nuclear weapon ca- ambitions and capabilities will grow, which we have demanded. pability. And why have we abandoned our efforts to halt the Iranian quest for With that, I yield the floor and sug- our goal to stop uranium enrichment? nuclear capability will diminish, and gest the absence of a quorum. Because the Iranian negotiating team we will then be left with a choice of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The has told us they would never tolerate containing or taking military action clerk will call the roll. an end to their long, expensive path to against a nuclear-capable, if not nu- The legislative clerk proceeded to an enrichment industry. clear-armed, Iran. call the roll. So here is my central conviction on The President has said repeatedly Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask this matter: If those on the other side that ‘‘containment’’ is not an option. It unanimous consent that the order for of the table tell us in advance that our is not for me either. Since he also said the quorum call be rescinded. long-held conviction and purpose is military force is an option, it seems The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without asking too much, instead of meekly clear to me this current course is more objection, it is so ordered. complying with their request, then we likely to bring us to that stark point must increase pressure until they than to a negotiated settlement. f change their minds, not abandon our We must be determined to do what CONCLUSION OF MORNING own goal because it is perceived as too we can in the Senate to prevent us BUSINESS tough. from reaching that point. Not only So what have we bought with this in- must we refocus our government and The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning terim agreement? According to the Bi- other friendly governments on the need business is closed. partisan Policy Center, of which I used to eliminate Iran’s nuclear infrastruc- f to be a part, the main practical con- ture in any final agreement—no matter sequence of this claimed ‘‘freezing’’ is how difficult that might be—we must COMPREHENSIVE VETERANS that the time Iran now needs to also oppose Iran’s likely intentions to HEALTH AND BENEFITS AND produce a critical mass of highly en- prolong the negotiation process in- MILITARY RETIREMENT PAY riched uranium—20 kilograms—with tended to continue to weaken our coa- RESTORATION ACT OF 2014—MO- current centrifuges has gone from an lition. TION TO PROCEED estimated 59 days to 63 days. What did The Nuclear Weapons Free Iran Act The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under we gain from the agreement? Four that I have cosponsored will give us the previous order, the Senate will re- days—four days longer that it will take great leverage in doing that. It will sume consideration of the motion to Iran, once they flip the switch, to get make it clear that the Senate will not proceed to S. 1982, which the clerk will highly enriched uranium, which allows support playing Iran’s game any longer report. them nuclear capability. than we already have. The legislative clerk read as follows:

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.025 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE February 27, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1195 Motion to Proceed to Calendar No. 301 (S. big lag in time that occurs when our This provision—this Spouses of He- 1982) a bill to improve the provision of med- veterans apply for benefits. Benefits roes Education Act—is one element ical services and benefits to veterans, and for delayed are, for a period of time, bene- among a number that our Committee other purposes. fits denied. The Department of Vet- on Veterans’ Affairs has so ably assem- Pending: erans Services has made progress with bled to address shortfalls in the pro- Reid (for Sanders) amendment no. 2747, in more progress to come. This bill will grams that assist those who have stood the nature of a substitute. make a difference in eliminating the for our country. Reid amendment no. 2766 (to amendment backlog and will address the needs of Let us not forget what we are work- no. 2747), to change the enactment date. our veterans in a timely fashion, and Reid motion to commit the bill to the ing to do: to keep faith with those who Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, with in- timeliness is very important. have served our country. Let us set structions, Reid Amendment no. 2767, to There is another provision in this bill aside the petty, partisan, poisonous change the enactment date. that I particularly want to emphasize games and let’s hold the faith and keep Reid amendment no. 2768 (to (the instruc- because it comes out of conversations our veterans in mind. tions of the motion to commit) amendment that occurred 6 years ago when I was Let’s get this bill done. Let’s get it no. 2767), of a perfecting nature. talking to folks about running for the to conference with the House. Let’s get Reid amendment no. 2769 (to amendment Senate. People in Oregon said: We need it to the Oval Office. Let us keep faith no. 2768), of a perfecting nature. to take care of our Gold Star families— with those who have stood for our The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under our families who are striving and country. the previous order, the time until 2 struggling to be on their feet after they I thank the Presiding Officer. I yield p.m. will be equally divided and con- have lost a servicemember in combat. the floor. trolled between the two leaders or This is a challenge, of course, for the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- their designees. children and it is a challenge for the ator from Georgia. Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I am spouses. Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I am thrilled that we are here at this mo- A veteran brought up the fact that delighted the Senate is talking about ment debating benefits for our vet- we needed to provide much better edu- our veterans. I am disappointed the bill erans. Our veterans have stood up for cational benefits. I am very pleased to before us did not go through the entire America by fighting for us overseas, have a bipartisan sponsor, Senator committee process. I am grateful that and when they come home we need to HELLER of Nevada, because there is Senator BURR, the ranking member, be standing up for them. Over time we nothing about helping our veterans has brought forward a side-by-side bill have come to recognize that there are that should be a partisan issue. There which I wish to discuss for a moment. a number of shortfalls in the way we is nothing about addressing the needs I am particularly glad the Burr bill address our benefits for veterans that of our Gold Star families who have lost brings up the Iran sanctions issue. I need to be corrected, and that is what a member of the family in combat that know the administration has kind of this bill is all about. should be a partisan issue. backed away from the sanctions be- Yesterday we had a motion to close Mr. Robert Thornhill, a veteran, cause of some things that have hap- debate on whether to debate this bill, talked to me in 2008, right before I pened recently and does not want a came to this Chamber, about this issue and that was successful, so here we are sanctions bill to pass the Senate. at this moment. Let’s recognize that of educationed benefits for the children I have followed closely what has hap- America has been at war for more than and for the spouses. When the primary pened in the Middle East. I recall back 12 years, that more than 6,000 Ameri- wage earner for a family is struck to 1979 when Georgians were held hos- down in battle, the rest of the family cans have lost their lives in service to tage in the American Embassy in needs a lot of help regaining their feet, our country, that more than 50,000 Tehran for 444 days. I have a lot of ex- and that means educational opportuni- Americans have been wounded in com- perience with that part of the world ties for the children. But let’s not for- bat. and I think there are some things of get that the spouse who has to take At some point 21⁄2 million Americans which we should be reminded. over major financial responsibilities have left their homes and their fami- This bill, the Burr bill that includes lies to serve their country in Iraq and also needs educational benefits. Shortly before I came here, the post- the veterans’ benefits, also includes nu- Afghanistan. Many of these men and 9/11 GI bill went into effect creating clear weapons sanctions on Iran and women have served more than 1 deploy- the Machine Gunnery Sergeant Fry most of the provisions of the Nuclear ment, and 400,000 men and women have Scholarship. That scholarship fulfilled Weapon Free Iran Act. In particular, served more than 3 deployments. They the vision that Robert Thornhill and I three things included are important to have gone back to the theater of war had talked about, and it went even fur- note. repeatedly, with sacrifices on a per- ther to include housing and book sti- No. 1, it reimposes existing sanctions sonal level, sacrifices for their family pends and support for attendance at suspended under the interim agreement and sacrifices for their health. They private universities, but it only did so if Iran cheats on its commitment, have gone into perilous situations on for the children of the fallen. drags its feet in negotiations, or behalf of our Nation. Today we need to Mr. Thornhill followed up with me. threatens the West with long-range make sure the benefits promised are He noted that we need to take on and missiles or terrorism. there, and where the benefits are insuf- extend these benefits to spouses as No. 2, it ensures the final agreement ficient, that they are improved. well. Over the long term children need must require Iran to dismantle its il- I am hearing there is a possibility help going to college, but in the short licit nuclear infrastructure to prevent there may be an effort today to block term spouses often have to be retrained Iran from being able to produce nuclear this bill—this bill on behalf of our vet- to adopt their new role as the major weapons. erans. I certainly hope that will not be breadwinner for the family. No. 3, it threatens to impose addi- the case. How can we explain that the For several years I have been advo- tional economic sanctions in the future ongoing partisan politics that have so cating that we fulfill this vision of tak- should Iran cheat on its commitment poisoned and paralyzed our Nation are ing care of the educational opportunity or fail to agree to the final deal that more important than addressing the issues for our Gold Star families. Edu- dismantles its nuclear infrastructure. benefits of our veterans—our service cation is a powerful tool to rebuild a I have watched the television set. I men and our service women—who have family’s financial foundation, but it have seen the international reports. I fought for our country. Today is not a has to be affordable. have listened to what the Iranians are day for partisan politics. It is a day for There is a provision in this bill that saying since we have had this interim keeping faith with those who have Mr. Thornhill championed, a provision agreement, and here is what it says: served our Nation. that is fundamental to fairness for our Iranian President Hassan Rouhani I will address a particular provision spouses of those who have fallen, and it pledged that under no circumstances— that is in this bill today. The bill takes is a provision that is fundamental to and that is a direct quote—would Iran on many issues, one of which is to work the future success of our Gold Star agree to dismantle a single centrifuge very hard to shorten and eliminate the families. in a final nuclear agreement.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.028 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1196 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2014 This is what he is saying now and we was out of office and President Reagan The legislative clerk proceeded to are talking about getting to a final came into office, he would follow call the roll. agreement months from now. through on what he said, and that is he Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask Second, during Iran’s national day would do whatever it took to free the unanimous consent that the order for celebrations in which American flags hostages. the quorum call be rescinded. were burned, Rouhani declared: ‘‘We There is only one thing the Iranians The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without will permanently continue to progress understand. They understand someone objection, it is so ordered. our nuclear technology.’’ who will fight and stand up to them, Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, we Third, former Iranian top nuclear ne- someone who will take them on, and have a lot of challenges before this Na- gotiator Hossein Mousavian told Ira- somebody who will not settle for their tion and this Congress. I believe the nian media in a recent interview that looking the other way on the agree- most critical challenge is how we han- the Islamic Republic will never—I un- ment they made. It is critical and im- dle financial matters that have been derscore never—agree to dismantle por- portant the Senate of the United entrusted to us, how we handle the tions of its nuclear infrastructure. States send a clear message to the Ira- budget and spend the debt we are ap- Iran nuclear negotiator Majid Takhte nians that we will not be lied to, we proving in America, and are we able— Ravanchi reiterated Iran would not ac- will not be misled, and we expect them do we have the will, do we have the in- cept the closure of ‘‘any of its nuclear to live up to the commitments they tegrity—to stand up and put this Na- sites.’’ have promised to live up to. If they tion on a sound fiscal path. Next, an Iran official on February 12 don’t, there will be consequences for I would note to all my colleagues set aside the idea of potentially alter- their actions. that the week before last before the ing a nuclear reactor so that other na- The World Bank and the Inter- Budget Committee, our own Congres- tions would fear the production of national Monetary Fund are already sional Budget Office Director Mr. Doug atomic bomb fuel. pointing out that the economy of Iran Elmendorf repeated once again—which Finally, Iran will determine its needs is now improving, with the interim is absolutely accepted by virtually regarding uranium enrichment on its agreement we currently have. We have every economist in America—this own, the country’s chief nuclear sci- no certainty on a final agreement that country remains on an unsustainable entist said on February 25, and will is coming in the next few months. We debt course. This is an unsustainable not—and I underscore not—accept for- have no certainty the Iranians are path we are on. He indicated and said eign powers dictating its enrichment going to do what they say they are flatly we could, indeed, face a . going to do anyway. If we sit here pas- crisis, something like 2007, perhaps, Iran is advancing its nuclear ballis- sively saying it will be all right, if we something like Greece, because our tics testing system and it has fired nu- don’t let them know there will be con- debt is so large and growing at such a clear missiles to test its capability. ditions if they violate the sanctions, if pace. We have never been here before. Iran has deployed two ships in the At- we don’t let them know we mean busi- We are in the red zone on the tachom- lantic as a show of force on the United ness, then America will have turned its eter. We are in the danger area, and we States of America. They continue in back on the most dangerous enemy we need to get out of it. So I would say to my colleagues, every way possible to be a surrogate have, and that is the enemy of ter- isn’t this true? Does anybody doubt it? fighter in Syria, empowering the rorism and the Islamic Republic of Does anybody deny it? Then why don’t Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Iran. I appreciate our veterans and the sac- we respond in an appropriate way? Gaza, and they continue to cause the rifice they have made to try and free us I was shocked, deeply disappointed, disturbances throughout the Middle from terrorism. I appreciate the volun- amazed, and saddened that this head- East. teers who have sacrificed their sacred line appeared earlier in the week in the Why should we not as a Congress of treasure and their families and their Washington Post. This is what it said: the , in talking about our own personal blood and their own per- ‘‘With 2015 budget request, Obama will veterans, include within that talk a sonal life trying to defend America and call for an end to era of austerity.’’ clear shot across the bow to the Ira- liberate the people of Iraq and the peo- What does this mean? Every Member nians that America will not stand for ple of Afghanistan. I don’t want us to of this Congress knows what it means. them laughing at us or poking their turn and leave the Middle East. I want It means the President of the United finger in our face when we talk about a to let the Middle East know, and its States is no longer interested in fiscal nuclear-free Iran? biggest ogre, the Nation of Iran, that responsibility. He is saying: We no We do not need a nuclear armed Iran we will not stand for a nuclear weapon longer need to tighten our belt. He is in the Middle East for a plethora of in Iran. If they continue to try and saying he is going to attack anybody reasons. Most importantly, if they get progress toward that, there will be who suggests more spending is bad. He one, there will be a nuclear arms race sanctions that will be crippling. Amer- is going to say that he is going into in a very unstable part of the world. It ica will not turn its back on Iran; we this election with the idea that he is is the home of terrorism. It is the home will stand toe to toe with them and say going to promise, promise, promise of the biggest fear the United States of this will not stand. more and more spending, more debt, America has, and our best ally, Israel, I commend Senator BURR for his and he is not concerned about it. That lies in the path of Iranian resistance. leadership in including that in this por- is what it means. I am not exag- So it is important the sanctions be re- tion of the veterans bill, as well as gerating. I think every Member of this instated and that we have conditions those members of the Foreign Rela- body knows exactly what that signal on the Iranians so that if they violate tions Committee and the other 57 Mem- was. their promises or they look the other bers of the Senate who have signed the So we will see the budget. It will be way on their commitments or they do Iran sanctions bill. It is my hope and out next Tuesday, and we will have a what they are saying on their own na- plea that sometime in the weeks ahead, hearing in the Budget Committee, of tional television networks today, they before the Iranians think we have no which I am the ranking Republican, on understand there will be a consequence teeth left at all, that we will do the Wednesday. But I suspect and am con- to their actions. right thing on the floor of the U.S. fident it will do just like his last two I remember 1979. I remember when Senate and enhance the conditions of budgets. It would increase spending $1 ‘‘Nightline’’ became a television show sanctions against the Nation of Iran if trillion above the amount of spending because for 444 days Americans were they lie to us or fail to keep the prom- we agreed to in 2011 and reaffirmed es- held hostage in Tehran. I remember ises they have made in the interim sentially with the Ryan-Murray bill that just the day before President agreement and the ultimate permanent that he signed about 2 months ago into Reagan was sworn in as President of agreement we make. law. the United States, President Carter fi- Mr. President, I yield the floor and We cannot do this. This is how we de- nally negotiated a release of the hos- note the absence of a quorum. stroy a country, how we weaken an tages in Iran, for one simple reason: The PRESIDING OFFICER. The economy. I cannot—I do not have Iran knew that once President Carter clerk will call the roll. words to express it.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.009 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE February 27, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1197 I will say one more point. Econo- to waive all applicable sections of that least our colleagues did, the Demo- mists are telling us that our economic act and applicable budget resolutions cratic colleagues, because I did not growth today is below what it other- for purposes of the pending bill, and I vote for the Ryan-Murray bill. I wise would be because of the size of the ask for the yeas and nays. thought it eroded the Budget Control debt this country faces right now—not The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a Act more than I wanted it to and it in the future, right now. It is a wet sufficient second? raised the caps. But it kept them in blanket on . The There is a sufficient second. place. It eased pressure in several areas Rogoff-Reinhart study talks about the The yeas and nays were ordered. where the shoe was pinching badly. It slower growth, and we have consist- Mr. SESSIONS. Well, Mr. President, eased that pressure. But that is not ently seen projections for growth not reclaiming the floor, now you have it enough now? We have to have more? being met. in stark clarity. This bill proposes to It is using the veterans as a political Director Elmendorf, in his testi- spend more than we agreed to spend tool, in my view. I do not think our mony—I asked him about it 2 years passing the Ryan-Murray Act a few veterans want their programs to be en- ago. He predicted 2013 would allow us weeks ago. President Obama signed it 2 hanced if every penny of money that is to see 4.6-percent economic growth. It months ago. The ink is hardly dry on going to enhance those programs is came in at 1.9 percent—a stunning it, and here we have another bill to added to the debt of the United States miss, well below. Below 2-percent raise that, to raise the spending again. of America. growth means you are not creating And it will not be the only one. We are This is eight times at least since the jobs, you are not creating wealth, you going to see bill after bill after bill, Budget Control Act was passed that we are basically stagnant with an increas- and it is part of the President’s strat- have seen efforts to bust it. So our ing population. egy. military men and women who worked We need to be at 4.6 percent. We need What is it? The era of austerity is tirelessly, selflessly, for the good of some of that kind of growth. One rea- over. He signed Ryan-Murray. He this country, have always put duty son we are not is bigger government, signed the Budget Control Act. But he first. Shouldn’t we put duty first? more taxes, more regulations, and had no intention of complying with it. This massive Federal budget of ours more debt. He will not support enforcement of it. is filled with waste, filled with projects We are not going to get out of it That is a failure of leadership of a mon- that cannot be defended intellectually. until we get off that path. umental proportion. It is a stunning It was our duty to get rid of wasteful So now we have a veterans bill before event. pet projects and do the right thing for us. Nobody, I do not believe, is more I do not know why we have a Con- our veterans. committed to veterans in this body gress, why we pass laws that say we are I say to my colleagues, for example, than I have been, and so many of my only going to spend so much money you could have closed the tax credit colleagues on both sides of the aisle and then we waltz in, just a few weeks loophole for illegal immigrants that is want to do the right thing for veterans. later, and spend billions more than we costing America billions of dollars. The But it is an audacious thing we are see- agreed to. And, oh, we will just waive cut to the veterans pension was about ing here today. the budget we just passed. Oh, this is $6 billion over 10 years. Annually, ac- Let’s review some of the history. important. But everybody knew when cording to the President’s own inspec- Two months ago, every Senate Demo- we passed the limits on spending that tor general at his own Department of crat—every Senate Democrat—voted there were going to be important bills. Treasury, we are losing $4 billion a for a bill to cut military pensions for I am actually shocked, even by Sen- year in improper tax credit payments our soldiers, our military retirees, and ate and congressional standards, how to illegal aliens. Why don’t we fix that? even our disabled veterans. It was in blase´ this body has been about these The inspector general asked that we fix their bill. laws. I thought at least people would that. It would save $20 billion over 10 Senate Democrats then blocked—not pretend to honor them. There is no pre- years. No, sir. What do they tell us? We once but twice—my efforts, other Re- tense here. And it is a failure of respon- are not doing anything on immigra- publican efforts to restore those cuts sibility in this body if such spending tion. by closing a tax credit loophole for ille- were to pass. Well, the first thing you should do to gal immigrants. So our colleagues voted to cut the re- create a lawful system of immigration Mr. President, I see my colleague and tirement pay of veterans, which I op- in America is to quit rewarding people friend, Senator SANDERS, in the Cham- posed and Republicans opposed. That financially who come illegally. That is ber. I am going to get to the point. I was already in law—a commitment we the first thing. For Heaven’s sakes, will do it now because I know he has a made to military people that if they what is wrong with that? Is that im- busy agenda, and I think I know how served 20 years, they get this retire- moral? the script will all play out. ment benefit. We had an instance in which there I say to Senator SANDERS and col- They waltzed in to save $6 billion, was a trailer, I believe in Indiana. A leagues, the pending measure before us supposedly, and they were going to re- number of people lived there. No chil- today, S. 1982, the Comprehensive Vet- duce their pension benefits. I did not dren. They claimed 19 children and got erans Health and Benefits and Military feel, No. 1, it was necessary. There refunds from the United States of Retirement Pay Restoration Act of were other ways to save money. And I America of $30,000—all of which were 2014—which is a good title for a bill— felt we had ways to save the money in not proper, none of which were proper. would cause the aggregate level of a different way and offered legislation That is what the inspector general budget authority and outlays for fiscal to that effect. So the attempts to fix it was talking about. You are not entitled year 2014, deemed pursuant to section were blocked twice. to come to America illegally—have 111 of Public Law 113–67, to be exceed- What was in the Ryan-Murray bill children in some other country—and ed. Therefore, I raise a point of order was fiscally responsible—bad policy but then demand that we give you a tax under section 311(a)(2) of the Congres- responsible fiscally. This bill is not. credit, which is the equivalent of a di- sional Budget Act of 1974. This bill increases, creates new vet- rect check from the U.S. Treasury. A The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- erans programs, new spending for vet- tax credit is not a deduction. It is a ator from Vermont. erans, and it is not paid for in any way. check from the U.S. Treasury. Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I It is all borrowed money. We are al- But, oh no, we will not even discuss thank my friend from Alabama for ac- ready in debt, so when we enter and that. That is a nonstarter. So it looks commodating my schedule. I will have commit ourselves to additional obliga- like politics trumps helping veterans. more to say on this issue later this tions above what we have agreed to, So if we had had a plan to fix the vet- afternoon. But let me at this point every penny of that is borrowed, every erans retirement, that could have all simply say: Mr. President, pursuant to penny of that will add to the debt of worked together on a good basis. Here section 904 of the Congressional Budget our country. we have now another veterans bill that Act of 1974 and the waiver provisions of This bill busts the caps we agreed to. is not going to work. Are there no pro- applicable budget resolutions, I move These are caps we all voted for—or at grams, are there no spending plans out

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.013 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1198 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2014 there that could not be trimmed, elimi- Treasury bills, with interest. Look at In 2007, before we had the fiscal cri- nated or reconfigured that could help this chart. This year, 2013, it is $230 bil- sis, we were spending about $2.6 trillion us honor the commitments we have lion. Look at the increase Director El- in that year. In 2011, right before we made to our veterans? There surely mendorf told us we can expect over the signed this August Budget Control Act are. Lots of them. We have seen a lot of next 10 years. In 2024, 10 years from agreement to limit the growth of them offered. now, colleagues, interest on the debt spending—only the growth. It did not So I challenge any of our colleagues, will be $870 billion in 1 year. limit spending. It limited growth. We Senate Democrats, to come to the floor How many good projects are going to were spending about $3.5 trillion. The and name one program they are willing have their programs cut to just pay the CBO baseline projects that in 2015, that to terminate in order to help fund our interest on the debt? It is the fastest is the year we are working on now, try- veterans adequately. Come down and growing item in the United States ing to prepare our budget and so forth, let’s hear it. There is a circling of the budget. What do we have? We want to we are going to spend even more than wagons in this administration. What do something for veterans a few weeks we spent then. did the President mean when he said: after we agree to limit spending. We So the spending is going up. We made The era of austerity is over, as the come right in with a bill to waive the a few adjustments to curtail reported? What did budget limit, spend above that, borrow growth in spending, which is good, but me mean? He meant that we are not every penny of that money, and in- really not enough to get us on a sound cutting anything else. He meant that crease this interest and debt situation. path. The reason I assure you that we The Director did not count that. His he is going to propose, as he has in the are not on a sound path, as this chart calculations assume we honor the past, new spending programs, not fewer shows that, is the interest we are going Budget Control Act and the Ryan-Mur- spending. to be paying over 10 years. This is last ray spending limit. He assumes we are We can’t even get amendments up on year, 2013. This is what they tell us we honoring what is in law. But what do this legislation. The majority leader are going to be paying in interest in we have? A motion to waive. Spend has filled the tree. He will not allow us 2024. It goes up every single year. We above that limit. This whole reckless even to vote on alternative proposals. are on an unsustainable path. You spending is what Admiral Mullen We cannot have an honest debate in can’t get something for nothing. Julie meant when he said: The greatest this Chamber over how to legitimately threat to America’s security is our def- Andrews tells us: Nothing comes from and responsibly meet the needs of vet- icit, our debt. It is going to crowd out nothing. Nothing ever could. It can’t. erans or any other group, it appears. So So I am flabbergasted really. The other spending. It threatens our eco- really, in effect, the majority leader most disappointing thing to me is I nomic viability, our growth potential, and his caucus will not allow votes on know now what we are going to see in and it actually places us at risk for the President’s budget come next Tues- proposals. He will not allow our vet- some financial crisis in the years to day. Any hint at belt tightening is erans to have a vote really. As long as come. that is the case, you have got no right Our voters deserve better. Look at going to be gone. We are going to see to proceed with this legislation, in my how they tend to maneuver this legis- proposals for massive increases in opinion. lation. It is so absurd sometimes. We spending. Oh, not spending, invest- So to those who come to the floor should laugh about it if it were not so ments. That is what we are going to and attack Republicans, saying we do serious. It is serious. The Sanders bill, see. not care about veterans, I will issue the veterans bill—we are being told we But we do not have the money. We do this challenge: Tell your leader—be- must vote for it or they will accuse us not have to damage America. We do cause he cannot function without your of being unkind and unsupportive and not have to destroy our country. This support—tell your leader to let us offer unsympathetic to our veterans. That is what we agreed to now. It shows con- some amendments. Let us offer some day is over. We are not going to be in- tinual growth. Under the Budget Con- offsets that would help pay for this. timidated on this. We are going to do trol Act, we are going to see growth in Tell your leader to let this Chamber the right thing for veterans and Amer- spending every year. There is no reduc- work its will in the Constitutional and ica. tion in spending. It is going to grow historic way. This bill would exceed the spending every year for the next 10 years. It will If you do not, it is clear that your limit for the current fiscal year that not grow quite as fast, as if we did not goal is to create a misleading headline Congress and the President agreed to have a Budget Control Act. and not do what is right for veterans. just 3 months ago. Initially—it gets It looks like, if we continue to have One more thing, because Congress has worse in the outer years—it would efforts to waive the budget and just refused to live within its means, inter- clearly add another $260 million in spend above that, it will be even worse est on our debt is surging, unbelievably mandatory spending and authorize an- than this. The growth will be even so. It will crowd out this kind of spend- other $182 million this year, fiscal year greater. ing, defense spending, education spend- 2014, which we are already in—$182 mil- I want to share one point, and I will ing, highway spending, throughout our lion. It gets worse. wrap up. The bill also relies on a budg- whole government. So we agreed in 2011, August of 2011, et gimmick. It claims that it has got Let me draw your attention to this to set certain spending limits. The some pay-for, that it is not all bor- chart. This is what Director Elmendorf President signed that. Both Houses of rowed money. It claims this pay-for. It told us 2 weeks ago—last week—in his Congress voted for it. Come January, is really a gimmick that every honest testimony before the Budget Com- the President of the United States, who observer who has commented on it has mittee on the budget of the United signed that bill, laid forth his budget, just mocked it. It is the OCO gimmick. States of America. He told us that the which would increase spending $1 tril- The bill proposes to reduce Overseas interest we pay this date, this past lion over the limits that we agreed to Contingency Operations programs used year, was $230 billion. in August. So less than 6 months later, to combat terrorism worldwide, Iraq The savings from reducing veterans’ he was coming back before Congress and Afghanistan, our OCO, Overseas retirement over 10 years was $6 billion. completely ignoring the will, the es- Contingency Operations. The Federal highway bill for 1 year is tablished law, the Budget Control Act Every penny of that is borrowed. It is approximately $40 billion. The amount limitations on spending that he agreed not in the regular budget. It is spent of money we spend on education is to. above that as emergency spending, war around $100 billion. That is all of those He actually bragged about it. This is spending. That is how it has been done. programs that we spend it on. The no way to get our country on a sound For good or ill, that is the way it is amount of money we spend on the De- financial path. It is not any way to do done. At least while I am troubled by fense Department is about $500 billion. it. Let me point out one more thing. the President’s policies with regard to So last year, we spent $230 billion on They say that we are cutting spending, Iraq and Afghanistan, the costs are interest. When we borrow money, we go that this is austerity, that America is coming down. They are projected to into debt. We borrow the money. Peo- cutting its spending. Look at this come down every year until we basi- ple loan us the money. We give them chart. It is just a simple chart. cally eliminate those costs.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.015 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE February 27, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1199 It claims that reducing the amount Maya MacGuineas—respected on both ing on what year it is or depending on of money we borrow to fund the war sides of the aisle, a person committed what time period it is, we will get dif- and support our military is somehow to getting this Nation to fiscal respon- ferent answers to that question. now available to spend on whatever the sibility—is from the Committee for a Most of the time we like to believe project of the day is. Today it is vet- Responsible Federal Budget. She said that the Congress is worthy of the erans. It will be something else tomor- that last November. valor of those veterans, that we are row. They have tried this before. It is So we are not going to go for this. We doing everything we can to help them. ludicrous. It is like claiming credit are not going to waive the budget in But we have to be honest with our- today for the end of Vietnam. We are this fashion. It is not going to pass, and selves and say that there are substan- not borrowing money to fight the war it should have been known beforehand tial periods of time when this body and in Vietnam, so we can spend that when Senator SANDERS and Senator the other body—both the Senate and money. REID sought to push this bill through the House—have not been worthy of This is how a great Nation goes that it was never going to pass because the valor of our veterans because we broke. They want to do this to the tune there are enough Senators in this body haven’t done enough to help veterans of $18 billion. That is what it is going who have enough strength of will to and their families. to take to fund Senator SANDERS’ bill. honor the commitment we made a few We hope, we pray this can be one of The problem is, the money was never weeks ago in the Ryan-Murray legisla- those moments when we prove our- going to be spent at this rate. It is not tion. We are not going to use some selves worthy of the valor of those vet- a real savings. Every piece of legisla- bogus gimmick to justify busting the erans who served their country. They tion that the majority has tried to budget. The deal is over, nada. It is not didn’t ask the price; they didn’t put move since January has exceeded the going to happen. And I will defend my down conditions; they just served their levels that we reached in the December commitment to veterans and seeing country, and they asked us to enact agreement: unemployment insurance, that they are treated fairly in this legislation and policy that is commen- the farm bill, flood insurance, and now country. surate with the sacrifice and the com- the veterans bill. All of them spend There are a lot of positive things we mitment they made to their country. above what we agreed to. need to be doing in America. This is It is about keeping promises, and I Colleagues, these measures represent certainly not one them. We need to fig- hope we can be in one of those mo- critical needs. I know we want to do ure out how to run this government on ments right now. something about all of them, and ac- the spending increases to which we As many across the country know, knowledge that people have suffered have already agreed. In fact, we need to the bill improves VA health care cov- and are suffering under the policies reduce those increases more than we erage. It reauthorizes important job- that promised to do so much good but have. training programs for unemployed vet- have not. Otherwise, we are placing at risk our erans and provides instate tuition as- The solution is not to abandon fiscal economy today, job creation today, and sistance benefits for all post-9/11 vet- discipline. The solution is not to the future of our children. erans through the GI bill. breach the agreements we reached only I thank the Chair, and I yield the We know that when we look at the a few weeks ago to have some modest floor. unemployment data, some of the high- limitation on the growth of Federal The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- est percentages for any sector or cat- spending. ator from Pennsylvania. egory are post-9/11 veterans—a much This approach has been widely de- Mr. CASEY. I rise this morning to higher unemployment rate than the rided as a gimmick. The Congressional speak about two issues. The first will overall unemployment rate and an Budget Office says this is not real be on the matter that is before us, the even higher unemployment rate than money that can be spent. Of course it veterans legislation. all of their fellow veterans. is not. I am grateful for the opportunity to In this case, for this bill, hundreds of Mr. Elmendorf followed up with a let- speak on this legislation. I commend people across Pennsylvania have ter to Congressman PAUL RYAN. Budget the work of Chairman SANDERS and reached out to my office, urging that director Mr. Elmendorf wrote: others who have brought us to this the Senate pass this bill. It has the Establishing caps on discretionary appro- point. We know we have a challenge support from various veterans service priations in the future would not affect ahead of us to pass this legislation. organizations, including the Iraq and spending under current law and would not offset changes in direct spending or reve- The good news is that these issues Afghanistan Veterans of America, the nues. Further, appropriations for war-related are bipartisan. Both parties have a real American Legion, and the VFW, just to activities have declined in recent years and concern about what happens to our vet- name a few. may decline further as military operations erans and what happens to our vet- I wish to address a couple of provi- in Afghanistan wind down. Caps on OCO ap- erans’ families. We often have different sions in the bill, ones that are particu- propriations that are lower than baseline pathways to get there, but I do think larly significant to Pennsylvania and projections might simply reflect policy deci- we have a bipartisan concern. some of the work we have been doing. sions that have already been made and that Perhaps it is appropriate to start The VA health care system in Pitts- would be realized even without such funding with a reflection on what I think our burgh had a terrible tragedy not too constraints. Moreover, if policymakers be- lieved national security required appropria- obligation is as Members of the Senate, long ago where several veterans lost tions above the capped amounts in future but it is our obligation as citizens as their lives while in the care of the VA years, they would almost certainly provide well. health care system. There was a Le- emergency operations that would not, under Years ago I heard it expressed—we gionnaires’ outbreak. Legionella was current law, be counted against the caps. often express it by using the word the problem in the water system, and It points out that this is an unaccept- ‘‘worthy.’’ When we consider what our that terrible tragedy was obviously a able way to count money. veterans have done for us, it is impor- devastating loss for those families. Not Experts on the Federal budget have tant that we express gratitude in so only the city of Pittsburgh but all of said the same. Maya MacGuineas, a ca- many different ways. Sometimes that southwestern Pennsylvania was af- pable observer with the Committee for is one-on-one expressing to a veteran: fected. We are thinking of them today a Responsible Federal Budget, said: We appreciate your service. And when when we reflect upon some of the pro- Using the war gimmick to offset other there is a parade or another dem- visions in this bill. costs or to count toward deficit reduction onstration of public support for our Veterans and their loved ones need to would send a message to the American public veterans, that is important. feel confident and secure in the care and our investors that we are not serious But the question we have to ask our- they receive at all health care facili- about controlling the debt. In fact, it would selves both as elected officials and as ties. The failures—and there is no send the message that not only are we not serious, but we are going to try to trick ev- citizens is the following: Are we doing other way to describe them—that oc- eryone that we’re actually doing something everything we can to prove ourselves curred at the VA in southwestern productive on the deficit. That’s the height worthy of the valor of our veterans? Pennsylvania surrounding this out- of irresponsibility. The answer to that question—depend- break of Legionnaires’ disease is, in a

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.016 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1200 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2014 word, unacceptable. Frankly, that is veterans, to whom we owe so much, Several years ago Congress moved not a strong enough word to express more job opportunities, greater health the Veterans Health Administration to the outrage I know people felt across care access, improved educational pro- a 1-year advanced appropriation. The southwestern Pennsylvania and be- grams, and increased oversight of the intent was to provide increased budget yond, so I worked and it led to the in- disability claims backlog, which is a certainty and protection for the hos- troduction of legislation. Portions of real challenge that so many of our vet- pitals, community clinics, and other what we worked on are included in this erans are facing. health care providers taking care of bill, and we are very pleased about I thank the leadership of Senator our wounded veterans. By funding the that. SANDERS, who chairs the Senate Vet- Veterans Health Administration in ad- Specifically, the bill requires the VA erans’ Affairs Committee. This bill in- vance, Congress made sure that budget to implement local and State reporting cludes provisions that have been spon- delays would no longer affect veterans requirements of infectious diseases. sored by both Republicans and Demo- health care. But the rest of the Depart- The bill also requires that the VA de- crats in the Senate, which is why more ment of Veterans Affairs, including the velop performance measures to assess than 20 veterans service organizations Veterans Benefits Administration, does whether the veterans integrated serv- have endorsed the legislation, includ- not receive that advanced appropria- ice networks and medical centers are ing the American Legion, the Veterans tion. That means during last year’s complying with these requirements. We of Foreign Wars, the Disabled Amer- government shutdown veterans were at are pleased that is part of the legisla- ican Veterans, and the Iraq and Af- risk of not receiving their disability tion. ghanistan Veterans of America. payments, and some personnel involved Mr. President, I wish to highlight a As the heroes of the wars in Iraq and in decreasing the disability claims part of the legislation that is very im- Afghanistan return home, they deserve backlog were not working. Veterans portant to me. our utmost gratitude and appreciation. should not have to wait longer or be Fortunately, it includes the Corporal Many of our returning veterans served put at risk of losing their benefits be- Michael J. Crescenz Act, which Senator multiple tours of duty, sacrificing so cause of political disagreements here TOOMEY and I introduced last year. The much to protect this Nation. They de- in Congress, and this bill will ensure bill renames the VA medical center on serve nothing less than access to the that will not happen again in the fu- Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia after best health care, the best education, ture. Corporal Crescenz. He was the city of and the best opportunities for employ- As I have talked with New Hampshire Philadelphia’s only Medal of Honor re- ment. veterans over the past year, this ad- Medical care for injured servicemem- cipient from the Vietnam war. I will vanced appropriations process has con- bers is at the heart of the VA’s mis- give a description of why he was award- sistently been one of their top re- sion. We have a basic responsibility to ed the Medal of Honor for his service in quests. I am very glad to see it is in- Vietnam. We know it is the highest care for the men and women injured while protecting this country. This leg- cluded. honor that can be granted to any sol- The bill also takes important steps islation addresses one of the most com- dier. to help create job opportunities for vet- mon requests from our veterans: ex- In this case, for his actions in Viet- erans. It reauthorizes parts of the VOW panded access to the VA’s dental care nam on November 20, 1968, his Medal of to Hire Heroes Act, including a joint program. Honor citation states that he gave his program between the VA and the De- life when he ‘‘left the relative safety of I was meeting with some folks re- cently who told me one of the biggest partment of Labor which provides 12 his own position, seized a nearby ma- months of training for high-demand oc- chine gun and, with complete disregard reasons our men and women serving in the military on Active Duty are not cupations to unemployed veterans. So for his safety, charged 100 meters up a far, this program has provided job re- slope toward the enemy’s bunkers able to be deployed overseas is because they do not have some of the basic den- training benefits to more than 50,000 el- which he effectively silenced. . . . As a igible veterans. direct result of his heroic actions, his tal care they need. Anyone who has suffered from dental issues knows it The legislation also includes pro- company was able to maneuver freely grams which help veterans train for with minimal danger and to complete can be completely debilitating. So sim- ply put: Veterans should not have to new careers and identify and apply for its mission, defeating the enemy.’’ existing job openings. It will award We are grateful that his family will suffer because of a lack of capacity to grants for hiring veterans as first re- have some measure of peace of mind support this basic medical need. sponders and would cut redtape for vet- that his sacrifice and his service are re- The bill also contains provisions that erans seeking licenses for skills they membered. will help expand treatment options for have developed during their military I thank Chairman SANDERS for in- young men and women who have sus- service. cluding this in the bill, and I know tained major injuries that may prevent We should do all we can to get our Senator TOOMEY joins me in that note them from starting a family. Starting veterans in the workforce. There are of gratitude. a family is one of the most rewarding far too many veterans, particularly (The further remarks of Mr. CASEY joys of life, and we should do every- post-9/11 vets, who have not been able are printed in the RECORD under thing possible to make sure our mili- ‘‘Morning Business.) tary men and women are able to over- to get jobs and are experiencing so Mr. CASEY. I yield the floor and sug- come any reproductive challenges they many of the unfortunate consequences gest the absence of a quorum. may face. of being out of the workforce. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Access to mental health care and This is why I have filed amendments BALDWIN). The clerk will call the roll. counseling, both for our returning serv- to this bill which will create new tax The legislative clerk proceeded to ice men and women and their families, incentives for businesses to hire vet- call the roll. is also critically important. When our erans, and will make it more affordable Mrs. SHAHEEN. Madam President, I brave heroes deal with these kinds of and easier for veteran-owned small ask unanimous consent that the order health issues, their families are also af- businesses to participate in Small for the quorum call be rescinded. fected. This legislation would expand Business Administration loan pro- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without mental health resources available to grams. objection, it is so ordered. veterans and their family members. I have also filed amendments to ad- Mrs. SHAHEEN. Madam President, I One of the most significant reforms dress the backlog at the Board of Vet- come to floor today as a cosponsor of that is included in this legislation is erans Appeals, which is one of the real- the legislation that is being considered moving the entire Department of Vet- ly unfortunate situations we have for now in the Senate, the Comprehensive erans Affairs to an advanced appropria- our veterans. We have veterans in New Veterans Health and Benefits and Mili- tions cycle. This means that Congress Hampshire who have been waiting up tary Retirement Pay Restoration Act would pay the VA’s bills 1 year in ad- to 4 years to have their appeals heard of 2014. vance, making it absolutely certain before the board. The package of reforms included in there will be no gaps in funding for vet- Finally, another amendment I filed this bill will help provide our Nation’s erans programs. to the bill is in memory of my friend

VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:27 Feb 28, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.018 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE February 27, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1201 Charlie Morgan. Charlie was a member ator SANDERS of Vermont and another is so effective is because it prevents of the New Hampshire National Guard offered by Senator RICHARD BURR of any company, any country which 197th Fires Brigade. After the repeal of North Carolina. wants to do business with the U.S. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, she became one I am asking the majority leader to banking system—and countries and of the first servicemembers in the allow an open process so we can craft a companies worldwide have to be able to country to come forward and talk good bill for our veterans. This means transact with the U.S. banking system, about the challenges of keeping her allowing amendments. This means al- but they are not allowed to transact family and her private life secret while lowing a vote on both bills. I believe with our banking system if they also she served in the military. that with an open process—with an do business with Iran. What also prompted Charlie to come open amendment process, by allowing If Iran can’t sell its oil because it forward was, in addition to those chal- votes as I have described—we can in can’t get paid for its oil, they are in a lenges, she was also dealing with breast fact build the kind of bipartisan sup- very tough situation. Not only do they cancer. Sadly, we lost Charlie last year port, the kind of bipartisan consensus not have the resources or the funds to to breast cancer. She was just 48 years we need to pass this legislation. There build a bomb, their administration— old. are provisions in the bills which I the regime—does not have the money I met Charlie while she was serving think have broad bipartisan support, to operate their country. So we not as a chief warrant officer in the New which is why it is so important we only prevent them from building a Hampshire National Guard, but she had have this open process. bomb, but we put the regime itself at actually enlisted in the Army in 1982. One such provision which can help us risk if they continue to build a bomb. After serving on active duty, Charlie build that kind of bipartisan support is That is why the Kirk-Menendez sanc- joined the Kentucky National Guard in the Iran sanctions provision in the leg- tions—those banking sanctions—have 1992, because that is where she was liv- islation. It is sponsored by Democratic been so effective. But they work over ing then. But shortly after the 9/11 at- Senator BOB MENENDEZ of New Jersey time. They work over time. tacks, she joined the 197th Fires Bri- and also Republican Senator MARK When the sanctions are lifted, the re- gade of the New Hampshire National KIRK of Illinois, and it is cosponsored lief is immediate, the relief is imme- Guard. by 57 other Senators, including myself. diate because now Iran can sell and get I have said it before and I will say it So we are talking about a piece of leg- payment for their oil. They can pur- again today: There is a very special islation within the Burr bill which has chase what they need, not only to con- place in this Nation’s history for those 59 Senators cosponsoring the legisla- tinue to build a bomb but to keep their who step forward to defend this coun- tion. country and keep the regime in power. try and protect the very same freedoms If this legislation is put on the floor When we are talking about sanctions denied to them out of uniform. Charlie included as part of the Burr bill, it is and negotiating an agreement to get Morgan never gave up the fight for her pretty much guaranteed we can pass it. them to stop building a bomb, it is im- civil rights, and neither will we. It has 59 cosponsors. If we pick up one portant that we have a process that is My amendment is cosponsored by more vote, we pass the bill. It is good open, transparent, and verifiable. We Senators MARK UDALL, BLUMENTHAL, for our veterans and it is also very im- need to know that they have stopped GILLIBRAND, and the Presiding Officer, portant for our national security. building the bomb and are dismantling Senator BALDWIN. It ensures that all Let me talk about the Iran sanction their nuclear weapons enterprise. veterans and their families—no matter provision for a minute. It is very important to understand where they live, no matter their sexual Right now the Obama administration that sanctions work over time, but orientation—get the benefits they have is trying to negotiate an agreement when sanctions are lifted, the relief is earned by putting their lives on the with Iran to prevent Iran from devel- immediate. That is why we cannot lift line for our country. oping a nuclear weapon, and while the sanctions while we negotiate the agree- My bill passed the Veterans’ Affairs administration is negotiating, Iran ment. We have to get Iran to stop first Committee last July by a voice vote. I continues to develop its nuclear weap- and give us a process to verify that, in hope, first of all, we will get an amend- on. While President Obama and Sec- fact, they have stopped before we can ment process on this veterans bill retary of State Kerry negotiate with lift those sanctions. which allows me and so many of my President Hassan Rouhani, Iran con- We have the opportunity in this body colleagues to offer relevant amend- tinues to build a nuclear bomb. While right here, right now, today, to address ments which I think would improve the the administration and our Secretary that problem. It is incredibly impor- bill we are hoping to consider. I hope of State talk with our allies in Europe tant that we do address this issue. We my colleagues will support all of my about the negotiations with Iran, the have 59 sponsors on the legislation. We amendments but particularly this im- Supreme Leader and Iran continue to are one short. If you put it up for a portant Charlie Morgan amendment be- build a nuclear bomb. vote, we will have well more than 60 cause our veterans deserve nothing The reality is the only thing which votes. If we impose those sanctions less. has brought Iran to the negotiating now, we will tell Iran: You stop, and we I yield the floor, and I suggest the ab- table is sanctions and only continuing make them stop. That is the option be- sence of a quorum. those sanctions will get them to stop fore us today. That is what we need to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The building a bomb. The sanctions should do. clerk will call the roll. be reinstated, and they should not be If we don’t do it, what are our op- The legislative clerk proceeded to lifted until, one, Iran agrees they will tions? A military strike? That is the call the roll. not build a bomb, and we have an open, last option. That is what we don’t want Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I verifiable transparent process to make to have to do. We don’t want to have to ask unanimous consent that the order certain they are not doing so. do a military strike to take out their for the quorum call be rescinded. Sanctions take time to work. The bomb-making capability. But if we The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without sanctions we applied more than 1 year don’t act and reimpose those sanctions, objection, it is so ordered. ago—particularly the Kirk-Menendez that is the option that is left. Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I banking sanctions—have had a real im- Today we have a choice. I ask that rise today to talk about the Iran sanc- pact on Iran’s economy. I bring a back- we be allowed to vote on the Burr legis- tions legislation, but first I want to ground as a banker to my work experi- lation, that we be allowed to vote on talk about the veterans legislation we ence, both as a Governor for 10 years, amendments, and that we be allowed to are on, and why it is so important that and my work experience here in the vote to reimpose sanctions on Iran. we include the Iran sanctions provi- Senate. The reality is that the Kirk- With that, I yield the floor. sion. Menendez banking sanctions have been The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- I believe we all want to make sure we extremely effective. It is a well-crafted jority leader. take care of our veterans. We will have piece of bipartisan legislation which ORDER OF PROCEDURE on the floor two bills today which deal passed this body overwhelmingly, Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask with our veterans, one offered by Sen- which is really effective. The reason it unanimous consent that following the

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.011 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1202 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2014 disposition of S. 1982, the veterans ben- East as a C–12 pilot and a Black Hawk tana. My job is to bring their voices to efits bill, the Senate proceed to execu- medivac pilot. the Senate. tive session to consider Calendar No. Throughout my many years of serv- One additional issue I heard loudly 561, Michael L. Connor, to be Deputy ice, and now with my son’s service, en- and clearly from every corner of Mon- Secretary of the Interior, that there be suring our veterans and their families tana is that our government is not 2 minutes for debate equally divided in have access to the services and benefits doing enough to protect our civil lib- the usual form, and that all other pro- they have earned is a responsibility I erties. As I have throughout my career, visions of the previous order remain in take very seriously and very person- I will continue to fight to protect our effect. ally. civil liberties, our freedoms, and our The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without I recently met with student veterans Montana values. We must do what it objection, it is so ordered. at Montana State University in Boze- takes to protect our Nation and the The Senator from Montana. man, MT, where I heard from young freedom we enjoy—something I have TAKING RESPONSIBILITY men and women who are concerned dedicated my life to. But we must, and Mr. WALSH. Madam President, in about their mounting student debt. I we can, do it without trampling on the Montana we have a long history of also heard from veterans from all rights we have fought so hard for. being represented by true statesmen— across Montana about their frustra- Bulk data collection with no trans- larger-than-life figures such as Senator tions with the long delays in proc- parency, whether by the government or Mike Mansfield. These men always essing disability benefit claims. I have by private corporations, is unaccept- served us well, while at the same time heard from veterans from across the able. That is why during my first week defending Montana’s principles and State who are frustrated with the dis- in the Senate, I signed on to a bipar- freedoms. These statesmen never took tances they have to travel to receive tisan bill that is an important first their privileges for granted, and they care. These failings on behalf of our step in this fight. I have also heard loudly and clearly always had the courage to put their veterans and their families cause me from Montanans that our national debt differences aside to do what is right for grave concern. We must, and I will, is unacceptable. Washington has a our country. At a time when privilege fight for them every day I am serving spending problem that we must get seems to be gaining on principle, I in the Senate. under control. There is no better exam- pledge to find the same courage to do The face of modern war has changed ple of privileges gaining on our prin- what is right. and the VA must keep up with the ciples. Responsibly cutting our debt Senator Mansfield called Butte, MT, changing times. Medical care must in- and wasteful spending is one of my top home. Born and raised in Butte, I was clude robust mental health benefits, priorities as a Senator, just as it was brought up with a great deal of respect and it must also include proper as Montana’s lieutenant governor for Senator Mike Mansfield. It is a tre- screenings to help mitigate the effect working alongside Governor Steve Bul- mendous honor for me to stand today of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries. As a military lock. where he stood so many years ago and Congress needs the courage to cut commander, I also know firsthand pledge to you and the people of Mon- spending without doing it on the backs what the unseen injuries have done to tana that I will take responsibility for of our veterans, our children, or our my actions and that I will have the America’s heroes and their families. seniors. Almost everyone I talked to in courage to do what is right no matter We can and we must do better. Montana told me where they see waste The oath I have taken is one I take what the consequences. in government, and they all have spe- very seriously. It is an honor, it is a Of course, I would not be where I am cific examples. We need to find the privilege, and a great responsibility today without the love and support of courage to stand up to special interests my wonderful family. My wife of 29 that I will work tirelessly to fulfill. and cut that wasteful spending. But we To honor their service and sacrifice, years, Janet, who is here today, our must not do it on the backs of our most we must welcome our heroes home and sons Michael and Taylor, our daughter- vulnerable citizens. in-law April, and our 9-month-old help them during their transition from Having served for 33 years in the granddaughter Kennedy have stood by active duty back into civilian life. I military, I am confident we can make my side through every challenge life know how difficult that transition can the Defense budget more efficient has handed us. be. I have experienced it firsthand, I while at the same time enhancing pro- Last week, while at home, I traveled have witnessed it, and I will take re- grams that grow our economy and pro- across Montana as Montana’s newest sponsibility to improve it. tect our children and seniors. Senator. I had an opportunity to talk On these and other issues facing our We should start by reducing waste in to a lot of Montanans who believe we State and our country, I look forward contracting and procurement. Today need more courage in Washington, and to working with my friend and col- we spend millions to have contract se- I tend to agree. league Senator JON TESTER to solve curity guards check IDs at our bases As a public servant, I have sworn an problems not only for our veterans but rather than servicemembers, but no oath to protect and defend Montanans, for all Montanans. one is any safer. I take responsibility our Nation, and our Constitution. Last week JON and I traveled the to fix this. I am no stranger to answering the State. We heard from members of the It is a privilege to be chosen to serve call to serve. I spent 33 years in the Little Shell Tribal Council about the on the Agriculture Committee. I am Montana National Guard where I importance of Federal recognition and the only member of Montana’s delega- served for 9 of those years as an en- ways to help Indian-owned businesses tion to sit on the agriculture com- listed man before becoming an officer. grow and create jobs. We heard from mittee. This committee is so impor- I also had the honor of leading over tribal nations across Montana about tant to Montana where our No. 1 indus- 700 of Montana’s finest young men and the Land Buy-Back Cooperative Agree- try is agriculture. From livestock dis- women into combat in Iraq. It was the ment Program within the Department aster assistance to crop insurance, largest deployment of Montana’s sol- of Interior. I made a commitment to commonsense forest reforms, I look diers and airmen since World War II. Montana’s tribal leaders that I would forward to making sure the farm bill In August of 2008, Governor Brian work hard to make sure the Federal works and works efficiently for Mon- Schweitzer asked me to serve as the Government is being responsive and tana’s farmers and ranchers. adjutant general of the Montana Na- working to move this program forward I also look forward to serving on the tional Guard, and I was truly honored in a way that works for our sovereign commerce committee where I will by the opportunity to continue serving tribal nations. focus on transportation, energy, rural our State and our Nation. We also had the opportunity to speak telecommunications, and tourism. I am also extremely proud of my old- with business owners in Miles City and Tourism is Montana’s second largest est son Michael who is now 28 and is Wolf Point, MT, who are working hard sector. It not only contributes to our following in my path of public service. to grow jobs while at the same time State’s economy, but also helps pre- He is currently serving in the National dealing with infrastructure challenges serve the outdoor heritage that makes Guard and is deployed to the Middle caused by the oil boom in eastern Mon- Montana such a slice of heaven.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.019 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE February 27, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1203 I will bring Montana courage to the American character, to come to our aid with people, and strong support for congres- Senate where I will fight on behalf of all dispatch. sional investigations on a bipartisan the people of Montana to protect So- The enemy is receiving reinforcements basis and the adoption of new safe- daily and will no doubt increase to three or cial Security and in my new four thousand in four or five days. guards against potential future abuses. role on the aging committee. I am also If this call is neglected, I am determined to Instead, we have seen that the inves- prepared to help fix some of Washing- sustain myself for as long as possible and die tigations, most notably led in the ton’s problems while serving on the like a soldier who never forgets what is due House of Representatives, have been rules committee. to his own honor and that of his country. met with whitewash, and there have I know I only just joined this distin- Victory or death. been active efforts to prevent Congress guished body, but I also know there is Signed: William Barret Travis. from actually uncovering the full very real work to be done to get our As we have since learned, in the bat- story. That is a shameful response, and country on the right track again. Be- tle that ensued, all 189 defenders of the it is dishonest. Unfortunately, it is ginning on day one, I rolled up my Alamo gave their lives. But they did about to get worse. sleeves and started working. My pur- not die in vain. The Obama IRS is now proposing a pose here is to have the courage to do The Battle of the Alamo bought pre- new political speech rule that would what is right for the people of Mon- cious time for the revolution- force many 501(c)(4), or grassroots or- tana, our veterans, and the United aries, allowing General Sam ganizations, to dramatically change States of America. to maneuver his army into position for their activities or else form formal po- Thank you for this amazing oppor- a decisive victory in the battle of San litical action committees. If the groups tunity and may God bless the United Jacinto. With this victory Texas be- are forced to register as political out- States of America. came a sovereign nation and an inde- fits, they will be subject to new cam- I suggest the absence of a quorum. pendent republic. paign finance rules, which, of course, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The For nine years the Republic of Texas may be the whole point. clerk will call the roll. thrived, as I said, as a separate nation. As noted ear- The legislative clerk proceeded to Then, in 1845, it agreed to join the lier this week: call the roll. United States as the 28th State. The purpose of this disclosure is to set up The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re- Many of the Texas patriots who donors as political targets for boycotts and publican whip. fought in the revolution went on to intimidation so that the costs of partici- Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I serve in the Congress. I am honored to pating in politics will be too steep. ask unanimous consent that the order hold the seat originally held by then- I might note the Supreme Court of for the quorum call be rescinded. General Sam Houston but later the the United States addressed this con- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without president of the republic and U.S. Sen- cern in a very important case decades objection, it is so ordered. ator for Texas. More broadly, I am hon- ago, NAACP v. Alabama, where they TEXAS INDEPENDENCE DAY ored to have the opportunity to serve held that under the First Amendment Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I 26 million Americans that call Texas to the Constitution, the NAACP was rise today to commemorate a very spe- home because of the sacrifices made by not required to disclose its membership cial day in Texas history, and I would these brave patriots 178 years ago. list because, at the time, sadly, they say in American history. This is a day May we always remember the Alamo, were worried about intimidation and that inspires pride and gratitude in my and may God continue to bless Texas targeting of their members. So the Su- State. I rise to commemorate Texas and these United States. preme Court of the United States said Independence Day, which is celebrated IRS INTRUSION that under the First Amendment of the on March 2, this Sunday. Madam President, I will spend the Constitution and the freedom of asso- I will read a letter that was written rest of my time on a separate topic ciation included there, the NAACP did 178 years ago from behind the walls of about which many Americans are not need to disclose its membership an old Spanish mission that is now in greatly concerned, and I am one of list because of this bona fide threat. San Antonio, TX. It is known as the them. These are not contrived concerns Alamo. It is a letter written by 26-year- It has been more than nine months today. Back in 2012, donors to the Mitt old Lieutenant Colonel William Barret since we first found out that the IRS Romney presidential campaign found Travis. In doing so, I am carrying on a was deliberately targeting certain po- themselves publicly attacked and slan- tradition started by the late Senator litical organizations for their political dered for daring to support Governor John Tower, who represented Texas in beliefs. At first, the Obama administra- Romney and participating in the polit- this body for more than two decades. tion acknowledged that any abuse by ical process. For that matter, some- This tradition was later upheld by his the IRS was unacceptable. But then, in thing even more sinister happened to successor, Senator Phil Gramm, and subsequent days and months, it has one Idaho businessman by the name of thereafter by Senator Kay Bailey tried to play down the scandal and Frank VanderSloot. In April of 2012, Hutchison. It is a tremendous honor blame it on a few rogue operators in Mr. VanderSloot was one of 8 Romney that this privilege has now fallen to the Cincinnati Field Office. Yet the donors who were condemned by an me. more we have learned, the more we re- Obama campaign Web site and called On February 24, 1836, with his posi- alize the abuses involved significant ‘‘less than reputable.’’ Shortly there- tion under siege and outnumbered coordination with the IRS head- after, a Democratic opposition re- nearly 10 to 1 by the forces of the Mexi- quarters here in Washington, DC. searcher began searching for Mr. can dictator Antonio Lopez de Santa Because of these abuses, millions of VanderSloot’s divorce records. Mean- Anna, Travis penned the following let- Americans now worry that the Internal while, the IRS decided to audit 2 years ter: Revenue Service and their own Federal worth of tax filings for Mr. To the People of Texas and all Americans Government have been corrupted, and VanderSloot and the Labor Depart- in the World: we have become more like a banana re- ment announced a separate audit of the Fellow citizens and compatriots— public. This damage to the public con- workers employed on his cattle ranch. I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sus- fidence and the public trust is immeas- Coincidence? I suspect Mr. VanderSloot tained a continual bombardment and can- urable, and much of the damage may was targeted because of his political nonade for 24 hours and I have not lost a end up being irreversible. activities. It was a deeply troubling man. The enemy has demanded a surrender Of course, the right response when question in 2012, and it is even more at discretion. Otherwise, the garrison are to the administration and Congress troubling today, given all we have be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. learned of these abuses would have learned about the IRS targeting since I have answered the demand with a cannon been to clean house at the agency and that time. shot, and our flag still waves proudly from give the American people ironclad as- I offer as my next example the expe- the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. surances this would never, ever happen rience of one of my constituents, Cath- Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, again. Of course, the right response erine Engelbrecht in Houston, TX. Ms. of patriotism and everything dear to the would have been accountability, firing Engelbrecht is a Texas businesswoman

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.020 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1204 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2014 who founded both the King Street Pa- tax-exempt organizations. I am sure PTSD, or a Traumatic Brain Injury, triots and an organization called True this was just an oversight. Labor TBI, receive better diagnosis and treat- the Vote. She was mainly concerned unions are exempted. So why, if the ment through the Defense Department about the integrity of the ballot and Treasury is proposing this rule—why, if and the VA. training people to participate in the this is going to be given to the IRS— I have also led the charge to reduce process and express themselves more would we carve out some of the largest the backlog in processing veteran’s dis- effectively through that process. But donors and participants in the political ability claims. I brought Secretary she found herself targeted by multiple process in America today, which is or- Shinseki to Baltimore to create a sense Federal agencies, including the IRS, ganized labor? Not for reasons of fair- of urgency to end the backlog by 2015. the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, To- ness, I suppose but, rather, because the I used my power as Chairwoman of the bacco, and Firearms, and OSHA, none proponents of this rule basically want Appropriations Committee to convene of which had ever contacted her fam- to tilt the scale in their favor, once a hearing with the top brass in the ily’s businesses before her involvement again, and they want to suppress the military and members of the Com- in grassroots activism. As Ms. speech and the political activity of mittee to identify challenges and get Engelbrecht recently told a House com- people they disagree with—which is un- moving on solutions. I cut across agen- mittee investigating: American. cies to break down smokestacks and We had never been audited, we had never Not surprisingly, the IRS has re- developed a 10-point Checklist for been investigated, but all that changed upon ceived tens of thousands of comments Change enacted as part of the FY2014 submitting applications for the nonprofit on the rule, and most of these com- Omnibus Appropriations bill. This plan statuses of True the Vote and King Street Patriots. Since that filing in 2010, my private ments have been critical. This morning includes better funding, better tech- businesses, my nonprofit organizations, and in the Senate Judiciary Committee, nology, better training and better over- family have been subjected to more than 15 my colleague Senator CRUZ read a com- sight of the VA. instances of audit or inquiry by federal agen- ment from the American Civil Lib- We made a sacred commitment to cies. erties Union that was critical of this honor those who served by giving them Make no mistake. The proposed IRS rule. I don’t agree with a lot of the the benefits they’ve earned. This legis- rule would make it even harder for peo- policies of the American Civil Liberties lation is a significant step in the right ple such as Ms. Engelbrecht to partici- Union, but they are absolutely right in direction, and I urge my colleagues to pate in the political process—some- this instance. Given the tremendous support it. thing that is her constitutional right— importance of this issue, including the Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, the and it would strongly discourage other potential consequences and damage to Veterans Benefits Act, S. 1982, purports similarly interested and concerned First Amendment rights, we need to to place caps on future years’ expendi- citizens from exercising their rights. In make sure this rule is not implemented tures for Overseas Contingency Oper- other words, it would strike at the very as proposed. I urge all of my constitu- ations, ‘‘OCO’’, ostensibly to pay-for heart of self government, and at the ents in Texas and all Americans and the added expenditures authorized by very heart of the American democracy. everyone within the sound of my voice the bill. The IRS was meant to be a tax col- to continue making their voices heard OCO is an emergency expenditure. lection agency, period—not to be the and to continue to urge President Therefore, it does not count against police of political speech and political Obama and the IRS commissioner to the statutory budget caps. How much activity. But now we know, after the stop this dangerous IRS power grab. OCO, if any, will be needed in any given was passed—now Madam President, I yield the floor. year is a determination made year by more commonly called ObamaCare—we Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I year in an appropriations bill and can now know the IRS is in charge of en- come to the floor today in support of S. only be made in that year, when we forcing ObamaCare by collecting the 1982, the Comprehensive Veterans know what national security contin- penalties for people who don’t buy gov- Health and Benefits and Military Re- gencies our military will actually face. ernment-approved health insurance. tirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014. If OCO caps could be used to pay for But, still, that is apparently not I believe we must keep the promises this bill, there would not be a need to enough of a job for the IRS, even we have made to our veterans. We can waive the budget points of order though the work they are already do this by giving them the same qual- against the bill. So, my vote to waive doing they are not doing very well. ity of service they gave us, and by pro- budget points of order is not a vote to With this now 501(c)(4) rule, the IRS viding them with the care they de- use OCO caps as an offset, because they would effectively become a campaign serve. That is why I support this bipar- cannot be so used. Instead, my vote is finance regulator. tisan bill. a vote in favor of the worthwhile ex- As the advocates for this rule are The bill contains a number of provi- penditures for veterans’ benefits that aware, we already have an agency re- sions that will improve the lives of the S. 1982 authorizes. sponsible for enforcing campaign fi- men and women in uniform and our nance rules. It is called, strangely veterans by: The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. MERKLEY). The Senator from Vermont. enough, the Federal Election Commis- Restoring the full cost-of-living adjust- sion, and it is a strictly bipartisan in- ment for all military retirees; Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, as stitution, as it should be. If the Presi- Reforming the system for processing vet- chairman of the Senate Veterans Af- dent and my friends across the aisle eran’s disability claims to reduce the exist- fairs’ Committee, I want to thank want to change campaign finance laws, ing backlog; many people for helping me bring forth they should either draft legislation or Providing in-State tuition assistance for the legislation we are going to be vot- make their case to the Federal agency post 9/11 veterans pursuing a college degree; ing on this afternoon. Expanding programs designed to help vet- I thank those people who have come that has the jurisdiction to deal with erans find a job; them: The election commissioners at Requiring new services for survivors of sex- down to the floor to speak on behalf of the Federal Election Commission. But ual assault: and our veterans. That includes Majority turning the IRS into a de facto arm of Improving health care services related to Leader REID, who has been so helpful the FEC is just more political over- mental health, traumatic brain injury and throughout, Senators MURRAY, reach, and it is going to be ripe for other conditions. BLUMENTHAL, HEINRICH, PRYOR, DUR- abuse. Indeed, not only would the pro- In addition to supporting this bill, as BIN, MERKLEY, WALSH, SHAHEEN, and posed 501(c)(4) rule further distract the the Chairwoman of the Senate Appro- CASEY. I suspect I have left out some IRS from its core mission, it would priations Committee, I have put money Members. trample the First Amendment, intimi- in the Federal checkbook to improve I thank my entire staff at the Vet- date people from exercising their the veteran’s health care system so erans Affairs’ Committee—Steve Rob- rights of free speech, and it would that wounded and disabled warriors get ertson, Dahlia Melendrez, Travis Mur- weaken our participatory democracy. the care and benefits they need. I have phy, Kathryn Monet, Kathryn Van I also note the rule would not cover worked to ensure veterans suffering Haste, Elizabeth Austin, Carlos the political activities of some other from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Fuentes, Ann Vallandingham, Rebecca

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 27, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.022 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE February 27, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1205 Thoman, Jason Dean, Shannon Jack- whether once again we are going to bill—two separate omnibus bills—were son, Shanna Lawrie, and Rafael Ander- succumb to the same-old, same-old pol- passed by a unanimous vote. You can- son—for their help on this effort. itics that we see almost every day. not get much more bipartisan than I thank the 28 cosponsors of this im- Let me very briefly touch upon some when you have two major provisions in portant legislation. I will not read of the objections my Republican col- a bill passing with all Republicans and their names. They know who they are, leagues have made to this bill. Some of Democrats voting for it. That is pretty and I thank them very, very much. them—not a whole lot, by the way, but bipartisan where I come from. As I indicated earlier, this legislation some have come to the floor and they Furthermore, this legislation con- is not BERNIE SANDERS’ legislation. have objected to this bill. So let me re- tains a number of provisions authored This is legislation that, by and large, spond to some of their concerns. and supported by Republican members comes from the hearts and souls of the Some of my Republican colleagues of the Veterans Affairs’ Committee. In veterans of this country. have said they cannot vote for this bill fact, to the best of my knowledge, As chairman of the committee, I because they could not get the oppor- there are 26 separate provisions that thought it was my obligation to listen tunity to offer an amendment on the Republican members have authored or to what the veterans of our country Iran sanctions situation. cosponsored. were saying about their problems and Mr. President, you know what. The This legislation also includes two their needs and how we might go for- issue of Iran sanctions is an important key provisions that were passed in a bi- ward, and that is what I and others on issue, but it has nothing to do with the partisan way by the Republican House the committee did. We listened. That is needs of veterans. In case people do not of Representatives. With almost unani- the reason why this legislation is being understand it, this is a comprehensive mous votes, the House passed a provi- supported by virtually every veterans veterans bill, and while Iran sanctions sion that we have in this legislation organization in the United States of may be important, they have nothing that would authorize the VA to enter America, representing millions and to do with what we are discussing into 27 major medical facility leases in millions of veterans. I thank them for today. That is not just my opinion. Far 18 States and Puerto Rico. In other their support—and not only for their more importantly, we have the opinion words, this was a new provision that I support but for their help in crafting of the largest veterans organization in did add to this bill, was not discussed this legislation: the American Legion, this country, which represents over 2 in committee but, in fact, has over- Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled million veterans, and that is the Amer- whelming bipartisan support. The sec- American Veterans, Jewish War Vet- ican Legion. Here is what Daniel M. ond provision we added to the bill not erans, Vietnam Veterans of America, Dellinger, the national commander of discussed in committee also passed the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Iraq the American Legion, said just yester- House with broad support, and that and Afghanistan Veterans of America, day on this issue: deals with the very important issue of Wounded Warrior Project, Gold Star Iran is a serious issue that Congress needs ensuring that veterans can take full Wives, Student Veterans of America, to address, but it cannot be tied to S. 1982— advantage of the post-9/11 GI bill and Air Force Sergeants Association, This veterans legislation— get instate tuition in the State in American Ex-Prisoners of War, Asso- which they currently live. which is extremely important as our nation ciation of the United States Navy, prepares to welcome millions of U.S. mili- So to as great a degree as possible I Commissioned Officers Association of tary servicemen and women home from war. have tried to make this bill a bipar- the U.S. Public Health Service, Na- This comprehensive bill aims to help vet- tisan bill. That is where we are. tional Guard Association of the United erans find good jobs, get the health care they Now, other Republicans have come to States, Enlisted Association of the Na- need and make in-state tuition rates applica- the floor and they have objected to this tional Guard of the United States, ble to all who are using their GI Bill bene- bill because they argue that by expand- Fleet Reserve Association, Marine fits. This legislation is about supporting vet- ing VA health care to veterans cur- Corps League, Marine Corps Reserve erans, pure and simple. The Senate can de- rently not eligible for it—veterans who bate various aspects of it, and that’s under- in some cases are trying to get by on Association, Military Officers of Amer- standable, but it cannot lose focus on the ica Association, Military Order of the matter at hand: helping military personnel $28,000, $30,000 a year in this tough Purple Heart, National Association of make the transition to veteran life and en- economy; and it is true, we do expand Uniformed Services, Non Commis- suring that those who served their nation in VA health care to those veterans who sioned Officers Association, Retired uniform receive the benefits they earned and do not have a whole lot of money—the Enlisted Association, American Mili- deserve. We can deal with Iran—or any other Republicans who object say, well, that tary Retirees Association, National Co- issue unrelated specifically to veterans— would open the floodgates for millions alition for Homeless Veterans, Na- with separate legislation. or tens of millions—I think somebody tional Association of State Veterans That is Mr. Dellinger, the national said 22 million veterans—every veteran Homes, and many other veterans orga- commander of the largest veterans or- in America would be eligible for VA nizations. Thank you very much for ganization in this country. I thank him health care, that the health care sys- your support for this legislation. very much because he is exactly right, tem would be swamped and health care, It is no secret that Congress today is and he reflects what the overwhelming especially for those most in need, extremely partisan and to a significant majority of the American people be- would deteriorate because so many degree dysfunctional. That is why the lieve: Deal with the issue at hand. people came into the system. approval rating of Congress is some- But it is not just the American Le- As I mentioned yesterday, this is ab- where around 15 percent. There are gion I want to thank. The Iraq and Af- solutely untrue. No new veteran would problems facing the American people, ghanistan Veterans of America tweeted be added into VA health care until the and we cannot address those problems. the other day: VA had the infrastructure to accommo- The American people are profoundly The Senate should not get distracted while date those new veterans. So we are not disgusted with what we do and, in fact, debating & voting on the vets bill. Iran sanc- opening the door for millions of new with what we do not do. tions, Obamacare, etc. aren’t relevant to S. veterans—not true—and, as currently I had hoped from the bottom of my 1982. is the case, those with service-con- heart that at least on this issue—the They are absolutely right. Let’s talk nected disabilities would continue to need to protect and defend the veterans about veterans’ needs. get the highest priority service, as of this country and their families, oth- Now, some other Republican col- they currently do and which, in my ers who have given so much to us—we leagues, in objecting to this bill, have view, should always be the case. Those could rise above the day-to-day rancor said they cannot vote for it because it who were injured in war are the top and the party politics we see here on is not bipartisan enough and it has not priority, and those folks must always this floor almost every single day. been fully marked up in committee. be the top priority, and that is cer- We will, in fact, see within a short Well, that is not quite true. Almost tainly the case in this legislation. while whether we will rise to the occa- all of the provisions in this bill did Then last but not least there is the sion, whether we will, in fact, stand come out of the committee. In fact, objection that we are going to be deal- with the veterans of this country, or two of the major components of this ing with in about 45 minutes—the vote

VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:27 Feb 28, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.023 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1206 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2014 we will be having—and that is that One trillion dollars is what is in the ate wants to look that veteran in the some of my colleagues basically say: fund for the next 10 years. We spend eyes and say to him or her that they Senator SANDERS, this bill is just too less than $20 billion of that fund. Some think we cannot afford to help that in- expensive and we just cannot afford to people say, well, yes, that is fine. But dividual who sacrificed so much for pass it. This bill costs $21 billion—that OCO funding has to go into ammuni- this country have a family, well go do is a lot of money, I do not deny it—and tion, it has to go into planes, it has to that. Tell that individual that you that is just too much money, and we go into tanks. That is where it goes. think we cannot afford to help him or cannot afford to pass this bill, which That is not quite the case. Let me her, but when you do that, I hope you helps millions of veterans. give you an example of how we have will also tell him why you voted to I want to respond to that point in spent past overseas contingency oper- give $1 trillion in tax breaks to the top two ways. First, I want to address it ation funds. 2 percent at a time when the wealthiest from an inside-the-beltway, more tech- Since 2005, the Defense Department people in this country are doing phe- nical perspective, and then I want to has used OCO funding for childcare cen- nomenally well. Virtually all of my Re- talk to the American people about the ters, for hospitals, for traumatic brain publican colleagues thought it was ap- cost of war and what we can afford and injury research, for equipment, and propriate to provide huge tax breaks to what we cannot afford. schools. In 2010, $50 million of OCO millionaires and billionaires. In terms of the funding of this bill, funds were used for the Guam Improve- So when you speak to that young the Congressional Budget Office—the ment Enterprise Fund. To my mind, if veteran who can no longer have a child nonpartisan scorekeeper—has esti- we can use money for the Guam Im- and you are going to explain why we mated that mandatory spending in this provement Enterprise Fund—I do not cannot afford to help that family, tell bill will total $2.88 billion over the next know much about that—I do believe we them it was OK to vote for tax breaks 10 years—$2.88 billion. All of this man- should be able to use some of the OCO for the Koch brothers or the Walton datory spending is completely offset. funds to protect the needs of men and family, but we do not have enough Let me repeat that. All of this manda- women who made enormous sacrifices money to help them start a family. tory spending is completely offset, not defending our country. If you as a Senator see a 70-year-old by OCO funds, but through more than Last year OCO funds were allocated woman or 75-year-old woman pushing a $4.2 billion in actual savings from the to a number of countries around the wheelchair for a veteran who lost his programs within the jurisdiction of the world: Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, legs in Vietnam, tell that woman, have Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Kenya, Lebanon, Somalia, South the courage, have the honesty to tell As a result, CBO has determined that Sudan, and many other countries. that woman we cannot extend the care- overall mandatory spending in this bill This year $28 million in OCO funding giver benefits to her that we have, will be reduced—will be reduced—by is being used for the TRICARE health quite appropriately, for the post-9/11 more than $1.3 billion. care program. In other words, we are veterans. Tell that woman who may be That is what the CBO said. In addi- using a tiny percentage, less than 2 taking care of that disabled vet 7 days tion, this bill authorizes $18.3 billion in percent of the funds in the OCO fund, . We have 4.2 in a week, 24 hours a day, who lives under to protect veterans. We have seen over mandatory, more than offset, and then enormous stress, that we do not have the years OCO funding used in a whole we have 18.3 billion in discretionary the resources to help her with a modest lot of other areas. stipend; we do not have the resources spending over the next 5 years. I happen to believe that what we are As the Presiding Officer knows, there as the U.S. Government to maybe have trying to do with OCO funds falls well is no rule in the Senate that an author- a nurse come in once a week to relieve within the definition of what that fund ization of funding has to be offset. That her. We do not have the resources to is what the Committee on Veterans’ is supposed to be used for. If we are give her some technical help for her- Affairs is. We are an authorizing com- supposed to be using that fund for mili- self, for her husband. Explain to her mittee. We are not an appropriations tary purposes, then we take care of the that we cannot afford to do that. committee. In essence, the discre- military personnel who served our But then in the same breath, if you tionary spending provisions in this leg- country—totally legitimate, totally please, explain how you can support a islation are just recommendations on consistent. situation where one out of four cor- how much additional funding we be- That is kind of the technical, inside- porations in this country does not pay lieve is needed for our Nation’s vet- the-beltway explanation for why I a nickel in Federal income taxes. It is erans. It will be up to future legislation think the funding mechanism we have OK for General Electric, some of the in the Appropriations Committee, as is chosen and the approach we have taken largest corporations in the world in a always the case, to approve or dis- is legitimate. But let me get actually given year, not to pay a penny in Fed- approve of these recommendations. to the far more important reason as to eral income tax, but we somehow do In other words, the Committee on why this bill should be passed and it not have the money to give a little bit Veterans’ Affairs, an authorizing com- should be paid for; that is, very simply, of help to a 70-, 75-year-old wife who is mittee, has made a recommendation. this bill in a small way attempts to working 24/7 to give support to their The final word, as is always the case pay back and help veterans and their loved ones. when we spend money, rests with the families for the enormous sacrifices I say to my follow Senators: If you Appropriations Committee. The discre- they have made for this country, sac- happen to meet a veteran who is trying tionary spending authorized under this rifices which in the deepest sense can to get by on $28,000, $30,000, $35,000 a bill is, in fact, paid for by using savings never, ever be fully paid back. year, and you notice that the teeth in from winding down the wars in Iraq This is what this bill does. This bill his mouth are rotting, if you notice and Afghanistan, otherwise known as helps Members of Congress, on Memo- that person may not have health insur- the OCO fund. rial Day or Veterans Day, when they go ance, one of the million veterans in Again, these are recommendations. out and they meet with veterans and this country who have no health insur- The Appropriations Committee has the their families, that if a Member of Con- ance, I want you to go up to that vet- final word. CBO estimates that spend- gress, Member of the Senate bumps eran and have the courage, the hon- ing for Overseas Contingency Oper- into a young veteran who is in a wheel- esty, to tell them that you believe the ations will total a little over $1 trillion chair, who because of a war-related in- United States of America does not have over the next decade. Spending as a re- jury is unable to have a baby and start the money to take care of his needs, to sult of this legislation to improve the a family that he or she wanted, some of get him VA health care, to help him fix lives of millions of our veterans will be those injuries, maybe the spinal cord, his teeth. less than 2 percent of that $1 trillion. some of them may have taken place in But explain to him why you may So anybody who comes down to the the genital region, but for whatever have voted for more than $100 billion in floor and says this bill is going to take reason—we have over 2,000 veterans in tax breaks for the wealthiest three- away from the needs of our men and this country today who are unable to tenths of 1 percent because you think women in Afghanistan or elsewhere is naturally have babies. Many of them we should repeal the estate tax that simply inaccurate. want families. If a Member of the Sen- only applies to the wealthiest three-

VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:26 Feb 28, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.024 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE February 27, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1207 tenths of 1 percent, the wealthiest of Speeches are great, but action is better abundantly clear that the information the wealthy. You are prepared to vote, and far more important. coming from Libya never suggested and virtually all Republicans are, to This is about who we are as a people. there was a protest and identified this give millionaire and billionaire fami- It is about what our priorities are. In as a terrorist attack from the very be- lies, the wealthiest of the wealthy, the my view, at the very top of our priority ginning. On September 16, 5 days after top three-tenths of 1 percent, $100 bil- list has to be to protect and defend the attack U.N. ambassador Susan Rice lion in tax breaks, but we are not pre- those people who protect and defend us, assured the Nation that the consulate pared, we supposedly do not have the those people who have given much was substantially, significantly, and money to get VA health care for some- more than we can ever repay. strongly secured. one making $28,000, $30,000 or dental There are gold star wives who want There is absolutely nothing in the care for someone whose teeth are rot- to go to college, and we allow that in talking points about that. Clearly that ting in his mouth. this bill. They lost their husbands. was not the case. Why did she say that? You go explain that. Have the hon- They are trying to take care of their Her story about a protest caused by a esty, the courage, guys, to say: Yes, kids. They want a new shot at life. hateful video being the most likely tax breaks for billionaires, but we do They need a college education. We say cause of the attack is not based on any not have the resources to get you into they should have that. I don’t think facts or any reporting from Libya. We VA health care. I want you to explain that is asking too much. will walk through the timeline, but the to a young woman who left the mili- Enough of the rhetoric, enough of the head of the CIA in Libya on September tary, maybe broken in spirit because speeches, enough about how everybody 15 sent a message, an email, a cable, to she was raped or sexually assaulted loves the veterans. Now is the time for the No. 2, Mike Morell, in the CIA in while in the military, tell her America action. I implore all of my colleagues Washington, saying this was not—not— does not have the resources to get her, to overcome this vote, to give us the a protest that escalated into an attack. through the VA, the proper care she votes that we need to go forward to That story line about a protest was needs to get her life back together protect those who have protected us. misleading. It was false, it was politi- after her sexual assault. Tell her that. I yield the floor. cally motivated, in my view. The No. 2 If you happen to meet a young man The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- at the CIA, Mike Morell—his testimony who was eligible for the post-9/11 GI ator from South Carolina. before the House and the Senate is bill, who today cannot afford to go to Mr. GRAHAM. I ask unanimous con- highly suspect. He testified on Novem- college where he lives because he is not sent for Senator MCCAIN, Senator ber 14 or 15, 2012, to the Senate and eligible for in-state tuition and there is AYOTTE, and me to engage in a col- House intelligence committees. a gap between what the GI education loquy for approximately 20 minutes. There was one episode where Mr. bill pays and what is required in the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Clapper, the Director of National Intel- State he is living in of $10,000, he can- objection. ligence said: He did not know who not afford it, cannot go to college, ex- Mr. GRAHAM. My colleagues will be changed the famous talking points. plain to him that we do not have the here in a moment. I will start. Thank The talking points originally identified money to help him. you for recognizing me. Al Qaeda as being involved, identified If you bump into an old veteran—we Senator MCCAIN has arrived. this as a terrorist attack and were have heard some discussion in the last The time has come, colleagues, for us completely changed in the protest couple of days that the VA lacks ade- as a body to provide some oversight story line, not mentioning Al Qaeda at quate health care facilities, we do not that is missing when it comes to the all. have enough around the country. This death of four Americans at the Mike Morell, in May of 2013, admitted legislation that we are voting on right Benghazi consulate on September 11, to changing the talking points. But now, that in fact was already passed in 2012. I will try not to get emotional. when Director Clapper said: We don’t the House, provides for the VA to enter The bottom line is all of us very know who changed the talking points. into leases for 27 medical facilities all much appreciate those who serve in Mike Morell was sitting right by him across this country in 18 different harm’s way in the State Department and never said a word. States. and in the military. When bad things About 10 days later, Susan Rice Tell him, tell that 70-year-old vet- happen that can cost someone their asked to meet with me, Senator eran or the 80-year-old veteran who life, that is sometimes the consequence MCCAIN, and Senator AYOTTE to ex- wants access to primary health care of service. plain her side of the story. This was near where he lives that we do not have But when the system breaks down, it November 24 or 25; I can’t remember the resources to provide that primary is utter and complete failure, nothing the date. But Mike Morell accompanied care, but we can spend billions of dol- responsible happens to those who allow her, and we had a meeting in the classi- lars rebuilding the infrastructure in the failure, and when we really don’t fied portion of the Capitol, the secure Afghanistan, where most of that know the truth about how the system portion of the Capitol. money is stolen by a corrupt leader- has failed, then they have died in a One of the first questions I asked Mr. ship. fashion that is unacceptable. Morell was: Who changed the talking Maybe, colleagues, one of you will I am urging my colleague, the Demo- points? see a young veteran, one of hundreds of cratic leader, to form a joint select He said: We believe the FBI changed thousands of veterans of Iraq and Af- committee of the relevant committees, the talking points. ghanistan who are dealing with PTSD the Armed Services Committee, the in- Senator MCCAIN asked him: Why did or traumatic brain injury or maybe it telligence committee, the Foreign Re- the CIA not know about the contents of is a young man who has come back who lations Committee, and any other com- the FBI interviews of the survivors on just cannot find a job in this very mittee that is relevant, to get to the September 15, 16, and 17? Why didn’t tough economy. Go up to him and say: bottom of what happened in Benghazi. the CIA pick up a phone and call the Yes, tax breaks for the rich are great; I have come to conclude that this FBI agents interviewing the Benghazi corporations not paying taxes, that is issue is not going away. It will not die survivors in Germany on the Sep- OK, but I do not believe we should be out because four Americans lost their tember 15, 16, and 17, days after the at- providing help to you. lives. tack? The bottom line is what we believe We have compiled an event timeline Mike Morell said: The FBI basically in. It is not just speeches we give on that I think does the following. The would not share that information be- Memorial Day and on Veterans Day. I story told by Susan Rice and the Presi- cause it was an ongoing criminal inves- know my colleagues give great speech- dent himself shortly after the attack tigation. es. on September 16, and for a couple of My mouth dropped. When the meet- The question is, and the more impor- weeks later, has absolutely collapsed. ing was over I ran back to my office, tant issue is, not your fine rhetoric, It is not credible. It is a fabrication. It called the FBI, and reported to them but are you prepared to vote for pro- was a manipulation of the intel 7 weeks that the No. 2, the acting director at grams that help human beings in need. before an election, and I think it is that time, Mike Morell, has claimed

VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:26 Feb 28, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.035 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1208 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2014 that your agency, the FBI, changed its I will go forward a bit to last Sunday tionale given why she wasn’t on every talking points, deleting all references where on ‘‘Meet the Press,’’ Ambas- Sunday morning show. to terrorism and Al Qaeda. sador Rice was asked by David Greg- So the fact is we knew at the time They went ballistic. They also denied ory: Susan Rice said—and this is what it that their agents ever withheld infor- When you were last here, Ambassador really was all about. It was all about a mation from the CIA because it was an Rice, it was an eventful morning on the Presidential campaign and the nar- ongoing investigation. The FBI lit- story of Benghazi and the horrible attack on rative of bin Laden is dead, al-Qaeda is erally went ballistic on the phone. our compound there. We haven’t seen you in on the run, because then Susan Rice, in Hours later we got a call from the CIA a while. As you look back at your involve- response to Bob Schieffer, said: Presi- saying the acting director misspoke: ment in all of that, do you have any regrets? dent Obama said, when he was running We may have changed the talking David, no. Because what I said to you that for President, that he would refocus morning, and what I did every day since, was points, but we don’t know why. to share the best information that we had at our efforts and attentions on Al-Qaeda. In light of this, it is now time for a the time. Then she said—get this—we have deci- joint select committee to be formed. The Senator from South Carolina has mated Al-Qaeda; Osama bin Laden is How can we get to the bottom of the just outlined the fact that the informa- gone. He also said we would end the truth of what happened in Benghazi if tion he had at the time was drastically war in Iraq responsibly. We have done no one has ever talked to Susan Rice that. different from that which was articu- about why she said what she said. Now Is there anybody here who thinks the lated that Sunday morning following is the time to recall Mike Morell to war in Iraq has been ended responsibly? ask him questions about the validity of the attack on our embassy and the He has protected civilians in Libya, his testimony, the accuracy of his tes- death of four great Americans. So it and Qadhafi is gone. timony to Congress. was not the information that we had at Obviously, we have not decimated Al- There are a lot of people who think the time. Qaeda. Al-Qaida is not on the run. In this is no big deal, apparently, particu- Then she said: fact, Al-Qaeda is increasing everywhere larly in the Congress on the other side. And that information turned out, in some across the Middle East and North Afri- There are a lot of Americans who feel respects, not to be 100% correct. But the no- ca. Anybody who believes when the as if their government has not been tion that somehow I or anybody else in the black flags of Al-Qaeda are flying over administration misled the American people straightforward and honest with them is patently false. the city of Fallujah, where 96 brave about what happened in Benghazi. Americans, marines and soldiers died, The role of the Congress is to provide The American people were misled. and 600 were wounded, that things were oversight. I will conclude with this They were misled because she said, ‘‘ended in Iraq responsibly,’’ obviously thought. When the war in Iraq was right after the attack, on ‘‘Face the that is not the case. going fully, when Abu Ghraib became a Nation,’’ that it was ‘‘based on the best I think we have to understand the disaster, when Guantanamo Bay tac- information we have to date’’—I quote timing of all this. It was all part of a tics became exposed and they were out- from her statement back then, a few Presidential campaign. The President days after the attack—but based on the side of our values, Senator MCCAIN and of the United States, in debate with I joined with Democrats to get to the best information of what their assess- Mitt Romney, said: Oh, I called it an bottom of it. After 9/11, the Bush ad- ment is: act of terror. He didn’t call it an act of ministration originally did not want What happened in Benghazi was in fact ini- terror. He didn’t. In fact, 10 days later, the 9/11 Commission to be formed. tially a spontaneous reaction to what had at the U.N., he was still talking about just transpired hours before in Cairo, almost Senator MCCAIN and Senator LIEBER- hateful videos that sparked sponta- a copycat of the demonstrations against our neous demonstrations. The American MAN led the charge. We are doing no facility in Cairo, prompted by the video. more now than we did then. We just people were badly misled. We know now for sure, and we knew need willing partners. I yield for my colleague from New I cannot say to any family member then, before Ambassador Rice went on Hampshire. or anyone who served our Nation in that Sunday show, that it was not be- Mr. GRAHAM. Perhaps the Senator harm’s way that we know the truth cause as the Senator from South Caro- from New Hampshire could walk us about what happened in Benghazi at lina just pointed out, the station chief through some of the reasons we now this stage. sent a message immediately following know the story line of a protest caused I can say this. We know what was saying that this was not—repeat, not— by a video doesn’t hold water. told to us as a nation does not hold any a spontaneous demonstration. I will Ms. AYOTTE. I thank the Senator water, and we know that people have submit that for the record. from South Carolina and the Senator manipulated the facts 7 weeks before Somehow we have Ambassador Rice from Arizona for everything they have an election. saying this was a hateful video that done on this important issue and to get I am still not comfortable with the sparked this demonstration. It says: to the truth. fact that nobody could provide help to Whether there were Al Qaeda affiliates, Frankly, I will quote the Senator these people for over 9 hours. Before whether they were Libyan-based ex- from Arizona from last weekend, when the attack, not one person who allowed tremists, is one of the things we have he was asked what Ambassador Susan the security to deteriorate to the point to determine. But, again, she said: Rice said on ‘‘Meet the Press,’’ because of where it became a death trap in Sparked by this hateful video. There I agree with his sentiment: I am Benghazi, to the point it became a was no involvement of the hateful speechless. death trap—not one person—has been video. I am speechless because when Ambas- fired. That is unacceptable. I hate to quote myself, but I was on sador Rice was asked on ‘‘Meet the With that, I will turn it over to my that same program, and immediately Press,’’ do you have any regrets about colleague Senator MCCAIN and eventu- after she spoke I said: what you said on every single Sunday ally Senator AYOTTE. Most people don’t bring rocket-propelled show on September 16 of 2012, she said The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- grenades and heavy weapons to a demonstra- she didn’t have any regrets. She said: ator from Arizona. tion. That was an act of terror and for any- What I said to you that morning, and Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, I ask one to disagree with that fundamental fact I what I did every day since, is to share unanimous consent to engage in a col- think is really ignorant on the facts. the best information we had at the loquy with the Senator from South We know now that we now have facts time. The information I provided, Carolina and the Senator from New that she was absolutely wrong. Of which I explained to you, was what we Hampshire, who are on the floor. course, the question also remains what had at the moment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without in the world was Susan Rice doing Actually, that is not the full picture objection, it is so ordered. speaking that morning? What was she and the information they had at the Mr. MCCAIN. My colleague from doing there? She had nothing to do moment. That is why I think the word South Carolina laid out many of the with it. She was the Ambassador to the ‘‘speechless’’ applies. The fact she salient facts according to how they United Nations. And Secretary Clinton would have no regrets about mis- transpired and didn’t transpire. was ‘‘exhausted,’’ I believe was the ra- leading the American people is deeply

VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:27 Feb 28, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.037 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE February 27, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1209 troubling. Because we know that im- Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr. GRAHAM. In addition to Burr mediately after he heard about the at- Ms. AYOTTE. I thank the Chair. amendment No. 2752, there are many tacks, GEN Carter Ham, who was the I will defer to my colleagues, but the amendments on our side of the aisle commander of U.S. Africa Command at bottom line is this: We are speechless waiting to be offered. the time, told Secretary of Defense Pa- by what Ambassador Rice said last Parliamentary inquiry: Is it correct netta this was a terrorist attack. In Sunday. We need to have her testimony that no Senator is permitted to offer fact, Secretary Panetta testified before before the Congress to get to the bot- an amendment to this bill while the the Armed Services Committee, as did tom of why these misrepresentations majority leader’s amendments and mo- the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of were made. Mr. Morell needs to be tions are pending? Staff, Chairman Dempsey, they knew brought back before the Congress, and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- at the time it was a terrorist attack. ultimately we need a select committee. ator is correct. But apparently, when Ambassador I defer to my colleague from South Mr. GRAHAM. In addition to the Rice went on to tell the story about Carolina to wrap up. Burr amendment No. 2752, there are this being the result of a hateful and Mr. GRAHAM. I thank my col- many amendments on our side of the heinous video and protest that started leagues. aisle waiting in the queue to be offered. in Cairo, she missed that testimony Now is the time for us to move for- Further parliamentary inquiry: If a and this incredibly important informa- ward to set the stage for a vote; is that motion to table the Reid motion to tion held by key security leaders in our correct? commit is successful, would there be an government. Well, I will say, No. 1, as to the opportunity to offer a motion to com- We also know on September 12, 4 amendment of Senator BURR, it takes mit the bill to the Veterans’ Affairs days before she appeared on the Sun- care of veterans similar to what Sen- Committee to be reported back as a day shows, the day after the attacks, ator SANDERS is proposing, but it pays fully amendable bill with the Iran according to testimony given before for it in a more responsible way. Un- sanctions bill included? the House Oversight and Governmental like the proposal of Senator SANDERS, The PRESIDING OFFICER. If the Reform Committee given last May, we have an additional element in the motion to table is agreed to, there Beth Jones, who was then the Acting Burr amendment that not only takes would be an opportunity for Senators Assistant Secretary of State for Near care of veterans but it deals with a na- to offer another motion to recommit East Affairs, sent an email on behalf of tional security imperative, which is with instructions to which the Sen- our government to the Libyan Ambas- the Iran sanctions legislation. This is ator’s amendment could be offered. sador in Washington, DC, which said bipartisan in nature, with 59 cospon- Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, in the following: sors, including 17 Democrats. This order to offer amendment No. 2752, the The group that conducted the attacks, would reimpose sanctions at the end of Iran sanctions amendment, I move to Ansar al-Sharia, is affiliated with Islamic the 6-month negotiating period if we do table the pending Reid motion to com- terrorists. not have an acceptable outcome re- mit and I ask for the yeas and nays. This was 4 days before Ambassador garding the Iranian nuclear program; The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a Rice went on all the Sunday shows and we need to dismantle the reactor, re- sufficient second? said this was in response to a hateful move the uranium, and stop enrich- There appears to be a sufficient sec- and offensive video. ment. ond. That is the goal of the Iran sanctions That was not the case. The yeas and nays are ordered. Let’s go further. This wasn’t the best legislation, and I am very pleased Sen- The clerk will call the roll. information they had at the time. This ator BURR would bring that before the The bill clerk called the roll. raises questions as well about the role body. I am urging my colleagues to Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the of Mike Morell, who at the time was allow us to vote on Iran sanctions. The Senator from New York (Mrs. GILLI- the Deputy CIA Director. I was part of sanctions are literally crumbling. BRAND), the Senator from Florida (Mr. the meeting with Mike Morell and Am- The PRESIDING OFFICER. All Re- NELSON), and the Senator from Michi- bassador Rice at the time, and one of publican time has expired. gan (Ms. STABENOW) are necessarily ab- the things I learned in that briefing Mr. GRAHAM. With that, I under- sent. also troubled me a great deal about the stand Senator BURR and others on our representation Ambassador Rice made side have filed an amendment which Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator on those Sunday shows, including her would impose additional sanctions is necessarily absent: the Senator from statement that she has no regrets, ap- against the Government of Iran if it Alaska (Ms. MURKOWSKI). parently, and the claim they had the violates the interim agreement with The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. best information at the time. the United States, and I ask unani- KING). Are there any other Senators in One of the things that goes out is mous consent to set aside the pending the Chamber desiring to vote? called the Presidential daily brief. In motion so I may offer amendment No. The result was announced—yeas 44, fact, Ambassador Rice had a very im- 2752. nays 52, as follows: portant position in our government at The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there [Rollcall Vote No. 45 Leg.] the time. I still wonder why she was objection? YEAS—44 the person who was sent out on every Mr. SANDERS. Reserving the right Alexander Enzi McConnell Sunday show with regard to the at- to object, I do find it interesting that, Ayotte Fischer Moran in the midst of this important debate Barrasso Flake Paul tacks on our consulate in Benghazi, Blunt Graham about the needs of our veterans, my Portman but the daily intelligence briefing at Boozman Grassley Risch the time actually contained references Republican colleagues are on the floor Burr Hatch Roberts to the potential involvement of Al- of the Senate and have virtually noth- Chambliss Heller Rubio Coats Hoeven Scott Qaeda in these attacks. Yet somehow, ing to say about veterans. Coburn Inhofe Sessions when she went on the Sunday shows, This bill is not about Benghazi. This Cochran Isakson Shelby veterans bill is not about Iran sanc- Collins Johanns she felt she could make the statement Thune that Al-Qaeda has been decimated and tions, it is not about Hillary Clinton. It Corker Johnson (WI) Cornyn Kirk Toomey then blamed the attacks on our con- is about protecting the needs of our Crapo Lee Vitter sulate on this hateful video, further veterans. So the amendment of Senator Cruz McCain Wicker contradicting the information we had BURR does not go anywhere near as far NAYS—52 at the time. as we need to go in terms of veterans Baldwin Cardin Hagan The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- issues. It brings the Iran sanctions Begich Carper Harkin ator’s 20 minutes has expired. issue into a debate where it should not Bennet Casey Heinrich Ms. AYOTTE. I ask unanimous con- be brought. Blumenthal Coons Heitkamp sent for 1 minute to wrap up. I object. Booker Donnelly Hirono Boxer Durbin Johnson (SD) The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- Brown Feinstein Kaine objection? tion is heard. Cantwell Franken King

VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:26 Feb 28, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G27FE6.039 S27FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1210 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2014 Klobuchar Murphy Tester [Rollcall Vote No. 46 Leg.] Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators Landrieu Murray Udall (CO) YEAS—56 are necessarily absent: the Senator Leahy Pryor Udall (NM) Levin Reed Walsh Baldwin Heinrich Murray from Oklahoma (Mr. COBURN) and the Manchin Reid Warner Begich Heitkamp Pryor Senator from Alaska (Ms. MURKOWSKI). Markey Rockefeller Warren Bennet Heller Reed The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. WAR- Blumenthal Hirono McCaskill Sanders Whitehouse Reid Booker Johnson (SD) REN). Are there any other Senators in Menendez Schatz Wyden Rockefeller Merkley Schumer Boxer Kaine Sanders the Chamber desiring to vote? Mikulski Shaheen Brown King Schatz The result was announced—yeas 97, Cantwell Klobuchar Schumer nays 0, as follows: NOT VOTING—4 Cardin Landrieu Shaheen Carper Leahy [Rollcall Vote No. 47 Ex.] Gillibrand Nelson Stabenow Casey Levin YEAS—97 Murkowski Stabenow Tester Coons Manchin Alexander Gillibrand Murphy Donnelly Markey Udall (CO) The motion was rejected. Ayotte Graham Durbin McCaskill Udall (NM) Murray Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask Baldwin Grassley Feinstein Menendez Walsh Paul Barrasso Hagan unanimous consent that there be 2 Franken Merkley Warner Portman Begich Harkin Gillibrand Mikulski Warren Pryor minutes equally divided in the usual Bennet Hatch Hagan Moran Whitehouse Reed form prior to the vote on the motion to Blumenthal Heinrich Harkin Murphy Wyden Reid waive; further, that the remaining Blunt Heitkamp Risch Booker Heller votes in this sequence be 10 minute NAYS—41 Roberts Boozman Hirono Alexander Cruz McCain Rockefeller votes. Boxer Hoeven Ayotte Enzi McConnell Brown Inhofe Rubio The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Barrasso Fischer Paul Burr Isakson Sanders objection? The Chair hears none, and it Blunt Flake Portman Cantwell Johanns Schatz Boozman Graham so ordered. Risch Cardin Johnson (SD) Schumer Burr Grassley Who yields time? Roberts Carper Johnson (WI) Scott Chambliss Hatch Rubio Casey Kaine Sessions The Senator from Vermont. Coats Hoeven Scott Chambliss King Shaheen Coburn Inhofe Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, this Sessions Coats Kirk Shelby Cochran Isakson Shelby Cochran Klobuchar Stabenow budget point of order we are now going Collins Johanns Thune Collins Landrieu to vote on tells us in a very significant Corker Johnson (WI) Tester Coons Leahy Cornyn Kirk Toomey Thune way who we are as a people. If you vote Corker Lee Crapo Lee Vitter Toomey for this budget point of order, you are Cornyn Levin Udall (CO) saying that in this great country we do NOT VOTING—3 Crapo Manchin Udall (NM) Cruz Markey not have the resources to help our vet- Murkowski Nelson Wicker Vitter Donnelly McCain Walsh erans with their health care, edu- Durbin McCaskill The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this Warner cation, and to be able to deal with sex- Enzi McConnell vote, the yeas are 56, the nays are 41. Warren ual assault. We need to help older vet- Feinstein Menendez Three-fifths of the Senators duly cho- Fischer Merkley Whitehouse erans get the nursing care and build sen and sworn not having voted in the Flake Mikulski Wicker new medical facilities that they des- affirmative, the motion is rejected. Franken Moran Wyden perately need. The point of order is sustained, and NOT VOTING—3 I personally—and I have to say this under section 312 of the Congressional Coburn Murkowski Nelson honestly—have a hard time under- Budget Act the bill is recommitted to standing how anyone can vote for tax The nomination was confirmed. the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under breaks for billionaires, millionaires, f the previous order, the motion to re- and large corporations and then say we consider is considered made and laid on don’t have the resources to protect our EXECUTIVE SESSION the table. veterans. We should not be supporting The President will be immediately this point of order. NOMINATION OF MICHAEL L. CON- notified of the Senate’s action. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- NOR TO BE DEPUTY SECRETARY f ator from North Carolina. OF THE INTERIOR Mr. BURR. Mr. President, my only LEGISLATIVE SESSION The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under wish is that we had been on the Senate the previous order, the Senate will pro- floor debating reforms within the sys- ceed to executive session to consider CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT tem so we could fulfill and keep the the following nomination, which the BLOCK GRANT ACT OF 2014—MO- promises we made to our veterans who clerk will report. TION TO PROCEED—Continued are currently in that system. The bill clerk read the nomination of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- I yield back the remainder of our Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to time. ate will resume legislative session. be Deputy Secretary of the Interior. The Senator from Arizona. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Mr. FLAKE. Madam President, I question is on agreeing to the motion. ator from Arkansas. would like to speak about an issue, but The yeas and nays were previously Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask first I would like to yield to the minor- ordered. unanimous consent that all time be ity leader. The clerk will call the roll. yielded back. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re- The legislative clerk called the roll. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without publican leader. Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the objection, it is so ordered. UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 2011 Mr. COATS. Mr. President, I ask for Senator from Florida (Mr. NELSON) is Mr. MCCONNELL. I am here in sup- necessarily absent. the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a port of what our colleague from Ari- Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators zona is going to be talking about short- are necessarily absent: the Senator sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient sec- ly. It is basically this. We have a White from Mississippi (Mr. WICKER) and the ond. House that is busily at work trying to Senator from Alaska (Ms. MURKOWSKI). The question is, Will the Senate ad- quiet the voices of those who oppose Further, if present and voting, the vise and consent to the nomination of them by doing the following: They are Senator from Mississippi (Mr. WICKER) Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to proposing a new regulation directed at would have voted ‘‘nay.’’ be Deputy Secretary of the Interior? 501(c)(4) organizations that have been The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there The clerk will call the roll. active for over 50 years in expressing any other Senators in the Chamber de- The bill clerk called the roll. themselves about the issues of the day siring to vote? Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the in our country. This regulation actu- The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 56, Senator from Florida (Mr. NELSON) is ally predates the IRS abuses we saw nays 41, as follows: necessarily absent. during the 2012 election.

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