E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 164 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 No. 155 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Thursday, September 20, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. Senate TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was U.S. SENATE, until they leaked it to the press on the called to order by the Honorable CINDY PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, eve of the scheduled committee vote. Washington, DC, September 18, 2018. HYDE-SMITH, a Senator from the State But as my colleague, the senior Sen- of Mississippi. To the Senate. ator from Texas, said yesterday, the f Under the provisions of rule I, para- graph 3, of the Standing Rules of the blatant malpractice demonstrated by PRAYER Senate, I hereby appoint the Honorable our colleagues across the aisle will not The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- CINDY HYDE-SMITH, a Senator from the stop the Senate from moving forward fered the following prayer: State of Mississippi, to perform the du- in a responsible manner. Let us pray. ties of the Chair. As I said yesterday, I have full con- Eternal God, whose mercy is great ORRIN G. HATCH, unto the Heavens, help us to do what is President pro tempore. fidence in Chairman GRASSLEY to lead right. May we not forget that You are Mrs. HYDE-SMITH thereupon as- the committee through the sensitive the judge of the Earth and that we are sumed the Chair as Acting President and highly irregular situation in which accountable to You. Protect us from pro tempore. the Democrats’ tactics have left all of our enemies, for we place our trust in f us—all of us—Judge Kavanaugh, Dr. You. RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY Ford, and the entire Senate. Lord, sustain our Senators. Surround LEADER Dr. Ford will be heard, and, of course, them with the shield of Your favor as Judge Kavanaugh will have the oppor- they seek to live for Your glory. Has- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ten the day when the just rule of Your pore. The majority leader is recog- tunity to defend himself against this Kingdom shall fill the Earth with nized. accusation—an accusation that he has health and life and peace. Be exulted, O f unequivocally denied and that stands God, above the Heavens. Let Your NOMINATION OF BRETT at odds with every other piece of the glory be over the Earth. KAVANAUGH overwhelming positive testimony we We pray in Your great Name. Amen. Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, have received about his character from f yesterday, Senator GRASSLEY an- his close friends, colleagues, and law PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE nounced that the Judiciary Committee clerks, from the distant past to the will continue its hearings for Judge The Presiding Officer led the Pledge present day, including the high school Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the of Allegiance, as follows: years during which this misconduct is Supreme Court on Monday morning. alleged to have taken place. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Dr. Christine Blasey Ford of California United States of America, and to the Repub- and Judge Kavanaugh have both been So this alleged incident is completely lic for which it stands, one nation under God, at variance with his entire history. He indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. invited to testify under oath. Dr. Ford will have the opportunity to welcomes the opportunity to address f offer sworn testimony. She commu- the committee about this claim. APPOINTMENT OF ACTING nicated with the ranking Democrat on But, colleagues, we should not have PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE the committee in writing nearly 7 gotten to this point in this manner, at The PRESIDING OFFICER. The weeks ago, but through no fault of this time. That this process has played clerk will please read a communication hers, Senate Democrats chose to play out with so little order and so little to the Senate from the President pro politics and keep it secret throughout sensitivity lies solely at the feet of tempore (Mr. HATCH). the entirety of Judge Kavanaugh’s reg- The senior assistant legislative clerk ular confirmation process. They sat on Senate Democrats who sought political read the following letter: this information for nearly 7 weeks, advantage in leaking this to the press ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S6197 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:54 Sep 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD18\SEPTEMBER\S18SE8.REC S18SE8 abonner on DSKBCJ7HB2PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE S6198 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 18, 2018 instead of vetting it through proper the Departments of Labor, Health and located rural workers—both key prior- channels. Human Services, Education, and De- ities in States like Kentucky and But this is where we are. So on Mon- fense. It is the second minibus con- around the country. day Chairman GRASSLEY and our col- ference report we have taken up in So to sum up, there is more support leagues on the Judiciary Committee what has already been an important for the best trained, best equipped, and will reconvene. They and the American year for regular appropriations. strongest military force in the world people will hear testimony under oath. Thanks to the leadership of Senators and more support for the health and f SHELBY and LEAHY, all 12 spending bills prosperity of American communities were favorably reported from the Ap- and workers—all the more reasons why OPIOID EPIDEMIC propriations Committee by the end of I will be proud to vote for this legisla- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, June, the fastest pace in 30 years. For tion and why I urge every one of my on an entirely different matter, yester- the first time in 15 years, the Senate colleagues to join me. day the Senate sent a message to the passed our Labor-HHS-Education bill f millions of Americans who have per- before the beginning of the fiscal year. sonally done battle with addiction to These milestones may sound like in- ORDER OF PROCEDURE opioids and prescription drugs. We sent side baseball, but what they signify is Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, a message to the families who have a Senate that is getting its appropria- I ask unanimous consent that notwith- watched our Nation’s drug overdose fa- tions process back on track, a Senate standing the provisions of rule XXII, talities double in the last decade alone; that is attending to vital priorities for the Senate vote on the motion to in- to those in recovery who have strug- our country. The package we are vot- voke cloture on the conference report gled to access the housing and work op- ing on today will account for over half to accompany H.R. 6157 at 12 noon portunities they need to get back on of the Federal discretionary spending today; further, that if invoked, all time their feet; to the Governors, mayors, for next year. Critically, after sub- be considered expired and the Senate and local leaders who have seen com- jecting America’s All-Volunteer Armed vote on adoption of the conference re- munities from rural towns to inner cit- Forces to years of belt-tightening, this port. ies literally hollowed out and threat- legislation will build on our recent The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ened by this epidemic; to the police, progress in rebuilding the readiness of pore. Is there objection? firefighters, paramedics, and other first our military and investing more in the Seeing none, it is so ordered. responders whom our Nation has asked men and women who wear the uniform. to confront this crisis, often without This conference report increases appro- f all of the specialized training and re- priations in the Department of Defense RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME sources they need; and to every Amer- by $19.8 billion over fiscal year 2018 lev- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ican affected by the opioid epidemic. els. Once enacted, our warfighters will pore. Under the previous order, the The landmark legislation the Senate have certainty in their funding—on leadership time is reserved. passed yesterday says: The Nation will time, on October 1, for the first time in not stand for this. More help is on the 10 years. f way. Yesterday evening we voted to First and foremost, this reflects a CONCLUSION OF MORNING build on Congress’s prior efforts and major investment in personnel—more BUSINESS deliver more relief to the communities resources for recruiting the forces that The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- that need it most. our military commanders have called This landmark legislation addresses for and the largest servicemember pay pore. Under the previous order, morn- the crisis at every step of the way. It increase in nearly a decade. It fully ing business is closed. contains provisions to cut down on funds the Pentagon’s stated requests f fentanyl and other illegal drugs coming for operational support, including hun- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND across our borders, to reform how pain- dreds of billions in base support and LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN killers are prescribed and packaged, to maintenance funding, ensuring that SERVICES, AND EDUCATION AP- invest in comprehensive opioid recov- critical ongoing missions continue at PROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019—CON- ery centers, and to provide for more Fort Knox, Fort Campbell, and the FERENCE REPORT long-term medical research.