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, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2018 No. 25 Senate The Senate met at 10:30 a.m. and was Mr. TOOMEY thereupon assumed the the Persian Gulf and the South China called to order by the Honorable PAT- Chair as Acting President pro tempore. Sea, has shrunk to the smallest ship RICK J. TOOMEY, a Senator from the f count in nearly three decades. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We have become too reliant on Spe- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY f cial Operations forces and have radi- LEADER cally drawn down our conventional PRAYER The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- force structure. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- pore. The majority leader is recog- This has not been lost on China or fered the following prayer: nized. Russia. They are improving their con- Let us pray. ventional forces and intimidating their f Eternal Spirit, our lamp and light, neighbors. Our force faces a complex we praise Your Holy Name. BUDGET AGREEMENT collection of threats and challenges Lord, You are our strength and Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, this from Iran, China, Russia, and North shield, enabling us to be sure-footed Congress and this President have deliv- Korea to ISIL, al-Qaida, and their af- even when standing on mountain ered a historic series of achievements filiates. heights. Stay with our lawmakers. for the American people. We took an ax The need for our forward presence Support them with Your mighty hand has not diminished in the Persian Gulf and keep their feet from slipping. En- to the redtape holding back our econ- omy. We used the Congressional Re- or in the South China Sea and the able our Senators to one day stand be- wider Pacific, neither has our responsi- fore Your presence with great joy. view Act a record 15 times to pave the way for job creation. After years of bility to our NATO allies in Europe or Show them Your greatness until the to the Republic of Korea. No, we have things of Earth grow strangely dim in broken promises to our veterans, we delivered VA reform legislation to not asked our all-volunteer military to the light of Your glory and grace. do any less for our country. They have We pray in Your majestic Name. begin giving our heroes the more acces- sible care, greater choice, and work- just been forced to make do with less. Amen. And all of these short-term funding force training they deserve. We con- f bills have handicapped our military firmed outstanding judges to the Fed- leaders’ ability to make long-term PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE eral bench. We advanced efforts to ad- plans and investments. In December, The Presiding Officer led the Pledge dress the opioid crisis. And, of course, the Navy Secretary said the inefficien- of Allegiance, as follows: we passed the most significant tax cies from continuing resolutions have I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the overhaul in a generation. cost his Department enough money to United States of America, and to the Repub- Already, tax reform is increasing lic for which it stands, one nation under God, pay for an entire squadron of fighter take-home pay for American workers. planes or two destroyers. indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Already, businesses are investing more, f Let me say that again. The Secretary expanding more, and creating more of the Navy said that the inefficiencies APPOINTMENT OF ACTING good-paying jobs right here at home. from continuing resolutions have cost PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Over the past year, we have built a his Department enough money to pay The PRESIDING OFFICER. The record of successes for middle-class for an entire squadron of fighter planes clerk will please read a communication families and a stronger, safer country. or two destroyers. to the Senate from the President pro But among all the work that still re- Here is how General Dunford, Chair- tempore (Mr. HATCH). mains, one critical piece of unfinished man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, put it. The senior assistant legislative clerk business is now really close to the fin- He said: ‘‘The U.S. military’s competi- read the following letter: ish line. If we act now, we can start re- tive advantage against potential adver- U.S. SENATE, building our military and provide our saries is eroding.’’ PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, troops the training and equipment they Yesterday, I announced a bipartisan Washington, DC, February 8, 2018. need to defend the homeland and pro- budget agreement that will finally To the Senate: tect the American people. bring this to a close. The agreement Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, The crisis in our military is acute. will allow for the funding levels rec- of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby Just this week, headlines revealed that ommended by the NDAA conference re- appoint the Honorable PATRICK J. TOOMEY, a Senator from the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- two-thirds of the Navy’s F/A–18 aircraft port—authorization levels secured by vania, to perform the duties of the Chair. are not prepared to fly. The fleet, the stalwart leadership of Chairman ORRIN G. HATCH, which must secure sea lines of commu- JOHN MCCAIN and our colleagues on the President pro tempore. nication across the globe and patrol Armed Services Committee.

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

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VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A08FE6.000 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S794 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 So what does this mean for our men We need to build on our historic year, nificant boost to our Nation’s and women in uniform? It means put- seize the opportunity, and keep moving healthcare and provide long-overdue ting a stop to the decline in combat forward. relief to disaster-stricken parts of our readiness. It means knowing that our f country. weapons systems will be delivered, As I said yesterday, it doesn’t include maintained, and kept on the cutting RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME everything that Democrats want nor edge. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- everything that Republicans want, but Take it from Secretary Mattis. Yes- pore. Under the previous order, the it is a good deal for the American peo- terday, he explained just what this leadership time is reserved. ple, and it is a strong signal that we agreement will do. Here is how he put can break the gridlock that has over- it: It will ‘‘ensure our military can de- f whelmed this body and work together fend our way of life, preserve the prom- CONCLUSION OF MORNING for the good of the country. ise of prosperity, and pass on the free- BUSINESS Let me run through a few of the ben- doms you and I enjoy to the next gen- efits this agreement will provide. eration.’’ The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Our military has suffered from the Our volunteer servicemembers aren’t pore. Morning business is closed. uncertainty of endless short-term the only Americans this agreement f spending bills. This budget deal puts will help. It also builds on the progress that to an end. It gives the military a CHILD PROTECTION we have made for veterans and mili- significant boost in support and allows IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017 tary families by providing for better the Pentagon to make long-term deci- care and helping to cut the VA’s main- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- sions about its budget. It is the right tenance backlog. pore. Under the previous order, the thing to do. It offers reinforcements to families Senate will resume consideration of I want to credit two people—first, my on the front lines of our Nation’s strug- the House message to accompany H.R. dear friend Senator MCCAIN. He talked gle with opioid addiction and substance 695, which the clerk will report. to me repeatedly, even when he was ill, abuse. According to the CDC, opioid The senior assistant legislative clerk about the need for funding defense. He overdose deaths increased fivefold just read as follows: also talked about the need for doing between 1999 and 2016. On average, this House message to accompany H.R. 695, a immigration and tried to make them epidemic takes more than 100 Amer- bill to amend the National Child Protection go hand in hand. Senator MCCAIN has ican lives every single day. This agree- Act of 1993 to establish a national criminal been our leader in this Chamber on ment provides for new grants, preven- history background check system and crimi- both sides of the aisle in terms of mak- tion programs, and law enforcement nal history review program for certain indi- ing sure defense is funded, and I know viduals who, related to their employment, initiatives to bolster existing national that today he is proud of what we are and State efforts. have access to children, the elderly, or indi- viduals with disabilities, and for other pur- doing for the military. The legislation secures relief for fam- I would also like to thank Secretary ilies who are still struggling to rebuild poses. Pending: Mattis. He visited me repeatedly. He is in the wake of last year’s spate of nat- a Cabinet Secretary who seems to be ural disasters. This provision was only McConnell motion to concur in the amend- doing his job, rather than focusing on made possible by tireless work from ment of the House to the amendment of the an ideological path that divides people. several of my colleagues. Thanks to Senate to the bill. He worked hard for this and deserves a the leadership of Senator CORNYN, to McConnell motion to refer the message of the House on the bill to the Committee on great deal of credit. Senator CRUZ’s advocacy for Texas, and Appropriations, with instructions, McCon- We Democrats have always argued to Senator RUBIO, who led on behalf of nell amendment No. 1922, to change the en- that we want to fund our military and Florida and spoke up forcefully for the actment date. our middle-class programs. We need people of Puerto Rico, help will soon be McConnell amendment No. 1923 (to (the in- good help on both. A mother whose on the way. structions) amendment No. 1922), of a per- child has died from opioid addiction, a The agreement also provides for new fecting nature. investment in our Nation’s infrastruc- McConnell amendment No. 1924 (to amend- veteran who is waiting in line to get ture, a shared bipartisan priority. ment No. 1923), of a perfecting nature. help, college students with great debt Now, I am confident that no Senator The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- on their shoulders, pensioners whose on either side of the aisle believes this pore. Under the previous order, the pensions might be greatly diminished is a perfect bill, but I am also confident time until 11:30 a.m. will be equally di- need help too. To say that our military that this is our best chance to begin re- vided between the two leaders or their needs help to the exclusion of all of building our military and to make designees. these other worthy causes is not fair to them and not good for America. I have progress on issues directly affecting Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I the American people. suggest the absence of a quorum. always argued that we can do both, and This is a bill for brave Americans The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- this budget shows we can. We can do serving our country, including the pore. The clerk will call the roll. both—fund the military and help fund many servicemembers based in my The senior assistant legislative clerk the middle class. For those naysayers home State of Kentucky. They deserve proceeded to call the roll. who said it could not be done, it sure the pay raise we promised them and Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask can with this budget. I am proud of the confidence that when they leave unanimous consent that the order for what it does for the middle class. For a decade—we all know this; we our shores, they are combat-ready. the quorum call be rescinded. all talk about it—our middle class has This is a bill for our distinguished The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- suffered from a needless and self-im- military commanders, who have sound- pore. Without objection, it is so or- posed austerity in Congress that has ed the alarm on sequestration more dered. times than any of us can count. limited investments in jobs and edu- RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER This is a bill for our heroes who have cation, infrastructure, scientific re- come home. They should be greeted by The Democratic leader is recognized. search, and more. This deal puts that a better funded, streamlined Veterans’ BUDGET AGREEMENT to an end as well. For those who say we Administration that is equipped to Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, yes- cannot do both, we can. I am proud of meet their needs. terday, after months of painstaking ne- this budget, because it does. Let me go This is a bill for American families gotiations, the Republican leader and I into a few specifics. who have been victimized by brutal reached a 2-year budget deal. Not only There are billions of dollars of sup- storms or the scourge of drug addic- will it end the series of fiscal crises port for childcare, for helping middle- tion. They deserve the assistance this that have gridlocked this body, it will class families shoulder the very heavy agreement secures. also deliver large investments in our burden of childcare. They need to take I hope each Senator will carefully re- military and robust funding of middle- care of their kids in a way that they view this bipartisan bill and support it. class programs. It will also give a sig- can have confidence when both parents

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.002 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S795 work, and so often that happens. In sin- Health Insurance Program; an effort to that education keeps the economy gle-parent families, that happens so lower prescription drug costs for mil- growing, that scientific research keeps often. lions of American seniors who are the economy growing, that building in- What about college affordability? caught in the Medicare Part D dough- frastructure keeps the economy grow- The debt burden on the shoulders of nut hole; disaster relief and recovery ing? There is a lot of hokum flying those who have just gotten out of col- funding, not just for Texas, Louisiana, around here that only when you cut lege and graduate school is huge. We and Florida—important as they may be taxes for big corporations do you grow are focusing on providing help here. and are—but for Puerto Rico and the the economy. In this budget, we focus on police of- U.S. Virgin Islands and the Western What is good for the goose is good for ficers, teachers, and firefighters. States; and a special select com- the gander, and I think Americans are What about infrastructure? Our in- mittee—we don’t do this often—that tired of the hypocrisy on the hard frastructure is crumbling throughout will be empowered and under a dead- right, which treats a $1.5 trillion hole America. Much of it was built 50 or line to deliver a legislative fix to the in the deficit by cutting corporate even 100 years ago—roads and bridges pension issue by the end of the year. It taxes with cheers—primarily taxes on and water and wastewater. We need to is this issue which has plagued so many the wealthy—and then says you cannot help those, and then we need new infra- working and middle-class Americans in spend money on those who need relief structure. many States, people who have paid from the student debt loans they have How about broadband to rural areas into their pensions day after day, week or who need help for healthcare or food and inner cities that are not getting it? after week, month after month, and stamps. It is utter, sheer hypocrisy. Let this budget go forward through Broadband is a necessity today. Kids who are now finding those pensions both Chambers and go to the Presi- cannot learn. Often, you cannot hold a vanishing. We should provide relief for dent’s desk, where President Trump job unless you can get broadband at them just as we should provide relief seems willing and ready to sign. Presi- home. In large parts of America, par- for others. This commission is a dent Trump was not involved in this ticularly rural parts, you cannot get it. strong, bright light that will focus on process. He was not constructive when We provide help, and rural America is this issue and will create a path to a he spoke and tweeted. He asked for a very happy that we are doing this. solution. We provide billions to rebuild and I salute so many of my colleagues shutdown. I think, in this body—and I hope my colleagues on the other side of improve veterans hospitals and clinics who have worked so hard on so many of the aisle are learning this—oftentimes, so that when our brave soldiers come these pieces: Senators MURRAY, WYDEN, we can get a lot more done when work- home, bearing the scars of war, their and TESTER, on healthcare; Senators ing with one another and letting the country serves them just as well as BROWN, CASEY, STABENOW, MANCHIN, White House just sit on the sidelines, they served us. HEITKAMP, DONNELLY, KLOBUCHAR, because you do not know what its posi- I mentioned opioids earlier. There is BALDWIN, and SMITH, on the pension’s tions are. As I once said, negotiating $6 billion, finally, to guard against the piece; Senator NELSON, on the disaster with the President is like negotiating opioid-mental health crisis. The opioid package. Senator LEAHY, the ranking with Jell-O, and, oftentimes, his posi- crisis is widespread. The President has member of Appropriations, has done a set up a whole bunch of commissions tions are just so far over to one side of great job on the whole thing. A lot of the political spectrum—Koch brothers- and given a whole bunch of speeches, credit is due to each of them and to so but he hasn’t funded it. We in this body type positions—that they would never many more of our Members because the pass. So this is a good motto. have. We Democrats have led the final product is something that will IMMIGRATION charge. We have so many Members, benefit so many Americans over the Mr. President, now I have one more like Senators SHAHEEN and MANCHIN; next decade. Senator MCCASKILL was we have so many Senators, like Sen- word on immigration. also very much involved in the pension Based on my continued conversations ators HEITKAMP and BALDWIN; we have issue, as well as many others. with the Republican leader, once we so many Senators, like MCCASKILL, I hope this budget agreement will pass this budget agreement, we are DONNELLY, and HASSAN, who have been pass the Senate in large numbers on ready to proceed to a neutral bill—a talking about the opioid crisis for a both sides of the aisle. It will be easy shell bill—on immigration next week. long time. Their hard work has now to say: Well, I didn’t like this, and I The Republican leader has guaranteed produced the dollars that will give the didn’t like that. Yet this is the time to an amendment process, fair on all treatment that so many who are ad- come together. This is the time to sides, where we will alternate amend- dicted need and the infrastructure to stand up for our soldiers, our middle ments. That means some of the people prevent these bad drugs, particularly class, and those aspiring to the middle who are on the very conservative side fentanyl, from coming into this coun- class. I hope we will get a large bipar- will get amendments and some on the try. tisan vote. very liberal side will, but so will there My guest at the State of the Union To that point, I have some pointed be an opportunity for a bipartisan com- was a woman named Stephanie Keegan, words for some in the House’s Freedom promise that will focus on the Dream- from Putnam County. She was the Caucus—the hard right—who are start- ers and border security that will have a brave mother of a veteran who got ing to squawk about this budget deal. real chance of getting 60 votes. We hooked on opioids in the depths of They say it raises the deficit. They just should all be working hard to get that PTSD. He waited 16 months for his first voted and cheered a bill that would add done in this Chamber. appointment at the VA, but he died of $1.5 trillion to the deficit in the form of I would say to my friends in America an overdose 2 weeks before he could get tax breaks for mammoth corporations. who care about the Dreamers to please treatment. Stephanie Keegan has been They were willing to increase the def- let their Senators know, particularly fighting for this. She is a brave, strong icit on the defense side of the budget, those Senators who have not com- woman who is lighting the candle. She but all of a sudden, when it comes to mitted to helping the Dreamers, how was my guest at the State of the our schools or our roads or our sci- important this is. Union, and she is a happy woman this entific research: Oh, we can’t do it be- Next week will be one of the most morning because all of her hard work cause of the deficit. It is blatantly hyp- vital weeks when we will be able to after her son’s passing is coming to fru- ocritical to ignore the deficit when it deal with the Dreamer issue in a fair, ition. favors corporate America but raise the compassionate way. It has been swept Of course, there is so much more in alarm when it comes to helping our under the rug for too long, but because this proposal that we can all be proud veterans, our students, and those ad- of the agreement the leader and I came of as Americans, in that we will not be dicted to opioids. That is selective en- to a few weeks ago—and he has con- neglecting people who have been ne- forcement. That doesn’t fly. firmed to keep his commitment—we glected for so long: support for commu- There is a lot of sophistry going on. will be able to deal with it. The House nity health centers, which serve over 25 Oh, when we reduce taxes, we will not should be able to deal with it as well. million Americans; a full decade of have a deficit because it will keep the What Leader MCCONNELL and I have funding for CHIP, or the Children’s economy growing. Does anyone doubt agreed to should be something that

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.004 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S796 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 Speaker RYAN agrees to. To just put turning first to government to solve We ought to be treating every Amer- President Trump’s bill on the floor some of our thorniest social and public ican like they are an asset to be real- means no immigration bill and no help health challenges but instead turning ized, not a liability to be written off, for the Dreamers. We all know that. It to our neighbors, turning to our local not a consumer of programs but some- will lose Republican votes as well as communities, perhaps our local not- body with real potential. We want Democratic votes. It will not pass in for-profit groups or our community he- every American to achieve their full the House. roes, and we discover that oftentimes human potential. I say to Speaker RYAN: Allow a fair they are better situated to address To recap, who is going to benefit? and open process to debate Dreamers these thorny challenges than are gov- Well, the recipients of these services, on the floor of the House, just as we are ernment programs. That is not to sug- through the public-private partnership, allowing in the Senate. gest in the slightest that government will benefit—the least among us—tax- Leader PELOSI shouldn’t have to doesn’t have a very important role in payers will benefit, and every Amer- stand and speak for 8 hours—I respect addressing these broad social chal- ican will benefit as our communities her for doing it—just to secure a vote lenges. Government can indeed make a become strengthened, as more enter on an issue as compelling and pressing difference but so can these other orga- the workforce, as public health is im- as the Dreamers. What Leader PELOSI nizations. proved, and so forth. is asking for is the same thing that we We have a growing evidence base The next bipartisan measure, which I have here in the Senate—no more, no without any partisan tinge to it. It is expect to get across the finish line less—a vote and an open process. That broadly agreed that we have a growing today, is the Modernizing the Inter- is undeniably fair. I hope Speaker evidence base of those things that are state Placement of Children in Foster RYAN will relent and promise a vote. working to address challenges such as Care Act. This bill expedites the time There is an appetite on both sides and homelessness, asthma in low-income it takes to place children into loving in both Chambers to get this done— communities, and getting the long- homes, and we will see why it is so im- both to help the Dreamers and do bor- term unemployed back into the work- portant and so timely that we pass this der security. force. Name the social ill, and there is legislation today as well. In the Senate, I know that everyone likely a not-for-profit group or even a Thousands of children in my State of on the Democratic side and many on for-profit group in each of our indi- Indiana have lost loving parents to the Republican side are working hard vidual States which is making a mean- opioid addiction. I have seen it up close to find a bill that can protect Dreamers ingful difference on this front. and personal. I used to represent Scott and provide border security that can The challenge is, how do we scale up County, IN. This was ground zero in pass next week. We know this is a dif- these evidence-based interventions in our State for the opioid epidemic. It ficult task, and we know immigration an era of scarce resources? Well, be- made national news, not in a good way. is one of the more volatile issues in cause social impact partnerships are So many good people have been ad- America, but we have to do it for the focused on achieving results, taxpayer versely impacted in this community, good of this country. The budget was a money is only paid out when desired and I know there are communities like difficult process, but we came to an outcomes are met. Government pay- this across the country that are being agreement. Let’s do the same on immi- ments are made possible because when impacted to varying degrees by the gration with a bipartisan agreement, we really help somebody, when we real- opioid crisis. I fear that if we do noth- where each side gives some, and we can ly are able to help them achieve their ing, we will lose thousands in the next all be proud that we got it done. The goals and turn around their lives, that generation as well. same effort and spirit that forged the frees up government money. So we use Modernizing the outdated interstate budget deal should carry forward to the those avoided costs and future govern- child placement process is one of a issue of the Dreamers. Let’s get it done ment savings to pay back those who in- number of proposals that are urgently next week. vest in scaling up things that really needed. This legislation will I yield the floor. work to improve lives. incentivize States to connect to an The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SUL- Let me give an example of what has electronic interstate case-processing LIVAN). The Senator from Indiana. also been called pay for success. There Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I ask is a service in Indianapolis that con- system that has already achieved sub- unanimous consent to be recognized for nects registered nurses with low-in- stantial reductions in the time it takes up to 10 minutes. come pregnant women. The Nurse- to place these children into homes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Family Partnership helps ensure both Frankly, before I dove into this, I objection? mom and baby are healthy throughout just assumed that our foster care sys- Without objection, it is so ordered. the pregnancy and through the infant’s tem was digitized; that it had found its Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I would life. They hit specific metrics that save way into the 21st century; that we like to take a moment to speak in sup- the Federal Government money. Under weren’t using paper files that were port of two pieces of legislation I intro- this legislation, a philanthropic organi- being mailed back and forth several duced that are included in the con- zation like Indiana’s Lilly Endowment times to process adoptions, especially tinuing resolution we will vote on could invest in the Nurse-Family Part- under these very trying circumstances, today: the Social Impact Partnerships nership to scale up their work. As long but that is not the case. We need to to Pay for Results Act and the Modern- as the metrics continue to be met, as make sure a child will spend less time izing the Interstate Placement of Chil- long as success is achieved, the inves- being shuffled from foster home to fos- dren in Foster Care Act. Both of these tor is paid a return out of those future ter home, and this legislation will bills are very important to Hoosiers, government savings. achieve that. and I am glad we will finally see them It makes a whole lot of sense, which We need to make sure a situation become law after 6 years of working in is why it passed unanimously out of where children are taken in and out of a bipartisan way to get them across the House of Representatives pre- school without a set routine is put to the finish line. viously and why I believe it will be an end. For children caught up in a Let me tell you why these two meas- passed into law after passing this system struggling to meet community ures are so important to Hoosiers and Chamber and be signed into law by the needs, we should do everything possible really to all Americans. The Social Im- President in the coming days. to get them immediately placed in a pact Partnerships to Pay for Results Social impact partnerships address setting that is best for them, regard- Act empowers our public and private our moral responsibilities to ensure less of State boundary lines. sectors to implement evidence-based that social programs actually improve In summary, these bipartisan, bi- social and public health interventions recipients’ lives and do so in a fiscally cameral bills were developed over 6 to address some of our Nation’s most prudent manner. They also respond to years, beginning during my time in the pressing social challenges. the imperative of improving our eco- House of Representatives. I consulted America has a celebrated and vibrant nomic health by harnessing the capa- with key stakeholders to make sure civil society. We have a history of not bilities of every able-bodied citizen. there would be broad support, and

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.005 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S797 there is. I have had countless discus- States a few years before the rest of They are not ‘‘too lazy.’’ They are not sions with Hoosiers and other experts the family was able to come. ‘‘bad hombres.’’ They are some of the about how to tackle these challenges. Estefany was grateful for the oppor- best and brightest in our country. The continuing resolution we will tunity she was given and did not want Now, because of President Trump’s vote on today isn’t perfect. I remain to squander it. She wanted to succeed unconscionable decision to end DACA, concerned about our spending levels, in school and live up to her mother’s Estefany and so many young people and I maintain that we need to take sacrifice. Estefany, who only spoke like her are living in darkness again. It long-term action for the fiscal health Spanish when she arrived, struggled is heartbreaking to watch this admin- of our country. However, with our com- with elementary school and tried to do istration strip protections away from mitment to our military and the inclu- her homework every night. Working as people who are Americans in every way sion of these two important pieces of hard as she could, in 2 years she was that should matter. Leaving them to legislation, I will be voting for the CR moved on from her English as a Second live under a threat of deportation is for the good of all Hoosier children, Language class. Her hard work paid off unconscionable. families, and communities. in even greater dividends when she was We should not abandon these young I yield the floor. accepted into the prestigious Boston people whom we urged to come out of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Latin Academy for high school. the shadows. We should not abandon ator from Massachusetts. Her work ethic and desire to deserve the larger community of Dreamers who Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I ask her family’s sacrifices were what moti- have no other home than the United unanimous consent that I be recog- vated Estefany and got her through the States. The American people under- nized to speak for up to 10 minutes fol- many hardships that come with being stand this. In January, a poll found lowed by Senator CARDIN for up to 10 undocumented—fear, uncertainty, anx- that 87 percent of Americans favor al- minutes. iety. When Estefany began her college lowing immigrants who were brought The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there application process, she fully under- to the United States illegally as chil- objection? stood, for the first time, what it meant dren to stay here—87 percent; nearly Without objection, it is so ordered. to be undocumented. all Americans are with our Dreamers. DACA Although she wanted to go to college You would think that extending Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I rise and have a career, she was afraid to these protections would be a no-brainer to speak about the need to protect our tell her guidance counselor and her for the Republicans. Right here, right Dreamers from deportation. When we teachers of her fears about her legal now, we could pass a bill to protect talk about Dreamers, we are talking status. Once Estefany opened up to these young immigrants, but, instead, about immigrants who came to this them, she confronted applying and at- the Republicans have decided to use country as children. We are talking tending college the same way she had the Dreamers as a bargaining chip in about immigrants whose parents always faced up to the other struggles budget negotiations. They hope that by brought them here when they were in her life—with strength, courage, and leveraging the lives and futures of young to give them a better chance perseverance. She fought the battle Dreamers, they will get their laundry than they had in their own countries. that many aspiring college students list of hard-liner immigration de- We are talking about young immi- wage—figuring out how to pay for it. It mands. grants who, when they were children, wasn’t easy. As she researched and ap- I am so glad that Senator MCCON- had no choice in the decision to come plied for scholarships, she found out NELL has agreed with Senator SCHUMER to the United States. that most were for citizens only. Be- that we are going to open up a debate These Dreamers know no other home cause of scholarships provided by im- here on the floor of the U.S. Senate. We than these United States. Many of migrant support organizations like the are going to try to find a way to re- them have spent their lives in limbo, wonderful Massachusetts Immigrant solve this issue, although there is no identifying as Americans but lacking and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, guarantee that President Trump will, legal status and under the constant MIRA, Estefany is now attending the in fact, agree with any resolution here. threat of being sent back to countries University of Massachusetts in Boston, There is no guarantee that the tea that are completely foreign to them. where she is pursuing a degree in inter- party Freedom Caucus Republicans in In 2012, President Obama took steps national relations and a minor in pub- the House of Representatives will agree to protect some of these Dreamers lic policy. with any understanding that is reached from deportation. Through an Execu- So it sounds like a happy ending, but, here on a bipartisan basis, if we can tive order, he established the program sadly, it is not. On Estefany’s first day reach one on the floor of the U.S. Sen- known as DACA or the Deferred Action as a freshman at UMass Boston, Presi- ate. for Childhood Arrivals Program. DACA dent Trump repealed DACA. He cal- I just think, for better or worse, the created security and opportunity for lously terminated the program, with Dreamers should know that we are hundreds of thousands of young Dream- no guidance on what should be done going to continue to fight for them and ers, allowing them to live and work in next for these young Dreamers. That that we are going to continue to work our great Nation without the threat of heartless action by the President left toward creating a pathway for them to deportation. So what DACA really Estefany unable to focus on school. She be able to live in our country without stands for is ‘‘Deserving a Chance in no longer had any certainty about her fear. I think that is going to be the sig- America,’’ DACA, and a protection for future here in the United States and at nature moment we can create for our these innocent young people who de- UMass Boston. As Estefany put it, country this year. Yes, we have a budg- serve a shot at the American dream. ‘‘After so many tears and sleepless et agreement, but we have so much I would like to take a moment to nights, it felt like all my hard work more work to do to help these young speak about one of these Massachu- was being thrown away.’’ people who will be great Americans setts Dreamers who benefited from Estefany is a fighter, and she is not once we create a path to citizenship for DACA. Her name is Estefany. She came giving up on her college education or them. to the United States at 9 years of age career. I know she will succeed if she is At this point, I yield the floor. to escape violence in El Salvador. She just given the chance because she, like The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- was brought here by her grandmother, so many other Dreamers, deserves that ator from Maryland. along with her two sisters and a baby chance. Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, first, I cousin. The journey took 22 days. It Over the 5 years that DACA was in want to thank Senator MARKEY and was arduous. Estefany was so scared at effect, the program protected some concur in his comments in regard to one point she asked to be left behind. 800,000 Dreamers, nearly 8,000 in Massa- the Dreamers. Yes, we are pleased that When she finally got to the United chusetts. These are young people like we have a bipartisan agreement today. States, she found it difficult to adjust Estefany who study, who serve, who I am still in the process of reading all to this whole new world, but Estefany work, and who live next door to us the details before making a final judg- was overjoyed to be reunited with her every single day. They are our friends, ment, but it is certainly good news mother, who had come to the United our neighbors, and our loved ones. that the Democrats and Republicans—

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.006 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S798 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 the leadership—have come together in room to get treatment. Well, after the go to an emergency room to talk to an agreement. examination was complete, if they somebody as to whether you should go I join Senator MARKEY and am found out the person did not have a there or not, wasting valuable time, or pleased that the majority leader is heart attack, the person would be dis- being told to go to a hospital different going to bring before the floor of the charged from the hospital and go home. from the closest hospital, again, caus- Senate in a fair manner next week the A few days later they would get the bill ing really serious jeopardy? That is immigration issue to protect Dream- for that visit and then almost have a what we had. People should not be ers. I would also add that those in tem- heart attack when the insurance com- forced to act as their own doctor and porary protective status, TPS, should pany would not pay the bill. We recog- second-guess themselves when they also be considered. nized that as not being right, so we truly believe they are having a medical We have a process, and I hope that took action to change that. emergency. the spirit that we have seen on the In response to these dangerous and A wrong decision based upon eco- budget agreement will continue next unfair requirements, Maryland enacted nomic considerations—the ability to week as the Senate works, as it should, the prudent layperson standard in 1992. pay the bill—could be deadly. We in a bipartisan manner to protect the If it was prudent to go to the emer- should not discourage people from Dreamers and do what is right. I also gency room for care, the insurance seeking necessary medical treatment, want to acknowledge that there is no company had to reimburse it. Later, in and we should not allow insurance such commitment from the Republican 1997, I led the national effort to extend companies to return to the time when leadership in the House. I join with the prudent layperson standard to all they could callously refuse to cover Leader PELOSI in urging Speaker RYAN Medicare plans and Medicaid managed emergency care provided to individuals to set up a similar process in the House care plans as part of the Balanced who genuinely and reasonably believe so that we can get a bill to the Presi- Budget Act of 1997. I worked with they need it. dent and signed into law to protect the President Clinton, who eventually As we will be considering shortly ad- Dreamers. The President created this signed an Executive order in 1998 to ditional improvements in our problem by putting a date on their have the standard apply to all govern- healthcare system to eliminate the cap backs, and it is our responsibility to ment insurance programs. that we have on therapy caps, to make respond in a timely way. I am glad to Then I fought to have my patient’s it clear that we want to make tele- see that the Senate is prepared to take bill of rights amendment, which in- medicine more available, to help dialy- action. cluded the prudent layperson standard, sis patients, to deal with our children PRUDENT LAYPERSON STANDARD enacted as part the Patient Protection in the Children’s Health Insurance Pro- Mr. President, I took this time be- and Affordable Care Act for individual gram, to deal with rural healthcare, let cause I want to talk about one specific and group health plans. So now it is ef- us also make sure that we set up the provision in healthcare that was passed fective for all plans in this country. ability to make sure that our policies, by Congress in the nineties, but let me There is a definition of what an emer- in fact, are carried out. We should not just preface that by saying that in this gency medical condition is and when it allow an insurance company such as budget agreement, I am pleased to see is prudent to do that. It is spelled out Anthem to act as if what Congress did there are bipartisan agreements on ad- in the statute dealing with the serious- does not exist. I think that is our re- vancing healthcare in America. A bill ness of the symptoms, as it could deal sponsibility. that I have worked on since we im- with bodily harm, et cetera. I look forward to working with our posed the therapy caps way back in the Despite the Federal law, private in- colleagues in a bipartisan way to im- nineties, which made no sense at all, surers are, once again, using tactics to prove healthcare and access for all will finally correct that mistake per- prevent people from seeking care in an Americans. manently and allow those who are in emergency room. Several newspapers, With that, I yield the floor. need of the most severe therapy serv- from the Los Angeles Times to the Co- CLOTURE MOTION ices—those who are stroke victims or lumbus Dispatch, have reported that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant in similar situations—to be able to get Anthem—one of the Nation’s largest to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the that care without a cap as to the insurers—has implemented an avoid- Senate the pending cloture motion, amount of services they need. able emergency room program to re- which the clerk will state. I am also pleased to see that we are duce what it deems as unnecessary ER The legislative clerk read as follows: going to be dealing with telemedicine— visits and address rising healthcare an issue I have worked on and many costs. This program has been rolled out CLOTURE MOTION Members have worked on—improving in several States, including Kentucky, We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- dialysis treatment. Some of the issues Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, and ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the we have all worked on include commu- Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby New Hampshire. move to bring to a close debate on the mo- nity health centers, the 10-year exten- According to these news reports, pa- tion to concur in the House amendment to sion of the Children’s Health Insurance tients who believe they have emer- the Senate amendment to H.R. 695, a bill to Program, and rural healthcare. There gency symptoms go to the ER for amend the National Child Protection Act of are a lot of good things in this bipar- emergency medical care. After several 1993 to establish a national criminal history tisan agreement to advance healthcare, tests, the physicians and nurses deter- background check system and criminal his- and I am pleased about them. mine there is no emergency medical tory review program for certain individuals I just want to remind my colleagues condition. The patient returns home, who, related to their employment, have ac- that if we are successful in getting that relieved to be OK. A few weeks later, cess to children, the elderly, or individuals enacted into law, we still have to make with disabilities, and for other purposes. they receive a letter from the insur- Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, Mike sure it is implemented in the manner ance company refusing to cover the Crapo, Jerry Moran, Richard Burr, in which we intended. I give as an ex- care received in the hospital. This is David Perdue, Tom Cotton, Shelley ample the prudent layperson standard wrong. We said it was wrong in the Moore Capito, Deb Fischer, James M. on emergency medical treatment. I was 1990s, and we took steps to change that. Inhofe, Pat Roberts, Roger F. Wicker, involved in that process in the 1990s. We now have laws that make it very John Hoeven, John Barrasso, John The reason this came to our attention clear. Boozman, Steve Daines, Mike Rounds. is that insurance practices in the 1990s The Anthem avoidable ER policy Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask were such that it was not unusual for forces people who are in some sort of unanimous consent that the manda- an insurance company to deny pay- acute distress to determine, before tory quorum call be waived. ment for emergency services. An indi- they even leave their homes, if their The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without vidual would have the classic symp- symptoms are really serious enough to objection, it is so ordered. toms, for example, of a heart attack— go to an emergency room. What we had By unanimous consent, the manda- the pain, the sweating—and then did back in the 1990s was preauthorization tory quorum call has been waived. what a prudent layperson would do, for emergency care. Can you imagine The question is, Is it the sense of the which is go to the nearest emergency trying to make a phone call before you Senate that debate on the motion to

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.008 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S799 concur in the House amendment to the Senate to the bill, with amendment No. 1930, In addition to the CHIP extension, Senate amendment to H.R. 695 shall be in the nature of a substitute. the budget bill includes a bipartisan brought to a close? McConnell amendment No. 1931 (to amend- Finance Committee bill entitled the ment No. 1930), to change the enactment ‘‘Creating High-Quality Results and The yeas and nays are mandatory date. under the rule. McConnell motion to refer the message of Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chron- The clerk will call the roll. the House on the bill to the Committee on ic Care Act of 2017’’—a fairly long title. The legislative clerk called the roll. Appropriations, with instructions, McCon- Senator WYDEN, the Finance Commit- Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator nell amendment No. 1932, to change the en- tee’s ranking member, and I have been is necessarily absent: the Senator from actment date. working for years on this legislation, McConnell amendment No. 1933 (to (the in- Arizona (Mr. MCCAIN). which, once enacted, will improve structions) amendment No. 1932), of a per- health outcomes for Medicare bene- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. fecting nature. PERDUE). Are there any other Senators McConnell amendment No. 1934 (to amend- ficiaries living with chronic conditions. in the Chamber desiring to vote? ment No. 1933), of a perfecting nature. It will also help bring down Medicare The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 55, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The costs and streamline care coordination nays 44, as follows: President pro tempore. services. We have been working with our col- [Rollcall Vote No. 29 Leg.] Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, is it prop- leagues, stakeholders, and advocates er to speak as in morning business? YEAS—55 for quite some time. We moved the bill Alexander Fischer Murkowski The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. through the committee last year, and Barrasso Flake Nelson the Senate actually passed it once al- Blunt Gardner Perdue Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise Boozman Graham Portman today to speak in strong support of the ready without a single vote in opposi- Burr Grassley Risch bipartisan Budget Act which will hope- tion. This legislation will finally get Capito Hatch Roberts the CHRONIC Care Act to the Presi- Cassidy Heitkamp fully pass later today. Rounds dent’s desk. Cochran Heller Rubio This bill, as the name implies, is the Collins Hoeven I thank Senator WYDEN for the time Sasse result of rigorous, bipartisan, and bi- Corker Inhofe Scott and effort he has put into this action. Cornyn Isakson cameral negotiations. I am pleased to Shelby I also thank our other colleagues on Cortez Masto Johnson have played a part in this endeavor, Cotton Kennedy Sullivan the Finance Committee, particularly Thune and I am gratified to note that in addi- Crapo Lankford tion to keeping the government open Senators ISAKSON and WARNER, who Cruz Lee Tillis joined us on a working group to de- Toomey and providing much needed resources Daines Manchin velop this important legislation and Donnelly McCaskill Wicker for our troops, the bill before us ad- move it forward. This bill, as promised, Enzi McConnell Young dresses a number of longstanding prior- Ernst Moran will relieve a great deal of suffering for ities of the Senate Finance Committee, Medicare beneficiaries and will do so in NAYS—44 including many that I have personally a fiscally responsible manner. Baldwin Hassan Reed been working toward for years now. In- The budget bill also contains a pack- Bennet Heinrich Sanders deed, this legislation, once passed and Blumenthal Hirono age of bipartisan provisions that have Schatz signed into law, will be the combina- Booker Jones Schumer come to be known as Medicare and Brown Kaine Shaheen tion of years of work put in by mem- health extenders. These provisions are Cantwell King Smith bers of the Finance Committee on both high priorities for a number of our Cardin Klobuchar Stabenow sides of the aisle. Carper Leahy Tester Members throughout the Senate, and I Casey Markey I want to take some time to say a Udall am very pleased we were able to in- Coons Menendez few words about some of the bipartisan Van Hollen clude them in the final package of the Duckworth Merkley Warner victories that will be achieved through Durbin Murphy spending bill. Feinstein Murray Warren this legislation. I should warn my col- While these are all important, I Gillibrand Paul Whitehouse leagues that this will take a few min- would like to highlight that there are a Wyden Harris Peters utes because there are quite a few pro- few provisions we were able to perma- NOT VOTING—1 visions to discuss. nently resolve and not just extend. One For starters, let’s talk about McCain such provision will repeal a flawed healthcare. Among the more prominent The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this limit on the amount Medicare would victories in this bill is an extension of pay for outpatient physical and other vote, the yeas are 55, the nays are 44. the Children’s Health Insurance Pro- Three-fifths of the Senators duly cho- therapy that threatened access for gram for an additional 4 years. As we some of the most vulnerable patients. I sen and sworn not having voted in the all know, last month Congress passed a worked with other Members in both affirmative, the motion is rejected. historic 6-year CHIP extension, which Chambers to find a lasting solution to The majority leader. was eventually signed into law. The this decades-old problem, again dem- f bill before us would add another 4 years onstrating that Congress can tackle on top of that 6-year provision, pro- hard problems and not just kick the HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES viding a total extension of 10 years—10 ACT can down the road. years. That is remarkable. I have a In addition to the Medicare extend- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I long history with the CHIP program. I ers, the bipartisan funding bill also in- move that the Chair lay before the was the original author of the program, cludes some key reforms to the under- Senate the message to accompany H.R. and I have always been an outspoken lying Medicare Programs. These in- 1892. champion of it. clude expanding access to in-home The PRESIDING OFFICER. The We have had some back-and-forth treatments for patients with Medicare question is on agreeing to the motion. here in the Senate about CHIP in re- Part B and improved means-testing for The motion was agreed to. cent months, and some of it has gotten the premiums paid by high-income The PRESIDING OFFICER. The pretty fierce. However, today the Sen- earners under Medicare Parts B and D, clerk will report. ate will pass legislation—bipartisan all of which will help improve the over- The senior assistant legislative clerk legislation—to provide unprecedented all fiscal outlook for Medicare. read as follows: security and certainty for the families Furthermore, the bill repeals the House message to accompany H.R. 1892, a who depend on CHIP and the State gov- Independent Payment Advisory Board bill to amend title 4, United States Code, to ernments that need more predictability that was created under the so-called provide for the flying of the flag at half-staff to map out their own expenditures. Affordable Care Act. This, too, is a step in the event of the death of a first responder I am sure my friend, former Senator that has garnered bipartisan support, in the line of duty. Kennedy, is up there watching. I am as it should, showing that many Demo- Pending: very happy he came on this bill in the crats have joined Republicans in recog- McConnell motion to concur in the amend- early stages and helped to put it nizing just how ill-advised the creation ment of the House to the amendment of the through. of this panel really was.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.010 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S800 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 The bill addresses a number of other gone far beyond these efforts. Thank- This record puts them all way out of healthcare priorities as well, including fully, with passage of this spending line—way out of line—with most Amer- continued funding for various public bill, many more of the committee’s ef- icans. Overwhelming numbers of health programs, some delays for bur- forts—virtually all of them bipar- younger Americans demand climate ac- densome Medicaid reductions that have tisan—will come to fruition. tion and plan to hold politicians who been on the horizon, and it provides re- I thank the Senate leaders from both stand in its way accountable. Faith lief to Puerto Rico’s healthcare chal- parties who have worked with us to in- groups, universities, State and local lenges faced after the hurricane devas- clude all of these important provisions. governments, and businesses have tation by increasing Medicaid funding. I thank my colleagues on the Finance stepped up their climate leadership. I would also like to say, in any big Committee—both Republicans and Businesses hear from their customers package, there are a lot of policies in Democrats—who have put in so much and know the American people want here that give me concern. Some of the time over the years on all of these ef- action, but if corporate America is se- offsets, particularly related to Medi- forts and congratulate them all for the rious about climate action in Wash- care Part D that my Democratic col- success we look forward to seeing this ington, corporate America needs to ex- leagues insisted be in this package, are week. plain why the Big Business lobby very troubling to me, and I look for- Of course, we do still have to pass the groups in this town—the U.S. Chamber ward to working with my colleagues to bill. Therefore, I urge all of my col- of Commerce, the American Petroleum address this moving forward. leagues, on both sides of the aisle, to Institute, and the National Association In addition to these healthcare prior- vote in favor of this bipartisan legisla- of Manufacturers—stand so resolutely ities, the funding bill extends a number tion. in the way of climate action. These I yield the floor. of important tax provisions in order to three industry groups have been instru- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- help families, individuals, and small mental in blocking climate action, businesses throughout the country. We ator from Rhode Island. Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, using lobbying, dark money election made progress on producing and pass- before I make my remarks, let me just spending, and threats of dark money ing tax extenders legislation with the say that in what we might call the cur- election spending. passage of the PATH Act in 2015. Still, rent unpleasantness in Washington, Today, I want to take a look at the many more important items remain to what a pleasant thing it is to be here biggest and swampiest of the three, the be handled, and we have worked to ad- on the Senate floor and hear the re- so-called U.S. Chamber of Commerce. dress Member priorities to extend cer- spected chairman of the Senate Fi- First, let’s clear up some common tain provisions. The provisions in- nance Committee say the positive misperceptions about the chamber. It cluded in the spending bill all expire at words he has said, describe his success is not a government agency, and it the end of 2016. This legislation will ex- at expanding CHIP and call to our bears almost no relation to your home- tend them through this year. memory the name of Senator Ken- town chamber of commerce. Finally, the bill takes some major nedy—who was his friend and ally in Instead of representing the interests steps forward in the area of human creating that program upon which so of small businesses, the chamber rep- services, which is also under the juris- many children across America depend. resents the interests of giant corpora- diction of the Finance Committee. So I thank him for a lovely moment tions, international corporations, and In addition to continuing funding for in an otherwise somewhat, shall we the ultrarich. The chamber president, important child and family services say, challenging Washington environ- Tom Donohue, admitted as much in a programs, the bill includes the Family ment. letter to the tobacco company Philip First Prevention Services Act, another Mr. President, in the spirit of back- Morris. He wrote that small businesses bill originally introduced by Senator and-forth—which is often the spirit of ‘‘provide the foot soldiers, and often WYDEN and myself to strengthen fami- the Senate—I am following Senator the political cover, for issues big com- lies and reduce inappropriate foster HATCH, but I see Senator WICKER also panies want pursued.’’ care placements. This legislation will on the floor. If time is pressing on him, Why this service to giant corpora- help keep more children safely with I would be willing to consider yielding tions and the ultrarich? Easy answer: their families instead of placing them for a few moments. I don’t know how They pay the bills. The vast majority in foster care. Under this bill, States much time he intends to consume. of the chamber’s $275-million-per-year will be able to fund effective services Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, the Sen- budget comes from just a handful of do- that have been shown to prevent chil- ator is very kind, and time is not that nors. For instance, in 2014, just 119 do- dren from entering foster care. It will pressing. I am actually expecting two nations accounted for over $160 million also encourage States to place children or three colleagues, and perhaps we of the chamber’s fundraising haul. Who with foster families instead of in group will engage in a colloquy after that. I are these donors? Well, the chamber homes, and it will reduce the bureauc- do appreciate my friend’s courtesy. doesn’t want you to know. It does all it racy faced by relatives who seek to CLIMATE CHANGE can to resist transparency, but thanks take in children rather than have them Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, in to voluntary disclosures by some cor- end up in foster care. that event, let me commence my 196th porations and the tax filings of some Also included in the spending bill is ‘‘Time to Wake Up’’ climate speech. nonprofit groups, we know that its do- the Social Impact Partnership Act, a The last year has been a lousy one nors include many of America’s biggest bill I introduced along with Senator for environmental policy in the United corporations as well as political front BENNET, which will support innovative States. While the rest of the world groups run by the billionaire Koch public-private partnerships to address began implementing the Paris Agree- brothers and Karl Rove. critical social and public health chal- ment to reduce the carbon emissions The chamber took in at least $5.5 lenges. As a result of this bill, States that are changing our climate and our million from Koch-backed groups be- will identify key social challenges they oceans, this proud body, the U.S. Sen- tween 2012 and 2014, and a Karl Rove-af- want to address, state the results they ate, sat on its hands. filiated group gave the chamber $5.25 hope to achieve, and the Federal Gov- When President Trump handed the million in 2014 alone. It would be inter- ernment will pay for a rigorous, inde- keys to his administration over to esting to know how much of the Karl pendent evaluation to verify that they what I call the three stooges of the fos- Rove money is actually Koch money achieved the outcome. sil fuel industry—Pruitt, Perry, and laundered through the Karl Rove front As you can see, we have been very Zinke—the Senate sat on its hands. group. busy in the Finance Committee for the The recent interview with British jour- What does the chamber do with all of past few years. Obviously, we have seen nalist Piers Morgan shows Trump will- this money? It lobbies, it litigates, and success in some of the more high-pro- ing to make a scientific fool of himself it runs political attack ads on tele- file items, like tax reform late last on the question of climate change to vision, radio, and the internet. year, as well as long-term highway please the general managers pulling Let’s start with the lobbying. funding and renewing trade promotion the strings of his administration, the The chamber spends far more than authority in 2015, but our work has Koch brothers. anyone else in lobbying the Federal

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.012 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S801 Government. It spent more than $80 races across the country. Many of maintain U.S. technological leadership million last year alone—far more than these ads supported the fossil fuel and create millions of high-paying, any individual company. Over the last agenda. Here is one from the 2016 Sen- clean energy jobs in the future, but the 20 years, the chamber has spent more ate race in Pennsylvania. The chamber chamber’s so-called Global Energy In- than $1.4 billion—that is billion with a was again the largest dark money stitute’s website is promoting Key- ‘‘b’’ and the nine zeros after it—in lob- spender on this race in its having spent stone XL, the Dakota Access Pipeline, bying the Federal Government. That is over $6 million. It ran a series of at- and offshore drilling. I kid you not— three times more than the next largest tack ads against Katie McGinty and offshore drilling. Facebook, Gap Inc., lobbying spender—a swamp monster, slammed her for supporting legislation Google, Intel, Microsoft, Morgan Stan- indeed. to reduce carbon emissions. ley, and Salesforce—offshore drilling? Much of this lobbying is against envi- Here is the ad: What do you bet those companies won’t ronmental policies, with the chamber’s A couple of moms are watching their take out full-page ads to support off- lobbying Congress, the White House, kids, and the kids are playing on the shore drilling? They do come to Wash- the EPA, the Department of Energy, playground. One is complaining that ington to lobby, but when Facebook, and the Department of the Interior on McGinty supports taxing energy from Google, Intel, Microsoft, and Salesforce behalf of—yes, you guessed it—the fos- fossil fuels, and the other mom re- came to lobby Congress through their sil fuel companies. The chamber cham- marks as to how much energy their trade association TechNet, they didn’t pions the fossil fuel agenda. It opposes kids have, to which the first replies: even mention climate change. They limits on carbon emissions and sup- Oh, if McGinty finds out about that, didn’t even make clean energy a pri- ports drilling and mining on public she will tax the kids. Right on cue, an ority. Instead, they fund the biggest, lands and in offshore waters. actor who is supposed to represent baddest opponent of climate action and The chamber champions only the fos- McGinty, the candidate, arrives—of clean energy. sil fuel energy agenda and attacks re- course in a chauffeured black sedan— Why do companies that are so com- newable energy despite that industry’s ready to tax the energetic kids. The ad mitted to increasing their own use of being responsible for more jobs than ends with one mother screaming at her renewable energy not lobby Congress in the fossil fuel industry. In 2016, for in- son, Jimmy, to run away. favor of renewable energy? It is a bat- stance, the chamber lobbied the Fed- So that is what we get—the chamber tle here, folks. Where is the corporate eral Government on at least 14 sepa- as the enforcer for the fossil fuel indus- cavalry? rate issues in favor of the oil and gas try. Dare to support climate action or As long as pro-climate companies do industry and on at least 7 issues in oppose fossil fuel interests, and the nothing in Congress and allow fossil favor of the coal industry. On renew- chamber will go after you with every- fuel front groups like the chamber to able energy, there were zero—not one. thing it has. be their voices here in Washington, It was the chamber that paid for the It is actually worse than that be- how do they expect to make progress? debunked study that claimed the Paris cause there is one thing more insidious The Chamber of Commerce they fund Agreement would kill jobs and weaken than spending millions of dollars on at- throws around hundreds of millions of economic growth, which Trump cited tack ads, and that is the threat of dollars on lobbying and elections to en- as justification for withdrawing from spending millions of dollars on attack sure that Congress will not take the that agreement. ads. You see, once Citizens United al- climate action they seek. What are The chamber also spends a lot of ef- lowed the chamber and other outside Facebook, Gap, Google, Intel, Micro- fort in importuning the courts. In a re- election spending groups to spend un- soft, Morgan Stanley, and Salesforce cent 3-year period, the chamber was in- limited funds, the corollary was that it waiting for? Do they expect some kind volved in roughly 500 cases as either a could threaten to spend those unlim- of immaculate political conception of a plaintiff or an amicus curiae—an inter- ited funds. All the chamber and other climate bill—climate action that sud- ested party deemed a ‘‘friend of the outside election spending groups now denly floats magically down from the court.’’ have to do is threaten to fund a chal- clouds? It is not like they don’t lobby Once again, the chamber fronted for lenger in order to bring many can- themselves. For Pete’s sake, they know the fossil fuel industry. In just 3 years, didates and elected officials to heel. how the game is played. They just it sued the EPA 15 times and filed ami- This Citizens United-sanctioned in- don’t lobby for this. They just don’t cus briefs against the EPA in another timidation explains why we cannot lobby for climate action. 11 cases, making the EPA the cham- make good climate policy in Wash- Look, good corporate policies on cli- ber’s most frequent target in court. ington, and the chamber is its leading mate are important. They are very im- The chamber sued against the Clean proponent. portant. I get that, and I appreciate Power Plan and has consistently op- Several big American companies that. But we know well that good cor- posed the EPA’s authority to regulate have stopped funding the chamber over porate policies will not reach those carbon emissions under the Clean Air its anti-climate agenda. Apple, PG&E, Paris climate goals. To reach those Act. Costco, Hewlett-Packard, Starbucks, goals, you have to pass a bill. You have The chamber also wrote an amicus Mars, and others have all left. Yet to do something on climate here in brief that urged the Supreme Court to plenty of other corporate climate Congress. When the fossil fuel indus- strike down limits on election spend- champions still fund the chamber. It is try’s blockade stopping such a bill is ing. It got its wish in the Citizens unbelievable but true. right here in Congress, this is a battle- United decision. Citizens United al- Here is an ad that was run last spring field you have to show up on. It is lowed dark money groups—outside by several big companies that urged great to take out ads—it helps—but it groups—to spend unlimited sums in Trump to stay in the Paris Agreement. would really help to be present here in corrupting our elections. The chamber These companies—Facebook, Gap Inc., Congress and accounted for. and the fossil fuel industry have been Google, Intel Corporation, Microsoft, Fighting for climate action in Wash- the biggest beneficiaries—the biggest Morgan Stanley, and Salesforce— ington is indispensable in order to fi- users—of this horrible decision. signed this full-page ad that supported nally break the stranglehold of the Over the last 10 years, the chamber the Paris Agreement. At the same chamber and its dark money allies. So has spent more than $150 million in time, they were donors to the chamber, please, corporate America, show up. dark money on Federal elections, and which was out attacking the Paris I yield the floor. we don’t know how much it has spent Agreement. How do you publicly sup- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- on State elections other than we know port the Paris Agreement while fund- ator from Alaska. it has contributed millions to other ing the swamp monster that attacks Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask outside spending groups that are active the Paris Agreement? unanimous consent to engage in a col- at the State level. The Trump administration is also loquy with my colleagues Senator In 2016, the chamber was the largest seeking to cut funding for renewable CASEY and Senator WICKER. dark money spender in congressional energy research by 72 percent. Amer- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without races. It often ran vicious attack ads in ica’s business leaders should want to objection, it is so ordered.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.014 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S802 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT I serve as the chairman of the sub- this bill, which would help a number of Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I rise committee responsible for the Coast my constituents—thousands in the with my colleagues Senator WICKER Guard. In Alaska we know all about fishing industry—is the provision we from Mississippi and Senator CASEY the men and women of the Coast have agreed on that provides a perma- from the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- Guard. I would like to say that prior to nent exemption on incidental vessel vania to talk about legislation that I 9/11, the Coast Guard was probably the discharges for all fishing vessels and believe is of vital importance to every only military service among all five small commercial vessels. Right now, State in the country—certainly to branches that had men and women out believe it or not, if you have a small mine, the great State of Alaska. Most there risking their lives every single commercial vessel and you are gutting importantly, it is vitally important day for Americans. Unfortunately, fish caught on the vessel and you hose legislation to the men and women who since 9/11 and the big challenges we down the guts of those fish back into serve in the U.S. Coast Guard. I am have had from a national security per- the water, you need a permit from the going to talk about them for a minute. spective, we have had men and women EPA. Think about that. Think about a Yet, in addition to the legislation we from all branches of services, every regulation that is going to hurt small are talking about here, it is also vi- single day, risking their lives. But the businesses. tally important to our maritime and Coast Guard does it at home and We are trying to encourage all of our fishing communities. abroad. colleagues to help us move forward This is very important legislation. What is happening with this bill? with the Coast Guard bill. We move the Which legislation am I talking about? Well, this bill, which is bipartisan, not National Defense Authorization Act S. 1129, the Coast Guard Authorization only contains critical needs and au- that covers the Army, Navy, Air Force, Act of 2017. It is legislation that has thorizations and policies for our Coast and Marines every year, but we should broad bipartisan support, including Guard and the men and women who be moving the Coast Guard bill every from Chairman THUNE of South Dakota serve, but it also contains provisions of year, as well, to make sure we are tak- and Ranking Member NELSON of Flor- vital importance to our maritime in- ing care of the men and women in the ida of the Commerce, Science, and dustry and fishing communities. In- Coast Guard and we are not forgetting Transportation Committee; my col- cluded in this legislation are important the fifth branch of the military that league from Alaska, Senator LISA MUR- elements of another act, the Vessel In- does so much for our men and women. KOWSKI; and many, many others, Re- cidental Discharge Act, which we call We also need solutions to the issue of publicans and Democrats. The Senate VIDA, to address an issue that has been the vessel incidental discharge chal- Commerce, Science, and Transpor- around for years pertaining to the inci- lenges, and we need to get this provi- tation Committee, which has jurisdic- dental discharges for those in our fish- sion of the Coast Guard bill unstuck. tion over the Coast Guard and our fish- ing fleets and maritime fleets. I thank my colleagues again for Currently, vessel owners and opera- ing fleets and our fisheries, marked up being on the floor with me. Again, this tors in the fishing and maritime indus- this important legislation back in May is a bipartisan issue, and we wanted to try are forced to comply with a patch- of 2017. Unfortunately, due to a lack of call out the importance of this issue so work of burdensome State and Federal an agreement on one particular provi- that our colleagues in the Senate can regulations and laws for vessel ballast sion—although we have very strong say it is time to act. water and incidental discharges—the It is time to move on the Coast support, even for this particular provi- discharges of water that come off the Guard bill. It is time to include this sion, of over 60 Senators—the Coast deck of fishing vessels, for example. very important VIDA provision, and I Guard bill overall remains stuck. Think about it. When thinking about We always talk about the Army, Air am hopeful we can do it soon. the Constitution and the commerce I yield to the Senator from Pennsyl- Force, Navy, and Marines. I love them clause, this is an issue where a fishing vania, Mr. CASEY. to death, but sometimes we forget vessel moves in different waters in the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- about our fifth branch of service. These United States—State waters from one ator from Pennsylvania. men and women do incredible work State to another—or a maritime ship Mr. CASEY. Thank you, Mr. Presi- every single day for our country. goes from one State to another, and it dent. This bipartisan bill, the Coast Guard has to comply with a patchwork of dif- I want to start by commending the Authorization Act, will give the Coast ferent State laws and regulations as it Senator from Alaska, Mr. SULLIVAN, Guard the resources it needs to protect moves through different waters con- for moving this legislation forward and our waterways and coastlines, to block trolled by different States. This creates for his work and the work of his staff illegal drug traffickers and smugglers, inefficiencies, adds to business costs, over many, many months now. and to more efficiently procure future and, particularly in the fishing fleet, I want to thank our staff, as well, Coast Guard cutters. It will authorize inhibits economic prosperity for States and the staff of Senator WICKER and so the Coast Guard in terms of policies and people in the industry, whether in many other offices that I will not have and spending through fiscal years 2018 Alaska or other places throughout the an opportunity to name. We are espe- and 2019. Most importantly, it will take country. cially grateful for their bipartisan ef- care of the men and women who serve So the VIDA provision, which we all forts, which every once in a while work in our Coast Guard, who hail from worked on and which has very strong around here. I am grateful that Sen- every State in our great Nation. They bipartisan support, would provide the ator SULLIVAN and his team have put in do so much. maritime and fishing industry with a the amount of time that they have. So we are going to be debating the consistent, uniform regulatory struc- This legislation is part of broader continuing resolution that will have ture across the country, restoring effi- Coast Guard legislation, the Commer- very significant funding for our mili- cient and cost-effective commerce cial Vessel Incidental Discharge Act. tary but also for natural disasters. while ensuring that environmental pro- The so-called C-VIDA Act is critically Think about the natural disasters that tection remains at the highest levels important to get done this year. As occurred in the United States in Flor- for our ports, waterways, and harbors. Senator SULLIVAN mentioned, there is ida, in Texas, in Louisiana, and other We have been working together for bipartisan support, and we should pass places in the last several months. The months, and I want to commend my it immediately. Coast Guard undertook thousands of friend from Pennsylvania, Senator When I introduced this legislation rescue operations—men and women CASEY, as we have tried to accommo- back in January of last year, working risking their lives, literally, to save date the concerns of many other Sen- with Senators WICKER, SULLIVAN, and their fellow Americans. This bill fo- ators. We changed this part of the others, it was included in the larger cuses on them. Coast Guard bill numerous times to try Coast Guard Authorization Act. That In constructing this legislation, we to address those concerns. I think we was passed by the Senate Commerce, worked in a bipartisan manner for have gotten almost every Senator on Science, and Transportation Com- months. However, it appears that the board, with the exception of just a few. mittee in May of 2017. Since that time, Coast Guard authorization bill, unfor- Notably, one of the measures that we we have conducted extensive negotia- tunately, remains stuck. have strong bipartisan support for in tions with our colleagues—and that

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.015 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S803 may be an understatement—to address I want to yield to Senator WICKER. As might be just a reporting requirement. important environmental as well as en- I said earlier, I am grateful to have Clearly this is a burden on people who forcement concerns. been working with Senator WICKER all want to do the right thing but simply This legislation fulfills at least two these many months and our staffs, as would like to have one standard na- priorities for Pennsylvania. First, it al- well, and, of course, with Senator SUL- tionwide to comply with. That is what lows us to be in a position to enact LIVAN and all those involved. we are trying to do. We are close. strong environmental protection stand- I yield the floor. I would simply say to my friend from ards for our waterways in Pennsyl- Mr. WICKER. I thank my friend from Alaska, who has done more work on vania, and second, it supports our mar- Pennsylvania and would observe that this really than anybody in my mem- itime industry. Currently, vessel own- he has exercised excellent leadership ory, I would observe to the Senator ers and operators are forced to comply on this issue. It is a very important that I think we are close to being able with a patchwork of overly burdensome issue. It is not at the top of the news to do this on a bipartisan basis and per- and confusing Federal and State regu- media’s treatment, but it is an impor- haps putting this as an attachment to lations for vessel ballast water and in- tant issue, and it is one that we are a must-pass piece of legislation. I cidental discharges. This act, the C- close to being able to resolve in a bi- think we can do it because we have VIDA Act, would establish uniform na- partisan way. I also want to thank my demonstrated, through our friend from tional standards and requirements gov- colleague from Alaska, who has been a Pennsylvania and other Democrats and erning ballast water discharges and champion for this issue. Republicans, that we have been careful other discharges that occur during nor- I would make a couple of points to to include everyone and to be bipar- mal operations of vessels. C-VIDA underscore what my friends have just tisan about it. would provide the maritime industry said. Would my friend agree that we are at with a consistent, uniform regulatory We are talking about ballast water in a point where this really needs to be structure while ensuring that there are the waters of the United States. Some signed into law? environmental protections in place to of it gets out; they let some ballast Mr. SULLIVAN. Absolutely. I want protect our Nation’s ports and water- water in, and they have to let some to thank Senator WICKER for his lead- ways. out. It is incidental to operating a boat ership on this issue, and I think what The national standard in C-VIDA en- in the waters of the United States of we are seeing here in this colloquy is sures that vessels with the best on- America. the strength of the bipartisan support board environmental equipment are We want this water to be clean. We for this bill, not only in the Senate but calling at our ports. That is critical for want it to be as environmentally pure throughout the country. I appreciate Pennsylvania, which has coastal, in- as possible. That is what this bill at- my colleague’s words about who is sup- land, and Great Lakes vessel traffic. tempts to do and attempts to do on a porting it. It is a very broad-based coa- There have been concerns raised uniform basis, rather than having a lition—fishing vessels, passenger ves- about the environmental protections, patchwork of regulations from State to sels, labor unions, the Navy League of as I mentioned, in the act and the lack State and area to area. It would give us the United States, marine terminals, of involvement of the EPA and States one strict national standard regarding port authorities. in developing and enforcing these pro- the incidental discharge of this ballast I think both Senator WICKER and tections. Once again, I want to com- water. Senator CASEY made a very strong mend the work of the staff. Staff from The water that gets into our lakes point: This is going to keep the highest several offices have worked very hard and rivers needs to be safe for the envi- standards on the environment for our to address these concerns and to ensure ronment, needs to be safe for fish in waters. This isn’t about cutting cor- that the EPA is involved, that C-VIDA our American waters, and needs to be ners, but it is going to make these has strong environmental standards, safe for marine plant life. and that we update and revisit these standards uniform, which is what our What this bill would do is have the environmental standards as science Nation needs. EPA involved in writing the regula- What we also need to do is to make evolves. Both ballast water and incidental tions and determining what is safe for sure we pass the Coast Guard bill as discharge rules will be developed with American waters. So EPA would be the well as this important component of it. the Coast Guard in concurrence with scientific part, and the Coast Guard The men and women of the Coast the EPA and in consultation with the would be a part of the enforcement. Guard are serving our Nation just like States. State-specific incidental dis- EPA has readily stated that they are the other members of the military, and charge standards would remain in place not able to be in the enforcement busi- somehow, by delaying this bill, we are until new Federal regulations are en- ness in the waters of the United States. undermining their longer term inter- forced. So they are going to help with the ests. I think the Senate can do a much The original bill eliminated State science, according to this new proposal, better job. standards upon the enactment of the and the Coast Guard is going to help I agree with my colleague from Mis- legislation. Additionally, States would with the enforcement. sissippi that we are close. There is have coenforcement of these standards Who is for this? Well, 300 businesses, clearly bipartisan support across the with the Coast Guard. If a State be- labor unions, ports, and terminal oper- board for the VIDA Act and the Coast lieves there should be a more stringent ators. They are all in it together, and Guard bill, and we are hopeful that national standard, then the State can they all say that this would work. This within the next few weeks or few submit a petition to the Coast Guard. is not an example of one side getting months, we are going to get this done, If that standard is found to be techno- up some numbers on a partisan basis and it is going to benefit literally logically and economically viable, the and deciding to try to run over the oth- every State in this great Nation of State standards will become the new ers. As a matter of fact, this is such a ours. national standard. Senators in both bipartisan idea that we have over 60 Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I thank parties have been working in good faith Senators in favor of this proposal. my friend from Alaska for once again and, as we can see, have made substan- I just want to assure anyone who has segueing to the larger issue there. Ves- tial changes to the original legislation. doubts about this legislation that the sel incidental discharge is a very im- We have an opportunity to pass an EPA is going to sign off on these stand- portant part but only a part of the important bill that vessel owners, oper- ards. They are going to sign off on Coast Guard authorization. The Sen- ators, and maritime labor all agree on. standards that are safe, but we are ator from Alaska makes the very valid The maritime industry is exactly at really doing this for jobs and commerce point that we really need to get to a the point where we would want other in the United States of America. Imag- point where we take up the Coast industry sectors to be, developing good ine you are in the business—the barge Guard reauthorization on a regular business in a clean environment. They business or the commercial maritime basis because it is a very vital part of have asked the Senate to enact a long- business anywhere in the United our national security. The Coast Guard term regulatory framework, and we States—and you have to worry about is actually one of those domestic dis- shouldn’t let this opportunity slip by. compliance from State to State. And it cretionary programs that provide us

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.017 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S804 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 with a great deal of national security. Enough moderates in the middle would vote While this budget deal doesn’t in- Our Coast Guard currently operates for both pieces of legislation to ensure that clude everything I would like to see, it ships in its high-endurance cutter fleet each passed separately. certainly includes some highlights of that are more than 45 years old. We I continued: things that I think are critically im- need some reforms in the Coast Guard. Then we could all of us, Republicans and portant for the State of Illinois and our The Senate and the House need to pay Democrats, go beat our collective chests and Nation. attention to the reauthorization on a go home for Christmas. Bipartisanship at its I am particularly disappointed that very regular basis. So the larger issue best. it does not include a solution to the is absolutely well-taken on the part of I wrote further in my journal at that DACA—or Dreamer—crisis that was the Senator from Alaska. time: created by President Trump on Sep- I would once again say that my All these shenanigans led one Republican tember 5 when he announced that he friend the Senator from Alaska has ex- colleague to lean over to me on the House would eliminate the program that pro- ercised excellent leadership. He has floor and muse: ‘‘You know, Jeff, sometimes vides protection from deportation for been relentless on the Coast Guard re- the toughest thing about being a member of almost 800,000 people in the United Congress is remembering everything you’re States. That was over 5 months ago. authorization and particularly the ves- supposed to be outraged about.’’ sel incidental discharge, and he and President Trump challenged this Con- others who have fought so hard really I agreed. gress—challenged this Senate—to come deserve some results because there are Here we are today, and it is clear up with a legislative solution. As I no substantive objections that can be what we should be outraged about—a stand here today, we have not produced raised at this point. $300 billion spending hike, a return to it. Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I trillion-dollar deficits, and an apparent I will certainly acknowledge that thank my colleague from Mississippi end to any attempt to rein in Federal Senator MCCONNELL, the Republican for his strong leadership on this issue spending. leader, together with Senator SCHU- as well. Fiscal responsibility is more than a MER, the Democratic leader, has I think we are seeing here that political talking point to trot out when charted a course for us next week. We Democrats and Republicans are pretty the other guys are in charge. The rules are going to do something in the Sen- much all united on this issue. We are and principles do not change with the ate we haven’t seen in a long time. We hopeful to move not only the VIDA Act legislative session. It should not take are going to come to the floor of the but also the broader Coast Guard bill hundreds of billions of dollars in gov- Senate and act like Senators. For some out of the Senate, get it passed, and ernment spending to prompt biparti- of my colleagues, it will be their first- get it to the President’s desk. That is sanship or to secure a budget agree- time experience of a bill on the floor, going to be good for the men and ment. open to amendment and actual debate. women of the Coast Guard, it is going If we Republicans support precisely Yes, it is going to happen right here. to be good for our maritime and fishing the kind of reckless spending that we Stay tuned on C–SPAN. Next week interests, and it is going to be good for have for so long criticized, it will mean could be historic. the country. an end of genuine fiscal conservatism It has been over a year and a half I yield the floor. in Washington, and it will establish a since we have had a meaningful debate The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. government without any meaningful on the floor, but next week we will. spending restraints. SASSE). The Senator from Arizona. The topic: immigration and DACA. We Mr. FLAKE. Mr. President, I rise I urge my colleagues to consider know we have to. The March 5 deadline today in opposition to the massive their commitment to conservatism and is looming, when this program will end spending increases included in the pro- whether their past protests over gov- by President Trump’s prohibition of posed budget measure. To propose in- ernment spending were anything more the program and, at that point, 1,000 creasing Federal spending by nearly than convenient political props. Let’s young people each day, on average, will $300 billion over the next 2 years, on be conservative no matter who is in lose their protection from deportation top of the spending increases already charge, no matter who is in the White and their legal right to work in Amer- established, is simply beyond com- House or who controls each Chamber in ica. They will walk off the job because prehension. This is all with a national Congress. we failed to act, unless we get it to- With that, I yield the floor. debt of $20 trillion a year, and the cur- gether. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- rent deficit is running $600 billion to I am sorry this bill that includes so ator from Illinois. $700 billion. Yet we are about to vote many good things doesn’t include that Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I come on a bill to abandon self-imposed limits solution, but we are poised to do it to the floor, as I have over the past few on Federal spending. As anybody who anyway, and I look forward to that de- months, urging the U.S. Senate to has spent time in Washington will bate next week. I hope this agreement come together in a bipartisan fashion know, once you raise spending limits, will provide a spirit of bipartisanship to address important issues facing our you just don’t get them back down. that will be felt next week when we Nation. The American people expect it. I love bipartisanship, but not when it come together and discuss the fates of They understand how closely divided is bought and paid for with billions of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers we are—49 Democrats, 51 Republicans taxpayer dollars. That is precisely across the United States. in the Senate—and for the most con- what this measure does. If you sprinkle Let me tell my colleagues what this troversial issues, 60 votes are required. enough money around, you can get bi- budget agreement does, which I think Unless we work in a bipartisan fashion, partisan support. is well worth our bipartisan support. It we achieve little or nothing. While I was in the House for 12 years, includes a huge investment for Amer- After many months of difficult nego- I kept a journal of events. In December ica’s military. We will prepare our men tiation, I stand here today in support of 2007, when we passed a massive om- and women in uniform to be not only of a bipartisan, 2-year budget agree- nibus bill, at that time, I noted in my ready for battle but to continue to be ment announced by Leaders MCCON- journal: the strongest and the best military in NELL and SCHUMER that will finally the world. That is something we have The Democrats singled out the funding for produce results for the American peo- the Iraq war, which required a separate vote. seen go by the boards and, frankly, be The tally board on the House chamber wall ple. For too long, this gridlocked Con- ignored in the past, but now we are explaining the vote said the following: gress has lurched from one continuing going to focus on it. ‘‘Agreeing to House amendment to Senate resolution—that is a temporary spend- I have the greatest confidence in amendment to House amendment.’’ ing bill—to another. That has pre- General Mattis, in terms of his com- I said at that time: vented us from working together to mitment to our military, both in his That clears it up. But that’s the point. Lib- craft appropriations bills that save tax- personal life and in his new role as Sec- eral Democrats could vote against the war payers money and that invest in things retary of Defense. I believe he will di- funding and for more domestic funding. Con- that are important at every level for rect the spending appropriately so we servative Republicans could do the opposite. our future. can prepare our men and women for

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.018 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S805 battle and prepare our Nation to defend enough to remember when Dr. Jonas Most important is that this bipar- itself under any threat and, if nec- Salk came up with the polio vaccine, tisan agreement removes the arbitrary essary, use our force for good around and that was a breakthrough many of spending caps that have hampered our the world. us never imagined. It can happen. This Armed Forces. For the first time in We also make a dramatic investment budget will help it happen, and that is years, we prioritize our national secu- in nondefense spending. In the past 8 or why I am so happy to see it in this bill. rity by adequately funding the mili- 10 years, we have seen a dramatic I also want to say they have done a tary. Of all the positive aspects of this downturn in nondefense spending in great job in providing resources to agreement that will benefit the people our budget. Many people have said no- fight the opioid crisis, the worst addic- of my home State of South Dakota and body will notice. Well, America noticed tion epidemic in the history of our Na- American families across the country, as we cut back our investment in edu- tion. the addition of $165 billion in defense cation, in healthcare, and in so many Funding our community health cen- funding over the next 2 years is crucial. fundamentals. ters is a critical part of public health As a member of the Senate Armed There is one particular area I want to and of making certain that basic pri- Services Committee, I have been deep- highlight. When I had to make a deci- mary care is available to every Amer- ly concerned about the underfunding of sion as to whether to run for another ican; healthcare for our children our military. If we are going to ade- term in the Senate, I sat down and through the CHIP program and improv- quately recover readiness levels that made a very short list of things I want- ing our veterans health facilities. We were lost over the last 8 years, as well ed to accomplish or work on if I were will be investing, for the first time in as modernize our Armed Forces in this given another 6-year term. At the top years, billions of dollars in new vet- increasingly dangerous and complex of that list, of course, were Dreamers, erans healthcare facilities, some of it world, adequately funding our troops is but second was medical research. I long overdue. vital. This is the reason I support the came back here and sat down with my Also, we are going to help fix our Na- Bipartisan Budget Act. colleagues, including two Republicans, tion’s aged and broken infrastructure. I had previously expressed my strong This bill provides resources and fund- displeasure for short-term funding Senator ALEXANDER and Senator ing for Florida, Texas, California, the measures or CRs, but this agreement BLUNT, and my wonderful friend and U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. makes significant progress toward re- colleague in leadership, Senator PATTY There are many people from Puerto building our military, and, finally, MURRAY. I said: We need to do some- Rico who live in the city of Chicago. after years of underfunding, provides thing. Dr. Collins at the National Institutes Some of them are extremely close the Department of Defense with a friends. I am happy to report that this of Health had told me the problem with much needed spending boost. This will bill makes the investment we need to medical research is, if it is not certain provide the resources to adequately make to get that island back on its that next year you will receive a grant train and rebuild the Armed Forces at feet: $2 billion to put into electrical in- to continue your medical research, you a time of increasing global threats, but frastructure, in and of itself, can bring don’t just take my word for it. Let me get discouraged, and then you start Puerto Rico back and restore electrical quote Defense Secretary James Mattis, looking for another job. We can’t let service to the families who have been who testified before the House Armed that happen. We can’t lose the best and waiting months for what each of us Services Committee earlier this week. brightest who are searching for cures takes for granted each and every day. He said: to diseases which haunt and plague This disaster relief will make a dif- many families across America. Let me be clear: As hard as the last 16 ference in their lives. years of war have been on our military, no Dr. Collins suggested 5 percent real How did we achieve this amazing out- enemy in the field has done as much to harm growth in the budget of the National come where Democrats and Repub- the readiness of the United States than the Institutes of Health. I salute especially licans would come to the floor and combined impact of the Budget Control Act’s my colleagues, Senator BLUNT, a Re- praise it? Well, we sat down and made defense spending caps, worsened by operating for 10 of the last 11 years under continuing publican, and Senator MURRAY, a Dem- a compromise. We gave on both sides, ocrat. They really made good on that resolutions of varied and unpredictable dura- and we realized it was time to roll up tion. promise. We worked together, and they our sleeves, stop squabbling, stop fight- delivered. This will be the third Secretary Mattis went on to tell the ing for headlines, stop putting out committee that: straight year we have had a more than press releases, and get down to work. The consequences of not providing a budg- 5-percent increase in medical research. I hope next week that spirit con- If there is ever an issue that is bipar- et are clear . . . should we stumble into a tinues when we enter the debate on im- year-long continuing resolution, your mili- tisan, it should be this one. migration and DACA. It is my sincere tary will not be able to provide pay for our The good news is, this budget agree- hope that we will have a bipartisan troops by the end of the fiscal year; will not ment will go beyond 5 percent. We are breakthrough on immigration next recruit the 15,000 Army soldiers and 4,000 Air talking in the area of 7 or 8 percent week—not just for the Dreamers and Force airmen required to fill critical man- real increases in spending for medical their families but for the good and the ning shortfalls; we will not maintain our research. future of America. ships at sea with the proper balance between Dr. Collins told me years ago, when I yield the floor. operations and time in port for maintenance; he talked about this goal that if we The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- we will ground aircraft due to a lack of could provide this kind of reliable in- maintenance and spare parts; we will deplete ator from South Dakota. the ammunition, training and manpower re- crease in medical research, dramatic Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, I come quired to deter war; and delay contracts for breakthroughs would occur. We are to the floor to offer my support for the vital acquisition programs necessary to mod- starting to see them. Some of the can- Bipartisan Budget Act, which we ex- ernize the force. cer therapies that are curing cancers pect to vote on later today. Sadly, we are hearing in the Senate today were unthinkable just a few This bipartisan agreement includes a Armed Services Committee many of years ago, and there is more to follow. number of priorities that will benefit the Secretary’s predictions are already Think about all of the news reports Americans, including $20 billion in new proving true. now about flu and what it is doing to investment and infrastructure over the Earlier this week, I spoke on this children, some of whom tragically have next 2 years, $6 billion to combat the floor about this very issue and de- lost their lives, many of whom stayed opioid epidemic, disaster relief assist- scribed various readiness issues that home from school, and others around ance for those impacted by recent hur- our Armed Forces are currently facing. our Nation and the world plagued by ricanes, funding for community health Some examples I shared include the F/ influenza each year. At this moment, centers, a permanent repeal of A–18 fleet taking twice as many man- NIH is working on a universal flu vac- ObamaCare’s Independent Payment Ad- hours to maintain, with less than 50 cine. If it is discovered, it will be a life- visory Board, or IPAB, and the cre- percent of the fleet available. Those saver. It will change the basic life pat- ation of two select committees to ad- are the primary aircraft you will see tern that many of us have faced our en- dress pension reform and Congress’s flying off of our carriers in harm’s way tire lives. It can happen. I am old broken budget process. today.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.019 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S806 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 The maintenance backlog of our sub- reduce burdensome regulations and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- marines. Because of the backlog, 15 nu- streamline Federal programs so we can ator from Vermont. clear attack submarines have been save taxpayer money by making the Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I will be docked for a total of 177 months or government more efficient. These are brief and speak briefly in my capacity nearly 15 years. That doesn’t mean positive things that will help to con- as vice chairman of the Senate Appro- they are being repaired, it means they trol our debt. priations Committee. There are things are sitting at dock because they are However, the most important thing here that could be exciting to talk not even licensed to dive anymore. we must do to rein in spending is to about, and some things are kind of dry, What a waste of taxpayer money. control the skyrocketing costs of man- but when we talk about the budget, the The tragic human cost found in the datory payment programs: Medicaid, consequences affect every single one of lack of readiness—as F/A–18 Hornet Medicare, and Social Security. In fact, us, in every single State, and for mul- training programs have had dozens of prior to our tax relief plan, we were tiple generations. mishaps over the past several years, warned that without taking action to The consequences of the Budget Con- some leading to loss of life. We believe properly manage these programs, by trol Act sequestration cuts since 2011 some, if not all, of these mishaps could the year 2026, when our country turns have been devastating and are going to have been avoided with the additional 250 years old, spending on Medicare, last for generations. Its impact on training and maintenance that would Medicaid, and Social Security, and military readiness led Defense Sec- have been forthcoming with appro- servicing the national debt would take retary Mattis to say that no enemy on priate funding. up 99 percent of all the Federal reve- the field has done more harm to our The American people expect us to nues generated. military than what we have done to adequately fund the defense of America Today, mandatory payments already ourselves through sequestration. By next year and every year to come. Pro- account for nearly three quarters of not investing in our domestic prior- viding for the defense of our Nation is our total Federal spending. This is be- ities, we allowed our infrastructure to the No. 1 responsibility of the Federal cause Medicare, Medicaid, and Social crumble, care to our veterans to be de- Government and of this Congress. Security have never been properly layed, and investments in education to Nothing else matters if we cannot pro- managed, and Congress does not exer- fall behind. tect ourselves from our enemies. cise appropriate oversight. The bipartisan budget deal an- I am pleased this agreement finally These programs run on autopilot. nounced yesterday by Senator MCCON- recognizes the need to eliminate arbi- Given that they are our largest Federal NELL and Senator SCHUMER is the first trary budget caps that have put our na- expenditures every year, it is vital for step toward providing much-needed re- tional security in jeopardy. Congress to take an active role in man- lief from sequestration and stability in The Bipartisan Budget Act is truly aging these necessary—I will say that the appropriations process. I have followed very carefully what bipartisan. There are parts in this that again: necessary—mandatory programs they have been doing. My staff, espe- I most certainly very strongly agree in order to get our fiscal house in cially on the Appropriations Com- with, and there are some areas I would order. This does not necessarily mean mittee, has been very much involved. have done differently, but this is a bi- making cuts. It simply means giving Defense caps have been increased by $80 partisan agreement and must meet the Congress the authority to periodically billion in fiscal year 2018 and $85 billion standards of both Republicans and and consistently review them to make in fiscal year 2019. Nondefense caps are Democrats. While I would have pre- them as efficient as possible and to increased by $63 billion above the caps ferred to see an increase in defense make certain they are available for in- in fiscal year 2018 and $68 billion above funding without having to pair it with dividuals who need them, both now and the caps in fiscal year 2019. Those are other spending increases, because we in the future. the numbers. Let’s look at a couple of need a bipartisan majority of 60 Sen- I am pleased that this agreement cre- things these numbers mean. ators to agree to this proposal, we re- ates a joint select committee to ad- This additional funding will allow us luctantly accept the increased spend- dress ways to fix our broken budget to increase support our troops, improve ing on nondefense discretionary pro- process, which is desperately needed. care for our veterans, repair our crum- grams in order to achieve the very nec- At the end of the day, no amount of bling infrastructure, take care of our essary and critical increases in our De- cuts to defense and other programs will seniors, and invest in our economy in fense appropriations. have a meaningful effect on debt reduc- real ways. Perhaps one of the more important tion without also controlling the cost This bipartisan deal we have worked aspects of this agreement is that, for of these necessary mandatory-payment out—and I stress that it is bipartisan— the first time since the Budget Control programs. advances our priorities by guaran- Act of 2011, we are able to overcome I will wrap up by thanking my col- teeing that we can make real invest- the demands of our colleagues on the leagues on both sides of the aisle who ments in addressing the opioid crisis. other side of the aisle to match defense support this agreement, for recognizing We can all give speeches about the spending and nondefense spending on a our country’s need to adequately fund opioid crisis, but speeches don’t solve dollar-for-dollar basis. our troops who sacrifice everything to the problem. Actually putting money Under this agreement, defense spend- protect our freedoms. Without a strong in there to fund the necessary re- ing will receive a larger increase than military that can deter and defend sources does. discretionary funding—$165 billion for against aggression, nothing else really It lets us fund medical research. Keep defense over the next 2 years, as com- matters. in mind that we can’t turn medical re- pared to $131 for nondefense discre- Maintaining the best, strongest mili- search on and off. We can’t say: Oh, tionary spending over the next 2 years. tary force in the world is vital to keep- you are making great steps in cancer I would have preferred not to raise dis- ing Americans safe. By increasing research, but I will stop it for a few cretionary spending to this level, but funding now, our troops will be better years, and then we will come back with not achieving a path forward without equipped to do exactly that. We cannot money. You have to continue it. the higher defense limits was simply risk a perceived weakness in our force It is also going to improve college af- not an option. by our enemies, who may wish to draw fordability. Everywhere I go in We must still be diligent in address- us into a major conflict. A major con- Vermont, I hear people say: I haven’t ing our Nation’s debt crisis, and we flict or war is not only significantly been able to buy a house because I have have already begun to take the steps to more costly in terms of dollars, but it had to borrow so much money for col- do so. Just a couple of months ago, we has more serious cost in the loss of lege. passed historic tax reform that is al- human life. No one wants to see that, I am particularly pleased that the ready helping to unleash the full poten- especially if we can avoid it now. bill includes an important provision I tial of our economy, thereby bringing This agreement adequately funds our worked on with my colleague and the in much needed additional revenues. troops. I intend to vote for it, and I en- chairman, Senator COCHRAN, which is We have also been working with Presi- courage my colleagues to do so as well. going to improve assistance to our Na- dent Trump and the administration to I yield the floor. tion’s dairy and cotton farmers. In

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.020 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S807 Vermont and across the country, it is I recently wrote a letter to the editor I encourage all Senators: Help us going to mean immediate relief for of a newspaper in Vermont. They had pass this bipartisan deal. Allow the struggling dairy farmers who can’t talked about the stone carvers in Senate Appropriations Committee to wait for the next farm bill for assist- Vermont, and I had talked about one resume its work, and we will next ance. We will work on these problems stone carver in my letter. My maternal week. I hope the House will do the in the next farm bill, but in the mean- grandfather emigrated from Italy to same before tonight’s midnight dead- time, until that farm bill comes, we Vermont. He was a master stone carver line. need some immediate assistance. from the Friuli region, near the Aviano I will continue, as I have, working This deal finally fulfills our promise Air Base in northern Italy, and he with my friend Chairman COCHRAN in to communities recovering from recent talked about the business he started. the coming weeks, as I will with all Re- natural disasters—from wildfires out My mother was then born in South publicans and all Democrats on the West, to the shores of Puerto Rico and Ryegate, VT. My great-grandparents Senate Appropriations Committee. the U.S. Virgin Islands, Texas, and came to central Vermont from Ireland, This agreement will finally let us do Florida—by providing $89 billion to on my paternal grandparents’ side. My the job we are supposed to. help them rebuild. States in the West, grandfather, after whom I am named, Mr. President, I see the Senator from Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Texas, and Patrick Leahy, was also a stone carver. Texas. I yield to him. Florida are all part of the United I never knew him because, like so The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. States. Just as Vermont sought help many, he died of silicosis of the lungs PERDUE). The majority whip. when we were hit just a few years ago when my father was a young teenager, Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I want by a natural disaster and others came but I am proud to be named after him. to express my gratitude to my friend to our aid, people I talked with in My wife Marcelle’s parents emigrated from Vermont for his service on the Vermont say: Of course, we help others from Canada. She was born in Vermont Appropriations Committee and work- in our country. and became a medical surgical nurse. ing with us specifically on this par- The agreement also provides contin- Now, everybody in these families ticular legislation as it relates to the ued funding for several healthcare pro- added to and improved our State of disaster relief aspect of it. grams that Congress has allowed to ex- Vermont. We must realize that immi- Obviously, my State was devastated pire. We include long overdue funding grants bring diversity, strength, and by Hurricane Harvey, but I must tell for community health centers, which skills to our country and make us my friend, I have new empathy and un- have been struggling because of the un- greater. So when we talk about the derstanding for how bound we are to- certainty of continued funding for Dreamers, we shouldn’t forsake their gether as to what happens in one part months. Now they will have some cer- cause. Their cause is our cause. Their of the country should be of concern to tainty. those of us in other parts of the coun- The bipartisan agreement funds the dreams are part of the American dreams of my grandparents and my try because eventually, sooner or later, Special Diabetes Program to make ad- disasters are going to visit all of us. vancements in Type I diabetes. It en- parents-in-law. Those dreams are a part of our American dreams. So we It is good news that the majority sures ambulances can continue to serve leader was able to announce yesterday rural areas and closes the Medicare have to continue to work to get legisla- tion passed to protect them. that we reached a compromise on gov- Part D coverage gap by 2019. It con- ernment funding through not just the tinues the maternal health home vis- Leader MCCONNELL has given his word that he will allow votes on legis- end of this fiscal year but next year as iting program and permanently repeals well. This agreement ensures that our the Medicare Therapy Cap, allowing lation the hundreds of thousands of Armed Forces will finally have the re- Medicare beneficiaries the certainty of Dreamers. I can assure you that the sources they need. therapy services after an accident or a American people expect him to keep My colleague and fellow Texan MAC stroke without an arbitrary cap on his word. I am also disappointed the agreement THORNBERRY, the chairman of the coverage. And the bill extends funding House Armed Services Committee, for the Children’s Health Insurance does not include the CREATES Act, a along with the senior Senator from Ar- Program for an additional 4 years, en- bipartisan solution to lowering the izona, Mr. MCCAIN, said it best. They suring children and their families can cost of prescription drugs by prohib- said: benefit from the program for the next iting the anticompetitive behavior that 10 years. keeps generic drugs from entering the This budget agreement is indispensable for I am pleased that this deal finally ex- market. We can all agree that high our national security. Without it, our mili- tary would not be able to defend our Nation. tends tax provisions, many of which drug prices are a problem, as President lapsed in 2016, that will benefit individ- Trump noted in his State of the Union Hard stop. Let me repeat that. uals and small businesses. Inexplicably, Address, and the CREATES Act offers This budget agreement is indispensable for the $1.5 trillion Republican tax bill left a commonsense, bipartisan way for- our national security. Without it, our mili- tary would not be able to defend our Nation. these important credits orphaned when ward. I hope the Senate passes this im- they passed their corporate tax bill. portant legislation soon I think, of all the demands made on With this deal, we finally restore them. As I said, the agreement does not the taxpayer dollars that are sent to Now, not everything I wanted was in- contain everything I would like. Very Washington, DC—and many of them cluded in this deal. I see my friend little I have seen in legislation does have a lot of merit, some more than from Texas, a member of the leader- contain everything I want. But, on bal- others—but I have to say, if you were ship. Not everything he wanted is in ance, it is a good bill for the American going to ask me to prioritize how do we here. That is why we have a com- people. It allows us to complete the appropriate money here in Washington, promise. Nobody gets everything they 2018 appropriations process. Through DC, national security would be job No. want, but we are a lot better off than what we call regular order, we can have 1. we were. a real debate on the fiscal year 2019 In addition, the funding bill will pro- I worry about the fact that it does bills. We will start working on those vide support for our veterans, those not provide protection for our Nation’s next week. who have worn the uniform but have Dreamers. These are law-abiding striv- So I thank Senator MCCONNELL, and now left the military service, as well as ers who call America home and seek I thank Senator SCHUMER for their their families, and it will clear the way nothing more than to contribute to our hard work in coming to this agree- for new investment in our Nation’s in- society. They are individuals like Dr. ment. I work almost daily with both of frastructure. Juan Conde of Vermont, who came to them. I know how hard it was. Com- I am grateful to the majority leader the United States as a child and is promise is not always easy. Often, it is for his hard work during this series of studying to treat cancer patients at not popular. Well, nobody came here long and delicate negotiations. We all the Larner College of Medicine at the thinking everything was going to be know it could not have been easy. Even University of Vermont. Do we tell him easy, and, if they do, they don’t belong more than that, I am glad, as I indi- to leave, a man who might be part of in the Senate. You should be here to be cated at the outset, that the funding those who find a cure for cancer? a legislator. package finally sends disaster relief to

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.022 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S808 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 Texas—disaster relief that had been billion in disaster relief—$8 billion tional Cemetery, I wish to let all those long promised but had been delayed more than the House passed last De- in attendance know I am thinking of time and time again. cember. It ensures that Texas will have them. I know Lieutenant General Today, the Senate will be considering increased access to the pool of commu- James was a mentor to my friend Gen- supplemental appropriations for dis- nity development block grant dollars, eral Nichols, the current Adjutant Gen- aster aid that affects the victims of and it provides funding and flexibility eral, but he was a role model for us all. Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Harvey, as to ensure that the Army Corps of Engi- I yield the floor. well as the wildfires and mudslides out neers are able to carry out necessary I suggest the absence of a quorum. West. Last August, Hurricane Harvey projects in the State. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The made its landfall near Houston, along It includes funding to help Texas ad- clerk will call the roll. the gulf coast. When that storm hit, dress lingering transportation issues The bill clerk proceeded to call the communities like Port Arthur, Beau- resulting from Hurricane Harvey and roll. mont, Rockport, and Victoria were allows us to move forward on flood Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I ask crippled, not to mention Houston, mitigation projects like the Sabine unanimous consent that the order for where most of the major media cov- Pass to Galveston Bay. the quorum call be rescinded. ered, one of the largest cities in the Finally, it includes a provision—this The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without United States. is important to the agriculture com- objection, it is so ordered. The National Hurricane Center’s offi- munity in my State—to make cotton COUNTERING AMERICA’S ADVERSARIES THROUGH cial report released last month con- an eligible commodity under the farm SANCTIONS ACT firmed what those who lived through bill safety net. That is really good Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, last the storm already guessed: It was the news for the folks in West Texas, the year, Congress passed the Countering most significant rainfall event in the largest cotton-growing area in the America’s Adversaries Through Sanc- United States. During a period of about largest cotton-growing State in the Na- tions Act, which imposed tough new 5 days, the skies opened up and dropped tion, and they have been waiting a long sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North 50 inches of rain—50 inches of rain. The time. Some of them lost bales of cotton Korea. report called Harvey ‘‘unprecedented’’ or even entire gins because of all the There was broad bipartisan agree- and ‘‘truly overwhelming.’’ water they sustained as a result of the ment on the need to put these en- As someone who witnessed the devas- storms. hanced sanctions into place. The legis- tation firsthand, I can say, with cer- I applaud the Texas congressional lation passed in the Senate by a vote of tainty, that those are not exaggera- delegation for taking the first step and 98 to 2 and in the House by a vote of 419 tions. It was an event that happens per- passing a disaster supplemental appro- to 3. In combining both Chambers, the haps once every 1,000 years. At least 88 priation last year, and I appreciate vote was 517 to 5 in favor of enacting people lost their lives. Many more Governor Abbott and the Senate Ap- these sanctions. The legislation passed crashed their vehicles, were electro- propriations Committee, including with a veto-proof, broad, bipartisan cuted, were unable to receive medical Senator LEAHY, for working with us to majority. It can be very difficult to get services, and could not attend school or strengthen the bill in the Senate over 500 Members of Congress to agree on missed work. They spent last fall tear- the last month or so. Helping Texans anything, but imposing sanctions on ing the sheetrock out of their homes or recover and rebuild has been my top Vladimir Putin’s cronies and those who their businesses. priority. I am now urging my col- do business with him should be a no- Since the time of the storm, Congress leagues, on both sides of the aisle in brainer. has appropriated roughly $35 billion in both Houses, to pass this critical relief Just last week, we learned that the Federal aid through two separate emer- bill as soon as possible. Trump administration had chosen not gency bills. Working closely with the I thank Chairman COCHRAN, the to enact these sanctions. Yet, on the majority leader, my Texas colleagues chairman of the Senate Appropriations same day that the Trump administra- and I were able to increase the first Committee, for his leadership steering tion argued the sanctions were not nec- disaster relief bill last fall by adding the Appropriations Committee, which essary, President Trump’s own CIA Di- money for community development has its work cut out for it and has cer- rector said that Russia will continue to block grants. This ensured a larger tainly done yeoman’s work to date. attack our democracy. He said: ‘‘This downpayment for Texas to rebuild and I thank the junior Senator from Flor- threat is not going to go away. The repair. ida and my other colleagues—particu- Russians have been at this a long time, Thank goodness we were able to get larly Senator CRUZ, my colleague in and I fully expect they’ll continue to that money then—because of the the Senate—who have fought with us be at it.’’ delays we have seen up until today in side by side for relief from the numer- In January 2017, the CIA assessed: additional disaster relief for Hurricane ous disasters that have affected Flor- ‘‘Russian President Vladimir Putin or- Harvey. Once that money was appro- ida, Texas, the Virgin Islands, Puerto dered an influence campaign in 2016 priated, we worked with Dr. Carson, Rico, and of course the wildfires and aimed at the U.S. Presidential elec- the Secretary of Housing and Urban mudslides out West. tion.’’ Development, to accelerate the alloca- REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT GENERAL DANIEL In January of 2018, the CIA Director tion of these funds, which he gra- JAMES III confirmed he believes that Russia will ciously did. Congress followed up by Mr. President, on a separate and un- continue to assault the 2018 elections. passing a tax relief bill for individuals related note, I wish to recognize the Yesterday, Secretary of State Rex and small businesses that sustained fi- passing of retired Lt. Gen. Daniel Tillerson said that Russia is already nancial hardships as a result of the James III. He served as the first Afri- trying to impact the 2018 U.S. election hurricane. can-American Adjutant General for my and that it will be difficult for the Finally, we worked with the U.S. home State, as well as the first Afri- United States to preempt it. Army Corps of Engineers to identify can-American Director of the Air Na- It is clear that we have not done and prioritize key projects for coastal tional Guard. He was the son of Daniel enough to deter Russia from inter- protection to mitigate the impact of ‘‘Chappie’’ James, Jr., a fighter pilot fering in our democracy, but the future storms. This is not the last hur- who was the first African-American Air Trump administration is choosing not ricane that will hit the coast of Texas Force general to pin on four stars. to put in place sanctions on Putin’s or Florida. We need to prepare for the A highly decorated command pilot, cronies whom over 99 percent of the future as well. with approximately 4,000 flying hours, Members of Congress supported. In spite of that work, tremendous many of those in combat, General I am a member of the Armed Services challenges remain. That is why we James completed two Active-Duty Committee. Earlier this week, we re- kept fighting month after month, and tours in Southeast Asia. He was also ceived a briefing from Secretary of De- today marks the culmination of our ef- inducted into the Texas Military fense Mattis on the recently completed forts. The supplemental appropriations Forces Hall of Honor. Since his burial national defense strategy. That strat- bill we will consider today includes $89 is taking place today in Arlington Na- egy identifies that Russia is seeking to

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.023 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S809 discredit and subvert democratic proc- been coming to the floor every week to Mount POW/MIA, but he wants to esses all across the world and to shat- do what I consider the favorite part of name this other mountain for the Gold ter the NATO Alliance. Russia is ex- my duties serving here in the Senate, Star families who have lost loved ones panding and modernizing its nuclear and that is to talk about someone spe- who were killed in action defending arsenal and has a permanent seat on cial in my great State. We call that America. Kirk is passionate about this the U.N. Security Council that pro- person our Alaskan of the Week. peak, just as he was passionate about vides it veto power in a critical inter- I have been told by some of my col- the men and women he served with national organization. leagues that they look forward to this, during his 23 years in the Army on Ac- In quoting directly from the national and I know the pages do, learning a lit- tive Duty. defense strategy, Russia is attempting tle bit about Alaska. I do this because Let me tell you a little bit about to ‘‘change European and Middle East I certainly want my constituents to Kirk. He was born and raised in San security and economic structures to its know about so many people in their Jose, CA. He enlisted in the Army right favor.’’ What does it mean, and I quote State—what they are doing, how they out of high school in 1986. He married again, to attempt to ‘‘change . . . secu- are impacting not only their commu- his high school sweetheart, Angie, and rity . . . structures to its favor’’? nity or State but sometimes even the they had a son, Matthew. One example is Russia’s continued whole country. During his time on Active Duty in support of the Assad regime in Syria, Much of what the country knows the Army, like so many soldiers, par- which continues to use chemical weap- about Alaska is what they have seen on ticularly over the last couple decades, ons against its own people. Russia uses TV—beautiful glaciers, giant salmon, he had various assignments in both air- its role on the Security Council to pre- skiing, hiking, kayaking, boating. We borne and light infantry units spread vent the international community want everyone to come visit Alaska. It across the United States—really with from holding Assad responsible for will be the trip of a lifetime, guaran- deployments all over the world—and these obvious crimes against human- teed. eventually he was stationed in Alaska. ity. The real beauty of my State rests in His final assignment was as a first ser- At the same time that President the people who call it home. It is a geant with the Alaska-based 4th Infan- Trump’s Ambassador to the U.N., State of rugged, generous, patriotic try Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Nikki Haley, has called Assad’s use of people devoted to service to their coun- Infantry Division, a unit that we in chemical weapons against the Syrian try, their State, and their commu- Alaska lovingly know as simply the people a tragedy and has called on Rus- nities. In many ways, this is what this 425. It is a unit that we all care about— sia to allow the Security Council to ‘‘Alaskan of the Week’’ honor is all the only airborne brigade combat team adopt a resolution that condemns the about. in the entire Asia Pacific, mountain- use of chlorine gas to suffocate chil- When we talk about service to our trained and arctic-tough. dren, President Trump is refusing to country, Alaska boasts thousands and I had the opportunity to visit a cou- enact sanctions to punish Russia. thousands of Active Duty members of ple thousand of those troops from the Russia presents real challenges to the military, reservists—thousands of 425 who are actually serving their the security and prosperity of the reservists—and tens of thousands of country in Afghanistan. These are the United States. The purpose of eco- veterans, in fact, more veterans per best of the best, and they are always nomic sanctions is to impose a cost on capita than any other State in the forward-deployed. Putin and demonstrate that the United country. So many of the veterans in Kirk and the 425 deployed to Iraq for States will punish those who threaten my State have not just served their 15 months during the 2006 to 2007 surge. this country. That is why over 500 country but have devoted their time Kirk’s brigade, during that tough, Members of Congress came together to and energy in ways that so many vet- tough fighting in Iraq during that enact new sanctions. erans do, helping and caring for other time, during the surge—one brigade If the United States cannot take veterans and their families. combat team lost 53 paratroopers over meaningful action by enacting sanc- Many in the military know it is not that 15 months. Fifty-three American tions that have been passed on a bipar- easy to serve, but what is often forgot- soldiers were killed in action from one tisan basis, how can we expect to take ten is that service and the sacrifice of brigade, and that doesn’t even touch on the more vexing challenges? This service, particularly military service, the numbers that were wounded in ac- one should be easy. often hits the families the hardest. tion, which were many, many more. What kind of signal does it send to When that service results in the loss of That is a devastating number. Vladimir Putin when the administra- life, the ultimate sacrifice, it is dev- Kirk now lives in Eagle River, AK. It tion puts the Kremlin and Russian plu- astating for the families, friends, and is a beautiful community in the moun- tocrats ahead of the U.S. Capitol, duly loved ones all across communities, all tains overlooking Eagle River near An- elected Members of the U.S. Congress, across Alaska, and all across the coun- chorage. Since his return, he has and the American people? climbed Mount POW/MIA a few times I urge President Trump to take ac- try. When one of our own loses their every year to tend to the flag that ex- tion on behalf of the American people life in the fight for freedom, we all ists on that peak, again out of patriot- and follow through on the will of Con- grieve. We all grieve. Today I want to introduce a very spe- ism. It was during one of those hikes gress by enacting these sanctions, cial Alaskan, Kirk Alkire, who has de- that he noticed the beautiful unnamed which are already law. The administra- voted countless hours to make sure peak right next to Mount POW/MIA, tion should use the power provided by that those we have lost in battle will and then he knew what he needed to Congress to punish Vladimir Putin, his never be forgotten and that the fami- do. inner circle, and those who do business lies of those who have paid the ulti- Mr. President, it is not easy to name with them to enrich the Putin regime. a peak, and in Alaska, we have so I thank the Presiding Officer. mate sacrifice receive a fitting tribute I yield the floor. to their sacrifice. many mountains that there are dozens I suggest the absence of a quorum. Kirk believes that such a fitting trib- and dozens of mountains that are still The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ute lies in a peak in one of Alaska’s not named. It is not easy to name the clerk will call the roll. vast, beautiful, almost endless moun- peak of a mountain. So what did he do? The bill clerk proceeded to call the tain ranges that we have in my great Well, first, he secured support from roll. State. This is a peak that actually ex- members of the Eklutna Tribe, whose Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask ists in the Chugach range between region in Alaska the mountain occu- unanimous consent that the order for Eagle River and Palmer, AK, over- pies, so it was a very respectful action the quorum call be rescinded. looking the Knik River. toward our very important Native com- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Kirk has been on a quest to name munity in Alaska. He then took letters objection, it is so ordered. this peak the ‘‘Gold Star Peak.’’ It is of support and a petition with over TRIBUTE TO KIRK ALKIRE actually a mountain that is unnamed 1,500 signatures from all 50 States, 4 Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, as right now next to another mountain countries, and 1 U.S. territory, to the many of my colleagues know, I have that is named. That mountain is called Alaska Historical Commission. I was

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:53 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.025 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S810 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 one of the signors of that petition. He Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, Wash- Budget Accountability Act. It is not presented all of this to the National ington, DC, has an addiction problem. complicated. It simply says, if Con- Geological Survey, which is part of the Washington, DC, is addicted to spend- gress can’t pass a balanced budget, Department of the Interior, all to get ing. Washington, DC, is addicted to then we shouldn’t get paid. That is the this peak, this mountain, named for debt. way it works in the real world. It ought the Gold Star families, the Gold Star This budget deal takes a giant step to work the same way here. Peak. So he worked this hard. He backward. Instead of shrinking govern- When Montanans look at their own worked this very hard. ment, it grows government by 13 per- budget, whether in their families or in Today, I have the honor of announc- cent. In fact, it is the largest spending their small businesses, they have to ing on the Senate floor that just this increase since 2009, the first year Presi- make choices. When they take out a morning, the U.S. Board of Geographic dent Obama was in office. loan, they are expected to pay it back. Names, which is part of the Depart- I spent 28 years in the private sector They can’t just borrow money from ment of the Interior, which votes to before I came to Capitol Hill. I was ex- China like we do, kick the can down name mountains, unanimously voted pected to produce a balanced budget. In the road, and expect that someday and approved naming that mountain in fact, better than that, I was expected there will not be a day of reckoning. the Chugach Mountain range ‘‘Gold to produce a budget that actually took Raising the debt ceiling, growing Star Peak.’’ That is great news. That is in a little bit more than was spent. spending, and spending away our chil- hard work. That is called a profit. This budget deal dren’s and grandchildren’s future is ir- I am honored to have Kirk sitting up is blowing our budget. It takes discre- responsible. We talk about mortgaging in the Gallery today after his hard tionary spending up $300 billion and our children’s future. We have done work where he was working at the De- only offsets it by one-third. that. With this bill, we had to take out partment of the Interior this morning. By looking at numbers, it is pretty another credit card for our kids. This is I first met Kirk at a Veterans Day clear that Washington, DC, doesn’t not some glowing bipartisan moment. parade in Anchorage, where he told me have a revenue problem if we look at about his quest to get the mountain It is a classic example of disastrous revenue as a percentage of GDP, but if policy—policymaking that is justified peak named. That is where I signed the we look at spending as a percentage of petition. And then I asked him—I said: under the well-meaning pursuit of com- GDP, we start to see the real problem. promise. Make no mistake, this com- Kirk, you served your country. Why DC doesn’t have a revenue problem. DC are you so motivated and focused and promise is deeply irresponsible and one doesn’t need to ask for more money the Senate should reject. I am ready to determined to do this? from the American people. Washington, Do you know what he did, Mr. Presi- work with anyone here to make the DC, has a spending problem. Control- tough decisions necessary to get our dent? He pulled out 53 dog tags that he ling government spending is a big chal- had in his pocket with the names of budget and our fiscal house in order. lenge, but it is one we have to rise to Now, think about this past year. We every soldier of the 425 who was lost in meet. We must rise to the occasion, not Iraq in 2006 to 2007 when he was the were able to cut through redtape, re- retreat to trillion-dollar deficits. ducing the Federal Registry by over 30 first sergeant for that brigade. I held Funding our national defense is a percent. We were able to put qualified them in my hand. It was powerful and fundamental requirement laid out in judges on the benches of our Nation’s moving, and in some ways it was so the Constitution. The men and women courts—the most circuit judges in the horrible to look at because these are of our military, including our vet- first year of a Presidency dating back the lives and names of the best and erans—absolutely crucial. Funding for to 1891. We were able to pass a once-in- brightest we have in America. That is our community health centers, some- a-generation tax cut package for the why he did it, and that is why he was thing I have been fighting hard for— American people. If we can do all that, motivated. important for our States. In fact, ear- Because of Kirk and the announce- lier today I supported a reasonable pro- I think we can balance our budget here ment today, families—whether they posal to address both of these concerns as well and put forward responsible fis- are from Alaska or anywhere in Amer- without going rogue on spending. cal leadership and management here in ica who come visit, families who have The question is, At what point is Washington, DC. lost loved ones who made the ultimate Congress going to look in the mirror Let’s roll up our sleeves, and let’s get sacrifice serving their Nation will now and see that the real long-term cer- to work. That is what we were elected be able to look up at Gold Star Peak as tainty, the long-term sustainability of to do. Until then, I will continue to they drive up the busy Glenn Highway these programs we all support, is di- stand and continue to fight against in Alaska, and they will see that 4,000- rectly tied to fiscal responsibility? this addiction to spending and debt of foot peak soaring into the sky. All of Even the former Chair of the Joint Washington, DC. America will know that their loved Chiefs of Staff, ADM Mike Mullen, I yield the floor. ones are not forgotten and that the once said, ‘‘The most significant threat The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- service and sacrifice of the Gold Star to our national security is our debt.’’ ator from Ohio. families whom we honor are appre- We have now crossed the $20 trillion TAX REFORM ciated and honored by a grateful na- debt threshold, and this bill simply ac- Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I tion. come before you today to talk about So thank you, Kirk, for all the work celerates that. I left the private sector to run for the historic tax reform legislation that you have put into this. Congratula- Congress and came to the Senate to was passed in the U.S. Congress and tions on the vote today. I can’t wait to signed into law by the President at the get home and see Gold Star Peak, offi- fight for more jobs and less govern- ment. I will tell you, I think if you end of the year and talk about what we cially named, and maybe, just maybe, learned since then, even in the last get out there and summit it with you look in the dictionary for the term ‘‘more government,’’ you would find week. someday. We created this legislation with two Thank you for being our Alaskan of this bill. This bill defines ‘‘more gov- goals in mind. One was to provide mid- the Week. ernment.’’ I yield the floor and suggest the ab- Washington’s broken budget process dle-class tax relief to families. The sence of a quorum. results in bad budget deals like this other was to provide our businesses and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The one, and we are continuing the cycle of our workers with a more competitive clerk will call the roll. irresponsible budgets which creates tax code. This is something that be- The senior assistant legislative clerk more irresponsible budgets. It is an ad- came very clear to all of us as we proceeded to call the roll. diction to spending. It is an addiction looked at it, that unfortunately we Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask to debt, but it doesn’t have to be that were asking our workers here in Amer- unanimous consent that the order for way. Many of our States have figured ica to compete with one arm tied be- the quorum call be rescinded. that out. Many of our States aren’t hind their backs because of our Tax The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. CAS- running deficits and large debts. Code. It has been a couple of months SIDY). Without objection, it is so or- The first bill I introduced when I ar- now since this legislation became law, dered. rived in Congress was the Balanced and both of those two goals we set out

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.027 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S811 are being achieved. It is already hap- every day. Over 300 businesses have We were getting higher than our com- pening. made announcements saying: You petitors—Canada, Mexico, and so on— In January, the Internal Revenue know what, we are going to give people and that is one reason people were Service updated its tables for with- a bonus because of the tax reform legis- choosing to shift overseas, to take, lit- holding. In other words, they went to lation. We are going to give our em- erally, the company and move it over- employers and said: Because of the tax ployees a little higher starting wage. seas. That is called an inversion. cuts, you should withhold less money We are going to put more in the 401(k)s Last year, we were told that three in every paycheck. or more in the defined benefit pension times as many American companies That is happening. The Treasury De- plan. Maybe we are going to give a lit- were bought by foreign companies as partment tells us that 90 percent of tle more to charity, or maybe we are the other way around. Think about American workers are having their going to invest more in equipment and that. Three times as many American withholding changed in a way that is tools so that people can be more pro- companies were bought by foreign com- positive for them, meaning that Uncle ductive, because productivity, as we panies, which was largely driven by Sam is taking less out of their pay- know, is key to getting wages up and this Tax Code. checks. People are already starting to improving the economy. We are hear- We have also heard from Ernst & see that. Tomorrow is Friday—another ing this across the board all over the Young, which is a big accounting firm. payday—and you are probably going to country. It did an analysis, and it said that 4,700 see that on your paycheck tomorrow or I have seen this in Ohio. I have been American companies have become for- a week from tomorrow, if you haven’t to companies in my hometown of Cin- eign companies over the past 10 years already seen it. That means that peo- cinnati, in Columbus, OH, in Dayton, or so because of the Tax Code. If we ple are actually getting relief directly OH, and in Cleveland just in the last had had the kind of Tax Code that we for themselves and their families. This month. I have gone and visited with just put in place with this legislation is more take-home pay for folks and these companies while they have been that was passed here, those companies enables people to have a better family making announcements and have would still be American companies. budget. talked to the employees in a townhall Those are 4,700 companies. Those are a With higher healthcare costs and meeting setting, where they have had lot of people, and that is a lot of in- other costs for years and years and no the opportunity to have a back-and- vestment. salary increase, having a little more in forth as to what this tax reform meas- We studied this in the Permanent the family budget is really important ure means to them. Yes, it means di- Subcommittee on Investigations—a bi- to folks, and it is making a difference. rect tax cuts for them, as it does for partisan investigation—and looked at In Ohio, for a family of four at the me- about 90 percent of American workers. what happens when these companies go dian-income level, which is about On top of that, it means that because overseas. It is probably no surprise to $70,000 a year, this means about a these businesses now have the ability you that they take their jobs and in- $2,000-a-year savings. That is signifi- to be more competitive, it makes them vestments with them. So when a com- cant for people. I have talked to a lot more competitive, and they are already pany pulls up stakes here and goes of constituents who were beginning to getting some of the benefits from that. overseas, it is not just about moving see this, and they are realizing they Last week, I joined President Trump one’s corporate headquarters; we found have a little more money for retire- in Cincinnati at one of these compa- it is also about having less employ- ment, maybe for healthcare, maybe to nies. It is called the Sheffer Corpora- ment here directly but also indirectly help their kids or their grandkids. That tion. This is a small manufacturing because companies that supply them— is good. business that has decided to make new contractors—have less employment, There is something else that is in the investments in its plant and equip- and they are also making their invest- bill that hasn’t gotten much attention; ment. That is going to help make it ments increasingly overseas. that is, the fact that there were 3 mil- more competitive and make its work- As we studied this, we also found lion Americans who were paying taxes ers more productive. It competes glob- that companies were actually taking previously, who had income tax liabil- ally. It is an incredible company. It the money they had made overseas and ity, who do not now. Why? Because makes pneumatic and hydraulic cyl- were keeping it all overseas rather when you lower the tax rate, some of inders. It makes them this big, and it than bringing it back here and repa- these people, who are typically the makes huge ones. It competes all triating it, even though they were U.S. working poor—in other words, they are around the world, and it is doing a companies. This is something we stud- working, but they are not making great job. Frankly, this tax reform bill ied as part of a bipartisan Finance much in income—now have the ability really helped them. Committee working group I cochaired to get out from under taxes altogether. On top of that investment it is mak- with Senator CHUCK SCHUMER. We This also encourages more people to ing, it is also making a direct invest- found that unless you lowered this rate not be dependent on a government pro- ment in its employees. Every em- and went to a more competitive inter- gram but to go to work, if there is this ployee—all of the 126 people who work national system, you were not going to lower tax rate at the lower end of the there—received a $1,000 bonus check get that money back. economic scale. So that is good too. after the tax legislation was signed Part of what this will do is what we That is in this tax legislation. into law. So it is helping them. talked about in terms of improving the More than 3 million people do not The company’s president is a guy lives of workers here in America, but have tax liability anymore. Part of it named Jeff Norris. Just before the visit part of what it will also do is repa- is because of the lower rates we talked we had earlier this week, he said that triate. It will bring back some of that about. Again, the proof is in the pay- for some people in Washington, that is money that has been stuck overseas, check on that one. Part of it is because crumbs, referring to how some people the so-called lockout effect. How much in this legislation, we double the stand- have called getting this tax relief is that? Economists think it is some- ard deduction and also double the child crumbs. He said: ‘‘But for the Sheffer where around $3 trillion; some say credit and make it more refundable people, we consider that fine dining.’’ more. than it already is. That is happening, Another way to put it is, this makes a You might have seen recently that and it is working. That goal has al- difference for people in their lives and Apple announced that it was bringing ready been achieved—not by this Con- for their families. hundreds of billions back here, repa- gress but by the people we represent, This was all made possible by low- triating that money back here. They the American people and families ering the tax rate. Of the developed are also going to pay I think about $38 across this great country. We are countries around the world, of the billion in taxes to the U.S. Treasury, happy to see that. countries that are industrialized, we but that is worth it to them to bring The second part of this is that a more had the highest statutory tax rate of back that money. We want them to competitive business code is benefiting all of the countries. So our 35 percent bring that money here. Why? We don’t workers very directly. This is some- rate was higher than in places in Eu- want it invested overseas in a research thing we are hearing about just about rope, Asia, Latin America, and so on. and development facility there or in a

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It is our opportunity for the rest of the world That is why, as exciting as it is for largest employer. and, most importantly, to give people these workers and for these companies Other Ohio employers that have an- the opportunity to achieve their Amer- to make these decisions, and their nounced something include Fiat Chrys- ican dreams, whatever they are. helping people right now is very impor- ler and the Jeep plant, up in Toledo, Mr. President, I want to talk about tant, I think of the bigger investments which we are so proud of, and Home another topic, and this is not a happy we are going to hear of down the line. Depot. We talked earlier about Lowe’s topic. It is also in the news these days, The next time a big American company and AT&T. They have all announced as are the growing economy and the in- that has a global business asks, ‘‘Where increased investments in their oper- creased jobs and the benefits of the tax am I going to put my factory? Where ations and their workers as a result of reform. But this is news that you will am I going to do my research and de- the tax reform. also see on the front pages and on the velopment?’’ it is going to say, ‘‘We are I am excited about this. It is actually nightly news of your local TV stations. going to do it here in America.’’ That working in a way that many of us had It is unfortunate news, and that is the is what is very exciting to me. hoped it would and said it would. Real- fact that we still have this growing epi- Let’s get back to having wages that ly, there have been more announce- demic of drug use in this country that are going up consistently rather than ments even than I think the most opti- is connected to opioids. This is some- the relatively flat wages we have seen mistic tax reform advocates expected. I thing that has grown over time and really over the past couple of decades, think we are going to see a lot more kind of started with prescription drug and let’s see a renewal of hope and op- over time because ultimately this is use, which grew pretty dramatically portunity here. I think this is exciting, about making the United States a bet- back in the 2000s. Then it became her- and I think we will see more of it. ter place to do business. oin. Probably 3 or 4 years ago, one Just in the past week, by the way, we By the way, some of these companies began to see people shift from heroin to have seen seven more major companies are not American companies; they are other forms of opioids that are called announce higher compensation for foreign companies that choose to in- synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl or their employees: CVS in the last week, vest in America. Foreign direct invest- carfentanil. Tyson in the last week, Chipotle, Best ment is something we encourage be- Unfortunately, this issue has gripped Buy, Charter Communications, Lowe’s, cause that brings more jobs here to our country. In my State in par- FedEx. This is just in the last week. In this country. So if a company like ticular—and Ohio is one of the States total, these companies have 1.3 million Honda, which is a big auto employer in that have been hardest hit—we have employees who are now going to ben- Ohio, chooses to invest more in Ohio more people addicted, we have more efit on top of all of the other 300 an- rather than in Japan or China or Ger- people who are overdosing from these nouncements we talked about earlier. many or elsewhere because of this tax drugs, and we have more people who They are going to benefit from in- reform legislation, that is also impor- are dying because of the overdoses than creased investments that these busi- tant. We are going to see more and ever before. Last year, in 2017, we had nesses will be able to make because of more of that happening, in my view, more overdose deaths than we had in this new tax reform. This is good news, because they are looking at the lower 2016. and it is good news for the people I rep- rates, and they are looking at the abil- I think we have good ideas to begin resent. ity to expense what they have pur- to turn the tide. This Congress has In Ohio, some of our larger employers chased more quickly in terms of plants started to work on that, and I applaud have already made their announce- and equipment. This immediate ex- Congress for that. We are beginning to ments. Fifth Third Bank, pensing is very important in this legis- see some of those programs work, but headquartered in Cincinnati, employs lation for companies like that and we have a long way to go. 8,800 Ohioans and announced it will manufacturers. So this is not just One reason that I think the legisla- raise its base wage for entry-level peo- about American companies staying tion we are going to vote on later ple and give $1,000 bonuses to all of its here rather than going overseas; it is today is so important is that it pro- 13,500 employees. also about foreign companies that are vides more funding to be able to deal Nationwide Insurance, headquartered choosing to come here and to hire with the opioid crisis. We need it. I in Columbus, employs 15,000 Ohioans. It American workers, which is also good wish we didn’t. We need it. We need it is going to increase 401(k) matches, so for us. for better prevention and education to the match that it gives to people’s I am hoping that a combination of keep people from getting into the fun- 401(k) contributions is going to in- this tax reform and what is being done nel of addiction in the first place. We crease. That is great for one’s retire- on the regulatory front to make regu- also need it for treatment, and we need ment savings. It is going to do that for lations better—particularly for smaller it for longer term recovery, which is 33,000 employees around the country. It businesses that were feeling a lot of sometimes quite expensive, but it re- is also going to give $1,000 bonuses to that burden—and American hard work quires us to look at this issue in dif- 29,000 of its employees. and ingenuity, as well as rewarding ferent ways. JPMorgan is probably the third big- that ingenuity better, is going to help Historically, short-term treatment gest employer in Ohio now of all the America compete in this global mar- programs have not been very success- private sector employers. It employs ketplace in ways we haven’t done for ful. A lot of people go through these about 21,000 Ohioans, mainly in the Co- many years. treatment programs and come out the lumbus area. Some of you know that The historic tax reform is basically other end. They might be clean for a because it is a huge presence in Polaris putting America back in a position in while, but typically there are a lot of North Columbus. It has announced it is which people are now going to look to people who go back to their addictions. going to add 4,000 new jobs. Its base us again and say: America is the kind The recidivism rate is very high. wage is going to be raised for 22,000 em- of model that I want to follow. What we want is for people to go ployees. It is going to increase its char- The American free enterprise system through treatment and get clean at the itable donations and its small business and the system where, if you work hard other end and be able to get back on lending. It says it is all because of this and play by the rules, you can get their feet and restore their ties to their tax reform legislation. That is good ahead, where you can achieve your families, their work, and their commu- news. dream in life, was something some peo- nities. This longer term recovery, in Our biggest employer in Ohio is ple were beginning to question. Now I my view, after studying this issue for Walmart. It may be in your State too. think this helps to polish our image, many years, is a very important part of There are 50,000 Ohioans who work for which has become somewhat tarnished that. It is providing, yes, the medically Walmart. It has announced it is going as wages had been flat and we were assisted drug treatment that is some- to raise its base wage for all hourly kind of stuck in low economic growth— times needed for one to be able to get employees, distribute $1,000 bonuses, 11⁄2 to 2 percent growth. Now I think we through the addiction, and to get into

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.030 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S813 a good treatment program often is as- are all paying for it in additional where it is going. You have to provide sisted through medically assisted healthcare costs, additional costs for that in advance, and it is provided elec- treatment. Yet what is more important prosecutions and incarcerations, addi- tronically in advance to law enforce- to me as I look at this and talk to a lot tional costs in crime in our commu- ment. In Ohio, the DHS and UPS can of people—I have talked to probably nities, in families being torn apart, and go to the facilities and target a pack- 1,000 addicts and recovering addicts more kids in foster care under State age and say: Uh-huh. This is from a just in the last couple of years in supervision, in some way, because we certain region. This has a certain sus- Ohio—is to surround these people with have record numbers now in my home picious address where it is going, the right kind of counseling and the State because of their parents being maybe it is an abandoned warehouse right kind of support, including peer addicted. This is a huge issue, and I and post office box where they know support—others who have been through think it is one we need to focus on at there have been drugs shipped before, addiction and recovery and have gotten every level, including at the national maybe the contents don’t add up and on their feet, those who are recovering level. they can target that package and get addicts. There is a cost to that. With regard to fentanyl, just a very that package offline and destroy it. By Some would ask: Well, is this really little bit, a few flakes of it, can kill the way, when they do that, trust me, the Federal Government’s role? I would you. It is incredibly powerful. It is con- they are wearing gloves and masks in say yes. It is a national epidemic, and sidered to be 50 times more powerful special rooms now where they can try it needs to be approached at every than heroin. It is cheap, it is easily ac- to avoid being damaged by this drug level—the national level, the State cessible, and it can be spread to other because they are incredibly dangerous; level, and the local level. Ultimately, drugs, which is increasingly happening. whereas, in the U.S. mail system, there it is not going to be solved here in We are told by law enforcement that it is not a requirement. Washington; it is going to be solved in is being used now with cocaine and Now they are starting to require it our communities. even, in some cases, marijuana. Cer- more, and this year, thanks to the I will tell you that the degree of dam- tainly it is packaged into pills to make work of some of us who have been age that this is causing to our commu- it look like a prescription drug when it pushing this for a couple of years now, nities, our families, our budgets lo- is really fentanyl-laced. This stuff can they are doing a better job than last cally, and our criminal justice system be just deadly. year, but this last year only 38 percent requires us to take a more aggressive This week I had some people come of packages had electronic advanced role at the national level. Take best into my office talking about it, and I data on it—only 38 percent—whereas, practices from around the States and asked them whether they thought we with these other carriers, it is 100 per- local communities and spread those na- were turning the tide, and their answer cent. Of that 38 percent, sadly, 20 per- tionally as an example. Provide seed was no because of the fentanyl, this cent of the time, when law enforcement money, combined with local money, so new drug that is inexpensive, this syn- said: OK, we hear this information they can actually get treatment pro- thetic that is coming into our country, about this package, we want to pull it grams up and going in areas where peo- believe it or not, primarily from over- off, 20 percent of the time the post of- ple cannot get treatment. Even though seas through the U.S. mail system. fice couldn’t produce the package so it they are ready to deal with their addic- Just last week, in Logan County, OH, went to the post office box or aban- tions, they don’t have beds and don’t a 12-year-old girl brought a plastic bag doned warehouse. A package this big have places to go. containing fentanyl to her middle can have hundreds of thousands of peo- The Federal Government also plays a school. Thankfully, a teacher found the ple affected. Just think about it, just a role already. With Medicaid reimburse- bag and called the police to safely re- few grams of this can kill you. So the ment, for instance, if you have a treat- move the drug. Think about that. In post office needs to provide that same ment center and if you are providing that middle school, this drug could sort of data. MAT, or medically assisted treatment, have killed numerous kids. While po- We also found, in our 1-year study of and you have more than 16 beds, you lice are looking into how this possibly this, the data the post office did pro- cannot get Medicaid reimbursement. could have ended up in the hands of a vide, origin often was indecipherable That doesn’t make any sense. We have 12-year-old, how fentanyl ends up in by security people because it wasn’t in- some very good treatment centers in the United States is no mystery. We formation that was helpful, maybe a Ohio that have 16 beds, but they could now know the answer to that. We have lot of numbers or characters that did have twice that many or even three done studies on it. not let people know what was in it, times that many and provide more We spent a yearlong investigation where it was going, where it was from. help. Yet, because of the way the Fed- looking into this issue, and what we It is good we are beginning to make eral Government chooses to reimburse, found out was pretty shocking, which progress on this, but I think we should that is not practical. So there are is fentanyl, which is this growing drug have a requirement in law that says issues with which the government has killing more people in Ohio than any the post office has to do what these to be involved. other drug now, doesn’t come in the other private carriers do, which is re- In my home State of Ohio, overdose way you might think, maybe overland. quire people who want to ship some- deaths are the No. 1 cause of death in It typically comes through the U.S. thing into our communities to have my State. Nationally, among those mail system. Primarily, it comes from this information so our law enforce- who are under 50, it is the No. 1 cause China. ment has a chance to find these pack- of death. In Ohio, we had more deaths Does it come from other countries? ages and to stop this poison from com- from overdoses from synthetic Yes. Sometimes it is shipped from ing into our neighborhoods. opioids—the new drugs like fentanyl China to another country and then to Is this the only solution? No. The and carfentanil—than we did anything the United States. Some other coun- Comprehensive Addiction and Recov- else. About 58 percent of our deaths tries may now be making it but law en- ery Act that I coauthored that passed were from the synthetic opioids. So it forcement tells me it is primarily this place over a year ago now is begin- is changing from prescription drugs to through the mail system and primarily ning to work on prevention, treatment, heroin and now to these synthetic from China. and recovery. We talked about that drugs. Now, you might ask, why is it com- earlier. We have a real crisis on our hands. It ing through the mail system, and why We need to do more to help our first is the No. 1 cause of crime in my com- are we letting that happen? Well, it is responders, to give them the Narcan munity and throughout my State. It happening because if you try to send it they need to reverse the effects of probably is in yours too. If you think through one of the private carriers like these overdoses and to save lives. We maybe you are not affected by it be- DHL or FedEx or UPS, you have to pro- need to get people into these programs cause you don’t have a family member vide a lot of information on the pack- rather than the revolving door of peo- or friend or coworker who was affected, age. You probably know this if you are ple being addicted, having an overdose, then you don’t see it clearly. I would shipping stuff. You have to provide being saved, and then having an over- suggest we are all affected because we what is in it, where it is from, and dose again. That is all critical. In fact,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.031 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S814 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 that is the most important part, but The thought was, in Congress, that should be able to at least tell our own let’s at least—at least—stop some of they would need some time but that U.S. post office: Help law enforcement this poison that is coming in through they would be able to do it as well— to stop this poison. That is part of the our own U.S. Government Postal Serv- again, it has been almost 16 years. Now answer here, along with so many other ice. By the way, postal employees to- we have this immediate problem, things we need to do to keep the tally agree. They don’t want to be a which is, in my view, a crisis, and it is fentanyl off the streets, to keep the conduit for this stuff. They certainly a public health problem. It falls on us overdoses and the death toll from ris- don’t want to be exposed to it. as the Federal Government to deal ing. There are some horrible stories of with it—this Congress to deal with it. Again, I thank my colleagues for in- people who were exposed because with I know there are those in the Postal cluding in the legislation we are going these international packages coming Service who are concerned about to vote on later today additional fund- in, sometimes there is some leakage. whether they can require other coun- ing over the next 2 years. I will say, One story that is probably one that tries to provide this data. Do you know with regard to that funding, which is would get the attention of every law what? We provide it for all our pack- significant—it is an unprecedented enforcement official in America is, ages going to them. Again, most coun- amount—we have increased the funding there is a guy in Ohio, a law enforce- tries in the world are now being asked over this fiscal year from last fiscal ment officer. He pulled over two indi- to do it. The rest of the countries year by $1.4 billion. That is through the viduals. He went up to the car. He ought to be asked. Certainly, China so-called CURES Act and CARA legis- pulled them over for a traffic violation, ought to be required to do it for all lation. Now we have additional fund- but he noticed they spread some white their packages. They now say about ing, $3 billion this year and $3 billion powder around the car to try to hide it. half of the packages from China have next year. I do think there is a good Wisely, he realized this might be some- some sort of information. It needs to be framework for spending this money thing dangerous. He put on his mask better information. We also need China and that would be the programs in the and gloves and found it was fentanyl. to do more. CARA legislation, the Comprehensive He arrested these two individuals. After our report came out last week, Addiction and Recovery Act. There are They got booked. He went down to the Chinese Government officials re- about a dozen different programs, in- police station. This officer was a big sponded and said they were concerned. cluding recovery programs, including guy, by the way—6 feet 2 inches, over They wanted to do more to cooperate helping pregnant women who are ad- 200 pounds, in good shape. He looked with the United States. That was good. dicted to help them avoid having their down on his shirt when he was in the I am glad to hear that, but, frankly, we addiction passed along to their kids. police station talking to his fellow offi- have been hearing that for a while. This is a big issue in our States right cers, and he saw some flecks on his I was in China last year on a congres- now. All of our neonatal units back shirt of something. So he reached over sional delegation. I raised this infor- home in our hospitals are dealing with and brushed it off with his hands like mation with Premier Li, the No. 2 this. that. It was fentanyl. ranking official in the government There is legislation to help our first Immediately he overdosed. He be- there. Again, we heard the right responders with training and with came unconscious, lying on the floor. things. We want to help to be able to Narcan, certainly to help them deal Three times Narcan was administered stop this at the source. We need more with this fentanyl danger they face, to try to save his life. They had to rush help. the risk they face every day. him to the emergency room ultimately We believe there are thousands of We have the programs in place. There to save his life. As his police chief said: chemists or chemical companies in is not adequate funding in some of If we hadn’t been right there, this po- China that are producing this poison. these programs to respond to the many lice officer would not be with us today. Again, I am not suggesting it is exclu- requests coming in. So this is one place Think if he had gone home and hugged sively China, but we are told by law en- for us to provide some help. his kids. forcement it is still primarily from The CURES legislation goes directly This stuff is dangerous. It is dan- China. Let’s shut them down. to the States. That legislation was gerous for our postal employees, it is They have made illegal some of the passed as part of an appropriations dangerous for our Customs and Border precursors, some of the drugs that go process to help the States be able to Protection people who bravely are out into making this fentanyl. Let’s make identify where they had the highest there every day trying to stop this sure that is being enforced. Let’s make priority. Some of that, frankly, is in stuff. It is dangerous to the postal in- it an illegal activity to ship it. Let’s do training individuals who can be coun- spectors and dangerous for the Drug the prosecutions that are necessary selors. Enforcement Agency individuals. We and arrest people. We talked about the importance of need to give them every tool we can to There were two individuals who were not just providing medicine to help let them know where the suspect pack- indicted here in the United States who people get over their addiction but to ages are so they can stop this stuff. At were Chinese nationals. My under- also surround them with the kind of a minimum, what will happen is there standing is, they have yet to be pros- treatment they need, the kind of sup- will be less supply, and there will be ecuted, and they have been indicted for port they need. In other States, it was higher prices on the street. That is not shipping poisons into our communities a matter of building those treatment a bad thing because the cost of this and killing our people. facilities. One million dollars of this, drug is one reason it has become so Yes, there is a lot that has to be done or so, was used in Columbus, OH, for an popular and so deadly. here. We need to be sure we are doing innovative program, where there is Our legislation is called the STOP a better job on prevention and edu- now a new emergency room that is Act. It simply says: Let’s do what we cation to keep people from falling into dedicated to people who overdose, should have done many years ago and the addiction in the first place. We which is better for the individual who require this information. After 9/11, need to do much better on treatment overdoses and better for the taxpayer, this Congress got together and said: We and recovery. We talked about that rather than taking them to an emer- are worried about stuff being shipped earlier. At a minimum, let’s protect gency room that has the capability to into this country, and so we are going this country. So I encourage my col- handle gunshot wounds and trauma and to require private carriers to provide leagues, if you haven’t already cospon- so on. This is dedicated just to this. In 2002, there was legislation sored the STOP Act—Senator AMY overdoses. Most significantly, in this passed. That was 15 years ago, almost KLOBUCHAR and I introduced this legis- same facility where the overdoses go, 16 years ago now. That legislation said lation together last year. We want you have a 50-bed treatment center. So at the time: You have to do this if you your help. We would love to have your often what we find is that people are are the FedExes or UPSes of the world, cosponsorship. We have about 30 co- treated for the overdose, maybe in a but for the post office, we recommend sponsors now. It is bipartisan. We need detox unit, but then there is no treat- you do it. We want you to do a study to get 100 cosponsors. Everybody in ment center. There is no treatment bed on it. this Chamber should be for this. We available, so that person goes back to

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.033 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S815 the community, back to the old neigh- here in Washington, DC. It is going to We should all commend the Gerber borhood. be solved in our communities. It is baby food company for its choice of its During that waiting period, even going to be solved in our families. It is new spokesbaby and especially thank though they are ready for treatment as going to be solved in our hearts. This is the Warrens for the gift of little Lucas. they come out of the overdose—because an issue that ultimately is going to re- In Washington, we are often re- often they have kind of seen their life quire all of us getting engaged on. minded of the old maxim that there are flash before their eyes—there is not the Mr. President, I thank the Presiding no solutions in this life, only tradeoffs. availability and, sure enough, that per- Officer for the time today. Sometimes, it is tempting to believe son gets back into the use of the drug— I suggest the absence of a quorum. that this is true, but this photograph heroin, fentanyl, prescription drugs— The PRESIDING OFFICER. The proves otherwise. In this fallen world and ends up overdosing again, some- clerk will call the roll. of ours, that smile—that little boy—is times again and again and again. You The senior assistant legislative clerk pure good, a blessing to us all. hear this from your first responders. proceeded to call the roll. Yesterday, after the announcement, Mr. LEE. Mr. President, I ask unani- Go to your firehouse, and you will Lucas’ mom Cortney said: mous consent that the order for the hear in every firehouse in America, I He may have Down syndrome, but he’s al- will guarantee you, about this issue. I quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ways Lucas first. . . . we’re hoping when he will guarantee that in most grows up and looks back on this, he’ll be objection, it is so ordered. firehouses—certainly all of them that I proud of himself and not ashamed of his dis- have been to in Ohio, and I have been GERBER SPOKESBABY OF 2018 ability. Mr. LEE. Mr. President, there is good to many—it is the No. 1 thing people So should we all hope for Lucas and news, there is great news, and then are doing. In other words, there are for the rest of the world too. there is the story of Lucas Warren of more calls for overdoses than there are Thank you, Mr. President. Dalton, GA. I don’t personally know calls for fires. There are more calls for I yield the floor. Lucas. In fact, he is only 18 months overdoses than there are calls for heart I suggest the absence of a quorum. old. So he, of course, has the good attacks. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sense not to engage with or get to This is an issue that, again, affects clerk will call the roll. know politicians, especially in Wash- every one of us whether we feel it di- The assistant bill clerk proceeded to ington. But like so many millions of rectly or not. So this is an opportunity call the roll. Americans who have not met Lucas, I for us to get these people into the Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I will never forget him. ask unanimous consent that the order emergency room setting to save their Yesterday, the Gerber baby food com- for the quorum call be rescinded. lives, using this miracle drug, Narcan, pany selected little Lucas as its ‘‘Ger- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. using the best help of our incredible ber Spokesbaby’’ for the year 2018. CAPITO). Without objection, it is so or- medical professionals, who are doing an Lucas’ winning photograph, sent in by dered. awesome job on the frontlines, but his parents Jason and Cortney, was se- Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I then to get them right into treatment, lected from more than 140,000 entries. wish to speak about some issues relat- to say: By the way, here is an oppor- Even at a glance, it is not at all hard ing to the spending bill and things that tunity; come right now. We think that to see why. is going to close that gap and help to This picture deserves much more happened in Louisiana. avoid this issue of people not getting than just a mere glance. I don’t just Louisiana had two catastrophic the help you want them to get. Prob- mean because of the bow tie. You see, floods in 2016 that affected not just our ably 8 out of 10 people in Ohio are not Lucas Warren was born with Down syn- State but also Texas and Mississippi, getting the treatment they should be drome, which is to say that Jason and with over 100,000 disaster victims who getting. Cortney Warren are among those became eligible for SBA—Small Busi- So I am encouraging my colleagues Americans blessed to know, to love, ness Administration—disaster assist- to vote for the legislation this after- and to be loved by someone with Down ance loans. noon or this evening, whenever we vote syndrome. According to the Global Here is one picture. Oh my gosh. Here on it, in part, because it does have that Down Syndrome Foundation, only 38 is the window. The water is as high in- legislation in it regarding opioids. It percent of Americans are so lucky. side the patio area as outside, and the does have this new funding—an unprec- Those of us who are so lucky know woman has a face of despair. edented level of funding. the warmth and the tender cheer of in- Here is another picture, which shows It is going to be left to the Appro- dividuals with Down syndrome—the a family being evacuated in a boat. Ob- priations Committees here to deal with warmth and tender cheer they carry viously, it is a neighborhood with stop how it is spent. Again, I know they with them everywhere they go. With signs and nice trees and streetlights, have a lot of great ideas, including leg- little more than a smile, like Lucas’ in and they are being evacuated. We can islation that we have already passed this picture, they make gentle the life imagine what their family home called the CARA Act, the Comprehen- of the world. All of us are born with looked like. sive Addiction and Recovery Act. We that mission, but we don’t always ful- Fifty-six of Louisiana’s sixty-four spent 3 years putting together that leg- fill it. Children like Lucas and parents parishes had Federal disaster declara- islation. We had five conferences here like the Warrens don’t just carry their tions. The August storm alone caused in Washington. We got best practices share of that burden. They carry some an estimated $10 billion in damage to from around the country. This is all of ours too. We owe them more than we private property, which, apart from about sending funds out to programs can possibly know. hurricanes, made it the most expensive that have been studied and that do ‘‘I am a child of God,’’ begins a chil- U.S. disaster in the last 100 years. have good results. It is not just a mat- dren’s song of my faith. The most devastating thing was how ter of throwing money after this prob- And He has sent me here, little time people had to react. The lem. We have to be sure that it is done Has given me an earthly home storm was missing key cyclone charac- effectively and that, again, it leverages With parents kind and dear. teristics, so the National Hurricane more money at the local level. I am a child of God, Center had no expectation of how dev- The million dollars I talked about And so my needs are great. astating the storm would be, and the that went into this treatment center in Those lyrics take on a particularly first parishes hit by the flooding had Columbus, OH—that was matched by special poignancy when you know fam- no time to evacuate or prepare. county money, it was matched by ilies with special needs children, for Many families who were impacted by State money, it was matched by pri- children with special needs not only de- the great floods of 2016 in Louisiana vate-sector money and individuals who serve special love; they give it. They lived outside what are called special were giving funds to this because they give it unceasingly and unreservedly, flood hazard zones and were not re- realized what a problem it is. That is just like the God who first knitted quired to and did not carry flood insur- how we should work together. Ulti- them together in their mother’s ance. Indeed, about 80 percent of flood- mately, this is not going to be solved wombs. ed homes did not have flood insurance.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.034 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S816 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 Last year, I worked with the Lou- Diversion, a diversion that takes flood- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, isiana delegation to obtain about $2 waters from the Comite River into the I ask unanimous consent that the order billion in community development Mississippi and would have helped pre- for the quorum call be rescinded. block grants to help cover portions of vent many homes from being flooded— The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without those uninsured losses for Louisiana probably the homes these folks are objection, it is so ordered. families and small businesses. We also being evacuated from—in the great Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, got about $500 million in disaster tax flood of 2016. here we are at a quarter to 6. Funding relief to help with the uncompensated We also secured $12 billion in mitiga- for the government expires in just a disaster losses. But with CDBG—com- tion grants specifically for Louisiana few hours. A bipartisan agreement be- munity development block grant— and about five other States, which is fore us funds our troops at the level re- funding, which is distributed through much more targeted for disaster States quested by the Pentagon. It addresses the Restore Louisiana Homeowner As- than the House bill. Again, the Senate the opioid crisis, which is extremely sistance Program, it is arcane—there is bill is the same number of dollars but big in the Commonwealth of Kentucky something which is an arcane and arbi- for fewer States, therefore, more tar- and around the country. It funds our trary rule called duplication of bene- geted than in the House bill. veterans and many other shared prior- fits. The duplication of benefits rule So the disaster relief portion of this ities. The Speaker of the House sup- states that if an individual is eligible legislation has taken some steps in the ports the bill. He is waiting for it to for and received a loan from the Small right direction. However, we still need pass the Senate. The President of the Business Administration, that indi- additional clarification around duplica- United States supports the bill and is vidual is ineligible for a grant from the tion of benefits issues and legacy waiting to sign it into law. Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assist- FEMA appeals matters. I understand my friend and colleague ance Program. The rule makes no I thank my Senate colleague from from Kentucky does not join with the sense. An individual who did the right Louisiana for his work on this and President in supporting the bill. It is thing and drew upon all available re- hope to receive further commitments his right, of course, to vote against the sources to rebuild their home and begin from the Appropriations Committee to bill, but I would argue that it is time to put their life back together is denied continue to work on these important to vote. relief. disaster recovery issues. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Language that fixed this issue was I yield the floor. Democratic leader. included in the disaster supplemental Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, I Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I passed by the House last year. The Sen- urge the Senate to approve the Further very much appreciate my good friend, ate was prepared to consider this in De- Extension of Continuing Appropria- the junior Senator from Kentucky, for cember, but the legislation was de- tions Act, 2018. his fidelity to spending—something we layed—frankly, held hostage—by the This legislation is more than a con- don’t agree with—and for his fidelity of minority party using it to gain lever- tinuing resolution to sustain govern- trying to get his amendments on the age to get more government spending ment operations at current levels floor and debated—something we do as part of the budget negotiations we through March 23. agree with. I recently supported that are now in. It incorporates a 2-year agreement right when the FISA bill came up, Now that this disaster supplemental setting defense and nondefense spend- which I know was very important to has been rolled into the budget nego- ing levels for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, him. tiations, we saw that the provision to the product of bipartisan and bi- The difficulty we have here is that fix the duplication of benefits issue was cameral negotiations. This overdue the government will shut down. We added, but it only covered Texas, Flor- agreement is necessary for Congress to still have the House that has to vote. ida, and Puerto Rico. So I worked with meet its responsibility to provide ap- Frankly, there are lots of amendments my fellow Louisiana Senator, Mr. KEN- propriations to meet national security on my side, and it is hard to make an NEDY, and members of the Appropria- and other important needs around the argument that if one person gets an tions Committee to make sure Lou- country. amendment that everybody else will isiana is treated the same as Texas and This deal gives my committee a real not want an amendment, and then we other States. Now this provision ap- opportunity to complete the fiscal year will be here for a very long time. plies to individuals who were eligible 2018 appropriations process with sig- So I would plead with my colleague, to receive an SBA loan but did not nificant funding to begin rebuilding given the exigencies, that maybe a take out a loan. What does this mean? our military and address national pri- budget point of order might work, According to the SBA, 100,000 home- orities like veterans, infrastructure, which would make the same point; that owners were eligible to apply for an and the opioid epidemic. is, he believes the spending is too high. SBA loan from the March and August This measure also provides necessary Then we could move forward and get a 2016 floods; 38,000 applications were re- emergency funding to help victims of bill done and not risk a government ceived, and 18,000 were approved. recent hurricanes, wildfires, and other shutdown. We are in risky territory As I am told, if you are eligible but disasters to rebuild their lives and here as both of my friends from Ken- don’t take out the loan, you don’t qual- communities. tucky know. If that would accomplish ify for the Restore Louisiana grant. I appreciate the many hours of nego- the same thing and not hold us up here, Again, I am told that if you are eligible tiations that have gone into this legis- we could let the House do its will and but did not take the loan from the lation. The cotton and dairy provisions then, maybe, get the bill to the Presi- SBA, then you are not eligible then to are the outcome of months of joint ef- dent, because we want to move things receive the Restore Louisiana grant be- forts with my friend, Vice Chairman forward. cause of the duplication of benefits LEAHY, to help cotton and dairy pro- I yield the floor. rule. There are roughly 82,000 home- ducers overcome economic hardships The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- owners who could potentially be eligi- that threaten their livelihoods. jority leader. ble to receive relief from repealing or I hope we continue in this coopera- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, altering this duplication of benefits tive and bipartisan fashion as we un- I propose that we give the Senator rule. dertake the challenging work of from Kentucky an opportunity to Now, there is some confusion in my crafting responsible legislation to fin- make a budget point of order, which State. I want to be clear. This does ish the 2018 appropriations cycle and would give him a vote on the substance apply to the $2 billion CDBG grants the begin work on next year’s bills. of the matter he is concerned about. Louisiana delegation secured to help Mr. CASSIDY. I suggest the absence Therefore, I ask unanimous consent families recover from the 2016 floods in of a quorum. that notwithstanding rule XXII, at 6 Louisiana. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The p.m. today, the Senate vote on the mo- Senator KENNEDY and I also helped clerk will call the roll. tion to invoke cloture on the motion to secure additional Army Corps re- The legislative clerk proceeded to concur in the House amendment to the sources to fully fund the Comite River call the roll. Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with a

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.036 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S817 further amendment; further, that if going to spend 21 percent more without guys are and who the bad guys are. The cloture is invoked, all postcloture time really having a full debate and without wars are so murky that halfway be yielded back and Senator PAUL be having amendments. through the war we sometimes change recognized to make a budget point of The exchange you just watched was sides or the people we support change order; that the majority leader or his my asking to have a 15-minute vote. I sides. designee be recognized to make a mo- have been asking all day for it. I have We are at war in Afghanistan after 16 tion to waive; and that following the been asking all week for it. We could years. It costs $50 billion a year. So disposition of the motion to waive, the have, literally, had dozens of votes they need more money for the military Senate vote on the motion to concur today, but we squabble because people because we are in too many places for with further amendment with no other don’t want to be put on the spot. too long. We have no exact mission of intervening action or debate. The reason I am here tonight is to why we are there, but it is not a mili- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there put people on the spot. I want people to tarily winnable situation in Afghani- objection? feel uncomfortable. I want them to stan. There will never be a victory in The Senator from Kentucky. have to answer people at home who Afghanistan. There may be a nego- Mr. PAUL. Madam President, reserv- ask: How come you were against Presi- tiated settlement, and they may flee ing the right to object, I ran for office dent Obama’s deficits, and then how when we come, but as soon as we leave, because I was very critical of President come you are for Republican deficits? they come back. Are we to be there for- Obama’s trillion-dollar deficits. Now Isn’t that the very definition of intel- ever? we have Republicans, hand in hand lectual dishonesty? If you were against For the umpteenth time, Congress is with Democrats, who are offering us President Obama’s deficits and now going to exceed its budget caps. We had trillion-dollar deficits. I cannot, in all you are for the Republican deficits, something passed back in 2010 that was good honesty and all good faith, just isn’t that the very definition of hypoc- called the PAYGO Act. It was supposed look the other way because my party is risy? People need to be made aware. to say: If you are going to pay new now complicit in the deficits. But, real- Your Senators need to answer the peo- money, you have to go find an offset ly, who is to blame? Both parties. ple from home, and they need to an- somewhere else. You can only pay as We have a 700-page bill that no one swer for this debate. We should have a you go. It was sort of like a family has read and that was printed at mid- full-throated debate. would think about it. If you spend night. No one will read this bill. Noth- My amendment says simply this: We some more money, you have to raise ing will be reformed. The waste will should obey the budget caps. your income or you have to save some continue, and government will keep What are budget caps? These are lim- money. taking your money irresponsibly and its we placed on spending for both mili- Do you know how many times we adding to the $20 trillion debt. tary and nonmilitary. We placed them have evaded the issue since 2010? Thir- There are no amendments being al- in 2011, and guess what. For 1 or 2 ty-some-odd times. When I try to get lowed. This is the most important de- years, the government actually them to pay attention to their own bate we will have in the year over shrunk, but now the government is rules, three or four people will vote to spending, and no amendments are al- taking off, and this new stimulus of pay attention to the rules. We are in a terrible state, and $20 lowed. We should have a full amend- deficit spending will be as big as Presi- trillion in debt is bigger than our en- ment process. We have been open for dent Obama’s stimulus. Don’t you re- tire economy. business for 10 hours today. You can do member when Republicans howled to Do you wonder why the stock market four amendments an hour. We could high heaven that President Obama was is jittery? One of the reasons is that we have done 40 amendments. So it is a ca- spending us into the gutter, spending do not have the capacity to continue to nard to say that we cannot have one us into oblivion? Now the Republicans fund the government like this. We have amendment and cannot spend 15 min- are doing the same thing. been funding it with phony interest utes debating whether or not it is good So I ask the question: Whose fault is rates that are concocted and given to for the country to add $1 trillion of it? The Republicans’? Yes. Whose fault us by the Federal Reserve, but they debt. is it? The Democrats’? Yes. It is the aren’t real. Madam President, I object. fault of both parties. What if interest rates become real The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- You realize that this is the secret of again? tion is heard. Washington. The dirty little secret is Does anybody remember when inter- The Senator from Kentucky. that the Republicans are loudly clam- est rates were 5, 10, or 15 percent? I re- Mr. PAUL. Madam President, the oring for more military spending, but member them as a teenager being 19 or Senate will vote today on a bill that they cannot get it unless they give the 20 percent. But historically, they have will add $1.5 trillion to the debt over Democrats welfare spending, so they often been at least 5 percent. Do you the next 10 years. This is a large raise all of the spending. It is a com- know what happens to the Government amount of money and something that promise in the wrong direction. We when the interest rates go to 5 and we should be very wary of. This is in should be compromising in the direc- they have to borrow for Social Secu- addition to what we were already run- tion of going toward spending only rity and Medicare and all the other ning a debt of, that of nearly $1 tril- what comes in. Yet this goes on and on stuff we have to do? There will be a ca- lion. So we are adding a couple hundred and on. tastrophe in this country. extra billion dollars a year to a budget You will hear people say: Well, the Already the rates are ticking up. The and a country and a Congress that had military is hollowed out. We have not stock market is jittery. If you ask the already recklessly let spending get out enough money for our military. Yet we question why, maybe it has something of control. have doubled the amount of money we to do with the irresponsibility of Con- The bill is nearly 700 pages. It was have spent on the military since 9/11 of gress spending money that we don’t given to us at midnight last night, and 2001. have. I would venture to say that no one has Look, I have family members in the So the bill’s going to exceed the read the bill. No one can thoroughly di- military, and I have retired members of budget caps by $296 billion. That is not gest a 700-page bill overnight, and I do the military in my family, and I care counting the money they don’t count. think that it does things that we real- very deeply about our soldiers. In fact, So these people are really, really clev- ly, really ought to talk about and how do you know what I would do? I would er. Imagine them running their fingers we should pay for them. bring them all home from Afghanistan. together and saying: How can we hide One of the things this bill does is add The war is won. People are talking stuff from the American people? How $500 billion in spending over a 2-year about having a parade. Declare victory can we evade the spending caps so we period. This bill increases spending 21 in Afghanistan; bring them home; have can be even more irresponsible than we percent. Does that sound like a large a parade; and give them all a raise. Yet appear? So $296 billion is the official amount? Is anybody at home getting a we go on and on and on, finding new number. That is about $300 billion over bonus or an increase in his paycheck of wars to fight that make no sense, 2 years that will be in excess of the 21 percent? Yet your government is where we have no idea who the good budget caps.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.038 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S818 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 But there is another $160 billion that home? Why don’t we do some nation- is going to keep us here until 3 in the is stuck into something called an over- building here at home? morning. seas contingency fund. The budget caps We have $90 billion that we need for You know what? I think the country don’t apply there. So we are $300 billion emergency relief. Even as conservative is worth a debate until 3 in the morn- for 2 years over the budget caps, and as I am, I would say that we could ing, frankly. I think it is worth a de- then another $160 billion over the caps probably find that. We are a great, rich bate on whether or not we should bor- that they just don’t count. They act as country. We could probably rebuild, row $1 million a minute. I have been if it doesn’t matter: We are just not and the government can be a part of saying that for a few years: We borrow going to count it. that. But you know what; why don’t we $1 million a minute. I think that really Then we come to catastrophes. You quit sending it to Pakistan? Why don’t brings it home. When we were talking might say to yourself: Well, I have we quit sending it to countries that about it with my staff today, they said: great sympathy for the people’s houses burn our flag and chant ‘‘Death to You know, it is almost $2 million a who were flooded in Texas and Florida. America’’? Why don’t we keep that minute now—$2 million a minute. I do. My sister’s house was flooded near money at home? Why don’t we say to Can you imagine that? This is ex- Houston. So I have great compassion. the government, writ large, that they ploding. This deficit is exploding. But even for my family, I can’t take have to spend a little bit less? There isn’t the alarm you should see. the money from you and borrow it Does anybody ever have less money Guess what. Every one of these peo- from the next generation and say: Here this year than they had last year? Has ple, you will see them come home to is a pot of money. Go rebuild your anybody had a 1-percent pay cut? You your State. You will see them come house. deal with it. home, and they will tell you how ear- We should do it in a responsible fash- That is what government needs—a 1- nest they are and how the deficit is ion. We have already spent $30-some- percent pay cut. If you take a 1-percent bad, and Big Government spending is odd billion on emergency relief for the pay cut across the board, you have bad and we have to reduce waste. hurricanes. There is another $90 bil- more than enough money to actually It is dishonest. They are not doing lion. pay for the disaster relief, but nobody anything about the waste. The waste Do you know what I have said? In- is going to do that because they are fis- has been out there for probably a half- stead of just plunking $90 billion down cally irresponsible. century or more. Nothing has been or, actually, printing it over at the Who are they? Republicans. Who are done in the last 40 years for one precise Federal Reserve or borrowing it—in- they? Democrats. Who are they? Vir- reason: There is no oversight. stead of just doing that—why don’t we tually the whole body is careless and Do you realize that what they are take the $90 billion from somewhere in reckless with your money. passing is all of the money glommed the budget that it shouldn’t be? So the money will not be offset by together in one bill? No one will read People come to me all the time and cuts anywhere. The money will be the bill. No one knows what is in it. say they want something from the added to the debt, and there will be a And there is no reform in the bill. That Government, and I say: Well, if you day of reckoning. I can say with absolute certitude. No want something from Government, tell What is the day of reckoning? The one will read it. There is no reform, me where to take it from, because I am day of reckoning may well be the col- and nothing gets better. The debt will not going to borrow any more. Where do you get the $90 billion lapse of the stock market. The day of grow. from? I have some suggestions. Do you reckoning may be the collapse of the When the Democrats are in power, know how many votes they get? About dollar. Republicans appear to be the conserv- 10 or 15 people vote with me. When it comes I can’t tell you ex- ative party, but when Republicans are Let’s not send it to Pakistan this actly, but I can tell you that it has in power, it seems that there is no con- year. They burn our flag. They put happened repeatedly in history when servative party. You see, opposition Christians in jail. They put in jail Dr. countries ruin their currency, when seems to bring people together, and Afridi, the guy who helped us to find countries become profligate spenders, they know what they are not for. But, bin Laden. We finally got bin Laden, when countries begin to believe that then, they get in power, and they de- who had been living high on the hog a debt does not matter. cide: Hmm, we are just going to spend mile or two from a military academy. That is what this bill is about. But that money too. We are going to send Everybody in the Pakistani Govern- here is the confusion. Some at home that money to our friends this time. ment probably knew he was there, and would say: We just want them to co- The hypocrisy hangs in the air and he lived uninterrupted. We finally got operate. If they would just hold hands chokes anyone with a sense of decency him when Dr. Shakil Afridi gave us in- and sing ‘‘Kumbaya,’’ everything would or intellectual honesty. formation. be fine. The right cries out: Our military is Do you know what Pakistan did to Guess what. That is what you have. hollowed out—even though military this doctor? He is in jail. You saw the leadership of both sides spending has more than doubled since Do you know what they did with a opposing me because they are now 2001. Christian by the name of Asia Bibi? clasped hand in hand. Everybody is get- The left is no better. Democrats Pakistan has her on death row. She ting what they want. Everybody is get- don’t oppose the military money as went to the well in a small village to ting more spending. The military, the long as they can get some for them- draw water. As she was drawing water, right is getting more military spend- selves—as long as they can get some the women in the village began stoning ing, and the left is getting more wel- for their pet causes. The dirty little se- her and beating her with sticks. As she fare spending, and you are getting cret is that, by and large, both parties lay on the ground bleeding, everybody stuck with the bill—not even tech- don’t care about the debt. watched and gawked. She was crying nically you. It is the next generation The spending bill is 700 pages, and out for help, and the police finally ar- that is being stuck with the bill. Your there will be no amendments. The de- rived, and she thought she had been grandkids are being stuck with the bill. bate, although it is somewhat inside saved—only to be arrested for being a But mark my words: The stock mar- baseball, is over my having a 15-minute Christian. ket is jittery. The bond market is jit- debate, and they say: Woe is me; if you Yet we have given $33 billion to Paki- tery. There is an undercurrent of get one, everybody will want an stan over the last decade—good money unease amidst this euphoria you have amendment. after bad. Almost everybody up here seen in the stock market. A country That would be called debate. That loves it. They just want more of your cannot go on forever spending money would be called an open process. That money to go to Pakistan, Saudi Ara- this way, and what you are seeing is would be called concern for your coun- bia, China—you name it. They will recklessness trying to be passed off as try—enough to take a few minutes. send your money anywhere, and we bipartisanship. They are like: But it is Thursday, and have a country that needs it here. So we have gotten together. They are we like to be on vacation on Fridays. Instead of nation-building abroad, all holding hands, and there is only one So they clamor, but we have been sit- why don’t we build our country here at bad guy standing in the way. One guy ting around all day. It is not like we

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.039 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S819 have had 100 amendments today and we bills together in one bill, like we have You need a credit card, so we gave are all worn out and we can’t do one done tonight—Republicans and Demo- them credit cards. So they have a U.S. more. We are going to have zero crats clasping hands—and nobody is credit card that you pay for, to take amendments—zero, goose egg, no going to look at it. Nobody is going to their natural gas car that you paid for, amendments. reform the spending. As a consequence, to go to a natural gas station because So it is a binary choice. They love wasteful spending is riddled through- we are reducing the carbon footprint in that word. It is a binary choice; take it out your government. Only four times Afghanistan. When did that become the or leave it. in 40 years have we done the appropria- job of the military? Why does that go You know what. I am going to leave tions process the way we are supposed on year after year after year, the it. I didn’t come up here for this. I to. waste? didn’t leave my family throughout the Recently, they did a Pentagon (Mr. KENNEDY assumed the Chair.) week and travel up here to be a part of study—the beginning of an audit—and For 17 years, we have been trying to something that is so much inertia and they audited part of the Pentagon. get the Pentagon to be audited. Do you so much status quo that they are not This partial audit showed that $800 know what their response has been? We leading the country. They are just fol- million was misplaced or lost—just $800 are too big to be audited. How is that lowing along, and it is a big ball rolling million. I don’t think they actually put for your government? Your govern- down the hill, grabbing up your dollars it in the closet and burned it, but they ment is telling you they are too big to as the boulder rolls down the hill, and can’t find it. be audited and that scrutiny is just not it is going to crush us. But nobody has A while back they looked at some of your business. got the guts to stand up and say no. the military expenditures, and they Is it any wonder, really, that our Over the past 40 years, only 4 times had $29 billion worth of stuff they debt is a $20 trillion debt? Fifty years have we actually done 12 individual de- couldn’t find. Overall, the audit found ago, William Proxmire was a Senator. partment-of-government appropria- that over $100 billion in waste was He was a Democratic Senator—a con- tions bills. found at the Pentagon—$100 billion. servative Democrat, in some ways. He Have you heard of the Appropriations Well, their budget is like $700 billion. began handing out something called Committee? This is where the spending So we are talking about a significant the Golden Fleece Award, and we will is. You have the Department of De- portion, over a 10-percent problem with talk about a few of them. fense, the Department of Commerce, figuring out our waste. It doesn’t get This is 50 years ago. The reason I and the Department of Health and any better because we don’t vote on all want to point this out is, as you look Human Services. We are supposed to these things individually, and we don’t at this and listen, you will find that pass each individual bill. What would parse out the difference. some of the stuff we are doing today is happen when we pass the bills is that I will give you another example. In just as bad as 50 years ago. Some of it they would go through committee and the Department of Defense—last year is the same agencies. So you scratch each committee would look and see: we found this out—spent $45 million on your head and you ask: Fifty years? We Well, this spending seems to be work- a natural gas station in Afghanistan— have been through a couple of genera- ing. We are getting a great result, and $45 million. It was projected to cost tions of politicians, and they are still we want some more next year. This $500,000—86-some-odd cost overruns to not learning anything from finding this spending appears to have been put in a $45 million. waste? Some of it is the budget proc- closet and lit on fire. So next year we So you are scratching your head and ess—the process that we pass these are not giving that to the person who saying: Natural gas station, what is enormous bills that no one reads, that put the $10 million in the closet and lit that? We don’t have one in my town. no one scrutinizes, and that do not re- it on fire. We are not going to give We don’t have any in my town, ei- them any more money. ther. They didn’t have any in Afghani- form the spending. But guess what. That doesn’t happen. stan, but do you know what? They de- William Proxmire used to do his So people keep putting your money in cided they needed to reduce the carbon Golden Fleece Award, and I remember the closet and lighting it on fire. footprint of Afghanistan. They would this as a kid in the early seventies. You heard about FEMA, this emer- reduce the carbon footprint of Afghani- Here are a couple of things he pointed gency organization. You have heard stan. I thought the military’s job was out, and this is sort of some of his best. about people without food. So there to kill the enemy. So is the military’s The National Science Foundation were 350 million meals they needed, I job now to reduce their carbon foot- spent $84,000 trying to find out why believe, for Puerto Rico—350 million print? people fall in love. Now, there is some- meals. Do you know who got the con- So they bought a $45 million gas sta- thing that sounds like a really worth- tract? A person who had no employees. tion that served up natural gas, and while science project with a real spe- Now, raise your hand—you are not al- guess what they discovered. They kept cific answer. I think the conclusion lowed to, actually; but let’s say, raise waiting. There was a guy sitting next was, they are not exactly sure. your hand in a figurative way—if you to the pump. He was sitting on a stool, The National Science Foundation, think it is a good idea to give a con- and he was waiting for customers. No which you will see is a recurring theme tract for 350 million meals to someone one ever came. in bad and wasteful spending, also who has no employees and who is not Someone said: Oh, my goodness, they spent about $500,000 to try to determine already in this business. They just don’t have any cars that run on natural why rats, monkeys, and humans bite know how to fill out the forms in the gas. and why they clench their jaws. Well, Federal Government to trick us into That would probably be the same if now, you could say that is really im- giving them the contract. you came to my town in Kentucky. Al- portant. Maybe we will discover some- They were woefully short, and there most no one has a natural gas car in thing from that or you could say, when are still people waiting in line for America. They live in a primitive state we are running a deficit, and we are meals. It is not compassion or no com- in Afghanistan, and you are expecting borrowing the money, maybe some of passion. It is idiocy versus more idiocy. them to have natural gas cars? these things, it may not be the most We gave the money to someone who So they said: Well, gosh, we already worthwhile to borrow the money for doesn’t even do this—350 million meals. built this $45 million gas station, them. Over the past 40 years, 4 times have maybe we should buy them some cars. This is a good one. This is from the we actually done the right thing— So they bought them some cars with early seventies. The Federal Aviation passed 12 individual appropriations your money. They paid for the gas sta- Administration spent $57,000 studying bills, bundled them together, had a tion with your money, and now they the body measurements of what they budget, and done the right thing. There bought them some cars with your called in those days airline is no guarantee that everybody will be money, but then the people still stewardesses. These were trainees, and wise in their spending, but it has to be wouldn’t come in because they said: We it was for the purpose of purchasing better. It can’t be worse. don’t have any money. their safety equipment. Someone got What do we do instead? It is called a They said: OK. Well, we got the gas $50,000 to measure the body measure- continuing resolution. We glom all the station, and we have gotten you cars. ments of airline stewardesses.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.040 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S820 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 The Administrator of the Federal En- makes you happy. Whether you are on, and there is nobody on it, and it ergy Administration—this is still from smiling or you are frowning and you just cost a fortune. You could walk William Proxmire 50 years ago—spent look at yourself in the picture, does it from one end to the other in about the millions of dollars to find out if drunk make you happy? Now, inquiring minds same time it takes you to go on the fish are more aggressive than sober want to know. If you want to study subway or on this tramway. fish. I am not going to tell you the an- that, good for you. Go get somebody to You have to ask yourself, when you swer. I am going to let you ponder that voluntarily give you some money to see this government spending, would one. Do you think drunk fish are more study that. All right? I really would you give money to this? I ask this aggressive than sober fish? like to watch you going around the question often when I am home. I ask This is your government, this is your neighborhood knocking on doors ask- people: If you had $100 you were going money, and this is the debt you are ing for money to study whether selfies to give because you wanted to help peo- handing down to your kids and make you happy. ple, would you give it to the Salvation grandkids—and this was 50 years ago. This stuff has been going on for 40 Army or the Federal Government that So now we will get into some of the years. Why don’t we root this out and spends $1.6 million on a streetcar that things we have been doing more re- stop it? Well, one, they will come to goes from nowhere to nowhere and no cently. you all high and mighty, and they will one rides? We do a waste report where we point say: But, sir, it is science, and you are So I talked about whether we should out some of these things, and every just a layperson and don’t understand be spending the money somewhere else week we have a new one. I will say, if how important selfies could be, and or here. This is $250,000 that was spent you want to look at our waste report, you aren’t qualified to talk about on bringing 24 kids from Pakistan to we have that, I believe, on our selfies because you don’t know about Space Camp and to Dollywood. You can Facebook and on our website. happiness. We have experts in happi- say: Well, that is good relations. Now This is one of my favorites. Do you ness that can tell that we could make we are going to have good relations remember when Neil Armstrong landed the world happy again. We could all be with Pakistan. They are no longer on the Moon? He said: ‘‘[O]ne small happy if we had more selfies. So it goes going to kill Christians and put them step for man, one giant leap for man- on. They give us this scientific mumbo in jail or burn our flag—maybe. I am kind.’’ Some people think he said: ‘‘One jumbo that somehow we are not smart not against interaction. In fact, if this small step for a man, one giant leap. enough to have common sense enough were some kind of privately funded . . . ‘’ So there has been some very to know what we should be spending group that wanted to have some money heated discussion over whether he said money on, but this goes on decade after to have interaction between us and ‘‘one step for man’’ or ‘‘one step for a decade. Pakistan, I would probably be all for it. man’’—the preposition ‘‘a.’’ Did he or School lunch program. You might First, the pricetag is a little scary to did he not use the preposition ‘‘a’’? say: Well, we need to help those who me—$250,000 for 24 kids. I represent a So your government, in their infinite can’t buy a school lunch, so we have a lot of people in Kentucky who don’t wisdom, took $700,000, which, by the school lunch program, except for what have the money to drive down to way, was supposed to go to autism re- we discovered was $158 million of Fed- Huntsville and go to Space Camp with search, and they decided to study Neil eral money was given to the Los Ange- their kids, so really should we not sort Armstrong’s statement. So somebody les School District, and it turns out of readjust our priorities and start at some university decided to play the they were buying things other than thinking, do we need to take care of tape over and over to see what he said, lunches because nobody was watching ours at home here before we start ship- and $700,000 later, they couldn’t decide. them. Nobody was auditing the pro- ping our money overseas or do we real- You know, inquiring minds want to gram. Nobody was doing the individual ly need to think about can we afford to know, but we still don’t know. Did he appropriations bills. They were pass- just keep borrowing money for projects say ‘‘a man’’ or did he say ‘‘man’’? ing—clasp hands together—continuing like this? This is the same kind of stuff you resolutions, where nobody looks at it: This is the Department of Defense, were seeing with William Proxmire 50 700 pages and nobody reads it. When and this I think we referred to earlier. years ago, but this is last year. I think nobody reads it, they buy sprinklers This was $29 million worth of heavy it is the same group—the National and buy things for themselves like new equipment that they lost—can’t find it Science Foundation. I think I am prob- televisions for the faculty to watch. It in Afghanistan. It is even worse than ably going to get some hate mail from is $158 million that was not spent on that. See, they lost that, but we also them. school lunches but was wasted and made the decision, as we were down- This is $850,000, and we call this one spent on other items. grading the war in Afghanistan after the Game of Waste. You think, when Everybody has heard about climate the last surge we did in Afghanistan, we are spending money in Afghanistan, change. There are some undertones and that we didn’t want the other side to well, surely it is to kill the enemy. overtones of politics in climate change. have our stuff so we blew up a lot of Sometimes it is building bridges, and In case you haven’t heard of climate our own stuff. We blew up billions of sometimes it is building roads—stuff change, the people who want you to dollars’ worth of humvees, tanks, you we don’t do in our country anymore. hear about climate change want to name it. When they were looking and This one was $850,000 for the develop- spend some of your money to make counting it up, they found $29 million ment of a televised cricket league. sure you are listening to them about worth that they couldn’t find. If you Since self-esteem is important, we climate change, so they spent $450,000 really think about it, and you are want the Afghanis to feel good about on a video game. This is also the Na- thinking, how could we have more themselves, and we want them to be tional Science Foundation. So a whole money for both our national defense, able to watch the national sport on TV. new generation will be able to play this and how could we have more money for So we spent $850,000 to get it televised, video game on climate change, com- infrastructure—you hear people talk but the only thing we didn’t reckon is, plete with great graphics. We have this about infrastructure. People want to it was kind of like the natural gas game that your kids can play on cli- build roads. Republicans and Demo- car—they didn’t have TVs. I don’t mate change. It is just one thing after crats want to build roads, but guess know if we are in the process now of another. what. There is no money. We are a tril- buying them TVs, but we did spend All right. You may have been on this lion dollars short this year because we $850,000 of your money to get a tele- one if you are in Washington. This one passed these—clasp hands—spend what- vised cricket league for those people in we call a Streetcar Named Waste. ever the hell you can find, whatever is Afghanistan. There is a streetcar over here a few not tied down, spend it and give it This is a good one. Everybody likes blocks on H Street, and they spent $1.6 away. Both sides spend it like there is to take a selfie, right? If you don’t do million on it. I think they had already no tomorrow. them, your kids will do them, your spent more on it before that, but they If you ask: How could we change our grandkids will do them. This was a spent an additional—it goes a mile. It government? Where would there be study of $500,000 to see if taking selfies goes from nowhere to nowhere. You get some money that we could actually

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.042 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S821 save? Well, really, some of it is in our We have been involved in the Syrian that. We recently signed a deal to give foreign policy. We do not have enough civil war for a long time, and we aided Saudi Arabia $350 billion worth of mili- probably for our military to be in- a group of people who many up here tary equipment. Currently, Saudi Ara- volved in seven wars. We might have call the moderate Syrian rebels. Well, bia is using that equipment to encircle enough to be involved in maybe three it turns out the moderate Syrian rebels and blockade Yemen, the country next or two or one or maybe we should not were jihadists often. They hated Israel. to them. Yemen is a very poor country. be involved in any of the ones we are The only people they hated about as They import about 80 percent of their involved in at this point. much as Israel was us. We gave anti- food. This is one of the poorest coun- The thing is, we said after 9/11 that tank weapons to one group, and the tries on the planet, and currently 17 we are going to go after those who at- leader of the group, within a week of million people live on the edge of star- tacked us, those who aided the getting our anti-tank weapons, said— vation. But people convinced them- attackers and those who abetted them we wanted them to fight ISIS—they selves that, well, there are some Shia or supported them. They are all dead. said: The hell with ISIS. We want to who are supported by Iran, and we We killed them all. That is good. We attack Assad. When we are done with don’t want Iran there, so we have to should declare victory and come home Assad, we want to attack Israel and get support the Sunnis. from Afghanistan. the Golan Heights back. Does anyone remember who attacked Right now, we are over there nation- These are the people we gave weap- us on 9/11? It wasn’t the Shia; it was building. Why do we have trouble with ons to. We poured hundreds of tons of the Sunnis. Most of the radical nation-building? I will give you a story weapons in there. There are a lot of jihadists, the ones who have been try- from a Navy SEAL I met a couple of weapons running through Qatar, run- ing to get into our country—in fact, I years ago. He had been in 19 years. He ning through the United Arab Emir- don’t know of any Shia terrorists who was a tough guy, like they all are, and ates, running through Saudi Arabia— have been here, to tell you the truth. he said: Do you know what? We can go we just poured it in there. A lot of We have had plenty of Sunni terrorists. anywhere. We can kill any of our en- them wound up in the wrong hands. We All 16 of the hijackers were from Saudi emies. We can do whatever you ask us kept supporting these moderate fight- Arabia. We just released documents to do, but, he said, the mistake is when ers who didn’t fight. We spent $250 mil- last year, the missing pages of the the politicians tell us to plant the flag lion training 10 of them. We trained 10 Saudi Arabia investigation with the 9/ and create a country. We are just not fighters for $250 million. We sent them 11 Commission, which show there is a very good at it. into battle, and they were captured in possibility they were complicit in Most of our military don’t want to be the first 30 minutes. those things. They are not exactly a policemen. They don’t want to create Guess what happened recently. I will free country. They are a monarchy countries. They would just as soon kill give President Trump some credit for that could actually have power to con- the enemy and come back home to this. They decided to ally with whoever sume and concentrate, in one person’s their family, but we kill the enemy, was fighting the best over there. It hands, more and more. and then we stay and we stay and we turned out the Kurds were, both the We have to decide what wars we need stay, and we build them schools, we Syrian Kurds and the Kurds who live in to be involved in. Our Founders were build them roads. There are some Iraq, and they did fight. Now the ques- very clear about this. Our Founders schools that have been built four or tion is—Turkey is unhappy with that, didn’t like war, by the way. Our Found- five times and blown up four or five so we will throw the Kurds under the ers had seen virtually perpetual war in times by the Taliban. It is terrible that bus in favor of Turkey, which has a Europe. Everybody was always fighting the Taliban doesn’t want girls to go to leader who has no use for us at this somebody, and it went on even after school. It is terrible that the Taliban point either. It is very confusing who founding our country—cousins fighting would do this, but don’t the people who the enemy is and who our friends are. cousins, fathers fighting brothers, live there have some responsibility, It is also very expensive. We have to brothers fighting brothers; everybody after we have given them a trillion dol- defend ourselves, and we may occasion- was related. All the royal families of lars, to do something for themselves? ally have to attack the enemy over- Europe were related and always fight- Will people do something for them- seas. ing with each other. They didn’t do the selves if you keep doing it for them? So The thing is, if we go and stay for fighting. They sent the common man really there has to come a time when decade after decade—in Iraq, we didn’t to do the fighting. we come home. We spend $50 billion a stay long enough. How long is long So when we got to our country, we year in Afghanistan. Our mission is enough? Is it 100 years, 200 years—for- said: We have these oceans; enough of over, and we should come home. ever? They don’t see us as we said they that. We want less war. One of the It is $50 billion a year that could be were going to treat us—as liberators. things they included in the Constitu- spent on infrastructure, if you wanted They see us as occupiers. tion was a very specific provision that to do that, or in maybe not having a Afghanistan has hated every country said: When we go to war, we have to de- trillion-dollar debt next year or deficit that has come in there. They didn’t clare war. It has to be passed by Con- next year. like the Russians occupying them. gress. We are in a bunch of different places They didn’t like the British occupying There was a debate over whether that though. When the soldiers were killed them. They don’t like us there. power should be in Congress or should in Niger not too long ago, a country in There was a movie not too long ago be in the hands of the President. Madi- Africa, many people didn’t even know with a depiction in a scene where they son said that the executive, the Presi- where the country was, much less that were in a village and freed the village. dent, is the branch most prone to war; we had 800 troops there. You say: Well, The general was telling them: You are therefore, with steady care, we gave it is only 800; it is not that many. Well, free. You are free. The elders of the vil- that power to the legislature. War is the problem is, 800 sometimes becomes lage gathered and said: Will you leave supposed to be determined by us—ulti- 8,000, and it sometimes then becomes now? mately, by us as representatives of 80,000 because when we get in the mid- They realized that wasn’t the end. you. dle of a civil war and some of our guys Eventually, the Americans would It doesn’t happen that way. It hasn’t get killed, we are like, well, gosh, we leave, and when they left, the Taliban happened that way in a long time. Why have to do more, not less. Nobody would come back. are we at war in seven different places? wants to come home after people have We have to rethink: Are we going to We don’t vote on it. We haven’t voted been killed. They want to go in and be at war forever? Can we afford it? on anything, really, since the procla- punish the enemy. I don’t know who Maybe we have to think about mation of the Iraq war, which I think the good people are in Niger or who the whether or not we should do nation was a mistake, but we at least voted on bad people are and what they are fight- building here at home and not always it in 2002. ing about. So I think sometimes it is abroad. We have to think about the un- We voted in 2001 to go into Afghani- very unclear who the good guys and intended consequences of what we do as stan for those who attacked us. We bad guys are. well. I will give you an example of haven’t voted on anything since. They

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.043 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S822 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 said that the 2001 proclamation gives the vote—although maybe they don’t 100 percent of your paycheck or give up us the power to go anywhere. Most peo- want to vote on it anymore; they want 10 percent of your paycheck? ple fighting weren’t even born and have it just to happen. We should always be about mini- nothing to do with 9/11 or Afghanistan. They say: Well, you voted for the mizing government. Taxes really are Yet we are in a perpetual war, and we spending. I personally think the more about how much of your liberty you haven’t voted on it. obstacles we have in place to spending get to keep—how much of your liberty Once again, it is the process that is money we don’t have, the better we to continue spending your own money. broken, like the budget. We have ex- would be. The other side of the ledger is spend- traordinary waste, and your money The debt ceiling will go up in an un- ing. Are we going to have some govern- gets burned and put in a closet and specified amount that will be a credit ment spending? Yes. The Constitution thrown down a waste hole. We don’t do card that has no limits, issued to the laid out very specific requirements for the right process of following your United States. This is a problem. Ev- what was allowed. Article I, section 8 money. erything about this process stinks, to says what Congress can do. They are War is somewhat the same way. We tell you the truth. very few and limited. Yet what hap- get involved in war in too many places The media doesn’t get it. The media pened over time is that we began doing because we don’t have a vigorous de- does you such a disservice. They can’t a lot of things that aren’t there. bate. understand what is going on some- What they said in the Bill of Rights When we go to war, I tell people that times. They say: Bipartisanship has was pretty important, though, in the should be the most important decision broken out. Hallelujah. Republicans Ninth and Tenth Amendment. The we ever make—the most important de- and Democrats are getting along. Ninth Amendment says that those cision a legislator ever makes. It In reality, they should be telling you: rights not listed are still yours and not should be a profound, moral, and per- Look for your wallet. Check your pants to be disparaged. So the Bill of Rights sonal decision, as if your kids were to make sure they haven’t taken your was not a complete listing of your going or as if you were going. It should wallet. rights. You have many other rights— be a heartfelt debate, and everybody When both parties are happy and such as the right to privacy and the should speak out, and we should try to both parties are getting together and right to property—that aren’t exactly figure out whether it is right to go to doing stuff, guess what. They are usu- spelled out in the first eight amend- war. ally looting the Treasury. That is what ments. Interestingly, when we have been at- this bill does. It is going to loot the The Tenth Amendment said some- tacked, we have been nearly unani- Treasury. It spends money we don’t thing important too. It said that if the mous. When we were attacked at Pearl have. We will have a trillion-dollar def- Constitution didn’t explicitly give that Harbor, they voted. One person opposed icit this year. power to the Federal Government, it is it, and everybody else voted for it. What I would say to my Republican left to the States and people respec- When we were attacked on 9/11, it was colleagues—you don’t see them here; I tively. This is the other reason for our the same thing. I would have voted for am not sure where they are. What I debt. There are checks and balances that response. We should have re- would say to my Republican colleagues within the process. We are supposed to sponded. That was the right thing. We is: I know every one of you. I have seen do appropriations bills and all of that. voted and did the right thing. your speeches. I saw every one of you That might or might not work. It can’t Since then, we are now at war every- go after President Obama. Was that all be any worse than what we are doing where, in countries most of us haven’t empty partisanship? Do you not really now. heard of, fighting on one side or the believe it? I promise you, every one of The real check and balance is the other, and we don’t even know what we them went home—and probably will go Constitution. The Constitution has are fighting for. It costs an extraor- home next week and say how they are these limits on how big government dinary amount of money, but we are fiscally conservative and against the can get and what government can do. If not voting on it. Maybe if we did the debt, and almost all will vote for this we obeyed the Constitution, we would right thing—maybe if we passed the ap- new debt. Almost all will vote for a have a balanced budget every year. If propriations bills, maybe if we voted on trillion-dollar debt in 1 year, and every we had a balanced budget every year, war—we wouldn’t be in so many places. Republican, at least, was against Presi- would there still be things the govern- They are all interconnected because dent Obama’s debt. ment does? Sure. they are intersected to the shortness At least the Democrats are honest. We have to assess as a people and we we have in money. They are not too concerned about the have to decide—and really, this is the The last thing I will get to is some- debt. They are sometimes concerned ultimate decision the American people thing called the debt ceiling. The debt about the debt when it comes to taxes have to make. Are you going to cheer ceiling is something that has been a because they don’t want people to keep for the Republicans and Democrats limitation on how much we spend, and more of their own money. They are holding hands and having a trillion- we have to vote on it. It is an unpleas- afraid somehow of the imbalance of dollar deficit or are you going to say to ant vote. They try to do it for a long that. yourself: I am suspicious that the Re- period of time or try to stretch it be- The thing is, we do have to watch the publicans and Democrats are clasping yond elections. So this 700-page bill, balance of money—how much comes in hands and giving us a trillion-dollar which no one read, which will continue and goes out. Some have said: How can deficit. Is it a good thing? Are we so ex- all spending and will not reform your you be a deficit hawk if you voted for cited about civility that we don’t care government and is irresponsible, and the tax cut? One, because I think you what the result of civility is? Or are we which we will pass later tonight—that own your labor. You own the fruits of really sort of misguided in thinking 700-page bill also allows the debt ceil- your labor. You own all of it. You give that people aren’t yelling at each other ing to go up. Historically, we would let up some of your labor to live in a civ- and they have bridged their differences, the debt ceiling—our borrowing limit— ilized world. My question to you is—ev- but the compromise means we are all go up a dollar amount. We would say: erything you make, everything you going to spend more money, we are We have to borrow money, and it looks own, everything that comes from the going to ignore the Constitution, the as if we will need a trillion dollars. Do sweat of your brow and work of your waste is going to continue, and nothing you know how they do it now? Like ev- hands is yours. If you give up some, will be fixed. Are we so sold on civility erything else, we break the rules, and you are giving up your liberty. You that we are willing to give up on it and somehow there is a little bit of devi- give up a little bit of your liberty, you say: Well, at least we are getting along ousness to it. The debt ceiling will go give up a little bit of your wages to live together. As long as we are getting up in an unspecified amount. As much in a civilized world, to have law and along, that is all we want. as you can borrow between now and order and have some government. I am I think we are smarter than that. I November, go for it. So there is no lim- OK with that. think the American people are more itation; the debt ceiling becomes not a I ask you: Do you want to give up perceptive. I think, in the end, the limitation at all. They are still taking more or less? Do you want to give up American people will see through this.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.044 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S823 I think they are going to see it as the government shouldn’t be the one steal- because it is somebody else’s, but some future unfolds and as the stock market ing it from your neighbor and giving it of it is because it is a material thing continues to be jittery. I think they to you. you want instead of sort of the freedom are going to see it as we move forward Besides, we look at the ramifications to search and seek out, through work and the ramifications of having so of a society where we do think that we and through life and through art and much debt come home. are going to take from one and give it through literature, your own bit of There could be higher interest rates. to another, and we are going to do it self-esteem. Those affect not only you personally through this government transfer pro- I think that if we knew what govern- but also the massive government pro- gram, and we look at that and ask: Is ment was about and we recognized the grams we have—Social Security and that good for a person? true function of government, we Medicare. The borrowing we do for our A good friend of mine talks a lot wouldn’t be in this state. I can tell you interest is one of the larger items. I about self-esteem, and I like the way that I am very, very saddened by where think it is the third largest item we he puts it. He says that self-esteem we are. I am saddened mostly by the spend right now. As interest payments cannot be given to you. People say: debate on my side. I have disagree- grow, they crowd out other things. Well, we need to have—everybody gets ments with the other side, but I know Right now, we are still paying govern- a trophy, everybody gets first place, where they are as far as these issues ment interest in the low 2 percent or a and whether or not Johnny can read, are concerned. I am saddened that on little bit more. Imagine what happens we need to pat him on the back and my side, many people who give lip- when it is 5 percent. Even if interest make sure he feels good about whether service to believing and saying they stays at 2 percent, because government he can read or not read. In reality, the are fiscal conservatives will vote for a is growing and we have a bigger debt, only self-esteem you can get is from bill that adds $1 trillion to the debt. I we will have an $800 billion interest achievement. think that if we were really honest payment. It will be the No. 1 one item. Some people say: Oh, that is easy to with ourselves, we would say no. It will crowd out everything else. say if you have achieved or done some- They say: The government will shut There are ramifications. There are thing. But you can have achievement down. at anything. It is a little bit akin to people who say that when you are at a I don’t want the government to shut this talk we have had about the merits 100 percent of your GDP—when your down. I think it is a dumb idea. In fact, of immigration. There is merit to hard whole economy equals your debt, you I proposed legislation called the Gov- work, like picking tomatoes. There is are at the precipice, at the point where ernment Shutdown Protection Act. merit to being a doctor, a lawyer, or a you may reach a point of no return. What my legislation would do is this: There are ways we can fix this. Later professor. There is merit to so many You have a year to do your appropria- this year, I will offer a budget that jobs, and that is also where your self- tions bills. There are 12 different units freezes spending. You say: Well, how esteem comes from. of government, and that is your job. bad could that be? We will give govern- One of the things we are doing in our How do we make these people do their ment the same amount they had last country is we are destroying the self- job if they won’t do their job? What we year. If we freeze all spending—I mean esteem and motivation of the country. say is that over this 12-month period, if everything we spend money on—we What goes along with that? When we you don’t do your job, government will would balance the budget within about have destroyed your self-esteem, you continue spending, but government 5 or 6 years, and we would get things no longer leave your house, weight will continue spending 1 percent less. back in balance if we did it. problems, drug problems, and all of the So government would go on spending 99 If you talked to people up here, they things that ensue from that. People percent of what they spent the last would freak out. I promise you, we will say: Oh, you are simplifying addiction; year, but every 90 days, we would take get 10 or 15 votes for freezing spending it doesn’t all come from Big Govern- 1 more percent from government until to try to get it back in order. ment. Maybe. Maybe not. But I think the people in government decide to do This is what we have to ask as Amer- there is a correlation to not working their job. ican people: Are you happy with your and the disease that comes from non- government? Are you happy with a work. I see some Members of the House did trillion-dollar deficit? Are you happy You say: You are heartless. You are their job last year; they passed all 12 with people who just don’t seem to just saying that everybody should appropriations bills. Yet the Senate I care? Somehow they care more about work, and there are not jobs. There is think finally, in the end, passed one, 4 this clasping of hands and everybody virtually full employment now. We or 5 months into the fiscal year. getting everything, and then they get have less than 4 percent unemploy- So I think if we look at it that way to go home for the weekend. ment. Yet, the way we measure it, we and say ‘‘How can we convince Con- I think the ramifications for our still have communities that have 30 gress to do its job?’’ that is part of the country are severe and significant. percent nonworkers because they are answer: passing the individual appro- What I would ask my colleagues, as no longer counted. This is where a lot priations bills but also evaluating well as those across the country, is ba- of the problem exists in our society. A them for waste and being concerned sically this: What do you want from lot of the drug problem is coming from with waste. government? Do you want some phys- nonworkers. Probably equally important is under- ical item? Is government here so some- So I think we have to reflect on what standing that the function of govern- one can get you something and give we want from government. Do you ment, the powers of government are you some physical item, such as a cell want something material from govern- few, defined, and limited. That was a phone or a car? Is that what govern- ment? Do you want government to give big thing that Madison talked about. ment is for, or is government here to you something that your neighbor has When you read the Federalist Papers, preserve your liberty? that you don’t have, or do you want he is talking about how there are very Most of us—or I would say some of government to protect your God-given specific functions of government. Gov- us—believe that your rights are from liberty? ernment wasn’t supposed to do every- God, that they preexist government, I think that if we realize that the ab- thing. There is nothing in the Con- and that government’s job is not to get straction of liberty is something amaz- stitution about education. You say: Oh you stuff; government’s job is not to ing and incredible and that is what our my God, he would get the Federal Gov- get somebody else’s stuff for you; gov- government is about, maybe we would ernment out of the education system? ernment’s job is to preserve your lib- bicker less and we would become more Absolutely. Get them completely out. erty, to preserve our natural, God- unified as a people, knowing that what The Constitution said nothing about given rights. In doing that, through you are trying to get is not some- them being in it, and we don’t have the your liberty or through your hard thing—they talk about whether cov- money for it, and the State govern- work, you may acquire stuff, and the eting something is a bad thing. When ments are better at it. I am not saying government helps to prevent your you covet or you really want some- the State government can’t be in- neighbor from stealing it, but your thing of somebody else’s, some of it is volved, but the Federal Government

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.045 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S824 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 shouldn’t be involved at all in edu- We haven’t limited their budget. Their suasive that all of my colleagues came cation. As a consequence of govern- budget is probably tenfold bigger than in here and got a conscience and voted ment, it gets bigger and bigger. it was in 1968, and we are still doing the down the spending and said: Hooey We take on new functions of govern- crazy stuff. with all of you; we are not going to ment that really were never spelled out Actually, let’s do the one I can’t re- spend all that money. The government in the Constitution. The Department of sist. Here is a good one from the same would shut down over the weekend. We Commerce—it could be gone, and you group of people who brought you Neil would come back on Monday and do would never know it, probably. It could Armstrong and $700,000 to study. What our job. We would start looking at each be gone and we would save $35 million. did he say? One small step for man, one thing individually, and we would say And most of its functions are not in large step for mankind. These people— that these are things we shouldn’t the Constitution. they one-up even Neil Armstrong. They spend it on and these are things we We have to have some of that debate wanted to know whether Japanese should, and we would begin that proc- over what is the proper role, what is quail are more sexually promiscuous ess. the constitutional role. How will we on cocaine. Inquiring minds want to The other thing is, if you pass one have that debate if we are not allowed know. appropriations bill, then you don’t to amend the bill? If we are given a 700- The thing is, I think we—I wish that have to worry about that part. That is page bill the night before, nobody reads there were a button and that we could more than one-twelfth of government; it, and they say it is done, it is a bi- ask people to just sort of dial in and it is probably about a third of the gov- nary choice—their favorite word—bi- push a button. Do you think Japanese ernment. You passed that, so then you nary choice, take it or leave it. I am quail are more promiscuous on co- don’t have to worry about shutting leaving it. I could not go home and caine? We spent $356,000 studying this. down. Each time you pass an appro- look my wife in the face; I could not go This is the craziness. priations bill, you move on to another. home and look my friends in the face; Why do we do this every year? Why We have to do that. I think the thing that is dis- I could not go home and look in the isn’t it getting better? We don’t look at appointing to probably everybody in faces of anybody who voted for me and it. So if you have a 700-page bill and here, Republican and Democrat—they say: Oh yeah, you know, President nobody ever looks at it, how are we will tell you: Oh, it is a terrible way to Obama, he was terrible. He had tril- going to find this? Even in an appro- run the government. Yet we are doing lion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can priations bill—if we did an appropria- it. We did it a week ago, we did it 3 see. But the Republican deficits are not tions bill that included this, it would weeks ago, and we did it a month ago. quite as bad because they are just $1 still be 500 pages long and you would This is the fourth time we have done it have to hunt long and hard to find this. trillion. this year. Since I have been here, we That is what we are doing here. The Why do we have conditions on how you have never passed all of the appropria- Republican side is telling America that spend your money? Because we don’t tions bills. We have never had extended trillion-dollar deficits are bad when look at it. Nobody reads any of these debate in committees. they are Democrats, but they are OK bills. We don’t do individual bills. I was thinking about this the other when they are Republicans. So they are People come to my office and say: I day. I was thinking, what if the first telling you that deficits are bad when am for legal aid, and I think people day you got sworn in, the leadership the other guys do it but not so bad should be able to have a lawyer, and sat in the chair, and all 100 people were when we do it. This is the height of hy- poor people should get help. I listen to required to be here or requested strong- pocrisy. them, and I say: Well, you know, I have ly to be here, and we had a frank dis- This is sort of maybe the never voted on that, and I probably cussion, and we said to both sides: This uncomfortableness that this debate en- won’t ever vote on that. I won’t even is the year we are not doing any con- genders. If having this debate is un- vote on the department of government tinuing resolutions. Guess what—it comfortable, this is maybe why we that oversees legal aid because I am will just shut down if we don’t, but we don’t have amendments. It is sort of given a 700-page bill that has all of the are going to do our job. In the first 3 backfiring because I am going to talk government spending. months of the fiscal year, we are going about this for quite a while, and we are What is ironic about this is that we to have hearings, and the main job will going to vote at three in the morning have dozens and dozens of people who be to authorize and appropriate the because they wouldn’t let me have a come to our office every day saying: money—3 months for each committee. vote during the day, and I probably We like this part of government. I say: That is a pretty long time, actually. won’t get a vote. I think it is mis- Well, I never get to vote on it, so I Then maybe spend a whole week or 2 guided. We should have had 20 votes. don’t know if I can help you or hurt weeks in the committee with amend- There are votes Democrats wanted that you because I never get to vote on that ments for specific things like, we have I probably would disagree with, that I part of government. They make me decided this year not to study what co- would have voted no on, but I would vote on all of government, so it is ei- caine does for Japanese quail, so this have voted to let them have amend- ther all or none. The binary choice is would be the year we finally stop doing ments. shut it down or keep it open, but don’t that. You would have that debate, 3 This is a big deal. This is our spend- reform it. I think that is a terrible months on committees, and 9 months ing. This is what the Congress is sup- choice. left to do the spending bills. posed to do, assess our spending and I did a hearing this week and I called Then, if you were sitting in the chair, how much we spend. Yet we are not it ‘‘The Terrible, Rotten, No-Good Way you would say: This is the way we are going to have amendments to it. It is to Run Your Government.’’ That is going to do it. And each appropriations predecided by some secret cabal of what I believe. It is a terrible, rotten, bill—we are going to take 3 weeks on leadership from both sides who have no-good way to run your government, the floor to do it—3 weeks. We are not now clasped hands to say: We have and we shouldn’t do it. going to putter around, obfuscate, and won. The country has won. We now I will tell you this. This is a secret. not have any amendments. have a $1 trillion deficit this year. So don’t tell anyone. I have talked to One reason we are going to send this The American people are losing by probably 50 Senators in the last 3 over to the House at midnight is that this, so I think we have to figure out a weeks, and most of them say: I kind of we are hoping they are too tired to better way. We have to figure out a agree with you. It is a really crummy vote no. So we are going to send it over way where we do our job, which is that way. This is the last time I am voting late tonight or at 3 in the morning, but for each of the individual appropria- for it. it is purposefully done. We don’t do tions bills, we look at them and we Didn’t you tell me that last year and amendments. We don’t do anything in scrutinize waste. the year before, that this is your last a timely fashion. We wait around until I showed you some of the William CR, that you were never going to vote the very end, and at the very end, we Proxmire Golden Fleece Awards from for another one? are trying to wear people out so there 1968, and the same agency that has Do you know what would happen? isn’t sufficient energy to really scruti- been wasting that money is still here. Let’s say that this speech was so per- nize your government and its spending.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.046 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S825 We have had all week; we could have ready doing, that the private sector thought it would happen. There was a done all this. can do, because government will never penalty clause in the Budget Control But let’s say we did committee hear- be as efficient because nobody spends Act to make sure that the supercom- ings for 3 months, and then for 9 somebody else’s money as wisely as mittee would act responsibly. Guess months—the rest of the fiscal year—we they spend their own. This actually what. They didn’t. There is no use did the appropriations bills, and then goes hand in hand with what the blaming them over everybody else. The we spent 3 weeks on the floor and let Founders thought. The Founders bottom line is, we couldn’t reach a people bring amendments. My first thought people ought to be left free to budget agreement. We spent $47 trillion amendment would be that the National do most things themselves, so they over the next 10 years, which is how Science Foundation would no longer be very significantly limited what the much we will spend. We couldn’t save able to do most of the stuff they do. Federal Government is supposed to do. $1.2 trillion, so sequestration kicked in. The only way you do this is by giving So as we move forward in this debate What has it done to our military? them less money—maybe half as much; and as we look at what can be done to This is what General Mattis, the Sec- I don’t know, 25 percent of what they bring back the greatness of this coun- retary of Defense, said: get—a lot less, because they are spend- try, I think we do have to be worried Let me be clear: As hard as the last 16 ing a lot of it on things they shouldn’t about the debt we are accumulating. years of war have been on our military, no enemy in the field has done as much harm to be doing. My hope is that both sides of the aisle the readiness of U.S. military than the com- This goes on throughout government. will look long and hard and say that bined impact of the Budget Control Act’s de- We have the same debate all the time. this isn’t the way we should run our fense spending caps, worsened by operating We had this debate with the post office. government—not just say this and say for 10 of the last 11 years under continuing They are losing $1 billion a quarter. ‘‘next time’’ but maybe say ‘‘this resolutions of varied and unpredictable dura- That is quite a bit of money. They time.’’ tion. came before our committee and said we I promise you, both sides of the aisle This is the Secretary of Defense tell- need to pay them sufficiently. You have told me this week: It is a terrible ing the Congress that no enemy on the can’t have good-quality people unless way to run government; you are ex- battlefield has done more damage to you pay them. They pay the top guy actly right. Continuing resolutions, our military than the budget agree- like $1 million, $1.5 million to keep tal- putting all the spending in one bill, not ment that we reached in 2011. ent? How much talent does it take to reading it, having no analysis, and not I want to congratulate President lose $1 billion a quarter? I can lose half getting rid of the waste, is a terrible Trump for keeping his campaign prom- a billion for $500,000 a year. So it is the way to run the government. But al- ise to rebuild the military. In case you couldn’t understand what ridiculous notion of government. most everybody who told me that this I said, here it is in writing. Spend some Sometimes I wonder, are people in week is going to vote for this. time looking at it. This is one of the government—is government inherently So the only way this ever gets fixed most respected warriors of his genera- stupid or populated by people who are is to call these people and convince tion, who is now Secretary of Defense, inherently stupid? I don’t think so. I them they need to do their job, which telling the Congress to end the mad- think there are well-meaning people in is do the individual appropriations ness. Tonight we are going to end the government, so they are not inherently bills. They need to pay attention to the madness. If we have to lose some sleep, stupid, but they don’t give the right or Constitution, or, frankly, you need new we are going to end the madness. proper incentives. people. That is what the American peo- We are going to spend $160 billion Think about it in your life. If I were ple have to decide: Do you need new over the next 2 years rebuilding a mili- to ask you for $10,000 each and say ‘‘I people, or are you happy with them tary that has been in decline since 2011. have this business proposition; will you borrowing $1 trillion? How bad is it? It is terrible. If you give me $10,000?’’ you are going to I think it is completely and utterly don’t believe me, just listen to what think long and hard about what you irresponsible and something no Amer- our commanders say. About 60 percent had to do to get the $10,000. And if you ican family would do. I don’t care of the F–18s in the Navy aren’t able to give it to me, you are probably going whether you are a Democrat, a Repub- fly. We have lost more people in train- to have a little pang inside, hoping lican, or an Independent, no American ing accidents than we have lost on the that I pay dividends to you and that family lives the way your government battlefield. If you ask every military you get your money back. But it is does. It is completely and utterly irre- commander, they will tell you that se- really a heartfelt decision. It doesn’t sponsible. questration has done a lot of damage make it always the right decision, but As we look at this debate, my hope is when it comes to our military readi- it is a heartfelt decision, and you real- that both sides will come together and ness. This $160 billion infusion of cash ly struggle with every fiber of your say: Enough is enough. This is the is much needed. being to make sure you made the right time—tonight—I say no. When you talk about deficits, here is choice, even though it is not always Thank you, Mr. President. what I can tell you. We are spending, going to be right. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- GDP-wise, at the lowest level on de- In government, imagine your city ator from South Carolina. fense really since World War II, when council person, $10,000—it is not their Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, please you look at GDP spending on defense. money. Then imagine that you go to inform me when 10 minutes has ex- It has been above 4, close to 5 percent the State legislature, and it is not pired. of GDP; we are in the 3.5-percent range. $10,000, it is $2 million. Then imagine I rise tonight to let the military When I hear Senator PAUL say we have you get up here, and it is now $2 billion know that we may have a short night doubled the defense budget, compared or maybe $200 billion. It is not their in the Senate, but you are going have to GDP spending on defense, we are at money. better days ahead. This whole exercise, the low end. So when we look at government and for me, is about you. It is about those What has happened since 2011? This is ask why government is so bad, Milton who have been fighting this war for the the way the world has turned out since Friedman hit the nail on the head. Mil- last 17 years. It is about stopping the we passed sequestration through the ton Friedman said: ‘‘Nobody spends madness created by the Congress in Budget Control Act. The Syrian civil somebody else’s money as wisely as he 2011. war came about, the collapse of Libya, spends his own.’’ That is the truth of What we did in 2011 was we came up the rise of ISIL, the invasion of the it, and that is the way government is. with a budget proposal called seques- Ukraine, and the annexation of Crimea Government will never be efficient be- tration. If we could not find a bipar- by Russia. China is building islands cause of the very nature of govern- tisan path forward to cut $1.2 trillion over land claimed by others. Yemen is ment. It is not an argument for no gov- in the Federal budget over a decade, we falling apart. North Korea is pressing ernment, but it is an argument for would punish the military by taking toward the capability to hit the home- minimizing how big government is. $600 billion out of the military and $600 land with a nuclear-tip missile. We Government should never be involved billion out of nondefense spending and have had cyber attacks come from in something that somebody else is al- leave entitlements alone. Nobody North Korea.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.047 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S826 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 The bottom line is, since 2011, all hell Navy, not 278. We have the smallest will take up their problems, their has broken loose, and we have been Navy since 1915, the smallest Army plight. The one thing I can tell you standing around here looking at each since 1940—that is where we are headed today is, in the next 24 hours, we are other instead of listening to our com- under sequestration. This turns it going to end the nightmare for the manders. President Trump has lis- around. military. Next week, we will take up tened. President Trump is behind this President Trump, thank you for solutions to help the Dream Act popu- budget agreement—2 years of funding keeping your promise to rebuild our lation and secure our borders. We can to rebuild the military at a time they military. do two things at once. need every dollar they can get. To Senator SCHUMER and Senator If you want to get the country out of As to the deficits, yes, they bother MCCONNELL, thank you for working to- debt, count me in. If you want to tell me, but here is what I can tell the pub- gether in getting us on track to rebuild younger people they have to work lic without any hesitation: You can the military and help some accounts longer and cannot retire at 65 because eliminate the Department of Defense, that need help outside the military. we live so much longer, count me in. If and you are not going to change the To the Members of the body, there you want people at my income level to debt situation long term for the coun- are a million reasons to vote no on any take less from Social Security because try. Two-thirds of the debt is driven by bill. While I respect how you vote, I I can afford to give some up, count me mandatory spending in interest on the don’t know how you go to the military in. If you want people in my income debt itself. Medicare, Medicaid, and So- and explain your vote if you vote no. level to pay more into Medicare be- cial Security are entitlement programs How do you tell those in uniform, who cause we should, count me in. that are growing in a tremendous fash- are getting by under incredibly dif- The one thing for which you cannot ion because the baby boomers are retir- ficult conditions because they don’t count on me is to use the military as a ing en masse. We have fewer workers, have the money to train and be ready— punching bag and blame it on them and all these trust funds are failing. they are in a hot war. What do you tell that we are in debt. We are not in debt That is what drives the debt, not mili- them—well, I voted no because this and because of them. What General Mattis tary spending. One-third of the Federal that? said is we can always afford freedom, budget is discretionary spending. Out The deficit and debt are a problem. and we can afford survival. of that one-third comes the military, Senator PAUL, to his great credit, is If you don’t believe the people we are and it is about 50 percent of the one- willing to reform entitlements. I have fighting would kill us all if they could, third. worked with him and Senator LEE to then you have a short memory. The All I can say is that I want to ap- reform Medicare and do something only reason 3,000 died on 9/11 and not 3 plaud Senator MCCONNELL and Senator about Social Security to keep these million is they couldn’t get the weap- SCHUMER for reaching an agreement. programs from going broke. I will com- ons with which to kill more of us. If The nondefense spending is about $160- pliment Senator PAUL. He is a man of North Korea keeps going the way it is something billion. What does that great political courage when it comes going, God help us all. If the Iranians mean? That helps the FBI. Without to taking on hard issues like entitle- ever go nuclear, God help us all. We this infusion of cash, the FBI will have ment reform. But when it comes to live in dangerous times. fewer agents in 2018 than they did in military, I could not be more different. If radical Islam could get its hands 2013. They are on the frontline of de- He is holding us up. He has every right on a chemical or a biological weapon, fending the Nation as much as anybody to do so. it would use it. The best way to keep else. The Department of Homeland Se- I just want to let our soldiers know, them from hurting us here is to stay curity, the CIA, the National Security and all their families, that we are over there and partner with our Afghan Administration—all of these non- going to wait him out and that you are partners, our Iraqi partners, and oth- defense agencies have a defense role, not the reason we are in debt. The ers. More Muslims have died in this and they will benefit from this budget money we are giving you, you take fight than anybody else. They have agreement. gladly. There will be a smaller pay seen the face of the enemy, and I have Sequestration did not get us out of raise in here. But Senator PAUL’s solu- certainly seen it. The best way to keep debt. Fixing sequestration is not going tion to raising pay for the military is it off our shores is to have a strong to add to the debt in any serious way. to withdraw from Afghanistan. military that creates lines of defenses Every Republican voted for the tax I have not heard one general tell me over there so we can be safe here. cuts because we believe the $1.5 trillion we can leave Afghanistan safely. That I am very happy tonight. I had to and then some will be made up by eco- day will come, but we are nowhere near miss my flight, and I am not going to nomic growth. I think we are more that day. All I can tell the public is, get much sleep, but what we are doing right than wrong about that. the last time we took our eye off Af- pales in comparison to what the mili- When it comes to defense spending, ghanistan, we got 9/11. I don’t know tary has done for the last 5 or 6 years— Republicans and Democrats have fi- how much money we spent after 9/11, a lot with less. They have taken on too nally listened to this statement by but we lost almost 3,000 Americans. much danger and too much risk be- General Mattis, and all of us came to- Based on 19 people who were willing to cause the Congress has sat on the side- gether behind our President to increase kill themselves, they took almost 3,000 lines and watched Rome burn. Those defense spending in a fashion relevant of us with them. Just think what would days are over. to the need. have happened if we had left too soon. Whenever we vote, we are going to To those who believe that the mili- We are not going to do that again— vote. I will make a prediction that we tary is well-funded, you are not listen- never again. are going to get more than 60 votes to ing to anybody in the military. You I trust those in our military leader- fund the military. When it gets to the haven’t spent any time in the field. I ship. I am proud of my Commander in House, to my fiscal conservative have been to Iraq and Afghanistan 42 Chief, President Trump, for giving friends, I understand there are things times in the last decade. I can tell you them the ability to fight the war. The in the nondefense spending aspect of the pressure that has been placed upon gloves are now off. They just need the this they will not like—I get that—but our military. You have to put all of the resources to take the fight to the there are Democrats in this body, and money in deploying people—robbing enemy and turn it around because what there are Democrats in the House, and Peter to pay Paul—so training suffers happens over there matters here. If you they have a say. That is just the way it and readiness suffers. don’t believe me, remember 9/11. is. It has been a miserable experience to Whatever it takes and as long as it So I will sleep well tonight. I may be in the military the last 4, 5 years. takes, we are going to increase defense not sleep long, but I will sleep well in Families go lacking. People are de- spending in the next 24 hours. Then we knowing that the men and women in ployed more than they should be be- are going to start marching to fix uniform, who have suffered so much for cause we are not big enough. This $160 other problems. The Dreamers have so long, will be better off in the morn- billion is going to allow us to grow the waited a very long time to bring cer- ing. A short night for me will mean Navy. We are moving toward a 350-ship tainty to their lives. Next week, we better days ahead for them.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.051 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S827 All I can say to my colleagues is not It was Admiral Milliken, the former He said tonight on television that the to let these groups mislead them about Chief of Staff, who said that the big- best way to give the military a pay what their job is. Their job as Members gest threat to our national security raise is to withdraw from Afghanistan. of the U.S. Congress, in my opinion, is currently is our national debt. Go over to Afghanistan before you say to defend this Nation above all else. I think there is an irony that those that. Name one military commander Without national security, Social Se- who criticized President Obama for that believes that is a rational ap- curity really doesn’t matter. Without trillion-dollar deficits are now in the proach to increasing military pay. You national security, everything we enjoy body saying: Oh, we must pass this tril- had better pay them a lot more because could be lost. lion-dollar deficit. they are going to be fighting for a lot The primary role of the Federal Gov- Yes, I do think it is important that longer if we leave now. ernment, in my view, is to give the we have this debate. What I have been How much has 9/11 cost us? It is this men and women in uniform, who are all arguing for tonight is not a delay, not kind of thinking that led to 9/11. The volunteers, what they need to keep us any kind of permanent delay. What I only people I know who like that idea safe. Come tomorrow, they are going to have been arguing for is an open de- are the Taliban. They wish we would have more. If it means we stay up late bate. leave tomorrow. tonight, so be it. So if we are having all the spending, ISIL is now present in Afghanistan. I To the congressional leadership, every last bit of spending has been wish the world were not so dangerous, thank you. To the President, thank glommed together in one bill, 700 and I wish it wasn’t so complicated, you for being a Commander in Chief we pages. No one has read it. Nobody has but it is. Have we learned nothing from have desperately needed for the last 8- any idea what is in it, and there is no radical Islam? ‘‘Leave them alone, and plus years. To my colleagues, vote yes. reform. I think if we are going to do they will leave you alone’’ does not You may get some criticism from peo- that, I think we ought to at least have work. Their goal is to destroy their ple who run blogs, but the next time amendments and have an open debate. faith and rebuild it in the image of If we are not going to have an open you see a soldier, you will know you their view of Islam, to destroy our debate, if it is going to be ‘‘take it or voted right. friends in Israel, and to come after I yield the floor. leave it,’’ frankly, I will leave it be- Christians, vegetarians, Libertarians. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- cause I think my duty. What I told the They are coming after you, and the ator from South Carolina. American people was that I care. I care only thing between them and us are Mr. GRAHAM. Thank you, Mr. Presi- about how much debt we are accumu- the men and women in the military— dent. lating in this country, and I think it is the 1 percent who have suffered might- I will be making a unanimous con- a danger to our national security to ac- ily. sent request in just a second. The rea- cumulate so much debt. In the words of General Mattis: No son I am doing this is that every hour Therefore, I object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- enemy has done more damage to our we go without funding the military, tion is heard. readiness than budget cuts plus con- every day that we wait, and the longer The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- tinuing resolutions. we continue this madness, the worse it ator from South Carolina. He is a nice man. Let me say it more is for those who fight in a war we can’t Mr. GRAHAM. I know what is in it— directly: Congress has shot down more afford to lose. $160 billion over the next 2 years that planes through budget cuts then any I think that Congress, in the words of is absolutely necessary to rebuild a enemy could hope to. Congress has General Mattis, has done more damage military that is in decline. If you don’t crippled the Navy more than the Chi- to the military than any enemy on the believe me, ask the Secretary of De- nese or the Russians could have ever battlefield. So tonight I am speaking fense. hoped to. Congress has made it harder for you. We are going to end this mad- There are other things in this bill, for people to be with their families be- ness as soon as we possibly can. some of which I like and some of which cause our military is too small for the I respect Senator PAUL, who is a fis- I don’t. I know this: If the President of times in which we live. cal conservative—every bit of it—but the United States, who is our Com- The times in which we live are the when it comes to national security, not mander in Chief, says he will sign it if most dangerous since the 1930s. I will so much. He wants to do entitlement we will send it to him, and the reason repeat that again. The only reason reform. God bless him. That is where that we are not going to send it to him 3,000 of us died on 9/11 is that they the money is at. right now is because Senator PAUL has couldn’t find a way to kill more of us. Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- every right to object, this is a debate If they could ever find that way, they sent that notwithstanding rule XXII, worth having. will do it. As long as we have some sol- at 8 p.m. today, the Senate vote on the What is the most important thing for diers in Afghanistan, Afghanistan is motion to invoke cloture on the mo- our country? not likely to be the platform for the tion to concur in the House amend- The deficit and debt are real, and, to second 9/11. ment to the Senate amendment to H.R. his credit, Senator PAUL is willing to If you think this is over the top, talk 1892 with a further amendment; fur- do the hard things, such as to change to the people fighting the war. Go ther, that if cloture is invoked, all the age of retirement and to means there yourself. I spent a lot of time in postcloture time be yielded back and test those benefits. That is how you get Afghan prisons and detention centers, the Senate vote on the motion to con- out of debt. looking at the enemy, as a reservist cur. What we are doing tonight is putting and as a Senator. I know exactly what The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there money into the pipeline of a military they have in mind for us. objection? that has suffered mightily since Sen- Here is my pledge to those who are The Senator from Kentucky. ator PAUL and others voted for seques- doing the fighting. We are going to end Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, reserving tration in 2011. this insanity. We are going to rebuild the right to object, I think no one in Enough is enough. The day of reck- the military. this body more than I wants to con- oning is upon us. Every hour, every President Trump, thank you so tinue funding the military. I have minute matters to me. So this is what much. Thank you for understanding three nephews serving in the military. I am trying to tell people back in that debt and deficits are no excuse to My father-in-law is a career Air Force South Carolina: If you are worried leave the warfighter hanging out. man, and my dad served in the mili- about the debt and deficit, count me in. What do you tell somebody who tary. However, I think it is also impor- But to go there, you have to do some- doesn’t have the equipment they need tant when we talk about how we have thing that very few people will do, and to go to the fight? Well, the debt and a strong country that we have to talk Senator PAUL is not in the category of deficit are the reasons you don’t get about solvency. There comes a point in the very few. any more. If we have to raise taxes— time when you borrow so much money On the debt and deficit, I give him whatever it is—to make sure that we that it actually becomes a threat to high marks—on national security, not can keep our military going, I will do your national security. so much. it.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.053 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S828 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 I have come to conclude, like Ronald at our debt, in trying to figure out how So the leadership on both sides—and in Reagan, that the best way to help the best to fix it. fact, I have heard this before—will say: economy is to cut taxes. Ronald What we have been dealing with You can talk about it, but don’t put it Reagan cut taxes, he rebuilt the mili- today is a spending bill of about 700 on paper. tary, and he engaged in entitlement re- pages, but it does deal only with what So many people are for entitlement form. We should follow his lead. Ronald is called discretionary spending. This is reform until it comes to the specifics. Reagan did not believe in this isola- military and nonmilitary spending, and You saw this in the debate over tionist approach. He believed that on it is about one-third of what we spend ObamaCare. Try getting rid of any the other side of that wall is an evil over all. The other two-thirds is called kind of entitlement or lessening it or empire, and he stared it down. entitlement spending or mandatory making it less effective, and people I went to the military in 1981. The spending. freak out at that. first thing I got was a 25-percent in- So often people will say: Well, we It is true that we have to look at en- crease in pay by Ronald Reagan. I liked can’t cut the discretionary spending titlements. If we were to look at enti- that guy from that day until now. The because we are not doing anything to tlements, it would take some pressure morale was low after the Carter years, the two-thirds of the spending that is off of the military spending, but it is and readiness was in decline. Reagan mandatory; this is Medicare, Medicaid, also important to put military spend- changed everything. Social Security, food stamps, and some ing in perspective. We have doubled President Trump, I think you are on welfare programs. It is true that they military spending since 2001. We have course to change everything. We are are growing at a rapid rate. They are put a lot of money into the military. taking the gloves off. We are changing growing at about 6 percent and the Then there is the question of what is the rules of engagement. We are going military and nonmilitary are growing national defense. Is defense having to provide the equipment and training at about 2 percent. weapons to defend ourselves against at- that our men and women desperately So there is more of a problem on the tack, having troops and armaments need. We are going to set aside these entitlement side, but often you will and being able to defend and occasion- budget cuts. hear people come to the floor and say: ally go to where the attackers are, or To Senator MCCONNELL and Senator Well, we can’t. We have cut all this dis- is it the job of the military to be in- SCHUMER, thank you for coming to- cretionary spending, and what we real- volved in every civil war around the gether. To those who object to some ly need to do is entitlements. world? things in this bill, I get it. But what is Yet this is a bit of a canard, because Currently, we are involved in at least more important—the debt or deficit or I have been here 6 years, and I have seven different wars. None of them the war in which we are in? There is tried to push entitlement reform and have been voted on. Our Founding Fa- nothing in this bill, if it went away to- tried to push cost savings, but we have thers said that the executive branch morrow, that would get us out of debt. never had a bill come to the floor. was the most prone to war, and, there- The debt that we are adding to defend So people say: Well, I am not going fore, they gave that power to Congress. the Nation can be fixed in 5 minutes if to cut this, but if the other were to Yet we haven’t voted on any of the we did some entitlement reform. come to the floor with mandatory seven wars we are involved with. There When I was 21, my mom died. When I spending cuts—how come nobody are seven different wars around, at was 22, my dad died. My sister was 13. brings it to the floor? It never comes to least. We moved in with an aunt and uncle the floor. So two-thirds of the budget There have been people talking about who never made more than $25,000 in or spending is never being cut, and it is authorizing war, and they want us to their life working in the cotton mills. growing at 6 percent. It is a problem. be involved legally somehow in 34- If it wasn’t for survivor benefits and Entitlements have to be contained. some-odd countries. So we should have social security going to my sister, we Some of the problem is not the Re- a more robust debate. We haven’t been would have had a hard time making it. publicans’ or the Democrats’ fault. It is able to force a debate on whether or If it weren’t for Pell grants, she prob- basically a function that we are living not we are at war for the last 7 years. ably wouldn’t have gone to college. longer. When Social Security was cre- I have been trying to get a vote on I am 62, and I am not married. I don’t ated, the average life expectancy was whether or not we are at war. We cer- have any kids. I make $175,000 a year. I 65 years or less. Now the average life tainly appear to be at war. We are in will gladly give up some of my Social expectancy is about 80. So you can see Yemen. We are in Somalia. We are in Security so people who need it more how the costs have risen dramatically. Ethiopia, Djibouti, Niger, Iraq, Syria, than I can have it. I will gladly pay We are living a lot longer. and Afghanistan. We are in a lot of dif- more into Medicare to keep it from The other thing that happened is ferent places. Yet the Senate has never falling apart. I think a lot of people that somewhere along the way, when voted on going to war. And you say: like me would do that if they were we were victorious in World War II, we Well, we are going after those people asked. So I don’t need any lectures came home and had a lot of babies, for who attacked us on 9/11. Well, we killed about the debt and the deficit. one reason or another. They are the those people. The people whom we are We are in a shooting war. We had baby boomers—60 to 70 million of them. now embattled with are sons and more people die in training accidents There is an enormous cost of retiring daughters of other people who might than we had in combat because we baby boomers and we are living longer. have the same ideology, but they are made them do too much for too long These things have added to entitle- spread all across the world. without enough. That is going to end. ment costs. There are things we could We had a manned raid in Yemen not So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous do. I recommended that we gradually too long ago where we have not de- consent that notwithstanding rule raise the age of eligibility. People say: clared war. When we had the manned XXII, at 8 p.m. today, the Senate vote Oh, you don’t want people to get their raid, sadly, a Navy SEAL died, and a on the motion to invoke cloture on the Social Security at 65? Well, it is al- bunch of people in the village died. We motion to concur in the House amend- ready 67, actually. were told we had information to get ment to the Senate amendment to H.R. On Medicare, the problem is that if the enemy, but we also have to look 1892 with a further amendment; fur- we leave things as is, Medicare is $35 from the perspective of the people who ther, that if cloture is invoked, all trillion short, and Social Security is live there. You say: Oh, you would look postcloture time be yielded back and about $7 trillion short. So we are $7 from the perspective of our enemies? the Senate vote on the motion to con- trillion short in Social Security and $35 Well, no. You have to understand your cur. trillion short in Medicare. You have to adversaries, you have to understand The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there do something about the entitlements. your enemy, and you have to under- objection? However, the same grievance I have stand their response if you ever want The Senator from Kentucky. with the process here is the same griev- to figure out a final solution or some Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, reserving ance I have with entitlement reform. I kind of ending of a war. the right to object, I think there are have been pushing for it for 6 years. I You have to think about when the some interesting points when we look have produced bills that never get here. manned raid came at night with night

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.055 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S829 vision goggles to a small village. Let’s When we finally quit doing the funding maybe more. So there is a long mem- say the people were bad people. Let’s and sending of weapons, that is when ory going on in this, and we have to de- say they were terrorists and someday the Kurds rose up, with our help, and cide whether it is more beneficial to might have come here. Well, we killed actually did a much better job. kill one of them than to have the re- them, but we also killed their wives The thing is, there is a perpetual war sult of 10 new terrorists created by and their children too. I don’t fault our crowd that ignores the Constitution, that. The thing is, they are every- soldiers. Our soldiers go in in the mid- and they will say that we should be at where. There is a branch of Islam that dle of the night, and they are given a war everywhere, and we don’t need to is radical and that does wish our de- command. It is not the soldiers’ fault; vote on it. One, that is a terrible insult mise and wish us harm, but we have to it is ours for having an unclear mission to our forefathers and a terrible insult decide what the best way of containing or for sending them into an impossible to the Founding Fathers, but as you this is. What is the best way of defend- mission. look at this and you look at the de- ing our country? There is no clear-cut war. There are bate, it is also incredibly draining to If you look at it, what I think you three or four different factions fighting the Treasury and often has unintended will find is that there have been a great in Yemen, and here is the point I have consequences. deal of unintended consequences. One been making. The neoconservatives are As we got involved in the Syrian civil is an enormous drain on the Treasury, histrionic about, oh, Iran is supporting war, the so-called moderates—many of but two is a lot of unintended con- the Houthi rebels. Well, on the other them jihadists, many of them al-Qaida; sequences as far as sometimes actually side are Sunni extremists who are sup- the fiercest fighters actually were making it worse. I think our interven- ported by Saudi Arabia, which also more al-Qaida linked, al-Nusra—began tion in Syria actually exacerbated the supports Sunni extremism across the pushing back on Assad, and there was rise of ISIS. I think our intervention in world. There is also a third party in chaos. Guess who arose in the chaos Yemen could well exacerbate or cause Yemen that is al-Qaida in the Arab Pe- there: ISIS. So really ISIS became a re- or allow the rise of al-Qaida in the ninsula. My fear is that when you go in sult of or at least was accentuated by Arab Peninsula again. and you say ‘‘Oh, the Iranian-backed our intervention in Syria, and then we It is confusing when you ask: What Houthi rebels—we must kill them, and had to go back in and fight ISIS. do the soldiers want? The only soldiers we are going to support the Sunnis Here is a scenario that could happen who are allowed to speak are the ones from Saudi Arabia,’’ you have to ask in Yemen. We decide we are going to go at the very top or those who are re- yourself ‘‘Well, what about al-Qaida? into Yemen and we are going to sup- tired. Even at the very top, most gen- Do they get stronger or weaker?’’ port the Sunni extremists, whom the erals who are still active can’t give a Here is my fear. We go into a civil Saudis are for, against the Houthi ex- full opinion. They may give it to the war that nobody in America knows tremists, whom Iran is for. But in the administration but typically not on about, and nobody can know up from chaos, perhaps al-Qaida rises again, television or to the public. But the av- down on, and we decide to get involved. and we have to get more heavily in- erage soldier really is never asked for What if the end result is chaos? What if volved. I think there is no end to the his or her opinion. I understand that, out of that chaos arises al-Qaida? What idea that we are going to kill a ter- and I understand the role of the order if the end result of our getting involved rorist group in the middle of the desert of the military—that you have to take in the civil war is that they all kill in Yemen and, somehow, there will not orders. each other and we end up with a civil be more. The interesting thing is, as you meet war in which al-Qaida becomes strong- I will give you an example of how the average soldier—I promise you this er? sometimes what we get involved with is true. If people were able to do this Mr. GRAHAM. Regular order. actually backfires and causes more ter- and we were able to actually take a The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there rorists to arise. We have been feeding poll of thousands and thousands of or- objection? the Saudi planes bombs. We probably dinary soldiers, I think you could ask Mr. PAUL. The interesting thing have sold them the bombers as well. them: Do we still have a purpose in Af- about it is that as you look at the war But we have been feeding them bombs, ghanistan? Are you ready for another in Yemen, it is—— we have been helping them with tar- deployment? You have been on six de- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there geting, and it turns out they have been ployments to Afghanistan. Are you ex- objection to the request? targeting civilians. They targeted a fu- cited about the next deployment? Free- Mr. PAUL. Yes, I object. neral procession. The Saudi bombs that dom is going to ring out in Afghani- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- we gave them—we paid for and we gave stan. They are going to be a great, self- tion is heard. them; they may have paid for them in- sufficient country, and we will have Mr. PAUL. So as you look at the war directly, but with the Saudi bombs won the war. in Yemen and you go back and forth that are U.S. bombs, they ended up I think most of the soldiers who have and you say ‘‘What are the results of bombing in Yemen a funeral procession been there will actually tell you the getting involved in this civil war?’’ it and killing about 150 people who were opposite. I have met dozens and dozens may well be that al-Qaida gets strong- unarmed and wounding 500. and dozens of these soldiers who have er. You say: Oh, well, I don’t care what come home and actually are unclear If you look at what happened in they think. I don’t care what their re- now as to what our motives are. They Syria, the neoconservatives went crazy sponse is. Well, think about what their are unclear as to what our goal is, and and said: We should support the mod- response might be and then decide they are unclear as to what the end re- erates in Syria who are fighting whether you care, and I am not saying sult is. against Assad. Well, it turns out the I am sympathetic to the people. I don’t We had two Under Secretaries re- moderates in Syria were al-Qaida- know the people enough to be sympa- cently in the Senate Foreign Relations linked, ISIS-linked jihadists. In fact, thetic or not, but I am aware of their Committee. One was Under Secretary with one group the neocons said that response to being bombed in a funeral of Defense and another was Under Sec- we must give weapons to, it turned out procession. retary of State. One of the Senators that as soon as they got anti-tank My guess is that 1,000 years from asked them: How many Taliban are weapons from us, they said—and this is now, the people and their families will, there? How many people are we fight- a quote from one of the leaders days through oral tradition, remember the ing? They seem like pretty honest after they got anti-tank weapons from bombing of the funeral procession. I am questions. He said: You don’t have to us: When we are done fighting Assad— not kidding you. These people have a tell me the exact number. Tell me not ISIS, Assad—we are going to at- long memory. The Sunnis and the Shia about how many we are fighting. tack Israel to take back the Golan have been fighting for 1,000 years. They Neither one of them knew. They said: Heights. remember the massacre at Karbala. I We have to wait until fighting season, We did this, and we pumped millions promise you they still celebrate when and then we will find out. Well, any of dollars and hundreds of tons of weap- one side massacred the other, and that time you are in a situation where there ons into Syria, and it didn’t work. was at least 500 to 600 years ago— is a fighting season—and every year

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.058 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S830 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 there is a fighting season—maybe that friends who have served in the military northern tribes have more in common indicates this is a perpetual war that is were a little bit worried about that be- with the Uzbeks, the Kazakhs, and dif- not going to end. But neither of these cause the image has been somewhat an ferent nationalities to the north. The guys knows whether there are 100,000 image we have seen more in totali- Pashtuns are on both sides of the Paki- Taliban or there are 10,000 Taliban. tarian governments than in our own. stan border. If you ask any of these dis- Interestingly, for the neocons who We really haven’t had a habit of it, but parate people whom their allegiance is think this is going to end like Hiro- I was looking at a story, and it said to, they will tell you, primarily, their shima and Nagasaki and there will be that we did have a big parade after we allegiance is to their local warlords, unconditional surrender, it will never had won the first Iraq war, and the the local elders, or local council, but end that way. Even Secretary Mattis— troops did parade through. I am not they don’t have much allegiance to when I have asked him ‘‘Will there ul- completely against having a parade Kabul. They have never really seen timately be negotiation with the necessarily, but my suggestion is this: themselves as subservient to the cap- Taliban?’’—says that actually there Why don’t we bring the 14,000 troops ital. So when we go there and say we will be. The Under Secretary of the De- home from Afghanistan, declare vic- are going to create a nation, it isn’t a partment of Defense, in our meeting, tory, and have a parade because then nation that can be created because said that the goal was to push them to- there really would be something to cel- they are people who may not want be ward negotiation. ebrate—bringing those 14,000 troops to part of a nation. Here is the interesting thing about home. Iraq has a little of the same thing. Afghanistan. We have had as many as I think if we were involved in less You have the Sunni-Shia split that is 100,000 troops—President Obama, who war, we could pay our troops better. 1,000 years old. You have people who ran on a message of having less war We have an enormous number of vet- aren’t necessarily that comfortable and less involvement and was merci- erans retiring after 15, 16 years. We under the yoke of one country. So as lessly criticized by the Republican have never been at war constantly for we try to force them in together and side, actually escalated the war in Af- 16 years. We have a lot of veterans who try to have them dominate, what you ghanistan to a great degree. So Presi- have been wounded, and to take care of find in a lot of these areas is that you dent Obama put 100,000 troops into Af- them, it is going to take enormous re- end up having a strongman, and the ghanistan, and what happened? The sources. All of us want to provide those strongman rules with an iron fist. This enemy melted away. I am sure we resources, but the thing is, if we con- was Saddam Hussein. killed some. We won some battles, but tinue in this perpetual war mode, are The interesting thing about world they sort of melted away into our good we eventually going to run out of politics and balance of power is, when ally Pakistan, for the most part. But money so that we can’t even take care we went in and toppled Saddam Hus- then they come back, and people say: of our own veterans? sein—let freedom ring—we actually We left too early. Well, how long are What we are really looking at to- made it more difficult for us in the we going to stay? Are we going to stay night is a trillion-dollar deficit, and I world, and we made the Middle East forever? do think that deficit really does more unstable because Iran and Iraq We put in 100,000 troops, and it tem- threaten our national security. I think fought a fierce 8-year bloody war. They porarily pacified Afghanistan. After we our foreign policy threatens our na- had come to somewhat of a standstill. brought the troops down, now the tional security in the sense that there Saddam Hussein, for all his warts, was Taliban control maybe one-third— are things that we need to upgrade. We somewhat of a counterbalance to Iran. some say maybe half—of the territory. So when Iraq was toppled and Saddam You say: Well, if we leave, the Taliban need to take care of our nuclear arse- Hussein was gone, you once again have will take over. Well, how long is it nal. We need to take care of our bomb- going to take until the Afghans step up ers. We need to have the most modern a power vacuum. In a power vacuum, and fight for themselves? planes and technology, but we often al-Qaida will fill it and did. You upset One of the biggest problems we have can’t have them because we are in- the balance of power between Iran and had is infiltration of the Afghan Army volved in so many wars. Iraq, and now Iran seems to be more and their actually shooting us on the People talk about the Romans get- threatening throughout the region. base. It is ostensibly not the soldiers; ting overextended. We are everywhere, As we look at our spending, without it is people from the enemy who have and we always think somehow it is our question, there is part of the spending infiltrated. responsibility to take care of every- that isn’t in this bill—the mandatory At the same time, there has been thing. I think that in many parts of the spending. For those who say: Oh, we such enormous corruption there. When world, particularly in Afghanistan, are not going to do anything for the Karzai ruled Afghanistan, his brother they see—since Genghis Khan, people part of the bill we are actually voting was accused of being in the drug trade. have been going across Afghanistan, on, and we are OK with the trillion-dol- My good friend, THOMAS MASSIE from conquering it, going back across it, and lar deficit, I think there is sort of a lit- the House of Representatives, often then somebody new comes. But each mus test. It is a litmus test of hypoc- says that we spent $8 billion eradi- time the indigenous people have been risy. If they were against trillion-dol- cating their poppy crop. Poppy is the strong enough to ward off and eventu- lar deficits for President Obama, why plant they use to make heroin. They ally get rid of their attackers. Their is it OK to have a Republican deficit of had their best crop last year, so some- attackers wear out. a trillion dollars? There is no escaping thing is not working. He often com- It is the same way now. Some of the the hypocrisy of that. ments that for $8 billion he could buy people like our being there. Some of I think there is also no escaping the a lot of Roundup and probably do a bet- them have been honest, upright, good dire warnings we heard. Almost all of ter job. But the thing is, we are aren’t people. Some have been crooks. Karzai the Republicans—I venture to say doing a very good job. The mission and his family were involved in the every Republican in the Senate—has doesn’t seem to have the purpose that drug trade. made dire warnings about the debt, it once had. The other problem is this—and this is which was critical of President Obama. Look, if I had been here, I would have a real problem that the other side fails I was one of them, but we need to be voted to go there after 9/11. We needed to acknowledge. Afghanistan is not honest enough to look in the mirror at to disrupt the terrorist networks, we really a country. Afghanistan is an ourselves when we are in charge of all needed to punish them, and we needed area of Central Asia that Westerners three branches of government. to make sure they couldn’t attack us drew a line around in the late teens or When the Republicans took over the again. It was a noble endeavor, but twenties; it may have been 1922. House, they said: Well, don’t have too there has to be an end. I think part of We draw this line around Afghani- high expectations. We only control our problem is that we are unsure how stan, and we call it a country, but it is one-half of one-third of the govern- to define victory, so we never can have not really a country. The far western ment. Then we took over the Senate, it. part speaks Farsi or is related, in many and they said: Well, we still can’t do There was a proposal to have a big ways, to the Iranian people and has anything because President Obama is military parade, and many of my more in common with them. The there. Now, we have a Republican

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:07 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.059 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S831 President. I don’t know what the ex- That is guns and butter. It has been I will continue to advocate. If they cuse is going to be. Some say: Well, we going on a long time. We spent a lot of want to vote earlier, they can vote ear- must govern. If by govern, they mean money, and both sides have now agreed lier, as long as I get a vote on an act like the other side and run up huge to do this. The leadership has agreed to amendment where we would have an deficits, I guess it is not what I am in- do this. open debate and an explicit vote that terested in as far as governing. In this spending bill, what you are says: Are you for or against breaking Governing is about making tough going to have is a looting of the Treas- the spending caps that we put in place? choices. I think what has happened in ury, basically. Both sides are really Thank you, Mr. President. our country—because we basically have culpable. Both sides are somewhat The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- a printing press, a Federal Reserve equally responsible for this bill and for ator from North Carolina. that replenishes and pays our debt, the debt that will ensue. Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I was buys our debt simply by creating The real question has to be—I think talking with the pages earlier asking if money and buying Treasury bills with most importantly for my side—if you they knew what was going on. I am not it or Treasury bonds—is that we have were against President Obama’s tril- sure if people watching the debate sort of a limitless notion of debt. That lion-dollar deficits, why are you for know what is going on. Let’s talk is what has been going on. We keep trillion-dollar deficits when you put a about the mechanics of what is hap- adding to it. Republican name on it? I think people pening right now. To a large extent, we haven’t had a are going to see through this. You are We have a measure before the Senate catastrophe. I think we were close in already seeing some of the clips in the right now that cures at 1 a.m. tonight. 2008. Some of that is related to accu- media putting forward the comments At 1 a.m. tonight, we are going to vote mulation of debt. I think you also will from 2010 and 2011 about President on something we could vote on right see some of that in the near future. Obama’s debt. These are comments now. The outcome is going to be some- There is an unsettling notion out coming from Republicans who are now thing my friend from Kentucky will op- there—the stock market, having risen for this bill. As they say in some parts pose, but it is going to happen because so far, so fast, you are seeing this jit- of the country, you have some explain- the majority of Republicans believe tery notion out there. ing to do. that funding the government is a pret- There is the worry about interest That is the question. Are people ty important thing to do. rates. There is the worry that histori- going to look at this and say: My good- I am in a club. I am in a club that cally we funded this massive debt at ness, is everybody out there just a par- says we need to keep the government about 2 percent interest. What happens tisan politician and all they care about open. I am in a club that says we don’t if we get back to more normalized is party; and that the debt is bad when need to be telling people they are going it is a Democratic debt and not bad rates of interest? I think this is an im- to be furloughed tomorrow when we when it is a Republican debt? That is portant debate. It is important to get know darn well that at 1 a.m. tonight, sort of what we are facing. we will be back open for business. I am also back to the crux of the debate. My recommendation is that we really What I have been arguing for tonight in a club that tells everybody we obli- look long and hard at this. Most of the is that we have amendments. The most Senators will say: This is the last one. gated ourselves to pay our bills, and we important job the Congress does is to I am never voting for this again. These are going to pay our bills. pass spending bills. It is the most im- I don’t like this. I served as speaker are terrible. This is a rotten way to run portant thing we do, and the most im- of the house for 4 years. We paid our your government. I object to doing it portant oversight we have. If we are to bills on time and got our budgets done this way. I will vote for this one be- do that oversight, we should have a de- on time. We had regular order. I agree cause I don’t want the government to bate. We should have amendments. with all that stuff. shut down. What we are looking at is a bill that I don’t want the government to shut Right now, we are in a position to was decided in secret—700 pages that down. I also don’t want to keep it open where this is very simple. We can, right were printed last night at midnight— if we are not going to reform it. It is now, provide certainty to the thou- and, for the most part, it has not been damned if you do; damned if you don’t. sands of people who expect the govern- read. It is very easy not to have a full We could have done better. We could ment to be open or we can play this understanding of a bill that is nearly have moved forward with a responsible game until 1 a.m. I, for one, think we 700 pages that comes forward, but with- spending package that had amend- should do it right now. If we want to go in the midst of this, we know a couple ments that we could all offer on the through the theater, and we want to go of things. floor—an open amendment process and until 1 a.m., that is going to be the end We have gotten rid of fiscal responsi- debate. We chose not to go that way. result. bility. There were spending caps put in That is why we are here. Employees out there, I apologize on place to try to control spending. For a Some will say: You are responsible behalf of people who can’t give you cer- couple of years—2011, 2012, 2013—we for this. It is all your fault. If I am re- tainty right now at 9 p.m. At 1 a.m., were actually seeing a slowdown on the sponsible for drawing attention to the you will have it. I am sorry we have to rate of growth of spending. You heard debt, so be it. Somebody has to do it. I go through this process. We seem to go everybody squawking about this se- didn’t come up here to be part of some- through it far too often. quester. The sequester is so bad. The body’s club. I didn’t come up here to be I will also tell you something else I interesting thing about sequester is it liked. I didn’t come up here to just say: have to speak briefly on, and I am wasn’t a cut in spending. It was a slow- Hey, guys, I want to be part of the club going to offer a motion. down of the rate of spending, a slow- so I am going to always vote with This whole idea about this concept of down of the rate of growth of spending. whatever you tell me to do. I have let’s just withdraw from Afghanistan— If you look at curves over a long period often voted with Democrats. I have I have been to Baghdad. I have been to of time—actually the rate of growth— often voted with Republicans. I prob- the Kurdish region in Iraq, and I have you still had government growing, but ably have two dozen bills I cosponsored been to Afghanistan. I have heard peo- we slowed down the rate of growth. As with Democrats. I am also seen as one ple in Iraq say the worst thing we did revenue was picking up, we actually of the most conservative Members of was a precipitous withdrawal from were whittling away, at least a little the Senate. I think there is a way you Iraq. We can debate whether we should bit, at the annual deficit. can have bipartisanship. have gone in there, but we are in there, Then the cries came that were, actu- Bipartisanship doesn’t mean you and now we have to figure out a way to ally, mostly from my side. They said have to give up on everything you be- exit that doesn’t put Iraqis at risk and the military is being hollowed out. We lieve in. That is what this spending bill American men and women who are have to have more military money. is. It is a bipartisan spending bill that serving this country. You don’t do it The dirty little secret around here is gives up on everything that Repub- through a precipitous withdrawal. It is you can only get more military money licans ostensibly believe in as far as irresponsible, and I will guarantee you, if you give the other side more welfare deficit, debt, and spending. I will vote there is not a single person in uniform money. We have warfare and welfare. against this bill. who would agree with you that is the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.060 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S832 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 right way to protect our troops and time to discuss this. If we can do this miles. And 1,000 miles of wall includes protect the people of Afghanistan and through the committee in an orderly some walls that are secondary. So the many allies we have there trying to fashion, there is always going to be a when you see a mile-long wall, it is ac- take the fight to the Taliban and al- better day. But the day never comes. tually two walls because there is a sec- Qaida. It is irresponsible. So I am a The vast majority of the Senators ondary barrier. member of that club. will admit that the way we do our We are also talking about technology I am a member of a club that says budgeting and the way we do our and infrastructure so that we can start when the United States said we are spending around here is abominable. It working on the opioid epidemic. Tons going to protect a country and try to is an abomination. Most people are op- and tons, millions of doses of heroin, get it on the right path, we stay there posed to it. Yet they come to the floor fentanyl, and other drugs come across until we get it done and do everything and say: Let’s just keep doing it the our border every month. By imple- we can while there to keep our men way we have always done it. So until a menting border security—a lot of peo- and women safe. If that is the wrong majority of us will say no, enough is ple think this is just about preventing club to be in, so be it. I happen to enough, it will continue to be the same people from crossing the border. This is think it is the club that every single thing. about securing our Nation. Fortu- one of us should be in. The promise of making it different in nately, many of my colleagues on the This is not the sort of discussion we the future is somewhat of an illusion or other side of the aisle recognize that. should be having tonight. Tonight is a false promise that just never gets Some think that the proposal—many about funding the government. Tonight here. There have been four times in 41 of them; I don’t know that all of them is about actually having a great discus- years that we did the right thing, that do—many of them believe the Depart- sion about regular order, getting ap- we did the appropriations bills—four ment of Homeland Security and the propriations bills on the floor, having a times in 41 years. Border Patrol have put together a debate like we are going to have on im- So what I am proposing—and this ac- great strategy that makes sense. I have migration next week—but now is not tually would have been nice to vote on always said—I got criticized last year— the time to have this discussion. tonight—people come to the floor and I said there is no way we are going to We have to decide, what do you want say they want to vote, but they don’t build a wall. We don’t need a wall to be as a Senator? Do you want to be want to vote on anything they don’t across all 2,300 miles, but we need secu- a Senator who wants to make a point agree with. They don’t want to have rity. We need it so that we know what or do you want to make a difference? any kind of an open amendment proc- is coming into this country, whether Do you know what? I don’t see how ess where we can have votes. I am in- they are people crossing the border il- points alone make a change in Amer- terested in putting forward something legally or whether they are pumping ica. What makes a change in America that is called the Government Shut- hundreds and hundreds and millions of is when we ratify a bill or get a bill out down Prevention Act. This is legisla- doses of poison into the thousands of of here, we send it to the President, tion I have put forward that says that people who die every year from opioids. and it becomes law. If all we do is a if, after a year of being able to put for- In my State of North Carolina, more speech on the floor, and it doesn’t ward your appropriations bills, you people die from opioid overdoses every produce an outcome, time after time, haven’t done your job, then the spend- year than interstate accidents—over then you may want to rethink how you ing point will go down by 1 percent. 1,400. are trying to get your point across. Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, regular So I am glad to know that pillar What happens when you don’t order. one—a path to citizenship for some 1.8 produce an outcome here? You haven’t The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the million DACA recipients—has an op- convinced 50 or 51 Senators your idea is Senator object? portunity to become law, to make that good enough to support. Go to work. Mr. PAUL. I object. difference I was talking about, and Build a coalition. Make a difference. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- then $25 billion to secure the border. You can make a point all you want. tion is heard. Now we are having a great discussion Points are forgotten. There are not a The Senator from North Carolina. about what is called the diversity lot- whole lot of history books about the Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, again, I tery. It involves about 50,000 visas great points of the American Senate. have the motion before us. I believe the every year that are allocated in a ran- There are history books about the Senator from Kentucky did object to dom way today that makes no sense. great results of the American Senate— the motion. We want to do it in a way that actually the great bills, like the tax reform bill, Just one brief comment. And I thank makes sure that underrepresented and the other things we have done in the Senator from Louisiana for pre- countries have an opportunity to come this session but not points. siding. I know I was supposed to be in here, maybe some 15,000 a year, many People aren’t here to talk about a the chair 30 minutes ago, and I will be from Sub-Saharan Africa, and the good point. They are here to talk about there in a couple of minutes. other ones can be used to draw down a a good outcome. How do good outcomes I also wanted to take a moment to backlog of people who have been trying happen? When we take votes like the talk about the great opportunity we to get to this country for as long as 17 vote we should be taking at 9 p.m. to- have next week to pass immigration re- years. night. We may take it at 1 a.m. I am a form, the great opportunity that we We talk about how we want more night person. I am all right with that, have to fulfill the promise to the DACA people immigrating, but the reality is, but we should be taking it now. population of some 1.8 million that the if you get in line today through the Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- President has proposed to provide a legal process, it can take you 10 to 17 sent that notwithstanding rule XXII, path to citizenship. It is a proposal years to get through the process. We at 9 p.m. today, the Senate vote on the that has $25 billion allocated over 10 are trying to figure out a way, through motion to invoke cloture on the mo- years, with maybe $2.5 billion to $5 bil- that allocation of the diversity lottery, tion to concur in the House amend- lion appropriated in the bill that we to make that half the time. So we can ment to the Senate amendment to H.R. will take up or in various amendments clear out the queue for people waiting 1892 with a further amendment; fur- that we will take up next week. for 17 years, and others in the queue ther, that if cloture is invoked, all The first pillar is DACA, and we have will never have to wait that long— postcloture time be yielded back and satisfied that, and I believe we have about 9 years in total. I think we are the Senate vote on the motion to con- broad consensus. There may be a few making great progress. cur. things around the edges, but we are The last thing we have to work on is The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there pretty close to done. chain migration or family reunifica- objection? On border security, we are done be- tion. Today, about 72 percent of the 1 Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, reserving cause the President himself has said it million to 1.1 million people who come the right to object, the question is is not a monolithic wall over 2,300 to this country every year are through often asked, if not now, when? We have miles. It is not even a wall over half what they call a family petition. So all been told: Now, Senator, is not the that territory. It is about maybe 1,000 there are people who may have some

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.061 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S833 relationship here—it could be a broth- couldn’t make it through a sympa- should be sufficient debate on this sub- er, a sister, a mother, or a father. That thetic Republican President’s adminis- ject. is important to do, but it is also impor- tration, if that legislation couldn’t The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- tant for us to take a look at what our make it through after 2008, with Presi- tion is heard. economy needs, what America needs, dent Obama’s clearly sympathetic ad- The Senator from Texas. to make sure we have the resources ministration, why on Earth would we Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask and the people who best provide a great simply propose the same thing that has unanimous consent that notwith- platform for the Americans whom we failed for 17 years when we are so close standing rule XXII, at 10:30 p.m. this have to fight for—for all of the Ameri- to coming up with something that is evening, the Senate vote on the motion cans whom we have to fight hard for in balanced and compassionate? to invoke cloture on the motion to con- this country. I have had all kinds of people mad at cur in the House amendment to the So there would be simple provisions, me because I support a path to immi- Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with a such as if you have an advanced de- gration for 1.8 million people. I wear further amendment; further, that if gree—maybe we should allocate some that as a badge of honor because it is cloture is invoked, all postcloture time of what is going into purely family re- the right thing to do. It is also the be yielded back and the Senate vote on unification into getting engineers, doc- right thing to do to secure the border, the motion to concur. tors, scientists, highly educated people to fix the visa lottery, and to work on The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there who want to come to live in this coun- migration here that still maintains objection? try. roughly the same numbers but does it The Senator from Kentucky. At the other end of the spectrum, we in a responsible way that also protects Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, reserving need people of various skills, with a the interests of the American people, the right to object, I think it is very community college certification, the people who are here today, and cre- important that the American people maybe—a welder, a technical drawer. ates a better environment for the peo- know why we are here this evening, There are a number of things you can ple who want to move here tomorrow. and why we are here is because Wash- get at a community college. I know I thank the Presiding Officer for ington is completely broken. this because I went to a community standing in my place for a moment. Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, regular college—actually two of them. There I will yield the floor and come to the order. are a number of skills that you get Chair. Mr. PAUL. We are spending money over 2 years that you may have gained (Mr. TILLIS assumed the Chair.) like it is out of control. This bill will in a foreign country, or you may want The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. have a trillion-dollar deficit, as bad or to come here and complete the degree JOHNSON). The Senator from North worse than any of President Obama’s. and then stay here. Carolina. So what I ask my Republican col- That is all we are talking about in Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I ask leagues is, Why are we doing this when terms of adding a merit component to unanimous consent that notwith- we condemned it on the other side? what right now is purely random or standing rule XXII, at 9:30 p.m. today, Mr. CORNYN. Regular order. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there purely family-based immigration. I the Senate vote on the motion to in- objection? think there is a way to bridge that gap. voke cloture on the motion to concur Mr. PAUL. I object. I know people are kind of drawing their in the House amendment to the Senate The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- swords on certain issues, but let’s look amendment to H.R. 1892 with a further tion is heard. at what we are trying to do: No. 1, pro- amendment; further, that if cloture is Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask mote immigration to this country; and invoked, all postcloture time be yield- unanimous consent that notwith- No. 2, make sure that it is very much ed back and the Senate vote on the mo- standing rule XXII, at 11 p.m. this focused on the kinds of needs we have tion to concur. evening, the Senate vote on the motion in this Nation to help the economy The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there to invoke cloture on the motion to con- grow. objection? cur in the House amendment to the By the way, if the economy is grow- The Senator from Kentucky. Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with a ing, there is going to be a lot of re- Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, reserving further amendment; further, that if sources and people to support that the right to object. cloture is invoked, all postcloture time I think it is interesting, as we follow growing economy. So I think that at be yielded back and the Senate vote on the debate this evening, and people the end of the day, if we do this, it the motion to concur. could have the effect of actually pro- watching at home may be interested The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there moting a case for more legal immigra- because it kind of turns on some inside objection? tion over time. baseball things, and you are not sure The Senator from Kentucky. I want to thank Senator DURBIN and what to know or believe. Mr. PAUL. Reserving the right to ob- Senator GRAHAM and a number of peo- One side says they are ready to vote, ject, I think it is interesting how much ple who have spent years trying to and the other side says we are ready to energy we are expending when we could solve this problem. By the same token, vote. That is the way it has kind of have had a 15-minute vote on this, but I would tell them, you have spent years been, except for one side wants to vote nobody wanted to vote. trying to solve the problem with a sin- only on what they want to vote on and Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask gle solution, and it hasn’t worked. It they have agreed to beforehand. The for regular order. hasn’t worked in a Republican adminis- other side wants an open debate, where The PRESIDING OFFICER. Regular tration, and it didn’t worked when we would have amendments. That is order is called for. President Obama was in power. It the side I am on. Is there objection? didn’t even work when you didn’t need I have been arguing all day, basi- Mr. PAUL. I object. a single Republican to vote for com- cally, to have open amendments, and I The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- prehensive immigration reform. want to do an amendment that would tion is heard. There was a time here—because no say that, basically, we should obey the The Senator from Texas. Republican voted for ObamaCare, so spending limits. Instead of having a $1 Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask there was clearly a time here that the trillion debt, we should obey our spend- unanimous consent that notwith- table should have been set for whatever ing limits. standing rule XXII, at 11:30 p.m. this immigration solution you wanted, in So it is about open debate. It is about evening, the Senate vote on the motion the same way the table was set for voting. I am all in favor of voting, I am to invoke cloture on the motion to con- whatever healthcare solution President in favor of voting right now, and I have cur in the House amendment to the Obama wanted. I don’t begrudge him offered the other side a 15-minute vote Senate amendment to H.R. 1892 with a for taking advantage of the oppor- on containing or retaining the spend- further amendment; further, that if tunity, whether or not I disagree with ing caps. cloture is invoked, all postcloture time the policy. But it is very telling, if that So I object because I think there be yielded back and the Senate vote on solution, which started back in 2001, should be amendments, and there the motion to concur.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.062 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S834 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, I think it objection? objection? is interesting—the debate we are hav- The Senator from Kentucky. The Senator from Kentucky. ing, an important debate—and it is im- Mr. PAUL. Reserving the right to ob- Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, reserving portant to call attention to how we ject, it seems like a lot of work for a the right to object, we are talking spend money in Washington and how trillion-dollar deficit. about a trillion-dollar deficit. the system is irrevocably broken. We Mr. CORNYN. Regular order. Mr. CORNYN. Regular order. can cast blame where we want to cast The PRESIDING OFFICER. Regular The PRESIDING OFFICER. Regular blame, but, I think, for the record, it is order is called for. order is called for. important to know that I have been of- Is there objection? Is there objection? fering all day to vote. Mr. PAUL. I object. Mr. PAUL. I object. I would like nothing more than to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- vote, but it is the other side. It is the tion is heard. tion is heard. leadership that has refused to allow The Senator from Texas. The Senator from Texas. any amendments. So we have what is Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I have called a closed debate. There will be no unanimous consent that notwith- asked unanimous consent that the Sen- amendments. There will be no ques- standing rule XXII, at 12 a.m., the Sen- ate be allowed to vote on the pending tioning of the authority. The deal was ate vote on the motion to invoke clo- matter, and there have been multiple made in secret, and the deal will not be ture on the motion to concur in the objections, of course, by the Senator debated on the floor, and there will be House amendment to the Senate from Kentucky. no amendments. amendment to H.R. 1892 with a further I don’t know why we are basically So what I am advocating for is, one, amendment; further, that if cloture is burning time here while the Senator that we should reform the process. I invoked, all postcloture time be yield- from Kentucky and others are sitting don’t advocate for shutting the govern- ed back and the Senate vote on the mo- in the cloakroom wasting everybody’s ment down, but neither do I advocate tion to concur. time and inconveniencing the staff. We for keeping it open and borrowing $1 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there could easily move this matter forward million a minute. In fact, the statistics objection? and have a vote. The outcome will be this year are closer to $2 million a The Senator from Kentucky. exactly the same, and it is not incon- minute. Mr. PAUL. Reserving the right to ob- sequential that the current continuing This is a government that is horribly ject, a trillion-dollar Republican def- resolution, I believe, expires at mid- broken. This is a system that is hor- icit—the hypocrisy is astounding. night tonight. ribly broken, and Senator after Sen- Every one of these Republicans com- So the Senator from Kentucky, by ator will come up quietly, and they plained about President Obama’s defi- objecting to the unanimous consent re- will say: Oh, this is the last time I am cits. Yet now we have them out there quests, will effectively shut down the voting for a continuing resolution. bragging and pushing and doing every- Federal Government for no real reason. This is terrible. This is a terrible way thing they can to get their trillion-dol- I know he wants to make a point. He to run a government. This is a rotten lar deficit through. has that right. I agree with many of his way to run the government. Yet they I object. concerns about deficits and debt, but keep voting for it. They are in charge. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- we are in an emergency situation. Why have we been doing this for 40 tion is heard. We have our military that is not years? Four times in 40 years have we The Senator from Texas. ready to fight and win our Nation’s actually done our job where we voted Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask wars the way it should be. We have on each individual appropriations bill. unanimous consent that notwith- military members who have died in ac- Earlier today, I went through some standing rule XXII, at 12:30 a.m., the cidents as a result of the lack of train- of the waste. It is amazing the waste Senate vote on the motion to invoke ing and being stretched too thin be- that has been going on. William Prox- cloture on the motion to concur in the cause of budget cuts, and we need to fix mire was first pointing out this waste House amendment to the Senate that. General Mattis has pointed out in 1968. One of the examples he pointed amendment to H.R. 1892 with a further that more American military members to was that money was being spent amendment; further, that if cloture is have died in training accidents and in studying why men fall in love with invoked, all postcloture time be yield- regular operations than they have in women. You may be curious about ed back and the Senate vote on the mo- combat. That is a tragedy that I would that, too. If you are, ask your friends tion to concur. hope all of us would want to address. to get Crowdsourcing, and you could The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Then, of course, there is the disaster get a study of why men fall in love objection? relief that helps people who were vic- with women. That is not a function of The Senator from Kentucky. timized by Hurricane Harvey, Hurri- government. That waste goes on decade Mr. PAUL. Reserving the right to ob- cane Maria, the wildfires out West, and after decade, and nothing is ever fixed. ject, I realize this charade is about Re- Hurricane Irma. That is an emergency What we have is a 700-page bill that publicans wanting a trillion-dollar def- matter, as well. will not have been read by anyone. I icit. So I don’t understand why the Sen- was just reading some of the things Mr. CORNYN. Regular order. ator from Kentucky wants to insist on that will be stuck in there. Nobody will The PRESIDING OFFICER. Regular shutting down the Federal Government have any idea how they got in there— order is called for. when, after the time expires under the all of the spending glommed together Is there an objection? regular order, the outcome will be ex- in one bill with no oversight. Mr. PAUL. I object. actly the same. This is a terrible, rotten, no-good The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- I recognize that he has that right, way to run your government, and it tion is heard. and he has objected to all of my unani- has been going on decade after decade. The Senator from Texas. mous consent requests to move the Everyone admits it is a terrible, rot- Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask vote up earlier, but it makes no sense ten, no-good way to run your govern- unanimous consent that notwith- to me. It will not accomplish anything. ment. Yet nobody stands up and says standing rule XXII, at 1 a.m., the Sen- I just ask him to reconsider what he is enough is enough. They say: It is a bi- ate vote on the motion to invoke clo- doing in shutting down the entire Fed- nary choice, young man. Take it or ture on the motion to concur in the eral Government when the outcome of leave it. I will leave it. House amendment to the Senate this vote will not be any different after I don’t want to shut down the govern- amendment to H.R. 1892 with a further the regular time expires than it would ment, but somebody ought to insist amendment; further, that if cloture is be if we had that vote starting at 10:30 that we have an open amendment proc- invoked, all postcloture time be yield- tonight. ess. Someone should insist that we root ed back and the Senate vote on the mo- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- out waste in government. We have had tion to concur. ator from Kentucky. a partial audit of the Pentagon, and we

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.066 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S835 found out that $800 million was mis- search, and they spent it studying what weighed in on the fact that war should placed or lost. What has been done so Neil Armstrong said when he was on be declared by the legislature. Madison far in the audit showed over $100 billion the moon. Did he say ‘‘one small step put it this way. He said that the execu- has been wasted in the Pentagon. So for man,’’ or did he say ‘‘one small step tive branch is most prone to war; what do we do? We reward them with for a man’’? We spent $700,000 studying therefore, with steady care, that power more money. We have been trying to whether the preposition ‘‘a’’ was in was vested in the legislature. get a complete audit of this Pentagon Neil Armstrong’s statement. That is When was the last time we declared for 17 years, and you know what they $700,000 that should have been spent on war? Well, officially, we haven’t de- argue? They say: We are too big to be autism. clared war since World War II, but we audited. How galling is that, when your This isn’t really just about fiscal have sort of voted. At least we came to government tells you that we are too conservatism, although it is. It is Congress—at least George Bush came big to be audited? about how best to spend money for le- to Congress when we went to Afghani- This goes on decade after decade. Ev- gitimate expenses. Every time you stan the first time and when we went erybody in Washington complains spend money in a wasted way, you are to Iraq the first time, and there were about it. All the constituents complain taking away from something that pre- votes. But those votes were long ago, about it. All of America complains sumably was less wasteful. So this is a nearly a generation ago. They really about it. Yet we do it time after time. big deal. don’t apply to anything we are doing Then, people say: Well, look, this is a Do I want to shut down the govern- now, and there is a certain intellectual bipartisan deal. Kumbaya. Republicans ment? No. But do I want to keep it dishonesty by those who continue to and Democrats are holding hands to open and not reform it? Hell, no. That say that the vote to go into Afghani- spend more money. is what is going on. It is a trillion-dol- stan has anything to do with what we It is the opposite of what you want. lar deficit this year. It is going to be are doing over there now. There is no You want compromise in Washington, bigger, probably, but we were ap- military solution there, and that also but we should be compromising to proaching a trillion dollars before they ties into our budgetary problems. spend less money, not more. Every one added $300 billion of new spending to We do not have enough money to of the Republicans—count them; you this. So this is a problem. This is a big build nations around the world and can look it up on the internet—said deal. think that we can build our Nation that President Barack Obama was a I have said all day long that I will here at home. So when people talk spendthrift and he had trillion-dollar vote. Start the process. Open the doors. about nation building, I say: Yes, you deficits, and we railed day in and day We could have had 40 amendments are right, but we need to do some na- out, year in and year out against it, today. We have been at this all day, tion building here. and rightfully so. with the other side blocking amend- The President has talked about a $1 It was too much debt and too much ments, trying to have no debate and trillion infrastructure plan, but there spending. We were against that. That is trying to close the door so a secret is no money for it. So we are borrowing what I ran for office on. I am not about deal—a deal done in secret—can be $1 trillion before we get started with to turn my head the other way and say forced on everyone else. people advocating for a $1 trillion in- it is fine because my party is doing it. So yes, we should have debate. Yes, frastructure plan. There is no money. That is what this is about. It is pure, we should have a vote. Let’s have a If we want to find the money, we have empty, partisan politics, where people vote tonight on amendments. Let’s to make difficult choices. are saying: It is OK for Republicans to have amendments. Let’s determine As people come to my office, they have debts, but it was bad for Demo- whether the American people or the say: We want money for X; we want crats to have debts. Senate are really in favor of busting money for Y; we want money for Z. I It is time we stood up and said it is the caps. listen carefully, I listen sympa- a rotten system and it should end. I have one amendment. I am not ask- thetically, and I try to say: Look, we How will it end? It is never going to ing for a dozen amendments. I am not are a rich country. We ought to be able end by people always passing the buck asking for 100 amendments or 1,000 to do what you are asking. Yet we have and saying: Oh, I am voting; this is my amendments. I am asking for one. It a $1 trillion deficit, and everything has last continuing resolution. I hate con- takes 15 minutes. to be reflected by the fact that we are tinuing resolutions. They are terrible. So realize that all day these people out of money and horribly spending a This is my last one, but I am going to wanted to paint a picture. They are great excess of what comes in. But no- vote for one more—maybe next year or embarrassed, and I understand that. body is making these difficult choices actually in a month, because we will be They are embarrassed by this situation because we just keep adding on to the doing this again in a month. because they know the hypocrisy is tab. We basically just borrow more Do you realize that we are on our thicker than pea soup. They know the money. fourth continuing resolution? This has hypocrisy is out there. They railed and When President Obama was Presi- nothing to do with the budget, and the they railed against President Obama’s dent, we were—under George W. Bush, media confuses this. They say we have debt—trillion-dollar deficits. Every one we went from $5 trillion to $10 trillion a budget deal. No, we have a con- of them railed against it, and now they in total debt. With President Obama, tinuing resolution deal. This is not a have to vote tonight for a trillion-dol- we went from $10 trillion to $20 trillion. budget. This isn’t some sort of plan. lar deficit. That is the problem here. We are almost at that same curve This hasn’t gone through a committee. So there is a certain embarrassment to again. In fact, we may be escalating There are no appropriations bills that bring this up. The embarrassment that curve as we speak. As Repub- have gone through committee. There is causes them to say: We don’t want any licans, we all criticized that enormous no oversight happening to your govern- amendments. We don’t want to discuss debt and said that it was a bad thing ment. So when I tell you that $356,000 this. They ought to be discussed, and so for our government. There was a debt was spent last year studying what hap- much more should be discussed. commission, and there was all of this pens to Japanese quail when they are It isn’t just that we are blocking discussion and a lot of pandering. I was on cocaine—whether they are more amendments or debate on spending or one of those who was concerned, and I sexually promiscuous on cocaine—this that we are not doing our job on appro- am still concerned. is what your government is spending priations bills. We are also not doing We have this debt that continues to money on. But it doesn’t get any better our constitutional duty on the declara- escalate. Yet what do Republicans do because we never root out the waste. In tion of war. This was something the when they are in charge? You remem- fact, the agency that has been doing Founding Fathers were explicit on. The ber the stories. If you were asked to this research ends up getting more power to declare war was given to Con- help Republicans, they said: Well, we every year. gress in article I, section 8—given to took over the House, but that will They are like: Oh, we like science. If Congress. In fact, there is discussion of only—we control one-half of one-third you like science, you will like this one. this. There was extensive discussion of of government. We can’t get everything They took $700,000 from autism re- this. Almost every Founding Father we want. So it didn’t happen.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.067 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S836 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 Then we took over the Senate. We happening, but many of you may have known this was coming for weeks, just controlled one-third of government, noticed that there has been a huge as we did with the last continuing reso- and they said: Well, we have to have stock market bubble. There is a ques- lution and the one before that and the the Presidency. tion as to whether the fury of that has one before that. As Jacques Cousteau Then, lo and behold, we won the been fed by Fed policy and whether the once observed: ‘‘We are living in an in- Presidency. We have all of the branches desire to keep interest rates low to terminable succession of absurdities of government, yet we still are putting make it cheap to borrow money— imposed by the myopic logic of short- forward a spending bill that will be the whether someday we will have a boom term thinking.’’ equivalent of a $1 trillion deficit. that leads to a bust. I really think that Every time, we approach this as if it Is it wrong to point that out? Is it is a worry. were somehow going to be different wrong to want better of your own The stock market has been very jit- this time. We quibble from time to party? Is it wrong to think that we tery in the last few days. I think some time about this or that policy. We ought to do our job, that we ought to of that has to do—it is funny how peo- quibble from time to time about the go into an appropriations process? The ple interpret it. Some on the left will price tag. Sometimes we are so focused House actually did it. People say: Oh, say: Oh, the stock market is jittery be- on the policy and the price tag that we we can’t do that anymore. The House cause the government might shut down forget about the process. It is pri- of Representatives passed all 12 appro- for 2 hours. That is the dumbest thing marily to this subject, the process, priations bills. It can be done. I have ever heard in my life. But it that I would like to turn my attention Actually, maybe it is not the panacea could be, perhaps, that they are jittery for the next few minutes. I would hope in the sense that there is because we have a government that is You see, the process is important still too much money being spent, even profligate in its spending, is perpet- around here. We come from different in the appropriations process. It really ually spending more than comes in, backgrounds. We come from different needs to go hand in hand with two and has such a great imbalance that States. We represent diverse interests things. We should still do the appro- maybe one-third of what we are doing across this great country. We are not priations bill. There are 12 departments here is financed. going to agree on everything. In fact, of government; let’s pass them one at a They say: Well, it would be one thing there are a lot of things on which we time. But we should also keep in mind, to actually finance a house or some- strongly disagree. That is why we have as we are spending money or voting to thing like that, but if you are financ- processes. The Constitution is, itself, all about spend money, that the Constitution ing your rent or if you are financing the process. In fact, the Constitution is limits very much what the Congress your groceries each month, there is a more or less agnostic as to the sub- can do. There are enumerated powers problem. We are having trouble paying stantive policy outcome. It is all about given to Congress under article I, sec- our day-to-day expenses because we are connecting the American people to tion 8. That is what we are supposed to borrowing them. their government, which is there to do. This was a big deal to the Founding Much has been said about the mili- serve them. It is all about making sure Fathers. In fact, they were very spe- tary needing money, and I believe in a that there is responsiveness and ac- cific that those rights not listed were strong national defense. In fact, I be- countability from the government to not to be disparaged, so the listing of lieve that our national defense is actu- the people, making sure that the gov- the Bill of Rights was a partial listing ally the most important thing the Fed- ernment serves the people and not the of your rights. But they were also very eral Government does. It is one of other way around. careful to say that the powers that those things that State government It is for this reason—and it is very were granted to the Federal Govern- can’t do. So, yes, I want a strong na- important—that each Member who ment were a complete list, and any- tional defense, but you have to ask holds an election certificate in this thing not listed in the powers granted yourself whether a $20 trillion debt body or in the body just down the hall would be retained by the people and makes us a stronger country or a from us in the House of Representa- the States—by the States and the peo- weaker country. tives is allowed to express his or her ple, respectively. I think it was Admiral Milligan who opinions and have them matter. No- Part of our problem is that we de- said that, currently, the No. 1 threat to where is this more important than cided we wanted a government that is our country is our national debt. There when it comes to spending bills. everything to everyone. You ask your- is this question of whether an insolvent You see, it is in spending bills that self: Is one party better than the other? nation can be a strong nation. we have the opportunity to exercise Maybe at times. But, really—if you are As we look through this, I think it oversight over the Federal Govern- looking for responsibility—they want would be wise to look at the spending ment—a government that requires the to cast blame. All of a sudden, I, my- bill and say: This is not the way we American people to spend many self, am somehow responsible for the should run a government, and we, as months out of every year working just whole problem here. Actually, I have Republicans—if we really, truly are to pay their tax bills, a Federal Gov- made them angry, and they are very conservative—should be putting for- ernment that imposes $2 trillion every upset with me because I have made it ward something that looks toward bal- single year in regulatory compliance difficult. We are going to have to be up ance, at the very least, instead of going costs on the American people, a gov- late tonight, and they are angry that I the opposite way. ernment that has the power to destroy am pointing out their hypocrisy. That I would ask the Senate to really take a business or a livelihood or, in some is a big problem, and nobody likes to a look at themselves, to look in the cases, lives. have that pointed out. But if we don’t, mirror and say: Is this really what we It is important that we exercise this if we just continue on this course, I stand for? Is this what we have been oversight, and without spending con- think there is a great danger to the Na- running for all these years, to control straints, there can be no meaningful tion. government and then be no different oversight. Without an adequate proc- I think there is a day of reckoning from our counterparts across the aisle? ess, the Republican form of govern- coming, and I think that our debt even- I think today is a day of reflection ment cannot fulfill its role. The Amer- tually could get the better of us, that but hopefully a day where there will be ican people are no longer in charge of it could really threaten the some who will say: Enough is enough. I their government when this happens. underpinnings, the undergirding of our am not going to do it anymore. For this reason, it is a little dis- country, and it could do it in a couple The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. turbing that a government that spends of different ways. CRUZ). The Senator from Utah. nearly $4 trillion every single year For some time now, we have manipu- Mr. LEE. Mr. President, we find our- makes its spending decisions in one fell lated interest rates through the Fed- selves in another position like those we swoop as it does. You see, whenever we eral Reserve. We kept them below the have found ourselves in before. We find pass a continuing resolution, what we market rate, which led to a huge hous- ourselves in a position in which the are doing as a Congress is effectively ing bubble and a housing correction. government’s spending authority is set pressing a reset button. It keeps cur- We don’t really have a housing bubble to expire in just a few hours. We have rent spending levels intact, in place,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.068 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S837 unchanged, as if there were no review- Who benefits from this? Well, it cer- be sure. Bipartisanship is necessary, ing body, as if there had been no elec- tainly isn’t the American people, who but the fact that it is bipartisan tion, as if the American people didn’t find that their government gets bigger doesn’t always make it holy. matter at all to the process by which and more expensive. It does so at their You don’t get to be $20 trillion in they are governed. This is an abdica- expense, at the expense of the Amer- debt without a whole lot of Repub- tion of our role as the people’s elected ican people. Every time we undertake licans agreeing with a whole lot of representatives. It disconnects the this process again—we pass another Democrats that we are going to do pre- American people, and we wonder—we continuing resolution—we suggest that cisely that. It might inure to the ben- wonder why it is that this is an institu- it is somehow OK to fund the govern- efit of a few people who stand to ben- tion, Congress, that enjoys an approval ment this way, with one decision af- efit every time the government gets rating somewhere between 9 and 14 per- fecting every aspect of government, in bigger or more expensive, every time cent, making us slightly less popular one vote put forward under sort of ex- we do things this way, but it hurts ev- than Fidel and Raul Castro in America tortive circumstances in which Mem- eryone else. and only slightly more popular than bers are told: You have to do this, or So process matters. The fact is, we the influenza virus, which is rapidly the government is going to shut down, will not always come to an agreement gaining on us. It is for this reason—be- and you will be blamed for that if you as to how much we ought to spend. We cause we have disconnected the Amer- vote against it. will not always come to an agreement ican people from their own govern- This isn’t right. Why couldn’t we as to those things on which we will be ment, and one of the ways we do that bring legislation to the floor not hours spending, the requisite amount of is when we pass a continuing resolu- but weeks or even months before the money. But I think we should be able tion to keep the government funded at deadline? Why couldn’t we allow that to agree that the American people de- current levels without any additional to occur, to allow the debate, the dis- serve a process, one that allows them changes. When these things are offered, cussion to occur under the light of day to be heard through the people’s own it is often within just hours of the expi- rather than having this legislation ne- elected representatives. If not us, who? ration of a spending deadline. gotiated under cover of darkness, be- If not now, when? At what point are we We have a bill before us that is quite going to start appropriating funds lengthy and that we have had access to hind closed doors, where the American for only about 24 hours—a little bit less people are left out. through this government, through a I have thought about this on many than that—and we are asked to make a process that is open, that is trans- binary choice as to that legislation, occasions, and there are very few cir- parent, that can be observed by the yes or no. Vote for it and, in this case, cumstances in our day-to-day lives American people and through which there are some things that you get. that are like the way Congress spends the American people can be heard? You get $90 billion in emergency spend- money. At the end of the day, we must re- ing. You get an increase of spending It has occurred to me that it is as if member that we are great as a country caps of about $300 billion over 2 years. you moved into a new area, a very re- not because of who we are but because You get in excess of $1 trillion in new mote area, and you had access to only of what we do. To the extent that we debt. Some have estimated it could be one grocery store for many, many have recognized as a nation that the more like $1.5 trillion, but we will be miles, many, many hours away. You dignity of the human soul matters, talking about a $22 trillion debt by the were on your way home from work and that the rights of the individual have second quarter of 2019 as a result of your spouse called you and said to stop to be taken into account, and that the this bill. at the store and pick up bread, milk, government works for the people, we When we received this bill, we were and eggs. have prospered and will prosper in the told: You have two options. You can You go to the store and get your gro- future. But we have to be willing to re- vote yes and accept all of those things cery cart. You go to the bread aisle and spect the American people, and we or you can vote no, and there is no op- put a loaf of bread, a carton of milk, should not be surprised—when we ig- portunity for anything in between and a dozen eggs in your cart. You get nore them over and over again and there—no opportunity to amend it, no to the checkout counter, and you put when we shut them out of a process opportunity to improve it. If you think out your bread, milk, and eggs. The that directly and materially impacts about it, there is really not a meaning- cashier rings those things up and says: their lives, we should not be shocked ful opportunity for debate if you don’t I am sorry, you may not purchase when they respond with horror. We have a meaningful opportunity to bread, milk, and eggs unless you also shouldn’t be surprised when wave elec- amend a legislative provision once it is purchase half a ton of iron ore, a buck- tion after wave election signals dis- introduced. et of nails, a book about cowboy po- satisfaction with this very body, with Members are told over and over and etry, and a Barry Manilow album. In this very entity that serves as the leg- over again: You are either going to fact, this is a special kind of store islative branch of our Federal Govern- vote for this and accept the govern- where you have to buy all of those ment. ment as is, with no changes or with things. In fact, you have to buy one of Each time we are presented with one changes that you might find incredibly every item in this entire store in order of these continuing resolutions or with disturbing, or you will be blamed for a to buy any of these things, including a one-size-fits-all spending package shutdown. Why is this OK? the bread, the milk, and the eggs. where we are told that we have to ei- One of the things that we hear from That would start to approximate ther vote for it, all of it, with no oppor- the American people, quite understand- what it feels like to spend money in tunity to improve it, or we have to ably, quite justifiably, is why can’t you Congress, where we are told: You can’t vote against it, I have concerns with all just get into a room and come to an fund any part of government unless that. agreement? Well, this is that room. you are willing to fund all of govern- I have significant concerns with this There are two such rooms here in the ment, subject to such changes as the particular legislation, and I will vote Capitol. One is in the Senate, and one few people who write the continuing no. is in the House of Representatives. resolution might insert. And you, by Thank you, Mr. President. This is the room where that is sup- the way, having been duly elected by The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- posed to take place. There are mecha- the citizens of your State, will be left ator from Maine. nisms by which that is supposed to out of the process other than to exer- Mr. KING. Mr. President, I came in occur. Through the amendment proc- cise the binary choice of yes or no. the Chamber just in the middle of a ess, people offer up legislation, and So we have seen that this is how we couple of these statements that have they offer to improve legislation. If get to be $20 trillion in debt, soon to be been made, and I was confused because they have concerns with it, they can $22 trillion in debt. We don’t get to be I thought we were talking about the offer up amendments. When Members $21 trillion, soon to be $22 trillion in tax bill, the bill that went through the are denied that opportunity, the Amer- debt without a whole lot of agreement Senate in December with no hearings ican people are disconnected yet again on the part of a whole lot of people to and no amendments. It didn’t even from that process. do that. It is a bipartisan exercise, to have a fig leaf of bipartisanship. I am

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.069 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S838 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 puzzled regarding my two colleagues, topped from raising that argument if ical parties and to Members of this who seem so worried about the deficit, you voted for the tax bill. You can’t body from every part of this great both of whom I believe voted for that have it both ways. country. bill, which, according to the Congres- I listened to my esteemed colleague Thank you, Mr. President. sional Budget Office, is going to add from Utah, and I understand his con- f $1.5 trillion to the deficit. cerns. I share his concerns. If only he There are two issues; one is process, had said that in December. But, in- MORNING BUSINESS and one is results. I myself am con- stead, he says it tonight when we are cerned about results. I am concerned talking about funding our military, REMEMBERING JON HUNTSMAN, about the deficit, and I think it is a le- opioid treatment, and children’s SR. gitimate question, but it ill-behooves healthcare. one who, less than 6 weeks ago, voted I think you have to work it both Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, today I for a massive, unfunded tax cut that ways. You can’t just take one side of wish to honor the life of Jon Hunts- will increase our deficit by well over $1 the debate and say that it is OK to do man, Sr., a committed public servant, trillion. So it is OK as a matter of def- a tax cut with no process but it is not a visionary entrepreneur, and perhaps icit politics to be for that bill and OK to take a bipartisan, negotiated ar- the greatest philanthropist Utah has against a bill that funds community rangement on the budget because all of ever known. Jon passed away peace- health centers in my State; that funds a sudden we are concerned about proc- fully last Friday afternoon with his opioid treatment, which is desperately ess. friends and family gathered by his bed- needed across this country; that funds I yield the floor. side. Elaine and I will miss him dearly, our military in a way that they can op- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- as will thousands in Utah and across erate and actually meet the needs of ator from Utah. the Nation. the national security of this country. Mr. LEE. Mr. President, I appreciate From humble beginnings, Jon rose to That is what the bill before us does. the keen insights of my friend and dis- the highest echelons of industry and So we can argue about those things, tinguished colleague, the Senator from power. But along life’s journey, he but it is touching, frankly, to hear Maine. never lost sight of what matters most. these very lugubrious comments about I would point out here that there was Indeed, no matter what success Jon ex- process when the process on the tax a process on the tax bill. It may not perienced, no matter what wealth he bill was one of the worst processes in have been perfect—in fact, it wasn’t— attained or honors he achieved, he al- the history of this body. When tax re- but there was a process. We had amend- ways maintained an everyman ethos form was passed in 1986, there were ments. We were allowed to offer them, that endeared him to friends and busi- some 33 hearings before the Finance to have them considered. We did, in ness associates alike. Committee. It took 14 months, and the fact, take votes. There is no process on Jon’s hallmark humility was born of vote in the Senate was something like this. a childhood spent in poverty. Growing 90 to 10. That was a process. The proc- I have been told by some of the Mem- up in modest circumstances, Jon re- ess on the tax bill in December was bers of this body—some from my party, solved to escape the financial hardships atrocious. It was an embarrassment. some from the other party—that there of his youth and find success as a busi- The city council in Bangor, ME, would is a process because members of the nessman. In time, he made a tremen- not have amended the leash law using Appropriations Committee have had dous fortune as the chairman and CEO that process. input on this. That isn’t a process that of the Huntsman group of companies, Now, tonight, people are coming and belongs to the Senate; that is for one which includes Huntsman Chemical complaining about process—the people committee. It is not a substitute for Corp. Rather than sit on his wealth, who voted for that bill. I am sorry, I floor consideration. Jon gave liberally to all, donating am not very persuaded by that. At There is a provision in the U.S. Con- more than $1 billion over the course of least now there has been some process stitution that makes certain kinds of his lifetime to build and sustain hun- in the sense that it has been bipar- amendments to the Constitution pat- dreds of charities, the most prominent tisan, that our leaders have been able ently unconstitutional. That provision of which was the Huntsman Cancer In- to negotiate, that there has been input says that you can’t do anything to stitute—a premiere research facility from the Appropriations Committee, alter the equal representation of the dedicated to eradicating cancer in all from Members of the rank-and-file on States within the U.S. Senate. Con- its forms. With a donation of $450 mil- both sides and in both Houses. I admit sistent with the spirit of that provi- lion, Jon and his wife, Karen, founded it is not a great process, but it seems sion, we have to make sure we don’t the institute in 1995. Today, it remains to me those who are raising that issue make changes to Senate procedure in a among the most respected medical re- tonight forfeited the right to raise that way that creates a super class of Sen- search facilities in the world. For Jon, issue when they voted for the tax bill, ators. We don’t want to get to a point, the battle against cancer was personal; as far as I know, without a peep about to paraphrase George Orwell, where we he himself was a four-time cancer sur- process or about deficits. say all Senators are equal but some are vivor, and his own mother passed away I agree that we ought to get back to more equal than others. from the disease. With the sheer regular order. We ought to get back to The process within the Appropria- amount of resources he has devoted to working together. We ought to get tions Committee is not Senate process. cancer research, Jon has done more back to committee hearings. But let’s We did, in fact, have a process on the than perhaps anyone alive to help us not have this amnesia from 6 weeks tax bill. It was not perfect, but it was find a cure. ago when we made one of the most sig- a process. Here, there isn’t a process. Of course, fighting cancer was not nificant decisions—a once-in-a-genera- Here, there is not an opportunity for Jon’s only cause. He also donated hun- tion decision—about permanent tax amendments. There is not an oppor- dreds of millions of dollars to strength- policy that is going to affect the budg- tunity for a single amendment. That is en schools, feed the hungry, and pro- et and the debt of this country for a a material distinction, and it is one tect women and children from abuse. whole generation. worth noting here. For Jon, material success was never an Here, tonight, we are getting all of It is also worth noting here that we end in itself but a means to enrich the this strong emotional plea about proc- have done this over and over and over lives of others. Richly was he given, ess, about what amounts to a 2-year again. What is this—the fifth con- and richly did he give to all who stood budget, which, by the way, is the way tinuing resolution of this fiscal year in need. He was magnanimous to the we should do it—not according to this alone? This is happening over and over very end and will long be remembered process, but we ought to be talking and over again, so much so that many for his selflessness towards his fellow about 2-year budgets. Members of this body have never seen man. So I am sympathetic on both the def- it operate any differently. That is a sad Jon was also actively involved in icit issue and the process issue, but the state of affairs and one that ought to public life, serving as an Associate Ad- lawyer in me says that you are es- be troubling to Members of both polit- ministrator of the Department of

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:25 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08FE6.071 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S839 Health, Education, and Welfare, and ognizing Paul J. Reeder of Billings, clude a parade, a carnival, a talent later as a White House Staff Secretary. MT. Paul has a fantastic history of show, as well as ‘‘Mexicoploy,’’ a famil- In all things, he embodied the concept service to Montanans and to the Bil- iar board game specifically designed to of a life well-lived. Outside of his pro- lings community. He has served in pas- recognize local businesses and organi- fessional pursuits, Jon had a robust toral ministry and care for decades and zations for their everyday accomplish- and meaningful personal life. He mar- has dedicated himself to the well-being ments. I would like to commend the ried his high school sweetheart, Karen, of community members. community members of Mexico for all not long after graduating from the Paul pastored churches across Mon- that they have done during this time of Wharton School of Business, and to- tana prior to becoming the director of celebration and historical remem- gether they raised nine children. The the Friendship House, from which he brance. Maine is proud to honor a com- Huntsman family has grown im- retired after 22 years of service in 1996. munity that has successfully evolved mensely over the years, and today in- Paul also began his chaplain ministry and adapted with the changing times.∑ cludes 56 grandchildren and 26 great- in 1978 and has faithfully served the f grandchildren. Jon was also an active Billings Police Department as chaplain member of the Church of Jesus Christ for the past 40 years. His unwavering MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT of Latter-day Saints and served dili- commitment to encouraging officers is Messages from the President of the gently in leadership positions as a re- evident in all his actions as he attends United States were communicated to gional representative, stake president, morning briefings, learns each officer the Senate by Ms. Ridgway, one of his and president of the Washington, D.C. by name, sends birthday cards, bakes secretaries. South Mission. Christmas cookies, and hosts an annual f On a personal note, I feel a great love breakfast for the officers. Never miss- EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED for Jon and the entire Huntsman fam- ing an opportunity to make officers ily. More than an accomplished busi- feel known, Paul keeps a current photo As in executive session the Presiding nessman and philanthropist, he was a display of officers updated at the de- Officer laid before the Senate messages trusted confidante and a dear friend partment. from the President of the United whom I will miss greatly. With his In his spare time, Paul has published States submitting nominations which passing, Utah has lost a lion. This booklets on the Underground Railroad, were referred to the Committee on week, my prayers are with the Hunts- Buffalo Soldiers, and other various his- Armed Services. man family. torical figures. He also repairs Bibles, (The message received today is print- f hymnals, and other books for churches, ed at the end of the Senate pro- ceedings.) ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS friends, libraries, schools, and civic or- ganizations. At 87 years old, Paul still f preaches one Sunday a month at All MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE TRIBUTE TO SHANE AND CHERRY Nations Church. Paul’s devotion and HARRINGTON faithful attendance has encouraged of- At 10:32 a.m., a message from the House of Representatives, delivered by ∑ Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this ficers and chaplains alike for the past Mr. Novotny, one of its reading clerks, week I have the honor of recognizing 40 years, and his encouragement and announced that the House has passed Shane and Cherry Harrington of commitment will be remembered as he the following bill, without amendment: Wibaux. Shane serves as sheriff of retires this year. Thank you, Paul, for Wibaux County and has done so for 14 all your service.∑ S. 1438. An act to redesignate the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in the State of years. Prior to being elected sheriff, f Missouri as the ‘‘Gateway Arch National Shane served as under-sheriff for 6 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE Park’’. years. His 20 years of work to keep TOWN OF MEXICO The message also announced that the Wibaux County a safe place to live and House has passed the following bills, in work is greatly appreciated by the ∑ Mr. KING. Mr. President, today I which it requests the concurrence of community. would like to recognize the town of Shane’s wife, Cherry, is also very ac- Mexico, ME, as they will celebrate the Senate: tive in community life. Just this past their 200th year since incorporation on H.R. 1997. An act to encourage United August, Cherry took over the Wibaux February 13, 2018. Located in Oxford States-Ukraine cybersecurity cooperation and require a report regarding such coopera- General Store after learning that the County, Mexico is bordered by the Androscoggin River, as well as Dixfield tion, and for other purposes. original owner was preparing to retire. H.R. 2371. An act to require the Adminis- The store is a hub for Wibaux’s econ- and the historic mill town of Rumford. trator of the Western Area Power Adminis- omy and community, offering every- Recognized as the gateway to the West- tration to establish a pilot project to provide thing from farming and ranching sup- ern mountains, visitors and residents increased transparency for customers, and plies to cookware. The thought of the enjoy the town’s colorful fall foliage, for other purposes. store closing was a concern for the quaint downtown, and proximity to the H.R. 3851. An act to amend the State De- community. Cherry stepped up to meet great Maine outdoors. partment Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to provide for rewards for the arrest or convic- the community’s need for a hardware The town of Mexico’s unique name stemmed from the local interest in for- tion of certain foreign nationals who have store and is looking forward to making committed genocide or war crimes, and for improvements and meeting the de- eign politics. In the early 1700s, the ter- other purposes. ritory was known as ‘‘Township Num- mands of Wibaux County. f That is what Shane and Cherry do; ber One’’ until the area was bought by they step up to meet the needs of the Colonel John Holman near the end of MEASURES REFERRED community. Together, they have raised the 18th century. Just a few years after The following bills were read the first three sons, who all became ranchers in the American Revolutionary War, and the second times by unanimous Wibaux County. Shane and Cherry’s Holmanstown was renamed to honor consent, and referred as indicated: contributions to the community exem- the country of Mexico’s fight for inde- H.R. 1997. An act to encourage United plify our way of life—service, hard pendence from Spain. Though the States-Ukraine cybersecurity cooperation work, and family. Their commitment Mexican War for independence was oc- and require a report regarding such coopera- to Wibaux and Montana is a testimony curring almost 3,000 miles south of the tion, and for other purposes; to the Com- to the strength of Montana commu- small town, locals were known to be mittee on Foreign Relations. nities, and I am so grateful for their sympathetic to supporting North H.R. 2371. An act to require the Adminis- ∑ America’s decolonization from Euro- trator of the Western Area Power Adminis- contributions. tration to establish a pilot project to provide f pean powers. increased transparency for customers, and In the spirit of celebration, the town TRIBUTE TO PAUL J. REEDER for other purposes; to the Committee on En- of Mexico has 13 bicentennial events ergy and Natural Resources. ∑ Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this planned throughout the year. The H.R. 3851. An act to amend the State De- week I have the distinct honor of rec- multigenerational festivities will in- partment Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:25 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A08FE6.019 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S840 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 provide for rewards for the arrest or convic- INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND curement, and for other purposes; to the tion of certain foreign nationals who have JOINT RESOLUTIONS Committee on Homeland Security and Gov- committed genocide or war crimes, and for ernmental Affairs. other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign The following bills and joint resolu- By Mr. HELLER: Relations. tions were introduced, read the first S. 2414. A bill to transfer administrative and second times by unanimous con- jurisdiction over certain Bureau of Land f sent, and referred as indicated: Management land from the Secretary of the REPORTS OF COMMITTEES By Ms. WARREN (for herself and Mrs. Interior to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs ERNST): for use as a national cemetery, and for other The following reports of committees S. 2402. A bill to direct the Secretary of purposes; to the Committee on Energy and were submitted: Veterans Affairs to increase the number of Natural Resources. peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling By Mr. INHOFE (for Mr. MCCAIN), from the f Committee on Armed Services: for women veterans, and for other purposes; Special Report entitled ‘‘Report on the Ac- to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS tivities of the Committee on Armed Serv- By Mr. DONNELLY (for himself and ices, 114th Congress, First and Second Ses- Mr. BURR): S. 292 sions’’ (Rept. No . 115–207). S. 2403. A bill to modify a provision relat- At the request of Mr. REED, the ing to adjustments of certain State appor- names of the Senator from Massachu- f tionments for Federal highway programs, setts (Mr. MARKEY) and the Senator and for other purposes; to the Committee on EXECUTIVE REPORTS OF Environment and Public Works. from Nevada (Mr. HELLER) were added COMMITTEES By Mr. CASEY (for himself and Ms. as cosponsors of S. 292, a bill to maxi- The following executive reports of COLLINS): mize discovery, and accelerate develop- S. 2404. A bill to amend the Food, Agri- nominations were submitted: ment and availability, of promising culture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 childhood cancer treatments, and for By Mr. CRAPO for the Committee on to reauthorize the organic agriculture re- other purposes. Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. search and extension initiative; to the Com- *Marvin Goodfriend, of Pennsylvania, to be mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and For- S. 482 a Member of the Board of Governors of the estry. At the request of Mr. THUNE, the Federal Reserve System for a term of four- By Mr. COTTON (for himself and Mr. name of the Senator from Delaware teen years from February 1, 2016. JONES): (Mr. CARPER) was added as a cosponsor *Jelena McWilliams, of Ohio, to be Chair- S. 2405. A bill to amend the Federal De- of S. 482, a bill to amend the Internal person of the Board of Directors of the Fed- posit Insurance Act to clarify capital re- Revenue Code of 1986 to treat certain eral Deposit Insurance Corporation for a quirements for certain acquisition, develop- term of five years. ment, or construction loans; to the Com- amounts paid for physical activity, fit- *Thomas E. Workman, of New York, to be mittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af- ness, and exercise as amounts paid for a Member of the Financial Stability Over- fairs. medical care. sight Council for a term of six years. By Mr. ALEXANDER (for himself, Mrs. S. 497 *Jelena McWilliams, of Ohio, to be a Mem- MURRAY, Mr. YOUNG, and Ms. HAS- At the request of Ms. CANTWELL, the ber of the Board of Directors of the Federal SAN): names of the Senator from North Da- Deposit Insurance Corporation for a term of S. 2406. A bill to advance cutting-edge re- six years. search initiatives of the National Institutes kota (Mr. HOEVEN) and the Senator By Mr. GRASSLEY for the Committee on of Health; to the Committee on Health, Edu- from Alabama (Mr. JONES) were added the Judiciary. cation, Labor, and Pensions. as cosponsors of S. 497, a bill to amend Kurt D. Engelhardt, of Louisiana, to be By Ms. HASSAN (for herself, Mr. title XVIII of the Social Security Act United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth KAINE, Mrs. SHAHEEN, and Mr. REED): to provide for Medicare coverage of Circuit. S. 2407. A bill to establish a career pathway certain lymphedema compression Barry W. Ashe, of Louisiana, to be United grant program; to the Committee on Health, treatment items as items of durable Education, Labor, and Pensions. States District Judge for the Eastern Dis- medical equipment. trict of Louisiana. By Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. VAN Howard C. Nielson, Jr., of Utah, to be HOLLEN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, and Ms. S. 732 United States District Judge for the District DUCKWORTH): At the request of Mr. BOOZMAN, the of Utah. S. 2408. A bill to prohibit the use of funds name of the Senator from Missouri for an exhibition or parade of military forces James R. Sweeney II, of Indiana, to be (Mr. BLUNT) was added as a cosponsor United States District Judge for the South- and hardware for review by the President outside of authorized military operations or of S. 732, a bill to amend the Internal ern District of Indiana. Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a refund- John C. Anderson, of New Mexico, to be activities; to the Committee on Armed Serv- United States Attorney for the District of ices. able tax credit against income tax for New Mexico for the term of four years. By Mr. UDALL (for himself, Ms. COR- the purchase of qualified access tech- Brandon J. Fremin, of Louisiana, to be TEZ MASTO, and Ms. SMITH): nology for the blind. S. 2409. A bill to amend the Richard B. Rus- United States Attorney for the Middle Dis- S. 751 trict of Louisiana for the term of four years. sell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to improve nutri- At the request of Mr. WARNER, the Joseph P. Kelly, of Nebraska, to be United names of the Senator from New Hamp- States Attorney for the District of Nebraska tion in tribal areas, and for other purposes; for the term of four years. to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, shire (Ms. HASSAN), the Senator from Scott W. Murray, of New Hampshire, to be and Forestry. Florida (Mr. NELSON) and the Senator United States Attorney for the District of By Mr. THUNE (for himself and Mr. from Ohio (Mr. BROWN) were added as New Hampshire for the term of four years. CARPER): cosponsors of S. 751, a bill to amend David C. Weiss, of Delaware, to be United S. 2410. A bill to amend the Internal Rev- title 54, United States Code, to estab- enue Code of 1986 to permit high deductible States Attorney for the District of Delaware lish, fund, and provide for the use of for the term of four years. health plans to provide chronic disease pre- vention services to plan enrollees prior to amounts in a National Park Service David G. Jolley, of Tennessee, to be United Legacy Restoration Fund to address States Marshal for the Eastern District of satisfying their plan deductible; to the Com- Tennessee for the term of four years. mittee on Finance. the maintenance backlog of the Na- Thomas M. Griffin, Jr., of South Carolina, By Ms. DUCKWORTH: tional Park Service, and for other pur- S. 2411. A bill for the relief of Miguel Angel to be United States Marshal for the District poses. Perez-Montes, Jr.; to the Committee on the of South Carolina for the term of four years. Judiciary. S. 980 *Nomination was reported with rec- By Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. DUR- At the request of Mrs. CAPITO, the ommendation that it be confirmed sub- BIN, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. CARDIN, and Mr. name of the Senator from Maine (Mr. ject to the nominee’s commitment to LEAHY): KING) was added as a cosponsor of S. respond to requests to appear and tes- S. 2412. A bill to support the successful im- 980, a bill to amend title XVIII of the tify before any duly constituted com- plementation of the 1991 Paris Peace Agree- Social Security Act to provide for pay- ment in Cambodia, and for other purposes; to mittee of the Senate. the Committee on Foreign Relations. ments for certain rural health clinic (Nominations without an asterisk By Mrs. MCCASKILL: and Federally qualified health center were reported with the recommenda- S. 2413. A bill to provide for the appro- services furnished to hospice patients tion that they be confirmed.) priate use of bridge contracts in Federal pro- under the Medicare program.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A08FE6.004 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S841 S. 1152 S. 2098 amend the Water Infrastructure Fi- At the request of Mr. MERKLEY, the At the request of Mr. CORNYN, the nance and Innovation Act of 2014 to name of the Senator from Massachu- name of the Senator from Wisconsin provide to State infrastructure financ- setts (Mr. MARKEY) was added as a co- (Ms. BALDWIN) was added as a cospon- ing authorities additional opportuni- sponsor of S. 1152, a bill to create pro- sor of S. 2098, a bill to modernize and ties to receive loans under that Act to tections for depository institutions strengthen the Committee on Foreign support drinking water and clean water that provide financial services to can- Investment in the United States to State revolving funds to deliver water nabis-related businesses, and for other more effectively guard against the risk infrastructure to communities across purposes. to the national security of the United the United States, and for other pur- S. 1690 States posed by certain types of foreign poses. At the request of Ms. DUCKWORTH, investment, and for other purposes. S. RES. 396 the name of the Senator from Min- S. 2127 At the request of Mrs. SHAHEEN, the nesota (Ms. SMITH) was added as a co- At the request of Ms. MURKOWSKI, the name of the Senator from Indiana (Mr. sponsor of S. 1690, a bill to amend the names of the Senator from New Hamp- DONNELLY) was added as a cosponsor of Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide shire (Mrs. SHAHEEN) and the Senator S. Res. 396, a resolution to establish a greater support to students with de- from Oregon (Mr. WYDEN) were added special committee of the Senate to ad- pendents, and for other purposes. as cosponsors of S. 2127, a bill to award dress sexual abuse within United S. 1738 a Congressional Gold Medal, collec- States Olympic Gymnastics. At the request of Mr. WARNER, the tively, to the United States merchant S. RES. 397 name of the Senator from Massachu- mariners of World War II, in recogni- At the request of Mrs. MURRAY, the setts (Mr. MARKEY) was added as a co- tion of their dedicated and vital service name of the Senator from Missouri sponsor of S. 1738, a bill to amend title during World War II. (Mr. BLUNT) was added as a cosponsor XVIII of the Social Security Act to S. 2324 of S. Res. 397, a resolution designating provide for a home infusion therapy At the request of Mr. HELLER, the the week of February 5 through Feb- services temporary transitional pay- name of the Senator from Pennsyl- ruary 9, 2018, as ‘‘National School ment under the Medicare program. vania (Mr. TOOMEY) was added as a co- Counseling Week’’ . S. 1806 sponsor of S. 2324, a bill to amend the f At the request of Mrs. MURRAY, the Investment Company Act of 1940 to name of the Senator from Minnesota change certain requirements relating AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED AND (Ms. SMITH) was added as a cosponsor to the capital structure of business de- PROPOSED of S. 1806, a bill to amend the Child velopment companies, to direct the Se- SA 1935. Mr. GRASSLEY submitted an Care and Development Block Grant Act curities and Exchange Commission to of 1990 and the Head Start Act to pro- amendment intended to be proposed to revise certain rules relating to business amendment SA 1930 proposed by Mr. MCCON- mote child care and early learning, and development companies, and for other NELL to the bill H.R. 1892, to amend title 4, for other purposes. purposes. United States Code, to provide for the flying S. 1842 S. 2339 of the flag at half-staff in the event of the At the request of Mr. WYDEN, the death of a first responder in the line of duty; At the request of Mr. PAUL, the name name of the Senator from Massachu- which was ordered to lie on the table. of the Senator from Utah (Mr. LEE) was SA 1936. Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself and setts (Ms. WARREN) was added as a co- added as a cosponsor of S. 2339, a bill to sponsor of S. 1842, a bill to provide for Ms. CANTWELL) submitted an amendment in- amend title 31, United States Code, to tended to be proposed to amendment SA 1930 wildfire suppression operations, and for provide for automatic continuing reso- proposed by Mr. MCCONNELL to the bill H.R. other purposes. lutions. 1892, supra; which was ordered to lie on the S. 1989 table. S. 2345 At the request of Ms. KLOBUCHAR, the SA 1937. Mr. HELLER submitted an At the request of Mr. CORNYN, the names of the Senator from Pennsyl- amendment intended to be proposed to names of the Senator from North Caro- vania (Mr. CASEY) and the Senator amendment SA 1930 proposed by Mr. MCCON- lina (Mr. BURR), the Senator from Mis- NELL to the bill H.R. 1892, supra; which was from Maryland (Mr. VAN HOLLEN) were souri (Mrs. MCCASKILL) and the Sen- ordered to lie on the table. added as cosponsors of S. 1989, a bill to ator from Michigan (Mr. PETERS) were SA 1938. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an enhance transparency and account- added as cosponsors of S. 2345, a bill to amendment intended to be proposed to ability for online political advertise- amend the DNA Analysis Backlog amendment SA 1930 proposed by Mr. MCCON- ments by requiring those who purchase Elimination Act of 2000 to provide addi- NELL to the bill H.R. 1892, supra; which was and publish such ads to disclose infor- ordered to lie on the table. tional resources to State and local mation about the advertisements to SA 1939. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and prosecutors, and for other purposes. the public, and for other purposes. Mr. BOOKER) submitted an amendment in- S. 2353 tended to be proposed to amendment SA 1930 S. 2029 proposed by Mr. MCCONNELL to the bill H.R. At the request of Mr. REED, the name At the request of Mr. COTTON, the name of the Senator from Colorado 1892, supra; which was ordered to lie on the of the Senator from New York (Mrs. table. (Mr. GARDNER) was added as a cospon- GILLIBRAND) was added as a cosponsor SA 1940. Mr. PAUL submitted an amend- of S. 2029, a bill to establish a National sor of S. 2353, a bill to require the Sec- ment intended to be proposed to amendment and Community Service Administra- retary of the Treasury to report on the SA 1930 proposed by Mr. MCCONNELL to the tion to carry out the national and vol- estimated total assets under direct or bill H.R. 1892, supra; which was ordered to lie unteer service programs, to expand indirect control by certain senior Ira- on the table. nian leaders and other figures, and for participation in such programs, and for f other purposes. other purposes. S. 2086 S. 2360 TEXT OF AMENDMENTS At the request of Mrs. SHAHEEN, the At the request of Ms. HEITKAMP, the SA 1935. Mr. GRASSLEY submitted name of the Senator from Arizona (Mr. name of the Senator from Connecticut an amendment intended to be proposed FLAKE) was added as a cosponsor of S. (Mr. BLUMENTHAL) was added as a co- to amendment SA 1930 proposed by Mr. 2086, a bill to amend the Federal Agri- sponsor of S. 2360, a bill to provide for MCCONNELL to the bill H.R. 1892, to culture Improvement and Reform Act the minimum size of crews of freight amend title 4, United States Code, to of 1996 to extend and modernize the trains, and for other purposes. provide for the flying of the flag at sugar program, to extend and subse- S. 2364 half-staff in the event of the death of a quently repeal the feedstock flexibility At the request of Mr. BOOZMAN, the first responder in the line of duty; program for bioenergy producers, to ex- names of the Senator from Wyoming which was ordered to lie on the table; tend and subsequently replace flexible (Mr. BARRASSO) and the Senator from as follows: marketing allotments for sugar, and West Virginia (Mr. MANCHIN) were On page 223, between lines 17 and 18, insert for other purposes. added as cosponsors of S. 2364, a bill to the following:

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A08FE6.009 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S842 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 Subtitle E—Additional Extensions Through half-staff in the event of the death of a October 1 of that fiscal year and have not 2018 first responder in the line of duty; passed all the regular appropriations bills for SEC. 40601. EXTENSION OF CREDIT FOR ALTER- which was ordered to lie on the table; the next fiscal year before October 1 of that NATIVE FUEL VEHICLE REFUELING as follows: fiscal year, the pay of each Member of Con- PROPERTY. gress may not be paid for each day following (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 30C(g), as amend- On page 208, strike lines 3 through 19 and that October 1 until the date on which both ed by section 40404, is amended by striking insert the following: Houses of Congress approve a concurrent res- ‘‘December 31, 2017’’ and inserting ‘‘Decem- (a) INCOME TAX CREDIT.— olution on the budget for that fiscal year and ber 31, 2018’’. (1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (g) of section all the regular appropriations bills. (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment 40A is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018’’. SEC. lll04. NO PAY WITHOUT CONCURRENT made by this section shall apply to property RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET AND (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment placed in service after December 31, 2017. THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS. SEC. 40602. EXTENSION OF SECOND GENERATION made by this subsection shall apply to fuel (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any BIOFUEL PRODUCER CREDIT. sold or used after December 31, 2016. other provision of law, no funds may be ap- (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 40(b)(6)(J)(i), as (b) EXCISE TAX INCENTIVES.— propriated or otherwise made available from amended by section 40406, is amended by (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 6426(c)(6) is the United States Treasury for the pay of striking ‘‘January 1, 2018’’ and inserting amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2016’’ and any Member of Congress during any period ‘‘January 1, 2019’’. inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018’’. determined by the Chairpersons of the Com- (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment (2) PAYMENTS.—Section 6427(e)(6)(B) is mittee on the Budget and the Committee on made by this section shall apply to qualified amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2016’’ and Appropriations of the Senate or the Chair- second generation biofuel production after inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018’’. persons of the Committee on the Budget and December 31, 2017. (3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this subsection shall apply to fuel the Committee on Appropriations of the SEC. 40603. EXTENSION OF SPECIAL ALLOWANCE House of Representatives under section FOR SECOND GENERATION BIOFUEL sold or used after December 31, 2016. PLANT PROPERTY. (4) SPECIAL RULE.—Notwithstanding any lll05. (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 168(l)(2)(D), as other provision of law, in the case of any bio- (b) NO RETROACTIVE PAY.—A Member of amended by section 40412, is amended by diesel mixture credit properly determined Congress may not receive pay for any period striking ‘‘January 1, 2018’’ and inserting under section 6426(c) of the Internal Revenue determined by the Chairpersons of the Com- ‘‘January 1, 2019’’. Code of 1986 for the period beginning on Jan- mittee on the Budget and the Committee on (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment uary 1, 2017, and ending on the date of the en- Appropriations of the Senate or the Chair- made by this section shall apply to property actment of this Act, such credit shall be al- persons of the Committee on the Budget and placed in service after December 31, 2017. lowed, and any refund or payment attrib- the Committee on Appropriations of the SEC. 40604. EXTENSION OF EXCISE TAX CREDITS utable to such credit (including any payment House of Representatives under section RELATING TO ALTERNATIVE FUELS. under section 6427(e) of such Code) shall be lll05, at any time after the end of that pe- (a) EXTENSION OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS EX- made, only in such manner as the Secretary riod. CISE TAX CREDITS.— of the Treasury (or the Secretary’s delegate) SEC. lll05. DETERMINATIONS. (1) IN GENERAL.—Sections 6426(d)(5) and shall provide. Such Secretary shall issue (a) SENATE.— 6426(e)(3), as amended by section 40415, are guidance within 30 days after the date of the (1) REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATIONS.—On Octo- each amended by striking ‘‘December 31, enactment of this Act providing for a one- ber 1 of each year, the Secretary of the Sen- 2017’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018’’. time submission of claims covering periods ate shall submit a request to the Chair- (2) OUTLAY PAYMENTS FOR ALTERNATIVE described in the preceding sentence. Such persons of the Committee on the Budget and FUELS.—Section 6427(e)(6)(C), as amended by guidance shall provide for a 180-day period the Committee on Appropriations of the Sen- section 40414, is amended by striking ‘‘De- for the submission of such claims (in such ate for certification of determinations made cember 31, 2017’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, manner as prescribed by such Secretary) to under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of para- 2018’’. begin not later than 30 days after such guid- graph (2). (3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments ance is issued. Such claims shall be paid by (2) DETERMINATIONS.—The Chairpersons of made by this subsection shall apply to fuel such Secretary not later than 60 days after the Committee on the Budget and the Com- sold or used after December 31, 2017. receipt. If such Secretary has not paid pursu- mittee on Appropriations of the Senate (b) SPECIAL RULE FOR 2018.—Notwith- ant to a claim filed under this subsection shall— standing any other provision of law, in the within 60 days after the date of the filing of (A) on October 1 of each year, make a de- case of any alternative fuel credit properly such claim, the claim shall be paid with in- termination of whether Congress is in com- determined under section 6426(d) of the Inter- terest from such date determined by using pliance with section lll03 and whether nal Revenue Code of 1986 for the period be- the overpayment rate and method under sec- Senators may not be paid under that section; ginning on January 1, 2018, and ending on the tion 6621 of such Code. (B) determine the period of days following date of the enactment of this Act, such cred- each October 1 that Senators may not be it shall be allowed, and any refund or pay- SA 1937. Mr. HELLER submitted an paid under section lll03; and ment attributable to such credit (including amendment intended to be proposed to (C) provide timely certification of the de- any payment under section 6427(e) of such amendment SA 1930 proposed by Mr. terminations under subparagraphs (A) and Code) shall be made, only in such manner as MCCONNELL to the bill H.R. 1892, to (B) upon the request of the Secretary of the the Secretary of the Treasury (or the Sec- amend title 4, United States Code, to Senate. retary’s delegate) shall provide. Such Sec- provide for the flying of the flag at retary shall issue guidance within 30 days (b) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.— after the date of the enactment of this Act half-staff in the event of the death of a (1) REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATIONS.—On Octo- providing for a one-time submission of first responder in the line of duty; ber 1 of each year, the Chief Administrative claims covering periods described in the pre- which was ordered to lie on the table; Officer of the House of Representatives shall ceding sentence. Such guidance shall provide as follows: submit a request to the Chairpersons of the Committee on the Budget and the Com- for a 180-day period for the submission of At the appropriate place, insert the fol- mittee on Appropriations of the House of such claims (in such manner as prescribed by lowing: such Secretary) to begin not later than 30 Representatives for certification of deter- TITLE ll—NO BUDGET, NO PAY days after such guidance is issued. Such minations made under subparagraphs (A) and claims shall be paid by such Secretary not SEC. lll01. SHORT TITLE. (B) of paragraph (2). later than 60 days after receipt. If such Sec- This title may be cited as the ‘‘No Budget, (2) DETERMINATIONS.—The Chairpersons of retary has not paid pursuant to a claim filed No Pay Act’’. the Committee on the Budget and the Com- under this subsection within 60 days after SEC. lll02. DEFINITION. mittee on Appropriations of the House of the date of the filing of such claim, the In this title, the term ‘‘Member of Con- Representatives shall— claim shall be paid with interest from such gress’’— (A) on October 1 of each year, make a de- date determined by using the overpayment (1) has the meaning given the term under termination of whether Congress is in com- rate and method under section 6621 of such section 2106 of title 5, United States Code; pliance with section lll03 and whether Code. and Members of the House of Representatives (2) does not include the Vice President. may not be paid under that section; SA 1936. Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself SEC. lll03. TIMELY APPROVAL OF CONCUR- (B) determine the period of days following and Ms. CANTWELL) submitted an RENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET each October 1 that Members of the House of amendment intended to be proposed to AND THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS. Representatives may not be paid under sec- If both Houses of Congress have not ap- tion lll03; and amendment SA 1930 proposed by Mr. proved a concurrent resolution on the budget (C) provide timely certification of the de- MCCONNELL to the bill H.R. 1892, to as described under section 301 of the Congres- terminations under subparagraphs (A) and amend title 4, United States Code, to sional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (B) upon the request of the Chief Administra- provide for the flying of the flag at of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632) for a fiscal year before tive Officer of the House of Representatives.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:46 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A08FE6.012 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE February 8, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S843 SEC. lll06. EFFECTIVE DATE. SA 1940. Mr. PAUL submitted an COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY This title shall take effect on February 1, amendment intended to be proposed to The Committee on the Judiciary is 2019. amendment SA 1930 proposed by Mr. authorized to meet during the session SA 1938. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted MCCONNELL to the bill H.R. 1892, to of the Senate on Thursday, February 8, an amendment intended to be proposed amend title 4, United States Code, to at 10:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on to amendment SA 1930 proposed by Mr. provide for the flying of the flag at the following nominations: Kurt D. MCCONNELL to the bill H.R. 1892, to half-staff in the event of the death of a Engelhardt, of Louisiana, to be United amend title 4, United States Code, to first responder in the line of duty; States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Cir- provide for the flying of the flag at which was ordered to lie on the table; cuit, Michael B. Brennan, of Wisconsin, half-staff in the event of the death of a as follows: to be United States Circuit Judge for first responder in the line of duty; On page 140, strike line 5 and all that fol- the Seventh Circuit, Barry W. Ashe, to which was ordered to lie on the table; lows through ‘‘YEAR 2027.—’’ on page 141, line be United States District Judge for the as follows: 22. Eastern District of Louisiana, Howard On page 93, line 25, insert ‘‘2012, 2013,’’ be- f C. Nielson, Jr., to be United States Dis- fore ‘‘2014’’. trict Judge for the District of Utah, AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO James R. Sweeney II, to be United SA 1939. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself MEET States District Judge for the Southern and Mr. BOOKER) submitted an amend- Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, I have 6 District of Indiana, Susan Paradise ment intended to be proposed to requests for committees to meet during Baxter, to be United States District amendment SA 1930 proposed by Mr. today’s session of the Senate. They Judge for the Western District of Penn- MCCONNELL to the bill H.R. 1892, to have the approval of the Majority and sylvania, Daniel Desmond Domenico, amend title 4, United States Code, to Minority leaders. to be United States District Judge for provide for the flying of the flag at Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph the District of Colorado, Marilyn Jean half-staff in the event of the death of a 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Sen- Horan, to be United States District first responder in the line of duty; ate, the following committees are au- Judge for the Western District of Penn- which was ordered to lie on the table; thorized to meet during today’s session sylvania, Adam I. Klein, of the District as follows: of the Senate: of Columbia, to be Chairman and Mem- On page 260, between lines 6 and 7, insert COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES ber of the Privacy and Civil Liberties the following: The Committee on Armed Services is Oversight Board, and John C. Ander- SEC. 41120. CREDIT AGAINST TAX ON INVEST- authorized to meet during the session son, to be United States Attorney for MENT INCOME OF PRIVATE COL- LEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. of the Senate on Thursday, February 8, the District of New Mexico, Brandon J. (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter B of chapter 2018, at 10:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing Fremin, to be United States Attorney 65 is amended by adding at the end the fol- on the following nominations: Paul C. for the Middle District of Louisiana, lowing new section: Ney, Jr., of Tennessee, to be General Joseph P. Kelly, to be United States ‘‘SEC. 6433. CREDIT AGAINST TAX ON INVEST- Counsel, Kevin Fahey, of Massachu- Attorney for the District of Nebraska, MENT INCOME OF PRIVATE COL- Scott W. Murray, to be United States LEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. setts, to be an Assistant Secretary, and Thomas E. Ayres, of Pennsylvania, to Attorney for the District of New Hamp- ‘‘(a) ALLOWANCE OF CREDIT.—There shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed be General Counsel of the Department shire, David C. Weiss, to be United by section 4968 an amount equal to so much of the Air Force, all of the Department States Attorney for the District of of the qualified tuition waiver amount for of Defense, and Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Delaware, David G. Jolley, to be United the taxable year as does not exceed the of Virginia, to be Under Secretary for States Marshal for the Eastern District amount of such tax for such taxable year. Nuclear Security, Department of En- of Tennessee, and Thomas M. Griffin, ‘‘(b) QUALIFIED TUITION WAIVER AMOUNT.— ergy. Jr., to be United States Marshal for the For purposes of this section— COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN District of South Carolina, all of the ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘qualified tui- Department of Justice. tion waiver amount’ means the product of— AFFAIRS ‘‘(A) the regular tuition for a full-time stu- The Committee on Banking, Housing, SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE dent at the applicable educational institu- and Urban Affairs is authorized to The Select Committee on Intel- tion (as defined in section 4968(b)(1)) for aca- meet during the session of the Senate ligence is authorized to meet during demic periods during the taxable year, and on Thursday, February 8, 2018, at 11 the session of the Senate on Thursday, ‘‘(B) the number of qualified students at- a.m., to conduct a hearing on sub- February 8, 2018, at 2:30 p.m., to con- tending the applicable educational institu- committee assignments and the fol- duct a closed hearing. tion full-time during such periods who do not pay any tuition. lowing nominations: Jelena f ‘‘(2) QUALIFIED STUDENT.—The term ‘quali- McWilliams, of Ohio, to be Chairperson PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR of the Board of Directors, and to be a fied student’ means any full-time student if Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask the total income (as defined in section 480 of Member of the Board of Directors, Fed- the Higher Education Act of 1965) for the stu- eral Deposit Insurance Corporation, unanimous consent that Ramona dent’s family, determined in accordance with Marvin Goodfriend, of Pennsylvania, to McGee, a Department of Homeland Se- part F of title IV of such Act, does not ex- be a Member of the Board of Governors curity fellow in my office, be granted ceed $150,000 for the taxable year. of the Federal Reserve System, and privileges of the floor during the con- ‘‘(3) EXCLUSION OF THIRD-PARTY SCHOLAR- sideration of border security and immi- Thomas E. Workman, of New York, to SHIPS, ETC.—A qualified student shall not be gration legislation. be a Member of the Financial Stability taken into account under paragraph (1)(B) if I also ask unanimous consent that the student’s tuition is paid by any person Oversight Council.’’ my military fellow Patrick Heiny be other than the applicable educational insti- COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL granted privileges of the floor for the tution, including by scholarship, grant, or RESOURCES remainder of this year. loan. The Committee on Energy and Nat- ‘‘(c) TUITION.—For purposes of this section, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ural Resources is authorized to meet objection, it is so ordered. the term ‘tuition’ does not include— during the session of the Senate on ‘‘(1) expenses for room and board, and f ‘‘(2) expenses described in section Thursday, February 8, at 10 a.m. to 117(b)(2)(B).’’. conduct a hearing. AUTHORIZING USE OF (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, EMANCIPATION HALL sections for subchapter B of chapter 65 is AND PENSIONS Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I ask amended by adding at the end the following The Committee on Health, Edu- unanimous consent that the Senate new item: cation, Labor, and Pensions is author- proceed to the immediate consider- ‘‘Sec. 6433. Credit against tax on investment ized to meet during the session of the ation of H. Con. Res. 102, which was re- income of private colleges and Senate on Thursday, February 8, at 10 universities.’’. ceived from the House. (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled The PRESIDING OFFICER. The made by this section shall apply to taxable ‘‘The Opioid Crisis: Impact on Children clerk will report the concurrent resolu- years beginning after December 31, 2017. and Families.’’ tion by title.

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PETER N. KULIS IAIN D. M. FERGUSON The senior assistant legislative clerk TONEKA B. MACHADO TAYLOR T. FERRELL read as follows: JOHN J. MODRA, JR. JEREMY A. FIELDS MICHELLE L. MONTGOMERY ANTHONY S. FIGIERA A concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 102) MARY A. PARKER JAMES A. FINLAYSON authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in ANDREW L. REIMUND DERRICK J. FLOYD the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to AMY L. ROBERSON JACK W. FLYNT III BONNIE E. STEVENSON HEATHER A. FOX celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth BETH N. SUMNER JOSEPH A. FRANKINO of Frederick Douglass. MARILYN E. THOMAS BRIAN K. FREEMAN WILLIAM E. THOMS, JR. MICHAEL A. FREEMAN There being no objection, the Senate BETTY A. VENTH HEATH W. FRYE THERESA A. VERNOSKI CHANCE W. GERAY proceeded to consider the concurrent CONNIE L. WINIK KOUJI P. GILLIS resolution. THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICERS FOR APPOINTMENT JASON R. GINN Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I ask TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR MATTHEW G. GLEN FORCE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624: BRIAN D. GOLDEN unanimous consent that the concur- JEFFREY J. GOMES To be colonel REYNALDO GONZALEZ, JR. rent resolution be agreed to and the LAURA G. GOODMAN motion to reconsider be considered MARC M. ADAIR MICHAEL C. GOODMAN BERT W. ADAMS PAUL R. GRIFFIN made and laid upon the table with no RYAN J. AERNI BRENT W. GRIME intervening action or debate. JAMES D. AKERS CYNTHIA L. GUNDERSON JOSEPH R. ALKIRE II RYAN E. HADEN The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there ANTONIO ALVARADO JEFFREY A. HAMBLIN objection? CAROLYN F. AMMONS RAYMOND F. HANDRICH MATTHEW P. ANDERSON GAGE E. HANDY Without objection, it is so ordered. JASON P. ARNOLD MICHAEL B. HARRIS The concurrent resolution (H. Con. DAVID A. ARRIOLA TAMMIE L. HARRIS LAMONT ATKINS STEPHEN M. HARVEY Res. 102) was agreed to. CHANDLER P. ATWOOD KYLE B. HEAD MICHAEL C. BAILEY DEREK B. HEIFNER f RYAN N. BAKAZAN WADE A. HENNING KRIS E. BARCOMB TIMOTHY A. HERRITAGE RECESS UNTIL 12:01 A.M. JAMES C. BARGER IVAN M. HERWICK TOMORROW RICHARD ALLEN BARKSDALE, JR. MICHAEL S. HESSE DERRICK Q. BARTON JAMES V. HEWITT Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I ask ARIEL G. BATUNGBACAL PATRICK N. HILGENDORF CASEY M. BEARD JASON T. HOKAJ unanimous consent that the Senate re- GREGORY S. BEAULIEU JAMES D. HOOD cess until 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Feb- JAMES A. BECKER DENNIS H. HOWELL KRISTI L. BECKMAN COLIN R. HUCKINS ruary 9. CARY M. BELMEAR JAROD C. HUGHES There being no objection, the Senate, JOHN F. BELO ANDREW B. HUNTOON TODD J. BENSON ROBERT J. JACKSON at 10:54 p.m., recessed until Friday, KENNETH A. BENTON JIMMY T. JACOBSON February 9, 2018, at 12:01 a.m. KYLE A. BENWITZ COTINA R. JENKINS SELLERS SCOTT E. BERGREN JAMES A. JERNIGAN f DAVID J. BERKLAND GREGG W. JEROME KENNETH L. BLACK ZACHERY B. JIRON NOMINATIONS BRYAN L. BOBECK DAVID B. JOERRES TIMOTHY J. BODE ANDRE T. JOHNSON Executive nominations received by BENJAMIN D. BOEHM GREGG S. JOHNSON JEFFREY W. BOGAR JARED M. JOHNSON the Senate: MICHAEL J. BORDERS, JR. JAY A. JOHNSON TIMOTHY J. BOS CHARLES E. JONES IN THE AIR FORCE RICHARD W. BRANSON LAMONT A. JUBECK THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT DANIEL J. BROWN BRIAN W. KABAT IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE TO THE GRADE INDI- ROBERT L. BROWN JOY M. KACZOR CATED UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624: SCOTT A. BRYANT CHRISTOPHER J. KADALA GEORGE M. BUCH, JR. STEPHANIE R. KELLEY To be brigadier general CHRISTOPHER M. BUSQUE JANETTE D. KETCHUM BRYAN T. CALLAHAN KEVIN J. KIRSCH, JR. COL. JOHN J. ALLEN ANDREW J. CAMPBELL MICHAEL E. KLAPMEYER IN THE ARMY JASON S. CAMPBELL DAIN O. KLEIV RYAN A. CAMPBELL MICHELLE R. KNEUPPER THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT MATTHEW S. CANTORE DANIEL E. KOBS IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY TO THE GRADE INDICATED RICHARD P. CARVER DAVID A. KOEWLER WHILE ASSIGNED TO A POSITION OF IMPORTANCE AND BRANDON A. CASEY THOMAS A. KOORY RESPONSIBILITY UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 601: JAMES I. CHAMBERS KYLE R. KORVER ROGNALD E. CHRISTENSEN JOSEPH K. KRAMER To be general MICHAEL T. CLANCY DANIEL T. LANG LT. GEN. PAUL M. NAKASONE BRIAN M. CLIFFORD ROBERT V. LANKFORD RICHARD R. COALSON, JR. THOMAS S. LANKFORD THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT FREDERICK A. COLEMAN III PETER L. LARSEN IN THE RESERVE OF THE ARMY TO THE GRADE INDI- JUSTIN K. COLLINS PETER S. LASCH CATED UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 12203: BENJAMIN D. CONDE THOMAS S. LEE To be brigadier general ANNEMARIE CONTRERAS NICHOLAS J. LEONELLI RUSSELL P. COOK MATTHEW E. LEWIN COL. TODD M. LAZAROSKI CHARLES D. COOLEY KATHERINE A. E. LILLY MARCUS L. COOLEY JOHN E. LITECKY IN THE NAVY JEREMY C. COONRAD BARRY E. LITTLE THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT PAUL S. CORNWELL SAMUEL A. LITTLE IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO THE GRADE INDICATED DAVID P. COYLE JOHN C. LOFTON III WHILE ASSIGNED TO A POSITION OF IMPORTANCE AND KEVEN P. COYLE CATHERINE M. LOGAN RESPONSIBILITY UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 601: JONATHAN M. CREER ROBERT A. LONG DOUGLAS O. CREVISTON ROBERT F. LONG To be admiral JERRY L. CRIGGER, JR. VALARIE A. LONG MIGUEL A. CRUZ DAVE A. LOPEZ VICE ADM. JOHN C. AQUILINO CHRISTOPHER M. CUNNIFF JAMES R. LOVEWELL IN THE AIR FORCE GREGORY K. CYRUS TAMMY K. C. LOW CHRISTOPHER C. DANIELS GREGORY B. LOWE THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICERS FOR APPOINTMENT JOHN J. DEENEY IV SEAN E. LOWE TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR ANTONIO C. DELELLO JAMES C. LOZIER FORCE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624: JOSHUA D. DEMOTTS TARA R. LUNARDI GAVIN W. DEPEW JAMES C. MACH, JR. To be colonel KEITH A. DERBENWICK JAMES L. MALEC, JR. RICHARD G. ANDERSON ANDREW E. DEROSA EDWARD F. MARQUEZ, JR. KLEET A. BARCLAY BRIAN M. DEWITT ANDREW P. MARTIN TRENT C. DAVIS JOEY L. DIBLE KEVIN C. MARTIN JOEL K. WARREN DANIEL C. DIEHL WILLIAM R. MARTIN II ERNESTO M. DIVITTORIO MELCHIZEDEK T. MARTINEZ THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICERS FOR APPOINTMENT MATTHEW R. DOMSALLA PEDRO ENRIQUE MATOS TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR ROSALIE A. DUARTE MELVIN E. MAXWELL, JR. FORCE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624: JOHN E. DUKES, JR. WHITNEY P. MCCLOUD To be colonel WILLIAM W. EDMUNDS III RICHARD E. MCGLAMORY JASON C. EISENREICH THAD R. MIDDLETON JACQUELINE E. BERRY CHRISTIAN G. ELENBAUM KENNETH J. MILLER KATHLEEN M. BRINKER TONY D. ENGLAND JASON T. MILLS KEVIN J. CREEDON RAYMOND R. ESCORPIZO KEVIN V. MINOR BETH R. DION MICHELLE C. ESTES NATHAN B. MITCHELL RAUL G. FLORES MICKEY R. EVANS SEAN R. MONTEIRO MARY T. FLOYD TODD R. EWY BRIAN D. MOORE JANE M. FREE IAN M. FAIRCHILD EUGENE A. MOORE III SHAWNA M. GREINER TIMOTHY A. FARR DAVID E. MORGAN NANCY J. JOHNSON DAVID A. FAZENBAKER ERIC E. MORGAN

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GREGORY A. MORISSETTE JOHN D. TRAN TIMOTHY R. WARD ROSS C. MORRELL AARON A. TUCKER JOHN WAYNE WELCH, JR. CHRISTOPHER B. MORRIS ERICK A. TURASZ CHRISTOPHER M. WU MONTE T. MUNOZ ROBERT T. UNGERMAN III CORTNEY LYNN ZUERCHER DANIEL J. MUNTER DENNIS W. UYECHI ERIC M. MURPHY SPENCER T. VANMETER IN THE ARMY YIRA Y. MUSE JASON F. VATTIONI THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT ANTHONY M. NANCE OMAR A. VELASCO IN THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE REGULAR ARMY DEN- CHRISTOPHER M. NEIMAN SHANE M. VETTER TAL CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTIONS 531 AND VICTORIA L. NEMMERS WILLIAM O. WADE 3064: MATTHEW R. NEWELL TED A. WAHOSKE TINA H. NGUYEN ANTHONY L. WALKER To be lieutenant colonel CALEB M. NIMMO BRADLEY C. WALKER KYLE R. STIEFEL GREGORY W. NITA PHILLIP WALKER, SR. LEO M. NOYES WILLIAM M. WALLIS THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT ROY H. OBERHAUS SHAWN P. WALRATH TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE RESERVE OF THE MICHELE J. OLSEN STACY E. WALSER ARMY UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 12203: PATRICK J. OROURKE BRANDE HELEN WALTON To be colonel JAY A. ORSON ZACHARY S. WARAKOMSKI PATRICK M. OSULLIVAN BENJAMIN GRAY WARD ADAM C. MILLER WILLIAM L. OTTATI RANDY S. WARDAK THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT MILKO R. PADILLA GEORGE R. WATKINS DAMIAN D. PANAJIA TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY AARON M. WEINER UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624: MICHAEL B. PARKS JEFFREY H. WELBORN JAMES J. PARSLOW KIMBERLY LEE WELTER To be colonel WILLIAM P. PASTEWAIT DERRICK J. WEYAND ANDREW H. PATE SCOTT P. WEYERMULLER MATHEW M. CONDRY DAVID S. PATTERSON WILLIAM P. WHITE THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICERS FOR APPOINTMENT JASON P. PAVELSCHAK RANDY C. A. WHITECOTTON TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY ROBERT E. PEACOCK STACY S. WIDAUF JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL’S CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, KENNETH E. PEDERSEN STEVEN T. WIELAND U.S.C., SECTIONS 624 AND 3064: MICHAEL J. PEELER BRADY J. WILKINS CLAYTON JOSEPH PERCLE JOSHUA P. WILLIAMS To be lieutenant colonel VICTOR M. PEREIRA CLINTON M. WILSON CHRISTOPHER W. PETERS DAVID A. AMAMOO ERIN D. PETERSON KEITH D. WILSON NATHAN J. BANKSON JEFFREY A. PHILLIPS KYLE J. WILSON JEFFREY K. BLANK DAMIEN F. PICKART JOSEPH H. WIMMER MICHAEL C. CUSACK DAVID L. PITTNER PATRICK V. WNETRZAK JACQUELINE J. DEGAINE CHRISTOPHER J. PLOURDE MICHELE J. WOODCOCK JASON M. ELBERT JOHN F. POLKOWSKI DAVID B. WOODLEY BRETT A. FARMER THOMAS J. PRESTON CARRIE L. WORTH JONATHAN E. FIELDS DEREK D. PRICE JASON D. YEATTS MARY E. FISCH DINA L. QUANICO MATTHEW J. ZAMISKA NICOLE L. FISH KATHLEEN S. QUARNACCIO JESSE B. ZYDALLIS CHRISTOPHER S. GLASCOTT CARLOS A. QUINONES THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICERS FOR APPOINTMENT MICHAEL P. GORDON NATHAN R. RABE TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR CHARLES D. HALVERSON JASON J. RAFFERTY FORCE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624: ERIC K. HANSON JEREMY A. RALEY CHRISTOPHER S. HARRY DAVID E. RAYMAN To be lieutenant colonel HECTOR J. HIGUERA ROBERT T. RAYMOND RONNELLE ARMSTRONG ERIC C. HUSBY BRIAN L. REECE DAVID M. BARNS ADAM W. KERSEY JERIME L. REID ZEBULON E. BECK DAVID J. KRYNICKI FRANK N. REYES RAYMOND J. BOYER RYAN W. LEARY KEVIN R. RHODES GREGORY M. BRUNSON AARON L. LYKLING DUSTIN C. RICHARDS CHRISTOPHER A. CONKLIN MARY N. MILNE RYAN E. RICHARDSON DANIEL W. FORMAN WILLIAM M. NICHOLSON TIMOTHY L. RICHARDSON WALID A. HABASH AMY E. NIEMAN JUSTIN A. RIDDLE RICHARD H. HOLMES BOBIE B. OSEI JOHN C. ROBERTS MICHAEL M. HOWARD MARLIN D. PASCHAL MARIA C. ROBERTS JASON M. KNUDESON MEGHAN M. POIRIER CHRISTOPHER M. ROBINSON DALE E. MARLOWE MICHAEL G. POND ROY V. ROCKWELL ERIK A. TISHER TIFFANY D. POND JEFFREY T. ROSA JOHN MARION VON ALMEN DAVID H. RITTGERS LANCE ROSAMIRANDA HANA A. ROLLINS JOSEPH J. ROTH THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICERS FOR APPOINTMENT LAURA R. L. ROMAN JARON H. ROUX TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR LISA M. SATTERFIELDSCOTT JOSEF E. SABLATURA FORCE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624: YOLANDA A. SCHILLINGER KELLY M. SAMS To be lieutenant colonel JOSEPH W. SHAHA PETER A. L. SANDNESS FRANCES M. SMITH ELIOT A. SASSON ALISON LEE BEACH LAWRENCE H. STEELE LYNN E. SAVAGE REAGAN HOWARD BEATON JEREMY W. STEWARD CHRISTOPHER G. SCHLAK CHARLES M. BENNETT JENNIFER L. VENGHAUS DAMIAN SCHLUSSEL ADAM DANIEL BENTZ JOSEPH K. VENGHAUS JASON A. SCHMIDT MICHAEL L. BOYER THEOLOGOS A. VOUDOURIS DANIEL T. SCHMITT YVONNE SUZETTE BRAKEL GLEN E. WOODSTUFF DONALD E. SCHOFIELD II WESLEY ALLEN BRAUN ALLEN P. ZENT NATHAN C. SCOPAC GARRETT JONATHAN BRUENING D012839 SHAWN A. SERFASS WILLIAM G. DALZELL D013799 MARIO A. SERNA JASON SPIRO DESON THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT JASON R. SETTLE DAVID S. DICKINSON TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY JOSEPH L. SHEFFIELD JANET CHRISTINE EBERLE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624: JEROMIE K. SHELDON COLIN P. EICHENBERGER JON L. SHUMATE THOMAS AARON FINLEY To be lieutenant colonel DAVID M. SKALICKY ERIC CHRISTOPHER FRANCUM JASON B. YENRICK ALBERT E. SMITH VELMA CHERI GAY ANDREW M. SMITH PAUL M. GESL IN THE MARINE CORPS ANTHONY L. SMITH PATRICK A. HARTMAN DANIEL W. SMITH III JEFFREY TODD HAWKINS THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICERS FOR VERONICA E. SMITH AARON L. JACKSON APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE WILLIAM H. SMITH JAY C. JACKSON UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., BRIAN L. SNYDER CHRISTOPHER DALE JAMES SECTION 624: ANDREW A. SOUZA SARA CATHERINE JOBE To be major TIMOTHY J. SPAULDING MATTHEW G. KARAS DANNE EMMETT SPENCE SHAD RAYMOND KIDD SHAWN P. CHABOT GUY T. SPENCER MARCUS E. KIMSEY RICHARD P. CHAREST EDWARD T. SPINELLI ISRAEL DAVID KING KEITH C. DATIZ ERIC J. SPRINGER JANE MARIE MALE BRADLEY S. GILMER BRADLEY J. STEBBINS VICKI L. MARCUS ANTHONY J. GREGORY ANDREW J. STEFFEN BENJAMIN FARLEY MARTIN JEFFREY D. PLANTEEN BRADLEY R. STEVENS NICHOLAS P. MATHIEU RICARDO B. RIVERA RODNEY S. STEVENS SHANE ALLEN MCCAMMON THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICERS FOR STEVEN A. STRAIN SAMUEL THOMAS MILLER APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE JOHN C. STRATTON ANDREW REMY NORTON UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., CLIFFORD V. SULHAM ADAM NICHOLAS OLSEN SECTION 624: LAWRENCE T. SULLIVAN MARK RUSSELL ONEILL BRETT T. SWIGERT WINDEL LEON PATTERSON III To be major MICHAEL A. TARABORELLI, JR. THOMAS BRIAN PAYNE ANDREW J. TAYLOR AARON PAUL ROBERTS ENRIQUE LUZ, JR. TERENCE G. TAYLOR ALEX JAY ROSE RAFAEL E. MASALBALADEJO LUCAS J. TEEL MARK F. ROSENOW MICHAEL R. RUIZ KATRINA A. TERRY WENDI MARIE SAZAMA ANTHONY C. SICILIANO MICHAEL A. THOMAS REBECCA E. SCHMIDT JEREMY J. WILLOUGHBY KRISTEN D. THOMPSON JUSTIN W. N. STRONG THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICERS FOR CASEY J. TIDGEWELL JUSTIN J. SWICK APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE MICHAEL C. TODD SUSAN JUSTYNA TREPCZYNSKI UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., JAMES M. TRACHIER KHELA M. VON LINSOWE SECTION 624:

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 9801 E:\CR\FM\A08FE6.014 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S846 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 8, 2018 To be major UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICERS FOR SECTION 624: APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE JEFFREY A. BRYANT To be major UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., JAMES S. KNIGHT SECTION 624: JASON W. PRICE BRIAN K. EVANS JOE A. SAENZ CORY J. LENTKOWSKI To be major THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICERS FOR DUSTIN L. MAGGARD JEREMY F. ORTIZ MATTHEW C. PAMPUSH APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE STEPHEN T. SUTTON UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICERS FOR SECTION 624: APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICERS FOR UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE SECTION 624: UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., To be major SECTION 624: ANDREW E. CHEATUM To be major JOSEPH M. DAVID DANIEL H. FLICK To be major THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICER FOR MARSHALL W. KNIGHT ODIN PINEDA APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE JESSE C. TALLMAN JAMES M. ROD UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICERS FOR THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICER FOR SECTION 624: APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624: To be major SECTION 624: AARON J. KING To be major To be major THE FOLLOWING NAMED LIMITED DUTY OFFICERS FOR EZRA H. BARDO APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE MICHAEL C. MEDLEY JON C. PETERSON

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:28 Feb 09, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 9801 E:\CR\FM\A08FE6.017 S08FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE