Senate the Senate Met at 10 A.M
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 163 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017 No. 70 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was appoint the Honorable BEN SASSE, a Senator negotiations over the State work pe- called to order by the Honorable BEN from the State of Nebraska, to perform the riod. I look forward to more productive SASSE, a Senator from the State of Ne- duties of the Chair. conversations with Senators, our braska. ORRIN G. HATCH, House colleagues, and the White House President pro tempore. f so we can get this important work done Mr. SASSE thereupon assumed the quite soon. PRAYER Chair as Acting President pro tempore. f The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- f fered the following prayer: DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE Let us pray. RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY CEREMONY LEADER O God most high, we know not what Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, a day will bring forth—sorrow or joy— The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- many decades ago, historic tragedy be- but our eyes are on You. pore. The majority leader is recog- fell a continent, and unimaginable hor- Sustain our Senators in their work. nized. ror visited a people. Give them the wisdom to repay Your Behind cold steel gates and within Grace with the currency of their grati- f huddled boxcars, man’s capacity for tude. Lead them to bear the burdens of ISSUES BEFORE THE SENATE cruelty reached grim new frontiers. An the marginalized and so fulfill the law Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, yes- inhuman campaign of extermination by of love. terday, the Senate confirmed former an inhuman regime not only took aim Lord, teach them anew the meaning Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to at the Jewish people but also tore deep of faith, hope, and love. Give them even lead the Department of Agriculture. at the collective bonds of our human- tempers that can meet upsetting We also took the next step in advanc- ity. The scars of the Holocaust con- things with calm serenity. ing Rod Rosenstein to serve as Deputy Lord, keep them from being ashamed tinue to run deep in the sinew of our Attorney General. I look forward to of that which they should be proud and history and of our humanity. It must confirming Mr. Rosenstein so he can proud of that which they should be never be repeated. It also must never get to work without further delay. ashamed. be forgotten. We pray in Your powerful Name. After we take that vote, we will be Today, the President of the strongest Amen. able to advance the Department of Nation in the world will again join Labor nominee, Alexander Acosta. Mr. with survivors in the Capitol Rotunda f Acosta has an impressive background to help ensure it never is. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE that will serve him well as he leads the Today’s Days of Remembrance cere- The Presiding Officer led the Pledge Department on issues that can support mony serves as yet another reminder of of Allegiance, as follows: America’s employers and employees as the immeasurable suffering that was I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the well as the overall economy. inflicted upon millions of innocent United States of America, and to the Repub- I am pleased Mr. Acosta has outlined men, women, and children during the lic for which it stands, one nation under God, his commitment to ensuring that the Holocaust, especially the Jewish peo- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Department of Labor encourages, rath- ple. It also serves as a reminder of our f er than hampers, job growth—a wel- responsibility as free people to stand APPOINTMENT OF ACTING come change after 8 years of job-killing against evil and defend those who are PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE and opportunity-destroying rules and persecuted. regulations under the Obama adminis- f The PRESIDING OFFICER. The tration. I encourage my colleagues to clerk will please read a communication support his nomination so he can begin RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME to the Senate from the President pro this important work to help create The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- tempore (Mr. HATCH). jobs, enhance workforce development, pore. Under the previous order, the The senior assistant legislative clerk and support middle-class workers. leadership time is reserved. read the following letter: As we advance these nominees, Sen- f U.S. SENATE, ators are also continuing discussions PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, on government funding legislation. CONCLUSION OF MORNING Washington, DC, April 25, 2017. BUSINESS To the Senate: These talks have been part of a bipar- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, tisan, bicameral process from the start, The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby with appropriators having continued pore. Morning business is closed. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2499 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:43 Apr 25, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A25AP6.000 S25APPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with SENATE S2500 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 25, 2017 EXECUTIVE SESSION pointed out that Hawaii was granted sound judgment and independence. statehood in 1959 and called the Attor- Four come to mind. ney General’s comments ‘‘insulting and First is the ongoing investigation EXECUTIVE CALENDAR prejudiced.’’ into Russia’s efforts to interfere with The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Also, last week, Attorney General the 2016 Presidential election to help pore. Under the previous order, the Sessions called into question the status the Trump campaign. What Russia did Senate will resume executive session of the Deferred Action for Childhood in our election last year was a cyber to consider the following nomination, Arrivals Program, also known as act of war against our democracy. It is which the clerk will report. DACA. When asked about DACA, At- imperative that we get to the bottom The assistant bill clerk read the torney General Sessions said: ‘‘We of what happened and make sure it nomination of Rod J. Rosenstein, of can’t promise people who are here un- never happens again. I have called for Maryland, to be Deputy Attorney Gen- lawfully that they’re not going to be an independent, bipartisan investiga- eral. deported.’’ tion into Russia’s election inter- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- That is exactly what DACA is. It is a ference. The Republican majority of pore. Under the previous order, the commitment to young people who were the House and Senate have resisted time until 12:30 p.m. will be equally di- brought to the United States as chil- this call. vided in the usual form. dren and grew up in our country that Instead, Republicans in Congress The Democratic whip. they will be protected from deportation have referred this matter to the Intel- DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY on a temporary renewable basis. Attor- ligence Committees of both Houses, Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I will ney General Sessions’ statement is perhaps hoping it will fade away behind yield the floor if the Democratic leader contrary to his own administration’s closed doors. I hope the Intelligence arrives, but until his arrival, I would policy as established by President Committees will step up and conduct like to do two things—first, join in the Trump and Homeland Security Sec- an investigation that is worthy of the comments made by the majority lead- retary John Kelly, who have primary importance of this issue, but when it er, Senator MCCONNELL, relative to the responsibility for immigration enforce- comes to potential criminal acts in- Holocaust remembrance. ment. volving Russia’s election interference, This is the day on which we gather in The last confirmed nominee for Dep- the responsibility to investigate falls the Rotunda each year to remember uty Attorney General was Sally Yates, solely on the Justice Department. the atrocities of World War II, which a veteran prosecutor and U.S. attorney Attorney General Sessions has had to includes remembering the Holocaust from Georgia. Ms. Yates displayed recuse himself from the investigation victims, so many who were Jewish peo- sound judgment as Deputy Attorney because of his work for the Trump ple as well as Polish people—the list General, and she was unafraid to speak campaign and his failure to disclose his goes on and on—as well as those who truth to power. contacts with Russian officials last were gay and gypsies. This was an eth- Ms. Yates became the Acting Attor- year. That means the Deputy Attorney nic cleansing—the worst ever seen in ney General at the end of the Obama General now has the responsibility the history of this world. We remember administration, and when President over this investigation. it on this day, as we should. Trump signed his unconstitutional It will be incumbent on Mr. Rosen- Mr. President, on a separate issue, Muslim ban Executive order on Janu- stein to ensure this investigation is before us now is the nomination of Rod ary 27, Sally Yates told the White conducted with independence, dili- Rosenstein to be the Deputy Attorney House she could not defend the order in gence, and integrity. I believe that ap- General of the United States. court because she was not convinced it pointing a special counsel is the best The Deputy Attorney General over- was lawful. Ms. Yates was then fired by way to ensure this. I hope he will make sees the day-to-day operations of the President Trump for disagreeing with that appointment.