S3730 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 12, 2018 I know each of my colleagues can tes- On Christmas Eve last year, the sen- gressional review of certain regulations tify to the important roles military in- ior Senator from Montana took to the issued by the Committee on Foreign Invest- stallations play in communities all Bozeman Daily Chronicle with a piece ment in the United States. across our country. My fellow Ken- titled ‘‘Tax bill a disastrous plan, fails Reed/Warren amendment No. 2756 (to amendment No. 2700), to require the author- tuckians and I take great pride in Fort Montana and our future.’’ Quite a pro- ization of appropriation of amounts for the Campbell, Fort Knox, and the Blue nouncement. It reminded me of the development of new or modified nuclear Grass Army Depot. We are proud that Democratic leader of the House. She weapons. Kentucky is home base to many out- said our plan to give tax cuts to mid- Lee amendment No. 2366 (to the language standing units, such as the 101st Air- dle-class families and businesses would proposed to be stricken by amendment No. borne Division and those of Kentucky’s bring about ‘‘Armageddon.’’ Armaged- 2282), to clarify that an authorization to use Air and Army National Guard units. don. military force, a declaration of war, or any In our State, as in every State, the How are these prognostications hold- similar authority does not authorize the de- tention without charge or trial of a citizen military’s presence anchors entire ing up? The new Tax Code is causing or lawful permanent resident of the United communities and offers a constant re- Northwestern Energy to pass along States. minder of the sacrifices that keep us millions of dollars in savings to Mon- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, safe. It is our responsibility to support tana utility customers. My friend Sen- I suggest the absence of a quorum. them. I look forward to delivering that ator DAINES recently shared what tax The PRESIDING OFFICER. The support when the Senate votes on the reform already means to Montana clerk will call the roll. NDAA later this week. small business owners. In Chester, at The senior assistant legislative clerk f Stricks Ag, it means bonuses of nearly proceeded to call the roll. $1,000 for each employee. In Missoula, WISHING LARRY KUDLOW A Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I at Big Sky Brewing, it means worker SPEEDY RECOVERY ask unanimous consent that the order bonuses and money to purchase new for the quorum call be rescinded. Mr. MCCONNELL. Now, Madam equipment. The same goes for Cabinet The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without President, on another matter, I want to Mountain Brewing in Libby. Over in objection, it is so ordered. share the Senate’s warmest wishes for Thompson Falls, tax reform gave RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER a speedy recovery for Larry Kudlow, Thompson River Lumber the breathing The Democratic leader is recognized. the Director of the National Economic room to buy their first new forklift in Council and Assistant to the President, 19 years. CONGRATULATING MITCH MCCONNELL AS THE LONGEST SERVING SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER who is currently recovering at Walter These are the workers and job cre- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, Reed from what we are told was a ators whom Senator DAINES bet on before I begin my remarks, I wish to small heart attack. Larry is not just a when he voted for tax reform and congratulate our Republican leader on famously happy warrior for pro- helped make all of this possible. He becoming the longest serving Repub- growth, pro-opportunity economics; he voted for Montanans to send less to the lican leader in the Senate. My friend is also widely regarded as really one of IRS and keep more of their own hard- Leader MCCONNELL reached that mile- the best guys in Washington. We hope earned money to save or invest as they stone today. he gets well soon. see fit. It is too bad their senior Sen- It is no secret we disagree on a whole ator took the opposite approach and f lot of issues, both political and philo- tried to block these tax cuts from hap- TAX REFORM sophical, but that doesn’t mean we pening, let alone that Democratic lead- can’t or don’t work together or that I Mr. MCCONNELL. Now, Madam ers in both Chambers now say they will don’t admire the qualities which help President, speaking of the economy, by repeal tax reform if they get the make him the longest serving Repub- now it is no secret that under the last chance. But Republicans will keep lican leader. administration, our Nation’s economic picking up the slack and will keep He understands his caucus and rep- recovery was slow, stunted, and almost standing up for the American people. exclusively focused on the largest resents them well. He knows how to f urban centers. Between 2010 and 2016, fight, and he knows how to cooperate. that is where more than 90 percent of RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME The job is not an easy one so it is a tes- the population growth happened; it is The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under tament to his qualities that he has where nearly three-quarters of new the previous order, the leadership time done it longer than anyone in the his- jobs went. Most everywhere else—in is reserved. tory of the Senate. our smaller cities, small towns, and f TRUMP-KIM SUMMIT rural areas—families heard a lot of Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, on talk about what my Democratic col- CONCLUSION OF MORNING North Korea, in the early hours this leagues called an ‘‘economic recovery,’’ BUSINESS morning, President Trump and Chair- but they saw few or none of the effects The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning man Kim met in Singapore for the first in these small towns and small commu- business is closed. meeting between a sitting U.S. Presi- nities. So it is no surprise that after f dent and the leader of North Korea. It was a welcome improvement to see the seeing their communities suffer under 8 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- two of them having a dialogue rather years of Democrats’ policies, millions TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 of Americans are ready to take a dif- than engaging in name-calling and ferent route. That is why they elected The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under saber-rattling. Certainly, Americans a Republican President and Republican the previous order, the Senate will re- feel better about talking than name- majorities here in Congress. And we set sume consideration of H.R. 5515, which calling and threats of war, which had about implementing our agenda to the clerk will report. characterized the relationship up until take money and power out of Wash- The senior assistant legislative clerk now. ington and put it back in the hands of read as follows: Though we are all rooting for diplo- middle-class families and small busi- A bill (H.R. 5515) to authorize appropria- macy to succeed, we must be clear- nesses all across our country. tions for fiscal year 2019 for military activi- eyed about what a diplomatic success But even as the positive effects of ties of the Department of Defense, for mili- with North Korea looks like. A diplo- tary construction, and for defense activities these policies have become more and of the Department of Energy, to prescribe matic success would be the complete, more obvious, they continue to encoun- military personnel strengths for such fiscal, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization ter near-complete party-line opposition and for other purposes. of the Korean Peninsula—nothing less. at every turn. I recall that just 2 or 3 Pending: Why do we say that? It is not to make days after President Trump signed our Inhofe/McCain modified amendment No. any political points, but a nuclear historic tax reform into law, several of 2282, in the nature of a substitute. North Korea with ICBMs probably pre- my colleagues across the aisle were of- McConnell (for Toomey) amendment No. sents a greater danger to the United fering some dramatic predictions. 2700 (to amendment No. 2282), to require con- States and the safety and well-being of

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:30 Jun 13, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.002 S12JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE June 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3731 our country than any other in the something North Korea would say, not I yield the floor. world. It is imperative that we actually South Korea or the United States. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- get action here, not just photo ops. Again, it seems the President has un- ator from Iowa. Previous negotiations have sought the dercut our foreign policy by drawing a same goal, with good reason. In 1994 false equivalency between joint mili- Mrs. ERNST. Madam President, I and 2005, those negotiations yielded tary exercises with our allies and the come to the floor to make amendment agreements that were, in fact, much nuclear testing of a rogue regime. No. 2400 pending, but it is my under- more rigorous than the initial commu- Ultimately, if this is the result, it standing that we are almost at an nique issued by President Trump and will have failed President Trump’s own agreement on the hotline. Chairman Kim. This communique lists standard. The President has said that This bill has cleared committee by denuclearization as a far-off goal but ‘‘if North Korea doesn’t denuclearize, voice vote and by my colleagues on the includes no details about a pathway to that will not be acceptable.’’ President Republican side by the hotline. How- achieving it; no details about how the Trump has not made much progress to- ever, my minority counterparts have United States might verify that North ward that goal yet and has given up had months to look at this bill, but it Korea has disarmed when they repeat- substantial leverage already: the lever- has remained held up on the hotline. edly lied in the past; no details about age of joint military exercises and the The bill passed the House with unani- leverage of an audience with the Presi- stopping the enrichment of plutonium mous support and has been included in dent of the United States. and uranium; no details even about the the House’s NDAA bill. I call on my Imagine for a moment if a Demo- colleagues across the aisle to clear this definition of complete denucleariza- cratic President had gone to North tion, which has been a main point of bill or else I will fight for a vote on it Korea in similar circumstances and in the NDAA. contention in previous negotiations. came away with little more than a Unfortunately, the entire document handshake and a photo op. Imagine if a My legislation, the Presidential Al- is short on details. As we have learned, Democratic President had placed the lowance Modernization Act, would es- in the wake of the collapse of the 1994 flag of the United States next to the tablish a cap on former Presidents’ and 2005 agreements, North Korea is flag of North Korea and met a dictator monetary allowances, which are cur- liable to backtrack on vague commit- on equal terms. The commentators of rently unlimited and fund resources ments as soon as it is in its interest. the rightwing media and, in fact, the like office space, staff salaries, cell Chairman Kim, like his father before entire Republican Party would be phone bills, and more. It would then re- him, has a history of backing away shouting grave warnings about the end duce the allowance, dollar-for-dollar, from agreements. There is a great fear of American leadership and the belit- by each dollar of income a former now that Chairman Kim has won a tling of our country, about selling out President earns in excess of $400,000. major concession from the United and appeasement. The national debt is over $20 trillion. States of a meeting with our President, We Democrats do not see it this way. We cannot afford to generously sub- he may not go any further. We remain supportive of American dip- Now, as then, we must be wary of sidize the perks of former Presidents to lomatic efforts, in general, but are fo- the tune of millions of dollars. The re- this probability. When trust is lacking, cused on significant, substantive con- it is best not to dive in headfirst and ality is that post-Presidential life al- cerns with President Trump’s prelimi- ready provides fruitful opportunities hope for the best but rather to work nary arrangement with North Korea. slowly, transparently, and verifiably to on its own, with former Presidents rak- We want to see these efforts succeed ing in tens of millions of dollars from build trust and lock in concessions. It and ensure that what has just tran- is worrisome—very worrisome—that book deals, speaking engagements, and spired was not purely a reality show more. this joint statement is so imprecise. summit. What the United States has gained is Here in the Senate, we Democrats be- Again, I call on my colleagues to sup- vague and unverifiable at best; what lieve that means five things. First, port this bipartisan bill, which would North Korea has gained, however, is North Korea must dismantle or remove save taxpayer dollars that could be tangible and lasting. By granting a every single one of its nuclear, chem- used for more worthwhile causes, like meeting with Chairman Kim, President ical, and biological weapons. Second, our military. I also thank the senior Trump has granted a brutal and repres- North Korea must end the production Senator from Missouri for cosponsoring sive dictatorship the international le- and enrichment of uranium and pluto- this legislation and making it a bipar- gitimacy it long craved. The symbols nium for military purposes and perma- tisan bill. that were broadcast all over the world nently dismantle its nuclear weapons I thank the Presiding Officer. last night have lasting consequences infrastructure. That means test sites, I suggest the absence of a quorum. for the United States, for North Korea, all nuclear weapons research and devel- and the entire region. opment facilities, and enrichment fa- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The For the United States, it is perma- cilities all have to be destroyed. Third, clerk will call the roll. nent proof that we have legitimized a North Korea must continue to suspend The senior assistant legislative clerk brutal dictator who has starved his all ballistic missile tests. Fourth, proceeded to call the roll. own people. For North Koreans, to North Korea must commit to anytime, Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I ask have their flags astride those of the anywhere inspections for both its nu- unanimous consent that the order for United States, it is a clear symbol that clear and ballistic missile programs, the quorum call be rescinded. they are to be respected and belong including all nondeclared suspicious The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. KEN- among the community of nations, and sites. If inspectors reveal any viola- NEDY). Without objection, it is so or- their sins at home and abroad are be- tion, we must be permitted to imple- dered. ginning to be forgiven. If the United ment snapback sanctions. Lastly, any States is unable to win concrete, last- agreement between the United States Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, let me ing concessions from North Korea, the and North Korea must be permanent. take this opportunity to thank my col- meeting alone will be a victory for Kim Let us hope this is not the final chap- leagues on the Armed Services Com- Jong Un and a defeat for President ter in diplomacy with Pyongyang. mittee for their hard work in pre- Trump. President Trump and his team must senting this bill, but I am going to cast Even more troubling, only an hour take stock in what has happened, what a very strong ‘‘no’’ vote on this legisla- ago, President Trump agreed to freeze North Korea has achieved, and what we tion. This morning I want to say a few joint military exercises with South have yet to achieve and pursue again a words about why I am voting no, to Korea—a legal activity—in exchange tougher course. For the sake of our na- talk about the number of amendments for the mere hope that North Korea tional security, our interests abroad, I have submitted to this bill, and to ex- will freeze its illegal nuclear testing and the safety of the American people, press my very serious concerns about regime. Alarmingly, President Trump the United States can settle for no less our Nation’s bloated military budget, called our military exercises with than the certifiable, permanent particularly in light of the many South Korea provocations. That is denuclearization of North Korea. unmet needs we face as a nation.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 Jun 13, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.004 S12JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S3732 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 12, 2018 Also, I must express a very serious The time is long overdue for us to Pentagon and defense contractors like objection to the fact that we are deal- take a hard look at the enormous Lockheed Martin a blank check while ing with a $716 billion piece of legisla- amount of waste, cost overruns, fraud, we ignore the basic needs of working tion that is more than half of the dis- and financial mismanagement that has families throughout this country. What cretionary budget, yet we will in all plagued the Department of Defense for this debate should be about—and, un- likelihood not have a process that al- decades. fortunately, it will not be about—is our lows for amendments to be debated— I have heard many of my Republican national priorities. $716 billion, at a time when, in Lou- colleagues worry that low-income peo- Do we have to spend more money on isiana, as I understand it, they are now ple are taking advantage of this pro- defense than the next 10 countries com- going to be cutting food stamps for gram or that program. Do you know bined when children in America go hungry children, when schools where the money is? The money is with hungry, when veterans sleep out on the throughout this country don’t have the Department of Defense, and it may street, when we are the only major enough money for books or for teach- be time that we take a hard look at the country that does not guarantee ers’ salaries. We are talking about a fraud and the financial mismanage- healthcare to all people? I say no, and $716 billion military budget and this ment that exists there. That is why I I say that the time is long overdue for process, as I understand it, will allow am offering a bipartisan amendment. I us to stand up to the lobbyists and the for no amendments, despite the fact want to thank Senators GRASSLEY and military industrial complex and fight that virtually every Member of the LEE for their support on this amend- for rational national priorities. Senate has concerns about this bill. ment to end the absurdity of the De- About half of the Pentagon’s $716 bil- Over and over again I have heard my partment of Defense being the only lion budget goes directly into the Republican colleagues and a number of Federal agency that has not undergone hands of private contractors, not into Democratic colleagues come to the an audit. the hands of our troops. Let’s be clear. floor and talk about a very serious It will not surprise the Presiding Of- Over the past two decades, virtually issue, and that is the $21 trillion na- ficer to note that according to a Gallup every major defense contractor in the tional debt we are leaving our kids and poll in February, a few months ago, 65 United States has paid millions of dol- our grandchildren. But somehow, when percent of the American people oppose lars in fines and settlements for mis- it comes to giving huge tax breaks—$1 spending more money on the Depart- conduct and fraud, all—at the same trillion dollars in tax breaks to the top ment of Defense; 65 percent say that we time—while making huge profits on 1 percent—suddenly we don’t hear should not spend more money, yet over government contracts. much about that national debt. When a 2-year period, we are going to spend Since 1995, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, it comes to spending $716 billion on a some $165 billion more on the defense. and United Technologies have paid defense bill, my Republican friends are So it shouldn’t shock anyone that nearly $3 billion in fines or related set- mute. Suddenly the debt has dis- what happens here is a direct con- tlements for fraud or misconduct—$3 appeared because it is OK to spend un- tradiction to what the American people billion—at a time when oversight, limited sums of money on the military. want. The American people want frankly, is pretty weak. Yet those I have heard my Republican col- healthcare for all; my Republican col- leagues tell us that the United States three companies alone received about leagues want to throw 30 million people $800 billion in defense contracts over just cannot afford to join the rest of off of health insurance. The American the industrialized world—every other the past 18 years. people want to ask the rich and power- One of the amendments I have filed major country—and guarantee ful to pay more in taxes; our Repub- would simply require the Pentagon to healthcare for all of our people as a lican colleagues give massive tax right to a Medicare for All program. It establish a website on defense contract breaks to the top 1 percent. fraud with a list of companies con- is what the American people want, but In defense spending, it is just the I am told we cannot afford that. We victed of defrauding the Federal Gov- same thing. The American people say: I ernment, the total value of contracts can afford $716 billion in 1 year for the can’t afford to send my kids to college, awarded to such companies, and a list military, but healthcare for our chil- I can’t afford childcare, and I can’t af- of recommendations for ways the Pen- dren, for our working people, for the 30 ford housing. We need help. But nobody tagon can penalize fraudulent contrac- million people who have no health in- listens to that. We don’t have lobbyists tors. My guess is that fraud is a way of surance, and for the tens of millions of here fighting for working families so doing business and these settlements people who cannot afford health insur- they can find affordable housing or af- are simply a cost of doing business for ance—that we cannot afford. fordable prescription drugs, but today companies who have huge contracts At the moment that we are engaged we are listening to the military indus- with the Department of Defense. That in a highly competitive global econ- trial complex and talking about a $165 has to stop. omy, I am told over and over again billion increase in 2 years for the mili- Further, I find it interesting that the that we cannot afford to make public tary. colleges and universities tuition-free. As a point in comparison—and I hope very same defense contractors that Hundreds of thousands of our young everyone hears this—the increase in have been found guilty or reached set- people are unable to go to college be- military spending, the $165 billion over tlements for fraud are also paying their cause their families lack the income. 2 years that we recently approved is CEOs and executives excessive and ob- Millions leave school deeply in debt. larger than the entire military budget scene compensation packages. Last No, no, no, we cannot afford to make of China. China spends about $150 bil- year, the CEO of Lockheed Martin and public colleges and universities tui- lion a year on defense. We have in- Raytheon, two of the top U.S. defense tion-free, but we can afford to spend creased military spending by $165 bil- contractors, were each paid over $20 $716 billion in 1 year on the military. lion over 2 years. million in total compensation. More- Over half of older Americans have no Russia spends about $61 billion on de- over, more than 90 percent of the rev- retirement savings—no retirement sav- fense annually. So children in Lou- enue of those companies came from de- ings—yet we have Republican col- isiana may be losing their food stamps fense spending. So they get the bulk of leagues in the House and here in the and go hungry, but we are voting on a their money from the taxpayers of the Senate who say: Oh, we can’t afford So- bill of $716 billion at a time when Rus- United States, and then they pay their cial Security. We have to cut Social sia spends about of $61 billion on de- CEOs exorbitant compensation pack- Security for people who are trying to fense. ages. get by on $12,000, $13,000, $14,000 a year, There are enormous needs in this I think the American people might cutting their prescription drugs in half. country in Vermont, in California, and like to know why a defense contractor Cut Social Security, yes, but think all across this country. We might want can pay its CEO 100 times more than about dealing with the $716 billion to listen to the needs of working people the Secretary of Defense, whose salary military budget in a rational way? No, rather than just lobbyists from the is capped at $205,000. To my mind, that no, no, we can’t afford to do that. We military industrial complex. is a reasonable question. How does the can’t even afford to accept amend- I believe in a strong national defense, CEO of a defense contractor get 100 ments here on the floor. but we cannot continue to give the times more salary than the Secretary

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:30 Jun 13, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.006 S12JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE June 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3733 of Defense? That is why I have filed an In 2001, Donald Rumsfeld, George ple, among older people, among work- amendment to prohibit defense con- Bush’s Secretary of Defense, said that ing people, among academics. tractor CEOs from making more money DOD could not track $2.3 trillion in Let’s try to destroy the hatred that than the Secretary of Defense. transactions. Yet, 17 years after Mr. exists throughout the world based on Moreover, as the GAO has told us, Rumsfeld’s comments, the Department fear and ignorance by allowing people there are massive cost overruns in the of Defense has still not passed a clean to get to know each other. One-tenth of Defense Department’s acquisition audit, despite the fact that the Pen- 1 percent would go toward that effort. budget that we have to address. Ac- tagon controls assets in excess of $2.2 On a separate note, since March of cording to the GAO, the Pentagon’s trillion, or roughly 70 percent of what 2015, the U.S. Armed Forces have been $1.66 trillion acquisition portfolio cur- the entire Federal Government owns. involved in hostilities between a Saudi- rently suffers from more than $537 bil- The Commission on Wartime Con- led coalition and the Houthis in lion in cost overruns, with much of the tracting in Iraq and Afghanistan con- Yemen. I believe it is long past time cost growth taking place after produc- cluded in 2011 that $31 to $60 billion that we put an end to our unconstitu- tion. spent in Iraq and Afghanistan had been tional and unauthorized participation I was the mayor of the city of Bur- lost to fraud and waste. Children in in this war. To my mind, there is no lington, VT, for 8 years. Like other America go hungry. Young people leave question that U.S. participation in the mayors throughout the country— school deeply in debt. People in this war in Yemen is unauthorized and un- Democrats, Republicans, Independents, country cannot afford healthcare. But constitutional. It is the Congress of the whatever—you sit down and negotiate $31 to $60 billion in Iraq and Afghani- United States that decides whether a contract with someone who perhaps stan has been lost through fraud and this country goes to war, not the Presi- is going to repave the streets. The con- waste. Maybe—just maybe—we might dent. tractor says: ‘‘I’m going to do it for $5 want to get our priorities right and The truth about Yemen is that U.S. million,’’ and you sign a contract. You take a look at that issue. forces have been actively engaged in don’t accept the fact that the con- Separately, in 2015, the Special In- support of the Saudi coalition in this tractor comes back and says: Oh, I am spector General for Afghanistan Recon- war, providing intelligence and aerial sorry, I made a little mistake. It is struction reported that the Pentagon refueling of planes whose bombs have going to cost you people $10 million. could not account for $45 billion in killed thousands of people and made That is not the way it was done in funding for reconstruction projects. the current humanitarian crisis in Burlington. That is not the way it is More recently, an audit conducted by Yemen the worst humanitarian crisis done in cities or States throughout Ernst & Young for the Defense Logis- on the face of the planet today. Even now as I speak, there are re- this country. But apparently that is tics Agency found that it could not ports that an attack on the Yemeni the way it is done at the Department of properly account for $800 million in port city of Hodeidah by the Saudi-led Defense. construction projects. Oh, yes, Mr. Secretary, we are going It is time to hold the Department of coalition is imminent. Hodeidah is a key entry point for humanitarian aid to do this weapons system for $5 bil- Defense to the same level of account- into Yemen. The U.N. Humanitarian lion. We made a mistake; you have to ability as the rest of the government. pay us $10 billion. I would also like to briefly mention Coordinator in the country, Lisa No problem. No worries. Nobody in an amendment that, to me, makes an Grande, said last week that ‘‘a military Congress is going to raise any issue enormous amount of sense. In this bill, attack or siege on Hodeidah will im- about that. we are spending $716 billion in defense pact hundreds of thousands of innocent GAO tells us that ‘‘many DOD pro- spending in order to protect the Amer- civilians. . . . In a prolonged worst case, we fear that as many as 250,000 grams fall short of cost, schedule, and ican people. What this bill does is people may lose everything—even their performance expectations, meaning spend that money on the production of DOD pays more than anticipated, can lives.’’ fighter planes, bombs, guns, missiles, The Trump administration has tried buy less than expected, and, in some tanks, nuclear weapons, submarines, cases, delivers less capability to the to justify our involvement in the and other weapons of destruction. This Yemen war as necessary to push back warfighter.’’ That is not from BERNIE amendment I have submitted would re- SANDERS; that is from the GAO. on Iran. Well, another administration duce the defense budget by one-tenth of told us that invading Iraq was nec- Let me repeat. A major reason there 1 percent. That is not a massive cut. is so much waste, fraud, and abuse at essary to confront al-Qaida, and an- We would use that $700 million to make other told us that the Vietnam war was the Pentagon is that the Department our country safer by reaching out to of Defense remains the only Federal necessary to contain communism. people throughout the world in ways None of that turned out to be true. agency in America that hasn’t been that bring us together through edu- able to pass an independent audit 28 I believe that we have become far too cational and cultural programs. comfortable with the United States en- years after Congress required it to do At the end of the day, it is not nec- so. I know the Federal bureaucracy gaging in military interventions all essarily true that guns and tanks and over the world. We have now been in moves slowly, but 28 years should be missiles are the only way we will be Afghanistan for 17 years—the longest enough time for the DOD to do what safe. We will be safer when people war in American history. We have been Congress demanded that it do. throughout the world get to know each in Iraq for 15 years. Our troops are now The amendment Senator GRASSLEY, other and understand the common hu- in Syria under what I believe are ques- Senator LEE, and I have filed couldn’t manity that they have, when kids from be simpler. It simply says that if the tionable authorities, and the adminis- Iran and Burlington, VT, can sit down tration has indicated that it may Pentagon can’t pass a clean audit by and talk about the issues they face. fiscal year 2022—not tomorrow; fiscal broaden that mission even more. This amendment is about helping to The time is long overdue for Congress year 2022—then a small portion of the make us safer by investing in edu- to reassert its constitutional responsi- defense budget—about $100 million— cational programs, allowing our kids to bility over sending our men and women will be redirected to deficit reduction. go abroad to learn about other coun- into war. It is the Congress that makes Interestingly, you may recall that on tries, and allowing kids from other that decision. It couldn’t be clearer in September 10, 2001—1 day before 9/11— countries to come into the United the Constitution. It is not the Presi- former Secretary of Defense Donald States. Dialogue alone taking place be- dent of the United States. That is why Rumsfeld, who was George W. Bush’s tween Foreign Ministers or diplomats I have filed a bipartisan amendment, Secretary of Defense, said: at the United Nations is not the only along with Senators LEE, MURPHY, Our financial systems are decades old. Ac- way countries can relate to each other. WARREN, and several others, that cording to some estimates, we cannot track That type of dialogue, that type of $2.3 trillion in transactions. We cannot share would put an end to U.S. involvement information from floor to floor in this build- communication, that type of sharing of in the war in Yemen. ing because it’s stored on dozens of techno- who we are should be taking place be- Let me conclude by saying this: I logical systems that are inaccessible or in- tween people throughout the world at think everybody in the Congress be- compatible. the grassroots level—among young peo- lieves and understands that we need a

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:30 Jun 13, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.007 S12JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S3734 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 12, 2018 strong defense. There is no debate world—Afghanistan, Poland, Kuwait, Senator Paul or Senator LEE puts their about that. But we do not need a de- just to name a few. When I meet with amendment forward, they would stop fense budget that is bloated, that is these troops, I go and talk to the en- their amendments from coming up. So wasteful, and that has in it many areas listed guys in the mess hall. You can that is where we are. We have the of fraud. find out a lot more by sitting down and Corker amendment, and it is one that Let me remind some of my Repub- eating with the guys in the mess hall has a blue-slip problem. We have the lican colleagues—it is hard to believe, in Afghanistan than you can having a indefinite detention amendment by but Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led hearing in Washington, DC. One of the PAUL, and both GRAHAM and GRASSLEY American troops in World War II, was a things I learned last week was that our have said they would object if that Republican. This is what he said as he troops want to know if we are really comes up for a vote. So we can’t have was leaving office, which is as true doing all we can. a vote on that. There is nothing we can today as when he said it in 1960. He The proper authorizations, reports, do except get them together to decide. said: trainings, things like we established in This significant bill we are talking Every gun that is made, every warship this bill would be improved by an open about is the most significant bill of the launched, every rocket signifies, in the final amendment process. The open amend- year, and we can’t move on it until— sense, a theft from those who hunger and are ment process is the hallmark of our de- and, I agree, there is a problem. I have not fed, those who are cold and are not mocracy. It is very significant, and it talked to a lot of our Members who are clothed. This world in arms is not spending is something we need to be doing, and fairly new Members, and they talk money alone. It is spending the sweat of its about the Senate process and that one laborers, the genius of its scientists, the we are all in agreement on that. Now, the NDAA is also a message to person can stop everything from hap- hopes of its children. . . . This is not a way pening. Well, it has been that way a of life at all, in any true sense. Under the our allies around the world. They don’t cloud of threatening war, it is humanity want to have to hedge their bets. It long time, and this is where we seem to hanging from a cross of iron. wasn’t too long ago we were in the have to pay dearly for it. I have to say That is what Dwight D. Eisenhower South China Sea, and we saw where this also because many times on legis- said way back when. Those are words China is actually building all of these lation we have on the floor, it is Demo- that I think we should remember islands out there. I contend, it is ille- crat versus Republican, Republican today. gally building them because they don’t versus Democrat. Well, Senator REED Thank you, Mr. President. own the land. It is almost as if they are and I don’t have any disagreement. We I yield the floor. preparing for World War III. All of that disagree on some of the issues we are The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- is going on right now. So it is a very going to be dealing with as we debate ator from Oklahoma. hostile world out there. amendments—and that is going to hap- Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I would We saw the progress the President pen this week—but we both agree the suggest that the War Powers Act does made yesterday with Kim Jong Un. other has the chance to present his specifically say that the President has That was nothing short of a miracle best case and try to win on the issues. the very power to enter our troops into that they are sitting down and visiting, So that is going on, and this is one of combat. It shouldn’t be necessary to that they have agreed on certain the rare cases where I guess all the say. denuclearization prospects. I think problems we are having objecting to People are asking me questions and they have done a great job, and I am amendments are all coming from the calling up and asking: Where are we on anxious to give this President the au- Republican side. I hope our Repub- the NDAA? I want to make a few com- thority to continue in his work. licans will get together with each other ments about that and then give an While we continue to work out the and determine what areas they actu- exact status as to where we are right amendment process, I ask my col- ally will be objecting to. That is where now. leagues to come down to the floor. we are right now. Let me, one more time, commend We said it before, but we can’t over- Let me say where we are right now. Senator REED for the cooperation we state this: This NDAA bill is going to Senator CORKER is blocking the consid- are getting between the Democrats and pass. We know it is going to pass. It eration of all amendments, unless he Republicans on this, the most signifi- has passed for 57 consecutive years, and receives a vote on his amendment. I ap- cant bill of the year. it is one that has to pass because this preciate very much the friendly atti- I yield the floor. is the most important bill of the year. tude he has had toward this. He feels The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Last night, we adopted a managers’ very strongly, but there is a blue-slip ator from Rhode Island. package of some 45 bipartisan amend- problem with this; that is, it is not Mr. REED. Mr. President, let me ments. This is on top of some 300 going to be considered by the House be- thank the Senator from Oklahoma for amendments that we already have gone cause it is a revenue issue we are deal- being very thoughtful and informing us through in the committee. ing with, and that is why it is a blue- all of the current procedural status. We I want to say with my counterpart slip issue. I know Senator CORKER did both hope to be able to work through here—Senator REED—that we are in want to correct that last night, and he another package of managers’ amend- total agreement on the procedures we attempted to do it. I have not heard ments that could be submitted. should be following. We are in agree- that he has been able to successfully do Looking at the amendments we have ment on an open amendment process. it, and I don’t believe he has. seen so far, regardless of what position Both the Democratic and Republican There are several already who have you take on their disposition, they all leadership are committed to an open said, in the event CORKER tries to bring seem to be serious, substantive and, in amendment process. We have been try- it up for a vote, they will block that our view, worthy of a vote. We just ing to set that up, and we have not vote. So that vote would be blocked. have to work out the procedure to get been shortchanging or shortcutting Senator PAUL and Senator LEE have to those votes. There may be some- anyone’s ability to be heard on their amendments that are similar to each thing in the future that is offered that amendment, because we have already other. Each one is blocking unless he seems to be very difficult, and I will gone through 300 of these in com- receives a vote. So we have Senator not say we have not, in the past, on our mittee, and then it passed unanimously LEE saying, unless he gets a vote on his side stood up and said we object. That to the floor. That is something that amendment, he is going to block any- is one of the prerogatives. doesn’t happen very often. one else from having an amendment or At this juncture, Senator INHOFE and I hope that we can have more amend- getting a vote; in other words, no I seem to be in harmony trying to find ments throughout this process. We are amendments. Senator PAUL, the same ways to vote for the proposals we have working to get consent to do that. I thing, no amendments. Now, their seen presented to us and ask and re- think we can make it happen. We want amendments are similar to each other, quest votes on the proposals by our col- an open amendment process. Every- but there are some slight differences, leagues. body wants that. but that is where they are right now. With that, I know Senator INHOFE I recently got back from visiting However, Senator GRAHAM and Sen- and I will continue to work to see if we with American troops around the ator GRASSLEY have said, in the event can move this process forward.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:30 Jun 13, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.009 S12JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE June 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3735 I yield the floor. North Korea must understand that ily uses its playbook to delay conces- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- even if China eases the pressure, we in sions they make while front-end load- ator from Massachusetts. Congress are ready to step in to tight- ing the rewards they receive. TRUMP-KIM SUMMIT en the screws on the North Korean We can all agree that we need a plan Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I come economy. to stop North Korea’s plutonium pro- to the floor to raise my concerns over President Trump appears to have duction and uranium enrichment, that the outcome of the summit between made a second unforced error. By suspends and then eliminates its bal- the United States and North Korea. agreeing to curtail our joint military listic missile program, that perma- Now, after witnessing heated rhetoric exercises with the South Koreans, nently dismantles and removes all of from both sides, the unexpected turn President Trump let Kim Jong Un dic- its nuclear, chemical, and biological toward diplomacy by President Trump tate our military activities with other weapons, and that implements a com- and Kim Jong Un was, by all accounts, countries. By proclaiming that our ex- pliance inspection program with a a very welcome development. As there ercises are ‘‘provocative,’’ he has strong verification regime—suspend, is no military solution to the North adopted the North Korea propaganda. eliminate, dismantle, remove, and Korean nuclear crisis, I was encouraged By proclaiming that our exercises are verify every single step of the way. to see direct engagement, and I have ‘‘expensive,’’ he showed that he does Most of us agree on what a deal long advocated for this approach. How- not grasp our alliance commitments. should look like, but the trick is fig- ever, I am concerned that the agree- Yes, some military exercises are cost- uring out how to get there, and the ment signed this morning does little to ly, but as any businessperson should hard work lies ahead to successfully address the threats and challenges we know, the more important indicator is navigate the hazards. face. value. If a high cost is outweighed by No. 1, do not sell out our allies. We First, the text of the statement was even greater benefits, then we should must not allow North Korea to believe the most vague and least detailed of be willing to pay the cost. the alliance framework, which has any signed by North Korea over the Our military exercises improve the served as the foundation for regional past three decades. Despite his claims readiness of our forces to deter and, if peace and security, is anything other to the contrary, President Trump got a necessary, defeat North Korean aggres- than unshakeable. Unfortunately, weaker deal, with fewer commitments, sion. Will North Korea be sufficiently South Korea seemed to be caught off than any of his predecessors. Nowhere deterred without U.S. and South Ko- guard by President Trump’s announce- does the document explain what ‘‘com- rean forces standing shoulder to shoul- ment on military exercises. No. 2, do not prematurely release the plete denuclearization of the Korean der? Will the chance of conflict de- pressure valve. China, North Korea’s Peninsula’’ means. For example, Kim crease? chief enabler, already is easing pres- Jong Un can easily interpret the lan- It was telling—and very regrettable— sure on North Korea. North Korean guage to mean he will only relinquish that the South Korean Government goods already are becoming more abun- his nuclear weapons once the United needed to issue a statement asking the dant in China, despite being banned by States does the same. After all, history Trump administration to clarify its United Nations Security Council reso- shows us that North Korea interprets comment about military exercises. It lutions, and immediately following the the term ‘‘Korean Peninsula’’ to in- seems the Blue House in South Korea summit, the Chinese Foreign Ministry clude any U.S. nuclear weapon capable was not consulted. suggested making adjustments to ex- of striking North Korea. The loopholes What signal does it send to China isting sanctions on North Korea. in the agreement, it seems, are big that our presence in the region, which If China wants to be taken seriously enough to fly nuclear missiles through. has helped keep peace and stability for as a responsible global power, it cannot By contrast, previous agreements decades, may be sacrificed to save a bit shirk its duties to enforce sanctions on were much more stringent. The 1992 of money? The Trump administration serial violators like North Korea. If joint declaration signed by North and might have unwittingly given a green North Korea backslides at any point, South Korea, for example, included light to China to pursue more aggres- China must be tougher on North Korea, conditions such as ‘‘South and North sive actions in the region. including cutting off all of the crude Korea shall not test, manufacture, Now, I have been warning that we oil exports to the North Korean re- produce, receive, possess, store, deploy, must watch out for the old Kim family gime, which still flows in every day or use nuclear weapons,’’ and ‘‘South playbook—one that has been used from China. and North Korea shall not possess nu- throughout the Clinton, Bush, and No. 3, focus on the threat at hand. clear reprocessing and uranium enrich- Obama administrations. Well, the Kim North Korea’s nuclear warheads and ment facilities.’’ Unfortunately, nei- family playbook was on the field yet other dangerous weapons and their de- ther of those commitments appears in again last night, and President Trump livery systems are real threats. The ad- the latest agreement. The language in- fell for all of the plays. ministration must not fall for North stead suggests something worrying. As it has done in the past, North Korea’s inevitable theatrics and false As the administration must have re- Korea showed it is trying to, No. 1, concessions, as we cannot afford to be alized this agreement was not as strong front load the rewards and delay con- sidetracked. After all, nothing would as the previous ones, it appears it was cessions. As indicated by the post-sum- stop North Korea from conducting an- unable to convince North Korea to mit statement from China’s Foreign other nuclear or missile test if it even adopt tougher, more detailed commit- Ministry, Pyongyang and Beijing al- believes its warheads and missiles need ments. If true, we should take the hint ready appear to be working together to more testing. that North Korea has not yet felt the remove sanctions despite the lack of No. 4, build American diplomatic ca- economic pressure necessary to compel tangible evidence of denuclearization. pability and infrastructure. Diplomacy it to accept our definition of No. 2, from the Kim family playbook, is a team sport, and no matter what ‘‘denuclearization’’—one where the use sleight of hand to make irrelevant commitments leaders make, it is only Kim regime relinquishes its nuclear actions seem meaningful. By sup- through a well-staffed and well- weapons and its means to produce posedly demolishing its nuclear test resourced professional diplomatic core more. site and a missile engine test stand, that it becomes a reality. The State It appears, Kim Jong Un, having North Korea is claiming it has made Department must have the resources it stockpiled a wide range of illicit and real progress, despite not destroying a needs to conduct American foreign pol- dangerous weapons, believes he is nego- single warhead or missile. icy around the globe and especially tiating from a position of strength, No. 3, in the Kim family playbook, with regard to Asia and North Korea. rather than from a position of weak- exploit ambiguity. The Trump-Kim The outcome of this summit clearly ness. While the Trump administration agreement is so vague that it imposes indicates how much we need the advice said it has imposed maximum pressure, no clear requirements on North Korea. of career diplomats and technical ex- the truth is, we haven’t yet reached What we should want is reconciliation, perts. that level that could be called max- not repetition of what has happened And, No. 5, come to Congress. To imum pressure. decade after decade when the Kim fam- achieve a lasting solution to the crisis,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:30 Jun 13, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.011 S12JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S3736 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 12, 2018 the Trump administration must work the ongoing struggle to reduce and and to the world. Thus far, there is no with Congress to shape the contours of eventually eliminate the danger nu- evidence of that. I fear that the only any future deal. Any final agreement clear weapons pose to the world. thing that will last from this summit should take the form of a treaty, to be But, instead, the Trump administra- will be the photo, because we will not ratified by the U.S. Senate, so as to in- tion wants new nuclear weapons, and, have had the concessions made that, on crease its shelf life. unfortunately, its efforts to develop a verifiable basis can, in fact, be con- Without following principles like this new, more usable low-yield nuclear firmed and that make the Korean Pe- and without a clear understanding of weapons, like the W76–2, seem to be ninsula and make the world a safer our previous diplomatic efforts with driven more by political requirements place to be. North Korea, we could fail. We owe it than by military requirements. Our So today is a momentous day. This to our fellow Americans to successfully military commanders didn’t ask for will be a momentous week on the floor reduce the threats we face because the this or any other nuclear weapon. In- of the Senate, as well, in the debate of threats from North Korea are signifi- stead, the Trump administration told this new armed services bill, and I am cant. them that they were getting this new looking forward to this incredibly im- Unlike other countries with nuclear low-yield nuclear weapon in its Nuclear portant discussion. programs, North Korea already pos- Posture Review earlier this year, which With that, I yield the floor. sesses thermonuclear warheads and the needlessly expanded our nuclear I suggest the absence of a quorum. ballistic missiles to deliver them. It warfighting capabilities and threat- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The has shorter range missiles that cast a ened new scenarios under which we dark shadow over our allies, South clerk will call the roll. might use our nuclear weapons to re- The bill clerk proceeded to call the Korea and Japan. Pyongyang possesses spond. The Nuclear Posture Review some of the foulest toxins on the plan- roll. called for new low-yield weapons, like Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask et, and it brutally represses, imprisons, the W76–2, for unretiring old, Cold War- tortures, and kills its own citizens. So unanimous consent that the order for era ones like the B–83 megaton gravity the quorum call be rescinded. we must address these myriad threats. bomb and expanding the scenarios As it turns out, negotiating with The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without under which we might respond with nu- North Korea is harder than the Presi- objection, it is so ordered. clear weapons. dent thought. So we must continue to We already have hundreds of low- CONGRATULATING MITCH MCCONNELL AS THE LONGEST SERVING SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER squeeze the regime so that it cannot yield nuclear weapons, including the access the resources necessary to main- B61 gravity bomb and an air-launched Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I rise tain or expand its military capabili- cruise missile, and we will spend hun- today to mark an important milestone ties. After all, a combination of direct dreds of billions of dollars to upgrade for our friend Senator MITCH MCCON- engagement, backed by pressure, is the these systems, as well as to develop a NELL, who has now become the longest only solution to the North Korean new stealth bomber and fighter aircraft serving Republican leader, surpassing threat to the United States, our allies, to deliver them, as part of the existing Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, who and to the broader region. served from 1985 to 1996. Now, Mr. President, I would like to nuclear modernization program. Given this current capacity, as well I told somebody in the press yester- spend a few minutes discussing amend- as the lack of any documents, reports, day that Senator MCCONNELL has done ments that I am filing to the National or studies justifying the sudden, pre- it the old-fashioned way: He earned it. Defense Authorization Act. My amend- viously unrecognized, need for a new He earned this role as our leader and ments would help to reduce the nuclear low-yield weapon as part of America’s the respect, certainly, that goes along dangers the world faces today and in nuclear deterrent, it is hard to under- with it. the future by either canceling or re- He served as minority leader begin- directing funds the Trump administra- stand why we need to spend more money to develop a low-yield nuclear ning in 2007, and I had the honor of pre- tion would use to develop a new so- senting him with a copy of his maiden called low-yield nuclear weapon toward weapon that will add additional strain to a nuclear complex that is already speech as Republican leader back then. preparing for nonproliferation activi- That was at the beginning of the 110th ties that will be essential to helping operating at levels unseen since the Cold War and that could jeopardize the Congress, and he has served as either denuclearize North Korea. majority leader or minority leader ever I also want to thank my colleagues existing modernization program which since. What a historic tenure his has Senators ELIZABETH WARREN and JACK enjoys bipartisan support and which been, and what a privilege it has been REED, who have been tremendous lead- our military leaders have said is the for me to serve alongside him since I ers on the Armed Services Committee, most important nuclear requirement came to the Senate in 2003, but espe- in working to ensure that proper con- for the military. It makes no sense to cially in my role as whip, I have had gressional authorization is secured for spend more money to develop a low- any new or modified nuclear weapons. yield nuclear weapon, dangerously in- the opportunity to work with the lead- There is no more important job for distinguishable from a strategic one, er on a daily basis, and it has been one Congress than stopping the spread of especially when our military does not of the highlights of my Senate career. nuclear weapons, and I thank Senators need it. They did not request it. Senator MCCONNELL is trusted. We WARREN and REED for their leadership That is why I have fought this weap- all know he is whip smart. He is an im- and commitment to this important on from the very start and am offering pressive strategist. He understands the task. an amendment to focus on funding ac- Senate better than anybody else here, Let’s be clear. When the Trump ad- tivities that will be necessary to re- and time and again, he has dem- ministration talks about a so-called duce the nuclear danger to the world— onstrated what leaders always need to low-yield nuclear weapon, they are still whether now or in the future—instead demonstrate, and that is a remarkable referring to nuclear weapons com- of adding to it by developing a com- degree of humility, sometimes prefer- parable to the nuclear bomb that de- pletely unjustified low-yield weapon ring to work for the betterment of the stroyed Hiroshima in the Second World that adds to the risk that we can actu- conference and the country behind the War. There is no such thing as a low- ally contemplate fighting a winnable scenes rather than enjoy the spotlight yield nuclear weapon. A nuclear weap- nuclear war. That makes no sense on the frontlines. That takes a remark- on is a nuclear weapon, and they are whatsoever—a new nuclear weapon able sense of self-confidence and team fundamentally different than any other that the Pentagon did not ask for. We spirit that not everybody has. It is true tool of war. They destabilize. They an- should be heading in the opposite direc- that sometimes he is soft-spoken, but I nihilate. They force others to do the tion. That is the signal that we should can assure you that he is never afraid same. This is where the term ‘‘MAD,’’ be sending to the rest of the world. to take a hard line when absolutely or mutually assured destruction, comes With regard to the summit, my hope necessary. But more than that, he is a from. is that there will be some details that rare example of what a Senator ought For these reasons, they should never indicate what the concessions have to be, what a true public servant ought be used, and we should never falter in been made by Kim to the United States to be.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 Jun 13, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.012 S12JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE June 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3737 As majority leader, Senator MCCON- work again. The Senate simply does of international adoptions, ensured a NELL is a member of a storied group not work unless our committee struc- healthcare fix for more than 3,000 re- that includes the likes of Senator ture works, because then power is dif- tired coal miners, and supported mili- Charles Curtis, the first official major- fused among all Senators, and they tary installations, such as Fort Camp- ity leader of the Senate, who was fa- each get to contribute their piece of a bell and Fort Knox. He has gotten more mous for his Native American ancestry solution to a problem. He has com- resources to strengthen Kentucky uni- and racing horses, I am told. The‘ mitted himself and the Senate to a versities. He has helped his State com- group includes Robert Taft of Ohio, more rational, functioning appropria- bat the scourge of opioid addiction. He who would work late into the night tions process—something we all can ap- even helped a mother get her child studying the rules of the Senate in plaud. back after she was abducted and taken In my opinion, it has been his never- order to outmaneuver his opponents. It to West Africa. These are just some of ending quest for this body he loves to includes Lyndon Baines Johnson from the recent ways he has served his function not just ably but at a consist- my State, who would go on to become State. President, as well as Mike Mansfield ently high level. That has been his from Montana, Johnson’s whip, who greatest contribution to the people he As we know, Senator MCCONNELL went on to serve as majority leader for serves. joined the Senate in 1984, so one could Leader MCCONNELL is concerned 16 years. In more recent times, there literally write volumes about his many about the policy priorities of our party, 1 have been great statesmen, such as Bob other contributions over the past 3 ⁄2 of course, and he works doggedly to ad- Dole, Trent Lott, and Bill Frist. decades. He once said of the Senate vance a conservative, right-of-center We all know that Senator MCCON- what is no less true of all of us: We are agenda, but he also cares deeply about NELL is an avid student of history, and all imperfect at moments, but we were he has learned a lot from all of these this institution that he has committed permanently endowed with high pur- leaders—their example, their ups and so much of his life to serving and the pose. downs, their successes, and their chal- pivotal role the Senate has always played in American history. He cares For those familiar with the story of lenges—and in a sense, he stands on his own life, this sense of high purpose their shoulders. The experience, the ex- about upholding the rules and tradi- tions of this body, not for their own was seen early on. After overcoming ample, and the great leadership each of sake but because they have simply polio at a young age, Leader MCCON- them demonstrated have benefited all withstood the test of time. NELL went on to attend the University of us but nobody more than our leader We have made great strides this Con- of Louisville, where he served as stu- Senator MCCONNELL. gress under Leader MCCONNELL’s lead- dent body president and where he urged In today’s world, the qualities em- ership. We passed the first overhaul of his classmates to march with Martin bodied by all of these men is not very the Tax Code in more than three dec- Luther King, Jr., on behalf of civil widely understood, but we have to look ades and allowed Americans to keep rights. He then became president of the no further than Senator MCCONNELL to more of their hard-earned paychecks. student bar association in law school. see what that leadership looks like. We reformed Dodd-Frank legislation, This man was clearly born to lead. One thing it requires is recognizing freeing up banks and credit unions to your role but also respecting the role What was clear early in his life re- better serve their communities by giv- mains clear today: Leader MCCONNELL of other Members in the conference. ing small businesses access to the cred- As I said, Senator MCCONNELL deeply is simply relentless. He never stops it they need in order to start that busi- understands the nature of the Senate working, and in his view, we—both as a ness and grow. We rolled back overly and his position, and he illustrated this conference and a country—still have burdensome regulations and confirmed miles to go before we sleep. when he spoke at the beginning of the 39 judicial nominees, including a Su- 114th Congress. In addition to confirming the Presi- In his first speech, he recognized that preme Court Justice and 21 circuit court judges. As Senator MCCONNELL dent’s nominees, we have a packed to- the American people were anxious likes to remind us, these judges will do list this year that includes finishing about the direction of our country. He serve long after this President’s term the Defense bill this week, passing mentioned the decline of civic trust in of office and perhaps even our time in water infrastructure reform, as well as our national institutions. He expressed the Senate. a farm bill, combating the opioid cri- concern about his fellow Americans This spring, we kept a solemn com- sis, and reauthorizing the Federal feeling as though government was mitment we made to our veterans by Aviation Administration and the Coast somehow uninterested or incapable of making sure they have access to the Guard. None of this is easy, but one addressing their concerns—a govern- healthcare choices which they need and thing is certain: With Leader MCCON- ment that seemed to be working for which we have solemnly committed to NELL at the helm and with the hard itself instead of for them. Those were provide. None of this would have been work of those of us here in the Sen- some of the sentiments and concerns possible without Leader MCCONNELL’s ate—on a bipartisan basis, hopefully— he expressed at the time. deftly navigating around the stop signs we will continue to make steady Sensing this unease, articulating the and roadblocks that naturally occur in progress on behalf of the American peo- problem was just the beginning of Sen- a place like the Senate and refusing to ple we serve. ator MCCONNELL’s setting out to fix it. yield along the way to unprecedented Thank you, Senator MCCONNELL, for What Americans wanted then is what levels of partisan obstruction. they want now: They want a govern- But we must not forget that Senator your example. Thank you for your ment that works. They want, as Sen- MCCONNELL is a leader not only of our mentorship and for your friendship, ator MCCONNELL called it, a govern- conference, but he also serves pri- and congratulations once again on ment of the 21st century, one that marily on behalf of the people of Ken- reaching this historic milestone today. functions with efficiency and account- tucky. He doesn’t leave his full-time I yield the floor. ability, competence and purpose. That job behind when he puts on his leader- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. is the kind of government our leader ship hat. He somehow has to balance CRUZ). The Senator from Florida. has worked tirelessly to promote. As the needs of both his constituents in he has told us time and again, what he Kentucky and the larger needs of the Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, while is interested in is results, not show Senate and of the country as a whole. the Senator from Kentucky is here, I votes. Many of us from time to time It goes without saying that balancing want to get his attention and say that have said: Why can’t we have a vote on those competing demands is extraor- the very laudatory comments the ma- this or that? He reminds us that what dinarily difficult. It is not for the faint jority whip has said about the Sen- we need to produce is results, not the- of heart. But somehow Senator MCCON- ator—I can add to the accolades for the atrics. NELL makes it look easy. He doesn’t Senator from Kentucky by pointing He has taken steps to return the Sen- even seem to break a sweat, amazingly out that he and I have a common trait, ate to regular order, which simply so. That is because people like Senator a common denominator between us: We means getting the Senate back to work MCCONNELL are versatile and energetic. both married above ourselves. His wife, according to its own rules and tradi- On behalf of his fellow Kentuckians, the Honorable Elaine Chao, now our tions. He has gotten the committees to he has recently championed the cause Secretary of Transportation, former

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:16 Jun 13, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.013 S12JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S3738 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 12, 2018 Secretary of Labor—they are truly one of 12—one was just a 1-year-old—were In remembrance of the victims today of the remarkable couples of political killed by a man who, like so many oth- in Orlando, you will see this ribbon leadership in the Nation’s Capital. I ers, shouldn’t have had a gun in the worn by many, many citizens in the congratulate him on the comments by first place. When are we going to say community. On the 2-year date of that the majority whip today. enough is enough? horrific event, I want us to come to- GUN VIOLENCE At some point Congress has to accept gether again in the same way we did Mr. President, I am wearing this rib- the fact that the only way to change after Pulse in Orlando, the same way bon because the Orlando community is the current path is that we, as a soci- we did after Parkland but, this time, mourning once again. Last night, there ety, are going to have to take a step in not to help each other mourn to get was another shooting, and a number of the right direction to do the right through the tragedy but to require real people have been killed again. Today thing. Yet you can remember that a change to make sure that it is going to marks 2 years since the tragic mas- couple of years ago, in this body we be more difficult for this to happen sacre at the Pulse nightclub in Or- tried to pass a bill which said that if again. lando, 2 years since a gunman walked you were on the terrorist watch list, it Aren’t people beginning to realize into the club with a Sig Sauer MCX as- was going to be the law of the land there is way too much gun violence in sault rifle and killed 49 innocent peo- that you could not buy a gun. Mind this country—and a lot of it since ple. They were there celebrating Latin you, if they are on the terrorist watch Sandy Hook Elementary School in American night at a gay nightclub. It list, we think they are potentially a Connecticut? In my State of Florida, was one of the deadliest mass shootings terrorist and therefore cannot get on just this year, we have seen 17 students in modern U.S. history with 49 deaths, an airplane and fly on a commercial gunned down at Marjory Stoneman only to be eclipsed by the massacre of airline, but we could not pass that to Douglas. Just in this year, 1 month 58 people a year ago in Las Vegas. In say that they could not buy or acquire after that, we saw another student shot the carnage, a number of people were a gun. at Forest High School in Ocala. Just severely wounded, and those who did So what we see that destroys our last month, a sheriff’s deputy was shot not actually have physical wounds communities—we are going to have to and killed in Lake Placid. Then, this have the mental and emotional wounds do more than increase security at week, we have awakened to the news of that are not unlike the PTSD that our schools with some wrongheaded at- an officer shot in Orlando and the soldiers suffer from and have to be tempts to arm teachers. First of all, deaths of four young children who were treated for for years and years. That is the teachers don’t want to be armed in held hostage. true in the Orlando community as a re- schools. I will tell you who else doesn’t We should not allow these shootings sult of the massacre at the Pulse night- want them to be armed—the SWAT to become the new normal in this coun- club. Orlando is mourning again at this team that has to storm the school try. This Senator has been involved in 2-year mark. building looking for the shooter, and a lot of bipartisan bills to prohibit There were some incredible things then if they come upon a teacher with known or suspected terrorists from that came out of this. I have never seen a gun, they could think that teacher is purchasing firearms, to empower our the Orlando community so united, with the shooter. family members and law enforcement the leadership of the entire commu- We have to do more than increase to take guns away from relatives who nity, regardless of their politics, wear- funding for mental health or expand pose a danger to themselves and others ing these kinds of ribbons to point out background checks, which we des- who bring up these so-called red flags. their unity and using the phrase ‘‘Or- perately have to do. We need universal, These are sensible, bipartisan options lando Strong.’’ comprehensive background checks that to help make our communities safer, Today is a day to pause and honor would pick up red flags about mental yet there has been little movement in the victims and the survivors and to health issues like those of the Park- the Senate to proceed on these pro- once again thank the first responders land shooter. We have to do more than posals. who put their lives on the line to save raise the minimum age to buy a gun or The student leaders of the March For so many more. Law enforcement was ban the sale of bump stocks, which Our Lives organization have said it. magnificent. The SWAT team was makes a semiautomatic assault rifle The parents of the children at Sandy magnificent. I talked to the SWAT into an automatic—a true military Hook have said it. Those who have lost team. There was one of the SWAT weapon. loved ones to suicide have said it. Two members who actually had stitches At some point, Congress has to start years after Pulse, our resolve to end across his forehead. But for millime- standing up for the people it rep- gun violence must be stronger than ters, he would have been dead. That resents. It has to turn a deaf ear to the ever. It is time for us to act. We realize was one of the rounds from the assault special interests that have locked down that with practical politics, it is going rifle. their votes here because they want to to be very, very difficult to move legis- I talked to the trauma team at the sell more guns. At some point, Con- lation, but we have to keep trying. Orlando regional hospital. A trauma gress has to stand up to the NRA, Let’s work on some real bipartisan, unit just so happened to be about 10 or which represents the gun manufactur- commonsense solutions to make our 15 blocks from the Pulse nightclub. But ers—not the target shooters, not the communities safer. Let’s work on how for that trauma unit, those trauma hunters. It represents the gun manu- we can prevent these assault weapons surgeons and their courage in trying to facturers to sell more guns. from getting into the wrong hands. get victims stabilized, there would I say this as a fellow who grew up on Let’s work together on how we can have been more deaths. a ranch. I have had guns all of my life stop massacres that continue to plague This is a day to look back on what we and have hunted all my life. I still hunt this country. We owe it to the victims have actually done to prevent another with my son. An assault rifle like an of the massacres and to their families. such tragedy from ever happening AR–15 is not for hunting; it is for kill- We owe it to every American, who has again. Unfortunately, not much had ing. We have to face the fact of banning the right to live without being in fear happened until a bold, very courageous the sale of military assault rifle types of this violence. Just ask the students group of students after the massacre in and the long clips of some 30 rounds of in the schools of America today if they Parkland, FL, at Marjory Stoneman ammunition. fear that violence. Douglas High School stood up and said: The attack at the Pulse nightclub 2 Really, isn’t enough enough? We are going to make a difference. years ago was an attack of both terror I yield the floor. The Orlando community is once and hate, and it was an attack on our again mourning today because last fundamental American values of dig- f night a gunman shot a police officer nity and equality. It was an attack de- and then killed four young, innocent signed to divide us as a nation, but RECESS children whom he was holding hostage what we saw instead was an entire The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under in an apartment. It has happened community and entire country come the previous order, the Senate stands again. These children, all under the age together united. in recess until 2:15 p.m.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:16 Jun 13, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12JN6.015 S12JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE