Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 114 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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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 114 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 162 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 No. 103 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 28, 2016, at 5 p.m. Senate MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 The Senate met at 3 p.m. and was ZIKA VIRUS AND VA-MILCON bad day . for America and the called to order by the President pro FUNDING BILL world.’’ So will he help the Senate pass tempore (Mr. HATCH). Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, this $1.1 billion Zika control funding f combatting the spread of the Zika compromise or play partisan politics and delay action for weeks? PRAYER virus should be a priority for both par- ties. We worked hard to forge a com- The White House, which recently The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- promise solution that made $1.1 billion called for congressional action on Zika fered the following prayer: available to fight this virus. That com- by July 4, said: Let us pray. promise plan already passed the Senate [T]he time to prepare before Zika begins to Almighty God, the way, the truth, with unanimous support of Democrats. spread in the continental United States is and the life, shine Your light upon our We now have a bicameral agreement rapidly closing. [W]e need some congres- lawmakers as they begin a new week. that provides the exact same com- sional action. We need a sense of urgency and we need it now. Illuminate their minds with Your wis- promise level of funding. The House did dom, that they may know what to its job and approved the legislation. Democrats have tried to claim they think and do, refusing to become weary The Senate can now do its job to send weren’t involved in negotiations over in well-doing. Lord, keep them from that legislation down to the President. this legislation, but they were from be- straying from Your precepts as they re- Democrats joined Republicans in ginning to end, and the House agreed member that those who walk with in- sounding the alarm about Zika, but to the funding level that Democrats tegrity walk securely. Teach them the now we are at the finish line, and sud- supported unanimously. lessons they need to learn so that they denly our friends across the aisle are Democrats have tried to trot out the will not repeat the mistakes of the changing their tune. Here is what the ‘‘war on women’’ playbook, but this past. May they serve this land with fourth-ranking Senate Democrat re- legislation actually provides more re- competence and faithfulness, never for- cently said: sources for women’s health services— getting their accountability to You. Families are looking to Congress for action through hospitals, health departments, Cause them to hear Your words and to on Zika. It is well past time that we deliv- community health centers, and other follow where You lead. ered. public programs. We pray in Your great Name. Amen. So will she help the Senate deliver Democrats have even tried to claim that this Zika legislation would endan- f tomorrow or play partisan politics? Here is what the third-ranking Sen- ger clean water protections, but it PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ate Democrat recently said: ‘‘Every won’t. It contains a temporary, tar- The President pro tempore led the day we wait, every day is increasing geted compromise that will allow ex- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: the risk that we will have problems perts to actually get at mosquito con- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the with Zika.’’ So will he help the Senate trol, the root cause of Zika, in an effec- United States of America, and to the Repub- to take action tomorrow or play par- tive way while we wait for a vaccine. lic for which it stands, one nation under God, tisan politics? The agreement before us is a com- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The second-ranking Democrat re- promise with input from both parties, f cently said that ‘‘the mosquitoes car- and it represents the last chance we rying this deadly virus are on the will have to address Zika for weeks. RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY march.’’ So will he help the Senate ar- The CDC Director testified that the LEADER rest that march before the Fourth of $1.1 billion funding level will allow him The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. July or play partisan politics? ‘‘to do the things we need to do in the ERNST). The majority leader is recog- Here is what the Democratic leader immediate term.’’ He said: ‘‘The sooner nized. recently said: ‘‘Every day we wait is a we get a bill, the better.’’ ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S4565 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:33 Jun 28, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A27JN6.000 S27JNPT1 smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S4566 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 27, 2016 Senate Democrats have already ing matter. This conference report is ernment of Texas. It is a theme they unanimously supported the $1.1 billion full of poison pills. I will give you just have, and they play that theme all the in funding to combat the virus. Voting a few of them. time and they march to it. The State to block this bill now will delay Zika Again, the House Republicans can’t has pushed laws to restrict people’s control funding well beyond the White help themselves and, of course, the right to vote. In the last general elec- House’s deadlines. Senate Republicans joined with them. tion, 600,000 Texans couldn’t vote be- So look, there is no reason Demo- They have to do everything they can to cause they didn’t have the right ID. crats should reverse course now and whack Planned Parenthood, and that is The State has pushed laws to restrict block funding for Zika control in the what they do in this conference report. people’s right to vote and limit vic- midst of mosquito season. There is no They restrict funding for birth control tims’ ability to recover deserved dam- reason they should put partisan poli- provided by Planned Parenthood. Can ages after accidents and medical mal- tics above the health of pregnant you believe that? And with this Zika practice. The law restricting women’s women and babies, and there is no rea- problem, who does it affect? Women, care was just the most recent example son they should block support for our and especially pregnant women. It ex- of Texas trampling on the rights of its veterans, either. empts pesticide spraying from Clean people. So I am pleased that the Su- The legislation before us will honor Water Act prohibitions and protec- preme Court struck down Texas’ un- commitments to the men and women tions, cuts veterans funding by $500 constitutional attempt to deprive who have served to protect us. It in- million, cuts Ebola funding by $107 mil- women of health care. cludes a significant increase for the VA lion, and cuts ObamaCare by $543 mil- In another ruling today, the Supreme to help improve the quality of health lion. Court also whacked the National Rifle care services and benefits that our vet- Listen to this one. Why would they Association. By a 6-to-2 decision, the erans have earned, it will enhance do this? They stick a provision in this oversight and accountability at the Justices upheld a Federal law that that strikes a prohibition that we had bans people convicted of domestic vio- VA, and it will help improve quality of placed in the legislation on displaying life on military bases for soldiers, sail- lence from buying guns. a Confederate flag. What they have While the Supreme Court did its job ors, airmen, marines, and their fami- done is just great. Any veterans facil- lies. today, I must note the many other ity can fly that Confederate flag. Why missed opportunities in the Court over Our men and women in uniform make would they put that in this bill? Of sacrifices daily on our behalf—sac- the last 4 months. Due to the Repub- course, it sets a terrible precedent for licans historic obstruction of Judge rifices such as missing special mo- offsetting emergency spending, and it ments with their families, being sta- Merrick Garland’s nomination, the is missing $800 million—what a shame. United States’ highest Court is often tioned in distant places far from home, It is like we are being dared to op- deadlocked. The Court has been unable suffering physical wounds they will pose this legislation. We have no to provide definitive rulings on some of carry with them long after their serv- choice. ice is over. the most important issues of our time Sadly, too many of our servicemem- f because there are not nine Justices, bers are also burdened by wounds that UNITED KINGDOM EXIT FROM but only eight, due to the Republicans’ cannot be seen, such as traumatic EUROPEAN UNION obstruction. For the first time in the brain injury and post-traumatic stress Mr. REID. Madam President, last history of the country in a year right disorder. We are reminded of their week the voters of the United Kingdom before an election, the Republicans daily sacrifices on this National PTSD stunned the world by voting to exit the have decided they are not going to Awareness Day.