Congressional Record—Senate S4531
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June 26, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4531 We have an important job to do here. to the Paul amendment and, following communities, especially those near I see no reason for the delay. The ma- its disposition, vote on adoption of the military installations where large vol- jority leader has made it clear that he Shelby amendment, with a 60-vote af- umes of certain firefighting foams have is happy to give the Senator from New firmative threshold for adoption; fi- been deployed. Significant exposure to Mexico a vote on this authorization for nally, that following disposition of the the legacy compounds of PFOA and use of military force, that, frankly, I Shelby amendment, the Senate vote on PFOS have been linked to rare cancers don’t believe is necessary, but never- passage of the bill, as amended, if and developmental issues. theless, the majority leader has gener- amended, with 60 affirmative votes re- I got involved with this issue because ously offered a vote on that. We ought quired for passage and that the only it is important but also because two to be voting on that today or tomorrow debate in order be 2 minutes, equally communities in West Virginia were all and not unnecessarily delay our work divided, prior to each vote. too familiar with the PFAS contamina- until Friday just to accommodate the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there tion and its effects—Parkersburg, WV, Presidential candidates. objection? which has endured a history of indus- I would say that the Senator from Without objection, it is so ordered. trial PFAS contamination, and Mar- New Mexico’s amendment would at- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I tinsburg, which has been impacted by tempt to put handcuffs on this Presi- ask unanimous consent that notwith- the use of firefighting foams. dent unlike any previous President, standing rule XXII, following the dis- My amendment will provide cer- and, indeed, I believe it is probably un- position of H.R. 3401, there be 10 min- tainty to our citizens that the water constitutional. It would impair our utes of debate, equally divided between coming out of their taps is safe—in my ability to respond to further attacks by the managers, remaining on the clo- opinion, that is really not much to Tehran and in a way that would make ture motions filed during Monday’s ses- ask—by requiring that the EPA set a them think that we were weak or irres- sion of the Senate. safe drinking water standard for PFOS olute in responding to their aggression. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there and PFOA within 2 years and that it The most important thing we can do is objection? look at regulating other types of PFAS to make clear to the Iranian regime Without objection, it is so ordered. chemicals as the science would merit. that their aggression will not be uni- f It also provides funding and technical assistance to ensure that small and lateral but that we will meet it with EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL AP- rural water systems can monitor and proportional and devastating response. PROPRIATIONS FOR HUMANI- address this contamination. That is a No one wants to go to war in Iran, in- TARIAN ASSISTANCE AND SECU- big issue for our rural State. We have a cluding the President of the United RITY AT THE SOUTHERN BOR- lot of small water systems, and we States. I don’t believe Iran actually DER ACT, 2019 wants to go to war, but they are con- want them to have the same access to tinuing their 30-year conflict with the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the science but also to the remediation United States, which has cost Amer- the previous order, the Senate will pro- that large systems have. ican lives and American treasury and ceed to the consideration of H.R. 3401, My legislation will also improve now threatens to block the Strait of which the clerk will report. transparency by requiring emitters to Hormuz, which would cause a huge dis- The bill clerk read as follows: report to the EPA the release of any of ruption to the world economy. A bill (H.R. 3401) making emergency sup- one of hundreds of PFAS compounds I hope we can vote on the National plemental appropriations for the fiscal year into the environment. Sure, we want to Defense Authorization Act. I am happy ending September 30, 2019, and for other pur- know that. Sure, we do. This informa- poses. to vote on the amendment of the Sen- tion is essential for citizens, their local ator from New Mexico. I do not believe The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- governments, and Federal agencies to it will pass, and I do believe it is un- ator from West Virginia. be able to quickly and adequately re- constitutional if it did. But in order to S. 1790 spond to this pollution before it per- get our work done, we need to continue Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I rise to vades the water or the soil. I think this to vote and vote on the Defense author- address two very important bills that increased accountability will con- ization bill and the border supple- are before the Senate this week—the tribute to there being fewer PFAS mental without further delay. National Defense Authorization Act emissions in the first place. I yield the floor. and the border supplemental appropria- Several other bipartisan provisions I suggest the absence of a quorum. tions bill. will accelerate research into PFAS and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The First, on the NDAA, I am pleased their effects on human health and the clerk will call the roll. that this bill meets the needs of our environment. It will ensure collabora- The legislative clerk proceeded to all-volunteer force by providing the tion between Federal agencies and mu- call the roll. brave men and women with one of the nicipalities in addressing the chal- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I largest raises in a decade, that of 3.1 lenges posed by contamination, and it ask unanimous consent that the order percent. With the rising threat of coun- will support the research and develop- for the quorum call be rescinded. tries such as China, Russia, and Iran, ment into cleaning up these persistent The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without this NDAA authorizes funding for cru- compounds. objection, it is so ordered. cial defense efforts to make certain Crucially, this approach is rooted in ORDER OF BUSINESS that our military is well prepared and science and a formal rulemaking proc- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I equipped to defend this Nation from ess. We have put the Federal Govern- ask unanimous consent that notwith- the threats and challenges we face. ment on a shot clock to act to end standing rule XXII, the Senate proceed The NDAA substitute actually in- agencies’ endless delays in addressing to the consideration of H.R. 3401, which cludes an amendment I offered, joined these challenges without short- was received from the House. I further by my Senate Environment and Public circuiting the regulatory procedures. ask that the time until 2 p.m. be equal- Works chairman, JOHN BARRASSO, of Make no mistake—PFAS are essen- ly divided between the two leaders for Wyoming, by Ranking Member CAR- tial to commerce, but some have been debate only; that at 2 p.m., the Senate PER, and by several other bipartisan co- shown to carry substantial risks. This vote on the bill, with 60 affirmative sponsors. This amendment will for- balanced regulatory strategy should votes required for passage; that if the mally address the PFAS contamination provide the confidence to Americans bill is not passed, it remain pending about which I have spoken on the floor. that we are serious about protecting and open to amendment, with the only It directly mirrors my legislation, the them from this pollution while also not amendments in order being the fol- PFAS Release Disclosure and Protec- upending the economy. lowing: Shelby substitute amendment tion Act, which the committee ap- Another important environmental No. 901; the text of S. 1900, as reported; proved last week. provision that is included in the NDAA a Paul amendment, No. 902, to pay for PFAS pollution is a nationwide prob- substitute is the USE IT Act, which I spending by cutting foreign aid; fur- lem, but its effects are concentrated lo- introduced with Senator WHITEHOUSE, ther, that the Senate vote in relation cally, often in rural and disadvantaged Ranking Member CARPER, and its lead VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:14 Jun 27, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G26JN6.011 S26JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S4532 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 26, 2019 sponsor, Chairman BARRASSO. The USE it out of that committee 30 to 1 last I think you can argue about almost IT Act follows up on the bipartisan ex- week. anything else the Federal Government pansion of the 45Q tax credit for carbon We may not agree on how we got here does, but the No. 1 priority of the Fed- capture, utilization, and storage, which or how best to move forward, but we eral Government is to defend the coun- was passed last Congress. agree that there is a crisis—a major try—the No. 1 thing that we clearly CCUS is key to eliminating CO2 emis- crisis—and that these resources are cannot do by ourselves; the No. 1 thing sions while protecting West Virginia’s needed now. The metrics, the images, that State and local government can be coal and natural gas jobs.