S3416 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 13, 2017 bill is going to be. Maybe it will shield If you remember your Constitution, Yes, every time they help us, they their bill from criticism in the short it says no President has that author- hurt us twofold worse. I will give you term, but make no mistake, there will ity—only to repel imminent attack— an example directly from Hillary Clin- be a reckoning if this bill is passed. but no President alone has the unilat- ton. When she is writing honestly and Passing a bill of this scale, with so eral authority to take us to war. Yet not talking to the public, she sends an many consequences for the American here we are on the verge of war. email to John Podesta. This is one that people, without telling them what is in What will war mean for Yemen? Sev- was leaked through WikiLeaks. Writ- it, without telling them how they enteen million folks in Yemen live on ing to John Podesta, Hillary Clinton would fare, the political retribution the brink of starvation. I think to my- said: We must put pressure on Saudi will be swift. It will be a catastrophe self, is there ever anything important Arabia and Qatar because they are sup- for the Republican Party. I am afraid, that can happen in Washington? Is plying logistical and financial support worse, this bill will be a catastrophe there anything I can do to save some of to ISIL. for the American people. the millions of children who are dying ISIS is the group we are fighting in I yield the floor. in Yemen? This is it. This is this de- the Middle East again, and Saudi Ara- f bate today. bia was supplying them. This is accord- It isn’t about an arms sale, it is ing to Hillary Clinton, not indirectly RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME about children like Ali, who died. Why but directly. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under are they dying? Because the Soviets Who in their right mind would give the previous order, the leadership time have blockaded the ports. Ninety per- money, arms, or share our technology is reserved. cent of Yemen’s food comes in from the with a country that has been sup- f ocean and they can get no food and porting ISIS? Who would do that? Who they are starving and dying of cholera would think that is a good idea? Yet CONCLUSION OF MORNING because of war. We think of famine they will come here and say that it is BUSINESS being related to the weather. Some- about Iran, and we have to combat Iran The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning times it is, but more often than not everywhere. business is closed. famine is related to man, is manmade, Guess what. This may make the situ- Under the previous order, the Sen- and the most common cause is war. ation with Iran worse. What do you ator from Kentucky or his designee How bad is it in Yemen? Seventeen think Iran thinks when Saudi Arabia will be recognized. million people live on the edge of star- gets weapons? They think to them- The Senator from Kentucky. vation. Some, like Ali, have already selves, well, if the Saudis are getting f died. What are people saying about it? more, we need more. MOTION TO DISCHARGE—S.J. RES. They say that the humanitarian crisis What do you think Israel thinks? If 42 in Yemen may be worse than Syria. the Saudis get more, we need more. Let me repeat that because nobody in Have you ever heard of an arms race? Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, pursuant America is listening to this. Everybody That is what this is. We are fueling an to the Arms Export Control Act of 1976, is paying attention to some silly show arms race in the Middle East. Every I move to discharge the Foreign Rela- trials and silly stuff going on in com- side wants more. You say: Well, we tions Committee from further consid- mittees. Nobody is talking about this have to do this. We have to combat eration of S.J. Res. 42, relating to the at all. They say it is worse than Syria. Iran. disapproval of the proposed foreign Millions of people have fled Syria. Hun- Do you know how much the Gulf military sale to the Government of dreds of thousands have died, and peo- sheikhdoms, Saudi Arabia, and all Saudi Arabia. ple are now predicting Yemen may be their allies—the ones who are bombing The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under worse. the hell out of Yemen—do you know the previous order, the time until 12:30 One refugee group said this: The im- how their military spending compares p.m. will be equally divided between pending famine in Yemen may reach to that of Iran? It is 8 to 1. All of the the proponents and opponents of the Biblical proportions. Think about that. money is in the Gulf h. All of the motion to discharge. It is astounding what is going on there, power, all of the weapons are in the Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, today is an and it is being done without your per- Gulf sheikhdoms. They have more extraordinary day. Today is an auspi- mission but with your weapons. weapons and spend more on weapons— cious day, for we will be discussing Today I will force a vote with the 8 to 1—than Iran. issues of war and peace. help of Senator MURPHY, who has been We are going to vote on Iran sanc- Believe it or not, we rarely discuss a prime mover in this, to tell you the tions this week, and they say that they such important issues. We have been at truth, and has done a great job in don’t want ballistic missiles Iran. Well, war for 15 years. There have been a bringing people together, but we will I don’t either. The best way to do that handful of debates—most of them indi- force this vote for these children in is to put pressure on Saudi Arabia. rect, most of them forced only under Yemen because we have a chance today How would you put pressure on Saudi duress, and most of them would have to stop the carnage. We have a chance Arabia? Maybe we wouldn’t sell them been avoided if the leadership of both to tell Saudi Arabia we have had arms. Maybe we would withhold the parties could avoid them, but today enough. sale of arms until they come to the they cannot avoid this debate because The question is, Should we give table and we get a ballistic agreement this is what is called a privileged mo- money or arms to Saudi Arabia at all? with Iran. It is a naive and foolish no- tion. What has Saudi Arabia done over the tion to think that Iran is going to give Today we will discuss the involve- last 30 years? They have been the No. 1 up on their ballistic weapons. They are ment of the United States in the Mid- exporter of jihadist philosophy, the No. never giving up on their ballistic weap- dle East, and we will also discuss 1 exporter of let’s hate America, let’s ons unless Saudi Arabia did the same whether we should engage in a new war hate the Judeo-Christian ethic, let’s thing. in Yemen. Today we will discuss an hate the Judeo-Christian tradition. It People don’t talk about this, but arms sale to Saudi Arabia that threat- is coming from Saudi Arabia. They Saudi Arabia has ballistic missiles. ens the lives of millions of Yemenis, teach it in the schools in our country. They have Chinese missiles. They are but we will discuss something even They teach it in the schools in Indo- called the Dongfeng-21 N–3. They have more important than an arms sale, we nesia. They corrupt the religion of dozens of these. Do you know where will discuss whether we should be ac- Islam throughout the world, and we are they are pointed? Tehran and Tel Aviv. tively involved. Should the United going to give them weapons? I think it Saudi Arabia is no friend of Israel. States be actively involved with refuel- is a huge, huge mistake. Do they cooperate with Israel some? ing the Saudi planes, with picking tar- If you say: Well, I doubt that. There Yes, but their missiles are pointed at gets, with having advisers on the is no way they are that bad. Don’t they Tel Aviv, Israel. Saudi Arabia’s other ground? Should we be at war in share intelligence with us? Don’t they missiles are pointed at Tehran. Are Yemen? help us in the war on terror? these missiles nuclear capable? Yes.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.005 S13JNPT1 June 13, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3417 They are not thought to be nuclear the United States stood up and said it intelligence was so bad they didn’t tipped, meaning they haven’t been was wrong and partly because, perhaps know it was a funeral procession? They armed with nuclear missiles, but every- behind the scenes, we said: Maybe we killed 125 people at a funeral. They one who is in the arms community ac- are not going to sell you weapons if wounded 500. We wonder about why we knowledges that these missiles could you behave like a bunch of barbarians. have so much terrorism. Yes, maybe carry a nuclear payload if they were al- I will tell you another story about some hate us inherently, but some of it tered. They have the ability to do it. Ali al Nimr, a Shiite. The Middle East is blowback to policy. Should we send arms to Saudi Ara- is somewhat divided between Sunni and Do you think the people who died or bia? Here is another quote from Bob Shia. He is a Shiite. They are about 10 the people who survived or the rel- Graham, and this is a paraphrase. He percent of the public in Saudi Arabia. atives of those who died in that funeral says that there is an abundance of evi- They are the minority. They are treat- procession will ever forget it? They dence that the Saudis were complicit ed like dirt. His uncle was a sheikh. will remember it 100 years from now. in 9/11. And by all accounts, he was one who The problem we face is that ter- Have we forgotten that 15 out of the called for peaceful elections, who rorism goes on and on as long as we 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia? wasn’t an advocate of violence. He keep supporting despots who treat Have we forgotten the missing 28 pages never was known or seen to have a their people like crap, who sentence that they kept from the American pub- weapon but was executed by the Saudis them to beheading and crucifixion, who lic for over a decade? When you read for leading protests. He was executed are starving their neighboring country, those missing 28 pages, which have now for standing up in front of people and which is one of the poorest nations on been released, they tend to implicate saying: We should have elections. We the planet Earth. Saudi Arabia. They tend to indicate should not have this authoritarian gov- We are not getting better. We are not that the attackers, particularly in San ernment that lords it over us and does getting any closer to peace by sup- Diego, were befriended by a govern- not allow us even to practice our reli- porting the Saudis. It is a huge mis- ment agent for Saudi Arabia. gion in public. take. The Girl of Qatif, a rape victim, There is an abundance of information Ali’s uncle was beheaded. Ali was 17 was sentenced to prison and 70 lashes. that implicates Saudi Arabia in 9/11. In at the time. It was the beginning of the Ali al Nimr, still on death row, was fact, less than a year ago, this very Arab Spring, and Ali got excited and sentenced to beheading and crucifixion. Congress voted unanimously or vir- motivated. If you see the pictures of Raif Badawi, who is he? I don’t know tually unanimously to let American him, it is heartbreaking. You see pic- much about him, but he is an out- citizens—the victims of 9/11, their fami- tures of him in western clothing. He spoken blogger. He is somebody who lies—sue Saudi Arabia. This is an ex- liked poetry. He liked music. He was, writes his opinion and may have opin- traordinary thing. We almost never let by all means, the kind of person that ions that may not be orthodox. For people sue governments, particularly we wish would come to leadership in that, the Saudis arrested him, and he is foreign governments, but we voted Saudi Arabia. in jail for 10 years, and he is sentenced nearly unanimously. Why? Because At 17, he went to a rally and he chose to a thousand lashes. people still have sympathy for the 9/11 to be part of the Arab Spring to say: I don’t think you can survive a thou- victims and their families and because We don’t want authoritarianism. We sand lashes, so the Saudis—in their people obviously believe there is some don’t want despots. We don’t want great humanity—are dividing his treat- information that may implicate Saudi Kings and all of their lording over us. ment into 10 doses. He has already had Arabia. We want elections. 100 publicly applied. He has 900 more to You say: Oh, no, they have changed. For that, he was arrested and put on go. Well, how much could they have death row. Death row in Saudi Arabia, Shouldn’t we think a little bit about changed? It was only a year or two ago being Saudi Arabia, includes beheading supplying arms to this country? If the Hillary Clinton was writing that email and crucifixion. That will be his sen- human rights aspect of this is not saying that the Saudis are giving fi- tence—beheading and crucifixion. enough, I think we should probably nancial and logistical support to ISIL. This is the regime that you are being think about the region. There is a Who in their right mind would sell asked to send weapons to. People say: problem in the Middle East. There is arms to Saudi Arabia under those cir- Oh, they are buying them. conflict. Some of it goes very deep. cumstances? If it doesn’t persuade you that the The technology is ours. It is Amer- Those who live in the Middle East Saudis are supporting ISIL and ter- ican technology that was developed for member the Battle of Karbala in 680 rorism and may have been part of 9/11, the defense of this country, and the A.D., when a grandson of Muhammad perhaps we should look not only at the companies would never have the tech- and Khalifa came together and had a humanitarian disaster in Yemen—what nology had we not paid them to have battle. They still remember, and they they are doing to the public and that it. The American taxpayer has a right are still unhappy about a battle from their goal basically is famine, to bring to that technology, and while for al- 680 A.D.; they have long memories. them to submission—but perhaps we most every other good in the market- I am reminded of what one Afghan should also look at Saudi Arabia as a place the government has no right to told a reporter or a soldier recently. He country. Perhaps we should look at the tell you how who to sell it to, arms are said: You have all the watches, but we human rights record of Saudi Arabia. different because they are all developed have all the time. They live there and I will give you a couple of instances by the U.S. taxpayer. have for centuries and will be there of what it is like to live in Saudi Ara- I do believe there should be rules when we are gone. They have to fix bia. There was a young girl who was 19 about who gets our arms. I don’t think their own problems. We can occasion- years old. They haven’t named her be- we should sell them to Saudi Arabia if ally say that we are going to help some cause her story is so traumatic. She they might wind up in the hands of people destroy an evil empire or an evil was 19 years old. They call her the Girl ISIS. I don’t think we should sell them group like ISIS, yes, but the people of Qatif. She was 19 years old, and she to Saudi Arabia if they punish people fighting—the people on the ground— was raped by 7 men. for protests, if they punish people for need to be the people who live there. It The men were punished, a couple of speaking out by beheading them and cannot be foreigners, and it cannot be years in prison. You know what hap- crucifying them. people whom they consider to be pa- pened? They arrested the victim be- I am not for selling them a rifle, gans or it is never going to work. Yet cause, you see, in Saudi Arabia it is much less precision-guided missiles. we are foolish if we do not look at the your fault if you are raped. In Saudi Some will say: Oh if we give them more repercussions of what it means to sell Arabia, rape victims are arrested, put accurate missiles, they will kill civil- arms to Saudi Arabia. in prison, and publicly whipped. She ians. That presumes they are not tar- How will Iran react? was given 6 months in prison and 200 geting civilians. I was in a committee hearing the lashes. That was her sentence. Do you think it was a mistake? Do other day, and one of the Senators Ultimately, it did not come to the you think they accidently bombed a fu- said: We do not care how Iran reacts. fore. Do you know why? Partly because neral procession? Do you think their We do not care what it thinks.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.006 S13JNPT1 S3418 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 13, 2017 By golly, we ought to if we are going worried that, by giving weapons to history, when we actually have the to put sanctions on them. Doesn’t that Saudi Arabia, it detracts from the chance to stop an evil, but we will stop mean we care enough that we are try- qualitative edge that Israel currently this evil by sending a loud message to ing to modulate and change their be- has. the President and a loud message to havior? The whole idea of sanctions Imagine what would happen if the Saudi Arabia that we are not going to means that we do care about what Iran Government of Saudi Arabia were over- blindly support the arms race. thinks. It does not mean we agree with thrown. They have billions and billions We are not going to be blind to your it, it does not mean we condone it, and of dollars of weapons. Many of these human rights transgressions, and we it does not mean we say Iran is right. weapons are the most sophisticated are not going to blindly give you weap- But, certainly, we do care about what weapons we have. Is there a chance ons in the face of beheading your citi- it thinks. What do you think Iran that they could be overthrown? I don’t zens and crucifying them. thinks about supplying arms to Saudi know. They behead their citizens and Today I take a stand for those who do Arabia? It thinks: We need more. crucify them. Do you think anybody not have a voice, and I hope the Senate Saudi arms alone are the third big- who lives in Saudi Arabia might have will think long and hard and will vote gest in the world now. It is the United some pent-up anger for the regime? against this arms sale to Saudi Arabia. States, which is as big as the next 10 William Wilberforce once said of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The as- combined. Then, it is China. Then, it is slavery: ‘‘In having heard all this, you sistant Democratic leader. Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has these can choose to look the other way, but Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, let me other gulf sheikhdoms, despots. They you can never say that you didn’t say at the outset that I support the po- are all allies of ours. There are about know.’’ sition from the Senator from Ken- five or six of them, and, altogether, I love that statement because so tucky. I believe that what he has said they have eight times more weapons many people at the time of slavery about the situation between the United than Iran. So we are complaining—I looked away. They just said: It is States and Saudi Arabia is timely and think, justifiably so—because we worry something we do. It is part of our time. needs to be heard. People across the about the mischief of Iran in the Mid- It is part of our age. United States and around the world dle East. We are complaining about So many people knew the horror of should be aware of the fact that we are that, and we want them to change their slavery. So many people knew the hor- witnessing four famines across this behavior. ror of what was happening to a people, world. One of them is in Yemen, and What do you think is the prime rea- and they looked away. three others are on the continent of Af- son they create weapons and are cre- I think, in having heard of the im- rica. This is a famine that is created ating the ballistic missiles? pending famine in Yemen, in having not by drought, not by national de- Some of it is because they fear our seen Ali, and in having heard of the im- fense, but by human disaster—by a war invasion, like in Iraq, but I think a pending famine, you can choose to look that has been created and is one that great deal of why Iran develops weap- away. Many in this body will, today, has been pushed largely by the Saudis ons is its fear of Saudi Arabia. In fact, choose to look away. at the expense of the people—the inno- when you look back at Iraq and the They will say: Do you know what? cent people—who live in the country of whole weapons of mass destruction Saudi Arabia gives us some benefit Yemen. that never existed, one of the inter- sometime, and we hate Iran more. So What the Senator from Kentucky is esting stories is that—it may be a the- let’s just give some more weapons to basically calling on all of us to do is to ory, but I think it has some evidence— Saudi Arabia. ask: What role is the United States Saddam Hussein pretended, valiantly, They will be looking away from the playing in Saudi Arabia’s aggressive that he had weapons of mass destruc- human rights tragedy that is central to activities? Should we be more vigilant tion not to deter us but to deter Iran. Saudi Arabia’s whole being. They will in our knowing that what we are sell- Here is Saddam Hussein, sending all of be looking away from the fact that ing them is being used in ways that are these smoke signals up that he has Saudi Arabia was supporting ISIS in inconsistent with the values of the weapons of mass destruction because the Syrian civil war. They will be look- United States of America? We know he wants to keep Iran at bay. ing away from the fact that the Saudi the record of the Saudi monarchy when We think everything is about us, and blockade is starving Yemeni children. it comes to human rights, and the Sen- we never acknowledge that maybe Do you know what? I choose not to ator from Kentucky has spoken to that some of it is about the regional poli- look away. Today I stand up for the quite eloquently. We know what they tics. When we give weapons or sell thousands of civilians who are being have done to their own people, to the weapons to Saudi Arabia, there will be, killed in Yemen. Today I stand up for people who live in their country, and to for every action, a reaction. There will the millions of voiceless children in those who seek to have the basic free- be significantly more pressure for Iran Yemen who will be killed by the Saudi doms that we take for granted in to come forward and have more weap- blockade. Today I stand up for saying America. ons. that we, the United States, should no We also know that, when it comes to What does it do to our ally Israel? longer be fueling the arms race in the the Saudi activity of promoting their There have been at least a few re- Middle East. It has come to no good. version—the most extreme version—of ports that say Israel believes that, The wars and the rage and the anger Islam, they have been guilty of promul- every time we give a dollar to Saudi are thousands of years old. We will gating Wahhabism, which has led to ex- Arabia, they need to respond with a never get to the bottom of it. We treme forms of the Muslim faith in dollar and a half. There was a quote should defend ourselves at all costs. We some places in the world. Those are re- from one of their government ministers should be very careful as to whom is alities. on this, which reads that he worries admitted into the country, and we We know the reality of 9/11. When we about their qualitative edge. should not get involved in every civil traced the origins of those who came I have a quote here from a colleague war in every misbegotten part of the and killed 3,000 innocent Americans, of mine—a friend of mine—who is a planet. too many roads led back to Riyadh; too rabbi and a friend of the Constitution. It is my hope and my prayer that many roads led back to Saudi Arabia. Rabbi Nate Segal writes: enough Americans will wake up and So why can’t we be more open and hon- While I understand the President’s inten- say that we are tired of war, that we est in our relationship with this coun- tions, we must proceed with great caution are tired of funding every war on the try? due to the challenges and the history of the globe, and that we are tired of sacri- The Senator from Kentucky has told region. At this time, I don’t see the benefits ficing our young in every civil war. us this morning that the amendment of the arms deal for the United States or Today this will be a bipartisan vote. that will be offered shortly by him and Israel. There will be a large contingent from by Senator MURPHY is one that calls on This is coming from someone who be- the other side of the aisle and a small the Senate to take an honest look at lieves, with every fiber of his being, contingent from this side. This is im- Saudi Arabia today and its relationship that Israel should be defended. He is portant. This is a rare day in Senate with the United States.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.008 S13JNPT1 June 13, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3419 May I add one other element on a We also said something else in that in Lincoln Park in Chicago on Satur- personal basis? we wanted to build into the health in- day and families like them all across It is so rare on the floor of the Sen- surance system of America protections America will have access to affordable ate to see what we have just seen this for families. We wanted to make sure health insurance, real health insurance morning—a proposal for an amendment that you could not be discriminated that will cover them. That is what the to be debated and an amendment to be against in buying health insurance debate is about. voted on on the floor of the Senate. I simply because someone in your family It was just a few weeks ago that the can count on one hand how many times had been sick. Think of how many of House of Representatives passed a that has happened this year in the Sen- us—one out of three, I might add—have measure to repeal the Affordable Care ate. What used to be the most delibera- preexisting conditions or of someone in Act and to replace it. At the end of the tive body in America—the great debat- our family who has a preexisting condi- day, not a single Democrat voted for ing society and so forth—has turned tion. It happens—a child surviving can- the measure. It passed by two votes— into a place of rubberstamps and unan- cer, a child with diabetes, somebody in two votes—in the House of Representa- imous consents. I am glad—win or lose the family who has a heart condition. tives. in our effort here on this amendment— Those are the realities of life for fami- When they came back and analyzed that the Senator is bringing this im- lies across America. what the Republicans had voted for in portant issue to the floor. I thank him Before the passage of the Affordable the House of Representatives when it for making it a bipartisan effort in the Care Act, the health insurance compa- came to healthcare, here is what they process. nies could say not only no to you but, found: Their proposal to eliminate the HEALTHCARE LEGISLATION really, no when it came to coverage, or Affordable Care Act—the one that Mr. President, what I have come to they could charge you premiums that passed the House of Representatives the floor to speak to is another issue were way beyond what people could af- several weeks ago—according to the that really calls on the Senate and ford to pay. We eliminated that in the Congressional Budget Office—a non- asks the basic question: Why are we Affordable Care Act—eliminated it. partisan, expert group—according to here? You cannot discriminate against an the CBO, 23 million Americans will lose I think we know that we were elected American on the basis of his having a their health insurance under the plan to make America a better nation and preexisting medical condition. that passed the House of Representa- to help families across this Nation re- The insurance companies went wild tives. In my State of Illinois, with 12.5 alize the great opportunity and good- in defining what a preexisting condi- million people in our population, 1 mil- ness of this Nation. tion was that might raise your pre- lion people would lose their health in- One of the issues that most people miums or to deny you coverage. Having surance. worry about the most in their daily had acne in your adolescence was a pre- I will just tell my colleagues, I don’t lives is healthcare. They should. Many existing condition. The fact that you see how any Member of Congress can times, I have said on the floor that, if were a woman who might give birth to stand before us and say: I have a great you have ever been in a position in a child was a preexisting condition. solution for healthcare in America. We your life as a father of a seriously sick The list went on and on. We eliminated are going to take health insurance child and have had no health insurance that and said that you cannot discrimi- away from 23 million people. But that when that has happened, you will never nate against Americans because of is what the vote did. And their vote, forget that as long as you live. I know. those things. sadly, eliminated the protection I have been there. I went through a pe- We have people on the other side who against discrimination because of pre- riod of time with my wife, in raising have said that we have to get rid of existing conditions. our daughter, when she needed the best that protection. If we do, what will So what has been the reaction to the medical care in America, and we did happen to all of these people? House repeal bill that was passed? I can not have any health insurance. It was On Saturday, I went to a march in tell my colleagues that in my State frightening to think what would hap- Chicago, in Lincoln Park. It was the there is not a single group, not one pen to our little girl because we did not Children’s Heart Foundation and the medical advocacy group, who supports have the protection of health insurance congenital heart defect alliance. Of what the House of Representatives did. and the quality care that everybody course, it speaks for itself. The No. 1 I am from downstate Illinois, outside wants for themselves and for the people birth defect among children in America the city of Chicago. I have a congres- they love. is a heart defect, and 1 out of 100 babies sional district down there in smalltown At this moment in time, we are in a born has a heart problem. These are America, great people. If you went into debate about the future of healthcare kids with preexisting conditions. You that part of Illinois and said to them ‘‘I in America—the future of health insur- should have seen the families show up am going to vote for a measure that is ance in America. I cannot think of a in big, big numbers, supporting little going to put in jeopardy the future of more serious topic. People say: Well, it kids—some of them just babies. They your local hospital,’’ the people would is one-sixth of the American econ- were proudly wearing T-shirts, stand- literally rise up to resist it. omy—our healthcare system. That is ing up, and saying that we are going to The Illinois Hospital Association critically important. Even more so, fight for this little boy or little girl. tells us that the Affordable Care Act this is such a personal matter for every They were trying to promote medical repeal passed by the House of Rep- individual. research to save their lives. resentatives endangers hospital serv- The Affordable Care Act, which was It is something that really touched ices all across our State but especially passed 6 or 7 years ago, I was proud to me as I looked at 600 people on that hot in small towns and in rural America. vote for. We couldn’t get any support Saturday afternoon, marching in Lin- They estimate that we are going to from the other side of the aisle—not coln Park in Chicago. I said to them: lose 60,000 jobs at these hospitals in our one single vote, not one Republican When it gets down to the basics in life, State. I can tell you what those hos- vote in support of it. Our goal, of the most important thing in your life pital jobs are in smalltown America, in course, with the Affordable Care Act is your baby. The next most important rural America. They are the best jobs was to reduce the number of Americans thing is your family, whom you have in the community. These are medical who were uninsured when it came to standing behind that baby. Then there experts, doctors and nurses and super- health insurance. We achieved a major is the doctor—that doctor whom you visors and administrators who keep part of our goal. The rate of uninsured are counting on to do everything in his these hospitals operating, and they are in health insurance in America was cut power or her power to make sure your paid well to do it, and they should be. in half by the Affordable Care Act. We baby survives. But you need to bring Those are the jobs at risk of being expanded opportunities for health in- into this conversation another group— eliminated by the vote in the House of surance through the Medicaid Pro- politicians, Senators, and Congress- Representatives. gram, as well as through private insur- men—because we are making decisions One million people in our State could ance exchanges, which were moved in right here in Washington that will de- lose health insurance, and our hos- the right direction. cide whether the families who marched pitals are threatened with closure.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.009 S13JNPT1 S3420 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 13, 2017 That is why the Illinois Hospital Asso- the Republican proposal. It has been that passed the House of Representa- ciation opposes what the Republicans done in secret. Thirteen Republican tives—the Republican repeal bill—was did in the House of Representatives, Senators were chosen by the majority the worst news they had heard when it and that is why the Illinois State Med- leader to sit in private and come up came to the future of healthcare. They ical Society—our doctors—and the Chi- with this bill. There was no open com- preferred the Affordable Care Act. But cago Medical Society have come out mittee hearing, no open discussion. they went on to say something that against what happened in the House of Some Republicans were invited in, and may surprise people. These doctors— Representatives. That is why the some were not. We don’t know what over 1,000 of them responding to the nurses have opposed what was passed the ultimate product will look like, but survey—said they thought it was time in the House of Representatives as I can tell you this: Whatever the Re- for us to talk about very significant well. Not a single medical advocacy publican Senators come up with, it is changes to our healthcare system in group supports what happened in the going to have a dramatic impact on America. They are tired of fighting the House of Representatives. Not one in each and every single American, every private insurance companies. What my State. Can’t find one of them. one of us in our communities back they suggested is that we look at a So now we remember from basic home. plan like Medicare for all. civics that after it passes the House, it I know this idea of repealing the Af- Right now, Medicare serves 50 mil- is our turn in the Senate. What are we fordable Care Act in 2 weeks is a sol- lion or 60 million Americans. People going to do with healthcare reform? emn political promise that many Re- can’t wait to turn 65 and finally qualify Well, I wish I could tell you. We are publicans made, but they also made a for Medicare, with no exclusions for told we are going to vote on it. Maybe promise to the people they represent to preexisting conditions, and they know as soon as 2 weeks from now, we will do what they can to help these families that Medicare is going to give them come to the floor and vote on changing through their difficult times. That is quality care, and it is not going to the healthcare system of the United why we need to make sure the product bankrupt them as individuals. States of America. that is passed by the Republicans in These doctors in the Chicago area What is the proposal of the Repub- the Senate is one that serves the needs have said it is now time for America to licans in the Senate when it comes to of people across the United States of seriously look at Medicare for all, and the future of our healthcare system in America. I agree with them. I think it is time to America? I don’t know, and the reason If this product coming from the Re- look at it because the private health I don’t know is it is being done in se- publicans is like the House measure insurance system, even as we have cret. There have been no committee that takes away health insurance for 23 tried to save it, salvage it, remake it hearings, no opportunity to offer million Americans, then I can under- through the Affordable Care Act, has real shortcomings. amendments. In fact, we haven’t even stand why the Republicans want to do I hope those on the other side who seen the measure we are going to be this in secret. I can understand why they don’t want us to see it until the are considering changes in our asked to vote on in 2 weeks. healthcare system will actually listen The Congressional Budget Office, very last minute and then vote on it to doctors, listen to hospital adminis- which is supposed to analyze it, hasn’t and get out of town as fast as they can, trators, and listen to the families they published any analysis of the Repub- because it is an embarrassment to represent. Why they are doing this in lican plan. Yet they are moving for- think that the U.S. Senate and the secrecy, why they are refusing to give ward at a breakneck pace to have us House, for that matter, would vote to us a chance for committee hearings vote on it, up or down, before we leave take away health insurance from 23 and amendments I can’t tell you, other million Americans. That is a derelic- for the Fourth of July recess. It is a than the obvious: Clearly, what they tion of duty, and from where I am sit- frightening prospect. have come up with is something they They will do it under what is known ting, it is just flat immoral to take don’t believe the American people will as reconciliation. I won’t bore people away health insurance from that many accept, so they need to push it through with Senate procedure, but what it ba- people. without disclosure at the last minute sically means is they can move it What if we end up with a product like and get out of town in the hopes that through with a simple majority vote in the House of Representatives’ that people won’t blame them. the U.S. Senate. Amendments will be jeopardizes rural hospitals and hos- Well, when it comes to healthcare, considered on what they call a vote- pitals in the inner cities, that closes people don’t forget. I won’t forget, and arama basis. And if it sounds like some down these community healthcare the people of Illinois won’t forget the kind of a game, it is almost a game. clinics, reduces access. Well, I will tell votes that were cast in the House of You offer an amendment and you get you what will happen. People without Representatives which threaten to perhaps 1 minute to explain your health insurance will still show up at take away health insurance from 1 mil- amendment on changing healthcare in the hospital sick, in the emergency lion people in my State. America, and the other side gets 1 room, and they will still be treated, Mr. President, I yield the floor. minute to explain their opposition, and but they won’t be able to pay for it. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. off you go to a vote and then another Who will pay for their care? We will FLAKE). The Senator from Vermont. one and another one. Your head is spin- pay for their care. Everyone else with Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I thank ning, trying to figure out what in the health insurance will pay more because the distinguished senior Senator from world each of these amendments and people who are uninsured will receive Illinois for his comments. Certainly we each of these votes is going to mean. free medical care. That is the reality. hear those same things in town meet- Those are the measures to be taken by And, of course, if you don’t have a reg- ings in Vermont. the Senate when it comes to ular doctor or a regular medical home, RUSSIA INVESTIGATION healthcare. as they call it these days, what started Mr. President, on another matter, This is exactly the opposite of what off as a minor problem could turn into this afternoon, Attorney General Ses- happened when the Affordable Care Act a major problem, even life-threatening. sions will return to the Senate for the was passed. We adopted 160 Republican That is why the Affordable Care Act first time since his confirmation hear- amendments to the Affordable Care builds into it community healthcare ing. It has been more than 3 months Act. None of them voted for final pas- clinics and opportunities to create a since the press revealed that the Attor- sage, but 160 amendments were offered medical home. ney General gave false testimony in re- by Republicans to change it, and they When I met with the Chicago Medical sponse to questions from both myself were adopted. It was a bipartisan proc- Society at a convention they had in and from Senator FRANKEN about his ess on the amendments. Chicago this last week, I was surprised contact with Russian officials; yet the How many amendments will we be by a few things. First, I was surprised Attorney General has made no effort to able to offer to the Republican Senate to learn that out of the 5,000 physicians come back before the Judiciary Com- proposal that is going to come before in the Chicago Medical Society, they mittee to explain these actions—ac- us in 2 weeks? The answer is that we received responses back from over 1,000 tions that some could construe as per- don’t know because we have never seen who said they thought the measure jury.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.010 S13JNPT1 June 13, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3421 There are now countless new and questions.’’ Yet it was also reported hire private lawyers to go after peo- troubling questions swirling around yesterday he plans to invoke executive ple’s private property along the Rio the Attorney General. In fact, he was privilege in response to some inquiries. Grande to build a wall which will not scheduled to appear before the Appro- If true, the Attorney General is speak- really accomplish anything, other than priations Committee this morning—a ing out of both sides of his mouth. to fulfill part of a campaign promise— committee that would have to vote on I hope the Attorney General is not a campaign promise to build a $40 bil- his request for a budget—but, for the going to allow President Trump to fol- lion wall. The other part, of course, second time in as many months, he low the precedent of Richard Nixon and was to have Mexico pay for it. The abruptly canceled. Neither I nor Sen- go down the path of invoking executive check is in the mail—very, very, very ator FRANKEN sit on the Intelligence privilege to stop an inquiry into illegal slow mail. Committee, so we are not going to have or unethical conduct. These questions I see—speaking of Attorneys General the opportunity to follow up with the need to be answered. The American and people from Texas—my friend, the Attorney General in person. I am not people deserve the truth. They deserve former attorney general of Texas, the going to be able to ask him why he hid an Attorney General who is held ac- distinguished senior Senator from his contacts with the Russian Ambas- countable for his leadership of the Jus- Texas on the floor so I yield the floor. sador, including a reported third meet- tice Department, not one who is em- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re- ing at the Mayflower Hotel, nor will I broiled in controversy and hides from publican whip. Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I thank be able to ask about the timing of his the congressional committee of over- the senior Senator from Vermont for recusal or his involvement with the sight jurisdiction of his Department. his kind words. We do agree, occasion- Russia investigation both before his We must not lose sight of the fact ally, about a few things. We are, in recusal and after. I will not be able to that our democracy was attacked. It some ways I think, the odd couple was attacked by a country that has no ask whether the President ever sug- when it comes to things like open gov- respect for us. If we do not take this se- gested he intervene in the Russia in- ernment and freedom of information. riously, we will be attacked again. We vestigation in any way. And especially We agree on those things, somebody, I must know exactly how that happened I will not be able to ask how the Attor- would say, from the left end of the po- so we can protect our democratic insti- ney General can justify violating his litical spectrum and somebody like me recusal from the Russia investigation tutions and protect our country. This from the right end of the political spec- by working to fire its lead investigator. goes way beyond the Republican or the trum, which I find particularly grati- The American people deserve answers Democratic parties. That includes fying, but there are a lot of other to each of these questions—not only knowing whether members of the things we have different views on. That answers, they deserve truthful answers. Trump campaign enabled Russian in- is not unusual or to be unexpected, but That is why I shared my questions for terference. I enjoy working with him when we can Russia is not a friend. Just as they Attorney General Sessions on these find those areas of common ground to topics. But I also shared them with have tried to interfere with elections in work on. members of the Intelligence Com- some of the NATO countries in other IRAN SANCTIONS BILL parts of the world, we know they have mittee. Mr. President, last night, the Senate So, at least, on the plus side, Attor- tried to interfere with ours. The Amer- voted to move forward with tough, new ney General Sessions will finally face ican people also deserve to know sanctions to hold Iran accountable for some serious questions, but I am still whether the President or his adminis- its continued support of terrorism. The concerned he is not going to be the tration have attempted to interfere in unanimous vote we had is a strong most forthcoming witness. We saw last the Russia investigation, knowing it message to the world that the United week that Trump administration offi- was improper. Any such attempt would States will not tolerate Iran’s com- cials have invented a brand new claim amount to obstruction of justice. plicity on terror and a clear indicator Attorney General Sessions needs to of privilege to insulate themselves of just how important this legislation answer critical questions today. He from congressional oversight—and to is. protect themselves from giving an- needs to answer for his leadership of Just last month, Secretary of State swers that would be embarrassing or the Justice Department in both the Tillerson noted that ‘‘Iran remains a damaging to the President. Senate Appropriations and the Judici- leading state sponsor of terror.’’ I I asked the Congressional Research ary Committees. He can keep ducking would amend that slightly and say it is Service to provide me with a list of the questions, but sooner or later, the ‘‘the’’ leading state sponsor of terror. valid reasons to refuse to answer a Attorney General must answer for his The Secretary said he would be un- question from a Senator. There is exec- actions. dertaking a review of the success or utive privilege, of course, but it has to We deserve to know whether he is failure of the Joint Comprehensive be invoked by the President, and it is acting in the public interest—which is Plan of Action—what we know as the not absolute. Of course, there are also what an Attorney General should do— lopsided nuclear deal President Obama constitutional privileges, such as the or in Donald Trump’s personal interest. inked with Iran—because, unfortu- Fifth Amendment right to not incrimi- If he cannot decide between those in- nately, as we have seen, the Obama ad- nate oneself. Even in my days as pros- terests, if he cannot distinguish be- ministration’s deal, relative to Iran’s ecutor, I strongly protected the rights tween the public’s interests and Donald nuclear aspirations, did zero—zero—to of people, no matter what crime they Trump’s interests, well, he is not fit to stop Iran’s investment in terrorism were charged with, to take the Fifth serve as Attorney General. around the world. As a matter of fact, Amendment if they wanted to, but I pointed out, when Deputy Rosen- it generated quite a bit of new cash there is no ‘‘I would rather not answer’’ stein came before the Appropriations which Iran could use to pay for acts of privilege. That is not in the Fifth Committee this morning, all the things terrorism around the world. So the Amendment. That is not an executive the administration were cutting out of JCPOA, the Iran nuclear deal, all but privilege. Unless it necessarily involves the budget—money for victims of cemented the status of the state spon- disclosing classified information, the crime, money to go after the opioid sor of terrorism as a future nuclear answer ‘‘I would rather discuss this be- epidemic in this country, large cuts in power. hind closed doors’’ is not a valid re- the FBI. I could go on and on. However, I remember being in the House Cham- sponse either. That is really not a valid there is one place they did put in ber when Prime Minister Netanyahu of response. That is just trying to get out money for more lawyers. They put in Israel talked about this paving the way of answering questions. money for lawyers to work taking pri- to Iran achieving a nuclear weapon, al- The Attorney General’s spokesperson vate property of people in Texas and beit some 10 years hence, which may said yesterday that Attorney General Arizona and elsewhere to build this seem like a long time to us, but if you Sessions ‘‘believes it is important for wall of the President’s. So we will take are the nation of Israel, 10 years is the American people to hear the truth out money for victims of crime or for right around the corner if you are liv- directly from him and [he] looks for- fighting the opioid epidemic, but we ing in that neighborhood and going to ward to answering the committee’s will sure learn how to get money to be in its crosshairs.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.011 S13JNPT1 S3422 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 13, 2017 Part of the JCPOA, the Iran nuclear This bill also addresses Iran’s human The sale will also help deter regional deal, released billions of dollars to the rights abuses by directing the Sec- threats and enhance the kingdom’s Iranian regime and empowered our ad- retary of State to submit a list of peo- ability to protect its borders, con- versary—our avowed enemy—to engage ple who are guilty of human rights vio- tribute to coalition counterterrorism in even more terrorist activities lations so we can take further action operations, and target bad actors more abroad. Instead of weakening Iran, it against them. precisely. actually bolstered Tehran’s hostile ca- Lastly, it reaffirms the arms embar- Finally, it will improve the king- pabilities. On top of that, President go by allowing the President to block dom’s defensive military capabilities. Obama pushed aside our strongest ally the property of any person or entity in- Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has inter- in the region—I mentioned Israel—in volved in the supply, sale, or transfer cepted more than 40 missiles fired at order to lay a gift at the feet of one of of prohibited arms and related materiel the kingdom by Iranian-backed Houthi greatest antagonists of the United to and from Iran. militias. Nine of these missiles have States, with little or no benefit to our I also submitted yesterday an amend- struck Saudi territory itself. Nation. That is why it is no surprise ment to this Iranian sanctions legisla- I look forward to voting in the 2:30 Iran continues to violate international tion that targets Mahan Air, which is timeframe this afternoon against the restrictions against ballistic missile Iran’s largest commercial airline. As a resolution of disapproval filed by our testing and illicit arms transfers, fly- transporter of terrorists and weapons, colleague. I think it is important for us ing in the face of any promises that Mahan Air is nothing more than a com- to help our allies defend themselves, to were made in the agreement. mercial coverup for terrorist activities, fill a power vacuum left that would Last year, then-Director of National and, with routes in and out of Europe, otherwise be filled by U.S. forces and Intelligence James Clapper testified it is essential for us to stop their con- military effort. before the Senate Armed Services Com- tinued expansion and to understand I think it sends a strong message to mittee, confirming what we had all how their activities bear on the safety Iran and their affiliates in the Middle feared: ‘‘Iran’s ballistic missiles are in- of American lives. East that we will not stand quietly or herently capable of delivering [weapons I am thankful for Chairman CORKER’s stand silently in the face of the contin- of mass destruction], and Tehran al- leadership on the Iran and now Russia ued growth of their terrorist activities ready has the largest inventory of bal- sanctions bill, and the expediency in and support for terrorist activities listic missiles in the Middle East.’’ which we are moving forward. While we around the world. Under President Obama’s nuclear can’t, in this bill, undo all of the harm I yield the floor. deal, their conventional inventory and caused by the foreign policy of the I suggest the absence of a quorum. capability are essentially free to grow, Obama administration, we can work to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The and grow they have. correct course, and I am glad we are clerk will call the roll. So what kind of deal was the JCPOA, doing so in a bipartisan way. Last The legislative clerk proceeded to the Iran nuclear deal? It was a lopsided night’s vote was a sign of unity, and I call the roll. deal. More importantly, it was a dan- am looking forward to getting this leg- Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I ask gerous deal as well. islation through the Senate and onto unanimous consent that the order for Of course, Iran’s reach goes far be- the President’s desk. the quorum call be rescinded. yond their own border. They support Mr. President, I wish to take a mo- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without the Assad regime in Syria and the ment and talk about the Saudi arms objection, it is so ordered. Houthi rebellion in Yemen, two groups sale, which we will be voting on this Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I come to which have continually encouraged vi- afternoon at about 2:30 or in that time- the Senate floor today to express my olence against Americans and even frame. We know Saudi Arabia remains support for S.J. Res. 42 and my opposi- murder of their own citizens. under threat from the violent ambi- tion to the transfer of specific defense Last month, on his way to Saudi Ara- tions of Iran, which I just got through articles to the Government of Saudi bia, Secretary of Defense James Mattis speaking about, but that is not just a Arabia. I have arrived at this decision confirmed that Iranian-supplied mis- threat to us, it is a threat in the re- after extensive research and careful de- siles were being fired by the Houthis gion, particularly to Sunni allies like liberation. I would like to state very into Saudi Arabia. So not only is Iran Saudi Arabia. clearly for the record why I have come breaking the nuclear deal but also U.N. A stronger Saudi Arabia will provide to this decision. I have decided to sup- Security Council resolutions as well. a powerful deterrent to Iranian aggres- port S.J. Res. 42 and oppose the trans- In Syria, Iran continues to prop up sion. This particular sale of weapons, fer of specific defense articles to Saudi and shield the Butcher of Damascus, announced by the President when he Arabia primarily because of the Saudi Bashar al-Assad, even after he has bru- was in Saudi Arabia a couple weeks Government’s refusal to take specific tally used chemical weapons against ago, will help provide greater regional steps that I repeatedly requested to al- his own people. Some 400,000 Syrians, stability to pushing back the advanc- leviate the horrible humanitarian suf- at last count, have lost their lives in ing tide of Iranian-backed terrorism. It fering in Yemen. the Syrian civil war, supported by Iran, will help against Iranian-backed Before I further explain that deci- supported by Russia, propping up this Houthis’ weak government control, sion, I would like to explain what is butcher who is head of the regime. which allows terrorism to flourish in not informing my decision. I am not re- So last night’s show of bipartisan the region. flexively opposed to arms sales in gen- support is more than just a message of Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula eral or to Saudi Arabia specifically. On unity against terrorism; it is a sign the has been described by U.S. officials as the contrary, after a series of questions Senate will fight to stop Iran from the most active and dangerous affiliate are satisfactorily addressed, I believe tightening its grip on power. The legis- of al-Qaida today, with several thou- arm sales to key partners and allies lation we will pass this week intro- sands of adherents and fighters inside can enable them to more effectively de- duces new sanctions and embargoes on of Yemen supported by the Iranian re- fend our common interests and oppose Iran. gime. AQAP, al-Qaida in the Arabian common threats. After all, the United First, it imposes new restrictions on Peninsula, has continued to take ad- States cannot and should not employ persons who transact with and support vantage of the political and security U.S. military forces in every instance. Iran’s ballistic missile programs, giv- vacuum. This arms sale will also bol- When the United States and our part- ing our President authority to impose ster the kingdom’s ability to provide ners confront common threats, we sanctions on their weapons providers. for its own security and continue con- should encourage and empower re- The legislation also makes clear that tributing to counterterrorism oper- gional allies and regional partners to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ations across the region, thereby re- play prominent roles wherever pos- bears responsibility for destabilizing ducing the burden on the United States sible. When our partners are defending activities and terrorism in the region and our own military forces by equip- our common interests, we want them by extending new sanctions to them as ping them to do their own security and to be as well-equipped and well-trained well. not depend on us. and effective as possible.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.013 S13JNPT1 June 13, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3423 I recognize that despite our dif- Arabia and Saudi Arabia’s role as a re- one Senator with just one vote, but I ferences, the Saudi Government is an gional leader. I asked Riyadh to take would caution the Saudi Government important regional security partner for some specific steps related to Yemen against such a view. I am not going to the United States of America. How- that would prevent thousands or even be losing interest in this issue anytime ever, when we work through our allies millions of additional people from soon. and partners, we shouldn’t set aside dying there. Among several requests, I To the Saudis I say this: When I our national security interests, and we asked the Saudis to permit the delivery make a request and your government is certainly shouldn’t set aside our sup- of U.S.-funded cranes to the Port of unresponsive—at least as far as I am port for universal humanitarian prin- Hodeidah that would dramatically im- concerned—there will be consequences ciples. That principle certainly applies prove the ability to offload humani- for that decision. My vote dem- to the Saudis and to the situation in tarian supplies there. That is impor- onstrates that fact. Yemen. tant because the Port of Hodeidah To my colleagues, I respectfully say My decision today is based neither on processes roughly 70 to 80 percent of all that America’s support should never be an opposition to arms sales in general of the food and other critical imports unconditional. It is in our interests and nor an opposition to arms sales to the that come into the country of Yemen. it is consistent with the humanitarian Saudis in particular. Instead, my deci- This is the port that supplies people values that we profess to demand that sion today is based primarily on the who are in the most desperate need of the Saudis take some of these steps to persistent and misguided refusal of the food and medical attention. alleviate humanitarian suffering in Saudi Government to take specific I also asked Riyadh to address unnec- Yemen. For this reason, I am going to steps that I have requested to alleviate essary additional delays that the vote in support of S.J. Res. 42 today, some of the humanitarian suffering in Saudi-led coalition was causing for hu- and I urge my colleagues, Republican Yemen. manitarian and commercial supplies and Democrat, to do the same. My decision should come as a sur- going into that port. Not receiving a Thank you, Mr. President. prise to no one. As I have said on the satisfactory response, I subsequently I yield the floor. Senate floor before, the United Nations raised these issues directly with the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- calls the situation in Yemen the larg- Saudi Foreign Minister when he met ator from Vermont. est humanitarian crisis in the world. with me and other Senators here on Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I rise According to the U.N.—which, inciden- Capitol Hill. Still not receiving a satis- to speak in support of the Murphy- tally, our intelligence resources rely on factory answer, we have continued to Paul-Franken resolution of disapproval for much of their information—Yemen raise these requests repeatedly with and to outline my concerns about the has almost 19 million people. Two- the Saudi Embassy. As recently as yes- unfettered sale of arms to Saudi Ara- thirds of the population is in need of terday, the Saudis have refused to be bia. The Saudi-led war in Yemen has humanitarian or protection assistance, responsive on the cranes. Further, in created a humanitarian disaster in one including approximately 10 million the face of clear evidence from the of the region’s poorest countries. Many who require immediate assistance to United Nations to the contrary, the thousands of civilians have been killed, save or sustain their lives—two-thirds Saudis have even denied a role in caus- many more made homeless, and mil- of their population. If that is not a rec- ing delays of humanitarian and com- lions are at risk of starvation, accord- ipe for instability in a dangerous re- mercial shipments into Yemen. So for ing to the United Nations refugee agen- gion of the world, I don’t know what is. almost 2 months, the Saudis have cy. The chaos in Yemen has also been So 17 million people are food-insecure, failed to take my requests seriously. strategically disastrous for the United while 7 million people don’t know For those who are new to this issue, States, providing fertile ground for ex- where their next meal is coming from, perhaps this discussion of cranes and tremist groups like al-Qaida and ISIS and they are at risk of famine. delays at ports seems a bit wonkish— and creating new opportunities for Ira- In addition, according to the U.N. as maybe in the weeds. Yet in a humani- nian intervention. of yesterday, the World Health Organi- tarian situation as dire as Yemen— In addition to being morally indefen- zation reports a cumulative total of with a child under 5 dying of prevent- sible and strategically shortsighted, over 124,000 suspected cases of cholera able diseases every 10 minutes—every the Trump administration’s uncondi- and over 900 associated deaths. Cholera shipment of food or fuel, every day of tional support for the Saudi coalition, is impacting the most vulnerable. In delay can have life-and-death implica- including billions of dollars in arms fact, children under the age of 15 ac- tions. The Saudis know this, yet they sales, risks dragging the United States count for 28 percent of all deaths. have been unresponsive to my requests. into yet another war in the Middle The situation is growing far worse. There is no doubt that the Iranians East. An NGO with personnel on the ground and the Houthis are up to no good in These are the reasons I strongly sup- in Yemen tells my office that the large Yemen. There is no doubt that Saudi port the resolution of disapproval of- majority of these cholera cases have Arabia has the right to defend its bor- fered by my colleagues and their effort taken place since late April. Perhaps ders, and there is also no doubt that to block some of these arms sales to the most heartbreaking statistic is this situation in Yemen is complex. Saudi Arabia. that a child under the age of 5 dies of But it is a false choice to suggest that I also think it is long past time that preventable causes every 10 minutes in we have to choose between opposing we begin to take a very hard look at Yemen. Iran and helping the millions of suf- our relationship with Saudi Arabia. Throughout this process, rather than fering people in Yemen. I believe we This is a country that is run by a he- just mourning this terrible situation, I have a moral responsibility and a na- reditary monarchy in which women are have tried to identify tangible steps tional security imperative to do all we treated as third-class citizens. that can save lives, that can lead to a can to help the people in Yemen who I would like to mention for a moment political settlement in Yemen, and are starving, who need medicine, who the case of Loujain Alhathloul, a Saudi that can enhance both regional and na- are dying. Arabian human rights activist who was tional security interests of the United The longer this war in Yemen con- arrested at King Fahd International States. In the case of Yemen, it became tinues, the more we will drive the Airport on June 4. She has been an ad- clear quickly that there were specific Houthis into the arms of the Iranians. vocate for women’s rights in Saudi steps the Saudis could take to help al- The more leverage the Iranians and the Arabia. leviate the horrible humanitarian situ- Russians will gain in Yemen, the more In 2014, she was arrested for defying ation in Yemen. terrorist groups like al-Qaida in the the country’s ban—are you ready for Based on that realization back in Arabian Peninsula will thrive. this—on women drivers and imprisoned April—April 27, I led a nine-member, Perhaps the Saudi Government isn’t for 73 days. bipartisan letter to the incoming Saudi concerned about my vote. Perhaps they In 2015, she ran as a candidate in a Ambassador, noting the important se- think this issue will just blow over, local council election—the third in the curity partnership between the United that attention will wane, that Senators nation’s modern history and the first States and the Government of Saudi will lose interest. I recognize I am just in which women were allowed to both

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.014 S13JNPT1 S3424 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 13, 2017 vote and run—even though her name tuition-free university in Jakarta known by The Saudi campaign to radicalize global was never added to the ballot. the acronym LIPIA. All instruction is in Ar- Islam also shows that earth-shaking events More recently, Alhathloul criticized abic, given mainly by preachers from Saudi often happen slowly and quietly. The press, a Saudi Government-sponsored wom- Arabia and nearby countries. Genders are focused intently on reporting today’s news, en’s empowerment summit, which was kept apart; strict dress codes are enforced; often misses deeper and more important sto- and music, television, and ‘‘loud laughter’’ ries. Historians of journalism sometimes attended by Ivanka Trump, for its lack are forbidden. Students learn an ultra- point to the northward ‘‘great migration’’ of of inclusiveness. conservative form of Islam that favors hand African-Americans after World War II as an While she has now been released from amputation for thieves, stoning for epochal story that few journalists noticed jail—and I am very glad to hear that— adulterers, and death for gays and blas- because it was a slow process rather than this is no way to treat a peaceful dis- phemers. one-day news event. sident. The human rights organization Many of the students come from the more The same is true of Saudi Arabia’s long Amnesty International reported that than 100 boarding schools Saudi Arabia sup- campaign to pull the world’s 1.8 billion Mus- ports in Indonesia, or have attended one of during her detention, Alhathloul was lims back to the 7th century. We barely no- the 150 mosques that Saudis have built there. tice it, but every day, from Mumbai to Man- not allowed access to an attorney, nor The most promising are given scholarships chester, we feel its effects. was allowed to speak to her family. to study in Saudi Arabia, from which they Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, this Finally and perhaps more signifi- return fully prepared to wreak social, polit- cantly, it is important that here on the ical, and religious havoc in their homeland. article by Mr. Kinzer used the exam- floor of the Senate, we begin to discuss Some promote terror groups like Hamas In- ple—this is just one example—of Indo- the decades-long effort by Saudi Arabia donesia and the Islamic Defenders Front, nesia to demonstrate the incredibly to export an ultra-reactionary form of which did not exist before the Saudis ar- negative impact Saudi financing has rived. had in many places around the world. Islam throughout the world. Eager to press his advantage, King Salman A recent piece in the Boston Globe by I will quote from his article: of Saudi Arabia made a nine-day trip to In- Saudi Arabia has been working for decades Stephen Kinzer, a journalist who has donesia in March, accompanied by an entou- covered the Middle East for many to pull Indonesia away from moderate Islam rage of 1,500. The Saudis agreed to allow and toward the austere Wahhabi form that is years—Mr. President, I ask unanimous more than 200,000 Indonesians to make the state religion in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis’ consent to have his article printed in hajj pilgrimage to Mecca each year—more campaign has been patient, multi-faceted, the RECORD. than come from any other country—and and lavishly financed. It mirrors others they There being no objection, the mate- sought permission to open new branches of have waged in Muslim countries across Asia rial was ordered to be printed in the their LIPIA university. Some Indonesians and Africa. are pushing back against the Saudi assault Successive American presidents have as- RECORD, as follows: on their traditional values, but it is difficult [From the Boston Globe, June 11, 2017] sured us that Saudi Arabia is our friend and to deny permission for new religious schools wishes us well. Yet we know that Osama bin SAUDI ARABIA IS DESTABILIZING THE WORLD when the state is not able to provide decent Laden and most of his 9/11 hijackers were (By Stephen Kinzer) secular alternatives. In Indonesia, as in Saudis, and that, as Secretary of State Hil- Just a few months ago, the governor of In- other countries where the Saudis are ac- lary Clinton wrote in a diplomatic cable donesia’s largest city, Jakarta, seemed head- tively promoting Wahhabism—including eight years ago, ‘‘Donors in Saudi Arabia ed for easy reelection despite the fact that Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bosnia—the constitute the most significant source of he is a Christian in a mostly Muslim coun- weakness and corruption of central govern- funding to Sunni terrorist groups world- try. Suddenly everything went violently ments create pools of rootless unemployed wide.’’ wrong. Using the pretext of an offhand re- who are easily seduced by the promises of Recent events in Indonesia shine a light on mark the governor made about the Koran, free food and a place in God’s army. a Saudi project that is even more pernicious masses of enraged Muslims took to the The surging fundamentalism that is trans- than financing terrorists. Saudi Arabia has streets to denounce him. In short order he forming Indonesia teaches several lessons. used its wealth, much of which comes from lost the election, was arrested, charged with First is one that we should already have the United States, to turn entire nations blasphemy, and sentenced to two years in learned, about the nature of the Saudi gov- into hotbeds of radical Islam. By refusing to prison. ernment. It is an absolute monarchy sup- protest or even officially acknowledge this This episode is especially alarming because ported by one of the world’s most reac- far-reaching project, we finance our own as- Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim coun- tionary religious sects. It gives clerics large sassins—and global terror. try, has long been one of its most tolerant. sums to promote their anti-Western, anti- Christian, anti-Semitic brand of religious That is the end of a quote from that Indonesian Islam, like most belief systems excellent article from the Boston on that vast archipelago, is syncretic, militancy abroad. In exchange, the clerics gentle, and open-minded. The stunning fall refrain from criticizing the Saudi monarchy Globe. of Jakarta’s governor reflects the opposite: or its thousands of high-living princes. We all understand that there are intolerance, sectarian hatred, and contempt Saudis with close ties to the ruling family times when we must work with prob- for democracy. Fundamentalism is surging give crucial support to groups like Al Qaeda, lematic governments in order to ad- in Indonesia. This did not happen naturally. the Taliban, and ISIS. This fact should be at vance our security goals, but for far Saudi Arabia has been working for decades the front of our minds whenever we consider too long, we have been giving a pass to to pull Indonesia away from moderate Islam our policy toward the Middle East—includ- a government in Saudi Arabia that ing when we decide whether to side with the and toward the austere Wahhabi form that is supports ideas and policies that are state religion in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis’ Saudis in their new dispute with neighboring campaign has been patient, multi-faceted, Qatar. fundamentally at odds with American and lavishly financed. It mirrors others they Saudi Arabia’s success in reshaping Indo- values and that have led to extremely have waged in Muslim countries across Asia nesia shows the importance of the global negative consequences for American and Africa. battle over ideas. Many in Washington con- security. Successive American presidents have as- sider spending for cultural and other ‘‘soft I think the time has come for the sured us that Saudi Arabia is our friend and power’’ projects to be wasteful. The Saudis Congress to take a very hard look at wishes us well. Yet we know that Osama bin feel differently. They pour money and re- this relationship and assess whether it sources into promoting their world view. We Laden and most of his 9/11 hijackers were is actually serving the interests and Saudis, and that, as Secretary of State Hil- should do the same. lary Clinton wrote in a diplomatic cable The third lesson that today’s Indonesia values of the American people. eight years ago, ‘‘Donors in Saudi Arabia teaches is about the vulnerability of democ- Mr. President, I yield the floor. constitute the most significant source of racy. In 1998 Indonesia’s repressive military I suggest the absence of a quorum. funding to Sunni terrorist groups world- dictatorship gave way to a new system, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The wide.’’ based on free elections, that promised civil clerk will call the roll. Recent events in Indonesia shine a light on and political rights for all. Radical preachers The bill clerk proceeded to call the a Saudi project that is even more pernicious who would previously have been imprisoned roll. than financing terrorists. Saudi Arabia has for whipping up religious hatred found them- Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I ask used its wealth, much of which comes from selves free spread their poison. Democracy unanimous consent that the order for the United States, to turn entire nations enables them to forge giant mobs that de- mand death for apostates. Their political the quorum call be rescinded. into hotbeds of radical Islam. By refusing to The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. protest or even officially acknowledge this parties campaign in democratic elections for far-reaching project, we finance our own as- the right to come to power and crush democ- RUBIO). Without objection, it is so or- sassins—and global terror. racy. This is a sobering reality for those who dered. The center of Saudi Arabia’s campaign to believe that one political system is best for Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I take convert Indonesians to Wahhabi Islam is a all countries under all circumstances. the floor to strenuously argue against

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.016 S13JNPT1 June 13, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3425 the proposition being pushed by Sen- these weapons, not only to minimize on the battlefield. It will lessen civil- ators PAUL, MURPHY, and others to casualties but to win the fight against ian casualties, which is a noble goal, deny arms sales of about $500 million the aggressive nature of Iran in Yemen and will also give capabilities to the to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The and other places. Saudis to more effectively contain Iran package they are trying to exclude I don’t know where we are going with that is marching through Yemen, from the $110 billion arms deal is preci- Iran, but the President has said the through their proxies, the Houthis. sion-guided munitions that would be current nuclear deal is absolutely a General Mattis—Secretary Mattis used by the F–15s, a package of Joint terrible deal. He is right. This deal has it right. Iran would be appreciative Direct Attack Munitions, Paveway locks in a march toward a nuclear of our not selling those weapons to laser-guided bombs for Saudi Tornado weapon by the Iranians if they don’t Saudi Arabia. and Typhoon aircraft. The bottom line cheat. They don’t have to cheat. In 10 We are going to sanction Iran this is, the package we are talking about or 15 years, the agreement allows them week, I hope, for what they have done are precision weapons the Saudi Air to enrich and reprocess without limita- outside of the nuclear agreement. Force and military could use in oper- tion, so this deal has to be replaced. Since the nuclear agreement was passed, they have humiliated our sail- ations against Iran’s proxy in Yemen I hope we don’t go to war with any- ors. They captured them on the high and other threats that continue to one, but if we go to war, I want allies seas and humiliated them. I don’t re- plague us. that are capable to help us in the fight. member Saudi Arabia doing that. They The flaws of the Saudi Government We complain about our Arab allies not are test-firing missiles in the violation are real. They are known to me. My doing enough. When they want to do of a U.N. resolution that could destroy friends on the other side, particularly more, we say no to them. Guess what. Israel and one day reach us and our al- Senator PAUL, constantly put Saudi No wonder people believe America is an lies throughout the Mideast and Eu- Arabia and Iran on the same footing. I unreliable partner. We say one thing rope. They are spreading their form of and do another. think that is a very unwise analysis. radical Shi’ism all through the world, To suggest that Saudi Arabia is as To my Democratic colleagues: You all through the Mideast. The money bad as Iran is just missing the point, were OK with voting to help President they received from the Iranian nuclear big time. The Iranian bureaucracy is Obama increase the capability of the deal is not going to build roads, the most destabilizing force in the Mid- Saudi Army at a time when it was in bridges, and hospitals, it is increasing east. They have aggressively pursued our national security interest. What has changed between September 21 and the lethality of the IRG and other Ira- military action through proxies and nian combatant units. today? What geopolitical situation has have been directly involved in military What we are trying to do and what changed that all of a sudden Iran is no actions in Syria. Iran’s efforts to domi- President Trump is trying to do is give nate Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and now longer the threat they were in Sep- our allies the ability to contain the Yemen have to be pushed back. tember of last year and Saudi Arabia is threat which is in our interest. Sanc- Here is what Secretary Mattis said less reliable? Nothing, other than the tioning Iran and denying Saudi Arabia about this proposal when I asked him election of Donald Trump. I have been the weapons they need to defend them- the question: How would Iran view pas- a critic of Donald Trump—President selves and others against Iran is pretty sage of this proposal limiting preci- Trump—when I thought it was nec- inconsistent. sion-guided weapons to the Saudis by essary for the good of the country, but There is a military necessity for Congress? He stated: ‘‘I believe Iran all I can say is, this wholesale defec- these weapons. It will change the equa- would be appreciative of us not selling tion by Democrats really is disturbing. tion on the battlefield. It is in our in- these weapons to Saudi Arabia.’’ It is undermining, I think, our national terest that Iran lose this effort to take That is pretty direct. Iran would be security interests when it comes to over Yemen and destabilize the Mid- really happy. containing Iran. It is sending the worst east at large. You have to remember On September 21, 2016, 71 U.S. Sen- possible signal we could be sending to that these are the same people—the ators supported a tank sale to Saudi our Arab allies at a time when we need Iranians—who built lethal IEDs and in- Arabia. The vote was 71 to 27. In other them the most. I don’t question peo- jected them into Iraq—IEDs that killed words, 71 U.S. Senators rejected RAND ple’s motives; I question their judg- many, many American soldiers. This is PAUL’s proposal to stop the sale of ment. the same regime that took over our tanks. I would argue that a tank is not Here is my problem. I had no problem Embassy years ago, humiliated our nearly as much of a precision weapon helping President Obama because I be- sailors, and chants ‘‘death to America as the weapons we are talking about lieve Saudi is the bulwark against Ira- and Israel’’ on a regular basis. Yet here here to be given to the Saudi Air nian expansion. Our allies in Saudi we are, sitting as a legislative body, Force. If we are worried about collat- Arabia are imperfect, but they do share contemplating our not helping an ally eral damage in Yemen, I understand intelligence with us, they are in the who is willing to fight the threat that the concern. Precision weapons would fight, and we need to help them be- is posed by Iran in the Mideast. All I help that cause, not hurt it. cause it is in our interest to help them. can say is that on September 21, 2016, We have to understand whom we are You had absolutely no problem helping almost every Democrat saw this as a dealing with in Yemen. We are dealing them when it was President Obama’s good move to help Saudi Arabia. with Iran. Saudi Arabia has a border idea. Everything Trump you seem to be Now almost all of you are voting with Yemen. The Iranians are backing against. That is absolutely dis- against an arms package that is more a force called the Houthis to bring appointing, and quite frankly des- necessary today than it was in 2016. down a pro-Western government in picable. The only change is that we have a new Yemen. From a Saudi perspective, ev- To my Republican colleagues: RAND President whom you hate. erywhere you look you see Iran en- PAUL has been consistent. I respect his I was not a big fan of President croaching throughout the Mideast. consistency. I just completely disagree Obama’s, but when I thought it was The bureaucracy in Iran is the big- with him. If you think containing Iran right, I stood with him. President gest threat to the world order, and that and keeping them from toppling Trump is right to increase the capa- is saying a lot, given the way the world Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon is not bility of the Saudi military to deal is. I say that with confidence because in our national interest, you are mak- with the Iranian aggression. There is what Iran is doing is trying to desta- ing a huge mistake. The last thing we no bigger threat to the Middle East and bilize the Mideast in an unprecedented want is the Iranian Ayatollah to march America, I believe, than this Iranian fashion. Our Arab allies are tired of it, through the Mideast and start spread- regime in the hands of an ayatollah and now is the time to stand with ing his form of radical Shi’ism in the who is really a religious Nazi. them—with their imperfections— backyards of all of our Arab allies. So I hope you will vote for what is against Iran and their hostilities. So I cannot urge this body more to best for America, which is to empower This $500 million chunk of the $110 reject this ill-conceived idea. It is $500 our allies to contain threats that we billion weapons sale is absolutely es- million out of a $110 billion package. It commonly enjoy. We enjoy the experi- sential to the Saudi Air Force to get is the kind of weapons that will matter ence of being in the crosshairs of the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.019 S13JNPT1 S3426 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 13, 2017 Ayatollah. They want to destroy the ons we were giving them in order to de- hood kids, I am not going to do it, but royal family in Saudi Arabia. They liberately target humanitarian infra- if he wants me to help him stand up to want to destroy Israel, and they want structure and civilian infrastructure the neighborhood bully, then maybe I to destroy us. So the idea that we are inside Yemen. The Saudis have made it will be there for him. Even with your not going to help an ally that is willing pretty clear that time is on their side, friends you decide what fights you join to fight is just inconceivable, and the that they can wait out the Yemeni pop- them in and what fights you don’t. idea that we are going to vote no for an ulation and drive it to the negotiating In Yemen, it is not just I who is mak- arms package because Trump is Presi- table. They suggest that this humani- ing the argument that the civil war is dent—and all of you over there voted tarian catastrophe, ultimately, accrues accruing to the detriment of U.S. na- yes before—is disappointing. to their benefit because it eventually tional security interests; it is a broad To my Republican colleagues, if you will push the Houthis into supporting a swath of foreign policy experts and really think Iran is a threat, do not better deal than they would have oth- Middle East experts in this city and vote with Senator PAUL because you erwise for the Saudis. across this country and across the are sending the wrong signal. Let me give you some direct evidence globe. Why? It is that this civil war is I yield the floor. of how this bombing campaign is lead- radicalizing the Yemeni people against The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ing to the humanitarian crisis. the United States. They do not per- ator from Connecticut. This cholera outbreak, which has ceive this bombing campaign that is Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, while been covered in the news, began, in killing thousands of civilians as a my friend’s remarks on the motives of part, because the Saudi airstrikes were Saudi bombing campaign. They per- Democrats are fresh in people’s minds, targeting water treatment facilities in- ceive it as a U.S.-Saudi bombing cam- let me address this directly. There is a side Sanaa. This is independent report- paign. new President today, but there is a dif- ing from relief agencies that operate on Just get your intelligence briefing, ferent policy, and that is what this res- the ground inside Yemen that tell us and look at the difference in the olution is about. Let me be very clear that the Saudi bombing campaign that amount of space that AQAP controls about what we are talking about today. has targeted civilian infrastructure—in today versus what it controlled before Senator GRAHAM would have you be- this case, water treatment facilities— the civil war began. AQAP, which is lieve that we are about to vote on the has led to the cholera outbreak. the arm of al-Qaida that has the most entirety of the $110 billion in arms It continues. The bombing campaign capability to hit the United States, has sales that was proposed—that was un- that is leading to this catastrophe con- grown exponentially in terms of the veiled—by President Trump during his tinues. The reason the Obama adminis- territory it controls. ISIS has grown as visit to Saudi Arabia. That is not the tration would not sell them this spe- well. These extremist groups take ad- case. We are voting today on $500 mil- cific set of arms is that it did not have vantage of the civil war, and if our pri- lion of that $110 billion sale. You can confidence that the arms would be used ority in the region is really about de- still be friends with Saudi Arabia and to hit purely military targets. feating these organizations, then this sell it $109.5 billion worth of arms rath- What we are asking for is to hold off civil war is not helping in that effort. er than $110 billion worth of arms. The on selling these precision-guided muni- Civilians are dying; extremist groups specific set of arms that we are talking tions until we get some clear promise— are growing; and the Yemeni popu- about—precision-guided munitions some clear assurance—from the Saudis lation is being radicalized against us. that are going to be used to perpetuate that they are going to use these muni- To exacerbate matters, the Trump the Saudi bombing campaign in tions only for military purposes and administration has walked away from Yemen—was the specific set of weapons that they are going to start taking the political process. Secretary Kerry that the Obama administration refused steps—real steps, tangible steps—to ad- was actively involved in trying to to transfer to the Saudis at the end of dress the humanitarian crisis. bring the Houthis and the Saudi- 2016. We did not take a vote on this in Senator YOUNG has been very articu- backed government together. He got 2016. We took a vote on a different late on the things that the Saudis are close to an agreement, but it fell apart. arms sale. doing to stop—to halt—to slow the flow This administration has not restarted It is not simply that there is a new of relief supplies into Yemen today. that process. For those who want to President and that Democrats are ob- There are some proactive things the throw more arms into this contest, I jecting to the arms sale that President Saudis could do, which they are not, think it is hard to believe that, ulti- Trump is moving forward with. It is that could save millions of lives inside mately, it will lead to any cease-fire or that we have a new policy. This spe- Yemen today. any peaceful transition to a new gov- cific set of munitions that President More broadly, I think this is an im- ernment if the United States is totally Trump is asking us to consent to is one portant moment for U.S. policy in the absent from the negotiating table as that President Obama would not sell. Middle East. The Saudis are our we are today. The policy is different, not just the friends. They are an important, stabi- This is not about objecting to the en- personnel. Let’s talk about why the lizing presence in the Middle East. tirety of the sale, and this is not about policy is different. They have helped to broker a kind of delivering a broader message to the What is happening today in Yemen is detente between Sunni nations and Saudis. This is about saying that this a humanitarian catastrophe of epic Israel, our sacred ally. They cooperate specific conflict in Yemen is not going proportions. There are four famines with us on counterterrorism measures. well and is hurting the United States. that exist in the world today. One of They share intelligence with us. Clear- Until we get some real assurances from them is in Yemen, and only one of ly, we have an important economic re- the Saudis that they are going to pay those four is caused, in part, by the lationship, but they are an imperfect attention to the ‘‘no strike’’ list, until United States. The United States sup- partner. we get some commitments from the ports the Saudi-led bombing campaign This body should have a debate as to Saudis that they are going to let relief that has had the effect of causing a hu- whether it is in the national security supplies flow into Yemen to address manitarian nightmare to play out in interests of the United States to get the famine and address the cholera out- that country such that 8 million people drawn more deeply into the set of break, then let’s press pause on this right now in Yemen are in starvation proxy wars that is playing out in the small slice of this arms sale. or are on the brink of starvation. Last region between the Sunnis and the I am proud to join with Senator PAUL week, we received word that 100,000 Shia. That proxy battle plays out in and others, and I hope that my col- people in Yemen now have cholera. Yemen; it plays out in Syria; and it leagues will see fit to support it when Cholera? All of this is directly a result plays out in other ways in places like we vote in about an hour and a half. of the civil war. Lebanon. Just because you have a I suggest the absence of a quorum. The reason that the Obama adminis- friend does not mean that you have to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The tration decided not to transfer the pre- back every single one of your friend’s clerk will call the roll. cision-guided munitions to the Saudis fights. If my friend asks me to hand The bill clerk proceeded to call the is that the Saudis were using the weap- him a rock to throw at the neighbor- roll.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Jun 14, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13JN6.020 S13JNPT1 June 13, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3427 Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask practiced a form of Islam that was mild ons that will reduce civilian casualties unanimous consent that the order for and tolerant. The Wahhabi schools are voted for tank sales. This $500 million the quorum call be rescinded. now flourishing in Indonesia, and it is carved out of this package gives Saudi The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without becoming a radical place of danger to Arabia a qualitative edge on the battle- objection, it is so ordered. us. field against Iranian proxies who could Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, before We have to send a message to Saudi care less about civilian casualties. It is we recess for the caucus lunches, I wish Arabia. the most upside-down thinking I have to comment on the upcoming vote on a They do some good things. I support ever seen, and many of you over there resolution of disapproval regarding a their putting pressure, for instance, on actually approved this because it was portion of President Trump’s recent the Palestinian Authority to finally worked on before President Trump be- arms sales to Saudi Arabia. I have an- make peace with Israel. But they do a came President. So it is really dis- nounced that I am in favor of the reso- lot of bad things. It seems there has al- heartening to see you support Presi- lution of disapproval for several rea- most been a rotten deal between the dent Obama’s tank sales but that you sons. Saudi monarchy and the Wahhabi cler- are not going to support President First, the human rights and humani- ics to work together. It has to end. Trump’s selling weapons, which gives tarian concerns have been well docu- My vote for this resolution of dis- us an advantage over Iran in Saudi mented with respect to Yemen. Yem- approval hopefully can send a message Arabia and actually reduces civilian en’s story in the Middle East is a tragic to the Saudis that their behavior in re- casualities. one. Yemen’s previous President ruled gard to Wahhabism must change. It is Secretary Mattis said it the best: the country for decades with an iron hurting the world and eventually will Iran would appreciate killing this deal fist and fleeced the country of its re- hurt them. and taking these weapons off the table. sources for his personal gain. He also I yield the floor. I urge everybody in here, if you are se- allowed terrorist groups to enjoy safe f rious about standing up to Iran, stand haven in Yemen in the days after 9/11. with Saudi Arabia, as imperfect as Today, Yemen remains a country in RECESS they are. dire straits. It is on the verge of a fam- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ine, and there have been over 100,000 the previous order, the Senate stands ator from Kentucky. cases of cholera. in recess until 2:15 p.m. Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, the ques- To make matters worse, the current Thereupon, the Senate, at 12:33 p.m., tion is, Should we sell arms to Saudi conflict in Yemen, which includes the recessed until 2:15 p.m. and reassem- Arabia—a country that many suspect Saudi military, has worsened the hu- bled when called to order by the Pre- was involved in 9/11; a country that manitarian situation. Selling the king- siding Officer (Mr. STRANGE). many suspect gave weapons to ISIS, dom precision weapons in this deal f the people we are fighting in the Mid- could further exacerbate the crisis. dle East; a country that imprisons the MOTION TO DISCHARGE—S.J. RES. Second, and of equal concern to me, victims of rape because it is apparently is an area that hasn’t been talked 42—Continued or presumably the fault of the woman about much in this debate; that is, that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under who is raped in Saudi Arabia? the Saudi Government continues to aid the previous order, there will now be 10 One woman, the girl of Qatif, was and abet terrorism via its support and minutes of debate remaining on the given a sentence of 70 lashes and 6 funding of schools that spread extrem- motion to discharge S.J. Res. 42, equal- months in jail. They increased her pen- ist Wahhabi propaganda. Saudi Ara- ly divided between Senator PAUL or his alty to 200 lashes, and finally, only bia’s support for these Wahhabi designee and the opponents of the mo- when we protested, was it reversed. madrassas goes back decades. It is re- tion. They sentenced a poet to 1,000 lashes. sponsible for much of the Who yields time? Sometimes you don’t survive 1,000 radicalization of Muslim youth in the The Senator from Arizona. lashes. So they gave him 100 at a time. Middle East and North Africa. Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, I rise to He is going to be imprisoned for 10 In the past several months, we have speak in opposition to the resolution years. witnessed lone-wolf attacks in London before us. They are not the kind of persons we and in Tehran and elsewhere around It has obviously been tried before, should be sending your weapons to. the globe. Though the nature of ter- and I think there is no doubt that if it These weapons were funded and sup- rorism has changed, many of the were to pass, this could pose a very ported by the American taxpayer, and sources are the same. The propagation dangerous threat to our relationship we should not be willy-nilly giving of Wahhabism, an extreme ideology, with Saudi Arabia at a time when the them to people who imprison their peo- continues to fuel radicalism and ter- Iranians have now achieved a peninsula ple for protesting. rorism around the globe. So if we want all the way across from Tehran all the Currently, a young man, 17 years old, to get serious about cracking down on way to Baghdad, and there is no doubt named Ali al-Nimr is on death row. But terrorism, the United States should that the Iranians have continued their it is not enough just to kill him for focus—one of the focuses should be—on aggressive behavior. protesting for free speech and free countering the spread of Wahhabism. If we vote down this arms sale to press. They will behead him and cru- The White House has not clearly ar- Saudi Arabia, it would have a dev- cify him. ticulated how the United States will astating effect on our standing in the This barbaric nation should not be put pressure on Saudi Arabia to end Middle East and a long-term impact on getting our weapons. We should not their support of Wahhabi schools, even our ability to counter what is clearly sell them weapons. as it claims that President Trump’s re- Iranian aggressive behavior. So I Currently, there is a blockade of cent visit to Riyadh was focused on strongly urge my colleagues to vote Yemen, and 17 million people risk star- curtailing terrorism. Furthermore, the against this resolution. vation. We should not be supporting administration has not sufficiently as- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- this effort. sured Congress that these weapons will ator from South Carolina. There is probably no greater pur- not fall into the wrong hands. Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I wish veyor of hatred for Christianity and Look at Pakistan. It has become a to join with Senator MCCAIN very Judaism than Saudi Arabia. We should radical place—it wasn’t 15 years ago— quickly. not be giving them weapons. They have in good part because of Saudi funding— At 71 to 27, on September 21 of last madrassas across the world teaching Saudi individuals who are a good part year, we voted to approve tank sales to hatred of us, preaching hatred of the of the government, some who are Saudi Arabia because they need more West, hatred of Christianity, hatred of friends with the government—of these weapons and equipment to counter the Judaism, and these people want to give madrassas, which taught radicalism to Iranian aggression in Yemen and other them weapons. I don’t get it. It makes the Pakistani people. places. no sense. Look at Indonesia, one of the largest Most of the people who are now going Some will argue that it is a jobs pro- countries in the world. It had usually to vote against precision-guided weap- gram. Well, isn’t that swell. We are

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