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Senate WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2018 E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 164 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2018 No. 130 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Friday, August 3, 2018, at 10 a.m. Senate WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2018 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was U.S. SENATE, Both are urgent challenges. In one called to order by the Honorable TOM PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, survey last year, 81 percent of Ameri- COTTON, a Senator from the State of Washington, DC, August 1, 2018. cans said the opioid epidemic is either Arkansas. To the Senate: a major problem or a full-blown emer- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, f of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby gency, and more than half said infra- structure investment was a ‘‘very im- PRAYER appoint the Honorable TOM COTTON, a Sen- ator from the State of Arkansas, to perform portant’’ or ‘‘extremely important’’ The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- the duties of the Chair. priority. These are two priorities we fered the following prayer: ORRIN G. HATCH, share throughout this Congress—both Let us pray. President pro tempore. parties, both Houses, and with the Eternal Lord God, our refuge and Mr. COTTON thereupon assumed the President. strength, stay close to our Senators. As Chair as Acting President pro tempore. Here are just a few of the provisions they labor for liberty, give them the f in this legislation: billions of dollars of grace of Your presence. Assist them in investment in rural communities for their work so that their thoughts, RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY everything from electric and telephone words, and deeds will be acceptable to LEADER infrastructure to water infrastructure, You. Give them pure hearts, devoted to The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- to broadband internet, to small busi- You and ever seeking Your glory. May pore. The majority leader is recog- ness loans; a $10 billion overall increase they not tire in well-doing, knowing nized. from 2017 for infrastructure needs; and that a wonderful harvest is certain if tens of millions for opioid prevention, f they persevere. Lord, inspire them to including grants for distance learning press on with today’s duties with hope APPROPRIATIONS LEGISLATION and telemedicine so rural America is in their hearts. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, for better equipped to strike back against We pray in Your great Name. Amen. more than a week, the Senate has care- the scourge of addiction. f fully considered a set of four appropria- Of course, infrastructure and fighting PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE tions bills. opioids are only part of what these bills encompass. The Presiding Officer led the Pledge Together, they will account for about They will fully fund the Federal Gov- of Allegiance, as follows: one-eighth of the discretionary spend- ing for the next fiscal year. They allo- ernment’s efforts in agriculture, trans- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the portation, housing and urban develop- United States of America, and to the Repub- cate funds for a variety of pressing lic for which it stands, one nation under God, needs in communities around the coun- ment, the interior, environment, finan- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. try, and they represent four more steps cial services, and general government. f toward the goal this Senate has set to That includes essential routine serv- fund the government through regular ices, from the Forest Service to food APPOINTMENT OF ACTING appropriations and to steer clear of an- safety inspections. It includes many PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE other omnibus. targeted programs that have an out- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The A lot of attention has rightly been sized impact on local communities. clerk will please read a communication paid to huge priorities where this legis- My fellow Kentuckians and I are glad to the Senate from the President pro lation will bring major progress: our this legislation will help us expand tempore (Mr. HATCH). mission to renew America’s infrastruc- rural internet access, invest in new The senior assistant legislative clerk ture and the ongoing fight against highways and bridges, reclaim aban- read the following letter: opioid addiction and abuse. doned mines, and contain the invasive ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5527 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:22 Aug 02, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A01AU6.000 S01AUPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S5528 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 1, 2018 Asian carp that threaten our water- of Special Operations units will benefit cies would bring about ‘‘Armageddon,’’ ways. The list goes on and on. I know from the authorization of new invest- and about 7 months since my friend the every community and every State ments in their training facilities. Democratic leader, here in the Senate, could write its own list. This legisla- At Fort Knox, the Army’s Human Re- predicted that no part of tax reform tion matters to every Senator. It mat- sources Command and Recruiting Com- would turn out to suit the needs of the ters to all Americans. mand will receive the support they American worker—none of it. I am grateful to Chairman SHELBY, need to modernize officer personnel But Republicans saw past the scare Senator LEAHY, and subcommittee management, and the post will receive tactics and did what we knew to be Chairmen MURKOWSKI, COLLINS, much needed certainty and authority right for the country. We pursued a HOEVEN, and LANKFORD for all of their for its energy savings program. pro-growth agenda to get Washington’s hard work. We have considered these At the Blue Grass Army Depot, crit- foot off the brakes that were restrain- bills carefully. We have voted on a ical work to support chemical weapons ing job creators, to take Washington’s number of amendments. This morning, demilitarization will continue because hand out of the pockets of working we will consider more amendments and this bill authorizes the resources nec- families, and to help create the condi- then pass this bill. essary to conduct safe operations. tions for communities across the coun- Now, this appropriations package is Servicemembers will benefit from a try to succeed. Any one of these goals not the only important business the well-deserved raise in military pay and could have been a bipartisan priority, Senate has been working on this week. expanded authority for military family just like all of the other good work I Yesterday, we passed an important housing and education. have discussed this morning. extension of the National Flood Insur- So none of my colleagues need to Tax reform, historically, had been bi- ance Program and sent it to the White look far to find examples of how the partisan, but this time, our colleagues House for the President’s signature. We needs of our servicemembers will be listened to the far left and decided to confirmed the 24th circuit court nomi- met by the legislation before us. stand in complete partisan opposition nee already in this Congress, and we Our colleagues on the Armed Serv- to letting Americans keep more of voted to proceed to conference with the ices Committee carefully developed it. their own money. Now the American House on the farm bill. It reflects more than 300 amendments, I understand this year marks the ear- people are reaping the benefits of a and it rightly bears the name of our liest, since at least 1965, that both the pro-growth, pro-opportunity agenda. colleague and friend JOHN MCCAIN. I House and the Senate have passed a Now they see whose policies benefit know he is proud of all this legislation farm bill. Here in the Senate, it passed them. accomplishes for our men and women with the widest margin of any recorded f in uniform. vote in the history of this legislation. I also thank the senior Senator from RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME So Chairman ROBERTS and Senator Oklahoma and the ranking member The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- STABENOW deserve our congratulations and appreciation. I look forward to from Rhode Island for steering this bill pore. Under the previous order, the serving as a conferee myself and to fin- through conference. I look forward to leadership time is reserved. ishing up the farm bill prior to its expi- sending it to the President’s desk this f week. ration. CONCLUSION OF MORNING f f BUSINESS NATIONAL DEFENSE TAX REFORM The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- AUTHORIZATION BILL Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, on pore. Morning business is closed. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, be- one final matter, the U.S. economy f fore we adjourn this week, the Senate continues to receive a lot of attention. In June, from the New York Times: INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINAN- will also finalize the John S. McCain CIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL National Defense Authorization Act for ‘‘New milestones in jobs report signal a bustling economy.’’ GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS Fiscal Year 2019. Once we pass the con- ACT, 2019 ference report this week, this impor- In July: ‘‘Sales of small businesses tant legislation will head to the Presi- are going through the roof.’’ The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- dent’s desk to become law, and we will Just yesterday, in the Wall Street pore. Under the previous order, the have fulfilled one of this body’s most Journal: ‘‘U.S. workers get biggest pay Senate will resume consideration of solemn responsibilities.
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