Congressional Record—Senate S6618

S6618 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 18, 2019 CONCLUSION OF MORNING to be a gathering. It is an annual gath- forum at which current and future BUSINESS ering on November 18, when friends of military and civilian leaders from the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning Ted gather to raise a glass to a wonder- Indo-Pacific gather to address regional business is closed. ful man, a strong leader, a great Alas- and global security issues and enhance kan, and truly a friend of mine. security cooperation through programs f I think today Ted Stevens would be of executive education, professional ex- EXECUTIVE SESSION smiling at what Senator SULLIVAN, change, and building relationships of Congressman YOUNG, and I were able to trust and confidence. Currently, over 30 observe this morning. countries send participants to engage, EXECUTIVE CALENDAR The three of us—the full Alaska dele- to learn, and to really build those rela- gation—were in Fort Worth, TX, at the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under tionships. Lockheed Martin plant, and we were The Ted Stevens Arctic Security the previous order, the Senate will pro- able to participate in the signing as we Studies Center, which is what we seek ceed to executive session to resume seek to roll off the line the first F–35 to name this Arctic center, will be consideration of the following nomina- that will be based there at Eielson Air modeled after the Daniel K. Inouye tion, which the clerk will report. Force Base. It will be the first of two Asia-Pacific Center for Security Stud- The legislative clerk read the nomi- squadrons with there being a total ies. There being the fact that the two nation of Robert J. Luck, of Florida, to complement of 54 F–35s. It was a re- of them worked hand in glove for so be United States Circuit Judge for the minder to all of us of all we have done many years—really, for decades—on Eleventh Circuit. in the State of Alaska in our focusing these issues of national security and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- on Alaska’s geostrategic position, not national defense from both the perspec- ator from Alaska is recognized. in the country but in the world. tive of the far north as well as the TED STEVENS ARCTIC CENTER FOR SECURITY Ted Stevens clearly recognized that. Asia-Pacific, it is only fitting that we STUDIES He was a visionary in so many areas, model the Ted Stevens Arctic Security Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, it and he was certainly a visionary when Studies Center after the Arctic center was several weeks ago—actually, Octo- it came to understanding the promise named after Daniel Inouye. ber 23—that here in the Senate we had but also the challenge of the Arctic Senator SCHATZ clearly understands the opportunity to recognize a friend of itself and how we were to ensure that the value of the Asia-Pacific center, so many of us; a mentor, certainly, to in this region. It is a region that is and he has joined Senator SULLIVAN me; and a leader in Alaska. We recog- pretty remote and pretty isolated, but and me as a cosponsor of this legisla- nized the life and contributions of Sen- it is a region that is prepared and then, tion. ator Ted Stevens. with that preparation, is able to pro- What we are really seeking to do The Alaska congressional delegation tect. here—the overarching goal of this Arc- was able to join with members of the As we think about that role today tic security studies center—is to find Stevens family, many of his friends, his that Senator Stevens envisioned for solutions for the greatest security congressional colleagues, and a lot of Alaska in terms of our role in pro- challenges of the circumpolar Arctic former staff. We were able to unveil a tecting and defending the country but region in order to help promote a portrait of Senator Stevens that had also our broader, more global role and greater understanding of the Arctic— been commissioned for him as the responsibility, I come to talk about we know we have to do more there—as President pro tempore of the Senate. It legislation that I have introduced, well as to facilitate greater engage- was a lovely ceremony and a great oc- along with Senator SULLIVAN, to au- ment and potential solutions for the casion, and now his portrait hangs thorize the Department of Defense to many challenges that we know lie back in the hall, behind where the Pre- create a sixth regional center for secu- ahead. siding Officer is sitting. rity studies that is focused on the Arc- It is an evolving world up there. Let It was a great occasion to be remem- tic. me tell you that it is an evolving bering the contributions of Ted Ste- I think it is very, very clear to us world. As we are seeing the impact vens. He represented my State from that the Department of Defense, in par- from climate changes, as we are seeing 1968 to 2009. He was the longest serving ticular, is keying in on the challenges ice recede, as we are seeing waterways Republican Senator in Senate history that we face in the Arctic. With the open up, as we are seeing greater ac- at the time that he left office. growing prominence of the Arctic and cess, as we are seeing greater threats, He left office with considerable pol- global geopolitical and strategic af- what are we doing to prepare? icy legacies. Those in the fishing indus- fairs, now is the time to give the De- I think it is important to recognize try remember the work he did with partment of Defense the tools as well that the proposed center would be addi- Senator Magnuson in creating the as the abilities that it needs to foster tive in nature. It is not looking to take Magnuson-Stevens Act, which really the research and the dialogue that we away from any of the other very excel- has become the framework for our sus- think will be critical to our Nation’s lent efforts that support the DOD’s tainable fisheries. It is something we security. mission in the Arctic. What we are continue to look to. He also worked in Let me give a little bit of background seeking to do is to provide additional sports with the creation of the U.S. in terms of these regional centers. Cur- value while creating new partnerships Paralympics. We remember his encour- rently, the Department of Defense has and supporting critical research. We agement and all that he did with five academic regional centers for secu- hope—certainly, it is the intent here— women and girls in sports regarding rity studies. They cover the regions of to complement current structures, like title IX. Europe, the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Near the multinational Security Forces We all know his background and his East South Asia, and the Northern Roundtable, led by USEUCOM and the history. He was a pilot in World War II. Hemisphere. What these centers aim to Norwegian Defence Staff. The center Certainly, here in the Senate, he was a do is to support defense strategy objec- will build on the Arctic Coast Guard staunch advocate for our veterans and tives and policy priorities through a Forum, wherein, effectively, you have for all of our military. He worked hand pretty unique academic forum, as well senior leaders from the Coast Guards in glove with his Senate brother and as to foster strong international net- from all over the Arctic nations gather friend, Senator Daniel Inouye, chairing works of security leaders. to discuss defense and security con- not only the Appropriations Com- Just to give a kind of basic compari- cerns. mittee itself but also the Sub- son of what we are talking about here, Just this last Thursday, I had an op- committee on Defense Appropriations. in specifics, the Asia-Pacific Center for portunity to be part and spoke via vid- In that role, he helped to advance so Security Studies is actually fully enti- eoconference of the importance of this many of our national priorities. tled the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific strategic dialogue at the Arctic Sym- Today is Ted Stevens’ birthday. If he Center for Security Studies. It was es- posiums and Arctic Senior Leader were alive today, he would be 96 years tablished in Hawaii back in 1995, but it Summits, which was held by old. Later this evening, there is going is a DOD institution that provides a NORTHCOM and ALCOM.

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