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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 164 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2018 No. 103 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was appoint the Honorable RAND PAUL, a Senator Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, as I called to order by the Honorable RAND from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, to discussed on the floor yesterday, re- PAUL, a Senator from the Common- perform the duties of the Chair. turning to regular order in the appro- wealth of Kentucky. ORRIN G. HATCH, priations process is at the forefront of President pro tempore. f the Senate’s agenda. Mr. PAUL thereupon assumed the PRAYER Chair as Acting President pro tempore. Thanks to the bipartisan work of the Appropriations Committee, led by The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- f Chairman SHELBY, Ranking Member fered the following prayer: RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME Let us pray. LEAHY, and the subcommittee chair- Eternal God, who has created human- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- men, it is actually becoming a reality. ity in Your image, look upon us and pore. Under the previous order, the Their efforts have already produced hear our prayers. Today, give our law- leadership time is reserved. thoughtful legislation for the full Sen- ate to consider, beginning this week makers the desire to do Your will and f the energy to complete the tasks that with the combined measures for the CONCLUSION OF MORNING will glorify Your Name. That which Legislative Branch, for Energy and BUSINESS they don’t know, reveal it. That which Water, and for Military Construction they lack, supply it. And that which The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- and the Veterans Administration. It is they doubt, verify it. Keep them blame- pore. Morning business is closed. those last components I would like to less in Your service, so that their lives f discuss this morning. will be living letters that will cause ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLA- This year, 2018, has already brought people to exalt Your Name. Strengthen TIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY significant legislative progress for their minds for Your service, so that CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS America’s men and women in uniform. Your wisdom will permeate their every AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, Earlier this year, Congress and the endeavor. Remind them to not forget 2019 President did away with arbitrary the lost, the lonely, the least, the last, funding limits that had eroded our and the left out. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- forces’ comparative advantage. We de- We pray in Your merciful Name. pore. Under the previous order, the livered the largest year-on-year in- Amen. Senate will resume consideration of crease in funding for our troops in 15 f H.R. 5895, which the clerk will report. years. Now, with the Military Con- The legislative clerk read as follows: PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE struction-VA funding bill before us this A bill (H.R. 5895) making appropriations week, the Senate can keep the ball The Presiding Officer led the Pledge for energy and water development and re- rolling. of Allegiance, as follows: lated agencies for the fiscal year ending Sep- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the tember 30, 2019, and for other purposes. The committee’s package would de- United States of America, and to the Repub- Pending: liver mission-critical maintenance and lic for which it stands, one nation under God, improvements that are needed on in- Shelby amendment No. 2910, in the nature stallations both at home and abroad. It indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. of a substitute. f Alexander amendment No. 2911 (to amend- would support Active-Duty personnel, as well as National Guard and Reserve APPOINTMENT OF ACTING ment No. 2910), to make a technical correc- tion. units. It would allocate significant re- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE McConnell (for Crapo) modified amend- sources for projects that reinforce key The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ment No. 2943 (to amendment No. 2910), to in- alliances and extend our influence clerk will please read a communication crease funds for a nuclear demonstration around the world. to the Senate from the President pro program. McConnell (for Baldwin/Portman) amend- In my home State of Kentucky, it tempore (Mr. HATCH). would mean major improvements to The legislative clerk read the fol- ment No. 2985 (to amendment No. 2910), to set aside funds for cooperative agreements training facilities at both Fort Knox— lowing letter: and laboratory support to accelerate the do- home of the Army Cadet, Human Re- U.S. SENATE, mestic production of Molybdenum-99. sources, and Recruiting Commands— PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER and at Fort Campbell, where the 101st Washington, DC, June 20, 2018. To the Senate: The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Airborne Division and Special Oper- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, pore. The majority leader is recog- ations forces prepare for evolving mis- of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby nized. sions. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S4253 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:00 Jun 21, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A20JN6.000 S20JNPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S4254 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 20, 2018 But while underpinning the ongoing TAX REFORM small business with fewer than 30 em- missions of our Active Forces, the leg- Now, on one final matter, Mr. Presi- ployees, that is a noteworthy oppor- islation before us would also take crit- dent, today marks 6 months since the tunity. Everywhere you turn, busi- ical steps to meet the individual needs Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed Congress. nesses large and small are going all in of America’s warfighters and their fam- On Friday, it will be 6 months since the on the future of the United States. ilies here at home. It would allocate President signed it into law. What a 6 There is one more interesting thing over $1.5 billion to operate and main- months it has been. the last 6 months have revealed: just tain military family housing facilities. Already, Americans have seen their how impossible it is for our Democratic It would provide for vital safety up- paychecks grow as the IRS withholds colleagues to set aside their outdated, dates at overseas American military less of what they earned. Already, fam- tax-and-spend ideology. Every Demo- schools, part of a system that serves ilies are reaping the fruits of a new crat in the House and in the Senate more than 66,000 children. Hundreds of business tax code that gives American voted on party lines to block tax re- millions in additional funding would go employers more ability to increase pay form. They insisted the law wouldn’t to build and improve the network of and create jobs. Six months in, these help American workers one bit. They military medical facilities, which pro- tax cuts have already led employers to said that it would be a disaster. Of vide care to nearly 10 million service- issue tax reform bonuses, raises, and course, the facts have debunked those members and military families. new benefits to 4 million workers and predictions. But are our Democratic Finally, within the Military Con- counting. That is welcome relief for friends admitting they were wrong? No. struction legislation is important fund- middle-class families. But what about They are doubling down on this silli- ing to support our veterans. In addition the long term? ness. to funding the maintenance and upkeep Republicans know that enduring By now, we are all familiar with the of VA health facilities, it goes further prosperity needs thriving businesses in allocating targeted resources to ad- House Democratic leader’s comments competing to hire American workers. from January. She laughed at the four- dress the system’s shortcomings. So we designed tax reform to flip the Especially when we talk about access figure bonuses that working families Obama-era script and make America a to prompt, quality care, the status quo were celebrating and called them is simply not good enough for Amer- more attractive place to invest, ex- ‘‘crumbs.’’ Earlier this month, she dou- ica’s veterans. For the more than pand, and create jobs. bled down: For large companies, capital invest- 300,000 Kentucky veterans and for the Hip, hip hooray, unemployment is down. ment might mean breaking ground on millions of veterans nationwide, we can But what does that mean for me? and we must do better. That is why new locations or purchasing state-of- Well, my Democratic friends seem this bill includes billions of dollars to the-art technology. If you are a hopeful they can convince Americans improve claims processing and to cut midsized employer, it might mean fill- that tax cuts, bonuses, and a stellar job down on backlogs. There is funding for ing your factory floor with new equip- market are nothing to celebrate. Talk treatment, mental health services, and ment. If you are a Main Street family about a tall order. business, it could mean expanding into preventing opioid misuse. But while those rhetorical gym- the vacant storefront next door or buy- There are plenty of good reasons to nastics keep them busy, Republicans ing new tools that will transform your support this appropriations package, will keep up the fight for middle-class day-to-day operations. but one of the most compelling is the families. In every case, you are placing a bet support it will deliver to our all-volun- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- on your community and on your coun- teer military and those who have pore.

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