E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 114 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 162 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 No. 11 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Monday, January 25, 2016, at 2 p.m. Senate WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was to the Senate from the President pro our efforts on defeating our real called to order by the Honorable TOM tempore (Mr. HATCH). enemy, the brutal, evil ISIS. Yet the COTTON, a Senator from the State of The senior assistant legislative clerk bill the Republican leader is bringing Arkansas. read the following letter: to the floor scapegoats refugees who f U.S. SENATE, are fleeing war and torture instead of PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, PRAYER creating real solutions to keep Ameri- Washington, DC, January 20, 2016. cans safe. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- To the Senate: fered the following prayer: Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, You don’t have to take my word for Let us pray. of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby it. The junior Senator from Arizona Eternal Spirit, who has set our frag- appoint the Honorable TOM COTTON, a Sen- has said he will oppose the bill because ile years in the heart of Your eternity, ator from the State of Arkansas, to perform it is ‘‘intended to knock out all refugee we find gladness and peace under the the duties of the Chair. entrants and I’m not there.’’ So says ORRIN G. HATCH, shadow of Your wings. the junior Senator from Arizona. Today provide our lawmakers with President pro tempore. National security experts from wisdom to embrace the right priorities. Mr. COTTON thereupon assumed the May they strive to sacrifice for the Chair as Acting President pro tempore. Democratic and Republican adminis- trations have warned against advanc- things that will live beyond their years f so that history will celebrate their ing bills such as this. foresight and courage. Grant that their RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY Former Secretary Gates is such a lives and labor will reflect Your great- LEADER good person. I enjoyed working with ness, compassion, and love. Lord, keep The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- him very much. Yesterday he said—in them from embracing a false patriot- pore. The Democratic leader is recog- words much stronger than I am going ism that would render unto Caesar nized. to say right now—that the Republicans what belongs to You. Stir them to new f running for President don’t understand heights of excellence as You open their the issue. He is much stronger and AMERICAN SAFE ACT eyes to the unfolding of Your loving more firm in saying that what they are providence. Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Repub- talking about is ridiculous. By the We pray in Your great Name. Amen. lican leader has said that he is going to way, he is a Republican. f bring and, in fact, has brought to the President Obama has already made it floor the House-passed refugee bill, as PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE very clear that he will veto this legis- he calls it. It is, of course, an immigra- lation. As written, this bill will not be The Presiding Officer led the Pledge tion bill. Yesterday he said that the de- of Allegiance, as follows: bate over the bill should be based on signed into law. Some say it is a waste I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the ‘‘facts and common sense.’’ I agree of our time. By advancing this bill, Re- United States of America, and to the Repub- with that. The facts speak for them- publicans are creating a terrible dis- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, traction for the sake of embracing the indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. selves. Our enemy is clearly defined. ISIS is the defined organization. It is a hateful rhetoric, vitriol of the Repub- f terrorist organization that poses a lican Party’s standard bearers, Donald APPOINTMENT OF ACTING threat to the United States, women, Trump and TED CRUZ. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE children, and families fleeing persecu- I guess this should come as no sur- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The tion. They are not the enemy; ISIS is prise to anyone. Over and over again clerk will please read a communication the enemy. We should be focusing all of Republicans remain committed to ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S99 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:18 Jan 21, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A20JA6.000 S20JAPT1 rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with SENATE S100 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 20, 2016 pledging loyalty to the divisive plat- As a frontrunner for the Republican To the Senate of the United States: form that has been built by the Repub- nomination, Donald Trump and his I am returning herewith without my lican people running for President, led proposals are leading the public debate approval S.J. Res. 22, a resolution that by, at this stage, Donald Trump. in our country. Republicans who sup- would nullify a rule issued by the Envi- We believe we must destroy ISIS. Ev- port these illogical plans should be pre- ronmental Protection Agency and the eryone on this side of the aisle believes pared for the next logical step: voting Department of the Army to clarify the we should destroy ISIS and defend our on his vision of America. jurisdictional boundaries of the Clean Nation, but we believe we can accom- Over here, we believe that all of these Water Act. The rule, which is a product plish this goal without compromising measures are deserving of a vote. I of extensive public involvement and Americans’ core principles. Sadly, talked about four of them. We are years of work, is critical to our efforts many leading Republicans have pro- ready to vote on the proposals now— to protect the Nation’s waters and posed policies that compromise our this week. If for any reason the Repub- keep them clean; is responsive to calls fundamental values and threaten the lican leader needs more time to discuss for rulemaking from the Congress, in- identity of our great Nation. Demo- the proposals with his caucus, we are dustry, and community stakeholders; crats are committed to opposing the happy to reschedule the vote. and is consistent with decisions of the violent views of Donald Trump and pro- Now, I know it is a big day in the United States Supreme Court. viding the American people with solu- Senate because during my news brief- We must protect the waters that are tions that make our Nation safer. We ing on the way to work, I heard that vital for the health of our communities think it is way past time for the Sen- the junior Senator from Florida is and the success of our businesses, agri- ate to vote on these policies. going to be here to vote—and the jun- culture, and energy development. As I My friend, the Republican leader, has ior Senator from Texas. They will ac- have noted before, too many of our pledged over and over again that when tually be in the Senate to vote. It is a waters have been left vulnerable. Pol- the Republicans lead the Senate, they big day. I know we have a tight sched- lution from upstream sources ends up will thrive under an open amendment ule because they are going to be here in the rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and process. For example, he said the fol- for only an hour or two, but perhaps we coastal waters near which most Ameri- lowing: ‘‘I said at the beginning of my could have a debate on the amend- cans live and on which they depend for time as majority leader that the open ments we have suggested. I am sure their drinking water, recreation, and amendment process was going to be the that if we offer these amendments, the economic development. Clarifying the rule rather than the exception.’’ My friend continued to say that Republicans will offer amendments, scope of the Clean Water Act helps to tough votes should be expected, and I and we could have some time here to protect these resources and safeguard quote: ‘‘We’ll just take our chances. deal with these amendments. But we public health. Because this resolution You know, we’re big men and women. will not allow Republicans to hijack seeks to block the progress represented We’re prepared to vote on proposals the Senate floor to play politics with by this rule and deny businesses and that are offered from both sides.’’ our Nation’s security. The American communities the regulatory certainty If Senate Republicans are prepared to people deserve better. I look forward to and clarity needed to invest in projects abide by this, Senate Democrats will offering these amendments. that rely on clean water, I cannot sup- seek to advance a limited number of I publicly want everyone to know port it. I am therefore vetoing this res- amendments on this bill that is before that I did not try to jump ahead of my olution. this body. I am not talking about tons friend the Republican leader. I was told BARACK OBAMA. of amendments or scores of amend- by staff that I should go first.