March 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1649 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without I yield the floor. that misrepresentation. What this objection, it is so ordered. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. meant is, if you went to a school that Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, CRAMER). The Senator from Tennessee. had misled students, your loan could be later today the Senate will be taking Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, if forgiven even if you had a job making up the borrower defense CRA vote and your car is a lemon, you don’t sue the $85,000 a year. likely voting on it tomorrow. Each and bank; you sue the dealer. A college can Under the Trump administration, every Senator will have a choice. They be a lemon, just like a car can be. A each student needs to file a claim, can side with working students, or college could promise a potential stu- prove that they were defrauded and they can side with predatory, for-profit dent a job and then tell them that 50 that they were financially harmed, and colleges. It should not be a hard choice, percent of their students scored per- then their loan would be forgiven by and that choice certainly should not be fectly on their SAT tests. The poten- the taxpayer. Remember, the bank is partisan. tial student might use that informa- the taxpayer. Students who were cheated and de- tion to take out student loans and en- Secretary DeVos’s borrower defense frauded by predatory, for-profit col- roll in a college. Then, if the informa- rule restores the original intent of the leges are often left with crushing debt tion turns out to be false, the student law that a borrower must be misled and no path forward. That is why may be stuck with student loans they and harmed. President Obama issued the borrower can’t afford to repay. Unlike a car, if The new rule establishes a fair and defense rule—to help students move your college is a lemon, you do sue the clear process as to what a borrower forward with their lives and education bank, and the bank is the taxpayer. must demonstrate: No. 1, that the and to get the debt relief they so ur- Today, Democrats are forcing the school misled them; No. 2, that the stu- gently need. Senate to vote on a Congressional Re- dent relied on that information to en- Since taking office, Secretary DeVos view Act that, if passed, would over- roll in the school; and No. 3, that the has put up roadblock after roadblock turn the Trump administration’s bor- student was financially harmed. The for students and borrowers. First, she rower defense rule. This process allows new rule gives the borrower ample time refused to implement the borrower de- a borrower of a Federal student loan to to submit a claim and ensures that the fense rule that was on the books, until have their loan forgiven if their insti- Department is basing their judgment a court forced her to. She stalled on tution misled them and that misrepre- on all available information. The DeVos rule also protects the tax- debt relief for hundreds of thousands of sentation led to financial harm. borrowers who were left waiting for an First, if your college closes, it is im- payers who spend roughly $100 billion a answer, with tens of thousands of them portant for you to know that your year on Federal student loans. It con- falling into default and collections. loans are forgiven. Let me say that tinues to allow the Secretary to recoup Once again, the Federal courts were again. If your college closes, it is im- funds from an institution that has de- forced to step in. portant for you to know that your stu- frauded or misled borrowers. It encour- Now Secretary DeVos is trying to dent loan is forgiven. ages borrowers and the institution to deny full relief to students who were There are about 6,000 colleges and resolve issues directly rather than in- clearly cheated by predatory colleges. universities in our country, and 783 of volving the Federal Government. For so many people, getting relief on And the new rule allows the Depart- them closed in 2018. For example, when your student debt means the difference ment to evaluate the level of harm to Corinthian College closed, that made a between making ends meet or not, the each individual borrower filing the lot of news. Many students, though, difference between paying your rent or claim and forgives the appropriate transferred to another college. But if not, and the difference between getting amount. For example, if you were told they didn’t transfer, they weren’t back on your feet or not. by the school that you would make stuck with their student loans; their Now, to make matters even worse, $45,000 a year when you graduated, but Secretary DeVos has gone further than loans were forgiven. We are not talking about that today you are only making $40,000, the De- just delaying and limiting the relief. partment could decide to forgive a part She has issued a disastrous new bor- when we vote. If your college isn’t clos- ing but it does defraud or mislead you, of your loan. rower defense rule intentionally de- The Obama administration’s rules then you can file a claim. You can file signed to make it harder for defrauded went too far and allowed borrowers to a claim to have your loan forgiven, and borrowers—defrauded borrowers—to have their loans forgiven whether or you file it with the U.S. Department of get relief even when predatory colleges not they had actually suffered finan- Education. clearly violated the law. It will prevent cial harm. Secretary DeVos’s new bor- There are 42 million Americans with students from getting their day in rower defense rule restores the original an outstanding Federal student loan. court and let predatory colleges off the intent of the law that the borrower In 2018, about 106,000 of those 42 million hook financially. This rule says, in the must be misled and harmed. fine print, that students will be stuck Americans filed what we call borrower I encourage Senators to vote against repaying 97 percent of their fraudulent defense claims. They claimed they today’s Congressional Review Act. debt. The Department even admitted were misled by the college when they I yield the floor. used their student loan to go to that that students will be cheated out of f $2.5 billion per year, and students will college. only get 3 cents back for every dollar In November 2016, the Obama admin- RECESS of fraud they experience. That is cruel istration issued a rule that required a The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under and wrong. borrower to demonstrate only that the previous order, the Senate stands The Congressional Review Act, or they had been misled, not that they in recess until 2:10 p.m. CRA, would immediately halt Sec- had been financially harmed. The Thereupon, the Senate, at 12:31 p.m., retary DeVos’s rule in its tracks and Trump administration fixes that overly recessed until 2:10 p.m. and reassem- prevent it from going into effect. broad regulation, while still protecting bled when called to order by the Pre- It is time to put an end to the non- borrowers and the taxpayer. siding Officer (Mrs. CAPITO). stop efforts by this administration to Here is the difference. Under the f prioritize the interests of predatory, Obama administration, if one student for-profit schools over the interests of had filed a claim and proved that he or ADVANCED GEOTHERMAL INNOVA- our students. It is time for Senators to she had been defrauded, all the other TION LEADERSHIP ACT OF 2019— decide, once and for all, if they will students in that program had to do was Continued support our student loan borrowers attest they had been misled in a simi- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- who have been cheated out of a quality lar way before having their loans for- ator from New Mexico. education or help corrupt institutions given as well. It was sort of a class ac- UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—H.R. 1 with their bottom line. tion. Mr. UDALL. Madam President, it has I want to personally thank Senator It was unnecessary for the first stu- been 1 year since the House of Rep- DURBIN for his tireless efforts to push dent or subsequent students to prove resentatives passed the most com- this important issue forward. they had been financially harmed by prehensive package of anti-corruption

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:06 Mar 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10MR6.014 S10MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE S1650 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 2020 reforms since Watergate—1 year. H.R. 1 lican Governors and attorneys general tives, Congressman SARBANES, who is shines a light on secret campaign con- are urging the Supreme Court to strike the lead sponsor of H.R. 1, which is the tributions, makes it easier to vote, and down the Affordable Care Act. For the People Act. It passed the House cleans up corruption in Washington. It The American people want exorbi- of Representatives over a year ago, and is the solution to the gridlock that the tant prescription drug prices reeled in. there has been no action on the floor of American people are tired of in our Na- Eighty percent of Americans think the the Senate as a result of the majority tion’s Capital. But for 1 year, H.R. 1 cost of prescription drugs is far too leader’s decision not to bring these has gathered dust on Majority Leader high, and we all know that Big Pharma bills to the floor. MCCONNELL’s desk. is the reason why. Yet legislation to As I said, it includes a lot of different Every single Senator in the Demo- reduce drug costs is also stuck—stuck bills that all deal with America’s val- cratic Congress and in our caucus here among the hundreds of other bills on ues. These are the values that are the in the Senate is cosponsoring the For the majority leader’s desk. Over the strength of this Nation—free and fair the People Act, which is Senator last two-plus decades, Big Pharma has elections. That is what we promote MERKLEY’s and my companion bill to spent $3.7 billion—yes, that is billion— globally because we know that is key H.R. 1, For the People Act, but it is on lobbying. So today the same vial of to a stable democratic society. Yet buried deep in the leader’s legislative insulin, which cost $175 15 years ago, when you look at the way we conduct graveyard. costs more than $1,400 today. As a re- elections in this country, we are not Over the course of the last year, as sult, some diabetics ration their insu- setting a very high example. Look at the For the People Act has languished, lin, and some, as a result, have died. how much money is involved in elec- tens of millions of dollars were spent— It is not just our healthcare. The tions in this country. From the Presi- much of it in secret—to influence the ability of our planet to support human dent of the United States to our local policymaking process. life as we know it is at stake. Time and offices, too much money speaks to who is going to be able to get the attention Almost half a dozen States passed again, polling tells us the American new laws restricting voter rights. The of the voters. We need to change that. people want us to tackle climate We know that suppression of voters U.S. Supreme Court gave the green change. The American people accept has been institutionalized as a strategy light to political gerrymandering. And the science. They understand the exis- to win office. That should have no President Trump, visiting his own tential threat. Yet dozens of climate place in America. We should want the properties dozens of times, funneled change bills lie dead in the Senate, in- maximum amount of voters to partici- millions of taxpayer dollars into his cluding my Renewable Electricity pate in our political process, not try to own pocket. Yet, the Republican Sen- Standard Act, to move us to 100 per- prevent people from exercising their ate is silent—silent as our democracy cent clean energy by midcentury. right to vote. faces a crisis like none we have ever Nearly 70 percent of Americans, in- The For the People Act brings about seen in our lifetimes. cluding a majority of Republicans, be- meaningful change so that America, We can draw a straight line from the lieve we need to take aggressive action which is the shining example of democ- crisis in our democracy to more than to fight climate change, and almost 80 racy, can lead the world by the way we 300 bipartisan bills buried in the major- percent believe the government should conduct our own elections. Let me ity leader’s graveyard. The bills wait- invest more in renewable energy re- mention two provisions that I am par- ing for Senate action are broadly sup- sources. With these kinds of numbers, ticularly pleased are included in the ported by the American people, but you would think Congress would be For the People Act. One is democracy they are opposed by the ultrawealthy, passing climate change legislation on a restoration; that is, to allow those who the special interests, the powerful cor- regular basis, except you would be have been convicted of crime, after porations in that they try to buy our wrong. Why? they have served their penalty, to be elections. Like Senator MCCONNELL, Well, an expert analysis found that able to participate in elections. We are these Big Money interests are proud of from 2000 to 2016, $2 billion was spent one of only a few western democracies killing these bills. on lobbying regarding climate policy, that permanently disenfranchise an in- Here is what happened over the year and the fossil fuel interests outspent dividual who has been convicted of a that the For the People Act has been in environmental public interest groups felony. There are 6.1 million adults who the majority leader’s graveyard: The by a factor of 10 to 1. This is not de- currently are disenfranchised as a re- number of Americans without health mocracy at work. This is a complete sult of that provision, yet only 22 per- insurance increased by hundreds of perversion of our democratic ideals. cent of those individuals are incarcer- thousands. California wildfires, wors- But the good news is we can change ated. The other 78 percent have paid ened by climate change, cost $25 bil- all of this. We can reinvigorate our de- their penalty, have done their time, lion. Flooding in the Midwest, also a mocracy. We can end the reign of Big and are now reintegrated into society. casualty of climate change, cost $12.5 Money, empower small donors, make it It is in our interest to have them par- billion. And 22 people were gunned easier to vote, stop political gerry- ticipate in our democratic system. It down at an El Paso Walmart by a mandering, and bring ethical conduct reduces recidivism. And, quite frankly, White nationalist armed with an as- to Washington. The majority leader it is targeted at people of color. They sault rifle. Sadly, that was just a frac- just needs to stop doing the bidding of are who have been most disenfran- tion of the thousands of gun-related the wealthy special interests and bring chised as a result of this provision. deaths in our country last year. the For the People Act to the Senate Thirty-four States still have restric- This is not the America that the floor. tions, and 12 have lifetime restrictions American people want. The American I know my colleague Senator on those convicted of a felony. The De- people want us to act. The gap between MERKLEY is here and Senator BENNET, mocracy Restoration Act would rem- what the American people are clam- Senator WHITEHOUSE, and Senator edy that situation. oring for and what the Republican ma- CARDIN. The second bill I am going to refer to jority in the Senate is giving them is I yield to Senator CARDIN. Thank you very briefly is the Deceptive Practices as wide as the Grand Canyon and is all for being here today. and Voter Prevention Act that targets growing by the day. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- primarily minority voters to suppress Just look at the polls. Staggering ator from Maryland. their vote. It is the modern Jim Crow numbers—closing in on 90 percent of Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I laws in which we find we are using Americans—support universal, afford- want to thank Senator UDALL for his modern technology. We have campaign able healthcare. With these numbers, leadership on the For the People Act, strategies aimed at minority commu- you would think Republicans would be and I want to thank Senator MERKLEY nities to give them misinformation making sure that every American has for his leadership on this bill. about how they can vote or whether healthcare, but, instead, Republicans This bill contains many provisions they are eligible to vote or where they have tried to dismantle the Affordable that deal with the fundamental values can vote. That is being used today. We Care Act every chance they get. As we of this country. I also am proud of my have to make sure that doesn’t happen speak, President Trump and 18 Repub- colleague in the House of Representa- in the American election system.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:06 Mar 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10MR6.017 S10MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE March 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1651 For the People provides meaningful Americans for Prosperity, which is the nesses, and spectators can come in, sit changes so that we don’t allow suppres- Koch brothers front group; Crossroads in the Galleries, and look down on the sion of votes to be an institutionalized GPS, which is Karl Rove’s front group; desks that used to be occupied by Sen- strategy to try to win an election, so and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, ators who debated and voted. We don’t that we have the maximum participa- the champions of climate denial and do that anymore. Instead, we consider tion of voters in our process, and it obstruction. one after the other after the other of deals with the ever-flowing increase in Do you want to know why we are not judicial nominations. I am not going to the amount of dollars that are put into getting things done around here? It is get into that issue because it has been American elections. because billions of dollars are being touched on already. The U.S. Senate should not be a spent secretly by special interests to My contribution to this For the Peo- graveyard. Majority Leader MCCON- shut things down, and it is creeping ple Act goes to the heart of political NELL has prevented hundreds of bills— now even into the courts. The Fed- campaigns. If you don’t think Amer- bipartisan bills—from coming to the eralist Society, which is picking our ican political campaigns are long floor of the U.S. Senate. It has been a judges, is at the center of a $250 million enough, if you would like us to be on year since we have had the For the dark money network. A group that ran television a few more months each People Act passed by the House of Rep- the campaigns against Garland and for year, hang on tight because it is com- resentatives. It is well past time for Gorsuch and then afterward for ing. If you don’t think enough money the Senate to take up this legislation Kavanaugh got an individual $17 mil- is being spent on American political so that we can show the American peo- lion donation for each of those two campaigns, hang on tight because more ple we support the values that have campaigns. It is actually probably the is coming. If you want to reach the point where we have no idea where made America the great democracy in same donor, which means somebody most of the money is coming from that our country. out there anonymously gave $35 mil- funds these campaigns, hang on. The Thank you very much. lion to determine the makeup of the I yield the floor. U.S. Supreme Court, and we don’t Citizens United decision by the Su- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- know who that is. We don’t know what preme Court across the street has set ator from Rhode Island. business they have before the Court. the stage for that, and that is where we Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Madam Presi- As I said, Hamlet begins with ‘‘some- are headed in America today. My proposal for fair elections now dent, Shakespeare’s great play ‘‘Ham- thing is rotten in . . . Denmark.’’ moves in exactly the opposite direc- let’’ began with the phrase: Something Something is rotten in Congress, and tions—shorter campaigns, smaller con- is rotten in Denmark. the rot is creeping over to the Supreme Well, something is rotten in Con- Court, and it is dark money, and it is tributions, more confrontation between candidates over issues than to have gress, and what is rotten in Congress is the patriotic and decent thing to do to this battle of television ads that goes dark money. Citizens United—perhaps extirpate this menace. on now. one of the most foolish decisions ever I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- My act would create a voluntary, rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court— small-donor, public financing system opened unlimited spending into our ator from Illinois. Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, last for Senate candidates who agree to politics, which benefits whom? It bene- year, I was proud to stand with my col- raise only small-dollar contributions. I fits those who have unlimited money leagues as we introduced the For the know it is a dream, but think about to spend and a motive to spend it in People Act in the Senate just weeks what it would do to change American politics. That is not a group of people after it passed the House of Represent- politics. Here is how it would work: whose voices were not being heard here atives. This measure has already Qualified Senate candidates would re- already. That is the favored group. But passed the House of Representatives. ceive grants based on their State’s pop- Citizens United opened the door for If you took civics 101, they explain ulation, 6-to-1 matching grants for con- them to spend unlimited money, and that after the House took action on a tributions they get of $200 or less— then the Supreme Court failed to po- measure, it came here. So the obvious smaller contributors—and vouchers for lice its own decision. Its own decision question is, What happened to it? It purchasing television advertising other said this unlimited spending was going has been a year. It must be here some- than social media. Once candidates to be independent of candidates and where. Well, we know exactly where it reach the maximum amount of match- transparent to the public. Well, they is. It is in Senator MCCONNELL’s office. ing funds they receive, they continue are 0 for 2. It has been a decade, and He is the Republican Leader of the U.S. to raise an unlimited amount of con- they have never even tried to enforce Senate, and he has made a conscious tributions of $200 or less—a $200 cap on the basic predicates of their decision. decision that hundreds of bills just like contributions. They can also raise It is a shameful, shameful effort by the this one will not even be considered on money from small-donor political ac- Court. Now, as a result, we have the floor of the Senate. It isn’t that he tion committees, known as People throughout our politics this dark doesn’t have a majority; he does. But PACs, which allow citizens to make money tsunami of slime. he doesn’t want us to even debate or their voices heard by aggregating just How bad is it? These groups have discuss these bills before the American small contributions—no big hitters. spent $4.5 billion since Citizens people. The fair elections public financing United—$4.5 billion trying to influence This U.S. Senate once enjoyed its system would elevate the views and in- Congress. Do you think they were reputation as the world’s most delib- terests of a diverse group of Americans, doing that in the public interest? Of erative body, which means we came rather than the traditional wealthy course not. Do you wonder why bills here, debated, argued, and voted on class, and we would pay for it without die here in the legislative graveyard of things like amendments and bills like spending a dime in taxpayer dollars. the Senate? Take a guess. this one. Last year in the U.S. Senate, Our system would be financed with as- Outside groups—these phony-baloney the calendar year 2019, we considered sessments on wealthy bad actors and front groups for these big special inter- exactly 22 amendments in the entire industry law breakers. In the 2018 mid- ests—are now outspending candidates year—22 amendments in 1 year in this term elections, the price of victory for in races. In fact, in the decade after Senate. Six of them were offered by a successful House congressional can- Citizens United, outside groups out- Senator PAUL, who, with a gun to our didate averaged about $2 million, and spent candidates in 126 different con- heads, said: If you don’t give me a vote 35 Senate candidates who won in 2018 gressional races. And it is a very small on my amendment, you can’t go home. spent an average of $15.7 million group of people behind it. The top 10 All six of his amendments were de- apiece. donor households gave a combined $1.1 feated, but that just gives you an ex- If we don’t rein in the cost and billion to these front groups. Do you ample of why there is so little activity length of campaigns, shame on us. We think they were looking out for the and why this floor is so empty so many have to reclaim the reputation of this public interests? Dream on. times. great Congress and the U.S. Senate, Who are the big spenders of this dark In fact, this floor has become a mu- and it starts with the way we finance money? National Rifle Association; seum piece where bystanders, wit- our campaigns.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:06 Mar 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10MR6.018 S10MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE S1652 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 2020 In addition to the Fair Elections Now Rules Committee hearings about mosque for a year or so, you don’t lose Act, this bill has measures to increase things like the oversight of the FEC. I your right to worship. If you don’t go access to the ballot box, to strengthen am frustrated that, just today, a Re- to a PTA meeting or any other kind of election security, to improve oversight publican Commissioner was put forth Rotary Club or anything for a few in our campaign finances, and to re- for a hearing, recommended by the years, you don’t lose your right to as- move corruption from office. White House, when there is a highly semble under the U.S. Constitution, I think it is outrageous that we live qualified Democratic candidate who and if you have not voted in a few elec- in an America in which people are would be the first person of color in tions and show up when you have been dreaming up ways to restrict and re- history to serve on the Federal Elec- registered but, somehow, they never strain people’s right to vote. If there is tion Commission who has been vetted sent you the notice and, because there anything fundamental to a democracy, and has cleared the White House. Yet is no same-day registration, you find it is the vote of those who are legally we only saw the Republican candidate. out you cannot vote, even though you entitled in America. I have been in this This is why this bill is so important. had been duly registered to vote, you business for a while. I started off by This year marks the 100th anniver- should not lose your right to vote losing a few elections. I didn’t enjoy a sary of the passage of the 19th Amend- under the U.S. Constitution. That is moment of that, but there was a notion ment, which granted women the right exactly what is going on right now that at least the American people had to vote. As we celebrate, we are re- with voting purges. spoken in those elections, and I accept- minded that, throughout our country’s I am proud to lead provisions in the ed the verdicts of those people. They history, the right to vote has been hard important For the People Act that have come back and given me a few fought and hard won. Just 2 weeks ago, would accomplish the goals to end chances since to be in public service. I had the honor of joining Congressman these discriminatory practices. Of Let’s make sure the American people JOHN LEWIS—a true hero for voting course, we also have to make voting have the voice—the most important rights—on the 55th annual Selma more secure, which is my last topic. voice in this process—through their bridge crossing to commemorate the It has been 1,218 days since Russia at- right to vote. Keep foreigners out of sacrifices made on Bloody Sunday. tacked us in 2016, and we have yet to the process, and put Americans into When we reflect on the sacrifices pass comprehensive election security them. Don’t make it hard to vote. that have been made for the right to legislation. The next major elections Make it easy for those who are legally vote, one thing is truly clear—that the are just 240 days away, and primaries, entitled to vote. fight is not over. There are people as we know, are underway. We must I yield the floor. today who are working to take the take action now to secure our elections The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- right to vote away. Their work comes from foreign threats. That is why I ator from Minnesota. in many forms: voter ID laws, gerry- have championed legislation to beef up Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, mandered districts, purging people our election systems, which was in- I come to the floor to mark the 1-year from voting rolls, and one that we just cluded in H.R. 1, by providing States anniversary of the House passage of saw just last week on Super Tuesday— with the resources to modernize our H.R. 1, the For the People Act. I am polling place closures that result in voting equipment—some of this has honored to be here with my colleagues, voters having to wait hours in line just been passed here in this Chamber—but and I am here to urge the Republicans to cast their ballots. Just last week in also to set standards for Federal elec- to bring this legislation to the floor for the State of Texas, some African- tions, which is the key part—require- a vote. American voters waited more than 5 ments like paper ballots and post- This bill has been languishing in the hours in line. When a reporter asked election audits. We still have States— legislative graveyard for a year. I know one group of voters how the group got entire States—that have no backup because I have 13 provisions in this bill. through it, a man said: We thought paper ballots. This bill—the combined work of so they were making us wait on purpose, I am not going to spend time going many people in this Chamber, includ- so we motivated each other to stay. through all of those States, but let me ing of my friends Senator UDALL, Sen- The policies that led to those long tell you that the Russians know ex- ator MERKLEY, and many others— lines didn’t happen by accident. Dis- actly which States those are that have would fundamentally improve our de- crimination in voting is happening, as no backup paper ballots. We just had mocracy by protecting voting rights, the Fourth Circuit noted in a North some caucuses in this country, and securing our election systems, and get- Carolina decision on gerrymandering— people resorted to looking at those ting dark money out of our campaign and these are the words of the judges— paper ballots. Imagine if we were system. with ‘‘surgical precision.’’ Discrimina- hacked in a certain county or in a cer- Why is it so important for us to act tion in voting is happening with sur- tain State and there were no backup on this bill? Every one of the things we gical precision against the African- paper ballots. What would that do to a want to get done—finally addressing American community. Federal election? the climate crisis, immigration reform, Our democracy is stronger when These are the basics of a secure elec- improving people’s healthcare, making more people participate, and our poli- tion system, but in 2020, as I noted, healthcare more affordable—depend on cies are better when more people par- voters in eight States will now cast there being a democracy that works so ticipate, so we should be making it their ballots on machines that produce people can make sure their votes easier, not harder, to vote. Every eligi- no paper trails. There are 16 States count. ble American should be automatically that still have no statewide audit re- At a time when the right to vote is registered to vote when one turns 18. quirements to confirm the results of an under attack, when foreign adversaries That is a bill that I lead. If Target, election, and a majority of States re- are trying to exploit our divisions and which is my hometown company, can lies on voting systems that are at least interfere in our elections—something track a pair of shoes in Hawaii with a 10 years old. That is wrong. we are going to be briefed about this SKU number, if everyone gets a Social That is why Senator LANKFORD and I, afternoon from intelligence agencies— Security number, we should be able to as well as Senator WARNER, Senator and when an unprecedented amount of make sure that people who are eligible HARRIS, Senator BURR, and many oth- money from special interests is drown- to vote are automatically registered ers, have been pushing the Senate to ing out the voices of the American peo- when they turn 18. act, but we have been gut-punched be- ple, we need to take bold action to re- So as to end the practice of gerry- cause calls were made from the White store Americans’ confidence in our po- mandering, we also need to reform how House and calls were made from Sen- litical system. That is exactly what we draw district maps by having an ator MCCONNELL a year ago to stop the the For the People Act does. independent commission in each State. votes to get that bill through the com- As the ranking member of the Com- Certainly, we also need to ban the mittee to the Senate floor. mittee on Rules and Administration, I purging of voting rolls. As my friend Making voting easier and more se- know this bill is important. I am frus- Stacey Abrams has said, if you don’t go cure is only part of the solution. We trated that we have not had more to church or the synagogue or the also have to get dark money out of our

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:06 Mar 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10MR6.020 S10MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE March 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1653 politics and increase transparency. America with Africa and back to China istration. The result is that we have Americans know this. They know there to export the surveillance state from the second highest voter participation is way too much dark money in our China. That is what China is doing rate in America. How can that not be politics. In poll, after poll, after poll, there while we are doing nothing here. good for our democracy? they overwhelmingly want to have We have become the land of flickering So my hope is that at some point, more transparency. Campaign finance lights, whereby the standard of success when he hears the voices of the Amer- reform is a central part of H.R. 1 for a is whether we have kept the lights on ican people, MITCH MCCONNELL will re- reason. If we don’t put a check on the for another 2 hours or another 4 hours. lent and allow these bills to come to corrupting influence of money in poli- What the American people need to the floor. tics, American voices will continue to understand is that this is the ideolog- He described this bill last year as a be drowned out by special interests. ical end state of what the Freedom power grab—a power grab—and I will Think about the three things I have Caucus came to Washington to do. It accept that if it is understood that it is just proposed: making voting easier, has become the ideological end state of a power grab by the American people, securing our election systems, and get- what MITCH MCCONNELL can do be- which is what it is—an effort to get ting Big Money out of our campaigns. cause, in the rubble of our institutions, money out of our politics and to put These are not radical proposals. These they can achieve the objectives they people back into our politics so we can are proposals on which nearly everyone want to achieve. They can put right- start doing the work that the Amer- in our country agrees. wing judges on the courts without our ican people sent us here to do. I conclude by noting, in addition to institutions working. They can come With that, I thank my colleague from marking the 1-year anniversary of the out here and cut taxes for rich people Hawaii again for her indulgence. I yield the floor. passage of H.R. 1 in the House, today is and claim it is a middle-class tax cut The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Harriet Tubman Day. Most people re- without our institutions working. Yet ator from Hawaii. member Harriet Tubman for her in- what we are unable to do without those Ms. HIRONO. Madam President, I credible work on the Underground institutions working is invest in our also want to thank Senators Udall and Railroad, where she repeatedly risked infrastructure, is make sure that we Merkley for their extraordinary work her life for the freedom of others. I re- have an education system in this coun- on the For the People Act. cently watched the movie ‘‘Harriet’’ try that is actually liberating people We are confronting a crisis in our de- and highly recommend it to my col- from their economic circumstances in- mocracy. We have a President who re- leagues. Yet Harriet Tubman didn’t stead of reinforcing their economic cir- peatedly invites foreign intervention in stop her fight for freedom and equality cumstances, is ensure that we are our elections, engages in widespread after the Civil War ended. She took up doing something on the climate and corruption, attacks the news media as the cause of women’s suffrage and doing something on guns. part of a broader assault on the truth, worked tirelessly until she was 90 years It has been more than 20 years since and uses false claims of voter fraud to old in helping women get the right to Columbine happened in Colorado. My legitimize voter suppression across the vote. We celebrate her life today be- State—the Western State, a Second country. cause she spent a lifetime bending the Amendment State—passed background These challenges to our democracy arc of our moral universe toward jus- checks after Columbine. My three are not limited to the Trump adminis- tice. daughters grew up knowing they lived tration, but this President has un- The best way we can honor her and in a State that was actually trying to doubtedly made things much, much the countless others who have risked respond to what was going on in their worse. It is why I joined an over- their lives for our country and our de- schools—not true of the U.S. Congress. whelming number of my Democratic mocracy is to continue the work of im- The reason for much of this inaction colleagues of both Chambers of Con- proving our democracy so that it works is the Supreme Court’s decision with gress in cosponsoring H.R. 1, the For better for the next generation. That is regard to Citizens United. I will not be- the People Act. what the For the People Act is all labor the point, for I know my col- This crucial piece of legislation is about. league from Hawaii was kind to let me the most expansive and serious at- I urge my Republican colleagues—I go ahead of her, but let me just repeat tempt to strengthen American democ- implore them—a group of people who I this: After Citizens United, 10 donors racy in decades. Among its many provi- know believes in freedom—to allow us over the past decade have contributed sions, this bill would root out corrup- to have this bill come up for a vote to $1.2 billion to our policy. That has cre- tion by attacking the dark money in ensure that people have the cherished ated a corruption of inaction in the our politics. The door was opened in freedom to vote. U.S. Senate. It is not corruption that the Citizens United decision by the Su- I yield the floor. you see because it is a corruption of in- preme Court. This bill would also se- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- action. It is the bill that is not intro- cure our elections from foreign inter- ator from Colorado. duced. It is the committee hearing that ference and restore voter protections Mr. BENNET. Madam President, I ap- is not held. It is the vote that is never that Republicans have spent decades preciate the opportunity to talk about taken for fear that, if you do that, attacking for their own partisan polit- this bill. some billionaire is going to drop $30 ical benefit. I thank my colleague Senator UDALL, million on your race and run a primary Like many of my colleagues, I am of New Mexico, and my colleague Sen- against you in your next election. particularly focused on combating the ator MERKLEY, of Oregon, for their ex- Do you want to know why we can Republican Party’s efforts to dis- traordinary work. have a Senate in the United States enfranchise millions of minority vot- I don’t know if they have ever had that votes on only 22 amendments in a ers. I could spend hours detailing the the experience that I have often had or year? That is the reason. Do you want efforts throughout American history to the Presiding Officer has had, but there to know why we have a Senate wherein make it as difficult as possible—or are times, in my having spent a week 75 percent of the votes are personnel even impossible—for people of color to here after having done absolutely noth- votes and 25 percent are actually on vote. ing, when I am walking through the amendments? That is the reason. We But today I want to focus on the im- Denver International Airport, and I have to overcome it, not for Democrats pact of the Supreme Court’s 2013 deci- want to put a paper bag over my head or Republicans but for the American sion in Shelby County. In this 5-to-4 because I am so embarrassed about the people because this is their exercise in decision, Chief Justice Roberts and the failure of this institution to live up to self-government. This is the way they Court’s conservative Justices effec- even the barest responsibilities that we make decisions. tively gutted the core protections of have. I know these reforms can work be- the Voting Rights Act. They decided I mean, we can’t even pass a basic in- cause they have worked in Colorado that States with long histories of dis- frastructure bill around this place with a bipartisan commission to end crimination no longer had to obtain while China is building 3,500 miles of gerrymandering, mail-in voting, and Federal approval for voting changes fiber-optic cable to connect Latin automatic and same-day voting reg- under the Voting Rights Act.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:06 Mar 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10MR6.022 S10MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE S1654 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 2020 As author Carol Anderson explained, but it also includes critical democracy At the root of that is our system of Chief Justice Roberts has ‘‘[l]ong reforms to make their votes count. electing those who represent us, and [been] an opponent of the Voting This legislation would also set strong that election system, America, is now Rights Act,’’ and in Shelby County he national standards to protect voting deeply corrupted by gerrymandering, used arguments that had been ‘‘care- access that reflect and improve upon by extensive, persistent voter suppres- fully crafted’’ over ‘‘several decades’’ steps that have already been taken by sion, and by dark money. It affects ev- to eviscerate the Voting Rights Act. States like Hawaii. Last year, for ex- erything that we should achieve for the Without the constraints of the Vot- ample, Hawaii became the fourth State people of the United States. ing Rights Act, States with long his- in the country to provide mail-in bal- If we believe we need to end the price tories of discrimination ramped up lots to all voters. Our State also has gouging of Americans on pharma- voter suppression, from racist voter ID same-day voter registration, ceutical drugs, we need to end this cor- laws to eliminating early voting, to preregistration for residents under the ruption and pass the For the People purging voter rolls and closing polling age of 18, and a 10-day early voting pe- Act. If we believe that every child de- places. riod. serves a quality K–12 education and In the 6 years following the Shelby While some States are stepping up to that our children should be able to go County decision, for example, States protect voting rights, Congress needs to college without a mountain of debt, previously subjected to preclearance to take strong and decisive action to we need to end this corruption and pass under the Voting Rights Act closed at restore voting rights and end voter the For the People Act. If we believe least 1,688 polling sites. Texas alone suppression across the country. that Americans should be living in closed 750 polling places. We also need to take an equally homes and apartments, not sleeping on The closures had their intended ef- strong stand against Donald Trump’s the streets, we need to end this corrup- fect. A study at Harvard University efforts to pack our Federal courts with tion and pass the For the People Act. If found that minority voters are six judges who have dedicated their ca- we believe that we have a responsi- times more likely than White voters to reers to undermining the voting rights bility to pass on a habitable and livable wait longer than an hour to vote. of minorities. planet, free of pollution, to our chil- Longer waits impose greater costs for At the Supreme Court, where Donald dren and grandchildren, we need to end voting on minorities and deter them Trump has appointed two Justices, this corruption and pass the For the from voting in future elections. We saw there have been a number of cases at- People Act. the impact of these policies just last tacking the voting rights of minority This corruption—gerrymandering, week on Super Tuesday, which saw in- communities, and there are real con- voter suppression, dark money—is all ordinately long lines in minority pre- cerns that the Roberts Court will con- about eviscerating the very soul of our cincts in Texas. tinue to uphold these voter suppression Constitution—the ‘‘we the people’’ vi- Mr. Hervis Rogers waited more than efforts. sion of our Constitution, that we would 6 hours to vote, but he was determined In the lower courts, Trump judges in- not be like European nations that had to make his voice heard. So when he clude Andrew Brasher, now an Elev- government by and for the powerful, got to his polling place at Texas South- enth Circuit judge, who argued in sup- but that here in America representa- ern University, a historically Black port of gutting the Voting Rights Act tives of the people would be able to college in Houston, he patiently waited in the Shelby County case; and Kyle have government by and for the people. in line until he could cast his vote at Duncan, now a Fifth Circuit judge, who It is Jefferson who said: The real test 1:30 in the morning. defended North Carolina’s discrimina- of whether we succeed is whether the Mr. Rogers’s experience last week tory voting law that the Fourth Circuit laws reflect the will of the people. But speaks to one part of a broader prob- found—and I quote the Fourth Cir- instead, we see the laws in this Cham- lem. The Republican Party is so in- cuit—‘‘target[ed] African Americans ber being constructed solely, uniquely, vested in voter suppression because with almost surgical precision.’’ These and, unfortunately for the most power- they view it as an effective tool to win are overt acts to suppress voting. ful and wealthy among us rather than elections, and these efforts had dev- President Trump’s hostility to voting the people. astating consequences for our country rights is so extreme. He is appointing Gerrymandering, where voters should in the 2016 Presidential election—the anti-voting rights advocates even to choose their politicians but, instead, first Presidential election held in 50 courts that do not handle voting politicians choose their voters—that is years that did not have the protections issues, such as Stephen Schwartz for a deep and powerful corruption that of the Voting Rights Act. the Court of Federal Claims and Ste- has extensive impact on the Chamber We saw plummeting minority turn- phen Vaden for the Court of Inter- that is just down the hall. out across the country, including in national Trade. Both have no experi- We have seen what happened in the key swing States of Pennsylvania, ence with these courts, but both have North Carolina, where 47 percent of the Michigan, and Wisconsin. defended North Carolina’s discrimina- State’s popular vote in House races Carol Anderson observed that in 2016, tory voting law. won 23 percent of the seats and, simi- 50,000 fewer people voted in 1—just 1— The right to vote is one of our most larly, in Pennsylvania, in the election overwhelmingly African-American sacred rights, and we must do all that before last, and the Supreme Court county in Wisconsin. Donald Trump, by we can to protect it for all Americans. threw up its hands and said: We can’t comparison, won Wisconsin by only That is why I will continue to fight do anything about this, even though 27,000 votes. back against Donald Trump’s court the Pennsylvania Supreme Court un- Efforts to further suppress the mi- packing and fight for the passage of derstood it is so important to fairness nority vote in swing States continue to critical legislation like the For the and equal representation and took it date. Last year, for example, a conserv- People Act. on and solved it. ative interest group sued Wisconsin’s I yield the floor. This bill sets up independent com- State Elections Commission to force a The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- missions across the country so that the purge of 209,000 infrequent voters from ator from Oregon. districts for representation are drawn the voter rolls. Although a lower State Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, I fairly. court granted the conservative group’s am pleased to be here with my col- Then there is voter suppression and request, a Wisconsin appeals court put leagues to fight to restore the Amer- intimidation. If you believe in our Con- the voter purge on hold while the fight ican Constitution. I am pleased to be stitution and if you honor it, you be- in court continues. here with Senator TOM UDALL, who has lieve in voter empowerment, not voter These ongoing voter suppression ef- led the For the People Act, and my col- suppression. forts serve as stark reminders of why leagues MAZIE HIRONO, MICHAEL BEN- We have seen a flood of suppression we need to pass the For the People Act. NET, AMY KLOBUCHAR, and DICK DUR- and intimidation since the Supreme This bill not only blocks common BIN—all speaking up to say that we Court took a hatchet to the Voting strategies Republicans have used to must defend the American Constitu- Rights Act in the Shelby County case— make it harder for minorities to vote, tion. voter ID laws, purges of voter rolls,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:06 Mar 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10MR6.024 S10MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE March 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1655 moving polling locations, cutting back upon the table with no intervening ac- pass a big election bill that ensures on the hours, cutting back on the staff- tion or debate. elections will be more secure, I think ing. We have seen it in North Dakota. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. the thing that secures our elections the We have seen it in Georgia. We have BLACKBURN). Is there objection? most is the diversity of the system. seen it in Ohio, and we have seen it in Mr. BLUNT. Madam President. This bill would undermine the decen- North Carolina. We have seen it in The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- tralization of the system. It would un- Iowa. We have seen it in New Hamp- ator from Missouri. dermine the ability of local officials to shire, and we saw it in Texas last week. Mr. BLUNT. Madam President, re- be responsible. There are strategies to keep the poor serving the right to object, I must I spent 20 years as either the election from voting, strategies to keep those admit I was sitting here, and I thought official in the biggest county in our Americans of minority communities I was coming over for H.R. 1 from the State where one person had that re- from voting, strategies to keep Amer- House, which was attempted to be put sponsibility or as the secretary of ican Native Indians from voting, and on the floor—a bill that was supposedly state, the chief election official. I have strategies to keep college students designed to create ballot security—and been advised by and I have given advice from voting. Talk about the intense I got here and found out that this is to and I have worked with local elec- and deliberate corruption of America. the bill that will right all wrongs. I had tion officials who are incredibly moti- Voter suppression and intimidation is no idea that in one piece of legislation, vated to see that what happens on elec- it. so many things could happen. tion day is what voters want to have But this bill lays it out—automatic I understand also it is a bill that happen—the ability to cast their bal- voter registration, national vote-by- stops the subversion of the Constitu- lots with minimum obstacles and with mail, prohibiting the purging of voting tion. I actually always thought a prin- maximum confidence that what hap- rolls, online registration to enable peo- cipal purpose of our Constitution was pened on election day was what voters ple to have a smooth, solid road to be to divide between the State and the intended to do. I think I understand able to participate, rather than road- Federal Government those things that how hard those election officials work blocks and land mines to prevent them could be better done by local govern- and everything they do to ensure that from participating. ment and those things that could be voters will be heard. Then we have the dark money. These better done by State government. That It is not just my opinion. President are the most powerful and richest certainly is not what I heard today. Obama in 2016 said that ‘‘there is no se- Americans trying to drown out the I also thought that the reason for rious person out there who would sug- voices of millions of Americans this bill supposedly from the House was gest somehow that you could even rig through unlimited dark and dirty a bill that would create a level of elec- America’s elections, in part because money in our campaigns. Americans tion security that I never thought the they are so decentralized and the num- know the system is now rigged. They bill would create, but I haven’t heard ber of votes involved.’’ I actually agree know it is now corrupted by this that. with that. I think that was right then, money. We have seen an explosion of I almost went down to ask as my and I think that is right now. this money since 2010 when the Citizens friend was finishing up, am I really But this bill tells States how they United decision came down, a 5-to-4 de- here for H.R. 1, or is this some other could run every aspect of their elec- cision from the Supreme Court. It bill that does so much more than I ever tion. It takes away the authority of bloated to more than $4.4 billion. could have imagined that H.R. 1 could States to determine their own process This bill takes that on. It shines a do? in voter registration. It requires light on all the money so we know In March of 2019, the House did pass States—many States do this. If States where it is coming from and where it is this bill. It gave unprecedented control do this and they think it works in their going, so it can’t be hidden in a shell to the Federal Government over the State, fine with me. But this would re- game from one level, to the next, to elections of the country. You take quire online registration. It would re- the next. It requires honest ads. It al- away—you moved as far as you pos- quire automatic voter registration. It lows small-donor matching grants. sibly could, with this bill, the responsi- would require same-day registration. If This bill, for the people, says no to cor- bility for running an election at a pre- we were concerned about access to the ruption and yes to the ‘‘we the people’’ cinct in a jurisdiction. voter rolls, none of those things would Constitution of the United States of At that time, the Senate requested be things that from Washington, DC, America. that the bill be taken up, and it was we would believe we could require. It If we want to act on the fundamen- objected to—by me, actually. In the in- requires the criteria of how you process tals for families on healthcare, on tervening year, the bill hasn’t changed. how a voter can be removed from the housing, on education, on infrastruc- It appears to have gotten a lot better voter rolls. It tells States what kind of ture, and on living-wage jobs; if we at what it might possibly be designed election equipment they must use. It want to take on the Equality Act so to do, which appears to be everything tells States how their ballots have to doors are no longer slammed for the that anybody would ever want to deal be counted. It tells States how their LGBTQ community; if we are going to with, but what it really does is it still ballots have to be audited. It even goes take on the carbon pollution that is de- represents a one-size-fits-all Federal so far as to tell States what kind of stroying so much in American agri- power grab to take control of election paper their ballots have to be printed culture and our forests and our fishing, administration away from the States on. doing so much damage with fiercer and in most cases away from the com- That is exactly what happens when storms; if we are going to take this on, munity and in many cases away from a you decide you are going to make we must pass the For the People Act. locally elected official whose—the very something better by making one big This act has passed the House down essence of the job they have been elect- one-size-fits-all system. Nothing is too the hall. It has come down here, and it ed to do is to be sure that not only can small for that system to decide they has been buried by the Republican people vote but that people have con- can do better than anybody locally leadership in this Chamber in, I must fidence in what happens on election could decide, even what paper the bal- say, one of the most deliberate acts of day. That, in my view, would change lot is printed on. sabotage of the Constitution we have dramatically if you move that respon- This doesn’t stop at that, though. It ever seen on the floor of this Senate, sibility from the people who have it changes Federal campaign finance law. and that sabotage must end. now to some group here in Washington, It includes politicizing the Federal Therefore, Madam President, I ask DC, who would try to administer elec- Elections Commission by changing it unanimous consent that the Senate tions nationally. from an evenly divided number to a proceed to the immediate consider- I am confident that wouldn’t happen. partisan, five-member Commission ation of Calendar No. 39, H.R. 1; that In fact, the security of our elections— where three members would always be the bill be considered read a third time since the impetus of this was supposed of the opposite party from the other and passed; and that the motion to re- to be more secure elections when the two. It creates a program for public fi- consider be considered made and laid House first said they were going to nancing of Federal elections, which

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:06 Mar 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10MR6.025 S10MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE S1656 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 2020 was just described as ‘‘grants to politi- erating the issues. So I think this bill Thank you, Madam President. cians’’—the most ingenious description should be put on the floor, and I think The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- I have heard of giving tax money to it should be open to amendments. ator from Wyoming. politicians to run elections. It would be I can hear from what my colleague AUSTRALIAN WILDFIRES a grant to politicians. has stated that he probably thinks the Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I This bill hasn’t changed since last bill should be shrunk and probably come to the floor today to honor the March, but a lot has changed since last thinks it could also be expanded. Good. alliance we have between America and March. The Intelligence Committee That is the point of having debate and Australia. Specifically, I want to pay that I am a member of has released amendments on the floor of the Senate. tribute to the partnership we have with three volumes of its report on Russian So I would hope, in the spirit of your regard to firefighting. America’s cen- interference in the 2016 election. Those comments, you would be willing to ac- tury-old friendship with Australia has three volumes include numerous rec- tually stand up and debate this bill and safeguarded two great nations. ommendations to combat foreign elec- advocate for your colleagues to debate July of 2018 marked the 100th anni- tion interference in our elections. The this bill on the floor of the Senate, be- versary of our historic victory in the vast majority of those recommenda- cause once upon a time, this floor pivotal Battle of Hamel during World tions are not in this law. Many of those would have been full of Members argu- War I. The Australia, New Zealand, recommendations have been passed by ing over key issues, enlightening each United States Security Treaty came the Senate and not passed by the other, pointing out the flaws in their together to cement this military alli- House. thinking, but now substantive policy ance. Since that treaty was signed in We are going to have a briefing in bills don’t arrive here on the floor be- 1951, we have always supported each just about 50 minutes from the FBI, cause of an unconstitutional position— other in times of crisis. It is this en- the Homeland Security people, and the one that is not delineated in the Con- during spirit of mutual concern and co- people who are actually working to se- stitution—the majority leader has de- operation and commitment that we cure our elections so that every Sen- cided that nothing should be debated celebrate today. ator can hear what is happening there. on this floor that he alone doesn’t want Senator BEN CARDIN of Maryland and None of that is in this bill. considered. I have put together a bipartisan resolu- State and local officials have moved Let’s think about some of the points tion paying tribute to our firefighting dramatically since 2016 to upgrade that were just raised. One point was alliance. their systems. All but two States, I be- that the Federal Government should In recent years, the United States lieve, now have largely moved to where have no role in elections; it should all and Australia have suffered some of the they have an auditable paper trail, be left to local officials. Didn’t we have hottest, driest weather on record. As a which I was always insisting upon as a that debate in 1965 in the Voting result, we have seen longer, fiercer State election official. States are mov- Rights Act? Why did the Federal Gov- wildfire seasons. For over 15 years, the two nations have come together to bat- ing in that direction. They are chang- ernment say that we should, in fact, tle some of the most damaging and ing their own laws. Federal officials have laws for the integrity of our elec- deadly fires. In 2018, more than 100 Aus- are giving them advice when they need tions? It was because there were all tralians helped the United States com- it but not trying to take over. kinds of forms of voter intimidation bat wildfires ravaging the West Coast. This bill not only doesn’t acknowl- and voter suppression, keeping the peo- For our part, U.S. agencies have been edge what State and local officials ple of the United States, the citizens of sending American firefighters to help have been doing, but it actually under- the United States, from fully partici- the people of Australia. These agencies mines what they have been doing by pating in their democratic Republic. It include the Bureau of Land Manage- setting standards that the brandnew is the Constitution that laid out this ment, the Forest Service, the National equipment might not fit—equipment role for the Federal Government, say- Park Service, the Bureau of Indian Af- that has a paper trail, equipment that ing Congress may at any time by law fairs, and the Fish and Wildlife Serv- States had just bought, equipment make or alter such regulations regard- ice. they bought that they think would do ing elections. So it is the Constitution Most recently, 362 firefighters helped a better job but might not be in full that envisioned that if States failed to battle this season’s brutal Australian compliance with this new law. protect the integrity of our elections, brush fires. These brush fires burned There certainly are things that the then we should act right here, right over 30 million acres before the last Federal Government can do to assist, now. fires were put out just this month. particularly in securing local elections My colleague said he didn’t like the Tragically, three former American and giving advice to local election offi- idea that the bill says what type of servicemembers died in a plane crash cials. H.R. 1 does not do most of those paper to use. Well, that’s certainly fighting the wildfires in Australia. One things. It doesn’t meet the standard something that can be worked out. But of these heroes, Ian McBeth of Mon- that it sets for itself. It doesn’t address shouldn’t we have paper ballots every- tana, was actually a member of the the actual challenges in elections. So, where? Wyoming National Guard. Also killed Madam President, I object. My colleague said local officials are were firefighters Paul Hudson of Ari- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- doing a great job. Then why were peo- zona and Rick DeMorgan of Florida. ator from Oregon. ple in minority districts waiting 7 This resolution honors their ultimate Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, hours to vote, when people in many sacrifice. It also recognizes the sac- my colleague has just demonstrated other districts—more affluent dis- rifices of all of the courageous Amer- why this bill should be on the floor. He tricts—were waiting 7 minutes to vote? ican and Australian firefighters. has given extensive conversation on a That is discrimination, straight and I especially want to thank the 15 fire- series of points that should be delib- simple. Shouldn’t we debate elimi- fighters from my home State of Wyo- erated upon. nating that discrimination here on the ming who assisted Australia: Travis I say to my colleague from Missouri, floor of the Senate? Braten, Anna Cressler, Peter Freire, isn’t this what we should be doing as a This is about the integrity of our Kyle Miller, Chris Rankin, Eldred body, putting issues on the floor of the elections. This is about the vision of Slagowski, Traci Weaver, Timothy Senate and debating them for the fu- our Constitution. This is about not let- Haas, Richard Howe, Frank Keeler, ture of this country so that we can get, ting the wealthy and powerful control Robert McConchie, Shane McCormick, if you will, right to the facts rather what happens in our United States of Heath Morgan, Rance Neighbors, and than to have things obscured by the America. Jonathan Ziegler. fact that the issue is not on the floor. If we do not address this corruption I ask unanimous consent that the So I would encourage my colleague of this Senate and of the voting insti- complete list of all of the names of from Missouri to go back to his caucus tutions, then we, in fact, will fail to those U.S.-Australia brush fire fire- and say: You know, I just gave a vig- fulfill our responsibility under the Con- fighters be printed in the RECORD. orous opposition to this bill, but I be- stitution of the people, by the people, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without lieve in the role of the Senate in delib- and for the people. objection, it is so ordered.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:06 Mar 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10MR6.027 S10MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE March 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1657 There being no objection, the mate- Kafka, Joseph P Kafka, Joel Kerley, It also promotes the sharing of critical rial was ordered to be printed in the Michelle Moore, Charles Jason Barnes, Kim- resources, research, and best practices. RECORD, as follows: berley S Owczarzak, Brian Stearns, Michael This will help us prevent and suppress Richard Crook, Ann M Niesen, Martin FEDERAL EMPLOYEES future fires. Cassellius. Be assured that the American-Aus- US AUSTRALIA BUSH FIRES Reggie E Bray, Allen C Briggs, Robbie Ger- Charles Russell, Peter Butteri, Bradford ald Hollsingworth, Jared Bohrman, Michael tralian firefighting alliance will con- James Reed, Dylan Howard Brooks, Kyle D Burow, Jeannette M Dreadfulwater, James tinue to protect us in the time of cri- Cowan, Raymond Anthony Crowe, John C Flint, Michael D Goicoechea, Gump, Rob- sis. Our bipartisan resolution cele- Craig Fremont, Evan Elliot Karp, Adam ert Gump, Jermyn, Robin Jermyn, Justin brates this enduring partnership. Kohley, Theodore Plumlee, Karen Irene Kaber, James L King, Morganne M Lehr, Thank you. Scholl, Brian A Lopez, Sean W Snyder, Lori Chris J Loraas, Dennis Arthur Morotn, Nate I yield the floor. E. Hisek, Anthony Edward Acheson, Jona- Ochs, Brent H Olson, Brett Pargman, Wil- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- than F Catron, Sean C Cox, Nathanial Curtis liam Phillips, Kathy A Pipkin, Cameron L ator from Montana. Dierking, Melanie N Dolan, Jared B Gilmore. Rasor, Scott Schrenk, Julie N Shea, Charles HONORING IAN MCBETH Bill Kuche, Bethany Dawn Kurtz, Clyde Showers, Trent Daniel Sohr, Mike N Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I England, Benjamin Stuart Evans, John M Granger, Christopher M Barth, Leroy Steven Garrett, Cody Goff, Ryan Hagenah, Koreena Evans, Richard Hayner, Richard C Lang JR, thank the Senator from Wyoming for L Haynes, Jake T Rocke, Jamie Rogers, David C Lee, Julie Polutnik, Mike J Wil- his comments. I come here today to ex- Brady Schultz, Greg Smith, Eugene H Thul, liams, Bonnie Strawser, Scott Beacham, press some very similar ones. RobRoy Williams, Corey Wood, Mark Empey, Cody Wienk, Rick Beal, Gilbert Calkins, I come here today at a sad time—a Leander Real Bird, Angel Acosta, Kristen M Marcus Cornwell, Jonathan Henry Crane, sad time for Americans and especially Allison, Victor Almanza. Terrance Gallegos. a sad time for Montanans. You see, at Matthew A Aoki, Pablo Arriaga, Shane W Barry Edward Lee, Jennifer Martynuik, the end of January, we lost three great Bender, Salvador W Cody Blanco, Fred Brew- Chris Niccoli, Ezra C Engleson, Matthew Americans who paid the ultimate price ster, Danielle T Cardenas, John Casey, Er- James Peterson, Justin Cutler, Brian C nest Ceccon, Armando Ceja, Hector Cerna, for risking their lives for our allies Holmes, Ian McQueary, Jacob Keogh, Juan down under. Those three great Ameri- Brad W Corbin, William Richard Crews, Dan- Islas, Kevin Kelly, Joseph L Miller, Dylan iel R Diaz, Leonard Dimaculangan, Timothy Rader, Timothy P Roide, Eric T Tilden, cans are Flight Engineer Rick Dunfee, Catherine B Eurbin, Isaac Flattley, Tyson A Albrecht, Jason Amis, Lorri Ann DeMorgan, First Officer Paul Clyde Jason French, Santos Gonzalez, Brian P Benefield, Josh Diacetis, Clayton A Hudson, and Captain Ian McBeth, who Good. Farnsworth, Nathan D Goodrich, Jason Mat- is a Montanan. They all lost their lives Justine Gude, Keegan Guillory, Joshua H thew Green. when their plane went down fighting a Haddock, Charles Hixon, Patrick Howard, Edward Hiatt, Mark Hocken, Michael C devastating bush fire in Australia. Janes, Brian Janes, Sean D Johnny, Paul Ingman, Brett Edward Johnson, Ruth M Johnson, Joseph P Jones, Kyle Jones, Ken- Captain McBeth lived in Great Falls, Johnson, Bart Cory Kicklighter, Laura B MT. He was a dedicated pilot and serv- neth C Kempter, Ken H Kumpe, Alex E Livingsotn, Eric A Miller, James Norman Malson, Tony Martinez, Josh Mathiesen, Osborne, Todd M Pederson, Alexander R icemember. He was a member of both Jack Lincoln Matteson, Alex McBath, Jona- Plascencia, Alex Robertson, Norman Arno the Montana and the Wyoming Air Na- than Merager, Vicente Moreno. Sealing III, Sandra M Sperry, Cameron M tional Guards and he completed several Richard Noggles, Jackie Ortega, Adam D Stinchfield, Samuel D Tacchini, Kip Forrest combat deployments, including tours Park, Jorge L Perez, Adam Ramirez, Richard Turner, Michael S Graham, Jeremiah in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reposa III, Gabriel J Romero, Mark S Smith, Maghan. Captain McBeth was one of the best David Ernest Soldavini, Sean Stalie, Teresa Jada Altman, Scott Barnes, Kenneth R pilots Montana had to offer. It was as if M Stelman, Greg Stenmo, Johnny Summers, Boles, Tavis N Fenske, Justin Fenton, Josh Matthew R Tarango, Joshua Thomas, Kevin he was born to fly C–130s. But even Fulton, Brenda Hallmark, Natalie L Simrell, more, he was born to be a caring fa- Tkoch, Sergio Jose Toscano, Harold D Chanel Sitz, Benjamin Thayer, John Toelle, Updike, Eduardo Valle, Eric Verdries. John Szulc, Tomas K Liogys, Paul E Church- ther, husband, brother, and son to the Jason Withrow, John Worsley, Kurt M ill, Joshua J Ball, Kurt Bassestt, Kevin incredible family he has left behind. At Yearout, Grant J Gifford, Tim Klukas, Jason Lloyd Merrill, Eric K Allen, Lee Justin 44 years of age, he was taken from W Loomis, Robin Wills, Rick L Young, Kyle Dueker, Janan Hay Sharp, Tommy M them far too young. Landon Bonham, David Carrera, Jeremy Barnes, Michael Allan Davis, Jason M Captain McBeth was devoted to his Scott McMahon, Elizabeth A Schenk, Jer- McDaniel. emy Stocks, Jeremy Strait, Nate Gogna, Jef- family, leaving behind his wife, Reynaldo Navarro, Jr, Brian Burbridge, Bowdie; his kids, Abigail, Calvin, and frey Michael Bade, Thomas Barter, Michael James Holbrook Chadwick, Linda Milbury Bryson, Andre Camacho, Dennis Fogel, Tyler Ella; and his parents and siblings, Chappe, Chris Marson, Clint C Coates, Dustin whose hearts have to be aching right Hoest. Blair, Renee F Flanagan, Audrey Huse, Kim Jay L Karle, William F King, Scott J Martin, Jonathan Peel, Robert Lopez, now. McCreary, Tracy Milakovic, Joshua Alan Megan Saylors, Matthew W Way, Tracy My wife Sharla and I are keeping Morris, Jonathon Michael Richert, Kelly Swenson, Michael J Doherty, Jason Kirks, them in our prayers and in our hearts Rudger, Isaac Shinkle, David Smallman, Jeffrey Wilson. through this trying time. Michelle S Smith, Kelly J Stover, Eric Dameon Julander, Pila Malolo, Matthew Captain McBeth heard the call to Zanotto, Richard Barrett, Shawn M Phillips, Pippin, Jason Porter, Jeremy Seng, Tommy Todd D Ruzicka, John Weil, Richard I serve this country and did so honor- Braun, J Bradley Washa, Tyler Van Ormer, Sterry, Patrick B Blair, Geoffery C Harrison, ably, taking that call to duty even fur- Robert F Allen, Steven John Brady JR, Kyle Owen Johnson, Matthew M Ringer. ther to help the folks in need on the Cannon, Britt J Davis, Mike Daivs, Marge Russell Stark, Tyler S Webb, Robert other side of the world to fight Hutchinson, Lindsey Kupfer, Patrick Dodgen, Jason Pertruska, Jason Steinmetz, McGabe, Daniel E Pickard, John E Wirth, wildfires. Steve G Parrish, John G Ramsay, Greg Scott Ebel, Jeff Dean Dimke. Now, Montanans are no stranger to Titus, Michael W Dueitt, John Allen Mason, Steven Rudolph Miller, Brendan P Neylon, the risks that come from fighting Greg Funderburk, Benjamin Hobbs, Carroll Travis Braten, Anna Cressler, Peter L wildfires, but that doesn’t make it any Stewart, Cole Moore, Benjamin Covault, Freire, Kyle Miller, Chris Andrew Rankin, easier when we lose one of our own. Tony L DeMasters, Mary F Fields, Robert Eldred Jay Slagowski, Traci E Weaver, Tim- Harper, Sean D Johnson, Albert L Linch. Captain McBeth and so many other James Greg Loper, Douglas Marolf, Monica othy J Haas, Richard Howe, Frank Keeler, Montanans who bravely run into dan- Christine Morrison, Gary Brian Munson, Robert McConchie, Shane McCormick, Heath ger when others run out—these are our Ricky Jackson, Robert MacDonald, Stuart Morgan, Rance Neighbors, Jonathan E heroes, plain and simple. We owe a debt Ziegler. Rodeffer, Destry Wayne Scheel, Kyle Lee of gratitude to Captain McBeth that Smith, Roger L Staats, Brian J Watts, Joel Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, can never be repaid. Montana has lost A Welch, Nicholas D Yturri, Alex Abols, the fact is that America’s firefighters one of its finest, and he will be missed. Elden Alexander, Daniel A Betts, Ray M put their lives on the line every day to I yield the floor. Bilbao, Lester Brown, Kristian Lee keep people safe. They do it here at The PRESIDING OFFICER. I suggest Bruington, Chris Belliston, Todd Jinkins. home, and they do it when they go Michael Evan Johnson, Mark L Kelley, the absence of a quorum. Kenneth Bochniak, Farron Leslie Kunkel, abroad. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Jennifer Dawn Myslivy, Page Nolin, John C This resolution applauds the brave clerk will call the roll. Noneman, Stephen F Price, Ivan Kendrick men and women who responded to the The legislative clerk proceeded to Smith, Clay Stephens, Thaddeus Labrum, Australian people in their hour of need. call the roll.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:06 Mar 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A10MR6.004 S10MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE S1658 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 2020 Ms. MCSALLY. Madam President, I Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby ited and they defraud you, lie to you, ask unanimous consent that the order move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- misrepresent to you what your edu- for the quorum call be rescinded. nation of James P. Danly, of Tennessee, to cation is going to cost or what it is The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without be a Member of the Federal Energy Regu- going to give you, then, you don’t have objection, it is so ordered. latory Commission for the remainder of the to be saddled with the student debt for term expiring June 30, 2023. HONORING PAUL HUDSON Mitch McConnell, Mike Crapo, Tim the rest of your life because of their Ms. MCSALLY. Madam President, Scott, Chuck Grassley, David Perdue, lies, because of their fraud. You have a last week, I cosponsored a bipartisan Lamar Alexander, John Barrasso, Tom chance to go to the Department of Edu- resolution honoring the three Amer- Cotton, Thom Tillis, James M. Inhofe, cation and plead your case that you ican firefighters who lost their lives Shelley Moore Capito, Ron Johnson, were defrauded, and you should at least fighting Australia’s bush fires this Mike Rounds, Richard Burr, James be relieved of some, if not all, of your year, including First Officer Paul Hud- Lankford, Jerry Moran, John Thune. student loan debt. That is what it is all son, from Buckeye, AZ. Each of these Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous about. men gave the ultimate sacrifice in consent that the mandatory quorum There are 230,000 student borrowers service to others. call be waived. who are waiting for the Department of Paul dedicated his life to protecting The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Education, under Betsy DeVos, to do others, first as a marine and then as a objection, it is so ordered. something. The Department has not firefighter. He served in the Marine f done anything except to come up with Corps for 20 years, including as a C–130 a new rule that says, at this point, it is LEGISLATIVE SESSION pilot, before retiring as a lieutenant going to be harder for these students to colonel. Paul graduated from the Naval Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, prove fraud. It isn’t enough that the Academy in 1999 and later went on to I move to proceed to legislative ses- States and other units of government earn a master’s degree in business ad- sion. have found fraud by these schools. ministration and information tech- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The These students are supposed to be their nology management from the Naval question is on agreeing to the motion. own lawyers and their own investiga- Postgraduate School. The motion was agreed to. tors and prove the fraud and how it af- fected them personally. When aid was needed in Australia to f combat the devastating wildfires, Paul Is it reasonable for a young student jumped into action and put his life on RECESS who has been defrauded and is carrying the line to help others. He was only 42 Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, student debt to have that responsi- years old when he was killed in a plane I ask unanimous consent the Senate bility? Secretary DeVos thinks yes. I think no. That is what this vote is all crash while fighting to extinguish stand in recess until 5 p.m. about. these awful fires. My heart and my Thereupon, the Senate, at 4:02 p.m., Who agrees with my position on this recessed until 5 p.m. and reassembled prayers, and Arizona’s heart and Arizo- issue? Most of the advocates for stu- when called to order by the Presiding na’s prayers, go out to his wife, Noreen, dents do. In addition, the veterans or- Officer (Mr. CASSIDY). and her loss. Arizona will not forget ganizations across America, led by the Paul’s immense selflessness and his f American Legion, are supporting our sacrifice. effort now under this Congressional Re- I yield the floor. LEGISLATIVE SESSION—Continued view Act to do away with the new rule I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The by the Secretary of the Department of clerk will call the roll. PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL Education. They say it is unfair to vet- The bill clerk proceeded to call the DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER erans—it is—and unfair to student bor- roll. 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES rowers to hold them to this standard. The American Legion’s national com- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED I ask unanimous consent that the order BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDU- mander, Bill Oxford, called the rule, for the quorum call be rescinded. CATION RELATING TO ‘‘BOR- which we are going to get a chance to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ROWER DEFENSE INSTITU- vote on after the debate, ‘‘fundamen- objection, it is so ordered. TIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY’’—MO- tally rigged against defrauded bor- TION TO PROCEED rowers.’’ He is speaking on behalf of f veterans. He could be speaking on be- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- EXECUTIVE SESSION half of young men and women across ator from Illinois. America who have been misled by these Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, in just a schools over and over again. The Bipar- EXECUTIVE CALENDAR few moments, we are going to be con- tisan Policy Center Action, the Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, sidering the motion to proceed to the NAACP, Third Way, 20 State attorneys I move to proceed to executive session borrower CRA, and I would like to say general, and a host of others have to consider Calendar No. 587. a few words, understanding that the joined me in urging the Senate to over- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senators are expecting this motion to turn this unfair rule. question is on agreeing to the motion. come up in about 5 minutes. The Senate has a chance today to The motion was agreed to. This is a joint resolution that was show the country that we can come to- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The passed on a bipartisan basis in the gether and do the right thing for stu- clerk will report the nomination. House of Representatives to overturn dents and veterans. How many times The bill clerk read the nomination of the borrower defense rule that has been have we given speeches about how James P. Danly, of Tennessee, to be a promulgated by Department of Edu- much we care about veterans? Here is a Member of the Federal Energy Regu- cation Secretary Betsy DeVos. I am chance to vote with the veterans, espe- latory Commission for the remainder pleased to be the Senate’s sponsor. cially those who have been defrauded of the term expiring June 30, 2023. Here is what it comes down to—hun- out of their GI bill of rights and have CLOTURE MOTION dreds of thousands of Federal student ended up with additional debt. Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, loan borrowers having been defrauded Secondly, how many times have peo- I send a cloture motion to the desk. by their schools. They went to some of ple told us these student debts are too The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- these for-profit schools that have gone much, are ruining kids’ lives, and to ture motion having been presented out of business, but many schools de- give them a chance? I am not for for- under rule XXII, the Chair directs the frauded these students over the years. giving all loans to all students, but clerk to read the motion. We in Congress established what was these students have been defrauded. The bill clerk read as follows: known as the borrower defense. We They should have an opportunity to CLOTURE MOTION said, if you borrow money from the start life again and not be burdened We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- Federal Government and go to colleges with the debt that is going to make life ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the that we acknowledge as being accred- impossible in their futures.

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