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, MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016 No. 50 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Monday, April 11, 2016, at 3:30 p.m. Senate MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016 The Senate met at 3 p.m. and was to the Senate from the President pro our Nation and across the world. They called to order by the Honorable BILL tempore (Mr. HATCH). defend this symbol of our democracy, CASSIDY, a Senator from the State of The legislative clerk read the fol- and that means putting themselves in Louisiana. lowing letter: harm’s way day in and day out. Again, f U.S. SENATE, we thank them for it. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, We also welcome Capitol Police Chief PRAYER Washington, DC, April 4, 2016. Matthew Verderosa. Chief Verderosa The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- To the Senate: comes to us with more than three dec- fered the following prayer: Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, ades of law enforcement experience, Let us pray. of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby and that is a good thing given that this Worthy God, unto whom all hearts appoint the Honorable BILL CASSIDY, a Sen- incident occurred just days into his are opened, all desires known, and from ator from the State of Louisiana, to perform new position. The Chief inherits an the duties of the Chair. whom no secrets are hidden, we praise able, brave team who works hard every Your Holy Name. You commanded ORRIN G. HATCH, President pro tempore. day to keep us safe. We look forward to light to shine out of darkness and gave continuing our close working relation- Mr. CASSIDY thereupon assumed the us the gift of this day. Lord, we borrow ship with the Capitol Police under his Chair as Acting President pro tempore. our heartbeats from You; great is Your leadership. faithfulness. f Help our lawmakers to take the long f view of their work and to not become RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY DEFEND TRADE SECRETS BILL LEADER weary in doing Your will. Teach them Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, to trust Your wisdom, opening their The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- today the Senate will vote on the De- minds to the counsels of Your sacred pore. The Senate majority leader is fend Trade Secrets Act. This bipartisan Word. Give them the graciousness to recognized. legislation can help promote growth of humbly serve one another, following f the economy, help spur the increase Your example of lowliness. Lord, keep and retention of American jobs, and them always within the circle of Your THANKING OUR CAPITOL POLICE help protect American innovation in will. OFFICERS AND WELCOMING the global economy. It aims to do so by We pray in Your loving Name. Amen. CHIEF MATTHEW VERDEROSA providing tools for American compa- f Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I nies both small and large to effectively PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE welcome our colleagues back from protect some of their most valuable as- their State work periods. The Senate sets in today’s international economy. The Presiding Officer led the Pledge has gotten a lot done under the new American companies spend billions of Allegiance, as follows: majority, and we will continue our every year on research and develop- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the work today. ment and in the creation of products United States of America, and to the Repub- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, First, I want to remember the daily we use every day. But some thieves indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. sacrifice of our Capitol Police in light would rather not go through the trou- of the incident last Monday. Incidents ble of developing products themselves; f like these remind us of the sacrifices they would rather just steal the fruits APPOINTMENT OF ACTING officers make on our behalf each and of others’ creativity and innovation. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE every day. These brave men and women That is more than just wrong; it puts The PRESIDING OFFICER. The protect all who work here. They pro- American jobs and the American econ- clerk will please read a communication tect the countless visitors from across omy at risk. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S1621 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:25 Apr 05, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04AP6.000 S04APPT1 smartinez on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1622 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 4, 2016 American businesses find themselves TERRORIST THREATS DEFEND TRADE SECRETS BILL increasingly under attack from a so- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, in Mr. REID. Mr. President, I under- phisticated effort to steal the very recent weeks we have again been re- stand why my friend the Republican things that give them a competitive minded of the pervasive threat posed leader is doing everything he can to edge in the 21st-century economy— by Islamic terrorists to the world. We shine a bright light on the Judiciary things such as codes, formulas, and have seen ghastly images in places as Committee. It is kind of hard to do confidential manufacturing processes. diverse as Brussels, Yemen, and La- that considering everything that is While it has never been easier for these hore. Attacks seem to be coming near- going on today. The bill that we will thieves to launch attacks on innova- ly weekly now, and it feels as if we vote on at 5:30 p.m. would have passed tion, sometimes armed with little more hear of a new one almost every time we with unanimous consent, and every- than a jump drive, many American flip on the news. body knows that. We don’t need to businesses now find themselves less Over the weekend, the chairman of take up the Senate’s time on a bill that able to protect their important assets the Intelligence Committee delivered would pass just like that. We are doing under current law. an address focused on the threat facing it because it focuses less attention on Senator HATCH knew we had to do us and what we can ultimately do to the inadequacy of the Judiciary Com- something about this. He knew it was overcome it. Senator BURR noted that mittee. The Defend Trade Secrets Act time to modernize our trade secret he could not remember a time when was easily reported out of committee. laws to keep pace with rapid advances the United States and its allies faced a There were no problems. It was a bill in technology and in criminal tech- greater array of threats across the on which everybody agreed. There may niques. He knew it was time to stream- world, which is why, as he put it, ‘‘we be some reasons for it, but I don’t see line and simplify the process for U.S. cannot simply focus our efforts on how why the Judiciary Committee should companies to effectively defend Amer- to best respond to attacks once they’ve be given a few pats on the back. The ican jobs, American growth, and the already happened.’’ Senator BURR problem is that the committee does not American innovation that is increas- spoke on the significance of working deserve any pats on the back at this ingly at the heart of our modern econ- with our allies to target threats at stage. every level. He talked about the impor- omy. Senator HATCH worked across the JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS tance of ensuring that law enforcement aisle with Senator COONS to develop Mr. REID. Mr. President, as U.S. the Defend Trade Secrets Act. This bi- has the tools and authorities needed to Senators we have a constitutional obli- keep Americans safe. He also under- partisan legislation eventually gained gation to consider nominees to impor- lined the need for President Obama to the cosponsorship of a majority of the tant positions. That is one of our con- do more in directly taking on ISIL and Senate. stitutional responsibilities. Judges made clear that doing so would require play an essential role in our society, This bipartisan legislation also leadership that reached beyond the ad- and we should give qualified nominees passed the Judiciary Committee unani- ministration’s current containment the fair shot they deserve. Sadly, the mously. That is impressive, and it strategy. Republican Senate has refused to do its wouldn’t have happened without the It is clear that defeating ISIL, Al job. They have a new standard: Unless able leadership of the chairman of that Qaeda, and its affiliates will require the judge-to-be passes the test on the committee, Senator GRASSLEY from concerted action by our military, the National Rifle Association, as stated Iowa. Since the new majority took of- intelligence community, and inter- by the Republican leader on national fice, Senator GRASSLEY has been a national partners around the globe. TV, they can’t vote for him. highly effective legislator as chairman That is why we have continued to press The Judiciary Committee has been of the Judiciary Committee. From the administration for a serious plan to hammered—and that is an understate- comprehensive legislation to address defeat these terrorist groups and not ment—day after day in the State of America’s opioid epidemic, to pro- simply attempt to contain them. In ad- Iowa, the home State of the chairman dition to the ongoing air campaign, the tecting the victims of modern slavery, of the committee.