E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 165 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 No. 149 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was The Constitution lends weight to the Senate legislation, proceeding to this called to order by the President pro resilience of our heritage and to the he- floor action will help to keep us on tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). roes who fought to defend and protect track toward passing as many of the 12 f our borders at home and from distant bills as possible this month before we shores around the world. turn to a temporary continuing resolu- PRAYER On this Constitution Day, it is my tion. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- hope that Americans of all ages will re- So it has been distressing to hear fered the following prayer: flect upon the blessings of freedom troubling signals from the Democratic Let us pray. handed down from one generation to side. We have heard that they may Almighty God, our fortress and the next and protected by the U.S. Con- choose to filibuster the Defense fund- might, deliver us from clouds of pes- stitution. ing bill. They may block the very in- simism and fear. Lead our lawmakers I yield the floor. crease of defense funding that they all in these challenging times, fulfilling just agreed to a month ago. Your purposes through them. Be ex- f Progress on our shared priorities, alted, O God, above the highest heaven, RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY good faith cooperation in areas of dis- as You demonstrate Your power to LEADER agreement—it seems all of this may be make the crooked places straight. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- taking a backseat to a familiar litany Have mercy upon us and protect us, jority leader is recognized. of partisan stumbling blocks. My for Your unfailing love and faithfulness Democratic colleagues seem eager to sustain us. Shine Your glory over all f bog down the funding process with all the Earth as we learn to trust You at APPROPRIATIONS their outstanding disagreements with all times. Mr. MCCONNELL. The American peo- the President, in other words, taking And, Lord, we thank You that Sen- ple deserve for the Federal Government exactly the kind of partisan approach ator GRASSLEY has had another won- to spend their money in a considered, we had successfully avoided last year derful birthday. deliberate fashion, and until very re- and in which both sides pledged just We pray in Your strong Name. Amen. cently, we have been on a track to con- last month—just a month ago—to f duct a smooth, regular appropriations avoid this time as well. A couple of weeks ago, everyone at process for this year. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE the table seemed to understand that More than a month ago, leaders in The President pro tempore led the the world was too dangerous to leave both parties, in both Chambers, and at Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: funding for our military vulnerable to both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue all I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the poison pill riders or political copouts. I agreed to terms that had been nego- United States of America, and to the Repub- wish Democrats would keep bearing lic for which it stands, one nation under God, tiated by the Speaker of the House and that in mind today. indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the President’s team. It specified So whatever rationale my colleagues The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. topline funding levels and put guard- across the aisle may offer for these new HYDE-SMITH). The Senator from Iowa. rails around the appropriations process disruptions, let’s get one thing Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I to keep out poison pills and all of our straight: Holding defense funding hos- ask unanimous consent to speak for 1 other disagreements. tage for political gain is a losing strat- minute as in morning business. So yesterday, to keep us on track, I egy, not only for Members of this body, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without began the process to advance the first not only for the appropriations process, objection, it is so ordered. set of appropriations bills. The next but a losing strategy for the safety and f step is a vote tomorrow to begin con- strength of our Nation. sideration of a package of House-passed As partisanship bogs us down here in CONSTITUTION DAY funding bills that Speaker PELOSI Washington, Moscow and Beijing are Mr. GRASSLEY. Since the day I was grouped together. They include several not exactly slowing down to wait for born, I have celebrated Constitution of the domestic funding bills along us. Our two most capable great-power Day. That is because the 39 delegates with the legislation to fund the Depart- adversaries are expanding their own ca- signed the U.S. Constitution on Sep- ment of Defense. There should be no pabilities and modernizing their forces tember 17, which is exactly 146 years reason for Democrats to vote against by the day. before I was born. It is a gift to share this first procedural step. In the current international system, my birthday with the historic signing As Chairman SHELBY and our com- delivering on our promises to Amer- of our Nation’s founding charter. mittee colleagues continue to process ica’s men and women in uniform is not ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5499 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:24 Sep 18, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A17SE6.000 S17SEPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE S5500 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 2019 a simple matter of routine mainte- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without funding when, in fact, we oppose a Re- nance on equipment. If we would like objection, it is so ordered. publican bill that would shortchange the U.S. military of the future to re- RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER the military is the height of double main the world’s preeminent fighting The PRESIDING OFFICER. The talk by the Republican leader. force, then, the stakes are much high- Democratic leader is recognized. Again, the Republican leader is fond er. As Russia rattles its saber and de- CONTINUING RESOLUTION of reminding the press that he doesn’t velops weapons such as hypersonic Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, as like to engage in stunts—that the Sen- cruise missiles and quiet submarines, negotiations continue on a continuing ate is for making laws and is not a we need to continue funding for re- resolution to keep the government forum for political theater. Yet putting search and development of our own open past next week, we should be lay- this bill on the floor of the Senate that cutting-edge capabilities. ing the groundwork to process the 12 everyone knows lacks the votes is the We have to provide for the mod- appropriations bills for fiscal year 2020. definition of a stunt. ernization of infrastructure and update In an ideal world, the Republicans on Leader MCCONNELL—and I mean this defenses against cyber threats so that the Appropriations Committee would with all due respect—it is time to nego- China’s ever-bolder meddling in this be negotiating in good faith with the tiate. Both sides must sit down and domain cannot bring about the cyber Democrats on the Appropriations Com- have a serious negotiation—no stunts, hegemony it craves. We cannot turn mittee to determine the allocations no blame game. The Democrats want our back on our interests and partners and the content of those bills, but the to work with our Republican col- in the broader Middle East. In Afghani- Republicans, unfortunately, have not leagues, but we need a willing partner, stan, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and be- chosen to do this. They are acting in a and time is quickly running out to get yond, we face ongoing terrorist totally partisan way. The Republicans a bipartisan appropriations process threats. Iran’s violent aggression cer- have chosen to back the President’s de- back on track. tainly highlights the need for vigilance mand for an additional $12 billion in BACKGROUND CHECKS and for strength. All of this is need- funding for his border wall, taken from Madam President, now, on guns, a lessly more difficult if we don’t fund other sources, including medical re- week and a half after our return from the military’s modernization and readi- search, opioid treatment, and funding the August work period, Senators from ness. The stakes are too high for us to intended for our military, their fami- both sides of the aisle are still waiting fail. lies, and their kids. Mexico, oddly, isn’t to hear what the President proposes in We cannot afford to abdicate our re- chipping in a penny. order to combat the epidemic of gun vi- This was all done totally on the Re- sponsibility to deliver timely funding olence. According to reports, the Presi- publican side with there having been to the critical priorities of the Federal dent’s yet-to-be-released plan will like- no consultation of the Democrats and, Government, least of all to the men ly not include universal background certainly, no buy-in. So, of course, the checks or even a significant expansion and women in uniform who keep us Democrats oppose taking funds from of background checks.