S508 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 25, 2018 Consumer confidence is up. Unem- ness for event equipment. He recently tion reform, there is no end to what ployment is down. Markets are break- explained that ‘‘the relief that will be each party says could be on the table. ing records. From small businesses to provided by the new tax bill gives com- Republicans want vast curtailment of our largest job creators, pay raises, bo- panies like mine the capital to pur- legal immigration. Democrats want to nuses, and plans for new investments chase new inventory . . . as well as discuss a pathway to citizenship for 11 are all in season. hire additional employees.’’ million. That is a recipe for delay when Of course, the engine of American Summing it up, American enterprise we can’t afford one. Some on the other prosperity is the American people, but is thriving. Tax reform helped make it side are insisting on expanding this be- smart policy can help by getting the happen. yond the DACA and border security government out of their way. f issues. That will just delay. That will Last December, Republicans in the just make sure that things don’t work. House and the Senate joined the Presi- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME My Republican colleagues, particu- dent to deliver once-in-a-generation The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under larly the leader and his more moderate tax reform. Every day, more evidence the previous order, the leadership time Members, should feel the pressure to piles up that tax reform is already is reserved. get this done, or else this administra- working for the American people. The tion will start separating families, tak- f headlines are full of major employers ing kids out of school, servicemembers announcing pay raises and bonuses for CONCLUSION OF MORNING out of our military, and workers out of workers, as well as new investments. BUSINESS our companies. They will rip them For example, Brown-Forman—a glob- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning from the American fabric in which al spirits company headquartered in business is closed. they are embedded. What a tragedy my hometown of Louisville that em- that would be. ploys more than 1,000 Kentuckians—an- f So the clock is ticking on Dreamers, nounced yesterday that tax reform will EXECUTIVE SESSION and we don’t have time for extraneous help the company to start a new chari- issues that some on the right or the table foundation for community invest- left might want to add that have noth- ment and commit $120 million to fund EXECUTIVE CALENDAR ing to do with DACA or border secu- employee pensions. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under rity. The clock is also ticking for pen- Soon, thanks to tax reform, a Main the previous order, the Senate will pro- sioners, for victims of opioid addiction Street small business owner will fi- ceed to executive session and resume seeking treatment, and for our vet- nally be able to realize her dream to consideration of the following nomina- erans seeking quality healthcare. We expand into the vacant shop next door. tion, which the clerk will report. have other issues: rural infrastructure, Of course, that will mean hiring more The senior assistant legislative clerk childcare, things that Democrats want help. read the nomination of R.D. James, of to get done in this deal. We have to get Soon, thanks to tax reform, a father- Missouri, to be an Assistant Secretary a budget deal and a DACA deal that and-son manufacturing plant will be of the Army. can get 60 votes—13 days before Dream- able to afford the new equipment they Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I ers get a lot closer to deportation; 13 have been eyeing and give their work- suggest the absence of a quorum. days to help our economy, our commu- ers new skills in the process. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The nities, and the middle class, who have Stories like these may not make clerk will call the roll. been waiting for over a year for this waves here in Washington, but believe The senior assistant legislative clerk Congress to do something for them, in- me, they will be front-page news in proceeded to call the roll. stead of just helping business interests. communities all across our country. Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask FBI From coast to coast, Americans’ lives unanimous consent that the order for Mr. President, now I want to focus on will improve as Main Street businesses the quorum call be rescinded. one more thing that really should dis- operate for the first time under a 21st- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without turb every American, and it certainly century tax code. objection, it is so ordered. disturbs me—recent events concerning This is not just a tax law for the big the Federal Bureau of Investigation. RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER guys. Now even the smallest businesses For decades, the FBI has been our will be able to take a significant deduc- The Democratic leader is recognized. Nation’s premier law enforcement tion on their business income, giving DACA AND OTHER ISSUES BEFORE THE SENATE agency, admired from one end of the them more money to buy new equip- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, there country to the other. TV shows and ment, hire new employees, or provide are now only 13 days remaining before movies all talked about how good the health coverage for their team. the continuing resolution expires on FBI was. We know because we trust So much focus has been on bonuses, February 8. In that short amount of them with protecting our country pay raises, and 401(k) matches, and for time, we must seek a budget deal, an against many-faced threats: drug traf- good reason. But we should not forget agreement on healthcare legislation, ficking, terrorism, white-collar crime. all of the jobs that will be created and a bipartisan bill to protect the In 2016, the FBI—not politically, but when businesses decide to invest more Dreamers and provide for border secu- just in the way it works to keep being because they can immediately deduct rity. All these items are important. All vigilant to protect us in our security— their capital expenditures. I am al- of them are urgent, and we are working was tasked with another mission of ready hearing from small business own- hard to get them all done. great importance—investigating Rus- ers this law was designed to help. On the issue of immigration, the bi- sia’s interference in our elections. Before tax reform, one franchise res- partisan group of moderate Senators As that investigation progressed, it taurant owner in Kentucky wrote me should continue trying to find a con- found that members of the Trump cam- to say that ‘‘the current high tax rate sensus. I think that is an excellent paign had concerning associations with that I pay as a pass-through entity re- idea. The White House, unfortunately, the Russians in the lead-up to the elec- duces the amount of earnings I can re- has proven unreliable and wildly unpre- tion. That was pure law enforcement. invest into my business, employees, dictable. Within the course of hours, That wasn’t some political direction. and community.’’ She went on to say, they say different things. Every time Now that that investigation led by ‘‘I am very encouraged that tax reform the President moves forward on one Special Counsel Mueller has resulted in is under way in Congress and hope that thing, his staff pulls him back and two guilty pleas and two more indict- it can be accomplished in a timely undoes what he said. The action should ments of Trump campaign officials, manner.’’ Well, Republican majorities be here in the Senate to find a narrow there seems to be a fervor on the other in Congress and the President did just deal on DACA and border security. side to discredit what the special coun- that. Now, as we have found time and sel’s investigation has already re- In Nicholasville, KY, another con- again, when we open up the negotia- vealed. That should give serious pause stituent of mine operates a rental busi- tions to discussions of broad immigra- to Democrats, Republicans, and all

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:48 Jan 25, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JA6.002 S25JAPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE January 25, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S509 Americans. A foreign power, probably up on casual texts sent between FBI What the FBI is investigating right the one that is most in our face, Rus- agents to peddle the nonsense that now is about shielding our democracy sia, is interfering in our elections. I there is a ‘‘secret society’’ at the De- from the disinformation campaigns of don’t care if it is Democratic elections, partment of Justice, without a shred of foreign adversaries. Russia wants noth- Republican elections, national elec- evidence. I saw one of those—the Sen- ing more than to undermine our de- tions, or local elections. When a for- ator who was propagating this, this mocracy by eroding people’s faith in its eign power interferes in our elections, morning on television. It looked crazy. institutions, for without resilient that gnaws at the wellspring of our de- It looked delusional. It looked para- democratic institutions, there can be mocracy. All of us should be giving the noid. What began as an attempt to dis- no democracy. FBI space and encouragement to finish credit the investigator has now de- Make no mistake about it. Today their investigation without delay or in- volved into delusional, self-serving par- Russia may be doing the same thing terference. anoia. that a lot of our Republican colleagues Instead, ever since Special Counsel The Republican Party, which used to are. Tomorrow they may be attacking Mueller was appointed, too many Re- hold itself up as a law and order party, our Republican colleagues. The Rus- publicans and too many in the right- seems intent on destroying the credi- sians have no interests other than wing media have been desperate to dis- bility of our premier law and order hurting America. So the Republican at- tract the Nation from his investiga- agency and the hard-working men and tacks on the credibility of the FBI and tion. women who serve there—all to assist a the Department of Justice are playing First they waged an aggressive and President who cares and knows very right into Putin’s hands. They con- coordinated—I would say shameful—at- little about the boundaries of rule of stitute an attack on democracy itself. tack on the integrity of the special law. There has to be a line. There has to counsel. I was in the gym this morning. Imagine, the FBI, which for decades be a line where the interests of your I spoke to one of my senior Republican the Republican Party upheld—I re- political party stop, because to go any colleagues, who said he knew Mueller, member lots of political debates here— further would be to diminish our coun- and he knew what a fine man he was. now they are discrediting them with try. I say that to my colleagues here He is a model public servant. He spent virtually no basis in fact. Guess who and in the House who have participated decades earning the trust and rev- has joined the Republican campaign to in this besmirching unfairly, erence of both parties. He was known attack the FBI. The Republican cam- paranoically, self-interestedly of the as somebody who was a registered Re- paign to attack the FBI has been FBI. Peddling delusions of secret soci- publican through my years in Wash- joined by the same forces that inter- eties, ‘‘deep state’’ leaks, and coup fered in the 2016 election—Wikileaks, ington. He wasn’t regarded as a par- d’etats cross the line of what anyone of Julian Assange, and Russia. tisan figure, somebody who would have any party should do. It has to stop. Just a few years ago, those things vendettas, political or otherwise—no. I yield the floor. were attacked by our Republican It got so out of hand—I couldn’t believe The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- friends, particularly the hard right. ator from Wyoming. this—that a Republican Congressman Now they are joining them, wittingly TAX REFORM suggested Special Counsel Mueller’s in- or unwittingly. Can you imagine the Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, we vestigation was a ‘‘coup,’’ on the floor outrage on the right if President have finally ended this government of the House. That Congressman ought Obama’s message was being spread by shutdown that was produced and di- to go back and read his Constitution Wikileaks, Julian Assange, or Kremlin rected by the Democrats in the Senate. and read his history books. The rule of sources? law is not a coup. I would say to that Within hours of GOP lawmakers and The reason Democrats decided to Republican Member of Congress: No FOX News calling for the release of the take this extreme step and shut down person, not even the President, is Nunes memo, Russian-linked bots the government was because of the nar- above the law. began pushing the narrative using the row issue of illegal immigration. They The political smear campaign has hashtag ‘‘releasethememo’’—Russian shut down services for citizens of the now bled into a spiraling and delu- bots, hashtag ‘‘releasethememo.’’ Just United States to provide services for sional attack on the FBI itself. The Re- a few hours after some of our Repub- people who are not citizens of the publican majority on the House Intel- lican friends started this push, use of United States, and the Democrats have ligence Committee has, according to the hashtag spiked and was used 100 admitted it was all about this issue of Representative SCHIFF, manufactured a times more than any other hashtag by illegal immigration. secret memo of partisan talking points, Kremlin-linked accounts. There may have been another reason, full of innuendo and glaring omissions, We are witnessing an effort by the as well, that Democrats wanted to shut intended to suggest widespread corrup- Russian Government to intervene and down the government, and that was so tion at the Department of Justice and influence our democratic processes in they could change the subject being de- the FBI. They are very, very serious al- real time. Every single American bated by people, talked about by legations, if they had any truth to should be concerned by this, particu- friends, noticed by Americans, and them or backing. Adding to the impro- larly when their elected officials are making the headlines. That subject, of priety, some of those same Republicans willing to work—wittingly or unwit- course, is the competence and opti- are now trying to release this slan- tingly—alongside Russia to manipulate mism in the American economy—by derous memo—and that is what it is, a our opinion. Some of our Republican workers, by people who are paying slanderous memo—to the public. colleagues—sadly, unfortunately, taxes, by people who realize how the Since this investigation has started, wittingly or unwittingly—are acting as Republican tax relief legislation is our Nation has had to endure con- allies of Russia’s disinformation cam- going to help improve their lives per- spiracy after conspiracy from Repub- paign. Can you imagine? Can you imag- sonally. lican Congressmen and Senators and, ine? It is hard to make this stuff up. It I think the success of the Republican of course, from the rightwing press, seems like we make this stuff up, but it tax relief bill scares a lot of Demo- which acts in total cahoots. There are is real—hard-right Republicans and the crats. It scares them because every one conspiracies about ‘‘deep state’’ leaks Russians trying to discredit our pre- of them voted against it. They didn’t and unmasking requests, phone taps at mier law enforcement agency. think it was a good idea to let people Trump Tower, Uranium One, who paid This country erected institutions keep more of their hard-earned money. for the so-called Steele dossier, and like the FBI and the Department of The Democrats thought it was a better today it is this memo. On and on and Justice to defend the vital interests of idea for possibly the government to on, they are conspiracy theories with the Nation without deference to polit- keep that money and use it and spend virtually no fact—paranoia, delusion. ical parties. Much like the Federal ju- it in ways many people—certainly in Why? Are they afraid of the truth of diciary, they act as an essential check Wyoming—feel is not a good use of that the Mueller investigation? It seems so. on political power—whosever power it money. Families know how to get more Meanwhile, Republican Members of is—a defense against creeping value out of their dollars than the gov- this body, I am ashamed to say, picked authoritarianism. ernment ever will. Democrats voted

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:48 Jan 25, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JA6.003 S25JAPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S510 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 25, 2018 against it—the tax cuts that would ac- back from overseas to the United law and instead see reports about the tually create jobs all across the coun- States. It is good for America. It is Democrats shutting down the govern- try, and we have seen that job creation what an America first economy looks ment. occurring. They voted against the tax like. It gets rid of this crazy Tax Code It is interesting. There has been so relief that is going to allow money to that we had, giving other countries an much economic activity after this be brought back to America so invest- advantage—not anymore. changed that other countries are begin- ments are made in America. The second thing this tax relief law ning to become nervous. Other coun- It was so interesting to listen to has done is actually cut taxes. When tries used to know they had the upper NANCY PELOSI—the former Speaker of American businesses had to pay this hand over the United States when it the House and now the minority leader second tax, the rates were very high— came to investments in the economy, in the House—refer to what we were one of the highest in the world. It was and they figured the United States doing in the Senate and in the House as adding insult to injury. Other coun- would never get its act together Armageddon. She said it was the end of tries have actually been cutting taxes enough to change the tax laws to make the world. That is what she said. for years—not the United States, not us the competitive, thriving economy The American people, hard-working on our own companies in the United we know we can be. These countries people, don’t believe that at all. They States. Here at home, we had one of knew the U.S. tax law was working in believe it is good for them personally. the highest and most punitive taxes in their favor—not anymore. It turns out that people who work at the world. There wasn’t a major coun- Countries like China, the United more than 200 companies in this coun- try in the world where businesses paid Kingdom, and Japan are considering try have already gotten a raise or some as high a tax as we did in the United changing their own taxes in response kind of a cash benefit or additional States. Washington was taxing compa- to what we have done. We are leading contribution to their retirement be- nies about 35 percent if they tried to the way. They are trying to play catch- cause of the tax law. That is why all bring home some of the profits from up with their economy. In Australia, as those companies said they did it. Over overseas. Because of the tax law we a matter of fact, they expect the loss of 2 million people have obtained this passed and President Trump has significant amounts of economic activ- benefit of the tax relief law, and more signed, this rate has now dropped to 21 ity and growth to the United States be- are going to benefit in the years ahead. percent—from 35 percent to 21 percent. cause of the new tax law. Other coun- Millions of Americans are going to Now our tax rates are actually below tries are running scared because Presi- start seeing more take-home pay in the average of other countries around dent Trump and Republicans in Con- their paychecks next month. That is the world. That puts American busi- gress are doing exactly what we prom- because of this tax relief law the Demo- nesses at a significantly stronger posi- ised the American people we would do. crats—every one of them—opposed. We tion to compete around the world. It We are keeping our promises. We are are seeing it not just with American puts us at a competitive advantage. We putting American workers first. Tax families; we are seeing it with invest- got rid of the double taxation system— relief is working. It is helping hard- ments coming in from abroad. Republicans did—when we passed this working American families. It is cre- This law has totally changed how we law, and we cut tax rates significantly ating economic growth. It is giving tax the money companies earn that sell as well. America the competitive edge we de- things to people overseas. This chart When you put these two things to- serve because of the work we do, and goes through it. It used to be that when gether—cutting the rates, making it we haven’t had it in a long period of U.S. companies made money some- easier to bring money back to the time. where else; they paid taxes there. If United States, eliminating this double Democrats said it would never hap- they wanted to bring it back home, taxation—it is a big help to American pen, during the debate, on the tax law. they had to pay taxes again, a double workers, to the men and women who First, they did everything they could taxation. Very few countries do that, work in America, as well as the busi- to make sure we wouldn’t get it but the United States was one of nesses that employ those people. Busi- passed—slowed it down, voted against them—double taxation. Businesses nesses are much more likely now to in- it, talked against it. They were wrong, then had to make a decision, had to vest in America, put their money back and now they know they were wrong. make a choice. It could bring money home, in American workers, in the They have seen the money come back. back home, pay taxes a second time, or American economy. We are seeing it They have seen the growth in the econ- keep the money overseas, invest it already. omy. They have seen the number of there, and not have to pay that second The tech company Apple recently an- jobs created. They have seen the tax. A lot of companies, looking at the nounced it is increasing investments in growth in wages. They are seeing peo- tax laws the United States had on the U.S. operations. They said their total ple keeping more of their hard-earned books previously, decided it was too contribution to the American economy dollars. They see people happier. They much of a penalty to bring that money over the next 5 years will be $350 bil- see a level of confidence and optimism back home and invest it in the Amer- lion. They are planning to bring home that wasn’t there in a previous admin- ican economy. There was something as much as $250 billion in money that istration. like $2.8 trillion in American business right now is parked overseas. They are The Democrats seem to be trying to that American businesses had been talking about employing 20,000 more change the subject by putting up a holding in other countries. workers, hiring 20,000 more people. smokescreen—shutting down the gov- We actually had a tax code that They have been letting that money sit ernment to avoid and try to deflect worked to the advantage of foreign overseas because of this system that from the success the Republicans have countries, not to the advantage of the locked the money out. Now, with the allowed the American people to recog- United States. It was locking money new tax law, it is going to be much nize in themselves because the tax laws out, keeping it overseas, keeping it easier to bring this money home and have changed, and the American people from helping American workers at invest it in America. will benefit from it for years to come. home. That is a very backward way to It is not just Apple. We are seeing it It is time for the Democrats to give look at how the Tax Code should work. with Fiat Chrysler, with Boeing, with up the games, come to the table, join We changed the law when Republicans AT&T, and with others. They are in- Republicans, and do what we know we voted to change the tax law, give tax- creasing investment in the United need to do, which is put the American payers relief. Now the money gets States and in the workers at home, and workers first. It is time for the Demo- taxed once, not twice. It changed the it is all because of the tax law the Re- crats to join the Republicans and work system in America the way most coun- publicans voted for, and every one of on behalf of all the American people tries around the world do it. That the Democrats voted against. It is no who have sent all of us here in the first means businesses no longer have this surprise that Democrats may have place, and we are seeing it now with warped incentive to keep their money wanted to shut down the government the tax law and the tax relief and the out of the United States. It makes it to knock off the front page of the paper tax cuts that are benefiting people all much easier for that money to come the headlines of the success of the tax across this country.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:48 Jan 25, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JA6.005 S25JAPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE January 25, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S511 I yield the floor. Speaking of verbal mistakes, you proposition and will, certainly, lead to I suggest the absence of a quorum. cannot conduct high stakes diplomacy America alone. The Muslim ban, hast- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The through the use of Twitter. We should ily handed down not 1 week into his ad- clerk will call the roll. never normalize such conduct by a ministration, was the early defining The senior assistant legislative clerk President of the United States. Sec- moment of President Trump’s tenure— proceeded to call the roll. retary of State Rex Tillerson conceded the clearest sign yet he would actively Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask last week that he, essentially, learns work to denigrate our values and iso- unanimous consent that the order for about the President’s foreign policy late us from the rest of the world. the quorum call be rescinded. statements—or even of his positions— President Trump’s rhetoric has made The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SUL- because his staff at Foggy Bottom a multifaceted conflict with China LIVAN). Without objection, it is so or- prints off the President’s tweets for more likely at a time when we need to dered. him. That should give everyone a mo- work with the Chinese on stronger dip- FOREIGN POLICY ment for pause. lomatic ties between our nations to im- Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I come Besides the nuclear crisis with North prove regional stability in East Asia. to the floor to reflect on the troubling Korea, nowhere have the President’s The President’s decision to withdraw foreign policy 1 year into President statements been more damaging than the United States from the Paris cli- Donald Trump’s administration. in the tenuous relationship between mate agreement—an accord that every A recent poll out from Gallup showed Washington and Moscow. Frankly, the nation on Earth is a member of and a dramatic reduction in global public President’s words and actions send a which the majority of the President’s opinion toward the United States. Con- clear signal to Mr. Putin that he can senior advisers recommended against— fidence in the United States by the continue to attack democratic institu- is a gross abdication of American lead- global community has plummeted to 30 tions and values with impunity. Each ership and a narrow-minded rejection percent under President Trump. A low time Mr. Putin denies to Mr. Trump of basic science and fact. public opinion of our great country, that the Kremlin was involved in at- I and other Members of this body are among other nations, is not a good tempting to influence the 2016 elec- engaged in an attempt to prevent the thing, and it is not something to cele- tion—a bald-faced lie—the American President from withdrawing without brate. In fact, it makes the world less President races to say that he believes reason from another major inter- safe for America and Americans. It him. Never before in history has such a national agreement—the Joint Com- limits our economic opportunities, and clear threat to our national security prehensive Plan of Action, otherwise it undermines our ability to promote been so clearly ignored by a President known as the Iran nuclear deal. The our values of portraying President Rea- of the United States. President has jeopardized the agree- gan’s vision of a city on a hill. In just Last week, I released a report ment by not certifying Iran’s compli- 1 year, the Trump administration has through the Senate Foreign Relations ance and without his producing any betrayed America’s values, abandoned Committee that documented Mr. evidence that Iran is in violation of the our allies, and appeased our enemies. Putin’s pattern of 20 years of attacks agreement. He has now made a number America’s alliances, for example, against democratic institutions in Eu- of aggressive demands of Congress and with the United Nations and the North rope. In order to best understand what of our European allies, once again dem- Atlantic Treaty Organization keep our he did here in the United States in onstrating that he is no negotiator. country safe and prosperous while they 2016—a matter still under investiga- America first, supposedly, but as also build a more secure world, but tion—as well as to protect ourselves in communities in Maryland and across President Trump has repeatedly ques- 2018, 2020, and beyond, we need to un- the country struggle with a nationwide tioned the worthiness of both organiza- derstand the big picture and respond epidemic of opioids, heroin, and tions and has attacked leading mem- accordingly. We will never be fully pro- fentanyl overdoses, President Trump’s bers of each body—almost always key tected or have a robust enough re- budget has proposed a 27-percent reduc- American allies. sponse with the President’s repeated tion in America’s global counter- These concerns were made much public appeasement of Mr. Putin. narcotics efforts, which will directly worse when, early in the administra- We have seen again this week how weaken our ability to work with inter- tion, Secretary Tillerson said that that has been playing out in a matter national partners to stem the illegal America’s interests would no longer be that is being debated in Congress. The flow of drugs that are entering our dictated by our values. It was almost Russian Government continues to country. unfathomable to hear the Nation’s top interfere in our political debates here The President sought to slash $1 bil- diplomat speak in such a narrow, my- in the United States. There are reports lion from America’s global efforts to opic way. Also, the games the adminis- that Russian internet bots and trolls fight HIV/AIDS in Africa, Asia, and tration has played with the mission are working to support Congressman elsewhere. Thanks to bipartisan Amer- statements of the State Department NUNES’s efforts to produce and release ican leadership, we have made enor- and the U.S. Agency for International a Republican staff report on the inves- mous strides against this disease. We Development have been clear attempts tigation into Russia’s interference in should not turn back from that to depart from the values that define our 2016 elections. We know that Rus- progress. This kind of fear, insecurity, who we are—support for democracy, sian bots and trolls are vigorously pro- and even xenophobia are damaging our human rights, transparency, and good moting these attacks and corroding reputation abroad and corroding our governance. our political institutions and norms of core identity as Americans here at President Trump has praised behavior, seeking to paralyze our gov- home. strongmen leaders in Russia, China, ernment and undermine our democ- The President has doubled down on Turkey, Egypt, and the Philippines racy. This sort of behavior carries a the disastrous wall rhetoric and con- even as they imprison, torture, or kill possible grave risk to our democratic tinues to belittle Mexico, one of our their own citizens. If support for world system and our very way of life. closest friends and partners in the leaders who lack almost all of our val- I am not surprised to find that Rus- world. Even the White House Chief of ues is not bad enough, President sian services are attacking us, as a re- Staff’s attempt to clean up the Presi- Trump’s attacks on some of America’s cent report that we released made it dent’s wall position ended embarrass- closest friends have undermined the clear that it was part of their strategy, ingly for him. credibility of America’s word and but I do hope that all of us—Democrats President Trump’s campaign to un- America’s commitment to its values. and Republicans—will stand up for our dermine American values resulted in Launching verbal broadsides against democratic institutions and speak out slashing refugee resettlement into the the United Kingdom, Australia, and against Russia’s interference in our po- United States, while asking other South Korea—the latter during the on- litical system. countries to do more. His policies dam- going standoff with North Korea—are The President refers to his foreign age our moral leadership, condone deeply regrettable and completely policy strategy as ‘‘America first.’’ other countries’ rejection of refugees counterproductive. ‘‘America first’’ is a risky and chaotic on their borders, and strengthen the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:48 Jan 25, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JA6.006 S25JAPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S512 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 25, 2018 hand of those who wish to do us harm percent to the State Department and tional security decisions that are re- through recruitment and USAID budgets, attempting to dis- quired to keep this country safe and radicalization. U.S. leadership on this embowel critical national security maintain our global leadership. issue is key to our counterterrorism tools. Secretary Tillerson has main- The role of Congress in shaping and strategy. tained an unexplained hiring freeze at advancing U.S. foreign policy has never President Ronald Reagan admitted the Department and Agency. Dip- been more important, and I will con- 140,000 refugees in just 1 year of his lomats are leaving the government in tinue to advance legislation, conduct Presidency. By contrast, at a time of large numbers, and his attempt to reor- oversight, and speak out about these extraordinary international need—far ganize the Department many view as a important issues in the name of the greater than when President Reagan solution in search of a problem. The American people and the values and was in office—President Trump capped President has little interest in how di- norms that define us and our place in refugee resettlement at 45,000 this fis- plomacy advances our interests, pro- this complicated world. I am proud cal year. Since he announced that pol- motes our values, and makes us safer that there are many Members on both icy, refugee admissions in this country and more prosperous. sides of the aisle who share these con- have fallen to a level unseen in modern To make matters worse, the Presi- cerns, and we will work together for history. At the current rate, the United dent and his family continue to con- America’s national security interests. States may grant entry to fewer than duct themselves in a manner that pro- With that, Mr. President, I suggest 20,000 refugees—the lowest number motes their business interests, making the absence of a quorum. since the program was established in our foreign policy more difficult. In his The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 1980. The President’s stealth attack on dealings with China alone, the writing clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk proceeded to call the refugee resettlement is a war on a pro- is on the wall. Candidate Trump said that on day one of his Presidency, he roll. gram that has embodied America’s Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I would declare China a currency manip- compassion and global leadership. ask unanimous consent that the order Much attention has been drawn to ulator. American businesses are still for the quorum call be rescinded. the despicable uncertainty that Presi- waiting. Did he sacrifice the American The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. dent Trump has injected into the lives worker in order to appease the Chinese FISCHER). Without objection, it is so of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers, banker who paid him rent at Trump ordered. preparing to deport young people who Tower? Or perhaps it was so he could SENATE PRIORITIES secure those long sought after business are essentially American citizens to Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, now countries they have never known. But trademarks with China—38 in all. that the government is up and running The American people should not lose equally as troubling is the President’s again, we need to look ahead at what sight of the fact that the President has denial of temporary protected status, our legislative priorities should be. I refused to divest himself from the or TPS, for hundreds of thousands of can’t speak for everybody, but I can Trump Organization, ignoring decades people from Haiti and El Salvador. speak for myself. My priorities are of ethical norms and precedent. The Many more from Honduras and Syria threefold. sit in the President’s crosshairs. These President of the United States is en- First, we need to expedite disaster re- people have lived in our country, some- gaged in foreign policy while maintain- lief. In December, the House passed an times for decades, contribute to our ing unprecedented business interests in $81 billion disaster relief bill designed economy, and many have American cit- about 20 countries. Today, the Presi- to address the natural disasters caused izen children. Sending them back to dent has a financial stake in real es- by Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Harvey, their home nations at this time—coun- tate projects in India, Indonesia, the as well as the wildfires out West. That tries that are already destabilized to Philippines, and elsewhere—develop- has been sitting in the Senate since De- various degrees—will exacerbate local ments that require approval and inter- cember. We need to act and act with and regional problems. vention from governments, financing dispatch. I am proud of the legislation I have from banks, and cooperation from local Everybody remembers Hurricane written with Senators FEINSTEIN and partners. He continues to earn royal- Harvey—we certainly do in Texas— VAN HOLLEN that is supported by nu- ties from properties located through- which pummeled us last August. It was merous colleagues to create a legal out the world, from Panama to the last August; this is February. Most of pathway to residency for TPS recipi- United Arab Emirates. the media attention in the months ents who only seek a better life for Reaping a financial profit while serv- since has focused on the city of Hous- themselves and their families, enrich- ing as President begs the question of ton, which quite literally was torn ing our country and all that it stands whether he is working in his own best apart. This was the most intense rain for in the process. interest or the Nation’s best interest— event in American history—more than The U.S. military is the finest in the exactly why the Constitution’s emolu- 50 inches of rain fell in 5 days. world, but increasingly, President ments clause exists and of which I be- Other areas beyond Houston fared Trump wants our men and women in lieve he is in violation. President worse—I am thinking of cities like uniform to do what should be the re- Trump could easily rectify this by cut- Rockport and Port Author on the sponsibility of our diplomatic and de- ting his financial ties and leaving no Texas coast. I am thinking of cities velopment corps—our forces for peace. doubt that his first and foremost pri- like Victoria and Beaumont. More than And it is not just a slow and steady ority is serving the Nation’s interests. 28,000 square miles were flooded. Crops transfer of responsibilities from Foggy In closing, let me say that American rotted, livestock died, and almost 6 Bottom to the Pentagon; President foreign policy led by our values, sup- months later people are still piecing Trump has failed to fill critical na- port for our allies, and a desire to together their lives. tional security jobs and is gutting our make the world a better place, keeps us In addition to Hurricane Harvey, as I development and diplomatic institu- safe at home and advances our coun- said, there was Hurricane Irma and tions. try’s prosperity and security. President Hurricane Maria, and there were the It infuriates me when the President Trump has not put the strategies in wildfires that burned across California or his team dares to accuse the Senate place to deal with the complicated na- that later resulted in mudslides after of failing to do its constitutional re- tional security crises facing our coun- the rains fell. I know the Federal Gov- sponsibilities regarding nominations. try. Instead, he has made international ernment is not the only entity charged Of 163 Senate-confirmed positions security challenges more difficult to with ensuring help gets to these places, across the State Department and solve, including the crisis with Iran, but it certainly has an important part USAID, the administration does not the nuclear weapons dilemma with to play. have nominees for 72 of those jobs—just North Korea, and the Kremlin activi- This morning, I attended the U.S. under 50 percent—1 year into office of ties sowing discord in our country and Conference of Mayors and saw a num- this administration. throughout the world. President ber of my mayors from Texas who were The administration has proposed an Trump has been unwilling to engage in part of the success or at least the man- illogical and ideological cut of over 30 the delicate diplomacy and tough na- agement of this natural disaster in

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:48 Jan 25, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JA6.008 S25JAPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE January 25, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S513 Texas. They have done their part. The statement about the first piece of that That is one reason I am very inter- State has done its part. It is time for puzzle last night. We are expecting to ested in taking the lessons we learned the Federal Government to step up, hear more from the White House on in Texas and other States on prison re- and it is time for the Senate to pass how they expect Congress to respond form and offering a better, more en- this supplemental bill that was passed and what the President would find ac- lightened, and sensible path to reentry by the House in December. ceptable here in the next few days. for people who made mistakes and The second priority I have, person- This bill can’t become law without ended up in our jails and prisons. Not ally, is lifting the spending caps that the President’s signature. So the Presi- everybody is going to take advantage impair our national defense, particu- dent’s views are not irrelevant, but we of it. In my visits in Texas prisons, I larly our men and women in uniform. are the ones who have the primary re- know illiteracy is rampant. Some peo- In my remarks yesterday, I said this is sponsibility to resolve these com- ple have drug or alcohol problems that a problem set in motion by the Budget plicated issues. Getting 60 votes is not need to be addressed. Some people just Control Act of 2011. While well-inten- the only thing we are aiming for. Cer- need to learn basic job skills if we ex- tioned—for a while it did hold down tainly, that is the hurdle we have in pect for them to succeed once they get discretionary spending and reduced our the Senate, but it would be a futile act out of prison. We have used various in- deficits and our debt—its implementa- if the President wouldn’t sign it or if it centives for low-risk offenders in Texas tion has not stemmed our national wouldn’t pass the House of Representa- to provide them opportunities to ad- debt, but it has tied the hands of our tives. So we have our work cut out for dress each of those concerns, and it has military. This is an important lesson. us, and I know the American people been quite successful. Not only have It is not defense spending, it is not tax will not support it unless it is a serious fewer people recommitted crimes and cuts, it is not discretionary spending; and well-thought-out proposal. The ended up back in prison, but our com- it is the mandatory spending in our en- blowback will be strong, and we will munities have become safer as a result, titlement programs which continue to face a harsh reprisal if we don’t take and taxpayers have had to build fewer run up deficits and debt and which into account the opinions and the prisons in the process. threaten us and our financial future, to views of our constituents back home, I have been working in the Senate on be sure. which I intend to do. a bipartisan way with my colleague In the meantime, our military faces Beyond these short-term actions, from Rhode Island, Senator WHITE- readiness challenges across the globe. which we need to move on as soon as HOUSE, and my colleague from Utah, We simply must listen to people like possible, there are other priorities I Senator LEE. I know this issue has got- Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. We would like to mention as well. Infra- ten some real traction thanks to Presi- should lift the caps, end sequester so structure is something everybody likes dent Trump and the roundtable he our military no longer suffers and so to talk about, until you ask the ques- hosted at the White House earlier this our national security is on safer tion: How are we going to pay for it? month. ground. Recently, I introduced a bipartisan More than 11 million people go to jail The third on my immediate to-do list bill with Senator WARNER from Vir- each year in the United States, and is working with a bipartisan group of ginia that would expand an infrastruc- there are currently 2.3 million people legislators as well as President Trump ture financing authority already in use under confinement. This is a matter of on the issue of the DACA recipients. As by many States and local governments great public concern, but to me the No. everybody who has been paying much across the United States. This legisla- 1 concern is public safety. If we can attention in recent days knows, this is tion is called the BUILD Act, which keep the public safer, if we can save a group of about 690,000 young adults would raise the caps on a specific cat- taxpayer dollars, and if we can help who came into the country as children egory of what are known as private ac- people who are willing to accept the because their parents brought them in tivity bonds, giving additional access opportunity to turn their lives around illegally, in noncompliance with our to tax-exempt bond authority for the and become productive members of our immigration laws. purpose of constructing highway society, it seems to me that we ought In the United States, we don’t hold projects. to be doing that. children responsible for the mistakes I was with a number of Texas mayors I look forward to hearing more—per- of their parents, nor should we punish earlier this morning, and they told me haps even from the President during these young adults who have now they see that as a positive develop- the State of the Union Address on grown up because their parents broke ment, something they can use in their Tuesday night, if he chooses to men- our immigration laws. We know they cities. They appreciate that during the tion his interest in that topic, which I face an uncertain future, and much of tax reform debate we maintained the know he is interested in. the responsibility for our porous bor- tax-exempt status of municipal bonds Finally, we have to keep filling our ders should be borne by Congress—not used for those kinds of purposes. judicial vacancies. Last year, we were only the present Congress, but past In the near future, I intend to intro- able to put two Texans on the Fifth Congresses—for basically turning our duce a few other legislative initiatives Circuit Court of Appeals, but more dis- heads the other way while people con- to help rehabilitate our Nation’s infra- trict judges have come through the tinued to immigrate illegally into the structure. I come from a State that is pipeline this year. One of the judges we United States. growing because we are creating so confirmed earlier this month is David We are going to need to improve our many jobs, and that is putting a strain Counts from Midland, TX. He will be infrastructure, personnel, and tech- on our existing infrastructure. So for serving in the Western District of nology to make sure we don’t experi- the interest of public safety and the en- Texas. Just this week, the President ence that sort of rush of illegal immi- vironment, as well as our economy, we announced his intention to nominate gration in the future, which is why need to repair and build out our infra- another judge for the Western District some of our Democratic colleagues like structure. I know the White House has of Texas, Alan Albright, as well as Cam to say that we need to protect DACA some plans in this area as well, and we Barker, Jeremy Kernodle, and Michael recipients, which we are willing to do. look forward to hearing more about Truncale for the Eastern District of But we want to make sure there is not them and working with the administra- Texas. a repetition of this in 3 years or 5 years tion when it comes to infrastructure. We are a big State. So we have a lot hence. So there are important meas- Thinking about other areas that we of judicial vacancies, and Senator CRUZ ures we need to combine with that, and could work on in a bipartisan fashion, and I are working hard, together with the President has told us that he is I firmly believe it is important for us the White House, to make rec- going to insist upon—and he is correct to look at success stories in the States, ommendations to President Trump for in doing so—a robust border security and then, once these laboratories of de- nomination. They go through a very component, as well as ending chain mi- mocracy have done things that actu- extensive vetting process. Senator gration and the diversity lottery visas. ally result in positive things, we can CRUZ and I have created something we From the news I saw this morning, it then learn from them and scale them call the Federal Judicial Evaluation sounds like the President made some up at the Federal level. Committee, which is a group of our

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:48 Jan 25, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JA6.009 S25JAPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S514 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 25, 2018 most experienced practitioners in the Mr. PETERS. Madam President, I provides cost-effective care to millions State, on a bipartisan basis, to evalu- ask unanimous consent that the order of Americans in both rural and urban ate the people who apply for these im- for the quorum call be rescinded. areas across our country. portant life-tenured positions. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without How is it that a nation that put the I want to compliment the President objection, it is so ordered. first man on the Moon still can’t put for his sterling picks for the judiciary, WORK OF THE SENATE lights on for our own American citizens certainly so far, starting with the Su- Mr. PETERS. Madam President, I be- in Puerto Rico? We need to help fami- preme Court of the United States. But lieve every campaign for elective office lies clean out their flooded homes in at the intermediate appellate courts, in this great Nation is essentially a the gulf, support communities that like the Fifth Circuit and these district months-long job interview with the have faced out-of-control wildfires and courts, these are the people who do the voters or, perhaps more accurately, it mudslides during the devastating 2017 day-in and day-out work of the judici- is thousands and thousands of indi- disaster season, and ensure affordable ary to make sure that all Americans vidual interviews. Like any employer, flood insurance is available to every have access to justice and the oppor- the voters have expectations for us homeowner who needs it. tunity for a fair hearing before an im- once we have been hired to do this job. Americans stand by each other in the partial judge. That is one of the most I will never forget I work for the peo- face of tragedy. This is why Senator important things the Federal Govern- ple of Michigan, and I feel very fortu- STABENOW and I fought for a year to de- ment provides through our judicial nate to have earned the opportunity to liver Federal resources to Flint and branch: ‘‘Equal justice under law,’’ as serve them. When I ran for the U.S. continue working to make sure fami- the words above the Supreme Court Senate, I told Michiganders I would be lies are receiving the care they need and get their damaged pipes repaired. building say. a pragmatic problem-solver and stand In addition to addressing all of these TRIBUTE TO EMILY KIRLIN by that promise each and every day. We were all sent here to be problem- urgent issues, we need to keep the Madam President, I wish to recognize solvers, especially the hard problems. lights on in the Federal Government, and sincerely thank a member of my Making the effort to participate in our where funding is set to expire again in staff, Emily Kirlin, for her decade of democracy is fundamentally opti- just 2 weeks. public service here in the Senate. Ev- mistic. Voters want us to make their While the government was shut down erybody knows Emily in the Senate be- lives and our Nation better. Every Sen- this past weekend, I worked with a bi- cause of her bubbly personality, and partisan group of Senators pulled to- ator elected to this body carries the she is always looking to find ways to gether by my colleagues Senator COL- hopes, the dreams, and the expecta- help Senators be more successful and LINS and Senator MANCHIN. This group tions of the people who live in their to recognize their tremendous con- is called the Common Sense Coalition, State. tributions to this body. While we should never lose sight of and we worked through the weekend to Emily is originally from Crossville, our Nation’s hopes and dreams, today I find a bipartisan compromise to open TN, and we will not hold that against wish to focus on expectations. Ameri- the Federal Government and find a path forward to tackle the complex, her. She is not a Texan, but many peo- cans expect us to work together. They pressing issues before us in Congress. ple from Tennessee eventually came to expect us to talk to each other. They While the lights are back on, the real Texas, as I tell a couple of my Ten- expect us to negotiate and find com- nessee colleagues, most of them one work is just beginning. In the coming mon ground where we disagree. They weeks, we need to find a legislative so- step ahead of a great spouse or one step expect us to help our fellow Americans ahead of the law. Those are the Ten- lution to provide certainty to the after disasters. They expect us to re- Dreamers—young men and women nesseans who made their way to Texas spond to crises like the opioid epidemic at the time of our founding. Things brought to the United States as small and dangerously underfunded pensions children. They grew up as Americans, have gotten better, by the way, but that jeopardize their retirement secu- that is sort of an inside joke between went to school here, served in our mili- rity. They expect us to keep our bor- tary, only speak English, and are every Tennesseans and Texans. ders secure and enact reasonable Emily has been director of Member bit as American as you and I. They human immigration policies that keep graduate from our colleges and univer- services in my whip office and is the our Nation competitive and boost eco- longest serving member of our oper- sities and provide critical talent to a nomic growth, and they expect us to growing American economy. They ation. Before working in her current responsibly fund the Federal Govern- capacity, she served under my prede- start their own small businesses and ment. create jobs in our communities. They cessor, Senator Jon Kyl, and before None of us should be proud of the re- that for my colleague, Senator ALEX- are young adults who voluntarily came cent government shutdown. There is no out of the shadows to participate in the ANDER. such thing as a good government shut- Everyone who has had the privilege DACA Program and are fearful they down. I am nevertheless hopeful that will be ripped from their home and be of meeting Emily knows that she is one lessons can be learned from last week- of a kind. Her smile lights up rooms, deported to a country they have never end and a better path forward can be visited, a country where they don’t and her personality is contagious. Ev- found. I think the coming weeks and eryone loves being around her. But she even speak the language and will find months are of vital importance to the themselves a stranger in a foreign land, also works incredibly hard. Some future of the U.S. Senate as a meaning- nights she is here until 1 in the morn- which is an absolutely terrifying situa- ful, functional institution. tion. ing and goes home and works even Let’s be honest with ourselves and Without question, we must also pass harder alongside her husband Michael. with the American people. In the last a disaster relief package to help com- Together, they have two small chil- few years, we have not been functional. munities devastated by the hurricanes, dren, Brock and Madge, who, I am sure, We have blown deadline after deadline. floods, and wildfires. We must also re- require a lot of love and attention. It took us almost 4 months past the authorize the Community Health Cen- So we are sad to see Emily go, but we funding deadline to tackle the easiest ter Program that provides essential wish her nothing but the best and want problem: reauthorizing the Children’s healthcare to Americans and over to express our sincere gratitude for her Health Insurance Program, a program 600,000 Michiganders. service to the Senate. We know her fu- that provides healthcare to millions of We must do more to fight the far- ture will be bright in whatever path Americans children, while saving tax- reaching opioid epidemic that is hurt- she decides to take. payers money. ing and killing far too many of our I yield the floor. As I stand here, healthcare for over friends, family, and neighbors. The I suggest the absence of a quorum. 600,000 Michiganders—including over opioid epidemic is a public health crisis The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 12,000 Michigan veterans—remains at that touches everyone in every State clerk will call the roll. risk because we have blown through and every county. The senior assistant legislative clerk deadline after deadline to fund commu- We need to deliver certainty to the proceeded to call the roll. nity health centers, a program that hard-working Americans who spent

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:48 Jan 25, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JA6.011 S25JAPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE January 25, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S515 decades earning their pensions and now He said: ‘‘The Army seemed like the That means, whether it is Ashtabula see them at risk as they prepare to place for me to help my community and Cleveland in Lake County to the enter retirement, and we must follow and my country and to experience new east or it is Toledo to the west, Lake through on our most basic of duties. people, places, and ideas.’’ Erie is much more vulnerable to pol- We need a bipartisan deal to fund the Jonathan went through officer can- lutants than are the other Great government that takes care of the men didate school in 2013 and now serves Lakes. This is why the work Jonathan and women who serve our country in with the 300th Chemical Company, does is so important in keeping that the armed services, keeps us safe, and Army Reserve, out of Morgantown, Great Lake clean. properly funds both our military and WV. He has worked in our office since At the end of the week, while others domestic programs. 2015 and has impressed all of us with might look forward to a relaxing week- This will not be easy, but solving his dedication to both of his jobs. In end with family and friends, so often, easy problems is not why we were sent the Senate, he handles veterans and Jonathan heads out for drill with his to the Senate. I ran for the U.S. Senate military issues along with energy and unit. He used to drive from Washington to solve the tough problems facing our environmental policy. He has read, lit- to Illinois and, later, to West Virginia country, and I know my colleagues in erally, thousands of letters from Ohio for the weekend as part of his service. the Common Sense Coalition ran to servicemembers and veterans over the Now his unit is deploying. While we solve tough problems as well. We need years and has always worked to make will miss his expertise, his enthusiasm, the entire Senate and the House to sure their views and concerns have and his unique perspective in this of- start acting like one, big Common been heard and that our office has fice this year, we are also so grateful Sense Coalition. No organization or helped them whenever we have been for his service to Ohio and to our coun- business can run their budget in 2- or 3- able to. He has often called the fami- try. One final note, before his deploy- week increments. lies directly to follow up and listen to ment, last month, Jon got engaged to The Defense Department and all of their stories. his partner Kevin. Jon and Kevin will our domestic agencies need certainty In 2016, during a meeting with the join so many of Ohio’s military fami- for budget planning just like any Gold Star Wives of America, Jon lies who understand the unique chal- household or business does. We cannot learned that education benefits for lenges of having a family member serv- let the American people down any some spouses who had lost their loved ing far from home. longer by kicking the can down the ones in the earliest days following 9/11 One of the things that is so impor- road with another series of short-term would expire before they could make tant that we as Members of the Senate budget patches. The coming weeks will full use of this benefit their families must do is recognize the service of our be difficult, but we need to rise to the had earned. He immediately brought men and women in uniform. We should occasion and deliver on all of these re- this issue to my attention, and we also recognize the importance of the sponsibilities. Now is the time for us to worked to introduce the Military service and sacrifice of those family step up our game. The American people Spouses Achieving College Education members who are left behind and who expect and deserve nothing less. for Survivors Act. We passed this bi- often live in the margins financially. I yield the floor. partisan legislation as part of a larger On behalf of my whole office, we con- I suggest the absence of a quorum. veterans package that will directly af- gratulate Jon and Kevin on their en- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The fect veterans and their families in my gagement. We wish Jon well on his clerk will call the roll. State, in Nebraska, and other States tour overseas, and we thank him for The senior assistant legislative clerk across the country. his sacrifice and his service. proceeded to call the roll. Jonathan has played a critical role in CHIP AND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS Mr. BROWN. Madam President, I ask ensuring that our military installa- Madam President, Congress finally unanimous consent that the order for tions in my State have the support did the right thing, after having failed the quorum call be rescinded. they need to perform critical national to do the right thing in September and The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without security missions—from the 180th in October and November and December objection, it is so ordered. Toledo and the 910 in Youngstown, to and early January, by reauthorizing Mr. BROWN. Madam President, I ask Camp Ravenna, to the base in my the Children’s Health Insurance Pro- unanimous consent to speak as in hometown of Mansfield, to Springfield, gram. The bill passed out of the Senate morning business for up to 10 minutes. and of course to Wright-Patterson Air Finance Committee with only one ‘‘no’’ The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Force Base. He often attends visiting vote. The Children’s Health Insurance objection, it is so ordered. Ohio Honor Flight ceremonies, rep- Program has been around for 20 years, TRIBUTE TO JONATHAN MILLER resenting our office and supporting and it has always been bipartisan. Mr. BROWN. Madam President, I rise Ohio veterans who visit the memorials There are 209,000 children in Ohio to honor a member of my staff, Jona- that have been built in their honor. who benefit from the Children’s Health than Miller, who has dedicated his life His love for the outdoors and for Ohio Insurance Program. These are chil- to serving his country and his State. has also shone through in his work on dren—sons and daughters—of parents Not only does Jonathan serve the issues like protecting the Great Lakes, who generally work full time but who people of Ohio each day on our staff, including the Great Lakes Restoration only make $8 or $10 or $12 an hour. helping Ohio servicemembers and vet- Initiative and in preserving the Cuya- These families often don’t have insur- erans, but he also wears the uniform hoga Valley National Park, which is ance themselves, but the Children’s himself, first as a member of the Na- near his childhood home. Health Insurance Program will provide tional Guard and now as a member of I would add that Ohio is one of the insurance for those children. the Army Reserve. Earlier this month lucky States east of the Mississippi in It is particularly aggravating to was his last day in the office for a year that it is one of the few States that has many of us that so many Members of as his unit is deploying to fight for our a national park, and it is not far from Congress—all of us who have health in- country. the population centers of Cleveland and surance provided by taxpayers—failed Jonathan grew up in Macedonia, OH, Akron. Even though the Trump admin- to continue the program, which has al- and graduated from Nordonia High istration tried to zero out—the way we ways been bipartisan, in September, School and Ohio University. In 2011, talk about it—or dramatically cut when the program expired, as well as in while working toward his master’s de- funding for the Great Lakes Restora- October and November and December. gree, he enlisted in the National Guard. tion Initiative, I and Senator PORTMAN, Now, as our vote the other day dem- Jon told me he enlisted, in part, be- a Republican, worked together to re- onstrated, the Children’s Health Insur- cause he was ‘‘inspired by the debate store that funding. ance Program will be around for 6 more and repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and We know keeping Lake Erie clean is years as we continue to make improve- the stories of veterans in my family,’’ an ongoing challenge. Right off the ments with it. The problem is, while we like so many who join the armed serv- city of Toledo, Lake Erie is only 30 feet provide insurance for 6 more years for ices because of patriotism, family val- deep, contrasted with Lake Superior, these 209,000 children in Ohio and 9 mil- ues, and family precedent. which is 600 feet deep, on the average. lion children all over the country, we

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:48 Jan 25, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JA6.012 S25JAPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S516 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 25, 2018 haven’t, in so many cases, provided the gram. A week ago, finally, we did the Cotton Isakson Roberts place and the environment for these Children’s Health Insurance Program, Crapo Johnson Rounds Cruz Jones Rubio parents to take their children. but we left hanging the community Daines Kaine Sasse One big shortcoming is Congress’s re- health centers. Donnelly Kennedy Schatz fusal to do its job to reauthorize the The last letter is from Julie DiRossi- Duckworth King Schumer Enzi Klobuchar community health centers, the so- King, chief operating officer for the Scott Ernst Lankford Shaheen called federally qualified health cen- Ohio Association of Community Health Feinstein Leahy Shelby Fischer Lee ters. My State is home to several dozen Centers, which represents 512 health Smith Flake Manchin Stabenow federally qualified community health centers in Ohio. She said: Gardner Markey Sullivan centers. They provide all kinds of We have hit that critical point . . . that Gillibrand McConnell Tester healthcare services, in many cases, in- the Community Health Center Program as Graham Menendez Grassley Merkley Thune cluding pediatric, dentistry, all kinds we know and rely on it today will soon be on Tillis life support. There literally is no room for Harris Murkowski of preventive care, all kinds of emer- Hassan Murphy Udall gency care, and other help for so many additional delay. Hatch Murray Van Hollen families, particularly for low-income I appreciate that Congress finally did Heinrich Nelson Warner Warren the right thing on the Children’s Heitkamp Paul families, in their neighborhoods, where Heller Perdue Whitehouse this can make a difference. Health Insurance Program. I ask Con- Hirono Peters Wicker I want to briefly share three letters gress to do what is right for the com- Hoeven Portman Wyden to illustrate the importance of this. munity health centers. It will literally Inhofe Reed Young Stephanie Wiersma, the CEO of Lo- save lives and will matter for so many NAYS—1 rain County Health & Dentistry, wrote families in my State and States all Sanders to me 2 weeks ago before we passed the over the country. NOT VOTING—10 most recent continuing resolution: I yield the floor. Blumenthal Durbin Risch We desperately plod on, doing all the right I suggest the absence of a quorum. Burr McCain Toomey things for our health centers and patients, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Casey McCaskill yet for months we have been in limbo and, SASSE). The clerk will call the roll. Corker Moran frankly, sick with fear. The senior assistant legislative clerk I worry about the impact on my staff and The nomination was confirmed. patients. I know the impact on recruitment proceeded to call the roll. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under of providers . . . what professional wants to Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I ask the previous order, the motion to re- chance a funding crisis to come work for a unanimous consent that the order for consider is considered made and laid health center at this point in time? the quorum call be rescinded. upon the table and the President will Open provider positions means less access The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without be immediately notified of the Senate’s to care, plain and simple. Access is espe- objection, it is so ordered. action. cially important now with all the flu and ill- Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I ask The Senator from Alaska. ness going around. unanimous consent that all time be f What Stephanie is saying is that yielded back on both sides and the Sen- when Congress doesn’t do its job—when ate proceed to the vote. LEGISLATIVE SESSION all of us who have health insurance The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without that is paid for by taxpayers fail to do objection, it is so ordered. our jobs—these community health cen- The question is, Will the Senate ad- MORNING BUSINESS ters, which are professionally run and vise and consent to the James nomina- Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask close to home for so many families, tion? unanimous consent that the Senate cannot plan for the future. They can- Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I ask for proceed to legislative session for a pe- not recruit a physical therapist or a pe- the yeas and nays. riod of morning business, with Sen- diatric dentist or an internist or a fam- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a ators permitted to speak therein for up ily practice doctor. Is a professional sufficient second? to 10 minutes each. provider, who has invested a lot of There is a sufficient second. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without money in her education, going to want The clerk will call the roll. objection, it is so ordered. to go to a health center where Congress The bill clerk called the roll. f simply doesn’t do its job in providing Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators funding? I think Stephanie wrote that are necessarily absent: the Senator RECOGNIZING THE ALASKA PA- so very well. from North Carolina (Mr. BURR), the CIFIC UNIVERSITY NORDIC SKI Jared Pollick, CEO of Third Street Senator from Tennessee (Mr. CORKER), TEAM Family Health Services in my home- the Senator from Arizona (Mr. town of Mansfield, wrote: Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, every MCCAIN), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. It is nearly impossible to make sound stra- week, I have been coming to the floor, MORAN), the Senator from Idaho (Mr. tegic decisions for our organizations without going on 2 years now, to talk about RISCH), and the Senator from Pennsyl- the security of our funding. We are always what makes my State, the great State told both sides of the aisle love Community vania (Mr. TOOMEY). of Alaska, such an amazing place to Health Centers. We really need them to show Mr. SCHUMER. I announce that the live—gorgeous, untouched mountains, it with funding. Senator from Connecticut (Mr. the glaciers, the wildlife. I have live That is exactly right. I have heard BLUMENTHAL), the Senator from Penn- web cams in my office. For people who my Republican colleagues talk almost sylvania (Mr. CASEY), the Senator from want to see the bears, walruses, the ad nauseam about how much they like Illinois (Mr. DURBIN), and the Senator salmon spawning, bears scooping up the Children’s Health Insurance Pro- from Missouri (Mrs. MCCASKILL), are these amazing fish from the choked gram, how much they like the commu- necessarily absent. streams, please come on by. Most of nity health centers, and I think they The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. that happens during the spring, sum- really in their guts do. But then Sen- PERDUE). Are there any other Senators mer, and fall. The winter, of course, is ator MCCONNELL and the Republican in the Chamber desiring to vote? the longest season in Alaska. In my leadership let them expire on Sep- The result was announced—yeas 89, opinion, it is one of the best times to tember 30, did nothing in October, nays 1, as follows: experience our State. nothing in November, nothing in De- [Rollcall Vote No. 24 Ex.] For those watching on TV or in the cember. They did a tax cut for the rich. YEAS—89 Gallery, we want to welcome you to We know that, but they didn’t reau- Alexander Boozman Cassidy Alaska. Come on by. You will have the thorize, didn’t provide additional sig- Baldwin Brown Cochran trip of a lifetime. I guarantee it. nificant, predictable, sufficient funding Barrasso Cantwell Collins It is truly the people who make my Bennet Capito Coons for the community health centers or Blunt Cardin Cornyn State such a truly special place. What the Children’s Health Insurance Pro- Booker Carper Cortez Masto we try to do each week is talk about

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