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Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 114 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

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Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 114 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 114 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 161 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2015 No. 185 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was that Your sovereignty is far above any PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE called to order by the President pro conceivable command, authority, or The President pro tempore led the tempore (Mr. HATCH). control. May this knowledge of Your Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: f unstoppable providence motivate them I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the PRAYER to contribute to peace in our time. United States of America, and to the Repub- Bless the members of our military lic for which it stands, one nation under God, The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. fered the following prayer: and their families, surrounding them Let us pray. all with the shield of Your Divine f Merciful God, enthroned far above all favor. Lord, bless also those who are ill powers, thank You for the gift of an- and in pain, poor and in need, worried other day. Help us to use this borrowed RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY and in distress, discouraged and in de- time wisely. Forgive us when we forget LEADER that You are still on Your throne and spair, tempted and in danger. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. that the hearts of humanity are in We pray in Your merciful Name. CAPITO). The majority leader is recog- Your hands. Remind our lawmakers Amen. nized. NOTICE If the 114th Congress, 1st Session, adjourns sine die on or before December 24, 2015, a final issue of the Congres- sional Record for the 114th Congress, 1st Session, will be published on Thursday, December 31, 2015, to permit Members to insert statements. All material for insertion must be signed by the Member and delivered to the respective offices of the Official Reporters of Debates (Room HT–59 or S–123 of the Capitol), Monday through Friday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. through Wednesday, December 30. The final issue will be dated Thursday, December 31, 2015, and will be delivered on Monday, January 4, 2016. None of the material printed in the final issue of the Congressional Record may contain subject matter, or relate to any event, that occurred after the sine die date. Senators’ statements should also be formatted according to the instructions at http://webster.senate.gov/secretary/ Departments/ReporterslDebates/resources/conglrecord.pdf, and submitted electronically, either on a disk to accompany the signed statement, or by e-mail to the Official Reporters of Debates at ‘‘[email protected]’’. Members of the House of Representatives’ statements may also be submitted electronically by e-mail, to accompany the signed statement, and formatted according to the instructions for the Extensions of Remarks template at https://housenet.house.gov/legislative/research-and-reference/transcripts-and-records/electronic-congressional-record-inserts. The Official Reporters will transmit to GPO the template formatted electronic file only after receipt of, and authentication with, the hard copy, and signed manuscript. Deliver statements to the Official Reporters in Room HT–59. Members of Congress desiring to purchase reprints of material submitted for inclusion in the Congressional Record may do so by contacting the Office of Congressional Publishing Services, at the Government Publishing Office, on 512– 0224, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. By order of the Joint Committee on Printing. GREGG HARPER, Chairman. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S8837 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:25 Dec 19, 2015 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 8633 E:\CR\FM\A18DE6.000 S18DEPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S8838 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 18, 2015 INTERNATIONAL MEGAN’S LAW TO financing a bailout of ObamaCare It is now clear that it will take a new PREVENT DEMAND FOR CHILD means we are likely to speed up Amer- President—a new President—to achieve SEX TRAFFICKING ica’s day of liberation from ObamaCare those things for the American people. Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, as well. But we are proving that you can still So here is my view. This legislation I ask unanimous consent that notwith- get a lot done with a President from a helps our economy, helps our national standing passage of H.R. 515, the com- different party. We are proving you can security, and strikes more blows to a mittee-reported title amendment be actually enact significant, long-term partisan health law that hurts the mid- agreed to. reforms, achieve conservative policy dle class. I think it is legislation worth The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without goals, and get them signed into law. supporting. objection, it is so ordered. I am proud of what the new Senate The committee-reported title amend- f has accomplished. I wish to thank the ment was agreed to, as follows: SENATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS many friends across the aisle who joined us in passing so many bipartisan Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘An Act to Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, reforms for the American people. We protect children and others from sexual before I leave the floor, I would like to abuse and exploitation, including sex traf- are not only putting the Senate back say something about last year. The to work; we are putting it back on the ficking and sex tourism, by providing ad- American people voted for a new ma- vance notice of intended travel by registered side of the American people. jority last November. We were humbled sex offenders outside the United States to f the government of the country of destina- to have their support and take the Sen- tion, requesting foreign governments to no- ate in a new direction. The Senate has RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY tify the United States when a known sex of- made great strides in the year since. I LEADER fender is seeking to enter the United States, think we have shown how the Senate The PRESIDING OFFICER. The and for other purposes.’’. can not only get back to work, but also Democratic leader is recognized. f return to a place of higher purpose. We have committees working again. f OMNIBUS LEGISLATION We opened up the legislative process. OMNIBUS LEGISLATION Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, We gave Senators from both parties Mr. REID. Madam President, the ac- we know our constituents are deeply more of a say. As a result, we have got- complishments of the first session of concerned about America’s struggling ten a lot done for the American people. this Senate has been a demonstration economy. So let’s take steps, as the There are numbers that help tell the of what can happen when the minority legislation we will consider proposes, story, such as the fact that this Senate is not trying to block everything. to support more jobs, more oppor- allowed 200 rollcall votes compared to There has been no need this last year tunity, and more economic growth. just 15 last year. But it is the sub- for scores and scores of cloture peti- stance of what we passed that truly Let’s enact permanent tax relief for tions being filed because we didn’t shows what a new and more open Sen- American families and small busi- block things; we rarely did that. In the ate can achieve for the American peo- nesses. Let’s set the table for pro- past, of course, it was done all the ple: replacing No Child Left Behind growth tax reform. Let’s permanently time. So we have demonstrated that it with the most significant K–12 edu- eliminate an energy policy from the is important to have a minority that is cation reform in more than a dozen 1970s that not only costs American jobs responsible. years; addressing crumbling roads and but also strengthens America’s adver- Of course, we know the issues that bridges with the first long-term Trans- saries like Iran and Russia. This will have passed this year are issues that portation bill in a decade; a balanced end the absurd position we are in now, we worked on for a number of years budget for the first time since 2001; where the Iranians, as a result of the and that had been blocked by Repub- help for our veterans; hope for the vic- President’s deal, can export oil and the licans. We are glad to have been part of tims of modern slavery; modernizing United States can’t. changes for our military and its acqui- this Congress and able to move forward Here is something else. We know our sition systems; and notable, bipartisan on a number of issues that have been constituents are deeply concerned reforms for programs like Medicare— languishing for a long time. about America’s national security. So reforms that set a precedent for further Of course, next year we need to do let’s take steps, as the legislation we positive action in the future. more for the middle class. There are will consider proposes, to strengthen We brought a permanent end to more lots of things that we haven’t been able our national security in a dangerous of Washington’s artificial cliffs and to do and should do—minimum wage, world. Let’s help ensure our military manufactured dramas by working to- making sure that my daughter and my has more of the funding it needs to ward real reform instead of just tem- granddaughter are paid the same as a train, equip, and confront the threats porary patches, and we will do that man who does the same work.
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