E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION

Vol. 164 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 No. 64 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was Senator from the State of Mississippi, to per- Now it is time to build on our success called to order by the Honorable CINDY form the duties of the Chair. and better protect vulnerable children, HYDE-SMITH, a Senator from the State ORRIN G. HATCH, so today I will introduce the Pro- of Mississippi. President pro tempore. tecting Moms and Infants Act. This Mrs. HYDE-SMITH thereupon as- legislation directs the Secretary of f sumed the Chair as Acting President HHS to report on the implementation pro tempore. PRAYER of the strategies developed in the pre- f vious bill. It would have the Centers The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- for Disease Control and Prevention de- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY fered the following prayer: velop educational materials to better LEADER Let us pray. inform doctors and expecting mothers God of wisdom and order, who filled The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- about opioid alternatives. It authorizes the universe with mysteries of Your pore. The majority leader is recog- increased funding for competitive Fed- power, restore us to the image of Your nized. eral grants to help organizations ad- glory. Create in us clean hearts, and f dress this particular part of the opioid cleanse us from all unrighteousness. crisis. This bill continues our years- Lord, we thank You for Your life-giv- PROTECTING MOMS AND INFANTS long efforts to protect the most vulner- ing Spirit flowing through us to rein- ACT able. force our faith, hope, and love. Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, I thank Senator CASEY and my col- Inspire our Senators. Give them we all know the grief the opioid crisis league from Kentucky, Congressman truth in their innermost being, a sense produces: broken families, stolen op- BRETT GUTHRIE, who is sponsoring of dedication in their work, and a spirit portunity, lost loved ones. This epi- companion legislation in the House. of cooperation that they may labor to- demic has been especially severe in my gether for the good of this land we Medical professionals, law enforce- home State of Kentucky, claiming ment officials, and many across Ken- love. May they strive to do justly, to lives at a record pace. love mercy, and to walk humbly with tucky are working every day to bring In light of this urgent problem, I am an end to the misery of the opioid epi- You. proud Congress is fighting back. We We pray in Your great Name. Amen. demic. This legislation will continue have passed substantial bipartisan leg- that fight, and I urge my colleagues to f islation to give communities the re- support it. sources they need. The most recent PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE government funding bill provided bil- f The Presiding Officer led the Pledge lions of dollars of additional support. of Allegiance, as follows: But the work to end the suffering con- tinues. NOMINATION OF JAMES I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the BRIDENSTINE United States of America, and to the Repub- One of the most heartbreaking facts lic for which it stands, one nation under God, is the skyrocketing number of infants Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. who are born dependent on opioids. De- yesterday we voted to advance JIM fenseless children start their lives suf- BRIDENSTINE’s nomination to lead the f fering from addiction. That is why in National Aeronautics and Space Ad- APPOINTMENT OF ACTING 2015 I sponsored, along with Senator ministration. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE CASEY, the bipartisan Protecting Our JIM is a decorated pilot and combat Infants Act. As the first law to specifi- veteran. His tenure in the House of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cally address prenatal opioid exposure, Representatives testifies to his under- clerk will please read a communication it directed the Secretary of Health and standing of the issues facing today’s to the Senate from the President pro Human Services to review the subject space program and to his advocacy of tempore (Mr. HATCH). of opioid abuse in prenatal and infant NASA modernization. But, as is often U.S. SENATE, patients. Our bill tasked the Secretary the case, this well-qualified nominee PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, with developing strategies to fill the has waited too long for a vote. NASA Washington, DC, April 19, 2018. To the Senate: gap in opioid research and program- has been led by an Acting Adminis- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, ming and provide recommendations for trator for a record 15 months. So I hope of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby preventing further harm to expecting my colleagues will join me in voting to appoint the Honorable CINDY HYDE-SMITH, a mothers and newborns. confirm JIM BRIDENSTINE today.

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

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VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.000 S19APPT1 S2290 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 NOMINATION OF MIKE POMPEO what we should all want, regardless of omy, and we enacted sweeping tax re- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, party? form to help families and reignite speaking of personnel business, I wish Those who claim to want a larger growth. to say a few words this morning about role for diplomacy should match those What are the early results? Consumer Mike Pompeo, our CIA Director and words with action and vote to approve confidence hit a 14-year high, jobless the President’s extraordinary choice to him. What would be a better example claims a 45-year low—jobless claims, a serve as Secretary of State. of diplomacy than just what we were 45-year low—and millions of Americans In recent days, the world learned talking about—the visit to North receiving bonuses, pay raises, and new that Director Pompeo had undertaken Korea and direct conversations with benefits. Ninety percent of wage earn- initial conversations with Kim Jong Kim Jong Un. ers expected to see lower income taxes Un directly, over the Easter weekend, We all know Mike’s resume. He is a than last year. Ninety percent of wage to discuss denuclearizing the Korean graduate of the U.S. Military Academy earners—lower income tax rates than Peninsula. Obviously, he has the con- and Harvard Law School. He has served last year. fidence of the President—engaged in as a U.S. Army officer, on the House The philosophical difference is espe- the most sensitive undertaking one Intelligence Committee, and as Direc- cially stark in States where one Sen- could imagine in today’s world—and tor of the CIA. In my view, Mike ator votes to let all of this good news yet so many on the other side are sug- Pompeo is uniquely qualified to restore happen, but the other Senator tried to gesting they have reservations about esprit de corps throughout the ranks of stop it from taking place. this outstanding nominee. the Foreign Service. It is hard to imag- Bonnie Brazzeal from Missouri told Pursued with clear-eyed realism and ine a better choice for Secretary of President Trump last month that she clear objectives, this is a worthy effort. State than Mike Pompeo. is using her tax reform bonus to save North Korea has been a perplexing f for retirement. problem for President after President In West Virginia, Sean Farrell says PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCES after President, and Mike Pompeo is on he is using expanded 529 savings eligi- the point of this effort, which hopefully Mr. MCCONNELL. Now, one final bility to afford Catholic school tuition will finally lead to some outcome. Al- matter. We have been talking all week for his children. though every Commander in Chief has about a big philosophical difference be- Chelsee Hatfield from Indiana is insisted it would be unacceptable for tween Democrats and Republicans. Tax using her permanent raise to pay for North Korea to obtain a nuclear-armed reform has thrown it into stark relief. community college classes, working to- intercontinental ballistic missile, it is On the one hand, the Democrats’ gov- ward her associate’s degree. this administration that finds itself erning philosophy is about consoli- At some point, the Democratic Sen- having to actually achieve that objec- dating as much money and power as ators from these States I just men- tive because time has run out. So, as a possible right here in Washington, DC. tioned will have to explain why they matter of policy, it would be hard not Under President Obama, we watched voted to stop all that from happening. to be encouraged by the fact that there Democratic leaders turn every chal- They will have to tell Bonnie and Sean were actually talks—direct talks—un- lenge the country faced into an excuse and Chelsee that they agree with the derway. to raise taxes and impose regulations. Democratic leader, who has said Wash- Based on Director Pompeo’s impres- Our dear friends on the other side are ington knows how to spend money bet- sive record at the CIA, the North Kore- the party of taxation, regulation, and ter than citizens do. ans undoubtedly view him as credible, litigation as well. We saw who wins But, my Republican colleagues and I determined, and insightful. Isn’t that under this top-down philosophy and will stay on the side of the American what we would want in a Secretary of who loses. people. State? The quiet nature of these dis- America did not recover quickly Madam President, I suggest the ab- cussions reflect how serious they were. enough from the great recession, and sence of a quorum. The mission also speaks to Mike the unimpressive growth we did see The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Pompeo’s future as Secretary of State. during the Obama administration was pore. The clerk will call the roll. Here is a man who—through mastery extremely uneven. According to one The senior assistant legislative clerk of the daily briefings he receives, coun- study, nearly three-quarters of the job proceeded to call the roll. sel on our Nation’s most sensitive in- growth and 90 percent of the net popu- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I telligence activities, and proven lead- lation growth from 2010 to 2016 went to ask unanimous consent that the order ership in returning our CIA to the ag- metropolitan areas with more than 1 for the quorum call be rescinded. gressive gathering of foreign intel- million residents. The occupant of the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ligence—has inspired the confidence of Chair and I represent a lot of rural and pore. Without objection, it is so or- not only the national clandestine serv- smalltown folks. They didn’t benefit dered. from whatever job creation there was; ice but, very importantly, the Com- f mander in Chief. Hallmarks of Mike’s it went to the big cities all across leadership are listening, trusting ca- America. In the wealthiest coastal cit- RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY reer staff, acting decisively, and treat- ies, there was some improvement, but LEADER ing everyone fairly. the simple fact is that the Democratic The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- I have recently heard some critics policies left the rest of the country be- pore. The Democratic leader is recog- claim that the Trump administration hind. In small towns and smaller cities nized. places too little emphasis on diplo- and rural areas, opportunities dried up, Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, it macy. In truth, the public statements paychecks stayed flat, and hope for a is good to see the Acting President pro of Secretary Mattis, former Secretary more prosperous future began fading. tempore back in the Chair a second Tillerson, and former National Secu- That is what President Trump and time. rity Advisor McMaster have signaled a this Republican Congress were elected f clear preference for aggressive, real- to change. Our governing philosophy is istic diplomacy over potentially risk- very different. We think that more of NORTH KOREA ing American lives. I have heard Sec- the American people’s hard-earned Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, let retary Mattis say over and over again money should be left in their own me begin by addressing the administra- that the last thing he wants to do is hands—their hands—to spend or save as tion’s ongoing effort to secure a diplo- use the military. He wants to buy time they see fit. We think government matic deal with North Korea to achieve so diplomacy can work. But, regard- needs to give workers and job creators the denuclearization of the Korean Pe- less, in confirming Mike Pompeo as some breathing room. We think every ninsula. Secretary of State, the Senate can en- American community deserves to It is a worthy and ambitious goal. In- sure that the Nation has a chief dip- flourish. So we passed record-setting deed, we should all root for a diplo- lomat who enjoys the complete con- rollbacks of harmful Federal rules that matic resolution to the decades-long fidence of the President. Isn’t that had thrown a wet blanket on the econ- conflict. It is undeniable, however, that

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.002 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2291 this meeting is fraught with peril. My thing this administration hasn’t been down or to create a back channel for primary concern is that the President, able to show with respect to Russia, political interference in ongoing inves- in his penchant for spur-of-the-moment Syria, Yemen, the Middle East, and tigations. It is clear that several Re- decision making, could lead the United other hotspots around the world. publicans, including Chairman GRASS- States into danger in one of two ways. f LEY, Senator TILLIS, Senator GRAHAM, My first concern is that the Presi- and others, see a need to pass this leg- SPECIAL COUNSEL LEGISLATION dent, without a clear or coherent strat- islation. Let them prevail upon the Re- egy, will buy a pile of magic beans, ac- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, on publican leader to reconsider his posi- cepting an agreement—any agree- another topic, I have come to the floor tion. ment—that allows him to declare vic- several times over the past month to I yield the floor. tory. We know what he will say: the document the number of ways in which I suggest the absence of a quorum. greatest compromise ever, greater than this administration has signaled a will- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Versailles, greater than anything. ingness—perhaps a desire—to interfere pore. The clerk will call the roll. Talking is good, but it is very far from with Special Counsel Mueller’s probe The senior assistant legislative clerk an agreement to disarm. into Russian interference in the 2016 proceeded to call the roll. President Trump should not accept a elections. Mr. NELSON. Madam President, I deal that doesn’t include concrete steps Beyond troubling statements from ask unanimous consent that the order to verifiably roll back North Korea’s the White House Press Secretary and for the quorum call be rescinded. nuclear and missile programs, includ- the President’s allies in the media, The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ing those that threaten our allies and President Trump himself has publicly pore. Without objection, it is so or- partners. So that is one concern: that mused about the firing of the special dered. the President accepts any agreement counsel. So while I appreciate that the f because he is just so eager to tout that majority leader believes the President he was a great deal maker and made an would be wrong to fire the special RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME agreement, even if it is a rotten agree- counsel, I believe it is a real mistake The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ment for America. not to pass legislation to protect the pore. Under the previous order, the My second concern is sort of the op- investigation. I sincerely hope Leader leadership time is reserved. posite. My second concern is that the MCCONNELL reconsiders his refusal to President, without a disciplined or co- entertain bringing such a bill to the f herent strategy, will walk away from a floor. It is a bipartisan bill. CONCLUSION OF MORNING bilateral meeting if he doesn’t get ev- I have talked to Members on both BUSINESS sides of the aisle who are worried about erything he wants. There is also the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- a constitutional crisis. We all know the possibility that the President will walk pore. Morning business is closed. away from an agreement after the fact consequence of Presidential inter- if he decides later he is unhappy with ference in the Russian probe and how f it. We have seen him do that on so dire it would be for the rule of law, fun- EXECUTIVE SESSION many occasions. As someone who has damental to our democracy, and the negotiated deals with the President, I constitutional crisis that it would cre- know it is a very real possibility. ate should be avoided at all costs. Un- EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Now, some may say that these are fortunately, there is substantial evi- opposite possibilities. They are, in a dence that the President has thought The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- certain sense. If he takes too little, he about firing the special counsel more pore. Under the previous order, the walks away because he didn’t get ev- than once in the past and may well do Senate will proceed to executive ses- erything. But they are all underlined so in the future. sion and resume consideration of the by one coherent fact: There is no strat- The bipartisan legislation introduced following nomination, which the clerk will report. egy—at least apparent to just about ev- by Senators GRAHAM, COONS, TILLIS, The senior assistant legislative clerk eryone. and BOOKER has no real downsides to it. The President seems to operate on a It would simply provide a legal avenue read the nomination of JAMES whim, saying one thing one day and to restore the special counsel if exist- BRIDENSTINE, of Oklahoma, to be Ad- another thing the next. When there is ing DOJ regulations are breached and ministrator of the National Aero- no coherent strategy, each of these he is fired for political reasons. nautics and Space Administration. dangers is too real. Either scenario So what is the reason not to do it? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- could leave relations with a rogue state Why not head off a constitutional cri- pore. The Senator from Florida is rec- worse and more dangerous than before. sis at the pass rather than waiting ognized. Now, the President said last night at until it is too late? The rule of law is PUERTO RICO BLACKOUT Mar-a-Lago that he would leave a fundamental to the functioning of our Mr. NELSON. Madam President, it is meeting with Kim Jong Un if it wasn’t democracy. Why even flirt with the hard to believe, but the entire island of fruitful. prospect of a President challenging the Puerto Rico yesterday descended into Mr. President, this is not like a busi- very nature of our system of govern- darkness. An excavation happened to ness deal. There is a very real danger ment? hit a main line that cut out the elec- to walking away from a meeting with a So I would urge my friend Leader tricity of the entire island—31⁄2 million nuclear-armed dictator. It could risk MCCONNELL to think twice about this— people—an island that is not a small is- serious escalation. If the United States to think not simply about his respon- land; it is a large island. It was a total is seen as the one walking away from sibilities to his party and not simply blackout. Now, 24 hours later, a large talks, we should be under no illusions about doing what the President might number of the people on the island are that China, Russia, and others will not want, but to our country and our Con- still in the dark. follow suit. stitution. If we think of it in those Tomorrow marks 7 months since We all want to see negotiations with terms, I think it is inevitable that we Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puer- North Korea succeed. If it is true that would want to pass this legislation. to Rico, and yet Puerto Ricans are still North Korea will take its demand for That is because the rule of law is fun- dealing with constant setbacks and un- U.S. troops to leave the Korean Penin- damental to the functioning of our de- reliable power. This is simply unac- sula off the table, that is a good step. mocracy. Why even flirt with the pros- ceptable. Our commitment to the Korean people pect of a President challenging the Senator RUBIO and I have asked the and our alliances with Korea and Japan very nature of our system of govern- Senate Committee on Energy and Nat- are not subject to negotiation. But, I ance and rules? ural Resources Committee to conduct repeat, if these talks are going to truly So I hope the Judiciary Committee an additional oversight hearing on the succeed, the President and his team re- moves forward with the bipartisan bill. overall hurricane recovery and get to quire a coordinated strategy, some- I hope there is no attempt to water it the bottom of this. I understand this

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.003 S19APPT1 S2292 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 hearing will likely take place next what I will talk about in a moment be- voice vote, he was confirmed as the month. cause it comes down to Presidential ap- Secretary of State. In the meantime, this is a widespread pointments and the problems we are A few years later, in 2005, power outage. It is the latest example running into with regard to them. Condoleezza Rice was confirmed as of why so many people who were forced I was not enthused by the nomina- Secretary of State by a vote of 85 to 13. to leave the island after the storm tion. It is nothing personal against Mr. Now, it was still 13 noes, but, nonethe- haven’t been able to return home, even BRIDENSTINE. I feel that NASA is an or- less, it was 85 yeses. I assure you that though they want to. Yet, despite all ganization that needs to be led by a not everyone who voted for her was the island’s ongoing troubles, the Fed- space professional. Unfortunately, a happy about her nomination. People eral Emergency Management Agency, few weeks ago, the Acting Adminis- didn’t necessarily agree with her. One FEMA, said this week it is going to trator resigned—or, I should say, re- of the people who supported her, I be- terminate the transitional shelter as- tired. His last day on the job is the lieve, was future President Barack sistance for more than 1,600 families 30th. So it leaves us with the prospect Obama. across the United States, and 600 of of this incredibly important agency for Hillary Clinton was nominated and them are in my State of Florida. It Florida and the country with a va- confirmed in the Senate by a vote of 94 doesn’t make sense. For too many of cancy in its top job. We are on our sec- to 2, and I promise you that a signifi- these displaced families, the only thing ond Acting Administrator. If one were cant number of the Members on my keeping a roof over their head right to do the math, even if Congressman side of the aisle may have respected now is the FEMA program, and it is BRIDENSTINE were to withdraw and a Secretary Clinton but strongly dis- transitional housing assistance. What new vetting process were to begin for a agreed with her and her views on a that means is, they are either in hotels new nominee, by the time it would number of issues, but, nonetheless, or motels and, in some cases, apart- work its way through the administra- they felt the President deserved to ments, where FEMA is providing them tion, the committee process, and the have his nominee. temporary shelter because they have floor, the way things are going here, we When she resigned, her replacement been displaced from their homes; in could be into February-March, at the was then-Senator Kerry, who was the this case, the island of Puerto Rico. earliest, of next year. There is no way chairman of the Foreign Relations Storms like Hurricane Maria did this NASA can go 2 years and X number of Committee, with whom I had signifi- to the island of Puerto Rico. We have a months without having a permanent cant policy disagreements in the Sen- responsibility to provide them with all Administrator. ate and during his time as Secretary of the assistance we can. Senator RUBIO One makes these decisions always State. Yet I, along with 93 other Mem- and I sent a letter to the FEMA Ad- under the context that a President bers of the Senate, supported his nomi- ministrator and to Governor Rossello, should have significant discretion in nation, and he was confirmed. the Governor of Puerto Rico, urging picking the team. Whether you like it NOMINATION OF MIKE POMPEO them to work together to extend this or not, millions of Americans last year Madam President, we now have the vital program. At the very least, be- voted for the President. He was elected, Director of the Central Intelligence cause there are so many of these fami- and he has a right to govern. In 4 Agency—a man who is clearly quali- lies who have children in school, to ex- years—in less than 4 years now, in 21⁄2 fied. He is a graduate of the U.S. Mili- tend it to the end of the school year so years—the American people will have tary Academy, a person who has served the family doesn’t have to be uprooted the chance, once again, through our this country in uniform, who has while their child is still in school. democratic process, to opine on wheth- served his country in Congress, who I am happy to report that Governor er or not they will want him to have a has been successful in the private sec- Rossello has made that formal request second term. Our job here is to provide tor, and who has served as the Director to FEMA. The deadline is tomorrow. advice and consent. We are to analyze of the Central Intelligence Agency. Hopefully, FEMA is listening to the these nominees and determine whether We have learned over the last couple Governor and to the pleas of Senator or not we want to support them. of days that the President has signifi- RUBIO and me as well because students My view of it is, as has been the tra- cant trust in him, so much so that he and families have had endless disrup- dition of the Senate for the entire ex- was willing to send him privately to tions and need some semblance of sta- istence of the Republic, that we give begin setting the stage for, perhaps, bility so they can finish out the year. great deference to the President on the most important short-term diplo- The hard fact is this. The situation choosing the qualifications. We want to matic engagement this country will in Puerto Rico is far from over. These make sure that people are qualified and have with North Korea. By the way, are our fellow U.S. American citizens, that there is nothing about them that one of the most important things you and they desperately need our help. We would disqualify them. It is my view want in a Secretary of State is for the should be providing them with all the that the more important the job the President to have confidence in him. help we can. more discretion the President deserves. You have to have someone who, when Mr. President, I want to speak on an- It is why, although I had significant he goes abroad and meets with people, other topic. reservations about the nomination of the people know he has the President’s (The remarks of Senator NELSON per- Secretary Tillerson, I decided to sup- ear and speaks for the administration. taining to the introduction of S. 2720 port it, because I believed the Presi- Mike Pompeo clearly has that. Yet we are printed in today’s RECORD under dent deserved significant discretion. face the prospect of significant opposi- ‘‘Statements on Introduced Bills and When you get to the subsecretaries and tion to the point at which there are Joint Resolutions.’’) the like, I think that discretion dimin- questions about whether it will pass in Mr. NELSON. I yield the floor. ishes. the committee. Although, I think it I suggest the absence of a quorum. It is what has led me to decide to will pass on the floor. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- support Congressman BRIDENSTINE, de- I hope people will recalibrate their pore. The clerk will call the roll. spite my reservations, and it is what, I thinking. I don’t think you have to The senior assistant legislative clerk hope, will lead my colleagues—at least agree with Mike Pompeo. You most proceeded to call the roll. a sufficient number—to support the certainly don’t have to feel that he is Mr. RUBIO. Madam President, I ask nomination of Mike Pompeo to be the the person you would have picked had unanimous consent that the order for Secretary of State. you been President. You need to recog- the quorum call be rescinded. Let me read you some of the previous nize that you are not the President, The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- votes we have had here in the Senate. and none of us here are the President. pore. Without objection, it is so or- All but one of them predates my serv- The President deserves to have a team dered. ice. of people whom he trusts and can work Mr. RUBIO. Madam President, we are Colin Powell was confirmed by a with and who are qualified. I do not be- on the nomination of Congressman voice vote, which is almost unimagi- lieve anyone could argue that Mike BRIDENSTINE to be the new Adminis- nable in a 21st century Senate, but in Pompeo is not qualified. He is certainly trator at NASA. I want to tie it into 2001, on January 20, by a unanimous as qualified—in fact, I would argue

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.004 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2293 more qualified—as the person whom he ment of Venezuela—of the Government going to take some for yourself so that would replace in terms of experience in of Maduro—protect him, facilitate him. your family gets to eat. his field. I hope people understand that The people who are supposed to be Then they have the sick process and are willing to be a little bit flexi- stopping him are helping him. It is a where, in order for you to get food from ble about this. racket. It resembles organized crime. the government, you have to show up I understand the interest groups are That is what Maduro does. with your government-issued ID in ginning up. Listen, we have the same We have seen an incredible surge in Venezuela. They know who the govern- thing on our side of the aisle. In full coca production in Colombia to his- ment supporters are, and they know disclosure and candor, when President toric levels over the last couple of who isn’t. They know who turns out to Obama was the President, there were years, and it is headed here, to a nation vote, and they know who doesn’t. It is interest groups on the right of center that is already struggling with an a fraudulent election, by the way, be- who constantly pressured Congress to opioid crisis. We are about to be flood- cause ultimately they will manipulate oppose everything, not just legislation ed with cheap cocaine once again, and it as they have done before. So imagine but also nominees. I assure you that I a significant amount of it will be traf- that they know you didn’t vote for did not get a lot of love mail when I de- ficked into this country with the aid, them. They know how you voted be- cided to support Senator Kerry at the the assistance, and the support of the cause they monitor the machines. If time. But it was the right thing to do dictator in Venezuela. That is a threat you support the government, you get because he was clearly qualified, and to the United States and to the region. food, and if you don’t, you don’t get that is who the President wanted. I No. 2, he is a threat to the United food. That is why he doesn’t want food hope that that is what we will do in States and to the region because he has coming in. The third is that we are engaged in this case in confirming Mike Pompeo, triggered a migratory crisis that is de- what, I believe, is global competition because this Nation faces some very stabilizing all of Venezuela’s neighbors, or a battle between authoritarianism significant challenges in foreign policy primarily Colombia, which each day is and democracy. There is a rise in the that need to be immediately addressed, absorbing tens of thousands of people threat of authoritarianism in Turkey, and we simply cannot do that without fleeing starvation and rampant disease, in the Philippines, obviously in China a Secretary of State. unlike anything we have ever seen, ab- and Russia, and in this hemisphere it is For me, that became quite apparent sent a natural disaster in this hemi- Venezuela. Venezuela is openly attack- this weekend. I happened to travel to sphere. It is destabilizing countries ing the regional democratic order. Lima, Peru, for the Summit of the that are already struggling. They have basically canceled their Americas. The Vice President attended Colombia is already struggling to try Constitution. They have tried to re- on the President’s behalf because of the to deal with drug trafficking groups place the democratically elected na- situation in Syria, and the Deputy Sec- that are, in many parts of that coun- tional assembly. They have removed retary of State, Mr. SULLIVAN, was try, more powerful than the govern- the legitimate judiciary branch and re- there and did a good job, but there is ment in some areas and the demobili- placed it with loyalists of their own. zation of the FARC and another ter- no replacement for a Secretary of Fourth, there is a growing body of State. We had no Secretary of State at rorist group called the ELN. We have evidence that the Maduro regime pro- the summit. The key issue—one that, I invested, along with our Colombian vides a platform for the enemies of the think, Director Pompeo, if confirmed partners, millions and millions of security of the United States, includ- as Secretary, could help with—is the American taxpayer dollars to help Co- ing Russia and Hezbollah. situation in Venezuela. lombia, which, just a decade and a half The spillover effects are undermining VENEZUELA ago, was on the verge of being a failed our efforts and the efforts of our re- Madam President, I understand that state. We helped them to succeed. They gional partners to promote democracy, the headlines are dominated by events are among our best allies in the world human rights, and stability in our own in the Middle East and by the geo- and, certainly, if not our best, one of backyard in our hemisphere. That was political and economic and trade con- the best, top-of-the-list allies in the apparent last week at the Summit of flict between the United States and Western Hemisphere. They are being the Americas, where a growing number China, but I do want to take a moment destabilized because they are absorbing of countries—Argentina, Brazil, Peru— to talk about something that I have tens of thousands of migrants a day are making incredible strides and con- been speaking about on the floor of the who are fleeing not just political op- tinue to build upon the democratic Senate for the better part of 41⁄2 years. pression but starvation. structures they have in place. The Pe- It is one that I know that Director Healthcare experts are telling us that ruvian President recently had to resign Pompeo knows well, as we have talked children in Venezuela will not fully de- after a previous President resigned be- about it extensively, and that is the velop physically to their full potential cause the rule of law is working. In growing catastrophe that is Venezuela. because they are malnourished today. Brazil, it is the same thing. They are To begin, I want to say clearly that Infants, newborns are dying in cribs going to have elections this year in we should care about it simply because and in hospitals because of a lack of Mexico, in Brazil, in Colombia. These that catastrophe has become a threat medicine and because of a lack of food. will be legitimate elections. They may to the United States and to the region. These are images that we are used to elect someone who agrees with us 50 What do I mean by that? seeing in other parts of the world, and percent of the time, and they may elect First, the regime in control, Nicolas it breaks our hearts when it happens someone who agrees with us 90 percent Maduro’s, is a state sponsor of drug somewhere else. This is happening in of the time, but they will elect some- trafficking. It is very simple. What I our hemisphere, and it is all man-made one. Yet, in stark contrast to that, is mean by that is this: Drug trafficking in one of the richest countries in the basically a coup d’etat that has oc- networks enjoy the protection of the hemisphere—the most oil-rich country curred in Venezuela, where a small Venezuelan Government. In fact, one of on the planet that just a few years ago group of people have canceled the the concessions—literally, one of the was one of the most prosperous econo- democratic order or at least they have contracts—that the Maduro regime mies in the entire region. tried to. gives its cronies and loyalists is drug People are starving, and they are In all of this, there is great news; trafficking networks. starving because of a man-made crisis. that is, for the first time in recent A drug trafficker who wants to move The Maduro regime uses food as a memory, the democracies of the region coca out through Colombia, into Ven- weapon. No. 1, one of the other conces- have come together to act on this. It ezuela, and then into the Caribbean or sions it gives the cronies around began with the so-called Lima Group, Europe will find the right general or Maduro is that if they are loyalists, he which is a collection of countries that the right individual in the Maduro gov- puts them in charge of food distribu- make up the overwhelming majority of ernment, and that individual will en- tion. What does that mean? That the economic power and the population sure that his plane is not shot down means you can siphon the food into the size of the hemisphere. They have long and that, in fact, the military and the black market where you can make an banded together to criticize the demo- government organisms of the Govern- exorbitant profit. You obviously are cratic order. We are not even officially

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.006 S19APPT1 S2294 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 a member of it, but they have been sup- tilateral way the pressure on the States and our partners to help rebuild portive of the moves made by this ad- Maduro regime, and the way we should the disaster and the catastrophe that ministration to target Maduro. do that is by coordinating these na- the Maduro regime will leave behind. Well, last week at the summit, all tional-level sanctions that target We also need to help empower legiti- the members of the Lima Group, plus criminal elements of the Maduro re- mate institutions. When we talk about two—the Bahamas and the Government gime—target these drug traffickers, the Venezuelan opposition, what we of the United States—issued a joint target the people who are trafficking in need to understand is that these are statement rejecting the sham Presi- the food and controlling the food dis- not rebels in a mountain; these are the dential vote on May 20 in favor of free tribution for their own purposes, target National Assembly elected by their elections and strongly urging the Ven- the shell companies they are using to people. It would be as if a parallel Sen- ezuelan dictatorship to release all po- make money, store their money, and ate were created and we were no longer litical prisoners. The problem, as I met hide their money. If all of these na- paid salaries, had staff, often no longer with members of civil society and the tions did that, encompassing the U.S. allowed to meet, and our laws were no legitimate elected representatives in financial sector—the Brazilian, the Co- longer given the force of law. That is the National Assembly of Venezuela, is lombian, the Panamanian banking sec- what has happened, but the National that we have reached an inflection tors, which will be critical in this—it Assembly is there. We need to support point now. Statements, letters, com- would provide increasing pressure on them. We need to make clear they are muniques are fine, but the time to act that regime and on Maduro’s loyalists the legitimate representatives of the is now because people are dying. They to break. The goal is to maximize the Venezuelan people—the only leaders in are starving to death. The humani- pain felt by these corrupt, oppressive, that government today, along with tarian crisis alone compels us to take and illegitimate government officials. some of the Governors who were legiti- action. The second thing we need to do is ad- mately elected under the Venezuelan The question posed to me is: Well, dress the humanitarian crisis, which is Constitution. They are having a prob- what can we do? Some of the tradi- spiraling out of control. As I have said lem, by the way. When they show up at tional ideas that people roll out there already, three to four million Ven- our Embassy in Venezuela, they are are additional sanctions. Sure, but ezuelans have fled their country to es- being denied visas to travel abroad. At there is more that can be done, and I cape starvation, deprivation, violence. a minimum, we should be granting want to quickly highlight what I hope Neighboring states are bearing dis- them visas to travel abroad, recog- will be the three things that happen. proportional burdens, and they need nizing them as fellow Parliamentarians The first is—well, let’s decide first on help in doing so. I think we need to who have a right to speak on behalf of a forum. The ideal forum to deal with continue to provide that assistance. the people of Venezuela. this is a multilateral organization cre- Ultimately, the answer to Ven- The other thing we need to do is co- ated specifically for the purpose of de- ezuela’s future is not outside of Ven- operate with the real equivalent of a fending democracy in the Western ezuela, but it is inside of it. That is Supreme Court—many of whom are hemisphere. That is called the Organi- why it is my hope that the priority of now in exile but who continue to meet. zation of American States. It is a group this new group—the Lima Group, plus That is their credible and legitimate of 34 nations, and it was designed to at least one, the United States—would judicial system, and we should be co- deal exactly with this. Sadly, there is a be to open up a humanitarian corridor operating with them and helping them. small—and I mean a very small minor- that allows food and medicine to go in- They have all sorts of information ity—of some of the smallest countries side Venezuela, and it can be distrib- about corruption that implicates Ven- in the OAS, particularly in the Carib- uted by a nongovernmental organiza- ezuelan activities in the United States. bean, that frankly have been bribed tion. Put the Catholic Church in I will close with this. The dictator- and/or compromised from voting charge or the Red Cross. It can’t be the ship in Venezuela knows and the people against the Maduro regime because ei- Maduro government; they will steal it. who surround Nicholas Maduro know ther they continue to receive cheap oil In fact, they will not even allow it. The they are on borrowed time. It is our ob- in dwindling amounts or their leaders Maduro regime will not allow humani- ligation to expedite that, not through a in this government or the previous one tarian aid to come in because, one, military intervention, not through basically stole the money and the oil, they would lose the leverage of using simple unilateral sanctions—which I and now the Venezuelans know it, and food and medicine against their people support, and we are prepared to con- they are going to release it publicly if and, two, they would have to acknowl- tinue to do—but ideally through an these guys break from them. A small edge they have a crisis. We must do all international, multinational, regional number of these countries representing we can to force that avenue to open so effort in which the United States is a less than 10 or 15 percent—maybe even that we can deliver food and medicine partner with our allies in the region. less than 10 percent—of the population to the people who are dying and starv- We should continue to pressure the re- of the region have banded together to ing. They are dying of simple diseases gime with sanctions, to deliver human- prevent the OAS from expelling Ven- for a lack of basic medicine. itarian aid inside and outside of Ven- ezuela, a dictatorship, from the OAS, It is critical to let the people of Ven- ezuela, and to create the mechanisms an organization of democracies. I don’t ezuela know that food, medicine, and to rebuild that country’s institutions think we should give up on the OAS. international aid are ready to be deliv- and its economy. This is an oppor- We should continue to try for the OAS ered to their country by putting up pic- tunity for regional leadership. to be the forum for the plan I am about tures of the trucks and the warehouses At a time when democracy and to outline. But if that doesn’t work, showing that all of this food and all of authoritarianism are in conflict all then there has to be an alternative, these medicines are ready to come in, over the world, this is an opportunity and the alternative should be the Lima and the only thing standing in the way to deliver a decisive blow to Group, plus at least one—the United is the corrupt, evil government that authoritarianism in our hemisphere. It States. What I hope will happen is that today has empowered itself in their na- cannot happen with America alone, but the Lima Group will meet before or tion. it cannot happen without American shortly after the May election and that The third thing we need to be doing leadership. This is the plan I hope we it will be a meeting of Treasury Min- as part of this plan is preparing to help will pursue. This is the method I hope isters, Foreign Ministers or both, rebuild a free and democratic Ven- we will use, but to do it we need a which is why we need a Secretary of ezuela after Maduro leaves power. The strong leader at the Department of State to be there, to chart a regional third goal I hope this gathering will State to be a catalyst for all of this. approach on a way forward to Ven- reach is a consensus and an agreement This is why I urge my colleagues to ezuela. that we will set up the equivalent of a rally and support doing something Here is what I believe that regional Marshall Plan for Venezuela that in- about Venezuela, and one of the best approach should be. No. 1 is that we cludes investment from the Inter- ways we can do that right now is to must collectively announce that we are American Development Bank and sig- confirm Mike Pompeo as the next Sec- going to continue to increase in a mul- nificant contributions from the United retary of State.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.007 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2295 With that, I yield the floor. tise in these fields. It is downright dan- and I know he is just the man for this The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SUL- gerous to have someone without this really important undertaking. LIVAN). The Senator from Hawaii. expertise with this kind of authority. Let us review his record. The record Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, NASA is Frankly, it is even more frightening to shows that JIM BRIDENSTINE’s service a science agency. Its mission is to ad- have a leader who has made a career to our country is matched only by his vance science, technology, aeronautics, out of ignoring scientific expertise. eagerness to press the boundaries of and space exploration and enhance JAMES BRIDENSTINE is a climate de- sky and space. knowledge, education, innovation, eco- nier with no scientific background who JIM BRIDENSTINE is a veteran Navy nomic vitality, and stewardship of the has made a career out of ignoring pilot who flew combat missions in Iraq mission. That is the mission. That is science. Now I also don’t have a sci- and in Afghanistan. He logged 1,900 why past NASA Administrators have entific background, but I defer to sci- flight hours over his 9 years of Active been accomplished leaders in the fields entists. I rely on the scientific con- service, and he is still a Lieutenant of government, aviation, and science. sensus, and the scientific consensus is Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. The NASA Administrator in Presi- not what Mr. BRIDENSTINE says, which Following his military service, JIM dent Obama’s administration was is that it is sort of difficult to tell how BRIDENSTINE worked as the executive Charles Bolden. He has a master of much climate change is attributable to director of the Tulsa Air and Space science degree. He was an astronaut human activity. The scientific con- Museum. He even owned a team in the and commanding general in the U.S. sensus is that climate change is caused ambitious but short-lived Rocket Rac- Air Force. President George W. Bush primarily by human activity, and JIM ing League. Since his first term in Congress 6 had two Administrators during his BRIDENSTINE doesn’t say that is true, years ago, Congressman BRIDENSTINE Presidency. Michael Griffin was a phys- and that is terrifying. Forget our views has served on the House Science, icist and aerospace engineer who for the moment about what kind of en- Space, and Technology Committee. helped to design missile defense tech- ergy picture we think America should From that position, he has been a nology satellites early in his career. pursue. This is about whether you are thoughtful leader on American space Sean O’Keefe was an engineer in the going to rely upon people who actually policy as it relates to national secu- Navy who worked on nuclear sub- know things or you are going to rely rity, commerce, and weather fore- marines. Before leading NASA, he upon your own politics and ideology. served as Deputy Director of OMB, Sec- casting. When you have final launch authority, The name of his latest bill on these retary of the Navy, and Comptroller for you better rely on science. subjects speaks to JIM BRIDENSTINE’s the Department of Defense. Daniel During his confirmation hearing, Mr. ambitious vision for the future: the Golden was a mechanical engineer who BRIDENSTINE testified that he did not American Space Renaissance Act. If previously had been a vice president at know about the scientific consensus on ever there were a need for a renais- a space and technology company. He climate change. He suggested there sance in space, it is now because who was nominated by President George were other contributing factors that can deny that ever since Neil Arm- H.W. Bush and also served under Presi- played more of a role, but the fact is strong’s fateful ‘‘one small step’’ in dents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. this. Almost every climate scientist— 1969, America has, in some respects, Richard Truly served as vice admiral in 97 percent of all climate scientists, to been retreating from space? the Navy before he became the first be exact—have concluded that humans Just 12 years separates the start of former astronaut to head the space are the primary cause of climate the space race from man’s first footfall agency under George H.W. Bush. change. So there are two explanations on the Moon. It has been almost 50 The reason we are having a robust for his answer. Either Mr. BRIDENSTINE years since then, and it is unclear that debate about Mr. JAMES BRIDENSTINE has not bothered to read up on the sci- we could go back to the Moon if we to lead NASA is that this is the first entific consensus on the most pressing wanted to in a short period of time. As time in history we have someone with- scientific issue of our generation or he Vice President PENCE pointed out re- out similar qualifications to run such does not agree with that scientific con- cently, we have not sent an American an important agency. sensus. Either explanation makes him beyond low-Earth orbit in 45 years. JIM BRIDENSTINE, the nominee we are unqualified to run NASA. In a humiliating reversal of sorts, considering, served as a Navy pilot, and I want to end by reading a few quotes America now relies on Russia to carry I thank him for his service, but that from one of my Republican colleagues. our astronauts to the International does not qualify him to run NASA. My colleague said that NASA is ‘‘the Space Station because we shuttered Just because you know how to fly a one federal mission which has largely our own shuttle space program in 2011. plane does not mean you have the been free of politics, and it’s at a crit- In other words, after America won the skills and experience to lead the Fed- ical juncture in its history.’’ He also space race and after America won the eral Government’s space agency. said any NASA Administrator would Cold War in one fell swoop, we gave I am not alone in that opinion. A need to have the ‘‘respect of the people away the distinction of manned space NASA consultant wrote that Mr. who work there from a leadership and flight to the second-place finisher. BRIDENSTINE does not have ‘‘significant even a scientific perspective.’’ He also NASA’s decline and disrepair is a knowledge and experience with how said Mr. BRIDENSTINE would add to the great tragedy, but it is not all I see NASA works’’ or ‘‘deep technical politicization of NASA and that NASA, when I survey the horizon, and I know knowledge in aerospace systems.’’ at this critical stage in its history, this is true of Congressman There are a lot of things a NASA Ad- can’t afford that. BRIDENSTINE as well. I see no reason ministrator has to do. Most of it is gov- I agree with my Republican col- why America, in all of her ingenuity erned by law, and I expect anybody league. I urge every Member of the and might, cannot be the dominant who is confirmed will follow the law, Senate to give NASA the leader it leader in space once again. Indeed, I see but the most solemn and serious re- needs and to vote no on this confirma- plenty of areas where this trans- sponsibility that the NASA Adminis- tion. formation is already underway. trator has is final launch authority. A I yield the floor. In government, President Trump has launch is a culmination of work by The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- signaled his commitment to American thousands of people over many years. If ator from Utah. leadership in space by relaunching the something goes wrong, we could lose a Mr. LEE. Mr. President, later today National Space Council, which met for payload that is worth millions of dol- this body will vote to confirm my the first time last fall. Outside of gov- lars or is, in fact, irreplaceable. People friend JIM BRIDENSTINE to be the next ernment, private enterprise is pressing could die. That is why this job requires NASA Administrator. In that position, the boundaries of commercial space someone with good judgment and an he will be in charge of rebuilding a flight every single day. In the deserts understanding of all of the elements space program that reflects the pio- of Utah, innovators like ATK are pio- that go into a space launch. That is neering spirit and determination of the neering the next generation of rocket why we have always had NASA admin- American people. I have known Con- engines and space superiority capabili- istrators who have demonstrable exper- gressman BRIDENSTINE for a long time, ties. Just yesterday, the world watched

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.008 S19APPT1 S2296 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 in awe as a SpaceX rocket flung a plan- by a vote of 94 to 3. Obviously, John We have had cultural issues at the et-hunting NASA satellite into orbit. Kerry, my friend, no doubt, had been State Department, there is no ques- Its mission complete, the rocket boost- involved in partisan activities. He ran tion. I think everyone understands er piloted itself back to Earth for for President. He is someone, no doubt, that. Our former Secretary of State is reuse, landing nimbly on a drone ship who I am sure has said things people someone with whom I had a good rela- floating out in the Atlantic Ocean. did not agree with. tionship. No doubt there were some Achievements such as these prove Secretary Clinton was confirmed as things that were left undone at the that Americans are still awed, still Secretary of State by a vote of 94 to 2— State Department. We have a lot of po- starstruck, by space exploration and no doubt, the same case. I am sure she sitions that are unfilled. All I can say all the opportunities it provides. said things many Republicans dis- is that I know our nominee is highly A new era of leaders can restore this agreed with when she was a political committed to promptly filling those sense of ambition in government. In person as a U.S. Senator running for positions. We have some culture issues the halls outside this Chamber, the President. there as a result. We do, there is no Senate has a constant reminder of the Condoleezza Rice was confirmed to be question. We know that. We acknowl- importance of the space program. I Secretary of State in a vote of 85 to 13, edge that. refer to the commemorative mural this and Colin Powell was unanimously con- As head of the CIA, every month body commissioned in the wake of the firmed as Secretary of State. So we Mike Pompeo sits down with CIA em- Challenger disaster. have had a history of the last Secre- ployees in a casual setting where they The mural depicts the crew looking taries of State to be overwhelmingly call him Mike, and they talk with him expectantly, hopefully, off into the fu- confirmed. about what is going on. He is a person ture. Behind them is the shuttle that I realize we are in an atmosphere now who knows how to build culture. He carried them to Heaven, and the world where that is just not going to be the has done so at the CIA. He understands is in their hands. case. I realize that my Democratic the importance of the professionals The Challenger Seven gave their friends in many cases feel that in sup- who have committed their lives—just lives in order to advance America’s porting Pompeo, it is a proxy for sup- like the Foreign Service officers at the space program. They knew the risks— port of the Trump administration poli- State Department—to the CIA. So we greater practically than those associ- cies, which many of them abhor. I un- have someone who I know is going to derstand that. There will be a few ated with any other profession on build culture. We have someone who I Democrats who I believe will support Earth or beyond it—but they also knew know is committed to diplomacy. the mission was worth it because it him. Let’s talk about where we are in the I want to say to people in this room, contributed significantly to their Na- world today. We have crises all over our President has very entrepreneurial tion and to all mankind. the world. We have issues with North tendencies. He talks to people on the What will it say about us if we fail to Korea, Syria, Russia, concerns about phone late at night. He comes in in the carry on the mission they undertook, if some of the things China has done, morning sometimes with differing instead of exploring the infinite fron- Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq. Who in points of view than he had the day be- tier, we remain here below, passing the the world can possibly know more cur- fore. We had evidence of that recently torch of exploration to some other rently about where we are than our Di- on Syria, where one day, we are going power? I don’t want to contemplate to leave Syria, and the next day, Gen- rector of the CIA? I can’t imagine there that future, and I don’t want to believe eral Mattis and others intervened, and is a person in Washington who has the American people do either. thankfully we are going to stay there more current knowledge about Claiming our right to a place in the threats—the people involved in those stars will require an effort spanning and complete the work we are doing against ISIS. threats, the people we can use to help many years and several Presidential I would argue to people here that we us deal with those threats—than the administrations. We can begin that un- need to have someone like Mike Director of the CIA. There could be no dertaking today by confirming a leader Pompeo, who serves the Nation so well. one here more qualified or more knowl- with a remarkable record of service to This is a person, by the way, who edgeable to step in immediately and our country, a vision for the American graduated first in his class at the U.S. deal with the kinds of issues we have to space program that is big not small, Military Academy, West Point, in 1986. deal with around the world. and a genuine faith in his country that He served as a cavalry officer patrol- Look at what has happened in North is as boundless as the heavens. That ling the Iron Curtain before the fall of Korea just recently. We know that the man is JIM BRIDENSTINE. Let’s confirm the Berlin Wall. He also served with back channels to North Korea have al- him. Let’s confirm him today. the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry, in the ways been through intelligence. We un- I urge my colleagues to confirm JIM U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division. derstand that. He was exactly the right BRIDENSTINE without obstruction, After leaving Active Duty, Mr. Pompeo person to be there to talk and do the without delay. graduated from Harvard Law School, precursor work that needs to be done. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- having been editor of the Harvard Law Many others need to be involved—Sec- ator from Tennessee. Review. retary of Energy, Secretary of Defense; NOMINATION OF MIKE POMPEO Sometimes we meet people in life many other people, obviously—but Di- Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, thank who are just sharper than we are, who rector Pompeo was exactly the right you for acknowledging me and letting have had an incredible academic back- person to go and demonstrate his abil- me speak on behalf of our nominee to ground. I can’t even imagine having ac- ity to be dealt with with respect. be Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. complished some of the things he has I will be leaving this body in 81⁄2 I did not know Mike Pompeo well. As accomplished in life. months. It has been the greatest privi- a matter of fact, I am not sure I ever I know the Presiding Officer served, lege of my life to serve here. As I said met him until he was nominated. I just thankfully. We appreciate that he to my Republican colleagues yesterday want to say to the people in this body, served in our military. People who at lunch, I actually think the talent I don’t think anybody would view me have served in the military typically and the caliber of people here in the as an apologist in any way for the ad- have more respect for diplomacy than Senate have risen since I have been ministration, and I view Mike Pompeo those who have not because they un- here. I think we have the best group of as a highly qualified nominee. I spent a derstand that their diplomatic effort, if Senators today serving in the Senate lot of time with him privately and on successful, is the thing that keeps our that we have had since I have been the phone. He did, I thought, an excel- men and women out of harm’s way. here. I see a crop of people running for lent job in his hearing. They know that. Pompeo is committed these seats, and I think it may even We have had a tradition of con- to that. He was there at the Iron Cur- improve next time. firming people to important positions. tain and understood what diplomacy It pains me to know that my friends Just to give a little history, John did to free people and keep conflict on the other side of the aisle know that Kerry was confirmed as Secretary of from occurring. I know he is highly this is a qualified person, this is a per- State by Republicans and Democrats committed to that. son who has demonstrated incredible

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.010 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2297 excellence in his life—he served his sent us all kinds of information and en- esting that there has been all this de- country. He has been in the private dorsements about JIM BRIDENSTINE bate about Mike Pompeo. sector. He served in this body; he was a leading NASA and being the next Ad- Mike Pompeo is a friend. He and I Congressman. Now he has distin- ministrator. came to the House of Representatives guished himself with his service as Di- There has been a lot of support from together and served in the House begin- rector of the CIA. By the way, in this around the country and from multiple ning in 2011. I got to know him for who position, I know many of my Demo- individuals—former NASA Administra- he really is. cratic friends have lavished praise on tors, former astronauts, individuals I have been amazed at the smears in him because of his transparency and who have risen up—but I still have peo- the press and the attacks on his per- honesty in dealing with them but also ple who bump into me and say: I don’t sonal character. Every time I read one the way he has built an excellent cul- know who he is. Well, I get that. He is of those, I think, this is a person who ture there. a Congressman from Tulsa, OK. Let me has never met Mike Pompeo. We will have a vote on Monday night give just a little bit of background so The best way to evaluate Mike in the committee. I hope we are able to you will have some perspective on him. Pompeo is not just on his background— send him out of committee and to the JIM BRIDENSTINE began his naval ca- small things like graduating first in floor. I hope that the Members on the reer flying the E–2C Hawkeye off the his class from West Point, his military other side of the aisle who have not yet USS Abraham Lincoln. As a naval avi- service, his time in professional busi- said how they are going to vote will ator, he had 333 carrier-arrested land- ness, his time serving as a House Mem- think about the circumstances we are ings. He has had 1,900 flight hours in ber, the excellent work he has done in today and feel that they can support total. While on Active Duty, he over the last year leading our CIA, the a highly qualified Secretary of State transitioned to the F/A–18 Hornet and cool hand he has been in the middle of because they know that having some- flew at the Naval Strike. He flew for the chaos, trying to deal with all of the one like him giving advice to the Presi- TOPGUN. He served in Afghanistan. He issues right now in Washington, DC— dent, leading diplomacy, making sure served in Iraq. He served in our drug when you look at him, those are all the State Department, with the great interdiction work in Central and South good marks. professionals we have there, is given America, flying there. He has had a Quite frankly, one of the things I the ability to do what it does best by pretty remarkable naval career. would want to come back to you and leveraging its efforts around the He graduated from Rice University, say is, meet him. For those of you in world—I hope that people will think which is no simple thing to do. He this body who doubt, who are willing to about this and realize that we are graduated with a triple major when he read a media story that has taken one much better as a nation having Mike finished at Rice University. He has an thing he said at some point out of con- Pompeo as Secretary of State than not MBA from Cornell University. He is ex- text, I would encourage you to meet having him as Secretary of State and tremely smart, and he is extremely en- him and actually have that conversa- will vote aye on the floor. gaged. tion. You are going to find a fine leader I thank the Presiding Officer. He has been very attentive to the who is dedicated to helping our Nation, I yield the floor. issues of space. Serving in the House of who has done it on the battlefield, who The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Representatives, he has made his focus has done it as a Representative, who ator from Oklahoma. space and research and trying to re- has done it as the Director of the CIA, Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, I rise align NASA into being mission-focused. and who will do an incredible job help- today to talk with this body about the Some have said that NASA in some NASA Administrator. ing us diplomatically and worldwide in Later today, we are going to have a ways has lost its focus of what it exist the State Department. vote that is extremely important for for. JIM BRIDENSTINE has been very, I am looking forward to supporting the future of NASA and the future of very passionate in trying to get NASA his nomination—not because I am a space exploration, what we are going to back on focus with a big vision and a Republican and it is a Republican nom- do with our satellites, what we are big mission. He has done that with ination but because he is a quality in- going to do on climate issues, and what multiple different bills that he has dividual who genuinely wants to help we are going to do on weather. All of worked through, but he has also done the country and who I think will up- those are related to NASA. that in trying to articulate to the hold extremely well the history of di- JIM BRIDENSTINE, who is a friend and space community why it is extremely plomacy we have had in the United who is a fellow Oklahoman, the current important that we have a good, solid, States. Congressman from Tulsa, OK—Okla- and functioning NASA in all of its I yield back. homa’s 1st District—is the person the areas of operation. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- President has tapped to say: That is He has the support of our delegation. ator from Oklahoma. the person I support to be the next He has the support of many in the Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, let me NASA Administrator. space industry. He has the support of wholeheartedly agree with the Senator He has for months and months and former NASA Administrators. He has from Oklahoma on Mike Pompeo, as months gone through the process. He the support of former astronauts. And well as the comments he has made has gone through committee hearings he should have the support of this body about JIM BRIDENSTINE. and has gotten all kinds of support. today. ANNIVERSARY OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING The committees he served on in the We will vote on him at 1:45. NASA’s I would like to deviate just a little House of Representatives sent a bipar- Acting Administrator is in the process bit, though, and remind people that tisan letter with wide majorities to the of retiring right now. Not only should this is April 19, the anniversary of what Senate saying: We have worked with JIM be here, but we should not have could be characterized as the greatest JIM BRIDENSTINE. He is exceptionally taken this long to actually get to this domestic terrorist attack in history. It knowledgeable about issues on space. spot. It has taken 8 months to get to a was in our State of Oklahoma at the He is a great choice. vote on a NASA Administrator. Let’s Alfred P. Murrah office building, and They sent that letter over from the get him on this task, and let’s get him 168 people were killed—many of those House to the Senate. going. We need him in this spot, and I were very close personal friends of Multiple individuals have written think he will do a fine job. That is not mine—and 850 others were wounded. I letters in support of JIM BRIDENSTINE, just my opinion; folks from all over the remember so well being there at the including Sean O’Keefe, who is a country have risen up and looked at time. former NASA Administrator. Buzz him clearly and have said he is the Second Corinthians reminds us not to Aldrin also sent an extensive letter in right person for the job. lose heart in times of struggle and support of JIM BRIDENSTINE and also NOMINATION OF MIKE POMPEO tragedy. Instead, through our inherent wrote a pretty remarkable op-ed about Mr. President, I do want to make one strength and selflessness, Oklahomans JIM BRIDENSTINE, in support for him. additional statement as well. We are in united together to support our neigh- We have had multiple different the process of talking about the Sec- bors and rebuild our city—‘‘Oklahoma groups that are space related who have retary of State. It has been very inter- Standard.’’

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.011 S19APPT1 S2298 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 Today, we remember the victims, Award, he pioneered that ‘‘Minneapolis may be leading the charge on making thank the first responders, and con- sound,’’ that mix of funk, rock, and pop workplaces more family friendly, but tinue to pray for Oklahoma and the that emerged in the late 1970s and 1980s there are a lot of men, like Senator families and friends who lost loved and influenced music for decades to DURBIN, who have our backs. ones. come. From Jimmy Jam and Terry I would like to thank Senator MUR- I agree wholeheartedly with the com- Lewis to Janet Jackson and Bruno RAY, who also worked on this with ments that have been made about JIM Mars—even Beyonce—so many artists me—a mom in tennis shoes who has BRIDENSTINE. I was on the committee have been influenced by Prince’s music long been a true champion for women. that went through his confirmation. I and his heart. Finally, thanks to Chairman BLUNT have never heard so many things. The Over his career, Prince sold more and Leaders SCHUMER and MCCONNELL, one thing they all had in common was than 100 million records worldwide, re- who helped ensure that this got to the that none of them knew JIM leased 39 studio albums, had 5 No. 1 floor and adopted quickly. Chairman BRIDENSTINE. My colleague talked billboard hits, and 40 singles in the top BLUNT and I lead the Rules Committee, about a smear campaign. I have never 100 songs. and we have worked together well for a seen a smear campaign like that. I In 2004, Prince was inducted into the very long time. I welcome him back to have never seen so much hatred, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the very the committee. for no reason at all. The two of us first year he was eligible. And 6 years I came to the floor earlier this week know JIM BRIDENSTINE well. In fact, he later, he received a Black Entertain- to discuss the importance of this his- holds the 1st Congressional District ment Television Lifetime Achievement toric resolution. It is historic for a seat in the State of Oklahoma. That Award. number of reasons. First, it is very rare was my seat. I held that seat for 8 Despite all of his success, Prince for the Senate to expand floor privi- years. Of course, I have gotten to know never stopped calling the State of Min- leges to new groups of people. In fact, him very well since that time, and the nesota home. He lived in our State, and it has been decades since we did that. things that have been said about him— he never lost the sense that he was a We have to go back to the late 1970s. In again, the one thing they have in com- beloved son, neighbor, and Minnesotan. fact, there has not been any expansion mon is they just don’t know him and He wrote songs about Minnesota of who is allowed on the floor since didn’t want to know him. sports teams, including ‘‘Purple and 1997, when a service dog was allowed. So we will have an Administrator Gold’’ during the Minnesota Viking’s That was a long time ago. who I think is going to do a good job. run to the 2010 National Football Con- I have had a lot of interesting ques- The best thing I can do now, because ference Championship. When the Min- tions about this, including: Would Sen- I think Senator LANKFORD said it bet- nesota Lynx won their third Women’s ator DUCKWORTH’s daughter have to ter than I could, is just mention two National Basketball Association Cham- abide by the Senate dress code? She quotes, one of which is from the 2015 pionship, Prince held a concert in their will not. She will not have to wear SpaceNews. They named him as one of honor. pants or a skirt. She will not wear a five space leaders making a difference. When Prince passed away on April 21, Senate pin because that would be dan- Mention was made of Buzz Aldrin. 2016, he left behind millions of fans and gerous. She can wear a cap if she There is no one who is better known in a legacy of music that touched hearts, wants. that community than Buzz Aldrin. So I opened minds, and made people all over Another question: Well, what hap- want to use his statement. This is Buzz the world want to dance. I am proud to pens if one day we have 10 babies on Aldrin speaking: honor Prince’s life and his achieve- the floor? I actually think it would be We heartedly support the president’s nomi- ments as a musician, a composer, an quite delightful if we had 10 babies on nation of Mr. Bridenstine as the next NASA innovator, and a cultural icon, and I the floor. I don’t think there is any im- administrator, wish him Godspeed during the am proud to call his home, Minnesota, minent concern that will happen, but I Senate confirmation process. We encourage my home as well. do think it would be exciting if we had you to join us in uniting the space commu- Prince reminded us all that there’s a nity and our nation behind this nominee so 10 new moms and dads. NASA can return to its job of boldly explor- world waiting for us after this life: The other reason this is historic is ing the final frontier. A world of never-ending happiness that Senator DUCKWORTH, of course, I couldn’t have said it better than You can always see the sun, day or night. was the first U.S. Senator to give birth that. I am sure that is where Prince is while in office. More women than ever So I leave my colleagues with that today. On Saturday, the anniversary, are running for public office, so it is in- recommendation from Buzz Aldrin, and purple will reign again. evitable in the future that more women I look forward to his confirmation and ALLOWING SENATORS’ YOUNG CHILDREN ON THE Senators will have children while in of- the vote today. SENATE FLOOR fice, and, of course, this new rule ap- I yield the floor. Mr. President, I also rise today to plies to men and women. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- discuss S. Res. 463, a resolution adopt- I think one of the exciting things ator from Minnesota. ed by the Senate yesterday that will about this is that Senator DUCKWORTH REMEMBERING PRINCE allow Senators to bring their infant was very clear that she didn’t want Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I children to the Senate floor. this just to be about her and an excep- come to the Senate floor today to re- Several of my colleagues will be join- tion for her; she thought to the future member a Minnesota icon, and that ing me on the floor shortly to discuss and saw that we would have more would be Prince, whom we lost 2 years the importance of passing this resolu- women Senators. ago. Prince was a one-of-a-kind artist, tion, and I would like to take a mo- Sticking together means recognizing fiercely independent, and uniquely tal- ment to thank some of them because that we have a lot of work to do out- ented. I grew up with his music. without their hard work and support, side the Halls of Congress, and the For Minnesotans, Prince was our su- this resolution would not have been women Senators across party lines perstar next door. He made ‘‘Purple adopted. have stuck together, but we know this Rain’’ a household name, First Avenue Of course, there is Senator fight doesn’t end here. We are just an a landmark, and brought international DUCKWORTH herself—the person who did example for the country, but there are fame to Minnesota’s music scene. all the work in more than one way. so many bigger things to do. Minnesota loves Prince, and Prince This is her second child. She is 50 years The truth is, too many American loved Minnesota. He was born in Min- old, and she is a pillar of strength. She moms are not in positions of power to neapolis in 1958 and developed an inter- paved the way for future women Sen- change the rules, which is why it is so est in music at an early age. He wrote ators who will have children while in important for those of us who are in his first song at just 7 years old and re- office. She may be the first, but she positions of power to be champions of corded his early demo tapes at Sound will not be the last. change—to be able to look at archaic 80 Studios in Minneapolis. I would also like to thank Senator rules that were in place 100 years ago. With seven Grammy Awards, an DURBIN, her colleague from Illinois, for By adopting this resolution, we set an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe his work in getting this done. Women example. But if we really want to do

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:17 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.012 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2299 something for the rest of America, we related positions, almost 60 percent do agency has been without permanent have to pass some work- and family- not have advanced degrees in science or leadership. This is far too long, espe- friendly policies, like paid maternity health-related fields. cially considering the incredibly im- leave and making it easier for workers A White House that does not respect portant work that NASA is under- to get childcare. Those are the kinds of science will hold our Nation back. We taking on a daily basis. things that will matter to all of Amer- have historically been a leader in The agency is currently working ica. science, and it has unleashed trillions with the commercial space industry, But today we set an example for one of dollars of economic growth and cre- for example, to resume launches of mom and one baby, and we look for- ated millions of jobs. Investment in re- American astronauts to the Inter- ward to meeting her on the floor. search and development has been the national Space Station, rather than Thank you. seed corn for growth in our country have to rely on the Russians to trans- I yield the floor. and for its economy. port American astronauts into space. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. This administration’s blatant dis- Additionally, teams at NASA are de- FISCHER). The Senator from Michigan. regard for science risks ceding that veloping the Space Launch System, or Mr. PETERS. Madam President, I leadership to our competitors, like SLS, and the Orion capsule. These are rise today to express my concern about China, who are making unprecedented components of a rocket system that is the nomination of Congressman JIM commitments in this area. the most powerful one built since the BRIDENSTINE to be the NASA Adminis- I do not believe that the Chinese Saturn V that sent Neil Armstrong to trator. I will oppose his confirmation Government is pouring money into sci- the Moon. It will pave the way, hope- when the Senate votes this afternoon. entific research just out of intellectual fully, to one day landing astronauts on While the nomination is problematic curiosity; it is because they know it Mars. due to Congressman BRIDENSTINE’s will be the biggest driver of competi- Having a permanent Administrator lack of relevant qualifications and the tiveness and economic growth in the in place is important not just so the importance of this position to our Na- 21st century. agency itself can function but so NASA tion, I am deeply concerned about this In addition to strong funding for can have an impact on our entire coun- nomination because it is further evi- basic research, we need smart, quali- try. Having appropriate leadership dence of a much deeper problem. I am fied individuals providing leadership means NASA can continue to benefit concerned that this administration across the American scientific enter- Texans who work there, with jobs and does not respect science—especially prise to make sure this money is being opportunities to research, collaborate, science in government institutions. well-spent. We need qualified leaders and innovate across disciplines. So now let’s look at the data. and scientific experts at OSTP, at The Administrator is charged with The Office of Science and Technology NOAA, at NSF, at NIH, and we need selecting the Directors of each of the Policy, or OSTP, has four positions re- them at NASA. agency’s space centers around the quiring political appointment, includ- NASA has upward of 18,000 employ- country. This, too, is important. One ing the Director, who also serves as the ees, 80,000 contractors, and a budget of reason is because at the Johnson Space President’s Chief Science Adviser. The $20 billion. NASA also is in charge of Center in Houston, Dr. Ellen Ochoa, President has made zero—zero—nomi- keeping our astronauts safe and inspir- the current director, is stepping down nations to OSTP and has now taken ing a generation of young minds as we next month, after years of distin- significantly longer than any other face a significant shortage of STEM guished service. It is critical that we modern President to name a science professionals. have a competent replacement for her adviser. NASA’s research, science, and tech- and ensure seamless transition after Let’s look at how the President’s nology missions need a champion who she leaves. Part of the way we do that delay compares to past administrations understands and promotes nuances of is by making sure that this nominee is on both sides of the aisle. Presidents the work being done by scientists on confirmed today. Kennedy, Nixon, and Clinton all named their team. In short, NASA needs an We in Texas are, I believe, justifiably a science adviser before they even took Administrator who will be driven by proud of the Johnson Space Center. office. Presidents Reagan, Carter, and science and not by politics. The JSC heads the manned spaceflight George H.W. Bush all named their Looking at all of the data—from program for NASA, which manages the science adviser within 4 months of tak- NASA to OSTP to the USDA—I can’t U.S. presence at the International ing office. President George W. Bush help but reach the conclusion that this Space Station, among other oper- waited the longest, but he still chose to administration does not prioritize ations. JSC employs roughly 10,000 peo- pick a physicist to fill the role by June science, and this needs to change. ple, and virtually all U.S. astronauts of his first year in the Presidency. I urge my colleagues to vote against pass through it, at one time or another, When it comes to prioritizing science Mr. BRIDENSTINE’s confirmation today. to receive training. Currently, JSC is in the executive branch, President I also urge the administration to involved in developing the Orion cap- Trump is not normal. You could say wake up, make science a priority in the sule, which I spoke of a moment ago. this administration is an outlier or an White House and across the executive One hundred sixty-nine companies are anomaly. This is the same President branch, and start nominating respected collaborating with NASA on its launch, who flirted with anti-vaccine con- scientists to the remaining vacant po- creating nearly 800 jobs—not all of spiracy theories as a candidate and reg- sitions. them in the Houston region. In fact, in ularly suggested that climate change is I yield the floor. multiple locations around the country, a hoax. I am not saying that his lack of I suggest the absence of a quorum. the commercial space industry is grow- a science adviser is causing the Presi- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ing rapidly. In 2014, the Midland Inter- dent’s ill-informed views, but I am say- clerk will call the roll. national Air and Space Port became ing there is, indeed, a very clear cor- The bill clerk proceeded to call the the first federally licensed facility by relation. roll. the FAA for both airline flights and It is not just the top science posi- Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I commercial space flights. That is just tions that are empty or filled by un- ask unanimous consent that the order one of several examples. qualified nominees either. A talk radio for the quorum call be rescinded. Meanwhile, in Washington, we have host and a political science professor The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without to continue to do our part supporting was nominated to be the Chief Sci- objection, it is so ordered. U.S. space exploration. Last year, I was entist at the U.S. Department of Agri- Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, the proud to have my legislation, called culture. Political science may be inter- Senate is expected to vote this after- the MANIFEST Act, signed into law as esting to all of us here in the Senate, noon to confirm JIM BRIDENSTINE of part of the NASA reauthorization, and but it doesn’t have much to do with ag- Oklahoma to be the Administrator of I hope to collaborate on similar legisla- ricultural science. NASA, or the National Aeronautics tion in the future with colleagues. Of the 43 nominations the adminis- and Space Administration. For more If we want to keep pushing toward tration has actually made to science- than 15 months, our national space the final frontier, our first step is to

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.015 S19APPT1 S2300 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 ensure that we have a strong Adminis- America. If somebody can acquire both made to be interlocking and mutually trator at the helm, and that is why I the intellectual property and the reinforcing, rather than simply relying intend to vote to support the nomina- know-how to make that technology in on export controls to address these na- tion this afternoon. China, obviously, those are jobs we will tional security risks, which would be FOREIGN INVESTMENT RISK REVIEW not have in the United States. foolhardy. MODERNIZATION ACT It is true that these technology If we want our country to retain its Madam President, I wish to switch transfers are already sometimes cov- technological advantage and remain gears to another issue. I have spoken ered under current export controls, but the top military superpower in the quite a few times recently about U.S. the problem is that the harm to our na- world, enacting this bill is an essential relations with China, both the opportu- tional security is occurring despite piece of that. After all, if China sup- nities and the concerns that we should those current export controls. So we plants the United States—it is not only have. Last week, I held a hearing in the need to do more. We need to step up to the top economic but military super- Finance Subcommittee on Inter- the challenge. power in the world—the repercussions national Trade, Customs, and Global Export controls are not an adequate there will be enormous. We simply Competitiveness to examine the chal- solution to the situation we are now have not faced that situation where the lenges that U.S. businesses, manufac- dealing with because of their inherent U.S. Armed Forces were not the most turers, and service providers face when limitations. For example, the intellec- powerful military in the world since they are trying to access the Chinese tual property that is at the heart of before World War II. It is dangerous, as market. many of these joint ventures impli- that war pointed out, when you have The President spoke about this issue cates technology that the Commerce countries building their military, act- in his State of the Union when he Department has, in fact, decontrolled; ing more belligerently, and inviting re- called for reciprocity. In other words, that is, removed from the relevant ex- taliation. Let’s not start now. we expect to be treated as well as we port control list. The bipartisan bill that Senator treat Chinese investment in the United One last point I need to emphasize is FEINSTEIN and I have filed has been en- States when we and our companies in- that currently joint ventures are often dorsed by the White House and is sup- vest in China, but that is not hap- carefully structured, as I suggested a ported by the current Secretaries of pening. moment ago, to circumvent this review Defense, Treasury, and Commerce, as I have also been spending a lot of process. These joint ventures are essen- well as the Attorney General of the time looking at the long-term national tially acquisitions by another name, United States. Let’s not hold it up any security implications that China poses which is why CFIUS should be able to longer. I yield the floor. to our country, which is why I was review them for national securities The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- proud to join our colleague, the senior risks. ator from Nevada. Senator from California, Mrs. FEIN- Let me be clear, though. Foreign in- HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES STEIN, to recently introduce legislation vestment is a good thing. These joint that will strengthen the process by ventures are not inherently bad, but we MAJOR STEPHEN DEL BAGNO which the Committee on Foreign In- do know that China has used them Mr. HELLER. Madam President, today, I rise to honor Maj. Stephen Del vestment in the United States, other- strategically as a vessel for its activi- Bagno, a U.S. Thunderbird pilot who wise known as CFIUS, weighs national ties to try to undermine both our na- was killed on April 4, 2018, when his F– security risks. The CFIUS process was tional security edge and jobs in Amer- 16 Fighting Falcon crashed at the Ne- not originally designed, and is now in- ica. Foreign actors know that CFIUS, vada Test and Training Range, which is sufficient, to address rapidly evolving under normal circumstances, would north of Nellis Air Face Base. At just technology, as well as the threats to block their attempt to acquire certain 34, Major Del Bagno’s life was cut too our technological edge, particularly business units outright. So they have short, but his legacy of leadership, when it comes to dual-use technology been very creative in structuring commitment to excellence, and service that is important for national security transactions to obtain the very same to our country will be preserved by all reasons. The committee’s current juris- industrial capabilities by other means. those who had the privilege of knowing diction and the staffing is both too nar- To address the national security him. row and inadequate in order to address risks, what we need is an upfront U.S. I wish to begin by saying that my these evolving threats. governmental review, informed by our wife Lynne and I offer our deepest con- China, in particular, has proven intelligence assessments, of the foreign dolences to Major Del Bagno’s family adept at circumventing the current partners that are involved. We need to and loved ones. We join the Thunder- CFIUS process. It exploits gaps and ask whether these foreign partners are birds, Nellis Air Force Base, and the creatively structures business arrange- affiliated with the Chinese military, Nevada community in mourning this ments within the United States to for example, or some other potential heavy loss. evade scrutiny. That can mean that adversary. Major Del Bagno grew up in Valen- there would be no scrutiny of those In China, there is no separation be- cia, CA, and he graduated from Utah transactions on national security tween public and private sectors be- Valley State University. He received grounds, which is a troubling situation cause the Communist Party sits atop his commission when he graduated that our bill, the Foreign Investment the entire Government of China and is from Officer Training School at Max- Risk Review Modernization Act, or basically embedded within all of these well Air Force Base in 2007. FIRRMA, is meant to address. The Chinese companies. They have an ‘‘all Called ‘‘Cajun’’ by his team, he was weaponization of trade and the use of of government’’ strategy focused at in his first season with the Thunder- coercive industrial policies are tools beating the United States, economi- birds. The Thunderbirds are also that China has been using for some cally and militarily. known as America’s Ambassadors in time, and it is imperative that we give I believe the opponents of the re- Blue. They are an elite team of highly CFIUS the full authority it needs to forms that I have just talked about are experienced fighter pilots. In fact, only ensure that our advantage in the U.S. trying to perpetuate the status quo as 325 officers have had the honor of wear- military know-how and technology are long as possible—not to protect our na- ing the distinguished Thunderbird not stolen from us and used against us. tional security interests but just the patch. They are the best of the best. It is important to note, in the wake opposite—so they can bolster their bot- In June of 2017, Nellis Air Force Base of some critics’ flawed objections, that tom line, regardless of its potential announced that Major Del Bagno was my bill does not try to address all, or negative effects on the rest of our the first F–35 pilot to serve with the even most, outbound investments. country and on our national security. Thunderbirds. He served as the team’s Rather, it addresses a narrow subset— We simply cannot afford to wait slot pilot and flew Thunderbird 4. Brig- joint ventures where tech-related intel- while China whittles away at our tech- adier General Leavitt, commander of lectual property and know-how are nological advantages. The time to act the 57th Nellis Air Force Base, called transferred. This is a threat to our in- is now. Our national security demands Major Del Bagno an integral part of dustrialized base, or jobs, here in that CFIUS and export controls be that team.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.017 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2301 Prior to joining the Thunderbirds, American spirit, the people who truly tunity to continue to work together to Major Del Bagno was a civilian flight humble us and inspire us through their benefit our Nation’s children, and we instructor, he was a corporate pilot, he unwavering commitment, the people are grateful to be part of that effort. was a skywriter, and he was a banner who represent the very best that this I yield the floor and suggest the ab- tow pilot. According to the Thunder- country has to offer. sence of a quorum. birds, he logged more than 3,500 flight I close with this. In a video honoring The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. hours in more than 30 different air- Major Del Bagno’s memory, the Thun- SASSE). The clerk will call the roll. craft. That included 1,400 hours as an derbirds talked about how he would The senior assistant legislative clerk Air Force pilot. spend time teaching kids about flying proceeded to call the roll. In his free time, he enjoyed as a Thunderbird. They said he chose Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask snowboarding, he enjoyed water sports, to share his passion with kids. In that unanimous consent that the order for and he enjoyed spending time with his same video, there was footage of Major the quorum call be rescinded. family. Del Bagno responding to a question The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Major Del Bagno was laid to rest on about advice for kids who want to be objection, it is so ordered. April 15, 2018, at a memorial service at pilots in the Air Force. He talked Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask his alma mater, Saugus High School, in about the five P’s of success. This is unanimous consent to speak as in Santa Clarita, CA. More than 1,000 peo- what he said: morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ple attended the memorial and joined Find your passion. Find your purpose. Be together to commemorate his life—a persistent in your pursuit. Be personable . . . objection, it is so ordered. true testament to his impact on the so humble, credible, and approachable. And SYRIA community. During the service, his then it’ll pay off. People are going to tell Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise to friends, his family, and fellow wingmen you ‘‘no’’ along the way—it’s just a test of talk about Syria and all of the horrors offered loving tributes about his skill, your resolve. If you really want it, go out we have been seeing over not just and make that known. his passion for aviation, and pride in months but years. being a member of the Air Force. I am confident that Major Del Many people around this Nation, as Ilene Block, a former guidance coun- Bagno’s legacy will inspire the next well as people in the international selor for the school, told a local tele- generation of fighter pilots, as well as community—whether they are in ref- vision affiliate that Stephen was ‘‘al- Nevadans and Americans around the ugee camps in Turkey, Jordan, and ways giving back’’ and said that he country, for decades to come. Lebanon, or in bombed-out neighbor- often visited the high school to talk to I yield the floor. hoods in Damascus, Aleppo, and students about his love for flying. His I suggest the absence of a quorum. Homs—so many people across the coun- name will soon be added to a wall of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The try and across the world are wondering, heroes at Saugus High School. clerk will call the roll. what will President Trump do next in The senior assistant legislative clerk Lt. Col. Kevin Walsh, the Thunder- Syria? Are we any closer to a resolu- proceeded to call the roll. birds’ commander, said that Major Del tion of this terrible conflict that will Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I ask Bagno ‘‘lived to fly and inspire the allow the Syrian people to rebuild their unanimous consent that the order for next generation.’’ He also said that he lives? the quorum call be rescinded. will be remembered ‘‘as a talented More than 7 years have passed since The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without fighter pilot and a great friend.’’ the Syrian people first began pro- objection, it is so ordered. Selfless, driven, caring, mentor, an testing the Assad regime’s brutal rule, Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I ask inspiration, a big dude with an even and that may be a terrible understate- unanimous consent to speak as in bigger heart, brother—those are the ment. The ongoing conflict continues morning business. words that Major Del Bagno’s fellow to have an impact on U.S. national se- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Thunderbirds used to describe him. curity interests. In these 7 years, al- objection, it is so ordered. In a video tribute from the Thunder- most 500,000 Syrians have been killed— birds, one said: CONGRATULATING SENATOR DUCKWORTH half a million Syrians killed—and more Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I was Cajun—you had this way of immediately than 12 million have been displaced making people feel special, interesting, and on the floor today to first and foremost from their homes. Sometimes that included. The world needs more of that. And congratulate Senator DUCKWORTH on means they leave their homes and go now, your memory is going to inspire all of the new addition to her family. We to another community or another place us to be a little bit more like you. And hope- were anticipating seeing a new baby, within Syria, but of course many— fully we’ll make you proud. We miss you and and now we will be able to meet that maybe even most—have gone to an- love you. child right here on the Senate floor. other country. It is hard to com- The loss of Major Del Bagno is an We do want to commend and salute prehend that because that is a little enormous tragedy that has struck the Senator DUCKWORTH, of course—long more than half of the population of heart of the Thunderbirds, Nellis Air before today—on her life of service and Syria. Imagine if half of more than 300 Force Base, and every life that he remarkable courage and sacrifice, and million Americans were forced to leave touched. our Nation owes her a debt of grati- their homes because of a war, because Major Del Bagno’s death is a re- tude, not just for this recent news of bombings, because of the brutality minder that we are all forever indebted about her resolution but also for her of a regime. That is what has happened to the men and women who answer the great service to the country. in Syria. Half the population has been call to serve this country and stand This resolution is an important step displaced, and half a million have been guard, training and preparing each day forward for the U.S. Senate in terms of killed. for when duty calls. the people who are permitted to be on This is a conflict that began rather It is a reminder of what they give up the floor, and we are glad that we have modestly but courageously. A group of and what they risk when they bravely such consensus to make it possible for young people scrawled graffiti on the step up to the plate so that we can re- the youngest among us to get to the walls of local buildings in protest of main an extraordinary and free nation. floor. their own government’s repressive poli- It is also a reminder of the families, It is also one way to demonstrate our cies. This was in the context of a move- like the Del Bagnos, who have lost a Nation’s commitment to families and ment of young people across the re- loved one and paid a price beyond policies that allow children to get off gion—meaning the Middle East—stand- measure. They deserve our lasting sup- to a strong and smart start to their ing up against autocratic governance. port. lives. So many of us have worked on The Syrian regime cracked down bru- I urge my colleagues to join me in those policies for many years, whether tally, and of course we all know that paying tribute to the life of Major Del it is making childcare more affordable, the conflict escalated from there. Bagno and his unbounded determina- paid family leave, flexible work ar- I remind my colleagues of the genesis tion that set him apart. These are the rangements, or so many other prior- of this conflict because so much has people whose characters embody the ities. I hope we can use this oppor- happened over the last 7 years, and the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.019 S19APPT1 S2302 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 path toward a resolution remains un- Over the last several years, Russian, in the case of Russia, block the United clear. I have said before and will say Iranian, and Turkish leaders have met Nations from holding the regime ac- again today that I believe, as most an- to discuss the future of Syria. We all countable. alysts do, that there is no purely mili- saw that picture of Mr. Ruhani, Mr. The continued political turmoil in tary solution to the conflict in Syria. Erdogan, and Mr. Putin—three of our Damascus coupled with continued Although the Russian and Iranian in- government’s adversaries. Sometimes besiegement of the Syrian people will fluence has always been present in Da- we work with them, but on most days, lead to long-term instability in Syria. mascus, it has grown exponentially as at least two of the three—the Russian The U.S. military should be com- the United States has ceded its leader- and Iranian leaders—are adversaries. mended for its leadership in the inter- ship role on this issue. Beginning with Certainly Mr. Erdogan has been back national coalition fight against ISIS the Obama administration, I have and forth between being an adversary and for supporting local and regional urged the executive branch to articu- and having an alliance with us on some forces in retaking Iraqi and Syrian ter- late a clear policy toward Syria, to em- issues. That picture was very dis- ritory from terrorist control. power our diplomatic and defense offi- turbing. Are we going to allow those CENTCOM commander General Votel cials to demonstrate U.S. leadership on three to dictate policy not just in testified in March of 2017, and these are this issue, and to resist ceding our re- Syria but in the Middle East? Those important words that he spoke: gional influence to adversaries like three? I don’t think so. I don’t think We will defeat ISIS militarily; however, a lasting defeat of this enemy will not be Russia and Iran. that is what American policy should We cannot afford to ignore the car- achieved unless similar progress is made on be. the political front. Instability all but guar- nage in Syria at the hands of the Assad By failing to engage in these negotia- regime and their backers—namely, of antees a resurgence of ISIS or the emergence tions, the United States has ceded con- of other terrorist groups seeking to exploit course, the Iranians and the Russians. trol of the outcomes to states with na- conditions to advance their own aims. U.S. vision and leadership are needed. tional interests often in direct conflict Following the illegal, immoral, and So said the CENTCOM commander, with our own. The Russian Government and we should listen to his words and appalling gas attack that killed more has made clear that they believe that take action in accordance with those than 80 civilians in April 2017, the U.S. all Syrian territory must return to the words. military executed standoff airstrikes Assad regime’s control before political The administration must continue to against Syrian regime military tar- lead the international community in gets. That was a proportional response reforms can be considered. The Iranian humanitarian assistance to the Syrian to a heinous attack on civilians, but I regime has made clear that their objec- people and accelerate support for pro- also encouraged the administration at tive is to remain in control of terri- grams that promote good governance, the time to develop a comprehensive tory—either directly or through prox- rule of law, and basic service provision plan to address the Syria conflict. ies—from Tehran to Beirut. This is unacceptable. Assad’s contin- in communities liberated from ISIS Then nothing happened—well, I guess ued presence in Damascus is and will control. While we believe partners in not nothing. In the year since then, the remain a recruiting tool for terrorists the region should also contribute more President has disempowered and now generously, we should lead by example replaced Secretary of State Tillerson, in the region. His regime allowed orga- by robustly funding relevant accounts failed to take decisive action in imple- nizations like ISIS to grow and metas- tasize while Iranian forces have sup- in the fiscal 2019 budget. menting sanctions on Russian entities I am also thankful for the brave enacted by overwhelming majorities in plied tens of millions of arms to Hezbollah fighters who pose a clear Americans who have volunteered their the House and Senate, and he has con- skills and their time to help the people tinued to confuse our allies with his threat to Israel. At different points during the last 15 of Syria survive—literally survive. I policymaking-by-tweet. thank, in particular, the Syrian Amer- This week, I attended a briefing on months, we have heard many con- ican Medical Society, doctors and aid this issue conducted by a number of ad- flicting reports of this administration’s workers who deliver assistance to dis- ministration officials, principally by Syria policy. At one point, the admin- placed Syrians and to those who have Secretary Mattis. I was impressed with istration said it would endorse a tran- remained within their borders. These his goal of developing a cohesive Syria sition plan that would leave Bashar al- courageous volunteers have stepped in strategy; however, I remain concerned Assad in power for at least another 4 to fill the gaps left by the inter- that no clear strategy has yet emerged years. At another point, Secretary national community and—I have to to promote U.S. national security in- Tillerson said the United States would say—risking their own lives virtually terests in the region, to advance the retain a long-term military presence in every minute they are on the ground. national security of our allies, such as Syria for combat operations, surge ‘‘stabilization’’ assistance to opposi- More than 7 years since the conflict Israel, or to protect the innocent Syr- began, the situation in Syria remains ians being targeted by their own gov- tion-controlled areas, and ‘‘rally the Syrian people and individuals within critical and U.S. leadership is needed ernment. This lack of a consistent and more than ever. Although I, too, ex- considered strategy has given Bashar the regime to compel Assad to step down.’’ We have also seen the President pressed concern with President al-Assad the political space to continue Obama’s Syrian strategy, a year and a to commit war crimes—and that is say that we are withdrawing from Syria and, most recently, conflicting half into the Trump Presidency, it is what they are, war crimes. no longer sufficient to blame the pre- Just one day after President Trump reports on whether the United States vious administration. I urge President announced—again on Twitter—that the will levy new sanctions on the Russian Trump to present a strategy for Syria United States would soon be with- entities that enable and support the that protects American national secu- drawing from Syria, Assad’s forces murderous Assad regime. So there have rity interests in the region, pushes committed another heinous chemical been a lot of mixed signals by different back against Iranian and Russian influ- weapons attack on a town that had al- officials over the course of these 15 ence and aggression, and, finally, em- ready been suffering under siege by the months since the administration start- powers the Syrian people in their pur- Russian-backed Syrian Army. At least ed. suit of a stable, secure, and prosperous 56 civilians were killed in 24 hours. Meanwhile, our Russian and Iranian future for their country. Now, of course, we all know that last adversaries have been clear and con- Thank you. week, the United States, the United sistent in their policies: Protect their I yield the floor. Kingdom, and France responded with Syrian puppet, Bashar al-Assad, as I suggest the absence of a quorum. missile strikes against three Syrian long as it is politically expedient. The The PRESIDING OFFICER. The chemical weapons development and Russians and Iranians don’t give a clerk will call the roll. storage facilities. But we have not damn about the Syrian people or re- The legislative clerk proceeded to heard what the administration plans to gional stability. In fact, instability call the roll. do next to work with our allies and serves their interest. They fuel and Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unan- partners on the humanitarian and po- feed the regime. They advise and equip imous consent that the order for the litical aspects of this conflict. Assad’s army and security forces and, quorum call be rescinded.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.026 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2303 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Let me remind my colleagues, we Blind bipartisanship cannot be the only objection, it is so ordered. just confirmed him for his post, so he reason that drives votes in this Cham- NOMINATION OF MIKE POMPEO has already been confirmed to serve in ber. Whether it is for the Secretary of Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I rise the administration in one of the most State or the Director of NASA, I urge today because of what is on our sched- challenging jobs—the CIA Director. my colleagues to vote yes, put par- ule for next week. Next week, the Sen- For some reason, people now find that tisanship aside, and start moving these ate will consider the nomination by the he is not qualified to be Secretary of nominations and doing what is right President for his Secretary of State, State. What could it be, other than pol- for this country. I urge my colleagues Mike Pompeo. itics, that comes into play? to vote yes on JIM BRIDENSTINE. This is one of those times that I want I am here to attest to my colleagues I yield back my time. to compliment the administration on a that Mike Pompeo is a good man. He is The PRESIDING OFFICER. The great pick. Mike Pompeo is a great a good husband. He is a good father. He question is, Will the Senate advise and leader. Mike, as a teenager, decided he has been a great leader. As a Member consent to the Bridenstine nomina- wanted to go to West Point. Not only of the Senate with the charge of con- tion? did he graduate from West Point, he firming nominees, I would say that this Mr. GRASSLEY. I ask for the yeas graduated from West Point at the top is the type of person we pray will be and nays. of his class. He went into one of the sent to us by the executive branch to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a least likely places, the Cavalry. He was confirm in a role. sufficient second? a magnificent leader within the U.S. I urge my colleagues on both sides of There appears to be a sufficient sec- Army Cavalry. the aisle—you may have differences ond. He went on to Harvard Law School, with positions he has taken in the past, The clerk will call the roll. and he earned his law degree, but he but for God’s sake, do not question his The bill clerk called the roll. didn’t stop there. He was invited to be qualifications to be a great leader. He Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator part of the Harvard Law Review, which has proved it. Do not question his is necessarily absent: the Senator from is a very special cadre of individuals. background from a standpoint of edu- Arizona (Mr. MCCAIN). He left and started an aerospace com- cation or his commitment to the coun- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. pany, as many know—a very successful try. He has passed the hardest tests in PERDUE). Are there any other Senators business. After that, because he be- education, and, more importantly, he in the Chamber desiring to vote? lieved community service was impor- has passed the most important test of The result was announced—yeas 50, tant, he ran for the U.S. House of Rep- patriotism. He has served his country nays 49, as follows: resentatives, State of Kansas, where he with distinction. My hope, my plea [Rollcall Vote No. 80 Ex.] served three terms with great distinc- with my fellow colleagues is that they YEAS—50 tion. will allow Mike Pompeo to continue to Alexander Flake Paul He was tapped, all of a sudden, to the serve his country, this time in the role Barrasso Gardner Perdue Blunt Graham Director of the CIA in one of the most of Secretary of State. I urge my col- Portman Boozman Grassley Risch challenging times to be involved in in- leagues to support him. Burr Hatch Roberts telligence, much less to be the Director I yield back my time. Capito Heller Rounds of the CIA. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Cassidy Hoeven Rubio Collins Hyde-Smith Sasse By all accounts, those of us who ator from Colorado. Corker Inhofe Scott serve on the Intelligence Committee Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask Cornyn Isakson Shelby Cotton Johnson and those people within the intel- unanimous consent to be allowed to Sullivan ligence community but, more impor- speak for one minute. Crapo Kennedy Cruz Lankford Thune tantly, our partners around the world, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Daines Lee Tillis after a very short period of time, have objection, it is so ordered. Enzi McConnell Toomey gained unbelievable respect for Mike Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I rise Ernst Moran Wicker Young Pompeo. today to recommend and urge my col- Fischer Murkowski It is tough for me to believe that this leagues to vote for JIM BRIDENSTINE as NAYS—49 is not a nomination we are passing like Administrator of NASA. We will be Baldwin Hassan Peters the last two Secretaries of State, John voting on his nomination momentarily. Bennet Heinrich Reed Blumenthal Heitkamp Kerry and Senator Hillary Clinton. The JIM BRIDENSTINE has incredible expe- Sanders Booker Hirono Schatz vote was 94 to 2 for both of them. I was rience, an incredible resume, and an in- Brown Jones Schumer here. I am pretty sure that I supported credible understanding of the mission Cantwell Kaine Shaheen both of them, and it is not because I before NASA. We need somebody with a Cardin King Smith Carper Klobuchar Stabenow aligned with them politically. It is be- vision. We need somebody who actually Casey Leahy Tester cause I inherently believe that a Presi- has an idea of where we should take Coons Manchin Udall Cortez Masto Markey dent has the right to pick his nominees our great space mission—somebody Van Hollen Donnelly McCaskill and for those nominees to serve, and who has commercial experience, some- Duckworth Menendez Warner short of something that is a disquali- body who has government experience, Durbin Merkley Warren fier that the Senate finds in their back- somebody who has management experi- Feinstein Murphy Whitehouse ground, the President should have the ence, and, yes, somebody who has expe- Gillibrand Murray Wyden Harris Nelson authority to have that person serve. rience within the industry itself, and I just described to you the back- that person is JIM BRIDENSTINE. NOT VOTING—1 ground of Mike Pompeo. Somebody is JIM has bipartisan support and sup- McCain going to be hard-pressed to show me port from the House. My fellow col- The nomination was confirmed. anything that is a disqualifier—other league, Democratic Congressman ED The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under than politics. This institution has PERLMUTTER from Colorado, along with the previous order, the motion to re- shown that politics never plays a part a dozen other Democratic Members consider is considered made and laid in nominations, whether we are in from the House of Representatives, upon the table and the President will charge or whether the other side is in said that JIM BRIDENSTINE will be an be immediately notified of the Senate’s charge, regardless of who is at the excellent NASA Administrator. He has action. White House. the understanding, background, capa- The majority leader. This institution has been bogged bility, and, more importantly, the f down because nominations take weeks. drive and desire to do an excellent and We pass nobody under unanimous con- outstanding job at NASA. I urge my LEGISLATIVE SESSION sent. Everybody is a challenge. It colleagues to vote yes. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I makes you wonder why people like You just heard our colleague RICHARD move to proceed to legislative session. Mike Pompeo would, in fact, go BURR talk about Director Pompeo’s The PRESIDING OFFICER. The through the process to be confirmed. nomination as Secretary of State. question is on agreeing to the motion.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:45 Apr 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.029 S19APPT1 S2304 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 The motion was agreed to. tarian and Holocaust survivor Elie ‘‘These tactics are right out of the f Wiesel said: ‘‘Wherever men or women genocidaires’ playbook . . . under- are persecuted because of their race, feeding and systematically weakening EXECUTIVE SESSION religion or political views, that place a population has been characteristic of must—at that moment—become the other genocides.’’ EXECUTIVE CALENDAR center of the universe.’’ We in the congressional delegation As we look around the world today, were not allowed to go to those villages Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I there are far too many places where to see for ourselves. We were allowed to move to proceed to executive session to men and women are persecuted because go to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine consider Calendar No. 624. of their race, religion, or political State, where the Rohingya live. In the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The views, but a place that really stands question is on agreeing to the motion. capital, we were told we could visit out is the nation of Burma. Aung Mingalar. It is also called the The motion was agreed to. The Rohingya people have endured The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Muslim Quarter. When I took this pic- unimaginable pain and suffering. Since clerk will report the nomination. ture, I was standing in the Muslim The senior assistant legislative clerk August of last year, with assaults by Quarter, looking down the street. What read the nomination of Stuart Kyle the military and nearby groups in you see is a police station at the end of Duncan, of Louisiana, to be United Burma, 350 villages have been burned; the street and a barrier. This neighbor- States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Cir- women and girls of all ages have been hood is cut off from the rest of the cap- cuit. raped; and over 700,000 Rohingya have ital. fled their nation for neighboring Ban- CLOTURE MOTION If you think of the early stage of the gladesh to escape this horrific assault. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Warsaw Ghetto, when people were not In just the first month of this crisis, send a cloture motion to the desk. allowed to leave the neighborhood, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- Doctors Without Borders said well over that is what is happening right at this ture motion having been presented 6,000 Rohingya were killed, including moment in the capital of Rakhine under rule XXII, the Chair directs the hundreds of children under the age of 5. State in Sittwe. It is illegal for them clerk to read the motion. One U.N. adviser on genocide preven- to leave. In fact, the folks who live The senior assistant legislative clerk tion said: ‘‘The Rohingya have endured there have stores that have been read as follows: what no human beings should ever locked up and shut for years because have to endure.’’ CLOTURE MOTION they are not allowed to leave this Now we are seeing the brutality of We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- neighborhood and open their stores. the Burmese military, followed by a de- ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the There is a hospital right around the liberate strategy of isolation and star- Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby corner, and they are not allowed to go vation. move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- to it. Instead, they have to get safe nation of Stuart Kyle Duncan, of Louisiana, Several times in recent years, Nich- to be United States Circuit Judge for the olas Kristof of the New York Times has passage to an internally displaced per- Fifth Circuit. traveled to Burma to report on the son’s camp outside of Sittwe, get a re- Mitch McConnell, Thom Tillis, John Cor- Rohingya. Earlier this year, he entered ferral slip, and come back to Sittwe to nyn, John Kennedy, Richard Burr, the country on a tourist visa. He was go to the hospital. There are incredibly Mike Lee, David Perdue, Steve Daines, warned by the Burmese Government difficult logistical challenges placed James Lankford, Pat Roberts, Johnny between this neighborhood and the hos- Isakson, Jeff Flake, Lindsey Graham, not to do any reporting, but he did. He traveled to a total of five Rohingya vil- pital that is right next door. Patrick J. Toomey, Marco Rubio, Tom This happens to be in the capital, Cotton, James E. Risch. lages and worked hard to be able to see these places to which everyone was where folks can stand along these Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous fences and make trades for food, and consent that the mandatory quorum banned from going. Back in November, a group of five they can receive on their smartphones call be waived. international support. Yet imagine if The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Members of Congress went to visit you took this neighborhood and lifted objection, it is so ordered. these same villages—two Senators and it out of the city and placed it out in Mr. MCCONNELL. I suggest the ab- three House Members. We were told by sence of a quorum. the Government of Burma that we the countryside where there is no sup- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The would be allowed to visit the villages, porting community around the out- clerk will call the roll. but at the very last moment, the gov- side—maybe no cell service, so you The senior assistant legislative clerk ernment rescinded its invitation. Two can’t receive money on your cell proceeded to call the roll. months earlier, in September of last phone. There are 120,000 people who are Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask year, the leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, living in these camps, IDP camps, in unanimous consent that the order for had said to the United Nations that Rakhine State—120,000. the quorum call be rescinded. Burma had nothing to hide and that Then think of those folks who fled The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without the international community was wel- those 350 villages that were burned— objection, it is so ordered. come to come and see for themselves. who fled and saw their family members WELCOMING MAILE PEARL BOWLSBEY TO THE So five Members of Congress went to shot, their family members raped, their SENATE FLOOR see for themselves and for their con- family members burned inside of the Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, it was stituents and to be able to report back huts that were torched in those vil- very exciting to have Maile Pearl with to the entire Nation, but we were not lages. us on the floor just moments ago. It allowed to see these camps, these vil- Nicholas Kristof writes: ‘‘The folks was certainly the first time I have seen lages, that had been burned. who remain are being subjected to a little baby on the floor of the Senate Nicholas Kristof did succeed in going. slow-motion genocide through starva- and may be a good symbol for the work Here is what he wrote: tion and deprivation of medical re- the Senate will be doing in the future What I found was a slow-motion genocide. sources.’’ for the children of the United States of The massacres and machete attacks of last This is beyond acceptable. That con- America. August are over for now, but Rohingya re- dition is a form of ethnic cleansing, a Congratulations to Senator TAMMY main confined in their villages—and to a form of genocide, and the United DUCKWORTH and her husband, Bryan huge concentration camp—and are system- States should be absolutely vigilant in Bowlsbey, for this miraculous addition atically denied most education and medical leading the world to respond. care. So they die. No one counts the deaths to American citizenry. We are looking accurately, but my sense is that the Those folks who fled to safety in forward to seeing little Maile as she Myanmar Government kills more Rohingya Bangladesh are also continuing to ex- grows and prospers in all of the chap- by denying them health care and sometimes perience extreme hardship. This is a ters of her life ahead. food than by wielding machetes or firing bul- picture from the hillside, which is ROHINGYA HUMANITARIAN CRISIS lets. where we were. There are still a few Mr. President, while accepting his Matthew Smith, from the human trees standing, but the trees have been Nobel Peace Prize, the great humani- rights group Fortify Rights, said: coming down to provide firewood and

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.031 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2305 to provide various, little supports to articles, he writes that he spoke to a The publicity campaign also showed keep the houses upright. Mostly, these 12-year-old child in a camp and asked them receiving national verification little houses—these little shelters—are him what he hoped to do when he grew cards, but not citizenship cards. They being built on split bamboo that is up. That is a question we often ask are not being welcomed back as citi- split into very tiny pieces, tied up into children. What do you hope to be? zens. They are still being stripped of a frame, and then plastic is draped over What do you hope to do? The child re- their citizenship. Even in their best ef- it. It is hard to imagine what this camp sponded: ‘‘I don’t have any dreams.’’ fort to pretend that they are doing is going to look like when the mon- That is a fairly heartbreaking re- something positive, this family is soons hit. The monsoons were supposed sponse—young age, dreams crushed, being denied citizenship and being sent to hit a few weeks ago. They have not just the challenge of surviving day-to- to a prison camp. yet, but they could hit any day now, day. Every child in the world deserves The international world must re- and these camps are going to become a to be able to dream. spond. How are we to do so? devastated mess when that occurs. The Rohingya in Bangladesh today Let us all encourage the President of There are now 900,000 Rohingya— are facing an impossible challenge. the United States—our President of the 700,000 from this last horrific year—and They are in a refugee camp that is full United States—to speak about this several hundred thousand from pre- of hundreds of thousands of people and horrific international case of genocide vious episodes in which they were at- that has inadequate infrastructure. and ethnic cleansing. Since August, we tacked by the military. Terrible sani- They would like to be able to reclaim have not had one word from the leader tation makes these camps a breeding their villages and return home. Quite of our country about this horrific ground for cholera, diphtheria, and frankly, Bangladesh, which is hosting crime. We need to hear from our Presi- measles. There is a lot of concern that them, would like them to be able to re- dent. The world needs to hear from our when the flooding comes with the mon- claim their villages and return home, President. soons, that will be when the sanitation but they can’t do so without enormous Second, we need to pass the repatri- systems will overflow and contaminate effort on the behalf of the very govern- ation resolution that has passed the the water, and the cholera epidemic ment that sent its military to annihi- Foreign Relations Committee unani- will follow. late them. They need international mously, calling for the safe and dig- Save the Children and other organi- protection. They need a change of nified, voluntary and sustainable re- zations have said: ‘‘The Rohingya ref- heart of the leaders of Burma. turn of the Rohingya people. It de- ugee crisis is a children’s emergency.’’ Aung San Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace mands that the United Nations must be Camps are full of young men and Prize laureate because she stood up for part of any formal agreement. It has women. This little boy here had built a the democratic process and suffered the unanimous support of the Senate little, tiny kite and was flying it years of home detention as she pushed Foreign Relations Committee. Let’s around—just a scrap of plastic and two to have democracy restored. We in the put it on the floor and have the unani- little scraps of wood. When I first saw world have expected her to stand up for mous support of the Senate as well. it fluttering in the air, I asked: What is this community and say it is unaccept- Third, let’s have on the floor and that? He brought it down and showed able for these Rohingya families to be pass the sanctions bill called the us here. You can see the shadow on the persecuted, this community to be per- Burma Human Rights and Freedom ground. They are children who are just secuted in this fashion, but she has not Act. This, too, has passed committee. trying to be children, making a little stood up. I know many Members here This targets the military, which per- toy. have encouraged her to reverse course petuated this genocide. It doesn’t allow This young man and the other chil- and stand up and not be part of this those military leaders to travel to the dren are the lucky ones who got out ethnic cleansing and part of this geno- United States. It doesn’t allow mili- alive. The survivors tell us about in- cide. Only with her change of heart, tary weapons sales to Burma. It cuts fants being ripped from their mothers’ only with her championship, only with off military cooperation, except for hu- arms, thrown alive into the burning her determination to have Burma re- manitarian cooperation and training, fires, toddlers murdered in front of spected on the international stage and to target the military that perpetuated their families, countless teenage girls to have human rights respected in that this crime and to send a signal that and even younger raped. Infants and nation will the return be able to hap- this is unacceptable. Who else in the young children in both the IDP camps pen. world—what dictator in the world—is and the refugee camps are still dying of Right now there is no expectation looking at what has occurred in Burma disease and malnutrition. Those who that this can occur. However, there and saying: We, too, can drive out a are surviving now have to grow up in was an interesting story this past minority community we have gotten camps like this. Where will they go? week. Earlier this week, a Facebook tired of. How will they thrive? They have to fig- post on the official page of Burma’s In- The United States must respond in ure out right now just how to survive formation Committee showed a family force. We need to invest in the edu- day-to-day. being repatriated back—a family of cation of children who are in those ref- When I was in Bangladesh and at this five being repatriated. They were being ugee camps. They are there with no camp, there was an international group checked out medically. They received schools. If it takes several years for who had set up a tent and was enabling packages of rice, mosquito nets, and them to find a permanent home, if the kids to come and play games, to blankets, according to this post. But do ever, we can’t afford to then go years draw pictures, to sing songs. This you know what? No one really believes without education, without schools. young man here—by the way, here is this story. There is no international Let the international community in- Congressman CICILLINE from the House agency involved in protecting this fam- vest in their education and let the side—was showing me the drawing that ily. Were they even refugees to begin United States lead in that effort. he had made that shows helicopters with? We don’t know. Let’s give strong international sup- shooting at the villages. This is a piece What we do know is that the story port to Bangladesh. Bangladesh didn’t of what these children had experienced. itself said they are not going to be able have to open their borders to this flow Many of them have drawings of heli- to return to their village. They are of 700,000 refugees from across the river copters and trucks that are shooting at going to be sent to an IDP camp—an in Burma, but they did. In a humani- the villagers as their families flee. I internally displaced persons camp. tarian way, they did. They said: We hope that the children have many joys There are already 120,000 people in will not let you be shot down on the like making and flying kites, but they camps just like this. Those are prison banks across on the other side. Come are carrying scars we cannot even camps. While this is meant as a public and find refuge. begin to imagine. gesture to the world that Burma is But now, the Government of Ban- Now these children—homeless, with- going to protect this family, Burma is gladesh needs international support. out a school or access to minimal sending them to a prison camp. Let no They are a poor country—poor in a way healthcare—have to figure out how to one in the international community be we can’t even imagine. That nation is go forward. In one of Nicholas Kristof’s fooled. half the size of Oregon. When it floods,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.036 S19APPT1 S2306 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 it is a quarter of the size of Oregon. In elections process. This operation fare as the Kremlin sees it and how my home State of Oregon, we have 4 sought to weaken our democratic insti- Russia has utilized all the tools of million citizens. Bangladesh already tutions, amplify and exacerbate soci- statecraft to engage an adversary with- has 160 million citizens. There is no etal tensions, and generally sow chaos. out, in many cases, actually firing ac- space. That is why these camps are There is clear evidence that the tual shots. These different disciplines crowded onto hillsides and carved into Kremlin sought to influence the 2016 together can be called a Russian hybrid the dirt, because there is no place for Presidential election. The key findings approach to confrontation below the people to be set up on flat land where of the intelligence community’s assess- threshold of direct armed conflict, it is easy to establish facilities. ment were these: which has been developing and esca- These five things are what we must We assess Russian President Vladimir lating since the earliest days of Putin’s do: first, for our President to be a vocal Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 rise to power. international leader and bring the aimed at the U.S. presidential election. Rus- Russia’s attacks have not ceased international community together; sia’s goals were to undermine public faith in since the 2016 election. As former FBI the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Sec- second, to pass the repatriation resolu- retary Clinton, and harm her electability Director James Comey so presciently tion; third, to bring to the floor and to and potential presidency. stated about the Russians, ‘‘They’ll be pass the sanctions bill, the Burma Moscow’s influence campaign followed a back.’’ Human Rights and Freedom Act; Russian messaging strategy that blends cov- Former Director of National Intel- fourth, to send a message to Burma ert intelligence operations—such as cyber ligence James Clapper assessed that and the rest of the world to invest in activity—with overt efforts by Russian gov- the Kremlin has ‘‘been emboldened’’ by ernment agencies, state-funded media, third- the success of their operations to date the education of the children; and fifth, party intermediaries, and paid social media to give strong international support to users or ‘‘trolls.’’ and warned that hybrid operations Bangladesh, which is doing all it can Russia’s state-run propaganda machine ‘‘will continue.’’ At a Senate Intel- but is in a very difficult spot to receive contributed to the influence campaign by ligence Committee hearing in Feb- so many in an overcrowded and impov- serving as a platform for Kremlin messaging ruary, CIA Director Pompeo confirmed erished nation. to Russian and international audiences. that the intelligence community has Elie Wiesel said: ‘‘Wherever men or In February of this year, leaders of seen ‘‘Russian activity and intentions’’ women are persecuted because of their the intelligence community appeared to affect the 2018 midterm elections. race, religion or political views, that before the Senate Intelligence Com- Director of National Intelligence place must—at that moment—become mittee and reaffirmed these findings. Coats stated at this same hearing that the center of the universe.’’ Let us In a related action, in February, the our intelligence experts expect that then make Burma and the refugee special counsel’s office issued indict- Russia will conduct bolder and more camps in Bangladesh the center of the ments against 13 Kremlin-linked trolls disruptive cyber operations in the com- universe and come to their assistance. for conducting ‘‘information warfare ing year. The agency heads from across I thank the Presiding Officer. against the United States’’ with the our intelligence community agreed The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. CAS- purpose of interfering with U.S. polit- with this assessment. SIDY). The Senator from Rhode Island. ical and electoral processes, including The warnings from our current and RUSSIAN ELECTION INTERFERENCE the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. former intelligence officials appear to Mr. REED. Mr. President, I come to These tactics are aspects of a larger be spot-on. There has been a steady the floor to continue my series of coordinated operation of hybrid aggres- pace of Russian hybrid operations de- speeches about Russia’s actions in the sion conducted by the Kremlin, using ployed against us, our allies, and part- 2016 election and the threat that Russia the broad spectrum of military and ners, with varying degrees of intensity poses for the 2018 midterm elections nonmilitary tools at its disposal. The and mixes of tools and methods. The and our national security. main tenets of the Kremlin’s hybrid op- techniques unleashed against us in the Free, fair, and open elections are the erations are these: information oper- 2016 elections as laid out by our intel- foundation of our country. The Fram- ations with cyber tools, which people ligence community were deployed with ers created a unique system that has commonly think of as hacking; propa- maximum intensity during last year’s stood for over 200 years and served as a ganda and disinformation; manipula- French Presidential elections. There beacon around the world. tion of social media; and malign influ- was also evidence of hybrid operations Regrettably, the Russian hybrid op- ence, which can be deployed through against the German Federal elections erations and malign influence against political and financial channels. held in September of 2017. Kremlin- the 2016 election has put the sanctity Furthermore, throughout this hybrid linked trolls targeted the people of and security of our democracy in ques- campaign, Russia has denied its in- Spain, exacerbating divisions during tion. volvement and engaged in deception to the referendum on Catalonian inde- Our duty as citizens and as legisla- hide its fingerprints. pendence. Outgoing National Security Russia recognizes that, for now, its tors is to recognize this crisis and take Adviser H.R. McMaster said we have military capabilities are limited rel- concrete steps to protect our democ- seen ‘‘initial signs’’ that the Kremlin is ative to the United States and NATO, racy. We must foster a climate of vigi- using tools from its hybrid arsenal and it will seek to avoid a direct mili- lance and Federal-State cooperation against the upcoming Mexican elec- tary conflict with the West. Instead, when it comes to elections integrity. tions. After last month’s poisoning of Russian tactics leverage their So today, I wanted to take a moment the former Russian spy and his daugh- strengths and exploit our open society to review what happened and offer ter on British soil, an estimated 2,800 and free markets in ways that they some steps that we should take imme- Kremlin-linked bots were unleashed to hope will have a strategic impact with- diately. cast doubt on Prime Minister May’s as- out leading to conventional war. Some may say that there was no in- As laid out in the ‘‘Russian National sessment that Russia was responsible terference and that talking about Rus- Security Strategy’’ in 2015, the Krem- and to amplify divisions among the sia’s meddling against our democratic lin’s approach to how they respond to British people. While the majority of institutions is ‘‘fake news.’’ I wish it conflict includes weaponizing tools and the interference appears to have come were ‘‘fake news’’, but the facts are resources from across their govern- from Russia, others are catching on very clear and are acknowledged by ex- ment and society. and deploying these tools as well. perts of every political viewpoint. Let The Russian strategy states: As highlighted in the Economist last week, a coalition of Indonesian reli- me take a moment to review what hap- Interrelated political, military, military- pened before I discuss the threat and technical, diplomatic, economic, informa- gious extremist groups used propa- what we should do. tional, and other measures are being devel- ganda and disinformation to affect a Fifteen months have now passed oped and implemented in order to ensure local election in Jakarta last year. The since the intelligence community re- strategic deterrence and the prevention of frontrunner, a Christian, was falsely leased its assessment, which concluded armed conflicts. accused of insulting Islam and huge that the Kremlin attacked the heart of This strategy describes the conven- rallies were organized against him. In our democracy by interfering with our tional and nonconventional use of war- the end, he lost to a candidate that

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.058 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2307 held the support of Muslim groups. had directed him to begin intensive highlights this evolving threat. Pro- This more overt interference has been planning to protect our electoral sys- fessor Richard Harknett, a cyber secu- coupled with covert information oper- tem against the next Russian cyber at- rity expert from the University of Cin- ations, using social media to smear tack, he was not able to point to any cinnati, warned that Russia’s 2016 cam- candidates they deem ‘‘not Muslim guidance indicating that the President paign against our elections was the enough.’’ recognizes the urgency of the Russian ‘‘stone age’’ relative to the sophistica- A second Christian candidate in up- threat or the necessity of preparing to tion of cyber activities we are likely to coming Indonesian regional elections counter it during midterm elections. see in the coming elections. Similarly, has been portrayed as a front for Chris- On June 21, 2017, I asked officials Russia expert Heather Conley from the tian domination in a country that has from the Department of Homeland Se- Center for Strategic and International an estimated 90-percent Muslim popu- curity, who are in charge of election Studies testified at the same hearing. lation and has been featured in a video security, whether the President had di- She said: that falsely claimed that he was part of rected them to come up with a plan to If we’re preparing for what Russia did in a massive church building campaign. protect our critical election infrastruc- 2016, it will be very different in November. It With voters in this area spending an ture. They responded no. will be very different in 2020. It will look average of 4 to 5 hours a day looking at On October 19, 2017, I asked leading more American. It will look less Russian. officials from the Pentagon, the FBI, And so this is adaptation. We are already social media on their phones, videos fighting the last war. and messages have quickly gone viral. and the Department of Homeland Secu- As an article from the May issue of As this example highlights, these cam- rity, who are in charge of protecting ‘‘Atlantic’’ portrayed, we may soon paigns don’t even have to be sophisti- critical cyber infrastructure, including find ourselves in an era where doctored cated. They use tactics out of the our electoral infrastructure, if the images are used to further aspects of Kremlin’s playbook and they indicate President had directed them to counter hybrid operations. New technology ex- how ubiquitous this type of activity is the Russian threat. They could not ists that can superimpose a person point to any specific direction coming becoming across the world. onto video of an activity they did not We also continue to see evidence of from the White House to do so. participate in. Franklin Foer, the au- the Kremlin and Kremlin-linked agents On February 13, 2018, I asked the top thor, wrote of this phenomenon: deploy hybrid tools to sow division, ex- directors of our intelligence commu- nity whether the President had di- The genre is one of the cruelest, most acerbate racial and religious divides, invasive forms of identity theft invented in and amplify social tensions here at rected them to take specific action to the internet era. . . . A casual observer can’t home. We don’t have to look far for ex- blunt or disrupt ongoing Russian influ- easily detect the hoax. amples. ence activities. I received no affirma- As was highlighted recently on a ‘‘60 Kremlin-linked trolls flooded Twitter tive responses. FBI Director Wray said Minutes’’ show, we know the Russians with messages intended to sow division he had not been ‘‘specifically directed targeted election systems in 21 States and disinformation in the wake of the by the President.’’ Admiral Rogers, in the 2016 election and that Kremlin tragic shootings in Las Vegas and who serves as head of both the Na- or Kremlin-linked actors compromised Parkland, FL. tional Security Agency and Cyber websites or voter registration systems During the special election to fill the Command, responded: ‘‘I can’t say that in 7 States. The fact we have not yet Alabama Senate seat vacated by now- I have been explicitly directed to taken steps to correct all the vulnera- Attorney General Jeff Sessions, one ‘blunt or actively stop.’ ’’ The other bilities does not inspire confidence for candidate gained 1,100 Russian-origin witnesses could not point to any direc- the 2018 midterm elections. Former Twitter followers over a 3-day period, tives from the President to confront or FBI agent and expert on Russian infor- with many of the accounts appearing blunt Russian influence operations ei- mation operations, Clint Watts, said to be artificial. ther. recently on ‘‘Meet the Press,’’ ‘‘at this January press reports indicate that On February 27, 2018, I asked Admiral point we can’t ensure the vote is accu- Fancy Bear—the Russian military- Rogers whether he has the authority rate or not changed’’ and that his num- linked hackers who perpetrated at- and the capability to disrupt hacking ber one priority would be protecting tacks on the Democratic National operations where they originate. He re- the elections and the vote ahead of the Committee in the 2016 election—have sponded that he does not have the au- 2018 elections. We cannot continue to been attempting to penetrate the thority from the President to go after have a wait-and-see attitude with re- emails of Senate offices in the run-up these perpetrators and stated that the gard to the Kremlin’s hybrid oper- to the 2018 midterm elections. government as a whole has so far, in ations because, next time, it could and Kremlin propaganda outlets RT and his words, ‘‘opted not to engage.’’ likely will be worse. They might actu- Sputnik continue to try to capitalize The bottom line is that the President ally be able to change ballots or tam- on our open press and public debates to has not directed anyone in the intel- per with voter rolls or carry out an- spread disinformation and amplify di- ligence community, his Cabinet, or other operation entirely that we vision. elsewhere in his administration to de- haven’t even thought of. In sum, Kremlin and Kremlin-linked velop or implement a strategy to dis- We are behind the curve in preparing agents are still trying to hack us, our rupt, blunt, or retaliate against Russia our defenses against Russian inter- allies, and partners to fuel their infor- for its hybrid aggression against our ference in 2018—these elections that mation operations. They are still using democracy. This threat is clear, and it are coming. Even by the administra- trolls and bots to manipulate social only grows as we move closer to our tion’s own admission, we are not doing media and targeting us with midterm elections in November. It is enough. At an October 18, 2017, hearing, disinformation campaigns and still de- past time for the President to step up Senator SASSE asked Attorney General ploying propaganda. and provide strategic leadership Sessions whether the administration In the absence of strategic action to against Russian interference. had prepared to counter future inter- deter these kinds of attacks, Russia Russia has gone to school on our so- ference by Russia and other foreign ad- sees our 2018 midterm elections as an- cial and political divisions and our versaries in the information space. At- other prime target. democratic institutions and will con- torney General Sessions responded: Despite this threat and multiple tinue to adapt. They have learned how Probably not. We’re not. And the matter is warnings from across our intelligence to exploit our vulnerabilities and are so complex that for most of us, we are not community, Trump administration of- planning future operations to hit our able to fully grasp the technical dangers that ficials have testified to Congress dat- blind spots. We are fooling ourselves if are out there. ing back to last spring that the Presi- we are only looking to protect against This is not an acceptable response to dent has not directed his Cabinet or the threats from the last Russian oper- such a pressing problem. Russia at- senior staff to work on a strategy to ation. We need to be prepared to blunt tacked the heart of our democracy, and protect our democratic institutions. what comes next. if we do not try to find solutions and When I asked Defense Secretary Mattis February testimony from the Armed guard our infrastructure, we are dere- on June 13, 2017, whether the President Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee lict in our duties.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.059 S19APPT1 S2308 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 One of the last acts of the Obama ad- to work with my colleagues on the For- culated that, in his words, ‘‘not much ministration was to deem election in- eign Relations Committees and other will happen to them’’ in retaliation for frastructure critical, which put it in a committees of jurisdiction on how best cyber attacks on America. Cyber Com- priority category for assistance to to stand up such a capability. mander Admiral Rogers also testified guard against election interference. The Senate Intelligence Committee, in February to the Armed Services While appropriate and important, that of which I am a member, has recently Committee that Vladimir Putin has is the mere beginning of a solution, and issued recommendations to improve concluded there is little price to pay we have hardly progressed in the last election security. The committee urges for Russian aggression against the 14 months. retaining States’ primacy in running United States, and he has no incentive I recently asked General Curt elections and providing them with nec- to stop these hybrid attacks. In out- Scaparrotti, the head of European essary assistance; creating effective de- going National Security Advisor Command, who is on the frontline of terrence; improving information shar- McMaster’s last remarks, he even ad- blunting Russian aggression in Europe, ing on threats; and securing election- mitted ‘‘we have failed to impose suffi- whether we had a sufficient whole-of- related systems. All of these are impor- cient costs’’ on Russia. government to combat such hybrid op- tant steps and should be implemented In the absence of Presidential leader- erations. He responded that we did not without delay. ship to set a policy to blunt Russian have an ‘‘effective unification’’ across Several of my Senate colleagues have aggression and send the message to our the government and affirmed that addi- thoughtfully incorporated these rec- foreign adversaries that we will not tional focus was needed immediately ommendations into legislation, the Se- stand for attacks of this nature, the because of the nature of the threat. cure Elections Act, and I strongly sup- National Defense Authorization Act for We need a whole-of-government ap- port this effort. This bill would im- Fiscal Year 2018 requires a comprehen- proach with the weight of the White prove information sharing between sive plan from the administration to House behind it. We need an approach Federal Government and local election counter Russian malign influence. that will enable coordination across agencies, assist States with cyber secu- That plan is overdue. The Act also re- the different agencies of our govern- rity preparedness, and support them in quires that the President develop a na- ment and support effective outreach replacing outdated and insecure elec- tional cyber policy, including any ca- and collaboration with State and local tronic voting machines. I thank Sen- pabilities that be used to impose costs officials and the private sector, includ- ators KLOBUCHAR, LANKFORD, GRAHAM, on adversaries in response to a cyber ing the media. Given the nature of Rus- COLLINS, and HEINRICH for their work attack or malicious cyber activity. sia’s asymmetric aggression, conducted on this bill, and I look forward to There is no time to waste, and I urge below the level of direct military con- working with them on further legisla- the administration to deliver these flict, we must deploy a range of tools, tion to protect the institutions that strategies and actually implement including cyber; diplomacy; economic are essential to our democracy. them, which would work toward impos- sanctions; financial investigations to As I laid out, these operations ing costs on our foreign adversaries. counter foreign corruption, money against our elections are part of a I intend to return to speak further on laundering, and malign political influ- broad pattern of Russian hybrid at- these issues, as I believe the American ence; and strategic communications. tacks against us and our allies and people deserve a comprehensive expla- This administration has not effec- partners. As Vice President Biden and nation of the threats that face our de- tively employed the nonmilitary tools former Deputy Assistant Secretary of mocracy. I also intend to work with in its arsenal, and it has been slow to Defense Michael Carpenter reminded us my colleagues on additional measures respond in any meaningful way. The in a recent article in Foreign Affairs: to secure our political system and elec- administration’s dithering is exempli- More than a decade has passed since Esto- tion infrastructure against malign for- fied in its foot-dragging in utilizing the nia became the first NATO country to see its eign influence. State Department’s Global Engage- government institutions and media organiza- None of this is to say that States will ment Center to counter Russian propa- tions attacked by hackers based in Russia. lose their traditional primacy over ganda and its delay in implementing In the intervening period, the risk of a far elections. Rhode Island is one of the sanctions to punish Russia. While re- more debilitating attack has increased, but States that is taking this issue very se- cent actions to expel Russian dip- planning for how to defend against it has riously by adopting new technologies lomats after the poisoning of the Rus- lagged. to streamline voting and guard voter sian spy and his daughter on British There are countries, such as those in information. soil and the decision to finally imple- the Baltics, that have been dealing My State is also working with the ment sanctions targeted against with these Russian threats for far Department of Homeland Security to Putin’s base of power are encouraging, longer than we have and have devel- shore up election security, but election they do not add up to a policy of effec- oped effective approaches for coun- security must be a national priority, tive deterrence. tering them. and the Federal Government must be a In this regard, I would note that a Department of Defense National reliable partner. I must commend our former senior Defense Department Guard units, which regularly deploy to Secretary of State, Nellie Gorbea, for cyber policymaker recently testified to Eastern Europe and the Baltics, may her great efforts. the Armed Services Committee that a be uniquely positioned to share infor- One thing remains clear. The Rus- standing joint interagency task force is mation on Russian hybrid attacks with sians attacked our elections process— required to bring to bear the right ca- State and local officials and explain the heart of our democracy—and are pabilities and resources spread across procedures they learn from our Euro- primed to do it again unless the admin- the government to respond effectively pean partners. istration provides effective deterrence. to Russian aggression. Such a task With regard to building credible de- This is not a Democratic issue or a Re- force would utilize expertise from terrence—one of the Intelligence Com- publican issue; it is an issue of national across our government, including the mittee’s key recommendations—it does security. As the old saying goes, ‘‘Fool intelligence community, the Depart- not appear that we have mounted an me once, shame on you; fool me twice, ment of Defense, the State Depart- effective policy against Russia. As DNI shame on me.’’ We have no time to ment, the Department of Homeland Se- Coats testified earlier this year, Rus- waste. curity, and the Treasury Department, sian influence operations in cyber I yield the floor. and would allow effective coordination space are intended to achieve ‘‘stra- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The jun- and collaboration on policy to counter tegic objectives’’ and will continue un- ior Senator from Alaska. Russia. The minority staff report of less and until there are clear repercus- TRIBUTE TO DIMITRI PHILEMONOF the Senate Foreign Relations Com- sions for Russia. In February, Lieuten- Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, today mittee on Russian asymmetric oper- ant General Nakasone testified to the I rise, as I like to do at the end of the ations in Europe recommended a simi- Armed Services Committee that the week, to talk about somebody in my lar mechanism. I think this is a good Russians, amongst several other adver- State who has made a real big dif- way forward, and I intend to continue saries, don’t fear us and have cal- ference to Alaska and, in many ways,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.061 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2309 to the country. It is a good opportunity held these two islands in Alaska until ternment camps in Alaska. Not many for me to come down on the floor and mid-1943, when American forces recap- people know that history. brag a little bit about Alaska, although tured Kiska and Attu in a brutal cam- Dimitri not only knew it, he lived it. my State does a really good job of sell- paign in the cold of Alaska. His family lived it, but what he did was ing itself anyway. It is what we refer to That campaign to retake Kiska and so powerful. He helped heal it. He in my office as the Alaskan of the Attu resulted in the deaths of about helped heal it right here on the floor of Week. 1,500 American servicemen. More than the Senate. It is a great opportunity to talk 600 were missing, and almost 3,500 were He then helped pass the Aleutian and about not just the wonderful things we wounded in action. It was a major bat- Pribilof Islands Restitution Trust to have in Alaska—the wonderful moun- tle of World War II. Less well known is oversee money allocated to rebuild tains, oceans, and how beautiful the the impact this conflict had on the some of the buildings and houses in State is. Right now, the Sun is out Aleut peoples of Alaska. As a result of this part of Alaska that were destroyed again and shining high. The snow is the invasion, nearly 900 Aleut civilian during the war—in the fierce battles melting. The buds are coming out and residents of the Pribilof Islands and the that raged in my State during World birds are coming back. It is a good op- Aleutian Islands in Alaska were relo- War II that not many Americans are portunity for me to talk not just about cated to temporary internment camps aware of. the natural wonders but the people who in Southeast Alaska. Among those in- That is a great life and service. make Alaska such a great place. terned were Dimitri’s parents, two of Dimitri is also an artist helping to pre- While it doesn’t get as much atten- his brothers, and a sister who was born serve Alaska Native culture through tion as it deserves, there is an incred- in the camp. Dimitri himself jokes and his beautiful drawings—particularly of ibly fascinating and sometimes tragic laughs that, in his words, he was actu- Russian Orthodox Churches in the re- history of my State. It is a good oppor- ally ‘‘conceived’’ in the camp. gion—churches he has worked tire- tunity for me to talk to my colleagues The treatment of our American citi- lessly to maintain throughout Alaska. about that and the people who have zens—and these are great American These are beautiful churches. He also worked hard and have been part of that citizens. They are patriotic. They serve does an incredible Elvis Presley imper- history and have helped to heal some of in the military at higher rates than sonation. He is a man of faith, of perseverance, the scars that have been left from that any other ethnic group in the country. and kindness. As I have mentioned history. The treatment of these American citi- here, and tried to highlight just a little Along with talking about the beauty zens in these camps is a dark spot in bit of his life, he has devoted his whole of Alaska every week, we talk about American history that not many Amer- life to his people, to my State, and to someone who has made a difference. icans are aware of. Camps were basi- this great Nation. In May, he will be This week, I would like to recognize cally abandoned buildings. The condi- recognized by his colleagues for 40 Dimitri Philemonof and all the work tions were awful—crowded, unheated, years of humanitarian service and for he has done over the decades for his and unsanitary. Some even died in the helping heal the wounds of this coun- community, for his State, and really camps as a result of these horrendous try that came about during World War for his country. conditions. These were our citizens in Dimitri was born in 1944 to Erena and II. We thank him for all he has done in our country. his beloved Pribilofs, in Alaska, in Isaac Philemonof on the breathtaking, Yet, like so many Alaskan Natives America, and on the floor of the Sen- beautiful St. George Island, one of the who were not treated well by our gov- two principal islands of the Pribilof Is- ate. ernment during this time, Dimitri, Dimitri, I want to thank you, once lands in Alaska. Surrounded by the nevertheless, signed up when he was of again, and congratulate you on being Bering Sea, the Pribilofs are about 750 age to serve his country in the mili- our Alaskan of the Week. miles from Anchorage and about 500 tary. In the 1960s, he joined the Army COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION BILL miles from the Siberian Coast. The and served in the Pathfinder Detach- Mr. President, I want to give a little Pribilofs are really one of the Wonders ment at Fort Rucker in Alabama. He bit of an update on what has been hap- of the World, particularly with the na- was an Airborne soldier. pening on the Senate floor in the last ture that is there—Steller sea lions, Eventually, Dimitri made his way few days because there is a lot going walruses, sea otters, and tens of thou- back to Alaska. He met his wife Vic- on. I think sometimes it is important sands of fur seals. Depending on the toria and started a family. He is the to explain to people watching in the season, more than 2.5 million seabirds proud father of five, and he began to Gallery, people watching on TV, and call the Pribilof Islands their home. work at the Aleutian Pribilof Islands the people watching back home in The ‘‘Galapagos of the North,’’ it is Association. He is now the President Alaska what is happening here. sometimes called because of this teem- and CEO of the Association. We had a big vote yesterday. It was a ing wildlife. The association has had numerous big vote particularly for my State but You will also find in the Pribilofs the accomplishments under his leadership. also for the Presiding Officer’s State of warmest, most resilient people any- Since 1985, it has greatly expanded its Louisiana—any coastal State. It was a where in the world. The Pribilofs, as programs for the people of the Pribilofs vote on the Coast Guard bill yesterday. well as the entire Aleutian Island and the Aleutians, and its budget has It was a strong bipartisan vote, but we chain, has a storied and, to be honest, grown from about $2.5 million to more just missed getting 60 Senators. sometimes painful history in our coun- than $18 million to fund these impor- To be perfectly honest, it was a dis- try—a history that has shaped tant service programs under his leader- appointment. It was certainly a dis- Dimitri’s life. ship. appointment to the men and women in First, when Alaska was a colonial For years, he did something that was the Coast Guard who are serving our possession of Russia, Russian fur seek- so important that this body was in- country all over not only America but ers decimated the Aleut Native popu- volved here in the Senate. He worked the world—exceptional service. lations on these islands through war- closely with Alaska’s congressional This body was unable to get the au- fare, disease, and, yes, even slavery. delegation at the time—Senator Ted thorization bill that sets the policies Then, 75 years after the United States Stevens, Senator Frank Murkowski, and funding and spending for the Coast purchased Alaska during World War II, and Congressman DON YOUNG—to work Guard. That was sad, in my view—a big Japan invaded and occupied Kiska and on educating the Congress and the Sen- disappointment. We have principled Attu, the westernmost islands of Alas- ate about this difficult history during differences here in the Senate, but we ka’s Aleutian Island chain. A lot of World War II and to help pass legisla- have been working hard on this. We Americans don’t know that American tion entitled the ‘‘Aleutian and have been working very hard across the territory was invaded and occupied by Pribilof Islands Restitution Act,’’ aisle. the Japanese during World War II. It which compensated surviving Aleut I chair the Subcommittee on the was the first time since the War of 1812 victims of the internment camps. Coast Guard. We tried to make sure we that American soil had been occupied Again, American citizens were sent by had plenty of Senators who would sup- by an enemy. The Japanese dug in and their government during the war to in- port this, so my team and I worked for

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.063 S19APPT1 S2310 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 months on accommodating my col- I have come down here and talked When they put forward well-qualified leagues’ concerns about the bill. In cer- about this a lot. I keep coming down to individuals, I thought it was the duty tain ways, we pretty much accommo- ask the Senate minority leader and of the Senate to sit down with them, dated every request for an amendment some of my colleagues on the other meet with them, discuss your issues and every request for fixing the bill. So side of the aisle: Why are you doing with them, and then vote on them. I really thought we were going to get this? Why are you doing this? Typically, in that realm, the indi- to the point where we had way more I will give just one example. In the vidual had been supported, whether than 60 Senators to pass this bill for first not even 18 months of the Trump they are a Democrat or a Republican. the men and women of the Coast administration, the filibuster—that is Let me give a couple of examples. Sec- Guard, to make our waterway eco- a procedure used here in the Senate retary of State Tillerson had 55 Sen- nomic opportunities more efficient, that could require much extended de- ators vote for him. Secretary of State and to put more maritime workers to bate—the filibuster has been used more John Kerry—94 Senators voted for him. work, but at the end of the day, we in the first 18 months than it was in Secretary of State Hillary Clinton—94 couldn’t get to that magic number of the previous four administrations com- Senators voted for her. Condoleezza 60, which is so critical here in the Sen- bined. Rice—I worked for Condoleezza Rice ate. It is disappointing to say that poli- Why? I have been asking the ques- for a number of years. She was a phe- tics got in the way. There were some tion, why are you doing this? They nomenal Secretary of State. Eighty- people who had previously committed don’t really have an answer. I haven’t five Senators voted for her. Secretary to make sure this got over the goal line heard anyone explain it. I know part of Colin Powell—voice vote. That means who weren’t there at the end. But we their base is very upset about the elec- essentially 100 Senators voted for Sec- will keep working on it. It is too im- tion a year and a half ago, but it is retary Powell. Secretary Madeleine portant for my State and too impor- time to govern now. We have to get Albright—I have gotten to know Mad- tant for the country to leave the men people in place and just vote on them. eleine Albright over a number of years. and women of the Coast Guard and so If you don’t like them, if you don’t I have a deep respect for her, a Demo- many other important issues that were think they are qualified, vote no. But crat. That vote was 99 to 0. Warren taken up in that bill not completed. time and again, we have qualified peo- Christopher, another Democrat—a That is what we call the legislative cal- ple who are being held up for 2, 3, 4, 5, voice vote. That means 100, essentially. endar—that is legislation on the Sen- 6, 7, 8, 9 months for no reason, and it James Baker—another Secretary of ate floor we are trying to move, and we just doesn’t make any sense. State I have gotten to know over the will keep working in a bipartisan way The reason I am mentioning this is years—99 to 0. there. that there is now talk that it is not You see, this is deep history where, NOMINATION OF MIKE POMPEO just in terms of a filibuster, but there in this body, you are not going to agree Now, Mr. President, I want to talk a is a possibility that my colleagues on with everything with regard to a Presi- little bit about an issue as it relates to the other side, as a total group, all of dent’s foreign policy, but on these the Executive Calendar. What do I them, might come together and all kinds of nominations, the history of mean when I am talking about the Ex- vote against the President’s most re- this body and our Nation has typically ecutive Calendar? Well, in the Senate, cent nominee to be the Secretary of been to be supportive. under the U.S. Constitution, we are in State. That is the current CIA Direc- Mike Pompeo is the current Director the personnel business in addition to tor, Mike Pompeo. of the CIA. My friend from Tennessee, being in the legislative business. Under I certainly didn’t agree with every- the chairman of the Foreign Relations the Constitution, we have a role—the thing the Obama administration did, Committee, BOB CORKER, gave a speech advice and consent power of the Senate but if you look at the history of the earlier today. He talked about Mike to confirm the nominees who run the United States, particularly as it re- Pompeo’s qualifications. They are very government. That comes from the ex- lates to nominees to head government impressive qualifications. ecutive branch. The White House—the agencies, to run national security President puts forward nominations, agencies—the Department of Defense, He went to West Point. By the way, and we hold hearings and we confirm the Secretary of State—these have he graduated No. 1 in his class at West them. typically been given a lot of leeway Point. He went to Harvard Law School. I have been speaking on the floor a from the Senate. By the way, he was the editor of the lot about this lately because, by any For example, just in my relatively Harvard Law Review. This is a smart historical measure, unfortunately the short career here—I sit on the Armed guy at the top institutions in America. Senate has slowed down, delayed, and Services Committee—President Obama He served in the Army. He served in obstructed the confirmation of individ- put forward a number of candidates to Congress. He was very involved in for- uals from the Trump administration serve in the government at high levels eign policy when he was a Member of whom we are trying to get confirmed in the Department of Defense to help Congress. He was a businessman and to serve in the government. That is run our national security. One was the now is the Director of the CIA. Prob- also sad. That is also disappointing. Secretary of Defense. I didn’t agree ably in terms of an individual in Wash- The statistics are very obvious. with Secretary Ash Carter on every- ington, DC, who has insights on what is A lot of us have tried to get the press thing, but what I did was I sat down going on around the world in terms of who usually sits up there in the Gal- with him, had discussions with him, our national security challenges, there lery to write about this. They don’t and we brought him up for a floor vote, is probably no one who has more in- seem to care, but they should care. The and I voted to support him. sights on this than Mike Pompeo right American people should care. Let me give another example—Sec- now. Whether or not you voted for this retary of the Army Eric Fanning, put There is no doubt, by any measure, President, once somebody wins an elec- forward by President Obama. I didn’t by any standard, historical standard, tion and they start putting people for- agree with everything Secretary Fan- that when you look at our previous ward—good Americans—to serve in the ning was focused on. I sat down with Secretaries of State, Mike Pompeo is government, what we should be doing him and had good discussions with well qualified. He is well qualified. here is holding hearings, seeing if they him. He was actually being held up by There is talk—and I hope it is only are qualified, and then voting on some Republicans, and I worked to try talk—that my colleagues on the other whether to confirm them. Unfortu- to get him freed and confirmed. side of the aisle are going to, en masse, nately, what is happening—and it is all They were well-qualified individuals. vote against him. This would be get- out there—by any historical measure, Again, even if you don’t agree with ting into some dangerous territory for my colleagues on the other side have everything that an administration is the United States as a country. As I filibustered and obstructed this admin- doing in terms of foreign policy—there mentioned, the tradition of this body is istration’s nominees to serve their were elements of the Obama foreign to vote to support the President’s Sec- country at a higher rate than has ever policy that I supported, and there were retary of State, particularly if he or happened in U.S. history. a lot of elements that I didn’t like. she is a well-qualified individual.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.064 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2311 The other side has been criticizing sued groundless attacks against Hillary Clin- of State that not only goes back dec- the Trump administration for not hav- ton’s State Department, did his best on ades but centuries. ing enough nominees at, for example, Thursday to be reassuring. He stressed that I am hoping that my colleagues sit the State Department. To be honest, I he favored diplomatic solutions with Iran down and talk to Mike Pompeo if they and North Korea; he played down the likely think some of that criticism is fair. We consequences of a decision by Mr. Trump to have issues with him, and raise them, need to get out more nominees. The scrap the Iran deal next month. Importantly, but let’s get to the floor, and let’s con- White House needs to get out more he promised to defend the State Depart- firm him as the Secretary of State be- Ambassadors, more Assistant Secre- ment’s budget and to quickly seek to fill its cause the State Department needs a taries, and more Under Secretaries. many vacant positions, which would be a well-qualified individual to run that But, as I have mentioned to my col- welcome departure from the odd manage- important agency, and so does our leagues a couple of times, they can’t ment style of the departed Rex Tillerson. country. As has frequently been the case during the have it both ways. They can’t have it I yield the floor. past year, it was not always clear if Mr. Mr. President, I suggest the absence both ways. What do I mean by that? Trump and his nominee are in agreement on You can’t say to the administration major issues. Mr. Pompeo was tough on Rus- of a quorum. ‘‘Hey, you need more Ambassadors. sia, saying conflicts with it were caused by The PRESIDING OFFICER. The You need more Assistant Secretaries. ‘‘Russia’s bad behavior’’; Mr. Trump tweeted clerk will call the roll. You need a Secretary of State to run Wednesday that ‘‘much of the bad blood with The bill clerk proceeded to call the our foreign policy’’ and then, when Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Rus- roll. those people are nominated by the sia Investigation.’’ Mr. Pompeo acknowl- Mr. PERDUE. Mr. President, I ask edged that sanctions against Vladimir unanimous consent that the order for President, delay, delay, delay. That is Putin’s regime had been inadequate and having it both ways, particularly if it the quorum call be rescinded. promised to ‘‘reset . . . deterrence.’’ But Mr. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without is a candidate like Mike Pompeo, who Trump tweeted that there was ‘‘no reason’’ is very well qualified. for poor relations and suggested the United objection, it is so ordered. Another criticism from my col- States should aid the Russian economy and THE NATIONAL DEBT leagues on the other side of the aisle is ‘‘stop the arms race.’’ Mr. PERDUE. Mr. President, I rise that there is just too much chaos in In this, Mr. Pompeo sounded much like his today to talk about a milestone that the administration right now, too predecessor Mr. Tillerson, who often pushed happened about 3 weeks ago. Mr. Trump to be tougher on Mr. Putin and to much chaos in foreign policy, domesti- We have a couple of interesting resist reflexive impulses to pull U.S. forces dates. April 15 just passed. We call it cally and internationally. There is out of Afghanistan and Syria. On human some truth to that, also, I am not rights, as in support for the State Depart- tax day. But it was another day. It was going to deny that. But part of the rea- ment, Mr. Pompeo sounded like an improve- also the date we were supposed to com- son there have been challenges at the ment, saying ‘‘we should defend American plete the Senate budget for fiscal year State Department is that this body has values every place we go,’’ including to allies 2019, which starts on October 1 of this been slow-rolling confirmation of the such as Egypt. Democracy promotion, he year. Well, April 15 came, and the IRS nominations. said, ‘‘is an important tool of foreign pol- deadline did indeed hit, but there was Again, you can’t say ‘‘We don’t want icy’’—an idea that neither Mr. Tillerson nor no budget completed. This is part of Mr. Trump has supported. Though he reiter- the dysfunction that people back home the chaos’’ and then talk about voting ated his opposition to gay marriage, Mr. along party lines to derail the nomina- Pompeo said he would defend the rights of are so upset about. I want to talk tion of Mike Pompeo, because that will LGBT people both in the State Department about that today, but first I want to actually continue and create the kind and abroad. talk about the derivative of that bro- of chaos that my colleagues on the Democrats who pressed Mr. Pompeo on his ken process. other side of the aisle are railing record, including his questionable state- In my office, we have a debt clock. A against and say they don’t want. ments about Muslims, have legitimate con- few weeks ago, that debt clock passed a Chaos in the national security and cerns. But rejecting or delaying his nomina- milestone: $21 trillion. If that weren’t tion, as Mr. Trump juggles multiple crises bad enough, the commitments of this foreign policy personnel world—that is without adequate counsel, probably would not what we need. Nobody should be for make an already parlous situation worse. Federal Government over the last 50 that. Nobody should be for that. Mr. Pompeo should be deployed to Foggy years—actually, indeed, over the last I ask unanimous consent to have Bottom in the hope that he will fulfill his 100 years—the commitments that have printed in the RECORD a Washington promise to revive and reassert U.S. diplo- been made in the structural programs Post editorial from just a couple of macy. of this big government bureaucracy days ago that simply reads ‘‘Confirm Mr. SULLIVAN. The Washington have committed us to some $130 tril- Mike Pompeo.’’ Post has not necessarily been a strong lion over just the next 30 years. There being no objection, the mate- supporter of the Trump administra- That means that every household in rial was ordered to be printed in the tion, but right here in their editorial, America owes the equivalent of $1 mil- RECORD, as follows: they are saying that the Senate needs lion per household. These are not [From The Washington Post, Apr. 12, 2018] to confirm Mike Pompeo. theoretic numbers. These are mathe- CONFIRM MIKE POMPEO They make the point that I am try- matical realities derived from commit- (By Editorial Board) ing to make here in my remarks, which ments made by a lot of our programs Mike Pompeo’s confirmation hearing to is that rejecting or delaying Pompeo’s that we have passed over the last 100 become secretary of state arrived at a mo- nomination as Mr. Trump juggles mul- years in this country. ment when the Trump administration is tiple crises around the world without In my opinion, we are well past the grappling with a chaotic confluence of actual adequate counsel would probably make tipping point with this debt. Last and looming foreign crises—including some an already parlous situation worse. week, the CBO came out with their new of its own making. President Trump is con- ‘‘Mike Pompeo should be deployed to forecast for fiscal year 2018 and beyond. templating military strikes against Syria Foggy Bottom’’—that is the State De- I want to talk about that today be- while also pushing for a U.S. pullout; he has partment—‘‘in the hope that he will cause there are some dramatic revela- committed to attempting to negotiate a nu- clear deal with North Korea while threat- fulfill his promise to revive and re- tions in there. At $21 trillion, we are ening to repudiate the nuclear pact with assert U.S. diplomacy.’’ That is from already well past the tipping point of Iran. He is waging a trade war against China the Washington Post article, and I this crisis. and Japan while counting on their strategic think it is wise counsel for everybody In my opinion, the CBO forecasts cooperation against the regime of Kim Jong here—Republicans, Democrats, all of don’t do a very good job of forecasting Un. And he is doing all this with a badly de- us. revenue. For example, they take very pleted national security apparatus: Dozens of Bipartisanship is important to move little account of foreign direct invest- senior positions are vacant at the State De- things along in the Senate, whether it ment. They underestimate the impact partment, and the newly arrived national se- curity adviser, John Bolton, has started with is the Coast Guard bill or well-qualified of the change to the repatriation tax a purge of senior staff at the White House. nominees in the national security law we just made. I believe the revenue Mr. Pompeo, who has a reputation as a world, and it has certainly been a U.S. forecast is out of line, but I do agree hawk and who in Congress relentlessly pur- tradition with regard to the Secretary with their forecast of expenses, and I

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:17 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.065 S19APPT1 S2312 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 think therein lies a great learning, if In business, if you get into a crisis located was borrowed money. We had we will pay attention to it. like this, it is all hands on deck be- to go to China or to some other coun- In their forecast, on top of the $21 cause it is about survival. I would try and hope they are going to buy an- trillion we just crossed over, their pro- argue that it is about that time here. other issue of our government bonds in jection is that we will add another $10 The problem is that we really haven’t order for us to then subsidize our trillion or more to this debt. Whether I talked about the problem in its en- standard of living. might quibble with that a little bit or tirety and what we can still do about I have been arguing for 5 years that not, it is directionally correct. Because it. I want to talk tonight about what is our standard of living is somewhat ar- of that, I am on the floor of the Senate driving this. tificial because of the amount of Fed- tonight talking about the crisis and When we look at the numbers, it is eral debt and the amount of household the tipping point we are well past, be- very clear. We raise about $2.2 trillion debt in America today. cause we are out of time to deal with in taxes. That is income taxes on indi- The other thing I am so distraught this. viduals, income taxes on corporations, about is that this would be fine if it In just the next 5 years, the interest and other sources of revenue—about were just this year. But we have a sys- on this debt alone, in the year 2023, will $2.2 trillion. We use the first dollars to tem where we have commitments over be greater than the amount of money pay for mandatory expenses. the next 30 years that are out of con- we spend on the defense of this coun- We have two types of expenses: man- trol. try, and that assumes a very low fore- datory and discretionary. Mandatory This chart shows discretionary cast for interest rates. One of the rea- expenses are those like your home spending historically over the last 18 sons for that is that the last adminis- mortgage, your car payment, your in- years, back to 2000. The red line is dis- tration, instead of buying bonds or put- surance payment, things that get de- cretionary spending. The blue line in ting out bonds that were longer in du- ducted automatically out of your pay- the last 18 years is mandatory spend- ration, put out bonds that were shorter check. We have that. It is called man- ing. They both went up about the in duration because they had a little datory expenses. same—mandatory spending, a little lower interest rate—interest rates were What is mandatory expenses? Social more. fundamentally zero—and the rest of Security, Medicare, Medicaid, pension But look at what happens from here the world put out longer duration benefits for Federal employees, Federal forward. This is not my number. This is bonds. So what happens is that these retirement, veterans’ benefits, and so CBO’s number. This is CBO on expenses shorter duration bonds are maturing, forth. Those are mandatory expenses, behind mandatory expenses. Again, and when they mature they have to go and we subsidize those today. Even that is Social Security, Medicare, Med- out at more and more expensive rates. though there are trust funds, the So- icaid, pension and benefits for Federal In just the last 18 months, the Fed cial Security and Medicare trust funds employees, and healthcare expense ob- fund rate has been increased six times, are not able to meet the needs of the ligations of the Federal Government. one-quarter point each. That 150 basis citizens who are drawing benefits This is a 20-year schedule. Again, the points on our size debt is more than today. We are subsidizing out of that blue line is mandatory expenses and $300 billion a year. As a matter of general account almost half a trillion the red line is discretionary expenses. fact—and this is not a forecast—this dollars a year. If you include Medicaid It goes from about $2.5 trillion this year, the interest on our debt, the in- and ObamaCare, the healthcare costs, year on mandatory expenses, and in terest that we pay, is $50 billion more it is almost $1 trillion, today. Out of the 10-year period it goes to over $8 than just last year—$50 billion more the $2 trillion that we collect in taxes, trillion. than we spent last year. Fifty billion about 25 percent of it automatically That is in line with what happened dollars—this is a train wreck coming goes to those three line items. Then, just in the last 16 years. In 2000, the at us, and Congress has been reluctant size of our government was $2.4 tril- to deal with it straight-up. about another $1.7 trillion are then Every year, we go through a budget taken out. Debt service is $316 billion— lion. The size of our government in process. I have been in the budget proc- almost half of what we spend on our 2016, the last year of President Obama, ess now for 3 years, since I got here. military today. was $4.2 trillion. So we went from $2.4 The first year we did a budget, it took After you take all of that out, there trillion to $4.2 trillion in that 16-year $7.5 trillion out of the expense plan for is only about a half trillion dollars left. period of time, one Republican Presi- the next 10 years—but it lasted 4 Yet we still have all of the other dis- dent, one Democratic President. months. It was waived by this body in cretionary expenses that we fuss about But this is what we face. You can’t order to get to a grand bargain so the when we do the budget. The budget tax enough, you can’t grow enough, other side would vote for funding the only deals with discretionary spending. and you can’t cut enough. There is no government by the end of that fiscal I believe that is one of our problems. way we can deal with this without fail- year and so we wouldn’t have a shut- What is in discretionary spending? De- ing to meet the obligations that this down. fense, veterans, and all other domestic country has made to its senior citizens Last year, there was no budget done. discretionary spending. and to its people in need for the last 50 It was basically deemed so Republicans So it is $1.2 trillion. Ten years ago, it years. could do reconciliation. Then, again, was $1.5 trillion. Because of the Budget What are you going to tell people the budget for this year was not done. Control Act and because of sequestra- when you have to tell them that the It was deemed so Republicans could tion, discretionary expenses have de- Social Security trust fund went to zero again get to reconciliation. I believe clined in America over the last decade, this year? The Medicare and Social Se- reconciliation is being used improp- partly because of the good work of our curity trust funds go to zero in 14 erly. We used reconciliation to try to appropriators and because of the laws years, and there is no answer for that. fix healthcare and try to fix the Tax that were put in place. Today, we subsidize over a half trillion Code. Fundamentally, about half of what dollars into just Social Security and Our country is at a point where this we spend this year on discretionary Medicare out of the taxes we raise. We debt now has to be our No. 1 priority. spending, which includes the military, never intended to do that. It was never We have two crises in our country VA, and all the other domestic discre- supposed to happen. But past genera- today. One is this debt crisis. The tionary spending—that is the State De- tions liberalized those programs to other, I would argue, is the global secu- partment, foreign aid, education, such a degree that the income coming rity crisis. The world hasn’t been more health, welfare, the whole bit—comes in doesn’t cover the outgo of those pro- dangerous than this in my lifetime, out of that. Half of it is borrowed grams. and I believe the two are interrelated. money. Over the last decade, 100 per- My mother is a great example. She The last Congress allowed the last cent of what we spent in our discre- lived until she was 93. She passed away administration to disinvest in the mili- tionary expenses was borrowed money. last year. She worked for 30 years; she tary to a point where we are now in When we allocated money in this body was retired for 30 years. There is no jeopardy of being able to defend our for hurricane victims—and we all know way the math works when that hap- country. It is time for action. we want to do that—every dollar we al- pens.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.068 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2313 In the 1930s, when they put Social Se- full. If we don’t do that today, there agencies and the healthcare costs in curity in, it was intended to be a last- will be a crisis of a magnitude that I this country. resort insurance supplement, not a pri- don’t want to even imagine if we let America has come too far to fail now. mary go-to retirement plan. The life this get to that point. That is the We owe it to our kids, our grandkids, expectancy at that time was about 59; fourth one. and the kids and grandkids of our kids this program started at 62. So the math The fifth area of work is, we have to and grandkids to deal with this right was on their side. Today, life expect- get at the spiraling driver of our now. ancy is in the 80s, and we have a retire- healthcare costs, not the insurance I met with Chairman Greenspan last ment age of 67. So we know the math that we have been fussing about for the year. I had the privilege to sit with doesn’t work. This cannot happen. last 8 years. We now really need to him and talk about this very issue. He But the good news is there are five make a serious, concerted attempt in reminded me that in 1983, they had a areas of work I believe that Congress America to get after the drivers of solution. If we had done it in 1983, it and the administration need to begin healthcare costs. wouldn’t have been nearly as onerous to focus on—and now. Those are the five areas. I am con- as it is going to be when we try to fix First, I believe our budget process is vinced that when faced with a crisis, this. broken. I have been on the Budget Americans are always the best in his- Again, in the late nineties, Newt Committee now for 3 years, and I know tory at dealing with a crisis. We are Gingrich and Bill Clinton together— it doesn’t work. It hasn’t worked but not always the first to recognize we are two different parties—had an agree- four times in 44 years to fund the Fed- in one. ment. They got very close to signing it, eral Government. We are supposed to My role tonight, as it has been for but then it fell apart because of the po- appropriate 12 bills a year; we have the last 3 years, is to call this crisis litical nonsense in this town. averaged 2.5 over the last 44 years. out. The CBO has all the numbers. I believe the time has come right now Let me say that again. In any busi- Whether you believe them or not, they for both sides to put our differences ness, in any enterprise—a medical of- are correct. I would argue with their aside, live with an 80-percent solution fice, or it doesn’t matter—if you were revenue numbers a little bit. Some and deal with this problem right now. charged to do 12 items and you did 2.5, might argue with their expense num- If we don’t, we will not be able to hand you would fix something. You would bers. Bottom line, no matter what, you this to our kids. That is the last thing have to fix it, or you would be out of know that with a $21 trillion debt, the I want to close with. People say: Well, business. interest expense is going to grow to al- we are leaving our kids and grandkids We have used continuing resolutions most $1 trillion over the next 10 years. a problem. over 180 times. Actually, Congress has If we don’t do something within this Yes, we are. Look, in this planning shut the Federal Government down, planning period of 10 years, the CBO period, the next 10 years, when interest has not funded the government, 20 says that our interest expense alone rates are higher than what we are times in that 44-year history—20 times. will go to $1 trillion. There is no way spending on national defense, that cri- I had no idea that was the case, and I this can happen. sis is right here. It is now. We are bet most Americans don’t either. That We have to change the broken sys- going to see it in the next decade, in is unconscionable. tem. I think there has been no other my opinion. It will make 2008 and 2009 We don’t even deal with every dollar time—I think the realization is getting pale in comparison. we spend in the budget. We deal only there. The CBO has given us the num- I have never seen a time when a cri- with 25 percent of what we spend. That bers. The GAO has given us the oppor- sis would pull us together any more ar- is the discretionary. That is what we tunities and measured some of those dently than this one would be right did on the budget here. This is never opportunities. now. The question is, will we recognize covered in the budget by law. We don’t I think the political will in this coun- that we are in a moment of crisis? talk about it. We can no longer do this. try is now such that they realize we I yield the floor. The first thing you have to do is fix have a debt crisis, and they have more I suggest the absence of a quorum. the budget process. Second of all, I be- courage, I think, to face it than elected The PRESIDING OFFICER. The lieve you have to get after redundant officials do. What drives this town is clerk will call the roll. agencies and extraneous expenses of the next cycle. In the House, it is 2 The senior assistant legislative clerk the Federal Government. The GAO, the years; in the Senate, it is 6 years: Oh, proceeded to call the roll. General Accountability Office, thinks my goodness, we can’t do anything to Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I we have somewhere around $700 billion hurt that next cycle. We have to have ask unanimous consent that the order or $800 billion of wasted spending every more on our side than they have on for the quorum call be rescinded. year in a $4 trillion budget. That is their side. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without about 20 percent. I believe that. It is time to put that behind us. This objection, it is so ordered. The third thing you have to do is cannot be solved with a partisan solu- grow the economy. Last year, Presi- tion. My good friend from Rhode Is- f dent Trump said job one is growing the land, Senator WHITEHOUSE, and I have LEGISLATIVE SESSION economy. We focused on regulations, cosponsored a bill that goes after and energy, and taxes. The economy start- deals with parts of the solution for the ed growing. In the last 12 months, we budget problem. There is a select com- MORNING BUSINESS have had 3 percent GDP growth. That mittee right now that was formed by Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I is 120 basis points above the 1.8 percent the leadership—Democratic and Repub- ask unanimous consent that the Sen- we enjoyed for 8 years—the lowest eco- lican, House and Senate. There are 16 ate resume legislative session for a pe- nomic performance in our U.S. history. members. I am privileged to be on it. I riod of morning business, with Sen- We believe, with future work on believe there are things we can do in ators permitted to speak therein for up these things, that the economy will that select committee to fix our budget to 10 minutes each. continue to grow. We need to work on process that would help us deal with The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without immigration, trade, and infrastructure the additional things we are adding to objection, it is so ordered. to continue this work. this debt crisis. f The good news is that the biggest Make no mistake, that will not solve item—the fourth item we need to work this debt crisis. You will not solve the SYRIA on is that we can solve these items; debt crisis by fixing the budget process Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, the mag- that is, we have to save Social Security alone, but you will not solve the debt nitude of atrocities and devastation in and Medicare. When I say ‘‘save,’’ I crisis unless and until you do fix the Syria caused by ISIS and the Assad re- mean we have to plan for the time and budget process. The same thing applies gime, with support from Russia and fix it now before the trust fund goes to to growing the economy. The same Iran, is appalling. When this calamity zero. When the trust fund goes to zero, thing is involved with the other items began in 2011, I doubt anyone predicted there is no way benefits can be paid in we can look at in terms of redundant it would come to this: hundreds of

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.069 S19APPT1 S2314 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 thousands of people killed; half the Why didn’t the President seek the aspirations, and the decency that population of the country displaced, Congress’s approval? And what is the characterize Vermont’s vibrant, out- many living as refugees in neighboring mission? How would we have responded ward-looking, and engaged citizens. countries; whole cities reduced to rub- if the attacks had triggered an esca- On July 1, 2000, our brave, small ble riddled with landmines and booby- lation of violence, potentially spinning State again stepped up to tackle a dif- traps. out of control? Those critical questions ficult and momentous issue. That is For years, I, like others here, have need answers. when Vermont became the first State called for a comprehensive U.S. strat- Perhaps the most fundamental ques- to offer to same-sex couples the same egy for responding to the Syrian crisis tion for this administration is what legal rights and responsibilities of tra- that is grounded in cooperation with does President Trump seek to achieve ditional marriage. Vermont’s law was the international community, to be in Syria? Is it limited to defeating ISIS written, debated, and approved by the presented to Congress. I have also sup- and punishing Assad for using chemical Vermont Legislature. ported hundreds of millions of dollars weapons? Are we willing to accept Rus- David Moats documented and illumi- in humanitarian aid to desperate Syr- sia and Iran determining Syria’s fu- nated the debate that led to that ian civilians. We must at least do what ture? If not, what is the strategy for breakthrough. He won a Pulitzer Prize is within our power to address the ending the war, if Russia continues to for his series of 20 editorials that were needs of those affected while efforts are block diplomatic efforts in the U.N. Se- published throughout that difficult and made to bring the violence to an end. curity Council? How does the White groundbreaking debate. I have also defended Congress’s sole House explain cutting aid for refugees The Pulitzer Committee honored authority to declare war, which should overseas, withdrawing the United David Moats, in their words, ‘‘For his always be based on a clear strategy. I States from the Global Compact on Mi- even-handed and influential series of opposed the Obama administration’s gration, limiting the resettlement of editorials commenting on the divisive proposal for the authorization for the Syrian refugees here to only 11 people issues arising from civil unions for use of force in Syria in 2013 because it so far in 2018, compared to 790 last year same-sex couples.’’ was overly broad and would have ceded during the same period, and suspending In 2004, he wrote a book about this to the White House power reserved to $200 million in U.S. aid for civilians in debate, ‘‘Civil Wars: A Battle For Gay Congress under the Constitution. I Syria? Those funds are intended to help Marriage.’’ Ted Widmer, writing in the have also opposed the manner in which improve the livelihoods of Syrians im- New York Times Book Review, said President Trump has twice launched pacted by the war, including to provide this in his review: ‘‘Near the end of attacks against Syria without approval access to basic services. ‘Mr. Deeds Goes to Town,’ the from Congress. Does the White House believe that it Vermonter played by Gary Cooper While I recognize and appreciate the is in the national interest to conduct dishes out a series of homespun meta- considerable precautions that were attacks against Syria, at the risk of phors for how government is supposed taken in the early hours of April 15 by triggering a wider war and after failing to treat people, from helping to push a the U.S. military to prevent civilian to produce the intended results in the car up a hill to saving a swimmer who’s casualties and avoid targeting Russian past, but that it is not in our national drowning. Obviously, life isn’t quite assets in Syria, whenever military op- interest to provide aid to Syrian civil- that simple. This will take time. But in erations are conducted the outcome is ians in areas controlled by our part- the long run, the question will be an- never certain. Things can go terribly ners? swered in the vast middle where most wrong. In this instance, instead of de- I am also concerned about what these Americans live, and where they pri- molishing two or three Syrian chem- attacks against Syria may reveal vately decide what is right and wrong.’’ ical weapons facilities, we could have about President Trump’s willingness to David Moats served as editorial page triggered a shooting war with Russia, direct a military attack elsewhere editor of the Rutland Herald since 1992. and Israel and Iran might have quickly without obtaining the consent of Con- Previously, he had worked as the news- followed suit. What began as a missile gress, for example, against North paper’s wire editor, State editor, as- attack lasting a few minutes could Korea or Iran. sistant managing editor, and city edi- have ignited a regional war. That is a The conflict in Syria obviously has tor. Earlier in life, he served as a Peace risk that Congress must be given the no easy solution, and it is apparent Corps volunteer in Afghanistan. opportunity to weigh. that it has no military solution. It is He is also the author of 11 plays, has The use of chemical weapons is a the President’s job to explain what our made his home in Middlebury, VT, and crime against humanity and a viola- strategy is, including how we can over- is the father of three children, Jared, tion of international law that cannot come Russia’s intransigence at the Thatcher, and Nina Moats. be tolerated, but it is also a fact that United Nations amidst mounting con- David, we thank you, and we wish conventional attacks by the Assad re- cerns that we will abandon the Syrian you and your family all the best as you gime have caused far more deaths of in- people, before he fires off another vol- write your next chapter. nocent men, women, and children. The ley of missiles that do not get us any I ask unanimous consent that these Assad regime has been slaughtering its closer to a solution and which may excerpts from an editorial titled, ‘‘Leg- own people for more than 7 years by have the opposite effect. acy,’’ in the Rutland Herald last month, be printed in the RECORD. dropping barrel bombs, laying siege to f cities to prevent access to food, water, There being no objection, the mate- and medicine, and using poison gas. TRIBUTE TO DAVID MOATS rial was ordered to be printed in the While we all want to act decisively in Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, in this RECORD, as follows: the face of such atrocities, the United week when new Pulitzer Prizes were [From ‘‘Legacy,’’ an editorial in The Rutland States cannot solve this crisis using awarded to outstanding reporters and Herald, March 3, 2018] Tomahawk missiles. All such attacks courageous news organizations, I want A consistently reasoned voice is difficult can do, it appears, is degrade, most to take a moment, on behalf of all to find. It’s challenging to hear in these po- likely only temporarily, Assad’s ability Vermonters, to recognize and thank an larizing times, and it’s even harder to find it on the everyday occasion of an editorial to use chemical weapons. This was earlier Pulitzer Prize winning jour- page. The distillation of issues into com- demonstrated in the aftermath of nalist, Vermont’s own David Moats. prehensible, authentic points is a skill few President Trump’s first military re- Until earlier this year, David has been writers can pull off, certainly not with any sponse to Assad’s use of chemical weap- the editorial page editor and the edi- regularity. ons in April 2017. It was conducted with torial page voice of the Rutland Her- We all know a man who has come to make great fanfare, without congressional ald. the blend of opinion and language an art authorization, and it failed to prevent David Moats is a Green Mountain form. Vermont has been blessed for decades by future attacks. President Trump has treasure. John Walters of the news- David Moats’ compassionate approach to now launched a second attack without paper Seven Days called David ‘‘a bea- measured debate and thoughtful provo- the approval of Congress, and he has con of quality’’ in Vermont journalism. cation. In this very space, David has wres- proclaimed ‘‘mission accomplished.’’ He represents and gave voice to ideals, tled to submission some of the most gut-

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.027 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2315 wrenching issues of our times, insisting upon The NLRA seeks to mitigate and AUTISM AFTER 21 DAY a more controlled, solution-based dialogue. eliminate labor-related impediments to He has celebrated our triumphs. He has chal- Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, the free flow of commerce. The law ex- April is National Autism Awareness lenged the parties in power (much to their empts ‘‘the United States or any Fed- chagrin), and he has endeavored to teach Month. Although much of our focus is us—as readers and participants in our com- eral Reserve Bank, or any State or po- on the challenges that children with munities—a bit about ourselves by shining litical subdivision thereof . . .’’ from autism face, today I wish to recognize truths on flawed thinking or highlighting NLRB jurisdiction. However, the NLRA April 21 as Autism After 21 Day, rep- the arrogance made against a public trust. is silent about the application of the resenting the age when Federal serv- He has broken our hearts in tribute, and he law to Native American Tribes. ices for children end and adulthood be- has—time and again—called us to action, In its 1976 Fort Apache Timber Co. whether it was spurring us to vote, raise our gins. case, the NLRB held ‘‘individual Indi- In declaring this day, we draw atten- own voices, or simply by being engaged and ans and Indian tribal governments, at showing up. tion to the fact that there are millions David has won scores of accolades for least on reservation lands, are gen- of Americans with exceptional gifts swinging his mighty pen, including the cov- erally free from state or even in most who need our help in overcoming the eted Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for his body of instances Federal intervention, unless unique challenges that they face. In work on civil unions. In that case, David not Congress specifically provided to the Maryland, approximately 1 in 55 8-year- only informed, he shaped policy and rewrote contrary.’’ old children have autism, and I am history. However, in a 2004 decision, San For Vermont, he has been advocate, cham- committed to ensuring that these kids Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino, the are empowered to live independent and pion, instigator—and friend. His editorials NLRB reversed Fort Apache Timber (and commentaries on Vermont Public fulfilling lives. As someone who has Radio) have generated a loyal following. Lib- Co. The NLRB held that the NLRA personally employed individuals with erals and moderates have come to quote could be applied to commercial activ- Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, I can from his editorials, while conservatives regu- ity on tribal lands. attest to the outstanding talents that larly condemn his words as out of step. But Under San Manuel Indian Bingo and this population brings to the work- David has more friends then enemies, con- Casino, the NLRB applies a subjective force. servatives among them. That’s how the deep- test to determine whether it will assert est respect works. I am so proud of the organizations in jurisdiction. If the activity is commer- my State that are working tirelessly to (The editorial continues:) cial, it asserts jurisdiction; if the David Moats has graced these pages with address these needs. To celebrate their deliberate conscience, pouring his heart into NLRB determines the activity is a tra- work and advocate for adults all over the collective of Vermont. His insights and ditional tribal or government function, this Nation with ASD, I call on the opinions have—and will—continue to under- the board does not assert jurisdiction. Senate to recognize Autism After 21 score what defines us as Vermonters, and Native American Tribes are sov- Day and acknowledge the millions of what passions and principles drive us to ereign and, as such, should be treated people who are navigating an uncertain stand up for that better life for our best the same as State and local govern- adulthood to reach their full potential. selves. ments under the NLRA. S. 140, as We all must work together to ensure We are all indebted to David Moats for amended by the House of Representa- being our mentor, our leader, and our voice. that this journey is not lonely and iso- tives, would amend the NLRA to in- We have needed him, probably more than we lated. Rather, these individuals must clude ‘‘any Indian tribe, or any enter- even know. be recognized as an important part of prise or institution owned and operated Vermont is a better place because of the our communities. Twenty-eight years man and his words. by an Indian tribe and located on its after the passage of the Americans Indian lands,’’ to the list of other ex- f with Disabilities Act, ADA, adults with empted entities, such as State and TRIBAL LABOR SOVEREIGNTY ASD deserve access to the goals set by local governments. BILL the ADA: equality of opportunity, full Under the bill, an ‘‘Indian tribe’’ participation, independent living, and Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, would be defined as ‘‘any Indian tribe, economic self-sufficiency. today I would like to express my sup- band, nation, pueblo, or other orga- Thank you. port for S. 140, an act to amend the nized group or community which is rec- White Mountain Apache Tribe Water ognized as eligible for the special pro- f Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to grams and services provided by the REMEMBERING MARILYN WARE clarify the use of amounts in the United States to Indians because of WMAT Settlement Fund. their status as Indians.’’ Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, Am- The Senate initially passed this leg- I commend Senator MORAN for his bassador Ware was a true light of poise islation on May 8, 2017, by unanimous leadership on Tribal labor sovereignty, and patriotism, strength and dignity, consent. The House of Representatives and I hope the Senate will pass the leg- her presence firm and her personality passed this legislation on January 10, islation so it can be signed into law. embracing, warm, and loving. Her poli- tics she did well, but the policy 2018, with an amendment. That amend- f ment adds an important provision safe- achievements delivered through her guarding the sovereignty of Native ISRAEL’S DAY OF INDEPENDENCE politics and philanthropy will be her American tribes. Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I wish to lasting legacy. This new provision was the Tribal extend my support for the State of Starting at the grassroots, she began Labor Sovereignty Act, introduced by Israel in commemoration of the 70th her political career in Pennsylvania Senator MORAN. The Senate Com- anniversary of its founding. serving as a county chairperson even- mittee on Indian Affairs voted to favor- Since its independence in 1948, tually rising to chair Governor Tom ably report the Tribal Labor Sov- Israel’s promotion of democratic val- Ridge’s two successful gubernatorial ereignty Act by voice vote, with only ues has helped forge a thriving society campaigns. In 2002, President George three committee members requesting and represents freedom in a region Bush asked her to serve on the Na- to be recorded as voting against the where that value is all too scarce. tional Critical Infrastructure Advisory bill, on February 17, 2017. From its outset, Israel has faced a Council, a position she held until she Private sector labor relations in the myriad of challenges, which it has was named the U.S. Ambassador to the United States are regulated by the Na- navigated successfully and against all Republic of Finland in 2005. She was an tional Labor Relations Act, NLRA. odds. Israel continues to remain Amer- outstanding diplomat and a great rep- Created in 1935, the National Labor Re- ica’s strongest ally in the Middle East, resentative of the United States. lations Board, NLRB, administers the as well as a central pillar of our strat- I recall telling Ambassador Ware NLRA. The five members of the NLRB egy to achieve peace and stability in about one of my favorite duties as a have 5-year, staggered terms. I am the region. Member of Congress—the opportunity pleased the Senate recently confirmed Once again, I want to extend my to call students to tell them they had Mr. John Ring, a well-qualified nomi- warmest congratulations to the State received an appointment to a service nee, to a position on the NLRB. of Israel on its 70th anniversary. academy. She smiled fondly as I told

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.028 S19APPT1 S2316 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 my story, and then she told me her the treaty and gather signatories. Ed believed in the importance of own. As ambassador, she was deeply Among the more than 200 signatories civic duty and touched countless lives impressed with an officer in the U.S. were Tribal leaders, U.S. Government in his hometown of Tanneryville, near military with whom she had been officials, and military leaders. It is im- Johnstown. He cared deeply about his working. She asked if she could call portant to recognize and remember community and was a powerful advo- the officer’s parents to express, as am- those who signed in the hope that the cate for his region, especially in times bassador, her gratitude and that of the treaty would bring resolution to ongo- of turmoil. In the aftermath of the 1977 Nation, for the outstanding work the ing conflicts. Equally, we should re- Johnstown Flood, a disaster which officer had been doing. Ambassador flect on those who did not sign, as that took 84 lives in Cambria County, Ed Ware reached the officer’s father. Dur- omission is an important part of this headed the Tanneryville Flood Recov- ing the discussion, the father asked history. ery Association and raised more than again what the ambassador’s name was Despite the signing of the treaty, $100,000 in recovery funds. He was a and if Marilyn was the daughter of conflict persisted. Today we must con- leader in an effort that took 17 bus- Congressman John Ware. Ambassador tinue to work to address the inequities loads of people to Washington, DC to Ware replied yes. The father went on to that remain across Indian Country. As advocate for Federal flood relief fund- explain how it was Congressman Ware those signatories of the treaty knew in ing. He even maneuvered a meeting who had given his son his academy 1868, treaties and the trust responsibil- with President Jimmy Carter after nomination many years before. Her ities to which the U.S. Government slipping a note to first lady Rosalyn story highlighted the full circle of a committed continue to shape modern Carter during a campaign stop in family committed to public service—a relationships with the sovereign Johnstown. Their brief sit-down re- cherished trait that continues in her Tribes. True government-to-govern- sulted in Federal support for the entire family today. ment relationships and respect for city. That was the kind of leader that There are so many causes that Am- Tribal sovereignty are at the heart of Ed was: an honorable man with a big bassador Ware championed, so many to Congress’s responsibilities in helping heart, who always put his community talk about: AEI, her work with sustain- to ensure a brighter future for Tribal first. able clean water, caring for children communities. Ed was a natural and successful busi- with learning disabilities at the Janus As they gather at Fort Laramie at nessman, founding several businesses School, and the Clinic for Special Chil- the end of April, Tribes will share their that made Cernic a brand name dren, and of course, The Phoenix, histories and cultures. Among the ex- throughout the region. He was proud to which you can’t think about without change of traditional prayers, songs, be able to create jobs in his commu- nity. seeing that twinkle in her eye, along and dances, Tribes will also lead dis- cussions about the future of Tribal sov- He was a major force in local and with countless others. State politics and a dedicated cham- She made our country a better, ereignty and treaty rights. In the joint resolution passed during pion for transportation and infrastruc- stronger place. Ambassador Ware will this year’s session, the Wyoming State ture projects in Cambria County. In a not only be remembered by her friends Legislature appropriately recognized region that has faced many challenges, and family but by those whose lives she that ‘‘ . . . the legacy of the 1868 Trea- he was a man of action who coura- bettered along the way. I will miss her ty of Fort Laramie has had an impact geously fought to push the community leadership and guidance and will al- in numerous ways on the lives of Tribal forward. Though well-known for his ways remember the amazing work Am- members of Tribes party to the Treaty friendships with Democratic public of- bassador Ware did for our community from generation to generation since ficials and political candidates, Ed and our country. the signing. . . .’’ never hesitated to reach across the Ambassador Ware, and to her family, Recognizing the 150th anniversary of aisle to help the community and was we are forever grateful. the signing of the treaty requires re- highly respected by members of both f flection and introspection, but should parties. Ed served as chairman of the 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGN- also inspire hope for the future. The Greater Johnstown Water Authority ING OF THE 1868 TREATY OF upcoming events at Fort Laramie Na- and commissioner of the Pennsylvania FORT LARAMIE tional Historic Site offer a unique edu- State Transportation Commission. He cational opportunity to highlight the Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, participated in many other local non- vibrant Tribal cultures that have also today I wish to recognize the passage profit and charitable organizations. endured for generations. Ed’s impact on his community is of time and a particularly significant I am proud to recognize this impor- most evident at his famous, annual event in this Nation’s history. In a few tant anniversary and reflect on the 150 summer picnic at Cernic’s Picnic short days, Tribal leadership, histo- years since the signing of the Treaty of Grove. Ed had a unique ability to gath- rians, community leaders, and the pub- Fort Laramie. Historic places and the er people from far and wide—elected of- lic will gather at the Fort Laramie Na- documents inspired by a confluence of ficials, political candidates, business tional Historic Site in Wyoming to values and ideas should not be forgot- leaders, and community leaders—to commemorate the sesquicentennial of ten. We must remember the events celebrate and show their support for the signing of the 1868 Treaty of Fort that led to the signing of the treaty, the people of Cambria County. This Laramie. As it did in the years pre- and those that followed, and continue yearly gathering exemplifies Ed’s con- ceding the signing of the treaty, the the important work to develop strong tributions to the State and local com- area around Fort Laramie, WY, will relationships and be good partners with munity, as well as what he valued again serve as a place where cultures, sovereign Tribal nations. most: family, friends, and his beloved minds, and governments meet. f hometown. Over its history, the Fort Laramie Ed’s legacy will endure in the jobs he area was home to Tribes of the Great ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS created, the communities he supported, Plains, represented a waypoint for emi- and the people he served. Johnstown grants as they traveled West, and be- and Cambria County had no stronger REMEMBERING EDWARD J. came an economic center as trade champion. As a Pennsylvanian and as a CERNIC, SR. routes were established. As conflict friend of Ed and his family, I will miss among Indian and non-Indian groups ∑ Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I wish to his generous spirit and his passion for grew, Fort Laramie became a military pay tribute to Edward J. Cernic, Sr., a helping the people of his home county. post to quell disputes. beloved father, grandfather, husband, We extend our condolences to Ed History is marred by the years-long politician, and member of his commu- Cernic, Jr., and the Cernic family.∑ conflicts with Tribal communities. The nity in Johnstown, Cambria County, f 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie and others PA. Affectionately known as ‘‘Pap,’’ Ed like it were intended to bring peace to dedicated his life to his family and TRIBUTE TO PENNY REDLI whole regions of peoples. It took nearly community. Ed passed away on March ∑ Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this 7 months to negotiate the contents of 21, 2018, at the age of 85. week, I have the honor of recognizing

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.025 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2317 the Museum of the Beartooths director, ern Nevada and continues to be an in- continued success in the years to Penny Redli, for receiving the Muse- tegral part of Lyon County. Even at 95, come.∑ ums Association of Montana Presi- he remains active as a member of the f dent’s Award. Yerington Episcopal Church and is the TRIBUTE TO DR. JANET BISOGNO Penny Redli lives in Columbus where oldest and longest serving member of she serves as the director of the Mu- the Yerington Rotary Club, which rec- ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I seum of the Beartooths. She has ognized him with the Paul Harris recognize Dr. Janet Bisogno, the Osce- worked at the Museum of the award. ola County Teacher of the Year from Beartooths for just over 10 years, and As the senior Senator from Nevada, I Celebration High School in Celebra- under her leadership, the museum com- ask my colleagues to join me in con- tion, FL. munity in Montana has grown tremen- gratulating David Fulstone on his ac- Janet was named Teacher of the Year dously. Before her time at the Museum complished 95 years and recognizing his in recognition of her accomplishments of the Beartooths, she spent 9 years decades of leadership and service to our as an outstanding educator and for her working at the Carbon County Histor- community. Lynne and I send Mr. passion and devotion to challenging ical Society and Museum. Fulstone and his family our best wish- students towards success. She is con- While her extensive time spent work- es, and I offer my appreciation for all sidered one of Osceola County’s most ing at museums in Montana is notable, that he has done to make our northern dynamic and well-respected teachers. it is her passion and dedication to the Nevada community an even better Janet gives students tremendous op- community that makes her stand out. place to live.∑ portunities to participate in science as Her willingness to provide leadership f an immersed experience, including fun and engage with other organizations but challenging labs and learning op- around the State has given other muse- 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF NORTH portunities. In both 2016 and 2017, her ums the opportunity to thrive. Her pas- CENTRAL STATE COLLEGE students scored higher than the world sion for history and the community ∑ Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, today average on IB biology exams. Her stu- has made her a leader among her peers. I wish to honor North Central State dents have had a 100-percent pass rate I congratulate Penny Redli on her College in recognition of its 50th anni- on the end of course exam since she success with the Museum of the versary of providing quality higher began teaching Pre-IB biology. Janet’s Beartooths and thank her for her con- education to the citizens of Ohio. Char- leadership in her science professional tributions to Montana and the greater tered by the Ohio Board of Regents and learning community has been instru- Stillwater community.∑ certified by the Ohio Secretary of mental in moving all students forward. f State in May 1969, North Central State Colleagues say Janet creates strong College moved to its current Mansfield and positive relationships with her stu- TRIBUTE TO DAVID FULSTONE location in 1970. North Central State is dents, which contribute to a successful ∑ Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, today I a regional economic and innovation classroom environment. She traveled wish to recognize the 95th birthday of leader where the community as a whole with students to Peru, where they com- Mr. David Fulstone, a friend, neighbor, benefits from the increased occupa- pleted an academic field study on the and a beloved member of our northern tional and investment opportunities of Amazon. Janet has volunteered on nu- Nevada community. It was an honor to students remaining in Ohio after their merous committees, and is an engaged have the opportunity to celebrate this graduation. More than 4,300 students member of the school’s department momentous occasion with him earlier enroll each year. chair committee, which works towards this month. North Central State offers more than school improvement. Mr. Fulstone was born on April 1, 70 associate degrees and certificate Janet is a graduate of Wright Univer- 1923, in San Francisco, CA. He was programs in public services, health sity and received her doctorate from raised in Smith Valley, NV—a place I sciences, business, and engineering the University of Central Florida. She am proud to call home—on his family’s technologies. The mission of North was previously an educator at St. ranch that sat in the heart of the val- Central State College is to provide in- Thomas Aquinas Catholic School. She ley and was the center of his father’s dividuals with the knowledge, skills, has been a teacher at Celebration High sheep ranching operation. Growing up, and inspiration to succeed in their cho- School since August 2009. he enjoyed working on the ranch, at- sen path. During this year’s commence- I extend my best wishes to Janet for tending sheep camp, and playing bas- ment ceremony, North Central State her hard work and dedication and look ketball. In fact, he was Smith Valley will present a degree to its 14,000th forward to hearing of her continued High School’s star basketball player. graduate. success in the years to come.∑ In 1942, Mr. Fulstone was one of just I am here to honor North Central f 13 students to graduate from Smith State College and to congratulate ev- TRIBUTE TO JESSIE BOYCE Valley High School. Later that year, eryone who was involved in making its he married Angelina Margaroli, and to- first 50 years a success.∑ ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I am gether, they had two children, DeeAnn f pleased to honor Jessie Boyce, the Fulstone and David Hill Fulstone II. Pinellas County Teacher of the Year They are the proud grandparents of TRIBUTE TO DEZMOND WARD from Tyrone Middle School in St. Pe- Mathew Rotchy, KimberLee Rotchy, ∑ Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, today I tersburg, FL. Josh Fulstone, and Jeffrey Fulstone. recognize Dezmond Ward, an intern in Jessie was named Teacher of the The Fulstones bought their ranch in my Washington, DC, office, for all the Year because she excels at turning kids 1949 and, for more than six decades, hard work he has done on behalf of my- who hate math into scholars who love grew hay, garlic, and onions. Although self, my staff, and the State of South going to their math class. She was also he retired in 2010, Mr. Fulstone con- Dakota. recognized for helping colleagues and tinues to enjoy gardening and sharing Dezmond is a graduate of Milbank going beyond to help fellow teachers his vegetables with neighbors and High School in Milbank, SD. In Au- and students. friends and still pursues his passion for gust, he will graduate from Concordia She was instrumental in imple- agriculture by staying informed on pol- College in Moorhead, MN, where he menting a one-to-one technology ini- icy issues affecting the industry. Mr. studies political science and history. tiative as her school transitioned to Fulstone is the recipient of many Dezmond is a dedicated and diligent the center for innovation and digital awards in our community, including worker who has been devoted to get- learning. As part of the Pinellas Inno- the Farmer of the Year award. ting the most out of his internship ex- vates initiative, Jessie spearheaded Whether it is serving as grand mar- perience and who has been a true asset personalized learning in the county. shall of the Lyon County Parade, a to the office. She writes, provides training, speaks at member of the Nevada Farm Bureau, or I extend my sincere thanks and ap- conferences, blogs about education, and on various local boards, Mr. Fulstone preciation to Dezmond for all of the discusses other ways to bring innova- has made many contributions to north- fine work he has done and wish him tion into the classroom.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:17 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.052 S19APPT1 S2318 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 Jessie has been teaching for 10 years, team, track team, and as coach and co- Samantha received the Teacher of the last 5 serving at Tyrone Middle founder of the running club. He is also the Year award for her student’s supe- School. She has taught both math and the girls basketball head coach at An- rior performance, her teaching rou- science, most recently teaching the derson Middle School and is an active tines, and outstanding classroom prac- sixth grade. She received a bachelor’s member of Covenant Fellowship Bap- tices. Inspired by her students’ desire degree in elementary education from tist Church. to learn, grow, and celebrate their own Grove City College in 2008 and a mas- According to his peers, their entire successes, Samantha values collabora- ter’s degree in instructional leadership community is fortunate to have teach- tion and looks for opportunities to ex- from Robert Morris University in 2013. ers like Patrick, who is dedicated to tend that beyond the classroom by es- I extend my sincere gratitude to Jes- improving the lives of young people. tablishing solid partnerships between sie for the commitment she has made They view him as an exceptional edu- home and school. At the start of each to her students. I wish her continued cator who exemplifies what it takes to year, she writes to the parents of her success in her future endeavors.∑ make a true difference in the class- students a letter detailing her edu- f room. cational philosophy, expectation of Patrick is a fifth grade teacher at success for her students, and pledge to TRIBUTE TO REBECCA CHILDS Crystal Lake Elementary and has 4 partner with them in their child’s aca- ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I years of teaching experience, all within demic journey to guarantee achieve- recognize Rebecca Childs, the Levy the Martin County School District. ment. County Teacher of the Year from I express my best wishes to Patrick Her classroom is open to parents on a Williston Elementary School in for his commitment to educating his number of occasions each year in order Williston, FL. students. I look forward to hearing of to celebrate the accomplishments of Rebecca is best described as a hard- his continued success in his future en- their children. In the spirit of working working educator who has dem- deavors.∑ collaboratively with her colleagues, onstrated capabilities in curriculum f Samantha also helps to produce a and instruction, data analysis, and as- weekly newsletter to streamline com- TRIBUTE TO AMY GRIMM sessment. She is committed to improv- munication. She also is an active mem- ing the quality of instruction and as- ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I ber of the school’s positive behavior sessment through ongoing professional honor Amy Grimm, the St. Johns intervention success, parent-teacher development and reflective teaching County Teacher of the Year from organization, and literacy committees practices. Julington Creek Elementary School in that help to plan events after school in She serves on the district math and St. Johns, FL. an effort to bridge the gap between science cadres and facilitates the cre- Amy was named Teacher of the Year home and school. She is always seeking ation of standards-based curriculum for the second time, previously winning to make a positive difference for her maps and district common assess- the award in the 2002–2003 school year. students. ments. She develops classroom assess- She enjoys teaching first grade stu- Samantha is a first grade teacher at ments to monitor student learning and dents because of the wonder and joy Savanna Ridge Elementary School provide quality, standards-based in- they experience. She always says first with 5 years of teaching experience. struction to fourth grade students. grade is a magical year. Stepping into the role of a teacher is Becky has also mentored both new According to Amy, first graders are an answer to a lifetime career calling teachers and interns at her school. excited about learning. She saw much she deems magical. Rebecca graduated from Saint Leo growth in her students this year as I express my best wishes to University with a bachelor of arts in they became readers. They come to her Samantha for her commitment and elementary education and graduated classroom dependent and blossom into dedication to her students. I look for- from Florida State University with a confident learners by the end of the ward to hearing of her continued suc- master of science in educational lead- year. cess in the years ahead.∑ ership. She previously was a reading Amy is a mentor to other teachers f coach, kindergarten, first grade, and and believes in developing and sup- second grade teacher at Joyce Bullock porting the whole child and takes a TRIBUTE TO TAYLOR MASSEY Elementary School. Since 2015, she has thematic approach in her classroom. It ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I been a fourth grade teacher at is not uncommon for her to also be recognize Taylor Massey, the Hendry Williston Elementary School. seen at her students’ extracurricular County Teacher of the Year from I express my sincere gratitude to Re- activities supporting and cheering Eastside Elementary School in becca for her dedication to her stu- them on. Clewiston, FL. dents throughout the years. I look for- Amy graduated from Frostburg State Taylor’s teaching philosophy centers ward to hearing of her continued suc- University in Maryland with a bach- around what she describes as not set- cess in her future endeavors.∑ elor’s degree in early childhood and el- tling for mediocrity and fostering great f ementary education. She has 22 years citizenship and leadership with her stu- of teaching experience, all within the dents. Her favorite part about teaching TRIBUTE TO PATRICK FARLEY St. Johns County School District. She is giving her students a voice and ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I began her teaching career with the watching their minds grow. recognize Patrick Farley, the Martin school district in 1995 at Ketterlinus She is the adviser to the county’s County Teacher of the Year from Crys- Elementary School as a first grade/ only National Elementary Honor Soci- tal Lake Elementary School in Stuart, title I teacher. She has been with ety chapter and adviser to the STEP FL. Julington Creek Elementary School club. Taylor is also part of the new Patrick received this important rec- since 1998 and is working toward her teacher induction team to welcome ognition as his priorities as an educa- gifted endorsement. new teachers to the district. She tor are to deepen his student’s leader- I offer my best wishes to Amy for her strives to be a positive role model for ship skills and independence while con- tireless work and dedication to her stu- her students and loves having close tinuing to inspire and create commu- dents. I look forward to hearing of her connections with her students’ parents. nities within the classroom. He has the continued success in the years ahead.∑ She is a product of the Hendry Coun- ability to motivate his students and is f ty school system, having attended able to teach them how to problem Eastside Elementary School, Clewiston solve with the resources and people TRIBUTE TO SAMANTHA LAMORA Middle School, and Clewiston High around them. ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I School. She now teaches alongside Beyond his classroom, he chairs the recognize Samantha Lamora, the St. some of the teachers who taught her in schoolwide positive behavior interven- Lucie County Teacher of the Year from elementary school. tions and supports initiative at Crystal Savanna Ridge Elementary School in Taylor is a fourth grade teacher, and Lake, serves as a coach for the robotics Port St. Lucie, FL. this is her fifth year teaching in the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.049 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2319 district, having previously taught kin- through by coming up with solutions to camp for elementary school students. dergarten, second grade, and sixth problems that work best for them. Ac- The camp has grown to include 250 stu- grade. She attended Florida Atlantic cording to Kenneth, this teaches stu- dent volunteers and 125 students each University while working as a resident dents the principle of taking ownership summer. assistant and volunteered with the of problems and giving the solutions A Google Certified Teacher and Dis- YMCA. Taylor graduated summa cum that can be applied throughout life. trict Trailblazer Teacher, Sarah has laude with a bachelor’s degree in psy- Kenneth is a Junior Reserve Officers’ successfully integrated technology into chology and received her master of Training Corps instructor with more her classroom. This has helped excite education degree from the University than 23 years of life experiences around her students about learning while also of West Florida. She plans to become the world. He has been a JROTC in- providing the technological ability to an administrator in the future. structor with Union County since 2012. monitor their progress. I extend my best wishes to Taylor I extend my appreciation to Kenneth Sarah graduated from Dreyfoos and look forward to hearing of her con- for his hard work and congratulate him School of the Arts in 2000 and earned tinued success in the years ahead.∑ on this achievement. I wish him con- her bachelor of arts degree from the f tinued success in the years to come.∑ University of Florida with a major in f history and a minor in education. She TRIBUTE TO CHASEY NIEBRUGGE completed masters-level coursework at TRIBUTE TO JENNIFER POWELL ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I Florida Atlantic University. She began recognize Chasey Niebrugge, the Lee ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I teaching at Dreyfoos in 2014 and has County Teacher of the Year from River recognize Jennifer Powell, the Leon served as the school advisory com- Hall Elementary School in Alva, FL. County Teacher of the Year from mittee chair, senior class adviser, stu- Chasey was named Teacher of the Lawton Chiles High School in Talla- dent council adviser, and schoolwide Year because she encompasses all the hassee, FL. positive behavior. components of a model teacher. De- Jennifer received this important rec- I extend my best wishes to Sarah and scribed as talented, innovative, and ognition because of her innovative les- look forward to learning of her contin- committed to expanding learning be- son plans and tireless work on behalf of ued successes.∑ yond the classroom, she changed the her students. Her colleagues consider f intensive intervention/exceptional stu- her an asset to both her students and dent education program at her school the school. TRIBUTE TO CARLA ROSS from a program that lacked resources After she was named Teacher of the ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I and true inclusion practices to a pro- Year, Jennifer’s students gave her a am pleased to recognize Carla Ross, the gram that is thriving. Students who standing ovation in their classroom. Escambia County Teacher of the Year were struggling are now flourishing. Jennifer said she loves her students from Booker T. Washington High Her II/ESE students are a huge part and notes they come to her class every School in Pensacola, FL. of the school’s family and are included day, prepared to meet any of the chal- Carla was recognized for bringing en- in all activities they are able to attend. lenges she gives them. thusiasm into the classroom every day. She creates an engaging, differen- Jennifer believes in hard work and She has a different style of teaching, tiated, and safe classroom environment thinks that being part of a team is im- with her classroom being more of a where her students are expected to do portant. Relationships are very impor- hands-on experience, which her stu- their personal best. Chasey believes tant to Jennifer; they are her philos- dents find to be more enjoyable and that continuing her own learning out- ophy for education. If she can form re- have excelled in this leaning environ- side of her classroom is extremely im- lationships with the students, parents, ment. portant and a large part of her success and the school’s administration, she Carla is an instructor for the mar- as a teacher. believes anything can happen in and keting and entrepreneurship academy Chasey feels that every single day is outside of the classroom. at Booker T. Washington High School. a new opportunity for a child to learn. Jennifer has been teaching social She became a teacher after moving to As an educator, she believes it is her studies for the past 11 years. Her first Pensacola and has been with Escambia responsibility to provide the best 9 years were spent as a civics teacher County schools for 35 years. learning experience for her students. at Deerlake Middle School and the past She never envisioned herself becom- She has always wanted to teach, be- 2 years have been at Lawton Chiles ing a teacher, having hated school lieving this to be her passion and that High School. She is a three-time grad- when she was in high school and col- she is meant to be with her students. uate of Florida State University with a lege. Carla fell in love with this career Chasey is a graduate from Estero bachelor’s and master’s degree in social after working with her students and High School and is a former basketball science education/curriculum and in- brought her passion for the business and softball athlete. She is the inten- struction and a specialist’s degree in world into the schoolhouse. sive intervention/exceptional student educational leadership. She immerses her students into the education teacher at River Hall Ele- I extend my sincere thanks and ap- real world of work, teaching every as- mentary School. preciation to Jennifer for all her hard pect of running a business, production, I express my sincere thanks and ap- work and dedication she has given to advertising, sales, and distribution. preciation to Chasey and offer my best her students. I wish her continued suc- This provides nonstop activity for her wishes on her future endeavors.∑ cess in the years to come.∑ students to stay on task. They know f f their work is done under the watchful eye of someone they see as more than TRIBUTE TO KENNETH NORTH TRIBUTE TO SARAH RAY a teacher. ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I I extend my best wishes to Carla for recognize Kenneth North, the Union recognize Sarah Ray, the Palm Beach all the hard work she has done for her County Teacher of the Year from County Teacher of the Year from the students. I look forward to hearing of Union County High School in Lake Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the her continued success in the years Butler, FL. Arts in West Palm Beach, FL. ahead.∑ Kenneth is more than a teacher; he is Sarah professes that everything she f a mentor for today’s youth to be to- does is for her students, and this award morrow’s successful and productive is entirely about them. Sarah wants to TRIBUTE TO JENNIFER WINGATE citizens. He does this by providing op- make sure to help all of her students ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I portunities for them through competi- continue in their educational careers. recognize Jennifer Wingate, the Gil- tions, community service, social func- Sarah took over the Artists Reaching christ County Teacher of the Year from tions, and daily activities. to Society Club at the school after the Trenton High School in Trenton, FL. In many instances, he sets up prac- passing of its founder. Under her direc- In only her second year of teaching tical exercises for his students to work tion, the club organizes an annual arts in the public school system, Jennifer

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.040 S19APPT1 S2320 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 was named Teacher of the Year because This year, more than 1,500 students H.R. 5444. An act to amend the Internal she earned the respect of her students, from 231 schools in 31 States competed Revenue Code of 1986 to modernize and im- peers, and administrators. She began in 23 regional National Oceans Sciences prove the Internal Revenue Service, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to her teaching with private music les- Bowl competitions. These five students make permanent the Volunteer Income Tax sons and has directed church choirs demonstrated their knowledge of the Assistance matching grant program, to re- and praise teams. ocean and its role in Earth system quire the Secretary of the Treasury to estab- In order to engage students, Jennifer science during this year’s theme, ‘‘Our lish a program for the issuance of identity teaches the historical or emotional Ocean Shaping Weather,’’ and proving protection personal identification numbers, context of each piece of music they are victorious. to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 learning to play. In her first year as I extend my best wishes to Viera to allow officers and employees of the De- band director, her commitment helped High School’s Ocean Science Academic partment of the Treasury to provide to tax- payers information regarding low-income the Trenton High School Band receive Team and look forward to hearing of taxpayer clinics, to provide for a single point a superior rating at the district musi- their continued success.∑ of contact at the Internal Revenue Service cal assessment for the first time in f for the taxpayers who are victims of tax-re- more than a decade. lated identity theft, to require notice from Jennifer’s motto when teaching her MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE the Secretary of the Treasury in the case of students is S.U.D.A.: spirit, unity, dis- At 11:11 a.m., a message from the any closure of a Taxpayer Assistance Center, cipline, and attitude. Each of these House of Representatives, delivered by to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require electronic filing of the annual re- traits are valued by Jennifer and were Mr. Novotny, one of its reading clerks, turns of exempt organizations and provide adopted from her own mentor. announced that the House has passed for making such returns available for public Jennifer graduated in 2011 from the following bills, in which it requests inspection, to amend the Internal Revenue Newberry College in Newberry, SC, the concurrence of the Senate: Code of 1986 to improve cybersecurity and with a bachelor of arts degree in ap- H.R. 2905. An act to require the Attorney taxpayer identify protection, and modernize plied music. After relocating to Flor- General and the Secretary of the Treasury to the information technology of the Internal ida, she was hired as the band director report to Congress on efforts to combat iden- Revenue Service, to amend the Internal Rev- and music appreciation teacher for tity theft, including by persons purporting enue Code of 1986 to restrict the immediate to be acting on behalf of the Internal Rev- sale of seized property by the Secretary of Trenton High School. She also teaches the Treasury to perishable goods, and for music appreciation to nonband stu- enue Service, and for other purposes. H.R. 5444. An act to amend the Internal other purposes; to the Committee on Fi- dents. Revenue Code of 1986 to modernize and im- nance. I extend my best wishes to Jennifer prove the Internal Revenue Service, to f for her dedication to her students and amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ENROLLED BILL PRESENTED music and congratulate her on this make permanent the Volunteer Income Tax award.∑ Assistance matching grant program, to re- The Secretary of the Senate reported f quire the Secretary of the Treasury to estab- that on today, April 19, 2018, she had lish a program for the issuance of identity presented to the President of the RECOGNIZING TEAM INVICTUS protection personal identification numbers, United States the following enrolled ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 bill: to allow officers and employees of the De- would like to recognize Team Invictus, S. 167. An act to designate a National Me- partment of the Treasury to provide to tax- the Fort Myers High School robotics morial to Fallen Educators at the National payers information regarding low-income Teachers Hall of Fame in Emporia, Kansas. team in Fort Myers, FL. taxpayer clinics, to provide for a single point Team Invictus is comprised of Fort of contact at the Internal Revenue Service f Myers High School students and is the for the taxpayers who are victims of tax-re- EXECUTIVE REPORTS OF first robotics team from Lee County to lated identity theft, to require notice from COMMITTEE reach the world competition in Hous- the Secretary of the Treasury in the case of The following executive reports of ton, TX. The team built a robot in 6 any closure of a Taxpayer Assistance Center, nominations were submitted: weeks and won the Rookie All-Star to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require electronic filing of the annual re- award in Orlando, FL. By Mr. GRASSLEY for the Committee on turns of exempt organizations and provide the Judiciary. The Fort Myers High School robotics for making such returns available for public John B. Nalbandian, of Kentucky, to be program has only existed for 4 months, inspection, to amend the Internal Revenue United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth launching in December 2017, and is Code of 1986 to improve cybersecurity and Circuit. helping prepare the students for life taxpayer identity protection, and modernize Kari A. Dooley, of Connecticut, to be after high school. The members of the information technology of the Internal United States District Judge for the District Revenue Service, to amend the Internal Rev- of Connecticut. Team Invictus are honored to be a part Dominic W. Lanza, of Arizona, to be United of this experience as they continue to enue Code of 1986 to restrict the immediate sale of seized property by the Secretary of States District Judge for the District of Ari- grow and make history in the Fort the Treasury to perishable goods, and for zona. Myers community. other purposes. Michael Y. Scudder, of Illinois, to be I extend my best wishes to Team United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh ENROLLED BILL SIGNED Invictus and look forward to hearing of Circuit. The President pro tempore (Mr. Amy J. St. Eve, of Illinois, to be United their continued success.∑ HATCH) reported that he had signed the States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit. f following enrolled bill, which was pre- Charles J. Williams, of Iowa, to be United States District Judge for the Northern Dis- RECOGNIZING VIERA HIGH viously signed by the Speaker of the trict of Iowa. SCHOOL’S OCEAN SCIENCE ACA- House: Joseph H. Hunt, of Maryland, to be an As- DEMIC TEAM S. 167. An act to designate a National Me- sistant Attorney General. ∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I morial to Fallen Educators at the National Nicola T. Hanna, of California, to be Teachers Hall of Fame in Emporia, Kansas. United States Attorney for the Central Dis- recognize Hannah Howe, Alyssa trict of California for the term of four years. Hofmann, Maggie Zendehrouh, Zack f Steven L. Gladden, of North Carolina, to be Chace, and Cameron Shearer for quali- MEASURES REFERRED United States Marshal for the Middle Dis- fying to the National Ocean Sciences trict of North Carolina for the term of four The following bills were read the first Bowl. years. and the second times by unanimous Brendan O. Heffner, of Illinois, to be These exceptional students from United States Marshal for the Central Dis- Viera High School are advancing to the consent, and referred as indicated: H.R. 2905. An act to require the Attorney trict of Illinois for the term of four years. 21st Annual National Ocean Sciences Theodor G. Short, of Maine, to be United General and the Secretary of the Treasury to Bowl being held in Boulder, CO. The States Marshal for the District of Maine for report to Congress on efforts to combat iden- the term of four years. team previously won the Manatee tity theft, including by persons purporting Bowl, which was hosted by the Univer- to be acting on behalf of the Internal Rev- (Nominations without an asterisk sity of Miami Rosenstiel School of Ma- enue Service, and for other purposes; to the were reported with the recommenda- rine and Atmospheric Science. Committee on the Judiciary. tion that they be confirmed.)

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19AP6.051 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2321 INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND who may have been exposed to per- and as ‘‘National Park Week’’; considered and JOINT RESOLUTIONS polyfluoroalkyl substances on military in- agreed to. stallations receive information regarding f The following bills and joint resolu- such exposure, and for other purposes; to the tions were introduced, read the first Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS and second times by unanimous con- By Ms. CANTWELL (for herself, Mr. S. 65 sent, and referred as indicated: MARKEY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. VAN OLLEN HITEHOUSE At the request of Ms. WARREN, the By Mr. MCCONNELL (for himself and H , Mr. W , Mr. YDEN HAHEEN OOKER Mr. CASEY): W , Mrs. S , Mr. B , name of the Senator from Minnesota S. 2710. A bill to improve treatment and Mr. REED, Mr. NELSON, Mrs. MURRAY, (Ms. SMITH) was added as a cosponsor early interventions for pregnant and Mr. SANDERS, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. CAR- of S. 65, a bill to address financial con- postpartum women and infants affected by PER, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. HASSAN, flicts of interest of the President and substance use disorder; to the Committee on Ms. HARRIS, and Mrs. FEINSTEIN): Vice President. Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. S. 2720. A bill to codify the outer Conti- S. 266 By Ms. HASSAN (for herself and Mr. nental Shelf blowout preventer systems and PORTMAN): well control rule and the Arctic drilling rule; At the request of Mr. HATCH, the S. 2711. A bill to amend section 303 of the to the Committee on Energy and Natural Re- name of the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Controlled Substances Act to facilitate waiv- sources. MURKOWSKI) was added as a cosponsor ers of the separate registration requirement By Mr. BENNET: of S. 266, a bill to award the Congres- for physicians dispensing narcotic drugs to S. 2721. A bill to designate certain land in sional Gold Medal to Anwar Sadat in San Miguel, Ouray, and San Juan Counties, individuals for maintenance treatment or de- recognition of his heroic achievements toxification treatment; to the Committee on Colorado, as wilderness, to designate certain special management areas in the State of and courageous contributions to peace Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. in the Middle East. By Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Mrs. Colorado, and for other purposes; to the ERNST, Mr. MORAN, Ms. HEITKAMP, Committee on Energy and Natural Re- S. 298 Mr. GARDNER, Mr. BENNET, Mr. sources. At the request of Mr. TESTER, the By Ms. HARRIS: HOEVEN, and Ms. SMITH): name of the Senator from Minnesota S. 2712. A bill to amend the National Agri- S. 2722. A bill to establish environmental justice as a consideration in the regulation (Ms. SMITH) was added as a cosponsor cultural Research, Extension, and Teaching of S. 298, a bill to require Senate can- Policy Act of 1977 to establish a farm and of pesticides, and for other purposes; to the ranch stress assistance network, and for Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and didates to file designations, state- other purposes; to the Committee on Agri- Pensions. ments, and reports in electronic form. culture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mrs. GILLIBRAND (for herself, Mr. S. 994 BOOKER, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. WARREN, By Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. At the request of Mr. HATCH, the and Ms. HARRIS): FLAKE, and Mr. TOOMEY): name of the Senator from Minnesota S. 2713. A bill to limit the level of premium S. 2723. A bill to amend the Food and Nu- (Ms. KLOBUCHAR) was added as a co- subsidy provided by the Federal Crop Insur- trition Act of 2008 to require that supple- ance Corporation to agricultural producers; mental nutrition assistance program bene- sponsor of S. 994, a bill to amend title to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, fits for children be calculated with reference 18, United States Code, to provide for and Forestry. to the cost of the low-cost food plan, as de- the protection of community centers By Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mr. termined by the Secretary of Agriculture, with religious affiliation, and for other CRUZ): and for other purposes; to the Committee on purposes. Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. S. 2714. A bill to award a Congressional S. 1008 Gold Medal to Don and Deyon Stephens, By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Founders of Mercy Ships, in recognition of COONS, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. LEAHY, and At the request of Mr. GARDNER, the nearly 40 years of service as the leaders of a Ms. WARREN): name of the Senator from Minnesota humanitarian relief organization that exem- S. 2724. A bill to reform the use of solitary (Ms. KLOBUCHAR) was added as a co- plifies the compassionate character of Amer- confinement and other forms of restrictive sponsor of S. 1008, a bill to amend the ica; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, housing in the Bureau of Prisons, and for Controlled Substances Act to exclude and Urban Affairs. other purposes; to the Committee on the Ju- cannabidiol and cannabidiol-rich By Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. KING, diciary. By Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. plants from the definition of mari- and Mr. TESTER): huana, and for other purposes. S. 2715. A bill to require the President to VAN HOLLEN): develop a national strategy to combat the fi- S. 2725. A bill to designate the facility of S. 1050 nancial networks of transnational organized the United States Postal Service located at At the request of Ms. DUCKWORTH, criminals, and for other purposes; to the 9801 Apollo Drive in Upper Marlboro, Mary- the names of the Senator from Arkan- land, as the ‘‘Wayne K. Curry Post Office Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban sas (Mr. BOOZMAN), the Senator from Building’’; to the Committee on Homeland Affairs. Michigan (Mr. PETERS) and the Senator By Mr. INHOFE (for himself, Mr. COR- Security and Governmental Affairs. from Vermont (Mr. SANDERS) were NYN, Mr. RUBIO, and Mr. MENENDEZ): f S. 2716. A bill to direct the Secretary of added as cosponsors of S. 1050, a bill to State to develop a strategy to regain ob- SUBMISSION OF CONCURRENT AND award a Congressional Gold Medal, col- server status for Taiwan in the World Health SENATE RESOLUTIONS lectively, to the Chinese-American Organization, and for other purposes; to the The following concurrent resolutions Veterans of World War II, in recogni- Committee on Foreign Relations. and Senate resolutions were read, and tion of their dedicated service during By Mrs. FISCHER (for herself and Mr. World War II. PETERS): referred (or acted upon), as indicated: S. 1633 S. 2717. A bill to reauthorize provisions re- By Mr. SCHUMER: lating to the Maritime Administration; to S. Res. 477. A resolution recognizing and At the request of Mr. GARDNER, the the Committee on Commerce, Science, and celebrating the National Comedy Center names of the Senator from Nevada (Mr. Transportation. being built at 203–217 West Second Street, HELLER) and the Senator from New By Mr. CASEY (for himself, Ms. STABE- Jamestown, New York; to the Committee on Hampshire (Ms. HASSAN) were with- NOW, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. WHITE- the Judiciary. drawn as cosponsors of S. 1633, a bill to HOUSE, and Ms. BALDWIN): By Mr. DAINES (for himself, Mr. KING, promote innovative approaches to out- S. 2718. A bill to amend the Internal Rev- Ms. HIRONO, Mr. COTTON, Mr. WHITE- door recreation on Federal land and to enue Code of 1986 to allow workers an above- HOUSE, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. WARNER, Mr. the-line deduction for union dues and ex- ALEXANDER, Mr. BROWN, Mr. WICKER, open up opportunities for collaboration penses and to allow a miscellaneous itemized Ms. HEITKAMP, Mr. CASSIDY, Mrs. with non-Federal partners, and for deduction for workers for all unreimbursed FEINSTEIN, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. REED, Mr. other purposes. expenses incurred in the trade or business of GARDNER, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. BAR- S. 1640 being an employee; to the Committee on Fi- RASSO, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. BOOZMAN, At the request of Mr. DURBIN, the nance. Mr. WYDEN, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. name of the Senator from Minnesota By Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. SANDERS, MITH ROUNDS): Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. (Ms. S ) was added as a cosponsor S. 2719. A bill to direct the Secretary of ENZI, and Mr. HOEVEN): of S. 1640, a bill to reform the financing Veterans Affairs to establish a registry to S. Res. 478. A resolution designating the of Senate elections, and for other pur- ensure that members of the Armed Forces week of April 21, 2018, through April 29, 2018, poses.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.006 S19APPT1 S2322 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 S. 1689 were added as cosponsors of S. 2334, a travel by the heads of Executive agen- At the request of Mr. BOOKER, the bill to amend title 17, United States cies and other individuals in senior po- name of the Senator from Vermont Code, to provide clarity with respect sitions publicly available. ANDERS (Mr. S ) was added as a cospon- to, and to modernize, the licensing sys- S. 2667 sor of S. 1689, a bill to amend the Con- tem for musical works under section At the request of Mr. MCCONNELL, trolled Substances Act to provide for a 115 of that title, to ensure fairness in the names of the Senator from Mon- new rule regarding the application of the establishment of certain rates and tana (Mr. DAINES), the Senator from the Act to marihuana, and for other fees under sections 114 and 115 of that New Mexico (Mr. UDALL), the Senator purposes. title, and for other purposes. from Colorado (Mr. GARDNER) and the S. 1782 S. 2335 Senator from Colorado (Mr. BENNET) At the request of Ms. COLLINS, the At the request of Mr. ROUNDS, the were added as cosponsors of S. 2667, a name of the Senator from Oklahoma name of the Senator from Colorado bill to amend the Agricultural Mar- (Mr. INHOFE) was added as a cosponsor (Mr. GARDNER) was added as a cospon- keting Act of 1946 to provide for State of S. 1782, a bill to amend the Internal sor of S. 2335, a bill to authorize the and Tribal regulation of hemp produc- Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the def- Secretary of the Interior and the Sec- tion, and for other purposes. inition of full-time employee for pur- retary of Agriculture to issue permits poses of the employer mandate in the for recreation services on lands man- S. 2691 Patient Protection and Affordable Care aged by Federal agencies, and for other At the request of Mr. SANDERS, the Act. purposes. names of the Senator from New York S. 1880 S. 2488 (Mrs. GILLIBRAND) and the Senator At the request of Mr. UDALL, the At the request of Ms. WARREN, her from Connecticut (Mr. BLUMENTHAL) name of the Senator from Minnesota name was added as a cosponsor of S. were added as cosponsors of S. 2691, a (Ms. SMITH) was added as a cosponsor 2488, a bill to amend title 37, United bill to hold pharmaceutical companies of S. 1880, a bill to reform our govern- States Code, to exclude the receipt of accountable for illegal marketing and ment, reduce the grip of special inter- basic allowance for housing for mem- distribution of opioid products and for est, and return our democracy to the bers of the Armed Forces in deter- their role in creating and exacerbating American people by increasing trans- mining eligibility for certain Federal the opioid epidemic in the United parency and oversight of our elections benefits, and for other purposes. States. and government, reforming public fi- At the request of Ms. DUCKWORTH, S. 2702 nancing for Presidential and Congres- the names of the Senator from West At the request of Mr. SCOTT, the sional elections, and requiring States Virginia (Mr. MANCHIN), the Senator name of the Senator from Iowa (Mrs. to conduct Congressional redistricting from New Jersey (Mr. MENENDEZ) and ERNST) was added as a cosponsor of S. through independent commissions, and the Senator from Michigan (Mr. 2702, a bill to amend the Consumer Fi- for other purposes. PETERS) were added as cosponsors of S. nancial Protection Act of 2010 to clar- S. 1989 2488, supra. ify the authority of the Bureau of Con- At the request of Ms. KLOBUCHAR, the S. 2501 sumer Financial Protection with re- name of the Senator from Illinois (Ms. At the request of Mr. GARDNER, the spect to persons regulated by a State DUCKWORTH) was added as a cosponsor names of the Senator from Nevada (Mr. insurance regulator, and for other pur- of S. 1989, a bill to enhance trans- HELLER) and the Senator from New poses. parency and accountability for online Hampshire (Ms. HASSAN) were added as political advertisements by requiring cosponsors of S. 2501, a bill to amend S. 2707 those who purchase and publish such the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands At the request of Mr. NELSON, the ads to disclose information about the Management Act of 1996 to provide for name of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. advertisements to the public, and for the establishment of a Ski Area Fee BROWN) was added as a cosponsor of S. other purposes. Retention Account. 2707, a bill to amend title XVIII of the S. 2076 S. 2597 Social Security Act to provide edu- At the request of Ms. COLLINS, the At the request of Mr. ISAKSON, the cational resources regarding opioid use names of the Senator from New Hamp- name of the Senator from Utah (Mr. and pain management as part of the shire (Mrs. SHAHEEN) and the Senator HATCH) was added as a cosponsor of S. Medicare & You handbook. from Colorado (Mr. GARDNER) were 2597, a bill to amend the Public Health S. 2708 added as cosponsors of S. 2076, a bill to Service Act to reauthorize the program At the request of Mr. MERKLEY, the amend the Public Health Service Act of payments to children’s hospitals name of the Senator from Illinois (Mr. to authorize the expansion of activities that operate graduate medical edu- DURBIN) was added as a cosponsor of S. related to Alzheimer’s disease, cog- cation programs, and for other pur- 2708, a bill to provide for the establish- nitive decline, and brain health under poses. ment of Medicare part E public health the Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy S. 2598 plans, and for other purposes. Aging Program, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. SCHATZ, the S. RES. 414 S. 2176 name of the Senator from Illinois (Mr. At the request of Mr. DURBIN, the At the request of Mr. WHITEHOUSE, DURBIN) was added as a cosponsor of S. the name of the Senator from Massa- 2598, a bill to establish State-Federal name of the Senator from Massachu- setts (Mr. MARKEY) was added as a co- chusetts (Ms. WARREN) was added as a partnerships to provide students the cosponsor of S. 2176, a bill to establish opportunity to attain higher education sponsor of S. Res. 414, a resolution con- an integrated national approach to re- as in-State public institutions of high- demning the continued undemocratic spond to ongoing and expected efforts er education without debt, to provide measures by the Government of Ven- of extreme weather and climate change Federal Pell Grant eligibility to ezuela to undermine the independence by protecting, managing, and con- DREAMer students, to repeal suspen- of democratic institutions and calling serving the fish, wildlife, and plants of sion of eligibility under the Higher for a free and fair electoral process. the United States, and to maximize Education Act of 1965 for drug-related S. RES. 431 Government efficiency and reduce offenses, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. MCCONNELL, his costs, in cooperation with State, local, S. 2630 name was added as a cosponsor of S. and tribal governments and other enti- At the request of Ms. DUCKWORTH, Res. 431, a resolution supporting the ties, and for other purposes. the name of the Senator from Delaware goals and ideals of ‘‘International Pa- S. 2334 (Mr. CARPER) was added as a cosponsor rental Child Abduction Month’’ and ex- At the request of Mr. HATCH, the of S. 2630, a bill to amend section 5707 pressing the sense of the Senate that names of the Senator from South Caro- of title 5, United States Code, to re- Congress should raise awareness of the lina (Mr. GRAHAM) and the Senator quire the General Services Administra- harm caused by international parental from Connecticut (Mr. BLUMENTHAL) tion to make information regarding child abduction.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.009 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2323 STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED (1) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘and’’ at (10) Annually, Mercy Ships has over 1,600 BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS the end; volunteers who help in locations around the (2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period world, 900 of which serve in Africa. At any By Mr. MCCONNELL (for himself at the end and inserting a semicolon; and given time, there are more than 400 crew and Mr. CASEY): (3) by adding at the end the following: from 40 nations onboard the Africa Mercy. S. 2710. A bill to improve treatment ‘‘(15) in cooperation with the Secretary, (11) The Africa Mercy alone has had over and early interventions for pregnant implement and disseminate, as appropriate, 4,900 crew from 74 countries serve onboard and postpartum women and infants af- the recommendations in the report entitled since its inception in 2007. In addition, more fected by substance use disorder; to the ‘Protecting Our Infants Act: Final Strategy’ than 950 local Day Workers from 12 different issued by the Department of Health and Committee on Health, Education, countries have served alongside since it first Human Services in 2017; and’’. docked in Africa. Labor, and Pensions. (c) SUPPORT OF PARTNERSHIPS BY CENTER (12) Mercy Ships has served some of the MR. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT.—Section world’s poorest populations and completed ask unanimous consent that the text of 507(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 over 589 port visits in 55 developing nations the bill be printed in the RECORD. U.S.C. 290bb(b)), as amended by subsection and 18 developed nations for a total of 73 na- There being no objection, the text of (b), is further amended by adding at the end tions including: Australia, Bahamas, Benin, the following: Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada, China, the bill was ordered to be printed in ‘‘(16) in cooperation with relevant stake- the RECORD, as follows: Congo Brazzaville, Columbia, Cuba, Den- holders, support public-private partnerships mark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Es- S. 2710 to assist with education about, and support tonia, Faroe Islands, Fiji, France, Gabon, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- with respect to, substance use disorder for The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Gre- resentatives of the United States of America in pregnant women and health care providers nada, Guatemala, Guinea (West Africa), Congress assembled, who treat pregnant women and babies.’’. Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Korea, Latvia, By Mr. CORNYN (for himself and This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Liberia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malta, Mex- Moms and Infants Act’’. Mr. CRUZ): ico, Montserrat, The Netherlands, New Cal- S. 2714. A bill to award a Congres- SEC. 2. IMPROVING TREATMENT FOR PREGNANT edonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN. sional Gold Medal to Don and Deyon Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Po- (a) REPORT.— Stephens, Founders of Mercy Ships, in land, Russia, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days recognition of nearly 40 years of serv- Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, St. after the date of enactment of this Act, the ice as the leaders of a humanitarian re- Eustatius (NL), St. Kitts, St. Thomas, St. Secretary of Health and Human Services (re- lief organization that exemplifies the Vincent, Sweden, Tahiti, Togo, Tonga, Trini- ferred to in this subsection as the ‘‘Sec- compassionate character of America; dad, the United Kingdom, the United States, retary’’) shall submit to the appropriate to the Committee on Banking, Hous- and Vanuatu. committees of Congress and make available ing, and Urban Affairs. (13) Through the years, Mercy Ships has to the public on the internet website of the Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask had four hospital ships that have served in some of the poorest ports in the world. Those Department of Health and Human Services a unanimous consent that the text of the report regarding the implementation of the include: recommendations in the strategy relating to bill be printed in the RECORD. (A) The 16,500-ton Africa Mercy is the prenatal opioid use, including neonatal ab- There being no objection, the text of world’s largest nongovernmental hospital stinence syndrome, developed pursuant to the bill was ordered to be printed in ship and is dedicated to the continent of Af- section 2 of the Protecting Our Infants Act the RECORD, as follows: rica. of 2015 (Public Law 114–91). Such report shall S. 2714 (B) The 522-foot Anastasis was the flag include— Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- ship, and completed her first relief mission (A) an update on the implementation of resentatives of the United States of America in in 1982 to Guatemala. Her crew of 400 worked the recommendations in the strategy, in- Congress assembled, in Africa until she was decommissioned in cluding information regarding the agencies SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 2007. involved in the implementation; and The Congress finds the following: (C) Acquired in 1994, the 265-foot Caribbean (B) information on additional funding or (1) Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 and has Mercy with her crew of 150 focused on the authority the Secretary requires, if any, to worked in more than 70 countries, providing Caribbean basin and Central America with implement the strategy, which may include services valued at more than $1.3 billion, its Eye Surgery Unit. The ship was sold in authorities needed to coordinate implemen- treating more than 2.56 million direct bene- 2006. tation of such strategy across the Depart- ficiaries. (D) Donated in 1983, the 172-foot Good Sa- ment of Health and Human Services. (2) Mercy Ships owns and operates the maritan served the Caribbean, Central and (2) PERIODIC UPDATES.—The Secretary shall world’s largest private hospital ship, the Af- South America for 11 years with a crew of 60. periodically update the report under para- rica Mercy that has five state-of-the-art op- Renamed the Island Mercy, she was rede- graph (1). erating rooms and ward bed space for 82 pa- ployed to the South Pacific in 1994 and (b) RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR tients. served there until sold in 2001. PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN.—Sec- (3) Mercy Ships vessels are staffed by pro- (E) Mercy Ships is currently building a tion 508(s) of the Public Health Service Act fessional volunteer crew including surgeons, new hospital ship to serve Africa’s most (42 U.S.C. 290bb–1(s)) is amended by striking nurses, doctors, dentists, cooks, engineers, needy for the next 50 years with delivery ex- ‘‘$16,900,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 agriculturalists, teachers, and others. pected in 2018. The new vessel, larger than through 2021’’ and inserting ‘‘$29,931,000 for (4) Mercy Ships has performed more than the Africa Mercy, will assume the title of each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’. 82,000 life-changing or life-saving operations world’s largest private hospital ship with in- SEC. 3. EARLY INTERVENTIONS FOR PREGNANT such as cleft lip and palate repair, cataract creased capacity building and a focus on WOMEN AND INFANTS. removal, orthopedic procedures, facial recon- healthcare training. It will also further the (a) DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MATE- struction, obstetric fistula repair, and tumor commitment of Mercy Ships to provide and RIALS BY CENTER FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PRE- removal. promote through teaching, safe surgery glob- VENTION.—Section 515(b) of the Public Health (5) Mercy Ships has treated over 147,000 ally as demonstrated by their membership in Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–21(b)) is amend- dental patients including over 390,000 dental the G4 Alliance. ed— procedures. (14) Mercy Ships has hosted Presidents and (1) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘and’’ at (6) Mercy Ships has trained more than 5,900 other heads of state from many nations the end; local professionals (including surgeons) who around the world onboard their hospital (2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period have in turn trained many others. ships who commended the free health care at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and (7) Mercy Ships has trained over 38,100 provided to their people. (3) by adding at the end the following: local professionals in their area of expertise (15) Mercy Ships has been endorsed by ‘‘(15) in cooperation with relevant stake- including anesthesiology, midwifery, steri- President Nelson Mandela, President George holders and the Director of the Centers for lization, orthopedic and reconstructive sur- Bush, Desmund Tutu, President Ellen John- Disease Control and Prevention, develop edu- gery, and leadership, thereby increasing son Sirleaf, Sir John Major, President Dr. cational materials for clinicians to use with medical capacity in the host nation. Ernest Bai Koroma, Tony Blair, President pregnant women for shared decisionmaking (8) Mercy Ships has taught over 198,000 Jimmy Carter and First Lady Mary Flake de regarding pain management during preg- local people in basic health care. Flores. nancy.’’. (9) Mercy Ships has completed over 1,100 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. (b) GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS BY infrastructure development projects focusing (a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The CENTER FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT.— on water and sanitation education, agri- Speaker of the House of Representatives and Section 507(b) of the Public Health Service culture and construction projects which im- the President pro tempore of the Senate Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb(b)) is amended— prove local health care delivery systems. shall make appropriate arrangements for the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:17 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.012 S19APPT1 S2324 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold Some of it is at the bottom where that Key West. In a one-angle shot, they can medal of appropriate design to Don and well was, and that wellhead on the sea shoot sophisticated, long-range weap- Deyon Stephens, Founders of Mercy Ships. floor below the rig was a mile deep. We ons 600 miles to do the testing. (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of worked as one gulf community in a bi- Big Oil is now trying to roll back the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred partisan way. We passed legislation—it some of the basic safety rules that to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall was called the RESTORE Act—to send were put in place after the disaster in strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, a message that there were going to be order to prevent another tragedy. It is devices, and inscriptions to be determined by fines and penalties under the Clean happening in front of our eyes. Two the Secretary. Water Act. So many barrels of oil, a years ago, they said that an oilspill SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. figure, and then the culpability of the could be a welcome boost to the local The Secretary may strike and sell dupli- oil company that allowed it to happen. economies. Yet they are rolling back cates in bronze of the gold medal struck pur- A Federal judge did an extended trial safety rules today that were put in suant to section 2 under such regulations as over several years and came up with place in the aftermath of there being 11 the Secretary may prescribe, at a price suffi- people killed on the Deepwater Horizon cient to cover the cost thereof, including that fine and that penalty. The RE- STORE Act said that money that was oil rig. They are rolling that back labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and today in this administration’s agen- overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold going to be assessed against the oil medal. company was going back to the Gulf of cies. That is why I am joining Senator SEC. 4. STATUS OF MEDALS. Mexico region, and it was going to aid CANTWELL and other colleagues in in- (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck in the economy and in the environ- pursuant to this Act are national medals for ment. troducing legislation to codify these purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United There was another impact. The winds sensible safety measures, like those de- States Code. caught that oil slick and started send- signed to update the standards for (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of ing it east from Louisiana, and it got blowout preventers and a requirement sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United for a third party to certify the safety States Code, all medals struck under this over to the white sugary sands of Pen- sacola Beach in Destin and tar balls as mechanisms. Act shall be considered to be numismatic Let me explain what a blowout pre- far east as Panama City Beach. Those items. venter is. It didn’t work in the Deep- white sands were completely covered in water Horizon oilspill. A mile below By Ms. CANTWELL (for herself, tar and oil. Those photographs of Pen- the surface, where the well comes out Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MENENDEZ, sacola Beach went around the world. of the Earth, there is a thing called a Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WHITE- What was the result? Our guests, our blowout preventer. If, as happened, HOUSE, Mr. WYDEN, Mrs. SHA- visitors, our tourists, for an entire sea- there is a blowout in BP’s oil well, HEEN, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. REED, son, thought all of the Gulf of Mexico there is a mechanism that is supposed Mr. NELSON, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. beaches along Florida were covered to safely cut the oil line—pinch it and SANDERS, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. like Pensacola Beach was, and they stop it from flowing. It was faulty. It CARPER, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. didn’t come for the entire year. Not did not work. So there have been new HASSAN, Ms. HARRIS, and Mrs. only did you have an environmental ef- standards for blowout preventers since FEINSTEIN): fect like this, you had an economic ef- 2010. In 2018, 8 years later, the oil in- S. 2720. A bill to codify the outer fect like the loss of tourist revenue in dustry is trying to roll back those safe- Continental Shelf blowout preventer the hotels, motels, the restaurants, the ty requirements that were put in place systems and well control rule and the dry cleaners, the little newspapers, and in the aftermath of their spilling 5 mil- Arctic drilling rule; to the Committee all the ancillary businesses that depend lion barrels of oil into the gulf. on Energy and Natural Resources. upon a $60 billion-a-year tourist indus- Do you see the fight that we have? It Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, tomor- try in Florida. Still, I am afraid the oil is almost every week. We can’t allow row marks another somber occasion. industry hopes we have forgotten all of the Department of the Interior to take Eight years ago, the news ticker came this. us backward in time and expose our across our televisions saying that an This month, the media released docu- beautiful beaches and our tourism- oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, off of Lou- ments from 2016 in which BP claims based local economies, as well as our isiana, was on fire, the Coast Guard that an oilspill can be a welcomed military, to another Deepwater Hori- was on the scene, and workers were boost to local economies. Can you be- zon-type catastrophe if they keep push- missing. lieve that? This oilspill was in 2010. In ing back these safety rules. It was a Tuesday night. It was nearly 2016, we have just uncovered documents That is the purpose of introducing midnight on April 20, 2010. By morning that BP claimed that an oilspill can be this legislation today with Senator light, we knew 11 men would not be ‘‘a welcome boost to local economies.’’ CANTWELL. If we don’t watch it, we are going home again. For 87 days, the oil How outrageous and how arrogant. I going to be right back in the same gushed into one of the most productive can assure you, the coastal commu- place we were 8 years ago. It will be 8 marine environments in the world. The nities of Florida vigorously disagree, years ago to the day tomorrow that we studies show the oil impacted the deep- and I bet you the coastal communities had that awful experience. water corals and fish at the bottom of that had to put up with that in their the food chain, all the way from the bayous would disagree vigorously as By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. bottom up to the dolphins and sea tur- well. COONS, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. LEAHY, tles at the top. All that progress, and yet the indus- and Ms. WARREN): Here is one example. This is one in try is relentless in wanting to take us S. 2724. A bill to reform the use of the bayous. You can see the marsh backward. They still want to open up solitary confinement and other forms grasses in the distance. You can see the Florida’s beaches and offshore to drill- of restrictive housing in the Bureau of oil as it is coming up, and it is literally ing, and we have to fight it every day. Prisons, and for other purposes; to the covering everything. They did studies The one thing we also have going for Committee on the Judiciary. on fish that would be in a bayou like us is, the Gulf of Mexico, off of Florida, Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask this. A little fish, about as big is this, is the largest testing and training area unanimous consent that the text of the is called a killifish. LSU professors did for the U.S. military in the world. This bill be printed in the RECORD. There being no objection, the text of this study, and they compared them to Senator just climbed into an Air Force the bill was ordered to be printed in the bayous where there was not this jet to fly part of the training profile for the RECORD, as follows: kind of oil, compared it to similar young pilots, knowing they have re- S. 2724 killifish. What they found over time stricted airspace. That was out of Eglin Air Force Base—the testing and train- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- was the little fish in bayous like this resentatives of the United States of America in were stunted. They didn’t reproduce. ing designee for all of the Department Congress assembled, They mutated because of this. of Defense. We have a range that goes SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. Nearly 5 million barrels of oil gushed from the Panhandle of Florida all the This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Solitary for 3 months. A lot of it is still there. way south in the Gulf of Mexico, off of Confinement Reform Act’’.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.013 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2325

SEC. 2. SOLITARY CONFINEMENT REFORMS. ‘‘(11) SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS.—The term threat to the safety of an inmate, other in- (a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 303 of title 18, ‘serious mental illness’ means a substantial mates, staff, or the public. United States Code, is amended by adding at disorder of thought or mood that signifi- ‘‘(b) USE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.— the end the following: cantly impairs judgment, behavior, capacity ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The placement of a Fed- ‘‘§ 4050. Solitary confinement to recognize reality, or ability to cope with eral inmate in solitary confinement within ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: the ordinary demands of life. the Bureau of Prisons or any facility that ‘‘(12) SIGNIFICANT AND SERIOUS DISCIPLINARY ‘‘(1) ADMINISTRATIVE MAXIMUM FACILITY.— contracts with the Bureau of Prisons to pro- INFRACTION.—The term ‘significant and seri- The term ‘administrative maximum facility’ vide housing for inmates in Federal custody ous disciplinary infraction’ means— means a maximum-security facility, includ- shall be limited to situations in which such ‘‘(A) an act of violence that either— ing the Administrative Maximum facility in confinement— ‘‘(i) resulted in or was likely to result in Florence, Colorado, designed to house in- ‘‘(A) is limited to the briefest term and the serious injury or death to another; or mates who present an ongoing significant least restrictive conditions practicable, in- ‘‘(ii) occurred in connection with any act and serious threat to other inmates, staff, cluding not less than 4 hours of out-of-cell and the public. of non-consensual sex; or time every day, unless the inmate poses a ‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE SEGREGATION.—The ‘‘(B) an escape, attempted escape, or con- substantial and immediate threat; term ‘administrative segregation’ means a spiracy to escape from within a security pe- ‘‘(B) is consistent with the rationale for non-punitive form of solitary confinement rimeter or custody, or both; or placement and with the progress achieved by that removes an individual from the general ‘‘(C) possession of weapons, possession of the inmate; population of a correctional facility for— illegal narcotics with intent to distribute, or ‘‘(A) investigative, protective, or preventa- other similar, severe threats to the safety of ‘‘(C) allows the inmate to participate in tive reasons resulting in a substantial and the inmate, other inmates, staff, or the pub- meaningful programming opportunities and immediate threat; or lic. privileges as consistent with those available ‘‘(B) transitional reasons, including a pend- ‘‘(13) SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.—The term in the general population as practicable, ei- ing transfer, pending classification, or other ‘solitary confinement’ means confinement ther individually or in a classroom setting; temporary administrative matter. characterized by substantial isolation in a ‘‘(D) allows the inmate to have as much ‘‘(3) APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CARE.—The cell, alone or with other inmates, including meaningful interaction with others, such as term ‘appropriate level of care’ means the administrative segregation, disciplinary seg- other inmates, visitors, clergy, or licensed appropriate treatment setting for mental regation, and confinement in any facility mental health professionals, as practicable; health care that an inmate with mental ill- designated by the Bureau of Prisons as a spe- and ness requires, which may include outpatient cial housing unit, special management unit, ‘‘(E) complies with the provisions of this care, emergency or crisis services, day treat- or administrative maximum facility. section. ment, supported residential housing, infir- ‘‘(14) SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES.— ‘‘(2) TRANSITIONAL PROCESS FOR INMATES IN mary care, or inpatient psychiatric hos- The term ‘special administrative measures’ SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.— pitalization services. means reasonably necessary measures used ‘‘(A) INMATES WITH UPCOMING RELEASE ‘‘(4) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘Director’ means to— DATES.—The Director shall establish— the Director of the Bureau of Prisons. ‘‘(A) prevent disclosure of classified infor- ‘‘(i) policies to ensure that an inmate with ‘‘(5) DISCIPLINARY HEARING OFFICER.—The mation upon written certification to the At- an anticipated release date of 180 days or less term ‘disciplinary hearing officer’ means an torney General by the head of an element of is not housed in solitary confinement, un- employee of the Bureau of Prisons who is re- the intelligence community (as specified or less— sponsible for conducting disciplinary hear- designated under section 3(4) of the National ‘‘(I) such confinement is limited to not ings for which solitary confinement may be Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4))) that more than 5 days of administrative segrega- a sanction, as described in section 541.8 of the unauthorized disclosure of such informa- tion relating to the upcoming release of the title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, or any tion would pose a threat to the national se- inmate; or successor thereto. curity and that there is a danger that the in- ‘‘(II) the inmate poses a substantial and ‘‘(6) DISCIPLINARY SEGREGATION.—The term mate will disclose such information, as de- immediate threat; and ‘disciplinary segregation’ means a punitive scribed by section 501.2 of title 28, Code of ‘‘(ii) a transitional process for each inmate form of solitary confinement imposed only Federal Regulations, or any successor there- with an anticipated release date of 180 days by a Disciplinary Hearing Officer as a sanc- to; or or less who is held in solitary confinement tion for committing a significant and serious ‘‘(B) protect persons against the risk of under clause (i)(II), which shall include— disciplinary infraction. death or serious bodily injury, upon written ‘‘(I) substantial re-socialization program- ‘‘(7) INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY.—The term notification to the Director by the Attorney ming in a group setting; ‘intellectual disability’ means a significant General or, at the Attorney General’s direc- ‘‘(II) regular mental health counseling to mental impairment characterized by signifi- tion, by the head of a Federal law enforce- assist with the transition; and cant limitations in both intellectual func- ment agency, or the head of an element of ‘‘(III) re-entry planning services offered to tioning and in adaptive behavior. the intelligence community (as specified or inmates in a general population setting. ‘‘(8) MULTIDISCIPLINARY STAFF COM- designated under section 3(4) of the National ‘‘(B) INMATES IN LONG-TERM SOLITARY CON- MITTEE.—The term ‘multidisciplinary staff Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4))), that FINEMENT.—The Director shall establish a committee’ means a committee— there is a substantial risk that the commu- transitional process for each inmate who has ‘‘(A) made up of staff at the facility where nications of an inmate or contacts by the in- been held in solitary confinement for more an inmate resides who are responsible for re- mate with other persons could result in viewing the initial placement of the inmate death or serious bodily injury to persons, or than 30 days and who will transition into a in solitary confinement and any extensions substantial damage to property that would general population unit, which shall in- of time in solitary confinement; and entail the risk of death or serious bodily in- clude— ‘‘(B) which shall include— jury to persons, as described by section 501.3 ‘‘(i) substantial re-socialization program- ‘‘(i) not less than 1 licensed mental health of title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, or ming in a group setting; and professional; any successor thereto. ‘‘(ii) regular mental health counseling to ‘‘(ii) not less than 1 medical professional; ‘‘(15) SPECIAL HOUSING UNIT.—The term assist with the transition. and ‘special housing unit’ means a housing unit ‘‘(3) PROTECTIVE CUSTODY UNITS.—The Di- ‘‘(iii) not less than 1 member of the leader- in an institution of the Bureau of Prisons in rector— ship of the facility. which inmates are securely separated from ‘‘(A) shall establish within the Federal ‘‘(9) ONGOING SIGNIFICANT AND SERIOUS the general inmate population for discipli- prison system additional general population THREAT.—The term ‘ongoing significant and nary or administrative reasons, as described protective custody units that provide shel- serious threat’ means an ongoing set of cir- in section 541.21 of title 28, Code of Federal tered general population housing to protect cumstances that require the highest level of Regulations, or any successor thereto. inmates from harm that they may otherwise security and staff supervision for an inmate ‘‘(16) SPECIAL MANAGEMENT UNIT.—The be exposed to in a typical general population who, by the behavior of the inmate— term ‘special management unit’ means a housing unit; ‘‘(A) has been identified as assaultive, non-punitive housing program with multiple, ‘‘(B) shall establish policies to ensure that predacious, riotous, or a serious escape risk; step-down phases for inmates whose history, an inmate who is considered a protection and behavior, or situation requires enhanced case shall, upon request of the inmate, be ‘‘(B) poses a great risk to other inmates, management approaches in order to ensure placed in a general population protective staff, and the public. the safety of other inmates, the staff, and custody unit; ‘‘(10) PROTECTION CASE.—The term ‘protec- the public. ‘‘(C) shall create an adequate number of tion case’ means an inmate who, by the re- ‘‘(17) SUBSTANTIAL AND IMMEDIATE general population protective custody units quest of the inmate or through a staff deter- THREAT.—The term ‘substantial and imme- to— mination, requires protection, as described diate threat’ means any set of temporary ‘‘(i) accommodate the requests of inmates by section 541.23(c)(3) of title 28, Code of Fed- and unforeseen circumstances that require who are considered to be protection cases; eral Regulations, or any successor thereto. immediate action in order to combat a and

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.017 S19APPT1 S2326 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 ‘‘(ii) ensure that inmates who are consid- tions practicable, including access to med- served for a disciplinary segregation sen- ered to be protection cases are placed in fa- ical and mental health treatment; tence; cilities as close to their homes as prac- ‘‘(iv) such confinement is reviewed by a ‘‘(D) ensure that concurrent sentences are ticable; and multidisciplinary staff committee for appro- imposed for disciplinary violations arising ‘‘(D) may not place an inmate who is con- priateness every 24 hours; and from the same episode; and sidered to be a protection case in solitary ‘‘(v) as soon as practicable, but not later ‘‘(E) ensure that an inmate may be re- confinement due to the status of the inmate than 5 days after such confinement begins, leased from disciplinary segregation for good as a protection case unless— the inmate is diverted, upon release from behavior before completing the term of the ‘‘(i) the inmate requests to be placed in sol- solitary confinement, to— inmate, unless the inmate poses a substan- itary confinement, in which case, at the re- ‘‘(I) a general population unit; tial and immediate threat to the safety of quest of the inmate the inmate shall be ‘‘(II) a protective custody unit described in other inmates, staff, or the public. transferred to a general population protec- paragraph (3); or ‘‘(6) SPECIAL MANAGEMENT UNITS.—The Di- tive custody unit or, if appropriate, a dif- ‘‘(III) a mental health treatment program rector shall— ferent general population unit; or as described in subsection (c)(2); ‘‘(A) limit segregation in a special manage- ‘‘(ii) such confinement is limited to— ‘‘(C) the inmate is lesbian, gay, bisexual, ment unit to situations in which such seg- ‘‘(I) not more than 5 days of administrative transgender (as defined in section 115.5 of regation is necessary to temporarily house segregation; and title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, or any an inmate whose history, behavior, or cir- ‘‘(II) is necessary to protect the inmate successor thereto), intersex (as defined in cumstances require enhanced management approaches that cannot be addressed through during preparation for transfer to a general section 115.5 of title 28, Code of Federal Reg- alternative housing; population protective custody unit or a dif- ulations, or any successor thereto), or gender ‘‘(B) evaluate whether further reductions ferent general population unit. nonconforming (as defined in section 115.5 of to the minimum and maximum number of ‘‘(4) VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.—The Bu- title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, or any months an inmate may spend in a special reau of Prisons or any facility that contracts successor thereto), when such placement is management unit are appropriate on an an- with the Bureau of Prisons shall not place an solely on the basis of such identification or nual basis; inmate in solitary confinement if— status; or ‘‘(C) ensure that each inmate understands ‘‘(A) the inmate is younger than 18 years of ‘‘(D) the inmate is HIV positive, if the the status of the inmate in the special man- age, unless— placement is solely on the basis of the HIV agement unit program and how the inmate ‘‘(i) such confinement is a temporary re- positive status of the inmate. may progress through the program; and sponse to the behavior of the inmate, which ‘‘(5) SPECIAL HOUSING UNITS.—The Director ‘‘(D) further reduce the minimum and max- poses a substantial and immediate threat; shall— imum number of months an inmate may ‘‘(ii) all other options to de-escalate the ‘‘(A) limit administrative segregation— spend in a special management unit if the situation have been exhausted, including less ‘‘(i) to situations in which such segrega- Director determines such reductions are ap- restrictive techniques such as— tion is necessary to— propriate after evaluations are performed ‘‘(I) penalizing the inmate through loss of ‘‘(I) control a substantial and immediate under subparagraph (B). privileges; threat that cannot be addressed through al- ‘‘(7) ADMINISTRATIVE MAXIMUM FACILITIES.— ‘‘(II) speaking with the inmate in an at- ternative housing; or The Director shall— tempt to de-escalate the situation; and ‘‘(II) temporarily house an inmate pending ‘‘(A) limit segregation in an administra- ‘‘(III) a licensed mental health professional transfer, pending classification, or pending tive maximum facility to situations in which providing an appropriate level of care; resolution of another temporary administra- such segregation is necessary to— ‘‘(iii) such confinement is limited to— tive matter; and ‘‘(i) implement special administrative ‘‘(I) 3 hours after the inmate is placed in ‘‘(ii) to a duration of not more than 15 con- measures, as directed by the Attorney Gen- solitary confinement, if the inmate poses a secutive days, and not more than 20 days in eral; or substantial and immediate threat to others; a 60-day period, unless— ‘‘(ii) house an inmate who poses an ongoing or ‘‘(I) the inmate requests to remain in ad- significant and serious threat to the safety ‘‘(II) 30 minutes after the inmate is placed ministrative segregation under paragraph of other inmates, staff, or the public that in solitary confinement, if the inmate poses (3)(D)(i); or cannot be addressed through alternative a substantial and immediate threat only to ‘‘(II) in order to address the continued ex- housing; and himself or herself; and istence of a substantial and immediate ‘‘(B) issue final approval of referral of any ‘‘(iv) if, after the applicable maximum pe- threat, a multidisciplinary staff committee inmate who poses an ongoing significant and riod of confinement under subclause (I) or approves a temporary extension, which— serious threat for placement in an Adminis- (II) of clause (iii) has expired, the inmate ‘‘(aa) may not be longer than 15 days; and trative Maximum facility, including the continues to pose a substantial and imme- ‘‘(bb) shall be reviewed by the multidisci- United States Penitentiary Administrative diate threat described in that subclause— plinary staff committee every 3 days during Maximum in Florence, Colorado. ‘‘(I) the inmate shall be transferred to an- the period of the extension, in order to con- ‘‘(8) RIGHT TO REVIEW PLACEMENT IN SOLI- other facility or internal location where firm the continued existence of the substan- TARY CONFINEMENT.—The Director shall en- services can be provided to the inmate with- tial and immediate threat; sure that each inmate placed in solitary con- out relying on solitary confinement; or ‘‘(B) limit disciplinary segregation— finement has access to— ‘‘(II) if a qualified mental health profes- ‘‘(i) to situations in which such segrega- ‘‘(A) written notice thoroughly detailing sional believes the level of crisis service tion is necessary to punish an inmate who the basis for placement or continued place- needed is not currently available, a staff has been found to have committed a signifi- ment in solitary confinement not later than member of the facility shall initiate a refer- cant and serious disciplinary infraction by a 6 hours after the beginning of such place- ral to a location that can meet the needs of Disciplinary Hearing Officer and alternative ment, including— the inmate; sanctions would not adequately regulate the ‘‘(i) thorough documentation explaining ‘‘(B) the inmate has a serious mental ill- behavior of the inmate; and why such confinement is permissible and ness, has an intellectual disability, has a ‘‘(ii) to a duration of not more than 30 con- necessary under paragraph (1); and physical disability that a licensed medical secutive days, and not more than 40 days in ‘‘(ii) if an exception under paragraph (2)(A), professional finds is likely to be exacerbated a 60-day period, unless a multidisciplinary (3)(D), (4)(A), (4)(B), (4)(C), (5)(A), or (5)(B) is by placement in solitary confinement, is staff committee, in consultation with the used to justify placement in solitary confine- pregnant or in the first 8 weeks of the post- Disciplinary Hearing Officer who presided ment or under paragraph (1) to justify in- partum recovery period after giving birth, or over the inmate’s disciplinary hearing, de- creased restrictive conditions in solitary has been determined by a licensed mental termines that the significant and serious dis- confinement, thorough documentation ex- health professional to likely be significantly ciplinary infraction of which the inmate was plaining why such an exception applied; adversely affected by placement in solitary found guilty is of such an egregious and vio- ‘‘(B) a timely, thorough, and continuous confinement, unless— lent nature that a longer sanction is appro- review process that— ‘‘(i) the inmate poses a substantial and im- priate and approves a longer sanction, ‘‘(i) occurs within not less than 3 days of mediate threat; which— placement in solitary confinement, and ‘‘(ii) all other options to de-escalate the ‘‘(I) may be not more than 60 days in a spe- thereafter at least— situation have been exhausted, including less cial housing unit if the inmate has never be- ‘‘(I) on a weekly basis for inmates in spe- restrictive techniques such as— fore been found guilty of a similar signifi- cial housing units; ‘‘(I) penalizing the inmate through loss of cant and serious disciplinary infraction; or ‘‘(II) on a monthly basis for inmates in spe- privileges; ‘‘(II) may be not more than 90 days in a cial management units; and ‘‘(II) speaking with the inmate in an at- special housing unit if the inmate has pre- ‘‘(III) on a monthly basis for inmates at an tempt to de-escalate the situation; and viously been found guilty of a similar signifi- administrative maximum facility; ‘‘(III) a licensed mental health professional cant and serious disciplinary infraction; ‘‘(ii) includes private, face-to-face inter- providing an appropriate level of care; ‘‘(C) ensure that any time spent in admin- views with a multidisciplinary staff com- ‘‘(iii) such confinement is limited to the istrative segregation during an investigation mittee; and briefest term and the least restrictive condi- into an alleged offense is credited as time ‘‘(iii) examines whether—

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.017 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2327 ‘‘(I) placement in solitary confinement was ‘‘(A) observes an inmate with signs of men- the Bureau of Prisons and shall be able to and remains necessary; tal illness, unless such employee has knowl- speak privately with inmates and staff. ‘‘(II) the conditions of confinement comply edge that the inmate’s signs of mental ill- ‘‘(7) ANNUAL REPORTS.— with this section; and ness have previously been reported; or ‘‘(A) OBJECTIVES.—Not later than Decem- ‘‘(III) whether any exception under para- ‘‘(B) observes an inmate with signs of men- ber 31 of each year, the Ombudsman shall graph (2)(A), (3)(D), (4)(A), (4)(B), (4)(C), tal health crisis. submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of (5)(A), or (5)(B) used to justify placement in ‘‘(e) CIVIL RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN.— the Senate and the Committee on the Judici- solitary confinement or under paragraph (1) ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Within the Bureau of ary of the House of Representatives a report used to justify increased restrictive condi- Prisons, there shall be a position of the Civil on the activities of the Office of the Ombuds- tions in solitary confinement was and re- Rights Ombudsman (referred to in this sub- man for the fiscal year ending in such cal- mains warranted; section as the ‘Ombudsman’) and an Office of endar year. ‘‘(C) a process to appeal the initial place- the Civil Rights Ombudsman. ‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted ment or continued placement of the inmate under subparagraph (A)— ‘‘(2) APPOINTMENT.—The Ombudsman shall in solitary confinement; be appointed by the Attorney General and ‘‘(i) contain full and substantive analysis, ‘‘(D) prompt and timely written notice of shall report directly to the Director. The in addition to statistical information; ‘‘(ii) identify the recommendations the Of- the appeal procedures; and Ombudsman shall have a background in cor- ‘‘(E) copies of all documents, files, and fice of the Ombudsman has made on address- rections and civil rights and shall have ex- records relating to the inmate’s placement ing reported civil rights violations and viola- pertise on the effects of prolonged solitary in solitary confinement, unless such docu- tions of this section and reducing the use confinement. ments contain contraband, classified infor- and improving the practices of solitary con- ‘‘(3) REPORTING.—The Director shall ensure mation, or sensitive security-related infor- finement in the Bureau of Prisons; that each Bureau of Prisons facility or any mation. ‘‘(iii) contain a summary of problems re- facility that contracts with the Bureau of ‘‘(c) MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR INMATES IN lating to reported civil rights violations and Prisons provides multiple internal ways for SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.— violations of this section, including a de- inmates and others to promptly report civil ‘‘(1) MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING.—Not later tailed description of the nature of such prob- rights violations and violations of this sec- than 6 hours after an inmate in the custody lems and a breakdown of where the problems of the Bureau of Prisons or any facility that tion to the Ombudsman, including— occur among Bureau of Prisons facilities and contracts with the Bureau of Prisons to pro- ‘‘(A) not less than 2 procedures for inmates facilities that contract with the Bureau of vide housing for inmates in Federal custody and others to report civil rights violations Prisons; is placed in solitary confinement, the inmate and violations of this section to an entity or ‘‘(iv) contain an inventory of the items de- shall receive a comprehensive, face-to-face office that is not part of the facility, and scribed in clauses (ii) and (iii) for which ac- mental health evaluation by a licensed men- that is able to receive and immediately for- tion has been taken and the result of such tal health professional in a confidential set- ward inmate reports to the Ombudsman, al- action; ting. lowing the inmate to remain anonymous ‘‘(v) contain an inventory of the items de- ‘‘(2) MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PRO- upon request; and scribed in clauses (ii) and (iii) for which ac- GRAM.—An inmate diagnosed with a serious ‘‘(B) not less than 2 procedures for inmates tion remains to be completed and the period mental illness after an evaluation required and others to report civil rights abuses and during which each item has remained on under paragraph (1)— violations of this section to the Ombudsman such inventory; ‘‘(A) shall not be placed in solitary confine- in a confidential manner, allowing the in- ‘‘(vi) contain an inventory of the items de- ment in accordance with subsection (b)(4); mate to remain anonymous upon request. scribed in clauses (ii) and (iii) for which no and ‘‘(4) NOTICE.—The Director shall ensure action has been taken, the period during ‘‘(B) may be diverted to a mental health that each Bureau of Prisons facility or any which each item has remained on such inven- treatment program within the Bureau of facility that contracts with the Bureau of tory, the reasons for the inaction, and shall Prisons that provides an appropriate level of Prisons provides inmates with— identify any official of the Bureau of Prisons care to address the inmate’s mental health ‘‘(A) notice of how to report civil rights who is responsible for such inaction; needs. violations and violations of this section in ‘‘(vii) contain recommendations for such ‘‘(3) CONTINUING EVALUATIONS.—After each accordance with paragraph (3), including— legislative or administrative action as may 14-calendar-day period an inmate is held in ‘‘(i) notice prominently posted in the living be appropriate to resolve problems identified continuous placement in solitary confine- and common areas of each such facility; in clause (iii); and ment— ‘‘(ii) individual notice to inmates at initial ‘‘(viii) include such other information as ‘‘(A) a licensed mental health professional intake into the Bureau of Prisons, when the Ombudsman determines necessary. shall conduct a comprehensive, face-to-face, transferred to a new facility, and when ‘‘(C) SUBMISSION OF REPORTS.—Each report out-of-cell mental health evaluation of the placed in solitary confinement; required under this paragraph shall be pro- inmate in a confidential setting; and ‘‘(iii) notice to inmates with disabilities in vided directly to the Committees described ‘‘(B) the Director shall adjust the place- accessible formats; and in subparagraph (A) without any prior re- ment of the inmate in accordance with this ‘‘(iv) written or verbal notice in a language view, comment, or amendment from the Di- subsection. the inmate understands; and rector or any other officer or employee of ‘‘(4) REQUIREMENT.—The Director shall op- ‘‘(B) notice of permissible practices related the Department of Justice or Bureau of Pris- erate mental health treatment programs in to solitary confinement in the Bureau of ons. order to ensure that inmates of all security Prisons, including the requirements of this ‘‘(8) REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THE DIRECTOR levels with serious mental illness have ac- section. OF THE BUREAU OF PRISONS.—The Ombudsman cess to an appropriate level of care. ‘‘(5) FUNCTIONS.—The Ombudsman shall— shall meet regularly with the Director to ‘‘(d) TRAINING FOR BUREAU OF PRISONS ‘‘(A) review all complaints the Ombudsman identify problems with reported civil rights STAFF.— receives; violations and the solitary confinement poli- ‘‘(1) TRAINING.—All employees of the Bu- ‘‘(B) investigate all complaints that allege cies and practices of the Bureau of Prisons, reau of Prisons or any facility that contracts a civil rights violation or violation of this including overuse of solitary confinement, with the Bureau of Prisons to provide hous- section; and to present recommendations for such ad- ing for inmates in Federal custody who ‘‘(C) refer all possible violations of law to ministrative action as may be appropriate to interact with inmates on a regular basis the Department of Justice; resolve problems relating to reported civil shall be required to complete training in— ‘‘(D) refer to the Director allegations of rights violations and the solitary confine- ‘‘(A) the recognition of symptoms of men- misconduct involving Bureau of Prisons ment policies and practices of the Bureau of tal illness; staff; Prisons. ‘‘(B) the potential risks and side effects of ‘‘(E) identify areas in which the Bureau of ‘‘(9) RESPONSIBILITIES OF BUREAU OF PRIS- psychiatric medications; Prisons can improve the Bureau’s policies ONS.—The Director shall establish proce- ‘‘(C) de-escalation techniques for safely and practices to ensure that the civil rights dures requiring that, not later than 3 months managing individuals with mental illness; of inmates are protected; after the date on which a recommendation is ‘‘(D) consequences of untreated mental ill- ‘‘(F) identify areas in which the Bureau of submitted to the Director by the Ombuds- ness; Prisons can improve the solitary confine- man, the Director or other appropriate em- ‘‘(E) the long- and short-term psycho- ment policies and practices of the Bureau ployee of the Bureau of Prisons issue a for- logical effects of solitary confinement; and and reduce the use of solitary confinement; mal response to the recommendation. ‘‘(F) de-escalation and communication and ‘‘(10) NON-APPLICATION OF THE PRISON LITI- techniques to divert inmates from situations ‘‘(G) propose changes to the policies and GATION REFORM ACT.—Inmate reports sent to that may lead to the inmate being placed in practices of the Bureau of Prisons to miti- the Ombudsman shall not be considered an solitary confinement. gate problems and address issues the Om- administrative remedy under section 7(a) of ‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION TO MEDICAL STAFF.—An budsman identifies. the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons employee of the Bureau of Prisons shall im- ‘‘(6) ACCESS.—The Ombudsman shall have Act (42 U.S.C. 1997e(a)).’’. mediately notify a member of the medical or unrestricted access to Bureau of Prisons fa- (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMEND- mental health staff if the employee— cilities and any facility that contracts with MENT.—The table of sections for chapter 303

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.017 S19APPT1 S2328 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by ‘‘(B) the number of inmates in the custody ‘‘(vii) the number of inmates with physical inserting after the item relating to section of the Bureau of Prisons who are housed in disabilities, including blind, deaf, and mobil- 4049 the following: each type of solitary confinement for any pe- ity-impaired inmates; and ‘‘4050. Solitary confinement.’’. riod and the percentage of all inmates who ‘‘(viii) the number of instances of forced SEC. 3. REASSESSMENT OF INMATE MENTAL have spent at least some time in each form feeding of inmates; and HEALTH. of solitary confinement during the reporting ‘‘(N) any other relevant data.’’. Not later than 180 days after the date of period; SEC. 6. NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER ON SOLI- enactment of this Act, the Director of the ‘‘(C) the demographics of all inmates TARY CONFINEMENT REDUCTION Bureau of Prisons shall— housed in each type of solitary confinement AND REFORM. (1) assemble a team of licensed mental described in subparagraph (A), including (a) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—In this health professionals, which may include li- race, ethnicity, religion, age, and gender; section, the term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means an censed mental health professionals who are ‘‘(D) the policies and regulations of the Bu- entity, or a partnership of entities, that has not employed by the Bureau of Prisons, to reau of Prisons, including any updates in demonstrated expertise in the fields of— conduct a comprehensive mental health re- policies and regulations, for subsequent re- (1) solitary confinement, including the re- evaluation for each inmate held in solitary views or appeals of the placement of an in- duction and reform of its use; and confinement for more than 30 days as of the mate into or out of solitary confinement; (2) providing technical assistance to cor- date of enactment of this Act, including a ‘‘(E) the number of reviews of and chal- rections agencies on how to reduce and re- confidential, face-to-face, out-of-cell inter- lenges to each type of solitary confinement form solitary confinement. view by a licensed mental health profes- placement described in subparagraph (A) (b) REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 180 days sional; and conducted during the reporting period and after the date of enactment of this Act, the (2) adjust the placement of each inmate in the number of reviews or appeals that di- Bureau of Justice Assistance shall enter into accordance with section 4050(c) of title 18, rectly resulted in a change of placement; a cooperative agreement, on a competitive United States Code, as added by section 2. ‘‘(F) the general conditions and restric- basis, with an eligible entity for the purpose SEC. 4. DIRECTOR OF BUREAU OF PRISONS. tions for each type of solitary confinement of establishing a coordinating center for Section 4041 of title 18, United States Code, described in subparagraph (A), including the State, local, and Federal corrections sys- is amended— number of hours spent in ‘isolation,’ or re- tems, which shall conduct activities such (1) by inserting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’ before straint, for each, and the percentage of time as— the ‘‘The Bureau of Prisons shall be’’; and these conditions involve single-inmate hous- (1) provide on-site technical assistance and (2) by adding at the end the following: ing; consultation to Federal, State, and local cor- ‘‘(b) OMBUDSMAN.—The Director of the Bu- ‘‘(G) the mean and median length of stay rections agencies to safely reduce the use of reau of Prisons shall— in each form of solitary confinement de- solitary confinement; ‘‘(1) meet regularly with the Ombudsman scribed in subparagraph (A), based on all in- (2) act as a clearinghouse for research, appointed under section 4050(e) to identify dividuals released from solitary confinement data, and information on the safe reduction how the Bureau of Prisons can address re- during the reporting period, including max- of solitary confinement in prisons and other ported civil rights violations and reduce the imum and high security facilities, special custodial settings, including facilitating the use of solitary confinement and correct prob- housing units, special management units, exchange of information between Federal, the Administrative Maximum facilities, in- lems in the solitary confinement policies and State, and local practitioners, national ex- cluding the United States Penitentiary Ad- practices of the Bureau; perts, and researchers; ‘‘(2) conduct a prompt and thorough inves- ministrative Maximum in Florence, Colo- (3) create a minimum of 10 learning sites in tigation of each referral from the Ombuds- rado, Communication Management Units, Federal, State, and local jurisdictions that man under section 4050(e)(5)(D), after each and any maximum length of stay during the have already reduced their use of solitary such investigation take appropriate discipli- reporting period; confinement and work with other Federal, nary action against any Bureau of Prisons ‘‘(H) the number of inmates who, after a State, and local agencies to participate in employee who is found to have engaged in stay of 5 or more days in solitary confine- training, consultation, and other forms of as- misconduct or to have violated Bureau of ment, were released directly from solitary sistance and partnership with these learning Prisons policy, and notify the Ombudsman of confinement to the public during the report- sites; the outcome of each such investigation; and ing period; (4) conduct evaluations of jurisdictions ‘‘(3) establish procedures requiring a for- ‘‘(I) the cost for each form of solitary con- that have decreased their use of solitary con- mal response by the Bureau of Prisons to any finement described in subparagraph (A) in finement to determine best practices; recommendation of the Ombudsman in the use during the reporting period, including as (5) conduct research on the effectiveness of annual report submitted under section compared with the average daily cost of alternatives to solitary confinement, such as 4050(e)(6) not later than 90 days after the housing an inmate in the general population; step-down or transitional programs, strate- date on which the report is submitted to ‘‘(J) statistics for inmate assaults on cor- gies to reintegrate inmates into general pop- Congress.’’. rectional officers and staff of the Bureau of Prisons, inmate-on-inmate assaults, and ulation, the role of officers and staff culture SEC. 5. DATA TRACKING OF USE OF SOLITARY in reform efforts, and other research rel- CONFINEMENT. staff-on-inmate use of force incidents in the Section 4047 of title 18, United States Code, various forms of solitary confinement de- evant to the safe reduction of solitary con- is amended by adding at the end the fol- scribed in subparagraph (A) and statistics for finement; lowing: such assaults in the general population; (6) develop and disseminate a toolkit for ‘‘(d) PRISON SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AS- ‘‘(K) the policies for mental health screen- systems to reduce the excessive use of soli- SESSMENTS.— ing, mental health treatment, and subse- tary confinement; ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 31 quent mental health reviews for all inmates, (7) develop and disseminate an online self- of each year, the Director of the Bureau of including any update to the policies, and any assessment tool for State and local jurisdic- Prisons shall prepare and transmit to the additional screening, treatment, and moni- tions to assess their own use of solitary con- Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate toring for inmates in solitary confinement; finement and identify strategies to reduce and the Committee on the Judiciary of the ‘‘(L) a statement of the types of mental its use; and House of Representatives an annual assess- health staff that conducted mental health (8) conduct public webinars to highlight ment of the use of solitary confinement by assessments for the Bureau of Prisons during new and promising practices. the Bureau of Prisons, as defined in section the reporting period, a description of the dif- (c) ADMINISTRATION.—The program under 4050(a). ferent positions in the mental health staff of this section shall be administered by the Bu- ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each assessment sub- the Bureau of Prisons, and the number of reau of Justice Assistance. mitted under paragraph (1) shall include— part- and full-time psychologists and psychi- (d) REPORT.—On an annual basis, the co- ‘‘(A) the policies and regulations of the Bu- atrists employed by the Bureau of Prisons ordinating center shall report to the Com- reau of Prisons, including any changes in during the reporting period; mittee on the Judiciary of the Senate and policies and regulations, for determining ‘‘(M) data on mental health and medical the Committee on the Judiciary of the House which inmates are placed in each form of sol- indicators for all inmates in solitary con- of Representatives on its activities and any itary confinement, or housing in which an finement, including— changes in solitary confinement policy at inmate is separated from the general popu- ‘‘(i) the number of inmates requiring medi- the Federal, State, or local level that have lation in use during the reporting period, and cation for mental health conditions; resulted from its activities. a detailed description of each form of soli- ‘‘(ii) the number diagnosed with an intel- (e) DURATION.—The Bureau of Justice As- tary confinement in use, including all max- lectual disability; sistance shall enter into a cooperative agree- imum and high security facilities, all special ‘‘(iii) the number diagnosed with serious ment under this section for 5 years. housing units, all special management units, mental illness; SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. all Administrative Maximum facilities, in- ‘‘(iv) the number of suicides; There is authorized to be appropriated— cluding the United States Penitentiary Ad- ‘‘(v) the number of attempted suicides and (1) to the Director of the Bureau of Prisons ministrative Maximum in Florence, Colo- number of inmates placed on suicide watch; such sums as may be necessary to carry out rado, and all Communication Management ‘‘(vi) the number of instances of self-harm sections 2, 3, 4, and 5, and the amendments Units; committed by inmates; made by such sections; and

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.017 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2329 (2) to the Bureau of Justice Assistance HOUSE, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. WARNER, Mr. assure the public that Congress recog- such sums as may be necessary to carry out ALEXANDER, Mr. BROWN, Mr. WICKER, nizes the remarkable value that our section 6. Ms. HEITKAMP, Mr. CASSIDY, Mrs. FEIN- National Parks bring to our national SEC. 8. NOTICE AND COMMENT REQUIREMENT. STEIN, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. REED, Mr. GARD- heritage. I am happy to be joined by The Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall NER, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. BARRASSO, prescribe rules, in accordance with section Ranking Member ANGUS KING and Sen- 553 of title 5, United States Code, to carry Ms. STABENOW, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. ator HIRONO and nearly 30 of our bipar- out this Act and the amendments made by WYDEN, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. MANCHIN, tisan colleagues in introducing this this Act. Mr. TILLIS, Mr. SANDERS, Mrs. CAPITO, resolution. The support of this resolu- SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. ENZI, and Mr. tion is a reflection that our National Except as otherwise provided, this Act and HOEVEN) submitted the following reso- Parks bridge political divides and the amendments made by this Act shall take lution; which was considered and make our Nation uniquely American. I effect 18 months after the date of enactment agreed to: am hopeful that Congress, the Trump of this Act. Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask Administration and future Administra- f unanimous consent that the text of the tions will continue to invest in our Na- Senate Resolution, ‘‘Designating the SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS tional Parks to ensure their legacy en- week of April 21, 2018, through April 29, dures for our children and generations 2018, as ‘‘National Park Week’’ intro- to come. duced for myself, Senator KING, and SENATE RESOLUTION 477—RECOG- f NIZING AND CELEBRATING THE others be printed in the RECORD. NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER S. RES. 478 AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO BEING BUILT AT 203–217 WEST Whereas, on March 1, 1872, Congress estab- MEET SECOND STREET, JAMESTOWN, lished Yellowstone National Park as the first Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I have 6 NEW YORK national park for the enjoyment of the peo- requests for committees to meet during ple of the United States; today’s session of the Senate. They Mr. SCHUMER submitted the fol- Whereas, on August 25, 1916, Congress es- lowing resolution; which was referred tablished the National Park Service with the have the approval of the Majority and to the Committee on the Judiciary.: mission to preserve unimpaired the natural Minority leaders. S. RES. 477 and cultural resources and values of the Na- Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph Whereas the National Comedy Center is a tional Park System for the enjoyment, edu- 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Sen- civic landmark and cultural institution cation, and inspiration of current and future ate, the following committees are au- being built at 203-217 West Second Street, generations; thorized to meet during today’s session Jamestown, New York, and is inspired by the Whereas the National Park Service con- of the Senate: tinues to protect and manage the majestic legacy of Jamestown native Lucille Ball; COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES Whereas the mission of the National Com- landscapes, hallowed battlefields, and iconic cultural and historical sites of the United The Committee on Armed Services is edy Center is to connect, inspire, educate authorized to meet during the session and entertain all people of the United States; States; Whereas the National Comedy Center seeks Whereas the units of the National Park of the Senate on Thursday, April 19, to preserve, protect, and showcase the art of System can be found in every State and 2018, at 9:30 a.m. to conduct a hearing. many territories of the United States and comedy in the United States in such a man- COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN many of the units embody the rich natural ner that it will fulfill its mission; AFFAIRS and cultural heritage of the United States, Whereas the National Comedy Center will The Committee on Banking, Housing, be the only museum of its kind that exists reflect a unique national story through peo- ple and places, and offer countless opportuni- and Urban Affairs is authorized to for the exclusive purpose of paying tribute to meet during the session of the Senate the art of comedy in the United States ties for recreation, volunteerism, cultural through all eras, mediums, and genres; exchange, education, civic engagement, and on Thursday, April 19, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. Whereas the National Comedy Center will exploration; to conduct a hearing entitled ‘‘The provide education of iconic comedy artists in Whereas the national parks of the United Semiannual Testimony on the Federal the United States and their heritage, history States attracted record-breaking visitation Reserve’s Supervision and Regulation and culture; during the National Park Service Centen- of the Financial System.’’ Whereas the National Comedy Center will nial, with over 330,000,000 recreational visits to these incredible places both in 2016 and COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL serve as— RESOURCES (1) a constant reminder that comedy is an 2017; integral part of the rich heritage of the Whereas visits and visitors to our national The Committee on Energy and Nat- United States; and parks are important economic drivers for the ural Resources is authorized to meet (2) a beacon of the healing power of laugh- economy responsible for $18,400,000,000 in during the session of the Senate on ter; spending in 2016; Thursday, April 19, 2018, at 10 a.m. to Whereas the National Comedy Center seeks Whereas the dedicated employees of the conduct a hearing. to inspire the people of the United States to National Park Service carry out their mis- COMMITTEE ON FINANCE appreciate comedy as an art form and ensure sion to protect the national parks of the that the important legacy of comedy is pre- United States so that the vibrant culture, di- The Committee on Finance is author- served forever; verse wildlife, and priceless resources of the ized to meet during the session of the Whereas the National Comedy Center has parks will endure for perpetuity; and Senate on Thursday, April 19, 2018, at received public and private funds to further Whereas the people of the United States 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled aid the completion of its mission; have inherited the remarkable legacy of the ‘‘Tackling Opioid and Substance Use Whereas the National Comedy Center will National Park System and are entrusted with the preservation of the National Park Disorders in Medicare, Medicaid, and play a crucial role in the redevelopment and Human Services Programs.’’ sustainability of the surrounding commu- System throughout its second century: Now, nities and economies by generating tourism therefore, be it COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY and employment; and Resolved, That Congress— The Committee on the Judiciary is Whereas it is fitting and proper to recog- (1) designates the week of April 21, 2018, authorized to meet during the session through April 29, 2018, as ‘‘National Park nize and celebrate the National Comedy Cen- of the Senate on Thursday, April 19, ter: Now, therefore, be it Week’’; and (2) encourages the people of the United 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing on Resolved, That the Senate recognizes and bills S. 994 and S. 2644, then on the fol- celebrates the National Comedy Center being States and the world to visit and experience built at 203-217 West Second Street, James- the treasured national parks of the United lowing nominations: John B. town, New York. States. Nalbandian, of Kentucky, to be United f Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as a fifth States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Cir- generation Montanan who grew up just cuit, Kari A. Dooley, to be United SENATE RESOLUTION 478—DESIG- a short drive from our Nation’s first States District Judge for the District NATING THE WEEK OF APRIL 21, National Park, Yellowstone National of Connecticut, Dominic W. Lanza, to 2018, THROUGH APRIL 29, 2018, AS Park, and as Chair of the Senate En- be United States District Judge for the ‘‘NATIONAL PARK WEEK’’ ergy and Natural Resources Sub- District of Arizona, Michael Y. Mr. DAINES (for himself, Mr. KING, committee on National Parks, I am ex- Scudder, of Illinois, and Amy J. St. Ms. HIRONO, Mr. COTTON, Mr. WHITE- cited to introduce this resolution to re- Eve, of Illinois, both to be a United

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.017 S19APPT1 S2330 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 19, 2018 States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Senate Delegation to the Canada-U.S. The resolution (S. Res. 431) was Circuit, Charles J. Williams, to be Interparliamentary Group conference agreed to. United States District Judge for the during the 115th Congress: the Honor- The preamble was agreed to. Northern District of Iowa, and Joseph able MICHAEL D. CRAPO of Idaho. (The resolution, with its preamble, is H. Hunt, of Maryland, to be an Assist- The Chair, on behalf of the President printed in the RECORD of March 12, 2018, ant Attorney General, Steven L. Glad- pro tempore, upon the recommendation under ‘‘Submitted Resolutions.’’) den, to be United States Marshal for of the Democratic leader, pursuant to the Middle District of North Carolina, Public Law 105–292, as amended by Pub- f Nicola T. Hanna, to be United States lic Law 106–55, Public Law 107–228, and Attorney for the Central District of Public Law 112–75, appoints the fol- AUTHORIZING USE OF THE California, Brendan O. Heffner, to be lowing individual to the United States CAPITOL GROUNDS United States Marshal for the Central Commission on International Religious Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I District of Illinois, and Theodor G. Freedom: Gayle C. Manchin of West ask unanimous consent that the Sen- Short, to be United States Marshal for Virginia. ate proceed to the immediate consider- the District of Maine, all of the Depart- f ation of H. Con. Res. 115, which was re- ment of Justice. NATIONAL PARK WEEK ceived from the House. SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I The Select Committee on Intel- clerk will report the concurrent resolu- ask unanimous consent that the Sen- ligence is authorized to meet during tion by title. ate proceed to the consideration of S. the session of the Senate on Thursday, The senior assistant legislative clerk Res. 478, submitted earlier today. April 19, 2018, at 2 p.m. to conduct a read as follows: The PRESIDING OFFICER. The closed hearing. clerk will report the resolution by A concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 115) f title. authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR The senior assistant legislative clerk Service and the National Honor Guard and read as follows: Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I ask Pipe Band Exhibition. A resolution (S. Res. 478) designating the There being no objection, the Senate unanimous consent that Shawn week of April 21, 2018, through April 29, 2018, Moylan, a fellow on my staff, be grant- as ‘‘National Park Week.’’ proceeded to consider the concurrent resolution. ed floor privileges for the remainder of There being no objection, the Senate Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous this session. proceeded to consider the resolution. consent that the concurrent resolution The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I be agreed to and the motion to recon- objection, it is so ordered. ask unanimous consent that the reso- sider be considered made and laid upon Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask lution be agreed to, the preamble be the table with no intervening action or unanimous consent that Quinn agreed to, and the motions to recon- debate. Nouguier, an intern on my team, be sider be considered made and laid upon The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without granted privileges of the floor for the the table with no intervening action or objection, it is so ordered. remainder of the day. debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The concurrent resolution (H. Con. objection, it is so ordered. objection, it is so ordered. Res. 115) was agreed to. The resolution (S. Res. 478) was f f agreed to. NOTICE: REGISTRATION OF MASS The preamble was agreed to. MAILINGS (The resolution, with its preamble, is ORDERS FOR MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018 The filing date for the 2018 first quar- printed in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Sub- ter Mass Mailing report is Wednesday, mitted Resolutions.’’) Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I April 25, 2018. An electronic option is f ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it available on Webster that will allow SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND adjourn until 3 p.m., Monday, April 23; forms to be submitted via a fillable pdf IDEALS OF ‘‘INTERNATIONAL PA- further, that following the prayer and document. If your office did no mass RENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION pledge, the morning hour be deemed mailings during this period, please sub- MONTH’’ mit a form that states ‘‘none.’’ expired, the Journal of proceedings be Mass mailing registrations or nega- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I approved to date, the time for the two tive reports can be submitted elec- ask unanimous consent that the For- leaders be reserved for their use later tronically or delivered to the Senate eign Relations Committee be dis- in the day, and morning business be Office of Public Records, 232 Hart charged from further consideration of closed; further, I ask that following Building, Washington, DC 20510–7116. and the Senate now proceed to the con- leader remarks, the Senate proceed to The Senate Office of Public Records sideration of S. Res. 431. executive session and resume consider- is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ation of the Duncan nomination; fi- further information, please contact the objection, it is so ordered. nally, notwithstanding the provisions Senate Office of Public Records at (202) The clerk will report the resolution of rule XXII, the cloture vote on the 224–0322. by title. Duncan nomination occur at 5:30 p.m. The senior assistant legislative clerk on Monday. f read as follows: The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without APPOINTMENTS A resolution (S. Res. 431) supporting the objection, it is so ordered. goals and ideals of ‘‘International Parental The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Child Abduction Month’’ and expressing the f Chair, on behalf of the Vice President, sense of the Senate that Congress should pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 276d–276g, as raise awareness of the harm caused by inter- amended, appoints the following Sen- national parental child abduction. ADJOURNMENT UNTIL MONDAY, ator as Vice Chairman of the Senate There being no objection, the Senate APRIL 23, 2018, AT 3 P.M. Delegation to the Canada-U.S. Inter- proceeded to consider the resolution. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, if parliamentary Group conference during Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous there is no further business to come be- the 115th Congress: the Honorable AMY consent that the resolution be agreed fore the Senate, I ask unanimous con- KLOBUCHAR of Minnesota. to, the preamble be agreed to, and the sent that it stand adjourned under the The Chair, on behalf of the Vice motions to reconsider be considered previous order. President, pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 276d– made and laid upon the table. There being no objection, the Senate, 276g, as amended, appoints the fol- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without at 4:55 p.m., adjourned until Monday, lowing Senator as Chairman of the objection, it is so ordered. April 23, 2018, at 3 p.m.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:34 Apr 20, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19AP6.020 S19APPT1 April 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2331 CONFIRMATION NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION Executive nomination confirmed by JAMES BRIDENSTINE, OF OKLAHOMA, TO BE ADMINIS- the Senate April 19, 2018: TRATOR OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION.

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