S7482 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 day will never come where men and bipartisan cooperation, his team [Rollcall Vote No. 261 Leg.] women of honest hearts and good faith worked hand in hand with my team, YEAS—60 cannot come together and find common both committed to passing meaningful, Baldwin Gillibrand Murray goals worth fighting for together. important legislation, to finding com- Bennet Harris Nelson BILL and I have served together on promises that would make it not just Blumenthal Hassan Paul Booker Heinrich Peters the Senate Armed Services Committee through the Senate but through the Brown Heitkamp Reed and on the Senate Commerce Com- House and be signed into law, and the Cantwell Hirono Risch mittee, but the principal area where members of his staff were skilled and Cardin Jones Sanders Carper Kaine Schatz BILL and I have had the privilege of dedicated partners in producing those Casey King Schumer working closely together concerns results. Cassidy Klobuchar Shaheen space. BILL and I have worked hand in But I will tell you, beyond that, on a Collins Leahy Smith hand promoting and protecting Amer- very personal level, BILL is a good man. Coons Lee Stabenow Cortez Masto Manchin Tester ica’s program of space exploration and Just a moment ago, when I congratu- Crapo Markey Udall supporting the critical institutions in lated him on his farewell speech, he Daines McCaskill Van Hollen the State of Texas, the State of Flor- chuckled and said: I may be one of the Donnelly Menendez Warner Duckworth Merkley Warren ida, and throughout the country that only people who have taken you to din- Durbin Moran Whitehouse have made our country a world leader ner. And you know, that is right. Feinstein Murkowski Wyden in space. It has been a truly bipartisan I remember back in 2013—my first Flake Murphy Young partnership. Both BILL and I believe year in this body—it was a tumultuous NAYS—39 that America is and should be going time. We were in the midst of battles Alexander Gardner McConnell forward the leader in space, that we where more than a few bare-knuckle Barrasso Graham Perdue have a responsibility, and that there punches were being thrown all around. Blunt Grassley Portman Boozman Hatch Roberts are great and glorious things to accom- ILL Right in the midst of that, B said: Burr Heller Rounds plish for mankind through space explo- Ted, why don’t you come out and have Capito Hoeven Rubio ration. In this time of bitter, partisan dinner with Grace and me. The two of Corker Hyde-Smith Sasse division, of nasty personal rivalries, we them took me to dinner, and we had a Cornyn Inhofe Scott Cotton Isakson Shelby have been able to see truly bipartisan delightful, relaxing, engaging dinner. Cruz Johnson Sullivan cooperation. We didn’t debate big policy; we simply Enzi Kennedy Thune We worked together hand in hand on talked as three human beings privi- Ernst Kyl Toomey the 2015 commercial space bill, passed leged to have the chance to serve our Fischer Lankford Wicker into law and signed into law by Presi- country. It was a gesture of friendship. NOT VOTING—1 dent Obama. We worked hand in hand We all know that Harry Truman fa- Tillis on the NASA Authorization Act of 2017. mously said: If you want a friend in The motion was agreed to. We worked hand in hand and passed politics, buy a dog. That has not been The PRESIDING OFFICER. The that into law, signed into law by Presi- the approach BILL NELSON has taken to clerk will report the motion. dent Trump. There are very few major, politics. He extended a hand of friend- The legislative clerk read as follows: substantive areas that have major leg- ship, and that blossomed into coopera- A joint resolution (S.J. Res. 54) to direct islation, one signed by Obama and one tion, and it blossomed into accomplish- the removal of the United States Armed signed by Trump. I think that is a re- ments together for the United States Forces from hostilities in the Republic of flection of the bipartisan cooperation and for the States of Florida and Yemen that have not been authorized by we have seen. Texas. Congress. We worked hand in hand on the BILL, it has been a privilege to work The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- Space Frontier Act, and we are work- with you, and I look forward to con- jority leader. ing together to extend the operation of tinuing to work with you in the years Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I the International Space Station to ahead in your next chapter. It is an believe there are problems with the law 2030. That accomplishment, that co- honor to serve with you. governing the consideration of these operation is good for America, and it is I yield the floor. types of resolutions. One of biggest is good for our leadership in space. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- the consideration of amendments. I I have to say that I am still jealous ator from Vermont. have a series of parliamentary inquir- that, unlike Senator NELSON, I haven’t f ies that I think will help clarify the been on an actual trip to space for a problems with the statute. hands-on experience, but I suppose any- DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF Parliamentary inquiry: Does this thing can happen. UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES statute provide any guidelines for the BILL, I promise you, our work will FROM HOSTILITIES IN THE RE- consideration of amendments on this continue. America’s leadership in space PUBLIC OF YEMEN THAT HAVE resolution? will continue. We will persevere and NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CON- The PRESIDING OFFICER. No, it constantly show those who say it can’t GRESS does not. The statute does not set forth be done that there is still the will to Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, I the text to be used in the joint resolu- drive, to explore, to create, to learn, move to proceed to S.J. Res. 54. tion, and this statute uses the expe- and to search the unknown for answers. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The dited procedures from the Arms Export BILL, you are right—I believe that in question is on agreeing to the motion Control Act, a statute which does not our lifetime, a human being will step to proceed. allow amendments, so there are no pa- foot on the surface of Mars and that Mr. SANDERS. I ask for the yeas and rameters for the consideration of the first boot that lands on the red nays. amendments built into the language. planet will be the American boot of an The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a Mr. MCCONNELL. I believe that most American astronaut planting the flag sufficient second? times the Senate uses expedited proce- of the United States of America. There appears to be a sufficient sec- dures, we have either a germaneness There is still a will in our Nation to ond. requirement for amendments or they tame the stars and behold the wonders The clerk will call the roll. cannot be amended. Can the Chair ex- of creation even closer. I will say that The bill clerk called the roll. pound on what some of those are and spirit of exploration also inspires gen- Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator what that concept means in the Sen- erations of little boys and little girls is necessarily absent: the Senator from ate? who look to the skies and wonder, what North Carolina (Mr. TILLIS). The PRESIDING OFFICER. Gen- if? We cannot limit our gaze on the The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. erally speaking, when the Senate con- Earth below us; it isn’t in our nature. TOOMEY). Are there any other Senators siders a measure under statutory expe- I will say finally, in addition to his in the Chamber desiring to vote? dited procedures, like the Budget Act, commitment to space leadership—and I The result was announced—yeas 60, the Congressional Review Act, the would note that in addition to BILL’s nays 39, as follows: Trade Act, or the Arms Control Act—or

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:59 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.037 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7483 even under the Cloture Rule—there are Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator the world, with there being as many as guardrails for the consideration of the is necessarily absent: the Senator from 10,000 new cases each week, according measure and for amendments thereto. North Carolina (Mr. TILLIS). to the World Health Organization. This There are statutes and rules with pre- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. is a disease that is spread by infected scribed text, limits on debate time, ju- GARDNER). Are there any other Sen- water that causes severe diarrhea and risdictional fences, filing deadlines, ators in the Chamber desiring to vote? dehydration and will only accelerate and germaneness requirements or a The result was announced—yeas 96, the death rate. The cholera outbreak complete prohibition on amendments. nays 3, as follows: has occurred because Saudi bombs have Often, there are points of order and [Rollcall Vote No. 262 Leg.] destroyed Yemen’s water infrastruc- waivers written into the structure as YEAS—96 ture and because people there are no well. The Senate trades its normal pro- Alexander Gardner Murphy longer able to access clean water. cedure of unfettered debate and amend- Baldwin Gillibrand Murray Last week, New York Times col- Barrasso Graham Nelson ment and the need for 60 votes to end Bennet Grassley Perdue umnist Nicholas Kristof wrote an arti- debate and consideration for a more Blumenthal Harris Peters cle, which I urge all Members to read, predictable, structured, and stream- Blunt Hassan Portman that describes his recent visit to lined process of consideration and a Booker Hatch Reed Yemen. Boozman Heinrich Risch majority threshold vote. Brown Heitkamp Roberts I ask unanimous consent to have Mr. MCCONNELL. In the opinion of Burr Heller Rounds printed in the RECORD the New York the Chair, is a statute with no end Cantwell Hirono Rubio Times article, ‘‘Your Tax Dollars Help Capito Hoeven Sanders Starve Children.’’ point for consideration and no restric- Cardin Hyde-Smith Sasse tions on text or amendments con- Carper Inhofe Schatz There being no objection, the mate- sistent with the other expedited proce- Casey Isakson Schumer rial was ordered to be printed in the dures which the Senate often uses? Cassidy Johnson Scott RECORD, as follows: Collins Jones Shaheen The PRESIDING OFFICER. No. The Coons Kaine Shelby [From the New York Times, Dec. 7, 2018] construct is inconsistent with the con- Corker Kennedy Smith OPINION—YOUR TAX DOLLARS HELP STARVE cepts embodied in other expedited Cornyn King Stabenow CHILDREN processes—even those that are them- Cortez Masto Klobuchar Sullivan Cotton Kyl Tester (By Nicholas Kristof) selves flawed—and the opportunity for Crapo Lankford Thune ADEN, Yemen.—He is an 8-year-old boy who abuse of this process is limitless. Daines Leahy Toomey is starving and has limbs like sticks, but Mr. MCCONNELL. I agree with the Donnelly Manchin Udall Yaqoob Walid doesn’t cry or complain. He Chair, and I think the Senate should Duckworth Markey Van Hollen gazes stolidly ahead, tuning out everything, Durbin McCaskill Warner for in late stages of starvation the human speak to this issue. Enzi McConnell Warren The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Ernst Menendez Whitehouse body focuses every calorie simply on keeping the organs functioning. ator from Tennessee. Feinstein Merkley Wicker Fischer Moran Wyden Yaqoob arrived unconscious at Al Sadaqa Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, I think Flake Murkowski Young Hospital here, weighing just over 30 pounds. it is important when using expedited NAYS—3 He has suffered complications, and doctors procedures, especially on matters of say that it is unclear he will survive and national security such as this, the Sen- Cruz Lee Paul that if he does he may suffer permanent ate limit consideration to the matter NOT VOTING—1 brain damage. at hand. Therefore, I raise a point of Tillis Some 85,000 children may have already died order that amendments offered under here in Yemen, and 12 million more people The point of order is taken. may be on the brink of starvation, casualties 50 U.S.C. 1546(a) must be germane to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- in part of the three-year-old American- the underlying joint resolution to ator from Vermont. backed Saudi war in Yemen. United Nations which they are offered. Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I ask officials and aid experts warn that this could The PRESIDING OFFICER. The laws unanimous consent to use an oversized become the worst famine the world has seen governing the consideration of this floor display. in a generation. type of resolution do not prescribe The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ‘‘The risk of a major catastrophe is very what type of amendments can be con- objection, it is so ordered. high,’’ Mark Lowcock, the United Nations humanitarian chief, told me. ‘‘In the worst sidered. The Senate has not previously YEMEN WAR POWERS RESOLUTION case, what we have in Yemen now has the po- considered this question; therefore, the Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I come tential to be worse than anything any pro- Chair submits the question to the Sen- to the floor to talk about one of the fessional in this field has seen during their ate for its decision, Shall amendments great humanitarian crises facing our working lives.’’ offered under 50 U.S.C. 1546(a) be ger- planet, and that is the horrific war in Both the Obama and Trump administra- mane to the underlying joint resolu- Yemen. tions have supported the Saudi war in tion to which they are offered? In March of 2015, under the leadership Yemen with a military partnership, arms The question is debatable for 1 hour. of Muhammad bin Salman, who was sales, intelligence sharing and until recently Mr. CORKER. I yield the floor. then the Saudi Defense Minister and is air-to-air refueling. The United States is thus complicit in what some human rights The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- now, of course, the Crown Prince, experts believe are war crimes. ator from Vermont. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab The bottom line: Our tax dollars are going Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I just Emirates intervened in Yemen’s ongo- to starve children. wanted clarification. Was it section ing civil war. As a result of the Saudi- I fell in love with Yemen’s beauty and 1546 or 1446? UAE intervention, Yemen is now expe- friendliness on my first visit, in 2002, but You are right. OK. riencing the worst humanitarian dis- this enchanting country is now in convul- I yield the floor. aster in the world. sions. When people hear an airplane today in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without According to the United Nations, much of Yemen, they flinch and wonder if Yemen is at risk of the most severe they are about to be bombed, and I had inter- objection, all time is yielded. views interrupted by automatic weapons fire The question is, Shall amendments famine in more than 100 years, with overhead. offered under 50 U.S.C. 1546(a) be ger- some 14 million people facing starva- After witnessing the human toll and inter- mane to the underlying joint resolu- tion. In one of the poorest countries on viewing officials on both sides, including the tion to which they are offered? Earth, as a result of this terrible war, president of the Houthi rebels who control Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask for the yeas according to the Save the Children or- much of Yemen, I find the American and and nays. ganization, some 85,000 Yemeni chil- Saudi role in this conflict to be unconscion- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a dren have already starved to death able. The Houthis are repressive and sufficient second? untrustworthy, but this is not a reason to over the last several years, and mil- bomb and starve Yemeni children. There appears to be a sufficient sec- lions more face starvation if the war What is most infuriating is that the hun- ond. continues. ger is caused not by drought or extreme The clerk will call the roll. Further, Yemen is currently experi- weather, but by cynical and failed policies in The legislative clerk called the roll. encing the worst cholera outbreak in Riyadh and Washington. The starvation does

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.038 S12DEPT1 S7484 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 not seem to be an accidental byproduct of Yemen began to disintegrate in the after- Yemen? Do we speak Farsi?’’ This was all a war, but rather a weapon in it. Saudi Arabia math of the Arab Spring, and then the trick, he said, analogous to the allegations and the United Arab Emirates, backed by the Houthis, a traditional clan in the north, of weapons of mass destruction used to jus- United States, are trying to inflict pain to swept down on Sana and seized much of the tify war with Iraq. gain leverage over and destabilize the Houthi country. The Houthis follow Zaydi Islam, While the Houthis are called ‘‘rebels,’’ they rebels. The reason: The Houthis are allied which is related to the Shiite branch domi- clearly rule their territory. In contrast, the with Iran. nant in Iran, and the Saudis and some Amer- Saudi- and American-backed ‘‘internation- The governments of Saudi Arabia and the icans see them as Iranian stooges. ally recognized government’’ of Yemen is a United States don’t want you to see pictures In some ways, the Houthis have been suc- shell that controls almost no territory— like Yaqoob’s or reflect on the suffering in cessful. They have imposed order and hence it is based in Riyadh. The ‘‘president’’ Yemen. The Saudis impose a partial block- crushed Al Qaeda and the Islamic State in of this exile government, Abdu Rabbu ade on Houthi areas, banning commercial the parts of Yemen they control, and in Sana Mansour Hadi, is said to be gravely ill, and flights and barring journalists from special I felt secure and didn’t fear kidnapping. when he is gone it will be even more difficult United Nations planes there. I’ve been trying However, the Houthis operate a police to sustain the fiction that this is a real gov- for more than two years to get through the state and are hostile to uncovered women, ernment. Saudi blockade, and I finally was able to by gays and anyone bold enough to criticize More broadly, I don’t see any hint of a tagging onto Lowcock’s United Nations dele- them. They recruit child soldiers from the Saudi or American strategy. There’s little gation. age of about 12 (the Saudi- and American- sign that bombing and starvation will actu- After a major famine, there is always soul- backed forces wait until boys are about 15), ally dislodge the Houthis, while the Saudi searching about how the world could have al- interfere with food aid, and have engaged in military action and resulting chaos has ben- lowed this to happen. What’s needed this torture and attacks on civilians. efited the Yemeni branches of Al Qaeda and time is not soul-searching a few years from Still, the civilian loss of life has over- the Islamic State. In that sense, America’s now, but action today to end the war and whelmingly been caused not by the Houthis conduct in Yemen has hurt our own national prevent a cataclysm. but by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emir- security. The problem in Yemen is not so much a ates and America, through both bombings In one sign of the ineffectiveness of the shortage of food as it is an economic col- and starvation. It’s ridiculous for the Trump Western-backed government, the hunger is lapse—GDP has fallen in half since the war administration to be exploring naming the now as severe in its areas as in the rebel-held started—that has left people unable to afford Houthis a terrorist organization. And while north. I saw worse starvation in Aden, the food. the Houthis are allies of Iran, I think the lovely seaside city in the south that is nomi- Yaqoob was especially vulnerable. He is Saudis exaggerate when they suggest that nally run by the internationally recognized the second of eight children in a poor house- the Houthis are Iranian pawns. government, than in Houthi-controlled Sana. hold with a father who has mental health The foreign minister on the Houthi side is And while I felt reasonably secure in problems and can’t work steadily. Moreover, Hisham Sharaf Abdalla, a congenial Amer- Houthi-controlled areas, I was perpetually the father, like many Yemenis, chews qat— ican-educated official. nervous in Aden. Abductions and murders a narcotic leaf that is very widely used in ‘‘I love the U.S.,’’ Mr. Sharaf told me. ‘‘We occur regularly there, and my guesthouse of- Yemen and offers an easy high. This con- look to the U.S. as the only force that can fered not a mint on the pillow, but a bullet- sumes about $1 a day, reducing the budget stop this war.’’ proof vest; at night, sleep was interrupted by Peace talks are now beginning in Sweden— available for food. The family sold some land nearby fighting among unknown gunmen. few people expect them to solve the crisis to pay for Yaqoob’s care, so its situation is What limited order exists in Aden is pro- soon—and he insisted that his side was eager now even more precarious. vided by soldiers from the United Arab Emir- to reach a peace deal and improve relations A few rooms down from Yaqoob was Fawaz ates and allied militias, and I worry that the with America. Abdullah, 18 months old, his skin mottled U.A.E. is getting fed up with the war and After our conversation, he brought me over and discolored with sores. Fawaz is so mal- may pull them out without alternative ar- to his desk and showed me his assault rifle nourished that he has never been able to rangements for security. If that happens, and two handguns. ‘‘When I was in the U.S., walk or say more than ‘‘Ma’’ or ‘‘Ba.’’ Aden may soon plunge into Somalia-like I was a member of the N.R.A.,’’ he told me. Fawaz’s mother, Ruqaya Saleh, explained chaos. ‘‘I would like to have an N.R.A. chapter in that life fell apart after her home in the port Mohamed Zemam, the governor of the cen- Yemen.’’ city of Hudaydah was destroyed by a bomb Mr. Sharaf talks a good game but is not tral bank, believes that there are ways to (probably an American one, as many are). himself a Houthi, just an ally, so I wondered shore up the economy and prevent starva- Her family fled to Aden, and her husband is if he was a figurehead trotted out to impress tion. But he cautions that the risk of an- struggling to find occasional work as a day foreigners. Later I interviewed a man whose other Somalia is real, and he estimates that laborer. power is unquestioned: Muhammad Ali al- there may be two million Yemenis in one ‘‘I used to be able to buy whatever I want- Houthi, the president of the Supreme Revo- fighting force or another. ed, including meat and fish,’’ she told me. ‘‘What they have is the way of the gun,’’ he lutionary Committee. As his name signifies, Since fleeing, she said, war-induced poverty said. ‘‘If we don’t solve that, we will have he is a member of the Houthi clan. has meant that she hasn’t been able to buy An aide picked me up and ferried me to problems for 100 years.’’ Another danger is that the Saudi coalition a single fish or egg—and that is why Fawaz him, for President Houthi changes locations will press ahead so that fighting closes the suffers severe protein deficiency. daily to avoid being bombed by the Saudis. ‘‘They asked me to buy milk for Fawaz, President Houthi, a large, confident man port of Hudaydah, through which most food but we can’t afford it now,’’ she said. with a traditional dagger at his belly, was and fuel come. We think of war casualties as men with friendly to me but also suspicious of the I stopped in Saudi Arabia to speak to sen- their legs blown off. But in Yemen the most United States and full of conspiracy theo- ior officials there about Yemen, and we had common war casualties are children like ries. He suggested that Washington was se- some tough exchanges. I showed them photos Fawaz who suffer malnutrition. cretly arming Al Qaeda and that the United on my phone of starving children, and they Some will die. Even the survivors may suf- States was calling the shots for Saudi Arabia said that this was unfortunate and fer lifelong brain damage. A majority of in Yemen, at the behest of Israel. undesired. ‘‘We are not devils,’’ one said in- Yemen children are now believed to be phys- Still, he said that he wanted peace and dignantly. They insisted that they would ically stunted from malnutrition (46 percent that although the Houthis have fired mis- welcome peace—but that they must confront were stunted even before the war), and phys- siles at Saudi Arabia, his side would pose no the Houthis. ical stunting is frequently accompanied by threat to Saudi Arabia if the Saudis would ‘‘The most important thing for us is na- diminished brain development. only end their assault on Yemen. tional security,’’ the Saudi ambassador to ‘‘These children are the future of Yemen,’’ ‘‘There’s no need for enmity with the Yemen, Mohammed Al-Jabir, told me. Dr. Dr. Aida Hussein, a nutrition specialist, told United States,’’ he told me in Arabic, and Abdullah Al Rabeeah, an adviser to the royal me, looking at Fawaz. ‘‘He will be stunted. that seemed a message he wanted me to con- court and director of a fund that provides aid How will he do in school?’’ vey to Washington and the American people. to Yemen, told me that Saudis don’t want to The war and lack of health care facilities I asked President Houthi about the sarkha, see hunger in Yemen but added: ‘‘We will have also led to outbreaks of deadly diseases the group’s slogan: ‘‘God is great! Death to continue to do what it takes to fight ter- like diphtheria and cholera. Half of the coun- America! Death to Israel! Curses on the rorism. It’s not an easy decision.’’ try’s clinics and hospitals are closed. Jews! Victory to Islam!’’ That didn’t seem so Saudi and U.A.E. officials note that they In the capital, Sana, I met a child who was friendly, I said. provide an enormous amount of humani- suffering both malnutrition and cholera. The ‘‘It’s nothing against the American peo- tarian aid to Yemen. This is true, and it boy was Saddam Hussein (he was named for ple,’’ he replied. ‘‘It’s directed toward the mitigates the suffering there. But it’s dif- the Iraqi leader), eight years old, and the system.’’ ficult to give the Saudis much credit for re- parents repeat the mantra I hear from every- When I asked about Saudi and American lieving the suffering of a country that they one: Life is much worse now because of the suggestions that the Houthis are Iranian are bombing and starving. war. pawns, he laughed. To avert a catastrophe in Yemen, the ‘‘We don’t know what we will eat tomor- ‘‘That’s just propaganda,’’ he said. ‘‘I ask world needs to provide more humanitarian row,’’ Saddam’s mother told me. you: Have you ever seen one Iranian in aid. But above all, the war has to end.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A12DE6.013 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7485 ‘‘You’re not going to solve this long-term rebels. The reason: The Houthis are allied is the promise of unconditional U.S. until the war is ended,’’ said David Beasley, with Iran. support for the Saudis that have under- the executive director of the World Food He continues: mined the efforts toward peace. We Program. ‘‘It’s a man-made problem, and it The problem in Yemen is not so much a have evidence for this. needs a man-made solution.’’ Just yesterday, we received news That solution will entail strong American shortage of food as it is an economic col- backing for a difficult United Nations- lapse—GDP has fallen in half since the war that U.N. Special Envoy Martin Grif- backed peace process involving Yemeni fac- started—that has left people unable to afford fiths made a breakthrough agreement tions and outsiders, aiming for a measure of food. for the exchange in that war of some power sharing. This diplomatic process re- Kristof continues, and I want you to 15,000 prisoners—a significant develop- quires engaging the Houthis, not just bomb- hear this: ment. This is an important step in ing them. It also means a cease-fire and pres- We think of war casualties as men with building the necessary trust for a sure on all sides to ensure humanitarian ac- their legs blown off. But in Yemen the most broader peace agreement. cess and the passage of food and fuel. The common war casualties are children like A piece published today in TRT best leverage America has to make the Fawaz who suffer malnutrition. World observes: ‘‘[T]here seems to be a Saudis part of the solution is to suspend arms sales to Riyadh so long as the Saudis He continues: firmer willingness to reach an agree- continue the war. Some will die. Even the survivors may suf- ment than in previous talks, as the In conference rooms in Riyadh and Wash- fer lifelong brain damage. A majority of Yemeni government realises that the ington, officials simply don’t fathom the Yemen children are now believed to be phys- international pressure on its backer, human toll of their policies. ically stunted from malnutrition. Saudi Arabia, is growing.’’ In a makeshift camp for displaced people Let me repeat that: So our effort to move this resolution in Aden, I met a couple who lost two daugh- forward may have already made a posi- ters—Bayan, 11, and Bonyan, 8—in a bombing A majority of Yemen children are now be- lieved to be physically stunted from mal- tive impact. I thank all of my 18 co- in a crowded market. sponsors and all of the many civil soci- ‘‘I heard the bomb and I went running after nutrition (46 percent were stunted even be- them,’’ the dad, Ahmed Abdullah, told me fore the war), and physical stunting is fre- ety organizations—progressive and with an ache in his voice. ‘‘They were dead. quently accompanied by diminished brain conservative—who have worked so hard One had her skull burst open, and the other development. to raise awareness of this horrific con- had no arms or legs left.’’ ‘‘These children are the future of flict. He told me that the family then fled, and Yemen,’’ Dr. Aida Hussein, a nutrition Above and beyond the humanitarian he married off a 15-year-old daughter so that specialist, told me, looking at Fawaz. crisis, this war has been a disaster for someone else would be responsible for feed- ‘‘He will be stunted. How will he do in our national security and for the secu- ing her. This is common: The share of girls school?’’ rity of the region. The administration married by age 18 has increased from 50 per- defends our engagement in Yemen by cent before the war to two-thirds today, ac- The war and lack of health care facilities cording to Unicef. have also led to outbreaks of deadly diseases overstating Iranian support for the Another son died of fever when the family like diphtheria and cholera. Half of the coun- Houthi rebels. Let me be clear. Iran’s could not afford to take the boy to a hos- try’s clinics and hospitals are closed. support for Houthis is of serious con- pital. There are several other children, and That was written by Nick Kristof of cern for me, and I believe for all of us, none of them are going to school any more; the New York Times. but the fact is, the relationship be- a 10-year-old daughter, Baraa, who is next in The fact of the matter is that the tween Iran and the Houthis has only line to be married, couldn’t tell me what been strengthened with the intensifica- seven plus eight equals. United States, with very little media attention, has been Saudi Arabia’s tion of the war. This war is creating A bit hesitantly, I told Ahmed that I the very problem the Trump adminis- thought that my country, America, had partner in this horrific war. We have probably provided the bomb that had killed been providing the bombs the Saudi-led tration claims it wants to solve. his daughters. He was not angry, just re- coalition has been using, refueling Further, the war is also undermining signed. their planes before they drop those the broader effort against violent ex- ‘‘I am not an educated person,’’ he told me bombs, and assisting with intelligence. tremists. A 2016 State Department re- earnestly. ‘‘I am a simple parent.’’ And then In too many cases, our weapons are port found the conflict has helped al- he offered more wisdom than I heard from Qaida and ISIS ‘‘deepen their inroads being used to kill civilians. In August, the sophisticated policy architects in Amer- across much of the country.’’ This war, it was an American-made bomb that ica and Saudi Arabia: ‘‘My message is that I as I see it, is both a humanitarian and obliterated a schoolbus full of young want the war to stop.’’ a strategic disaster. Mr. SANDERS. Let me just take this boys, killing dozens and wounding Further—and I think it is important opportunity to quote some of what he many others. A CNN report found evi- to state what everybody knows, al- said in that December 7 New York dence that American weapons have though we don’t talk about it terribly Times article: been used in a string of such deadly at- often—Saudi Arabia is a despotic re- Some 85,000 children may have already died tacks on civilians since the war began. gime, controlled by one family, the here in Yemen, and 12 million more people According to the independent moni- Saud family, one of the wealthiest and may be on the brink of starvation, casualties toring group, Yemen Data Project, be- most powerful families on Earth. in part of the three-year-old American- tween 2015 and March 2018, more than In a 2017 report by the Cato Insti- backed Saudi war in Yemen. United Nations 30 percent of the Saudi-led coalition’s tute—a conservative think tank— officials and aid experts warn that this could targets have been nonmilitary. Saudi Arabia was ranked 149th out of become the worst famine the world has seen A few weeks ago, I met with several in a generation. 159 countries for freedom and human brave human rights activists from rights. For decades, the Saudis have ‘‘The risk of a major catastrophe is Yemen in my office. They had come to funded schools, mosques, and preachers very high,’’ Mark Lowcock, the United urge Congress to put a stop to this war. who promote an extreme form of Islam Nations humanitarian chief, told me. They told me, clearly, when Yemenis known as Wahhabism. ‘‘In the worst case, what we have in see ‘‘Made in USA’’ on the bombs that In Saudi Arabia today, women are Yemen now has the potential to be are killing them, it tells them the USA not treated as second-class citizens; worse than anything any professional is responsible for this war, and that is they are treated as third-class citizens. in this field has seen during their the sad truth. Women still need, in the year 2018, the working lives.’’ The bottom line is, the United States permission of a male guardian to go to Nicholas Kristof continues: should not be supporting a cata- school or to get a job. They have to fol- What is most infuriating is that the hun- strophic war led by a despotic regime low a strict dress code and can be ger is caused not by drought or extreme with a dangerous and irresponsible stoned to death for adultery or flogged weather, but by cynical and failed policies in military policy. for spending time in the company of a Riyadh and Washington. The starvation does Some have suggested that Congress not seem to be an accidental byproduct of man who is not their relative. war, but rather a weapon in it. Saudi Arabia moving to withdraw support from this Earlier this year, Saudi activist, and the United Arab Emirates, backed by the war would undermine U.N. efforts to Loujain al-Hathloul, a leader in the United States, are trying to inflict pain to reach a peace agreement, but I would fight for women’s rights in Saudi Ara- gain leverage over and destabilize the Houthi argue that the exact opposite is true. It bia, was kidnapped from Abu Dhabi and

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A12DE6.014 S12DEPT1 S7486 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 forced to return to the country. She is troops are now in Syria under what I concerns me—he knows I have con- currently being held without charges. believe are questionable authorities. cerns—that if we use this vehicle, then The same is true of many other Saudi The time is long overdue for Congress we may have 30 or 40 instances where political activists. to reassert its constitutional role in this vehicle might be used to do some- Human Rights Watch recently re- determining when and where our coun- thing that really should not be dealt ported that imprisoned women activ- try goes to war. with by the War Powers Act. ists have been subjected to torture, in- If you want to vote for a war, vote for I will say, the strong passage of the cluding electric shocks, and other a war. If you want to vote against a germaneness issue we just dispensed forms of physical and sexual assault. war, vote against a war, but we as a with helps. It helps a great deal. So Further, as every Member of the Sen- Congress have to accept our constitu- now, in the future, if this particular ve- ate knows or should know, there is now tional responsibility; that it is ours, hicle is utilized, we now know we have overwhelming evidence that Saudi not the Presidents of the United set the precedent that only germane Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman States. issues can be brought up. was responsible for the brutal murder This resolution provides that oppor- I did have concerns—and we have of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident tunity. It finally says that in this one now solved those—that other issues who lived in the United States. He was war in Yemen—this terrible, horrific might be brought up and all of a sud- a columnist for the Washington Post. war—that Congress is prepared to act, den, the leaders would lose control of He made the mistake of going into the and I hope very much that all of us will the floor. I would like to see Members Saudi consulate in Turkey and never seize this opportunity. have more votes. I agree with that. But came out alive. We believe his body For the sake of starving children in I think we have now narrowed this in a was dismembered, and nobody knows Yemen; for the sake of what this coun- very appropriate way. where it is. try stands for in terms of democracy The Senator and I have discussed a Unbelievably, President Trump con- and human rights and not following resolution that is separate and apart tinues—despite the overwhelming evi- the leadership of a despotic, authori- from this. I have agreed with Senators dence of the Crown Prince’s involve- tarian regime; for the sake of the U.S. on the other side of the aisle that I will ment in the murder of a man living in Constitution and the fact that it is not introduce that resolution until this the United States, a Saudi dissident Congress and not the President who issue has been dispensed with. I do journalist—to proclaim his love and af- has the authority to make war; for all hope we will have a unanimous vote on fection for the Crown Prince and the of these reasons and more, I ask strong it to strongly condemn the Crown Saudi regime, but that is not how, in support for this important resolution. Prince of Saudi Arabia for the actions my view, the American people feel. With that, I yield the floor. he has taken relative to killing the For too many years, American men The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- journalist—who was a resident of the and women in our military have put ator from Tennessee. United States and has children living their lives on the line in the never-end- Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, I want here—in the consulate in Turkey. That ing struggle for democracy and human to thank the Senator for most of the is a separate issue that I hope we will rights, and we cannot and must not comments he made. I think they were take up almost immediately after we turn their struggles, their sacrifices made very eloquently. I share many of dispense with this. aside in order to follow the military the same concerns the Senator has. I want to thank the Senator for his adventurism of a despotic regime. That I voted to cause this to come out of concern. I share many of those con- is not what this country is supposed to committee because I felt this discus- cerns. We have some legal concerns be about. sion on the Senate floor needed to take right now about using this vehicle, and Finally, an issue that has long been a place. the Senator knows that. I am con- concern to many of us—conservatives The Senator from Vermont knows I cerned about where this goes down the and progressives—is that this war has have concerns about using this vehicle road. We will have some amendments not been authorized by Congress and is to do it, but by causing this debate to we will deal with over the next day or therefore unconstitutional. Article I of take place, many of the concerns the so that may clear that up to a degree. the Constitution clearly states it is Senator has expressed will be expressed I just want to say to him that even Congress, not the President, that has by others, and I agree with many of though we have legal concerns about the power to send our men and women those. this particular process, I thank him for into war—Congress, not the President. Saudi Arabia has not conducted this his concern for the citizens there, for The Framers of our Constitution, the war in a manner, in my opinion, that his admonishment, for his demarching Founders of this country, gave the takes into account the great harm that of a Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia who power to declare war to Congress—the is taking place with civilians. I agree I believe is out of control, doing things branch most accountable to the peo- with that 100 percent. on top of killing journalists—block- ple—not to the President, who is often I am more than nonplussed over the ading Qatar without even thinking, ar- isolated from the reality of what is fact that I believe—and I have sat in a resting a Prime Minister in Lebanon— taking place in our communities. very detailed—very detailed—intel- things that no one would think would The truth is—and Democratic and ligence review of what happened with be appropriate for international norms. Republican Presidents are responsible, the journalist at the consulate in Tur- I know we will have other speakers and Democratic and Republican Con- key, and I absolutely believe that if the coming to the floor. We may disagree gresses are responsible—that for many Crown Prince came before a jury in the on process, but many of the issues the years, Congress has not exercised its United States of America, he would be Senator has brought up today I agree constitutional responsibility over convicted guilty in under 30 minutes. I with wholeheartedly. whether our young men and women go absolutely believe he directed it; I be- I yield the floor. off to war. lieve he monitored it; and I believe he The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- I think there is growing sentiment is responsible for it. ator from New Jersey. all over this country from Republicans, I have had concerns about using this Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I from Democrats, from Independents, vehicle, and I have concerns about rise today to discuss S.J. Res. 54, a from progressives, and from conserv- what this may mean as we set a prece- pointed statement from the U.S. Sen- atives that right now, Congress cannot dent about refueling and intelligence ate that the status quo in Yemen is not continue to abdicate its constitutional activities being considered hostilities. tenable, that we will not stand idly by responsibility. I am concerned about that. as the President lends our country’s I believe we have become far too I think the Senator knows we have name to the calamitous military forays comfortable with the United States en- operations throughout Northern Afri- of another nation, and that our secu- gaging in military interventions all ca, where we are working with other rity partners across the world do not over the world. We have now been in governments on intelligence to counter have a blank check. Afghanistan for over 17 years—the terrorism. We are doing refueling ac- To my knowledge, this is the first longest war in American history. Our tivists in Northern Africa now, and it time the Senate has considered a joint

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.041 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7487 resolution under this provision, which fering, nor put an end to human rights access in Yemen, sanctions persons is directly derived from the Wars Pow- violations. supporting the Houthis in Yemen, man- ers Resolution. This is an important What this resolution does do, how- dates Global Magnitsky sanctions on step to reasserting Congress’s role in ever, is send a strong message to the persons responsible for the death of authorizing the use of force. I was Saudis about U.S. global leadership. It American resident Jamal Khashoggi. proud to see a strong show of support is a message that says the United Unfortunately, we have not been able for the procedural vote to move this States will not stand by as countries— to get to this legislation in the time- resolution forward, and I hope my col- even those with which we have impor- frame that we have, but let me be leagues on both sides of the aisle con- tant security relationships—flagrantly clear. We will continue to work at it, tinue to embrace that moral fortitude. violate international norms. and we do not want to see a weak sub- I am also pleased to support Senator The United States must assert moral stitute that degrades the intent of tan- YOUNG’s amendment to this resolution, leadership on the global stage. We gible action from the Senate. which I understand Senator SANDERS must proudly embrace the immutable I hope, after we get through this im- also supports. This language would fact that our strongest relationships portant vote on this resolution, at the clarify that refueling operations defini- are those rooted in shared values, such end of the day—whether it be in this tively constitute U.S. support for hos- as respect for human life, respect for Congress or the next—that the only tilities in this context, and I know he basic democratic freedoms, respect for thing we do with reference to Jamal has been very focused on this issue of international institutions and norms Khashoggi is not simply an expression Yemen and a critical voice in the Sen- that we have shaped to promote a safer of our outrage. We need to do some- ate on this crisis. and more prosperous future. thing far more than that if we are Some may have been holding out When we fail to call out egregious of- going to send a global message. The hope that the administration would fenses—the slaughter of innocent civil- time for waiting and posturing is over. show a good-faith effort to hold the ians, the murder of American resident This administration has made abun- Saudi coalition accountable for its ac- and journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the dantly and disappointingly clear that tions in Yemen or to hold the Saudi effective kidnapping of heads of state, it will not act unless we force it to. Government and the Crown Prince ac- just to name a few—we contribute to President Trump has made clear over countable for all of their actions. Well, the steady erosion of fundamental free- and over again that the only way he we haven’t seen that leadership. On the doms and values that have driven us to takes the high road is if he is dragged contrary, I believe that, in spite of con- a position of global strength. up to it, kicking and screaming. Tak- crete evidence, the Trump administra- This resolution is a clear message ing their cue, the Saudis at this mo- tion is intent on doing nothing to hold that if the President of the United ment see no incentive to change their the Saudi Government or the Crown States will not stand up in defense of behavior. It is time for the Senate to Prince responsible for their actions. our values, we in the U.S. Senate will. act. It is time to stand up for the very As we debate a path forward to ad- When this President selectively con- values that define us as a nation. dress the tragic humanitarian crisis in demns some violations one day and The passage of the Sanders-Lee reso- Yemen and to hold the Saudi coalition then inexplicably ignores them and lution should signal to the world that and the Houthi combatants account- condones them another day, the Con- the U.S. Senate should hold Saudi Ara- able for their actions, children in gress will act as an effective check and bia accountable—including the royal Yemen continue to starve, people con- balance. As a coequal branch of govern- family. We will continue to demand tinue to die, and more reports about ment, we will defend American values, that we consider additional measures gruesome torture of detainees continue and we will work to promote our long- to make clear what we stand for as a to emerge. Sadly, we don’t actually term security interests. nation. know the extent of the devastation. At the end of the day, the Saudi Gov- I yield the floor. Some humanitarian organizations on ernment must take responsibility for The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. LEE). the ground estimate that as many as its actions, for this ugly war does not The Senator from Tennessee. 50,000 people have died, with more than serve Saudi Arabia’s own long-term in- Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, I thank 14 million on the brink of starvation. terests. the Senator from New Jersey for his Save the Children recently posited that Achieving a path toward stability concern about this issue. I voted to dis- as many as 130 children are dying each and prosperity demands that the Saudi pense with this out of the committee. I and every day. Government hold itself to a higher have concerns about the particular We may not know the exact numbers, standard. It must treat its citizens legal issues that are being created but we know enough to know that the with dignity and respect. It must en- here, but I wanted this debate to take conflict in Yemen has produced the gage its partners in the region in re- place on the floor. world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The sponsible efforts to protect its borders I thank him for his concerns about Saudi coalition must take responsi- from ever-growing Iranian threats. the way the Crown Prince of Saudi bility for its actions, and, likewise, the Shortsighted, capricious actions will Arabia is conducting himself, about the Houthis and their Iranian backers also not serve Saudi Arabia’s long-term in- war itself, and how ham-handed the bear the burden of this tragedy. terests. Saudis and others have been, having The United States can take con- Yes, the United States has an impor- shown so little concern for the citizens certed and strategic diplomatic steps tant relationship with Saudi Arabia. who live in Yemen. So I appreciate his to ensure that our involvement—any But we must also be true to our own efforts. involvement—promotes a net positive long-term interests, and that means we I know we are very unlikely to come outcome for regional stability, for our cannot sit idly by, waiting for the to an agreement on the bill he has of- own security interests, and for the Crown Prince and the Saudi Govern- fered, and I can understand why he Yemeni people. We can invest in the ment to act. It should be clear to ev- would rather start the next year with a U.N.-led talks in Sweden. We can eryone in this body that the resolution bill that he feels is stronger. I have wholeheartedly promote diplomacy as we are considering today is just one some operational concerns, but I like a path forward to solve this conflict, part of this effort. the thrust of it very much. which our own defense and diplomatic I am proud to have worked across I understand that, knowing we are leaders concede has no military solu- party lines with Senators YOUNG, not going to come to a conclusion this tion. REED, GRAHAM, and others in intro- year, he would rather start this next But let’s be clear. This resolution is ducing the comprehensive Saudi Arabia Congress with the strongest message very important, and I wholeheartedly Accountability and Yemen Act. This and bill that he can put forth. But I do support it. I have worked so that it can bill calls for a limited suspension of of- want to thank him for offering it. I be preserved with only germane amend- fensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, hope that—again, with some oper- ments. But the resolution itself will prohibits U.S. refueling of Saudi coali- ational concerns worked out from my not stop the war in Yemen, nor will it tion aircraft engaged in Yemen, sanc- perspective—it comes along. I hope the somehow stop the immense human suf- tions persons blocking humanitarian thrust of it comes along.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.043 S12DEPT1 S7488 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 So I thank him for that, and I thank I know Senator YOUNG is standing; I AMENDMENT NO. 4080 him for his concern for the people of will cease in a moment—that we need (Purpose: To clarify that this resolution pro- Yemen. I thank him, in particular, for to do more—even though I will prob- hibits United States Armed Forces from his tremendous disdain for what the ably embrace what the Senator is refueling non-United States aircraft con- Crown Prince has done relative to the doing—than just say we are outraged ducting missions as part of the ongoing civil war in Yemen) journalist. that the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia The Senator is right that expressing On page 4, line 21, add after the period at is complicit in the killing of Jamal the end the following: ‘‘For purposes of this outrage in itself is not enough; I agree Khashoggi. resolution, in this section, the term ‘hos- with that 100 percent. I do hope that There is a long list of things the tilities’ includes in-flight refueling of non- once this is done, so we don’t confuse Crown Prince has already done beyond United States aircraft conducting missions that with what is happening here on that, some of which I mentioned in my as part of the ongoing civil war in Yemen.’’. this particular message, if you will, remarks. But at the end of the day, if Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I rise that is taking place—he is right that it all we do is express our outrage, then today to urge my colleagues to support is not going to change policy. The only anybody in the world, any leader in the amendment No. 4080 to S.J. Res. 54. I thing that will change policy is a re- world, any country we have a relation- introduced this amendment this morn- fined Menendez-Young bill that will be ship with could say: Well, they will ing, and I am proud to report that Sen- dealt with next year. But I do hope we publicly slap us on the wrist, but that ators Shaheen, Collins, and Coons are will have the ability, after this is over, will be the total consequence. now cosponsoring this important bipar- after this is dispensed with tomorrow— If that is the total consequence, then tisan amendment. I hope we can speak to that outrage. I at the end of the day, people will act Amendment No. 4080 would amend think it helps us. As it relates to the with impunity. When they do that, we S.J. Res. 54 by simply defining the second Magnitsky letter that we sent, I go down a dangerous path, not just for term ‘‘hostilities’’ to include ‘‘in-flight think it helps reinforce the fact that those who live in those countries and refueling of non-United States aircraft we hold him accountable, and I think may be subjected to those types of in- conducting missions as part of the on- there could be some good there. discriminate executions and other going civil war in Yemen.’’ In other I also think, as it relates to Saudi gross violations of human rights; we words, this amendment would prevent Arabia, a strong admonishment of the send a global message that is a down- the resumption of U.S. air refueling of Crown Prince—I think they care about ward spiral. That is what I and some of Saudi coalition aircraft in Yemen— that a whole lot more than we might my colleagues I am going to join brief- those very aircraft that, in too many think. ly to talk about—we intend to pursue instances, have been responsible for in- So I wish the Senator well as we this in the next Congress—want to see discriminate bombing and violations of move ahead with the other piece. I happen. I appreciate that the Senator international human rights law. That would like to see some changes. I will supports that sentiment, and I look is all this amendment would accom- not be here to make those happen, but forward to continuing to work with plish. It does not define the term ‘‘hos- I thank him for the thrust. I appreciate him until the very end of this session. tilities’’ more broadly for the War Pow- the message that is being put forth ers Resolution or in any other in- Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, before now. I do hope that, collectively, before stance. yielding to Senator YOUNG so he can we leave here this year, we can admon- Before discussing the amendment in make his amendment pending, I just ish strongly what we believe the Crown more detail, allow me to zoom out for want to follow up and say—look, I do Prince has been involved in, and that is a moment and explain how I see the want to go on record and say that I the murder of a journalist. broader picture related to Saudi Arabia support the provisions of the Senator’s Mr. MENENDEZ. If my friend the and Yemen. distinguished chairman of the com- bill that block for a period of time of- The civil war in Yemen, as so many mittee will yield for a moment, let me fensive weaponry sales to Saudi Ara- now know, is an unmitigated national just say first that I appreciate his good bia. I support that. I also support pro- security and humanitarian disaster. intentions and commitment to having visions of the bill that sanction people The longer the civil war continues, the a process in which the Sanders-Lee res- who are blocking humanitarian aid for more influential Iran and various ter- olution could move forward. To keep it the people there. rorist groups will become in Yemen. within a germane sphere, I know that The Senator and his staff know we Meanwhile, approximately 14 million was one of the things the Senator said have some operational issues, and I people are on the verge of famine, and very early on, which I embrace, and I know those are going to get worked it is getting worse by the day. am glad for his leadership in that re- out. I know that the way to start legis- Famine and the indiscriminate tar- gard. I think passing this will be im- lation and get it to where we really geting of civilians by the Saudi-led co- portant, and I urge all of our col- want it to be is to start out strongly. I alition will only push more Yemenis leagues to vote for it. know the Senator knows he is not toward Iran and toward its proxies, I look forward to when he presents going to pass it this year, and if I were giving terrorists increasing opportuni- the resolution he has talked about with the Senator from New Jersey, I would ties to threaten Americans, our part- reference to the Crown Prince. I do go about it exactly the way he is going ners, and our interests. So it is essen- think that if he brings that forward, it about it. tial to America’s national security in- is likely something I will support be- So I do appreciate the thrust, and I terests, as well as our humanitarian cause I think it is important to make do hope we pass those into law with principles, that the administration use it very clear that you cannot kill with some of the other provisions so that all available leverage to end the civil impunity just because you are our ally there is a price to pay for what has war in Yemen without delay. and that human rights and democracy taken place. The only way to end this civil war are still values that we—at least in the I yield the floor. and make significant and durable U.S. Senate—believe are an integral The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- progress on the humanitarian crisis is part of our foreign policy. Countries ator from Indiana. through an inclusive political process. that observe human rights and democ- AMENDMENT NO. 4080 Everyone agrees on this. It is positive that the parties to the conflict are racy and share our deepest values at Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I call up talking in Sweden as part of the U.N. the end of the day are our most reliable my amendment No. 4080. allies and are less likely to drag us into envoy-led peace process. We want that The PRESIDING OFFICER. The conflicts in other places. So I look for- process to succeed. I know the adminis- clerk will report. ward to that debate and discussion tration supports these talks, and I The senior assistant bill clerk read as when the distinguished Senator offers commend them for the encouragement follows: that. of these talks. There are many poten- But I will reiterate—and I appreciate The Senator from Indiana [Mr. YOUNG] pro- tial pitfalls in the peace process, the Senator’s somewhat endorsement poses an amendment numbered 4080. though, so we have to do all we can to with some reservations. It is critical— The amendment is as follows: support this effort here in Congress.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.044 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7489 Since March of 2017, I sought to un- The number of innocent people con- ers also establish clear article I con- derscore the importance of the humani- fronting famine is growing by the day. stitutional war powers and responsibil- tarian crisis in Yemen and to provide Innocent people are being bombed. Iran ities for Congress. this administration leverage that it and terror groups are benefiting from For me, today, in this situation, and can use to pressure the Saudis to sup- the status quo. The Saudis have ig- only with respect to Yemen, I believe a port an urgent and good-faith effort to nored our Secretaries’ call for a cease- reasonable reading of the Constitution end the civil war and to stop using food fire. My question to my colleagues here leaves plenty of room for a ‘‘yes’’ vote as a weapon of war. on Capitol Hill who are still undecided on this resolution. Our humanitarian In that effort, I have used every about how they might vote with re- principles and national security inter- available tool at my disposal as a spect to this amendment that I am ests require it. With that, I urge my member of the Senate Foreign Rela- bringing up is this: What are we going colleagues to support amendment No. tions Committee. That has included, to do about it? What are you going to 4080 and to support passage of the un- for example, a resolution that was do about it today, because you have an derlying resolution and send a message passed by the Senate, legislation opportunity to do something about it? to Riyadh. passed into law, subcommittee hear- I will say that today, even if this res- I yield the floor. ings, letters, and even a hold on the olution does not become law, we can The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- nomination of our former Secretary of take an important step and send the ator from Tennessee. State’s top lawyer at the Department right message to Riyadh. There is no Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, through of State. That was before the adminis- doubt that the Houthis have engaged in the Presiding Officer I wish to ask the Senator from Indiana, what you are tration understood, as they do now, the absolutely abhorrent behavior in saying is that you are doing everything importance of having a negotiated po- Yemen, and, then, it takes two sides to you possibly can do to ensure that if litical settlement between all the par- negotiate. ties. We don’t have much leverage over your amendment passes, never in the But as I have provided additional le- the Houthis. We have significant lever- future will your amendment be relied verage to the administration over a pe- age over the Saudis, and we must uti- upon to say if we are refueling, that riod of time, we have to acknowledge lize it. If S.J. Res. 54 does become law, means we are involved in hostilities; is that correct? that the civil war has continued, the my amendment would ensure that it Mr. YOUNG. I thank the chairman world’s worst humanitarian crisis has accomplishes its stated purpose with deteriorated further, Iran’s influence for the clarification so that I can fur- respect to air refueling. ther clarify for the record that this has only increased, and the Saudi Some may continue to argue that the amendment only applies for purposes of Crown Prince has, unfortunately, been United States is not engaged in hos- this resolution and in the section I of- left with the impression that he can tilities in Yemen. It is a war. Our tax- fered it. get away with almost anything, includ- payers are providing funding. There is ing murder. Let’s say in Mali, for example, that intelligence support and logistical sup- our country in the future were involved To be clear, with or without amend- port and refueling of aircraft carrying ment No. 4080, S.J. Res. 54 may never with refueling operations of our part- bombs, but some will argue that we are ner or our ally’s aircraft. This wouldn’t become law. Even in that case, I be- not engaged in hostilities in Yemen. In lieve adoption of amendment No. 4080 apply. This would establish absolutely other words, this Senate joint resolu- today would send an even stronger no precedent. tion, absent my amendment, risks message at a critical moment to our We have had national security legal leaving the status quo in place in Saudi partners that we expect them to counsel look at this. We have taken a Yemen. With my amendment, the leg- do everything in their power to end belt-and-suspenders approach. No rea- islation would ensure that the adminis- this civil war. sonable reading of this could construe Some may argue that no additional tration cannot resume refueling of this to establish any legal precedent pressure is needed. I have heard that Saudi aircraft conducting missions re- that ought to cause concern for anyone argument. I reject that argument, and lated to this civil war. concerned. To those principled colleagues—and here is why. On October 30, Secretaries Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, I ask Pompeo and Mattis called for a cease- there are a number of principled col- again the Senator: For those of us, fire in Yemen within 30 days. Those 30 leagues on this issue—who are conver- many in this body, including the Sen- days—for those who are checking your sant on the issue and have been study- ator from Indiana, who worry that the calendar—came and went on November ing it for a great deal of time, I have mere refueling that may take place in 29. Yet the Saudi coalition has contin- great respect for them. I know there is Mali, where maybe we are supporting ued airstrikes. at least one who is concerned about French troops, or the refueling in other I have a hard time believing that if any precedents we may be creating re- places—the mere refueling in another Secretary Mattis picked up the phone lating to the War Powers Resolution or country, the mere refueling itself—you and told Riyadh to knock off the air- other situations. Let me be clear. My are saying that by voting for your strikes in Yemen, the Saudis would ig- amendment explicitly says this defini- amendment, you have no intention of nore him. If that call hasn’t occurred, tion for hostilities only applies to this ever creating a precedent that another there may be a problem. If it has and resolution we are considering today Senator could use the War Powers Act the Saudis have ignored that demand, and only to this case. simply because of refueling taking then, that may be a problem. Either I will also reiterate that my amend- place; is that your intention? way, we may have a big problem on our ment would not restrict U.S. refueling Mr. YOUNG. My intention is to only hands. on our own aircraft and would not re- address the situation in Yemen, and It is not in our national security in- strict refueling of other aircraft for that is precisely what this amendment terest to sit idly by as the Saudis ig- missions focused on al-Qaida and asso- does—nothing more, nothing less. nore the clear demands of our Secre- ciated forces. We have it covered. Ei- Back to the example of Mali and taries of Defense and State, especially ther way, Senators looking to send the French aircraft, there would be abso- when we are members of the coalition. right message today to the Saudis and lutely no application of this amend- Our taxpayers are funding these mili- those looking to change the situation ment to that conflict, to the refueling tary exercises that are exacerbating in Yemen should support amendment of those aircraft or to our own aircraft. the worst humanitarian crisis in gen- No. 4080. That is why we have doubled up on erations and that are destabilizing a For a very quick word on the War clarifying precautionary language, so country where Iran, al Qaida, and ISIS Powers Resolution—the underlying res- that no one could conceivably construe have a foothold. olution—here again, principled and se- that in any legal analysis that makes Let’s support our Secretaries of rious people are on both sides of the any level of common sense or legal State and Defense. Let’s support them War Powers Resolution debate, and I sense, because the two don’t always in their efforts. Let’s give this adminis- see merits on both sides of that argu- seem to be consistent. But we have had tration yet more leverage vis-a-vis the ment. The President is indeed the Com- attorneys look at this, and it applies Saudis. mander in Chief. That said, the Found- narrowly only to this context.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.046 S12DEPT1 S7490 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 I will entertain any more questions, U.S. forces in support of the coalition S.J. RES. 54 but I feel as though I am restating this. do not currently command, coordinate, Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, I come It is a very important matter. So I am accompany, or participate in the move- to the floor today to join many of my glad the Chairman gave me an oppor- ment of Saudi coalition forces in the colleagues in support of passage of the tunity to answer it. counter-Houthi operations. underlying resolution. I was pleased to Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, I appre- As of November 11 of this year, the be one of the original cosponsors, along ciate the Senator from Indiana answer- U.S. Armed Forces ceased refueling with the Presiding Officer and Senator ing those questions. Today, we are, as support. That is no longer an issue. SANDERS, amongst many others. you know, establishing precedent on a Even if it were an issue, this is not one This is clearly not the first time I number of things. No. 1, we overwhelm- that would constitute the category we have been to the floor to talk about the ingly decided that if the War Powers have been talking about. crisis inside Yemen and the broader Resolution is used in this matter, only As for the Saudi coalition, the crisis with respect to our relationship germane amendments can be put forth. counter-Houthi operations in Yemen, with Saudi Arabia that has grown I think that was a big step forward as even if the refueling support we were worse and worse, especially in the last it relates to this type of debate and in providing were going on today, it several months. using the War Powers Resolution as it would not constitute involvement in I want to thank Senator MENENDEZ is being used. hostilities. For that reason, I do oppose and Senator CORKER for taking this in- I did want to get the Senate record to it. credibly seriously, especially since the be very clear that the Senator from In- I don’t know which of these resolu- death of Jamal Khashoggi, who was a diana, should his amendment pass, was tions is actually going to be on the resident of the United States here, os- in no way trying to create a scenario floor for a vote and in what order they tensibly under our protection. I am where if we are refueling someplace, would be on the floor, but the resolu- hopeful that we will get another big bi- that automatically means we are in- tion that has been put together by Sen- partisan vote when this comes up for volved in hostilities. What he is trying ator CORKER and our leader I think is final passage. to do is address this specific issue. the best solution to the problem we are I want to reiterate some of the rea- Since we have been able to have this confronted with now. sons I think this is incredibly impor- in the RECORD and since, hopefully, fu- Like many of my colleagues, I was tant. ture Senates will rely upon the RECORD deeply disturbed by the killing of the First, let me state what I hope is ob- to look at what is taking place today, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at vious even for those of us who have I want to thank the Senator for his Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul in been critics of Saudi Arabia. amendment and tell him that I plan to October. I deplore everything in con- Saudi Arabia is a very important ally support it. junction with that. While it may not be of the United States. It is an important Mr. YOUNG. I thank the Chairman. partner for stability in the region. We The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who a smoking gun as such, I believe that Saudi Arabia’s leadership is responsible continue to engage in an important yields time? counterterrorism, intelligence-sharing The Senator from Oklahoma. for Mr. Khashoggi’s death. Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, this has Those responsible are going to have relationship with Saudi Arabia. They been the center of a lot of discussion, to be held accountable, and we must have helped us track down some very and it is a little confusing. I think condemn this terrible and unaccepted bad people. We have helped them track there are a lot of things that everyone event. That is clearly what the resolu- down some very bad people. Sunni ex- in here agrees with, but how we are tion says. tremists—separate and aside from the going to express ourselves has to come The resolution also acknowledges the argument as to where that movement down to all possibilities of the options Trump administration’s important de- gets some of its seed funding—are out that are there. cision to sanction 17 Saudis for their to get the Saudi regime, just as they I want to start off by saying that I roles in Mr. Khashoggi’s murder. are out to get the United States. oppose the Sanders-Lee provision. I At the same time, Saudi Arabia is an Second, it is important to note some- think the resolution would have us find important Middle Eastern partner. Its thing that we take for granted in the that since March of 2015, members of stability is vital to the security of our region—this now long-term detente the U.S. Armed Forces have been intro- regional allies and our partners, in- that has existed between the Gulf duced into hostilities in Yemen be- cluding Israel, and Saudi Arabia is es- States and Israel, which did not used to tween the Saudi-led coalition and sential to countering Iran. We all know be something you could rely on. In Houthis, including providing to the that. We know how tenuous things are fact, one of the most serious foreign Saudi-led coalition aerial targeting as- in that part of the world. We don’t policy debates this Senate ever had was sistance, intelligence sharing, and have that many friends. We can’t af- on the sale of AWACS to Saudi Arabia midflight aerial refueling. ford to lose any of them. back in the 1980s. The objection then If enacted, Lee-Sanders could ulti- While we must be frank with our was that by empowering Saudi Arabia, mately pull all U.S. support from the partners and let them know when they you were hurting Israel and Israeli se- Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The have done, in our opinion, something curity. No one would make that argu- Sanders-Lee resolution is, I think, fun- wrong, we must be cautious and avoid ment today because Saudi Arabia has damentally flawed because it presumes steps that would damage a strategic re- been a good partner in trying to figure we are engaged in military action in lationship that goes back over half a out a way to calm the tensions in the Yemen. We are not. We are not engaged century. For this reason, I am hoping region and, of course, provide some bal- in military action in Yemen. that the resolution will be introduced, ance in the region, with the Iranian re- There has been a lot of discussion in which case I will be supporting the gime on the other side continuing to about refueling. I don’t see any stretch resolution the leader and Senator this day to use inflammatory and dan- of the definition that would say that CORKER have introduced. It criticizes gerous rhetoric about the future of falls into that category. The truth is the Saudi Government for its recent Israel. that with the exception of the defense behavior and encourages it to get on So this is an important partnership, strike in October 2016, the U.S. Armed the right path—the right path to re- and I have no interest in blowing it up. Forces are not engaged in direct mili- double its reform efforts, the right I have no interest in walking away tary action in Yemen. path to respect the rights of its citi- from it. But you are not obligated to The limited military support and in- zens, and the right path to work to- follow your friend into every misadven- telligence sharing being provided by ward a peaceful resolution in Yemen. ture they propose. When your buddy the United States to the Saudi-led coa- You know, I don’t like any of the jumps into a pool of man-eating lition does not involve the introduction choices we have. This is clearly the sharks, you don’t have to jump with of U.S. Forces into hostilities, nor is best choice that is out there. him. There is a point at which you say the U.S. involvement in hostilities im- I yield the floor. enough is enough. I came to this floor minent given the circumstances at The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- 3 years ago and suggested that time hand. ator from Connecticut. had already come.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.048 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7491 Muhammad bin Salman, who is the tacts all throughout the day with the only concerned about Jamal Khashoggi Crown Prince, who is the effective team of operatives who did it. Yet they because it is a way to make clear that leader of the country, has steered the thought we were so dumb or so weak— if you lie to the United States, there foreign policy of Saudi Arabia off the or some combination of the two—that are consequences. It is also a way to rails. Folks seem to have noticed when they could just lie to us about it. say to the Crown Prince: We are not he started rounding up his political op- That was an eye-opener for a lot of going to be partners with you in your ponents and killing one of them in a people here who were long-term sup- most important foreign policy endeav- consulate in Turkey, but this has been porters of the Saudi relationship be- or—the war inside Yemen—if you are ongoing. Look back to the kidnapping cause they knew that we had trouble. not being straight with us about this or of the Lebanese Prime Minister, the They knew that sometimes our inter- other matters. blockade of Qatar without any heads- ests didn’t align, but they thought that If you care just about what happened up to the United States, the wholesale the most important thing allies did to that journalist, this is still an im- imprisonment of hundreds of his family with each other was tell the truth, es- portant vote for you to cast. And I get members until there was a payoff, the pecially when the truth was so easy to it that some people have issues with size of which was big enough to let discover outside of your bilateral rela- the mechanism by which we get here, some of them out. tionship. Then, all of a sudden, the the War Powers Resolution. I under- This is a foreign policy that is no Saudis lied to us for 2 weeks—for 2 stand that it is new, that it hasn’t been longer in the best interests of the weeks—and then finally came around tested before. But I believe this is the United States and cannot be papered to telling the truth because everybody right moment to have this debate and over by a handful of domestic policy re- knew that they weren’t. to have this vote. forms that are, in fact, intended to try That made a lot of people here think, I am hoping that we are going to to distract us from the aggressive na- well, wait a second—maybe the Saudis come to a conclusion here as quickly as ture of the Saudis’ foreign policy in the haven’t been telling us the truth about we can in which we maintain bipar- region. what they have been doing inside tisan consensus. I just joined several of Of course, the worst example of their Yemen. my colleagues upstairs to express our regional behavior going off the rails is A lot of my friends have been sup- desire—this isn’t the beginning and the Yemen. And I don’t want to restate the porting the bombing campaign in end of our debate about what to do case here; I think Senator SANDERS did Yemen. Why? Because the Saudis said: with Saudi Arabia moving forward. I a great job of it. We are hitting these civilians by acci- support Senator MENENDEZ and Sen- I have stood here before with posters dent. Those water treatment plants ator YOUNG’s legislation to take some of malnourished children with dis- that have been blowing up—we didn’t additional steps to halt arms sales. I tended bellies. Some 85,000 of them mean to hit them. That cholera treat- support imposing sanctions on the indi- have died from malnutrition or disease. ment facility inside the humanitarian viduals who are responsible for this The world’s worst ever outbreak of compound—that was just a bomb that crime. But I would also hope that all of cholera is happening right now as we went into the wrong place, or, we us take a little bit of time over the speak. Ten thousand Yemenis have thought there were some bad guys in holidays to really think about how we died from warfare, from bombings, or it. It didn’t turn out that there were. reset this relationship in the region from siege campaigns. About two- It turns out the Saudis weren’t tell- and how we send a signal to the world thirds to three-quarters of those were ing us the truth about what they were that there is no relationship in which as a result of the Saudi side of the civil doing in Yemen. They were hitting ci- we are the junior partner—certainly war, but let’s make clear that there are vilian targets on purpose. They did not with Saudi Arabia. some really bad actors on the Houthi have an intentional campaign of trying If Saudi Arabia can push us around side as well. Part of the reason the hu- to create misery. I am not saying that like they have over the course of the manitarian aid can’t get to where it is every single one of those schoolbuses last several years and in particular the needs to get to is because the Houthis or those hospitals or those churches or last several months, that sends a signal are stopping it from getting into the weddings was an attempt to kill civil- to lots of other countries that they can areas they control today. So the Saudis ians and civilians only, but we have do the same thing—that they can mur- bear the majority of the responsibility been in that targeting center long der U.S. residents and suffer almost no for the humanitarian nightmare, but enough to know—to know—that they consequences; that they can bomb ci- there is enough to be spread around. have known for a long time what they vilians with our munitions and suffer I am appreciative that many of my have been doing: hitting a lot of people no consequences. colleagues are willing to stand up for who have nothing to do with the at- This is not just a message about the this resolution today to end the war in tacks against Saudi Arabia. Saudi relationship; this is a message Yemen. I wish that it weren’t because Maybe if the Saudis were willing to about how the United States is going of the death of one journalist, because lie to us about what happened to Jamal to interact with lots of other junior there have been tens of thousands who Khashoggi, they haven’t been straight partners around the world as well. have died inside Yemen, and their lives with us as to what is happening inside Saudi Arabia needs us a lot more than are just as important and just as Yemen, because if the United States is we need them, and we need to remind worthwhile as Jamal Khashoggi’s life being used to intentionally hit civil- folks of that over and over again. was, as tragic as that was. But there is ians, then we are complicit in war Spare me this nonsense that they are a connection between the two, which is crimes. And I hate to tell my col- going to go start buying Russian jets why I have actually argued that this leagues that is essentially what the or Chinese military hardware. If you resolution is in some way, shape, or United Nations found in their most re- think those countries can protect you form a response to the death of Jamal cent report on the Saudi bombing cam- better than the United States, take a Khashoggi, for those who are primarily paign. They were careful about their chance. You think the Saudis are real- concerned with that atrocity. Here is words, but they came to the conclusion ly going to stop selling oil to the how I link the two: that it was likely that the Saudi con- United States? You think they are What the Saudis did for 2 weeks was duct inside Yemen would amount to going to walk away from their primary lie to us, right? In the most bald-faced war crimes under international law. bread winner just because we say that way possible. They told us that Jamal If it is likely that our ally is perpet- we don’t want to be engaged in this Khashoggi had left the consulate, that uating war crimes in Yemen, then we particular military campaign? I am he had gotten out of there alive, that cannot be a part of that. The United willing to take that chance. they didn’t know what happened, when States cannot be part of a bombing We are the major partner in this rela- of course they knew the entire time campaign that may be—probably is— tionship, and it is time that we start that they had killed him, that they had intentionally making life miserable for acting like it. If this administration murdered him, that they had dis- the people inside of that country. isn’t going to act like it, then this Con- membered his body. We now know that So I would argue that this resolution gress has to act like it. As Senator the Crown Prince had multiple con- is an appropriate response if you are GRAHAM said, sometimes Congress has

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.050 S12DEPT1 S7492 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 to go its own way. Sometimes Congress So, yes, I do believe America needs to tion where there should be an author- has to reorient American foreign policy be engaged in Yemen, just not from our ization for the use of force if we are to when an administration will not. military. Let’s do an all-out press on remain. I don’t believe we should re- With respect to this bilateral rela- diplomacy and bring the parties to the main. tionship, with respect to this egre- peace table and end this horrible con- We have had our disagreements with gious, unconscionable military oper- flict. the President on the use of force. Con- ation inside Yemen, it is time for Con- Yes, make no mistake about it, the gress passed the War Powers Act in gress to step up and right something Houthis are not nice people. I under- 1973. The President didn’t like it. We that today is very, very wrong. stand that, but we are not going to win passed it anyway. We believe the Presi- I appreciate all of the great work this by our military. So let’s con- dent should not only notify but respect that Senator SANDERS and Senator LEE centrate on diplomacy. I think many the will of Congress’s power under arti- have done as partners in this, and I have pointed out that, yes, we have cle I to declare war and authorize our thank the chairman and ranking mem- been in this region since the attack on military presence. ber for helping guide us through this our country on September 11. Nothing Section 5(c) gives the power to Con- debate as painlessly as possible. I look in this resolution would affect our abil- gress to pass a joint resolution to re- forward to coming to the floor again ity to fight against al-Qaida and its as- move our troops where there has been before final passage and look forward sociated forces. no authorization. So what is being to another big bipartisan vote at the The resolution specifically exempts— done today—the resolution that is be- end of this. specifically exempts—from the with- fore us—is the vehicle that we deter- I yield the floor. drawal of American military our cam- mined to be the appropriate way to re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- paign against al-Qaida and associated move our troops from unauthorized ator from Maryland. forces. war. Therefore, it is an appropriate ac- Mr. CARDIN. Thank you, Mr. Presi- There is also no question that since tion by the Congress—probably the dent. the Saudis have engaged in this con- only action we can take in order to end I take this time to support the pas- flict, there have been many violations the war in Yemen with U.S. participa- sage of S.J. Res. 54. I commend my col- of human rights. Yes, we are facili- tion. leagues who have brought this resolu- tating and helping. I am not saying we I want to make a comment about the tion forward. The impact of this resolu- are committing, but we are certainly relationship between the United States tion would be to end the U.S. military part of the Saudi effort. We are sup- and the Saudis. I heard many of my engagement in Yemen, and I believe posedly helping them with targeting. colleagues talk about it. I think it is a that military engagement should end That means giving them intelligence very important relationship. I think for several reasons. information to minimize civilian cas- the Saudis are a strategic partner of First, let me comment on what oth- ualties. I am certain the American the United States. I had many opportu- ers have already pointed out, and that military is helping in that regard, but nities to visit with the Saudis. I know is that the humanitarian crisis in the bottom line is, we are told that 61 about a lot of the things they are Yemen is one of the worst, if not the percent of casualties are due to coali- doing, but make no mistake about it, worst, in the world. That is saying a tion strikes. There is tremendous civil- that relationship is important to the lot because there are a lot of areas ian loss as a result of this campaign, United States, but it is very important around the world where we are seeing and the United States is one of the to the Saudis. It is more than just our humanitarian challenges. honest brokers in trying to minimize military support for a war in Yemen. It In Yemen today, 10,000 people have that. We have not been successful has a lot to do with security issues been killed due to the war, and 22 mil- through the use of our military. generally. It has to do with intel- lion-plus—75 percent of the population The use of our military has never ligence sharing. It has to do with eco- in Yemen—are at grave risk today. It been authorized by Congress. Now, this nomics. is estimated that there are 400,000 chil- is a debate we have had many times. I Our relationship should always be dren under the age of 5 who are at the know the distinguished chairman of wrapped in our values. Our foreign pol- risk of starvation due to hunger and the Senate Foreign Relations Com- icy should always be based upon our malnutrition, and 85,000 children have mittee has been part of that debate and values as Americans, and our values in died, according to Save the Children, has wanted us to come to grips with a regard to what is happening in this war from starvation. congressional authorization for mili- in Yemen tell us we should not be par- The U.S. military engagement has tary use in Yemen. I applaud the chair- ticipating in it. really not assisted in ending this hu- man. I am very proud to be on that I haven’t even mentioned the tragic manitarian crisis. There are 1 million committee. I think if it were left up to death of Jamal Khashoggi. When tak- people with cholera and 8.4 million peo- our committee, we may have been able ing a look at what happened there and ple on the verge of famine. For a long to agree on a resolution, but it was the involvement of the royal family time, we have been, focused on the clear we couldn’t get it through the and the Crown Prince, that clearly can- Port of Hodeidah, saying that it had to Senate, couldn’t get it through the not go unchallenged. Human rights vio- be opened in order to be able to deliver Congress. That was clear. I am not say- lations and the military campaign, all humanitarian assistance. I think many ing we are culpable for not passing au- of that cries out for the United States of us thought that because of our mili- thorization, but we have not passed au- not to be engaged in the military as- tary involvement in Yemen, at a min- thorization, and there is no authoriza- pects of what is happening in Yemen, imum, we could get the port open. We tion for the use of military force in and the passage of S.J. Res. 54 will, in find we are not able to have safe routes Yemen, despite the fact that article I, fact, make that a reality, and I urge for the delivery of humanitarian assist- section 8, clause 11 of the Constitution our colleagues to support that resolu- ance, so through our military we have of the United States gives the Congress tion. not been able to impact the horrible the sole power to declare war. TIME MAGAZINE’S PERSON OF THE YEAR tragedies that are taking place because We are responsible for the military, Mr. President, it is a related subject. of this humanitarian disaster. and if you can’t get that authorization, I am going to talk about TIME maga- Secondly, I think most experts will there should at least be a presumption zine for their selection of their Person tell us there is no military solution to that we shouldn’t be using our mili- of the Year, the ‘‘Guardians and the the war that is taking place in Yemen tary. If you can’t get the support of War on Truth.’’ I say it is related be- that dates back to 2014. The warring Congress—if the President, Commander cause Jamal Khashoggi is one of the sides are not going to end as a result of in Chief, can’t get the support of Con- figures that is on the cover of TIME the military. It is going to take diplo- gress for the use of force, there should magazine as one of the guardians. macy, and our military involvement not be a sustained use. We know about In making their selection, TIME has not assisted in a diplomatic an- emergency situations. We expect it of magazine wrote: ‘‘For taking great swer. We have not made the progress I the Commander in Chief. This is not an risks in pursuit of greater truths, for think many of us would have expected. emergency situation. This is a situa- the imperfect but essential quest for

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.051 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7493 facts that are central to civil dis- Wendi Winters was among the five Stick with us. Don’t believe the crap you course, for speaking up and for speak- Capital Gazette employees killed in the see from these people, the fake news. . . . ing out, the Guardians’’ are the Person June 28 shooting. According to eye- What you’re seeing and what you’re reading of the Year. witness accounts from survivors, Wendi is not what’s happening. TIME magazine wrote: armed herself with the closest weapons That is the President of the United As we looked at the choices, it became at hand—her trash and recycling bins— States saying those comments—again, clear that the manipulation and abuse of and charged the shooter, shouting for demeaning the press and the impor- truth is really the common thread in so him to stop. It is believed Wendi’s ac- tance of the free press. many of this year’s major stories . . . this tions distracted the shooter enough to Why is the President doing this? Ear- ought to be a time when democracy leaps enable several of her coworkers to es- lier this year, CBS ‘‘60 Minutes’’ cor- forward, an informed citizenry being essen- respondent Leslie Stahl, an icon in the tial to self-government. Instead, it’s in re- cape. We think of violence against report- news business, shared comments from treat. And the story of this assault on truth President Trump from an interview she is, somewhat paradoxically, one of the hard- ers as something that happens in other est to tell. countries, in war zones and the like, did with him soon after the 2016 elec- tion win. Stahl recalled that she said TIME magazine wrote in this week’s but not here, not in the United States to Donald Trump about his attacks on issue: of America. All around the world, re- the media: In Annapolis, Md., staff of the Capital, a porters work to gather facts, ask ques- newspaper published by Capital Gazette tions, and report the news in the spirit Why are you doing this? You’re doing it Communications, which traces its history of of free, open, and transparent societies over and over. It’s boring and it’s time to telling readers about the events in Maryland and governments that all people de- end that. to before the American Revolution, press on serve. Too often, reporters are har- The candidate’s response was without the five colleagues gunned down in assed, jailed, and even killed simply be- straightforward and shocking. He said: their newsroom on June 28. Still intact, in- cause of the nature of their work, You know why I do it? I do it to discredit deed strengthened after the mass shooting, which often exposes cronyism and cor- you all and demean you all so that when you are the bonds of trust and community that ruption. write negative stories about me no one will for national news outlets have been eroded believe you. on strikingly partisan lines, never more than Jason Rezaian, a reporter with the this year. Washington Post who was falsely im- Let that sink in for a moment. A ‘‘I can tell you this,’’ declared Chase Cook, prisoned in Iran for doing his job as a man who was about to assume the posi- a reporter for the Capital Gazette [on that journalist, had this to say earlier this tion of President of the United States fateful day]. ‘‘We are putting out a damn year. He talks about the attack I ref- explicitly acknowledged he was pur- paper tomorrow.’’ Cook’s promise . . . came erenced earlier in Annapolis. posefully working to diminish the in- just a few hours after five of his colleagues Mostly I have covered attacks on the tegrity of the free press. were killed. The man charged with their media taking place on the other side of the After the Capitol Gazette shooting, murders had been obsessed with the paper world, usually in countries where the flow of Donald Trump said: ‘‘Journalists, like since it wrote about his harassment of a high information is restricted or conditions are all Americans, should be free from the school classmate—part of its routine cov- such that a sense of desperation or political erage of local legal proceedings. He made the fear of being violently attacked while or tribal affiliation can compel individuals doing their job.’’ But how do we inter- office a crime scene. To put the damn paper to take heinous action. . . . Writing about a out, staffers set up laptops in the bed of a deadly attack that happened less than 30 pret his sincerity when, more fre- pickup in a parking garage across the street. miles away, in an idyllic town that I re- quently, he is calling the media ‘‘fake When the next edition arrived—on sched- cently visited with relatives from overseas, news’’ or ‘‘totally unhinged’’ and tell- ule—the opinion page was blank but for the is a new experience for me. And I have to say ing the people of America that report- names of the dead. Gerald Fischman. Rob that I don’t relish the task. ers are truly bad people? Hiaasen. John McNamara. Rebecca Smith. Wendi Winters. Beneath their names was . . . We Americans have certain rights Donald Trump’s constant dismissal written with a goose quill: ‘‘Tomorrow this and responsibilities granted to us needs to end. He needs to accept that page will return to its steady purpose of of- through the Constitution, which estab- one of the press’s most important roles fering our readers informed opinions about lished the rule of law in this country. is to speak truth to power—truth to the world around them, that they might be Freedom of the press is one of those power, including to the President of better citizens.’’ most basic rights, and it is central to the United States. I must tell you I am very proud of the First Amendment of the Constitu- Here at home, we are left to wonder what the Capital Gazette has done. tion: ‘‘Congress shall make no law re- whether Donald Trump is more in- They continued through very difficult specting an establishment of religion, clined to agree with Russian President times with the quality reporting and or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; Vladimir Putin’s view of the press— opinion pages they have been known or abridging the freedom of speech, or where journalists are routinely jailed for, for a long time—a real treasured of the press.’’ This precious freedom and physically attacked—than with institution in our State’s capital. has often been under attack, figu- Thomas Jefferson, who famously said: One of the four TIME magazine cov- ratively speaking, since our Nation’s ‘‘Were it left to me to decide whether ers includes the journalists of the Cap- founding. we should have a government without ital Gazette, the Annapolis, MD, news- Today, attacks on the American newspapers, or newspapers without a paper where five employees were mur- media have become more frequent and government, I should not hesitate a dered by a gunman last June. more literal, spurred on by dangerous moment to prefer the latter.’’ I spoke about this shooting on the rhetoric that has created an ‘‘open sea- Journalists, like all Americans, Senate floor last June, and the Senate son’’ on harassing the media for doing should be free from the fear of being unanimously adopted S. Res. 575, which its job—asking the questions that need violently attacked while doing their I authored and which was cosponsored to be asked, investigating the stories job—both figuratively and literally. by all Members of the Senate. This that need to be uncovered, and bring- The right of journalists to report the Senate resolution commemorates the ing needed transparency to the halls of news is nothing less than the right of lives, careers, and service of five vic- power, whether they are in Annapolis, all of us to know. Media freedom and tims of the Capital Gazette shooting in Washington, DC, or elsewhere. media pluralism are essential for the Annapolis, MD; honors the survivors of Then-candidate and now-President expression of, or ensuring respect for, the attack and the families of the vic- Trump’s rhetoric—calling the media ‘‘a other fundamental freedoms and safe- tims and pledges to continue support stain on America’’ and ‘‘the enemy of guarding democracy, the rule of law, for their recovery; thanks law enforce- the American people’’—certainly has and a system of checks and balances. ment officers and other emergency caused damage. At the Veterans of For- Every one of us in this body—Demo- first responders for their heroic ac- eign Wars, the President said to the au- crats and Republicans—has sworn an tions; and reaffirms the commitment dience that they are ‘‘not to believe’’ oath to support and defend the Con- of the Senate to defending the First what they see and hear. The President stitution of the United States. As lead- Amendment of the Constitution of the of the United States told a crowd of ers of this great Nation, we have a re- United States. veterans: sponsibility to defend the rights of our

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.054 S12DEPT1 S7494 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 citizens, including the freedom of handed measures used against media plained that it was no accident that press. freedom in Turkey, both before and this power was put in the hands of Con- Yesterday, TIME magazine featured during the recent elections, illustrates gress. To be sure, the power Congress three covers in addition to the Capital the lengths to which the government has to declare war means more than Gazette. One is Jamal Khashoggi, the went to control the information avail- simply to state something in the ab- Washington Post contributor who was able to voters. It also serves as a re- stract. It is something that has to hap- killed at the Saudi Arabian Consulate minder of the essential role of a plural- pen before we put American blood and in Istanbul in October. I would note istic media for free and fair elections. treasure on the line. that this is the first time that a TIME I have also worked on many other It is something that should never Person of the Year is a deceased per- countries that have infringed upon the happen in the absence of some type of son. freedom of press in my role on the Sen- dire emergency—some set of exigent The United States of America must ate Foreign Relations Committee as a circumstances in which the President stand up for justice and human rights ranking Democrat on the Helsinki must protect the United States of at home and abroad. I agree that Saudi Commission. I could give you examples America from an imminent attack. It Arabia is a strong ally in a variety of of what we have done in Malta, what needs to be declared by Congress. important areas, but that should only we have done in Slovakia, what we This isn’t a mere formality; this is strengthen their understanding of have done in Belarus—and the list goes the only thing that guarantees that America’s commitment to the rule of on and on. this is a government of the people, by I therefore ask the Trump adminis- law, and we as a Nation cannot sanc- the people, and for the people. It is the tration and my colleagues in the Sen- tion extrajudicial killings. America’s only thing guaranteeing that we will ate to redouble their efforts to protect national security is harmed, not actually have a debate about the rel- helped, when dictators and strongmen the freedom of the press, both at home and abroad. We must lead by example ative merits of the conflict in question. believe they can get away with such There are a number of reasons why. heinous actions as the killing of jour- as the very foundational legitimacy of a democratic republic is at stake. In addition to the fact that there is nalist Jamal Khashoggi. an obvious economic expense associ- Congress must act to demand ac- America’s leadership is essential to protect the freedom of the press—an es- ated with war, there is a tremendous countability for those responsible for human cost associated with war on our Jamal Khashoggi’s murder and to send sential institution for a democratic state. We must lead by first setting an side, on the side of those among whom the right signal to the world that we might be fighting, and on the side of America will continue to be a beacon example by our commitment to the freedom of press here at home. We those against whom we might be fight- of justice and defender of human ing. rights. must demand that freedom of the press This particular conflict in Yemen Another cover features Wa Lone and be a priority in our global affairs, rec- provides one of many examples of the Kyaw Soe Oo, two Reuters journalists ognizing it is important to our na- moral perilousness associated with who were arrested 1 year ago in tional security. TIME magazine got it right by nam- war, of the many moral questions Myanmar while working on stories ing the ‘‘Guardians and the War on brought about as a result of war. We about the killings of the Rohingya Truth’’ as persons of the year. are involved in a conflict half a world Muslims. These journalists remain be- I yield the floor. away. We are involved in providing tar- hind bars, but their wives were photo- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. BAR- geting assistance, midair refueling, re- graphed for the cover. From this floor, RASSO). The Senator from Utah. connaissance, and surveillance. We are I stood in solidarity with these Reuters YEMEN WAR POWERS RESOLUTION involved in this conflict as cobelliger- reporters who were detained in Burma Mr. LEE. Mr. President, the Senate ents. for shining a light on the horrific is currently considering S.J. Res. 54. I abuses that occur in the Rakhine As we are involved in that, we are re- am proud to be a cosponsor of this leg- sponsible in one way or another not State. islation—lead cosponsor, along with I have stood in solidarity with Ethio- only for the American lives that might my distinguished colleague from one day be directly implicated in this pian journalists and bloggers who are Vermont, Senator SANDERS. He and I, routinely arrested for criticizing the conflict—more than they are today be- along with Senator MURPHY and a cause we know how wars go; we know Ethiopian Government and exposing number of other Members of this body, human rights abuses in that country. I how they tend to spread. We know that have engaged in this bipartisan effort, once we put the good name of the have talked frequently about China, a in a concerted endeavor to make sure country that engages in routine cen- United States of America on the line, that the separation of powers among we are understandably reluctant to sorship and online blocking, harass- our three branches of government is re- ment, reprisals, and detention of jour- walk away from it because of what spected. that might say to the rest of the world. nalists, visa delays, and denials for There is perhaps no more morally But in order to make it legitimate, in journalists. significant decision made in govern- order to make that decision authentic, Another TIME cover shows Maria ment than the decision to go to war. in order to make it sustainable, it has Ressa, the chief executive of the Phil- Whenever we take an action as a gov- ippine news website, Rappler, who was ernment that puts American treasure to be done in the appropriate way, indicted on tax evasion charges by and, especially, American blood on the which means it first has to go to Con- President Duterte’s administration as line, we have a sacred responsibility to gress. part of a crackdown on free speech and evaluate and carefully weigh the rel- Many of my colleagues will argue—in dissent. ative risks and advantages of acting fact some of them have argued just According to the Committee to Pro- and the relative risks and advantages within the last few minutes—that we tect Journalists, an independent, non- of not acting. are somehow not involved in a war in profit organization that promotes press To make sure that kind of analysis Yemen. My distinguished friend and freedom worldwide, more than 600 jour- takes place, the Founding Fathers colleague, the Senator from Oklahoma, nalists and media workers have been wisely put this power squarely within came to the floor a little while ago, killed in the last 10 years while doing the branch of government most ac- and he said that we are not engaged in their job. countable to the people at the most direct military action in Yemen. Of the member States of the Organi- regular intervals—the Congress. This Let’s peel that back for a minute. zation for Security and Co-operation in was a big distinction from our former Let’s figure out what that means. I am Europe, Russia remains the deadliest National Government, based in Lon- not sure what the distinction between country for journalists. don, where the chief executive—the direct and indirect is here. Maybe in a Turkey is the largest jailer of jour- King—had the power to commit troops very technical sense—or under a defini- nalists in the world, and scores of to war without going to Parliament. tion of warfare or military action that media outlets have been closed since Alexander Hamilton explained this has long since been rendered out- the attempted coup there. The heavy- principle in Federalist No. 69. He ex- dated—we are not involved in that, but

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.055 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7495 we are involved in a war. We are co- rely on a memorandum that is internal committee. At the time, sadly, we re- belligerents. The minute we start iden- within the executive branch of the U.S. ceived only 44 votes to get it out of tifying targets or, as Secretary James Government that was issued in 1976 committee. That was not enough. Mattis put it about a year ago, in De- that provides a very narrow, unreason- Fast-forward a few months to the cember 2017, the minute we are in- ably slim definition of the word ‘‘hos- week before last when we voted on it volved in the decisions involving mak- tilities.’’ It defines ‘‘hostilities’’ in a again. It was, actually, the same vote, ing sure that they know the right stuff way that might have been relevant, and it resulted in 63 Members of this to hit, that is involvement in a war, that might have been accurate, per- body supporting the idea of advancing and that is pretty direct. The minute haps, in the mid-19th century, but we it out of committee. we send up U.S. military aircraft to no longer live in a world in which you Then, today, we moved to the consid- provide midair refueling assistance for have a war as understood by two com- eration of this bill, and we got, if I am Saudi jets en route to bombing mis- peting countries that are lined up on not mistaken, about 60 votes for that. I sions, to combat missions on the opposite sides of a battlefield and en- am thrilled, I am ecstatic that we had ground in Yemen, that is our direct in- gaged in direct exchanges of fire, one that result, and I look forward to my volvement in war. against another, at relatively short colleagues passing S.J. Res. 54 in the Now, if you don’t agree with me, ask range. War encompasses a lot more coming days. I urge my colleagues to any one of our armed services per- than that. War certainly encompasses vote for it. I suggest, however, that it sonnel who is involved in this effort. I midair refueling, target selection, sur- would have been even better had we would imagine that he or she would beg veillance, and reconnaissance of the done it sooner. to differ. I would imagine that the par- sort we are undertaking in Yemen. What, you might ask, changed? What ents, the children, the family members, Moreover, separate and apart from changed between when we voted for the loved ones of these brave men and this very narrow, unreasonably slim this a few months ago and we fell short women who have been involved in this definition of ‘‘hostilities’’ as deter- of the votes we needed and when we effort would beg to differ when told mined by this internal executive brought it up the week before last to that we are not involved in a war in branch document from 1976 that con- discharge it out of committee and then Yemen. tains the outdated definition, we our- voted today to move to the bill? Well, In any event, regardless of how you selves, under the War Powers Act, a number of things have happened. define war, regardless of what signifi- don’t have to technically be involved in First, the war in Yemen has contin- cance you might attach to direct hostilities. It is triggered so long as we ued. We have had a whole lot of people versus indirect military involvement ourselves are sufficiently involved with killed in Yemen as a result of this civil war. We have had a whole lot more peo- in a civil war half a world away, it still the armed forces of another nation ple in Yemen die as a result of causes triggers the constitutional require- when those armed forces of another na- related to that war. There has been ment that Congress and not merely the tion are themselves involved in hos- starvation. There have been all kinds President decide that we are going to tilities. I am speaking, of course, in of atrocities that have accompanied get involved in this war. reference to the War Powers Act’s pro- Look, I understand that there are that war. visions codified at 50 USC 1547(c). Now, I know—this is war, and war in- some competing powers in the Con- For our purposes here, it is impor- evitably involves atrocities. War inevi- stitution. It was set up deliberately tant to keep in mind what that provi- tably leads to some people dying as a that way. There is some arguable gray sions reads: ‘‘For purposes of this chap- result of a direct kinetic attack, and it area between, on the one hand, the ter [under the War Powers Act], the outer limits of the President’s Execu- almost inevitably leads to other people term ‘introduction of United States tive authority as the Commander in dying as a result of starvation or their Armed Forces’ includes the assignment Chief of the Armed Forces and, on the being subjected to other violent acts or of members of such Armed Forces to other hand, the power enjoyed exclu- tragic outcomes. I get it. That is what command, coordinate, participate in sively by Congress to declare war. Be- war does. That is precisely why it is the movement of, or accompany the cause there is some gray area, some unconstitutional and morally bankrupt regular or irregular military forces of matters on which people of reasonable for us to get involved in a war without any foreign country or government minds might disagree as to where a war the people’s elected representatives in when such military forces are engaged, begins, Congress, several decades ago, Congress voting to do so, without our or there exists an imminent threat adopted the War Powers Act in an ef- having the ability to debate it, to dis- fort to try to delineate the respective that such forces will become engaged, cuss it, and to vote affirmatively to powers of these branches. Congress de- in hostilities.’’ put our brave young men and women in In what sense, on what level, on what cided, among other things, that it harm’s way to engage in that war. planet are we not involved in the com- would be significant any time we got What else changed in addition to the manding, in the coordination, in the involved in hostilities. fact that this war has gone on and on Many of my colleagues will argue and participation, in the movement of or in with a lot of death and suffering and many of them have argued on this very the accompaniment of the armed forces misery by a whole lot of innocent peo- day, in fact, that we are not involved of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and ple? in hostilities in Yemen and therefore the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-led coali- We have also seen that when we the War Powers Act is not triggered. tion in the civil war in Yemen? I chal- pulled back the mask a little bit, when Yes, there are a couple of problems lenge anyone to explain that to me— we pulled back the curtains and looked with that argument. how it is that we are not involved in into exactly who we were fighting for One, it is just categorically untrue the way described by 50 USC 1547(c). We and why we were fighting, the people, for the reasons I mentioned a minute are. Because we are under this power- understandably, got a little freaked ago. We are helping them get to the sharing agreement that was reached in out. The death, the murder of a jour- bombing sites. We are telling them the War Powers Act that has been in nalist got a lot of people’s attention. what to bomb, what to hit, what to place over the last four or five decades, I completely agree with the com- take out. That is rather direct involve- we need to follow those procedures. It ments that have been made by several ment in war. is one of the reminders we have that we of my colleagues that every life is sa- Increasingly these days, our wars are need to respect the separation of pow- cred, that every human soul has ines- high-tech. Very often, our wars involve ers. timable worth in the eyes of God and cyber activities. They involve recon- We first brought up this resolution— should be respected by each and every naissance, surveillance, target selec- or one like it—earlier this year. It was one of us. It is therefore sad that it has tion, midair refueling. It is hard—in about 8 or 9 months ago. At the time had to take this long for us to care many cases, impossible—to fight a war we brought it up and got it to the Sen- about it. It shouldn’t be the case that without those things. That is what war ate floor, we utilized a privilege status we had to wait for a journalist to be is. accorded to resolutions like these in murdered for us to care about this un- Many of my colleagues, in arguing order to secure a vote on the Senate constitutional, unjustified, and, I be- that we are not involved in hostilities, floor to try to bring this bill out of lieve, immoral war.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.056 S12DEPT1 S7496 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 Regardless of how we got here, we are ened by famine and disease. Yemen is dedicated nights and weekends to en- here. The murder of Mr. Khashoggi experiencing the worst cholera out- suring that our State remains the best caused us to think long and hard—with break in history with there being over place to live and raise a family. good reason—about the fact that we 1 million cases. In recent months, the Dating back to my first U.S. Senate have gone somewhat blindly into war, crisis has accelerated and grown at a campaign in 2006, Aaron has been an in- first under a Democratic President and rate of 10,000 cases each and every tegral part in shaping my message, then under a Republican President, week. crafting my political policy, and ensur- where it has been continued, following, The air campaign in Yemen, led by ing that every word matters. He takes somewhat blindly, the leadership of the Saudi Arabia, is now in its third year, the job seriously, but he never loses Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. and every day, it makes the humani- the ability to laugh at himself—the The fact that the Crown Prince of tarian crisis in Yemen worse. Bombs mark of a true leader. Saudi Arabia has been implicated in dropped by Saudi Arabia are killing One 4th of July, he tasked his com- the murder of Mr. Khashoggi has women and children, destroying roads munications team to write a statement caused a lot of people to stop and say: and bridges, disabling electricity and honoring Independence Day. My team Wait a minute. Maybe this doesn’t water services, and leveling schools, wrote: make sense. Wait a minute. Perhaps hospitals, and mosques. We can’t be consumed by our petty dif- this is a regime that we ought not be Meanwhile, the Government of the ferences anymore. We will be united in our supporting or at least, at a minimum, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Crown common interests. regardless of the fact that we may have Prince Muhammad bin Salman stand Aaron was appalled by the hyperbole, some interest, some reason to be allied credibly accused of ordering the mur- and he began editing the statement, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in der of a U.S. resident journalist known only to find out that his team had some ways, maybe—just maybe—this is for his critique of the regime. pranked him by copying and pasting enough of a reason for us not to be Currently, we are debating a resolu- lines from the Hollywood blockbuster fighting a war on behalf of the King- tion that directs the President to re- movie ‘‘Independence Day.’’ move the U.S. military from hostilities dom of Saudi Arabia. We know this to Aaron’s no-nonsense style has kept in Yemen and end our Nation’s unau- be true. us focused on what really matters, and Those of us who serve in this body or thorized participation in this conflict. that is the people. His ability to see I am proud to be a cosponsor of S.J. who serve down the hall in the U.S. the big picture and the end goal is one Res. 54. I voted to bring it to the floor House of Representatives know some- of his greatest gifts. because the United States should not thing very significant, which is that if His work ethic is second to none. He be providing aerial refueling to Saudi we went to almost any one of our con- is the first person in the office in the jets bombing Yemen indiscriminately. stituents in any part of the country The U.S. Senate should pass this res- morning, and he is the last one out at and asked them ‘‘Why should we, the olution and send a clear message that night. He is rooted in his desire to cre- United States of America—the greatest our military will not prolong and will ate opportunity for the next genera- military power, the greatest republic, not worsen a humanitarian tragedy led tion, and his passion drives him to arguably, the greatest civilization the by an increasingly brutal regime. excel every day—never settling for sec- world has ever known—be putting This is also why I voted against arms ond best. American blood and treasure on the sales of additional air-to-ground muni- He has worked as my press secretary, line to fight as cobelligerents in a civil tions to Saudi Arabia. More arms sales as my communications director, and war half a world away in Yemen?’’ we and more military support for Saudi now he wraps up his time as my chief know that 99 times out of 100—perhaps Arabia are not how we are going to end of staff. 999 times out of 1,000—that it would not this crisis. We need meaningful, diplo- I want to tell him, on behalf of my result in a confident answer. We know matic, and political solutions to allevi- entire family and team Tester: Thank that it would result in an answer full of ate human suffering in Yemen. you for your service. uncertainty, ambiguity, grave concern, This is an issue that is deeply per- Aaron has been at my side through and well-justified fear for the fact that sonal to me and many Michiganders. I three grueling elections and countless we are involved in somebody else’s am proud to represent a vibrant and national media appearances. civil war—in a civil war in which we dynamic Yemeni community in Michi- I remember the first time I met this have no business fighting, in a civil gan, and I share their heartbreak over man. He was working at a local TV sta- war in which we have blindly followed the tragic situation impacting inno- tion. I was informed by my then-com- the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into con- cent Yemenis. munications director that we had this flict. Our Nation must show real leader- guy who wanted to work for my cam- This is our decision to make. That ship and take action to ensure that paign. At the time, I said to Matt war results in bloodshed and the shed- food, water, medicine, and all nec- McKenna: Why would he want to work ding of blood that will be on our hands essary humanitarian supplies are made for me? He has a good job. if we fail to exercise our constitutional available to those who so desperately Matt responded: Maybe he actually prerogatives under a system of govern- need them. thinks you can win this election. ment in which we have taken an oath I urge all of my colleagues to join me That is exactly what Aaron Murphy to uphold, protect, and defend the Con- in supporting S.J. Res. 54. believes. He believes in the future of stitution of the United States. I hope I yield the floor. this country. He believes in the future and expect that we will do our duty. I The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- of Montana. hope and expect that we will respect ator from Montana. There was another time, before the the lives of those who put their lives on TRIBUTE TO AARON MURPHY 2012 election, when Aaron was driving the line to protect us. Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I am to my farm. He took the wrong road, I urge my colleagues, with all the going to change pace a little bit here. and he ended up stuck in the mud. He emotion and all the compassion I am I want to talk about a couple of people buried the car up to the frame, and, capable of summoning, to vote for and on my staff who are going to move on fortunately, he found a spot where his pass S.J. Res. 54. to greener pastures, you might say, cell phone worked and got ahold of me. I yield the floor. and I want to acknowledge them. I went out with the tractor and pulled The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- First of all, I want to acknowledge a him out of the mud. I was laughing at ator from Michigan. man who has always been there for me the time, making fun of his inability to Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise to when I have needed him. Day or night, navigate a muddy road, but Aaron saw condemn the Saudi military campaign hell or high water, yes, even during the an opportunity. He later told that in Yemen, which is causing the worst first few weeks of his fatherhood, my story to a national reporter, who used humanitarian crisis since World War II. chief of staff, Aaron Murphy, has given it in a story to show that I hadn’t lost Tens of thousands of young children himself to Montana and to this Nation. my roots. have already died of starvation, and For years, he and his wife Patience Thanks for getting stuck in the mud, millions more in Yemen remain threat- and their children Mira and Wes have Aaron.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.058 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7497 Here is the thing about Aaron Mur- lem is, Dayna goes to work to make Zimbabweans heard the news that phy. He sees things differently. He has sure the problem is solved. Dayna’s Mugabe had been ousted by his own the ability to connect with people and team bends over backward to get them party and forced to retire. The people drive an agenda that matters to every- the help they deserve. of Zimbabwe burst into spontaneous day Americans. He is genuinely cre- Her leadership skills literally save celebration, hoping that with Mugabe ative, full of passion, and good for a lives. When I first got elected 12 years finally removed from power, the coun- terrible pun or a dad joke. ago, Dayna designed our constituent try might begin to move forward after Aaron, on behalf of my family, on be- casework process. She knew that my nearly 40 years of his reign. half of the entire staff—both here in No. 1 goal would be to help the people I had the opportunity to visit DC and in State—I want to thank you of Montana, and every day since then, Zimbabwe in February of 2016, where I for your hard work, your service, your she has committed her heart and soul led a delegation to southern Africa. dedication, and your willingness to to that mission. Mugabe’s misrule of the country was come back to the political fray and She has ushered Cabinet Secretaries certainly evident at that time. The help me for the last 2 years. across the State, showing them what devastation had taken its toll on the Thank you very much. rural America looks like. She has capital city of Harare. Yet, somehow, TRIBUTE TO DAYNA SWANSON worked with county commissioners, the people of Zimbabwe were so capa- Mr. President, I also want to talk State legislators, and everyday Mon- ble, so resilient, and had persevered about my State director, who is also tanans to ensure that Montana re- and were looking to a brighter future. leaving for greener pastures. I guess mains the last best place. I was able at that time to reconnect She has flown in the dead of winter that is what happens when you get re- with friends whom I hadn’t seen for 30 with me when it has been so cold you elected. years, including one of my missionary My State director’s name is Dayna couldn’t see the ground, and when you companions, Peter Chaya, who despite Swanson. She is an incredible woman. did land, you could see that the wings severe physical disability brought on She is a leader, wise counsel, and of the plane were covered with ice. by polio as a child, managed to raise For 12 years, she has been my eyes friend. Anybody who knows Dayna four children and contribute a great and ears on the ground in Montana. We knows she is a package of dynamite. deal to his church, to his community, have spent hundreds of hours to- A few years back, Dayna wanted to and to his country. gether—windshield time—from places get an old pickup. She looked around, Zimbabwe’s greatest potential has al- like Wibaux to Libby and all along the and she found an old pickup. She found ways been its people, and it is time for way. We have shared countless laughs a 1949 Chevrolet pickup that had a the government to take steps to ensure and have worked to make the State a that this potential can finally be real- pretty, fresh, green paint job. In fact, better place. ized. it was a paint job that also included While her time in my office comes to I want to work with Zimbabwe to part of the chrome bumper painted a close, I know there are great opportu- make this happen, and that is why I in- green. It looked good to Dayna, and she nities on the horizon for Dayna and her troduced the Zimbabwe Democracy and bought it. Needless to say, it probably partner Denise, who just took over as Economic Recovery Amendment Act, needed a little work. When you went superintendent of schools in the Se- along with Senator COONS, last March. around the corner, the doors would fly attle school system. She will be head- Senator COONS has been a valued part- open, and sometimes it would start, ing out to Seattle, where she will make ner in efforts to bring better govern- and sometimes it wouldn’t. Seattle a better place, just as she has ance to Zimbabwe, and I am sure that I figured, what the heck. It is an old made Montana a better place. we can play a constructive role. pickup. It is a great parade vehicle. We In Dayna Swanson’s particular case, The ZDERA Amendment Act, signed had a homecoming parade coming up in on behalf of my wife, the entire Tester into law in August, reiterates that in Missoula, so I asked Dayna if we could team, and the people of Montana, I say: order for sanctions on Zimbabwe to be use her new 1949 pickup in the parade. Thank you for a job well done. lifted, the government must restore We were in the parade with the vehicle With that, I yield the floor. the rule of law, it must hold free and and, as usual—it is what you would Mr. MENENDEZ. I suggest the ab- fair elections, and it must demonstrate think—it overheated, the hose blew, sence of a quorum. a sincere commitment to land reform, and before we knew it, the Lieutenant The PRESIDING OFFICER. The but—and this is different from the Governor was pushing the rig down the clerk will call the roll. prior statute—our changes send a sig- road with me driving it, which was The legislative clerk proceeded to nal to the Government of Zimbabwe, to kind of nice. call the roll. the opposition, and to the Zimbabwean That is Dayna. She is not afraid to Mr. FLAKE. Mr. President, I ask people that the United States is inter- take a risk. She inherited these traits unanimous consent that the order for ested in improving the state of our bi- from two marvelous people, her par- the quorum call be rescinded. lateral relationship, including in the ents, Butch and Kathy. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without areas of trade and investment. Dayna and I come from different objection, it is so ordered. The bill asks that the government of parts of the State of Montana, but we ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe take concrete, tangible still have some things in common. I Mr. FLAKE. Mr. President, last week steps toward good governance and the come from North Central Montana, I chaired a hearing in the Senate For- enactment of economic reforms. It where agriculture is the business. It is eign Relations Committee Sub- asks that all statutes inconsistent with done there, and we dig in the Earth to committee on Africa and Global Health Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution are ei- make a living. She comes from just that focused on Zimbabwe. ther replaced or amended to bring east of the Continental Divide, where As a young man, I fell in love with them in line with that Constitution. hard-working miners dig in the Earth the continent of Africa and, specifi- Finally, it underlines the need for a ro- to find minerals and, consequently, are cally, with the country of Zimbabwe, bust civil society that is allowed to able to put food on their table. where I served part of my Mormon mis- function freely and without govern- Her Anaconda roots—her Irish sion. The year was 1983, and the coun- ment interference. roots—define her, as evidenced by her try had recently gained its independ- The conditions outlined in the love of Jameson Whiskey, but it is her ence. A man by the name of Robert ZDERA Amendment Act are reasonable heart that makes her so special. Mugabe was serving as Prime Minister and will not take too long to achieve. Dayna has compassionately lead my at the time. I don’t think anyone could I urge President Mnangagwa to move Montana team in the State, guiding have predicted back then that Mugabe ahead and repeal troublesome statutes them through difficult times, over- would serve as leader of Zimbabwe and engage in meaningful economic re- coming government bureaucracy, and until November of 2017, nor could any- form along the lines of what Finance putting some big wins on the board for one have imagined the damage that he Minister Ncube has already rec- the State she loves—Montana. would do to this beautiful country. ommended. When a Montanan walks into one of Jubilation erupted in the streets of I remain concerned that a lack of my offices, regardless of what the prob- Harare in November of 2017 when momentum for reforming Zimbabwe

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:15 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.060 S12DEPT1 S7498 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 will squander the opportunity pre- mad bin Salman, especially regarding Act; that the Trump administration sented by the former President’s oust- the death of Jamal Khashoggi, an needs congressional authority, either er. We can’t expect Zimbabwe to flip a American-based Saudi journalist mur- pursuant to the War Powers Act or, switch and reverse nearly four decades dered in Turkey. I have a lot of respect more important, pursuant to article II of misrule in a few months’ time, but for the Senators weighing in, making of the U.S. Constitution, to conduct we should expect more urgency to re- their arguments all day today, includ- military operations in support of Saudi form the economy and to expand the ing Senators YOUNG, LEE, CORKER, Arabia’s military goals in Yemen. political space for the opposition. PAUL, GRAHAM, MURPHY, MENENDEZ, Senator LEE has done a great job of There is no more outward sign that and CARDIN—many. We do need to un- pressing this issue. There are many Zimbabwe has yet to turn the page derstand what happened, what our in- issues on which I agree with Senator than the government leveling charges telligence and our government have LEE of Utah. He is clearly one of this against opposition figures like Tendai surrounding this death. I am glad the body’s most knowledgeable and pas- Biti and others. There is no purpose CIA Director came to the Hill to brief sionate Members in safeguarding con- served by going after one’s political op- Members. But this debate has taken stitutional prerogatives, but in this ponents, especially in the wake of a something of a much more complex case, I simply disagree with him and contested election. turn. the other Senators whose views I view The new government of Zimbabwe Certainly, the heinous murderers as way too restrictive on the Com- bears much of the responsibility for need to be held accountable. There is mander in Chief’s ability to utilize our forging a positive path forward, but the no doubt about that. But what we have military. opposition party needs to play a con- been discussing, and what is really If we set the precedent that even an structive role there as well. The leader being implicated here on the floor— operation such as the refueling of air- of the Movement for Democratic which hasn’t really been talked about craft of allied countries, not even oc- Change, Nelson Chamisa, is young and too much—is the broader issue of U.S. curring in a war zone, needs congres- capable. He has a long career ahead of or American presence in the region, sional authority either through the him. It would be to his benefit and to not just regarding the current conflict War Powers Act or article II, we would the benefit of all Zimbabweans to rec- in Yemen but also our broader stra- severely limit the executive branch’s ognize the legitimacy of the new gov- tegic relationship with Saudi Arabia ability to direct international crises ernment and to help create an inclu- and our national security interests in and safeguard our global national secu- sive process moving ahead. the region. rity interests. I believe the notion that As in any democracy, Zimbabwe My colleagues are justified in their refueling allied aircraft constitutes needs a loyal opposition in the form of frustration—no doubt I share it as hostilities would be an unworkable an opposition party or parties to hold well—with the Saudis, with what is precedent and is a stretch of the term. the government accountable within the happening, but removing American I have also been skeptical of Senate framework of the rule of law. There leadership and oversight from this con- attempts to vote to remove Presi- will be new elections to contest and flict through this resolution is not the dential authority on our military oper- more chances to make the case to vot- way we should go about addressing this ations once those operations have ers. Now is the time to unify the coun- issue. We are trying to execute a policy begun. For example, we had a debate try. that both reflects America’s values and on military operations and the author- During this past few months, I have our national security interests. That is ity of our military to operate in Af- thought often about my friends, like what is being debated here today. We ghanistan, which I believe sends the Peter Chaya and others in Zimbabwe, need to send a strong message to the wrong message to our troops. It is a whom I know deserve far better from Saudis, but that message cannot under- precedent that once hostilities begin, their government than they have re- cut our own national security or those we don’t have the backs of our forces. ceived in the past four decades. They of our allies. The message cannot I think that is also a dangerous prece- deserve a government that represents strengthen what clearly is the biggest dent. them, a government that provides an threat in the region; that is, Iran, the That is not to say this is not an im- environment that allows them to fol- largest state sponsor of terrorism, portant debate. It is certainly an im- low their dreams and to realize the which almost nobody on the Senate portant debate. Other Members such as dreams of their children. floor has been talking about over the Senator KAINE have talked about the Zimbabwe deserves a government last several weeks. I intend to. importance of the issue of military au- worthy of its people, and I encourage Today’s vote has meant different thority, but with regard to this discus- my colleagues to look for ways to en- things to different Senators. I have sion, I think it is too limiting. gage constructively with Zimbabwe’s watched and listened to floor speeches. new government moving ahead. The I have participated in debates with my Let me talk about the second major new ZDERA presents a good, worthy colleagues within the Republican Con- issue involved that most Senators have framework. ference and when all the Senators have been focused on: whether to vote to af- By next month, my role will change, met when we were briefed by adminis- firmatively end U.S. military assist- but I will remain involved, and I will tration officials. ance to Saudi Arabia and their actions still be committed to a strong partner- I thought I would try to unpack a lit- in Yemen and whether and how, in ship between the United States and tle bit of some of these different argu- doing so, it will help end the humani- Zimbabwe. ments as I have seen them and provide tarian disaster going on there. I yield the floor. my views. I compliment Senator YOUNG and The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Generally, this debate is focused in Senator MURPHY, who have been mak- ROUNDS). The Senator from Alaska. three different areas: One, about the ing the case passionately on this topic S.J. RES. 54 constitutional authority—the War with much expertise. Clearly, they and Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, we Powers Act—that we have actually this body have been focused on two have been debating for quite some time been undertaking these kind of oper- goals: We all want a peaceful resolu- on the Senate floor the Yemen war ations with the Saudis in Yemen. The tion to the conflict in Yemen, and we powers resolution introduced by my other is limiting and ending U.S. as- all want an end to the humanitarian colleagues Senator SANDERS and Sen- sistance to Saudi operations—U.S. disaster in Yemen. ator LEE, which would cut off support military assistance—in Yemen. Fi- The reason I voted against the reso- for the Saudi-led war in Yemen—sup- nally, some Senators have been focused lution today is because I do not believe port that began under President on downgrading the U.S. relationship that either of these goals will be made Obama. with the Saudis because of what has easier or advanced by less American in- Surrounding this vote today, many of been happening both in Yemen and volvement in the conflict. To the con- my colleagues on both sides of the aisle with the Khashoggi murder. trary, if the United States no longer have expressed extreme frustration First, let me talk about the constitu- has the ability to help guide the Saudis with the Saudi Crown Prince, Muham- tional arguments on the War Powers militarily in Yemen, I believe these

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:15 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.061 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7499 two important goals—ending the hu- discussing goes much broader than just state sponsor of terrorism. Such an ac- manitarian crisis and bringing a peace- the relationship between our military tion would further embolden Iran and ful resolution—will actually be harder involvement in Yemen and really im- no doubt embolden its proxies, while at to reach. plicates the entire U.S.-Saudi strategic the same time our allies, including That is not just my view; that was relationship. It is the desire of a num- Israel, would feel less secure. the view of Secretary Mattis and Sec- ber of my colleagues to use this debate As this debate has carried on in the retary Pompeo when they came to brief and the despicable Khashoggi murder Senate, with no one talking about the all 100 Senators 2 weeks ago. In par- as an opportunity to fully downgrade largest state sponsor of terrorism, I ticular, Secretary Mattis knows the re- this decades-old strategic relationship. have found it very troubling because gion and certainly knows about how The Saudis are difficult partners, no the lens through which we need to view hostilities end and begin in the region. doubt. They have been for decades. security in the Middle East is through The basis of their arguments—with Last week, when I was presiding, Sen- Iran. Although we have dissatisfaction which I agree—was, first, there is no ator RUBIO gave an excellent speech and frustration with some of our allies, doubt the Saudis have prosecuted the saying that he believed the Saudis are we must remember the most signifi- war badly, but both the Obama admin- testing the limits of their relationship cant and serious threat in the Middle istration’s Department of Defense and with the United States and that we East continues to be Iran. the Trump administration’s Depart- should look to draw some hard lines There has been a lot of focus on the ment of Defense have worked hard to and recalibrate elements of our rela- horrible death of Mr. Khashoggi. Any minimize casualties. tionship while demanding improve- death is horrible, but let me talk about Does anyone actually believe the sit- ments in other areas. I agreed with some other deaths. uation in Yemen will improve without much of Senator RUBIO’s speech, in- In the Middle East, in Iraq, we have U.S. assistance and guidance? The cluding his conclusion, like mine, that had over 500 American military mem- question almost answers itself. Having we should not be cutting off our mili- bers killed and almost 2,000 wounded by our military involved has helped the tary assistance to the Saudis in Yemen improvised explosive devices supplied Saudis improve their coordination and because it would do much more harm to Iraqi Shia militias by the Iranians. improve their targeting to minimize ci- than good. Let me say that again: Over 2,000 vilian casualties. Having our military Nevertheless, some Senators have ar- Americans killed and wounded by the involved has helped the Saudis manage gued for much more downgrading of largest state sponsor of terrorism. Yet disagreements between them and their the U.S. relationship with Saudi Ara- nobody seems to talk about that. Yes, Gulf coalition partners. These partners bia. In fact, so much of this has been one death of an American journalist is also play an important role in helping exclusively focused on the Saudis, with horrible. Over 2,000 American dead and to bring an end to this war. no other reference to any other coun- wounded is really horrible. Where was Having our military involved has try in the Middle East, that it seems the outrage about those deaths? Where also helped provide critical leverage as this debate on the floor has been in a was the outrage about those murders? we move into the hopeful peace nego- vacuum, but as we know, there are a Where were the editorials about those tiations underway in Sweden as we lot more countries in the region, in- murders of American citizens? The pre- speak. Yemen’s Government and the cluding the world’s biggest sponsor of vious administration wasn’t focused on Houthi rebels have evidently agreed to those because they were focused on the a prisoner swap, which could include state terrorism, Iran, which nobody is Iran nuclear deal. thousands of prisoners and could be the talking about. We should be talking All I am saying is, in this debate, no- beginning of a diplomatic break- about them because, in fact, the war in body is talking about the real enemy of through. Yemen began when Tehran-backed I had the opportunity to talk with Houthi rebels seized power in 2015. the United States—the Iranians, who Secretaries Mattis and Pompeo this Again, there is not a lot of discussion are watching this debate and smiling weekend. Both said this would be ex- about how it began. because no one is talking about them. actly the wrong time, at a key diplo- Tehran is trying to establish a So I thought it was important to come matic moment, to have the United Hezbollah-like entity on the Arabian down and say: Some of us are. Some of States limit and end its military as- Peninsula in Yemen, including in- us know you are behind the war in sistance to Saudi Arabia. creased capabilities to target cities in Yemen. Some of us know you contin- I know sometimes people don’t like Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles ually say you want to wipe Israel off to think this way, but military supplied by Iran. This is all part of the face of the Earth. Some of us know strength and leverage is often crit- Iran’s broader strategy in the region to the Iran deal only emboldened you. ical—critical to successful diplomatic encircle our traditional allies—whether What we need to keep in mind is, yes, negotiations. For the first time, there Saudi Arabia, Gulf Arab States, and of we have difficult partners. No doubt is promise—promise in negotiations in course Israel—with proxy fighters the Saudis are difficult. They are not Sweden. All of us want that to succeed. throughout Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, perfect by any sense of the word. However, I believe we undermine our and close relationships in Iraq. Yet no But this is a difficult region, and chances of success in these diplomatic one in this debate seems to want to these are difficult issues, and if we efforts if Congress forces the United talk about Iran. I thought I would do think we can debate Yemen and our States to end military assistance to so for a minute. help there without talking about the the Saudis. Let’s talk about the humanitarian Saudis and the Iranians, who started We also have an even more direct and crisis in Yemen. U.S. humanitarian aid the war and are trying to circle our dif- real national security interest in the has totaled almost $697 million in the ferent allies, including Israel, and region. Yemen is an important front in past 14 months. Yes, Saudi Arabia think somehow that this debate is not the war on terror: It is the home to al- could do a much better job, but they emboldening them more, I think we are Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP. have invested well over $1 billion to try misguided. They have attempted multiple times to to end the suffering. Iran—the country I voted against this resolution be- directly attack our homeland. They which started the war, the country no- cause I still think it is important to were responsible for the attack on the body on the Senate floor is talking keep in mind that the lens through USS Cole that killed 17 sailors and se- about—not a dime to relieve the suf- which we need to assess our security verely wounded 39 others, and they fering. Sure, they have supplied weap- interests and those of our allies in the were responsible for the 2015 massacre ons and ballistic missiles in the tens of Middle East is through what helps or at Charlie Hebdo’s offices in Paris. millions of dollars but nothing to re- undermines Iran. I am concerned that Limiting our military involvement in lieve the suffering. this resolution can help them, and that Yemen could pose significant risk with If we cut off U.S. military assistance is not good for the United States, it is regard to AQAP that I believe would be to Riyadh and Yemen, you had better not good for the war in Yemen, it is not unacceptable for the American people. believe the one capital in the Middle good for the humanitarian catastrophe The third line of argument we have East that will be cheering the loudest in Yemen, and it is certainly not good seen on the floor and many have been is Tehran—again, the world’s largest for all allies like Israel.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:15 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.063 S12DEPT1 S7500 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 I yield the floor. norms. They have funded extremism Houthis alike. Day after day, the hu- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- that led to the rise of terrorism. They manitarian crisis of famine, cholera, ator from Connecticut. may well have provided financial sup- other medical afflictions, and simple Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I port and even training for the Saudis trauma to those children trying to want to begin by thanking a number of who went to the United States and grow up in the midst of exploding my colleagues who have contributed so thereafter enabled and led and partici- bombs continues to get worse. The much to bringing us to this point on pated in the attack on this Nation. United Nations warns that 14 million S.J. Res. 54. I have been very pleased We should never forget the survivors Yemenis could face starvation—14 mil- and honored to work with them in co- and the loved ones of 9/11. We should lion—14 million innocent people facing sponsoring these measures in the never overlook the Saudi role in that starvation. past—most recently in March and now horrific attack. We should never relent Diplomatic efforts, in coordination today—to end all U.S. involvement in in supporting those 9/11 families. with the United Nations and European the Saudi-led war in Yemen that is Fortunately, we have made progress allies, are vital to establish a peace killing innocent civilians and mur- in holding Saudi Arabia accountable framework and ensure civilian access dering children and committing, argu- for its culpability in 9/11. In 2016, this to humanitarian aid. ably, war crimes. Congress unanimously passed the Jus- In the absence of meaningful action The United States should have no tice Against Sponsors of Terrorism from the United States, the humani- complicity in these actions that betray Act—JASTA—to allow terrorist vic- tarian crisis in Yemen will only wors- our values and our national interest, so tims their day in court, their fair op- en. Regional instability will be exacer- this resolution would direct the re- portunity to hold accountable state bated. America’s standing in the global moval of all U.S. Armed Forces from sponsors of terrorism, including the community will be further undercut hostilities. Saudi Arabian Government. This Sep- and enduringly diminished. In March of this year, I led a letter to There are many to thank—Senators tember, the Senate unanimously the Department of Defense with my SANDERS and LEE, Senator MENENDEZ, passed my resolution to release all colleague Senator JACK REED of Rhode and my colleague from Connecticut, classified documents related to the 9/11 Island, along with many of our col- Senator MURPHY—but I want to thank attack. These documents are abso- leagues on the Senate Armed Services some people who have not been men- lutely essential to giving those fami- Committee, stating our concern re- tioned during this proceeding. lies their day in court because they are Before Yemen and before the killing garding U.S. support for Saudi military the evidence that is needed to establish operations against the Houthis in of Khashoggi—that is, before the civil the link the United States has—intel- war in Yemen and the Saudi involve- Yemen and asking about the DOD’s in- ligence dating from those days now volvement, apparently without appro- ment in it and before the brutal, hei- seemingly long ago—that inculpates nous killing of the American journalist priate notification of Congress, and its the Saudis. agreements to provide refueling sup- Jamal Khashoggi—there was 9/11. The We must support the continued in- port to the Saudis and the Saudi coali- victims and loved ones of those victims vestigation into 9/11 by our law en- tion partners. We were concerned that are remembered by me. They are forcement and intelligence agencies, the DOD had not appropriately docu- friends. They are heroes. They have and we must support those 9/11 families mented reimbursements for aerial re- fought relentlessly to hold the Govern- to ensure that the facts are made pub- fueling support provided by the United ment of Saudi Arabia accountable for lic and that the necessary individuals, States. its culpability—not yet proven in entities, and governments are held ac- Eight months later—just days ago— court, but they are seeking to hold the countable. the Department of Defense responded monarchy accountable for its possible The families of victims who perished to our letter and admitted that it has involvement. on that horrific day deserve answers failed to appropriately notify Congress They have been largely absent from about those events and circumstances of its support agreements; it has failed the discussion on this floor, but they surrounding the terrorist attack. We to adequately charge Saudi Arabia and are the original champions of holding know their pain and grief are very the United Arab Emirates for fuel and the Saudis responsible for any and all much with them. We should respect refueling assistance. That admission 8 possible involvement in supporting the their loss and honor it with action. months after our inquiry is a damning 9/11 attack on our Nation. Make no We should recognize those heroes like indictment. These errors in accounting mistake—their loved ones were vic- Brett Eagleson of Connecticut and the mean that the United States was di- tims, but it was an attack on our Na- families of Connecticut and New York rectly funding the Saudi war in Yemen. tion, on the Twin Towers, on our De- and New Jersey and all around the It has been doing it since March of 2015. fense Department, on a plane that was country—and so many are from our In November, the administration an- forced to crash in Pennsylvania. area of New York, Connecticut, and nounced an end to U.S. aerial refueling I am pleased that the U.S. Senate is New Jersey—who continue to demand support for Saudi military operations pursuing justice for Jamal Khashoggi. justice and have done so year after in Yemen, but we still must determine He was a journalist, an opinion writer year—well before this resolution came whether the Department of Defense for an American newspaper with two before us. was incompetent or disingenuous—or young children who are U.S. citizens. I say to my colleagues today, we need both—in failing to charge the Saudis The United States has a moral obli- to keep our resolve alive and well to and Emiratis for previous refueling as- gation to end support for a government never forget, never yield to hopeless- sistance. We need accountability, a full that engages in this kind of heinous, ness, never allow our support for these explanation from the Department of murderous action. There is intelligence 9/11 families to diminish, never cease Defense. that points directly to the highest lev- our quest for justice in the name of The Department will be seeking re- els of the Saudi monarchy—namely to Brett Eagleson’s dad and his family imbursement for its refueling support, the Crown Prince, Muhammad bin and every family who still suffers the but I will continue to demand and con- Salman. pain and grief from 9/11. duct oversight to get to the bottom of The United States ought to end its Given the role of the Saudi Govern- this apparent negligence. I have made support for the humanitarian crisis ment in perpetrating the 9/11 attacks, the DOD aware of my concerns, and I caused by the Saudi-led war in Yemen. the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, will evaluate whether an inspector gen- Make no mistake—it was and is a and the Saudi-inflicted humanitarian eral investigation is necessary to de- Saudi-led attack, and the Kingdom is crisis, this reevaluation of the U.S. re- termine the extent to which U.S. tax- responsible for it, but this monarchy lationship with Saudi Arabia is long payer funds—potentially millions and was doing bad things and engaged in overdue. tens of millions of dollars—were used bad behavior well before the Yemen The Saudi-led war has consisted of an to fund the Saudi war and used to fund civil war and Khashoggi’s tragic death. aggressive campaign as brutal as the it without the legally required ac- The Saudis have a long record of vio- murder of Jamal Khashoggi, indis- knowledgment and approval from the lating human rights and international criminately killing civilians and Congress of the United States.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:15 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.067 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7501 Very simply, the United States and fund their stays in the Trump well over 100 children under the age of should not be funding this war. We hotel was a despicable irony and insult 5 dying of hunger and starvation each should not be supporting this war. We to America, but it yielded the Trump day. We are told by the experts that 8 should not be providing intelligence or Organization $270,000 and millions of to 14 million people are at risk of star- logistics support. We should not be dollars, by the President’s own ac- vation, but many are already starving, complicit in the indiscriminate tar- knowledgment—indeed, his boasting— and not just children under 5—the geting of civilians in Yemen, the mur- go to the Trump organization from whole spectrum of society. der of children, the famine and human- condos, apartments, and offices rented We have been directly involved in itarian crisis that are ongoing right or bought in New York, Chicago, and ways that, in my mind, violate the War now. That is why today we should pass Washington, DC, to say nothing of Powers Act by directly facilitating the this resolution. deals that may be contemplated by the movement of armaments and assisting It is all the more important today, as Trump Organization now or after Don- Saudi Arabia in this assault, and this well, that the Senate take a stand, ald Trump leaves office. These kinds of assault must end. We have to send a given the Trump family ties to the payments and benefits directly impli- strong message, and we can do that Saudis and the President’s habit of un- cate the emoluments clause of the Con- through this vote we are facing ahead dermining the intelligence community. stitution. They are part of the reason of us. That is one piece of the conversa- In the absence of leadership from the that I have enlisted almost 200 of my tion regarding Saudi Arabia. President, Congress must reassert its colleagues in the U.S. Congress in a The other piece is that the Saudi constitutional responsibility to author- lawsuit called Blumenthal v. Trump, Government has assassinated an Amer- ize the use of U.S. military support. and I believe this lawsuit, which claims ican resident—an American resident We must take action to uphold the that the President violated the chief who is also an American newspaper col- Constitution, as well as American val- anti-corruption provision of the U.S. umnist. What do we have as a re- ues and interests. Intelligence assess- Constitution, will shed even more light sponse? We have the weakest possible ments indicate with high certainty on those payments and benefits from response from President Trump, with that members of the Saudi royal fam- Saudi Arabia and other countries President Trump saying that we don’t ily, including the Crown Prince MBS, around the world. These friendships know what happened. The Saudi Crown Prince may have been involved; he ordered and orchestrated the murder of and conflicts of interest demonstrate might not have been involved. Who will Jamal Khashoggi. But both President the very flawed and likely corrupt ever know? Trump and his son-in-law Jared basis for the Trump administration’s Kushner have undermined these find- We need a strong watchdog for Amer- foreign policy with Saudi Arabia. ican values. We need the President to ings and tried to stifle the intelligence American credibility is at stake. We stand up to Saudi Arabia. We don’t community conclusions. They have un- must end all U.S. involvement in the need to hear that we are going to be dermined not only these conclusions Saudi war. We must sanction the top weak in the face of an assassination of but more broadly the intelligence com- levels of the Saudi monarchy under rel- an American resident because they munity itself. evant statutes like the Global happen to buy armaments from the President Trump has debased and dis- Magnitsky Act. We must ensure that honored brave intelligence profes- United States. Yet that is what we are the President removes U.S. forces from hearing from President Trump—weak- sionals by demeaning their fact-based any hostilities against the Yemeni peo- ness, selling out American values be- conclusions as ‘‘feelings.’’ President ple. cause they buy some American prod- Trump has falsely claimed that ‘‘we There are countless reasons to vote ucts. may never know all the facts sur- for this resolution. I call on my col- What more trouble can we invite rounding the murder of Mr. Jamal leagues to support it and to make sure around the world if we don’t stand up Khashoggi.’’ that U.S. support for this unacceptable for human rights and we don’t stand up His Secretary of State and Secretary conflict in Saudi—the aggression and for our residents and we don’t stand up of Defense, unfortunately, have further attacks by Saudi Arabia on innocent for our journalists, all tied in together demeaned those findings by saying that civilians—is ended now. here? there is no direct evidence or there is Thank you. Let’s be forceful in how we vote on no smoking gun. The fact is that there I yield the floor. this resolution. Let’s send a strong is powerful and compelling evidence. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- message. We know from public statements of ator from Oregon. This challenge of the President in ig- my colleagues coming from briefings Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, under noring the article I powers in our Con- by the intelligence community, and we our Constitution, we have article I, stitution, in which the power to be in- recently learned that the White House which addresses the powers of Con- volved in war is vested in this body, Middle East adviser—I should put ‘‘ad- gress, and article II, the powers of the Congress, is not the only problem we viser’’ in quotes—Jared Kushner of- Presidency. Our Founders were so con- have. We also have core corruption of fered advice to his close friend Muham- cerned that the President would take our Constitution in the form of gerry- mad Bin Salman about how to ‘‘weath- us into war without justification that mandering and voter suppression and er the storm’’ during the warranted they made sure to explicitly place the dark money, all of which erode the fun- backlash of Saudi Arabia after the power to go to war with Congress—with damental vision, the vision in our Con- murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Rather the House and Senate. stitution of a ‘‘we the people’’ govern- than ensuring accountability, Jared But here we are, debating the issue of ment, one that serves as President Lin- Kushner is inexplicably offering sup- how the President took us into war in coln so eloquently said, to operate ‘‘of port. Yemen as a facilitator of Saudi Arabia, the people, by the people, for the peo- There is also stunning evidence that providing intelligence, providing ad- ple.’’ Instead, we have the government the Saudi Government lobbyists re- vice, refueling planes, providing arma- operating of, by, and for the powerful served blocks of rooms at the Trump ments. It is time for us to take a pow- in this country—the 1 percent in this hotel in Washington, paying for an es- erful and clear stand and change this country. timated 500 nights in the luxury hotel and end this. It certainly wasn’t done in 2017 with just 3 months after President Trump Here is what has been going on. For a tax bill that took $1.5 trillion—or call was elected, bringing veterans to Wash- multiple years now, Saudi Arabia has it $2 trillion, if you include the interest ington to lobby against JASTA, the been bombing the civilian infrastruc- on the $1.5 trillion—out of our Federal bill I mentioned earlier—the bill that ture of Yemen, indiscriminately Treasury and gave it to the very rich- enables the 9/11 victims to have their slaughtering civilians, destroying est Americans. Boy, that is not a ‘‘we day in court, the bill that upholds schools and hospitals and neighbor- the people’’ action. American interests and American val- hoods and water systems. What is the We didn’t invest in healthcare. We ues and American people. result of destroying the water systems? didn’t invest in education. We need ap- The effort of the Saudi Government The largest outbreak of cholera in the prenticeship programs. We need tech- to bring those veterans to Washington history of humankind. We now have nical education. We need better public

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:15 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.068 S12DEPT1 S7502 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 12, 2018 schools. We need affordable colleges. State Jon Husted to purge thousands of the other party to try to prevent them We didn’t invest in education. We Ohioans from the voting rolls. If you from voting. It is un-American. It goes didn’t make our healthcare system are not on the voting rolls, you can’t against the essence of what our Con- more affordable. We didn’t take on the vote when the election comes. Again, stitution is all about. drug companies. We didn’t proceed to who were disproportionately affected? It is wrong, and yet, since the Voting invest in the challenge of unaffordable African Americans—the Ohio voting Rights Act was torn down by the Su- housing. We didn’t invest in infrastruc- roll purge strategy of voter suppres- preme Court of the United States, we ture and create living-wage jobs. Those sion. see it time and again. We don’t just see are the four foundations of a thriving What did we see in North Carolina? it before the election. We see it during family—healthcare, housing, edu- Thanks to a law passed by the Repub- the election day. cation, and living-wage jobs. We ig- lican State legislature, nearly 20 per- In Georgia, we saw hours-long lines nored all of that and had the govern- cent of North Carolina’s early voting to vote in majority-minority districts, ment of the powerful giving $1.5 tril- locations were closed, forcing voters to either because machines didn’t happen lion or $2 trillion, if we include the in- travel longer or wait in long election- to be working or they didn’t have the terest, to the richest Americans—gov- day lines to cast their vote. I will give extension cords to turn them on. ernment by and for the powerful. you one guess on who was impacted the In Arizona, one polling place didn’t Voter suppression is a key strategy most. Who was this target aimed at? exist on election day because even in this. What did President Reagan Well, it was aimed at African-Amer- though people were told to vote there, have to say about that? President ican voters—the long line strategy it was in a building that was locked up. Reagan said: ‘‘For this Nation to re- from North Carolina and Kansas, as Voting machines were inside, but the main true to its principles, we cannot well. doors were locked. The building had allow any American’s vote to be de- In Kansas, the county clerk in Dodge been foreclosed on, but they didn’t nied, diluted or defiled.’’ City, citing construction, moved the bother to move it next door or some- Now, there is a statement by a man only polling place in a town that is 60 where close by, enabling people to vote. who understood that voting is the percent Hispanic from a spot downtown In Texas, we heard about the ma- foundation of our democratic repub- to an arena built for rodeo and farming chines that were changing people’s votes from a Democratic candidate to lic—a core right of Americans—and he shows outside the city limits. This was Republican candidate. believed we needed to stand up and a location that had no sidewalk and is All the while, President Trump was make sure that core value remains separated from the rest of the city by fully intact. But so often in our Nation working to cast doubt on the legit- train tracks, making it as difficult as imacy of our normal election proc- we have seen those who wield power for possible for voters to get there. It was the powerful proceed to deny or dilute esses—tweeting out that ballots com- targeted at a Hispanic community. ing in after election night shouldn’t be or defile the power to vote, particu- We saw voting suppression aimed at counted. What was he talking about larly in poor communities, particularly college students, too. In Iowa, the leg- down in Florida, about ballots that in communities of color. islature passed a bill to cut 11 days off We have seen everything. We have shouldn’t be counted? We are talking early voting this year in order to make about the absentee ballots for our sol- seen poll taxes. We have seen literacy it harder to vote. It also had a tricky tests. We have seen post-Civil War good diers overseas. But because the Presi- little deal on an ID requirement, which character tests. We have seen the use dent was concerned that they might will not now go into effect until next of felony charges to make it impossible change the outcome, he didn’t want year, but it created a great deal of con- for African Americans to vote in the them counted. fusion about this year because it made South. We have seen voter intimida- If only Ronald Reagan could spend a people think they weren’t eligible to tion, and we have seen it sometimes few minutes with President Trump and vote because it said your ID had to through racist dog whistling and polit- remind him of what our Nation is all have an expiration date on it. Why was ical postcards. We have a long history about, what our Constitution is all this tricky little thing done? Because of these types of actions to deny, di- about, how important voting is, and college IDs often don’t have an expira- lute, and defile the power to vote. that it should never be denied or di- I would like to say there is some- tion date on them. luted. thing of our past that we saw with the Well, it is a total violation of the vi- None of these efforts are unique. We 1965 Voting Rights Act, but that act sion Ronald Reagan laid out, and real- saw these efforts back in 2016, as well, was struck down by the Supreme ly, of the foundation—the vision—of in the first election after the Voting Court. We are seeing all kinds of forms our Constitution and the power to vote. Rights Act was torn down by the Su- In New Hampshire, a bill was signed of voter suppression emerge in 2016 and preme Court. That was the Shelby 2018. into law this past July aimed at sup- County v. Holder decision. The Court In 2018, thousands of Native Ameri- pressing college-age voters as well. It thought this wasn’t necessary any cans in North Dakota living on Tribal says students and other part-time resi- more. Maybe they should ask Congress reserves and using their P.O. boxes for dents have to become permanent resi- whether it was necessary. Now that we their mail address were kept from cast- dents. How do you become a permanent find out it was necessary, maybe they ing a ballot because of a law that came resident in order to cast a ballot? You should reverse their decision. We need into effect in 2018. It said you can’t have to buy an in-State license. If you to put a new issue before them. Maybe vote without a conventional address— have a car in another State, you have we need a new Voting Rights Act. the North Dakota ‘‘conventional ad- to reregister it in New Hampshire, Maybe it should apply to every State, dress’’ effort to dilute or deny or ob- which means registration fees, fees for rather than just the States that were struct the power to vote. license plates, and possibly separate in the 1965 Voting Rights Act bill. In Georgia, the then-secretary of State and municipal fees. It is like a In 2016, that first election after the State, Brian Kemp, who was himself poll tax placed on college students. So Voting Rights Act was torn down by running for Governor, attempted to there we have this 21st century poll tax the Supreme Court, we saw 900 fewer block 53,000 Georgians from voting—70 coming back aimed at college students. polling places open to voters than in percent of whom were African-Amer- Why are all these voting suppression 2014—2 years earlier. Most of that ican voters—because of minor dif- strategies aimed at poor communities, change was in the States that pre- ferences in the wording of the way they aimed at communities of color, Afri- viously were under the regulation, the filled out their registration form. If the can-American communities and His- oversight of the Voting Rights Act. We name wasn’t exactly identical or had panic communities? Why are they saw that in Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, some other slight variation, he was sit- aimed at college students? They are Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, ting on those voting registration aimed at these three populations be- and North Carolina. When you reduce cards—the ‘‘identical name’’ gambit cause those three populations vote pri- the number of polling places in poor from Georgia. marily on the Democratic side of the communities and communities of In Ohio, a county elections board ballot. It is wrong for any official in color, you create long wait lines, and proceeded on the orders of Secretary of this country to simply target voters of you deny the vote.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:15 Dec 13, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G12DE6.070 S12DEPT1 December 12, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7503 Nearly 17,000 Wisconsinites—dis- woman’s right to vote, and all the way Brig. Gen. Mary K. Leahy proportionately minorities—were kept up to the civil rights marches of the Brig. Gen. Gabriel Troiano from the polls because of Wisconsin’s 1960s and the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Brig. Gen. Jonathan Woodson voter ID law. The State saw its lowest America’s story has been of expanding To be brigadier general turnout in two decades. This law had opportunity for every American to Col. Tina B. Boyd nothing to do with security. It had ev- have a say in the direction of our gov- Col. Brian T. Cashman Col. Walter M. Duzzny erything to do with voter suppression ernment. Col. Eric Folkestad because it is a known fact that resi- But we are far from ensuring that Col. Ernest Litynski dents in low-income and minority com- today every American has that oppor- Col. Nelson G. Rosen munities are less likely to be able to tunity because the strategies of voter The following named Army National Guard access the IDs that are required for suppression are rampant, they are ex- of the United States officer for appointment polls. This is keenly targeted. tensive, and they are targeted. Voter in the Reserve of the Army to the grade indi- In fact, after North Carolina’s voter suppression and voter intimidation cated under title 10, U.S.C., sections 12203 ID law was struck down in 2016, the must end, and we need to ensure that and 12211: Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals deci- every American has the unfettered To be major general sion noted that it targeted African right to have a voice in their govern- Brig. Gen. Laura L. Yeager Americans with ‘‘almost surgical preci- ment, that every American has the un- IN THE NAVY sion.’’ The State resorted that year— fettered right to cast a ballot during The following named officer for appoint- after it was struck down—to elimi- the election. ment in the United States Navy to the grade nating early voting days, severely cur- President Reagan had it right back indicated while assigned to a position of im- portance and responsibility under title 10, tailing the number of polling places, in 1981. He supported the expansion of U.S.C., section 601: and affecting their hours of operation the Voting Rights Act. He said: ‘‘For To be vice admiral in communities of color. this Nation to remain true to its prin- Vice Adm. Michael M. Gilday By the way, the lead plaintiff in the ciples, we cannot allow any American’s IN THE AIR FORCE case that challenged the voting sup- vote to be denied, diluted or defiled.’’ pression strategy of the voter ID law The following named Air National Guard of Let’s make it so. the United States officers for appointment in passed away this weekend at age 97. Thank you, Mr. President. the Reserve of the Air Force to the grade in- Ms. Rosanell Eaton was once described (Mr. GARDNER assumed the Chair.) dicated under title 10, U.S.C., sections 12203 by President Obama as a beacon of The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. and 12212: civil rights. She was a life-long devotee SCOTT). The Senator from Colorado. To be major general of and advocate for voting rights. Now, f Brigadier General Jeffrey W. Burkett that is a patriot. Brigadier General Jessica Meyeraan It is because of unsung heroes like EXECUTIVE SESSION Brigadier General Russ A. Walz her that our Nation has come far and The following named Air National Guard of the United States officers for appointment in why we must continue pushing our- EXECUTIVE CALENDAR selves forward to ensure justice and the Reserve of the Air Force to the grade in- equality for all. Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask dicated under title 10, U.S.C., sections 12203 In a ‘‘we the people’’ nation, can any unanimous consent that the Senate and 12212: of these efforts to suppress the vote be proceed to executive session for the To be brigadier general allowed to continue? The answer is consideration of Calendar Nos. 1154 Colonel James R. Camp no—not if we want the vision of gov- through 1169 and all nominations Colonel Wesley J. Clare placed on the Secretary’s desk in the Colonel James T. Demarest ernment of, by, and for the people. How Colonel John M. Green can any of us sit by and allow citizens Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Colonel Peter T. Green, III of this country—citizens like Rosanell Navy; that the nominations be con- Colonel Robert C. Korte Eaton—to be systematically denied the firmed; that the motions to reconsider Colonel Darrin P. Leleux most fundamental right? be considered made and laid upon the Colonel Mark A. Maldonado We have to work together—Demo- table with no intervening action or de- Colonel James P. Marren crats and Republicans—to honor and to bate; that no further motions be in Colonel John R. Mulvey strengthen the vision of the ability to order; that any statements related to Colonel John F. O’Connell the nominations be printed in the Colonel Matthew J. Peterson vote. We need a fierce and formidable Colonel Robert A. Schulte voting rights bill for the 21st century, Record; that the President be imme- Colonel James G. Silvasy ensuring in every way possible that diately notified of the Senate’s action, The following named Air National Guard of every single American can exercise his and the Senate then resume legislative the United States officers for appointment in or her right to vote freely and fairly. session. the Reserve of the Air Force to the grade in- We need a voting rights bill that bans The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without dicated under title 10, U.S.C., sections 12203 the type of shenanigans and the types objection, it is so ordered. and 12212: of deceptive strategies that target poor IN THE AIR FORCE To be brigadier general communities, communities of color, The following named officer for appoint- Colonel Darrin K. Anderson and college students that I talked ment in the United States Air Force to the Colonel Mark D. Auer about today. grade indicated while assigned to a position Colonel Buel J. Dickson But we also need a voting rights bill of importance and responsibility under title Colonel Kenneth S. Eaves 10, U.S.C., section 601: Colonel Steven S. Lambrecht that requires preapproval for changes Colonel Toni M. Lord To be lieutenant general to voting procedures to make sure that Colonel Glen A. Martel they are not being changed in order to Lt. Gen. John N. T. Shanahan Colonel David W. May take away the ability to vote and to The following named officer for appoint- Colonel Gary A. McCue make it more difficult for some com- ment in the United States Air Force to the Colonel Thomas H. Mora munities than for other communities grade indicated while assigned to a position Colonel John W. Pogorek within a State. We need a voting rights of importance and responsibility under title The following named Air National Guard of commission with the power to ban new 10, U.S.C., section 601: the United States officer for appointment in voter suppression practices as they To be lieutenant general the Reserve of the Air Force to the grade in- Maj. Gen. Kevin B. Schneider dicated under title 10, U.S.C., sections 12203 evolve because, surely, people will try and 12212: IN THE ARMY new strategies from people who do not To be brigadier general believe in the vision of our Constitu- The following named officers for appoint- Col. Thomas A. Dukes, Jr. tion. ment in the Reserve of the Army to the From the 15th amendment of 1870, grades indicated under title 10, U.S.C., sec- The following named Air National Guard of tion 12203: the United States officer for appointment in which recognized African-Americans’ the Reserve of the Air Force to the grade in- right to vote, to the 19th amendment of To be major general dicated under title 10, U.S.C., sections 12203 1920, 50 years later, which recognized a Brig. Gen. Stephen J. Hager and 12212:

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