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

Vol. 163 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017 No. 51 House of Representatives The House met at 9 a.m. and was The question was taken; and the It is my great pleasure to welcome called to order by the Speaker. Speaker announced that the ayes ap- Pastor Bob and thank him as he has peared to have it. blessed us this morning with his pray- f Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. er. PRAYER Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the f ground that a quorum is not present Pastor Bob MacGregor, City Harvest and make the point of order that a ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Church, Vancouver, Washington, of- quorum is not present. PRO TEMPORE fered the following prayer: The SPEAKER. Pursuant to clause 8, The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lord, we come today with thanks- rule XX, further proceedings on this WOMACK). The Chair will entertain up giving for the work of Your grace in es- question will be postponed. to five further requests for 1-minute tablishing this at work called America. The point of no quorum is considered speeches on each side of the aisle. Known around the world as the Na- withdrawn. tion of opportunity, many fight to be- f come a part of us and few desire to f SERGEANT FIRST CLASS CHRIS- leave because You, Lord, have made us PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TOPHER ROBINSON WAS TRULY great. The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman THE BEST OF THE BEST Our Founding Fathers understood from Mississippi (Mr. KELLY) come for- (Mr. KELLY of Mississippi asked and this by experience and by the Scrip- ward and lead the House in the Pledge was given permission to address the tures ‘‘that except the Lord builds the of Allegiance. House for 1 minute and to revise and House, they labor in vain who build Mr. KELLY of Mississippi led the extend his remarks.) it.’’ So it has been our deep conviction Pledge of Allegiance as follows: Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. from our conception to daily appeal to I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Speaker, I am humbled today to rise in You for wisdom to guide the leaders of United States of America, and to the Repub- memory of Army Sergeant First Class this great Nation. lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Christopher Lee Robinson. He paid the indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So, once again, we ask for the wis- ultimate sacrifice while defending our dom to protect all our citizens, provide f Nation on March 25, 2006, during Oper- opportunity for all, help our poor, care WELCOMING PASTOR BOB ation Enduring Freedom in Afghani- for our elderly, secure our families, MACGREGOR stan. educate our children, and make our Sergeant Robinson was wounded dur- economy strong. The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Washington ing an ambush in Helmand province, We pray for unity in this endeavor. Afghanistan, while conducting joint May righteousness exalt us through all (Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER) is recognized for 1 minute. and multinational combat operations. our laws. This we ask respectfully in Master Sergeant Reese Robbins, his Jesus’ name. There was no objection. Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER. Mr. friend, was also wounded during the at- Amen. Speaker, it is my great honor to intro- tack. At the time of his death, Ser- f duce my pastor and dear friend, Bob geant Robinson was the first Mis- MacGregor, as our guest chaplain this sissippi National Guard soldier to die THE JOURNAL morning. in Afghanistan. The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- Pastor Bob is the lead pastor of City Sergeant Robinson was assigned to ined the Journal of the last day’s pro- Harvest Church in Vancouver, Wash- the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces ceedings and announces to the House ington, my home church. City Harvest Group, Mississippi Army National his approval thereof. is a thriving church that greatly im- Guard in Jackson, Mississippi. He fol- Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- pacts our community by caring for the lowed in the footsteps of his father, nal stands approved. needy and supporting mission work. George Robinson, who also served in Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Pastor Bob and his wife, Sue, have the Army. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule four daughters and eight grand- Retired Sergeant Major Mike Patter- I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the children. They have been married for 38 son served with Sergeant Robinson Speaker’s approval of the Journal. years and share a burden to help build throughout most of his military career. The SPEAKER. The question is on marriages and families of ministers Sergeant Major Patterson said Ser- the Speaker’s approval of the Journal. who face the demands of ministry life. geant Robinson consistently displayed

b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

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VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR7.000 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2352 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 bravery by volunteering for hard de- Emergency Food Assistance Program, flew planes in Southeast Asia more ployments and dangerous missions. He the Commodity Supplemental Food than 75 years ago. This hero finally re- also says Sergeant Robinson had the program, and the Food Distribution turned home this week for burial. ability to handle combat in a very de- Program on Indian Reservations. Second Lieutenant Maax Curtis Ham- liberate way, yet remain compas- Committee members heard from a mer, Jr., died when his plane crashed in sionate for people and the unintended panel of witnesses representing each of what was then Burma in 1941. Hammer consequences that war thrusts upon these programs who explained how the was part of the Flying Tigers, a group human beings. programs differ, interact, and work to- of volunteer pilots who helped the Brit- He is survived by his wife, Tamara, gether to meet the nutrition needs of ish and Chinese defend against Impe- and their children, Savannah and Pat- America’s most vulnerable citizens. rial Japan. rick. Sergeant Robinson devoted his Mr. Speaker, as chairman of this sub- His remains returned to Carbondale, life to the safety of our Nation. He will committee, I know Federal nutrition Illinois, this week, via dignified trans- always be remembered for his service programs are vital to ensuring that all port from Hawaii, where he had been and deep love for friends and family Americans have healthy foods within buried for 67 years in a grave marked and this country. reach, whether low-income popu- ‘‘Unknown.’’ The first sentence of the NCO creed lations, the elderly, or those living in Maax, it has been a long time. With states: ‘‘No one is more professional areas with strained access to nutri- heavy heart, we welcome you home to than I.’’ The level of competence and tious foods. Along with SNAP, these southern Illinois, and we thank you for professionalism that Sergeant Robin- programs support agriculture and less- your service. son maintained throughout his life, in en the effects of poverty on our most f and out of uniform, shows that he lived vulnerable citizens. As we begin to work on the next farm THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE by that creed every day of his life. WATCHING As a Special Forces Green Beret sol- bill, we will continue to identify ways (Ms. VELA´ ZQUEZ asked and was dier, Sergeant First Class Robinson to work alongside State and local orga- given permission to address the House was truly the best of the best. nizations to help provide safe, nutri- tious food for those who need it most. for 1 minute and to revise and extend f I thank our witnesses for sharing their her remarks.) BRAIN RESEARCH IS CRITICAL time and their expertise to help Ms. VELA´ ZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, today House Republicans are preparing (Mr. MCNERNEY asked and was strengthen these programs. given permission to address the House f to vote to rip away health care from 24 million Americans, 2.7 million of them for 1 minute and to revise and extend REJECT TRUMPCARE his remarks.) in New York. In my district, 122,000 (Mr. TONKO asked and was given Mr. MCNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise people will lose coverage, including permission to address the House for 1 today in support of Federal investment 12,700 children. Those who do retain minute and to revise and extend his re- into brain research. coverage will pay more for less, with Congress’ commitment to fund basic marks.) deductibles and premiums sky- Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, our first brain-related research and scientific rocketing. duty here is to the American people. I discovery is critical to developing our This is what House Republicans plan rise to call on my colleagues to fulfill capabilities to treat over 1,000 diseases to put on the floor today. It is a plan that duty and reject TrumpCare. and disorders that directly or indi- that benefits the healthy and the President Trump made big promises wealthy while hurting everyone else. If rectly affect 100 million Americans on health care during his campaign. every year. Estimates put the eco- you have a preexisting condition and TrumpCare proves those promises were your coverage lapses, under nomic burden of these diseases at over empty. He promised a plan that would $760 billion a year. Addiction, trau- TrumpCare, get ready to pay more. cover everyone. TrumpCare would Are you a senior? Good luck afford- matic brain injury, Alzheimer’s, and cover even fewer people than were cov- ing medical coverage if TrumpCare be- other afflictions can only be overcome ered before the Affordable Care Act. comes law. You are going to pay the in- through increasing our understanding He promised better coverage. surance company five times more than of how the brain works. TrumpCare guts basic healthcare younger people. Basic science is the foundation upon standards. Many TrumpCare plans Mr. Speaker, the American people which all health advances are built. won’t be worth the paper they are see this for what it is, a direct assault Federal agencies, such as the NIH, printed on. on the vulnerable in order to give a tax NSF, and DOD, are essential in ad- He promised cheaper coverage. cut to the wealthy and the healthy. Re- vancement of brain research, as well as TrumpCare breaks that promise, driv- ject TrumpCare. for so many scientific endeavors. Con- ing up premiums, deductibles, and out- f gress enacted the 21st Century Cures of-pocket costs for everyone. It also Act that provided support for a wide hits our Nation’s seniors with a dev- THINK ABOUT YOUR range of biomedical research efforts. astating age tax or perhaps a senior CONSTITUENTS I call upon my colleagues to stand tax that will literally price many sen- (Mr. DEUTCH asked and was given with me in support of brain research iors out of the healthcare market. permission to address the House for 1 into the new Congress. I also beseech Mr. Speaker, TrumpCare is a tax minute and to revise and extend his re- my Republican colleagues to withdraw break for millionaires parading as a marks.) this terrible bill and work across the healthcare plan. It will do unimagi- Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, the GOP aisle to find a healthcare plan that will nable harm to our rural hospitals and health repeal bill rips coverage from 24 serve all Americans. our economy. The bill was written in million Americans. f secret. It was rushed through this So I ask my colleagues: Can you imagine what it is like to gasp for air, USDA FOOD PROGRAMS ARE Chamber. And it represents a big-time your chest tightening and your lungs CRITICAL broken promise. I urge my colleagues to reject TrumpCare. burning from asthma, worrying that (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania f you might black out because you can- asked and was given permission to ad- not get enough oxygen? dress the House for 1 minute and to re- HONORING SECOND LIEUTENANT This week a constituent of mine from vise and extend his remarks.) MAAX CURTIS HAMMER, JR. Fort Lauderdale told me: Thanks to Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. (Mr. BOST asked and was given per- the Affordable Care Act, I am finally Mr. Speaker, this week, the House mission to address the House for 1 able to breathe. Committee on Agriculture’s Sub- minute and to revise and extend his re- The ACA dropped her asthma medi- committee on Nutrition hosted a hear- marks.) cine costs from $600 per month to $10. ing to examine USDA’s three com- Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today Without the ACA, she cannot afford to modity distribution programs: the to honor a southern Illinois native who breathe.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.002 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2353 Can you imagine your medication on the same day it is presented to the House ably represents his party, understood within reach but you can’t afford to is waived with respect to any resolution re- that I did not have all the answers that use it? If you take your medicine when ported through the legislative day of March I needed. you need it, if you help yourself 27, 2017. SEC. 2. It shall be in order at any time So we are here today with the oppor- breathe now, you can’t afford it next through the calendar day of March 26, 2017, tunity to say we are going to do a month. for the Speaker to entertain motions that same-day rule. We are going to try to As you jog up the Capitol steps for the House suspend the rules as though under pass this rule. We are going to try to this vote today, as you take for grant- clause 1 of rule XV. The Speaker or his des- explain what we are doing. We are ed every easy breath you take today, ignee shall consult with the Minority Leader going to allow my team, our Repub- think about your constituents who rely or her designee on the designation of any lican Conference, to get back together on their health care for their next matter for consideration pursuant to this today because they, too, want to know section. breath and vote ‘‘no.’’ what is the final deal. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- That is what my conference is doing f tleman from Texas is recognized for 1 right now. They are in this building, CONCERNS ABOUT THE hour. several hundred Members of Congress, HEALTHCARE BILL Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for the talking, debating, understanding, lis- purpose of debate only, I yield the cus- (Ms. PLASKETT asked and was given tening, compromising, yes, on a way tomary 30 minutes to the gentleman permission to address the House for 1 that we can approach a chance to from Massachusetts (Mr. MCGOVERN), minute and to revise and extend her re- change what we see as one of the most my dear friend, pending which I yield marks.) devastating pieces of legislation to the myself such time as I may consume. Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise economy, to the healthcare system, During consideration of this resolu- today in strong opposition to the Re- and, quite honestly, to the standing of tion, all time yielded is for the purpose publican healthcare bill. America as the greatest country in the of debate only. There is concern with the would-be world. We think we have to make Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Rules effects of this legislation, and right- changes. fully so. But if anyone wants to see a Committee met for some 13 hours, maybe a little bit more, where we were But today we are here right now to real-life example of the detrimental say that we don’t have all those an- impact of block granting Medicaid, tasked with the opportunity to bring forth from the Republican Conference swers. A complete agreement was not look no further than across the water available by the time I chose to end the to the U.S. Virgin Islands, or any of the the new bill that is to replace the Af- fordable Care Act. That discussion in- matter last night in the Rules Com- territories. It is a grim outlook be- mittee. So rather than staying up all cause we experience it every day. volved us taking testimony from the chairman of the Ways and Means Com- night, we are here today. We will be Caps on Medicaid have proven to be a back here today. This is not the debate fiscal disaster for our budget. Unlike mittee, KEVIN BRADY; the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, about the bill. More information is States in the mainland, where Federal needed. An agreement is needed from GREG WALDEN; and the chairman of the Medicaid spending is open-ended, to my party. And when we reach that Virgin Islanders, we can only access Budget Committee, Mrs. BLACK. It also involved three other ranking members agreement, I will then come back. Federal dollars up to an annual ceiling But make no mistake about it, Mr. because we were not included in the for those committees. They assembled up in the Rules Committee. Speaker, my party intends to bring ACA mandate. forth an agreed-to bill that we will be Cuts to Medicaid affect all of you, We had a very vigorous and open de- bate about the bill, about the effects of able to show to the American people, every individual. and we will own it. We are very capable As a result of what has happened in the bill, about the things which were occurring within the Republican ma- of saying that we believe that market the Virgin Islands, 30 percent of our forces, we believe that free right of in- population is uninsured and hospitals jority dealing with the United States Senate and dealing with the President dividuals, we believe that free physi- have been left to pick up the bill. If cians and opportunities exist and you or your child is ill, you go to the of the United States. All three are nec- essary to agree upon a bill if we are to abound, and we will bring that to the hospital, whether you can take care of floor, and we will openly debate it. the bill or not. This situation places a sign it into law. There was a vigorous demand from Much is being said about a Congres- tremendous burden on our hospitals, Democrats to know more information, sional Budget Office report that has creating uncompensated care costs in and I believe I forthrightly attempted caused much fear. Unrightly? No, I the tens of millions of dollars. to answer those questions. We did not can’t say that. But it is certainly ex- We have to make tough choices of re- have all the pieces of the puzzle to- plainable. moving people from Medicaid, which gether. We recognized that by the Mr. Speaker, I will start right now. means loss to elderly and individuals. evening hour. So by 11 p.m. last night, The bottom line is that there are some We ask that you reject this bill. upon my consultation with Ranking 30 million people who are uninsured in f Member MCGOVERN, I made a decision the United States of America, 30 mil- b 0915 that we would not stay up during the lion people who did not find a home or evening, we would ask that we would chose not to take a government-pro- WAIVING REQUIREMENT OF come back today. So we did not actu- vided available system that is called CLAUSE 6(a) OF RULE XIII WITH ally complete our work last night. the Affordable Care Act. Even more RESPECT TO CONSIDERATION OF I am here today because last night people included within that are paying CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS RE- the Rules Committee issued a rule that a penalty of several thousand dollars PORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE would be a same-day rule. The issues rather than taking that healthcare sys- ON RULES, AND PROVIDING FOR really don’t change. The facts of the tem, that availability. So we believe CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO case really don’t change. Information the right thing to do is not to force SUSPEND THE RULES is necessary for us to make an in- anybody, not to have mandates, not to Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by di- formed decision. That is a change. penalize people, but, rather, to make rection of the Committee on Rules, I I have told the gentleman, Mr. available to them opportunities where call up House Resolution 221 and ask MCGOVERN. I have told the gentle- it is their decision about what they for its immediate consideration. woman, the former Speaker, the leader would do. The Clerk read the resolution, as fol- of the Democrat Party, Ms. PELOSI. I The corresponding facts of the case lows: have told Mr. HOYER in a direct dia- are real simple. The Congressional H. RES. 221 logue that we had that I would do my Budget Office said: Fine, if you don’t Resolved, That the requirement of clause best to make sure that we answer the force people to do it, then some 24 mil- 6(a) of rule XIII for a two-thirds vote to con- questions that would be necessary. The lion people won’t do it within the next sider a report from the Committee on Rules gentleman, Mr. MCGOVERN, who very 7 years.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.003 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2354 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 Well, there are 30 million people licans to rush their bill with its brand- taking health insurance away from 24 today that do not have it and not tak- new backroom deals to the floor today million people, period. Anyone who ing it. So to go from 30 million to 24 without any proper deliberation. As a takes 5 minutes to look at any unbi- million will be a very interesting task matter of fact, it would let them rush ased analysis of the bill knows that for us to understand. any bill to the floor today, or any day this is true: massive tax cuts for the Mr. Speaker, no freedom is free. But through Monday. well-off at the expense of 24 million if we engage in telling the American It is a blanket martial law rule that people. people that Washington, D.C., knows lasts past the weekend—not specific to Now, let me paint a picture of how better than they do, then that is a false their healthcare bill, and not even spe- big that number is: promise—is a false promise that our cific to the topic of health care. Twenty-four million people is basi- friends, the Democrats, tried and actu- What other bills could they be con- cally the entire population of the coun- ally failed at. templating considering? try of Australia. So Republicans, in order to put to- We saw the Buffalo bribe is already It is more people than live in the gether their plan—yes, even with the in the manager’s amendment, but this States of Kansas, New Mexico, Ne- consequences of a ‘‘CBO report that say rule lets them bring up any other bill braska, West Virginia, Idaho, Hawaii, there will be 24 million people who are before the public has a chance to even New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, uninsured,’’ that is probably right, be- know what it is. Maybe something on Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, cause they chose not to accept what the Russia investigation, perhaps? I North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, Wyo- would be an equal opportunity for have seen a lot of news on that lately. ming, and the District of Columbia, them to take what might be called a Or maybe we will give President combined. You know how I know this bill is a tax credit that equals some $8,000 for a Trump’s friend Putin a Congressional tax giveaway for the wealthy, and it is family of four, allowing them straight Gold Medal. It is the least the Repub- not a healthcare bill? Because, accord- up to purchase their own health care licans could do after his help with the ing to the nonpartisan Congressional for their family. But if they choose not election. Budget Office—and this is truly incred- to do it, that is their business. But let’s talk about what we have ible—it would actually result in more Mr. Speaker, one of my attributes is learned so far in the press. We first I come from Dallas, Texas. And Dallas, people uninsured than if the Affordable learned from news reports last night Texas, for all the great things that we Care Act were simply repealed. Let that Republicans were considering have about us, we think that some of that sink in for a minute. changes to the bill that would kill the the great things come from the way we Second, their bill would cause people essential health benefits in current believe. We deeply believe we are in to pay more in terms of out-of-pocket law. Now, let me say that again. Essen- some ways a very open city. We have expenses, and in return, they will get tial, as in ‘‘absolutely necessary; ex- many different thought processes, lower quality health insurance. That is tremely important,’’ as defined by the many people, but we respect each other right. Republicans are asking people to dictionary. and don’t try to tell each other what to pay more for less coverage. In par- And, sure enough, we reported out do. It creates a flourishing environ- ticular, lower income and older Ameri- this martial law rule in the dark of ment about ourselves where, when we cans will see their costs skyrocket— night, which will allow Republicans to get in trouble, we stick together; when those people who can least afford to bring the new and unimproved version we see trouble, we ban together. But pay more. of the bill—again, now with even more we tend not to tell each other what to Third point, and this is a big one, the backroom deals—to the Rules Com- do in our own lives. That is one thing bill guts Medicaid and Medicare. Now, mittee later today, or in the dead of that I think makes us a little bit dif- don’t take it from me. The AARP said: night, and take it straight to the floor. ferent. We do not count on government ‘‘This bill would weaken Medicare’s fis- Apparently, there is no time to even to do the things that we should do for cal sustainability, dramatically in- have it sit for 1 day so that Members ourselves. crease healthcare costs for Americans can read it, let alone get analysis from That is part of the freedom model aged 50 to 64, and put at risk the health the nonpartisan experts at CBO. that I buy off on and part of what we care of millions of children and adults Are they hoping that if they move are offering—the Republican Party— with disabilities, and poor seniors who today for the American people rather quickly enough, no one will figure out depend on the Medicaid program for than mandates, dictates, fines, the IRS what they are up to? long-term services and supports and and all sorts of other government orga- Well, let me lay it out for everybody. other benefits.’’ That is the AARP. nizations that we could throw in a per- Essential health benefits require insur- In fact, Americans aged 50 to 64 will son’s way simply to tell them what to ance plans to cover basic essential ben- pay premiums five times higher than do. We reject that notion. We will, as efits, such as emergency services, ma- what others pay for health coverage no quickly as possible, bring about a bill ternity care, mental health care and matter how healthy they are. This bill that we can explain, that we will own, substance abuse treatment, pediatric is an age tax, plain and simple, and Re- and that we will pass. services, and prescription drugs. publicans are cutting $880 billion from Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of Now, The New York Times this Medicaid. That is a 25 percent cut in my time. morning pointed out that this late- funding. Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield breaking Republican proposal could All this to give tax cuts to the rich myself such time as I may consume. lead to plans that cover aromatherapy, and to corporations. The bill must look (Mr. MCGOVERN asked and was but not chemotherapy. like a cruel joke to the most vulner- given permission to revise and extend I mean, really? Are Republicans seri- able among us. his remarks.) ously contemplating making a change Representative MO BROOKS, a mem- Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I this massive without hearings? With- ber of the Republican Conference said thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. out a markup? No CBO estimate of the just the other night: ‘‘Quite frankly, SESSIONS), my friend, for yielding me impact? No chance to read the bill? I’m persuaded that this Republican the customary 30 minutes. I have seen a lot in my years here, healthcare bill . . . long-term, is a det- Mr. Speaker, we aren’t here to debate but this is truly unbelievable. You riment to the future of the United the government healthcare repeal plan. guys take my breath away. States of America.’’ We aren’t here to debate that because Finally, even before imposing mar- 0930 Republican leadership and the White b tial law last night, this process was House are huddled behind closed doors That is not even considering the al- horrendous. The Republican majority as we speak, making deals that will ready dangerous bill we were supposed rushed their bill through the com- have very real, very serious, very dan- to be down here considering right now. mittee process without any hearings— gerous consequences for millions of Let me just make it clear what that none, zero—just holding marathon Americans. bill actually is. markups where no Democratic amend- Instead, we are here to debate a mar- First, it is a massive tax cut for mil- ments were accepted—none, not one. tial law rule that will allow Repub- lionaires and billionaires, paid for by They didn’t even wait for a CBO score.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:35 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.006 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2355 Then, when the score finally came, it that we are even here debating a mar- her a chance to have a debate oppor- showed that the bill would kick 24 mil- tial law rule on legislation of this mag- tunity. This is what this is all about. It lion people off their insurance. Did nitude when changes to people’s basic, does not bother me at all. they stop then? No, of course not. essential health benefits are being con- GENERAL LEAVE Yesterday, in the Rules Committee, templated without so much as a single Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask we rushed ahead with a cobbled-to- hearing, let alone a CBO score. And unanimous consent that all Members gether manager’s amendment—I am again, we have no real clue what Re- have 5 legislative days to revise and ex- sorry, four cobbled-together manager’s publicans will be bringing to the floor tend their remarks. amendments since the originals had er- later today. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there rors and, again, no CBO score on the I am just going off what I read in the objection to the request of the gen- updated bill. news since we haven’t gotten any ac- tleman from Texas? Didn’t my colleagues learn their les- tual updates from the other side of the There was no objection. son from last week? aisle, but this rule would allow them to Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, we And even worse, the main manager’s bring anything to the floor today or to- want Members to have a chance to amendment, which we received just 36 morrow or Saturday or Sunday or Mon- have their thoughts and ideas on the hours before our meeting, is so full of day—literally anything. record, to take their time to be backroom deals, as I mentioned, like Will there be a new bill? Who knows. thoughtful about what we are doing. the Buffalo bribe, a cynical—likely un- Will it even be on health care? Beats And it does matter. constitutional—agreement with waver- me. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 5 ing New York Republicans who know What mysterious changes are they minutes to the gentleman from Col- the Republican healthcare plan would contemplating that are so broad they linsville, Illinois (Mr. SHIMKUS), a gen- devastate New York. can’t even narrow their martial law au- tleman whom I came to Congress with And now they are saying: Don’t thority down to the topic of health in the 105th Congress. The gentleman is worry. If you don’t like this bill, it is care? from the 15th District of Illinois and just step one of three. You will get an- Please, please, I would ask my col- served our country as a veteran. He other chance to vote on health care leagues to slow down. Be thoughtful. was a West Point graduate, and he is a during step three. Never mind that This is not a game. You don’t get extra really good guy. (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given they can’t give us the full slate of bills points for being fast. This healthcare permission to revise and extend his re- that are part of this mysterious step repeal affects millions upon millions marks.) three. upon millions of Americans. Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, this is Or maybe I should just take Repub- Don’t jam a disastrous bill through an important day, and I have great lican Senator COTTON’s word for it. He the House with patched-up fixes. Wait friends on the other side of the aisle. said: ‘‘There is no three-step plan. That for a revised CBO score. Listen to what We debated aggressively, and, in fact, I is just political talk. It’s just politi- members of your own Conference are see one of my colleagues from Cali- cians engaging in spin.’’ saying. Or better yet, don’t do this at fornia. We spent 271⁄2 hours dealing Republican TED CRUZ from my col- all. Let’s go back to the drawing board. with our committee of jurisdiction’s league’s State of Texas called the third It is clear Republicans never really markup of the bill. prong of this three-bucket strategy had a plan to replace the Affordable It has been a long time since ‘‘the sucker’s bucket.’’ The sucker’s Care Act. Don’t pretend you did and ObamaCare was passed, 7 years, and bucket—that is your own Member call- then make our most vulnerable pay the those of us on our side said: Well, we ing you a sucker if you vote for this. consequences. didn’t keep the insurance plan they We heard testimony all day yester- This is a sad day. This is a sad day said we were able to keep, we didn’t get day and well into the night about how for this institution, but it is even a to keep the doctor that they promised disastrous this bill would be for hard- sadder day for the American people. we could have, we didn’t save the $2,500 working Americans. We heard about Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of a month that was promised would be how countless major health organiza- my time. the savings if we passed ObamaCare. tions oppose this plan, from the Amer- Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield So I would argue, we have been very ican Medical Association to the Amer- myself such time as I may consume. patient—7 years—and I think the pub- ican Hospital Association, to the Na- Mr. Speaker, the chance for us to be lic has been very patient. The public tional Rural Health Association, to the here today means that a lot of people has judged ObamaCare through a cou- AARP, to the American Society of Ad- are going to have a lot of opinions, and ple of election cycles and has claimed diction Medicine, to the National Alli- I appreciate the gentleman having an failure. So we are on, as we call it, a ance on Mental Illness, and I could go opinion. He knows what we are doing. rescue mission, because right now pre- on and on and on and on. So do the American people. miums have increased 25 percent, on This reverse Robin Hood will steal The American people are watching average, across the country; one-third from the working class and give to the TV, and they are seeing where Repub- of U.S. counties have only one insurer; wealthy. Under the Republican plan, licans are huddling together and push- 4.7 million Americans were kicked off $2.8 billion in tax breaks will go to the ing this activity of health care, debat- their health plan; and $1 trillion in new 400 richest families in America each ing ideas right, really, before the taxes. year. My colleagues on the other side American people, really, hundreds of Out of the 23 ObamaCare CO-OPs—I of the aisle seem to be rushing this TV shows. love co-ops. I am from rural America. through in hopes that no one will fig- I have been on 15 or 20 myself where We believe in co-ops. They are not-for- ure out that it is a tax break for the I am saying that the Republican re- profits. Out of the 23 ObamaCare CO- rich masquerading as a healthcare bill. placement or repeal of ObamaCare is OPs, 18 failed. It shows you it is not Now we find ourselves on the floor something we are taking our time to working: $53 billion in new regulation debating a martial law rule that will discuss. We are taking our time to costs; 176 million hours of paperwork. take that reckless process from light make sure our colleagues understand So what do we do? Republicans be- speed to warp speed. Let me just re- it. We are taking time to be thought- lieve in transparency. We believe in mind my colleagues again that we are ful. Otherwise, we would have just markets. We believe in competition. talking about people’s lives here. I am rushed it through. We believe in what we are calling coop- pretty sure the middle class Ameri- In fact, we took some 13 hours last erative federalism: returning power to cans, whom Republicans claim to be night, yesterday, at the Rules Com- the States. helping would be okay with delaying mittee to do exactly that. Ms. PELOSI We are seeing that in part of the this reckless bill for a little while to spent 3 hours before the Rules Com- Medicaid proposals, allowing the en- give us a chance to find out what the mittee, essentially talking about gines of our country, the States—some impacts will be. things that—we see things differently. have been very, very successful in re- Mr. Speaker, this process is beyond She thinks she sees things differently forming the Medicaid programs, pro- the pale. I am honestly still stunned than we do, and that is okay. It gave viding first-dollar coverage, and some

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.008 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2356 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 have not. Hopefully, they will learn Yeah, we will sell you insurance. It will tax benefit, the benefit that goes back from the other States. be cheap, but you get no coverage. to World War II, an untaxed benefit by We also want to empower the individ- Nothing is covered. employers—we are allowing every sin- uals in the individual markets. One- That is not what the American peo- gle American family to be able to re- size-fits-all, mandatory—you have to ple want. ceive a tax credit. You cannot use have one of only four plans—has de- Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the both. You cannot double-dip into an- stroyed the individual market. gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. other system. But we are allowing So 7 years is too long to wait. I ap- LOWEY), the distinguished ranking every single one of those families that, preciate us moving aggressively. Time member of the Committee on Appro- today, was completely excluded or is of the essence. We are on a rescue priations. chose not to take ObamaCare to re- mission, and this is just another path Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, today ceive a tax credit. in the process of repealing and replac- House Republicans and President That tax credit for families is impor- ing ObamaCare. Trump will try to keep a political tant because, today, they are paying Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield promise to repeal the Affordable Care after-tax dollars if they choose to get myself such time as I may consume. Act, despite the plainly obvious and health care. And tomorrow what we I have a lot of respect for my col- harmful impact this bill would have on will do is allow up to $8,000 for a family league from Illinois, but let me just hardworking Americans. of four—that is $8,000 for a tax credit It is really sad that, after 7 years, my say to him that the Republican plan is for a family—effective in November of friends on the other side of the aisle not a rescue mission. It is a full-fledged a year to be able to, before they pur- still don’t have a bill that they are attack on the middle class—a rescue chase their health care in January, to publicizing, that we can read, that we plan for the rich, maybe, slamming the designate the first $8,000 to the can carefully analyze. It is sad that we middle class with a tax hike. healthcare plan of their choice. Well, can’t work together on this. Ripping away coverage and under- This Republican bill would raise pre- that obviously doesn’t fly well either mining Medicare is not a rescue mis- miums while increasing out-of-pocket because the Democrats want to tell sion, I assure you. I have seen the costs, forcing Americans to pay more people what they have to have. townhalls around the country. They for less coverage, attack women’s Most families don’t need many things want nothing to do with your rescue health, threaten retirement savings, that are covered. Why should they pay plan. force those over age 50 to pay thou- for that? Oh, because the Democratic Rescuing something you sabotaged, sands more because of the age tax, and Party, Washington, D.C., says you have offering Americans a plan that costs cause 14 million Americans to lose to. These are essential items. No, no, no. A family will be able to more and covers less, going after essen- health insurance next year. tial services—please, that is not what The SPEAKER pro tempore. The make their own decisions and not pay the American people want. time of the gentlewoman has expired. for what they don’t need. To my colleague from Texas, the dis- Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield So, Mr. Speaker, there always are at tinguished chairman of the Rules Com- 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from least two sides of the story. And it is mittee, he is assuring us that Repub- New York. true that what the Republican Party is licans are huddled somewhere. Well, I Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, In my going to do is allow people to make have got news for him. I have been district alone, 76,700 would lose cov- their own choice, but to give them the reading press reports that Republicans erage, including nearly more than 5,000 tools necessary. And if a family decides have canceled their 9 a.m. Conference children and nearly 18,000 adults with to do that, then they can; if they de- meeting. As I understand it, one Re- employer-sponsored coverage. cide not to, they don’t have to. Just publican Member told the reporter that This isn’t health reform. It is a polit- like what is happening today where that move ‘‘tells me it’s panic time.’’ ical game. Lives are at stake. I hope we people are required to get health care but 30 million people are uninsured, b 0945 vote ‘‘no’’ on this bill. Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield figure that one out, Mr. Speaker. Another Republican source is quoted myself such time as I may consume. I reserve the balance of my time. as saying: This is such a disaster. Rep- I am delighted that the distinguished Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield resentative MASSIE said: Frankly, it is gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. myself such time as I may consume. not very well thought out. LOWEY) came down. She, not unlike The gentleman from Texas (Mr. SES- So I don’t think people are huddling. many of those in her party, are in- SIONS) says the Republican bill is sim- I think people are dispersed, and so it tensely interested in making sure that ple and easy to understand. My ques- makes me even more wary about what the American people are going to get tion is: Where the hell is it? Maybe it we are going to see later today. the opportunity to have something is under the table. We haven’t seen it. By the way, all we are asking is that that I have always said is equal to or Every time we get the bill, it we actually see the bill. We had a Rules better than. changes. So maybe they ought to start Committee hearing yesterday on a bill The bottom line is that families on with giving us the bill so people know that, quite frankly, will not be the bill ObamaCare, or the Affordable Care what the bill would do. we are going to consider later today or Act, today—and that includes almost Mr. Speaker, I want to point out to tomorrow or Saturday or Sunday or every single Member of Congress, in- my colleagues, this is a new analysis Monday. cluding myself and my family—did not from the Tax Policy Center and the We are talking about health care get what we were told would happen. Urban Institute’s Healthy Policy Cen- that affects millions and millions of Much of the Affordable Care Act was ter that shows just how dramatically people, and nobody in this Chamber has not even decided and developed until these tax cuts benefit the wealthy at seen what we are going to vote on. This after the bill was put together, and we the expense of the middle class and is ludicrous. How can this be? What are knew that ahead of time. They told us working class families. This bill really you thinking? Do this right. There is it is going to take a couple of years for is a giveaway to the rich. This chart no rush. You don’t get extra points for us to put this together. Right now, clearly illustrates that disparity. being fast. here, today, only about 24 out of 100 The rich would benefit greatly from When we read about some of the com- physicians across this country even ac- the tax cuts in the bill, with a family promises that are being talked about— cept ObamaCare. making more than $200,000 receiving a going after essential services that basi- The Republican plan is not simple, $5,680 tax cut, and a family making cally help the most vulnerable in this but it is easy to understand, and that is more than a million dollars a year get- country, services like mental health this: We allow every single person to ting a $51,410 break on their taxes. treatment, treatments for opiate addic- stay on ObamaCare 2017, 2018, and 2019. That is too high to even fit on the tion, maternity care—essential bene- That is undeniably in the bill, and they chart. Meanwhile, families making less fits are being compromised or being know that. than $50,000 will be paying the price. taken away. So what will end up hap- We are allowing every single Amer- This bill really is a massive giveaway pening is you will get up and say: ican that does not, today, receive the to the well-off and to the wealthy. This

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.009 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2357 is going to hurt the middle class. This 64-year-old will not be at a disadvan- and it will destroy nearly 2 million is not what the American people want. tage because those, too, are the people jobs. Mr. Speaker, I yield 11⁄2 minutes to we want in the healthcare plan. All of this harm to the American peo- the gentlewoman from California (Ms. So we are actually going to add, by ple, to settle a political score, and to ESHOO). making it actuarially sound and at- reward your friends and wealthy spe- Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I never tractive, a whole bunch of younger peo- cial interests. Shame on President thought in coming to Congress that I ple; and we are going to recognize this Trump and shame on the Republican would be voting on legislation that balance, and we are going to provide Party for doing this to the American would take away health insurance from more of an incentive to balance out for people. 24 million Americans, including my those who are older. That makes sense. Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield own constituents. It is also reality based, Mr. Speaker. myself such time as I may consume. The Speaker said that this legisla- But to say that someone is going to be What a shame the gentleman was not tion is an act of mercy. I think it is paying more without us recognizing here to vote for the Affordable Care merciless. Every human being has a that and doing something about it Act when it took hold several years spark of divinity in them, and we dis- would not be a fair argument. ago, and he would have known this is a honor that with this legislation. It is I reserve the balance of my time. bad deal. not worthy of the American people. Mr. Speaker, even the American peo- b 1000 There is less coverage, higher costs, ple cannot be fooled. The American elimination of essential services—not Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield people saw ObamaCare, the Affordable only for what people need day to day 1 minute to the gentleman from Cali- Care Act, waste billions of dollars sim- but for the unexpected. That is what fornia (Mr. KHANNA). ply to try and put together a computer insurance is all about. Mr. KHANNA. Mr. Speaker, I thank system. There is a crushing age tax for people the gentleman for his leadership and Mr. Speaker, the American people between the ages of 50 and 64. What has for yielding me the time. understand it was a tax bill. It is about happened to the GOP? Is it now ‘‘get When the President campaigned, he using the IRS, and they were going to older people’’? said he wanted more benefits, more add 17,000 employees, literally, to beat This does not deserve one vote in the coverage, and lower premiums. Since the brains out of the American people House of Representatives. It is shame- he got to the White House, he said, to force them into having health care ful, and it is immoral. well, health care is complicated; and from Washington. Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield they have tried to create a bill with Mr. Speaker, no wonder Republicans myself such time as I may consume. the Republicans cobbling every special won the majority several years ago. No We have at least two different sides interest group and every faction. wonder Republicans have saved the up here, and people are entitled to be- But the President knows it doesn’t American people not only from the lieve whatever they want to believe. I have to be complicated. He knows the IRS, but from the massive taxes that am entitled to the same opinion of my- solution. In 2000, he wrote that the Ca- were embedded within this huge gov- self, also. nadian plan, single-payer plan, helps ernment takeover of our healthcare There are also a set of answers and Canadians live longer and healthier system. facts that need to be given, evidently, than Americans. There are fewer med- The bottom line is that my col- and that is, in fact, we do make ical lawsuits, less loss of labor to sick- leagues have not yet met a tax they changes in the bill to ObamaCare. We ness, and lower cost to companies pay- wouldn’t be for. They have not yet do. ing for medical care for their employ- built and grown these massive govern- Mr. Speaker, the law, the way it was ees. ment organizations to the tune that written, we have virtually few 30-year- He wrote further that, ‘‘We, as a Na- they want to force the American people olds to 45-year-olds that actually pay tion, need to reexamine the single- to do things. And they are having a dif- for ObamaCare, the people we were told payer plan;’’ and he advocated for a ficult time understanding today why who needed it the most. The reason single-payer plan. the American people—if given a choice why is because it was dictated from Mr. President, what has changed? and an opportunity and an advantage Washington how to rate the coverage. You know what the solution is. If you that would be fair for all Americans to In rating that coverage, it became so are serious about health care, work have a tax credit, why that is some- illogically expensive for a young per- with people like Senator SANDERS, thing that people really want to see. son to pay an astronomical amount for Congressman WELCH, and others, and Mr. Speaker, Mr. Trump may or may their insurance, and even many times a offer a real solution to the American not have contemplated every single higher value for their deductible, to people. part of the healthcare issue, but I will where 30-year-olds, 35-year-olds, 36- Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I re- tell you what he did understand. And year-olds, 37-year-olds chose simply serve the balance of my time. that is, draining the swamp from a sys- not to take the policy offered. Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield tem that takes away your freedom, So what do Republicans do? It is real 1 minute to the gentleman from Rhode that saps the economic growth and vi- simple. Here is what Republicans do: Island (Mr. CICILLINE). tality of this country, and that empow- They allow the States the flexibility to Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, we ers the Internal Revenue Service is a determine what might be called a rat- have heard this legislation described as bad idea. ing. a rescue mission and an act of mercy. Mr. Speaker, having to qualify by And it is true that, now, people will Don’t insult the intelligence of the going through the IRS to look at your be rated based upon their own actu- American people. This bill is the cru- records first to determine whether you arial experience of where they are in elest and most immoral piece of legis- qualify for a subsidy should be an em- life, their age. Mr. Speaker, it is true lation I have seen since I arrived in barrassment, and it was seen that way that a 25-year-old, 30-year-old, 35-year- Congress. It will rip insurance from 24 by the American people. Mr. Speaker, old needs less necessary intricate and million hardworking Americans, in- to guess at how much money and work expensive health care. And it is actu- cluding 60,000 Rhode Islanders. It will you would have during the year, and arially true that the older that we put $600 billion in tax breaks into the then if you are wrong, pay up, was a get—I celebrated my birthday yester- hands of the powerful, wealthy special system that did not work because day. I get it. I am getting older, and I interests. many physicians across this country probably am a little more expensive at This is not a healthcare bill. This is and many hospitals simply do not take the doctor in things that I need, espe- a tax-cut bill. Let’s call it what it is. It ObamaCare. They are acting like it was cially into my future. is going to produce higher costs, higher a gift from God. So what we did is we said where you premiums, and more out-of-pocket ex- Mr. Speaker, it did not work, and it have that rating system, we will allow penses. It imposes a crushing age tax does not work. The Republican Party is more money through the tax credit on older Americans. It ransacks funds going to find a way, and we are going system to adjust that so that a 50- to that seniors rely on for long-term care, to get our act together, and we are

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.012 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2358 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 going to gleefully go and do the right turning dramatically against that this morning to urge my Republican thing. It is a process, Mr. Speaker. It is wreck of legislation that is missing in colleagues to stop hiding the a long process. It actually does take Washington today. TrumpCare bill. The American people the House, the Senate, and the Presi- Yesterday, we heard about the Buf- and their Representatives deserve to dent, and we are going to get our job falo Bribe, the Hudson Hustle, the know what is in the bill. done. Kinderhook Kickback, every manner to But here is what we know so far. It Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of try to round up votes from Members rips coverage away from millions of my time. who know their political careers are in our neighbors back home. It is a mas- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- danger for going anywhere near this sive tax or cost increase for people’s in- tleman from Massachusetts has 10 min- bill. surance, whether you have it through utes remaining. The gentleman from What do they propose to do? healthcare.gov or through your private Texas has 3 minutes remaining. What we know is they want to kick employer. It imposes a significant age Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, let me 24 million Americans off their health tax on our older neighbors back home. just say that I feel bad for the gen- care, destroy Planned Parenthood, and It cuts Medicare and shortens the life tleman from Texas for having to defend transfer $600 billion up the wealth lad- of the Medicare trust fund. It breaks this lousy rule and this lousy bill all by der in the United States. the fundamental guarantee we have himself. We have so many speakers The SPEAKER pro tempore. The with our neighbors back home who are here, we don’t have enough time to ac- time of the gentleman has expired. Alzheimer’s patients, children with commodate them all. Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield complex conditions, the disabled, under Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the an additional 30 seconds to the gen- Medicaid, all to give a massive tax gentleman from California (Mr. tleman from Maryland. break to the wealthiest people in MCNERNEY). Mr. RASKIN. This legislation, how- America. Mr. MCNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, since ever it turns out today, will crash the That is a failure in vision and a fail- the ACA was enacted, California’s un- system, which is what their chief strat- ure in values, and this bill should be insured rate has dropped by 54 percent. egist, Steve Bannon, has said he wants hidden forever. Over 263,000 people have gained cov- to do. If a foreign power like the Rus- Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I re- erage in the three counties in my dis- sians proposed to do this to America, serve the balance of my time. trict. But now my Republican col- we would consider it an act of aggres- Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield leagues want us to pass a replacement sion and war against the American peo- 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New bill that will strip away health care for ple. York (Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY). 24 million Americans. This bill is not a rescue mission, as Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New TrumpCare guts the Medicare pro- they say. It is a wrecking ball, and we York. Mr. Speaker, this merciless bill, gram and creates a new, pre-broken should put it to bed once and for all ironically called a healthcare bill, system that rations health care for today. would be disastrous for this country’s more than 76 million Americans. In my Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I re- health, and especially harmful to the district alone, more than 64,000 people serve the balance of my time. people in my home State of New York. will lose coverage because of the provi- Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield It will not expand access to health sions of the Republican replacement 1 minute to the gentleman from care, as promised. It will, instead, rip bill. It will take money away from our Vermont (Mr. WELCH). away healthcare insurance from 24 mil- hospitals and eliminate 4,000 jobs in Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, and to my lion people, including 2.7 million in San Joaquin County alone. Working friends on the Republican side, you New York City, people who already and middle class families will be forced have got the perfect bill. It cuts taxes, have health care. And it will not make to pay more for less. This will increase $800 billion, largely at the high end. It premiums more affordable, as prom- healthcare costs and decrease the qual- cuts 24 million people off of health ised. It will, instead, raise premiums ity of coverage available. Americans care. And it ends the Medicaid entitle- across this Nation. Premiums in New deserve access to quality healthcare ment. York would go up an estimated $1,000 coverage and health care that they can What is the problem? next year alone. afford. Bring your bill up here. Now, what It cuts all Federal funding for a year I ask my Republican colleagues to you have is not a healthcare bill. You for Planned Parenthood clinics, which withdraw this terrible bill and work have a tax-cut bill masquerading as a serve women in need across this coun- across the aisle, for once, to improve healthcare bill, and your hesitation is try. And to make an already bad bill the ACA that benefits all Americans. I the collateral damage that you are even worse, this bill cuts nearly $5 bil- strongly oppose this bill and urge my going to do to the people who voted for lion in funding for New York’s hos- colleagues to vote ‘‘no.’’ you will become clear. To the hospitals pitals that serve some of our most vul- Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I re- in rural America we need, that damage nerable people. serve the balance of my time. will become clear. To the people age 50 Voting for this bill is voting to cause Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to 64, who are going to get hammered, sure and certain harm to millions of 1 minute to the gentleman from Mary- hammered at a point in their life when, Americans. I urge a ‘‘no’’ vote. land (Mr. RASKIN). more than ever, they need health care, Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I re- Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, we are you are going to stick it to them. The serve the balance of my time. here to discuss the rule for voting on people who supported you, the people Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield TrumpCare, or RyanCare, or whatever who believed in you are the people you 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas they are calling it today, based on who- are turning your back on. (Mr. DOGGETT). ever is willing to put their name to it. I say, bring your bill up here. Vote it. Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, we are But we learned upon arrival at work Take ownership of what it is you are considering a bill so bad it was kept that the rules are that there are no doing. I welcome your courage in tell- under lock and key, hidden from Demo- rules. ing rural America that they don’t mat- crats and those Republicans who would It is ‘‘Lord of the Flies Day’’ here in ter. not pledge allegiance to it; a bill that the House of Representatives. They The SPEAKER pro tempore. Mem- was so destructive that no witness want to make us vote on a bill that no bers are advised to direct their re- would come to defend or explain it in one has even read. No one can find it. marks to the Chair. all-night committee sessions; a bill Anything goes. The whole process has Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I re- jammed through this House, logically, been a disaster, a debacle, a mockery of serve the balance of my time. you would expect this special rule to democracy—no hearings, no witnesses, Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield jam it through today. no experts, no process, no deliberation, 1 minute to the gentlewoman from What is at stake here is not only the and now no bill even. Florida (Ms. CASTOR). crumbling and destruction of health But the American people are saying Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, care, but it is the crumbling of our de- ‘‘no way.’’ The polls show people are I am compelled to come to the floor mocracy.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:34 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.013 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2359 Our Republican colleagues need to re- will never use? If 60-year-old men don’t need There’s another reason, besides avoiding member that this is Washington, not to pay for benefits they won’t use, the price fraud, that health economists say benefit Moscow. This is Congress, not the of insurance will come down, and more peo- rules are important. Obamacare requires in- Duma. ple will be able to afford that coverage, the surers to offer health insurance to people thinking goes. And people who want fancy who have preexisting illnesses at the same We deserve a fair consideration of coverage with extra benefits can just pay a price as they sell them to healthy people, this bill open to discussion because of little more for the plan that’s right for them. and the Republican bill would keep this rule. its impact on millions of Americans But there are two main problems with But if an insurance company designs a plan who will lose their access to a family stripping away minimum benefit rules. One that attracts a lot of sick people, it will be physician. These heavyhanded tactics is that the meaning of ‘‘health insurance’’ very expensive to cover them, and the insur- reflect the fear of the American public can start to become a little murky. The sec- ance company will either lose money or end getting an opportunity to look thor- ond is that, in a world in which no one has up charging extremely high prices that to offer maternity coverage, no insurance oughly at this bill and understand would drive away any healthy customers. company wants to be the only one that offers Sherry Glied, the dean of the Robert F. what it does to each family affected. it. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at Mr. Speaker, I urge rejection of the Here is the list of Essential Health Bene- New York University, who helped work on rule. fits that are required under the Affordable the essential health benefits in the Obama Care Act: b 1015 administration, raised the example of men- Ambulatory patient services (doctor’s vis- tal health benefits. Parents of adolescents Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield its) with schizophrenia will be sure to buy insur- 1 minute to the gentleman from Geor- Emergency services ance that covers only mental health serv- Hospitalization ices. Other parents won’t care about that gia (Mr. JOHNSON). Maternity and newborn care Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speak- Mental health and substance abuse dis- benefit. er, today the Republicans are doing order services, including behavioral health The result: Any company offering such something that goes against what was treatment benefits will end up with a lot of customers requiring expensive hospitalizations, while promised in the campaign, and that Prescription drugs Rehabilitative and habilitative services its competitors that drop them will get was that everyone would have insur- and devices healthier customers who are cheaper to in- ance, the insurance would be better, Laboratory services sure. If mental health services are optional, and it would cost less. But, instead, we Preventive and wellness services, and no insurance company will want to offer are going in the opposite direction. chronic disease management them, lest all the families with sick children Less people are going to have insur- Pediatric services, including oral and vi- buy their product and put them out of busi- ance; 24 million are being kicked off. It sion care ness. The list reflects some lobbying of the And then healthy people who develop men- is going to cost more for the insurance, members of Congress who wrote it. You may tal illness, or drug addiction, will also learn and you are going to get less insurance notice that dental services are required for that their illness isn’t covered. The result coverage than what you are paying for. children, but not adults, for example. But could be a sort of market failure: ‘‘If you It is a total disaster what they are try- over all, the list was developed to make in- don’t require that these benefits are re- ing to do here. surance for people who buy their own cov- quired, they often just get knocked out of Today, they are going to meet with erage look, roughly, like the kind of cov- the market altogether,’’ she said. the Freedom Caucus at 11:30, I under- erage people get through their employer. A Before Obamacare passed, there were few stand, over at the White House. So the plan without prescription drug coverage federal standards for health insurance would probably be cheaper than one that bought by individuals, and it was not uncom- bill is going to get worse. Can you covers it, but most people wouldn’t think of mon to find plans that didn’t include pre- imagine that? that plan as very good insurance for people scription drug coverage, mental health serv- If you have got fooled the first time, who have health care needs. ices or maternity care. But plans tended to don’t get fooled again. If someone tells Under the Republican plan, the govern- cover most of the other benefits. That was in you something that you know is not ment would give people who buy their own a world where health insurers could discrimi- true or that you thought was true and insurance money to help them pay for it. A nate against sick people. In that era, insur- you find out it is not true, don’t fall for 20-year-old who doesn’t get coverage from ers in most states could simply tell the work or the government, for example, would mother of a mentally ill child that she it again, Members. It is time for get $2,000. If the essential health benefits go change in America. couldn’t buy insurance. That made it less away, insurance companies would be allowed risky for insurers to offer mental health ben- Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to sell health plans that don’t cover, say, efits to everyone else. myself the balance of my time. hospital care. Federal money would help buy David Cutler, a professor at Harvard who Mr. Speaker, I include in the RECORD these plans. helped advise the Obama administration on the article from today’s New York But history illustrates a potential prob- the Affordable Care Act, said he thinks the Times titled, ‘‘Late GOP Proposal lem. kind of insurance products that would be of- In the 1990s, Congress created a tax credit Could Mean Plans That Cover fered under the proposed mix of policies that helped low-income people buy insurance could become much more bare-bones than Aromatherapy But Not Chemo- for their children. Quickly, it became clear therapy.’’ plans before Obamacare. He envisioned an that unscrupulous entrepreneurs were cre- environment in which a typical plan might [From the New York Times, Mar. 23, 2017] ating cheap products that weren’t very use- cover only emergency care and basic preven- ful, and marketing them to people eligible LATE G.O.P. PROPOSAL COULD MEAN PLANS tive services, with everything else as an add- for the credit. Congress quickly repealed the THAT COVER AROMATHERAPY BUT NOT on product, costing almost exactly as much provision after investigations from the Gov- CHEMOTHERAPY as it would cost to pay for a service out-of- ernment Accountability Office and the Ways (By Margot Sanger-Katz) pocket. and Means Committee uncovered fraud. ‘‘Think of this as the if-you-have-rheu- Most Republicans in Congress prefer the Mark Pauly, a professor of health care matoid-arthritis-you-should-pay-$30,000 pro- type of health insurance market in which ev- management at the Wharton School of the vision,’’ he said. Such a system would mean eryone could ‘‘choose the plan that’s right University of Pennsylvania, who tends to that Americans with costly problems—can- for them.’’ favor market solutions in health care, said cer, opioid addiction, H.I.V.—would end up Why should a 60-year-old man have to buy that while the Obamacare rules are ‘‘pater- paying a substantially higher share of their a plan that includes maternity benefits he’ll nalistic,’’ it would be problematic to offer medical bills, while healthy people would never use? (This is an example that comes up subsidies without standards. ‘‘If they’re pay lower prices for insurance that wouldn’t a lot.) In contrast, the Affordable Care Act going to offer a tax credit for people who are cover as many treatments. includes a list of benefits that have to be in buying insurance, well, what is insurance?’’ There is most likely a middle way. Repub- every plan, a reality that makes insurance he said, noting that you might end up with lican lawmakers might be comfortable with comprehensive, but often costly. the government paying for plans that cov- a system that shifts more of the costs of care Now, a group of conservative House mem- ered aromatherapy but not hospital care. onto people who are sick, if it makes the av- bers is trying to cut a deal to get those ben- ‘‘You have to specify what’s included.’’ erage insurance plan less costly for the efit requirements eliminated as part of the A proliferation of $1,995 plans that covered healthy. But making those choices would bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care mostly aromatherapy could end up costing mean engaging in very real trade-offs, less Act moving through Congress. (The vote in the federal government a lot more money simple than their talking point. the House is expected later today.) than the current G.O.P. plan, since far more At first glance, this may sound like a won- people would take advantage of tax credits Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I derful policy. Why should that 60-year-old to buy cheap products, even if they weren’t would be delighted if we had actual man have to pay for maternity benefits he very valuable. text to look at right now, but, instead,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:34 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.015 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2360 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 we are forced to rely on news reports, capable of putting databases together, The Senator from Hawaii (Ms. and what I am reading in the news is incapable of understanding market- HIRONO) (Committee on Armed Serv- not good. places, and incapable of understanding ices). The article that I just included in the the limits of the American people’s The message also announced that RECORD also quotes a Harvard professor real need to understand and to have a pursuant to section 4355(a) of title 10, who says: ‘‘Think of this as the if-you- better healthcare system—gave up on United States Code, the Chair, on be- have-rheumatoid-arthritis-you-should- ObamaCare, the Affordable Care Act. half of the Vice President, appoints the pay-$30,000 provision.’’ They gave up on it because, after 7 long following Senators to the Board of The article says that we could go years, they understood it simply didn’t Visitors of the U.S. Military Academy: back to a world where insurers could equal what they were sold. The Senator from New York (Mrs. simply tell the mother of a mentally ill The Republican Party is selling what GILLIBRAND) (Committee on Armed child that she couldn’t buy insurance. we believe in, and this is the beginning Services). It is ironic that the Republicans want of that sell. It is a beginning of an un- The Senator from Connecticut (Mr. to take away a woman’s choice about a derstanding for most Members of this MURPHY) (Committee on Appropria- pregnancy, and then it looks like they body and the American people to un- tions). are going to take away any insurance derstand you can keep your own doctor The message also announced that she needs for prenatal care or mater- and you can keep your own healthcare pursuant to section 1295b(h) of title 46 nity care. plan, but you, too, can make your own App., United States Code, the Chair, on What are we doing here, Mr. Speak- decisions. You can become a consumer. behalf of the Vice President, appoints er? What will we be asked to vote on Oh, my gosh, somebody from Wash- the following Senators to the Board of later today? If these sorts of dangerous ington isn’t going to tell us exactly Visitors of the U.S. Merchant Marine ideas are being considered, we, the what to do? Let’s scare everybody; let’s Academy: American people, deserve to know. make them think that the American The Senator from Michigan (Mr. Twenty-four million people are going people can’t make their own decisions PETERS) (At Large). to lose their insurance under the pro- without the IRS or Washington telling The Senator from Hawaii (Mr. posal the Republicans are considering. them what to do. SCHATZ) (Committee on Commerce, I understand there are some frustra- People will pay more and get less. Science and Transportation). tions. I get that. I can be frustrated; I There will be huge tax cuts for the The message also announced that am not. It is true last week I held a rich. Again, we don’t even have the pursuant to section 194(a) of title 14, townhall meeting in Dallas, Texas. It is final text. This is awful. This is unac- United States Code, as amended by true a bunch of people yelled and ceptable. Public Law 101–595, and further amend- screamed at me. They simply wanted I will remind my colleagues that this ed by Public Law 113–281, the Chair, on to know: Yes or no, yes or no. behalf of the Vice President, appoints is about the American people. Put the Mr. Speaker, policy is not like that the following Senators to the Board of people of this country ahead of your in our country. The Republican Party party, ahead of your ideology, and does owe people thoughts, ideas, and Visitors of the U.S. Coast Guard Acad- ahead of this President who just dis- plans. We will have the bill, and when emy: covered that health care is com- we do it, we will own it, and we will be The Senator from Washington (Ms. plicated. proud of it. CANTWELL) (Committee on Commerce, This is a life-or-death issue for many Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to Science and Transportation). in this country. Health care is very support this rule. The Senator from Connecticut (Mr. personal. Don’t take it away from peo- Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance BLUMENTHAL) (At Large). ple. Let’s work in a bipartisan way to of my time, and I move the previous The message also announced that make the improvements in the Afford- question on the resolution. pursuant to section 6968(a) of title 10, able Care Act that we all know need to The SPEAKER pro tempore. The United States Code, the Chair, on be- be made, but don’t just tear apart a question is on ordering the previous half of the Vice President, appoints the healthcare system that is providing an question. following Senators to the Board of additional 20 million Americans health The question was taken; and the Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy: insurance. Speaker pro tempore announced that The Senator from New Hampshire Please don’t do this. Slow down. Pro- the ayes appeared to have it. (Mrs. SHAHEEN) (Committee on Appro- vide us the text of the bill. Let’s have Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, on priations). hearings. Let’s bring the American that I demand the yeas and nays. The Senator from Maryland (Mr. people into the Congress and listen to The yeas and nays were ordered. CARDIN) (At Large). what they have to say. Listen to what The SPEAKER. Pursuant to clause 8 f your own constituents have been say- of rule XX, further proceedings on this RECESS ing to you in townhalls. They don’t question will be postponed. want what you are selling here today. f The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair They don’t want your rescue plan. MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE They want health care for themselves declares the House in recess subject to A message from the Senate by Ms. and their families, and that is what the call of the Chair. Curtis, one of its clerks, announced they deserve. Accordingly (at 10 o’clock and 22 that the Senate has agreed to without So, please, vote down this martial minutes a.m.), the House stood in re- amendment a joint resolution of the law rule and go back to the drawing cess. House of the following title: board. f Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance H.J. Res. 83. Joint Resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of b 2005 of my time. Labor relating to ‘‘Clarification of Employ- AFTER RECESS Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield er’s Continuing Obligation to Make and myself such time as I may consume. Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Re- The recess having expired, the House Seven years ago, Mr. Speaker, this cordable Injury and Illness’’. was called to order by the Speaker pro town was abuzz with this new The message also announced that tempore (Mr. SIMPSON) at 8 o’clock and healthcare plan, the Affordable Care pursuant to section 9355(a) of title 10, 5 minutes p.m. Act, that was signed by the President United States Code, the Chair, on be- f of the United States. We were promised half of the Vice President, appoints the an enormous opportunity to make following Senators to the Board of COMMUNICATION FROM THE health care better. Visitors of the U.S. Air Force Acad- CLERK OF THE HOUSE Mr. Speaker, fortunately, the Amer- emy: The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- ican people had a chance to make a de- The Senator from New Mexico (Mr. fore the House the following commu- cision, and the American people—after UDALL) (Committee on Appropria- nication from the Clerk of the House of watching and seeing not only people in- tions). Representatives:

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OFFICE OF THE CLERK, Collins (GA) Jenkins (WV) Rice (SC) Kilmer Nadler Scott (VA) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Collins (NY) Johnson (LA) Roby Kind Napolitano Scott, David Washington, DC, March 23, 2017. Comer Johnson (OH) Roe (TN) Krishnamoorthi Neal Serrano Comstock Johnson, Sam Rogers (AL) Kuster (NH) Nolan Hon. PAUL D. RYAN, Sewell (AL) Conaway Jones Langevin Norcross The Speaker, House of Representatives, Rogers (KY) Shea-Porter Cook Jordan Rohrabacher Larsen (WA) O’Halleran Sherman Washington, DC. Costello (PA) Joyce (OH) Rokita Larson (CT) O’Rourke Sinema DEAR MR. SPEAKER: Pursuant to the per- Cramer Katko Rooney, Francis Lawrence Pallone Sires Lawson (FL) Panetta mission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of Crawford Kelly (MS) Rooney, Thomas Smith (WA) Culberson Kelly (PA) Lee Pascrell the Rules of the U.S. House of Representa- J. Soto tives, the Clerk received the following mes- Curbelo (FL) King (IA) Ros-Lehtinen Levin Pelosi Lewis (GA) Perlmutter Speier Davidson King (NY) Roskam sage from the Secretary of the Senate on Lipinski Peters Suozzi Davis, Rodney Kinzinger Ross March 23, 2017, at 1:36 p.m.: Denham Knight Loebsack Peterson Swalwell (CA) Rothfus That the Senate passed without amend- Dent Kustoff (TN) Lofgren Pingree Thompson (CA) Rouzer ment S.J. Res. 34. DeSantis Labrador Lowenthal Pocan Thompson (MS) Royce (CA) With best wishes, I am, DesJarlais LaHood Lowey Polis Titus Russell Sincerely, Diaz-Balart LaMalfa Lujan Grisham, Price (NC) Tonko Rutherford M. Quigley Torres KAREN L. HAAS. Donovan Lamborn Duffy Lance Sanford Luja´ n, Ben Ray Raskin Vargas f Duncan (SC) Latta Scalise Lynch Rice (NY) Veasey Duncan (TN) Lewis (MN) Schweikert Maloney, Richmond Vela ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Dunn LoBiondo Scott, Austin Carolyn B. Rosen Vela´ zquez Sensenbrenner PRO TEMPORE Emmer Long Maloney, Sean Roybal-Allard Visclosky Farenthold Loudermilk Sessions Matsui Ruiz Walz The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Faso Love Shimkus McCollum Ruppersberger Wasserman Shuster McEachin Ferguson Lucas Ryan (OH) Schultz ant to clause 8 of rule XX, proceedings Fitzpatrick Luetkemeyer Simpson McGovern Sa´ nchez Waters, Maxine will resume on questions previously Fleischmann MacArthur Smith (MO) McNerney Sarbanes Watson Coleman Flores Marchant Smith (NE) Meng Schakowsky postponed. Welch Fortenberry Marino Smith (NJ) Moore Schiff Votes will be taken in the following Wilson (FL) Foxx Marshall Smith (TX) Moulton Schneider Yarmuth order: Franks (AZ) Massie Smucker Murphy (FL) Schrader Ordering the previous question on Frelinghuysen Mast Stefanik NOT VOTING—11 House Resolution 221; Gaetz McCarthy Stewart Adopting House Resolution 221, if or- Gallagher McCaul Stivers Brady (TX) Meeks Takano Garrett McClintock Taylor Jeffries Payne Tsongas dered; and Gibbs McHenry Tenney Lieu, Ted Rush Webster (FL) Agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of Gohmert McKinley Thompson (PA) Meadows Slaughter the Journal, if ordered. Goodlatte McMorris Thornberry Gosar Rodgers The first electronic vote will be con- Tiberi b 2044 Gowdy McSally Tipton ducted as a 15-minute vote. Remaining Granger Meehan Trott Messrs. GONZALEZ of Texas and electronic votes will be conducted as 5- Graves (GA) Messer Turner VELA changed their vote from ‘‘yea’’ Graves (LA) Mitchell Upton minute votes. Graves (MO) Moolenaar to ‘‘nay.’’ Valadao Griffith Mooney (WV) f Wagner Messrs. SMITH of New Jersey, CAL- Grothman Mullin Walberg VERT, KNIGHT, Mrs. MCMORRIS Guthrie Murphy (PA) WAIVING A REQUIREMENT OF Walden Harper Newhouse RODGERS, Messrs. POLIQUIN, and CLAUSE 6(a) OF RULE XIII WITH Harris Noem Walker LAHOOD changed their vote from RESPECT TO CONSIDERATION OF Hartzler Nunes Walorski Walters, Mimi ‘‘nay’’ to ‘‘yea.’’ CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS RE- Hensarling Olson So the previous question was ordered. Herrera Beutler Palazzo Weber (TX) PORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE Hice, Jody B. Palmer Wenstrup The result of the vote was announced ON RULES, AND PROVIDING FOR Higgins (LA) Paulsen Westerman as above recorded. CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO Hill Pearce Williams Wilson (SC) The SPEAKER pro tempore. The SUSPEND THE RULES Holding Perry Hollingsworth Pittenger Wittman question is on the resolution. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The un- Hudson Poe (TX) Womack The question was taken; and the finished business is the vote on order- Huizenga Poliquin Woodall Speaker pro tempore announced that Hultgren Posey Yoder the ayes appeared to have it. ing the previous question on the reso- Hunter Ratcliffe Yoho lution (H. Res. 221) waiving a require- Hurd Reed Young (AK) RECORDED VOTE ment of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with re- Issa Reichert Young (IA) Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I de- spect to consideration of certain reso- Jenkins (KS) Renacci Zeldin mand a recorded vote. lutions reported from the Committee NAYS—185 A recorded vote was ordered. on Rules, and providing for consider- Adams Clyburn Evans The SPEAKER pro tempore. This ation of motions to suspend the rules, Aguilar Cohen Foster will be a 5-minute vote. on which the yeas and nays were or- Barraga´ n Connolly Frankel (FL) The vote was taken by electronic de- dered. Bass Conyers Fudge vice, and there were—ayes 227, noes 189, Beatty Cooper Gabbard The Clerk read the title of the resolu- Bera Correa Gallego not voting 13, as follows: tion. Beyer Costa Garamendi [Roll No. 189] The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Bishop (GA) Courtney Gonzalez (TX) Blumenauer Crist Gottheimer AYES—227 question is on ordering the previous Blunt Rochester Crowley Green, Al Abraham Bridenstine Cook question. Bonamici Cuellar Green, Gene Aderholt Brooks (AL) Costello (PA) The vote was taken by electronic de- Boyle, Brendan Cummings Grijalva Allen Brooks (IN) Cramer vice, and there were—yeas 233, nays F. Davis (CA) Gutie´rrez Amodei Buchanan Crawford Brady (PA) Davis, Danny Hanabusa Arrington Buck Culberson 185, not voting 11, as follows: Brown (MD) DeFazio Hastings Babin Bucshon Curbelo (FL) [Roll No. 188] Brownley (CA) DeGette Heck Bacon Budd Davidson Bustos Delaney Higgins (NY) Banks (IN) Burgess Davis, Rodney YEAS—233 Butterfield DeLauro Himes Barletta Byrne Denham Abraham Biggs Buck Capuano DelBene Hoyer Barr Calvert Dent Aderholt Bilirakis Bucshon Carbajal Demings Huffman Barton Carter (GA) DeSantis Allen Bishop (MI) Budd Ca´ rdenas DeSaulnier Jackson Lee Bergman Carter (TX) DesJarlais Amash Bishop (UT) Burgess Carson (IN) Deutch Jayapal Biggs Chabot Donovan Amodei Black Byrne Cartwright Dingell Johnson (GA) Bilirakis Chaffetz Duffy Arrington Blackburn Calvert Castor (FL) Doggett Johnson, E. B. Bishop (MI) Cheney Duncan (SC) Babin Blum Carter (GA) Castro (TX) Doyle, Michael Kaptur Bishop (UT) Coffman Duncan (TN) Bacon Bost Carter (TX) Chu, Judy F. Keating Black Cole Dunn Banks (IN) Brat Chabot Cicilline Ellison Kelly (IL) Blackburn Collins (GA) Emmer Barletta Bridenstine Chaffetz Clark (MA) Engel Kennedy Blum Collins (NY) Farenthold Barr Brooks (AL) Cheney Clarke (NY) Eshoo Khanna Bost Comer Faso Barton Brooks (IN) Coffman Clay Espaillat Kihuen Brady (TX) Comstock Ferguson Bergman Buchanan Cole Cleaver Esty Kildee Brat Conaway Fitzpatrick

VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:34 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR7.006 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2362 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 Fleischmann Latta Ros-Lehtinen Moore Rice (NY) Speier liest would be 10, but if you have the Flores Lewis (MN) Roskam Moulton Richmond Suozzi Rules Committee reporting out, would Fortenberry LoBiondo Ross Murphy (FL) Rosen Swalwell (CA) Foxx Long Rothfus Nadler Roybal-Allard Thompson (CA) it be perhaps closer to 10:30? Frelinghuysen Loudermilk Rouzer Napolitano Ruiz Thompson (MS) Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend. Gaetz Love Neal Ruppersberger Royce (CA) Titus Mr. MCCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I Gallagher Lucas Russell Nolan Ryan (OH) Tonko ´ thank the gentleman for yielding. Garrett Luetkemeyer Rutherford Norcross Sanchez Torres O’Halleran Sarbanes Gibbs MacArthur Sanford Vargas I anticipate the Rules Committee Gohmert Marchant O’Rourke Schakowsky Scalise Veasey meeting earlier than 9 a.m. tomorrow. Goodlatte Marino Pallone Schiff Schweikert Vela Gosar Marshall Panetta Schneider Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, can the Scott, Austin Vela´ zquez Gowdy Mast Pascrell Schrader Sensenbrenner gentleman tell us how long you antici- Granger McCarthy Pelosi Scott (VA) Visclosky Sessions pate the debate on the bill itself would Graves (GA) McCaul Perlmutter Scott, David Walz Shimkus Graves (LA) McClintock Peters Serrano Wasserman be? Obviously, I am asking that in the Graves (MO) McHenry Shuster Peterson Sewell (AL) Schultz context of when can Members believe Simpson Griffith McKinley Pingree Shea-Porter Waters, Maxine that we may be concluding tomorrow’s Grothman McMorris Smith (MO) Pocan Sherman Watson Coleman Guthrie Rodgers Smith (NE) Polis Sinema Welch business? Harper McSally Smith (NJ) Price (NC) Sires Wilson (FL) Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend. Smith (TX) Harris Meadows Quigley Smith (WA) Yarmuth Mr. MCCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I Hensarling Meehan Smucker Raskin Soto Young (IA) Herrera Beutler Messer Stefanik thank the gentleman for yielding. Hice, Jody B. Mitchell Stewart NOT VOTING—13 It is our anticipation to be done in Higgins (LA) Moolenaar Stivers Diaz-Balart Meeks Takano the afternoon, but the gentleman may Hill Mooney (WV) Taylor Franks (AZ) Olson Tsongas know better how long it will take Holding Mullin Tenney Hartzler Payne Webster (FL) Hollingsworth Murphy (PA) Thompson (PA) Jeffries Rush based upon as we move through during Hudson Newhouse Thornberry Lieu, Ted Slaughter the day. Huizenga Noem Tiberi Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I am not Hultgren Nunes Tipton b 2051 Hunter Palazzo going to tell the gentleman, but it was Trott So the resolution was agreed to. Hurd Palmer Turner a good fishing trip that the gentleman Issa Paulsen Upton The result of the vote was announced was on. Jenkins (KS) Pearce Valadao as above recorded. Jenkins (WV) Perry I thank the gentleman, but my as- Wagner Johnson (LA) Pittenger A motion to reconsider was laid on Walberg sumption is that Members can be rel- Johnson (OH) Poe (TX) the table. Walden atively confident, based upon what we Johnson, Sam Poliquin Jordan Posey Walker f are going to do and what you are going Joyce (OH) Ratcliffe Walorski to do, to be out of here somewhere be- Katko Reed Walters, Mimi LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM Weber (TX) fore 5 p.m. tomorrow; is that correct? Kelly (MS) Reichert (Mr. HOYER asked and was given Kelly (PA) Renacci Wenstrup Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend. King (IA) Rice (SC) Westerman permission to address the House for 1 Mr. MCCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I don’t King (NY) Roby Williams minute.) want to grab the exact time, but it is Kinzinger Roe (TN) Wilson (SC) Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to Wittman our anticipation, after the Rules Com- Knight Rogers (AL) the gentleman from California (Mr. Kustoff (TN) Rogers (KY) Womack mittee meets, that we come down and Labrador Rohrabacher Woodall MCCARTHY), my friend, for the purpose have a rules vote. We will have hours of LaHood Rokita Yoder of inquiring of the majority leader the debate, and then we will proceed with LaMalfa Rooney, Francis Yoho schedule for tomorrow. Lamborn Rooney, Thomas Young (AK) the vote, and as orderly as we can get Lance J. Zeldin Mr. MCCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I done, we will get done by the afternoon thank the gentleman for yielding. as early as possible. NOES—189 Members are advised that votes are Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I appre- Adams Cuellar Jayapal now expected in the House tomorrow, ciate the gentleman’s information, and Aguilar Cummings Johnson (GA) March 24, 2017. I know this is a change I yield back the balance of my time. Amash Davis (CA) Johnson, E. B. from our previously announced sched- Barraga´ n Davis, Danny Jones ule. Members should be prepared for Bass DeFazio Kaptur f Beatty DeGette Keating multiple vote series, the first of which Bera Delaney Kelly (IL) will be as early as 10 a.m. Beyer DeLauro Kennedy THE JOURNAL Bishop (GA) DelBene Khanna Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Blumenauer Demings Kihuen the gentleman. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without Blunt Rochester DeSaulnier Kildee May I ask, do you know when the objection, 5-minute voting will con- Bonamici Deutch Kilmer Rules Committee will meet, Mr. Major- Boyle, Brendan Dingell Kind tinue. F. Doggett Krishnamoorthi ity Leader? There was no objection. Brady (PA) Doyle, Michael Kuster (NH) I yield to the gentleman. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Brown (MD) F. Langevin Mr. MCCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I Brownley (CA) Ellison Larsen (WA) ant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfin- Bustos Engel Larson (CT) thank the gentleman for yielding. ished business is the question on agree- Butterfield Eshoo Lawrence The Rules Committee will meet to- ing to the Speaker’s approval of the Capuano Espaillat Lawson (FL) morrow morning. I anticipate a short Journal, which the Chair will put de Carbajal Esty Lee amendment will be posted as early as Ca´ rdenas Evans Levin novo. Carson (IN) Foster Lewis (GA) tonight. It is our expectation the Rules The question is on the Speaker’s ap- Cartwright Frankel (FL) Lipinski Committee will meet tomorrow morn- proval of the Journal. Castor (FL) Fudge Loebsack ing to report the rule providing for The question was taken; and the Castro (TX) Gabbard Lofgren consideration of H.R. 1628, the Amer- Chu, Judy Gallego Lowenthal Speaker pro tempore announced that Cicilline Garamendi Lowey ican Health Care Act. the ayes appeared to have it. Clark (MA) Gonzalez (TX) Lujan Grisham, Upon adoption of that rule, the Clarke (NY) Gottheimer M. RECORDED VOTE ´ House will proceed with general debate Clay Green, Al Lujan, Ben Ray Mr. MCCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I de- Cleaver Green, Gene Lynch on the measure and final passage. Clyburn Grijalva Maloney, Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank mand a recorded vote. Cohen Gutie´rrez Carolyn B. the gentleman. A recorded vote was ordered. Connolly Hanabusa Maloney, Sean The SPEAKER pro tempore. This Conyers Hastings Massie Mr. Leader, if the Rules Committee Cooper Heck Matsui meets, say, at 9 a.m., and you said the will be a 5-minute vote. Correa Higgins (NY) McCollum earliest vote at 10 a.m., obviously, a lot The vote was taken by electronic de- Costa Himes McEachin of our Members are focused on what vice, and there were—ayes 202, noes 197, Courtney Hoyer McGovern Crist Huffman McNerney time they have to be here to make sure answered ‘‘present’’ 4, not voting 26, as Crowley Jackson Lee Meng they make a vote, and you said the ear- follows:

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:13 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR7.005 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2363 [Roll No. 190] Green, Al Lewis (MN) Roybal-Allard USAID’s goal is to give 10 million Green, Gene LoBiondo Ruiz people sustainable access to clean AYES—202 Griffith Luja´ n, Ben Ray Ryan (OH) Abraham Gabbard Nolan Grothman Lynch Sa´ nchez water by next year. They are well on Aderholt Gaetz Nunes Gutie´rrez Maloney, Sean Sanford their way to achieving this. Allen Gallego O’Rourke Hanabusa Marshall Sarbanes Clean water saves lives, and Ameri- Hastings Mast Amodei Garamendi Olson Schakowsky cans should be proud of what they are Arrington Garrett Palazzo Herrera Beutler Matsui Schiff Hice, Jody B. McEachin doing in helping people worldwide to Bacon Gonzalez (TX) Pascrell Schrader Hill McGovern Banks (IN) Granger Perlmutter Scott (VA) have that clean water. Holding McKinley Barletta Guthrie Peters And that is just the way it is. Hoyer Meehan Sewell (AL) Barr Harper Pingree Hudson Meeks Sires f Barton Harris Pocan Hurd Moolenaar Smith (MO) Bilirakis Hartzler Polis Jayapal Moore Stivers RISING IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO Bishop (UT) Heck Quigley Jenkins (KS) Moulton Swalwell (CA) Black Hensarling Ratcliffe THE AMERICAN HEALTH CARE Jenkins (WV) Murphy (PA) Tenney Blackburn Higgins (LA) Roby ACT Johnson (OH) Neal Thompson (CA) Blumenauer Higgins (NY) Rogers (KY) Johnson, E. B. Noem Thompson (MS) (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given Bonamici Himes Rohrabacher Jordan Norcross Thompson (PA) Brady (TX) Hollingsworth Rooney, Francis permission to address the House for 1 Joyce (OH) O’Halleran Tiberi Brat Huffman Rooney, Thomas minute and to revise and extend his re- Kaptur Pallone Tipton Bridenstine Huizenga J. Brooks (AL) Hultgren Katko Palmer Upton marks.) Rosen Keating Panetta Brooks (IN) Hunter Rothfus Valadao Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise Bucshon Johnson (GA) Kelly (IL) Paulsen Vargas in strong opposition to the Republican Royce (CA) Kennedy Pearce Budd Johnson (LA) Ruppersberger Veasey effort to gut the Affordable Care Act. Byrne Johnson, Sam Khanna Pelosi Vela´ zquez Russell Kihuen Peterson Calvert Jones Visclosky Twenty million people, including Rutherford Kilmer Poe (TX) Carter (TX) Kelly (MS) Scalise Walberg 100,000 Rhode Islanders, receive health Castro (TX) Kelly (PA) Kind Poliquin Schneider Walden coverage under the ACA. Because of Chabot Kildee Knight Posey Schweikert Walker Chaffetz King (IA) LaHood Price (NC) the proposed plan to repeal the ACA Scott, Austin Waters, Maxine Cheney King (NY) Lance Raskin that the Republicans are proposing, Scott, David Watson Coleman Chu, Judy Kinzinger Langevin Reed Sensenbrenner Weber (TX) they are now threatened with losing Cicilline Krishnamoorthi Larsen (WA) Renacci Serrano Wenstrup that coverage. Clay Kuster (NH) Larson (CT) Rice (NY) Sessions Wilson (FL) Cole Kustoff (TN) Latta Roe (TN) Instead of working in a bipartisan Shea-Porter Wittman Collins (NY) Labrador Lawrence Rogers (AL) manner to improve the law, this bill Sherman Comstock LaMalfa Lawson (FL) Rokita Woodall Shimkus will eliminate coverage for 24 million Cook Lamborn Lee Ros-Lehtinen Yoder Cooper Lipinski Shuster Levin Roskam Yoho people, while drastically increasing Correa Long Simpson Lewis (GA) Rouzer Young (AK) healthcare costs on hardworking mid- Cramer Loudermilk Sinema Smith (NE) ANSWERED ‘‘PRESENT’’—4 dle class Americans. Crawford Love Over the next 5 years, Rhode Island Culberson Lowenthal Smith (NJ) Lofgren Richmond Davidson Lowey Smith (TX) Rice (SC) Tonko officials estimate Medicaid cuts would Davis (CA) Lucas Smith (WA) cost the State $595 million to make NOT VOTING—26 Davis, Danny Luetkemeyer Smucker sure that 75,000 low-income adults DeLauro Lujan Grisham, Soto Bustos Jeffries Reichert DelBene M. Speier Clyburn Lieu, Ted Ross don’t lose coverage. Demings Marchant Stefanik Cohen Loebsack Rush Now, this is a burden that my State Dent Marino Stewart Fitzpatrick MacArthur Slaughter or others cannot afford to bear, and it DesJarlais Massie Suozzi Gohmert Maloney, Takano will decimate services and supports for Deutch McCarthy Taylor Goodlatte Carolyn B. Tsongas Diaz-Balart McCaul Thornberry Grijalva Payne Turner low- and middle-income adults, chil- Doggett McClintock Titus Issa Perry Webster (FL) dren, seniors, and especially people Donovan McCollum Torres Jackson Lee Pittenger Wilson (SC) with disabilities. Duncan (SC) McHenry Trott Duncan (TN) McMorris Vela b 2101 Mr. Speaker, we are better than this Dunn Rodgers Wagner as a country. Americans’ health will be Ellison McNerney Walorski So the Journal was approved. jeopardized if consumer protections Emmer McSally Walters, Mimi The result of the vote was announced and comprehensive coverage developed Engel Meadows Walz as above recorded. Esty Meng Wasserman under the ACA are cast aside in a par- Farenthold Messer Schultz f tisan push to repeal. Ferguson Mitchell Welch Let’s not do this. Let’s join together WATER Fleischmann Mooney (WV) Westerman instead and make improvements to the Flores Mullin Williams Fortenberry Murphy (FL) Womack (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was ACA to make it better. Let’s not work Foster Nadler Yarmuth given permission to address the House against us to repeal it. Frankel (FL) Napolitano Young (IA) for 1 minute.) I urge my colleagues to oppose this Frelinghuysen Newhouse Zeldin Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, yes- unconscionable bill. NOES—197 terday was World Water Day. f When we are thirsty, we walk 3 feet Adams Capuano DeFazio LET’S GO BACK TO THE DRAWING Aguilar Carbajal DeGette to the nearest faucet or grab a bottle of Amash Ca´ rdenas Delaney water out of the refrigerator. Sadly, BOARD FOR A BETTER Babin Carson (IN) Denham there are almost 800 million people who HEALTHCARE BILL Barraga´ n Carter (GA) DeSantis Bass Cartwright DeSaulnier lack access to clean drinking water. (Mr. BERA asked and was given per- Beatty Castor (FL) Dingell It is unacceptable that in the year mission to address the House for 1 Bera Clark (MA) Doyle, Michael 2017 there are women who are still minute.) Bergman Clarke (NY) F. Beyer Cleaver Duffy forced to walk miles to obtain water Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I stand here Biggs Coffman Eshoo from polluted rivers. These rivers are not as a Member of the Congress, but Bishop (GA) Collins (GA) Espaillat not clear springs. Instead, they are riv- as a doctor. And as a doctor, health Bishop (MI) Comer Evans ers infected with waste, parasites, and care is about taking care of patients. Blum Conaway Faso Blunt Rochester Connolly Foxx other insects. That is why the bill that might come Bost Conyers Franks (AZ) That is why my friend Representa- before us is a bad bill. It raises the cost Boyle, Brendan Costa Fudge tive BLUMENAUER and I filed and Con- of care for many people. It makes mil- F. Costello (PA) Gallagher Brady (PA) Courtney Gibbs gress passed the Senator Paul Simon lions of folks lose their health insur- Brown (MD) Crist Gosar Water for the World Act. It helps ance. It raises the cost on elderly pa- Brownley (CA) Crowley Gottheimer USAID focus on safe drinking water, tients. There is an age tax in there. Buchanan Cuellar Gowdy better sanitation, hygiene in schools, This is a bad bill. Let’s go back to Buck Cummings Graves (GA) Burgess Curbelo (FL) Graves (LA) and clinics in villages for poor people the drawing board. Let’s come together Butterfield Davis, Rodney Graves (MO) throughout the world. as Democrats and Republicans, and

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:05 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR7.007 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2364 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 let’s make sure health care is available hard enough and long enough, they can the years. I have been extremely and affordable for every American. make things better for their entire blessed in that way. But I hope that I don’t want to go back to the days community. Jon is one of those folks. you will join me as you say your pray- where I would see a patient who may And what I love most about Jon is he ers tonight in praying for my friend in have cancer and I couldn’t take care of looks for those things that other folks hospice, Jon Richards, and for his fam- them because they didn’t have that aren’t doing. ily as he enters what will be a very healthcare coverage. You know, there are those folks back long weekend for him. Let’s go back to the drawing board. home. Everybody wants that glam- Mr. Speaker, Jon would be the first This is a bad bill. You guys know it is orous job. Everybody wants to do that one to be standing outside these doors a bad bill. Let’s do this, and let’s come thing that comes with the perks or the pushing us forward on healthcare re- up with a better bill. fringe benefits. Jon Richards was at- form, and he would be doing it because he sees the human condition that is af- f tracted to those jobs that he knew would matter, that he knew needed to fected by health care. He sees the fami- SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE get done but other folks weren’t filling lies that have expectations, families to AFFORDABLE CARE ACT those shoes. whom promises have been made, fami- (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was Mr. Speaker, I tell you this about lies to whom promises have been bro- given permission to address the House Jon because Jon was diagnosed with ken. And he knows that we can do bet- for 1 minute and to revise and extend liver cancer; and as is always true ter. her remarks.) when you have a friend get diagnosed Mr. Speaker, what he and I would Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I with cancer, you believe that they are often sit and talk about is that there think the American people have seen going to be better. I learned this week are challenges in this country that ab- the scrambling and the unraveling that Jon has been moved to hospice solutely, positively have to be ad- today, the seventh anniversary of the and isn’t getting better. dressed. I have friends on the right, I Affordable Care Act which allowed Mr. Speaker, Jon was one of the first have friends on the left, and I often be- more than 20 million people to achieve folks to give me even the time of day lieve that if we could just sit down in opportunities and access to health care when I thought about seeking this op- a room together, we would solve them that many have never had. portunity to serve. Jon was the first if we could agree on what the problem Throughout America, the Affordable person there every Saturday morning was. Care Act provided hardworking Ameri- when breakfast was getting started for Mr. Speaker, I have a chart here. You cans access to wellness care, hos- the Gwinnett County Republican can’t see it from where you sit, but it pitalization, care that they could not Party, and he was the last one to leave shows you where America gets its have before because it eliminated the when the Young Republicans down at healthcare coverage. I bring this up be- cause that is the crux of the healthcare barrier for those who had preexisting the University of Georgia were fin- debate that we are having here. About disease. ishing up. 46 percent of Americans, Mr. Speaker, Now, tomorrow we will be debating It was young people that were his passion, Mr. Speaker. Jon saw a Repub- get their coverage from their em- this fast-moving, thoughtless, and dev- lican Party that he worried was going ployer. When the President was push- astating legislation that will see, in to become more closed. He worked to ing the Affordable Care Act in 2009 and 2026, some 52 to 54 million Americans open it up. Jon saw a Republican Party 2010, he was talking about the unin- without insurance and undermine the that was getting grayer. He was work- sured Americans, and surely we can do opportunity for those in nursing ing with young people who were our fu- more for those families who don’t have homes, disabled, the blind, and many ture. Jon saw a Republican Party that access to health care. But 46 percent of others, children, that are in great need had an opportunity to make a dif- Americans had access to health care, of health care eliminated. ference, and he seized that opportunity had it through their employer, were So I don’t know what the purpose of every single day. not seeking help or improvement, but this bill is tomorrow, but we will be In 2014, Mr. Speaker, the entire State in an effort to make a difference for here to debate it and hopefully defeat of Georgia, Georgia Republican Party, the small percentage of Americans who it, because I believe that the quality of named Jon Richards the Volunteer of are uninsured, the President and my life for all Americans truly is based the Year. Truth be told, he would have friends on the Democratic side of the upon their access to good, strong won that honor every single year, you aisle chose to reregulate all health health care. That is what the Afford- just can’t give it to somebody over and care across the country. able Care Act is, helping rural hos- over again. I think Jon appreciated It wasn’t just the lie of the year, as pitals, providing hospital resources for that. the newspaper PolitiFact called it, uncompensated care. If you go back and try to look for Pinocchios—if you like your doctor, So, Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we will be pictures of Jon so you can put a name you can keep it; if you like your doc- debating a bill that, hopefully, will be with a face, Mr. Speaker, you are like- tor, you can keep it. It wasn’t just that defeated because it will not save lives. ly not to see too many. He was also the that promise was broken; it is that f guy who had the camera around his folks who weren’t seeking any help at ADDRESSING HEALTHCARE neck taking pictures of everybody else, all got caught up in this net of a new CHALLENGES making sure that everybody else had Federal regulatory scheme. something to remember the day by, Mr. Speaker, about 46 percent of The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. making sure that everybody else was Americans get their health insurance MAST). Under the Speaker’s announced involved and appreciated, making sure from their employer. About 17 percent policy of January 3, 2017, the gen- everybody else was served. of Americans are on Medicare. We have tleman from Georgia (Mr. WOODALL) is got another 17 percent of Americans recognized until 10 p.m. as the designee b 2115 that are on Medicaid or CHIP or those of the majority leader. I have known Jon Richards for a long safety net programs. Even here today, Mr. WOODALL. Mr. Speaker, I appre- time. I have never known him to do a after the passage of the Affordable Care ciate your agreeing to be down here single thing to benefit himself. Time Act, 8 percent of Americans are unin- with me tonight. I came down to talk and time and time again, he did the sured. Now, we have folks who are in about health care, but I actually have things that others wouldn’t do. Time the exchanges—they are represented a personal story I want to tell before and time and time again, he would pull here—that is about 12.4 percent of the that begins, right there in the middle me aside and say: ROB, I know how we population. We have folks who are on of the realm of health care, a friend of can be better together. Medicaid represented here; that is mine back home in Georgia. His name There is no replacement for Jon about 11.3 percent of the population. is Jon Richards. Richards—not in our county, not in our And we have folks who don’t have any Mr. Speaker, you have folks like Jon State, not in my life. insurance at all. Richards in your district, people who Mr. Speaker, I haven’t had much ex- Mr. Speaker, if we would come to- just believe that, if only they work perience saying good-bye to folks over gether to solve the problem for folks

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:05 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.027 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2365 who didn’t have access to health care, There is a group of people, mostly Speaker, with those choices, with those I believe we could have found a solu- small-business owners and employees, subsidies, with that offer of access, al- tion together. Instead, what we tried to who make just a little too much money most 20 million Americans said: Forget do was reregulate the entire healthcare to qualify for Medicaid expansion or it, I am out. system, even for all of the Americans for the tax incentives who can’t get af- Now, you remember this whole plan who were perfectly happy with their fordable health insurance premiums in was put together where the IRS comes care. And it didn’t work. a lot of places. and fines you if you are out. So what You don’t have to take my word for Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe health began as an idea that said, ‘‘We are it, Mr. Speaker. I can quote from my care is a partisan issue. Regulation and going to provide you with choice, we big newspaper back home in my dis- how we use it may be a partisan issue. are going to provide you with support, trict, The Atlanta Journal-Constitu- Federal control of whether we should and that is going to get you your ac- tion: ‘‘Aetna to pull out of Georgia’s use it may be a partisan issue, but pro- cess,’’ 20 million Americans have de- ObamaCare insurance marketplace.’’ viding Americans access to health care cided that plan has so failed them, they Many counties in Georgia now, Mr. is an American issue, and every one of would rather pay the IRS a penalty to Speaker, only have one insurer to these Democrats I have just cited rec- the tune of $4 billion last year—rather, choose from. Humana has announced it ognize the failures of the current sys- pay the IRS a penalty than access the is pulling out. tem. I don’t say that, Mr. Speaker, to Affordable Care Act. That is a failure. Union Leader in New Hampshire: try to point the finger of blame. I say It is a failure. ‘‘Another ACA failure Bad idea keeps it because either we believe that every- Who is it failing most, Mr. Speaker? getting worse.’’ thing is working just great and we If you look at those folks who are in Over in Kaiser Health News in Ar- should all pack our bags and head back this almost 20 million pool, 45 percent kansas: ‘‘Largest U.S. Health Insurer home to the district, or we believe that of them are age 35 or younger. I don’t Pulls Out of Health Exchanges in Geor- there are American families in crisis fall under the age category of 35 and gia, Arkansas.’’ under, Mr. Speaker, but I can tell you From The Washington Post: ‘‘Aetna that are calling on us to serve them. You can’t see this map, Mr. Speaker, that folks who are 35 and under cost chief executive says ObamaCare is in a but it shows some of that crisis. In just less to take care of than folks who are ‘death spiral.’ ’’ And from the Courier-Tribune in 1 year, from 2016 to 2017, Mr. Speaker, my age bracket and older. So if you are North Carolina: ‘‘Blue Cross projects the number of counties in America going to try to craft a national insur- $400 million loss in NC on ACA in just that only have one insurer to choose ance system, you need these people two years.’’ from quintupled. I will say that again. who are 35 and under to be involved— Mr. Speaker, while we can argue In just 1 year, from 2016 to 2017, so se- enthusiastically involved. Rather than about whether we correctly identified vere is the death spiral of the ex- getting involved with the choices and the problem to begin with, while we changes across the country, the num- with the subsidies to get the access, 20 can argue about whether or not we ber of American counties that no million Americans have said: It is not crafted the right solution to begin longer have choices and are limited to for me. I will pay the fine instead. with, what is undisputed is that the Af- a single insurer has increased 500 per- Most of them young people. If we fordable Care Act is failing, and it is cent. can’t agree that that is a failure, Mr. taking American families down with it. Mr. Speaker, the number of counties Speaker, if we can’t agree that the sys- That is not just the newspapers talk- that only have one insurer is rep- tem can’t stand in that way, we are ing, Mr. Speaker. resented here in the color of orange. going to have a tough time finding a I will quote from former President You see it in 2016, you see it in 2017. solution. Barack Obama. In August of last year, Five entire States, Mr. Speaker, in a What you heard so often today about he says: ‘‘Despite this progress’’—he is healthcare system that was designed to the solution that is being proposed in talking about the progress of the provide consumers with choices, have this body is that older Americans are ACA—‘‘too many Americans still no choice of insurer whatsoever. I say getting the toughest end of the deal. strain to pay for their physician visits that because we have gotten wrapped There is a little truth to that, Mr. and prescriptions, cover their around the political axle here, Mr. Speaker. deductibles, or pay their monthly in- Speaker, as if somehow if you are on What the Affordable Care Act did is surance bills; struggle to navigate a the Republican side of the aisle, you it said you have young, healthy people; complex, sometimes bewildering sys- cannot recognize that the Affordable you have older people who are likely to tem; and remain uninsured.’’ Care Act achieved any successes what- be sicker. The law of the land at the Twenty million Americans remain soever, and if you are on the Demo- time was that the cost spread between uninsured. After all of the President’s cratic side of the aisle, you can’t recog- the youngest and the oldest could be efforts, he still recognized in August of nize that the Affordable Care Act has 500 percent, 5 times more for the old- last year there was much more to be failed anyone in any way whatsoever. est, highest risk people than the done because the efforts that he tried Both of those positions are nonsense. youngest, lowest risk people. failed. I tell you that if you have spent a Sure, it is insurance, right? Governor Mark Dayton, a Democrat trillion dollars on this program—and Older cars, different pricing than from Minnesota, in October of last you have—I hope a family has been newer cars. Houses with sprinkler sys- year, he says: ‘‘The reality is the Af- helped. I know some families that have tems, different prices than houses fordable Care Act is no longer afford- been helped. But I also know families without sprinkler systems. It is just able. . . . ’’ that have been crushed. We need to re- actuarial experience. The aspiration was that premiums peal the Affordable Care Act for those But the Affordable Care Act says we would come down by $2,500, but the re- families that have been crushed, and are going to compress that from one to ality is that premiums were going up we need to replace the Affordable Care five, a 500 percent spread, down to one by double digits, and in some cases tri- Act for those families that have been to three, a 300 percent spread. What ple digits. The Affordable Care Act is helped because that help is rapidly that did was lower rates below the ac- no longer affordable. eroding. tuarial experience for older Ameri- And former President Bill Clinton, in Mr. Speaker, I want you to think cans—that was great for older Ameri- October of last year, Mr. Speaker, he about the thought, the idea that is the cans—and, at the same time, raise said: ‘‘So you’ve got this crazy system Affordable Care Act. The idea is we are rates for younger Americans, which where all of a sudden 25 million more going to provide these choices, and forced all the younger Americans out people have health care and then the then we are going to provide these gov- of the marketplace, which then raised people who are out there busting it, ernment subsidies, and folks are going rates for all Americans. sometimes 60 hours a week, wind up to have access to health care for the I will quote from Grace-Marie Tur- with their premiums doubled and their very first time. It is a wonderful idea: ner. She is the president of the Galen coverage cut in half. It’s the craziest provide choice, provide support, pro- Institute. She testified in front of the thing in the world.’’ vide access. The reality is, though, Mr. Committee on the Budget this year on

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:05 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.029 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2366 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 this issue. She said this, Mr. Speaker: Aetna’s CEO recognized, grows faster Mr. Speaker, the challenge at any in- ‘‘ . . . young people purchasing indi- and faster. Which brings us to the solu- surance pool is what do you do with the vidual policies in or out of the ex- tion that we are working on here to- sickest of the individuals in that pool. changes are required to pay much more gether. If I buy insurance today and I am not for their policies than their actuari- I don’t know what you thought of yet sick, well, now I am in the insur- ally-expected costs because of the law’s President Trump when you first met ance pool and I am paying for whatever required 3:1 age rating band. Forcing him, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know what my actuarial risk is. But forbid the the young to pay more drives costs up you thought of the campaign and how thought if somebody has already got- for everyone. things were going to transpire in these ten sick, they have been fighting ill- ‘‘The average 64-year-old consumes first 60 days of a new administration. ness their entire life, they are trying to six times as much health care, in dollar But I think a lot of folks in my district run their small business, and they show value, as the average 21-year-old.’’ imagined the President as a take-it-or- up to buy a new insurance policy, they leave-it kind of guy, my-way-or-the- have struggled mightily throughout b 2130 highway kind of guy. I think you would my lifetime to get access to coverage. Insurance is about experience. There agree with me that nothing could be Now, in 1996, President Bill Clinton is a 1 in 100 chance of something bad further from the truth in our experi- and Speaker of the House, Newt Ging- happening to you, you pay 1 one-hun- ence. rich, right here on this very floor of dredth of the price of that bad episode, This is what he tweeted out. As you the House, passed a bill that abolished 100 of you get in the pool together, you know, that is our new method of com- preexisting conditions for every feder- share the risk. munication here in Washington, D.C. ally regulated plan. Those are the Actuarially, a 64-year-old consumes This is what he tweeted out when this plans that the big companies use, like six times more health care than a House dropped its healthcare bill. He Coca-Cola, Home Depot, or Walmart. young person. But we compressed that said: ‘‘Our wonderful new healthcare All of those plans, those big employer- to three times in terms of the billing. bill is now out for review and negotia- based plans, the Federal Government Dr. Turner goes on to say this: tion. ObamaCare is a complete and abolished preexisting conditions in ‘‘Under the ACA’s age-rating require- total disaster—is imploding fast.’’ those plans decades ago. ments, insurers cannot charge their It is out for review and negotiation. But States have moved a little bit oldest policyholders more than three And those weren’t just words, Mr. slower. And the mechanism that many times the price they charge their Speaker. You have seen it. You have States are trying to use as high-risk youngest customers.’’ seen it going on this week. You have pools to say that when folks find them- If every customer were to remain in seen it going on even to the eleventh selves ailing and trying to find insur- the insurance market, this would have hour. The President has never said: My ance for the first time, perhaps they the net effect of increasing premiums way or the highway. He has brought need a different kind of medical home, for 21-year-olds by 75 percent, and re- people in from every end of the polit- perhaps they need a different ducing them for 64-year-olds by 13 per- ical spectrum to work with them on incentivize to get into the insurance cent. Now, think about this. This is the their ideas, to work to see what we pool. These high-risk pools are funded system that we have created. could do more for children, more for in order to make insurance available, If you can get the young people to the near elderly, more for families, accessible, and affordable for folks who stay in the system—which you can- how do we get the incentives in the have preexisting conditions and are not—the young people are paying rates right place. Day in and day out, 16, 17, outside the insurance pool today. We 75 percent higher than they should so 20 hours a day, the President has been have got to get them on the inside. We that older Americans can pay pre- working to make this better. provide money to do that. miums 13 percent lower than they I could not feel better about the proc- Personal tax credits, Mr. Speaker. should. But we are losing all the young ess. I don’t believe any particular party Refundable, advanceable personal tax has a monopoly on good ideas. I don’t people because 77 percent is forcing credits. What we say in this bill is, you believe any particular Member has a these folks out. They are not dumb don’t have to pick a plan off of an monopoly on good ideas. I believe we folks. They are making good choices ObamaCare exchange that isn’t right work best when we work collabo- about their own self-interests. If their for you and your family. You don’t ratively. And I am so proud of our insurance prices are too high, they re- have to wait for the government to ap- President for embracing exactly that— ject the insurance. prove what your choices are. You can the art of a deal. An individual in my district, Mr. Mr. Speaker, there are four main pick any plan, anywhere that serves Speaker, from Buford, Georgia, wrote parts of our replacement plan, four your needs that you believe is best for to me and said: ROB, I am a full-time main parts. your family. And if you are a middle- student with a part-time job that Number one, Medicaid reforms to income or low-income American, we doesn’t offer health or dental insur- allow States the freedom to run their will help you defray the cost of that in- ance. I can’t get health insurance own Medicaid programs. surance policy. through my parents because they are I serve on the Rules Committee with Now, everybody has got skin in the on Medicare. I shop for health plans, LIZ CHENEY from Wyoming. I promise game. There is no free lunch here, Mr. but most are out of my budget. I you, the rural nature in the low-popu- Speaker. Everybody has to have skin in shouldn’t have to pay a fine if a lation area of Wyoming means she the game. We are putting people in healthcare plan is not in my budget. needs a very different Medicaid pro- charge of their own choices. But if you There should be alternatives to this gram than the high-density, high-popu- are a 63-year-old couple and your kids plan. Please help. lation area of metro Atlanta that I have left the house, we ask: Do you Say young people don’t want insur- serve. need to buy a policy that covers mater- ance. I don’t believe that is true. I do So often, the State programs dic- nity care? Is it important to you that think young people believe they are tated by the Federal Government lock you have a policy that covers pediatric going to live forever and they are never States in to a one-size-fits-all solution. care? Or, because you are in that older going to get sick. But they do worry Or the States can come begging to American status, you are in that age about that rainy day, forbid the Washington, D.C., for an exception or bracket where the actuaries say you thought, should something bad happen. an exemption or a waiver. You are likely to consume six times more But you can’t buy a policy you can’t shouldn’t have to come beg Wash- health care dollarwise than young peo- afford, and we have priced these young ington, D.C., to best serve your con- ple do should you be able to pick and people out of the marketplace. stituents, Mr. Speaker. We give folks choose those benefits so that you get When we price young people out of the flexibility to run these State-based the policy that provides the best value the marketplace, rates go up for every- programs to serve the most vulnerable for you and your family. These per- body. When rates go up for everybody, of State populations. sonal tax credits go to the individual, more young people drop out of the mar- Number two, a patient and State sta- so the individual can make choices ketplace. And that death spiral that bility fund. about what is best for them.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:05 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.030 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2367 And it creates health savings ac- that deals with the IPAB repeal, and to the IRS, and are staying out of the counts. Oh, Mr. Speaker, I did not un- on and on. In fact, we have begun that system as got into the system. But of derstand the economics of health care this week, Mr. Speaker. those people who got into the system, until I got my first medical savings ac- There are two legislative processes. about 80 percent of which are receiving count. I thought health care costs $50 a There is the process where you can Federal subsidies to stay in the sys- visit, because that is what my copay pass something in the Senate with 51 tem, only about half said that they are was. votes. That is called reconciliation. better off today than they were before. When I got my first medical savings And there is the process where you That is $1 trillion that we have account, my insurer sent me a list. And have to deal with the filibuster in the spent—borrowed from our children and they said: ROB, if you want to go to the Senate. That is for everything else. spent—to reform health care for 300 doctor for a CT scan, you can go to this Mr. Speaker, right now, we are still million Americans even though most one down the road that charges $200, or getting the rust out of the gears here Americans valued the plan they had, you can go to this one down the road in this body. There are lots of new created a system where more Ameri- that charges $2,000. You just do what- Members here. We have got a chance to cans opted out and decided to pay a ever you think is best. pass a bill tomorrow morning that can penalty than agreed to take the free I went and looked last night, Mr. move through the Senate with 51 votes. health care that was being offered. And Speaker. If you want to go in for a CT But then we are going to be back. of those who agreed to take the health scan in Washington, D.C.—we have fab- Like I say, we have started this care, more than half of them believe ulous hospitals here—you can go to week. We have already passed, in a bi- things were better before. George Washington University right partisan way, legislation to increase down the street here in Foggy Bottom, competition in the insurance market b 2145 and if you have a United plan, the cost and legislation to allow small busi- Mr. Speaker, I will stipulate, if it is is going to be $1,500 for your CT scan. nesses to band together so that they valuable, that folks who passed the Af- If instead of driving west to George can provide better plans at lower costs fordable Care Act before you and I got Washington University, you drive to their constituents. here were trying to do the best they north to Howard University, you can Mr. Speaker, there is some sugges- could to serve their constituency the go to Howard University hospital and tion that fixing a failing ObamaCare, best they know how, but it didn’t work. get the same CT scan for $200. an ObamaCare that is in a death spiral, Insurers are leaving the plan. Families Mr. Speaker, I can’t bring down is somehow a partisan issue. Again, as are losing their policies. Premiums are health insurance costs unless I bring I began, I said there are folks on the skyrocketing double and even triple down healthcare costs. And I can’t Republican side who sometimes say digits annually. bring down healthcare costs unless we nothing good ever happened in We can do better. We can do better, have transparency in healthcare pric- ObamaCare and folks on the Demo- and we have an opportunity to start ing so that you and I and 300 million cratic side who sometimes say nothing that process tomorrow. I regret that Americans become more active con- bad ever happened. even the word ‘‘ObamaCare’’ has be- sumers of these products. Health sav- But the truth is, 20 different times, come so toxic that it divides people ings accounts give us that opportunity. this Republican-controlled House even upon its mention. But families are But I can’t solve all of our healthcare passed bills that President Obama being caught in that divide. Families problems in one bill. And shame on this signed into law to fix problems in the are being caught in the political cross- Congress for having created the expec- Affordable Care Act—20 different fire as we discuss this. tations across a decade of stuffing times. One of the first bills I voted on The President has said: Send me a giant bills through this body at one when I came to Congress was one of bill because I want to put a stop to time, that we have come to set expec- those bills. The President signed it into that uncertainty. I want to put a stop tations that we can do everything for law. to that insecurity. I want to put the everybody in a single bill. We can’t. The Affordable Care Act—I don’t American healthcare system back on And even if we could, we shouldn’t. need to go through the whole history track. Taking issues one at a time leads to with you, Mr. Speaker. You remember. We can do it together tomorrow. better legislating. It was jammed through the Senate on America needs us to do it together So we have a three-phase approach Christmas Eve. It moved through the tomorrow, and I hope that we will. here, Mr. Speaker. House on a Sunday night at midnight Mr. Speaker, thank you so much for First, we are going to pass the Amer- with no amendments and no changes. agreeing to be here with me during this ican Health Care Act, which repeals It was not ready for prime time. It time tonight, and thank you for agree- the Affordable Care Act taxes and pen- needed these fixes. And even with these ing to keep my friend Jon Richards in alties, it replaces the mandates with fixes, the death spiral continues. your prayers as you lay your head policies that will stabilize markets and But we needn’t say to one another down this evening. increase individual choices. We are that collaborating to solve a failing Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance going to do that tomorrow morning. ObamaCare system is anathema to of my time. Then comes the administrative ac- what anyone believes. We have done it f tion: What can we do through the not once, not twice, but 20 times dur- White House? ing the Obama Presidency alone. ENROLLED BILL SIGNED You will remember when they passed Mr. Speaker, I will close with this to- Karen L. Haas, Clerk of the House, the Affordable Care Act, they delegated night. It is a Kaiser Family Founda- reported and found truly enrolled a bill much of that authority to the Sec- tion study. They went to folks who of the House of the following title, retary of Health and Human Services. have policies in the Affordable Care which was thereupon signed by the Today, that Secretary is my good Act exchange system, and they said: Speaker: friend from across the river in Georgia, Are you better off today than you were H.R. 1228. An act to provide for the ap- Dr. Tom Price. So the second phase is before the passage of the Affordable pointment of members of the Board of Direc- for Dr. Tom Price to grab ahold of Care Act? tors of the Office of Compliance to replace those dials that he has at Health and Again, these are folks who have en- members whose terms expire during 2017, and Human Services and make those rolled in the Affordable Care Act. for other purposes. changes that will encourage choice and What they found is it is about 50/50. f lower prices, stabilize markets. It is just this small red and green sliv- And then third, we are going to come er, Mr. Speaker, of the entire SENATE ENROLLED BILL SIGNED back to this body, back to this floor, healthcare market in this country, just The Speaker announced his signature back to the United States Senate and this small sliver that enrolled in the to an enrolled bill of the Senate of the pass stand-alone legislation that au- Affordable Care Act. Again, almost following title: thorizes association health plans, that twice as many people rejected the Af- S. 305. An act to amend title 4, United promotes competition in insurance, fordable Care Act, are paying penalties States Code, to encourage the display of the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:13 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR7.032 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2368 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 flag of the United States on National Viet- Residential Buildings’ Baseline Standards tection Agency, transmitting the Agency’s nam War Veterans Day. Update [EERE-2016-BT-STD-0003] (RIN: 1904- final rule — Aspergillus flavus AF36; Amend- f AD56) received March 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 ment to an Exemption from the Requirement U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 104-121, Sec. of a Tolerance [EPA-HQ-OPP-2016-0566; FRL- ADJOURNMENT 251; (110 Stat. 868); to the Committee on En- 9959-92] received March 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 104-121, Sec. Mr. WOODALL. Mr. Speaker, I move ergy and Commerce. 896. A letter from the Director, Regula- 251; (110 Stat. 868); to the Committee on En- that the House do now adjourn. tions Policy and Management Staff, FDA, ergy and Commerce. The motion was agreed to; accord- Department of Health and Human Services, 906. A letter from the Director, Regulatory ingly (at 9 o’clock and 47 minutes transmitting the Department’s final rule — Management Division, Environmental Pro- p.m.), the House adjourned until to- Clarification of When Products Made or De- tection Agency, transmitting the Agency’s morrow, Friday, March 24, 2017, at 9 rived From Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs, final rule — Isoamyl acetate; Exemption from the Requirement of a Tolerance [EPA- a.m. Devices, or Combination Products; Amend- ments to Regulations Regarding ‘‘Intended HQ-OPP-2016-0378; FRL-9956-02] received f Uses’’; Further Delayed Effective Date; Re- March 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. quest for Comments [Docket No.: FDA-2015- 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, Stat. 868); to the Committee on Energy and ETC. N-2002] (RIN: 0910-AH19) received March 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); Public Commerce. 907. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Under clause 2 of rule XIV, executive Law 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 Stat. 868); to the communications were taken from the Management Division, Environmental Pro- Committee on Energy and Commerce. tection Agency, transmitting the Agency’s 897. A letter from the Acting Assistant Speaker’s table and referred as follows: final rule — Octadecanoic acid, 12-hydroxy-, Secretary for Legislation, Department of 890. A letter from the Assistant General homopolymer, ester with a, a’,a‘‘-1,2,3- Counsel for Regulatory Affairs, Pension Ben- Health and Human Services, transmitting propanetriyltris[w-hydroxypoly(oxy-1,2- efit Guaranty Corporation, transmitting the the Department’s FY 2016 Biosimilar User ethanediyl)]; Tolerance Exemption [EPA-HQ- Corporation’s final rule — Allocation of As- Fee Act Financial Report, pursuant to the OPP-2016-0617; FRL-9958-97] received March sets in Single-Employer Plans; Benefits Pay- Biosimilar User Fee Act of 2012; to the Com- 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); able in Terminated Single-Employer Plans; mittee on Energy and Commerce. Public Law 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 Stat. 868); to 898. A letter from the Acting Assistant Interest Assumptions for Valuing and Pay- the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Secretary for Legislation, Department of ing Benefits received March 22, 2017, pursu- 908. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Health and Human Services, transmitting ant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 104- Management Division, Environmental Pro- the Department’s FY 2016 Generic Drug User 121, Sec. 251; (110 Stat. 868); to the Committee tection Agency, transmitting the Agency’s Fee Amendments Financial Report, pursuant on Education and the Workforce. final rule — Polyglycerol polyricinoleate; to the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments 891. A letter from the Assistant General Tolerance Exemption [EPA-HQ-OPP-2016- of 2012; to the Committee on Energy and Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and En- 0606; FRL-9959-12] received March 22, 2017, Commerce. ergy Efficiency, Office of Energy Efficiency pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 899. A letter from the Acting Assistant and Renewable Energy, Department of En- 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 Stat. 868); to the Com- Secretary for Legislation, Department of ergy, transmitting the Department’s final mittee on Energy and Commerce. Health and Human Services, transmitting 909. A letter from the Assistant General rule — Energy Conservation Program: En- the Department’s FY 2016 Prescription Drug Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and En- ergy Conservation Standards for Ceiling User Fee Act Financial Report, pursuant to ergy Efficiency, Office of Energy Efficiency Fans [Docket No.: EERE-2012-BT-STD- the Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992 as and Renewable Energy, Department of En- 0045](RIN: 1904-AD28) received March 22, 2017, amended; to the Committee on Energy and ergy, transmitting the Department’s final pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law Commerce. rule — Energy Efficiency Standards for the 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 Stat. 868); to the Com- 900. A letter from the Acting Assistant Design and Construction of New Federal mittee on Energy and Commerce. Secretary for Legislation, Department of Low-Rise Residential Buildings’ Baseline 892. A letter from the Assistant General Health and Human Services, transmitting Standards Update [Docket No.: EERE-2016- Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and En- the Department’s FY 2016 Prescription Drug BT-STD-0003] (RIN: 1904-AD56) received ergy Efficiency, Office of Energy Efficiency User Fee Performance Report, pursuant to March 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. and Renewable Energy, Department of En- the Prescription Drug User Fee Act; to the 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 ergy, transmitting the Department’s final Committee on Energy and Commerce. Stat. 868); to the Committee on Energy and rule — Energy Conservation Program: Test 901. A letter from the Acting Assistant Commerce. Procedure for Walk-in Coolers and Walk-in Secretary for Legislation, Department of 910. A letter from the Acting Assistant Freezers [Docket No.: EERE-2014-BT-TP- Health and Human Services, transmitting Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Department 0054] (RIN: 1904-AD72) received March 22, the Department’s 2016 Medical Device User of State, transmitting a report on U.S. sup- 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); Public Fee Amendments Financial Report, pursuant port for Taiwan’s participation as an Ob- Law 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 Stat. 868); to the to the Medical Device User Fee Amendments server at the 69th World Health Assembly Committee on Energy and Commerce. of 2012; to the Committee on Energy and and in the work of the World Health Organi- 893. A letter from the Assistant General Commerce. zation, as provided in the Act to Address the Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and En- 902. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Participation of Taiwan in the World Health ergy Efficiency, Office of Energy Efficiency Management Division, Environmental Pro- Organization (P.L. 108-235), Sec. 1(c), pursu- and Renewable Energy, Department of En- tection Agency, transmitting the Agency’s ant to 22 U.S.C. 290 note; Public Law 108-235, ergy, transmitting the Department’s final final rule — Fatty Acids, Montan-Wax, Sec. 1(c); (118 Stat. 658); to the Committee on rule — Energy Conservation Program: Test Ethoxylated; Tolerance Exemption [EPA- Foreign Affairs. 911. A letter from the Acting Assistant Procedures for Central Air Conditioners and HQ-OPP-2016-0337; FRL-9958-10] received Heat Pumps [Docket No.: EERE-2016-BT-TP- Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Department March 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. of State, transmitting a notification of a 0029] (RIN: 1904-AD71) received March 22, 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); Public qualifying export to Australia of defense ar- Stat. 868); to the Committee on Energy and ticles and defense services, pursuant to Arti- Law 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 Stat. 868); to the Commerce. Committee on Energy and Commerce. cle 12(3) of the Treaty Between The Govern- 903. A letter from the Director, Regulatory ment of The United States of America and 894. A letter from the Assistant General Management Division, Environmental Pro- the Government of Australia Concerning De- Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and En- tection Agency, transmitting the Agency’s fense Trade Cooperation, and Sec. 126.16(o) of ergy Efficiency, Office of Energy Efficiency final rule — Cyantraniliprole; Pesticide Tol- the International Traffic in Arms Regula- and Renewable Energy, Department of En- erances [EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0357; FRL-9958-53] tions; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. ergy, transmitting the Department’s final received March 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 912. A letter from the Associate General rule — Energy Conservation Program: Test 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 Counsel, Department of Agriculture, trans- Procedures for Compressors [Docket No.: Stat. 868); to the Committee on Energy and mitting a notification of a nomination and EERE-2014-BT-TP-0054] (RIN: 1904-AD43) re- Commerce. designation of acting officer, pursuant to 5 ceived March 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 904. A letter from the Director, Regulatory U.S.C. 3349(a); Public Law 105-277, 151(b); (112 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 104-121, Sec. 251; (110 Management Division, Environmental Pro- Stat. 2681-614); to the Committee on Over- Stat. 868); to the Committee on Energy and tection Agency, transmitting the Agency’s sight and Government Reform. Commerce. final rule — Cloquintocet-mexyl; Pesticide 913. A letter from the Board Secretary, 895. A letter from the Assistant General Tolerances [EPA-HQ-OPP-2016-0299; FRL- Railroad Retirement Board, transmitting Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and En- 9959-11] received March 22, 2017, pursuant to 5 the Board’s FY 2016 No FEAR Act report, ergy Efficiency, Office Energy Efficiency and U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); Public Law 104-121, Sec. pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 2301 note; Public Law Renewable Energy, Department of Energy, 251; (110 Stat. 868); to the Committee on En- 107-174, 203(a) (as amended by Public Law 109- transmitting the Department’s final rule — ergy and Commerce. 435, Sec. 604(f)); (120 Stat. 3242); to the Com- Energy Efficiency Standards for the Design 905. A letter from the Director, Regulatory mittee on Oversight and Government Re- and Construction of New Federal Low-Rise Management Division, Environmental Pro- form.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:31 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR7.008 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2369 REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON H.R. 1698. A bill to expand sanctions H.R. 1707. A bill to apologize for the treat- PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS against Iran with respect to the ballistic ment of Italian Americans during World War missile program of Iran, and for other pur- II; to the Committee on the Judiciary. Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of poses; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, By Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of committees were delivered to the Clerk and in addition to the Committees on Finan- New York (for herself, Mr. BLU- for printing and reference to the proper cial Services, the Judiciary, Ways and MENAUER, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. TSON- calendar, as follows: Means, and Oversight and Government Re- GAS, Mr. ENGEL, and Mr. QUIGLEY): Mr. MCCAUL: Committee on Homeland Se- form, for a period to be subsequently deter- H.R. 1708. A bill to prohibit the sale of a curity. H.R. 1282. A bill to amend the Home- mined by the Speaker, in each case for con- firearm to, and the purchase of a firearm by, land Security Act of 2002 to establish Acqui- sideration of such provisions as fall within a person who is not covered by appropriate sition Review Boards in the Department of the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. liability insurance coverage; to the Com- Homeland Security, and for other purposes; By Mr. BARR (for himself, Ms. SINEMA, mittee on the Judiciary. with an amendment (Rept. 115–57). Referred Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. By Ms. PLASKETT: to the Committee of the Whole House on the POLIQUIN, Mr. KUSTOFF of Tennessee, H.R. 1709. A bill to amend title 1, United state of the Union. and Miss RICE of New York): States Code, to provide for a definition of the H.R. 1699. A bill to amend the Truth in term ‘‘State’’ and to include territories f Lending Act to modify the definitions of a therein, and for other purposes; to the Com- PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS mortgage originator and a high-cost mort- mittee on the Judiciary. gage, to amend the Secure and Fair Enforce- By Mr. POLIS (for himself and Mr. Under clause 2 of rule XII, public ment for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 to REED): bills and resolutions of the following modify the definition of a loan originator, H.R. 1710. A bill to amend the Higher Edu- titles were introduced and severally re- and for other purposes; to the Committee on cation Act of 1965 to make education afford- ferred, as follows: Financial Services. able and accessible; to the Committee on By Ms. CLARKE of New York (for her- By Ms. ADAMS (for herself and Mr. Education and the Workforce. self and Mr. FITZPATRICK): BACON): By Mr. QUIGLEY (for himself, Ms. H.R. 1693. A bill to amend the Small Busi- H.R. 1700. A bill to amend the Small Busi- SHEA-PORTER, Mr. COHEN, Ms. CLARK ness Act to add reporting requirements for ness Act to reauthorize the SCORE program, of Massachusetts, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. certain small business concerns, and for and for other purposes; to the Committee on SERRANO, Ms. VELA´ ZQUEZ, Ms. other purposes; to the Committee on Small Small Business. SPEIER, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. BLU- Business. By Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Mr. MENAUER, Mr. EVANS, Mr. THOMPSON By Mr. CHAFFETZ (for himself, Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. of Mississippi, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, DESANTIS, Mr. RUSSELL, Mr. DUNCAN JONES, Mr. LANCE, Mr. MCKINLEY, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. HASTINGS, and of Tennessee, Mr. MASSIE, Mr. Mr. OLSON, and Mr. RICE of South Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois): FARENTHOLD, Mr. COMER, Mr. BLUM, Carolina): H.R. 1711. A bill to require the disclosure of and Mr. ISSA): H.R. 1701. A bill to prohibit the use of Fed- certain visitor access records; to the Com- H.R. 1694. A bill to require additional enti- eral funds for the costs of painting portraits mittee on Oversight and Government Re- ties to be subject to the requirements of sec- of officers and employees of the Federal Gov- form. tion 552 of title 5, United States Code (com- ernment; to the Committee on Oversight and By Mrs. ROBY (for herself, Ms. TITUS, monly referred to as the Freedom of Infor- Government Reform, and in addition to the Mr. WALZ, and Mr. ZELDIN): mation Act), and for other purposes; to the Committee on House Administration, for a H.R. 1712. A bill to direct the Secretary of Committee on Oversight and Government period to be subsequently determined by the Veterans Affairs to establish a grant pro- Reform. Speaker, in each case for consideration of gram to improve the monitoring of mental By Mr. GOODLATTE (for himself, Mr. such provisions as fall within the jurisdic- health and substance abuse treatment pro- CONYERS, Ms. BASS, Mr. BIGGS, Mrs. tion of the committee concerned. grams of the Department of Veterans Af- BLACKBURN, Mr. BUCK, Mr. CHABOT, By Mr. EVANS (for himself and Mrs. fairs; to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. RADEWAGEN): By Mr. RUSSELL (for himself, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, H.R. 1702. A bill to amend the Small Busi- PALMER, and Mr. MCCLINTOCK): Mr. DESANTIS, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. ness Act to improve the small business de- H.R. 1713. A bill to amend title 49, United FARENTHOLD, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, velopment centers program, and for other States Code, to terminate the essential air Mr. GAETZ, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. GOWDY, purposes; to the Committee on Small Busi- service program, and for other purposes; to Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. JOHNSON of ness. the Committee on Transportation and Infra- Georgia, Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana, By Mr. GRIFFITH: structure. Mr. JORDAN, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. H.R. 1703. A bill to amend the Federal By Mr. SERRANO: LABRADOR, Mr. TED LIEU of Cali- Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect H.R. 1714. A bill to amend the Small Busi- fornia, Mr. MARINO, Mr. NADLER, Mr. to determining the intended use of drugs and ness Act to provide for the inclusion of un- POE of Texas, Mr. RATCLIFFE, Mrs. devices; to the Committee on Energy and married women in the criteria for awarding ROBY, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, and Mr. Commerce. a grant to a women’s business center; to the SMITH of Texas): By Mr. HUDSON: Committee on Small Business. H.R. 1695. A bill to amend title 17, United H.R. 1704. A bill to improve patient access By Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi: States Code, to provide additional respon- to health care services and provide improved H.R. 1715. A bill to authorize the Secretary sibilities for the Register of Copyrights, and medical care by reducing the excessive bur- of the Interior to conduct a special resource for other purposes; to the Committee on the den the liability system places on the health study of the Medgar Evers House, located in Judiciary. care delivery system; to the Committee on Jackson, Mississippi, and for other purposes; By Mr. REICHERT (for himself and Mr. the Judiciary, and in addition to the Com- to the Committee on Natural Resources. ´ KIND): mittee on Energy and Commerce, for a pe- By Ms. VELAZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. H.R. 1696. A bill to amend the Internal Rev- riod to be subsequently determined by the SOTO, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. MCCOL- enue Code of 1986 to provide for S corpora- Speaker, in each case for consideration of LUM, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. BROWN of tion reform, and for other purposes; to the such provisions as fall within the jurisdic- Maryland, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Il- Committee on Ways and Means. tion of the committee concerned. linois, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, By Mr. ROSKAM (for himself, Mr. By Mr. KILMER (for himself and Mr. and Mr. COHEN): VARGAS, Mr. ZELDIN, and Mr. SHER- COLLINS of Georgia): H.R. 1716. A bill to prohibit any hiring MAN): H.R. 1705. A bill to amend the Immigration freeze from affecting the Environmental Pro- H.R. 1697. A bill to amend the Export Ad- and Nationality Act to modify the provisions tection Agency; to the Committee on Over- ministration Act of 1979 to include in the governing employment of nonimmigrants sight and Government Reform. prohibitions on boycotts against allies of the under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of that Act to By Mr. WELCH (for himself and Mr. United States boycotts fostered by inter- prevent the transfer of knowledge from CRAMER): national governmental organizations against United States workers for the purpose of fa- H.R. 1717. A bill to amend the Public Israel and to direct the Export-Import Bank cilitating their jobs being moved abroad; to Health Service Act to revise the amount of of the United States to oppose boycotts the Committee on the Judiciary. minimum allotments under the Projects for against Israel, and for other purposes; to the By Ms. LOFGREN (for herself and Mr. Assistance in Transition from Homelessness Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addi- PASCRELL): Program; to the Committee on Energy and tion to the Committee on Financial Serv- H.R. 1706. A bill to authorize the Secretary Commerce. ices, for a period to be subsequently deter- of Education to provide grants for education By Ms. PLASKETT: mined by the Speaker, in each case for con- programs on the history of the treatment of H.J. Res. 91. A joint resolution proposing sideration of such provisions as fall within Italian Americans during World War II; to an amendment to the Constitution of the the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. the Committee on Education and the Work- United States regarding presidential election By Mr. ROYCE of California (for him- force. voting rights for residents of all United self, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. MCCARTHY, and By Ms. LOFGREN (for herself and Mr. States territories and commonwealths; to Mr. HOYER): PASCRELL): the Committee on the Judiciary.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:31 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR7.010 H23MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2370 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 23, 2017 By Ms. PLASKETT: Senate Resolution No. 4, Supporting the By Mr. GRIFFITH: H. Con. Res. 39. Concurrent resolution rec- Alaska Congressional delegation in pro- H.R. 1703. ognizing and commemorating the 100th anni- tecting the state’s right to manage wildlife Congress has the power to enact this legis- versary of the Virgin Islands of the United within its borders; which was referred to the lation pursuant to the following: States becoming a part of the United States; Committee on Natural Resources. This bill is enacted pursuant to the power to the Committee on Natural Resources, and f granted to Congress under Article I, Section in addition to the Committees on Foreign 8 of the United States Constitution. Affairs, and Oversight and Government Re- CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY By Mr. HUDSON: form, for a period to be subsequently deter- STATEMENT H.R. 1704. Congress has the power to enact this legis- mined by the Speaker, in each case for con- Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII of sideration of such provisions as fall within lation pursuant to the following: the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. the Rules of the House of Representa- Article 1, Section 8 of the Constituion. By Mr. YOHO (for himself, Mr. MOONEY tives, the following statements are sub- By Mr. KILMER: of West Virginia, Mr. JONES, Mr. mitted regarding the specific powers H.R. 1705. SCHRADER, Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana, granted to Congress in the Constitu- Congress has the power to enact this legis- Mr. MITCHELL, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. tion to enact the accompanying bill or lation pursuant to the following: THOMAS J. ROONEY of Florida, Ms. joint resolution. Article 1, Section 8 of the United States FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. Constitution. By Ms. CLARKE of New York: CRAMER, and Mr. GIBBS): By Ms. LOFGREN: H.R. 1693. H.R. 1706. H. Con. Res. 40. Concurrent resolution ex- Congress has the power to enact this legis- pressing the sense of Congress that all direct Congress has the power to enact this legis- lation pursuant to the following: lation pursuant to the following: and indirect subsidies that benefit the pro- the power granted to Congress under Arti- duction or export of sugar by all major sugar Article I, Section 8, Clause 18: To make all cle I of the United States Constitution and it laws that shall be necessary and proper for producing and consuming countries should subsequent amendments, and further clari- be eliminated; to the Committee on Ways carrying into execution the foregoing pow- fied and interpreted by the Supreme Court of ers, and all powers vested by this Constitu- and Means, and in addition to the Committee the United States. on Agriculture, for a period to be subse- tion in the government of the United States, By Mr. CHAFFETZ: or in any department or officer thereof. quently determined by the Speaker, in each H.R. 1694. By Ms. LOFGREN: case for consideration of such provisions as Congress has the power to enact this legis- H.R. 1707. fall within the jurisdiction of the committee lation pursuant to the following: Congress has the power to enact this legis- concerned. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18 lation pursuant to the following: By Mr. CHAFFETZ (for himself, Mr. By Mr. GOODLATTE: Article I, Section 8, Clause 18: To make all GRIJALVA, Mr. O’HALLERAN, Mr. H.R. 1695. laws that shall be necessary and proper for YOUNG of Alaska, and Mr. PEARCE): Congress has the power to enact this legis- carrying into execution the foregoing pow- H. Res. 222. A resolution expressing support lation pursuant to the following: for designation of May 5, 2017, as ‘‘National Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 ers, and all powers vested by this Constitu- Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered By Mr. REICHERT: tion in the government of the United States, Native Women and Girls’’; to the Committee H.R. 1696. or in any department or officer thereof. on Natural Resources. Congress has the power to enact this legis- By Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of By Mr. YOHO (for himself, Mr. MARINO, lation pursuant to the following: New York: Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. CON- Pursuant to Clause I of Section 8 of Article H.R. 1708. NOLLY, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, and I of the United States Constitution and Congress has the power to enact this legis- Mr. BERA): Amendment XVI of the United States Con- lation pursuant to the following: H. Res. 223. A resolution calling on the stitution. Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 People’s Republic of China (PRC) to cease its By Mr. ROSKAM: By Ms. PLASKETT: retaliatory measures against the Republic of H.R. 1697. H.R. 1709. Korea in response to the deployment of the Congress has the power to enact this legis- Congress has the power to enact this legis- U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense lation pursuant to the following: lation pursuant to the following: (THAAD) to U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), and Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution of Article I, Section 8 and Article IV, Section for other purposes; to the Committee on For- the United States. 3 of the United States Constitution. eign Affairs, and in addition to the Com- By Mr. ROYCE of California: By Mr. POLIS: mittee on Armed Services, for a period to be H.R. 1698. H.R. 1710. subsequently determined by the Speaker, in Congress has the power to enact this legis- Congress has the power to enact this legis- each case for consideration of such provi- lation pursuant to the following: lation pursuant to the following: Article I, Section 8 of the United States sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of Constitution committee concerned. the United States By Mr. QUIGLEY: By Mr. CUMMINGS: By Mr. BARR: H. Res. 224. A resolution recognizing the H.R. 1699. H.R. 1711. Congress has the power to enact this legis- 150th Anniversary of Howard University and Congress has the power to enact this legis- lation pursuant to the following: its contributions to the United States; to the lation pursuant to the following: Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. Committee on Education and the Workforce. (According to Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 Constitution By Mr. KILDEE: of the Constitution: The Congress shall have By Mrs. ROBY: H. Res. 225. A resolution expressing the power to enact this legislation to regulate H.R. 1712. sense of the House of Representatives on commerce with foreign nations, and among Congress has the power to enact this legis- Trumpcare, also known as the American the several states, and with the Indian lation pursuant to the following: Health Care Act of 2017; to the Committee on tribes.) Under Article 5 of the United States Con- Energy and Commerce. By Ms. ADAMS: stitution, seen below, this legislation falls By Ms. LEE (for herself and Mr. CON- H.R. 1700. within Congress’s Constitutional Authority: YERS): Congress has the power to enact this legis- Article 5: H. Res. 226. A resolution expressing the lation pursuant to the following: ‘‘The Congress, whenever two thirds of sense of the House of Representatives regard- ‘‘Article 1, Section 8: To make all Laws both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall ing United States efforts to promote Israeli- which shall be necessary and proper for car- propose Amendments to this Constitution, Palestinian peace; to the Committee on For- rying into Execution of the foregoing Pow- or, on the Application of the Legislatures of eign Affairs. ers, and all other Powers vested by this Con- two thirds of the several States, shall call a By Ms. PLASKETT: stitution in the Government of the United Convention for proposing Amendments, H. Res. 227. A resolution amending the States, or in any Department or Officer which, in either Case, shall be valid to all In- Rules of the House of Representatives to per- thereof.’’ tents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitu- mit Delegates and the Resident Commis- By Mr. CARTWRIGHT: tion, when ratified by the Legislatures of sioner to the Congress to cast votes in the H.R. 1701. three fourths of the several States, or by Committee of the Whole House on the state Congress has the power to enact this legis- Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the of the Union; to the Committee on Rules. lation pursuant to the following: Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 one or the other Mode of Ratification may be f By Mr. EVANS: proposed by the Congress; Provided that no MEMORIALS H.R. 1702. Amendment which may be made prior to the Congress has the power to enact this legis- Year One thousand eight hundred and eight Under clause 3 of rule XII, lation pursuant to the following: shall in any Manner affect the first and 14. The SPEAKER presented a memorial of Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the the Senate of the State of Alaska, relative to Constitution. first Article; and that no State, without its

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Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suf- H.R. 103: Mr. CORREA and Mr. JONES. H.R. 1346: Mr. SCHNEIDER. frage in the Senate.’’ H.R. 354: Mr. ARRINGTON. H.R. 1358: Mr. LEVIN, Ms. SEWELL of Ala- By Mr. RUSSELL: H.R. 367: Mr. LOUDERMILK and Mr. RUS- bama, and Mr. CAPUANO. H.R. 1713. SELL. H.R. 1361: Miss RICE of New York. Congress has the power to enact this legis- H.R. 392: Ms. BASS and Mr. LAMALFA. H.R. 1384: Mr. RYAN of Ohio. lation pursuant to the following: H.R. 400: Mr. ARRINGTON. H.R. 1393: Mr. MITCHELL. Article I, Section 8 of the United States H.R. 408: Mr. WITTMAN. H.R. 1456: Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CLAY, Mr. Constitution. H.R. 442: Mr. BANKS of Indiana. LIPINSKI, Mr. LANCE, Mr. GUTIE´ RREZ, Mr. By Mr. SERRANO: H.R. 534: Mr. MEEHAN. KILDEE, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. JEN- H.R. 1714. H.R. 553: Miss GONZA´ LEZ-COLO´ N of Puerto KINS of Kansas, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. Congress has the power to enact this legis- Rico and Mr. FERGUSON. ELLISON, Mr. SIRES, and Mr. GALLEGO, lation pursuant to the following: H.R. 564: Mr. BACON, Mr. SANFORD, and Mr. H.R. 1457: Mr. LOUDERMILK. This bill is enacted pursuant to the powers DONOVAN. H.R. 1516: Mr. GALLEGO. granted to the Congress by Article I, Section H.R. 644: Mr. WALKER and Mr. ARRINGTON. H.R. 1528: Mr. TAKANO. 8, Clauses 3 and 8 of the United States Con- H.R. 696: Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire. H.R. 1540: Mr. GROTHMAN, Mr. BARR, Mrs. stitution. H.R. 721: Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio. BLACKBURN, Mr. ISSA, and Mr. Rouzer. By Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi: H.R. 747: Mr. LATTA and Mr. BEYER. H.R. 1566: Ms. DELBENE and Mr. RASKIN. H.R. 1715. H.R. 754: Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. H.R. 1611: Mr. MEEKS and Mr. ELLISON. Congress has the power to enact this legis- BISHOP of Utah, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, and Ms. H.R. 1612: Ms. TSONGAS, Mr. RUSH, and Mr. lation pursuant to the following: ROSEN. HUFFMAN. Clause 2 of Section 3 of Article IV of the H.R. 757: Ms. SCHAKOWSKY and Mr. BISHOP H.R. 1626: Mr. ISSA and Mr. ROUZER. Constitution: The Congress shall have Power of Georgia. H.R. 1664: Mr. BARLETTA, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. to dispose of and make all needful Rules and H.R. 771: Mr. RASKIN and Ms. BARRAGA´ N. DESAULNIER, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. EDDIE BER- Regulations respecting the Territory or H.R. 778: Mr. NOLAN. NICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JOHNSON of Geor- other Property belonging to the United H.R. 781: Mr. BABIN and Mr. ARRINGTON. gia, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mrs. NAPOLI- States; and nothing in this Constitution H.R. 795: Mr. FASO, Mr. YODER, and Mr. TANO, Mr. NADLER, Mr. NOLAN, Ms. NORTON, shall be so construed as to Prejudice any WALBERG. Mr. PAYNE, Mr. SIRES, and Ms. WILSON of Claims of the United States, or of any par- H.R. 800: Mr. WALZ. Florida. ticular State. H.R. 820: Mr. DESJARLAIS. H.R. 1671: Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina ´ By Ms. VELAZQUEZ: H.R. 849: Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. and Mr. MCKINLEY. H.R. 1716. H.R. 866: Ms. SHEA-PORTER. H.R. 1672: Ms. TENNEY. Congress has the power to enact this legis- H.R. 901: Ms. NORTON. H.R. 1674: Mr. COURTNEY, and Mr. HIMES. lation pursuant to the following: H.R. 918: Mr. RUTHERFORD. H.J. Res. 1: Mr. HILL. ´ Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 H.R. 947: Ms. BARRAGAN. H.J. Res. 2: Mr. CALVERT, Mr. HILL, and Mr. The Congress shall have Power to . . . pro- H.R. 959: Mr. POCAN. TURNER. vide for the . . . general Welfare of the H.R. 966: Ms. JAYAPAL. H.J. Res. 17: Mr. ALLEN. OUZER United States; . . . H.R. 997: Mr. R . H.J. Res. 48: Mr. WALZ and Mr. KIND. H.R. 1002: Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 H. Res. 28: Mr. O’ROURKE, Mr. HIMES, Mr. New Mexico. The Congress shall have Power . . . To reg- HASTINGS, and Ms. KUSTER of New Hamp- ´ ´ ulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and H.R. 1005: Miss GONZALEZ-COLON of Puerto shire. Rico. among the several States, and with the In- H. Res. 172: Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. HANABUSA, and H.R. 1022: Mr. PALLONE. dian Tribes. Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. H.R. 1038: Mr. MARSHALL. By Mr. WELCH: H. Res. 184: Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. CARBAJAL, H.R. 1054: Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. ESHOO, and H.R. 1717. Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. GABBARD. Congress has the power to enact this legis- Mr. SOTO, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. DESAULNIER, H.R. 1058: Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire lation pursuant to the following: Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. and Mr. KINZINGER. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18: The Con- BEYER, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. MENG, Mrs. H.R. 1089: Ms. NORTON and Mr. PETERS. gress shall have Power To . . . make all LOWEY, Ms. ESHOO, and Mr. LOWENTHAL. H.R. 1112: Mr. PETERS. Laws which shall be necessary and proper for H. Res. 186: Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Penn- H.R. 1116: Mr. BISHOP of Utah and Mr. carrying into Execution the foregoing Pow- sylvania. BACON. ers, and all other Powers vested by this Con- H. Res. 188: Mr. DIAZ-BALART and Ms. JACK- H.R. 1130: Mr. CARTER of Georgia. stitution in the Government of the United SON LEE. H.R. 1136: Mr. VALADAO, Mr. GRAVES of States, or in any Department or Officer H. Res. 217: Ms. CLARKE of New York. Georgia, and Mr. COFFMAN. thereof. H. Res. 220: Mr. LEVIN and Mr. CA´ RDENAS. By Ms. PLASKETT: H.R. 1155: Mr. HASTINGS. H.J. Res. 91. H.R. 1196: Mr. SCHWEIKERT. Congress has the power to enact this legis- H.R. 1203: Mr. ARRINGTON. f lation pursuant to the following: H.R. 1205: Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. NORCROSS, Article V of the United States Constitu- Mr. BARR, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. GOH- PETITIONS, ETC. tion. MERT, and Mr. CAPUANO. H.R. 1231: Mr. MULLIN. Under clause 3 of rule XII, f H.R. 1236: Mr. SERRANO, Mr. VEASEY, and 31. The SPEAKER presented a petition of ADDITIONAL SPONSORS Mr. PALLONE. the City Council of Broken Arrow, OK, rel- Under clause 7 of rule XII, sponsors H.R. 1267: Mrs. COMSTOCK. ative to Resolution 992, urging all United H.R. 1299: Mr. PALLONE. States Senators to Reintroduce the Market- were added to public bills and resolu- H.R. 1304: Mr. ARRINGTON. place Fairness/Digital Parity Act into the tions, as follows: H.R. 1318: Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. POCAN, Mr. United States Senate during its 2017 session; H.R. 20: Ms. ESHOO. KENNEDY, Mr. HECK, Mr. SWALWELL of Cali- which was referred to the Committee on the H.R. 83: Mr. FARENTHOLD. fornia, and Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Judiciary.

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Vol. 163 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017 No. 51 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was lost loved ones in yesterday’s horrific passed 10 resolutions under the Con- called to order by the President pro terror attack. Our prayers are with gressional Review Act to end Obama tempore (Mr. HATCH). those who were severely injured, as administration regulations that slow f well, and we wish them a swift and full economic growth, threaten jobs, and recovery. hold our country back. As one study es- PRAYER This act of terror occurred on the timates, our action to overturn these The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- 1-year anniversary of the devastating regulations could save Americans near- fered the following prayer: attack in Brussels, and as Prime Min- ly $4 billion and more than 4 million Let us pray. ister May pointed out, the location of hours of paperwork. Lord God of Heaven and Earth, today the attack seems to be no coincidence. This week, we have continued our teach our lawmakers to do things Your ‘‘The terrorist chose to strike at the regulatory relief efforts, and today we way, embracing Your precepts and heart of the [the UK’s] capital city,’’ will have an opportunity to send an- walking in Your path. Make them Prime Minister May said yesterday, other to the President’s desk. This res- peaceful and powerful instruments for ‘‘where people of all nationalities, reli- olution would overturn a costly and goodness in our Nation and world. Re- gions and cultures come together to confusing Federal communications mind them that the narrow and dif- celebrate the values of liberty, democ- rule. The regulation in question makes ficult road leads to life and few find it, racy and freedom of speech.’’ the internet an uneven playing field, but You honor those who honor You. I know I speak on behalf of my col- increases complexity, discourages com- As our Senators receive guidance leagues when I say that our thoughts petition, innovation, and infrastruc- from You and follow Your leading, re- are also with those who were in Par- ture investment. President Obama’s place anxiety with calm, confusion liament at the time of the attack, serv- own legal mentor has expressed serious with clarity, and despair with hope. ing their country much in the same doubts about the rule’s constitu- Give them attentive hearts and open way that we do in this Chamber every tionality under the First Amendment. minds as they seek to find in the diver- day. Senator FLAKE has long been a leader sity of ideas what is best for our Na- Of course, I want to also acknowledge on tackling this issue. Last year he tion and world. May peace become the the law enforcement personnel and voiced his worries about the regula- hallmark of their work. first responders who courageously put tions in a letter to the FCC and held a We pray in Your great Name. Amen. their lives on the line for their fellow hearing regarding the legality of such f citizens. We know that the capable se- regulations. Now he has sponsored a curity services of the British, working CRA resolution that will allow us to PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE in cooperation with our own, will con- overturn the regulations and protect The President pro tempore led the tinue to investigate whether this was a consumers. As Senator FLAKE has Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: radicalized individual actor or a ter- pointed out: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the rorist connected to an ISIL external The FCC’s midnight regulation does noth- United States of America, and to the Repub- operation. ing to protect consumer privacy. It is unnec- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Our friends face difficult days ahead essary, confusing and adds yet another inno- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. as they begin to heal from this sense- vation-stifling regulation to the internet. f less act, but as they do so, we want That is why he proposed this CRA them to know that the United States resolution, which he has explained RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY stands with them as a friend, as a cher- ‘‘empowers consumers to make in- LEADER ished ally and as a united partner formed choices on if and how their data The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. against terror. can be shared.’’ HELLER). The majority leader is recog- f I thank my friend from Arizona for nized. taking on this important issue and put- CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT f ting forth legislation to address it. I RESOLUTION look forward to the Senate passing it TERROR ATTACK IN THE UNITED Mr. MCCONNELL. Now, Mr. Presi- soon. KINGDOM dent, on the business before the Senate f Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I today, recently a Washington Post ar- would like to start by taking a mo- ticle noted that Congress has under- NOMINATION OF NEIL GORSUCH ment to offer sincere condolences to taken the ‘‘most ambitious regulatory Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, this our friends in the United Kingdom who rollback since Reagan.’’ Already, we week Supreme Court nominee Judge

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

S1941

.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:27 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR6.000 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1942 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 Neil Gorsuch came before the Senate from being a multi-generation Westerner.’’ world.’’ He was right. It was a direct Judiciary Committee for his confirma- Another stated, ‘‘He is dedicated to the con- attack on the middle class. These tion hearing. Senators from both sides stitutional doctrine of separation of powers failed policies are affecting real people had the opportunity to ask him ques- and to the independence of the judiciary.’’ every day. Americans expected the law tions. Both they and the American peo- Yet another observed, ‘‘In addition to his outstanding academic credentials and bril- to deliver on its promises, but instead ple were able to learn more about liant mind, Judge Gorsuch’s demeanor and they have paid more and received less. Judge Gorsuch, about the type of jurist written opinions during his tenure on the ObamaCare has been a flawed system he has been and will continue to be, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals demonstrate from the start. Over the past 7 years, about his character and temperament, that he believes unwaveringly in the rule of things have gotten progressively worse. and about his aptitude to serve on the law and judicial independence. In my opin- Our Nation cannot continue on this Supreme Court. ion, he is exceptionally well qualified to trajectory as ObamaCare continues to His answers reflected what we have serve as a justice of the Supreme Court of unravel at every level, leaving Ameri- the United States.’’ We agree. all come to find about the judge over cans to pick up the pieces. On this sev- the past several weeks. He has sterling I certainly agree with that. This is enth anniversary of ObamaCare’s en- credentials and a reputation as a fair from the American Bar Association, an actment, Americans deserve a better and impartial jurist. He is also known organization that the Democratic lead- way forward. Thankfully, we finally to be a gifted writer, who is smart, er and former Democratic chairman of have a Congress and a President who kind, humble, and independent. the Judiciary Committee have deemed are committed to delivering much As I mentioned yesterday, his im- the gold standard for evaluating nomi- needed reform. pressive testimony has caught the at- nees. In addition, the assistant Demo- The legislation currently before the tention of publications, news outlets, cratic leader acknowledged yesterday House will help bring relief. It will re- and commentators from across the that Judge Gorsuch is ‘‘very gifted’’ peal and replace ObamaCare, which is country and across the political spec- and ‘‘has a great background and serv- exactly what we promised the Amer- trum. In a panel discussion just yester- ice as judge.’’ ican people we would do. Instead of day, an MSNBC commentator noted But despite the Judge’s outstanding forcing Americans to buy something Judge Gorsuch’s ‘‘masterful perform- performance, his exceptional back- they may not want, like ObamaCare ance’’—one that he called a ‘‘tour de ground, and the extensive support he does, this bill gives Americans the free- force.’’ has received from people of all political dom to choose what type of coverage is Another panelist and NBC cor- leanings, we know that some Senate right for them. respondent had a complimentary view Democrats will continue trying to I look forward to the House passing of the nominee, as well, noting that ‘‘in come up with any reason to delay the that bill soon, and we look forward to terms of character, in terms of profes- confirmation process. It is not the first taking it up in the Senate, where there sionalism, [and in terms of] integrity, time we have seen our friends across will be a robust amendment process. there wasn’t, I would argue, anything, the aisle engage in obstructionist tac- Then, I look forward to collaborating or hardly anything there to criticize tics. In fact, we just saw a historic with my colleagues to pass it. It is im- Gorsuch on.’’ level of obstruction when it came to The Wall Street Journal noted that portant, however, to remember that confirming the President’s Cabinet. Gorsuch ‘‘stressed his independence’’ this bill is only one part of a three- We know that our colleagues are throughout the hearing. The Detroit pronged strategy to bring relief. The under a great deal of pressure from the news echoed these observations and has administration is already working to far left. We know some of these groups urged the Senate to confirm him. It fix the damage 7 years of ObamaCare are calling for them to ‘‘resist.’’ We editorialized that ‘‘[a]fter two days of has done to the health markets across know that even more than 4 months often hostile hearings, Supreme Court the country, and we will continue to after the election, some on the far left nominee Neil Gorsuch is proving him- consider further legislation in Congress simply refuse to accept the outcome of self an even-tempered, deeply knowl- to bring more competition and reform. edgeable nominee who should be con- last year’s election. It is time to move on from 7 years of firmed by the Senate.’’ Well, it is past time to move on from ObamaCare’s broken promises and The paper also noted that Judge that mindset and return to the serious unyielding attacks on the middle class. Gorsuch is ‘‘[eminently] qualified’’ and business of governing. One way we can The status quo is not an option. So that he ‘‘is coming across in the hear- do so is by confirming Judge Gorsuch let’s work together to get this done. ings as the very image of a thoughtful as the next Supreme Court Justice f without delay. He is a proven jurist. He jurist. He displayed an impressive RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME depth of knowledge, and admirable pa- is an outstanding intellect. He has tience. And he’s carefully followed past earned the respect and admiration of so The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under practice of judicial nominees in refus- many—Democrats, Independents, and the previous order, the leadership time ing to say how he’d rule on specific Republicans alike. He is also unques- is reserved. issues.’’ tionably independent. f Today we will hear even more praise His independence is really without CONCLUSION OF MORNING for Judge Gorsuch as witnesses come question at this point. The American BUSINESS Bar Association, which awarded Judge before the Judiciary Committee. I urge Gorsuch its highest rating of unani- my colleagues to show him the fair The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning mously ‘‘well qualified,’’ recently sub- consideration he deserves and, ulti- business is closed. mitted testimony to the Judiciary mately, to come together in supporting f Committee. Here is what the Bar Asso- his nomination in the days ahead. PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL ciation had to say about Judge f DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUB- Gorsuch’s independence: REPEALING AND REPLACING MITTED BY THE FEDERAL COM- Our evaluation process provided an excel- MUNICATIONS COMMISSION lent opportunity to gain a glimpse at wheth- OBAMACARE er Judge Gorsuch is a judge who ascribes to Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the concept of an independent judiciary. today marks the seventh anniversary the previous order, the Senate will re- Based on the writings, interviews, and anal- of ObamaCare becoming law. In the sume consideration of S.J. Res. 34, yses we scrutinized to reach our rating, we years since, millions of Americans lost which the clerk will report. discerned that Judge Gorsuch believes their plans and their doctors. They saw The legislative clerk read as follows: strongly in the independence of the judicial A joint resolution (S.J. Res. 34) providing branch of government, and we predict that the cost of their premiums and deductibles soar. They watched their for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 he will be a strong but respectful voice in of title 5, United States Code, of the rule protecting it. choices disappear as insurers were submitted by the Federal Communications The ABA went on: forced out of the marketplace. Former Commission relating to ‘‘Protecting the Pri- As one interviewee noted with alacrity, President Bill Clinton called vacy of Customers of Broadband and Other ‘‘Judge Gorsuch has ‘grit,’ which he gets ObamaCare the ‘‘craziest thing in the Telecommunications Services.’’

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:27 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.002 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1943 The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. lice. It is a waste of resources. It does My legislation is supported by over STRANGE). If no one yields time, time not work. It can be deadly as we have 1,150 organizations. Let me just, if I will be charged equally. seen in too many communities in our might, mention a couple of those, by The Senator from Maryland. Nation. In my own city of Baltimore, quoting their leaders. Wade Henderson, END RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS PROFILING ACT we had the episode concerning Freddie president and CEO of the Leadership Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise Gray, who died in police custody. Conference on Civil and Human Rights, today to talk about a bill that I have I went to Sandtown, where Freddie who supports this legislation said: introduced. I have introduced it in Gray came from, shortly after that epi- Discriminatory profiling is wrong, fosters prior Congresses. But I think it is par- sode and met with the community, and distrust between law enforcement and the ticularly important in this Congress. It I heard comparable stories about how communities they serve and puts public safe- is the End Racial and Religious good community activists felt like ty at risk. Racial profiling infringes on civil Profiling Act of 2017. I am proud to they were betraying their community liberties and squanders resources that should have many of my colleagues as cospon- if they worked with the local police, be used instead to catch criminal perpetra- tors. We urge his colleagues to join Senator sors of this legislation, including Sen- because they said the system was just Cardin and stand for effective law enforce- ators BALDWIN, BLUMENTHAL, BOOKER, stacked against their community and ment by supporting [this legislation]. BROWN, CANTWELL, COONS, DUCKWORTH, their race. Jennifer Bellamy, the ACLU legisla- So let me, if I might, quote from the DURBIN, FEINSTEIN, FRANKEN, GILLI- tive counsel, who also supports this Department of Justice report on the BRAND, HARRIS, HEINRICH, HIRONO, legislation, said: KAINE, MARKEY, MENENDEZ, MERKLEY, Freddie Gray case. Our congressional For centuries, discriminatory profiling MURPHY, MURRAY, SANDERS, STABENOW, delegation asked for a pattern or prac- practices have harmed communities of color. UDALL, VAN HOLLEN, WYDEN, and WAR- tice investigation. In part of that in- It is not enough to be ‘against’ racism and REN. vestigation, they came out with this racial profiling, we need national leaders to In the House of Representatives, the finding: end discriminatory practices. We know that bill’s principal sponsor is Congressman There is overwhelming statistical evidence profiling of any kind is ineffective and di- CONYERS. It is needed now more than of racial disparities in Baltimore Police De- verts law enforcement’s time, money, and ever before. I say that for many rea- partment’s (BPD’s) stops, searches, and ar- energy away from actual threats. The time sons, one of which is that we have seen rests. . . . BPD officers subject African- is now to end racial profiling once and for a large increase in hate crimes in our Americans to a disproportionate number of all. community. Yesterday I was on the pedestrian and vehicles stops on Baltimore Then, lastly, Hilary Shelton, the di- streets and search African-Americans dis- phone with a father from Harford rector of the NAACP Washington Bu- proportionately during these stops. . . . The reau and the senior vice president for County, MD, whose son was the victim policing practices that cause the racial dis- of a hate episode related to that per- parities in BPD’s stops, searches, and ar- policy and advocacy said: son’s religion and ethnic background. rests, along with evidence suggesting inten- This important legislation takes concrete We have seen in our community a tional discrimination against African-Ameri- steps to put an end to the insidious practice large increase in hate crimes against cans, undermine the community trust that is of profiling individuals by federal, state and the Jewish community. There have central to effective policing. . . . Indeed, we local levels based on physical attributes or been a lot of bomb threats that have heard from many community members who an individual’s religion. It is difficult for our faith in the American criminal justice sys- been called into Jewish schools and to were reluctant to engage with the officers because of their belief that the Department tem not to be challenged when we cannot the Jewish Community Centers. We treats African-Americans unfairly. . . . walk down the street, drive down an inter- have seen physical attacks and the These concerns were acknowledged by BPD state, go through an airport, or even enter desecration of cemeteries. So the mi- leadership and officers, who explained that into our own homes without being stopped nority community feels threatened. lack of trust—particularly in many of Balti- merely because of the color of our skin, who That has been escalating as a result more’s African-American communities—in- we are perceived to be, or what we choose to of the actions of our President and his hibit officers’ efforts to build relationships wear. Executive orders. The Executive or- that are a key component of effective polic- I could mention many of the other ders—he has issued two now that are ing. . . . groups and many other quotes. This dealing with the immigrant commu- I say that because racial profiling— legislation is pretty straightforward. It nity—do raise the temperature in our discriminatory profiling—is ineffective establishes a national uniform stand- community and the concern in our and is counterproductive. It actually ard against discriminatory profiling at community that people are being makes communities less safe. I have all levels of law enforcement—State, threatened because of their religion, the honor of being the Special Rep- local Federal. threatened because of their ethnic resentative for Anti-Semitism, Racism For example, it tells us that we can’t background, threatened because of and Intolerance in the OSCE, or the Or- use as descriptors a person’s race. We their status as part of an immigrant ganization for Security and Coopera- can do so when we are using it to de- community. tion in Europe’s Parliamentary Assem- scribe a particular crime, but not as a All of that has added to the concerns bly. predictor of future crimes. Let me in America today. The legislation that In that capacity, I have identified close by quoting from Ron Davis, the I have introduced would make it illegal four major areas of concern within the former police chief of East Palo Alto, for discriminatory policing—for police 57 countries that represent the OSCE, CA, where he said: to use as an indicator for their actions including the United States. Those pri- [T]here exists no national, standardized a person’s race, religion, or ethnic orities are discriminatory actions definition for racial profiling that prohibits background. against the Muslim community, the all uses of race, national origin, and religion, Discriminatory policing is against rise of anti-Semitism, the concerns of except when describing a person. Con- our values. Quite frankly, it is not discrimination against the immigrant sequently, many state and local policies de- what we stand for as a nation. We don’t community, and also the concerns on fine racial profiling as using race as the discriminatory policing. ‘‘sole’’ basis for a stop or any police action. target people because of their religion. This definition is misleading in that it sug- I will always remember that shortly Discriminatory policing is very much gests using race as a factor for anything after the Trayvon episode, I met with engaged in our concerns about the rise other than a description is justified, which it community activists in Baltimore. of anti-Semitism, racism, and intoler- is not. Simply put, race is a descriptor not a Many told me examples of how they ance. Now, I want to make it clear: The predictor. To use race along with other sa- were with their parents when the po- overwhelming majority of people in lient descriptors when describing someone lice stopped them randomly, for no rea- law enforcement are good people. They who just committed a crime is appropriate. son at all, but solely because of the are professionals. They are trying to do That is what this legislation does. It person’s race and how communities felt their job. They are against racial establishes a national definition. It threatened as a result of it. profiling. But we need to protect the prohibits it in any form of policing in It is not what we stand for as a na- professionalism within the police de- our country. It provides for training. It tion. It turns communities against po- partments and establish a national pol- provides Federal grants for best prac- lice, rather than working with the po- icy against racial profiling. tices. It requires the Attorney General

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:40 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.003 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1944 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 to issue reports. It is legislation that is all of a sudden had become sick, was This bill will kick 24 million people needed in our country. forced to miss work, and because of off their coverage. It will cause pre- Former Attorney General Eric Hold- that, she lost her job and lost her miums to skyrocket. Seniors will pay er adopted it at the national level, and health insurance. Ultimately, because more for their care. It will put at risk he said: she wasn’t even able to see a doctor or those who are struggling with mental In this Nation, security and liberty are—at get any care, she died as a result of her illness and substance use disorders, in- their best—partners, not enemies, in ensur- illness. cluding opioid addiction. It would end ing safety and opportunity for all. . . . In I took that story with me, along with Medicaid as we know it. this Nation, the document that sets forth the countless other stories of families un- Predictively, it attacks women’s con- supreme law of the land—the Constitution— able to access care, pay for medication, stitutionally protected healthcare and is meant to empower, not exclude. . . . Ra- or see a doctor. I used them as motiva- rights. It defunds Planned Parenthood cial profiling is wrong. It can leave a lasting scar on communities and individuals. And it tion as my colleagues and I worked and puts insurance companies back in is, quite simply, bad policing—whatever city, tirelessly to pass the Affordable Care charge of other critical parts of wom- whatever state. Act. en’s healthcare, including maternity Just last month, I was proud to have The 14th Amendment to the U.S. care, cancer screenings, and contracep- Marci, who is now 18, attend President Constitution guarantees ‘‘equal protec- tion. This bill undermines women’s ac- Trump’s joint address to Congress as tion of the laws’’ to all Americans. Ra- cess to healthcare and women’s ability my guest. Today, Marci is still sharing cial and discriminatory profiling is ab- to make their own healthcare decisions her story and advocating for affordable horrent to those principles, and it in virtually every way a piece of legis- healthcare, as well as transgender should be ended once and for all. lation could. rights. She, along with millions of oth- I oppose this bill in the strongest Mr. President, I yield the floor. ers across the country, is once again terms. I am going to be doing every- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- standing up, speaking out, and making thing I can to fight back against it, ator from Washington. it clear that we cannot go backward. and I know Senate Democrats will as Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask I come to the Senate floor to share well. unanimous consent that I be permitted some of the stories of families in my Families across the country are look- to speak as in morning business. home State of Washington who are ing to us, and they have nowhere else The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without worried, who are afraid, and whose to turn. Like many of my colleagues, I objection, it is so ordered. lives will be at risk if President Trump have constituents coming up to me TRUMPCARE and Republicans take us down this dan- constantly when I am at home, asking Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I want gerous path to repeal, people whose me what is going to happen if to start by addressing the news last voices need to be heard more than ever. TrumpCare becomes law. They are night that Republican leaders have de- I want to make it very clear why we bravely sharing deeply personal stories cided to try to make their awful are here and what is at stake. The about their health, their families, and TrumpCare legislation even worse. House Republican TrumpCare bill their fears—something they should not TrumpCare wasn’t enough of a give- would have a profoundly negative im- have to do. They deserve to be heard. away to insurance companies, and it pact on the lives and the well-being Erin Zerba from my home State of didn’t do enough harm to women, sen- and the financial security of people Washington deserves to be heard. She iors, and people with preexisting condi- across the country, people who are has been a teacher for 19 years and tions, so Republican leaders decided to truly terrified about the uncertain teaches in two rural school districts, double down in efforts to appeal to path forward. Yet, for having such a but because of her part-time standing their extreme conservative base. profound impact, Republicans are in both districts, she is ineligible for They are now claiming that they can seemingly doing everything they can insurance. If it weren’t for the Med- take away essential health benefits to limit public discussion on icaid expansion under the Affordable like maternity care, mental health TrumpCare. This bill was rushed Care Act, she would have no options. care, and preexisting conditions through four House committees with- As Erin puts it, she is ‘‘terrified’’ to through the reconciliation process, but out a single public hearing, no testi- learn that Medicaid would be gutted here are the facts: Republican leaders mony, no expert view. House Repub- under TrumpCare. She has multiple know, just as Democrats do, that meas- licans voted the bill out of two of these disabilities, including autism and ures to take away these critically im- committees without a CBO score, with- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. She has had portant protections cannot survive the out knowing how many people would repeated surgeries following a difficult reconciliation process and could never be impacted. pregnancy. The medication she has to get 60 votes in the Senate. They are In the Senate this week, every Sen- take every day is very expensive. There simply trying to sell conservatives a ate Democrat on the Health, Edu- is no generic form. She is one of those bill of goods today in the rush to jam cation, Labor, and Pensions Committee millions of people. this through, but the more they scram- called on the chairman to allow for a I have to say that we are going to ble, the more harmful this bill gets for hearing to talk about this bill, but he fight back in every way we can because patients and families and the worse it refused. He ignored the request, and he the TrumpCare bill that is being will be for any House Republican who held a hearing on other health policy rushed through the House with give- will be held accountable for their votes instead. That the Health Committee— aways being given to Senators for their on it. the Health Committee—has not been votes is not the way we take care of As we all know, today marks 7 years allowed to hold a single hearing to talk people in this country. I am deeply since the Affordable Care Act was about and debate TrumpCare is appall- worried about the process of this bill. signed into law. While some here in ing and shameful. I see the Democratic leader on the Congress may view this as an ideal op- Not to be outdone, of course, the ma- floor, and I know how important it is portunity to ram through a reckless, jority leader, instead of committing to for him to speak. I just want to say, as harmful repeal of the law, I, for one, give all Senators time to review and the ranking member on the Health think about today a little differently. evaluate the bill, has now said the bill Committee, it is appalling to me that I remember 7 years ago, standing will go straight to the floor for a vote we have had no hearings, no expert wit- with a young constituent of mine from as soon as next week, prompting even nesses, no markup. We have not seen Seattle, Marci Owens, as we watched Members of his own party to come out this bill, and it is being rushed President Obama sign the Affordable against this plan. through. It will impact every single Care Act into law. I had met Marci In all, these efforts are unprece- American and deserves the time of day, when she was about 11 years old, in the dented. They are wrong, and they not some created chaos and deadline midst of some of the most heated mo- speak volumes about the kind of bill timeline that was created simply to ments of the healthcare reform debate, they are trying to ram through, be- fulfill a campaign promise and not to and to this day, I will never forget the cause we now know many of the facts do the right thing for the American story she told me about her mom, who of the bill. people.

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Mr. President, first, I meant the difference between the abil- The President himself has attacked would like to thank the senior Senator ity to marry the person you love or individual judges and the credibility of from the State of Washington, the not, the ability to have your right to the judiciary at large. The President ranking member of the Health Com- vote protected or not, the ability to has attacked a three-judge panel of the mittee, for her outstanding work on make personal choices about your own Ninth Circuit and said if they didn’t this issue. She knows this issue better healthcare or not. The Supreme Court decide with him, they would be respon- than just about anybody in this Cham- matters a great deal. It matters for sible for the next terrorist act. I have ber. She is passionate and also fact- workers who want to protect both their never heard any President in my life- driven about her views and has had lives and their jobs, for employees who time or read about any President in great influence on this Chamber. need to be able to seek redress for dis- previous history who dared do that. We I hope my colleagues on the other crimination, and for parents who want are in uncharted territory with this side of the aisle will review what she their kids to get a fair shake in the President and with judicial independ- said. To rush through a bill for a cam- education system. ence. It requires a strong independent paign promise—a bill that is fraught It is with all this in mind that I have backbone. Judge Gorsuch has shown with problems and difficulty, many of come to a decision about the current none. Senators on the Judiciary Com- which will probably not come to light nominee. After careful deliberation, I mittee rightly asked Judge Gorsuch di- until after the bill comes to the floor— have concluded that I cannot support rect questions about this issue. I did so is the wrong thing to do. I thank the Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to myself in my meeting with the judge. senior Senator from the State of Wash- the Supreme Court. His nomination While the judge repeatedly asserted his ington. will face a cloture vote. He will have to independence, he could not point to earn 60 votes for confirmation. My vote anything in his record to guarantee it. TERROR ATTACK IN LONDON will be no, and I urge my colleagues to Judge Gorsuch offered the Judiciary Mr. President, first, I want to just do the same. myriad platitudes on this point. ‘‘No say a few words. My heartfelt condo- To my Republican friends who think man is above the law,’’ he said. He said lences go to the families of the victims that if Judge Gorsuch fails to reach 60 he was ‘‘disheartened’’ by the Presi- in London. votes, we ought to change the rules, I dent’s attacks on the judiciary. The Terrorism strikes everywhere. It was say: If this nominee cannot earn 60 President, for his sake, said that Judge so close to the symbol of Great Brit- votes—a bar met by each of President Gorsuch didn’t mean him, and every- ain—Parliament, Big Ben, a place we Obama’s nominees and George Bush’s one left it at that. have all seen in pictures and some of us last two nominees—the answer isn’t to If Judge Gorsuch had an ounce of have had the opportunity to see in per- change the rules, it is to change the courage, had shown a scintilla of an son. It reminds us that the scourge of nominee. ability to be independent, he would terrorism needs to be eradicated in any This morning, I would like to lay out have said: No, Mr. President. No, Presi- way we can. I am committed to that, the reasons I will be voting no on this dent Trump, I did mean you. Instead, and I know the 100 Members of this nomination. he just tells us in general that he is de- Senate body are as well. First, Judge Gorsuch was unable to moralized, disheartened. Telling us is Our hearts go out to those who were sufficiently convince me that he would not the same as showing us. He is ask- lost. be an independent check on a President ing us to take him at his word, but his NOMINATION OF NEIL GORSUCH who has shown almost no restraint record suggests that he has long been Mr. President, now I will move on to from Executive overreach. someone who has advocated extreme the subject I wish to speak about at Second, he was unable to convince deference to assertions of broad Presi- length this morning, and that is Judge me that he would be a mainstream Jus- dential power. Gorsuch. tice who could rule free from the biases That leads me to my second point; I have had the opportunity these past of politics and ideology. His career and that Judge Gorsuch was unable to con- 3 days to watch Judge Neil Gorsuch in judicial record suggest not a neutral vince me that he would be a neutral the Judiciary Committee and to review legal mind but someone with a deep- judge, free of ideology and bias. The his credentials and record on the Tenth seated conservative ideology. He was hearings this week were an oppor- Circuit and before that. groomed by the Federalist Society and tunity for Judge Gorsuch to explain his I would particularly like to recognize has not shown 1 inch of difference be- record, to tell us how he thinks and the outstanding work done by every tween his views and theirs. how his judicial philosophy does not Democratic member of the Judiciary Finally, he is someone who almost fundamentally advantage the powerful. Committee. They were outstanding in instinctively favors the powerful over Instead, we got banalities and plati- questioning Judge Gorsuch despite his the weak, corporations over working tudes. We didn’t get any real answers lack of candor and desire to answer. I Americans. There could not be a worse to any real questions about what he would like to particularly call out our time for someone with those instincts. thinks about the law and why. He re- exceptional ranking member, Senator Judge Gorsuch’s opportunity to dis- fused to answer general questions on FEINSTEIN, who has done a wonderful abuse us of all these objections was in dark money in politics, LGBTQ rights, job leading that committee. the hearing process, but he declined to the constitutionality of the Muslim I have thought long and hard about answer question after question after ban. I couldn’t believe it, when I asked his nomination and what it means for question with any substance. Absent a him: Is a law that bans Muslims, a law the future of the Supreme Court and real description of judicial philosophy, that just said all Muslims are banned for the future of our country. What is all we have to judge the judge on is his from the U.S. unconstitutional, he at stake is considerable. The decisions record. couldn’t even answer that. He refused we make here in the Senate over the First, I want to address the first to say whether he agreed with Supreme next few weeks about Judge Gorsuch, issue I raised, that of judicial inde- Court decisions in seminal cases like as on any Supreme Court nominee, will pendence. It is so clear that at this mo- Brown v. Board, Roe v. Wade, Griswold echo through the lifetime tenure of ment in our history, our democracy re- v. Connecticut, despite the fact that that judge, through a generation of quires a judge who is willing to rule his predecessors, Justices Roberts and Americans. against this President. This adminis- Alito, said they agreed with those Discussions of the Supreme Court tration seems to have little regard for cases. can get wonky and technical, with in- the rule of law and is likely to test the He refused to answer questions about vocations of precedent and canons of Constitution in ways it hasn’t been the emoluments clause, a section of the

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We all know risk the lives of other motorists on a My friend, the ranking member of my friends across the aisle held the Su- freezing highway by driving a trailer the committee, said it best. ‘‘What preme Court seat open for over 1 year with frozen brakes, Mr. Maddin strug- worries me,’’ she told the nominee, ‘‘is in hopes that they would have the op- gled to unhitch his trailer and drive his that you have been very much able to portunity to install someone hand- cab to safety—returning later for it avoid any specificity like no one I have picked by the Heritage Foundation and once he was not at risk of dying from ever seen before.’’ the Federalist Society to advance the the cold. For that, his company fired Let me repeat. There is no legal goal of Big Money interests entrench- him. He sued. Seven judges heard this standard, rule, or even logic for failing ing their power in the Court. case as it went through appeal. Only to answer questions that don’t involve They don’t even mind that this nomi- one, Judge Gorsuch, in dissent, ruled immediate and specific cases that are nation is moving forward under a cloud against him. Judge Gorsuch used an ex- or could come before the Court. It is of an FBI investigation of the Presi- ceptionally technical and illogical evasion, just evasion, plain and simple, dent’s campaign. The Republicans held reading of the statute to reach the ab- and it belies a deeper truth about this a Supreme Court seat open for a year surd conclusion that Mr. Maddin was nominee. under a Democratic President who was obligated to risk his life to protect his If anyone doubts that Judge Gorsuch under no investigation but now are cargo. Mr. Maddin said that Judge doesn’t have strong views, that thinks rushing to fill the seat for a President Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme he would be a neutral judge calling whose campaign is under investigation. Court gives him ‘‘pause for concern’’ balls and strikes as Judge Roberts once It is unseemly and wrong to be moving because he ‘‘demonstrated a willing- put it, just look at the way he was cho- so fast on a lifetime appointment in sen. He was supported and pushed for- ness to artfully diminish the humane such circumstances. element that encompassed the issue.’’ ward by the Heritage Foundation and Finally, Judge Gorsuch came into the Federalist Society, and groomed by Judge Gorsuch also ruled against a this hearing with a record that raises parent of a severely autistic child, billionaire conservatives like Mr. deep concerns about whether he would Luke, who sought what the Individuals Anschutz. President Trump simply consider fairly the plight of the aver- with Disabilities in Education Act picked someone from off their list. age citizen before the interests of pow- President Trump sought the advice guarantees him—the right to an edu- erful special interests. I examined his cation that met his needs. Jeff Perkins, and consent from the Federalist Soci- record. I saw a judge who repeatedly Luke’s father, is testifying before the ety instead of from the U.S. Senate. decided with insurance companies that Judiciary Committee today. Their Does anyone think the Federalist Soci- wanted to deny disability benefits to story is powerful. Judge Gorsuch ruled ety would choose someone who just employees. I saw a judge who, in unem- that Luke was not entitled to attend a called balls and strikes? Does anyone ployment discrimination, sided with specialized school because he was able think they would put on their list a employers the great majority of the to make more than de minimis neutral, moderate judge when they time. I saw a judge who, on the issue of progress in the normal educational sys- haven’t ever supported anyone but ju- money and politics, seems to be in the tem. dicial conservatives, almost all hard- same company as Justices Thomas and Just yesterday, the Supreme Court right judicial conservatives in their Scalia, willing to restrict the most unanimously—including Justice Alito history? The Federalist Society has commonsense contribution limits. and so many others who are so conserv- been dedicated for a generation to in- In the hearings, Judge Gorsuch did ative—rejected Judge Gorsuch’s inter- fluence the courts to favor corpora- nothing to explain his philosophy, did pretation of the IDEA. The Court held tions and special interests. If anyone nothing to assuage those concerns. We that ‘‘when all is said and done, a stu- doubts that Judge Gorsuch could be an will just have to go by his record, a dent offered an educational program activist judge with views eschewing the record that shows time and time again providing ‘merely more than a de mini- interests of average people, look at his rulings favor the already powerful mis progress from year to year can how he was selected—by a group that is over ordinary Americans. hardly be said to have been offered an not neutral, a group that has been Judge Gorsuch ruled against a teach- education at all.’ ’’ That puts Judge dedicated to changing the judiciary er, Grace Hwang, who, having been Gorsuch’s interpretation of the IDEA and placing activist, hard-right judges through two bouts of cancer, was ad- law to the right of even Justice Thom- on the bench. Now that he is nomi- vised by her doctors not to return to as—a very difficult feat. nated, look at how much money, dark, the college campus during a flu epi- Whom we put on the bench, their secret, undisclosed money—it is a good demic lest she put her life at risk. She basic judgment, matters. While I do bet from the very corporations Judge was fired for taking sick leave. Judge not think that the personal views and Gorsuch has been defending his whole Gorsuch, true to form, voted to uphold experiences should bear on the deci- career. If he were so neutral, would that dismissal. Her daughter Katherine sions of day-to-day cases, there is a they be spending this money? I doubt told us last week: reason we don’t program computers to it. This decision to protect her health cost my decide cases. We do not want judges Anyone groomed by the Federalist mom her job. When Judge Gorsuch issued his with ice water in their veins. What we Society will not call balls and strikes. ruling, he didn’t think about the impact that want and need are judges who under- Their views are best foretold by the this had on our family. The law calls for stand the litigants before them and ideology of the people who groomed ‘‘reasonable accommodation for those who bring a modicum—at least a mod- them. To say Judge Gorsuch has no are disabled.’’ icum—of human judgment into the ideology whatsoever is absurd. He just Judge Gorsuch ignored the human courtroom. You can call this trait em- will not admit it to the American peo- cost. pathy or mercy. I think it falls in the ple. To say he is just neutral in his Judge Gorsuch ruled against a truck- category of common sense. It is com- views is belied by his history since his driver, Alfonse Maddin, who had to mon sense that necessarily comes from college days and by his own judicial make a similar choice between his em- each person’s own, unique life experi- record. He even tried to deny it. In the ployer and his life. I met with him. He ence. Even Judge Gorsuch acknowl- hearings, Judge Gorsuch repeated the told me a harrowing story of being edged this when he told the committee hollow assertion that judges don’t have stuck in the cab of a tractor-trailer ‘‘I am not an algorithm.’’ Yet he parties or politics. He said there are no with frozen brakes, no heat, tempera- wouldn’t tell us how, as a human—a Democratic judges or Republican tures outside dipping to 27 below zero. nonalgorithm—he would uniquely ap- judges, but if that were true, we He had a choice, leave the trailer with proach a case. wouldn’t be here, would we? If that broken brakes and drive the cab to When it comes to the application of were true, if the Senate were merely safety or stay in the trailer and freeze the law, that empathy, that mercy,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:27 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.008 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1947 that ‘‘humane element’’ of common and revered American values—our that will occur today if the Senate de- sense—as Alphonse Maddin, the truck- right to privacy. Make no mistake, our cides to roll back these important con- driver, put it—is the most important privacy has never been more in danger, sumer protections. judicial trait of them all because ulti- and the American public knows it. Here on the Senate floor, the Repub- mately the law is abstract, but the peo- The American public knows its pri- licans are fighting to make it easier for ple and situations are real. The task of vacy is in danger when a smart TV can your broadband provider to use and sell the judge is to apply those abstract listen to its most intimate living room that same type of information—re- legal doctrines to very humane and conversations—your conversations markably detailed and sensitive dos- sometimes very messy situations. It is with your children, with your parents, siers of information about you, your a hard thing to do to bring fairness and with your spouse. kids, your parents, your grand- justice to a world that is too short on The American public knows its pri- parents—320 million Americans. both. vacy is in danger when it seems that The Republicans are trying to re- I am reminded of the words spoken every day there is a hack on the data- scind the Federal Communications by Portia, the great lawyer in ‘‘The bases of one of our country’s largest Commission’s broadband privacy rules, Merchant of Venice,’’ who spoke of the companies—Yahoo!, Target, Home which simply require your cable, wire- blessings and necessity of mercy in ap- Depot, JPMorgan Chase. less, or telephone company provider to plying the law. The American public knows its pri- obtain consumer consent before using He said: vacy is in danger when the Russian sur- or sharing subscribers’ personal infor- The quality of mercy is not strain’d, veillance machine—firing on all cyl- mation; promote transparency by dis- It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven inders—hacks the U.S. election, threat- closing what they collect about inter- Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: ening to undermine our sacred demo- net and wireless users; and adopt data It blesseth him that gives and him that cratic system. security protections and notify con- takes. The American public knows its pri- sumers if a breach occurs. ’Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes vacy is in danger when both Chambers That is it. That is what this whole The thron-ed monarch better than his crown; of Congress hold countless hearings, debate is all about—whether con- His sceptre shows the force of temporal launch investigations, and receive sumers, not the broadband providers, power, have control over their sensitive infor- The attribute to awe and majesty, briefings on the rapidly growing cyber- security threat to our Nation and the mation. Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; The big broadband companies and But mercy is above this sceptred sway, impact both on our national security their Republican allies say we need a It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, and to the public. It is an attribute to God himself. The American public wants us to do light touch regulatory framework to protect Americans’ broadband pri- Judge Gorsuch told us he is not God, more to protect its privacy. The Amer- vacy—a light touch approach, like with and that is true, but his humanity does ican public wants us to do more to pro- the Federal Trade Commission, which not excuse him from the attribute of tect its sensitive information. Yet does not prescribe actual privacy rules. mercy. Instead, his humanity should what do the Republicans in Congress The Federal Trade Commission only require it. want to do today on the Senate floor? enforces the privacy policies companies Alphonse Maddin sought the mercy They want to make it easier for Ameri- create for themselves, and then they of the law. The Hwang family sought cans’ sensitive information to be used, bring an enforcement action if a com- the mercy of the law. Luke, the autis- shared, and sold without their permis- pany violates its own very low stand- tic child whose school was failing him, sion. ards, but if Comcast’s or AT&T’s or sought the mercy of the law. The man Today, the Republicans are seeking a Verizon’s policy is that you have no who had the power to see plain sense in vote on a Congressional Review Act privacy, there is nothing for anyone to their cases, who could rule in their resolution that would allow Comcast, enforce. It would be impossible for the Verizon, Charter, AT&T, and other favor and right the wrongs that had internet service provider to violate its broadband companies to take control been done to them as other judges had own nonexistent or very low privacy done in each of those cases—Judge Neil away from consumers and relentlessly protections. Gorsuch—said no. collect and sell their sensitive informa- Let’s be clear here. When the I am voting no on Gorsuch for Al- tion without the consent of that fam- broadband behemoths say ‘‘light phonse Maddin and workers across the ily. touch,’’ they mean ‘‘hands off.’’ They country, for the Hwang family and oth- That is sensitive information about mean hands off their ability to mone- ers who do not want to choose between your health, about your finances, even tize captive consumers’ sensitive infor- their health and providing for their about your children. They want to mation. children, and for the Perkins family, track your location and draw a map of Let’s be clear. When the big who loves their children just as they where you shop, where you work, where broadband barons and their Republican are and wants for them no fewer than you eat, where your children go to allies are firing their opening salvo in the opportunities afforded to every school, and then sell that information the war on net neutrality, they want other child in America. to data brokers or anyone else who broadband privacy protections to be The American people deserve some- wants to make a profit off of you. the first victim. one who sees average litigants as more They want to document how many When Republicans say we need to than incidental consequences of prece- times you search online for heart dis- harmonize regulations, they really dent, when that precedent produces an ease, breast cancer, opioid addiction mean self-regulation. Self-regulation is absurd result, whose view of the law is treatments, or AIDS treatment, and the ultimate dream of the Republicans, not so cold and so arid so as to wring then sell that information to your in- who are beholden to those special in- out every last drop of humanity and surance company. They want to know terests. They really want to allow common sense. It requires only the what games your teenagers play or broadband companies to write their bare minimum of judicial decency to shows they watch so they can then tar- own privacy rules. rule the right way in the cases I have get ads to your family—and all of this Is this really what the American pub- mentioned, and Judge Gorsuch did not. done without your consent. lic wants—a harmonized, light-touch That is all the evidence my col- What the Republicans are bringing to approach to protecting their sensitive leagues should need to vote no, and I the floor today is going to basically information from their broadband pro- urge them and will urge them in the change the definition of ‘‘ISP’’—inter- viders? Does the American public real- days ahead to do so. net service provider—to ‘‘information ly want us to allow our broadband com- Mr. President, I yield the floor. sold for profit.’’ It will stand for ‘‘in- panies to ignore reasonable data secu- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- vading subscriber privacy.’’ rity practices, making consumers’ sen- ator from Massachusetts. President Trump, himself, is out- sitive information more vulnerable to Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, today, raged about fake violations of his own breaches and unauthorized access? we are truly in a historic fight, a fight privacy, but we should all be alarmed This resolution does just that. The to protect one of the most treasured by this very real violation of privacy internet service providers even oppose

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The American people do not want their Senate floor goes right to the heart of We are constantly offered up ideas sensitive information collected, used, who we are. that suggest that you really are faced and sold by any third party, whether We now hear more about the Rus- with what amounts to a flawed set of that be your broadband provider or a sians, and we hear more about compa- choices. In the intelligence area, we hacker. nies whose information has been are consistently told: Well, you just At its core, this debate is about our hacked. Then the Republicans are cry- have to give up a little bit of liberty to values—our values as a people, our val- ing their crocodile tears about the have security. And the reality is that ues as a society. While technology has compromise of privacy of people in our liberty and security are not mutually certainly changed, our core values have country, and then they come to the exclusive. Smart policies give us both. not changed as a country. For genera- floor and take all of the information They give us security and liberty. Un- tions, we have valued the right to online in the family and allow it to be fortunately, around here, we are com- choose whom we let into our homes, sold as a product. That is just fun- ing up with policies, like weakening whom we communicate with, whom we damentally wrong. It goes contrary to strong encryption, that are reducing share our most sensitive secrets with, the values of our country. both—reducing security and reducing but now the Republicans and the I urge very strongly a ‘‘no’’ vote from liberty. I think what we are dealing broadband industry are telling us that the Members of the Senate. Just re- with here on this ill-advised resolution we must forgo those rights just because member: This is the privacy vote of all in the Senate, with respect to the FCC our homes are connected to the inter- time on the Senate floor—of all time— rule, is yet another set of false net and our phones are connected to because there has never been anything choices—that you can either have the internet. like the internet going into our homes. internet access or privacy. They are With many Americans across the No one should be allowed to take all of not mutually exclusive. Just as we can country having only a couple of that information and just sell it with- have security and liberty, we can have broadband providers, at most, to out getting their permission. internet access and privacy for all of choose from, they will not have the op- Mr. President, I urge a ‘‘no’’ vote on the reasons that my friend from Massa- tion of changing service providers if this resolution. chusetts has been outlining. their privacy protections are not trans- I yield the floor. Now, the FCC acted on the responsi- parent or robust. And throughout it The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- bility given to them by the Congress to all, while the internet service providers ator from Oregon. protect browsing history—arguably the monetize your personal information, Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, before he most intimate, personal information the monthly bill will continue to show leaves the floor, I just want to com- imaginable. Browsing history makes up for the service that is siphoning off mend my colleague from Massachu- what the Senate did in the past with your sensitive information. setts for an excellent presentation. He metadata look like small potatoes. My colleagues, we know the attack has really outlined A to Z with respect Browsing history is really a picture on the free and open internet is com- to what this issue is all about. I com- into your personal life. I have appre- ing. Net neutrality is on the chopping mend him, and I also commend the ciated the support of my colleagues for block, and this is the first step in en- ranking member of the committee, making sure that in the intelligence suring that the few and the powerful Senator NELSON, our colleague from field, without court oversight, you control the internet. We must stop this Florida, for his excellent job. couldn’t get access to people’s brows- today, so I urge my colleagues to join Before he leaves the floor, picking up ing history. with me. on the remarks of our colleague from The Congress, in effect, told the Fed- The fundamental principle here is Massachusetts, I am particularly eral Communications Commission to that every person should have the struck by the fact that I have always protect browsing history, favorite ap- knowledge that information is being thought that it is a classic conserv- plications, and even locations of Amer- gathered about their families when ative principle to empower the indi- ican broadband users, and the FCC they use the internet; second, that vidual—to empower the individual to acted on it. Before that time, there they have notice from the company make fundamental choices about what were no rules in place outlining how an that that information is going to be re- would be important to them and their internet service provider—those are sold to a third party, to someone else, family and their wallets and all of the the ISPs that we always hear Senators not to the broadband company; and activities that are central to the life of talking about—may use, share, or even third, that you have the right to say a working class family. sell their customers’ private informa- no, that you do not want that informa- What we have been touching on— tion. So, just as the FCC has done for tion about your family member to be very eloquently by my colleague from wireline phone customers, the FCC said resold. Massachusetts—is we are going to be it was going to keep up with the evo- When we were all younger and the voting in a little bit to strip rights lution of telecommunications networks salesman came to the front door and from individuals, to retreat from that by ensuring privacy protections would knocked, your mother told you to tell classic conservative principle of em- apply to broadband internet use. This the salesman that they could not come powering individuals and families to struck a lot of us as just common into the house because the privacy of make decisions. sense. Again, building on the conserv- your family did not warrant allowing a I think, for all of the reasons that my ative principle of empowering the indi- stranger into your home. The colleague from Massachusetts has vidual, the judgment was that by cre- broadband companies now say: Well, we talked about and that Senator NELSON ating what are called ‘‘opt-in’’ consent are in your home, and we are wired in has been talking about, this idea of agreements, where the consumer every room, and we now have the right stripping from individuals the right to makes an affirmative decision about to take all of the information of your make these fundamental decisions and what they want—it is not what govern- family and sell it. What sites do your allowing the gatekeepers of the inter- ment wants, it is not what big compa- children go on? What sites do you go on net to collect, share, and profit from nies want, it is what the consumer to look for help for the disease that personal information of consumers wants. The judgment was that by cre- someone in your family might have? without their consent is an extraor- ating this opt-in consent agreement, Now the broadband companies say dinary mistake for our country at this the consumer would get a clear under- they are coming right through the time. standing of what the broadband pro- front door. They are going into every I serve on the Senate Select Com- vider knows about them from, for ex- room in your house. The American peo- mittee on Intelligence. I think, for ample, their computer or from their ple have the right to say what they many people, these issues have, in ef- smartphone.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:27 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.011 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1949 The big internet service providers are accountability for the individual, and working Americans who use the inter- in a unique position to see where infor- individual empowerment. It shouldn’t net to do their job, connect with mation flows over the networks and be controversial. It shouldn’t be a con- friends, or read the news. can see more of Americans’ data than tentious matter. My colleague and I The internet started as a system to probably anybody else in what we served in the other body for a number facilitate communication among aca- might call the internet ecosystem. The of years, and we built coalitions of peo- demic and military networks. In 1995, websites we visit, what we look for, ple all across the political spectrum less than 1 percent of the world used it. what time we are online—all of this, around the principles we are advo- Today more than 87 percent of Ameri- even our location—would be considered cating today. Providing transparency cans and more than 40 percent of the highly personal and highly sensitive in- and empowering the individual world’s population use the internet. formation. shouldn’t be a contentious issue. Today the internet has become near- The responsibility of the internet Under these regulations, internet ly indispensable. Increasingly, our service provider is to protect consumer service providers can still collect and toasters, refrigerators, and cars can privacy. It is compounded by the fact use their subscribers’ information. The connect to the internet, but legislation that the majority of broadband con- rules simply ensure that internet serv- has been slow to keep up with tech- sumers have only one option for fast ice providers receive consent—receive nology. Every website we visit and internet service to their home. There is permission from an empowered con- every link we click leaves an unin- only one company offering them serv- sumer—that it is OK to reuse or sell tended trail that tells a story about ice. So it seems to me what we are their information, and the companies our lives. ISPs can collect information talking about—what Senator MARKEY would provide the consumers an expla- about our location, children, sensitive has outlined—really looks like bad nation of how their data is collected information, family status, financial news for folks in rural areas where and where it is shared. These rules are information, Social Security numbers, they are only going to have one pro- about transparency, plain and simple. web browsing history, and even the vider, and, frankly, I think in a lot of Customers, especially those, as I have content of communications. ISPs sell metropolitan areas, particularly where indicated, who are captive to one inter- this highly sensitive and highly per- there are modest-income individuals. net service provider, deserve to know sonal data to the highest bidder with- Without these protections in place, how their internet service provider is out any consent or knowledge. Recognizing that telecommuni- most consumers are left with the using their data. choice of giving up their browsing his- The broadband privacy rules are not cations companies have little incentive to tell consumers what they are doing tory for an internet service provider to some kind of attack on monetizing with their personal data, the FCC pro- sell to the highest bidder or to have no consumer data, but simply a recogni- mulgated a rule to make sure that con- internet at all. So think about what tion of the importance of consumer sumers can protect their privacy that means for, say, an older person. consent. By the way, under what is being con- I will close by saying that more and though transparency, choice, and data sidered in the other body on more in this area, the American people security. The rule’s name explains its healthcare, people between 50 and 64 are getting presented false choices. purpose: ‘‘Protecting the Privacy of aren’t going to have a lot of extra They are being told, as I see on the In- Customers of Broadband and Other money laying around. Those are people telligence Committee, that you have to Telecommunications Services.’’ The who are going to get clobbered—clob- give up some of your liberty to have FCC rule would not stop companies bered—by the healthcare bill that is your security. Those are false choices. from selling consumers’ information, being considered in the House today. They are not mutually exclusive. Ev- but the rule would require ISPs to get What is being considered in the eryone in America, everyone paying at- consumers’ consent before using, dis- House today—talking about the wallets tention to this debate ought to know closing, or allowing others to access of people between 50 and 64—would that they have a right to both. Don’t this information. As former FCC Chairman Wheeler allow the insurance companies to ever, ever let a politician tell you that said, ‘‘It’s the consumers’ information. charge people who are pre-Medicare you have to give up some of your lib- How it is used should be the con- five times as much as younger people. erty to have your security. You have a So they are already going to be paying sumers’ choice.’’ right to vote, and it is our job, col- With this resolution, Congressional thousands of dollars more out-of-pock- leagues on both sides of the aisle, to Republicans are telling 9 out of 10 et. Now, given what may happen in this come up with policies that do both. Americans that they should not be able body, we would have consumers left Today, we ought to make sure that to decide how private corporations col- with the choice of giving up their people aren’t presented with another lect, disclose, and sell their personal browsing history for an internet serv- false choice—that to have Internet ac- data. This resolution puts the special ice provider to sell to the highest bid- cess you have to give up your privacy interests of data users above those of der or have no internet at all. So we rights. You can have both, and the Fed- consumers. I oppose the resolution. are socking it to them in terms of their eral Communications Commission has Mr. WYDEN. I suggest the absence of healthcare premiums, and then we are sought to come up with a sensible pol- a quorum. socking it to them in terms of essential icy to do that. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The communications as well. So I join my colleagues, particularly clerk will call the roll. I just think this is unacceptable and my friend from Massachusetts, who The senior assistant legislative clerk certainly contrary to the whole notion knows so much about this field, and proceeded to call the roll. of classic conservatism, empowering our terrific ranking minority member, Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask the individual. And it is certainly tak- Senator NELSON, in urging colleagues unanimous consent that the order for ing away these rights from folks in to oppose a harmful resolution that, in the quorum call be rescinded. rural America—most of my towns in my view, turns class conservatism on The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SUL- Oregon have populations of under 10,000 its head and strips consumers of their LIVAN). Without objection, it is so or- people. This proposal that is being dis- rights in a truly ill-advised manner. dered. cussed here is going to strip consumers I yield the floor. Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, what is of basic rights that are practically a Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I the parliamentary situation? Are we in requirement for economic success in oppose the resolution to repeal the morning business? the 21st century. Federal Communications Commission’s The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- I am going to close by picking up on rule to protect consumers from having ate is considering S.J. Res. 34. another point that I think Senator their data sold by internet service pro- CALLING FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A SPECIAL MARKEY said very well, and I believe I viders, or ISPs, without their permis- PROSECUTOR heard Senator NELSON, our ranking sion. Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have member, touch on as well. It looks to Passing this resolution of disapproval been privileged to serve in this body for me like a subject that should not be in would represent yet another victory for more than 42 years, and I thank my na- controversy: basic transparency and big business and a defeat for hard- tive State of Vermont for that.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.013 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1950 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 When I joined the Senate, our coun- weakening the Republican Party’s offi- thus far, but I have every reason to be- try was still crawling out of an intrac- cial position on Russia’s incursion into lieve it is eventually going to be at table war—a war which came to an end Ukraine. Of course, we have now risk. That is why we need somebody with a vote in the Senate Armed Serv- learned that this was false, and his independent—independent of the Con- ices Committee in April of 1975. Since campaign played a central role in soft- gress, independent of the administra- then, I have seen our country slide into ening his party’s stance on Russia. tion. We need an independent special new wars. I have seen scandals that I do not know why the President is so prosecutor to lead this investigation have consumed this town and our Na- enthralled with President Vladimir and to ultimately decide whether there tion. I have seen horrific terrorist at- Putin, a man who has shown such dis- is sufficient evidence to prosecute. A tacks that have shaken our country to regard for personal rights, even as he special prosecutor would not report to its core, from Oklahoma City to 9/11, has made himself one of the wealthiest the Attorney General, who himself is a and others. All of these events, in dif- people in the world. It may be simply witness to this investigation. And a ferent ways, have tested our country. because Russia is heavily invested in special prosecutor, unlike the Attorney But I have never seen a threat to our the Trump brand. Years before the General or even the FBI Director, can- democratic institutions like I see President denied having any financial not be fired by the President. today. relationships with the Russians, his I have thought long and hard about There is still much we do not know son admitted that Russians own a dis- this. I went on my experience here with about Russian interference in the 2016 proportionate share of Trump assets, administrations beginning with Presi- Presidential election, but what we do saying: ‘‘We see a lot of money pouring dent Gerald Ford straight through to know is deeply disturbing. Last night, in from Russia.’’ Now, just how in- today. It takes a lot of thought to call reports indicated that there is evidence vested Moscow is in Trump is not for a special prosecutor, but this is one that certain Trump officials coordi- known. The President broke with where we need it, where the American nated the release of hacked documents precedent of both Republicans and people have to have somebody they can with Russian officials. And on Monday Democrats and did not release his tax trust outside Republicans, Democrats, the FBI Director confirmed that the returns. But I imagine there would be and the Congress, and certainly outside FBI has been investigating possible quite a sigh of relief if the only secret the administration. collusion between the Trump campaign in the President’s full tax returns were Our Nation is at a precipice. We can and Russia since July of last year. that he did not pay his share of taxes either confront what happened in our Already, the Intelligence Community and paid far less than the average election and get to the bottom of it has made public its conclusion that American. with an independent investigation and Russian President Putin waged a The President, though, is not the make sure it never happens again. Or multifaceted influence campaign to only one in his administration incapa- we can just pretend this is another delegitimize Secretary Clinton and ble of telling the truth when it comes Washington scandal and allow it to be help Donald Trump win the Presidency. to Russia. His Attorney General pro- filtered through a familiar partisan Worse, he intended to undermine public vided testimony that was not true be- lens. That would be a terrible mistake. faith in our democratic process. What fore the Senate Judiciary Committee In all my years here, I have never seen is even worse is that this interference in response to questions from me and a time when another country—one that did not end on November 8, election Senator FRANKEN about Russian con- has shown its animosity toward us— day. It is ongoing. That—whether you tacts, and we know his first National has tried to interfere in our elections. are a Republican or a Democrat— Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, re- If Russia can get away with interfering should concern every American. signed after lying to Vice President with our elections, what else can they According to the Intelligence Com- PENCE about his conversations with the interfere with in our democratic Na- munity, President Putin will continue Russian Ambassador. using cyber-attacks and propaganda President Trump’s former campaign tion? They do not share the ideals we campaigns to undermine our future chairman, Paul Manafort, also resigned do. They do not allow free elections. elections. This is nothing less than an after questions were raised about his They do not allow freedom of expres- attack on our democracy. It should extensive activities in Russia and sion. They do not allow their people to outrage all Americans, no matter what Ukraine. Of course, now it has been re- speak out. Why would anyone think their political affiliation, and we need ported that Mr. Manafort earned $10 that they would have America’s inter- to know all the facts. million per year for secret work on be- ests at heart? Frankly, my experience here tells me half of Putin. Today we have a counterintelligence we need a thorough, independent inves- Another former adviser, Roger Stone, investigation into the campaign of a tigation. We need to send a clear mes- had early warning of the release of sitting President. There is evidence sage to President Putin that America, hacked documents. He has admitted to that this campaign colluded with a for- our country—the country that the Pre- having conversations with ‘‘Guccifer eign adversary to impact our Presi- siding Officer and I revere—will not 2.0,’’ the Russian-connected hacker re- dential election. This is not normal. tolerate future efforts to manipulate sponsible for the cyber-attack on the We must not treat it as such. I would our most sacred democratic process, Democratic National Committee. feel this way no matter who had won our elections. They say that where there is smoke the election—no matter if they were All of us here know that President there is fire. There is so much smoke Democrat or Republican, because it Trump is not going to lead such an in- here that it is getting hard to breathe. goes beyond one party. vestigation. He is not going to deliver The President unfortunately continues President Putin’s goal last year was this message. The President, unfortu- to make matters worse. This week to undermine our democratic institu- nately, spent much of the 2016 cam- alone, he continued his untruth about tions—to corrode American’s trust and paign supportive of President Putin. President Obama personally ordering a faith in government, something that Then-Candidate Trump refused to call wiretap of Trump Tower, something ev- has sustained us through two World on Russia to stop meddling in our elec- erybody knows is not true. I think Wars, through a Civil War, through all tion, saying: ‘‘I’m not going to tell members of his own administration’s the other problems this Nation has Putin what to do.’’ He even encouraged inner circle are embarrassed every faced. That trust should sustain us Russian hacking on live television, time he persists in this. long after every one of us in this body pleading: ‘‘Russia, if you’re listening, I On Monday, the President ramped up are gone. hope you’ll be able to find the 30,000 his own influence campaign to under- This is a responsibility that we as emails that are missing.’’ It is unprece- mine the integrity of this investiga- Senators have to our great Nation: not dented. No candidate, in my memory, tion, tweeting ‘‘fake news’’ as the Di- to think of ourselves for the moment, of either party has ever called on an- rector of the FBI prepared to testify but to think where this Nation is 10 other country to interfere in our elec- under oath in the House of Representa- years, 20 years, 30 years, and 100 years tions that way. tives. from now. We must do that. We owe This was occurring as the President Now, I have no reason to doubt the that to the American people. Repub- was claiming to have had no role in integrity of the FBI’s investigation licans and Democrats alike, we owe it

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.016 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1951 to the American people. We take an panded the concept of privacy and con- spies, for hacking into Yahoo! systems oath to uphold our Constitution. sumer protection as applied to in 2014 and obtaining access to at least We come here, all of us—and I have broadband. Now we are on the verge of 500 million Yahoo! accounts. According great respect for every Senator here in rescinding those rules through S.J. to the indictment, these Russian intel- both parties—we come here hoping to Res. 34. ligence officers spied on U.S. Govern- do the best for our Nation. Our Nation This resolution is a direct attack on ment officials and private sector em- is in peril. All of us would stand to- consumer rights, on privacy, on rules ployees of financial companies. One de- gether if we had an adversary attack that afford basic protection against in- fendant also exploited the data for fi- us. All of us would stand together if trusive and illegal interference with nancial gain. somebody declared war on us. We have consumers’ use of social media sites, Without clear rules of the road, done that in the past. We did that after websites, that often they take for broadband subscribers will have no cer- Pearl Harbor. We did that other times granted. Many Americans simply don’t tainty or choice about how their pri- in our Nation’s history. Well, because stop to think about how broadband vate information can be used, no pro- this is done quietly behind the scenes, providers, as the carriers of all internet tection against abuse, and no assur- it is a great attack on us. traffic, are also able to collect and use ance that security standards will be As I said, President Putin’s goal last consumer data, to put together a de- bolstered against that kind of attack year was to undermine our democratic tailed picture of who they are, what that the Russians and their spies institutions—to corrode Americans’ they do, where and when they buy launched. trust and faith in our government, no things, where they go, what they like The FTC doesn’t have jurisdiction matter who is President. If we do not to do—all of it an array of data that over the security and privacy practices get to the bottom of Russian inter- people assume is private, all of it freely of broadband, cable, and wireless car- ference, he will no doubt be successful. available to those internet providers. riers. If the Ninth Circuit’s recent deci- And if anybody doubts it, if he is suc- Even when data is encrypted, our sion in FTC v. AT&T is upheld, adopt- cessful, he will try it again. broadband providers can piece together ing a ‘‘status-based’’ instead of ‘‘activ- That is why we should stand united significant amounts of information ity-based’’ interpretation of the FTC’s and call for a truly independent inves- about us—including private informa- common carrier exemption, the FTC’s tigation. The American people deserve tion, medical conditions, financial jurisdiction and ability to impose pri- nothing less. We can sit here and talk problems—based on online activity. It vacy and security obligations would be about this bill and that bill, but it is so is a mine that can be used—more valu- even further curtailed. rare that we have something over- able than a gold mine—because that in- Critics also say that the FCC’s riding. This is overriding. Let’s have an formation can be sold and bought and broadband privacy rules would unfairly independent investigation. This Sen- used again so that privacy becomes a create a separate regulatory regime for ator is willing to accept that whichever completely evanescent and illusory ‘‘edge providers,’’ websites such as way it goes. feature of our lives. Google or Facebook. If that is their I see our distinguished majority lead- Consumers wanting to switch real concern, why haven’t they focused er on the floor. broadband providers are often hit with their efforts on ensuring that the FTC I will yield the floor. hefty termination fees, and they have has meaningful rulemaking authority The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- to experience a lapse in Internet serv- so that it can implement privacy and jority leader. ice at home—something that most sim- data security rules over such websites? In closing, I have long supported giv- ORDER OF PROCEDURE ply don’t have the luxury to do or en- ing the FTC authority to adopt its own Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I dure in today’s connected society rules governing the privacy and secu- ask unanimous consent that at 12:15 where internet is accessible. They have rity of websites. Giving the FTC au- p.m. today there be 10 minutes of de- no meaningful choice about how to thority to adopt new rules would help bate, equally divided in the usual form, safeguard broadband privacy. They ensure our privacy, keep our privacy remaining on S.J. Res. 34; further, that have one choice if they want speeds safe no matter where we go on the following the use or yielding back of above 25 megabits per second. That is internet or how we connect. However, I that time, the joint resolution be read why I applauded those rules when they don’t see any of our colleagues, in sup- a third time and the Senate vote on the were promulgated by the FCC back in porting this resolution, rushing to ac- resolution with no intervening action October, finalizing broadband privacy protections. I applauded them because complish these goals. or debate; finally, notwithstanding rule We should all remember that con- signing up for the internet should not XXII, following disposition of the joint sumers need control over their own in- mean you sign away your rights to pri- resolution, the Senate vote on the mo- formation and how it is used. This res- vacy. tion to invoke cloture on Executive olution would subvert and sabotage Calendar No. 20, David Friedman to be Just as telephone networks must ob- tain consumer approval before selling that control. Ambassador to Israel. All too often, Americans take for customer information, broadband pro- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without granted privacy until it is lost. Once it viders ought to be required to obtain objection, it is so ordered. is lost, rarely can it be recovered. Once consumers’ affirmative consent before If no one yields time, the time will be that information becomes public, pri- selling their sensitive browsing or app charged equally. vacy is irreparably damaged. Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I suggest usage data to advertisers. The FCC Today’s vote, if it succeeds, will de- the absence of a quorum and ask unani- rules that this resolution would deci- prive Americans of important baseline mous consent that the time be charged mate, utterly destroy, essentially seek privacy standards that they expect and equally. to protect that privacy interest. The demand the government to provide. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without only way the FCC’s broadband privacy Few Americans are aware of this vote objection, it is so ordered. rules protect consumers is through an today. Many will be aware of its con- The clerk will call the roll. affirmative opt-in consent. That is the sequences. It will do extraordinary The legislative clerk proceeded to only real protection that works. damage to privacy, if it is approved. call the roll. These rules also prohibit pay-for-pri- I urge my colleagues to reject it and Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I vacy schemes that would require con- to help preserve American privacy. ask unanimous consent that the order sumers to waive their privacy protec- Mr. President, I yield the floor. for the quorum call be rescinded. tions as a precondition to receiving I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without service. They establish data security The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection, it is so ordered. and breach notification standards for clerk will call the roll. Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, broadband providers. The bill clerk proceeded to call the the rules that the Federal Communica- They also have important national roll. tions Commission recently promul- security implications. Just last week, Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I ask gated—and when I say ‘‘recently,’’ it the Department of Justice indicted unanimous consent that the order for was October, only months ago—ex- four individuals, including Russian the quorum call be rescinded.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.017 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1952 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without your insurer could dig up some flimsy works—whether that is California or objection, it is so ordered. reason to drop your coverage. You Kentucky, and real people living real PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE could be denied coverage for chemo- lives know it. ACT therapy or insulin if you had cancer or For example, I recently heard from Ms. HARRIS. Mr. President, I rise to diabetes. You could be denied prenatal Myra from Sherman Oaks, CA, who was celebrate the anniversary of one of the coverage if you were pregnant, like diagnosed with an aggressive form of most significant legislative achieve- Chrystal. You could even be denied breast cancer. She wrote: ments in American history, the pas- health coverage if you were a victim of Before ObamaCare, my husband and I lived sage of the Patient Protection and Af- domestic violence. under constant stress due to our lack of good fordable Care Act, also known as Before the ACA, healthcare costs health insurance. ObamaCare. were crushing low-income and middle- But, because of the ACA, Myra told I rise in strong opposition to the class Americans. Premiums—which, of me: American Health Care Act, a callous course, are those monthly bills that we We had a Silver Blue Shield plan that cov- and carelessly written bill that would all pay for our insurance—were going ered . . . well over a million dollars in bills roll back progress and strip health in- up and up. Sky-high medical bills were to date. I am happy to report I am now well, surance from millions of Americans. the No. 1 reason Americans went but without insurance, I was facing a death I rise on behalf of people like broke, causing them to sell their sentence. Without the ACA, we would cer- Chrystal from my home State of Cali- homes, their cars, and even pawn their tainly have had to sell our home to pay my bills and try to figure out how to make ends fornia. You see, I know Chrystal. She jewelry to pay off their debts. meet. works in my dentist’s office. In early One of the worst things about facing She wrote that it covered well over a 2011, just after I was elected attorney the healthcare system without cov- million dollars. That is what the ACA general of California, I went in for a erage before the ACA was that it left does. checkup. It had been a while since I you feeling utterly alone. Most Ameri- Here is how Cindy of from Oakley, had seen her. Chrystal asked me how I cans know what I am talking about: CA, has experienced real life. She had been, and I asked her how she had that knot in your stomach when you wrote: been, and then she shared with me know there is something wrong with great news. She was pregnant. your health or the health of your child My daughter was diagnosed with an eating disorder at 13 years old and I can directly As a dental hygienist, she was work- or your parent, but you are not sure thank the excellent care received at Kaiser ing for a few different dentists and what it is, whether it can be fixed or Northern California for her good health wasn’t on the payroll of any of them as whether your insurance will cover it, today at age 17. Without the ACA and the a full-time employee. This was before and the frustration, the anger as you mental health parity it helps provide . . . I the ACA was in place, so Chrystal was try to make sense of the fine print and would not have had treatment options avail- on private insurance with only basic codes on the medical bill that has so able to me. coverage, just enough to cover her an- many zeros. Again, coverage for mental health nual exams. How many of us have walked into an treatment—that is what the ACA does. When Chrystal found out she was emergency room with a loved one and Honoree, a single mom from Samoa, pregnant, she went to her insurance felt time just stop? Maybe it was with CA, living with a spinal cord injury company to apply for prenatal cov- your child who was running a fever or that has kept her from working for 31⁄2 erage. She was denied. When I asked having trouble breathing. Maybe your years, wrote to me and said: her why, she told me that they said she partner is being rushed in with a pos- I wanted to let you know that I love had a preexisting condition. So you can sible heart attack. All you will know is ObamaCare! My healthcare has steadily im- imagine I asked her: Are you OK? What that something is wrong. All you know proved since the ACA was enacted. . . . I is wrong? What is the preexisting con- is that you are overwhelmed and can’t tell you how AMAZING it felt to get dition? scared, and you know that you should my teeth cleaned and cared for after waiting not also have to fight on the phone more than a decade. She told me she was pregnant. I walked around for weeks saying, When she applied to another with an insurance company or wonder ‘‘thanks, ObamaCare!’’ whenever I sensed healthcare company for insurance, if a doctor will even see you at all. how good my teeth felt. again, she was denied. Why? Pre- That is how millions and millions of I would be saddened to see the ACA get existing condition. What was it? She Americans experienced our healthcare scrapped. It’s made a huge difference in our was pregnant. system. lives. Actually, I’d be more than saddened, So this young woman was forced to It was not right or fair. So the ACA I’d be very scared. go into her sixth month of pregnancy set out to make things better, and 7 Again, this is testimony about the before she received a sonogram. In- years ago today, President Barack ACA, in this case about dental cov- stead, thankfully, there was a free clin- Obama signed the Affordable Care Act erage and improved healthcare. That is ic in San Francisco, so she could get into law. It finally extended good, af- what the ACA does. her prenatal care. fordable health insurance to Americans I will state that I believe there is a Thank God she had a strong and like Chrystal all across the Nation. huge disconnect between the over-the- beautiful baby boy. His name is Jack- Vice President Biden was absolutely top criticism of the ACA and the law’s son. They are both doing well today. right when, at the time, he said that it actual impact. There is a disconnect Thank God that situation is no was a ‘‘big’’—and then I will not quote between the politics and how people longer the reality for millions of Amer- the next word; let’s call it blanking— are actually living and thriving under icans. ‘‘deal.’’ the ACA. In fact, in a recent poll, one I share Chrystal’s story to remind us It is a shame that people have been in three Americans didn’t even realize what America’s healthcare system playing politics with this law and with that the ACA and ObamaCare were ac- looked like only a few years ago. America’s health. The former Speaker tually the same thing, and they are. We should not forget that before the of the House said that the ACA would So, everybody, let’s be clear about this. ACA, 48 million Americans lacked be ‘‘Armageddon.’’ A Republican Presi- The Affordable Care Act is ObamaCare, health insurance. That is more people dential candidate who now sits in the and ObamaCare is the Affordable Care than the entire country of Canada. Cabinet called the ACA—and these are Act. Before the ACA, when these people his actual words—‘‘the worst thing We all know, of course, that there are got sick, they had three choices: Go that has happened in this nation since ways to improve the ACA, but ending without treatment, go to the emer- slavery.’’ it is not the answer. The truth is that gency room, or go broke. Earlier this month, the President of the ACA has largely done what it was Before the ACA, 129 million people— the United States tweeted that the supposed to do—expand, protect, and almost one out of every two Ameri- ACA is ‘‘a complete and total dis- reduce—expand coverage, protect con- cans—could be denied insurance cov- aster.’’ Well, I say: Tell that to the sumers, and reduce the pace of rising erage because of preexisting condi- people of California because when a healthcare costs. Thanks to the ACA tions. And the minute you got sick, State wants to make the ACA work, it and Medicaid expansion, 20 million

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.020 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1953 more Americans have health insurance. have a child that needs support for au- Well, here is your answer. It gives mil- That is the population of the entire tism, or have an aging parent who lionaires a $50,000 average tax cut State of New York. Thanks to the ACA, needs a nursing home. This bill threat- every year. It gives the top 0.1 percent premiums are going up at the slowest ens them all. in this country a $195,000 tax cut every rate in half a century. Thanks to the Let’s ask: Will the plan help the folks year. It gives insurance companies a ACA, doctors are innovating and pro- who need care most? The answer is no. $145 billion tax break over the next viding better preventive care, from The House Republican plan’s flat tax decade. The President and the Speaker keeping people out of the hospital to credits are based only on age, with no want you to believe that this plan is delivering healthier babies. Thanks to consideration of income level. So what good for American families, but under the ACA, insurers cannot set lifetime that means is that a 40-year-old cashier their bill, the only thing that gets limits on your care, meaning your in- making $10,000 gets the exact same healthier are the insurance companies’ surance company won’t tell you in the amount as the 40-year-old banker mak- bottom line. middle of a cancer treatment that they ing $74,000 a year. It doesn’t matter As far as California is concerned, this have paid all they ever will. Thanks to whether you live in downtown Manhat- bill would devastate our families. Here the ACA, millions of underserved tan or the Cleveland suburbs or rural are the facts, and, frankly, here is the Americans in rural towns and in cities Alaska. fight. Over 5 million Californians have and everywhere in between have access Let’s ask: Will monthly costs go received insurance through the Afford- to care for the first time. Thanks to down for low-income and middle-class able Care Act. I say they are worth the ACA, young people can stay on families who are stretched horribly fighting for. their parents’ insurance until they are thin right now? The answer is no. Ac- Since the ACA went into effect, Cali- 26. Thanks to the ACA, 55 million cording to that same independent anal- fornia’s uninsured population has been women have insurance that works— ysis, the Republican plan will imme- cut almost in half, from 17 percent to mammograms, checkups, and birth diately increase American families’ about 7 percent. I say they are worth premiums by 15 to 20 percent, with control with no copays. When you pick fighting for. higher deductibles and out-of-pocket up your prescription at the pharmacy Medi-Cal went from covering 8.5 mil- costs after that. In the next decade, a and see that the bill is zero dollars, lion Americans to 13.5 million today. person in their fifties could see their well, that is the ACA. And thanks to One in two children are covered under insurance costs go up 850 percent. the ACA, you can’t be discriminated Medicaid. I say they are worth fighting Their insurance costs can go up 850 per- against if you have a preexisting condi- for. cent. tion, including that preexisting condi- The community clinics and health Let’s ask: What about our seniors— centers that so many Californians rely tion called being a woman. will their monthly costs go down? Of course, navigating the healthcare on would be cut back or closed. I say Sadly, the answer is no. The Repub- system is still daunting, but things are they are worth fighting for. lican plan lets insurers charge seniors A UC Berkeley study estimates that better. There are now some rules of the five times as much as other Americans, road to keep insurance companies from repealing the ACA would cost Cali- meaning that high cholesterol your fornia up to 200,000 jobs, everyone from taking advantage of you during some doctor diagnosed could cost you $3,200 of life’s most vulnerable moments. Be- home healthcare aides and janitors to more a month. workers in retail, restaurants, and ac- cause of the ACA, because of Let’s ask: Will all women still have counting. I say they are worth fighting ObamaCare, you can sleep a little easi- access to affordable family planning? for. er at night and know that your care The answer is no. This new bill will I rise today to emphasize that it is will be there when you need it. give Americans choice in healthcare, really important that we understand Let’s fast-forward to today. Today, but the women of America will not the everyday consequences of this bill. we mark the seventh anniversary of have choice. The bill denies women tax We are talking about real people. If this historic life-changing law. But all credits if they get a plan that covers you are a farmer in the Central Valley that it covers and protects could also abortions. It prohibits Planned Parent- on Medicaid, you can lose that cov- be ripped away, and that is because of hood from providing care for millions erage. If you are a Los Angeles senior the American Health Care Act, the Re- on Medicaid. Some 2.5 million patients with diabetes, you may no longer be publican healthcare plan on the House choose Planned Parenthood every year, side. That is what it will do—rip it all including roughly 1 million in Cali- able to afford coverage on the indi- away. fornia. They should be able to see the vidual market. If you are a family in They have done their best to mislead provider they choose and trust. Shasta County with a child dealing folks about their plan. They have criti- Let’s ask: Will this new plan protect with a prescription drug addiction, sub- cized objective news reports, and they Medicaid, as President Trump prom- stance abuse treatment likely will not even questioned the Congressional ised? Well, the answer is no. Medicaid be covered. If you are a couple in Hum- Budget Office—which, as we know, is, covers many people whose jobs don’t boldt County with an ailing parent, by the way, a nonpartisan, independent offer healthcare, and it also pays for your request for home health services office which crunched the numbers and half of all the births in this Nation. It could be denied. These are the kinds of found that this new plan would cause supports people with disabilities and Californians and the kinds of Ameri- millions of Americans to lose insur- children with special needs. Most peo- cans who this plan would hurt. ance coverage. ple don’t realize that Medicaid is the When these folks wake up at 3 a.m. Before we leap on to this new bill, primary payer for treatment of opioid worrying about an ache or pain or their let’s all ask some key questions. Let’s addiction and substance abuse. But next chemo appointment, when they all take a good look at what this plan this new plan being offered by House wake up with that concern and that really would and would not do. Republicans would roll back Medicaid thought at 3 a.m., I promise you, they First, will this bill provide insurance coverage and cut nearly $1 trillion in are not thinking about that through for everybody, as President Trump Medicaid benefits over the next decade. the lens of being a Republican or a promised? Well, the answer is no. In Let’s ask: Does the plan put Amer- Democrat. They think about them- fact, the independent Congressional ican families ahead of insurance com- selves as fathers, mothers, parents, Budget Office says that under the GOP panies? The answer, tragically, is no. daughters and sons, and grandparents. plan, 24 million Americans will lose Under this plan, if you lose your job They worry about their health needs their health insurance by the end of and it takes more than 2 months to and how their health needs will affect the decade. That is equal to the popu- find another, you will be charged a 30- not only themselves but their loved lation of 15 States combined. percent penalty on top of the monthly ones. These concerns are not about pol- Who are these people? These are mid- costs you are already paying. That itics. These are universal concerns, and dle-class families, our Nation’s teach- money goes right into the insurance we have all been there. ers, veterans, truckdrivers, nurses, and company’s pockets. It is because all of us share these farmers. These families include those So, by now, you are probably won- concerns and because all of us would be who struggle with opioid addiction, dering: Who exactly does this bill help? badly harmed by this new plan that

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.021 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1954 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 this bill is opposed by the American The FCC privacy rules are just an- What is the solution here? We should Medical Association, the American other example of burdensome rules work with the private sector, the FCC, Hospital Association, the American that hurt more than they help and and the FTC to find a comprehensive Nurses Association, the American serve as another example of the gov- solution together. Heart Association, the American Can- ernment’s picking winners and losers. At a time when data collection and cer Society, the American Diabetes As- They unnecessarily target internet use is increasing exponentially, Repub- sociation, and the AARP. They are the service providers and, ultimately, licans should not be rolling back pro- most respected medical and patient ad- make our internet ecosystem less effi- tections for consumers. This is yet an- vocacy groups in this country, and cient by adding more redtape. other repeal without replace. they know what is at stake. The bottom line is that the FCC pri- Fifty-five years ago this month, Ultimately, I believe this bill is not vacy rules are bad regulations that President Kennedy gave a seminal just about medicine or math; I believe need to be repealed. speech about consumer rights. He this is about morals. The plan that the I should also note that this Congres- spoke about the march of technology— House is voting on today is a values sional Review Act vote will not change how it had outpaced old laws and regu- statement, and it is not a good one. As the entire online privacy protections lations and how fast that progress had our former President said about the that consumers currently enjoy, and it occurred. That progress is only getting ACA, this is more than just about will not change statutory privacy pro- faster. The next massive technological healthcare; it is about the character of tections under the Communications change will be the ‘‘internet of things,’’ our country, and it is about whether or Act. It will repeal something that was in which we will have tens of billions of not we look out for one another. done unilaterally by President Obama devices connected to each other and I think we need to take a good, hard and his administration, as I said, fol- interacting with us whether we like it look in the mirror and ask: Who are we lowing the ending of his term, as they or not. as a country? Are we a country that were headed out the door. As technology marches on, what cuts the deficit by cutting care for our I thank the junior Senator from Ari- stays the same is the bedrock principle most vulnerable? zona, Senator FLAKE, for his work on that President Kennedy outlined, Let’s look in the mirror and ask: Are this CRA and moving it forward. which is that consumers have a right we a country that gives tax breaks to I urge all of my colleagues to support to be safe, a right to be informed, a insurers while giving higher medical this resolution of disapproval. right to choose, and a right to be bills to patients? Madam President, I yield the floor. heard. Those rights are in jeopardy. Are we a country that tells seniors The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The FCC took a small but important and cancer patients and women ‘‘You ator from Hawaii. step, but the Republicans are walking are on your own’’? Mr. SCHATZ. Madam President, it back. Are we a country that sees today, we will vote on a resolution that Let me be clear. This is the single healthcare as a privilege for a few or a will take away privacy protections biggest step backward in online pri- right for all? from the American people. By voting vacy in many years. I urge a ‘‘no’’ vote. I believe that is what we have to de- for this resolution, Congress is ignor- I ask unanimous consent all time be cide. ing the fact that people want more pro- yielded back. The ACA is not perfect. It can be tections online, not fewer. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without strengthened, and I am willing to work In 2016, Pew did a study to determine objection, all time is yielded back. with anyone who will work in good the state of privacy in the United The joint resolution was ordered to faith to do that, but it is time to stop States, and the center found ‘‘Ameri- be engrossed for a third reading and playing politics with public health. cans express a consistent lack of con- was read the third time. Our government has three main func- fidence about the security of everyday Mr. SCHATZ. Madam President, I tions: public safety, public education, communication channels and the orga- ask for the yeas and nays. and public health. We shouldn’t be nizations that control them.’’ The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a turning these responsibilities into par- Pew found that this is especially true sufficient second? tisan issues. Instead, we should be fig- when it comes to the internet. People There appears to be a sufficient sec- uring out how to improve the lives of no longer trust organizations—public ond. all Americans, whether we are Demo- or private—to protect the data they Under the previous order, the joint crats, Republicans, or Independents. collect. resolution having been read the third People are counting on us, people Today, we are going to make that time, the question is, Shall the joint like one of my constituents in Kern worse. That is because broadband pro- resolution pass? County—a woman who is suffering viders know our complete browsing his- The clerk will call the roll. from lung disease, who said: tory. Think about that for a second. The bill clerk called the roll. We are not asking for much . . . decent They know everything we do online, Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators healthcare. . . . Don’t take it away. . . . everything we search for on a daily are necessarily absent: the Senator Make it better. basis. Think about how personal that from Georgia (Mr. ISAKSON) and the information is, how it paints a picture I say to my colleagues: Do not take Senator from Kentucky (Mr. PAUL). away American people’s healthcare. of who we are. It is totally reasonable The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. for broadband providers to have to ask Let’s make it better. ROUNDS). Are there any other Senators I yield the floor. customers for their consent before they in the Chamber desiring to vote? The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. take that information—our browsing The result was announced—yeas 50, FISCHER). Under the previous order, history, what we do online—and sell it nays 48, as follows: there will now be 10 minutes of debate, to a third party. [Rollcall Vote No. 94 Leg.] equally divided in the usual form, prior That will no longer be the case after to a vote on S.J. Res. 34. the Republicans vote for this bill and it YEAS—50 The majority whip. is enacted into law. Broadband pro- Alexander Enzi McCain Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, viders will be able to take your brows- Barrasso Ernst McConnell Blunt Fischer Moran speaking of the vote that we will be ing history and sell it without your Boozman Flake Murkowski having in just a few minutes, for the permission. The FCC spent months on Burr Gardner Perdue last several weeks, this Chamber has this rule, and by using the CRA to get Capito Graham Portman Cassidy Grassley worked very hard to undo harmful rid of it, Congress is taking away the Risch Cochran Hatch Roberts Collins Heller rules and regulations that had been put FCC’s authority to do anything like it Rounds Corker Hoeven forward by the Obama administration, ever again. That will mean there is no Rubio Cornyn Inhofe Sasse at the last moment, as he was headed Federal agency—not the FTC, not the Cotton Johnson out the door. These are rules that hurt FCC—that will even have jurisdiction Crapo Kennedy Scott job creators and stifle economic over the issue of privacy for broadband Cruz Lankford Shelby Strange growth. providers. Daines Lee

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:40 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.022 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1955 Sullivan Tillis Wicker The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 52, People will look at this confirmation Thune Toomey Young nays 46, as follows: and say: U.S. support for Israel now ex- NAYS—48 [Rollcall Vote No. 95 Leg.] ists largely on a partisan basis. Let’s Baldwin Gillibrand Murray YEAS—52 be clear. It does not. I support every Bennet Harris Nelson penny that goes to Israel. I think it is Blumenthal Hassan Peters Alexander Flake Perdue Booker Heinrich Reed Barrasso Gardner Portman critical that the country maintains its Brown Heitkamp Sanders Blunt Graham Risch qualitative military edge in the region, Cantwell Hirono Schatz Boozman Grassley Roberts Burr Hatch and I take a backseat to no one in my Cardin Kaine Schumer Rounds personal or professional passion for the Carper King Shaheen Capito Heller Rubio Casey Klobuchar Stabenow Cassidy Hoeven Sasse United States-Israel relationship. Coons Leahy Tester Cochran Inhofe Scott Collins Johnson That is why I cannot support Mr. Cortez Masto Manchin Udall Shelby Corker Kennedy Donnelly Markey Van Hollen Strange Friedman’s nomination to be the U.S. Cornyn Lankford Duckworth McCaskill Warner Sullivan Ambassador to Israel. He has radical Durbin Menendez Warren Cotton Lee Crapo Manchin Thune views. He has made outrageous and of- Feinstein Merkley Whitehouse Tillis Franken Murphy Wyden Cruz McCain fensive statements on a wide range of Daines McConnell Toomey issues. NOT VOTING—2 Enzi Menendez Wicker Young Here is a sampling of his past com- Isakson Paul Ernst Moran Fischer Murkowski ments. Mr. Friedman has said that the The joint resolution (S.J. Res. 34) NAYS—46 State Department is anti-Semitic. He was passed, as follows: Baldwin Gillibrand Peters has said that President Obama is an S.J. RES. 34 Bennet Harris Reed anti-Semite. He has said that the two- Resolved by the Senate and House of Rep- Blumenthal Hassan Sanders state solution solves a ‘‘nonexistent resentatives of the United States of America in Booker Heinrich Schatz Brown Heitkamp problem.’’ Mr. Friedman has called for Congress assembled, That Congress dis- Schumer Israeli citizens who are Arabs to be approves the rule submitted by the Federal Cantwell Hirono Shaheen Communications Commission relating to Cardin Kaine Stabenow stripped of their civil rights. He has Carper King Tester lobbed one of the worst words in Jew- ‘‘Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Casey Klobuchar Udall Broadband and Other Telecommunications Coons Leahy ish history at large parts of the Amer- Van Hollen Services’’ (81 Fed. Reg. 87274 (December 2, Cortez Masto Markey ican Jewish community, calling them Warner 2016)), and such rule shall have no force or ef- Donnelly McCaskill Warren ‘‘kapos,’’ which is a term for the Jews fect. Duckworth Merkley Durbin Murphy Whitehouse who worked for the Nazis in concentra- f Feinstein Murray Wyden tion camps. These are more than just CLOTURE MOTION Franken Nelson provocative statements by Mr. Fried- man; they are lies. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. NOT VOTING—2 SASSE). Pursuant to rule XXII, the Isakson Paul For decades, the United States has Chair lays before the Senate the pend- The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this stood firm as an honest broker of ing cloture motion, which the clerk vote, the yeas are 52, the nays are 46. peace. We have said to both sides that will state. The motion is agreed to. they can trust us to help end this con- flict, and that is based on the principle The senior assistant legislative clerk f read as follows: that the United States is passionate EXECUTIVE SESSION CLOTURE MOTION about peace in Israel but dispassionate We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- about how we get there. Mr. Friedman is not objective about how we get ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby there. On the contrary, he is very pas- move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sionately for settlements, and he is nation of David Friedman, of New York, to clerk will report the nomination. very passionately against the two-state be Ambassador Extraordinary and Pleni- The senior assistant legislative clerk solution, which means he is basically potentiary of the United States of America read the nomination of David Fried- against decades of bipartisan U.S. for- to Israel. man, of New York, to be Ambassador eign policy. Mitch McConnell, Steve Daines, John Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Cornyn, Tom Cotton, Bob Corker, John the United States of America to Israel. Just a few months ago, the organiza- Boozman, John Hoeven, James The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- tion he led advertised that they have a Lankford, Roger F. Wicker, John Bar- new program that will train students rasso, Lamar Alexander, Orrin G. ator from Hawaii. Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I would to ‘‘successfully delegitimize the no- Hatch, David Perdue, James M. Inhofe, tion of a two-state solution.’’ This Mike Rounds, Bill Cassidy, Thom like to talk about U.S. support for Tillis. Israel. It used to be that U.S. support group is actively working to take the two-state solution off the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- for Israel was bipartisan. One of the imous consent, the mandatory quorum most deeply disappointing realities in I understand that the Senate is not call has been waived. Washington today is that this support fully aligned on U.S. foreign policy The question is, Is it the sense of the is becoming characterized as increas- when it comes to Israel. I understand Senate that debate on the nomination ingly partisan. That is because—what we have our disagreements. We may of David Friedman, of New York, to be happened was Republicans came out disagree on whether a two-state solu- Ambassador Extraordinary and Pleni- against one of President Obama’s sig- tion is best, on where our Embassy potentiary of the United States of nature foreign policy achievements, should be located, and on how to ap- America to Israel shall be brought to a the Iran nuclear deal. proach the peace process, but there are close? That opposition came in the face of some things we ought to be able to The yeas and nays are mandatory consensus among national security ex- agree upon: that our Ambassador to under the rule. perts across the political spectrum, Israel should not be more involved in The clerk will call the roll. both here and in Israel, that this deal Israel’s politics than our own, that our The assistant bill clerk called the was good for the security of Israel. Ul- Ambassador to Israel should not be so roll. timately, what happened is, it politi- provocative that they wouldn’t even be Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators cized our foreign policy in the Middle welcome at the negotiating table, and are necessarily absent: the Senator East to the point that what would have that our Ambassador should not be the from Georgia (Mr. ISAKSON) and the otherwise been a bipartisan vote for a kind of person who uses language to Senator from Kentucky (Mr. PAUL). bipartisan consensus Ambassador to fuel violence, hate, and instability. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there the country of Israel from the United That means we should be able to agree any other Senators in the Chamber de- States, will now be confirmed along that our Ambassador to Israel cannot siring to vote? mostly party lines. be Mr. Friedman.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:40 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR6.001 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1956 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 I urge my colleagues to join me in seasoned diplomat; he is the Presi- During his confirmation hearing, Mr. voting no to support U.S.-Israel rela- dent’s bankruptcy lawyer. President Friedman also walked back his posi- tions and reject Mr. Friedman’s con- Trump and Mr. Friedman clearly have tions on a two-state solution and firmation. a lot of experience with bankruptcy, Israeli settlements, which prompted I yield the floor. but it is hard to think of a pair of per- the committee chair to wryly ask him The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- sonalities less suited to diplomacy in a why he even wants the Ambassador po- ator from New Mexico. volatile region. sition if he has to ‘‘recant every single Mr. UDALL. Mr. President, the Mid- Mr. Friedman has vocally opposed a strong belief you’ve had.’’ dle East poses some of the most dif- two-state solution—a cornerstone of I am a strong supporter of Israel. I ficult diplomatic challenges faced by U.S. foreign policy for peace in the re- want to see the State of Israel pros- our Nation. The region is troubled, un- gion since President Ronald Reagan. perous and secure forever into the fu- stable, sometimes dangerous. Conflicts He not only supports but has gener- ture. I believe in the right of the Pal- span over centuries. Peace throughout ously funded Israeli settlements—set- estinians to self-determination, to the region seems distant and far away. tlements long considered as an obstacle chart their own course and their des- And the problematic powers, like Iran, to peace by the United States and tiny. I want to see peace between Israel Syria, Hezbollah, and Russia, promote deemed illegal by much of the inter- and the Palestinians and between their own interests in the area, some- national community. Israel and her neighbors. That is what times violently, and those interests are Mr. Friedman’s intemperate remarks the vast majority of Americans want. often contrary to ours. have been widely reported. He lashed The United States has a strong na- The United States is deeply involved out that liberal Jews ‘‘suffer a cog- tional interest in securing this peace. throughout the region. Israel is Amer- nitive disconnect in identifying good The last thing we need is another ac- ica’s staunchest ally in the Middle East and evil.’’ He said that the State De- tive military conflict in the Middle and one of our closest friends on the partment has ‘‘[a] hundred-year his- East, which could draw in U.S. forces. world stage. The United States has had tory of anti-Semitism’’ and that Presi- That is why over 40 years U.S. policy and will continue to have a special re- dent Obama is ‘‘an anti-Semite.’’ Most has held that the only realistic path to lationship with Israel, and our country horrific, he said: peace is through a two-state solution. will continue to protect and aid Israel J-Street supporters . . . are far worse than The Palestinians are entitled to a to help secure her survival. kapos—Jews who turned in their fellow Jews homeland. A two-state solution is the I am a strong supporter of Israel. I in the Nazi death camps. . . . They are just smug advocates of Israel’s destruction deliv- only viable path forward for Israel. believe that a qualitative military edge ered from the comfort of their secure Amer- As Secretary Kerry said, ‘‘If the is necessary for the safety of Israel, ican sofas—it’s hard to imagine anyone choice is one state, Israel can either be and I have always voted to support worse. Jewish or democratic. It cannot be military aid. I have also been a strong Five former U.S. Ambassadors to both.’’ supporter of the two-state solution. A Israel, serving under both Democratic Given Mr. Friedman’s past staunch peaceful resolution between Israel and and Republican administrations, called support for a one-state solution and ex- the Palestinian people would help heal Mr. Friedman ‘‘unqualified’’ to assume pansion of Israeli settlements, is he the source of many of the insecurities the role of chief diplomat to Israel. really ready and able to embrace and facing Israel, but peace has eluded Twenty-nine Holocaust scholars ob- put forward opposing policy positions? Israel and the Palestinians for decades. jected to his ‘‘kapo’’ remarks. The his- Can he ever be viewed by the Palestin- Mutual distrust runs deep. Tensions torical record shows, they said, ‘‘that ians and the international community are high between Israel and many of its kapos were Jews whom the Nazis as an honest broker? neighbors. forced, at the pain of death, to serve I am under no illusion about how dif- For all these reasons, the ambas- them in the concentration and exter- ficult it will be to achieve peace be- sadorship to Israel is one of the State mination camps. . . . These Jews faced tween Israel and the Palestinians. Department’s most important diplo- terrible dilemmas, but ultimately were Many Presidents and able diplomats matic posts and one of the most sen- made into unwilling tools of Nazi bru- have tried and failed to achieve settle- sitive. Since Israel became a nation, tality. . . . To brand one’s political op- ment. But the United States must con- the post has been held by 18 of some of ponents, members of one’s own commu- tinue to do its best to reach an accord. our most experienced, skilled, and nity, as kapos, merely for engaging in Above all, we should not make the cur- knowledgeable diplomats. The vast ma- legitimate debate, is historically inde- rent situation worse. We need a steady jority were career Foreign Service offi- fensible and is a deeply disturbing ex- hand in the Middle East. cers. Many served in both Republican ample of the abuse of the Holocaust I am not convinced that Mr. Fried- and Democratic administrations. All and its victims for present political man is qualified for this job, with no had significant international and gov- gain.’’ diplomatic experience and a history of ernment experience prior to their ap- A group of Holocaust survivors called extreme positions and intemperate lan- pointment. his use of ‘‘kapo’’—and I quote a group guage. His contrition is too little, too The Ambassador to Israel must be of Holocaust survivors—‘‘slanderous, late. I am worried that by ignoring able to thread the needle between insulting, irresponsible, cynical and these huge red flags with his nomina- Israel and its neighbors. He or she immensely damaging to our people.’’ tion, we run the risk of a diplomatic needs to have the confidence, respect, More than 600 rabbis wrote that his incident that could needlessly increase and trust of powers throughout the re- remarks were ‘‘the very antithesis of risk of conflict in the region. There- gion. He or she must be seen as an hon- the diplomatic behavior Americans ex- fore, I must vote no on this nomina- est broker and have the temperament pect from their ambassadors.’’ tion. and finesse to defuse conflict while While Mr. Friedman apologized dur- I yield the floor. able to stand one’s ground and have the ing his confirmation hearing for his The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- capacity to find common interests and abusive language, I don’t believe it ator from Minnesota. common ground. erases his past behavior and suddenly Mr. FRANKEN. Mr. President, I rise However, with David Friedman, the qualifies him for the job. today to talk about President Trump’s President has put forth a nominee who This post should be earned over time, selection of David Friedman to serve as has no diplomatic experience whatso- through actions and words that dem- the U.S. Ambassador to Israel. ever, no government or international onstrate without question that the Our relationship with Israel is of tre- experience, who is known for his offen- nominee has the right judgment, tem- mendous importance. We are strong al- sive statements toward Jewish groups perament, and skills. Mr. Friedman has lies, and we have a strong military, and others with whom he disagrees, not come close to demonstrating that. diplomatic, economic, and cultural re- and who has repeatedly expressed ex- We should not risk confirming him to lationship with the State of Israel. As treme policy views—views antagonistic this important post. We have seen how a Jew, the importance of that relation- to any realistic peace process with the distracting and destructive hotheaded- ship is something that I feel in my Palestinians. Mr. Friedman is not a ness is at the seat of power. bones, and as a Senator, working to

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.029 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1957 make our relationship with Israel final ad. As I told Mr. Friedman when He has written falsely that President stronger is a major priority. I strongly we met in my office, I have been called Obama and Secretary Kerry engaged in believe that part of strengthening that a moron before—that kind of thing ‘‘blatant anti-Semitism,’’ that liberal relationship is doing everything we can happens in campaigns all the time—but American Jews are ‘‘far worse than to help make progress toward a peace- as I also reminded him, part of being a kapos,’’ and that they ‘‘suffer a cog- ful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian diplomat is being diplomatic. nitive disconnect in identifying good conflict. Helping to resolve that con- Now, while I have serious concerns and evil.’’ flict has consistently been one of the with Mr. Friedman’s temperament, my He has accused the State Department top diplomatic priorities of the United biggest issue with this nominee is his of a ‘‘hundred-year history of anti- States. lack of commitment to the peace proc- Semitism,’’ apparently because dip- There are very important implica- ess. For example, right after being lomats in both Republican and Demo- tions in this selection for the Israeli nominated to serve as Ambassador, Mr. cratic administrations have not always people, the Palestinian people, the Friedman stated that he ‘‘looked for- agreed with the actions of some of Middle East region, and even beyond. ward to doing this from the U.S. em- Israel’s leaders. We need an Ambassador who can rise bassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jeru- Those comments alone should dis- to the challenge, someone who can salem.’’ qualify him for this sensitive position. bring the parties together for negotia- It has been a longstanding policy of Mr. Friedman has also raised mil- tions and be regarded as legitimate in the United States to recognize Tel Aviv lions of dollars for Israeli settlers and the eyes of all parties. Mr. Friedman is as the capital of Israel. This policy has bragged about leading the effort to re- not that man. been viewed by successive administra- move the two-state solution from the Mr. Friedman’s past conduct dem- tions as important for helping main- Republican Party’s platform. onstrates that he lacks the tools one tain regional stability and peace with Regarding the two-state solution, he needs to be a good diplomat. For start- Israel and its neighbors. An abrupt wrote that it is ‘‘an illusion that serves ers, diplomacy is about choosing your change in this tradition would make it the worst intentions of both the United words carefully. It is about reasoning more difficult for the United States to States and the Palestinian Arabs.’’ with those with whom you disagree. play the role of arbiter, to achieve That renunciation of longstanding U.S. Diplomacy means not resorting to in- peace and security between the Israelis policy should also, by itself, disqualify him for the job of Ambassador to sults and to name-calling when you and the Palestinians. At a time when Israel. have a disagreement, which is some- we need to reduce tensions in the re- Mr. Friedman is certainly entitled to thing that Mr. Friedman has done time gion, Mr. Friedman was sending the exact wrong message. What I find even his own views as a private citizen, even and time and time again. if they are offensive and counter to In an op-ed he penned for the news- more troubling is Mr. Friedman’s sup- U.S. interests and values. But can any- paper Arutz Sheva, Mr. Friedman port for settlement building. Succes- one honestly say that this nominee is called supporters of the American Jew- sive U.S. administrations have recog- qualified or suited to represent the ish Organization J Street ‘‘far worse nized that new settlements are barriers to peace. Mr. Friedman has served as American people in Israel? than kapos.’’ Five former U.S. Ambassadors to Now, for those who don’t share the president and has been actively fund- raising for the American Friends of Israel, who served under Republican history, I was born in 1951, and I grew and Democratic Presidents going back up with the holocaust and the stories Beit El, the nonprofit that supports the expansion of that settlement—expan- as far as President Reagan, say the an- of the holocaust pounded into my head, swer is no. and I know what ‘‘kapos’’ are. It is the sion which is illegal under inter- national law, an expansion deep inside An alliance as longstanding as ours term that refers to Jews who collabo- with Israel, which has far-reaching rated with the Nazis—with the Ge- of Palestinian territory. How can we possibly help advance consequences for the entire Middle stapo, the guards at the concentration East, requires effective daily manage- camps during the holocaust. When peace between the two parties with a man who believes there ought to be ment by an experienced diplomat who asked to repudiate his statement on J not only has knowledge of the region Street, Mr. Friedman refused, and in more settlements—one of the very things that observers on both sides of but the temperament and appreciation fact doubled down, stating ‘‘They’re this conflict recognize as a significant of our short- and long-term interests. not Jewish, and they are not pro- obstacle to peace. The Israeli-Pales- I do not see how anyone could con- Israel.’’ For those who don’t know, J tinian conflict has remained intrac- clude that Mr. Friedman possesses the Street is a pro-Israel organization dedi- table for far too long, proving a hard- requisite temperament or objectivity. cated to the two-state solution—a goal ship—a tragedy—for Israelis and Pal- The record is devoid of evidence that that is shared by successive U.S. ad- estinians both and impacting regional he appreciates the critical distinction ministrations, both Democratic and and even global security. I believe—I between the interests of the United Republican. The two-state solution is am convinced that a just and lasting States and the parochial interests of an the only way to keep Israel a Jewish agreement between the two parties on extreme constituency in Israel that he State and a democracy. a two-state solution, though very dif- has fiercely advocated for over the Mr. Friedman’s smearing of our fel- ficult, can and must be achieved. Con- course of his long career. low Jews—my fellow Jews, many of firming David Friedman as Ambas- Mr. Friedman’s confirmation hearing whom are members of J Street, this is sador of the United States to Israel provided him the opportunity to as- a calumny. This should be a disquali- will only serve to make that job more suage concerns about his divisiveness, fier for someone seeking to represent difficult, if not impossible, and in my including the many disparaging re- the United States in the State of mind would be a tragedy. marks he has made and his close iden- Israel. Mr. Friedman’s statement I urge my colleagues to vote no on tification with and support for, the shows that he lacks understanding of the Friedman nomination. Israeli settler movement. history—of our history, the history of I thank the Presiding Officer. During the hearing, he disavowed his the Jewish people—it shows he is intol- Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, Senate past undiplomatic statements, saying erant of opposing views, and he is pro- will soon vote on the nomination of he was speaking as a private citizen. foundly insensitive. That is probably David Friedman to be U.S. Ambassador Mr. Friedman’s remarkable con- why so many of my fellow Jews have to Israel. firmation conversion falls far short of reached out to me, have urged me to I oppose his nomination. convincing evidence that changing his reject his nomination. Mr. Friedman has made a career of title to ‘‘Ambassador’’ will cause him Mr. Friedman’s offensive remarks derogatory and inflammatory state- to divorce his life’s work and objec- don’t stop there. He regularly insults ments about U.S. policy in the Middle tively serve the interests of the Amer- those with whom he disagrees. He even East, about former U.S. officials, about ican people. called me a clown and a moron after I the Palestinians, and about American We all want what is best for the pointed out the anti-Semitic stereo- Jews who have views that differ from American people. We also share a de- types evoked in the Trump campaign’s his own. sire to find a viable solution to the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:40 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.031 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1958 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 Israeli-Palestinian conflict that pro- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The when ObamaCare was enacted, and tects the rights and security of both clerk will call the roll. today. So the health insurance market peoples. The legislative clerk proceeded to was crippled, premiums have sky- Neither goal can be achieved by pur- call the roll. rocketed for hard-working families, suing policies that further inflame ten- Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, I ask and our economy has suffered tremen- sions and erode the role of the United unanimous consent that the order for dously under the ACA, only to have the States as an honest broker for peace. the quorum call be rescinded. same number of insured and uninsured There are any number of qualified The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without individuals in my home State as before Americans who could capably support objection, it is so ordered. we started. that role. Mr. Friedman is not among Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, I ask Nationwide, Americans are rejecting them. unanimous consent that notwith- ObamaCare in record numbers. We saw Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, standing rule XXII, at 2:15 p.m., the this rejection of ObamaCare repeatedly our Ambassador to Israel is one of our Senate vote on the Friedman nomina- over the past 7 years, when the Amer- most consequential diplomatic posts. tion and that, if confirmed, the motion ican people elected into office can- Israel is our greatest friend and ally in to reconsider be considered made and didates who at least in part ran on the the Middle East and one of our closest laid upon the table and the President platform of repealing ObamaCare. partners in the world. The bonds be- be immediately notified of the Senate’s ObamaCare’s higher taxes, fees, and tween our peoples have been unbreak- action with no intervening action or penalties on businesses and investors able from Israel’s beginning. Israel is a debate. have also taken a toll. Meanwhile, con- bastion of democracy and prosperity in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without sumers who are facing higher pre- a violent and unstable region, where objection, it is so ordered. miums and deductibles have less to Israel faces relentless threats to its se- Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, I ask spend on goods and services. With one- curity. It is imperative that our Am- unanimous consent to speak as in sixth of our economy tied to bassador to Israel have an even tem- morning business for a period of 10 healthcare, this has been detrimental perament, the utmost of integrity, and minutes. to growth and to opportunity. It has the ability to forge unity across en- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without also been easy to see how the trenched divisions. objection, it is so ordered. healthcare industry has rejected I have a profound and steadfast com- PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ObamaCare over the past 7 years, with mitment to Israel and to the Jewish ACT many insurers pulling out of the mar- community. That is why I am so con- Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, I rise to ket and in other places the markets cerned with David Friedman’s nomina- discuss the Patient Protection and Af- collapsing altogether. This limits com- tion to become Ambassador to Israel. fordable Care Act, commonly known as Mr. Friedman appears to have few, if petition and leaves little room in the ObamaCare, on its seventh anniversary healthcare industry, which is why any, of the qualities needed for this po- of being signed into law by our pre- sition. He is an extraordinarily polar- ObamaCare is failing to control the vious President, Barack Obama. cost of healthcare in our country. Cost izing figure who has expressed views Looking back at what has happened far outside of the longstanding bipar- control is a crucial component in pro- to healthcare over the past 7 years, viding truly affordable healthcare, and tisan consensus on Israel. His body of there isn’t a whole lot of good news to published work makes clear his ex- that begins with the elimination of report. Since that time, Americans treme positions. Mr. Friedman has as- ObamaCare’s added bureaucracy and have been hit with hundreds of billions serted that Israel cannot trust the ma- paperwork. We must get government in new taxes, healthcare costs have jority of American Jews. He has ac- out of the way and allow competitive risen exponentially, and families have cused the entire State Department—an markets to work once again, and that struggled with fewer options and re- institution he now seeks to join—of is what we are seeking to do with duced access to healthcare services. anti-Semitism. He has called our coali- ObamaCare’s replacement, which is ex- Just in the last year, healthcare pre- tion allies and partners in the fight pected to receive a vote in the House miums have gone up 25 percent for the against the Islamic State ‘‘cowards,’’ later today. typical ObamaCare plan. That number ‘‘hypocrites,’’ and ‘‘freeloaders.’’ Given Since we started the process of re- is even higher in my home State of his radical and divisive rhetoric, I do pealing and replacing ObamaCare, my South Dakota where premiums have not believe that he is capable of forging office has received a number of calls increased 37 percent. ObamaCare has unity at home or stability abroad. and emails from South Dakotans who Furthermore, Mr. Friedman has writ- also driven health insurance companies have expressed concerns. I want to ten that he does not believe in a two- to completely leave the marketplace, make it clear to them and to all Amer- state solution. For decades, through leaving Americans with fewer insur- icans that during the period in which Democratic and Republican adminis- ance options. Again, I will use my own we transition away from ObamaCare trations alike, the United States and State as an example. Under and toward a more affordable, competi- the international community have held ObamaCare, the number of companies tive system, we understand that the that the two-state solution is the only offering insurance in the individual continuation of coverage is an essen- way to achieve a just and lasting peace market in South Dakota has dropped tial component. We plan to include a between Israelis and Palestinians. Mr. from 13 to a mere 2 today. While this is number of items that are very impor- Friedman’s position on the two-state unfortunate, we are better off than tant to the American public: guaran- solution, coupled with his offensive folks in Alaska, Alabama, Oklahoma, teed renewal of coverage, portability of statements, led five former U.S. Am- South Carolina, and Wyoming, all of coverage for those who change jobs or bassadors to Israel to urge the Senate whom have no options at all, as only leave the workforce by retiring, and a not to confirm him. one insurer offers plans in those ex- ban on lifetime limits, because if you Shimon Peres, one of Israel’s great- changes. This is also the case for more bought insurance, you shouldn’t run est leaders, once said, ‘‘Our problem is than 1,000 counties across the Nation, out of insurance. not to submit to the differences but to basically one-third of all the counties The provisions of the Indian Health overcome them.’’ Americans and in total. Care Improvement Act which were in- Israelis deserve nothing less than an As a result of these skyrocketing cluded in ObamaCare should be in- Ambassador who lives up to this ethos, costs and reduced options, the number cluded in our plans. There should be no one who seeks to strengthen Israel by of Americans enrolling in ObamaCare exclusions on preexisting conditions if advancing peace in the region. Given continues to drop dramatically. Projec- one maintains insurance from policy to Mr. Friedman’s public statements, I tions continue to be millions fewer policy, without lapses, and we should doubt that he can be that person. For than predicted. Between 2016 and 2017, include provisions to allow children to these reasons, I cannot support his nearly a half-million fewer Americans remain on their families’ plans until nomination. signed up for the exchange. All of this they are at least the age of 26. Mr. FRANKEN. I suggest the absence has barely moved the number of unin- We understand that there is a way to of a quorum. sured South Dakotans between 2010, retain all of these positive provisions

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR6.006 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1959 which are vital to ensuring continued in the Middle East, a country that we The senior assistant legislative clerk health insurance coverage for all can rely on for important intelligence called the roll. American families who want it, while information and that has an economy Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators also providing a fair and open market- which is similar to ours. It is a country are necessarily absent: the Senator place that provides a strong, healthy, that has enjoyed a special relationship from Georgia (Mr. ISAKSON) and the competitive market. This, in turn, will with the United States since 1948, when Senator from Kentucky (Mr. PAUL). bring affordable, efficient health insur- Harry Truman recognized Israel after The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there ance with innovative products that will the historic vote at the United Na- any other Senators in the Chamber de- actually help to control the cost of tions. siring to vote? care. That is what the GOP alter- Following extensive consideration of The result was announced—yeas 52, native, while still far from perfect, is Mr. Friedman’s record and taking into nays 46, as follows: seeking to do. One thing we do know is account his statements during his [Rollcall Vote No. 96 Ex.] that the end result will be better than nomination hearing, I have concluded YEAS—52 ObamaCare. that his past record would make it Alexander Flake Perdue As a father and a grandfather, I un- very difficult for him to serve as that Barrasso Gardner Portman derstand how important it is to have unifying force. For that reason, I am Blunt Graham Risch Boozman Grassley Roberts access to affordable healthcare. No one unable to support his nomination as Burr Hatch Rounds should be priced out of healthcare cov- America’s top diplomat in Israel. Capito Heller Rubio erage for one’s family. But our current I appreciate Mr. Friedman’s efforts Cassidy Hoeven Sasse Cochran Inhofe Scott system is simply not working. After 7 before the committee to express regret Collins Johnson Shelby years of ObamaCare, the American peo- for his substantial record of divisive, Corker Kennedy Strange Cornyn Lankford ple are dealing with higher healthcare inflammatory, and offensive state- Sullivan premiums, fewer options, more taxes, ments. Unfortunately, I believe the Cotton Lee Crapo Manchin Thune and reduced access to care. Health pro- body of Mr. Friedman’s published Cruz McCain Tillis viders are struggling with more bu- works, not to mention his public state- Daines McConnell Toomey reaucracy, with more time spent filling ments, will compromise his effective- Enzi Menendez Wicker Ernst Moran Young out paperwork instead of caring for pa- ness in representing the United States Fischer Murkowski tients, and being frustrated by and all Americans, as well as the Gov- ObamaCare’s crippling new regula- ernment of Israel and all Israelis. NAYS—46 tions. Taken together, Mr. Friedman’s Baldwin Gillibrand Peters Bennet Harris Reed As I have said from time to time, statements and affiliations make it Blumenthal Hassan Sanders ObamaCare is a rapidly sinking ship, clear that he does not believe a two- Booker Heinrich Schatz and there is simply no hope for a recov- state solution is necessary for a just Brown Heitkamp Schumer ery. On its seventh anniversary, it is and lasting peace. I am concerned that Cantwell Hirono Shaheen Cardin Kaine hurting more people than it is helping, Mr. Friedman’s history on this issue, Stabenow Carper King Tester Casey Klobuchar and it must be repealed and replaced in which he calls the two-state solution Udall Coons Leahy before it totally crumbles under its a scam, will undermine his ability to Van Hollen Cortez Masto Markey Warner own weight. represent the United States as a cred- Donnelly McCaskill I yield the floor. ible facilitator of the peace process. Duckworth Merkley Warren The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. There is simply no realistic, sustain- Durbin Murphy Whitehouse Wyden PERDUE). The Senator from Maryland. able prospect for lasting peace between Feinstein Murray Franken Nelson Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise as the Israelis and the Palestinians other the ranking Democrat on the Senate than as two states, living side by side, NOT VOTING—2 Foreign Relations Committee to com- with security. Isakson Paul ment on the nomination of Mr. Fried- I thank Chairman CORKER for the The nomination was confirmed. man to be the U.S. Ambassador to manner in which this nomination was The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- Israel. Shortly, we will be having that handled before the Senate Foreign Re- jority leader. vote. lations Committee. I think we had f I consider the U.S.-Israel relationship ample opportunity, and I thank Chair- LEGISLATIVE SESSION to be a strategic anchor for the United man CORKER for that, but I do urge my States in the Middle East and one of colleagues to reject this nominee. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I our most important relationships with I yield the floor. move to proceed to legislative session. any country. Since the creation of the I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The State of Israel, support for this rela- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the motion. tionship has been bipartisan, bi- clerk will call the roll. The motion was agreed to. cameral, and supported by successive The senior assistant legislative clerk f U.S. administrations. This bilateral re- proceeded to call the roll. EXECUTIVE SESSION lationship is also sustained by the deep Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask bonds of friendship between the people unanimous consent that the order for of our two countries. This relationship the quorum call be rescinded. PROTOCOL TO THE NORTH ATLAN- has benefited Israel and has benefited The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without TIC TREATY OF 1949 ON THE AC- the United States. objection, it is so ordered. CESSION OF MONTENEGRO Given the range of strategic chal- Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I lenges across the globe that our coun- unanimous consent that the Senate, move to proceed to executive session to try faces and the unprecedented insta- notwithstanding the previous order, consider Calendar No. 1, treaty docu- bility and violence embroiled in the move to the rollcall vote now. ment No. 114–12, Protocol to the North Middle East today, it is critical that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Acces- we take steps to unify support for the objection, it is so ordered. sion of Montenegro. U.S.-Israel relationship across the po- The question is, Will the Senate ad- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The litical spectrum. Thus, I believe it is vise and consent to the Friedman nom- question is on agreeing to the motion. vital that the U.S. Ambassador to ination? The motion was agreed to. Israel be seen as a unifying figure in Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask for The PRESIDING OFFICER. The trea- this enduring relationship. the yeas and nays. ty will be stated. I really do believe that there is broad The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a The senior assistant legislative clerk understanding and support in the Sen- sufficient second? read as follows: ate and the House for the special rela- There appears to be a sufficient sec- Treaty document No. 114–12, Protocol to tionship between the United States and ond. the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Ac- Israel—Israel, the only true democracy The clerk will call the roll. cession of Montenegro.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Mar 23, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.036 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1960 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 CLOTURE MOTION erage. That is catastrophic. That is the ups on the health reform bill over the Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I total population of 17 U.S. States. We period of an entire year. House Mem- send a cloture motion to the desk. just kick them off health insurance bers spent nearly 100 hours in hearings, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- without anywhere to go other than our heard from 181 witnesses from both ture motion having been presented emergency rooms. sides of the aisle, considered 239 under rule XXII, the Chair directs the Remember, all of this is in order to amendments, and accepted 121 amend- clerk to read the motion. finance a giant tax cut for the rich. I ments. The senior assistant legislative clerk had a chart up here yesterday that This bill was introduced 2 weeks ago. read as follows: showed that in this bill, if you make The first time the American public CLOTURE MOTION zero to $200,000, you get no tax cut, but ever looked at it was 2 weeks ago, and We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- if you make over $200,000, you get a the House is rushing it through today. ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the nice, healthy tax cut. It could be up to Two weeks. Fourteen days. Twenty Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby $7 million on average for some of the days. Not a year. Not 79 hearings. Not move to bring to a close debate on the Trea- wealthiest taxpayers. So there will be 100 hours of hearings. And we are talk- ties Calendar No. 1, treaty document No. 114– higher costs for everybody, except for ing about bringing it up before the Sen- 12, Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty of maybe a very small slice of the popu- ate for a vote next week, with 20 hours 1949 on the Accession of Montenegro. Mitch McConnell, Cory Gardner, Steve lation, but with less care. I mean, it is of debate on a reordering of one-sixth Daines, John Barrasso, Joni Ernst, Bob a nightmare when it comes to the num- of the American economy. Corker, John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, ber of people who lose care under this It is really extraordinary how this Jeff Flake, James M. Inhofe, Roy bill, all in order to finance tax cuts for bill is getting jammed through the Blunt, David Perdue, John McCain, Pat the wealthy. process because Republicans know that Roberts, Tom Cotton, Jerry Moran, That is the background on what every day it hangs out there, more peo- Mike Rounds. TrumpCare is and what the American ple figure out what it is—a massive Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, for Health Care Act is. People hate it. I transfer of wealth from regular, ordi- the information of Senators, we will mean, people hate it. There is a new nary Americans, through less care and have the cloture vote on this treaty on poll out by Quinnipiac University that higher costs, to the very rich and also Monday night at 5:30 p.m. shows stunning numbers. The approval insurance companies and drug compa- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- numbers for this bill are under 20 per- nies, which get a big tax cut. ator from Massachusetts. cent. On today’s modification of the bill, (The remarks of Mr. MARKEY per- Republicans kicked the living you the talk today is that in order to make taining to the introduction of S. 708 are know what out of the Affordable Care the bill a little bit meaner and a little printed in today’s RECORD under Act, and they never got its approval bit crueler, the House is going to re- ‘‘Statements on Introduced Bills and ratings down to under 20 percent, as move from the underlying law the re- Joint Resolutions.’’) has happened to the American Health quirement that insurance companies The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. CAS- Care Act in its third week of existence. cover a basic set of what are called es- SIDY). The Senator from Connecticut. That is pretty impressive, for 18 per- sential benefits. This change is being AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT cent of Americans to approve of a bill demanded by the very, very conserv- Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, at this that has only been out there for a few ative wing of the House Republican hour, we still don’t know what the weeks. And it is not because they don’t conference. They call themselves the House of Representatives is going to know anything about it; over 50 per- Freedom Caucus. This is a group of do. They are amending and changing cent of Americans don’t like it, 18 per- sort of the most radical Members in and modifying the reform of one-sixth cent support it, and 56 percent don’t the House of Representatives. They are of America’s economy under the cover support it. Across demographic groups, demanding that these essential of darkness, trying to secure the votes across age groups, everybody hates this healthcare benefits be stripped out of necessary to fulfill a political promise. thing because they get it. They are not the law in order to get their votes. We await their decision as to how dumb. They know that this is taking Let’s talk about what these essential much havoc they wreak. healthcare from them and passing healthcare benefits are. Basically the I wanted to come down to the floor along higher costs to them in order to law now says that if you are offering an today to address for a moment the ex- finance a tax cut for the rich. It is insurance plan and you want to call it ceptional process that is occurring pretty simple. People really didn’t health insurance, then you have to ac- right now, as we speak, in the House of need a lot of time to understand it. tually offer to cover healthcare. So the Representatives and to talk about one Republicans in the House know that essential healthcare benefits—what of the reported changes they are con- as this thing hangs out there, it is get- every plan today has to offer in order sidering before sending the product ting less popular. It is hard to get less to be able to call itself insurance in over to the Senate. popular than 18 percent. Those are this country—are ambulatory patient Just to review for a minute, Speaker tough numbers to do worse than. The care, which means outpatient care, RYAN likes to talk about his approach reason Republicans are racing this bill emergency care, hospitalizations; preg- to healthcare as a three-pronged ap- through the process is because they nancy, maternity, and newborn care; proach. Well, the Congressional Budget know how deeply unpopular it is be- mental health and substance abuse Office, headed by a gentleman hand- cause they know it is a scam. They care; prescription drugs; rehabilitation picked by the Republican House con- know it is essentially just taking if you get injured; lab services; tests; ference, agrees that it is a three- healthcare from Americans and forcing chronic disease management—manage- pronged approach; they just have a lit- them to pay more in order to finance a ment for diabetes or heart and liver tle bit different interpretation of those tax cut for the rich. conditions; and pediatric services, serv- three prongs. What is happening today in the ices for kids. That is it. Those are the First, they say higher costs—15 to 20 House is they are blowing up their essential healthcare benefits. percent spikes in premiums for every- rules in order to push a bill through Frankly, if you are buying a health body right off the bat and then dra- that no one will have looked at. It is insurance plan, wouldn’t you expect matically higher costs, especially for possible that they are going to file a gi- that it would cover your emergency older people, sicker people, and poorer gantic reform to the entire American care if you were to go to an emergency people. If you are young and if you are healthcare system and then call a vote room? If you are buying healthcare in relatively affluent and healthy, you on it within hours. Come on. this country, what good is it if it may make out a little bit better under In 2009 and 2010, Republicans were doesn’t cover a hospitalization when this proposal, but if you are not in that blistering critics of Democrats, who you get very sick? If you are buying an category, you are going to pay a lot they said were forcing the Affordable insurance plan in this country, don’t higher costs and get less care. Care Act through the process too you think it is going to cover your kids This is the headline from the CBO re- quickly. But in 2009 and 2010, the House when they need basic pediatric serv- port: 24 million people lose health cov- held 79 bipartisan hearings and mark- ices?

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:10 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.038 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1961 So what is happening now is some- Let’s say you had to go in and get a ical territory—talking about totally thing different from healthcare reform colonoscopy. You get your bill, and you rethinking insurance and letting insur- in the House of Representatives. What always sort of scratch your head be- ance companies offer you a product is happening now is a radical rethink of cause you see two numbers—you see that covers nothing and then it re- what healthcare insurance is. If all of a the number the hospital bills and then quires you to buy it. Think about that. sudden health insurers don’t need to you see the number your insurance We are going to require you to buy in- cover the cost of your hospitalizations, company pays. Often, the number the surance, but the insurance isn’t going don’t need to cover mental illness at insurance company pays is like one- to cover anything. TrumpCare, the all, don’t need to cover addiction cov- third of what that hospital billed. Why American Health Care Act—whatever erage at all, then is it really insurance is that? It is because the insurance you want to call it—has three prongs: any longer? If it is not covering that company is negotiating with the hos- higher costs, less care, and tax cuts for list of things, what is it covering? pital on behalf of thousands of pa- the rich. CBO has an answer for this. CBO says tients, so they get that price way, way We will have an opportunity here in that if there is an insurance plan that down. The insurance company only the Senate to get this right. As to the doesn’t cover this list of benefits, they pays a fraction of the cost that is House of Representatives, I don’t know won’t count it as insurance. So when billed. If you don’t have insurance cov- if they are going to pass this. I don’t they are giving you the numbers of erage for it, if all of a sudden it is not know if it is going to fall apart. But we people who will have insurance or not a benefit in your plan because the will have a chance to get this right. have insurance after this bill, the non- American Health Care Act told insur- Republicans and Democrats coming to- partisan Congressional Budget Office ance companies they didn’t have to gether, we can admit together that says: We don’t really count it as insur- cover a hospitalization, then you will there are still a lot of things that are ance if it doesn’t cover basic stuff, such pay that higher price. You don’t get wrong in our healthcare system. as hospitalizations, outpatient serv- the insurance company discount. You In the Affordable Care Act, there are ices, prescription drugs, and pediatric will pay that higher number. That is some good parts of it, but other parts going to bankrupt people. services. need improvement. We can come to- The families in my State, when their So what is happening now in the gether and decide to tackle this prob- child gets hooked on heroin, they are House of Representatives is really a going to find a way to pay for that care lem—the high drug costs, whatever it radical rethink of healthcare insur- so that their child doesn’t become an- may be—together and reject this par- ance. Under the law they are contem- other statistic, another one of the 900 tisan, rushed approach in the House of plating passing, healthcare insurance who died in my State last year from Representatives. It does nothing except wouldn’t need to cover anything. You overdoses. They are going to do every- give us higher costs and less care in could buy an insurance plan, pay your thing possible to get that child care for order to finance tax cuts for the premium, and then be told that it that addiction. They will mortgage wealthy. doesn’t cover your kid when he gets di- their house, they will sell their house, I yield the floor. agnosed with schizophrenia, that it they will drain their savings account, I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The doesn’t cover your daughter when she they will sell off every possession they clerk will call the roll. gets in an accident and has to go to the have to make sure their child does not The legislative clerk proceeded to emergency room, that it doesn’t cover die from an overdose and so that child your spouse when they get really sick call the roll. gets the care they need. If their insur- Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan- and are hospitalized for 3 days. What ance company won’t cover it, then they kind of coverage would that be any imous consent that the order for the will do everything necessary to cover quorum call be rescinded. longer if it didn’t cover that list of it, and you will have a rapid increase in things? The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without the number of people whose lives are objection, it is so ordered. Let’s be honest. This would be a mas- ruined, who go bankrupt because of RUSSIA sive transfer of cost to individuals. The their medical costs—something that Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise No. 1 prong of TrumpCare is higher doesn’t happen right now because the today to discuss the deep and growing costs. If insurance companies don’t Affordable Care Act gives you real sub- concerns about Russia’s interference in need to cover any of these things any- sidies to afford care. It gives you real the United States’ 2016 Presidential more but you still have to buy them, help to be able to buy insurance, and it election and the implications of Rus- then it is just a massive shift of costs requires that insurance companies ac- sia’s broader malign activities for our to individuals because, remember, tually provide you with insurance. national security. TrumpCare penalizes you if you don’t This is an extraordinary thing that is On Monday, we learned from FBI Di- buy insurance. happening in the U.S. House of Rep- rector Comey that there is an inves- The Affordable Care Act did the same resentatives right now. Nobody likes thing, admittedly. The Affordable Care this bill. Healthcare experts think it is tigation into Russian interference in Act said: If you don’t buy insurance, a joke. The American public has round- the 2016 Presidential election and you are going to pay a penalty. But ly rejected it. It is getting meaner and whether associates of then-candidate that is why the Affordable Care Act crueler every day in order to round up and now-President Donald Trump were said that insurance has to really be in- the votes necessary to get it passed. communicating with Moscow. It is ab- surance. It has to cover stuff because if Why? Because this bill is not about solutely essential that Congress and we are going to require you to buy it or solving any problem in the healthcare the American people get clear and we are going to penalize you if you system. It doesn’t solve a single prob- comprehensive answers on, first, what don’t buy it, then insurance should lem. Again, except for this narrow happened; second, what are Russia’s really be insurance. group of younger, healthier, affluent strategic goals and intentions for fur- Well, TrumpCare penalizes you if you people whose premiums will be a little ther interference in democratic proc- don’t buy insurance. You would pay a bit less, everybody else is worse off. It esses here and in Europe; and third, massive penalty. For a lot of people, only solves one problem, a political what we need to do to counter this the penalty could be $5,000 if they don’t problem—the promise that the Repub- threat going forward. That is why I buy insurance. But now the change licans made to repeal the Affordable have repeatedly called for an inde- they are considering in the House of Care Act. But they didn’t spend any pendent, transparent, special counsel Representatives means the insurance time thinking about how to actually do to investigate the legal aspects of Rus- product you will be forced to buy won’t it. So they are stuck now with an awful sian efforts to influence our election cover diddly. bill that nobody likes, that doesn’t and a bipartisan select committee By the way, when your insurance solve a single problem, and that is get- within the Senate to look at all aspects company doesn’t cover it and you have ting meaner and meaner every single of Russia’s destabilizing activities here to pick up the cost, it is going to cost day. and around the world. you way more money. Everybody has It was bad enough, and now this bill I am concerned that the probably seen a bill from a hospital. is frankly getting into some really rad- politicization of the issue of Russia’s

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:10 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.045 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1962 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 interference in our elections and its elections in the United States and ment and blocking Ukraine’s further hostile actions against Western insti- overseas. We do not have to look very integration westward. Putin has re- tutions and values is diverting our at- far for evidence supporting this conclu- peatedly used influence operations to tention from what otherwise should be sion. hide the presence of ‘‘little green men’’ recognized as a clear and potent threat Russia is alleged to have targeted an on Ukrainian soil, to spread to America’s security. We need to focus April 2016 referendum in the Nether- disinformation about Ukrainian polit- on what is critical: Russia is attacking lands on a partnership agreement be- ical leaders, and to influence finan- American democracy as part of an even tween the European Union and cially corrupt Ukrainian oligarchs to broader assault on our cornerstone Ukraine, which was overwhelmingly re- support Russia. Putin is also using NATO alliance and the post-Cold War jected by Dutch voters. This year, Rus- propaganda and other activities to try international order. sia is openly intervening in France’s to break western unity in support of The threat posed by Russia’s actions Presidential election to be held in the United States and EU sanctions in- is not merely ‘‘fake news,’’ as serious April. For example, Russia has loaned tended to pressure Russia to comply as that phenomenon may be, but a very tens of millions of dollars to the far- with its commitments under the Minsk real, very strategic threat to U.S. in- right National Front Party in France, agreements for ending the conflict in terests. Russia is testing America and whose leader, Marine Le Pen, has de- Ukraine. It is critically important to the transatlantic community across fended Russia’s annexation of Crimea maintain, and potentially strengthen, multiple fronts. and criticized international sanctions these sanctions to change Russia’s ag- Today, I will highlight just how against Russia. gressive behavior and get to a peaceful broad and fundamental this threat Germany, which holds parliamentary political settlement to end the fighting from Russia really is. elections in September, has also been in Ukraine. What should be clear to everyone is targeted by Russian hackers and In Montenegro, it appears that Rus- that last year Russia engaged in a sys- trolls—straight out of the Kremlin sia has added political assassination as tematic and strategic effort to influ- playbook we saw used here last year. a potential weapon to block an Eastern ence the U.S. Presidential election. Russia is attempting to steadily erode European country from pursuing mem- While we do not know all the details of the integrity and western orientation bership in NATO. Last month, the Brit- Russia’s involvement, we know that in of multiple Eastern European countries ish press reported that ‘‘Russian na- January the U.S. intelligence commu- through a variety of state and state- tionalists’’ under the direction of Rus- nity—including the CIA, the FBI, and controlled or state-influenced activi- sian intelligence officials plotted to as- the Office of the Director of National ties. These coordinated and focused sassinate then-Prime Minister Intelligence, or the ODNI—issued its Russian operations threaten to under- Djukanovic during Montenegro’s elec- assessment that Russia engaged in bold mine the European cohesion which un- tions in October. According to these re- and unprecedented efforts to influence derpins the post-Cold War inter- ports, Montenegrin authorities foiled and undermine trust in the U.S. Presi- national order. This pattern of Russian the assassination attempt just hours dential election. interference will only intensify with before the plot was to be carried out. Among the January intelligence re- time if it goes unchallenged. This attempted coup d’etat represents port’s findings were the following: Russia’s malign activities also a new and dangerous level of inter- first, that President Putin, in their threaten our core security relation- ference by Russia to discourage Monte- words, ‘‘ordered an influence campaign ships with our transatlantic allies and negro and others from further inte- in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential partners. The NATO alliance has been grating with the West. election.’’ the bedrock of our security relation- As some of my colleagues have read The intelligence community also ship with our European allies. Since in the February 14th New York Times found that ‘‘Russia’s goals were to un- the end of the Cold War in the early article, Russia has fielded a missile dermine public faith in the U.S. demo- 1990s, countries in Central and Eastern system that violates the Intermediate- cratic process, denigrate Secretary Europe have aspired to integrate more Range Nuclear Forces, or INF, Trea- Clinton, and harm her electability and closely with the West, whether mili- ty—a ground-launched intermediate- potential presidency.’’ tarily through NATO membership or range nuclear missile that threatens The report further found that Rus- economically within the European all of NATO. The INF Treaty was sia’s influence campaign was multi- Union, or both. But President Putin re- signed by President Reagan and Mi- faceted and included covert intel- jects the post-Cold War international khail Gorbachev in 1987. This landmark ligence operations such as cyber espio- order and seeks to reestablish a Rus- treaty dramatically reduced Cold War nage against U.S. political organiza- sian sphere of influence over his imme- nuclear tensions by eliminating an en- tions like the Republican National diate neighbors by weakening democ- tire class of ground-launched ballistic Committee and the Democratic Na- racy, collective security, and economic and cruise missiles that could have tional Committee. It combined the re- cooperation across the region. struck Moscow or Berlin in less than 10 lease of hacked information with overt In pursuit of this strategic goal, minutes. propaganda efforts through Russian Putin has demonstrated a willingness Now Russia has moved nuclear-capa- government agencies, state-funded to use all tools at his disposal, includ- ble, short-range, ground-launched media, third-party intermediaries, and ing cyber hacking, disinformation, Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad, a paid social media actors, or, as they propaganda, economic leverage, cor- Russian enclave between Poland and are referred to, trolls. ruption, and even military force, to Lithuania. The Iskander missile’s Another key finding was that Rus- violate the sovereignty of Russia’s range threatens German borders— sia’s influence efforts in the 2016 U.S. neighbors and undermine support for something not seen since the 1980s. The Presidential election reflect—in the their further integration into Europe. Iskander deployment runs counter to a words of the intelligence community— Since 2008, in neighboring Georgia, detente that has been in place since ‘‘a significant escalation’’ compared to Russia has occupied two regions and 1989, when President Bush reduced U.S. previous information operations. recognized their independence, which conventional forces in Europe—and The intelligence community also the international community widely Russia did the same—in order to re- warned that these Russian activities, condemns as a violation of Georgia’s lieve destabilizing tension in the re- including ‘‘cyber-enabled disclosure op- territorial integrity. Georgia’s aspira- gion and lessen the risk of escalation erations’’ likely represent a ‘‘New Nor- tions since the 2008 Bucharest Summit or miscalculation. Furthermore, Rus- mal’’ in Russian conduct toward the to join the NATO Alliance have been sian aggression goes beyond the viola- United States and our allies and part- on hold. tions of the INF Treaty and the ners. In Ukraine, Russia’s illegal annex- Iskander missile. The intelligence community further ation of Crimea and its continuing sup- During the 2014 invasion of Crimea, assessed that Russia will use the les- port to Russian-led separatists in east- Russia practiced snap nuclear exercises sons learned from the 2016 U.S. Presi- ern Ukraine are part of Putin’s strat- to test the readiness of its Armed dential election to influence future egy of destabilizing the Kyiv govern- Forces to send a signal that there was

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:10 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.047 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1963 a nuclear backstop to the invasion. tional warfare tactics and operational I was devastated to hear that two More disturbingly, by invading activities—for example, to support Utahans, Kurt and Melissa Cochran, Ukraine, Russia violated the Budapest proxy forces in Ukraine and elsewhere? were victims in yesterday’s attack. Memorandum, a multilateral commit- What is the threat these Russian in- While Melissa is recovering, I was ment in which Ukraine and three other fluence activities pose to U.S. demo- heartbroken to hear that Kurt has former Soviet states pledged to trans- cratic institutions? To NATO? To the since passed away from his injuries. fer to Russia the nuclear weapons they European Union? To the post-Cold War I just want to offer our most sincere retained after the collapse of the So- liberal order and value system? condolences to the Cochrans and en- viet Union in return for Russian rec- What are the weaknesses and vulner- sure that we help them in any way we ognition of their sovereignty. abilities in the United States and Euro- can. Besides unilaterally reneging on its pean countries that Russia is success- I know all our prayers are with the Budapest commitments, in 2014 Russia fully exploiting and magnifying? victims and with their families, has pulled out of the DOD and DOE— Finally, how can the U.S. Govern- friends, and loved ones. Department of Defense and Depart- ment counter and deter Russia’s influ- NOMINATION OF NEIL GORSUCH ment of Energy—Cooperative Threat ence activities, and what capabilities, Mr. President, it is with great dis- Reduction Programs, which secured structures, and other resources are appointment that I rise to address the nuclear materials at storage sites and needed for these purposes? treatment of Judge Neil Gorsuch by national borders. Russia has some of An investigation of these questions my colleagues on the other side of the the largest stockpiles of nuclear mate- would best be conducted by an inde- aisle. rials in the world that are vulnerable pendent, transparent, outside body ap- Today marks the close of his con- to insider threats. In 2016, Russia sus- pointed in a bipartisan manner. How- firmation hearing, which began on pended its participation in the agree- ever, if Congress cannot reach con- Monday. This hearing was extraor- ment with the United States to convert sensus to make that happen, then, as a dinarily thorough, examining just 34 metric tons of weapons-grade pluto- ranking member on the Senate Armed about every facet of his record and his nium for use as fuel for reactors. Services Committee, I intend to work life. Since the very beginning of the Cold with the chairman to undertake the The nominee himself delivered an War, nonproliferation and arms control necessary effort within the committee outstanding performance, enduring agreements between Russia and the and across the Senate. I believe we can more than 20 hours of intense ques- United States have always received a work in a bipartisan fashion on this tioning over 2 very long days. He dis- high priority from both countries, re- critical threat to our national security. played an impressive command of the gardless of how relations in other areas I look forward to shedding light on this law and the kind of intelligence one ex- went up or down. Russia’s recent ac- issue and examining what we need to pects of someone with such stellar cre- tions call into question whether this do as a country to defend ourselves dentials. He showed the proper under- can continue. against and deter Russian malign influ- standing of the role of a judge in our Russian actions in Syria pose a fur- ence. constitutional system of self-govern- ther challenge to stability in the Mid- As a final point, we are focused, of ment: to apply, not make, the law. He dle East and the broader international course, on what happened in 2016—and demonstrated this crucial quality both community. Russia’s military oper- it is a topic of daily discussions and in his affirmative answers and in the ations to prop up the murderous Assad newspaper articles—but one of the times he had appropriately refused to regime belies Moscow’s claim that it most sobering factors is that we have intervened to fight violent extremists, an election in process right now for prejudge issues that might come before including ISIS and al-Qaida. Russia has 2018. If it demonstrates the same inter- him. Throughout, his demeanor was se- provided significant political, eco- ference, Russia could have an effect on rious, thoughtful, and humble. These nomic, and military support to Syrian that election. Indeed, there are indica- qualities have defined his service as a President Bashar al-Assad, even as he tions that they are actually probing judge for the last decade and will serve has slaughtered tens of thousands of State election systems—the names of him well on the U.S. Supreme Court. As for my fellow Senators, many of Syrian civilians and used chemical voters, how the States calculate and them approached this hearing the right weapons against his own people. Russia vote. Nothing has been established that way, posing questions that gave us real has repeatedly exercised its veto power would suggest they attempted to influ- insight into the nominee’s record and in the U.N. Security Council on behalf ence that activity, but the simple prob- judicial philosophy. Thanks to their of the Syrian regime in defiance of ing suggests that we have much to do hard work, Judge Gorsuch has now international standards and U.S.-led to protect ourselves going forward—in- been vetted as extensively as any peace efforts, and, just last month, deed, as much as looking back and nominee to come before the Senate in Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council finding out what went on in the 2016 the whole length of my service here. I resolution seeking to punish Syria for election. using chemical weapons. For these reasons, and many more, thank them for their careful work and For all of these reasons, we must rec- we have to work together, as I sug- good judgment. ognize that Russia’s alarming inter- gested and encouraged, in a bipartisan In particular, I want to single out my ference in our election is only one as- way to get at the answers—not just to friend and colleague Senator GRASS- pect of a much broader and dangerous look backward but to protect ourselves LEY. As chairman of the Judiciary threat to our core national security in- going forward. Committee, he was charged with the terests. Russia’s malign behavior needs Mr. President, I yield the floor. monumental task of planning and exe- to be investigated fully and in a man- I suggest the absence of a quorum. cuting the whole endeavor. He per- ner that is free of political consider- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The formed admirably, and we all owe him ations. We need answers to key ques- clerk will call the roll. our sincere gratitude. He is one of the tions, including: The bill clerk proceeded to call the best people here, and he is totally hon- What are Russia’s overall strategic roll. est and decent. security goals, and how do Russian in- Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask Regretfully, I feel compelled to con- fluence activities in Europe and the unanimous consent that the order for trast that responsible approach of United States advance those goals? the quorum call be rescinded. many of my colleagues with the ac- What are the tools of Russia’s influ- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. tions of a number on the other side of ence? How has Russia used, or con- BLUNT). Without objection, it is so or- the aisle. Frankly, some of the treat- tinues to use, those tools in influencing dered. ment of Judge Gorsuch has made me campaigns in Europe? How do Russian TERROR ATTACK IN LONDON ill. In him, we have a man who is su- activities in Europe compare to what Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, before I perbly qualified and who quite obvi- was evident in the U.S. Presidential begin my remarks on the Supreme ously understands how his job is to say elections last year? Court nomination, I want to just say a what the law is, not what he wishes it How has Russia used influence activi- word about the terrorist attack in Lon- might be. In fact, I do not believe any ties in concert with other unconven- don yesterday. fair examination of the whole of his

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Yet that is not the sort of explanation of the rationale for doing ical agenda. treatment we are seeing—far from it. so—he was lambasted by some of my In Judge Gorsuch, we have a Su- Instead, we see a desperate campaign colleagues for his refusal to engage in preme Court nominee as fine as I could being waged against him to derail his this dangerous practice. ever imagine. He is the type of man we nomination at all costs. This is the Worse yet, these harsh attacks came all should be clamoring to step into the sort of approach that has long been ad- from Senators who I have seen gladly late Justice Scalia’s big shoes. But in- vocated for by many far-left activists embrace the very same answer from stead of the best traditions of the ad- intent on attacking in their belligerent nominees in the past. What they once vice and consent process that many of ways and stacking the courts with demanded, they now reject. What they us have tried to live up to, what is he ideologues committed to imposing lib- once avoided, they now embrace. Sim- treated to? Hypocritical attacks on the eral policies without respect for what ply put, it is hard not to interpret their very judicial independence that my the law and the Constitution actually attacks as hypocrisy of the highest colleagues on the other side of the aisle command. order. claim to prize above all else, mis- As someone with great respect for all This is a completely illegitimate line leading attacks that distort his record, of my colleagues—even those with of attack on Judge Gorsuch, and it and now a promise to filibuster his whom I often disagree—I had hoped should be repudiated forcefully. nomination by the minority leader. My they would resist the siren song of Consider also the way in which some gosh, what have we come to around their activist base and give Judge of my colleagues misrepresented Judge here? Gorsuch a fair shake. Unfortunately, I Gorsuch’s record. It involved just a few I remember when Justice Ginsburg see many of them falling prey to the simple steps. First, cherry-pick one of went through with only three votes temptations of this scorched-earth ap- the judge’s opinions in which a sympa- against her and not much debate, and proach. Whatever their motivation—be thetic victim lost; next, gloss over the she refused to answer any of the ques- it the outcome of the Garland nomina- legal issues at hand that mandated the tions that my friends on the other side tion, the apparent unwillingness to ac- outcome Judge Gorsuch reached; then, were demanding of Judge Gorsuch and cept the results of the election, or the fail to mention how he was often joined of other Republican judges. Frankly, I desire for judges to push their political in these opinions by his colleagues ap- stuck up for her and felt that was the agenda—many of them appear willing pointed by Presidents Clinton and right thing for her. I have great respect to employ tactics they used to recog- Obama; after that, fail to mention the for her because of the way she handled nize, rightly, as inappropriate and even many times Judge Gorsuch ruled in those proceedings and others as well. dangerous. In doing so, they threaten favor of litigants similar to the one We didn’t do this in earlier years. It to inflict lasting damage on the judici- who lost in the case at hand; finally, has become so radical around here and ary, the Senate, and our politics more make a wild assertion and accusation so political around here that we are be- broadly. about how that case shows how Judge smirching the very people who have be- Consider their demand that Judge Gorsuch is biased against ‘‘the little come the judges in this land and are Gorsuch answer politically charged guy.’’ doing such a good job. hypotheticals about potential future We should call these phony attacks This is a travesty of the highest cases. For decades, nominees of both for what they are: bogus attempts to order. Judge Gorsuch is a brilliant, de- parties have refused to comply, so mischaracterize his record inten- cent man who has devoted his life to much so that the practice is then re- tionally. serving his country. He has done ex- ferred to as the ‘‘Ginsburg standard,’’ Any fair analysis of the record Judge actly what we want as a careful judge after current Justice Ginsburg, and Gorsuch has established on the bench for more than a decade. What does he they had been quite right to do so. To can lead to only one conclusion: He is get when nominated to the highest offer an advisory opinion that is incon- the type of judge who will reach the re- Court in the land? He gets his name sistent with the Constitution’s alloca- sult commanded by the best reading of dragged through the mud. He gets bait- tion of powers—which give judges the the law, free from any political agenda. ed with questions we all know he can- authority to decide only actual cases He follows his oath to do justice not answer, that nobody can answer. If and controversies, not offer broad advi- without respect to persons. As Judge they are not trick questions, they are sory opinions—is inconsistent with the Gorsuch himself rightfully put it, certainly improper, and then he is at- core characteristic of the judicial proc- quoting Justice Scalia, ‘‘If you’re going tacked for not answering. He gets his ess, which considers issues in the par- to be a good and faithful judge, you record mischaracterized and is accused ticular legal and factual context of an have to resign yourself to the fact that of cruelty and hardness of heart. He individual case and gives parties the you’re not always going to like the gets the kind of treatment that leads opportunity to make their arguments conclusions you reach. If you like them him to regret putting his family in full, and it asks judges to prejudice all the time, you’re probably doing through what ought to be a dignified themselves when they should be arbi- something wrong.’’ process. ters, raising serious due process con- There will always be times when the It is time to stop this madness, stop cerns for future litigants who deserve a law produces a result we disagree with. the dishonest attacks. Instead, let’s fair hearing. That is a simple fact of life. Sometimes have a debate worthy of the world’s Having participated in 14 confirma- that is our fault for not writing the law greatest deliberative body and confirm tion hearings for Supreme Court nomi- better, but the appropriate response is this absolutely outstanding nominee. nees, I fully understand the temptation to change the law, not to demand that If my friends on the other side would to ask these kinds of questions. Indeed, a judge ignore the law to reach a result treat somebody as respectable and I have seen many Senators of both par- we like. highly prized and praised as Judge ties fall prey to the temptation, only As legislators, it is, by definition, our Gorsuch and treat them the way he was to have a nominee politely respond responsibility to change the law to treated in some instances in these about how it would be inappropriate to produce better, more just results. If my hearings, may we bar the door on the answer. colleagues think a law like the Reli- next nominee of this administration. It is one thing to make the occa- gious Freedom Restoration Act is pro- That will be Armageddon, I guess, and sional mistake of this variety and ducing bad results, it is their right to we can’t let this body descend into that move on. I have seen it happen count- try to change it. They can count on me sort of catastrophe. less times, but that is not what hap- fighting tooth and nail to protect reli- I will insist on our nominees being pened this week. Instead, I witnessed gious liberty, but at least they will be people of the highest order, like Judge many of my colleagues devote almost doing their job as lawmakers, not Gorsuch, people who will make us all

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He is an absolutely out- frankly alarms me that President there are some that both sides wish standing person. Trump speaks so fondly of a man who would be changed, and on both sides. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- brutally cracks down on his political All I can say is this: I hope our col- ator from Michigan. opponents and journalists at home leagues will treat this President’s RUSSIA AND CALLING FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF while stirring up conflict and aggres- nominees with greater respect. I have A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR sions abroad. always tried to treat their nominees Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, sov- Make no mistake, Vladimir Putin is with great respect, and I helped get ereign nations across the globe are no friend of the United States or of the them through. Justice Ginsburg had brought together by different unifying American people. Our Nation’s intel- only three votes against her, if I recall forces. It can be a shared heritage, lan- ligence agencies agree with high con- correctly. It was very few votes. There guage, religion, or outside historical fidence that his government orches- are judges who are now on the bench forces that led to borders drawn dec- trated a campaign to undermine the in- who I couldn’t support, but I didn’t ades or centuries ago. tegrity of our recent election, and stop them from having a vote up or As a nation, we are unique. We are Putin has sought at every turn to de- down. Frankly, there are judges on the diverse in every sense of the word, but stabilize the international order that Circuit Court of Appeals whom we al- even in these polarizing times, we are has kept the American people and our lowed to come up and whom I person- overwhelmingly unified. We are unified allies secure for decades. ally would not have approved as a by our belief in democracy, free enter- Russia’s interference in our election President or otherwise but who were prise, and economic opportunity. We was not an isolated incident. It is part picked properly by the Democratic are all entrusted in nurturing the ideas of a broader effort to undermine the President and who had enough good enshrined in our Constitution—the idea NATO alliance and weaken western de- recommendations on their side to sit that our system of democratic govern- mocracies. I heard from our French and on the bench. I think that is what has ment enables us to work toward a more German allies at the Munich Security made this country a great country— perfect union. At a time when the Conference last month about their con- that we understand that there are dif- promise of democracy is receding for cerns that Russia will continue to en- ferent points of view, not just in poli- far too many around the world, we gage in disinformation campaigns in tics, but with regard to the law itself. must do everything we can to uphold European elections. As we aspire to be And all of us have to understand that our country’s free and fair elections, the free-market driven, democratic and realize that when somebody’s the foundation of our democracy. ‘‘city upon a hill,’’ Putin’s government works to sow chaos globally in an ef- elected President, that person, whether Our elections should serve as a global fort to further consolidate power in his he or she, deserves to have fair consid- benchmark for the peaceful transition of power. As President Reagan said, we nationalist, self-enriching regime. eration of the judicial nominees. These attempts to destabilize Rus- It is no secret that President Obama must be ‘‘the shining city upon the sia’s neighbors and rivals are not lim- put almost 50 percent of the Federal hill,’’ and we must lead by example. ited to cyber space and computer code. bench on the bench, and he had a lot of Our elections require a strong and These provocations involve military up-and-down votes on them. Yes, there steady commitment from our newly aircraft, ships, nuclear capable mis- were some notable differences and no- naturalized citizens; from families siles, heavy artillery, drones, and ef- table debates, but by and large, the whose families fought in the Revolu- forts to redraw international borders. President got whomever he wanted. tionary War; from volunteers who As a member of the Senate Armed And I have to say that in the past, Re- cover 16-hour shifts to keep polling lo- Services Committee, I believe that the publican Presidents generally got cations open; from country, city, and highest duty of Congress is to keep whomever they wanted. But in the in- township clerks. Americans safe. Russia’s dangerous and tervening number of years since Roe v. The preservation of free and fair elec- unprofessional military provocations Wade, we have had nothing but big tions requires a strong commitment not only place American servicemem- problems that I think have resulted in from our highest elected official in the bers and NATO allies at risk, they en- the denigration of the bench and which land. As Americans, we look to the danger civilian lives and raise the spec- should never have occurred. President of the United States to safe- ter of escalating regional conflict. I hope my colleagues, all of whom I guard our democracy from foreign ad- Just last month, Russian aircraft deeply admire and like, will take some versaries. flew within a few hundred feet of the of these things into consideration and When we are presented with clear and USS Porter in international waters in treat Judge Gorsuch with the true and mounting evidence that the Russian a dangerous mock attack—an action deliberate respect that he deserves. I Government, at the personal discretion the ship’s captain called out as ‘‘unsafe hope they can bring themselves to vote of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and unprofessional.’’ for him because he is truly a wonderful orchestrated a campaign to undermine Last summer, while on a congres- man, a great father, a wonderful hus- this most fundamental institution and sional delegation to meet with NATO band to his wife, a tremendous person interfere in our election, we should ex- allies, I heard directly from Estonian from the West, a fly fisherman, a fellow pect nothing less than a clear and leaders about Russia’s blatant dis- whom every one of his law clerks deep- forceful response from the White House regard for their sovereignty. Russian ly loves, and a person who, by any that this kind of behavior is simply un- forces kidnapped a border guard in Es- measure, is one of the brightest judges acceptable. Unfortunately, what we tonian territory and sentenced him be- in the country today. I can’t really have seen from President Trump and hind closed doors to 15 years in prison, think of anybody who would be bright- the White House so far amounts to lit- in what a top European Union official er than he is or any better than he is. tle more than confusion, evasion, and a called ‘‘a clear violation of inter- So Donald Trump picked one of the whole lot of smoke. national law.’’ best people, if not the best person in President Trump has spoken time We have seen the Russians fly recon- America, for this job, and I hope my and again about wanting to build clos- naissance and fighter jets in inter- colleagues on the other side will recog- er ties with Russia. On the campaign national airspace, with their tran- nize that in spite of their dislike, and trail, he frequently fawned over Putin’s sponders switched off in order to avoid sometimes even hatred, for Donald strength as a leader. In 2013, he asked detection—at one point, nearly col- Trump, this is important. And it is im- his Twitter followers, ‘‘Do you think liding in midair with a passenger air- portant that we start handling these Putin will be going to The Miss Uni- plane. NATO has been forced to scram- matters with greater dignity, greater verse Pageant in November in Mos- ble jets almost 800 times—let me repeat

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:10 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.055 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1966 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 that: 800 times—in 2016 alone, just to I am also proud to stand with the air- cials. In fact, the coverup of these respond to Russia’s encroachments on men of the 127th Wing of the Michigan interactions has already resulted in the NATO airspace. Air National Guard, who deployed from first resignation from the Trump ad- As the President speaks glowingly my State to build on their long record ministration. about Putin, Mr. Putin returns the of successful cooperation with our Not long after President Obama im- favor by deploying a dangerous new partners in Latvia. posed sanctions on the Russian offi- cruise missile, in clear violation of the When the Kremlin is threatening our cials and military intelligence agencies Reagan-era Intermediate-Range Nu- allies, buzzing our Navy warships, and that were responsible for interfering in clear Forces Treaty. Simultaneously, a meddling in foreign elections, now is our election, former National Security Russian spy ship has been spotted lurk- not the time to call into question the Advisor Michael Flynn had a secret, ing off the U.S. coast, trying to gather commitment or the resolve of the off-the-record discussion with Russian intelligence information near the United States of America. Ambassador Kislyak, in which he dis- Navy’s primary east coast submarine Vladimir Putin’s world view is cussed lifting these sanctions under the base. shaped by his time in the KGB during incoming Trump administration. We are also seeing Russia undertake the Cold War. He is committed to pro- Top officials at the Justice Depart- the largest military buildup in the Arc- jecting Russian strength, both at home ment clearly warned the White House tic since the end of the Cold War and at and abroad, through intimidation and that Mr. Flynn was vulnerable to Rus- a pace faster than we ever, ever saw aggression. Strength is what he re- sian blackmail. He resigned only after during the Soviet era. spects. If Putin’s provocations are not it became clear that he misled the pub- Russia is reopening defunct military met with a strong response, they will outposts and building new ones all lic and the Vice President about the continue and likely escalate, putting substance of these off-the-record con- across the polar region. There are 13 American interests and the American new Russian airfields that are sched- versations. people at risk. But it doesn’t just end there. uled to open by the end of this year. Top officials in the Trump adminis- The Attorney General, at best, mis- The Russian military recently staged tration have been dispatched to criss- led the Judiciary Committee during his an exercise in the Arctic region with cross Europe and reassure the world of confirmation hearings about his record well over 12,000 troops. our commitments to global security. I As the Russians build up their forces of contact with Russian officials. He joined Vice President PENCE and Sec- testified under oath that he ‘‘did not in the Arctic, the United States is fall- retary Mattis in Germany last month have communications with the Rus- ing behind. Our principal maritime for the annual Munich Security Con- force in the Arctic is the U.S. Coast sians’’ during the campaign. When it ference. Guard, but they have only one heavy They spoke of America’s commit- became clear that he had actually met icebreaker, the Polar Star, that is ca- ment to NATO and the international with the Russian Ambassador at least pable of keeping Arctic shipping lanes order, which was built from the ashes twice last year, including in a one-on- open or conducting search and rescue of World War II, in an apparent at- one meeting in the final weeks of the missions year-round. A new icebreaker tempt to reassure our nervous allies, campaign, he was forced to recuse him- to replace the Polar Star is still a few but our allies are not trying to under- self from the Justice Department’s years away. stand the aims of the Mattis adminis- criminal investigation into this very, In contrast, the Russians have over tration or the Pence administration. very serious issue. 40 icebreakers in their fleet, many of It has been my experience that, when them nuclear, with plans for three new They are trying to determine if Presi- dent Trump will stand behind NATO people are caught covering up their icebreakers underway. At a time when meetings and contacts with someone, we should be investing in our Arctic and the institutions that have served as a counterweight to Russian aggres- they usually have something to hide. If capabilities, the Trump administration you have nothing to hide, there is no has been considering deep cuts to the sion for decades. The American people are also watch- reason for a coverup. Coast Guard’s budget. The serious national security impli- Russia’s expansionist activities and ing the White House, and they deserve to know that those who serve at the cations of the Trump administration’s military probing are not occurring in a potential ties with Russia cannot be vacuum. The numerous threats and highest levels of government will al- ways have America’s best interests at overstated. This is a time when we provocations that I have outlined occur need to make clear that Russian ag- as Russia continues to wage war in heart. But every week we are faced gression will not stand. Instead, the eastern Ukraine in the wake of their il- with mounting evidence that the President has attempted to distract legal annexation of Crimea, desta- Trump administration and the Trump the public through unsubstantiated al- bilizing the opportunity for the campaign have ties to Russia and are legations about the wiretapping of Ukrainian people to chart their own working to cover up their interactions Trump Tower—an allegation that has political and economic destiny. There with Russian officials. been refuted by FBI Director Comey are 10,000 people who have lost their Earlier this week, in testimony be- and others. President Trump continues lives in this conflict as a direct result fore the House Intelligence Committee, to double down by calling into question of Russian aggression. FBI Director Comey announced that Last year, as I traveled with my Sen- the FBI was ‘‘investigating the nature the motives of those who want assur- ate colleagues to Estonia, the Czech of any links between individuals asso- ances about integrity in our elections. Republic, and Ukraine, I learned first- ciated with the Trump campaign and Let me be clear. This is not about hand about the efforts in these coun- the Russian Government and whether partisan politics. When there is so tries to strengthen their civil institu- there was any coordination between much smoke, there is probably some tions and root out corruption, build the campaign and Russia’s efforts.’’ fire somewhere. If another country is lasting partnerships, and stand up to This bears repeating. The FBI Director infiltrating our government and polit- Russian provocations. While they are has confirmed that there is an active ical institutions or if Vladimir Putin doing their part, they continue to look investigation into coordination be- has favors to cash in from officials at to the United States for global leader- tween a Presidential campaign and a the highest levels of government, that ship. foreign adversary. This is just the lat- is a serious problem. This year, U.S. troops deployed to est development in a long string of dis- Russia has endangered our service- Eastern Europe to demonstrate our turbing revelations about President members, threatened our allies, ille- ironclad commitment to our NATO al- Trump’s associates. gally annexed Crimea, engaged in war lies, where they were welcomed with Ousted campaign chairman Paul crimes in their bombing of Aleppo, and open arms. We are working with our Manafort has a deep web of business actively worked to undermine our de- partners in Iceland to enhance their ca- and political connections to Russian mocracy. These revelations are only pabilities to detect and respond to a re- interests. Other campaign advisers adding more smoke to the Russia fire, cent increase in Russian submarine pa- have backed off previous claims that and it is clear we need a special pros- trols. they never spoke with Russian offi- ecutor to investigate.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:10 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.057 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1967 The American people expect this in- Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask Ivory is an exceptional young vestigation to be free from any polit- unanimous consent that the order for woman. She is going to go on to do ex- ical interference or influence or bias. the quorum call be rescinded. ceptional things. Next fall, she plans We need someone to cut through the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without on attending the University of Alaska smoke and clear the air. An inde- objection, it is so ordered. Anchorage where she plans to continue pendent special prosecutor should be TRIBUTE TO IVORY GERHARDT CYRUS to do one positive thing each day and appointed to examine Russia’s cam- Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, as my will bring that positive attitude to the paign to interfere in our election as colleagues know, I have been coming to students at UAA. She is going to con- well as any association or coordination the floor week after week to recognize tinue to encourage others to do that as between the Trump campaign and Rus- an Alaskan who has made a difference well. sia. in his or her community. As I have said I congratulate her for all of her ac- I also believe that the time has come repeatedly—I am a little biased, of complishments, for being our Alaskan to create an independent, nonpartisan course—I have the honor of living in of the Week, and congratulations to commission to fully investigate Rus- the most beautiful State in the coun- her parents, Jean and Tom, for the sian interference. Earlier today, I co- try, but it is our people who truly wonderful job they have done in raising sponsored legislation introduced by make it special. They are resilient, this exceptional young lady. Senator CARDIN that would create such kind, and giving. And it is the next Ivory gives us all hope for the future. a commission and provide it with the generation that is going to continue to Mr. President, I yield the floor. necessary subpoena power to get the make my State the best place in the I suggest the absence of a quorum. answers that the American people world to live. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The This week I would like to introduce clearly deserve. clerk will call the roll. my colleagues to 18-year-old Ivory This is not about Democrats or Re- The legislative clerk proceeded to Gerhardt Cyrus, this week’s Alaskan of publicans or about relitigating the 2016 call the roll. the Week. Ivory lives in Kiana, a beau- election. This is about our national se- Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask tiful, close-knit Inupiat village of less curity. This commission, modeled after unanimous consent that the order for than 400 people on the banks of the the 9/11 Commission, would provide a Kobuk River in Northwest Alaska. the quorum call be rescinded. comprehensive report on what occurred Like many villages in Alaska, there The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without last year and make recommendations are no roads in and out. People travel objection, it is so ordered. as to how we can best defend the integ- to Kotzebue, which is the closest hub f rity of future elections. city—it is not very much of a city but This is about how we move forward LEGISLATIVE SESSION a big village—about 40 miles away by together. This is about how we main- plane or snow machine, boat, or some- tain the independence of our govern- times dog team. That is where Ivory MORNING BUSINESS ment from foreign influence and instill was raised—in Kiana—and where, faith in Americans that the White Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask against many odds, she has strived. unanimous consent that the Senate be House is truly working for them. Ivory was born with fetal alcohol This is about moving past months of in a period of morning business, with spectrum disorder, which made getting Senators permitted to speak therein coverups and finally extinguishing this through school a challenge. She was at smoldering Russian fire or proving that for up to 10 minutes each. times misunderstood, at times bullied, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without all of this smoke is, truly, just a series and many didn’t know how to deal with objection, it is so ordered. of misunderstandings. her properly. This issue shakes the foundations of About 120 kids each year are diag- f our democracy, but our Union has sur- nosed with fetal alcohol spectrum dis- UNITED STATES-COSTA RICA vived harder challenges than this. order in Alaska. When she was in mid- BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP At a time when the public’s trust in dle school, Ivory began committing Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I government is called into question, we herself to helping them by speaking wish to recognize the productive part- must do everything we can to restore out about her own experiences and by nership between the United States and faith in the integrity and the impar- advocating the way students with be- Costa Rica. I recently had the chance tiality of our institutions. havioral issues are treated in school. to meet with President Guillermo Just as we, as Americans, are unified She was an advocate for them. in our faith in democracy and eco- Now she is an honor roll high school Solis, and I can attest that this is a bi- nomic opportunity, we are unified in senior, graduating this spring, and lateral relationship strengthened by our belief in the rule of law. Just as we along the way, she has become a State Costa Rica’s unwavering support for must show strength abroad through of Alaska trainer for fetal alcohol spec- democracy and human rights, com- our military and our alliances, we trum disorder. She gave a presentation prehensive economic relations, and a must show strength at home by rooting at an international conference recently deep-rooted commitment to security out corruption and protecting our on disability and diversity, and she was and the environment. Since 1851, the democratic process. named one of five recipients of the 27th United States has enjoyed formal dip- All of us—Democrats and Repub- annual Women of Achievement and lomatic relations with Costa Rica, one licans, Congress and the White House, Youth Awards in Alaska. of Latin America’s most enduring de- our diplomats and our military—must This is what I find most impressive mocracies, and the close cooperation send a clear, unified message to au- about Ivory: She is passing a message between our two countries is an exam- thoritarian leaders in Moscow and ev- of hope and service on to her peers. She ple of how international engagement erywhere else that threats levied started a group, encouraging the mem- consistently advances U.S. national in- against the United States will never be bers of the group to do one positive terests and national security. tolerated and that there will be a price thing each day. The name of the group In recent years, Costa Rica has be- to pay for making them. is appropriately entitled ‘‘One Positive come one of the United States’ most The American people expect us to Thing,’’ or ‘‘OPT.’’ That message has strategic security partners in Central keep them safe while strengthening our spread throughout her community, and America. In 2016, in response to the Republic against enemies, both foreign now villages in Kiana are remembering challenges of increasing cocaine traf- and domestic. It is our duty to prove to do one positive thing each day for ficking in the region, President Solis’s that we are up to the job. themselves, their families, and their administration developed a security I yield the floor. community. Last year, she held her strategy that sets aggressive goals to I suggest the absence of a quorum. first OPT conference in Kiana for expand its capacity to control Costa The PRESIDING OFFICER. The youth all across the region. This year, Rica’s sovereign airspace and maritime clerk will call the roll. that conference—the next OPT con- territory. Last year, Costa Rica seized The senior assistant legislative clerk ference, One Positive Thing—will be more than 24,000 kilos of cocaine that proceeded to call the roll. held on April 7 and 8. were ultimately bound to the United

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:32 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.058 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1968 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 States. Despite a difficult fiscal situa- investment and U.S. diplomatic assist- any number of inquiries that came tion, Costa Rica is projected to in- ance, Costa Rica is on its way to be- across her desk. There were even a few crease its investment in security by 20 coming a carbon-neutral nation. I am times where she managed to track percent in 2017. I commend the Obama hopeful that our diplomatic mission to down particularly old and rare library administration’s decision to donate Costa Rica will continue to support the books at my request. No matter the two Island-class cutters to the Costa country’s interest in being a leader in task at hand, Barb approached her Rican Coast Guard, which will greatly the fight against climate change. Help- work with good humor and a can-do at- boost Costa Rica’s capacity to combat ing Costa Rica realize innovations in titude that impressed everyone. the narcotics trade. This also serves as its power sector helps foster a broader Barb’s contributions in my Senate of- a reminder of the strategic value of the strategic partnership with an impor- fice are immeasurable, but I thought it State Department’s security coopera- tant neighbor in our hemisphere. was worth trying to quantify some of tion at a time when the Trump admin- At a moment characterized by the the ways in which she has served the istration is proposing shortsighted cuts Trump administration’s isolationist people of Pennsylvania and our Nation. to our foreign assistance budget. rhetoric, it is critically important to During her decade of service to Penn- Additionally, I want to call attention recognize that the United States is sylvania, Barb welcomed more than 200 to Costa Rica’s collaboration with the safer when we cooperate with other ambassadors, dignitaries, and adminis- United States in addressing the hu- countries in the region to fight the bat- tration officials to my office, drafted manitarian challenges related to indi- tle against organized crime and illegal more than 500 letters, and greeted over viduals fleeing violence in Guatemala, drug-trafficking. At the same time, 1,000 Pennsylvanians at my ‘‘Keystone El Salvador, and Honduras. Between Costa Rica’s cooperation with the Coffees.’’ She acted as a mentor and 2013 and 2016, the number of migrants United Nations to support orderly and support system for all my staff mem- from these three countries who have lawful migration, its collaboration bers, and befriended everyone she requested asylum in Costa Rica more with its neighbors in the region, and worked with in the Senate. Everyone, than quadrupled, a dramatic increase its efforts to promote human rights re- from the Capitol Police officers she that reflects the urgency of the situa- gionally are worthy of our commenda- passed on her 3-block commute, to the tion in Central America. In a clear tion. Costa Rica is a true partner of the photographers in the Senate Photo demonstration of President Solis’s United States, and it is imperative Studio who patiently waited while leadership on these issues, Costa Rica that we continue to strengthen and ex- Barb shepherded our constituents for and the United States signed an agree- pand the cooperation between our two photos, knows how valued Barb was to ment with the United Nations High countries to promote more security, our team and to me personally. Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, to prosperity, and stability in Central Having been in the Senate long be- establish a relocation and processing America and across the hemisphere. fore I was, Barb understood how to bal- facility in Costa Rica for up to 200 at- f ance the everyday needs in the office risk migrants at a time from Guate- with the overall goals we set for our- TRIBUTE TO BARBARA VACHON mala, El Salvador, and Honduras. This selves when we first began our service critical screening provides immediate Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, today I here. Barb provided everyone in my of- protection for those most vulnerable wish to honor Barbara Vachon, who re- fice, myself included, with the impor- and opens opportunities for these indi- tired this March after 16 years of serv- tant perspective that is often lost here viduals to be relocated to third coun- ice to the Senate. For as long as I have in the Senate: it is easy to get bogged tries. been in the Senate, with just a 2-month down in details or small problems, but Our joint agreement with UNHCR is exception, Barb has served as my exec- the work we do here is important, last- but one example of U.S. and Costa utive assistant and my right hand. ing, and honorable. Barb never lost Rican collaboration at multilateral Barb’s service to the Senate began in sight of how fortunate we are to work fora. Costa Rica has consistently voted 2001, when her friend Trecia called and in this institution, and I know our with the United States at the United offered her a temporary position in team is grateful to have always had Nations on critical issues related to Senator Jim Jeffords’ office. In New that reminder. Syria, North Korea, and Ukraine. In Hampshire at the time, Barb decided It is hard to imagine my office with- the past year, Costa Rica has also used she would take a chance and try out out Barb, but I know she will enjoy her its voice and vote at the Organization life in Washington, DC. Barb thought retirement, whether she is home in of American States to express concern she was coming down to Washington New Hampshire or traveling the world. about the growing challenges to de- for a 2-month assignment, answering I wish her and her children, Heather mocracy and human rights in Ven- phones and staffing the front office and Michael, well in this new chapter. ezuela. until the office could hire someone f Furthermore, in August 2016, Costa right out of college, but Barb quickly Rica’s commitment to human rights became an invaluable member of Sen- ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS was on display when it became the first ator Jeffords’ team. Eventually, she be- country to ratify the Inter-American came the Senator’s executive assistant, Convention against Racism, Racial working alongside him every day until TRIBUTE TO LESLIE CARTNER Discrimination and Related Forms of his retirement from the Senate in 2007. ∑ Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this Intolerance—an important step toward Barb’s first year in the Senate in- week, I have the distinct honor of rec- a more just and egalitarian society cluded Senator Jeffords switching par- ognizing Leslie Cartner, commander of within the Americas. The convention ties, 9/11, and the anthrax and ricin the Yellowstone Battalion of the U.S. reinforces international standards on scares. Any one of these events might Naval Sea Cadet Corps in Billings. all forms of discrimination, reaffirms have given a different person a reason Leslie’s devotion to the Yellowstone the commitment of member states of to leave the Senate, but Barb stayed Battalion, the only Sea Cadet organiza- the OAS to the complete and uncondi- and worked as hard as ever. When Sen- tion in the State of Montana, has been tional eradication of racism, and takes ator Jeffords retired in 2007, Barb outstanding. In the next few weeks, a step forward in the legal definition of helped Senator BERNIE SANDERS’ office Leslie will complete her tenure as Yel- contemporary forms of racism. learn the ways of the Senate for 2 lowstone Battalion Commander and As a champion of environmental months, after which she joined my of- transfer responsibility for the Sea stewardship, Costa Rica has made fice. Cadet program to another capable great strides to develop renewable en- From day 1, Barb was always the per- Montanan. ergy. Costa Rica recently set an ambi- son who made the trains run on time in In 1962, Congress chartered the U.S. tious carbon neutrality goal for 2021 my office. Barb had the challenging Naval Sea Cadet Corps. Today there and is well positioned to achieve this and sometimes impossible task of are over 380 Sea Cadet units and nearly important objective. The country re- keeping my day on schedule, while at 9,000 young Americans participating in cently ran 75 days straight on renew- the same time juggling phone calls, the program. In the Yellowstone Bat- able power, and, with continued foreign personal notes, briefing memos, and talion, under Leslie’s leadership, the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:32 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.052 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1969 cadets have been trained in drill and MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE presented to the President of the ceremony, first aid, inspection proce- ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED United States the following enrolled dures, and taught the basics of fighting At 10:33 a.m., a message from the bill: a fire while onboard a ship. In addition House of Representatives, delivered by S. 305. An act to amend title 4, United to learning introductory level Navy Mr. Novotny, one of its reading clerks, States Code, to encourage the display of the skills, the cadets have received char- flag of the United States on National Viet- announced that the Speaker has signed nam War Veterans Day. acter-building instruction in avoiding the following enrolled bills: substance abuse and prevention of bul- f S. 305. An act to amend title 4, United lying and harassment. One of the in- States Code, to encourage the display of the EXECUTIVE AND OTHER structors for the Yellowstone Bat- flag of the United States on National Viet- COMMUNICATIONS talion, Navy veteran George Blackard, nam War Veterans Day. The following communications were described Leslie as the driving force be- H.R. 1228. An act to provide for the ap- laid before the Senate, together with hind the local Sea Cadet program and pointment of members of the Board of Direc- accompanying papers, reports, and doc- ‘‘the one who really got it off the tors of the Office of Compliance to replace uments, and were referred as indicated: ground.’’ I strongly share George’s ap- members whose terms expire during 2017, and preciation for the work Leslie has done for other purposes. EC–1033. A communication from the Direc- tor of the Regulatory Management Division, to enhance the program and her com- The enrolled bills were subsequently signed by the President pro tempore Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- mitment to helping build the next gen- ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- eration of leaders. (Mr. HATCH). titled ‘‘Further Delay of Effective Dates for Five Final Regulations Published by the En- From Libby to Ekalaka, Montanans At 12:20 p.m., a message from the are doing great things to strengthen vironmental Protection Agency Between De- House of Representatives, delivered by cember 12, 2016 and January 17, 2017’’ (FRL their communities. A thank you for a Mrs. Cole, one of its reading clerks, an- job well done, I tip my cap to Leslie. No . 9960–28–OP) received during adjourn- nounced that the House has passed the ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- Good job, Sailor.∑ following bills, in which it requests the dent of the Senate on March 16, 2017; to the concurrence of the Senate: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and f H.R. 372. An act to restore the application Forestry. EC–1034. A communication from the Sec- of Federal antitrust laws to the business of retary of Defense, transmitting a report on health insurance to protect competition and TRIBUTE TO DOUG GRIFFIN the approved retirement of Lieutenant Gen- consumers. eral Andrew E. Busch, United States Air ∑ Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, today I H.R. 1101. An act to amend title I of the Force, and his advancement to the grade of Employee Retirement Income Security Act wish to ask my colleagues to join me in lieutenant general on the retired list; to the of 1974 to improve access and choice for en- recognizing and congratulating Doug Committee on Armed Services. trepreneurs with small businesses with re- Griffin of Newton, NH, for being named EC–1035. A communication from the Chair- spect to medical care for their employees. man, Federal Financial Institutions Exam- an ‘‘Advocate of the Year’’ by the Ad- H.R. 1238. An act to amend the Homeland ination Council, transmitting, pursuant to diction Policy Forum. After Mr. Griffin Security Act of 2002 to make the Assistant law, the Council’s 2016 Annual Report to lost his daughter Courtney to an opioid Secretary of Homeland Security for Health Congress; to the Committee on Banking, overdose in September 2014, he became Affairs responsible for coordinating the ef- Housing, and Urban Affairs. forts of the Department of Homeland Secu- a passionate advocate, determined to EC–1036. A communication from the Execu- rity related to food, agriculture, and veteri- increase awareness of the opioid epi- tive Director, Federal Energy Regulatory nary defense against terrorism, and for other demic in the State of New Hampshire. Commission, transmitting, pursuant to law, purposes. Granite Staters and Americans im- the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Annual Update pacted by this urgent crisis owe him a The message also announced that of Filing Fees’’ ((RIN1902–AF35) (Docket No. debt of gratitude for his work, and I am pursuant to section 803(a) of the Con- RM17–00006–000)) received in the Office of the grateful that the Addiction Policy gressional Recognition for Excellence President of the Senate on March 15, 2017; to Forum has honored him with this dis- in Arts Education Act (2 U.S.C. 803(a)), the Committee on Energy and Natural Re- the Minority Leader reappoints the sources. tinction. EC–1037. A communication from the Direc- Mr. Griffin has been a leader in call- Honorable DEBBIE DINGELL of Michigan tor of the Regulatory Management Division, ing for easier access to naloxone, to the Congressional Award Board. Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- Narcan, for families at risk of an over- f ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- dose, even testifying on the issue be- MEASURES REFERRED titled ‘‘Further Delay of Effective Dates for fore the New Hampshire State Legisla- Five Final Regulations Published by the En- The following bills were read the first vironmental Protection Agency Between De- ture. My colleagues in the U.S. Senate and the second times by unanimous cember 12, 2016 and January 17, 2017’’ (FRL remember Mr. Griffin from his testi- consent, and referred as indicated: No . 9960–28–OP) received during adjourn- mony on the rise of opioid-related ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- H.R. 372. An act to restore the application deaths and the importance of passing dent of the Senate on March 16, 2017; to the of the Federal antitrust laws to the business Committee on Environment and Public the Comprehensive Addiction and Re- of health insurance to protect competition Works. covery Act last year. In addition to his and consumers; to the Committee on the Ju- EC–1038. A communication from the Direc- role as cochair of the Addiction Policy diciary. tor of the Regulatory Management Division, Forum’s families committee, Mr. Grif- H.R. 1101. An act to amend title I of the Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- Employee Retirement Income Security Act fin has spearheaded several local ef- ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- of 1974 to improve access and choice for en- forts in the Granite State, including titled ‘‘Technical Correction to the National trepreneurs with small businesses with re- hosting a monthly church service for Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particu- spect to medical care for their employees; to people with substance use disorders late Matter’’ ((RIN2060–AS89) (FRL No. 9958– the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 29–OAR)) received during adjournment of the and their families, a club for young and Pensions. Senate in the Office of the President of the students to raise awareness of the dan- H.R. 1238. An act to amend the Homeland Senate on March 16, 2017; to the Committee gers of opioids, and a project to create Security Act of 2002 to make the Assistant on Environment and Public Works. Secretary of Homeland Security for Health a farm-based sober living facility for EC–1039. A communication from the Direc- Affairs responsible for coordinating the ef- those in recovery. tor of the Regulatory Management Division, forts of the Department of Homeland Secu- New Hampshire has benefited greatly Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- rity related to food, agriculture, and veteri- ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- from Mr. Griffin’s devotion and leader- nary defense against terrorism, and for other titled ‘‘Limited Federal Implementation ship. On behalf of my colleagues and purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Se- Plan; Prevention of Significant Deteriora- the U.S. Congress, I thank Mr. Griffin curity and Governmental Affairs. for all the advocacy work he has done tion Requirements for Fine Particulate Mat- f ter (PM2.5); California; North Coast Unified and continues to do. I congratulate ENROLLED BILLS PRESENTED Air Quality Management District’’ (FRL No. him again on being named one of the 9960–32–Region 9) received during adjourn- Addiction Policy Forum’s ‘‘Advocates The Secretary of the Senate reported ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- of the Year’’.∑ that on today, March 23, 2017, she had dent of the Senate on March 16, 2017; to the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:32 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.054 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1970 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 Committee on Environment and Public the Office of the President of the Senate on of the Senate in the Office of the President Works. March 16, 2017; to the Committee on Environ- of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- EC–1040. A communication from the Direc- ment and Public Works. mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and For- tor of the Regulatory Management Division, EC–1047. A communication from the Direc- estry. Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- tor of Congressional Affairs, Office of New EC–1057. A communication from the Chair- ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- Reactors, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, man of the National Transportation Safety titled ‘‘Further Delay of Effective Date for transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of Board, transmitting, pursuant to law, the the Final Rule Entitled ‘Accidental Release a rule entitled ‘‘Consolidated Guidance Board’s Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report on Prevention Requirements: Risk Management About Materials Licenses’’ (NUREG–1556, the Notification and Federal Employee Anti- Programs Under the Clean Air Act’ Pub- Volume 11, Rev. 1) received during adjourn- discrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 lished by the Environment Protection Agen- ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- (No FEAR Act); to the Committee on Home- cy on January 13, 2017’’ ((RIN2050–AG82) dent of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the land Security and Governmental Affairs. (FRL No. 9959–57–OLEM)) received during ad- Committee on Environment and Public EC–1058. A communication from the Man- journment of the Senate in the Office of the Works. agement and Program Analyst, Federal President of the Senate on March 16, 2017; to EC–1048. A communication from the Chair Aviation Administration, Department of the Committee on Environment and Public of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Ac- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Works. cess Commission, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- EC–1041. A communication from the Direc- law, a report entitled ‘‘2017 Report to Con- ment of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Routes; tor of the Regulatory Management Division, gress on Medicaid and CHIP’’; to the Com- Southwest Oklahoma’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- mittee on Finance. (Docket No. FAA–2015–3835)) received during ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- EC–1049. A communication from the Acting adjournment of the Senate in the Office of titled ‘‘Delay of Effective Date for Partial Assistant Secretary for Legislation, Depart- the President of the Senate on March 17, Approval and Partial Disapproval of Attain- ment of Health and Human Services, trans- 2017; to the Committee on Commerce, ment Plan for the Idaho Portion of the mitting, pursuant to law, a financial report Science, and Transportation. Logan, Utah/Idaho PM2.5 Nonattainment for fiscal year 2016 relative to the Biosimilar EC–1059. A communication from the Man- Area Published by the Environmental Pro- User Fee Act of 2012; to the Committee on agement and Program Analyst, Federal tection Agency on January 4, 2017’’ (FRL No. Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Aviation Administration, Department of 9960–35–Region 10) received during adjourn- EC–1050. A communication from the Acting Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- Assistant Secretary for Legislation, Depart- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airspace dent of the Senate on March 16, 2017; to the ment of Health and Human Services, trans- Designations; Incorporation by Reference Committee on Environment and Public mitting, pursuant to law, a financial report Amendments’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. Works. relative to the Animal Generic Drug User FAA–2016–8926)) received during adjournment EC–1042. A communication from the Direc- Fee Act for fiscal year 2016; to the Com- of the Senate in the Office of the President tor of the Regulatory Management Division, mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- Pensions. mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- EC–1051. A communication from the Assist- tation. EC–1060. A communication from the Man- titled ‘‘Approval and Promulgation of Imple- ant Secretary for Legislation, Department of agement and Program Analyst, Federal mentation Plans; Texas; El Paso Carbon Health and Human Services, transmitting, Aviation Administration, Department of Monoxide Limited Maintenance Plan’’ (FRL pursuant to law, a financial report relative Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to No. 9957–56–Region 6) received during ad- to the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act for law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Establish- journment of the Senate in the Office of the fiscal year 2016; to the Committee on Health, ment of Class E Airspace; Wessington President of the Senate on March 16, 2017; to Education, Labor, and Pensions. Springs, SD’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. the Committee on Environment and Public EC–1052. A communication from the Acting FAA–2016–9193)) received during adjournment Works. Assistant Secretary for Legislation, Depart- of the Senate in the Office of the President EC–1043. A communication from the Direc- ment of Health and Human Services, trans- of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- tor of the Regulatory Management Division, mitting, pursuant to law, a report entitled mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- ‘‘Fiscal Year 2016 Compounding Quality Act tation. ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- Annual Report’’; to the Committee on EC–1061. A communication from the Man- titled ‘‘Approval and Promulgation of Imple- Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. agement and Program Analyst, Federal EC–1053. A communication from the Acting mentation Plans; New Mexico; Albuquerque/ Aviation Administration, Department of Assistant Secretary for Legislation, Depart- Bernalillo County; Inspection and Mainte- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ment of Health and Human Services, trans- nance Program Error Correction’’ (FRL No. law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- 9957–41–Region 6) received during adjourn- mitting, pursuant to law, a report entitled ment of VOR Federal Airways V–235 and V– ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- ‘‘Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report to Congress 293 in the Vicinity of Cedar City, Utah’’ dent of the Senate on March 16, 2017; to the on the Use of Mandatory Recall Authority ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016–9265)) Committee on Environment and Public Submitted Pursuant to Section 206 of the received during adjournment of the Senate Works. FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, Public in the Office of the President of the Senate EC–1044. A communication from the Direc- Law 111–353’’; to the Committee on Health, on March 17, 2017; to the Committee on Com- tor of the Regulatory Management Division, Education, Labor, and Pensions. merce, Science, and Transportation. Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- EC–1054. A communication from the Regu- EC–1062. A communication from the Man- ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- lations Coordinator, Health Resources and agement and Program Analyst, Federal titled ‘‘Approval and Promulgation of Imple- Services Administration, Department of Aviation Administration, Department of mentation Plans; Louisiana; Volatile Or- Health and Human Services, transmitting, Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ganic Compounds Rule Revision and Stage II pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- Vapor Recovery’’ (FRL No. 9958–60–Region 6) ‘‘340B Drug Pricing Program Ceiling Price ment of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Routes; received during adjournment of the Senate and Manufacturer Civil Monetary Penalties; Eastern United States’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) in the Office of the President of the Senate Delay of Effective Date’’ (RIN0906–AA89) re- (Docket No. FAA–2016–0986)) received during on March 16, 2017; to the Committee on Envi- ceived during adjournment of the Senate in adjournment of the Senate in the Office of ronment and Public Works. the Office of the President of the Senate on the President of the Senate on March 17, EC–1045. A communication from the Direc- March 17, 2017; to the Committee on Health, 2017; to the Committee on Commerce, tor of the Regulatory Management Division, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Science, and Transportation. Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- EC–1055. A communication from the Sec- EC–1063. A communication from the Man- ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- retary of Education, transmitting, pursuant agement and Program Analyst, Federal titled ‘‘Alabama: Final Authorization of to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Open Aviation Administration, Department of State Hazardous Waste Management Pro- Licensing Requirement for Competitive Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to gram Revisions’’ (FRL No. 9959–14–Region 4) Grant Programs’’ (RIN1894–AA07) received in law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Revoca- received during adjournment of the Senate the Office of the President pro tempore of tion of Class E Airspace; Farmington, MO; in the Office of the President of the Senate the Senate; to the Committee on Health, and Amendment of Class E Airspace for the on March 16, 2017; to the Committee on Envi- Education, Labor, and Pensions. Following Missouri Towns; Ava, MO; Cam- ronment and Public Works. EC–1056. A communication from the Direc- eron, MO; Chillicothe, MO; Farmington, MO; EC–1046. A communication from the Direc- tor, National Institute of Food and Agri- and Festus, MO’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket tor of the Regulatory Management Division, culture, Department of Agriculture, trans- No. FAA–2016–6986)) received during adjourn- Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- mitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- entitled ‘‘Competitive and Noncompetitive dent of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the titled ‘‘Air Plan Approval; Georgia; Atlanta; Non-formula Federal Assistance Programs - Committee on Commerce, Science, and Requirements for the 2008 8-Hour Ozone Specific Administrative Provisions for the Transportation. Standard’’ (FRL No. 9957–89–Region 4) re- Veterinary Services Grants Program’’ EC–1064. A communication from the Man- ceived during adjournment of the Senate in (RIN0524–AA70) received during adjournment agement and Program Analyst, Federal

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:32 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR6.012 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1971 Aviation Administration, Department of ment of Class E Airspace; St. Petersburg, ness Directives; Airbus Helicopters Deutsch- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to FL’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2017– land GmbH (Previously Eurocopter Deutsch- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Establish- 0015)) received during adjournment of the land GmbH) Helicopters’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) ment of Class E Airspace; Weed, CA’’ Senate in the Office of the President of the (Docket No. FAA–2015–0674)) received during ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016–9320)) Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Committee adjournment of the Senate in the Office of received during adjournment of the Senate on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. the President of the Senate on March 17, in the Office of the President of the Senate EC–1072. A communication from the Man- 2017; to the Committee on Commerce, on March 17, 2017; to the Committee on Com- agement and Program Analyst, Federal Science, and Transportation. merce, Science, and Transportation. Aviation Administration, Department of EC–1080. A communication from the Man- EC–1065. A communication from the Man- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to agement and Program Analyst, Federal agement and Program Analyst, Federal law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- Aviation Administration, Department of Aviation Administration, Department of ment of Class E Airspace for the Paragould, Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to AR’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016– law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Establish- 8835)) received during adjournment of the ness Directives; Airbus Helicopters Deutsch- ment of Class E Airspace; Iron Mountain, Senate in the Office of the President of the land GmbH (Previously Eurocopter Deutsch- MI’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016– Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Committee land GmbH) Helicopters’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) 6271)) received during adjournment of the on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Docket No. FAA–2017–0155)) received during Senate in the Office of the President of the EC–1073. A communication from the Man- adjournment of the Senate in the Office of Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Committee agement and Program Analyst, Federal the President of the Senate on March 17, on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Aviation Administration, Department of 2017; to the Committee on Commerce, EC–1066. A communication from the Man- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Science, and Transportation. agement and Program Analyst, Federal law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- EC–1081. A communication from the Man- Aviation Administration, Department of ment of Class E Airspace; Barter Island, AK’’ agement and Program Analyst, Federal Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016–9173)) Aviation Administration, Department of law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Establish- received during adjournment of the Senate Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ment of Class E Airspace; Grand Chenier, in the Office of the President of the Senate law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- LA’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016– on March 17, 2017; to the Committee on Com- ness Directives; The Boeing Company Air- 6661)) received during adjournment of the merce, Science, and Transportation. planes’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– Senate in the Office of the President of the EC–1074. A communication from the Man- 2015–3984)) received during adjournment of Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Committee agement and Program Analyst, Federal the Senate in the Office of the President of on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Aviation Administration, Department of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- EC–1067. A communication from the Man- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- agement and Program Analyst, Federal law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- tation. Aviation Administration, Department of ment of Class E Airspace; Mapleton, IA’’ EC–1082. A communication from the Man- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016–8834)) agement and Program Analyst, Federal law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- received during adjournment of the Senate Aviation Administration, Department of ment of Class E Airspace for the following in the Office of the President of the Senate Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Ohio Towns; Findlay, OH; Ashland, OH; on March 17, 2017; to the Committee on Com- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- Celina, OH; Circleville, OH; Columbus, OH; merce, Science, and Transportation. ness Directives; The Boeing Company Air- Defiance, OH; Hamilton, OH; Lima, OH; and EC–1075. A communication from the Chief planes’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– London, OH’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. of Staff, Wireline Competition Bureau, Fed- 2016–7423)) received during adjournment of FAA–2016–8839)) received during adjournment eral Communications Commission, transmit- the Senate in the Office of the President of of the Senate in the Office of the President ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- titled ‘‘Connect America Fund; ETC Annual mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- Reports and Certifications’’ ((RIN3060–AF85) tation. tation. (FCC 17–12)) received during adjournment of EC–1083. A communication from the Man- EC–1068. A communication from the Man- the Senate in the Office of the President of agement and Program Analyst, Federal agement and Program Analyst, Federal the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- Aviation Administration, Department of Aviation Administration, Department of mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to tation. law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- EC–1076. A communication from the Man- ness Directives; The Boeing Company Air- ment of Class D and E Airspace for the fol- agement and Program Analyst, Federal planes’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– lowing Texas Towns: Houston Sugar Land, Aviation Administration, Department of 2016–4225)) received during adjournment of TX; Alice, TX; Bay City, TX; Breham, TX; Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to the Senate in the Office of the President of Burnet, TX; Falfurrias, TX; Graford, TX; and law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- Hamilton, TX’’ ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. ness Directives; Airbus Airplanes’’ ((RIN2120– mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- FAA–2016–85053)) received during adjourn- AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2016–6896)) received tation. ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- during adjournment of the Senate in the Of- EC–1084. A communication from the Man- dent of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the fice of the President of the Senate on March agement and Program Analyst, Federal Committee on Commerce, Science, and 17, 2017; to the Committee on Commerce, Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation. Science, and Transportation. Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to EC–1069. A communication from the Man- EC–1077. A communication from the Man- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- agement and Program Analyst, Federal agement and Program Analyst, Federal ness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corpora- Aviation Administration, Department of Aviation Administration, Department of tion Helicopters’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to No. FAA–2017–0169)) received during adjourn- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- ment of Class E Airspace; Santa Rosa, CA’’ ness Directives; Airbus Airplanes’’ ((RIN2120– dent of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016–6967)) AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2016–9298)) received Committee on Commerce, Science, and received during adjournment of the Senate during adjournment of the Senate in the Of- Transportation. in the Office of the President of the Senate fice of the President of the Senate on March EC–1085. A communication from the Man- on March 17, 2017; to the Committee on Com- 17, 2017; to the Committee on Commerce, agement and Program Analyst, Federal merce, Science, and Transportation. Science, and Transportation. Aviation Administration, Department of EC–1070. A communication from the Man- EC–1078. A communication from the Man- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to agement and Program Analyst, Federal agement and Program Analyst, Federal law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- Aviation Administration, Department of Aviation Administration, Department of ness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron’’ Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0154)) law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- received in the Office of the President of the ment of Class E Airspace; Willows, CA’’ ness Directives; Airbus Airplanes’’ ((RIN2120– Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Committee ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016–9138)) AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2016–6893)) received on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. received during adjournment of the Senate during adjournment of the Senate in the Of- EC–1086. A communication from the Man- in the Office of the President of the Senate fice of the President of the Senate on March agement and Program Analyst, Federal on March 17, 2017; to the Committee on Com- 17, 2017; to the Committee on Commerce, Aviation Administration, Department of merce, Science, and Transportation. Science, and Transportation. Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to EC–1071. A communication from the Man- EC–1079. A communication from the Man- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- agement and Program Analyst, Federal agement and Program Analyst, Federal ness Directives; Learjet Inc. Airplanes’’ Aviation Administration, Department of Aviation Administration, Department of ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2016–9388)) Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to received during adjournment of the Senate law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- in the Office of the President of the Senate

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:32 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR6.014 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 on March 17, 2017; to the Committee on Com- achievement of the two-state solution and a Whereas, leaders of the boycott, divest- merce, Science, and Transportation. just, lasting and comprehensive peace’’; and ment, and sanctions movement say their EC–1087. A communication from the Man- Whereas, by referring to the ‘‘4 June 1967 goal is to eliminate Israel as the home of the agement and Program Analyst, Federal lines’’ as the basis for negotiations, United Jewish people; and Aviation Administration, Department of Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 ef- Whereas, messaging at anti-Israel rallies Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to fectively states that the Jewish Quarter of has adopted the boycott, divestment, and law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western sanctions slogan: ‘‘from the river to the sea ness Directives; United Instruments, Inc. Se- Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, are ‘‘occupied Palestine will be free’’ which means that ries Altimeters’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket territory,’’ thereby equating these sites with there would be no Israel between the Jordan No. FAA–2016–9345)) received during adjourn- outposts in the West Bank that the Israeli River and Mediterranean Sea and that the ment of the Senate in the Office of the Presi- government has deemed illegal; and State of Israel will cease to exist; and dent of the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Whereas, passage of United Nations Secu- Whereas, Israel is the greatest friend and Committee on Commerce, Science, and rity Council Resolution 2334 effectively lends ally of the United States in the Middle East Transportation. legitimacy to efforts by the Palestinian Au- and the values of our two nations are so EC–1088. A communication from the Man- thority to impose its own solution through intertwined that it is impossible to separate agement and Program Analyst, Federal international organizations and through un- one from the other; and Whereas, a strong and independent Israel Aviation Administration, Department of justified boycotts or divestment campaigns supports our long cherished beliefs of democ- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to against Israel, and will require the United racy and liberty which we believe is the law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- States and Israel to take effective action to counteract the potential harmful impact of right of all mankind; and ness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Whereas, there are those in the world who United Nations Security Council Resolution Engines’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– have continually sought to destroy Israel, 2334; and 2012–0004)) received during adjournment of from the time of its inception as a state, and Whereas, the Obama Administration’s deci- the Senate in the Office of the President of those same enemies of Israel also hate, and sion not to veto United Nations Security the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- seek to destroy, the United States; and mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- Council Resolution 2334 is inconsistent with Whereas, the promise of the God of Israel, tation. long-standing United States policy and who is the Creator acknowledged in our own EC–1089. A communication from the Man- makes direct negotiations more, not less, Declaration of Independence and referenced agement and Program Analyst, Federal challenging; and by our own Founding Fathers in the creation Aviation Administration, Department of Whereas, Israel has been granted her lands of our nation, is that He will bless those who Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to under and through the oldest recorded deed, bless Israel. Let it be known that the State law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- as recorded in the Old Testament scriptures of South Dakota openly blesses Israel with ness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan held sacred and revered by Jews and Chris- our friendship and that we stand in support Engines’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– tians alike, as presenting the acts and words of the Israeli people and celebrate our many 2016–9510)) received during adjournment of of God; and culture ties and gratitude for our cordial and the Senate in the Office of the President of Whereas, the claim and presence of the mutually beneficial relations since 1948, a the Senate on March 17, 2017; to the Com- Jewish people in Israel has remained con- friendship that continues to strengthen with mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- stant throughout the past four thousand each passing year: Now, therefore, be it tation. years of history; and Resolved, By the House of Representatives EC–1090. A communication from the Man- Whereas, the legal basis for the establish- of the Ninety-Second Legislature of the agement and Program Analyst, Federal ment of the modern state of Israel was a State of South Dakota, the Senate concur- Aviation Administration, Department of binding resolution under international law, ring therein, that the Legislature calls on Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to which was unanimously adopted by the Congress and President Donald J. Trump to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- League of Nations in 1922 and subsequently oppose and counteract United Nations Secu- ment of Class E Airspace; Milwaukee, WI’’ affirmed by both houses of the United States rity Council Resolution 2334 against Israel ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016–9491)) Congress; and by all means necessary; and be it further received during adjournment of the Senate Whereas, this resolution affirmed the es- Resolved, That South Dakota stands proud- in the Office of the President of the Senate tablishment of a national home for the Jew- ly with Israel and thanks our only Middle on March 17, 2017; to the Committee on Com- ish people in the historical region of the land East democracy, for Israel’s cordial and mu- merce, Science, and Transportation. of Israel, including the areas of Judea, Sama- tually beneficial relationship with the EC–1091. A communication from the Man- ria, and Jerusalem; and United States and with the state of South agement and Program Analyst, Federal Whereas, Article 80 of the United Nations Dakota. We stand in support of Israel in its Aviation Administration, Department of Charter 22 recognized the continued validity legal, historical, moral, and God-given right Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to of the rights granted to states or peoples of self-governance and self-defense of the en- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- which already existed under international tirety of its own lands. We recognize that ness Directives; Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Air- instruments, and therefore the 1922 League Israel is neither an attacking force nor an planes’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– of Nations resolution remains valid, and the occupier of the lands of others, and that 2016–9357)) received in the Office of the Presi- six hundred fifty thousand Jews currently peace in the Middle East for us, is contingent dent of the Senate on March 22, 2017; to the residing in the areas of Judea, Samaria, and on a whole and united Israel; and be it fur- Committee on Commerce, Science, and eastern Jerusalem reside there legitimately; ther Transportation. and Resolved, That the chief clerk of the House Whereas, Israel declared its independence of Representatives prepare copies of this res- f and self-governance on May 14, 1948, with the olution and forward them to the President of PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS goal of reestablishing its God-given and le- the United States, the speaker and clerk of gally recognized lands as a homeland for the the United States House of Representatives, The following petitions and memo- Jewish people; and the president and secretary of the United rials were laid before the Senate and Whereas, the United States, having been States Senate, and the Israeli Embassy in were referred or ordered to lie on the the first country to recognize Israel as an Washington, D.C., for transmission to the table as indicated: independent nation and as Israel’s principal proper authorities in the State of Israel. POM–12. A concurrent resolution adopted ally, has enjoyed a close and mutually bene- ficial relationship with Israel and her people; POM–13. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of South Da- by the Legislature of the State of South Da- kota expressing support for, and unity with, and Whereas, there are increasing incidents of kota expressing support for, and unity with, the State of Israel; to the Committee on For- anti-Semitism around the world, including the State of Israel; to the Committee on For- eign Relations. across the United States reflected in official eign Relations. HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1014 hate crime statistics; and HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1014 Whereas, the United States has long sup- Whereas, the international boycott, divest- Whereas, the United States has long sup- ported a negotiated settlement leading to a ment, and sanctions movement is one of the ported a negotiated settlement leading to a sustainable two-state solution with the main vehicles for spreading anti-Semitism sustainable two-state solution with the democratic, Jewish state of Israel and a de- and advocating for the elimination of the democratic, Jewish state of Israel and a de- militarized, democratic Palestinian state Jewish State; and militarized, democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and security; and Whereas, the dramatic increase in boycott, living side-by-side in peace and security; and Whereas, United Nations Security Council divestment, and sanctions campaign activi- Whereas, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 claims ‘‘the establishment ties on college campuses around the country Resolution 2334 claims ‘‘the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian has resulted in increased animosity and in- by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East timidation against Jewish students, nega- territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and con- tively impacting student programming re- Jerusalem, has no legal validity and con- stitutes a flagrant violation under inter- lated to the State of Israel and politics in stitutes a flagrant violation under inter- national law and a major obstacle to the the Middle East; and national law and a major obstacle to the

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achievement of the two-state solution and a Whereas, leaders of the boycott, divest- By Mr. MCCAIN for the Committee on just, lasting and comprehensive peace’’; and ment, and sanctions movement say their Armed Services. Whereas, by referring to the ‘‘4 June 1967 goal is to eliminate Israel as the home of the Air Force nominations beginning with lines’’ as the basis for negotiations, United Jewish people; and Brig. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind and ending Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 ef- Whereas, messaging at anti-Israel rallies with Brig. Gen. Mark E. Weatherington, fectively states that the Jewish Quarter of has adopted the boycott, divestment, and which nominations were received by the Sen- the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western sanctions slogan: ‘‘from the river to the sea ate and appeared in the Congressional Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, are ‘‘occupied Palestine will be free’’ which means that Record on March 9, 2017. (minus 1 nominee: territory,’’ thereby equating these sites with there would be no Israel between the Jordan Brig. Gen. Mark D. Camerer) outposts in the West Bank that the Israeli River and Mediterranean Sea and that the Air Force nominations beginning with Col. government has deemed illegal; and State of Israel will cease to exist; and Dagvin R. M. Anderson and ending with Col. Whereas, passage of United Nations Secu- Whereas, Israel is the greatest friend and David H. Tabor, which nominations were re- rity Council Resolution 2334 effectively lends ally of the United States in the Middle East ceived by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on March 9, 2017. legitimacy to efforts by the Palestinian Au- and the values of our two nations are so Army nomination of Maj. Gen. Paul A. thority to impose its own solution through intertwined that it is impossible to separate Ostrowski, to be Lieutenant General. international organizations and through un- one from the other; and Army nomination of Lt. Gen. Sean B. justified boycotts or divestment campaigns Whereas, a strong and independent Israel MacFarland, to be Lieutenant General. against Israel, and will require the United supports our long cherished beliefs of democ- Army nomination of Brig. Gen. Francisco States and Israel to take effective action to racy and liberty which we believe is the A. Espaillat, to be Major General. counteract the potential harmful impact of right of all mankind; and Army nomination of Col. Jeffrey A. Roach, United Nations Security Council Resolution Whereas, there are those in the world who to be Brigadier General. 2334; and have continually sought to destroy Israel, (Nominations without an asterisk Whereas, the Obama Administration’s deci- from the time of its inception as a state, and were reported with the recommenda- sion not to veto United Nations Security those same enemies of Israel also hate, and Council Resolution 2334 is inconsistent with seek to destroy, the United States; and tion that they be confirmed.) long-standing United States policy and Whereas, the promise of the God of Israel, f makes direct negotiations more, not less, who is the Creator acknowledged in our own INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND challenging; and Declaration of Independence and referenced JOINT RESOLUTIONS Whereas, Israel has been granted her lands by our own Founding Fathers in the creation under and through the oldest recorded deed, of our nation, is that He will bless those who The following bills and joint resolu- as recorded in the Old Testament scriptures bless Israel. Let it be known that the State tions were introduced, read the first held sacred and revered by Jews and Chris- of South Dakota openly blesses Israel with and second times by unanimous con- tians alike, as presenting the acts and words our friendship and that we stand in support sent, and referred as indicated: of God; and of the Israeli people and celebrate our many By Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Ms. Whereas, the claim and presence of the culture ties and gratitude for our cordial and KLOBUCHAR): Jewish people in Israel has remained con- mutually beneficial relations since 1948, a stant throughout the past four thousand S. 704. A bill to provide that members of friendship that continues to strengthen with the Armed Forces performing services in the years of history; and each passing year: Now, therefore, be it Whereas, the legal basis for the establish- Sinai Peninsula of Egypt shall be entitled to Resolved, By the House of Representatives tax benefits in the same manner as if such ment of the modern state of Israel was a of the Ninety-Second Legislature of the binding resolution under international law, services were performed in a combat zone; to State of South Dakota, the Senate concur- the Committee on Finance. which was unanimously adopted by the ring therein, that the Legislature calls on League of Nations in 1922 and subsequently By Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. Congress and President Donald J. Trump to FRANKEN, Mr. BLUNT, and Ms. KLO- affirmed by both houses of the United States oppose and counteract United Nations Secu- Congress; and BUCHAR): rity Council Resolution 2334 against Israel S. 705. A bill to amend the National Child Whereas, this resolution affirmed the es- by all means necessary; and be it further Protection Act of 1993 to establish a national tablishment of a national home for the Jew- Resolved, That South Dakota stands proud- criminal history background check system ish people in the historical region of the land ly with Israel and thanks our only Middle and criminal history review program for cer- of Israel, including the areas of Judea, Sama- East democracy, for Israel’s cordial and mu- tain individuals who, related to their em- ria, and Jerusalem; and tually beneficial relationship with the ployment, have access to children, the elder- Whereas, Article 80 of the United Nations United States and with the state of South ly, or individuals with disabilities, and for Charter 22 recognized the continued validity Dakota. We stand in support of Israel in its other purposes; to the Committee on the Ju- of the rights granted to states or peoples legal, historical, moral, and God-given right diciary. which already existed under international of self-governance and self-defense of the en- By Mr. FRANKEN: instruments, and therefore the 1922 League tirety of its own lands. We recognize that S. 706. A bill to amend title 38, United of Nations resolution remains valid, and the Israel is neither an attacking force nor an States Code, to improve the treatment of six hundred fifty thousand Jews currently occupier of the lands of others, and that medical evidence provided by non-Depart- residing in the areas of Judea, Samaria, and peace in the Middle East for us, is contingent ment of Veterans Affairs medical profes- eastern Jerusalem reside there legitimately; on a whole and united Israel; and be it fur- sionals in support of claims for disability and ther compensation under the laws administered Whereas, Israel declared its independence Resolved, That the chief clerk of the House by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for and self-governance on May 14, 1948, with the of Representatives prepare copies of this res- other purposes; to the Committee on Vet- goal of reestablishing its God-given and le- olution and forward them to the President of erans’ Affairs. gally recognized lands as a homeland for the the United States, the speaker and clerk of By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. Jewish people; and the United States House of Representatives, NELSON): Whereas, the United States, having been the president and secretary of the United S. 707. A bill to amend the Internal Rev- the first country to recognize Israel as an States Senate, and the Israeli Embassy in enue Code of 1986 to ensure that pass-through independent nation and as Israel’s principal Washington, D.C., for transmission to the businesses do not pay tax at a higher rate ally, has enjoyed a close and mutually bene- proper authorities in the State of Israel. than corporations; to the Committee on Fi- ficial relationship with Israel and her people; nance. and f By Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. Whereas, there are increasing incidents of REPORTS OF COMMITTEES RUBIO, Mr. BROWN, and Mrs. CAPITO): anti-Semitism around the world, including S. 708. A bill to improve the ability of U.S. across the United States reflected in official The following reports of committees Customs and Border Protection to interdict hate crime statistics; and were submitted: fentanyl, other synthetic opioids, and other Whereas, the international boycott, divest- By Mr. GRASSLEY, from the Committee narcotics and psychoactive substances that ment, and sanctions movement is one of the on the Judiciary, without amendment: are illegally imported into the United main vehicles for spreading anti-Semitism S. 178. A bill to prevent elder abuse and ex- States, and for other purposes; to the Com- and advocating for the elimination of the ploitation and improve the justice system’s mittee on Homeland Security and Govern- Jewish State; and response to victims in elder abuse and ex- mental Affairs. Whereas, the dramatic increase in boycott, ploitation cases (Rept. No. 115–9). By Mr. NELSON: divestment, and sanctions campaign activi- S. 709. A bill to prohibit the Administrator ties on college campuses around the country f of the Federal Emergency Management has resulted in increased animosity and in- EXECUTIVE REPORTS OF Agency from taking administrative action to timidation against Jewish students, nega- COMMITTEE recover certain payments for disaster or tively impacting student programming re- emergency assistance, and for other pur- lated to the State of Israel and politics in The following executive reports of poses; to the Committee on Homeland Secu- the Middle East; and nominations were submitted: rity and Governmental Affairs.

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By Mr. MANCHIN (for himself and Mrs. tions on boycotts against allies of the United S. 170 CAPITO): States boycotts fostered by international At the request of Mr. RUBIO, the S. 710. A bill to reinstate and extend the governmental organizations against Israel name of the Senator from Pennsyl- deadline for commencement of construction and to direct the Export-Import Bank of the vania (Mr. TOOMEY) was added as a co- of a hydroelectric project involving Jennings United States to oppose boycotts against Randolph Dam; to the Committee on Energy Israel, and for other purposes; to the Com- sponsor of S. 170, a bill to provide for and Natural Resources. mittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af- nonpreemption of measures by State By Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. fairs. and local governments to divest from CARDIN, and Mr. ROBERTS): By Mr. UDALL (for himself, Mr. entities that engage in commerce-re- S. 711. A bill to amend the Internal Rev- WHITEHOUSE, and Mr. CARPER): lated or investment-related boycott, enue Code of 1986 to provide for S corpora- S. 721. A bill to require the disclosure of divestment, or sanctions activities tar- tion reform, and for other purposes; to the certain visitor access records; to the Com- geting Israel, and for other purposes. Committee on Finance. mittee on Homeland Security and Govern- By Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself, mental Affairs. S. 301 Mr. TESTER, Mr. KING, Mr. KAINE, Ms. By Mr. CORKER (for himself, Mr. At the request of Mr. LANKFORD, the HASSAN, Mr. CASEY, Ms. BALDWIN, MENENDEZ, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. CARDIN, name of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. Mr. COTTON, Mr. CASEY, Mr. CRUZ, PORTMAN) was added as a cosponsor of DURBIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. SAND- Mr. BENNET, Mr. RISCH, Mr. COONS, S. 301, a bill to amend the Public ERS, Mr. UDALL, Ms. HIRONO, Mrs. Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. Health Service Act to prohibit govern- SHAHEEN, Mr. WARNER, Mr. BROWN, YOUNG, and Mr. DONNELLY): mental discrimination against pro- and Mr. MANCHIN): S. 722. A bill to impose sanctions with re- S. 712. A bill to amend title 38, United spect to Iran in relation to Iran’s ballistic viders of health services that are not States Code, to reform the rights and proc- missile program, support for acts of inter- involved in abortion. esses relating to appeals of decisions regard- national terrorism, and violations of human S. 372 ing claims for benefits under the laws admin- rights, and for other purposes; to the Com- At the request of Mr. PORTMAN, the istered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, mittee on Foreign Relations. and for other purposes; to the Committee on name of the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Veterans’ Affairs. f PERDUE) was added as a cosponsor of S. 372, a bill to amend the Tariff Act of By Ms. CANTWELL (for herself and SUBMISSION OF CONCURRENT AND Mrs. MURRAY): 1930 to ensure that merchandise arriv- SENATE RESOLUTIONS S. 713. A bill to establish the Mountains to ing through the mail shall be subject Sound Greenway National Heritage Area in The following concurrent resolutions to review by U.S. Customs and Border the State of Washington; to the Committee and Senate resolutions were read, and Protection and to require the provision on Energy and Natural Resources. referred (or acted upon), as indicated: By Ms. CANTWELL (for herself and of advance electronic information on Mrs. MURRAY): By Mr. LEE (for himself, Mr. HATCH, shipments of mail to U.S. Customs and S. 714. A bill to amend Public Law 103–434 Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. SASSE, Mr. COONS, Border Protection and for other pur- to authorize Phase III of the Yakima River Mr. RUBIO, Mr. FLAKE, and Mr. GARD- poses. NER): Basin Water Basin Water Enhancement S. 389 Project for the purposes of improving water S. Res. 92. A resolution expressing concern At the request of Mr. WYDEN, the management in the Yakima River basin, and over the disappearance of David Sneddon, for other purposes; to the Committee on En- and for other purposes; to the Committee on name of the Senator from Colorado ergy and Natural Resources. Foreign Relations. (Mr. BENNET) was added as a cosponsor By Mr. KING (for himself and Ms. COL- By Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. of S. 389, a bill to amend the Internal LINS): MCCAIN): Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that S. 715. A bill to direct the Secretary of Ag- S. Res. 93. A resolution congratulating the kombucha is exempt from any excise riculture to release on behalf of the United European Union on the 60th anniversary of taxes and regulations imposed on alco- the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which es- States the condition that certain lands con- holic beverages. veyed to the City of Old Town, Maine, be tablished the European Economic Commu- used for a municipal airport, and for other nity and laid the foundation for decades of S. 394 purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, European peace and prosperity; to the Com- At the request of Mr. ROUNDS, the Nutrition, and Forestry. mittee on Foreign Relations. name of the Senator from Louisiana By Mr. PORTMAN (for himself, Mr. By Mr. PORTMAN (for himself and Ms. (Mr. CASSIDY) was added as a cosponsor RUBIO, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. HARRIS): of S. 394, a bill to amend chapter 44 of S. Res. 94. A resolution designating March BARRASSO, and Mr. LEE): title 18, United States Code, to provide S. 716. A bill to require that any debt limit 2017 as ‘‘National Read Aloud Month’’; to the increase be balanced by equal spending cuts Committee on the Judiciary. that a member of the Armed Forces over the next decade; to the Committee on By Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. and the spouse of that member shall the Budget. ISAKSON): have the same rights regarding the re- By Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself, Ms. S. Res. 95. A resolution designating March ceipt of firearms at the location of any HEITKAMP, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. MUR- 22, 2017, as ‘‘National Rehabilitation Coun- duty station of the member. KOWSKI, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CORNYN, selors Appreciation Day’’; to the Committee S. 425 and Mr. DAINES): on the Judiciary. S. 717. A bill to promote pro bono legal By Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr. ISAK- At the request of Mr. CARDIN, the services as a critical way in which to em- SON, and Ms. HASSAN): name of the Senator from Wisconsin power survivors of domestic violence; to the S. Res. 96. A resolution designating March (Ms. BALDWIN) was added as a cospon- Committee on the Judiciary. 25, 2017, as ‘‘National Cerebral Palsy Aware- sor of S. 425, a bill to amend the Inter- By Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. CAS- ness Day’’; considered and agreed to. nal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve SIDY, Mr. BOOZMAN, and Mr. By Mr. SHELBY (for himself and Ms. the historic rehabilitation tax credit, FRANKEN): KLOBUCHAR): and for other purposes. S. 718. A bill to amend the Higher Edu- S. Res. 97. A resolution authorizing the cation Act of 1965 to make college affordable printing of a collection of the rules of the S. 448 and accessible; to the Committee on Health, committees of the Senate; considered and At the request of Mr. BROWN, the Education, Labor, and Pensions. agreed to. name of the Senator from New York By Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Mr. f (Mrs. GILLIBRAND) was added as a co- DAINES, Mr. PETERS, Ms. DUCKWORTH, sponsor of S. 448, a bill to amend title and Mr. GARDNER): ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS S. 719. A bill to establish a grant program XVIII of the Social Security Act to at the Department of Homeland Security to S. 168 provide for treatment of clinical psy- promote cooperative research and develop- At the request of Mr. WICKER, the chologists as physicians for purposes of ment between the United States and Israel names of the Senator from South Caro- furnishing clinical psychologist serv- on cybersecurity; to the Committee on lina (Mr. GRAHAM) and the Senator ices under the Medicare program. Homeland Security and Governmental Af- from Mississippi (Mr. COCHRAN) were S. 479 fairs. By Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. added as cosponsors of S. 168, a bill to At the request of Mr. BROWN, the PORTMAN): amend and enhance certain maritime names of the Senator from New York S. 720. A bill to amend the Export Adminis- programs of the Department of Trans- (Mrs. GILLIBRAND) and the Senator tration Act of 1979 to include in the prohibi- portation. from Mississippi (Mr. COCHRAN) were

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S. 486 name of the Senator from Delaware This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sinai Serv- At the request of Mr. CASEY, the (Mr. COONS) was added as a cosponsor of S. 623, a bill to enhance the trans- ice Recognition Act’’. names of the Senator from Wisconsin SEC. 2. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS (Ms. BALDWIN) and the Senator from parency and accelerate the impact of PERFORMING SERVICES IN THE Vermont (Mr. LEAHY) were added as co- assistance provided under the Foreign SINAI PENINSULA OF EGYPT. sponsors of S. 486, a bill to amend title Assistance Act of 1961 to promote qual- (a) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of the fol- XVIII of the Social Security Act to ity basic education in developing coun- lowing provisions of the Internal Revenue tries, to better enable such countries Code of 1986, a qualified hazardous duty area provide for the non-application of shall be treated in the same manner as if it Medicare competitive acquisition rates to achieve universal access to quality basic education and improved learning were a combat zone (as determined under to complex rehabilitative wheelchairs outcomes, to eliminate duplication and section 112 of such Code): and accessories. (1) Section 2(a)(3) (relating to special rule waste, and for other purposes. S. 512 where deceased spouse was in missing sta- S. 668 tus). At the request of Mr. BARRASSO, the At the request of Mr. CARPER, the (2) Section 112 (relating to the exclusion of name of the Senator from Delaware names of the Senator from Maryland certain combat pay of members of the Armed (Mr. COONS) was added as a cosponsor (Mr. CARDIN), the Senator from Cali- Forces). of S. 512, a bill to modernize the regula- fornia (Mrs. FEINSTEIN) and the Sen- (3) Section 692 (relating to income taxes of tion of nuclear energy. ator from Rhode Island (Mr. WHITE- members of Armed Forces on death). (4) Section 2201 (relating to members of the S. 534 HOUSE) were added as cosponsors of S. Armed Forces dying in combat zone or by At the request of Mrs. FEINSTEIN, the 668, a bill to nullify the effect of the re- reason of combat-zone-incurred wounds, name of the Senator from Minnesota cent Executive order regarding border etc.). (Mr. FRANKEN) was added as a cospon- security and immigration enforcement. (5) Section 3401(a)(1) (defining wages relat- sor of S. 534, a bill to prevent the sex- S. 681 ing to combat pay for members of the Armed ual abuse of minors and amateur ath- At the request of Mr. TESTER, the Forces). letes by requiring the prompt reporting names of the Senator from California (6) Section 4253(d) (relating to the taxation of sexual abuse to law enforcement au- (Mrs. FEINSTEIN) and the Senator from of phone service originating from a combat thorities, and for other purposes. Maryland (Mr. VAN HOLLEN) were zone from members of the Armed Forces). (7) Section 6013(f)(1) (relating to joint re- S. 537 added as cosponsors of S. 681, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to turn where individual is in missing status). At the request of Mr. FRANKEN, the (8) Section 7508 (relating to time for per- name of the Senator from California improve the benefits and services pro- forming certain acts postponed by reason of (Mrs. FEINSTEIN) was added as a co- vided by the Department of Veterans service in combat zone). sponsor of S. 537, a bill to amend title Affairs to women veterans, and for (b) QUALIFIED HAZARDOUS DUTY AREA.—For 9 of the United States Code with re- other purposes. purposes of this section, the term ‘‘qualified hazardous duty area’’ means the Sinai Pe- spect to arbitration. S. 697 At the request of Mr. DAINES, the ninsula of Egypt, if as of the date of the en- S. 573 name of the Senator from New Mexico actment of this section any member of the At the request of Mr. PETERS, the Armed Forces of the United States is enti- (Mr. UDALL) was added as a cosponsor name of the Senator from New Hamp- tled to special pay under section 310 of title of S. 697, a bill to amend the Internal 37, United States Code (relating to special shire (Ms. HASSAN) was added as a co- Revenue Code of 1986 to lower the mile- sponsor of S. 573, a bill to establish the pay; duty subject to hostile fire or imminent age threshold for deduction in deter- danger) for services performed in such loca- National Criminal Justice Commission. mining adjusted gross income of cer- tion. Such term includes such location only S. 591 tain expenses of members of reserve during the period such entitlement is in ef- At the request of Mrs. MURRAY, the components of the Armed Forces, and fect. name of the Senator from West Vir- for other purposes. (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in ginia (Mr. MANCHIN) was added as a co- S. 699 paragraph (2), the provisions of this section sponsor of S. 591, a bill to expand eligi- At the request of Mr. MURPHY, the shall take effect on June 9, 2015. bility for the program of comprehen- name of the Senator from Michigan (2) WITHHOLDING.—Subsection (a)(5) shall sive assistance for family caregivers of (Mr. PETERS) was added as a cosponsor apply to remuneration paid after the date of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to of S. 699, a bill to amend title 38, the enactment of this Act. expand benefits available to partici- United States Code, to direct the Sec- pants under such program, to enhance retary of Veterans Affairs to furnish By Mr. MARKEY (for himself, special compensation for members of mental and behavioral health care to Mr. RUBIO, Mr. BROWN, and Mrs. the uniformed services who require as- certain individuals discharged or re- CAPITO): sistance in everyday life, and for other leased from the active military, naval, S. 708. A bill to improve the ability of purposes. or air service under conditions other U.S. Customs and Border Protection to interdict fentanyl, other synthetic S. 604 than honorable, and for other purposes. opioids, and other narcotics and f At the request of Mr. HATCH, the psychoactive substances that are ille- name of the Senator from West Vir- STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED gally imported into the United States, ginia (Mrs. CAPITO) was added as a co- BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS and for other purposes; to the Com- sponsor of S. 604, a bill to allow certain By Mr. CORNYN (for himself and mittee on Homeland Security and Gov- State permitting authority to encour- Ms. KLOBUCHAR): ernmental Affairs. age expansion of broadband service to S. 704. A bill to provide that members Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I rise rural communities, and for other pur- of the Armed Forces performing serv- to speak again today about the epi- poses. ices in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt demic of deadly, illicit fentanyl plagu- S. 605 shall be entitled to tax benefits in the ing our Nation and how, through bipar- At the request of Mr. DAINES, the same manner as if such services were tisan legislation I have introduced name of the Senator from Idaho (Mr. performed in a combat zone; to the today, we can help to stop this dan- RISCH) was added as a cosponsor of S. Committee on Finance. gerous opioid from flowing into our 605, a bill to amend the Forest and Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask country from abroad. Rangeland Renewable Resources Plan- unanimous consent that the text of the I want to start by providing some ning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land bill be printed in the RECORD. basic information about fentanyl. What

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR6.020 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1976 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 is fentanyl? Well, fentanyl is a syn- fered more than 2,000 opioid-related ficking of narcotics into the United thetic opioid that is 50 times stronger overdose deaths, largely fueled by the States. That is why today, Senators than heroin and 100 times more power- deadly rise of illicit fentanyl. In fact, RUBIO, BROWN, CAPITO, and I introduced ful than morphine. Although pharma- Massachusetts ranked second notion- legislation to help this front line of ceutical fentanyl can be misused, the ally per capita in synthetic opioid drug detection at the border. It is current fentanyl epidemic in our coun- deaths, which includes fentanyl, with called the INTERDICT Act. It provides try is being fueled by illicitly manufac- the number of deaths between 2014 and badly needed high-tech equipment and tured fentanyl and illicit versions of 2015 increasing by 109 percent. other resources to U.S. Customs and chemically similar compounds known Massachusetts authorities are now Border Protection to help it detect and as fentanyl analogs. finding fentanyl in 74 percent of the interdict illicit fentanyl being traf- Fentanyl, in its powder form, is often State’s opioid overdose deaths. If those ficked into the United States. mixed with other illegal drugs like her- figures hold up, that means last year Here is how it works. There are two oin or it is disguised in pill form to re- there will have been roughly 1,500 principal ways drugs like fentanyl are semble an opioid painkiller like fentanyl-related deaths in Massachu- trafficked into the United States. OxyContin. Many drug users overdose setts in 2016. If the fentanyl epidemic First, coming from Mexico, they are on fentanyl because they have no idea were to hit the entire Nation as hard as smuggled across the southwest border it is cut into whatever substance they it is hitting Massachusetts, the coun- of the United States. They are hidden are injecting or whatever pills they are try would lose almost 75,000 people in vehicles, beneath false floors, behind swallowing. They simply do not realize each year to fentanyl. Think about hidden compartments, and elsewhere. just how deadly fentanyl is. that. Those are more deaths than the The drugs are also carried into the In fact, just a few salt-size grains of United States suffered in the entire United States by people, sometimes fentanyl can kill an adult. Where does Vietnam war. hidden in the hollowed-out heels of illicit fentanyl come from? According Fentanyl is the Godzilla of opioids. It their shoes. to the Drug Enforcement Administra- will overrun communities and lay them Second, illegal fentanyl is also pur- tion, Mexico is the primary source for to waste, unless we take action now to chased online from overseas vendors in illicit fentanyl trafficked into the stop it. So how do we stop it? There is China and elsewhere—often on the dark United States. Distributors in China no easy solution to a crisis caused by a web—and then shipped to Mexico or di- are the principal source of the pre- drug that is so small, so powerful, so rectly to the United States through the cursor chemicals, the chemical build- profitable that those who traffic in it mail or express consignment carriers. ing blocks used to manufacture just want to make money, but we know Fentanyl shipped this way is often fentanyl in Mexico and elsewhere. we must act. concealed inside legitimate goods, with China is also a source of finished First, we need to raise awareness of fentanyl suppliers using various meth- product illicit fentanyl coming into the dire threat fentanyl poses to our ods to mislabel shipments. For exam- the United States. Why is illicit Nation. We need to educate the public ple, some conceal the powder in those fentanyl trafficking increasing? Well, about it. We need to elevate the issues small silica packages that say ‘‘do not we are in the midst of an opioid epi- to the highest levels of our government eat’’ placed alongside everyday items. demic that has begun with the over- and the governments of the countries Others gift wrap shipments or label prescription and resulting abuse of pre- from which it comes. To help with that them as household products like laun- scription opioids like OxyContin. When effort, last week, the Senate adopted a dry detergent to avoid detection. users found those pills too expensive to bipartisan sense of the Senate resolu- Customs and Border Protection has sustain their addiction, they turned to tion on fentanyl trafficking that I in- many different methods it uses to find cheaper heroin. troduced with Senator RUBIO from contraband being smuggled into the Now they are turning to even cheaper Florida. I thank him for his partner- United States at the border or through and more powerful fentanyl, which has ship on that resolution. I thank Sen- the mail. These include drug-sniffing become an extremely lucrative product ators TOOMEY, SHAHEEN, KING, JOHN- dogs, various kinds of scanners, fiber- for drug dealers and drug cartels. Ac- SON, and NELSON for adding their sup- optic scopes, and physical searches. cording to the DEA, a kilogram of her- port. When Customs and Border Protection oin can be purchased from Colombia The resolution calls on our govern- finds a suspicious substance using for about $6,000 and then sold on the ment to use its broad diplomatic and those and other methods, it has had wholesale drug market for $80,000—pur- law enforcement resources in partner- success identifying it as an illicit drug chased for 6,000, sold for $80,000. By ship with Mexico and China to disrupt like fentanyl with the help of high- comparison, a kilogram of pure the trafficking of fentanyl. We are see- tech, handheld chemical screening de- fentanyl can be purchased from China ing the signs of some progress. In Octo- vices. for less than $5,000 and then sold on the ber of 2015, China added 116 synthetic So anytime Customs and Border Pro- market for $80,000 as well. chemicals, including 6 fentanyl prod- tection finds a suspicious powder, pill, Because it is so potent that 1 kilo- ucts, to its list of controlled chemical or liquid, it can use a handheld de- gram of fentanyl can be cut with substances. In February of 2017, China vice—really something that looks and agents like talcum powder or caffeine, agreed to make carfentanil, a powerful feels like a Nintendo Game Boy—to resulting in 24 kilograms of product to fentanyl analogue, and three other conduct a test, in the field, with real- be sold, that means that one $5,000 fentanyl analogues illegal. time results. That means narcotics like kilogram of fentanyl actually reaps a Earlier this month, I led a group of 10 illicit fentanyl can be detected, identi- whopping profit in the neighborhood of Senators in urging Secretary of State fied, and seized quickly and on the $1.6 million. Tillerson to secure the votes of the 53 spot. Those rapid results provide vital What has been the impact of the member nations of the U.N. Commis- information for law enforcement offi- fentanyl epidemic on the United sion on Narcotic Drugs in favor of the cers to continue their investigation States? Well, the DEA is so concerned scheduling of the fentanyl precursors. and, if appropriate, proceed with sei- about fentanyl that in March of 2015, it Last week, the Commission voted zure and arrest. Not only does the use issued a nationwide alert that high- unanimously in favor of controlling of this technology disrupt the flow of lighted the drug as a threat to health these substances. This international the drugs into the country, it protects and public safety. Between 2014 and cooperation is expected to yield mean- the health and safety of law enforce- 2015, overdose deaths in the United ingful dividends in the fight against il- ment officials from exposure to dan- States from synthetic opioids, prin- licit fentanyl. gerous substances like illicit fentanyl. cipally illicit fentanyl, increased 72 Fentanyl will require us to build Often, Border Patrol agents don’t percent. bridges to our international partners, know what the powdery substance they In 2015, there were more than 9,500 not walls. Indeed, I recently visited have uncovered is and whether it poses such overdose deaths in the United Mexico, where I met with law enforce- a threat to them. That is especially States. Last year, it is estimated that ment officials at the border, on the alarming with illicit fentanyl, given its my home State of Massachusetts suf- front lines of the smuggling and traf- strength.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G23MR6.042 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1977 Exposure to a small amount by con- eyewitness accounts that David stayed over- onstrated history of provocations near dates tact with the skin or through inhala- night in several guesthouses during and after it deems historically significant; tion can be fatal. Increased use of these his safe hike through the gorge, and these (7) a well-reputed Japanese non-profit spe- cializing in North Korean abductions shared high-tech devices will provide impor- guesthouse locations suggest that David dis- appeared after passing through the gorge, with the United States its expert analysis in tant protections for our law enforce- but the guest registers recording the names 2012 about information it stated was received ment officers on the front lines. The and passport numbers of foreign overnight ‘‘from a reliable source’’ that a United INTERDICT Act also provides for addi- guests could not be accessed; States university student largely matching tional equipment back in Customs and Whereas Chinese officials have reported David Sneddon’s description was taken from Border Protection laboratories, includ- that evidence does not exist that David was China by North Korean agents in August 2004; and ing more scientists who analyze and in- a victim of violent crime, or a resident in a local hospital, prison, or mental institution (8) commentary published in the Wall terpret test results. Street Journal in 2013 cited experts looking at the time of his disappearance, and no at- The INTERDICT Act ensures that at the Sneddon case who concluded that ‘‘it tempt has been made to use David’s passport is most probable that a U.S. national has Customs and Border Patrol will have since the time of his disappearance, nor has been abducted to North Korea,’’ and ‘‘there hundreds of additional portable chem- any money been withdrawn from his bank ical screening devices available at is a strong possibility that North Korea kid- account since that time; napped the American’’: Now, therefore, be international ports of entry and mail Whereas David Sneddon is the only United it— and express consignment facilities and States citizen to disappear without expla- Resolved, that the Senate— additional equipment and personnel nation in the People’s Republic of China (1) expresses its ongoing concern about the available in their laboratories so that since the normalization of relations between disappearance of David Louis Sneddon in they can provide support during all the United States and China during the ad- Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of ministration of President Richard Nixon; operational hours. China, in August, 2004; Whereas investigative reporters and non- (2) directs the Department of State and the Again, I thank Senator RUBIO, Sen- governmental organizations with expertise intelligence community to jointly continue ator BROWN, and Senator CAPITO for in the Asia-Pacific region, and in some cases investigations and to consider all plausible working together on a bipartisan basis particular expertise in the Asian Under- explanations for David’s disappearance, in- so we can give these additional tools to ground Railroad and North Korea’s docu- cluding the possibility of abduction by the fight this fentanyl epidemic. I urge all mented program to kidnap citizens of foreign Government of the Democratic People’s Re- my colleagues to support this bill to nations for espionage purposes, have repeat- public of Korea; fight the scourge of illicit drugs. It edly raised the possibility that the Govern- (3) urges the Department of State and the ment of the Democratic People’s Republic of knows no political, geographic, or so- intelligence community to coordinate inves- Korea (DPRK) was involved in David’s dis- tigations with the Governments of the Peo- cioeconomic boundaries. It is the epi- appearance; and ple’s Republic of China, Japan, and South demic of our time. Whereas investigative reporters and non- Korea and solicit information from appro- Mr. President, I yield the floor. governmental organizations who have re- priate regional affairs and law enforcement f viewed David’s case believe it is possible experts on plausible explanations for David’s that the Government of North Korea was in- disappearance; SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS volved in David’s disappearance because— (4) encourages the Department of State (1) the Yunnan Province is regarded by re- and the intelligence community to work gional experts as an area frequently traf- with foreign governments known to have SENATE RESOLUTION 92—EX- ficked by North Korean refugees and their diplomatic influence with the Government of PRESSING CONCERN OVER THE support networks, and the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea DISAPPEARANCE OF DAVID the People’s Republic of China allows North to better investigate the possibility of the Korean agents to operate throughout the re- involvement of the Government of the Demo- SNEDDON, AND FOR OTHER PUR- gion to repatriate refugees, such as promi- POSES cratic People’s Republic of Korea in David nent North Korean defector Kang Byong-sop Sneddon’s disappearance and to possibly Mr. LEE (for himself, Mr. HATCH, and members of his family who were cap- seek his recovery; and tured near the China-Laos border just weeks Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. SASSE, Mr. COONS, (5) requests that the Department of State prior to David’s disappearance; and the intelligence community continue to Mr. RUBIO, Mr. FLAKE, and Mr. GARD- (2) in 2002, North Korean officials acknowl- work with and inform Congress and the fam- NER) submitted the following resolu- edged that the Government of North Korea ily of David Sneddon on efforts to possibly tion; which was referred to the Com- has carried out a policy since the 1970s of ab- recover David and to resolve his disappear- ducting foreign citizens and holding them mittee on Foreign Relations: ance. S. RES. 92 captive in North Korea for the purpose of training its intelligence and military per- f Whereas David Louis Sneddon is a United sonnel in critical language and culture skills SENATE RESOLUTION 93—CON- States citizen who disappeared while touring to infiltrate foreign nations; the Yunnan Province in the People’s Repub- (3) Charles Robert Jenkins, a United States GRATULATING THE EUROPEAN lic of China as a university student on Au- soldier who deserted his unit in South Korea UNION ON THE 60TH ANNIVER- gust 14, 2004, at the age of 24; in 1965 and was held captive in North Korea SARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE Whereas David had last reported to family for nearly 40 years, left North Korea in July TREATY OF ROME, WHICH ES- members prior to his disappearance that he 2004 (one month before David disappeared in TABLISHED THE EUROPEAN ECO- intended to hike the Tiger Leaping Gorge in China) and Jenkins reported that he was NOMIC COMMUNITY AND LAID the Yunnan Province before returning to the forced to teach English to North Korean in- United States and had placed a down pay- THE FOUNDATION FOR DECADES telligence and military personnel while in OF EUROPEAN PEACE AND PROS- ment on student housing for the upcoming captivity; academic year, planned business meetings, (4) David Sneddon is fluent in the Korean PERITY and scheduled law school entrance examina- language and was learning Mandarin, skills Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. tions in the United States for the fall; that could have been appealing to the Gov- MCCAIN) submitted the following reso- Whereas People’s Republic of China offi- ernment of North Korea after Charles Jen- lution; which was referred to the Com- cials have reported to the Department of kins left the country; mittee on Foreign Relations: State and the family of David that he most (5) tensions between the United States and likely died by falling into the Jinsha River North Korea were heightened during the S. RES. 93 while hiking the Tiger Leaping Gorge, al- summer of 2004 due to recent approval of the Whereas 6 European countries signed the though no physical evidence or eyewitness North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004 Treaty of Rome on March 25, 1957, creating testimony exists to support this conclusion; (Public Law 108–333) that increased United the European Economic Community, which Whereas there is evidence indicating that States aid to refugees fleeing North Korea, established a customs union and common David did not fall into the river when he prompting the Government of North Korea market among the signatory countries in traveled through the gorge, including eye- to issue a press release warning the United order to foster economic cooperation and witness testimonies from people who saw States to ‘‘drop its hostile policy’’; interdependence; David alive and spoke to him in person after (6) David Sneddon’s disappearance fits a Whereas the United States welcomed and his hike, as recorded by members of David’s known pattern often seen in the abduction of supported this European economic integra- family and by embassy officials from the De- foreigners by the Government of North tion, recognizing that this kind of union partment of State in the months after his Korea, including the fact that David dis- would promote interdependence and there- disappearance; appeared the day before North Korea’s Lib- fore prevent future war and conflict; Whereas family members searching for eration Day patriotic national holiday, and Whereas this economic integration has David shortly after he went missing obtained the Government of North Korea has a dem- broadened and evolved into the European

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Jun 16, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD17\MARCH\S23MR7.REC S23MR7 S1978 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 Union, a unique political and economic the United States and the European Union (3) recognizes the challenges the European union covering much of the European con- together provide more than three-quarters of Union, its Transatlantic partners, and the tinent and based on the principles of rule of official development assistance worldwide broader global community continue to face, law and representative democracy, which has and have established an ongoing Develop- including an unprecedented migration and pursued common policies in economic, secu- ment Dialogue to improve the quality and ef- refugee crisis, increased Russian aggression rity, diplomatic, and political areas and has fectiveness of development aid; and interference, violent extremism, and the helped bring unprecedented peace and sta- Whereas the United States and the Euro- rise of nationalist and populist sentiment; bility to Europe and its neighbors; pean Union collaborate to promote peace and and Whereas European integration has been es- stability and prevent conflict around the (4) affirms the desire of the United States sential in opening and expanding markets, world, working together to address conflicts Government to strengthen the Transatlantic strengthening the rule of law and respect for including those in Syria and Ukraine and partnership with the European Union and its basic freedoms, and fostering democracy in confront global security challenges like ter- member states. Europe itself, both in European Union mem- rorism, nuclear weapons proliferation, f bers and aspiring nations; transnational crime, and cybercrime; Whereas, since World War II, the United Whereas, in pursuit of an integrated, free, SENATE RESOLUTION 94—DESIG- States has firmly supported and been an ac- and peaceful Europe, the United States and NATING MARCH 2017 AS ‘‘NA- tive partner in the European integration the European Union have worked together to TIONAL READ ALOUD MONTH’’ project, working with Europe to rebuild its promote peace, stability, and prosperity in war-torn continent through the Marshall the Balkans and to advance their coopera- Mr. PORTMAN (for himself and Ms. Plan and to create an Atlantic security alli- tion with and integration into institutions HARRIS) submitted the following reso- ance built on shared values and ideals, the like NATO and the European Union. lution; which was referred to the Com- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Whereas, in response to its annexation of mittee on the Judiciary: to permanently prevent the kind of conflict Crimea and continued aggression in the sov- S. RES. 94 we had just endured; ereign nation of Ukraine, the United States Whereas medical experts have concluded Whereas the United States and Europe and the European Union imposed and have that reading aloud is the ‘‘single most im- have since engaged in a close and robust maintained sanctions to increase the diplo- portant’’ activity in which parents can par- Transatlantic partnership, constructed on a matic and financial costs on the Russian ticipate in order to prepare their children to strong foundation of shared values and com- Federation for its illegal actions; read and learn; mitment to democracy, freedom and the rule Whereas, in the face of ongoing threats Whereas recent research has concluded of law, to the benefit of the United States, from terrorism, the United States and the that, by 3 years of age, there is a gap in early Europe, and the rest of the world; European Union cooperate closely to target brain development between children whose Whereas a strong United States-European terrorist financing, secure transportation parents read to them and children whose par- Union partnership has helped build our mu- and borders, provide mutual assistance with ents do not; tual economies, ensured unprecedented peace cross-border investigations and extraditions, Whereas Congress has highlighted the im- in Europe, and remains essential to creating and share information; and portance of early childhood literacy by in- a freer, safer, and more prosperous and more Whereas leaders on both sides of the Atlan- cluding funding for State comprehensive lit- interconnected world; tic have long recognized the value of and ex- eracy plans and targeted funds toward early Whereas the Transatlantic economy is the pressed their commitment to the Trans- childhood education programs in the Every world’s largest and wealthiest market and atlantic partnership, including— Student Succeeds Act (Public Law 114–95; 129 the single most important driver of global (1) President John F. Kennedy, who said in Stat. 1802); economic growth and prosperity, with the 1962 that ‘‘we do not regard a strong and Whereas, in 2013, Read Aloud 15 MINUTES United States and European Union together united Europe as a rival but as a partner,’’ launched a decade-long national campaign accounting for over half of the world’s gross and asserted that the United States believed highlighting the importance of reading aloud domestic product (GDP), generating ‘‘that a united Europe will be capable of $5,500,000,000,000 in yearly commercial sales playing a greater role in the common de- to children, starting from birth; and and employing up to 15,000,000 workers in do- fense, of responding more generously to the Whereas Read Aloud 15 MINUTES now has mestic jobs on both sides of the Atlantic; needs of poorer nations, of joining with the more than 21 National Leadership Partners Whereas mutual investment is the back- United States and others in lowering trade and 10,000 grassroots partners, including day bone of the Transatlantic economy, and the barriers, resolving problems of commerce, care facilities, schools, libraries, health cen- United States and Europe are each other’s commodities, and currency, and developing ters, and rotary clubs in all 50 States: Now, primary source and destination for Foreign coordinated policies in all economic, polit- therefore, be it That the Senate— Direct Investment (FDI); ical, and diplomatic areas’’; Resolved, Whereas the United States and the Euro- (2) President Ronald Reagan, who ad- (1) designates March 2017 as ‘‘National pean Union are each other’s largest trading dressed the European Parliament in 1985 ‘‘to Read Aloud Month’’; and partners, and United States-European Union reaffirm to the people of Europe the con- (2) encourages parents and guardians to trade totaled approximately $687,000,000,000 stancy of the American purpose’’ and to read to their children for 15 minutes every during 2016, almost double the level at the state that ‘‘America remains . . . dedicated day because of the developmental benefits beginning of the century; to the unity of Europe’’ and ‘‘is at your side that activity has for children. Whereas the Transatlantic economy drives today, because, like you, we have not veered f from the ideals of the West—the ideals of innovation, with the United States and Eu- SENATE RESOLUTION 95—DESIG- ropean Union investing more in mutual Re- freedom, liberty, and peace’’; search and Development than any other 2 (3) President Barack Obama, who stated in NATING MARCH 22, 2017, AS ‘‘NA- international partners and collaborating a 2016 address in Germany that ‘‘the United TIONAL REHABILITATION COUN- across areas of science and technology, in- States, and the entire world, needs a strong SELORS APPRECIATION DAY’’ and prosperous and democratic and united cluding marine and Arctic science, transpor- Europe. . .because Europe’s security and Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. tation and energy technologies, and health prosperity is inherently indivisible from our ISAKSON) submitted the following reso- research; own’’ and recognized that ‘‘Europe helps to lution; which was referred to the Com- Whereas this historic partnership goes far uphold the norms and rules that can main- beyond economic and commercial ties, and mittee on the Judiciary: tain peace and promote prosperity around S. RES. 95 the United States and the European Union the world’’; and work together to promote peace and sta- (4) Vice President Mike Pence, who as- Whereas rehabilitation counselors conduct bility, protect human rights, foster democ- serted that ‘‘our two continents share the assessments, provide counseling, support racy and sustainable development, combat same heritage, the same values and above families, and plan and implement rehabilita- global threats like terrorism, and eradicate all, the same purpose to promote peace and tion programs for individuals in need of re- disease and poverty; prosperity through freedom, democracy and habilitation; Whereas the United States and the Euro- the rule of law’’ and reiterated that the Whereas the purpose of professional orga- pean Union have developed numerous mecha- United States ‘‘will stand with Europe, nizations for rehabilitation counseling and nisms to strengthen the Transatlantic rela- today and every day,’’ while traveling in Eu- education is to promote the improvement of tionship and to improve communication and rope in February 2017: Now, therefore, be it rehabilitation services available to individ- collaboration among our respective govern- Resolved, That the Senate— uals with disabilities through quality edu- ments, including annual European Union- (1) congratulates the European Union and cation for counselors and rehabilitation re- United States Summit meetings and the its member states on the 60th anniversary of search; Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue, which the historic signing of the Treaty of Rome; Whereas various professional organizations facilitates meetings between members of the (2) commends the European Union for its have vigorously advocated for up-to-date European Parliament and the United States critical role in spreading peace, prosperity, education and training and the maintenance Congress on issues of mutual concern; and stability throughout Europe and world- of professional standards in the field of reha- Whereas, despite representing approxi- wide, as well as its close and enduring part- bilitation counseling and education, includ- mately 12 percent of the world’s population, nership with the United States; ing—

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:40 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR6.029 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1979 (1) the National Rehabilitation Associa- Whereas scientists and researchers are ing entitled ‘‘The Nomination of the tion; hopeful for breakthroughs in cerebral palsy Honorable Neil M. Gorsuch.’’ (2) the Rehabilitation Counselors and Edu- research; SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE cators Association; Whereas researchers across the United The Senate Select Committee on In- (3) the National Council on Rehabilitation States conduct important research projects Education; involving cerebral palsy; and telligence is authorized to meet during (4) the National Rehabilitation Counseling Whereas the Senate can raise awareness of the session of the 115th Congress of the Association; cerebral palsy in the public and the medical U.S. Senate on Thursday, March 23, (5) the American Rehabilitation Coun- community: Now, therefore, be it 2017 from 2 p.m., in room SH–219 of the seling Association; (6) the Commission on Rehabilitation Resolved, That the Senate— Senate Hart Office Building. Counselor Certification; (1) designates March 25, 2017, as ‘‘National SUBCOMMITTEE ON PERSONNEL (7) the Council of State Administrators of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day’’; The Subcommittee on Personnel of Vocational Rehabilitation; and (2) encourages each individual in the the Committee on Armed Services be United States to become better informed (8) the Council on Rehabilitation Edu- authorized to meet during the session cation; about and aware of cerebral palsy; and (3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate on Thursday, March 23, Whereas, in March of 1983, the president of 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in open session. the National Council on Rehabilitation Edu- of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolu- cation testified before the Subcommittee on tion to the Executive Director of Reaching SUBCOMMITTEE ON AVIATION OPERATIONS, Select Education of the Committee on Edu- for the Stars: A Foundation of Hope for Chil- SAFETY, AND SECURITY cation and Labor of the House of Representa- dren with Cerebral Palsy. The Committee on Commerce, tives and was instrumental in bringing to f Science, and Transportation is author- the attention of Congress the need for quali- ized to hold a meeting during the ses- fied rehabilitation counselors; and SENATE RESOLUTION 97—AUTHOR- sion of the Senate on Thursday, March Whereas credentialed rehabilitation coun- IZING THE PRINTING OF A COL- 23, 2017, at 10 a.m. in room 253 of the selors provide a higher quality of service to LECTION OF THE RULES OF THE Russell Senate Office Building. individuals in need of rehabilitation and the COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE The Committee will hold Sub- development of an accreditation system for rehabilitation counselors supports the con- Mr. SHELBY (for himself and Ms. committee Hearing on ‘‘FAA Reauthor- tinued education of rehabilitation coun- KLOBUCHAR) submitted the following ization: Perspectives on Improving Air- selors: Now, therefore, be it resolution; which was considered and port Infrastructure and Aviation Man- Resolved, That the Senate— agreed to: ufacturing.’’ (1) designates March 22, 2017, as ‘‘National f Rehabilitation Counselors Appreciation S. RES. 97 Day’’; and Resolved, That a collection of the rules of PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR (2) commends— the committees of the Senate, together with Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask (A) rehabilitation counselors for their related materials, be printed as a Senate dedication and hard work in providing coun- document, and that there be printed 250 addi- unanimous consent that the tech- seling to individuals in need of rehabilita- tional copies of such document for the use of nology fellow on my staff, Christopher tion; and the Committee on Rules and Administration. Soghoian, be granted privileges of the (B) professional organizations for their ef- floor for the remainder of this Con- forts in assisting individuals who require re- f gress. habilitation. AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without f MEET objection, it is so ordered. Mr. UDALL. Mr. President, I ask SENATE RESOLUTION 96—DESIG- Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I have 7 unanimous consent that a member of NATING MARCH 25, 2017, AS ‘‘NA- requests for committees to meet during my staff, Tannis Fox, be granted floor TIONAL CEREBRAL PALSY today’s session of the Senate. They privileges for the remainder of the AWARENESS DAY’’ have the approval of the Majority and 115th Congress. Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr. ISAKSON, Minority leaders. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without and Ms. HASSAN) submitted the fol- Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph objection, it is so ordered. 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Sen- lowing resolution; which was consid- f ered and agreed to: ate, the following committees are au- S. RES. 96 thorized to meet during today’s session APPOINTMENTS Whereas a group of permanent disorders of of the Senate: The PRESIDING OFFICER. The the development of movement and posture COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND Chair, on behalf of the Democratic that are attributed to nonprogressive dis- FORESTRY leader and ranking member of the Sen- turbances that occur in the developing brain The Committee on Agriculture, Nu- ate Committee on Armed Services, pur- is referred to as ‘‘cerebral palsy’’; trition, and Forestry is authorized to suant to the provisions of Public Law Whereas cerebral palsy, the most common meet during the session of the Senate 114–328, appoints the following individ- motor disability in children, is caused by damage to 1 or more specific areas of the de- on Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 10 a.m. uals to serve as members of the Na- veloping brain, which usually occurs during in 325 Russell Senate Office Building. tional Commission on Military, Na- fetal development before, during, or after COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES tional, and Public Service: Alan Khazei birth; The Committee on Armed Services is of Massachusetts and Mark Gearan of Whereas the majority of children who have authorized to meet during the session New York. cerebral palsy are born with cerebral palsy, of the Senate on Thursday, March 23, The Chair, on behalf of the Vice but cerebral palsy may be undetected for 2017, at 9:30 a.m., in open session. President, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 6968(a), months or years; appoints the following Senator to the COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN Whereas 75 percent of individuals with cer- Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval ebral palsy also have 1 or more develop- AFFAIRS Academy: the Honorable JAMES mental disabilities, including epilepsy, intel- The Committee on Banking, Housing, LANKFORD of Oklahoma (Committee on lectual disability, autism, visual impair- and Urban Affairs is authorized to Appropriations). ment, or blindness; meet during the session of the Senate Whereas, according to information re- on Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. f leased by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention— to conduct a hearing entitled ‘‘Nomina- NATIONAL CEREBRAL PALSY (1) the prevalence of cerebral palsy is not tion of Mr. Jay Clayton to be a Member AWARENESS DAY changing over time; and of the Securities and Exchange Com- Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask (2) an estimated 1 in 323 children has cere- mission.’’ bral palsy; unanimous consent that the Senate COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY proceed to the immediate consider- Whereas approximately 764,000 individuals The Committee on the Judiciary is in the United States are affected by cerebral ation of S. Res. 96, submitted earlier palsy; authorized to meet during the session today. Whereas, although there is no cure for cer- of the Senate, on March 23, 2017, at 9:30 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ebral palsy, treatment often improves the a.m., in room SH–216 of the Hart Sen- clerk will report the resolution by capabilities of a child with cerebral palsy; ate Office Building, to continue a hear- title.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR6.031 S23MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE S1980 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 23, 2017 The legislative clerk read as follows: The legislative clerk read as follows: remarks, the Senate proceed to execu- A resolution (S. Res. 96) designating March A resolution (S. Res. 97) authorizing the tive session and resume consideration 25, 2017, as ‘‘National Cerebral Palsy Aware- printing of a collection of the rules of the of Executive Calendar No. 1, the Mon- ness Day.’’ committees of the Senate. tenegro treaty; further, that the filing There being no objection, the Senate There being no objection, the Senate deadline for first-degree amendments proceeded to consider the resolution. proceeded to consider the resolution. under rule XXII for the cloture motion Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I fur- Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask filed during today’s session of the Sen- ther ask unanimous consent that the unanimous consent that the resolution ate be at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, March resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to and the motion to recon- 27; and finally, that notwithstanding be agreed to, and the motions to recon- sider be considered made and laid upon the provisions of rule XXII, the cloture sider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or vote occur at 5:30 p.m. the table with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. f objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 97) was agreed The resolution (S. Res. 96) was agreed to. ADJOURNMENT UNTIL MONDAY, to. (The resolution is printed in today’s MARCH 27, 2017, AT 3 P.M. The preamble was agreed to. RECORD under ‘‘Submitted Resolu- Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, if (The resolution, with its preamble, is tions.’’) there is no further business to come be- printed in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Sub- f fore the Senate, I ask unanimous con- mitted Resolutions.’’) sent that it stand adjourned under the ORDERS FOR MONDAY, MARCH 27, f previous order. 2017 There being no objection, the Senate, AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING OF A Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask at 5:54 p.m., adjourned until Monday, COLLECTION OF THE RULES OF unanimous consent that when the Sen- March 27, 2017, at 3 p.m. THE COMMITTEES OF THE SEN- ate completes its business today, it ad- ATE journ until 3 p.m., Monday, March 27; f Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask further, that following the prayer and CONFIRMATION unanimous consent that the Senate pledge, the morning hour be deemed Executive nomination confirmed by proceed to the consideration of S. Res. expired, the Journal of proceedings be the Senate March 23, 2017: 97, submitted earlier today. approved to date, the time for the two The PRESIDING OFFICER. The leaders be reserved for their use later DEPARTMENT OF STATE clerk will report the resolution by in the day, and morning business be DAVID FRIEDMAN, OF NEW YORK, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE title. closed; further, that following leader UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO ISRAEL.

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IN MEMORY OF MR. ROBERT I extend my deepest congratulations to 3D who spoke out in favor of unpopular pro- ‘‘BUDDY’’ O. LAMPI, II Systems for this well-deserved recognition posals. He introduced legislation to increase from the Jeffco EDC. the excise tax on gasoline and called for steps HON. THOMAS J. ROONEY f to reduce spending on even the most popular OF FLORIDA programs. He believed that every federal pro- TRIBUTE TO THE HON. ANTHONY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES gram and tax benefit, no matter how popular, C. ‘‘TONY’’ BEILENSON Thursday, March 23, 2017 should be under consideration for cuts. Tony had a great affinity for the natural Mr. THOMAS J. ROONEY of Florida. Mr. HON. BRAD SHERMAN world and worked to save open space and Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Rob- OF CALIFORNIA protect critical habitats and endangered spe- ert O. Lampi II, better known as Buddy, of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cies. He was a leader in efforts to protect the Pahokee, Florida, who passed away on March world’s remaining African elephants and rhi- 10th in Okeechobee, Florida at the age of 71. Thursday, March 23, 2017 noceroses. Buddy Lampi’s life was greatly influenced by Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight Tony’s crowning environmental achievement his love of music. An accomplished instrumen- to pay tribute to our colleague and friend, was the establishment of the Santa Monica talist and an exceptionally talented trumpet Congressman Anthony C. ‘‘Tony’’ Beilenson, Mountains National Recreation Area. The for- player, his passion led him to pursue a lifelong who, from 1977 to 1997, represented with dis- mation of this park helped guarantee that tens career as a Band Director. Over the 40 years tinction in the House of Representatives a Los of thousands of acres of land in the Los Ange- that he proudly held this position, he shared Angeles-area district. les metropolitan area would remain natural ha- his love for music with thousands of students Joining me in this statement are my col- vens of open space and continue to benefit and inspired them to challenge themselves leagues: NANCY PELOSI, DANA ROHRABACHER, the millions of people who live in Los Angeles and always strive to reach their full potential. MAXINE WATERS, KEN CALVERT, ANNA ESHOO, and Ventura Counties. Tony authored the Buddy was a graduate of the University of LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD, ZOE LOFGREN, BAR- 1978 legislation that established the recreation Miami, and like his father, a member of the BARA LEE, GRACE NAPOLITANO, MIKE THOMP- area as a unit of the National Park System, Florida Band Master’s Association. SON, SUSAN DAVIS, ADAM SCHIFF, LINDA and throughout his entire tenure in the House, Outside of the classroom, music remained SA´NCHEZ, JIM COSTA, DORIS MATSUI, JERRY he fought tirelessly for funding to acquire the an important part of his life. He was a member MCNERNEY, JACKIE SPEIER, JUDY CHU, JOHN recreation area’s park land and to promote the of the Okeechobee First United Methodist GARAMENDI, KAREN BASS, AMI BERA, JULIA area’s success. Church where he regularly sang with the choir. BROWNLEY, TONY CA´RDENAS, JARED HUFFMAN, After Tony retired, Congress passed legisla- In his spare time, Buddy enjoyed golfing and ALAN LOWENTHAL, SCOTT PETERS, RAUL RUIZ, tion to name the recreation area’s principal fishing. We are deeply saddened by his loss ERIC SWALWELL, MARK TAKANO, JUAN VARGAS, visitor center in his honor. This center, named and know that his passion for music will live PETE AGUILAR, MARK DESAULNIER, TED LIEU, the Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor on in the many students he inspired. NORMA TORRES, NANETTE BARRAGA´N, SALUD Center, is located in the heart of the Santa Mr. Speaker, my thoughts and prayers are CARBAJAL, LUIS CORREA, RO KHANNA, and Monica Mountains and orients visitors to the with Mr. Lampi’s family, especially his wife JIMMY PANETTA. many features and offerings of the publicly ac- Peggy, and loved ones as they mourn his Tony was widely admired for his integrity, cessible federal, state, local and privately passing. He will be greatly missed. thoughtfulness, and effectiveness as a states- owned lands within the recreation area. f man and is fondly remembered for his warmth, Tony also secured funding over a period of 3D SYSTEMS caring, and engaging personality. To our great years to create a 160-acre recreational park sadness, Tony passed away on March 5, and a 60-acre wildlife refuge in the Sepulveda HON. ED PERLMUTTER 2017. Flood Control Basin in the San Fernando Val- Tony was born in New Rochelle, New York ley. A park there is also named in his honor. OF COLORADO on October 26, 1932, and grew up in the New While Tony was a Harvard-trained lawyer IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES York City area. After obtaining a law degree with an impressive legislative record, he was Thursday, March 23, 2017 from Harvard in 1957, Tony moved to Los An- a self-effacing person who gave ample credit Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise geles to work in entertainment law. Soon after to those involved in his causes and accom- today to recognize 3D Systems for winning the arriving in California, he sought out public plishments. He will be remembered for his 2016 Business Recognition Award from the service. In 1962, he was elected to the Cali- ability to debate difficult and divisive issues in Jeffco EDC. fornia State Assembly, and in 1966 to the a highly respectful manner. Founded in 1986, 3D Systems provides State Senate, where he served until 1977. We send our condolences to his wife Dolo- comprehensive 3D products and services, in- During his tenure in the Legislature, Tony rose res, sons Adam and Peter, daughter Dayna, cluding printers, print materials, on-demand to become chairman of the Senate Finance and nine grandchildren. parts services and digital design tools. Its ad- Committee and authored more than 200 laws, f vanced applications produce equipment used many of which served as models for laws in RED ROCKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE on the factory floor to the operating room in- other states and at the federal level. cluding precision healthcare capabilities such In the U.S. House of Representatives, Tony HON. ED PERLMUTTER as simulation, Virtual Surgical Planning, and served for nine terms on the Rules Committee OF COLORADO printing of medical, dental and other surgical and was the second most senior minority IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES instruments and devices. As a leader in 3D member at the time of his retirement. He also solutions, 3D Systems has spent its 30-year spent several terms on the Budget Committee Thursday, March 23, 2017 history enabling professionals and companies and the Intelligence Committee, where he Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to optimize their designs, transform their served as its chairman in 1989 and 1990. today to recognize Red Rocks Community workflows, bring innovative products to market Tony was an outspoken and tireless advo- College as the 2016 winner of the Genesis and drive new business models. cate for the causes he believed in. He co- Award from the Jeffco EDC. Recently, 3D Systems relocated and ex- chaired the House’s Population Coalition, The Genesis Award recognizes an innova- panded its operations into a 70,000 square- which advocated for strategies to help slow tive and collaborative individual, city or organi- foot facility in unincorporated Jefferson County world population growth and improve maternal zation that has significantly contributed to Jef- where it expects to almost double the number health. Serving at a time when efforts were in ferson County’s economic vitality. of employees and bring millions in new capital full swing to curb ballooning federal deficits Since 1969, Red Rocks Community College investment. and growing debt, Tony was a rare member has delivered a high-quality education to an

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K23MR8.001 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E368 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 23, 2017 eclectic mix of students of all ages, incomes Mr. Girardi is survived by his loving children, Primus Aerospace is a leading provider of and backgrounds. Serving approximately Cindy, Cathy, Janelle, Guido and Mike, his high-precision, high-complexity machined com- 14,000 annual students, Red Rocks provides sister Olga Nelson, and his grandchildren Mi- ponents, kits and subassemblies for the aero- a convenient setting with formats ranging tra- chael, Stephen, Alexa, Austin, Frank, Xavier, space, defense and space industries. Founded ditional classroom, online, self-paced, and and Sabrina. He was preceded in death by his in 1999, Primus serves aerospace customers weekend classes and campuses in both Lake- devoted wife Mary Lou, his brothers George in North America, Europe and Asia with diver- wood and Arvada. Today, Red Rocks offers and Joseph, and his parents Giorgio and sified and complex machined products, as- more than 150 programs and 650 courses Angelina. He will be dearly missed. sembly services and engineering support. Pri- leading to two-year degrees or professional Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join mus focuses on core principles of increased certificates. me in honoring the life and career of Mr. automation, unique capability, and extraor- Recently, Red Rocks expanded its campus Chuck Girardi, a truly celebrated and inspira- dinary flexibility to their customers while offer- in Arvada by adding 50,000 square feet for tional individual in his community. As an edu- ing a broad array of manufacturing services in- health careers, technologies, and science pro- cator and coach in Merced and Fresno Coun- cluding machining, assembly, testing, design grams. The $22.5 million expansion enables ty, his commitment to education will be appre- support, welding, grinding, and finishing. the community college to respond to the grow- ciated for years to come. Primus works hard to add new value every ing workforce needs of the service area and f year to customers by continually expanding provide access for students interested in the their services, improving their processes, and TRIBUTE TO SHERYL LYNETTE health and science industry. maintaining a strategy focused on our cus- I extend my deepest congratulations to Red BRANCH MAXWELL tomers’ needs. This company continues to Rocks Community College for this well-de- excel, exemplified by its ability to hire 30 new served recognition from the Jeffco EDC. HON. JASON SMITH employees in 2016. OF MISSOURI f I extend my deepest congratulations to Pri- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES mus Aerospace for this well-deserved recogni- HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. Thursday, March 23, 2017 tion from the Jeffco EDC. CHARLES ANTON GIRARDI Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise f today to honor Sheryl Lynette Branch Maxwell, PERSONAL EXPLANATION HON. JIM COSTA the 33rd Anniversary Honoree of The Daugh- OF CALIFORNIA ters of Sunset in Sikeston, Missouri. Fondly HON. STEVE KING IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES known throughout the State of Missouri as OF IOWA Thursday, March 23, 2017 ‘‘Ms. Sherry,’’ Sheryl has continuously served IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the under-privileged and special needs youth Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Thursday, March 23, 2017 honor the life and career of Mr. Charles and adults of the 8th Congressional District Girardi. Mr. Girardi dedicated his life to being since 1979. Under Ms. Sherry’s watchful hand, Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I missed an educator and coach to many students, both a program called Kids’ Beat has grown tre- three votes due to a meeting at the White in his home state of South Dakota as well as mendously. Kids Beat provides a safe and House with President Trump. Had I been Merced and Fresno County. Throughout his educational surrounding for underprivileged present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call life, he left a lasting legacy by teaching and in- and special needs children, and has grown to No. 182, NAY Roll Call No. 183, and YEA on spiring his students to become positive role cover 30 counties in Missouri. Ms. Sherry has Roll Call No. 184. models. also worked as Special Project Coordinator for f Charles Girardi, known to many as Chuck, the New Madrid County Health Department. In this role, Sheryl helped limited resource resi- RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF was born in Delcarbon, Colorado and grew up THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE 2ND in Lead, South Dakota. In his youth, Mr. dents and partnered with outside groups to generate additional resources for the program. LIEUTENANT JOHN DONALD Girardi was an active and gifted athlete. He MUMFORD was an especially talented basketball player, Sheryl has been named to advisory commit- which earned him an athletic scholarship to tees for three concurrent Missouri governors HON. CHARLIE CRIST the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. In and spearheaded programs for the Lincoln OF FLORIDA 1944, he enlisted in the United States Navy University Cooperative Extension. Ms. Sherry IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and served in the Pacific until the end of even has a day named after her. January 20, World War II. Mr. Girardi was awarded medals 2013 was declared ‘‘Ms. Sherry Day’’ by the Thursday, March 23, 2017 in the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign and City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Mr. CRIST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to At Cornerstone Baptist Church, Ms. Sherry World War II Victory for his honorable service. honor a fallen hero who made the ultimate served her community as a choir president, He returned to the University of South Dakota sacrifice for his country. Lost on the battle- Sunday school teacher, church secretary and shortly after being honorably discharged in fields of Europe during World War II, the re- youth leader. Whether she is raising money 1946 to continue his studies and play basket- mains of Army Air Force 2nd Lieutenant. John for those less fortunate or counseling some- ball. He later transferred to Fresno State and Donald Mumford have finally returned home to one through a rough time, Ms. Sherry has played basketball for the Bulldogs. Mr. Girardi St. Petersburg, Florida. was also a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsi- shown true leadership throughout our commu- On June 6, 1944, the same morning U.S. lon Fraternity. nity. forces stormed the beaches at Normandy, 2nd Today, I am honored to announce Ms. Sher- Mr. Girardi earned his bachelor’s degree Lt. Mumford bravely led a squadron of B–17 ry as the 33rd Anniversary Honoree of The from Fresno State in 1950 and obtained his Flying Fortress bombers on a successful air Daughters of Sunset. Their mission is ‘‘Making master’s from Black Hills State College in raid over Germany. Returning to base, his a Difference,’’ and I cannot think of a more de- Spearfish, South Dakota. He returned to Fres- plane was attacked by 10 Nazi warplanes, serving recipient than Sheryl Maxwell. Thank no after being encouraged by his former Fres- sent crashing into Ukrainian farmland. A mor- you, Ms. Sherry, for making a difference in the no State coach to return for an opening tally wounded 2nd Lt. Mumford was last re- 8th Congressional District of Missouri. coaching position. Mr. Girardi taught and ported seen by Romanian villagers in 1944, 73 coached at Roosevelt High School until 1974, f years ago. when he began to work as an educator and PRIMUS AEROSPACE Cold War tensions prevented the timely re- coach at Merced College. During his career, covery of 2nd Lt. Mumford’s body. But the his- he touched the lives of many students and HON. ED PERLMUTTER torical office at the Department of Defense took great pride in the accomplishments of his never gave up. They began anew the search OF COLORADO players. for 2nd Lt. Mumford’s remains, and from 2007 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES After retiring, Mr. Girardi enjoyed spending to 2016, the POW/MIA Accounting Agency in- time with his family and playing golf. He also Thursday, March 23, 2017 vestigated the alleged crash site, ultimately spent several months with his wife at their Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise finding proof of a downed WWII-era U.S. air- cabin in Black Hills, South Dakota, enjoying today to recognize Primus Aerospace for win- craft. With help from Ukrainian Armed Forces the familiar weather and his childhood environ- ning the 2016 Business Recognition Award and local farmers, they uncovered the remains ment. from the Jeffco EDC. of 2nd Lt. Mumford.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K23MR8.003 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E369 Mr. Speaker, the United States of America programs for young women in elementary versary milestone, and wish them an even never leaves a fallen soldier behind. When school, several shelter programs to provide brighter future. brothers Ronald and Lynn Woolums stood on stable homes and counseling, and outreach f the Tampa International Airport tarmac last services to help teens and young women en- week to accept the remains of their uncle, 2nd gaged in high-risk activities like gang involve- PERSONAL EXPLANATION Lt. John Donald Mumford, it represented a ment and drug use. This comprehensive ap- proud tradition that defines who we are as a proach to supporting young women in need HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER people. has been effective in empowering these indi- OF NEW YORK I want to express my gratitude for the De- viduals to make positive choices and create a IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES fense Department’s investigation team who brighter future for themselves. Thursday, March 23, 2017 made this day possible. 2nd Lt. Mumford is an Over the past 25 years, AFG has served Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I was un- American hero, and his family should beam over 105,000 at-risk girls, women and family avoidably detained and missed Roll Call vote with pride at his sacrifice. And what an amaz- members. Additionally, 99 percent of the numbers 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 and 187. ing story to pass along from generation to young women participating in AFG’s Preven- Had I been present, I would have voted Aye generation—we honor our men and women in tion Program have graduated high school and on votes 183, 184, 185 and 187. I would have uniform by never forgetting. gone on to college. These results underscore voted Nay on votes 182 and 186. Mr. Speaker, we salute Army Air Forces 2nd the impact that AFG’s multidisciplinary and f Lieutenant John Donald Mumford, and all the evidence-based approaches to reducing harm- men and women who have given their lives ful behavior have had for at-risk youth in- ADAPT protecting the freedoms we so dearly cherish. volved in the program. Additionally, AFG’s out- God bless our troops, and God bless America. reach efforts have been critical to raising HON. ED PERLMUTTER f awareness of the issues these young women OF COLORADO face and driving action in state and local gov- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NEW TERRAIN BREWERY ernment. The progress that AFG has made in Thursday, March 23, 2017 improving the lives of young girls has been re- Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise HON. ED PERLMUTTER markable and inspiring, and it is my hope that today to recognize ADAPT as the 2016 winner OF COLORADO the organization continues its critical work in of the Genesis Award from the Jeffco EDC. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the coming years. The Genesis Award recognizes an innova- Thursday, March 23, 2017 Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me tive and collaborative individual, city or organi- in honoring Alternatives for Girls’ 30th anniver- zation that has significantly contributed to Jef- Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise sary on the date of its 2017 Role Model Din- ferson County’s economic vitality. today to recognize New Terrain Brewery for ner. The efforts of the group have impacted The Alliance for the Development of Addi- winning the 2016 Business Recognition Award the lives of countless young women in metro tive Processing Technologies (ADAPT) is a re- from the Jeffco EDC. Detroit. search and development organization dedi- In 2016, New Terrain Brewery opened on f cated to the development of next-generation Table Mountain Parkway featuring a 2,000- CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVER- data and advanced technologies for additive square-foot taproom, an outdoor beer garden, manufacturing technologies. Their technology and a 15,000 square foot production facility SARY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY FARM BUREAU helps industry and government qualify, stand- with a thirty-barrel brew house. The New Ter- ardize, assess, and optimize advanced manu- rain team brings their curiosity to the science facturing processes and parts. Industry part- of beer making, working to produce small HON. BILL SHUSTER ners such as Faustson Tools, Ball Aerospace batch, high quality, and creative beers. With OF PENNSYLVANIA & Technologies Corporation, and Lockheed- the motto of ‘‘what if we try this way’’, the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Martin Space Systems came together to help team continues to create, innovate and ex- Thursday, March 23, 2017 support and secure a grant from the Colorado plore new terrain. Office of Economic Development and Inter- Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to I extend my deepest congratulations to New national Trade (OEDIT) to establish ADAPT in congratulate the Cambria County Farm Bu- Terrain Brewery for this well-deserved recogni- December 2015. This world-class program is reau in Pennsylvania’s 9th and 12th Congres- tion from the Jeffco EDC. headquartered at Colorado School of Mines sional Districts for reaching a huge milestone: f where students and post-doctoral researchers its 50th Anniversary. specifically work to improve nickel-based and IN RECOGNITION OF ALTER- The Cambria County Farm Bureau is a titanium-based alloy 3D printing with work NATIVES FOR GIRLS’ 30TH ANNI- grassroots organization consisting of members from Mines students and post-doctoral re- VERSARY ON THE DATE OF ITS from the local agricultural community who help 2017 ROLE MODEL DINNER searchers. develop and implement policy for the Pennsyl- I extend my deepest congratulations to vania Farm Bureau. ADAPT for this well-deserved recognition from HON. DEBBIE DINGELL Since its founding in 1967, the Cambria the Jeffco EDC. OF MICHIGAN County Farm Bureau has been instrumental in f IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES providing legislative outreach and information and services for area farmers and rural fami- H.R. 1252, THE DHS ACQUISITION Thursday, March 23, 2017 lies. It plays a critical role in representing the AUTHORITIES ACT OF 2017 Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to local agricultural industry on a wide variety of recognize Alternatives for Girls on the date of issues impacting it at the federal and state lev- HON. MICHAEL T. McCAUL its 2017 Role Model dinner. Alternatives for els. OF TEXAS Girls provides critical outreach and support to Cambria County has a rich tradition of farm- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES at-risk youth to help them grow strong and ing that is being upheld today by hundreds of Thursday, March 23, 2017 make positive choices to improve their lives. local farms that help feed and nourish the citi- Founded in 1987 to provide shelter and care zens of Pennsylvania, our nation, and those Mr. MCCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I include in the for at-risk girls in Detroit, Alternatives for Girls around the world. RECORD the cost estimate from the Congres- began as an all-volunteer organization that op- The Cambria County Farm Bureau will be sional Budget Office regarding H.R. 1252. The erated a five-bed emergency shelter in a De- celebrating its 50th Anniversary with a dinner cost estimate was not available at the time of troit-area church. As a result of the organiza- in Carrolltown on March 29th that includes the filing of the Committee report. tion’s success and impact, AFG has grown guest speakers Vincent ‘‘Zippy’’ Duvall, Presi- U.S. CONGRESS, significantly in an attempt to fulfill its mission dent of the American Farm Bureau Federation CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, to empower and improve the lives of dis- and Rick Ebert, President of Pennsylvania Washington, DC, March 22, 2017. Hon. MICHAEL MCCAUL, advantaged young women. Today, Alter- Farm Bureau. Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, natives for Girls has over 50 employees and As such, it is with great pleasure that I con- House of Representatives, Washington, DC. operates multiple services on behalf of De- gratulate the Cambria County Farm Bureau DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional troit’s at-risk youth. These include after-school and its dedicated members on this 50th Anni- Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR8.005 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E370 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 23, 2017 estimate for H.R. 1252, the DHS Acquisition gram leveraged public-private partnerships to AMERICAN HEALTH CARE Authorities Act of 2017. expand access to high-quality youth develop- PROPOSAL If you wish further details on this esti- ment initiatives in these neighborhoods. This mate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark Grabowicz. comprehensive, evidence-based offering HON. CHELLIE PINGREE Sincerely, played a critical role in providing resources to OF MAINE MARK P. HADLEY those in need and helped revitalize the city. It IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (For Keith Hall). is my hope that Ms. Goss continues to build Thursday, March 23, 2017 Enclosure. on this success through her continued involve- Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of H.R. 1252—DHS Acquisition Authorities Act of ment in Detroit-area nonprofit organizations. 2017 my constituent, Jill Job Saxby, I’d like to in- H.R. 1252 would specify which offices in the Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me clude in the RECORD her proposal for evalu- Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in honoring Carol Goss for receiving the Alter- ating the ethics of any health care plan that headquarters have responsibility for acquisi- natives for Girls’ 2017 Role Model Award. Ms. potentially risks access to care for millions of tion programs. Based on information from Goss’s impactful leadership has played an in- Americans. I submit that the American Health DHS, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. strumental role in providing opportunity and Care Act does not fulfill these considerations 1252 would cost less than $500,000 annually; improving the well-being of Detroit’s residents. and I urge my colleagues to take seriously the such spending would be subject to the avail- ethical implications of their vote. ability of appropriated funds. f Under this proposal, will more of the most Enacting the legislation would not affect vulnerable Americans be able to access qual- direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay- RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF FALL- ity, affordable health care? as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO esti- Health care is a basic and universal human mates that enacting H.R. 1252 would not in- EN MISSISSIPPI SOLDIER MA- need, which, if denied, harms persons and di- crease net direct spending or on-budget defi- RINE CORPORAL (CPL) DUSTIN minishes the community. The most vulner- cits in any of the four consecutive 10-year JEROME LEE able are those with the least power, status periods beginning in 2028. and resources in society. In the case of H.R. 1252 contains no intergovernmental or health care, the most vulnerable are those private-sector mandates as defined in the HON. TRENT KELLY who suffer poorer health and shorter life ex- Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would pectancy because of poverty and social in- not affect the budgets of state, local, or trib- OF MISSISSIPPI equities that create barriers to accessing al governments. quality medical care and all the other con- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The CBO staff contact for this estimate is tributors to good health (clean environment, Mark Grabowicz. The estimate was approved Thursday, March 23, 2017 healthy food, paid sick leave, reliable child- by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant care and transportation). The most vulner- Director for Budget Analysis. Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, able would also include those with pre-exist- f today I rise in memory of fallen Mississippi ing conditions and lack of access to preven- tive care. IN RECOGNITION OF CAROL GOSS Marine Corporal (CPL) Dustin Jerome Lee The Golden Rule Test: Am I willing to FOR RECEIVING THE ALTER- who paid the ultimate sacrifice while defending trade places with those whose lives will be NATIVES FOR GIRLS’ ROLE our nation on March 21, 2007, during Oper- most profoundly affected by this proposal? MODEL AWARD ation Iraqi Freedom III. CPL Lee died from The Golden Rule is found in all major wounds he received during a mortar attack world religions. It rests on the moral asser- tions that: 1) every human life has inherent HON. DEBBIE DINGELL while on a combat mission in Fallujah, Anbar worth and dignity and 2) because we are all OF MICHIGAN Province, Iraq. in relationship with one another, my actions (or inactions) towards others have moral IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CPL Lee was assigned to the Third Recon Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force. Prior consequences for myself and for the larger Thursday, March 23, 2017 community. to his deployment, CPL Lee was assigned to The Golden Rule requires us to respond to Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Logis- suffering not merely with charity, but with recognize Carol Goss, community activist and tics Base in Albany, Georgia. After graduating justice. Charity is given by those who can af- recipient of the Alternatives for Girls’ 2017 from Quitman High School in 2004, he joined ford it, out of surplus. Justice requires living Role Model award. Ms. Goss has helped revi- the Marines. CPL Lee was described as a du- in right-relationship with all persons, at all talize the city of Detroit and the surrounding times. A just proposal will decrease social tiful son who led a Christian life, and always area through her work with the Skillman Foun- inequities and assure a single standard of looked for the good in people. CPL Lee’s dation and other community organizations. care, with equal accessibility, to all persons. friends say he always wanted to serve his Does this proposal treat health care as a Ms. Goss has been an outstanding advo- country. fundamental human need giving rise to a cate for vulnerable women and children. After human right to care and alleviation of suf- receiving a Master’s in Social Work from the CPL Lee also had great skills working with fering? University of Michigan, Ms. Goss worked for animals. While in Iraq, CPL Lee served as the Health care is a basic and universal human the Stuart Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foun- Patrol Explosive Detector Dog handler. Lex, a need. Meeting that need is a precursor to a dation as a program manager in support of Military Working Dog, was wounded in the person’s ability to exercise and enjoy the in- child welfare efforts. In 1998, Ms. Goss joined mortar attack that killed CPL Lee. His parents, alienable rights that our nation has recog- the Skillman Foundation, an organization that nized from the beginning: life, liberty and Jerome and Rachel Lee, were allowed to the pursuit of happiness. provides grants to support education, safety adopt the bomb-sniffing dog with help from There is a compelling ethical argument to and youth development initiatives on behalf of U.S. Representative WALTER JONES (R–NC). be made that health care, by its very nature, children in Detroit. After distinguishing herself After Lex’ s retirement from military service, he should not be treated as a commodity to be as a senior program officer, Ms. Goss was was taken to VA hospitals and retirement bought and sold. We already recognize this in named President and CEO of the foundation, homes to comfort veterans. CPL Lee’s bond some of our long-standing public policies: We do not allow the purchase and sale of human where she served until 2013. After her retire- with Lex and his expert dog-handling skills will ment from the Skillman Foundation, Ms. Goss organs for transplant. We have strict rules forever be remembered at the Marine Corps governing human clinical trials. We provide participated in Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Logistics Base Albany, where the kennel has charity care. We restrict the freedom of sell- Initiative and continues to serve on the boards been named in his honor. ers by regulating providers’ education and li- of directors of several nonprofits, including the censing. We protect buyers with privacy Detroit Children’s Fund and Safe Routes to At his funeral, more than 100 members of laws. Such laws recognize that health care Schools the National Partnership. The Patriot Guard attended along with local intersects with a dimension of human exist- Ms. Goss’s work has impacted countless high school ROTC members. Law enforce- ence that is universally worthy of protection lives around the country. During her tenure at ment officers traveled from all across Mis- against the forces of the free market. sissippi to pay their respects. CPL Lee’s com- Therefore, we must ask: how does it ad- the Skillman Foundation, Ms. Goss was re- dress the downside of free market forces, es- sponsible for spearheading the Good Neigh- mander, Colonel Chris Halliday described CPL pecially rising inequality? Who benefits? borhoods Initiative, a ten-year, $100 million ef- Lee as a special person who fit into the Ma- Who loses? Does it prioritize profits (a mar- fort to improve outcomes for children and revi- rine Corps and its commitment to excellence ket good) or human health/alleviation of suf- talize six neighborhoods in Detroit. This pro- and dedication to the country. fering (a common good and a human right)?

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR8.009 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E371 CHURCH RANCH PROPERTIES The CBO staff contact for this estimate is In particular, they specialize in custom fabrica- Mark Orabowicz. The estimate was approved tion, distribution and retail of equipment for all by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant types of river adventures. HON. ED PERLMUTTER Director for Budget Analysis. OF COLORADO I extend my deepest congratulations to IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES f Down River Equipment for this well-deserved Thursday, March 23, 2017 IN RECOGNITION OF FREDERIC B. recognition from the Jeffco EDC. Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise PRESBREY today to recognize Church Ranch Properties f as the 2016 winner of the Pioneer Award from HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF FALL- the Jeffco EDC. OF MASSACHUSETTS EN MISSISSIPPI SOLDIER ARMY The Pioneer Award is given each year to a IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SERGEANT FIRST CLASS (SFC) Jefferson County company that is a leader Thursday, March 23, 2017 CHRISTOPHER LEE ROBINSON within its industry and has contributed signifi- cant and sustained growth to Jefferson Coun- Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in ty’s economy. recognition of Frederic B. Presbrey on the oc- HON. TRENT KELLY Founded in 1869, Westminster-based casion of his retirement from the Housing As- Church Ranch Properties has decades of con- sistance Corporation in Hyannis, Massachu- OF MISSISSIPPI struction and finance experience. The com- setts. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES pany has filled a much-needed economic gap Frederic, or Rick as he is known to friends, in the metro north area and continues to be family, and colleagues, founded the Housing Thursday, March 23, 2017 actively engaged in high-quality development Assistance Corporation in December of 1974 Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, projects in cities such as Westminster, Arvada, with the intention of finding and securing hous- today I rise in memory of Army Sergeant First Broomfield, and throughout Jefferson County. ing for those who need it most. Rick’s advo- Class (SFC) Christopher Lee Robinson who I extend my deepest congratulations to cacy has not only helped to create five shelter paid the ultimate sacrifice while defending our Church Ranch Properties for this well-de- programs and 484 units of affordable housing nation on March 25, 2006, during Operation served recognition from the Jeffco EDC. across the Cape and Islands but led to the es- Enduring Freedom. SFC Robinson was f tablishment of the Consumer Education De- wounded during an ambush in Helmond Prov- partment. This department has been instru- H.R. 1294, THE REDUCING DHS ince, Afghanistan. Master Sergeant Reese mental in educating first-time home buyers ACQUISITION COST GROWTH ACT Robbins, a Pelahatchie resident, who was in- since 1990. In addition, Rick created the jured during the attack, accompanied Robin- Housing Consumer Education Center to give son’s body back to the United States. SFC HON. MICHAEL T. McCAUL Massachusetts residents access to housing Robinson was the first Mississippi National OF TEXAS counselors for vital information on buying, Guard soldier to die in Afghanistan. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES owning, developing or renting real estate. Fur- SFC Robinson was assigned to the 27th Thursday, March 23, 2017 ther, Rick’s astute leadership has led to the Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, Mis- creation of over thirty programs and services Mr. MCCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I include in the sissippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mis- aimed not only at helping individuals find RECORD the cost estimate from the Congres- sissippi. SFC Robinson, a Madison County housing but also to maintain secure, safe, and sional Budget Office regarding H.R. 1294. The resident, joined the Army after graduating from stable homes. cost estimate was not available at the time of Madison-Ridgeland High School in 1987. He Rick has shaped how we on Cape Cod and the filing of the Committee report. followed in the footsteps of his father, George in the Commonwealth view housing needs. He U.S. CONGRESS, Robinson, who also served in the Army. SFC has personally worked with state, local, and CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Robinson was previously deployed with his federal officials and other community stake- Washington, DC, March 22, 2017. Special Forces unit to Haiti, Honduras and holders to help resolve numerous housing Hon. MICHAEL MCCAUL, Panama among other countries. Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, concerns and has served as an invaluable re- House of Representatives, Washington, DC. source for policymakers and home seekers ‘‘We once again are painfully reminded of DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional alike. the high cost of freedom,’’ Major General (ret.) Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Frederic Harold Cross, Adjutant General of the Mis- estimate for H.R. 1294, the Reducing DHS Ac- B. Presbrey for his service and achievements sissippi National Guard, said. ‘‘Chris was one quisition Cost Growth Act. of our state’s and nation’s finest, and he will If you wish further details on this esti- on this occasion. I ask that my colleagues join mate, we will be pleased to provide them, me in wishing him a happy retirement and be greatly missed.’’ The CBO staff contact is Mark Grabowicz. many more years of health and happiness. He is survived by his wife, Tamara Robbins Sincerely, f and their children Savanah and Patrick. ‘‘He MARK P. HADLEY just loved everything about military service,’’ (For Keith Hall). DOWN RIVER EQUIPMENT Tamara said. ‘‘He wanted to do something for Enclosure. our country. There was never a question H.R. 1294—Reducing DHS Acquisition Cost Growth Act HON. ED PERLMUTTER about it. Our children are so proud of him.’’ H.R. 1294 would specify procedures to be OF COLORADO SFC Robinson devoted his life to the safety followed by the Department of Homeland Se- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of our nation. He will always be remembered curity (DHS) if it fails to meet certain Thursday, March 23, 2017 for his service and deep love for family and timelines or other performance parameters friends. for its major acquisition programs. Based on Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise ‘‘Chris consistently displayed bravery by vol- information from DHS, CBO estimates that today to recognize Down River Equipment for unteering for hard deployments and dan- the new administrative procedures would winning the 2016 Business Recognition Award gerous missions,’’ said Sergeant Major (ret.) cost less than $500,000 annually; such spend- from the Jeffco EDC. Mike Patterson, who served with SFC Robin- ing would be subject to the availability of For more than 30 years, Down River Equip- appropriated funds. son. ‘‘Chris had the ability to handle combat in ment has been manufacturing and distributing Enacting the legislation would not affect a very deliberate way, yet remain compas- a full line of high-quality river equipment in- direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay- sionate for people and the unintended con- as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO esti- cluding rafts, catarafts, inflatable kayaks, stand sequences of war thrust upon human beings.’’ mates that enacting H.R. 1294 would not in- up paddleboards and canoes. Based in Wheat crease net direct spending or on-budget defi- Ridge, Down River Equipment is known for The first sentence in The Creed of the Non- cits in any of the four consecutive 10-year their quality frames that are 100 percent made commissioned Officer, ‘‘No one is more pro- periods beginning in 2028. fessional than I’’, describes the level of com- H.R. 1294 contains no intergovernmental or in Colorado along with their dry boxes, tables, pumps and a variety of cargo gear. Owned by petence and professionalism that Chris main- private-sector mandates as defined in the tained throughout his life in and out of uniform. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would sports enthusiasts and operated by an experi- not affect the budgets of state, local, or trib- enced and knowledgeable staff, the company As a Special Forces, Green Beret soldier, al governments. is known for their craftsmanship and passion. SFC Robinson was truly the best of the best.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR8.007 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E372 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 23, 2017 IN RECOGNITION OF CINDY ness solutions. The company has air, ground sional Budget Office regarding H.R. 1249. The ESTRADA FOR RECEIVING THE and sea networks covering more than 220 cost estimate was not available at the time of ALTERNATIVES FOR GIRLS’ countries and territories, linking more than 99 the filing of the Committee report. ROLE MODEL AWARD percent of the world’s GDP. U.S. CONGRESS, Recently, FedEx became the first company CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, HON. DEBBIE DINGELL to locate to the Verve Innovation Park at the Washington, DC, March 22, 2017. Hon. MICHAEL MCCAUL, OF MICHIGAN Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA). Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The 216,000 square foot build-to-suit distribu- tion center occupies 26 acres and will bring House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Thursday, March 23, 2017 DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional more than $16 million in new capital invest- Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost ment and 144 jobs to unincorporated Jefferson estimate for H.R. 1249, the DHS Multiyear recognize Cindy Estrada, Vice President of the County. Acquisition Strategy Act of 2017. United Auto Workers and recipient of the Al- I extend my deepest congratulations to Fed- If you wish further details on this esti- ternatives for Girls’ 2017 Role Model award. eral Express for this well-deserved recognition mate, we will be pleased to provide them. Ms. Estrada has fought tirelessly for working from the Jeffco EDC. The CBO staff contact is Mark Grabowicz. Sincerely, Americans for her entire career and spear- f headed many community programs to benefit MARK P. HADLEY, CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (For Keith Hall, Director). working men and women. Enclosure. Ms. Estrada began her career as labor or- ATTEND INAUGURATION H.R. 1249—DHS Multiyear Acquisition Strategy ganizer after graduating from the University of HON. BRENDAN F. BOYLE Act of 2017 Michigan. After successful assignments as an H.R. 1249 would require the Department of OF PENNSYLVANIA organizer for Detroit-based Mexican Industries Homeland Security (DHS), within one year and the United Farm Workers, Ms. Estrada IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of enactment, to submit to the Congress a was appointed to the UAW International Thursday, March 23, 2017 report on the department’s comprehensive Union’s organizing staff in 2000. After over- Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. strategy for acquisitions. The act would di- seeing development and implementation of rect the Government Accountability Office Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a group to review that report within 180 days of its UAW organizing strategy for several years, of ambitious students from Central High Ms. Estrada was elected as UAW vice presi- submission. Based on information from DHS School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since and the cost of similar activities, CBO esti- dent in 2010 and reelected to a second term Central High School was chartered in 1836 mates that the reports required by H.R. 1249 in 2014. She currently leads the General Mo- and opened in 1838, it has established a rep- would cost about $1 million in fiscal year tors Department of UAW, negotiating on be- utation and a rich history that sets it apart 2018 and less than $500,000 in 2019; such spend- half of approximately 48,500 union workers. from other high schools in Pennsylvania and ing would be subject to the availability of Ms. Estrada has brought a lifetime of experi- throughout the United States. appropriated funds. ence championing working families to this role, Central High School offers many prestigious Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay- as well as a deep understanding of the chal- academic opportunities for their students, in- lenges workers face in competing in a global as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO esti- cluding the International Baccalaureate Pro- mates that enacting H.R. 1249 would not in- marketplace. gram, Advanced Placement courses, and dual crease net direct spending or on-budget defi- Ms. Estrada’s efforts have led to better pay enrollment programs. They value curiosity, cits in any of the four consecutive 10-year and working conditions for tens of thousands high academic achievement, inclusive extra- periods beginning in 2028. of American workers. In addition to leading the curricular activities and service, which are es- H.R. 1249 contains no intergovernmental or contract negotiations with major automotive sential to cultivating a student’s overall posi- private-sector mandates as defined in the suppliers like Johnson Controls and Dana In- tive experience. The school’s dedication to Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would corporated, Ms. Estrada has also worked on not affect the budgets of state, local, or trib- building a cohesive path for their students is, al governments. behalf of the 17,000 UAW-represented work- in part, why I was grateful for the privilege to The CBO staff contact for this estimate is ers employed by the State of Michigan. These provide several Central High School students Mark Grabowicz. The estimate was approved campaigns have resulted in real gains for with the unique opportunity to attend the presi- by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant workers, including providing for increased pay dential inauguration on January 20, 2017. Director for Budget Analysis. and robust health benefits. Ms. Estrada is The inauguration welcomed Avery f known for her tough negotiating ability, and Adeshigbin, Romie Azor, David Bango, Chris her tenacity has served as a model for labor Bruch, Monet Bunch, Jasmine Duong, Sh-Mya METRO WEST HOUSING SOLUTIONS relations in the automotive industry. She is Durham, Darnell Faison, Michael Granovskiy, dedicated to ensuring workers’ voices are rep- Lindsay Holmes, Kayla Jaquay-Davis, Morgan HON. ED PERLMUTTER resented at the negotiating table and forging Mifflin, Tamika Miles, Han Nguyen, Sorya OF COLORADO consensus that protect their interests. It is my Noun, Aliyyah Ouattara, Sundus Pervez, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES hope that Ms. Estrada is able to continue to Aniyah Pinkney, Kristian Rhim, Bruno Sauli, Thursday, March 23, 2017 lead the UAW in working constructively to en- Kejsi Shahaj, Sahmir Thompson, Krystal Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise sure that American workers and manufacturing Torres, Tiffany Tran, David Weihe, Marguerite today to recognize Metro West Housing Solu- prosper in the coming years. Faison, William Graham, Michael Horwits, tions for winning the 2016 Chairman’s Choice Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me Ashley Zeserman, and Patrick Elgert. Award from the Jeffco EDC. in honoring Cindy Estrada for receiving the Al- The hard work these students put towards Metro West Housing Solutions (MWHS) was ternatives for Girls’ 2017 Role Model Award. their academics and their unwavering commit- established in 1974 as the Lakewood Housing Ms. Estrada has dedicated her career to ment to civic engagement is inspiring. I hope Authority (LHA) to address the community’s championing social justice for all people and is their curiosity and tenacity persists in future shortage of sufficient, decent, safe, affordable deserving of this prestigious award. endeavors and they continue to make an im- and sanitary homes for its residents. During f portant difference throughout my home state the 1970s and 1980s, the LHA developed af- of Pennsylvania. FEDERAL EXPRESS fordable housing programs for Lakewood resi- f dents including: implementation and manage- HON. ED PERLMUTTER H.R. 1249, THE DHS MULTIYEAR ment of the Section 8 program, purchase of dilapidated property and rehabilitation for sale OF COLORADO ACQUISITION STRATEGY ACT OF to first time home buyers, and acquisition of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2017 affordable rental options. Thursday, March 23, 2017 HON. MICHAEL T. McCAUL In the late 1990s and 2000s, the organiza- Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise tion continued to grow into a multi-faceted de- OF TEXAS today to recognize Federal Express for win- veloper, property manager, and service pro- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ning the 2016 Business Recognition Award ducer. LHA began managing its own prop- from the Jeffco EDC. Thursday, March 23, 2017 erties, acquiring and rehabbing apartment Founded in 1965, Federal Express—or Mr. MCCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I include in the complexes, and developing its own newly con- FedEx—is a leader in e-commerce and busi- RECORD the cost estimate from the Congres- structed apartment communities.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A23MR8.016 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E373 In 2008, LHA rebranded as Metro West Rotarian, school parent volunteer for McCarthy professional actuaries to determine the risk Housing Solutions to reflect its evolving mis- School, Hanford High volunteer, and a mem- presented by each gun and gun owner. Just sion. Today, MWHS remains a fiscally respon- ber of the YMCA Board, among many others. as with car insurance, higher-risk owners or sible, well respected non-profit and is known Despite his many great achievements and firearms would face higher premiums, while locally and nationally for its housing and serv- long list of volunteer work, above all Mr. responsible owners could qualify for reduced ice delivery. Current projects include the City- O’Rourke was known for being humble. rates. Scape at Belmar, Lamar Station Crossing and Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the As gun violence continues to claim lives 5800 W. Alameda. United States House of Representatives to across the country, Congress should look for I extend my deepest congratulations to join me in honoring the life and achievements new ways to promote gun safety and prevent Metro West Housing Solutions for this well-de- of Mr. John Gilcrest O’Rourke. My thoughts future tragedies. I hope my colleagues will join served recognition from the Jeffco EDC. and prayers are with his family and friends me to support this forward-thinking legislation. f during this difficult time. f f IN RECOGNITION OF THE HONOR- GUNSLINGER CUSTOM PAINT ABLE JOHN GILCREST O’ROURKE RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF FALL- EN MISSISSIPPI SOLDIER MA- HON. ED PERLMUTTER HON. DAVID G. VALADAO RINE CORPS FIRST LIEUTENANT OF COLORADO (1LT) THERREL SHANE CHILDERS OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, March 23, 2017 Thursday, March 23, 2017 HON. TRENT KELLY OF MISSISSIPPI Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES today to recognize Gunslinger Custom Paint honor the life and accomplishments of the for winning the 2016 Business Recognition Honorable John Gilcrest O’Rourke, a former Thursday, March 23, 2017 Award from the Jeffco EDC. judge and active member of the community in Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, In 2003, Gunslinger Custom Paint was Hanford, California, who sadly passed away today I rise in memory of Marine Corps First founded by Jeff Theisen and Dave Call as a on March 9, 2017 at the age of 82. Lieutenant (1LT) Therrel Shane Childers who sister company to Pearl Auto Body. Theisen Mr. O’Rourke was born January 11, 1935 in paid the ultimate sacrifice while defending our and Call founded Gunslinger with the purpose Hanford, California. After graduating from nation on March 21, 2003, during Operation of creating impressive, eye-catching designs Lemoore High School, he went on to attend Iraqi Freedom III. 1LT Childers was killed dur- that combine custom paint with unique fabrica- the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, ing an assault on a pumping station in Iraq. tion concepts to meet the needs and desires Indiana. While a student at Notre Dame, Mr. He was the first American casualty in Oper- of motorcyclists. Using nationally known de- O’Rourke met his wife, Joan, and the couple ation Iraqi Freedom III. signers, airbrush artists and pin stripers, married January 3, 1959. The couple had five 1LT Childers grew up in a military family in Gunslinger ensures excellence and creativity children, Peggy, John, Katie, Ellen, and Thom- Harrison County, Mississippi. After high and can range from innovative, wild designs to as. school, 1LT Childers enrolled in the Marine more mild designs with custom colors and ef- In 1956, after graduating from the University Enlisted Commissioning Education Program at fects. The company is known for its cutting- of Notre Dame, Mr. O’Rourke was commis- The Citadel, The Military College of South edge artwork and is a Tier 1 supplier for the sioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy. While in Carolina. Seven months after his death, a me- largest motorcycle company in the United the U.S. Navy, he served as a Fuel Quality morial service and parade were held there. States. Recently, Gunslinger added a third fa- Control Officer in Guam, sailed on a destroyer 1LT Childers’ family members donated money cility on Pine Ridge Road in Golden. in the Pacific during Eniwetok atomic testing, from the Shane Childers Memorial Fund to the I extend my deepest congratulations to and conducted patrol operations in the Strait university that day. Gunslinger Custom Paint for this well-de- of Formosa in Taiwan. After twenty-seven 1LT Childers was described as a born lead- served recognition from the Jeffco EDC. dedicated years of service, Mr. O’Rourke re- er. 1LT Childers also served in the 1991 Gulf f tired from the U.S. Navy as Captain, U.S. War. At the time of his death, 1LT Childers Navy Reserves. was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine RECOGNIZING DEPUTY CHIEF John’s successful legal career began at the Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pen- DANIEL PEREZ JR. University of California Hastings College of dleton, California. Law, San Francisco in 1960. He was admitted 1LT Childers devoted his life to the defense HON. JIMMY PANETTA to the State Bar of California in 1965 and of our country. His leadership on the battlefield OF CALIFORNIA began his law practice as an attorney with will always be remembered. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Clawson and Jennings in Hanford and f Lemoore. He was appointed and elected Dis- Thursday, March 23, 2017 trict Attorney, County of Kings in 1966, and FIREARM RISK PROTECTION ACT Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recog- served until 1979. Mr. O’Rourke left his judge- nize Deputy Chief Daniel Perez Jr. on the oc- ship to serve in private practice until 1985, HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY casion of his retirement from the Salinas’ when he was later sworn in as a Judge of the OF NEW YORK Sheriff office after serving the public for 32 Municipal Court for the County of Kings. He IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES years. An outstanding officer and citizen, Dep- was later sworn in as a judge in the Superior uty Chief Daniel Perez Jr. has dedicated much Court in 2001 for the county and state. While Thursday, March 23, 2017 of his life to safeguarding the community of serving as a Judge, Mr. O’Rourke was known Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Salinas County. In addition to his time as an for his strong belief in the law, the Constitution Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the officer of the law, Daniel Perez is a strong and personal responsibility. In 2003, he retired Firearm Risk Protection Act, innovative legisla- voice in many nonprofit organizations and the only way he knew how, and immediately tion to promote safe gun ownership I first in- within his own community. began participating in the California Retired troduced in 2013. Dan was born and raised in Salinas and is Judge Program, having last sat on the bench Too often, our communities are left looking a graduate of Alisal High School. He has a de- in December of 2016. for answers after horrific tragedies inflicted gree from Hartnell College in Criminal Justice, John was truly a staple of the community with dangerous firearms. Every day, 48 chil- a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Behav- and was known for his visibility and activity in dren and teens die from gun violence, and too ior from the University of San Francisco, and Hanford. He felt his status as a judge gave often because of preventable accidents. a Master’s Degree in Human Resources from him a greater obligation to give back to his A requirement to carry liability insurance is Chapman University. He is a graduate of the community, and he was often seen scrubbing a market-based solution that would hold gun POST Supervisory Leadership Institute and pots, making pancakes, and cleaning up at owners responsible for the risk their firearms POST Command College. He’s received sev- events and fundraisers. John held leadership present, and create incentives for responsible eral awards and recognitions throughout his positions across the community, where he was gun safety practices. 32-year career. a Minister and lector for St. Brigid’s Parish, a The Firearm Risk Protection Act would har- Deputy Chief Dan Perez began his law en- Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, a ness the power of insurance markets to allow forcement career in 1984 with the Monterey

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K23MR8.010 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E374 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 23, 2017 Co. Sheriff’s Dept. as a Level II Reserve dep- Beginning as a one-man operation, She serves as an instrumental lifeline to the uty working patrol, and special events. He was Childress has grown his organization to more Los Alamos community and has selflessly hired full-time as a Patrol Deputy in May of than 500 employees. His cars have compiled served her students. I ask all Members to join 1995. He attended the Alameda County Police over 100 victories and 2,588 major series me today in honoring an exceptional woman Academy in Pleasanton, CA., graduating No. 2 starts. In 1981 he kicked his team’s perform- of California’s 24th Congressional District, overall in his class. During his career at ance into overdrive when he paired up with Brenda Galvez, for her incredible service to MCSO, he worked out of the Salinas, and late great Dale Earnhardt, who was part of the her community. King City stations. He attained the rank of inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class. The Corporal/FTO, and also worked as a Coro- duo would become known as one of the most f ner’s Investigator. He was on the Sheriff’s successful partnerships in NASCAR, winning a SWAT team and Riot Control Team. He total of six Cup championships together. Mr. IN RECOGNITION OF DR. ROSE- worked for the Sheriff’s Office until February 1, Childress has a total 11 Cup Championships MARY SARRI FOR RECEIVING 1992. and counting, putting him second on the all- THE ALTERNATIVES FOR GIRLS’ Dan joined the Salinas Police Department time list for owners. ROLE MODEL AWARD on February 2, 1992. He’s held many assign- Childress’ legacy is not exclusive to ments in his career to include patrol officer, NASCAR. Following his racing career, he re- field training officer, and SWAT team member. mains an active member of the North Carolina HON. DEBBIE DINGELL He was promoted to Police Corporal in 1993 community. In 2008, the Childress family and Police Sergeant in 1995. In addition to pa- began working with Wake Forest Baptist Med- OF MICHIGAN trol, he’s been the sergeant of the Violence ical Center and subsequently founded the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Suppression Unit, Personnel and Training Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma after Unit, and Traffic Unit. discovering that pediatric trauma was the Thursday, March 23, 2017 He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2001 and number one killer of children in the United Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to later to Police Commander in 2005. He has States. recognize Dr. Rosemary Sarri, a distinguished managed units and programs in all three divi- Mr. Childress’ contributions and accomplish- scholar and recipient of the Alternatives for sions of the police department: Patrol, Inves- ments to the sport and his community deserve Girls’ 2017 Role Model award. Ms. Sarri’s tigations, and Administration. He served as an to be celebrated and honored. Mr. Childress’ groundbreaking social science research has Area Commander, Tactical Commander, and induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame not Incident Commander throughout these assign- only speaks to his incredible achievements in contributed to a better understanding of crimi- ments. He was then promoted to Deputy Chief stock car racing, but also to his character, nal justice and child welfare while helping ad- in 2013, and is currently the Investigations Di- business acumen, and his drive to succeed vance social welfare policies that benefit vision Chief. and win. Mr. Speaker, please join me today in Michigan families. Dan has been active in the community congratulating Richard Childress and his entire After receiving her doctorate in Social Work throughout his entire career. He has volun- family and organization on his induction into and Sociology from the University of Michigan, teered his time towards programs and commit- the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Dr. Sarri was named an assistant professor at tees such as explorers, school yearbook com- f the University in 1962. Throughout her career, mittees, and youth and high school football, TRIBUTE TO BRENDA GALVEZ— Dr. Sarri was recognized as a leading expert basketball, and baseball programs. He sat on CALIFORNIA’S 24TH CONGRES- on social policy and poverty among families the board of directors of three local non-profit SIONAL WOMAN OF THE YEAR and children. Her research has focused on the agencies: The Salinas Police Activities League long-term impact of incarceration on individ- (PAL), Sun Street Centers, and Second HON. SALUD O. CARBAJAL uals, as well as the effects of poverty on fami- Chance Youth and Family Services. OF CALIFORNIA lies and children. In addition to having pub- Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES lished extensive research on these issues, Dr. the dedication and hard work Deputy Chief Thursday, March 23, 2017 Sarri has consulted with numerous nonprofits, Daniel Perez Jr. has done for others during think tanks and national governments, includ- his time serving with the Salinas Police De- Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in ing those of Australia and South Korea. She partment. I ask my distinguished colleagues to honor of Women’s History Month. Every year, also has extensive international teaching ex- join me in recognizing the selflessness service we give special recognition to the accomplish- perience, including training faculty at schools ments and sacrifices made by America’s of Deputy Chief Daniel Perez Jr. and to con- of social work in China. gratulate him on his well-earned retirement. I women. I consider it an honor to highlight the extend my personal appreciation to Deputy extraordinary women who are making a dif- Dr. Sarri’s work had transformed our under- Chief Daniel Perez Jr. for his service to his ference in my District. I would like to recognize standing of family welfare and has allowed us community. one outstanding woman, Brenda Galvez, of to enact policies that target the underlying fac- f Los Alamos, California. tors that create poverty and modernize crimi- Brenda serves her community as a bilingual nal justice to reduce recidivism. She has HONORING INDUCTION OF RICH- translator for the Orcutt Union School District worked with the Michigan Department of ARD CHILDRESS INTO THE at several school sites, but plays a particularly Human Services as well as the Michigan Col- NASCAR HALL OF FAME important role at Olga Reed School in Los Al- laborative on Juvenile Justice to translate her amos, where she has been part of the staff for research into actionable policy at the state HON. TED BUDD several years and is beloved by both parents level. Additionally, Dr. Sarri has received many OF NORTH CAROLINA and students. Los Alamos is an agricultural accolades for her innovative research, includ- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES community and leans on Brenda to serve as ing the University of Michigan Distinguished a liaison between the schools and Spanish Thursday, March 23, 2017 Faculty Achievement Award and the National speaking parents. Association of Social Workers’ Presidential Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Her expertise is utilized at Special Edu- Award for Research. Dr. Sarri continues to honor the racing legend Richard Childress cation IEP meetings, where having a translator hold a position with the University of Michi- upon his induction into the NASCAR Hall of for the parents and service providers is vital gan’s Institute for Social Research, and her re- Fame. for student success. Brenda continues to aid search has inspired a new generation of Richard Childress’ iconic career began 50 her community by being the sole founder of scholars in the fields of social work and family years ago when he bought his 1947 Plymouth ´ Padres en Accion, a committee whose mission policy. for $20 at the age of 17. That simple moment is to keep Spanish speaking parents informed in time was a pinpoint in history that would ig- about school matters. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me nite Childress’ passion for motorsports leaving Brenda goes above and beyond by also in honoring Dr. Rosemary Sarri for receiving an imprint on NASCAR fans across the coun- helping on the school playgrounds, the admin- the Alternatives for Girls’ 2017 Role Model try. As a driver, Mr. Childress laid claim to (6) istration offices, and the cafeterias. There is Award. Dr. Sarri’s scholarship and real-world top 5 and (76) top 10 finishes. In 1981, Mr. no doubt that Brenda embodies the credo of impact has benefited Michigan’s families while Childress climbed out of the driver’s seat and her school district ‘‘where a dedicated staff advancing knowledge in a variety of into the owner’s role full time. means kids come first.’’ disciplines.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23MR8.012 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E375 PERSONAL EXPLANATION HONORING THE LIFE OF CON- cation to his country, and his community, will GRESSMAN ELIGIO ‘‘KIKA’’ DE not be forgotten. LA GARZA HON. BRENDA L. LAWRENCE f OF MICHIGAN HON. HENRY CUELLAR H.R. 1259, VA ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF TEXAS FIRST ACT OF 2017 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, March 23, 2017 Thursday, March 23, 2017 Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, unfortu- Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY nately, on March 22, 2017, I was not able to along with Congressman FILEMON VELA Jr. OF VIRGINIA cast my votes during the second series. Had and Congressman VICENTE GONZALEZ to com- I been in attendance, I would have voted: IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES memorate the life of Congressman Eligio YES on the Democratic Motion to Recommit ‘‘Kika’’ de la Garza of Texas’ 15th district. Thursday, March 23, 2017 on H.R. 1101 Congressman de la Garza was born on Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, the VA Ac- NO on H.R. 1101—Small Business Health September 22nd, 1927, in Mercedes, Texas countability First Act of 2017 (HR 1259) rep- Fairness Act of 2017 and raised in Mission, Texas. When he was resents an attack on collective bargaining at YES on H.R. 1238—Securing our Agri- 17 years old, he enlisted in the United States federal agencies and an attempt to dismantle culture and Food Act Navy, where he served during the final months the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA, of World War II. Upon his return home, he en- Pub. L. 95–454). The VA Accountability First f rolled in Edinburg Junior College, and later Act of 2017 would strip Department of Vet- transferred to St. Mary’s University in San An- erans Affairs (VA) employees of personnel SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH tonio. Eventually, he would serve during the procedures that they developed through col- FAIRNESS ACT OF 2017 Korean War as a second lieutenant with the lective bargaining with the VA. It would also Army’s 37th Division Artillery. After his service, close the window of notice provided to em- SPEECH OF he went on to earn a law degree from St. ployees facing adverse personnel actions from Mary’s University in San Antonio. 37 to only 10 days. By infringing on activities HON. DOUG COLLINS At 24 years old, Congressman de la Garza authorized by the CSRA, this bill would make OF GEORGIA was elected to the Texas House of Represent- it easier to fire an employee without good atives. He was an important leader in his com- cause. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES munity, who served as delegate in the Texas We should remember that one-third of VA Wednesday, March 22, 2017 House for six consecutive terms. In 1965, employees are veterans themselves. H.R. Congressman de la Garza was elected to the Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I 1259, as written, would harm some of the very United States House of Representatives, people we are trying to assist. The elimination rise in support of H.R. 1101, the Small Busi- where he spent the next 32 years advocating ness Health Fairness Act of 2017. of merit-based principles for workers facing for civil rights, food security, affordable health adverse action could allow management to Small businesses are the backbone of our care, and access to education for all citizens. target the same whistleblowers who are trying economy, providing economic opportunity and He was first a member, and later the chairman to help us eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse employment for millions of Americans across of the U.S. House Agricultural Committee. He at the VA. our country. and his committee crafted legislation focused The bill guts the right of VA employees to Too often, we have seen the economic en- on rural economic development, improved nu- use union protest mechanisms to effectively gine stall due to intrusion and overregulation trition, and environmental protection. His legis- address hostile actions. The current grievance that come courtesy of the federal government. lative programs often brought together farm- procedure is granted by statute and included There are few places where this is more obvi- ers, ranchers, consumers, and other interest in the contract negotiations between labor and ous than in the staggering health care costs groups. During his career in the House of management. The bill proposes a rushed small businesses face, costs which Representatives, he also advocated for im- management-run appeals process that does Obamacare have only driven up. proved U.S. and Mexico relations including the North American Free Trade Agreement. For not allow good employees who are treated un- Obamacare’s burdensome mandates have fairly enough time to develop the requisite driven premiums up and insurance providers his efforts, he later received the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest honor Mexico can supporting information to defend their jobs. out of the market, and small employers have The reduced timeframe for agency review found themselves increasingly unable to cover give to non-citizens. Congressman de la Garza was a pioneer would be even more severe for medical pro- their employees. The big picture for small fessionals facing adverse actions related to businesses is that the ACA has smothered pa- who paved the way for more Hispanics to par- ticipate in our nation’s legislative process. For professional conduct or competence, particu- tient choice and patient-centered care in the larly because their cases typically involve process of overregulating our job creators. a time, he was the only Hispanic member of the Texas House, and later became the sec- complex medical issues. In the House, we are empowering small ond Hispanic member of Congress from the H.R. 1259 also strips front-line employees of businesses to fight back by increasing their state of Texas. His dedication to the Hispanic their rights to appeal to the Merit System Pro- bargaining power with insurance providers and community is evident in his role as a founding tection Board (MSPB) by reducing the adju- leveling the playing field that they share with member of the Congressional Hispanic Cau- dication period following their dismissal and larger companies. The Small Business Health cus. Congressman de la Garza was an inspi- removal from the payroll. Employees lose 80 Fairness Act will help lower health care costs ration for the Hispanic community, and has percent of the time at the MSPB and would for employees by allowing small businesses to empowered others to become active in our now only have seven days to prepare their join together through association health plans. legislative process. case for the United States Court of Appeals Ultimately, this bill will bring relief to Amer- His memory will be honored by his family, for the Federal Circuit. ican employees and their families by making his friends, and the communities which he A thoughtful approach to these issues at the insurance more affordable and accessible. served. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 VA would strike a balance of promoting em- H.R. 1101 is an important step toward em- years, Lucille, as well as his three children, ployee accountability and protecting employee powering small businesses to care for their eight grandchildren, and one great-grand child. rights. Unfortunately, this bill does not strike employees while prioritizing the job creation He will also continue to be honored at the Uni- that balance, and so eviscerates employee that strengthens our communities. At the same versity of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where protections that it could discourage whistle- time, this bill would contribute to a patient-cen- they have the E. ‘‘Kika’’ de la Garza Endowed blowers from exposing waste, fraud, and tered, competitive, and low-cost health care Scholarship Fund. abuse at the VA. I strongly oppose the VA Ac- system for all Americans. I am proud to sup- Mr. Speaker, we are honored to have the countability First Act because of the destruc- port this legislation as we return choice to our opportunity to remember the legacy of Con- tive effects it would have on the VA workforce businesses and loved ones. gressman Eligio ‘‘Kika’’ de la Garza. His dedi- and veterans alike.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MR8.023 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E376 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 23, 2017 IN RECOGNITION OF THE JOHN became a Fulbright Scholar and was granted wishing Dr. Gresham continued success as he CHAMPE HIGH SCHOOL WIND EN- leave for the 1970–71 academic year to con- enjoys his retirement. SEMBLE duct research in New Zealand. During his time f as a professor, Loren continued to pursue his HON. BARBARA COMSTOCK higher education studies at the University of CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SHIR- Oklahoma and earned a Ph.D. in political LEY RYAN ABILITYLAB, THE FU- OF VIRGINIA TURE OF THE REHABILITATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES science in 1973. At Bethany Nazarene College, Dr. Gresham INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO ON THE Thursday, March 23, 2017 pursued his lifelong interest in the sport of OPENING OF THEIR NEW FACIL- Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to basketball. He became assistant coach and ITY recognize the John Champe High School later the head coach of the men’s team. Under Wind Ensemble on participating in the 2017 his leadership, the team achieved remarkable HON. DANNY K. DAVIS Music for All National Festival. Their dedica- success including a national championship in OF ILLINOIS tion, hard work, and perseverance, along with 1981 in the National Association of Intercolle- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the guidance and direction of their esteemed giate Athletics (NAIA) defeating the University Thursday, March 23, 2017 of Alabama in Huntsville. As President of band director, Jonathan Phillips, helped earn Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speak- SNU, Dr. Gresham has continued this tradition John Champe High School its first appearance er, I rise to congratulate the Rehabilitation In- of competition as an active advocate of the 18 in the Music for All National Festival. stitute of Chicago (RIC) on the opening of The Music for All is one of the nation’s larg- SNU women and men’s athletic teams. their new state of the art facility, the Shirley est and most influential organizations, and By 1985, Dr. Gresham became provost of Bethany Nazarene College and four short Ryan AbilityLab, opening on March 25, 2017. only a mere 59 high school and middle school RIC has been named the ‘‘No. 1 Rehabilita- years later, in 1989, the board of trustees concert band and percussion ensembles from tion Hospital in America’’ by U.S. News & named Dr. Gresham the president of the insti- across the nation were selected to perform at World Report for 26 consecutive years. Their tution, now called Southern Nazarene Univer- the 2017 festival. Despite the fact that the new facility will be the first research hospital in sity. Currently, Dr. Gresham is the longest John Champe High School Wind Ensemble is which clinicians, scientists, innovators, and serving president among the eight Nazarene still in its nascent, as John Champe High technologists work together in the same institutions of higher education in North Amer- School only opened in Aldie, Virginia, in 2012, space, surrounding patients, discovering new ica. Additionally, he is the longest tenured they have the honor and unique distinction of approaches and, applying research in real president serving at any college or university being the first ensemble from Loudoun County time. to be invited to perform at this festival. Fur- in the state of Oklahoma. The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab will significantly During Dr. Gresham’s presidency at SNU, thermore, in five years, the band program at expand RIC’s overall footprint of 1.2 million the institution has had 28 consecutive years of John Champe has blossomed from 26 stu- square feet, of which 800,000 are dedicated to balanced budgets, and last fall’s total enroll- dents who were in the inaugural marching clinical research. Their inpatient capacity will ment was the all-time high in SNU’s school band in 2012 to 230 students today. The John grow by 40 percent increasing their total beds history. During Dr. Gresham’s tenure, SNU Champe Knights have also earned the distinc- to 242. The facility growth will include out- has been ranked the number one ‘‘Best Col- tion of Virginia Honor Band three times and 19 patient and research space along with ex- lege’’ in Oklahoma and one of ‘‘The 50 Most students successfully auditioned into the All- panding to five translational Ability Labs. RIC’s Affordable Private Colleges’’ in the nation by District Band this year. applied research and therapeutic space will in- Money (2016). Dr. Gresham is also credited Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join tegrate patients in the process of discovery with raising the needed funds for operating, me in congratulating the John Champe High and innovation, providing the highest quality endowment, and capital projects. The funds School Wind Ensemble on participating in the medical care and state-of-the art equipment raised have gone to many programs that will 2017 Music for All National Festival. I am for patients with Brain; Spinal Cord; Nerve, educate the next generation of SNU leaders proud to represent these students and wish Muscles & Bone; Cancer; and Pediatric condi- and enhance student life such as campus them all the best in their future endeavors. tions. f beautification projects, construction of new liv- RIC’s dedication to providing the best reha- ing centers, major upgrades to athletic facili- CONGRATULATING DR. LOREN P. bilitation care in the world and conducting cut- ties, and the establishment of a online campus ting edge research in my Congressional Dis- GRESHAM ON HIS RETIREMENT and a satellite campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma, FROM SOUTHERN NAZARENE trict is resulting in medical discoveries and in- among others. novations that benefit patients all over the UNIVERSITY Dr. Gresham has served in many profes- world. For that, Mr. Speaker, I applaud RIC sional organizations to help improve education and congratulate them as they open the Shir- for students and educators across the nation. HON. KENNY MARCHANT ley Ryan AbilityLab. OF TEXAS He has chaired the NAIA Council of Presi- f IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES dents as well as serving on the Board of Di- rectors for the National Association of Inde- RECOGNIZING THE 30TH ANNIVER- Thursday, March 23, 2017 pendent Colleges and Universities. He has SARY OF BELOVED DALLAS RES- Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today chaired the Council of Christian Colleges and TAURANT WILLIAMS CHICKEN to recognize Dr. Loren Gresham on his retire- Universities Board of Directors, an organiza- ment from Southern Nazarene University tion that represents more than 111 Christian HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (SNU). For the past 50 years, Dr. Gresham colleges and universities across the nation. OF TEXAS has devoted his time and efforts to providing Dr. Gresham’s wife, Linda, has also served IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES students a top tier education in a Christ-cen- extensively on campus ministries. Linda and tered environment. Dr. Gresham have a clear passion for edu- Thursday, March 23, 2017 Dr. Gresham has demonstrated a lifetime cation and love for SNU. Together, they Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. passion for education, including his own. Be- founded The Gresham Leadership Grant to re- Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and a water- fore becoming the President of SNU, Loren re- cruit outstanding young leaders to SNU. This ing mouth that I celebrate the 30th anniversary ceived a number of degrees. Loren earned his highly selective first-year grant is awarded to of the most famous chicken restaurant in all of Bachelor of Arts degree at Pasadena College students who have clearly demonstrated lead- North Texas—Williams Chicken. What started (now Point Loma Nazarene University) in 1962 ership in their community, church, and school as one ‘chicken spot’ in 1987 has now be- and went on to receive his Master of Arts de- and possess exemplary character in all as- come a successful chain with over 40 stores gree in international relations from the Univer- pects of their lives. including 20 franchises, and in addition to sity of Southern California. In 1964, Loren Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th District of being responsible for the best wings you can married former Pasadena College classmate, Texas, I would like to thank Dr. Gresham for find in the Dallas area, it boasts 500 employ- Linda Brown, and together they have one his 50 years of commitment and leadership to ees. child, Suzanne. Southern Nazarene University. Dr. Gresham’s Williams Chicken’s amazing growth and In 1967, Loren moved to Bethany, Okla- work ethic, values, and integrity have set an story is due to the entrepreneurial spirit of its homa where he became a professor of polit- example for those in higher education. I ask founder and CEO, Hiawatha Williams. Wil- ical science at Bethany Nazarene College. He all my distinguished colleagues to join me in liams Chicken’s humble beginnings are only

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A23MR8.027 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS March 23, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E377 as humble as Mr. William’s start himself, com- event organized by the Illinois Department of equip former inmates with the tools they need ing from a small Texas town then going to Corrections, the Illinois Department of Public to succeed. Paul Quinn College in Dallas. After learning Health, and local organizations throughout Illi- the ropes of the industry at a nationwide fast- nois. The Summit of Hope is designed to help f food corporation, Williams left to found Wil- former inmates reintegrate into society and liams Chicken, to serve great food to the great succeed as citizens once they’ve served their BMW EXPORTS EXCEED $9 BILLION people of Dallas. time in prison, promoting public safety and re- Mr. William’s story of entrepreneurship is an ducing recidivism in the process. HON. JOE WILSON All too often, former inmates do not have inspiration to business leaders in the greater OF SOUTH CAROLINA Dallas community—but it is particularly impor- access to the tools they need to succeed in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tant to the African-American community. Not our society. Without access to employment or only has he created a successful business, housing, they in too many cases return to pris- Thursday, March 23, 2017 but he has chosen to practice his give-back on. Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speak- The Summit of Hope is a large community spirit by conducting major outreach in edu- er, a recent article in Charleston’s The Post expo designed to provide individuals on parole cation, youth programs, and corporate philan- and Courier titled ‘‘S.C. BMW sets pace for or probation with access to the tools they thropy. He and his restaurant have shown U.S. auto exports,’’ details the remarkable pro- many young people in Dallas that it is possible need. Services provided at the event range from voter registration, to counseling, to job duction levels coming out of BMW’s South to create a successful and meaningful busi- Carolina plant with exports of over $9 billion. ness. training, to health screenings and beyond. By providing access to these services, organizers ‘‘The BMW manufacturing plant in South Though he can be found in numerous mag- Carolina maintained its position as the nation’s azines and on TV often, Williams will be the are ensuring that these individuals have every opportunity to succeed and reintegrate in our leading exporter of vehicles, sending $9.53 bil- first to say his kind family, his wife Doris and lion worth of cars and SUVs to foreign coun- his two adult sons who work in the business, society. I am grateful for the extraordinary ef- forts of Mr. Marcus King, Community Outreach tries in 2016—most of them through the Port are the ones who keeps him reinforced. Mr. of Charleston.’’ Speaker, Hiawatha Williams is an impressive Administrator for the Illinois Department of The president and CEO of BMW Manufac- man with an incredible business, and the taste Corrections’ Office of Constituent Services. turing, Knudt Flor, said in a statement, ‘‘We of his chicken is only outweighed by his taste Mr. King is a driving force behind this and had a record-breaking production and export for the community. other Summit of Hope events around the state of Illinois, and his impact on reducing recidi- year in 2016, and these new export figures re- f vism cannot be overstated. inforce BMW’s commitment to South Carolina RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE I also want to note the important efforts of and the United States.’’ OF THE SUMMIT OF HOPE Ms. Brandi Vigil, a full-time faculty member Governor Henry McMaster accurately indi- with Loyola University’s Department of Crimi- cated that ‘‘there’s no overstating the value HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY nal Justice and Criminology. Ms. Vigil and BMW has brought to South Carolina since OF ILLINOIS Loyola University have helped make the Sum- opening its doors in Spartanburg County over IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES mit of Hope a reality. 20 years ago. The fact that the same facility I am honored to have a Summit of Hope that represented such a commitment to our Thursday, March 23, 2017 event take place in the 9th Congressional Dis- state is now the leading automotive exporter in Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise trict of Illinois, and I hope that this and future the country is something that all South Caro- today to recognize the Summit of Hope, an events help make our communities safer and linians should be proud of.’’

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A23MR8.030 E23MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS Thursday, March 23, 2017 Daily Digest Senate emy: James Lankford (Committee on Appropria- Chamber Action tions). Page S1979 Routine Proceedings, pages S1941–S1980 Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on Measures Introduced: Nineteen bills and six reso- the Accession of Montenegro—Cloture: Senate lutions were introduced, as follows: S. 704–722, and began consideration of T.D. 114–12, Protocol to the S. Res. 92–97. Pages S1973–74 North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Accession of Measures Reported: Montenegro. Pages S1959–67 S. 178, to prevent elder abuse and exploitation A motion was entered to close further debate on and improve the justice system’s response to victims the treaty and, in accordance with the provisions of in elder abuse and exploitation cases. (S. Rept. No. Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, and 115–9) Page S1973 pursuant to the unanimous-consent agreement of Measures Passed: Thursday, March 24, 2017, a vote on cloture will occur at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 27, 2017. Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Page S1960 Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services Prior to the consideration of this treaty, Senate Rule: By 50 yeas to 48 nays (Vote No. 94), Senate took the following action: passed S.J. Res. 34, providing for congressional dis- Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to Execu- approval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States tive Session to consider the treaty. Page S1959 Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Commu- A unanimous-consent agreement was reached pro- nications Commission relating to ‘‘Protecting the viding that at approximately 3 p.m., on Monday, Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Tele- March 27, 2017, Senate resume consideration of the communications Services’’. Pages S1942–55 treaty; that the filing deadline for first-degree National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day: Senate amendments under Rule XXII for the cloture mo- agreed to S. Res. 96, designating March 25, 2017, tion filed during today’s session of the Senate be at as ‘‘National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day’’. 3:30 p.m.; and that notwithstanding the provisions Pages S1979–80 of Rule XXII, the vote on the motion to invoke clo- Authorizing the Printing of Senate Committee ture on the treaty occur at 5:30 p.m. Page S1980 Rules: Senate agreed to S. Res. 97, authorizing the Nomination Confirmed: Senate confirmed the fol- printing of a collection of the rules of the commit- lowing nomination: tees of the Senate. Page S1980 By 52 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. EX. 96), David Appointments: Friedman, of New York, to be Ambassador to Israel. Pages S1955–59 National Commission on Military, National, During consideration of this nomination today, and Public Service: The Chair, on behalf of the Senate also took the following action: Democratic Leader and Ranking Member of the Sen- By 52 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. 95), Senate ate Committee on Armed Services, pursuant to the agreed to the motion to close further debate on the provisions of Public Law 114–328, appointed the nomination. Page S1955 following individuals to serve as members of the Na- tional Commission on Military, National, and Public Messages from the House: Page S1969 Service: Alan Khazei of Massachusetts, Mark Gearan Measures Referred: Page S1969 Page S1979 of New York. Enrolled Bills Presented: Page S1969 Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy: Executive Communications: Pages S1969–72 The Chair, on behalf of the Vice President, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 6968(a), appointed the following Sen- Petitions and Memorials: Pages S1972–73 ator to the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Acad- Executive Reports of Committees: Page S1973 D332

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Additional Cosponsors: Pages S1974–75 Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: after the nominee testified and answered questions in Pages S1975–79 his own behalf. Additional Statements: Pages S1968–69 FAA REAUTHORIZATION Authorities for Committees to Meet: Page S1979 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Sub- committee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Secu- Privileges of the Floor: Page S1979 rity concluded a hearing to examine FAA reauthor- Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today. ization, focusing on perspectives on improving air- (Total—96) Pages S1954–55, S1959 port infrastructure and aviation manufacturing, after Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and receiving testimony from Margaret Gilligan, Asso- adjourned at 5:54 p.m., until 3 p.m. on Monday, ciate Administrator for Aviation Safety, Federal March 27, 2017. (For Senate’s program, see the re- Aviation Administration, Department of Transpor- marks of the Acting Majority Leader in today’s tation; Gerald L. Dillingham, Director, Physical In- Record on page S1980.) frastructure Issues, Government Accountability Of- fice; Rhonda K. Hamm-Niebruegge, St. Louis Lam- bert International Airport, St. Louis, Missouri; Bob Committee Meetings Montgomery, Southwest Airlines Co., Dallas, Texas; and Gregory J. Fedele, Innova Aerospace, Perryville, (Committees not listed did not meet) Missouri. NOMINATION NOMINATION Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Com- Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded mittee concluded a hearing to examine the nomina- hearings to examine the nomination of Neil M. tion of Sonny Perdue, of Georgia, to be Secretary of Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of Agriculture, after the nominee, who was introduced the Supreme Court of the United States, after receiv- by former Senator Saxby Chambliss and Representa- ing testimony from Peter Kirsanow, Commissioner, tive David Scott, testified and answered questions in U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and Benesch, his own behalf. Friedlander, Coplan and Aronoff, Cleveland, Ohio; U.S. EUROPEAN COMMAND Nancy Scott Degan, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Shannon Edwards, Edmond, Oklahoma, both of the Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a American Bar Association Standing Committee on hearing to examine United States European Com- the Federal Judiciary; Deanell Reece Tacha, U.S. mand, after receiving testimony from General Curtis Court of Appeals Judge (Retired), Pepperdine Law M. Scaparrotti, USA, Commander, United States Eu- School, Malibu, California; Robert Harlan Henry, ropean Command, and Supreme Allied Commander, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge (Retired), Oklahoma Europe, Department of Defense. City University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; John L. BUSINESS MEETING Kane, U.S. District Court Judge (Senior), District of Committee on Armed Services: Committee ordered favor- Colorado, Denver; Elisa Massimino, Human Rights ably reported 62 nominations in the Army and Air First, Guerino J. Calemine, III, Communications Force. Workers of America, Jeff Lamken, MoloLamken, Lawrence Solum, Georgetown University Law Cen- CIVILIAN PERSONNEL REFORM ter, Jonathan Turley, The George Washington Uni- Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Per- versity Law School, Karen Harned, National Federa- sonnel concluded a hearing to examine Department tion of Independent Business Small Business Legal of Defense civilian personnel reform, after receiving Center, Fatima Goss Graves, National Women’s Law testimony from Dov S. Zakheim, former Comp- Center, Alice Fisher, Latham and Watkins, Hannah troller, Peter K. Levine, performed the duties of the Smith, Becket, Kristen Clarke, Lawyers Committee Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, and for Civil Rights Under Law, Sarah Warbelow, Laura J. Junor, former Principal Deputy Under Sec- Human Rights Campaign, and Leah Bressack, all of retary for Personnel and Readiness, all of the Depart- Washington, D.C.; Jameel Jaffer, Columbia Univer- ment of Defense. sity Knight First Amendment Institute, and Heather McGhee, Demos, both of New York, New York; Pat NOMINATION Gallagher, Sierra Club Environmental Law Program, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Oakland, California; Eve Hill, Goldstein Levy, Balti- Committee concluded a hearing to examine the more, Maryland; Amy Hagstrom Miller, Whole nomination of Jay Clayton, of New York, to be a Woman’s Health, Charlottesville, Virginia; William

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Next Meeting of the SENATE Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 3 p.m., Monday, March 27 9 a.m., Friday, March 24

Senate Chamber House Chamber Program for Monday: Senate will resume consideration Program for Friday: Consideration of H.R. 1628— of T.D. 114–12, Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty American Health Care Act of 2017 (Subject to a Rule). of 1949 on the Accession of Montenegro, and vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the treaty at 5:30 p.m. The filing deadline for first-degree amendments to the treaty is at 3:30 p.m.

Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue

HOUSE Dingell, Debbie, Mich., E369, E370, E372, E374 Perlmutter, Ed, Colo., E367, E367, E368, E369, E369, Boyle, Brendan F., Pa., E372 Johnson, Eddie Bernice, Tex., E376 E371, E371, E372, E372, E373 Budd, Ted, N.C., E374 Keating, William R., Mass., E371 Pingree, Chellie, Me., E370 Carbajal, Salud O., Calif., E374 Kelly, Trent, Miss., E370, E371, E373 Rooney, Thomas J., Fla., E367 Collins, Doug, Ga., E375 Schakowsky, Janice D., Ill., E377 King, Steve, Iowa, E368 Comstock, Barbara, Va., E376 Sherman, Brad, Calif., E367 Lawrence, Brenda L., Mich., E375 Connolly, Gerald E., Va., E375 Shuster, Bill, Pa., E369 Costa, Jim, Calif., E368 Maloney, Carolyn B., N.Y., E373 Slaughter, Louise McIntosh, N.Y., E369 Crist, Charlie, Fla., E368 Marchant, Kenny, Tex., E376 Smith, Jason, Mo., E368 Cuellar, Henry, Tex., E375 McCaul, Michael T., Tex., E369, E371, E372 Valadao, David G., Calif., E373 Davis, Danny K., Ill., E376 Panetta, Jimmy, Calif., E373 Wilson, Joe, S.C., E377

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