Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 114 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 114 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 162 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016 No. 17 Senate The Senate met at 9:45 a.m. and was appoint the Honorable DEAN HELLER, a Sen- taxes or adding to the deficit. It is the called to order by the Honorable DEAN ator from the State of Nevada, to perform latest reminder of what is possible with HELLER, a Senator from the State of the duties of the Chair. cooperation in this Senate. Nevada. ORRIN G. HATCH, A huge majority of the Senate energy President pro tempore. f committee supported the bill when it Mr. HELLER thereupon assumed the came to a vote. The top Republican on PRAYER Chair as Acting President pro tempore. the committee supported it and the top The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- f Democrat on the committee supported fered the following prayer: it. They are the managers of this bill Loving God, Your providence guides RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY today. They have worked with Mem- our going out and coming in, and we LEADER bers of both parties and have lined up praise Your great Name. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- amendments already. They are work- Today, help our lawmakers to exer- pore. The majority leader is recog- ing with Members of both parties to cise that cool judgment that is worth nized. schedule even more. If you have an far more than a thousand hasty words. amendment you would like considered, Remind them that soft answers turn f please work with them. Let’s get this away anger and that humility precedes ENERGY POLICY MODERNIZATION process moving. Let’s get this bill honor. As they work to do what is best BILL passed so we can support more jobs, for our Nation and world, use their lips Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, the more growth, and more energy inde- to provide more light than heat, as last time a broad energy bill was their words build up instead of tearing pendence for our country. signed into law was back in 2007. It down. May the words of their mouths f may as well have been a lifetime ago as and the meditations of their hearts glo- far as America’s energy situation is TRIBUTE TO MIKE BRUMAS rify You. concerned. While we were once living Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, be- And, Lord, bless the faithful mem- in an era of energy scarcity, we are fore I leave the floor, let me say this as bers of our fall page class as they pre- now living in an era of higher energy well. The chair of the energy com- pare to leave us. We pray in Your mighty Name. production and lower technology costs. mittee knows how to write good legis- Amen. It is change that represents many op- lation. We have proof of that before us portunities but also challenges—aging today. But here is something else: The f infrastructure, bureaucratic hurdles, chair of the energy committee also PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE outdated policies, and needless redtape. knows how to pick good staff. Take The Presiding Officer led the Pledge These are the kinds of challenges we Mike Brumas as one example. He of Allegiance, as follows: will need to address if we want to sup- served as her communications director. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the port America’s rise as one of the He served as communications director United States of America, and to the Repub- world’s preeminent energy superpowers for the junior Senator from Alabama, lic for which it stands, one nation under God, and if we want to support the accom- too, and as chief of staff for the State’s indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. panying potential for jobs, for growth, senior Senator. Mike also spent time f and for increased energy independence. covering Washington back when he was APPOINTMENT OF ACTING That is why the Senate is considering a reporter. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE the Energy Policy Modernization Act. Mike Brumas obviously had a lot of It is broad, bipartisan legislation that experience under his belt by the time The PRESIDING OFFICER. The will modernize our energy policies to he came to work for me. Mike was an clerk will please read a communication keep pace with a changing world. It important part of my team, he worked to the Senate from the President pro will help Americans produce more en- hard, and he earned positions of trust tempore (Mr. HATCH). ergy. It will help Americans pay less among respected Members of our con- The senior assistant legislative clerk for energy. It will help Americans save ference and among the Washington read the following letter: energy. press corps. Mike was there both in the U.S. SENATE, This bipartisan bill builds on techno- minority and in the majority as we PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, logical progress in order to strengthen made our way through many chal- Washington, DC, January 28, 2016. To the Senate: and sustain America’s energy advances lenges, but he never let his good humor Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, while protecting our environment at or his zest for life get lost along the of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby the same time, all without raising way. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S297 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:39 Jan 29, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A28JA6.000 S28JAPT1 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S298 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 28, 2016 People will tell you that Mike loves able energy and other electricity ini- committee has reported out at least history and political history in par- tiatives. one nomination every year for the past ticular. It is a shared passion that kept So I like this bill that is on the floor. 50 years, but not last year—last year, me challenged and often entertained. It is a good bill. But it simply is not not a single nominee. Currently, nomi- People will tell you a few other things valid to say that nothing has happened nees to the Federal Reserve Board, the about Mike too. He is always smiling. since 2007 because that is a gross un- Securities and Exchange Commission, He is always laughing. He always has a derstatement. and other important financial assign- story to tell and a recipe to share. This I really hope we can pass the bill that ments are stalled in the banking com- aspiring chef and endeavoring fly fish- is on the floor. The vast majority of mittee. The committee has been oper- erman is happiest when he is with his this bill contains the Shaheen-Portman ating under Republican leadership for family—his delightful wife Ann and his legislation that we tried valiantly to the past 13 months, and they have yet sons Alex and Will—and Mike is at his get done in the past. It was blocked by to report a single nomination out of best when he is outdoors camping or Republican filibusters. Sadly, the co- that committee. That is the definition biking or just simply enjoying life be- sponsor of the bill twice voted against of historic obstruction. yond these walls. his own bill. The Senator from Ohio If there is any nominee who deserves When Mike told me it was his time to voted against his own legislation. I to be confirmed immediately, it is a retire from the Senate, I was sad to see hope that doesn’t happen again. man by the name of Adam Szubin, him go, but at the same time I was f whom the President nominated to com- glad to see him able to spend more NOMINATIONS bat terrorism financing—think about time around the people and things that that—terrorism financing. He is des- Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Presi- make Mike, Mike. perately needed at the Treasury De- dent of the United States deserves the Ronald Michael Brumas came to my partment. Jack Lew has called me on right to choose a team to carry out the office as a colleague and leaves as a many occasions talking about how this work that is being done here, and the friend. I thank him for his many years man needs to fill this assignment. He leader of that work to be done here is of dedicated service to me and to this has expressed to me the importance of the President. It was the same way his job in trying to slow ISIS and their body, and I send him best wishes for a with President Bush, President retirement that promises to be any- Reagan, and President Clinton. They financial network and other terrorism thing but boring. deserved a team—a team they chose— activities around the country. As f to help effectuate policies they saw as Under Secretary for Terrorism and Fi- nancial Crimes, Szubin would lead a RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY necessary for this country. The Presi- team that disrupts terrorist financing LEADER dent of the United States deserves the right to choose a team to carry out his networks, cutting off money for terror- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- vision here at home and around the ists so they can’t finance their evil pore. The Democratic leader is recog- world—his vision.