Congressional Record—Senate S1580
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S1580 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 17, 2016 and independent inspector general to TRIBUTE TO FEDERAL He shared with me something I was be our partner in that effort. Delaying EMPLOYEES very happy to learn about. He told me this nomination also delays improve- Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, in clos- of six members of the current intel- ments to the services that our veterans ing, I want to do something I think the ligence team within TSA’s Office of In- receive. Presiding Officer has heard me do be- telligence and Analysis and how they Permanent leadership of the Depart- fore. I try to come to the floor once a recently received the 2015 Intelligence ment of Veterans Affairs Office of In- month and talk about some of the em- Community Counterterrorism Award spector General is long overdue and ployees who work at the Department of for Education and Training from the will go a long way toward providing Homeland Security. They work for us Director of the National Counterterror- stable leadership and oversight of the across this country and really around ism Center. That is a mouthful, but it agency. I urge my colleagues to quick- the world. is quite an award, quite a recognition. ly confirm Mr. Missal so he can go to This is the youngest Department, if These six individuals—three men, three work on behalf of our veterans and the you will, that we have in the Federal women—developed a counterterrorism American people—not in a couple of Government. It is about 12 years old. It threat briefing for all frontline em- months or later this year; we can do it sort of formed on the heels of 9/11. ployees who man our checkpoints and now, as soon as we come back from the Twenty-two agencies that have some transit systems so they can better un- recess that begins tomorrow. commonality in their focus or the way derstand the connection between intel- they touch the security of our home- ligence and TSA security operations. f land and the people who live in it kind In essence, these individuals are help- of glommed together. ing TSA frontline officers understand ZIKA VIRUS The morale in the Department has the ‘‘why,’’ if you will, behind their not been good. There has been a great, work. According to the Director of the Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I wish sustained effort—and certainly we are National Counterterrorism Center, to take this opportunity to talk about trying to support it in our Committee these six or seven men and women ‘‘ex- an issue that is both concerning and on Homeland Security and Govern- emplified the essential attributes of tragic; that is, the rapid spread of the mental Affairs—to turn a corner and the counter-terrorism community: ex- Zika virus in Central and South Amer- let people know that not only is the pertise, integration, collaboration, and ica in recent months. This is a virus we work they do important, but we appre- information sharing.’’ have known about ever since I was ciate their efforts. While I cannot state their names born, and that has been about 69 years. I wish to say a few words today about I think the first time somebody de- here, maybe for obvious reasons, I do some of the men and women who work wish to say to all of you out there—you tected this was maybe on an island in tirelessly to keep us safe and secure, the South Pacific. It has ebbed and know who I am talking about—thank often without a lot of recognition and you for the work you do every day to flowed over the years, and now it is thanks. I am talking about the good flowing big time. ensure that your fellow Americans, people at the Transportation Security people who work here and the people Every day researchers are discov- Administration, now led by retired ering more about this virus and its po- we represent, can travel safely and Coast Guard Admiral Neffenger, Peter that our transit systems are secure. tential impact, particularly on preg- Neffenger, a very able and impressive nant woman and their unborn children. Thank you for the work you have done leader. to ensure that your fellow TSA em- The findings are not good. In fact, they As the Easter holidays approach, are deeply troubling. There are strong ployees have the tools they need to many Americans will be traveling to carry out the critical work they do. indications that the virus is connected spend time with their families around to a developmental birth defect that Your dedication and your invaluable the country and even around the world. service are appreciated by me, by all of can lead to underdeveloped brains. We If you head to an airport, as many of have seen the photographs of smaller our colleagues in the Senate, our my colleagues, their colleagues, and staffs, and by millions of Americans heads in too many children. their constituents will be doing very Additional studies are also exam- who travel throughout our country soon, chances are you will interact every single day. ining a potential connection between with some of the hard-working men With that, I have probably said the Zika virus and other health con- and women of the TSA who keep our enough. I will say to the Presiding Offi- cerns. With the World Health Organiza- skies safe. Nearly 59,000 people work at cer, the staff, and everybody who tion estimating that as many as 4 mil- TSA. Many are focused on securing our might be tuned in, happy St. Patrick’s lion people could be infected in the re- aviation system, while others work to Day. We hope good fortune shines on gion this year, it is clear that we must protect our service transportation net- all of us and on our country, not just act swiftly to combat this threat. That works, such as the train I took to work over this holiday and upcoming recess is why I was pleased to see President this morning and will be jumping on and a special day today but for a long Obama and his administration take an later today to go home. early and proactive role in addressing TSA’s work is not only carried out by time after that. the Zika virus. For example, a coordi- frontline employees whom we see at Some of the people we have talked nated Federal response led by the Cen- the airports as we check in and go about today—their job is to make sure ters for Disease Control and Prevention through security, have our bags we are not just lucky, but that we are is working with State, local, and inter- checked, our bodies checked, there are safe, secure, and successful going for- national public health partners to step also many dedicated people who are ward. There is an old saying: The hard- up mosquito control efforts and to en- hard at work behind the scenes. We er I work, the luckier I get. I am talk- sure that health officials have the never actually see them, but they are ing about some people who work very equipment they need to test people for there keeping us safe too. These men hard so we can be fortunate and blessed this disease. and women perform the critical work in this country. I bid you a happy St. To further these efforts, President of gathering and analyzing intelligence Patrick’s Day. Obama has recently submitted a sup- in order to identify potential threats to I suggest the absence of a quorum. plemental funding request to Congress. our transportation system and to miti- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The These funds would go toward devel- gate them in real time. clerk will call the roll. oping vaccines, mosquito control ef- I would like to use the remainder of The senior assistant legislative clerk forts, and diagnostic testing, among my time to highlight the outstanding proceeded to call the roll. other things. The Senate should take a efforts of some of these individuals. I Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I long, hard look at the President’s re- learned about them yesterday while ask unanimous consent that the order quest in the coming days and weeks meeting with Admiral Neffenger, who for the quorum call be rescinded. and consider what measures we need to happened to be in a meeting that we The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SUL- take to ensure we are ready for Zika had in my office and was with me again LIVAN). Without objection, it is so or- and for other future outbreaks. today for a secure briefing in the SCIF. dered. VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:08 Mar 18, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G17MR6.074 S17MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with SENATE March 17, 2016 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1581 TRIBUTE TO MIKE DUNCAN Mike was 8 years old when his uncle imagine, but as recently as the 1970s, Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I ran for superintendent of schools. It history books largely left out the con- wish to pay tribute to a distinguished was volunteering for his uncle’s cam- tributions of women in America. This Kentuckian, a man who knows the paign that sparked his love of politics, began to change in 1978, when a small meaning of public service, who I am and we are glad that it did. He has been group set out to revise the school cur- proud to call a friend.