E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 164 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018 No. 66 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was their advice, and we will vote to con- OPIOID EPIDEMIC called to order by the President pro firm him. Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, tempore (Mr. HATCH). We will be lucky to have this capable on another matter, our Nation’s opioid f public servant on the job. We know epidemic continues to plague commu- PRAYER Mike Pompeo is up to the task. After nities and families in my home State all, we confirmed him with a com- of Kentucky and across the Nation. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- fortable and bipartisan majority to Here in Congress, we are doing our best fered the following prayer: lead the CIA. In one of the most sen- to support the healthcare and law en- Let us pray. sitive positions in our government, the forcement professionals who are bat- Eternal Lord, marvelous is Your quality of his leadership was directly tling it every single day. Name. We celebrate the works of Your linked to the security of the American Last week, I introduced the Pro- hands: the sky and sea, the songs of people. tecting Moms and Infants Act, a bipar- birds, the hues of flowers, and the pre- tisan effort to confront the heart- West Point valedictorian, Harvard cision of the planets. breaking cases of prenatal and infant Law, U.S. Army officer, a successful Bless the people of our beloved Re- opioid addiction. It builds on my 2015 businessman, and three-term Congress- public. Amid all differences, may they bill, the Protecting Our Infants Act, man serving on the House Intelligence be one in spirit, purpose, and faith. and Congress’s other recent progress on Committee—this is the resume that Lord, continue to sustain our Sen- this issue. Mike Pompeo brought to the top job at ators. Keep them living, laboring, and In recent years, Congress has bol- the CIA with the support of a bipar- loving for the good of all. Make them stered prevention, treatment, and en- tisan supermajority of the Senate, and, instruments of Your will for the heal- forcement efforts through the Com- by all accounts, his tenure there has ing of our Nation and world. Keep them prehensive Addiction and Recovery Act been a big success. The caliber of conscious of Your presence and direct and the 21st Century Cures Act, and Mike’s leadership and the quality of his their thinking, speaking, and doing. the recent government funding bill counsel have won him the respect of We pray in Your sacred Name. Amen. dedicated a record level of resources to our National Clandestine Service and saving lives from heroin and prescrip- f the confidence of the President. tion drug abuse. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Just recently, Director Pompeo un- But much more work remains. So The President pro tempore led the dertook sensitive conversations with today I am proud to announce legisla- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: representatives of North Korea to lay tion to address this crisis’ devastating I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the the groundwork for efforts aimed at effects on the American worker and the United States of America, and to the Repub- denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. American workforce. lic for which it stands, one nation under God, As he steps into this new mission as Stable employment is not just a path indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Secretary of State, he clearly enjoys to financial security for workers and f the confidence of the President, and families. Earning a paycheck from a job is also linked to personal happiness RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY throughout his testimony before the and even physical health. We see first- LEADER Foreign Relations Committee, he dem- onstrated expertise and profes- hand in Kentucky the need for the The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. sionalism. structure and support that come with a HYDE-SMITH). The majority leader is job to help keep former addicts from recognized. Fortunately, even as so many of falling back into the cycle of addiction. President Trump’s well-qualified nomi- f According to the CEO of a treatment nees are obstructed and delayed with- facility in Louisville, ‘‘stable housing NOMINATION OF MIKE POMPEO out reason, a bipartisan majority of and employment are vitally tied to an Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, Senators have already signaled their individual’s recovery.’’ But, unfortu- yesterday the Foreign Relations Com- intention to vote to confirm Mike nately, in the very communities where mittee finished consideration of Mike Pompeo. We have the nominee, we have employment could do so much, the Pompeo’s nomination to serve as our the votes, and we will confirm our next opioid crisis itself is making it harder Nation’s 70th Secretary of State. They Secretary of State this week. to attain. reported his nomination to the full Then, I hope we can build on this bi- I frequently hear Kentucky employ- Senate with a favorable recommenda- partisan momentum and process more ers cite substance abuse as a major tion. Later this week, we will take of the President’s qualified nominees. hurdle to finding and hiring suitable ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2359 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:06 Apr 25, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A24AP6.000 S24APPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S2360 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 24, 2018 applicants. One study traced roughly 25 families and job creators in America’s Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I percent of the decline in workforce par- smaller cities, towns, and rural com- ask unanimous consent that the order ticipation between 1999 and 2015 to the munities were stuck in the slow lane. for the quorum call be rescinded. opioid crisis. That amounts to about 1 There, job opportunities dried up as in- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without million missing workers. It is no won- vestment dollars hit the road. There, objection, it is so ordered. der that the Trump administration re- Americans learned what it feels like NOMINATION OF MIKE POMPEO ports that the epidemic cost our econ- when Washington, DC, leaves you be- Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, yes- omy a half trillion dollars in 2015 hind. But, fortunately, these commu- terday, after some drama and a rare alone. nities are among the first to feel the act of civility on the part of Senator The economic cost pales in compari- benefits of the new Republican ap- COONS, for which I applaud him, the son to the human cost that addiction proach. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and joblessness inflict. The Com- The historic tax relief we passed last approved the nomination of Mike prehensive Addiction Recovery through year cut taxes for American families Pompeo as Secretary of State. This is Effective Employment and Reentry and gave employers more flexibility to despite Chairman CORKER repeatedly Act, or CAREER Act, would bring tar- expand, hire, and give their workers pointing out how qualified for this ap- geted relief to the States most dev- bonuses, raises, and new benefits. pointment Director Pompeo actually astated by substance abuse. This State- As my colleague Senator YOUNG re- is, but, apparently, it fell on deaf ears. based pilot program would encourage ports, the results in Indiana are adding This sort of treatment is unprece- local businesses and treatment groups up. He heard from a Hoosier in Cedar dented, in my memory certainly, for a to form partnerships to help those in Lake who is expanding his family Secretary of State. Director Pompeo recovery find and maintain employ- milk-hauling business, and a Kokomo was, in fact, first in his class at West ment. small business owner who is now hiring Point and led the Harvard Law Review. The legislation expands housing more workers. I recently read that over He served his country in the military block grants to encourage more transi- in Ellettsville, one family has found an and served the people of Kansas in Con- tional housing options for recovering additional $200 in their monthly pay- gress, not to mention the fact that addicts until they secure permanent checks—enough to cover a week’s Mike Pompeo already serves in one of arrangements. It gives States more worth of groceries. the most sensitive and important posi- flexibility to spend Federal career serv- I don’t think my colleagues across tions in the Trump administration as ices and training funds to support spe- the aisle intended to make life more Director of the Central Intelligence cific initiatives dedicated to helping difficult for middle-class families Agency. individuals transition from treatment across the country. It is just that these I spoke yesterday about the con- to the workforce. In short, this bill leftwing policies make it harder, not firmations of some of the most recent does exactly what the experts tell us easier, for American workers and job Secretaries of State, not just Secre- needs to be done on this front. creators to actually get ahead. But taries Clinton and Kerry. Secretary This morning, Chairman ALEXANDER when my Democratic friends had the Kerry got all but three votes in the and the HELP Committee are review- chance to join us and deliver historic Senate, and Secretary Clinton lost ing comprehensive opioid legislation. I tax relief to American families, they only two votes in the Senate, but I also commend the chairman for his diligent stood firm and tried to block tax relief spoke of Secretary Powell and Sec- efforts on this subject.