E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 114 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 161 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2015 No. 86 Senate The Senate met at 12 noon and was can. On our way there, we should take the best outcome that can be reason- called to order by the President pro some commonsense steps to ensure the ably expected in this reality with tempore (Mr. HATCH). new system envisioned by that legisla- which we are confronted. That is my f tion—a system we would soon have to commitment, and I know many of my rely upon to keep our country safe— colleagues share it as well. PRAYER will, in fact, actually work. The Mr. President, I suggest the absence The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- amendments filed last night would help of a quorum. fered the following prayer: do just that. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Let us pray. For example, one amendment would clerk will call the roll. God of all mercies, in whose love and ensure that there is adequate time to The bill clerk proceeded to call the wisdom lies all our hope, still our anx- build and test a system that doesn’t roll. ious hearts as we bring our weakness to yet exist. One amendment would en- Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unan- Your might, our failure to Your perfec- sure that there is adequate time to imous consent that the order for the tion, and our smallness to Your great- build and test a system that doesn’t quorum call be rescinded. ness. From a world with its tragedies even exist yet. Another would require The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. and setbacks, we turn for this hallowed that once the new system is actually GARDNER). Without objection, it is so moment to be still and know that You built, the Director of National Intel- ordered. are God. ligence reviews it and certifies that it f Continue to sustain our lawmakers. actually works. I will say that again. Save them from the dangers that lurk The second amendment would require RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME in a flawed judgment of confused reck- that once the new system is actually The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. oning and a narrow outlook. Bless the built, the Director of National Intel- JOHNSON). Under the previous order, members of their staffs who labor with ligence reviews the new system and the leadership time is reserved. them to keep our Nation strong. certifies that it will actually work. f And, Lord, comfort the Biden family Amendment No. 3 would require simple MORNING BUSINESS and all those who are grieving the loss notification if the providers decide to of Beau Biden. change their data-retention policies. It The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under We pray in Your merciful Name. will just require them to notify us if the previous order, the Senate will be Amen. the providers decide to change their in a period of morning business for 1 f data-retention policies. Three amend- hour, with Senators permitted to speak ments to improve the bill. therein for up to 10 minutes each. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE These fixes are common sense, and The Senator from Florida. The President pro tempore led the whatever one thinks of the proposed f Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: new system, there needs to be basic as- REMEMBERING BEAU BIDEN I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the surance that it will function as its pro- United States of America, and to the Repub- ponents say it will. The Senate should Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, I wish lic for which it stands, one nation under God, adopt these basic safeguards. to speak about the FISA bill, but be- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I had hoped to see committees work- fore I do, I want to express what is in f ing hard to advance bipartisan, com- every one of our hearts—our grieving promise FISA legislation this week, with the JOE BIDEN family. That family RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY which is why I had offered several tem- has had more than its share of tragedy, LEADER porary extensions of the existing pro- but what it has produced is, in the case The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. gram to allow the space for that to of Beau Biden, an extraordinary public HELLER). The majority leader is recog- occur. But these proposed short-term servant who served his country not nized. extensions were either voted down or only by elected office but by serving in f objected to, including a very narrow uniform as well. extension of some of the least con- Most of us in this Chamber know the USA FREEDOM ACT troversial tools contained within the Biden family. The dad and the now Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, last program that we are considering. mom, JOE and Jill, are extraordinary night the Senate voted to advance the So this is where we are. It now falls human beings who have contributed so House-passed FISA bill. We will have a on all of us to work diligently and re- much. It is not necessarily easy to be vote on that legislation as soon as we sponsibly to get the American people in public service as long as the Vice ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S3373 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:36 Jun 02, 2015 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A01JN6.000 S01JNPT1 SSpencer on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S3374 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 1, 2015 President has been and still raise a would further urge the chairman of the Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I rise while family that is so extraordinarily ac- Intelligence Committee that as to a my good friend from Florida is on the complished and contributes so much. major flaw in the bill passed by the floor to say that I wish I could have a Then to have that eldest son taken House, which we will eventually pass magic wand with which I could collapse from him is like a dagger into our this week, we add to it a requirement this time. But as he knows, under Sen- hearts. for a certain amount of time that the ate rules, one Member can demand for So we grieve with the family. We telephone companies would have to the full 30 hours, and we are in a proc- grieve for them and with the Nation. I keep those telephone business records, ess like that. My hope is that there just wish to put that on the record. so that if there is an urgency of na- will be accommodation as we go f tional security going through the FISA through this because I think most Court, those records would be available Members would like to resolve this. NATIONAL SECURITY to the intelligence community to trace LEGISLATION Let me say specifically to his two the telephone calls of the terrorists. points that there is a substitute Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, we are That would be my recommendation, amendment that has the USA FREE- here because the Senate is not func- and I see the chairman nodding in DOM language with two additional tioning. We were here last night be- somewhat agreement. pieces. Those two pieces are a 6-month cause the Senate is not functioning. I hope we will get on. I hope better notification to NSA by any telecom Oh, it is functioning according to the hearts and minds will prevail and that company that intends to change its re- rules, which say that you have to go we can collapse this period of darkness tention program. As my good friend through this arcane procedure of clo- where there is no law governing emails, from Florida knows, in part, trying to ture on the motion to proceed and get phone calls, cell phones, et cetera, as move a bill is making sure we move a 60 votes before you can ever get to the we try to protect ourselves from the bill that can be passed and accepted by bill. Once you get to the bill, then you terrorists. the House of Representatives. Manda- file another motion for cloture. The I would hope that this would be col- tory retention right now does not meet Senate rules say that there are 30 lapsed into a much shorter time in- that threshold. But I hope they will ac- hours that have to run unless, as has stead of having to wait until late Tues- cept this requirement of notification of been typical of Senate business, there day or Wednesday or Thursday of this any change in their retention program, is comity, there is understanding, and week. as well as a DNI certification at the there is bipartisanship. But one Sen- I yield the floor. end of whatever the transition period ator can withhold unanimous consent, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- is. and that has been done—so the 30 ator from North Carolina. hours. Now, there will be a first-degree and Now, normally that may be standard f a second-degree amendment, in addi- procedure for the Senate, but it is get- ORDER OF PROCEDURE tion to that, made in order and ger- mane. The first-degree amendment will ting in the way of our national secu- Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unan- be to extend the transition period to 12 rity.