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, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 No. 42 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Friday, March 13, 2015, at 11 a.m. Senate THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was HUMAN TRAFFICKING viously wouldn’t have cosponsored the called to order by the President pro LEGISLATION bill or voted for it in committee or tempore (Mr. HATCH). Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, the called for passage on the floor if they f Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act hadn’t read the bill first. These Democrats surely don’t want PRAYER is one of the most bipartisan pieces of legislation one could possibly imagine. to see more quotes such as this one The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- Ever since this bipartisan human from an official with the Coalition fered the following prayer: rights bill was introduced by a Demo- Against Trafficking in Women. She Let us pray. crat and a Republican in January and said: ‘‘Senate Democrats are choosing Eternal God, most high, thank You made publicly available for any person a phantom problem over real victims.’’ for being light in our darkness, food for to read, Members of both parties have So if these Democrats keep their our hunger, peace for our pressures, joy sung its praises repeatedly. This bipar- word to the victims of human traf- for our sorrow, forgiveness for our fail- tisan bill has gained the support of 13 ficking, then a partisan filibuster at- ures, strength for our weakness, guid- Democratic cosponsors. tempt will fail overwhelmingly. If ance for our confusion, and health for Recently, Democrats voted unani- these Democrats keep their word to the our sickness. mously to approve it in committee. vulnerable and the oppressed, then the May our Senators labor today with This week Democrats consented unani- Senate will pass a bipartisan human the knowledge that You are everything mously to advance it on the floor. Even rights bill. they need. When they feel uncertain the Democratic leader himself said he But if these Democrats truly are hav- about the next step to take, supply ‘‘underscore[d], appreciate[d], and ing second thoughts about supporting their needs from Your bountiful riches. agree[d]’’ with my call to pass this bi- such important human rights legisla- Lord, keep them from stumbling or partisan legislation overwhelmingly. tion, they are free to offer an amend- slipping as they strive to live lives that ‘‘I doubt there will be problems on my ment. But let’s not filibuster bipar- honor You. May they ever do justly, side,’’ he said. ‘‘If there are, I will work tisan help for vulnerable victims just love mercy, and walk humbly with to clear them.’’ to make a point for leftwing special in- You. That was Monday. terest groups. We pray in Your great Name. Amen. By Tuesday, Democrats seemed to be Our Democratic friends have to resist threatening to filibuster human rights the siren song of their pollsters who f legislation for abused and neglected tell them that the path to victory lies PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE victims and children. Let me repeat in turning bipartisan bills into manu- The President pro tempore led the that. Democrats are now threatening factured fights over cultural issues. Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: to filibuster human rights legislation Americans are looking for statesmen I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the for abused and neglected victims and and stateswomen on the Democratic United States of America, and to the Repub- children. So why? side to stand up—stand up—and help us lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Democrats now say they don’t like emancipate the victims of modern slav- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. language that has been in the bill since ery, not score another empty political f it was introduced months ago that does point. nothing more than reaffirm the bipar- So I am calling on these Democrats RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY tisan law of the land. That is all that to help us do that. Help is almost there LEADER language does. This bipartisan provi- for the vulnerable victims of these The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. sion was on page 4 of this modest-sized awful crimes. Surely no leftwing spe- HELLER). The majority leader is recog- bill, so Democrats obviously knew it cial interest group is more important nized. was there to begin with. Democrats ob- than fighting modern-day slavery. So ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S1451 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:43 Mar 13, 2015 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A12MR6.000 S12MRPT1 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S1452 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 12, 2015 the Democratic cosponsors and de- the House of Representatives, who was this: We have proven during the first clared supporters of this bill need to famous for a number of reasons, but few months of this Congress that on keep working with us in a bipartisan one is that he has penned the Hyde lan- issues that we believe should be de- way to ensure that help comes. guage which deals with abortion. In all bated, we will allow the Senate to get f these 25-plus years, that matter has on the bill. We are not going to be been put over 1 year at a time. We have stalling, as has been done for the last 6 RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY never chosen to make that permanent years, just to kill time. We are on this LEADER law. human trafficking legislation because The PRESIDING OFFICER. The This year Republicans have sought to it is something that needs to be com- Democratic leader is recognized. inject into this consensus bill one of pleted, and the only way at this stage f the most controversial issues of the it is going to happen is the abortion last 40 years—a woman’s right to language must come out of the bill. FOREIGN POLICY choose. Mr. President, would the Chair an- Mr. REID. Mr. President, McClatchy Don’t take my word for it. Leading nounce the business of the day. Republicans acknowledge that abortion News has a story that I think is worth f talking about, a part of it at least, this politics is extraneous to the bill before morning. It says: us. RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME Newspaper editorial pages around the Yesterday JOHN CORNYN said: ‘‘This The PRESIDING OFFICER. The lead- country have not been kind to Senate Repub- bill is being hijacked and being used to ership time is reserved. licans this week. A collective ‘‘Seriously?’’ debate something that it really doesn’t has emerged in reaction to the open letter have very much to do about, and that f that 47 Republicans penned to the Iranian is the subject of abortion.’’ MORNING BUSINESS leadership, which seemed designed to under- ORRIN HATCH said: ‘‘I can’t believe The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under cut nuclear talks with the Obama adminis- that this Senate has become so polit- the previous order, the Senate will be tration. ical that we would raise that issue at in a period of morning business for 1 Here are some of the things they this time on this bill.’’ hour, with Senators permitted to speak said: The solution is so simple. Take the therein for up to 10 minutes each, with ‘‘A blot on 114th U.S. Senate,’’ from abortion language out of the bill. the Detroit Free Press. The bill dealing with human traf- the time equally divided, and with the ‘‘The Senators who signed the letter ficking is going to pass. If we don’t do majority controlling the first half. should be ashamed,’’ said the Pitts- it now, we will do it. It is something f burgh Post-Gazette. that is imperative that we accomplish, ORDER OF BUSINESS Some sounded embarrassed. but it should not be dealt with in rela- ‘‘Cringe-worthy buffoonery on the tion to abortion. Take the abortion Mr. REID. Mr. President, the votes global stage,’’ says the Salt Lake Trib- language out of the bill. are scheduled today at 2 p.m.; is that une. The Republican Senators have a right? Others seemed just weary of Capitol choice, to legislate or to hijack the leg- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Hill’s continuing dysfunction. islation. If they want to get something ator is correct. ‘‘Has Congress gone crazy?’’ won- done, they need to take abortion poli- Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest dered the Courier-Journal in Louis- tics out of this bill. If they want to the absence of a quorum. ville, KY. leave abortion politics in the bill, then The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator MARK KIRK of Illinois ‘‘has the Republicans will only continue this clerk will call the roll. not been among the crazies in Con- session’s record of dysfunction. The senior assistant legislative clerk gress, particularly on foreign policy This is the second day my friend, the proceeded to call the roll. matters. But he joined them here,’’ Republican leader, has come to the Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I ask wrote the Peoria Journal Star. floor and quoted something I said a few unanimous consent that the order for Noting her signature endorsing the days ago.