October 20, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6819 assets we have. We should not have an member of the Appropriations Com- tant part of the President’s economic ad hoc, haphazard approach to treating mittee the first day I came to the Sen- team. That person is now missing in enemy combatants. We should not ate, and I managed many appropria- the Commerce Department. Commerce Mirandize enemy combatants who are tions bills on the Senate floor. For has to do with jobs. There is nobody our military captures and then hold every one of them, we had more amend- there. That dictates that we have a them on makeshift prison barges as if ments than we had time to vote on leader with strong, real-world experi- we were in the 19th century because them. That is where we are today. But ence. This position has been vacant the administration refuses to use the only way we can finish them is to since Ambassador Locke left for China Guantanamo Bay and then import work through these amendments. We in late July. It is stunning to think, them into the United States so they hope we can do that; otherwise, we will with what the country is going can be detained in our civilian court have a cloture vote either tonight or through, we don’t have a Cabinet Sec- system, tried in our civilian courts, tomorrow to determine whether we retary who can attend to manufac- with the possibility that they could be want to finish these appropriations turing and other kinds of jobs and job- released into the United States if they bills—all extremely important—Com- related efforts that he will do. But be- are acquitted or given a modest sen- merce-State-Justice, Agriculture, and, cause of the insistence of the minor- tence, as nearly happened with Ahmed of course, the Transportation bill. It ity—and I had no objection to this—we Ghailani. would be good for us to be able to get were unable to move this nomination Now is the time to keep the pressure this done. until the trade agreements were fin- on al-Qaida, whether in the tribal areas I heard Senator COLLINS, the Senator ished. The trade agreements had to of Pakistan or in Yemen. Our law en- from Maine, speak about this a little come forward and passed, that was forcement officials have done a tre- earlier today, and she did an extremely done, and then it was OK to proceed to mendous job in contributing to the good job of explaining why it is impor- the Bryson nomination. counterterrorism fight. But we cannot, tant we do this. The Commerce, Science, and Trans- for the first time in the history of this f portation Committee confirmed Mr. country, take the view of the Attorney Bryson by a voice vote. I recall no ob- General, which is that our civilian EXECUTIVE SESSION jections at all. Mr. Bryson will be an court system is the most effective excellent Secretary of Commerce, and weapon in our conflict with al-Qaida, NOMINATION OF JOHN EDGAR America is entitled to have a Secretary because that is simply not the case. BRYSON TO BE SECRETARY OF of Commerce on the job. Mr. Bryson Thank you, Mr. President. COMMERCE possesses a rare combination of actual The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- real-life business experience and a very ator from Texas. Mr. REID. Under the previous order, broad intellect. As an executive, he has Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I I move to executive session to call up proven himself to be a talented execu- wish to thank the Senator from New Calendar No. 410, the nomination of tive and has shown his dedication to Hampshire on behalf of the leader. She John Bryson, to be Commerce Sec- public service. He cares about public has brought to the floor an outstanding retary. service. He has had to wait a long time amendment that needs to be addressed The PRESIDING OFFICER. The to get this job, and he has been in and because this is an issue that is cer- clerk will report the nomination. out of public service. tainly on a lot of people’s minds, as to The assistant legislative clerk read My colleagues should appreciate that why we would be using our judicial sys- the nomination of John Edgar Bryson, Mr. Bryson’s confirmation comes at an tem for enemy combatants. She has ar- of California, to be Secretary of Com- important crossroads for the country ticulated it so well, as the former at- merce. and for the Commerce Department torney general of New Hampshire, and Mr. REID. Mr. President, there are 4 itself. The challenges obviously are we appreciate so much that she has hours under the order previously en- very important: high unemployment, a brought this amendment. It is going to tered. We are hoping all this time will slow economic recovery. The Secretary get a lot of support from the American not have to be used. I ask unanimous of Commerce plays a major role in pro- people as well as Members of the Sen- consent that 20 minutes remain, equal- moting jobs and our economy. But to ate. ly divided between the two leaders or do that, he has to be in place and on Thank you, Mr. President. their designees, regardless of any time the job. If confirmed, as I believe he de- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- consumed in quorum calls throughout serves to be, he will have to face these jority leader is recognized. the presentations made on this matter. deep challenges and looks forward to so Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there doing. worked very hard to move through this objection? But I believe Mr. Bryson’s experience first tranche of appropriations bills we Without objection, it is so ordered. provides him with the capacity to help have. Progress is being made but not Mr. REID. I wish to congratulate my restore jobs in manufacturing in Amer- nearly enough progress. I am going to friend, the chairman of the Committee ica as the Secretary of Commerce. I move in just a minute to the Bryson on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- have long fought for a stronger manu- nomination. But I want everyone with- tation, and the Senator from Texas, facturing sector in this country. Any- in the sound of my voice to understand KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON. They both body from West Virginia would be this cannot go on forever. People some- worked very hard in a fair way to move crazy to do otherwise. Manufacturing times are unreasonable. We cannot forward on this. It has been good for has been hit hard all over the country have votes on all these amendments the Senate. When we confirm this nom- during this past decade, losing one- that have been called up. I hope every- ination, it will be good for the country. third of its workforce, and the govern- one understands there has to be some I don’t think we will use all this ment’s response has been piecemeal. give-and-take here, and we need to time. I hope we can vote on this matter This needs to change. If the next dec- move through this. They need to be co- anywhere between 6:30 and 7:30 tonight, ade is as bad for manufacturing jobs as operative with the staffs, because when hopefully closer to 6:30. the previous one, we are going to have this matter regarding the Secretary of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- very little left to work with of the Commerce nomination is finished, we ator from West Virginia. manufacturing sector if we are trying are going to have to make a decision as Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I to save it. This has grave national se- to whether we can continue working on rise in strong support of John Bryson curity implications and could cripple this appropriations bill. of California, whom President Obama our ability to outinnovate and This was a noble experiment. I am has nominated to be his Secretary of outcompete other countries. That is al- part of it. I want it to work very much, Commerce. ready happening. but it can’t work without the coopera- Mr. Bryson’s nomination comes at a In the Commerce Committee, we held tion of all Senators. very critical time for our country and three hearings on this issue this year; I say to everyone listening, this is for our economy. No one disputes the that is manufacturing, and we also in- the way it has always been. I was a Secretary of Commerce is an impor- cluded a field hearing, which happened VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:22 Jun 16, 2012 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD11\RECFILES\S20OC1.REC S20OC1 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE S6820 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 20, 2011 to be in West Virginia—total coinci- merce. It is a critical, defining moment Mr. KERRY. I would say to the Pre- dence—on exporting products made in in many ways for our economy. The siding Officer, this is a letter written America. challenges are well known by every- to Senator REID and Senator MCCON- Mr. Bryson knows that if confirmed, body here in the Senate, and the deci- NELL from Carlos Gutierrez, Norman I intend to work with him to make sions we make or fail to make on new Mineta, Barbara Franklin, Don Evans, manufacturing a high priority in our energy sources, on infrastructure, tech- Mickey Kantor, Pete Peterson, all job-creation agenda.