E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 165 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2019 No. 3 Senate The Senate met at 3 p.m. and was The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- dan, as its people and government called to order by the President pro jority leader is correct. grapple with the security and humani- tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). The clerk will report the bills by tarian ramifications of the Syrian cri- f title for the second time en bloc. sis. The senior assistant legislative clerk Importantly, the legislation also in- PRAYER read as follows: cludes the Caesar Syria Civilian Pro- The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- A bill (S. 28) to reauthorize the United tection Act. This provision would hold fered the following prayer: States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of accountable individuals responsible for Let us pray. 2015, and for other purposes. the senseless evils of the Assad regime Merciful God, enthroned far above all A bill (H.R. 21) making appropriations for and impose severe penalties on the en- other powers, we need You to exercise the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and tities that support them. for other purposes. Your might for our Nation during this We will vote later today on whether challenging season. As we wrestle with A joint resolution (H.J. Res. 1) making fur- ther continuing appropriations for the De- or not Members of this body believe the stalemate of this partial govern- partment of Homeland Security for fiscal these issues should be addressed. It is ment shutdown, inspire our lawmakers year 2019, and for other purposes. my sincere hope that the Senate will to do what is best for our Nation and Mr. MCCONNELL. In order to place approve these bipartisan proposals and world. Remind them that Your power the bills on the calendar under the pro- send the strong message of support is far above any conceivable command, visions of rule XIV, I object to further that our friends and partners in the authority, or control. Help them to ap- proceedings en bloc. Middle East deserve. preciate their accountability to You, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- During the last Congress there was as You guide them to contribute to tion having been heard, the bills will be broad agreement on both sides of the unity and finding common ground. Be placed on the calendar en bloc. aisle on the need for action. I expected near to those who are the collateral f today’s action to be a big bipartisan damage of this impasse, supporting vote, not some partisan showdown, but them with Your wisdom, power, mercy, THE MIDDLE EAST over the last few days something seems and grace. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, for to have happened. The Democratic We pray in Your sovereign Name. years America’s vital interests in the leader and several of his colleagues Amen. Middle East have been jeopardized by have stood up and said they want to f regional chaos. The security of our ally block the Senate from even considering PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Israel continues to be challenged by this legislation—never mind that it in- the long reach of the Iranian regime cludes legislation cosponsored by the The President pro tempore led the and its affiliates. In Syria, the Assad Senate Democrats last Congress and Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: regime has made its own nation a never mind that Senate Democrats I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the graveyard for hundreds of thousands of mentioned the Syria crisis literally United States of America, and to the Repub- innocent civilians, and the resulting lic for which it stands, one nation under God, dozens of times last month here on the indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. chaos continues to provide Iran and Senate floor. Russia opportunities to expand their f f malign influence throughout the re- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY gion. That is why the Senate is going BORDER SECURITY LEADER to vote later today to take up pressing Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, in The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. legislation that tackles all of this head spite of all of that, some Democrats HOEVEN). The majority leader is recog- on. have now threatened to block us from nized. The bill at hand would reaffirm the even taking this legislation up later f United States’ commitment to Israel’s today. We would have to ask why. It is security and authorize military assist- because we are 18 days into the partial MEASURES PLACED ON THE CAL- ance, cooperative missile defense, and government shutdown caused by Demo- ENDAR—S. 28, H.R. 21, AND H.J. loan guarantees. It would counter an crats’ total unwillingness to negotiate RES. 1 aggressive and hostile attempt to with the White House over border secu- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I delegitimize the State of Israel rity. understand that there are three bills at through economic boycotts. It would Democrat intransigence has made the desk due for a second reading en also reauthorize efforts to strengthen sure that a quarter of the Federal Gov- bloc. defense cooperation with our ally Jor- ernment has been shut down for more ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S35 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:13 Jan 09, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A08JA6.000 S08JAPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S36 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 8, 2019 than 2 weeks—2 weeks. Now they are partisan subject in the first place. in a terrorist attack directed from Af- threatening to shut the Senate down They have put that partisan tantrum ghanistan on New York’s World Trade too. They have shut down the govern- ahead of keeping a quarter of the gov- Center and the Pentagon, we learned a ment for 2 weeks, and now they want ernment open. Now they are saying hard lesson: Although separated by an to shut the Senate down. They are their partisan tantrum is more urgent ocean, what happens in the region does threatening to shut down efforts to than pressing legislation that concerns not stay in the region. protect our allies and strengthen our our alliance with Israel and the Syrian Finally, with the proliferation of nu- relationship with Israel—something civil war. clear weapons and the nuclear aspira- they all recently claim to support. I hope that isn’t the case. I hope our tions of Iran—the No. 1 state sponsor of Let’s remember what we are talking Democratic colleagues don’t pile on terrorism in the world—to attain them, about. In light of the urgent humani- even more pointless obstruction. I hope the relative stability and security of tarian and security crisis on our bor- they don’t block the Senate from turn- the Middle East have a direct connec- der, the President is requesting $5.7 bil- ing to this important legislation—leg- tion to our national security, as well as lion for physical barriers and border se- islation, by the way, they support. We that of our allies, like Israel. curity. For some context, that is just will find out later today. With the administration’s recent an- about one-tenth of 1 percent of Federal We all know what is necessary to nouncement that the United States spending—one-tenth of 1 percent—for move past the funding impasse: a nego- will begin withdrawing troops from physical barriers like fences and bar- tiated solution that can pass the Syria, this debate and these votes riers that already exist, which Demo- House, earn 60 votes in the Senate, and could not be more timely. crats have previously voted for with get the President’s signature. That is While I am comforted by National enthusiasm. what it takes to make a law. Security Advisor John Brennan’s re- Back in 2006, then-Senators Hillary As I have stated clearly, the Senate cent statement that the withdrawal Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and will not waste floor time on show from Syria will be conditions-based, our colleague, the current Democratic votes, messaging votes, or any other the precise details of how and when it leader, all voted for more than $1 bil- proposals that fail to check those boxes will be executed remain to be seen. One lion to construct about 700 miles of regarding the funding bills. thing, however, is perfectly clear: We cannot allow the creation of a power physical barriers. The Democratic leader actually Then-Senator Obama called it ‘‘badly shared that opinion earlier. Here is a vacuum in the Middle East to bolster needed funding for better fences and fairly recent quote from the Demo- our adversaries’ influence in the re- better security . that should help cratic leader. He said: ‘‘The President gion. That is precisely what this legis- stem some of the tide of illegal immi- must publicly support and say he will lation addresses. The Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East gration.’’ That is what Senator Barack sign an agreement before it gets a vote Act incorporates four bipartisan, non- Obama said. in either Chamber.’’ That is a fairly re- controversial bills that were nearly en- Senator SCHUMER later described his cent quote. vote proudly as ‘‘miles of border fence I am glad we seem to agree on that— acted last year, but the clock on the that create a significant barrier to ille- no wasted floor time on appropriations 115th Congress ran out on December 31.