E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 166 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2020 No. 121 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was This sort of movement by Russia, if RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY called to order by the President pro it is proven—and there are a lot who LEADER tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). believe with Russia it is possible—it The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- f demands a strong response. And I don’t jority leader is recognized. mean a diplomatic response. PRAYER f We have had previous things like this The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- happen with Russia. President Bush PROTESTS fered the following prayer: tried playing nice with Russia, then Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, Let us pray. talking tough when Putin showed his I had planned to speak first today Mighty God, You are the strength of true nature. about the NDAA. I had planned to dis- our lives, our safe fortress, and our cuss our work to ensure American serv- shelter from life’s storms. During this President Obama repeated this icemembers can protect our Nation and season of a raging tempest, speak Your cycle—you know the word—‘‘resetting’’ secure peace for the United States. peace to our Senators. Remind them relations, despite Russia having just occupied parts of our ally Georgia, and Unfortunately, the inexplicable pas- that You continue to rule Your uni- sivity and weakness of local leaders in verse through the unfolding of Your then switching gears when Russia in- vaded Ukraine. our own country has denied some citi- prevailing providence, and that Your zens peace and security right here at truth continues to march on in our Na- Putin is a KGB guy who understands only strength. His popularity has home. tion and world. Here we are in Congress, equipping Lord, prosper the works of the hands taken a hit lately. It makes him very unpredictable. That may be why he is our Armed Forces to protect the home- of our legislators as they strive to glo- land. Yet some local leaders have ap- rify You with their thoughts, words, doing these things, even though Russia has a reputation for doing them all the parently felt it would be too politically and actions. incorrect to do their jobs and keep the May faith replace fear, truth defeat time. peace. falsehood, justice triumph over greed, So we need to increase deterrence on It has now been 22 days since radical and love prevail over hate. NATO’s eastern flank. We should also demonstrators seized control of several We pray in Your great Name. Amen. hit back where it hurts. blocks of downtown Seattle, drove the f Dictators like Putin fear their own police out of a precinct, and declared PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE people—and, of course, for good reason. an autonomous zone, which the mob Putin and his cronies have enriched The President pro tempore led the itself would rule. themselves at the expense of ordinary It is worth pausing to consider how Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: Russians. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the the mainstream media and leading United States of America, and to the Repub- This week Russia is having a ref- Democrats might have reacted if tea lic for which it stands, one nation under God, erendum on waiving term limits, al- party protesters in 2009 had forcibly indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. lowing Putin to stay in power when his created a breakaway zone within a The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. term is up. Of course, Russia will prob- major city and barred the actual au- BLACKBURN). The Senator from Iowa. ably be conducting a rigged election. thorities from entering. Somehow I am Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I We should point out to the Russian skeptical the press would have bent ask unanimous consent to speak for 1 people that they don’t have to accept over backward to find a sympathetic minute in morning business. that. light. Somehow I doubt these same The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without I yield the floor. politicians would have felt compelled objection, it is so ordered. I suggest the absence of a quorum. to curry favor with the occupiers or flirt with their demands. f The PRESIDING OFFICER. The But we are talking about the Amer- clerk will call the roll. RUSSIA ican left in 2020. So, instead, what we Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, if The legislative clerk proceeded to get is a major newspaper lavishing reports are true that Russia has been call the roll. praise—praise—on the ‘‘liberated paying a bounty to the Taliban to kill Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, streets’’ and a mayor and local govern- American soldiers, this is a very seri- I ask unanimous consent that the order ment that have expressly declined to ous escalation of what Russia expert for the quorum call be rescinded. restore order and the equal protection Edward Lucas dubbed ‘‘The New Cold The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without of the law. War.’’ Mr. Lucas said that back in 2008. objection, it is so ordered. The mob has gotten its way. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S4083 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 12:40 Jul 02, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A01JY6.000 S01JYPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE S4084 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 1, 2020 There have been numerous shootings China is not our only adversary occu- tation and Infrastructure Committee in this lawless place. About a week pying the spotlight. Recent days have said so. He said: ‘‘This is the applica- ago, a 19-year-old was shot and killed. intensified questions about Russia’s tion of the principles of the Green New Last weekend, after yet another shoot- negative role in the Middle East. Deal.’’ And he is right, because here ing, a 16-year-old is dead and a 14-year- I have long warned that Russia and are the four pillars of the Green New old was injured. Some reports suggest other adversaries will exploit any Deal: No. 1, spend an insane amount of these two boys were shot by a self-ap- American passivity or retreat from money; No. 2, check every far-left ideo- pointed security squad. These are mis- this important region. Whether in logical box; No. 3, propose bad policies; cellaneous citizens who roam the area Syria or Afghanistan, the question is and No. 4, forget about making law with guns drawn after the occupiers whether we will stand our ground and from the very beginning so you can leg- drove the real police out. exert our influence or allow Iran, Rus- islate in a world of pure fantasy—pure We are talking about Seattle, WA, in sia, and terrorists to literally push us fantasy. Check, check, check, and the United States of America? out of the region. check. The rule of law cannot fade in and Sadly, as the Senate turns to the This so-called infrastructure bill out with the fashions of the radical NDAA, the need to continue making would siphon billions in funding from left. No leaders should have sacrificed swift progress on our national defense actual infrastructure to funnel into cli- small businesses to riots and mobs a strategy is staring us plain in the face. mate change policy. By putting a huge few weeks back, and no leader should Fortunately, Chairman INHOFE, Rank- thumb on the scale for mass transit let threats or leftwing jargon persuade ing Member REED, and our colleagues and electric vehicles, it revises the old them to tolerate occupations for weeks on the Armed Services Committee have Obama-Biden focus on disproportion- on end. put forward a bill that rises to the ately helping major metro areas, leav- I understand that, just this morning, challenge. ing less for the rest of our country. No Seattle’s mayor finally—finally—re- The bill establishes the Pacific De- wonder it came out of committee in leased a new order that at last empow- terrence Initiative. It lays out a clear the House on a purely bipartisan vote. ered police to bring an end to this. So vision for making our Pacific joint No wonder the White House declared it let’s hope the rule of law finally—fi- force more adaptable and our commit- not a serious proposal and made it nally—prevails. ments to regional partners more fea- clear this will never become law. f sible, smarter basing for forward-de- Naturally, this nonsense is not going ployed Americans, more supplies and NATIONAL DEFENSE anywhere in the Senate. It will just equipment prepositioned. join the list of absurd House proposals AUTHORIZATION ACT It will encourage more streamlined that were only drawn up to show fealty Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, technology so that, from weapons plat- to the radical left. Here in the Senate, on an entirely different matter, the forms to information security, America we will keep at the serious work of our Senate has indeed turned to what will and its allies in China’s backyard stand Nation. be the 60th annual National Defense ready to counter aggression together. Authorization Act. If you look at the This NDAA authorizes full funding f world news, it would appear we have for the European Deterrence Initiative, RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME done so not a moment too soon.