E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 114 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 162 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2016 No. 66 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was Our Democratic friends said— strengthen the hand of the Revolu- called to order by the President pro restoring the regular order promises not tionary Guard, a group that has been tempore (Mr. HATCH). only a more open and transparent process, accused of helping Shiite militias at- but a chance for Senators on both sides of f tack and kill American soldiers in Iraq. the aisle to participate meaningfully in Many of us, including myself, warned PRAYER funding decisions. This is a win-win oppor- that this deal made little sense in tunity and we should seize it together. The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- terms of our regional strategy. We That was a letter I received from all fered the following prayer: warned it would enhance Iran’s capa- of our friends on the other side of the Let us pray. bility and its power. Indeed, since sign- aisle. That is exactly what we have ing President Obama’s deal, Iran has Lord, You are in the midst of us and been doing—exactly. The appropria- tested ballistic missiles. It has de- we are called Your children. We confess tions process is off to a strong start, an ployed forces to Syria in support of the that we often fail to live worthy of ‘‘excellent kickoff,’’ in the words of the Assad regime. It has harassed Amer- Your great Name and generous mer- top Appropriations Committee Demo- cies. We thank You for the opportunity ican ships and those of our allies with- crat, Senator MIKULSKI, with bills pass- in the Persian Gulf. to serve You as we strive to keep ing through the committee by unani- So when the administration made an America the land of the free and the mous bipartisan votes. home of the brave. Abide with our law- ‘‘If this is the way it is going to be to announcement over this past weekend makers. Be their companion as they move appropriations,’’ she said just a that it would be purchasing so-called labor to keep this Nation strong. Drive few days ago, ‘‘then I think it is a good heavy water from Iran, a lot of us were concerned. That is right. Make sure ev- away all snares of the enemy and may day.’’ Senator MIKULSKI said: ‘‘I think no weapon formed against them be able it is a good day.’’ Democrats lauded the erybody understands. U.S. funds would to prosper. Make our Senators models first bill on the floor and in press re- be sent to Iran. Nothing in the Presi- of excellence and integrity for our Na- leases for helping promote American dent’s deal with Iran required the tion and world. jobs and for addressing the cleanup of United States to make that purchase. We pray in Your great Name. Amen. radioactive and hazardous contamina- It is likely it will effectively amount to even more money for Iran to invest f tion across our country. They praised its key investments in in military modernization. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE research and water infrastructure. So Senator COTTON filed an amend- The President pro tempore led the Then, what did they do? They filibus- ment to prevent the money we are ap- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: tered—the very same people who wrote propriating from being used for more of I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the the letter, the very same people who these purchases in the future—in the United States of America, and to the Repub- praised the bill in press releases, the future. His amendment does not put lic for which it stands, one nation under God, very same people who took credit for the Secretary of Energy’s current indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. amendments in the bill, those same heavy water purchase agreement at f people. risk. It simply tries to keep our Treas- It seems Democrats are more con- ury from subsidizing the modernization RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY cerned with funding the acquisition of of Iran’s military or the procurement LEADER heavy water from Iran than funding of ballistic missiles or air defenses that The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. water infrastructure in America. Let may be used against America or her al- ROUNDS). The majority leader is recog- me say that again. It seems Democrats lies. nized. are more concerned with funding the I support his policy objective. I don’t know why it would not be supported by f acquisition of heavy water from Iran than funding water infrastructure every Member of the Senate, regardless THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS right here in our own country. of party, but apparently Democrats do Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, let As we all know, President Obama not. They have filibustered the overall me quote from a letter I recently re- concluded a nuclear deal with Iran last bill, a bill that passed committee with ceived from our colleagues across the year. Tehran is expected to reap ap- unanimous bipartisan support, remem- aisle. Here is what they said: proximately $100 billion, thanks to the ber, to prevent even the possibility— We are writing to reiterate our interest in deal, and the Obama administration this amendment is not even pending— working cooperatively to facilitate the fiscal itself has admitted the regime is likely to prevent even the possibility of vot- year 2017 appropriations process. As we see to use that windfall to invest in its war ing on this amendment. They could not it— economy, to defend its regime, and to wait a single week before throwing an ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2503 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:37 Apr 29, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A28AP6.000 S28APPT1 smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE S2504 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 28, 2016 obstructionist wrench into the appro- a measure to give the public more ac- I had the good fortune of either priations process they claim to want. cess to government records, a bill to chairing or being the ranking member Some of us remember that the Demo- help safeguard American intellectual of that Energy and Water Sub- crats did not want to vote when they property from theft, and critical legis- committee. So I know a lot about that were in the majority. They also don’t lation to help address our Nation’s pre- subcommittee—many successful bills, seem to want to vote when they are in scription opioid and heroin epidemic. never an unsuccessful bill did we bring the minority. I hope they are not dust- Just last week, we passed both the to the floor. We did them quickly. I ing off the old filibuster summer play- most pro-passenger, pro-security FAA worked mostly with the Senator from book, especially in light of the letter reauthorization in years and the first New Mexico by the name of Domenici. they just sent to me about win-win op- major energy legislation since the We worked together and got a lot done portunities and restoring regular order. Bush administration. So where are we? for the country. So I know this Water Perhaps the most galling thing about We now have a bipartisan opportunity and Energy bill. The Republican leader Democrats again trying to blow up the to responsibly work through the indi- complains about what happened yester- appropriations process is this: They vidual funding bills. We now have a bi- day on the Energy and Water appro- filibustered this appropriations bill and partisan opportunity to responsibly priations bill. then walked into a press conference continue addressing funding issues like On the Democratic side, there is no about Zika funding. They filibustered Zika. one who is more liked, appreciated, and this bill and then walked into a press What will it take? What it will take who is more imbued as a historic figure conference about Zika funding. is for our Democratic colleagues to end than DIANNE FEINSTEIN of California. The appropriations process is the this obstruction and work coopera- She became involved in politics at an path for that funding. That is the way tively across the aisle instead. That is early age and was thrown into a mael- you do it. Preventing the spread of not too much to ask. So let’s take a strom of violence when the mayor was Zika is something both parties agree is step back and look at the bigger pic- murdered. She had to step in and take a priority. The administration cur- ture. I believe that when you give Sen- over that very difficult job. As a Senator, she has been valiant, rently has funds to address the issue ators and the people they represent and she wants to get things done. No but has requested additional funds by more of a say in the legislative process, one can call her rank partisan, because the end of next month. Both Repub- they are bound to take more of a stake she isn’t. But like all of us over here, licans and Democrats have been look- in the legislative outcome, regardless she was terribly disappointed yester- ing at different approaches to properly of party. day and the day before when all of a address the situation.