E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 159 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013 No. 53 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was ator from the State of Hawaii, to perform lences to those who lost loved ones and called to order by the Honorable BRIAN the duties of the Chair. those who have people who were in- SCHATZ, a Senator from the State of PATRICK J. LEAHY, jured. Hawaii. President pro tempore. We will continue to follow the news Mr. SCHATZ thereupon assumed the from Texas as it develops today. I am PRAYER chair as Acting President pro tempore. going to do everything I can with my The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- f colleagues to ensure that this terrible fered the following prayer: tragedy has the resources of the Fed- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY eral Government available to help the Let us pray. LEADER Hear our voice, O God, and listen to people of that city as they recover from this tragedy. our prayer. You know our inward The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- thoughts even before we think them. pore. The majority leader is recog- f nized. As we place our trust in You, enable us GUN VIOLENCE to experience Your joy. Breathe upon f Mr. REID. Mr. President, this Nation our Senators the fresh Spirit of Your SCHEDULE has simply dealt with too much—too love that old things will become new Mr. REID. Mr. President, following much—loss during these last few and the darkness will turn to dawn. months. Once again I offer my condo- Amid the dangers and destruction in leader remarks the Senate will resume consideration of the gun safety legisla- lences to the families who joined us our world, give us the miracle of Your here yesterday to honor the loved ones peace. Make us good stewards of the tion. The time until noon will be equal- ly divided and controlled for debate on they lost to gun violence and to lobby gifts You have given us. for stronger background checks. The the Barrasso and Harkin amendments. And, Lord, we ask You to comfort the mothers and fathers of the murdered At noon there with be two votes in victims and families affected by the ex- children from Newtown were here, fam- relation to those amendments. plosions in West, TX. ily and friends of those who were in- Following the votes the Senate will We pray in Your great Name. Amen. jured and killed in Aurora, CO, were recess until 2 p.m. to allow for some here. We had people here from the trag- f important caucus meetings. edy where 32, 33 people were killed in At 2 p.m. the Senate will proceed to Blacksburg, VA, at Virginia Tech. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE executive session to consider the They were here yesterday. The Honorable BRIAN SCHATZ led the Torres and Watson nominations. We knew the effort to keep America’s Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: At about 2:15 p.m., then, there will be streets safe from gun violence would I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the a rollcall vote on confirmation of the not be easy. I commend Senator United States of America, and to the Repub- Torres nomination and an expected MANCHIN and others for setting aside lic for which it stands, one nation under God, voice vote on confirmation of the Wat- partisanship to negotiate this com- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. son nomination. promise. Unfortunately, even though f f we got a strong, strong majority vote— EXPLOSION IN WEST, TEXAS well over 50—55 Senators voted in favor APPOINTMENT OF ACTING of this. And FRANK LAUTENBERG came. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Mr. REID. Mr. President, there was a He had not been here for a while. He new tragedy during the night, and our The PRESIDING OFFICER. The has been ill. He voted. We voted with a thoughts are with the people of West, strong majority to change things here clerk will please read a communication TX. Our thoughts are with all of Texas to the Senate from the President pro in America so that people who have se- in the wake of a terrible explosion of a rious mental illness would have to have tempore (Mr. LEAHY). fertilizer factory in the town, as I have a background check before they can The assistant legislative clerk read indicated, of West, just outside of the following letter: buy a gun or that criminals would have Waco. The extent is being estimated at to have a background check before U.S. SENATE, this time—5 to 15 dead, a couple hun- they can buy a gun. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, dred who were injured. Washington, DC, April 18, 2013. Even people who are selling the guns To the Senate: But I am troubled and feel so badly think there should be some background Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, about those who were hurt. They were check. The man who sold the gun to of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby working. They were sleeping. They the man who walked into the court- appoint the Honorable BRIAN SCHATZ, a Sen- were having dinner. I offer my condo- house in Las Vegas and blasted away— ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2775 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:29 Apr 18, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A18AP6.000 S18APPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S2776 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 18, 2013 that man who sold that gun said he GRAHAM, BENNET, RUBIO, and FLAKE much different than other places peo- sold guns to lots of people who were worked very hard on this legislation. ple on that committee come from bad people, but he did it legally. He All one needs to do is look at the legis- around the country, but he brought it thinks the law should be changed. So lative pedigree of these eight Senators. forward, and everything we voted on as the vast majority of the Senate agreed They are all over the book—liberal, the base bill came out of that com- that should be the case. But we could conservative, moderate. And that is mittee. not get to 60, the magic number here in the way it should be. It is the same as is going to happen the Senate. I commend each of them for setting on immigration. Senators—these Yesterday the families of gun vio- partisanship aside—both Democrats eight—a significant number of them lence victims watched as Republicans and Republicans setting partisanship want to do hearings. They want to have defeated a commonsense proposal to aside—on an issue that is critical to a markup. Other Senators said: Let’s expand background checks that has the our great Nation. The four Democrats just move to the floor. Well, there are support of 90 percent of Americans. did not get everything I wanted in that a number of Senators who believe it But make no mistake, the debate is legislation they now have before the should come out of the committee not over. This is not the end of the American people. They did not give me, first, so that is what is going to hap- fight. Republicans are in an they did not give Democrats every- pen. So I commend Senator LEAHY for unsustainable position—crosswise with thing they wanted in these negotia- agreeing to do this. 9 out of 10 Americans. tions. But, as I have said on this floor He is going to have a hearing tomor- In an event we did out this backdoor numerous times, that is what legis- row and another one on Monday. He yesterday, Senator SCHUMER said—I lating is. It is the art of compromise. It has estimated a time for the markup. think he summed it up about as well as is not the art of getting everything you So I commend him for his leadership you could when he said: America today want. with Judiciary. on background checks is in about the I have been in this body a long time, I repeat, I look forward to hearings same place America was a few years and I have been very fortunate to put on this measure before the committee, ago dealing with immigration, gay my name on things that have passed and to a thoughtful debate on the Sen- marriage, and things related to gender here, and I have helped guide things ate floor. equality. through this Senate in the last many We are going to have ample time to I believe Senator SCHUMER is right. years. I have to on occasion swallow discuss and consider this legislation. I This is the beginning, and it has to hard and say: Well, we are going to am going to do what I can to get this happen. Anytime in America, on those have to compromise here to get this bill across the finish line, which I rare occasions when 90 percent of the done. think we are going to do. I think we American people agree something That is what we need to do. People are going to do it pretty soon. should be done, it should be done. And have been in a situation where they f it will be done.