E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 164 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018 No. 85 Senate The Senate met at 11 a.m. and was So a consensus emerged among Mem- Our friend from Iowa led the way in called to order by the President pro bers in both the House and the Senate making sure that Congress had to live tempore (Mr. HATCH). that we should do more to hold people by the workplace laws that it required f accountable, protect staff, and help to of others, and it builds on other impor- prevent harassment in the first place. tant steps this institution has recently PRAYER That is exactly what will happen under taken, such as updating and strength- The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- the proposal that our colleagues Sen- ening the anti-harassment training fered the following prayer: ator BLUNT and Senator KLOBUCHAR that all Senate employees must com- Let us pray. have developed. plete. Gracious God, teach us to number These colleagues of ours deserve big Here is what all this adds up to: a our days that we may have hearts of thanks. Their thorough, bipartisan col- clearer, easier, and more timely proc- wisdom. Today, guide our lawmakers. laboration has produced an impressive ess for those who seek to file harass- Keep their minds clear and clean and and comprehensive proposal to reform ment claims and greater personal ac- uncluttered by cares as they follow how Congress handles claims of viola- countability and transparency in the Your leading. tions of Federal workplace laws, par- event that misconduct occurs. Lord, make them aware that they are ticularly, instances of harassment. It The Democratic leader and I are the recipients of Your unconditional will help this institution take an im- grateful to Senator BLUNT and Senator love. Enable them to fill swift hours portant step forward. KLOBUCHAR for their hard work in as- with mighty deeds that will help keep Their proposed reform achieves many sembling this proposal. It has our en- America strong. May Your Kingdom of of the important goals that Members of thusiastic support. love and righteousness come within both parties have put forward in recent f months. There was widespread con- them, motivating them to contribute VA MISSION BILL worthily to the abiding peace of hu- sensus that Members of Congress manity. should reimburse taxpayers for the Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, now We pray in Your great Name. Amen. cost of claims or settlements. This re- on an unrelated matter, today the Sen- ate will take action to fulfill an impor- f form achieves that and more. It re- quires Members to pay for any harass- tant promise. Our Nation’s all-volun- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ment claims, for any protected class, teer Armed Forces consist of brave The President pro tempore led the where the Member has personally en- men and women who answer the call to Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: gaged in misconduct. serve, often at personal risk. In grati- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the We sought to eliminate obstacles tude for their selfless sacrifice, we United States of America, and to the Repub- that made it more difficult for employ- promise them the accessible and qual- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, ees to file claims. This reform achieves ity care they have earned when they indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. that. It eliminates the mandatory return home. Veterans of all eras rely f counseling, the mandatory mediation, on this promise as they carry home the and the mandatory cooling-off period physical and mental reminders of their RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY that current law requires employees to service, but all too often the VA has LEADER go through before filing a claim of a fallen short of meeting their needs The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The workplace violation. with facilities that were too far away, majority leader is recognized. We wanted to ensure disclosure when lines and waiting lists that were too f there are settlements or awards for in- long, and options for treatment that stances of sexual harassment. This re- WORKPLACE HARASSMENT were too limited. form achieves that and more. It man- The shortcomings of the Federal bu- LEGISLATION dates that every instance where a reaucracy were apparent. Veterans Mr. MCCONNELL. First, Mr. Presi- Member is found to have personally waiting months to see a physician dent, on an important piece of internal committed any type of harassment be under their VA benefits—let alone business, workplace harassment is un- publicly reported. dying before receiving treatment— acceptable anywhere—end of story. The This is an entirely appropriate pack- meant that we were clearly falling U.S. Congress is certainly no excep- age of reforms that every Member of short of our commitment to them. tion. Here, as everywhere, employees this body should be able to support. It Congress had to act. So in 2014 a bi- must be free to work without fearing builds on the foundation laid by Sen- partisan coalition of 91 Senators and that they will be the victims of harass- ator GRASSLEY’s landmark Congres- 420 Members of the House took a crit- ment. sional Accountability Act back in 1995. ical first step by passing the Veterans ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2843 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:41 May 24, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A23MY6.000 S23MYPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE S2844 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 23, 2018 Choice Act. For the past 3 years, the NOMINATIONS OF BRIAN MONT- hind. This issue is a perfect illustration Veterans Choice Program has con- GOMERY AND JELENA of that. Our Democratic colleagues pro- nected millions of American heroes MCWILLIAMS duced a hastily written rule book for with the care and resources they need Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, on Wall Street and then forced it on the and so richly deserve. It removed arbi- another matter, later today we will rest of America, including community trary barriers that blocked veterans vote on two more qualified nominees banks and credit unions in my State of from convenient care, and it sent a for important positions in the Trump Kentucky and across the Nation. clear message to those who have suf- administration. These local institutions are vital eco- fered because of a dysfunctional sys- First comes Brian Montgomery, the nomic contributors. Their unique abil- tem: We have your back. President’s nominee to serve as Assist- ity to build relationships and local con- ant Secretary of Housing and Urban nections are why community banks But much more work remained. The handle a majority of all U.S. small Veterans Choice Program has allowed Development and head of the Federal Housing Administration. His formi- business loans and almost 80 percent of over 23,000 Kentucky veterans to seek agricultural loans. That is why re- care in their own communities just last dable background includes previous service as Federal Housing Commis- search suggests that closure of a single year, but some veterans are still left sioner from 2005 to 2009 and as the Act- physical bank in a low-income neigh- out. I recently heard from one Ken- ing Secretary of Housing and Urban borhood can reduce lending to nearby tucky Navy veteran who lives 36 miles Development. It is no wonder that our businesses by almost 40 percent. from the nearest VA provider. He colleagues on the Banking Committee Community banks and communities served aboard an aircraft carrier, the reported his nomination favorably with that depend on them needed relief from USS Forrestal, and sustained a hand in- a bipartisan voice vote. I am glad we Dodd-Frank. They needed sensible re- jury that still requires regular care. can vote to confirm him today without form that streamlined that inefficient, Under current law, because he lives any further delay. imprecise, one-size-fits-all regulatory 36 miles and not 41 miles from that fa- After Mr. Montgomery, we will vote approach. Thanks to Chairman CRAPO, our Banking Committee colleagues, cility, he can’t receive covered treat- to advance the nomination of Jelena Chairman HENSARLING, and our col- ment from a nearby provider who is McWilliams, whom the President has leagues in the House, that is exactly right in his home community. He has chosen to chair the FDIC Board of Di- rectors. Ms. McWilliams’ resume spans what this Congress and this President to make a round trip several times a are poised to deliver. year to receive care. I know virtually the government and the private sector. As a lawyer, policy expert, and execu- This legislation is a major bipartisan all my colleagues have heard stories achievement. I am pleased that we are just like that one, which made it clear tive, she has studied financial regula- tions from all angles. She understands adding it to last year’s historic tax re- that Congress’s work was far from fin- form, our record use of the Congres- ished. the FDIC’s role in safeguarding Ameri- cans’ holdings, overseeing the banking sional Review Act to roll back over- So Chairman ISAKSON and his col- sector, and reforming inefficient poli- regulation, and all the other policy ac- leagues took the lead to develop this cies that create obstacles for families complishments that are helping to re- new legislation, which borrows from 15 and job creators.