April 4, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2261 other ways we can lower the costs of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The the largest voting bloc in the United natural disasters. The Federal Emer- clerk will call the roll. States, value our alliances, and 72 per- gency Management Agency has found The bill clerk proceeded to call the cent back the United States’ contribu- that every $1 spent mitigating against roll. tion to NATO. natural disasters saves an average of Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I ask Boosted by these numbers, Congress $6. Last year, Congress passed the Dis- unanimous consent that the order for has been more active than at any time aster Recovery Reform Act, which I the quorum call be rescinded. in my memory in expressing its sup- was proud to support. This bill in- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without port for NATO. In 2017 and 2018, Con- cluded programs that encouraged miti- objection, it is so ordered. gress took more votes in support of the gation activities. Congress should be f United States’ enduring commitment open to any idea that could help our NATO to article 5 and NATO than at any time country better plan for annual costs of since the fall of the Soviet Union. That Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I these natural disasters. This would is why Senators TILLIS and I reestab- come to the floor today following our allow us to respond to natural disasters lished the Senate NATO Observer colleague Senator TILLIS to join him in more efficiently, while also reducing Group last year. Since then, we have talking about the importance of NATO the burden on American taxpayers. enjoyed a diverse and active member- and expressing our deep appreciation With our country more than $22 tril- ship across the Republican and Demo- for the North Atlantic Treaty Organi- lion in debt and quickly approaching $1 cratic Parties, as well as the enduring zation. trillion annual deficits, we must do ev- support of the Senate’s leadership— Senator TILLIS and I are the cochairs erything in our power to put our coun- both Senator MCCONNELL, the majority of the newly established Senate NATO try on a more fiscally sustainable path. leader, and Senator SCHUMER, the Observer Group, which builds on the ef- Better budgeting for natural disasters Democratic leader. will not fix all of our financial prob- fort that was started back in the 1990s, Further, Congress continues to put lems, but it is a good place to start. by Tom Daschle and Trent Lott, to ad- its word into action by allocating sig- Before I conclude, I want to touch on dress the expansion of NATO, following nificant levels of funding to help Eu- another area of concern, and that is the fall of the Berlin Wall. Our task is rope deter threats that emanate from the growing prevalence of directed not just to shepherd through the Sen- NATO’s eastern and southern borders, scorekeeping. That is a way of saying: ate any changes in NATO that require already having provided $6.5 billion in We are not going to count that, even Senate approval, but it is also to re- the last year alone for the European though we are going to spend it, and we mind all of us and to remind the Amer- Deterrence Initiative. can spend it more than once. ican public just how important NATO Congressional budget statutes have is. I have no doubt that as the Senate established scoring rules that are in- Over the last seven decades, the prepares to provide its advice and con- tended to provide standardized ac- NATO alliance has stood by its mem- sent to NATO’s 30th member, North counting to ensure that lawmakers bers in the darkest hours, including in Macedonia, Members of Congress will, have the best possible information Afghanistan, after the United States once again, rally to NATO’s side and upon which to base fiscal decisions. In was attacked on September 11. push forward on initiatives to further recent years, however, we have seen As Secretary General Stoltenberg re- strengthen NATO. more and more attempts to undermine minded us yesterday, the only time ar- I should just call out the Republic of that process and instead direct the ticle 5, the mutual aid clause of the North Macedonia, as well as the coun- scoring outcomes. NATO charter, has been invoked was try of Greece, for reaching an agree- Last week, the Senate Budget Com- after September 11, after the United ment around the name change for mittee, which I chair, approved a fiscal States was attacked by terrorists. North Macedonia that both countries year 2020 budget resolution that aims Our Transatlantic bond has been crit- have agreed to and that the Par- to crack down on this process by allow- ical to the United States and NATO, liaments of both countries have sup- ing a surgical point of order to be and, in particular, it has sustained a ported. raised against any such provision. period of unprecedented global security So as China and Russia struggle to What that means is that the offending and stability. While people may not maintain allies and resort to coercion provision can be stricken from the un- recognize it, every day the United and force to keep countries in their derlying measure unless 60 Senators States sees the benefit of NATO. sphere, NATO has proven to be an en- vote to retain it. Whether we need to use NATO bases to during American advantage in an un- Unfortunately, the disaster bill evacuate American troops from con- certain world. which was brought to the floor this flict or to ensure that American goods Our NATO allies continue to magnify week included a provision that would and people travel safely across the At- the strength of our military, and they essentially direct the appropriations lantic Ocean, NATO plays a critical stand ready to protect us and protect from the Harbor Maintenance Trust role. our shared interests and values world- Fund, up to a limit, to be scored as As NATO marks its 70th anniver- wide. For this reason, I thank our al- costing zero dollars. The effect of this sary—today, in fact—the fact is that lies for what they have done for the change would allow Congress to spend the alliance makes us stronger around United States and for the people of Eu- an additional $2 billion above the stat- the world and safer at home. So it is no rope who are part of our partner na- utory spending caps each year, while wonder that Americans are very sup- tions. obscuring the real budgetary impacts portive of this organization. Any impli- from the American people. I filed an cation that Americans don’t like or un- While we may have our differences, amendment that would solve that. derstand NATO is just simply wrong. we will always remain stronger with It is long past time for an honest This week the Pew Research Center allies. As the Secretary General said conversation about the fiscal chal- unveiled research to show that nearly 8 yesterday, ‘‘it is good to have friends.’’ lenges facing our country. In the Budg- in 10 Americans, or 77 percent of Amer- I yield the floor. et Committee, we tried to advance that icans, including large majorities in I suggest the absence of a quorum. conversation with the budget that was both the Democratic Party and the Re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The approved last week. Unfortunately, the publican Party, agree that being a clerk will call the roll. directed scorekeeping provision in the member of NATO is good for the United The bill clerk proceeded to call the disaster bill considered earlier this States. roll. week would set that effort back. I hope We have also seen that the Chicago that when Congress returns to consid- Council on Global Affairs has recorded Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I eration of disaster legislation, it aban- a steady increase in NATO favorability ask unanimous consent that the order dons that multiple-spending effort. across generations of Americans. Even for the quorum call be rescinded. I yield the floor. the millennials, the generation born The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without I suggest the absence of a quorum. between 1981 and 1996, which are now objection, it is so ordered. VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:37 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04AP6.028 S04APPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S2262 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 4, 2019 EXECUTIVE SESSION Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby The PRESIDING OFFICER. The move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- question is on agreeing to the motion. nation of Patrick R. Wyrick, of Oklahoma, The motion was agreed to. EXECUTIVE CALENDAR to be United States District Judge for the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Western District of Oklahoma. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Mitch McConnell, Johnny Isakson, Roger clerk will report the nomination. move to proceed to executive session to F. Wicker, John Boozman, John Cor- The bill clerk read the nomination of consider Calendar No. 21. nyn, Mike Crapo, Shelley Moore Cap- John P. Abizaid, of Nevada, to be Am- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ito, Pat Roberts, Roy Blunt, Deb Fisch- bassador Extraordinary and Pleni- question is on agreeing to the motion. er, David Perdue, Todd Young, John potentiary of the United States of The motion was agreed to. Thune, Mike Rounds, Steve Daines, America to the Kingdom of Saudi Ara- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The John Hoeven, Thom Tillis.