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 22, 2020 No. 129 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was took place there. It happens to be the Russian military has kept probing the called to order by the President pro worst genocide on European soil since bounds of U.S. airspace, and Putin’s re- tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). the Holocaust. gime has kept its sights on cyber war f Twenty-five years ago, 8,000 Bosnians and destabilization by proxy. were murdered out of ethnic and reli- China continues to treat inter- PRAYER gious hatred. Many Bosnians, who wit- national commercial lanes like its own The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- nessed this horrific atrocity, became private pond, choke freedom and au- fered the following prayer: refugees and found a home in my State tonomy out of Hong Kong, and try to Let us pray. of Iowa. We must remember for those ethnically cleanse Xinjiang. Eternal spirit, grant to this Nation Bosnians, Iowans, and for all Bosnians Both countries continue to mod- and to all people a social conscience who suffer as they continue to deal ernize their military capabilities from built on the vision of the ancient with unimaginable memories. It is also sea to space. And Iranian meddling, prophets who saw sufficiency for every important for the rest of us to make a North Korean saber-rattling, and the person and a time when anxiety would point of remembering what has hap- persistent violence of terrorist groups overcome chaos and hopelessness. Has- pened so we can prevent it from hap- like ISIS and al-Qaida demand our at- ten the day when the small and weak pening again. tention as well. can make their contributions alongside I yield the floor. Amid these threats and many others, the great and powerful. Lead us to the I suggest the absence of a quorum. the American people and the entire day when we will see peace among the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The free world look to the men and women Nations of the Earth, when swords clerk will call the roll. of the U.S. military to preserve order shall be beaten into plowshares. Use The senior assistant legislative clerk and peace. The open and bipartisan the Members of this body to bring us to proceeded to call the roll. process led by Chairman INHOFE and the time when Your will is done on Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, Ranking Member REED has produced Earth, even as it is done in Heaven. I ask unanimous consent that the order strong legislation that will advance Lord, we trust You with our future. for the quorum call be rescinded. their missions. Let Your glory cover the Earth as the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without It is the product of intense com- waters cover the sea. objection, it is so ordered. mittee work; it contains more than 200 We pray in Your mighty Name. f bipartisan amendments; and it builds Amen. on the historic progress which this ad- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY f ministration and this Republican Sen- LEADER ate have secured over the past 3 years. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- After years of cuts to our military The President pro tempore led the jority leader is recognized. that weakened readiness, imperiled Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: f modernization, and called into ques- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the tion our commitment to preserving our United States of America, and to the Repub- NATIONAL DEFENSE global interests, we have reversed the lic for which it stands, one nation under God, AUTHORIZATION ACT tide. We have invested in strength. We indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, built a new national defense strategy The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. this week, the Senate will pass the 60th and are investing in rebuilding and LOEFFLER). The Senator from Iowa. annual National Defense Authorization modernizing our military to help Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I Act. Every year, this legislation lets achieve it. ask permission to speak for 1 minute in the Senate make our top priorities for This legislation will carry the morning business. protecting our homeland, our allies, progress even further—more support The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without and our global interests into law, and, for defense research and innovation, re- objection, it is so ordered. certainly, the recent behavior of our sources for military housing and f adversaries world over shows why this healthcare, tools to deepen our com- task is as urgent as ever. mitments with regional partners in Eu- SREBRENICA Even as our Nation is focused on rope and the Pacific. Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, fighting the pandemic at home, our For most Americans, investing in the there is an area in Bosnia that goes by servicemembers have contended with greatest fighting force in the world is the name of Srebrenica. This month is dangerous behavior from would-be not controversial. It is a no-brainer. the 25th anniversary of a massacre that competitors all around the world. The But lest we forget, the radical energy ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S4363 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Jul 23, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A22JY6.000 S22JYPT1 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE S4364 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 22, 2020 on the far left is sparking some truly know that we will never—never be able bate all together. They don’t try to win extraordinary behavior among our to deter such behavior if we sell our the contest. They just harangue the Democratic colleagues. own soldiers short and surrender our referees to stop the game. If they don’t Case in point, later today, we will technological edge. like an op-ed, they want it unpub- vote on an amendment that was adver- I assure you, Beijing and Moscow will lished. If they don’t like a tweet, they tised in an opinion essay by the junior be watching this vote. I ask my col- want to track down the author and get Senator from Vermont titled ‘‘Defund leagues on the other side of the aisle to them fired. If they don’t like a tenured the Pentagon: The Liberal Case.’’ This reject this far-left fantasy. Defeat this professor, they throw around Orwellian is the junior Senator from Vermont— amendment. Throughout the Cold War, accusations that his or her ideas make an essay titled ‘‘Defund the Pentagon: we maintained a bipartisan commit- them feel unsafe. The Liberal Case.’’ ment to American strength, American This hostile culture is getting re- You heard correctly. We have moved alliances, and a global peace built on sults. According to one brand-new sur- on from defunding local police to American values. We will reinforce vey, it is only the far-left Americans defunding the U.S. Armed Forces. that stand when we sink—sink the who do not feel compelled to self-cen- Maybe we will be sending social work- reckless Sanders-Schumer amendment sor their views because of a hostile cli- ers on overseas deployments, when and again when we pass this bipartisan mate. Everyone but the left feels the they aren’t too busy responding to vio- bill. threat. lent crimes. I am not sure. Senator f And 50 percent of self-identified SANDERS’ amendment would literally strong liberals say that simply contrib- decimate the defense budget. It would FREE SPEECH uting to the Republican Presidential rip 10 percent of it right out and pour Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, candidate ought to be a fireable offense the money into all the socialist fan- on a final matter, since the spring, our for a business leader. Let me say that tasies—free rent, free college, free ev- Nation has engaged in important con- again. Fifty percent of self-identified erything for everyone. versations about racial justice in polic- strong liberals say that simply contrib- Now, in light of the long-held views ing. uting to the Republican Presidential of our colleague from Vermont, a pro- Most people understand that con- candidate ought to be a fireable offense posal like this may not be particularly tinuing our Nation’s tremendous for a business leader. In this country? shocking. What is remarkable is that progress toward justice does not mean We recently saw the New York Times the Democratic leader—the leader of battling against American principles or apologize for publishing a straight- their caucus—felt pressured into en- American history. Progress means ful- forward policy argument from a U.S. dorsing it. filling our values, not attacking them. Senator. Since, an editorial staffer re- Let me say that again: The Demo- Yet a group of radicals have latched signed from the paper because even cratic leader, who in almost every floor onto this moment to say we should re- center-left opinions were not liberal speech tries to accuse this administra- pudiate our country itself. We have enough and led to her constant harass- tion of being too soft on America’s ad- watched as mobs have dragged statues ment. That was a recent editorial staff- versaries, wants to literally decimate of Washington, Jefferson, and Grant er resigning from the New York Times our defense budget to finance a social- through the dirt. And, in parallel, in- because her center-left opinions were ist spending spree.