Congressional Record, Senate, June 8, 2020 — Taxpayer First Act of 2019 Motion to Proceed
Summary
Page S2748 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for June 8, 2020. It records the reservation of leader time, the close of morning business, and the resumed motion to proceed to H.R. 1957, the Taxpayer First Act of 2019. In remarks a speaker says peace and protest can coexist and that the vast majority of law enforcement officers are not evil or racist. Another portion discusses the Great American Outdoors Act from Senator Daines and Senator Gardner, citing 419 national park sites and 567 national wildlife refuges.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, June 8, 2020 — Taxpayer First Act of 2019 Motion to Proceed.”
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S2748 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 8, 2020
country has remembered that peace going to continue with legislative work RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
and protest can and must coexist. for the country. We will take our first The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
The vast majority of the men and vote today to advance the Great Amer- the previous order, the leadership time
women in law enforcement across our ican Outdoors Act—a generational bill is reserved.
country are not evil, are not racist, do from Senator DAINES and Senator f
not wake up every morning looking for GARDNER—that will secure the future
violence. We are reminded of their of our Nation’s natural treasures. CONCLUSION OF MORNING
bravery every time a citizen needs to BUSINESS
America is home to 419 national park
dial 9–1–1, and they rush toward dan- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning
sites, 567 national wildlife refuges, and
ger. We were all reminded again this business is closed.
past weekend, as these professionals hundreds of millions of acres of public
f
bravely kept watch over demonstra- lands. Every year, millions of Ameri-
tions, including ones where they them- cans turn to these lands for recreation, LEGISLATIVE SESSION
selves had been called racist or evil or inspiration, and for their livelihoods.
were denigrated in the worst ways be- These resources exist because of the vi-
TAXPAYER FIRST ACT OF 2019—
cause of their uniforms and their sionary actions of prior Congresses.
MOTION TO PROCEED—Resumed
badges. Now it is our turn to secure them for
generations yet to come. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
So, if peaceful protesters rightly do
the previous order, the Senate will re-
not want to be lumped in with a subset Our colleagues’ legislation does two sume consideration of the motion to
of looters and rioters who seek destruc- big things: It improves access to parks proceed to H.R. 1957, which the clerk
tion, then the vast majority of brave and public lands by investing in main- will report.
police officers cannot be lumped in tenance and upkeep, and it secures per- The legislative clerk read as follows:
with the very worst examples of hei- manent support for the missions of the Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 75, H.R.
nous behavior. It is that simple. But, Land and Water Conservation Fund. 1957, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue
instead, we are already seeing out- Code of 1986 to modernize and improve the
landish calls to defund the police or to Their legislation has already per-
Internal Revenue Service, and for other pur-
abolish the police take root within the suaded 59 cosponsors here in the Sen- poses.
leftwing leadership class. The president ate. It has earned the bipartisan en- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
of the City Council in Minneapolis has dorsement of the last six former Secre- suggest the absence of a quorum.
proclaimed she can ‘‘imagine a future taries of the Interior, and a diverse co- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
without police.’’ One of her fellow alition of independent advocates—from clerk will call the roll.
council members put it even more The Nature Conservancy to the Out- The legislative clerk proceeded to
clearly: ‘‘This council is going to dis- door Industry Association to the Amer- call the roll.
mantle this police department.’’ ican Battlefield Trust—have called on Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask
To be clear as to what this effort is us to pass this bill. unanimous consent that the order for
about, one of the local groups inform- This bill has unusually broad, bipar- the quorum call be rescinded.
ing this push in Minnesota has literally The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
tisan, and vocal support because the
stated that arts programs and mental objection, it is so ordered.
issues at hand affect so many different
health resources will be more effective RECOGNITION OF THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER
communities so concretely. Every
at stopping crime than will be armed The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
year, visitors to America’s national
cops. Instead of ‘‘strangers armed with Democratic leader is recognized.
parks bring more than $40 billion in
guns,’’ they say other professionals economic impact to the gateway towns
PROTESTS
like social workers should be the ones Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now,
that surround them. The State and
to ‘‘respond to crises in our commu- ‘‘Equal Justice Under Law’’—those
local parks, stewarded by the LWCF,
nity.’’ words are etched in stone above the
help to generate another $166 billion in
I am all for social work and mental doors of the Supreme Court, a bedrock
local economic activity and support principle of the American system.
health, but call me old-fashioned—I
more than 1.1 million jobs. These past few weeks have been a sear-
think you may actually want a police
officer to stop a criminal and arrest My fellow Kentuckians and I know ing reminder of how that principle does
him before we try to work through his this firsthand. At least 120,000 jobs are not reflect the lived experience for
feelings. supported by active outdoor recreation many Americans.
Well, even if some leftwing leaders in the Commonwealth. From hunters For Black Americans, confrontations
fall for this nonsense, I have a feeling and anglers in the Daniel Boone Na- with the police are not the same as for
the American people are too smart for tional Forest to tourists visiting Mam- White Americans. You can be standing
that. They know that what happened moth Cave, our State’s natural treas- on a street corner like Eric Garner or
to George Floyd was totally abhorrent. ures occasion nearly $13 billion in an- asleep in your bed like Breonna Taylor
They also know that riots and looting nual consumer spending. Yet Kentuck- and have your life ended by police.
are unacceptable. They also know that ians also know that tight budgets for George Floyd’s brutal death at the
well-trained law enforcement officers maintenance often mean that historic hands of a White police officer in Min-
are an important part of creating safe sites go without important repairs and neapolis sparked peaceful protests
communities, not something to defund upgrades that would ensure safe access across this country because as singular
or abolish. and smooth operations. So we are and tragic as the death of George Floyd
So I am proud that Americans across acutely aware of the need to address was, his experience was one that reso-
the country can protest in safety and the deferred maintenance backlog, nated with far too many Black Ameri-
peace. I am proud that their neighbors which this legislation tackles head-on. cans.
continue to answer the call to protect That is why hundreds of thousands of
and to serve, and I am hopeful that, So I am very grateful to our col- Americans have engaged in peaceful
with unity and mutual respect, we can leagues from Montana and Colorado for demonstrations against police violence
continue this important national dis- shepherding this legislation. I am and systemic racism. From Los Ange-
cussion to ensure justice and equal pro- proud of the stand they have taken in les to Washington, DC, and from Se-
support of our Nation’s natural won- attle to New York City, where I joined
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tection under the law.
f
ders and the millions of American live- shoulder to shoulder with my fellow
lihoods that depend on them. I look New Yorkers on Saturday, Americans
GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT forward to discussing this landmark from all walks of life have marched,
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, on legislation more in the days ahead, to sang, prayed, cried, and spoken out
an entirely different subject, while the supporting it here on the floor, and to that Black lives matter; that our coun-
Senate remains the only Chamber in urging every one of my colleagues to try promises justice for all but too
this Capitol with its lights on, we are join in. often only delivers it for some.
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June 8, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2749
The protests weren’t confined to big lutions. The Republican majority must reason that we cannot respond to this
cities. Thousands turned out in Allen- not continue to squander the Senate’s moment of national crisis with vig-
town and Fayetteville, PA; in Fair- time on rightwing judges and con- orous and sustained action, with pur-
mont, WV; and in Havre, MT. There spiracy hearings. History will judge poseful action and bipartisan effort on
were Black Lives Matter protests in whether this Chamber responds to the the COVID pandemic and long, sim-
Vidor, TX, a city with a troubled his- Nation’s pain with action or lets an old mering issues of police violence and ra-
tory as a haven for the KKK, and Har- and terrible wound in our society con- cial justice. We must do both.
vard, NE, a city with only 1,000 resi- tinue to fester. That is what the Senate, supposedly
dents. The poison of racism affects more the world’s greatest deliberative body,
Remarkably, though these protests than our criminal justice system. It was designed to do. There are four re-
concerned events within our borders, runs much deeper than that. There are maining weeks before July 4. The time
they sparked outrage far outside of racial disparities in housing and for waiting is gone. Leader MCCONNELL
them. The name ‘‘George Floyd’’ was healthcare, education and the econ- and Senate Republicans must commit
chanted in Rome, Paris, London, Am- omy, income and wealth, and COVID to putting a police reform bill on the
sterdam, Berlin, and Mexico City. This has only placed a magnifying glass on Senate floor for debate and a vote.
is a rare moment for our Nation’s his- all these forms of inequality. They must commit to working with us
tory. Injustice stares us so plainly in There are now 118,000 confirmed on another emergency relief package.
the face that the great mass of our peo- deaths from COVID in the United We have waited too long already. Let
ple are demanding change. The institu- States. Black Americans have died at a me repeat. Leader MCCONNELL and Sen-
tions of our government and our de- disproportionate rate. As hospitals and ate Republicans, we must accomplish
mocracy have an obligation to answer. healthcare workers have scrambled to two things before July 4: police reform
Today, we are taking the first of secure enough supplies and create and COVID relief. We can and must do
many necessary steps to respond to our enough space, those institutions that both. Do not stand in the way of a na-
national pain with bold action. This serve communities of color have been tion yearning for solutions—not for
morning, I joined with Speaker PELOSI the most strained. As our medical cri- empty rhetoric, not for name-calling,
and several of our House colleagues, sis led to an economic crisis, it is and not for partisanship.
Representatives BASS, CLYBURN, NAD- largely African Americans and Latinos Before I yield the floor, I want to
LER, and JEFFRIES, as well as my col- who have seen their jobs disappear mention one other issue. Last week,
leagues, Senators BOOKER and HARRIS, faster and more permanently. President Trump was responsible for
to introduce the Justice in Policing The President is evidently prepared ordering Federal officers to force
Act—a response to the recent protests to declare the fight against COVID–19 peaceful protesters from Lafayette
and the years of failure to reform our over because 15 percent of our coun- Square—just across the street from the
police departments. try’s citizens are unemployed, not 20 White House—in clear violation of
The Justice in Policing Act proposes percent, even though that figure—15 their First Amendment rights of free-
crucial reforms to combat racial bias percent—is higher than at any point dom of speech and assembly. It was
and excessive force by law enforce- during the Great Recession. The reason deeply offensive and wrong. Even more
ment. It would ban the use of choke unemployment isn’t as shockingly appalling was the purpose of the order:
holds and other tactics that have left awful as it might have been was that to clear a path for the President to
Black Americans dead. It would limit Congress leapt into action at the out- stage a political stunt at nearby St.
the transfer of military weaponry and set of the pandemic and passed a major John’s Church.
equipment to police departments. It bill, the CARES Act, to keep the coun- Today, Lafayette Square, a place
would change the legal standard to try afloat. The bill that eventually which has long been a venue where
make it easier to hold police account- passed was bipartisan, but Democrats Americans gather to freely exercise
able for misconduct when they use had to push Republicans almost every their constitutional rights, remains
deadly force on American citizens. step of the way to get many of the im- blocked off by heavy fencing. The
Through increased data and trans- provements in the bill. Much of the aid President has converted this unique
parency, as well as important modi- the bill gave to unemployment, to our public park in the heart of the Nation’s
fications to training and practices, it healthcare systems, and to truly small Capital into something resembling a
would help prevent police misconduct businesses was because Democrats in- militarized zone. Lafayette Square
in the first place. This has never been sisted. should be a symbol of freedom and
done before at the Federal level, and it If the President and Senate Repub- openness to the world, not a place be-
would encourage the same changes at licans declare victory too early, if they hind which the President cowers in fear
the State and local level in order for lull into complacency now, and if they of peaceful protesters crying out for
those police departments to receive wait too long to pass another round of justice.
Federal funds. emergency relief, the economic condi- So, moments ago, Speaker PELOSI
In the Senate, Democrats are going tions in our country will deteriorate. If and I sent a letter to President Trump
to fight like hell to make this proposal we do nothing, more Americans will urging him to reopen Lafayette
a reality. Americans who took to the lose their jobs, more Americans will Square. President Trump, tear down
streets have demanded change. With lose their healthcare, more Americans these walls and allow the public to
this legislation, Democrats are heeding will struggle to put food on the table gather in front of the White House for
their call. Now is the time for Leader and keep a roof over their head, and you and for all the world to hear their
MCCONNELL to commit to putting po- more Americans will see small busi- voices.
lice reform on the floor of the Senate nesses they sweated so hard to create I yield the floor.
before July 4 to be debated and voted fail. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
on. Several Republicans have acknowl- We fear that the recent bump in the ator from Wyoming.
edged the egregious wrongs, but too employment number, caused in large H.R. 1957
few have expressed a need for floor ac- part because of the stimulus money we Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I rise to
tion. Too many have remained silent. pumped into the economy, will create, speak about the Great American Out-
Maybe our Republican friends are hop- in Republicans, a sense of compla- doors Act that we may be debating this
ing the issue goes away. I promise cency, and the economy will get even week. I am hoping that we can find a
them it will not. Democrats will not worse. responsible way to pay for the mainte-
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let this go away, and we will not rest The fact that we are confronted by so nance backlog of our national parks.
until we achieve real reforms. many challenges—so many chal- Our national parks are an important
Leader MCCONNELL, let’s have the de- lenges—can seem overwhelming. The source of pride for our country. They
bate not just on TV and Twitter but on fact and the consequences of Repub- are known internationally. We had the
the floor of the U.S. Senate. We need lican inaction, the fact that they fall first national park in the world with
legislation and debate. A divided na- so heavily on Black and Brown Ameri- Yellowstone Park. Unfortunately, our
tion cannot wait for healing and for so- cans is so confounding, but there is no parks are in the midst of a rising crisis
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S2750 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 8, 2020
that has been building over many over 14 million people who come from grandkids to pay for something they
years. They are in desperate need of re- abroad and visit our national parks. maybe never got to enjoy? We can put
pair and maintenance and fixing them It is great that people from all over a small addition on foreign visa fees or
will require billions of dollars. the world recognize the value of these we can pass it on to our kids.
This week, the Senate is working on national treasures, but this increased Let’s do one amendment that will
legislation to address this backlog, and visitation is adding to the maintenance pay for parks in perpetuity, not just
I believe it is vital that we address this backlog, and it is only fair that we ask gimmick spending for 5 years. Fixing
issue both responsibly and perma- them to help maintain these national this bill will help ensure we no longer
nently. This will help generations to treasures. have to put our parks’ current obliga-
fix problems in our parks without hav- There is nothing novel about this tions on the backs of future genera-
ing to put the cost on the Nation’s concept. Anyone who has visited an at- tions.
credit card. We can pay now or we can traction outside of the United States I know the item at stake here will
make our kids pay through reduced has probably encountered such fees in not end our fiscal crisis, but if we can’t
Federal help and services that we are one way or another. For example, for- do something modest to start to ad-
used to, or we can figure out a way to eign visitors to the Taj Mahal in India dress our spending addiction, then we
have a small fee now. It should be a will pay an $18 fee, compared to a fee of are in greater trouble than I ever
pretty easy choice. only 56 cents for local visitors. At thought.
Unfortunately, the Great American Kruger National Park in South Africa, I yield the floor.
Outdoors Act, as written, represents visitors from outside the country will I suggest the absence of a quorum.
only a one-time fix and is neither re- pay $25 per day compared to $6.25 for The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
sponsible nor permanent. Instead, the local visitors. clerk will call the roll.
bill adds over $17 billion to our na- Many European countries—like The legislative clerk proceeded to
tional debt. Moreover, the measure in- Spain, France, and Italy—charge a call the roll.
cludes a permanent reauthorization of tourist tax on hotel rooms that is used Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I
the Land and Water Conservation Fund to pay for tourism infrastructure. ask unanimous consent that the order
Program, which will add even more fu- We also ask park visitors to assist for the quorum call be rescinded.
ture maintenance to our already back- with addressing the backlog. No one The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms.
logged systems without being paid for. likes to pay more for things, especially ERNST). Without objection, it is so or-
After all of the spending we have just during times like these, but to main- dered.
undertaken, we must be more vigilant tain these national treasures for future REFORM
in finding proper ways to ensure our generations, we either borrow money Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, over
government spending is paid for, and and put it on the national credit card the last few months, America has expe-
fixing this bill can be an important or we take some modest steps to ad- rienced a trifecta of crises, which are
place to start. Without some changes, dress the issue responsibly—kind of a reminiscent of some of the most dif-
this legislation will force our country pay-as-you-go. ficult periods in our Nation’s history.
to borrow more money, burying us My amendment only raises entrance In many ways, it feels like we are
deeper in debt, and only provide fund- fees by $5 and annual passes by $20, so learning what it was like to live
ing for 5 years. bringing a vehicle into the park would through the Spanish flu pandemic, the
I am also concerned that the bill still be cheaper than taking a family of Great Depression, and the civil rights
tries to spend the same money twice, four to a movie or visiting an amuse- movement—all at once.
which is using a budget gimmick. We ment park for a day. In fact, it is a real This period has challenged all of us
should always strive to be fiscally re- bargain from that. physically, economically, and emotion-
sponsible, and that is even more impor- We, as a nation, have seen the joy ally, and while we still have a long way
tant now after Congress has spent more our national parks bring to those who to go, we are seeing incremental signs
than $2 trillion to respond to the venture and visit them. In Wyoming of progress. Last week, New York
coronavirus pandemic. To address the and all across the country, America’s City—once the epicenter of COVID–19
current park’s backlog, it would cost national parks are something to be cases—reported no confirmed
nearly $12 billion, according to the Na- proud of and protect. We owe it to the coronavirus deaths. That was the first
tional Park Service. In comparison, parks and to the citizens and foreign time that had happened since March 11.
last year, the entire national budget visitors who partake of their wonders Our economy is experiencing positive
for the national parks was $4.1 billion. to keep them in good working order. improvement as well. Friday’s jobs re-
Let me repeat that. The cost would be We should not allow the maintenance port showed that employment rose by
$12 billion to take care of the backlog. and repairs to fester, which erodes vis- 2.5 million people in May—an abso-
Their whole budget last year was just itor experiences and costs billions to lutely astonishing and recordbreaking
$4.1 billion. fix. figure. I think that is the first time
Congress is already struggling to find Are people going to the parks? Yes, that happened since 1934. Unemploy-
funding for other worthwhile Federal they are. Yellowstone National Park ment dropped to 13.3 percent. That is
needs. That is why, for the past several has opened up now and I think is at still way too high but a sharp contrast
years, I have worked on a fix. I filed an about 75 percent of capacity already. I from the expectations and projections
amendment to this bill that addresses read in the papers about this family of economists.
the maintenance issues responsibly and from Georgia who was planning on tak- While we are seeing the needle move
permanently without adding to our ing their family to Florida to Disney in the right direction in our fight to
debt. Let me repeat that. My amend- World, but Disney World is closed, so defeat the coronavirus and restore our
ment is completely offset and provides they drove across the country to Wyo- economy, the third in this trio of crises
a permanent solution. It has been ig- ming and went to Yellowstone Na- is much more complex. The murder of
nored, so far, through this process. tional Park. One of the adventures George Floyd has sparked passion and
The way my amendment works is by they got was to get to see a real wolf anger throughout our country and gal-
asking our foreign visitors, who num- up close and personal. They got some vanized people of all skin colors, back-
bers show are increasingly enjoying good pictures of it too. grounds, and ages to demand action. In
our parks, to pay $16 or $25 more when People will travel a long way to see big cities and small towns alike, we
they enter the country as part of their these parks. They don’t expect them to have seen peaceful marches and power-
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visa fee—a part of it—not a big in- be an international bargain, and nei- ful demonstrations calling for an end
crease compared to that. ther do foreign visitors who are used to to racial injustice that has existed
According to a study by the U.S. seeing us, when we go to their country, sadly since our country’s inception.
Travel Association, nearly 40 percent pay a higher fee for national parks. One of the largest protests in the
of the people who come to the United We need to fix our national parks. country happened last week in Mr.
States from abroad are visiting one or The question is, Will we pay as it is Floyd’s hometown in Houston, TX,
more of our national parks. That is used or will we force our kids and where I was born and where he will be
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June 8, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2751
buried tomorrow. An estimated 60,000 country about how we can effectively prosecuting them but in sending a mes-
people gathered to march in his honor promote and improve police practices sage that that sort of action will not be
and demand justice. and begin to repair the damaged rela- tolerated in a civilized society. And
The first step in justice for George tionship between our minority commu- next, we need to regain the confidence
Floyd, and now that all four officers in- nities and our police. for all of our people or all colors; that
volved in his death have been arrested To strengthen that work, there are the police are our friend and a nec-
and charged, is for the criminal justice steps we can take in Washington, DC. I essary part of our ordered liberty.
system to work. But these four arrests know many of us are engaged in active Without order, you have anarchy.
do not erase the larger problems that discussions about what is the best way Only with order, fair laws justly ad-
exist in our society—the lack of trust, to create real change. I know it is a ministered on an equal basis can we
the sense that justice is not equal. In priority for Members on both sides of enjoy the liberty that is part of our
fact, they have only shined a brighter the aisle. birthright in America. I am committed
light on the systemic problems that we One proposal I have mentioned is a to being part of the solution, and I am
need to do our best to try to address. bipartisan bill that I introduced with eager to roll up my sleeves with all of
Making lasting changes will not be Senator GARY PETERS of Michigan and our colleagues and get to work.
quick or easy. Chairman LINDSEY GRAHAM last year. I yield the floor.
At the rally in Houston, several of This bill actually had 20 bipartisan co- I suggest the absence of a quorum.
Mr. Floyd’s family members spoke, and sponsors. It was endorsed not only by The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
one said: ‘‘This is going to be more like the Urban League and the NAACP but clerk will call the roll.
a marathon.’’ I think that is pretty re- the major police organizations in this The bill clerk proceeded to call the
alistic. It is going to take some time, country as well. It passed unanimously roll.
and it will be the result of difficult dis- in the Senate. Unfortunately, we ran Mr. PORTMAN. Madam President, I
cussions but necessary discussions that out of time in the House so it did not ask unanimous consent that the order
are happening in homes, workplaces, actually become law—not yet. for the quorum call be rescinded.
and buildings like this all across the This legislation creates a National The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
country. Criminal Justice Commission, much objection, it is so ordered.
No one has all the answers, but there like the 9/11 Commission, that would H.R. 1957
is a lot we can learn—first, by simply review our criminal justice system writ Mr. PORTMAN. Madam President, I
listening to one another. Earlier today, large from top to bottom—something am on the floor to talk about the his-
I was able to speak to George Floyd’s that has not happened since 1965. In 18 toric opportunity that is before this
family and do just that—listen. They months, the Commission would report body this evening and throughout the
have gone through unimaginable pain back to us and make recommendations week to be able to help us get our na-
over these last 2 weeks. for changes that could be considered tional parks back on track. These are
I told them I am committed to mak- and passed by the Congress. our treasured national parks that are
ing sure that George Floyd receives This would allow us to systemically such a great asset to our country, and
justice. I said: In my experience during look at what is working and what isn’t right now they are in trouble.
times like this, the best comfort you and what needs to be done to mod- One of the bills before us this week,
can offer to someone who has lost a ernize our criminal justice system, in- in what is called the Great American
loved one is that their death will not cluding repairing the broken relation- Outdoors Act, is the bipartisan Restore
be in vain; that something good will ship between law enforcement and Our Parks Act. It directs Federal fund-
come out of it. some of our minority communities. ing from royalties on oil and gas leases
We know some of the most important The review that took place in 1965 and other energy leases to Federal
reforms that need to be made are in produced 1,200 specific recommenda- lands. It directs that funding to our na-
our criminal justice system. The tragic tions, and it is past time to once again tional parks to take care of deferred
events of Minneapolis, Louisville, and take stock of the successes and failures maintenance.
a number of other cities across the of our criminal justice system. Why is this investment needed?
country have renewed calls to trans- As I mentioned, the bill that passed Thanks to the wisdom of Teddy Roo-
form policing practices and repair the the Senate unanimously had 20 bipar- sevelt, who had the foresight to set
divide that exists between some com- tisan cosponsors and was supported by aside and preserve some of our most
munities and the police. Of course, the National Association of Police Or- spectacular land for public use, and
much of that will take place at the ganizations, Major City Chiefs Associa- thanks to so many friends of the parks
local and State level. It is, in fact, the tion, the National Urban League. who have followed, America’s national
city council and mayors who hire the I believe this type of legislation parks are without equal. The National
police chief and make sure they are would give us the basic framework for Park Service and its system now com-
running their programs and their de- the lasting changes that we are all prise 84 million acres of land and his-
partments with integrity and profes- after. It would be an umbrella commis- torical sites that now attracts 330 mil-
sionalism. That is where most of the sion under which a lot of very specific lion visitors every year. In fact, from
important decisions about day-to-day and granular issues could be debated 2006 to 2017, annual visitation in our
policing and procedures are made. and voted on and, if meritorious, parks increased by about 58 million
One example in my State is the San- passed and become part of the law. people. They are popular.
dra Bland Act, which Governor Abbott I hope it will become a part of our During the COVID–19 pandemic, it is
signed into law in 2017. The namesake conversation that we are having in the clear there is a lot of demand to be in
of that bill was a Black woman who coming days and weeks. Rooting out the out-of-doors. And so I believe as we
was found dead in a county jail days racial injustice that has existed for start to reopen our parks this summer,
after being arrested during a routine generations will require a long-term, which we will do soon, Americans will
traffic stop. The law passed in her bipartisan commitment in Congress be all the more eager to go out to our
honor made a number of changes, in- and in homes and institutions across parks and explore our country’s nat-
cluding requiring deescalation training the country. ural beauty and explore its history.
for law enforcement officials, much I do believe it is simply wrong to The problem is that when people
like we have done in the mental health paint all police and all law enforce- head to the parks, they may be sur-
space. ment as somehow racially biased. I prised that things are a little rundown.
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The individual police departments think that is not deserved, and I think This isn’t new. It has been happening
are the ones that make decisions about it is just flat wrong and irresponsible. to our parks for decades, actually.
specific practices, responsible, of Clearly, when there are cases of abuse, Some of the trails will be closed. Some
course, to their city leadership, such as where even a police officer crosses the of the bathrooms aren’t going to be
banning knee holds or choke holds. line, they need to be held accountable, working. In places, roads and bridges
There are important conversations and we need to be focused on identi- will be crumbling, and visitor centers
taking place across Texas and the fying those individuals not only in that have leaks in their roofs will be
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S2752 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 8, 2020
closed. It is a widespread problem of called the Cuyahoga Valley National Victory and International Peace Me-
deferred maintenance that has gradu- Park, which is our largest single park. morial is on the shores of Lake Erie. It
ally grown to become a huge backlog of It is actually the thirteenth most vis- honors those who fought in the Battle
around $12 billion at our national park ited park in the country. You may not of Lake Erie in the War of 1812, which
sites. That is $12 billion in deferred have heard of it, but it is an awesome was such a critically important battle
maintenance that has not been taken park. It is kind of situated right in be- for our victory. It also celebrates the
care of. tween Cleveland and Akron. It is a long-lasting peace between the U.K.,
The good news is, with my colleagues place where you can go biking; you can Canada, and the United States. So it is
Senator WARNER, Senator ALEXANDER, go hiking; you can go fishing; you can an important historical marker.
and Senator KING, we introduced this go kayaking; you can take a scenic There I saw some of the $48 million in
commonsense solution a few years ago railway through the park. It is a spec- long-delayed maintenance needs at
called Restore our Parks Act. It will tacular place, and it is accessed by a that site, which includes millions in
address this backlog. lot of people, being so close to the sub- needed repairs to a concrete seawall—
To me, this is a debt unpaid. It would urbs and even so close to the cities. It and here is the seawall. You can see
have been a lot smarter to pay it all is not a typical park out in the rural some of the damage to it. There are
along, by the way, but our annual ap- area; it is a park that is really right up also sinkholes behind me here.
propriations here in Congress were against the suburbs and close to the We have to repair that seawall, but,
never big enough, so what funds we had cities. I am proud to be one of the 2.7 boy, it is a big cost. But if you don’t re-
available went for things like park million visitors a year that goes to pair it, you continue to have other
rangers, for programming, and, frank- Cuyahoga Valley National Park to damage, including the road behind me,
ly, for applying bandaids to some of take advantage of all those things I and, obviously, people are not per-
these maintenance problems. talked about. mitted to go near the lake there.
Other funds also, of course, went to In addition to these larger parks, our So $48 million is a lot for that small
expanding our parks. Let me make one park system also includes a lot of other memorial, small national park. The
thing clear: This bill before us today— sites. As an Ohio example, in my home- visitors’ center there also needs up-
the Restore Our Parks Act—is all town of Cincinnati is the boyhood grades. It needs to be made ADA acces-
about stewardship. It is about taking sible, an example—Americans with Dis-
home of President William Howard
better care of what we have. Not a abilities Act. Again, the budget for
Taft, who was both President and Chief
penny of it can be used for expansion. that park is miniscule, but the mainte-
Justice of the Supreme Court.
Of course, one of our challenges right Like everywhere else in our park sys- nance needs are huge.
It is not just our outdoor spaces that
now, as a country coming out of the tem, all of these sites are getting run-
need work. The past 2 years I have vis-
coronavirus pandemic, is to figure out down. Why has this happened? Well,
ited the Taft home in Cincinnati where
how to get people back to work, and it again, because every year we appro-
President William Howard Taft was
is a real challenge because, although priate funding for the operations of the
born and raised. The house is still in
the jobs report on Friday was encour- park—for nature programs, for rangers, pretty good condition, but there are in-
aging in terms of some jobs being for day-to-day operations and activi- frastructure upgrades that have to be
added in May, we still have one of the ties—but we haven’t provided enough made—repairing the roof, repairing
highest unemployment rates we have money to provide for these mainte- some of the woodwork. You can see the
ever had in this country. nance needs. roof here and some of the mold. When
One place we have an opportunity to Think about it in terms of your own
you don’t repair the roof, what hap-
get people back to work is, of course, family or your own home or your own pens? The roof leaks, and the walls get
rebuilding our infrastructure. There business. Taking that big step and moldy, and the floor begins to couple.
are lots of discussions about that. Well, making those capital improvements is So whether it is your house or wheth-
this legislation does that. These are a big, big cost, and we don’t budget for er it is our national parks, that is what
shovel-ready projects—infrastructure that here very well. So we have allowed is happening.
projects that are ready to go. these maintenance projects to build up, We have to do this in order to ensure
Last week, the National Parks Serv- meaning a lot of buildings, a lot of in- that the costs don’t expand even fur-
ice released a new study that found frastructure—roads, bridges, water sys- ther, which is what happens, again, in
that the Restore Our Parks Act will tems—are deteriorating to the point your own home. If you don’t fix that
support 100,000 new jobs as we rebuild that a lot of them are really com- roof, you have all kinds of other prob-
our national parks infrastructure over pletely unusable. lems, and they compound.
the next 5 years—40,000 direct jobs, I have seen this firsthand as I have The compounding problem in our na-
about 60,000 indirect jobs—over 100,000 visited our Ohio parks. Here are a cou- tional parks is not just $12 billion. If
total new jobs. ple photos of some of the visits we have we don’t address it, it will grow to be
By the way, these are good jobs. made. much greater than that. The longer we
These are jobs with good pay and good I go to Cuyahoga Valley National wait, the more expensive it gets. The
benefits. Park frequently, as I said, and there same story is true with all of our parks
I first became involved in this issue are always a lot of school field trips, a all around our country, and it is time
of our national parks because I have lot of hikers, a lot of other visitors. It for us to fix it.
grown to love the parks, as do so many is a great park, but it needs about $50 By the way, people ask me: Well, how
Americans. Even those who don’t have million in repair—just that one park, do you know what the most urgent
a chance to visit them very much are Cuyahoga National Park. needs are? Because we require the
proud of the fact that we have this in- The railroad track is in such bad re- parks to keep it. We require them to
credible system, this true treasure for pair—and it is behind me here—that it tell the U.S. Congress every year their
our country. is dangerous or will be soon to go on highest priority needs, spell them out,
When I was about 12 years old, my that scenic railroad. So we have to fix in specific terms, what is needed—what
mom and dad took us to Yellowstone the railroad tracks. Some of the trails the cost is, how long the repairs would
Park, and we went camping, and we seem to be falling apart because of ero- take, and so on. This is why I said that
saw the geysers, and we got to see sion. An $11 million budget is the an- they are shovel ready, because we
things that I had never seen before— nual budget for that park, Cuyahoga know what these projects are.
just this spectacular park in the West. Valley National Park. Again, it is the
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Here is the deferred maintenance
This amazing park system that we thirteenth most visited park in the cost in Ohio, as an example, just for
have in this country continues to be country, yet they have a $50 million Ohio—again, totaling $114 million. Here
something I am proud of. So ever since backlog—a $50 million backlog. So it is is the Perry’s Victory Memorial, $48
I was 12 years old, I have been a parks just not sustainable. million; here is the Cuyahoga Valley
fan. I also visited the Perry monument a National Park at almost $52 million.
We have eight national parks in my couple of times in the last couple of Again, at some of our bigger parks
home State of Ohio. One of those is years, including last summer. Perry’s around the country, the costs are even
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June 8, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2753
higher. So this is an opportunity for us This is the right thing to do for our leagues, Senators GARDNER, WARNER,
to do the right thing by these treasures country at the right time. DAINES, CANTWELL, PORTMAN, KING,
that we have, to make sure they don’t I want to also say that the Trump ad- ALEXANDER, and HEINRICH, for their
continue to deteriorate. This is where ministration strongly supports this work over many years on the Land and
our Restore Our Parks Act is so impor- legislation, and that has been really Water Conservation Fund—or as we
tant to pass. important, too, to get it in the budget, call it, LWCF—and deferred mainte-
As I said earlier, this legislation is to be sure that the Office of Manage- nance bills that are now joined to-
going to support more than 100,000 jobs ment and Budget, where I used to gether in the Great American Outdoors
and cut into that maintenance back- serve, is on board, because the funding Act.
log. What is even better about this leg- here is not our typical appropriations This bill would realize a goal that so
islation is that taxpayers aren’t the funding, and I thank them for that. I many of us in this body have fought
ones footing the bill. Instead, this bill thank President Trump for helping us hard to attain for so long, to provide
creates what is called the Legacy Res- to ensure that this can come to the permanent, mandatory funding for the
toration Fund, which will provide $1.9 floor today and can actually get passed Land and Water Conservation Fund at
billion per year for 5 years from 50 per- by the U.S. Congress and then signed its fully authorized level of $900 million
cent of the unobligated on- and off- into law. annually.
shore energy revenue. Again, this Let’s do it. On a bipartisan basis, Last year, the Senate passed a public
comes from on- and offshore oil, gas, let’s do something positive this week lands package by an overwhelming
and other energy projects. to move our country forward, to create vote of 92 to 8 that permanently au-
This means we will have $9.5 billion more jobs, and to ensure that our won- thorized the LWCF—the most success-
to be divided across the National Park derful national parks are there for fu- ful land conservation program in our
Service and other Federal Land Man- ture generations. Nation’s history. A vote that bipar-
agement agencies. It will not fund I yield the floor. tisan is, unfortunately, unheard of
every needed repair, but the $6.5 billion I suggest the absence of a quorum. today and speaks to the overwhelming
our parks are going to get will address The PRESIDING OFFICER. The popularity of conservation programs in
all of the high priority items, so 6.5 out clerk will call the roll. every State in the country.
of 12, roughly half—a little more than The senior assistant legislative clerk The day after we secured permanent
half—of those projects, but it does proceeded to call the roll. authorization of the Land and Water
comprise all of the high-priority items Mr. MANCHIN. Madam President, I Conservation Fund, we made it clear
for our national parks. ask unanimous consent that the order that our next hurdle was achieving
It is a win-win, especially right now. for the quorum call be rescinded. mandatory full funding. The Great
This enables us to restore our parks The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
American Outdoors Act includes the
and our public lands—these great na- objection, it is so ordered.
mandatory LWCF funding bill that I
tional treasures. It supports jobs at a Mr. MANCHIN. Madam President,
introduced, along with a lot of help
time when people are anxious to get today the Senate will take the first
from all my friends on both the Demo-
back to work, and it does all this by steps toward passing the great Amer-
cratic and Republican sides.
taking this funding that comes from ican Outdoors Act, with the vote to in-
voke cloture on the motion to proceed We had strong bipartisan support for
the leases—oil, natural gas, and other mandatory LWCF funding, with the
energy projects. It is good for our econ- to the House bill, which will be used as
the underlying legislative vehicle. majority of the Senate cosponsoring
omy. We need to get people back to the bill, and a strong bipartisan vote
work again, and it is an example of The majority of my Senate col-
leagues have cosponsored this bill, and coming out of committee.
how Congress can pass laws that both
we have an incredible opportunity to We need to secure this funding be-
create jobs and serve the public’s inter-
enact this important bipartisan legisla- cause since the LWCF was established
ests.
tion. 55 years ago, over $22 billion—think
It is particularly good news that we
I would be remiss if I did not ac- about that—over $22 billion has been
are voting on it this week, because the
knowledge that our Nation is in tur- deposited in the LWCF fund but was
quicker we act, the better.
I want to thank Majority Leader moil and hurting. We are still very never appropriated and instead went
MITCH MCCONNELL for allowing us to much in the midst of both a health and into the Treasury.
bring this to the floor. I want to thank economic crisis, and this weekend we Although every State and territory
my colleagues on both sides of the aisle saw millions of people join peaceful and almost every county has benefited
who have worked so hard on this legis- demonstrations in communities across from LWCF, it has been fully funded
lation. Specifically, I want to thank the country. only twice in the 55-year history—only
Senator WARNER, who came up with It is so important that we in Con- twice have we gotten full funding.
this great idea of shifting the funding gress take action, and I am so pleased Think what we could have done with
from the oil, gas, and other energy that we have returned to legislating. that $22 billion.
projects—some of these royalty mon- There is no shortage of important busi- Despite that, LWCF has been able to
eys—into this particular project. ness for us to address as a body. do wonderful things with the funds
I have worked for years on parks. I The Great American Outdoors Act that have been appropriated, which in
am the author of the Centennial Act, will create jobs while protecting and recent years have been at half of the
which was back in 2016 for our national expanding access to the great outdoors authorized funding level and, in pre-
parks, which helps to get public-pri- across our country for everyone, vious years, less than that. Just imag-
vate partnerships involved, which I whether that be hunting, fishing, or ine what we can achieve for our coun-
strongly support. That has helped a lit- hiking in the Monongahela National try with this full funding.
tle bit on the maintenance, but it is Forest in my great State of West Vir- The LWCF is the primary conserva-
not nearly enough money. So we need ginia or rafting down the Gauley River tion funding tool that helps provide
to do more, and that is what this legis- or learning about Civil War history— public access for hunting and fishing
lation does. just to give a few examples of what my and recreational use of public lands. It
I also want to thank Senator ALEX- home State of West Virginia has to also helps fund State and local parks.
ANDER and Senator KING for their work offer. It helps maintain working forests
on this national parks legislation. This is a legacy that we can all pass through the Forest Legacy Program. It
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I also want to thank my other col- down to our grandchildren and genera- protects historic battlefields through
leagues who have been so involved in tions to come, and it has been a long the American Battlefield Protection
this broader package. That would be time coming. Program, and it helps landowners vol-
Senator GARDNER, Senator MANCHIN, I want to thank my good friend Sen- untarily protect habitats for endan-
Senator DAINES. That is the Great ator LISA MURKOWSKI for working with gered species.
American Outdoors Act. They helped us through the committee process. I Permanent LWCF funding will im-
me to put that together. would also like to thank my col- prove access to public lands, improving
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S2754 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 8, 2020
access to hunting and fishing opportu- The passage of this bill will be an his- That is what we are going to do now
nities, and will ensure the program re- toric achievement, and I believe this here in Washington, back at home in
mains an important contributor to a will be one of the most significant con- Tennessee, and in our communities. In-
strong and growing outdoor recreation servation bills ever enacted into law. stead of allowing Congress to come to a
economy that will benefit State and What a legacy all of us can walk away standstill, we will make and encourage
local economies throughout our Na- with and look at our children and strong policies that protect the Amer-
tion. grandchildren, knowing that we have ican people. Even though the main-
A recent analysis from Boston Uni- helped protect our wonderful national stream media has temporarily forgot-
versity shows that at full funding of parks and outdoor recreation opportu- ten that we are in the midst of a global
$900 million a year, the LWCF could nities. I ask all of my colleagues to pandemic, the Senate has not forgotten
support approximately 15,000 to 28,000 join me in voting yes to invoke cloture that. We will continue to monitor the
jobs at a time when our country needs this evening and begin consideration of progress of businessowners as they
them most. the Great American Outdoors Act. slowly repair the damage done to our
Passing permanent LWCF authoriza- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- economy by extended lockdowns and do
tion last year was an important step, ator from Tennessee. everything we can to make sure our
and we are so close to realizing the ul- BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE scientists have the resources they need
timate goal of fully fulfilling the origi- Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi- to develop a vaccine for COVID–19.
nal intent of the LWCF Program and dent, this weekend, I was thinking Our relationship with China has
securing a permanent, dedicated fund- about the toll that the recent loss of changed forever, and we must pass leg-
ing source for the multiple conserva- fellowship has really taken on the islation to reflect that. Our supply
tion programs funded by the LWCF. American people. chains that provide pharmaceuticals,
The Great American Outdoors Act I think everyone would agree that, medical supplies, and critical national
also includes $9.5 billion for deferred over the past few months, we have real- resources are all vulnerable to manipu-
maintenance projects on Federal lands, ly felt levels of loneliness, anger, and lation by Beijing. We should pass legis-
with 70 percent of that amount dedi- frustration that we have never experi- lation to incentivize domestic manu-
cated to our national parks. Senators enced in our lives. For most of us, it facturing, starting with the SAM-C bill
PORTMAN, WARNER, ALEXANDER, KING, has been a long time since we have that Senator MENENDEZ and I have of-
and many others worked so hard on been able to gather with friends and fered in this Chamber. This would sup-
that original legislation, and I was family or to go to a church service. port stateside pharmaceutical produc-
proud to cosponsor and support as it This isolation has brought to the sur- tion.
went through the Senate’s Committee face conflict that has been brewing for We must also continue working with
on Energy and Natural Resources. The a very long time. For many years, pow- Big Tech to create responsible privacy
legislation will be the most significant erful forces in politics and popular cul- guidelines and protect consumer data
reduction ever in eliminating a major ture have insisted that there is nothing from Chinese hackers. Last week in Ju-
portion of the deferred maintenance we can’t learn from interacting with diciary, we heard testimony that con-
backlog of our national parks and pub- one another online. Technology has firmed a history of corruption at the
lic lands. brought the world together under the highest levels of the Obama-led Justice
The impact of failing to fund our na- premise of this false intimacy and con- Department. There are many, even in
tional parks and maintenance for so vinced millions of people that what this Chamber, who would rather not
long is clear to see. Last year, I visited they see on their screens is all they talk about that, but we must press for-
Pearl Harbor with my family, and I need to know about the world. ward with this investigation. We have
was incredibly disappointed to see the There are many things that Ameri- to get to the bottom of what happened
state of disrepair it was in. There were cans can rightfully disagree about, es- at the Department of Justice and with
faded and torn signs and audio displays pecially during an election year, but the FBI during Operation Crossfire
and lights that were not working. It contrary to what our social media Hurricane, and we will do all of this.
was an embarrassment. timelines would lead us to believe, We will do the job that we were elected
The infrastructure projects that will most Americans have held onto the les- to do while we maintain law and order
be funded through this bill are critical sons we all should have learned when and insist that those enforcing the law
to protecting many of our national we were mere children. When we were are accountable to the citizens whom
treasures. The LWCF funding will pro- little, we learned that, as Americans, they are sworn to serve and protect.
vide a significant benefit to the na- we have a duty to fight hatred wher- To those who insist that we as a na-
tional outdoor recreation economy. In- ever we find it, to be kind to one an- tion are irreparably broken, I want you
vesting in deferred maintenance other, to practice the Golden Rule. In- to know that I and the American peo-
projects will create over 40,000 direct stead of giving in to stereotypes and ple have taken note of your words, and
jobs and over 100,000 total jobs, and assumptions, we should reject our own now I hope that you will take note of
that is just for deferred maintenance biases and, instead, meet people where mine. This country is strong. Our peo-
projects in our national parks. This bill they are, with open arms and listening ple are resilient. Over the course of
also includes funding for deferred ears and loving hearts, and truly listen just a few months, many of them have
maintenance projects at other land to what they have to say. lost everything. They have lost the
management agencies and Bureau of There are destructive forces at work lives of family members. They have
Indian Education schools. in this country that want the Amer- lost their livelihoods. Their lives and
The Great American Outdoors Act ican people to forget these lessons and, their futures—every waking moment of
will help us to be good stewards of our instead, make a false choice between every day—are filled with uncertainty,
public lands while, at the same time, putting their beliefs into practice and but they still hold tight to those les-
creating thousands of new jobs—a bi- protecting the institutions and sym- sons they learned when they were chil-
partisan win-win, which we should bols that define our Republic. They dren. They know that they were en-
have more of. We have broad, bipar- want to convince you that this Nation dowed by their Creator with the lib-
tisan support, with 60 Senators signing is broken beyond repair. That is their erties that make America special and
on, which is representative of how im- goal: to undermine what you believe that no force on Earth has the power to
portant these bills are to every State and to convince you that the path for- separate them from their faith in God
and every county in every State. We ward must be forged at the expense of and their country and in one another.
faith, hope, and free speech, free ex-
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have support from the administration I yield the floor.
and unwavering support from over 900 pression. This is a lie. Worse, it is an The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
conservation and sportsmen groups obvious lie to anyone who has studied ator from Washington.
throughout the Nation. It is a shining our Nation’s precious history. For hun- H.R. 1957
example of Democrats and Republicans dreds of years, the American people Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, I
coming together to put politics aside have persevered in spite of conflict and rise to speak about the historic vote to
to do what is best for conserving the more—civil unrest, economic down- happen shortly that will advance con-
natural resources of this great Nation. turns, and neighborly disagreements. servation and public lands projects,
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June 8, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2755
called the Great American Outdoors islation done and think about how we grounds. It could also help us in the
Act. I urge all of my colleagues to sup- did get it done together but also to very important area of expanding ac-
port this important legislation. think about how special public lands cess.
First, I thank everyone who has been are for the United States of America. There are other projects in the State
involved in this legislation—Senator Public lands are part of our history. of Washington, and sometimes, when
GARDNER, who just joined us on the They are part of what we have invested we don’t take care of our backlog and
floor; Senator MANCHIN, who spoke ear- in on behalf of the citizens of the maintenance, we don’t get the dollars
lier; Senator DAINES; Senator WARNER; United States so you have a place to because they go to the larger parks. So
Senator PORTMAN, who also spoke ear- recreate, to hunt, to fish, to find sol- this will help us to make sure we don’t
lier; Senator ALEXANDER; Senator ace, to find recovery, to find enjoy- ignore that crumbling infrastructure
KING; Senator BURR; and then several ment, to find amazement when you see or the deteriorating hiking trails or
other Senators who will, I know, par- the wonderful places, particularly in the aging visitors centers. It will help
ticipate tomorrow as a group and the State of Washington. us with projects like the $28 million
speak—Senators TESTER, BENNET, Because the LWCF is paid for by roy- needed for the Lake Roosevelt National
HEINRICH, and so many more. alties from oil companies that drill off Recreation Area, the $2.6 million for
This coalition has said we should our shores, these investments don’t the Whitman Mission National Historic
spend the money in the fund for LWCF cost the taxpayers a dime or add to our Site, the $43 million that is needed for
and combine it with taking care of deficit. This bill will be injecting the Fort Vancouver National Historic
parks’ backlog. This has been a pri- money into our economy, creating Site in southwest Washington, the $18
ority of two different groups of Sen- more jobs, and fixing the repairs that million for the North Cascades Na-
ators who have worked together to try we need to our lands and lands infra- tional Park in Washington, and the $5
to pass this legislation. structure. million for the San Juan Island Na-
I also thank Senators PORTMAN, Over the last half a century, the tional Historic Park in the northern
ALEXANDER, KING, and WARNER and my Land and Water Conservation Fund has part of our State.
House colleague, Representative KIL- supported over 42,000 State and local As you can see, the State of Wash-
MER, for working so diligently on the projects, and it has included an invest- ington is definitely in the outdoor in-
parks’ backlog. I thank Senator ALEX- ment of $725 million in the State of dustry business. We have been very
ANDER specifically, who has been one of Washington. It has helped us to expand blessed with a beautiful environment,
the champions of the parks’ backlog. access to clean rivers, hunting lands, and we have been very blessed with an
Just a few years ago, I remember I forestlands, and to improve our na- economy that has been based on those
asked him: LAMAR, do you think we are tional parks. It has been a critical pro- beautiful outdoors. So we are very
really going to get $6.5 billion spent on tection tool for heritage areas and for happy today that our colleagues have
the backlog? augmenting wildlife refuges across our joined in this bipartisan effort to say
He said: We are going to try our State. In fact, the LWCF fund has sup- that public lands really do mean a lot
darned best. ported 98 percent of the parks in coun- to our Nation and that they deserve an
Apparently, LAMAR ALEXANDER’s ties across the United States of Amer- upgrade—a facelift—an investment,
darned best today has been a success in ica. At one point in time, 98 percent of and a commitment to keep funding the
helping us to move this forward. the counties across this country have things that will allow us to expand
Again, I thank the prime sponsors of used the Land and Water Conservation public access to them.
the bill, Senator GARDNER and Senator Fund. It is the legislation that we need to
MANCHIN, for their steadfast work on In the State of Washington, it has pass even in this unbelievable time of
the LWCF and the parks’ backlog. I helped us to establish iconic places like so many other critical issues. I believe
also thank Senator BURR, who is a Gas Works Park; Bidwell Park, which now, more than ever, our local parks
steadfast champion of the Land and is near Spokane; the Burnt Bridge and our urban green space can give sol-
Water Conservation Fund, and who, Creek Trail, which winds through Van- ace to Americans who need refuge from
with me, helped to sponsor the perma- couver; and the Warren G. Magnuson all of the issues we are dealing with.
nent reauthorization of the Fund and Park at Sand Point, which has been Now, more than ever, we need to pro-
tried to get the funds spent. This effort used for valuable conservation ease- mote access to the shared public lands
has continued over many decades by ments and to help popular forest legacy so that every American can get access,
many colleagues, including by two programs that partner with timber and the American people have had an
former Senators, Bingaman and Bau- owners to promote sustainable for- incredibly difficult several few months.
cus, who were both giants in all of this. estry. Let’s give them something to think
I thank everybody for their impor- The Great American Outdoors Act about for their futures—access to the
tant efforts over the years that have has helped us to make a decision that great outdoors, which will help all of
gotten us to this point today. has been long debated and long dis- us in the future.
Why are we here? A lot of people puted. David Brooks, from the Com- I yield the floor.
would ask: In the middle of a pan- mittee on Energy and Natural Re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
demic, an economic crisis, and a big sources, could tell you how many times ator from Colorado.
struggle to energize the need for civil we have had to debate both the backlog Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I
rights and equality, why are we talking and the LWCF issues and how people thank the Senator from Washington
about a public lands bill? have wanted to spend those dollars. It for her leadership on our great public
As I said, we are here because there has been a very, very challenging issue lands and the bill, the Great American
is a lot of history behind the outdoors for years. Outdoors Act, that we will be voting on
economy and the economy itself of the Besides saying that we are going to this week and debating into next week.
activities that generate an economic take money and put it forward to per- What an historic occasion for the U.S.
return from having public lands. This manently fund the LWCF, the bill also Senate. We don’t often have the chance
has been a juggernaut for us. There is says that we are going to tackle the to make history. This week, we do. So
$887 billion in consumer spending every backlog and maintenance. I mentioned thank you to the Senator from Wash-
year, and that helps to support about the $6.5 billion infusion for that main- ington.
7.6 million jobs. tenance. For us in the State of Wash- June is, of course, the Great Out-
While some are probably asking, ington, with our many national parks, doors Month. Since 1998, when Presi-
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‘‘How did we get so lucky to have this there is $262 million for deferred main- dent Clinton started with 1 week of the
coalition of bipartisan Senators come tenance costs to include repairs to the Great Outdoors Week, it has since ex-
together with regard public lands and water treatment system at Olympic panded and has been observed every
public land investment, and why can’t National Park. It could help us with year, beginning with those Great
we take that same magic and make it $186 million in deferred maintenance at American Outdoors Weeks in 1998 to
happen in other places?’’ I encourage Mount Rainier. It could help us with the entire month of June celebrating
my colleagues not only to get this leg- miles of trails and access to camp- that we do today.
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S2756 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 8, 2020
This week, we are debating landmark The Great American Outdoors Act enhanced access to tens of thousands of
legislation, the Great American Out- fixes this issue. It guarantees that the surrounding acres of Federal lands.
doors Act, that brings two ideas to- full $900 million that is sent in to the You see, we not only have the oppor-
gether that have been worked on by so LWCF trust fund are spent every year tunity to continue protecting our pub-
many of my colleagues in this Chamber and not diverted for other purposes. I lic lands, but there are public lands
for so long. would like to share some of the land- that we don’t have access to because
I introduced this legislation with scapes in my home State that LWCF you can’t get to it. So utilizing a pro-
Senator MANCHIN, along with so many has preserved for the public and for gram like the Land and Water Con-
other bipartisan champions for the out- generations to come. servation Fund helps the American
doors and our great public lands and You can see this picture, this incred- people have access to what they al-
spaces. The Great American Outdoors ible, awesome, majestic landscape of ready hold.
Act combines $1.9 billion a year for 5 the Great Sand Dunes National Park In southwest Colorado, we go to an-
years for deferred maintenance at the and Preserve. It is located in the ap- other successful Forest Legacy Pro-
National Park Service, the U.S. Forest proximately 122-mile-long San Luis gram project that protects vital wild-
Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, Valley in Southeast Colorado. The life habitat and a watershed that pro-
the Bureau of Land Management, dunes in the park are the tallest found vides water to thousands of people. The
which is now headquartered in Grand anywhere in North America, and right Sawtooth Ranch is visible from the
Junction, CO, and the Bureau of Indian now people are visiting to experience San Juan Skyway, one of the most
Education schools, and permanent an- the seasonal flow of Medano Creek, spectacular places on God’s Earth—one
nual funding of the Land and Water which forms in front of the dunes as of 31 designated scenic All-American
Conservation Fund, the crown jewel of snow melts in the spring and early roads. It is also visible from Mount
our conservation programs, at $900 mil- summer. It is the closest thing that we Sneffels, one of Colorado’s famous
lion per year. see to beachfront property every spring fourteeners.
Let’s revisit how we arrived at this at the sand dunes. Outdoor recreation of every kind
historic moment. Last year, the Senate As you can imagine, the ecosystem in takes place in the area next to the
came together, in bipartisan fashion, this area is incredibly delicate. You ranch to support the local economy,
and passed the most significant con- see, the sand dunes are here because of and the protection of the ranch has
servation measure in over a decade. basically the hydrostatic charge that is helped facilitate even greater opportu-
The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, created from the groundwater when it nities.
Management, and Recreation Act, comes to the sand particles. It is that Federal lands like the ones I have
among other things, included the per- water that forms around the sand that shown you are incredibly popular des-
manent authorization of the Land and holds the sand dunes in place. Without tinations for tourists from all over the
Water Conservation Fund. the water underneath it, the sand world, as well as recreational enthu-
Congress had established the LWCF dunes just blow away, and they are not siasts. In 2018, Rocky Mountain Na-
in 1965, with the idea of using revenue there. tional Park was the third most visited
generated from offshore energy devel- The sand dunes sit next to what are
national park in the country.
opment to fund improvements on pub- some of the most important wetlands
lic lands at no cost to the taxpayer. I in the State of Colorado. LWCF funds There were 4.9 million people that
repeat that again—at no cost to the were used to protect those wetlands visited the park last year, setting a
taxpayer. The LWCF has increased ac- and to facilitate a transfer to an exist- new record. Just decades prior to 2009—
cess for Americans everywhere to hunt, ing refuge, while also helping to pro- think about this—that was 4.9 million
fish, camp, and enjoy recreation activi- tect the dunes. LWCF was able to pro- people in just the last year. In 2009,
ties on their public lands, the lands we tect the land that protected the water that visitation number was only 2.8
own and hold as a country. that keeps the dunes in place. million a year.
It has protected and expanded access In northwestern Colorado—we go to The explosion of visitation numbers
for conservation in all 50 States, the the next picture—a ranch sits along is not contained just to the lands main-
territories, and in nearly every county. the banks of the Yampa River, which tained by the National Park Service.
LWCF is the crown jewel, as I said, of flows into Cross Mountain Canyon, The entire Federal land system is sup-
our Nation’s conservation programs, then downstream to Dinosaur National porting a recreation economy that has
and it has broad bipartisan support. Monument. If you have ever been to Di- become a major economic powerhouse
Yet, for decades, short-term authoriza- nosaur National Monument, you know because as more people go to places
tions and uncertain funding levels what an incredible treasure that is. It like Sawtooth Ranch and as more peo-
hampered the ability of the conserva- straddles the States of Colorado and ple go to places like Rocky National
tion community to come up with the Utah. The Cross Mountain Canyon run Park, they are pushed out to other
long-term plans that we need to pro- is one of the best white-water rafting areas of Arapaho and Roosevelt Na-
tect our most cherished landscapes. trips in the State, and if it is one of the tional Forests. They are pushed out to
The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conserva- best white-water rafting trips in the the north sand dune, the BLM land,
tion, Management, and Recreation Act State, you can guarantee that it makes and more use and more use and more
took care of one of those problems. We it one of the best in the country be- opportunity.
actually managed to solve a problem, cause of what we have to offer in Colo- But the Federal investment and in-
but it was just half of the picture. The rado. There is also a very healthy elk frastructure that supports these great
permanent reauthorization of the pro- population that facilitates seasonal landscapes and the recreation econo-
gram guaranteed the full $900 million hunting, and obviously the fishing is mies they facilitate has not kept pace,
authorization would be set aside every great as well. and we know that it has not kept pace
year going forward. We won that fight. Throughout this area of public land— with the use of the lands. In Colorado,
Together, we passed that legislation. through both the monument and lands that translates to the third most vis-
However, the fight for fully funding under the Bureau of Land Manage- ited national park in the country,
the program continued. While I am ap- ment—and private land, access to our which saw 4.9 million visitors last year,
preciative of the ever-increasing levels public lands is difficult for those who having an $84 million maintenance
of funding we have successfully fought travel to this area of Colorado from all backlog. In total, Colorado’s units
to secure—in fact, we have seen some over the world to hunt, to fish, to raft, managed by the National Park System
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of the highest funding over the last and more. have a $247 million backlog of deferred
year or 2 years than we have seen in With a small amount of LWCF fund- maintenance needs.
over 15 years that we have successfully ing through the Forest Legacy Pro- The Forest Service in Colorado has
fought to secure in the Senate—it is gram, which we also fund through an astonishing $325 million mainte-
still not what was agreed to. It is still LWCF, the ranch on the banks of the nance backlog. When you think about
not what was agreed to when this pro- Yampa River was able to enter a con- that pattern repeated on Federal lands
gram was created in 1965. servation easement. This protected and and in our parks across 49 other States,
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June 8, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2757
you begin to understand how we ar- our way to find a little bit more kind- identity. They protect our national
rived at a systemwide $20 billion back- ness, a little bit more hope, a little bit heritage, our lands, waters, and our
log. more strength, and a great deal of op- wildlife for future generations. Our na-
The Great American Outdoors Act portunity. tional parks, monuments, and wildlife
will provide an annual funding level of I yield the floor. refuges are irreplaceable treasures—
$1.9 billion over the next 5 years to a The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- sources of beauty, of solitude, recre-
restoration fund, for which money can ator from New Mexico. ation, and of renewal.
be used solely for those deferred main- PROTESTS From the Grand Canyon to Stonewall
tenance projects, and this is all paid Mr. UDALL. Madam President, I National Monument to the city park in
for. It is all paid for by revenues associ- thank you for the recognition, and I our neighborhood, our public lands sus-
ated with onshore and offshore energy thank Senator GARDNER for his hard tain our people, and we owe it to these
development. This will allow the land work on this excellent piece of legisla- special places and to ourselves and to
management agencies to address the tion. our children to sustain them for the fu-
highest priority projects to bring our Today, our Nation is in pain. It is the ture.
outdoor recreation economy into the pain of centuries of deeply embedded Today, I stand here in strong support
21st century for the enjoyment of the racial injustice. This Nation has of the Great American Outdoors Act,
22nd, the 23rd, and the 24th centuries of watched in horror as the last 8 minutes legislation that at long last fully and
this great Nation. and 46 seconds of George Floyd’s life permanently funds the Land and Water
And the 21st century, of course, is were cruelly and needlessly taken from Conservation Fund and invests in our
where it needs to be and where we him by a police officer. public lands for the future.
start. According to the Bureau of Eco- Our Nation grieves for the families of The Land and Water Conservation
nomic Analysis, hunting, fishing, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Fund was passed in 1964. My father,
camping, hiking, paddling, and other so many other innocent Black men and Stewart Udall, was Secretary of the
outdoor recreation activities con- women violently taken from their fam- Department of the Interior at the time,
tribute to a total of $778 billion annu- ilies and loved ones. This is a pain all and I am proud he helped establish the
ally to the economy and support 5.2 too familiar for too many Black Amer- LWCF. As Secretary, he was troubled
million American jobs. icans. This is a moment of reckoning by how difficult it was to expand public
This sector accounts for 2.2 percent for our Nation. lands. At that time, the Federal Gov-
of the U.S. gross domestic product. Black Americans have borne the ernment would redesignate existing
Each year our Federal public lands brunt of this systemic racism, as have Federal lands to create a new national
contribute nearly $60 billion to the Hispanic and Native American commu- park or a new wildlife refuge or rely on
American economy and support more nities in New Mexico and across the private donations to expand, but the
than 400,000 jobs. Now is the time to in- Nation. Congress itself resisted appropriating
vest in our recreation infrastructure. So many of our officers protect and funds to create new public lands.
Now is the time to invest in this job serve with honor and integrity, but we At a wilderness conference in 1963,
opportunity. cannot continue to sweep police bru- my father bluntly said: ‘‘[T]he path of
You know, prior to the pandemic, we tality and racial inequality under the land conservation that our government
were living in the midst of one of the rug, ignoring these painful legacies has used for more than half a century
greatest economies the world has ever until the next tragedy. There are thou- is running into a dead end.’’
seen. Unemployment was at record But he had conceived of a new path
sands of Americans of every political
lows, wages were growing, and people forward, ‘‘an entirely new watershed in
stripe across the Nation who have
were spending their hard-earned dollars the history of the conservation move-
come out in peaceful protest demand-
in our communities supporting local ment in the United States,’’ he told
ing change.
economies, fishing, hiking, enjoying them. Just 3 weeks before the con-
Now, we know there are a few—a very
the great outdoors after spending 3 ference, President Kennedy had sent
small few—who are exploiting our Na-
months in the great indoors. Our Congress a new piece of legislation
tion’s pain and using violence to dis-
mountain towns and gateway commu- called the Land and Water Conserva-
rupt. We unequivocally condemn all
nities were hit hard by COVID–19. That tion Fund Act. My father and others
acts of violence and call for nonviolent
first wave decimated economies in our conceived of a Federal fund that would
but urgent action. By calling for the
Western Slope of Colorado. The ski sea- both generate money to acquire new
U.S. military to quell protests, as the
son ended early. Restaurants closed Federal lands and provide States with
President and some in this body have funding to expand recreational oppor-
and hotels emptied. The jobs that are
done, that crosses a line between civil- tunities. The bill passed Congress the
created and sustained by this bill, as
ian and military rule that is antithet- next year.
we recover from the pandemic, will be
ical to American traditions. Instead of The LWCF has been called our Na-
a vital component of our overall eco-
calling for American soldiers to repress tion’s most successful conservation
nomic recovery as Americans get back
their fellow citizens exercising their program. It is wildly popular with the
to work and back to playing after they
First Amendment rights, I am calling American people, and it has touched
have worked so hard—working hard
for action from this body. every corner of our Nation—in rural
and playing hard—two great American
Today, Senators BOOKER and HARRIS and urban areas with parks, forests,
values.
As we have this vote tonight on clo- introduced the Justice in Policing Act, wildlife refuges, trails, wild and scenic
ture, I hope my colleagues will support a bill I am proud to cosponsor. This river corridors, historic monuments,
this motion to support our public lands landmark bill holds police misconduct and cultural sites. LWCF has funded
and the communities that sustain accountable in courts of law. It shines 42,000 stateside projects. In my home
them by supporting the Great Amer- a light on police practices, requiring State alone, it has helped over 1,200
ican Outdoors Act. transparency, and ends racial profiling such projects found in every 1 of our 33
I will leave it with this. Enos Mills, and mandates racial bias training. It counties.
one of the fathers of Rocky Mountain bans choke holds and requires body After the LWCF was enacted, it be-
National Park, once said this about our cams and makes lynching a Federal came clear that the initial funding
public lands: crime. sources were too limited. My father
The trail compels you to know your- This is a moment of reckoning for persuaded President Johnson to sup-
our Nation. I call upon the Senate ma-
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self and to be yourself, and puts you in port using Federal revenues from oil
harmony with the universe. It makes jority to join with us to pass this long and gas leases in the Outer Continental
you glad to be living. It gives health, overdue legislation as soon as possible. Shelf to fund the program. His plan
hope, and courage, and it extends that H.R. 1957 converted revenue from a nonrenew-
touch of nature which tends to make Madam President, I now turn to the able source into a permanent protec-
you kind. bill before us, the Great American Out- tion for our renewable natural world.
I can think of no better piece of legis- doors Act. Our country’s public lands While Congress amended the act to
lation on our public lands than to work are at the very core of our national include this funding source and later
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S2758 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 8, 2020
authorized the fund to actually annu- Corps, this work is especially timely American Outdoors Act, a conservation
ally accrue $900 million, the full prom- and will help our economic recovery at bill that will provide full and perma-
ise of LWCF was not yet fulfilled. a time of historic unemployment. nent funding for the Land and Water
Throughout my career, I have cham- It is good news that use of our public Conservation Fund and finally tackle
pioned increases to the LWCF, but it lands has increased so dramatically this massive maintenance backlog that
deserves the dedicated funding my fa- over time. More than 1 billion visitors is plaguing our public lands, including
ther and many others envisioned. Last enjoy our Federal public lands each our national parks.
year, Congress finally permanently au- year. The infrastructure on these pub- How we got here today isn’t by
thorized the fund, a historic victory for lic lands—our roads, bridges, and chance. In fact, on February 27, I sat
conservation. trails; our campgrounds, marinas; and down with my colleague Senator CORY
It is long past time we take the next our drinking water and sewer sys- GARDNER of Colorado, Leader MCCON-
step and permanently direct the full tems—are wearing out. Historic build- NELL, and President Trump in the
$900 million to the fund every year. Not ings are falling apart. Trails are White House—we were in the Roosevelt
only has the LWCF met its conserva- washed out. Roads and bridges can’t be room, in fact—to pitch a simple idea:
tion mission 100 times over; it has used. Water lines and sewer systems Let’s set aside political gridlock, and
helped fuel the outdoor recreation don’t function. The list is long—$19 bil- let’s pass the most important conserva-
economy and support local economies, lion long. tion law in decades.
especially in rural areas throughout In New Mexico alone, we have $121
In fact, I showed the President of the
the Nation. million worth of deferred maintenance
United States, President Trump, pic-
Since the creation of the fund, the needed at iconic places like Carlsbad
tures of land and water conservation
outdoor industry has grown tremen- Caverns, White Sands National Park,
projects in Montana—the Tenderfoot
dously. It is now an $887 billion indus- Chaco Culture National Historical
Creek and the Falls Creek projects—
try that powers 7.6 million jobs. That Park, the Gila Cliff Dwellings, and
and we talked about the importance of
includes nearly 100,000 direct jobs in Bandelier National Monument.
The Great American Outdoors Act this program in places like Montana.
New Mexico, driving $2.8 billion in As a fifth-generation Montanan, I
wages and nearly $10 billion in con- represents a substantial downpayment
toward maintaining, repairing, and know just how important our public
sumer spending. lands are to protecting and preserving
Fully and permanently funding renovating the infrastructure on our
public lands—allocating up to $1.9 bil- our Montana way of life, from fishing
LWCF will translate directly into eco- on the Yellowstone River to summiting
nomic growth. We need to energize our lion annually for 5 years. This rep-
resents Congress’s most significant Granite Peak, which I did back in col-
economy now more than ever as we lege—in fact, the week after that, I
work our way out of the financial crisis commitment to date to the long-term
future of our public lands. summited the Grand Teton down in
created by COVID–19. Wyoming—or backpacking in The Bar-
Throughout our history, we have The American people own these pre-
cious resources. We need to maintain racks, which we do virtually every
seen investing in public lands energizes
the American people’s public spaces so summer. I have enjoyed our great out-
both our economy and our national
that all of us can continue to safely doors, and this is an appreciation and
spirit. Conservation must be a center-
and enjoyably visit these special something that Cindy and I have
piece of our recovery at this chal-
places. How we take care of these pub- passed on to our four children. In fact,
lenging time for our Nation.
lic places says a lot about our Nation. I proposed to my sweet wife Cindy on
Indeed, the economic benefits of the
Our Nation’s conservation heritage is top of Hyalite Peak, a peak over 10,000
LWCF are great, but the human bene-
uniquely American. The bill before us feet just south of Bozeman, in July of
fits to ourselves, our families, and our
strengthens our Nation’s commitment 1986.
communities may be greater.
One of the most recent LWCF to conservation, to protecting our wild Montana is a place where you can
projects in New Mexico is the Valle de places, to preserving our history and still go down to Walmart and buy an
Oro National Wildlife Refuge, the first cultures, and to nurturing our bonds elk tag or deer tag over the counter
urban wildlife refuge in the Southwest. with nature and the great outdoors. and, literally, within minutes have ac-
Here is a photograph of our State’s I urge every Member here to whole- cess to our public lands to hunt and
newest refuge: Valle de Oro. The Rio heartedly support our heritage and fish.
Grande runs along this refuge, which vote in favor of this bill. As Montana’s voice in the U.S. Sen-
I yield the floor. ate, I have made it one of my highest
boasts an amazing array of wild birds, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
including sandhill cranes—which you priorities to protect and expand access
BOOZMAN). The Senator from Montana. to our public lands, and the Land and
see here—the greater roadrunner, and Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask
the American kestrel. The $6 million Water Conservation Fund is a critical
unanimous consent that I be allowed to tool for accomplishing that.
contribution from the Land and Water finish my remarks prior to the vote.
Conservation Fund helped make the vi- Think about this for a moment: Over
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
sion of this urban oasis a reality. 70 percent of the fishing accesses across
objection, it is so ordered.
Valle de Oro is special to me because Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today we Montana are funded through this con-
it introduces young people—often His- have the opportunity to make history servation program. Sportsmen, con-
panic young people with limited means in the U.S. Senate. Together, we can servationists, and outdoor enthusiasts
and limited access to nature—to their move forward with passing one of the will agree that this program is critical
first outdoor experience. It introduces most important conservation bills in for conservation and important for pro-
kids to a world of wonder and a life- decades. tecting our great outdoor heritage and
time of connection to nature. And it is In fact, standing here today, I can our Montana way of life.
just down the street. tell you something. There are not This conservation program is impor-
As Richard Louv discussed so elo- many issues that bring Republicans tant for creating and protecting jobs
quently in his seminal book ‘‘Last and Democrats together, but some- for our outdoor economy. This program
Child in the Woods’’ and backed up thing actually does that, and that is is also an important tool for land man-
with peer-reviewed study after study, protecting our public lands. agers and agencies to address the
our children need nature, and we suffer If you remember, about a year and a checkerboard land ownership. We see
spiritually and physically when that that in Montana. Addressing that
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half ago, we passed a major bipartisan
bond is lost. lands package where we permanently checkerboard ownership makes a lot of
So as we take this historic action to authorized a conservation program— sense.
add to our national heritage, I am glad something we are here to talk about You see, over 11⁄2 million acres of
we are also addressing the $19 billion today—and that is the Land and Water Federal land in our State sit entirely
worth of deferred maintenance on our Conservation Fund. landlocked. In many cases, specific
existing public lands. Like the other Today we have the opportunity to land and water conservation projects in
days of the Civilian Conservation move forward on this bipartisan Great Montana will help consolidate land
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June 8, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2759
ownership that can make overall land- I will leave you with this last Schatz Stabenow Warner
Schumer Sullivan Warren
scape management less complicated thought from Teddy Roosevelt. This Scott (FL) Tester Whitehouse
and easier for agencies. was in the context of thinking about Scott (SC) Thune Wicker
In fact, the Land and Water Con- our national parks and our public Shaheen Tillis Wyden
servation Fund was passed with the in- lands: ‘‘We have fallen heirs to the Sinema Udall Young
Smith Van Hollen
tent to be funded at $900 million per most glorious heritage a people ever
year, and, every single year, $900 mil- received, and each one must do his part NAYS—17
lion plus goes into that trust account, if we wish to show that the nation is Barrasso Johnson Risch
but nowhere close to that level of fund- Cassidy Kaine Romney
worthy of its good fortune.’’ Crapo Kennedy
ing is actually appropriated. Rounds
I yield the floor. Cruz Lankford Sasse
In reality, if Congress wanted to, Enzi Lee Shelby
CLOTURE MOTION
they don’t have to fund the program at Inhofe Moran
all. In fact, only twice—going back to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant
to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the NOT VOTING—3
1965—has it been funded at the $900 mil-
lion mark. What we see each year is Senate the pending cloture motion, Klobuchar Markey Toomey
the Land and Water Conservation Fund which the clerk will state. The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this
gets raided by Congress, and millions The legislative clerk read as follows: vote the yeas are 80, the nays are 17.
of dollars are spent on other programs. CLOTURE MOTION Three-fifths of the Senators duly cho-
Mandatory funding would create cer- We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- sen and sworn having voted in the af-
tainty for land managers that the full ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the firmative, the motion is agreed to.
$900 million goes toward that program Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
every year moving forward. move to bring to a close debate on the mo- ator from Oklahoma.
Now, we must also support and pre- tion to proceed to Calendar No. 75, H.R. 1957, PROTESTS
serve our country’s beloved national a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to modernize and improve the Internal Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, a
parks. Our national parks are what set week ago, I did a television interview
Revenue Service, and for other purposes.
us apart from the rest of the world. I Mitch McConnell, Thom Tillis, Pat Rob- on race relations in America. They
like to think of them as our office of erts, Shelley Moore Capito, Mike asked me to talk a little bit about
first impressions, and we need to do a Crapo, Lindsey Graham, David Perdue, what happened in Tulsa in 1921.
better job taking care of them, be bet- Martha McSally, Richard Burr, Cory The worst race massacre in American
ter stewards. Gardner, Steve Daines, Lamar Alex- history occurred in Tulsa in 1921. It
With record visitations and increased ander, Tom Cotton, Kevin Cramer,
was May 31, overnight, into June 1. I
visitation each year, park infrastruc- John Boozman, Rob Portman, Susan M.
Collins. was on television a week ago, describ-
ture has inevitably experienced wear ing the event of how a group of White
and tear, and this has led to a signifi- The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- rioters had marched into Greenwood—
cant maintenance backlog. Today, imous consent, the mandatory quorum what was called Black Wall Street—
there is nearly $12 billion in mainte- call has been waived. and had killed up to 300 people there.
nance backlog facing our national The question is, Is it the sense of the They had set Greenwood on fire, de-
parks across the Nation, including $700 Senate that debate on the motion to stroying homes and businesses.
million in Glacier and Yellowstone Na- proceed to H.R. 1957, an act to amend Many people at home don’t know
tional Parks and an additional $34 mil- the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to this, but everyone in this Chamber
lion throughout the State in places modernize and improve the Internal does. As I was talking, I was just talk-
like Little Bighorn Battlefield and the Revenue Service, and for other pur- ing to a camera lens and couldn’t tell
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Park. poses, shall be brought to a close? what was on TV at the time. There
The bill also addresses the backlog in The yeas and nays are mandatory were pictures of a town in the United
our Forest Service, BLM, and Fish and under the rule. States that was currently on fire while
Wildlife Service lands. In Montana, our The clerk will call the roll. I was describing a race massacre that
forests are critical for outdoor recre- The legislative clerk called the roll.
ation as well as our wood products in- had happened 99 years ago that week-
Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is end.
dustry. It makes sense that we protect necessarily absent: the Senator from
and maintain access to these lands for We have come a long way with the
Pennsylvania (Mr. TOOMEY). issue of race in America, but we clearly
future generations because the wonders Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the
of our public lands are unique to any have a very long way to go. We have
Senator from Minnesota (Ms. KLO- four centuries of racial inequality
other country in the world. BUCHAR) and the Senator from Massa-
Montanans were brought up with a stacked on top of each other. While we
chusetts (Mr. MARKEY) are necessarily break through those things step by
love of the outdoors and a sense of re-
absent. step, we have things that we can do. I
sponsibility to conserve as well as
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there have been on the phone for days with
maintain them. To us, protecting our
any other Senators in the Chamber de- friends and with people whom I know
public lands is about preserving the
siring to vote or change their vote? from all over Oklahoma—from all
way of life unique to our western fron-
tier heritage. The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 80, backgrounds—and have been talking
It is an honor to serve the people of nays 17, as follows: about race relationships and where we
Montana in the U.S. Senate and to [Rollcall Vote No. 114 Leg.] go as a nation. Some people throw up
bring this vote—a vote decades in the YEAS—80 their hands and say: I don’t know what
making—before the U.S. Senate today. Alexander Cotton King to do. Many people have an idea, but
I urge my Senate colleagues to stand Baldwin Cramer Leahy everyone wants the situation to get
Bennet Daines Loeffler better.
with me to pass this bipartisan Great Blackburn Duckworth Manchin
American Outdoors Act. Blumenthal Durbin McConnell
What is interesting is the dialogue
I am ready to get this done for Mon- Blunt Ernst McSally about protesters and rioters and police
tana. Future generations are counting Booker Feinstein Menendez officers. I share openly with them that
Boozman Fischer Merkley I don’t judge protesters and rioters the
on our vote today, and I believe, truly, Braun Gardner Murkowski
it is a conservative principle to con- Brown Gillibrand Murphy same. Some people do. They throw
them all into one big group. I do not.
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serve. The Founders’ vision for Amer- Burr Graham Murray
ica was a frontier nation, a wild na- Cantwell Grassley Paul There are people out standing on the
Capito Harris Perdue
tion. Cardin Hassan Peters
streets who just want to be heard, who
What made America distinct from in- Carper Hawley Portman finally just want things in America to
dustrial Europe and all the other coun- Casey Heinrich Reed change, for America to fulfill her
tries in the world was our outdoors, Collins Hirono Roberts promise of equal justice under the law
Coons Hoeven Rosen
for, of course, what is America without Cornyn Hyde-Smith Rubio in every area, in every community.
Lewis and Clark? Cortez Masto Jones Sanders They are peaceful. They are sometimes
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S2760 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 8, 2020
loud and brash, but they are frustrated, reports on the same law enforcement Every year from this House and Sen-
and they want to be heard. There is an- officer over and over again? Are those ate, we put out community develop-
other group that breaks through the advisory panels empowered? ment block grants. Why don’t we just
middle of those protesters. These in Are there body cameras? It is not add to the community development
this group smash windows, steal shoes just if there are body cameras, but are block grants that cities and commu-
and electronics from stores, and spray they on? This has been our second chal- nities can get access to these commu-
paint and destroy public property just lenge. Getting body cameras is just nity development block grants and
from their own anger. transparency. It is just the availability help improve their situations if they
I don’t treat protesters and rioters of information so that law enforcement also improve access and opportunity to
the same, and I encourage people not can see and so that citizens can see individuals within the communities so
to treat all police officers the same. what is happening. Law enforcement is they may also lead in those commu-
Are there some rioters mixed in with in very, very difficult situations every nities. If your boards and commissions
the protesters? Yes. Are there some po- single day. When law enforcement offi- don’t reflect the diversity of your com-
lice officers who need to be confronted cers leave their homes each morning, munity, there is a problem with that
for their racial views? Yes. Is that all their families give them hugs and hope city in the way it is actually designing
of them? By far, no. Every person they come home that night because, the leadership structure of how deci-
should be judged by his own char- every day, they face challenges. I have sions are made with Federal dollars.
acter—every person. When we as Amer- great compassion for those folks. Body This is not a hard way to be able to
icans lump groups together and say cameras help everybody, for they pro- raise up new leaders who will get their
they are like that, we have divided us vide clarity as to what is going on, but voices heard at city hall and get their
even more. they are not effective if they are not voices heard on how funds are actually
It was 20 years ago when my State on, and we have had several situations used.
made it illegal for a police officer to lately in which it seems, conveniently, Oftentimes, big city police depart-
stop someone simply because of one’s body cameras have not been on. That is ments don’t share the same racial di-
race. Most police departments in Okla- a problem, and it is an area we should versity of the city itself. Why don’t we
homa don’t allow a choke hold. In fact, address. allow some of the grant money that we
I spoke with officers in the Oklahoma Mental health training is an area have that we already dedicate to law
City Police Department who have been that has come up over and over again enforcement to be given to recruiters
there for a very long time who said and not just recently. This has come up so they can recruit from the same di-
they were never even trained to do for a long time. This body—the Sen- versity of their communities and actu-
that. They were told not to do that. ate—and the House have passed and the ally help to pay the salaries of people
What has happened in other areas and President has signed additional legisla- who are stepping in during the earliest
other places has not happened in my tion dealing with mental health issues, days in the police academy and as they
State in the same way, but I still have but States and local areas have to en- are starting into the force? That way,
friends of mine who are African Amer- gage in this as well. Even in my own the diversity in our big city police de-
ican who still catch me and tell me the State, law enforcement is responsible partments will also match the diver-
numbers of times they have been pulled for transporting an individual across sity of the communities themselves,
over for driving while Black in places the State to a treatment facility for and if they have a difficult time re-
and neighborhoods in which I have mental health or for treatment for sub- cruiting, we will allow them to use
never been pulled over but in which stance abuse. My State really does those funds for recruiters.
they have been multiple times. need to determine a better, more com- You see, I really do believe there are
We still have a long way to go. This passionate way to transport someone things that we can do that will make a
legislative body can talk about it—we with mental illness or substance abuse practical difference, but I also firmly
can share empathy, and we can listen— rather than in the back seat of a police believe that racism is not a legislative
but we are also called to act. car. issue—it is a heart issue, and it is a
So I bring to this body just a few We have to have a better, more com- family issue. One of the biggest things
ideas, some things we can do to engage, passionate way to do that. Every time we have is the bully pulpit to be able to
things like greater transparency. How this occurs, law enforcement officers challenge individuals and push back on
can we oppose just getting information are taken off the streets for an entire individuals. Do, quite frankly, what-
out? day because they are transporting ever you can to push this. When I start-
There are simple things that we are someone when someone else could have ed 5 years ago, I was asking people a
not currently doing, like gathering a done that in a more compassionate, simple question: Has your family ever
Federal database on the use of lethal less obvious way than in the back of a invited another family of another race
force by law enforcement. All of that police car. We have to find a better way into your home for dinner? It was just
data of whatever police department in to do that. Every time our law enforce- a simple question.
whatever place that uses lethal force ment folks transition across the State, I have been amazed at the number of
should be collected and sent to a Fed- they lose the time they could have people I have talked to in my State—
eral database so there can be a na- used for training, for getting out of people of all races—when I have asked
tional tracking of where lethal force is their cars to meet neighbors and hear them: Has your family ever invited an-
used. What race is the police officer? stories, for earning trust, and for heal- other family of another race into your
What is the race of the person on whom ing relationships. home for dinner, they have responded
lethal force was used? What was the Every city of any size across America back to me: I have friends of another
situation? How was the investigation has boards and commissions, but those race, to which I have always smiled at
handled? What was the result of that boards and commissions often have the them and said: That is not what I
investigation? These are basic details. same people who just shuffle around asked. It is not: Do you have friends of
City councils, city leaders, and city from the same boards and commis- another race? Has your family ever in-
managers should not be afraid to look sions. They get off one board and move vited a family of another race to your
at the data and ask hard questions. We to another board. I find, just by asking home for a meal just for your kids to
should not be afraid to look at the data around, that many of those on boards sit together and talk, just for your two
and ask hard questions. and commissions do not match the di- families to sit and visit like neighbors
Most every community has oversight versity of their communities. They are
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would do? I have been astounded at the
boards that are citizen boards. Good. groups of wealthy leaders or of activ- number of people whose thresholds of
Are they empowered to actually en- ists who are there, but they don’t race are the thresholds of their own
gage? Are they involved in the hiring match the diversity, and the leadership homes. Why would that barrier be
process? Are they involved in the over- of those boards and commissions cer- there, and how do we break that bar-
sight? Do they get a chance to look tainly don’t rotate enough to allow the rier?
over their shoulders to evaluate what leaders of the boards and commissions A friend of mine raised an interesting
happens? Do they know when there are that the cities use to have diversity. question to me this past weekend. A
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June 8, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2761
couple of years ago, as a law enforce- never actually fully lived them out for his expertise on the Puget Sound re-
ment officer, he slipped into the Mu- everybody. I can’t wait for us to con- gion and serve as an invaluable source
seum of African American History and tinue the work in this body toward be- of knowledge and continuity for the ro-
found out that the Metro Police, which coming a more perfect Union. tating Coast Guard personnel. Ulti-
is here in the DC metro area, goes over I yield the floor. mately, he advanced to serve as the of-
to the Museum of African American The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SUL- ficer in charge, marine inspection and
History and gets a guided tour through LIVAN). The majority leader. the chief of the Inspection Division at
that facility to help new police officers f
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound.
get an understanding of African-Amer- In this important role, John was re-
ican history from a law enforcement MORNING BUSINESS sponsible for ensuring the safety, envi-
perspective and see what has happened Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I ronmental protection, and security
to the relationship between law en- ask unanimous consent that the Sen- standards for commercial vessels and
forcement and African Americans over ate be in a period of morning business, waterfront facilities throughout Puget
the centuries. with Senators permitted to speak Sound, as well as the navigable waters
He joined that tour, and his state- therein for up to 10 minutes each. of Washington State and Montana.
ment to me was, I wish every police de- Throughout his service while in uni-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
partment could get that kind of train- form, John was repeatedly recognized
objection, it is so ordered.
ing; that they could go to that museum for actions that increased safety in the
(At the request of Mr. DURBIN, the
and could get that kind of context. maritime industry. As early as 1977, as
following statement was ordered to be
My statement back to him was that a young lieutenant, John improved the
printed in the RECORD.)
we do that with the Holocaust Mu- safety of the vital North Pacific mari-
seum. f time industry as he helped establish an
The Holocaust Museum does tours S. RES. 602 uninspected vessel examination pro-
and is currently designing a cur- gram in the Coast Guard’s 17th district.
riculum by which to train trainers and ∑ Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, due to The processes he established were
work on anti-Semitism across the en- a clerical error, the junior Senator smoothly transitioned from the dis-
tire country. This body helped to get from California, Ms. HARRIS, was not trict offices to a new field unit, the Ma-
that done. Why don’t we do that with added as an original cosponsor of S. rine Safety Office in Anchorage, AK.
the Museum of African American His- Res. 602, a resolution that we intro- He was recognized in the early 1990s as
tory and law enforcement? Challenge duced together on June 2, 2020, recog- commanding officer of the Reserve unit
them to take the program they already nizing that the murder of George Floyd in Tacoma, WA, where John systemati-
have and turn it into a curriculum. by officers of the Minneapolis Police cally found meaningful ways to in-
Train the trainers and then get that Department is the result of pervasive crease reserve member participation in
out across the entire country. Multiply and systemic racism that cannot be marine safety inspections, which had
that out. Why couldn’t we do that? dismantled without, among other traditionally been conducted by Ac-
Every year when Police Week occurs, things, proper redress in the courts. tive-Duty members. By enhancing the
why couldn’t we have a large contin- Senator HARRIS understands that law role for reservists in marine inspec-
gency of law enforcement go through enforcement should not be completely tions, John improved the safety of peo-
the Museum of African American His- shielded from accountability when ple in the commercial fishing and mar-
tory, get that training there, and then they violate someone’s civil rights, and itime industries, while also boosting
take that training back home? Why that the Supreme Court’s qualified im- the efficiency of the Coast Guard.
couldn’t that happen? It could if this munity doctrine is broken. I thank her During his years of public service,
body were willing to step up and do for her support in leading the effort to John directly contributed to the mari-
some pragmatic things—engage in ac- abolish qualified immunity for law en- time safety and security of our Nation.
tually finding practical ways to con- forcement officers in its current form.∑ John’s direct oversight ensured the
tinue the work that our Nation is f seamless flow of maritime commerce,
doing. including the transportation of almost
You see, we are not at the beginning ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS 24 million passengers per year on the
with regard to race. We are four cen- Washington State ferries, the largest
turies into this conversation. Yet what ferry system in the United States. He
TRIBUTE TO JOHN D. DWYER led the effort to create the region’s
I will remind everyone is that we are
actually trying. There are many places ∑ Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, Mr. first multiagency maritime security
in the world that are not working on John Dwyer has distinguishably served team that was responsible for the secu-
race relations at all in their countries. the U.S. Coast Guard and our Nation rity of the expansive international
If you are not the dominant race, you for more than 43 years, on Active Duty, maritime border between the United
are still excluded from the courts, from in the Coast Guard reserves, and as a States and Canada. This successful pro-
education, from access. As a country, long-time Coast Guard civilian serving gram was adopted and became a best
we are trying, but for those who think in Seattle, WA. practice throughout the Nation. John
we are done, they are wrong. We are John earned his bachelor’s degree was also directly involved in ensuring
not done with the journey. from Gonzaga University in 1976 and the safety of commercial fishing ves-
I love pointing out to people: Watch was selected shortly thereafter to at- sels in the North Pacific and Bering
the beginning of the Olympics when all tend Coast Guard Officer Candidate Sea fisheries, worth more than $4 bil-
of the countries march in. Almost School. Upon his graduation in 1977, he lion annually. His work with the fish-
every delegation under every flag looks was commissioned as an Active-Duty ing community undoubtedly saved
alike until the United States marches officer in the Coast Guard. In 1985, he lives and resulted in John becoming
in, and you see this great diversity of transitioned to the Coast Guard re- the standard-bearer for fishing vessel
our athletes. It again reminds us that serves, where he continued to advance safety to Coast Guard members, fisher-
we are trying, but the past 10 days until retiring as a captain in 2005, men, and policymakers across the Na-
should also remind us that we are not while serving as the Pacific Area Re- tion.
done. Let’s continue doing the hard serve Chief of Staff. During this time, Above his exemplary execution of
work that needs to be done with our John also earned his master’s degree Coast Guard mission requirements,
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own families. Let’s continue to do the from the University of Washington, John left his mark as a skilled and
legislative work that needs to be done School of Marine Affairs, in 2004 and thoughtful mentor. John served as a
to make progress, but let’s keep going became a Department of Homeland Se- patient teacher and remarkable mentor
until it is done. curity senior fellow. Concurrent with for thousands of Coast Guard per-
My friend said to me last weekend his Reserve status, John began his sonnel. He generously shared his 43
that our founding documents are great service as a Coast Guard civilian em- years of maritime experience in vessel
founding documents. We have just ployee in 1986, allowing him to focus inspections, port security, waterfront
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