Congressional Record, Senate, December 10, 2020 — S. 1310 and the Senate Budget Committee
Summary
This is S7398 of the Congressional Record, Senate, December 10, 2020, with interleaved columns. The page prints the end of the text of a bill on support for the Organization of American States, anti-corruption and human rights initiatives, and the Senate passes S. 1310, as amended, on a motion by Mr. Cornyn. Mr. Enzi of Wyoming speaks under the heading The Budget about serving as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee for the past 6 years. He describes four budgets passed, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Bipartisan Congressional Budget Reform Act, and the Committee's scorekeeping reports on the budgetary effects of the COVID-19 bills, and warns about rising deficits and interest on the national debt.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Congressional Record, Senate, December 10, 2020 — S. 1310 and the Senate Budget Committee.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-12-10-crec-2020-12-10-pt1-pgs7398-09c3debd87/
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S7398 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
the Organization of American States, as ap- of Representatives a briefing on the informa- propriations Committee. The Budget
propriate, shall seek to ensure that expenses tion required to be included in such report. Committee does a roadmap that is sup-
related to the procedures set forth in this SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON ELECTED NA- posed to provide some discipline for the
Act do not increase member quotas, assessed TIONAL LEGISLATOR.
people doing the spending. That is
fees, or voluntary contributions and that the It is the sense of Congress that an elected
Secretariat of the OAS shall seek to ensure where we need to do a lot more work.
national legislator participating in the ac-
shared financial responsibilities among the I want to start off by telling you a
tivities outlined in this Act should be an in-
member states in facilitating the financial dividual that— little budget story. My youngest
support necessary to carry out this initia- (1) was elected as a result of periodic, free daughter and her family are strict
tive. and fair elections; and budgeters. They follow Dave Ramsey’s
SEC. 5. SUPPORT FOR OAS HUMAN RIGHTS AND (2) is not known to be under investigation principles, and the whole family par-
ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVES. or convicted for corruption or transnational ticipates in monthly allocation of their
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of criminal activities, including trafficking of resources. It has made a huge dif-
Congress that— people, goods, or illicit narcotics, money- ference in their ability to pay off
(1) the efforts of the OAS Secretary Gen- laundering, terrorist financing, acts of ter- things and to enjoy life.
eral and Secretariat to combat corruption rorism, campaign finance violations, bribery, A year ago, my older daughter picked
and impunity in the Americas represent im- or extortion.
portant contributions to strengthening the
up my granddaughters from their after-
The bill was ordered to be engrossed school activities and said: How would
rule of law and democratic governance in the
Americas; and
for a third reading and was read the you like to go to McDonald’s for din-
(2) the United States should support efforts third time. ner? Of course, they were thrilled.
to ensure the effectiveness and independence Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I know My daughter said: Well, maybe we
of OAS initiatives to combat corruption and of no further debate on the bill, as ought to call your parents and see if
impunity in the Americas. amended. they would like it too.
(b) ANTI-CORRUPTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there At this point the older daughter, who
PROMOTION STRATEGY.—Not later than 180 is no further debate, the bill having I think was 11 at the time, said: Who is
days after the date of the enactment of the
been read the third time, the question paying?
Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to
is, Shall the bill pass? And she said: I am.
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
The bill (S. 1310), as amended, was She said: Oh, OK, because we have al-
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives a strat- passed. ready used our eating-out budget.
egy for supporting OAS anti-corruption and Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask That is family participation in budg-
human rights promotion efforts. The strat- unanimous consent that the motion to eting.
egy should include— reconsider be considered made and laid As a result, I also have the youngest
(1) an assessment of United States pro- upon table. granddaughter, who saved up for an
grams, activities, and initiatives with the
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Apple watch. Do you know how much
OAS to support anti-corruption and human restraint of spending that is so you can
rights promotion in the Americas; objection, it is so ordered.
reach the goal that you want and buy
(2) a summary of the steps taken by the f
what you really need? That is good
United States Mission to the OAS to
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- budgeting.
strengthen anti-corruption and anti-impu-
nity efforts in the Americas; TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR We can do good budgeting, but we
(3) an assessment of necessary reforms and 2021—CONFERENCE REPORT—Con- have to have good appropriations to
initiatives to prioritize and reinforce the tinued follow it up too.
OAS Secretary General and Secretariat’s ef- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The committee has had some real
forts to advance human rights and combat
ator from Wyoming. successes over the past 6 years.
corruption and impunity in the Americas; We passed four budgets, including the
(4) a detailed plan to facilitate increased Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I see that
first balanced 10-year blueprint ap-
OAS collaboration, as appropriate, with rel- my colleague and classmate is here on
proved by Congress since 2001.
evant stakeholders, including elected na- the floor. I got to hear his speech ear- We also played a key role in helping
tional legislators and civil society, in sup- lier today, and it was one of the best pass the most sweeping update of our
port of an approach to promote human rights speeches that he has given and the best Nation’s tax system in more than 30
and combat transnational criminal activi- instruction that all of us should listen
ties, corruption, and impunity in the Amer- years. The passage of the Tax Cuts and
to. Jobs Act started with the approval of
icas; and
He has far more experience than just the FY 2018 Senate Budget Resolution.
(5) a detailed plan for implementing the
strategy set forth in this section of the Act. the time that he was a classmate with That resolution started the process to
SEC. 6. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
me, because he served in the House as construct legislation that reduced tax
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year well. He is Mr. Agriculture and has rates for millions of Americans and
after the date of the enactment of this Act, solved a lot of problems in those areas, modernized our antiquated Tax Code.
the Secretary of State shall submit to the and it has been a pleasure to be here It also supported responsible energy de-
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen- with him. And I leave with him. He has velopment that will keep energy af-
ate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of done an outstanding job.
the House of Representatives a report on
fordable and provide a long-term sup-
We also like some of the same lit- ply for American energy.
OAS processes, initiatives, and reforms un- erature.
dertaken to implement section 4, actions Oversight was also a critical part of
THE BUDGET the committee’s work. During my time
taken to implement the strategy required
under section 5(b), and steps taken to imple- Mr. President, it has been an honor as chairman, we worked to ensure the
ment the Organization of American States to serve as the chairman of the Senate Federal Government was accountable
Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013 (Pub- Budget Committee for the past 6 years. to the public by boosting transparency,
lic Law 113–41). The report should include— There is no question that these have by improving Federal financial man-
(1) an analysis of the progress made by the been challenging times. They have cul- agement, by identifying duplication of
OAS to adopt and effectively implement re-
minated in the current pandemic that Federal programs, and by approving
forms and initiatives to advance human
rights and combat corruption and impunity we continue to confront. Throughout Federal information technology.
in the Americas; and all of these challenges, I am proud to Increasing the transparency of our
(2) a detailed assessment of OAS efforts to say that the committee has played a congressional budget process has also
increase stakeholder engagement to advance key role in working to address the fis- been a major priority. After becoming
human rights and combat corruption and im- cal challenges facing our Nation. We chairman, I restarted the practice of
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punity in the Americas. put in place policies that helped grow publicly releasing regular scorekeeping
(b) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than one year our economy and improve the congres- reports—which we publish on our com-
after the Secretary of State submits the re-
sional budget process. mittee website—that show how we
port required under subsection (a), and annu-
ally thereafter for two additional years, the Now I need to make a clarification spent the money. More recently, we de-
Secretary shall provide to the Committee on for anybody who might be listening. veloped information on the budgetary
Foreign Relations of the Senate and the The Budget Committee is not the effects of the various COVID–19 bills.
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House spending committee. That is the Ap- We can get those online.
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7399
Providing information like this on an to the national average. We are way reforms, which have led to more or-
ongoing basis is one more tool for com- below the national average. The na- derly, meaningful, and transparent
mittees and taxpayers alike to see how tional average would be 5 percent. If consideration of the budget resolutions
the current law stacks up against the that were to happen, the only thing we in the committee. We followed those
budget we are required to adhere to. would be able to fund would be interest hearings by introducing and passing
Scorekeeping reports operate just like on the national debt. You didn’t hear legislation, the Bipartisan Congres-
regular checkups with the dentist or me mention Social Security or Medi- sional Budget Reform Act, which rep-
doctor to help identify risks and find care or education or military or any of resented the first bipartisan budget re-
solutions before more serious problems those things. That is why I have been form approved by the Senate Budget
emerge. mentioning this so often. Interest will Committee since 1990.
In 2015, we also began regular public eat us alive. I want to repeat that. In a bipartisan
oversight hearings with the Congres- The amazing part of everything I just way, we passed a Congressional Budget
sional Budget Office. This was the first said is that this is the rosy scenario. Reform Act, and it represented the
CBO oversight hearing in more than 30 Increases in spending or interest rates first bipartisan reforms approved by
years. Because of our efforts, CBO now that are higher than the low rates as- the Senate Budget Committee since
regularly publicly releases informa- sumed by CBO means that the out- 1990. A key focus of budget process re-
tion, tracking its forecasting records, comes are more severe than currently form is to make congressional budgets
the accuracy of estimates and projec- recorded. CBO expects rising deficits easier to pass and harder to ignore,
tions, and the data it uses in its work. will have major negative economic while encouraging regular order in the
While we have had some successes, consequences, including lower invest- normal funding process. If budgets are
there are still many serious challenges ment and output and a greater chance going to be a useful governing tool,
facing our Nation. Even before of a fiscal crisis. CBO notes that high they must matter. Budgets are the
coronavirus came to our shores, our and rising debt would also constrain foundation by which we govern, the
country was moving down an policymakers’ ability to borrow in re- way we establish what matters most to
unsustainable fiscal path. The pan- sponse to future unforeseen emer- our Nation, and where we agree limited
demic has only accelerated this, with gencies, leaving the United States vul- resources should be focused.
Congress approving COVID relief legis- We have seen time and again that
nerable in the face of potential disas-
lation that would add more than $2.6 when budgets are treated as an after-
ters while also risking our national se-
thought or as a wish list, our ability to
trillion to our debt so far. In the near- curity.
legislate effectively and fulfill our
term this spending, necessary as it CBO is the Congressional Budget Of-
most basic constitutional duties is
may have been, translated into an fice, and it is a nonpartisan office that
made more difficult, if not impossible.
overall deficit of $3.1 trillion in fiscal helps to make these evaluations. As I To restore budgets to their proper
year 2020, more than triple the amount mentioned earlier, we are actually role, they must be enforceable, and
recorded the previous fiscal year. holding them accountable by having they should increase fiscal account-
CBO’s most recent ‘‘Long-Term Budget them come in and explain what they ability in Congress. If lawmakers ap-
Outlook’’ paints an even more dire pic- projected and how it matches up with prove a budget, they should stick to it.
ture of deficits and debt rising to un- what actually happens. So we should To that end, my bipartisan budget
precedented levels if current laws re- pay attention to them. I actually think process reform legislation would make
main unchanged—and this represents that they come up with fairly low num- a number of important reforms, includ-
the best-case scenario. bers. ing creating a new enforcement tool
For decades, CBO, the Government I don’t want to leave this body with that could be used only for reducing
Accountability Office, economists, and nothing but doom and gloom. It is not the deficit. I realize that we may not
Members of Congress have been raising too late to turn things around. We can get this bill across the finish line be-
the alarm that if we continued on this be successful if we work together. fore I complete my service, but I hope
course, our debt would explode with po- Contrary to what most people believe others will take up the effort and en-
tentially devastating economic con- about Congress and what is reported in sure the key parts, including fiscal ac-
sequences, leaving us unable to fulfill the media, I know both parties can countability, are included in future re-
the promises of the past. That day al- work together. I have seen it firsthand forms. I have had the assurance from
ways seemed a long time away. But as a member of the Senate Health, both Members on this side of the aisle
time waits for no one, and tomorrow is Education, Labor, and Pensions Com- and the other side of the aisle that that
fast arriving. mittee and my work with Senator Ted is a possibility and a priority.
By 2023, barely 2 years away, CBO Kennedy and, again, here on the Senate Next year, lawmakers will be con-
projects that debt as a percentage of Budget Committee and my work with fronted with the construction of a new
GDP will reach an all-time high of 107 Senators WHITEHOUSE, KAINE, WARNER, budget and spending bills, and for the
percent. By 2050, debt could reach 195 KING, VAN HOLLEN, and others. first time in almost a decade, it will be
percent of gross domestic product— Bipartisanship will be key as Con- without spending caps. We have had
which is the amount of actual produc- gress works to tackle our fiscal chal- some self-imposed limits on our spend-
tion we do in the United States—and lenges. Instilling the Federal budget ing before called spending caps, and it
the annual deficit would reach 12.6 per- process with regular action and pre- has been very irritating to people who
cent of GDP. That is where the tax dictability, active legislative oversight want to spend money. But now they
money comes from. and spending transparency—that is all can do that because this will be the
Spending as a percent of GDP will critical to strengthening our democ- first time in almost a decade without
rise 31.2 percent by 2050, primarily due racy and reducing our Nation’s the spending caps contained in the
to—this is very important—due to ris- unsustainable spending and debt. Budget Control Act.
ing Social Security, healthcare costs, Since taking the helm of the Com- Of course, even under the Budget
and net interest spending. mittee, we have held more than a dozen Control Act, Congress regularly ig-
CBO projects that net interest spend- hearings on the topic of budget process nored the fiscal limits it contained, but
ing will exceed all discretionary spend- reform, soliciting expert testimony starting next year, there will be no
ing in 2043 and will exceed Social Secu- from a variety of sources, including budget caps to guide overall funding
rity by 2046. By 2050, spending on inter- economists, academics, State and local levels or to curb Federal discretionary
est will be larger than any single pro- leaders, former chairs of the Budget
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spending—no limits. This could be and
gram. That is the interest on the debt. Committee, and even people from other should be a cause for great concern,
That doesn’t pay down any debt. That countries. This has been one of my top but it is also a chance for us to work
is just the interest on the debt. By 2050, priorities as chairman, and we have together to find a way to begin the
it will be the single largest program. had some early successes in this effort. process to address our fiscal chal-
Now, that is assuming we continue This includes the committee’s unani- lenges.
with the extremely low interest rates mous bipartisan approval of new budg- Of course, I mentioned that that is
that we get now. We are not even close et rules that included budget process just curbing the Federal discretionary
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S7400 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
spending. That is the little dab of I yield the floor. are running out of time. We are run-
money that the appropriators actually I suggest the absence of a quorum. ning out of time, and so many Amer-
get to make a decision on, and 70 per- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ican businesses, workers, and families
cent of what we do is already passed clerk will call the roll. are running out of time.
without a single vote from this body. The bill clerk proceeded to call the On December 26, only 16 days from
And that number—we keep trying to roll. now—16 days from now, the day after
shift discretionary things over to man- Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask Christmas—vital unemployment pro-
datory so people can be assured that unanimous consent that the order for grams will end, cutting off benefits
the money will be spent, but seldom do the quorum call be rescinded. that millions of workers need to pro-
we ever put any money with the new The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without vide for their families. Somebody who
mandatory item. objection, it is so ordered. is self-employed, a contract worker, a
But beyond the annual funding fight, CORONAVIRUS gig worker, they will receive zero help
our country faces an even more Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I after that to feed their families and put
daunting fiscal crisis: the rapidly ap- rise today to remind all of my col- a roof over their head and pay the bills
proaching depletion of several Federal leagues about the urgent, urgent need through this pandemic.
trust funds. That includes the Highway to pass coronavirus legislation. People Five days after that, on December 31,
Trust Fund next year. It also includes need help, and they need it right now. the Federal Reserves’ emergency lend-
Medicare’s Hospital Insurance Trust I am glad that bipartisan discussions ing program ends. That will cut off cru-
Fund. We have 4 years on that, 2024. are continuing. I think it is very posi- cial credit that is keeping businesses
There is the Disability Insurance Trust tive, and I know that many of us are open and helping State and local gov-
Fund, 2026, and the Old-Age and Sur- involved in those negotiations. I com- ernments provide necessary services.
vivors Insurance Trust Fund, 2031. mend all of my colleagues who are Also on December 31, the Centers for
Those are trust funds that are ap- working very hard to get this done. Disease Control and Prevention’s evic-
proaching depletion, running out of It is critical that we come to an tion moratorium ends, putting more
money. agreement that will help families and people on the street. The Federal fore-
OK. In the CBO’s latest baseline, that will help businesses and commu- closure moratorium and some opportu-
total scheduled spending for all pend- nities get through this rough time, but nities for forbearance expire.
ing trust fund programs will exceed time is running out, as we know. Our It is cold in Michigan right now, and
their dedicated revenues by $12.3 tril- Nation is facing a crisis. Our States it is going to get colder. Imagine how
lion over the next 10 years. This ac- and local governments are facing a cri- frightening it would be to know that
counts for the majority of the $13 tril- sis as they are trying to gear up for an your family is losing their home in the
lion in cumulative deficits CBO effective and rapid distribution of vac- middle of a pandemic in the middle of
projects the Nation will run over this cines. Our local police officers, fire- the winter.
The truth is, our Nation is not facing
period—depletion of the trust funds. fighters, public health workers, and
What happens when these trust funds just a health crisis; we are facing an
other essential workers face layoffs.
run dry? Current law requires their The only real possibility that I see of economic crisis; we are facing a hous-
defunding the police is the unwilling- ing crisis; we are facing a hunger crisis
spending to automatically be reduced
all at the same time.
to match their income. This means real ness, so far, by the majority leader to
These expiring programs have been a
cuts to crucial programs. I mentioned support funding local law enforcement
lifeline for families, for communities,
Social Security. It would have to go in the COVID–19 emergency package and for businesses during the pan-
down to the amount of money that we that we are trying to get done. We all demic. That lifeline is now fraying, and
actually receive going out to recipients know that businesses and workers and a lack of action here in Washington
of Social Security. That could be a big families are facing a crisis. could cause it to completely snap.
and immediate hurt. We simply can’t wrap up this session, There is a lot of talk about numbers
So, again, a real challenge awaits we can’t end this session and go home right now, and numbers are important,
next Congress as my tenure comes to a without responding to the urgent needs but much more important are the peo-
close. I am proud of what the Senate of the American people. ple who need help. They are not num-
Budget Committee accomplished. We It has now been 1 week since the last bers. I am thinking of a Michigan mom
helped to improve the fiscal health of time I was on the floor speaking about of two growing boys who has been wait-
millions of Americans by passing the the need for more help. In the past ing hours in a line of cars, week after
most comprehensive tax reform in a week, more than 1 million additional week, to bring home a box of food. I am
generation. We have also committed people in the United States have be- thinking of a Michigan dad who has
ourselves to working to improve the come infected, and an additional 13,000 been looking so hard for a new job, but
congressional budget process so Wash- people in the United States have died nobody wants to be hiring right now,
ington and Congress can get a better because of COVID–19—13,000 moms and and his unemployment help is almost
handle on what we are spending and dads, grandpas and grandmas and out. I am thinking of the owner of a
where it is going, including a new tool friends and neighbors. We have now Michigan business who had no choice
that could be used only for reducing seen nearly 290,000 of our family mem- but to lay off half of their workers
the deficit. We have worked to boost bers and friends and neighbors die of right before the holidays. I am think-
fiscal transparency, improve Federal this horrible disease. That is like if the ing of a Michigan retiree who is behind
financial management, identify dupli- entire population of Grand Rapids and on her rent. She could move in with
cation of Federal programs, and im- Flint, MI, simply disappeared. her daughter’s family, but their home
prove Federal information technology. Meanwhile, millions of families at is already crowded, and she doesn’t
But there is much more that needs to risk of eviction are 1 week closer to want to be a burden, and we are in the
be done, and now those challenges will finding themselves without a home in middle of a pandemic where we are
be passed to the next chairman. the winter in the middle of a health telling people to socially distance to be
While I have highlighted the prob- pandemic. Millions of small business safe.
lems, I am also leaving a roadmap with owners have spent 1 more week scram- While we are debating, people are
possible paths forward. I would ask all bling to keep their workers on the pay- suffering and panicking because they
of my colleagues to work closely to- roll. Families don’t have enough to eat, are not sure what they are going to do.
gether to address these issues, as we and they have spent 1 more week won-
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People can’t wait another week, and we
can no longer push them off for some- dering where their next meal is going cannot either.
one else to fix later. We need to find to come from for themselves and for This is the United States of America.
the common ground. Tomorrow is here, their children. It is not like we don’t have the capac-
and we have to start making those A week is a long time to wait when ity to fix this right now. It is all about
choices not only for ourselves but for you are in danger of being homeless or political will. It is about, do we get it?
our kids and our grandkids and our losing your job or being hungry or Do we care about people? Do we under-
country. watching your child who is hungry. We stand what is happening to people? And
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7401
are we willing to support the bipar- hunting and fishing in Arkansas. His priations bills and we are at an im-
tisan effort going on right now that wife of 56 years, Judy, and his son, passe, we don’t shut down the govern-
can do something—at least provide a Brett, will remember him as a loving ment. We don’t even shut down a par-
bridge for a few months, through the husband and father who was always ticular agency. What we do is we do
winter months, into the new year? ready with a joke—and always ready something that is pretty practical, the
There is an opportunity going on. for a good shoot, a round of golf, or type of commonsense legislation that
There is a lot of hard work going on. even a jaunt in his trusty Cessna 182. Wisconsinites would embrace. We just
There is no excuse not to take this mo- As for me, I will remember Joe as a appropriate. We just fund the agencies
ment and to come together and provide friend. I met Joe in my early cam- or the entire State government at the
help in what is a COVID survival pack- paigns, and we became fast friends. We previous year’s level.
age for people in Michigan and across talked and texted often. He even hosted Doesn’t that make sense? I think it
the country. That is what this is. me, with friends, in North Carolina to makes all the sense in the world.
We are at a moment where it is up to speak about Republican politics. Again, here we are, 71 days into the
us to make sure that we get this done, Joe Morgan may have left us, but he fiscal year, and we haven’t passed an
and if not, we should not end this ses- left his heart in Arkansas—in the well- appropriations bill. We have to pass,
sion until we do. stocked, flooded timber of Bayou Meto, within the next 24 hours or so, our 37th
Thank you. which he helped to preserve. continuing resolution to kick the can
I yield the floor. In a fitting tribute to his legacy, Joe another week so we can get our act to-
I suggest the absence of a quorum. passed away on the opening day for gether and pass some kind of massive
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The duck hunting in Arkansas. Every hun- omnibus that nobody is going to be
clerk will call the roll. ter who enjoys Arkansas’ natural beau- able to read before they actually vote
The senior assistant legislative clerk ty this season and every season in the for it. It is a completely broken proc-
proceeded to call the roll. future can thank Joe for the experi- ess.
Mr. COTTON. Mr. President, I ask ence. I recognize that as chairman of
unanimous consent that the order for May he rest in peace. Homeland Security and Governmental
the quorum call be rescinded. I yield the floor. Affairs, a certain part of this govern-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without I suggest the absence of a quorum. ment shutdown—this broken process—
objection, it is so ordered. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The some of these elements weren’t in my
REMEMBERING JOE MORGAN clerk will call the roll. committee’s jurisdiction. We had a
Mr. COTTON. Mr. President, Arkan- The senior assistant legislative clerk number of pieces of legislation; one by
sas is known as the Natural State, and proceeded to call the roll. Senator PORTMAN; one by Senator
few have been more dedicated to pre- Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ask PAUL; one by Senator LANKFORD, who
serving Arkansas in all of its natural unanimous consent that the order for had been working on a similar piece of
beauty than was Joe Morgan. the quorum call be rescinded. legislation from being in the House, to
Joe passed away last month at the The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. end government shutdowns forever.
age of 76. Joe was a lifelong Arkansan. BRAUN). Without objection, it is so or- As chairman of the committee, I had
He studied at Little Rock University— dered. to take a look at these pieces of legis-
now the University of Arkansas-Little UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 1877 lation and decide which one did I want
Rock—and he worked for many years Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I come to bring up to my committee, pass out
as a car dealer for great American com- to the floor today, 71 days in the fiscal of my committee, and bring to the
panies like General Motors and Chev- year, 71 days into a continuing resolu- floor of the Senate.
rolet. He also served on the Arkansas tion. It is unfortunate. I am placing no I chose Senator LANKFORD’s because
Motor Vehicle Commission. blame. he had done a lot of hard work with
But Joe will probably be remembered It is unfortunate we have not consid- Senator MAGGIE HASSAN on a bipar-
most for his tireless advocacy on behalf ered on the floor of the U.S. Senate— tisan bill. Again, it is very simple. It
of Arkansas’ natural heritage and envi- not 1 of the 12 regular order appropria- didn’t automatically increase spend-
ronment. Governor Hutchinson ap- tions bills. The appropriations process ing, didn’t automatically decrease
pointed Joe to the Arkansas Game and is completely broken. Quite honestly, spending. It did exactly what we do in
Fish Commission, where he quickly es- it has been broken since I arrived here Wisconsin.
tablished himself as a champion for Ar- in the Senate in 2011. If we don’t get our act together, and
kansas duck hunters and the wilder- I ran for the U.S. Senate primarily we don’t pass any appropriations bills
ness upon which they rely. because I was concerned about the fact or a single or two appropriations bills,
Joe hunted and fished in Stuttgart, that we were mortgaging our children’s we don’t shut down the government.
the duck capital of the world. As a future. Back then, we were $14 trillion We don’t shut down that agency. We
member of the commission, he made it in debt, and that was extremely con- just appropriate enough funds at last
his mission to ensure duck hunting re- cerning to me. Now, 10 years later, 71 year’s level, and we continue until we
mained a gentleman’s sport and to pre- days into the 2021 fiscal year, we are actually do pass an appropriations bill.
serve the hunting grounds he knew and $27.4 trillion into debt. That is an in- I know the members of the Appro-
loved so they would be available to fu- crease of $13.4 trillion. It is almost dou- priations Committee and have all the
ture generations of Arkansans. ble since I have been here in just 10 respect in the world for the chairman
He was especially passionate about years. and the ranking member. I know they
preserving Bayou Meto Waterfowl Man- Again, the appropriations process is don’t like CRs, but, again, this will be
agement Area, one of the crown jewels so broken. During that timeframe, we our 37th CR since I have been here for
of duck hunting in Arkansas. had to pass 36 continuing resolutions. 10 years. It is broken.
He was instrumental in imple- The debt limit has no power in terms of But just in case they are concerned
menting safe boating regulations to controlling our out-of-control spend- about these CRs, what I can give you is
protect hunters and waterfowl popu- ing. We either raised or suspended the Wisconsin’s history in this. Since we
lations alike. He imposed time limits debt limit nine times. passed this commonsense reform, real-
on when boats could be out on the Unfortunately, during that time, ly, the longest CR we ever had in Wis-
water to preserve the health and sus- that 10 years, we have also—because of consin since we had this anti-govern-
tainability of the duck population. the broken process here—we have shut ment shutdown process was just 4
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
Joe’s first priority was always to his down the government three times, months in 1971. That is a long time
fellow Arkansans. He pressed for limits costing our economy, costing our gov- ago, and it was only 4 months. We are
on when nonresidents could hunt to en- ernment billions of dollars, and hurting approaching 4 months now.
sure that locals were never pushed out real people. Again, this is the 37th CR since I
of the hunting spots they grew up with. I come from the State of Wisconsin, took office. We passed out of my com-
Joe’s fellow commissioners will re- where, if the legislature can’t get its mittee—there were only two dissenting
member him as a dogged defender of act together and we don’t pass appro- votes, two ‘‘no’’ votes. Those came
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S7402 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
from two Senators who just had an al- doesn’t pass a budget. Instead, they banker, running a business, see if you
ternate version of the End Government just pass temporary measures, and it can get a loan doing that. That is just
Shutdowns Act. We passed this out of kicks the can down the road. a real simple way to look at how we do
my committee 12 to 2. The thing that has been surprising to this year after year.
We have been working now for the me since I got up here is how little of On Main Street, whether you are run-
last year trying to find some vehicle to the budget we actually review every ning a business, whether it is your
add it on as an amendment to end this year. It is surprising to me that about household—I served in State govern-
insanity. 70 percent of the budget we don’t even ment for 3 years. We were smart
We thought that with the group of us look at every year. I think all these enough to have a balanced budget
here, this would be a good time. It is a things are unacceptable. Congress can’t amendment. We believed in things like
very simple bill. Again, if you don’t continue to just get away with not a rainy day fund. It was in our DNA.
pass an appropriations bill or all the doing its basic job and creating a bur- We didn’t have to think about it; that
appropriation bills, you just fund, you den. in the long run, you are not going to
appropriate at last year’s level. But we We have to do something different. succeed if you spend more than what
have a few little disciplines to force That is why I am proud to join my col- you take in.
the Senators in Congress to do their leagues today to pass the Prevent Gov- Coming out of World War II was the
job. ernment Shutdowns Act, which in- highest level of national debt we ever
The first discipline is, we don’t allow cludes my no budget, no pay proposal. had—roughly, where we are now. That
any Federal or campaign moneys to be Withholding paychecks from Mem- generation, we know what they went
spent on travel, which, basically, forces bers of Congress who fail to pass a through. They were savers. They were
Members of Congress to stay here until budget will help prevent government investors and not only in government.
we do get our act together, until we do shutdowns, which hurt the economy, We are now spenders and consumers.
pass appropriations bills and fund gov- hurt millions of people. You would think that in the biggest
ernment that is necessary. It is also an important step to pro- business in the world—we spend about
The other thing we do is we only mote fiscal responsibility in the face of $4.5 trillion a year. We take in maybe
allow Congress, each Chamber, to only what Senator JOHNSON said: $27.4 tril- about $3.5. Of course, in a year like
bring up appropriations bills in their lion worth of debt. I believe we need to this, where you had a pandemic, add
Chamber. There is an exception, of pass the No Budget, No Pay Act now to another $3 trillion or so to the national
course, for any bill that would have to show we are serious about getting this debt. And structurally, we will be
do with an immediate national secu- spending under control and we are seri- marching, over the next 5 to 7 years, to
rity emergency. That is pretty much ous about the future of this Nation. where that goes to $1.5 trillion a year.
it. Members of Congress make signifi- Start adding all that up.
In committee, Senator SCOTT had an cantly more than the average Amer- Here is what is going to happen.
amendment, which I will turn to him ican makes. We make $174,000 a year, When we are in a position like we are
to have him describe the final dis- and we are asking them to do the most now, where you can borrow money for
cipline to force Members of Congress to basic function: pass a budget. It is not nearly nothing—we are the only re-
do their jobs: pass appropriations bills complicated. I think every Member of serve currency in the world that allows
and fund government without shutting Congress—rich or poor—can agree Con- us to do it—that doesn’t mean you
the government down. gress should pass a budget every year. should do it because we are piling up
Senator SCOTT. There is absolutely no reason we can’t. obligations on our kids and our
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Anyone who disagrees should not have grandkids, and we might as well admit
JOHNSON). The Senator from Florida. this job. it. How have we evolved to get to
Mr. SCOTT of Florida. First, I want Let’s go back. When the American where we are now? I don’t think that is
to thank the chairman for his effort to people don’t do their job, there are con- as much an issue as we know where we
try to figure out how we can stop shut- sequences. It is time we make Wash- are now. It is not sustainable.
ting down the government. ington work a little bit like what the Here is what is going to happen to
When I came up here with Senator real world looks like. Let’s pass the the most important programs we have
BRAUN 2 years ago, we were in a gov- Prevent Government Shutdowns Act and that everybody likes: Social Secu-
ernment shutdown, and nobody wins. It and get the No Budget, No Pay Act rity, Medicare. Medicare has been
doesn’t work for any part of govern- done. around since the mid-1960s. All of us
ment when government gets shut I refer to my colleague from Indiana. have been paying into it, employers
down. I know, talking to the appropria- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- and employees. Every penny will be ex-
tions chair and ranking member, that ator from Indiana. hausted out of the trust fund, and that
they are also focused on making sure of Mr. BRAUN. Mr. President, Rick was about 5 to 51⁄2 years. Now it has ad-
what we can do to make sure we pass mentioned that back in 2018, we ran on vanced, due to our current financial
budgets, pass our spending bills, and what we are talking about today. We situation, to maybe 4 or 5. What hap-
not shut down the government. wouldn’t be honest to the people who pens? This will be the first reality, the
I want to fight the way Washington elected us to come here. shock that comes to the American pub-
has been working. I want to make sure I had eight pages of prepared re- lic—especially elderly who depend on
it works for all Florida families, not marks. This is something I have talked Medicare for their healthcare—18 per-
just career politicians. about so often. I am going to cover cent across-the-board cuts. Think of
I have a background in business like some new terrain to make it relatable the static and the uproar we will hear
Chairman JOHNSON does. In the real to the citizens across this country then.
world, if you don’t do your job, you about how this place works and how it We can stop it if we just have a little
don’t get paid. It is really simple. If is so different from how anything else discipline. That is mostly about em-
Congress can’t accomplish its most works. bracing something like I put forward,
basic task—which I believe is passing a A few of us come from the world of the Fair Care Act, which is the most
budget, appropriations bills, in an or- accountability—the business world— comprehensive, aggressive with
derly fashion—then why should we get where you don’t have the luxury of healthcare costs in this country.
paychecks? I think it is pretty simple. doing what we do here in the Federal As a CEO from Main Street, and
When you listen to what Chairman Government. Listen to this closely be- CEOs across the country, small busi-
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
JOHNSON just said; that the current cause this is what most citizens don’t ness owners, the biggest problem we
system in Washington is clearly bro- understand. We are given the revenues deal with is the high cost of
ken, there is no—a lot of people care here in this place, and our only job, No. healthcare. Of course, we here protect
about this, but there is no one, ulti- 1, should be not to spend more than a healthcare industry that is broken.
mately, who has responsibility and what we are given. We don’t do that. And you have another side that wants
there are no consequences and it costs We borrow 23 percent, roughly, of to get more government involved. And,
our system a lot of money. Congress what we spend. Try taking that to your really, all it takes there is to have
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7403
transparency and competition—have a with its commands but doing so in a town. It is the only store, in fact, for
consumer who is engaged in his or her way that doesn’t really invite or even hours in any direction. You go to the
own well-being, and you would have allow for individual Members or their store, and you get your cart. You put
prices cascade down. constituents to know what they are in your bread. You get the milk, and
Those are tough decisions. You take voting for when they vote on a spend- you put in the eggs. Then you get to
on three of the four biggest lobbies in ing bill. This is what we have come to the checkout counter.
the country—pharma, hospitals, and refer to as governing by cliff in the The checkout person says: OK. This
insurance. That is another thing that spending context, and it has, sadly, be- is how much the eggs cost, the bread,
doesn’t make this place work. With So- come the status quo in Washington. It and the milk, but there is a problem.
cial Security, we have some time often provides Members with a simple What is the problem?
there, but that was crafted back when binary choice when they are facing a Well, you can’t buy just these items.
life spans were a lot shorter than what spending bill. Why can’t I buy just these items?
When you come up against a spend- I am not going to let you buy the
they are now. We knew that actuari-
bread or the milk or the eggs unless
ally, and it has been coming at us for ing cliff, it means a deadline, almost
you also buy a half a ton of iron ore
years. We have until, maybe, 2032 or always one arbitrarily imposed by the
and a bucket of nails and a book about
2033. We have been paying into that previous spending bill. It is when you
cowboy poetry. In fact, now that I
since the Great Depression, but every come up close to that and there is no
think about it, you are going to have
penny out of the trust fund will be spending bill on the floor until, maybe,
to buy one of every item in the store.
gone. I think you get the picture. a day or two or sometimes an hour or Nobody would want to live that way,
When I came here—as did Senator two or sometimes more like a minute and nobody would want to shop that
JOHNSON from Wisconsin, Senator or two. It is something that has been way. Of course, that is never the way
SCOTT from Florida, and a few fiscal negotiated behind closed doors by only we would want to do business in our
conservatives, like Senator LEE and a a small handful of Members of Con- government; yet, in some ways, it kind
few others who will weigh in on this— gress, excluding everyone else in the of is because a small handful of people
I talked about what was uncomfort- House, everyone else in the Senate, and put together that shopping list, so to
able. Well, to me, we have had all of the hundreds of millions of people they speak, and put it together in one bill.
this time, and we have not done any- collectively represent. Those bills are often hundreds and, in
thing about it. We have the perfect op- Sometimes that kind of legislation is some cases, thousands of pages long,
portunity. We know we are in this cur- brought forward—not just sometimes. and we usually have no more than a
rent dynamic, and we know we will Basically, it is every time. As my few hours to read them before they are
have to get through it, but what we are friend and colleague the Senator from passed into law.
here to do today is to get a vote on a Wisconsin noted a minute ago, I think That is where this legislation comes
simple bill that says, do not shut the this will mark the 37th consecutive about. The End Government Shut-
government down when we are trying time that Congress has passed some- downs Act would force Congress to
to get through these issues. thing like this or it is, at least, the abandon this barbaric, binary form of
Put a little bit of rigor and discipline 37th time that Congress has passed appropriations. Perhaps more impor-
into the process with the No Budget, something like this since Senator tantly, it would end the threat of the
No Pay Act, and then, maybe, we can JOHNSON and I came to the Senate and shutdown, which is very often the pro-
get to the point at which we give the were sworn into office in 2011. pellant, the fuel, for perpetuating this
American public a better product. The problem with this is that Mem- barbaric form of alienation—this bar-
Imagine if everything were given to bers can’t reasonably know what they baric form of the disenfranchisement of
you in terms of your revenues. First of are voting on in advance, and then most of the people represented by most
all, don’t spend more than what you they are given the simple binary choice Democrats and most Republicans in
take in. When you have a year to do to take it or leave it. You won’t have the Senate and in the House of Rep-
something, start on day one. That is any opportunity to amend it. You real- resentatives.
the way it works in the real world, and ly won’t even have the opportunity to Look, I understand that none of this
that is the way it works in a house- read it or understand it, much less is easy, and I have nothing but pro-
hold. That is the way it worked on a communicate its contents to your con- found respect and affection for my col-
school board on which I served for 10 stituents, who will have to pay for it. leagues who are involved in writing
years, and that is the way it works in You can vote for that in its entirety or these bills. That respect and affection
a place like Indiana, which balances its you can vote against it, but if you vote should cut both ways, and it should
budget every year, has a rainy day against it and it doesn’t pass, you will mean that we have the opportunity to
fund, and lives responsibly. be blamed singlehandedly for shutting vote on spending bills before they hit
I yield the floor. down the government regardless of us so that we are not left with this
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. whether you would have preferred to awful, untenable, binary choice be-
SCOTT of Florida). The Senator from have brought up and, in fact, had tried tween funding everything that a small
Utah. for a long period of time to bring up handful of Members has foreordained or
Mr. LEE. Mr. President, article I, spending bills prior to that last pos- voting for nothing and being blamed
section 9, clause 7 of the Constitution sible moment. This puts the American for a shutdown.
makes clear that no money will be people and their elected lawmakers in We have to end the process of spend-
drawn from the Treasury except by an the House and the Senate in an unten- ing by cliff. This and only this, I be-
appropriation passed by Congress. Arti- able position, one that I would analo- lieve, is something that could bring
cle I, section 7 of the Constitution like- gize to a circumstance of an individual certainty to Americans and will allow
wise makes clear that you can’t pass who lives in an outlying area. for more time to bring these bills to
an appropriation or any other form of Let’s suppose that you move to an the floor and will allow for the kind of
legislation without the same docu- outlying area, one that is distant from transparency that the American people
ment, the same bill, the same proposal any other town. Let’s suppose that, on need, expect, and deserve but, for the
passing the House of Representatives your first day of work after moving to last decade or two, have not received.
and passing the Senate and then being that town, you are about to leave Mr. President, I yield my time back
submitted to the President for signa- home, and you speak to your signifi- to my friend and colleague, Senator
ture, veto, or acquiescence.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
cant other on the phone, who informs JOHNSON from Wisconsin.
Over time, particularly in the last you: Bring home bread, milk, and eggs Mr. JOHNSON. I yield time to Sen-
decade, it has become increasingly when you stop by the store. Make sure ator LEAHY.
common for Congress to recognize the you get those on your way home. Don’t Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have
cumbersome nature of that process, come home without them. found so much of what I have heard
which is cumbersome by design. It is So you go to this grocery store in that I can agree with. I certainly agree
sometimes easier to just circumvent this outlying area that is distant from that we ought to be able to pass our an-
the process, technically complying any other town. It is the only store in nual appropriations bills. I certainly
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S7404 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
agree that we should prevent Federal stand up and vote up or down on appro- border between the United States and
Government shutdowns, which waste priations bills earlier this year when Mexico, a wall that is being built at
billions upon billions upon billions of they had the chance. It is easy to say: great expense and accomplishing very
dollars’ worth of taxpayers’ money, Golly gee, let’s have an automatic con- little. That is why it was stopped.
plus all of the burdens they put on tinuing resolution. Sounds good. What So for a month and a half, we sat
American families, Federal employees, it says is that we can take all of our there, parts of the government closed
and so forth. But I am afraid that my weekends off. We can have the govern- down, our States, our people, our Fed-
good friends on the other side of the ment fly us home. We can pay for all of eral Government losing billions upon
aisle are letting rhetoric get ahead of these things, but we don’t do our work. billions upon billions of dollars. You
reality. What I am saying is we should have know how that finally got reopened?
The reality is that the majority in stayed here over a few weekends. I We started off a series of meetings on a
the Senate controls the calendar in the would say to my friends on the other Monday. The House was in session; the
Senate. All of these appropriations side of the aisle, the Republican side, Senate was in session. It was a good
bills could have been brought up in allow the bills to come up one by one time to begin. We began in Senator
June or July or September. We could and vote them up or down. If you don’t SHELBY’s office, and we continued it in
have voted on them, piece by piece, up like parts of it, vote to take it out. my office here in the Capitol.
and down, and had amendments. Every- Vote it up or down. Again, you have We had two the chair and ranking
body would have had plenty of time to the majority, if you don’t like what is member of the House Appropriations
have read every line of them, to have in there. Full-year appropriations bills Committee. We had two Senators: my
amendments to strike things or add give Congress the opportunity to ad- good friend—and he is a good and close
things they wanted. I mention this be- dress the needs of today rather than friend—DICK SHELBY, the chairman of
cause it can be done. The House of Rep- continue the priorities of the past. the Appropriations Committee, and
resentatives, under Democratic con- I have been here long enough to know myself as the vice chairman. And the
trol—I don’t mean that to be partisan that things that looked great 2 or 3 four of us sat there for 3 or 4 hours. We
but to show the difference—they actu- years ago are not the priorities today talked about everything from photog-
ally passed all of their appropriations because things change. Certainly, raphy to travel and then went in line
bills and its COVID bill, the so-called under COVID, we have seen, in many by line of the bills, and we came to an
Heroes Act, in May. ways, a 15-year change in society, edu- agreement. And we were able to ex-
In the Appropriations Committee, we cation, business, industries, and more plain our agreement to the House and
have been working very hard. Senator in 15 weeks. the Senate, and it was voted through,
SHELBY’s staff has, and mine has too. So each year in the annual appropria- and the government reopened.
We have given up a lot of time with my tions bills, Congress adjusts spending Incidentally, the President praised it.
colleagues—and for all good reasons. levels to deal with emerging issues fac- He said that he had gone through it,
Many of us stayed here working on ing the American people. We can elimi- and it was so good. And I thank him for
those appropriations bills, but we nate funding for projects that have doing that because it gave him a lot
couldn’t bring the bills up. been completed or no longer needed. less money for the wall than the bill
Now, the Republican leader, the ma- We can direct funding to higher pri- that he vetoed had given him.
jority leader, could have brought up ority programs. It is detailed, exacting But the government reopened.
any one of these bills at any time he work. It is nice to talk in slogans and I mention this because it seems that
had wanted. We could have done it, al- generalities, but I invite those Sen- those billions of dollars were spent
lowing a 1-hour time agreement for ators to sit down and go through, day more as a political stunt than some-
amendments. After all, the Repub- by day, the kind of work the Senators thing that benefits hard-earned tax-
licans in the majority have nothing to and the superb staff, both Republican payer dollars.
fear about that. If they don’t like an and Democratic, do in putting together So instead of rhetoric that ignores
amendment, they can vote it down. this legislation. It is detailed, exacting reality, let’s get to the reality. Let’s
This would give the Senator from Utah work, but it is what the American peo- pledge—whoever is in the majority in
and everybody else a chance to read ple expect. That is what we all thought the end—we will bring up each of the
each one of these bills. If they don’t was a smart decision about how to in- appropriations bills, vote them up or
like it, bring up an amendment to vest their hard-earned tax dollars. down or amend them. We could have
strike it. That could have been done; it If you operate under an automatic done this in June or July. If we had
was not. CR, none of these adjustments can be done that, we wouldn’t be where we are
One of the reasons it was not done made. Automatic CRs lock in the sta- now. It was a missed opportunity.
was because we had to take up Senate tus quo, and we can say: Bye-bye. We If we say let’s have an automatic CR
time, day after day after day, to put are heading home for the holidays. Oh, no matter what happens, whether we
through nominees—mostly backed by an emergency in COVID came up? Well, have earthquakes, floods, fires, COVID,
special interest groups—on the Federal it is not in the automatic CR, so tough. attacks on the United States, anything
bench and elsewhere. We had to vote on We didn’t have time to do anything else, we can just sit back and relax, not
those. Why? We can vote on those, but about it. Oh, there is flooding in Flor- have to do all of the weekends and holi-
also take the time to vote on these ida or Nebraska or fires in the West or days and late-night work that many of
things. Bring up the appropriations anything else. Well, the automatic CR us in both parties do on appropriations
bills, and vote on them one by one. didn’t cover it because we didn’t have because we have got an automatic CR.
Amend them if you want; vote them money for it a year before. When I came to the Senate, both the
down if you want. No, that is not the way to do it. The Republican and Democratic leaders
I say to my friends on the other side Congress and the White House have a told me—and I was the most junior
of the aisle, You have the majority. responsibility to work together to Member of the Senate at the time—
You can vote them all down or vote enact funding bills to keep the govern- that we should be the conscience of the
them all up. But what happens when ment open. Automatic CRs might save Nation. It meant doing your work.
you enact an automatic CR, which I face and time and allow us to do other I never expected to be the dean of the
would oppose, it means you don’t work things that we might like to do back Senate, but I have seen both Repub-
out the parts of full-year appropria- home, but in doing so, they relieve us licans and Democrats do that work. At
tions bills. There would be no incentive of our obligations to the Constitution times, it has been into late Friday
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
for Members to negotiate full-year ap- and to the American taxpayer. We night or early Saturday morning, but
propriations bills. We were not elected shouldn’t be relieved of these obliga- we have done it and passed it.
to put the government on autopilot. tions. Where did those days go? Where did
We were elected to make careful I know the last time we had a gov- those days go?
choices. ernment shutdown, it was over a bill So when Senator SHELBY became
I would argue the reason we are here where the President felt that it didn’t chair and I became vice chair, we
is that people were afraid to actually give him enough for a wall along the passed a series of appropriations bills.
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7405
And I think we got 80, 90, 95, and some- mediate consideration of Calendar No. gether, we will get these bills passed.
times 100 Senators to vote for those 304, S. 1877. I ask that the committee- Nobody is more acutely aware of that
bills. We usually can’t get a vote with reported substitute amendment be than my colleague from Vermont, who
that many to say the Sun rises in the withdrawn, the Braun substitute has been on the Appropriations Com-
East. The majority gave us time to amendment at the desk be considered mittee for many years, before I was
bring those votes up, debate them, and agreed to, and the bill, as amended, be even there. But the American people,
vote them up or down. considered read a third time and as someone said here today, elected us
I will have more comments to make. passed, and that the motion to recon- to do our job. They are absolutely
I don’t question the good intentions of sider be considered made and laid upon right—we should do our job and do it
any Senator here, but what I am saying the table. promptly, and we can if we work to-
is, we could have done this in June; we The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there gether.
could have done it in July; we could objection? Having said that, I know this issue is
have done it in August; we could have The Senator from Alabama. not going away unless we do our job
done it in September; we could have Mr. SHELBY. Reserving the right to like we should, but I object to the
done it in November. And to now com- object. unanimous consent request at this
plain—well, up to the last few days, we My colleagues, I believe here today, point.
have got to change everything. Instead, are promoting legislation that they The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
let’s pledge that we will follow regular claim will spur Congress to pass appro- tion is heard.
order in the coming days. priations bills in the event of a govern- The Senator from Wisconsin.
I yield the floor. ment shutdown—in other words, to Mr. JOHNSON. I appreciate the
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. avoid it. words from the Senators from Vermont
BRAUN). The Senator from Wisconsin. I think they have a good idea, but
and Alabama. I would like to work
Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ap- would that do the job? I doubt it, but
with you, and I think all of us would
preciate the comments of the Senator this debate will go on, and it should be-
like to work with you on a solution to
from Vermont. cause I agree with the frustration that
this problem. So I appreciate those
I think what Senator LEE and I were so many of you have, including the
words, and I look forward to working
talking about is, you know, as opposed Presiding Officer here. We are having
with you in the future on this.
to the way it used to be, when we got to part with it.
My colleague from Vermont, Senator I yield the floor.
here in 2011, the appropriations process The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
was completely broken, and it is still LEAHY, and I, for 2 straight years, with
ator from Utah.
broken. And it has been a bipartisan cooperation—bipartisanship—were able
Mr. LEE. Mr. President, I have pro-
failure. basically to pass these appropriations
found respect and admiration for both
I arrived in 2011 under Democratic bills, most of them, for the first time
the Senator from Alabama and the
leadership. Now we are in a Republican in years. This has slowed down this
Senator from Vermont. As you can tell
leadership. It is broken. year, absolutely. I know it is a big
The good news is the Preventing Gov- from their remarks, they are conge-
Presidential race and everybody run-
ernment Shutdown Act is a bipartisan nial, collegial, and delightful people.
ning this year and that throws it into
solution. It passed 12-to-2 out of my They also have many decades of legis-
it.
committee. It is cosponsored, largely, But we would like to pass these bills lative experience between the two of
by Senator LANKFORD and Senator before October 1, just as you would. them, and the country has been blessed
HASSAN. But I don’t believe this legislation by their gifts, their talents, and their
The concerns that the Senator from would do what you think it would do, willingness to work hard.
Vermont expressed about an automatic and I think it deserves further inquiry I want to respond to a couple of
CR and passage of this bill is addressed and scrutiny. points made a moment ago, one sug-
in the bill. The bill has the disciplines I believe it would exacerbate, in some gesting, perhaps, that the answer to all
to force us to only work on appropria- ways, the problem that we are trying of this is simply a desire to work to-
tions bills. We can leave town but not to resolve here. We are right now close gether, as if that were somehow not
on the Federal dime, not on campaign to closing out, hopefully, all of our ap- what we have in mind.
money. We will have to pay for that propriations bills. We call it an omni- We were also told a moment ago that
ourselves. bus. I agree with their frustration. We they are almost finished with the ap-
And I don’t know what we are going should, as a body, both parties, every propriations process, that it is almost
to pay for it with because we are not Member of the Senate, should have had complete. Now, if that is the case, then
going to get paid until we actually pass the priority, No. 1, to do this before Oc- I would ask the question, why haven’t
the appropriations bill. So the dis- tober 1 each year, as we used to do it. we been permitted to see it? Why
cipline is already set in here. That is So unless this legislation somehow haven’t the other Members of the U.S.
what is so beautiful about this bill, prohibits political partisanship, I don’t Senate been able to see that? It is a lit-
what is so elegant about it. believe it will increase the probability tle bit hard for some of us to hear that
As I said, in Wisconsin, once they en- that we get our work done, shutdown if we all work together, we can get this
forced this discipline, the most we have or not. done, when that is literally all we are
ever had is a 4-month CR. We are 71 I think the key is to work together. asking.
days into this CR, and we are going to Senator LEAHY and I have dem- I don’t think any one of us sup-
pass it for another week. onstrated that in a few years, but we porting Senator JOHNSON’s legislation
This process is broken. The Pre- need all of us to come together on this is here saying that it is perfect or here
venting Government Shutdown Act is a and place the rules first, place the gov- saying that it would magically solve
solution that will force us back to the ernment—don’t shut down. every problem in the world or even
good old days, where we bring up the I stand before you every day. The every problem in the U.S. Senate hav-
appropriations bills, because my guess worst thing we can do is shut down the ing to do with the spending process. We
is that not many Members of Congress government. The specter of a shutdown are not saying that. But what we are
aren’t going to want to not get paid is bad in itself, which we face right saying is that without it, we will stay
and not be able to go back to their dis- today. stuck in the same closed-loop system.
trict. So I believe the most important in- So to suggest that there is somehow
a lack of desire on our part or on the
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
So it will focus our minds. We will centive right now for us to do is try to
only be able to work on appropriations work together. If we can’t, we are part of anyone who is not an appropri-
bills, other than in a national emer- going to have to do something. It ator or anyone who is not the chairman
gency. We will get the job done. That is might be something like what you are and ranking member of the Appropria-
what happened in Wisconsin. This is a talking about, but I think it deserves tions Committee, that this is somehow
solution. further debate, further inquiry. a product of a lack of desire and will-
Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- And there is a political downside to ingness to work together, that is not
sent that the Senate proceed to the im- all this, I know. But if we work to- fair. That is not accurate. That is quite
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S7406 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
the opposite of the truth. What we are bill from the committee, the com- quish that immense power, particu-
asking for is a seat at the table. mittee having voted on it, Republicans larly if they can be a part of and even
Article V of the Constitution out- and Democrats—I think it is close to a control what goes into that bill, who
lines the procedure for amending the third of the U.S. Senate that is on that knows about it when, and then vir-
Constitution, for making changes to committee—having voted on it, and it tually guarantee passage on the Senate
the structure of government that we will be open to amendments. Then floor.
have, what it may and may not do. Ar- after we finish that one, we will bring Something has to change in order to
ticle VI of the Constitution preemp- up the next one. alter that incentive structure to bring
tively disposes of any proposed con- Would that cover many of the prob- about exactly the kind of dynamic Sen-
stitutional amendment that would lems that the Senator from Utah has? ator LEAHY has described. Look, we can
alter the principle of equal representa- Mr. LEE. In response to the question, do this. It is not that hard. But we are
tion in the Senate. It is the one rule the answer is yes. Absolutely yes. That going to have to adopt some changes to
that cannot be changed. It is so funda- is exactly what we want. That is ex- our procedures, and ultimately we owe
mental to our system of government, actly what we deserve. And this is one it to our constituents not to bend un-
to this system of government that has of many manifestations of the fact that flinchingly and reflexively every single
helped foster the development of the my friend, my distinguished colleague, time somebody brings forward a spend-
greatest civilization the world has ever the senior Senator from Vermont, has ing bill at the very last minute.
known, that in this Chamber, every the benefit of many decades of experi- I remember one of many moments in
State has to be represented equally. ence in this body. He has been here at which this has occurred arose in March
That doesn’t happen and, indeed, it times when the Senate has functioned of 2018. We had been anticipating for
can’t happen when you have some of precisely like that, as it should. That many months a spending bill. We had a
the most significant measures that will is exactly what we want. That is how lot of conversations among and be-
the Senate is supposed to function, and tween Members about the need to de-
ever come before this body com-
that is how it has functioned for most bate, discuss, and amend spending leg-
mandeered by one committee, the
of the existence of our great Republic. islation before it was brought to the
Committee on Appropriations.
Now, granted, as has been suggested So that in and of itself would not floor. We had been assured that we
in the last couple of speeches we have only help address the problem, it would would have more of an opportunity
be the solution to the problem. That is than we had in previous Congresses.
heard, we have some great talent
why I insist this is not a problem that Then one Wednesday evening in
among our members on the Appropria-
can be fairly laid at the feet of the in- March of 2018, we received an email.
tions Committee. We have great talent The email arrived at I believe about
among the staffers on the Appropria- dividual members of the Appropria-
8:30 or 8:45 in the evening. It told us
tions Committee. They work really tions Committee or even necessarily
that attached is a copy of a spending
hard. They are really smart. They are the chairman and ranking member of
bill. We will be voting on this some-
really determined, and they are highly the Appropriations Committee. It is a
time in the Senate. We weren’t told
specialized. That isn’t the problem. problem with the way we schedule
when. I opened the attachment. The at-
The problem is that in most cir- votes, and it is also a problem related
tachment contained a 2,232-page spend-
cumstances, because of the way we to the first, with a lack of willingness
ing bill spending well over $1 trillion.
bring things up, most of us are com- to allow amendments to be brought. We immediately started reviewing
pletely disenfranchised from the proc- The filibuster is itself maligned and
that. I divided up that legislation by
ess. often misunderstood, but the purpose
section among my staff and then spent
This doesn’t mean that it is the fault of a filibuster from the very origins of the entire night and the entire fol-
of the Appropriations Committee. I this institution was to allow for theo- lowing day reviewing that legislation.
don’t believe that it is. It is, instead, a retically unlimited debate, discussion, We got a basic understanding of what
fault of the way in which we schedule and opportunities for amendments to it did but only rudimentary. A 2,232-
votes and the fact that these things legislation. Nowhere would that be page omnibus spending bill does not ex-
aren’t brought up until the last pos- more important than in the case of actly read like a fast-paced novel.
sible minute, and then we are given where we are spending the public’s To my great astonishment, before we
this awful choice of, vote for a whole money. That is what we are supposed were even finished reading that bill,
bunch of things that you don’t nec- to be doing. That is how it always did much less before we had the oppor-
essarily support and can’t even com- work in the past. The very reason why tunity to even conceive of or draft
pletely know about or vote against it we have the filibuster rule to begin amendments, much less propose them,
and be blamed for a government shut- with is to allow for, to facilitate, to en- the House of Representatives passed
down. courage unlimited debate, discussion, that bill without amendment before
That is all this bill is trying to do, is and amendments. lunch the next day. The Senate passed
to get us out of that toxic loop—a loop So, yes, I wish this legislation the same legislation about 12 or 13
that is the opposite of collegial, the op- weren’t necessary, but it is with pre- hours later.
posite of respectful, and that is utterly cisely that objective in mind that we This process has repeated itself over
incompatible with the principle of push this legislation. Why? Well, some and over again. We can’t fool ourselves
equal representation in the Senate—a of us have been here for many years, into believing that it is going to
principle that cannot be undone even and in the case of Senator JOHNSON and change without some alteration to pro-
by a constitutional amendment. myself, we have been here now for a cedure and to the set of incentives that
Mr. LEAHY. Will the Senator yield decade. We have hoped for that exact perpetuate that vicious cycle—one that
for a question? type of scenario that Senator LEAHY is no respecter of persons, no respecter
Mr. LEE. Yes, I will. just described to come about, and I of Republicans versus Democrats, lib-
Mr. LEAHY. Should we be able to don’t doubt Senator LEAHY’s sincerity erals versus conservatives, or even Sen-
represent our constituents? Of course. one bit in raising that point. That is ators versus Representatives. It is just
He and I agree, and he and I have exactly what we need. a fundamentally anti-American and
agreed on a lot of different things, es- The incentives aren’t there. The in- undemocratic way of doing things. We
pecially constitutional issues, in this centives on the part of those making can do better, and we must.
body. And I share his concern of sud- these decisions to bring these things up The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
denly being handed a piece of legisla- with too little time for debate, amend- ator from Missouri.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
tion like this, and we are going to vote ment, or even reading the bill and dis- FOREIGN POLICY
on it in 10 minutes or an hour or so. cussing it with our constituents—those Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, I want to
Would he agree with me that if the making that decision have forestalled talk today for a few minutes about
leader said that Tuesday of next the kind of debate and discussion that something that I don’t think has got-
week—say this was done earlier in the needs to occur. The incentive structure ten the attention it deserves, and that
year—Tuesday of next week, we will is such that those making that very de- is the many successes in foreign policy
bring up this part of the appropriations cision are not going to want to relin- over the last 4 years.
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7407
I think at the top of my list of for- weapon and reduced sanctions on the renewed branding of the area that indi-
eign policy successes in terms of unan- country’s leaders as they continued to cated that the Indo-Pacific is now that
ticipated accomplishments that we sponsor terrorism around the world. In command and the Indo-Pacific is now
would not have thought would happen fact, he even returned substantial that focus. We have strengthened our
would be the Abraham accords that amounts of money that we now know alliances with India and with Australia
were signed at the White House in Sep- went, in large part, into terror-building and other countries in the region. We
tember. This agreement paves the way network efforts. began working to foster a multilateral
for normalized relations between Israel The agreement was badly handled community—one that will protect the
and the United Arab Emirates and from the start. It didn’t work after we free and open nature of the region from
Israel and Bahrain and I believe really entered into it. We didn’t enter into it the threat of China.
establishes a way where the rest of the in any kind of binding way because it I was just reading in the news today
Middle East could hopefully follow this was clear, at the time, that if this that China clearly is sending a message
step in the right direction. I think not agreement would have been presented in Hong Kong: If you don’t want to be
only is this one of the most significant as a treaty, it had no chance of being in jail and you are for Hong Kong free-
moves in decades to promote peace and approved by the Senate. dom, you just need to leave right now.
understanding in the Middle East, but, So it was entered into, thinking: This And, apparently, they are willing to
frankly, it probably wouldn’t have hap- is such a great idea that the next help you get to where your thoughts
pened if we hadn’t had a President who President will just have to do it, don’t impact others who are willing to
hadn’t spent years hearing how some- whether the country is bound to it or live under—and, maybe, have no choice
thing like this was impossible. The not. but to live under—the repression of
President believed it was possible, and The hard work of doing our work the China.
it was because of his strong leadership right way makes a difference, and, in The President also took action to
that the countries involved made it a fact, that agreement would have been strengthen global security and sta-
priority to bridge the gap that every- changed before a Senate would have bility by asking our allies to pull their
one thought was unbridgeable, that considered ever approving it. But it weight. For too many years, other
really had separated these neighbors would have been either approved or not countries seemed content to let Amer-
for generations. approved rather than the process we ican taxpayers bear the cost of defend-
What we see when we look at this went through, which was a lot of Sen- ing freedom everywhere in the world.
and other events in recent times is ate opposition but no response to that President Trump challenged the other
that when our friends become friends opposition. members of NATO to meet the organi-
with each other, we win. The United President Trump put a spotlight on zation’s guideline of spending 2 percent
States wins when our friends also be- the deal’s failure to protect our na- of their gross domestic product on de-
come friends with each other. tional security. He took a strong new fense. Our allies stepped up in many
This agreement can be a model for approach to applying maximum pres- cases and did better than they had been
future progress in the region. It is the sure on the Iranian regime, and it has doing.
first time in four decades that any had impact. Eventually, that new view In 2016, just 4 of the 28 countries in
Arab country has recognized Israel, led to eliminating Qasem Soleimani, NATO met the 2 percent guideline—4
and you can see it is already making a who was clearly the architect of Iran’s out of 28. Today, that number is still
difference. We had debate on the floor terrorist activities and the attacks on not at 28, but it is at 10 countries that
yesterday about our continued partner- Americans. There has been no doubt now exceed the guideline. Remember,
ship—our defense partnership—with about that for a long time. Iran was four countries met the guideline 3
the United Arab Emirates, and this the No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism. years and 10 months ago. Ten countries
was, obviously, an element in that de- General Soleimani was the No. 1 archi- have now exceeded the guideline, and
bate. That partnership, over three dif- tect of that state sponsorship of ter- every country in the alliance with a
ferent administrations, produced some- rorism, and the President was willing military has increased its defense
thing that nobody would have antici- to do what needed to be done there. spending.
pated in any of the earlier decades. The world is a safer place with him That is important progress, and it
The President started his Middle gone. Iran knows that we will not turn wouldn’t have happened if the Presi-
East efforts by acknowledging Jeru- a blind eye on aggression or on false dent of the United States had not been
salem as the capital of Israel in his promises or, often, even on things willing to say the obvious, and, frank-
first year in office. A few months later, being said that, on the face of them, ly, be very direct about it and make
he moved the U.S. Embassy there. are clearly not true and the world com- himself an uncomfortable partner at
Now, was this a new idea? Absolutely munity is expected to agree with them, the negotiating table. But if what you
not a new idea. American Presidents and, frankly, in the case of Iran, often are uncomfortable about is that you
have been saying for years that this decides that the best course is to agree are willing to say, ‘‘Do what you have
was a good idea. Party platforms have to the things that you know are not agreed to do,’’ it is about time some-
said for years that Israel should be able true which are presented as if they are body not only said, ‘‘Do what you have
to have their capital in Jerusalem ac- true and accepted as if they are true. agreed to do,’’ but said it in a way that
knowledged, but nobody had done it be- This doesn’t get you where you want. other countries took it seriously.
fore. Congress had said repeatedly this Accommodating or rewarding our en- The President sought to address im-
should happen, but it hadn’t happened emies doesn’t advance peace in the balances and protect U.S. interests in
and didn’t happen until the Trump ad- Middle East or anywhere else. Sup- the area of global trade. The Trump ad-
ministration decided to make it hap- porting our allies and building stronger ministration replaced the NAFTA
pen. alliances and holding terrorists ac- agreement with a new trade deal with
Critics actually said that moving our countable does. Mexico and Canada. NAFTA was great
embassy would hurt our credibility in Stronger alliances are also a goal of for all three countries, but it needed to
the region, and, 3 years later, the Abra- the Trump administration’s new focus be improved. It needed to be updated,
ham accords proved that that was 100 on the Indo-Pacific region. The Presi- and now it has been.
percent wrong. dent recognized that China is the In my State, Missouri, those two
Another reason American credibility greatest threat to democracy and free- countries are our two biggest trading
has soared in the Middle East is that dom in the world. He understands that partners, and that is the case for the
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
President Trump took a strong stance America cannot counter that threat United States. Mexico and then Canada
against Iran. He did that by dealing alone, and because of that, has reached dwarf trade with almost every other
with the nuclear agreement that Presi- out in meaningful ways. While other country in the world as they trade with
dent Obama and the Obama adminis- administrations have said they would the United States, and the new agree-
tration had struck with Iran as a bad pivot to the Pacific, the Trump admin- ment will lead to more jobs and bigger
idea. It was an idea that actually al- istration actually oversaw a period of paychecks in all three countries. Our
lowed Iran to eventually get a nuclear renewed engagement in the area and goal in our neighborhood should be not
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S7408 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
just to make ourselves stronger but to While ROB will never rush to take OK, this is the written response:
make our neighbors stronger, because credit or seek the spotlight, his legisla- I think that all countries should recognize
we are stronger when our neighbors are tive achievements are enduring and de- Israel, and applaud the president’s unprece-
stronger. serve our full praise and recognition. dented efforts to foster recognition between
Nationwide, exports are expected to His accomplishments manifest closer Israel and Arab nations through the Abra-
grow by $2.2 billion under the USMCA. to home as well. The brave men and ham Accords.
Today’s White House announcement alleg-
And our trade relationship with Japan, women of our military and civilian ing Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sa-
the world’s third largest economy, is workforce at Hill Air Force Base know hara is shocking and deeply disappointing. I
even stronger, thanks to a new agree- ROB as a tremendous advocate and a am saddened that the rights of the Western
ment that went into effect at the start devoted friend. Through the War on Saharan people have been traded away.
of the year. Terror, improvements and changes in In 1966, as West Africa was being
So it is clear that there has been lots aircraft, and updates to our nuclear ar- decolonized, the UN General Assembly
senal, ROB has defended our Hill Air agreed—
of activity in America’s foreign policy
over the past 4 years. There has been a Force Base valiantly. At Dugway Prov- This is 1966—agreed the Sahara de-
lot of important progress and a lot of ing Ground in Tooele, his commitment serves a referendum of self-determina-
success stories, and an awful lot of it delivered the completion of an emer- tion for its own future.
was done in a very unconventional gency aircraft runway. The United States has supported this policy
way. So, frankly, it just doesn’t get ROB’s impressive efforts and steady for decades and has worked to accomplish a
leadership have raised Utah’s profile referendum of self-determination. Until
covered by the traditional trade press today, this Administration had continued
or the traditional foreign policy press for our national defense. So, too, has
our long history, one that has remained con-
or the traditional defense press in ways his advocacy for the Utah Test and
sistent across administrations—
that really the results should produce. Training Range, so it makes sense that
this key to our Nation’s military readi- Democrat and Republican—
These are not areas that get the at- We’re not alone in this position: the African
tention that they deserve. I think, ness should bear his name. Next Con-
Union, the United Nations, the International
when people look back at the 4 years gress, I intend to introduce a bill to re-
Court of Justice and the European Union
that we have just completed in foreign name it the ‘‘Bishop Utah Test and have all agreed—the Sahrawi people have the
policy, they are going to look at what Training Range.’’ right to decide [what] their own future [is
has happened, understand it in the con- Rare is a man with such professional going to be].
text of what was happening, and I am distinction, intellect, and personal con- The president has been poorly advised by
sure they will believe that these items viction for the well-being of family, his team; he could have made this deal with-
neighbors, and strangers alike, who out trading [away] the rights of a voiceless
I talked about today led to a stronger people.
carries himself with such humility as
and safer country as we approach the During my most recent visit to the
ROB. If you have had the pleasure of
years ahead of us. Sahrawi refugee camps, I visited with the
I yield the floor. being with ROB at a gathering, you children that live there. They were joyous,
I suggest the absence of a quorum. know where to find him at the end of happy, ordinary children who didn’t know
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The the night—staying behind to help gath- yet that they were part of a frozen, forgotten
clerk will call the roll. er the chairs. conflict where their hopes and freedoms were
The bill clerk proceeded to call the Most of all, ROB is a teacher. From dying a cruel death.
his time as a public school teacher to I’m thinking about them and all the
roll. Sahrawians today. I won’t stop fighting for
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask his career in public service, one of his
highest priorities has been ensuring them. I won’t let the world forget them.
unanimous consent that the order for Today’s announcement does not change
the quorum call be rescinded. that the next generation of young lead- the United Nations or the EU positions, nor
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ers has access to educational opportu- the charter of the African Union nor the
BLUNT). Without objection, it is so or- nities, not only by securing revenue for opinion of the [International Court of Jus-
dered. public school as an elected official but tice]—a referendum must still happen.
also by devoting his time to host stu- I urge these organizations to stand strong
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask to support Western Sahara’s right to self-de-
unanimous consent that after the re- dents in the Capitol to teach them
about politics, policy, and our govern- termination and am confident the [United
marks of the next speaker, I may be States] will be able to return to the policy
recognized for such time as I may con- ment.
we’ve held since 1966.
It is an honor to recognize my friend
sume. Let me tell you what this is all
ROB BISHOP as he begins his next chap-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without about. During the colonization period
ter with his wife Jeralynn and their
objection, it is so ordered. in Africa, when different countries had
The Senator from Utah. five children and nine grandchildren.
For anyone who has not had the great colonies there, Spain had the colony of
TRIBUTE TO ROB BISHOP the land that is in question today. It
pleasure of meeting ROB, you will like-
Mr. ROMNEY. Mr. President, I rise ly easily recognize him on the street as was called the Spanish Sahara area at
today to celebrate the career of a re- maybe the last man in Washington who that time.
markable public servant whose accom- wears an impeccable three-piece suit. Now, if you remember your history,
plishments have left an indelible mark Thank you, ROB, and good luck. Franco was President at that time, and
upon our State and upon our country. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- this was back when things were falling
Congressman ROB BISHOP has earned ator from Oklahoma. apart for Spain. Franco was losing a
his place among the greats in Utah’s WESTERN SAHARA lot of the control, and they were not in
political history, and we thank him for Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I have a position to hold onto their colonies—
his service. already asked unanimous consent that not just in Africa but anyplace else in
ROB has dedicated his political career I be recognized for such time as I may the world.
to fighting the tough battles over consume. So at that time, the U.N. came in, in
issues that matter to the people of my This is what I want to do. Something 1966. This goes all the way back to 1966.
State, from the virtue of federalism, happened today that is deeply trou- The U.N. asked for a referendum for
States’ rights, and protecting indi- bling to me, and I have a written re- self-determination for those people. So
vidual liberty, to promoting a strong sponse to what happened today. I am they recognized all the way back—that
national defense and sound public lands going to go ahead and read that writ- is, the United Nations recognized—the
policy. And fight he did.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
ten response. Then, I want to talk sovereignty of the Western Saharan
Four years ago, Puerto Rico was fast about it. people. That has been consistent since
approaching a fiscal cliff when ROB, as My written response is—and I will then.
chairman of the House Natural Re- take it so everybody will have the ben- That was 1966. Now, in 1975, when
sources Committee, led a successful, efit of this. I am talking about people there were a lot of people kind of lining
bipartisan effort to pass a complicated here in this country, people in Africa, up to see who could get control, Mo-
rescue package to restructure Puerto people all around the world who are in- rocco jumped in with all of their re-
Rico’s debt before it was too late. terested in this issue. sources and did all they could at that
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7409
time to capture that area and to absorb from the United Nations, and that was You can’t just uproot the families who
that within Morocco—in other words, to have a ceasefire in 1991, by the U.N., were stationed in Germany and move
to take away from the free people of and work toward a self-determination. them back to the United States—kids
Western Sahara their land. And they Then, in 2004, the United States and in school and all these things. He is a
did that. Morocco signed a free-trade agreement. compassionate person. He is the first
So the International Court of Justice Now, this is kind of interesting, be- one in line to take care of our troops
went on to say: Well, if the United Na- cause this is a joint effort between our every time there is a problem.
tions couldn’t do it, let’s at least give country, the United States, and Mo- This is the same situation. In this
them the right for a referendum for rocco for a free-trade agreement. In case, he is not the type of person that
self-determination. That was 1975. Im- that free-trade agreement, they agreed would bag the freedom-loving people of
mediately after that, Morocco invaded to explicitly exclude Western Sahara Western Sahara to Morocco.
Western Sahara. because Morocco does not have sov- So that is what happened. This is an
Now, you have to keep in mind that ereignty over it. Now, that was in the old issue. It dates back to 1966. I can
this is Morocco, with all of the re- agreement in 2004 that was signed by remember—and this is highly un-
sources and all the wealth that they both the United States and Morocco. usual—as a Member of the U.S. Senate,
had, taking on a country that was So they agreed at that time, as every- there was a hearing in the House—this
armed with crude instruments. These one else did, that that should be an is about maybe 5 or 6 years ago—and I
are the people who rightfully owned independent country with the right of served. I asked to be a witness in that
and have lived in Western Sahara. self-determination. hearing.
Western Sahara, if you look—if I had Then the African Union came along. The hearing was about Western Sa-
time, if I had known about this, I So far, you have the United Nations. hara and Morocco. Now, keep in mind
would have brought the charts down to You have the United States and Mo- that Morocco is a very wealthy coun-
show where this land was and where it rocco in a signed free-trade agreement. try. Virtually every lobbyist in Wash-
is today. But then you also had Morocco, when ington is paid by them. At that time, I
But, in 1975, the International Court it joined the AU, signing a document. could remember standing there in that
of Justice made it very clear that they This is when it came from the African hearing, in the House of Representa-
had the right to the territory—that Union. They recognized Western Sa- tives, and listening to all the lobbyists
Morocco had no right to the territory hara as its own country. This is the Af- that they had hired against a country
of Western Sahara. Now, they invaded rican Union. that didn’t have any money.
They don’t have, really, any formal
Western Sahara. Spain and France Now, we are talking about 52 nations
armaments. They are heroic people.
were complicit at that time. Spain had in the African Union that all agree on
They are fighters. They want to con-
already colonized that area, and this. No one is in disagreement on this.
And then Morocco, when it joined the tinue to fight for their freedom, but
France had desires to do that.
they don’t have the resources.
But today—today, as we speak AU, signed a document. When they
So this is way back then, and I point-
today—there is not a country out there joined the African Union—we are talk-
ed out that Morocco has used all of
that recognizes the right of Morocco ing about Morocco now, up on the their wealth to try to get the land that
over Western Sahara—until today, northeast edge of that territory. When justly belongs to Western Saharan peo-
when this statement came out that we they joined the AU, or the African ple. So that is not anything new. That
are trying to recognize those rights. Union, they signed a document ac- has been happening for a long time.
Nobody—now, I am talking about knowledging all member states and At that time, I remember I took the
what I have already listed, all of the their borders; that is, acknowledging transcript at that time—I think it was
people: the African Union, the United the Western Sahara area as not a part 6 or 7 years ago—in that hearing. I said
Nations, the International Court of of Morocco. Now, this is Morocco that Morocco owns every lobbyist in
Justice, the European Union—all of agreeing to this. Washington, DC, and it is kind of the
them—they recognize Sahrawi as the So you have the United Nations in giant out there against this small
people who have the right to decide 1991. You have the United States and group of people who are being thrown
their own future. Everyone is in agree- Morocco in the free-trade agreement in out of their land that they justly own.
ment. 2004. You have an agreement explicitly It is self-determination. Who can
I can remember talking, at one time, stating where the lines should be. Then fight and argue against self-determina-
to Netanyahu over in Israel and ex- you have the African Union coming tion? Certainly, our President is not
plaining to them why Morocco should along and recognizing. This is all of the the type of person who would fight
not be able to trade and somehow get countries, 52 nations in the African against self-determination. He would
control of land that they are not enti- Union. So we have all of them in agree- be for self-determination. That is the
tled to in order just to say: We recog- ment with this. kind of person he is. That is why this
nize Israel. South Africa is the present chair of thing—I just think it is some poor ad-
Yes, we want all Arab nations to rec- the AU, and one of their priorities is to vice from some advisers that threw in
ognize Israel, and this is something resolve the Western Sahara issue. that thing.
this President has done. But this is the Now, all of that happened prior to As I said in my formal statement, he
area that involves not just two coun- today. And, as I say in my written could have done that with them with-
tries, Morocco and Israel. It is all of statement, I really believe—I know our out giving away the rights and the land
the countries in Africa, virtually ev- President has a big heart. I have ar- of the Western Saharan people.
erybody in East and West Africa and gued for him and to benefit him. The So I just want to make sure that ev-
all the surrounding area. They all various times that we have had con- eryone knows that this is—I strongly
agree that that is the territory of flicts out there—and one of them was support everything that this President
Western Sahara and that they should when they came out with a statement has successfully been doing in bringing
have a referendum of self-determina- that they were going to immediately— the Arab world into the Israeli world
tion. this was a couple of years ago—move and doing something for peace in the
We all have agreed with that for the people out of Germany and move Middle East.
years. We are talking about back to them back to the United States; that Everybody else has tried. Every Dem-
1966. Everyone is in agreement that that was going to be done before the ocrat and Republican President I can
they are the ones who are entitled to end of the year. And I made the public
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think of, in memory, has tried to do
that. statement. That was not the President this and has not been successful, until
So in 1991 they had a ceasefire, and a talking. That was a policy that came this President did it.
mission began to provide a referendum out of the White House, and I seriously It is just, in this case, I don’t think
for self-determination. That was the doubted that he even knew about it it was necessary to give away—to
United Nations and virtually every- and certainly would not agree with it. stand up the people, the just people in
body else. Everyone was in agreement If there is one thing the President is an area where they don’t have any re-
on that. Certainly, it was initiated compassionate about, it is the families. sources. They have been living in the
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S7410 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
desert. Three generations now have family welfare system has touched her husband—my Uncle Steve—their
come and gone, and all of them know countless lives, including my own. four children, and now their seven
that at one time there was peace and Sharon Pierce, president and CEO of grandchildren. She has more than
they owned their land and that day The Villages—a nonprofit child and earned this next chapter in her life.
would come that they would get their family services agency—will soon be But as a point of personal privilege and
land back. That hasn’t happened yet. retiring after a distinguished 47-year on behalf of the people of Indiana, I
I think with this mistake that was career of serving our children and our offer my heartfelt thanks for her dec-
made, it is certainly not in the interest families. ades of service, and I wish her very well
of all of our friends. I say that without Sharon also happens to be my aunt, in this next chapter.
any exceptions. They are all on our and I have seen firsthand her love and I yield the floor.
side on this thing. Our policy has been dedication to Indiana’s children. Her The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
clear since 1966, and we have been com- call to service started early in life. ator from Tennessee.
mitted. When she was young, Sharon’s mother CORONAVIRUS
Some time ago, 1994, I came from the volunteered at a youth home in Fort Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, I
House to the Senate, and I had a long Wayne. She and her siblings would help have to tell you, every day, I am hear-
visit at that time with Jim Baker, who her mother with holiday parties. It was ing from Tennesseans who are asking
had been the Secretary of State in the there that she first learned how impor- what we are going to do about COVID
previous administrations. I called him tant the family is to a child. relief. It is coming up in nearly every
up, and I said: You know, this is such A graduate of Ball State University, conversation that I have—with our
a huge injustice, what has happened, Sharon’s entire career since then has county mayors, with citizens, with em-
what Morocco has done to these people been dedicated to public service. Prior ployers and employees; conversations
of Western Sahara. to her work at The Villages, she with those who have lost their jobs
He said: You are right, and we have worked for several youth advocacy pro- through no fault of their own. Why
done everything. grams in Illinois. She also served as a can’t we get something done?
I said: We have got to change that, deputy director at the Indiana Division The phones really started ringing
and I am going to make that commit- of Family and Children—the forerunner last week when Speaker PELOSI, the
ment. Speaker of the House, accidentally re-
of today’s Indiana Department of Child
This was back in 1994. vealed that it was politics and not
Services. While at the Division of Fam-
He said: Well, I admire you for doing principle that convinced her to spend
ily and Children, she helped create a 1–
it. I will do all I can to cooperate with months—months—standing between
800 number to report suspected child
you. the American people and targeted re-
abuse. She also established the Healthy
This is Jim Baker talking. lief that they are asking for and that
Families Initiative, which still today
He said: I don’t think you will be able they desperately need. It was politics—
provides resources to at-risk, first-time
to do it because they have too many re- all politics to her. People were pawns
parents to help prevent abuse and ne-
sources, too much money, and the that she was moving around, trying to
glect.
Western Saharan people don’t have any get her way.
In 1992, she became the president and It is disgusting. It is a tragedy. But I
money. They don’t have any resources. CEO of The Villages, where she has cre-
And they are the ones who have been will tell you this: It is nothing new. In
ated a culture of compassion and a fact, since July, Democrats have con-
abused in this. deep commitment to supporting fami-
He said: Good luck. I will do every- tinuously blocked efforts to provide
lies in need. At The Villages, children targeted relief. The minority leader ob-
thing I can to help you. are enrolled in family and child sup-
That was back when Jim Baker was structed these efforts in the hopes of
port services, with the goal of helping passing a $3 trillion bill. That is right,
Secretary of State. That was a long to keep family members together. The
time ago. Since that time, every ad- trillion—$3 trillion bill. It was filled to
Villages also provides foster care and the brim with partisan proposals that
ministration—and not just Republican offers support for relatives and family had nothing do with the pandemic and
administrations but Democratic ad- friends who are helping to raise a child, a bailout for fiscally irresponsible
ministrations—have all been lined up including education and child abuse States and cities.
saying: This is a sense of fairness. It is prevention services. Tennesseans are very much opposed
something that has to be corrected. We Sharon has said: ‘‘Even though The to having their hard-earned dollars
can’t allow that giant to take over the Villages is probably best known for that are tax dollars that come to the
righteous people. high-quality foster care, the reality is Federal Government used to bail out
And that is what has happened. So it we want to do anything we can to keep States that have chosen not to be fis-
is not over yet. I can assure you that I families together.’’ cally responsible. They say: Above all
will make every effort I can to make ‘‘Anything we can to keep families else, do not bail out these States, these
sure that we go back to the policy that together’’—it is hard to imagine a mis- cities, these pension funds.
we had and that ultimately we will sion more critical than this. Let’s be clear to the American peo-
achieve. Maybe this will be just the I am not the only one to offer my ple. It is the Speaker of the House and
thing. This shock treatment for the praise for Sharon Pierce. Indiana’s the minority leader who are holding
American people and for people around Governor, Eric Holcomb, said the fol- noncontroversial relief—they are hold-
the world might be just the thing that lowing: ing it hostage. There should be another
is going to offer them an opportunity Sharon’s saintly efforts over the decades round of PPP. There should be another
for a referendum for self-determina- touched the lives of countless Hoosier chil- increase, a plus-up, of unemployment.
tion. Who can be against a referendum dren. She taught, inspired, led so many oth- There should be more money for vac-
for self-determination? Certainly no ers over the years to invest in those who cines, testing, and getting children
Americans whom I know of. need it the most.
back to school. But, oh, no. For
With that, I yield the floor. Indiana Department of Child Services months, what did they want to do?
I suggest the absence of a quorum. Director Terry Stigdon said: Play politics. Play politics with peo-
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. She exudes compassion and caring. . . . It’s ple’s lives. If that isn’t the most tone-
BRAUN). The clerk will call the roll. just innate to her being. deaf thing that I have ever heard, I
The senior assistant legislative clerk Sharon has dedicated her profes- don’t know what is. Perhaps some of
proceeded to call the roll. sional life to ensuring children have a
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my friends across the aisle should
Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I ask bright future, regardless of their cir- check their mail and make certain that
unanimous consent that the order for cumstances. Her work has inspired their office phones are being answered.
the quorum call be rescinded. countless others, including me, and the People are quite upset with them.
TRIBUTE TO SHARON PIERCE policies I choose to focus on here in the It doesn’t stop there. I wish it did. It
Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I rise Senate. only gets worse. In the fall, the Demo-
today to commend an outstanding Hoo- I know my Aunt Sharon is looking crats filibustered targeted relief pro-
sier whose work in Indiana’s child and forward to spending more time with posals not once but twice and rejected
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7411
a much needed extension of the Pay- Medicare and Medicaid Services Ad- LTC Kevin Ryan. He is a member of my
check Protection Program almost as ministrator Seema Verma, we were staff as an Army fellow participating
soon as it was proposed. This month, able to roll back a particularly frus- in the U.S. Army Congressional Fel-
more of the same. Their refusal to ne- trating regulation preventing the use lowship Program.
gotiate in good faith has made it abun- of telemedicine by Medicare enrollees. I want to take a moment to recognize
dantly clear to the business owners, Provisions I supported as part of the LTC Kevin Ryan’s contribution, cer-
the healthcare providers, and millions CARES Act further expanded access to tainly, to my office, to my capabilities
of other struggling Americans that telemedicine by removing even more of of representing Kansas in the U.S. Sen-
partisan grandstanding is more of a that redtape and providing funding for ate, but his commitment to the coun-
priority for Democrats than doing reimbursement to frontline healthcare try as well.
their jobs. providers. Before he departs my office to return
The American people are not pawns, Of course, access to telehealth and to the big Army at the start of the new
and it is time my colleagues in the mi- access to high-speed internet go hand year, I want to express my apprecia-
nority stopped treating them as such. in hand. You can’t really have one tion to Colonel Ryan for all of his hard
The House Speaker and Senate Demo- without the other. work and his dedication and his service
crats might have all the time in the This week, I learned that the FCC, as to our country.
world to stall. Maybe they are pretty a result of the recent Rural Digital Op- Kevin’s 14 years of service in the U.S.
comfortable with where they are. But portunity Fund auction, has now made Army have developed his leadership
outside of this Chamber, for a lot of some great steps, and Tennessee is abilities and shaped his perspective on
our families and small businesses that going to receive about $150 million to major defense issues of national sig-
are struggling, it is the eleventh hour. help close the digital divide over the nificance. These assets and attributes
Now is not the moment to strong-arm next decade. These new connections have made him an invaluable asset for
the U.S. Senate into rubberstamping a will be a game changer for rural and our team as we work to serve Kansans,
radical liberal wish list. It is time to underserved communities. Not only members of the military, and our vet-
step up and deliver relief—targeted re- will they open up access to telehealth, erans.
lief, relief we all agree will mean the distance learning, and remote work op- Before joining our office, Kevin’s as-
difference between survival for many of portunities, they will open up the local signments have taken him around the
these small businesses and economic economy and encourage growth and world in service to our country.
collapse; money and support for vac- outside investment because these dol- Kevin earned his commission from
cines; another full round of PPP fund- lars are targeted to unserved areas. Norwich University, the Military Col-
ing for the businesses that need it This award, coupled with CARES Act lege of Vermont. He has served four
most; and support for our frontline he- funding put to work earlier this year, combat tours, two in Afghanistan and
roes and essential workers. will help us build on our prepandemic two in Iraq, and he has also been de-
This bullet list of absolute essentials work on behalf of rural and unserved ployed to Korea, Germany, and Italy.
must also include reasonable, respon- Americans. His most recent deployment took him
sible liability protections for small The Internet Exchange Act, a bipar- to Iraq in 2017, where he served as a
businesses and healthcare workers. tisan bill I sponsored to provide grant senior intelligence officer for the bri-
These protections are the flip side of funding for broadband infrastructure, gade that assisted Iraqi security forces
relief funding. Without them, we take recently reported out of our Commerce in the liberation of Mosul from the Is-
these business owners and workers out Committee. lamic State.
of one bad situation and put them right The pieces are, indeed, falling into Kevin is lucky to have his wife
into another one. Without them, we ef- place, and, hopefully, we can keep the Lindsey, his daughter Colleen, and son
fectively force entire industries to momentum going and finally get this John by his side. He is blessed to have
choose between economic survival or, job done: closing the digital divide, their unwavering support.
in the case of healthcare workers, lit- providing everyone with access to high- Kevin joined our team in January of
eral survival and death by opportun- speed internet and allowing commu- 2019. From day one, he embraced Kan-
istic lawsuits. We can’t allow this to nities that have been cut off from eco- sas, its people, and the challenges they
happen. nomic development, from telehealth, face day in and day out. He is well
One of the things that I have noticed from remote learning to enhanced law known for displaying his love of Kansas
this past year is how critical it is for enforcement—allowing them to ben- outwardly, often wearing a Kansas
us to be able to articulate problems efit. necktie in meetings and on Zoom calls.
and lay the foundation to address them It is not just a matter of He has made it a priority to spend
before an emergency strikes. connectivity or convenience. It is an time in our State and learn from Kan-
In Tennessee, as in many other investment in a better quality of life sans so he can bring their thoughts and
States, the number of people who live for all Americans who call the rural ideas back to the Nation’s Capital.
in rural and remote areas poses chal- parts of this country home. These personal conversations with
lenges when it comes to providing a va- I yield the floor. Kansans and Kevin’s experience in the
riety of services that we all consider I suggest the absence of a quorum. Army helped drive meaningful policy.
essential, chiefly among them, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The He has led the efforts to recognize
healthcare delivery and access to high- clerk will call the roll. the important work of the 6888th Cen-
speed internet. I have worked with The legislative clerk proceeded to tral Postal Directory Battalion, the
healthcare practitioners and advocates call the roll. only all-African-American, all-female
to cut a path forward for the wide- Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask battalion to be deployed overseas dur-
spread use of telemedicine. unanimous consent that the order for ing World War II. The Six Triple Eight,
Last year, I introduced the Rural the quorum call be rescinded. as this battalion has come to be
Health Agenda to increase access to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without known, sorted millions of pieces of
healthcare for the 60 million Ameri- objection, it is so ordered. backlogged mail so the troops serving
cans who leave in rural areas. A crucial TRIBUTE TO KEVIN RYAN on the frontlines could hear from fami-
component of that legislative package Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, for those lies and loved ones. Their efforts boost-
was a set of provisions that lifted un- of us who have the privilege of working ed morale and directly contributed to
necessary regulatory barriers standing in the U.S. Senate, it allows us the op- our servicemembers’ fighting spirit to-
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in the way of access to telemedicine. portunity to meet wonderful people ward the end of the war. Kevin has
As always, it is the redtape that slows who care about their country, who go been a tireless advocate for these
up progress. The pandemic only high- to work every day and make sure that women, and I commend his dedication
lighted the importance of opening up the country is safe and secure. to this cause.
contact-free access to healthcare. One of those individuals, whom I met Though I am sad he will be leaving
Fortunately, in March, after a lot of over the last year—met a year ago and our office at the end of the month, I
meetings with the White House and now has worked in my office—is Army know he will serve the Army well next
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S7412 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
year in the Army’s programs office, and President Trump came together— I remember, in the hours and days
where he will be a highly effective am- and virtually unanimously passed the after Congress passed this in March,
bassador to Congress for the Army. CARES Act, $2.2 trillion, which, among fielding call after call after call from
Kevin is one of the most impressive many other features, provided a $600 friends, from people I didn’t know in
military officers I have had the honor supplement to unemployment benefits my State but whom I represent, who
of knowing. I hold him in the highest for 4 months and $1,200 direct payments called me to say: First of all, is it real-
regard, personally and professionally. for every working-class adult in this ly true? Are we actually going to be
He is a significant asset to our country country, plus $500 for their children. getting this support? And then just to
and to the U.S. Army. Kevin represents And here is the truth: That program, say thank you.
the best the Army has to offer, and I that CARES Program, saved lives, gave And I said: Don’t thank me. Thank
know he will continue to benefit the dignity to people who were at their you for being the ones who have built
future of our Nation. wit’s end, and saved this economy from this country, the ones who sustain this
There is no group of people I hold in further downfall. country, the ones on whom this coun-
higher regard than those who serve our Well, today, we are where we are, try depends.
Nation, and I want to reiterate my which is at another terrible moment in And I will just say also, as a matter
gratitude to Kevin and to his family this pandemic, and this Congress must of fairness—if the U.S. Government is
for their dedication and service to our act. We cannot leave here to go home going to shut down your business, if it
Nation. to our families for the Christmas holi- is going to tell you to go home for
Once again, Kevin, thank you for all days while other families throughout health reasons, if it is going to give
you have done for Kansans, all you this country, by the millions, are won- you no choice in the matter, I think
have done for our team as we serve dering how they are going to pay the that there is an obligation to support
those Kansans. You have been a model rent or feed their kids. We cannot do and help the people who are affected,
of selfless service and leadership. I that. through no fault of their own. Let’s be
know you will continue to do great And I am proud to say that Senator clear. The millions of Americans who
things throughout your Army career HAWLEY from Missouri and I have are out of work because of this pan-
and your life of service, wherever that worked together on a pretty simple demic, they haven’t done anything
path may lead. amendment that he will be talking wrong. The 853,000 Americans who
I suggest the absence of a quorum. about in a second, which says that we today, the new numbers tell us, filed
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The must include in any legislation that is for unemployment benefits, they are
clerk will call the roll. passed a direct payment of $1,200 for not at fault in this pandemic.
The legislative clerk proceeded to adults and $500 for kids. We want to support and stand with
call the roll. We cannot, we must not leave Wash- working individuals and working fami-
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I ask ington unless we do that. And next lies. I want the working people of Mis-
unanimous consent that the order for week I am going to do everything that souri to know that they are first on the
the quorum call be rescinded. I can to make sure that that happens. priority list, and when it comes to
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without We cannot, we will not leave Wash- COVID relief, we will not leave this
objection, it is so ordered. ington unless we make certain that town until we have voted—up or
CORONAVIRUS
millions of families have the economic down—until we have voted on direct re-
assistance that they need. lief for working people in my State, in
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, we are So we are working on bipartisan leg-
currently in the midst of the worst mo- Senator SANDERS’s State, and in every
islation, and Senator HAWLEY has done State in this Union.
ment of the pandemic up until now. a very, very good job on this, and I am With that, I thank Senator SANDERS,
We have recordbreaking numbers of proud to yield the floor to him. and I yield back.
deaths, of diagnoses of people with The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Mr. SANDERS. Well, thank you very
COVID–19, of hospitals unable to ac- ator from Missouri. much, Senator.
commodate even more people. Mr. HAWLEY. Mr. President, I am And let me just say this: In March, as
And in the midst of this pandemic, delighted to join with Senator SANDERS Senator HAWLEY indicated, we came to-
obviously, we are also in a severe eco- in this important legislation. gether, and I had the same experience
nomic meltdown, and there are econo- It is very simple legislation, and this in Vermont. People in desperation
mists who are telling us that the des- is, to my mind, a very simple propo- called the office: When can we get the
peration of working families in this sition. Here is the proposition: that check? We desperately need it. And I
country today, right now, is worse than when it comes to COVID relief in the suspect it was the same thing in Texas
at any time since the Great Depres- midst of this crisis, working families and the same thing in every other
sion. and working people should be first to State in this country. People are hurt-
In Vermont and all over this country, get relief, not last. Their interests, ing.
we have workers who have lost their their needs should be first on our to-do We cannot go home unless we address
jobs and their income; people who are, list, not last. the needs of those people. And the
by the millions, behind in their rent Now, I have heard some of my col- amendment that Senator HAWLEY and I
and are afraid of being evicted, afraid leagues say that there just isn’t enough are introducing could not be simpler. It
of losing their homes; people who have left for working families; that once we is $1,200 in direct payment for adults up
lost their health insurance, unable to take care of our other priorities in to a certain limit—the same limit as
go to a doctor. In the midst of a ter- COVID relief, there just isn’t enough was in the CARES Act—and $500 for
rible pandemic, they don’t have health left to give direct assistance to individ- their children. We have already voted
insurance, can’t go to a doctor when uals. and passed that exact same provision
they get sick. I want to respectfully suggest that in March, and the situation today is
And what we are seeing today is a those priorities are exactly reversed. not better. In some respects, it is
record number of Americans who are We should begin with the working peo- worse.
struggling, literally, with hunger, un- ple of this country, and that is why the So I would hope that we would have
able to feed their kids. I know in legislation that Senator SANDERS and I bipartisan support for this legislation.
Vermont and all over this country are introducing, which I believe every Look, it is no great secret, whether
there are lines of automobiles, cars of Senator voted for in March—it is sim- you are a Republican, Democrat, or
people—people who had never received ple legislation—$1,200 for each indi- whatever, that people are losing faith
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governmental help—in line for emer- vidual, $2,400 for a couple, and $500 for in their government. They are hurting;
gency bags of groceries. every dependent in the family. It is ex- their kids are hurting; their parents
That is what is going on in this coun- actly what this Congress approved are hurting. They look to Washington
try today. overwhelmingly back in March, and it and they say: Do you know that we
Now, back in March, in the beginning was, indeed, a lifeline. I know it was exist or are you just worried about
of the pandemic, this Congress came for Missourians in my State, for work- your rich friends and your campaign
together—Democrats and Republicans ing families in my State. contributors?
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7413
In this moment of economic crisis, The Smithsonian Board of Regents, States]. They have contributed significantly
we have got to do everything that we which will select the site, is chaired by to every phase and aspect of American his-
can to restore faith that this govern- the Supreme Court Chief Justice and tory and culture. Yet the institution almost
entirely excludes and ignores Latinos in
ment works for ordinary people. So let comprises multiple Members of Con- nearly every aspect of its operations.
us do the right thing. Let us pass this gress, including three sitting Senators Latinos are absent from positions of power
amendment in a bipartisan way. Let us and the Vice President. The Congress and authority within the institution, which
show the working families of America will also need to appropriate funds to helps to perpetuate the exclusion of Latino
that we understand what they are supplement the private fundraising history and culture from the museum’s col-
going through, and we are going to that will help finance this museum. lections, exhibitions, and programs.
stand with them. The appropriation requirement will be The report also acknowledges how
I yield the floor. a de facto ratification or rejection of the Smithsonian’s exclusion of Latinos
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- the site selected by the Smithsonian and Latinas has not only harmed His-
ator from Texas. Board of Regents. So there is going to panic Americans but all Americans.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—H.R. 2420 be a lot of input in that decision. We The report says:
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I am are not making that decision here The failure of the Smithsonian to reflect
glad to be here on the floor of the Sen- today. And I believe there need to be and represent Hispanic contributions is
ate with my friend Senator BOB twice damaging. It denies Latinos their right
open lines of communication between
MENENDEZ asking that the U.S. Senate to feel recognized and valued as part of the
Members of Congress and the Smithso- country’s heritage. At the same time, it per-
advance legislation to establish a Na- nian Board of Regents as they under- petuates among the general population the
tional Museum of the American take this significant project. inaccurate belief that Latinos have contrib-
Latino. It has been estimated that if we pass uted little to our country’s development or
As a proud Texan, I am fortunate to this bill today, the doors to a new mu- culture, rather than reflecting the multicul-
have grown up in a State steeped in the seum will not open for at least a dec- tural history . . . of the United States.
contributions of Hispanics and Latinos. Without treading into politics, I
ade, so I am eager to get the process
Approximately 40 percent of our popu- think it is important we acknowledge
moving.
lation is composed of Latinos in Texas, that this misconception is alive and
The National Museum of the Amer-
but they are not monolithic by any well today. In recent years, we have
ican Latino will honor and preserve the
stretch of the imagination, which is heard Hispanic Americans, immi-
stories of Latinos throughout Amer-
why we need a museum to tell their grants, and their families used as
ican history so generations can view a
stories. scapegoats for every economic ill fac-
There are the Tejanos, whose roots in more accurate and more complete his-
tory of the contributions made by ing our Nation. We have witnessed the
the Lone Star State predate our state-
these great Americans, and I hope the rise of nativism and xenophobia. We
hood or even Texas independence, as
Senate will advance this critical legis- have seen these hateful statements
well as those who have emigrated from
lation today. propel acts of horrific violence like the
other States or countries and have cho-
sen to call Texas home more recently. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- tragic El Paso shooting.
From the brave soldiers who fought ator from New Jersey. But we Latinos and Latinas are not
in the Texas Revolution to the civil Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I invaders. We have been here from the
rights activists like Cesar Chavez, cul- have come to the floor today and will beginning. The oldest city in America,
tural icons like Selena, and leaders of shortly ask for unanimous consent on well before Pilgrims and Jamestown, is
all types in our communities, genera- H.R. 2420, the National Museum for the St. Augustine, FL, over 500 years ago
tions of Latino Americans have shaped American Latino Act. founded by a gentleman named Pedro
our country as it is today. But, as I Let me just thank my colleague, the Aviles de Menendez. And our stories
suggested a moment ago, many Ameri- senior Senator from Texas, Mr. COR- must be told.
cans simply aren’t aware of the vast NYN, who has been a great partner Who here does not emerge from the
contributions made by these men and throughout this entire process, a Smithsonian Museum of American His-
women who have come before us, and strong advocate who helped us navi- tory more informed about the many
one critical way we can right this gate some of the challenges we have movements that have shaped our coun-
wrong is by providing a home for their had along the way. I am also thrilled to try? Who does not emerge from the Mu-
stories in the Nation’s Capital. be on the floor with Senator COLLINS, seum of the American Indian more
I have heard somebody suggest that who will shortly make a motion on the aware of Native American history and
we don’t need a separate museum for Women’s History Museum, which I more appreciative of their cultures?
different racial groups and ethnic strongly support, and I appreciate her Who does not emerge from the Museum
groups or the like, but this is far more support for the American Latino Mu- of African American History inspired
important than that because the story seum. by the perseverance and the power of
of American Latinos is the story of Today the Senate stands at the preci- our Black community? We all do. The
America itself. Many people simply pice of history. We have before us an Smithsonian Institution is truly a na-
aren’t familiar with the vast contribu- opportunity to set in motion a process tional treasure.
tions they have made. that will eventually culminate in the But I am not White or Black or Na-
This particular effort has been under- establishment of a national museum tive American. I am Latino. I am one
way for more than 25 years. Nothing devoted to the history, struggles, and in five Americans today. My grand-
happens very quickly, particularly achievements of Latinos and Latinas in children are one in four schoolchildren
when it comes to establishing a new the United States. This is long over- today. But when we walk through the
museum like this, but we are just two due. National Mall—or should I say when
steps away, and I hope the Senate can Some colleagues say: Well, why do we anyone walks through the National
take one big step this afternoon by need another museum? Well, it was in Mall, no one is inspired by the story of
passing this bipartisan legislation and 1994 when the Smithsonian Task Force Latinos and Latinas in this country be-
sending it to the President’s desk for on Latino Issues published its report cause that story is not being told.
his signature. Walk outside these halls and ask
entitled ‘‘Willful Neglect’’—a report
I know there are some of our col- someone who Bernardo de Galvez was,
acknowledging the Institution’s own
leagues who have concerns about the the former Governor of Louisiana be-
glaring omission of Hispanic history
fore Louisiana was a State, who led an
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museum’s location, and I can assure and culture.
them that Congress will have a voice in all-Spanish division against the British
This is what the report found:
the site of this museum. But before as they were approaching Washington
The Smithsonian Institution, the largest
construction can begin, congressional and helped in the Revolutionary War?
museum complex in the world, displays a
committees will be consulted on site pattern of willful neglect towards . . . The Congress gave him U.S. citizen-
selection as laid out in the bill and I Latinos in the United States. Because of ship. His portrait was supposed to be
believe the colloquy that will be made both indigenous roots and Spanish heritage, hung in the Congress of the United
a part of this record. Latinos predate the British in the [United States, so much was the battle that he
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S7414 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
led. His portrait finally hangs in the while I personally do not believe that ter of budgetary or legislative tech-
Senate Foreign Relations room. these changes are fair to the Latino nicalities. It is a matter of national
Go to Farragut metro station and community or required or necessary unity and cultural inclusion.
ask a rider who it was named for. for the bill, I am committed to making Now, we have seen in recent years
David Farragut, the Spanish captain them to pass this bill and finally mov- what happens when we indulge the cul-
who led during the Civil War on behalf ing one step closer to the construction tural and identity balkanization of our
of the Union. of the museum. national community. The so-called
Visit a school and ask a child where Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- critical theory undergirding this move-
the first settlers to this country hailed sent that the Senate proceed to the im- ment does not celebrate diversity. It
from. They won’t say St. Augustine, mediate consideration of Calendar No. weaponizes diversity. It sharpens all
FL. 600, H.R. 2420. I ask unanimous consent those hyphens into so many knives and
I guarantee these questions will go that the Murkowski amendment at the daggers. It has turned our college cam-
unanswered because the history of the desk be agreed to; that the bill, as puses into grievance pageants and
American Latino remains unknown. amended, be considered read a third loosed Orwellian mobs to cancel any-
It has been nearly 30 years since the time and passed; and that the motion one daring to express an original
Smithsonian Task Force on Latino to reconsider be considered made and thought. Especially at the end of such
Issues recommended that the Institu- laid upon the table. a fraying, fracturing year, Congress
tion immediately begin laying ‘‘the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there should not splinter one of the national
groundwork needed to assure the estab- objection? institutional cornerstones of our dis-
lishment of one or more museums por- The Senator from Utah. tinct national identity.
traying the historical, cultural, and ar- Mr. LEE. Mr. President, reserving The Smithsonian Institution should
tistic achievements of U.S. Hispanics.’’ the right to object, I want to thank my not have an exclusive Museum of
Thirty years. For nearly 30 years, those friend and colleague, the Senator from American Latino History or a Museum
words have echoed on empty ears. My New Jersey, for bringing this issue to of Women’s History or a Museum of
friends, that silence and inaction must the floor today. Americans Men’s History or Mormon
end today. Cultural programs may represent and History or Asian American History or
We Hispanics are not a monolithic do, in fact, represent a tiny fraction of Catholic History. American history is
community. Our families are as diverse all Federal spending, but they are mag- an inclusive story that should unite
as they come. We are Puerto Rican, nified many times over by virtue of us—us.
Mexican, Cuban, Colombian, Spanish, their symbolic and their substantive The Senator from New Jersey is ab-
Salvadoran, and more. We are Brown, impact. Culture is, of course, upstream solutely right that the history of
Black, and White, left and right, and from politics. It is more important, and American Latinos is a vital part of
everywhere in between. Some of our it is more deserving of more of our at- America’s history. So, of course, is the
ancestors settled here long before the tention. history of American women, who have
dawn of our Republic; others arrived For that reason, the Smithsonian In- written more than half of the Amer-
alongside generations of immigrants stitution is more than just another line ican story, going all the way back to
around the world searching for freedom item in our Federal budget. It is one of Plymouth Rock. Their stories are our
and opportunity. Some of us grew up the great cultural triumphs of our Re- stories, and they are stories that em-
along our southern border in cities and public. From the moment of our found- phatically should be told by the Smith-
communities born out of blended cul- ing, the United States has faced an al- sonian Institution at the Museum of
most unique problem in history. How American History, period. No hyphen.
tures.
Now, the Senator from New Jersey is
Some of us, myself included, are do we turn our huge Nation’s cultural,
well aware of my stingy views on Fed-
first-generation Americans. Our par- religious, ethnic, and regional dif-
eral spending, but if American Latino
ents courageously uprooted their lives ferences from a potential weakness
or American women’s history are being
and came to this country with no con- into a real strength? The way our Na-
underrepresented at the Museum of
nection at all in order to give their tion has always achieved this is by cre-
American History, that is a problem,
children a brighter future. ating institutions that unite Ameri-
and that is the problem that we should
Indeed, that story of hard work and cans around shared interests and the
address here. I will happily work with
boundless optimism is the common mystic chords of collective memory.
him or anyone else to correct those
thread that runs throughout our The Constitution, the Senate itself,
problems, even if it means more
Latino community—all 60 million of us our free enterprise economy, our
money, more exhibits, new floors or
living in the United States. And I Armed Forces and public schools, Fed-
wings.
would argue that story is as American eralism, localism, the First Amend- I understand what my colleagues are
as they come. ment, and even March Madness all fit trying to do and why, and I respect
So let us ensure that the story is told this bill. They have the power to har- what they are trying to do, and I even
right here in the Nation’s Capital, ness our individual and community dif- share their interest in ensuring that
where it belongs. Let us pass H.R. 2420. ferences to the common good of the these stories are told. But the last
Let us ensure that someday in the near whole Nation. thing we need is to further divide an al-
future, Latino and Latina children and Now, the Smithsonian Institution ready divided Nation with an array of
other children who walk through our does the exact same thing. It winds all segregated, separate-but-equal muse-
National Mall will no longer wonder the myriad strands of America’s trium- ums for hyphenated identity groups.
why the story of their families are phant history into one imperfect but At this moment in the history of our
missing. I know I cannot wait for the heroic story. Americans of every age, diverse Nation, we need our Federal
day that I can take my granddaughters race, creed, and background come to Government and the Smithsonian In-
to the National Museum of the Amer- Washington from all over the country stitution itself to pull us closer to-
ican Latino. to visit the Smithsonian museums— gether and not further apart. On that
So it has been a long and winding Natural History, American History, basis, I object.
road for this bill, one which I hope will Air and Space, American Art, the Na- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ob-
complete its path today in Congress. tional Zoo. Within the walls of the jection is heard.
This has already been passed by the Smithsonian museum, just like at the The Senator from New Jersey.
House of Representatives by voice National Gallery of Art or the great Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President,
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vote—no opposition. This passed the memorials that dot this city, there is 60 million Latinos in this country are
Rules Committee in a unanimous voice no us and them. There is only us. watching tonight because this is a
vote. So my objection to the creation of a much expected moment—Univision,
Now, we have been asked to make new Smithsonian museum or series of Telemundo, affiliates across the coun-
some changes to accommodate my col- museums based on group identity— try, national organizations, and others.
league, the chair of the Energy and what Theodore Roosevelt called ‘‘hy- They have been waiting for this mo-
Natural Resources Committee, and phenated Americanism’’—is not a mat- ment, a moment that everybody in the
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7415
Congress of the United States agrees to ican people in the form of tax revenue. comments that have been made this
except for one colleague. The House of So, as a result of that, the Smithsonian evening by my colleagues from Texas
Representatives passed this on voice. Institution has a unique role and re- and New Jersey—Senator CORNYN and
The Rules Committee passed it on sponsibility in our culture and as a re- Senator MENENDEZ—in support of a
voice in a bipartisan manner. And to- pository and teller of America’s na- museum to celebrate and commemo-
night, one colleague stands in the tional story. rate the achievements of Latinos in
way—one Republican colleague from Now, it is absolutely true that Afri- our country.
Utah stands in the way of the hopes can Americans and American Indians I could not help but wonder, as I
and dreams and aspirations of seeing have a unique place in that story in heard the comments of my colleague
Americans of Latino descent having that they were rather uniquely, delib- from Utah, whether he also tried to
their dreams fulfilled in being recog- erately, and systemically excluded block the museum celebrating and tell-
nized—just being recognized. from it. Unlike many other groups, ing the history of African Americans,
Now, the Smithsonian is a collection they were persecuted and they were es- that museum which is so popular on
of museums. Let’s be honest with that. sentially written out of our national the Mall. I wondered whether he tried
Did we need an Air and Space Museum? story and even had their own stories to block also the creation of the mu-
Do we need a museum of the Native virtually erased—not simply by our seum that tells the story of Native
Americans? Did we need an African- culture or evolving values, but by that Americans.
American Museum? I would say yes to very same government, this same Fed- I am convinced that if this bill,
all of them because they are part of the eral Government. which has just been described by my
mosaic. They are brought together It is, therefore, uniquely appropriate two colleagues, were brought to a vote
under the rubric of the single most sig- that the Federal Government provide on the Senate floor, it would pass, not
nificant cultural institution in the Na- the funding to recover and tell those unanimously, that is clear, but with a
tion, which is the Smithsonian. communities’ specific stories today at very strong vote. And it seems wrong
I don’t know if these arguments were dedicated museums in the specific con- that one Senator can block consider-
made against the Native Americans. I text of having been so long excluded ation of a bill that would have over-
don’t know if these arguments were from our national community and our whelming support by a majority of this
made against African Americans, but I national story. body.
don’t see them as being separate and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 959
apart. I see them as part of the collec- ator from New Jersey.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I So, Madam President, I rise today on
tive history mosaic that is coming to-
just have to say: We have been system- behalf of myself and the Senator from
gether under the Smithsonian. More
ically excluded. We, who founded the California, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, to urge the
than half of the Nation’s population
oldest city in America before there was Senate to take the important step of
are women. Are we to deny them that
a United States of America; we, who passing our legislation to establish a
their history in our country is not
ultimately were used as farm workers long overdue women’s history museum
being told? It is not. It is beyond Betsy
and discriminated against in the Bra- in our Nation’s Capital.
Ross, who I appreciate very much.
And, talk about funding, this bill re- cero program; we, who were discrimi- This is an issue that I have been
quires that 50 percent of all the funding nated against when we voluntarily working on since 2003, when I intro-
be coming from private sources. So we joined the Armed Forces of the United duced the first bill to tell the story of
will fuel the development of program- States to defend the Nation—we have more than half of our population, of
ming, as well as the physical structure, been systematically excluded, not be- the contributions of American women
as well as the other elements by the cause this Senator said so but because to our country in every field: govern-
community and communities who want the Smithsonian itself said so. ment, business, medicine, law, lit-
to see this become a reality. And yet we are supposed to entrust erature, sports, entertainment, the
It is 30 years of willful neglect. No- the willful neglect that has taken place arts, the military, the family.
body cared, nobody made any effort, for more than three decades—taken Telling the history of American
and nobody did anything about it. And place longer but acknowledged for women matters, and a museum recog-
in the one chance we have, since this three decades. Oh, no, we are somehow nizing our achievements and experi-
has been a 20-plus year journey to try not systemically excluded. Believe me, ences has long been a goal of many of
to make this museum possible, one Re- we have been, and the only righteous the women and men who serve in this
publican colleague stands in the way. way to end that exclusion is to pass Chamber.
One Republican colleague stands in the this bill. Following 18 months of study by an
way. It is pretty outrageous. It is pret- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- independent, bipartisan commission es-
ty outrageous. ator from Utah. tablished by Congress, the Commission
I yield the floor. Mr. LEE. Madam President, if the unanimously concluded: ‘‘America
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. MUR- Smithsonian Institution in its report needs and deserves a physical national
KOWSKI). The Senator from Utah. in 1994 in fact acknowledged that it museum dedicated to showcasing the
Mr. LEE. Madam President, I want to systematically excluded the stories of historical experiences and impact of
be clear about something. All racial, any one segment in American society, women in the country.’’ I agree whole-
ethnic, religious groups in America are I struggle to understand why the only heartedly with the Commission’s unan-
worthy of celebration, even to the ex- response to that has to be a separate, imous conclusion.
tent of having their own museums. In- siloed museum. Why not direct them, This year, we commemorate the
deed, many of them already do—in when telling our national story at the 100th anniversary of suffrage for
many instances, institutions and muse- National Museum of American History, women in this country and the dec-
ums that are not part of or funded by to tell that story there. If we have to ades-long fight for women’s equality at
the Federal Government in whole or in expand it, we will do that. If we have to the ballot box. It is extraordinary to
part. If we had more museums and add more floor space and more staff me that just 100 years ago, not every
fewer tweets, America would certainly and more research, let’s do that. But woman in this country was allowed to
be better off. the fact that they have identified their vote in every State. That is not that
This isn’t about whether such muse- own failure over time doesn’t mean long ago. That story is one of the sto-
ums should exist or not. This is about ries that needs to be told.
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that they themselves should then get
the Smithsonian Institution, which is to decide that we have a separate, Amid the celebrations of this historic
itself federally funded. I understand siloed museum. year, I can think of no better way to
that they also raise a significant por- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- tell the story of American women to
tion of their money, but there is a ator from Maine. inspire those young girls and young
brand that comes along with the Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, be- boys who come to Washington to tour
Smithsonian Institution and a lot of fore I give my remarks, I want to all the wonderful museums that are
money that is taken from the Amer- strongly associate myself with the part of the Smithsonian than to create
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S7416 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
a museum of American women’s his- don’t come cheap, as the Senator from league, he has shown a willingness to
tory so that they can better under- Utah noted. The Smithsonians are work across the aisle for the good of
stand the contributions of American funded with significant Federal tax- his constituents, of the Senate, and of
women to the development of our Na- payer dollars, so we are required to the Nation. Our partnership is one that
tion and its proud history. show a level of—exercise with how we I will miss when he leaves the Senate.
As with the legislation that would es- move forward. And we have been ex- Throughout his career—as Governor
tablish a museum celebrating and com- traordinarily judicious. of Tennessee, as president of the Uni-
memorating the history of Latino and I think, as the Presiding Officer versity of Tennessee, and as the Sec-
Latina Americans, this legislation has noted in her comments, when the dis- retary of Education for President
passed the House by an overwhelming cussion of a women’s history museum George H.W. Bush, and as a U.S. Sen-
margin. Surely, we ought to be able to first came about, it was not just a ator—LAMAR has dedicated himself to
take it up and pass it here too. flash-in-the-pan idea. It was something improving education quality and access
So, Madam President, I ask unani- that had germinated a long period of for Tennesseans and all Americans
mous consent that the Senate proceed time. It goes to a commission. There alike. He has continued and advanced
to the immediate consideration of Cal- are a series of steps and approvals that that work as the chairman of the Sen-
endar No. 599, S. 959. I ask unanimous they must go through along the way. ate Health, Education, Labor, and Pen-
consent that the committee-reported So the path that we have taken has led sions Committee. Senator ALEXANDER
amendment be withdrawn, the Mur- us to the point today where there has has a proven record of working across
kowski amendment at the desk be been a request made to be able to ad- the aisle to develop solutions to our
agreed to, and the bill, as amended, be vance both of these significant recogni- country’s most pressing healthcare and
considered read a third time and tions to American Latina and Amer- education challenge, and we know
passed, and that the motion to recon- ican women by way of additional there are many.
sider be considered made and laid upon Smithsonian facilities. I have had the privilege of working
the table. I support both of those, just as I have with Senator ALEXANDER for many
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there years on the Appropriations Com-
supported our Smithsonians as new
objection? mittee. Senator ALEXANDER has been a
Mr. LEE. I object. ones have come online—the African-
American museum most recently—or trusted partner on the committee,
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ob- striving to reach bipartisan com-
jection is heard. the renovations that have been under-
promise, which I believe has long been
The Senator from Maine. way for a period.
the hallmark of the Appropriations
Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I I also recognize that the effort to-
Committee. His work as the current
think this is a sad moment. I had night made by both the Presiding Offi-
chairman of the Energy and Water
hoped that we could proceed with both cer, as prime sponsor of the American
Subcommittee has helped make invest-
of these bills and pass them before the women’s history museum, and incor-
ments in clean and renewable energy
end of this year. porating an amendment that I had re-
initiatives, which in turn have brought
Surely, in a year where we are cele- quested that ensures that as we are
about economic development and in-
brating the 100th anniversary of wom- looking to sites for these significant
vestment. I have long appreciated the
en’s suffrage, this is the time, this is facilities, that we are doing so with a
work he has done to support agencies,
the moment to finally pass the legisla- level of a cooperation. I don’t think programs, and initiatives that improve
tion unanimously recommended by an anybody wants to be in a situation the lives of all Americans.
independent commission to establish where the Smithsonian would effec- In a body as divisive as the Senate
an American women’s history museum tively be able to tell, whether it is the has come to be in recent times, LAMAR
in our Nation’s Capital. I regret that Department of Agriculture or the U.S. has become more than a fellow Sen-
that will not occur this evening, but we Forest Service, we want your building. ator; he has become a friend. LAMAR,
will not give up the fight. That is not how the process works. Honey, and their children and grand-
Thank you. So the amendments that were incor- children deserve all the best that the
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. COL- porated in both of these measures that coming years have in store for them.
LINS). The Senator from Alaska. were before us today, I think, was an
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Madam President, f
important one, I think was a signifi-
I would like to follow up on the com- cant one. TRIBUTE TO MIKE ENZI
ments you have just shared with your Some may have heard that LISA Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, one fac-
support for a women’s history museum MURKOWSKI was not supporting these tor that helps make someone a strong
and also to the comments made by the museums—far from it. What I wanted representative of their constituents is
Senator from New Jersey and also the to ensure is that we have a good, sound the body of experience they bring to
Senator from Texas regarding the process for where we site these extraor- their job. MIKE ENZI has spent his life
American-Latino museum. dinarily—extraordinarily important fa- representing his constituents, first as a
I am privileged to serve as the chair- cilities. mayor, then in the Wyoming Senate,
man of the Interior Appropriations My hope is that we will resolve this and ultimately in the U.S. Senate, a
Subcommittee. As part of that sub- impasse because the contributions, post to which the people of Wyoming
committee, we have oversight of the whether they be from women over the have elected and reelected him four
Smithsonian, and it is an incredibly re- decades, the Latina community, Latino times.
warding part of the job that I have to community, over the decades and the While our States are quite different
do with oversight. So I am very well centuries, that there be facilities that geographically, Wyoming, like
aware of these national treasures, what appropriately recognize and celebrate Vermont, is State of close-knit com-
they contribute to the education, to them. munities, and it is easy to see how
the dialogue, and to just the motiva- With that, I yield the floor. deeply Senator ENZI cares for his fellow
tion that comes when we know and un- Wyomingites and how firmly he
f
derstand more about our own country prioritizes his constituents. As a Sen-
and about the people who make up this MORNING BUSINESS ator, he has worked to expand re-
extraordinary mosaic called America sources for vocational and technical
and how we recognize and how we cele- education programs nationwide, and he
TRIBUTE TO LAMAR ALEXANDER
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
brate those contributions, how we ac- has worked to protect and create jobs
knowledge the challenges that women Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, when in Wyoming and across the United
have faced along the way, African LAMAR ALEXANDER came to the Senate States as a strong advocate for domes-
Americans or Latinos, as they have in 2002, he brought with him a wealth tic energy production from a diverse
truly been extraordinary participants of experience and years of service to array of sources.
in this American society. the State of Tennessee. As a Senator, MIKE has been a longtime member
I also recognize that our he has remained a strong advocate for and top Republican of the Senate Budg-
Smithsonians don’t come free. They his State and its citizens, and as a col- et Committee and, before that, of the
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