Congressional Record, Senate, February 2, 2021 — Nomination of Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg
Summary
Senate page of the Congressional Record dated February 2, 2021. A Louisiana tribute honors Pat Shingleton of WBRZ in Baton Rouge, citing Pat's Coats for Kids and a final broadcast on Friday, January 29. Peters and Van Hollen speak in support of the nomination of Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg to lead the Department of Transportation. Blackburn states concerns about the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to be Secretary of Homeland Security, citing his time as USCIS Director. Reed asks for the yeas and nays on the Buttigieg nomination, and the Senate stands in recess until 2:15 p.m.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, February 2, 2021 — Nomination of Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg.”
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S220 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 2, 2021
community, and that has been on dis- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- can play no less a role than making
play for a lot of years. I am not telling ator from Michigan. possible the American dream.’’
my people back home anything they NOMINATION OF PETER PAUL MONTGOMERY I am proud to support Pete
don’t already know. BUTTIGIEG Buttigieg’s historic nomination, which
Pat is especially well known for Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise has already garnered bipartisan sup-
being chairman of WBRZ—WBRZ, today in support of Pete Buttigieg’s port, and I urge all of my colleagues to
channel 2 in Baton Rouge, our promi- nomination to lead the Department of vote for him.
nent local station, where Pat has Transportation. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
worked for so long. Whether it is rebuilding our crum- ator from Tennessee.
Pat has worked hard as chairman of bling roads and bridges, maintaining Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President,
that station’s Pat’s Coats for Kids— our leadership in the global mobility ahead of our votes today, I wanted to
Pat’s Coats for Kids. This program race, or improving pipeline safety, echo the concerns that have already
has—unfortunately, we have children there is no shortage of challenges fac- been voiced by many of my colleagues
in America and in Louisiana who are ing our incoming Secretary. in this Chamber regarding the nomina-
hungry and cold. You can’t learn when As a fellow midwesterner, as a former tion of Alejandro Mayorkas to be the
you are hungry; you can’t learn when officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, I Secretary of the Department of Home-
you are cold. can’t think of anyone more equipped to land Security.
Pat has delivered hundreds of thou- take on this challenge than Pete At this point, we are all very familiar
sands—could be in the millions for all I Buttigieg. with his long legacy of service on be-
know—of coats to kids whose parents He understands the need to revitalize half of people of the United States, so
can’t afford to keep them warm in the our infrastructure because he has seen I will just highlight one example of the
winter. it in our neighborhoods and on our ‘‘value’’ that he will bring to the table
He has also created the Fill a Pre- roads each and every day when he should the Senate vote to confirm him.
scription for the Needy project, and he served as a mayor. When he served as USCIS Director
started Baton Rouge’s St. Patrick’s He has a unique understanding of during the Obama administration, the
Day parade—the Wearin’ of the Green, how the Department can be a resource inspector general was forced to inves-
it is called—which he continues to co- to State and to local governments and tigate an ‘‘extraordinary’’ number of
ordinate every single year. what can be done to ensure that the internal allegations that Mayorkas was
Pat’s final broadcast took place on Federal Government supports those granting ‘‘special access and special fa-
Friday night, as I mentioned, January State and local governments and make vors’’ to wealthy EB–5 ‘‘investor visa’’
29. That does not—I can assure you, sure that need gets addressed most ef- applicants linked to influential Demo-
knowing Pat Shingleton, that does not fectively. crats.
mark the end of his service to the peo- If we are going to build back better, When the IG took a closer look at the
ple in Baton Rouge. I can say that with a partnership at each level of govern- visa applications for three powerful
great confidence. ment will be absolutely vital. Having Chinese nationals in particular, they
I predict that Pat will continue to someone at the helm who recognizes came to the conclusion that if
contribute as a community advocate that that relationship is so important Mayorkas hadn’t intervened, and I am
and as a spokesperson at WBRZ. I pre- will be an incredible asset to the De- quoting, ‘‘the matter would have been
dict he will continue to champion all of partment. decided differently.’’
the charity projects that he spear- I have also had several conversations Now, this is something that we know
headed for so many years. with Secretary-Designate Buttigieg on is inappropriate. We know that this is
Now, when asked about his retire- the auto industry, which is the very something for which Mr. Mayorkas
ment, Pat said, and I am going to beating heart of our manufacturing should be held accountable. We know
quote, ‘‘I think we’re all given a whole economy. And as the industry advances that this is something for which he has
bunch of heartbeats.’’ both toward electrification and self- not been held accountable, and here is
‘‘We’re all given a whole bunch of driving technologies, it will be critical what he did: He put his thumb on the
heartbeats,’’ Pat said, ‘‘and God gives that we support these technologies and scale, pressured his DHS colleagues—
us these heartbeats to do something make sure that they are safely de- pressured his DHS colleagues—to break
good.’’ ployed and that they are deployed here their own rules and turn the law on its
What an eloquent way of putting it. in the United States. head, all because a few powerful friends
Pat has used his heartbeats pretty We have an opportunity to save lives asked him to do it. He pressured others
well, in my judgment. He has a lot but also to create jobs and empower for the benefit of some powerful
more to go, but he has done it for the our domestic auto industry to take the friends, and it is all there for everyone
good of our State, for the good of the moonshot for artificial intelligence and to read in the inspector general’s re-
Baton Rouge metropolitan community, spur technological innovation, and I port, and he was never held account-
and he has done it in the newsroom, am pleased that Secretary-Designate able. Yet, here we are, being asked to
and he has done it outside the news- Buttigieg has committed to working support his nomination to the Presi-
room. with us as we craft legislation that es- dent’s Cabinet.
Pat says he is going to spend the tablishes a Federal framework around There are plenty of policy differences
extra time with his family—good for these new technologies. between myself and Mr. Mayorkas that
him; he has earned it—especially his 1- Finally, I am excited to work with have convinced me I have no choice but
year-old grandchild. Secretary-Designate Buttigieg on im- to stand in opposition to his confirma-
Look, we are going to miss his guid- proving pipeline safety, especially tion. But the example I just cited, in
ing hand through Louisiana’s irrev- around the Great Lakes. particular, gives me additional serious
erent weather patterns. We may have We know that line 5, under the concerns about how his influence would
to draft him back on a few occasions, Straits of Mackinac, poses a very seri- affect the integrity of the Agency.
but I want to wish him a joyful retire- ous threat to the Great Lakes. The Just last week, I joined several of my
ment to soak in all the perks of being Great Lakes are not only an economic colleagues in a letter to the senior Sen-
a grandfather. driver and natural resource for our ator from Illinois, asking him to exer-
Pat, thank you. Thank you for your country, they are literally in the DNA cise his judgment as the incoming
hard work for the people of Baton of every Michiganian. chairman of the Senate Judiciary Com-
Rouge. Thank you for giving so much As a midwesterner and as husband to mittee and allow for a second hearing
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to the people of Louisiana for all these a Michigan native who was born and so we could examine Mr. Mayorkas’s
45 years. raised in Traverse City, Secretary-Des- record thoroughly because, while I be-
You are a good person, and you are a ignate Buttigieg fully recognizes the lieve that the President has every right
fine American. God bless you and your need to protect the Great Lakes. to assemble his Cabinet, I also believe
family. I agree with Mayor Pete’s belief that, that the American people have every
I yield the floor. as he says, ‘‘good transportation policy right to understand exactly who is
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February 2, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S221
being put in charge of enforcing our vehicles or other avenues for the prod- sources to help build infrastructure in
Nation’s immigration laws and keeping ucts to be delivered. America needs to his community.
our border secure, enforcing counter- be competitive. He also helped facilitate public-pri-
terrorism measures and keeping an eye The American public also knows that vate partnerships to make the dollars
on the country’s cybersecurity. And poor infrastructure and the problems go farther, an important model for fu-
the current nominee? Never held ac- they see in their communities have to ture investments in transportation.
countable for showing favor to some be addressed, whether that is concrete One of those projects, the South Shore
friends in high places. That is not the crumbling off of bridges, delayed double-track project, whose full fund-
way this is supposed to be. trains, buses, congestion, railroads, or ing grant agreement was signed earlier
I would urge my colleagues to con- any of many issues. Just this week, a this month, is like many other State
sider the American people—the tax- highway in California slid into the and local projects. The South Shore
payers who are footing the bill for ocean, disrupting traffic along the fa- double track demanded impressive co-
every salary that is given to every in- mous Highway 1, and this could be a ordination between Federal, State, and
dividual working with the Federal Gov- delay for months. I know, again, the local governments to bring it to fru-
ernment. What is the standard? What Presiding Officer understands this as ition.
do they expect from their leaders? well as the State of Washington. Moth- Mayor Buttigieg’s Smart Streets Ini-
Thereby, I oppose the nomination. er Nature doesn’t always comply with tiative also shows he knows how to op-
I yield my time. our transportation needs. erate and succeed in the current envi-
I suggest the absence of a quorum. So while these investments and num- ronment and will be able to help com-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bers may seem huge to people, it is munities around the country replicate
clerk will call the roll. what this investment will enable that the success he had in South Bend.
The legislative clerk proceeded to we need to keep focused on. We need to He won’t be the first mayor to be the
call the roll. focus on the fact that the United Secretary of Transportation, but I
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I ask States makes and grows things, and we think we can say that when you have a
unanimous consent that the order for need to get them to their destinations. mayor in that job, they are going to
the quorum call be rescinded. We need people be able to get to their pay attention to local transportation
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without places of employment. So we need infrastructure investments to help our
objection, it is so ordered. someone at the Department of Trans- communities continue to grow and be
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I portation who is enthusiastic about competitive.
come to the floor today to support the taking on these challenges and helping We have a major opportunity, I be-
nomination of Pete Buttigieg to be President Biden administer a new era lieve, to now deliver on the infrastruc-
Secretary of Transportation. of transportation and the challenges ture needs of many of those commu-
We all know the nominee as Mayor that we face. nities. We should start immediately by
Pete—a man who basically came on to Mayor Buttigieg—a Harvard grad- talking about infrastructure packages
the national stage as a Midwest mayor uate, Rhodes Scholar, former U.S. Re- and working on a transportation infra-
who had lots of enthusiasm for making servist who I believe served in Afghani- structure plan for the 21st century be-
investments in America’s future. So stan—also understands the challenges cause it is clear we have opportunities
today we are considering his nomina- of smalltown mayors and the impacts this year, with the surface transpor-
tion to be Secretary of Transportation that transportation systems can have. tation programs expiring in September.
at a time when we need a lot of work He knows the challenges we now face Communities everywhere are de-
done on transportation. In my opinion, because of COVID–19, that there is a manding that we help work on these
he is a young, energetic mayor who is new burden on our transportation sys- important issues for their commu-
going to help us usher in a new era of tem because of the impact of lost rev- nities, but Mayor Buttigieg will also be
transportation. That means there is enue. called on to think about the new era of
going to be a lot of bipartisan dialogue State departments of transportation transportation and how we maintain
about how we get there. But this job estimate $50 billion in lost revenues our competitiveness. He will have to
should not be underestimated in terms over the next 5 years. Airports have think about issues of ensuring safety
of the importance of the transportation lost $23 billion because of people no with new autonomous vehicle tech-
sector and the investments for the fu- longer flying. Transit agencies will nologies and unmanned aircraft. He
ture that we need. have lost an estimated $50 billion by will have to promote stronger emission
Our transportation system serves as the end of 2021. These losses will con- standards for automobiles, aviation,
a backbone of our economy, and when tinue to compound until we find the and the maritime industry. He will
it is not doing well, the consequential best way to protect our transportation have to support the continued growth
impact of that affects our economy. It workers, our travelers, and to continue of electric vehicle infrastructure. He
affects how our businesses compete in a to help with personal protective equip- will have to make big investments in
global economy. It affects how people ment, testing, vaccines, and clear, game-changing projects that will help
get to and from work, and it affects health-based protocols to help return us move freight more cost-effectively
their home life as well. So it is a big safety to our transportation system through our Nation. People will want
job that we have, and I know that this and to build public confidence. That is to know and understand what our reli-
mayor and future Secretary of Trans- one of the reasons why we are fighting able passenger rail, transit systems,
portation understands how big this so hard for this next package of invest- roads, and investments in bridges are
challenge is. ments. going to be for the future.
We have underinvested in our infra- President Biden took decisive action So all of this is a big challenge, but
structure for decades. In the past 10 by mandating that people wear masks, I know that this nominee is up to that
years alone, we have underfunded our which is a giant step forward in our challenge. He did well at the com-
infrastructure needs by $1.5 trillion. transportation system. I think there is mittee in making sure that people un-
The American Society of Engineers es- more we can do, and hopefully our col- derstood that he believes that those
timates that we need to invest $5.6 tril- leagues can work together on that. challenges need to be addressed in
lion in our infrastructure over the next The long-term revenue outlet for order for America to continue to move
two decades, or the United States transportation also is changing, and so forward.
stands to lose about $10.3 trillion in it will be a long time before its recov- From my perspective, just in the
GDP. I know this because my State ery. State of Washington, before COVID had
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
knows this. I think the Presiding Offi- So I believe that Mayor Pete really hit, we saw 78 hours per year of
cer knows this as well. If the transpor- Buttigieg is the right choice for this delayed traffic; that is, the average
tation infrastructure doesn’t work, job because he was mayor of South commuter spent 78 hours in delayed
goods and services don’t get through Bend. He dealt with infrastructure traffic. A recent study in my State es-
your ports, they don’t get to their des- where the rubber meets the road—man- timated that Washingtonians lost more
tination, and businesses choose other aging State, Federal, and local re- than $7.4 billion each year in lost time
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S222 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 2, 2021
and wasted fuel due to congestion, de- the nomination of Mayor Pete The yeas and nays are ordered.
teriorated roads, and safety problems. Buttigieg to be the Secretary of the Under the previous order, the ques-
As America starts to head back to the United States Department of Transpor- tion is, Will the Senate advise and con-
office, no one wants to spend time back tation. sent to the Buttigieg nomination?
in that world of congestion, and so we I believe Mayor Buttigieg’s experi- The yeas and nays were previously
need to make critical investments. ence serving the people of South Bend, ordered.
People in Puget Sound know that we IN, as mayor and his service in the U.S. The clerk will call the roll.
need to fix the West Seattle Bridge. Navy Reserve position him well to lead The senior assistant bill clerk called
They know in Southwest Washington the Biden administration’s ambitious the roll.
that the Columbia River needs a new infrastructure and climate-related Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is
bridge across I–5. In Eastern Wash- agenda at the Department of Transpor- necessarily absent: the Senator from
ington, they know that we need a tation. Pennsylvania (Mr. TOOMEY).
north-south corridor. In Everett, they In coordination with Congress, Further, if present and voting, the
know that the trestle needs replace- Mayor Buttigieg will face numerous Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr.
ment if goods from Eastern Wash- challenges as the Transportation Sec- TOOMEY) would have voted ‘‘yea.’’
ington are going to get to the Port of retary concerning issues important to The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms.
Everett and out the door. Marylanders. SINEMA). Are there any other Senators
All of these things are investments, We must reauthorize WMATA to in the Chamber desiring to vote?
and with them come the structures of maintain and improve metro rail and The result was announced—yeas 86,
things like at-grade crossings, pas- bus service to Maryland’s DC suburbs, nays 13, as follows:
senger rail systems, and safety that are develop transit solutions for Baltimore [Rollcall Vote No. 11 Ex.]
huge, I believe, infrastructure invest- city and other jurisdictions throughout YEAS—86
ments that have not been quite appre- the State, and provide pandemic relief Baldwin Grassley Paul
ciated. I was very pleased to get Mr. assistance for Maryland’s motor coach Barrasso Hassan Peters
Buttigieg’s commitment during our and transit industries not included in Bennet Heinrich Portman
session with him that these things—at- the CARES Act and for whom the most Blumenthal Hickenlooper Reed
Blunt Hirono Risch
grade crossings, port competitiveness, recent bipartisan package was only a Booker Hoeven Romney
and moving products safely—should be down payment. Boozman Hyde-Smith Rosen
a big priority for the future. We also should focus on repairing and Braun Inhofe Rounds
The Lander Street project in Seattle, modernizing our infrastructure, invest- Brown Johnson Sanders
Burr Kaine
which was an investment of the new ing in local projects, working with Cantwell Kelly
Sasse
Schatz
freight program, is just a few blocks, other Federal partners to expand ac- Capito Kennedy
Schumer
but literally, congestion for hours had cess to broadband, addressing environ- Cardin King
Shaheen
Carper Klobuchar
stopped traffic from getting from I–5 to mental concerns such as air and noise Casey Leahy
Sinema
the Port of Seattle. The Lander Street pollution plaguing our communities Collins Lee Smith
project in a lot of ways represents what from air traffic, and connecting com- Coons Luján Stabenow
Cornyn Lummis Sullivan
it really is: a bridge to the future, a munities through the removal of aging Tester
Cortez Masto Manchin
bridge to get people moving where they infrastructure. As Secretary of Trans- Cramer Markey Thune
need to go, and the right investment, portation, Pete Buttigieg will also play Crapo McConnell Tillis
being competitive for the future. We a vital role in implementing Presidents Daines Menendez Van Hollen
Duckworth Merkley Warner
are going to face many more delays if Biden’s climate change agenda. Warnock
Durbin Moran
America doesn’t remain competitive. As one of the youngest Cabinet Sec- Ernst Murkowski Warren
So I look forward to working with retaries in decades and the first openly Feinstein Murphy Whitehouse
Mr. Buttigieg on all of these issues. He gay member of a Presidential Cabinet, Fischer Murray Wicker
also, during the committee hearing Gillibrand Ossoff Wyden
Mayor Buttigieg’s nomination presents Graham Padilla Young
process, committed that he will con- an opportunity to bridge the gap be-
tinue to work with Senator WICKER and tween the Federal Government and NAYS—13
me on important issues of aviation younger generations of Americans and Blackburn Hawley Scott (SC)
safety. He committed to us that he un- Cassidy Lankford Shelby
communities traditionally underrep- Cotton Marshall Tuberville
derstood that aviation safety and the resented by leadership in government. Cruz Rubio
FAA need to continue to make re- I am confident in Mayor Buttigieg’s Hagerty Scott (FL)
forms. I believe that if you want to be ability to take on these urgent chal- NOT VOTING—1
the leaders in aviation, you have to be lenges. And I look forward to voting Toomey
the leaders in aviation safety. I think yes on his nomination and working
Mayor Buttigieg understands that will closely with him in the years ahead to The nomination was confirmed.
be a very big job of the Department of tackle the issues facing our national The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
Transportation as well. infrastructure and transportation sys- the previous order, the motion to re-
I enthusiastically support this nomi- tem. consider is considered made and laid
nee. I look forward to the type of focus Ms. CANTWELL. I suggest the ab- upon the table, and the President will
he can give to the Department of sence of a quorum. be immediately notified of the Senate’s
Transportation. This area of our gov- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The actions.
ernment right now needs to address the clerk will call the roll. f
COVID crisis. It needs to help us plan The bill clerk proceeded to call the
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
for a better transportation system of roll.
the future. It needs to understand that The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
this transportation infrastructure and LUJÁN). The Senator from Rhode Is- the previous order, the Senate will re-
investment in these changes in these land. sume consideration of the Mayorkas
sectors—cars, planes, and passenger Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan- nomination, which the clerk will re-
systems are all very dynamic, changing imous consent that the order for the port.
industries, and so our competitiveness quorum call be rescinded. The senior assistant bill clerk read
will be at stake as well. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without the nomination of Alejandro Nicholas
So I encourage my colleagues to sup- objection, it is so ordered. Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia,
port this nominee. I am sure we will VOTE ON BUTTIGIEG NOMINATION to be Secretary of Homeland Security.
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
hear a lot of discussion from him and a Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask for f
lot of bipartisan effort to help get our the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a RECESS
transportation system fully funded.
I yield the floor. sufficient second? The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I There appears to be a sufficient sec- the previous order, the Senate stands
rise today to express my support for ond. in recess until 2:15 p.m.
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