Congressional Record — Senate, S1779 (March 24, 2021)

Summary

Congressional Record, Senate, page S1779, March 24, 2021. The page begins with authorizations for subcommittees to meet on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, at 2:30 p.m., including a closed hearing of the Subcommittee on Personnel of the Committee on Armed Services. Mr. Murphy asks unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1651, which was received from the House, that the Durbin amendment be agreed to, and that the bill, as amended, be passed; amendment No. 1407 (strike section 2(c)) is agreed to and the bill is passed. Orders for Thursday, March 25, 2021, follow, and Mr. Sullivan speaks about China.

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“Congressional Record — Senate, S1779 (March 24, 2021).” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-03-24-crec-2021-03-24-pt1-pgs1779-2-06633ebcec/, SHA-256 d518f3a72650bdc8ec78bcaa70d1e45af05d5ee664f5152fa8975576b1a3587a.

Full text

March 24, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1779
authorized to meet during the session amended, be considered read three It was a bit of a tongue-lashing, I
of the Senate on Wednesday, March 24, times and passed; and that the motion think, of the U.S. team, our Secretary
2021, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a closed to reconsider be considered made and of State, Tony Blinken. I think our
hearing. laid upon the table with no intervening team pushed back appropriately—the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON PERSONNEL action or debate. National Security Advisor, Jake Sul-
The Subcommittee on Personnel of The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- livan; Kurt Campbell, who also works
the Committee on Armed Services is pore. Without objection, it is so or- at the National Security Council. But
authorized to meet during the session dered. this was the first face-to-face meeting
of the Senate on Wednesday, March 24, The amendment (No. 1407) was agreed between the United States and Chinese
2021, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a closed to, as follows: diplomats with the Biden administra-
hearing. (Purpose: To improve the bill) tion.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER AND POWER Strike section 2(c). What we saw was a very confident
The amendment was ordered to be China, a very aggressive China that
The Subcommittee on Water and
engrossed and the bill to be read a showed up in Alaska. For example,
Power of the Committee on Environ-
third time. they were talking about ‘‘Chinese-style
ment and Public Works is authorized
The bill was read the third time. democracy.’’ We also know that as a
to meet during the session of the Sen-
The bill (H.R. 1651), as amended, was dictatorship.
ate on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, at
passed. Earth to the Chinese Communist
2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing.
Party: There is no democracy in China.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL SPENDING f
You run an authoritarian regime, so
OVERSIGHT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, MARCH don’t try to fool anybody. It is a dicta-
The Subcommittee on Federal Spend- 25, 2021 torship, not a democracy.
ing Oversight and Emergency Manage- But the bigger issue is this: Xi
Mr. MURPHY. Finally, I would ask
ment of the Committee on Homeland Jinping and the Chinese Communist
unanimous consent that when the Sen-
Security and Governmental Affairs is Party clearly believe that it is rising,
ate completes its business today, it ad-
authorized to meet during the session that its rise for this century is
journ until 10 a.m., Thursday, March
of the Senate on Wednesday, March 24, unstoppable, and that the United
25; that following the prayer and
2021, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing. States—and the West but particularly
pledge, the morning hour be deemed
f expired, the Journal of proceedings be the United States, our country—is de-
approved to date, the time for the two clining and there is nothing we can do
MEASURE READ THE FIRST to stop this. They say this in private.
TIME—S. 963 leaders be reserved for their use later
in the day, and morning business be They say it in public. And they believe
Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, I un- closed; that upon conclusion of morn- it. They are confident to the point of
derstand that there is a bill at the ing business, the Senate resume the being cocky, as we saw in Alaska, to
desk, and I ask for its first reading. motion to proceed to Calendar No. 11, the point of calling their dictatorship a
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- H.R. 1799, as provided under the pre- democracy, which, of course, it isn’t.
pore. The clerk will read the bill by vious order; finally, that the votes Now, my view—and I think it is the
title for the first time. scheduled for 11 a.m. begin at 10:45 a.m. view of every Senator here; I certainly
The legislative clerk read as follows: The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- hope it is; I think it is—is that it is
A bill (S. 963) to authorize dedicated do- pore. Without objection, it is so or- never a good idea to bet against the
mestic terrorism offices within the Depart- dered. United States. Every major power in
ment of Homeland Security, the Department Mr. MURPHY. For the information of the world that has done so has lost
of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Inves- that bet. That is a fact, but we clearly
Senators, we expect to have four roll-
tigation to analyze and monitor domestic have work to do. We have a lot of work
terrorist activity and require the Federal call votes beginning at 10:45 a.m. to-
morrow. Additional rollcall votes are to do as it relates to this challenge.
Government to take steps to prevent domes-
tic terrorism, and for other purposes. expected during Thursday’s session. I have been coming to the Senate
f
floor for the last 6 years talking about
Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, I now this issue, talking about this chal-
ask for a second reading, and in order ORDER FOR ADJOURNMENT lenge, talking about some of the things
to place the bill on the calendar under that we need to do to address the big-
Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, if there
the provisions of rule XIV, I object to gest U.S. strategic challenge for this
is no further business to come before
my own request. century. It is the rise of China.
the Senate, I ask unanimous consent
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Now we have a new administration in
that it stand adjourned under the pre-
pore. Objection having been heard, the power, and it was clear from the Alas-
vious order following the remarks of
bill will be receive a second reading on ka meeting that the Chinese Com-
Senators SULLIVAN and SASSE.
the next legislative day. munist Party plans to aggressively
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
f pore. Without objection, it is so or- challenge the Biden administration.
dered. Now, I have a lot of disagreements al-
COVID–19 BANKRUPTCY RELIEF ready with the Biden administration,
The Senator from Alaska.
EXTENSION ACT OF 2021 especially the way in which they are
f
Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, I ask treating my State. I have been speak-
unanimous consent that the Senate CHINA ing on the Senate floor—eight Execu-
proceed to the immediate consider- Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I tive orders focused on Alaska, shutting
ation of H.R. 1651, which was received wanted to come down to the Senate down our economy, killing jobs. And I
from the House and is at the desk. floor for a couple reasons, but first I will fight them hard on this. But, on
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- want to talk a little bit about what China, I believe it is imperative that
pore. The clerk will report the bill by happened in Alaska last weekend—ac- we all work together, not as Democrats
title. tually, a really important meeting be- and Republicans but as Americans, as
The legislative clerk read as follows: tween the United States and China, our we have done when other major powers
A bill (H.R. 1651) to amend the CARES Act senior diplomats, their senior dip- have threatened the United States.

rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
to extend the sunset for the definition of a lomats. It took place in Anchorage, The Communist Party of China clear-
small business debtor, and for other pur- and let’s just say the meeting was as ly sees one of our major weaknesses as
poses. frosty as the Alaska air. our political divisions. They write
There being no objection, the Senate It was a tough meeting. The Chinese about it. It is in all the intel. They
proceeded to consider the bill. came out, kind of took a little advan- talk about it. Look, we are a democ-
Mr. MURPHY. I further ask that the tage of being extra verbose in their racy. We are transparent, unlike them.
Durbin amendment at the desk be con- opening statements, going against the Our political divisions are on full dis-
sidered and agreed to; that the bill, as 2-minute, agreed-upon time limit. play. You see them tonight. By the

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