Congressional Record, Senate Page S5130 — July 28, 2021
Summary
Congressional Record, Senate, page S5130, July 28, 2021. The speaker argues that military aid to Egypt of $1.3 billion should be tied to human rights conditions, stating that the State Department waives the conditions nearly every year. The speaker says Congress has directed the Secretary of State to withhold $300 million if Sisi does not substantially reverse a campaign of political repression, and describes the arrest of relatives of Mohamed Soltan in February. The speaker then says the infrastructure plan has not been written out and that support is not possible until its details, costs and payfors can be reviewed.
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“Congressional Record, Senate Page S5130 — July 28, 2021.”
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S5130 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 28, 2021
give to Egypt on its human rights But in reality, the return on invest- Earlier today, we heard that there
record, hoping that if we tied a portion ment for our military aid to Egypt, it was an agreement, I assume in prin-
of the $1.3 billion to things like holding has been diminishing for a long time ciple, on the major portions of the pro-
free and fair elections, or releasing po- now. And there is no reason that the posed plan, which I concede is a major
litical prisoners, allowing the media things that we get from Egypt—Suez sign of progress. I want to commend all
space to operate, that the Egyptian access, overflight rights, continued up- of our colleagues, including Senators
Government would make progress. holding of the peace treaty with PORTMAN, COLLINS, ROMNEY, and CAS-
But nearly every single year, the Israel—will be overturned should they SIDY, who have been working hard on
State Department waives those condi- get only $1 billion rather than $1.3 bil- our side of the aisle to achieve con-
tions and just gives Egypt the money, lion this year. sensus, and on the Democratic side,
even when the conditions aren’t close Why is that? Senators like Senator MANCHIN and
to being met. Only once—and I will Well, because in 1987, those benefits SINEMA and others.
give them credit for this—in 2017, Sec- Egypt provides were arguably conces- But this infrastructure plan that we
retary Tillerson cut $95 million and sions to our requests. But, today, haven’t seen yet is no more ready for
temporarily held up another $195 mil- Egypt does those things not because we action today on the floor than it was
lion of Egypt’s aid money, but even pay them to do it, but because they last week. We made clear last week
that $195 million was released before have their own reasons to do them. that we wanted to see the details be-
all the conditions were met. For years, the United States looked fore voting on a trillion-dollar bill that
Never has the State Department just the other way while another regional will impact every community across
said the obvious: The conditions power, Saudi Arabia, carried out its this country.
weren’t met. We are not going to waive own dizzying campaign of repression Until this bill is actually written and
them. You are not getting the money. against its own people. We did vir- we have a chance to review it, includ-
And we are talking about a portion of tually nothing. We said virtually noth- ing all the details, the costs, the pay-
the money, this year, $300 million of ing. Instead, we rewarded Saudi Arabia fors, and the impact it will have on our
the $1.3 billion. with record amounts of armed sales. States, I will not support it. And I
It is painfully clear that the lesson And then one day, they kidnapped a imagine the majority of my Republican
Egypt has learned over the years is a U.S. resident and they chopped him to colleagues feel the same way.
simple one: America is not serious pieces. And America was made a fool in Now, I say that also believing that it
about human rights, and so we don’t the eyes of the world, and, in some is important for us to get a bipartisan
need to invest in improvements; we are ways, we have had a hard time recov- infrastructure bill. I actually want us
going to get the money anyway. ering from that day. to. But part of the challenge is these
This year, Congress has said that the Mohamed Soltan, just like Jamal groups of gangs that operate outside of
Secretary of State should withhold $300 Khashoggi, believes that there is no what we would call regular order here;
million of military aid to Egypt if Sisi other nation in the world that cares that is, the committees of jurisdiction,
doesn’t substantially reverse his cam- more about standing up for democracy where all Senators get to participate in
paign of political repression and in- and civil rights than America. Egypt the final product, including on the
timidation. What we know, unequivo- doesn’t care. They harass and imprison floor of the Senate, that is really not
cally, is that no meaningful progress his relatives at will—the relatives of a possible when you have a group—a
has been made. The latest arrests of high-profile American citizen—because small group, a subset of the Senate ne-
Mohamed Soltan’s family were done in they can. Let’s not make the same mis- gotiating a deal among themselves, and
February of this year. That was kind of take with Egypt that we made with then they present it to us as a fait
like a thumb in the eye of the new ad- Saudi Arabia. accompli and say: You have to accept
ministration and the new Congress. Egypt notices when we talk tough it.
Like clockwork every year, right be- and do nothing, so does the rest of the Well, it doesn’t work very well, ordi-
fore the annual waiver is given by the world. And so withholding $300 million narily, but I am willing to give them a
State Department, Egypt normally of their $1.3 billion until Egypt makes chance because I know they have com-
does release a few of the most egre- real concessions on reform, it won’t mitted a lot of time and effort into
giously detained prisoners or an- fundamentally harm U.S. interests in this. But it is going to depend on a cou-
nounces some minor change in policy, the Middle East. It will only make us ple of things. My vote, ultimately, is
but it is always window dressing. The more safe. going to depend on a couple of things.
trend from year to year is always the It is the best opportunity for the First of all, we fund our highways,
same: more human rights violations, Biden administration to show that we our roads, and bridges mainly through
more intimidation, less free speech, mean it when we say that the stakes in the gas tax. That is the amount of
less democracy. the fight between autocracy and de- money that goes into the gallon of gas
This year, the United States must mocracy are sky high and that we are that is dedicated for the highway trust
withhold the $300 million, in accord- willing to do more than just talk about fund. Well, because our cars are getting
ance with the law passed by this Con- our values. America has the capacity more mileage now and because we are
gress. It will send a message to Egypt to live them as well. seeing alternatives, like electric vehi-
that we are serious about reform and, I yield the floor. cles, the highway trust fund is simply
maybe more importantly, it will send a The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- inadequate to fund the demand of our
message to the world that we are will- ator from Texas. infrastructure: roads and bridges and
ing to walk the walk, not just talk the INFRASTRUCTURE the like.
talk. Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, it was 1 But that is no excuse for us to get
Now, this town freaks out whenever week ago that the Senate held a proce- away from what has heretofore been a
the security assistance gravy train dural vote on a bill that hadn’t even pay-for model or a user-fee model. In
goes off the rails, even for a moment. been written. And to no one’s surprise, other words, infrastructure should be
Keeping the pipeline of American arms it failed. paid for by the people who use it, not
flowing to brutal regimes, it makes a Republicans, for our part, said it people who don’t use it. And that is
lot of people rich in Washington. And made no sense to advance to a more why the gas tax, at least as originally
those people are whispering in the ears than $1 trillion infrastructure plan be- conceived, made a lot of sense.
of Congress and the administration fore knowing what was in the plan and But we made a couple of mistakes.
right now, making the claim, as they
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how it would be paid for. One, we didn’t index it to inflation.
do every single year, that the sky is Our Democratic colleagues argued And, secondly, we just couldn’t ac-
going to fall if Egypt doesn’t get its that the big text was imminent, com- count, back when the gas tax was
$1.3 billion—all of it, all of the $1.3 bil- ing any moment, any second, and it adopted, for the innovation we have
lion—as they have every year since was critical to get the process started. seen in transportation—natural gas-
1987. They will say that all the lines of Well, here we are, 1 week later. I driven vehicles, electric vehicles, and
cooperation that I mentioned earlier guess the bill text wasn’t imminent be- the like—that pay nothing for our
will disappear. cause we still haven’t seen it yet. roads and infrastructure.
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July 28, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5131
And I think it is a very serious prob- bill into law unless, at the same time, Well, we have seen this kind of polit-
lem for us from a fiscal point of view to he could sign the partisan, reckless ical maneuvering before. In fact, Sen-
get away from the user-fee model. First tax-and-spending bill that is passed ator SCHUMER’s designed-to-fail agenda
of all, we know that we have had to purely on a partisan basis. In other practically dominated the work of this
spend a lot of money to fight the words, they are linked both by Speaker Chamber last month. He scheduled
COVID–19 virus, to deal with the public PELOSI and by President Biden. votes on some of the most controver-
health and the economic consequences Now, President Biden did walk that sial bills out there in order to orches-
associated with it. back, or at least he tried to, but Speak- trate Republican opposition: legisla-
That is why we passed, I believe it er PELOSI has remained adamant that tion that exploits the cause of pay fair-
was, a total of five bills last year alone she will not pass any bipartisan infra- ness to line the pockets of trial law-
on a bipartisan basis to defeat this structure bill in the House unless she yers, a bill to seize States’ power to
virus. And you could tell from some of can get the votes in the House and, pre- regulate their own elections, as pro-
the face masks being worn here in the sumably, in the Senate in order to put vided for in the Constitution, and to
Chamber right now, we have not yet pressure on some of the Democrats who cement the Democratic majorities in
been able to defeat it finally, notwith- are resistant to seeing us continue to the Congress for the foreseeable future.
standing the discovery and broad use of add to our national debt and fuel infla- And now the majority leader is
vaccines and other treatments. tion by more reckless spending, as well threatening to tank an infrastructure
But an infrastructure bill is different as the huge tax increases that would bill so he can go on to another partisan
than a pandemic because we actually necessarily go along with it. tax-and-spending-spree bill, which
should be in the position of paying for So I am beginning to wonder if there makes me think that is really what
our spending rather than borrowing was actually a sincere desire on the they care the most about. Rather than
from future generations. part of our Democratic leaders here in give the negotiators time to succeed
I appreciate the good work that has the Senate whether they actually and the rest of us time to understand
been done by the bipartisan negoti- wanted to pass a bipartisan bill or what is in the bill and to consult ap-
ating group to try to come up with whether their goal was really to pass propriately with our constituents, Sen-
some credible pay-fors, but they the reckless tax-and-spending-spree ator SCHUMER turned what should be a
haven’t been able to use the traditional bill that Speaker PELOSI said had to unifying process to build consensus
user-fee model because President Biden pass if we were going to pass a bipar- into a divisive one, all in order to tee
and his administration took it off the tisan bill. up his desire to see us pass a multitril-
bargaining table, which means you We also need to know whether Sen- lion-dollar tax-and-spending bill. That
have to use other pay-fors outside of a ator SCHUMER will honor requests for is on top of all the spending that we
user-fee model in order to pay for it or people who were not part of the negoti- have done on a bipartisan basis for
else you just merely add to our debt ating group, the gang—I guess they COVID–19, at least until the first part
and pass on the responsibility to pay call themselves G–10 or G–20 or G–21— of this year, when our Democratic col-
those bills back to future generations. whatever they are called. But it is a leagues insisted on pushing through
Well, I don’t think any of this is news subset of Senators who have been nego- another $1.9 trillion of unpaid-for
to the majority leader, who, once tiating the bill. The question is wheth- spending, all in the name of COVID–19,
again, has scheduled a vote before we er the majority will permit other Sen- when we all know that only about 10
have a bill that we can actually read, ators who are not part of that negoti- percent of it was addressed at the pan-
discuss with our constituents. ating group to offer amendments to the demic, which causes all of us to recall
I, for example, would like to be able bill and whether they will permit us to Rahm Emanuel’s famous statement
to discuss the contents of the bill with have debate and votes on those amend- that ‘‘an emergency is a terrible thing
my friends at the Texas Department of ments because I didn’t delegate the re- to waste.’’ And in the name of COVID–
Transportation and the Governor and sponsibilities I have as a Senator, rep- 19 relief, another $1.9 trillion was added
other people who are very much en- resenting 29 million Americans, to to our children and grandchildren’s
gaged in what the infrastructure in my them to negotiate a bill for my State. debt burden.
State looks like, what it should be, and That is my responsibility, and I insist Well, for the reckless tax-and-spend-
what we need in terms of investments on having a chance to read the bill, to ing bill that Speaker PELOSI so des-
in the future. But I can’t do that if the consult with them, and to see what the perately wants, the pricetag has been
bill text hasn’t even been released yet, impact is going to be on my State and put on that legislation at another $3.5
and the majority leader knows that. to consult with my Governor and the trillion, and I don’t think most of us
So the question I have is: Why in the head of the Texas Department of can really get our head around what a
world would the majority leader sched- Transportation and others to see trillion is. It is more than a billion, we
ule another vote before the bill is even whether this is something they believe know. It is a whole lot more than a
released, before we can read it and con- that earns my support and that Texas million. But this kind of reckless
sult with our staff and outside experts, should support. spending is really unprecedented, ex-
like my friends at the Texas Depart- None of this is mysterious. This is cept in a national emergency, like
ment of Transportation? the normal way of doing business COVID–19 relief.
We have seen contradictory signs around here. Moving bills through com- Some budget experts have estimated
about what our Democratic colleagues mittee, Democrats and Republicans get that the reckless tax-and-spending-
really hope to do. When asked about a chance to shape those bills in com- spree bill that Speaker PELOSI so des-
the fate of the bipartisan infrastruc- mittee, and then the majority leader perately wants could actually cost $5.5
ture plan, the Democratic majority brings it to the floor, and then every- trillion, and if our Democratic col-
whip said talks have gone on long body else gets to participate in the leagues insist on rolling the bipartisan
enough, and he would support rolling it process. infrastructure bill into that plan, it
into the Democrats’ reckless tax-and- I hope in his rush to get this bill out will cost taxpayers even more.
spending bill that NANCY PELOSI said the door, that the majority leader will Well, as a reminder, our Democratic
she would not pass in the House a bi- allow a reasonable amendment process. colleagues spent more than $2 trillion
partisan infrastructure bill unless, at This isn’t like the early days of the earlier this year alone, as I mentioned,
the same time, she was able to pass pandemic, when we were experiencing a and the result of this reckless spending
what has nominally been called a $3.5 global emergency. We need to deal with
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spree speaks for itself.
trillion spending bill, but we know it is our infrastructure needs, but this isn’t Democrats have sent big incentives
actually spending a whole lot more emergency spending. This is part of the to workers to remain at home, not
money than that. daily or annual bread and butter of back at work, through September of
President Biden spilled the beans what the legislative process should be this year by enhancing their unemploy-
when this bipartisan group was at the about, and that is another reason why ment benefits with an additional Fed-
White House a few weeks ago, where he we shouldn’t pass a bill without re- eral Government bonus, which provided
said he would not sign the bipartisan sponsible pay-fors. that in my State about 80 percent of
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S5132 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 28, 2021
the people collecting unemployment I want to make sure that our col- took to the streets in a courageous call
insurance were making more on unem- leagues know that I appreciate the for democratic change. Among those
ployment insurance than they were work they have put into this bill, but I clamoring for freedom were Afro-Cu-
going back to work. So it is no wonder know they also appreciate the indi- bans demanding an end to discrimina-
that we had trouble getting people vidual responsibility that we have as tion and injustice, young people dream-
back to work, and businesses had to Senators to participate in the process, ing of a brighter future in their coun-
cut back on their open hours. Res- particularly when it comes to spending try, artists and activists from the San
taurants had to close down because $1 trillion on infrastructure. Isidro Movement singing ‘‘Patria y
they simply couldn’t find the workers, We need to have the text of the bill, Vida’’ and ordinary citizens facing
or the businesses couldn’t compete not just a summary. I appreciate our widespread food shortages, poor access
with the Federal Government for these colleagues giving some of us a note- to healthcare, and little to no protec-
essential workers. book. It is a bipartisan infrastructure tion from the ravages of COVID–19.
We are a long way from reaching investment and jobs act summary. The people of Cuba are crying out for
prepandemic unemployment rates. That is helpful, but that is not legisla- freedom, and we must hear them.
And, surprisingly, job openings are at tive text. And then we need an open (English translation of the statement
record highs. amendment process so that those of us made in Spanish is as follows:)
But here is one of the biggest con- who weren’t party to the bipartisan ne- The Cuban people are asking for what is
cerns that is borne out by polling that gotiations can participate in the proc- fair, which is freedom, and we must listen to
people are beginning to have, and that ess. Hopefully, it will make the bill their cry.
is inflation. We are seeing inflation at better. I would like to see us actually This is not about politics or ideology.
a 13-year high. Consumers are feeling substitute some of the spending pay- The free world has a responsibility to
the sting of rising prices for virtually fors with a user-fee model that has stand with those who are not yet free,
everything they buy. That is what hap- been traditional, using the gas tax. As and the people of Cuba are anything
pens when too much money chases too I said earlier, the gas tax has become a but free.
few goods and services. Prices go up. little outmoded and insufficient to pay Let’s dispel the myths about what
And we are seeing the cause of that in- for the infrastructure that we all want life is under the Cuban regime. For dec-
flation, its impact on gasoline, on gro- and need. ades, the regime’s ruthless and repres-
ceries, and on appliances. Folks are There is a real need to invest in sive tactics have systemically silenced
shelling out more money for these America’s infrastructure, and it has the Cuban people while party insiders
products today than they have been as never been more important for us to and cronies enrich themselves at their
recently as a year ago. actually pay for those investments in a expense.
And if you have gone to the used car Today, Cuba remains a one-party
responsible way.
lot recently, you are bound for some communist state, where the basic prin-
As it stands today, our debt-to-GDP
serious sticker shock. And you can’t ciples of political pluralism and rep-
ratio—gross domestic product—is at
even get a new car because of the semi- resentative democracy are outlawed—
the highest level since World War II.
conductor shortage caused by the pan- outlawed. There are no free and fair
This is not the time to continue spend-
demic. But over the last year alone,
ing and spending and spending until elections in Cuba. Miguel Diaz-Canel
used car prices have gone up an eye-
our grandkids are left sitting in a pit of may have appeared on a ballot, but
popping 45 percent.
As I said, there is another reason why debt so deep they will never climb out there were no other candidates. He was
new cars aren’t available, and that is of it. not chosen by the people but hand-
because the semiconductors that make I am encouraged that our colleagues picked by the Castros as their suc-
these computers on wheels actually have gotten us this far, but the bill is cessor. He has the same ideology. He
run have not been available because 90 not ready, and we need to see the text says the same things. He talks about
percent of them are made overseas, in and be given adequate time to read it ‘‘la continuation,’’ the continuation—
Asia. and consult with our constituents continuation of oppression.
Now, we have taken an important about it and to satisfy ourselves that There is no freedom of the press in
step to try to deal with this vulnerable the summaries they provided us and Cuba. Independent journalists are rou-
supply chain of semiconductors, which the pay-fors are real. tinely targeted with violence, harass-
affects both our economy and our na- Senator SCHUMER would be wise to ment, imprisonment, and raids on their
tional security, when we passed the postpone today’s vote until Members homes and offices.
U.S. Innovation and Competition Act on both sides have had a chance to There is no internet freedom in Cuba.
last month here in the Senate. So we evaluate the details of this legislation. The regime monitors online traffic,
are capable of doing things on a bipar- With that, I yield the floor. blocks sites, and charges so much
tisan basis if given the opportunity. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- money for data that most Cubans can-
The Wall Street Journal recently ator from New Jersey. not afford access. And when the regime
called this bill, the Innovation and Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask gets scared about what the Cuban peo-
Competition Act, the ‘‘third infrastruc- unanimous consent that at certain ple are saying and doing, they shut
ture initiative’’ and noted that while times during my remarks I be allowed down the whole internet. Yes, they
smaller, it is ‘‘freighted with just as to address the Senate in Spanish. shut down the whole internet. The only
much long-term economic and stra- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without reason a government shuts down the
tegic importance.’’ objection, it is so ordered. internet is because they fear their own
So as Congress debates infrastructure CUBA people.
investments, we can’t let the one that Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I But this has consequences. I recently
passed the Senate last month slip rise today to urge leaders across the had a Catholic priest visiting here in
through the cracks. There is a lot on United States and governments around Washington from Cuba. He told me an
the line for our economy and national the world to stand in solidarity with incredibly powerful story. He said this
security, and we need the CHIPS pro- the people of Cuba as they cry out for young man came to see him in church
gram up and running, which is a $52 freedom—for ‘‘libertad’’—and for an and said: I would fight. I would give my
billion investment in domestic manu- end to decades of dictatorship. life for the cause of freedom if only
facturing of advanced semiconduc- What is happening in Cuba today is someone would know that I died.
nothing short of historic. Yes, we have If only someone would know that I
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tors—something that we rely on Asia
for, and principally Taiwan, which pro- seen protests take place in years past, died.
duces 63 percent of advanced semi- but the demonstrations that began on There is no freedom of expression in
conductors. And we can only imagine if July 11 stand apart. Cuba. Hundreds of activists, artists,
that supply chain from Taiwan or Asia What began as one small pro-democ- and political dissidents are taken pris-
was disrupted by another pandemic, a racy protest in San Antonio de los Ba oner every year without due process.
natural disaster, or, Heaven forbid, a os spread across the island in a matter Others are beaten in the streets or ter-
military conflict. of hours. Cubans from all walks of life minated from their jobs for daring to
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