Senate Session of September 27, 2021, Page S6684 — Congressional Record
Summary
This is S6684 of the Congressional Record, Senate, September 27, 2021, with interleaved columns. The Senate resumes consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 5305, the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, a bill making continuing appropriations. A speaker urges Republicans to vote yes to avoid a default and a government shutdown, and says the bill would provide emergency funding for people affected by disasters. Under the heading Vaccinations, Mr. McConnell says he received a COVID-19 booster, and he criticizes Democratic spending, the Afghanistan withdrawal, and the border, with the views attributed to the speakers.
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“Senate Session of September 27, 2021, Page S6684 — Congressional Record.”
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S6684 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 27, 2021
There is no scenario on God’s green RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME choices that Democrats have made
Earth where it should be worth risking The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under over the objections of people who actu-
millions of jobs, trillions in household the previous order, the leadership time ally knew better. Democrats did not in-
wealth, people’s Social Security is reserved. herit most of the painful inflation that
checks, veterans’ benefits, and another is hammering working families. Their
f
recession, just to score a short-term, decisions have fueled it. Even liberal
meaningless political point. That is CONCLUSION OF MORNING economists warned the President that
what Republicans seem fixated on BUSINESS runaway liberal spending could send
doing. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning costs soaring—soaring—for the middle
Now, there is a very simple step we business is closed. class. Now working Americans are pay-
can take today to guarantee the gov- ing dearly at the grocery store, at the
f
ernment won’t default and won’t shut gas station, and practically everywhere
down. Both sides can come together to LEGISLATIVE SESSION that matters to families.
vote yes on today’s vote and vote to --- And what are Democrats doing
pass the continuing resolution. Just as today? Putting together yet another
Democrats worked in a bipartisan fash- EXTENDING GOVERNMENT FUND- reckless taxing-and-spending spree be-
ion under the Trump administration, ING AND DELIVERING EMER- hind closed doors that would make in-
Republicans must now step up to the GENCY ASSISTANCE ACT—MO- flation even worse.
plate. To do otherwise is the height of TION TO PROCEED
Now, President Biden did not inherit
recklessness and irresponsibility. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under humiliation in Afghanistan either; he
Republicans say they don’t want to the previous order, the Senate will re- deliberately chose that as well. The
see a government shutdown. They say sume consideration of the motion to Biden administration’s own experts
they don’t want to see our government proceed to H.R. 5305, which the clerk warned the White House that a reck-
default on our debt. Then, they should will report. less withdrawal would embolden terror-
vote yes. It is plain and simple. It is The legislative clerk read as follows: ists and harm our ability to gather in-
very clear. There is no obfuscation Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 137, telligence that keeps us safe. But the
here—crystal clear. Voting yes means H.R. 5305, a bill making continuing appro-
President clung to his made-up dead-
avoiding default and avoiding a govern- priations for the fiscal year ending Sep-
tember 30, 2022, and for providing emergency line, handed huge momentum to the
ment shutdown. Voting no says: Let’s Taliban and their terrorist friends, and
assistance, and for other purposes.
risk it. Let’s risk it. broke his explicit promise to leave no
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER
By choosing to block today’s resolu- American behind who wanted out. As
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re-
tion, Republicans are intentionally one former Democratic Member of Con-
publican leader is recognized.
making default more likely. By block- gress said last week, ‘‘The way the ad-
VACCINATIONS
ing an extension of the debt limit, Re- ministration executed that withdrawal
publicans will solidify themselves for a Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, last week has been an utter and abject
long time as the party of default. I am glad to share that, a few minutes disaster.’’
ago, I received a booster vaccination
I cannot emphasize that this isn’t for COVID–19. All throughout the pan- Democrats did not inherit this border
just another political game. We are demic, I have followed the best advice crisis either. This security nightmare
facing a parade of horribles that will from experts and especially from my and human tragedy is yet another di-
hurt every single American in this own healthcare providers. It was an rect result of their own policies. Presi-
country. And it is important to remem- easy decision to receive a booster. dent Biden and his allies spent 2 years
ber that today’s vote will also advance I am a survivor of childhood polio campaigning on the concept of Big
a number of priorities besides just from before vaccines—before vaccines Government giveaways to people here
funding the government and avoiding eradicated that disease here in our illegally. Then they took office and
default, as important as those are. It country and around the world now. So began dismantling enforcement on the
would provide desperately needed I have been a lifelong champion of vac- border. So what do they expect? Wave
emergency funding for millions of peo- cinations. after wave of vulnerable people have
ple affected by natural disasters from Mountains of evidence tell us these been lured into hellish conditions by
this summer, including hurricanes, shots are safe, effective, and dramati- the mirage the Democrats have set
wildfires, and flooding across Ten- cally shrink the odds of severe disease up—cruelty masquerading as compas-
nessee, Kentucky, and Virginia. It will or death from COVID. Like I have been sion. Untold thousands of people have
provide billions to help resettle Afghan saying for months, these safe and effec- simply been released into our country
refugees who risked their lives helping tive vaccines are the way to defend with what amounts to a polite invita-
our troops abroad. Both sides claim ourselves and our families from this tion to show up—show up—for a hear-
they support these priorities. So the terrible virus. They are also how we ing. Even before the Biden surge, only
easy answer is to vote yes later today. stay on offense against COVID as a about half of individuals actually
Being elected to office means some- country. All Americans should speak showed up.
times you have to do things to rise with their doctors and get vaccinated. One self-created crisis after another
above partisan politics. It means we ECONOMY from our unified Democratic Party
have an obligation to work together Madam President, now, on a com- government. The latest additions are
when our country faces an acute crisis. pletely different matter, it is not un- their confusion about how to fund the
Tearing the barn down is easy. Build- usual for a President to have a rough government and raise the debt ceiling.
ing it up, preserving it, and keeping it spell. Every administration faces a For more than 2 months now, Senate
standing year after year takes hard stretch of time where nothing seems to Republicans have been completely
work and cooperation. And, at the end go their way. But what we are wit- clear about how this process will play
of the day, the only thing that matters nessing today is entirely different. out, so let me make it abundantly
in this Chamber is how its Members President Biden has not been dealt a clear one more time.
vote. bad hand by forces outside his control. We will support a clean continuing
Rest assured, Democrats will vote This White House is not sailing resolution that will prevent a govern-
today to do the right thing. The Amer- through some unavoidable patch of ment shutdown, get disaster relief to
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ican people will be watching whether choppy water. No, the Democrats have Louisiana, help properly vetted Afghan
or not our Republican colleagues steered our country straight into a refugees who put themselves on the
choose to vote in favor of preserving storm of serious crises all of their own line for America, and support the Iron
our full faith and credit or vote in making. Dome assistance for our ally Israel. We
favor of an unprecedented default. On issue after issue, Americans are will not provide Republican votes for
I yield the floor. hurting because of specific policy raising the debt limit.
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September 27, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6685
As we speak, Democrats are behind get it—January 6. Here we were in this claims that the election was stolen. He
closed doors, assembling a multitril- Chamber in the process of certifying has done just the opposite. He has in-
lion-dollar reckless taxing-and-spend- the electoral college votes. It was a tensified these false, malicious claims
ing spree. There is no chance Repub- pretty solemn occasion because this that somehow or another the vote was
licans will help lift Democrats’ credit happens once every 4 years. We have rigged or stolen, whatever his term
limit so they can immediately steam- documents coming from the States might be—a fraud on the public—de-
roll through a socialist binge that will telling us what happened in the elec- spite clear evidence to the contrary.
hurt families and help China. tion of last year for President of the He pointed to a number of States
There is no particular tradition that United States. It is our job to make that he said proved his point, where he
the minority will always vote for debt sure that those reports are documented just could not have lost—Donald
limit hikes during united government. and that the ordinary process of the de- Trump could not have lost these
When Republicans had unified control mocracy proceeds. States—so clearly, he argued, some-
in the early 2000s, then-Senators Biden This January 6 was not an ordinary thing happened there that was criminal
and Schumer voted no on a debt limit day by any means. Before we set about or wrong, and an investigation would
increase and made the party in power our task here in the Senate and the show it.
handle it on their own—exactly the sit- House, the President of the United Well, one of those States was Ari-
uation we are in now. The roles were States, Donald Trump, held a rally, zona. Joe Biden carried Arizona by
reversed. Bipartisanship is not a light claiming that, in fact, he didn’t lose roughly 10,500 votes. Forty-five thou-
switch—a light switch—that Demo- the election, that he won the last elec- sand Biden votes came from Maricopa
crats get to flip on when they need to tion, and he alleged all sorts of fraud County, so it was obviously crucial to
borrow money and switch off when and misconduct on the part of Demo- his win. So the Republicans in Arizona
they want to spend money. crats and others that resulted in this decided they were going to zero in on
The debt suspension that expired in faulty report that somehow or another Maricopa County and prove once and
August covered all the debt that had he had lost the election. for all that Donald Trump didn’t lose
been accumulated to that point. This is Well, his crowd got so fired up that that county by 45,000 votes. Well, they
an argument about the future. Demo- they decided to march on the Capitol went to great lengths to do it.
crats want to use this temporary pan- as we were counting the electoral col- First, they gathered all their right-
demic as a Trojan horse for permanent lege ballots. I can remember it well. wing groups and Trump’s defenders and
socialism. They have all but said so. Vice President Pence was sitting where raised $5.7 million in donations. Then
And that is what millions and millions you were, I say to the Presiding Offi- they hired a group with the unlikely
of Americans elected 50 Republican cer. We were going through the regular name—I am looking for it here; some-
Senators to fight against. process, and it was a little after 2 thing to do with ninjas. I am sure it
For 10 weeks now—10 weeks—Demo- o’clock in the afternoon. All of a sud- will pop up. Oh, Cyber Ninjas. This
crats have known what kind of govern- group has no experience analyzing an
den, that door opened over there, and
ment funding legislation could pass the election. Yet they turned over all the
people came in in suits I had never seen
Senate and what kind would fail. Re- ballots from Maricopa County to them
before and literally yanked the Vice
publicans are not rooting for a shut- to recount.
President off the podium and pulled
down or debt limit breach. We have Well, they pursued many bizarre
him out that door.
given the united Democratic govern- It was only a minute or two later theories, one of which I think was pro-
ment total clarity about how each can that a member of the Capitol Police— mulgated by the ever-reliable Rudy
be avoided. Republicans have explained Giuliani that somehow or another
the men and women who guard us and
exactly what kind of continuing resolu- there were bamboo fibers found in
guard the visitors to this Capitol—a
tion can pass the Senate with our sup- these election ballots, and those were
member of the Capitol Police stood
port.
where you are sitting and reported to an indication of wrongdoing and can
Late last week, the House Demo-
us that there was a demonstration out- connect the conspiracy maybe even to
cratic leader publicly said House
Democrats are ready to swallow what- side and that we should remain in this international sources.
Chamber, in this Senate Chamber, be- The Cyber Ninjas rolled up their
ever CR the Senate can send them. So
cause they were going to make it a safe sleeves, pulled in the boxes of ballots,
the House is ready. Senate Republicans
room in the Capitol. At that time, I no- and started their count. They were de-
are ready. We could have a bipartisan
ticed staff people were being brought in termined to prove, once and for all,
vote to fund the government today if
and lined up along the back of the that the result that was announced
not for the odd tactics of the Senate
Democratic leader. room itself. that Biden carried the county by 45,000
Before we vote this afternoon, I will It wasn’t 10 minutes later until the votes was wrong. And they proved it.
ask consent to strike the partisan CR same member of the Capitol Police Through all their hard work and all the
that is dead on arrival and instead stood up and said: Change in plans; ev- money that was spent, it turns out the
have the Senate vote on a clean con- erybody leave as quickly as possible. draft report from the company, Cyber
tinuing resolution that could pass this And we all did, filing out toward the Ninjas, found that there were 99 addi-
Chamber easily. We will see if Wash- back of the room, every Member of the tional votes for Joe Biden, rather than
ington Democrats actually want to Senate. Luckily, the Parliamentarian the amount presented by the 261 fewer
govern or whether they want to add the or some other office decided to grab votes for Donald Trump in Maricopa
prospect of a government shutdown to the boxes with the electoral college County, just the opposite of what they
the list of inflation, Afghanistan, the votes in them to preserve this impor- had predicted.
border, and all the other national cri- tant piece of history from possible mob Well, you would think that President
ses that are the direct results of their action. Trump would at least be quiet or
own decisions. As we were filing out of the Capitol, maybe even acknowledge that he was
I suggest the absence of a quorum. I couldn’t help but look out the window wrong. Come on, you remember him.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The and see the mobs coming on the Cap- Here is what he said in a statement
clerk will call the roll. itol, converging on the Capitol, car- after the review was announced. He
The legislative clerk proceeded to rying Trump signs. We went to a safe said the review ‘‘has uncovered signifi-
call the roll. location and waited it out and later cant and undeniable evidence of
Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask that evening resumed our activities on FRAUD! Until we know how and why
unanimous consent that the order for the floor of the Senate, counted the this happened, our Elections will never
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the quorum call be rescinded. votes, and made it official, with the be secure.’’
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Vice President present. He just won’t quit. And the problem,
objection, it is so ordered. It was an important part of history. of course, is that so many Americans
JANUARY 6 You would think that would be enough are buying it, primarily Republicans,
Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, you of an embarrassment to President Don- increasing their numbers, believing his
remember the day—you will never for- ald Trump that he would drop his Big Lie about the election being stolen
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S6686 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 27, 2021
from him. God forbid this man could there is a huge infrastructure needed During Trump’s one term in office,
lose an election. Who would ever dream to make sure that they are safely ad- the national debt increased by almost
of that? He can’t think of the possi- ministered to the American people. 36 percent—4 years: 36 percent. Our Re-
bility. And they are joining him in the That was in the American Rescue Plan, publican colleagues voted to raise the
chorus, despite hard evidence that and all the Republicans voted against Federal debt ceiling once and to sus-
proves time and time and time again it. pend it twice during Donald Trump.
that he lost. There was also a provision in there to And the Democrats stood with them
It was a spirited election—Joe Biden deal with helping businesses reopen because we understood that this is just
and Donald Trump—and when it was their doors. Saturday night in Chicago, basic requirement 101 of constitutional
all over, the American people made I spoke to a restauranteur who told me government. We shared the responsi-
their choice. They accepted the reality about problems he had faced and the bility not because we agreed with his
of change. Now it is time for Donald debts he incurred to get back on his policies—we don’t—but because we un-
Trump and his followers to do the feet. The American Rescue Plan helped derstood that defaulting on the na-
same. Americans. And every Republican tional debt could cause real damage to
I don’t know if the cyber ninja tur- voted against it. Not a single Repub- America.
tles, or whoever they are, are going to lican Member in the House or the Sen- What would the costs of defaulting
go at it again in some other State, pick ate would support it. on our debt be exactly? According to
another State to do some investiga- We are getting the same threats that some economists, we would see an esti-
tion. More power to them. They are the Republicans will walk out of the mated $15 trillion of household wealth
building up the majority for Joe room. Resolving the debt ceiling is nec- wiped out, 6 million jobs lost, and a 9-
Biden—just the opposite of what was essary to pay for decisions made. This percent unemployment rate. Every last
predicted. is debt incurred during the Trump ad- American would feel the pain. If it con-
DEBT CEILING ministration. And lest you think that tinued for any period of time, it would
Madam President, I would like to this fiscally conservative Donald threaten retirement funds, Social Se-
speak on another topic, if I might. Trump was a good Republican when it curity checks, even job security.
We are going to have a vote later this came to debt, think again. The great- Mark Zandi, a pretty well-respected
afternoon, and it is not an ordinary est increase in America’s national debt economist with Moody’s, warned that a
vote in the U.S. Senate. We are voting in any 4-year period in our history, a default on America’s debt would trig-
on what is called the debt ceiling. 36-percent increase. ger ‘‘financial Armageddon,’’ threat-
The debt ceiling is the acknowledge- Let me repeat. Raising the debt ceil- ening America’s status as a world re-
ment of the government’s debt. It ing has nothing to do with future serve currency, all because the Repub-
looks backward, and it says: Over a pe- spending. We are paying Donald licans refuse to acknowledge debt they
riod of time since we last expanded the Trump’s bills. We are acknowledging voted for and created under Republican
size of the debt, we have incurred more what was done by the House and Sen- President Donald Trump.
debt, and, therefore, we have to ac- ate, Republicans and Democrats—what Even toying with the notion of de-
knowledge the new debt ceiling in was spent and now has to be repaid. fault would have severe consequences.
order to establish that the United This is about paying what we already Back in 2011, House Republicans ini-
States is going to pay that debt— owe, and it is also about averting an tially refused to raise the debt limit.
which, of course, we want a reputation economic catastrophe. America’s credit rating was down-
for paying just bills. And, in this situa- As a candidate, Donald Trump used graded because of it. The result: higher
tion, these were bills for debts incurred to brag that he was ‘‘king of debt.’’ borrowing costs and confidence in
during the Trump administration. How about that. ‘‘King of debt’’ is what American leadership shaken globally.
It should be a rather routine thing. he says. Well, he proved it. His reckless We will see if every Republican will
In fact, one might make the argument spending as President, with America’s fall under the dictates of Senator
that the Senate and the House should credit card, added nearly $8 trillion to MCCONNELL when it comes to default-
not even be involved in this acknowl- our national debt—$8 trillion. This is a ing on America’s debt for the first
edgement; it is simple accounting and third of the entire debt. It was incurred time, and we will also see what the re-
should be announced to the American during the Trump administration. action to that is going to be.
people. But for the time being, it is And now the Republicans, his party, This measure we are going to vote on
subject to a vote in the House and the refuse to acknowledge that debt and in about 2 hours suspends the debt ceil-
Senate, and that is where the problems the fact that we have to pay it back. ing to avoid default by the govern-
arise. He racked up all that debt in 4 years. ment, and it keeps the government
Senator MCCONNELL, the Republican Two trillion of that $8 trillion in open, just that basic. After all that we
leader from Kentucky, is hoping that Trump debt, incidentally, was spent on have been through and what we are
the American public will not clearly tax cuts for the richest people in Amer- going through with the pandemic, how
understand the gravity and the impor- ica. Yes, that was the Trump plan, sup- can the Republicans play with this
tance of this vote. He has announced ported by the same Republicans who deadly economic strategy?
that he is going to boycott this vote today are saying they won’t even cast Without a continuing resolution, the
and not a single Republican will vote a vote to acknowledge that they did it, Federal Government will shut down in
to acknowledge the true debt of the and it added to the deficit. less than 4 days. With the Delta vari-
United States of America. By 2027, 83 percent of the benefits of ant still taking 2,000 American lives a
I don’t know if he will be able to keep the Trump tax cuts, supported by Sen- day, this is no time to shut down the
his word and whether every Republican ator MCCONNELL and the Republicans, Federal Government. With victims of
Senator will march blindly behind him. will go exclusively to the top 1 percent hurricanes and floods and wildfires des-
They did once before, under the Amer- of wage earners in America. Republican perate for help, this is not the time to
ican Rescue Plan, when Joe Biden pro- Senators passed those tax cuts all on close the doors of the Agencies that
posed that we do the things necessary their own through reconciliation. can help them. With our economy still
to bring this pandemic to an end and I will tell you this. I didn’t vote for recovering, now is not the time to dam-
get America back on its feet. Not a sin- it. No Democrats voted for it. What we age it, intentionally, for political rea-
gle Republican would vote for it. are doing today is paying the piper, ac- sons.
We promised cash payment of $1,400 knowledging that this is a legitimate Right now, our No. 1 priority is keep-
for every family in America. It was in debt of this country. We can change ing our Nation’s economy on a path to
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the American Rescue Plan. The Repub- policy going forward, but since we en- recovery and helping families through
licans all voted against it. We passed acted those tax cuts 4 years ago, it has a difficult time. We need to come to-
the money, billions of dollars, so that added to the national debt. And we ac- gether and fund the government. That
we could actually administer the knowledge it today, and Senator is our fundamental responsibility. We
COVID vaccine across America. We had MCCONNELL and the Republicans refuse need to pay our bills on time. We need
discovered the vaccines, but, of course, to acknowledge it. to provide financial relief to Americans
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September 27, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6687
who are battling disasters, whether shirked responsibility for this crisis by vantage. They will send thousands of
they are in California or Oregon, Lou- placing blame on the historic levels of individuals across the border at the
isiana or Illinois, or Hawaii. And we illegal crossing on everything from same time in an attempt to overwhelm
need to grow our economy for future COVID–19 to climate change, to former while cartels bring drugs and guns un-
generations, increasing funding for President Trump. They are hoping detected.
childcare and healthcare and help for Americans will forget that President Just today, the DEA issued a public
working families. Biden’s first order of business was to safety alert to warn against the alarm-
President Biden’s Build Back Better repeal nearly every immigration policy ing increase in counterfeit prescription
plan is a proven investment in our eco- of the previous administration. pills containing fentanyl and meth
nomic future. It includes the largest The Biden administration’s talking that are being trafficked in the United
middle-class tax cut in history. points say our borders are closed, but States. Thus far this year, more than
Do you know what the Republicans their actions indicate just the opposite. 9.5 million counterfeit pills have been
call the largest middle-class tax cut in More than 12,000 of the Haitians who seized—a rate that puts 2021 on a path
history? Socialism. Socialism. I heard gathered under the bridge in Del Rio to more seizures than the last 3 years
Senator MCCONNELL say it: They just over the past week have been released combined. This is no coincidence.
want to pursue socialism. The largest into the country. The administration’s decision to con-
tax cut for working families and chil- This is not a new policy—tens of tinue ignoring this humanitarian and
dren in American history. thousands of migrants who have ille- national security crisis is allowing a
Unlike President Trump’s tax give- gally crossed our border have been re- horrible situation to get even worse.
away to the rich, which Senator leased since President Biden took of- Actions always speak louder than
MCCONNELL voted for and doesn’t want fice. Many were released without a words. The Biden administration must
to pay for, the Build Back Better plan court date and given nothing more take immediate action to secure the
will have the corporations pay their than a list of ICE offices around the border and enforce our immigration
fair share. country, with instructions to report laws.
No one—this is a promise by Presi- within 60 days. I yield the floor.
dent Biden to be held to—no one who Unsurprisingly, it was reported in I suggest the absence of a quorum.
makes $400,000 a year or less will pay July that nearly 87 percent of 50,000 in- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
more in taxes. He has been pretty clear dividuals released without a court date clerk will call the roll.
on that, hasn’t he? So this notion that fail to report as directed. This is a The bill clerk proceeded to call the
we are going through some socialist clear message that, if you make it to roll.
tax-and-spend scheme here just isn’t the United States, you will be allowed Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi-
true. to stay without facing repercussions. dent, I ask unanimous consent that the
Seven months after he signed his tax This encourages families to make the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
cut into law, Donald Trump told the ef- dangerous trek north and entrust their The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
fervescent Sean Hannity of FOX News safety to dangerous drug cartels at the objection, it is so ordered.
that: ‘‘When [the Trump tax cut] kicks risk of being murdered, assaulted, or BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
in, we’ll start to pay off the debt like trafficked because the reward is worth Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi-
it’s water’’—Donald Trump. That was a the risk. dent, I have noticed over the past few
con. The Haitian refugees who recently months that my Democratic colleagues
Now the bills are coming due, and the began arriving at the U.S.-Mexico bor- have developed a habit of explaining
Republicans are racing for the exits. It der are evidence of that mindset. They away the anger of the citizens of this
is time to stop this ruse and fraud on believed the administration’s actions, country. There is anger, and there is
the American people. We need to pay not their words. They watched as thou- frustration. And what they do is to do
our bills, act responsibly, and actually sands were allowed to stay in the coun- a little turn in the conversation and
help working families. try, and they gambled that they, too, make it the cause of the citizens.
I yield the floor. would get the same treatment; that It is kind of blaming it on them in-
I suggest the absence of a quorum. after living nearly a decade in coun- stead of looking at themselves as Mem-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The tries like Brazil and Chile, now is the bers of the Senate and saying, ‘‘You
clerk will call the roll. time to come. know, what could we do better?’’
The bill clerk proceeded to call the Nearly 9 months into the Biden Pres- What I have seen is my colleagues on
roll. idency, it is irrefutable that this ad- the other side of the aisle demand to
Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I ask ministration’s policies are fueling, are know what is wrong with the American
unanimous consent that the order for increasing the crisis both for our secu- people; how could they not be on board
the quorum call be rescinded. rity and the humanity of people. with President Biden’s so-called trans-
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. The historic levels of crossing at the formative agenda—change it all? Why
DUCKWORTH). Without objection, it is southern border have not only created won’t they stand by and let us spend
so ordered. this humanitarian crisis and put an in- the country into economic oblivion
BORDER SECURITY credible strain on our immigration sys- while businesses fail, Main Streets see
Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I rise tem, but have seriously compromised shuttered businesses, and once-safe
this afternoon to bring further atten- our national security. border communities are being turned
tion to the growing humanitarian and In April, a few months ago, I visited into war zones?
national security crisis we see at our the border and had the opportunity to You see, what they are really doing
southern border. speak with Agents of the FBI and DEA is trying to force the American people
President Biden’s and Vice President to hear firsthand how the crisis has af- to adjust and abandon their prin-
HARRIS’s handling of the southern bor- fected their operations and the chal- ciples—things that they have long be-
der has been as incompetent as it has lenges it has created for them in car- lieved, the founding first principles of
been inhumane. This is not a partisan rying out their mission to disrupt this country. They want them to aban-
view: their own special envoy to Haiti transnational criminal organizations don that—abandon their expectations,
has resigned in protest. and apprehend major drug traffickers. and then accommodate the miserable
This administration is in denial; it is The cartels that operate in Central failure that is Joe Biden’s first few
in denial about the scope of this crisis. America are sophisticated, adaptable, months in office. He has been wrong
Migrant crossings into the United and ruthless. Not only do they take ad- about most all of it.
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
States have already reached historic vantage of individuals attempting the I honestly believe that many of the
levels and, as I speak, thousands con- trek to our southern border by forcing Democratic leaders have it wrong on
tinue to arrive along our U.S.-Mexico them to pay thousands of dollars to this. The people aren’t the ones who
border. fund their operations and subject them need to adjust. That burden belongs to
Since taking office, President Biden to abuse, rape, and murder, they use the Democratic leadership—in the Sen-
and Vice President HARRIS have these individuals to their strategic ad- ate, in the House, in the White House.
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S6688 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 27, 2021
No matter how they try to dress it up the American people see: The Biden ad- of taxes coming their way. No, they did
or change it or smile, they are fast- ministration gave a terrorist organiza- not vote for that, and this is what
tracking the road to socialism. tion the benefit of the doubt. makes them angry.
The anger bubbling to the surface That is right. They trusted the words I hear their anger with every tele-
didn’t come from out of nowhere. Con- of the Taliban above the words of the phone townhall, with every conversa-
trary to popular belief, outrage is not commanders on the ground. The com- tion. I hear their frustration. They are
our natural state, no. What you are manders on the ground warned that angry at the White House officials who
seeing is beyond buyer’s remorse or such an abrupt withdrawal would end use the full force of the U.S. Govern-
even buyer’s fear. It is buyer’s anger, in chaos and casualties. ment to cover up their mistakes and
righteous anger, at what they see hap- But you know what? They wanted to try to make it sound like it is the prob-
pening; and it is the culmination of al- be out by September 11. They wanted lem of the people, because they know
most a year’s worth of confusion, fear, that date circled on the calendar. Joe they have messed up.
frustration at the Biden administra- Biden wanted to be the President who And the people have every right to be
tion for how they have failed to lead— ended the war, but all he has done is angry. The things we do in this Cham-
weak leadership. emboldened the terrorists. And the war ber don’t exist in a bubble. They have
You see, the American people aren’t on terror continues. It continues. He real world consequences for real people
accustomed to watching their leaders ended nothing with the war on terror. who have real lives that they are living
intentionally—intentionally—jeop- We came out of Afghanistan, but now every day, and they know that they are
ardize our security and prosperity on the families of 13 American service- beginning to live these lives in a more
such a fundamental level. They are members are left to grieve, while State dangerous setting: crime on the
looking at all that has fallen apart and Department officials make absurd streets, crime on the rise, open borders,
realizing that things are the way they claims about the power of diplomacy unvetted migrants coming to their
are because President Biden and the and the Taliban’s role in regional poli- communities, COVID, measles out-
Democratic leadership wants it to be tics, all the while ignoring the allies breaks.
this way. This is intentional. and the partners they abandoned. They They are angry. They have ‘‘buyer’s
On day one, President Biden halted still don’t know how many Americans, anger.’’ I like to say, as I talk to
construction of the border wall and left how many of our SIV holders, appli- women: Security moms are back. They
those crossings wide open to drug traf- cants, their families are left behind are back in full force. They are back
fickers, to sex traffickers, human traf- enemy lines. because they don’t like the crime in
fickers, and gangs—basically hung out And the people? The people in Ten- the streets. They want safe commu-
the ‘‘y’all come, you’re welcome’’ sign, nessee whom I talk with when I go nities. They want their children safe.
opening that southern border. home every weekend—they are watch- They want their children who are going
They did this knowing that hundreds ing this. They are astounded, and they to college this fall to be safe. They are
of thousands of migrants were already cannot believe what they are seeing upset with the Afghanistan with-
on their way from Mexico and Central the Democratic Party do. drawal, with the continuation of the
America. One hundred fifty countries There is no reason, no account- war on terror, and that their children
this year have crossed that border ille- ability, no incentive to trust that the are going to have to go refight this.
self-proclaimed ‘‘adults in the room’’ They are angry, and we hear their
gally, and that—the vast majority of
know what is best. anger, and we know it is time for Mem-
them would pay the cartels for their
Especially when it comes to the econ- bers in this Chamber to stop playing
passage north by serving as drug
omy, Tennesseans can see a socialist politics with how much spending you
mules, as prostitutes. What is being
agenda pulling the strings. Right now, can force out the door and address
done to women and children is really
they are staring down the barrel of a these problems that moms and dads
awful. It is a humanitarian crisis.
$3.5 trillion budget that the Democrats and Americans across this country are
If they wanted to, Biden and the
have weaponized against personal re- faced with each and every day.
Democrats could put themselves be-
I yield the floor.
tween us and that threat. They could sponsibility and decentralized control.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
support strong immigration policies Just seeing that pricetag was bad The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
that protect refugees and also secure enough, and now we are hearing the clerk will call the roll.
the border. It is possible, but they have pricetag is growing. The bill clerk proceeded to call the
refused to do it. Instead, they are fun- But, now, Tennesseans know that the roll.
neling crowds of unvetted migrants Democrats don’t even care how much Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I
into American communities and ena- this costs nor do they care that, if all ask unanimous consent that the order
bling the cartels to traffic women and goes to plan, American businesses will for the quorum call be rescinded.
children across State lines with impu- carry a heavier tax burden than com- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
nity. munist China. That is correct. The objection, it is so ordered.
How dare they? How dare they traffic American businesses will have a higher GOVERNMENT FUNDING
like they are trafficking? tax burden than those in communist Mr. CORNYN. Madam President,
Ignoring this problem isn’t humani- China. Living life as we know it will be later this evening, the Democrat-con-
tarianism. It is not anti-racism. It is too expensive for most of us to afford. trolled Senate will hold a vote on an-
dangerous and exposes an appalling No serious person could stand here on other dead-on-arrival bill.
lack of wisdom on the part of the the floor of the Senate and pretend to This time, though, it isn’t just a mes-
President; the Vice President, who is be shocked at the level of anger and saging bill designed to put on a show
supposed to be the border czar; and frustration that we are seeing back for their far left. This is legislation
their advisers. home. I talk to people every single that is actually critical to the stability
This administration seems to believe week who feel betrayed—betrayed—by of our government, our economy, and
that threats to our national security this administration. They feel unsafe. the livelihood of millions of public
will evaporate if we ignore them: Just Many of the Tennesseans I speak to servants.
don’t think about it; don’t talk about every day who voted for President For months now, Republicans have
it; what you are seeing, you are really Biden wish they had made another made clear, though, we will not split
not seeing. choice in the voting booth because, the ticket when it comes to Democrats’
What they are doing is creating pol- yes, they voted for the President, but reckless tax-and-spending spree. We
icy in a bubble, which works well for they did not vote for this. They did not will not vote to raise the debt limit
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
grad seminars but fails miserably when vote for the Afghanistan withdrawal just so Democrats can spend another
there are lives on the line. and the manner we came out. They did $3.5 trillion and add that to the Amer-
The Biden administration failed in not vote to embolden the communist ican people’s credit card in a purely
Afghanistan. Now, we can argue for the Chinese. They did not vote for open partisan exercise.
next decade—and I am sure we will— borders. They did not vote for inflation If this was ever a secret, it was the
about lessons learned, but here is what that is skyrocketing, taxes—$2 trillion worst kept secret in Washington, DC.
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September 27, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6689
But our Democratic colleagues simply that number are currently being proc- our Democratic colleagues are finding
can’t resist a chance to virtue signal essed by the Department of Homeland their newfound majority—they are
even if it wastes valuable floor time Security. having a lot of trouble using this power
here in the Senate. In a television appearance this week- to actually govern. They have a wide
We have seen this before. In fact, end, Secretary Mayorkas said 10 to gulf between the so-called moderates of
Democrats’ designed-to-fail agenda 12,000 migrants, the ones that were their party—what they can stomach
practically dominated the Senate’s cal- huddled under the bridge in Del Rio, and what the progressive leftwing de-
endar this summer. There was a bill to TX—10 to 12,000 migrants—have been mands.
exploit the cause of gender pay fairness released into the United States, untest- They are up against the government
in order to line the pockets of trial ed for COVID–19, unvaccinated, when, funding deadline in just the next few
lawyers. There was legislation to over- in fact, the Biden administration has days that could risk a shutdown during
haul America’s election system and said that the public health title 42 was what is already tough economic times
hand Democrats a permanent gov- going to be used to exclude them. for many Americans because of the
erning majority. The latest version of Well, those numbers are likely to pandemic. They are trying to use a par-
this bill, which will also fail, will come grow in the coming days because, tisan budgetary process to pass tril-
up for a vote in a matter of days. frankly, all the Biden administration lions of dollars of more deficit-spend-
Senator SCHUMER has even forecasted was concerned about, apparently, was ing while also trying to get another
votes on other bills that were so un- the bad optics of 30,000 migrants trillion-dollar infrastructure bill
popular, as it turned out, that they huddled under a border bridge in Del signed into law. To top things off, they
didn’t even make it to the Senate floor. Rio, TX. have fanned the flames of the crisis at
There was one that would have eroded What the Biden administration did, our border, struggled to defend an inde-
American’s Second Amendment rights as opposed to what they said they were fensible, disastrous withdrawal from
and another that would punish schools going to do, is an open invitation for Afghanistan, and offended America’s
and hospitals that refused to comply more migrants to illegally come to the oldest ally. This is not what governing
with ‘‘woke’’ social norms. United States. Individuals who are try- looks like.
Now, this isn’t an agenda to better ing to decide whether to make the dan- There is no spotlight on a party like
the lives of the American people or pro- gerous journey to our borders are read- there is when you hold all the cards—
tect the country from global threats. It ing the same headlines and watching when you control the White House, the
is pandering, pure and simple. While the same TV news shows that we are, House, and the Senate. The American
pandering to their radical base is the and many of them are simply calling people know who is responsible for the
focus of the Democrat-led Senate, their relatives in the United States status quo. When the majority party
there are a number of threats this body saying: Should I still come? all but refuses to work with the minor-
should actually address. The most ob- And they are being given the green ity party, that spotlight grows even
vious is the need to prevent another light because of the failure of the Biden brighter.
government shutdown. administration to do anything to deter I hope—but frankly I don’t expect—
Let’s not forget the Biden border cri- or to sway or to add costs to people il- that our Democrats will reevaluate the
sis on our southern border. For the en- legally entering the United States. In wisdom of this parade of failed bills
tirety of President Biden’s term of of- so doing, the Biden administration is and spend a little bit of time working
fice, Democrats have refused to ac- sending an unmistakable message to with Republicans on legislation that
knowledge any sort of problem at all more migrants to come to the United could actually pass and make a posi-
with our southern border because, ap- States because, if you do, there is a tive difference for our country.
parently, they don’t actually believe in good chance you will be released into Madam President, I yield the floor.
borders or apparently care little about the American countryside and dis- I suggest the absence of a quorum.
the drugs smuggled into this country appear into that great American heart- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
that took the lives of 90,000 Americans land. Migrants will ignore what Presi- clerk will call the roll.
last year alone. Even as hundreds of dent Biden is saying because they The bill clerk proceeded to call the
thousands of migrants poured across know what his administration is doing roll.
our border every month, Democrats or, in this case, not doing, which is not Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I
showed no concern or didn’t even ac- securing the borders. ask unanimous consent that the order
knowledge that there was a problem. Unless something changes, the Hai- for the quorum call be rescinded.
Then things came to a head. Finally, tian migration and the crisis in Del Rio The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
the news media began to pay attention that fixated the attention of the news objection, it is so ordered.
to Del Rio. Within a matter of days, media and all America—unless some- AFGHANISTAN
30,000 migrants—nearly 30,000, pri- thing changes from a policy perspec- Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President,
marily from Haiti—crossed the border tive, this is going to happen again. in recent days, much has been said
and set up camp under the Inter- We already know that border cross- about Afghanistan. I spoke about it
national Bridge in Del Rio, TX. Early ings are at their highest levels in 20 last time on September 15, and most of
statements indicated that the adminis- years. Now the administration is ap- my colleagues have spoken on the very
tration would make heavy use of title parently opening the door to even more same subject. I come to speak more
42, which is a public health title de- illegal migration. And the smuggling about it. Today, I will look at it from
signed to protect the American people organizations—the organized crime a very different angle. I am going to
against the spread of COVID–19. Early syndicates that profit from charging look at it from the angle that you see
statements indicated the administra- these migrants thousands of dollars to through the Inspector General lens.
tion would make use of that public get them into the country—will con- The sudden collapse of the Afghan
health title and expedited removal to tinue to get rich because of the admin- Government and the Afghan Army
return these individuals to their home istration’s unwillingness to enforce our threw me right back to years of over-
countries. It sounded like a pretty re- immigration laws. sight work and audits conducted by the
markably sensible strategy. Well, Congress has a duty to take ac- Special Inspector General for Afghani-
But now that the migrant camp has tion and address this crisis before it stan Reconstruction. Now, the termi-
been cleared, we know that is not what grows even more out of control. Demo- nology ‘‘Special Inspector General for
happened. Only about 2,000 migrants crats cannot ignore the responsibility Afghanistan Reconstruction’’ goes by
were returned to Haiti, a small per- to enforce our laws and secure our bor- the acronym SIGAR. That person goes
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
centage of the nearly 30,000 who ders just because it upsets part of their by the name of his real name, Mr. John
crossed into Del Rio. Some 8,000 volun- political base. Sopko.
tarily returned to Mexico, but I expect There are a lot of things we need to SIGAR, in its reports, pulled no
many of those migrants and their fami- do in the Senate, and this parade of punches. Report after report over the
lies will make another attempt to reen- dead-on-arrival bills does nothing to years exposed and documented grim al-
ter the United States. Another 5,000 of move us in the right direction. Clearly, legations of weak security, systemic
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S6690 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 27, 2021
corruption, and waste—waste of tax- ment? Maybe not often enough, but spending money—kept the spigot wide
payers’ dollars. Those core problems surely listening to SIGAR, not enough open. Some estimate that over $2 tril-
were brushed aside and allowed to eat of us listened to him. lion flowed through the pipe to a gov-
away at the foundation of our commit- Afghanistan’s collapse underscores ernment and an army known by SIGAR
ment. In other words, our leaders were the merits of SIGAR’s work out of to be riddled with systemic corruption.
not heeding the warnings from the In- three dozen confirmed IGs. IGs do im- We tolerated it, and the money kept
spector General, Mr. John Sopko. portant work, and their work should be flowing.
An inability to solve these problems considered greatly. And the fact that What happened in Afghanistan boils
prompted SIGAR to send warning sig- we ignored SIGAR’s work in Afghani- down to the fundamental principle of
nals. Those warning signals said our stan is a tragedy, particularly when good government. Oversight is critical
mission in Afghanistan was failing. the people in the executive branch of to accountability. SIGAR has more
And that is not a recent conclusion; government ignored it. work to do. SIGAR will need to provide
that is things he stated over and over, SIGAR was created to watchdog the a full accounting for all the captured
over the years. This was all to the det- huge sums of money pouring into Af- and abandoned weapons and equip-
riment of U.S. foreign policy and our ghanistan. Mr. Sopko, the IG, did his ment.
national security—the fact that most job well. He issued aggressive, hard-hit- You see a figure of $85 billion of that
of SIGAR’s advice fell on deaf ears. ting reports, documenting egregious stuff left over there for the Taliban to
SIGAR was like a lone wolf, howling waste and blatant corruption on both use for whatever they want to use it
out there in the wilderness. sides—our side and the Afghan side. for—hopefully, never against the
As the final scene of the Afghan trag- Large sums of money simply dis- United States.
edy unfolded, as we all saw on tele- appeared. The IG will need to track down unex-
vision at the Kabul Airport, in those In a recent report, SIGAR served up a pended dollars in the pipeline, esti-
circumstances, President Biden cut and classic case of waste and corruption, mated at $61⁄2 billion or more, so those
run. He assigned blame squarely on the and he did it on a silver platter. It is tax dollars can be returned to the
Afghans’ shoulders, but that is not the symptomatic of the rot that derailed Treasury or allocated for other legiti-
whole truth. Just pick up any SIGAR our efforts in Afghanistan. mate and needed purposes.
One example involved the purchase of The IG will need to investigate alle-
report; it is plain to see in those re-
20 refurbished Italian G222 medium-lift gations that high officials fled with
ports that something was wrong. We
aircraft for the Afghan Air Force. They hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in
were the chief architect and financier
added $549 million to the taxpayers’
for the lion’s share of the construction cash. And we are told that one of those
tab. These aircraft were needed but
in Afghanistan that collapsed. If we are was the former President. The most re-
unsupportable and inoperable.
to learn from this experience, we need cent President of Afghanistan got away
The squandering on this project was
to begin by looking in the mirror. with millions and millions of dollars.
matched by others exposed by SIGAR,
SIGAR’s ‘‘lessons learned reports’’ Now, if true, this would be more
like the 64,000 square-foot surge com-
clearly indicate that security against proof of systemic corruption that was
mand center that was built for $34 mil-
the Taliban threat was a top priority. the country’s undoing. Stolen tax dol-
lion but never needed and never occu-
According to SIGAR, security was lars should be recovered.
pied.
never achieved. Based on repeated as- The House Defense authorization bill
The G222 aircraft was just another
sessments of the army’s readiness, already instructs SIGAR to address
notch in Uncle Sam’s belt of wasteful
SIGAR concluded that the Afghan these and other issues. I call on the
spending. Those planes were thrown in
Army lacked the capability to inde- Senate Armed Services Committee to
the junk heap because of crooked mis-
pendently defend the country against adopt those same measures and author-
management—and that was on our
internal and external threats, contrary ize funding needed to finish the job by
side.
to President Biden’s hailing the capa- The Air Force general who led the SIGAR.
bility of the Afghan military to pre- program while on Active Duty, and Congress needs to know why SIGAR’s
serve the country and defend it from then as vice president for the company alarm bells on poor security, corrup-
the Taliban. selling the Italian aircraft, allegedly tion, and waste were largely ignored.
And without security, nation build- violated criminal conflict-of-interest They were unmistakable indicators of
ing was a nonstarter. Now we question statutes. the impending collapse that we now
whether or not nation building ought SIGAR wanted to pursue criminal know has happened to the country of
to be part of the policy, but it seemed charges, but the Department of Justice Afghanistan—to the Taliban.
to be too often. refused to prosecute. The Department Once the decision was made to pull
When coupled with the systemic cor- of Justice turned a blind eye to the out U.S. troops in early 2020, prepara-
ruption I just mentioned—and SIGAR general’s alleged misconduct. Let that tions for evacuations were mandatory.
characterized that as an ‘‘existential sink in. So then why did our President make
threat . . . that eroded army readi- A half-billion taxpayer dollars went such a panicked and haphazard exit?
ness’’—prospects for survival of the up in smoke, and no one was held to ac- Did no one see the warnings coming
government and the army of Afghans count. At a minimum, this reckless and the signs that showed what would
doing their job were very dim. spending demanded disciplinary action. happen? Did the military fail to de-
Against advice that I have given pre- With little or no accountability, it was velop an orderly exit strategy and
vious administrations, the President easy for crooks to line their pockets evacuation plan, as alleged by Sec-
announced the date certain for pulling with schemes like the G222 aircraft. retary Blinken?
out the U.S. military. And, by the way, Now, SIGAR exposed that. It wasn’t If true, who is responsible for that
that wasn’t wise because you never tell prosecuted, but SIGAR nailed quite a blunder? A congressional autopsy
your enemies what your plans are. few. Investigations resulted in 160 might help us avoid the same mistakes
So within days, the Taliban elimi- criminal convictions. Corruption was in the future. It might help us put for-
nated the Afghan Army with hardly a found on both sides. ward a better foot to strengthen stra-
struggle. The Taliban then seized U.S. The convicted included 42 Afghanis, tegic alliances.
military assets. 58 U.S. military personnel, 49 U.S. con- As painful as it may be, we must
The Biden administration left Ameri- tractors, and 11 U.S. Government per- never give up trying to learn from our
cans and Afghan allies behind enemy sonnel and citizens. past mistakes. We still face threats
lines. Adding tragedy to the deeply Some money was recovered, but obvi- from terrorist groups with the same
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
flawed military exit, a U.S. drone ously you don’t recover all of it. How- ideology as the 9/11 attackers have.
strike killed 10 civilians. ever, in such a target-rich environ- And you know where they got their
There is clear and present urgency ment, I suspect that SIGAR’s inves- training—in Afghanistan.
for accountability. Do my fellow Sen- tigators barely scratched the surface. We still have troops in many coun-
ators pay appropriate attention to the Unfortunately, while SIGAR’s finger tries combating terrorism in partner-
work of the IGs throughout govern- was stuck in the dike, Uncle Sam kept ship with local forces. We can’t afford
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September 27, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6691
to sweep mistakes under the rug and dermine a bipartisan effort to provide it default on its debts for the first time
just move on and forget about it. the American people with desperately in the history of our great country.
Without some soul searching, Amer- needed disaster relief? Yes. And why I think that is the height of irrespon-
ica risks further humiliation like we did they choose to ignore the imme- sibility and callousness. It is also pret-
have just witnessed, which will only diate needs of Afghans who deserve our ty hypocritical, because who pays the
embolden our would-be adversaries. support? Why are they threatening to price for this political brinksmanship?
I yield the floor. shut down the government now that we Not the Republican leadership careen-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- have an alternative that would avoid ing us towards disaster but the Amer-
ator from Alabama. that outcome? ican people. A government shutdown
(The remarks of Mr. TUBERVILLE per- This does not have to happen. We has serious consequences for people
taining to the introduction of S. 2857 know Thursday is the deadline. Instead just trying to make ends meet—sup-
are printed in today’s RECORD under of accepting victory, my Democratic port their families, live their lives.
‘‘Statements on Introduced Bills and colleagues, I believe, are embracing de- Important food and nutrition pro-
Joint Resolutions.’’) feat and creating a new crisis that we grams—SNAP and WIC—would dry up
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I yield the floor. all ought to avoid. in a matter of days, leaving millions of
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- It is a perilous path they are putting Americans in the wealthiest Nation on
ator from Alabama. the country on, but it still is not too Earth without the help they need to
EXTENDING GOVERNMENT FUNDING AND late. Today is Monday. We have a few put food on the table.
DELIVERING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT days left. The majority can reverse Also, I look at our Nation’s schools
Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, I course and put us back on track by im- that are struggling to reopen after a
had hoped to be standing here today mediately passing the Shelby-McCon- pandemic. Assistance to those schools
making a statement in support of the nell bill. It will keep the government would be delayed.
bill before us. For weeks, Chairman Then we look at our public health re-
open and provide much needed emer-
LEAHY and I, along with chairs and sponse to the mental health and sub-
gency funding. This is the bill we
ranking members of the subcommit- stance abuse crisis. That would be se-
should be considering. I urge the ma-
tees of the Appropriations Committee, verely hampered. And we cannot forget
jority to do so.
worked cooperatively to produce a bi- I yield the floor. that we have an epidemic of drug
partisan package—a package that in- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- overdoses in this country happening
cludes a continuing resolution to keep ator from Vermont. alongside the COVID pandemic.
The Small Business Administration
the government operating, as well as, Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I
that provides so much assistance to
two, emergency supplemental funding know the speeches on the other side
our Nation’s small businesses—I be-
for disaster relief, and, three, to sup- have gone a little longer than we ex-
lieve, as I said many times on this
port those who needed rescuing fol- pected, so I ask unanimous consent
floor, that small businesses are the
lowing the President’s hasty with- that I have time to complete my state-
backbone of the American economy—
drawal from Afghanistan. ment on the continuing resolution and
would be forced to close the door.
Bipartisan support for anything is a national debt, which will be relatively More than half of the CDC would be
rare commodity around here. Senator short. furloughed just weeks after COVID
LEAHY and I know that. But we have The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without deaths passed the grim toll of the 1918
experienced bipartisan support with objection, it is so ordered. pandemic in our own country and right
each other in the past, and it works. It Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, before the start of the annual flu sea-
is something that should be embraced today, the Senate will hold a vote to son.
and, I hope, emulated. allow for the consideration of a tem- These are just a few examples of the
We nearly got our work done, as ap- porary, stopgap measure to keep the needless pain a government shutdown
propriators so often do, but larger government funded through December would cause.
forces intervened. We are not by our- 3. The measure also provides $28 billion As painful as a government shutdown
selves here. Leadership on the other to help States ravaged by hurricanes would be, the consequences of default-
side of the aisle intervened to pursue and wildfires, like Hurricane Ida that ing on our debt for the first time, the
partisanship over comity and sabotage recently tore through both the South first time in American history—that is
over constructive engagement by, I be- and the Northeast. It provides critical even worse. The government of the
lieve, unnecessarily forcing the debt assistance to Afghan refugees who fled wealthiest country in the world would
limit increase into what would other- the Taliban in the wake of the U.S. not have funds to operate, meet its ob-
wise be a bipartisan package. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Finally, ligations, and pay its debts.
The Republican leader, Senator it will raise the debt ceiling to Decem- The last time we even toyed with
MCCONNELL, has been clear. We will not ber 2022, including the $8 billion of debt such an irresponsible idea, the credit
support any effort to increase the debt that was incurred under President rating of the U.S. Government was
limit. The road to success was clearly Trump. downgraded for the first time in his-
marked; nevertheless, my Democratic Now, this shouldn’t even be a close tory, and, boy, that cost every Amer-
colleagues chose to drive this package call. A government shutdown, if we had ican, directly or indirectly, money. It
right into a ditch rather than embrace one, would needlessly cost the tax- certainly hurt businesses all over our
a bipartisan path forward. payers billions of dollars—billions of country.
This is not complicated. There is a dollars—throughout our country. It If we were to default on our debt,
simple solution. Take up and pass a bill would throw hundreds of thousands of then the women and men of the mili-
that was negotiated on a bipartisan, bi- people out of work. A government de- tary would be handed IOUs in exchange
cameral basis, which has support on fault would be catastrophic. And that for their bravery defending our coun-
both sides of the aisle—a bill that, one, is all completely avoidable. try; Social Security checks that people
keeps the government open, which we Yet, in the wake of the deadliest pan- earned and rely on to survive would
all want to do; two, provides much demic our country has seen in over 100 stop; and the economy would take such
needed disaster assistance to storm- years and in the wake of natural disas- a hit from which it would be hard to re-
ravaged areas of our country; and ters that have left a trail of death and cover. The stock market would no
three, delivers the aid necessary to ad- destruction, the Republican leader and doubt take a dive and then put millions
dress the Afghanistan withdrawal cri- his party have decided to play a dan- of Americans’ lifetime savings at risk.
sis. That is S. 2789, the Shelby-McCon- gerous game of political All of this as we are still recovering
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nell bill—who is here. brinksmanship. They have chosen—and economically from the last 18 months
If we don’t take that path, I believe it was a free choice on their part—to of a global pandemic. And for what? So
my colleagues on the other side of aisle withhold their votes and prevent this Republicans can make campaign com-
owe the American people some answers bill from even being debated, threat- mercials claiming they are the party of
here. For example, why did they—the ening to shut down the U.S. Govern- fiscal responsibility and do that with a
Democrats—why did they choose to un- ment—the U.S. Government—and have straight face? Come on.
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S6692 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 27, 2021
While President Trump was in office, July, Republicans have been clear It is up to the Democrats. We can ei-
U.S. debt increased by $8 trillion—$51⁄2 about where we stand: We are willing ther move this legislation forward to-
trillion alone since we last raised the to work together to keep the govern- night or we can have a show vote,
debt ceiling under President Trump. ment open. We are not willing to help which they know will fail, and inch
Incidentally, on that one, because it Democrats raise the debt ceiling while closer toward another crisis of their
was so important to the country, there they write a reckless taxing-and-spend- own making.
was bipartisan support for it. ing spree of historic proportions behind The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Republicans’ irresponsible tax cut for closed doors. ator from Louisiana.
the wealthiest Americans is partly to Democrats control the entire govern- Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I
blame, but Democrats still supported ment—the Senate, the House, the rise supporting my colleague’s pro-
the Trump administration when it White House. They intend to sideline posal.
needed to raise the debt limit to ac- Republicans and go it alone to slam This proposal provides disaster sup-
count for the resulting bills because, if American families with historic tax plemental assistance relief for South-
we did otherwise, everybody in this hikes and borrowing. So they will need west and Southeast Louisiana; it ex-
country was going to be hurt. It would to raise the debt limit on a partisan tends the National Flood Insurance
have been irresponsible. It would have basis as well. And they have known Program; it funds the government; and
been dangerous for the U.S. economy. that for 2 months now—2 months. it restores funding for Israel’s Iron
The argument made by my col- Just like then-Senator Biden and Dome.
leagues that Republicans will not sup- Senator SCHUMER voted no on a debt We are 3 days away from a govern-
port raising the debt limit because limit increase and made a unified Re- ment shutdown for one reason: Demo-
they are not going to support the tax- publican government handle it alone crats control Washington.
and-spend policies of the Democrats— back in the early 2000s, this has hap- A clean vote on disaster relief and a
well, it is probably just as well that pened before. continuing resolution to fund the gov-
many people wear masks these days be- Earlier this year, Senate Democrats ernment—legislation filed by Senators
cause it hides their smiles, because requested and won additional flexi- MCCONNELL and SHELBY—passes today
that argument does not hold water. bility to make policy on party lines. with overwhelming bipartisan support.
The bills they falsely claim to be so- They have every single tool they need We know that. But my Democratic col-
cialist bogeymen have not even passed to do their job. leagues are holding this critical fund-
The Democratic leader, the Speaker
Congress, let alone been signed into ing set not just to fund the government
of the House, and the President of the
law, and they are going to be fully paid but funding set to benefit victims of
United States have had 10 weeks—10—
for. In 2017, my friend the Republican disasters in my State and elsewhere
to plan for funding the government and
leader chose not to take that path hostage to fund their planned tax-and-
addressing the debt limit. There never
when Republicans passed a massive tax spend extravaganza.
had to be one ounce of drama to any of
cut—massive tax cut—for the wealthi- Disaster victims need disaster relief.
this. Any drama here is self-created by
est in this country, and that was not It is 1 month since Hurricane Ida, 6
the Democrats. Republicans continue
paid for. months from unprecedented ice storms,
to try to help our Democratic friends
Raising the debt limit is about meet- 12 months since Hurricanes Laura and
avoid multiple new crises of their own
ing obligations our country has already Delta wreaked havoc on Southwest
making.
made, and many of those obligations On the debt limit, Democrats have Louisiana. Disaster assistance is long
were made under President Trump. So all the time and all the tools to do overdue. This bill gets it done.
playing political games with so much what they have to do, and I have ex- And while we are recovering from 2-
on the line—that is as irresponsible as plained in detail how they need to pro- years’ worth of storms, we can’t allow
it is irrational. ceed. Because Democrats ignored our the National Flood Insurance Program
The bill before us today provides a warning back in July, they must to expire. Many policyholders, espe-
path out of this made-in-Washington amend their previous budget resolution cially in Louisiana, are still recovering
crisis—a path that could help all of our with debt limit instructions and pro- from hurricane damage. Government
country. It can fund the government ceed through a fast-track process. shouldn’t pull the rug of insurance
through December 3. It can raise the On the more urgent issue, govern- from beneath them. It is critical the
debt limit through December 2022. It ment funding, Senator SHELBY and I program is extended so homeowners
could provide relief to communities all have a clean CR that could pass today. are covered if there is another storm.
over our country that have been dev- Our bill tracks with bipartisan talks. It This proposal extends NFIP. It also
astated by natural disasters and pro- would keep the government open, fund provides disaster relief.
vide assistance for the brave Afghans disaster relief for Louisiana, and fund The proposal is good for Louisiana. It
who supported our mission through two defensive assistance for our ally Israel is good for the country. I urge my col-
decades of war. and their Iron Dome, and it drops the leagues to support this proposal.
So we really have an off-ramp from debt limit language that Democrats With that, I yield.
this crisis. I wish my colleagues would have known is a nonstarter for more The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
take it. Vote to advance this bill. than 2 months. ator from Louisiana.
Stave off an unnecessary crisis. Put The Senate could advance this bill Mr. KENNEDY. Madam President, I
the American people first, ahead of the tonight. If Democrats will let us, we rise in support of Senator MCCONNELL’s
party. That is actually, I think, a pret- could take a bipartisan step tonight to- legislation.
ty simple choice. ward guaranteeing there will be no On August 27, 2020, just 13 months
I yield the floor. government shutdown. If the Demo- ago, Hurricane Laura hit Louisiana.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re- cratic leader lets us, the Senate could Forty-five days later, Hurricane Delta
publican leader. advance government funding legisla- hit Louisiana. Nineteen days after
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, tion with a big bipartisan vote yet to- that, Hurricane Zeta hit Louisiana. We
I ask unanimous consent that Senators night. got a little bit of a break. Four months
CASSIDY, KENNEDY, and I be allowed to The House Democratic majority lead- after that, we were part of the historic
complete our remarks prior to the er has said they will take up whatever winter storm, about which we have all
vote. CR the Senate sends them. The House read. And then 3 months after that, we
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without is ready. Senate Republicans are ready. had a historic rainfall event in Lou-
objection, it is so ordered. The only holdout is the Senate Demo- isiana, up to 12 inches, unrelated to a
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UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—SHELBY- cratic leader and his partisan tactics. hurricane. Three months after that,
MCCONNELL AMENDMENT So, in just a moment, I will ask con- Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana. And 2
Mr. MCCONNELL. So, Madam Presi- sent that Democrats forget about the weeks later, Hurricane Nicholas hit
dent, the Democratic leader has sched- vote they know will fail and instead let Louisiana.
uled a vote today that he knows will the Senate vote on a bill that can actu- Every one of these storms was over
fail. For more than 2 months, since ally pass. 100 miles per hour sustained winds. The
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September 27, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6693
wind for Hurricane Ida was clocked at And the substitute offered by my There shouldn’t even be a debate. I
its highest at 185 miles per hour. If you friend, introduced by my dear friend could give a dozen more reasons, but I
add up all the damages, it is about $150 the vice chairman of the Appropria- know people are ready to vote, so I ob-
billion in 13 months. tions Committee, Senator SHELBY, does ject.
Now, other States were impacted by not solve the problem in front of us. It The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
these storms, but Louisiana took it full doesn’t address the looming debt crisis tion is heard.
in the face. This was as brutal a blow facing our Nation, so it ignores that CLOTURE MOTION
as nature has inflicted on an American that exists. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant
State in modern history. We will be Now, perhaps my colleagues on the to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the
coughing up bones for years, and this other side of the aisle want to wash Senate the pending cloture motion,
legislation is going to help us recover. their hands of this. They can. Much of which the clerk will state.
In fact, this legislation does every that debt was incurred under a Repub- The legislative clerk read as follows:
single thing that my colleagues Sen- lican President and under a Repub-
ator CASSIDY and Senator MCCONNELL CLOTURE MOTION
lican-controlled Senate and debt
talked about that my Democratic racked up by irresponsible tax cuts We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
friends want to do, everything: keeps ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
championed by the Republican Party
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
government open, maintains flood in- for the wealthiest of Americans. And, move to bring to a close debate on the mo-
surance, gives disaster relief not just yes, debt also occurred in a bipartisan tion to proceed to Calendar No. 137, H.R.
to Louisiana but to my friends in the fashion to deal with multiple crises 5305, a bill making continuing appropriations
Northeast part of our country, to my that faced the Nation: Disaster assist- for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022,
friends on the west coast. It does help ance in the wake of hurricanes and and for providing emergency assistance, and
my State, Southwest, Southeast, North wildfires keep getting worse every year for other purposes.
Louisiana, but we are not the only because we don’t combat climate Charles E. Schumer, Ben Ray Luján, Pat-
ones. change; COVID relief to keep this coun- rick J. Leahy, Jack Reed, Jacky
Senator MCCONNELL’s legislation Rosen, Robert P. Casey, Jr., Angus S.
try from careening head first into eco-
does everything except one thing, one King, Jr., Tammy Duckworth, Tammy
nomic disaster in the wake of a world- Baldwin, Patty Murray, Thomas R.
thing: increasing the debt ceiling that wide pandemic; historic levels of sup- Carper, Tim Kaine, Sheldon White-
Senator SCHUMER can do in a matter of port and investment in our Nation’s house, Benjamin L. Cardin, Tina
days on his own. military and our men and women in Smith, Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Chris-
Why are we fighting over this? You uniform. topher Murphy.
know, nature abhors a moron. It is mo- And to try to put this all at the feet The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan-
ronic for us to be having this fight of President Biden’s Build Back Better imous consent, the mandatory quorum
when it can be so easily solved. agenda, a yet-unpassed reconciliation call has been waived.
Everything in Senator MCCONNELL’s bill that is not the law—it hasn’t been The question is, is it the sense of the
legislation can easily pass this body passed—is ridiculous. We are talking
with 70 votes, and we know it. And Senate that debate on the motion to
about debt we already incurred, not proceed to H.R. 5305, a bill making con-
then Senator SCHUMER can come right spending in the future.
behind by simply amending the budget tinuing appropriations for the fiscal
And as my Republican colleagues year ending September 30, 2022, and for
resolution, and our problems are know, we expect to fully pay for those
solved. Nature abhors a moron. Let’s providing emergency assistance, and
investments. They may not like how for other purposes, shall be brought to
don’t be moronic. we are going to offset the spending, but
I yield back to Senator MCCONNELL. a close?
that is what the legislative process is
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re- The yeas and nays are mandatory
for, to debate them. At least we are
publican leader. under the rule.
willing to pay for the bills we incur,
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, The clerk will call the roll.
which is more than could be said for
I ask unanimous consent that the Sen- The legislative clerk called the roll.
the Republicans when they pushed a
ate proceed to Calendar No. 137, H.R. Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the
massive tax cut for the wealthy that
5305. I further ask that the first amend- Senator from California (Mrs. FEIN-
was not paid for.
ment in order be the Shelby-McConnell STEIN) is necessarily absent.
So let’s stop this political
amendment to the text of which is brinksmanship. Let’s secure the full Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is
identical to Calendar No. 135, S. 2789; faith and credit of the United States. necessarily absent: the Senator from
that there be 2 hours of debate, equally Let’s pass and increase the debt limit. Nebraska (Mr. SASSE).
divided between the two leaders or To do otherwise puts our country and The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 48,
their designees, and upon the use or our economy at risk. nays 50, as follows:
yielding back of that time, the Shelby- The substitute also scales back the [Rollcall Vote No. 385 Leg.]
McConnell amendment be agreed to; fi- assistance provided to Afghan refugees YEAS—48
nally, upon disposition of the Shelby- that was included in the House-passed Baldwin Hickenlooper Peters
McConnell amendment, the bill, as bill. Bennet Hirono Reed
amended, be read a third time and the Now, I was pleased when we reached Blumenthal Kaine Rosen
Booker Kelly Sanders
Senate vote on passage of the bill, as bipartisan and bicameral agreement of Brown King Schatz
amended, with a 60-affirmative-vote $6.3 billion in the House-passed bill for Cantwell Klobuchar Shaheen
threshold required for passage. much needed assistance for the brave Cardin Leahy Sinema
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Afghans who supported our mission Carper Luján Smith
Casey Manchin Stabenow
objection? through two decades of war. It is our Coons Markey Tester
Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, re- duty; it is our obligation to support Cortez Masto Menendez Van Hollen
serving the right to object. them. Duckworth Merkley Warner
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- But the substitute bill they are seek- Durbin Murphy Warnock
Gillibrand Murray Warren
ator from Vermont. ing to pass would shorten the length of Hassan Ossoff Whitehouse
Mr. LEAHY. I have listened to this time we provide assistance to thou- Heinrich Padilla Wyden
debate. I have also listened to my two sands of Afghan women and men who NAYS—50
dear friends from Louisiana speak fled to the United States to escape the
about the disaster recovery, and I sup- Barrasso Cotton Hawley
wrath of the Taliban—food, medical Blackburn Cramer Hoeven
port disaster recovery for that. But I care, housing, basic things they need. Blunt Crapo Hyde-Smith
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
would just point out that on the pro- The bill also eliminates their right to Boozman Cruz Inhofe
posal of the Republican leader, there obtain a REAL ID-compliant U.S. driv- Braun Daines Johnson
Burr Ernst Kennedy
would be no funds in the Treasury to er’s license, yet we want them to go Capito Fischer Lankford
pay for disaster recovery or for writing out and seek jobs. Cassidy Graham Lee
a check to Israel for the Iron Dome be- How are they going to do that if they Collins Grassley Lummis
cause it doesn’t raise the debt limit. can’t drive? Cornyn Hagerty Marshall
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S6694 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 27, 2021
McConnell Rounds Thune ing games with the full faith and credit The senior assistant legislative clerk
Moran Rubio Tillis
Murkowski Schumer Toomey
of the United States. read the nomination of Jonathan Eu-
Paul Scott (FL) Tuberville Now, despite Republican intran- gene Meyer, of Ohio, to be General
Portman Scott (SC) Wicker sigence, this matter cannot be set aside Counsel, Department of Homeland Se-
Risch Shelby Young for even a moment. Before the vote, I curity.
Romney Sullivan
changed my vote from yes to no in CLOTURE MOTION
NOT VOTING—2 order to reserve the option on addi- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I send
Feinstein Sasse tional action on the House-passed leg- a cloture motion to the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. islation. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo-
HEINRICH). On this vote, the yeas are Keeping the government open and ture motion having been presented
48, the nays are 50. preventing a default is vital to our under rule XXII, the Chair directs the
Three-fifths of the Senators duly cho- country’s future, and we will be taking clerk to read the motion.
sen and sworn not having voted in the further action to prevent this from The senior assistant legislative clerk
affirmative, the motion is not agreed happening this week. read as follows:
to. f CLOTURE MOTION
The motion was rejected. We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
EXECUTIVE SESSION
MOTION TO RECONSIDER ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
Mr. SCHUMER. I enter a motion to Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
reconsider the failed cloture vote. move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR nation of Executive Calendar No. 159, Jona-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mo-
tion is entered. Mr. SCHUMER. Now, Mr. President, I than Eugene Meyer, of Ohio, to be General
move to proceed to executive session to Counsel, Department of Homeland Security.
Mr. SCHUMER. Now, Mr. President, I Charles E. Schumer, Tammy Duckworth,
want to make sure everyone under- consider Calendar No. 264.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Brian Schatz, Alex Padilla, Sheldon
stands exactly what has happened here Whitehouse, Richard J. Durbin, Eliza-
on the Senate floor. The Republican question is on agreeing to the motion. beth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Gary C.
Party has now become the party of de- The motion was agreed to. Peters, Mark R. Warner, Tammy Bald-
fault, the party that says America The PRESIDING OFFICER. The win, Martin Heinrich, Mazie K. Hirono,
doesn’t pay its debts. clerk will report the nomination. Debbie Stabenow, Patrick J. Leahy,
Our country is staring down the bar- The senior assistant legislative clerk Robert P. Casey, Jr., Thomas R. Car-
rel of two totally Republican-manufac- read the nomination of Robert T. An- per, Tina Smith.
tured disasters—a government shut- derson, of Washington, to be Solicitor Mr. SCHUMER. Finally, I ask unani-
down and a first-ever default on the na- of the Department of the Interior. mous consent that the mandatory
tional debt. The impacts of both would CLOTURE MOTION quorum calls for the cloture motions
gravely harm every single American in Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I send filed today, September 27, be waived.
this country. Republicans would let the a cloture motion to the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
country default for the first time in The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- objection, it is so ordered.
history. ture motion having been presented f
A few moments ago, the Senate had under rule XXII, the Chair directs the LEGISLATIVE SESSION
an opportunity to begin solving these clerk to read the motion.
The senior assistant legislative clerk Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I
problems right away. Democrats did
read as follows: move to proceed to legislative session.
their part and voted yes, but Senate
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Republicans meanwhile voted to drive CLOTURE MOTION
question is on agreeing to the motion.
our country straight toward a govern- We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- The motion was agreed to.
ment shutdown and the first default in ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby f
our country’s history.
Let me be clear. What the Repub- move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- MORNING BUSINESS
licans in the Senate did tonight is not nation of Executive Calendar No. 264, Robert
T. Anderson, of Washington, to be Solicitor
normal. This isn’t your typical Wash-
of the Department of the Interior. TRIBUTE TO ATOMIC VETERANS
ington practice, and it shouldn’t be Charles E. Schumer, Tammy Duckworth,
treated as such. It has far more severe Brian Schatz, Alex Padilla, Sheldon Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I draw at-
consequences than the typical political Whitehouse, Richard J. Durbin, Eliza- tention to and recognize the immense
cat fight. Republicans know the con- beth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Gary C. service and commitment to our coun-
sequences of their obstruction. They Peters, Mark R. Warner, Tammy Bald- try of our Nation’s Atomic Veterans. I
know a default would likely create a win, Martin Heinrich, Mazie K. Hirono, also extend special recognition and
recession. They know that middle-class Debbie Stabenow, Patrick J. Leahy, gratitude to Idahoan and Atomic Vet-
Robert P. Casey, Jr., Thomas R. Car-
families will suffer immensely. They eran Noelan ‘‘Mac’’ McCormack for his
per, Tina Smith.
have heard the same warnings that we service to our country and his efforts
have. And by many calculations, the f to ensure his fellow veterans receive
Republican default will raise the def- LEGISLATIVE SESSION appreciation and recognition for their
icit by more than the American Rescue Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I service and sacrifices.
Plan, and yet Republicans still ob- move to proceed to legislative session. Mac McCormack of Coeur d’Alene,
structed tonight. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ID, served in the U.S. Marine Corps
It is one of the most reckless, one of question is on agreeing to the motion. Test Unit #1, a unit active from 1954–
the most irresponsible votes I have The motion was agreed to. 1957 involved in specialized tactics, in-
seen take place in the Senate, and it cluding warfare as it related to nuclear
f
should send a signal to every family, weapons. An Atomic Veteran is a vet-
small business, market watcher about EXECUTIVE SESSION eran who, as part of his or her military
who in this Chamber is in favor of en- service, participated in nuclear testing
dangering the economic stability of our between 1945 and 1962, served in the
country and who isn’t. EXECUTIVE CALENDAR U.S. military forces in or around Hiro-
Let me repeat: The Republican Party Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I shima and Nagasaki through mid-1946,
has solidified itself as the party of de- move to proceed to executive session to or was held a prisoner of war in or near
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
fault, and it will be the American peo- consider Calendar No. 159. Hiroshima or Nagasaki.
ple who pay the price. Social Security The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Earlier this year, when designating
checks, Medicare benefits, veterans question is on agreeing to the motion. July 16, 2021, as National Atomic Vet-
benefits, small business—all this and The motion was agreed to. erans Day, President Biden noted the
more are now on the chopping block The PRESIDING OFFICER. The considerable challenges Atomic Vet-
because Senate Republicans are play- clerk will report the nomination. erans have faced, ‘‘Atomic Veterans
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