Congressional Record, Senate — August 2, 2022, Proceedings
Summary
This is the Congressional Record, Vol. 168, No. 129, for Tuesday, August 2, 2022, Senate, with interleaved columns. The Senate met at 12 noon, with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and proceeds to executive session to resume consideration of the nomination of Hanes, of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. A speaker not named on this page describes floods in Eastern Kentucky, says the Eastern Kentucky relief fund has received about $2.3 million in charitable donations, and recounts the death of a man named Gabe in the floodwaters.
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“Congressional Record, Senate — August 2, 2022, Proceedings.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2022-08-02-crec-2022-08-02-pt1-pgs3837-10-7bb9c944c3/
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Congressional Record
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117 th CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE
Vol. 168 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2022 No. 129
Senate
The Senate met at 12 noon and was appoint the Honorable JOHN W. was working a shift when the floods
called to order by the Honorable JOHN HICKENLOOPER, a Senator from the State of hit. On his way home to rescue his wife
W. HICKENLOOPER, a Senator from the Colorado, to perform the duties of the Chair. and son, he stopped to help a man who
PATRICK J. LEAHY, had wrecked a four-wheeler. He cleared
State of Colorado.
President pro tempore.
f
trees and turned people away from dan-
Mr. HICKENLOOPER thereupon as- ger. Then, tragically, the floodwaters
PRAYER sumed the Chair as Acting President swept Gabe away.
pro tempore. As Gabe’s cousin told the Herald-
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of-
fered the following prayer: f Leader yesterday, ‘‘Eastern Kentucky
lost a hero.’’
Let us pray. RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME We are all grieving for the men,
Eternal God, our hearts are steadfast women, and children this flood has
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
for You. Though evil sometimes seems taken from us. The Hensley family has
pore. Under the previous order, the
to prosper, we trust You to cause jus- asked that people honor Gabe by help-
leadership time is reserved.
tice to prevail. In these turbulent ing other flood victims. Flooding, high
times, our hope is in Your goodness f
winds, and power outages are still on-
that continues to sustain us. CONCLUSION OF MORNING going, and forecasters predict more
Today, give our Senators the ability BUSINESS heavy rainfall in the region throughout
to realize more fully that they are The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- next week. The threat of even more
servants of Heaven. As good servants, pore. Morning business is closed. disaster in Eastern Kentucky is acute.
give them Your perspective on their I spoke with the Governor, State leg-
daily tasks and decisions. In faithful- f
islative leaders, and officials on the
ness to You, provide the litmus test by EXECUTIVE SESSION ground in Eastern Kentucky yesterday.
which they evaluate each decision. They echoed the need for food, cleaning
Lord, give our lawmakers such integ- supplies, and water.
rity that they will refuse to be careless EXECUTIVE CALENDAR In such dire times, the ray of hope is
about their spiritual and moral fitness. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- the fact that generous Kentuckians
We pray in Your strong Name. Amen. pore. Under the previous order, the from across the Commonwealth are
f Senate will proceed to executive ses- hearing these calls for help and answer-
sion to resume consideration of the fol- ing loud and clear. Already, the East-
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE lowing nomination, which the clerk ern Kentucky relief fund has received
The Presiding Officer led the Pledge will report. about $2.3 million in charitable dona-
of Allegiance, as follows: The senior assistant legislative clerk tions. Across my home State, from the
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the read the nomination of Elizabeth Wil- Winchester VWF to neighborhood res-
United States of America, and to the Repub- son Hanes, of Virginia, to be United taurants in Northern Kentucky, locals
lic for which it stands, one nation under God, States District Judge for the Eastern are organizing donation drives. The
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. District of Virginia. University of Kentucky and the Uni-
f versity of Louisville’s men’s basketball
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER
teams are both fundraising for flood re-
APPOINTMENT OF ACTING The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- lief, and police departments from
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE pore. The Republican leader is recog- around the region donated cruisers to
nized. help with search and rescue.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
clerk will please read a communication
FLOODING IN KENTUCKY All this generosity will play a crucial
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, we role as we begin to rebuild. As the offi-
to the Senate from the President pro
learn more each day about the dev- cials I spoke to emphasized, it will be a
tempore (Mr. LEAHY).
astating toll that ongoing flooding has long road ahead for the families af-
The senior assistant legislative clerk
inflicted on Eastern Kentucky. As res- fected by these awful floods. But I
read the following letter:
cue and recovery efforts continue, Ken- know I speak for every Kentuckian
U.S. SENATE,
tuckians are grieving lost family mem- when I say: We will be with them every
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE,
Washington, DC, August 2, 2022. bers and friends and neighbors. single step of the way.
To the Senate: One of the victims of last weekend’s INFLATION REDUCTION ACT
Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, flash floods was Gabe Hensley, a 30- Mr. President, on a different subject,
of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby year-old coal miner and father. Gabe the Democrats have had a tough few
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∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.
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S3838 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 2, 2022
days rolling out their latest reckless The Inflation Reduction Act won’t bills, we must address national secu-
taxing-and-spending spree. It turns out reduce inflation any more than the rity challenges in the Indo-Pacific
that proposing huge, job-killing tax American Rescue Plan actually rescued head-on. And I hope the Speaker’s trav-
hikes and more runaway spending dur- America. The only thing the so-called els will mean that we do so with more
ing inflation and a recession doesn’t go rescue plan rescued the country from of a bipartisan consensus on American
over very well. Here are a few of the was stable prices and a functioning might than we have seen in the recent
things nonpartisan—nonpartisan—ex- economy. And the only thing their in- past.
perts have already proven about the flation reduction plan will reduce is I suggest the absence of a quorum.
Democrats’ proposal. American jobs, wages, after-tax in- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
No. 1, the so-called Inflation Reduc- comes, energy affordability, and new pore. The clerk will call the roll.
tion Act would actually increase infla- lifesaving medicines. Wow. What an ac- The senior assistant legislative clerk
tion in the short term and do nothing complishment. proceeded to call the roll.
to tackle the problem in the long term. So the Democrats say they need to Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask
That is from the University of Pennsyl- pass another massive economic failure unanimous consent that the order for
vania. because their first huge economic fail- the quorum call be rescinded.
No. 2, their tax hikes would shatter ure has made it necessary. Well, the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
President Biden’s promise not to im- American people see things quite dif- pore. Without objection, it is so or-
pact households earning below $400,000. ferently. dered.
Many billions of dollars of the new tax TAIWAN RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER
hikes would fall—listen to this—di- Mr. President, now on one final mat- The majority leader is recognized.
rectly on the working class and the ter, public reports indicate the Speaker BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
middle class. That, of course, is not of the House just landed in Taiwan as
from Republicans but from the Joint Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, over
she travels through Asia. I believe she the last 5 days, we have seen what
Committee on Taxation. has every right to go, and it has been
No. 3, also from the Joint Committee President Biden and a Democratic-led
unseemly and counterproductive for Congress are focused on getting done:
on Taxation, fully half of the Demo-
President Biden and his aides to have bringing terrorists to justice, lowering
crats’ $300-plus billion—billion—new
publicly sought to deter her from doing costs, reducing inflation and the def-
tax on American jobs would come
so. icit, helping out our veterans, and bet-
crashing down on American manufac- There is significant precedent for
turers in particular—manufacturers in ter competing with countries like
high-ranking U.S. officials visiting
particular. China.
Taiwan, including a past Speaker of
Now, those groups that I cited are I want to begin with a word on last
the House. Beijing claims such a visit
neutral and nonpartisan. But, just for night’s strike. Last night, President
is now unacceptable. They claim that
fun, let’s take a look at the most favor- Biden reported that the United States
able numbers—most favorable num- things have changed. Well, it is cer-
conducted a strike that targeted and
bers—for Democrats. Let’s look at tainly true China has stepped up its ag-
killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, the noto-
their own spin. gressive actions. They are trying to
rious mass murderer, the leader of al-
One of the Biden administration’s fa- change the status quo through force.
Qaida, and one of the sick planners of
vorite outside economists, somebody They have expanded militarily in the
the September 11 attacks, which in
who has consistently been overopti- South China Sea. They have invested
New York and around the country and
mistic about inflation and Democrats’ in anti-ship and anti-aircraft capabili-
the world we are still mourning.
policies, claims their bill will reduce ties to threaten U.S. vessels. They have
The strike against al-Zawahiri is a
the Consumer Price Index by a grand manipulated and threatened neighbors
major victory for the United States. It
total—listen to this—of one-third of 1 and mounted an all-out assault on de-
will make our country and the entire
percent—one-third of 1 percent—be- mocracy and autonomy in Hong Kong.
world a safer place. It will also help
tween now and the end of the year Now Beijing wants to dictate Tai-
bring an element of justice for the 9/11
2031—wow—0.33 percent over 9 years. wan’s future to its people and snuff out
families, as well as the many Ameri-
That is one twenty-eighth of the infla- the island’s democracy, and they are
cans who still carry the scars deep
tion Democrats have caused in just the building the military capacity to actu-
within.
last 12 months. For goodness’ sake, ally bring that about. That is what is
I applaud President Biden for bring-
Democrats added four times that much provocative. And to hear those respon-
ing final justice to this loathsome mur-
inflation just in the month of June sible for this aggression complain—
derer who orchestrated the killing of
alone. complain—that Speaker PELOSI’s trav-
thousands of my fellow New Yorkers,
So, listen, the friendliest estimate el itinerary is provocative is utterly
including some people I knew quite
for Democrats says their taxing-and- absurd.
So I welcome the Speaker’s display of well. I also want to thank the Presi-
spending spree would take 9 years—9 dent’s national security team for keep-
years—to unwind literally 1 week’s support for Taiwan’s democracy, but I
hope she returns from Asia more mind- ing Congress fully and currently in-
worth of recent inflation. Hundreds of formed throughout the process. Fi-
billions of dollars in tax hikes, hun- ful of the military dimensions of the
Chinese threat and more committed to nally, I want to applaud the skill and
dreds of billions of dollars in new
working with Republicans to address bravery of our dedicated intelligence
spending, and it would take 9 years to
the changing balance of military power community, servicemembers, and dip-
remove 1 week’s worth of Democrats’
in the region. What that requires is lomats who work day and night—day
inflation—goodness.
So let me repeat it one more time. selling the right mix of weapons to Tai- and night—to keep America safe.
This is the most generous estimate for wan on a prompt timeline, while help- This successful mission will send a
Democrats. Neutral experts like the ing Taiwan’s military prepare for like- chill down the spines of terrorists all
University of Pennsylvania say even ly threats. over the world and likewise will send a
this is too optimistic, and their bill The Biden administration has had 2 clear message to those who wish to
would actually make inflation even years to build on the robust invest- cross our Nation and harm our citizens:
worse in the coming months. ments their immediate predecessors You will find no comfort. You will find
So, look, this isn’t an Inflation Re- made in military modernization. In- no quarter. You can run, but you can’t
duction Act—not even close. It is just a stead, they submitted defense budget hide. We will hunt you down to the
catalog of tax hikes and green boon- requests that pointed in the completely ends of the Earth until justice is car-
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doggles that Democrats have wanted, wrong direction. While China keeps ried out.
literally, for years with a false new ramping up, the Biden administration PACT ACT OF 2022
label slapped on the front. The Infla- proposed to actually cut—cut—our de- Mr. President, now on the PACT Act,
tion Reduction Act won’t reduce infla- fense spending after inflation. every day that passes without action
tion any more than the American Res- So when Congress debates the De- on the PACT Act is another day that
cue Plan actually rescued America. fense authorization and appropriations our Nation’s veterans have to do the
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