Congressional Record, Senate, December 21, 2022 — Omnibus Appropriations and Nominations
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated December 21, 2022, at page S9739. It records a question whether the Senate will advise and consent en bloc to nominations, including Alexis Taylor to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and several nominees to the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority. It also carries a Senator's remarks on the omnibus appropriations package, arguing that the bill would be better broken into the 12 separate appropriations bills and highlighting provisions for veterans and military service members. The remarks are the Senator's own.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, December 21, 2022 — Omnibus Appropriations and Nominations.”
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December 21, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9739
the President be immediately notified mittee amend, discuss, and debate that And for our military men and women
of the Senate’s action and the Senate section of what today, tonight, this who have served in the past, our vet-
resume legislative session. week becomes this large, all-encom- erans, they deserve many of the provi-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without passing bill. sions that are now included in the ap-
objection, it is so ordered. We all would be better off if we broke propriations package.
The question is, Will the Senate ad- this down into the 12 separate parts Our military, as we know, is com-
vise and consent to the following nomi- that are now combined into this one prised of many selfless Americans who
nations en bloc: Alexis Taylor, of Iowa, large bill. We would know much more signed up, volunteered to serve. It is
to be Under Secretary of Agriculture about it, the deliberations would be through their sacrifices, their family’s
for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Af- more forthright, and we would have sacrifices, that they have protected
fairs; L. Michelle Moore, of Georgia, to less likelihood of something being con- and preserved the gift of freedom that
be a Member of the Board of Directors tained in the bill that there was objec- we have in this country and what we
of the Tennessee Valley Authority for tion to it being there. should always cherish.
a term expiring May 18, 2026; Robert P. I hope in the new Senate, the new In asking brave people to serve, men
Klein, of Tennessee, to be a Member of Congress beginning in January, we as and women, generally young, we make,
the Board of Directors of the Tennessee appropriators, we as Members of the as a Nation, a promise to them and to
Valley Authority for a term expiring Senate, work hard to go back to the their families that their government
May 18, 2026; William J. Renick, of Mis- way things were before I was ever in will assist them in successfully return-
sissippi, to be a Member of the Board of the Senate in which there is a budget, ing to civilian life after their service.
Directors of the Tennessee Valley Au- 12 appropriations bills, and then fill in Specifically, I think we promise
thority for a term expiring May 18, the spaces on that budget. Then, ulti- those who serve help for them in
2027; Adam Wade White, of Kentucky, mately, every Member of the U.S. Sen- transitioning to civilian life through
to be a Member of the Board of Direc- ate has input into the outcome. education, training, and economic as-
tors of the Tennessee Valley Authority I want to highlight something that is sistance, to provide them medical care
for a term expiring May 18, 2027; Joe H. in the appropriations bill that we are for their injuries or diseases incurred
Ritch, of Alabama, to be a Member of discussing and considering at this during their service, and to compensate
the Board of Directors of the Tennessee point in time. Before I do that, I want them financially if those injuries pre-
Valley Authority for a term expiring to, again, indicate that one of the most vent them from meeting their full
May 18, 2025; and Beth Pritchard Geer, important components to me in this earning potential.
of Tennessee, to be a Member of the legislation is the opportunity for us to As we consider the fiscal year 2023
Board of Directors of the Tennessee more fully fund those who serve in our appropriations package, there are a few
Valley Authority for a term expiring military and to better care for our vet- specific veterans bills that have been
May 18, 2026? erans who have served. included in this legislation to give the
The nominations were confirmed en There is some suggestion that we are Department of Veterans Affairs the
bloc. rushing to complete this legislation be- tools and resources they need to meet
f fore the new year. The reality is, we the changing needs of America’s vet-
are—again, because of the process that erans.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION we have failed to follow, we are behind One is the Joseph Maxwell Cleland
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- in the system. It is not that we are ad- and the Robert J. Dole Memorial Vet-
ate will now resume legislative session. vancing a bill that was something to erans Benefit Healthcare Improvement
f take advantage of in the future. We are Act, long last name, honoring two pre-
3 months behind in passing an appro- vious Members of the U.S. Senate—in-
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOP- priations bill that was due at the end cluding my successor in the seat I hold
MENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMIN- of the fiscal year September 30, 3 in the U.S. Senate, Senator Bob Dole.
ISTRATION, AND RELATED months ago. He himself, not only a Kansan but a
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS And if we wait to pass an appropria- significantly wounded veteran and an
ACT, 2023—Continued tions bill into the new year—we are individual who never stopped fighting
Mr. BLUMENTHAL. I suggest the ab- supposed to have our appropriations for his fellow veterans, it is an honor
sence of a quorum. process completed in March—we will to name this legislation with his re-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The just be beginning the discussion, de- spect in mind.
clerk will call the roll. bate about the old bill—the bill for this This legislation, described in that
The bill clerk proceeded to call the year—at a time in which we are sup- title, delivers new benefits and im-
roll. posed to be advancing the conversa- proved resources for the VA, including
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask tion, debate, and outcome of a bill to a specific bill that I introduced, one
unanimous consent that the order for fund the new year. that is—we call in short words GHAPS,
the quorum call be rescinded. And in the process of doing so, we Guaranteeing Healthcare Access to
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without will have left our military at flatline Personnel Who Served. That act builds
objection, it is so ordered. funding. And the challenges we face in upon previous legislation and efforts to
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, we are this country are so significant that no continue to lay a groundwork nec-
debating, discussing, and hopefully additional dollars to the Department of essary to transform the VA into a mod-
concluding our work on something Defense for even a short period of ernized innovative healthcare system.
called an Omnibus appropriations bill. time—months, 6 weeks, 3 months, a It includes protections to safeguard
I certainly decry the method by which year—that is very damaging, particu- veterans’ access to care from highly
the committee, the Senate, and the larly in these days of significant de- qualified providers in VA medical fa-
Congress work in regard to appropria- fense inflation. And so it is important cilities and through the VA’s Commu-
tions bills. I am a member of that Ap- for us to complete our work in a timely nity Care Network to help veterans
propriations Committee, but there is fashion. across the country, including those in
no reason—none—that we could not do And, unfortunately for us, that time- rural—a significant component of my
as we are supposed to do, as we are in- ly fashion is already 3 months ago. In State and the Presiding Officer’s—and
tending to do—12 separate appropria- this bill, in a bipartisan fashion, we remote communities, that those vet-
tions bills, one at a time. were successful in adding a number of erans get the care they need when they
It is an opportunity for the commit- provisions to the bill that advanced the need it and where they want it.
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tees to have hearings with witnesses to cause of those who served our Nation. It would also require the VA to es-
debate and discuss the content of that So my point, first of all, is for those tablish a pilot program to empower
appropriations bill, pass it out of the men and women who serve in our mili- veterans by letting them schedule their
committee, send it to the Senate, and tary today, they deserve something dif- own appointments, just like they
let other Members of the Senate who ferent than old funding or no funding would be able to do if they were seek-
are not on the Appropriations Com- or continued funding at a flatline level. ing care elsewhere.
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S9740 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 21, 2022
Additionally, this package includes tion that is applied just to Ninth Cir- The failure to pass my Cottonwood
another piece of legislation, the cuit States. solution is bad for wildlife. It is bad for
STRONG Veterans Act, a set of mental And, gratefully, for 6 years, there has forest health. It is bad for habitat, and
health legislation, including the been a good bipartisan effort with it is dangerous for local communities.
REACH for Veterans Act. This legisla- strong support from conservation and There is no doubt the summers are
tion requires the VA to make key im- sportsmen groups to do just that. In getting longer. They are warmer. This
provements to the Veterans Crisis Line fact, earlier this year, I had a bipar- is an important mitigation strategy to
and to conduct outreach on the rollout tisan bill that would fully and perma- address the issues of warmer summers
of 988 as the new suicide and crisis hot- nently fix this Ninth Circuit Cotton- and longer summers, longer fire sea-
line. Additionally, the STRONG Act in- wood decision, and it cleared the En- sons.
cludes my 9/11 Veterans’ Mental Health ergy and Natural Resources Committee I can tell you, I am deeply dis-
Care Improvement Act, which would with a very strong bipartisan vote. appointed. After years of bipartisan
require the VA to expand access to In fact, it was all primed to get work and the Energy and Natural Re-
mental health care, increase its mental across the finish line this year, in this sources Committee passed this bill 16
health workforce, and direct the de- Congress. And by the way, healthy for- to 4 in a strong bipartisan vote, sadly,
partment to conduct critical research est management, what it does is it im- this bill has fallen through the cracks
on brain health. proves wildlife habitat, because cata- during this very broken process here in
Lastly, this mental health package strophic wildfires destroy habitat. It DC related to budgets and will fail to
includes a bill to improve mental also restores watersheds, because when pass when it is so desperately needed.
health and suicide prevention outreach you have a catastrophic wildfire, in the And, by the way, it doesn’t cost any-
to American Indians and Alaska Native spring when the rains come, they silt thing. There is no need to pay for it.
veterans. We must make certain that out the trout streams and affect trout This is a commonsense bipartisan fix.
our country is doing all it can do to habitat. It reflects the Obama administration’s
honor its promise to care for those who They provide jobs for a timber indus- position from 6 years ago. It is sup-
have borne the battle and for their sur- try that are needed badly in many ported by mainstream conservation
vivors. parts of Montana. When I was a kid and sportsmen groups from the left,
I urge the passage of the provisions growing up in Montana, we had over 30 the center, the right.
in this bill that are so important to active sawmills. Today, we are down to And I will tell you, I am not going to
veterans, it is included in the entire a handful. stop fighting on this to ensure that we
omnibus spending package. But somehow, this bipartisan urgent pass these commonsense forest man-
I know that the Presiding Officer has need of reform was left out. And let me agement policies. In fact, it generates
dedicated attention to the veterans paint you a picture of the effects of tax revenues because you get more
that you know and care about. I look that Cottonwood decision. This ruling timber harvest going on by improving
forward to working with you and my has stalled hundreds of wildfire mitiga- the landscape. And we need to finally
colleagues as we continue this effort to tion. It has stalled wildlife and restora- overturn this disastrous Cottonwood
make certain that those who served tion projects across multiple forests decision.
our country receive what they were en- and in some cases has shut down for- This bill should have been and needed
titled to. ests in Montana and throughout the to pass this year, but we are not going
This bill, in its entirety—beyond just West entirely. to give up the fight.
these provisions related to veterans—is And, sadly, the conditions in our na- I yield the floor.
a way we can help those who serve our tional forests have deteriorated. And The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Nation today and honor, respect, and too often, these catastrophic wildfires ator from Delaware.
provide for those who served our Na- have occurred on the same acres where WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2022
tion in the past. management was stalled due to this Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I rise
I yield the floor. Cottonwood decision. And, sadly, it is today along with my colleague and
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- only going to get worse. partner on the Environment and Public
ator from Montana. What is more, this Ninth Circuit cre- Works Committee, Senator SHELLEY
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, millions ated a split in the courts creating two MOORE CAPITO, to celebrate passage of
of acres of national forest in Montana different standards for forest manage- this year’s Water Resources Develop-
and across the West are at extreme ment across the United States. All my ment Act, or WRDA, as it is affection-
risk of catastrophic wildfire, and just bill does is it applies a common stand- ately known. And the Presiding Officer
throwing a whole bunch of money at ard, the same standard, across the and I have talked about this legislation
the problem is not going to solve it. whole country, which that would in- many times, as he has provided input
And one of the biggest barriers to re- clude Montana and the other Ninth to the bill, along with 97 other U.S.
sponsible forest management is the Circuit States. And the time to make Senators—all 100. All 100 Senators, all
Ninth Circuit’s Cottonwood decision this fix is now. 50 States provided input to this legisla-
that dates all the way back to 2015. In March of 2018, Congress passed tion.
In a nutshell, the Cottonwood deci- some partial reforms to respond to the As our colleagues may recall, the
sion imposed additional redtape on Cottonwood decision, but even these Water Resources Development Act—we
Federal Agencies and is having a crip- fixes expire in March of 2023. call it WRDA. The Senate passed the
pling effect, crippling consequences, on A few months ago, the Forest Service National Defense Authorization Act,
commonsense land management. testified that the failure to act by known as NDAA, by a vote of 83 to 11.
And that is not just what I or leaders March—as in about three months from I will say that again. The Senate
of the wood products industry believe; now—will have devastating impacts on passed the National Defense Authoriza-
it is exactly what the Obama adminis- land management. tion Act, known as the NDAA, by a
tration feared when they fought In fact, according to the Forest Serv- vote of 83 to 11. It is not often that we
against the Cottonwood decision in 2016 ice in their testimony, if we don’t pass pass legislation with that level of bi-
hoping the United States Supreme my bipartisan bill now, at least 100 for- partisan support.
Court would overturn it. est plans will need to go through recon- Having said that, the committee that
Well, they didn’t overturn it. In fact, sultation and redtape for no justified Senator CAPITO and I lead—we do that
they said: Congress needs to resolve reason, resulting in years of delays and kind of thing often—often—and I am
this discrepancy between the Ninth millions of dollars wasted. pleased that we did especially because
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Circuit and Tenth Circuit court. So for Not to mention, it will also under- this Defense bill included the Water
6 years, we have been working to re- mine the investments that we made Resources Development Act of 2022,
verse this disastrous Ninth Circuit Cot- here in Congress in the Great American also known as WRDA. In fact, our
tonwood ruling so we would have com- Outdoors Act, probably the greatest WRDA bill became the vehicle through
monality and continuity across the en- conservation win we have seen in 50 which we advanced the Defense bill.
tire United States versus this excep- years in Washington, DC. That doesn’t happen every day, but we
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December 21, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9741
are proud of that and delighted that it our country of nearly $14 billion dollars WRDA 2022 establishes a new workforce
has worked out this way. each year. development and STEM outreach pro-
The water resources bills authorize— WRDA 2022 also supports safe and re- gram at the Corps with a priority to re-
people say: What do they do? What liable and efficient navigation at our cruit new engineers from underserved
does the water bill do? Well, it author- coastal ports. And as we have seen over and disadvantaged communities.
izes the activities of the U.S. Army the past 2 years, navigable shipping Before I yield the floor to Senator
Corps of Engineers. channels are essential to keeping glob- CAPITO, I just want to take a moment
I am a Navy guy, but I have huge re- al supply chains moving. to thank some of the staff members on
spect for the Army—different uniform, More than 99 percent of U.S. overseas both sides of the aisle for their hard
same team—but especially for the folks trade volume moves through the work and determination in drafting
at the Army Corps of Engineers. 13,000—13,000—miles of coastal channels this legislation.
WRDA 2022 continues the 2-year maintained by the Corps, which, to- Senator CAPITO and I, along with
cycle for the Water Resources Develop- gether, support over 30 million jobs some of our other colleagues, have the
ment Act, and our committee has had across our country. WRDA 2022 recog- privilege of having the legislation bear
a decade—five WRDA bills in a row in nizes the economic importance of our our names, but she knows and I know,
the last 10 years—of completing these Nation’s commercial ports and ship- that we are only as good as the people
reauthorizations on time—on time. ping channels. we have around us. She has just a ter-
This year’s WRDA is historic. Not As a recovering Governor, I often say rific group of men and women on her
only is WRDA 2022 an ambitious water that it is our responsibility as elected staff and in our committee, and we be-
resource bill, but it is also the product officials to help create a nurturing en- lieve—I believe—we have the same on
of a steadfast commitment to biparti- vironment for job creation and job our side.
sanship, and Senator CAPITO and I have preservation. We don’t create the jobs. But on Senator CAPITO’s staff I would
sought input to get every Senator in- What we do is help create the nur- especially like to recognize Adam Tom-
volved—100 Senators—when we started turing environment that leads to job linson, a fellow West Virginian, as am
working on WRDA last year. The final creation. But maintaining our ports I, along with Max Hyman, Haden Mil-
legislation represents an agreement be- and waterways is a cornerstone of that ler—in fact, I think all three of these
tween the two Chambers of Congress on nurturing environment. people are native West Virginians, if I
our respective Army Corps reauthoriza- Addressing the impacts of climate am not mistaken—and Kim Townsend,
tion legislation. change is also essential to the task of Libby Callaway, Katherine Scarlett,
Before delving into what we accom- building our Nation’s prosperity—eco- and Murphie Barrett for their steadfast
plished in WRDA 2022, let me just say nomic prosperity—for all of us. Cli- dedication and partnerships.
how proud I am to have coauthored mate change is fueling extreme weath- On my staff, I would especially like
this legislation with Senator CAPITO, er, which threatens our coastal and in- to recognize Mary Frances Repko, staff
along with Chairman DEFAZIO and land communities alike. WRDA 2022 director, Tyler Hofmann-Reardon,
Ranking Member GRAVES on the House makes the most significant boost ever Mayely Boyce, Jordan Baugh, Janine
Transportation and Infrastructure made to the Army Corps’ authority to Barr, and especially John Kane, who
Committee. conduct climate resilience work. works like a demon, like a tiger, in
I also want to recognize Senators Climate resilience work is urgently leading our water team on our com-
CARDIN and CRAMER, as well as Rep- needed. It is not a matter of if the next mittee.
resentatives NAPOLITANO and ROUZER, storm is coming, but it is a matter of I also want to recognize Mark
and the subcommittee chairs and rank- when. And with this in mind, the Water Mazone and Deanna Edwards of the
ing members on the Senate EPW and Resources Development Act of 2022 rec- Senate Legislative Counsel, and David
House Transportation and Infrastruc- ognizes the critical role that the Corps Wethington, Amy Klein, and Nicole
ture Committees, respectively. Their plays in helping communities adapt to Comisky of the Army Corps of Engi-
leadership was instrumental in helping climate change. neers Congressional Affairs staff. Folks
us develop this legislation. This bill allows the Army Corps to at the Legislative Counsel do a lot of
I cannot overstate just how impor- better design and implement projects the writing—the legislative writing—
tant the Corps’ work is to our Nation’s by accounting for the direct impacts of and they are invaluable.
economic growth. The Corps is the climate change. It will make a big dif- The Corps and the Senate Legislative
principal steward of our country’s ference in States like Delaware, like Counsel are the unsung heroes of mak-
water infrastructure. The Corps’ re- Florida, like Texas—just to name a ing this legislation happen, though,
sponsibilities include improving our few—where we continue to see extreme from filling in the need for numerous
ports and waterways to enable trade weather like hurricanes and other project updates and helping draft the
with other nations, restoring our eco- storms batter our beaches and coastal legislation to providing technical as-
systems to support fisheries, to support communities. sistance, and we are grateful. We are
tourism, support recreation, and ad- In addition to overhauling the Corps’ grateful. Both of us are extremely
vancing flood management solutions to project design authorities, WRDA 2022 grateful for the efforts of all of you.
make communities more resilient to improves the Corps’ abilities to make Sometimes, I know people watch tel-
climate change and to extreme weath- our shorelines, our riverbanks, and our evision or watch the news and they
er. streambanks more resilient to extreme say: Why don’t they ever find—why
Without these WRDA bills, our Na- weather. don’t they ever work together in Wash-
tion’s economy would suffer, and our In addition to better positioning the ington and in the Congress? And this
future would be diminished. Corps to address threats like climate legislation is just about as clear evi-
WRDA 2022 enables the Corps to con- change in WRDA 2022, we also work to dence as you will ever find that we do
tinue to operate and maintain Amer- rectify historical inequities for Tribal work together. We do work together.
ica’s water highway—a 12,000-mile-long and disadvantaged communities. The We put this bill together in a bipar-
system of inland waterways, with 209 legislation establishes a new advisory tisan way. We debated it in a bipar-
locks that are vital to the domestic committee to help the Corps more ef- tisan way. We reported it out in a bi-
and international commerce of our Na- fectively deliver projects, programs, partisan way. We debated on the floor,
tion. and other assistance to historically un- worked with the House and with the
Each year, more than 500 million derserved communities. administration—with the administra-
tons of commodities move through this This bill also reauthorizes the Corps’ tion—in a way that I think most any
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system. Think about that. Over 500 Tribal Partnership Program and makes American could be proud of the way
million tons of commodities move a series of targeted improvements to the democratic—this is the way the
through this system, including 60 per- increase opportunities for Tribal com- democratic process is supposed to
cent of our Nation’s agricultural ex- munities to partner with the Corps on work, and right here, especially with
ports. Operating and maintaining this essential projects in a more cost-effec- our committee. And with this legisla-
system results in economic benefit to tive way for the Tribe. And, finally, tion, we have done that.
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S9742 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 21, 2022
But in this holiday season and this served for 12 years, Chairman PETER and delayed, as well as review of the
season of giving, the Water Resources DEFAZIO, and Ranking Member SAM Corps’ mitigation practices for these
Development Act of 2022 reminds me of GRAVES. They did great work here, and projects.
a saying by Winston Churchill. Church- we were able to work out our dif- It provides flexibility—every State is
ill used to say, ‘‘Never give in except to ferences. We would not be here today different—to our non-Federal sponsors
convictions of honor and good sense,’’ without their tireless efforts to reach with respect to financial accounting
and on this bill, I can proudly say that an agreement that addresses the prior- and fulfilling cost-share obligations for
we have acted on both convictions. We ities of Members from both sides of the projects.
have delivered for our colleagues, we aisle and both sides of the Capitol. It also authorizes, for the first time,
have delivered for our country, and we I would also like to thank two Sen- a dedicated research and development
have done so by enacting important, ators from our committee, Senators account for the Corps to spur innova-
commonsense policies. CARDIN and CRAMER. We are the four tion and provides contracting flexi-
With that, I am delighted to yield the Cs, as we call ourselves—CARDIN, bility in undertaking these activities.
floor to the Senator CAPITO. CRAMER, CARPER, and CAPITO. If you The bill directs the Corps to support
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- can say that quickly, you are in better science, technology, engineering, and
ator from West Virginia. shape than we are going to be later on math—or STEM—education and recruit
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I thank tonight, hopefully, as we vote late, I individuals for careers at the Agency.
my chairman of the Environment and think, I hope. But I would like to The input of non-Federal interests is
Public Works Committee for his great thank them for their support and part- critical to successfully solving water
statement but also for his great work nership during this process. infrastructure challenges now and in
through the year. I want to express my gratitude, as the future. So the bill establishes a
He did mention several of the bipar- the chairman did, to the staff of our new advisory committee for non-Fed-
tisan wins that we had. Many of them committee, the staff of T and I, the eral interests to voice their opinions on
have been unanimous through the com- staff of the Army Corps of Engineers how the Corps can better meet their
mittee because we all know you can’t for the technical assistance, and to the needs and improve project delivery. We
get everything. We know you can’t get House and Senate Legislative Counsel also preserve the integral role of non-
everything you want. You have got to for their diligence, professionalism, Federal sponsors in the project deliv-
give a little to get a little. and commitment to many long hours ery process by avoiding mandates from
And so I salute him and our staffs for throughout this process. Washington, DC, and ensuring that the
being able to work that out. I am pleased that our final agree- Corps continues to evaluate a full
But today I want to also briefly talk ment with the House maintained the array of solutions during the feasi-
for a few minutes about the bipartisan vast majority of provisions that were bility study phase.
Water Resources Development Act of in our Senate bill. True to the Corps’ In addition to my role as ranking
2022. The chairman described it. It is tradition, this bill moves forward member of EPW, I represent the great
kind of nice to get up here and talk projects that both benefit both local State of West Virginia, where my
about something that has already communities and the entire country. chairman was born. I worked to ad-
Specifically, the WRDA bill author-
passed. So we don’t really have to be dress the needs of my home State in
izes 25 new projects and 6 modifications
persuasive, we are just reminding this bill—and I will just give a few
to existing projects around the coun-
Members of how important this is in highlights—that will benefit the lives
try, including projects for navigation,
their districts and across their States. of West Virginians.
flood and coastal storm risk manage-
I am grateful to my colleagues for First, the legislation advances a crit-
ment, and ecosystem restoration. And
the support of this legislation, and I ical flood control project in the city of
it authorizes more than 100 feasibility
am pleased that it is now on the way to Milton. Authorized in the 1990s, this
studies that will develop solutions to
the President’s desk for his signature. project is a long time coming, and I am
water resource challenges in our years
Through WRDA, Congress authorizes proud to have helped move it forward
ahead. It is so smart, I think, to look
water resources projects and sets na- in these recent years.
to the future.
tional policies for the Civil Works Pro- While this bill is very much oriented The bill also works to support flood
gram of the U.S. Army Corps of Engi- toward advancing critical projects and control studies for the Kanawha River
neers. studies in our States, it also contains Basin and also in the city of Hun-
I live about a half a mile from a river several policy changes that will help tington. It continues to provide envi-
that has a lot of commerce on it. It is the Corps better succeed in civil works ronmental infrastructure assistance for
very important that the Corps is able missions. drinking and wastewater in our com-
to do their work. The work of the The bill bolsters the Agency’s tech- munities throughout the State. Fi-
Corps facilitates commerce throughout nical assistance authorities, specifi- nally, the bill will provide additional
the country and internationally. cally the Flood Plain Management critical support for river bank sta-
Projects along our inland waterways Services and Planning Assistance to bilization, such as those in the
and at our ports enable the movement States’ Programs. Kanawha River in the capital city.
of cargo, while also bolstering our sup- Every State is different, and we know In closing, there is a lot in this bill
ply chain. that some of these challenges are vast. for both sides of the aisle and for com-
We know that natural disasters such It authorizes the Corps to conduct out- munities across the Nation. It is a cul-
as floods and hurricanes can strike at reach—and the chairman mentioned mination of true bipartisan, bicameral
any time and have devastating con- this—to ensure that our communities effort and represents our shared goal of
sequences on our communities. But the are knowledgeable in the ways in addressing our Nation’s water resource
Corps’ work to protect the lives and which the Agency can help them with needs.
livelihoods of millions of Americans is their water resources needs. I am incredibly proud of our EPW
supported by the congressional author- The bill makes important improve- Committee as we continue to be one of
ization of flood and coastal storm risk ments to the Tribal Partnership Pro- the most active, cooperative, and fruit-
management policies that are con- gram and other authorities to assist ful committees of this Congress. And I
tained within this bill. our Indian Tribes. It also expands ex- would say as a side note, when people
Since 2014, as the chairman said, we isting programs and includes new au- ask me how do we get things done, how
have enacted WRDA every 2 years, and thorities to assist communities that do we find the answer to something
I am happy to say that we are carrying are economically disadvantaged, in- like permitting reforms—you use the
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
on that tradition. cluding those located in rural areas. committee. You use the committees,
I want to thank again Chairman CAR- It requires reporting on timelines for like you use our committee or another
PER for his leadership and dedication, the environmental review process for committee to find a solution and get
and I would also like to thank our col- projects. We know that is essential. the ideas from both sides and hammer
leagues in the House, the chairman of The bill directs the GAO to conduct a out the differences. That is how you
the T and I Committee, on which I review of projects that are over budget get things across the finish line.
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December 21, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9743
Again, the chairman went through like Yuma, Border Patrol agents are ernors know what works best for their
the staff, but I am going to take the encountering illegal migrants every individual States way better than the
liberty of going through the staff, too, day, some of whom are dangerous Federal Government does here in
because I want to thank them as well. criminals, traffickers, drug cartel Washington, DC.
They worked many long nights on this. members, and even terrorists. Others Remember I mentioned the massive
From Chairman CARPER’s staff: Mary are just families victimized by the car- piles of wall material that the Biden
Frances Repko, John Kane, Jordan tels. administration refuses to use? Our bill,
Baugh, Mayely Boyce, Tyler Hofmann- I encountered a family from Haiti the BUILD It Act, would force the Fed-
Reardon, Milo Goodell, and Janine during my last visit. I watched them eral Government to transfer any mate-
Barr. cross the border through a massive rial associated with the construction of
From my staff: Adam Tomlinson, hole in the border wall caused by Joe the southern border barrier to any
Murphie Barrett, Max Hyman, Kim Biden’s decision not to complete the State upon request so these States can
Townsend, Katherine Scarlett, and already paid-for wall. These families do what Joe Biden refuses to do: finish
Haden Miller. are victims of the cartels. Once in the wall.
I would also like to thank the Senate America, many of them live a life of in- As Senator ERNST has noted, since
Legislative Counsel Deanna Edwards dentured servitude and debilitating President Biden’s order in January 2021
and Mark Mazzone and the U.S. Corps debt in which they have to send nearly to cease construction of the southern
of Engineers’ engineering staff of Amy all of their money back to these savage border barrier went into effect, the
Klein, Dave Wethington and countless cartels. These people and their families Federal Government began paying con-
other attorneys and technical staff. We are owned by the cartels, and Joe tractors over $3 million a day to look
could not have done this without them, Biden is letting it happen. Many of the over unused border material. It is esti-
most certainly, and we want them to children are trafficked, made to pose as mated that roughly one-quarter of a
know how much we appreciate their ef- the children of people they don’t even billion dollars in taxpayer-funded ma-
forts on behalf of not just the com- know. And we know that so many terials are sitting—just sitting—on our
mittee, but on behalf of the American women and children who make this southern border. So instead of doing
people. journey are brutally victimized and his job upholding our laws and securing
So thank you all—all of us here in raped. the border, President Biden is burning
this Chamber—for getting WRDA 2022 But still the cartels push these fami- $3 million of your tax dollars each and
across the line. And with that, I appre- lies over the border. It is all just every day so people can babysit wall
ciate my colleagues supporting this money to them. Joe Biden is making materials that he refuses to use.
legislation, and I am looking forward the cartels richer. By passing this good bill today, we
to the President signing it. That is what our brave Border Patrol are giving States the ability to provide
I yield the floor. agents are up against. What makes you what Biden has failed to deliver: border
Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, how mad is that while all of this is hap- security and a fighting chance to get
much time do we have remaining? pening, massive piles of supplies to
this massive humanitarian and na-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is complete the border, already paid for
tional security crisis under control.
no time agreement at the moment. by the American taxpayers, are just In Florida, we are proud to be an im-
Mr. CARPER. That’s good. I ask sitting in piles in the desert going to migration State. We love immigration,
unanimous consent for another 30 sec- waste. The Biden administration re- but it has to be legal. Illegal immigra-
onds. fuses to use these materials because
tion threatens our safety, undermines
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without they want an open border.
our legal process, and hurts those who
objection, it is so ordered. Secretary Mayorkas testified in the
Homeland Security Committee that have been waiting to come through
Mr. CARPER. I am reminded, Sen- legal channels. But under President
ator CAPITO, that we are both West Vir- the border is closed. Really? Look at El
Paso. I told Secretary Mayorkas that Biden’s system of open borders and ille-
ginia kids. But I am reminded of some- gal immigration, we are seeing dan-
thing that comes out of another con- he might be the only person in America
who actually believes the border is se- gerous individuals trying to come into
tinent, Africa. And one of the African this country, and drugs are pouring
proverbs over there is: cure. He is it.
The truth is, as many of my col- across the border.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you More than 100,000 Americans have
want to go far, go together. leagues and I know and have seen with
their own eyes, the border is wide open. died from fentanyl and opioid
And we have gone together. We have overdoses in the last year, and more
Since Joe Biden took office, more than
gone together, not just the two of us are dying every day. Doesn’t Joe Biden
5 million people have illegally crossed
and not just our committee, but the care about this?
our southern border.
entire United States Senate has had I am afraid it is going to get a lot Our Democratic colleagues do not
the opportunity to work together. And worse with President Biden allowing have the luxury of ignoring this crisis
we came up with a great product and title 42 to end. Thank God the Supreme any longer. American families cannot
are grateful to everyone who has been Court has kept title 42 in place, at take this loss and heartbreak due to
a part of it. I am looking forward to least for now. We are hearing reports the incompetence of Washington any
the President signing this and doing that up to 18,000 people a day will be il- longer. We must act to secure the bor-
good things for all of our States. legally storming across our border der now.
I yield the floor. every day once title 42 is lifted—and Floridians and all Americans want to
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Joe Biden still doesn’t have a plan. live in safe communities where their
ator from Florida. Don’t forget the Biden administra- families can thrive and prosper all
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 4294 tion once said—the Obama-Biden ad- across this great country. Unfortu-
Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, ministration once said that just 1,000 nately, Joe Biden’s policies have
the crisis at the United States south- attempted crossings a day would be a opened the borders and amnesty has
ern border is raging out of control. Un- crisis. So what does President Biden been a total disaster for our Nation. He
like Joe Biden, I have traveled down to call 18,000 a day? It is his call to make. has laid out the welcome mat for traf-
the southern border to hear from local He created this disaster. fickers and cartel members, and has ig-
leaders, law enforcement, and our So that is why I am here with my nored U.S. laws designed to keep Amer-
brave Border Patrol agents. I had the good friend from Iowa, Senator JONI ican families safe.
opportunity to talk with Border Patrol ERNST. We think it is time to end the We can’t stand for it any longer be-
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in Arizona and Texas and listened as madness on the southern border, and if cause the American people deserve bet-
they told me about how hard their job Joe Biden doesn’t do his job, we should ter. I hope our colleagues will stand
has become thanks to Joe Biden’s rad- let the States take care of it them- with Senator ERNST and me today to
ical open border policies. selves. pass this bill. Then we can work with
Let me just say, these men and I was a Governor, so I know I might the House to start truly addressing this
women are absolute heroes. In places be a little biased, but I think Gov- crisis before it is too late.
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S9744 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 21, 2022
I now recognize my colleague from So I have a question: Why not let I urge my colleagues to oppose this
Iowa, Senator JONI ERNST. States that want to build a wall access misguided bill; therefore, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- these already-paid-for materials? Not The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
ator from Iowa. only would it save money, it would tion is heard.
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, I want to deter the unprecedented number of bor- The Senator from Delaware.
thank my friend and colleague from der crossings we have seen as a result Mr. CARPER. Madam President, I
Florida for joining me today on the of Biden’s border policies. suggest the absence of a quorum.
floor to talk about a very important America is and always has been a The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
subject which Americans are watching welcoming nation, but those seeking a clerk will call the roll.
unfold every single day on their tele- better life here have an obligation to The legislative clerk proceeded to
vision. respect our laws, including our immi- call the roll.
The Biden White House claims we gration laws, and the President has a Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I
have been doing the work to secure the sworn duty to enforce them and to pro- ask unanimous consent that the order
border. In fact, some in the administra- tect the American people. for the quorum call be rescinded.
tion have said the border is secure. That is why I am asking the Senate The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
With thousands of migrants illegally today to pass my Border’s Unused Idle objection, it is so ordered.
crossing our southern border every sin- and Lying Dormant Inventory Trans- H.R. 2617
gle day and drug cartels funneling fer—or the BUILD IT—Act, which Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President,
fentanyl into our communities, the would turn over the unused materials, we all know the phrase ‘‘Justice de-
Biden administration’s talking points which have already been purchased by layed is justice denied.’’ It is a concept
are actually a bunch of malarkey. taxpayers to construct the southern that appears in the Magna Carta, and
With the Biden administration at- border barrier, to any State wishing to the words can be found in Martin Lu-
tempting to do away with title 42—a finish the job. This bill won’t cost a ther King’s ‘‘Letter from Birmingham
policy put in place under the Trump single cent. In fact, it will prevent gov- Jail.’’
administration to turn away illegal im- ernment waste, which Washington has Today, as I come to the floor, I am
migrants—the U.S.-Mexico border is in excess. It will help end the catas- appalled at how the Senate has treated
going from crisis to catastrophe. trophe occurring along our border and the Latino community in the final
Our hardworking Border Patrol help make communities across the Na- days of the 117th Congress. I cannot
agents are overwhelmed. They are ex- tion safer from the threat of violent help but think that justice is being
hausted, and they are hurting. They, criminals and lethal drugs. both delayed and denied for millions of
too, want a break for the holidays. But, Folks, there is no way around it: Americans. There is just simply no way
sadly, their Christmas will be spent President Biden’s policies are fostering around it.
dealing with the drug cartels and proc- illegal immigration, creating a na- Every year, with its last votes before
essing migrants. tional security nightmare, and impact- leaving town, Congress reveals where
Without title 42 in place, Biden ad- ing the lives of far too many Ameri- its priorities lie. With so many key
ministration officials have estimated cans both in Iowa and across the coun- issues and such precious little time to
that nearly 500,000 illegal immigrants— try, all while costing taxpayers billions insert them into the omnibus, we nego-
which is almost 100 times the size of of dollars. Here is a simple solution: tiate to deliver wins for our constitu-
my hometown of Red Oak, IA, could Pass the BUILD IT Act, and allow ents before the Senate adjourns. It is
cross our southern border each month. States to put these materials to use. only when the final bill text is revealed
That is on top of the over 2.2 million I ask unanimous consent that the that communities learn just how hard
Border Patrol encounters this year, Committee on Homeland Security and we fought for them.
which is half a million more than the Governmental Affairs be discharged This year, on issue after issue,
previous year. Even more concerning, from further consideration of S. 4294 Latino communities have learned that
98 of those apprehended were on the and that the Senate proceed to its im- some of their top priorities were for-
terrorist watch list. mediate consideration. I further ask gotten or ignored, especially after a
On top of this being a humanitarian that the bill be considered read a third Congress in which we mustered the po-
and national security disaster, Biden’s time and passed and that the motion to litical courage to pass once-in-a-gen-
open border policies are intensifying reconsider be considered made and laid eration legislation like the American
our Nation’s drug epidemic. Illicit upon the table. Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduc-
fentanyl overdoses are now the No. 1 The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. tion Act. It is a slap in the face to
cause of death among adults ages 18 to SMITH). Is there an objection? Latinos across our country to exclude
45. This administration has truly The Senator from Michigan. them from this latest must-pass legis-
turned every State into a border State. Mr. PETERS. Madam President, in lation. It is an outrage.
To make matters worse, the Biden reserving the right to object, this bill I come to the floor today to set the
administration is telling States they seeks to continue ill-advised efforts to record straight on how this Chamber
don’t have a right to secure their own fund and build an ineffective border has often stood in the way of meaning-
borders. Just last week, the Biden Jus- wall. I agree certainly that we need to ful equality for the Latino community.
tice Department sued Arizona Gov- have strong border security, but we Take for example an issue that I have
ernor Doug Ducey in an effort to stop need to have smart and cost-effective been leading for almost three decades—
the State from constructing its own security measures, not a wall that ex- the National Museum of the American
border barrier. Arizona was simply try- perts have repeatedly deemed ineffec- Latino.
ing to protect Americans from drug tive. There is no one-size-fits-all ap- Two years ago, this Chamber passed
smuggling and human trafficking. proach to this very complex issue, and bipartisan legislation to establish this
Well, Arizona, since President Biden a wall is not the most effective way to museum along with the American
won’t help you, I do have a solution. secure our borders. Women’s History Museum. As part of
Instead of blocking States from in- I have long advocated for additional that historic bill, we gave the Smithso-
stalling much needed safety pre- technology, personnel, and resources to nian a deadline of next week to make
cautions, we need to make use of the help secure the border, which are more final designations on where they will
border wall materials that have al- cost-effective. This is not a State-by- be built. It is a deadline they were on
ready been bought and paid for by State issue. We need a whole-of-govern- schedule to meet after announcing two
American taxpayers. Some $350 million ment approach in securing our borders optimal sites on the National Mall just
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worth of concrete, steel, and fencing to and addressing the arrival of migrants. a few months ago, but when the Smith-
build the barrier are just sitting idle, We need to move forward with smart, sonian Board of Regents indicated they
collecting dust and rust, and taxpayers bipartisan investments that secure all would need a legislative fix to proceed
are covering the costs to babysit these of our borders instead of wasting more before meeting the deadline, Members
unused materials. This is government taxpayer dollars on a costly and inef- of this body decided to stall the effort
waste at its finest. fective wall. in its tracks.
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December 21, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9745
Let me be clear. The legislative fix their healthcare system—a healthcare porters of title 42 like to say that
requested by the Smithsonian would system that, in addition to having re- somehow we are being ‘‘invaded’’ at
have added zero dollars to our Federal ceived inadequate funding, has had to our southern border. It is the favorite
spending—zero. It would have cir- endure earthquakes, hurricanes, and talking point of rightwing media pun-
cumvented none of the processes that constant power outages. dits who claim that the United States
we follow under regular order. Rather, So if this body is going to acknowl- is facing an invasion of migrants who
it would simply permit the museums to edge the reality that Puerto Ricans are want to change our way of life. To back
be built where the Smithsonian con- American citizens and if they believe it up, they point to data released by
siders to be the best location—on the that Puerto Ricans should be able to Customs and Border Protection show-
National Mall. retain their healthcare providers while ing that there has been an increase in
So I ask my colleagues: Why? Why? receiving high-quality care, then they the number of migrant encounters on
Why are we letting opaque, closed-door will work with me to enact a perma- the southwest land border. But what
negotiations get in the way of finally nent fix to Medicaid. It should not their dog whistles and scare tactics ig-
telling the story of millions of Latinas matter whether you live on the island nore is the reason for this increase.
and Latinos in this country? Why are or on the mainland. I will not rest Simply put, title 42 has become the
we telling them they don’t deserve to until we have secured a full commit- revolving door that allows migrants to
be on the National Mall, where our ment—a permanent commitment—for try and try and try again if they are
most iconic monuments and museums the American citizens of Puerto Rico. apprehended by immigration authori-
are? I implore my colleagues to stand ties. It circumvents our legal asylum
Make no mistake, we belong on The with me and, most importantly, to sup- process, where we should be adding re-
Mall. We belong alongside the National port the residents of Puerto Rico when sources and manpower to come to a
Museum of the American Indian and we reconvene in the next Congress. final determination—yes, you qualify
the National Museum of African Amer- Last but not least is an issue that for under our law, you are welcome; no,
ican History, and we belong in the so many Latinos in the Nation invokes you don’t qualify under our law, you
place where millions of visitors come the legacies of our own families who are deported—and end the revolving
to learn about their histories and their migrated to the United States—the door. But all title 42 does is to push
pasts. continuous mistreatment of migrants people back over the border, and they
The importance of these museums at the southern border under title 42. go and try again. So when you see
and their locations cannot be over- Title 42 is a disastrous relic of the those numbers, it could be the same
stated. This is about standing shoulder Trump administration and Stephen person trying 10 times—a process that
to shoulder with more than 60 million Miller’s racist immigration policies. It would determine if someone is eligible
Latinos across this country. It is about is grounded in the callous ideology for asylum or not, and if not, seek per-
standing shoulder to shoulder with the that somehow Latino refugees who manent deportation instead of having
tens of thousands of Latinos who have come to the southern border don’t de- them return through the revolving
worn the uniform of the United States, serve humanitarian protections under door.
like the Borinqueneers—an all-Puerto our laws—the same protections, by the Considering an amendment to pro-
Rican regiment that fought in the Ko- way, that my family received, that long the damage of title 42 is the last
rean war and earned the Congressional some of my fellow colleagues’ families thing this body should be doing in
Gold Medal—as well as many in busi- received, that millions of immigrant order to advance the omnibus spending
ness and science who have added great- families have received for generations. bill. Considering an extension of title
ly to our national success. It is about Title 42 rejects immigrants at the 42 when we have millions of Dreamers,
telling them, no matter their politics, border under the guise of ‘‘public young people who know only the
their backgrounds, or their stations in health,’’ which we all know was a shod- Pledge of Allegiance and the flag of the
life, they deserve to be recognized as dy excuse by the Trump administration United States as their flag, who know
part of our American story. to achieve their goal of shutting down only the national anthem of the United
I, for one, simply cannot understand our asylum system. States as their national anthem, and
how it is that Congress has jeopardized Under the Biden administration, it is who still cannot become U.S. citizens,
their museum site selections just days as callous today as when it was first and the millions of people waiting to
before the deadline. enacted in March of 2020. Why? Because legally be reunified with their families
Another glaring omission of concern title 42 is an affront to our Nation’s in the United States or our U.S. citi-
is the lack of equity in this year’s om- values. It goes against every word that zens, is the greatest failure of all.
nibus bill for the people of Puerto Rico. is etched on the Statue of Liberty. Yet, Finally, we come to the issue of
Throughout my 30 years in Congress, as it works its way through the courts, Latino representation in our leadership
I have fought to address the systemic I have been hearing my colleagues, in- offices and on the Senate floor. The
injustices that Puerto Ricans face cluding some on this side of the aisle, lack thereof shows the incredible dis-
when they try to access Federal pro- defend it. But they are wrong for two regard for our community.
grams. It is unconscionable that I reasons: Title 42 has made border secu- These are just a few examples of how
should have to say it, but the residents rity—an issue that Latino commu- the Senate has failed the Latino com-
of Puerto Rico—31⁄2 million of them— nities care deeply about—far worse at munity in this last bill of the year: rel-
are U.S. citizens. They are American our southern border. Two, it has denied egating the Latino museum as some-
citizens, full stop. As American citi- access to our asylum system for refu- thing less than worthy of being on the
zens, they deserve the equality of the gees fleeing persecution and torture. National Mall; failing to deliver equal
same earned benefits as those on the What are the three biggest groups and permanent parity for the 31⁄2 mil-
mainland. that you find today at the southern lion U.S. citizens who call Puerto Rico
Particularly when it comes to Med- border? They are not Mexicans. They their home; seeking to prolong title
icaid, I have repeatedly fought for are not Central Americans. They are 42’s harmful impact on our country;
more than the smaller term patches Cubans, Venezuelans, and Nicaraguans. and failing to have us represented in
that have typically funded these pro- Why? Because they are fleeing oppres- our leadership operations.
grams. Now, I am glad we were able to sion in those countries. I recognize the fact that some of my
include a temporary fix for the next 5 The only individuals who benefit colleagues may disagree with some of
years in the spending package to be from extending title 42 are the smug- the points I have made, but you cannot
considered by the Senate soon, but gling networks that exploit migrants, ignore them.
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make no mistake, it is the bare min- predominantly Black and Brown mi- For 30 years in Congress, I have been
imum of what we should do. grants whom we turn away before adju- speaking up for the equal opportunity,
As I have said before, short-term so- dicating why they chose to migrate. equal justice, and equal dignity that
lutions do long-term damage to bene- But beyond failing the migrants Latinos deserve. I have no plans of
ficiaries, especially since Federal dol- themselves, title 42 is a failure by the stopping anytime soon. For as long as
lars would allow the island to stabilize very metrics it seeks to affect. Sup- I am here, I will be speaking truth to
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S9746 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 21, 2022
power for a community that too often easy availability of powerful weapons, This data is further reinforced by the
has been told to wait your turn, wait which results in the mass shootings we lived experience of too many Ameri-
your turn; to be thankful for whatever have seen in so many communities in cans across this Nation.
you are given; and to not rock the America—just by way of a very small By way of one example, in a Wall
boat—‘‘basta, basta ya.’’ This is not limited set of examples, Mother Eman- Street Journal article from December
‘‘feliz Navidad’’; it is more like bah uel AME Church in Charleston, SC; 15 entitled ‘‘Antisemitism is Rising at
humbug. Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL; a Colleges,’’ a student at Rutgers Univer-
Latinos are a community of more Walmart in El Paso, TX; a grocery sity in Newark, NJ, spoke of needing to
than 60 million Americans strong. We store in Buffalo, NY; and Club Q in Col- take indirect routes to class and hiding
contribute more than $2 trillion to the orado Springs, CO. her Star of David necklace under her
gross domestic product of this country. The following data—and these are shirt to avoid harassment from other
We have worn the uniform of the numbers, but they tell a part of the students.
United States in incredible numbers, story. These numbers, this data, should Citing the ADL’s ‘‘Audit of
disproportionate to our size of the alarm any American. In 2022, the Anti- Antisemitic Incidents,’’ which I men-
American population, and we have shed Defamation League, which we know as tioned earlier, this article noted that
blood and given our lives for the coun- ADL, published an audit of anti-Se- vandalism, threats, and slurs on col-
try, and we will not be cast aside and mitic incidents and reported over 2,700 lege campuses directed at Jewish stu-
ignored by the powers that be. anti-Semitic incidents throughout the dents has more than tripled—tripled—
You cannot appeal to us at election United States just in 2021. This was a from 41 in 2014 to 155 in 2021.
time and forsake us the rest of the 34-percent increase from 2020 and the Every incident, of course, fueled by
time, not as long as I am in this seat, highest number on record since ADL hate and extremism does not result in
not as long as I have this desk, with began tracking incidents in 1979. death. Often, as evidenced by the exam-
this voice, and this fierce urgency to do The rise of hate is further docu- ple in the Wall Street Journal, hateful
what is right for Latinas and Latinos mented by congressional testimony acts involve vandalism, destruction of
in this country as full citizens of the from FBI Director Christopher Wray. property, bullying, or harassment, just
United States. At a Senate Judiciary Committee hear- to name a few. But these acts are the
With that, I yield the floor. ing in August of 2022, Director Wray manifestation of evil as well.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- stated that the ‘‘top domestic ter- Incidents involving such hate, deadly
ator from Pennsylvania. rorism threat we face continues to be or not, are contrary to American val-
Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I ask ues, including the values inherent in
from [domestic violent extremists] we
consent to speak as in morning busi- the inscription on our currency: E
categorize as racially or ethnically mo-
ness. Pluribus Unum—from many, one—one
tivated violent extremists.’’
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without country, one Nation that is strength-
objection, it is so ordered. Director Wray later highlighted that
ened by our diversity. That is the
the number of FBI investigations of
ANTI-SEMITISM source of our strength: our diversity.
suspected domestic violent extremists
Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I rise People of different ethnicities, faiths,
had more than doubled since the spring
today—almost as we get to the early and points of view have come together
of 2020. This continued an upward trend
evening—during this week when Ha- over generations to build our democ-
when Director Wray testified in March
nukkah, the Festival of Lights, is racy and to build the most powerful
of 2021 that investigations had also
being celebrated to speak about the Nation on Earth. Any American who
doubled since 2017 to more than 2,000
evil of anti-Semitism and the trauma claims to support American values
investigations and that the number of
and darkness it causes in all of Amer- that our people hold dear while engag-
investigations into White supremacists
ica. ing in acts that constitute anti-Semi-
This past November 18, I visited the had tripled.
tism is a hypocrite and a threat to all
site of the deadliest attack on the Jew- Furthermore, on December 12 of this of us. It is a disgusting perversion of
ish community in all of American his- year, the FBI released its annual hate Christianity to make anti-Semitic or
tory: the Tree of Life synagogue in the crime report and reported over 7,200— other hateful statements or, worse—
Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pitts- let me say that number again: 7,200— worse—to act violently against some-
burgh, PA. A killer, full of rage, en- hate crime incidents just in 2021, the one because they are Jewish, because
tered the synagogue during Shabbat third largest number in the past dec- they are transgender or of a different
morning services on October 27, 2018, ade. And, of course, December 12 is not race.
and massacred 11 Pennsylvanians from the end of the year. From the parable of the Good Samar-
3 different Jewish congregations and This number is even more shocking itan to the Sermon on the Mount,
injured 6 others, including 4 law en- considering the massive undercounting Jesus taught us how to love and re-
forcement officers who had responded and lack of data used to compile the re- spect all those whom we meet on the
in just minutes to the site. These Jew- port, which the FBI readily acknowl- road of life.
ish Americans who died ranged in age edged. Due to the transition to a new Anti-Semitism, racism, or other
from 64 to 97. reporting system, only about two- hateful ideologies are contrary to our
Visiting the site 4 years later this thirds of police departments across the values but, also, not just contrary to
past November was both moving and Nation—a significant drop from last American values but contrary to the
disturbing as we walked through a year—reported data. Some States—for values inherent in all religions.
house of worship frozen in time from example, Florida and California—had Each of us, as citizens, has a moral
that awful day. already almost no reporting, with only and civic obligation to speak out
The venomous hate that motivated 2 jurisdictions in Florida and 15 in Cali- against anti-Semitism and racism.
the killer to take so many lives in a fornia sending data. Unfortunately, my Those who are public officials or public
murderous rampage was unabated home State of Pennsylvania was not figures have a heightened obligation, a
when he was arrested. He was making far behind, with just 41 agencies report- duty, to condemn categorically anti-
anti-Semitic statements even as he was ing data to the FBI. Several major cit- Semitic acts, rhetoric, or other con-
apprehended and was being treated by ies, including New York, Los Angeles, duct, whether those acts, rhetoric, or
first responders. Miami, and Chicago, did not provide conduct involve a President, a record-
The evil that attacked the Jewish any statistics or simply reported zero. ing artist, or an athlete or any other
worshippers in Philadelphia that day is So while the underreporting is a con- American.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
the same evil—the very same evil— cern and must be addressed, it is even Of course, the U.S. Senate must
that targets Americans based upon more concerning that we would have speak with one voice against anti-Sem-
their race and gender or whom they likely seen record-high reports of hate itism and racism, both here at home
love or how they worship. Too often, crimes across the Nation had police de- and around the world. The Senate did
unlike any other nation in the world, partments participated at similar lev- act in 2021 to pass the COVID–19 Hate
this evil, this hate, is coupled with the els as in prior years. Crimes Act after the rise in hate
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December 21, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9747
crimes against Asian Americans during pair the world. Through remembrance In a batch of documents and report-
the pandemic. and renewal, Tree of Life is lighting ing released on Sunday, we learned
But an action like that cannot be the the way forward for all of us to fi- that, in the months leading up to the
end of our action. That is why I was nally—finally—counter the root causes 2020 election, the task force became
proud to support the Domestic Ter- of hate and end, once and for all, anti- frustrated after Twitter employees in-
rorism Prevention Act when Senate Semitism. dicated they hadn’t seen much to sug-
Democrats tried to pass it in May after We owe it to every survivor, family gest that foreign countries like Russia
the racially motivated mass shooting member, and the community members were using the platform to spread prop-
in Buffalo. impacted to join them on this impor- aganda.
And the leader of that effort is our tant journey. May the memories of the So what did the FBI do? They went
distinguished majority whip, Senator victims at Tree of Life be for us a on a fishing expedition and pressured
DURBIN, who is with us here on the blessing. decision makers within the company to
floor. And I appreciate his work on AUTHORIZING APPOINTMENT OF ESCORT abandon the notion that this was about
this, trying to pass that legislation. COMMITTEE national security.
I was also pleased that on December Madam President, I ask unanimous In the end, Twitter decided to let the
12 the Biden administration announced consent that the President of the Sen- FBI kick the door off the hinges and
a new interagency task force charged ate be authorized to appoint a com- widen the scope of their own influence
with developing and coordinating a na- mittee on the part of the Senate to join online at the expense of the integrity
tional strategy to counter anti-Semi- with a like committee on the part of of the platform. And I say ‘‘widen’’ be-
tism and other forms of bias and dis- the House of Representatives to escort cause the FBI, along with the Depart-
crimination in the United States. His Excellency, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ment of Homeland Security and the in-
This announcement followed in re- President of Ukraine, into the House telligence community, had already en-
sponse to a December 5 letter that I Chamber for the joint meeting on gaged in a certain amount of mission
joined, along with 124 bipartisan col- Wednesday, December 21, 2022. creep when it came to investigating
leagues in the House and Senate, call- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without threats online.
ing on President Biden to take a objection, it is so ordered. Both the FBI and DHS routinely
‘‘whole-of-government approach’’ to Mr. CASEY. I yield the floor. preflagged content for moderation and
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
address the ‘‘scourge of antisemitism,’’ The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sent the names of accounts directly to
including establishing an interagency clerk will call the roll. the FBI’s contacts at Twitter. Several
task force. The legislative clerk proceeded to of the accounts sent for review were
So I stand ready, as I know many call the roll. suspended or shadow banned. Yet most
here do in the Senate, to work with Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi- of them weren’t foreign propaganda at
colleagues in the new Congress to en- dent, I ask unanimous consent that the all. They were relatively low-engage-
sure that we are taking steps necessary order for the quorum call be rescinded. ment accounts tweeting satire and
to combat this growing threat of hate The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without jokes—and accounts of citizens. Many
and extremism. objection, it is so ordered. of them were owned by regular people
But even in these dark times, it is TWITTER who were obviously on the conserv-
critical to hold up and recognize those Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi- ative side of the political spectrum.
who are lighting the path forward to dent, this past weekend, when I was The FBI responded to this reporting
ending identity-based hate. The Tree of home and whether I was at church or by claiming that they often work with
Life community is not merely lighting at other activities, I would hear from private companies to provide informa-
the path for Pittsburgh but for the Na- Tennesseans, and they were just so fo- tion on foreign malign influence at-
tion and, indeed, for the world by com- cused on what we were hearing about tempts. But, as we have seen in black
ing together to establish the ‘‘REMEM- the Twitter files. They are very con- and white, most of the moderation re-
BER. REBUILD. RENEW.’’ campaign. cerned and disturbed about the lengths quests made by the government didn’t
‘‘REMEMBER. REBUILD. RENEW.’’ to which the FBI and other govern- fall into that category. Instead, they
That is their campaign. ment Agencies have gone to suppress focused on low-follower accounts
In the ‘‘City of Bridges,’’ as Pitts- political free speech online. owned by ordinary Americans who
burgh is known throughout the world, The document releases to date espe- tweeted opinions that the government
it is fitting that the Tree of Life com- cially give them pause because it shows did not agree with.
munity—that members of that con- them what it looks like when the These revelations prompt our next
gregation and synagogue—is trying to power of Big Tech and the power of the question: How did an allegedly serious
connect communities across the world deep state work together against the investigation into influence campaigns
as a leader in the fight against anti- American people. devolve into a censorship free-for-all?
Semitism and other forms of identity- Now, most people understand that To find your answer, you have to
based hate. the government and law enforcement look all the way back to the 2016 Rus-
Rooted in honoring and remembering sometimes work with private compa- sian election interference story. These
those who tragically lost their lives on nies and, when it comes to removing allegations were used as pretext to jus-
October 27, 2018, the community will things like material depicting child tify the blatant censorship covered in
repair and preserve the Tree of Life sexual abuse from their platforms, that the Twitter files reporting.
building as a historic synagogue while is something that tech platforms In November 2020, the FBI used that
establishing a museum, memorial, and should be doing. But in this case, they pretext to justify flagging so many ex-
educational center to inspire and em- were working together to suppress free amples of what they called ‘‘possible
power those in that community and speech on behalf of a political nar- violative content’’ that Twitter em-
around the world to stand up against rative, a viewpoint that they held, and ployees were overwhelmed.
anti-Semitism. words they disagreed with. The story still had steam in 2021,
Never before have we seen such a The existence of the FBI’s Foreign when DHS published a brief with their
transformative, multidisciplinary ap- Influence Task Force is not a secret. assessment that ‘‘Russian malign
proach under one roof and on such hal- The Agency created it in 2017 to coun- influencers probably will increasingly
lowed ground to bring people together teract foreign influence operations tar- use U.S. social media platforms that
in our fight against hate and anti-Sem- geting the United States. If you don’t offer more permissive operating envi-
itism. look too closely, the task force seems ronments.’’
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
As Rabbi Myers shared with me, Tree like a reasonable response to an emerg- As I said, that is their—the DHS—
of Life is striving to transform the site ing threat to our Nation’s security. quote.
of a tragedy into one of hope and inspi- But, in reality, the entire scheme is And, of course, it was that pretext
ration for future generations to come. predicated on the notion that a threat that led to the most infamous instance
It is striving to fulfill the longstanding is whatever the task force deems it to of government-driven censorship in re-
Jewish concept of tikkun olam, to re- be. cent memory. When Twitter suppressed
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S9748 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 21, 2022
the New York Post story coverage of noted that the White House is ‘‘in regular legislation to make certain that our
Hunter Biden’s laptop, the platform touch with the social media platforms’’ and social media platforms have to estab-
made it clear they had done so because is ‘‘flagging problematic posts’’ that they be- lish a duty of care for our children on-
lieve should be removed relating to COVID–
the story was the product of Russian line?
19 and the COVID vaccine. Ms. PSASKI also
meddling. suggested that Americans who are banned We all know that if you give Big
Of course, this weekend’s reporting from one social media platform should be Tech the opportunity, they will censor.
revealed that Twitter employees had banned on others. We know that. They will suppress
repeatedly informed the FBI that they These revelations are deeply concerning. speech in order to favor a narrative
had no evidence of significant Russian The blatant actions by your administration that they can control, and they are
meddling. Twitter told the FBI repeat- to work with big tech companies to censor going to keep doing it until we put
edly that they had no significant evi- Americans’ free speech are shocking—and ar-
them all in check.
guably a violation of the First Amendment.
dence of Russian meddling. I yield the floor.
Communist countries such as Cuba are cur-
But under pressure from the govern- rently taking away their citizens’ right to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
ment, they chose to buy into an influ- use the internet to communicate; the U.S. ator from Oklahoma.
ence operation that originated much government should be standing up to, not UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 4036
closer to home. The FBI had primed looking to mirror, authoritarian regimes
Mr. LANKFORD. Madam President,
the pump months before the laptop such as these.
Please provide more information about it is the 21st of December, and we don’t
story broke by telling tech CEOs to ex-
your Administration’s efforts to ‘‘flag prob- have information from the Department
pect hacking operations targeting peo-
lematic posts’’ on social media platforms, in- of Homeland Security on how many
ple associated with political cam-
cluding: people illegally crossed our border in
paigns. 1. What criteria are you directing social November. What is interesting about
They also planted seeds with elected media platforms to use to flag and remove that is, Jeh Johnson, when he was the
officials and the media and even hosted posts?
director, talked openly and often about
a tabletop exercise that mimicked one 2. What criteria are you directing social
media platforms to use to ban users? how often he got a report of how many
of those hacking operations.
One person they identified as a po- 3. In your July 15th press briefing, you people had illegally crossed the border.
tential target? Hunter Biden. Yes, it stated that 12 people are responsible for ‘‘65 In fact, he said, when he was the direc-
was Hunter Biden. And of course, his percent of anti-vaccine misinformation on tor of DHS, that every single morning
social media platforms.’’ Who are those ac- he got a report of how many people il-
property had been in FBI custody since counts and have they, or others, been re-
December 2019. legally crossed the border the day be-
moved at your direction? fore. They knew to the day.
So when the Post broke the story, it 4. What is the legal basis for your Adminis-
was easy—easy—for Twitter to take tration’s decision to direct social media plat- I have been to a facility here in
the easy way out and run with the FBI forms to flag and remove posts from their Washington, DC, where they can actu-
narrative rather than relying on evi- sites? ally track to the hour how many peo-
dence proving the story was a real 5. Does the White House have staff dedi- ple have illegally crossed our border
cated to searching social media for content every single hour of the day, 365 days a
scandal and not something cooked up
to flag for removal? year. But it is the 21st of December,
by a Russian hacker. Additionally, I request a briefing on this
At this point in the story, it has be- and we have requested how many peo-
issue by August 2, 2021. I appreciate your at-
come crystal clear that there is a much tention to this urgent matter. ple have illegally crossed the border in
bigger agenda in play. Sincerely, the month of November, and they said
When DHS tried to get away with MARSHA BLACKBURN, they are still working on it.
creating an official Disinformation United States Senator. Let me just tell you why that is rel-
Governance Board, I almost didn’t be- Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi- evant: because the Department of
lieve what I was seeing. Here was an of- dent, the American people aren’t going Homeland Security is in full-on chaos
ficial government Agency using na- to let this one go. I know Tennesseans mode trying to figure out how to be
tional security as a pretext to censor are not going to let this go. They have able to manage thousands and thou-
political speech that was at odds with hard evidence that Big Tech and the sands of people illegally crossing our
the Biden administration’s policies. deep state have repeatedly suppressed border not yearly, not monthly, daily
Fortunately, that effort collapsed legal speech to control political dis- now—daily.
under scrutiny. course in this country. Jeh Johnson, when he was at Home-
But they didn’t need an official panel These companies cannot be trusted land Security under the Obama admin-
of bureaucrats to keep up the pressure to do what is right, and we as law- istration, said he knew it was going to
on these companies. Back in July 2021, makers can no longer wait for them to be a very bad day when a thousand peo-
I sent a letter to the White House after regulate themselves. They have proven ple crossed the border illegally the day
we discovered that their staff was in over the past decade that they will not before.
regular touch with social media plat- regulate themselves. This is why I Best guess, over the last 24 hours,
forms to suppress speech regarding the fought so hard to pass legislation re- 9,000 people illegally crossed our border
COVID–19 pandemic. quiring privacy, safety, and data secu- in the last 24 hours. I couldn’t tell you
I figured the American people had a rity protections for kids and adults. that exactly, though the Secretary
right to know what criteria they were This year, the Kids Online Safety Act does know because they keep records
using to ask for that level of censor- and the Open App Markets Act and na- to the hour. But they won’t let Con-
ship and what the legal basis for this tionwide privacy legislation have all gress know that because they don’t
presumed authority was. Believe it or fallen short of the finish line, which is want the American people to know
not, I never got an answer to the letter. really disappointing because these are what is really happening on the border
Madam President, I ask unanimous policies that have such strong bipar- right now. So they are hiding facts.
consent to have printed in the RECORD tisan support. And I thank Senator The hard part is, they can’t hide the
that letter alongside my remarks. BLUMENTHAL for his partnership on facts because even the Washington
There being no objection, the mate- those policies. Post is down on the border now looking
rial was ordered to be printed in the But I would remind my colleagues at what is going on at the southern
RECORD, as follows: that these issues have not gone away, border and saying: That is chaos.
JULY 16, 2021. and they are not going away. The It is not an accident. It was by de-
Hon. JOSEPH R. BIDEN, Jr., American people are waiting to see sign, and it was by design over several
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
President of the United States, what we do next: Will we give them a policy issues. The first of which is that,
Washington, DC. toolbox to protect themselves online, in the first days of the Biden adminis-
DEAR PRESIDENT BIDEN: I write regarding
White House Press Secretary Jen PSASKI’s to protect their virtual you? Will we tration, they said: We are setting aside
recent remarks about the White House’s give them the ability to control the what is called title 42 authority. That
oversight of social media posts it considers apps that they choose to put on their was a temporary authority, during the
problematic or ‘‘disinformation.’’ Ms. PSASKI iPhone or their Android? Will we pass pandemic, to say that individuals who
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December 21, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9749
are requesting asylum can’t just auto- past year who were allowed to be able rapidly coming in now, just waiting on
matically come into the country; we to come into our country under title 8 the courts to be able to turn this off.
were turning them away. authority, 1.3 million people have come Currently, no one seems to care. The
Now, that was designed to be a tem- into the country. ICE, whose budget Biden administration has become the
porary authority, and everyone knew has been cut and their purpose has administration of chaos on the border.
it. And so that is the reason I have been repurposed, used to be for pros- The American people see it plainly. I
asked, for over a year, of the Sec- ecuting individuals to be able to move have to tell you, the American people
retary: What is the plan when title 42 out of the country. Now ICE has been are not opposed to legal immigration,
authority goes away? And what I was repurposed, and they are actually proc- but they do not like this chaos.
told was, as recently as early this year: essing paperwork of individuals in the As much as the administration can
Oh, we have a six-point plan. In fact, country illegally. It used to be that say: We are just not going to tell you
not only do we have a six-point plan; they were processing out. Now they are the numbers, or as much as this Senate
we have already started that six-point processing in. So 1.3 million people has just refused to do hearings on this
plan. have crossed our border illegally. Less matter, we are still at the same spot.
Just weeks ago, I asked the Sec- than 70,000 people have actually been Tens of thousands of people are ille-
retary again: What is the plan when deported this year. That is a record low gally crossing our border in record-
title 42 authority goes away, because it number of people that have actually high numbers, and there seems to be no
will go away the 1st of December? And been deported. deterrent to that.
I got the same response again: We have The chaos continues on our southern So I come to this floor with two re-
a six-point plan. border. And for whatever reason, this quests. The first of that is to keep title
But on their six-point plan that they administration chooses not to care. 42 in place. I have had a bipartisan bill
are carrying out, they have continued I have asked the Secretary how many that has been out there since April of
to see the rapid rise in the number of of the individuals have had criminal this year asking a very simple ques-
people illegally crossing our border vetting from their country of origin, tion: Maintain the title 42 authority.
every day. It used to be 1,000. And then and his answer was: I will get back to Give that tool to the Secretary to be
it was 2,000. And then it was 3,000. And you on that. He knows the same answer able to at least turn away individuals
then it jumped to 5,000. And then it that I do. The answer is zero. who are illegally coming into the coun-
jumped to 7,000. And now it is up to 8 The American people believe there is try, to be able to say to those individ-
or 9,000 every day. some kind of vetting happening coming uals: You do not have a standard for
Again, to put it in perspective, what across the border. There is not. They asylum here. Turn those folks away.
is going on at our southern border, are checked to see if they are on the Stop the massive flow that is coming
even before the title 42 authority goes terror watch list. They are checked to into our country on at least that level.
away—to put this in perspective, dur- see if they have committed a crime in Don’t make a terrible situation even
ing the Obama administration, the big worse.
the United States. But we literally
year of the largest surge that happened This bill has broad support. This is a
don’t know individuals crossing the
on our southern border during the bill that will actually help this admin-
border from over 150 countries so far
Obama administration was that just istration to enforce the law and to de-
this year—we literally don’t know if
over half a million people illegally crease the chaos on our southern bor-
they are fleeing poverty or fleeing jus-
crossed that year. der. It is not a radical idea; it is a
The best we can tell, we have had tice. We have no idea because no one is
straightforward idea to say that if we
half a million people illegally cross our checking. They are just ushered into
are interested in securing the border,
border in the last 2 months. This is the country.
this is a way to do that.
Now they are given expedited re-
full-on crisis. (Mr. OSSOFF assumed the Chair.)
So what is happening with it? Of the moval, which we know now is not actu- Mr. President, I ask unanimous con-
2 million people that have illegally ally removal, or, worse yet, the vast sent that the Committee on Health,
crossed our border in the last year, majority of those individuals are given Education, Labor, and Pensions be dis-
somewhere around 700,000 of those folks what is called parole. Why? Because pa- charged from further consideration of
were turned around under title 42 au- role is faster. They can actually proc- S. 4036 and the Senate proceed to its
thority. Many of them were single ess people into the country quicker if immediate consideration. I further ask
males who were coming into the coun- they parole them. The only thing about that the bill be considered read a third
try who were turned around. So of the parole is, they actually get a work per- time and passed and that the motion to
approximately 2 million, approxi- mit the first day that they are in the reconsider be considered made and laid
mately 700,000 were turned away. United States. upon the table.
This administration has asked for Help me understand this. The current The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
the courts to take away title 42 author- policy of the Biden administration— objection?
ity and to say we are going to ignore they say they are trying to stop illegal The Senator from Michigan.
that, and we are just going to process immigration, but they are actually pa- Mr. PETERS. I object.
everyone under what they call title 8 roling people into the country as fast The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
authority. as they can, giving people a work per- tion is heard.
Let me clarify what that means. mit the first day they are actually UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 5350
Title 8 authority is the issue of proc- here, and then they are setting them Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, if we
essing people in the normal structure. up for a hearing with ICE to process are going to object to maintaining the
But what is happening right now with them in. The backlog with ICE now is title 42 authority, which has been wide-
title 8 authority under this administra- 5 years long, so it is 5 years until they ly used, then I would ask for something
tion? Well, two things. One is, they get that done and then 10 years after else that the administration is consid-
have said we are putting people under that for the next time. So they are cur- ering.
expedited—expedited—process. Well, rently up to 15 years that they are in The administration has gone back
that sounds great. And it is a great lit- the country with a work permit. and forth in consideration on what is
tle title in the media to say: Oh, they Why is title 42 such a big issue? Be- called a transit ban for asylum; that is,
are in expedited removal hearings. Ex- cause title 42 is at least turning away for individuals who are coming to our
cept, when you look at this administra- about 40 percent of the folks who are at country right now from 150 different
tion, they have actually removed 7 per- the border. Once that goes away, every- countries, literally flying in on an air-
cent of the people whom they put one comes in, and this accelerates even craft, hopping to several different
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
under expedited removal. So they are more. The best evidence that we have countries they go to and landing in
basically giving them a title of expe- at this point is there are tens of thou- Mexico, and then the cartels shuttle
dited removal but not actually remov- sands of people just south of the border them to the border. They show up with
ing them. right now waiting for title 42 authority luggage. If you don’t believe me, there
Of the 1.3 million people who have il- to go away because they have been are lots of video of it, of people from
legally crossed our border in just the turned away in the past, and they are all over the world who are coming.
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S9750 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 21, 2022
The administration has considered a tive 23 months, starting about the time on this side of the aisle—apparently all
transit ban to say that you can’t fly to the Presiding Officer from Georgia ar- 50 of them—said no, they are not will-
four different countries and land here rived. I am proud of the bipartisan ing to do that. For whatever reason,
and walk in and say: I need asylum work we have done for Ohioans. We they were not willing to do the child
here. That is not asylum; that is eco- know there is still more to do. tax credit. We offered to make these
nomic opportunity. There is a visa When we passed the Rescue Plan, I changes. We said it needed to be part of
process for that. The administration is remember sitting at this table, sitting a balanced tax package so working
considering a transit ban to say you at this desk. It was March 6, and after families are not left behind in this new
can’t go through multiple countries 12 hours of all-night voting—it was a tax law the way they were with the
and then show up in the United States Saturday around noon—we passed the huge corporate tax giveaway of 2017.
and say: Now I want asylum. Rescue Plan. We took care of literally We are in the midst of a manufac-
I have a bill that deals with this. 1 million union pension holders who turing renaissance, especially in the
Quite frankly, it is a straightforward had lost big chunks of pension, 100,000 Midwest, in my State, because of in-
policy that multiple other countries families in my State alone. In the same vestments we made. We need a Tax
around the world also have. This policy vote, we expanded the child tax credit, Code that supports American manufac-
will help our administration to enforce 51 to 1, 51 Democrats with the Vice turing and rewards investment in re-
the border and give the tools to the President. Fifty Republicans voted no, search and development, and we need a
Border Patrol to make decisions along denying children the expanded child Tax Code that supports working fami-
the border that actually help protect tax credit. Two million kids in my lies and their kids.
Investing in children now, making
the safety of our Nation. State—2 million children in Ohio—and
sure these families have money in their
The current process, let me remind 60 million around the country benefited
pockets to keep up with rising costs,
you, is thousands of people literally from that. Their families saw more weather a financial emergency, even
being paroled into our country, saying: money in their pockets. It was 90 per- just to afford the basics in an economy
Fifteen years from now, we will figure cent of the children in Atlanta, in Sa- where inflation is too high, will pay off
out what to do with you. That is the vannah, in Cleveland, and Dayton—90 for decades. It is a smart policy. It is a
current process, which is incentivizing percent of children. Only the 10 percent win-win for Georgia and Ohio and every
illegal immigration. It doesn’t slow wealthiest families did not benefit one of our States.
down. This is not a matter of, it is from this. One in four kids living in rural Idaho
going to one day get better. We are the We saw a 40-percent reduction in the is left out of the full child tax credit.
greatest Nation on Earth. There are child poverty rate, and we know—think In Ohio and Kentucky, one out of three
billions of people who want to be able if we had kept the child tax credit kids is left out. We can fix that if my
to come here. So this is a simple, going. It was in effect for a year. If it Republicans would be willing to.
straightforward way to be able to deal had kept going, think how effective it Raising kids is hard work. They say:
with that, and it is the transit issue, to would have been in blunting the effects You give this money to these families,
be able to resolve that issue for asy- of inflation on so many families who they don’t work. Well, raising kids is
lum. are struggling every day, every week, hard work.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- every month. After we passed the child tax credit
sent that the Senate proceed to the im- I heard from parents around my expansion 19 months ago, I heard time
mediate consideration of S. 5350, which State. It was helping them afford gro- and again that it was making things
is at the desk. I further ask that the ceries, childcare, or rent or school ‘‘just a little bit easier.’’ I heard that
bill be considered read a third time and clothes or summer camps. Many par- term ‘‘just a little bit easier’’ from
passed and that the motion to recon- ents wrote me and said: It is the first families. They work hard, sometimes
sider be considered made and laid upon time ever I have been able to send my more than one job, just to make ends
the table. daughter to summer camp. We know meet.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there what a difference this made at a time We can do this. We can make things
objection? when families struggled to keep up a little bit easier. We can still do this.
Mr. PETERS. I object. with costs. I won’t stop fighting for tax policies
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- Unfortunately, as we know, the child that help make our country more com-
tion is heard. tax credit expansion ended at the end petitive but also more competitive and
Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, this of 2021. That should never have hap- more just. Justice should be the goal
body is wearing what is happening on pened. We still have time to get it up not just during the holiday season but
the border right now. I know a lot of and running again. always.
the national media decides they are We had a chance to pass a tax pack- As I tried to get this deal done, I
going to look away and say it is no big age tonight. We could have passed a heard my colleagues on the other side
deal, but I am telling you, more and tax package that addressed the needs of the aisle say that expanding the
more reporters, even on the far left, are child tax credit was a partisan issue. It
of American manufacturers with re-
looking at what is happening on the was a ‘‘Democratic ask.’’ That is news
search and development credits and to
border and saying this is an out-of-con- to American families. Most families in
help children and families.
Georgia and Ohio, they don’t care if
trol humanitarian crisis. If this body Here is what I want everyone to hear
the child tax credit was mostly about
keeps ignoring that, America is going in this body and throughout the United
Democrats wanting it and Republicans
to continue to suffer. States: Democrats are willing to do it.
not wanting it; they just want a gov-
May I remind you, this is the Depart- We put it on the table time and time
ernment that fights for them and
ment of Homeland Security. What is again. We will support the research and
stands with them, not that stands
more basic than actually securing our development tax provisions to Repub- against them.
borders? Please don’t tell me this is licans—something they wanted—and Just a few days ago, I met with faith
not possible under current law. Four they should support the child tax cred- leaders—Evangelical, Catholic, Jewish,
times as many people have illegally it. We believe we should invest in Muslim faith leaders and so many oth-
crossed this border that happened American manufacturing. It would ers—to fight for the child tax credit.
under the Obama administration—four have done that. We believe we should Only in Washington, DC, in this body
times as many. It can be done. They invest in American families, in Amer- and down the hall, the House of Rep-
are just choosing not to. That lays on ican children. resentatives—only here is fighting for
this body as well. As part of a balanced package, we the child tax credit a partisan issue.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
I yield the floor. will make the changes businesses are I have a letter here—I have two let-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- asking for. CEOs and small businesses ters. This comes from the Faith and
ator from Ohio. and companies and executives came to Freedom Coalition. It says:
CHILD TAX CREDIT see me and said they wanted us to do As leaders of faith organizations, social
Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I think both. Yes, do the R&D tax credit, and welfare organizations, and others, we con-
we can all agree we had a very produc- also do the child tax credit. My friends sider it to be an integral part of our missions
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December 21, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9751
to ensure families and communities have all Thank you for your consideration of our Rather, it is a moral imperative of the high-
the resources they need to be fully flour- views and this request. est priority.’’ The Child Tax Credit expan-
ishing and contributing members of society. Sincerely, sion of 2021 demonstrated that a fully refund-
Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker, U.S. able Child Tax Credit is a highly effective
The letter goes on to say: House of Representatives; Mike Huckabee, mechanism to reduce child poverty. The
That is why there is broad agreement Former Governor of Arkansas; Rick version of the Child Tax Credit passed in the
[among people of faith, conservative and lib- Santorum, Former U.S. Senator; Timothy R. American Rescue Plan lifted 2.1 million chil-
eral alike] that the Child Tax Credit (CTC) Head, Executive Director, Faith & Freedom dren out of poverty in 2021 and helped to re-
needs to be strengthened. We believe there is Coalition; Michele Bachmann, Dean of the duce child poverty to its lowest rate on
an urgent need for legislation that supports Robertson School of Government at Regent record. Without the expanded and fully re-
children and families. Many of us had called University; Mark Rodgers, Principal, The fundable Child Tax Credit this year, data
for increasing the CTC to $3,000 per child Clapham Group; Tony Perkins, President, have shown a spike in child poverty. An ex-
[back in 2017] and we remain committed to Family Research Council; Penny Y. Nance, panded and fully refundable child tax credit
that goal today. It is our hope [that] this CEO & President, Concerned Women for is a proven tool to support women and fami-
Congress will prioritize an expanded Child America LAC; Terry Schilling, President, lies and keep millions of children out of pov-
Tax Credit. American Principles Project; Ryan T. Ander- erty. We implore Congress to prioritize pas-
son, Ph.D., President, The Ethics and Public sage of a substantially improved Child Tax
Mr. President, I ask that this letter, Credit by the end of the year.
Policy Center; Robert P. George, JD, DPhil,
which is signed by leading conserv- DCL, DLitt, McCormick Professor of Juris- We know members of both parties share
atives, including a citizen in the Pre- prudence, Princeton Universities; Brad our commitment to prioritizing the well-
siding Officer’s State, Newt Gingrich; Wilcox, Future of Freedom Fellow, Institute being of women, children, and families, espe-
Rick Santorum, Senator CASEY’s pred- for Family Studies; Ramesh Ponnuru, Amer- cially those who are struggling. As we ap-
proach the end of this Congress, we urge you
ecessor; Ramesh Ponnuru; Kathryn ican Enterprise Institute; Kristan Hawkins,
to work in a bipartisan fashion to pass an
Jean Lopez; and many other politi- President, Students for Life Action; Yuval
improved Child Tax Credit that is as refund-
cians. Levin, Director of Social, Cultural and Con-
able as possible, for as many children as pos-
stitutional Studies, American Enterprise In-
I ask unanimous consent that this sible, for as many years as possible.
stitute; Walter Kim, President, National As-
letter be printed in the RECORD. Sincerely,
sociation of Evangelicals; Rusty R. Reno,
There being no objection, the mate- MOST REV. BORYS GUDZIAK,
Editor, First Things; Bishop Dean Nelson,
rial was ordered to be printed in the Archbishop of Ukrainian Catholic
Chairman, Douglass Leadership Institute;
Archeparchy of Philadelphia, U.S. Conference
RECORD, as follows: Patrick T. Brown, Fellow, The Ethics and
of Catholic Bishops, Chairman, Committee on
DECEMBER 16, 2022. Public Policy Center; Nadine Maenza, Senior
Domestic Justice and Human Development.
Hon. NANCY PELOSI, Advisor, Patriot Voices; Carlos Duran, Na-
SISTER DONNA MARKHAM, OP, Ph.D.,
Speaker of the House, Washington, DC. tional Hispanic Pastors Alliance; Kathyrn
President & CEO, Catholic Charities USA.
Hon. KEVIN MCCARTHY, Jean Lopez, National Review Institute; Sam-
RALPH MIDDLECAMP,
Minority Leader, House of Representatives, uel Rodriguez, National Hispanic Christian
National President, National Council of the
Washington, DC. Leadership Conference; Rev. Dr. David Gray,
United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Hon. CHARLES SCHUMER, Senior Fellow, Niskanen Center; Carlos
Campo, Ph.D., President, Ashland University Mr. BROWN. I would like to empha-
Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC. and Theological Seminary; Chris Bullivant, size that the people who sign these let-
Hon. MITCH MCCONNELL, Executive Director, Social Capital Cam- ters aren’t generally supporting people
Minority Leader, U.S. Senate, paign; Michael Hernon, The Messy Family like me in the Senate. They are clearly
Washington, DC. Project. conservatives.
--
DEAR SPEAKER PELOSI, MINORITY LEADER Let me just share, again, some names
MCCARTHY, MAJORITY LEADER SCHUMER, AND
Mr. BROWN. I ask unanimous con- of people who signed this letter. I men-
MINORITY LEADER MCCONNELL: As leaders of sent that a letter written by the U.S. tioned Newt Gingrich, former Repub-
faith organizations, social welfare organiza- Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catho- lican Speaker of the House; Mike
tions, and others, we consider it to be an in- lic Charities USA, and the Society of Huckabee, former Governor of Arkan-
tegral part of our missions to ensure families Saint Vincent de Paul be printed in the sas; Rick Santorum, former U.S. Sen-
and communities have all the resources they RECORD.
need to be fully flourishing and contributing ator; Timothy Head, Executive Direc-
There being no objection, the mate-
members of society. tor Faith and Freedom Coalition; Tony
rial was ordered to be printed in the Perkins, President of the Family Re-
There is no argument that the married RECORD, as follows:
family is the necessary building block for search Council—nobody mistakes him
CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA, COM-
healthy children, communities, and a free MITTEE ON DOMESTIC JUSTICE AND
for a liberal Democratic—Robert
people. However, marriage rates are at an HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, George, McCormick Professor of Juris-
all-time low while fertility rates continue to December 14, 2022. prudence, Princeton University, one of
decline. For too long, we have presumed the DEAR SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE: On behalf the real deep reflective thinkers in the
family would always be there to strengthen of the Committee on Domestic Justice and conservative biosphere; Ramesh
society while spending little effort to sup- Human Development of the United States
port its health. If we do not take concrete Ponnuru of the American Enterprise
Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Institute; Yuval Levin, director of so-
steps to strengthen the family, we’ll have no Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), and the
chance of addressing the social problems United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul
cial, cultural, and constitutional stud-
most on Americans’ minds—educational fail- (SVdP USA), we write to you to renew our ies at the American Enterprise Insti-
ure, poverty, and crime. call to Congress to work in a bipartisan fash- tute; Walter Kim, president of the Na-
That is why there is broad agreement that ion to pass a strengthened Child Tax Credit tional Association of Evangelicals;
the Child Tax Credit (CTC) needs to be before the end of the year. Kathryn Jean Lopez, I mentioned, Na-
strengthened. We believe there is an urgent The Child Tax Credit is a powerful anti- tional Review Institute.
need for legislation that supports children poverty, pro-family program that we have I could go on and on—people of faith
and families. Many of us had called for in- long supported and asked Congress to
creasing the CTC to $3,000 per child when
on the conservative side of politics who
strengthen. To this effect, we ask you to
Congress was debating the Tax Cuts and Jobs all say we should pass the child tax
pass, by the end of this year, an expanded
Act of 2017 and we remain committed to that Child Tax Credit that is as refundable as pos- credit.
goal today. It is our hope that this Congress sible, for as many kids as possible, for as Again, this letter says: The child tax
will prioritize an expanded Child Tax Credit many years as possible, and remains avail- credit is a powerful, anti-poverty, pro-
in a year-end tax policy for today’s families able to mixed-status families. The most eco- family program we have long supported
and future families in development. nomically vulnerable children ought to re- and ask Congress to strengthen.
Congress must squarely face the increasing ceive the full value of the Child Tax Credit. I know I went back and pointed down
cost of parenthood and the declining fertility A strengthened Child Tax Credit that bene- the hall. I really can’t find very many
rates these costs engender. Our goal must be fits the poorest children should be a priority people who oppose the child tax credit.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
to advance policies that make having chil- in any upcoming tax policy package. It has got 80, 90 percent support at
dren more affordable and achievable. While The bishops have long stated that we must
there are many reforms that would either re- confront poverty with a sense of urgency. As
home. Ninety percent of kids in my
move barriers to family formation or help the USCCB wrote in the pastoral document State—the families of 90 percent of
support struggling families, none is more im- Economic Justice for All ‘‘Dealing with pov- kids benefit from the child tax credit.
portant than increasing the CTC to $3,000 per erty is not a luxury to which our nation can All of us have gotten stories, gotten
child. attend when it finds the time and resources. letters, gotten calls from constituents.
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S9752 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 21, 2022
When we are walking down the those struggling with cognitive effects Why am I involved in this issue?
street, people come up and say: You from COVID–19. Well, one, like everyone else, I met
know, that $300, that $550 a month—I I urge Senators with holds on this some of these brave refugees who had
have an 8-year-old and a 5-year-old. bill to lift those holds—the couple of stood with our military. One was an in-
One is $300 for the one, $250 for the Senators who are standing in the way terpreter, and another worked on many
other. Month after month, it lifted us for reasons I am not really clear other intelligence issues with them.
out of poverty. It has made a dif- about—so we can pass it out of the Also, in my home State, they are the
ference. My daughter can go to summer Senate and get it to the President’s second biggest population among refu-
camp. I can buy school clothes. We are desk before the end of the year. These gees from way back after the Vietnam
not embarrassed when she goes back to families need our support. These fami- war.
school in September in old, torn—I lies deserve our support. Vietnamese Hmong came to this
mean, all of the kinds of things that I yield the floor. country and started a new life. Now
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- they are doctors. Their kids and their
make children’s lives a little better
ator from Minnesota. grandkids and their great-grandkids
and families a little happier, we can do.
AFGHAN ADJUSTMENT ACT
But, again, the only people standing in are police officers. And with their sac-
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I rifice, they rebuilt their lives in the
the way of this are sitting over here in
have come to the floor this evening United States of America.
this body and sitting down the hall.
with Senator MORAN of Kansas to take This bill is about showing that our
The voters, the thinkers, the political
a moment, as I did last night and as country is committed to standing with
conservative thinkers from those let-
our colleagues Senator LINDSEY GRA- people who stood with us. That is why
ters, religious leaders, people of faith— HAM and Senator COONS did earlier this
all support this idea. The benefits of today we filed an amendment with Sen-
evening, to emphasize the importance
CTC are clear. ators GRAHAM, COONS, MORAN,
of including the Afghan Adjustment
Everyone willing to see what is right BLUMENTHAL, supported by many oth-
Act in either the end-of-the-year spend-
before them understands it is far more ers whom I have mentioned, to include
ing bill or to pass it on its own but to
than about politics. It is about kids. It this important legislation in the end-
get it done as soon as possible.
is about families. It is about ensuring Why? Well, more than 70,000 Afghans of-the-year spending bill, and I urge my
that the hard work that families do who sought refuge in our country are colleagues to support it.
raising children, working part time— currently in limbo, including so many To be clear, this legislation doesn’t
some of them not making much money who risked their own lives and their just make this process make sense; it
at all. own family’s safety to protect our serv- also makes it more thorough. Our bill
I am just so disappointed we can’t icemembers. requires applicants to go through vet-
get this done. But I know the Senator Why do we know this? Because near- ting that is just as rigorous as the vet-
from Georgia and I know I won’t give ly half of them have been vouched for ting they would have gone through if
up. We are going to keep fighting for by our own military. Because they they came to the United States during
this. If we can’t get it tonight, we will come up to us at events with members a regular refugee process—a standard
work on it next year. of the U.S. military. And I know every that eight former Trump and George
BRYCEN GRAY AND BEN PRICE COVID–19 Member here has had this experience W. Bush administration national secu-
COGNITIVE RESEARCH ACT where our own veterans—and I am so rity officials called the ‘‘gold stand-
Mr. President, before I conclude I pleased that Senator MORAN, who is ard’’ of vetting.
would like to mention one other piece the ranking member on the Veterans’ The other cosponsors and I have
of legislation I have been working on Affairs Committee, has joined us on worked with our Republican col-
with my colleague Senator this bill after making some very im- leagues, including Senator MORAN, who
DUCKWORTH, a Democrat from Illinois, portant changes to the bill to make is here on the floor today, to respond
and Senator CASSIDY, a Republican sure the vetting process was as thor- to every issue identified by the Depart-
from Louisiana, that we should pass ough as possible. We are also joined on ment of Defense and Department of
without delay. this vote, by the way, by Senator Homeland Security in their inspectors
The Brycen Gray and Ben Price WICKER, the incoming ranking member general reports, which were very help-
COVID–19 Cognitive Research Act, of the Armed Services Committee; by ful for us in crafting this bill.
named after one of my constituents, Senator GRAHAM, who is the lead Re- Our updated bill requires the Depart-
Brycen Gray, and one of Senator publican with me—who is the lead Re- ments of Homeland Security and De-
DUCKWORTH’s constituents, Ben Price, publican on this bill, a longtime mem- fense to consult with Congress before
would do two things. First, it would ber of the military himself; by Senator setting the vetting requirements. It
codify important research NIH is al- COONS, who has been such a leader in also directs the Department of State
ready doing to further our under- Foreign Relations; by Senator and other Federal Agencies to work to-
standing of COVID–19, including the BLUMENTHAL, who also has a long his- gether to come up with a strategy for
neurological effects of the virus. Sec- tory of working on veterans issues; by future evacuations to make sure that
ond, it would require the National Senator MURKOWSKI, who was an ear- we have plans in place to vet and relo-
Academies of Science, Engineering, lier supporter of this bill; by Senator cate those allies who serve alongside
and Medicine to conduct a study and BLUNT; by Senator SHAHEEN, who has our troops.
issue a report on the disruption of cog- long led efforts on these issues in the This bill is supported by more than 40
nitive processes associated with Foreign Relations Committee; and by organizations, including the VFW. The
COVID–19. Senator LEAHY. There are many other Veterans of Foreign Wars support this
I would like to thank Senator MUR- Senators who are waiting to get on as bill. They have their members on the
RAY, a Democrat from Washington, and cosponsors of this bill, and there are Hill in their own humble ways lobbying
Senator BURR, a Republican from many more than that who would vote for this bill. They are not paid lobby-
North Carolina, for their work to nego- to support it. ists; they are veteran civilian lobbyists
tiate the text of the legislation and for Why? Well, after their sacrifice and out there trying to help us.
their support of the bill. after helping them to relocate in the The American Legion supports this
I would like to thank my colleague, United States, it is our responsibility bill. Admirals Mike Mullen, William
retiring Representative GONZALEZ, a to provide these Afghan refugees with McRaven, James Stavridis, and Gen-
Republican from northern Ohio, not far the assurance that they can stay here erals Richard Myers, Joseph Dunford,
from where I live, who successfully got and rebuild their lives. My colleagues, and Stan McChrystal support this bill.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
this legislation through the House with they are already here. They are living I am very, very focused on this bill
a strong bipartisan vote, 350 to 69. in towns and cities across this country, because I think about people in other
This bill would not authorize addi- and they simply need to know their countries that stand with our soldiers.
tional funding. It would not cost tax- status. They are in limbo. It makes it It happens all the time. If this is what
payers. It would mean the world to the very difficult to start lives in this we do when they come to our country
Gray and Price families and to all country. and we don’t have their backs, what
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December 21, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9753
message are we sending to people in porters, their comrades faced as a re- There being no objection, the Senate
the rest of the world who stand with sult of being left behind in Afghanistan proceeded to consider the resolution,
our soldiers, who protect them, who in those frightful 2, 3, 4 weeks in which which had been reported from the Com-
provide security for their families, who so much uncertainty and our ability to mittee on Foreign Relations, with an
are there to translate and to interpret evacuate was so lacking. amendment to strike all after the re-
for them, who become their friends and Over 1,000 Kansans asked for my help. solving clause and insert the part
close confidants? What message do we And while we were successful on some printed in italic, as follows:
send if we just allow them to be in this occasions, so many were left behind in S. RES. 472
country in limbo with no certain sta- such tragic circumstances and with Whereas the United States and the Domin-
tus ahead? We know what they will be- such emotional appeals, emotional re- ican Republic share extensive economic, se-
come when they stay here and when sults from those who wanted to make curity, and cultural ties and a mutual com-
they get their green card and they can certain that those who helped save mitment to the promotion of internationally
recognized human rights, democratic values,
work. They have shown their work their lives, they helped save theirs.
and the rule of law;
ethic, and they will have kids and My hometown pastor’s daughter was Whereas the bilateral relationship between
grandkids who will go on, just as the a missionary—she and her husband—in the United States and the Dominican Repub-
Hmong and Vietnamese did, to become Afghanistan. Their plea to me was: lic has contributed to the economic pros-
those teachers and police officers and Please help get Christians out of Af- perity and national security of both coun-
farmers and bakers and nurses and doc- ghanistan because we know—we tries, including through the Dominican Re-
tors and builders and inventors. We know—they will be murdered if left be- public-Central America-United States Free
hind. Trade Agreement and the Caribbean Basin
know what they will do but not if we Security Initiative;
don’t give them that chance, not if we We must answer these calls and es-
Whereas under the leadership of President
don’t have their backs like they had tablish a pathway for our Afghan part- Luis Abinader, who took office on August 16,
ours. ners to begin a new life in safety. 2020, the Government of the Dominican Re-
I am so proud to be joined by Senator We worked—and Senator KLOBUCHAR public has taken steps to effectively address
MORAN here on the floor and of his mentioned this—we worked to ensure— the COVID–19 pandemic, fully vaccinating
work on behalf of our veterans, his before we sponsored this legislation, we over 60 percent of its adult population, one of
work with Senator TESTER and the worked to ensure—and we had tremen- the highest vaccination rates in Latin Amer-
dous help and cooperation from the ica and the Caribbean, and acquiring suffi-
Veterans’ Affairs Committee. cient surplus vaccines to provide donations
I yield the floor. original sponsors, that we wanted to
to other countries in the region;
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ensure this legislation protects our na- Whereas in response to the COVID–19 pan-
ator from Kansas. tional security. demic, the Government of the Dominican Re-
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, thank I was pleased to work with Senator public has committed to working with the
you, and I thank the Congresswoman— KLOBUCHAR and others to bolster the United States, other Group of 7 countries,
excuse me—the Senator. I am headed vetting process for newly arriving Af- the International Monetary Fund, and the
to the House this evening, and I have ghans. Inter-American Development Bank to ad-
served in the House. The updates outline the specific re- vance global and regional post-pandemic eco-
nomic recovery efforts;
I join my colleague in efforts to see quirements, including mandatory in-
Whereas in 2020, United States foreign di-
that this legislation, the Afghan Ad- person interviews for all applicants and rect investment in the Dominican Republic
justment Act, is advanced, that it Agency briefings to Congress on pro- totaled $274,500,000, and remittances from the
moves forward. posed vetting procedures prior—prior— United States accounted for approximately
The chaotic evacuation from Kabul to implementation of the vetting proc- 78 percent of the over $8,000,000,000 in remit-
stranded thousands of Afghan allies be- ess. tances sent to the Dominican Republic, ac-
hind enemy lines. For two decades, It also mandates that the State De- cording to data from the Congressional Re-
countless Afghans stood by our service- partment develop a contingency plan search Service and World Bank, respectively;
Whereas, on September 30, 2021, President
members and risked their lives and for future emergency evacuations, in-
Abinader signed presidential decree 612–21,
their families’ lives to support our cluding standard practices for screen- creating a ministerial task force to advance
troops in Afghanistan. ing and vetting foreign nationals to be nearshoring initiatives and strengthen the
Veterans of the Afghan war are call- relocated to the United States. Dominican Republic’s participation in inter-
ing for Congress to provide safety and I urge my colleagues—I thank my national supply chains and role as an indus-
certainty for their allies and friends colleagues who are sponsors and advo- trial, manufacturing, and logistical hub, in-
who assisted them in battle. This in- cates for this bill. I thank Senator cluding by expanding the country’s network
cludes the Iraq and Afghanistan Vet- KLOBUCHAR for the invitation to join of free trade zones;
Whereas the United States and the Domin-
erans of America, Veterans of Foreign her on the Senate floor this evening, ican Republic would benefit from a coordi-
Wars, the American Legion, and many and I urge our colleagues to support nated plan of action to bolster economic re-
others. this bipartisan effort to help those who lations, realign supply chains, and expand
The Afghan Adjustment Act will helped us. ties between the private sectors in both
keep our promise to those who risked I yield the floor. countries;
their lives for America while also pro- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- Whereas the Government of the United
tecting our national security. jority whip. States has engaged with the Dominican Re-
A veteran from Kansas, Slate Deister public and other regional partners to address
f
the United States serious concerns over the
from Leavenworth, stated the fol-
REAFFIRMING THE PARTNERSHIP security, human rights, and data privacy
lowing in support of the bill: risks associated with investments by the
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES
This is a critical piece of legislation that People’s Republic of China in telecommuni-
supports our nation’s veterans and AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
cation networks and other critical infra-
warfighters by ensuring that we honor our Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask structure;
allies during America’s longest war. If Con- unanimous consent that Senate pro- Whereas the Government of the Dominican
gress does not act to support its allies by ceed to the immediate consideration of Republic has committed to strengthening se-
passing the Afghan Adjustment Act, poten- Calendar No. 602, S. Res. 472. curity cooperation with the United States to
tial allies in future combat zones are going address the threats posed by transnational
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
to be less likely to support the U.S. mission criminal organizations and human traf-
after seeing our Afghan partners abandoned. clerk will report the resolution by
ficking, drug trafficking, and money laun-
title. dering networks;
At the time in which the individ- The senior assistant legislative clerk
uals—a number were being evacuated, Whereas a humanitarian crisis, rampant
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
read as follows: crime, gang violence, and instability in
but many left behind. Our offices, my
A resolution (S. Res. 472) reaffirming the neighboring Haiti, a situation exacerbated
staff and I, received over 1,000 inquiries partnership between the United States and by the July 7, 2021, assassination of Presi-
from Kansas. ‘‘Inquiries’’ really isn’t the Dominican Republic and advancing op- dent Jovenel Moise, has deepened the suf-
the right word. ‘‘Pleas’’—pleas for help. portunities to deepen diplomatic, economic, fering of the Haitian people, increased risks
Over 1,000 Kansans related to us the and security cooperation between the two to the Dominican Republic posed by orga-
challenges that their friends, their sup- nations. nized criminal groups along its borders, and
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- 412,009 bytes
- SHA-256
- aab62c18b5fa23899c7d8d570f7dca5a54241e064a0f549d8ede1ed6d7d3a783
- Original
- www.govinfo.gov