[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 149 (Tuesday, November 27, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6929-S6936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Detention of Elton ``Mark'' McCabe

  Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I rise to note grave concern on behalf of 
a constituent of mine and his family. Elton ``Mark'' McCabe, a 
businessman from Slidell, LA, has been held against his will in the 
custody of South Sudanese officials since October 14--for several weeks 
now, going on a month, through Thanksgiving.
  Mark McCabe was in Africa, South Sudan, with business partners 
pursuing business opportunities, doing everything by the book, legally, 
ethically, and apparently, for reasons we don't yet fully understand, 
business competitors or business enemies of his had some sway with 
South Sudanese officials in a particular portion of the government with 
the security force, and he was taken into custody. He was charged with 
vague, very serious crimes and has been held against his will for these 
many weeks. I won't go into all the details, but it has been a long 
torturous experience.
  I have been on the phone constantly, virtually every day, with State 
Department officials, with the South Sudanese Ambassador to the United 
States, with others, trying to demand basic due process and basic 
justice.
  Things have gotten a little better in the last week, and a few days 
ago there was a hearing before a judge regarding these trumped-up 
charges. When the prosecution had basically no facts and no evidence to 
present, the judge virtually laughed in their face with regard to this 
lack of a case. Nonetheless, the prosecution asked for 3 more days to 
get its house in order, to get its notes in order, possibly just to try 
to save face by dropping these trumped-up charges against Mr. McCabe 
rather than having them thrown out against their will by the judge. We 
hope that is the case, we pray that is the case, but we don't know yet.
  The next hearing before this same judge is going to be this Thursday. 
So I come to the Senate floor to urge that judge and the South Sudanese 
Government to do the right thing, to do justice and immediately release 
Mark McCabe, who, again, has been held against his will, with no 
evidence, with no meaningful charges against him, since October 14.
  I want to repeat what I said directly to the South Sudanese 
Ambassador to the United States. For many years we have built a strong, 
positive, bilateral relationship, but that relationship depends on 
appropriate trust between the parties and appropriate action. And we 
are looking at this case very seriously. We are looking at this case as 
a test of their judicial system, as a test of their appropriate 
intentions. If this completely unjustified detention continues, I vow 
that I will personally make sure there are consequences and 
repercussions to that relationship because there should be. They have 
violated basic fundamental legal and human rights of U.S. citizens.
  I am hopeful based on what happened in South Sudan a few days ago, 
but, to quote President Ronald Reagan, trust but verify. And we are 
going to verify one way or the other come Thursday. The matter is very 
simple: Even though Mark McCabe has been held against his will for 
weeks and weeks, finally, at this late date, we fully expect this sorry 
state of affairs to end on Thursday. And if these trumped-up, frivolous 
charges continue, if he continues to be held against his will, I 
promise I will make those statements to the South Sudanese Ambassador 
ring true. I promise I will follow up and take action because this is 
absolutely outrageous.
  I know we all join to pray for justice, to pray for Mr. McCabe's 
safekeeping. He has a serious heart condition. Indications are that he 
actually suffered a mild heart attack while in the custody of South 
Sudanese officials. So we pray for him, and we very much expect and 
look forward to his quick return to his home in the United States.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Shaheen). The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.
  Mr. HARKIN. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum 
call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, I rise to support the ratification of 
the U.N. Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities or, as it is 
known, the CRPD.
  First, I wish to thank Chairman Kerry of the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee for his diligence and for his leadership on this issue. He 
has carried it through the committee; he has brought it to the floor. 
In fact, I was reminded earlier today, we were both on the committee 
back in the 1980s when we first started working on the Americans with 
Disabilities Act under the tutelage, really, of Senator Lowell Weicker, 
who remains a great friend to this day and is still a great leader on 
the issues of people with disabilities. So we go back that far working 
together on these issues.
  I thank Senator Kerry for his great leadership in bringing us to this 
point and, hopefully, the point being that we are going to ratify this 
wonderful treaty.
  I thank Senator Lugar again for all of his efforts through so many 
years on so many different issues, and on this issue especially, going 
back to the beginning of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If I 
might divert from this just for one brief moment to thank Senator Lugar 
for his leadership in making the world safer by getting rid of nuclear 
weapons in the Soviet Union. What a singular effort that has been. 
Senator Lugar has done much to make the world a better place for us and 
for our kids and grandkids. So I salute him for his wonderful 
leadership in that area.
  Senator McCain, of course, was here and worked with us on the 
Americans with Disabilities Act back in 1989 and 1990. He was very much 
involved in it; Senator Durbin, Senator Barrasso, Senator Moran, 
Senator Udall, and

[[Page S6930]]

Senator Coons, I guess all of whom worked very hard to secure the 
ratification of this important convention.
  As the chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and 
Pensions and as the lead Senate author of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act, I want the United States to become a party to this 
convention so we can apply the expertise we have developed under the 
ADA and help the rest of the world remove barriers to full 
participation and to honor the human rights of citizens with 
disabilities. One of my greatest joys in the Senate has been my work 
with so many Senators on the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
  The ADA stands for a simple proposition: that disability is a natural 
part of the human experience and that all people with disabilities have 
an inherent right to make choices to pursue meaningful careers and to 
participate fully in all aspects of society. So thanks to the ADA, our 
country is a more welcoming place not just for people with a variety of 
disabilities but for everyone.
  Twenty-two years ago, on July 26, 1990, President Bush gathered 
hundreds of Americans with disabilities on the White House lawn for the 
ADA signing ceremony, and here is what he said. It is wonderful.

       This historic act is the world's first comprehensive 
     declaration of equality for people with disabilities--the 
     first. Its passage has made the United States the 
     international leader on this human rights issue.

  Well, thanks to the ADA and other U.S. laws, America is showing the 
rest of the world how to honor the basic human rights of children and 
adults with disabilities, how to integrate them into society, how to 
remove barriers to their full participation in activities that most 
Americans just take for granted.
  Our support for disability rights inspired a global movement that led 
the United Nations to adopt the CRPD. In fact, I might just add 
parenthetically that after the Americans with Disabilities Act was 
adopted, we had people from many countries come here. I can think of, 
first, Russia. Then it was Greece, Ireland, Great Britain, as well as a 
number of people from other countries who came here to learn what we 
had done and then to pick it up and move forward in their own 
countries. Our legal framework influenced the substance of the 
convention and is informing its implementation in the 125 countries, I 
think, that have ratified it along with the European Union.
  My staff was involved in 2002 when the U.N. first broached this 
subject of coming up with a convention and, in turn, provided to them 
the substance of the Americans with Disabilities Act, its history, its 
provisions, and what had been done from its adoption in 1990 until 2002 
and the changes that it had brought about in our own country. So, 
really, I think the Americans with Disabilities Act informed and laid 
the basis for what the U.N. began to do in 2002 and completed in 2006.
  So, again, I am very grateful for the leadership of Senator Kerry, 
Senator McCain, as well as Senator Dole, who I know is not able to be 
with us right now, but I thank them for all of their support for the 
ratification of the CRPD. I also appreciate that former President 
George H.W. Bush, his White House Counsel Boyden Gray, Attorney General 
Dick Thornburg, former Congressman Steve Bartlett, and Tony Coelho have 
all been actively supporting this ratification.
  I am also grateful for the support from the U.S. business community, 
including, clearly, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Information 
Technology Industry Council for ratification of this treaty. Because of 
their experience with the ADA, American businesses have developed 
expertise they can apply in the global marketplace in a way that gives 
them a competitive advantage. If we are a party to the convention, the 
U.S.-based companies with this expertise will be on much more solid 
footing when they are seeking to help other countries write and 
implement domestic legislation consistent with the convention and 
consistent with U.S. standards for accessibility and equal opportunity.
  Like the Americans with Disabilities Act, the CRPD enjoys widespread 
support in the disability, civil rights, business, veterans, and faith-
based communities. I could be off a little bit, but as of the writing 
of this statement we have letters of support from more than 250 
American disability organizations, 21 veterans service organizations--
and I caught some of the comments made by our distinguished chairman, 
Senator Kerry, in talking about veterans and our wounded warriors as 
they travel around the world and being able to access in other parts of 
the world what they can access here in America; a very good point--and 
26 faith organizations also in support of the CRPD. These entities all 
realize the critical importance of America's position as a global 
leader on disability rights. They want our country to have a seat at 
the table and to share that expertise as the States Parties to the 
Convention work to implement it around the world.
  I might add here, under the convention a committee will be 
established to assist and to help other countries in implementing and 
changing their laws and conforming. If we are a party to this, we get a 
seat at the table. If we are not a party to it, we will not have a seat 
at the table. Why shouldn't we have a seat at the table? We have been 
the world leaders. So by ratifying this convention, the United States 
will be reaffirming our commitment to our citizens with disabilities. 
Americans with disabilities should be able to live and travel, study 
and work abroad with the same freedoms and access they enjoy here in 
this country. Again, as other countries that have been signatories to 
this treaty grapple with how to change their systems and to make their 
systems more accessible, we can be at the table helping them to 
implement this treaty and to learn from our experience.
  The administration has submitted reservations, understandings, and 
declarations that make clear that U.S. ratification will not require 
any change in U.S. law and will have no fiscal impact. The Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee has modified these reservations, 
understandings, and declarations to address concerns that were raised 
in the committee markup.
  Although U.S. ratification of the CRPD will not require changes in 
U.S. law and will not have a fiscal impact, I think it is very clear 
that U.S. ratification will have a clear moral impact. It will send a 
signal to the rest of the world that it is not OK to leave a baby with 
Down Syndrome on the side of the road to die, it is not OK to warehouse 
adults with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities in institutions, 
chained to the bars of a cell, when their only ``crime'' is having a 
disability, it is not OK to refuse to educate children because they are 
blind, deaf, or use a wheelchair, it is not OK to prevent disabled 
people from voting, getting married, owning property, or having 
children, it is not OK to rebuild infrastructures in Iraq or 
Afghanistan or Haiti or other war-torn or disaster-stricken areas 
without improving the accessibility of the infrastructure at the same 
time.
  Former President Reagan frequently talked about America as a city on 
a hill, a shining example for the world of a nation that ensures 
opportunity and freedom for all its people. Thanks to our country's 
success in implementing the ADA, advancing that law's great goals of 
full inclusion and full participation, America, indeed, has become a 
shining city on a hill for people with disabilities around the globe. 
By ratifying the CRPD, we can affirm our leadership in this field. We 
can give renewed impetus to those striving to emulate us. We can give 
them that renewed impetus by our example and by sitting down with them 
and working with them only if we are a signatory to this treaty.
  Again, you think about American exceptionalism. We are a pretty 
exceptional country, when you think about it, in many ways. We are not 
just exceptional because we have the most tanks and guns and bombs and 
things such as that, but we are exceptional in what we have done in 
terms of civil rights and human rights and to include all in our 
family--our family being our citizenship. We took great strides. 
America has always been evolving as a country to expand civil rights 
and human rights, and one of the latest, of course, was to extend those 
rights to people with disabilities in our society, making sure people 
with disabilities had all the rights and opportunities that anyone 
enjoys in our society.

[[Page S6931]]

  It seems to me that this is the kind of exceptionalism we ought to be 
promoting around the globe. We ought to be proud. We should be proud of 
what we have done as a country in this regard. We should not be 
afraid--not be afraid--to join in a convention to extend to the rest of 
the world what we have done here, basically, and to be helpful in 
making sure that other countries can also attain that kind of a 
standard that does not exclude anyone because of a disability from 
their society.
  I know there were some who were not part of the bipartisan vote to 
support ratification in the committee. I understand that. But my hope 
is that in the intervening time, in the course of Senate debate, we 
will have addressed any remaining concerns, move forward with a strong 
bipartisan vote to provide our advice and consent, and pass the 
resolution supporting U.S. ratification of the CRPD with overwhelming 
bipartisan support.
  When we voted on the ADA in 1990, it was a vote where only 6 people 
in the Senate voted against it--91 to 6. It was a historic law. My hope 
is we can achieve the same kind of strong bipartisan statement of 
support for the human rights of 1 billion people with disabilities 
around the world.
  As to those of us who travel a lot around the world--maybe I see it 
more because of my involvement in this issue--I cannot begin to 
describe how often it is people come up and ask us how we can help, 
help them change so that people with disabilities can have more access, 
be more involved. Many times I have been to countries where someone 
comes up and may not know of my involvement in this issue, but through 
the course of conversation--maybe it is someone in business, maybe it 
is someone in government, in education--they mention this: They mention 
accessibility because they have a brother, a sister, a friend, someone 
who has a disability, and they talk about how easy it is for them in 
America to get around, to move around, to go to school, to do business, 
and they would hope that maybe their country could do the same. It 
happens a lot. Here we are, we have the opportunity to be a key player 
in this global effort.
  It was important for us as a country for the first 10 to 20 years to 
focus on our own internal problems in terms of advancing the cause of 
people with disabilities, when you think about all the changes that 
have come about in the last 22 years. And now we take a lot of it for 
granted in terms of accessibility, mobility, education, health care, 
job accessibility. It is just not unusual any longer to walk into a 
business and see someone with a physical disability or an intellectual 
disability working there. We kind of do not even think about it much 
anymore. We do not think about kids with disabilities mainstreamed in 
schools.

  I remember when our oldest daughter was in grade school and IDEA was 
just coming into force and effect, the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act, and a child with a disability was integrated into the 
classroom. There was this big hue and cry from a lot of the parents 
about: Oh, this kid was going to be disruptive. And how are the other 
kids going to learn?
  Well, we got through that. Now we have a whole generation, what I 
call the ADA generation, kids who were mainstreamed in school, and kids 
without disabilities do not think anything about being their friends, 
going to a ball game with them, going to the theater with them, working 
alongside them. So we have this whole new generation where you do not 
think about it any longer. It is a normal aspect of life.
  That is not so in other countries. In other countries, it is still, 
quite frankly, a sign of disgrace when a family has a child with a 
disability. Well, it is time to get over that. By being a country 
signing on to this, we can help them in so many ways. It is not just 
kids or young people with physical disabilities; it is people with 
intellectual disabilities. For how long have we looked down on people 
with Down Syndrome, for example, and said: Well, they cannot do 
anything? We segregate them in society. We send them to special 
schools. We give them occupations that do not challenge them. Now we 
have broken that down. Now so many people with intellectual 
disabilities, we find, can do a lot of things, and they can be 
challenged. And, yes, they can do competitive employment. They do not 
need sheltered workshops. They can be in competitive employment, with 
just a little support and a little training.
  So many things have changed for the better in this country. It would 
be a shame--be a shame--if all this good we have done through all 
sectors of society--the business community, government, transportation, 
education; all these things we have done to make sure people with 
disabilities are not discriminated against and they have full 
opportunities, all the opportunities that anyone else has in our 
society--it would be a shame to say that somehow we are not going to 
support a convention, an international convention that basically takes 
what we have done and says: Here, world, this is what we should be 
doing globally.
  To have 125 countries already signed up to it, and here we are--those 
who took the leadership in this area, everyone from the White House to, 
as I say, the Chamber of Commerce, that was supportive of the ADA, the 
business community that worked so hard on this--it would be a shame if 
we did not ratify this and become players in this and have a seat at 
the table to help the rest of the world attain what we have attained in 
this country.
  Again, I thank Senator Kerry and Senator Lugar, and so many others, 
Senator McCain and others--I am probably forgetting to mention 
someone--but so many people who have worked so hard to bring this issue 
to this point.
  I have to believe--yes, I know there are some Senators who have some 
problems, and I do not question anyone's motives or anything like that. 
I think some people do have, maybe, some concerns about this. 
Hopefully, through the amending process, we can allay those concerns. I 
hope we get resounding--resounding--support for the ratification of 
this treaty and show the world that we are proud of what we have done, 
and we want to join with the rest of the world in making sure they too 
can advance and progress and have the same kind of support and 
accessibility and opportunity for people with disabilities as we have 
had in America.
  Again, I thank my colleague and my classmate and my longtime friend 
Senator Kerry for his leadership on this issue, and I hope we have a 
resounding, overwhelming vote, just as we did for the Americans with 
Disabilities Act 22 years ago.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Iowa and I want 
to comment quickly before I yield the floor to the Senator from 
Minnesota. I also have a unanimous consent request.
  I heard the Senator pay appropriate tribute to Senator Lugar for his 
accomplishments in terms of making the world safer. I say to my friend, 
without any question whatsoever in reserve that the accomplishment of 
the ADA is one of those singular moments in the career of any U.S. 
Senator and it made the world better here at home, and a lot of other 
places if we get this done. The Senator from Iowa helped set that gold 
standard, so I thank him for that and for the pleasure--there are only 
three of us left from our class, so it is good to stand up with him 
today, and I appreciate it enormously.
  I ask unanimous consent that the time for debate only on the treaty 
be extended until 6:30 p.m., with the time equally divided as provided 
under the previous order; further, that at 6:30 p.m., the majority 
leader be recognized.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  I yield to the Senator from Minnesota.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. I rise to discuss the importance of the Convention on 
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I wish to thank Senator Kerry 
and Senator Lugar for their outstanding leadership on this important 
treaty, as well as Senator Harkin, my neighbor to the south, for all he 
has done for people with disabilities.
  For many years I have served on the advisory board of Pacer, which is 
one of the Nation's greatest organizations for parents of kids with 
disabilities, and saw firsthand what so many families go through every 
day, the incredible courage and the love they show for

[[Page S6932]]

their children and the inspiration so many people with disabilities 
bring to our country.
  To paraphrase Minnesota's own ``happy warrior,'' Hubert Humphrey, the 
moral test of a government isn't just how it treats the young, the 
healthy, and the able bodied, it is also how it treats the sick, the 
elderly, and the disabled--those in need of a little extra support.
  That may be the moral test of a government, but I believe it is also 
the moral test of a people and the moral test of a country. Today, I 
call on all my colleagues to vote to ratify the Convention on the 
Rights of Persons with Disabilities for two simple reasons. First of 
all, ratifying this treaty is about protecting the rights of U.S. 
citizens who are living with disabilities overseas.
  Right now, thousands of Americans with disabilities, including our 
men and women in uniform, live, work, study, and travel abroad. I 
believe these Americans deserve the same rights and protections they 
would enjoy if they were living in the United States. This treaty is 
about ensuring those rights and protections.
  Second, ratifying this treaty is about advancing a core moral value 
we all share as Americans, the idea that all people are created equal 
and that we are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable 
rights. Our country has long led the world as a beacon for equality and 
human dignity. This treaty would elevate our role in promoting human 
rights around the globe.
  These are American values, but they are especially near and dear to 
my heart as a Senator from Minnesota, where we have a long and proud 
tradition of working to ensure that people with disabilities have 
access to the same basic resources and opportunities as everyone else. 
After all, it was the Minnesota Ramp Project that introduced a new 
American model for building statewide standardized wheelchair ramps.
  We are the State that sent Paul Wellstone to the Senate, where he 
fought long and hard for mental health parity, something that finally 
passed in the Senate and was signed into law after he died--but it was 
signed into law. We are home to some of the most innovative centers for 
the disabled in the country, including Pacer, that I already mentioned, 
the Courage Center, and ARC.
  We even have one of the most accessible baseball stadiums in the 
country. We are looking forward to a better season for the Twins next 
year, and we are so proud of our new stadium and how accessible it is 
for people with disabilities. In many foreign countries, not even 
schools and hospitals can meet these standards for people with 
disabilities. When a person is not even able to get an education or 
access to health care they need because of a disability, that is a very 
big problem.
  Even more troubling is the fact that some foreign countries lack laws 
for protecting the disabled against discrimination, meaning they have 
no recourse after being denied a job or an education or the use of 
public services. Remember, these inequities do not just affect foreign 
citizens, they affect Americans who are living in those countries.
  So this is what is at stake: protecting our own citizens when they 
travel to other countries and extending the values of equality and 
justice we so cherish in our own country. It is important to note that 
ratifying this treaty will not require any changes to U.S. law, nor 
will it impact American sovereignty, nor will it incur costs to 
taxpayers.
  It has been endorsed by every major disabled person's rights 
organization, every major veteran's service organization, the Chamber 
of Commerce, and several Republican and Democratic administrations. 
Protecting the rights of the most vulnerable among us is not a partisan 
issue. It is an issue of decency and an issue of dignity. I believe it 
is an issue we must all stand behind as Americans.
  I urge my colleagues to ratify this treaty and move us forward in 
advancing the rights of disabled people around the world.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I wanted to thank the Senator from 
Minnesota so much for taking time to come over. I know she did not 
intend to earlier, but she cares about the issue and took the time to 
come and share her thoughts with us. We are very appreciative. We 
obviously hope the Twins do whatever they want, second only to the Red 
Sox in the future.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, before us for advice and consent is the 
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the CRPD. I 
support the treaty and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
support it.
  In America, I do not believe anyone considers someone with a 
disability to have any less rights or protections than people without 
disabilities. I would suggest this reality is partly due to our values 
but also due to bipartisan efforts to codify in law that persons with 
disabilities are afforded equal access and protection from 
discrimination.
  Over 22 years ago members of both parties came together to pass the 
Americans with Disabilities Act. It is not only the law of the land but 
it is the template for the CRPD in countries around the world that are 
moving to update their laws. Both the ADA and the ADA amendments of 
2008 were passed with wide bipartisan margins. They are examples that 
from time to time we can engage in a bipartisan effort in this body.
  In many countries accessibility to public spaces is not available to 
persons with disabilities. They are still discriminated against or cast 
aside in societies across the globe. Horrifically, infanticide occurs 
in many countries where children are born with disabilities. Protecting 
the rights of persons with disabilities, all persons, is not a 
political issue, it is a human issue.
  Regardless of where in the world a disabled person strives to live a 
normal, independent life, where basic rights and accessibilities are 
available, disability rights and protections have always been a 
bipartisan issue. Ratifying this treaty should be no different.
  Senator Durbin and I and Senator Kerry began months ago--with Senator 
Harkin, Senator Lugar, many others. We had been discussing months ago 
how we could work together in a bipartisan manner and build support for 
ratification of the treaty.
  As I mentioned, we have worked closely with Senators Moran, Barrasso, 
Coons, Tom Udall, Harkin, and others. I wish to thank them for their 
support and efforts to get us to this point. Senator Kerry deserves 
special recognition for scheduling a Foreign Relations Committee 
hearing and a markup that favorably reported the measure out of the 
committee. I also wish to thank the majority leader for scheduling this 
treaty for consideration today.
  I think my colleagues should appreciate that this treaty is supported 
by over 300 disability organizations, at least 21 U.S. military 
veterans service organizations, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and many 
other organizations. It is not an accident that literally every 
veterans organization in this country supports this treaty because it 
is our veterans, many of whom are coming home as we speak, who will 
live and travel abroad and will benefit from this treaty.
  As I have been traveling around the world where conflict is ever 
present, I have seen that so many people will benefit from the 
principles embodied in the treaty. So I would argue this effort is 
probably more important today in the world than it has been in the 
past. Another strong supporter of this treaty is one of my closest 
friends and heroes, Bob Dole. As you know, Bob has dedicated nearly his 
entire life to this country, through his military service and, 
following that, many years in public service.
  He has dedicated the past several months to encourage support in the 
Senate for this treaty. Earlier, I read a statement from Bob. I would 
like to mention some parts of the statement. I will point out rather 
poignantly he says:

       It was an exceptional group I joined during World War II, 
     which no one joins by personal

[[Page S6933]]

     choice. It is a group that neither respects or discriminates 
     by age, sex, wealth, education, skin color, religious 
     beliefs, political party, power, prestige. That group, 
     Americans with disabilities, has grown in size ever since. 
     So, therefore, has the importance of maintaining access for 
     people with disabilities to mainstream American life, whether 
     it is access to a job, an education, or registering to vote.

  I will not go through Bob Dole's entire statement. I would point out 
there are still thousands and thousands and thousands of his comrades 
who came home disabled in some respect--Bob, of course, in the most 
painful way. We all recall, with some nostalgia and appreciation, that 
he and our other wonderful hero Senator Inouye spent time in the same 
hospital following World War II going through very difficult periods of 
rehabilitation, a friendship that was forged there that has lasted ever 
since.
  I can assure you there is nothing Bob Dole would want more than to be 
here on the floor of this Senate delivering his own speech before the 
Senate and urging colleagues to consider this treaty based on facts and 
on our values that ensure, protect, and advance the rights of persons 
with disabilities, whether on U.S. soil or around the globe where we 
can make a difference.
  I received a letter today from--it is very difficult for me to 
pronounce his name, but I will try--from one individual, Chen 
Guangcheng. He is an individual who is a blind Chinese activist who 
recently came to the United States of America thanks to the efforts of 
many of the leaders in our administration, including the Secretary of 
State.
  I wish to quote from his letter. This is an individual who is blind, 
who fought for human rights in his country, in China, and now, thank 
God, is in the United States of America. His letter says:

       Dear Senators, I am writing you to personally ask for your 
     support for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with 
     Disabilities. As you know, my work on civil rights began with 
     trying to ensure that people with disabilities in my home 
     country of China were afforded the same rights as everyone 
     else. The CRPD is making this idea real in significant ways 
     around the world. Today, worldwide there are over 1 billion 
     people with disabilities, and 80 percent of them live in 
     developing countries. Disability rights is an issue that the 
     world cannot afford to overlook.
       When the United States enacted the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act over twenty years ago, the idea of true 
     equality for people with disabilities became a reality. Many 
     nations have followed in America's footsteps and now are 
     coming together under shared principles of equality, respect, 
     and dignity for people with disabilities as entailed in the 
     CRPD. The U.S.--which was instrumental in negotiating the 
     CRPD--can continue to advance both its principles and issues 
     of practical accessibility for its citizens and all people 
     around the world, and by ratifying the treaty, so take its 
     rightful place of leadership in the arena of human rights.
       As I continue my studies in the United States, it is a 
     great pleasure to now learn firsthand how the U.S. developed 
     such a comprehensive and strong system of protection for its 
     citizens with disabilities. I am so hopeful that you will 
     support ratification and allow others to benefit from these 
     triumphs. Thank you for your leadership.

  That is a very moving letter from a man who risked his very life, a 
man who is blind but still risked his life for the freedom of others, 
including rights in his country for individuals with disabilities.
  There is a letter we have from former Attorney General Dick 
Thornburgh and White House Counsel Boyden Gray. They wrote to the 
Foreign Relations Committee to address issues being raised by 
opponents, particularly homeschool advocates who believe parental 
rights to homeschool or make decisions for their children will be 
impaired. I take it that my colleague, the Senator from Massachusetts, 
addressed this aspect of the concerns the homeschoolers have.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KERRY. If I might just say to my colleague, the resolution 
actually does address it, but I have not, so I think it would be 
important, if the Senator wishes to address that.
  Mr. McCAIN. Here is what they wrote, the former Attorney General--I 
have been blessed to live and know many Attorneys General, but I think 
all of us on both sides of the aisle would agree that Dick Thornburgh 
ranks up there at the top. This is what they write concerning the issue 
of homeschooling:

       Nothing in this treaty prevents parents from homeschooling 
     or making decisions for their children. This treaty embraces 
     IDEA, the ADA, and all of the disability nondiscrimination 
     legislation that has made the United States a leader on 
     disability rights. The specific provisions on women and 
     children state that women and children with disabilities 
     cannot be the victims of illegal discrimination--as is the 
     case under U.S. law. Furthermore, the CRPD recognizes and 
     protects the important role of the family and specifically 
     protects children from being separated from their parents on 
     the basis of a disability. We take a back seat to no one in 
     our defense of the rights of parents to raise their children 
     or in our support for our federalist system of government 
     with sovereignty at both the Federal and State levels of 
     government.

  Some opponents are also suggesting that somehow the U.S. law or 
existing parental rights would be impacted by supporting the treaty. 
Attorney General Thornburgh and White House Counsel Gray address this 
as well:

       We understand that some are claiming that changes in U.S. 
     law would be necessary to implement the obligations the U.S. 
     will undertake as a result of ratifying the treaty, or that 
     the RUDs that the Senate will approve will not have the force 
     of law. Such claims are not correct and, quite simply, 
     extraordinary. When the U.S. Senate attaches conditions to 
     its consent to a treaty, they are binding on the President, 
     and the President cannot proceed to ratify a treaty without 
     giving them effect. The Senate has a long tradition of 
     careful consideration and frequent adoption of limited RUDs, 
     as is the case here. Any claims that such limited conditions 
     do not have the force of law, or are inconsistent with the 
     object and purpose of a treaty on disabilities that U.S. laws 
     inspired in the first place, is contrary to the long-held 
     position articulated by the Senate--regardless of which party 
     is in control (and in spite of whatever theories that may 
     momentarily exist in academic circles).
       Administrations of both parties have also uniformly held 
     this view. In 1995 the U.S. stated that ``reservations are an 
     essential part of a State's consent to be bound. They cannot 
     simply be erased. This reflects the fundamental principle of 
     the law of treaties: obligation is based on consent. A State 
     which does not consent to a treaty is not bound by that 
     treaty. A State which expressly withholds its consent from a 
     provision cannot be presumed, on the basis of some legal 
     fiction, to be bound by it.''
       Furthermore, the CRPD protects the critical role of the 
     family by specifically recognizing the role of parents in 
     raising children with disabilities, and prohibits the 
     dissolution or separation of families because one or both of 
     the parents are persons with disabilities. Article 23, 
     entitled ``Respect for home and family,'' provides that 
     ``children with disabilities have equal rights with respect 
     to family life,'' that nations ratifying the treaty have an 
     obligation to ``undertake to provide early and comprehensive 
     information, services, and support to children with 
     disabilities and their families, and that ``(i)in no case 
     shall a child be separated from parents on the basis of a 
     disability of either the child or one or both of the 
     parents.'' Finally, the CRPD will provide much-needed 
     protection in other countries where there is no provision for 
     birth certificates or birth registration for children with 
     disabilities. In particular, it will help protect against the 
     horrible practice of infanticide of children born with 
     disabilities--a practice that can be facilitated through the 
     denial of birth certificates or registration to disabled 
     babies.

  Every action we have ever taken on disability policy has been 
bipartisan. Being able to live independently is a basic human dignity 
we support, and it is a value we can help advance internationally by 
supporting this treaty.
  I would like to say in closing that I thank both of my colleagues, 
Senator Lugar and Senator Kerry.
  I think we might think just for a moment, in conclusion, about the 
fact that there are various conflicts going on around the world. In 
Syria, we have seen 40,000 killed, and I don't know how many--100,000, 
200,000 who have been wounded, many of them innocent women and 
children, because of the ferocity and barbaric conduct of this 
conflict. I don't know how many people today in China are subject 
to infanticide because there is not a birth certificate available. And 
we know that practice, not only in China but in other parts of the 
world--a lot of it in Asia--goes on. We live in a very troubled and 
turbulent world. Not only will we have the normal, usual situation--and 
I mean normal--there are people who are born with disabilities from 
time to time. I have had the honor of knowing children, as all of us 
have, and there are no more loving and caring people in the world than 
our children and our citizens who have disabilities. There are going to 
be a lot more because of the conflicts that are going on in various 
places in the world. They might deserve our special attention because 
they are living in countries that will have a lot less of the rule of 
law, a lot

[[Page S6934]]

less ability to care for them, particularly in the short term. Whether 
it be Libya, whether it be Syria, whether it be Iraq, or whether it be 
Afghanistan, all of these countries, we are going to have citizens who 
have been the victims of the violence of war. I believe the best thing 
we can do for them in the short term is take whatever action we can to 
see that they are not discriminated against, that they receive the same 
protections we guarantee our Americans with disabilities, and that they 
are afforded an opportunity to live full and beautiful lives.

  Finally, I would like to say that my two friends and I have been 
around this place for quite a while--in the view of many, perhaps too 
long--but the fact is that one of the highlights of our shared 
experiences was on the lawn of the White House when a guy, Holmes 
Tuttle--remember one of the leaders of the disabilities movement, Mr. 
Tuttle--and others from the disabilities community were there, and the 
President of the United States at the time, President Herbert Walker 
Bush, and our beloved Bob Dole were there. It was a great moment for 
all of us. It was a great moment for America. It was all of us doing 
something, contributing in a small way to make better the lives of 
people who otherwise may have had great challenges in having the kinds 
of lives we want every American citizen to lead.
  I believe that this treaty, this action is an adequate and important 
followup because I don't think there is anybody who denies--yes, there 
are problems with any legislation of the sweeping magnitude and scope 
of the ADA, but I don't know of anybody who doesn't believe it was a 
magnificent success and an enormous contribution to making the lives of 
our citizens with disabilities better than they otherwise would have 
been. So wouldn't we want that same thing to happen to everyone in the 
world? Wouldn't we want these children who are going through such 
difficult times in their lives and wouldn't we want those who have been 
wounded and maimed to have an opportunity for a better life? Wouldn't 
we want to, as Americans, be proud that we blazed the trail with the 
ADA in a really remarkable shift and change and an act of almost 
miraculous benefit to so many of our citizens, wouldn't we want that 
also to apply to the other citizens of the world? I think most of us 
would, and I think most of the American people who are paying attention 
to this believe that. That is why so many of our veterans organizations 
are in support. That is why so many in the disabilities community are 
in support. That is why there are so many charitable organizations that 
are in support.
  So I again thank both of my colleagues and tell them that I certainly 
hope we can convince all of our colleagues that one of the nicest 
things we could do as a Christmas present for people around the world 
is to ratify this treaty.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. KERRY. Madam President.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I wish to thank the Senator from Arizona. 
I thank him for his comments just now, but most importantly I really 
appreciate his extraordinary leadership on this issue and a lot of 
human rights issues, issues of conscience. He speaks with a very 
important voice, and I think he knows I am always happier when he is 
working with me than against me on any issue on the floor. I know he 
used to pride himself in his fight occasionally with Senator Kennedy, 
but he also prided himself enormously when they were able to get 
together and work together.
  I have certainly enjoyed the many things Senator McCain and I have 
done together--most notably, I think, joining hands across a certain 
belief divide to help end the war in Vietnam, the real war that kept 
raging in the minds of a lot of people, and that was a 10-year journey 
we made together. I am certainly proud of that and grateful to him.
  But I want to come back to this treaty for a moment and Senator 
McCain's efforts on it. I would say to my colleagues who have raised in 
the minority report a couple of concerns--and none of us are dismissive 
of those concerns--every Senator has the right to express their 
beliefs, but I can't think of a Senator more compelled. He has been the 
ranking member and chair of the Armed Services Committee and for years 
has been one of the leading voices on defense issues and now the 
defense of our Nation. Everybody knows his record in terms of personal 
service. I think there is no Senator who comes to the floor arguing 
more consistently the prerogatives of the United States of America with 
respect to defending our Nation and upholding the Constitution.
  I would ask my colleagues who are finding some reason to doubt this 
treaty or to have some sense that it presents a threat to our country 
to take appropriate note of Senator McCain's fervent commitment to this 
and to the comments he made about former Attorney General Dick 
Thornburgh. I knew the Attorney General when he was Attorney General. I 
have enormous respect for him and for his career, and I think Senator 
McCain was 100 percent correct when he quoted him in the record as 
saying that nothing in this treaty will require any initiative by the 
United States to change a law or to reduce any capacity of our courts 
to uphold the Constitution of the United States. I think he did an 
important service in his comments with respect to that. I thank him for 
his contribution. Our fight is not over. We have some work to do in the 
next days, and I look forward to working with him.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Casey). The Senator from Indiana.
  Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I join the chairman in thanking John McCain 
for his testimony, his courage, his eloquence, and his mention of those 
on our side of the aisle who have historically fought for the disabled. 
That is a very important fact today, and his presence, his strength and 
determination are very inspiring. We appreciate so much his support.
  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum, and ask 
that time be logged to both sides.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, we are in the process of considering the 
ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with 
Disabilities. The United States has led the world in creating the legal 
framework, building an infrastructure and designing facilities that 
ensure inclusion and opportunities for those living with disabilities.
  This year the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, under the 
leadership of Chairman John Kerry and ranking minority member Senator 
Richard Lugar, celebrated the 22nd anniversary of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act by favorably reporting the Convention on the Rights of 
Persons with Disabilities on a strong bipartisan basis. I want to 
personally thank Senator Kerry and Senator Lugar for moving the treaty 
through the committee process. It was a hectic time--campaigns were 
going on--but they made a point of making certain we brought this issue 
forward.
  A personal thanks to my friend Senator John McCain, who is on the 
Senate floor at this moment, for making this a bipartisan effort. I 
also want to thank Senators Barrasso, Harkin, Tom Udall, Moran, and 
Coons for their bipartisan support and dedication to the passage and 
ratification of this important treaty.
  Now is the time for the full Senate to affirm our Nation's leadership 
on disability issues by ratifying this important treaty. We should do 
so with the strong bipartisan support that has always characterized the 
efforts we have had on disabilities.
  The support for this treaty is extremely broad and deep and 
bipartisan. It is supported by 165 disability organizations, including 
the U.S. International Council on Disabilities, the American 
Association of People with Disabilities, the Disability Rights 
Education and Defense Fund, and the National Disability Rights Network.
  In addition, it is supported by 21 different veterans groups, 
including the Wounded Warrior Project, the American Legion, Disabled 
American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
  President George H.W. Bush, who signed the Americans with 
Disabilities Act into law, has called for ratification

[[Page S6935]]

of this treaty. But there has been no more passionate advocate--and I 
am so honored that he would consider devoting his energies and good 
name to our effort for ratification of the treaty--than Senator Bob 
Dole, a lifelong advocate for disability rights. We need to pass this 
treaty in a tribute to Bob Dole for his life of service to the State of 
Kansas and to the Nation, as well as his heroic efforts on behalf of 
the disabled in the Senate.
  These organizations and people of different backgrounds have come 
together to support ratification of the treaty because they know it is 
critical for those living with disabilities in the United States and 
around the world. Thanks to the ADA and similar laws, the United States 
has been so successful providing opportunities, accessibility, and 
protection of the rights of those living with disabilities that our 
Nation is already in full compliance with all terms of the treaty. 
Before transmitting this treaty, the Obama administration conducted an 
exhaustive comparison of the treaty's requirements to current U.S. law. 
Here is what they found: The United States does not need to pass any 
new laws or regulations in order to fully meet the terms of the treaty. 
The fact that we have already met or exceeded the treaty's requirements 
is a testament to our Nation's commitment to equality and opportunity 
for the disabled.
  But there are still important reasons to ratify this treaty. There 
are more than 5\1/2\ million veterans living with disabilities in the 
United States. They travel all over the world, often with their 
families. Ratifying this treaty will help move toward the day when 
wherever they travel they will be treated with accessibility, with the 
kind of respect that every person would expect to have in traveling 
around the world.
  Ratifying this treaty will also give the United States a seat at an 
international table that we currently can't occupy. The United States 
can sit at the table on disability rights worldwide and provide 
guidance and expertise based on our experience and leadership. It just 
stands out like a sore thumb our country hasn't ratified this treaty 
when over 120 other nations have.
  This treaty would also level the playing field for American 
businesses. American businesses have invested time and resources to 
comply with the ADA. Businesses in some countries are not required to 
comply with similar standards. Compliance with the treaty levels the 
playing field by requiring foreign businesses to meet accessibility 
standards similar to those of the United States. It will open new 
markets for new technologies when it comes to disability.
  Mr. President, I know you have been a visitor at Walter Reed and 
Bethesda Naval Center, and you have seen our returning veterans, many 
who come home after losing a limb. They go through a period of the best 
rehabilitation, and then they are brought into a laboratory with the 
latest technology.
  A new Congresswoman from Illinois, named Tammy Duckworth--I am so 
proud of her election victory on November 6--lost both legs in Iraq 
when she was piloting a helicopter that was shot down. She was a member 
of the Illinois National Guard, and there was a question whether she 
would even survive the terrible incident where a rocket-propelled 
grenade was fired into the fuselage of her helicopter. She survived and 
has since used Walter Reed Hospital and Bethesda to make certain that 
she has the very best new prosthetic legs. They were good enough to 
carry her through a campaign successfully, and now she will be sworn in 
to the U.S. House of Representatives in just a few weeks.

  That kind of technology is being developed for our veterans, as it 
should be. Ultimately, it will be available to everyone across the 
United States and around the world. As companies make this new 
technology enabling amputees a full life, this technology becomes a 
part of the export of the United States. So there are opportunities 
here for the United States, as other countries comply with the treaty 
and develop new prosthetics and other things for their disabled, to 
have some business opportunities with new and good ideas. American 
businesses will be able to export their expertise and their products in 
new markets serving the hundreds of millions of people living with 
disabilities around the world.
  Let me tell you why it is important for us, even though our standards 
are good and high in helping the disabled, to worry about those with 
disabilities in other countries. There are estimates that 10 percent of 
the world's population lives with disabilities. Not only do these 
people courageously live each day, they live with many challenges and 
hurdles that could be removed with the right laws and policies that are 
contained in this convention.
  It is hard to believe, but 90 percent of children with disabilities 
in developing countries never attend school. Less than 25 percent of 
the countries in the United Nations have passed laws to even prohibit 
discrimination on the basis of disability. Studies indicate that women 
and girls in developing countries are more likely than men to have a 
disability.
  Unemployment is dramatically higher for those living in other 
countries with disabilities. This treaty will help provide the 
framework so countries around the world can help their own citizens 
with disabilities live productive, healthy lives. Just like we did by 
enacting the ADA 22 years ago, ratifying this treaty will send the 
world a message that people with disabilities deserve a level playing 
field.
  While this treaty will ensure inclusion and access for those living 
with disabilities, it is also important to note what the treaty will 
not do. The treaty will not require the United States to appropriate 
any new funding or resources to comply with its terms--not a single 
dollar. The treaty will not change any U.S. law or compromise U.S. 
sovereignty. The treaty will not lead to any new lawsuits because its 
terms do not create any new rights, and it cannot be enforced in any 
U.S. court. For families who choose to educate their children at home, 
the treaty will not change any of the current rights and obligations 
under American law. I was pleased that in the Foreign Relations 
Committee they adopted an amendment I worked on with Senator DeMint, a 
bipartisan amendment, to further clarify this issue.
  I also want to address the issue of abortion, which was raised 
yesterday by one of our former colleagues. Leading pro-life groups, 
such as the National Right to Life Committee, confirm the treaty does 
not promote, expand access or create any right to an abortion.
  When we tried to move this treaty earlier this year, some objected on 
the basis the Senate shouldn't ratify a treaty during a lameduck 
session. Well, we did a little study. I want to note for the record 
that since 1970, in the last 42 years the Senate has ratified at least 
19 treaties during lameduck sessions. There is no procedural or 
substantive justification for not ratifying this treaty which has broad 
bipartisan support and could mean so much to those living with 
disabilities.
  Thanks to decades of bipartisan cooperation, our country embodies the 
worldwide gold standard for those living with disabilities.
  In closing, I again salute Senator Bob Dole. He has been on the phone 
and working it, and I hope in tribute to his Senate career we will 
ratify this treaty.
  I also want to salute a former colleague of mine from the U.S. House 
of Representatives, Tony Coelho. Tony was the whip of the Democratic 
caucus when I was first elected, and he has been an amazing advocate 
for the disabled throughout his public career in the House and ever 
since. He came to me and asked to help in this effort, and I was happy 
to say yes to Tony, as I did so many times when I served with him in 
the House.
  I want to add one other person--Marca Bristo. Marca is the leading 
disability advocate in the city of Chicago. This wonderful young woman 
was tireless in her wheelchair, wheeling from office to office, begging 
Members and their staffs to consider voting for this treaty. If and 
when we pass it--and I hope that is soon--I am going to remember Marca 
and Tony, and certainly Senator Dole, for all the work they put into 
this.
  When the Senate ratifies this treaty, we can be proud our coworkers, 
friends, family members, and courageous veterans will soon enjoy the 
same access and opportunity when they travel abroad that they have come 
to expect right here in the United States.

[[Page S6936]]

  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I take this time to urge my colleagues to 
vote for the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons 
with Disabilities.
  I have the honor of serving on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee 
and was present during the hearings we had with regard to the 
ratification of the treaty. I listened to the witnesses who testified 
and listened to all the arguments that always have been made about 
treaties. I must tell you, it was overwhelmingly supportive of the 
ratification of the treaty.
  I want to acknowledge the work of Senator Lugar, who is on the floor. 
He has been a real champion on basic human rights issues and advancing 
it through treaties on which the United States has taken leadership. I 
applaud his unstinting commitment to advancing the rights of people 
with disabilities.
  I also want to acknowledge our chairman Senator Kerry, and the work 
he has done in regard to this treaty; Senator Harkin, and many others, 
have been involved in the United States' participation in this treaty. 
To put it directly, we were responsible for this treaty moving forward 
because the United States has been in the leadership of protecting 
people with disabilities. The way we treat people with disabilities is 
a civil rights/human rights issue.
  We know the history of America was not always what it is today, and 
we know the struggles people with disabilities have had in getting 
access to services that we sometimes take for granted.
  Many years ago I visited our State institution for children with 
developmental disabilities. I saw in one large room literally 100 
children receiving no care at all, most of them not clothed. I knew we 
could do better in this country, and today our access to health 
services for people with disabilities is remarkably better.
  I remember when if you had a physical disability and were confined to 
a wheelchair, it was basically impossible to get use of public 
transportation. We have changed those policies in our country, 
recognizing that every American has the right to basic services. I 
remember when it was difficult for people to get public education in 
traditional schools if they had disabilities. We have changed those 
laws in America. We have changed our public accommodation laws. We have 
changed our employment laws. We have led the world in saying that it is 
a basic right, and people with disabilities have the same protections 
as every one of us.
  I am proud of the progress we have made here in the United States. I 
was part of the Congress in 1990 that passed the Americans With 
Disabilities Act. I am very proud to be part of the Congress that 
passed that law. I remember two of our colleagues who have been in the 
forefront of this work: Senator Dole, whose name has been mentioned, 
has been one of the great leaders in this body in protecting the rights 
of people with disabilities, and Congressman Tony Coelho, with whom I 
served in the other body, the House, took on a leadership position to 
bring to the public attention for us to do what was right for people 
with disabilities.
  The United States has provided international leadership. The year 
after we passed the Americans With Disabilities Act, my colleague in 
the House, Congressman Steny Hoyer, took that effort in the United 
States internationally. In 1991, in the Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe, we passed the Declaration on the Rights of 
Persons With Disabilities because of the U.S. leadership. It is now 
known as the Moscow Document. We have provided international 
aspirations to make sure that we treat people with disabilities as we 
would treat anyone else.
  We have in America the strongest protections of any country. We have 
improved our laws. We have led the world in providing the right legal 
framework, the right policies, and the right programs so people with 
disabilities can gain access to all services.
  The ratification of this treaty is particularly important to the 
United States. I say that because it further demonstrates our 
leadership on this issue. We have added language in this treaty; we 
don't have to change any laws if we ratified this treaty. We are in 
full compliance. There is no need for America to take any further 
steps. All this treaty ratification does is reaffirm America's 
leadership on this issue and provides protection for our citizens 
internationally. We made that very clear with amendments we added to 
this treaty during the committee markup. We don't have to change any 
laws. Yet it helps U.S. citizens abroad. The rights of the disabled 
should not end at our border. They should have the same protections 
when they travel to another country or when they work in another 
country or when they temporarily live in another country. We want to 
make sure American citizens are treated fairly.
  A witness testified at our hearing on the ratification of this treaty 
about how she was in a wheelchair in another country and she was not 
permitted to use her wheelchair to get access to an airplane. That is 
wrong. This treaty will protect an American who happens to be in 
another country and who happens to have a disability to make sure that 
person can get reasonable access to transportation, reasonable access 
to public accommodations, and that the person is not discriminated 
against because of her or his disability. This helps advance globally 
the basic human rights of people with disabilities. Other countries 
will learn from the United States. Until we ratify, we can't 
participate in the international discussions taking place to protect 
people with disabilities. Yet we have the most advanced laws. By our 
ratification of this treaty, we are in a position to help other 
countries advance the rights of people with disabilities, and that is 
exactly what we should be doing in America.

  Our Nation was founded on the principle that we are all created equal 
and each of us has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness regardless of our abilities. Ratifying this treaty is a 
strong act of diplomacy and a symbol of America's continued commitment 
to equal justice for all. The history of our Nation has been the 
continued expansion of rights, opportunities, and responsibilities to 
more and more Americans. It is in our interests and in the interests of 
all humankind to see that the expansion happens in other countries as 
well.
  I urge my Senate colleagues to vote for the ratification of this 
treaty. It is the right vote to take for the United States. Standing up 
for basic human rights is right. It is right to protect our citizens 
when they travel internationally. I urge my colleagues to vote for 
ratification.
  With that, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Bennet.) Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business for such time as I may consume.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.