[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 12, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1572-S1575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NEVADA SESQUICENTENNIAL

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, throughout this year, my home State will 
celebrate the 150th anniversary of its path to Statehood, on October 
31, 1864.
  Next week, while I will be home visiting my family and constituents, 
the Battle Born State will celebrate the day that Congress passed and 
President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation paving the way for Nevada 
to become the 36th State. At that time Congress was in a rush to 
welcome Nevada into the Union. It was during the Civil War; it was 
raging.
  The only other State admitted to the Union during the war was West 
Virginia, which seceded from Virginia to remain part of the Union in 
1863.
  Congress didn't want to wait until the next session to admit another 
new State--a new State that could swing the Presidential election in 
Lincoln's favor and provide crucial votes for the 13th Amendment, which 
abolished slavery. Nevadans had already rejected one proposed State 
constitution, so there was no time to waste.
  On March 21, 1864, in the waning hours of the 38th Congress, a law 
was passed allowing Nevada to enter the Union whenever voters finally 
passed and President Lincoln approved a State constitution.
  It wasn't during the normal course of business, but this wasn't the 
normal course with the Civil War going on. Typically Congress would get 
the final word on admission of a new State to the Union.
  But these, as I have indicated, were certainly not normal times. Even 
today we acknowledge Nevada's unique path to Statehood on our State 
flag with the words: ``Battle Born.''
  Throughout this year, we will celebrate Nevada's 150th birthday with 
events in every corner of the State. From my hometown of Searchlight to 
Virginia City to Elko, there is a 150th anniversary event to match 
every interest.
  Nevada is a very large State. Area wide it is the seventh largest in 
the country. It is a unique State with more mountains than any place 
other than Alaska. We have 314 separate mountain ranges. We have one 
mountain that is 14,000 feet high. We have 32 mountains over 11,000 
feet high. We have wide-ranging land, and we have some of the coldest 
places in the Nation and some of the hottest places in the Nation.
  We have all kinds of wildlife. Theodore Roosevelt created an antelope 
range that is large and sparsely populated. We have not only the 
antelope, we also have desert bighorn sheep. In Nevada we have mountain 
goats; we have almost 3 million acres of wilderness. It is a very 
beautiful State. It is more than the bright lights of Las Vegas, Reno, 
and Lake Tahoe--even though we are very proud of sharing the 
stewardship of Lake Tahoe with the State of California--as Mark Twain 
said: ``the fairest picture the whole earth affords.''
  We will mark Nevada's second constitutional convention, the day 
Nevada voters finally approved its constitution and the day, Halloween, 
October 31, 1864, that Lincoln proclaimed Nevada's Statehood. The 150th 
anniversary of our admission to the Union provides a wonderful 
opportunity to study Nevada's history. It is also the birthday of my 
young brother, so it is easy to remember--admission day, Halloween, and 
my brother's birthday all occurred the same day.
  It is also a chance to reflect on Nevada's unique pioneer spirit--a 
spirit that continues to make our State very special.
  Mr. HELLER. Madam President, I rise to recognize the great State of 
Nevada, as we celebrate 150 years of statehood. It is a remarkable 
opportunity to speak on the floor of this Chamber about this milestone, 
given the role the Congress played in the formation of the Silver 
State. The movement to make the Nevada Territory a State began within 
the territory, but the first attempt to formulate a Constitution 
failed.
  Shortly after, the 38th Congress passed an enabling act for Nevada 
statehood. Signed by President Abraham Lincoln on March 21, 1864, this 
bill

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made it possible for Nevada to eventually adopt a State constitution. 
Lincoln proclaimed Nevada a State on October 31, 1864.
  The guarantee of statehood was given to us by Abraham Lincoln, who, 
without assistance, would go on to pass the 13th amendment, win the 
Civil War, and heal our broken Nation.
  Marking the 150th year of Nevada's statehood takes me back to Carson 
City when I was just 4 years old. It was Nevada's centennial 
celebration, the date was October 31, 1964. I remember being with my 
family, sitting on the lawn, listening to the Carson City Municipal 
Band lead the festivities at the State capitol.
  During that same year, 1964, Lyndon Johnson was reelected over Barry 
Goldwater and would go on to declare a war on poverty. In 1964, race 
riots broke out in Harlem. Across the Nation, President Johnson signed 
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. The 24th amendment to abolish 
the use of poll taxes was ratified. In 1964, the Summer Olympics were 
held in Tokyo, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which 
ultimately allowed for increased military action in Vietnam. The James 
Bond film ``Goldfinger'' began its run in the United States and 
``Bewitched'' premiered on television.
  So much has changed in these past 50 years, but the character of 
Nevada has not. From its first birthday to its 100th, to its 150th, 
Nevada continues to be shaped by its people, people who are 
entrepreneurial, fiercely independent, and as diverse as our terrain. 
We are molded by the grit, hard work, and pioneering spirit of 
individuals determined to succeed.
  The list of men and women who have molded our State is long. Where 
some saw impossibility, a Nevada Senator by the name of Newlands saw 
opportunity. To this day, his legacy lives on in the hay, the cattle, 
and the very fields that were made possible by the waters he brought to 
this desert.
  Standing among our Nation's great, frozen in bronze, greeting 
visitors to the Nation's Capitol is another Nevadan, Sarah Winnemucca. 
She, similar to many Nevadans, challenged the status quo. She refused 
to accept the injustices brought on her Native American brothers and 
sisters.
  Instead of fighting with a weapon, she fought with her pen. Through 
her words, the plight of our fellow Americans living on reservations 
was heard.
  Of course, in Nevada, Mark Twain was born. Samuel Clemens adopted the 
famous pen name while covering the news for the Enterprise in Virginia 
City. Twain wrote eloquently about Nevada, from the rough-and-tumble 
attitude of the Wild West to the beauty of Lake Tahoe, dubbing it 
``surely the fairest picture that the whole earth affords.'' Any 
visitor to this pristine landscape would also agree.
  More recently, I think of Paul Laxalt, the former Lieutenant 
Governor, Governor, and U.S. Senator from Nevada. Among other things, 
he was instrumental in preserving Lake Tahoe and establishing our 
State's first community colleges and our medical school; or former 
Representative Barbara Vucanovich, who will be recorded in the history 
books as the first woman to represent Nevada in the U.S. House of 
Representatives. This alone is a remarkable achievement, but the 
integrity and determination with which she fulfilled her duties makes 
her achievement even grander.
  Former State Senator Bill Raggio also comes to mind. He was a true 
statesman and the longest serving member in the history of the Nevada 
State Senate. These individuals have left their mark, but it is the 
people of Nevada who have forged the Silver State.
  During the formation of our State's constitution, Nevadans demanded 
that our State's mothers and sisters be heard. The women of Nevada were 
granted the voice of a vote before the 19th Amendment was ratified by 
our Nation. We helped pioneer the vote for all.
  During World War II, when our brave soldiers fought for peace and 
prosperity, Nevadans who were not able to fight abroad brought forth 
minerals such as magnesium from the ground. Magnesium, harvested near 
the township of Henderson, was considered a miracle metal for the 
munitions and airport parts which would help lead to us victory.
  The residents of Boulder City built the Hoover Dam, a government 
infrastructure project which holds back 26 million acre-feet of water. 
The dam was completed early and under budget. With an expected 2,000-
year lifespan, the Hoover Dam supplies clean energy to the grid, water 
to thirsty cities across the Southwest, and protection to downstream 
communities.
  Ever since we were borne into the battle to mend our broken Nation, 
Nevadans have been willing and able. Although our population is small, 
our caliber is high. From all walks of life, brave Nevadans have heard 
and responded to the call to arms. At Naval Air Station Fallon, we host 
the Navy's top gun school. The elite men and women of our Armed Forces 
who train here push the limit, compete, and set the tone for global air 
superiority.
  Welcoming tourists from across the globe, farming, mining, 
engineering, ranching, and serving in the Armed Forces, these are just 
a few things we Nevadans do. And as our State motto goes, all of these 
are done ``all for our country.''
  Recent times have been tough in Nevada, but our pioneer spirit lives 
on. We continue to move forward. We have seen the booms and now, more 
than most, we continue to feel the most recent bust. Like many in our 
great Nation, Nevadans have lost homes, livelihoods, and the promise of 
a steady paycheck, but this will not deter us. Our State is battle 
born. We will continue to fulfill our 150-year-old promise of being 
willing and able to give all for our country.
  I am a proud Nevadan, and as the son of a auto mechanic from Carson 
City, it is a privilege to stand on this Senate floor to recognize our 
State's 150 years of Statehood.
  Before I close, I thank Lieutenant Governor Brian Krolicki, chair of 
the Nevada Sesquicentennial Commission, for the hard work he has put 
into recognizing this important milestone. Over the course of this 
year, the commission has planned and overseen many events and 
activities, providing Nevadans an opportunity to reflect on where we 
have been and where we are going.


                                 Syria

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise tonight to talk about Syria and the 
humanitarian crisis this conflict has created. This week we mark a very 
grim anniversary: the third anniversary of the beginning of the 
conflict in Syria. So we are entering our fourth year.
  There is much to cover and talk about. I will be brief tonight, but 
it is important that we don't forget what is happening to the Syrian 
people and especially to the children in Syria.
  Over the past 3 years the brutal Assad regime has unleashed a 
campaign of unspeakable violence against its own citizens, with 9.5 
million people now needing humanitarian assistance in Syria. Syria's 
neighbors are overflowing with 2.5 million refugees. This week Amnesty 
International and Save The Children released reports that underscore 
the atrocities the Syrian people have suffered and continue to suffer. 
These reports describe the regime's use of starvation tactics against 
its own citizens: Syrian children dying from preventable diseases and 
newborns, newborn babies freezing to death in underequipped hospitals. 
UNICEF reported this week that Syria is now one of the most dangerous 
places on Earth to be a child.

  These unspeakable horrors confirm my worst fear about the conflict: 
that the most vulnerable and innocent are at the center of President 
Assad's siege against his own people.
  I want to share the story of a 10-year-old Syrian boy when he 
recounted his experience with the conflict, this 10-year-old boy in his 
account from Save The Children's 2012 report entitled ``Untold 
Atrocities, The Stories of Syria's Children.'' Here is one of the 
stories in his own words:

       When the shells started to fall I ran. I ran so fast. I ran 
     and I cried at the same time. When we were being bombed we 
     had nothing. No food, no water, no toys, nothing. There was 
     noway to buy food--the markets and shops were bombed out. 
     After that we came back home. To make our food last we ate 
     just once a day. My father went without food for days because 
     there wasn't enough. I remember watching him tie his stomach 
     with a rope so he would not feel hungry. One day men with 
     guns broke into our house. They pulled out our food, threw it 
     on the floor, stamped on it, so it would be too dirty to eat. 
     Then we had nothing at all.


[[Page S1574]]


  That is the recollection of a 10-year-old boy in Syria. And you go 
through the report, the catalog, really, of misery that was compiled by 
Save the Children from young boys and young girls of all different ages 
and every one of them has a tale of horror just as he outlined. Some 
are worse and more graphic than what I read.
  This most recent report by Save the Children is entitled ``A 
Devastating Toll,'' and it describes the impact this conflict has had 
on children in great detail.
  I commend the report to my colleagues.
  In an article in the New York Times, in this case by Nicholas 
Kristof, he said, ``Syria is today the world capital of human 
suffering.''
  Anyone who knows the work done by Nicholas Kristof knows he has seen 
a lot of places in the world where there is terrible misery and 
suffering. So for him to say that is a substantial indication of how 
bad the conditions are in Syria. Of course, when he made that statement 
it was back in September, many months ago. As bad as it was then, it is 
even worse now.
  So today I call on all Senators, both parties, and the international 
community to support the efforts to bring this terrible chapter in 
Syrian history to a close. Peace talks could be a way to end the 
conflict. However, I am disappointed that the talks this past month did 
not lead to any tangible progress. The Assad regime has refused to 
negotiate in good faith.
  Diplomacy is part of the solution, but what we need now is to change 
the momentum on the ground. Peace talks and diplomacy are fine, but 
unless something changes on the ground, unless we can take some action 
or take a series of steps to affect what is happening on the ground, 
all the talks in the world will be to no avail.
  The Assad regime and their supporters calculate that they can defeat 
the opposition and remain in power. The United States should be working 
with our international partners to tip the balance in favor of the 
opposition. If we do, not another round of talks will yield the same 
result: No change.
  The international community took a good step in ushering in the 
passage of U.N. Security Resolution 2139 on February 22. With U.S. 
leadership, Russia and China--which have obstructed other such 
resolutions--finally joined the international community in demanding an 
end to attacks on civilians and that the Syrian regime facilitate 
humanitarian aid to the besieged areas.
  U.N. Security Council Resolution 2129 also condemned detention of 
journalists. We do not talk enough about this issue. Both international 
and Syrian journalists have bravely gone into areas of Syria that many 
other noncombatants would not dare, and many have paid the ultimate 
price. So far 60 journalists have reportedly been killed inside Syria. 
These courageous individuals have given us a window into the 
devastation inside of Syria.
  I know myself from reading news reports or columns by journalists in 
this country how much information we can glean from what is happening 
inside the country where very few people can go to get information. So 
we need to focus on that aspect of the problem in the crisis as well.
  But we shouldn't allow this crisis to continue worsening before our 
eyes. We need to act. I have been working on a bipartisan basis to put 
legislation and legislative support behind efforts to bring this 
conflict to an end.
  In 2012 I worked with Senator Rubio to introduce S. Res. 370, which 
called for democratic change in Syria, and S. 3498, the Syrian 
Humanitarian Support and Democratic Transition Assistance Act of 2012. 
In 2013 I traveled to Turkey where I met with opposition political and 
military leaders to discuss the situation inside of Syria. They asked 
for aid to help build the capacity of the political opposition as well 
as support to the military opposition in the form of communications 
gear, night vision goggles, and bulletproof vests.
  A year ago Senator Rubio and I proudly introduced S. 617, Syria 
Democratic Transition Act of 2013. This bill would, among other things, 
first increase U.S. assistance to victims of the conflict, both inside 
of Syria and outside of the country; No. 2, support a political 
transition by authorizing bilateral assistance to build the capacity of 
the moderate political opposition to prepare for a transition; No. 3, 
provide nonlethal equipment to vetted elements of the armed opposition; 
and fourth, expand sanctions against the Central Bank of Syria and 
designated individuals, especially any foreign entities that continue 
to do business with the Assad regime.
  After picking up 10 bipartisan cosponsors to our bill, we worked to 
ensure that the important aspects of S. 617 was incorporated into 
another bill, S. 960, the Syria Transition Support Act, which then 
passed the Foreign Relations Committee in a substantial bipartisan 
manner last year, last summer.
  I sent a letter to Secretary Kerry earlier this year urging him to 
resume nonlethal aid in order to help bolster the opposition before the 
talks in Switzerland. I was pleased to see that aid resumed not long 
after I sent the letter. We know Senators Kaine and Rubio are working 
on many of the principles that I and others have been pushing for the 
past 3 years, reiterating the need for unfettered international aid for 
those in need in Syria and the surrounding region, emphasizing the 
neutrality of medical professionals and aid providers working inside 
Syria. Their legislation would support civilians who have suffered 
during this conflict, particularly women and children. I commend 
Senators Kaine and Rubio for their leadership on this resolution. I 
intend to support this resolution when it is introduced and I urge all 
my colleagues to do the same.
  I believe we can agree on a bipartisan basis that this kind of 
horrific human suffering is both unconscionable and unacceptable, and 
we have a national security interest in ending this conflict and 
countering the influence of Iran and Hezbollah in the region. It is one 
of the reasons it is in our direct national security interests to make 
sure we play a substantial role in ending the conflict. Every day the 
conflict goes on the regime in Iran strengthens to export terrorism and 
all the trouble the regime imposes upon the region, and secondly, 
Hezbollah and other extremist elements are empowered the longer the 
conflict goes.
  We need to send a clear message from the Senate that we support 
efforts to bring Assad's tyrannical rule to an end and to respond to 
this devastating humanitarian crisis which threatens to destabilize the 
region and scar a generation of young Syrians.
  When we talk about this, we are talking now about millions of 
children--by one estimate 5.5 million children--being adversely 
impacted. Thousands--by one estimate more than 10,000--of those 
children have already been killed. And the ones who have not been 
killed have seen the kinds of horrors no human being should ever see, 
even as adults. It would be very difficult to recover from some of the 
horror and some of the trauma these children have seen. It will be with 
them for the rest of their lives. We have an obligation to do 
everything we can to provide pathways to help them, but also to change 
the dynamic on the battlefield so those children will never have to see 
this kind of horror again.
  Before I wrap up this segment of my remarks, I do want to note that 
despite the challenge here, the dynamic on the ground that hasn't gone 
very well, the opposition and the extremist elements within the 
opposition make it very difficult for us to be helpful even when our 
government is trying.
  The humanitarian crisis that I just outlined is substantial, and the 
refugee issue in the region is substantial. Just imagine this: In 
Lebanon alone there are almost 1 million refugees in a country that 
cannot handle that kind of number. In Jordan, the number is just below 
600,000. Most people think the number is a lot higher than that in 
Jordan. Lebanon, as I said, is almost 1 million; Turkey is 600,000--
that number may be low, as well; more than 224,000, by estimates, in 
Iraq; 134,000 in Egypt. These are the numbers of refugees in just those 
five countries. Millions of people are being impacted, millions more 
within the country. If you subtract the refugees who have left the 
country and subtract the numbers I talked about with regard to 
children, just the adults within Syria who have been affected are in 
the millions.
  Despite all that horror I think it is important for us to point out 
that our government has helped enormously. The Obama administration 
deserves a lot of credit, commendation for what

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they have done already. They get criticized a lot, but we should 
highlight some of the good things they have done. The humanitarian 
assistance provided by the administration, paid for by U.S. taxpayers, 
is substantial and should be noted. It is now more than $1.7 billion. 
No country comes even close when it comes to the support our taxpayers 
and our government have provided. About half of that $1.7 billion has 
been to help within the country. By one USAID estimate, about $878 
million is for help within Syria. The balance of that, something on the 
order of a little more than $850 million, of course, is helping 
refugees in neighboring countries. So substantial help by the American 
people should be noted. I think we need to figure out ways to do more. 
There is probably not a lot of room for more dollars and humanitarian 
aid, but we should consider that if we can. But there are lots of ways 
we can help here without directly engaging any of our troops or any of 
our military might on the ground.
  There are lots of ways to help and we urge the administration to keep 
focus on a new and more substantial strategy, which I know they have 
been working on. They should consult with Congress and work with us as 
we move forward.

                          ____________________