[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 21, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3195-S3197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 JUSTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATION ACT OF 2013--MOTION TO PROCEED

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 92, the 
Franken Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the motion.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 92, S. 162, a bill to 
     reauthorize and improve the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment 
     and Crime Reduction Act of 2004.


                                Schedule

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the 
Republican leader, if any, the Senate will be in a period of morning 
business until 12:15 today.
  Because of a change in schedule, the Republicans will have their 
caucus today rather than yesterday as we normally do.
  The time until 12:15 will be equally divided and controlled between 
the two leaders or their designees.
  At 12:15 there will be a rollcall vote on the confirmation of the 
Fischer nomination to be a member of the Federal Reserve Board of 
Governors. I am happy we are going to get this good man confirmed, but, 
as I will talk about in a minute, this obstruction is unbelievable. 
Fischer is going to now be a member of the Federal Reserve Board. He 
also has been chosen to be the Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Board.
  Janet Yellen, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, has called 
many of my colleagues saying: Why do we need another vote? I need him 
here. There are administrative duties--this is a huge organization--
waiting to be done.
  But we are going to have to go through the cloture process all over 
again on this man. What a waste of our time--our time--the people's 
time. Anyway, that is what we are going to do. We are going to vote to 
confirm him today and then come back at some later time and confirm him 
to be the Vice Chair. We could not confirm him as Vice Chair first 
because he is not a member of the Board.
  Following that vote, the Senate will be in recess until 2 p.m. today, 
allowing for the Republican caucus meeting.
  At 2:10 there will be up to five rollcall votes in relation to 
several nominations: cloture on the Barron nomination to be a circuit 
court judge for the First Circuit; confirmation of the Cook nomination 
as a member of the Privacy and Civil Liberty Oversight Board; 
confirmation of the Daly nomination to be U.S. attorney in Connecticut; 
confirmation of the Green nomination to

[[Page S3196]]

be U.S. attorney for Louisiana; and confirmation of the Martinez 
nomination to be U.S. attorney in New Mexico.


                Measure Placed on the Calendar--S. 2363

  I am told that S. 2363 is due for its second reading.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will read the bill by 
title for the second time.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2363) to protect and enhance opportunities for 
     recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting, and for other 
     purposes.

  Mr. REID. I would object to any further proceedings with respect to 
this bill at this time.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard. The bill will 
be placed on the calendar.


                         Hard Working Senators

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, my good friend the Democratic whip, the 
assistant leader, is seated next to me. He and I came to Washington at 
the same time many years ago. Judging from what he does, I think he 
works very hard. The Presiding Officer served with us in the House of 
Representatives. It is a hard job, the jobs we have. We seek these 
jobs. They are the choice of our lives. It is an extreme honor to be a 
Member of the House of Representatives or the Senate, but we have 
traditionally worked very hard. I have seen it. Our families recognize 
how hard we work. It is not uncommon for us to wake up in the middle of 
the night: I should have done that. Then you write yourself a note. 
This has been going on since we have had a Senate, I am sure.
  I have seen Members of Congress work themselves to exhaustion. But I 
confess, I have never seen some Senators--those Senators on the other 
side of the aisle--work so hard to do nothing, so little. My Republican 
colleagues have exerted so much effort to cause nothing to get done. 
They prefer it that way. They have broken their backs ensuring that 
nothing happens here on the Senate floor.
  Last week was another example of the Democrats' fruitless hard work. 
The Republicans blocked debate on the bill that would reinstate 
important and expired tax provisions--tax cuts. This legislation 
extends tax cuts and helps American families and American businesses as 
they recover from the recession.
  The bill they stopped last week extends current tax provisions that 
have bolstered students, teachers, workers and employers, American 
families and businesses, saving money and growing our economy.
  Listen to this. Now the Republicans are against tax breaks. They have 
been against extended unemployment benefits in recent weeks. They have 
been against raising the minimum wage. They have been against pay 
equity. They deny climate change. Now they have added a new one to 
that. They are against tax cuts. It is hard to comprehend how hard they 
work to get nothing done.
  Stunningly--listen to this one--stunningly, some of the very 
Republicans who helped craft the legislation that they killed helped 
filibuster the bill. The primary Republican who negotiated this, the 
ranking member of the Finance Committee, voted against his own bill. 
That is what I said. It is true. Republicans are voting against their 
own legislation again. For what? To stop President Obama from 
accomplishing anything. That is what they set out to do 5\1/2\ years 
ago. They have stuck to that, to the detriment of the American people.
  We have a letter signed by 152 different organizations--152. That is 
pretty stunning. There are so many names on this, it takes three or 
four pages to get all of the names. I ask unanimous consent to have 
this list printed in the Record at the conclusion of my remarks. There 
are conservative organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 
the National Association of Manufacturers--two of the most conservative 
organizations in the world, certainly in our country, but they are 
joined by 150 others saying: We want tax breaks. Everybody in America 
wants them. Democrats want them. Independents want them. Republicans 
want them; that is, Republicans who are located everyplace except in 
the Congress of the United States.
  Now we have a new one. The Republicans in Congress are against tax 
breaks. So what have they accomplished? Nothing but bringing anxiety to 
the American people, businesses, individuals, and certainly hurting our 
economy. They continue to obstruct. They have broken my legislative 
heart so many times.
  Yesterday afternoon, in a couple of conversations here with the 
Republicans, they said they are going to try to do this. They are going 
to meet with their caucus today. Well, that caucus has ruined a lot of 
legislation. I hope the people I talked to are strong and emphatic in 
saying: It is not good for the country, and it is certainly not good 
for this body. We need to move forward and get certain things done, 
some things done.
  So I hope that my legislative heart is not broken again, that I can 
respond to the people of Nevada that we are going to have a tax 
deduction and subsidies for transit. We have a lot of transit now. In 
the wisdom of the Congress, we created a tax break for those people who 
take the trains, subways, monorails, and buses.
  The Presiding Officer has worked really his entire career to do 
something about the environment. That tax break I talked about is part 
of what the Presiding Officer has always advocated: Let's do what we 
can to get people off the highways to reduce pollution.
  We have in this bill something for Nevada that gives--it is not for 
Nevada; it is for everybody--that sales tax is a deductible item.
  We have not been able to bring up these tax breaks. There are many 
other things all across this country.
  Tax cuts--that is what the Republicans have stopped. So I hope the 
few Republicans I talked to yesterday will be extremely strong in their 
caucus and say: This is the right thing for the country. We have done 
enough to try to embarrass the President. Let's try to do something 
that helps our people in all 50 States.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                     May 20, 2014.
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator: The undersigned organizations urge the U.S. 
     Senate to pass the EXPIRE Act as soon as possible. The EXPIRE 
     Act will extend the tax provisions that expired at the end of 
     2013. These tax provisions benefit a wide range of taxpayers, 
     including associations, businesses, individuals, community 
     development organizations and non-profit organizations and 
     are important to U.S. jobs and the broader economy.
       The lack of timely action to extend these provisions 
     injects instability and uncertainty into the economy and 
     weakens confidence in the employment marketplace. Moreover, 
     the extension of the expired provisions should not be delayed 
     until the end of the year since companies are making 
     decisions right now related to taxes that will have an 
     immediate impact on the economy.
       We urge you to pass these important tax provisions as soon 
     as possible.
           Sincerely,
       Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA), Advanced Energy 
     Economy, Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC), Aerospace Industries 
     Association, Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, Algae 
     Biomass Organization, Alternative Simplified R&D Credit 
     Coalition, American Apparel & Footwear Association, American 
     Beverage Association, American Biogas Council, American 
     Chemistry Council, American Coatings Association, American 
     Council of Life Insurers, American Farm Bureau Federation, 
     American Foundry Society, American Institute of Architects, 
     American Iron and Steel Institute, American Wind Energy 
     Association, Arizona Manufacturers Council, Arizona 
     Technology Council.
       Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA), 
     Associated Equipment Distributors, Association of Equipment 
     Manufacturers (AEM), Austin Technology Council, Automation 
     Alley, Biotechnology Industry Organization, BSA | The 
     Software Alliance, Business Roundtable, California 
     Manufacturers & Technology Association, California Taxpayers 
     Association, California Wind Energy Association, Chesapeake 
     Regional Tech Council, Colorado Cleantech Industries 
     Association (CCIA), Colorado Technology Association, 
     Composite Lumber Manufacturers Association (CLMA), 
     Connecticut Technology Council, Council for Affordable and 
     Rural Housing.
       CSH (formerly Corporation for Supportive Housing), CTIA--
     The Wireless Association, Extruded Polystyrene Foam 
     Association (XPSA), Feeding America, Fiber to the Home 
     Council Americas, Financial Executives International, General 
     Aviation Manufacturers Association, Geothermal Energy 
     Association, Growth Energy, Housing Advisory Group, ICPI, the 
     Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute, Idaho Technology 
     Council, Illinois Technology Association (ITA), INDA, 
     Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, Independent 
     Sector, Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), 
     International

[[Page S3197]]

     Franchise Association, International Sign Association, 
     Interwest Energy Alliance, ISSA--the Worldwide Cleaning 
     Industry Association.
       ITTA--the Voice of Mid-Size Telecommunications Carriers, 
     KCnext--The Technology Council of Greater Kansas City, Land 
     Trust Alliance, LIHTC Working Group, Local Initiatives 
     Support Corporation (LISC), Massachusetts Housing Investment 
     Corporation, Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council 
     (MassTLC), Metals Service Center Institute, Metroplex 
     Technology Business Council, Minnesota High Tech Association 
     (MHTA), Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, National 
     Air Transportation Association, National Association of 
     Electrical Distributors, National Association of Home 
     Builders, National Association of Manufacturers, National 
     Association of State and Local Equity Funds (NASLEF), 
     National Association of State Energy Officials, National 
     Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA).
       National Automobile Dealers Association, National Biodiesel 
     Board, National Business Aviation Association, National Cable 
     & Telecommunication Association, National Council of State 
     Housing Agencies, National Development Council, National 
     Employment Opportunity Network, National Farmers Union, 
     National Foreign Trade Council, National Housing and 
     Rehabilitation Association.
       National Housing Conference, National Housing Trust, 
     National Hydropower Association, National Lime Association 
     (NLA), National Marine Manufacturers Association, National 
     Multi Housing Council, National Propane Gas Association, 
     National Restaurant Association, National Retail Federation, 
     National Rural Housing Coalition, National School 
     Transportation Association, National Shooting Sports 
     Foundation, National Tooling and Machining Association, 
     Natural Resources Defense Council, New Jersey Technology 
     Council, New Markets Tax Credit Coalition, New Mexico 
     Technology Council, NMTC Working Group, North American Die 
     Casting Association, North Carolina Technology Association, 
     Northeast Ohio Software Association, Northeast Pennsylvania 
     Manufacturers and Employers Association, Northern Virginia 
     Technology Council (NVTC), NPES The Association for Suppliers 
     of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies, Outdoor 
     Power Equipment Institute, Pharmaceutical Research and 
     Manufacturers of America, Pittsburgh Technology Council, 
     Precision Machined Products Association.
       Precision Metalforming Association, R&D Credit Coalition, 
     Renewable Northwest, Research!America, Rhode Island 
     Manufacturers Association, Roof Coatings Manufacturers 
     Association (RCMA), Securities Industry and Financial Markets 
     Association (SIFMA), Semiconductor Equipment & Materials 
     International (SEMI), Semiconductor Industry Association, 
     Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Silicon Valley Tax Directors 
     Group, Software and Information Industry Association, 
     Software Finance and Tax Executives Council, SPI: The 
     Plastics Industry Trade Association, Tech Council of 
     Maryland, TechAmerica, powered by CompTIA, TechMaine, 
     TechNet, Technology Association of Georgia, Technology 
     Association of Iowa.
       Technology Association of Louisville Kentucky, Technology 
     Association of Oregon, Telecommunications Industry 
     Association, The National Pasta Association, The Plastic Pipe 
     and Fittings Association, The State Chamber of Oklahoma, The 
     Wind Coalition, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Union of Concerned 
     Scientists, United Motorcoach Association, United States 
     Council for International Business, United States Telecom 
     Association, United Way Worldwide, Utah Technology Council, 
     Volunteers of America, Washington Technology Industry 
     Association (WTIA), West Virginia Manufacturers Association, 
     Wisconsin Technology Council, Work Opportunity Tax Credit 
     Coalition.


                       Reservation of Leader Time

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 
leadership time is reserved.

                          ____________________