[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 71 (Monday, May 11, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S2744]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              MOVING LEGISLATION AND REPUBLICAN PRIORITIES

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I must comment on some of the statements 
that my friend the Republican leader has made.
  We have been able to accomplish a few things during this work period, 
and the reason we have been able to do so is that we, the minority, 
have cooperated.
  For 4 years, my Republican colleagues in the minority objected to 
everything we tried to do--everything. I don't mean most everything; I 
mean everything. That was a plan they had. I have mentioned before and 
I will mention again that they decided they would make sure that Obama 
was not reelected. That failed. And, No. 2, they were going to oppose 
everything he tried to do, and they have done that overwhelmingly. So 
it was really hard for 4 years to get things done.
  Now, my friend the majority leader can talk all he wants about how 
much we have gotten done. Look at what we have been able to accomplish. 
The majority of the measures we have done could have been done before, 
if Republicans had not objected to them and stopped us from moving to 
those matters.
  So we are going to continue to do everything we can to move measures, 
in conjunction with my Republican friends, but we shouldn't be hearing 
a lot of speeches here about how great things are now, because every 
time that happens I am going to come and tell everybody what has 
happened for 4 years.
  Government is all about priorities. What do we, as Senators, value 
the most? With only a few days before the Memorial Day recess, I am 
disturbed and distressed by the Republicans' priorities. For example, 
the majority leader knows that the Federal highway program expires this 
month--not next month, this month. He knows that the highway trust fund 
runs out of money a few weeks later. Why then are Republicans making no 
serious effort to pass a long-term reauthorization of the Federal 
highway program?
  I can easily answer this question. They do not know how to pay for 
America's next jobs bill. So with no as the answer, they again do 
nothing. Another short-term extension--this is one of many--one of 
many. I think the last I remember, the last my staff brought me up to 
date--I think it has been 12 or 15 times that it has been extended for 
short periods of time. This is not good. This is such bad news for 
every State--every State--because the directors of the departments of 
transportation can't do anything long term. The only way to have a good 
program for construction is to be able to look ahead.
  As the Senator from Vermont said the other day, Vermont's season to 
be able to do construction work is very short, and they can't do long-
term planning when the money is only going to be available for a few 
months.
  So this is really unfortunate and really too bad. I say again, this 
could be America's next jobs bill. So it is really too bad.
  We also have the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as 
FISA. It expires on June 1. It must be extended and reformed. Last 
week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the bulk 
collection program, as currently constructed, is not authorized under 
current law--meaning the law is illegal. It would be irresponsible for 
this Congress to merely reauthorize and not reform. How can we 
reauthorize something that is illegal? We can't. We shouldn't. Why 
would anyone agree to reauthorize a program which our circuit courts 
deem to be illegal?
  My friend the majority leader keeps talking about extending the 
program for 5\1/2\ years. Extending an illegal program for 5\1/2\ 
years? That is not sensible. What should happen is that we should move 
forward and do something that is needed here; that is, do it all over 
again.
  The House of Representatives is sending us on Wednesday a new FISA 
bill, one that has been vetted by those people concerned about the 
rights of our citizens. They have determined that what the House has 
done is good. They have passed it out of committee 25 to 2. Senator 
Leahy has a bill over here that is almost identical to that bill. So I 
can't understand why we just don't wait until the House sends us that 
bill and we turn around immediately and give it to the President as 
passed by the House of Representatives. The President will sign it. He 
realizes the program has to be changed. We cannot reauthorize a program 
that is illegal.
  So I hope we can move forward on what the House has done. To his 
credit, Senator Leahy is not saying: We have to have my bill. He is 
saying: If we don't do my bill--Senator Leahy's bill--pass the House 
bill. That would be good.
  This is the only bipartisan, bicameral solution we have today that 
will end the illegal bulk collection program in its current form and 
reform and reauthorize key provisions of FISA. Otherwise, I am not the 
only one, Mr. President. I was told walking over here that the junior 
Senator from Kentucky is not going to let the extension of FISA take 
place.

  So why don't we just go ahead and get it done now; that is, when the 
House sends us their bill, say we are going to pass that and send it to 
the White House for signature.
  I hope the majority leader will reassess his priorities and instead 
choose to protect Americans' civil liberties.
  What is the business of the day, Mr. President?

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