[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 136 (Monday, September 21, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6821-S6822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ANTI-MUSLIM RHETORIC AND GOVERNMENT FUNDING

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, at this great cemetery we call Arlington, 
there is a white headstone, which, like so many others, marks the final 
resting place of a courageous servicemember who gave his life in 
combat. The grave belongs to a man by the name of Kareem Khan. He was 
from New Jersey. He was only 20 years old. He was a Muslim.
  Kareem's rank was that of a specialist in the Stryker Brigade of the 
U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division. By all accounts, this young man was 
a terrific soldier. He had a Purple Heart and was awarded the Bronze 
Star and a medal for good conduct. Remember, he was barely 20 years of 
age. His career in the Army would have been much more significant, but 
he gave the ultimate, his life.
  Here is what happened. This tragedy struck on August 6, 2007, as 
Kareem and three other soldiers were checking abandoned Iraqi houses 
for explosives. In one house they went into, there was a hidden bomb 
that exploded that killed all four of them. Like thousands of other 
soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, Kareem sacrificed everything for his 
country. He gave, as President Abraham Lincoln said, ``the last full 
measure of devotion'' for the United States.
  But yesterday I watched on ``Meet the Press'' as a Republican 
candidate for President of the United States denigrated Kareem Khan and 
all Muslim Americans. Ben Carson questioned Muslim Americans' devotion 
to the United States. He questioned their integrity, and then Ben 
Carson unilaterally disqualified every Muslim in America from becoming 
the President of the United States.
  Shame on Dr. Carson. Shame on any person that spews such hateful 
rhetoric. In America today, there are more than 3 million Muslims. They 
are part of the fabric of America. They teach in our schools, and they 
fight for our military. They serve in Congress. Congressmen Keith 
Ellison of Minnesota and Andre Carson of Indiana, both Muslim, 
represent their districts in States with distinction.
  I was proud to have both of these young men come and campaign for me 
throughout Nevada. Sadly, though, Dr. Carson's remarks are just another 
example of Republican candidates refusing to speak for 3 million Muslim 
Americans. We saw it last week with Donald Trump, as he refused to 
denounce bigotry at his own campaign rally. If these Republican 
candidates are incapable of going to bat for America's Muslim 
community, then they should not be running for President of the United 
States. I call upon every Republican to denounce Dr. Carson's 
disgusting remarks. That shameful intolerance and bigotry have no place 
in America today. Sadly, it seems to have a lasting place in the 
Republican Party.

[[Page S6822]]

  Republicans should open their eyes and take note of the contributions 
of our country's Muslim community. Until they do that, none of them 
will be worthy of leading this Nation.
  In a little more than a week, our government runs out of money. We 
have precious little time. The Senate will be in session for 3, 
possibly 4 days this week and another 3 days next week. The House of 
Representatives is not in session today, tomorrow or Wednesday. Yet it 
seems that the Republicans are simply ignoring or are in complete 
denial of any fiscal crisis that is coming at year's end.
  Instead of coming to grips with the reality of the situation and 
working with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown, the Republicans 
seem more interested in political theater. Keeping with this show-vote 
craze, the Republican leader and the Speaker--the Republican leader 
over here and the Speaker on the other side of the Capitol--are doing 
things that are really hard to comprehend.
  For example, over here there is going to be a forced vote tomorrow 
morning on cloture on a motion to proceed to a 20-week abortion ban. 
The 20-week bill is just a way for Senator McConnell to pander to 
extremists in his party who are once again holding government hostage 
so they can attack the health of women. This legislation is going 
nowhere. The Republican leader knows this. Every Senator here knows 
this. The bill is just another box to check for the Republican leader 
and his Senators. It is pretense to prove their extreme conservative 
credentials. It is all about political gamesmanship.
  It comes at the expense of America's women's health. Think about all 
the ways the Republicans have attacked women in this Congress. 
Republicans have manipulated a bill to help victims of human 
trafficking and turned it instead into a political football by 
attaching ideological abortion riders.
  Again, Republicans tried and are continuing to try to cut off funds 
for a critical safety net provider for women--Planned Parenthood. It is 
not the first time they have done it. Now they are wasting time as the 
government runs out of money in just a few days, wasting it on the 20-
week abortion ban. Frankly, the American people are tired of 
Republican's obsession with attacking the health of women. They are 
tired of the never-ending wasteful votes orchestrated by the Republican 
leader instead of meaningful legislation.
  But more than anything, Americans are watching congressional 
Republicans' failure to govern. We are fast approaching the year since 
Republicans assumed control of both Houses of Congress. What do they 
have to show for it? Nothing. The few things that have passed were 
things that would have passed easily last Congress, except they were 
filibustered by the Republicans.
  If this 20-week abortion ban bill is any indication, nothing is all 
we can expect from the Republican leader and his party for the 
remaining 15 months of this Congress.
  Will the Chair announce the business of the day.

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