[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 185 (Friday, December 18, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8869-S8871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          OMNIBUS LEGISLATION

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I wish to talk for a few minutes about the 
Omnibus appropriations bill and tax bills that we just passed. I am 
very proud to have supported it. We have finally passed a budget for 
this year, giving predictability to our agencies and providing 
predictability for those who depend upon the government as a partner or 
for services.
  The alternative would have been another continuing resolution, which 
freezes in last year's priorities at last year's level. Now we have 
elevated appropriations with this year's priorities. The other 
alternative could have been sequestration, which is mindless, across-
the-board cuts, saying that every priority in government is the same--
when it is not.
  We have avoided the worst consequence, that is, a government shutdown 
that we have seen happen in the past. So we should be very pleased the 
political system has worked and we have been able to pass a full-year 
appropriations bill with current priorities at a reasonable level.
  I am also pleased we were able to pass the tax legislation Chairman 
Hatch talked about. The alternative to that would have been another 
short-term extension of the expiring tax provisions. We saw last year 
that we did that with 2 weeks remaining in the year, and it expired on 
December 31, 2 weeks later. Now we have given--many of the permanent 
provisions give long-term predictability, and we have even approved the 
tax provisions to make them more efficient. That is good news.
  Then we have acted on many important issues from dealing with the 
extension of benefits to the first responders, to the attack on our 
country on September 11, to the extension of reform of the IMF--
International Monetary Fund--to authorizing some very important 
programs, including the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a 3-year 
authorization that provides $450 million in this year, $144 million 
above current appropriations. That is all good news, and we list many 
more important accomplishments in this important legislation.
  I must tell you there are some disappointments. One of the major 
disappointments is that we didn't follow regular order. It would have 
been much better to pass each of the appropriations bills, to have the 
tax bill considered as an independent bill, and have these other 
issues--and to have done it in an orderly way rather than looking at it 
December 18. So I would hope that in the future we will return to 
regular order, where we have, I think, a better chance of improving 
legislation with participation from all Members.
  Secondly, I was very disappointed that included in this legislation 
was the lifting of the ban on oil exports, energy exports. The reason I 
am so upset about that is I think that should have been a separate 
issue. It should have been taken up in consideration with the energy 
policies of America, our environmental policies of America, our 
environmental policies, the economic impact, and the security impact. 
We should have had a chance to debate that issue as a separate issue. 
It is far too important to our energy security and our energy policy in 
this country.
  Another concern I have--and let me point this out--I supported the 
package. I supported the tax provisions. The tax provisions will be 
scored as losing $680 billion over the next 10 years. I think that is 
somewhat misleading. I am going to be perfectly blunt about it. If you 
take out existing policy--this is the current policy in our Tax Code--
that actually costs us about 10 percent of that $680 billion, but that 
is still a substantial amount of money. I think it would have been far 
better to deal with these issues in a long-term budget agreement that 
dealt with the revenue needs of our country, dealt with our 
discretionary spending targets moving forward, as well as mandatory 
spending. That is what we should do rather than taking this up in 
piecemeal and now making it a little more difficult

[[Page S8870]]

because the revenue projections are going to be less than they were 
before.
  On the Omnibus Appropriations Act, on the Democratic side, I thank my 
colleague from Maryland, Senator Mikulski. What a great job she did on 
our side; Thad Cochran on the Republican side. Senator Mikulski is my 
seat mate. She is my colleague from Maryland. We are so proud that we 
have given you one of the great leaders in the Senate, and that was 
demonstrated on the Omnibus appropriations bill that we voted on just a 
little while ago.
  From my State of Maryland, we are particularly pleased that so many 
of the military installations and Federal agencies that are in our 
State will get the resources--the predictable resources--to carry out 
their very important mission. We are proud of the role Maryland plays 
in our national defense with military installations such as from Fort 
Meade to Fort Detrick, from Aberdeen Proving Ground to Patuxent River, 
Andrews to Indian Head, Walter Reed naval. We have major facilities 
located in our State and now they will have a predictable budget to 
carry out their critically important mission of national defense.
  On the civilian side, we have many important agencies located in our 
State that now will have the resources they need in order to carry out 
their mission. I could mention so many, but if I might, the Census 
Bureau will get a $282 million increase in their budget to start 
planning for the next census. NIH will get a $2 billion increase. That 
is the largest increase they have received since 2003. The work they do 
is lifesaving. The appropriations bill will save lives in the United 
States and around the world and will create jobs because, as we know, 
the basic research done at NIH is so critically important to our 
economic growth.
  I am pleased that in Woodlawn, in Baltimore, the Social Security 
Administration will get $150 million for badly needed renovations of 
their facilities. That is important for them to carry out their 
critical role of providing the administration of the Social Security 
Act for our seniors, for our disabled, and for those who depend upon 
the Social Security Administration.
  There are so many areas I could talk about. The victims of domestic 
violence will receive the resources they need to carry out our 
commitment of the law we passed. There are certain challenges we have 
in our community. The heroin epidemic is affecting every State in our 
country, and this appropriations act will provide resources to deal 
with that. I am particularly pleased that in dealing with drug issues, 
the high-intensity drug-trafficking area, the Baltimore-Washington 
corridor will receive the resources they need in order to deal with the 
challenges.
  Our Nation's infrastructure benefits from this legislation. I am 
particularly pleased that Metro in the Washington area will receive the 
next installment of the $150 million that is a part of the $1.5 billion 
commitment, legislation I authored with the help of our regional 
colleagues. That commitment will stand firm.
  We know the Washington metropolitan transit system is the Nation's 
transit system, and so many of our Federal workers depend upon it in 
order to be able to get to work. Amtrak, $1.4 billion, is critically 
important to the entire country. We are particularly dependent upon 
Amtrak in the Northeast. The Baltimore Harbor will receive significant 
support. Those are jobs maintaining our harbor. Poplar Island, which is 
one of the environmentally friendly dredge sites, will get $26.5 
million.
  I have spoken on the floor many times to talk about the Chesapeake 
Bay and the Federal partnership with the Chesapeake Bay. I was in the 
State legislature when we started their program, and $73 million is 
going to be directly appropriated as the Federal portion for the 
Chesapeake Bay Program. There are additional funds, such as $2.2 
million, for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
  There is $1.97 million for Chesapeake Bay oyster recovery, $2 million 
for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network. So there are 
resources here that carry out the Federal Government's commitment. 
Every President in recent times has acknowledged that the Chesapeake 
Bay is a national treasure, the largest estuary in our hemisphere, and 
these funds will help live up to the commitment.
  I am particularly pleased that under agriculture, the Regional 
Conservation Partnership Program that we started last year under the 
leadership of Senator Stabenow is funded. The Chesapeake Bay region 
will receive funds under that program to help in our efforts for 
preserving the Chesapeake Bay.
  In the western part of my State, the Appalachian Regional Commission 
is critically important for economic growth. They receive an additional 
$56 million of funds. To me, that is extremely important for the 
development in the rural part of my State in western Maryland.
  During the passage of the Affordable Care Act, I authored and was 
pleased to see that we established a National Institute on Minority 
Health and Health Disparities at NIH. It acknowledged the fact that we 
have not done historically everything we need to do to deal with the 
disparities in our health care system. This year we are appropriating 
an additional $9 million to the Institute. I think that continues our 
commitment to make sure that we deal with all Americans' health needs.
  Last year, I brought before the Congress a request that we do 
something to deal with the Holocaust survivors who are still alive and 
in the United States. They are at a very delicate age and very fearful 
of being institutionalized. This budget provides $2.5 million to deal 
with that vulnerable population.
  I have been a strong supporter of--and at one time I chaired--the 
Maryland Legal Services Corporation. I have been urging us to try to 
stop falling behind in our commitment for the Legal Services 
Corporation. More and more people are being denied access to our legal 
system because of the failure of Congress to appropriate adequate 
funds. I am very pleased that in this budget an extra $10 million is 
appropriated to the Legal Services Corporation.
  I think my colleagues are aware of the challenges we have had in 
Baltimore. I am very pleased that the Obama administration, through its 
agencies, has made resources available to Baltimore and other urban 
centers to deal with opportunity for all communities and to restore the 
confidence between law enforcement and community. This budget moves 
forward on those commitments--from body cameras for police to helping 
law enforcement deal with ending racial profiling, to the Byrne grant 
funds--and over $476 million is available. And community and youth 
opportunities are in this budget as well. The Byrne grant was one-half 
billion dollars. As to community youth opportunities, this is a budget 
that will help us deal with the problems in our urban centers.
  I have taken the floor on several occasions to talk about our Federal 
workforce and how our Federal workforce has made incredible sacrifices 
during these tough budget years. Although they didn't cause the 
deficit, they have been called upon over and over to contribute by 
being denied pay raises, by being asked to pay more for their pension, 
by being asked to carry on more responsibilities with less personnel.
  This budget is a reprieve from the past budgets. There is no punitive 
action against our Federal workforce, and I am pleased for that. It 
provides a modest pay adjustment of 1.3 percent. It provides protection 
on the data breach that occurred under the cyber attack that affected 
our Federal workforce--protection for 10 years with a $5 million 
protection. That is within this budget act as well. And we give them 
more resources and more personnel to support and carry out their 
mission.
  On the national security front, I have already talked about the 
support for our military installations. I am particularly pleased that 
the FBI will receive a $390 million downpayment on a consolidated 
facility. The FBI today is located in 30 different facilities, and 
their main headquarters, the Hoover Building, is not adequate to meet 
the challenges they have today. All of us have expressed our concern 
about homeland security, about homegrown radicalization of our 
population. The FBI needs the facilities in order to keep the homeland 
safe and keep us safe. This is a $390 million downpayment on a fully 
consolidated facility for the FBI.

[[Page S8871]]

  A few weeks ago I wrote a letter with 27 of our colleagues to our 
leadership, urging them that this Omnibus appropriations bill should 
not be the place for so-called policy riders. I heard Senator Mikulski 
talk about it during her comments. We were concerned that we were 
trying to legislate on an appropriation bill without the authorizing 
committees doing the work they are supposed to do. I am very pleased 
that most of these riders were excluded. So we are not going to be 
talking about potentially damaging provisions that could have been 
included in here--from restricting Planned Parenthood to affecting the 
clean water of this Nation, to affecting the ability of America to 
respond to the challenges of climate change, to dealing with protection 
of our workforce through labor laws, to public safety with restrictions 
that could have been put on gun safety legislation, to dealing with our 
refugees. All those areas and many more were subject to policy riders 
that could have been included in this omnibus budget but were not.
  On the tax front, I have already thanked Senator Wyden and Senator 
Hatch. I am very pleased that we were able to do some very important 
things in the tax provisions. We got renewable fuels for wind and solar 
extended and improved, particularly for solar. I think this will make a 
huge difference. But let me just quote from the Bloomberg New Energy 
Finance, or BNEF, report.

       In the short term, the deal will speed up the shift from 
     fossil fuels more than the global climate deal struck this 
     month in Paris, and more than [the] Clean Power Plan that 
     regulates coal plants. . . . This is exactly the sort of 
     bridge the industry needed. The costs of installing wind and 
     solar power have dropped precipitously. . . . By the time the 
     new tax credit expires, solar and wind will be the cheapest 
     forms of new electricity in many States across the U.S.

  So these are significant. Am I satisfied? No. I would like to see 
them stronger, particularly wind. I thought wind could have been 
stronger. But I think we have made significant progress in dealing with 
renewables, which is what we have to do from the point of energy 
security, as well as our environment and as well as our economy. Having 
a more diversified energy portfolio and being more energy secure will 
help our environment, will help our economy, and will help our national 
security.
  On the tax side, I was very pleased that we were able to make 
permanent several of the tax provisions that are critically important 
to families in the United States. We were able to make the child tax 
credit permanent, the earned-income tax credit permanent, and the 
American opportunity tax credit for higher education costs permanent.
  Transit parity. Transit parity is where those--particularly Federal 
workers--who use the transit system to come to work don't bring their 
cars. We subsidize greatly the parking lots and the ability of people 
to bring cars to work. When they take transit, they are helping us, and 
we have now made permanent the full limit on deductibility of the 
transit benefits. So that is a major step forward. I am very pleased 
that we were able to make that permanent. I thank Senator Schumer who 
took the lead on that, and I was proud to work with him on that.
  The low-income housing tax credit improvements that allow it to be 
more effective in its use were made permanent. Conservation needs were 
made permanent, and the S corporation improvements, which help small 
businesses, were made permanent. There is a lot here that we don't have 
to worry about this next December or two Decembers from now or even 
five Decembers from now, saying: Gee, are they going to expire?
  Now, we do have some success from 5-year reauthorizations. That does 
give us predictability and allows us to move forward. The new markets 
tax credits are extended for 5 years. The new market tax credits have 
been critically important for development in my State of Maryland. I 
could take you to East Baltimore where you see redevelopment occurring. 
The new markets tax credits are responsible for that. I could take you 
to Maryland, close to here, in Prince George's County and Montgomery 
County, and to the work they are doing there. So these are very 
important tools that help create jobs, and we now have more 
predictability.
  Then we have the 2-year extenders, including the energy efficiency 
that I led the effort on.
  So the bottom line is we now have much greater predictability.
  Let me comment just very briefly as the ranking member on the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee. I am certainly pleased, when we look at 
the budget that has been brought forward and passed now, for our 
foreign development assistance. I am pleased that we have the support 
for Israel included in this package and the economic aid for Ukraine.
  As to refugee assistance, one of the great humanitarian crises of our 
time, funds are in here for the United States to work with our 
international partners to provide for refugee assistance.
  There are many anti-corruption initiatives. There is $2.5 billion in 
this budget for good governance and to advance human rights globally--a 
high priority of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, working with 
Senator Corker. The two of us are working very closely together to make 
it clear that we won't tolerate corruption and that we will continue to 
work as countries develop good governance and respect for human rights.
  As I said earlier, on the overall plan there are a couple issues in 
this budget that I am very disappointed about. One is the Visa Waiver 
Program, the discriminatory provisions against dual citizens. I don't 
think it has anything to do with safety. I don't think we are safer 
because we are going to make dual citizens go through a separate 
process. And it will cause, I think, actions by our allies that will be 
counterproductive to Americans and could have some unintended 
consequences. That shouldn't have been in this legislation.
  I also think the restrictions on the closing of Guantanamo Bay are 
misguided. Guantanamo Bay should have been closed a long time ago, and 
I regret that those restrictions are continuing in place.
  The bottom line is that I am very proud that we passed the omnibus 
bill. I supported it enthusiastically. I think it represents a 
compromise of the political balance of our Nation. We have resolved 
many policy challenges. We provided predictability to our agencies and 
predictability to policies that help private investment and our economy 
grow. It advances a cleaner environment, security of our homeland, 
education and welfare of our citizens, Americans' ability to compete 
globally.
  It deserves our support, and I am glad to see that it was passed. 
Shortly, it will be signed by the President and will be the law of this 
land.
  I note there are other colleagues here. So let me just very briefly 
ask to speak on a different issue.

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