[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 1, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1136-S1139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Ms. Cantwell, and Ms. Hirono):
S. 2610. A bill to approve an agreement between the United States and
the Republic of Palau; to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with Senator Maria
Cantwell and Senator Mazie Hirono to introduce legislation to approve
the 2010 Agreement between the Governments of the United States and the
Republic of Palau following the Compact of Free Association Section 432
Review.
Palau's history with the United States dates back to the Battle of
Peleliu, fought between United States and Japanese forces for over two
months with the highest casualty rate of any battle in the Pacific
Theater. Following World War II, Palau became a district of the Trust
Territory of the Pacific Islands under the auspices of the United
Nations, but administered by the United States. Palau was the last
district of the Trust Territory to choose its political future, when in
1994, it became a self-governing, sovereign state and entered into a
fifty-year Compact of Free Association with the United States similar
to that of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Under the Compact, the United States, through the Department of the
[[Page S1137]]
Interior, provides economic and financial assistance, defends Palau's
territorial integrity, and allows Palauan citizens the opportunity to
enter the United States as non-immigrants. In return, the United States
receives exclusive and unlimited access to Palau's land and waterways
for strategic purposes. U.S. assistance is intended to help Palau
develop its infrastructure and economy so that it has a sustainable
government and economy capable of functioning without the United
States' support. Section 432 of the Compact provides that after the
fifteenth, thirtieth, and fortieth anniversaries of the Compact, the
United States and Palau shall formally review the terms of the Compact
and shall consider the overall nature and development of their
relationship, including Palau's operating requirements and its progress
in meeting development objectives.
The United States can count on Palau to vote with us on a broad range
of issues, including some that are controversial and where we need
reliable allies. On a number of important resolutions that have come
before the United Nations' General Assembly, Palau stood by us and
provided critical votes. For example, in 2014, Palau voted with the
United States on 97 percent of votes before the U.N. General Assembly,
and Palau voted with the U.S. 90 percent of the time in important
votes. From 2011-2013, Palau voted with the United States 100 percent
of the time in important votes. Palau has been a steadfast ally of the
United States in international forums and we should be mindful of and
grateful for their support.
It is also important to recognize that Palau has consistently
demonstrated a commitment to the U.S.-Palau partnership under the
Compact. Palauan nationals serve in U.S. coalition missions,
participate in U.S.-led combat operations, and have given their lives
for the safety of our nation. Approximately 500 Palauan men and women
serve as volunteers in our military today, out of a population of about
21,000. Palau is indeed a strong partner who punches well above its
weight. We are grateful for their sacrifices and dedication to
promoting peace and fighting terrorism. After reviewing the progress
achieved by Palau in the first 15 years of the Compact, and with the
13th anniversary coming upon us, the administration is recommending
continued assistance, but at lower levels.
This agreement, reached in 2010, has been before Congress in prior
years and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has held
hearings on the matter. To the best of my knowledge, there is no
objection within Congress on the policy of continuing to provide
financial assistance to Palau under the Compact of Free Association.
The hang-up has been finding a viable offset to pay for that
assistance. I would note that since 2010 Congress has provided just
over $13 million in annual discretionary funding to the Government of
Palau in lieu of the Agreement's enactment--a total of over $90 million
in that timeframe. At the same time, the administration has failed to
identify an acceptable offset for a cost that is now just under $150
million over 10 years.
For such a steadfast ally, partner, and friend, whose citizens serve
in our Armed Forces for the protection of our nation, and whose
government supports the United States' position on critical issues in
international forums, we should be able to come up with a viable
funding solution. I call upon the administration to work with Congress
on this matter, find an offset, and enact the 2010 Agreement between
the United States and Palau.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter of support be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
February 22, 2016.
Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
President of the Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. President: Enclosed is draft legislation to amend
Title I of Public Law 99-658 (100 Stat 3672), regarding the
Compact of Free Association between the Government of the
United States of America and the Government of Palau
(Compact). This legislation would approve and implement the
results of the mandated 15-year review of the Compact, as
well as the Agreement Between the Government of the United
States of America and the Government of the Republic of Palau
(Compact Review Agreement), signed on September 3, 2010. We
strongly urge this draft bill be introduced, referred
appropriately, and passed in Congress at the earliest
opportunity.
The relationship between the United States and Palau, as
embodied in the Compact, is grounded in shared history,
friendship, and a strong partnership in national security,
especially with respect to the Asia-Pacific region. In the
Battle of Peleliu, in Palau, more than 1,500 American
servicemen lost their lives, and more than 8,000 were
wounded, resulting in one of the costliest battles in the
Pacific in World War II. After the war, the United States
assumed administrative authority over Palau as part of the
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and in 1994 Palau
became a sovereign nation in free association with the United
States under the Compact of Free Association. The Compact
provides U.S. military forces full authority and
responsibility for security and defense matters in or
relating to Palau. Conversely, the United States has the
extraordinary advantage of being able to deny other nations'
military forces access to Palau, an important element of our
Pacific strategy for defense of the U.S. homeland.
In addition to the important historical and security
relationship, Palau has consistently demonstrated a
commitment to the U.S.-Palau partnership under the Compact.
Palauan nationals have served in U.S. coalition missions and
participated in U.S. led combat operations. Palauan citizens
volunteer in large numbers in the U.S. military. Since
September 11, 2001, seven Palauans have lost their lives in
combat. At the United Nations, Palau has voted with the
United States more than 95 percent of the time, including on
key foreign policy issues.
The Compact has seen the goal of self-governance and
democracy in Palau realized. However, to bolster this
progress and maintain stability in the region, we must now
help to ensure Palau's financial independence. By approving
the Compact Review Agreement, the pending legislation would
extend U.S. assistance through 2024, helping to meet and
achieve this critical goal. Under the agreement, Palau has
committed to undertake economic, legislative, financial, and
management reforms. Additionally, this agreement assures the
United States can withhold economic assistance in the absence
of significant further progress in implementing meaningful
reforms.
The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 requires that the
cumulative effects of revenue and direct spending legislation
in a congressional session meet a pay-as-you-go (PAYGO)
requirement. In total, such legislation should not increase
the on-budget deficit; if it does, it would produce a
sequestration if it is not fully offset by the end of the
congressional session. This draft bill would increase
mandatory outlays and the on-budget deficit as shown below:
FISCAL YEARS
[Dollars in millions]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deficit Impact.................................................... 46 26 20 17 15 14 6 5 149
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This proposal would increase direct spending, and it is
therefore subject to the Statutory PAYGO Act and should be
considered in conjunction with all other proposals that are
subject to the Act. Approving the results of the Agreement is
important to the national security of the United States,
stability in the Western Pacific region, our bilateral
relationship with Palau, and to the United States' broader
strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific region. We stand
ready, as always, to provide you with any information and
assistance necessary to help secure the passage of this
legislation.
Sincerely,
Sally Jewell,
Secretary, Department of the Interior.
Heather Higginbottom,
Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, Department
of State.
Robert O. Work,
Deputy Secretary, Department of Defense.
______
By Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Schumer, Mr.
Johnson, Ms. Heitkamp, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Murray,
and Mrs. Gillibrand):
S. 2612. A bill to ensure United States jurisdiction over offenses
committed by United States personnel stationed
[[Page S1138]]
in Canada in furtherance of border security initiatives; to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, last year, I hailed the signing of a new
agreement between the United States and Canada designed to improve
cross-border travel, commerce and security between our two countries.
Secretary Johnson of the Department of Homeland Security was joined in
Washington by Canada's Minister of Public Safety, Steven Blaney, for
the signing of that new preclearance agreement, which was negotiated
under the Beyond the Border Action Plan.
Preclearance facilities allow travelers to pass through U.S. Customs
and Border Protection, CBP, inspections in Canada, prior to traveling
to the United States. Preclearance operations relieve congestion at
U.S. destination airports, facilitate commerce, save money, and
strengthen national security. The United States currently stations CBP
officers in select locations in Canada to inspect passengers and cargo
bound for the United States before departing Canada. The new agreement
signed in March 2015 will lead to expanded U.S. preclearance facilities
in Canada in the marine, land, air and rail sectors.
However, the Department of Homeland Security requires specific,
narrowly tailored legislation to fully implement the new agreement. CBP
Officers assigned to preclearance locations operate with law
enforcement authorities and immunities as agreed upon by the United
States and the host country's government. Under the new preclearance
agreement with Canada, the United States secured the right to prosecute
U.S. officials if they commit crimes on the job while stationed in
Canada--and thereby preclude a prosecution by Canadian prosecutors. But
in some cases, the United States may lack the legal authority to
prosecute U.S. officials because many federal crimes do not have
extraterritorial reach. The Promoting Travel, Commerce and National
Security Act of 2016, which I am proud to introduce today with Senator
Murkowski, would ensure that the United States has the legal authority
to hold our own officials accountable if they engage in wrongdoing
abroad in Canada. This legislation will allow for full implementation
of the expanded Canada preclearance agreement.
Enacting this legislation will promote two key national goals:
enhancing our national security, and creating a more efficient flow of
travelers and goods. By placing CBP personnel at the point of
departure, screening occurs before a person boards a flight, increasing
our ability to prevent those who should not be flying to the United
States from doing so. In 2014, preclearance stopped more than 10,000
inadmissible travelers worldwide before they left foreign soil. As
Secretary Johnson has said, ``We have to push our homeland security out
beyond our borders so that we are not defending the homeland from the
one-yard line.'' At the same time, preclearance facilitates travel and
trade.
I am pleased that a bipartisan coalition in the House of
Representatives, led by Representatives Elise Stefanik and Ann Kuster,
will also introduce companion legislation today as well. And I am
grateful for the support of Senators Schumer, Johnson, Heitkamp,
Shaheen, Cantwell, Murray and Gillibrand for this important
legislation. I hope with this bipartisan, bicameral support, this
simple, straightforward enabling legislation will be enacted this year.
In Vermont, we look to our Canadian neighbors as partners in trade
and commerce, and as joint stewards of our shared communities. While
both nations strive to ensure that the border is secure, the ties
between Canada and Vermont run deep. We rely on each other for trade,
commerce, and tourism. And many Vermont families have members on both
sides of the border. This agreement has long been a dream for
Vermonters who have fond memories of taking the train north to Montreal
to enjoy all that this vibrant cultural hub offers. It is also a win
for visitors from Canada's largest cities who love to come to Vermont
to ski, shop and dine. I commend Secretary Johnson for his commitment
to forging this agreement that will greatly benefit Vermont and the
United States. I look forward to enacting this legislation into law so
that these projects can move forward.
______
By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Hatch, and Mrs.
Feinstein):
S. 2613. A bill to reauthorize certain programs established by the
Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006; to the Committee on
the Judiciary.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, we have all heard accounts of innocent
children being victimized and abused by predators. Today I will
introduce legislation to extend two of the key programs that Congress
established under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of
2006. With today's legislation, I hope to send a strong message to all
Americans about Congress' continued commitment to keeping our Nation's
children safe.
Many of us here in the Senate worked very hard on the original
version of the Adam Walsh Act, which is named for a six year-old who
was tragically murdered in 1981. President George W. Bush signed that
legislation on the 25th anniversary of Adam Walsh's abduction from a
Florida shopping mall. I am pleased that Senators Hatch, Schumer, and
Feinstein--who cosponsored the Senate version of that legislation when
it was first introduced in the 109th Congress--have joined me as
original cosponsors of today's legislation.
John Walsh, the father of Adam Walsh, worked closely with us on the
development of the 2006 Adam Walsh Act, and we worked with him on the
development of today's legislation as well. Reauthorization of the Adam
Walsh Act is a priority for him and has the support of the National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The Adam Walsh Act was enacted in response to multiple, notorious
cases involving children who had been targeted by adult criminals, many
of them repeat sex offenders. Its passage became a national priority
after Congress discovered that criminals were taking advantage of gaps
and loopholes in some States' laws to circumvent sex offender
registration requirements--with tragic results for some of the nation's
children.
Who can forget Jetseta Gage--a beautiful 10-year-old girl from Cedar
Rapids, Iowa who was sexually assaulted and murdered by a registered
sex offender in 2005? As a cosponsor of the Senate version of the Adam
Walsh Act, I championed the inclusion in the 2006 law of language
imposing mandatory minimum penalties for those who murder, kidnap, or
inflict serious bodily harm to children like Jetseta.
Of course, the centerpiece of the Adam Walsh Act is the Sex Offender
Registration and Notification Act, or SORNA. SORNA divides sex
offenders into three categories, or tiers, depending on the seriousness
of their crimes. It encourages States to set minimum criteria for the
registration of sex offenders in each tier, with the aim of
discouraging ``forum shopping'' by offenders who prey on children.
The Adam Walsh Act also established several programs that are key to
its successful implementation. One such program, known as SOMA, or the
Sex Offender Management Assistance Program, makes federal grant
resources available to states to offset the costs of Walsh Act
implementation. Today's legislation would extend the authorization for
that program, which expired 8 years ago.
The federal government, through the U.S. Marshals Service, also
supports States and localities in tracking down sex offenders who fail
to register or re-register. Those fugitive apprehension activities were
authorized under the 2006 Adam Walsh Act, and today's legislation would
extend the authorization for those U.S. Marshals Service activities at
$60 million annually for each of the next 2 years.
Nothing can bring back Adam Walsh, Jetseta Gage, Dru Sjodin, Megan
Kanka, or the other innocents for whom the Adam Walsh Act was passed.
But it is important that we continue to not only honor their memories
but also protect America's future children from harm by extending the
key programs that were authorized under the original Adam Walsh Act.
The authorization for these programs expired at least 7 years ago.
According to the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics,
there are about a hundred thousand
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people convicted of sexual violence offenses in state prisons, and
hundreds of thousands more who currently reside in neighborhoods across
the United States. As a father of five and the grandfather of 9, I
believe we should continue to make sex offender registration and
notification a priority.
Mr. President, July 27 of this year will mark the 35th anniversary of
Adam Walsh's abduction. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting
the passage of this important legislation before that date elapses.
______
By Mr. SCHUMER (for himself, Mr. Grassley, and Mr. Tillis):
S. 2614. A bill to amend the Violent Crime Control and Law
Enforcement Act of 1994, to reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer's Disease
Patient Alert Program, and to promote initiatives that will reduce the
risk of injury and death relating to the wandering characteristics of
some children with autism; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, today Senators Schumer, Tillis and I
will introduce legislation to help America's families locate missing
loved ones who have Alzheimer's disease, autism or related conditions
that may cause them to wander. Our bill would extend existing programs
designed to assist in locating Alzheimer's disease and dementia
patients. It also adds new support for people with autism.
We have named the legislation in honor of two boys with autism who
perished because their condition caused them to wander. One of these
children, nine-year-old Kevin Curtis Wills, slipped into Iowa's Raccoon
River near a park and tragically drowned in 2008. The other, 14-year-
old Avonte Oquendo, wandered away from his school and drowned in New
York City's East River several years ago.
Theirs are not isolated cases. We have all read or heard the
heartbreaking stories of families frantically trying to locate a
missing loved one whose condition caused him or her to wander off.
We have also seen benefits of notification systems to locate missing
children and bring relief to families through community assistance. Our
bill will use similar concepts and other technology to help locate
people with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia as well as
children with autism spectrum disorders who may be prone to wander away
from their families or caregivers.
My home State of Iowa has the fifth highest Alzheimer's death rate in
America, according to the Alzheimer's Association. As further noted by
the Alzheimer's Association, which we consulted on this bill's
development, as many as one in three seniors will die with a form of
dementia. About 63,000 Iowans are living with Alzheimer's disease.
In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released
information on the incidence of autism in this country. The CDC
identified 1 in 68 children as having autism spectrum disorders.
Experts tell us that, in Iowa alone, about 8,000 individuals have been
diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, and we worked closely with
the Autism Society of Iowa on the development of this bill.
Because police often are the first people to respond when a child
goes missing, the bill also will make resources available to equip
first responders and other community officials with the training
necessary to better prevent and respond to these cases. With better
information sharing, communities can play a central role in reuniting
these children with their families.
Finally, the bill will ensure that grants from the U.S. Department of
Justice also can be used by state and local law enforcement agencies
and nonprofits for education and training programs to proactively
prevent and locate missing individuals with these conditions. The
grants will facilitate the development of training and emergency
protocols for school personnel, supply first responders with additional
information and resources, and make local tracking technology programs
available for individuals who may wander from safety because of their
condition. Grant funding may also be used to establish or enhance
notification and communications systems for the recovery of missing
children with autism.
I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
____________________