[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 144 (Thursday, September 22, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5968-S5971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2017

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 5325) making appropriations for the 
     Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     2017, and for other purposes.


                           Amendment No. 5082

       (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have a substitute amendment at the 
desk that I ask the clerk to report.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell], for Mr. Cochran, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 5082.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the 
amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of 
Amendments.'')
  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask for the yeas and nays on my amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.


                Amendment No. 5083 to Amendment No. 5082

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have an amendment that is at the desk 
that I ask the clerk to report.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 5083 to amendment No. 5082.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the 
amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       At the end add the following:
       This Act shall take effect 1 day after the date of 
     enactment.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask for the yeas and nays on my amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.


                Amendment No. 5084 to amendment No. 5083

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment at the 
desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 5084 to amendment No. 5083.

  The amendment is as follows:

       Strike ``1 day'' and insert ``2 days''.


                           Amendment No. 5085

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have an amendment to the text 
proposed to be stricken.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 5085 to the language proposed to be 
     stricken by amendment No. 5082.

  The amendment is as follows:

       At the end add the following:
       This Act shall take effect 3 days after the date of 
     enactment.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask for the yeas and nays on my amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.


                Amendment No. 5086 to Amendment No. 5085

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment at the 
desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:


       The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 5086 to amendment No. 5085.


[[Page S5969]]


  The amendment is as follows:

       Strike ``3 days'' and insert ``4 days''.


                Motion to Commit with Amendment No. 5087

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have a motion to commit H.R. 5325 
with instructions, which is at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] moves to commit 
     the bill to the Appropriations Committee with instructions to 
     report back forthwith with an amendment numbered 5087.

  The amendment is as follows:

       At the end add the following:
       This Act shall take effect 5 days after the date of 
     enactment.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask for the yeas and nays on that motion.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.


                           Amendment No. 5088

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have an amendment to the instructions 
at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 5088 to the instructions of the motion to 
     commit H.R. 5325.

  The amendment is as follows:

       Strike ``5'' and insert ``6''.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask for the yeas and nays on that amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.


                Amendment No. 5089 to Amendment No. 5088

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment at the 
desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. McConnell] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 5089 to amendment No. 5088.

  The amendment is as follows:

       Strike ``6'' and insert ``7''.


                             Cloture Motion

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have a cloture motion at the desk for 
the substitute amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on Senate amendment 
     No. 5082 to H.R. 5325, an act making appropriations for the 
     Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     2017, and for other purposes.
         Mitch McConnell, Mike Rounds, Thad Cochran, John Cornyn, 
           Daniel Coats, Roger F. Wicker, Thom Tillis, John 
           Barrasso, Lamar Alexander, John Hoeven, Pat Roberts, 
           Orrin G. Hatch, Susan M. Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Steve 
           Daines, Tom Cotton.


                             Cloture Motion

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have a cloture motion at the desk for 
the underlying bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on H.R. 5325, an 
     act making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2017, and for other 
     purposes.
         Mitch McConnell, Mike Rounds, Thad Cochran, John Cornyn, 
           Daniel Coats, Thom Tillis, Roger F. Wicker, John 
           Barrasso, Lamar Alexander, John Hoeven, Pat Roberts, 
           Orrin G. Hatch, Susan M. Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Steve 
           Daines, Tom Cotton.

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
mandatory quorum calls under rule XXII be waived for these cloture 
motions.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, there have been broad requests for a 
clean continuing resolution. So that is what I have just offered. It is 
a result of many hours of bipartisan work on both sides of the aisle. 
It is a fair proposal. It funds all current government operations 
through December 9, while also providing funding for the new 
legislation we have just passed overwhelmingly and that the President 
has signed. That is legislation to address the heroin and prescription 
opioid epidemic as well as the TSCA bill.
  It contains a sufficient downpayment on flood relief for many States, 
including Maryland, West Virginia, and Louisiana, and, of course, it 
includes important resources to support our veterans and combat Zika. 
These are resources needed to help develop a vaccine and promote 
mosquito control.
  Members will have the next 4 days to review before any votes are 
taken in relation to the issue. Further, we expect the President to 
either sign or send up the veto message on JASTA by tomorrow. Beginning 
the process on the clean CR today will ensure that there is adequate 
time to finish before the override vote and before the current 
government funding runs out next week. Then we can turn to the veto 
override.
  I look forward to continuing with bipartisan cooperation so we can 
complete our important work on Zika, veterans funding, and the clean CR 
that will fund the government through December 9.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise as the ranking member on the 
Appropriations Committee. I want to say to my colleagues on both sides 
of the aisle that over the past few weeks, we Democrats have negotiated 
with the Republicans to come up with a responsible continuing funding 
resolution that keeps the government open through December 9, giving 
Congress time to complete an appropriations process.
  Our goal was to respond to compelling urgent needs: Zika, Flint, 
floods in Louisiana, and also our national security as well as those 
things that are important to the economy of the United States of 
America. We wanted to be sure it did not include any poison pill riders 
but did contain the continuing funding for veterans and military 
construction. Our negotiations have been cordial and productive. I 
compliment the other side of the aisle on their professionalism and on 
their civility.
  We are now down to a handful of issues, but they are down to the real 
issues. The majority leader has filed a Republican-only bill with a 
substitute that has now been placed before the Senate today. We 
Democrats cannot vote for that substitute and urge others to vote 
against it.
  We want to be sure we avoid a government shutdown and a government 
showdown and continue the constructive talks that we have had, but the 
substitute offered by the Republican majority leader falls short. What 
is wrong with the bill before us?
  One, it fails to help the people of Flint, MI; 100,000 people in 
Flint, MI, are still waiting for their water to be clean and safe; 
9,000 children have already had lead exposure that can cause permanent 
and irreversible damage. It tells Michigan to keep waiting in line.
  We know the people of Louisiana have been hit by terrible floods. We 
don't want to just give lip service in response to their needs but 
Louisiana is not the only ``need'' in America. We believe the people of 
Flint, MI--the people of Flint who have been waiting for more than 1 
year--should be included in this continuing resolution.
  I want to be clear. We do want to help the people of Louisiana, but 
we also want to help the people of Flint. The other side of the aisle 
says Flint can be handled 2 months from now with a bill called WRDA--
the water resources development bill. The House has made no commitment 
to help Flint in that bill. They haven't even brought WRDA to the floor 
for action.
  The people of Flint need help now. They actually needed help 9 months 
ago. Remember, they are in a jackpot because of flawed budget cuts and 
our failure to enact a comprehensive infrastructure bill where cities 
like Flint, Baltimore, and so on could do something about their aging 
water infrastructure and at the same time create American jobs in our 
own urban communities.

[[Page S5970]]

  The Senate passed Flint funding on the WRDA bill 95 to 3 last week. 
So why wait? It is paid for. We have a framework for proceeding. Let's 
just do it. Also, while Democrats continue to fight for Flint, we will 
not stand by on partisan policy riders such as the SEC political 
disclosure to a 10-week continuing funding resolution.
  I know the 135,000 Marylanders who work for the Federal Government 
want to stay on the job. I want them to know we are working very hard 
to keep the government open and to avoid a shutdown or a slamdown. We 
need to make sure we help our veterans. We need to make sure we have 
the funds to fight Zika and the terrible challenge of children being 
born with the most horrific and lifelong--as short as their little 
lives might be--permanent handicaps, and we want to help Flint. Most of 
all, we know that in a trillion-dollar budget that funds both domestic 
and military, we have a framework to move ahead.
  Very serious work has been done on national security: the funding of 
the Department of Defense, the funding of other agencies that 
contribute to our national security, whether it is the State Department 
and diplomatic efforts, whether it is Homeland Security. Didn't they do 
a good job responding last weekend to the challenges in New York? In 
every community we face these.
  At the same time, when you look at the Labor-HHS, an agency such as 
the National Institutes of Health, we want them to keep the lights on 
so they can keep the light of hope going on to make sure we find cures 
for disease. We will say more about this.
  We appreciate the majority leader for continuing conversation with 
us. We are a work in progress. Let's get back to work. Let's continue 
to make progress. We have taken steps forward. Let's not take steps 
sideways or take steps backward. Let's continue making progress. Let's 
get rid of the poison pill riders. Let's come to an agreement on how we 
can help Louisiana and help Flint and resolve some of these other 
issues.
  Mr. President, we look forward to more conversation, more 
constructive conversation, and our side of the aisle stands ready to 
engage in those conversations and negotiations. I urge my colleagues to 
be on standby and to wish us well so we keep doing the job we were 
elected to do.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. COTTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


            Supporting Our Nation's Law Enforcement Officers

  Mr. COTTON. Mr. President, today I want to talk about the brave men 
and women who put their lives on the line each day to keep us safe--law 
enforcement officers. Last month I spent much of my time meeting with 
various law enforcement agencies across Arkansas. In the wake of the 
shooting in Dallas and other violence against police officers, I wanted 
Arkansas' law enforcement officers to know that I support them and that 
Arkansans support them. I wanted to learn a little more about what life 
looks like from their perspective.
  From the North Little Rock Police Department, to the Prosecuting 
Attorneys Association, to the Federal prison in Forrest City, to the 
Arkansas Sheriffs' Association in Northwest Arkansas--each of these 
meetings left me confident in our State's law enforcement officers and 
provided me with valuable insight into the law enforcement community.
  Police officers in Arkansas and across the country have a difficult 
job, one that is unlike any other career. In the Army, my soldiers and 
I fought overseas to keep our country safe, but at the end of our 
tours, we went home, and many of us transitioned to other safer jobs. 
But for law enforcement officers, there is no end to the tour. They put 
their lives on the line every single day to keep us safe. We owe them a 
debt of gratitude, and we ought to find ways to support our officers 
more and ensure that their communities and the country as a whole have 
a better understanding of their hard work and sacrifice.
  Each of the law enforcement groups I met had a similar message: Law 
enforcement officers need support, cooperation, and assistance. They 
need support from their communities and their leadership at every 
level--local, State, and Federal. They need to know that we are on 
their side, and in the face of controversy, they need to know they have 
leaders who will be a steady hand.
  Given the controversy surrounding law enforcement recently, it is 
easy to take a different view, but most officers, like most soldiers 
with whom I served in the Army, are committed to upholding the 
discipline and integrity of their force. They want those who violate 
policy and especially the law to be held accountable, but they also 
want those decisions made in a factual, unbiased way.
  To keep us safe, law enforcement officers also need the cooperation 
and assistance of those they are sworn to protect. They know this will 
help them not only to investigate and punish crime but also, and more 
importantly, to stop crime before it happens. They have a constant and 
regular presence which serves not only to deter the criminal element 
but also to reassure and gain the support of the vast majority of law-
abiding Arkansans who are going to provide the tips or help smooth the 
waters in moments of tension.
  So how do we achieve these things? I believe there are a few simple 
steps. First, take a moment to recognize our law enforcement officers 
and the vital work they do. So many officers commented to me how 
thankful they were to see yard signs announcing support for the police 
or when someone picked up their lunch or just said a simple thank you.
  Law enforcement is a tough job and it can be a little strange. 
Officers dedicate their lives to protecting law-abiding citizens, who 
are the vast majority of all Americans. Yet they have to spend much of 
their time around the tiny minority and the criminal element to protect 
those law-abiding citizens. Therefore, it means a lot when they hear 
from you.
  Second, law enforcement agencies ought to continue their outreach 
efforts to the communities they serve. On a visit to the Jonesboro 
Police Department, Chief Rick Elliot told me: ``It all gets back to 
community relations and outreach.'' I was struck by how many of our 
police officers in Arkansas work to become integral parts of their 
communities.
  In El Dorado, the police department recently shared a video of an 
officer singing and dancing with local kids at the area Boys & Girls 
Club. The Little Rock Police Department announced an upcoming ``Coffee 
with a Cop'' event, which will allow Arkansans to come and meet their 
police officers in a casual setting. A school resource officer in 
Morrilton made State and national news last month for starting ``Cop 
Car Karaoke'' to get to know his students better. I could go on.
  But let's be honest. These aren't the stories dominating the 
headlines. These days, it seems like the police make the news most 
often when there is an officer involved in use of force, like in 
Ferguson or now in Charlotte, or when cops are gunned down in the line 
of duty, like in Dallas and Baton Rouge. Sadly, these stories often 
have a racial element, too, which, of course, drives more media 
coverage. We haven't seen a story like this in Arkansas lately, but the 
law enforcement officers with whom I spoke all knew it could happen at 
any time. That is one reason why they stressed community engagement so 
much, especially in Black neighborhoods where tensions can run the 
highest.
  So the final step, after citizens and law enforcement officers do 
their part, is for elected leaders and community leaders to do ours. 
Too often, leaders jump to conclusions after an officer-involved use of 
force, not least so they can jump in front of a television camera. But, 
as we have seen in Ferguson and Baltimore, for example, first 
impressions can often be wrong. One thing I learned in the Army is that 
first reports often, even usually, are wrong or at least incomplete. 
Our leaders shouldn't fan the flames of racial tension and divide our 
communities before all the facts are known. After all, there is always 
a neutral, impartial inquiry following an officer-involved use

[[Page S5971]]

of force, especially a shooting. Our leaders ought to let those 
inquiries occur in a calm, dispassionate setting and call upon all 
other citizens to do the same. They certainly should never condone 
rioting.
  When the use of force is justified, we ought to support the officer, 
and when it is not, the public demands accountability.
  During my visits around the State, I met with several veteran 
officers, but I also spoke with many new recruits and newly hired 
officers. You might expect these rookies to be discouraged by anti-
police protests and the recent assassinations of law enforcement 
officers. On the contrary, they said they were more motivated than ever 
to prove themselves to the people they serve and to honor the 
sacrifices of those officers killed in the line of duty. We are lucky 
to have men and women like them.
  As I left my meeting with the officers at the Arkansas State Police 
Headquarters in Little Rock, I stopped to pay my respects at the Hall 
of Honor, a memorial dedicated to the troopers who lost their lives in 
the line of duty. Toward the back of the room, above a small star for 
each lost trooper, inscribed in the wall are the words ``In Valor There 
is Hope.'' These words are particularly poignant right now.
  I am grateful for every officer at every department and agency who 
displays professionalism and courage in the face of danger every day. 
In their valor, the American people do, indeed, find hope.
  Thank you.
  God bless our men and women in blue.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. WARREN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                       Tribute to Emily Winterson

  Ms. WARREN. Mr. President, today I rise to celebrate the retirement 
of Emily Winterson, an immigration specialist in my Boston office, who 
has served the people of Massachusetts and the United States for over 
32 years.
  Emily began working in the Senate on March 7, 1984, and has worked 
for four consecutive Massachusetts Senators since then. First, Emily 
worked in the office of Senator Ted Kennedy for over 20 years. When 
Senator Kennedy passed, she stayed on to work for Senator Paul Kirk, 
then Senator Scott Brown, and now she has been on my team in the Boston 
office since I was sworn in.
  As my colleagues know well, there are two parts to a Senate office. 
The side the Nation hears about most often and is in the news is the 
legislative work we do right here in Washington. But there is an 
equally important side to our work, and that is the help we provide 
back home. We would not be able to offer this critical help without 
devoted people like Emily Winterson. Emily has committed entirely to 
this work, and she has touched the lives of countless families across 
the State of Massachusetts. With her years of expertise and her 
relentless determination, she has helped people navigate our complex 
immigration system, and she does it all with exceptional humility and 
grace.
  When someone has a last-minute passport problem and may not be able 
to make the trip with the group from the temple or the church, Emily 
has been the one to cut through the redtape. When a student needs a 
visa to be able to attend one of our great universities, Emily is 
there. When extraordinary musicians or performers from around the world 
needed help getting into the country, Emily was there. When families 
needed her most, when foreign adoptions were tangled up and families 
were divided or stranded, Emily was there. When sick children needed to 
get medical care at world-class hospitals in Boston and around our 
State, Emily was there. No matter the issue, Emily always knew the 
right people to call to get results in government offices both here and 
abroad--and they all knew Emily.
  There are too many stories to count, but I want to tell just one. A 
young woman came from China to the United States to study medicine at 
Boston University. While she was here, she was diagnosed with leukemia. 
She had no family in America and she desperately needed help getting a 
visa for her sister to come to the United States to help take care of 
her. As have so many others, she reached out to Emily for help.
  Now, Emily was able to get the visa for her sister to come and to 
support her through a long and very difficult treatment, but the story 
doesn't stop there. Without any form of financial support and unable to 
work, the young woman faced eviction. Together with the help of 
Catholic Charities, Emily helped secure the funds needed to help her 
get caught up on her rent.
  During all of this, the young woman's student visa expired, which 
left her ineligible for health care. Once again, Emily got to work and 
was able to obtain deferred action on her visa. Emily even helped her 
find an apartment near the hospital when she was being treated, and in 
her usual ``do more than anyone would expect,'' Emily even helped her 
furnish the place.
  Still, the young woman's health worsened. As she was nearing her 
final days, her last wish was to see her mother, whom she had not seen 
for 12 years during her studies. Again, Emily concentrated all of her 
efforts on securing an expedited visa for her mother so she could be 
with her before she passed. Because of Emily's tireless work, this 
young woman, far from home, spent her final days with the support and 
care of her mother and her sister.
  Emily was there for her through thick and thin. When this young woman 
needed help and had no one to turn to, Emily was there. With steadfast 
commitment, Emily fought for her.
  Now, this is just one of many stories that together form the fabric 
of Emily's life work. At a time when many Americans feel that 
government is not working for them, a system that too often overlooks 
those in need, Emily is a shining example of the powers of public 
service. She embodies the link between government and the people. She 
has dedicated her working life to making government fulfill its most 
fundamental mission--improving the lives of the people it serves.
  Emily Winterson has shown us all that when we take time to listen to 
someone's story, when we have the compassion to care about their 
troubles and the determination to fight on their behalf, we have the 
power to improve each other's lives. This is government by the people 
and for the people. Emily is American politics at its best. This is the 
legacy that Emily leaves behind.
  We will all miss her greatly. Although we are sad to see Emily leave, 
we could not be happier for her as she begins her much earned 
retirement in October. I know she is looking forward to gardening, to 
working on her memoirs, and to spending more time with her children and 
her grandchildren.
  So, Emily, on behalf of the people fortunate enough to work alongside 
you, for the State of Massachusetts and for the thousands of people you 
have served, thank you. We wish you the best as you move into the next 
chapter of your life.
  Thank you, Mr. President.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________