[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 58 (Tuesday, April 4, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2189-S2190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Internet Privacy Rights

  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today with a warning about S.J. 
Res. 34. This measure undermines the privacy of all Montanans and all 
Americans. It is a measure I strongly oppose because it takes the refs 
off the field, leaving consumers at the whim of internet service 
providers. It allows these companies to sell our data--to sell my 
data--and to snoop through your search history and to track the sites 
we visit. In other words, it allows internet companies to make a profit 
by invading your privacy. It gives them the ability to collect and sell 
your physical location, information about your children, your health, 
finances, Social Security number, and web browsing history. In fact, 
this legislation even extends to apps and your social media accounts.
  Following the vote that we had here on this floor, a Republican State 
senator from Buffalo, MT, proposed an amendment to our State budget to 
push back against this irresponsible resolution. In my home State of 
Montana, folks on both sides of the aisle are deeply concerned about 
their right to privacy. Now folks you don't even know can have access 
to the websites you visit, and they can have this access without your 
consent.
  This is another troubling step that folks in Congress have taken this 
year to violate the rights of privacy of law-abiding citizens. We 
already have a CIA Director who has advocated for the most intrusive 
acts of the PATRIOT Act. We have a Supreme Court nominee before us who 
supports the government's ability to reach into the private lives of 
law-abiding Americans. Now Congress is rolling out the red carpet for 
major corporations to collect and sell our personal online information.
  Enough is enough. I am here today to provide a voice for all 
Montanans and all Americans who value their right to privacy, who 
expect their elected officials to defend civil liberties, to stand up 
for constitutional rights, and who do not want private information 
collected and shopped around like a used book on Amazon.
  When the President decided to sign this resolution last night, he 
ushered in the latest significant threat to our right to privacy. Now 
it is the responsibility of service providers to protect our personal 
information online.
  I think folks in Montana and across this country have the right to 
question the priorities of those who supported this resolution. 
Everyone has a fundamental right to privacy, and the government 
shouldn't be in the business of violating those individual rights, 
especially when doing the bidding of big companies looking to make more 
profits at the expense of people's privacy.
  I want it to be known in this body that Montanans don't want anyone 
snooping around in their private lives, neither the government nor 
corporations. It is fundamental to our Montana values. Protecting 
online privacy is critical to the integrity of basic, fundamental 
freedom, of fundamental civil liberty. I urge all my colleagues to make 
their voices heard on this critical issue.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.
  (The remarks of Mr. Barrasso pertaining to the introduction of S. 826 
are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. BARRASSO. I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the Duke nomination?
  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cruz). Are there any other Senators in the 
Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 85, nays 14, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 103 Ex.]

                                YEAS--85

     Alexander
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Bennet
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Cochran
     Collins
     Coons
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Flake
     Franken
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hassan
     Hatch
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Klobuchar
     Lankford
     Leahy
     Lee
     Manchin
     McCain
     McCaskill
     McConnell
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Nelson
     Paul
     Perdue
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Stabenow
     Strange
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden
     Young

                                NAYS--14

     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Heinrich
     Markey
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Sanders
     Udall
     Warren

                             NOT VOTING--1

       
     Isakson
       
  The nomination was confirmed.

[[Page S2190]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the motion to 
reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the President 
will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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