[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 25, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2504-S2505]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Foreign Policy

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, as we come back into session after a 2-
week State work period, I think we need to take stock of what we have 
been able to accomplish in working together during the last few months.
  Through the efforts of the administration and in working with 
Congress, we have been able to greatly lessen the regulatory burden on 
many American job creators, which is something sorely needed while our 
economy has been bumping along at, roughly, 2 percent growth of our 
gross domestic product since the Great Recession of 2008. We have 
confirmed a ninth Supreme Court Justice, and we have seen strong, 
credible action taken against people like the terrible Assad regime in 
Syria.
  It is important to remember, as folks continue to judge the current 
administration and its foreign policy in particular, how we got here 
and what this White House inherited after 8 years of the Obama 
administration.
  As President Obama left office, he left in his wake fires burning 
around the world. There is no better example than the Middle East. 
President Obama celebrated the Arab Spring as a testament to the power 
of a democratic voice, but he did little to help our partners across 
the Middle East and North Africa find stability and prosperity. Along 
the way, he made the world a lot more dangerous for all of us by his 
inaction or, in some cases, by his actions. Libya is one of the most 
tragic examples.
  Without his coming to Congress but instead going to the United 
Nations for a resolution, under President Obama's watch, the country 
fractured after he helped to launch a poorly conceived military 
campaign that helped depose Muammar Qadhafi, with no plan at all as to 
what to do afterward to stabilize the country. Apparently, despite all 
of President Obama's criticisms of President Bush's 2003 invasion of 
Iraq, he learned very little from it, and terrorists, including ISIS, 
jumped at the opportunity to fill the vacuum in Libya.
  Later, the American Consulate in Benghazi would be attacked, 
resulting in the deaths of four Americans, including that of Ambassador 
Christopher Stevens. That was the result of President Obama's failed 
strategy in Libya.
  To the east, as 2016 came to a close, Syria was embroiled in even 
more disarray, more bloodshed, and more violence than when the civil 
war initially broke out. President Obama promised the world--now 
infamously--that should the Syrian Government use chemical weapons that 
at that point a red line would have been crossed. We know how that 
turned out and so do the citizens of Syria and so do, importantly, 
other thugs, autocrats, and dictators around the world--red lines 
crossed but not enforced.
  President Obama's threats went unanswered. Russia became bolder in 
its support of Assad as it became clearer that the United States would 
not intervene. Now, in light of years of inaction by the previous 
administration, we have a refugee crisis in the Middle East and 
throughout Europe. Millions of people have been displaced both 
internally and externally across Europe. We have a war criminal leading 
the Syrian Government who has repeatedly used chemical weapons and 
indiscriminately killed civilians, including children, in a region even 
further from any measure of stability than when President Obama took 
office.
  Yet, instead of developing a strategy, instead of listening to his 
own military and national security leadership, President Obama and his 
team perversely opted to strengthen our adversary Iran. The ill-
conceived JCPOA deal cemented the status of this state sponsor of 
terrorism as a future nuclear power as it released billions of dollars 
in sanctions relief to the regime and empowered our enemy to engage in 
even more terrorist activities abroad and around the world. After 8 
years of the Obama administration, the bottom line is, our foremost 
enemy in the Middle East became stronger, not weaker.
  On top of all of that, President Obama pushed aside our strongest 
ally in the region--Israel--time and time again to appease nations that 
were working against us. That is simply not how the United States 
should operate in its leadership role around the world.
  I could go on and on about the foreign policy failures of the last 
administrations with respect to the Middle East, but it is not the only 
region in worse shape. Under President Obama's watch, Russia invaded 
Crimea and eastern Ukraine. It repeatedly threatened NATO member states 
and ramped up its cyber espionage to influence and undermine public 
confidence in free and fair elections both in the United States and in 
Europe. Along the way, our allies in Europe were cast aside rather than 
assured of our support--all with Russia's mounting aggression close by.

[[Page S2505]]

  In the Pacific, China continued to advance its regional dominance by 
making claims to islands disputed by our allies, going so far as to 
convert sand bars and reefs into island military bases--some with 
10,000-foot military-capable runways right there in the South China 
Sea.
  Finally, North Korea continues to develop and test its nuclear and 
ballistic missile capabilities with the threat of soon being able to 
use both to reach the continental United States. North Korea carried 
out four nuclear tests during the Obama administration. That is simply 
unacceptable.
  The truth is, after two terms of inaction, no coherent strategy, and 
leading from behind, our allies and partners around the world 
questioned the commitment and power of the United States and our 
ability to defend our national interests around the globe.
  I, personally, am thankful for what we have seen President Trump 
accomplish so far, even in a short period of time. His tough but honest 
discussions about America's role in the world are appreciated not only 
by those of us here at home but by our allies and friends around the 
world who have been hungry for American leadership.
  When Assad crossed a line the entire international community deemed 
abhorrent, President Trump, unlike President Obama, took action. 
Unfortunately, President Trump has inherited foreign policy 
predicaments that were created by both the action and inaction of his 
predecessor around the world. My hope is, President Trump will continue 
to work with the great team he has assembled to make sure U.S. 
interests are put first and that America continues to exert its 
leadership role around the world.
  The truth is, a strong America and an America that leads is a 
stabilizing and peacekeeping influence around the world. Just the 
opposite is also true. As America retreats, there is no other country 
that can fill that leadership vacuum. It is inherently destabilizing, 
and it is an invitation for bad actors around the world to take 
advantage of that power vacuum.
  I look forward to working with the administration, as well as all of 
our colleagues in the Congress, to help keep Americans safe by making 
clear that we will back up and support our allies and partners abroad 
and send a powerful message to those who threaten our interests.
  I yield the floor.
  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. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cruz). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I support Mr. Rosenstein's nomination to 
be Deputy Attorney General. Not only is he a very experienced and 
accomplished attorney, he has served in the Justice Department for 
almost three decades under five Presidents, but he served as the U.S. 
Attorney for the District of Maryland under both President Bush and 
President Obama--a very rare record of service. During his nominations 
hearing to be Deputy Attorney General, Mr. Rosenstein promised us that 
he would ``work to defend the integrity and independence of our justice 
department, to protect public safety, to preserve civil rights, to 
pursue justice, to advance the rule of law and to promote public 
confidence.''
  However, many Members have mentioned they are concerned about the FBI 
Director's announcement of an investigation of Russia. And during his 
nominations hearing, Mr. Rosenstein was repeatedly asked if he would 
commit to appointing a special counsel to handle any investigation in 
this matter. I was impressed with his unfailing commitment to 
independence when he answered these questions.
  Rather than prejudge investigations before he knows the facts, he 
unwaveringly promised to make decisions only after thoroughly reviewing 
all the relevant information in a particular case. He committed to not 
prejudge the situation before he knew the facts. And he committed to 
conducting every investigation with independence.
  I personally believe Mr. Rosenstein possesses the necessary 
independence to conduct any investigation of this type. He told us he 
had never met with Russian officials nor has he spoken to the President 
or Attorney General about this matter. And he spoke in great length 
about his career-long commitment to independence and to conduct his 
work free from political concerns.
  In fact, we already know that he has a well-known reputation for 
independence. In 2012, Attorney General Holder specifically asked Mr. 
Rosenstein to handle a special investigation into leaks of classified 
information because of his reputation for independence and 
impartiality.
  When Republicans suggested a special prosecutor might be appropriate, 
members of the Judiciary Committee assured us that none was necessary 
precisely because Mr. Rosenstein was at the helm of the investigation. 
One member of the Committee described him as a ``scrupulous man'' and 
``independent.'' There was ``no reason to believe why [he] cannot work 
with the FBI and assemble a very strong prosecution team where 
warranted.''
  Mr. Rosenstein is still scrupulous and independent. If Mr. Rosenstein 
could conduct an investigation with independence under Holder then, he 
can certainly do it now. Furthermore, Mr. Rosenstein comes with high 
recommendations from a bipartisan list of former Attorneys General and 
Deputy Attorneys General. And he comes with high recommendations from 
his home state Senators, current and former.
  Former Senator Mikulski wrote the committee and told us that he will 
be a ``strong, experienced leader at the Department of Justice who is 
fair and committed to the equal application of our laws'' and ``In 
these polarized times, now, more than ever we need a strong, 
experienced leader at the Department of Justice who is fair and 
committed to the equal application of our laws. I hope the Senate will 
confirm Rod Rosenstein for this important position.''
  After Senator Cardin described all Mr. Rosenstein's professional 
accomplishments when he was introducing him at the hearing, he said, 
``What impresses me the most, he has done this in a totally non-
partisan manner.'' And concluded by saying, ``I think Mr. Rosenstein is 
the right person at the right time for Deputy Attorney General.''
  Finally, James Cole, President Obama's Deputy Attorney General, wrote 
to inform the committee that Mr. Rosenstein will respect the need for 
the Department ``to not only enforce the laws, but to also maintain a 
level of independence that enables it to have credibility in the eyes 
of our citizens.''
  From all I see and know about him, I believe Mr. Rosenstein will keep 
his promise for integrity and independence. He promised us if he is 
confirmed as Deputy Attorney General, ``all investigations under my 
supervision [will] be initiated and conducted in a fair, professional, 
and impartial manner, without regard to political considerations.'' We 
can't ask for anything more. I urge all my colleagues to join me in 
voting to confirm Mr. Rosenstein to be Deputy Attorney General.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.