[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 125 (Tuesday, July 25, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4165-S4167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO 
                                PROCEED

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 175, 
H.R. 2810.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the motion.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 175, H.R. 2810, a bill to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
     construction, and for defense activities of the Department of 
     Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such 
     fiscal year, and for other purposes.

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader.


                     Welcoming Back Senator McCain

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I wish to start this morning with a few 
words about our friend and colleague from Arizona, Senator McCain, whom 
we will have an opportunity to welcome back today.
  As I noted last week, we all know Senator McCain is a fighter. That 
is evidenced by his remarkable life of public service, just as it is 
again evidenced by his quick return to the Senate this afternoon. I 
know he is eager to get back to work, and we are all very pleased to 
have him back with us today.


                               Healthcare

  Mr. President, on the vote we will have today in a couple of hours, 
Senators will have an important decision to make. Seven years after 
ObamaCare was imposed on our country, we will vote on the critical 
first step to finally move beyond its failures.
  Many of us have made commitments to our constituents to provide 
relief from this failed leftwing experiment. Now we have a real 
opportunity to keep those commitments by voting to begin debate and 
ultimately to send smarter healthcare solutions to the President's desk 
for his signature. Just yesterday, the President reiterated his 
intention to sign them.
  Yesterday, the administration released a statement urging all 
Senators to vote in favor of the motion to proceed so that we can 
``move forward on repealing ObamaCare and replacing it with true 
reforms that expand choice and lower costs.'' I wish to express my 
appreciation to the administration for its continued close work with us 
on this issue at every step of the way. From the President and Vice 
President to Secretary Price and Administrator Verma, as well as so 
many others, the engagement we have seen has been important to our 
efforts, and it has sent an unmistakable signal to the country that 
this administration not only understands the pain middle-class families 
have felt under ObamaCare but is actually committed to doing something 
about it.
  By now, we are all keenly aware of the pain ObamaCare has caused for 
literally millions of families. Premiums have skyrocketed, doubling on 
average in the vast majority of States on the Federal exchange. 
Insurance options have declined under ObamaCare, leaving many with as 
few as one or even zero insurers to choose from. Many Americans now 
face the real possibility of having no options at all and could find 
themselves trapped, forced by law to purchase ObamaCare insurance but 
left by ObamaCare without any means to do so. All the while, markets 
continue to collapse under ObamaCare in States across the country.
  It is a troubling indication of what is to come unless we act. 
Fortunately, the American people have granted us the opportunity to do 
so. We finally have an administration that cares about those suffering 
under ObamaCare's failures and a President who will sign a law to 
actually do something about it. We have a House that recently passed 
its own legislation to help address these problems. We have a Senate 
with a great chance before us to do our part now.
  If other Senators agree and join me in voting yes on the motion to 
proceed, we can move one step closer to sending legislation to the 
President for his signature. I hope everyone will seize the moment. I 
certainly will. Only then can we open up a robust debate process.

[[Page S4166]]

Only then will Senators have the opportunity to offer additional ideas 
on healthcare.
  Inaction will do nothing to solve ObamaCare's problems or bring 
relief to those who need it. In fact, it will make things worse for our 
constituents all across the country.
  I wish to reiterate what the President said yesterday:

       Any senator who votes against starting debate is telling 
     America that you are [just] fine with the ObamaCare 
     nightmare. . . .
       That's a position that even Democrats have found hard to 
     defend. Remember President Clinton called ObamaCare ``the 
     craziest thing in the world'' and a Democratic Governor said 
     it's ``no longer affordable.''

  You won't hear me say this often, but they are right.
  I hope colleagues will consider ObamaCare's history of failures--the 
unaffordable costs, the scarce choices, the burden on middle-class 
families--as they cast their vote this afternoon. I urge them to 
remember the families who are hurting under this collapsing law.
  Numerous Kentuckians, like so many others across the Nation, have 
conveyed their heartbreaking stories with my office through phone 
calls, letters, meetings, and dozen of healthcare forums all across 
Kentucky. These families are suffering under ObamaCare. They need 
relief. I will be thinking about them as I vote to proceed to the bill 
today. I know many other colleagues will do the same.
  Our constituents are hurting under ObamaCare. They are counting on us 
to do the right thing right now. That means voting to allow the Senate 
to finally move beyond ObamaCare's failures. That is what I intend to 
do. That is what I urge every colleague to do.
  We can do better than ObamaCare. We have a responsibility to the 
American people to do that. Today's vote to begin debate is the first 
step, and we should take it.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sullivan). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


                           Order of Procedure

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following 
my remarks, the Democratic leader be recognized to use his leader time 
for up to 20 minutes; and that following his remarks, the Senator from 
Nebraska, Mrs. Fischer, be recognized to suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.


                   Recognition of the Minority Leader

  The Democratic leader is recognized.


                               Healthcare

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, in a few short hours, we will vote on the 
motion to proceed to the House Republican healthcare bill. I will have 
more to say on the matter prior to the vote.
  At the moment, no one knows the plan that is being cooked up in the 
Republican leader's office, but it seems to be his intention to do 
whatever it takes to pass anything, no matter how small, to get the 
House and Senate Republicans into a conference on healthcare.
  Surprisingly, I have heard that my friend, the junior Senator from 
Kentucky, will vote yes on the motion to proceed. He announced it 
himself. It is true he will likely get a vote on the motion to repeal 
without replace, but surely he knows that will fail. Why then would the 
junior Senator from Kentucky--a man who has preached the repeal of the 
Affordable Care Act root and branch, a man who proselytized that 
Republicans should stop at nothing short of full repeal--why would the 
junior Senator from Kentucky vote on the motion to proceed knowing he 
will not get what he wants? It is because, I believe, he and some of 
the others in this body know that if the Senate manages to pass 
something to get to conference in the House, the likely compromise in 
the conference is either a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act or 
something close to it. It will certainly mean drastic cuts in Medicaid, 
huge tax cuts for the rich, no healthcare for those with preexisting 
conditions, and millions and millions losing healthcare, particularly 
in our poorer and more brutal States. That is the only thing our 
Republicans have been able to agree on.

  The hard-right Freedom Caucus in the House would never accept a 
Republican bill that only repeals a few regulations in the ACA but 
leaves much of it in place. No, they want full repeal, and, at minimum, 
deep cuts to Medicaid, huge tax breaks for the wealthy, and millions in 
every State in this Nation losing their healthcare.
  To my Republican friends who have repeatedly said that full repeal 
without replace would be a disaster and to my Republican friends who 
have opposed the deep and drastic cuts to Medicaid, I say: Don't be 
fooled by this ruse. A vote in favor of the motion to proceed will mean 
deep cuts to Medicaid, maybe even deeper than in the House bill. It 
will mean people with preexisting conditions will be left high and dry. 
It will mean huge tax breaks for the wealthiest of Americans. It will 
mean millions will lose their coverage.
  So with all the complaining, why are we here at this late moment? 
Because even the House bill was too drastic for many of the Members 
here, and it is now being ignored on this motion to proceed, and 
because we all know the ruse that is going on. The ruse is this: Send 
it back to the House; then, we will see what they send us. We know what 
they will send us. We may not know every detail. It will either be full 
repeal without replace or something far too close to that, and all of 
the work and all of the anguish that so many of my colleagues on the 
other side of the aisle have shown in the last several weeks will be 
wasted because they know darn well what is going to happen when there 
is a conference.
  There are no Democratic votes in the House. The Freedom Caucus calls 
the shots. They will either ask for full repeal or something very close 
to it. Make no mistake about it. A vote in favor of the motion to 
proceed this afternoon will be a permission slip to slash Medicaid, 
hurt millions, and give huge tax cuts for the wealthy--something the 
vast majority of Americans in every State, a large percentage of 
Republicans and Trump voters, abhor.
  One last plea to my colleagues: Do not fall for the ruse that the 
majority leader is putting together. We know what is going on. We all 
know. Our constituents will not be fooled--oh, no. We on this side are 
not fooled--oh, no. I hope my colleagues who, out of compassion and 
care for the people in their States, have made such a fuss up to now 
will not be fooled either.


         Comments of the President on Attorney General Sessions

  Mr. President, in recent days, President Trump has gone out of his 
way to undermine his own Attorney General, his first supporter--what 
has been reported to be his best friend in the Senate. He has tweeted 
scathing criticism of Attorney General Sessions and chastised him 
publicly for recusing himself from the Russia investigation and several 
other perceived failures, in the eyes of the President.
  We should all take a moment to think of how shocking these comments 
are on a human basis. This is the first person who stuck his neck out 
for Donald Trump and who was with him through thick and thin. Now, even 
if the President has disagreements with him--which I think are ill-
founded and self-centered and wrong--you don't ridicule him in public--
someone who is your close friend. That speaks to character.
  But I would like to speak to the major issue before us, which is 
related. It is clear that President Trump is trying to bully his own 
Attorney General out of office. How can anyone draw a different 
conclusion? If President Trump had serious criticisms of his Attorney 
General, why not talk to him in person? Why air his grievances so 
publicly? He wants him out. Here is the danger. Many Americans must be 
wondering if the President is trying to pry open the Office of Attorney 
General to appoint someone during the August recess who will fire 
Special Counsel Mueller and shut down the Russia investigation.
  First, let me state for the record now, before this scheme gains 
wings, that Democrats will never go along with the recess appointment 
if that situation arises. We have some tools in our toolbox to stymie 
such action. We are ready to use every single one of them at any time, 
day or night. It is so vital to the future of the Republic.

[[Page S4167]]

  Second, I cannot imagine that my friends on the Republican side, 
particularly in the Republican leadership--my friend the majority 
leader, who I have great respect for, and Speaker Ryan--would be 
complicit in creating a constitutional crisis. They must work with us 
and not open the door to a constitutional crisis during the August 
recess.


                             Sanctions Bill

  Mr. President, on one last item, I know there is a lot going on 
today, but I just want to mention one item from the House of 
Representatives. Later, the House is going to take up and, hopefully, 
pass with near unanimity a sanctions bill that includes strong 
sanctions against Russia, Iran, and North Korea. It is critical that 
the Senate act promptly on this legislation.
  I will work with the majority leader, as I have in recent weeks, to 
ensure its swift passage so we can get it to the President's desk 
before we leave for recess.
  Thank you, Mr. President.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nebraska.
  Mrs. FISCHER. 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.
  Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Kennedy). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

                          ____________________