    [Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 2018)]
    [Senate]
    [Pages S119-S122]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                             Funding the Government

      Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, just last week we began the second
    session of the 115th Congress. We are now safely into 2018, and we
    should be talking about what we can accomplish for the American people
    in the new year. We simply face a long list of unfinished business from
    2017--last year--and, unfortunately, we have a very short window in
    which to get it done.
      We are 4 months into fiscal year 2018, and we still don't have a
    budget deal. I am vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee. We
    should have had this done long before now. Our agencies are operating
    under last year's funding levels. They have little flexibility to
    handle the problems they face today.
      We still haven't reauthorized the Children's Health Insurance
    Program, what we call CHIP, so that puts the healthcare of 9 million
    children at risk. These are American children.
      Nearly 800,000 Dreamers live under uncertainty and fear of
    deportation, living in the country they have known most of their lives.
    I don't know how anybody, Republican or Democrat, could call this
    acceptable.
      Now, I know the Republicans control the House, they control the
    Senate, and they control the White House. They are in charge. They have
    to show responsibility and show leadership on these issues, but instead
    of addressing these issues, last year the Republican leadership spent
    time rolling back sensible regulations designed to protect the American
    consumer, designed to protect our environment, and designed to protect
    people from harassment in the workplace. They rolled those all back,
    and then they passed a massive tax cut for big corporations and the
    wealthiest of Americans.
      We Democrats have been calling for bipartisan budget talks since
    June--7 months ago. We have passed three continuing resolutions since
    September of last year to give us more time to strike a deal on the
    budget and Dreamers and CHIP and disaster funding. These are just to
    name a few, but they are enormously important to the people who are
    experiencing the disasters or who have children who need healthcare or
    who are Dreamers. Yet, on the 102nd day of the fiscal year, there are
    only 9 days until the next fiscal cliff, and we don't have a budget
    deal.
      President Trump said months ago that the country could use a good
    government shutdown. I don't agree with

    [[Page S120]]

    him, but I am beginning to think that is exactly what his party is
    angling for--a manufactured crisis to distract from the fact that they
    are not doing their job.
      The Washington Post seemed to confirm this last December, when it
    reported the President privately told people that a government shutdown
    would be good for him politically. In all of my years in the Senate--I
    have been here under Republican and Democratic Presidents alike--I have
    never heard such damaging rhetoric come from the President of the
    United States.
      Nobody wants a government shutdown--nobody. It is devastating to
    people not only throughout the government but to people throughout the
    whole country. However, that seems to be what they are vying for.
      For months, I have been calling for a bipartisan budget deal that is
    based on parity--equal increases for defense and nondefense programs--
    that would provide relief from sequestration. I agree with the
    Republicans and Democrats who say military readiness has suffered under
    sequestration but so has our Nation's economy, so has our educational
    system, so has our infrastructure, and so has our care for our
    veterans.

      If we want to combat the problems caused by sequestration, we have to
    raise the caps on both sides of the ledger. Fixing one side of the
    equation will not address the needs of our Nation and, even worse, will
    actually shortchange our military.
      If we don't invest in our economy, if we don't invest in the
    education of our youth, the military will not have expert, qualified
    soldiers, the men and women on whom they rely. If we don't invest in
    our diplomacy, our Nation and the world become less safe. If we don't
    improve our cyber security defenses and our physical infrastructure, we
    become soft targets for those who would do us harm, both in this
    country and outside this country. If we don't care for our veterans, we
    are not going to have young men and women who are willing to serve.
      This week, the majority leader came to the floor making the case for
    increased defense spending. He asked us to listen to our nonpartisan
    military leaders about what they think is needed to keep this country
    safe. I couldn't agree more.
      To that end, I have two letters signed by a combined 560 retired
    admirals, generals, and other former military members. I ask unanimous
    consent to have these letters printed in the Record following my
    remarks.
      I have no idea what these admirals', generals', and others' political
    parties are, but they make the case that we have to increase our
    investment in domestic priorities--including education and childcare,
    as well as diplomacy--if we are going to keep our country safe and
    support our military. Secretary of Defense Mattis said even more
    bluntly: If we do not fully fund the State Department, we should be
    prepared to buy more ammunition for our military.
      The wisdom of our military leaders notwithstanding, Republicans
    appear to be dug in. They claim equal increases for both defense and
    nondefense programs would add too much to our deficit and burden our
    children. It is one over the other. It is hard to have somebody say
    that with a straight face in the wake of the President signing a tax
    bill to add $1.5 trillion to our Nation's debt and to benefit primarily
    large corporations and the wealthiest Americans. You can't make the
    argument that we can't afford to take care of our domestic needs. It is
    simply not credible.
      Budget negotiations are not the only place where Republicans haven't
    engaged in a productive way. President Trump's decision to end the DACA
    Program has put nearly 800,000 Dreamers in this country in an untenable
    position. The decision was as cruel as it was senseless. It may make a
    tweet that people look at, but if you are one of those Dreamers and you
    are on your way to school and are expecting a scholarship to college
    and you don't know if you are going to be in this country tomorrow,
    that is not a tweet.
      The President should have worked with Congress. He should have found
    a permanent legislative solution while keeping DACA protections in
    place. I believe he terminated the program under false pretenses,
    yielding to xenophobic voices in his administration, and last night a
    Federal judge issued an order that said just that: Terminating DACA was
    not required under the law--far from it. But a court order that only
    temporarily halts the administration from dismantling DACA provides
    little comfort to Dreamers. They live each and every day uncertain of
    the future and with fear of deportation.
      Now, I have heard Members of the Senate trying to decide at what time
    we are going to finish voting for the week. Their big fear is this: Are
    we going to make our flight home?
      Dreamers have to worry if their flight is going to be out of this
    country and back to a country they don't even know. They worry if they
    will have to leave the country they know and love.
      Dreamers are Americans in every way, except on paper. They were
    brought here as children, through no fault of their own. They are law-
    abiding members of our community. They attend school. They serve as
    doctors and teachers. They defend our homeland as brave men and women
    in uniform.
      This is a crisis of the President's own making. Now, Congress needs
    to pick up the pieces. I hope, after the meeting yesterday, we will be
    allowed to pick up the pieces. We have spent months trying to find a
    path forward, but you can't find one if the administration keeps moving
    the goalposts.
      We need to address the fate of the Dreamers now. You can take a poll
    in this country. The American people want us to. Also, look at the
    broad bipartisan support on display yesterday at the White House.
    Republicans and Democrats want to fix the mess that the President
    created. A solution should be within our grasp.
      The White House has made unreasonable demands, such as $18 billion of
    American tax dollars to build a wall on the southern border, in
    exchange for Dreamers. The $18 billion wall is last century's solution.
    It does nothing for this century.
      If they really believe Mexico is going to pay for it, I have a
    solution. Open a bank account and, as Mexico sends us money, then use
    it to build a wall. Don't ask the American taxpayers, who are strapped
    at home, to pay for something the President says the Mexicans will pay
    for. Open an account, find out if they are telling the truth, let the
    money come into the account, and then build it.
      But, worse, don't use the Dreamers as negotiable commodities. They
    are not commodities. They are human beings. They are people who deserve
    to have their dreams. Let's pass a bill--we could do it this week--
    protecting Dreamers now. Republicans control the House, the Senate, and
    the White House. This is their government.
      We have a week and a half before the next continuing resolution
    expires. We have a lot to do. Let's get serious. Let's get to work. I
    am willing to work here every day, every night, right through the
    weekend. Let's get it done. We are not doing it for us. We are doing it
    for all the American people. Let's do it for all the American people--
    not for special interests, not for one party. Let's do it for all the
    American people. It could be done, if we want to.
      There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
    the Record, as follows:

                                                   Mission: Readiness,

                                     Council for a Strong America,

                                                         May 30, 2017.
           Members of Congress: As retired admirals and generals, we
         know from our experience that no matter how much we spend to
         build our military and procure the latest and greatest
         technology, we will never be a secure nation if we do not
         have qualified and skilled men and women to fill the ranks of
         our Armed Forces. Therefore, investing in education for our
         youngest children, which is the foundation of our future
         national security, is essential. Accordingly, we urge
         Congress to prioritize investments in early childhood
         programs, including funding for Head Start, the Child Care
         and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), and Preschool
         Development Grants in FY18 Labor, Health and Human Services,
         Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.
           Mission: Readiness is the national security organization of
         retired top military leaders that recognize the strength of
         our military depends on our people. The stunning fact is that
         today, 71 percent of young adults ages 17 to 24 cannot
         qualify for military service because they are too poorly
         educated, medically or physically unfit, or have a
         disqualifying record of crime or drug abuse. if these issues
         are not addressed, the Nation risks a shortage of qualified
         recruits--one that will leave the country vulnerable for
         years to come.

    [[Page S121]]

           Mounting research shows that the early years of life have
         an incredible impact on educational attainment, behaviors and
         health. High-quality early interventions can help vulnerable
         children succeed in school, stay on the right side of the law
         and achieve a healthy weight in the long-term. These outcomes
         open the doors for many career paths, including military
         service.
           Long-term studies of early education programs show
         impressive differences in children's educational outcomes. A
         recent analysis of Head Start outcomes, comparing siblings
         who did versus did not attend the program, found participants
         showing increased probability of graduating from high school,
         attending college, and receiving a postsecondary credential.
         High-quality state preschool programs have also demonstrated
         lasting effects on students' elementary-school performance.
         New Jersey's preschool program, for example, found that
         children in the program were three-quarters of a year ahead
         in math and two-thirds of a year ahead in literacy in the
         fourth and fifth grades.
           While Congress faces tough spending choices ahead to secure
         and protect our Nation, we know that the backbone of our
         military is, and will always be, our women and men in
         uniform. As a matter of national security, in order to grow
         the pool of eligible recruits, Congress must prioritize
         investments in early childhood programs, including funding
         for Head Start, the Child Care and Development Block Grant
         (CCDBG), and Preschool Development Grants.
           Signed by a combined 424 retired admirals, generals, and
         other former military members.
                                      ____

                                                    February 27, 2017.
         Hon. Paul Ryan,
         Speaker of the House,
         House of Representatives.
         Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
         Minority Leader,
         House of Representatives.
         Hon. Mitch McConnell,
         Majority Leader,
         U.S. Senate.
         Hon. Chuck Schumer,
         Minority Leader,
         U.S. Senate.
           Dear Speaker Ryan, Minority Leader Pelosi, Majority Leader
         McConnell, and Minority Leader Schumer: As you and your
         colleagues address the federal budget for Fiscal Year 2018,
         we write as retired three and four star flag and general
         officers from all branches of the armed services to share our
         strong conviction that elevating and strengthening diplomacy
         and development alongside defense are critical to keeping
         America safe.
           We know from our service in uniform that many of the crises
         our nation faces do not have military solutions alone--from
         confronting violent extremist groups like ISIS in the Middle
         East and North Africa to preventing pandemics like Ebola and
         stabilizing weak and fragile states that can lead to greater
         instability. There are 65 million displaced people today, the
         most since World War II, with consequences including refugee
         flows that are threatening America's strategic allies in
         Israel, Jordan, Turkey, and Europe.
           The State Department, USAID, Millennium Challenge
         Corporation, Peace Corps and other development agencies are
         critical to preventing conflict and reducing the need to put
         our men and women in uniform in harm's way. As Secretary
         James Mattis said while Commander of U.S. Central Command,
         ``If you don't fully fund the State Department, then I need
         to buy more ammunition.'' The military will lead the fight
         against terrorism on the battlefield, but it needs strong
         civilian partners in the battle against the drivers of
         extremism--lack of opportunity, insecurity, injustice, and
         hopelessness.
           We recognize that America's strategic investments in
         diplomacy and development--like all of U.S. investments--must
         be effective and accountable. Significant reforms have been
         undertaken since 9/11, many of which have been embodied in
         recent legislation in Congress with strong bipartisan
         support--on human trafficking, the rights of women and girls,
         trade and energy in Africa, wildlife trafficking, water, food
         security, and transparency and accountability.
           We urge you to ensure that resources for the International
         Affairs Budget keep pace with the growing global threats and
         opportunities we face. Now is not the time to retreat.
           cc: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
           cc: Secretary of Defense James Mattis.
           cc: National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster.
           Signed by a combined 121 retired admirals, generals, and
         other former military members.

      Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, 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. LEAHY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
    for the quorum call be rescinded.
      The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
      Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, my colleague from Vermont, Senator Bernie
    Sanders, wrote what I feel was a terrific op-ed about why we should not
    and do not need to close down the government, why we can do our work
    and why we should, and that people rely on us, too.
      Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the op-ed be printed in
    the Record.
      There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
    the Record, as follows:

                    [From the Washington Post, Jan. 8, 2018]

                     It's on Republicans To Stop a Shutdown

                              (By Bernie Sanders)

           I do not know why President Trump and the Republican
         Party--which controls the White House, the Senate and the
         House--are so willing to shut down the government. Maybe they
         think it will be good for them politically. Maybe they
         believe the chaos created by a government shutdown would be a
         welcome distraction from the ongoing Russia investigation
         being conducted by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.
         Whatever the motives of the Republican leadership, one thing
         is clear: A government shutdown would be disastrous for the
         American people.
           A shutdown would harm tens of millions of working-class
         families who would be unable to access vital services. It
         would disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands of federal
         employees who would not receive the paychecks they expected.
         It would endanger members of the U.S. military who are
         putting their lives on the line defending our nation.
           Congress has a responsibility to the American people to
         prevent a shutdown and work in a bipartisan manner to reach a
         fair budget agreement that addresses the very serious
         problems facing the working people of our country.
           Unfortunately, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-
         Ky.) ratcheted up threats of a government shutdown last week
         by insisting on ending the long-standing, bipartisan
         agreement over parity for defense and non-defense spending.
         This principle of parity is enormously important for working
         families and is something that cannot be terminated. If we do
         not act, funding for education, child care, health care,
         nutrition assistance, affordable housing and other important
         domestic programs will be at a 40-year low as a percentage of
         our economy.
           As the middle class continues to shrink, cuts to non-
         defense spending would cause even worse economic pain to
         working families, the elderly, children, the sick and the
         most vulnerable. Meanwhile, as Trump and the Republicans
         demand an unbelievable $100 billion increase in military
         spending over the next two years, the Defense Department has
         been inoculated from budget cuts over the past several years
         because of the Overseas Contingency Operations loophole--a
         special account not subject to spending caps established by
         Congress in 2011.
           Providing parity in these budget negotiations means, among
         other things, fully funding--without offsets--the Children's
         Health Insurance Program for 9 million kids and community
         health centers for 27 million Americans. It means increased
         funding for the Social Security Administration and the
         Veterans Administration so they can provide guaranteed
         benefits to seniors and veterans who have earned them. It
         means keeping our obligations to more than 1.5 million
         workers and retirees who are about to lose a large part of
         the pensions they were promised. It means addressing the
         crisis of student debt, expanding child care, improving our
         crumbling infrastructure in rural America and protecting our
         national parks. It means providing help in the national
         struggle against opioid and heroin addiction.
           Furthermore, as part of the budget negotiations, we must
         also provide adequate disaster relief to Texas, Florida,
         Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, as well as assistance to
         the Western states recovering from terrible wildfires.
           Finally, Trump added even more fuel to the fire when he
         decided to use 800,000 ``dreamers'' as a bargaining chip for
         an $18 billion wall that the overwhelming majority of
         Americans do not want. These dreamers are young people who
         have lived in this country for almost their entire lives.
         They go to school. They work. They serve in the U.S.
         military. The United States is their home; they know no
         other. For Trump and the Republican leadership to allow their
         legal status to expire, and to subject them to deportation,
         would be one of the cruelest acts in modern American history.
         It must not be allowed to happen.
           This is not just my viewpoint. It's what the American
         people want. A recent Quinnipiac University poll showed that
         77 percent of the American people, including a large majority
         of Republicans, support providing legal protections for the
         dreamers. The Republican Congress must act. A clean Dream Act
         must be signed into law as part of any budget agreement.
           The American people are increasingly disgusted with a
         government that protects the interests of the wealthy and the
         powerful, while ignoring the needs of the vulnerable. The
         U.S. government must do more than provide huge tax breaks to
         billionaires, callously deport young people, greatly expand
         military spending, end net neutrality, deny the reality of
         climate change and threaten to cut Social Security, Medicare,
         Medicaid, education and nutrition programs. We must pass a
         budget agreement that addresses the needs of Americans and
         not just billionaire campaign contributors.

    [[Page S122]]

      Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, 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. BARRASSO. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
    for the quorum call be rescinded.
      The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.