[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 122 (Thursday, July 19, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5087-S5088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              S. Res. 583

  Mr. COONS. Madam President, I join my colleague from Arizona in 
briefly remarking on my regret that our resolution was not adopted 
today.
  It does call for the full implementation of mandatory sanctions as 
discussed at some length. It does not call for the reckless 
implementation of mandatory sanctions.
  There is a significant range of sanctions already provided for in 
this law, adopted 98 to 2 by this body, that have not yet been adopted. 
I recognize that this resolution, standing strong behind the Department 
of Justice, the intelligence community, and its ongoing investigation 
is, as was referenced, a symbolic act, but there are moments when 
symbolism and standing together are important.
  I look forward to continuing to work closely with my colleague and 
friend from Arizona to ensure that this resolution is adopted, that the 
American people and the men and women of our Federal law enforcement 
agencies and our intelligence community understand that this body 
strongly supports them and their work and sees clearly the ongoing and 
continuing threat to

[[Page S5088]]

our democracy posed by President Putin and Putin's Russia.
  Thank you.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, first, before I talk about the 
resolution Senators Menendez, Schatz, and I have authored that will be 
voted on at 1:45 p.m., I would like to say a few words about the work 
the Senators from Delaware and Arizona did and my severe disappointment 
that there was objection from the Republican leadership.
  The bottom line is very simple. President Trump has put our country 
in a foreign policy crisis. President Trump has weakened the security 
of this country. A resolution is the minimum we can do. We should be 
acting.
  The idea that we cannot even pass a resolution in this body because 
of the objection on the other side, when this was done in a bipartisan, 
careful way by the Senators from Arizona and Delaware, shows something 
very bad. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are so cowered 
by a President that they cannot stand up for national security. They 
cannot stand up to Vladimir Putin, just as the President seems not to 
be able to.
  I have one more point. From what I am told, one of the major 
objections from the other side was that Congress wished the 
contemporaneous notes from that secret 2-hour meeting be made 
available. That is key.
  What are they hiding? What are they afraid of? The American people 
have a right to know what went on in that meeting, particularly when 
President Putin gets up and talks about some agreements that it seems 
not even our high-ranking officials in the State and Defense 
Departments and intelligence agencies know about. This is amazing.
  We have come to a really low moment in this body when a bipartisan 
resolution that is rather modest and limited--I had talked to the 
Senator from Delaware. He knows I wanted much more in this resolution, 
but in an effort to get something done, we limited it.
  In my view--the view of most Americans--the notes should be made 
available. The translator should be made available. The translator 
wasn't specifically referred to in this resolution, but when they 
talked about relevant people coming, my view--and I believe the view of 
the Senator from Delaware--was that would include the translator. I am 
not sure if it was the view of the Senator from Arizona. It doesn't 
matter. We are not even passing this resolution.
  I have to say, this was a moment for bipartisanship. This was a 
moment for America pulling together. This was a moment, when the 
President doesn't served the country well, that Americans of all 
parties, all ideologies come together and fill that void and undo the 
misdeeds that occurred in Helsinki.
  Unfortunately, because of weakness, fear--my guess is, if you looked 
inside the hearts and minds of every Member on the other side, all but 
maybe one or two would feel this is the right resolution, but they are 
afraid. Fear will not get us anywhere. Letting a bully push us around, 
meaning President Putin, as he pushed President Trump around, will not 
serve this country well. It is a sad moment that this resolution was 
rejected.