[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 109 (Thursday, June 27, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4599-S4604]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             CLOTURE MOTION

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before 
the Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will state.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on amendment No. 
     764, as modified, to S. 1790, a bill to authorize 
     appropriations for fiscal year 2020 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.
         James M. Inhofe, Roger F. Wicker, Johnny Isakson, Steve 
           Daines, Roy Blunt, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Kevin Cramer, Deb 
           Fischer, Mitch McConnell, Pat Roberts, John Cornyn, 
           Mike Crapo, Mike Rounds, John Thune, John Hoeven, Thom 
           Tillis, John Boozman.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum 
call has been waived.
  The question is, Is it the sense of the Senate that debate on 
amendment No. 764, offered by the Senator from Kentucky, as modified, 
to S. 1790, an original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
year 2020 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for 
military construction, for defense activities of the Department of 
Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, 
and for other purposes, shall be brought to a close?
  The yeas and nays are mandatory.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from South Dakota (Mr. Rounds).
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet), 
the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from 
California (Ms. Harris), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and 
the Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sasse). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 87, nays 7, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 186 Leg.]

                                YEAS--87

     Alexander
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Braun
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johnson
     Jones
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Lankford
     Leahy
     Manchin
     McConnell
     McSally
     Menendez
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Perdue
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--7

     Booker
     Klobuchar
     Lee
     Markey
     Merkley
     Paul
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--6

     Bennet
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Rounds
     Sanders
     Warren
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 87, the nays are 7.
  Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn having voted in 
the affirmative, the motion is agreed to.


               Amendment Nos. 864, 863, and 862 Withdrawn

  Under the previous order, amendment Nos. 864, 863, and 862 are 
withdrawn.
  The Democratic leader.


                           Amendment No. 861

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for 2 minutes, 
equally divided.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I am voting in favor of the Romney 
amendment, No. 861, because it does nothing more than restate the 
longstanding principle that the Armed Forces of the United States have 
the ability to defend themselves and citizens of the United States from 
foreign attack. The

[[Page S4600]]

amendment does not constitute an authorization to use military force, 
nor is there anything in the amendment that confers any new authority 
on the President.
  As Senator Romney, the author of the amendment, stated on the floor a 
half-hour ago, ``[t]his [amendment] is not an authorization to use 
military force against Iran or anyone else. . . . Under the 
Constitution, only Congress may declare war.''
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah.
  Mr. ROMNEY. Mr. President, I will reassert the same thing I just 
heard from the minority leader. I appreciate his words.
  This amendment would reaffirm a basic principle. The United States 
has the right to defend itself and our citizens when attacked. It 
asserts what has always been a bedrock constitutional principle. This 
is not an AUMF. It is not an authorization for the use of military 
force.
  Passing my amendment today would send a strong signal to our 
adversaries that we will defend ourselves if our interests, our people, 
our military, our allies are threatened and attacked.
  My amendment is something that I believe everyone in this body can 
and should support.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Cloture having been invoked, the motion to 
recommit and the amendments pending thereto fall.
  All postcloture time is expired.
  The question is on agreeing to amendment (No. 861), offered by the 
Senator from Kentucky, Mr. McConnell, on behalf of the Senator from 
Utah, Mr. Romney.
  The yeas and nays were previously ordered.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from South Dakota (Mr. Rounds).
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet), 
the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from 
California (Ms. Harris), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and 
the Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Young). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 90, nays 4, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 187 Leg.]

                                YEAS--90

     Alexander
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Braun
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Heinrich
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johnson
     Jones
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Klobuchar
     Lankford
     Lee
     Manchin
     Markey
     McConnell
     McSally
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Paul
     Perdue
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden
     Young

                                NAYS--4

     Booker
     Duckworth
     Hirono
     Leahy

                             NOT VOTING--6

     Bennet
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Rounds
     Sanders
     Warren
  The amendment (No. 861) was agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 5 
minutes on the NDAA.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                                S. 1790

  Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise to speak on the importance of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 legislation 
that authorizes $750 billion for defense, consistent with the 
administration's budget request and the National Defense Strategy 
Commission report.
  The NDAA is a critical piece of legislation. It supports our Armed 
Forces, our men and women in uniform, and provides for the defense of 
our Nation. Among its notable provisions, the bill supports a 3.1-
percent pay increase for the members of our armed services, the largest 
in nearly a decade and very much deserved by the men and women in 
uniform who protect us.
  It establishes a Space Force and ensures that America retains its 
leadership in this critical domain. It opens the way for significant 
investments in new weapons systems, such as hypersonic missiles and 
directed energy weapons along with missile defense and cyber security 
capabilities. It also responds to concerns about family housing across 
the Department of Defense.
  Importantly, the bill continues to provide for the modernization of 
our nuclear forces. This legislation fully authorizes fiscal year 2020 
spending on our nuclear deterrent, including support for all three legs 
of the Nation's nuclear triad. It also fully authorizes the warhead 
life extension programs at the Department of Energy.
  I want to highlight a couple of amendments I worked on and are 
included in the legislation relative to modernizing our nuclear triad. 
One of the amendments that has been included requires that the Air 
Force and the National Nuclear Security Administration report to 
Congress on the development of the next intercontinental ballistic 
missile and the W87-1, which is a modified warhead that will be placed 
on the new ICBM for decades to come.
  It is vital that the Air Force's missile development program, known 
as the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, GBSD, be synchronized with the 
W87-1 warhead so that a decade from now, we have a complete new weapons 
system that is ready for deployment. My amendment will help ensure that 
the deployment will happen on schedule and avoid unnecessary delays in 
that development.
  The other amendment highlights the importance of our Nation's ICBM 
force and demonstrates how ICBMs enhance deterrence as a part of the 
triad. ICBMs provide the most prompt and most dispersed segment of our 
nuclear forces, and they magnify the deterrent power of our nuclear 
triad.
  I commend my colleagues for their support of these amendments, which 
is a strong statement of the continuing importance of the ICBM and the 
need to ensure that it is modernized along with the rest of our nuclear 
forces in order to keep us safe.
  The bill is also critically important for military activities in my 
home State of North Dakota. Specifically, we worked to secure a number 
of provisions to support the missions at the Minot Air Force Base, 
which is home to two of the three legs of the nuclear triad. 
Importantly, the NDAA authorizes funding for B-52s, including the 
procurement of new engines. As a member of the Senate Defense 
Appropriations Committee, I have worked to authorize and appropriate 
money for new engines which will help modernize the B-52 and extend its 
life for years to come.
  The NDAA also advances replacement of the Vietnam-era Huey 
helicopters that provide security for the missile fields, and it 
supports the construction of a new helicopter facility at Minot to 
house the Huey replacement. It also makes a strong commitment to the 
Long-Range Stand Off, LRSO, Program that will provide a new nuclear 
cruise missile for the B-52, as well as continuing to advance the 
investments in GBSD.
  The bill also supports priorities at Grand Forks Air Force Base, 
which is home to the Global Hawk, which provides important 
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities for the Air 
Force. In fact, it was the Navy version of the Global Hawk which was 
recently shot down in the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.
  The bill authorizes more than $240 million for the Global Hawk 
Program and more than $115 million for the Battlefield Airborne 
Communications Node that is carried on the Global Hawk Block 20 
aircraft. These investments in the Global Hawk have been a priority 
because the Global Hawk BACN system is urgently needed to provide 
communications support for operations around the world.

[[Page S4601]]

  Finally, I would like to emphasize support for items that some of my 
colleagues put forward that I think are critically important both for 
my State and for the Nation as a whole.
  I am pleased to cosponsor an amendment from Senator Graham that 
commits us over the next decade to building our capacity to produce 
plutonium pits. We must build up this capacity so we can extend the 
life of our nuclear stockpile and preserve our nuclear deterrent in the 
future.
  I also cosponsored an amendment from Senator Murkowski that requires 
the Defense Department to report on Russian and Chinese activities in 
the Arctic, which is an area of the world where we need to build up our 
capabilities in the coming years.
  I would similarly express my support for Senator Hawley's amendment 
that requires a report from our military commanders on their ability to 
deter aggressive actions from Russia and China. I hope that can be 
included on this legislation as well.
  The bill also includes an important provision from Senator Klobuchar 
that I cosponsored to help ensure that the children of National Guard 
and Reserve servicemembers have access to additional support services 
in schools.
  I cosponsored a provision from Senator Baldwin, who joins me on the 
floor today, that will protect veterans' benefits if and when they have 
to file for bankruptcy. I am pleased to cosponsor her amendment.
  All of these items demonstrate just what a large undertaking the 
National Defense Authorization Act really is. It includes thousands of 
provisions and represents a lot of work from many Members in support of 
our military servicemembers and their families.
  I look forward to passing the legislation today and moving it to 
conference and getting it enacted into law for our men and women in 
uniform.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.


                             Fourth of July

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, I am so grateful we had the 
opportunity to be on the floor this week and to have a discussion about 
our Nation's security and how we protect and preserve freedom. I have 
just a couple of thoughts that I wanted to bring forward as we begin to 
think about July 4th and Independence Day and how we commemorate that 
day and do honor to the heritage and the tradition of that day and of 
the freedoms that we enjoy.
  I came across something this week that I think is just so pertinent 
to our discussions of this week as we focus on freedom. In 1826, a very 
feeble and old John Adams received a group of Quincy, MA, town leaders. 
They were seeking his help in planning an anniversary celebration of 
the Declaration of Independence. They wanted the former President to 
pen a toast that would be read at the event. Imagine their surprise 
when what they got from John Adams was two words. The toast that he 
penned for them was simply this: ``Independence forever.'' It is what 
we had fought for, what had been won, what people had desired, and 
their passion--independence.
  Keeping that independence is indeed the task. I am certain they 
wanted something much more ambitious and eloquent, but they simply got 
the nugget of what centered him and what should center us.
  In the Declaration, our Founding Fathers recognized that 
``Governments long established should not be changed for light and 
transient causes,'' but that true liberty could not thrive in the grasp 
of tyranny.
  Today, freedom reveals itself in the lives and actions of every 
American, and it is our responsibility to preserve it on the 
battlefield and through our actions each and every single day.
  With every confirmation of a district or a circuit court judge, we 
preserve an essential right guaranteed by the First Amendment--the 
right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
  Earlier this month, I introduced a resolution supporting free speech 
on college campuses because it is beyond distressing to hear students 
and their professors argue that encouraging the open exchange of ideas 
amounts to an act of violence. Our Founding Fathers probably never 
dreamed they would hear of such a thing. This proud hostility toward 
diversity of thought should serve as a reminder that questions of 
freedom rarely remain settled.
  Last week, famed economist Dr. Art Laffer, who is a beloved 
Tennessean, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The ``father 
of supply-side economics'' only became so because he was free to learn 
and apply the knowledge that he gained to his own groundbreaking work 
that led to the Laffer curve.
  Looking beyond Washington, it is easy to see many more examples of 
freedom in action each and every day.
  Every Tuesday, my friend and fellow Senator, Lamar Alexander, hosts 
``Tennessee Tuesday.'' This gives us an opportunity to meet with 
Tennesseans who have come to Washington. They are students, small 
businessmen, writers, and teachers. They have a host of talents that 
they share, and they have been allowed to invest in those talents.
  Back home in Nashville, we enjoy the artistry of some of the world's 
most talented songwriters, singers, and producers. Guess what. In the 
United States of America, they do not have to go seek permission from 
any government official to write a song about a broken heart or any 
other act of injustice that they want to write that song about, sing 
that song about, or write that screenplay about.
  The connections we form with each other--whether it be through art, 
song, or a conversation at a cash register--all run deep. The thoughts 
and emotions we experience when confronted with provocative ideas are 
just as much a celebration of freedom as is a flag-raising ceremony or 
a fireworks display. This is why the very idea of censorship or a 
global standard of speech and association rouses immediate dissent.
  We know that these collective understandings regarding a particular 
type of speech or behavior inevitably lead to collective insistence 
that the problems of the world could be resolved if only we could agree 
to compromise on the finer points of freedom. Those understandings 
assume that the intellectual comfort of the many simply must, just this 
once, override the ideas of the vocal minority.
  As we prepare to leave Washington in anticipation of Independence 
Day, I would encourage my friends in Congress to challenge their own 
ideas of what freedom looks like. How do they exercise it and enjoy it 
every day? While John Adams probably never imagined a world of cable 
news and the comments sections, he provided us with the only context we 
need when confronted with the choice of preserving freedom or allowing 
it to slip away--his admonition: ``Independence forever.''
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wisconsin.


                 Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising

  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, I rise today to mark the 50th anniversary 
of a critical milestone in our Nation's march toward equality--the 
Stonewall uprising of June 28, 1969.
  The Stonewall Inn, which opened in 1967 on Christopher Street in 
Greenwich Village in New York City, was one of many establishments in 
cities across this country that served as sanctuaries for members of 
the LGBTQ community from persecution by police and by society at large.
  In the late 1960s, every State in America, save one, criminalized 
same-sex relationships. Many State and local governments also had harsh 
laws that restricted the ability of transgender people to express their 
identities, and LGBTQ people were prohibited from gathering socially. 
As a result, LGBTQ individuals in places like Stonewall Inn, where they 
gathered, were targeted frequently by law enforcement, including the 
New York City Police Department. However, by the late 1960s, LGBTQ 
individuals had already begun to stand up to police harassment, 
including at places like Cooper Do-nuts in Los Angeles in 1959, 
Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco in 1966, and the Black Cat Tavern 
in Los Angeles in 1967.
  In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the NYPD raided the 
Stonewall Inn and arrested several people, just as it had done 
repeatedly over the days, weeks, and months prior. But this night was 
different. A few brave individuals--particularly transgender women of 
color, like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Riviera--stood up and

[[Page S4602]]

fought back against this injustice. That night, they sparked an 
uprising against the NYPD with confrontations and protests at the 
Stonewall Inn and the surrounding area that lasted over the course of 6 
days, until July 3, 1969.
  The Stonewall uprising empowered thousands of LGBTQ individuals to 
emerge from shadows and to come out publicly as they stood up for their 
community the night of June 28, 1969, and beyond, putting their lives 
and their safety at risk.
  Along with public protests in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, 
Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and elsewhere, the 
Stonewall uprising became a catalyst for the LGBTQ civil rights 
movement to secure social and political equality and inspired the 
formation of many advocacy organizations.
  A year later, members of the LGBTQ community commemorated the first 
anniversary of Stonewall and reaffirmed the solidarity of the community 
by organizing the first Pride marches and events in New York City, San 
Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
  Now, we remember and celebrate the Stonewall uprising every year in 
June as Pride Month.
  Three years ago, President Obama declared the Stonewall Inn and its 
surrounding area a national monument, becoming the first national 
monument to commemorate the LGBTQ civil rights movement.
  Last month, New York City announced that it would dedicate a monument 
honoring pioneering transgender activists and key leaders in the 
Stonewall uprising, including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Riviera. It 
would be the first public monument in the world honoring transgender 
women.
  Just a few weeks ago, the NYPD Commissioner issued an official 
apology on behalf of the department stating: ``The actions taken by the 
NYPD were wrong--plain and simple.''
  I was just a kid when the Stonewall uprising happened. I didn't hear 
about Stonewall on the news or even learn about it later in my history 
class. It wasn't until I was in college when, as a part of my own 
coming out process, I began to research the history of the gay rights 
movement and I learned more about the events at Stonewall, the people 
involved, and the movement that it created.
  Five years after Stonewall, in 1974, Kathy Kozachenko became the 
first openly gay person elected to political office in the United 
States, winning a seat on the Ann Arbor City Council in Michigan. Three 
years later, in 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco City 
Council.
  In 1986, I had the honor of winning election to the Dane County Board 
of Supervisors in Madison, WI. It was my first role in elected office, 
but I wasn't the first. In fact, I was the third openly gay person to 
serve on the Dane County Board. I was really fortunate to have role 
models who had come before me.
  In 1998, I became the first openly gay person elected to the U.S. 
House of Representatives as a nonincumbent, and, in 2012, I became the 
first out member of the LGBT community to be elected to the U.S. Senate 
in its history.
  I remember my early years in public office when there were only about 
two dozen or so elected officials who were out across the country. We 
would meet on an annual basis to discuss how we could work together to 
exchange ideas about legislation that would advance equality, and we 
talked about how we would help to expand our numbers at the local, 
State, and national levels. I am proud to say that, today, there are 
more than 700 out LGBT people who are serving in elected office across 
the United States.
  All of these public servants bring their unique life experiences to 
the job, and they give the LGBT community a seat at the table of our 
local, State, and Federal Governmental bodies. Perhaps just as 
importantly, each of these public servants is a role model for the next 
generation. This is important progress, but we are not there yet. We 
have more work to do, and we must keep fighting to move our country 
forward.
  Members of the LGBT community continue to experience bias in policing 
and are still at significant risk of violence and discrimination. 
According to the annual hate crimes report, which is published by the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation, LGBT individuals and, particularly, 
LGBT individuals of color continue to be the target of bias-motivated 
violence, but efforts to address this violence may be hindered by a 
continued lack of trust in law enforcement. At least 100 transgender 
people, primarily women of color, have been murdered in the United 
States since the beginning of 2015.
  No LGBT person in the United States should have to live in fear of 
being the target of violence. In a majority of States in this country, 
LGBT Americans can still be fired, evicted from their homes, or denied 
services because of who they are or whom they love. Because there is no 
explicit, uniform Federal law protecting LGBT people from 
discrimination in education, employment, housing, credit, and more, too 
many Americans are at the mercy of an inadequate patchwork of State and 
local laws.
  The House took a historic step forward last month when it passed the 
Equality Act. It is time for the Senate to do the same so that all LGBT 
Americans, no matter where they live, can finally have the freedom of 
full equality.
  This week, I introduced a Senate resolution to honor the 50th 
anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. It is the first resolution in 
the U.S. Senate to recognize the story of Stonewall. This resolution 
commends the bravery, solidarity, and resiliency of the LGBT community 
in the face of violence and discrimination, both past and present. It 
also condemns violence and discrimination against members of the LGBT 
community and recommits to securing justice, equality, and well-being 
for LGBT people in our country. Stonewall is the story of those who 
came before us and let their voices be heard--of those who bravely 
stood up and spoke out so that others would not feel compelled to live 
in silence or invisibly or in secrecy.
  When we look back at the Stonewall uprising and the activism that 
grew out of that moment, even the most basic progress seemed as if it 
would take a revolution to achieve--so we had one. We should be proud 
of the enormous progress that we have made over the last 50 years. Let 
us remain inspired by the courage of this story, the story of 
Stonewall.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Colorado.


                                S. 1790

  Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, Congress has no greater responsibility 
than providing for a strong national defense and keeping American 
citizens safe.
  The National Defense Authorization Act is one of the most important 
pieces of legislation to be considered by the U.S. Senate. It 
authorizes the weapons systems, programs, and resources that support 
the men and women who serve our country in the Armed Forces. For 
decades, it has been approved with strong, bipartisan support.
  In my home State of Colorado, our military installations, including 
Fort Carson, the Air Force Academy, and Buckley, Peterson, and 
Schriever Air Force Bases, are on the cutting edge of readiness in 
protecting our national security. This legislation is foundational to 
their mission, their work, and our show of support for the military.
  I thank Chairman Inhofe and Ranking Member Reed for their bipartisan 
leadership on the Senate Armed Services Committee and on the floor. The 
tremendous responsibility of providing for national defense cannot be 
overstated, and they have handled the process with respect and the 
seriousness that it deserves. The security of the United States should 
always be more important than any partisan politics, and I appreciate 
their commitment that they have placed on national defense above all 
else.
  I also thank my colleagues for their bipartisan work on the National 
Defense Authorization Act. In working with them, I was able to achieve 
a number of great victories in amendments for Colorado and the Nation 
as well.
  Senator Schatz and I have a bipartisan amendment that will improve 
the public alert system and allow military communities access to clean 
and safe drinking water, which was another

[[Page S4603]]

amendment that we were able to work on.
  I was able to work with Senator Toomey and Senator Van Hollen--
Senators from both sides of the aisle--to impose sanctions on the 
murderous North Korean regime.

  We will also vote today to support a bipartisan effort that I 
authored that will encourage the U.S. Congress to stand with the people 
of Hong Kong and their democratic values while we urge Hong Kong's 
authorities to permanently withdraw their flawed extradition bill and 
support human rights in Hong Kong.
  When one family member serves our country in uniform, the entire 
family serves. This legislation supports military families in Colorado 
and all over the world. It provides the largest pay increase in a 
decade for troops, and it continues to support military spouses. The 
NDAA addresses the challenges that servicemembers and their families 
face when they live in privatized housing, and it expands resources to 
address the PFAS water contamination in many of our military 
communities. This is an issue of life and health, and it matters 
greatly to the people of Colorado. I was pleased to work with my 
colleagues to continue addressing PFAS contamination.
  Of course, in Colorado, we are proud to play a very key role in 
defending the United States. These installations that I talked about 
are critical to national security and supporting our operations in 
space. I am thrilled that this year's NDAA authorizes the U.S. Space 
Force so that the United States can remain a global leader in space and 
not fall behind China or any other foreign competitor.
  Almost everything in today's age relies on space technology--
telecommunications, GPS, transportation logistics, precision 
agriculture, and, of course, the U.S. military. Establishing the U.S. 
Space Force will better organize the military to handle space 
operations and will put all military members who work in the space 
domain under the same organizational umbrella. Colorado is home to the 
North American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. Northern Command, 
and it is the legacy home of the Air Force Space Command. As we 
establish the U.S. Space Force, Colorado is uniquely positioned to 
continue its support of our Nation's military operations in space and 
the mission set that space involves.
  We cannot risk falling behind our foreign competitors in the second 
space age. In order to guarantee the safety and security of American 
citizens, we must maintain our leadership in space operations and 
defense. I urge my colleagues to support the National Defense 
Authorization Act, which supports defense operations across the globe 
and the brave women and men who serve in the U.S. military. I will 
always fight to protect and grow the presence of the U.S. military in 
Colorado and work to ensure that these bases, which are essential to 
both national security and Colorado communities, remain strong.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to vitiate the 
yeas and nays on the substitute amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I and Senator 
Jack Reed be given such time as we shall consume prior to the vote that 
will take place.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, in just a few minutes, the Senate will 
vote on the final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
fiscal year 2020.
  Throughout the last week and a half, we have debated the legislation 
here on the Senate floor in a fair process. I thank my colleagues who 
have supported this bill and have helped to make a better bill through 
the amendment process. While I would have liked to have had more open 
amendments--and Senator Reed and I both wanted to have more amendments 
on the floor--we knew that there was a problem and that we could not do 
that.
  We are pleased that we will at least be able to clear the 93 
amendments that we added on yesterday as part of the bipartisan 
substitute amendment in the manager's package. These include the annual 
Intelligence Authorization Act, the Maritime Administration 
Authorization and Enhancement Act, and the Fentanyl Sanctions Act.
  Ultimately, the job of the NDAA is to make tough choices about where 
we want to invest our resources. We put our resources where they 
matter--in taking care of our people, in implementing the national 
defense strategy, and in applying recommendations from the NDS Strategy 
Commission Report. This is something we have used as a blueprint, and 
it has been very successful in taking us through this process.
  Everyone agrees there are things that are going to have to happen in 
order to rebuild our military. That is why our top line is $750 
billion. Without that, we can't achieve the goals that we all know are 
necessary. It also must happen as soon as possible. We can't delay on 
this bill.
  We still have more work to be done on the NDAA. We need to conference 
it. The Conference Committee can sometimes take a little bit of time. 
We know that is going to be done for us. We know that we want to get 
this thing done by our deadline, which would be October 1.
  In the month of July, we have to do a lot of other things. We have to 
do annual appropriations bills. We have to do the budget deal. So these 
are some of our most important responsibilities. We have to get them 
done, and here is why: Things are happening right now.
  Two days ago, MSG Michael B. Riley of Heilbronn, Germany, and SGT 
James G. Johnston of Trumansburg, NY, lost their lives in Afghanistan 
while engaged in combat operations. It was tragic.
  Their service and sacrifice is a reminder of why this bill is so 
important. We have to make sure our troops have the very best of 
everything, and we are in the process of getting there with this bill.
  Our prayers are with Master Sergeant Riley's and Sergeant Johnston's 
families and loved ones. We will never forget their service or their 
sacrifice that they made, reminding us that freedom is not free.
  There is no doubt in my mind that the NDAA we are about to pass will 
give our troops what they need, make American families safer, and 
enable to us stand up for democratic values around the world.
  Let me single out and thank publicly the next speaker, the ranking 
member, Senator Reed, for being a great partner in this. We stayed 
together on this. We had areas where we disagreed, but we got around 
those, we got things done, and the end result is a very good one.
  I know Senator Reed is going to want to recognize, as I do, the 
significance of the staff we worked with and why that is so important. 
Of course, we want to make sure people know--you know, Senator Reed and 
I get a lot of credit for doing a lot of stuff that other people do. We 
truly appreciate these people.
  Let me list some of them. First of all, John Bonsell and Liz King 
from my staff and from Senator Reed's staff. They are the ones who 
really got involved in this, and we feel, without them, it would have 
been almost impossible--along with other people.
  We had John Wason, Tom Goffus, Stephanie Barna, Diem Salmon, Greg 
Lilly, Marta Hernandez, Jennie Wright, Adam Barker, Augusta Binns-
Berkey, Al Edwards, Jackie Kerber, Sean O'Keefe, Tony Pankuch, Brad 
Patout, Jason Potter, J.R. Riordan, Katie Sutton, Eric Trager, Dustin 
Walker, Otis Winkler, Gwyneth Woolwine, Katie Magnus, Arthur Tellis, 
Leah Brewer, Debbie Chiarello, Gary Howard, Tyler Wilkinson, John 
Bryant, Patty-Jane Geller, Baher Iskander, Keri-Lyn Michalke, 
Jacqueline Modesett, and Soleil Sykes.
  I have a few more so just relax for a minute.
  I think the others are actually from the minority side, and I am sure 
Senator Reed is going to be recognizing them.
  From my personal staff, Luke Holland, Andrew Forbes, Leacy Burke, Don 
Archer, Kyle Stewart, and Bryan Brody.
  Lastly, from the floor staff, that is Laura Dove, Robert Duncan, 
Chris Tuck, Tony Hanagan, Katherine Kilroy, Brian Canfield, Abigail 
Baker, and Megan Mercer.

[[Page S4604]]

  All these people worked hard. They are all a part of this team, and 
it certainly goes far beyond just Senator Reed and myself.
  I yield the floor to Senator Reed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise to join Chairman Inhofe in support of 
the fiscal year 2020 Defense authorization bill. I thank the chairman 
for his great bipartisan leadership, thoughtful, sensible, and 
delivering what I think is an excellent piece of legislation.
  It was based on thorough hearings, discussions, and debate on both 
sides of the aisle, and it came out of the committee with strong 
bipartisan support. I hope it enjoys that support on final passage.
  As the chairman indicated, the bill provides for many different 
aspects that are necessary to our national defense. It provides a pay 
raise for the men and women of our Armed Forces who do so much for us. 
It includes over 30 provisions to address the privatized military 
housing crisis. It authorizes military construction in almost every 
State in this country. It provides funding and authorities for our 
military personnel on the frontlines and for those who are back in the 
United States building the ships and the tanks and advancing the 
technologies we need for the future fight.
  This bill also contains numerous amendments from many of my 
colleagues, again, on both sides of the aisle, on other issues of great 
importance, such as the Intelligence Authorization Act, the 
authorization of the Maritime Administration, and provisions addressing 
the fentanyl crisis and the dangers of PFOS-PFAS in our water.
  There are numerous provisions here that go beyond the narrow 
definition of the defense establishment. They are bipartisan, and they 
are strongly supported by both sides of the aisle.
  Again, let me thank Senator Inhofe for his leadership. It made a 
great difference in terms of his approach to this important 
legislation.
  Finally, I would like to thank the committee staff. Particularly, I 
would like to thank the majority staff and their staff director, John 
Bonsell. He did a superb job--they did. ``Diligence,'' 
``professionalism,'' and ``bipartisanship'' were the watchwords of 
their efforts. I thank them for that.
  Let me thank my staff. In particular, Jody Bennett, Carolyn Chuhta, 
Jon Clark, Jonathan Epstein, Jorie Feldman, Creighton Greene, Ozge 
Guzelsu, Gary Leeling, Kirk McConnell, Maggie McNamara, Bill Monahan, 
Mike Noblet, John Quirk, Arun Seraphin, Fiona Tomlin, and my staff 
director, Elizabeth King, who, with John Bonsell, did a superb job.
  Let me thank the floor staff who have helped us over the last few 
days immensely.
  I urge all of my colleagues to join the chairman and me in supporting 
this excellent legislation.
  I yield the floor.


                       Vote on Amendment No. 764

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is on 
agreeing to amendment No. 764, as modified and amended.
  The amendment (No. 764), as modified, as amended, was agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title for 
the third time.
  The bill (S. 1790), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading and was read the third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the cloture motion 
is withdrawn.
  The bill having been read the third time, the question is, Shall the 
bill pass?
  Mr. RISCH. 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 bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from South Dakota (Mr. Rounds).
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet), 
the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand), the Senator from 
California (Ms. Harris), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and 
the Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren) are necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 86, nays 8, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 188 Leg.]

                                YEAS--86

     Alexander
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johnson
     Jones
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Lankford
     Leahy
     Manchin
     McConnell
     McSally
     Menendez
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Perdue
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--8

     Booker
     Braun
     Klobuchar
     Lee
     Markey
     Merkley
     Paul
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--6

     Bennet
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Rounds
     Sanders
     Warren
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 86, the nays are 8.
  The 60-vote threshold having been achieved, the bill, as amended, is 
passed.
  The bill (S. 1790), as amended, was passed.
  (The bill, as modified, as amended, will be printed in a future 
edition of the Record.)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.

                          ____________________