[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 167 (Tuesday, October 22, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5951-S5952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative
session.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the motion.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I understand we are waiting for another
Senator, and when he arrives, of course, I will yield.
H.R. 3055
Mr. President, I was just talking with the distinguished senior
Senator from Alabama a couple of minutes ago. I know he has spoken, and
we have begun consideration of a bill containing the fiscal year 2020
Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Interior, Transportation,
Housing and Urban Development.
I mention this because all four of these bills are the product of
hard work and bipartisan cooperation by each of the subcommittees. They
were reported from the Appropriations Committee unanimously. Every
single Republican, every single Democrat voted for it. It makes
critical investments in affordable housing and infrastructure, rural
development, our farming communities, small businesses, science, and
our environment. They are good bills, and I am glad to have them before
the Senate.
I want to thank the chairs and ranking members of the subcommittees
and their staff for the good work: Senators Hoeven and Merkley,
Senators Murkowski and Udall, Senators Collins and Reed, and Senators
Moran and Shaheen. They all worked so closely together. They show,
despite the difficult atmosphere we often operate in, the
Appropriations Committee can still put partisan disputes aside and make
strong investments in the priorities of our American people.
The Agriculture bill continues the significant progress made by this
committee and in the 2018 farm bill to deliver real wins for farmers,
families, and rural communities throughout Vermont and across the
country. The bill rejects the disastrous cuts the Trump administration
proposed for on-farm conservation, rural development, and rural energy
programs and, instead, makes important investments in farming
communities.
It is disappointing that this bill supports the administration's ill-
advised relocation of USDA research agencies. I have spoken out about
this relocation effort and remain concerned about the loss of expertise
and focus such a move precipitates at USDA.
I am pleased this bill further invests in the viability of our
cornerstone Vermont industries, including dairy, maple, and organics.
It significantly increases funding for innovation in the dairy
sector, funding that will directly benefit dairy producers in Vermont
and across the country as they meet the challenges of a changing
marketplace. The bill also takes important steps to preserve the
[[Page S5952]]
integrity of the organic dairy market, increasing funding for key
organic programs and directing USDA to finally implement rules that
will level the playing field for small-scale producers.
The Agriculture bill also once again includes funding to support the
farm to school program. This nationwide program has given children and
schools across the country the tools to craft farm-fresh, healthy, and
delicious meals that students enjoy, while teaching children about
healthy eating habits.
The Interior bill makes significant necessary investments in clean
water, clean air, stewardship of our public lands. I am particularly
pleased it has critical funding through the Environmental Protection
Agency that will support work on water quality, habitat and fishery
restoration, and invasive species in Lake Champlain. The bill also
increases funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund that will
support efforts in Vermont and across the country.
For States like mine that have seen communities impacted by PFAS
contamination, the bill includes additional funding for remediation.
The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bill continues
critical support for infrastructure programs like BUILD. Vermont and
States across the country rely heavily on these Federal programs.
It also invests in our Nation's rail systems that I hope will help
extend and maintain rail service within my State of Vermont.
I am also pleased that this bill continues support for a development
partnership between the University of Vermont and the University of
Mississippi to research unmanned aircraft systems. The bill also
protects important investments in affordable housing and community
development.
The bill again rejects the administration's request to eliminate
programs that support our communities, including HOME, Community
Development Block Grant Program, NeighborWorks, and the Rural Capacity
Building Program.
The Commerce, Justice, Science bill makes critical investments in
economic development programs. It also invests $7.6 billion for the
2020 census, the results of which determine how we distribute $900
billion in Federal spending every year. It also ensures appropriate
representation in Congress. This once-a-decade investment is critical.
I am grateful that this bill has increased support for the lifesaving
Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program, which earlier this year was
given a permanent authorization by a unanimous vote in the Senate. It
also supports important programs to provide support to crime victims,
help to exonerate the wrongfully convicted, and to reduce recidivism.
So there are four good, bipartisan measures. I urge all Senators to
support it. We have only 4 short weeks before the continuing resolution
we are operating under expires. We need to do our work, and we need to
do it quickly, so we can enact all 12 appropriations bills into law.
These four bills are a good start.
Mr. President, I see our distinguished leader, a man we always rely
on, on the floor, so I yield to Senator Durbin.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
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