[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 169 (Thursday, October 24, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6145-S6146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 549

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of 
H.R. 549

[[Page S6146]]

and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; further, 
that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the 
motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Senator from Florida.
  Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, in reserving the right to 
object, I appreciate the opportunity to work with my colleague from 
Maryland, and I look forward to working with him again in the future. 
It would be great if we could work together to try to figure out how to 
provide temporary protected status for Venezuelans and also to fix the 
program so it continues to work not just for Venezuelans but for people 
all over the world.
  The Democrats know their proposal cannot become law. It lacks support 
in the Senate, which is why I proposed an amendment that has support 
and that can actually become law immediately.
  My amendment grants TPS to Venezuelans for 18 months. It requires 
congressional approval for TPS extensions of no more than 18 months at 
a time. My amendment limits the ability of illegal aliens who have no 
connection to the TPS designation to benefit from TPS. It ensures that 
human rights violators who are identified under the Magnitsky Act are 
not eligible for TPS status. It includes provisions to distinguish that 
TPS status does not count as an admission for purposes of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act. Under my amendment, TPS recipients 
cannot return to the TPS country during the period of designation. 
Finally, the amendment requires that current TPS designations come up 
for congressional review 2 years after the enactment of this amendment.
  My amendment is the only way to help the Venezuelan people. It is the 
only proposal that can become law. There is no path forward for the 
Democrats' plan, and, unfortunately, they know it.
  It is clear, now more than ever, that, unfortunately, the Democrats 
don't want to get anything done on this issue. That is why they are 
standing in our way. All Republican Senators have signed off on this. 
Unfortunately, the Democrats have decided to use the Venezuelan 
community as a political prop instead of working with us to find a 
solution.
  We cannot lose sight of the fact that Nicolas Maduro is killing his 
citizens. It is a genocide. Who will we be if we turn our backs on a 
genocide right here in our hemisphere? We cannot. We must help 
Venezuelan families.
  It is also time to reform TPS in this country. Temporary protected 
status was never meant to be endless. It was meant to help families in 
need. So let's get the program to work.
  I look forward to working with my colleague from Maryland and with 
all of my colleagues to help the families in Venezuela and to finally 
create a long-term solution to TPS. I will not rest until we do.
  My colleague Senator Rand Paul asked that I object to the Senate 
Democrats' proposal. On behalf of Senator Paul, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from Maryland.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. 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. CRAMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Carper). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

                          ____________________