[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 224 (Friday, January 1, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8000-S8001]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

  WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR 
                    FISCAL YEAR 2021--VETO--Resumed

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
resume consideration of the veto message on H.R. 6395, which the clerk 
will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       Veto message, a bill (H.R. 6395) to authorize 
     appropriations for fiscal year 2021 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.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, these are the last few words that Senator 
Reed and I will say before the vote, and I want to mention something 
that I haven't talked about as much as I probably should have.
  First of all, the cooperation and working with Senator Reed and his 
staff--this is a long enduring thing. It is hard for people to believe, 
but we are actually starting on next year's bill now. We have already 
started.
  I thought I would mention something that hasn't been talked about as 
much as it should have been talked about since we have suffered 
arguably the worst cyber attack in American history. This is the most 
significant piece of cyber legislation in American history. It contains 
27 of our Cyberspace Solarium Commission recommendations. All 27 are in 
this NDAA, to include provisions that are directly relevant to the 
SolarWinds attack that would have allowed us to get ahead of this--most 
notably by allowing decisive cyber security measures in DHS to begin 
hunting for threats on dot-gov networks.
  We have other recommendations to enhance our cyber resilience for our 
nuclear command and control systems in this NDAA. Establishing a 
national cyber director is in the NDAA, strengthening the size and 
elevating his leadership, giving him more resources. I fear that the 
SolarWinds attack is a harbinger of things to come. I am very proud of 
the work our Commission has done, and the provisions are absolutely 
critical.
  The final thing I would say is that this is arguably the most serious 
piece of legislation when it comes to deterring China that we have had 
in decades, if not ever, including provisions such as the Pacific 
Deterrence Initiative. This is kind of a followup to last year's 
European Deterrence Initiative, where we are concentrating more on 
Russia, but this is specific to China.
  That is what the whole division of this bill is about--to enhance our 
presence and our deterrence posture in the INDOPACOM provisions for 
protecting against Chinese industrial espionage, more transparency for 
Chinese military companies, reporting on Chinese United Front Work 
Department in the United States and abroad, and the list goes on and 
on. It is a very serious piece of legislation when it comes to 
deterring China. That is one of the things we are concerned about. 
China is our No. 1 threat and will be for perhaps, regrettably, decades 
to come. So this bill brings us along to where we should be.
  Once again, I want to say thanks for the effort that has gone into 
this bill, the weekends, the hard work. Liz Cheney and John Bonsell, I 
have to say, along with Jack Reed--they probably worked more weekends 
than they have not worked weekends. So it has been a real effort.
  It is the most important and significant piece of legislation that we 
will pass, and this next vote is a very critical vote.
  I will yield to Senator Reed for any comments he would like to make 
about this. Keep in mind that this is a real--people talk about how the 
Democrats and Republicans don't do things together. This has been an 
example of what can happen in government.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, let me first begin by commending the 
chairman for his extraordinary efforts. He led this process, let there 
be no mistake about it. He rose to the challenges. This is the most 
challenging NDAA for so many different reasons--because of the 
pandemic, the need for social distancing in terms of hearings, the 
whole scope of challenges that have arisen in the past few months--and 
the chairman has done a remarkable job.
  Let me start by saying that this is essential for our national 
security. This bill is not optional. If we want to continue to maintain 
our security for the United States, we have to pass this legislation. 
It is that simple.
  What does it do? Well, it does things that we have to do every year. 
One, it provides for the support of our service men and women. I know 
we are all celebrating New Year's Day here. It is kind of disconcerting 
to be working when everyone else is partying, but if you feel a little 
bit put upon, think about the soldiers in forward operating bases in 
Afghanistan who are facing danger. Think about the ballistic 
submariners protecting the United States. Think about the airmen who 
flew the B-52 bombers. Think about them and their families, and I think 
you will appreciate more what they do every day and what we do once in 
a while.
  One of the issues that the chairman spoke about is how cyber security 
is essential. We based our efforts on an insightful report by the Cyber 
Solarium Commission, headed by Senator Angus King and Congressman   
Mike Gallagher.
  Every day, we are learning more about the Russian penetration of our 
whole national security apparatus and civilian companies. Just today, 
Microsoft announced that they have been deeply penetrated by the 
Russian intrusion, and I suspect it is very serious.
  This legislation was done, remarkably, before we knew of such an 
intrusion and responds specifically to this type of cyber breach on the 
United States. It gives the Department of Homeland Security the 
authority to audit other agencies in terms of their cyber security and 
take other steps to hunt for threats. It is just the first step, but if 
we don't take this step, we will be further behind.
  Now, the other thing I want to point out, too, is echoing what the 
chairman said about the Pacific Deterrence Initiative. We have 
identified $2 billion that can be used--and we will focus upon how it 
is used--to create a new strategy. This is really the first time that 
we have stepped back and said: Let's set up a strategic posture that 
recognizes the true threats that China is now presenting to us in the 
Pacific. This is the first time we have done this.
  What it does is it builds on our close relationships with key 
allies--Australia, Japan, South Korea. It does that by a series of 
steps--first, through command post exercises where we test our 
communications; second, real exercises. With these steps, we are 
building to a point where large-scale joint exercises involving not 
only our key allies but other partners become possible. That will set 
us up for the ability to deter China. When they see all of the nations 
of the Pacific that have worked with us closely and that are prepared 
to work with us, that will be a great deterrence. That is the goal of 
this effort. So any suggestion that China is happy about this bill is 
completely baseless.
  Then finally, again, like the chairman, I must thank the staff, John 
Bonsell and Elizabeth King and the staff and all the Members. Again, my 
congratulations to the chairman for his great work.
  I urge passage. Again, I think this is essential. As I said before, 
there are thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and 
coastguardsmen who are

[[Page S8001]]

on the watch as we speak. It is our obligation to them to give them the 
tools they need to protect us.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.
  Mr. INHOFE. I suggest that this is the most significant bill we have 
passed in the last 59 years.
  Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that the mandatory 
quorum call be waived with respect to the motion to invoke cloture on 
the veto message on H.R. 6395, the NDAA.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.


                             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 senior assistant legislative 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 the veto message 
     on H.R. 6395, a bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
     year 2021 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.
         Mitch McConnell, James M. Inhofe, Todd Young, John 
           Cornyn, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mike Braun, Deb Fischer, John 
           Barrasso, Roger F. Wicker, Richard Burr, Pat Roberts, 
           Shelley Moore Capito, Mitt Romney, Susan M. Collins, 
           Richard C. Shelby, Thom Tillis, Lamar Alexander.

  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 the 
veto message on H.R. 6395, a bill to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2021 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, shall be brought to a close?
  The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton), the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cruz), the 
Senator from Colorado (Mr. Gardner), the Senator from South Carolina 
(Mr. Graham), the Senator from Georgia (Mrs. Loeffler), the Senator 
from Georgia (Mr. Perdue), and the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Sasse).
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Alabama (Mr. Jones) is 
necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 80, nays 12, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 291 Leg.]

                                YEAS--80

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

                                NAYS--12

     Booker
     Braun
     Hawley
     Kennedy
     Lee
     Markey
     Merkley
     Paul
     Sanders
     Van Hollen
     Warren
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--8

     Cotton
     Cruz
     Gardner
     Graham
     Jones
     Loeffler
     Perdue
     Sasse
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 80, the nays are 
12.
  Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn having voted in 
the affirmative, the motion is agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, we are going to go on to final passage, 
and I just want to make one comment that this is a really significant 
vote, not just because it is the NDAA and many of us contend, as I do, 
every year that the NDAA is the most significant vote that we have, but 
this year especially so in light of all the disruptions and problems 
that we have had.
  Once again, I want to say how great it has been to work and show the 
American people that Democrats and Republicans can work together and 
get significant legislation passed. I am very proud that we had this 
bill, and I am proud to have worked with Senator Reed and his staff.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, this legislation is central to the national 
security of the United States and to the welfare of the troops and 
their families who defend us every day.
  I would urge all my colleagues to vote to override the veto.
  I want to thank Senator Inhofe for his leadership and congratulate 
John Bonsell on the Republican side and Liz King on the Democratic 
side.
  Again, I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this bill.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.


                           Vote on H.R. 6395

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I know of no further debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there any further debate?
  If not, the question is, Shall the bill (H.R. 6395) pass, the 
objections of the President of the United States to the contrary 
notwithstanding?
  The yeas and nays are required under the Constitution.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Colorado (Mr. Gardner), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. 
Graham), the Senator from Georgia (Mrs. Loeffler), the Senator from 
Georgia (Mr. Perdue), and the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Sasse).
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Alabama (Mr. Jones) is 
necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hawley). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote or change their vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 81, nays 13, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 292 Leg.]

                                YEAS--81

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

                                NAYS--13

     Booker
     Braun
     Cotton
     Cruz
     Hawley
     Kennedy
     Lee
     Markey
     Merkley
     Paul
     Sanders
     Warren
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--6

     Gardner
     Graham
     Jones
     Loeffler
     Perdue
     Sasse
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 81, the nays are 
13.
  Two-thirds of the Senators voting, a quorum being present and having 
voted in the affirmative, the bill on reconsideration is passed, the 
objections of the President of the United States to the contrary 
notwithstanding.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Inhofe). The Senator from Arkansas.

                          ____________________