[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 10, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1474-S1475]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             NATIONAL GUARD

  Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, most mornings I get up kind of early, 
and I go for a run on the Mall, run by the Capitol, this beautiful 
building, the Senate, the House, the people's house, which recently was 
open for all of us to enjoy. And now, as most Americans know, it is 
ringed with gates and razor wire and troops. It looks a little bit like 
the Green Zone in Baghdad, not the U.S. Capitol.
  Here's the thing. When I go running--I do this most mornings; I did 
it this morning--you see these wonderful National Guard men and women 
who are serving their country still here behind the fence, behind the 
razor wire. And they are literally about every 50 yards, sometimes 
closer, standing post all night--all night--hundreds of them, American 
soldiers.
  They are doing their duty, and we all appreciate it. I talk to them. 
I just say: Hey, how you guys doing? How is morale? You want to be 
here? You think it is time to go home? I think it is time for you to go 
home, and I am going to try and help you with that.
  Now, look, most are stoic. They are tough. They are soldiers doing 
their job. But make no mistake, they want to go home. They are standing 
their post all night, 1, 2, 3 in the morning,

[[Page S1475]]

every 50 yards, for what? For what? I don't think they know what for, 
and neither do I.
  Now the assault that took place on our democracy on January 6 was a 
dark day for our country, no doubt. I will remember that for the rest 
of my life. But the Members of Congress did something really important 
that same day. We reconvened right here in the U.S. Senate, even amid 
some of the broken glass and smashed doors in the House. We finished 
our constitutional duty to count the electoral college votes. The 
rioters that day--who should be prosecuted--did not win. That was 
important.
  But that was 3 months ago, and our Nation's Capitol is still decked 
in layer upon layer of barbed wire and metal fencing. More than 5,000 
troops still roam the Capitol instead of being where they know they 
should be: home with their families, back to their jobs--these are 
National Guard members, so their work is obviously being disrupted--and 
back to their States and their communities.
  The cost of keeping them here since January at this juncture is over 
a half billion dollars. But here's the thing: I pay close attention to 
these issues. I keep asking: OK, I understand this; they were here 
after the 6th, and they were here for the inauguration, but what is the 
threat now? Give me an intel threat--a credible intel threat--that 
requires 5,000 troops and razor wire all across the U.S. Capitol, the 
people's house. What is the credible intel? I have not gotten any 
credible intel that I am aware of.
  We learned yesterday that the Secretary of Defense approved the 
request for these soldiers to be here for another 60 days. Here is what 
you didn't hear about in those reports. I have a lot of respect for the 
Secretary of Defense. As a matter of fact, as I mentioned in my remarks 
earlier, I introduced him at his confirmation hearing. But this 
decision on whether there should be troops here or not is actually not 
his decision. It is our decision. It is the Members of Congress's 
decision. That is the threshold issue: Should we still have the troops 
here? It is the majority leader's decision. It is the Speaker of the 
House's decision. So why do we still have troops here? Why is the 
Capitol still in high security lockdown?
  I think it would be really important for the majority leader to come 
to the floor and not only tell us but tell the troops, tell the 
American people what is going on.
  Remember, this is not our House. This is not our building. This 
belongs to the people of America. We are privileged to be here, 
certainly, but we need answers.
  And I will tell you who else needs answers. The troops need answers.
  My own view is we need to get these troops home. We need to tear down 
the wall. We need to open the gate. And this is not just my view; this 
is a widely held view. Democrats and Republicans all agree.
  Just look around the Capitol Hill neighborhoods. These signs are 
everywhere. So are other signs. ``Free the People's House.'' ``Don't 
Fence the Capitol.''
  What is happening right now--we all love our military. Our military 
normally is a symbol of strength for America. But right now, the 
military here is not a symbol of strength. We are telling the world, 
through razor wire, that American democracy is fragile and that it is 
afraid. American democracy is not fragile, and it is not afraid. So 
these troops are a symbol not just to Americans but to the rest of the 
world that the Capitol lives in fear or weakness.
  There was evidently some kind of vague--it wasn't credible--threat on 
March 4 from some nutjob group, QAnon--however the heck you pronounce 
it--and we had the entire House on the other side of this great 
building call it quits, went home, and said: We are not going to do any 
work. That is exactly the wrong answer. That is not what we did on 
January 6.
  So what we need is we need our leaders in the House and in the Senate 
to come down here and tell us why we are still in an armed camp. One 
can't help but wonder if there is something else going on here. Why do 
the leaders of the House and Senate still want thousands of troops and 
razor wire around the Capitol? I hope they don't fear the people they 
represent. I don't fear my constituents. Is there intel that they have 
that we don't know about? How long can we expect this green zone in our 
Nation's Capital to continue? The American people need answers.
  But here is the key issue. At the end of the day, this is a law 
enforcement problem. It is not a military problem. To make it a 
military problem is dangerous. If the Capitol Police need more 
officers, then let's have that discussion, but we are a citizen-
controlled government, and our military, whom I respect so much, should 
not be used for an extended period of time here on the Capitol grounds 
to handle a law enforcement issue, especially at the most important 
symbol of democracy in America, probably the most important symbol of 
democracy in the world.
  So here is what we need to do. It is time to tear these walls down, 
open these gates, and send our brave National Guard troops home.
  I yield the floor.

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