[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 133 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5149-S5154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

       INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE 
            TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT--Motion to Proceed

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
resume consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 3684, which the 
clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       Motion to proceed to H.R. 3684, a bill to authorize funds 
     for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and 
     transit programs, and for other purposes.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk with will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, late last night, there was a vote on the 
floor which was historic. I will address the subject matter in a 
moment. But 17 Republicans joined the Democrats in an amazing 
commitment to building America's infrastructure. I will speak to the 
specifics of that in a moment.

[[Page S5150]]

But I wanted to recount another event this morning which was not as 
widely published but could be very important to many American families.


                        Prescription Drug Costs

  Madam President, if you ask families across the United States to list 
the top three things they are worried about in terms of pocketbook 
issues and things that Congress can address, I will bet you that they 
will end up putting the costs of prescription drugs on that list every 
time. They know what happened. These prescription drug costs have gone 
through the roof. For many people, it is a real hardship.
  I was looking this morning at some of the information we have about 
insulin, and, you know, for millions of Americans that is literally a 
life-and-death drug. Insulin was discovered decades ago. The gentleman 
and those who did the research to find it basically gave away all of 
their patent rights--the rights to make any money off of insulin--for 
$1. They said you can't take a life-and-death drug and put a pricetag 
on it. It has to be shared by people.
  Jonas Salk did exactly the same thing when it came to the polio 
vaccine in the 1950s. He found this breakthrough vaccine--and I was one 
of the early schoolkids to sign up for it--and said: I don't want to 
make a penny off of this. This means too much to America and the world.
  Bless both of those individuals for that kind of selflessness.
  Yet when it comes to drugs like insulin today, and Sanofi, one of the 
largest producers of insulin, in the year 2000, was charging $35 for a 
dose of insulin. It has now had the price rise 25 times since then. The 
price of an insulin vial is $350, creating a real hardship and a real 
strain for many families who are dependent on insulin to keep 
themselves or their children alive.
  So, this morning, we had a meeting in the Senate Judiciary Committee. 
We considered four pieces of legislation on a bipartisan basis--let me 
underline that: bipartisan basis--and passed all four measures 
unanimously with voice votes. I could tell you, having served on that 
committee for over 20 years, it is a rare day that everything goes 
through with bipartisan support on an issue of consequence. Today was 
one of those days.
  One of the bills, the Stop Significant and Time-wasting Abuse 
Limiting Legitimate Innovation of New Generics Act--the Stop STALLING 
Act--by Senators Klobuchar and Grassley, was advanced by a voice vote.
  What we are finding is that the pharmaceutical industry is designing 
new ways on a regular basis to delay the surrender of their patents. As 
long as they have patents--and most of those are for 20 years--they 
have the exclusive right to sell that drug, and no one can compete with 
them. At the end of 20 years, the theory goes that the generic drug 
companies step in, make the same drug for a much lower cost, and the 
consumer finally gets a break.
  Well, you can imagine the lawyers and businessmen in many 
pharmaceutical companies who are trying to delay that moment of when 
the generics step in for as long as possible. This bill that we passed 
this morning, which will be coming to the Senate floor, addresses that.
  We want to have access to generics and biosimilar treatments. We want 
to make sure that the loopholes and tricks that the pharmaceutical 
industry is using now to delay the generic drugs coming onto market 
come to an end. This was an amazing array of drugs that, I think, will 
have a direct impact on America and its future.


                               H.R. 3684

  Speaking of impact, Madam President, what happened last night was 
historic.
  As I mentioned, 17 Republicans joined the Democrats in passing a 
bipartisan infrastructure bill. It is rare that we come together on 
something that significant, with that much bipartisanship. We are now 
in the midst of the debate on that bill, on the cloture vote, and our 
time is running. I hope, soon, that we can get to the merits of the 
bill and get it enacted as quickly as possible.
  This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild our Nation's 
roads, railways, and bridges; to make high-speed internet and clean 
water realities for every home in America; and to create millions of 
good-paying, family-supporting, and, in many cases, union jobs across 
the country.
  President Biden said he wanted to build back better when it came to 
America. He sure showed it last night. We never could have reached that 
point without his leadership. The White House has been a partner in 
this bipartisan effort from the start, and 67 Members of the Senate 
coalesced around this approach. This economy needs to work fairly for 
everyone and protect our kids and grandkids from climate catastrophe, 
and a major part of this bill addresses it.
  This is a moment the American people have been waiting for. It 
couldn't have come sooner. Right now, many of our roads and bridges are 
in terrible disrepair, and our infrastructure is crumbling before our 
eyes. Every week brings word of a new climate-related crisis: 
devastating drought and wildfires in the West; melting power lines in 
Oregon; rolling blackouts in Texas; and, 2 weeks ago, there was a 
bridge collapsing in my State of Illinois.
  Take a look at this picture. Let me describe what you are seeing 
here.
  This was a scene in a small, rural town in Illinois, in Seneca, when 
a bridge on the River Road gave way to extreme flooding. As you can see 
down here, the pavement comes to an end, and you can see all the way 
through. When that bridge came apart, typically and in good fashion, a 
group of Illinoisans stepped up as Good Samaritans and pulled the 
driver out of this vehicle that was straddling this breaking highway. A 
local police officer said the driver was ``really lucky that he didn't 
end up in the creek under the bridge.''

  I am grateful that nobody was harmed that evening. I thank the first 
responders, as well, for coming to the rescue. But now, 2 weeks later, 
that bridge is still broken, and the taxpayers in my home State are 
stuck paying the tab. Repairs are going to cost over a million bucks.
  This is just one example of the failure to invest in our Nation's 
roads and bridges that is costing us. Every 4 years, the American 
Society of Civil Engineers gives a report card on our roads and bridges 
and their safety. For decades, it has been filled with the kind of 
grades that you wouldn't want your kids to bring home from school. The 
overall grade this year was a C minus, in the United States of America, 
for the wealthiest nation and the largest economy on Earth. Imagine.
  If we continue to neglect the arteries of our economy, the situation 
will get worse. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that 
the continued underinvestment in our Nation's infrastructure could cost 
$10 trillion of loss in GDP over the next two decades, a major drain on 
city and State budgets, but, more importantly, a threat to families and 
their safety when they travel.
  This truckdriver had no idea that he would take his truck out on this 
road and, at the end of the day, be lucky to still be alive. Our Nation 
has one of the highest road fatality rates in the world. And nearly 1 
in 12 bridges in America is considered structurally deficient. This is 
one of them. That means that they are at the risk of being compromised 
by extreme weather, which is becoming more and more common with climate 
change. Any of us could become that man on the bridge in Seneca, IL, 
who was saved by his neighbors.
  The infrastructure proposal we are considering at this very moment 
would eliminate this threat across America, rehabilitate our roads and 
bridges, keep our economy growing, and make our families safe. With 
this historic infrastructure proposal, we are removing the hazards from 
our communities and establishing a better foundation for our economy. 
Let's take a glance at some of the achievements under this bipartisan 
proposal.
  It is the largest ever investment in public transit in America's 
history. I called the mayor of the city of Chicago yesterday, and I 
said: I think I have some good news for you. We are going to be able to 
build that transit system out, make it more accessible for those with 
disabilities, have safer stations, and expand the reach of transit in 
the city of Chicago.
  I called downstate, to the Springfield Mass Transit District, to tell 
them the good news as well: more buses that are fuel-efficient, 
electric buses, and buses that really acknowledge that we need a 
response to the climate situation.

[[Page S5151]]

  A historic expansion in electric vehicle infrastructure is part of 
this bill. Electric vehicles are the future. Don't believe me when I 
say it, and don't wait for some government spokesman to say it. Just 
turn on your TV and watch the advertisements.
  The Ford F-150 Lightning--this electric truck--is so popular in 
America and has an electrifying ad. To say that it is available now is 
an overstatement. But it will be soon. They put on the ad, if you look 
at the very end of it: If you want to reserve one of these trucks, here 
is the website you should contact.
  That is happening more and more--an electrified Mustang, for example.
  All of these suggest that the private sector is racing ahead of those 
of us in government, realizing that electric vehicles are the future. 
This plan will help automakers win the race worldwide, and it will be 
the most important auto race in our history to make sure that electric 
vehicles have the American imprint on them.
  This bipartisan plan is a move for the future. For families in 
Illinois, the funding means parents won't have to worry about a bridge 
collapse while taking their kids to school, and it means they can trust 
the water coming out of the faucet to be clean and safe. For parents in 
the city of Chicago, with more lead service lines than any city in the 
United States, it could be a lifesaver.
  These are the investments we need if we want America to win the 21st 
century. By making them today, with interest rates now at a historic 
low, we can reap the benefit for decades to come, and that is not just 
my assessment. Last week, Moody's chief economist said that President 
Biden's plan to build back better ``will lift the economy's longer term 
growth potential and ease inflation pressures''--two things that all of 
us endorse.
  Let me say that again for my fellow Senators. Many on the other side 
of the aisle who can't wait to give a looming inflation speech. This 
package, according to Moody's chief economist, ``will lift the 
economy's longer term growth potential and ease inflation pressures.''
  Earlier this morning, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported for 
the first time our Nation's economic output has surpassed the pre-
pandemic high.
  We are back in the saddle. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, people 
feel safe and more financially secure. They are heading back out into 
the world, shopping and dining at restaurants and traveling.
  Let me add quickly: The incidents we are finding of infections, 
hospitalizations, and deaths are almost exclusively from people who are 
not vaccinated--not vaccinated. They are the ones who are the most 
vulnerable, and they make innocent people, like our children, more 
vulnerable because of their decision not to be vaccinated.
  This growth in our economy reflects a simple truth: Relief for 
working families benefits all Americans and drives our economy forward. 
We have a lot of work to do to build this economy, but this is where we 
should start.
  I want to thank the bipartisan group of Senators who came together to 
produce this package. In many ways, it is miraculous. This agreement 
can do more and enable us to repair America's roads and bridges. It can 
show us the way a divided Senate can come together for the good of this 
country.
  Just remember, there wasn't a single infrastructure bill--major 
infrastructure bill--in the last 5 years, under the previous President, 
not one. We are doing it now on a bipartisan basis that is long 
overdue.
  I want to thank President Joe Biden for his determined leadership. 
Nothing this big and important is ever accomplished with a President 
standing on the sidelines.
  Joe Biden promised to work with both parties to make America work for 
all Americans, and he has. This is an achievement we can be proud of.


                              Immigration

  Madam President, let me conclude by saying that the Senate Republican 
leader, Senator McConnell, came to the floor this morning to speak of 
immigration. I am glad he did because it is a topic we cannot ignore 
and must not ignore.
  We have not passed a significant immigration bill in the United 
States of America in 36 years. Ronald Reagan was the President. And 
when you come with a list of horribles with the current immigration 
system, it is almost endless--the unfairness of the system.
  But the Senator from Kentucky took a position which I take exception 
to. He believes that if we allow any immigrant into this country, it is 
a green light, as he called it, for others to try to come in legally or 
illegally.
  I think he is dead wrong, because every year--every year--in the 
United States of America, with a population of over 320 million, we 
legally allow 1 million new immigrants to become this country, every 
year. That is what America is all about. We are a nation of immigrants, 
and we understand the value of immigrants to our country.
  We had a hearing last week on farm workers. We have 2.4 million farm 
workers who pick the crops and process the food that we enjoy at every 
single meal--2.4 million. And, sadly, many of them are in horrible 
circumstances under our immigration laws. They are subject to 
deportation and arrest at any moment. For what? For being here picking 
the crops that our kids eat for breakfast and things that we count on 
every single day.
  So the House of Representatives took a step forward, a bipartisan 
step forward. Thirty Republicans joined the Democrats to pass a farm 
worker bill. I want to give special credit to Senator Mike Bennet, who 
has been a leader in this area. We have an agreement in this bill, for 
both growers and workers, to give those who do that back-breaking 
labor, day in and day out, a chance and a path to citizenship.
  One of the critics came to our committee and said: Oh, mass amnesty 
for farm workers--why would we want to do that? These people come in 
and pick a few crops and we are going to give them citizenship.
  I wish he would have taken a minute to read the bill. You know how 
many years it takes picking that farm crop to be eligible for 
citizenship under this bill? Fourteen to 19 years. Nineteen years. Does 
that sound like somebody stealing across the border, pretending to be a 
farm worker to become a citizen? Nineteen years of your life and then 
you are eligible.
  It is only common human decency for us to do that.
  We need workers in so many areas. In a hearing yesterday on meat 
processing, I asked the major companies that process meat in this 
country: What percentage of your workforce processing that meat are 
immigrant labor?
  Well, they weren't sure. I know the number. The Migration Policy 
Institute tells us that 40 percent of the people who are processing 
poultry and meat in this country are immigrants.
  Why? Why are they attracted to this job? Because so few Americans are 
attracted. They need to have immigrant labor to make up the difference. 
It is hard, hot, dangerous, back-breaking labor, and they do it every 
darn day so we can enjoy our meals.
  And to say that we are going to ignore that reality, that we don't 
need a single immigrant in this country, is mindless.
  I would just invite those who don't believe we need immigrants in 
this country going to work to make this a better nation, skip a few 
meals, because what is on your table is there because of immigrant 
labor.
  Face the reality. Be honest about it, be fair about it, and don't 
label all of these people who are working in our country as would-be 
terrorists who are taking away valuable American jobs. They are an 
important part of America's past and an important part of our future.
  I yield the floor
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican whip.


                            Border Security

  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, the Biden border crisis continues 
unabated. Far from being the seasonal surge the President claimed 
months ago, the numbers at the border keep growing.
  Last month, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered more 
than 188,000 individuals attempting to cross our southern border. That 
is not only the highest number seen so far this year; that is the 
highest monthly number in 21 years--21 years.
  In all, Customs and Border Protection has had more than 1.1 million 
encounters along our southern border so far in fiscal year 2021, and we 
still have 3 months to go. In fiscal year 2019, by

[[Page S5152]]

comparison, the year before COVID, total--total--encounters for the 
entire fiscal year were under 980,000 individuals.
  We have a border crisis--a crisis that President Biden seems unable 
or unwilling to address.
  And as massive as those numbers I have mentioned are, they don't take 
into account those individuals who are sneaking across the border 
without being apprehended. Some of them are, no doubt, individuals who 
are looking for a better life. Others are almost undoubtedly criminals, 
engaged in the kind of illicit activities that we have to combat along 
our southern border--human trafficking, drug smuggling, and others.
  In June, Customs and Border Protection seized more than 1,000 pounds 
of fentanyl along our southern border, an incredibly dangerous drug 
that some have pushed to classify as a weapon of mass destruction. That 
is more fentanyl than was seized in that area in the previous three 
Junes combined.
  What has the Biden administration been doing to deal with the crisis 
along our border? Well, not much.
  There has been no move to reinstate the national emergency 
designation for our southern border that President Biden canceled after 
he took office. There is no meaningful plan for stopping the flood of 
illegal immigration and enhancing security along our southern border. 
There is no move to reinstate funding for the congressionally mandated 
border wall that President Biden canceled.
  In fact, the President is apparently contemplating ending title 42, 
which has allowed the government to immediately remove apprehended 
individuals in order to help manage the COVID crisis.
  That is right. At the same time the CDC is expanding its masking 
guidance for Americans, the administration is contemplating ending a 
measure to help stop COVID-infected individuals from entering the 
United States.
  And I haven't even mentioned the fact that apparently the 
administration has released tens of thousands of individuals into the 
United States without court dates, many of whom have failed to show up 
at Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices as directed.
  The border situation is out of control, and President Biden bears a 
big part of the blame.
  Immigration has helped build this country, and I strongly support 
making sure that the United States continues to offer a chance for 
individuals the world over to achieve their dream of a better life. I 
also support temporary worker programs, like the H-2B visa program, 
that allow individuals from other countries to come here for a limited 
time period to work and for the economic opportunity and then return to 
their home countries.
  I also support a solution that would allow Dreamers to stay in the 
United States if--if--such a solution is developed in the context of 
immigration reform and enhanced border security.
  But we cannot have endless floods of illegal immigration. No country 
can. It is a humanitarian nightmare and a serious security risk.
  Immigration has to have limits, and, most of all, it has to be legal. 
We need to protect and encourage legal immigration, while cracking down 
on illegal immigration.
  Unfortunately, Democrats are going in the opposite direction. The 
word is that Democrats would like to include amnesty in the budget-
busting, tax-and-spending spree that they are pushing to vote on later 
this year.
  That is right. With a serious humanitarian and security crisis along 
our southern border, Democrats want to include amnesty in their 
spending plan.
  Now, I can only imagine that this will encourage thousands more to 
make the dangerous trek to and across our southern border, not to 
mention how such a policy would undermine respect for the rule of law.
  I wish I could say that I see some light at the end of the tunnel 
when it comes to the border, but if the Biden administration continues 
along its current path, I fully expect this security and humanitarian 
crisis to continue.
  I can only hope that President Biden will recognize the problems his 
policies, or lack thereof, are causing, before too many more 
individuals suffer the consequences.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas.


                         Remembering Mike Enzi

  Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I want to pay tribute to our colleague 
Mike Enzi and express my condolences to his family and pay my respects 
to him.
  Senator Enzi's long career in public service began when he was 
elected as mayor of his hometown of Gillette, WY, in 1974.
  I can just see Mike Enzi--a younger Mike Enzi--being the mayor of a 
place like Gillette, WY, and it brings a smile to my face and a warmth 
to my heart. And I can imagine how hard he worked to see that only good 
things happened to the citizens of his hometown.
  He then went on to serve in the Wyoming House of Representatives and 
the Wyoming Senate, before being elected to four terms in the U.S. 
Senate, beginning in 1996.
  Prior to being elected to office, Senator Enzi served in the Wyoming 
Air National Guard.
  In Congress, Senator Enzi never wavered in his deeply held values and 
his beliefs, and yet he was always held by all of us in high esteem, by 
all of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
  He had the ability for bringing a consensus, to bring us together, 
and that remained true even as this body became increasingly polarized.
  In his farewell speech to the Senate, Senator Enzi--unfortunately, 
just a few months ago, Senator Enzi spoke about his 80-20 rule. It is a 
rule that those of us who work with him knew well: the rule which 
emphasized focusing on the 80 percent of issues we agree on versus the 
20 percent of issues where we disagree. It allowed Senator Enzi to work 
with Senators across the political spectrum on legislation that he 
cared so much about.
  Senator Enzi carried himself in a quiet and serious demeanor. He was 
interested above all in achieving good policy outcomes for the people 
of Wyoming and the people of our Nation.
  His leadership has been missed in this Chamber this year, but his 
legacy as a statesman and his impact on the State of Wyoming will live 
on forever.
  My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this 
time, including his wife Diana, their daughters Amy and Emily, and son 
Brad and his grandchildren.
  Senator Enzi, may you rest in peace, and please know that your time 
in the U.S. Senate and your time living on this Earth was well spent, a 
role model for the rest of us. Thank you.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Schatz). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


                              Coronavirus

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I learned on Friday that the Department 
of Justice has opted not to pursue a civil rights investigation into 
government-run nursing homes in several States about their response to 
the COVID-19. Earlier this year, I urged the Department to pursue this 
investigation, and I, today, call on the Attorney General to reconsider 
this decision that I learned about last Friday. I do that in light of 
media reports suggesting that the obstruction of justice may have 
occurred in at least one of these jurisdictions.
  Close to 1 year ago, the Department sought information from four 
States. Those four States are New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and 
Michigan. The information sought was about the number of COVID-19 
infections and deaths in their public nursing homes.
  The Department's request for this information came on the heels of 
media reports suggesting that State officials in these jurisdictions 
had pressured nursing homes to accept patients, regardless of their 
COVID-19 status. It was reported that officials in New York also may 
have engaged in a coverup by actively concealing from the public the 
actual number of COVID-19-related fatalities in that State's nursing 
homes.

  Serious questions remain to this day about whether the Governors in 
New York and these three other jurisdictions helped fuel the COVID-19-
related

[[Page S5153]]

death tolls in nursing homes through the issuance of their own 
executive orders that went against the advice of geriatricians.
  Yet the Department is declining to pursue the matter. And in the case 
of New York, this is particularly troubling.
  New York's Governor not only reportedly pressured nursing homes in 
his State to accept patients during the initial stage of the pandemic, 
regardless of their COVID-19 status, but his administration did not 
provide an accurate picture of the actual death tolls to the public. 
This lack of transparency was done to avoid accountability. So put very 
simply, the public deserves better.
  According to a report by the New York Post, a top aide to Governor 
Cuomo even apologized to a group of Democratic State lawmakers during a 
phone call for reportedly withholding data on COVID-19-related nursing 
home fatalities during this pandemic.
  The Department's Civil Rights Division won't investigate, but at 
least the FBI and prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney's Office are looking 
into the matter. These Federal prosecutors' review reportedly focuses 
on whether Governor Cuomo's administration underreported COVID-19 
deaths in the nursing homes in an effort to avoid negative publicity.
  At least someone is looking at this. However, I am disappointed that 
the Justice Department proper and Attorney General Garland have decided 
to pull their punches.
  As I stated today in a letter to the Attorney General, it would be a 
grave injustice to those who perished in these facilities during the 
pandemic to neglect to fully explore such widely reported and troubling 
allegations.
  And as others, too, have noted, promoting more accountability and 
transparency is vital under these circumstances. It would not only help 
prevent similar missteps in the future but also maintain public 
confidence in the Department, which is waning under the Department's 
current leadership.
  I yield the floor.
  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. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered


       Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th 
                        Appropriations Act, 2021

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, as the distinguished Presiding Officer 
knows from all his involvement and the negotiations that have been 
going on, we do have an emergency security supplemental issue before 
us. So I am speaking now to urge that the Senate take up and pass H.R. 
3237, which is the Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act 
of 2021, which the House sent over, and we add a Leahy-Shelby 
substitute amendment.
  Let me describe a little bit for my colleagues what the Leahy-Shelby 
substitute amendment is. It is the result of bipartisan compromise 
between myself and Vice Chairman Shelby.
  We have been working on this for weeks and weekends. Our staff has 
been working late into the night. And I want to thank Senator Shelby 
both for his hard work and his friendship.
  This $2.1 billion package is designed to address the aftermath of the 
violent insurrection that took place on January 6, is designed to heal 
the remaining scars of the COVID pandemic on the Capitol Complex, and 
provide the resources we need to ensure the safety of our Afghan 
partners as we conclude our mission in that country.
  Let me tell you why there is urgency in this. If we don't act, then 
the Capitol Police will deplete salaries funding in literally a matter 
of weeks. The National Guard all over the country will be forced to 
cancel needed training to carry on their mission at home and abroad. We 
all remember when we went out speaking to members of the National Guard 
from most of our States who were here to help with the security of the 
Capitol in January.
  So if we did nothing, that would be sort of a security crisis 
entirely of our own making in what it would do to the Capitol Police 
and what it would do to our National Guard.
  But by acting, we prevent that crisis. We provide the Capitol Police 
with $70.7 million in resources for overtime pay, retention bonuses, 
mental health services, and new equipment and training.
  Let me tell you why this is necessary. Since January 6, 73 officers 
have left the Capitol Police, and that is not sustainable. We have to 
make a strong statement of support for those officers who defended this 
building, and all it stands for, on that terrible day.
  This week, the Nation is hearing the testimony of the officers who 
fought the violent insurrectionist mob on that day, and their trauma is 
real. Anybody watching their testimony knows it cannot be brushed 
aside.
  We also provide $521 million to fully fund the cost of the National 
Guard deployment to Capitol Hill. From around the country, including my 
own State of Vermont, the women and men of the National Guard responded 
without hesitation to our call for help. We shouldn't hesitate to 
reimburse those costs.
  I remember during daylight hours and also late at night going around 
thanking members of the National Guard, not just from my State but from 
all the other States, for what they were doing. But I think it takes a 
little bit more than just a thank-you. We basically told them we will 
pay for this. Well, now we will.
  But that is not all we need to do. We need to secure the Capitol 
Complex. On January 6, the shattered windows and doors were broadcast 
to the world, laying bare that our seat of democracy is not some 
impenetrable fortress. We can't just replace the windows, fix the 
doors, and say: OK. Everything is fixed. We need to secure the entire 
complex, including the office buildings where thousands of public 
servants work and countless constituents visit.
  So our bill provides $300 million to harden accessible windows and 
doors to the Capitol Building and the Senate and House Office Buildings 
and to install new security cameras around the complex.
  Our bill also fulfills our responsibility to support the dedicated 
public servants who worked overtime, way overtime, to clean up the mess 
left by a violent mob and diligently worked to ensure our safety during 
the darkest hours of the pandemic.
  We must support those who supported us. That is not just a political 
or economic responsibility; that is a moral responsibility. That means 
paying for the costs we have incurred protecting staff, the Members, 
the entire Capitol community from COVID, including cleaning costs and 
personal protective equipment, none of which has been paid for. Until 
now, we covered the costs by robbing Peter to pay Paul. That is 
unsustainable.
  Our bill addresses this by providing $42.1 million to reimburse the 
costs of cleaning, personal protective equipment, telework equipment, 
and the salaries of employees and contractors who would have been laid 
off in the height of the pandemic.
  Finally, in the Leahy-Shelby legislation, we stand with the brave 
Afghans who supported our mission through two decades of war. By now, 
we have all seen the gruesome reports of men and women being summarily 
executed in the street, sometimes in front of their families. Why? 
Because they had supported us. And that slaughter is only going to 
escalate.
  We have to provide resources for additional special immigrant visas, 
SIVs, for translators and other Afghans who worked with Americans over 
the past two decades, as well as for additional humanitarian relief to 
Afghan refugees.
  Our bill does just that. It provides $1.125 billion to fulfill our 
commitment to those brave Afghans.
  Let me tell you what the funds will do. They will support emergency 
transportation, housing, and other essential services to our Afghan 
partners coming to the United States under special immigrant visas, and 
humanitarian aid for the inevitable flood of Afghans fleeing to 
neighboring countries. The United Nations has estimated that could 
swell to 500,000 refugees in just the next few months.
  We have also increased the number of Afghan special immigrant visas 
by 8,000. We have made improvements to strengthen the program, expand 
the reach of its protections.

[[Page S5154]]

  The reason we have this in the Leahy-Shelby bill is that there is 
bipartisan understanding that this is an urgent need, and we have, as 
the United States of America, a moral responsibility to address it 
immediately.
  Now, some have said we should just do the bare minimum. Some will 
say: Let's take care of the most pressing needs now and work on this 
maybe later on--maybe. But I have served in the U.S. Senate long enough 
to know that a promise to do something later is no promise at all. I 
cannot accept a piecemeal approach to the urgent security needs facing 
our Nation. They are facing us today, not sometime when we may think 
about it a few months or years from now.
  Vice Chairman Shelby has a proven track record of reaching bipartisan 
compromise. I would note that this agreement does not include 
everything I want. I am sure it includes some items that he would have 
preferred to not be included. But it is a strong bipartisan bill. We 
have come together to give the best piece of legislation possible for 
the U.S. Senate.
  A pandemic happened. A violent insurrection happened. And the 
President announced the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. 
The needs are urgent. We must address them now.
  So I am urging all Senators to not only support the bill but actually 
to pass the bill today because it still has to go back to the House of 
Representatives this week. There is no time. There is no time left. It 
is a good piece of legislation. It is a necessary piece of legislation, 
and some would say, at least on the Afghan part, inevitable. Both 
President Trump and President Biden said they wanted to withdraw our 
troops this year. Well, they are withdrawing. Now we have to fulfill 
our responsibility.
  Mr. President, I know that Senator Shelby will be on the floor to 
speak in a few moments, so I will suggest the absence of a quorum and 
ask that Senator Shelby be recognized when we come out of the quorum 
call.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask that I be allowed to speak for a few minutes, do 
my unanimous consent, and then go right to Senator Shelby.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, first, I want to just give my great 
thanks to Senator Leahy and Senator Shelby for bringing this vote here 
right now. The bottom line is very simple: This wasn't easy to get 
done. A UC on these kinds of issues should be easy, but it is not. 
Senator Leahy persisted and persisted and persisted, and I want to 
thank him as well.
  Senator Shelby persuaded the Members on his side that we had to move, 
and they have come up with a good compromise. It is not everything our 
side wanted, but it is very good.
  I also want to thank Senator Klobuchar and Senator Blunt. Their work 
on the authorizing committee, the Rules Committee, helped pave the way 
for this, with all the information they brought out, and they deserve a 
lot of credit.
  Now, look, to keep the Capitol Complex safe and secure, we are lucky 
to have the best of the best. As I said earlier today, our Capitol 
Police risk their lives for us. They go all out for us. They are 
really, really important. The National Guard went all out for us, too, 
on that fateful day and then for months afterwards. I remember walking 
through the halls early in the morning, thanking them as they were 
bivouacked out through the Capitol Visitor Center and everything else.
  Now we are about to run out of money. Already, the Capitol Police 
have forgone some of the things that they usually do in terms of 
training, in terms of other types of activities, and soon, salaries, 
bonuses, and new hiring will be on the chopping block. Similarly, many 
of our National Guard units from around the country that sent troops 
here, soldiers here, men and women here, are running out of money.
  We can't let that happen. So passing this amendment is living up to 
our responsibility to keep this grand Capitol safe, this temple of 
democracy, this citadel of democracy safe, and to make sure that the 
people who risk their lives for us and protect us get the help they 
need.
  It shouldn't have taken this long, but here we are, and I am glad we 
are on the floor.


                 Unanimous Consent Agreement--H.R. 3237

  Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, at 
a time to be determined by the majority leader, following consultation 
with the Republican leader, the Senate proceed to the consideration of 
Calendar No. 63, H.R. 3237; that the only amendments in order be the 
following: the Leahy-Shelby substitute, No. 2123, and the Cotton 
amendment to the Leahy substitute, No. 2124; that there be 6 minutes 
for debate equally divided between the two leaders or their designees; 
that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate vote in relation 
to the Cotton and Leahy amendments; that if a budget point of order is 
raised and a motion to waive is made, the Senate vote on the motion to 
waive; and that if waived, the bill, as amended, if amended, be 
considered read a third time and the Senate vote on passage of the 
bill, as amended, if amended, and the motions to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table, all without intervening action 
or debate, with 60 affirmative votes required for passage of the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. SCHUMER. One more point. I hope this will be unanimous. It is 
hard for me to believe that any Member would not want to support our 
Capitol Police. For Members to take umbrage at the Capitol Police when 
they did their job and protected us for some kind of crazy ideological 
reason would be disgraceful. I hope there will be a unanimous vote for 
this.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the agreement now be 
executed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Thank you, Mr. President.
  Thank you, Senator Leahy.
  Thank you, Senator Shelby.

                          ____________________