[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 9, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S613-S615]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Heinrich, Mrs.
Murray, Ms. Smith, and Ms. Warren):
S. 3621. A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish
[[Page S614]]
a National Climate Adaptation Science Center and Regional Climate
Adaptation Science Centers to respond to the effects of extreme weather
events and climate trends, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Environment and Public Works.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Climate
Adaptation Science Center Act, or CASC Act. This bill authorizes the
national and nine regional CASCs that came about after Congress
appropriated funding for a National Climate Science Center in 2008 and
subsequently, in 2009, Department of the Interior Secretary Salazar
recognized the Department as the lead Agency for protecting the
country's cultural and natural resources via secretarial order.
The national and regional CASCs are housed within the U.S. Geological
Survey, USGS. The national CASC is located in Reston, VA, and the nine
regional CASCs are dispersed throughout the country from Hawaii, to
Alaska to Massachusetts. These regional CASCs service stakeholders in
the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska, U.S.-affiliated Pacific
Islands, USAPI, and the U.S. Caribbean. The purpose of these CASCs is
to help protect cultural and natural resources by developing the
science and tools that on-the-ground managers need to respond to the
effects of climate change.
One regional CASC, the Pacific Island CASC, or PI-CASC, is a
partnership between the USGS and a university consortium hosted by the
University of Hawaii at Manoa, with the University of Hawaii at Hilo
and the University of Guam. PI-CASC was established in October 2011 and
over the course of more than a decade has conducted important climate
research informed by impacted stakeholders, developed products and
tools for resource managers to address climate change, and provided
programs to increase capacity and stakeholder networking.
Over 100 research projects have been completed to address stakeholder
needs across the Hawaiian Islands and USAPI, such as prioritization
planning for coastal wetland restoration on Molokai, developing a
climate and GIS data portal for American Samoa, and predicting and
mitigating avian disease at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge on
Hawaii Island. Over a dozen different products and tools have been
developed by PI-CASC, including sea level forecasting tools for
communities throughout the Pacific, a database on weed fire risk
throughout Hawaii, and an agroforestry tool for Marshallese
agricultural producers. Programs that have been made possible by the
PI-CASC include a Manager Climate Corps on Hawaii Island, a Summer
Undergraduate Research Fellowship, and a Pacific Regional Invasive
Species & Climate Change Management Program.
These are just examples of research, products, and programs made
possible by one regional CASC. The nine regional CASCs are providing
similar services all across the country. Currently, stakeholder demand
for CASC system services outpaces available resources. Additionally, in
the coming years and decades, the challenges that on-the-ground
resource managers face with climate change are only going to become
more numerous and complex. As such, this bill is necessary to formally
establish the CASCs in law so that the important work that the national
and nine regional CASCs conduct can continue assisting stakeholders all
across the country for decades to come.
______
By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Coons, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Brown, Mr.
Blumenthal, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Ms. Duckworth):
S. 3622. A bill to establish an AmeriCorps Administration to carry
out the national and volunteer service programs, to expand
participation in such programs, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Finance.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, service is at the heart of the Americans
ethos. We take inspiration from those who have answered the call to
serve, whether in defense of our Nation abroad or in strengthening our
communities at home. Finding common cause through service is how we
will overcome the major challenges of our time, from recovering from
the COVID-19 pandemic to addressing inequality to strengthening civil
society and democratic institutions to leaving a healthy, resilient
planet to future generations. That is why I am proud to join
Congressman John Larson of Connecticut in introducing the America's
Call to Improving Opportunities Now, ACTION for National Service Act.
Our legislation calls for a historic expansion of the number of service
opportunities and an increased investment in those who serve.
The ACTION for National Service Act will honor our national value of
service, while addressing the barriers that limit citizens'
opportunities to serve. Our legislation will set us on a path to 1
million national service positions within 10 years. It will increase
the educational award so that an individual completing 2 full years of
service will earn the equivalent of 4 years of the average in-state
tuition at a public college or university. Indeed, those who are
willing to serve should not be left to carry a heavy financial burden
of student loan debt. The ACTION for National Service Act will also
ease other financial barriers to service by increasing the living
allowance and eliminating the tax liability for the education awards
and living stipends. The bill calls for a robust outreach effort to
ensure that all young people will know about the many opportunities to
serve their country and their communities. It will mobilize a Civilian
Climate Corps to address the urgent needs of hardest hit communities.
Finally, the ACTION for National Service Act calls for elevating the
Corporation for National and Community Service to a Cabinet-level
Agency and establishes a National Service Foundation to leverage
private sector resources to support national service activities.
Mr. President, it is time we reinvigorate the social contract we have
with each other. Americans have a deep tradition of service, starting
with the dedicated men and women of our Armed Forces and including all
those who have served in AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Peace Corps.
However, as more Americans desire to serve, it is important that they
be given the opportunity to do so. It is just as important to invest in
the education and professional development of those who have sacrificed
and given so much to our Nation. Developing the talents of our most
committed citizens pays lifelong dividends. Our investment in the GI
Bill not only honors our servicemembers but also enriches our Nation.
Similarly, the education awards for those who have served through our
national programs have economic impacts beyond the individuals who earn
them. That is the new deal that the ACTION for National Service Act
offers.
All AmeriCorps members take a pledge to get things done for
Americans, to make communities safer, smarter and healthier, and to
bring us together. It is a pledge we all should commit ourselves to.
I would like to thank Senators Coons, Baldwin, Brown, Blumenthal,
Gillibrand, and Klobuchar for joining me as original cosponsors of the
ACTION for National Service Act and to urge our colleagues to join us
in working for its passage so we can ensure that all who aspire to
serve have the opportunity to do so.
______
By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Durbin, Ms.
Murkowski, Mr. Leahy, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Capito,
Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Portman, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Brown,
Mr. Cramer, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Moran,
Mr. Manchin, and Mr. Burr):
S. 3623. A bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of
1994, and for other purposes; read the first time.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Violence
Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.
This bipartisan bill would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act
through 2027 and provide important updates to modernize the law that
has been critical to protecting and supporting the survivors of
domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
I was proud to support the original Violence Against Women Act in
1994 and have supported each reauthorization of the law.
[[Page S615]]
This includes the most recent reauthorization in 2013, which passed
the Senate by a strong bipartisan vote of 78 to 22.
It is an honor to introduce this reauthorization and expansion of
protections for survivors.
This bill is the result of a truly bipartisan effort. I would like to
thank Senator Ernst, Senator Durbin, and Senator Murkowski for working
with me to prepare this important piece of legislation.
We have also had help from a number of our Senate colleagues who have
made important contributions to this effort. I am proud that this bill
has received strong bipartisan support in the Senate.
I would also like to thank the many advocates who have lent their
thoughts and support to this effort. This bill was written in close
consultation with the people who are on the frontlines helping
survivors of domestic violence every day. It is not a Democratic bill
or a Republican bill--it is a bill for survivors.
Together, we drafted a bill that preserves the good work of the last
Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and strengthens existing
programs.
For nearly 30 years, the Violence Against Women Act has played a
vital role in the Federal response to domestic violence, dating
violence, sexual assault, and stalking. I hope that this bill will be
an effective tool to build upon those efforts.
Despite the progress made over the last three decades, sexual,
emotional, and physical abuse are still painful realities for far too
many Americans. More than one in three women experience rape, physical
violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Nationwide, an average of three women are killed each day by a current
or former intimate partner.
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, in a
single day in 2020, 76,525 domestic violence survivors received the
resources they needed thanks to programs funded and supported by the
Violence Against Women Act.
It is clear that the programs created by the Violence Against Women
Act are necessary, and they need to be continually updated to meet the
needs of survivors. The bipartisan bill that we are introducing today
reauthorizes these important programs and provides the necessary
updates to strengthen them.
This bill enhances and expands services for survivors of domestic
violence, including survivors in rural communities, LGBT survivors,
survivors with disabilities, and survivors who experience abuse later
in life.
This bill reauthorizes and strengthens the criminal justice response
to domestic violence, including by improving the Justice Department's
STOP grant program; expanding support provided to survivors in the
legal system; and strengthening the ability of Tribal courts to address
instances of domestic violence on Tribal lands.
This bill also invests in prevention education efforts, improves the
healthcare system's response to sexual violence across the country, and
establishes a pilot program on restorative practices that focuses on
preventing or addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual
assault, and stalking through community based, victim-initiated efforts
to seek accountability.
I am pleased that we have strong bipartisan support for this bill,
but our work is not done. The survivors--who this bill is for--need the
Senate to not only introduce this bill but to pass it. The prevention
of domestic violence and the support for survivors of these heinous
crimes is not a partisan issue.
This is not a perfect bill. I regret that certain provisions were not
able to be included in this bill, most notably the closure of the
``boyfriend loophole'' to ensure that individuals convicted of domestic
abuse against a dating partner could not purchase firearms. Individuals
convicted of domestic violence against a spouse are already prevented
from purchasing a firearm, and it is deeply disappointing that there is
not sufficient bipartisan support for this commonsense provision to
close this loophole. I would have liked to include those additional
provisions, as would many of my Senate colleagues. But though it is not
perfect, it is a strong bill.
I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle to advance this bill through the Senate and get it signed into
law as soon as possible.
The time to act is now. I urge all of my colleagues to support this
important bipartisan legislation, and I hope that it will come to the
floor for a vote quickly.
____________________