[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 26, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S3609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            VOTE EXPLANATION

 Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for 
rollcall vote No. 195, adoption of the Lee amendment to limit the 
availability of funds for the support of Ukraine (376). Had I been 
present for the vote, I would have voted nay.
  I was necessarily absent for rollcall vote No. 196, adoption of the 
Cornyn amendment to provide for an investment screening mechanism 
relating to covered sectors (931). Had I been present for the vote, I 
would have voted yea.
  I was necessarily absent for rollcall vote No. 197, adoption of the 
Rounds amendment to amend the Defense Production Act of 1950 to include 
the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in 
the United States and require review of certain agricultural 
transactions (No. 813). Had I been present for the vote, I would have 
voted yea.
  The Rounds-Tester amendment adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the 
Committee on Foreign Investment. If the committee determines that 
investments by foreign adversaries into agricultural real estate or a 
U.S. business engaged in agriculture or biotech would result in control 
by the foreign adversary, it requires the President to prohibit the 
transaction. I support this amendment's efforts to protect critical 
agricultural assets, but I am concerned that the amendment as drafted 
merits additional review to avoid unintended risks of discrimination 
based on national origin or citizenship. While I will support this 
amendment and its objectives, Senators Rounds and Tester understand my 
concern and have agreed to continue working with me and our colleagues 
to resolve these concerns before Congress sends a final bill to the 
President.
  (At the request of Mr. Schumer, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)

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