[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 114 (Wednesday, July 10, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4334-S4337]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      FEDERAL PRISON OVERSIGHT ACT

  Mr. OSSOFF. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration and the 
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 3019.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 3019) to establish an inspections regime for 
     the Bureau of Prisons, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the 
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. OSSOFF. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third 
time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made 
and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 3019) was ordered to a third reading, was read the 
third time, and passed.
  Mr. OSSOFF. Mr. President, how did it come to pass that in a nation 
whose founding document guarantees due

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process and civil rights and prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, a 
Federal prison in Dublin, CA, would become so notorious for the endemic 
sexual abuse of female inmates by prison staff that it would be known 
as the rape club--rape club--sexual assault and abuse of Federal 
inmates by the warden, by the chaplain.
  Senator Johnson of Wisconsin and I led a bipartisan investigation of 
sexual assault in Federal prisons. We found that in two-thirds--two-
thirds--of Federal prisons that housed female inmates, inmates had been 
sexually assaulted by members of prison staff.
  We found that at the U.S. penitentiary in Atlanta, in my home State 
of Georgia, for nearly a decade, unchecked corruption and civil rights 
abuses had been ongoing with the knowledge of the leadership of the 
Bureau of Prisons, and no effective action had been taken to address 
them. Pretrial detainees sleeping in paper pajamas were denied access 
to counsel, denied access to hygiene products, denied access to fresh 
air--pretrial, presumptively innocent Federal detainees.
  The human rights crisis behind bars in the United States is a stain 
on America's conscience.
  We just passed the most significant Federal prison reform legislation 
in many years, and now it is on the way to the desk of the President of 
the United States. I am grateful to my colleague Senator Braun of 
Indiana for joining me in offering and introducing the Federal Prison 
Oversight Act, which has now been passed by the Senate and the House.
  This is landmark prison reform legislation. It will require the 
inspector general of the Department of Justice to undertake ongoing and 
regular inspections of every single Federal prison in the United 
States.
  It will establish an independent ombudsman at the Department of 
Justice to investigate the health, safety, welfare, and rights of 
incarcerated people and staff.
  It will also create a secure hotline and an online forum for family 
members, friends, and representatives of incarcerated Americans to 
submit complaints and inquiries.
  It will require the IG to report the findings from its routine 
inspections of Federal prisons and recommendations to Congress and to 
the public and require the Bureau of Prisons to respond to all 
inspection reports within 60 days with a corrective action plan.
  We were able to pass this legislation because we worked together, 
Senator Johnson and I, leading multiple bipartisan investigations of 
human rights abuses and corruption in the Federal prison system and 
Senator Braun and I forming the Prison Policy Working Group to develop 
bipartisan solutions like this one.
  I am grateful to my colleague from Georgia in the U.S. House, 
Representative McBath, for her tireless efforts to shepherd this bill 
to passage in the U.S. House, and today, we passed it on the floor of 
the Senate. I am grateful for the support of my colleagues.
  Let the leadership of the Bureau of Prisons know that the U.S. 
Congress will no longer tolerate the wanton and ongoing and widespread 
abuse of those who are in their custody.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Ossoff). The Senator from Maryland.


                                  NATO

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, 75 years ago, a brutal Russian dictator 
had pushed Russia to the brink of war. Soviet-sponsored coups had 
removed democratically elected governments in Eastern Europe. Communist 
revolutionaries were trying to seek control of Greece. Authoritarian 
forces threatened American Allies across Europe. The peace that we 
fought so hard to secure during World War II was in jeopardy.
  To meet these challenges, the United States and nations on both sides 
of the Atlantic that shared a democratic, free, and prosperous vision 
of the world came together and formed an alliance, the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization, or NATO. President Truman signed the treaty, along 
with representatives from Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, 
Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United 
Kingdom.
  The heart of this treaty has always been article 5. It states that 
``the Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in 
Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them 
all.''
  Despite the incredible changes we have seen in the world over the 
past 75 years, as the NATO alliance comes together for a summit here in 
Washington this week, the power of our solemn promise of solidarity is 
just as important as ever.
  Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has laid bare the danger Russia 
once again poses to Europe. From the Baltic States and Poland to 
Romania and Bulgaria, NATO member countries have seen what Mr. Putin's 
army is capable of doing in Ukraine--targeting maternity wards and 
kindergartens, kidnapping and forcing children to relocate to Russia, 
executing innocent civilians with their hands tied behind their backs.
  For those people living in Moscow's shadow, the only thing standing 
between a Russian invasion and such horrific war crimes is NATO. This 
makes the strength of our alliance vitally important.
  I want to thank Secretary General Stoltenberg for his tireless 
efforts to guide the alliance through the last decade.
  The alliance is stronger today thanks to the recent additions of 
Finland and Sweden; thanks to the important financial contributions of 
member states, especially on the eastern flank; and thanks to the 
leadership of the Biden administration--in particular, Secretary 
Blinken and Secretary Austin.
  Because of the hard work of our military and political leaders on 
both sides of the Atlantic, today, NATO is more unified, but there are 
concerns. Whether it is the former President of the United States who 
tells Russia to ``do whatever the hell they want'' or the delays in 
getting supplemental security funding for Ukraine passed in the House 
of Representatives earlier this year, diplomats on both sides of the 
Atlantic are asking legitimate questions: Where is our alliance headed? 
Can Putin be stopped in Ukraine? Will NATO continue to have our backs?
  As the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I want to be 
crystal clear: The answer is and must be yes.
  NATO has been there for the United States in tough times, whether it 
is defending our skies after 9/11 or providing food and medical 
supplies to the people of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
  Now more than ever, I believe the United States must stand shoulder 
to shoulder with our European allies. That is why I backed efforts to 
support Ukraine in its fight against Russia. That is why I never gave 
up pushing for the passage of the supplemental security assistance and 
was glad that it was finally enacted. That is why I am supportive of 
the recent bilateral security agreement between the United States and 
Ukraine. It is also why I support plans for NATO to take an expanded 
role in coordinating the defense of Ukraine, because no matter who is 
in the Oval Office, assistance to Ukraine must continue, defense of 
Europe against Russian aggression must continue, and strengthening of 
the NATO alliance must continue. Above all, we must not give up hope 
that we can succeed.
  Seventy-five years ago at the NATO treaty signing, President Truman 
said:

       For us, war is not inevitable. We do not believe there are 
     blind tides of history which sweep men one way or another. In 
     our own time we have seen brave men overcome obstacles that 
     seemed insurmountable and forces that seem overwhelming. Men 
     with courage and vision can still determine their own 
     destiny.

  I am confident that NATO's leaders--men and women meeting here in 
Washington this week--possess both courage and vision. There may be 
debates about how NATO can best engage with our allies in the Indo-
Pacific, like Japan and South Korea and Australia, or how to best 
posture ourselves on NATO's eastern flank, but I am optimistic that 
NATO's future is bright because there is no question that what brings 
us together is our commitment to keeping authoritarian governments at 
bay, our commitment to democratic institutions and the protection of 
human rights, our commitment to peace and prosperity, and our 
commitment to our values.
  So as we welcome NATO leaders to Washington this week and celebrate

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the 75th anniversary of the NATO alliance, I urge my colleagues on both 
sides of the aisle to support and protect NATO's military alliance that 
has made our world a safer place for over seven decades. Let us work 
together to build a future that is free and secure and peaceful for 
generations to come.
  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. WELCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                 Anniversary of the 2023 Vermont Flood

  Mr. WELCH. Mr. President, 1 year ago this very week, rain started to 
fall in Vermont, and, for days on end, it did not stop. The rain turned 
into catastrophic flooding. We had our entire usual rainfall in just 
days.
  The damage was immense. We experienced landslides. Vermonters were 
stranded and had to be rescued. Three people, tragically, died. Homes, 
farms, and businesses were damaged and destroyed. The infrastructure 
and services that we take for granted and depend on--the wastewater 
plants, our dams, our bridges, and even our capital city's post 
office--were damaged by the flood. Some have not yet been repaired--
many, in fact.
  The statistics from Vermont are astounding. There were 214 swift 
water rescues--swift water rescues: people who couldn't get out of 
their home except by being rescued by folks on boats--and 70 
evacuations. Eighteen drinking water and 33 wastewater systems were 
damaged. Three wastewater systems were damaged beyond repair.
  Mr. President, 139 of our municipalities experienced flood damage, 64 
State bridges and 46 State roads were closed, and over 6,000 tons of 
debris were removed by the State of Vermont. There were 6,146 FEMA 
Individual Assistance registrations.
  It was an all-hands-on-deck moment in Vermont, just as it is in other 
communities where they face a major disaster, and people showed up: 
neighbors and volunteers, first responders, police officers, medical 
professionals and emergency workers, the National Guard. Local news 
reporters, by the way, did an incredible job keeping Vermonters 
informed. From every level of government and every political leaning, 
folks worked together for a common goal: to help.
  A moment of appreciation to my colleagues, including the President, 
who may be listening: Nine States helped Vermont by sending personnel 
or resources. Thank you to the Governors and Senators in New Hampshire, 
Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, 
Michigan, Florida, and Colorado--States that supported us and 
colleagues who supported us. It is very reassuring, I just want to say 
to all of my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, to hear your 
expressions of good will on behalf of Vermonters when we suffered that 
catastrophic loss.
  Since the flood, I have revisited many of the communities that were 
hit hard last July. In every community, I have seen strength and 
resilience, and it gives me confidence that we will come back stronger 
than before. Our Vermont values--and I think they are American values; 
I know they are rural values--have shown the country what is possible 
in the times of great adversity. Our perseverance has remained long 
after the floodwaters have receded.
  But, Mr. President, this takes a toll on folks. If it is your farm, 
if it is your home, if it is your business, if it is a town where you 
are on the select board and it is your bridge, that is tough. And it 
goes on.
  I have come to the Senate floor many times to talk about how critical 
the resources are that the appropriations process has provided. But we 
need flexible funding dollars to actually finish the job and get past 
the redtape that is holding things up.
  The President's revised disaster supplemental request is absolutely 
critical--not just for Vermont, by the way, but for many communities 
that have suffered catastrophic weather-related events around the 
country.
  It would bolster the community development block grants for the 
disaster recovery program. That gives communities the flexibility 
necessary to recover, and Vermont does need substantial disaster relief 
money to help lower and moderate-income communities fill in the gaps of 
insurance and State assistance.

  As I go to places in Vermont--beautiful places, really damaged, like 
Ludlow, Londonderry, Barre, Johnson, Hardwick, and our own capital, 
Montpelier--with this iconic photograph that was across the United 
States after our weather event--I keep hearing from the hard-working 
Vermonters and local leaders who would directly benefit from the 
disaster relief program. It could help them move out of potential flood 
zones or away from waterways.
  And, by the way, we have to start making some of these decisions 
because these once-in-100-year events are once every 10 years or even 
more often.
  It could help elevate a bridge. It could help them strengthen and 
repair their wastewater treatment facilities. These things really, 
really matter. It matters whether you are in a red State or a blue 
State.
  I think, too often, we lose, also, the voices of the victims, those 
who have been hit directly. Too often we forget, in the aftermath of 
the initial recovery, where things go back to normal except for the 
people who have been really hit hard. I will give a few examples.
  Marie, a Vermonter, said to me, every time it rains for several days 
or it comes down hard, she watches the river behind her house and prays 
that it doesn't come up over the bank like it did last July.
  Doug said:

       Our shop and home were impacted by the flood and we had to 
     shut down. We are still in the process of repairing our 
     business with the hope of opening during this summer.

  And the summer is here.

       The impact of the flood has been traumatic on both our 
     lives and our community.

  John, another Vermonter, said:

       Our entire property was flooded, and we lost everything in 
     the cellar. We are retired on a fixed income, so these were 
     huge losses. The future worries us, we have been flooded 
     three times and probably will be again.

  Amy said:

       I appreciate the assistance from FEMA--

  And I appreciate the assistance from FEMA. They were there on the job 
right after the flood, but the pain endures for those people directly 
affected.

     but it is nowhere near adequate. My employer was also 
     affected hugely because our offices and warehouse flooded, 
     and many of the farmers we work with were flooded.

  By the way, those crops were just coming in. It was July. So a lot of 
these vegetable farmers were wiped out in Royalton, VT, as our friend 
knows.

       We had to spend huge amounts of money to repair our space, 
     and we lost sales because of [the loss of the crops].

  So folks are still hurt, and they still need help. So, yes, we 
respond in the immediate aftermath of the storm, but to get the 
response done, we have to get people and farms and businesses back on 
their feet.
  I talk about these Vermonters, but I want to stress to my colleagues 
that your State could be next. It is something we all know. Just look 
at the recent tragedies in Texas, Minnesota, and elsewhere.
  And, of course, last year's flood was hardly isolated. We are 
expecting more rain this week. The remnants of Hurricane Beryl could 
cause flooding again tonight. Again, our brave emergency crews are out 
there doing everything they can.
  Emergency supplemental funding will help our State and many other 
States, and there is no question about that. And I am working with 
colleagues to pass legislation that does provide that supplemental 
funding that is flexible and vitally needed.
  After the flood, I introduced new legislation that will help rural 
communities in Vermont and across America hit by floods and other 
natural disasters.
  For instance, the Rural Recovery Act streamlines and provides 
technical assistance. We have towns like Weston that got totally 
smashed. They have this beautiful Weston playhouse that people come 
from States all around Vermont to see great performances. It totally 
flooded. That town has a population of less than 600 people, so they 
don't have somebody on staff who knows how to deal with the various 
Federal programs and regulations and

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so on. Our legislation would help provide technical assistance in rural 
communities so that they have the capacity to get what you are entitled 
to will be available.
  Another bill is the WEATHER Act, which helps farmers--and I am 
talking about small farmers with vegetable crops. It would help them by 
having a practical crop insurance program. The crop insurance programs 
we have are really important and I support. They tend to be for big 
commodity operations. If you are a vegetable farmer in Vermont and your 
potato crop, your onion crop, your tomato crop got wiped out, it is 
incredibly complicated to try to make a claim, and it doesn't work. And 
you can only try to get damages for the ``wholesale'' value, even when 
many of these farmers who are the lifeblood of many of our communities 
sell their product at retail at local farmers' markets. We have to have 
a program that works for them, because whether it is in Georgia or it 
is in Vermont or any State, those local farmers--farm-to-table, farm-
to-school--they really, really matter. We have to give them a shot at 
getting back on their feet when a weather event takes them down.
  The BUFFER Act will help Vermont farmers take full advantage of 
flooding and erosion prevention programs.
  I will continue in Vermont partnering with our Governor, Governor 
Scott, who has been on this case from day one, and my Vermont 
colleagues in the congressional delegation, Senator Sanders--the senior 
Senator from Vermont--and Congresswoman Balint, as well as the Biden 
administration and our local leaders to help Vermont recover from the 
flood more resiliently, prepare for the future, and recognizing the 
reality that these huge weather events are here to stay.
  I want to thank the people of Vermont who have, as they have always 
done, found a way to come together and just deal with the reality of 
what they face.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.

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