[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3532]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           HUMAN TRAFFICKING LEGISLATION AND LYNCH NOMINATION

  Mr. REID. Madam President, Confucius said, ``Life is very simple, but 
we insist on making it complicated.'' That is true.
  Right now, the Republican Senate leadership is insisting on making a 
good piece of legislation far more complicated than it should be. This 
human trafficking and child pornography bill before the Senate has wide 
bipartisan support. Unfortunately, it also includes a previously 
unreported abortion provision that has brought us to a screeching halt 
in this legislation.
  But there is a quick and very easy solution to this dilemma: Take the 
abortion language out of the bill. The Republican leadership doesn't 
seem to be interested in a solution.
  The Senate Republican leadership is anxious to shut down debate 
without fixing the problem. We can stand here all week and question how 
the abortion language got in the legislation. Many believe it was by 
sleight of hand, but it doesn't matter. It is a fact that Republicans 
included abortion language in this bill that is completely unrelated to 
human trafficking, and by doing so Republicans turned a bipartisan bill 
into a political fight.
  Republican Congressman Erik Paulsen of Minnesota drafted the House 
version of the same human trafficking bill. He wrote the bill. It 
passed the House. Even he believes that inclusion of the abortion 
provision in the Senate bill is not appropriate.
  Here is what he said:

       There is no reason it should be included in these bills. 
     This issue is far too important to tie it up with an 
     unrelated fight with politics as usual.

  This is his bill, and he says we should take that language out. He is 
a Republican.
  The path forward is clear: Take the abortion language out of the bill 
and we can pass it right now. That is it.
  But if hijacking the human trafficking bill with an unrelated 
abortion provision wasn't already bad enough--listen to this--the 
majority leader is now holding Loretta Lynch's nomination hostage too. 
It is hard to comprehend, but that is what is happening.
  Just last Tuesday, the Republican leader gave his word that he would 
bring up a vote this week on President Obama's Attorney General 
nominee. President Obama's Attorney General is well qualified and no 
one questions her qualifications.
  Now Senator McConnell is saying the Senate will not confirm Loretta 
Lynch until we pass the trafficking bill--abortion language and all.
  Loretta Lynch was nominated by the President 128 days ago. Since that 
time, Senate Republicans have found reason after reason after reason to 
delay her confirmation. First, it was just wait until the next 
Congress. In fact, the Republican leader said last year:

       Ms. Lynch will receive fair consideration by the Senate. 
     And her nomination should be considered in the new Congress 
     through regular order.

  But when this Congress got underway, her nomination had to wait until 
after the Keystone legislation. Everyone will remember it was a bill to 
construct a massive pipeline to import foreign oil, only to turn around 
and export it to other countries.
  Then Ms. Lynch's nomination had to wait until after a new Defense 
Secretary was confirmed. Then Republicans on the Judiciary Committee 
needed more time and said just one more week. Then she had to wait 
until after the February recess. As I said, it has been delay after 
delay after delay, and now we are here in the middle of March and 
Loretta Lynch has yet to get a vote on the Senate floor.
  Why can't we get this incredibly qualified woman confirmed? She has 
waited 128 days. That is the longest any Attorney General has ever 
waited in the last four decades.
  As I have said, a vote on the Lynch nomination has nothing to do with 
the trafficking bill and it certainly has nothing to do with abortion.
  The majority leader can choose to keep the Senate stuck on this 
abortion provision, but he does so at the detriment of so many other 
bills that require the Senate's attention. The majority leader gave his 
word that we would consider the Lynch nomination through regular order, 
and that has not happened. He gave his word that we would vote on 
confirmation this week, but now he is hedging on that. There is no 
reason my friend, the majority leader, cannot live up to his numerous 
commitments.
  Loretta Lynch's nomination is on the Executive Calendar, meaning the 
Senate can consider her nomination and then immediately move back to 
the trafficking bill. Any attempt to hold her nomination hostage 
because of the abortion provision is a sham.
  This Congress is barely 2 months old. Yet this is just the latest on 
a growing list of examples proving Republicans simply cannot govern.
  The American people need a human trafficking bill, and the American 
people need an Attorney General. Let's confirm Loretta Lynch as soon as 
possible.
  Madam President, what is the business of the day?

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