[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8446-8448]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. DAINES (for himself, Mr. Lankford, and Mr. Blunt):
  S. 1487. A bill to require notice and comment for certain 
interpretative rules; to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I often hear from Montanans how 
Washington, DC, regulations stifle the ability to create jobs and 
prevent our small businesses from reaching their full potential. Too 
many Montana businesses face regulatory burdens that hinder innovation 
and block opportunities for growth. In fact, when I drive around 
Montana, I have yet to hear a small business owner stop me and say: You 
know, we would like to see more regulations from Washington, DC.
  In today's environment, business owners are left with few options. 
They either struggle to keep up with frequent regulatory changes or 
they suffer the penalty of regulatory fines. That is unacceptable. 
There is something fundamentally wrong when your business owners spend 
more time adapting to Washington regulations than focusing on their 
business's growth and their job creation.
  We need to reduce the redtape that is holding our small businesses 
back and work towards commonsense regulations that don't place 
unnecessary burdens on Montana families and small business. Today, I 
have introduced legislation to help fix the regulatory burdens facing 
Americans. My bill facilitates public input on Federal rulemaking and 
provides a more predictable regulatory environment so that businesses 
can make plans to expand and have a predictable environment to create 
good high-paying jobs.
  Currently, bureaucrats in Washington, DC, can issue interpretative 
rules without warning and without public input. In fact, oftentimes, 
interpretative rules are dramatically changed at the whim of the 
President.
  I would also like to thank Senators Lankford and Blunt for joining me 
in introducing this critical piece of legislation. The Regulatory 
Predictability for Business Growth Act will ensure that Americans' 
voices are heard in the rulemaking process, providing a crucial 
planning period for individuals and businesses. I want to give a 
special thanks to Senator Lankford and his staff for his leadership on 
the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Regulatory 
Affairs and Federal Management Subcommittee. Our staffs worked closely 
to make this piece of legislation possible today.
  For far too long, government bureaucracy has stifled our small 
businesses' potential. With commonsense reforms such as this bill, we 
can encourage both innovation and job growth. The Regulatory 
Predictability for Business Growth Act will decrease regulatory 
uncertainty, and it will empower Montanans and their businesses to grow 
again.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mrs. MURRAY:
  S. 1494. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize 
and update the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative for grants to 
address the problems of individuals who experience trauma and violence 
related stress; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I am here this afternoon to talk about an 
issue that is so important to my State and to communities nationwide; 
that is, how do we help children and families rebuild and recover when 
they face serious trauma? As we have seen all too often in recent 
years, traumatic events can impact children at any time and in any part 
of our country. If children don't get the support they need in the wake 
of a hardship such as a natural disaster or violence at school or 
stress related to a family member's military deployment, those 
experiences can be even more difficult to recover from and they can 
leave our children with serious and long-lasting challenges such as 
depression, anxiety, and difficulty maintaining employment.
  An estimated two-thirds of our children experience traumatic events 
before the age of 16. Their need for support and treatment after trauma 
is something that simply cannot go unmet. That is why I am very proud 
to introduce the Children's Recovery from Trauma Act. This bipartisan 
legislation would continue support for child trauma centers across the 
country which help make sure that as children in families face 
difficult times, our Nation's health care system is better prepared to 
provide support and help ease that burden.
  Child trauma centers have played an important role in my home State 
of Washington. For example, when the State Route 530 mudslide caused 
unthinkable devastation in Oso and Darrington, the Washington State 
University CLEAR Center stepped in to help children and families who 
were impacted by that horrific tragedy. Staff at the CLEAR Center held 
parent nights at Darrington Elementary School and worked with the 
teachers there to help make sure students got the right kind of support 
they needed. They even helped teachers explain to students how the 
brain operates under stress and how that might influence their 
behavior. As a mom and former preschool teacher, a school board member, 
and a Senator from the great State of Washington, I believe this 
support can make a world of difference in this kind of scary and 
stressful time for our kids.
  I am very proud that under the Children's Recovery from Trauma Act, 
the CLEAR Center would continue to receive critical Federal investment. 
In addition, I am very proud that other child trauma centers, such as 
those that mobilized after the 2001 terrorist attack and natural 
disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and Sandy and the shootings at 
Virginia Tech and in Newtown, would continue to get those investments 
as well.

[[Page 8447]]

  As I have said before, I am inspired by the strength and resilience 
of communities in Washington State that were impacted by the tragedy of 
the State Route 530 mudslide and the shootings recently at Marysville-
Pilchuck High School. Children in these communities and communities 
like them across the country face hardships that can't always be 
predicted or prevented, but they do need and deserve our support. The 
Children's Recovery from Trauma Act would take some critical steps 
forward in this effort, and I hope all of my colleagues will join me in 
supporting it.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. WYDEN:
  S. 1498. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to require 
that military working dogs be retired in the United States, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, since World War I, military working dogs 
have worked side-by-side with our men and women in uniform in various 
roles and operations. Today military working dogs routinely assist U.S. 
troops on dangerous front-line assignments, helping to detect roadside 
bombs and improvised explosive devices, saving hundreds of American 
lives and preventing countless injuries. Moreover, both on and off the 
battlefield, these dogs represent critical partners, invaluable team 
members, and cherished companions.
  Unlike traditional soldiers, a canine's service does not necessarily 
end when it reaches retirement. Instead, military working dogs often 
continue to support our nation by acting as service dogs for veterans 
suffering from mental and physical disabilities. Because of the close 
bond forged by their shared experiences in the military, these dogs can 
play a unique and important role in for our veterans--quite literally 
saving lives even once they return to the home front.
  Unfortunately, it is not always so easy for former dog handlers to be 
reunited with their four-legged comrades-in-arms. Because of the way 
the law is currently written, the Department of Defense is not required 
to bring military working dogs back to the United States upon 
retirement. As such, most military working dogs end up being retired 
overseas wherever they end their service. As a result, former handlers, 
veterans, and other members of the military community wishing to adopt 
a dog may be forced to cover the cost of transporting the dog halfway 
across the world.
  Our Nation's veterans deserve to be reunited with their canine 
counterparts and they should not have to shoulder the official costs 
and fees associated with doing so. To correct this situation, I am 
introducing the Military Working Dog Retirement Act. By requiring the 
Department of Defense to arrange and pay for the transportation of 
retiring military working dogs to the United States, this bill is a key 
step to ensuring former military dog handlers may benefit from the 
continued partnership and service of these loyal canines. It is my hope 
that the Senate will pass this legislation swiftly.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1498

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. REQUIREMENT FOR RETIREMENT OF MILITARY WORKING 
                   DOGS IN THE UNITED STATES.

       (a) In General.--Section 2583 of title 10, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections 
     (g) and (h), respectively;
       (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
     subsection (f):
       ``(f) Retirement of Military Working Dogs Within the United 
     States.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
     retirement of a military working dog under this section shall 
     occur at a location within the United States.
       ``(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the retirement of a 
     military working dog abroad if a United States citizen living 
     abroad adopts the dog at the time of retirement.
       ``(3) Amounts available to the military department 
     concerned shall be available for the costs of the transport 
     of military working dogs to the United States for retirement 
     in accordance with the requirement in paragraph (1).''; and
       (3) in subsection (g), as redesignated by paragraph (1)--
       (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``the Secretary of the military department concerned'' and 
     all that follows through ``may'' and inserting ``a military 
     working dog is to be retired in accordance with the 
     requirement in subsection (f)(1) and no suitable adoption is 
     available at the military facility where the dog is located 
     at the time of retirement, the Secretary of the military 
     department concerned shall''; and
       (B) by inserting ``within the United States'' after 
     ``another location''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, 
     and shall apply to retirements of military working dogs 
     pursuant to section 2583 of title 10, United States Code, 
     that occur on or after that date.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. LEAHY (for himself and Mr. Grassley):
  S. 1501. A bill to promote and reform foreign capital investment and 
job creation in American communities; to the Committee on the 
Judiciary.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce the 
bipartisan American Job Creation and Investment Promotion Reform Act of 
2015, which will extend and significantly improve the EB-5 Regional 
Center program. Since its inception in 1993, the EB-5 Regional Center 
program has generated billions of dollars in capital investment and 
created tens of thousands of jobs across the country, much of which has 
occurred in areas that traditionally struggle to attract investment and 
jobs. The program's authorization is set to expire at the end of 
September. My legislation would reauthorize it for 5 years while 
enacting broad reforms to enhance the program's integrity. I am proud 
to be joined by Senator Grassley in this effort.
  The EB-5 Regional Center program faces significant challenges. I have 
always been supportive of its ability to create American jobs but the 
program has experienced some problems in recent years. There have been 
troubling reports of fraud and abuse, concerns regarding onerous 
processing delays for developers and investors, and questions over 
whether the program is truly benefiting those that Congress intended. 
These concerns can overshadow the many success stories, and have led 
some to understandably lose faith in the program.
  I have not seen any flaw inherent to the EB-5 Regional Center program 
that could not be remedied, and I strongly believe that this is a 
program worth fixing. Over the last two decades this program has proven 
it can result in significant investment and jobs in communities that 
desperately need both, all at no cost to American taxpayers. While our 
immigration system as a whole is broken, and only comprehensive reform 
will remedy its many injustices, reforming and reauthorizing the EB-5 
Regional Center program warrants our immediate attention because the 
program is set to expire in a matter of months.
  In Vermont, this program revitalized rural communities during the 
worst of economic times. At the height of the recession, Country Home 
Products was able to speed up its engineering initiative to develop a 
new line of equipment in the power tool market. Sugarbush ski resort 
invested in new facilities and resources to increase visitors and keep 
its doors open. Without EB-5 capital, these manufacturing, 
construction, and hospitality jobs would likely not exist in Vermont. 
The state-run Vermont Regional Center continues to attract substantial 
capital investment and--with the Department of Financial Regulation now 
joining the Agency of Commerce and Community Development in overseeing 
the program--also provides unparalleled oversight of EB-5 projects.
  I have long sought substantial reforms to the EB-5 Regional Center 
program at the Federal level. Last Congress, my EB-5 amendment to 
Comprehensive Immigration Reform provided the Department of Homeland 
Security the authority to revoke suspect regional center designations 
or immigrant petitions. This amendment, which was unanimously approved 
by

[[Page 8448]]

Senate Judiciary Committee, also provided for increased regional center 
reporting, background checks, and oversight related to the offer and 
sale of securities. Sadly these improvements have all had to wait, as 
the House of Representatives failed to allow a vote on the bipartisan 
immigration reform bill that passed the Senate last Congress.
  Fortunately, however, the agency that administers EB-5 has not stood 
idly by waiting for Congress to strengthen the program. I credit 
Alejandro Mayorkas, the former Director of United States Citizenship 
and Services, with bringing many concerns to light. The agency has 
since transformed its review of EB-5 applications. Staff levels have 
increased nearly ten-fold, in-house economists now analyze proposed 
business plans, and fraud detection and national security staff now sit 
side-by-side with adjudicators. These actions have all helped the 
agency to guard against abuses.
  However, as Congress now faces reauthorizing this job-creating 
program, I have listened to concerns raised about how the program 
functions. I believe we must do more, which is why I have been working 
for over a year to further reform and modernize the Regional Center 
program. The bill I introduced today builds upon what the Senate passed 
last Congress as part of Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
  This legislation, if enacted, would provide the Department of 
Homeland Security additional, much-needed authorities, including 
further expanding background checks, conducting a more thorough vetting 
of proposed investments earlier in the process, and providing for the 
ability to proactively investigate fraud, both in the United States and 
abroad, using a dedicated fund paid for by certain program 
participants. The bill would also provide investors with greater 
protections and more information about their investments. It would 
provide project developers clarity and shorter processing times in 
order to make the program more predictable and functional. It would 
raise minimum investment thresholds so more money goes to the 
communities that need it. It would help to restore the program to its 
original intent, by ensuring that much of the capital generated and 
jobs created occur in rural areas and areas with high unemployment.
  Taken together, the oversight tools, security enhancements, and anti-
fraud provisions included in this legislation provide the framework for 
a complete overhaul of the EB-5 Regional Center program. These reforms 
will instill both confidence and transparency in the program.
  I look forward to continuing to work with all Senators and 
stakeholders to improve and reauthorize this important program. I am 
confident our work will result in a secure EB-5 program that will 
create American jobs and promote economic growth throughout our 
country, particularly in the rural and distressed communities that need 
it most.

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