[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8155-8156]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           AMENDMENT NO. 4549

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, on another subject, Americans share many 
common values, and one of the most fundamental is this: If you make a 
commitment, you should keep it. If you reach an agreement, abide by it. 
Simply put, a promise is a promise. Unfortunately, the pending 
amendment from the chairman of the Armed Services Committee would 
undermine this basic tenet.
  Last year, Democrats and Republicans made an agreement. Democrats 
were committed to helping the middle class. Republicans were focused 
only on the Pentagon. Ultimately, we reached a compromise that was 
based on the principle of parity. We want to help the military, and 
they should be helped, but there should also be help for programs that 
are also important for our national security that are not the Pentagon. 
We provided additional resources to the Pentagon, as I said, but we 
also provided the same level of help for the middle class. That 
included improving our security through efforts of domestic agencies 
like the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland 
Security, and others. That was our agreement, but now some Republicans 
want to break their word. Senate Republicans are demanding billions 
more from the Pentagon but refuse to provide an extra penny for the 
middle class, and that is wrong. It is completely inconsistent with 
last year's agreement, and it is blind to the many serious needs here 
at home that Republicans continue to ignore, and

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Zika is one. That is why I support the amendment offered by the 
distinguished Senator from Rhode Island, Jack Reed, along with the 
leader we have on the Appropriations Committee, Barbara Mikulski.
  The Reed-Mikulski amendment would provide the same extra support for 
our middle class that Senator McCain is demanding for the Pentagon, and 
it recognizes that our security depends on more than just the Defense 
Department. The Reed amendment includes more funding to address the 
dangerous Zika virus and fight the scourge of opioids. It also would 
help mitigate lead contamination, which is long overdue, in Flint, MI.
  This amendment strengthens domestic security through support of the 
FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. It will improve airport 
security and community policing, and it will address the threat of 
cyber crime and terrorism.
  The amendment by the Senator from Rhode Island and the Senator from 
Maryland will create jobs and address our Nation's crumbling 
infrastructure. It will not only improve our transportation system but 
medical facilities for our veterans and our National Park System.
  The Reed amendment is also an investment in our future. The 
legislation will promote science and innovation through support for the 
National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, among 
others, and it will support education.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important proposal which will 
make America a better and stronger country.
  The bottom line is this: A promise is a promise. The middle class 
needs help at least as much as the Pentagon. Republicans should keep 
their promise to hard-working American families.
  I yield the floor.

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