[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9332-9333]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           FIGHTING TERRORISM

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, over the past few months, terrorists 
inspired or directed by ISIL have committed mass murder in Brussels, in 
California, and in France. When ISIL issued a call for lone-wolf 
attacks against the West during Ramadan, its followers heard the call.
  This week, just outside Paris, more innocent lives were ended 
brutally by a terrorist who broadcasted news of the attack over the 
Internet.
  This week in Orlando, Americans were targeted deliberately and taken 
forever from their families by a terrorist ISIL has claimed is ``one of 
the soldiers of the caliphate.''
  It is clear from his behavior that this was not a random act of 
violence. This was a calculated act of terror.
  As CIA Director John Brennan testified this morning before the Senate 
Select Committee on Intelligence: Islamic State militants are 
``training and attempting to deploy operatives for further attacks on 
the West.'' He also called this terrorist attack an assault on the 
values of openness and tolerance that define the United States as a 
nation.
  Well, of course, he is absolutely right. It throws into stark relief 
the troubling reality we now face.
  ISIL is not the JV team. ISIL is certainly not ``contained.'' ISIL is 
the personification of evil in the world, and it will continue to bring 
tragedy after tragedy to our own doorsteps until it is defeated.
  President Obama needs to finally lead a campaign to accomplish this 
objective or, at the very least, prepare the military and intelligence 
community to help the next President do it if he won't. This is his 
primary responsibility in the wake of this terrorist tragedy.
  Here is ours. Here is what we need to do. Our responsibility in the 
Senate is to make a choice: work on serious solutions to prevent 
terrorist attacks or use the Senate as a campaign studio--as a campaign 
studio. Yesterday, the FBI Director came to deliver a critical briefing 
on Orlando and explain what is needed to prevent similar terrorist 
attacks in the future. Senate Republicans attended and asked serious 
questions. A rather significant group of Senate Democrats skipped it--
skipped the briefing all together--for a campaign talkathon out here on 
the Senate floor, which also prevented us from going forward on the 
bill, offering amendments and votes.
  It is hard to think of a clearer contrast between serious work for 
solutions on the one hand and endless partisan campaigning on the 
other.
  Doing what we can to fight terror beyond our borders and to prevent 
attacks within our border were priorities of ours well before the 
terrorist attack in Orlando, and they continue to be at the forefront 
of our efforts now.
  We just passed the annual National Defense Authorization Act. It will 
go a long way toward helping Americans confront global security 
challenges today and toward preparing the next Commander in Chief to 
take on the threats tomorrow.
  We are now working to pass an appropriations bill that will give the 
FBI and other law enforcement officials more of the resources needed to 
track down and defuse threats right here on American soil. As we 
consider that measure, we are continuing to explore additional tools 
that can help prevent devastating terrorist attacks, such as tools to 
help us permanently address the threat of lone-wolf terrorists and to 
help us connect the dots when it comes to terrorist communications.
  Now is the time for Democrats to finally join with us in pursuing 
serious solutions that can actually make a real difference.
  As we said on Tuesday, there will be amendment votes on this bill. 
There will be amendment votes on this bill. Yesterday, we were prepared 
to begin that process but were unable to get amendments pending because 
of the extended floor debate that went on until 2 o'clock this morning. 
We will try again today to move forward with amendments from both 
sides, and once there is an agreement to do so, we will update 
everybody.
  So, look, of course, no one wants terrorists to be able to buy guns. 
No one

[[Page 9333]]

wants terrorists to be able to buy guns. So if Democrats are actually 
serious about getting a solution on that issue and not just making a 
political talking point, they will join with us to support Senator 
Cornyn's SHIELD Act. It will give the Justice Department the ability to 
prevent known or suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms. It will 
protect the constitutional rights of all Americans. It will go a step 
further as well and actually allow terrorists to be taken into custody 
if a judge finds probable cause.
  Now, that is a serious solution on this issue. Let's remember, 
however, that this issue represents only a piece of a much bigger 
challenge. Director Brennan also told the Intelligence Committee today 
that ``despite all of our progress against ISIL on the battlefield and 
in the financial realm, our efforts have not reduced the group's 
terrorist capability and global reach.'' That is Brennan.
  If we want to prevent ISIL-inspired and directed attacks, we have to 
defeat ISIL in Iraq and in Syria. If we want to prevent ISIL-inspired 
and directed attacks, we have to defeat ISIL in Iraq and in Syria.
  Here is what that means. From the White House, it means we don't need 
another lecture or another threat to veto the Defense bill. It means we 
need real leadership and a plan of action to defeat ISIL.
  From our colleagues here in the Senate, it means we don't need more 
campaign talkathons like we witnessed yesterday, preventing us from 
actually voting. It means we need serious solutions and hard work. 
After all, that is what our constituents sent us here to do.
  We may have gotten held back by a day, but now we are able to keep 
moving forward to set up votes on both sides, just as we always 
expected.
  I yield the floor.

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