Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I have a request for one committee to meet during today's session of the Senate. It has the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committee is authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Committee on Armed Services

The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, January 10, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I think it is important that we remind ourselves about what it takes to make a law here in Washington, DC. It obviously takes passage of a bill by the House of Representatives, passage by the Senate, and a Presidential signature. Obviously, we are in the middle of sort of a, I guess you could say, fight right now between the executive branch--the President--and Democrats in the House and the Senate, which normally would be resolved by the two sides sitting down and negotiating and coming to some sort of an agreement or compromise. That, frankly, is what is going to be necessary to resolve the current crisis we are in.

The Democrats in the Congress have the majority in the House. It takes 60 votes, as we know, to do anything in the Senate, which means it will take somewhere around the order of 10 Senate Democrats in order to put a piece of legislation on the President's desk.

There has to be a negotiation. There have to be two sides at the table. The Democrats have made it very clear in the Senate and in the House that they have no interest in negotiating with the President.

Furthermore, they have determined that they are going to shut down all the rest of the business that is being done in the Senate simply because they do not want to provide funding for the border wall that has been requested by the President. That is the standoff we are currently in the middle of.

I will remind our colleagues that as recently as last month, my friend the Democratic leader said that in order for us to proceed and vote on anything in either Chamber, we need to have a piece of legislation that the President has said he would agree to sign, which, again, suggests the way out of this is for the Democrats to come to the table and enter into a negotiation with the President about how to fund the border wall, how to deal with the issue of border security, and then to open up the government. That is the way this ultimately gets resolved.

It seems to me, at least from my observation so far, that there has been no movement, zero movement--zero movement--on the part of the Democrats when it comes to trying to resolve the current situation.

I will simply say that I agree with what the Democratic leader said as recently as December; that is, in order for either Chamber--the House or the Senate--to vote on a compromise piece of legislation, it needs to be a piece of legislation that the President of the United States has said he will sign.

Each of these elements has to come together, and, obviously, each is very relevant in this conversation. You cannot have a law without a Presidential signature. There are 535 Members of Congress. There is only one President of the United States, only one person who can sign a bill into law. Obviously, the President is a critical player in this conversation.

Of course, the Democrats, as I said, have the majority in the House of Representatives. It takes 60 votes to do anything in the Senate. I think we have a majority of Senators who would vote today to provide the funding that is necessary to secure our borders, the funding that the President has requested, but it is going to take a number of Democrats, perhaps as many as 7 to 10 Democrats, in order for us to pass a bill in the Senate.

The Democrats are very relevant in this conversation. They are not irrelevant. They have to be at the table. Normally a negotiation starts with the two sides saying ``This is where I am, and this is where I am'' and figuring out how to reach that common ground, how to reach that middle and structure an agreement that could pass both the House and the Senate and receive a Presidential signature.

That is not what is happening right now. I think we all know that. I think it is very clear that the Democrats are very dug in; they have not moved a single inch off of their position from the time that this whole shutdown started. I think there is a path forward. I am hopeful that negotiations, discussions that will continue later today at the White House, will lead us to a conclusion, to an outcome, and to a result that gets Federal employees back to work, making sure the government continues to function and run but also addressing a critical and important priority for all of us as policymakers; that is, ensuring that we secure our border in a way to protect the American people.

I think it should go without saying that border security is a basic national security requirement. Countries have to secure their borders. They need to know who is coming into their country, and they need to be able to keep people who shouldn't be entering the country, such as criminals and drug traffickers, out. Making sure that our borders are secure is one of our most essential responsibilities of Members of Congress. It is a basic obligation, like making sure our military is capable of defending our country. While border security is always a national security imperative, it is particularly important right now because we have not only a security but a humanitarian crisis at our border.

Over the past year, illegal border crossing apprehensions have shot up by more than 30 percent. An average of 60,000 individuals try to cross our southern border illegally each month. This represents a serious security concern. Among those trying to cross our southern border are drug dealers, gang members, human traffickers, and other criminals.

This flood of attempted border crossings also represents a serious humanitarian concern. Individuals attempting the journey to come here illegally are vulnerable to exploitation, illness, and abuse. One out of every three women attempting the journey to the United States is sexually assaulted. A staggering 70 percent of individuals become victims of violence along the way. Illness and other medical issues are serious problems. Fifty migrants a day are referred for medical care, and Customs and Border Protection rescues 4,300 people in distress every single year.

There is a direct way to stem this crisis, and that is to promote legal immigration and discourage people from coming here illegally. How do we discourage people from attempting to come here illegally? Well, I would argue we enforce our immigration laws and prevent individuals from illegally crossing our borders.

I have mentioned the dangerous individuals who can sneak across our porous borders and the humanitarian crisis we face, but of course there are even more dangers posed by the weaknesses in our border, both around barriers and through our ports of entry, such as the illegal drugs that are pouring into the country.

Every week in this country, 300 Americans die from heroin. Ninety percent of the heroin supply--90 percent--flows across our southern border. In 2017, opioids were involved in the deaths of almost 50,000 Americans. Roughly half or more of those deaths involved fentanyl, and a lot of that fentanyl is coming across our borders illegally. Federal agents have seen a 115-percent increase in the amount of fentanyl seized between ports of entry. One key part of addressing the opioid epidemic in our country is shutting down the flow of illegal drugs across our porous borders.

Democrats used to understand the need for border security. In 2009, the Democratic leader here in the Senate said:

Illegal immigration is wrong, plain and simple. Until the

American people are convinced that we will stop future flows

of illegal immigration, we will make no progress on dealing

with the millions of illegal immigrants who are here now and

on rationalizing our system of legal immigration. That's

plain and simple and unavoidable.

That is from the Democratic leader here in the Senate in 2009.

In 2006, the Democratic leader and the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted for legislation to authorize a border fence. They were joined in their vote by then-Senator Biden, then-Senator Clinton, and then-Senator Obama.

In 2013, every Senate Democrat supported legislation requiring the completion of a 700-mile fence along our southern border. This legislation would have provided $46 billion for border security and $8 billion specifically for a physical barrier.

Nearly every Senate Democrat supported $25 billion in border security funding just last February, and I suspect that more than one Democrat still understands that we desperately need to improve security at our borders. But the Democratic leadership refuses to play ball. More than 2 weeks into this shutdown, they are still not willing to negotiate a solution that would secure our borders and reopen the government. Democratic leaders are willing to ignore the security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border simply because they don't like this President and because they are afraid to oppose the far-left wing of their party.

We need to end this partial shutdown, and we need to reopen the government, but the only way for that to happen is for Democrats to work with Republicans and the President to provide adequate funding for border security. Once they negotiate in good faith toward a serious agreement that the President will sign, the Senate will immediately take it up so that we can end this shutdown and take needed steps to bolster security at our borders.

Border security is not some issue Republicans have somehow dreamed up. Securing our borders is a national security imperative, and both parties have a responsibility to make sure our Nation's borders are protected. I hope Democrats here in the Senate will remember their obligation to our Nation's citizens and work with the President to secure our borders and reopen our government. I would end where I started, and that is to say that in order for that to happen, there has to be an agreement. Both sides have to come to the table. The President, the House, and the Senate, Democrats and Republicans, are all relevant in this conversation because it takes all to accomplish a legislative result that will reopen our government, get Federal employees back to work, and at the same time take the important steps that are necessary to secure our border.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I have 3 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Committee on Veterans' Affairs

The Committee on Veterans' Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, at 2 p.m., to conduct a hearing.

Select Committee on Intelligence

The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a closed hearing.

Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights

The Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights of the Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Matt Wells and Tom Sullivan, fellows in Senator Grassley's office, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of the week.

Mr. President, before I begin, I would like to say a couple of words about Senator Alexander.

I was very sad, as many of us here were, to hear that he will be leaving the Senate in 2 years--in other words, not running for reelection when he comes up in 2020.

While I am sure he will enjoy having more time to relax at home in his beloved Tennessee, his gain is our loss. Over the course of his 16- year career in the Senate, he has been a leader and a model for many of us, including me.

As a former Secretary of Education, he has, unsurprisingly, been a leader on education issues. He has also been a tremendous leader on healthcare. He combines an impressive knowledge of the issues with an ability to bring together Members of both parties to get things done.

He and I share the unusual distinction of having both been congressional staffers before becoming Members of Congress. We also both served as chairmen of the Senate Republican conference. I have to say that Lamar was definitely a tough act to follow.

I will miss his presence in the Senate, but I am glad we have 2 more years to work together to improve the lives of the American people. I expect that in his last couple of years, he will get a lot done around here because there isn't anybody in the Senate who is a more effective or a more results-oriented legislator.

I look forward to the things we can get done together in the course of the next 2 years. But like many in this Chamber, I am going to be very sorry to see Senator Alexander leave.

Tribute to Jon Kyl

Mr. President, I also want to mention Senator Kyl, who announced he is retiring from the Senate for the second time.

Senator Kyl initially retired at the end of the 112th Congress after a distinguished Senate career but stepped up to fill in after we lost Senator McCain earlier this year.

Senator Kyl is rightly renowned in this body for his statesmanship and his deep knowledge, and it has been a pleasure having him back in the Senate, even if that was just for this brief time.

Government Funding

Mr. President, the 115th Congress is drawing to a close, and it is time to finish up our work. More importantly, of course, we need to fund the government.

While this year's Senate was the most efficient in two decades in terms of passing appropriations bills, we still have a significant amount of funding left to pass this week.

A critical part of this funding is border security. As all of us know, protecting our border is protecting our Nation. When we can't control the flow of goods and people across our borders, dangerous individuals and products enter our Nation without our knowledge.

The fact is, our borders are not sufficiently secure. As we have recently seen with the migrant caravans, they are a target for illegal entry.

Over the past year, illegal border crossing apprehensions shot up by more than 30 percent. A porous border leaves us susceptible to illegal entry by gang members, human traffickers, drug dealers, and weapons traffickers. Federal agents have seen a substantial increase in seizures of deadly drugs, including a 115-percent increase in the amount of fentanyl seized between ports of entry. Fentanyl is one of the most dangerous opioids out there and a major contributor to the opioid crisis raging in this country.

In 2017, opioids were involved in the deaths of almost 50,000 Americans. Roughly half or more of those deaths involved fentanyl. If this is what is being caught at legal points of entry, we know more is coming over our unsecured border.

Then there is human trafficking. Every year, between 14,500 and 17,500 individuals are trafficked into the United States--predominantly women and children. Then they are sold into domestic slavery or, more frequently, forced into pornography or prostitution.

Of course, there is the ever-present and very real danger that members of terrorist groups will exploit loopholes in our border security to enter our country and endanger our citizens.

I don't need to explain this to Democratic Members of the Senate. They know all of this, and they have supported measures in the past to protect our borders. In 2006, the Democratic leader and the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted for legislation to authorize a border fence. They were joined in their vote by then- Senators Biden, Clinton, and Obama.

In 2013, every Senate Democrat supported legislation requiring the completion of a 700-mile fence along our southern border. This legislation would have provided $46 billion for border security and $8 billion specifically for the border wall. Nothing has changed. Border security is still a national security imperative, and it still needs to be funded. So I hope that Democratic support for border security will not change either.

In 2013, Nancy Pelosi said that a shutdown was ``an unthinkable tactic to use in the political debate.'' I have to agree that it is unthinkable that Democrats would jeopardize government operations and services to block funding to secure our border.

The American people are certainly not interested in a government shutdown. They made that clear back in January when Democrats shut down the government over illegal immigration. I know Democrats and Republicans in Congress are not interested in shutting down the government for Christmas.

I hope that an appropriations bill will pass this week. It is time to get the government funded.

National Defense Strategy Commission

While I am on the issue of national security, I would like to take a few minutes to discuss the recent report from the National Defense Strategy Commission. The report is sobering, and it should give our work to restore military readiness a new level of intensity.

I would just like to highlight a few excerpts from that report:

The security and wellbeing of the United States are at

greater risk than at any time in decades. . . . The U.S.

military could suffer unacceptably high casualties and loss

of major capital assets in its next conflict. It might

struggle to win, or perhaps lose, a war against China or

Russia. The United States is particularly at risk of being

overwhelmed should its military be forced to fight on two or

more fronts simultaneously. Additionally, it would be unwise

and irresponsible not to expect adversaries to attempt

debilitating kinetic, cyber, or other types of attacks

against Americans at home while they seek

to defeat our military abroad. U.S. military superiority is

no longer assured and the implications for American interests

and American security are severe.

Those are all findings from that report. I would say that the threats to our national security are many, and they are growing in complexity by the day. But it is not our strength that tempts our adversaries; it is our weakness.

The best way to ensure our security and that of our allies is to project strength, and the best way to project strength is to make sound investments in our men and women in uniform and the right investments in sustainment and modernization.

I hope that this report will be a wake-up call, and the Democrats will come to the table to continue the work of rebuilding our military in this next Congress. We need to continue the momentum led by President Trump in restoring our military readiness so that bad actors will rethink their actions.

If I can remind my colleagues, providing the Pentagon funding certainty allows it to leverage its greatest asset, and that is the men and women of our military. Investing in our national defense is an investment in the men and women who are currently standing watch around the world this holiday season, forgoing the comforts of home so that we can celebrate with our friends and family.

This last weekend, I had the honor of attending an activation ceremony of the Bravo Battery of the 1-147 Field Artillery of the South Dakota National Guard. Those in it are deploying in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve and demonstrating, yet again, America's commitment to security in Europe at a time of heightened tensions.

We thank them for their service, and we wish them a safe deployment. May we think of Bravo Battery and extend our thanks to all of the men and women in uniform who are defending our freedoms at this time of year. May we return in the 116th Congress with a renewed commitment to supporting their mission and needs.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Ms. Janan Evans- Wilent, a Knauss Sea Grant fellow on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, for all of the hard work she has done for me, my staff, and other members of the committee over the past year.

Ms. Evans-Wilent has leveraged her scientific expertise to inform public policy, having worked on several pieces of legislation that have passed the Senate and several others being considered by the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Her contributions have helped ensure the proper management of our natural resources and the continued protection and prosperity of our Nation. Her contributions will help improve drought monitoring for farmers and improved coastal management across the Nation.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Ms. Evans-Wilent for all of the fine work she has done. I wish her continued success in her new career at the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the years to come.

Mr. President, today I recognize Josiah Lindquist, an intern in my Washington, DC, office, for all of the hard work he has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota over the past several months.

Josiah is a graduate of Milbank High School in Milbank, SD. Currently, he is attending Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where he is pursuing a degree in global studies and political science. He is a hard worker who has been dedicated to getting the most out of his internship experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Josiah for all of the fine work he has done and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, today I recognize Sean Zimny, an intern in my Washington, DC, office, for all of the hard work he has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota over the past several months.

Sean is a graduate of Milbank High School in Milbank, SD. Currently, he is attending Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where he is pursuing degrees in sociology and social activism. He is a hard worker who has been dedicated to getting the most out of his internship experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Sean for all of the fine work he has done and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Madam President, I wish to associate myself with the comments of my colleague from Georgia, Senator Isakson, who chairs the Veterans Affairs Committee.

I have the privilege of chairing the Senate Commerce Committee. Senator Heller has been a very active and important voice on our committee on countless issues. Our committee has a very broad, wide jurisdiction. We heard him speak about his passion for veterans, and everybody knows that and how hard he has worked to make life better for veterans in the State of Nevada. But I would say, also, on issues like rural broadband and transportation, many of which, as I said, fall under the jurisdiction of the Senate Commerce Committee, I can't think of anybody who has been more passionate, more representative of his State and his people, more conscientious, more hard-working, and, frankly, just rock solid when it comes to the way he stands up for and represents the State of Nevada here in the U.S. Senate.

So I, too, am going to miss him and his voice and his excellent work and that of his staff on the Senate Commerce Committee. As those who have spoken before me have said, we know that his contributions not only to the people of Nevada but also to the people of this country will continue because he is someone who not only has great talent but also tremendous character.

As I think about the future that he and Lynne are going to enjoy, hopefully it will include a little more time together and more time with those grandkids, which we talk about all the time.

The other thing I appreciate about Dean Heller is that no matter how tough the going was, he always had a smile on his face. People talk about his optimism. That is a virtue that, to me, really matters around here. We deal

with weighty and serious issues. It is important that we see the lighter side and that we appreciate the humor in what we do, too; that we approach it with a sense of purpose but also a sense of optimism. That is always evident whenever you encounter Dean Heller in any circumstance. The thing I think I will miss the most about him is that whenever I see him, I see that smile, and I appreciate that.

I wish him and Lynne and his family the best in the days ahead. I thank him for his great work here, and I thank his family for the sacrifice they have made to enable him to be here to represent Nevadans in the U.S. Senate.

So, Senator Heller, God bless you and your family in the days ahead.

I yield the floor.