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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I have to admit that this is a bittersweet moment for me. I come here tonight to express my support for Jeff Sessions' nomination to be the next Attorney General of the United States. It is a high honor, and the nominee is more than worthy. The truth is, I will be sad to see him go.

In all the time I have known Senator Sessions, I have found him to be a consummate gentleman. We actually met before I entered the Senate. It was 2013. I was serving in the House of Representatives--a first-term Congressman. Senator Sessions, of course, was my elder in both age and rank. Yet he reached out to me humbly to discuss a hot topic-- immigration. Back then, there was an effort afoot to force through Congress a massive immigration bill the American people clearly did not want. So the two of us worked together to stop it, and I am glad to say we were successful.

I took away more from that experience than an appreciation of the Senator's legislative skills. I got a sense of his character: how he saw the world, what he believed, and why. If I had to sum it up, I would say this is a man who loves the law--who has spent decades doing all he could.

Senator Sessions knows the law shouldn't be the spider's web of old, which catches the weak but cannot constrain the mighty. It is supposed to uphold the entire community so all Americans can thrive. What we have is a legal system that at its best strives to be a justice system.

I think if you look at Senator Sessions' career, you can see the same qualities represented by the balance, the blindfold, and the sword of Lady Justice. First, like the balance, he has a judicious mind--honed over his 12 years as a U.S. attorney and his 2 years as attorney general of the State of Alabama. He evaluates the evidence carefully and comes to a well-considered

conclusion. I would argue it is this very approach that led him to advocate for an immigration system that works for working Americans. I have every confidence, as our top law enforcement officer, he will keep the interests of American citizens uppermost in his mind.

Second, like the blindfold, he is impartial and fair-minded. I think of the fair sentencing law he passed, with bipartisan support, to bring harsh penalties that fell disproportionately on African Americans more in line with the kinds of penalties that fell on other criminals. I also think of his work on behalf of a more equitable distribution of funding for HIV-AIDS patients. Just as Senator Sessions strove to represent the interests of all Alabamians, I think Attorney General Sessions will strive to uphold the rights of all Americans.

Third, like the sword, Senator Sessions believes in swift and strong enforcement. Perhaps the best argument for his candidacy is the extensive list of endorsements he has received: the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the list goes on. I would think such widespread support among the people he would oversee would make a deep impression on any Senator's mind. If the people who actually enforce the law believe in his leadership, then so do I.

So I am sorry to see him say goodbye to this august body, but I am confident he will serve the American people well. He is the right man for the job. I urge all Senators to vote for his confirmation.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Reserving the right to object, I feel like Yogi Berra when he said ``It's deja vu all over again.''

Just 18 hours ago, the Senator from New York and I stood here, and he made the exact same request, and I objected to it. And I will object again. I will object tomorrow, and I will object for as long as he wants to make these requests.

I will point out, though, that the business of the people is not being done. For all of you up there in the Gallery, we just started 20 minutes ago. That is the regular order under which the Senate starts when it can't reach agreement on when to start earlier. We typically would start around 9:30 or 10, but the Democrats refused to allow us to come in earlier today to start processing some of the President's nominations.

You may have heard on TV that Democrats on the Finance Committee have boycotted their hearing this morning. They refused to show up to do their job to confirm some of the President's nominees.

I don't know how long they plan to do this. I don't know if they intend to abscond out of the district, if we are going to have to vote to have the Sergeant at Arms track them down and haul them into work to do their business. I see him standing right over there. He has a distinguished record in military and law enforcement. He could probably do that effectively.

I wish, though, that they would simply show up and have a debate and do their work and confirm the President's nominees in an orderly process.

The Senator from New York mentioned State Department officials who had left work last week. Well, there is a simple solution for getting political accountability at the State Department, and that is for this body to confirm Rex Tillerson to be the Secretary of State.

Finally, I just want to make a few points about Ms. Yates's firing last night, since that is the only thing that has changed since the Senator from New York and I were on the floor yesterday.

Ms. Yates, in her letter about the President's order, did not cite any provision of the Constitution, any Federal law that suggested the President's order was unlawful or unconstitutional, nor could she because her own Office of Legal Counsel, which provides legal guidance for the executive branch, had already reviewed the order before it was issued for its form and its legality and had signed off on it. Her decision was a policy decision, which is not a decision of the Attorney General--certainly is not a decision of a holdover Acting Attorney General--to make.

She was grandstanding. She should have been relieved. I am glad the President relieved her.

The American people deserve to have a politically accountable Attorney General to make these decisions, which we would have, yet again I say, if the Democrats would simply do their job and process these nominees in an orderly fashion.

So, as I said, on behalf of the Republican Conference, I object. I will object tomorrow. I will object for as long as we make these frivolous, dilatory requests.

Mr. President, I want to express my support for Rex Tillerson to be our next Secretary of State. Mr. Tillerson is one of the most distinguished businessmen in the world. His reputation precedes him. I don't have to recount for all of you his remarkable career--rising from an entry-level production engineer to CEO of ExxonMobil, the largest oil company in the world. Mr. Tillerson's story should be an inspiration to kids across this country: Through hard work, discipline, and striving, you can achieve your dreams, even if you weren't born into wealth, power, or privilege. Like the Boy Scouts he has mentored, like the Eagle Scout he was, Mr. Tillerson inspires by his example.

No one can doubt Mr. Tillerson has acquired a wide range of skills throughout his notable life, as well as a gold-plated reputation. I think it goes without saying that a man of such varied experiences will bring a well-informed and shrewd perspective to the post. In fact, I would suggest that it is the very perspective which recommends him most for the job.

I met with him in December, and we had a wide-ranging conversation about Russia, the Middle East, human rights, and the many other geopolitical challenges and opportunities facing our country. I was impressed by the breadth of his knowledge, his familiarity with so many world leaders, and his understanding of their peoples. The one thing that really stood out to me was his clear-eyed, hard-nosed prudence. It is little wonder that Mr. Tillerson comes highly recommended by Dick Cheney and Bob Gates, seasoned statesmen with no illusions about the world and no doubts about America's role in it. I am confident that as Secretary of State, he will protect the interests of the American people just as he protected the interests of ExxonMobil's shareholders as their CEO.

I have heard some Senators wonder whether a businessman can really walk away from a company and its financial interests--as if it were the money that made the man, instead of the man who made the money. Their concern reminds me of similar questions raised about one of the best Secretaries of State in the modern era, George Shultz. When President Reagan nominated him, Secretary Shultz was president and director of the Bechtel Group, a large construction concern with business across the Arab world. People asked whether Secretary Shultz would therefore tilt U.S. policy toward those countries. I think anyone looking back today on his record would marvel at those fears.

In 2015, the World Jewish Congress awarded Secretary Shultz its prestigious Theodor Herzl Award on behalf of his work with America's good friend Israel. Yes, Secretary Shultz went on to lead a very successful tenure, working with different countries all over the world and always putting America's interests front and center.

If anything, Rex Tillerson's business experience will only enhance his ability to provide the President his sound, unbiased judgment. If you need any more evidence, just look at the way Mr. Tillerson has conducted himself throughout the confirmation process. He has answered every question and addressed every concern. He has been calm and steady under pressure. These are precisely the qualities we need in our next Secretary of State.

Today, I offer my strong support for an outstanding businessman and an American patriot, our next Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote for the nomination.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I reserve the right to object.

If the Democratic leader wants to proceed.

Mr. President, I object to the first request.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object.

Mr. President, so once again we are hearing the Democrats and the media traffic in fake news. We heard a lot on this floor and over the weekend about a Muslim ban. This is a so-called Muslim ban that applies only to seven countries, and it does not apply to Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Nigeria--the five largest Muslim populations in the world. I have heard lots of claims on TV about 134 million Muslims who could be affected. Of course that leaves 1.6 billion Muslims who are not affected.

This is not a Muslim ban; this is a temporary pause of movement from seven countries, which President Trump did not pick from thin air. He picked from acts of this Congress and the Obama Department of Homeland Security--five countries in a state of near anarchy; a sixth country, Iraq, which has had a large part of its territory overrun by the Islamic State; and a seventh, Iran, which is the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism. Moreover, it is not a ban; it is simply a temporary pause for 3 to 4 months to evaluate whether Obama administration policies are strong enough to keep this country safe.

We also heard claims that this is somehow unconstitutional. However, there is no free-floating global right of people around the world to come to this country. President Trump's order is nothing more than a temporary pause on migration from countries with very weak state institutions or which sponsor terrorism, while the President and the administration take a more thorough review of our vetting procedures and the refugee program as a whole.

Secretary Kelly has stated that it does not apply to green card holders. Secretary Mattis is reportedly advising that the long-term policy accommodate Iraqis with a documented history

of serving with our troops, which I obviously support.

In fact, a temporary pause for security evaluations is so sensible that in November 2015, after the Paris terrorist attacks, even the minority leader suggested that ``a pause may be necessary.'' It wasn't beyond the pale then, and it is not now. Moreover, the people who are enforcing our laws on the frontlines agree with President Trump. The union for Border Patrol and Customs Enforcement agents has stated that they support this order and two other related immigration orders.

Yet here is the minority shedding crocodile tears over President Trump's immigration refugee policy, but where were those tears for the last 8 years when President Obama's foreign policy created all of these refugees? Where were the tears when President Obama overthrew the Government of Libya with nothing to follow? Where were the tears when President Obama withdrew from Iraq, leaving that country to fend off Iran and the Islamic State? Where were the tears when President Obama gave Iran $100 billion to continue its imperial campaign throughout the Middle East, to include overthrowing the Government of Yemen through its proxies? And most notoriously, where were the tears when President Obama stood idly by and watched Syria go up in flames? Spare me the tears now.

If the minority is worried about the President's counsel and wants to make a difference in the real world, I suggest we get to work and we confirm Rex Tillerson to be the Secretary of State and Jeff Sessions to be the Attorney General. In the meantime, I object.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I urge all Senators to confirm Mike Pompeo as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Mike is a distinguished Congressman, a successful businessman, an Army veteran, and he is my friend.

I served with Mike for 2 years in the House of Representatives. Over the last 2 years, we both served on our respective intelligence committees. I cannot count the hours we have spent together reviewing analytic products, assessing the needs of the intelligence community, conducting oversight of that community, and we have traveled the world together to do those things. From personal experience, I can tell you this is a man who understands exactly what it takes to keep America safe.

He understands it because he has dedicated his life to it. When he was 19, Mike decided to join the Army, writing a blank check to his country for any amount, up to his life. He graduated first in his class at West Point and afterward joined the 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry, patrolling the Iron Curtain in Germany.

For some people--including not a few in this Chamber--the Cold War is little more than ancient history and mostly the unfortunate result of American provocation and misunderstanding, but for Mike Pompeo, it was real life. He saw for himself the tank divisions, the gunships, and the eastern frontier of freedom. He knows, from personal experience, that conflict is rarely just a big misunderstanding, something you can clear up with reset buttons, open hands, and nice gestures. Our enemies have made a deliberate choice to oppose our way of life, and if we are to protect it, we must be equally deliberate, clear-eyed, and hard-nosed in our defense.

I have every confidence that Mike Pompeo will do that. He has succeeded in everything he has ever done. After his military service, he excelled at Harvard Law School. Later, he started his own company and went on to serve as president of another. He is a community leader in his adopted home of Wichita, where Kansans have elected him in repeated landslides to serve them in the House of Representatives. In the House, Mike is a sober, respected voice.

In short, Mike has spent his entire life preparing for a moment like this. It is clear why President Trump didn't interview anyone else for the job after meeting Mike.

It is a big job, and the CIA will benefit from new blood and fresh leadership. Mike is ready for the job. As he said himself, he doesn't take a backseat to anyone when it comes to protecting our security and our privacy. Some politicians may say things like that, but it is all talk. It is nothing but talk. With Mike, it is the real deal.

Don't take my word for it. Here is what prominent Democrats are saying about Mike Pompeo. Leon Panetta, a respected public servant and former CIA Director himself, says Mike Pompeo ``is somebody who understands the intelligence agencies, is smart, and somebody I think will be a good director.''

John Brennan, who just departed as CIA Director, says he ``looks forward to being able to hand this baton over to somebody who is as dedicated an American as Mike Pompeo.''

Adam Schiff, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, says Mike Pompeo ``is bright and hard-working'' and ``he is willing to listen and engage, both key qualities in a CIA director.''

I couldn't agree more. It seems, among the people who actually know Mike Pompeo--and who actually know the job--there are no last-minute political stunts or petty delaying tactics. They understand intelligence is deadly serious business and ought not be treated like a political football. In a world as dangerous as ours, with threats gathering every day, there is no more time for dithering. We need a CIA Director of the highest caliber, and Mike Pompeo is the man for the job.

I commend President Trump for this inspired nomination, I thank Mike for once again answering the call of duty, and I also thank his wife Susan for her love and steadfast support of Mike in the trying times and sacrifices that inevitably will lie ahead.

The time has come to put aside partisan politics and do the right thing for our country and the brave men and women of the CIA. I call on every Senator to vote for confirmation and to send to the CIA a strong leader, a wise counselor, and a fierce patriot.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I have one request for a 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 committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Committee on Foreign Relations

The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on January 23, 2017, at 4:30 p.m.

Mr. President, my home State of Arkansas lost one of its great statesmen last week with the passing of former State Senator Stanley Russ.

Stanley was a man of the soil. Born in Conway, he grew up on a dairy farm just outside the city. He went through the public school system and earned a degree in agriculture from the University of Arkansas. Although he spent the bulk of his career in the life insurance business, over the years he continued to raise cattle. Even when he was an old man, you could find him clearing brush on the road to his house. That is how we thought of him--always keeping busy, always working, and always in touch with the needs of the land and its people.

As a veteran, I have to say that one of the things I most admired about Stanley Russ was his military service. He served in the Army for 2 years, completed Officer Candidate School, and became an instructor in artillery. After being discharged, he served as a company commander in the Arkansas National Guard for several years. In 1995, Stanley was inducted into the U.S. Field Artillery OCS Hall of Fame at Ft. Sill,

Mr. President, I would like to recognize Shelby Gardner, of Warren, AK, as this week's Arkansan of the Week, for her work with the Arkansas Veterans Hospital posttraumatic stress disorder program in Little Rock.

Shelby is a senior at Warren High School in Bradley County and is proof that you are never too young to give back to your community. Shelby wanted to find a way to honor the men and women who put their lives on the line for our safety: our veterans. Specifically, she wanted to help those veterans who suffer from posttraumatic stress.

After learning about the Arkansas Veterans Hospital posttraumatic stress disorder program, Shelby began to talk with anyone who would listen about the program--friends and family, her church congregation, civic clubs, and other organizations across Warren and Bradley County. She told them about her passion for helping veterans, the good work this program does, and how much it would benefit from additional support.

Her hard work paid off. With the help of a local auctioneer, Shelby organized a community bake sale auction and managed to raise $8,000 for the Arkansas Veterans Hospital. But Shelby wasn't finished. She and a group of other volunteers spent hours preparing and selling sandwiches at the Bradley County fair and raised an additional $2,000, for a grand total of $10,000 for veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress.

A veteran in Shelby's community was struck by her commitment to such a noble cause and in his nomination of Shelby wrote: ``Her actions are proof that patriotism runs deep in small town America. She is an exceptional representative of many young people in our nation deeply committed to the men and women who serve protecting and defending our nation and our way of life. Shelby is a shining example of the caliber of young person this country requires to ensure the survival of our nation and our values. She is a focused, goal oriented young woman who is a credit to her family, her church, her community, her state and nation.''

I am equally as inspired by Shelby's hard work and her commitment to our veterans. Patriotism does indeed run deep in a State like Arkansas. Now, because of her efforts, the Veterans Hospital in Little Rock can better serve Arkansans who suffer from PTSD.

It is an honor to recognize Shelby Gardner as Arkansan of the Week, and I am thankful for people like Shelby who, using the resources around them, work to make others' lives better.

The clerk will call the roll.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the Emergency Afghan Allies Extension Act, which would add 1,000 new visas for Afghans who served American troops.

This program was designed to provide safe refuge to the many Afghans who put their lives on the line and served with our troops in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. I served personally with several Afghans who literally bled for us and who still aspire to immigrate to America in conformity with our laws--exactly the kind of immigrants which we welcome.

This program is also critical to our national security and to our troops who, in the future, will again serve around the world and need support from local nationals. If we don't stand with these brave Afghans now, how will our troops in the future get the support they need?

Indeed, many Afghans who served with American forces are now hunted by the Taliban and other terrorist groups. Adding a thousand visas this year may be the difference between life and death for some of these brave Afghans, particularly as America withdraws our troops from that country.

Friends, colleagues, I urge you to support this bill because it is in our national security interests to keep our promises and protect our allies, and it is the right thing to do.

Mr. Speaker, today, I want to honor the life of longtime Arkansas police officer and Law Enforcement Training Academy instructor, Mark Williams.

Born and raised in El Dorado, Mark began his law enforcement career in his hometown with the El Dorado Police Department in 1977, serving as a patrolman, detective, and sergeant.

Mark also served as a supervisor in the Hope Police Department's Patrol Division before joining the faculty of the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in 1994, where he trained new police officers until his retirement in 2013.

Mark's commitment to Arkansas didn't end there. He was also a gifted musician, who served as an Artist in Education, playing his guitar to entertain and educate children across south Arkansas.

I extend my deepest condolences to Mark's wife, children, and grandchildren on their loss. May they find comfort in knowing that Mark's legacy lives on with the thousands of Arkansas police officers he trained over nearly two decades at the academy and in the countless children and Arkansans he inspired with his music.

I have an amendment at the desk.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would very simply prohibit the use of funds in this legislation from being used to transfer detainees at Guantanamo Bay to their country of origin or any foreign country.

There are two main reasons why this amendment is necessary, both related to the President's action in trading five senior Taliban commanders for Private Bowe Bergdahl.

First, he has proven that section 1035 of the National Defense Authorization Act is inadequate; and, second, we need to review conditions of the release of the Taliban Five.

On the first point, this Congress granted the President, last year, expanded authority to release detainees from Guantanamo Bay, conditioned on 30 days' notice to the Congress, as well as certain conditions.

The President abused that authority by releasing the Taliban Five without notification, even to the so-called Gang of Eight, the senior leaders of both parties in both Chambers, the senior leaders of both Intelligence Committees in both Chambers.

The President, having duly signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law with those restrictions, but then did not obey those restrictions, did not claim his core article II constitutional powers to override them. Therefore, it is imperative on our institution to reclaim, on principle, our constitutional authority.

Second, the Taliban Five have been released into the country of Qatar. We need to take a year to review the conditions of those released. As many of you have seen, they appear to be moving about freely in the country of Qatar without any restrictions on their movement, absent the requirement that they remain in Qatar.

This would allow them--senior commanders, mind you--to communicate freely with Taliban on the battlefield against our troops in Afghanistan. We should be able to take at least 1 year to see if such conditions are adequate to support the release of such hardened terrorist commanders.

What does this amendment not do? This is not a permanent ban on transfers of detainees from Guantanamo Bay, nor does it authorize indefinite detention. It simply says we will take a 1-year pause to evaluate the conditions under which five senior Taliban commanders were released and to reassert our constitutional prerogatives.

Who are these detainees? They are not goat herders who were innocently swept up by the American military, nor are they foot soldiers or couriers. These are the worst of the worst, 149 hardened terrorists, which Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay says 120 of are high risk to return to the battle.

In fact, just this week, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee was arrested in Spain, recruiting for the Islamic States of Iraq and Syria, the terrorist group that is currently rampaging through both Syria and Iraq.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, stand up for your honor as a coequal branch, stand up for our national security, and stand up for the safety of your constituents.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho).

Mr. Chairman, with due respect to the gentleman from Indiana on numerous points, this is the fifth restriction that this Congress has undertaken.

If it were to pass, it simply shows the judgment of this Congress, the people's representatives, that these remaining 149 detainees are too dangerous to be cavalierly released into a country without adequate constraints or without notification to Congress, as the law that the President signed demanded.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, I would simply say that the 149 terrorists left at Guantanamo Bay are not goat herders, they are not couriers, and they are not even foot soldiers. They are bomb- makers, they are commanders, and they are intelligence experts who have killed American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines around the world.

Yes, there have been releases in the past, but many of those release were of less dangerous terrorists. The Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay says 120 out of 149 of the remaining detainees are at high risk to return to the battlefield. That is over 80 percent.

Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``yes'' vote to put a pause on the President's lawless release of the Taliban Five from Guantanamo Bay.

I yield back the balance of my time.