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MAKES NO COMMITMENT TO GO TO
CONFERENCE, WE'RE GOING TO TRY
TO ATTACH THE SENATE BILL TO THE
EXTENSION AND SEND IT IN TO
CONFERENCE.
AND I HOPE MY FRIENDS WILL BE
HERE TO HELP ME WITH THAT.
I WOULD YIELD THE FLOOR.
MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS.
I SKEE MY FRIEND
AND COLLEAGUE FROM ALASKA IS
OFTEN THE FLOOR AND I WOULD LIKE
TO YIELD TO HER.
SENATOR FROM ALASKA.
THANK YOU,
MADAM PRESIDENT.
I APPRECIATE THE COURTESY OF MY
COLLEAGUE FROM ILLINOIS, AND I
ALSO WILL FOLLOW ON SENATOR
BOXER'S COMMENTS IN THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS THE HIGHWAY
TRANSPORTATION BILL.
I THINK WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE
FAR FROM BEING PERFECT DURNL A
NOT CONVINCED THAT WE DEVELOP
ANY PERFECT LEGISLATION AROUND
HERE -- IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY
GOOD-FAITH EFFORT, A VERY STRONG
BIPARTISAN DEMONSTRATION IN THIS
BODY, DESERVED TO HAVE THIS
SUPPORT.
I APPLAUD HER AND SENATOR INHOFE
FOR THEIR WORK ON THAT.
THANK YOU.
PRESIDENT, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I
WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES
THIS MORNING TO SPEAK ABOUT AN
EVENT THAT JUST HAPPENED OUTSIDE
ON THE LAWN OF THE CAPITOL HERE
ABOUT MAYBE 50 OR 60 ALASKANS
AND WANT-TO-BE ALASKANS GATHERED
IN A RALLY, A MARCH THAT WE HAVE
ENTITLED "CHOOSE RESPECT."
AND THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT HAS
STEMMED FROM THE ACTIONS OF OUR
GOVERNOR IN ALASKA TO REALLY
SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND *** ASSAULT AND
TO COME TOGETHER AS COMMUNITIES,
AS A STATE, TO REALLY SPEAK UP
AND TO TURN AROUND THE
STATISTICS THAT ARE SO DEVASTATE
DEVASTATING IN OUR STATE WHEN IT
COMES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
*** ASSAULT.
SO FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS THE
GOVERNOR HAS KIND OF LED THE
IN ORGANIZING RALLIES IN
THE STATE OF ALASKA, IN THE LAST
WEEK OF MARCH.
IN THE STATE THIS MORNING THERE
WILL BE 120 DIFFERENT RALLIES
GOING ON IN COMMUNITIES LIKE
ANCHORAGE AND FAIRBANKS, OUR
LARGER COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO IN
SMALLER VILLAGES, KUSLIA,
TANINA, COMMUNITIES WHERE THE
NUMBERS ARE SMALL BUT THE
PASSIONS ON THE ISSUES, I THINK,
ROBUST.
THE GOVERNOR HAS COMMISSIONERS
IN BARROW, IN TANIN AIVMENT,NA, IN GALINA,
ALL LEADING THE MARCH TO TO STAND
UP AND SPEAK OUT ABOUT DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT THE
GOPHER HAS DONE -- WHAT THE
GOVERNOR HAS DONE TO SPOTLIGHT
THIS THROUGH THIS "CHOOSE
RESPECT" INITIATIVE.
WE'VE GOT GREAT ALASKANS
STANDING TOGETHER AND AGAIN A
REAL COMMITMENT TO MAKE A DIFNS.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'VE HEARD ME
SAY THIS BEFORE, IN A STATE LIKE
ALASKA WHERE I THINK WE HAVE
UNHARRELL HEUNPARALLELED BEAUTY, WE ALSO
HAVE AN UGLY SIDE TO OUR STATE
HAS MANIFESTED IN STATISTICS
THAT WE SEE WITH VIOLENCE BEGINS
WOMEN AND PARTICULARLY VIOLENCE
AGAINST NATIVE WOMEN.
VIOLENCE AGAINST NATIVE WOMEN
HAS REACHED EPIDEMIC
PROPORTIONS.
WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE TWO AND A
HALF TIMES HIGHER NATIVE WOMEN
EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
*** ASSAULT AT RATES TWO AND
RACES.
IN THE LOWER 48, WOMEN ON
RESERVATIONS ARE NEARLY TEN
TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE
MURDERED.
SYSTEMATIC LEGAL BARRIERS SHOW
INSUFFICIENT LAW MECHANISMS
RESULT IN WOMEN AND CHILDREN
LIVING IN FEAR.
IN ALASKA NEARLY ONE IN TWO
WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCED PARTNER
VIOLENCE, ONE IN THREE HAVE
EXPERIENCED *** VIOLENCE.
OVERALL, NEARLY SIX IN TEN
ALASKA WOMEN HAVE BEEN VICTIMS
OF *** ASSAULT OR DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE,
AND THIS IS THE REALITY THAT
WE'RE LIVING WITH AS A STATE
IT'S ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.
ALASKA'S RATE OF FORCEABLE ***
BETWEEN 2003 AND 2009 WAS 2.6
TIMES HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL
RARITY.
-- THAN THE NATIONAL
RATE.
WE SEE ABOUT 9% OF ALASKAN
MOTHERS WHO REPORTED PHYSICAL
ABUSE BY THEIR HUSBAND IN THE
MONTHS PRIOR TO PREGNANCY.
THESE ARE HORRIFYING STATISTICS,
MADAM PRESIDENT.
AND IT TAKES ME TO THE ISSUE OF
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, VAWA,
THE BILL WE HAVE BEEN TOCK
TALKING ABOUT, HOPEFUL BRINGING
TO THE FLOOR SOON.
A MEASURE LIKE THIS I THINK, IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
STAND BEHIND -- WOMEN, MEN,
DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IF
YOU ARE FROM A RURAL PART OF THE
COUNTRY.
IT IS AN ISSUE THAT I THINK WE
KNOW RIPS AT THE HEART OF WHO WE
IN SO MANY OF THE ALASKAN
VILLAGES, VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND *** ASSAULT FACE
SOME PRETTY UNIQUE CHALLENGES,
AND THEY'RE HORRIFIC CHALLENGES.
IT MAY BE THAT THERE IS NO
FULL-TIME LAW ENFORCEMENT
PRESENCE.
THERE'S NO LOCAL JUSTICE
INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE HAVE -- IN MANY SITUATIONS
WHERE VILLAGES ARE LANDLOCKED --
THERE'S NO ROADS IN, THE ONLY
WAY IN AND OUT IS BY AIRPLANE,
SO YOU'VE GOT A SITUATION WHERE
YOU CAN HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
HAS BEEN VICTIMIZED, NO LAW
ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE IN THE
COMMUNITY WHATSOEVER; IT MAY
TAKE STATE TROOPERS DAYS -- DAYS
-- TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO AN
INCIDENT, DEPENDING ON WEATHER
CONDITIONS.
SO IMAGINE YOURSELF IN THAT
YOU'VE BEEN A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE, YOU SEEK HELP, THERE
IS NONE IN THE VILLAGE, AND NO
WAY AWAY FROM YOUR PERPETRATOR.
I THINK WE RECOGNIZE THAT ONE
THING THAT WE MUST DO IS MAKE
SURE THAT THERE IS A SAFETY NET
AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE
IMMEDIATE SURVIVAL NEEDS AND THE
SURVIVAL NEED OF THE CHILDREN IN
THE SHORT-TERM.
ONLY WITH THIS LEVEL OF
CONFIDENCE CAN ONE GATHER THE
COURAGE TO LEAVE AN ABUSIVE
SITUATION.
ONE FINAL COMMENT ON VAWA, AND
THEN I WILL YIELD TO MY
COLLEAGUE, WHO HAS GIVEN ME THE
COURTESY OF OF THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE RECOGNIZE IN ALASKA
THAT THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
ACT DOES OFFER A RAY OF HOPE, IF
YOU WILL, FOR THOSE WHO NOT ONLY
BUT THOSE WHO
HELP ASSIST THE VICTIMS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ***
ASSAULT IN OUR VILLAGES.
IT WILL PROVIDE FOR SOME
INCREASED RESOURCES TO OUR RURAL
COMMUNITIES.
IT WILL HELP TO ESTABLISH A
FRAMEWORK FOR THE ALASKA RURAL
JUSTICE COMMISSION, WHICH HAS
BEEN A GREAT VENUE, I THINK, TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE TOOLS ARE
AND HOW WE ADAPT TO THOSE TOOLS.
AND IT ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT
ALASKA'S VILLAGE PUBLIC SAFETY
OFFICER PROGRAM IS CONSIDERED AS
THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT SO THAT THE
VAWA FUNDS CAN BE DIRECTED TO
PROVIDING FULL-TIME LAW
THAT HAVE NONE.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ISSUES THAT
WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE
REAUTHORIZATION OF VAWA WILL
HELP US WITH THAT.
SO AS WE JOIN WITH OTHER
ALASKANS IN THE STATE AND HERE
IN WASHINGTON, D.C., TO CHOOSE
RESPECT FOR ALL WOMEN, FOR ALL
IN OUR COMMUNITIES, I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT THERE ARE SOME
HERE THAT WE CAN PUT IN
PLACE TO HELP NOT ONLY THE
PEOPLE OF MY STATE BUT VICTIMS
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHERE EVER
THEY MAY BE.
AND WITH THAT, MADAM CHAIR --
MADAM PRESIDENT, I THAT UNMY
FREEING COLLEAGUE FROM ILLINOIS
-- I THANK MY FRIEND MY COLLEAGUE FROM
ILLINOIS FOR YIELDING AND I TURN
IT BACK TO HIM.
SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS.
THE SENATE IS NOT
A PLACE FOR SPRINTERS, ONLY
LONG-DISTANCE RUNNERS BECAUSE
SOMETIMES YOU NEED PATIENCE
BEHIND HUMAN ENDURANCE TO SEE AN
IDEA THAT YOU FEEL IS
MERITORIOUS FINALLY GET PASSED
BY THE UNITED STATES SENATE AND
MAYBE EVEN THE HOUSE OR MAYBE
EVEN SIGNED INTO LAW.
SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS QUICKLY.
TIME.
MY PERSONAL EXAMPLE IS THE DREAM
AGO.
THIS WAS LEGISLATION THAT
ADDRESSED A PROBLEM THAT I
LEARNED ABOUT IN MY CHICAGO
OFFICE.
WE GOT A PHONE CALL AND A PHONE
CALL WAS FROM A MOTHER.
SHE WAS KOREAN-AMERICAN AND SHE
RAN A DRY CLEANERS.
IN CHICAGO, 75% OR MORE OF THE
DRY CLEANING ESTABLISHMENTS ARE
OWNED BY KOREAN FAMILIES.
SHE HAD COME TO THIS COUNTRY
YEARS BEFORE, BROUGHT HER LITTLE
GIRL WITH HER, AND THEN RAISED A
FAMILY, AND SHE BECAME AN
AMERICAN CITIZEN.
FAST-FORWARD TO HER LITTLE GIRL
WHO BECAME A MUSICAL PRODIGY, IN
FACT WAS IN DEMAND AT SOME OF
THE BEST MUSIC INSTITUTIONS IN
AMERICA -- JUILLIARD SCHOOL OF
MUSIC, THE MANHATTAN
CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC, OFFERING
HER ADMISSION TO COME AND
PIANIST.
AS HER DAUGHTER FILLED OUT THE
FORM TO APPLY TO THESE SCHOOLS,
SHE TURNED TO HER MOTHER AND
SAID, NOW, WHEN THIS SAYS
I WRITE?
AND HER MOTHER SAID, I DON'T
KNOW.
WE NEVER FILED ANY
PARAMILITARIES FOR YOU AFTER YOU
CAME -- WE NEVER FILED ANY
PAPERS FOR YOU AFTER YOU CAME TO
THE DAUGHTER SAID, WHAT CAN WE
THE MOTHER SAID, WE CAN CALL
DURBIN.
WE CALLED THE IMMIGRATION
THEY SAID, WHEN A CHILD IS
BROUGHT TO THIS COUNTRY AND
THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN IS
DOWNLTED, THE LAW IS -- IS
UNDOCUMENTED, THE LAW IS CLEAR:
YEARS.
THEY CAN'T BE HERE.
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, THIS GIRL
DID NOTHING WRONG.
MOM AND DAD DIDN'T FILE THE
PAPERS AND HERE SHE IS IN A
PREDICKPREDICAMENT.
SO I INTRODUCED THE DREAM AFNLGT -- THE
IF YOU CAME TO THE UNITED STATES
AS A CHILD, IF YOU'VE BEEN A
LONG-TERM U.S. RESIDENT, IF YOU
HAVE GOOD MORAL CHARACTER IF YOU
GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND
YOU EITHER COMPLETE TWO YEARS OF
COLLEGE OR SERVE IN THE U.S.
MILITARY, WE WILL PUT YOU ON A
PATH TO BECOME A CITIZEN OF THE
UNITED STATES.
YOU HAVE TO EARN IT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE IT TO
YOU, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU
JUST BECAUSE MOM AND DAD MAY
HAVE DONE AN ILLEGAL ACT, WE
WILL NOT HOLD YOU AS A CHILD
RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
THE NET RESULT OF THIS BILL,
WHEN IT BECOMES LAW, WILL
STRENGTHEN OUR MILITARY -- AND
WE HAVE THE SUPPORT FROM
MILITARY LEADERS ALL ACROSS THE
UNITED STATES; THEY WANT THESE
YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO ENLIST;
THEY'LL BRING DIVERSITY TO THE
MILITARY AND TALENT.
IT'LL ALSO MEAN THAT THEY'LL BE
CONTRIBUTING TO AMERICA WITH
THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE TOMORROW'S
DOCTORS AND ENGINEERS, SOLDIERS,
AND TEACHERS.
WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEIR
WE DON'T WANT THEM EDUCATED IN
AMERICA FOR 13 YEARS AND THEN
CAST ASIDE.
WE WANT THEM TO STAND UP AND BE
PART OF OUR FUTURE AND MAKE US A
NATION.
KEEP IN MIND THAT FOR MOUSE MOST OF
THESE STUDENTS IT COMES AS A
SHOCK CH THEY FINALLY ASK THE
QUESTIONS AND GET THE ANSWERS
AND REALIZE THAT THE FLAG THEY
HAVE BEEN PLEDGING APLEA ALLEGIANCE TO
EVERY SINGLE DAY IS NOT THE FLAG
OF THEIR COUNTRY.
THEY ARE PEOPLE WITHOUT A
THAT'S WHAT THE DREAM ACT IS
ABOUT, TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
WE'VE ASKED THE ADMINISTRATION
-- THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ON A
BIPARTISAN BASIS NOT TO BE
DEPORTING THESE ELIGIBLE YOUNG
WRONG.
IF THEY DO SOMETHING WRONG, IT'S
ANOTHER STORY.
BUT IF THEY DO NOTHING WRONG,
DON'T FOCUS ON DEPORTING THEM.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO
GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO EARN THEIR
WAY TO THE AMERICAN DREAM.
I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION'S NEW
DEPORTATION POLICY IS SENSIBLE,
AND I THINK THESE YOUNG PEOPLE
DESERVE A CHANCE.
BUT I CAN GIVE THESE SPEECHES
FOR A LONG TIME, AND THEY DON'T
MEAN MUCH UNTIL YOU MEET THE
ACT STUDENTS.
LET ME SHOW YOU TWO OF THEM.
TWO HANDSOME YOUNG MEN FROM
ILLINOIS.
CARLOS AND RAPHAEL ROBOS.
I MET THEM BOTH O THEY WERE
BROUGHT TO THE UNITED STATES
WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN.
TODAY CARLOS IS 22, RAPHAEL IS
21.
THEY GRIE GREW UP IN SUBURBAN
ILLINOIS.
THEY GRADUATED FROM PALATINE
HIGH SCHOOL WHERE THEY WERE BOTH
HONOR STUDENTS.
IN HIGH SCHOOL, CARLOS WAS
CAPITAL OF THE TENNIS TEAM AND A
MEMBER OF THE VARSITY SWIM TEAM.
HE VOLUNTEERED WITH PALATINE'S
PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED DAY
WHEREVER DAY HE HELPED TO FEED
LUNCH TO SPECIAL-NEEDS STUDENTS.
CARLOS GRADUATED FROM HARPER
COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND IS NOW
CHICAGO.
TEACHER.
DO WE NEED MORE GOOD TEACHERS IN
AMERICA?
YOU BET WE DO.
LISTEN TO WHAT ONE OF CARLOS'
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS SAID ABOUT
HIM.
"CARLOS IS THE KIND OF PERSON WE
WANT AMONG US BECAUSE HE MAKES
THE COMMUNITY BETTER.
THIS IS THE KIND OF PERSON YOU
WANT AS A STUDENT, THE KIND OF
KID YOU WANT AS A NEIGHBOR, THE
KIND OF KID YOU WANT AS A FRIEND
TO YOUR CHILD, AND MOST GERMANE
TO HIS PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE, THE
KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT AS AN
ONE OF CARLOS' COLLEGE
PROFESSORS WROTE AND SAID, "HE
IS VERY SIMPLY THE FINEST
STUDENT I'VE EVER HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR."
RAPHAEL, HIS YOUNGER BROTHER,
HAS A LOT IN COMMON WITH CARLOS.
IN HIGH SCHOOL RAPHAEL WAS
CAPITAL OF THE TENNIS TEAM AND A
MEMBER OF THE VARSITY SWIM TEAM
AND SOCCER TEAM.
HE GRADUATED FROM HARPER
COMMUNITY COLLEGE -- UNDERSTAND,
THESE YOUNG MEN WOULD ATTEND
COLLEGE IN AMERICA WITH NO
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, NONE.
THEY'VE GOT TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF
THEIR POCKET.
SO HE GRADUATED FROM HARPER
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, NOW AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS IN
CHICAGO WHERE HE'S MAJORING IN
ARCARCHITECTURE.
HERE'S WHAT ONE OF HIS TEACHERS
SAID ABOUT HIM.
"HE IS THE KIND OF PERSON I'VE
TAUGHT IN MY SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASS.
AN MORON THAT COMES TO THIS
COUNTRY AND MAKES IT BETTER FOR
OTHERS FORKERS.
HE MAKES IT BETTER.
DURING MY 28-YEAR CAREER AS A
TEACHER, I WOULD PLACE RAPHIE IN
THE TOP 10% WITH ALL THE KIDS
I'VE HAD CONTACT WITH.
"QUUTION HERE IS THE POINT.
THEY ARE BOTH PLACED IN
DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS.
I ASKED THE ADMINISTRATION TO
CONSIDER THEIR REQUEST TO
SUSPEND THEIR DEPORTATIONS AND
THEY AGREED TO DO T FOR THE
TIME-BEING.
I THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT THING
TO DO.
CARLOS AND RAPHAEL ARE
REPRESENTED BY LAWYERS,
VOLUNTEER LAWYERS, IN CHICAGO.
AFTER I MET THEM, THEY SENT ME A
LETTER ASKING MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS TO SUPPORT THE DREAM
ACT AND HERE'S WHAT THEY SAID.
"WE ASK YOU TODAY TO SEE IT IN
YOUR HEART TO DO THE RIGHT
THING, TO LISTEN AND REWARD THE
VALUES OF HARD WORK AND
DILIGENCE, VALUES THAT MADE
AMERICA THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND
PROSPEROUS COUNTRY IN THE
WORLDMENT,.
THAT WE'RE SURE GOT YOU AS
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO WHERE YOU
ARE IN LIFE.
THESE ARE VALUES WE HAVE COME TO
RESPECT IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THESE
VALUES UNTIL THE LAST OF OUR
DAYS, I WOULD HOPE EVENTUALLY AS
DISINS OF THE UNITED STATES, A
COUNTRY WE BELIEVE IS OUR HOME."
SO I ASK MY COLLEAGUES, WHO ARE
CRITICAL OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S
DEPORTATION POLICY OR HAVE
DIFFICULTIES WITH THE DREAM ACT,
WOULD AMERICA BE A BETTER PLACE
IN CARLOS AND RAPHAEL ARE
OF COURSE NOT.
THESE TWO YOUNG MEN GREW UP
HERE.
THEY WERE EDUCATED HERE.
THEY HAVE DONE WELL HERE.
THEY HAVE EARNED THEIR WAY HERE.
THEY WANT TO BE PART OF OUR
FUTURE.
AND THEY ARE NOT ISOLATED
EXAMPLES.
THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF
THEM JUST -- JUST LIKE CARLOS
AND RAPHAEL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
MADAM PRESIDENT, WHEN I
INTRODUCED THIS BILL 11 YEARS
AGO AND I WOULD GIVE A SPEECH
LIKE THIS AND LEAVE A HALL, I
COULD COUNT ON, IF IT WERE
NIGHTTIME -- I COULD COUNT ON
SOMEONE STANDING BY MY CAR
QUIETLY AS I APPROACHED AND
STARTED TO LEAVE AND THEY WOULD
ASK ME, SENATOR, CAN I SPEAK YOU
TO FOR A MINU
SURE.
STUDENTS."
THEY WERE AFRAID OF BEING
DEPORTED IF THEY RAISED THEIR
HAND AND IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES
AT THE MEETING.
THAT HAS ALL CHANGED NOW AND
IT'S CHANGED FOR THE BETTER.
THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN ARE
COURAGEOUSLY STEPPING FORWARD TO
IDENTIFY THEMSELVES.
IT IS NO LONGER A MYSTERY OF WHO
THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY WANT TO BE
THEY ARE REAL FLESH AND BLOOD.
THEY ARE CHILDREN.
THEY ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SIT
NEXT TO IN CHURCH.
THEY'RE THE FOLKS WHO ARE
WORKING HARD NEXT TO YOUR SON OR
DAUGHTER IN THE LIBRARY AT
SCHOOL.
YOU'RE CHEERING THEM ON ON THE
YOU'RE WATCHING THEM LEAD THE
YOU'RE WATCHING AS THEY'RE
ASPIRING TO BECOME TOMORROW'S
SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS,
DOCTORS AND LAWYERS AND
TEACHERS.
THEY DESERVE A CHANCE, AND WE
SHOULD GIVE THEM THAT CHANCE BY
I HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES WILL
CONSIDER DOING THAT AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE.
THEY WANT PEACE OF MIND AND THEY
WANT A FUTURE, AND WE NEED THEM
IN AMERICA'S FUTURE.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I ASK CONSENT
THAT THE NEXT STATEMENT I'M
ABOUT TO BE MAKING BE PLACED IN
A SEPARATE PART OF THE RECORD.
OBJECTION.
MADAM PRESIDENT, IN
THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN
DICTATOR AFTER DICTATOR TUMBLE
ACROSS THE WORLD.
QADHAFI IN LIBYA, BIN ALI IN
TUNISIA, MUBARAK IN EGYPT, SALI
IN YEMEN AND EVENTUALLY BASHIR
ASSAD IN SYRIA.
YET THERE'S ONE DICTATOR THAT
HE'S THE LAST DICTATOR IN
YOU MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH HIS
NAME BUT THEY CERTAINLY KNOW HIM
IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.
OF
BELARUS, ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO.
FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, HE HAS
RULED BELARUS WITH AN IRON FIST,
USING A BARBARIC COMBINATION OF
REPRESSION, INTIMIDATION AND
TORTURE TO MAINTAIN POWER.
HE IS SO BOLD AS TO CONTINUE TO
CALL HIS SECURITY SERVICES THE
K.G.B.
CAN YOU IMAGINE?
IN TODAY'S WORLD, CALLING YOUR
SECURITY SERVICE THE SAME NAME
AS THE DREADED SECURITY SERVICE
OF THE SOVIET UNION, THE K.G.B.?
UNDER LUKASHENKO'S REIN,
ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY
RIGGED, ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE
FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES, AND THE
PUBLIC'S BASIC FREEDOMS OF
SPEECH, ASSEMBLY, ASSOCIATION,
EVEN RELIGION, WHICH WE TAKE FOR
GRANTED, ARE SEVERELY RESTRICTED
THIS IS VICTOR -- PARDON ME,
ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO, THE LAST
DICTATOR IN EUROPE.
THE PRESIDENT OF BELARUS.
2010, LUKASHENKO
WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO EASE
THE IRON GRIP OF HIS POLICE
STATE AND MOVE CLOSER TO
DEMOCRACY BY HOLDING A
LEGITIMATE PRESIDENTIAL
IT.
HE ORCHESTRATED A FRAUDULENT
ELECTION AND THEN HE TURNED
ON -- TURNED AROUND ON THE DAY
OF THE ELECTION AND ARRESTED ALL
OF HIS OPPONENTS WHO HAD THE
AUDACITY TO RUN AGAINST HIM AND
THREW THEM IN PRISON.
HOW ABOUT THAT?
I WAS IN BELARUS SHORTLY
AFTERWARDS AND MET WITH THEIR
FAMILIES.
THESE PEOPLE WERE DISTRAUGHT,
BESIDE THEMSELVES ABOUT WHAT HAD
JUST HAPPENED.
ONE OF THESE DETAINEES WHO WAS
EVENTUALLY RELEASED CAME AND SAW
ME IN NOVEMBER.
ALEX MIKALOVIC, ONE OF THE
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, WHO HAD
BEEN ARRESTED, TORTURED AND
MONTHS.
RECENTLY GIVEN POLITICAL ASYLUM
IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC, WHERE HE
CONTINUES TO FIGHT FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS IN BELARUS.
HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTERS, WHOM I
MET IN MINSK IN BELARUS ARE
STILL BEING HARASSED BY THE
K.G.B. AS OF TODAY.
MIKOLOVIC AND OTHERS FROM THE
HUNDREDS THAT WERE IMPRISONED OR
RELEASED WERE NOT SO LUCKY.
STUKOVIC, A PRESIDENT CANDIDATE,
WAS SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS AND
CAN BARELY RECEIVE THE MEDICAL
ASSISTANCE HE NEEDS.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE,
SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IF
PRISON FOR HAVING THE BOLDNESS
TO RUN AGAINST THIS DICTATOR.
A NUMBER OF OTHER ACTIVISTS,
POLITICAL ACTIVISTS, WHO ENGAGED
IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY WHICH WE
TAKE FOR GRANTED IN THE UNITED
STATES HAVE BEEN LANGUISHING IN
PRISON.
I THOUGHT ABOUT IT THIS WEEK.
AS THE DEMONSTRATORS GATHERED IN
FRONT OF THE SUPREME COURT
MARCHING BACK AND FORTH WITH
SIGNS, HOW WE TAKE THAT FOR
YOU TRY TO DO THAT IN A COUNTRY
LIKE BELL RIEW YOU'LL END UP
IN -- BELARUS, YOU'LL END UP IN
PRISON.
THANK GOD THE UNITED STATES HAS
A MUCH BETTER STANDARD WHEN IT
COMES TO BASIC RIGHTS.
HERE ARE THE NAMES OF SOME OF
OTHERS IN PRISON.
EDWARD PALVO.
SINISTER BONDRENKA.
ALEX BONOSKI, MICK CALL ORKOVIC.
AUTHORITIES FREQUENTLY TORTURED
THESE ACTIVISTS, TRYING TO
PRESSURE THEM TO SIGN LETTERS
ADMITTING A GUILT THAT DOESN'T
EXIST.
BUT I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO COME
UP WHERE BELARUS AND LUKASHENKO
ARE GOING TO BECOME
INTERNATIONAL CELEBRITIES.
ON FEBRUARY 16, MIKOLOVIC, WHO I
MENTIONED EARLIER, WAS ONE OF 13
THAT PICKETED THE HEADQUARTERS
OF PRAGUE-BASED AUTOMOBILE
VOLKSWAGEN.
WHY DID THEY PICKET SKODA?
SPONSORS OF THE INTERNATIONAL
ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION'S WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP AND HAS BEEN FOR
THE LAST 19 YEARS.
IN FACT, SKODA'S, THIS
AUTOMOBILE COMPANY'S
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOCKEY
FEDERATION, IS ONE OF THE
LONGEST LASTING SPONSORSHIPS.
AND MUCH TO THE DISBELIEF OF THE
REST OF THE WORLD, THE
INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY
FEDERATION HAS CHOSEN TO HOST
WHY?
BECAUSE LUKASHENKO, THE
DICTATOR, IS SUCH A BIG FAN OF
HOCKEY.
ALL THE WHILE POLITICAL
PRISONERS, INCLUDING
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, WILL BE
LANGUISHING IN PRISON BECAUSE OF
THIS DICTATOR.
COMPANIES, SUCH AS SKODA, NIKE,
AND REEBOK WERE AMONG THE MAJOR
CORPORATE SPONSORS OF THIS
FEDERATION CHAMPIONSHIP IN
LAST YEAR, I JOINED CONGRESSMAN
MIKE QUICKLY OF CHICAGO --
QUIGLEY, A NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUE HALL OF FAMER, AND WROTE
TO THE ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION
PRESIDENT, RENEE FISELL, URGING
THE GAMES IN BELARUS BE
SUSPENDED UNTIL THE POLITICAL
PRISONERS ARE RELEASED.
HOW CAN ANYONE CELEBRATE THE
EXCITEMENT OF WORLD CLASS SPORTS
CHAMPIONSHIP WHEN PEOPLE ARE
LANGUISH NOT GUILTY PRISON FOR
THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS --
LANGUISHING IN PRISON FOR THEIR
POLITICAL BELIEFS?
THEY IGNORED OUR REQUEST.
I SPOKE TO U.S.A. HOCKEY WHICH
REPRESENTS THE UNITED STATES IN
THIS FEDERATION.
THEY PAID NO ATTENTION.
IT TURNS OUT THE INTERNATIONAL
ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION WILL BE
MEETING NEXT MONTH IN FINLAND.
BELARUS IS GOING TO BE ON THE
IT SHOULD BE.
IT SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF THE
AGENDA.
THE HONOR OF HOSTING THIS
PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL
SPORTING EVENT IN A COUNTRY
WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS REGARDED
AS EUROPE'S LAST DICTATOR IS
HARDLY A REFLECTION OF THE
QUALITY OF THE SPORT THAT IS
INVOLVED.
AN ARDENT FAN OF ICE HOCKEY AND
THE HEAD OF THE BELARUS NATIONAL
OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, REWARDING
LUKASHENKO WITH THE 2014 WORLD
ICE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP IGNORES
HIS REGIME'S ATROCITIES.
I'VE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO
SKODA, OWNED BY VOLKSWAGEN, AND
NIKE AND REEBOK AND OTHER
SPONSORS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT
THEIR IMAGE IS AT STAKE, TOO, IF
THEY VALIDATE THIS DICTATOR'S
POLICIES AND GIVE HONOR TO A
COUNTRY WHICH DOESN'T RECOGNIZE
BASIC FREEDOMS.
THIS PHOTOGRAPH HERE IS A
PHOTOGRAPH WHICH SHOWS THE SKODA
C.E.O., WINFORD VAHLAND IN THE
CENTER, ALONG WITH THE HOCKEY
FEDERATION PRESIDENT, FAESAL ON
THE RIGHT AS THEY CELEBRATE
SKODA'S COMMITMENT TO SPONSOR
THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THROUGH
2017.
SKODA CONTENDS THAT ITS
SPONSORSHIP OF THE EVENT DOES
NOT INDICATE APPROVAL OF WHAT'S
GOING ON IN BELARUS.
SIMPLY THEIR DEDICATION TO
THAT DOESN'T SHOW MUCH COURAGE.
LUKASHENKO'S PREPARATIONS FOR
THIS ICE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
INDICATES THAT BELARUS IS
EXPECTING A LOT OF VISITORS AND
A BIG ECONOMIC BOOST.
I'M ONCE AGAIN CALLING ON THE
INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY
FINLAND, FOR CONSIDER THIS
MATTER AT THE TOP OF THEIR
AGENDA AND TO SUSPEND THEIR
PLANS TO HOLD THE FEDERATION
CHAMPIONSHIP IN BELARUS IN 2014.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER COUNTRIES
AROUND THE WORLD MORE THAN
ANXIOUS TO JOIN THEM AND MAKE
THIS A CHAMPIONSHIP WELL
DESERVING WITH A HOST COUNTRY
THAT IS ONE WE CAN BE PROUD OF.
MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS ARE NOT
ALONE.
THE EUROPEAN UNION RECENTLY
WIDENED SANCTIONS AGAINST
LUKASHENKO AND HIS CRONIES.
LUKASHENKO PROMPTLY RECALLED HIS
BYELORUSSIAN REPRESENTATIVE TO
THE E.U., AFTER WHICH E.U.
BELARUS.
AFTER A SUMMIT IN BRUSSELS
EARLIER THIS MONTH, LUKASHENKO,
NEVER AT A LOSS FOR WORDS,
CRITICIZED THE EUROPEAN UNION
POLITICIANS AND RAILED ON THE
GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ***
VESTERVEL, THE FIRST OPENLY GAY
MINISTER IN GERMANY.
PRESIDENT LUKASHENKO SAID, "IT'S
BETTER TO BE A DICTATOR THAN BE
GAY."
THAT'S A QUOTE.
HE WENT ON TO SAY, BYELORUSSIANS
DESERVE TO HOST THE WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2014.
NOW, THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
WHAT SPORTS ORGANIZATION WANTS
TO VALIDATE THOSE COMMENTS?
I WANT TO CLOSE BY SAYING THAT I
HOPE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL ICE
HOCKEY FEDERATION'S ANNUAL
CONGRESS WILL MAKE THE RIGHT
IN MAY.
I HOPE THAT ITS CORPORATE
SPONSORS WILL FEEL A LITTLE
UNEASY BEING ASSOCIATED WITH
DICTATOR LUKASHENKO AND HIS
POLICIES IN BELARUS.
I HOPE THEY WILL SUSPEND THE
2014 CHAMPIONSHIP UNLESS THE
POLITICAL PRISONERS ARE AT LEAST
RELEASED AND THAT OTHER
INTERNATIONAL SPORTING GROUPS,
SUCH AS THE INTERNATIONAL
EXAMPLE.
I WANT THE UNITED STATES, IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EUROPEAN
UNION, TO CONTINUE TO PLACE
PRESSURE ON LUKASHENKO TO OPEN
UP HIS POLITICAL SYSTEM AND TO
STAND BY THE BYELORUSSIAN PEOPLE
IN THEIR EFFORTS TO BRING
JUSTICE TO THEIR COUNTRY.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
AND I YIELD THE FLOOR.
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I
ASK TO SPEAK AS IF IN MORNING
BUSINESS.
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU,
MADAM PRESIDENT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I COME HERE
TO PAY TRIBUTE TO SENATOR
BARBARA MIKULSKI ON BECOMING THE
LONGEST SERVING WOMAN IN THE
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I FEEL
DEEPLY PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO
SERVE ALONGSIDE SENATOR MIKULSKI
SHE BLAZED A PATH THAT ALLOWED
THE REST OF US AND PEOPLE LIKE
ME TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND ALONG THE WAY, SHE
DISTINGUISHED HERSELF AS NOT
ONLY A LEADER AND TENACIOUS
ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE OF
MARYLAND, BUT FOR ALL AMERICANS.
SENATOR MIKULSKI'S PATH TO THE
U.S. SENATE PREPARED HER WELL TO
BE AN EFFECTIVE FIGHTER FOR HER
CONSTITUENTS.
EVER THE DEDICATED PUBLIC
SERVANT, SENATOR MIKULSKI WORKED
AS A BALTIMORE SOCIAL WORKER,
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND AS A CITY
COUNCIL MEMBER.
SHE BROUGHT AN URGENCY AND AN
UNRELENTING COMMITMENT TO
SERVICE TO HER WORK AND THE
IT CAN BE SEEN IN THE
LEGISLATION SHE HAS FOUGHT FOR
AND THE CAUSES SHE HAS
CHAMPIONED DURING HER 25 YEARS
IN THE SENATE.
I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THE FIRST
BILL I COSPONSORED WHEN I CAME
SENATE THREE YEARS AGO
WAS ONE OF SENATOR MIKULSKI'S,
THE LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY
THIS BILL, WHICH ENSURES THAT NO
MATTER YOUR GENDER, RACE,
NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, AGE
OR DISABILITY, YOU WILL RECEIVE
EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK.
THE FIGHT TO GET IT SIGNED INTO
LAW IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE
TENACITY AND SENSE OF FAIRNESS
THAT DRIVES BARBARA MIKULSKI.
I'M PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO HER
FOR HER MENTORSHIP.
ON THE DAY I WAS SWORN INTO THE
SENATE, I WAS STANDING IN THE
BACK OF THE CHAMBER WAITING TO
WALK DOWN TO THE WELL.
MY COLLEAGUE FROM NORTH
CAROLINA, SENATOR BURR, WAS WITH
ME.
SENATOR MIKULSKI CAME UP TO ME
AND SAID, "WHO WAS GOING TO
ESCORT ME TO THE WELL TO BE
SWORN IN?"
AND I OBVIOUSLY SAID MY
COLLEAGUE FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
SHE SAID, WELL, YOU NEED A WOMAN
, TOO.
AND WITH THAT, I WAS BOTH
HUMBLED AND HONORED TO HAVE HER
ESCORT ME DOWN THE CHAMBER AISLE
TO BE SWORN IN AS A UNITED
STATES SENATOR.
HER GENEROSITY IN SHARING HER
EXPERIENCE AND HER EXPERTISE DID
NOT STOP ON THAT DAY.
ALWAYS ENCOURAGING,
SUPPORTIVE AND EAGER TO FOSTER A
SPIRIT OF TEAMWORK, AND I
ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THAT
SENATOR MIKULSKI EMBRACES THE
NEED FOR BIPARTISANSHIP, WHICH
NO DOUBT IS WHY SHE IS AND HAS
BEEN SO EFFECTIVE, ACCOMPLISHED,
AND WIDELY RESPECTED.
EVERYONE KNOWS WELL AND RESPECTS
SENATOR MIKULSKI FOR HER
FAMILIES.
ROLE MODEL.
DURING THE D
-- DEBATE ON HEALTH CARE REFORM,
HER TIRELESS FIGHT TO ENSURE
THAT WOMEN'S PREVENTATIVE
SERVICES, INCLUDING SCREENINGS
FOR BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER,
WOULD BE COVERED WITH NO OUT OF
HER ABILITY TO SEE AND
UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S NIEDZ IS --
NEERDZ IS CLEARLY REFLECTED IN
HER SPOUSAL ANTI-IMPOVERISHMENT
ACT WHICH PROTECTS SENIORS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM GOING
BANKRUPT WHILE PAYING FOR A
SPOUSE'S NURSING HOME CARE.
IT IS NO WONDER THAT SHE IS
BELOVED NOT ONLY IN THE THIRD
DISTRICT WHERE SHE REPRESENTED
TEN YEARS IN CONGRESS BUT BY ALL
FROM MARYLAND WHOSE
INTEREST SHE FIGHTS FOR EVERY
SINGLE DAY.
AS ONE OF THE 17 WOMEN NOW
SERVING IN THE SENATE, IT'S HARD
TO IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST HAVE
BEEN LIKE WHEN SHE ARRIVED HERE
25 YEARS AGO AS ONE OF TWO
WOMEN.
I'M GRATEFUL THAT SHE AND THE
OTHER FEMALE SENATORS HAVE PAVED
THE WAY.
BARBARA MIKULSKI IS THE DEAN OF
THE WOMEN SENATORS, AND HER
BIPARTISAN WOMEN'S DINNERS ARE
AMONG MY FAVORITE SENATE
TRADITIONS.
I THANK SENATOR MIKULSKI FOR HER
LEADERSHIP AND STRONG BELIEF IN
THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IN OUR
COMMUNITIES AND IN PUBLIC
OFFICE.
FOR THOSE OF US WHO CAME TO
WASHINGTON TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE,
BARBARA MIKULSKI HAS SET A VERY
HIGH BAR.
I CONGRATULATE SENATOR MIKULSKI
FOR THIS EXTRAORDINARY AND
HISTORIC ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS
OF SERVING ALONGSIDE HER.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD ALSO
LIKE TO SPEAK FOR A COUPLE OF
MINUTES ON THE HIGHWAY
TRANSPORTATION ACT.
I COME TO THE FLOOR TO EXPRESS
MY SUPPORT FOR PASSING THE
SENATE BILL BEFORE THE CURRENT
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORIZATION
EXPIRES THIS SATURDAY.
IT WOULD CREATE AND SUSTAIN
NEARLY 41,000, 41,000 JOBS IN
NORTH CAROLINA.
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, CLOSE TO
THREE MILLION JOBS.
EARLIER TODAY, THE HOUSE PASSED
A SHORT-TERM 90-DAY EXTENSION.
UNFORTUNATELY, PASSING ANOTHER
STOP-GAP EXTENSION IS NOT THE
SOLUTION THAT BUSINESSES, STATES
AND THE ENTIRE COUNTRY NEEDS.
SHORT-TERM EXTENSIONS CREATE
INSTABILITY AND UNCERTAINTY IN
FUNDING, AND WITHOUT THAT
CERTAINTY, STATES LIKE MINE IN
NORTH CAROLINA, WE CAN'T PLAN OR
MOVE FORWARD WITH PROJECTS WHICH
JEOPARDIZE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
PROJECTS AND MILLIONS OF JOBS IN
ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S 41,000 JOBS
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
UPGRADING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS
NOT A DEMOCRATIC OR A REPUBLICAN
PRIORITY.
PRIORITY.
THE SENATE TRANSPORTATION
BILL MAKES CRITICAL
INVESTMENTS IN TRANSPORTATION
AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN NORTH
CAROLINA AND ACROSS OUR NATION.
THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS
HIGH.
MOODY'S ESTIMATES THAT FOR EVERY
$1 SPENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR
G.D.P. IS RAISED ABOUT $1.59.
ADDITIONALLY, FOR EVERY
$1 BILLION SPENT ON
INFRASTRUCTURE, 11,000 TO 30,000
JOBS ARE CREATED, JOBS THAT
NORTH CAROLINA DESPERATELY
NEEDS.
FAILURE TO PASS THE SENATE
TRANSPORTATION BILL COULD PUT
THESE MILLIONS OF JOBS AND
$1.2 BILLION WORTH OF NORTH
CAROLINA CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
IN JEOPARDY.
THIS TRANSPORTATION BILL THAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS TRULY AN
ECONOMIC ENGINE.
MY STATE CURRENTLY RECEIVES 92
CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE PAY
INTO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND.
THIS NEW LEGISLATION WOULD
ENSURE THAT AT LEAST 95% OF THE
PAYMENTS WE PAY IN THAT WOULD
COME BACK TO OUR STATE, NEARLY
RECEIVE.
MAINTAINING AND UPGRADING OUR
IS NOT JUST ABOUT
CREATING JOBS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION SECTOR.
IT'S REALLY THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
BUSINESSES HAVE ROADS TO ACCESS
THEIR PLANTS AND FACTORIES,
RAIL, PORTS AND AIRPORT RUNWAYS
TO EXPORT GOODS ACROSS OUR GLOBE
AND TO KEEP PACE WITH A 24/7
GLOBAL ECONOMY.
TO PUT THIS IN A GLOBAL
PERSPECTIVE, CHINA CURRENTLY
SPENDS FOUR TIMES AS MUCH ON
INFRASTRUCTURE AS WE DO IN THE
UNITED STATES.
WE CAN'T ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE.
THIS IS ABOUT STAYING
COMPETITIVE AND LEVERAGING
COMMONSENSE INVESTMENTS THAT
WILL ENABLE OUR ECONOMY TO GROW.
THIS TRANSPORTATION FUNDING BILL
WILL BE USED TO IMPROVE OUR
ROADS, BRIDGES AND MASS TRANSIT
SYSTEMS, PROJECTS THAT WILL PUT
NORTH CAROLINIANS BACK TO WORK
AND HELP AMERICAN BUSINESSES
COMPETE IN OUR GLOBAL ECONOMY.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE UP
AND PASS THE SENATE
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING BILL
WITHOUT DELAY.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT.
THE
SENATOR FROM NORTH DAKOTA.
I ASK TO SPEAK AS IF
IN MORNING BUSINESS.
OBJECTION.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I
RISE TODAY TO INTRODUCE
BIPARTISAN ENERGY LEGISLATION,
THE DOMESTIC FUELS ACT.
THIS LEGISLATION IS DESIGNED TO
HELP HARD-WORKING AMERICANS WITH
THE HIGH FUEL PRICES, THE HIGH
GAS PRICES THEY ARE PAYING AT
THE PUMP.
THIS IS LEGISLATION TO TRULY
HELP US DO ALL OF THE ABOVE WHEN
IT COMES TO PRODUCING AND
PROVIDING LOWER COST ENERGY FOR
AMERICAN CONSUMERS, FOR AMERICAN
BUSINESSES AND TO FUEL OUR
ECONOMY, TO HELP CREATE JOBS AND
ALSO TO CREATE GREATER NATIONAL
ENERGY SECURITY.
IT IS PART OF WHAT I BELIEVE
THAT WE NEED TO DO TO TRULY HAVE
AN ENERGY SECURITY PLAN FOR OUR
COUNTRY, SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE
JUST A FEW MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT
THE DOMESTIC FUELS ACT.
I'M GOING TO START WITH A QUICK
REVIEW OF GAS PRICES.
AS WE ALL VERY WELL KNOW, GAS
PRICES ARE HIGH AND THEY
CONTINUE TO GO HIGHER.
AAA THIS WEEK INDICATED THAT THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE PRICE OF
GALLON -- FOR A GALLON OF
GASOLINE IS $3.91 A GALLON,
NATIONAL AVERAGE, $3.91.
NOW, GASOLINE PRICES OVER THE
LAST THREE YEARS SINCE THE
CURRENT ADMINISTRATION TOOK
OFFICE HAVE GONE UP -- HAVE MORE
THAN DOUBLED, MORE THAN DOUBLED,
FROM ABOUT ROUGHLY $1.87 TO, AS
I SAY, NATIONAL AVERAGE TODAY OF
MORE THAN $3.90.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE NINE STATES
RIGHT NOW WHERE ON AVERAGE
GASOLINE IS MORE THAN $4 A
IN CHICAGO, FOR EXAMPLE, I
GALLON.
HERE, I JUST CHECKED NOT
TOO LONG AGO, I THINK IT'S $4.39
A GALLON JUST A FEW BLOCKS HERE
FROM THE CAPITOL.
THIS PUTS AN ENORMOUS PRESSURE,
ENORMOUS STRAIN ON AMERICAN
CONSUMERS, ON HARD-WORKING
AMERICANS EVERY DAY BEING FORCED
TO FILL THEIR CAR AT THE -- AT
THE GAS TANK AND SPENDING GLOWS
TO $4, AND SOME PREDICTIONS ARE
THAT LATER THIS SUMMER IT MAY GO
TO FIVE DOLLARS A GALLON.
SO CLEARLY WE HAVE GOT TO FIND A
WAY TO HELP WITH GASOLINE PRICES
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
AND WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS
SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
MORE SUPPLY CREATES DOWNWARD
PRESSURE ON GASOLINE PRICES.
MORE DEMAND, OF COURSE, PUSHES
PRICES HIGHER.
SO WE HAVE GOT TO FIND WAYS TO
INCREASE THE SUPPLY AND INCREASE
THE SUPPLY IN A DEPENDABLE WAY.
AND THAT MEANS NOT ONLY
INCREASING SUPPLY NOW BUT HAVING
IN PLACE THAT INCREASE
SUPPLY NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
WE NEED TO SEND SIGNALS TO THE
MARKET THAT WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT
GROWING OUR SUPPLY OF ENERGY, OF
ALL TYPES OF ENERGY.
CERTAINLY GAS AND OIL, BUT ALL
TYPES OF ENERGY IN THIS COUNTRY
AS WELL AS WORKING WITH
NEIGHBORS THAT WE CAN COUNT ON
LIKE CANADA TO PRODUCE MORE
SUPPLY TO HELP REDUCE THE PRICE
OF GASOLINE AT THE PUMP, AND
FRANKLY TO HELP REDUCE THE
SUPPLY -- OR THE COST, EXCUSE
ME, THE COST OF ALL TYPES OF
ENERGY TO REALLY HELP GET THIS
ECONOMY GOING, TO HAVE MORE
NATIONAL SECURITY, TO HAVE MORE
JOBS TO PUT THE 13 MILLION
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED BACK
TO WORK.
ENERGY IS A KEY ASPECT OF
CREATING THE TYPE OF ECONOMIC
ENVIRONMENT THAT'S GOING TO HELP
US DO THAT.
THIS CHART SHOWS OUR CURRENT
LEVEL OF CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION IN
THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS -- THE FIRST BAR SHOWS
THAT BETWEEN OURSELVES AND WITH
PRODUCE JUST
UNDER 10 MILLION BARRELS OF
CRUDE AND CRUDE EQUIVALENT RIGHT
NOW.
SO IN NORTH AMERICA, CANADA AND
THE UNITED STATES, JUST UNDER
TODAY.
THAT COMES FROM NOT ONLY
CONVENTIONAL DRILLING BUT FROM
OIL SHALE, FROM TIGHT OIL, OIL
SANDS, OFFSHORE, ALL THESE
DIFFERENT SOURCES.
UNDER THE CURRENT POLICIES WE
HAVE, YOU CAN SEE BY LOOKING AT
THIS NEXT BAR THAT OVER THE NEXT
15 YEARS, THE SUPPLY OF OIL AND
GAS COMING FROM CANADA AND THE
UNITED STATES WILL SHRINK.
UNDER THE CURRENT POLICIES AND
THE CURRENT APPROACH, WITHOUT
THE KIND OF ENERGY POLICY WE
NEED IN THIS COUNTRY, WE
ACTUALLY WILL HAVE LESS OIL AND
GAS FROM CANADA AND THE UNITED
STATES OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS.
SO THE KEY IS THIS -- WE REALLY
HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THE KIND OF
ENERGY POLICY IN THIS COUNTRY
THAT WILL HELP US PRODUCE MORE
ENERGY.
MORE OIL AND GAS, MORE ENERGY
FROM ALL SOURCES, TRADITIONAL
AND RENEWABLE.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY WITH THIS
DOMESTIC FUELS ACT.
THE THIRD BAR ON THIS CHART
SHOWS THAT JUST FROM OIL AND
GAS, JUST FROM OIL AND GAS, WITH
THE RIGHT KINDS OF POLICIES OVER
THE NEXT 15 YEARS -- AND THIS IS
A 15-YEAR TIME FRAME -- WE CAN
PRODUCE MORE OIL AND GAS IN
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES
THAN WE CONSUME.
SO BEFORE YOU BRING IN OTHER
TYPES OF ENERGY -- BIOFUELS, ANY
OTHER TYPES OF ENERGY, ANY TYPE
OF RENEWABLE ENERGY YOU WANT TO
INCLUDE, JUST FROM OIL AND GAS
WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF POLICIES,
IN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES
OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS, WE CAN
PRODUCE MORE ENERGY THAN WE
CONSUME.
THINK WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS
OF HELPING BRING DOWN THE PRICE
OF GASOLINE.
THINK WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS
OF CREATING JOBS IN OUR COUNTRY.
OF WHAT THAT MEANS IN
TERMS OF NATIONAL SECURITY NOT
NEEDING TO DEPEND ON CRUDE OIL
FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.
THINK HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
AND THAT'S JUST WITH THE RIGHT
KIND OF POLICIES TO DEVELOP MORE
OIL AND GAS.
OF COURSE, WE CAN DEVELOP ALL
THE OTHER TYPES OF ENERGY
RESOURCES AS WELL.
SO MY POINT IS LET'S NOT TAKE 15
YEARS TO GET THIS DONE.
LET'S HAVE A PLAN FOR NATIONAL
ENERGY SECURITY THAT GETS IT
DONE IN THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN
YEARS.
AND THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT WE
CAN DO IT.
WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO IT.
HOW DO WE DO IT?
VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, VERY
SIMPLE, VERY COMMON SENSE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PRODUCING ALL
OF THE ABOVE, LET'S ACTUALLY
PRODUCE ALL OF THE ABOVE.
LET'S NOT SAY ALL OF THE ABOVE
PRODUCTION.
LET'S HAVE THE KIND OF ENERGY
POLICIES IN PLACE, TRADITIONAL
SOURCES OF ENERGY, RENEWABLE
SOURCES OF ENERGY.
ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS, LET'S PUT
THE TYPE OF POLICIES IN PLACE
TRULY HELP US TO
ENERGY SECURITY IN THIS COUNTRY,
AND LET'S DO IT OVER THE NEXT
FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS.
LET'S INCREASE OIL PRODUCTION IN
THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.
LET'S HAVE THE POLICIES THAT
HELP US PRODUCE MORE OIL ONSHORE
AND OFF.
LET'S INCREASE NATURAL GAS
PRODUCTION AND USAGE.
AND AGAIN, LET'S JOIN WITH
CANADA TO DO THIS NORTH AMERICAN
ENERGY SECURITY.
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
POTENTIAL.
WE'RE THE CLOSEST FRIENDS AND
ALLIES IN THE WORLD.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER.
POTENTIAL.
LET'S INCREASE THE USE OF
RENEWABLE FUELS THAT WE PRODUCED
RIGHT HERE AT HOME, WE CAN DO
THAT WITH A MARKET-BASED
SO LET'S INCREASE OUR USE OF
RENEWABLE FUELS WITH
MARKET-BASED APPROACHES THAT
WORK.
AND LET'S USE TECHNOLOGY TO
DRIVE ENERGY PRODUCTION, PRODUCE
MORE ENERGY AND TO DO IT WITH
BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL
STEWARDSHIP.
ALL OF THESE THINGS.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AN ENERGY
SECURITY PLAN OR THE PATH TO
ENERGY SECURITY IN OUR COUNTRY,
THESE ARE VERY COMMONSENSE
I HAVE BILLS, OTHER MEMBERS OF
THIS BODY, BIPARTISAN BASIS.
WE HAVE BILLS TO DO ALL OF THESE
THINGS, INCREASE OIL PRODUCTION,
INCREASE USE OF NATURAL GAS,
INCREASE USE OF RENEWABLES AND
USE TECHNOLOGY TO DRIVE NOT ONLY
MORE ENERGY PRODUCTION BUT DO IT
WITH BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL
IN FACT, LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT A
COUPLE OF THOSE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I PUT
LEGISLATION -- SUBMITTED
LEGISLATION TO DO IS TO IMPROVE
THE KEYSTONE X.L. PIPELINE.
IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN
VERY MUCH IN THE NATIONAL
DISCUSSION.
IT'S GOTTEN A LOT OF ATTENTION,
BUT IT'S A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD
CONCEPT.
IT SIMPLY SAYS LET'S DEVELOP THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR COUNTRY SO
THAT AS WE PRODUCE MORE OIL IN
CANADA -- AND CANADA, BY THE
WAY, HAS THE THIRD LARGEST OIL
RESERVES IN THE WORLD.
NUMBER ONE IS SAUDI ARABIA.
NUMBER TWO IS VENEZUELA.
NUMBER THREE IS CANADA.
SO LET'S WORK WITH CANADA TO TAP
AND USE MORE OF THAT OIL.
IF WE DON'T, IT'S GOING TO
BUT WE CAN DO IT.
WE SIMPLY HAVE TO DEVELOP THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND WORK WITH
WELL, WHAT'S THE OPPOSITION TO
THAT OIL DEVELOPMENT BEEN?
WELL, A NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS HAVE
COME UP, BUT THE MAIN ONE REALLY
BEHIND IT IS THAT SOME PEOPLE
SAY WELL, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO
PRODUCE OIL IN THE OIL SANDS,
JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
THE CONCERN IN THEIR OPINION IS
GREENHOUSE GAS, AND IT HAS ABOUT
A 6% HIGHER GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSION THAN CONVENTIONAL
PRODUCTION.
BUT THE IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS
GOING BACK TO THE LAST BULLET
THAT I MENTIONED IN THIS
NATIONAL ENERGY SECURITY PLAN IS
LET'S USE TECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE
MORE ENERGY WITH BETTER
STEWARDSHIP.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT THE OIL SANDS, RATHER
THAN USING THE CURRENT
EXCAVATION METHOD, 80% OF THE
NEW DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO
INSITU.
THAT IS ESSENTIALLY DRILLING.
SO YOU HAVE BASICALLY THE SAME
FOOTPRINT, THE SAME GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSION AS CONVENTIONAL
DRILLING FOR OIL AND GAS.
SO LET'S USE THAT NEW TECHNOLOGY
TO PRODUCE MORE ENERGY, MORE
OIL IN THE CANADIAN OIL SANDS
AND NOT ONLY PRODUCE MORE ENERGY
BUT DO IT WITH BETTER
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP SO NOW
WE'RE GETTING OIL FROM A
DEPENDABLE FRIEND AND ALLY,
CANADA, RATHER THAN GETTING 30%
OF OUR CRUDE FROM PLACES LIKE
THE MIDDLE EAST AND VENEZUELA.
IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE, AND WE
WIN WITH MORE ENERGY AT A LOWER
COST, WE WIN WITH JOB
CREATION, AND WE WIN WITH
STEWARDSHIP.
TO GET THE RIGHT
POLICY, THE RIGHT LAW, AND THE
RIGHT APPROACH TO HOW WE
REGULATE THESE THINGS IN PLACE.
THAT'S WHAT THE DOMESTIC FUELS
ACT IS ALL ABOUT.
IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF EXACTLY HOW
WE DO JUST THAT.
THE DOMESTIC FUELS ACT
ESSENTIALLY SAYS ALL RIGHT,
WHEN YOU PULL UP TO THE GAS
STATION, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO
GET WHATEVER FUEL PROVIDES THE
BEST ENERGY -- PROVIDES WHAT
YOU NEED AT THE BEST POSSIBLE
IT IS ABOUT CONSUMER CHOICE,
AND IT IS ABOUT LOWERING THE
COST AT THE PUMP.
RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU PULL UP,
VERY OFTEN THE PETROLEUM RETAIL
MARKETER HAS MULTIPLE TANKS IN
ORDER TO PRODUCE -- OR TO
DISPENSE VARIOUS TYPES OF FUEL.
IT MIGHT BE TRADITIONAL GASOLINE
FROM PETROLEUM, IT MIGHT BE
AND ETHANOL.
HE MIGHT HAVE BIODIESEL.
AND INCREASINGLY, SERVICE
STATIONS, GAS STATIONS ARE
LOOKING TO MARKET NATURAL GAS.
BUT THINK ABOUT IT.
IF THEY HAVE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT
SET OF TANKS, DIFFERENT SET OF
PIPING, AND A DIFFERENT
DISPENSERS FOR EACH TYPE OF
FUEL, THEN THEY HAVE TO MAKE A
CHOICE, DON'T THEY?
THEY CAN MAYBE OFFER GASOLINE
FROM PETROLEUM, THEY CAN MAYBE
OFFER SOME ETHANOL BLEND, THEY
CAN MAYBE OFFER BIODIESEL, OR
RIGHT?
BUT IF THEY HAVE TO HAVE TANKS
AND PUMPS AND PIPING FOR EACH
ONE, THINK OF THE COST.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
SO HOW DO YOU GET CONSUMER
HOW DO YOU GET CONSUMER CHOICE
IN THERE?
ALSO, HOW DO YOU GET THE LOWEST
PRICE?
IF PETROLEUM-BASED GASOLINE
VERSUS ETHANOL BASED IS
CHEAPER, WELL, THEN MAYBE HE
WANTS TO BE OFFERING STRAIGHT
PETROLEUM, NOT HAVE A BLEND.
BUT IF HE CAN MIX IT WITH
ETHANOL, EVEN UP TO E-85, AND
THAT'S CHEAPER I MAY WANT TO
OFFER THAT.
IF HE WANTS BIODIESEL RATHER
THAN TRADITIONAL DIESEL OR IF HE
WANTS TO OFFER NATURAL GAS, YOU
HAVE TRUCKS AND BUSES
PARTICULARLY IN URBAN AREAS
USING NATURAL GAS, HOW DOES HE
DO IT?
AND THAT'S JUST THE POINT.
WHAT THIS ACT PROVIDES IS THAT
THE E.P.A. HAS TO STREAMLINE THE
PROCESS SO THAT -- THAT SERVICE
STATION, THAT GAS STATION CAN
USE HIS TANKS AND HIS
EQUIPMENT, HIS EXISTING TANKS
AND EQUIPMENT SO HE CAN DECIDE
TO OFFER ANY ONE OF THOSE
PRODUCTS.
NOW YOU'VE GOT MORE CONSUMER
CHOICE AND YOU'VE GOT A WAY TO
PUMP.
DRIVE DOWN THE COST OF
GASOLINE, DRIVE DOWN THE COST
OF BIOFUELS, DRIVE DOWN THE
COST OF NATURAL GAS, WHATEVER
IT IS.
CONSUMER CHOICE, LOWER PRICES.
AND THAT EXTENDS BACK THROUGH
THE PRODUCTION CHAIN AS WELL.
NOW IF I PRODUCE ETHANOL, IF I
PRODUCE BIODIESEL, IF I PRODUCE
GASOLINE, IF I PRODUCE NATURAL
GAS, I KNOW I'M GOING TO BE
ABLE TO MARKET THOSE PRODUCTS TO
CONSUMERS.
THIS IS ABOUT LOOKING TO THE
PAST.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT GOVERNMENT
SPENDING ANY MORE MONEY.
THIS IS ABOUT GOVERNMENT
EMPOWERING INDUSTRY, EMPOWERING
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, EMPOWERING
THE ENERGY SECTOR, EMPOWERING
OUR CONSUMERS WITH CHOICE AND
LOWER COSTS AT THE PUMP.
AND IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.
IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.
WE GIVE THE MARKETER A WAY TO
MARKET WHATEVER PRODUCT MAKES
THE MOST SENSE AT WHATEVER BEST
SERVES HIS CONSUMER AT THE BEST
WE GIVE HIM LIABILITY PROTECTION
SO HE KNOWS HE CAN GO FORWARD
AND OFFER THESE DIFFERENT
PRODUCTS WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT
BEING SUED AND LOSING HIS
LIVELIHOOD SO HE'S WILLING TO DO
IT AND WE PROVIDE A CLEAR AND
SIMPLE PATHWAY SO HE KNOWS WHAT
HAS TO ACCOMPLISH IN ORDER TO
BEST SERVE HIS CONSUMERS AND
BUILD HIS BUSINESS.
THIS IS ABOUT THE RIGHT KIND OF
LEGAL FRAMEWORK.
THIS IS ABOUT THE RIGHT KIND OF
LEGISLATION THAT IS CLEAR,
UNDERSTANDABLE, AND EMPOWERING.
THIS IS HOW WE GET GOVERNMENT
WORKING FOR PEOPLE RATHER THAN
PEOPLE WORKING FOR GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS HOW WE BUILD THE RIGHT
KIND OF ENERGY FUTURE BASED ON
ALL OF THE ABOVE.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT JUST SAYING HEY
LET'S DO ALL OF THE ABOVE WIT
COMES TO ENERGY DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS ABOUT DOING IT.
THIS IS ABOUT MAKING A
DIFFERENCE FOR THE AMERICAN
CONSUMER AND WE CAN DO IT.
THIS LEGISLATION IS BIPARTISAN
LEGISLATION.
I'M VERY PLEASED THAT SENATOR
ROY BLUNT OF MISSOURI IS
COSPONSORING IT WITH ME ALONG
WITH AMY KLOBUCHAR OF
MINNESOTA, MIKE CRAPO OF
IDAHO, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'LL
HAVE MANY OTHERS JOINING US ON
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
ALSO WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN SIMPSON CUSS
IN IN THE HOUSE WHO WILL BE
LEGISLATION AS WELL.
THE OTHER POINT I WANT TO MAKE
IS CONCLUDING WE HAVE
BROAD-BASED SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE
-- FROM COMPANIES WHO WORK IN
THE TRADITIONAL ENERGY SECTOR AS
WELL AS THE RENEWABLE ENERGY
SECTOR WHO MAKE THE EQUIPMENT TO
DISPENSE GASOLINE AND OTHER
TYPES OF FUEL PRODUCTS, AND THE
PEOPLE WHO SELL GASOLINE AND ALL
TYPES OF FUEL.
THEY'RE ALL ON BOARD.
LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
FROM THE RENEWABLE FUELS ENERGY
SECTOR WE HAVE THE RENEWABLE
FUELS ENERGY ASSOCIATION HAS
ENDORSED THIS LEGISLATION AND
ALSO GROWTH ENERGY.
FROM TRADITIONAL OIL AND GAS,
THE AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE
HAS ENDORSED THIS LEGISLATION AS
HAS DESORO CORPORATION AND
EXXONMOBIL AND MANY OTHERS.
FROM THE GAS STATION SERVICE
STATION END, THE MARKETERS THAT
ACTUALLY DISPENSE THE PRODUCT,
ENDORSING THIS LEGISLATION IS
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
CONVENIENCE STORES.
, THE SOCIETY OF INDEPENDENT
GASOLINE MARKETERS OF AMERICA,
THE PETROLEUM MARKETERS
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, AND THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TRUCK
STOP OPERATORS.
AND FROM THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE
THE EQUIPMENT, THE
MANUFACTURERS THAT MAKE THE
EQUIPMENT, WE'VE RECEIVED
ENDORSEMENTS AS WELL, THE
AMERICAN FUEL AND PETROCHEMICAL
MANUFACTURERS, AND ALSO THE
OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT
INSTITUTE.
THIS.
NOW WE NEED TO GET TO WORK AND
GET IT IN PLACE.
THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING THE RIGHT
KIND OF ENERGY FUTURE FOR OUR
COUNTRY.
WE'VE GOT TO GET GOING.
GASOLINE PRICES ARE $4 AT THE
PUMP AND THEY'RE GOING HIGHER.
AND WE COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT
IT AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE
NEED TO DO.
AND I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN
ME IN THIS EFFORT ON BEHALF OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
YIELD THE FLOOR.
QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
THE
SENATOR FROM IOWA.
BUSINESS, RIGHT?
YES, WE
ARE, SENATOR.
WE'RE ON -- WE'RE IN A
QUORUM CALL.
I ASK THE CALLING
OF THE QUORUM BE SUSPENDED.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
I ASK TO SPEAK FOR
BUSINESS.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
SUPREME COURT
JUSTICE GINSBURG ON A RECENT
TRIP TO EGYPT MADE COMMENTS THAT
GARNERED PUBLIC NOTICE.
SHE SAID -- QUOTE -- "I WOULD
NOT LOOK TO THE U.S.
CONSTITUTION IF I WERE DRAFTING
A CONSTITUTION IN THE YEAR 2012.
I MIGHT LOOK AT THE CONSTITUTION
OF SOUTH AFRICA" -- END OF
QUOTE.
SHE ALSO SPOKE FAVORABLY OF THE
CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND
FREEDOMS AND THE EUROPEAN
CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS.
ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE HAVE
CRITICIZED JUSTICE GINSBURG FOR
SPEAKING NEGATIVELY ABOUT THE
U.S. CONSTITUTION WHILE ABROAD,
I THINK SHE HAS A RIGHT TO SAY
WHAT LEGAL DOCUMENTS COUNTRIES
THAT ARE NOW WRITING
CONSTITUTIONS SHOULD CONSIDER,
BUT I DO NOT AGREE WITH HER THAT
THOSE OTHER CONSTITUTIONS ARE
BETTER EXAMPLES OF CONSTITUTIONS
TODAY THAN THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION IS.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE CRITICIZED
JUSTICE GINSBURG'S PREFERENCE
FOR THE OTHER CONSTITUTIONS SHE
NAMED, HAVE FOCUSED ON THE
THOSE DOCUMENTS.
SOME OF THOSE CONSTITUTIONS LIKE
SOUTH AFRICA PROTECTS THE RIGHT
TO -- QUOTE -- "MAKE DECISIONS
CONCERNING REPRODUCTION"--
UNQUOTE, TO -- QUOTE --
"INHERIT DIGNITY" -- END OF
QUOTE AND THE RIGHT TO HAVE AN
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTED -- QUOTE
-- "THROUGH REASONABLE
LEGISLATIVE AND OTHER MEASURES
THAT PREVENT POLLUTION AND
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION."
THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN
RIGHTS GUARANTEES THE RIGHT TO
EDUCATION.
OF COURSE NONE OF THESE
CONSTITUTIONS CONTAINS ANYTHING
LIKE THE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHT
FOR THE CITIZENS TO DEFEND
THEMSELVES.
ALL ABOUT
LIMITING THE POWER OF
GOVERNMENT.
AMERICANS DO NOT FULLY TRUST THE
POWER OF GOVERNMENT, AND
AMERICANS INSIST ON RIGHTS THAT
ARE PROTECTED AGAINST GOVERNMENT
ACTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, OUR
CONSTITUTION WAS INTENDED TO
LAST FOR CENTURIES WITH THE SAME
MEANING EVEN AS THOSE PRINCIPLES
WERE APPLIED TO NEW SITUATIONS.
OUR JUDGES SHOULD REFLECT THAT
PHILOSOPHY, WHICH IS AT THE
HEART OF OUR CONSTITUTION.
AND IF OTHER COUNTRIES FEEL
DIFFERENTLY, THAT IS THEIR
RIGHT.
BUT I THINK PRAISE FOR THOSE
FOREIGN CONSTITUTIONS RATHER
THAN OUR OWN RAISES A MUCH MORE
SERIOUS ISSUE -- THE ROLE OF
THE JUDICIARY.
OUR CONSTITUTION MADE THE
JUDICIARY THAT WAS THE LEAST
DANGEROUS BRANCH -- THAT'S WHAT
HAMILTON SAID -- POLICY IS TO
BE MADE BY ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO
VOTERS AND CAN BE
REPLACED, WHEREAS JUDGES UNDER
REPLACED.
THEY HAVE A LIFETIME POSITION
SHORT OF IMPEACHMENT.
BUT THE FOREIGN CONSTITUTIONS
THAT WERE NAMED CREATE A MUCH
DIFFERENT JUDICIARY.
THE CANADIAN SUPREME COURT HAS
STATED THAT THEIR CHARTER OF
RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS -- QUOTE --
"MUST BE CAPABLE OF GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME TO MEET
NEW SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND
HISTORICAL REALITIES OFTEN
UNIMAGINED BY ITS FRAMERS."
CONTINUING TO VOTE -- QUOTE --
,"" THE JUDICIARY IS A GUARDIAN
OF THE CONSTITUTION AND MUST IN
INTERPRETING ITS PROVISIONS BEAR
THESE CONSIDERATIONS IN MIND" --
END OF QUOTE.
THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION HAS BEEN
COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO BE A --
QUOTE -- ""-- UNQUOTE LIVING
DOCUMENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, THESE ARE
JUSTICE
GINSBURG PREFERRED CONSTITUTIONS
CONSTITUTIONS --
MADAM PRESIDENT, THESE ARE
EXPLICIT STATEMENTS THAT JUSTICE
GINSBURG'S PREFERRED
CONSTITUTIONS ARE -- QUOTE,
UNQUOTE -- ," LIVING
CONSTITUTIONS.
A LIVING CONSTITUTION IS ONE
THING IN WHICH THE MEANINGS
CHANGE OVER TIME.
JUDGES DECIDE THAT NEW
CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRING A LIVING
CONSTITUTION TO MEAN SOMETHING
THAT IT DID NOT MEAN SOME TIME
THEY SAY THAT THE CONSTITUTION
MUST KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES.
A LIVING CONSTITUTION CAN MEAN
WHATEVER JUDGES WANT IT TO MEAN.
COMPLETELY CONTRARY TO WHAT OUR
FOREFATHERS HAD IN MIND WHEN
THEY WROTE OUR CONSTITUTION.
OUR CONSTITUTION THEN IS NOT A
LIVING CONSTITUTION.
JUDGES ARE NOT TO MAKE UP ITS
MEANING AS THEY GO ALONG OVER
TIME.
EVEN PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SUPREME
COURT NOMINEES TOLD US THAT THE
ROLE OF A JUDGE UNDER OUR
CONSTITUTION IS NOT TO INTERPRET
WORDS HOWEVER THEY BELIEVE NEW
CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT WARRANT.
IT'S THE LAW ALL THE WAY DOWN,
QUOTE, UNQUOTE, JUSTICE KAGAN
SAID.
WE SHOULD BE SKEPTICAL OF LIVING
CONSTITUTIONS THAT OPEN THE DOOR
FOR JUDGES TO IMPOSE THEIR
VALUES, NOT THOSE OF THE
FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION, ON
THE CITIZENRY OF THIS COUNTRY.
THE CANADIAN CHARTER SAYS THAT
IT -- QUOTE -- "GUARANTEES THE
RIGHT AND FREEDOMS SET OUT IN IT
SUBJECT ONLY TO SUCH REASONABLE
LIMITS PRESCRIBED BY LAW AS CAN
BE DEMONSTRABLY JUSTIFIED IN A
FREE AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY" --
END OF QUOTE.
THE CANADIAN SUPREME COURT
INTERPRETS THAT PROVISION IN
LIGHT OF A HIGHLY GENERALIZED
THAT INVITES
JUDGES TO INSERT THEIR OWN
POLICY PREFERENCES.
SIMILARLY, THE SOUTH AFRICAN
CONSTITUTION PROVIDES THAT ITS
RIGHTS CAN BE LIMITED IF THEY --
QUOTE -- "ARE REASONABLE AND
JUSTIFIABLE IN AN OPEN AND
DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY BASED ON
HUMAN DIGNITY, EQUALITY, AND
FREEDOM" -- END OF QUOTE.
IT TELLS COURTS EXPLICITLY TO
APPLY A SIX-PART SUBJECTIVE
BALANCING TEST THAT ALLOWS
JUDGES TO INTERPRET THIS
PROVISION HOWEVER THEY WANT.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE UNDER
A CONSTITUTION LIKE THAT?
THESE CONSTITUTIONS THAT JUSTICE
GINSBURG ENDORSES INVITES JUDGES
TO RULE HOWEVER THEY WANT ON ANY
QUESTION OF RIGHTS.
SO THAT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH
TRADITIONAL AMERICAN NOTION OF
THE RULE OF LAW, OF A
GOVERNMENT OF LAWS, AND NOT A
OF PEOPLE.
SOME JUDGES MAY PREFER
CONSTITUTIONS IN WHICH JUDGES
ARE FREE TO DISPLACE
DEMOCRATICALLY -- DEMOCRATIC
DECISIONMAKING ON POLICY
QUESTIONS THAT ARE TO BE DECIDED
BY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE PEOPLE UNDER OUR
CONSTITUTION.
I DO NOT.
OUR CONSTITUTION DOES NOT.
WE DO NOT LIVE IN A GOVERNMENT
OF, BY, AND FOR THE JUDICIARY.
BUT NO ONE SHOULD THINK THAT THE
CANADIAN OR THE SOUTH
AMERICAN -- OR SOUTH AFRICAN
CONSTITUTIONS FULLY PROTECT
RIGHTS THAT AMERICANS THINK ARE
SPEECH.
UNDER THE CANADIAN CHARTER,
REASONABLE LIMITS OF FREE SPEECH
INCLUDING PROHIBITING SO-CALLED
HATE SPEECH AGAINST A GROUP.
FINALLY, MADAM PRESIDENT, IT
IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHY
ON THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE CONTINUE TO PRESS
JUDICIAL NOMINEES ON THEIR
ADHERENCE TO THE CONSTITUTION
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO FOREIGN
FOR INSTANCE, JUSTICE BREYER
HAS STATED THAT FOREIGN JUDGES
ALSO INTERPRET -- QUOTE --
"TEXTS THAT MORE AND MORE
PROTECT BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS" --
END OF QUOTE.
HE HAS STATED THAT HE LOOKS TO
THE DECISIONS OF THE EUROPEAN
HUMAN RIGHTS COURT AND TO
CANADIAN CASES AS WELL BECAUSE
THEY ARE, QUOTE-UNQUOTE,
RELEVANT EVEN IF THEY DO NOT
CONTROL.
HE SAYS THIS -- QUOTE -- "WE CAN
LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT OUR LAW
AND OUR DOCUMENTS FROM WHAT
HAPPENS ELSEWHERE."
END OF QUOTE.
WHAT JUSTICE GINSBURG DID WAS TO
MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT WHICH HAD
ONLY BEEN IMPLIED IN THE PAST.
MAKING VERY CLEAR THAT THERE ARE
SOME IN THIS COUNTRY WHO FEEL
THAT OUR VENERABLE CONSTITUTION
IS OUTDATED.
IF THEY TREAT THAT DOCUMENT AS
IT WAS WRITTEN AND UNDERSTOOD BY
THE FRAMERS, THEN THEIR
DECISIONS WILL OFTEN LEAD TO
RESULTS THAT THEY DO NOT LIKE AS
A POLICY MATTER.
BUT IF THEY CAN CITE DECISIONS
FROM FOREIGN COURTS THAT
INTERPRET CONSTITUTIONS THAT
CONTAIN ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT
RIGHTS AND THEY GIVE JUDGES
UNBRIDLED POWER TO MAKE POLICY
DECISIONS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
PEOPLE, THEN THEY CAN REACH
DECISIONS THAT OUR CONSTITUTION
OTHERWISE WOULD NOT ALLOW.
IT IS NOT SIMPLY A DISINTERESTED
SURVEY OF WHAT OTHER COURTS
AROUND THE WORLD ARE DOING.
A SEARCH
FOR PREFERRED LIBERAL ACTIVIST
OUTCOMES.
THESE ARE THE VERY HIGH STAKES
AT ISSUE WHEN WE DISCUSS WHETHER
IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR JUDGES TO
CITE AND RELY ON FOREIGN LAW IN
INTERPRETING THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION.
WE NEED TO PRESERVE, PROTECT,
AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE UNITED STATES.
WE NEED TO PRESERVE, PROTECT,
AND DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF EARNS
AMERICAN -- OF AMERICAN
CITIZENS.
JUSTICE GINSBURGS AND OTHERS WHO
HAVE A JUDICIAL LONGING FOR
OTHER CONSTITUTIONS THAT PROTECT
DIFFERENT RIGHTS AND GIVE
UNELECTED JUDGES POWER THAT
UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION
SELF-GOVERNING PEOPLE EXERCISE
THEMSELVES, I TELL THOSE
JUDGES, INCLUDING JUSTICE
GINSBURG, THAT IS THE WRONG
APPROACH.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.