Joni Ernst

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. I yield to Senator Boxer.

Mrs. ERNST. I thank the Presiding Officer. Colleagues, just a few brief points on this amendment. We are just providing the administration the option to get arms directly to the Kurds. The Kurds currently are providing refuge to over 1.6 million refugees from Iraq and Syria. Many of them are ethnic and religious minorities, such as Christians. The Peshmerga have shown the ability to be effective on the battlefield against ISIS. This Ernst-Boxer amendment is a companion bill to the one presented by Representatives Royce and Engel in the House. I urge my colleague to support this amendment.

Mrs. ERNST. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. ERNST

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, as we continue to fight against ISIS and their radical allies, I rise to urge my colleagues to support the Ernst-Boxer amendment, which provides authority for direct assistance to a critical partner in that fight: the Iraqi Kurds. Defeating ISIS is critical to maintaining an inclusive and unified Iraq, and the Iraqi Kurds are the key to that goal and helping to improve the humanitarian crisis in the region through their support and protection of over 1.6 million displaced persons from Iraq and Syria. This bipartisan amendment, also cosponsored by Senators Graham, Tillis, Rubio, and Gardner, provides temporary authority for the President, in consultation with the Iraqi Government--and I say, again, in consultation with the Iraqi Government--to provide weapons directly to Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS should the administration choose to do so. Currently, by law, the United States must provide support to the Iraqi Kurds through the Iraqi central government in Baghdad, which has often not been timely or adequate in the past. These delays have had a negative impact on the Kurds' ability to defend Iraqi territory and provide security for those who have sought refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan. The President's recent decision to expedite arms to the Kurds as a way to improve the counter-ISIS effort, I believe, speaks for itself. Additionally, last year, Secretary of State John Kerry said to the House Foreign Affairs Committee: You said the administration is responsible for sending all these weapons through Baghdad. No, we're not. You are. We're adhering to U.S. law passed by Congress. Secretary Kerry continued: We have to send it to the [Iraqi] government because that's U.S. law. If you want to change it, fix it, we invite you. Well, this amendment does just that, and it does so in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion. It builds upon a similar bill in the House led by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Engel. This bill and my amendment are quite different than the House NDAA language. My amendment provides a 3-year authorization to reduce delays and inefficiencies in arming Peshmerga forces to fight ISIS while ensuring the Iraqi Government is an integral part of the process. The amendment continues to promote a unified Iraq and enhances the ability to fight our common enemy--an enemy that ultimately seeks to bring their terror to our shores. Furthermore, the amendment preserves the President's ability to notify the Iraqi Government before weapons, equipment, defense services or related training is provided to Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces. It ensures this emergency authorization does not construct a precedent of providing direct support to organizations other than a country or an international organization. Most important to remember, it does not require the President to act. It provides him the authorization to do so if he feels the situation warrants it. Beginning in the first gulf war, the Iraqi Kurds and their Peshmerga security forces have played a vital role in supporting U.S. interests and fostering a free Iraq, despite limited means of doing so. Last week, they not only held their ground but made some gains against ISIS in the Kirkuk Province. There are far too few positive news stories out of Iraq recently, but when there are some, it is often the Kurds who are making that progress. ISIS is deadly and determined, and Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces-- our critical partner in the fight against ISIS--need U.S. weapons as quickly as possible. We simply cannot afford future delays at this critical moment in the battle. I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this much needed bipartisan legislation to arm the Iraqi Kurds in the fight against ISIS. With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. ERNST

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

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, as we continue to fight against ISIS and those radicalized by them, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join efforts to provide direct assistance to a critical partner in that fight--the Kurdistan Regional Government. Yesterday, I joined Senator Barbara Boxer of California to do just that. We introduced bipartisan legislation to provide temporary authority for the President to provide weapons directly to Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS. This legislation builds upon a similar bipartisan House effort led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel. The bill's 3-year authorization seeks to reduce delays in arming Peshmerga forces to fight ISIS, while still maintaining consultation with the Iraqi Government. Beginning in the first gulf war, the Iraqi Kurds and their Peshmerga forces have played a vital role in supporting U.S. interests and a free Iraq, despite limited means of doing so. Since August 2014, the Kurds have provided sanctuary to nearly 2 million ethnic and religious minorities in Iraqi Kurdistan, and they have been the only force to hold its ground against ISIS in northern Iraq. Currently, by law, the United States must provide support to the Iraqi Kurds through the Iraqi central government in Baghdad, which has often not been timely or adequate in the past. This has had a negative impact on the Kurds' ability to defend Iraqi territory and provide security for those Iraqis and Syrians who have sought refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan. Last November, Secretary of State John Kerry said that if Chairman Royce wanted to change current law--to ``fix it''--that he invited him to do so. Well, that is exactly what this legislation does. It makes it the policy of the United States to provide direct assistance to the Kurdistan Regional Government to combat ISIS. We do that because we believe that defeating ISIS is critical to maintaining an inclusive and unified Iraq and that the Iraqi Kurds are key in that goal, as well as to help to end the humanitarian crisis in Iraq through their support of over 1.6 million displaced persons from Iraq and Syria. The legislation preserves the President's ability to notify the Iraqi Government before weapons, equipment, defense services or related training is provided to Iraqi Kurdish forces. It ensures this emergency authorization does not construct a precedent of providing direct support to organizations other than a country or an international organization. Finally, it works toward accountability by requiring a report to Congress on U.S. weapons provided to the Iraqi Government which have ended up in the hands of Iranian controlled and supported Shia militias or foreign terrorist groups. ISIS is deadly and determined, and Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces-- our critical partner in the fight against ISIS--need U.S. weapons as quickly as possible. This 3-year authorization would bolster efforts against ISIS, which are critical to maintaining a unified and stable Iraq and imperative to our national security interests. We simply cannot afford to have future delays at this critical moment in the battle. I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this much-needed legislation to arm the Iraqi Kurds in the fight against ISIS. I yield the floor.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I rise to stress the importance of ensuring nuclear negotiations with Iran to preserve our national interests and our security, one that protects the security of our allies and partners in the region and maintains peace and stability in the world. As a member of the Iowa Army National Guard and serving on the Armed Services Committee in the Senate, I am focused on strengthening our national security, developing strategies to confront terrorism, and discussing ways to support our exceptional military. While I believe Iran's long-term goal is developing nuclear weapons, its most effective line of effort against us and our allies has been through its unwavering support of terrorism. The Obama administration should only accept a final deal which prohibits sanctions relief until Iran abandons its support of terrorism. Providing Iran with sanctions relief would only enhance their opportunity to fund proxy groups which threaten our Israeli allies and whose activities have led to horrible consequences for millions of people in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. While the Obama administration has been seemingly eager to relieve sanctions in an effort to convince Iran to sign a nuclear deal, Congress cannot stand by and watch as a deal is negotiated that paves the way for Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. We must take a step back and examine their actions, and it is absolutely crucial we understand who is on the other side of the negotiating table. Iran continues to be the world's lead sponsor of terrorism and a supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is responsible for killing hundreds and thousands of his own people, creating the gravest humanitarian crisis in modern history, and who facilitates the continued rise of extremism and sectarianism across the region. Iran has shown unwavering support of terrorism and has aligned itself with groups that are hostile to the United States, our allies, and partners in the region. In fact, Iran continues to fund groups that threaten our Israeli allies, who are very concerned about Iran amassing nuclear capabilities and the direct threat they pose to the region. After this longstanding pattern of behavior, I do not believe we can trust that Iran will curb its ambitions or support for terrorist activity on their own. Despite any agreement Iranian President Hassan Rouhani may agree to, I believe Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will ultimately maintain his policy of attempting to obtain a nuclear weapon and may use any funds obtained through prematurely providing sanctions relief towards that end, as well as to support terrorists. Iran's more than a quarter century long effort to obtain a nuclear weapon will not subside overnight. It is a faulty assumption to trust that Tehran is on the side of the rule of law. Iran has a very troublesome track record of deception when it comes to compliance and trustworthiness, which is why we need a deal that ensures America's and the world's ability to verify and enforce any agreement with Iran. This includes complete and open access at any time to all of Iran's facilities, to hold them true to their word and to verify their actions. We must also have the proper enforcement mechanism in place so that any broken promise garners an appropriate and immediate response. This accountability can be enforced through renewed and strengthened congressional sanctions. Sanctions have been effective in the past, and we must keep this option on the table. In fact, these sanctions are what brought Iran to the negotiating table in the first place. So we must not be too quick to suspend them. The ever-increasing and complex threats we face in the Middle East underscore how crucial it is that any longstanding agreement with Iran must go through Congress. This enables the American people to have a voice. Congressional review is supported by a bipartisan majority of my colleagues and a majority of Americans. It is common sense. We must have more oversight of this process and the opportunity for thoughtful consideration to ensure we have been very clear about our demands and the framework of any final agreement. There is no doubt the administration shares my concern and the concern of many of my colleagues regarding the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who have been murdered with barrel bombs, sarin gas, the indiscriminate shelling of cities, been in prisons or the millions more who have been forced to flee their homes. We must stop Iran from supporting this criminal regime which has helped engulf the region. Sanctions relief without ensuring funds would not go to Assad or to terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, which are key to the survival of the regime, would do nothing to help achieve a favorable political or military solution in Syria. With that in mind, I cosponsored the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which has bipartisan support and is before the Senate today. This legislation embraces fundamental and core principles that lay the foundation for a good deal with Iran. This deal ensures congressional review of a final agreement. It demands that no congressional sanctions be lifted during the review period, and it safeguards congressional oversight of Iranian compliance. This bill is a good starting point, and I want to praise the good work by the chairman of the committee for continuing to push for congressional review. Our ultimate goal must be to curb all Iranian terror, and this will never happen if we do not confront and contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. I believe a final deal which does not address Iran's support of terrorism and other groups which subvert recognized governments is not in the best interests of our Nation, and an agreement without these assurances will miss an opportunity to provide stability in the region. In closing, the bottom line is that Iran must never be allowed to develop a single nuclear weapon--not now or at any point in the future. A nuclear Iran presents one of the greatest threats to peace and stability in our time. With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 10 minutes.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, as we begin this week with the serious and necessary discussions about the budget, I rise today to talk about something that is very personal to me, something that is incredibly close to my heart--the service and sacrifice of our Nation's finest men and women, those who serve in our Armed Forces. As the budget process moves forward, we must ensure that our national security needs are met and that our veterans can receive the much- needed care and assistance they deserve. Growing up on a farm in rural southwest Iowa, my parents instilled in my sister, my brother, and me the importance of hard work, service, and sacrifice. In the summer between my freshman and sophomore years at Iowa State University, I was very fortunate to attend an agricultural exchange in Ukraine, when it was still part of the former Soviet Union. The Iowa students and I lived on a collective farm for a number of weeks. In the evening, when the community members came together, we did not talk about agricultural practices, like I anticipated. What we talked about was what it was like to be free, what it was like to be an American. Those were the things the Ukrainians wanted to know. They wanted to know about freedom, our Republic, and democracy. Just a few short years later, they became an independent nation. They are a sovereign nation. It was then that I better understood what it meant to have freedom and how much people elsewhere truly desire it. I wanted to do my part to ensure our country always remained free. That realization led me to make a decision when I was 19 years old-- to join the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, commonly known as ROTC. For over two decades, I have had the great honor of wearing our Nation's uniform. Today, I serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard, and I have been privileged to have led and commanded at many levels, from platoon to battalion. From 2003 to 2004, I served as a company commander in Operation Iraqi Freedom. My unit was tasked with running convoys through Kuwait and southern Iraq. As a soldier, I learned firsthand the vital role that our citizen soldiers play. Citizen soldiers are folks who train for military duty so they are prepared to defend in the face of an emergency. These men and women take on this task voluntarily and can be called upon to serve at any time. While overseas, I had the opportunity to serve alongside some of America's finest, our bravest men and women. I saw firsthand how dangerous threats against our Nation can be. It is becoming increasingly important that our military--Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve--are always working together as one cohesive unit. We are strongest in numbers when working together to build one another up and support one another. Our mission is clear and we come from all corners of the country united on the same goal--to defend our freedom. I continue to remain focused on strengthening our national security, both in my role in the Iowa National Guard and on the Armed Services Committee, where we discuss ways to support our exceptional military and develop bipartisan strategies to confront terrorism and destroy Al Qaeda, ISIS, and those who are radicalized by them. Here in the Senate, we also have an incredible responsibility not only to make sure our country is protected but also to ensure we live up to the promises made to our veterans. These men and women are trained and have selflessly sacrificed in defense of our freedoms and our way of life. However, we must ensure that our veterans are prepared to transition back to civilian life. They deserve nothing less than the benefits they were promised and a quality of care we can all be proud of. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. According to the VA, there are approximately 22 veteran suicides per day. We hear this number from time to time. But think about it--22 veteran suicides per day. In November 2014 testimony before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, the VA's chief consultant for mental health said the average wait time for a mental health appointment at the VA is 36 days. We can, and must, do better for our veterans. If a non-VA mental health care professional can reach a veteran 1 day, 1 week or even 2 weeks earlier than 36 days, Congress nor the VA should be an obstacle to affording a veteran potentially lifesaving mental health treatment. Veterans themselves are the only ones who know their mental health limit, and a veteran should receive the benefit of the doubt about where that limit is--not the VA. This is an issue that impacts all eras of veterans. Since coming to Washington, I have heard from many veterans on this very issue. One veteran in particular from the Vietnam war era admitted that he had twice attempted suicide. This veteran felt like he didn't have anywhere to go. We have to do better. Today, as my first piece of legislation in the Senate, I am introducing the Prioritizing Veterans Access to Mental Health Care Act. This legislation provides an option for our veterans to receive mental health treatment until they can receive comprehensive mental health care at the VA. This authorization for mental health care provides a backstop--other than the emergency room--for our veterans. Ultimately, the ER should not be considered a backstop for delayed mental health care at the VA. Most veterans who seek mental health treatment at emergency rooms do so when they have reached the limits of their suffering. There is no acceptable VA wait time for mental health care for our veterans. The limits to how much suffering a veteran can endure simply cannot be accurately measured by the VA or by any medical professional. Specifically, this legislation puts veterans mental health care first and foremost, provides a backstop to VA mental health care, and prioritizes incentives to hire more mental health care professionals at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Prioritizing Veterans Access to Mental Health Care Act does several things. First, it amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to where a veteran is instantly authorized non-VA care if the veteran provides an electronic or hard-copy statement in writing that he or she is not receiving adequate or timely mental health care at the VA. This eliminates the 40-mile and VA wait-time triggers for mental health care under the choice act. Second, it prioritizes incentives for the hiring of mental health care professionals at the VA. And third, it provides the VA 90 days to enact the program. I hope this legislation will receive broad bipartisan support because ensuring our veterans have access to the mental health care they deserve is not a conservative or liberal concept. It is not a Republican or Democrat idea. It is an American value. If we do not stand up for America's tenacious survivors, who will? Thanks to these brave men and women, we are able to stand on this floor and fight for our beliefs and ideals. These veterans fought for us and defended us tirelessly. They endured more than some of us can ever imagine. The invisible wounds of war can no longer go unnoticed. Now, it is our duty to do all we can to thank them and ensure they have access to the quality mental health care they deserve. God bless these men and women, and let us strive to do better for them.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, as we begin this week with the serious and necessary discussions about the budget, I rise today to talk about something that is very personal to me, something that is incredibly close to my heart--the service and sacrifice of our Nation's finest men and women, those who serve in our Armed Forces. As the budget process moves forward, we must ensure that our national security needs are met and that our veterans can receive the much- needed care and assistance they deserve. Growing up on a farm in rural southwest Iowa, my parents instilled in my sister, my brother, and me the importance of hard work, service, and sacrifice. In the summer between my freshman and sophomore years at Iowa State University, I was very fortunate to attend an agricultural exchange in Ukraine, when it was still part of the former Soviet Union. The Iowa students and I lived on a collective farm for a number of weeks. In the evening, when the community members came together, we did not talk about agricultural practices, like I anticipated. What we talked about was what it was like to be free, what it was like to be an American. Those were the things the Ukrainians wanted to know. They wanted to know about freedom, our Republic, and democracy. Just a few short years later, they became an independent nation. They are a sovereign nation. It was then that I better understood what it meant to have freedom and how much people elsewhere truly desire it. I wanted to do my part to ensure our country always remained free. That realization led me to make a decision when I was 19 years old-- to join the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, commonly known as ROTC. For over two decades, I have had the great honor of wearing our Nation's uniform. Today, I serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard, and I have been privileged to have led and commanded at many levels, from platoon to battalion. From 2003 to 2004, I served as a company commander in Operation Iraqi Freedom. My unit was tasked with running convoys through Kuwait and southern Iraq. As a soldier, I learned firsthand the vital role that our citizen soldiers play. Citizen soldiers are folks who train for military duty so they are prepared to defend in the face of an emergency. These men and women take on this task voluntarily and can be called upon to serve at any time. While overseas, I had the opportunity to serve alongside some of America's finest, our bravest men and women. I saw firsthand how dangerous threats against our Nation can be. It is becoming increasingly important that our military--Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve--are always working together as one cohesive unit. We are strongest in numbers when working together to build one another up and support one another. Our mission is clear and we come from all corners of the country united on the same goal--to defend our freedom. I continue to remain focused on strengthening our national security, both in my role in the Iowa National Guard and on the Armed Services Committee, where we discuss ways to support our exceptional military and develop bipartisan strategies to confront terrorism and destroy Al Qaeda, ISIS, and those who are radicalized by them. Here in the Senate, we also have an incredible responsibility not only to make sure our country is protected but also to ensure we live up to the promises made to our veterans. These men and women are trained and have selflessly sacrificed in defense of our freedoms and our way of life. However, we must ensure that our veterans are prepared to transition back to civilian life. They deserve nothing less than the benefits they were promised and a quality of care we can all be proud of. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. According to the VA, there are approximately 22 veteran suicides per day. We hear this number from time to time. But think about it--22 veteran suicides per day. In November 2014 testimony before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, the VA's chief consultant for mental health said the average wait time for a mental health appointment at the VA is 36 days. We can, and must, do better for our veterans. If a non-VA mental health care professional can reach a veteran 1 day, 1 week or even 2 weeks earlier than 36 days, Congress nor the VA should be an obstacle to affording a veteran potentially lifesaving mental health treatment. Veterans themselves are the only ones who know their mental health limit, and a veteran should receive the benefit of the doubt about where that limit is--not the VA. This is an issue that impacts all eras of veterans. Since coming to Washington, I have heard from many veterans on this very issue. One veteran in particular from the Vietnam war era admitted that he had twice attempted suicide. This veteran felt like he didn't have anywhere to go. We have to do better. Today, as my first piece of legislation in the Senate, I am introducing the Prioritizing Veterans Access to Mental Health Care Act. This legislation provides an option for our veterans to receive mental health treatment until they can receive comprehensive mental health care at the VA. This authorization for mental health care provides a backstop--other than the emergency room--for our veterans. Ultimately, the ER should not be considered a backstop for delayed mental health care at the VA. Most veterans who seek mental health treatment at emergency rooms do so when they have reached the limits of their suffering. There is no acceptable VA wait time for mental health care for our veterans. The limits to how much suffering a veteran can endure simply cannot be accurately measured by the VA or by any medical professional. Specifically, this legislation puts veterans mental health care first and foremost, provides a backstop to VA mental health care, and prioritizes incentives to hire more mental health care professionals at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Prioritizing Veterans Access to Mental Health Care Act does several things. First, it amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to where a veteran is instantly authorized non-VA care if the veteran provides an electronic or hard-copy statement in writing that he or she is not receiving adequate or timely mental health care at the VA. This eliminates the 40-mile and VA wait-time triggers for mental health care under the choice act. Second, it prioritizes incentives for the hiring of mental health care professionals at the VA. And third, it provides the VA 90 days to enact the program. I hope this legislation will receive broad bipartisan support because ensuring our veterans have access to the mental health care they deserve is not a conservative or liberal concept. It is not a Republican or Democrat idea. It is an American value. If we do not stand up for America's tenacious survivors, who will? Thanks to these brave men and women, we are able to stand on this floor and fight for our beliefs and ideals. These veterans fought for us and defended us tirelessly. They endured more than some of us can ever imagine. The invisible wounds of war can no longer go unnoticed. Now, it is our duty to do all we can to thank them and ensure they have access to the quality mental health care they deserve. God bless these men and women, and let us strive to do better for them.