Cory Gardner

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, we wish to highlight an issue of importance to Colorado and its community of senior citizens. Earlier this month, Congress passed the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016 and sent it to the President for his signature. This reauthorization ensures that a wide range of social and nutritional services directed to assist senior citizens is not disrupted. While the reauthorization improves the status quo for the State of Colorado, we continue to have concerns about the disproportionate level of funding going to our State in comparison to the rest of the country.

Mr. GARDNER. Instead of allowing the funding to go to States with growing senior populations, the hold-harmless funding formula in the current reauthorization continues the disproportionate trend by preventing funding in States with lower senior populations from going to States with growing levels of senior citizens. While we are supportive of the services provided by the Older Americans Act, Congress's priority should be ensuring the stability of the programs that millions of seniors around the country depend upon.

Mr. GARDNER

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 Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I rise to recognize and commend ADM Bill Gortney, who will retire on June 1 of this year after 39 years of exceptional leadership and service to our country. Most recently, Admiral Gortney served as commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, CO. In his current capacity, Admiral Gortney is responsible for homeland defense, defense support for civil authorities, and theater security cooperation with Mexico and the Bahamas. Additionally, as head of the binational NORAD command with Canada, he is responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning in the defense of North America. For those of you who have children, I think you may know what NORAD also does, which is, of course, the very famous Santa tracker every year on Christmas Eve. It has been a tremendous pleasure to work closely with Admiral Gortney since joining the Senate. In particular, as the chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, I have often sought his advice and counsel to gauge the threat of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile program to our homeland. Born to William and Gloria Gortney in La Jolla, CA, Admiral Gortney is no stranger to military service. He is a second-generation naval aviator. His father retired as a captain in the Navy in 1970, after 28 years of service that included time in World War II, the Korean war, and Vietnam. Admiral Gortney received his Wings of Gold in 1978 at Naval Air Station in Beeville, TX, and began an illustrious career as a naval aviator under the call sign ``shortney.'' Admiral Gortney has completed numerous successful fleet and staff assignments both in the United States and abroad. His first opportunity for command was on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt from 1994 to 1995. From there he amassed an impressive resume of command experience, including three command tours in the U.S. Central Command area of operations, providing support to maritime security operations and combat operations of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. These assignments included commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces, Bahrain; commander of Carrier Strike Group 10 on board the USS Harry S. Truman; and commander of Carrier Air Wing 7 on board the USS John F. Kennedy. His first flight tour was as the deputy chief of staff for Global Force Management and Joint Operations, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, VA. More recently, he served as director of the Joint Staff, then commanded U.S. Fleet Forces Command prior to taking command at NORAD and USNORTHCOM. Admiral Gortney has flown over 5,360 mishap-free flight hours on the Corsair II and F/A-18 Hornet and completed 1,265 carrier-arrested landings. His military decorations include: the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two awards; Navy Distinguished Service Medal, two awards; Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit, four awards; and Bronze Star, among many others. From other nations, his military decorations include: the French National Order of the Legion of Honor Award; the Bahrain Medal, First Class; the Secretary of the National Defense for Mexico Military Merit 1st Class Medal; and Secretary of the Mexican Navy Naval Distinction 2nd Class Medal. Admiral Gortney's unique combination of operational experience, charismatic leadership, and unyielding patriotism has served him well in a lifetime of military service. Today we honor his admirable service to our Nation and all the airmen, sailors, soldiers, marines, and civilians who have served alongside him. We offer our heartfelt appreciation to Bill, his wife Sherry, their children Stephanie and Billy, daughter-in-law Jackie, and grandchildren Gavin and Grayson for all of their sacrifice and support to our country. On behalf of the Senate and a grateful nation, I congratulate him on a job well done and wish him the best as he begins a hard-earned retirement. I just wish that his retirement would land him in Colorado Springs, but I think he has other ideas. Admiral Gortney, we thank you for your service. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Director Paul Cooke of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control for his 35 years of service to Colorado. Paul's steadfast leadership throughout his career in fire and emergency services has had an extremely positive impact on Colorado's public safety. Mr. Cooke first began as a volunteer firefighter in 1979, and he has since served in a variety of capacities as a career fireman, fire chief, and other influential roles in local and State government. Paul's contributions to Colorado's fire safety and first responder system are immeasurable. I commend his bravery and fortitude during times of tragedy, specifically his direction during the South Canyon fire. Additionally, his work with local and State officials developed and implemented some of Colorado's most significant fire prevention and safety programs. Most notably are the updates to the State's fire protection services, organization of the State-level fire and life safety programs, as well as the statewide first responder training programs. I thank Director Paul Cooke for his dedicated hard work throughout his entire career and congratulate him on a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I first wish to congratulate my colleagues for the work they have accomplished this week, work on reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration. For those in Colorado, it is important work. For Denver International Airport and for multiple airports around the State, the aviation industry in Colorado accounts for tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of revenue generated by not only DIA, but whether it is Vail, Durango, Grand Junction, or any number of airports across the State, we have benefited from the work this FAA reauthorization has accomplished. I commend the chairman, Senator Thune, for his work, as well as the chairman, Senator Murkowski, for the work she has accomplished on the Energy bill--legislation that will accomplish greater opportunities for the United States to achieve North American energy security, including thousands of jobs that can be created by legislation I was able to secure within the bill on performance contracting--a very great accomplishment for the Senate. I urge the House and the Senate to come together quickly in order to find a compromise on the Energy bill and to get this signed into law. Cheyenne Mountain Day Mr. President, I come to the floor to talk about an event I participated in last week with General Hyten in Colorado Springs, based in Cyber Command, to talk about an event that was shared by Governor Hickenlooper as well from the great State of Colorado. Since 1966, the U.S. Air Force at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in Colorado Springs has been at the forefront of our Nation's capacity to track foreign threats worldwide, providing an essential component of North American defense and global security. Today we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the operational capability of Cheyenne Mountain, an event General Hyten, Governor Hickenlooper, and I were able to participate in last week. Many people across this country probably know Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station. They know it through popular culture, they know it through movies like ``Dr. Strangelove'' or through ``WarGames,'' for those who aren't quite of the ``Dr. Strangelove'' generation, and perhaps for newer generations yet, they know Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station from ``Stargate.'' Colorado is proud to be at the center of the effort to provide for the defense of North America through this facility which has far- reaching consequences and whose multiuse services are critical to national and global security. Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station is one of the greatest engineering marvels of its time, representing an $18 billion facility, unrivaled anywhere in the world, bored into the front range of the Rocky Mountains. At this world-class facility, countless space and ground sensor data collections are assimilated to provide our Nation's national security leadership apparatus key information to determine threat assessments and ensure the safety and security of millions of people around the world. The 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs provides operational support and infrastructure sustainability, the 721st Mission Support Group provides the dedicated daily sustainment to more than 13 mission partners performing the national security mission inside the mountain complex--or the ``mountain fortress,'' as it has been nicknamed--and over 1,000 U.S. and Canadian military members and civilians remain vigilant around the clock to defend our great Nation at this facility. I am proud the Senate came together last week to approve my resolution, which designates today, April 20, 2016, as Cheyenne Mountain Day, to recognize the 50th anniversary of Cheyenne Mountain achieving full operational capability. Today we recognize the strategic importance of Cheyenne Mountain and celebrate the efforts of the 21st Space Wing, the 721st Mission Support Group, and the men and women who work for the common defense of North America at Cheyenne Mountain. Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment and Economic Policy be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2016, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Examining the Current Trends and Changes in Fixed-Income Markets.''

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2016, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2016, at 2 p.m, in room SH-219 of the Hart Senate Office Building.

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2016, at 10 a.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2016, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Federal Perspective on the State of Our Nation's Biodefense.''

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2016, at 9 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2016, at 10:45 a.m., in the President's Room of the Capitol.

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 14, 2016, at 9:30 a.m., in room SR-328A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, to talk about the importance of passing this legislation for Colorado and, indeed, the Nation. I commend Chairman Thune, our colleague from South Dakota, Ranking Member Nelson, Senator Ayotte, and Senator Cantwell for their work in crafting this very important piece of legislation. It is an economic driver, certainly a national security issue, and a number of issues that we are able to address in this legislation of great importance to Colorado and the country. Our Nation's airspace is clearly one of the most important economic drivers that we have. It is important in the movement of passengers and cargo, along with the many other users of airspace, whether it be for agriculture or unmanned aerial systems. The economic importance of aviation in Colorado cannot be stated enough when it comes to tourism. In 2014 alone, 71.3 million visitors came to Colorado, with $18.6 billion in economic impact for the State, according to the Colorado Tourism Office. That tourism results in well over 100,000 jobs throughout the State of Colorado. Many of those 71 million tourists came through Denver International Airport, the nation's fifth busiest and largest commercial airport. In 2014 alone, more than 50 million people passed through Denver International Airport, a State with a population of about 5.5 million-- 50 million people passing through the fifth busiest airport, with some of these passengers continuing on to one of Colorado's additional 13 commercial airports or 60 general aviation airports. The economic impact that airports and aviation have throughout the State is absolutely incredible. When you take in the multiplier effect, nearly 300,000 jobs are a result of aviation in Colorado--a payroll of about $12.6 billion in Colorado, with the multiplier effect, for an economic output of about $36.7 billion. In fact, there is one airport, which is the premier business airport of the United States, Centennial Airport in Colorado, surrounded by 23 different business parks, with about 6,000 different businesses surrounding this airport in those 23 different business parks. This airport, those 6,000 businesses, and the 23 business parks around the airport account for nearly 27 percent of Colorado's total gross domestic product. Think about that. One airport, one business airport, and the businesses that surround it account for nearly 27 percent of Colorado's economy. So whether it is skiing or snowboarding or visiting one of our great national parks, enjoying the outdoors, hiking, camping, fishing, or visiting one of our world-class cities, it is not easily achievable without well-run, maintained, and secured airspace. These airports connect cities like Denver, CO, to Durango, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and smaller cities; rural communities like the city I live in, Lamar and Yuma; and to the rest of the country. They help businesses reach beyond the borders of our State. Maintaining our airport infrastructure then becomes one of the most critical functions we can perform. Communities in Colorado and across the country continue to push their airport infrastructure improvements, betterments, to help realize the full potential, the economic potential, to access that airspace and the access that airspace indeed brings. That is why I am glad to talk about this legislation and the many achievements we were able to accomplish and the provisions I was able to secure and include in the bill to help improve that airport infrastructure, including improvements to the Airport Improvement Program, or AIP, and a study with recommendations on upgrading and improving the Nation's airport infrastructure. Additionally, I am pleased that this bill includes language that I pushed to help allow improvements to Pena Boulevard, the prime access road to connecting Denver International Airport with the rest of Colorado. If you have been to Denver International Airport and you have driven to downtown Denver, you have driven on Pena Boulevard. This bill will address the needs, the infrastructure, and the improvements that are needed to make sure that Pena Boulevard remains an efficient, safe roadway to the Nation's fifth busiest airport. It will allow DIA the flexibility it needs and the clarity to ensure the primary access road that Pena Boulevard represents is capable of handling the traffic that comes with increased use of the airport. The bill also includes language that builds on a successful pilot program for virtual towers and ensures that those towers will be eligible for AIP funding, Airport Improvement Program funding, once certified by the FAA. It is important because these virtual towers, such as the one at the Fort Collins-Loveland airport area, will allow small- and medium-sized airports to offer commercial service in an economically viable and sustainable way. Northern Colorado really is the gateway to Colorado's energy hub, the gateway to Colorado's biotech, bioscience, and engineering research university hub. By allowing this virtual tower in northern Colorado at the Fort Collins-Loveland airport, we can help expand the opportunity to reach that area for businesses that wish to locate there, for customers who wish to fly into the area, and also for those businesses that are already there to expand, to have further reach around the country and the world. Another central responsibility of the FAA is to ensure that the airspace is being safely managed while allowing the industries that are dependent on aviation to thrive. I think this legislation, after months and months of work, really does strike that appropriate balance. I was proud to support amendments during consideration of the bill that I believe will help ensure that the Transportation Security Administration, law enforcement agencies, and security personnel have the resources they need to provide for the safety of the traveling public. I believe more could and should be done, however. That is why I filed on the floor an amendment to the bill which will improve TSA's operations at our airports by creating a testing location to help TSA and airports to work hand in hand to develop future screening technologies and passenger screening methods to ensure we are able to keep passengers and airports safe. If you look at the needs that we have at airports, there is the combination of coming into an airport and checking in at an airport gate or kiosk. Most people use their iPhone or their smartphone to have their digital printout of a ticket. They don't even go to a kiosk anymore; they just go straight to the security line. But as we have seen, we need to have an increase in security from curb to gate. It is not just a security concern where people may be gathering around the screening or people may be getting in and out of cars or lining up at the desk; it is an overall curb-to-gate security approach that we need. That is what my amendment will accomplish. So I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Thune and the Commerce Committee on a path forward for this amendment because it is critically important that we address additional security measures to prevent violence like the recent terrorist attack in Brussels from happening and occurring at our airports. To remind people, the attack in Brussels did not happen on an airplane; it happened outside where passengers were gathering. So if we can address this curb-to-gate security, alleviate the slowdowns and the spots that make it more difficult for efficiency at the airport to get through security--this amendment can help do that--we can avoid danger to the public from those who wish to do our people harm. The bill includes important certification reforms that will improve the processing of new aircraft designs and modifications at the FAA. This is important because we had an agricultural aviator, a crop duster, in Colorado who was trying to get his plane certified. This is a spray plane. He was trying to get this plane certified, but what he found out was that, first, the FAA was taking a very, very long time to certify his crop duster, to give him the permission to use this plane to spray crops. After they said they found his application, he ended up in a queue, a line behind United Airlines, behind Frontier Airlines. So, basically, this crop duster in southeastern Colorado had a very small plane, not a passenger plane by any means. He was put in line with a 747, a 757, and a 767. That is nonsense. It doesn't make any sense, and we were able to address those certification challenges in this bill. A couple of years ago I requested the inspector general at the FAA to look at what was happening in the Rocky Mountain regional facility in Denver. They pointed to a number of challenges that region had in terms of its management, in terms of its process, and in certification in other areas. We were able to include the suggestions and the changes that the inspector general's report identified in this legislation in the FAA today. Finally, the legislation, of course, makes key strides in the future of our aviation industry by addressing unmanned aerial systems. We have a number of great areas in Colorado where we can test and where we can certify, and, of course, the need is great--from agriculture to our ski resorts to wildfires. Think about what we can accomplish in the future with unmanned aerial assistance. I thank the leadership. I thank Senator Thune, our colleague from South Dakota for the leadership he provided. I thank the Presiding Officer for the work the Presiding Officer has done to make this legislation a success. With that, I urge support for the legislation. I conclude my remarks on the FAA bill asking Members to support the bill. I yield back the remainder of my time.

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

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, JROTC. On June 3, 1916, Congress passed the National Defense Act, establishing the JROTC. This program teaches students the values of our Armed Forces through training and classroom instruction with military personnel. This influential program encourages leadership, fortitude, and personal responsibility. The JROTC has experienced a long history of success, and millions of high school students have completed the program since its inception. Not only do these students learn military history and customs, but participants gain a deeper understanding of civic engagement, community service, and the importance of character building. Out of the many high school students who participate in JROTC each year, 30 to 50 percent go on to serve in the U.S. military later in life. The program also connects high school students with universities that offer the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and helps many students who may have not otherwise earned a college degree. I would also like to recognize the 35 schools in Colorado that offer the JROTC program. In Colorado, there are 2 Marine Corps JROTC units, 8 Air Force JROTC units, 4 Navy units, and 21 Army units. I am proud of the accomplishments of the JROTC students, and I know they have a bright future ahead of them. Please join me in honoring Adams City High School, Northridge High School, Aurora Central High School, Westminster High School, Harrison High School, William Mitchell High School, Air Academy High School, Skyview Academy, Glenwood Springs High School, Doherty High School, Montrose High School, Mesa Ridge High School, Widefield High School, Pueblo County High School, Pueblo East High School, North High School, Abraham Lincoln High School, Denver South High School, Manual High School, Loveland High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, Pueblo West High School, Centennial High School, Central High School, Pueblo South High School, Delta High School, Central High School--Pueblo, Montebello Senior High School, West High School, George Washington High School, John F. Kennedy High School, Fountain Fort Carson High School, East High School, and Canon City High School.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I rise today to share my support for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015. This legislation, of course, that we have been debating for well over a week now aims to address the growing drug addiction crisis facing our country by not only promoting prevention and education, but by increasing efforts to improve treatment and recovery for those who have fallen to this growing epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that from 2002 to 2013, the number of heroin-related overdose deaths nearly quadrupled, with approximately 8,200 deaths in 2013. The CDC furthermore found that 44 people die every day due to prescription drug overdoses. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that the abuse of alcohol, illegal drugs, and tobacco costs the United States roughly $700 billion every year because of increased criminal activity, loss of employment, and health care costs associated with drug use. Colorado, unfortunately, is no exception to the increase in drug overdose deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that drug overdose deaths in Colorado have risen in every single county except for one over the last 12 years. The Colorado Health Institute found that Colorado's 2014 rate of 16.3 drug-related deaths per 100,000 people exceeded the U.S. average of 14.7 deaths per 100,000 people. This same study by the Colorado Health Institute found that drug overdose deaths climbed 68 percent in Colorado between 2002 and 2014--a 68-percent increase in drug overdose deaths in 12 years. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that nearly 23 million adults in the United States have struggled with drug use. However, the National Institutes of Health found that only 10 percent of U.S. adults who need treatment are receiving it. So only 2.3 million people out of the 23 million they have identified with some kind of a drug use problem--only 10 percent, 2.3 million out of the 23 million--are receiving some kind of treatment. So what are we going to do to move forward from here? We are on an unsustainable path when it comes to addiction and when it comes to its treatment. It is imperative that States are empowered with the resources needed to address the unique needs of each individual State, and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act does just that. The bill leaves behind the idea that the one-size-fits-all program out of Washington, DC, can fix everything. It encourages States to develop their own strategies because what works in Colorado may not work in New Jersey and what works in New York may not work in Texas or California. It encourages these strategies to prevent, treat, and reduce the growing addiction epidemic by, No. 1, creating an interagency task force to develop best practices for prescribing pain medication and pain management. The CDC found in a National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted from 2011 to 2013 that individuals addicted to opiate painkillers are 40 times more likely to be addicted to heroin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in 2012, health care providers wrote 259 million prescriptions for opioid pain relievers. That is nearly one bottle of pills for every single American--certainly every single American adult. It is absolutely imperative that best practices are established to ensure health professionals are being trained properly to identify patients who require prescription pain relievers for chronic pain management and those who do not, in an effort to treat this system and to better identify. The consequences of this addiction, we have seen in our communities, are devastating to individuals and their families. It is vital that States establish best practices to minimize the devastating effects that our communities have seen and our families have seen. No. 2, this bill expands disposal sites for unwanted prescription medications. Community pharmaceutical drug take-back programs, as they are called, allow individuals to dispose of unwanted or expired medications in a safe and responsible way. Many households in our country don't safely and securely store unused pharmaceutical medications, leaving open the door for abuse by teenagers and young adults who might find the prescription drugs, the unused or expired pharmaceuticals--they might find them in the household. According to the CDC, the abuse of prescription drugs has become the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 25 to 64. Furthermore, the abuse is strongly linked to heroin addiction. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, four out of five new heroin users started with prescription medications. Unfortunately, the vast majority of medication take-back programs in Colorado are in the Denver metro area, but we are not simply dealing with a metro problem. Getting unused drugs out of the communities eliminates the potential for misuse and decreases drastically the potential for addiction. The expansion of these programs is a step in the right direction to reduce the accessibility of dangerous prescription medication, especially in rural Colorado. Third, this legislation also aims to identify and to treat incarcerated individuals who suffer from addiction by implementing medication-assisted treatment programs for use by criminal justice agencies. Statistics show that imprisonment has a small impact on future drug use when addiction goes untreated. The National Association of Drug Court Professionals found that 95 percent of those who committed drug-related crimes returned to drug abuse after release from prison. We know that addiction is treatable, and it is important that these individuals have access to addiction and recovery services so that they don't continue to cycle in and out of our Nation's prisons. I would like to share a success story from an adult recovery program in the Denver area about a young woman who went to a treatment facility to turn her life around. I am not using her real name. Sarah was admitted to our program in Denver in September of 2015. Outside of the first week, she has been clean and sober. Sarah found a job and has received positive performance reports, and she also received a raise at the place of employment she sought out after treatment. She has begun to do additional volunteer work in her spare time as a way to give back to her community that took care of her through these programs. She has reconnected with her family. Remembering every holiday since she started this program, Sarah reports that it is the first time she can remember being sober for that holiday. She reports that she is loving her life and that there is no turning back for her. This bill will create more of these success stories to help people get back on their feet, to reconnect with their families, to engage in community service, and to receive raises at work because they do a good job when they make sure their addiction is broken. Fourth, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act takes a step in the right direction by strengthening prescription drug monitoring programs aimed to identify and treat drug-seeking individuals. State electronic databases that collect data on substances dispensed throughout the State have been incredibly effective in tracking the movement of prescription opiates throughout the country. Utilizing these programs allows States to identify drug diversion, prescription drug fraud, doctor shopping, and forgery. Prescription drug monitoring programs also identify drug-seeking individuals more easily to get them into treatment facilities so they can receive the care they need, just as Sarah did in Denver. Tracking and minimizing drug diversion is absolutely vital, and this legislation takes a step in the right direction to strengthen this policy. As we talk about this legislation, I think it is important that we have these stories that have been told on the Senate floor about what has happened to friends and family members, about drug overdose and opioid abuse, about heroin addiction, the fact that we had doctor shopping, and the fact that we had forgery of prescriptions or perhaps unused drugs sitting around somebody's house without a take-back program. Improper ways to dispose of it mean that teenagers and young adults are getting their hands on it. We recognize in these stories that it is not just the metro area, not just our urban centers that are facing these challenges. In fact, it was recently reported in the Denver Post under this headline: ``Drug overdose deaths hit record levels in rural southern Colorado.'' There is a comment from the San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group. The San Luis Valley is in southwestern Colorado, in the Western Slope of Colorado. ``We are getting more referrals for heroin, along with prescription drug abuse,'' said Kristina Daniel, chief operating officer of the San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group. ``We have a need for services in our area for sure.'' Among Colorado counties, the most striking increase in drug deaths occurred in Baca County in the southeast part of the State, an agriculture community bordering the Presiding Officer's home State of Oklahoma. They are talking about the death rate having quintupled in 12 years. This is a small rural community bordering both Kansas and Oklahoma in the corner of our State--a rural community that has seen its death rates quintuple in 12 years. The amount of hardship that has been placed on families and friends is unimaginable and unacceptable. With this legislation we can help work through these challenges to overcome them and to start putting an end to the tragedies that we have talked about now for this past week, because this is an epidemic in our country. Drug overdose and heroin opioid abuse don't discriminate against race, gender, or economic status. It has hit some of the most unsuspecting in our country. I am proud to join my colleagues to support this broadly bipartisan legislation. I heard overwhelming support from my constituency in Colorado. Everyone from local law enforcement, families, victims of addiction, recovery specialists, and mental health providers have joined together to voice their support. I would like to commend my colleagues Senators Portman and Ayotte for their extensive efforts to advocate on behalf of those who do not have a voice. I am proud to join my colleagues, and I urge the Senate to support this legislation. Honoring Corporal Nate Carrigan Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life of Corporal Nate Carrigan and the work of Master Patrol Deputy Kolby Martin and Captain Mark Hancock of the Park County Sheriff's Office. On the morning of February 24, while serving an eviction notice, the resident of the home they were serving the eviction notice to opened fire on the officers. Master Patrol Deputy Martin and Captain Hancock suffered injuries from the exchange and Corporal Carrigan tragically lost his life. Combined, these three men had served the citizens of Park County for over 35 years. Corporal Carrigan was a pillar of the Park County community. His work led to the successful conclusion of many cases during his time with the sheriff's office. Park County was always home for him, growing up among the green hills and blue skies of Colorado, where he took on the role of serving his community. As a teenager, he was a wrestler and the catcher for the Platte Canyon High School baseball team. Twenty years later he was coaching the same baseball team he had played on, and he was the assistant coach for the high school football team. It was the future of his community that he cared so deeply for and that he stood ready on that thin blue line to protect. Residents of this small town recognize the value and importance of a close-knit community. It provides a source of comfort and strength during a difficult time such as this. In this quiet mountain town, colleagues, store owners, and schoolmates are often friends and neighbors as well. They come together to lift one another up as they honor a member who has fallen in service. It is a place where those surrounding you naturally feel like family. The officers who were dispatched with Corporal Carrigan were not only coworkers but friends and even coaches of the very same sporting teams. This loss reminds us of the difficult and dangerous situations that our first responders are placed into each and every day. My deepest sympathy is with those at the Park County Sheriff's Office who not only lost a team member but a comrade as well and to Corporal Carrigan's loved ones who are mourning the loss of a friend and family member so near and dear to their hearts. We honor law enforcement, who, in the spirit of selfless sacrifice, honor their communities through their service. Their work to protect our State never finishes, their bravery never waivers, and our gratitude will never cease. This is the second time in a week that I have come down to the floor and mourned the loss of a brave law enforcement officer in Colorado, and I pray that we never have to do this again. Our prayers go to Corporal Carrigan's family. I yield the floor.

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

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor the life and work of Mesa County Sheriff's Deputy Derek Geer. On Monday, February 8, Deputy Geer was dispatched to a call about an armed individual in a local neighborhood. As members of our law enforcement do every day, Deputy Geer, with courage and care, responded to that call and through the senseless act of another, this son, husband, father, and friend, lost his life. Deputy Geer served with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office for nearly 15 years. As a veteran of the Navy, his service to others began long before his role as a law enforcement officer. Service and duty to his country and his community exemplified Deputy Geer's selfless concern for others. As a member of the Sheriff's Department, Deputy Geer served as a victim's advocate, providing support to those enduring some of life's worst difficulties. In every role he held, he always found ways to give even more. This loss has been felt deeply across Colorado's Western Slope, the communities of the Western Slope, and our State, as we remember a man who exemplified the best of the western spirit--courage and selfless leadership. The Grand Junction community has come together to support the Geer family and our men and women who nobly protect us each and every day. Members of law enforcement from around the State and around our Nation came to honor the life of Deputy Geer, filling the streets to pay their last respects. Integrity, service, and community, the values of the Mesa County Sheriff's Department--values carried out since the inception of the organization in 1883--were embodied in the work of Deputy Geer. The thin blue line represents the men and women in law enforcement protecting the public from those who seek to harm and cause destruction. Our officers do not waiver at the dangerous calls and unknown situations. They face them in this line of duty, and they do so out of a love and loyalty for their neighbors and community. I am grateful for the work of those at St. Mary's Medical Center who cared for Deputy Geer, as his last act was perhaps the most selfless of all--to give his organs to others in need. As Mesa County deputies shrouded their badges, we too shared in mourning the loss of Deputy Geer, and we will continue to honor his life and legacy. My deepest sympathies and prayers go to Derek Geer's family, his two children and his wife Kate. Madam President, I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER. Thank you, Mr. President. I thank my colleague from Virginia for his work on this and his history in the telecom business and his understanding of the complicated issues set before us. There are no simple answers. There is no black-and-white way to proceed here. There is no yes or no that we can reach because of the complicated set of factors before us when it comes to balancing our security needs and balancing our privacy needs at the same time. In fact, I am reminded of when I was in the State legislature and legislation we worked on several years ago. We were trying to figure out what to do when it came to criminal acts over the Internet. At the time this bill passed, most people were using BlackBerrys. I don't know if the iPhone had been invented yet. They described in the statute that the legislature was working on--it was dealing with the issue of Internet luring of a child, and when they wrote the language, they used technical language. And when presented with a case under the statute trying to charge somebody with Internet luring of a child, a judge actually said: Well, since the defendant, the perpetrator, was using a BlackBerry--we don't define the BlackBerry as a computer; therefore, this offense of Internet luring of a child won't apply in this particular case. That was because at the time, the legislature tried to describe in very definite terms a black-and-white answer to technology that had evolved or that everybody thought would be understood that this is a computer or this is the Internet. A judge said: No, that is not the case. So we had to address that issue in later years to try to overcome and understand the technology in ways that allow technology to evolve, that allow new technologies to emerge, but also make sure we are passing laws to provide protection to victims of crimes--in this case, an innocent child. So when we are dealing with this issue of privacy and security and encryption, Congress ought to be the first body to admit there is no single person in here who can say: I have every answer. I have every solution. Choose me. Choose my bill. This is the way forward. I applaud my colleague, Senator Warner from Virginia, for the work he is doing, along with Senator Collins, myself, and Chairman McCaul in the House of Representatives, to try to find that solution to a very nuanced issue. This challenge with encryption that we face today is significant. Encryption, as we know, is a technology designed to prevent unauthorized access to data and information. It is a code or series of codes put in place to put a lock on valuable things and trivial things alike, as the case may be when it comes to encryption. No matter how you describe what it is or what it is protecting, there is no doubt that it has been an enabler of global commerce in an increasingly interconnected age. It is that blanket that keeps our credit card numbers safe and our bank account numbers safe. It is the underpinning of financial success for businesses such as eBay, Amazon, iTunes, and more. But it can also be used, as we have seen, perhaps to cover bad actors, to cover their actions, creating a safe harbor sometimes for people who don't deserve to have a safe harbor. It can be an impenetrable cage around crimes, a powerful tool that is used to thwart law enforcement and lawful investigations, a blockade that is too difficult to penetrate for law enforcement. So this bill that you have put forward, this Digital Commission that will be comprised of experts around the country on issues of privacy, on security, on encryption, to try to find the right balance between what is it that we need in this country to protect our national security, to find bad actors who are trying to hide bad things with innocent technologies--this is to craft policies in an open manner that we can then turn to and look at to make sure we are protecting privacy, protecting encryption, that we are not offshoring the problem, allowing others to hide by technology made offshore, but that we have a solution here in Congress that takes into account evolving encryption techniques and technologies, respecting people's privacy rights as well. While there is a darker side to some users of innovations we have unleashed, we have great benefits from the innovations we have created that have enhanced our way of life and our quality of life. So to Senator Warner, my colleagues in the Senate, and the Chair, I would congratulate the Senator on his good work and the work so many of us have done to try to find this balance of security, privacy, and to make sure we are giving no quarter to people who wish to do this Nation harm.

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

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Wyoming for providing relief and the Presiding Officer for allowing me to make remarks. I thank my freshman colleague from the great State of North Carolina for those kind words. I can only imagine if the Senator from Colorado, Mr. Bennet, and I had to give the same remarks had the outcome been different, that we could only be so gracious. So thank you very much for the congratulations to the Denver Broncos and, obviously, the Carolina Panthers. It was an exciting game that they were able to be a part of, and there will be many more years of success to both franchises, undoubtedly. For those of you in Colorado who were able to watch the game, what an exciting time it was. We can remember the great teams led by John Elway--whether they played the Packers or the Falcons for the two Super Bowl victories--and now this exciting victory at Santa Clara as well. Also, a million people showed up in downtown Denver, CO, just a few short days ago to express their outpouring of support for the Denver Broncos. This has truly been an exciting time for the people of Colorado. I am very pleased that Senator Bennet and I didn't have to grow a beard. Thank you, Senator Tillis, from the great State of North Carolina. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I want to thank all of my colleagues for their thoughtful input during this debate. We have had great discussions from numerous Members who have come to the floor throughout the day to discuss North Korea and the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act. I want to thank Senator Corker for his leadership on the committee, the product of which is a very good bipartisan sanctions action. I hope and agree with Senator Menendez, our colleague from New Jersey, that this will indeed receive unanimous support. I wish to thank Senator Menendez through the Chair for his efforts to make this a success, and thanks to the ranking member of the committee and ranking member of the Asia subcommittee, as well, for their work. We set out a year ago to work on this problem and address this challenge. The purpose of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act is very simple. The purpose of the bill is to peacefully disarm North Korea through mandatory sanctions that would deprive the regime of the means to build its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, to deprive the regime of its means to carry out malicious cyber activities, and to deprive the regime of the means to continue its gross abuse of the human rights of its own people. That is the purpose of this bill. Obviously, there is more work to do. The discussions today talk about the work we have to do with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, in the other Chamber, and the work we have to do around the globe to make sure that the United Nations Security Council recognizes this challenge and that China understands our basis of cooperation depends on actions against something we both agree on, and that is that we shouldn't have a nuclear North Korea. Let's build that relationship of cooperation with China. Let's build that relationship of trilateral alliance among South Korea, Japan, and the United States. Those are the things we can begin to accomplish with this legislation. I had a conversation with Admiral Gortney not too long ago about North Korea. He is the head of NORTHCOM, headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO. It was a conversation about North Korea and what he sees. Through his comments, you can tell he is concerned, and he believes the situation in the Korean Peninsula is at its most unstable point since the armistice. Over six decades, we today are seeing the most unstable point on the Korean Peninsula because of a rogue regime that tortures its own people, kills its own leaders, and deprives its citizens of human dignity. Strategic patience has failed. One expert said we have moved from strategic patience to benign neglect. That is not leadership. So today we start a new policy based on strength and not patience. This legislation would mandate--not simply authorize but mandate--the imposition of sanctions against all persons who materially contribute to North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile development; import luxury goods into North Korea; enable its censorship and human rights abuses; engage in money laundering and manufacture of counterfeit goods and narcotic trafficking; engage in activities undermining cyber security; have sold, supplied or transferred to or from North Korea precious metals or raw metals, including aluminum, steel, and coal for the benefit of North Korea's regime and its illicit activities; that is, $1.8 billion in raw metals, $245 million in other goods that are sanctioned under this act, including those entities that decide they would import from North Korea if that money they would generate from the sale of that import goes to the development of proliferation activities. The cyber sanctions and strategy that we require are unique to the Senate bill. They will be the first mandatory sanctions in history passed against cyber criminals. This bill also codifies Executive orders 13687 and 13694 regarding cyber security, as they apply to North Korea, which were enacted last year in the wake of the Sony Pictures hack and other cyber incidents. It is also a unique feature of our Senate bill today. The mandatory sanctions on metals and minerals are unique to the legislation. Expert estimates, as we just said, put North Korea's rare metal minerals and steel exports at around $2 billion, so these sanctions could have a significant impact in deterring the regime and its enablers. The sanctions in this bill are secondary, as we have discussed, which means they would be applied to individuals and entities, not just in the United States but around the world, who would assist the Government of North Korea and the designated entities that engage in the activities prohibited by this legislation. It mandates a strategy and sanctions against North Korea's human rights abuses. You can see what it does on the chart. You can see the opportunity we have before us and the American people and our obligation to make sure we are doing everything we can to stand up for the people of North Korea and stand up to the totalitarian regime of North Korea. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation tonight, this bipartisan product of countless hours of debate and discussions and negotiations, and to come away with a good product that we can be proud of, to work with the House Members so that this is on the President's desk. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I yield my time.

Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Kentucky for his passion on this issue. We took great care in making sure we devised a sanctions bill that was strong in terms of its effect on North Korea and that it eliminated any of the shortcomings of the sanctions we faced when dealing with Iran. I certainly agree with the Senator from Kentucky when he said that we faced a President willing to grant broad relief from sanctions in terms of national security waivers, and that is why we were very careful in making sure we constructed case-by-case waivers in this act, the North Korea act. The President must investigate and explain to Congress that there are no broad grants or wide swaths of discretionary ability to waive the sanctions. As I said, there are mandatory investigations with mandatory reporting requirements, and so I object.