Gary Peters

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, today I rise to talk about a critically important position in the Trump administration Cabinet: The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is charged with making sure that all Americans are safeguarded from major environmental threats to human health, where they live, where they learn, and where they work. Originally proposed by a Republican administration, the EPA's mission has been supported by Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike. Clean air to breathe and clean water to drink are basic human needs that we all must work to protect. Disagreements involving the EPA usually stem from how to best preserve our vital resources, and we certainly welcome those debates in the Senate. Oftentimes, the role of the Environmental Protection Agency is to provide a check and balance to activities that pollute our air, dirty our waterways, and contaminate our land. This is why I am so troubled by the nomination of Scott Pruitt as EPA Administrator. Mr. Pruitt's track record on environmental issues as Oklahoma's attorney general is, in a word, dismal. I am particularly concerned about the influence of the fossil fuel industry over Mr. Pruitt's decisions and actions. As Oklahoma's attorney general, he filed 148 lawsuits against the EPA to undermine their efforts. In 13 of those cases, companies that gave political donations to Mr. Pruitt also joined in that suit. As ranking member of the Science Subcommittee, I am worried that scientific data of the Environmental Protection Agency will be minimized, suppressed, or politicalized. Mr. Pruitt has tried to instill doubt in the strong consensus of global climate change scientists, claiming that the debate on fundamental scientific principles is far from settled. If his confirmation goes through, I am concerned that the work of EPA scientists may be edited, twisted, or buried to protect special interests and prevent necessary action. Many Michiganders are rightfully afraid that Mr. Pruitt will not enforce our bedrock environmental laws like the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. We have seen him fight against these very laws from his current position. All across the Nation, communities are dealing with contamination and environmental catastrophes. Rural and urban communities alike depend on the strength of these laws as well as EPA's resources and their expertise. For example, the people of Flint, MI, are still suffering through devastating effects of a catastrophic drinking water crisis. The Environmental Protection Agency is heavily involved to make sure the drinking water in Flint will be safe and the National Safe Drinking Water Act rules will be updated. I am very concerned that the EPA will ignore the lessons learned after the Flint water crisis under Administrator Pruitt, and Flint is not the only community facing a water quality crisis. For example, Monroe County--which gets its water from Lake Erie--has seen its drinking water affected because of toxins in western Lake Erie. Algae blooms--a result of runoff pollution--have made their way into drinking water intakes. Harmful algal blooms are a problem that scientists say will only get worse as we see higher temperatures and more precipitation in the future. In addition to providing safe drinking water, I am concerned that enforcement of clean air policies would be weakened. Keeping our air clean isn't just about climate change. It is about keeping pollutants out of the lungs of our children. People in places like Southwest Detroit and St. Clair County all too often suffer the harmful impacts from poor air quality. Detroit has some of the highest child asthma rates in the entire country. Children can't learn if they are too sick to be in school. Mr. Pruitt has a record we can look at, and it is very extreme. He has attacked measures that reduced interstate smog pollution, including protections against arson and mercury. If Mr. Pruitt has sought to weaken these protections around the country that protect us from poisons like arsenic and mercury, I think we have to ask the question, If he is confirmed, will he be protecting American families or will he be protecting the bottom line of multinational corporations? To those who welcome Mr. Pruitt's approach of attacking the EPA, I would say strengthening our economy and our environment are not mutually exclusive. In fact, each effort depends on the success of the other. We must protect our natural resources so future generations will be able to sustainably use them. Businesses can only attract top talent and jobs to the United States if we have clean places to live and to work and if we have a healthy workforce. Sick days brought on by environmental toxins hurt small businesses, and environmental catastrophes can decimate a lifetime's worth of equity built up by homeowners. Smart, effective protections can be good, not just for our physical health but for our economic health as well. Previous EPA nominees from both parties have understood these basic principles. What separates Mr. Pruitt from past EPA nominees is his contempt for the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency and his disregard for the science that provides the very foundation for the Agency's actions. Just as I would not vote to confirm a fox to guard a henhouse, I will not vote to confirm Mr. Pruitt to safeguard our Nation's environment. I urge my colleagues to join me to oppose Mr. Pruitt's nomination.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS.--the over 800,000 who will be having their insurance repealed--I vote no.

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, on behalf of the people of Michigan--

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, how am I recorded?

Mr. PETERS

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

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, today I rise to express my strong opposition to partisan attempts to engage in a fast-track process to take health insurance away from hundreds of thousands of individuals in my State and millions across our country. In Michigan alone, 887,000 people are in jeopardy of losing their health coverage if Republicans have their way and repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. Important protections for people with preexisting conditions will disappear. Not only will they lose them but so will their spouses and children. We will be repealing reforms that have benefitted seniors and saved more than 5 million beneficiaries an average of over $1,000 in drug costs in 2015. Repealing the Affordable Care Act will significantly increase drug costs for those seniors and threaten long-term solvency for Medicare. Republicans are rushing a process that increases Medicare costs for seniors and weakens the program for future generations. Our Nation's seniors have worked hard their entire lives, and they deserve our best efforts to ensure they can depend on Medicare to help them enjoy a dignified and secure retirement. Over 1 million seniors are enrolled in Medicare in Michigan, and they deserve a health care program that will cover the costs of prescription drugs and other health care services they need. Since 1965, Medicare has done a tremendous job of giving seniors the care they need, and we should be working to strengthen this successful program, not putting it at risk. Let's be clear. Reforms in the ACA extend the solvency of Medicare by over a decade. Let me say that again. It extends the solvency of Medicare for over a decade. Given these challenges, we have to ask: Why are we rushing to dismantle these reforms? We are rushing a process that will ultimately hurt the Medicare Program, our Nation's seniors, and so many others. Many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle suggest that we can simply keep or quickly reinstate the popular parts of this law, such as preventing discrimination based on preexisting conditions, allowing children to stay on their parents' coverage until they are 26, and helping seniors afford their prescriptions. I would pose this simple question to any of my colleagues advocating for repeal: What comes next? Show us your plan. Just show us your plan. Former Governor Cuomo of New York famously said: ``You can campaign in poetry, but govern in prose.'' We are now facing a majority that campaigned on a bumper sticker and is trying to govern with an IOU. Enacting a repeal of the ACA that takes effect at some undetermined point in the future will create chaos in our insurance markets. Health care reform is not a stand-alone program that can be removed overnight without creating widespread ramifications for our economy. Yesterday, I attended the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. As a Michigander, I am always thinking about cars. Let me suggest an analogy. Many Republicans in Congress talk about the ACA like it is some sort of after-market addition on a car--a flashy rear spoiler, perhaps, or new rims that can just be unbolted and removed. Well, the ACA is actually like the antilock brakes that keep a driver from getting into an accident in the first place and the airbags that deploy to protect everyone inside when the worst happens. I agree that our health care system needs a tuneup, but we cannot start ripping out safety features without a plan to help keep us safe on the road. We need to fix the Affordable Care Act. We need to do more for small business owners who want to do right by their employees and provide them with quality, affordable health care coverage. I have offered and supported several proposals to fix the Affordable Care Act, including measures to help our Nation's small businesses. I am ready to work with my colleagues across the aisle to improve this law. However, repealing the ACA without showing the American people their plan for replacement is quite simply irresponsible. I understand Americans want to see positive changes to the Affordable Care Act, and I agree with them. We should be working together to enact bipartisan improvements through regular order, not fast-tracking repeal. The fact is that most Americans do not want to have this law repealed entirely. In the New York Times, a woman named Patricia Meadows from Macomb County, MI, who voted for President-Elect Trump, stated that she hoped that President-Elect Trump would not repeal the Affordable Care Act. Ms. Meadows revealed that, because of the Affordable Care Act, her daughter was able to obtain insurance coverage for just $50 a month. Another constituent from my State, Ben Irwin, revealed to CNN that the Affordable Care Act allowed him to take his dream job at a small firm that didn't provide health insurance. Because of the ACA, Ben was able to get private insurance at an affordable cost. Without the ACA, he would have been forced to work at a larger company just to have access to affordable health care. Ben's story is not unique. I heard from countless entrepreneurs that the Affordable Care Act ended job lock and has enabled them to start their own businesses and pursue careers and dreams they otherwise would not be able to pursue. I heard from a constituent in Saline, MI, who contacted my office to say that the ACA provided her with the coverage she needed to fight her son's aggressive cancer. This same woman later discovered during her first appointment, after gaining her own ACA coverage, that she, too, had cancer. The ACA gave her and her son the coverage they needed to fight their cancer without fear of being kicked off of their insurance plan. I have also heard from a father in Traverse City, MI. He contacted my office to say that the expanded health coverage under the ACA literally saved his son's life. Before the ACA, his son only had access to emergency room care. His father often wondered: Why is it that I had to wait until my son tried to kill himself before I could get help? Now, due to the ACA, this father and his son have the health coverage they need to appropriately treat his son's mental illness. These stories are just a fraction of the thousands upon thousands of stories my staff and I have heard about how the ACA has positively impacted people's lives. I am asking my colleagues to just take a moment and think about the individuals they will be hurting. We are talking about mothers and fathers, children, seniors, and even our Nation's veterans. As a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, I understand the tremendous sacrifice our men and women in uniform undertake to defend our freedom. I believe we have a duty to honor their service to the best of our ability, both during and after service. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, hundreds of thousands of uninsured veterans have gained insurance coverage. Between 2013 and 2015, when key provisions of the Affordable Care Act were implemented, such as the Medicaid expansion and the private exchange, the number of uninsured veterans decreased by 42 percent. Uninsured rates for spouses of veterans and their dependents have decreased as well. These veterans represent a small fraction of the individuals this fast-track process will hurt. I have proposed an amendment that will simply require Republicans to show us their plan for providing these veterans the health care benefits they deserve before they vote to repeal the ACA and take it away. Every American deserves to know what will happen to their health benefits before Republicans vote to take them away. Please, just show us your plan. But our Nation's veterans, who have risked their lives and health to keep us safe, should have the right of knowing how Republicans will ensure that veterans who gained health care coverage following enactment of the ACA do not lose their coverage. The damage of repealing the ACA stretches beyond affected individuals and families. It will disrupt hospitals and businesses and create tremendous economic uncertainty. Hospitals in my State, especially rural facilities, are absolutely terrified about what the ACA repeal means for them and their ability to stay open and to serve patients in their community. Executives from two hospitals in the rural Upper Peninsula of Michigan have told my office about how coverage expansions under ACA have allowed many critical access hospitals in Michigan's rural communities to afford their operations for the first time ever. If the ACA is repealed, they tell me that these critical access hospitals will be forced to close-- forcing residents in rural communities to drive over 2 hours to seek hospital care. A recent report by the Urban Institute predicts that if the ACA is repealed without replacement, uncompensated care costs sought from hospitals and doctors will reach $1.7 trillion over the next 10 years. This will bankrupt many of our Nation's hospitals, killing jobs, and severely limiting access for their patients. We can and must do better. We owe the American people a better health care system and not a bigger deficit. Unfortunately, that is exactly what we are going to be getting under repeal. This budget resolution before us would increase annual deficits by upwards of $1 trillion. It will add more than $9 trillion to the Federal debt over 10 years, leaving our entire economy on shaky ground, while ripping health care from millions of Americans. In their rush to repeal the ACA and fulfill years of campaign promises, I am concerned my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have not fully considered the far-reaching ramifications their actions might have. They have refused to slow this process down and fully think through the actions they are about to take. A University of Michigan study published in the New England Journal of Medicine just last week found that Medicaid expansion in my State alone generates at least 30,000 jobs every year. In addition, a recent study by the nonpartisan and independent Commonwealth Fund found that the ACA repeal could lead to significant economic disruption and substantial job losses in every State, including over 100,000 private sector jobs in Michigan and 2.6 million jobs around our Nation. By any and all means, the level of uncertainty repealing the ACA will create is bad business practice, and I assure my colleagues that it is very bad for business. We owe it to our constituents to do our homework, to govern with facts, and to be informed. Republicans have refused to listen to health care experts who tell them that enacting a repeal of the ACA will cause insurance premiums to skyrocket. Republicans have refused to listen to economists when they tell them this will spike our national debt and lead to substantial job losses. Republicans have refused to listen when the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has told them that repealing the Affordable Care Act will cause millions of Americans to lose their health coverage. And Republicans have refused to listen when actuaries state that the ACA repeal will weaken Medicare and increase drug costs for seniors. Republicans have refused to listen when Democrats have simply asked them to slow down, come to the table, and work in a bipartisan way to find solutions to make the health care system work even better. Instead, Republicans have opted to move full steam ahead with this process that will certainly make America sick again. Why move forward with this fast-track process to repeal the Affordable Care Act? Why repeal all of the great things that Americans appreciate about the Affordable Care Act instead of just making it better? Republicans are trying to take us backwards. They are moving ahead with a dangerous process that will hurt working-class Americans, hurt seniors, and hurt our Nation's most vulnerable, while providing a huge payout for wealthy Americans and special interests. Republicans are voting to give billions in tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy and raising taxes on the rest of us. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates that the top 1 percent of earners would get an average tax cut of about $33,000 and individuals in the top one-tenth of 1 percent would get an average tax cut of about $197,000. If you are not in this group of American earners, then tough luck. This legislation will not help you. We need to get serious, put politics aside, and do what is best for the American people. This fast track repeal of the Affordable Care Act is not the answer. I stand ready and willing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make our Nation's health care system better. We cannot simply repeal this law and leave the American people with another empty IOU. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, today I wish to speak, once again, about how critically important it is to pass legislation that will finally help the people of Flint repair their devastated drinking water system. We have before us a water resources bill that was identified a long time ago as the vehicle to assist Flint during their still-ongoing water crisis. We have been working for months and months on this. We have had strong commitments from leaders in both parties and on both sides of the Hill. The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, formerly known as the WRDA bill, includes funding authorizations for communities that have had a drinking water emergency, as well as language authorizing increases in health funding and lead exposure prevention. But the actual appropriations funding for these provisions are contained in the Continuing Resolution. The bottom line is this: For Flint and any other future communities with drinking water emergencies to receive money, this body must pass both the water resources bill and the continuing resolution. This may be the last, best chance to secure the long-overdue assistance that the people of Flint deserve. The families in Flint have suffered through unspeakable hardships over the last couple years. To this day, many are still using bottled water to drink, cook, wash their dishes, and even take sponge baths. After Thanksgiving, it broke my heart to see the famous ``Little Miss Flint'' post on social media about how it took 144 bottles of water to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. Can you imagine having to open 144 bottles of water simply just to cook your Thanksgiving meal? These same people have heard promise after promise that they will get the help that they need to put new pipes in the ground. Some of that work has started, and the water quality is slowly starting to improve. Still, the fact remains that Flint residents still cannot access clean drinking water directly from their taps. We shouldn't forget that the Flint provisions in the water resources and the CR also contains language to set up nationally significant programs and policies to help prevent and respond to any future emergencies that are similar to the Flint water crisis. The bills include money for a lead monitoring registry and an associated expert advisory committee, as well as for a childhood lead prevention and a better public notification process. The water resources legislation also has nationally significant, bipartisan provisions to restore some of our Nation's great bodies of water, such as the Great Lakes, Everglades, Lake Tahoe, the Delaware River Basin, and more. Not to mention this bill contains critical projects for reducing the risk of flood damage, as well as maintaining our navigational waterways and harbors. But I must recognize that this bill is flawed and imperfect. I was very disappointed to see last- minute changes to provisions that threatened the bill's strong, bipartisan support. The WRDA bill passed the Senate by a vote of 95-3 just a few months ago, but these new changes to the text threaten to dismantle that support. We must make tough decisions in Congress, and the vote on this compromise bill will certainly be a hard choice for several of my colleagues. But I would ask you think hard about the balance of this bill and measure all the benefits of the many positive provisions. And I would ask you to think about our responsibility to care for communities in crisis. We will soon have a chance to deliver on a long-standing promise for some unbelievably resilient and strong people. I urge you to follow through on that promise by voting in support of the water resources bill and continuing resolution. Thank you.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, as this eventful 114th Congress draws to a close, today I wish to honor a number of our colleagues who will be ending their service in the Senate. I was a newcomer to the Senate at the beginning of this Congress and the only Democrat in the freshman Senate class of 2014. I am eternally grateful for the guidance and wisdom of my fellow Senators, particularly those with decades of experience fighting for the American people. Constituents, colleagues, and historians will recount their accomplishments for years to come, but I will take a few minutes now to convey some brief words of praise and gratitude. Harry Reid Mr. President, it has been a great honor to serve in the Senate under the leadership of Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid. Senator Reid has taught us all what it means to represent one's State in the U.S. Senate, doing everything one can to fight hard for the people back home. In his nearly 30 years in the Senate, Senator Reid has mastered the rules and traditions of this institution and used them to deliver victories for the people of his state and the nation. Senator Reid is always ready to lend an ear and a helping hand to his Democratic colleagues; yet he listens most intently to his constituents. He never stops thinking about how to ensure that they have access to well-paying jobs, health care, education, and a better future for their children. Senator Reid has supported economic development and infrastructure investments that have created jobs throughout the country. After the 2008 financial crisis, when millions of homes were underwater and the existence of the American auto industry hung in the balance, Senator Reid helped craft a compromise to begin our economic recovery. I am grateful for his strong support of the American auto industry during this crisis, which helped us pass essential legislation to restructure Michigan's automotive manufacturers and rebuild our communities. I was also proud to work with him and other leaders on the Dodd-Frank Act, which holds Big Banks accountable and helps safeguard American families to prevent another crisis and build a healthier economy. Senator Reid's contributions are too many to name, from advancing affordable health care coverage for millions of Americans, to defending labor protections and our social safety net. Through it all, Senator Reid has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the details of policymaking and to his constituents. Senator Reid's legacy and the memory of his tireless work ethic will continue to inspire us to keep working hard, like our constituents do every day, to make their lives better. Senator Reid understands and reminds us all that hard work, faith in each other, and faith in our country are what allow us to endure and improve as a nation. I thank Senator Reid for his great service, his guidance, and the conviction with which he leaves us as our country continues to move forward. Barbara Mikulski Mr. President, I would also like to honor Senator Barbara Mikulski, who blazed a trail for women in the Senate and always looks out for the members of our communities no matter their gender, race, or identity. As the father of two daughters, as well as a son, I greatly admire Senator Mikulski's work to break barriers for women. She has fiercely fought to ensure that all women have access to essential health care services, is a champion for equal pay, and passed legislation that expanded childcare access for all families. A daughter of Baltimore and a former social worker, Senator Mikulski also knows the challenges that our communities face. She has been dedicated to supporting our older, industrial communities like Baltimore and Detroit so that they can compete in the new economy. I would also like to recognize her leadership as Vice chairwoman on the Appropriations Committee. We owe her a debt of gratitude for her eagle eye and unrelenting spirit in defending essential programs in areas including health care, education, job creation, infrastructure, and national security. Our work on breaking down barriers and advancing these priorities is not yet done, but I thank Senator Mikulski for leading the way. Barbara Boxer Mr. President, Senator Barbara Boxer is also a trailblazing woman and a fierce advocate for what is best for her State, and I have been honored to get to know her through our work in the Senate. Throughout her career, Senator Boxer has fought for commonsense consumer and environmental protections to make us safer. She has been an incredible partner in our fight this year to end the water crisis in Flint, MI, and to reduce the threat of drinking water contamination in cities across the Nation. Senator Boxer knows that we must protect our children and communities from the grave effects of environmental contamination by investing in our aging infrastructure and maintaining vigilance. We must also provide the extra care, education, and health care services that these children and communities need to recover. She has always been a champion for children, from establishing the first federally funded afterschool program to protecting children from contaminated products. Just as importantly, Senator Boxer has been a leader in protecting the natural resources these future generations will inherit. Her victories for clean water, job-creating smart infrastructure projects, and environmental protections should inspire us to keeping looking toward the future as we help our great States thrive today. David Vitter Mr. President, in a Congress where bipartisanship is all too rare, I have been honored to work with many Republican colleagues on commonsense, bipartisan solutions. Senator David Vitter has served as chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee, of which I am a member, and has been a consummate partner on issues affecting Michigan's small businesses. On the Small Business Committee, we have been able to pass significant legislation to ensure that small businesses have the resources they need to compete, expand, and give back to their communities. We extended the SBA 7(a) Federal loan program to provide thousands of small businesses with financing at no cost to American taxpayers. Together, we introduced legislation that will provide patent education to small businesses. We also introduced legislation that will help small businesses plan for and protect against cyber security attacks. I am glad to have colleagues like Senator Vitter who believe that no issue is too small when it comes to supporting support job creation and economic growth. Dan Coats Mr. President, I would also like to extend my warm wishes to Senator Dan Coats. He has served ably as chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, and I have been proud to sit on the committee during his tenure. He has convened important hearings to discuss essential issues including the Federal debt, the effects of automation on our economy, tax reform, and economic growth. I appreciate his consistent efforts to create a bipartisan forum where we can discuss innovative ideas for addressing our Nation's economic challenges. As a fellow Midwesterner, Senator Coats knows that we must have big ideas and bigger hearts as we move forward, committed to helping all Americans achieve the future they deserve. Kelly Ayotte Mr. President, I also had the pleasure of serving with Senator Kelly Ayotte on the Senate committees on Small Business, Commerce, and Homeland Security and Government Affairs. She has been a pragmatic partner on legislation as varied as the Northern Border Security Review Act, which will strengthen American security at the northern border with Canada, and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Improvement Act, which would expand a public-private partnership to help businesses get their products to market. We also introduced the Pet and Women Safety Act to protect victims of domestic violence from emotional trauma caused by acts or threats of violence against their pets. I respect Senator Ayotte's dedication to these issues. As a father, I also admire Senator Ayotte's great work raising two young children while in the Senate. I wish her family all the best in their next adventure. Mark Kirk Mr. President, another colleague from the Midwest, Senator Mark Kirk, has served with distinction in the Senate. Like me, Senator Kirk also served as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. We have collaborated on efforts to help veterans suffering from PTSD, protect wildlife habitats and improve water quality in the Great Lakes, extend Medicare coverage for Americans at risk for diabetes, and even establish the Senate Albanian Caucus. I admire the strength and resolve Senator Kirk has exhibited throughout his Senate term and wish him continued success. It has been a privilege to work with such talented and committed colleagues. I wish them all the best in this next chapter of their lives and thank them for their work. Thank you.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I wish to applaud the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. This week, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the NDAA Conference Report, and I am proud that the final bill includes my Fairness for Veterans provision. We have far too many servicemembers who are suffering from trauma related conditions like posttraumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury. Unfortunately, many of these servicemembers have received a less-than-honorable discharge, instead of the help and assistance they have earned. Last year, I introduced the Fairness for Veterans Act. I am proud to say that a modified version of that bill was included as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. The Peters provision ensures liberal consideration will be given to petitions for changes in characterization of service related to PTSD or TBI before discharge review boards. It also clarifies that PTSD or TBI claims that are related to military sexual trauma should also receive liberal consideration. I would like to thank my colleagues--Senators Daines, Tillis, and Gillibrand--for joining me in leading the charge on this very important issue. In addition to being a bipartisan effort, this has also been a bicameral effort. I would like to thank Representatives Mike Coffman of Colorado and Tim Walz of Minnesota who introduced the companion bill in the House and have supported the NDAA provision. Additionally, I would like to thank the many veteran service organizations that advocated tirelessly on behalf of this legislation. These organizations knocked on doors, wrote letters, held press conferences--whatever it took to have their voices heard. I would like to recognize Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Disabled Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, the American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, United Soldiers and Sailors of America, and Swords to Plowshares. Finally, I would like to thank one veteran in particular: Kristopher Goldsmith. After serving his country, Kris faced his own struggles with PTSD after serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Determined, Kris has channeled his personal struggles into advocacy on behalf of his fellow veterans. He was relentless in his quest to ensure that former servicemembers looking to get a change in service characterization had a fair shot. I thank Kris for his service, as well as for his determination. Servicemembers who are coping with invisible wounds inflicted during their service and receive a related bad paper discharge should not lose access to benefits they have rightfully earned. That is why we must ensure all veterans get the fair process they deserve when petitioning for a change in characterization of their discharge. Fairness for Veterans will do just that. While I am proud that the final NDAA bill includes Fairness for Veterans--make no mistake--there is still a great deal more work to be done. I will continue working with the Defense Department to ensure that discharge review boards are providing the appropriate consideration when reviewing PTSD and TBI related appeals. I applaud the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, and I intend to continue fighting on behalf of our Nation's veterans. Thank you.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Officer Collin Rose who tragically lost his life while serving as an officer for the Wayne State University Police Department in Detroit, MI. Officer Rose was born on April 1, 1987, to parents Randy and Karen Rose in Pittsburgh, PA. Moving to Michigan, he attended Gull Lake High School in Richland, where he excelled in baseball and was a standout football player. Always interested in law enforcement, Officer Rose continued his education at Ferris State University's Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Academy. He was an active member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, eventually becoming president of his chapter and modeling the fraternity's principles of virtue, diligence, and brotherly love. He graduated from Ferris State University in 2010 and continued to live by the principles set forth by Sigma Phi Epsilon as he embarked upon his law enforcement career. After graduating from Ferris, Officer Rose interned for the Springfield Police Department. He served as a cadet at the New Baltimore Police Department and held his first position as a police officer for the Village of Richland, home of his high school alma mater. Officer Rose began working for the Wayne State University Police Department in 2011, where he was dually sworn in as a Detroit police officer. As a 5-year veteran of the department, he patrolled Wayne State University's campus, as well as a greater portion of the midtown Detroit area. He was also working to complete his master's degree at Wayne State University. His greatest passion was working with canines; he was a proud member of the Metro Detroit Schutzhund Club. He also served as the K9 unit trainer for the Wayne State University Police Department. Officer Rose and his trained canines were often called upon by other law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, ATF, Secret Service, the Detroit police, and Detroit public schools, to assist in searches for suspects, narcotics, and explosives. Officer Rose was very much engaged with the community he served. He would go to nearby schools to give demonstrations and speak to students. Since 2013, he has been a memorial bicyclist for the Police Unity Tour to raise funds and honor fallen officers. The tragedy that took his life occurred on November 22, 2016, while Officer Rose was responding to reports of burglaries in the area. While investigating, he questioned a person on a bicycle who opened fire on Officer Rose, leaving him critically wounded. On November 23, 2016, Officer Rose succumbed to his injuries and passed away at Detroit Receiving Hospital. He is the first fallen officer of the Wayne State University Police Department. Again, today I wish to ask my colleagues to join me in tribute to a courageous young man, who undauntedly served his community, as well as the State of Michigan. Officer Rose and his family are owed a debt of gratitude for his tremendous sacrifice.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Madam President, I rise to express my support for legislation that the Senate is considering today that will extend the Iran Sanctions Act for 10 years before it expires in just 30 days. I will be voting for this bill later today, and I am proud to have cosponsored similar legislation earlier this year. The Iran Sanctions Act, or ISA, is an important aspect of U.S. sanctions on Iran. The ISA was enacted in 1996 to tighten sanctions on Iran in response to its growing nuclear program and support for terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. The ISA provides the legislative authority for many of the sanctions on Iran that were lifted but may be reimplemented if Iran violates the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. These include sanctions on foreign investment in Iran's oil and gas fields, sales of gasoline to Iran, and transportation of Iranian crude oil. Even though these sanctions were suspended by the JCPOA, we need this legal framework to address any Iranian violations of the deal so that sanctions can be rapidly put back in place if necessary. Additionally, this framework maintains some sanctions that were not lifted under the JCPOA. The ISA still requires the United States to sanction entities that assist Iran with acquiring or developing weapons of mass destruction--that provide ``destabilizing numbers and types'' of advanced conventional weapons or participate in uranium mining ventures with Iran. These provisions remain in place, and it is absolutely critical that Congress not allow them to expire at the end of the year. I believe the Iran Sanctions Act has been effective and must be renewed. Tough sanctions were absolutely critical to bringing Iran to the negotiating table--sanctions such as those in the ISA and the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, which I voted for as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The JCPOA is the result of these and other tough multilateral sanctions put in place through cooperation with international partners, but it is essential that the deal is strictly enforced. Earlier this year, I led a letter to President Obama, along with 14 of my colleagues, to express our concern about the lack of technical details published by the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, in reports on Iran's compliance with the JCPOA. While the IAEA is the watchdog responsible for monitoring Iran's compliance with the JCPOA, it is up to the United States and other parties of the JCPOA to respond to any violations. To ensure strict compliance, the IAEA should also publish technical details, including the total quantity of low-enriched uranium in Iran and the amount produced in Natanz, specifics on Iran's centrifuge research and development, and progress made on converting Iran's nuclear facilities. These details will provide independent experts and Members of Congress conducting oversight of the JCPOA the opportunity to renew the data behind the IAEA's analysis. Iran opposes what we are doing here today, and they will say that renewing the Iran Sanctions Act is a violation of the JCPOA. Well, let me say, that is simply not true. Reauthorization of the Iran Sanctions Act in no way violates the JCPOA. The Iran Sanctions Act has been the law of the land since 1996. It was in place when the JCPOA was adopted, and it remains in effect today. With our vote today, Congress will make clear that the United States will not hesitate to maintain sanctions on Iran and those that seek to provide the world's largest State sponsor of terrorism with weapons of mass destruction. We stand ready to impose rapid and strict punishments for any violation of the JCPOA. This sanctions regime is how we hold Iran accountable, strengthen our security, and deter Iranian hostility towards our allies, especially the State of Israel, which Iran has singled out as a target for destruction. Diplomacy is always our preferred course of action, but it does not work in a vacuum. It only works if it is backed up with credible deterrence. Today we show that the United States will continue our leadership against Iranian aggression--work that must continue in the years ahead. Madam President, I yield the floor.

Mr. PETERS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 150th anniversary of the city of Saline, MI, which was incorporated as a village in 1866. I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate the history of this wonderful community, which has been consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States. Before Europeans first settled the area, Native Americans frequently canoed from Lake Erie or traveled over six different trails to hunt in the area and harvest salt, which they used domestically and for trade. In fact, it was the discovery of this important mineral that inspired French voyageurs to name the local river Saline after the French word for ``salt''. Following the War of 1812, the U.S. Government recognized the need for a military road connecting Detroit and Chicago and hired Mr. Orange Risdon to survey the new route, which would eventually be known as U.S. 12 or Michigan Avenue. Risdon, enchanted by the land around Saline, decided to settle in the area. Risdon purchased 164 acres from the U.S. Government on April 5, 1825, built a house, and began promoting the area to English and German settlers from New England and New York, as well as a small number of African-American families. The families that joined Risdon agreed to name their new community Saline, which was platted as an unincorporated village in 1832 and became an incorporated village in 1866 after consolidating with the neighboring settlement of Barnegat in 1848. As an important stop for stagecoaches traveling between Detroit and Chicago, Saline attracted a number of artisan workshops and mills to complement its local agricultural industry. A desire for an affordable and reliable way to transport crops to market inspired farmers and merchants in Saline to raise funds for a railroad line connecting the community with Hillsdale and Ypsilanti, which opened for service on July 4, 1870. The railroad served Saline for nearly 100 years, transporting apples, wool, lumber and livestock, as well as finished goods sold in local stores. By 1875, Saline was the principal agricultural shipping point in southeast Michigan, with 700 residents who enjoyed a 3-story school building, 4 churches, 3 flouring-mills, 2 tanneries, a foundry, 2 hotels, several stores, a newspaper, and daily mail. Saline continued to grow over the 20th century, even during the Great Depression. The Old Union School was demolished in 1930 and replaced by an Art Deco building that continued to serve as the community's school. In 1932, Saline Valley Farms was established. This farming cooperative consisted of 1,000 acres and attracted struggling families during the Great Depression. Over 100 people lived on the farm with their families, working cooperatively in the farm's dairy, orchards, poultry house, and gardens. The farm's success encouraged members to sell goods to the public with a storefront, as well as delivery vans that brought fresh produce and canned goods to Detroit and its suburbs. Many of the farm's families were attracted from outside Saline but continued to live in the area even after the venture closed in the 1950s. During World War II, many of Saline's young men and women went to work at the Ford Assembly Plant at Willow Run, which famously produced almost half of all the B-24 Liberator heavy bombers used during the war. In the decades since, Saline has continued to be a thriving community known for its open rural vistas and small town atmosphere. It has also continued to be an important driver of economic growth and innovation as home to a variety of major technical centers and manufacturing sites. Its nearly 10,000 residents enjoy well-maintained historic homes, a district library, a hospital, parks, recreation, art, and a museum. It has held true to the words expressed by Orange Risdon in 1840, when he wished that Saline would continue to ``shine in light, knowledge and liberty with the same increasing brilliance that she has shown from infancy to present time.'' I am proud to represent Saline in the U.S. Senate, and I wish the community many more years of success.

Mr. PETERS

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

Mr. PETERS. Madam President, the United States of America has a number of defining characteristics: our diversity, our commitment to free enterprise, our ingenuity, and our creativity. American ingenuity has given us phones, automobiles, airplanes, and the Internet. Our creativity has made us the world's biggest exporter of culture, movies, television, and music ranging from Motown to Nashville and beyond. While these characteristics are central to who we are as a nation, I believe it is our democratic system of republican government that truly defines who we are. The American experiment began with the casting off of the British monarchy as American patriots spilled blood for the right to control their own destiny. I am proud to be standing here today as a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, and one of my ancestors served with General George Washington at Valley Forge. Our ancestors learned firsthand that freedom is not free, and it is not easy. If you survey the systems of government in place across the planet since the advent of democracy in Greece over 2,500 years ago, it is clear that democracy is the exception and not the rule. We live in a world that in 2016 has theocracies, monarchies, and autocracies. The creation of a democracy can require revolution, but its preservation requires constant commitment and sacrifice. We must hold onto this commitment if we want to keep our democracy healthy. We have worked toward the more perfect union envisioned by the Framers of the Constitution. We have abolished slavery and expanded the franchise to make sure that Americans can vote and have an equal say in our future. We have also welcomed new generations of Americans from every corner of the globe. Just as I am proud to be a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, I am also proud to be the son of an immigrant. My father served in World War II and met my mother in France. She immigrated to the United States, started a family with my father, and found opportunity working as a nurse's aide and an SEIU union steward. My parents are part of the greatest generation--a generation of Americans who defeated Nazism in Europe, struggled to advance equality here at home during the Civil Rights Movement, and saw women move from home to the factory floor, to the company board room. Our memories can be short as we can become consumed in recent turmoil, but we cannot forget the challenges and successes of the past. We are fortunate to still have living veterans who liberated German concentration camps. Millions of Americans still remember the horrors of Jim Crow laws. As Martin Luther King, Jr., famously said, ``The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.'' We have made progress in fits and starts, and we have done so, in significant part, due to our constitutional democracy. Every democracy is different, and our country continues to evolve, but successful democracies share two common traits: One, they have fair, vigorous, and participatory elections where citizens passionately support candidates of their choosing, and, two, when the election is over, all parties accept the outcome and facilitate a peaceful, orderly transition of power. As long as these traits persist, we will remain a successful democracy. While I am deeply disappointed by the outcome of last week's Presidential election, I accept it, and so do President Obama and Secretary Clinton. I hope Americans of all political stripes can acknowledge President Obama's commitment to put President-Elect Trump in a position where he can begin working for the good of the country. I also hope that all Americans are able to appreciate Secretary Clinton's strength and resolve since the election and her acceptance of the electoral college result, once again showing that a person who receives the most votes does not necessarily win, even though she received well over 1 million more votes than President-Elect Trump nationally. The weeks after elections generally are a time for healing. While President Obama and Secretary Clinton have done their part, we remain a very polarized country. This has been a particularly contentious, abnormal election. I have never seen anything like it in my life. During a campaign season, we need to engage in vigorous debates about the future of our country and vigorously advocate for our preferred candidates. But when it is all said and done, and the election is over, we must come together as a country and do what is right for America. We must seek a common good, especially at a time when the country is nearly equally divided. We need to think about the dreams that unite us and not the nightmares that could tear us apart. Michiganders from across the ideological spectrum want the same things: a job that pays a fair wage, the chance to send their children to good schools and live in safe neighborhoods, affordable, quality health care, and, after they have worked their whole life, the ability to retire with dignity. While our economy continues to grow and create jobs, too many families find themselves unable to get ahead. We need to take a step back and ask some serious questions about whether our policies are helping everyone. Are American trade deals working? Are we doing enough to support American manufacturing? While he tapped into some of these legitimate concerns over the past 2 years, it is no secret that President-Elect Trump, unfortunately, ran a divisive campaign that stoked deep-seated fears and anxieties in many Americans. Much of the rhetoric of the Trump campaign far exceeded the acceptable norms of political discourse. We cannot have a mainstream political dialogue that demeans women and disabled Americans or that advocates for conversion therapy for LGBT Americans. It is dangerous, it is unacceptable, and it is not normal. It must never, ever be normal. We can never accept or normalize hatred. Trafficking in racism, misogyny, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and anti- Semitism is dangerous, it is unacceptable, and it is not normal. It must never be normal. What is now happening with the appointment of a White House Chief Strategist with ties to the White nationalist movement is dangerous, it is unacceptable, it is certainly not normal, and it must never be normal. I am deeply alarmed that President-Elect Trump has appointed Mr. Bannon to such an important position, and I urge him to reconsider this decision. I am proud that Michigan is a diverse State. I have heard from over 1,000 Michiganders about Mr. Bannon's appointment. Yes, some are angry, but more are scared--scared that the America that had welcomed them and welcomed my mother is at risk of disappearing. I have heard from mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, African Americans, and Latino Americans. They are asking what their place will be in President Trump's America as our American experiment enters into an unprecedented new era. As our Nation continues to move forward, I would urge President-Elect Trump to look back and consult the namesake of the city in which he will soon be living--President George Washington. In a letter written in 1790 to the Newport Hebrew congregation, at the time the largest community of Jewish families in America, President Washington succinctly addressed their fears of religious oppression, and he wrote: ``The government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens.'' He added that ``every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.'' President-Elect Trump won, and the people are afraid. It is now his job to bring our Nation together. It is his job to give bigotry no sanction and persecution no assistance. The appointment of Mr. Bannon is clearly a large step in the wrong direction. If this is indicative of how the President-elect is going to run his administration, he can expect me and my fellow Democratic colleagues to fight him every step of the way. On the other hand, if the President-elect is prepared to be a ``President for all Americans'' and to ``bind the wounds of division,'' as he pledged in his victory speech just last week, I certainly hope that we can find common ground. Whether it is making trade policy work for American manufacturers, supporting small businesses, bolstering cyber security, establishing meaningful paid and parental leave policies, or investing in infrastructure, if the President-elect is ready to roll up his sleeves and do what is right by American workers and American families, I will work with him. We don't have Democratic bridges or Republicans roads; we don't have Democratic ports and Republican railroad tracks. They are truly nonpartisan. Improving our country's infrastructure is something we can come together on and show Americans we are ready to do the people's work. Democracy is a wonderful thing, but history shows us that it can also be fragile. We must preserve our democratic institutions and show the people of America that these institutions and their elected officials are working for all Americans. I intend to spend the next 4 years working for what is right for our country and what is right for Michigan, and I hope our President-elect joins me. I yield the floor.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, today I rise to speak about NASA and the human exploration program. NASA and our industry partners have made incredible progress in space exploration, and we are now closer to human missions into deep space than we have been since we last left the Moon nearly 45 years ago. We have set a lofty but achievable goal. We are going to Mars, and we are building the rockets and infrastructure to get us there. Achieving a complex, long-term goal can be challenging for a government, and this is especially true during an administration transition. But we can't let up on the development if we are going to put a human on Mars. That is why I, along with a number of my Commerce Committee colleagues, recently introduced the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2016. This bipartisan bill will ensure that NASA maintains a continuity of purpose over the next year. The NASA Transition Authorization Act will give NASA the stability needed to keep NASA's important missions moving through 2017. It is not just important to the agency, it is something that is particularly important to the thousands of small- and medium-sized businesses across the country where dedicated men and women are working hard to move our space program forward. With this bill, we are sending a strong message to companies like Futuramic Tool & Engineering in Michigan. They are so proud to help build the rockets that will take us to Mars, and all of us in the Congress must stand solidly behind their efforts. A few weeks ago, I visited the Kennedy Space Center to witness the launch of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, a science mission that will take a sample from an asteroid and return that sample back to Earth. I saw the launch infrastructure taking shape for the massive SLS rocket and the assembly and testing of the Orion crew capsule that will launch in 2018 aboard SLS. I also saw amazing work by Boeing, SpaceX, and the United Launch Alliance on their rockets and spacecraft, which will start sending U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station in a couple of years. When you see the scale of these gigantic structures and the intricacy of the machinery, you really get a sense of how much power, energy, and precision it takes to conduct these very ambitious missions, and you see why we can't stop this momentum toward space. We are going boldly, and we are going to stay, and this legislation makes that point very clear. Importantly, this bill authorizes the entire agency, reaffirming that NASA is a multimission agency with important missions in space technology, aeronautics, exploration, and education. I am particularly pleased that the legislation underscores the importance of NASA's science programs. Investing in NASA's science mission leads to research and development of new technologies. These technologies increase the competitiveness of our space program and at the same time shed light on ways we can protect and improve our planet Earth. I cannot overstate the importance of this work to our Nation, our planet, and to humanity as a whole. I agree with many in the scientific community who believe we need to increase our investments in NASA science missions, aeronautics, and other areas of the agency, and I will work to improve these programs more comprehensively in future legislation. I am also pleased that parts of my bill reinforces NASA's ongoing efforts to educate the scientists and astronauts of the future. Earlier this year, Senator Gardner and I introduced legislation to promote American competitiveness through investments in research and STEM education. NASA's inspiring exploration and science missions make the agency uniquely positioned to engage students in STEM subjects. I witnessed this firsthand when former astronaut Charlie Precourt joined me in speaking to a group of Michigan students last year. I can assure you the students were much more excited to talk to a former astronaut than a U.S. Senator. It is also my hope that we can move forward and pass the space weather bill that Senator Gardner and I introduced earlier this year. This legislation assigns roles to the various Federal agencies involved with space weather and improves the research and observations needed to better predict space weather events. The space weather bill, together with the NASA bill, represents a strong and positive bipartisan consensus for our space program, including space science. Heliophysics, or the study of the Sun, is a critical component of NASA's science research mission and has major implications for life here on Earth. I was also pleased to see that NASA's new Associate Administer for Science, University of Michigan professor Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, has a strong background in space weather. I wish him good luck in his new role. I wish to congratulate Senator Cruz, Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson, Senator Wicker, Senator Rubio, Senator Udall, and Senator Cantwell for their hard work on the NASA transition act, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that NASA has a steady path forward to keep making groundbreaking discoveries and inspiring Americans for years to come. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I wish to take a moment to thank my colleagues for their ongoing support and patience as we continue to fight to deliver Federal support for Flint families. With an agreement earlier today to take up a bipartisan House amendment to the Water Resources Development Act, or WRDA, we have taken another step forward to finally put Flint on the road to recovery. Just a few days ago, we still had some Members in Congress who were refusing to allow even a vote to provide any assistance to the families in Flint, but with this agreement, we now have a commitment from the House leadership to move forward in helping Flint families. While I am pleased with this development, I remain disappointed that the passage of today's continuing resolution will not deliver Federal funding to Flint residents. To be clear, I strongly support continuing to fund the government, and I believe there are many good policies in the CR. It contains resources to address the spread of the Zika virus and disaster relief for flood victims, both of which I support a great deal. In fact, we know the threat Zika poses to our Nation's public health, and it is critical that we have finally passed funding to accelerate vaccine development, prevent Zika transmission, and boost public health efforts to the impacted communities. In addition to addressing these emergencies, I also support the inclusion of legislation to fully fund military construction and the VA for the coming year. As a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, I support investments in VA programs, military personnel, and family housing for our servicemembers. This critical funding will also address disability claims processing, the health care needs of female veterans, and the urgent need to modernize the VA's information technology systems. Inclusion of veterans funding and resources to fight Zika had broad bipartisan agreement, but I think it is important to know the Senate also reached consensus on providing much needed relief to the victims in Flint by passing a WRDA bill earlier with 95 votes, but these fully paid-for Flint resources were put on hold while disaster relief for flood victims in Louisiana was included in the CR. I support helping the people of Louisiana, but I also strongly believe we should not be in a position where we pick some States to help and not others. Everybody, no matter who they are or where they live, if they are facing a crisis, if the U.S. Congress is going to help those in need, we need to help everyone regardless of where they live. Americans are Americans regardless of the State in which they reside; therefore, I could not support a government spending bill that will once again force the citizens of Flint to wait for the help they so desperately need. It is simply unacceptable that a bipartisan, fully offset Flint aid package was left out of the CR. There is no excuse whatsoever for leaving the people of Flint behind. It has been a year since the first public health emergency declaration was made in Flint and over 8 months since a national emergency was declared. Yet almost 100,000 residents of Flint still do not have a reliable source of safe water. They are still using bottled water to drink, cook, and bathe. I deeply appreciate the progress we have made so far, but Flint families should not have to wait any longer. When a disaster strikes in this country, we pull together to help each other out. We should do that for all communities. We shouldn't tell people who have waited so long--yet we are telling them--to get to the back of the line. This is why I cannot support this bill which prioritizes one State's emergency over another. We should do right by the people of Flint as well as the victims of flooding, Zika, and other national emergencies. Over the coming weeks, I will be working to ensure that we follow through on the promises that were made to the people of Flint this week in both Chambers of Congress. We must send a bill to the President that will help the people of Flint continue to replace their damaged pipes so they can turn their faucets on and have clean, safe water flowing from their taps once again. I certainly hope and expect that my colleagues in both Chambers will not let the people of Flint down in their desperate time of need. I yield the floor.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, few American innovations have changed the modern world like the automobile. Cars and trucks are now woven into the very fabric of American life and culture. As a Senator from the State of Michigan, as well as a car and motorcycle enthusiast, I am especially proud of our State's leading role in the American auto industry. The history of the automobile is really a history of American workers, innovators, and entrepreneurs, and it must be preserved. Right before me are two pictures of two really iconic vehicles, vehicles such as the 1964 Shelby Cobra at the top and a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. These two cars helped spark a lifelong love of cars for millions of Americans. Fifty years later, these vehicles still inspire today's innovators and engineers as they work to develop cars and trucks of the future to be smarter, safer, more reliable, and more efficient than ever before. However, there is currently no dedicated Federal register to document historically significant automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, and commercial vehicles for future generations of Americans to appreciate and to enjoy. Today I am introducing the National Historic Vehicle Register Act, which will establish a Federal register of historic vehicles and document and preserve records of these vehicles for our Nation's history. This legislation will ensure that the engineering drawings, photos, and stories of historically important vehicles will be available to inspire Americans and celebrate the accomplishments of the American auto industry. The National Historic Vehicle Register Act would build on efforts of the Historic Vehicle Association to help document and preserve the legacy of some of our most historic vehicles. I recently had the opportunity to see two of the autos that have already been documented by the Historic Vehicle Association. I saw this vehicle right here at the bottom. This is President Taft's 1909 White Steam Car. It was the very first Presidential limousine. It is a beautiful and fascinating example of steam car technology from the early days of the automobile and could reach astonishing speeds up to 60 miles an hour. In addition to being a pleasant way to get around, President Taft's use of automobiles helped encourage other Americans to adopt the new technology as their favorite mode of transportation. I also had the honor to see the Jeep up on the top photo, which is President Reagan's 1962 Willys Jeep CJ-6. It was a Christmas gift from his wife Nancy. Standing next to the Jeep, I could not help but have a vivid picture of President Reagan driving it on his ranch in California, often accompanied by his dogs Lucky, Freebo, and Victory. The register would work to preserve these memories, with members of the historic vehicles community selecting automobiles and motorcycles to include in the register and establishing collaborative partnerships to carry out the register's activities. Our Nation's rich automotive history belongs to the American people, and it is worthy of its own dedicated register. I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues, the historic vehicle community, and car enthusiasts across the country to preserve our motor heritage.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, few American innovations have changed the modern world like the automobile. Cars and trucks are now woven into the very fabric of American life and culture. As a Senator from the State of Michigan, as well as a car and motorcycle enthusiast, I am especially proud of our State's leading role in the American auto industry. The history of the automobile is really a history of American workers, innovators, and entrepreneurs, and it must be preserved. Right before me are two pictures of two really iconic vehicles, vehicles such as the 1964 Shelby Cobra at the top and a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. These two cars helped spark a lifelong love of cars for millions of Americans. Fifty years later, these vehicles still inspire today's innovators and engineers as they work to develop cars and trucks of the future to be smarter, safer, more reliable, and more efficient than ever before. However, there is currently no dedicated Federal register to document historically significant automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, and commercial vehicles for future generations of Americans to appreciate and to enjoy. Today I am introducing the National Historic Vehicle Register Act, which will establish a Federal register of historic vehicles and document and preserve records of these vehicles for our Nation's history. This legislation will ensure that the engineering drawings, photos, and stories of historically important vehicles will be available to inspire Americans and celebrate the accomplishments of the American auto industry. The National Historic Vehicle Register Act would build on efforts of the Historic Vehicle Association to help document and preserve the legacy of some of our most historic vehicles. I recently had the opportunity to see two of the autos that have already been documented by the Historic Vehicle Association. I saw this vehicle right here at the bottom. This is President Taft's 1909 White Steam Car. It was the very first Presidential limousine. It is a beautiful and fascinating example of steam car technology from the early days of the automobile and could reach astonishing speeds up to 60 miles an hour. In addition to being a pleasant way to get around, President Taft's use of automobiles helped encourage other Americans to adopt the new technology as their favorite mode of transportation. I also had the honor to see the Jeep up on the top photo, which is President Reagan's 1962 Willys Jeep CJ-6. It was a Christmas gift from his wife Nancy. Standing next to the Jeep, I could not help but have a vivid picture of President Reagan driving it on his ranch in California, often accompanied by his dogs Lucky, Freebo, and Victory. The register would work to preserve these memories, with members of the historic vehicles community selecting automobiles and motorcycles to include in the register and establishing collaborative partnerships to carry out the register's activities. Our Nation's rich automotive history belongs to the American people, and it is worthy of its own dedicated register. I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues, the historic vehicle community, and car enthusiasts across the country to preserve our motor heritage.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I thank Senator Stabenow for yielding me her remaining time. I couldn't concur more with what she had to say. This is another day. It seems like we are down here on the floor all of the time talking about the crisis in Flint, asking for help, and demanding that folks step up to help the people of Flint. We are so close to doing it. As the Senator mentioned, we came with incredible bipartisan support, 95 votes--a program fully paid for that the Senator authored, a program that I fought for as a Member of the U.S. House. Now we are saying this is so important that we are willing to take this program, use these funds to help the people of Flint. But the people can't wait any longer. In this body, the Senate should not be about picking and choosing specific States to help, specific cities to help, specific neighborhoods. It should be about all of America: No matter who you are, no matter where you live, when you are hurting, we will step up as the American people and help those folks in need. That is all we are asking. A program that is fully paid for and has strong bipartisan support-- this seems to be a very easy thing to do, which is why I am at a loss to understand why it can't be put in a CR when it had such broad support and when it is clear people have been waiting for months. We had families in Washington last week, a woman, a mom, talking about her daughter whose teeth are crumbling when she bites into sandwiches because of the damage related to lead poisoning. She has blood levels going up and down with lead; it is still not under control. She was in tears. She was at a loss. She felt some hope when the WRDA bill passed. But if we don't take action and we leave to go back to our States for the month of October, who knows when we were going to bring this up. This is wrong. The people of Flint have waited long enough. The people of Flint have suffered enough. This is our opportunity as the Senate to rise up and to say: Every American's life is important. Every American's life is one that we celebrate. Every child should have opportunities. We can put this in the CR. We can pass it and send a strong signal to the people of Flint that their lives matter. I yield the floor.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the incredible future of mobility in this country. Earlier this week, the Department of Transportation, or DOT, made history by releasing its official Federal policy for automated vehicles. This marks a major milestone in the effort to bring driverless cars to American roads and to ensure that our country remains the world leader in the next generation of transportation. DOT's Federal policy contains four key components. The first outlines a 15-point safety assessment for the safe design, development, testing, and deployment of automated vehicles. This is a meaningful first step, the first Federal guidance for automotive manufacturers seeking to develop and deploy these new technologies. The second component outlines the distinct Federal and State roles for regulation of automated vehicles, moving us toward a uniform national framework for the regulation in this space. Third, the policy makes a Federal commitment to expedite the safe introduction of automated vehicles into the marketplace. The Department of Transportation will streamline its procedures to be more responsive to consumers and innovative manufacturers alike. Finally, the policy presents a number of novel considerations that Congress should closely examine. This includes new tools and authorities that the DOT might need in the future as automated vehicle technology advances and we begin to see deployment on a much wider scale. Last year, over 35,000 lives were lost in motor vehicle crashes. We saw the largest annual percentage rise in deaths on our roads for the past 50 years--50. This is simply unacceptable. Connected and automated vehicle technologies have the potential to drastically reduce this troubling statistic and help ensure that at the end of the day, our children, our parents, and all of our family and friends are able to travel on our roads and make it home safe and sound. We need to roll up our sleeves and do our part to ensure successful implementation of this policy. Many of our existing laws and regulations were enacted long before modern vehicles. Now is the time to consider updating policies from a time when the most advanced onboard electronics in our cars and trucks were AM radios. We need to do this the right way and ensure that these cars and trucks are introduced safely as we work through the challenges facing wide-scale deployment and the adoption of these absolutely revolutionary technologies. This means we need to take a hard look at issues such as automotive liability, consumer education, data and cyber security, and the future of the American workforce. As a member of Senate Commerce Committee and as the cofounder of the Smart Transportation Caucus, I am committed to leading these important discussions on Capitol Hill. As a start, I would like to take a moment to highlight some of what I believe are the key aspects of DOT's four- part Federal policy. Safety, of course, is paramount, and the new safety assessment emphasizes consumer education and awareness. Just as prior generations had to adapt to the innovation of stoplights and the construction of interstate highways, Americans in the coming months and years will learn how to operate and share the road with automated vehicles. To save lives, consumers must trust that the technology underpinning this revolution in transportation is completely safe. It will require public-private cooperation to improve consumer understanding and adoption of these technologies. We also cannot ignore the new threats facing modern vehicles, as they are increasingly connected to each other and to the infrastructure. It is critical that the 15-point assessment promotes built-in cyber security from the very start of vehicle development lifestyle. I am encouraged that DOT is addressing data recording, data sharing, and data privacy. We need to know how these automated systems work and what happens when they don't. We also need to ensure that this data is shared and protected. Finally, I support DOT's emphasis on continuing collaborative work among industry, government, academic, and R&D communities to advance automated vehicles. In Michigan, we have already seen the benefits of such collaborative work at the Mcity testing facility in Ann Arbor. Soon, joint advanced research will take place on a much larger scale at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, where we will be testing, validating, and certifying the vehicles that will be driving America in the coming years. I look forward to the continued partnership with DOT to help advance the innovation that is driving the future of mobility, and I want to thank Secretary Foxx and Administrator Rosekind for their focus and hard work that made this week's historic announcement possible. This guidance demonstrates that America will be the global leader in the development and deployment of advanced vehicle technologies. You know, just 8 years ago, people were predicting the financial ruin of the auto industry here in America. Today, not only have we had the auto industry come roaring back with record sales, but we are now working to produce some of the greatest and most important innovations in American manufacturing history. (The remarks of Mr. Peters pertaining to the introduction of S. 3381 are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise to applaud the Senate for passing earlier today the Water Resources Development Act of 2016, better known as WRDA. It is important to pause for a moment and appreciate the fact that we were able to come together in such a bipartisan way on such an important and substantive matter. Today, WRDA passed by an overwhelming majority of 95 to 3. Today we took a critical step toward making real investments in our Nation's waterways, ports, harbors, ecosystems, and the infrastructure we rely on for our drinking water. We also made a statement that when a group of people are suffering, our country must pull together to help. Delivering assistance to Flint, MI, and other communities suffering from poor drinking water quality is, frankly, quite overdue. We should have provided funding to fix Flint's water infrastructure long ago, but today we have taken a meaningful step toward the future, where the people of Flint, as well as communities all across America, can turn on their taps and trust that it is safe to use the water that comes out of them. We cannot forget that right now the people of Flint are still living in this crisis. People are still depending on bottled water and filters for everyday water needs. The health effects will last for decades to come. Over the past year, I have regularly heard from Flint families about their ongoing struggles. Just this week, I heard from Flint residents who came to Washington. They came to share their stories and to keep up the fight for the Federal support their community needs. These Americans continue to endure unimaginable circumstances with both grace and dignity. The breadth and severity of the hardships these families have faced are breathtaking, but I continue to hear news stories that would shock all of us in this Chamber and push Congress to finish our work to get this package signed into law. This week I heard from one Flint mother who told me a story about her 10-year-old daughter with aching bones and teeth. Lead and calcium compete for the same locations in the body and are stored in bone tissue. This is one of the many reasons lead exposure is especially devastating to growing children. Try to imagine the horror of seeing your daughter's teeth crumble while biting into a sandwich. This is what the people of Flint are living with. The girl's blood lead levels, even recently, were up and down, and she takes large supplements to improve her bone strength. As these Flint residents continue to tell their stories, we must not let their reality fade from the minds of this Nation. As a nation, we can do better than this. We must take care of our own. As we pause to recognize the weight of our actions today, we must recognize and remember the people who have been fighting for a very long time. I would like to recognize Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Dr. Marc Edwards, and Miguel Del Toral for their tireless work to identify and shine a light on the crisis of Flint last year, as well as for all of their advocacy and work since then. I would also like to recognize the grassroots leaders in Flint who realized there was a serious problem way before anyone else. LeeAnne Walters, Melissa Mays, the Concerned Pastors of Flint, and many others. Despite being repeatedly dismissed and ignored, they kept talking and marching and battling to let the world know about the injustice. Senator Stabenow and her team have worked tirelessly with us on this effort and to advance our package helping Flint and other countries across the country. She and I underwent weeks of negotiations to carefully craft a bipartisan agreement, and we have a number of Senators who were willing to work with us and truly wanted to find a solution. Senator Stabenow's staff, particularly Matt VanKuiken and Aaron Suntag, deserve a lot of credit for late nights drafting legislative language and making calls to negotiate a deal. Senators Inhofe and Boxer deserve special gratitude for their creative ideas and steadfast determination. I would also like to thank the Environment and Public Works Committee staff, including Alex Herrgott, Jason Albritton, Bettina Poirier, and Susan Bodine, among others. Your long hours and commitment were critical to the bill's passage. I should also recognize the cosponsors of our bipartisan legislation, including Senators Brown, Portman, Kirk, Reed, Burr, Durbin, Mikulski, Capito, and Baldwin. I would like to recognize Senators Murkowski and Cantwell and their staff who worked for weeks to help us find a path forward on a bipartisan energy bill. While this did not come to fruition, we kept working hard to find a path forward. We didn't let one roadblock stand in the way. We kept on fighting for Flint, just like the families in Flint keep on fighting. So while I am pleased the Senate finally passed this bipartisan, fully paid-for legislation to provide much needed support for Flint families, we now need to redouble our efforts to get it done and get it over the finish line. I urge my colleagues in the House to swiftly pass similar assistance to Flint and other communities across the country. This bill is the best way for us to help them make critical investments in their aging water infrastructure. I thank my colleague Congressman Kildee, who has been Flint's most steadfast champion in the U.S. House. He has worked with Senator Stabenow and me to secure Federal resources for Flint families, and I know he is working hard with his House colleagues to pass legislation to aid Flint. Local elected officials, such as State Senator Jim Ananich, State Representative Sheldon Neeley, and Mayor Karen Weaver continue to battle for their constituents, secure resources to fix problems, and shine a light on all of the many positive aspects of the city of Flint. I know other Members of the Michigan delegation and of other States are committed, but now is the time to step up to the plate and show that we will follow through on our responsibilities as representatives of the people. Finally, if we are to solve this crisis, the State of Michigan must step up with substantial long-term support for the people of Flint and help them fully recover in the years and decades ahead. This disaster happened on their watch, and it is an immense failure on the part of the State of Michigan to protect the health and safety of its city's residents. Despite the grim facts of this tragedy, some day in the future I hope we will look back at today and say it was a milestone and a turning point. I am optimistic that we will. This is not the end of our efforts for Flint. This is the beginning of making things right. We won't stop fighting for what is best for Flint families. I urge all of my colleagues to continue working to invest in critical water infrastructure so that we never, ever see a crisis like this again anywhere in our country. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise to speak about the Water Resources Development Act, known as WRDA as well, which we are now considering and we expect to vote on next week. This bill will significantly reduce the threat of lead exposure and other drinking water contamination for our communities across the United States, and it will invest in our aging water infrastructure. I am particularly pleased that language addressing the Flint water crisis--language I worked on with my colleagues Senator Stabenow, Senator Inhofe, Senator Boxer, and many others--is included in the WRDA bill before us. Their strong leadership has been invaluable, and I thank them for their efforts. WRDA provides resources that will improve drinking water infrastructure in Flint, MI, and other places where pipes, pumps, and treatment plants are crumbling and are woefully out of date. This bill also funds health care programs for communities that have been affected by lead contamination. Also, all of the direct spending is fully paid for. Crafting this bill has been a constructive process with input from many Senators. There are a number of new, smart policy changes that will vastly improve water quality and tackle accessibility challenges. For example, this bill delivers funding for programs that will reduce lead in drinking water, test for lead in schools and childcare facilities, and invest in new water technologies. WRDA also authorizes over $12 billion for 29 Corps of Engineers projects in 18 States. These projects invest in ports and inland waterways, flood control and hurricane protection, and the restoration of critical ecosystems. This worthy bill has earned the endorsements from a long list of critical stakeholders, and I appreciate the bipartisan support that has made crafting and considering this bill such a collaborative process. While floor time for this measure is certainly long overdue, what really matters now is that we have an agreement to move forward. This is a fantastic opportunity to help millions of people all across our great country. We now have a pathway to success if we can move the final vote of this legislation next week. I urge my fellow Senators to show the American people we can continue to work together to address urgent needs across our country, invest in critical infrastructure, and deliver much needed--and fully paid for--support for Flint families. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the need to pass the Water Resources Development Act of 2016, also known as WRDA. Despite strong, bipartisan support, the Senate has yet to take a vote on a commonsense, necessary piece of legislation. Frankly, I am extremely disappointed. WRDA will help communities across the Nation who need to repair, expand, or modernize their water infrastructure. The bill invests in the Nation's ports and inland waterways to improve commerce, and it moves us toward major upgrades to locks and dams in places such as the Upper Mississippi River System. WRDA will improve flood protection in order to better safeguard communities from damage and will restore ecosystems and promote public access for recreation. This legislation empowers local partners in water resource project implementation and improves the approval process for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects. WRDA promotes innovative technologies to address water resource challenges, including additional support to drought-stricken communities. This bill also makes essential investments in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, including emergency assistance to communities facing water contamination, such as Flint, MI. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to again meet with families from Flint. The devastating water crisis continues to have an unimaginable impact on the children and families there. I was heartbroken to hear more about some of their daily struggles, but I was also inspired by their resiliency. The provisions included in the WRDA bill will help ensure that Flint residents will have the resources and support necessary to address this ongoing and catastrophic tragedy. WRDA will help Flint residents, but it will also help communities all across our country with drinking water and infrastructure challenges. It will modernize the State Revolving Loan Fund Programs and capitalize the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Program--also known as WIFIA--a new, low- interest financing mechanism to fund large-dollar-value infrastructure projects all across our Nation. The many benefits of the WRDA bill--from drinking water protections to waterway improvements, to water body restoration--is why it enjoys broad, diverse support. Over 100 stakeholder organizations have called on the Senate to bring WRDA to the floor. These groups include: the American Society of Civil Engineers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Nature Conservancy, United Steelworkers, National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. Our dedicated partners across the aisle are also ready to move on this important bipartisan piece of legislation. Senator Inhofe recently joined 28--28 of his Republican colleagues on a letter to the Senate Republican leadership calling for a vote. The Environmental and Public Works Committee passed the Water Resources Development Act with strong, overwhelming bipartisan support--a vote of 19 to 1. This commonsense bill is ready for a vote in the Senate. Communities across our country--including the families of Flint--are ready and waiting for us to act. I truly hope the WRDA bill can be prioritized for action on the floor when we return in September. We simply must act, and we must act as quickly as possible. Startup Companies Mr. President, when we think about fast-growing startup companies, we might think about Silicon Valley, Boston, or Boulder. While these cities certainly have very vibrant startup ecosystems, innovative startups and small businesses are being founded and are growing across the United States, including my home State of Michigan. In each of our States, there are hard-working entrepreneurs who have established job- creating startups. These dynamic companies act as entrepreneurial leaders, innovators, and job creators within our communities. Industries, including retail, health care, entertainment, transportation, and education are being revolutionized and reshaped by entrepreneurs in our local communities. They are reimagining the future by using technology to solve problems and create innovative products and services. According to the Kauffman Foundation, startups are a major force for job creation in the United States. Startups under 1 year old create about 2 million jobs per year, accounting for 20 percent of gross job creation, though they only represent 8 percent of the firms in this country. Despite the fact that new startups are vital to our country's economic and job growth, many members of our community may not know these innovative companies exist, and many startup companies may not know where to access the resources to help their companies succeed. In 2013, I joined a bipartisan group of colleagues--including Congressmen Polis and Issa--to create the first annual Startup Day Across America to bring attention to startups throughout Michigan and across the United States. That year, I had the opportunity to visit Start Garden--a combined venture capital fund and shared startup workspace in Grand Rapids--with Congressmen Huizenga and Amash, where we heard firsthand about the exciting new businesses being funded in Western Michigan. In 2014, I met with a group of entrepreneurs at the Madison Building in Detroit, home to startups backed by Detroit Venture Partners. I spoke with Paul Glomski, the CEO of Detroit Labs. Founded in 2011 with just four employees, Detroit Labs now has upward of 100 people working for them, building cutting-edge technology in downtown Detroit. They dream up, design, and build mobile apps and have made them for General Motors, Domino's Pizza, Kimberly-Clark, DTE Energy, and many others. They also provide a paid apprenticeship program that teaches hard-working Michiganders how to code and connects them to jobs upon completion of the program. Startups are not just about apps and tech, though. I also visited Ponyride, a coworking space in Corktown, where I met Eric Yelsma, founder of Detroit Denim. He and his team are making high-quality jeans in Detroit and shipping them across the country. In 2015, I visited startups in Traverse City, where I heard about the growing startup and venture capital ecosystems in Northern Michigan that are pulling in talent from across the Midwest, including Cherry Capital Foods, a young company that works with Michigan farmers to help them find new customers. This year, I have teamed up with Senators Warner, Daines, and Scott to encourage our colleagues to visit a startup anywhere in their home State during the week of August 4. Like me, they know startups are taking root across the Nation--in Richmond, VA, Bozeman, MT, Charleston, SC, Kalamazoo, MI, and other communities. In fact, Michigan is one of the fastest growing venture capital communities in the Nation, a critical asset that will help us become the startup capital of the Midwest. We have world-class colleges and universities, more engineers than any part of the country, and an infrastructure to export not just nationally but all across the globe. While I am focused on connecting talented Michigan entrepreneurs to the capital they need to grow and succeed, I will also continue working with my colleagues on Federal policies that will support these important startups and small businesses. That means strong science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, or STEAM, education, along with expanding efforts to encourage our Nation's students to learn how to code. Even basic programming skills are incredibly marketable, not just among tech startups but throughout the entire economy. We also need to make sure startups are able to compete on a level playing field on the Internet and have access to fast, affordable broadband no matter where you live. Additionally, we must work together to help entrepreneurs master challenges and impediments that stand in their way as they seek to establish their firms and to create jobs. Startups play a key role in economic growth, and we have to do more to help them. A recent report from the Economic Innovation Group found that since the end of the recent recession, new firms have increased by only 2.3 percent and are concentrated in only 25 percent of U.S. counties, especially in dense, higher population areas. We have to ensure that every American community has the opportunity to experience the economic benefits new business establishments bring. We have to ensure that every America community has the requisite tools to support entrepreneurs as they turn their ideas into action, transforming their neighborhoods and the economic trajectories of their neighborhoods in the process. Ultimately, success for any company comes down to matching talent with capital. Small businesses and startups now have a variety of sources of capital to expand and create jobs: traditional bank loans, for example, SBA loans including the 7(a) Loan Program I have championed in the past, State-backed loans through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, facilitated by the State Small Business Credit Initiative, venture capital, friends or family, and now even crowdfunding. Just as there are a number of factors that contribute to a vibrant startup ecosystem, there will be a wide array of stakeholders, decisions, and industries that will contribute to shaping Michigan's future economy. I am committed to ensuring that our growing startup community will be a fixture of creativity, innovation, and job creation for decades to come. Mr. President, I yield the floor.