Harry Reid

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, for the last 2 years our great country has faced a humanitarian crisis arising from Central America. Thousands and thousands of migrants, mainly women and children, have fled to our border and to other countries in the region to escape the growing violence in the region. Most of these women and children come from the so-called Northern Triangle countries--El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras--where crime and lawlessness have overrun the people. And that is an understatement. El Salvador is the murder capital of the world. There isn't a close second. There are more murders per capita than in any nation on the planet. El Salvador's murder rate is 26 times higher than the United States. Among El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, El Salvador beats them all for a murder rate, but the other two countries, Honduras and Guatemala, are third and seventh. In these countries, the rates for female homicide are unbelievably high. Again, El Salvador ranks No. 1 for female homicides. As I have indicated, we have Honduras, which is third, and Guatemala is seventh. That is why you see these women and children fleeing--fleeing for their lives. It is not just murder that these desperate people are trying to escape. People in these countries are imperiled by high rates of human trafficking, drug trafficking, sexual assaults, and widespread corruption. It is an understatement to say that these places aren't safe to live. These refugees in our hemisphere are seeking protection. They are escaping to neighborhood countries, desperate to find someplace to go to hide, someplace to find sanctuary. Many make the trek through Mexico to our southern border, and it is a long ways. What they do to get to our border is really quite unbelievable. What do they do when they get to our border? They don't sneak in; they don't try to find a boat to go across the Rio Grande. These little kids throw up their arms and say in the best way they can: I am here; do something to help me. That is how desperate they feel--desperate to feel safe, to feel some protection. They are refugees in every sense of the word. In January the State Department announced that it would start a refugee program in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala after ``concluding that the epidemic of violence by international criminal gangs in the three countries had reached crisis proportions and required a broader, regional response.'' I applaud Secretary Kerry and his team for making this humane and principled decision. It is a good first step, and it will help people apply for refugee status at home so they don't have to make a trip through Mexico and other extremely dangerous places. But for those who have already reached our border seeking asylum, we must ensure that they are treated fairly, with respect. These refugees should have help in making their asylum request. That means they should have some legal representation. Under current U.S. law, there is no right to appointed counsel in noncriminal immigration removal proceedings, even if the person in question is a baby, a child. Think about that. These children who don't speak English and are in a new country are unreasonably expected to represent themselves in a tribunal. Approximately 70 percent of women and children and 50 percent of unaccompanied children who enter the United States don't have a lawyer when standing before a judge in deportation proceedings. It sounds hard to be true, but it is. There is an organization called Kids in Need of Defense, or KIND. It is a wonderful organization. I admire it. It is incredible. This nonprofit organization is trying to help these children. Their executive director watched as a 5-year-old girl was brought before an immigration judge. The little girl was clutching a doll. She was so short she could barely see over the table to the microphone. She sat there before a robed immigration judge, with a trial attorney from the Department of Homeland Security on the other side of the chamber, in effect, saying: Send her back. She was unable to answer any questions that the judge asked her except for the name of her doll: ``Baby Baby Doll.'' That was the name of her doll. But this is the worst part. This small child was expected to make a case of why she should be granted asylum under U.S. immigration laws. KIND matched her with an attorney from a major law firm who successfully helped her win her case. KIND is doing a wonderful job, but they are so shorthanded. Immigration law is a complex area of law, and it should not be a place where toddlers are placed in this situation. Children without attorneys are much more vulnerable than adults. So 9 out of 10 children without attorneys are ordered deported. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a majority of recently arrived unaccompanied children are eligible for legal protection that would allow them to lawfully remain in the United States, but they can't access these protections because they don't have anyone to tell them what the protections are. They can't access these protections without an attorney to represent them in court or even to ensure they receive proper notice of their hearings. Children with attorneys are five times more likely to be granted protection. Picture this little girl. This little girl represents thousands of children who have been abused in many different ways. They have seen their parents murdered, humiliated, and hurt. Her name is Angela. This little kid is 9 years old--a sweet little thing, 9 years old. She arrived at our southern border fleeing from the murder capital of the world, El Salvador. She is one of the fortunate kids. Kids in Need of Defense, the nonprofit group I mentioned, provided her with legal representation. She was granted legal immigration status. So look at this picture. I have looked at it many, many times. I took this home with me last night. Think of all the children, kids her age and younger--she is 9 years old--all who don't have representation. Think of a child like this standing alone in a court of law with a language barrier on top of it. This isn't how we should treat refugees. It is certainly not how we should treat children fleeing violence. Today I am introducing the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act. That is the name of my legislation. My legislation would mandate that the government appoint a counsel, a lawyer, to help these kids, unaccompanied children, and other vulnerable individuals such as those who are victims of abuse, torture, and violence. My legislation would also require the Department of Homeland Security to make legal orientation programs available to all detention centers so people know their rights and responsibilities. Deportation means death to some of these people, and I am not being overly dramatic. A study documents 83 people who had been deported from this Northern Triangle who were subsequently murdered--83. Given the life- and-death consequences of deportation in this region, we must ensure that we are not putting asylum-seeking women and children in harm's way. We can do this by making sure that these desperate women and children have a lawyer. The humanitarian crisis at our doorstep demands that we, as Americans, affirm our fundamental values of protection and due process, especially for children. The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act will uphold these most basic American virtues and values which we hold dear. Protecting children--children like Angela--isn't a partisan issue. This is something I hope we can all agree on. So I urge my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to support this legislation. I yield the floor.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) are necessarily absent.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I was disappointed last night to learn that the Supreme Court temporarily halted the implementation of President Obama's Clean Power Plan program. This was an especially stunning move by the Supreme Court, given that just weeks ago the DC Circuit Court of Appeals categorically rejected a halt in the Clean Power Plan and States do not need to start implementing the plan until 2022. This shortsighted decision by the Court's five conservative Justices is an unfortunate setback. It unnecessarily puts into question a major part of our country's effort to address climate change and protect our environment. Notwithstanding my amazement, I remain confident that the Obama administration's carbon rules are legally sound and will prevail in the courts. In the landmark case Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court itself directed the Environmental Protection Agency to address climate change if carbon pollution was found to be a danger to human health. Based on enormous scientific evidence, the EPA did make that finding and the Agency is required by law to regulate carbon pollution. I can't imagine that the Supreme Court would take such an unprecedented and drastic step at this time. But the unparalleled nature of the Supreme Court's decisions show why Congress must play a role in addressing climate change. Climate-denying Republicans in the House and Senate might applaud this decision, but their refusal to protect Americans from the impact of climate change is the real loss for our country.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, there is no nation on this planet more dedicated to fear and intimidation than North Korea. Its leader Kim Jong Un is a brutal dictator. He will stop at nothing to keep his power intact and his people isolated. That has been proven. To accomplish these objectives, the North Korean Government relies on threats to Japan and other neighbors and, of course, the United States. Recently, the number of alarming developments out of North Korea has accelerated. These acts of aggression are extremely concerning to the American community, as they should be. Last Saturday, North Korea defied international warnings and launched a rocket using ballistic missile technology. This was a flagrant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. This came less than a month after North Korea detonated a nuclear device, also in clear violation of international law. That brings us to yesterday, when the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, confirmed that North Korea has restarted a plutonium reactor. The Director estimated that North Korea would be able to recover fuel from its reactor within a matter of weeks or months. The international community quickly condemned these incidents, as it should have. President Obama has been a leader in pushing back against the saber-rattling from North Korea. He has worked to galvanize the world in opposing North Korea's provocative and destabilizing behavior. Under the President's leadership, the United States has built a global coalition, including China and Russia, to impose sanctions against North Korea. There is an international consensus that North Korea's actions violate international law and threaten our allies and partners in the region. Here in the Capitol there is also broad bipartisan agreement that there must be consequences for North Korea's provocations. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed new sanctions legislation. Now the Senate must act. We need to do it today. Two weeks ago the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved the sanctions bill that is now before this body. This legislation would require the President to investigate and sanction any person who knowingly imports into North Korea certain goods, technologies, service, training or advice concerning weapons of mass destruction. It also directs the President to investigate and sanction people who engage in human rights abuses, money laundering and related activities, and cyber terrorism or other cyber vandalism. In addition, the legislation authorizes $15 million to transmit radio broadcasts to North Korea for the next 5 years. These are commonsense steps that Congress should take in response to North Korea's unwarranted provocation. Everyone in the Senate agrees that North Korea's aggression cannot go unanswered. Its actions threaten the peace and security of the region and, actually, the world. I hope my colleagues will join with me in passing this legislation today to send a message to Kim Jong Un that his reckless behavior will not go unanswered.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I so admire the family we have here in the Senate. Many people work ceaselessly to make sure the Senate runs well. In the Senate Periodical Press Gallery, a small group of nonpartisan staffers helps the congressional press office to work together with the communications staff of Senators and their committees. Their fingerprints can be found on nearly every part of the Senate's business. The Senate Periodical Press Gallery facilitates key parts of Senate business, including press access, print and digital media planning, security protocols, and communications across hundreds of thousands of media platforms. For over 15 years, one man has been at the helm of this exceptionally fine team. His name is Ed Pesce. After graduating from Loyola University in 1990, Ed began working in the Senate Periodical Press Gallery. During his 26 years of service, Ed has always acted with warmth and professionalism. As the news industry transitioned from sole dependence on print and traditional mediums to a thriving combination of print and digital media, Ed ensured the Senate Periodical Press Gallery was not left behind. He created the first Web site for the Senate Periodical Press Gallery way back in 1999 and developed a social media communications program since then. Ed has been a trailblazer in the news industry and a principal leader here in the Senate. He has served under 11 Sergeants at Arms. During countless historic achievements here in the Senate, he has seen so much. When asked what they will miss most, Ed's coworkers recall his infectious laughter and dedication to team building. Last year, Ed announced that he would retire after more than two decades of service. I congratulate him for his many dedicated years of remarkable service. I wish Ed and John, his husband, all the best in the years to come. On behalf of my colleagues, our staff, and the entire congressional community, I extend my gratitude to Ed for his tireless commitment to the Senate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I said yesterday and I say again today that I appreciate very much the Republican leader scheduling the meeting to talk about the Zika virus today. As I indicated yesterday, things crop up. I have been called to the White House at that same time, so I personally won't be at the meeting, but I will have people there to make sure that if there is anything I missed, I will be brought up to date on that. Again, I appreciate the Republican leader scheduling that meeting.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am pleased that we are going to be considering the Ambassador to Burma. Everyone knows the personal attention Senator McConnell has shown to the country of Burma for many years. I am pleased we are going to get an Ambassador to Burma. I hope everyone understands we are really shortchanging the State Department. We have numerous people held up. The Secretary of State has called me on several occasions lamenting the fact that he is having trouble getting the work done because we don't have the people to do the work. Fifteen foreign policy nominations are being held up by Republicans, and we have a number of Ambassadors who are being held up: Sweden, Norway, Luxembourg, and Trinidad--a number of countries that are extremely important to what we are doing here. It is a shame that they are being held by Republicans. It is very unfortunate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, the people in Flint, MI, continue to suffer through a catastrophic series of problems. Basically, it is their water. It is heavily contaminated. Their nightmare, which began almost 2 years ago, is an emergency that requires a Federal response, and that is what we have been trying to do. In the case of emergencies like this, we must act to help Americans dealing with a public health crisis. For weeks now, we have called on Republicans to work with us to provide assistance for the people of Flint--100,000 people. Nine thousand children under the age of 6 have been poisoned in that little city in Michigan. It is very large by Nevada standards, but by Michigan standards, that city is not one of the bigger ones, but they need help. We need help from the Republicans. Nothing is happening because we haven't had enough Republican support. In the meantime, the people of Flint, MI, are using bottled water to bathe, to drink, to brush their teeth, and to cook with. That is really too bad. This should not be a partisan issue. This is drinking water we are talking about. Everyone is entitled to pure, clean drinking water, and access to safe water is a right every American deserves. Whether you live in Michigan, Texas, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois--it doesn't matter where you live, you shouldn't be afraid to drink the water that comes out of your faucet. No one should have to suffer, but the people of Flint, MI have suffered. Yesterday the American Academy of Pediatrics wrote a long letter to me and to Senator McConnell. In this letter they said that this organization representing 65,000 pediatricians and other pediatric specialists believes something needs to be done with the water in Flint. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the letter from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Mr. REID. I will only read a short phrase or two out of the letter, which says it all: The AAP supports federal efforts to provide immediate funding and other assistance to the people of Flint, including the amendment offered by Senators Stabenow and Peters. The letter goes on to say: There is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Lead damage can be permanent and irreversible. Lasting decreases in cognition have been documented in children with blood levels as low as 5 micrograms per deciliter of lead in blood. It is therefore clear that the children and families of Flint will need comprehensive assistance in both the short- and long-term. This is a letter from the American Academy of Pediatrics. These are people who deal with children. They are not politicians. They are willing to tell us that these children have been poisoned. In order to do something for the children of Flint and other families, we need help from my Republican colleagues. Despite harsh words from several Members of the Republican caucus who have no interest in resolving the crisis in Flint, some Republicans are willing to help. For example, the senior Senator from Oklahoma has been working with Senator Stabenow all weekend to put together an aid package that includes immediate funding for the people of Flint. Now we are once again waiting on Republicans to step forward and to support the chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee. It is incumbent upon the Republican majority to get to ``yes'' to help the people of Flint end this manmade emergency that is simply beyond their control. All Americans deserve safe, clean drinking water, not just some of them. I hope my Republican colleagues will choose to help us to pass legislation to resolve this crisis, sending emergency funds to the people of Flint now. Mr. President, would the Chair announce the business of the day.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I was encouraged this morning to hear that President Obama is aggressively responding to the Zika virus. Anyone who has heard the news about this terrible mosquito bite over the last several weeks has heard about the spread of Zika. This virus is primarily spread by mosquitoes in Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific islands. Zika has been linked to birth defects in children, as well as other health problems. To date, there have been no confirmed cases of Americans getting Zika from mosquitoes in the continental United States, but we must not lower our guard. Instead, we must take action. The President has taken action, and I appreciate that very much. That is why last week the entire Senate Democratic caucus sent a letter to President Obama urging quick action responding to the Zika virus. To his credit, that is exactly what President Obama has done. Today the President announced that he is asking Congress for $1.8 billion to combat the outbreak. This funding will, among other things, further research of the virus and a potential vaccine; improve mosquito control methods here at home; create rapid-response teams in the United States; enhance treatment for those who are infected; help deploy prevention and education strategies to key populations, including pregnant women and their partners; support international aid activities in affected areas; and train health care workers in affected countries. It is critical that we approve the funds now, immediately, and give our government the resources it needs to fight the virus. We also need to make sure our Nation's response to the virus includes increasing access to contraceptives for women in Zika-affected regions--for those who choose to use them. We in the Congress must follow President Obama's direction and aggressively combat Zika. So I call on my colleagues to support this important funding. I have been called to the White House tomorrow afternoon at the same time the Republican leader has called a briefing on the Zika virus. I am going to send staff to that meeting. I can't be at the White House and that briefing at the same time, but I will get a thorough, detailed account of what takes place at that briefing. I appreciate Senator McConnell arranging that meeting, and I apologize for not being able to be there.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, last week marked the end of an open enrollment for the health exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act. The numbers are in, and once again millions of Americans signed up for quality health care. Normally--it is normal now, and each year it keeps going up--nationally almost 13 million Americans selected their plans through health insurance marketplaces. In Nevada, almost 90,000 people enrolled in Nevada's health exchange. That represents a 20-percent increase over 2015 enrollment numbers. These numbers are further evidence that the Affordable Care Act-- ObamaCare--is working. The law is helping Americans get access to quality health care, many for the first time in their entire lives. That is why it is particularly frustrating to watch Republicans continue banging their heads when it comes to ObamaCare. Last Tuesday-- Groundhog Day, fittingly--House Republicans voted for the 63rd time to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act. That is 63 times House Republicans have ignored all the evidence that proves the Affordable Care Act is helping their constituents. It is not just House Republicans; it seems as if every day my friend the Republican leader comes to the floor and rails against ObamaCare. He has led Senate Republicans in voting to repeal or defund the Affordable Care Act 17 different times. Yet more than 10 percent of the Republican leader's own constituents are benefiting from the Affordable Care Act. Madam President, 500,000 Kentucky residents use ObamaCare--half a million people. Last week an Associated Press article highlighted the fact that Kentucky has seen the largest drop in the percentage of its uninsured. I will read from an AP story: Kentucky and Arkansas had the largest drops in the percentage of people without health insurance in the country, according to the Gallup-Healthways survey. In 2013, more than 20 percent of Kentuckians did not have health insurance. By the end of 2015, after the State expanded its Medicaid program and created a health-insurance exchange, that figure was down to 7.5 percent. There it is in black and white. In 2013, 20 percent of Kentuckians didn't have health insurance, and now it is down to 7.5 percent. That is a remarkably strong decrease of the uninsured. If my friend the Republican leader had his way and repealed ObamaCare, all progress in Kentucky would be gone. Sadly, Kentucky's tea party Governor is following in Senator McConnell's footsteps. Gov. Matt Bevin wants to tear apart his State's health exchange, regardless of the impact on his constituents. I will read again from the AP article: Bevin, a Republican, has already given the order to dismantle Kynect, Kentucky's state-based exchange. And he plans to repeal Kentucky's Medicaid expansion and replace it with something else that [would] mean fewer people would be eligible and the ones who stay eligible would have to pay a small premium. Bevin needs approval from the federal government to do that. If he does not get it, Bevin has said he would repeal the expansion entirely. It is time for Republicans to accept the fact that ObamaCare is here to stay. It is not going anyplace. Once and for all, it has moved past repeal. Start making the Affordable Care Act work even better for the American people.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, today I wish to remember U.S. Capitol Police Officer Vernon Alston, who passed away on January 23, 2016. Officer Alston was a fixture on the Capitol Grounds for 20 years, and he is missed by the many who were honored to have known him. Those who knew Officer Alston best describe him as someone who loved his family, his job, and helping others. For two decades, he helped members of the Capitol Hill community by keeping us safe, and on the day he passed away, he helped members of his own community in Magnolia, DE, by shoveling snow for his neighbors. Officer Alston was a caring and modest man who took great pride in his work. As a former Capitol Police officer myself, I understand the dedication and sacrifice required of members of the Capitol Police force, and Officer Alston was an exemplar of these traits. I am saddened that the U.S. Capitol Police has lost one of our own, but I will always be grateful for Officer Alston's service to the Capitol Police force and to our Nation. Officer Alston was loved dearly by his friends and family. He is survived by his wife Nicole; daughters Brittany and Yasmeen; and sons Brandon, Israel, and Breyden. My condolences go out to Officer Alston's family during this difficult time.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I want to join my Republican colleague, the distinguished Senator from Kentucky, and underscore everything he said about the USO. As just a point of personal privilege, one of the successors of Bob Hope is Wayne Newton. President Bush selected him to lead the USO, which he did for many years. There has never been a more successful nightclub entertainer than Wayne Newton. He is known all over the world for his voice and his performances. He traveled the world during the time he was that person chosen by the President to represent the USO. He is one of the most patriotic persons I have ever known, and I admire him very much. I want to ensure that the record reflects his friendship to me and all the veterans in America. Certainly, I appreciate very much joining in this celebration of the USO.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, 100,000 people in Flint, MI, have been poisoned, but sadly the Republicans are doing nothing. Nine thousand children, all under the age of 6, have been poisoned. Their brains have been attacked. Still, Republicans have refused to do anything to help. For the last 2 weeks, the Senators from Michigan have worked on an amendment that would allow Federal funds to address the Flint water crisis. Senators Stabenow and Peters worked hard to negotiate with Republicans. But almost having an agreement in place is not an agreement. We need Republicans to work with us to reach an agreement and let the people of Flint know that help is on its way; otherwise, Senate Republicans will continue ignoring Flint. If that is the case, then I would like my Republican colleagues to come to the floor and explain to this country why this manmade disaster in Flint is not worthy of the Republicans' attention. Tell us why 100,000 Americans should be forced to drink polluted water and bathe in poisonous water. One mother told Senator Stabenow: I was doing everything I could for my children. I made sure that they stopped drinking soda pop. So they didn't have soda pop. They drank water. But it was horrible water, and it has affected my children's lives. She said: I am responsible for the poisoning of my children. I heard statements made by the assistant Republican leader earlier this week, and here is a direct quote: ``While we all have sympathy for what's happened in Flint, this is primarily a local and State responsibility.'' I don't know if ``outrageous'' is sufficient to describe this. After all, it was the assistant Republican leader who just last year welcomed Federal disaster assistance for the people of Texas because of the terrible flooding that was taking place. Again in 2013, the town of West, which is in Texas, suffered a catastrophic explosion of a fertilizer plant--another manmade disaster. The Senator from Texas was quick to seek Federal assistance. He said: We will aggressively pursue this matter with FEMA and pursue all appeals and remedies available to us. . . . This was a disaster area and their failure to acknowledge it as such is just inexcusable. We're going to get the residents of West the assistance they need. The junior Senator from Texas--one of the many Republicans running for President--was just as eager to accept Federal funds. He said: I am confident that the Texas congressional delegation, Senator Cornyn and I . . . will stand united as Texans in support of the Federal Government fulfilling its statutory obligations, and stepping in to respond to this natural disaster. According to Senator Cruz, the Federal Government had an obligation to help Texas. He is right. We had an obligation, and we fulfilled that obligation. But we also have an obligation to help Flint, MI. I ask my colleagues from Texas and the other Republicans here in the Senate, why are floods and explosions in Texas disasters worthy of Federal support and not the help needed for 100,000 poisoned people in Flint, MI? Why do Texans deserve Federal assistance but not the people of Flint? What could the reason be? The sad thing is that this sort of hypocrisy isn't limited to just the Senators from Texas. The junior Senator from Florida--one of the many running for President on the Republican side--is doing the same thing. Last year Florida was hit with extreme flooding. Senator Rubio appealed for Federal assistance. He wrote a letter to the President. He said: ``As Floridians continue to reel from the effects of last month's torrential rains and flooding, I respectfully request you consider Governor Scott's appeal for a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance for the five impacted counties.'' That is what he wrote to President Obama last year, but, like it always is with the Senator from Florida, that was then and this is now. This is what the junior Senator from Florida says now: ``I believe the federal government's role in some of these things [is] largely limited unless it involves a federal jurisdictional issue.'' That is a buzz word for saying ``Good luck, Flint.'' According to Senator Rubio, Floridians deserve disaster assistance but not the people of Flint. This Senator hopes to become President; yet he refuses to treat all Americans the same. There are plenty of other examples. Whenever their States have been hard hit, Republican Senators run here to the Senate floor and demand Federal aid--as well they should. The Federal Government should help in times of disaster. There has to be a bit of consistency from Republicans. They must be fair to everyone. The people of Flint are just like every other American. They are deserving of the Federal Government's help. Mr. President, I have a letter from the Congressional Black Caucus. I am not going read the whole letter, but I ask unanimous consent that it be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID. Here is what is said in the final two paragraphs: Republican Senators have routinely requested this type of assistance when disasters occurred in their states. The people of Flint deserve nothing less. Republicans must join Democrats in meeting our moral obligation to protect the health of our children. This is what is said by Congressman Butterfield, who is the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. The final paragraph in the letter says: Senator McConnell, we are asking for your leadership to ensure your Republican colleagues do not condemn the people of Flint to more pain and suffering by blocking these amendments. I would hope my Republican colleagues would look in the mirror and ask themselves a simple question: What would I do if 100,000 of my constituents were poisoned? I urge my Republican colleagues to join us in addressing this critical issue. In a conference held in Las Vegas, NV, yesterday, one of the foremost experts dealing with water, Pat Mulroy, said that the ``stupid stunt'' that led to widespread lead contamination in Flint, MI, has dealt a blow to public confidence in water systems everywhere--even in places such as Southern Nevada, where lead pipes are not an issue. ``It has given a black eye [to water management] not just in Michigan, not just in the United States, but around the world.'' She went on to say: I was angry. I was very angry. They did it to save money. But was it really worth affecting these children's lives forever to save a couple of bucks? She also said that complaints about the water began a month after the switch, but officials waited for almost 2 years. By then, tests showed elevated levels of lead, which causes brain damage. She said: The finger-pointing is going to be endless for a while, especially as lawsuits begin to emerge. . . . I think there will be criminal charges. I don't know if there will be criminal charges, but these are pretty egregious actions taken by the State of Michigan. She said that ready access to clean water is something most Americans take for granted, but something like this can cast doubt on the whole system. ``Now there is a crack in that trust relationship,'' she said. ``In Flint it is gone.'' That is certainly true. So I would certainly hope my Republican colleagues will understand it is important that we do something now to help these people. We have something that can be done. It should be done. Republicans should stop it. It is not something that is a local issue or a State issue.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, yesterday, President Obama visited a mosque in Baltimore, MD. It was a powerful expression to counter the divisive, hateful rhetoric used by too many Republicans and to emphasize the importance of giving all Americans the respect and dignity they deserve. For years rightwing extremists have attacked the religion of Islam and stoked fear about the presence of Muslims in our country. Some of those same extremists attacked President Obama for visiting the mosque yesterday. That is an attack on millions of American citizens who are being slandered. I was so gratified that the Presiding Officer had the courage to show solidarity with the Muslims in the State of Arizona and the country by visiting a mosque a short time ago. The Presiding Officer was attacked by rightwing extremists for this visit. I am sorry about that, but I admire what he did. When hateful extremists set their sights on attacking one religion, they are attacking the core values of American society upon which our Nation was founded. President Obama could not have made this point more clearly yesterday. He said, ``An attack on one faith is an attack on all our faiths.'' Religious liberty is a priceless American value that should be cherished. We cannot allow the threat from menacing radicals to change who we are and how we treat our fellow citizens. As President Obama also said yesterday, ``We are one American family. We will rise and fall together.'' So I applaud the President for his courage and willingness to combat the detestable hatred that leading Republicans have embraced and far too few Republicans have spoken out against--the hateful rhetoric--especially in the Presidential election by our Republican colleagues. As defenders of democracy, we must stand against the bigotry wherever it arises. Doing so is the only way to ensure that we stay true to our fundamental values. As election season begins to kick into high gear, I encourage the American people to heed the call that President Obama made yesterday at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, when he closed by saying, ``We have to reaffirm that most fundamental of truths--we are all God's children, all born equal with inherent dignity.'' Will the Chair announce the business before the Senate today.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I came to the floor to listen to my friend talk about one of the most important issues that we have dealt with in this body for many years. There is no one who is more articulate and more understanding of the issues that face us in foreign policy than the junior Senator from Delaware. So I extend my appreciation to him, and I am glad I had the opportunity to come and listen to what he had to say. The stuff he talked about is not simple stuff. It took someone of his ability to explain so we all understand what he has said, and pointing the way forward for peace and security not only in that part of the world but the other work he has done on the Foreign Relations Committee to promote peace and security around a lot of the world.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have always known that the Republicans have an obsession with Secretary Clinton's emails, but their obsession is a trumped up, partisan political crusade. Today we received a new revelation about just how bankrupt the Republicans' campaign against Secretary Clinton truly is. The inspector general of the State Department issued something that is quite important. It is unclassified. He wrote a memo stating that emails received by former Secretary Colin Powell and aides to Secretary Condoleezza Rice may contain classified information. This is the same trumped up allegation for which Republicans are currently trying to railroad Secretary Clinton. As vice chairman Feinstein said last week: ``It has never made sense to me that Secretary Clinton can be held responsible for e-mail exchanges that originated with someone else.'' Yet Republicans would have us believe that these emails posed a grave threat. Secretary Colin Powell said it best. Here is what he said upon reading such emails: ``A normal, air-breathing mammal would look at them and say, `What's the issue?' '' Just like they turned Benghazi into a political issue, Republicans are looking for anything that can be twisted into a partisan political tool--for former Senator and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton--and for obvious reasons. The pursuit of her email records has caused the Republicans to waste millions of dollars of taxpayers' money and, of course, abuse the congressional oversight process. They have held up scores of State Department nominees--from USAID workers in Africa and around the world to the State Department's Legal Adviser. Because of what is being done here, the State Department--they have numerous people, I say numerous people, who should be confirmed so the State Department can operate. But, no, they are being held up--even the Legal Adviser. The State Department does not have its own lawyer because it is being held up. All they say is opposition to emails. It is an effort to develop opposition research for the campaign trail. This is what some would say is a watershed moment. We can now hold Republicans' allegations up to the light and see them for the flimsy, transparent attempts to score political points that they always have been. If we were to believe Republicans, then we would have to criminally charge Secretary Rice, Secretary Powell, their senior staff, and everyone else who received these emails. We might have to indict the entire senior level of America's national security community. Of course General Powell should not be indicted. Of course Secretary Rice should not be indicted. But by Republicans' logic, they should be. This is absurd. It is absurd because the inspector general makes it very clear: These charges are a bunch of trumped up baloney. It is absurd because this campaign against Secretary Clinton has always been a ridiculously partisan, political waste of time and taxpayer dollars. Today we see this more clearly than ever before, but no one has seen it more clearly than Secretary Powell. This man has held numerous positions in our government--Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a four-star general. I repeat what he said today, and I quote again: ``A normal, air-breathing mammal would look at them and say, `What's the issue?'' There is no issue. I yield the floor. Seeing no one on the floor, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, before the leaders speak today, I ask the Chair to recognize the senior Senator from Alaska.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Will the Senator yield for a question? It is also true, is it not, as we speak, that there is tremendous work being done on battery storage. That will change it even more; is that right?

Mr. REID. Will the Senator yield for a question?

Mr. REID. I am wondering if my friend is aware of a couple of examples. In Nevada there is Tesla and Elon Musk. It is a massive company. He is building batteries for his vehicles and other things. The Tesla plant I toured a few months ago is under construction. As to the floor plan, the only place in America with a bigger manufacturing facility is the Boeing plant in Washington. That is how huge it is. The man who is running that plant for him indicated to me that they had found that the price, as indicated by the Senator from Maine, was so cheap with solar that it is going to be basically mostly solar, nothing else. Was the Senator aware of that?

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I join in commending the managers of this bill that is on the floor, but before we rush off to a congratulatory phase of this legislation, there has to be an opportunity to work something out on Flint, MI, and the tremendous problems they have. There are 100,000 people today who are afraid to drink the water. Yesterday I had a picture showing the water, the yellow-green color of the water. The water is so impure, so dirty, so nasty that General Motors, which manufactures automobile parts, had to suspend using the water because it was corroding their instruments in their manufacturing facilities. But during that period of time, people were still looking to drink the only water they could. We have 9,000 children who have been badly affected by lead poisoning. These little boys and girls will never be what they could be because lead poisoning for children is irreversible. I hope we can work something out on the Stabenow-Peters amendment because it is very important for the people of Michigan and an example of what we need to do to help the country with these problems we have when the Federal Government must step in. The Governor of Michigan, who preaches about how bad government is, of course looked to us when the problems got so dire in Michigan. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at the conclusion of my leader remarks the junior Senator from Maine be recognized for 10 minutes, and if he feels it appropriate, I will remain on the floor for him following my remarks so that he could have a colloquy with me.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, in 1882 Thomas Edison invented the first electricity grid. He, of course, had done electricity before that, but he is virtually responsible for the modern-day electric grid. It was only 4 years later that George Westinghouse improved upon Edison's invention, and he gave us an electric grid that is almost identical to what we have today. That was 1882, and in 2016 we are doing it the same way we did back then. So the grid technology the utility companies rely on today is 130 years old. America's grid system makes money for utilities by generating electricity at central powerplants and delivering power to customers through power lines. That is because of George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison's programs. Costs for the infrastructure are paid by all customers based on how much power they consume, and the more electricity we use, the more we pay. This utility business model made sense for 130 years. It makes no sense anymore. Utilities never imagined that families and businesses would be able to generate their own electricity for a price cheaper than the utility powerplants. Utilities never considered that consumers would rather pay to make their homes more efficient than pay for power they don't need and don't want. Utilities didn't expect Americans would grow to believe that reducing climate-changing carbon pollution is a priority--and it is. The big power companies were wrong. Americans have embraced renewable energy and are investing in it more and more. I see it every time I go home. The roofs of homes and businesses throughout Nevada are dotted with solar panels. One can see them shining on the roofs. These houses, office buildings, and hotels are generating much of their own clean energy. It wasn't that way a decade ago. In 2005, only 7,000 American homes and businesses had their own renewable energy systems. That same year, after we passed the Energy Policy Act--one of its provisions encouraged States to adopt net metering provisions so that Americans would and could install renewable energy systems on their homes and businesses. That means a family with solar panels receives a credit from the utility for the clean power they generate. As a result, 43 States now have net metering. These net metering policies have been an incredible success. Today more than 500,000 American families and businesses have their own renewable energy system. Less than 11 years ago, there were 7,000 solar installations in homes and businesses, today more than half a million. That is a 7,000-percent increase over 11 years ago. Producing cleaner energy at home is mainstream today. Yet, in spite of all of this progress, there are those who want to turn back time and take away Americans opportunity to generate their own clean, affordable energy. Why are they doing this? Because they don't want competition from families and businesses. They want to work the way they have for 130 years. The Koch brothers and the fossil fuel pals have attacked our blossoming energy industry, the clean energy industry, at every turn. Any time we try to do something, they move in. They have done it in State legislatures all over the country. They are doing it today on this amendment that Senator King and I have worked on. They have turned loose their minions--their anti-consumer minions-- and they are now out working, being paid to do whatever they can to defeat whatever we are trying to accomplish. Utilities have joined with the Koch brothers. Utilities are cheerleading this anti-competitive measure that will cost families more money and take away their opportunity to generate clean energy at home. In Nevada, our utility proposed--and I say ``utility'' because basically 95 percent of all electricity in Nevada is owned by one company. This big utility proposed, and regulators recently agreed to slash, the value of rooftop solar for customers and imposed those changes retroactively. Can you imagine that? Contracts that had been let, they suddenly said: Well, too bad. We are going to retroactively punch you economically. The entire episode was detailed in a recent edition of the New York Times. ``Nevada's Solar Bait-and-Switch.'' This could apply to Arizona. They are trying do the same thing there and other places in the country. I am not going to read the whole column, but I am going to read a few things: In late December, the state's Public Utilities Commission, which regulates Nevada's energy market, announced a rate change drastic enough to kill Nevada's booming rooftop solar market and drive providers out of the state. Effective Jan. 1, the new tariffs will gradually increase until they triple monthly fees that solar users pay to use the electric grid and cut by three-quarters-- Seventy-five percent-- users' reimbursements for feeding electricity into [the grid]. They already have a contract. That does not matter. The column goes on to say: More startlingly, the commission made its decision retroactive. That means that the 17,000 Nevada residents who were lured into solar purchases by state-mandated one-time rebates of up to $23,000 suddenly discovered that they were victims of a bait-and-switch. They made the deals assume that, allowing for inflation, their rates would stay constant over their contracts' 20- to 30-year lifetimes; instead, they face the prospect of paying much more for electricity than if they had never made the change, even though they're generating almost all of their electricity themselves. That is the power of utilities and Koch brother-like operations that are doing this. The Koch brothers are doing it through a number of billions of dollars that they have invested in controlling America through an organization called ALEC, which is a phony front to work in State legislatures. The utility in Nevada retroactively tore up the agreements that were made with families and businesses that generate their own clean energy, as indicated in this New York Times column. Because of what the utility did, at least three companies have left Nevada, and tens of thousands of families and businesses fear that their power bills will unexpectedly skyrocket because of the changes, and thousands and thousands of Nevadans have lost their jobs--not hundreds, thousands. No one knows the exact number but nearing 10,000. We should not be pulling the plug on clean energy at a time when more and more Americans are making it work. We should encourage independence. Competition is putting more clean power on our electric grid. We should support this growing solar industry, which is creating jobs. Solar alone created over 35,000 new jobs in 2015, a 20-percent growth rate. With what we did in the omnibus and the tax extenders at the end of the year, it is estimated that in the next 10 years there will be about 350,000 jobs in the solar industry. That is why Senator King and I have worked on amendment No. 3120, which would protect residential solar energy customers from the abuse that we have just talked about here and as outlined in the New York Times. This amendment is good for consumers in Nevada and across the country. It will safeguard people who want to generate their own clean energy from retroactive rule changes that could devastate their finances. Unfortunately, monopoly utilities and ideological groups funded by the Koch brothers are working hard to defeat any protections for Americans who generate their own clean energy. Remember, the Koch brothers use their money in a lot of different ways, not the least of which is in the fossil fuel business. These anti-competitive individuals are fighting our efforts to protect families and businesses from having their contracts torn up and having their bills skyrocket. My friend, the Senator from Maine is on the floor with me. I appreciate his advocacy. He has been at the forefront of this issue, a person who has extensive experience in this whole field, having been a Governor of the State of Maine when the power system there began to change. He is the sponsor of this amendment. I have joined with him on this amendment. He has been an unwavering advocate for solar energy customers. I hope our colleagues will follow his example and stand for consumers and support each American's choice to install clean energy on their homes and protect them from retroactive rate hikes and abusive fees.