John Thune

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee- reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 6, 2016, at 10 a.m. in room 328A of the Russell Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``USDA Rural Development Programs and their Economic Impact Across America.''

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 6, 2016, at 10 a.m., in room SH-216 of the Hart Senate Office Building.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 6, 2016, at 10 a.m., in room SD-406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Oversight Hearing: The President's FY 2017 Budget Request for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.''

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 6, 2016, at 2 p.m., in SR-428A of the Russell Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Federal Disaster Response and SBA Implementation of the RISE Act.''

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported amendments be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3512.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the next amendments in order be the following and that it be in order to call them up and considered offered in the order listed: Gardner No. 3460; Thune No. 3512; Heinrich No. 3482, as modified; Thune No. 3462; Schumer No. 3483; Thune No. 3463; and Cantwell No. 3490.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I call up Gardner amendment No. 3460.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I call up substitute amendment No. 3464.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the motion to proceed.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, just a little earlier today, the Senate moved to proceed to the FAA reauthorization bill. My hope is that we-- the distinguished Senator from Florida, who is the ranking member on the Commerce Committee, and I--will move to have a substitute considered, and, hopefully, that will happen very soon. At this time, I wish to speak about the subject that is before us, and that is the FAA reauthorization bill. This week the Senate is taking up something that is a very important piece of legislation when it comes to aviation reforms that will support U.S. jobs, increase safety, improve drone operations, and make travel easier for airline passengers. The bill before us today, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016, will help update aviation law to reflect the rapid advances in technology we have seen over the last few years. For example, since the last reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration in 2012, the use of drones has increased dramatically. The FAA has sought to keep up by using the authority it already has to safely advance this burgeoning industry, but there are limits to what the FAA can do with only outdated authority to manage this rapidly advancing technology. Passing this reform bill will help the FAA remove barriers to innovation and address unacceptable safety risks when it comes to unmanned aircraft. Just last month the Los Angeles Times reported on an incident where a Lufthansa A380 jumbo jet approaching the Los Angeles International Airport experienced a near miss with a drone that flew just 200 feet over the airliner. While fortunately in this case, the two did not collide, the prospect of a jumbo jet carrying hundreds of passengers striking a drone while flying over a heavily populated area is chilling. Our colleague from California, Senator Feinstein, noted in a statement on this incident that our FAA bill includes key reforms that will keep drones out of the path of airliners. She added: ``We must pass this bill and strengthen the law wherever we can.'' Well, I could not agree more. To keep drones out of the paths of commercial airliners, the Senate bill would implement standards so that existing safety technologies could be built into unmanned aircraft. This legislation also takes steps to require drone users to learn basic rules of the sky so they understand the limits of where and when unmanned aircraft may operate. This is critical as we move into an era where drones share airspace with commercial aircraft, emergency medical flights, low-altitude agricultural planes, and general aviation pilots. Our focus on safety in this legislation doesn't stop at promoting safe use of unmanned systems. Our legislation addresses safety issues across the aviation spectrum. Lithium batteries, the batteries that power laptops and mobile phones, have helped to grow our digital economy, but the bulk transport of these items poses serious shipping challenges. Our bill ensures swift implementation of new international safety standards for the bulk transport of these batteries. Although the sequence of events preceding the tragic Germanwings murder-suicide almost certainly would not have happened in the United States due to existing rules, our bill recognizes the importance of mental health and strengthens evaluations for commercial pilots. Our legislation also improves a voluntary safety reporting program for pilots and sets a deadline for creating a commercial pilot record database to ensure air carriers have all available information about pilots' training, testing, and employment histories when hiring. In response to an independent recommendation completed after our experience with the 2015 Ebola virus outbreak, our bill directs Federal agencies to establish aviation preparedness plans for any future outbreaks of communicable diseases. Our legislation also directs the FAA to update guidance regarding flight deck automation, such as the use of autopilot, a key factor in recent fatal accidents. This legislation also makes existing funds available for a $400 million increase in the Airport Improvement Program to strengthen infrastructure and safety measures at our airports. While our top priority is safety, the Senate's aviation bill also makes consumer friendly reforms to improve air travel for passengers. I commute weekly from my home in South Dakota to Washington, DC. So I understand the many frustrations that passengers face, and my colleagues and I are immensely proud of the pro-consumer provisions in this bill. Our legislation has been hailed by a consumer columnist for the Washington Post as ``one of the most passenger-friendly Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bills in a generation.'' Under our bill, airlines must return fees consumers have paid for baggage if items are lost or delayed. We also require airlines to automatically return fees for services purchased but not delivered so that travelers don't have to go through the hassle of trying to reclaim their money from an airline. And for customers frustrated by lengthy legal jargon that can make it difficult to understand fees, our bill creates a new and easy-to-read uniform standard for disclosing baggage, ticket change, seat selection, and other fees. Our proposal also helps families with children find flights where they can sit together without additional costs by requiring airlines to tell purchasers about available seat locations at the time of booking. As a resident of a rural State, the needs of the general aviation community were a priority of mine when we wrote this bill. I am pleased we were able to build a consensus for including reforms from the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 offered by many of my colleagues and led by Senators Inhofe and Manchin. These provisions include reforms to the third class medical certificate required for noncommercial pilots and new protections for pilots in their interactions with the FAA. To reduce the risk of aircraft accidents for low-altitude fliers, such as agricultural applicators, our bill includes requirements for highly visible physical markings on small towers posing hazards. This bill would also strengthen the aviation industry by improving the FAA's process for certifying aircraft designs and modifications and ensuring that these certifications benefit manufacturers competing in global markets. This would help manufacturers move U.S. aerospace products to market faster without compromising safety standards. While I expect and encourage robust debate on this bill, I hope the debate will go forward with the same bipartisan and constructive spirit that Senator Nelson and I witnessed during consideration of this bill in the Commerce Committee. At the committee markup, we voted to include dozens of amendments reflecting ideas from both sides of the aisle. On final passage, we approved this bill by a voice vote, without a single committee member recording an objection. Part of reaching this consensus was an agreement Senator Nelson and I had reached not to include certain proposals that would divide our colleagues. We worked hard to find middle ground on a number of issues to enable us to move this bill forward. Air traffic control reform and a passenger facility charge increase were excluded from the package because, at present, these proposals lack sufficient support and their inclusion could have jeopardized the legislation. Senator Nelson and I also agreed to limit the length of this bill to 18 months. This allows us to enact important reforms now while providing an opportunity to revisit other issues reasonably soon. As we debate this bill, we should remember the urgent need for safety improvements and good government reforms to improve our aviation industry. There are numerous reforms in this bill that are simply too important to delay, and I look forward to a productive debate. Finally, I took to the floor earlier this week to discuss the recent horrific attacks perpetrated by ISIS and the implications for security and our aviation policy. In addition to this FAA bill, the Commerce Committee has approved two bipartisan aviation security bills. The first is S. 2361, the Airport Security Enhancement and Oversight Act, which Senator Nelson and I introduced along with the bipartisan leadership of the Homeland Security Committee as cosponsors, and the second is H.R. 2843, which is the TSA PreCheck Expansion Act offered by Representative John Katko in the House. Historically, the Senate has passed aviation security enhancements separate from a reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration. While I still prefer this separate approach, I will pursue every option to enact these improvements and will vigorously oppose any efforts to water down the security enhancements in these bills. I know we all share the goal of keeping aviation secure, and I will listen to the views of my colleagues on whether we pursue enactment of these bipartisan aviation security proposals through this reauthorization or through separate legislation. I thank my partner on the Commerce Committee, Ranking Member Bill Nelson, as well as Senators Kelly Ayotte and Maria Cantwell, who lead our Aviation Subcommittee, for their work on the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act. I look forward to the ensuing debate on the bill, and I urge--at the end of that debate--my colleagues to move forward and pass this legislation because it is important for America's economy and the safety of our traveling public. I yield the floor.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 415, submitted earlier today.

Mr. THUNE. I further ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I rise to address last month's tragic terror attacks in Brussels and Istanbul by ISIS. It is critical for the Senate to consider these significant events as we get back to work on bills enhancing security and setting policies for air transportation. In Brussels, 35 innocent people, including four Americans, lost their lives in barbaric attacks by ISIS at a subway station and airport terminal. In Istanbul, an ISIS suicide bombing killed four on Central Street and left dozens more injured. My thoughts and prayers are with those injured, the families of the victims, and the citizens of Belgium and Turkey. In the past 2 years, ISIS has orchestrated 29 attacks on Western targets around the world, killing more than 650 innocent people. A decade ago, the group of violent jihadists behind ISIS fit a fairly conventional definition of a terrorist group. Operating in Iraq, they endeavored to kill Americans, Iraqis, and others working to build a free and democratic nation. Today, however, calling ISIS a mere terrorist group may not fully convey the seriousness of the problem. ISIS, or the so-called Islamic State, has taken control of a significant amount of territory in Iraq and Syria. Within this territory, ISIS has established a self- proclaimed capital city and effective sovereignty over other populated urban centers. It collects taxes, operates and profits from oil well operations, controls banking, and rules over substantial agricultural acreage. These operations help fund and sustain not only ISIS armed fighters but also the group's attempt to build actual institutions that spread its message of hate. Unfortunately, ISIS has enjoyed considerable success communicating and spreading its distorted vision of a grand Islamic caliphate claiming authority over all Muslims. Branches of ISIS, trying to replicate what has happened in Syria and Iraq, have taken root elsewhere and carried out operations in destabilized areas, including Libya, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, and Yemen. A recent report estimated that as many as 31,000 ISIS adherents have traveled from 86 countries to join the organization in Iraq and Syria. More than 5,000 of these recruits have come from Western Europe and 150 from the United States. In addition to those Americans who have actually traveled abroad, researchers at George Washington University estimated in December that there are 900 active investigations of ISIS sympathizers here in the United States. Let me repeat that--900 investigations of ISIS sympathizers here in the United States. This doesn't included those who have been radicalized without noticeable warning, such as a couple in San Bernardino who weren't known to authorities before they killed 14 in a shooting attack last December. Over the past few years, ISIS's reach has expanded dramatically, and claims that our current policies have contained the organizations and its dangerous message are both false and reckless. We have had some successes in targeting senior ISIS officials, but as we saw in Brussels, in San Bernardino, and elsewhere, those efforts have not lessened the threat posed by a terrorist state that is successfully propagating its ideology all over the world. So what can we do to protect against the threat posed by ISIS? Here are a few things: First, we need a President who is committed to forming a robust coalition to destroy ISIS abroad. Real American leadership against ISIS must be manifested in sustained engagement against the enemy. We need an administration intent on eliminating the group's sources of income and its control of territory which facilitates an illusion of legitimacy for its followers. Incremental progress is not enough. Indeed, the Washington Post reported last week that some terrorism experts believe pressure on the group's finances could make ISIS more dangerous and unpredictable until it is defeated. Second, we need to control our borders. We need to know who is coming in and out of our country and why. This includes screening travelers for ties to ISIS and to its sympathizers. One of the greatest threats facing Europe is citizens who leave their homes to fight for ISIS and then return to recruit or conduct operations in their communities. We also face this threat from European ISIS fighters, the return of American citizens who have fought for ISIS, and agents of ISIS posing as war refugees. Although we have passed bipartisan legislation to tighten some screening requirements, we need the administration to enforce the law rather than attempt to undermine and work around it. Third, as a final line of defense, we need to better secure the homeland. We must make sure the intelligence community, law enforcement, and Homeland Security officials have the tools they need to deter attacks and to stop plots before they are launched. This includes the need for constant reassessment of our vulnerabilities so we stay ahead of threats. Tomorrow I will chair a hearing at the Commerce Committee with Transportation Security Administration Administrator Peter Neffenger, who happened to be in Brussels during the March 22 attacks. While we mainly see and know the Transportation Security Administration or TSA as the agency behind airport screening of passengers and baggage, the organization actually has a much broader charge. TSA is the designated Federal agency for all transportation security matters. As we know from independent covert testing that exposed TSA failures a year ago, TSA still has work to do to improve screening at airports, but TSA also needs to focus on securing transportation by train, bus, pipelines, and through our ports. The diversity of the targets ISIS selected in its most recent attacks--a subway station, an unsecured airport terminal, and a busy street, underscores the challenge of protecting our citizens from an enemy seeking the path of least resistance to maximize its carnage. To stay ahead of this danger, security officials at TSA and other agencies need to be looking at potential threats before ISIS does. Congress has a role in helping security officials stay ahead of ISIS. Aided by congressional oversight and congressional watchdogs, the Commerce Committee has already approved bipartisan legislation that Senator Bill Nelson and I have offered to address airport security vulnerabilities. Our bill is cosponsored by the Homeland Security Committee's chair and ranking member, Senator Johnson and Senator Carper. Among other provisions, our legislation improves the vetting process for airport workers seeking or holding a security credential that grants access to restricted sections of an airport. Over the past few weeks, a number of badged aviation industry workers have been caught in the act helping criminal organizations. On March 18, a flight attendant abandoned a suitcase with 68 pounds of cocaine after she was confronted by airport security officials in California. In Florida, on March 26, an airline gate agent was arrested with a backpack containing $282,400 in cash that he intended to hand off to an associate. According to press reports, the agent told authorities the money was connected to illegal activity, but he knew few other details. Some of the perpetrators in the deadly attacks in Brussels were previously known to authorities as criminals--but not terrorists. As we work to address concerns about an insider threat scenario, where an aviation worker helps terrorists, criminals who have broken laws for their own financial gain and those with histories of violence are a good place to start. Ensuring that airport workers with security credentials are trustworthy is especially important, considering that ISIS in October killed 224 on a Russian flight leaving Egypt. Many experts believe this attack had help from an aviation employee. In S. 2361, the Airport Security Enhancement and Oversight Act, Senator Nelson and I propose not only tightening vetting procedures for workers who need a security credential, but we also expand the list of criminal convictions that disqualifies an applicant from holding one. At present, even applicants convicted for embezzlement, racketeering, perjury, robbery, sabotage, immigration law violations, and assault with a deadly weapon can still obtain an airport security badge granting access to restricted areas. Our bill closes this loophole while updating airport security rules, expanding random inspections of airport workers, and requiring the review of airport perimeter security. The Commerce Committee has also approved another TSA-related bill, H.R. 2843, the TSA PreCheck Expansion Act. This bill would expand participation in the TSA precheck application program by developing private sector partnerships and capabilities to vet and enroll more individuals. As a result, more passengers would be vetted before they even arrived at the airport and received expedited screening. This would get passengers through security checkpoints more quickly to ensure they don't pose the kind of easy target that ISIS suicide bombers found at the Brussels Airport. Historically, this body has passed aviation security enhancements separate from a reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration. While I still prefer this separate approach and believe the Senate should pass our consensus security legislation without delay, I will pursue every option to enact these improvements and will vigorously oppose any effort to water down any security efforts that passed the Commerce Committee. As we look at ISIS and consider necessary steps to stop attacks, let's remember our recent history of fighting terrorism. In the 1990s, our Nation not only fell behind on intelligence and airport security, but we did not act with force against Al Qaeda's enclaves in Afghanistan. This was true even after we recognized a significant threat following attacks on our embassies in East Africa and on the USS Cole in Yemen. Only after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon did our Nation pursue a strong military response and adopt significant reforms to enhance our Homeland Security. Like Al Qaeda, ISIS is now a significant danger. While we are doing more to push our Homeland Security and intelligence agencies to meet current and future threats, we are unwise to allow this enemy time and multiple chances to inflict mass casualties. As a legislative body, we have already passed legislation closing a border security vulnerability in our Visa Waiver Program and have an opportunity in the bill that Senator Nelson and I have offered to guard against an insider threat at airports. As lawmakers, we are going in the right direction. However, our responsibility to the people we represent does not end there. Until this administration or its successor changes the facts on the ground, we also have an obligation to speak about the continued threat of ISIS, especially when the administration downplays the need for a more aggressive response. We have an obligation to continue discussing the genocide of Christians and other religious groups in areas under ISIS control, and we have an obligation to scrutinize Executive actions and conduct rigorous oversight of administration initiatives that pose risks to our homeland. If we can't do this, we have learned very little. I yield the floor.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, today I recognize Shukri Jama, an intern in my Washington, DC, office for all of the hard work she has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota. Shukri is a graduate of South Sioux City High School in South Sioux City, NE. Currently, Shukri is attending the University of South Dakota, where she is majoring in political science and history. Shukri is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of her experience. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Shukri Jama for all of the fine work she has done and wish her continued success in the years to come.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, today I recognize Adam Kost, an intern in my Washington, DC, office for all of the hard work he has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota. Adam is a graduate of Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, SD. Currently, Adam is attending Augustana University, where he is majoring in government and international affairs. Adam is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of his experience. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Adam Kost for all of the fine work he has done and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, today I recognize Sarah Wedel, an intern in my Washington, DC, office for all of the hard work she has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota. Sarah is a graduate of James Valley Christian School in Huron, SD. Currently, Sarah is currently attending Northwestern College, where she is majoring in journalism and history. Sarah is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of her experience. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Sarah Wedel for all of the fine work she has done and wish her continued success in the years to come.