virtually every republican and democrat in this body would vote it. bring it up. let's vote for it. nonsense. it. the leader owes that to the american people. that to the american people. the conscience of the nation. simply a dy who is foil for the latest tweet or posting. it.can do we've passed these bills before. bring them up. bring them up. up.ng them and pass them again. republicans and democrats have past. for them in the the republican chairman and i strongly support them. bring them up. up.g them bring them up and pass them. and open the government. and let 800,000 americans stop suffering.

i yield to the floor. suggest, mr. president -- the be tor seeking to recognized. >> thank you, senator leahy. today todent, i advise speak about the bill that we're working on today, senate bill strengthening america's security in the middle east. i'm proud to be a sponsor of along with tion senator rubio. for attempting to move forward with this important legislation an effort delay.t this bill combines four noncontroversial, i think that's mportant to recognize, this bill combines four noncontroversial pieces of legislation from the 115th intended to are support our strong allies, israel and jordan, and to impose the gross gainst human rights abuses of the bashar assad regime in syria. ally in the ronger middle east than the state of

israel. israel has proven itself to be a resilient beacon of democratic facing threats daily since its founding in 1948. ur two nations have worked closely to stop terrorism, to spread of terrorism and chemical weapons proliferation regimes like syria and iran. the legislation today will support for strong israel including $3.3 billion securityin annual u.s. assistance. that's consistent with the understanding which was signed by, in 2016, president obama. and the 115th congress, 72 senators, 72 senators, democrats, and co-sponsored this legislation. t passed in the senate unanimously on august 1 of 2018. there is no reason why my the aisle across should not support this

legislation today. o reason, in order to show our strong bipartisan support to our at a and ally, israel, time of great need. this package also includes rovision supporting state governmentes that have taken action against the anti-israel nd anti-semitic movement known ment sanctions.st this legislation before us today simply endorses those decisions clarifies that these measures adopted or enforced by state or local government are preempted by any federal law if they comply with the in the legislation. this anti-legislation had 48 co-sponsors in the 115th congress. there is no reason it should not bipartisan th support today. vial movement. --vial movement and should be vo

opposed by both democrats and republicans. letter be t the entered into the record. 14 of my colleagues, a letter to leader, democratic leader, to take immediate action against bds. that letter we asked for immediate bipartisan response including moving today's that we move this bill forward. -- here's what 5, old schumer on march 2018. we must continue to stand firm biased the profoundly to de legitimize israel. tunnelists. its

skwoers of nations punish homosalt. single israel out alone for condemnation when standard,uch a double when the world treats everybody one way and the jew or jewish state another way. only one word for it. anti-semitism. let's us call out the movement what it is. by us de legitimize them letting the world know when there is a double standard. not theyhey know it or are participating in an anti-semitic movement. those are the words of democratic minority leader. completely agree with senator schumer. it's regrettable. it's unfortunate, it's horrible. it's also part of a new and disturbing trend that we see our colleagues in the democratic caucus because as we noted, several members of the house of representatives have

publicly endorsed bds and have condemned by senator schumer and other democratic leaders. we saw the manifestation of this trend two days ago when a democratic representative issued a statement alleging the the ors who introduced bill, myself included, forget what country they represent. a reprehensible charge of dual loyalty unbefitting of a sitting member of congress and we all need to come together to insinuations.ial i'm glad to see the respected nonpartisan organizations like jewish coalition committee have now issued strong rebuking this democratic member of congress. ajc is reads in part, posted. at the tweet they forgot what think they represent. that assertion which completely legitimate debate about the content of the bill itself, that long serving

senators are somehow more loyal o israel than they are to the united states. the charge evokes anti-semitic in thisout dual loyalty case applied to some law makers who are not jewish and have no lace in our political discourse. i ask unanimous consent that the statement be entered into the record. objection. >> i believe this body can do different. i ask my colleagues to put aside, vote yes on the motion to proceed to this legislation that will help security r national and take a strong action against bds.cist movement known as i know there are some who believe we should shut the because of the current funding situation in the federal government but let me in 2013, s chamber, under democratic majority leader harry reid what was voted on the shutdown in 2013. here it is. a bill to authorize the secretary of the interior to actions to implement the agreement between the united unitedof america and the mexican states concerning

hydrocarbon reservoirs in the gulf of mexico. it was okay to find time for that measure. in 2013, while complaining about finding time for other measures right now, during the shutdown found time to address security clearance, enhancement orm act. they found time for the small airplane revitalization act. found time to ensure that requirement for people operating commercial disorders are ep adopted. ow they don't want to bring up anti-bds legislation because we shouldn't be talking about anything else. time to vote on things and consider things like o extend the period during which iraqis employed by the united states, temporarily the fee or surcharge. i'm not downplaying the importance of these bills. to be a g there seems

significant double standard. a significant partisan double because what's being complained about today is the same thing that was fine in 2013. to vote on a couple of istrict judges as well but now there is no time for that. people are saying that we shouldn't vote on this until the government is funded. i have said it very clearly, we government. the but what also needs to be very clear is how people will vote on legislation. to not hide behind the shutdown would vote on anti-bds legislation. we've heard the rhetoric. we've heard the very real comments from not fictitious embers of congress but from actual members of congress who an anti-semitic movement. condemn it today with a simple vote, that people don't ant to take too much time to debate on it.

everyone knows it's right to anti-bds position, they know it's right to oppose ashar assad and the other tortuous actions he's taken against his own people. pretty simple vote on. his motion to proceed, vote yes. support the underlying legislation. members, republicans and democrats last year upported this legislation, voted for this legislation. hope they won't let partisan politics get in the way of doing what's right. the resident, i yield floor. >> mr. president. mr. president, we're now in an unnecessary and shameful partial government shutdown. i'm proud to be on the floor ith the senior senator from maryland, ben cardin.

i'm proud to and clear that the first order of business in this should be es senate to reopen the federal government. every day that goes by more and more americans are to important government services and 800,000 federal employees facingng without pay and mounting monthly bills. are working without pay. to help protect our country. 300,000 are forcibly furloughed. small businesses who do contract government are getting clobbered as are the them.ees who work for mr. president, we have it within ur power to vote tonight, to end this shutdown by voting on

passed the s that house of representatives last thursday. hey made it their first order of business, so should we. >> mr. president, i have copies of those bills. a copy right here in my hand of hj ray one. would reopen the homeland ecurity department at current levels until february 8, allowing us an opportunity to iscuss with the president the best and most effective approach to border security. it is identical to what this bipartisan d on a basis just before christmas. bill, mr. president that passed the house, and i ave that right here at my desk as well, it would reopen the other eight departments of the government for the emainder of the fiscal year, and importantly, at levels that were supported in this senate on

either isan basis through votes on this senate floor or in the senate committee.ons hj-res 1 and lls, hr-21, are on the senate calendar. up and we can em vote tonight to end the shutdown.t and then we can have a discussion with the president on he best way to secure our borders but let's stop holding he entire nation and 800,000 hard working federal employees hostage in a disagreement they to do with.hing now, president trump did say that he was going to be proud to and he n the government did it. in every day that goes by this senate without a vote on the house bills to reopen the overnment makes this senate complicit in the

shutdown. no senator should be contracting out their constitutional and their votes to the president of the united states. accomplice to this shutdown. let's bring up the vote. bill. up the vote on it now. tonight.ss as usual and let's first of all do the people's business and reopen the let's do it now and proud to give time to senator carden, my friend and senator from maryland. mr. president, the senator from maryland. take this ident, i time to support what senator van holland has said. underscore when i'm ere with senator warren and mccain, we have the honor of representing so many federal underscore want to one point that senator van holland made about the two bills our calendar.

these are not democratic bills, they are bipartisan bills. passed this s that body just a few weeks ago by unanimous vote to keep the overnment open as we onto to negotiate on border security. deal with appropriation bills that pay the appropriations committees, in in one , unanimously, case it was all but one senator voting for it. bipartisan bills that have been sent over to us from the house that have already this body once. now we can pass them, keep the government open for most of the agencies, in the case of omeland security, a continuing resolution. mr. president, this shutdown aused by president trump, is a disaster. it's hurting peep. this morning in the sun paper, article about an important economic development project in baltimore city on the that can't move

forward because hud can't process the paperwork so it can forward. we're getting hurt every day. holland mentioned the 800,000 federal workers. bout half are being asked to show up at work every day check. a pay the others are being locked out and furloughed without pay. getting hurt. taxpayers of this country expect to be able to get government agencies, om their and they can't get those services. they are being hurt. contractors are being hurt. small businesses are being hurt. hurt.r economy is being makes no sense whatsoever. the first order of business make sure that se, let's

we get these bills passed so now.we can open government he senate should not be complicit in the shutdown that president trump caused. in good faith. open up government. negotiate board security. f we can't get that done quickly we can at least have a continuing resolution and continue our debate on border but don't hold the american people hostage. that's exactly what the united states e is trying to do. >> mr. president, i would yield the floor to senator warner. president. >> the senator from virginia. consent that mous myself and senator cane each be ermitted to speak up to five minutes prior to the scheduled vote s. there an objection? want to joinent, i my colleagues from maryland and from end, the senator virginia as well. speak out on this manufactured crisis. this president, who is holding

federal workers hostage, work without g to pay. others are furloughed. this is not just affecting workers. we've been talked to by a number of contractors, small business owners. were closing em their doors this week because they have now gone for weeks paid.t being you can't put a business back together after you've closed your doors. so the 800,000 federal employees, the contractors, but here are a whole slew of other folks who are immediately affected. complete lack of thought by the administration in this saydown where they tried to we won't make it seem like a hutdown so we'll leave parks open. now we see destruction going on parks. in our state, trash overfilling, have fields where people also had inappropriate

activities. and we've seen as well a whole businesses that depend upon a high volumele of tourist travel during the holidays. none of that took place. >> mr. president, i also wonder donald trump, who says this is about security, if it's about security, we've got to make sure our coast guard is paid. we've got to make sure our tsa agents are paid. dramatic numbers of folks calling in sick, ramatically reducing the ability to maintain security at airports, or where most of the verne ability takes place. this will get worse on friday their ey go without paycheck. these workers don't work for donald trump. hey work for america and echoing what my colleagues have head, our first order of sureess ought to be making that we get this government reopened. to make point i want is this.

he heartlessness of this president and his comments about our federal work force, that somehow they can manage through paycheck, somehow they can negotiate with their landlord if they can't pay their than donald trump putting on a political show tonight on tv and a political to the border tomorrow, i invite the president to come nywhere in virginia, maryland, or the district and sit down with federal employees and explain this crisis and why they paid.t getting so my hope is, echoing what our maryland have said, senate shouldn't be barclays complicit. friend, tim good cane. >> i ask unanimous consent that remarks the senator be permitted to speak up to five minutes. >> any objection? objection.

>> mr. president, tonight ollowing this vote, senator sheahan and i have organized a group of more than 15 democrats talk ll take the floor to about the effect of the government shutdown in each of states. we'll talk about the effect on workers, families, and citizens and i don't ces, want to repeat what i will say n about an hour but i want to address the issue of the vote that's now coming before us. the vote is a vote to proceed to a number of issues that are important to the security of other nations. co-sponsor of one of the bills that's before us, a assistance ecurity bill, and strongly, strongly support it. but as passionate as i have been the nation rity of of israel, i'm every bit as about the security of the united states. first business of this senate should be to

reopen the government of the united states. take any other action or focus on any other issue, we have bipartisan bills pending in the senate, that have supported by our republican colleagues that would reopen by those , to skip bills and push them aside, what, longer, her 18 days or makes absolutely no sense. o i'll be opposing the motion that's on the floor this evening because the first business of reopen y should be to government. i think of the question that lincoln raised at gettysburg. e talked about this nation dedicated to the proposition that all are created equal and any uestion about whether nation dedicated to that proposition can long endure. lincoln,hink president the founder of the modern epublican party, would have supported a government shutdown

for a year, for a week, for a minute. for a this issue that's on the table enduranceis about the of the united states government and giving people confidence in the at we support government's operation. we should not take up other the until we take up bipartisan proposal before this ody and make sure that the government of the united states is funded, and that people are protected. president, i . yield the floor. >> mr. president. >> the senator from idaho. mr. president, fellow senators, i rise to present senate bill number one. the strengthening of america's security in the middle east act 2019. it is really a compilation of addressing three different issues in the middle east. it's left over from the last congress, from the 115th.

it's fitting that the first legislation on the senate floor in the 116th congress is made up of bills the first piece of legislation on the senate floor is made up of bills that have previously enjoyed the support of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. this is a bipartisan piece of legislation. all three of them that are put together in this dealt with many senators, from both sides of the aisle, having contributed to the construction of this bill. important get this work done now, not in a month or two. it is left over business, as i said, and it is about as unanimous as anything around here guesets. i understand there is friction at the moment, as my good friend from virginia just talked about, but we are the united states senate. we can walk and we can chew gum at the same time. these issues that are in this

bill desperately need our attention, and it is disheartening to see that there is going to be a vote against this. a less intrusive government, a less regulatory government, but we were elected to govern. we were not elected to not govern, and it is important that we do resolve that. but in the meantime, we have these important matters left over from the last congress, and i hope that we can move to them and get them done. israel and jordan have been steadfast allies of france and the united states. this legislation reaffirms our strong relationship with the country and extent critical allies. jordan deserved the cooperation that this legislation will extent. we should not let them down. also included is the user civilian protection act, which passed byrly unanimous consent in the closing

hours and minutes of the last congress. there was one objection to it, but 99 senators agreed to the fact. that bill declares that it is u.s. policy to use all diplomatic and economic means to compel the government of bashar al-assad to stop the slaughter of the syrian people and work government.ocratic mr. president, sanctions are an important tool of u.s. foreign-policy. carefully defined sanctions allow the united states to create the decisions to influence decision-making and serve u.s. national security interests without having to implement additional military measures and put u.s. troops in harms way. this method, the sanctions method, has been particularly effective in some very important situations. the civilian protections act includes strong financial sanctions to target those

individuals responsible in the assad regime for the terrible loss of life and destruction in syria. further to those who support the syrian regime actions in the war syria, such as iran and russia. it necessitates getting iran out of syria. encourage politically negotiated solutions that will have a major change in the .urrent syrian regime structure with nearly 500,000 killed in syria, this legislation is deserved, and it is long overdue. pressurexert maximum in coordination with our allies and friends to bring the syrian dictator assad and his iranian friends and their allies to account. it is my hope that the senate can move to this bill and take up this important legislation with its three-pronged approach

that supports our important allies. let's not let these allies down. again, i come back to i understand there is some friction here on other issues, but the vote right now is do you or do you not support the allies and the civilian population of syria, who are being slaughtered in the fashion that they have. my fellow senators, i urge an affirmative vote. on this good piece of legislation. . and you, mr. president. i healed the floor. -- i yield the floor. >> mr. president, what is before us today is senate bill one, and watching or will watch this later, and are senateng what the is doing coming down here and giving speeches, we are trying to discuss a bill on senate bill number one, and that is the senate's effort