We leave a last minute or so of that interview to take you like to the u. S. Senate about to gamble in print lawmakers expected to work on 2018 defense programs and policies. Starting of the session with a moment of silence for the 16th anniversary of the 911 attacks. Will take you life out to the floor of the senate. Here on cspan2. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Eternal god, our shelter and shield, today we remember 9 11. As we recall the tragedy and and heroism of that day, we better understand that freedom isnt free. We remember how the pain united us so that we knew that we were not hyphenated americans, but one people. Infuse us in these contentious times with a similar spirit of oneness inspiring us to work for the wellbeing of all people. Lord, we are grateful for the protection you have provided us for the 16 years since this calamitous day. May we continue to trust you to be our refuge for the future of this land we love. Continue to use our lawmakers as instruments of your peace, as they strive to make justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. We pray in your strong name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The presiding officer the senate will come to order. The senate will observe a moment of silence in remembrance of the lives lost in the attack of september 11, 2001. [moment of silence] the presiding officer mr. Presi dent. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell today we open the senate with a moment of silence. We remember all those lost 16 years ago on september 11, 2001, a day that changed our nation in profound ways. It wrenched our heart with grief. It opened our eyes to cruel wrath from afar. But it could neither extinguish the basic dignity that defines us as a people or the humanity that defines us as a nation. It could not stop First Responders from rushing towards danger to save others, could not stop americans from donating to those in need or volunteering their time to help. It could not stop the people of our country from being who they are kind, caring, compassionate. Its the same spirit we see again in response to Hurricane Harvey. Its the same spirit thats giving hope to those in the past of Hurricane Irma. Although the full extent of irmas impact will not be known for some time its clear this intense storm is causing widespread damage and its clear that the recovery will require a massive undertaking. Our thoughts are with those in the area affected by irma. Were again prepared to play our role in the recovery, passed a critical down payment on relief last week. If more assistance is required of irma, were ready to do whats needed. Whats most important, i think, is the knowledge that the American People and our First Responders will again be there to reach out to do whatever is needed to help. Thats especially true on a day like today. Well never forget the thousands of innocent lives taken from us 16 years ago. Well never forget the heroism our First Responders and the compassion of our neighbors. Nor will we forget the thousands of men and women who stood guard to protect us every day since. Our Service Members voluntarily put their lives on the line to protect us, and in return we must keep our commitments to them. Today we begin debate on the National Defense authorization act, the bill that allows congress to authorize the resources, capabilities and pay and benefits that our men and women in uniform need to perform their missions. For more than five Decades Congress has acted every year to fulfill this responsibility by passing the Defense Authorization bill. Well have our opportunity to do so again this week. This legislation which was reported out of committee unanimously will signal support for our Service Members with more of the capabilities they need to be successful against an array of threats all across the globe. After years of failed defense policy under the Previous Administration, this years ndaa will make significant and necessary strides toward keeping americans safer. It will do so by authorizing the beginning steps to rebuild our military, to invest in modernization and to restore readiness. By reforming the pentagon and reducing waste, by restoring Missile Defense and responding to Cyber Threats and by reviving troop morale with the pay increase they deserve and continued reform of the benefits that they and their families rely on. I think its fair to say that no senator understands the importance of this legislation quite like senator mccain, the chairman of the Armed Services committee. His commitment to our nations heroes is unfailing, which is why amides his own battle, chairman mccain has returned to the senate to manage in bill and see it through to passage. Were all proud to have him with us now. So as we begin considering this bipartisan Defense Authorization, members from both sides will have opportunities to work with senator mccain and to offer amendments. Ultimately well keep working to find consensus so that we can pass this critical defense legislation without further delay. Mr. Schumer mr. President. The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer 16 years ago today my city, our country changed forever. On september 11, 2001, our country was attacked, the world trade towers fell, and gone in flames, smoke rising the pentagon was in flames and spoke rising from an empty field in pennsylvania reminded us that conspirators planned greater construction. It was a day of fear and helplessness, phones ringing endlessly when they worked, husbands calling wives, wives calling their husbands, folks in search of brothers and sisters and neighbors and colleagues. Ill never forget the next day, mr. President. President bush provided planes so that p senator clinton and i could fly back to new york. The smell of death was in the air. Lined up outside before you entered the ground where the twin towers were were hundreds of People Holding signs, little signs with picture. Have you seen my father jim . Have you seen my daughter mary . That stays with me forever. More than 3,000 souls were taken with us. A guy i played basketball with in high school, a businessman who helped me on my way up, a firefighter who i did blood drives with. It was one of the bloodiest days on american soil since the civil war. On september 12 of 2001, i called on americans to wear the flag, a sign of solidarity. Ive worn this flag every day since in remembrance of those who were lost and those brave souls who tried to rush to the towers to find those who still might be alive. God willing, i will wear it every day of my life for the rest of my life. September 11 was one of those before and after moments. Nothing was the same since. We were awakened to a new manner of evil that had previously been beyond our imagination. But on this day, as we solemnly remember those who were taken from us, let us also remember what that day revealed about us. On a normal day we value heroism because its uncommon wrote nancy gibbs of Time Magazine three days after the attack. On september 11, we valued heroism because it was everywhere. Firefighters and police unions, police and Union Workers searched undaunted through dust and smoke, through fire and ash for citizens who might still be alive trapped in the rubble. Average americans pulled the wounded to safety, folks from coast to coast lined up for blood drives and pooled their money for donations. Ill never forget the picture of a man who owned a shoe store two blocks north of the towers who was just giving out shoes to everybody because they didnt have theirs as they had rushed to get out of the towers. Just a small act of charity and selflessness repeated over and over again, because those kind of acts are deep in the american soul. Mr. President , this morning i came from the 9 11 memorial in new york city. Where once there were mighty towers, now there are two deep scars in the earth. But all around the memorial, new york city is alive and thriving. In the days after they wrote it off, they said no one will live south of canal or chambers street. Companies will flee and new yorks greatest days are over. But we new yorkers are a tough breed. We rebuilt. We came back stronger. On this day we should always remember that beside our distinctive spirit of independence, resilience and uncommon heroism are also essential parts of the american character. And i do have to say how proud i am of my city. Downtown is bustling. 50,000 people live there who didnt live there before. Businesses are relocated. Its a new in area. Bin laden is gone. The evil men with him are gone. We thrive. God bless america. On irma, as Hurricane Irma continues to buffett florida, our thoughts and prayers are with the people of florida and the rest of the southeast that is in the storms path. I and the Democratic Caucus stand ready to work with the majority leader and his caucus, members of the administration and officials in florida to provide them with the resources and aid they need. Just as we were able to speedily pass an aid package after harvey, i expect well come together to support and rescue Recovery Efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma and in some of the other disasters, particularly the fires out west. On ndaa, finally, mr. President , this week well begin consideration of the National Defense authorization act as we do each year. As usual, there are hundreds of amendments that have already been filed, a whole lot of tough issues to consider. We democrats want to work in a constructive and productive manner to process as many of these amendments as possible and work through even the most difficult of issues. I know that chairman mccain, Ranking Member reed have an excellent working relationship as well as a great deal of respect for one another. I hope they can build a strong managers package that will be acceptable to both sides. I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call the presiding officer without objection. The assistant democratic leader. Mr. Durbin i ask the quorum call be suspended. The presiding officer without objection. Under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to h. R. 2810, which the clerk will report. The clerk motion to proceed to calendar number 175, h. R. 2810, an act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the department of defense, and so forth and for other purposes. The presiding officer the assistant democratic leader. Mr. Durbin mr. President , i ask consent to speak in morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Durbin thank you, mr. President. So when we finish this period of morning business, which is open to speeches and statements on many different topics, we will then go to the Defense Authorization bill. Our process in the senate is to authorize spending and then appropriate the money for the actual spending. Occasionally, those two things are in sync, but many times they are not. Im afraid what we phrase today is uncertainty. Senator mccain, who is the chairman of the Defense Authorization committee, will bring his proposal to the floor, but its at a spending level which is not allowed by current law. The budget control act will not allow senator mccain or the senate to spend at the level that he wants to spend. I can make good argument that the statutory level that were required to hold to is inadequate to our National Defense, but if were honest about taking care of the problem, we not only have to pass this authorization bill, we have got to change the budget control act so that we can put more money into our National Defense. That debate will get started this week. It is near and dear to senator mccains heart. He works hard on it each year with senator jack reed, a democrat of rhode island, and there will be many amendments, im sure, considered during the course of this week on Defense Authorization. What i come to the floor to speak to under morning business is not that issue. It is the issue of daca, dreamers, and it was just six days ago that the announcement by the attorney general, jeff sessions, was made that he was going to rescind the daca program. A quick history. 16 years ago, i introduced a bill called the dream act. The dream act was written to take care of young people brought to the United States as infants and toddlers and young boys and girls by their parents who grew up in this country, didnt get into trouble with the law, went and finished school, and always thought that they were going to be americans, that they would use their education and their skills to build a life in this country. However, because their parents either came here undocumented or didnt file the appropriate papers, these young people are literally without a country, a country they have grown up in does not accept them under the law. So 16 years ago, i introduced the dream act. It said lets take care of this problem. These young people through no fault of their own should be given a chance to stay in this country and be part of its future. I have passed it in the senate. I have seen it passed in the house. We have never quite been able to bring it together in any one year and pass both chambers, and so it is not the law of the land. 16 years ago, i introduced it. It is still not the law of the land. In the meantime, senator obama, my colleague in the senate, cosponsored the dream act and then got a promotion, and as president of the United States, i asked him can you do something to protect these young people from being deported . And he said he would, so he created by executive order something known as daca, a daca program where young people come forward, turn themselves in, register with the United States, pay a filing fee to cover all the costs of the process, and go through a criminal background check, and if they are approved and cleared, then for two years, they can stay in the United States without fear of being deported, and theyre allowed to work. Then two years later, its renewable. Well, over the years since president obama did that, 780,000 young people signed up, went through the background check and were approved under daca. Last week, President Trump announced through his attorney general that he was going to rescind the daca program. So the 780,000 young people had their future in doubt. They dont know which way theyre going to turn. This creates serious problems, as you might imagine. The young people who are affected by it were affected emotionally, i would be, too, because they dont know whats going to happen next. They dont know if they are going to be allowed to stay in this country, deported from this country, whether they can work legally or not work. Theyre waiting for congress to give the answer, and the president says hes waiting for congress to give the answer. Last friday, i went back to chicago, which im honored to represent the senate, and i visited loyola universitys school of medicine. Its known as the Stritch School of medicine. Let me say at the outset how proud i am to represent the city and especially to represent loyola university. Heres what they did in their medical school. When president obama created daca. They said we will open up competition for our medical school to include those who are protected by daca. We wont give them special slots, we wont give them a quota. They can compete with everybody else who wants to go to our medical school. And do you know what happened . At the end of the day, 32 of those daca applicants scored so highly that they were accepted at Loyola Medical School and are now in two or three different years of classes. Its amazing. For many of them, all over the United States, they grew up without legal citizenship status, always dreaming of being doctors, and it was just impossible. They knew that no medical school would accept them. And here loyola said we will accept you. And they got their chance, 32 of them. Now there is more to the story. These young people do not qualify for any government assistance from the federal government. Because theyre undocumented, they dont qualify for pell grants, they dont qualify for federal government loans. Medical schools expensive. How are they going to do it . They worked their way through college by paying out of their own pocket, working jobs. How are they going to do medical school . While our state, the state of illinois under governor pat quinn, renewed under the next governor, created a loan program for them where they could borrow money from the state. But there was a catch. For every year they borrowed money to go to medical school at loyola, they had to pledge that they would give one year of service of their lives as doctors in underserved communities in our state. They did it. 32 of them signed up for it. And im really proud to say the program has been a terrific success in our state. They are just extraordinary. Along with the other students at the medical school, they are special people, and they come from all over the world, and theyre all in this similar predicament, but until last week, they were protected by daca. Now, what happens when you take away the daca