Floor on cspan2. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Eternal god, from the rising of the sun until its setting, you remain the same. We find solace in your changeless faithfulness; your mercies sustain us each hour. Lord, do not keep silent as our lawmakers grapple with the great issues of our time. Reveal your purposes to them, guiding them on the paths of courage and obedience. Lord, remind them that you appointed them to their work, and they are accountable to you. May they not forget that you are the supreme judge of the universe in whose presence humanity must one day stand. We pray in your holy 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 senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley i ask to speak in morning business for one minute. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley as democrats in the house of representatives work to pass Speaker Pelosis Prescription Drug bill, i remind my colleagues that for any bill to become law, it must be bipartisan and President Trump must be able to sign it. Unlike current house efforts, the grassleywyden Prescription Drug pricing reduction act fits the bill. Its bipartisan, and President Trump has endorsed it. My republican colleagues in the house recently pointed to it in other words, the grassleywyden bill during an energy and Commerce Committee hearing as the only path forward to lower Prescription Drug prices. I welcome this support from republicans in the house of representatives. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell madam president. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell this week will provide an opportunity for our democratic colleagues to prove that their longstanding goal of impeaching the president is not, not getting in the way of their ability to legislate. The speaker of the house and the democratic leader have taken pains to insist that their partys impeachment obsession will not block important business for the American People. Well, were going to find out. As soon as the senate completes the domestic funding legislation were currently considering, well turn back to our National Defense and give Senate Democrats another chance to advance the funding for our armed forces which they chose to filibuster just last month. In other words, this week will bring a litmus test for washington democrats so consumed by impeachment that they cannot even fund our men and women in uniform. Do our Service Members really need to be pawns in the democrats fight with the white house . Its hard to imagine a more basic legislative responsibility than funding the department of defense. We need to fund the tools and training that our men and women in uniform need to carry out their missions. We need to give our military commanders the resources to keep pace with major competitors like china, which has nearly doubled its military spending over the past decade. In recent days our democrat colleagues have publicly railed against the administrations approach to syria and the middle east without, i would note, offering much of a strategy of their own. But if they vote to block defense funding later this week, they will literally be obstructing the very funding to carry out the missions they say are so important. The last few days have shown especially clearly that American Forces remain in harms way every day and their missions do not pause just because some politicians dont find it convenient to fund them. We owe the pentagon the budgetary certainty it needs to maintain the readiness of our military forces and invest in the capabilities needed to sustain our military edge into the future. We also need to be good, reliable partners to our friends and allies. So get this, madam president. This appropriations bill would fund 250 million in military assistance for ukraine under the Ukraine Security assistance initiative. If that sounds familiar, that would be the exact same program that democrats are currently trying to impeach the president for allegedly slowwalking. So welcome to washington, where democrats try to impeach President Trump for supposedly slowwalking aid for ukraine and simultaneously filibuster the funding for the exact same Ukraine Program here in the senate. Welcome to washington. I think its safe to say that would elevate irony to a whole new art form. I hope it doesnt come to that. I hope instead that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle will land on the same side when it comes to support for the men and women who keep us safe and for our vulnerable International Partners who look to us for leadership. On another matter, this week we will vote on another effort by our democratic colleagues to undo successful Trump Administration policy. In recent days our colleagues across the aisle have forced two failed votes on similar resolutions. One would have cut taxes for the wealthiest residents of blue states at the expense of working families everywhere else. The other would have resurrected an obamaera proposal to bury American Energy under red tape. Both those efforts failed, but our democratic colleagues are back at it, back at it with another bad policy. This time theyd like to reverse Trump Administration guidance that has reduced Health Care Premiums for American Families and reaffirm protections for those with preexisting conditions. So, madam president , section 1332 of obamacare gives states the opportunity to escape some of that laws worst burdens. States have the opportunity to apply for waivers that allow for more types of Health Insurance plans and more options for consumers. More than a dozen states have had these waivers approved. Not just red states. Democratic governors in places like colorado, delaware, and rhode island have applied for and received these waivers. Where governors of both parties are embracing this opportunity, good things are happening. According to one analysis, the seven states where new waivers were implemented during the Trump Administration have seen premiums decline, decline by 7. 5 . The Trump Administration guidance continues this success and gives states even more of what they asked for, even more flexibility to escape obamacares burdens, more choices for consumers and lower premiums. But apparently our democratic colleagues are not terribly fond of letting states shake off the unhelpful strictures of obamacare. Perhaps it makes their signature law look bad that governors of both parties are eager to escape from it. But that cant be their public argument. So in their effort to reduce this flexibility some democrats are rehashing tired old claims about a conspiracy to hurt americans with preexisting conditions. Republicans have been clear and weve been consistent. We support protections for americans with preexisting conditions. The c. M. S. Administrator has specifically stated that, quote, a section 1332 waiver cannot, cannot undermine coverage for people with preexisting conditions. Thats the head of c. M. S. In fact, it is this Trump Administration policy that will help American Families, including those with preexisting conditions, by helping to bring down the soaring premiums and restore the dwindling options that obamacares failures have brought about. So i would urge the senate to reject this misguided resolution. We dont need Health Care Policy from the supporters of medicare for none. Democrats grand scheme to take away the Health Insurance plans of 180 million americans, and replace it with onesizefitsall government plans. Americans deserve more say, not less. On one final matter, when i joined President Trump last year as he signed the farm bill, we marked a new chapter for an historic american crop. In a victory for growers, processors and manufacturers across the country, especially in my state of kentucky, the initiative for full hemp legalization became law. Now this morning the u. S. Department of agriculture plans to take the important next step. Secretary perdue will release a new usda legislation to implement my initiative and move hemp closer to being treated like every other commodity. This will help farmers around the country continue pioneering this crop into the 21st century. And im proud to say kentucky is prepared to take the lead. For generations our growers and producers have made the bluegrass state an agricultural powerhouse, well positioned at the forefront of hemps resurgence. Following the downturn in tobacco, it was my tobacco buyout legislation that helped farmers transition toward new opportunities and a growing number are looking to this past crop, one grown by washington, jefferson, and henry clay, as they plan for the future. As the buyout payments came to an end, i secured the creation of hemp pilot projects programs in the 2014 farm bill, empowering farmers and researchers to begin a multiyear experiment with hemps capabilities. Thanks to leaders like agriculture commissioner ryan quarles and james comer, kentucky was leading the charge. The results were clear, the Pilot Program is working so we knew the 2018 farm bill had to take the next step. Im grateful to Agriculture Committee chairman pat roberts who included my Hemp Initiative in the bill that is now law. Id also like to thank the many members on both sides of the aisle, including senator ron wyden, who helped in the effort as well. My hemp provisions in the farm bill directed usda to craft a new Regulatory Framework so hemp could be cultivated nationwide. And with each state given the opportunity to develop its own plan for hemp oversight. Im grateful secretary purdue accepted my invasion for the Kentucky Hemp tour so he could see our progress up close and learn from Kentucky Hemp farmers and regulators as usda developed its policies. This year alone hemp is growing on more than 26,000 acres in kentucky, across 101 of our 120 counties. It supports hundreds of jobs and tens of millions in sales. So impressed upon usda the need to finalize this framework before the 2020 growing season and id like to thank secretary purdue and the usda for fulfilling this commitment with the anathema were expected later this morning. I look forward to reviewing usdas guidelines and hearing from hemp stakeholders around the country. Our work to support the future of hemp is hardly over. There are ongoing conversations with the f. D. A. On c. B. D. Products, ongoing work to help growers and retailers to access credit and financial products. There will inevitably be ups and downs as this new industry develops. But todays announcement is another crucial step. So its a privilege for me to stand with kentucky farmers every step of the way. Together well continue charting hemps course well into the future. The presiding officer leadershi p time is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order the senate will resume consideration of h. R. 3055, which the clerk will report. The clerk calendar number 141, h. R. 3055, an act making appropriations for the departments of commerce and justice, science and related agencies for the fiscal year ending september 30, 2020, and for other purposes. The presiding officer the senator from illinois. Mr. Durbin are we in a quorum call . The presiding officer no, were not. Mr. Durbin thank you. Madam president , i want to comment on an incident that occurred late last week on the floor of the senate regarding temporary protected status, known as t. P. S. , for people from the country of venezuela. T. P. S. Can be provided by the president to nationals of a country when that countrys experiencing violence or a catastrophe that makes returning to the country unsafe. This is a protection offered by america under many different administrations to help those who might be in the United States when a calamity occurs in their home countries. It has often been granted for countries suffering outbreaks of war or natural disaster, which leads me to the issue of venezuela. Currently, the United States is working with regional partners to foster an end to the disastrous dictatorial regime still clinging to power in venezuela. I was there last year. I saw what was heart breaking heartbreaking, considering that this was once a proud latin american democracy. People are literally starving in venezuela. They faint in the workplace from lack of nutrition. Hospitals dont have electric power or the most basic medicines. I visited a Childrens Hospital in caracas and they told me they didnt have any antibiotics or the basic cancer drugs necessary for the children who came to their hospital. Millions are fleeing venezuela as refugees into neighboring countries. There is brutal political repression. Opposing dictator maduro is a virtual guarantee of house arrest or worse. Staggering government corruption and a systematic dismantling of that countrys democracy are taking place on a regular basis and resulted in Election Results which were incredible and not believed by anyone in the region when they were announced a few months back. I have been supportive of this administrations efforts to work with other nations to support the interim presidency of juan guaido and provide assistance to millions of fleeing venezuelans, and although i fear this issue has escaped President Trumps attention, one simple step that he can take is to grant temporary protected status to venezuelans currently in the United States. Some are here as students. Others are here on work visas, but they are on temporary status. What im asking the president to do is to give them temporary protected status so that they wouldnt have to return to venezuela while the danger still lurks. Despite repeated requests by myself and many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, President Trump has repeatedly refused. He goes to audiences in florida and talks about confronting the venezuelan dictatorship. Then it he turns around and refuses to give protection to the venezuelans in the United States who need this protection. Ironically while the president s department of state has issued travel warnings advising americans not to visit venezuela because of the danger, this president still wont protect venezuelans within the United States who are afraid to return. I have met many such venezuelans in my home state of illinois, and i can tell you they are desperately worried about returning to the chaos, violence, and hopelessness of the current venezuela. Since the white house refuses to act, the house of representatives passed a bipartisan bill granting temporary protected status to venezuelans this last july by a 272158 margin. Senator bob menendez of new jersey, marco rubio of florida and i have introduced a Similar Senate bill, but the majority leader mcconnell refuses to bring up any bill that might not meet the approval of president donald trump, even a bill offered by leaders in his own political party. Senator menendez and i have tried to call up the house bill for passage only to face objection repeatedly from Senate Republicans. Last week, to deflect blame from President Trump and the Senate Republicans who object to our bill, the junior senator from florida came to the floor with his own approach. He blocked the bipartisan house venezuela t. P. S. Bill from passing and offered a dubious amendment undermining t. P. S. For others as the price for helping the venezuelans. In other words, he said well, perhaps we could help venezuelans as long as its at the expense of others who are in similar status from other countries. His proposal would, in fact, significantly weaken the entire temporary protected status program. For example, his proposal would require congressional approval of any extension of t. P. S. Beyond the original period, and it would limit such extension to an arbitrary 18month period. Ultimately, the junior senator from floridas proposal is using the plight of venezuelans to basically gut the existing temporary protected status program. Weve seen folks on the other side of the aisle resort to this when it came to daca. Republicans in the senate trying to use a vulnerable population such as the young people who were raised here in the United States and want a chance to work their way to citizenship, to use those vulnerable populations as bargaining chips for an antiimmigrant agenda. Once again, these members are simply refusing to stand up to the president when he fails on these issues. The solution indeed is simple. This administration should grant temporary protected status on its own to the venezuelans, but it refuses. Senate republicans could pass the bipartisan house bill to grant venezuelans temporary protected status, but the Senate Republicans refuse. So let everyone