The presiding officer the senator from alaska. Ms. Murkowski request that proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Ms. Murkowski madam president for the information of all senators, we are were working now to set up votes on several pending amendments to the bill and these votes would be after lunch today. Right now were looking at 60vote thresholds on the fischer amendment along with a boxer sidebyside. The sanders amendment and the lee amendment. I do understand that the boxer amendment is now filed at the desk and i would also ask unanimous consent that the fischer amendment number 18 be modified with the changes that are at the desk. The presiding officer without objection. Ms. Murkowski thank you madam president. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call ms. Murkowski madam president . The presiding officer the senator from alaska. Ms. Murkowski request that proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Ms. Murkowski madam president i have seven unanimous consent requests for committees to meet during todays session of the senate. They have the approval of the majority and the minority leaders. So i would ask unanimous consent that these requests be agreed to and that these requests be printed in the record. The presiding officer without objection. Ms. Murkowski and madam president we do have a number of members that have have asked to come to the floor to speak over the course of these next couple hours and many will be speaking to their specific amendments on this keystone x. L. Pipeline. Again, we encourage folks to use this time while we have a little bit of time before we move to the votes this afternoon. So i see that my colleague from North Carolina is here to speak on these issues and would welcome his remarks at this time. Mr. Tillis madam president . The presiding officer the senator from North Carolina. Mr. Tillis thank you. Long before i was actually sworn into the u. S. Senate, i traveled across the state of North Carolina and i promised the citizens of North Carolina that i would work towards Commonsense Solutions to provide opportunities for Economic Growth and opportunity. Today i hope to send forth amendment 102 with the support of my good friend, senator burr, from North Carolina. Upon the approval of the keystonekeystone pipeline to take a look at things we can do to do our part in North Carolina to contribute to the ultimate goal of Energy Independence in this legislation. The amendment the atlantic outer Continental Shelf revenue share act of 2015, will expand domestic offshore production, natural Gas Exploration and production which in turn, will create jobs and set our nation on that track to Energy Independence. Families across the are too familiar with the Impact Energy prices play on our daytoday lives. Making decisions that are very difficult for them in these difficult economic situations. When utility bills and gas prices increase hardworking americans face hardship and struggle to make ends meet. We need to make that easier and lift the burden on those hardworking taxpayers. We also cant underestimate the great Impact Energy plays in americas Foreign Policy decisions. We are in many ways dependent on oil from the middle Eastern States that do not share our democratic values. The predicament is not excuse me. The predicament has not certainly placed america in a position of strength. America has more Energy Potential than any other nation. Its time that we start realizing its full potential. Now, what the amendment does, its fairly straightforward. It instructs the secretary of interior to finalize a fiveyear offshore oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2017 and 2022. That includes annual lease sales in both the midatlantic outer Continental Shelf and the south atlantic outer Continental Shelf region. It grants the states in both of these regions a 37. 5 share of all revenues collected from the outer Continental Shelf leading activities. Each state in the region gets a minimum of 10 share of that allocation. It directs 12. 5 of the revenues collected from the atlantic outer Continental Shelf activities to the land and Water Conservation fund. The 37. 5 for the states and the 12. 5 for other regions mirrors the revenue splits given to the gulf coast states texas louisiana, mississippi and alabama under current law. North carolinas received approximately 2 209 million in funding over the past decades protecting places such as the Cape Lookout National seashore, the Great Dismal SwampNational Wildlife rescue and the pitanaskala national forest. The department of interior is currently developing a fiveyear Leasing Program for 20172022. The language of the amendment merely instructs the department to include the midatlantic and the south atlantic regions as part of that plan. Current law requires the department of interior to give deference to the preferences of states when developing a leasing plan for areas within 50 miles of their shore. Keep in mind, ladies and gentlemen, the drilling that were talking about in North Carolina off our coast is greater than 30 miles off the court, far beyond the sight horizon of our beautiful beaches in North Carolina. Now, i wanted to close by saying, why are we moving this amendment now . Well first its a fulfillment of a promise i made to the citizens of North Carolina. It also doesy norm owg progress for enormous progress grating jobs and helping our economy get on back in the state and region. Its estimated that 55,000 jobs can be created by 2035. More than 4 billion annually in economic contributions to the state of North Carolina. Almost 4 billion in government revenues for the state of North Carolina. 4 billion. As someone who served as speaker of the house in North Carolina, i cannot tell you what an enormous impact that will have in terms of reducing the burden on taxpayers and businesses in North Carolina, creating more opportunities for economic expansion and job growth. And up to 577 million annually in revenueshare payments, according to a report published by the Southeast Energy alliance in 2009. These numbers increase opportunities in North Carolina unlike anything i saw in my eight years in the state legislature. Its an opportunity for North Carolina to do its part to make the Nation Energy independent and to help me fulfill my promise to the citizens of North Carolina, which is to create jobs and provide great opportunities for this generation and future generations. Thank you madam president. A senator madam president . The presiding officer the senator from arizona. Mr. Mccain madam president , i come to the floor today to discuss an amendment that ive filed to the pending legislation legislation. Its an amendment to modify the jones act. The jones act is anarchaic 1920s era law that hinders free trade, stifles the economy and hurts consumers. Largely for the benefit of labor unions. Specifically this amendment would effectively repeal a law that prevents u. S. Shippers from purchasing or otherwise affordablely procuring the services of affordably procuring the services of vessels that are built outside the United States for use in american waters. From time to time here in congress, we find that legislation still remains on the books many decades after it has served its original stated purpose. If ever had one i think one of the best examples of this is a law called the jones act. As many of you know, the jones act is simply a continuation of laws passed through u. S. History addressing porttoport coastal shipping. Those laws have been used to protect u. S. Domestic shipping dating back to the very first session of congress. The jones act may have had some rationale back in the 1920s when it was enacted but today it serves only to raise shipping costs, making u. S. Farmers and businesses less competitive in the Global Marketplace and increasing costs for American Consumers. According to the 2002 u. S. International trade Commission Economic study by the way the u. S. International trade commission is not a group of special interests. Theyre an International Trade commission, which is appointed to study issues affecting International Trade obviously as the name implies. Their study reached the conclusion that repealing the jones act would lower shipping costs by about 22 . The Commission Found that repealing the jones act would have an annual positive welfare effect of 666 million on the u. S. Economy. Since these decadeold studies are the most recent studies of statistics vail, statistics available imagine the impact impact the repeal would have today . Like lay cleeser toly closely to 1 billion. The requirement the u. S. Shippers must purchase vessels in the United States comes at a tremendous cost that is passed on to u. S. Consumers. For example just recently, the u. S. Container line matson placed a 489 million for two 3 container snips u. S. A. Shipyard many the high price of 209 million per vessel reflects that the ships la be carrying goods within the u. S. Therefore, governed by the protectionist jones act. The fact is that matsons order at 209 million ship is more than five times more expensive than if those same memberships were procured outside the United States. Ships of that size built outside the United States would cost closer to 40 million each. For comparison far larger ships cost millions less at an average of 185 million each. U. S. Maritime administration has found that the cost to operate u. S. Flagged vessels at 22,000 a day is about 2. 7 times higher than foreignflagged vessels just 6,000 a day. Theres no doubt that these inflation inflated costs are eventually passed 0en to shipping consumers. In the to shipping customers. In the Energy Sector, for example, the price for moving crude oil from the gulf coast to the northeastern United States on jones tankers is 5 to 6 more per barrel while moving it to Eastern Canada is about 2. That can mean an additional 1 million pertaininger shipping costs for oil producers. This increased cost is why according to the Congressional Research service more than twice as much Gulf Coast Crude Oil was shipped by water to canada as was shipped to northeastern refineries in the last year all in an effort to avoid paying jones act vessel shipping rates. The implications of this fact touches just about every american who buys gasoline. Its American Consumers who pay exorbitantly higher prices because of a law that protects the shipbuilding industry and domestically manufactured ships that transport crude and other refined products. But it is not just the Energy Sector that deals with the distorted effects of the jones afnlgt cattlemen in hawaii that want to bring their cattle to the u. S. Mainland market, for example, have actually resorted to flying the cattle on 747 jumbo jets to work around the restrictions of the jones act. Their only alternative is to ship the cattle to canada because all livestock carriers in the world are foreignowned. Im concerned about the impact of think barrier to free traivmentd i believe the United States trade barriers invite other countries to put up or retain their own barriers, and that at the end of the day the u. S. Consumer and the economy at large pays the price. Throughout my career, ive always been a strong supporter of fry trade opening markets to the free flow of goods and Services Benefits america and benefits our trading partners. Trade liberalization creates jubescreatesjobs and provides consumers with access to lowercost goods and services, and yet as clear as the benefits of free trade are, actually taking action to remove trade barriers and open markets can be almost impossible here in congress. Special interests that have long and richly benefited from protectionism flex their muscles and issue doomsday warnings about a the consequences much moving forward on free trade. Gunnelling from the hysterical reaction from some of the special troughs my special filing of this amendment the debate over the jones act will be no different. The domestic shipbuilding requirement of the jones act is outdated and should be abolished. U. S. Consumers are free to buy a foreignbuilt car. U. S. Trucking companies are free to buy foreignbuilt trucks. U. S. Railroads are free to buy a foreignbuilt locomotive. U. S. Airlines are free to buy a foreignbuilt airplane. Why cant United States maritime commercial interests more affordably ship goods on foreignmade vessels. Why do u. S. Consumers particularly those in hawaii, alaska and puerto rico, need to pay for ships that are five times more expensive . If there was a law that long ago outlived its usefulness, if it ever had any its the jones act. On the jones act its time to change course today. I have a letter i would like included in the record from the American FarmBureau Federation which states, the farm bureau believes that there should be no restrictions as to the quantities of vessels on which a commodity is shipped between u. S. Ports. Repealing the jones act would allow more competition for the movement of goods between u. S. Ports, thus driving down transportation costs. I continue reading from the letter to all members of the senate from the farm bureau. Repeal of the jones act accomplishes the same purpose a reduction in energy costs increased competition to lower costs of u. S. Goods and more opportunities to transport Agricultural Commodities at competitive prices. Due to this importance, farm Bureau Policy developed by our grassroots members consisting of working farmers and ranchers explicitly supports the repeal of the jones act. The farm bureau urges you to vote in support of senator mccains amendment repealing sections of the merchant marine act of 1920. Then theres an article which states that mccain under fire. A growing number of politicians are taking aim at a prominent u. S. Senators crusade against the jones act. Oh, oh, my god. I am deeply concerned. Its and all the special interests on this issue are weighing in. And, by the way one of them this would have effects on the u. S. Shipbuilding and repair base. We all know that the u. S. Shipbuilding industry, because of the jones act is moribund. In fact, if i i ask the article it from the daily signal which say the shipbuilding industry is struck on ground. U. S. Shipbuilding exports are tiny compared to exports of semis and trailers. Shipbuilding is subject to the protectionist jones act which hinders competition while the semi industry is not. According to the u. S. Department of homeland security, the coast wise larks like the jones act are highly protectionist provisions that are intended to create a coastwise monopoly in order to protect and develop american merchant, et cetera. But it may thrill have the opposite effect. Consider u. S. Production of vessels designed to transport goods via water compared to u. S. Production of semitrailer trucks and trailers designed to transport goods via land. In 2013, u. S. Manufacturers exported 4. 1 billion in semitrailer trucks and trailers, but they exported just 0. 1 billion in commercial ships. Americans in most states would benefit from the freedom to ship goods on the bestbuilt, most affordable vessels wherever they are made. The Alaska Governor is actually required to quote use best efforts and all appropriate means to persuade the United States congress to repeal those provisions of the jones act formerly codified as 46u. S. C. 861, et cetera. The jones act drives up the price of gas hinders u. S. Infrastructure improvements, inp flicts high costs on people in i had and puerto rico, and makes it in hawaii and puerto rico, maingsdz it difficult to transport goods between u. S. Ports. So the facts are clear, madam president. What which have is an oldtime in fact, 1920s law that may have been i emphasize the word may have had some utility in the past. And, madam president , i am aware that all of the special interests have been mobilized and how this can be damaging to, frankly, certain special interests. It would not be damaging to the ave