Hire More Heroes Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I have listened to the comments of my
colleague, the junior Senator of Texas, both last week and this week,
and I would have to say he is mistaken.

First of all, if, in fact, the majority leader had somehow
misrepresented to the 54 Senators what the facts are with regard to the
Ex-Im Bank, I suspect we would find other voices joining that of the
junior Senator, but I hear no one else making such a similar
accusation.

Secondly, I would just say to my colleague that there is an
alternative explanation. There is an alternative explanation. As the
majority leader has said time and time again, anytime 65 Senators want
to do something here in the Senate, sooner or later they are going to
get their way. Indeed, that represents the vote in support of the Ex-Im
Bank--something I will end up voting against but where I realize that
majorities will carry the day eventually.

But if the rule the junior Senator from Texas is arguing for is
embraced, we will lose all control of the Senate schedule; there will
be chaos; and, indeed, we won't be able to meet simple deadlines, such
as the one that exists on the 31st of this month with regard to the
expiration of the transportation fund, because even after we close off
debate, any Senator who wants to get a vote on an amendment will be
entitled to do so. And that cannot be the rule. It is not the rule. It
has never been the rule. And that is why what the junior Senator is
attempting to do is so extraordinary.

I will be opposing that, and I hope all of our colleagues will join
us in opposing that because ultimately what that would mean is that a
determined 51 Senators who want to raise taxes, who want to pass
Obamacare 2.0, who want to pass a cap-and-trade bill or a carbon tax,
who want to pass Dodd-Frank 2.0, or any additional government
spending--they will be able to do it. They will be guaranteed an
opportunity to get an amendment and be able to vote on that amendment,
and it will pass in the Senate. I don't think that is in the best
interests of the Senate. I don't think it is in the best interests of
the 27 million people whom the junior Senator and I represent together.
I certainly don't believe that is in the best interests of this
institution which we all revere.

If all 100 Senators have the opportunity to offer an amendment
without restraint, then there will never be any deadline. There will
never be any conclusion, and we would not be able to do the simple work
that we have been asked to do on behalf of the American people.

The final point is this. I know the junior Senator feels passionately
about this amendment. But the fact of the matter is that we have a
process that has been set up to review the Iran deal that President
Obama and Secretary Kerry negotiated. We are going to have a chance to
examine it, debate it, and review it over the next 2 months, and then
we will have a chance to vote on it. There is a time and place for this
vote. I will no doubt support the same position that the junior Senator
is supporting. It is not on this bill. It is not now. It is not at the
expense of breaking the orderly procedures that make sure that everyone
gets a chance to participate. I would just say in conclusion that there
was no misrepresentation made by the majority leader on the Ex-Im Bank.

The only thing the majority leader promised was an opportunity to
offer an amendment on a bill, recognizing that if he denied that
opportunity, when 65 Senators wanted it--not just one Senator who we
know can stop things around here, slow them down--the 65 Senators would
be bound and determined to use any available leverage until they got
that vote. So I agree with what the majority leader has decided to do
and how he has decided to handle it. I know there are passionate views
around here, but that does not justify changing the rules of the Senate
through such extraordinary means. So I hope our colleagues join me to
ratify the ruling of the Chair when that time comes rather than to
overrule it.

To overrule the Chair on something this important to the orderly
consideration of the Senate's business would be a terrible mistake.

I yield the floor.

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