Addressing Critical Matters Facing Our Nation

Floor Speech

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I join many of my colleagues who have come to the floor to implore the leadership and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to work with us to address critical matters facing our Nation. From failing to provide the necessary funding to combat the Zika virus and our Nation's opioid epidemic to failing to even consider a candidate for the Highest Court in the land, or legislation to curb gun violence and address college costs and the student debt crisis--we must act on all of these measures, and we must do it promptly.

We are entrusted by the American people to find solutions for difficult, hard-to-fix problems, not to ignore them at almost every turn. I have heard from people of all persuasions, reaching out, urging Congress to take action. So I come here today to remind my colleagues across the aisle, and my colleagues within my caucus, that we all must do our job. That message has come through loud and clear from the American public, and we have to put those words into action.

For more than 8 months, we have seen, for example, the harmful effects of the Zika virus. We have seen its heartbreaking impact on newborns, women, and families and deepened our understanding of the suffering this virus causes. Pregnancies have been lost. We have seen children born with permanent birth defects that could have been avoided. And recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that the disease can enter people's eyes, causing serious vision impairment.

It has been over 6 months since the President requested $1.9 billion in emergency funding to fight the Zika virus. It has been 4 months since the Senate passed a compromise measure to provide $1.1 billion for a comprehensive response to Zika and to speed up development of a vaccine by a strong bipartisan vote of 68 to 29.

Instead of the other body passing this measure, the majority in both bodies agreed upon a bill that uses this public health crisis as an opportunity to attack the Environmental Protection Agency and make cuts to the Affordable Care Act, veterans' health care, and other provisions. This approach seeks to drain funds from critical health needs, which have not abated, as a way to pay for the Zika emergency. Indeed, it is an emergency that requires an emergency response.

In light of this failure, the administration shifted all the funds it could to the Zika efforts. As the head of the Centers for Disease Control has noted, these funds are now running out. It is urgent that we pass a measure like the one we already did that gives the public health community the resources it needs to prevent further infections, treat those who have been affected, and develop vaccines to limit future outbreaks.

Unfortunately, Congress has taken a similar approach of delay to the opioid epidemic, severely underfunding efforts to combat this crisis. Like many Americans, I have seen the devastating impact the opioid crisis continues to have on our Nation. Indeed, since 2010, we have lost more than 1,000 Rhode Islanders to accidental drug overdoses, including more than 230 overdose deaths in 2014--an increase of 73 percent since 2009. Nationally, drug overdoses have exceeded car crashes as the number one injury-related death. Two Americans die of drug overdoses every hour.

Action is urgently called for, and I commend my colleague from Rhode Island, Senator Whitehouse, who spearheaded passage in this body of the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, or CARA. However, CARA provides authority only for a response plan to address this complex challenge; it does not adequately fund this effort. For this law to work, we need real dollars to deliver lifesaving prevention and treatment services. It is critical that we provide robust resources to confront this epidemic and ensure that people have access to the treatment they need. Unfortunately, that has not happened. We cannot fight the opioid crisis with words. We need dollars, as well as words.

Those across the aisle have also fallen short on their responsibility by refusing to hold so much as a hearing on President Obama's nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. This body has a constitutional obligation to advise and consent on the President's nominees. When we fail in that obligation, we undermine the stability of our system of justice and endanger Separation of Powers.

Since the stunning announcement by the majority leadership that no hearing would be held on a replacement, the Supreme Court has deadlocked on five major questions of law. These are legal issues that directly impact millions of Americans in terms of labor force protections, business interests, and civil rights. These issues are more important than political gamesmanship, and they need resolution now.

If this obstructionism continues, American families and businesses will face growing legal uncertainty as disputed Federal laws apply differently across States. This damage to our legal system is unprecedented and could take years to undo. I urge my colleagues to do their job and allow a vote on Chief Judge Garland's nomination.

The majority has also thwarted efforts to address the continuing epidemic of gun violence in our country. This year, nearly as many Americans will lose their lives to guns as will be killed in automobile accidents. Sadly, the number of gun deaths continues to grow, fueled by easy access to lethal firearms.

This body could take action to limit the devastation to families in our communities brought about by military-grade firearms that are too easily accessed. It is my hope that through an honest, open dialogue, we can bridge the divide and pass legislation--such as closing the terror gap--in order to keep our families and communities safe from the threat of gun violence.

Another area that I want to emphasize is college affordability, where inaction has exacerbated a crisis in which sending a child to college can often put families hopelessly in the red.

We all understand that education is the engine that pulls this economy forward, fulfills individual aspirations, and makes America what it is. The United States invented modern public education and led the world in access to higher education for generations. It is a great irony that we are falling behind.

Rising college costs and student loan debt are putting America at risk. And too many institutions lack accountability, putting profit before providing a quality education to students. We need to revamp our system for financing college, and we need to help families currently struggling under the weight of student loan debt.

Many of my colleagues, and I have joined them, have put forth commonsense proposals to allow families to refinance student loans at today's low rates; to ensure that all Americans have access to tuition- free community college; to strengthen the Pell grant and reduce the reliance on student loans; and to ensure that States and institutions live up to their shared responsibilities in providing high quality and affordable higher education. These solutions are badly needed, and the majority needs to work with us to do our job and not leave students and families behind.

It is a great honor to serve the people of Rhode Island, and I know all of my colleagues in the Senate feel the same way about their respective States. Congress has always faced an array of complex and varied challenges. We must come together and find sincere solutions to improve our country.

I say to my colleagues: It is long past time to get to work, to do your job, and to act on these pressing problems. They cannot wait any longer.

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