Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act of 2019--Motion to Proceed

Floor Speech

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Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I was going to ask the distinguished Democratic leader to have yielded under his reservation.

Might I be recognized for just a moment? The objection has already been heard, and we will not get this done.

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Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I appreciate the Senator from Louisiana.

His unanimous consent request would have done one simple thing-- gotten the uniformed servicemembers in the Coast Guard paid just like we are paying today for members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. The Coast Guard members are the only servicemen out there now who, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, are required to perform their duties under pain of penalty, and they are not being paid as the others are. It would also protect survivors' benefits for the retirees and their survivors in the Coast Guard, as is being done with the other uniformed services.

We may be getting close to a solution on this. I certainly hope so. In the meantime, I think it would be a significant gesture on the part of the Democrats and the Republicans in this Senate and in the House of Representatives to pass this one small change that the President has said he will sign and to do the right thing by paying members of this uniformed service. I regret that the Senator has objected, and I appreciate at least having a chance to explain why this mere carve-out is different from a larger solution that may be coming soon.

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