Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title United States Code, of the Rule Submitted By the Internal Revenue Service Relating to ``Beginning of Construction Requirements for Purposes of the Termination of Clean Electricity Production Credits and Clean Electricity Investment Credits for Applicable Wind and Solar
Floor Speech
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Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I appreciate that my colleague from Ohio has come to the floor and said: Wouldn't it be great if we ensure that a paycheck is written for 2 weeks?
I have a better idea. We have far more than 2 weeks left in this particular year. The funding year ends at the end of September, so we are talking about something closer to 26 weeks. While there might be a cheer for 2 weeks, there would also be a lot of dread, and people across the Nation would be going: So the proposal is to fund for 2 weeks while the majority sends us out for a 2-week break.
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Mr. MERKLEY. Not until I finish my remarks, but thank you.
And so there are going to be two proposals by my colleague. And in response to one, I am going to suggest that we free TSA as a hostage.
TSA, right now, we are seeing hundreds of TSA agents quit because they are not being paid. We have seen thousands call in and say: I am not available for work today.
They are probably sick from the stress of not receiving paychecks. We can alleviate that completely for the rest of this entire year--this entire fiscal year--with a proposal I will put forward in a moment.
And then if my colleague has another proposal, well, we will consider that as well, but I will probably put forward a suggestion that we do all 26 weeks for TSA and FEMA and the Coast Guard and Cybersecurity.
See, the debate where pushes come to shove is over ICE and CBP, and it is because of the rules of engagement under which they have acted have been so extraordinarily aggressive, terrorizing our communities.
So the conversation still remains and is underway about ICE and CBP and the reforms.
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Mr. MERKLEY. When I am done with my remarks.
And so the key here is: Let's release these hostages because TSA is being held hostage by my colleagues across the aisle, and FEMA workers are being held as hostages--
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, and so I will just put forward the fact. I am not impugning anyone, just the fact that nine times Members of this body have come to the floor and asked unanimous consent to fund TSA.
And an additional 12 times, Members of this body have come to the floor and asked that we fund all four of those Agencies--the Coast Guard and FEMA and Cybersecurity and TSA. So let's not continue to hold these hostages. And TSA, right now, is the one we are--
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Mr. MERKLEY.--completely focused on--
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Mr. MERKLEY. Thank you, Madam President. I will just cut to the chase here. Just as my colleague's heartfelt desire is to get those paychecks written, so I, too, want to see them written. At the moment, we see the TSA agents in high stress. Our airports are causing stress for people all through the Nation, so let's get that piece done right here, right now in this moment.
Therefore, I would ask the Senator to modify your request so the Senate instead proceeds to immediate consideration of Calendar No. 362, S. 4127; that the bill which funds TSA be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, may I respond to my colleague's questions?
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Mr. MERKLEY. Thank you. To his first question in which he sought to clarify that his proposal is retroactive--
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, speaking to my colleague through the Chair in the ancient Senate tradition, the answer to that, as I already pointed out, is that I am going to offer two proposals: One, that we fully fund TSA, and we do it not for 2 weeks but we do it for the balance of this year through September 30.
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Mr. MERKLEY. And second proposal--
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, just because I am answering the question--
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Mr. MERKLEY.--I think I have the floor for a question.
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, has my colleague from Ohio objected to funding TSA for the rest of the year?
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, has my colleague from Ohio objected to--
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Mr. MERKLEY. His objection is heard?
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Mr. MERKLEY. My colleague, as I understand it, has refused to agree to that; and, therefore, he has essentially objected. But he has asked for a modification.
I am happy to, at this very moment, propose that we go to a request which funds FEMA and the Coast Guard and Cybersecurity and TSA-- essentially everything except ICE and CBP--and the other Agencies are fee funded. I am happy to go to that proposal if my colleague is willing to fund FEMA and Coast Guard and Cybersecurity.
But I think he has been well aware that he keeps putting a poison pill in here. He keeps asking for Customs and Border Protection to be funded without modifying how they are behaving across the Nation, and he keeps asking for ICE to be funded without modifying their actions when they are operating like a secret police.
That is why negotiations are underway with the White House--over that issue. So let's stop holding FEMA and Coast Guard and Cybersecurity and TSA hostage. And I am happy to put forward a proposal right now that would fund all four of those Agencies for the balance of this year.
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, I think my colleague can check and see that that is a fee-funded organization.
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, I think, if my colleague checks, he will find that USCIS is funded through fees. And let me explain what a fee is. A fee is when--
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, my colleague is engaged in a dialogue here that I would be happy to resume at another moment. He has rejected both my proposal to fund TSA--he has rejected my proposal to fund FEMA and Cybersecurity and TSA and the Coast Guard.
At this very moment, there is a ceremony going on to honor our police officers who protected this Capitol on January 6, and that is to honor a plaque that has been posted by the Senate, in a bipartisan way, and agreed to have put up when it was being hidden by the Speaker of the House in some closet.
And so I understand the points my colleague is making. I think the Senator understands the points I am making. I have countered his proposal with a proposal to fund TSA for the balance of the year. I countered his proposal to fund everything but ICE and CBP. If I misunderstand that, please let the Senator say now that he agrees to my proposals and we will be done with this conversation.
But I really think it would be good for both of us, in a bipartisan way, to go down and honor the officers that protected the Capitol.
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, my understanding is the second proposal funds everything but ICE and CBP is my understanding of the Murray bill.
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Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, is that a question?
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Mr. MERKLEY. I would be happy to answer the question. Twice when I have answered questions, my colleague has reclaimed the floor in the middle of it. Does he intend to actually let me answer the question this time?
But let's be clear. Because of the sequence of events in which I proposed two modifications and he rejected two modifications--he rejected and objected to paying through the end of September the TSA. And then I proposed that we fund everything except for CBP and for ICE because those are the two issues under negotiation with the President, and he has again objected. And he is proposing a 2-week extension and then people don't get paid again.
So we are going to bring this to a close because essentially my colleague has asked me to participate in this debate. And it is very clever, and I have willingly done so; but I would think 26 weeks is a whole lot better than 2 weeks.
And so since my colleague objected to paying TSA, objected to paying everyone in Homeland Security except for ICE and CBP--because that is under negotiation with the House and with the President--I have objected to his 2-week extension.
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