We leave this event and go live to the u. S. Senate. Call p, pending . The presiding officer were not in a quorum call. Mr. Menendez i rise today as brave citizens in iran are taking to the streets to exercise their fundamental right to freely express their opinions and protest against their government. As a democracy founded on core values, including the freedom of speech, equal rights under the law, and basic human dignity, the United States must always stand up for those peacefully advocating for these principles. For decades america has championed these principles not only because they are right but because they promote our interests. We know that nations whose governments respect human rights and freedom of expression, that uphold the rule of law, that protect the civil rights and liberties of their people, these nations serve as americas most reliable allies, most Strategic Security relationships and most prosperous economic partners. Our enduring belief in Democratic Values compels all of us to stand up, not as democrats or as republicans but as americans and support citizens around the world courageously protesting the regimes that oppress them. We stand with those who speak out and even risk their own lives to make their voices heard in the struggle against oppression, inequality and injustice. The fact that todays protests in iran are against a regime that engages in activity that directly threatens our nation, our allies and our security interests is a separate matter. Irans leaders may try to blame the protests on outside forces, but in reality, this unrest is homegrown. The iranians marching in tehran know exactly who is to blame for their economic hardship, inequality, and oppression they face in their daily lives. It is the regime itself. Those of us who have closely followed developments in iran for years, its no surprise to learn that the regime continues to disregard the basic rights of its citizens. The regime has proven it has no moral quorums with forcing the innocent to suffer. Already Security Forces are responsible for the deaths of more than 20 iranian protesters, and they have detained and imprisoned hundreds of people for simply speaking their minds. Of course, these abuses are just one example of the consistently odious behavior we have witnessed from ie an iran in recent years. This is a regime that has proven is more interested in building Ballistic Missiles than building bridges, that it believes money is better spent on terrorist networks in lebanon and syria than on schools and hospitals for the iranian people, that any revenue generated by irans International Energy deal goes directly into the pockets of those fehrmenting discord in the region and not into the hands of iranian citizens trying to feed their families, that it will continue to engage in malign activity that isolates it from the community of nations directly at the expense of the iranian people. For these reasons and many more, i sincerely hope the International Community lives up to its responsibility to support all those who are protesting this repressive regime. However, words go only so far. The United States must continue to lead International Efforts to counter the Iranian Regimes destabilizing behavior overseas. But unfortunately, this administration has yet to take the lead. We hear plenty of bluster from this president , but threatening tweets do not constitute policy, nor can they hold iran accountable. Putting a nation, quote, on notice Means Nothing if there are no policies put in place. We need a real strategy that addresses irans destabilizing activities in the middle east, whether its the regimes continued support for terrorist networks, illegal Ballistic Missile development, or human rights abuses and political interference in other countries. These threats are what compelled me to work with my colleagues across the aisle last year to pass the counter Iran Destabilizing activities act, a bill to hold iran accountable for its ongoing support for terrorism, Ballistic Missile proliferation, and human rights abuses. This legislation passed the senate with an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 982. And ultimately, it served as the base text of the countering americas adversaries through sanctions act which addressed a wide range of hostile behavior from not just iran but russia and north korea as well. This bill calls for the administration to develop a comprehensive regional strategy to deter conventional and asymmetric threats. Were fast approaching the deadline for that strategy. More importantly, however, we have heard the president say for more than a year that he was going to develop a plan to hold iran accountable. And thus far we have seen nothing more than tough talk. The reality is this administration has yet to fully implement critical provisions of this law that could substantiv substantively counter irans nefarious behavior. The law gives the president the authority to target human rights abusers, including those complicit in the ongoing repression of protesters. But he has yet to use that authority. The bill also authorizes the president to go after those individuals and entities who are violating International Arms embargoes, exporting hateful ideologies and weapons across the region, and fehrmenting violence and chaos against innocent civilians in syria and yemen but he has yet to go after these actors. And while the administration designated the Iranian Revolutionary guard under terrorism authority, something i applaud, it is not effectively targeted actors associated with the irgc. Look, all of my colleagues know that i was deeply skeptical and strongly opposed to the joint comprehensive plan of action. I voted against the jcpoa precisely because i thought it was a mistake to roll back sanctions on iran without the total dismantlement of its nuclear infrastructure. However, refusing to certify aroons compliance with a deeply flawed deal as the president did in october does little to address its shortcomings. The president s move in october was a hollow attempt to fill a Campaign Promise while continuing to let iran enjoy the benefits of the jcpoa and continue its nonnuclear malign activities throughout the region. Furthermore, this decision was carried without a clear path forward and without specific proposals that could have gone to Critical International support. At the end of the day the Trump Administrations actions may have actually left the United States with less leverage to address irans farreaching nefarious behavior in the middle east, whether it be its support for terrorism or human rights abuses or its illegal Ballistic Missile development. None of these critical security challenges are addressed simply by knoll certifying not certifying the jcpoa nor does it move toward a comprehensive International Strategy for the Nuclear Program iran plans to resume immediately following this agreements expiration. In short, the president s own lack of policy has squandered whatever leverage he may have hoped to gain. Furthermore, the president has severely disadvantaged himself by gutting the very instruments in his National Security apparatus that should be taking the lead on iran and all Foreign Policy matters. I can tell you that as an architect of the sanctions network that crippled irans economy and forced its leaders to negotiate with the International Community, i know how essential our diplomatic arsenal is to confronting iran. the president , however, seems committed to hollowing out those agencies and offices that are in the best positions to advance our diplomatic interests. The Trump Administration, for example, has shuttered the office of sanctions policy at the state department. The office of foreign control the Treasury Department is now woefully understaffed. And as the president publicly talks about supporting democracy, his administration has scrapped funding for human rights and democracy programs and even removed the word democracy from usaids mission statement. Meanwhile, iran continues to increase its presence in iraq, maintain support for the terrorist organization hezbollah, and take credit for bah shar alassads murderous grip and power on syria. The United States must be able to work with its allies if we are serious about hostledding iran accountable. We should be corralling our allies in europe to begin streeting all of hezbollahs entities as a terrorist organization. We should be moving our allies towards a development of a comprehensive International Strategy for addressing Irans Nuclear ambitions once the jcpoa expires. Finally, this Administration Must prioritize the release of american citizens, unjustly arrested and detained in iran. Today Princeton University student shuway wang, a scholar from one of the most renowned academic institutions in my home state of new jersey remains in prison under resick louse charges of espionage ridiculous charges of espionage. Similarly, a former student of Rutgers University remains in prison along with his father, a former unicef employee. And Robert Levinson remains missing after more than ten years. In short, the president s approach towards iran thus far has been a disjointed mix of Campaign Promises, bluster, and confusing signals to our allies, not a serious consideration of how to effectively confront and existing and growing threat. So as we approach a legally mandated dead lin for the deadline for the president to present congress and the American People with a sound policy to confront a real threat, i call on the president to make use of our incredible National Security establishment, to consult experts who can help formulate a strong, sound policy capable of confronting irans destabilizing behavior in the middle east. And to implement a strategy that will effectively confront irans continued support for international terrorism. Its belligerent missile tests and its ongoing and public and brutal abuses of human rights within its own borders and around the world. With that, mr. President , i yield the floor and observe the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call quorum call mr. Cassidy mr. President . The presiding officer the senator from louisiana. Mr. Cassidy mr. President , are we in a quorum call . The presiding officer we are. Mr. Cassidy i request that it be vitiated. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Cassidy thank you. Mr. President , republicans just passed the largest tax reform panch in 30 package in 30 something years. Adle middle and Middle America will go home with bigger paychecks i should say february. It will take that long for the i. R. S. To update their software and they will go home with more money in their pocket. If theres been a theme of the Trump Administration, its that they want those working americans, those middleclass americans to do better under this president than under the previous eight years. Mr. President , that tax reform package is part of that. And im just amazed that my democratic colleagues objected to it. They objected to Middle Americans having more money in their pocket, in their takehome pay for no other reason i think than to resist President Trump. Well, what im about to speak to well speaks to better jobs, better wages for working americans for those middleclass families. This afternoon, mr. President , the u. S. Department of interior released the Trump Administrations Draft Proposed Program for offshore oil and gas leasing. This proposal would mean more Affordable Energy made right here in the United States of america and, by the way, thats good news for American Workers and families. I commend President Trump and interior secretary zinke for their commitment to supporting American Workers and making America Energy dominant. For decades past administrations have handcuffed American Energy manufacturers by restricting offshore leases to the western and center gulf of mexico. You can only drill there, not elsewhere. Past plans left 90 of the u. S. Offshore resources off limits to energy producers, and in the process, saying no to thousands of good paying american jobs and billions of dollars in offshore investment. When i say offshore, i mean off the american shore but creating jobs here in the United States of america. The Trump Administration proposal rejects the status quo and puts American Workers and families first. It would open areas with Significant Oil and gas potential, areas off the coast of alaska and the atlantic and pacific and portions of the eastern gulf of mexico. Now, what are the ramifications of this . According to one study, opening the eastern gulf of mexico would create nearly 230,000 new american jobs by 2035. It would bring roughly 115 billion of investment to the United States. Federal, state, and local governments would collect an additional 70 billion in tax revenue by 2035, not because rates are going up. No, rates have now gone down. But rather people are making more money and because theyre making more money at lower rates, federal, state, and local tax receipts continue to increase. American Energy Production would be boosted by about a Million Barrels of oil making our country more secure. Now, lets take a look at the statebystate job increases from these lease sales. Florida, floarmd gets the florida gates the gets the biggest gain, texas 62,000, my home state of louisiana would add 31,000 new jobs. Alabama 21,000. Mississippi 12,000. And the rest of the United States, 15,000 new jobs. Now, i know some of my colleagues across the aisle, including my democratic colleague from florida, have expressed concerns about this Energy Production plans impact on fishing and military training in the gulf of mexico. Lets remember, oil and gas manufacturers have coexisted with other activities for decades. And i share my colleagues interest in protecting our communities, business, and the environment. The reality is that these goals are not mutually explowsive, especial exclusive, especially on the gulf coast. Lets me use louisiana as an example. According to noaa, louisiana has four of the ten top ports in the country by volume and value of seafood landed. In 2016, two louisiana ports alone received more than 670 Million Pounds of seafood landed in the gulf. This is in addition to the oil and Gas Production off of our coast. Together with texas, our two states accounted for half of u. S. Shrimp landings. Noaa also reports that roughly half of the jobs in commercial and Recreational Fishing in the gulf exist in states where theres also oil and Gas Production. Recreationally, gulf anglers accounted for 33 of fishing trips which equals 39 of the total u. S. Catch. Of course, more than 85 of recreational landings were in inland estuaries or state territorial waters. Most of the oil and gas activity were discussing today is in deeper federal waters many miles away. Again, the gulf coast is a working coast and its been proven over the decades that multiple industries can successfully compan coexist. When my colleague from florida brought up his concerns about potential conflicts with the department of Defense Operations in the gulf of mexico, i took that very seriously ensuring that our military is equipped to train and test is vitally important. However, its simply not true that the eastern gulf of mexico must be completely free of Energy Production in order for the military to conduct operations. Our militarys own testing data from the last five years makes that very clear. This map shows all the department of defense testing done in the last five years in the eastern gulf of mexico. Department of defense used only 19 of the eastern gulf of mexico during the last five years or to put it differently, 81 of the gulf went untouched. But when you look at the space when you look at it more closely at the space regularly used by our military, it b