Help them to see your glorious image in humanity and search for opportunities to empower those on lifes margins. Lord, inspire them to trust the unfolding of your loving providence, so that they will not become weary in doing what is right. May they live with such integrity that your purposes will be accomplished on earth, remind us all that it is in giving that we receive. And through dying to self we are born to eternal life. We pray in your great name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Mcconnell madam president . The presiding officer the republican leader is recognized. Mr. Mcconnell there are a lot of reasons to like the broad Bipartisan Energy bill which is before us. Youll like it if youre an american interested in producing more energy. Youll like it if youre an american interested in may go less for energy in paying less for energy. Youll like it if youre an american interested in saving energy. There are a lot of Important Reasons to support the Energy Policy modernization act. Heres another one youll like it if youre an american interested in bolstering your countrys longterm National Security. Thats always important, and americans are telling us its especially important today. They see our commanders, for instance, attempting to juggle myriad threats from across the globe with diminishing force structure. If youre interested in improving our overall strategic position, then there are ways this broad Bipartisan Energy bill can help. Policy modernization act is designed to boost americas liquefied natural gas exports. That doesnt just hold potential for americas economy. It holds potential for americas global leadership, including the security of ourllies. We know that russia is the dominant supplier of natural gas to western europe and we know building americas own export capacity can enhance European Energy security in the long run, so in Broad Strokes by increasing our ability to export natural gas in the form of liquefied natural gas, or l. N. G. , to europe the u. S. Can weaken russias strategic strong hold while boosting our domestic economy by increasing energy exports. Thats how congressman calvin, a republican, and comang israel, israel, congressman israel put it in an oped last year after returning from a trip to the ukraine. Heres what a former obama Energy Advisor wrote in november increased l. N. G. Trade can also enhance Energy Security for it our allies, he said. Russianstate owned energy giant gazproms gripping is weakening and it will accelerate that grip as russia seeks to counter it. Enhancing americas capacity is also important when you consider that iran has been freed from western sanctions and is looking to expand its own trade in energy resources, including its natural gas potential. Robust l. N. G. Exports to asia could also enhance americas stature there too and give our allies in the region a stable source of energy. Boosting americas natural gas exports is one reason to support the bill, but heres another the Energy Policy modernization act is designed to reduce our foreign reliance on minerals and Raw Materials needed for everything from military assets to smartphones. We can strengthen americas mineral security by developing our worldclass american mineral base. The necessary modern policies can move us ahead, and this bill contains positive steps forward. Heres what else this bill would do. The Energy Policy modernization act is designed to defend our National Energy grid from terrorist cyber attacks. It would help prepare us by offering additional cybersecurity research, help deter attacks by erecting stronger defenses and help provide for faster and more effective responses when threats do arise. At the end of the day, heres what you can say about the Energy Policy modernization act. It aims to make america more secure in an era of insecurity. It aims to make america more prosperous in a time of economic uncertainty. Its a bipartisan bill that deserves to pass. Its great to see so many republicans and democrats in this chamber who actually agree with that. Its great to see both sides working with the bill managers to process amendments and move this legislation along. I ask members to continue working in the same spirit of cooperation. The presiding officer the democratic leader is recognized. Mr. Reid in recent weeks the nation has become concerned, afraid, even outraged to learn that nearly 100,000 people who are residents of the city of flint, michigan, have been poisoned. About 9,000 of these 100,000 are kids, children. 9,000 of them are under the age of six years. Two years ago in an effort to pinch pennies, an unelected emergency manager appointed by Governor Rick Snyder witched thy from the city of flint, michigan, water source to the flint river. Water from the flint river was contaminated with lead, bacteria that causes legionnaires disease and lots of other bad things. As a result, the residents of flint, michigan, were forced to drink water. There is no trick photography here. This is a person in flint, michigan you can go to any house you wanted to go to and this is the water that they were drinking, bathing in. Its hard to comprehend that this went on for such a long time. Can you imagine taking a bath in this, brushing your teeth, or drinking it . How about a new baby . This is your little bath tub. Through no fault of their own, the people of flint, michigan, are beg forced to endure a Public Health crisis that could have been avoided. This is a manmade crisis. We will never know the full extent of the damage to the people who live in flint, michigan, especially to the children. They have been harmed because they have been poisoned by the acts of the leadership in the state of michigan, especially the governor of the state of michigan. The reckless decision to switch to unsafe Drinking Water was forced upon 100,000 people. These people in flint, michigan, are now exposed to water with high levels of lead, frighteningly high levels of lead, among other things. This is not just lead. Bacteria; they havent determined the full extent of it. Its established, i can remember, madam president , when i first came to h this body many, many years ago, i had the good fortune to chair hearings in the Environment Committee dealing with lead poisoning. Lead poisoning at that time that we studied it was lead that children ingested who lived in these developments where they used large amounts of leadbased paint. And the children who ate this lead not on purpose were not what they could have been. It affects their brains. This lead in water, lead anyplace affects little kids brains. It affects adults too, but especially children. Lead causes Serious Problems for adults, as i mentioned, but is especially dangerous for children, causing lifetime effects. You cant get well. They have a program where they try to take the blood out and run it through like a purifier. It takes a long time, but it doesnt there is no safe level of lead for children. After the im sorry, madam president. After the city made the wrong decision to switch its water source, it was really very quick that the citizens of flint began to complain that the water is discolored. But this stuff also smelled. They began to develop rashes. Everyone. The response of State Government was appalling. Rick snyder, the governor of michigan, is one of those who berates government all the time. Emails released from his office just last week referred to a resident who said she was told by a state nurse in january 2015, a little over a year ago she was complaining about her sons elevated blood levels. Had so much elevated levels of blood. Im so sorry. Lead in her i guess i stayed up too late watching the Election Results last night. Heres what the nurse told this woman quote its just a few i. Q. Points. Its not the end of the world. Close quote. Can you imagine a Health Care Worker telling someone that its your baby but its just a few points of i. Q. That theyll lose. No big deal, its not the end of the world. A state nurse. The water was so poisonous that general motors, who manufactures automobile parts there, stopped using the source for the flint engine operation because it ruined the parts, it cor roded them during the manufacturing process. They had to stop using this water. People were still using this water, bathing this water. Despite overwhelming evidence that the people in his city were poisoned, Governor Snyder failed to act. This went on a long time. As flint struggles to recover from this terrible Public Health problem, investigation will determine who exactly is to blame for this reckless decision. We know who caused the problem. This was a manmade disaster, as i said earlier. But now we must act to protect the residents of flint. This protection can start with repairs to their water infrastructure. Like many cities and theres quite a few in the midwest flint has lead pipes. But the highly corrosive nature of the flint river damaged them, ate away at the insides of the pipes. Now these lead pipes are leeching into the clean water supply from lake huron. It will cost over 1 billion to replace flints poisonous corrosive water structure. People in flint, michigan, are struggling. Theres been money spent there. Flint has been doing quite well until this came along. There was a new vitality. But now people are afraid to eat in restaurants. Business has been terribly damaged because people dont believe the water is pure. A lot of these restaurants, for example, put in their own water supply, Water Purification systems, but people dont believe it. Theyre afraid. We need this done now. And state and federal government must cooperate now to end this crisis which requires that we make investments, i repeat, now. President obamas declared a state of emergency in flint, michigan, and given fema, federal Emergency Management agency, the authority to provide resources for the people of flint. The problem is right now, they are just getting bottled water. The infrastructure is so bad. Governor snyder has finally, finally declared a state of emergency and finally apologized for his administrations slow response. The governors apology is too late. The residents of flint have already been poisoned. Madam president , its too bad the people on this side of the aisle disparage government all the time as too intrusive, too involved, detrimental to our society. The governor of michigan is one of the leading cheerleaders of that theory he denigrates government every single chance he gets, but to whom does he turn when the state of michigan is in trouble . The federal government. When emergency strikes, the federal government steps in. Thats what thats one of the responsibilities that we have to protect america. So i hope Senate Republicans will support our efforts to protect the people of flint in this time of need. Senator murkowski, the chair of that important committee, has jurisdiction of the bill that is before this body today, working with senator cantwell. They are committed to doing something to help this. Lets support them. Sadly, the same republicans that call for relief when their states face natural disasters are disparaging Government Action in flint. For example, last year, texas was devastated with historic flooding. Who stepped in . It was the federal government that stepped in to provide Disaster Relief for the people of texas. Thats why i was disappointed to see the senior senator from texas say, and i quote, we all have sympathy for whats happened in flint, this is primarily local and state responsibility, close quote. He didnt say that when the flooding was taking place in texas. Last year, as florida was hit with extreme flooding, the junior senator from florida called for federal disaster assistance. But when it comes to the children and families of flint, the senator who finished third last night in the iowa caucuses, he cautioned against any action. Heres what he said. Talking about flint. I believe the federal governments role in some of these things is limited unless it involves a federal jurisdictional issue. The issue was the state of michigan didnt do what it was supposed to do. The junior senator from florida is not alone. Republican senators routinely rush to the floor to demand federal aid when trouble hits their back yard. Thats the right thing to do. Americans help each other in times of crisis. This week, the senate has the chance to help the families suffering through a Public Health crisis. I hope republicans will request federal aid in the past for their states who have had difficulty, wont turn their backs on the people of flint, michigan. If federal government response is necessary for natural disasters, shouldnt the federal government help respond to these manmade disasters . The examples i gave in florida and texas, these were not manmade disasters. This is. We remain committed to giving the people of flint, michigan, what they need during this crisis help from the federal government to restore clean, safe water. But the federal government cant do it all. The people of flint, michigan, should understand that the governor of michigan is costing them a lot of money, and its going to cost the taxpayers of michigan a lot more because the federal government cant do it all. Senators stabenow and peters have proposed an amendment to this bill that is before us that provides emergency relief to the people of flint, michigan, for their water crisis. I support that. The people of flint have been poisoned. We owe our fellow citizens swift action to address this medical emergency. So i urge my colleagues, especially my republican friends, to support the stabenowpreerts amendment to give stabenowpeters amendment to give the people of flint the relief they so desperately need. The presiding officer under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. Under the previous order, the senate will be in a period of morning business until 11 00 a. M. , with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. The senator from utah is recognized. Mrs. Boxer madam president , parliamentary inquiry. The presiding officer the senator will state her parliamentary inquiry. Mrs. Boxer is it a fact that the senator from utah will have ten minutes and then the floor will be open for other senators at that time . The presiding officer the order for business is every senator is entitled to speak for up to ten minutes each until the hour of 11 00 a. M. Mrs. Boxer that was my parliamentary inquiry, so that each senator has ten minutes, and at the expiration of ten minutes, the floor would be open, is that correct . The presiding officer absent any consent agreement to the contrary, the senator is correct. Mrs. Boxer thank you so much. The presiding officer the senator from utah. Mr. Hatch thanks, madam president. I ask unanimous consent that deign carvoyes, a member of my staff, be granted floor privileges through the end of the 114th congress. The presiding officer without objection, so ordered. Mr. Hatch thank you, madam president. I rise today to emphasize the importance of the judicial redress act. This is a bill that the Senate Judiciary committee favorably reported out last week by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 191. As i speak, the Senate Majority and minority leaders are in the process of clearing this legislation by unanimous consent. I am optimistic the senate will pass the judicial redress act in the coming days and that ultimately we will send this legislation to the president s desk. I want to thank senator chris murphy for introducing this important bill with me and for the broad support we have built among both republicans and democrats. I also want to acknowledge the good work of representative Jim Sensenbrenner and john conyers for their efforts over in the house. They have been stalwarts in advancing this important legislation in the house of representatives. It has been a true bipartisan, bicameral event. Simply stated, the judicial redress act would extend certain Data Protections and remedies available to u. S. Citizens under the privacy act to european citizens by allowing them to correct flawed information in their records and in rare instances the option to pursue legal remedies if federal agencies improperly disclose their data. Our legislation fights an inequity, a reciprocal benefit that has been withheld from our european allies with little justification. Crossborder data flows between the United States and europe are the highest in the world. Today, most countries in the European Union affirmatively provide Data Protection rights to americans on european soil. Our european allies and their citizens should likewise have access to the core benefits of the privacy act when in the United States. It is the right and fair thing to do. Passing the judicial redress act is critical to ratification of the data privacy and protection agreement commonly called the umbrella agreement. This agreement allows for data transfers between between european and american Law Enforcement officials for the purpose of fighting and investigating crime, including terrorism. European officials have said they will not ratify the umbrella agreement until congress provides e. U. Citizens with limited judicial redress. Our bill is key to provi